September Song

There is a smell of transition in the air of September. It is the smell of cider and donuts and the sound of baseball, football and other fall sports clamoring for time and attention.  Temperatures spiral down from summer swelter to the forty and fifties we anticipate for the end of September. It is time to finish summer projects and start attending to fall and winter needs. This includes evaluating your critter needs.

Have you kept up with health needs? Is there room in your budget to tweak that "optional" health procedure?  Preventative medicine is the best economical way to save money. As the old adage says an "ounce of prevention prevents a pound of cure". I have personal experience in my own close family. I am sure you can relate with your own family. 

I had a cousin report a "sore throat" to his doctor eighteen months ago. He was given antibiotics anti-inflammatory agents and was told it will be better soon. We have all heard this type scenario and most times it is so. In this case the problem persisted. Johnny went back to see his doctor when he was coughing up a bit of blood. They used an endoscope and found a mass in the pharyngeal (back) area of the mouth. The mass was removed and John felt much better. They did all of the appropriate chemo and radiation deemed necessary.  One doctor at a follow up exam said we need to check for metastatic lesions. They found one spot on his lungs. This prompted another round of chemo and radiation. Last June of 2010 Bonnie and Johnny were told he was clear of cancer.   In October of 2010 a follow up exam and imaging showed more lesions in his lungs.

Round two of chemo was also started at University of Michigan Hospital.  It was a double dose regimen. You wonder if it was designed to beat up the cancer or to just to restrict the growth of cancerous cells. They did tell John it was not a curable cancer. He physically heard the words and he was living in the now. His religious beliefs were buoyed by his optimistic personality.  No matter what he was sure that things would turn out for the best.

John and his wife Bonnie met this life altering event straight up and with tremendous Faith. They heard about an experimental protocol at the University of Maryland. This became John's focus, belief and purpose.  He got his condition improved enough to travel. One of his brothers Gerry and wife Virla drove Bonnie and John out to Maryland.  Once there he heard that at present, he did not meet the protocol requirements for inclusion in the experimental treatment.  He certainly was disappointed and decided to come home and work harder to get better. Even this devastating news could not bring John to complain.  It is hard to imagine one surpassing John's caliber, optimism and character. I am sure there is someone similar to him. Perhaps it is someone you know.

John was started on prednisolone and what I perceive as comfort care in June of this year. Those in the medical fields know of the biting two edge sword of prednisolone or prednisone. It gives an early optimistic improving picture. Unfortunately it is a short term positive clinical effect.  It does provide a feeling of; let's rest and get stronger to fight this cancer.  The down side is that what ever cancer is lurking is also summoning its powers to overcome this temporary repression of expanding growth. The bottom line is you are trading good short term seemingly good benefits for an extremely rough reentry in the cancer battle.  This is what happened for my cousin John Cleasby.

My cousin Pam Carpenter decided to host a Sweet Family reunion this year. The date of August 20 was set at my niece Vicki Peterson's funeral in March.  One hundred people of the clan showed up for the reunion. We had a great time, after the humongous intense Lake Michigan fueled summer thunder, lightning and horizontal rain monsoon passed through.  Way too much food, excessive grandchildren bragging, piñata breaking and a kickball game by everybody's grandchildren and tractor rides for all that wanted them.

John came out to the reunion and though tired and a bit off colored he was able to walk and talk us to the van as we left. Later we found out that Gerry and John had his picture taken by one of his daughters. That is a photo Gerry treasures.

We had the reunion on a Saturday. The next evening, August 21,   JC was admitted to the hospital. His remaining time was comfort care and being released home for hospice care.  He spiraled down and went home September 7. 

What do you really say to the immediate family when they know the end is here? I never am able to come up with a good enough statement. You just go with your Faith and express the words God puts in your mouth. Share the love and good memories is what works for me.

Reunions cause you to think of your family peers and ancestors in a nice retrospective way. It is a nice way for young people to connect to important people of your past. Hugs across generations are what the family clan is all about. This is how we attach the bonds of pride and love to the future. We need to enjoy those encounters that build good memories. This helps when things pile up in your life.  One hopes the good pile is much bigger than the bad pile.  The quality of these encounters is the mortar cementing our personal history.

Hug your loved ones tonight.  Pets are acceptable to get a hug first if that is your preference. John go with God.

For more information about a specific case, consult your veterinarian.
The outside of a pet is good for the inside of a human.