mlc1451

A new day, a new doctor

mlc1451 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:19:00 GMT

Now that we've concluded all of Jay's medical visits, concerning his swallowing (at least for now), we can now focus on making him more comfortable in his wheelchair. Unfortunately, he has terrible scoliosis which causes him a great deal of discomfort.

Since I only have a few weeks remaining before I resume teaching (waaaahhhh, I don't want to go back), I'm trying to schedule all these appointments now, so I don't have to miss work. We already visited the dentist, then the swallowing appointments, now it's his wheelchair.

Which leads us to our appointment at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, our destination on Wednesday. Unfortunately, our vehicle can't fit the three of us (myself, Jay and his assistant) plus the wheelchair comfortably. I will need my husband to first disassemble the wheelchair so we all have enough room. However, trying to reassemble the wheelchair is harder than a Rubik's cube! There is no way I or Jay's assistant could put it back together. I was already reliving the nightmare of last week's appointment, at Evanston Hospital

When I e-mailed the center explaining my concerns, they were very cordial and accommodating. The director said, all we have to do is call when we are minutes away, then they will meet us downstairs and assemble the wheelchair for us. That was a huge relief. It's one of the reasons why I cannot take Jay and his wheelchair, in the car, on my own.

Hopefully, the adjustment process will be just as smooth. They need to add some additional cushions on the molded back, to provide more support for Jay's spine. If all goes as planned, it should only take a few hours until Jay's wheelchair is fully padded, relieving his back pain... wish us luck!!

Lets not get carted away!!

mlc1451 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:55:00 GMT

The day for my sons "cookie swallow" test finally arrived. We weren't looking forward to going. Simply because the hospital is very large and extremely uncoordinated.

For example, we called ahead to radiology requesting that a cart be positioned in the lobby, because the wheelchair will not fit in the car. I would just carry Jay from the car, to the cart, then up the elevator to Radiology. Sounds simple, right? Not with this hospital! Radiology told us they only have wheelchairs (yet the hospital is full of carts at other departments), so they directed us to the front desk. Then, the front desk directed us to Concierge who then directed us to Radiology! It was a never-ending cycle of the tail wagging the dog!

Finally, the front desk instructed us to call from our cell phone when we would be 10 minutes away, they would have a cart waiting for us. Well, lo and behold, when we called and requested a cart, it was as if we were speaking a foreign language. They had no idea what we were talking about and had no idea how to obtain one. They kept asking, "do you want a wheelchair?"

We had no choice and I had no more patience for such ineptitude. I scooped Jay up, carried him from the parking lot, through the lobby, to Radiology and requested a cart while he was slumped in my arms. Now, that made them sprint into action! Perhaps it was the doings of David Copperfield, but a cart magically appeared! Now Jay could rest comfortably while we waited for our appointment.

The Speech Pathologist arrived and Jay was wheeled down to an x-ray room. Here, he took sips of a liquid that contained barium. While he swallowed, the liquid could be viewed through an "x-ray like" machine.

It was determined that Jay has esophageal spasms. The Mayo Clinic defines it as "an uncoordinated series of muscle contractions that prevent food from traveling properly from your esophagus to your stomach. These spasms can be very painful. Chest pain is a common symptom of esophageal spasm."

Unfortunately, there really isn't a cure, but there are some treatments that involve medication. We are currently weighing our options. The only bright side to this entire ordeal was that when we were ready to leave, I spoke to the concierge regarding what happened, when we arrived. He was very sympathetic and apologized. So much so that he paid for our parking which was six dollars! A nice ending to an otherwise frustrating day.

More doctors, more tests

mlc1451 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:51:00 GMT

The day after I took Jay to the ENT, he felt his swallowing was worse. His complexion was pale and he felt warm to the touch. He was quite lethargic and queasy, so I contacted his nurse practitioner.

Dayna was concerned there could be an infection. She said she could order an antibiotic, but if Jay was in a great deal of distress, he should immediately go to the ER. Jay considered his options, but felt it would be best to just go to the ER.

