National Health Care
I know you know me, but I doubt if you really "know" me.
These last ten years have been the most stressful in my life.
My third marriage ended, then my little dog Cuda who I loved
for over ten years died in my arms on Memorial Day. No Vet
was available on a "Holiday Weekend." I was devastated...
I had a minor stroke that kept me from walking for some
time, then I had a minor heart attack... I waited to die, but
God wanted to punish me some more, and so I lived...
I had to have my teeth pulled and go into debt for dentures
so I could get a job, even though my back injury from 1991
was still causing me pain day and night. Feel the stress yet?
Then after two years of cleaning toilets, I had to quit my job,
because my feet were so swollen I couldn't put my boots on
in the morning. It was because I was having heart failure.
I didn't know what was happening, so I kept working as long
as I could. I didn't have Medicare insurance yet, I was not yet
65, so I couldn't just "Go to the Doctor" like most people.
I had to stop working. I could barely walk, let alone work.
Then, In 2008 I lost two loved ones to cancer. More stress.
Kimberlee in March, and Carolyn in May, then on the 4th of July,
2008, I had another heart failure, this time I spent four days
in the hospital. "Lucky to be alive" they said. Then came the
staggering medical bills afterwards even though I had
Medicare by then. The Cardiologist alone is $100 a month...
Now, doctors have me on drugs that keep my heart beating,
and if I can't get them it will stop. And, they won't prescribe
the drugs unless I pay for expensive tests and office visits.
And, because of the bills, I can't afford more insurance.
I am near bankruptcy, but thanks to politicians, there is no
real bankruptcy anymore, just eternal payback and intrusions
into your life and the possible loss of your home and car.
Now, you tell me...
Why is anyone "OPPOSED" to national health care!
...People keep telling me how "lucky" I am to be alive...
Ha! ...Walk a mile in MY shoes! Oh, and the next person who asks the idiotic question...
"Why didn't you 'just' get on welfare?"
Better be prepared to have a size 12, steel toed,
American Made, "WORK BOOT"
...shoved up their ASS!
-30-
Shock and Awe...
Once again, this holiday season has Shocked me by the cold indifference to my health problems by my wealthiest relatives and left me in Awe of the warmth and love of my many friends.
There's an old saying... "Friends are Family we get to choose." That never rang truer to me than this morning when I opened a Christmas card from my old friend from sixth grade, Bill Kavanaugh. I had not seen or heard from Bill in fifty years. We met in sixth grade, Mrs. Meany's class at Jefferson Elementary in Lennox California. We continued our friendship through that next summer, and then we were separated by school district lines. He went to Larch Jr. High, and I went to Felton. Three years later we found ourselves at Lennox High. By then we had both found new friends and although we said "Hi" and were still friendly, we had other friends to hang out with. But an eternal bond had been formed.
Bill found my listing on Classmates back in October, just after I got out of the hospital. He wrote me a note, said he still remembered me, did I remember him. Of course I was stunned! Wow! Bill Kavanaugh! After all these years! So I immediately wrote him and we started up just about where we left off fifty years ago. Of course we talked about were we now lived and what we had been up to. Turned out Bill was still in California, but was in the process of moving... he asked me how I was, so I told him about the heart problems... He told me he had the same problem and hated the doctors too:) Well, one thing led to another and I must have mentioned how ruthless and over priced the doctor were.
Well, this morning when I opened the Christmas card from him a check for $200 fell out.
I was stunned! At a time when he is dealing with his own problems, moving during the holidays, and all the mess involved in that, he found it in his heart to send me what he could afford to help out an old friend from long, long ago.
Of course I never expected this, and could never accept it, but I wrote him a heartfelt letter of thanks and appreciation and returned the check with a Christmas card.
I am still so moved by this unselfish act of a long lost friend I can't truly express all my feelings. All I can say is God Bless you Bill.
I also received so many gifts from my old classmate from Lennox High who still remembers my drawings in art class, Fern.
Again, Fern has her own problems, recently widowed after forty years, she took the time, effort and spent the postage to send me so many wonderful gifts these last few weeks... well, I am just overwhelmed. Fruit cake, candy, brandy, whisky, honey, and recently some music CD's she made of her old favorites. One awesome lady!
Add to this all the friends who write me daily to ask how I'm doing, the little messages of love and caring, it all adds up to what this season is all about.
Sharing and Love!
I hope this little blog warmed your heart and inspired you a bit this season, it sure warmed my heart writing it:)
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! :)
Facts Of Honey - It is found that a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases.
Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also accept
honey as a "Ram Ban" (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases.
Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.
Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, on its issue dated 17
January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists:
HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread,
instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol
in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who already had
an attack, if they do this process daily,they are kept miles away from the next attack.
Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart
beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully
and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged;
honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.
ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water
with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder.If taken regularly
even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen
University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one
tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that
within a week, out of the 200 people so treated,practically 73 patients were totally relieved
of pain and within a month. Mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around
because of arthritis started walking without pain.
BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon
of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.
TOOTHACHE: Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons
of honey and apply on the aching tooth. This may be applied 3 times a day till the tooth
stops aching.
CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder
mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to reduce the
level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients,
if taken 3 times a day, any chronic cholesterol is cured. According to information received
in the said journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.
COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon l
ukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure
most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.
UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also
clears stomach ulcers from the root.
GAS: According to the studies done in India & Japan, it is revealed that if honey is taken
with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient which
kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.
LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests
the ravages of old age. Take 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups
of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft .
PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of Honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste.
Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water.
If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.
SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected
parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning 1/2 hour before breakfast on an empty stomach and
at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one-cup water. If taken
regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking of this mixture
regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat
a high calorie diet.
CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of
the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds
of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder
for one month 3 times a day.
FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon power in equal parts, are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 p.m. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.
BAD BREATH: People of South America, first thing in the morning gargle with one teaspoon
of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.
CUDA
My first Grandson, Jeffery, was born in the summer of 1989, it was an amazing event for me. One of my children with a child.
Jeffery was a happy child, and was more than a little spoiled by all the doting relatives, myself included. So when it came time for his first birthday everyone scrambled around, each trying to outdo the other, even to the point of giving the same presents! He got two scooters, one from me, and one from his adopted grand-dad. A little awkward, but we all laughed our way through it.
But his Dad, Sean outdid us all when he waltzed through the door holding a brand new puppy! As cute as could be, so small she looked like a toy. I immediately worried she would get stepped on in the busy household. And she was an active pup! scurrying from couch to chair to patio to the yard. It wasn't long though before a name had to be picked. I don't know who came up with it, but it was perfect. All puppys love to chew, and this one was an expert at it! I guess someone mentioned barracuda, and it went from there, "Cuda"! It stuck, and it made for a cute story as well.
Over time Cuda grew into one of the cutest little Jack Russel Terriers you would ever see. A bounce to her walk and a confidence that was hard to overcome, she was fearless and fun. I remember one day I was in town unexpectedly and thought I'd just drop by and see if anyone was home. As I turned onto Sharon Drive I spotted a little flash of white and tan ahead of me on the sidewalk. I slowed down and sure enough, it was Cuda, prancing along like she owned the town, not a worry in the world! I pulled up along side her and yelled "Cuda!" She stopped and looked, and then whithout any hesitation jumped into my car. That was when I knew she had a special place for me in her heart.
As we got to know each other over the next few years, she used to sit in my lap and "Talk" to me. She would whine and howl and nod her head as though she was explaining the mystery of life to me and "don't you understand?"
By the time she was three, my daughter and her family had to move to an apartment where pets were not allowed. When I heard what was going on I asked what they were going to do with Cuda. she was upset, said they didn't know, but maybe a friend... I said forget it, I'll take her. And that was that, Dawn had Cuda "fixed" so I wouldn't have to worry about that, and then I took her home. On the way home, a distance of nearly 100 miles, Cuda just stood up in the back seat and put her paw on my shoulder as I was driving. She looked around, enjoying the scenery and seemed completely at ease, but she kept her paw on my shoulder all the way.
She adapted to the new location immediately, feeling right at home. As I was a partner in a motel at that time, I took her to work with me every day. She became a fixture there, getting to know all the maids and some of the long term guests. But she wasn't a pushover, if she didn't like someone she didn't hesitate to offer a growl instead of a wag. Over the next four years we became inseperable, even traveling with me to Oregon and California, she was always happy. Once, when she got lost in a strange neighborhood, I just tuned in to where she might be and drove until she ran across the road right in front of me. Amazing! We had a rappore unlike anything I'd ever experienced. When the motel was sold in 1997, I had already married Judy, and she and Cuda became fast friends, cuddling, cooing and sleeping together. We were a family. But Cuda was always my dog. Until Kim came along... Kim is Judy's grand-daughter from her son's first marriage. Kim knew Cuda from her prior visits and vice versa, and they always got along. But when Cuda realized that Kim was here to stay, well, I think her unsatisfied mother instinct kicked in and she adopted Kim as her own little pup!
Try to go into a room where Kim was sleeping or even just doing homework or watching TV and you took your life in your hands. You were at the mercy of Cuda! She protected her with all her heart. But she was still my dog...right?
When Judy and I broke up, Judy and Kim moved into a house 20 miles away. Cuda was heartbroken, and sat by the door all day waiting for them to return. She finally accepted that they weren't going to move back and satisfied herself with their visits. Once, I tried to get her to go home with Judy. that was a few weeks after the breakup, and she looked at me with those big brown eyes and sort of wagged her tail and said no... She was torn, she loved Judy and Kim, and yet, she was my dog.
