Prayers, please...

I am in need of prayers.

Lots of them.

For my beloved Papa Bear, The Oracle's dad.

He has been having shoulder problems lately and finally got an MRI about 2 weeks ago.  The MRI revealed that his shoulder is one big ole mess that will demand surgical attention soon.  Rotator cuff is the problem and it is a relatively easy surgery with a long-ish recovery.

But that's not the issue here.

It is what else that was revealed in the MRI that causes me to ask for your prayers.

The diligent doctor reading the MRI films noticed a problem with Papa Bear's aorta.  Turns out he has a Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm that is beyond the medical community's tolerance of 4cm. They believe it is in excess of 5cm.

Further testing is needed, starting with a cardiac ultrasound tomorrow with results within the week.  For now Papa Bear is on preventative high blood pressure medication - despite his BP running a steady 120/60.  This is a conservative course of action with this kind of diagnosis and we are pleased with the care he is getting so far.

Options are limited.  If the aneurysm is small they will continue to treat it with blood pressure meds and frequent ultrasounds.  If it's large - which is the direction the doctor seems to be going - it will require open-heart surgery.

Amazingly it is considered a routine open-heart surgery especially for someone like Papa Bear who is, in all other ways, healthy.  Even so, he is nearly 80 years old and he runs himself like the bulls at Pamplona.

Never sits still, never rests, always has something to do or somewhere to be.

Mama Bear, The Oracle's mom, is a nervous wreck who is disguising it as best she can.  A visit with them for Father's Day yesterday and she revealed to me, privately, her full anxiety.  Poor woman is scared out of her wits and I don't blame her.

Despite all assurances about any possible surgery - and stories from friends about people they know who had the surgery and went on to live normal lives - this is a very serious situation that requires a serious approach.

Thankfully they seem to be in good hands with access to a world-class cardiac department at the UMASS Medical Center in Worcester, MA. 

Papa Bear did say that his doctor was blunt about this.  If he feels any pain in his chest, stomach or upper back he is to call 911 immediately.  No delay.  If it ruptures death will be minutes away; the pain will be the only warning sign he might get.

In fact, most people with Aortic Aneurysms don't even know they have it.  It is found, like Papa Bear, thru tests for other unrelated situations.

So in fact we owe Papa Bear's life to a particular doctor at the ortho practice they are going to - Dr. Steven M. Klein.  There is no way we can ever thank Dr. Klein for his thoroughness and the urgency he placed on the results of what was a routine shoulder MRI. 

This man - Papa Bear - is beyond special.  He's adorable - everyone who meets him just wants to take him home with them and they can't be blamed.

He's witty, funny, fresh in a non-icky way - he's flirty and fun.  He's charming, intelligent in ways he doesn't understand about himself.  He's generous with his time and spirit.  He loves - big.

And in the 17 years since my own beloved daddy died, Papa Bear has been the dad I needed - whenever I needed him.  He's been a source of solace, comfort, advise and love.  Lots of purely unconditional love.

Like I said - he loves - big.

So please - prayers, healing energies, positive thoughts for Papa Bear. 

And for The Oracle too - I will be by his side every step of the way but this is the first time one of his parents faces a serious health situation.  He will no doubt handle it with his typical grace and patience and yet I can't help but be worried for him too. 

Even more - buried in all this is a real threat to my own beloved husband - Aortic Aneurysms are hereditary particularly in what they call a "first degree" relative (like a father).  In the next 5 years The Oracle will need to begin getting screened annually.  Mama Bear told me about this yesterday, which I confirmed myself, and I could see the fear in her own eyes, reflected from mine.

The Weekly Muse

Fog.

We are in one.

Born of a need to sleep I took 2 Benadryl last night. Knocked me out for an unprecedented 12 hours and is now leaving me in a mental haze.  It will burn off eventually.

For now - I'm enjoying the haze.

For the first time all week it is a gorgeous day here - bright blue sky, no clouds, beautiful sparkling sunshine and a light breeze.  Temps are in the high 70s.

Perfect.

After this past week we needed it.  Storms every day, epic amounts of rain.  We finally saw sunlight yesterday afternoon.

There was also a metaphorical storm in my life; The Oracle had to travel to our employer's St. Paul office - for 4 days of marathon meetings and the infamous "team building activities".

We do not do well in these circumstances. We are so much a part of each other that together we make a whole. We can manage a night or 2 apart here and there but this was 4 days and nearly 4 nights.  For us, that is an eternity.

I programmed my life to the nth degree so I'd be busy as much as possible.  In the end some of those plans fell thru and I - managed.  It wasn't wonderful but I can't say it was horrible either.  I reflected on how blessed I am to have The Oracle in my life; blessed in what we share and what our relationship is like.