We are so fortunate to live across the street from a hospital. It really is a convenience that is invaluable to our situation. I don't even need to worry about taking his wheelchair. I just carry him to the car, cross the street, then carry him to a cart in the ER.

Thankfully, the floor wasn't too busy. Jay had an x-ray only minutes after arriving... how is that for service? Next, they drew blood and started an IV. Then, The Resident thought a CAT scan would be a good idea. Since Jay can't open his mouth wide enough, it's impossible to look down his throat. So, a CAT scan would give the doctors a better image, in case there is an obstruction or infection.

Finally, some good news... there's no infection or infiltration. The bad news is that they couldn't conform an exam called a "Cookie Swallow". It's basically a test where you drink a solution, that can be viewed through an x-ray machine, while it's being digested. They only perform this test once a day, during the mornings. Apparently, the technician splits time between this hospital and another, so scheduling is tight.

The earliest we could schedule a "Cookie Swallow" would be in a few days, but at a hospital further away. We had to take the appointment, but we weren't prepared for the future frustrations that lie ahead...

Need more than an apple a day to keep this doctor away!

mlc1451 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:54:00 GMT

In my last blog, I discussed the swallowing issue my son Jay was having. Well, we had our appointment with the ENT, what a disappointment. I know that doctors don't always display the perfect bedside manner, but this guy really took the cake.

I don't know if certain doctors consider it too much trouble or just become comfortable with the typical "cookie-cutter" type patient, but when the Doctor took one look at my son in his wheelchair, it was obvious he was going to make this a quick examination. It was quite disheartening especially because I had used him myself, 15 years ago. He didn't remember me, understandable considering how long ago it was, but it was the way he reacted to Jay which really frustrated me.

Now, it wasn't that he was rude, just very short and to the point. He asked what the problem was... Jay explained he felt an irritation in his throat when he swallowed, and it is difficult for him to open his mouth wide enough because of the muscular atrophy. The doctor then asked Jay to open his mouth as wide as possible, which was not wide at all. So then he told Jay that he could spray his throat with an anesthetic, then try to probe the back of his throat to see. Jay said he was concerned that the procedure might cause him to aspirate. The doctor said there was a good chance it could cause him to aspirate, so we should forget about the procedure because it probably wouldn't work anyway.

Huh? Then why bother offering? It really made no sense to me. Anyway, the doctor suggested another test that can only be done at the hospital. So, we have made an appointment for Thursday.

That was basically the end of the exam. We also asked if there was an alternative to the mask Jay wears at night, because it irritates his nostrils. The doctor glibly replied don't wear it so tightly. Gee, thanks... never thought about that. Those years of medical school really paid off for this guy.

Maybe I am being too hard on him. But I don't think so... it's not that we expected a miracle, but a little less abrasiveness would have been nice. Sure, he sees many patients during the day, but is it too much to ask for a thorough and courteous examination? Oh, for the days when doctors made house calls!

Trying to Stay Positive

mlc1451 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:07:00 GMT

Trying to stay positive Tomorrow, I take my son Jay to the ENT. His throat is still bothering him, but at least it hasn't worsened. I just hope it won't be anything too serious, it is so difficult for Jay to open his mouth wide, because of the atrophy in his jaw muscles.

However, he does have something great to look forward to. For months, he has been trying to plan a trip to Las Vegas. He asked all of his buddies, but for one reason or another, they couldn't find a date that worked. Well finally, he received two commitments from his old summercamp counselors... he is finally able to go!

It did take a bit of schmoozing by Jay. His friend Mike is married and his wife wasn't too keen on giving him permission to go with Jay. I think she was a bit jealous and wanted to tag along. However, they do have two kids, so that wasn't possible. Anyway, Jay had flowers delivered to her, promising that he will keep Mike away from the showgirls. The next day, Lisa (Mike's wife) called Jay and said she would have said yes without the flowers!

This news couldn't come at a better time. Especially with the doctor's appointment tomorrow, it gives Jay something positive to focus on. Now that he has two buddies accompanying him to Vegas, I won't have to worry about his needs being met. Now if we get good news tomorrow from the doctor, it will make his Vegas plans even sweeter.

