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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Racer on January 18, 2005, at 20:45:41
I know you all can form a consensus on this, and that will be my answer.
Background:
When we moved down here to Hell -- I mean, Silicon Valley -- my husband and I purchased a condo which was apparently designed by someone who had never been inside a residential unit in his or her life. One proof of this is that, in the master bedroom, there are 12 or 14 foot vaulted ceilings -- and a smoke alarm installed at the very top! When the damn thing starts chirping, we have the facilities guy send up the Big @$$ Ladder, which is one of those multi-shape things. To get to the smoke alarm, one straightens two of the three joints, and adjusts the third to about a 90 degree angle, and then we rest that against the wall near the alarm.
My husband and I are both afraid of heights, and neither of us is very coordinated. (Mind you, the ladder doesn't get you *quite* close enough to do it easily -- you still gotta turn around on the ladder and reach out with both hands to get the thing.)
That's the background. Here's the question:
My husband can't stand watching me go up the ladder to get at the alarm. He thinks I'm very brave to do it, despite the ragged breathes I take while I do it. I say he's braver, since I only do it because I don't think I'm brave enough to watch him do it.
What do you guys say? Is it braver to go up that damned ladder, or to watch your spouse do it?
By the way, the damn thing is changed now. In a perfect world, whoever installed it should have to come back and replace the batteries, any time of the day or night, in perpetuity, as suitable punishment for being an idiotic dolt.
If anyone knows of a way to make batteries last forever...
Posted by allisonm on January 19, 2005, at 8:24:35
In reply to A question about bravery, posted by Racer on January 18, 2005, at 20:45:41
Well,
I vote for neither of you going up the ladder.I'd take the battery out of the damn thing and install a smoke detector somewhere where you can more easily reach it...
IMHO, that detector should have been hard-wired, not run by batteries. In the state where I live, at least one detector in the upstairs is required to be connected to the electrical system.
Alli
Posted by nikkit2 on January 20, 2005, at 5:19:34
In reply to A question about bravery, posted by Racer on January 18, 2005, at 20:45:41
*l*
Well, I find it much easier to do something I'm scared of, than watch someone else do it.. My theory on this is a) I have control of my own actions and if I fall thats my fault.. and b) I would much rather *I* was hurt etc than J!
But.. J isn't scared of heights where as I am *l* We have 15ft high ceilings in ALL our rooms *L* Smoke detectors are simply a no no as we don't own a ladder that will reach that high, and no storage to put one that would! Bad, I know.. especially as we are both smokers..
Nikki x
Posted by Shar on January 31, 2005, at 22:29:57
In reply to A question about bravery, posted by Racer on January 18, 2005, at 20:45:41
lolol! what a great question.
I think the person who resolves the problem is the brave one. Although, support given should not be discounted.
For example, when my son fell on some glass embedded in the frozen river and came limping home to my (then student) husband with a deep gash that needed stitches, my (then) husband waited until I got home from work to deal with it.
I sort of think the person who "deals with it" is the brave one.
We went to the doctor and son got his stitches. However, I know clearly and firmly, had I been the one he limped home to, I'd not have waited until my spouse got home from work some 3 hours later!
I don't think your situation is that much different. Your hubby can always go into the other room to agonize about you going up the ladder. You are the one ON the ladder.
So, for bravery, I think you win the prize!
Call me prejudiced or whatever, but, dealing with crises (big or small), I think the person who takes on the challenge to get the situation resolved is brave.
Shar
This is the end of the thread.
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