Cuda died in my arms on Memorial Day weekend 2001, Vets were impossible to find, and there was nothing I could do, except hold her and cry. I had just lost the best friend I ever had. It's something you never forget. The loss of a love...
Interview with...
If I had an interview with God it would probably go something like
this...
"Hi God, can I ask you a
question?"
"Of course!"
"What are you?"
"I am that I am!"
"Oh! Well, what I mean is why are you?"
"Same answer!"
"OK, well, what am I?"
"A spirit!"
"Oh, a spirit... well did you make me?"
"I made all that there is"
"OK, I thought so, but why did you put me here on earth?"
"To experience life!"
"Oh. And what am I to do?"
"Same answer!"
"Yes, but there must be some reason you put me here now... right?"
"Same Answer!"
"But, but, I mean what am I supposed to do?"
Louder now... "Same answer!"
"Well... OK, but I always feel like there is something special I'm supposed to do here... am I doing everything you want me to do?"
"Are you living?"
"W-well, yes, I guess so...b-but..."
"Then you are doing what I sent you there to do!"
"So there is no mission, no great riddle to solve, no big wrong to right? Nothing?"
"Live, work, play, and love if you can!"
"Wow, you mean I can do anything I want?"
"NO! You are mortal! You can only do what you CAN do, not anything you want! There are limitations on human life, you must learn to work with-in them!"
"You mean if I want to, I can steal, kill, and cause as much damage as it's possible for me to do?"
"YES! You can also do other things..."
"Oh, you mean like learn, help people and animals, and do as much good as it's possible for me to do?"
"Yes, there are no rules that I impose on you. Do as you wish."
"But what about the laws? I can be put in jail or
be killed for some things! Can't I?"
"Those are man's rules. Not mine."
"But what about the ten commandments?"
"Man's rules!"
"And all the rest of the laws too?"
"Yes, all mans rules."
"And if I break them will you punish me?"
"Man will punish you! I love you!"
"Well if you made all there is, and you made man, then they're kinda your rules too, right?"
"I put man on earth to experience life without Me, I let man make his own rules on earth."
"So, well, then I'm not here to be punished?"
"NO! You are on earth to experience LIFE!"
"OK, so all I have to do is live, and you will be happy?"
"All you have to do is live, and YOU will be happy!"
"Well, I gotta tell you, I'm not very happy right now."
"Then do something that makes you happy!"
"You mean change what I'm doing and I'll be happy?"
"If it pleases you, yes."
"But how do I know what pleases me?"
"Only you can know that! Try something! Anything! But do something about your
unhappiness!"
"So it's all up to me? I can do anything I want?"
"That's what I've been saying isn't it?"
"Well, yes, I guess so... but I always thought there were rules..."
"Once again, MAN'S RULES!" "Break them at your own discretion. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"
"Yes, yes, don't get upset. It's just that all my life I've been told there are certain rules to live by or I will offend You."
"One more time... I Love you! You are all My Children! You can't offend me! Live your life, find as much happiness or pain as you wish, it's your life, enjoy it! I gave you all free choice, work it out among yourselves."
"But what if I can't find
happiness? What if I'm miserable my whole life?"
"Built in safety net... You can't live forever in human form."
"OK, I get it, but one more question... will you help me if I ask?"
softer now... "It never hurts to ask."
There was a pause, I could feel the warmth of a smile...
"I can also tell you, I gave each of you gifts you won't know you have until you try..."
And the interview was
over, and I had my answers. And I felt sort of relieved and sort of disappointed
too.
It was all up to me! I was the only one who could change my life!
That could mean a lot of hard work! Da-- I
mean Darn!
first blog...
Well as my first blog, I'll just try to say something not too lame,
but not too smart either, sort of a middle of the blog, blog;-)
I had an sms conversation with an old friend today, he's down
on his luck and feeling a little sorry for himself I'm afraid...
Well we got to discussing what he needs and what he expects to happen and all that stuff, and I kind of casually asked, "what are you doing about it?"
Well, there was a long time passed and finally my phone beeped and his reply was "nothing I can do about it, I can't lift anything and I can't walk very far, so who would hire me?"
Well, I thought about some advice I got over forty years
ago from a young girl who wasn't old enough to actually know from her own
experience, but had gone to college and got a degree.
She said "If you want things to happen, you have to do something physical".
Of course I was young and confused so I said "Uh, what?" (Smart, like hammer blow), so she grabbed my hand and said, "what do you feel?"
Here she was, holding my hand, and not twenty feet away in the lobby, was my pregnant wife.
So, wiping the sweat from my brow, I said casually, "nothing, n-o-t m-m-uch" actually I was feeling a lot of things,but you get the idea...
