Nashville in the Meantime

Okay, so we're probably driving our daughter bonkers. We call her a couple times a day while she's in Nashville. Call in the morning, "Hi! How ya' doin?" Call in the afternoon, "What are you doing?" Call in the evening, "How was school?" I know we should actually get a life of our own, but she is our first one off to college and she is sooooooo far away from home. Isn't it a parent's perogative to worry about their daughter? She seems to be doing fine on her own, though. She is making new friends and already has a job that starts next month at the Opry Mills Mall. I'm sure that as time goes on her parents won't feel the need to call her every day (at least not 3-4 times a day). We are looking foward to seeing her in September unless she happens to come home before then. Anyways, at least we aren't needing as many Kleenix as we did the first few days.

Welcome Home, Shia; Goodbye, Mary

Well, the dog is home. Shia came back with us last week and we've taken to her and I think that she has taken to us. She is a beautiful Yellow Lab. Long and sleek, much like Claire, who'll be the major beneficiary of Shia. Claire has slept through almost every night since Shia came home and began sleeping next to her.

Today is bittersweet, though. We have gained a dog, but we are wishing our daughter, Mary, a good-bye. Today is her last day at home before she leaves for college in Nashville, TN. We leave early tomorrow morning for the journey South. She'll follow me in her car as we take her belongings to her new home-at least for the next 18 months. She starts at High Tech Career Institute and will study massage therapy. The nice thing about the program is that it affords her the chance to obtain an Associates Degree in the 18 months and many of the credits can transfer if she decides to go on in college. Otherwise, she'll be able to start her profession before she is even 21. Focused learning seems to be a good way to go for her. We'll miss her, though. I'll be going down in September for a podiatry conference and I hope that most of the family will be able to go with me.

What a Week!

We started out with a graduation, had a party and then went right into dog training. Shia is a beautiful yellow lab that is stealing our hearts with her grace, her charm and her intelligence. Who could ask for anything more in a lady. We have had six days of training with her. Well, my wife is doing most of the training and is now at the point where the dog is with her 24/7 for 10 straight days. In the long run, the dog will be "transferred" to Claire. I haven't had time to think about much else except for driving, entertaining children and grabbing an occasional Americano at the local Starbucks. This week is more training with more ventures into field trips and then it is time to get our oldest ready for her journey to Nashville where she starts college on June 27th. Never a dull moment. Eventually, I hope to get back to updating this site on a regular basis, but for now suffice it to say... it is time for bed.

The Enchanted Attic

The following story appeared in The Journal Standard on Friday May 13, 2005:

Enchantment returns in 'Attic'
By Amee Bohrer
The Journal-Standard

During an "Enchanted Attic," rehearsal, a young ballerina performs her solo, but is having trouble finding the right facial expression.

An older student walks out and gives the younger dancer some ideas, as an older sister might do for a younger sibling.

The younger ballerina smiles, applies the advice and nails it.

This is a typical rehearsal for "The Enchanted Attic," as the junior and senior companies of New Expressions Dance Theatre, directed by Jill Johnson, combine. She estimates about 40 performers ages 5 to 50 are involved in the production.

They'll present shows to the public May 20 and 21, but will also do two performances just for area students on May 18 and 19.

Although the show was first performed in March 1995 at Highland Community College, Johnson and Lisa Albert, who co-wrote the story, decided to re-vamp it a decade later, especially since Johnson, along with the original composer and costume designer, have since learned new skills they wanted to incorporate.

Composer Jerry Wickman of Shannon spent three months re-orchestrating his composition. The music hasn't changed, but instrumentation has been altered and two new musical themes were added.

"I went through every single note and re-recorded it," Wickman said. "It sounds much more like an actual orchestra playing."

Wickman will have CD's available at the show.

The story focuses on Emily, a little girl visiting her grandmother. When her grandmother's magical bird escapes and leads Emily into the attic, she meets a host of enchanted toys who need her help.