Hopefully, Nothing Serious

mlc1451 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:19:00 GMT

Since I only have a few weeks left of my summer vacation, I'm trying to complete all of the doctor checkups and medical appointments, before I return to teaching. However, this was one appointment I didn't expect.

Only a few days after celebrating my son Jay's 32nd birthday, he started complaining about his swallowing. Since his form of Muscular Dystrophy has been known to cause weakness in the jaw muscles as well as the ability to swallow, we weren't completely caught off guard. Jay's chewing ability has slowly been deteriorating over the years. At one time, he was able to eat any meal. Now, foods must be finally chopped and very tender.

It is so frustrating for him because he loves trying new foods and tasting different treats. He adores the Food Network, watches that station constantly. It's one of his true loves of life.

Unfortunately, his swallowing issues were not getting better. Jay researched online to find some proactive treatments, but most of the symptoms for weakened swallowing mentioned aspirating and/or choking. He keeps telling me it feels more like a small irritation or lump near his Adam's apple. He thought it was a particle of food that didn't go down, but since it's been over a week now, we have ruled that out.

Today, Jay called the speech pathology department at a local hospital. They recommended he take a test called a "cookie swallow". It's when you drink a liquid and eat a graham cracker that has a substance on it that can be monitored through a CAT scan type machine. However, they first wanted to examine him. So, Jay then called his Nurse Practitioner. She recommended he take a liquid anti-inflammatory (in case it was a scratch or irritation), and make an appointment with a ENT.

Our appointment is for next week. In the meantime, I'm hoping his swallowing doesn't worsen. I just pray it's something that can be treated, so Jay can go back to enjoying one aspect of his life that he isn't ready to let go...

Never Underestimate the Power of Cheesecake

mlc1451 — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:32:00 GMT

Ok, so the “missing on a milk carton” cheesecake had been rescued from the hard floor of my “must have misplaced my brain” neighbor’s home. I safely absconded with it back to my home and its rightful place in the deep confines of my humble freezer.

Just to be safe, I called “Eileen's” in New York, to ask if it was still salvageable after its harrowing journey, or would it be harmful to ingest? The owner couldn’t have been more gracious, and told me that since it was already baked, it should be fine. However, I should leave it in the freezer for a few hours and take it out for a taste test. If I found that the flavor was “off”, she would happily airmail me a new one, which would arrive the following morning. Unfortunately, the pina colada flavor was a special order, and she wouldn’t be able to duplicate it by the next day, but I could choose anything else from her website, and she’d guarantee its safe arrival by Friday.

Like waiting for a First Response pregnancy test, Linda, my other cousin Karen, who had joined us with a trio of festive balloons and a gift card to one of Jay’s favorite restaurants, the birthday boy, and I eagerly anticipated this mind-numbing treat. To occupy our salivating taste buds, we kept busy by imbibing some merlot and Vegetarian salads I had picked up earlier in the day: angel hair pasta with sundried tomatoes, bow tie pasta nestled with goat cheese, fresh baby mozzarella married with heirloom tomatoes and onions in a balsamic vinaigrette, mango salsa, hummus peppered with pine nuts, and various artisan breads and crackers.

Finally, the moment arrived for our anticipatory taste of Eileen's famous pina colada cheesecake. Just like the love at first sight for the mini Cooper that served as Linda’s temporary chariot, the initial creamy mouthful of this historic cheesecake was adoration at first bite! There were oohs and aaahs audible from all those participating in this orgasmic pleasure, as we realized that its tantalizing flavor was worshipfully perfect! What a relief and a flawless ending to a birthday fraught with intense comedy sautéed with bits of frustration…

Brain Freeze At My Neighbor’s

mlc1451 — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 19:41:00 GMT

To continue with my saga of the runaway cheesecake for Jay’s birthday, I waited until the next day (Thursday) and Linda’s arrival for Jay’s gala celebration, to see if she had brought the precious cargo with her. Linda arrived in the most darling of all gas savers’ – a lipstick red mini Cooper that looked like a matchbox car. It was truly “love at first sight” with this toy vehicle, and I insisted that we go for a spin later in the day.

