Wirecutter posts sad news: Southwest Florida Blogshoot alumnus Sgt. Bob has taken his life after a long struggle with untreatable pain. His family posted some wise words:
If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, call 988. It’s a nationwide number for crisis response. You don’t even have to be in the same city as the person you’re calling about. And if you have any other identifying information about them do not wait to try and contact their family members.
Ave atque vale, Bob.
There but for the grace go I...
ReplyDeleteI don't know if'n you recall, Borepatch, but roundabout 2014 or so I was in the same boat. Psoriatic arthritis had me literally debilitated and I was seriously considering unaliving myself.
Strangley enough, the tumor in my heart saved my life. When faced with my death, i saw things clearly and realized that I wasn't going to give up easily. The fight against that, and everything that I went through, saved me.
I also finally got my meds figured out and can say that i'm mostly pain free now. But please don't take my meds, or I'm screwed.
In short, I, more than most, understand what he went through, and even thought hte pain won in his case, all of you should take a moment to appreciate the strength it took him to get this far. More than I can elaborate.
And also for you all to realize that it was a possible terminal diagnosis that caused me to want to live, so it can sometimes be strange, goofy little things that change someone's mind, so be someone's strange, goofy thing. Look out for your buddies, gang, it doesn't take much to save a life.
Sgt. Bob is at peace and I don't want to second guess that decision. It wears a man down to live with uncontrolled pain and the covid on top of it didn't help. Spending a night in diapers with a bedpad under him probably put it in perspective, too. He made the decision while he still could, before he found himself in a hospital and had the decision taken away from him.
ReplyDeleteThat said, his family in for some very hard days. The thoughts of what they might have done, the words and conversations left unsaid, wrestling with undeserved and inappropriate, but very real guilt.
Suicide, even late in life during a health crisis, leave some unique wounds on loved ones and friends. If you're praying for Sgt. Bob, pray for his family. May they see light, feel love, and accept what came to pass.
Not a situation where we should judge. That falls to a higher and hopefully merciful entity. A friend and one of the smartest docs I ever worked with committed suicide after years of unremitting pain due to the worst imaginable, non treatable migraines.
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I can fully understand. Still a damned shame.
ReplyDeleteDamned right, fellas. He did good and held up like a champ. Our time comes for all of us, and he went out on his own terms. Ya gotta respect that.
ReplyDeleteAlmost all pain is treatable. The issue is the FDA and AMA make it difficult and risky for doctors to treat pain aggressively. Doesn't help that some unscrupulous doctors abuse the system to make money causing regulators to engage in overreach.
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