Tuesday's Refuge (September 15, 2026)/ Refugio del martes (15-09-2026)

in CCC2 days ago
Can a human being find refuge in a crowd, or is a refuge always a solitary place where we withdraw from the world?

I felt a bit overwhelmed today; my sister—who is like a mother to me—is suffering from rapidly progressing diabetic neuropathy, despite undergoing treatment. This situation has left her deeply depressed, as there is nothing worse than having deep knowledge about diseases—and my sister is a nurse, and a very studious one at that. Consequently, she has read numerous articles about her condition.

Seeing her so disheartened, I suggested we go for a walk in a town square near the sea:


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"El Boquete," Carúpano

It was a pleasant time; amidst the crowd, there were elderly people walking with canes, and we saw a man with his wife in a wheelchair. She remarked, "Thank God, because she *can* still walk, even though she tires quickly."

We talked about her fears and the toll this disease takes. Although I sometimes run out of words—since there are moments when it is better to remain silent rather than utter empty phrases—we concluded that we would see the doctor tomorrow. We want to understand why, despite receiving treatment, she feels she is regressing rather than improving.

I hope everything goes well tomorrow and that she feels more encouraged and regains her strength.

Thanks for reading


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¿Puede un ser humano refugiarse en la multitud o un refugio es siempre es un lugar solitario donde nos alejamos del mundo?

Hoy me sentía un poco abrumada, mi hermana-mamá padece de una neuropatía diabética que progresa rápidamente, a pesar de tener tratamiento. Esta situación la ha deprimido mucho, porque no hay nada peor que tener conocimientos profundos sobre las enfermedades, y mi hermana es enfermera, además muy estudiosa. De modo que se ha leído muchos artículos sobre su patología.

Como la sentí desanimada, le propuse ir a caminar por una plaza de mi pueblo, que está cerca del mar:


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"El Boquete" Carúpano

El momento fue agradable, porque entre la multitud había personas mayores caminando con bastones, iba un señor con su esposa en silla de ruedas; y ella dio "Gracias a Dios, porque sí puede caminar, aunque se cansa rápido".

Conversamos sobre sus temores, sobre los embates de esta enfermedad y, aunque a veces me quedo sin palabras, porque hay ocasiones en las que es mejor guardar silencio, en lugar de decir frases vacías, llegamos a la conclusión de que mañana iremos al médico para saber por qué recibiendo los tratamientos, en lugar de mejorar, ella siente que retrocede.

Espero que todo salga bien mañana, y que ella pueda sentirse más animada y con fuerzas.

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I think your sister has taken on a very difficult task – looking after others and dealing with all the medical aspects involved – whilst also coping with a rather difficult life and the anxieties we all share. The stress that all this causes will certainly not make things any better and may be the reason why there has been no improvement. Depression certainly won’t make things any better, but at the same time I wonder whether she might be suffering from something else. Could she have MS, for example? Or is her nervous system simply overloaded in general, causing her to feel this way? The saying ‘blessed are the simple-minded’ certainly applies in this case too. The less you know, the less it bothers you. If we dismiss everything as temporary or a sign of ageing, the picture suddenly looks very different. It could, of course, also be that she’s experiencing a side effect from her current medication, and I’d certainly look into this, as well as the possibility that she has a different condition to the one currently suspected. Many symptoms occur in several different conditions.
It’s a blessing that you can enjoy lovely walks and that the sea and nature are nearby. I hope the two of you are a source of support for one another and that you manage to stay as stress-free as possible, insofar as that’s at all possible. And now that we’re all getting a bit older, it’s important that we try to enjoy ourselves, realise that life isn’t always a constant struggle, and accept that it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s no shame in taking it easy, just as there’s no shame in doing nothing. I’d say: enjoy doing nothing and enjoy each other’s company, and I wish you both the very best of luck at the doctor’s.

I’ll ask my sister to read this comment, because we happened to be talking about everything you mentioned just today. She has already had the tests done, and the doctor is seeing her today. I have faith that we will be able to identify the problem and address it promptly. And indeed, the mind plays a crucial role in these cases.