Most of the toys are friendly, but some, such as a jack-in-the-box, are a little sinister. When bats attack the toys, it's up to Emily and her cousin to save their new friends.

Other personified toys include spinning tops, dust bunnies, spiderlings and a pirate.

JoAnn Hamer of Baileyville, the costume designer, didn't change the design of most of her costumes from the first production, but re-made them all to fit a different set of dancers.

Also an art teacher, Hamer sees her costumes as "3-D moveable art," and said expressing herself through costume-making is "better than Cubism."

"I'm very proud of all my dancers," said Johnson, director of Studio 121 ballet company. "They've put in a huge amount of work."

The performers are anxious for the first performance and enjoy different aspects of the process.

MacKenzie Fye, 16, of Freeport, who plays the roles of head soldier, a bracelet charm and a storm figure, has been dancing for 14 years.

"Costume changes in two minutes or less," have been the most challenging part of the production, Fye said, along with the rehearsal schedule that grows to five or six days a week as opening night nears.

"My favorite part is the make-up," said Lucy Jones, 9 of Savanna, one of two girls double-cast as Emily. Normally, she explained, "I don't get to wear make-up."

After seeing the performance three times I am again duly impressed with the talent that is present in Freeport and the surrounding communities almost as much as I am astounded by Jill Johnson's ability to put the right person in the right role for the performances. Once the performance begins it is hard to imagine how anyone else (of her senior and junior companies) would have fit the roles any better. The music was first rate. The choreography was exceptional. The dancers were inspired and inspiring.

I was saddened, however, as the Pirate Doll, my daughter, Veronica, will be leaving the company. This was her last official performance (for now?). There are various commitments at school that cut short on available time. We'll still have her younger sister, one of the Clown Dolls, Teresa, to carry on the animated, energetic stage presence.

It looks like The Nutcracker will be the main performance next year. It is tentatively scheduled for December. Now the dancers have time to work on the technique over the Summer and look forward to a few extra days off.

What's Going On?

Mothers stabbing children. Fathers stabbing children. A child is abducted, raped and hidden in a landfill. Children and adults dying in an overnight fire. Two children taken from their home, raped and told their families would be killed if they said anything. I'm starting to think that my daughters and son are not safe anywhere. Whether it is Florida or one of the Chicago suburbs the sanctity of life for and the safety of children seems to be in a race against time. When children cannot trust their parents or those that stay in the homes of their family it is understandable how the feelings of fear and trepidation in the neighborhood, the school or the community for our children is in the forefront of our thoughts. Our neighborhood, as serene and middle America as it seems is starting a "Neighborhood Watch" program. An occasional stranger in a vehicle not recognized in the neighborhood will be spotted. Most of the time it is just someone out for a Sunday drive or someone who is lost or looking at homes. Occasionally, though, a suspicious person will be seen sitting in his car or truck looking around. No apparent reason. But it makes us wonder. What or who is he looking for. Is he measuring up the neighborhood and checking out the patterns of the residents for when they are home? There have been a few burglaries. Or is he looking to see who the children are and where and when they play or walk or ride their bikes in the neighborhood? There is never a time when people feel like they can relax anymore. There is never a time when we don't want to know exactly where are children are. It doesn't look like we are going back to the carefree days anytime soon.

