"Ear ye Ear ye..."

My oldest son just had another surgery on his ear. This time it was supposed to be a simple prosthesis surgery, lasting about 30-45 minutes. Two and a half hours later, the Dr. comes out to tell us he had a regrowth of his Cholestiatoma (SP?), and he had to remove it along with the accompanying infection. But the surgery went well, he had his stitches removed today, and everything is going according to plan. He still has some gel packing around the ear drum and prosthesis, but he can already hear out of that ear. We thank all who gave support for him during this surgery.

Take care. Stick.

Lost and Found?

I was sitting at my desk this afternoon, when I suddenly realized that my PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) was not in its accustomed place on my desk. Horrors! I have lost my PDA! It has so much on it that I need— important dates, phone numbers, etc., not to mention all of the games and books. I thought of where I may have lost it. I retraced my steps, only to have no luck. Could someone have stolen it? Great, now I’ll never see it. I went to the main office in my building to see if it had been turned in. Again no luck. I posted an all call e-mail letting everyone in the building know that it was lost, what it looked like, and how to know if it was mine. After almost an hour of agony, I began to once again go through my day trying to think of where it could have been misplaced.

On the way to work, I had run into a traffic jam caused by bad weather, poor road conditions, and a minor accident in the tunnel on the freeway I use to get to work each day. I was delayed for almost an hour. Like normal, if I have time to kill, I took out my PDA to while away the time. In my truck, on the seat, (belted in for safety I’m sure) was my PDA. Maybe it was early Alzheimer’s, or just senility setting in early, but I was glad to find it, glad that someone had not been so low as to steal it, and only slightly embarrassed to again e-mail my associates to tell them the story.

Keep your head on straight. Have a Great day. Stick

“The blind shall see, and the deaf shall hear…”

Many of my family know that my oldest son suffered an infection in his ear that resulted in him spending 6 weeks in critical care. As a result of that, he had damage to the bones in his left ear, one of which had to be removed, and his hearing suffered. Recently, we had his hearing tested to determine what course of action would be best to help. When he first came out of the hospital, the Dr’s told us that they could replace the bone with a plastic prosthesis, but that the surgery would not necessarily make his hearing any better than it was already. Now however, they have a new titanium prosthesis which our Dr. tells us should return his hearing to almost normal. He will go in Dec. 21st for an out patient surgery. They will go through the ear canal for the entire procedure, and he will be able to go home with us that afternoon. It is amazing to me the things that science has brought to our society. Two years ago, this wasn’t possible, and now –here we are. It really makes me thankful for being alive in this day and age. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

Take care. Stick.

My cup is full—don’t spill it!

Thanksgiving day we had a table full of 16 for dinner. Actually our table overflowed onto a table set up in the living room for the kids. No, not a card table, but the same idea :o). I was very grateful for the family and friends who joined us, especially when I heard about the 31 that Inside Stories had at her house. My wife just recently made contact with a cousin of hers that lives in our area, and she and her husband also joined us. With her addition, we evidently added that touch of after-dinner entertainment that most family get together’s need. She would make a comment, and everyone would break up laughing. She compares favorably with Yogi Berra for abusing and misusing the English language by either mixing up the word, or using the wrong word in her conversation. I think by far the favorite was when she was discussing the “Hy-anal” hernia that an acquaintance had suffered with. All in all though, it was a great time.

Don’t eat too many leftovers—just enough. Take care. Stick

Non-Confessions

Delirious and others have been making confessions on their Blogs of late. I just want you all to know......I ADMIT TO NOTHING! :o) Even though I can't stand the cartoon, to quote Bart Simpson, "Nobody saw a thing, you can't prove anything, I'm innocent." I'm sure that Delirious' youthful memory is warped by her sensitive nature, and vivid imagination. After all she didn't even get the details right. It was her big Teddy bear that was hanging outside her window....or at least so I heard.

Nene has also been reminiscing, particularly about food from our childhood. I remember
Mom's potato soup as being good too, but I think that my least favorite dish was the turkey enchilada that mom makes. Not because it tasted bad, but because she always made it from leftover turkey, and I always got bones in my serving. I don't know why this bothered me so much, but it is the same reason that I don't like trout.

The Ever Seeking Poet

More of my efforts. One for fun,

Tricked Off
By Stick

The full moon is shining, clouds skimming ‘cross its face,
Werewolves are howling, seeking access to this place.
With wolves’ bane and garlic, we bar against the night,
For those creatures that are creeping, to give us all a fright.

The Doctor is in, Ms. Shelley would approve,
Igor says the monster is beginning now to move.
The villagers are prowling, torches burning bright,
They’re striving through the gloom, to see the horrid sight.

While out in the fog, the Count begins to seek,
Looking for a donor who is docile and meek.
Van Helsing is also looking through the dreadful gloom,
He’s cooked up a stake, which will bring Vlad to his doom.

Far off in the sands, although running low on purse,
Carter and his friends, unleash the boy King’s curse.
Now that he is roused, the Mummy stalks them all,
Stopping only once, winning at the costume ball.

Yes, everyone’s excited on this All Hallow’s Eve
Jack’s face is lit with joy, as the ghosts begin to leave.
We turn of the TV, those old movies can’t be beat,
While out in the night the kid’s scream "Trick or Treat!"

And one a little more serious

Circles
By Stick

We live our lives in Circles, we all run around
And try to complete them, while seldom is found
The answer we’re seeking, lost in the crowd,
So we just go on looking, if we’re not too proud.

One circle we find contains all of our friends.
We patch and we work to keep and to mend.
All those around us, we trust to support,
With them we are free to laugh and cavort.

Another circle that we all do obtain,
Is the circle of work by which we sustain
The life we have chosen, our day by day,
It brings us things from our earnings and pay.

Some circles are small, not amounting to much,
While some grow so large, we get out of touch
With those we include to help us along,
Who love us, or hates us, or just play along.

The smallest circle there is, is just one man alone
Who keeps to himself, which is hard to condone.
The largest circle by far is the one we’re all in,
The circle of man on this earth, with all of its din.

We draw all these circles, the large and the small,
Each perfect and round, no difference at all,
Except in the things that we keep inside,
The things we let out, and the things that we hide.

We turn and we turn in the circles we make,
And we will never our circles forsake.
We live life in Circles, and in them we find,
Truth and Love, and all of mankind.

Dumb Animals--I Don't Think SO!

Saturday, my wife and I drove down through an area that was full of hunters looking for that elusive deer. It seemed like every little side road had a truck sitting on it, and the specks of orange out on the hillside came from more than the leaves turning with the fall weather. In the area we were driving there is also a mining operation which has posted areas where you cannot hunt. As we approached the top of this area, we noticed vehicles on the road ahead of us quickly slowing down, and then pulling away again. When we got there we saw why. Lying, standing, feeding and walking around were about 20 deer, including 4 rather large bucks. Now these deer were right out in the open--no trees or brush hiding them. They knew they were safe where they were at. It was almost as if they were laughing and making fun of the hunters, and the frustration they were feeling at having these animals so close, but beyond their reach.

Take Care. Good Hunting. Stick.