Meanwhile, Linda swooped down to give Jay a huge birthday smooch, and we proceeded to spend the next hour catching up on all the famous people she has interviewed, and discussed the fact that she’ll be publishing a book on all her celebrity interviews from her TV show shortly. It’s always exciting chatting with her, but during the rest of the year it’s done via e-mail. Speaking to her in person is such a treat, since she’s quite the “wordsmith” and I adore her “slant” on politics, the economy, narcisstic celebrities, and her whirlwind lifestyle in New York.

Forty-five minutes sped by, when I asked if she would like something to eat or drink, and also what her timetable was for the rest of the day? (I know we need to “share” her with her sister and best friend from fifty years ago). Linda informed us that she could stay till 6, and would love to have “linner” (lunch/dinner) sometime within the next hour or so. I asked if I needed to put “anything” in the freezer, and a curious look came over her face. She wondered if “something” had been delivered, and I said “yes”, but it wasn’t edible – however we could watch it on a DVD player. (The lost episodes of “The Honeymooners”). Flummoxed, she called “Elaine’s” in New York, and was told the surprise errant cheesecake had been delivered to the house across the street!

Quickly, I rang the doorbell at my neighbor’s, and her husband came to the door. I asked Steve if a package had been mistakenly delivered to his home, and he handed it to me. First of all, it was sitting on its side, and most importantly, in big BOLD letters it stated, “UPON DELIVERY, PLEASE FREEZE”. I stood there, slack jawed, and said, “Oh dear, you’ve had it in your foyer for a few hours, and it clearly says that it needed to be in the freezer.” Sheepishly, Steve admitted that he had planned to deliver it to me ONCE HIS CHILDREN HAD FINISHED THEIR LUNCH! His children are six and seven, not exactly infants, who are outside, like Huckleberry Finn, all summer long. One of them could have easily walked across the street with this “must be frozen package”. The only reasonable explanation that I could conjure up for this “travesty” was that he had, by osmosis, developed “freezer brain” from staring at the package too long….

A Visit from the Big Apple

mlc1451 — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 17:41:00 GMT

My cousin, Linda, is a very famous music critic in New York. Granted, she was born here in Chicago, but New York City is in her heart and soul. Since it was Jay’s 32nd birthday on Thursday, she wanted to surprise him for a birthday bash. In between going to the theatre and writing her reviews, she e-mailed me several times in regard to what Jay would salivate over, food wise, from her beloved Big Apple. At first she wanted to airmail all types of goodies from a 100 year old deli in the Bronx, with its traditional fare of lox, bagels, smoked fish, etc.

Since Jay has muscular dystrophy, and it’s difficult to chew some of these ethnic delights, both of us opted for a pina colada cheesecake from one of Bobby Flay’s top choices: Elaine’s. (No, she’s not the character from “Seinfeld”!). Jay is a regular “foodie-holic” and religiously watches the Food Network daily. He saw a program on the best places for cheesecakes, and Bobby Flay’s numero uno choice was “Eileen's”.

Linda ordered the surprise birthday gift the night before her arrival, and I had instructed Jay’s caregiver to put it in the freezer once UPS delivered it. (My husband and I went to see a matinee performance of “Jersey Boy’s” in downtown Chicago, and I didn’t want it to be sitting out till I arrived home.)

That evening, I peeked in the freezer and saw a square shaped box hiding out. Curiously, I took it from the freezer and saw that the label read Amazon.com. I’m quite familiar with the site, as I am a “bookaholic” as much as Jay is a “foodie”, however I’ve never seen cheesecake as one of their choices. Granted you can order cheesecake cookbooks, but not the real fare. I opened the package, since I didn’t think even New York would make a square cheesecake, and lo and behold inside was a birthday gift of the lost seasons of “The Honeymooners!”!! Hopefully its temporary visit in my freezer wouldn’t mar the quality of the DVD. (And by the way, since they were “lost” episodes, how were they “found”? By a GPS system inside Jackie Gleason’s home?)

It’s a VERY good thing that I had checked out “Pandora’s box” or Jay would have been rather disappointed when Linda arrived for the birthday surprise lunch the following day! I thought perhaps she had opted to bring the delectable treasure with her the next day, so I didn’t call to check on its status. The “Comedy of Errors” would only continue the following day….

