Look with me out the Hospital Window

Discussion in 'ten-forward' started by Primrose, Mar 25, 2006.

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  1. Primrose

    Primrose Registered Member

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    Hospital Window


    Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.
    One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to
    help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's
    only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
    The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and
    families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military
    service, where they had been on vacation.

    Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he
    would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he
    could see outside the window.

    The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where
    >his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and
    color of the world outside.

    The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played
    >on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers
    walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the
    city skyline could be seen in the distance

    As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the
    man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the
    picturesque scene.

    One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.

    Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his

    mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive

    words.

    Days and weeks passed.

    One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only
    to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died
    peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital
    attendants to take the body away.

    As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be
    moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and
    after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

    Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first

    look at the real world outside.

    He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

    It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have
    compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things

    outside this window

    The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the
    wall.

    She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.
     
  2. BeetleBoss

    BeetleBoss She who posts lots of <I>Smileys</I>

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    We're somewhere in Kansas, Toto!!!!
  3. Rita

    Rita Infrequent Poster

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    What a wonderful story,but so sad in a way--sitting here tears just running down my face--thank you so much for sharing this!!
     
  4. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Nice Primmy!
     
  5. slammer_JvA

    slammer_JvA Registered Member

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    And such a good example for all of us...if only we could lighten up each others lifes more often...

    Reflection time...:doubt:

    Thanks Primrose. :)
     
  6. Cochise

    Cochise A missed friend

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    :gack: :gack: :gack: :D


    Cochise,:cool: Barfin' in Bavaria....
     
  7. slammer_JvA

    slammer_JvA Registered Member

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    ROFLMAO :D
    You're a mean ol' bastard, 'chise hahaha ;)
     
  8. eyes-open

    eyes-open Registered Member

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    Heh - real Englishmen don't eat quiche do Oprah .....:p
     
  9. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Mebbe not....but I bet that they would go to the Oprah more often if tackling was allowed!!

    Hoity toitying in Traviata, Basso ed
     

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  10. eyes-open

    eyes-open Registered Member

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    As luck would have it - Primmy's feelgood story landed on the desk of a dyslexic opera producer - who believing he'd sold his soul to Santa was desperate to do make amends ......
     

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    Last edited: Mar 26, 2006
  11. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Make mock of Primmy at your peril!! When you smirtch besmirtch fool around w/his triflings you may end up on the end of Blackspears pointy thing.

    Yoo have beenWARNED! ... agin, Skewered ed
     
  12. eyes-open

    eyes-open Registered Member

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    Dear Sir or Madman,

    I shall forego the traditional thrice denial and instead issue the following points:-


    Why is it always at my peril - does nobody else have a presentable peril at which we can meet ........ ?

    As to Primmy I can assure you that making a fool of his trifle was never on my syllabub syllabus........

    I'm sure you'll understand if I choose not to touch this one ........

    Ouch - ya keep on getting skewed to within an inch of your life old buddy.....doesn't that kinda thing lead to Edzecutive Stress.......?

    eyes-open concerned in cognito
     
  13. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Ok!....this one time!! Butt keep yur eyes open e-o so's yoo kin see the light at the end of da tunnel. Iffen there ain't no light....RUN!!.....dere's a train acoming wit a burnt out bulb!!

    Resurrecting in Hingland, Heidy ho ed
     
  14. Primrose

    Primrose Registered Member

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    Ah yes..fond memories of Nursie Simone..and it even works on windows. :D
     

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  15. Primrose

    Primrose Registered Member

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    Keep his eyes wide open Big Ed..a little afternoon poke will make any Englishman's toes tingle :D
     

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  16. eyes-open

    eyes-open Registered Member

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    Oouch :isay: .......as long as Ed is busy keeping my eyes-open you'll not mind if I concentrate on keeping everything else fully clenched .........

    This is "eyes-popeye-open" sayin' I am what I am ........and today I choose a clam.
     
  17. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Bah!! Whaddya think you're worth?
     

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  18. eyes-open

    eyes-open Registered Member

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    Whaddya know and beat yourself bandy someone actually worked it out ......

    A great number of people have spent a great deal of human and financial resources calculating the composition of, prior to the decomposition of, and the worth, or worthlessness of, the human body.

    When we total the monetary value of the elements in our bodies and the value of the average person's skin, we arrive at a net worth of $4.50!

    This value is, however, subject to change, due to stock market fluctuations. Since the studies leading to this conclusion were conducted by the U.S. and by Japan respectively, it might be wise to consult the New York Stock Exchange and the Nikkei Index before deciding when to sell!

    The U.S. Bureau of Chemistry and Soils invested many a hard-earned tax dollar in calculating the chemical and mineral composition of the human body, which breaks down as follows:

    # 65% Oxygen
    # 18% Carbon
    # 10% Hydrogen
    # 3% Nitrogen
    # 1.5% Calcium
    # 1% Phosphorous
    # 0.35% Potassium
    # 0.25% Sulfur
    # 0.15% Sodium
    # 0.15% Chlorine
    # 0.05% Magnesium
    # 0.0004% Iron
    # 0.00004% Iodine

    Additionally, it was discovered that our bodies contain trace quantities of fluorine, silicon, manganese, zinc, copper, aluminum, and arsenic. Together, all of the above amounts to less than one dollar!

    Our most valuable asset is our skin, which the Japanese invested their time and money in measuring. The method the Imperial State Institute for Nutrition at Tokyo developed for measuring the amount of a person's skin is to take a naked person, and to apply a strong, thin paper to every surface of his body. After the paper dries, they carefully remove it, cut it into small pieces, and painstakingly total the person's measurements. Cut and dried, the average person is the proud owner of fourteen to eighteen square feet of skin, with the variables in this figure being height, weight, and breast size. Basing the skin's value on the selling price of cowhide, which is approximately $.25 per square foot, the value of an average person's skin is about $3.50.

    Eyes-open adding I started out with nothing - I still have most of it left ........
     
  19. Primrose

    Primrose Registered Member

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  20. big ed

    big ed Registered Member

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    Oh fiddledumplings!! More research $$ down the toilet!

    Where were the percentages of the "X", "Q" and "42" factors? While I'm on the subject...was any consideration given to the intake (or outputt) of beans! NO!! Whine not??

    Musta been a bunch of Political Science majors going for their PHD!

    Collecting stamps in Tana Touva, Trifled ed
     
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