So she took her hand away and said " Now what do you feel? Cold, empty? What?"
So I had to agree it felt warm when she was holding my hand, and then she said, "but nothing was happening, right?"
My lips said "right", but my heart said "hell yes there was something happening" but then she grabbed my hand again and started rubbing it briskly! Whoa! I thought, but she was way ahead of me, she said "Now you feel action! Something is Happening! It's not just warm anymore, it's getting hot!"
And I had to agree, something was getting hot, she was kind of pretty too! Nice eyes, hair...
Right... Well I got off the point.
To sum it up, if you want something, anything, to happen in this world, you have to take some action! Do something physical! Make phone calls if nothing else, but do something!
She was right of course, I hadn't been doing enough to make anything happen in my life, let alone something good, something I needed, something that would make my life easier...
I was just waiting for someting to happen, not taking an active part
in it, so.... nothing was happening.
So, in short form I sms'ed my friend this experience and a little later he sms'ed me back with the news he had called one of his old bosses and might have a job!
Well there it is...
In a nut shell, Earth is a big workfarm, and if you don't work, if you don't do something to help yourself, you don't live very well at all.
Modern times have given us the welfare system, but it is only subsistence, and you earn the wrath of every living taxpayer in the country.
Best thing to do when nothing is going right?
Do something, anything, just do something different from what you've been doing...
'cause that don't work;-)
The Fire!
This happened while I was still working at Mattel, and, of course, married to Betty.
We lived just off one of the major streets in Lawndale, so we could hear the traffic day and night. One night we heard an unusual number of sirens and they seemed to be stopping close by.
We ran out of the house and down the street to see what was going on.
An old workshop across the main street had caught fire and the flames were spreading pretty fast.
It was full of lumber and chemicals like paint and thinner, so the fire department was concentrating on getting it under control.
Well, Betty noticed that right next door to the fire was a Veterinarians office and the smoke and flames were threatening it.
You could see into the front office and the Veterinarian was busy collecting his paperwork from the file cabinets, and seemed unconcerned about the animals we knew must be caged in the back rooms.
Without any warning Betty just started running towards the Veterinary office.
"We've got to save the animals!" she shouted as she ran.
I started running after her, and other bystanders got the idea and started running for the front door of the office too.
A few of the firefighters tried to stop us, but they were outnumbered, and had jobs to do, so they just started yelling for us to get out of there.
Fat chance at that point;-)
Betty and I were the first ones through the door, and a half dozen others followed.
As we rushed past the front office, the Vet just looked at us and continued gathering his papers. And then we were in the back rooms.
The whole back area was filled with smoke and it was like hitting a wall!
If you've never been in a smoke filled room before, you have no idea what it's like. You lose all track of where you are, can't tell left from right, and have no idea of where you've been. We were bumping into walls and one another.
You can see why beekeepers use smoke to calm bees.
I suddenly remembered some fire training I'd had years before and shouted to everyone to get down on their knees, to get under the smoke.
And most did right away. Suddenly we could see again, and breathe better, and we also got our bearings. We headed towards the back, crawling and creeping on our knees, looking for cages.
In a few minutes we found the kennel area.
Most cages were empty, but a half dozen or so still had recovering pets in them. Mostly dogs, but a few cats too.
Everyone just started unlocking the cages and grabbing pets. Most of the pets were so happy for human touch they didn't protest at all. They knew something was wrong, and trusted that these strangers were there to help.
One little Terrier was still hurting, or maybe just being a Terrier. He was putting up a fuss. Snapping and growling.
One man said, "Oh just let him be! It isn't worth a dog bite!"
I've always believed everything deserves a chance, so I told Betty to take off her coat and give it to me.
It was a fake leopardskin coat I'd bought her for Christmas a few years back, and was long and thick.
I opened the cage and just covered the little guy with her coat, then scooped him up into my arms.
We looked around, all the cages were now empty. I could see flames through the windows, smoke was billowing in from the back door, and we were the only rescuer's left.
So we headed out towards the front door.
Most of the smoke had cleared from the hallways by then so it was fairly easy to find the front door.
Everyone had gathered outside in the parking lot, each one soothing his or her little animal, and my little Terrier soon calmed down a little too. I let him poke his head out a bit so he could look around.
Still had to hold him tight though!
About that time I was nearly blinded by a flash of light!
There was a reporter from "The Daily Breeze" newspaper, and he was taking our pictures!
I wasn't really expecting that. He asked all of us our names and if we minded being written about in the newspaper,etc. and that was about it.
Then a station wagon from another Veterinarian Office pulled up, and we transferred the animals over to them for safe keeping.
I kind of expected a reprimand from the police or fire department for ignoring them, but it never came.
We went home, showered, had a snack, and got ready for bed.
The next day, we were headliners on the front page!
But fame is short lived, I still had to go to work that day;-)
