Abraham Verghese, MD, practicing physician and author of Cutting for StoneTED Video presents the most brilliant people of our day. Every week I get an email of their most recent offerings.
Tonight I watched an 18-minute presentation by Abraham Verghese, MD, author of Cutting for Stone, a great book I read recently.
If interested, click here.
I am fortunate to have a great team of doctors, led by Jim Foxhall. I am also a member of Compassion and Choices and only yesterday renewed my $45 membership for a compassionate way to die. Foxhall knows and approves of it.
Coincidentally, I finished my Diabetes Poem tonite. Couldn't get it right for the longest time so decided to discard the last two stanzas of the poem and put myself right at Weinrich's counter and see what I remembered.
DIABETES LOVES A GOOD DOUGHNUT
We go blind,
our feet get ulcers,
kidney trouble turns our urine to foam
heart attacks surprise us in parking lots
Yet websites show young mountain climbers
checking their sugar every 15 minutes
determined to conquer.
I’ve returned to Weinrich’s Coffeeshop
ordered a dark blend from Brazil
dunked a jelly doughnut
with powdered sugar
still sticking to my lips
Das Rheingold plays in the background
the one where Brunhilde immolates herself
for Siegfried’s love
My death from diabetes will come gradually
slow insults to the body
barely noticeable
till a toe turns blue
and is sawed off
or a low-sugar attack renders you comatose
and the ambulance doesn’t come in time.
Onward shouts Siegfried from the radio!
Onward!
Like Brunhilde I commence my third act at Weinrich’s:
a kiss for my veins and capillaries
a prayer for my million nephrons and
candy-cane shaped aorta
and the little piggie-wiggies we played with as babes.
Let me be content with mere coffee and nothing to dunk
oh, you can imagine it, white powder swimming
on the surface like snowflakes
raspberry jelly from an old Austrian recipe
bursting forth like poppies in spring
Last week, I was at the counter when
A man bought a dozen doughnuts and a birthday cake.
Are you gonna eat them all? I joked.
In a moment of sheer ecstasy
I ate them all
slowly
the only way to die.
A very interesting poem and for me, a subject that is close to my heart due to all of my family members who had/have diabetes. I admit I am not so sure I understand the end totally. Lots of great lines like,
ReplyDeleteOnward shouts Siegfried from the radio!
Onward!
Like Brunhilde I commence my third act at Weinrich’s:
a kiss for my veins and capillaries
a prayer for my million nephrons and
candy-cane shaped aorta
and the little piggie-wiggies we played with as babes.
"Let me be content with mere coffee and nothing to dunk
oh, you can imagine it, white powder swimming
on the surface like snowflakes
raspberry jelly from an old Austrian recipe
bursting forth like poppies in spring"
I can imagine you imagining eating all of these goodies but I can't imagine you giving up the surprises and possibilities that life presents to us, even when we are sure we are buried in manure. So, I guess this is ironic but fear I am missing something here. Sorry to be simple but feel free to shoot me an email if you are inclined, explaining to me. If not, don't worry because I still liked lots about this, and especially the title, which is wonderful.