Time Goes By

My intent was to publish shorter posts daily to this site. My intent was to keep up to date with the latest in life in and around our community and to look at the world's news and how it affects our area or our lives. So much for intent. In the ensuing months life has become hectic to the point of allowing me to read the news, but not write daily. Weekly has been more the norm. Daughters, dances and dogs seem to be taking up most of my extracurricular time these days. The Prom was last week. The ballet is next week. Graduation two weeks later. And then dog training with our daughter for her service dog, a yellow Lab named Shia for the following two weeks. This will be followed with a trip to Nashville for our oldest daughter's start in college. Explaining things to myself allows me to realize where the time does go. Of course, a weekly column, another monthly column on health issues, as well as seeing patients and parental duties. As I said previously, 24 hours in a day is insufficient time.
The news lately has been a sad commentary on the lives of our children. A father murders his daughter and her best friend and Zion, Illinois mourns. This occurs just a couple of weeks after a mother slays her child and Hoffman Estates quiet is disrupted. When children are no longer safe from their own parents, we are in a world of hurt. John Kass recently wrote about how we turn to perpetrators of these crimes into victims. The children who suffer at the hands of these monsters have no say in the matter, because they are dead and cannot speak from the graves that they were forced to enter before they were old enought to understand much of life. Much of this, I believe, comes from our current disregard for life from babies in the womb to the current perception among many and perpeutated in the much of the media that children are commodities and are to be left alone, carted off and often must fend for themselves. We say that our children are our most precious resources, but too often we don't put the nurturing into them that allows them to grow and prosper in a loving, caring environment. The onus ends up being on the daycare worker, the babysitter, the grandparents, the teachers, and peers, but we as parents are the ones who have to hold up our end of the bargain. In this regard, we have a long way to go.

First Last Dance

My oldest daughter will be going to her high school prom tomorrow night. She could get a dress. She could make reservations for dinner. She could order a boutonniere. She could buy the tickets. Her younger sister found the best gift for her, though, a date to the prom. This will be her third prom, missing only her sophomore year. We didn't think she wanted to go this year, but as time drew near, well, perspective changes. There is plenty to worry about for prom night, most importantly the worry is that the students are not drinking and driving.
Freeport has the most unique prom that I have witnessed. There is the "parade of stars" with the students arriving in a wide array of forms of transportation. Anything, just about, seems to be fair game from tractors to dump trucks to mopeds. It is quite a sight seeing these teens arriving at the Masonic Temple in all of their regalia. Then there is the march around the city block where most every student attending the prom processes to the delight of parents, siblings, relatives, friends, and lookers-on. It is one of the highlights of Spring in Freeport. Small town, big ideas, and just plain fun. Our family should have the opportunity to attend several more before all of our children graduate from high school. Let's hope that some traditions are maintained.

Welcome Back, Mitch

Mitch Albom returned today. He speaks of perspective in journalism and in life. He has had time to reflect on his judgment of a few weeks ago when he wrote the column that appeared in the Free Press on April 3, 2005. His initial apology column four days later seemed contrite and looking for excuses and sharing the blame. Today, with time and "perspective" he has come to the realization that it isn't fun being on the other side of criticism. As I stated in the Pretzel City Logic blog from April 10, 2005, I am an avid fan of Mitch Albom, and while I thought that it was careless of him to write the column without having actually witnessed the players being at the game, I didn't think that he should have been fired...if it proved to be an isolated occurrence. I think that it is a lesson that all columnists, journalists, and newspaper reporters can learn from. Mitch also needs to remember, as do all of us, that we are held to the standard for which we aspire and write about, such as his remarks about Jayson Blair. Sometimes we get a dose of reality and sometimes we get jolted back to reality. Welcome back, Mitch, to your column, to those who read your column, and to life after a lesson learned. I believe that Morrie, would have offered unconditional love and forgiveness and moved on. We can all learn from this.

High on the Hog

Trim Rite is coming. Trim Rite is coming to save the day. At least that is the story. Freeport's economic woes won't be solved by a pork processing plant. We will once again pay more by another company paying less...taxes, set-up fees without having to make a long-ter, commitment to the community. We'll put in the sewer lines, the power cables, internet cables, and roads to service the company. We're promised 200 new jobs. Will there be any concessions that the employees health care providers will be contracted to be local. How many children will be going to school here? Will there be new residents moving to the area or will the employees travel from Sterling and Rockford and then take their hard-earned money back to their malls and grocery stores and pay property taxes to their communities?

Meanwhile we hear the drip...drip...drip... of our solid citizens being let go by other local employers. A few this week from Honeywell. A few next week from Newell. A couple from Cub Food. It is like the old adage about how do you boil a frog... you slowly raise the temperature and the frog keeps adjusting until eventually the heat is high enough that the frog cooks. The employment temperature in our community is slowly rising and many in the community, at least those that haven't bailed out, are starting to sense the change, but until they are affected they don't get out of the boiling water.

