Search Results for “ronna l. edelstein”

The Light of Rebirth

Ronna L. Edelstein December 2, 2024 No Comments

December has always been a month of birth for me: fifty-one years ago, on December 11, I gave birth to my first child—my wonderful son. I try not to let the complications following his arrival (the doctor’s failure to deliver the afterbirth, massive hemorrhaging, a D and C, and loss of my breast milk) taint this miraculous event. My husband and I had transformed from being a couple into becoming a family—and I had so many dreams for that six-pound, eleven-ounce bundle of joy. When my daughter was born two years later in November, life felt complete to me.

Grief Without Closure

Ronna L. Edelstein November 1, 2024 6 Comments

I just returned from the cemetery. It was 10 years ago today—November 1—that my beloved father died in my arms. The sun has daily risen and set during this past decade; I have gone about my business of reading, attending theatrical productions, napping, and meeting with friends. My children and I have gotten closer. But there is a hole in my soul from which I will never recover. Until I take my last breath, I will miss, mourn, celebrate, and love my father.

A Listless Life

Ronna L. Edelstein October 1, 2024 2 Comments

The older I get, the less motivated I become. I imagine the dust gathering on my carpet, and I see it covering my walnut-colored end tables with a light gray film. Yet, I cannot push myself to vacuum or clean. The laundry gets done, but not as often as it did when I was younger than springtime. My listless days consist of reading, watching dismal news on CNN, and taking adult education classes via zoom—while often still dressed in my pajamas.

Hospice Angels

Ronna L. Edelstein September 1, 2024 2 Comments

I would not have survived caring for my parents at the end of their lives without the help of my hospice angels. Ma spent the final 10 days of her life in a palliative care facility; Dad endured the last three months of his life getting at-home hospice care. The individuals from hospice—nurses, occupational and physical therapists, counselors, and aides—not only supported my parents but also gave me the love and care I desperately needed.

A New Beginning

Ronna L. Edelstein August 1, 2024 2 Comments

My eating habits are embarrassing. I open and close the refrigerator from the time I get up until I retire for the night. Apples. M&Ms. Strawberries and blueberries. M&Ms. Bananas and grapes. M&Ms. Carrots and celery. M&Ms. Cereal with skim milk. M&Ms.

Acceptance

Ronna L. Edelstein July 1, 2024 No Comments

During a recent trip to Manhattan, I attended a matinee and found a survey from the theater taped to my seat. As I carefully filled it out, the woman seated next to me—a senior citizen like myself—loudly took exception to a question on it about gender identity. “There are only two genders,” she proclaimed, “female and male. These ‘binary’ or ‘trans’ choices are nonsense.” I perhaps should have confronted her about her closed-mindedness, but I remained silent.

Understanding, Forgiving, and Loving

Ronna L. Edelstein June 1, 2024 No Comments

The older I get, the more ridiculous I find regrets. Why waste even one moment on a past that I cannot change? Instead, I try to focus on the present by living a life that gives me no regrets—one of theatre, books, adult education classes and family.

A Life-Sustaining Oasis

Ronna L. Edelstein May 2, 2024 2 Comments

The interns and even the pharmacists come and go, but all of them quickly learn to recognize me, since I spend a lot of time at the pharmacy. That is because my prescriptions are never ready to be refilled at the same time. However, I don’t mind what others may see as an inconvenience. It does not bother me to stand in a long line, waiting for my turn.

The Walking Wounded

Ronna L. Edelstein April 1, 2024 4 Comments

As a fan of mysteries, I often read about or watch television shows in which the deceased, found in the woods or water, can only be identified through dental records since no scars mark their bodies. I jokingly remind my children that should I go missing, my body will be easy to identify.

Waiting

Ronna L. Edelstein March 1, 2024 4 Comments

A good imagination can be an asset but also a liability. I first discovered that fact in 1974, when I found a lump on my left breast. Three more lumps—another on my left breast and two on my right—reinforced my belief that my creative mind could be my most formidable foe.

fostering the humanistic practice of medicine publishing personal accounts of illness and healing encouraging health care advocacy

fostering the humanistic practice of medicine publishing personal accounts of illness and healing encouraging health care advocacy

Search Results for: ronna l. edelstein

The Light of Rebirth

Grief Without Closure

A Listless Life

Hospice Angels

A New Beginning

Acceptance

Understanding, Forgiving, and Loving

A Life-Sustaining Oasis

The Walking Wounded

Waiting

fostering the humanistic practice of medicine publishing personal accounts of illness and healing encouraging health care advocacy

fostering the humanistic practice of medicine publishing personal accounts of illness and healing encouraging health care advocacy

Search Results for: ronna l. edelstein

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