A few days apart won't kill us, even if it feels like it will. Because he will come home and he will start to annoy me within 48 hours. ***heh***

Today is a day of, mostly, rest.  We are both exausted from the week and are eager to just kick back and enjoy the beautiful day.  We've already had a simple breakfast of muffins & fresh fruit on the back deck - listening to the lovely birdsong and watching our beloved feathered friends buzz around us.

And now that I'm nealry done with my 2nd cup of coffee - oh the great indulgence! - I believe we shall return to the back deck to soak up some sun and just - be.

For as I have said many times - we are human BEings, not human DOings.

Flag Day

From a membership e-mail sent today by the Military & Veterans Network at my employer:

The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'.

In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating.

Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself."

Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.

 

Fourth

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Perhaps more than any other Amendment to our nation's Constitution, the Fourth was written by our Founding Fathers in direct response to the British incursion into our liberties; taking for themselves and their officers homes, goods and lands that belonged to the colonists.  Usurping the rights of the colonists to make a living and have a safe place to go; to go about their business and life without risk of being dispossessed by their fellow citizens.

Fast forward 237 years and our Founding Fathers - who risked their own lives to ensure the populace of this country a future devoid of the kind of control and abuse they endured - must be spinning in their graves.

In fact I would not be surprised to hear that there have been sightings of bewigged men wearing brocade jackets and tights and looking a little worse for the wear - for surely they must want to rise up and haunt the current batch of liars that call themselves politicians.

The latest in a growing list of scandals to plague the Obama Administration - spying on their own citizens - crosses the line from incompetence to an egregious abuse of power for reasons that we, the people, still have yet to see revealed.

And now the predictable manhunt is underway for the young man who, like our Founding Fathers, has put his life at risk to reveal to the American people just how far their government has overstepped its reach.

As Justice Department officials consider charges against Edward Snowden, the former CIA employee who claims to be source of classified leaks, the whereabouts of the 29-year-old computer expert appear to be unknown after he reportedly checked out of his Hong Kong hotel.

...

Snowden's whereabouts on Tuesday were unknown, a day after he checked out of a trendy hotel in the Chinese territory of Hong Kong. But large photos of his face were splashed on most Hong Kong newspapers with headlines such as "Deep Throat Hides in HK," and "World's Most Wanted Man Breaks Cover in Hong Kong."

Unfortunately for Mr. Snowden he selected a country that does have an extradition treaty with the U.S. In fact, on the face of it, there are very few places where he can hide from the long arm of U.S. justice. But I have to wonder about certain country's and their feelings on being included in the sweeping nightmare that is the PRIZM program.

Surprisingly it is a Democrat who gives voice to how I'm sure most Americans feel today:

There's very little trust in the government, and that's for good reason," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., who sits on the House Intelligence Committee. "We're our own worst enemy."

Mr. Snowden has committed treason - but so did our Founding Fathers. And when you read his statement about why he finally came forward and released the information - you have to be chilled to the core:

"Any analyst at any time can target anyone. Any selector. Anywhere," Snowden said. "I, sitting at my desk, had the authority to wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant to a federal judge to even the president if I had a personal e-mail."

I am beyond furious.  I am beyond any sense of anger I have ever experienced.  This is such a grotesque program that, while perhaps originally designed as a safety net in the wake of 9/11, has clearly become an elephant of mammoth proportions that has grown exponentially since Obama took office.

Yes, there are those who will say that this started under President GW Bush as part of the Patriot Act, which is not untrue.  However the growth of the program - with the express approval of Congress thru the signing of their own confidentiality agreements - is all on Obama's shoulders.

We impeached President Nixon for wiretapping a single hotel room.  Obama and his minions have wiretapped anyone and everyone they want.

And so I quote another document that is near and dear to the hearts of true Americans:

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Believe

I can see thru the laughter
I know you've cried your share of tears
But you don’t have to do this by yourself
You tell me that you feel abandoned
Carrying the weight of all this pain inside
You trust in someone else
But you’re crying out for help

I’m a believer
That He’s strong enough to hold you now where you are
I’m a believer
In the One who’s always reaching out to your heart
He understands you
There’s not a greater love that you’ll find in this life
I’m a believer in Christ

You're trying to escape the landslide
Running from the choices that you’ve made
When will you surrender to His grace
He promises He’ll never leave you
Offering to free you from your past
Cause that’s the sacrifice He’s made
He can be your shelter and your strength

No matter what you’ve done
Or how far you’ve run
There is hope for you
For every broken heart
He’ll meet you where you are
He will rescue you
Let Him rescue you