Just read the letter from a Honeywell customer to get a feel for the outside world's view of one of our jewels of industry in Freeport. If no one is around to lead it is impossible to have full accountability, prompt decision-making, nor a highly motivated workforce. Management by email just doesn't cut it. Drip...drip...drip... an account here, an account there, and then we're left to wonder, "What went wrong?" The answers are there, but there isn't anyone to let the people who feel an obligation to the company and to the community that they are valuable, important to the company and are vital to the success of not just making switches or whatever, but that they are part of the whole process. When an integral part doesn't feel so integral or one is constantly looking over one's shoulder for the grim reaper of HR it is impossible to do quality work.

Drip...drip...drip.....

Off the Hook and the Feeding Tube

Mitch Albom will once again be writing for the Detroit Free Press. Full details are to follow from the internal investigation after his dalliance with fiction in the world of sports news. Mitch has a loyal following, and I have been one of those following his writing career since he started with the Freep. I was hoping that this was an isolated lapse of judgment on his part and not one of multiple infractions. The reading public, many of whom adore Mitch Albom, vehemently wrote to the paper that they were to lay off of Mitch. Let bygones be bygones they said. Accept his apology and move on the letters said. In a town that seeks some respite from negative publicity, dwindling population and status, and few well-regarded writing figures, except maybe Elmore Leonard, who now spends much of his time in L.A., are starved for some repectability. Mitch provided that with his desire to actually stay in Detroit. He is a multimedia star with television appearances, a radio program on WJR-AM, his bestselling books, Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, both of which were developed into highly-watched television movies., and his twice-weekly column. The Freep couldn't afford to lose their lone star, but on the other hand, they couldn't afford to not fire him if this were not an isolated incident. Perhaps this will be a wake up call for those in print journalism that with the advent of the internet, web logs, and many more people interested in having the truth printed (though many are also only agenda-driven) our respected colleagues in the field of journalism will stick to the guidelines of effective column writing and reporting-"Even if your mother says its so, check it out first!." Welcome back, Mitch. It is no time to be contrite or erudite, give us some pointers on what you have learned and help yourself and us in knowing how to get it right.

It is time for useful and productive dialogue with the Terri Schiavo case. A good friend of mine and fellow columnist, Kristin Podemski, took issue with my point of view for my case against Michael Schiavo. She eloquently and with good insight felt that in this case it was "if you love someone let them go" perspective. In many instances, I would agree with that and have lived through my own family having to consider that option. It was, however, in a situation where the person, my uncle, never regained consciousness from head trauma and brain damage. I still take issue with referring to someone as being in a vegetative state, as this deemphasizes the "human" aspect of a person's life. She also contends that in years past a feeding tube was not an option and thus now can be considered "extraordinary measures" in end-of-life decisions. Using siligistic reasoning it could be concluded that in years past we also didn't have penicillin or other antibiotics and that if someone were dying from infection and didn't make their wishes known then giving antibiotics could be considered "extraordinary measures". I don't understand how it is that if someone is not dying, then you take away their food and water, then that person starves to death or dies of dehydration, is it not murder? Maybe that person cannot express their thoughts, desires or wishes in a way that we can understand, but it doesn't necessisarily mean that that person wanted to die in such a fashion or that they wanted to die at all before their natural order of death. Maybe I am more of a conspiracy theorist, but I do not believe that Michael Schiavo simply wanted to let his wife go because he loved her so deeply, but my opinion is that he wanted to let her go, because she was the only witness to what actually caused her to lose oxygen to her brain and suffer brain damage. There was evidence of damage to her throat upon admission to the hospital initially. There were no changes in her blood chemisty or enzymes that would indicate a heart attack, as has been widely reported in the mainstream media. There are others that contend that she may or not have been bulimic. Kristin pointed out the money that was awarded in the malpractice case has been used for her care, but there are conflicting reports about the level of care that was afforded her. Collaborating witnesses have contended that Michael Schiavo ordered that physical therapy and other care be withheld from Terri after the first year. None of this explains the 13 healing fractures that were evident on the bone scan of which results were allowed to be withheld until 11 years after she first collapsed and 10 years after the scan was obtained. I don't know, Kristin, I am also confused, but my suspicion is that Michael Schiavo had something he wanted to be left unknown and that is the key factor of what put Terri Schiavo in her brain-damaged condition in the first place. The only living person that will ever know is Michael Schiavo and unless he tells us otherwise, we'll never know the whole truth. Hitchcock would have had a hard time coming up with such a story.

