May we fight the good fight

I lost one of my most inspiring patients last night.  Even more tragically , the world lost a great lady. 

Miss Zedith had just turned ninety last week.  She wasn’t much for celebration or fan fare.  When you have had ninety birthdays, I’m sure the parties lose some of their novelty.  Miss Zedith had never lost her zest for life though.  I used to make monthly house calls to check on her.  The ferry ride to my office was often more than she cared to participate in.  Never had I heard her complain..regardeless of the severity of her injury or the nature of her illness.  She broke her pelvis two months ago and told no one of the pain.  Her family insisted she come see me for evaluation because of her worsening limp.  Four years ago Miss Zedith was in congestive heart failure.  The only complaint I could elicit was that she didn’t feel quite right.

She would fight like a banshee if I told her she needed to leave Green Turtle to head for the hospital in Palm Beach.  Her husband of nearly 70 years and her several sons would physically have to pry her strong bony hands off the  jamb of the front door.  In her mind I am sure this small strip of wood may well be her last vestige of safety and life as she knew it on Green Turtle.  Some how she always returned home.

I made a house call to see Miss Zedith last Friday.  Usually I’m in a bit of a hurry ( for the life of me..I don’t know why).  This visit, after the cursory exam and review of medications, I just sat and talked for a while.  She still had a sparkle in her eyes.  Her husband as always was at her side.  Miss Zedith’s short term memory was poor but she could remember details of 70 years ago with amazing clarity.  She looked me in the eye and said to me “You know…at my age, you have to fight for every day.  Don’t ever give up”.   Miss Zedith told me of an old lady on Green Turtle Cay who would get up and make tea every day despite her failing health and impending death.  Miss Zedith would imply in her simple but brilliant story that this small act of defiance was the only thing that kept this woman alive.   Miss Zedith was already much older than she.   Her last words to me were “I’ll call you if I need you”.  She never called.

Last week a middle-aged man in Marsh Harbour tried to end his life over a failed relationship.  We all are aware of the tragedies of suicide and depression.  Miss Zedith had outlived all her friends, one of her children, delivered six or seven kids at home without the benefit of an obstetrician and had suffered untold injustice at the hands of fate but never gave up.  What is the uncommon denominator that makes some of us cherish every minute of life while others are so willing to give it up at a minutes notice?

My facebook friends will recognize these lyrics from Five For Fighting, “The Riddle” :  There was a man back in ’95 whose heart ran out of summers but before he passed, I asked him whats the sense in life?  He said son why you gotta sing that tune..catch a Dillon song or some eclipse of the moon…let an angel swing and make you swoon, then you will see, you will see…..the reason for the world …you and I.

You fought the good fight Miss Zedith.

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