More Fun at the Lake Villa MDA Summer Camp

mlc1451 — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:39:00 GMT

Additionally, the flyer from the MDA camp asked for our help in cleaning up the campsite besides just donating food and medical supplies. The cabins needed to be scrubbed down before “Jerry’s kids” arrived for the week. These cabins were at least 40 years old and in need of new paint jobs as well as serious scrubbing to get rid of as much of the mold as possible, since most of the campers had breathing difficulties. I hesitated sending Jay after a few years, since he always came back home with breathing problems from the humidity and mustiness of the cabins. However, maintaining the friendships with the same people he had connected with during the previous summers was the incentive that made me send him back a few more times. But we did request that he be allowed to sleep in the nurse’s cabin, since it was the only place that had air conditioning. I found it ironic that portable air conditioners were never added in the cabins for necessary respiratory relief. I never heard the telethon mention that money would be needed for food supplies or to help the campers breathe easier either.

When Jay went to camp, I’d keep my fingers crossed that it wouldn’t rain that particular week (the camp began on Father’ Day until the following Saturday) since the camp turned into a muddy mess, and the campers were required to put a poncho over their wheelchairs in order to get to the “mess” dining hall. That situation wasn’t corrected either in any of the years that Jay attended. It’s a shame that the telethon showed smiling cherubic children rolling around at a sun-filled camp rather than showing a rain drenched and run down facility like Lake Villa.

Want to hear another observation? Ever notice how the telethon features poster children who are adorable, sweet young kids? They have round, smiling faces and are very pleasing to behold. Muscular Dystrophy is a disease that wastes away your muscles, yet Jerry is always shown with very “normal” and healthy looking kids and not ones who might resemble Stephen Hawkings, the brilliant scientist who suffers from ALS, a form of Muscular Dystrophy. Is that part of an MDA advertising campaign so people won’t be “turned off” by less than pleasing faces and be more willing to donate money for the cute members of “Jerry’s kids”? Just wondering..

I’d be happy to check out any websites that anyone may know about which shows how much and where the telethon monies go for the summer camps. And maybe the time is ripe for MDA to really “put their money where their mouth is” and provide services that will impact the greatest number of MDA families. How about starting by renovating those ancient campsites?

If the MDA Shoe Fits…

mlc1451 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:42:00 GMT

I found the comments from my last blog quite amusing and sad at the same time. After being the mother of a young adult who has been stricken with Muscular Dystrophy for the past 32 years, I was personally attacked for my viewpoints. I’d really like to know why there is such an extreme level of hostility towards the remarks I made from my own personal observations? And the people who verbally attacked me – do any of them have experience handling this illness for over three decades? Do they have any idea of the perseverance and fortitude it takes to deal with government organizations as well as MDA? It’s not an easy process by any means, and the saying “the squeaky wheel gets greased” is all too true. Of course I can’t even begin to count the number of phone calls that need to be made again and again and the copious notes that must be taken to ensure that services will be provided in an expedient manner, if they are supplied at all.

Therefore, what I said in my last blog still stands true from my viewpoint. And so do my comments responding to those who so callously wrote their searing comments. Since some of those comments were incredibly defensive regarding the funds used by MDA, I’d like to question if any of them have had personal experience dealing with the MDA summer camps?

Let me tell you from my own and Jay’s experience what the MDA summer camp has been like in Illinois. The one that Jay went to for 10 years was located in Lake Villa, which is a northern suburb close to the Wisconsin border. The campsite was an old Boy Scout site that my brother actually went to back in the 1960’s. Nothing much had been done to the cabins or the campgrounds in that time frame. (It has since been torn down in the last few years, and turned into condos.)

I sent Jay to the MDA camp for one week in the summer when the Boy Scouts weren’t using the facilities. There would be a flyer sent to our home yearly, asking for donations of supplies needed for that week at the campsite: bandages, bug spray, Gatorade or bottled water, frozen hamburger patties, paper plates, utensils, napkins, etc. Isn’t it interesting that during the MDA yearly Telethon that it’s never mentioned how the parents and volunteers are asked to supply a lot of the camping goods? Or if we knew any corporations that would sponsor or provide some of these items? That’s not mentioned during the telethon either. Stay tuned for more on this camp in my next blog…..

