Invalids and Patients

[marain]

Interesting quotation attributed to one James McNeill Whistler: "The world is divided into two classes--invalids and nurses."

For some folk, invalidism (in the sense employed by McNeill) may be pretty much a way of life. I think that most folk, however, are "invalids" in some contexts, "nurses" in others. Few would be pure one or the other.

In the context of being a user of Dynamic Drive, I must classify myself as an invalid. I seek here, and usually receive, assistance of Dynamic Drive nurses. I have occasionally lamented my own invalidism here, aspired to greater. It's probably time to resign myself to my Dynamic Drive invalid status. By way of self-justification, however, I would be quick to claim that in many non-Dynamic Drive contexts, I am a nurse!

Just some musings.

A.

[mlegg]

I have MS now for 18 years. I never really liked the word invalid. I don't know why and can't explain why.
What kind of nurse are you?

[marain]

mlegg,

Very sorry about your MS. And sorry that my post grated. That was certainly not intended.

I am not a nurse-nurse at all. I used "nurse" in the metaphoric sense, as used in the original quote. In that same sense, you ARE a nurse! You've helped others, including me, on this site. It is appreciated.

A.

[mlegg]

No, it didn't bother me at all; that's the problem with typing, the lack of voice emotion. It is absolutely crazy having MS though, I used to be the picture of health. I was active 24/7 and never abused my body with drinking or drugs. When I was 31 I woke up and couldn't walk, out of the blue, after a day fishing on my dad's boat. It took nearly 3 yrs for doctors to figure out what was wrong. I live less than an hour from Boston MA too where I was seeing doctors.