Waiting is the Hardest Part
There is a lot of waiting in life. Whether waiting for the bus or waiting for love to come along, humans spend a lot of their lives in waiting. Today, I’m waiting for a call about Ringo who spent last night at the emergency vet.
After a day of vomiting and just generally not being himself, it became apparent late last night that he needed to see a vet. The x-ray revealed a possible blockage and an overnight course of fluids was prescribed with hopes of flushing the blockage out of his system.
This morning, I’m waiting for news on how this effort went and what the next steps are for Ringo.
This particular veterinary hospital seems to know how hard it is to wait, and sent me a “good morning” photo from Ringo.
Photo courtesy of Blue Pearl Pet Hospital, Southfield, Michigan
A little while later they let me know that it will likely be this afternoon before I hear from the attending veterinarian, as more serious cases are prioritized. The good news is that Ringo is stable and not one of the more serious cases. The bad news is I have to wait longer for the next update.
While waiting, I started thinking about waiting, and realized how much time is spent in this uneasy state of limbo. Through my own life experiences, I’ve learned that sometimes waiting is simply a state of mind. It can be hard to see that we’ve put ourselves in the position of waiting, and delaying action - essentially delaying our lives - while we wait in vain for something to happen.
While today’s answers on Ringo simply require short term patience with a problem-solving process, it is complicated by emotions that limit my ability to practice such patience. Rationally, I know there is nothing I can do to accelerate the process, and I may as well be productive in the meantime. But my mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Ringo, and I’m only able to complete the most mundane of tasks.
And now, the news from the vet. An ultrasound showed no blockage, but revealed several other symptoms to investigate. He’ll have to stay another night at the hospital for tests and observation. And I’ll have to continue waiting.