Hey MDA, Why Close Your Clinics?

mlc1451 — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:54:00 GMT

My son Jay needs some adjustments to his wheelchair or else possibly a new one. We called in a company we dealt with 6 years ago, when his current one was made. The representative, Mark, is a very nice and helpful young man and we felt confident that he could help solve our dilemma. We asked him about several features that might benefit Jay and make his chair easier to stay in for a longer period of time.

I asked Mark about taking Jay to Evanston Hospital, where the MDA Clinic was located. Since Jay’s illness, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, is under the umbrella heading of MDA, the association pays for new equipment or repairs after the patient’s insurance pays their share.

Mark laughed at my question, and remarked that the MDA Clinics have been closed just about everywhere in the Chicago land area. I was astounded to hear that, since we had gone to the one in Evanston several times in the past. I added that it seemed unusual they’d close the clinics, when the telethon raises at least $60 million dollars a year at the Labor Day televised event.

Mark mentioned that he had spoken to several vendors who hadn’t been paid by MDA for quite some time, and they stopped servicing their MDA accounts. It appears as though a lot of the MDA staff is in transition, and there really isn’t anyone in charge to coordinate the efforts for the clinics. Mark believes a lot of the telethon money actually goes for administrative costs at the MDA headquarters in Arizona. If that’s really true, then an investigative reporter, like Pam Zekman from Channel 2 news here in Chicago, should be right on their tail immediately. Labor Day is coming up soon, and the American public shouldn’t be bilked out of their hard earned dollars that they generously donate for “Jerry’s Kids” if the money isn’t being targeted towards helping them.

How are MDA patients able to receive life enhancing equipment if they don’t have insurance in the first place? Would MDA pick up the entire cost of the wheelchair or lift? Shouldn’t the IRS be auditing this association to make sure that the money is being used exactly as the telethon implies?

It’s one thing to expect a politician to lie to the American public, but you certainly don’t want to believe that Jerry Lewis would “pull the dollars” over our eyes by interviewing grateful MDA patients and their families, when in fact only a few people truly benefit from the millions of dollars collected each year during the telethon. Please Jerry, say it isn’t so…

Perks for Getting Older

mlc1451 — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:54:00 GMT

It’s never easy getting older, so you have to squeeze those tart lemons and sweeten them with a different outlook on the aging process. Here are some ways that getting older is really getting better....

01. Kidnappers are not that interested in you anymore.

02. In a hostage situation, you are most likely going to be released first.

03. No one expects you to run anywhere anymore. Nice and easy does it.

04. People call at 9 pm and ask, “Did I wake you?”

05. People no longer see you as a hypochondriac.

06. There is nothing left to learn the hard way; it’s all smooth sailing now.

07. Things you buy now won't wear out!

08. You can eat supper at 4 pm and not feel guilty. Plus, you’ll save money at restaurants!

09. You can live without sex but never your glasses!

10. You get into heated arguments about pension plans and not political candidates.

11. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

12. You quit trying to hold your stomach in no matter where you are or who walks in the room.

13. You sing along with elevator music because you know the words and tunes.

14. Your eyes won't get much worse anymore, so there’s no need for LASIK.

15. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

16. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the local weather forecasters.

17. Your secrets are safe with your friends, because they can't remember them either.

18. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size, as long as you don’t lose any more.

19. And you notice these are all in Big Print to make it easier to read!

See, there ARE some good aspects about watching the sands of time progress. Laughter is still the best medicine, as Norman Cousins found out when he cured himself of cancer by watching old Stooges’ movies and Laurel and Hardy ones too.

Why complain about the inevitable? Just think about all the twenty something year olds who have massive amounts of tattoos adorning their bodies. What do you think those tattoos will resemble once they’re 50 or 60 years old? Perhaps a future business might be creating subtitles for all the unrecognizable artwork of these Gen. “X ers”! Hey, isn’t there an early bird special you can enjoy at IHOP right now? Don’t forget to ask for the “senior” discount!