25 Hours A Day

Man! Where does the time go? It has been a week since I've been able to get to my own blog site. Let me see. Two columns written on Monday. A science fair project built with my daughter. Two trips to Chicago. A first communion and party. The only thing that seems to be lacking is sleep. Four, maybe five and on occasion even six hours of sleep a night. Too much to do, too little time to do it.
We have a new pope, Benedict XVI as of yesterday. Will he be a transitional Pope that takes us through the next 5 years or so and continue to hold the torch for what John Paul II started, or will he surprise everyone and be more progressive? Let us hope and pray that he doesn't begin to undo the positive that has been developed in the Church over the past 2000 years. It would be easier to give in to the "progrssive liberals" who feel that the Church is behind the times and that we are in need of loosening the reins and the morals of the Church. We need to keep an open dialogue with all faiths and with our Catholic friends, even if they do disagree with the Church's teachings. That doesn't mean that the Church should kowtow to the whims of those who want the Church to be more lenient in its ideals and principles. It is often most difficult to hold firm to the ground when the waves are striking at your foundation. The American Catholic Church needs to be held accountable for the abuses by our clergy and not let it be kept our of sight/out of mind. No one is helped. If we need to bring in more priests from other countries, that might be mor successful in the long run than recruitng any male for the priethood without regard to his tendencies. It will be interesting to see what transpires and if there will be a greater dichotomy in the Church of the "advanced" countries who want the Church to go their way and hold donations and membership as Damocles' sword over the diocesian leaders when the Church doesn't suit them. People tend to forget all of the good that he Church does if it isn't doing what they want for them. Why shold standards be relaxed for receiving communion or being in good graces with the Church? If people choose to sin, that is their own free will. We all do it, but we also have the opportunity for forgiveness if we ask. It is ovious that the relaxation of social morals and mores has really helped our country to be more loving, more giving and more compassionate. We have a long way to go, but we need to have a strong foundation to build on and tearing it down doesn't necessarily equate with progress or a better world.

I Guess I'm Behind the Times

I have a friend who is paralyzed. He told me about how he used to car surf when he was a teenager some thirty years. Another friend told me that her husband used to do the same thing. A friend recently lost his life doing this when he fell off of the car and suffered severe head trauma. I feel like I must be naive. I had honestly never heard of car surfing before this week. It is just something that I never thought of before I heard about the tragic accident and death of a friend. When teens do this, while not comprehensible, one can understand that teens often think that they are invincible. Adults, especially ones with a family, young children, a business, and an established life, make no sense when they decide to try the same thing. I know that I am behind the times in many of the ways of our youth, or even in the ways of the more "adventurous" of our adults, but this is one action that I don't think I will ever understand.

