SHARING MY OWN NORTHERN FISH STORY

I had another amalgam filling removed this morning and as we waited for my ceramic filling to process, my dentist and I chatted about his adventures in Inuvik where he practiced dentistry for many years. He began saying, “You know how we refer to stories as fish stories if they are exaggerated?  There are no “fish stories” up in Inuvik.  They are all true.” He described how he had a patient who used his dentures as bait since he could catch so many fish with them.  And then my dentist said, “I actually have my own fish story. My wife and I went to Yellowknife with some friends and I decided to cast an old fishing rod that was in our boat into the water.   This rod didn’t even have a reel.  Anyways, not really expecting to catch any fish, I cast it into the water – without any bait.  Suddenly, the rod began to move and I had this huge jack fish.  Unfortunately, he got away but a few minutes later the rod moved again, and I was ready.   I returned home with several huge jack fish.”

One dictionary defines a “fish story” as an incredible or far-fetched story.    Another dictionary says that a fish story is a boastful tale about an improbable event.  When I read books about auto immune disorders,   or when I check out people’s blogs regarding this type of  illness, there is always the understanding that those afflicted with this disorder will endure it for a lifetime.  The emphasis is how to cope with this disease.  There are no boastful stories that describe cures for auto-immune disorders unless it is a company that is selling a miracle supplement.  And yet,  I have never accepted this pronouncement of doom and I have consequently had many unorthodox treatments in my quest to be healed.  I embrace the improbable, the far-fetched, and the incredible.

Most people love to hear a good fish story even when they doubt its accuracy since it is encouraging to hear how events can occur that don’t follow the prescribed rules, how sometimes an exciting event can disrupt the norm or the expected.   It is gratifying to believe that   the improbable can occur.   If I can believe my dentist, some of those boastful fish stories can be wonderfully accurate and true.  Why shouldn’t I believe that  it is possible for me to someday share my own “Northern Fish Story” in which I will describe all of the incidents that lead to an improbable and to some people, impossible conclusion:  my healing!