Salutations, I'm Bryan and I live right by the Great Barrier Reef in Sunny Queensland, Australia.
My story, as many are, is filled with great experiences and adventures worthy of both honest telling and marvelous embellishment.
Alas there's also more than a fair share of heartbreak, loss and debilitating illness. For now though I’ll just share this one story, to set the scene, so to speak and provide some inkling as to my motivations.
~bryan @overthewaitIn the tradition of so many grand old classic tales before it, this one starts with the receipt of some unexpected bad news, a death in the family and the loss of house and home.
It was 9 years ago, I’ll never forget the feeling. You must be wrong, there has to be a mistake, you’re joking I remember thinking. “ What can we do, is there a surgical option?” I’d asked him. He just looked me in the face and tore my future into shreds with a single sentence,”There is no cure, it’s a degenerative disease and we don’t even understand how it works.”
He followedwith that apologetic yet curt tone you only encounter from specialists and surgeons, as if it were not my entire life being rent just some minor rash or bruise.”There is nothing more I can do for you, these kind of bone diseases progress slowly, talk your doctor about pain management.”
And that was the day I was diagnosed with an incurable, non-terminal, degenerative bone disease.
Let it rain down~TC OswaldNeedless to say within 2 years of that notorious day I slowly became so unreliable that I lost my job. Then, as you’d imagine, my wife, my house and my dignity all followed suit in fairly short order.
Now you might think, where the heck do you go from there? Well let me tell you not very far at all. Thusly time inexorably passed, my child, my wonderful wonderful child, grew from a sweet little girl into a fully functioning teenager, as they all inevitably do.
We moved closer to my Grandmother’s nursing home so I could take care of her while the family went travelling. My Grandma, bless her soul, I can safely and honestly, say was not always the most amicable of grandmothers. She did however have a soft spot, if you entreated her with Strawberry Wafers and Lemonade or some Chocolate Ice Cream!
Let me just say, in her defense, that at 91 years old one has, beyond question, earned the right to have “some” grumpy days. Just ask her, she’d tell you…. Briskly! It was on one such Monday, during the couple of years i’d been visiting her regularly, I was running late and there was a kerfuffle getting the right kind Ice Cream( ps. We don’t ever get the wrong kind!) So there I was walking stick in one hand, not quite frozen dessert in the other, I walked into the room and there she was in full flight at the poor nurse. I opted for a big grin and a cheerful “ G’day Gr’ma, How are you today?” Well, the look she fixed on me! It’s just as well I’ve had a lifetime of experience disappointing Grandparents. She pinned me with that glare and the nurse, grateful to no longer be the sole target discretely stepped aside, and Grandma took a big breath and scowled out “I’m just sitting here, waiting to DIE!!” To this the nurse inhaled sharply, and I, being more used to these kind of outbursts, quickly retorted “That’s ok Grandma I feel like that on Mondays too!” She let out such a burst of laughter that her teeth almost came out!
The sun sets for us all ~rip DawnSadly my dear old Grandma passed this year, may she rest in peace. It was at that time I recalled, in the telling of this funny tale that, I've been waiting for something too. But what? Nobody will come and save me. There is no cure for my disease!
Since that day I’ve found a new doctor and we are working on a much better pain management strategy so I'm functioning a little better. I have even been growing some veggies and going out to find and cook more Local Food. More activity leads to some weight loss which leads to more function and hopefully less drugs. And maybe even a small bit of land where I can pretend to be a farmer and grow my own food, Dream Big right?
I choose to wait no more
What Will I Bring To The Platform
I intend to document my journey to the find future Me with Regular Posts, Engaging Stories, Short Videos and my Sub Par Photography, right here on Steemit, on my website and YouTube channel.
My Content will focus around; Cooking, Local Food, Growing things and Sustainable and Regenerative agriculture, Weight Loss and my unique Philosophy.
Come Along, Share Knowledge, Learn Something
If you’ve enjoyed my story. If you have a similar path. Join the Conversation. Please Make a comment.
I've spent the last seven years waiting.
I've just been sitting here feeling sorry for myself, eating my life away, waiting.
Waiting for what? Waiting for Nothing.....
No more it's time to do something, I'm not sure entirely what it is but I'm bloody doing it!
And that's why I'm @overthewait
What Are You Waiting For?