¡Ay!

Hermosa publicación. Sin duda la señora Agustina es una mujer guerrera, apesar de su enfermedad, sigue adelante y trabaja muy duró para lograr sus cosas.

Está caminata le va ayudar mucho, debemos de apoyarla, y no hacer que se sienta sola. Tener conocimiento de que una enfermedad nos acaba poco a poco, realmente es difícil. Hermosas fotografías, y hemos gesto de tu parte.

Un fuerte abrazo y bendiciones.

That’s right, Luis. She puts on a brave face. But she isn't doing well, and the truth is that knowing the consequences of her illness has left her depressed. I pray to God that they adjust her medication and that the disease doesn't progress any further. Thanks for stopping by. Sending you a hug.

Así es, Luis. Ella se hace la fuerte. Pero no está bien, y la verdad es que saber las consecuencias de su enfermedad la tiene deprimida. Ruego a Dios que le ajusten los medicamentos y que esa enfermedad no siga avanzando. Gracias por pasar. Un abrazo.

I'm so sorry about your sister; it's very difficult to go through these trials, both for the person who is sick and for their family and friends.

I hope she can get a second opinion; sometimes it's hard to diagnose a condition because, as was mentioned earlier, there are symptoms that are similar across different diseases. That reminds me of an episode of Dr. House where a question that wasn't asked led to a misdiagnosis.

In any case, if you’re a believer, pray to a miraculous saint, because no matter how much people want to deny it, miracles do happen.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)


Siento mucho lo de tu hermana, es muy difícil pasar por estas pruebas, tanto par a quién está enfermo como para su familia y amistades.

Ojalá pueda pedir una segunda opinión, a veces es difícil diagnosticar una patología porque como dijeron antes, hay síntomas que son similares para enfermedades diferentes. Eso me hace recordar un episodio de Dr. House en la que una pregunta no realizada causó un mal diagnóstico.

En todo caso, en caso de que sea creyente, que se encomiende a algún santo o santa milagroso, porque por mucho que lo quieran negar, los milagros ocurren.

Thanks for your kind words. Well, yesterday I had to take my sister to the clinic where she works. She was suffering from a severe vertigo attack and vomiting. It was a mad rush for us from morning until the early hours of the morning. She’s been feeling a bit better today; God willing, she’ll keep improving. I’m hopping online right now because she asked me to take some time to do the things I enjoy. So, I’ll be hanging out here for a little while.

Sending you a hug.


Gracias por tus palabras. Bueno, ayer tuve que llevar a mi hermana a ala clínica donde ella trabaja. Tenía una crisis de vértigo severa y vómitos. Nuestro día fue de "corredera" desde la mañana hasta la madrugada. Hoy se ha sentido un poco mejor. Dios permita que siga mejorando. Me estoy conectando en este momento, porque ella me pidió que me ocupara de hacer lo que me gustaba. Así que estaré de ratico por acá.

Un abrazo.

Espero que las cosas vayan mejorando, porque no es agradable estar enferma. Hace un par de años me pasó algo similar, por lo de vértigos, vómitos y mareos. De la noche a la mañana perdí audición en el oído derecho, lo que me ocasionó esos síntomas por un tiempo.

Ahora por suerte ya no tengo vértigo sino muy esporádicamente, pero la audición no volvió. Se que es un caso menor, pero nada agradable.

Por cierto, tu hermana tiene razón, hay que distraerse un poco. El estrés no es bueno. Un abrazo y mis mejores deseos para tu hermana! 🫂

I’m sorry to hear about your ear. I suffer from vertigo too, especially when I don’t get enough rest. I’m hopeful it will improve soon. Thanks for your comment—it’s always so warm.

Lamento lo de tu oído. Yo también sufro de vértigo, sobre todo cuando no descanso suficiente. Tengo fe que va a mejorar pronto. Gracias por tu comentario, siempre cálido.