Journalistic Integrity

I read the Detroit Free Press most days. I have Mitch Albom set up on this blog because I have admired and respected his work over the past 20 years for the Free Press. I, like thousands of others, read his column last Sunday about the final four game between MSU and North Carolina. I took it as truth, having no reason to suspect or expect it to be any less than that. He has written heart-touching stories in the past. He wrote Tuesdays with Morrie for crying out loud. It was one of the books that changed peoples's lives, mine included, about appreciating truth and how people should treat one another. He branched out into fiction with the bestseller, The Five People You Meet in Heaven. Apparently, the fiction is now carrying over into his sports section column. I feel a sense of betrayal, a betrayal of trust and of a reader's loyalty. First, it was Bob Greene, another one of my favorite newspaper writers, and now Mitch Albom. There have been others in between as well as before and after, but they were writers that I had not heard of or was not a regular reader. It doesn't make the situations any less important, but I didn't take them as personally. The ethics of writing a column or even a web log are such that if you use a resource, it needs to be acknowledged or referenced and if you are writing fiction it needs to be sufficiently indicated either as satire (such as Royko's columns about Slats Grobnik or my own alter ego, Al Bebach) or noted to be fictitious. If Mr. Albom wants to stick with the fiction genre, then it may be best to continue with novels or plays. If he wishes to continue with fact-based sports reporting or human interest stories, then he needs to tell us the truth and not play games with would've, could've, should've happened stories. I have a feeling that this recent faux paux and almost flip apology will not fully cut it among his readers, especially those of us who have been loyal over the years. It takes more than, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again" to regain that sense of trust. Those are basically the same words my five-year-old uses after hitting his sister, but as we know it tends to happen again, anyways. We'll see if he can regain our trust, or if he'll even get the chance once the internal inquiry is over. I hope he does, but I would understand the consequences if he doesn't. He said of Jayson Blair that in the end it is better to write the truth. He needed to remember his own advice.

The Somnambulant Blogger

Is it really possible to function on four hours of sleep each night? I'm beginning to think that it is. Here I am wide awake at 12:30 a.m. once again in front of the computer and worried because I haven't updated my blog in a few days. Interesting blogs about Pope John Paul II abound in cyberspace. There are a lot of very intelligent people in the universe and a great number of prejudiced or judgmental ones, as well. Many believe, including those of other denominations, that Pope John Paul II was a great man, leader, and visionary. Many Catholics, unfortunately, only look at his stance on abortion, birth control, and homosexuality and say that he was too dogmatic, too conservative, and wonder when priests are going to be allowed to marry or when women can become priests. Why aren't they looking at the 2000+ years of history of the Catholic Church and the many progressive stances that the Pope took against war, economic injustice, relief for third world countries, stances against the death penalty, forgiveness (HE FORGAVE THE MAN WHO SHOT HIM!), his stance against oppression (Was that sound I heard the iron curtain crumbling?), and his courage to stand by his convictions? He realized that the Church was bigger than him, more stalwart than any of us. He embodied the direction that Christ gave His disciples. He was like Peter in that he was rock solid in his devotion to Jesus and helped prepare the way for the future (Second Vatican Council). Pope John Paul II showed us how to live and in the last days, he showed us the courage in how to die. His funeral will be on Friday and this part of the Easter journey will be complete. He will rise again, not to be seen like Jesus, but he will see Jesus in glory. For we are "the Easter people" as he called us and we shall sing "Hallelujah" in his praise for he will always be with us in our hearts. Peace be with Pope John Paul II and also with us.

It's a Small Town, After All

We stood in line for somewhere between one and two hours at the visitation for Colby Smith. Friends, relatives, those from shool and from work, citizens who knew him or knew of him waited patiently talking to one another. What does one say at a time like this. A young, successful man in the prime of his life dies suddenly, tragically and there really are no answers. The family seemed so composed that they were the ones consoling the well-wishers. We were grieving and still are. We are grieving as much for his wife and children as we are for ourselves. We cannot explain and it is seemingly impossible to understand what seems like a senseless loss of life. In one foolhardy moment a life is taken from this world and the ripple is felt throughout the community. I have sat by the bedside of my uncle, who died after crushing his skull in a car accident. He lived for 9 days before he died. We had some time to grieve before the burial. My mother, though, never recovered. She would die almost exactly five years later. Some of us go on, giving in to the sadness, the anger, the doubt at inexplicable times. Some of us bury our feelings, which still find a way out at times in the form of tears, anger, depression, and withdrawal. Those with a stronger faith seem to find a way to cope, sometimes even driven to greater pursuits to honor the dead, and to prove something to themselves. Others give up or stay in a funk that doesn't allow them to move beyond the pain. The pain never leaves, but we can move on with Christ's help and the help of family, friends and loved ones. Sometimes the faith and hope seem eons away, but even as far off as the stars are, they give a glimmer in the sky and shine the brightest when it is the darkest. At least it is something to hang onto when it seems as if tomorrow will never come.