And A Good Time Was Had By All

mlc1451 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:02:00 GMT

After summer school on Thursday, my cousin had booked a haircut for herself and also for me at a very “posh” salon in downtown Chicago. The establishment was housed in a renovated Victorian brownstone and was dreamy to behold. We were offered some wine when we came in, plus they had the latest “People” magazine, so I was happy as a clam! My cousin, Karen, went first. She has the type of hair that hairdressers adore – thick, luxurious, and fun to style, since you can do so much with it. She looked spectacular after Kristy worked her magic fingers and scissors on it, and I was so envious of how thick and rich it looked.

Then it was my turn. I explained to Kristy that I had finished chemo on May 1st, and although my hair hadn’t received the memo from the rest of my body to completely fall out, I had a sparse amount on the crown and front. Kristy was itching to begin, and assured me that she knew exactly what to do. Fifteen minutes later it was over, and I was amazed at the transformation. She had added layers to my two tone blond and light brown hair (I can’t highlight it yet since it’s so thin and weak) Yet with her expertise, it truly looked as though she had added highlights to it! Even the top was disguised with extra mousse and some hair spray. I felt wonderful, after six months of ignoring my hair or waiting for it to completely fall out.

I was grateful to Karen for suggesting this “makeover”, as I continue forward on the road to my recovery. I had certainly chosen the “road less traveled” by going into the city and not my usual hair stylist, who snips my locks in the comfort of her own home.

I felt refreshed and raring to show off my new “do”, so we shopped the many trendy boutiques in the area, as I felt the bouncing and vitality of my newly shorn style.

We celebrated my transformation by chowing down at our favorite restaurant in the area “Feast”. I laughed and felt carefree and pretty all wrapped up into one happy moment. It was the Christmas that I had missed out on this year, since I was in the hospital waiting for surgery the day after the holiday. I sorely needed this “pick me up”, and I joked around and grinned and kept peeking looks at the new me for the rest of the day. I wondered if people were thinking that my constant staring in the mirror reminded them of the Carly Simon song, “You’re So Vain”, however, I prefer to think of Sarah Jessica Parker in the L’Oreal commercial, tantalizingly suggesting that, “You’re worth it.” I really felt that I was too….

Some People Are Better off In Cages

mlc1451 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:19:00 GMT

I always walk around my neighborhood (No, I’m not replacing Mr. Rogers) twice a day during the summer months. Since my lung cancer diagnosis, I’ve been concerned with a study that correlates low levels of Vitamin D and the emergence of this cancer. To soak up as many rays as I can, I love a quiet meditative stroll before I teach summer school in the early morning, and then later in the day, I’ll “roll” my son around in his wheelchair for a breath of fresh air.

On one of our romps, I noticed that a house that was for sale had some out of state cars in the driveway and inside the garage; I saw a large chocolate brown dog (possibly a pit bull) stuck in a cage that barely accommodated his frame. Our weather has been rather hot and humid recently, and I was appalled that anyone would leave a poor defenseless animal trapped in an airless garage on the hot cement floor.

Being the ultimate animal lover, I asked the twenty-something young man why his dog was confined in that manner? He responded angrily that I was a nosy neighbor, and it was his dog, and he’d do anything he chose to it. I told him he’d have a lot of explaining to do to the police, since what he was doing was clearly animal abuse. He menacingly asked my name and told me to “come here”. I told him I don’t follow orders, that I wasn’t his poor defenseless dog and he could find out my name from the police. He yelled again about being nosy and that he could do what he wanted with his animal.

I was furious and marched home to call the animal control officer in my suburb. As I was wheeling Jay around a second time, I saw the squad car approach the home, but the man never answered the door. I don’t know what will be done, but if I see the dog again in the garage, I intend to call a second time. Put me on a jury in animal court, and watch me sentence him to a day in his garage inside the metal cage. His dog and I will stay in the shade, drinking ice tea and a bowl of water for his “best Friend”, while he can beg to be let out of his self-made and richly deserved prison..