Bruce-A-Tribute

Bob, Linda, Bruce and Richard

I have gazed
into your lustrious eyes
I have imagined
the taste of your sweet lips
I have fantasized laying
my head on your chest
but before you conclude
that I am totally rotten,
I must tell you that your navel
is as low-down as I have gotten.

By Bruce C. Davison

Lovers entangle,
Mates ... to strange.

License to smother, change,
Fit the mold or derange.

Needs rearranging...
For less estranging,
Divorce, anger and disparaging.

Love ... needs elucidation
Few have articulation ...
Of cohesion through freedom.

By Bruce C. Davison

Sandy of beauty with golden hair
and eyes that reflect of hazel hue
Bruce of stature of dark hair
and eyes that could see of light
together they became of two as one
holding every minute under God's given sun
they are together now and possibly forever more
see each other and love the same way
think of the other one and only say
I love you each minute of every day
I love you my friend and my love.

by Bruce C. Davison

Thanks for the times you were silly and playful; you could always bring me up when I was down. Your second granddaughter, Desiree, has acquired your humor.

On her birthday outing to Heber Valley Historical Railroad Authority, Utah (train rides). She just turn two.

At a winery in Ventura County

A time for laughter, a time for joy
A time for giving, but not a toy.
I'd rather keep you in lots of stitches
So Here's the means to mend your britches
It's only money, I knows,
But we will buy a machine that sews,

Love Bruce

clip art from Doll Collecting at About.com

Bruce was a wonderful dad and we were fortunate to have such a wonderful son, Michael.

Bruce, Tammy, Desiree in Red, Michael, Marissa and Me.

Bruce loved his part-time job. He loved people and hosting at Marie's.

Davison
Hardeman
Le Guin
Poyorena
Pollorena
Diaz

Bruce acquired his sleeping disorder in 1984. He was driving to work one day and when he got to work he woke up 10 minutes later in the parking lot. He had fallen to sleep with his hand still on the ignition key. He remembers having days, up to this point, where he felt tired driving to work. He said some times he would slap his leg, while driving, to keep awake. It had been a tiring week as he was working two part-time jobs. He also had an episode whereby he saw light patterns in front of his eyes. He just thought he was extremely tired. He finally went to the doctor, who referred him to a neurologist. It didn't take much for the neurologist the take out his text book, hand it to my husband and have him read a paragraph or two about his current condition. He told my husband, he would confirm with tests, but that he probably had narcolepsy.

A sleep study test was given to Bruce to confirm the neurologist's diagnosis. Bruce also found out that he had sleep apnea, which many times will accompany narcolepsy. This is a breathing disorder and can be fatal.

Over the years the condition worsen to the point whereby he could not work full-time jobs, especially jobs that were very sedentary or would allow its subject to fall asleep due to environment. Bruce did better with heavy physical jobs. However, for best health and just to be able to have any life outside of work, he functioned well on 4 hours of work then rest. He would have to have a nap.

Bruce had a severe case of it. He had the cataplexy, which is a sudden muscular weakness brought on by strong emotions (though many consist with a dislike to a severe hate of a person or situation; a joke the individual tries to tell or recognized as one is telling it; or any humor that triggers extreme emotion). When the cataplexy (if you have it you are considered to have a full flown case of narcolepsy) occurs, the individual can loose muscular ability whereby they can fall. My husband trained himself to, as he called it, "stack his bones". He could feel an occurrence coming on and would put his body into a very firm, upright position.

My husband would have vivid dreams, hearing voices to the point he would wake up feeling a present in the room. Since he was taking ritalin or methylphenidate, he was not sure if it was the drugs alone causing the hallucination or that it was part of characteristics of the disorder. Once Bruce knew what he had (first was afraid of a tumor), he accepted it well and felt he was fortunate that it wasn't worse. We both moved forward and learned as much as we could about his new challenge.

Sleep paralysis was another very irritating aspect to the disorder. Bruce could be asleep, but he could hear what was going on around him, but could not move. His muscular part of his body would temporarily shut down. However, if he could approach himself, or I could assist, before he entered the deep sleep, a pinch to the arm could pull him out-of-it! This treatment was also true when he was experiencing the cataplexy or strong emotion. When in public, it had its draw backs. If Bruce was, say in line at the market and someone told a "funny" he could respond and start to lose muscle tonus. If he caught himself early enough, he would pinch himself and break the cycle and not be subject to falling. If I was with him, I was usually aware of his situation and could pinch him to break it myself. It was manageable.

Over the years, the effects of the medicine was such that he had to have the dosage increased and increased. Bruce was very careful with his meds and never abused the "street" drug ritalin. I am so thankful to him that he educated himself on the dangers of the drug and never became an abuser of it. Life could have been a real "hell" if he had. He did try other medications over the years, but went back to ritalin as nothing woked as well for him.