It Hurts to Watch

It sure has been raining a lot lately. It has rained every day since April 29 -- so much so the U.S. Geological Survey has officially pronounced our drought is over. The trees are tall, fully-leafed out, and everything is green as green can be. Including the lawn, which is a mile high.

However, when it rains, there is low barometric pressure. While it's controversial, and many professionals say that there is no relationship between low pressure and feeling pain, there are others who say there is some sort of relationship. Regardless of what the professionals say, I see it. My partner is disabled, having had major surgery on his hips. Ever since then, when rain is on the way or falling, I see his pain, which is sometimes quite severe.

Man, that hurts to watch. To see him struggle to get up from a seated position, to see him grimace as he sits down, and to bear with his being irritable and grumpy because the pain won't quit. He doesn't use drugs, but he has found that prescription topical Lidocaine pads help... sometimes. He says that without them, he couldn't move on rainy days.

He struggles, but doesn't complain. He tries hard to help out and do things around the house. I really don't mind picking up more than half of the physical labor. I can use the exercise, and he does a lot of things to make up the difference, anyway. But when I travel, he does it all, from mowing the lawn to cleaning the house, and everything else. It hurts me to know what he is dealing with when I'm gone. But he doesn't whine, moan, or say, "you shoulda" or "I had to...". He just carries on.

My partner is a trooper, and does the best he can. But man, it hurts to watch.

Life is short: show those you love that you love them, each and every day -- especially when the days aren't good for them.