What I left out

When I recounted this week's emotionally-charged conversation with my friend, Barb, I didn't include these two aspects. Composing the post was tiring, and in my attempt to get as much down as I could, as quickly as I could, I chose to save these for later.

Later has arrived.

1) Her terrier, Lucy, was once John's girl. When she and John first began dating, he dozed off on her sofa and puppy Lucy awakened him by licking his bald head. He found this delightful, and his warm and loving response to her dog helped assure Barb he was "The One."

Since John has been away so much, hospitalized so often, and has lost so much weight, Lucy is now afraid of him. He looks different, he smells like medicine, and he doesn't take her outside anymore. For me, that was the saddest story she related. I'm sure John feels bad about this, and I'm sure Lucy is lonely and confused.

2) Her first counselor was, literally, a joke. Barb is under so much pressure, is so sad, is so overwhelmed that her own health has begun to suffer. So her doctor recommended a shrink. Fresh out of school and young enough to be Barb's daughter, this PhD just stared with wide eyes as Barb recounted all her troubles -- financial, emotional, physical. Then she recommended an app. "How millennial," Barb laughed. My friend really does need help to get through these next difficult months/years, so I'm happy to report she now has sessions with a new, more mature and actual shrink, not a virtual one.