Patrick O'Brien
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- dbloc
"In the fullness of Spring..." I heard Barack Obama say the other day in one of his wonderful speeches. That was news to me, I thought it was still around the end of Winter. The mind plays funny tricks on you when you've been in bed nearly 3 months. I have plenty of reasons why I was in bed so long. I'd tell myself, "Your wheel chair was broken," or, "You've made a lot of progress editing the movie." But 3 months is 1/4 of a year and I'm supposedly dying, so shouldn't I be out soaking in the sunlight or feeling the breeze in my now longish hair? "The fullness of Spring." Something about that line hit me where it hurt. What was this "fullness of Spring" he spoke of, and how could I be part of it? I was missing out on something, like I had been on a space station watching the Earth from afar, through a window. To my horror, this was not far from the truth. The NPR News report said the following: The NASA bed-rest program simulated the effects of weightlessness on astronauts by keeping test subjects in bed for 70 days. The radio hosts made jokes about the story, but I listened with a mix of sadness and I don't know what. Was ALS like being on a space station? The atrophy of the muscles, The other-worldliness, the nutrient-rich liquid supplements that were now my "food." I didn't know, but I woke up one morning and a voice inside told me, "You're going outside today."
You'll probably, hopefully, never know how it feels to go outside after being inside for so long. But, I can offer this tangible analogy. For those of you who have jumped on the high definition bandwagon, I imagine it's like watching your new high-def TV for the first time, but like times 40 or something. The leaves against the blue sky pulse like I don't know what. I looked at the tree just off my back deck, then up slowly, past where my window had been cutting it off, and to my surprise, the tree kept going all the way up. The space above my head was really amazing, no more ceiling. Tomorrow, May 24th 2008, is the 3 year anniversary of my diagnosis with Lou Gehrig's Disease. I'll be outside, with my baby boy and his mom, back on Earth, in the fullness of Spring.
- Patrick
- dbloc0
inspiring.
- roundabout0
Good to hear from you TF, I hope you are strong and well, keep going mate. :)
- Dr_Rand0
god bless you
- dskz0
hang in there man.
- mrdobolina0
thanks for that Patrick, slams a bit of perspective on us all.
- flavorful0
:D
- Dennis_Moore0
Best thing I've read all week.
- e-pill0
hi patrick, you are awesome!!!
lots of love!!!
-edd-e
- tank020
yes he is amazing.
i showed his movie to my mom a few weeks ago.
she got a lot of strength by seeing it...
- 7point340
it may sound cliche to say it, but hope and optimism are powerful things
- dskz0
sorry but i still think the world is fucked up and theres alot of work to put in. Lou Gherigs a bitch but maybe with more work we can cure it. If there was a cure wouldnt you want to be able to have access to it and not have to be denied access to it because of your social status?
- sureshot0
one love patrick.
- emukid0
godspeed!
- ukit0
Patrick you are truly inspiring to all of us. One of the greatest interactive designers/ directors IMO.
- fooler0
I miss Patrick's mixes in the FMT.
We should repost some of them every once in awhile.
Hang Tuff dude!
- sherman0
gave me goosebumps ~ enjoy the blue sky brotha!
- tank020
do not want to hijack the thread,
but i know exactly what he is talking about.
my mom had this goodbye 'day' for everybody she's knows
in the outside. it was great. some pics
- best wishes.Jnr_Madison
- she's beautiful.Jaline
- all my best. that's a lot of strength and grace right there. wonderful.7point34
- Wow that's pretty moving tank!uncle_helv
- Jnr_Madison0
Best wishes.
- instrmntl0
y0 patrick! - jason
- JackRyan0
All the love in the world man.