Farewell, Pope John Paul II

Nineteen years ago at the Easter Vigil, I joined the Catholic Church. After going through the RCIA program at Loyola University, I joined the Church in a glorious ceremony at Madonna Della Strata Chapel on the campus of Loyola University in Chicago. The following year, my daughter, Mary, was baptized and joined the Catholic faith in the same chapel. We have only known one pope during our Catholic lifetimes, as have my other four children. We have seen the dedication that he had for life and for peace. We have seen the man stand by his convictions, often in the face of ridicule by those who do not understand the Catholic faith. He endured the scandalous accusations and actual cases of abuse by priests within the Catholic Church. He was instrumental in the fall of the Iron Curtain that oppressed much of Eastern Europe. He was a man who drew crowds in the millions and who connected with our youth like no other person in the world. Now he is gone from our earthly lives. He will be seen as a reconciler, one who reached out to all denominations in search of understanding. He beatified more potential saints than any other pope and served longer than all but two, Pius IX and St. Peter, the original Christian Pope. His papacy is defined by his love of life and his motto, "Be not afraid." He was not afraid of criticism for his deeply held convictions. He was not afraid to stand up for life in the face of a world that is immune to the atrocities of abortion, euthanasia, and genocide. He was not afraid to stand up and speak out for peace in the face of war, murder, social unrest and terrorism. He was not afraid to travel and be among the public even after an assasination attempt. He was not afraid of his physical death or of suffering or pain. He gave us the example of how to live a godly life here on earth. His was a life of compassion, conviction and Christianiaty. One of our most valuable reminders is the Papal blessing that we received for our wedding that hangs in our kitchen. It reminds us that our marriage is truly blessed and that we are to carry out our wedding vows and commitment to one another through our faith in Christ. Pope John Paul II has gone on to his heavenly reward and we are the richer for having been under his divine guidance.

It is Over, but It Has Just Begun

Terri Schindler-Schiavo has died. She was starved to death by judicial fiat. He "loving" husband was by her side, cradling her in his arms as her spirit left her body and she "peacefully completed the death process." What a load of garbage! Michael Schiavo, father of two children with his fiancee and companion for the past nine years while his "wife" lay in a hospice being deprived of rehabilitation at his request, does not make me think of compassion. Personally, he makes me feel sick to my stomach. He's probably counting forward to the day that he can remarry and start his "new life" sans Terri. What have we learned from this? That some courts and judges don't have an inkling what life is about. That a piece of paper that says a couple are married doesn't make a marriage, but can be used as a means of depriving someone of the loving care of parents and siblings who were willing to aid and comfort their daughter/sister. That those who are voiceless are less than human (how many people are actually vegetables?) and are thus disposable. Follow the story of the pediatric euthanasia doctor in the Netherlands for another view of how low we have sunk in the human race.

The Pope lays near death. Terri Schindler-Schiavo is killed. A friend dies a senseless death. The world is spinning right now with the eternal question, WHY? There must be a reason, but as of this moment I will have to keep praying that it either becomes evident or that the reasons become clearer in the future. In the meantime, I'll hug my wife, remind her that I love her and our children and have faith the God will provide for those who are grieving.

