[Magdalen] Prayer Request for my old friend

Sat Jan 14 00:17:21 UTC 2017

I don't think I much care for either word.  I can talk about my elders
without wincing, but "the elderly" does have a pejorative bite, at least
for a lot of folks. Obviously one can't avoid offense, but if there's a
significant likelihood, I'll try not to use the word.  That's not PC.
That's considerate.

James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
*“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy

On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 5:05 PM, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
wrote:

> At the end of the day, what's in a name, eh?  I don't really give a toss;
> it was just the momentary catch when I realised that not everyone sees me
> through my eyes and the facts are the facts, ignore them though I will.
> However, 'infirm' NOT!
>
> Marion, a pilgrim
>
>
> On 1/13/2017 4:43 PM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford wrote:
>
>> Ain't it a hoot, how a word starts its life as a neutral descriptor or an
>> honorific, and then becomes not so good, and even an insult.
>>
>> I was genuinely not aware that the term elderly is not nice, but if people
>> feel that way, then we need to avoid using it.  Now the noun elder, I
>> think, is not such a bad term.  I wonder if we might make more use of it.
>>
>> We also mix meanings, with the term "elderly" often used interchangeably
>> with "infirm".  As I reflect on how members of my family met their end, I
>> wonder if we erred in allowing so much progress to our healthcare
>> interventions.  Several members of my family would have been better off if
>> they had died when their first major medical problem came up.  I don't
>> propose any changes, but the state of affairs does sadden me.
>>
>> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
>> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved,
>> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
>>
>> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 9:33 AM, Jay Weigel <jay.weigel at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> I was recently involved in a war of words on another site concerning the
>>> use of the word "elderly". A number of us felt it was mildly pejorative,
>>>   not in the same class as the n-word, but somewhat in the class of using
>>> "colored" instead of African-American or black.
>>>
>>> P.S. Our side carried the day.
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 8:24 AM, Marion Thompson <
>>> marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Thanks for this, Jim.  Ain't it the truth?  I've just heard that another
>>>> friend, now 90, is in a home, but that's good because she will have lots
>>>>
>>> of
>>>
>>>> company and stimulation!  The helpful neighbourhood fellow brought my
>>>>
>>> paper
>>>
>>>> down to the house yesterday and said the company should bring it to my
>>>>
>>> door
>>>
>>>> "You're an elderly woman."  Whaaaat?   Not how I see myself At
>>>> All!!!!!!!!!!  But it comes to us all, I guess, especially in the eyes
>>>> of
>>>> the world.
>>>>
>>>> Marion, a pilgrim   ... today my sail I lift ....
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On 1/13/2017 12:14 AM, James Oppenheimer-Crawford wrote:
>>>>
>>>> This is a nightmare of many as we age and become less and less able to
>>>>> take
>>>>> care of ourselves. I pray that he gets a fine place to live out the
>>>>> rest
>>>>> of
>>>>> his days with dignity.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> James W. Oppenheimer-Crawford
>>>>> *“A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not
>>>>>
>>>> preserved,
>>>
>>>> except in memory. LLAP**”  -- *Leonard Nimoy
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 4:27 PM, Marion Thompson <
>>>>> marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for your prayers, Lynn.  I went to see him yesterday.  He is his
>>>>>
>>>>>> spunky self -- sort of, but clearly can't go home on his own and has
>>>>>> acknowledged that it's time to give up his little church.  He's on an
>>>>>>
>>>>> IV,
>>>
>>>> can't walk safely without people and supports, and looks pretty rough
>>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>
>>>> toiletries haven't caught up with him!  I got him a good hot coffee,
>>>>>> which
>>>>>> he appreciated after the cold coffee on his meal trays.  I really
>>>>>> don't
>>>>>> know where he can go from hospital, certainly not home alone!  I
>>>>>> certainly
>>>>>> hope his sons will be part of the solution for their father!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Marion, a pilgrim
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 1/10/2017 10:36 PM, Lynn Ronkainen wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> praying for Ted+ tonight, for those who will tend to his medical needs
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> and for friends who love him.
>>>>>>> Lynn
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> website: www.ichthysdesigns.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>> not a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You
>>>>>>> gave
>>>>>>> me." attributed to Erma Bombeck
>>>>>>> "Either Freedom for all or stop talking about Freedom at all" from a
>>>>>>> talk
>>>>>>> by Richard Rohr
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>> From: "Marion Thompson" <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2017 4:26 PM
>>>>>>> To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
>>>>>>> Subject: [Magdalen] Prayer Request for my old friend
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I just heard from friends that my dear old friend Ted is in hospital,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> admitted by these friends who found him in his apartment.  He had
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> been
>>>
>>>> on
>>>>>>>> the floor for a few days. He was confused, dehydrated, and in pain.
>>>>>>>> Not
>>>>>>>> being family I can't get anything out of the hospital beyond that
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> he's
>>>
>>>> not
>>>>>>>> on the hospital floor  my friends told me.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> He will turn 79 shortly and is still working as a priest although he
>>>>>>>> has
>>>>>>>> been going downhill badly the last while and it is all he can do to
>>>>>>>> turn up
>>>>>>>> at his little church which is housed in an old folks home.  How to
>>>>>>>> physically get him from here to out west where he wants/needs to be
>>>>>>>> nearer
>>>>>>>> to a son with three small children and an older sister has been a
>>>>>>>> continuing conundrum.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> It's all distressing and I feel of no help at all, being at a
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> distance
>>>
>>>> myself.  He has been a loyal friend to me.  For now all I can do is
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> beg
>>>
>>>> your prayers for this good man who has been his own worst enemy but
>>>>>>>> deserves a better end than this.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Marion, a pilgrim
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>