Sara Kendrick | + Follow Poet |
Haibun | + Fav Poem | Comment | Email | Print |

The Worker

Our grandson who has Huntington's Disease has been going to physical therapy for a couple of months now at our local hospital. Huntington's Disease is an inherited brain disease that came from his father's side of the family but it can crop up in families where it has never been before. The disease is an abnormality on the DNA with too many repeats on the CAG which causes a problem with the protein gluten. It causes a condition called chorea which is only a small part of the illness.   

worker repairs glass
second floor hospital room....
falling, falling tool

The illness causes many personality/cognitive/emotional problems as brain cells are no longer able to function normally. The person gets in trouble with the law sometimes because they try to self-medicate their illness. They have trouble sleeping, handling their emotions, and that is only to name a few things. 

daredevil chances life
each minute upon the rungs....
pink crepe myrtle blooms

He is somewhat like the worker upon the ladder's rungs each second of the day his life is in danger. We never know what reaction he will have to anything. His chorea is gradually, slowly getting worse plus he has some rigidity which is uncomfortable for him. 

second ladder up
eighteen inches higher....
blue skies reflected

The reflective glass of the hospital displays a beautiful scene. Verdant leaves of the great thicket of oaks is reflected in the glass. It seems they are high up in the puffy cottony clouds which are seen in the glass. Such a placid scene which helps me to relax a little. 

will the worker fall
from higher orange ladder....
a swift prayer said

Will there be a treatment or cure in time to help our grandson?  

Copyright © Sara Kendrick | Year Posted 2020

Please Login to post a comment

Andrea Dietrich Date: 9/19/2020 10:49:00 AM I feel badly for your grandson. It is so odd to me how many of us are afflicted with strange maladies and others go through life pain free. What does it all mean?? I hope in the end it will all make sense! Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 9/20/2020 4:22:00 AM Andrea, Well, Cody's daddy had the illness, his grandmother, his great grandfather, his great-great grandmother and her sister. I don't know about farther back than that. It is definitely genetic. An abnormal gene causes it . I live each day with it watching him slowly go downhill. Sara

Judy Ball Date: 9/18/2020 3:11:00 PM This is such a poignant writing. It touches me deeply having grandchildren of my own and one has a problem. He is a young man now but he has never really fit in with the other kids. He forgets things and doesn't understand things, he is just what we call slow. It is the way he was born. It hurts me to see him hurting. He is just smart enough to know he is different. I know how you feel. God Bless, JB Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 9/20/2020 4:19:00 AM A famous person with HD was Woody Guthrie. He wrote the song " This Land Is Your Land". It has been sung by many but Peter, Paul and Mary are famous ones who sang it. Sara Sara Kendrick Date: 9/20/2020 4:16:00 AM Judy, Cody is very intelligent but because of his brain misfiring or connections not working in the brain he is different or uses his information differently. I think most people if they talk to him for a brief period of time think he is okay but if they talk to him a little long realize he is not exactly right. It is sad. I try to make people aware of this illness from time to time for it is a very rare illness which is usually only within a family which of course branches out. Sara

Jennifer Proxenos Date: 8/29/2020 1:21:00 AM I felt very sad reading this my friend, you must be the most loving thoughtful grandmother any grandchild could hope to have and with God's grace alone, he could maybe get slightly better. I cried silently when I read this poem and pray for a miracle. Blessings and hugs, my friend. Jennifer. Jennifer. Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 9/20/2020 4:09:00 AM Jennifer, Researchers are working all the time to try to come up with a treatment/s or cures but so far none is available. It is sad for the person who has it and for family members who see the patient going downhill. I hope there is some slither of hope in time for my grandson. It would be good to see him normal. Thanks for dropping by. Sara

Quoth Theraven Date: 8/9/2020 2:44:00 PM Sara, You are the best grandmother a grandson could ever want. I hope putting the words to poem has helped. I will say a prayer for your grandson Cody. -Richard Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 8/9/2020 2:53:00 PM Quoth, Well, I don't know if I am the best grandmother for I do have my faults for no one is perfect but Jesus. I have tried to help Cody in his life even though he has this illness and has much against him. Your comments are uplifting and yes writing about it from time to time helps. Sara. I hope each time I write it helps people to be aware of rare diseases.

Line Gauthier Date: 8/9/2020 8:00:00 AM Such a moving tribute, Sara. Beautifully penned. Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 8/9/2020 2:50:00 PM Line, Thanks for the visit to my page. I appreciate your kind comments. Sara

Jack Horne Date: 8/9/2020 3:32:00 AM heartbreaking write, my friend - yes, I pray that cure will come very soon Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 8/9/2020 4:16:00 AM Jack, Thanks for the kind comment on my work. I appreciate you dropping by. Sara

Kim Rodrigues Date: 8/5/2020 6:15:00 PM Excellent write! I can see why you would worry. May God watch over him and give you peace. <3 Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 8/6/2020 7:48:00 AM Kim, Thank you for stopping by and for your understanding comments that speaks of your faith. Sara

Harry Horsman Date: 8/4/2020 8:26:00 AM I certainly hope a cure for your grandson and the other suffers Sara, riveting poetry, and highlighted subject matter worthy of being known by all, Thanks you've certainly open my eyes.... Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 8/5/2020 9:33:00 AM Harry, Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate the time spent here. I am glad that I opened your eyes to the disease. I also hope for a cure. Sara

Unseeking Seeker Date: 8/4/2020 5:10:00 AM Poignant, piercing, painful Login to Reply Sara Kendrick Date: 8/4/2020 5:40:00 AM US, Thanks for the visit to my page. Yes, Cody's condition is very painful for all of us. We hope for at least a treatment but it hasn't happened yet. The only prevention is for those who have it to not have children or go through a process where they do like a test tube baby where they look at fertilized eggs to see if they are HD free then implant them in the womb. About 20 years ago it would cost 20,000 dollars and I have no idea what it would cost today. Sara