Easter

It is now officially Easter Monday. Another late night at the computer scanning the news. Terri Schiavo is foremost on my mind as I think about her starving and dying of thirst. This week's column will elaborate on my personal feelings about the situation. As a physician I understand that there is a time for death, but as a Catholic Christian I also believe that life is precious. I think that given the advances in medicine make what once might have been heroic measures, like a feeding tube, are now routine. There are cases where people can speak, but still require a feeding tube due to other gastrointestinal disorders that do not allow them to swallow or digest food properly. Without a written directive about end-of-life issues, I feel that it is more appropriate to proceed on the side of life. If a person has a DNR (do not resucitate) order, this indicates that no heroic (i.e respirator, etc.) measures be taken. If the person is breathing on their own and the vital organs are fully functioning, but the protionof the brain that affects communication is damaged, a feeding tube and fluids are not heroic. They are life-sustaining just as we would eat or drink to live. The suffering that Terri Schiavo is being forced to endure is a message to all of us to be prepared. There are people who may or may not have our best interests at heart when decisions are made about our lives. We may think that we know someone's desires, but as is often said, it is better to get it in writing.

Maybe I Just Don't Get It

I'm asked my opinion on a variety of subjects. Perhaps it is because I put my views in the newspaper every week or because I am in the public eye quite frequently. Terri Schiavo is the topic of the moment. What do you think about her situation? Shouldn't they just let her die? I'd like to use my aunt as an example. Charlotte was in her mid fifties when she developed Alzheimer's disease. Within less than 2 years she required full time care in a nursing facility. She was only 63 years old when she died of complications from Alzheimer's. At what point should the family and the doctors decided that she should die of thirst and starvation? She was no longer able to feed herself. She needed assistance in all of her daily functions, including getting something to drink, food, wiping herself and eventually being reminded to go to the bathroom. So what is the difference between my Aunt Charlotte and Terri Schiavo? Both were/are essentially non-functioning in the sense of brain activity. Both needed/need full time assistance. Both had/have family members that wanted them to live. One didn't have the support of the legislative branch coming to her aid. One didn't have the media attention. One could still talk, though with no significant intellectual content, at least until shortly before she died. Where do the "mercy killings" end? If Terri Schiavo could talk, we wouldn't be having this discussion. We assume that a person is alive if they can communicate with us in the form that we are accustomed to. Is there a reasonable answer to this dilemma? Her husband, who has collected a couple million dollars for her rehabilitation, of which there has been none noted to date, says let her die. Of course, he'll be no worse off for her death, with the exception that he loses his wife, but at this point that is what he wants. The parents will lose their daughter, which is what they don't want. In essence the only one who has anything to gain by her death is her husband. I could no more have looked my aunt in the eye, even though she would have had no clue who I was, and said let her die from starvation and thirst, than the parents of Terri Schiavo seem to be able to do. I couldn't look at my daughter, who is disabled, and say, "Sorry, honey, time for you to fend for yourself. Your life is not worth living." Michael Schiavo seems to have no problem with that, at least when he appears on television pleading his case to let his wife be murdered through means of neglect. I'm glad that I don't have to make that decision. It would be difficult to live with myself for choosing death over life. For an excellent presentation by a disability-rights lawyer, see the posting by Harriett McBryde Johnson.

Right To Live

The Terri Schiavo case is another example of the justice system gone haywire. We have parents who want to keep their daughter alive, a husband who says he is following his wife's request that she didn't want to end up on life support like her grandmother, a Senate that is bent on making the most of this sad situation for political gain, and a public that is divided on the supporting life or allowing someone to die. The Pope stated one year ago that all life is sacred, whether that person is in a vegetative state or fully functioning. How far does the right to die go? If we start with Terri Schiavo do we then go to all of the people in a vegetative state? What about those that can't fend for themselves like the mentally disabled or the psychiatrically disabled? Do we then not feed those with Alzheimer's disease because they otherwise are not able to feed themselves? Life is precious at any stage from conception through our last breath on Earth. If we deprive Terri Schiavo of food and sustenance, what is to stop the next person who says that my wife, my husband, my son, my daughter, my widowed neighbor, et al, didn't want to be kept alive? Perhaps Terri Schiavo still has some say in this matter? Perhaps her reason for living for the past 15 years is to bring to light the meaning of life? It is said that God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps this is his way of getting us to the point of respecting life? Of course, it appears that many of the circuit judges don't take God into account in any of their decisions.