Love, Sweet Love

Back in the late 60's or early 70's there was a song with lyrics that said, "What the world needs now is love, sweet love.  It's the only thing that there's just too little of..................."  Yesterday I was speaking with my daughter who lives in Manhattan.  Because of the recent tragedy at the Empire State Building we talked of  many things:

• the insanity in today's world, 
• the senseless crimes, 
• the red flags that are ignored which could prevent tragedies,
• the rage and anger exhibited by many people, 
• the killing and wounding of innocent people, 
• the bickering, dishonesty, and lack of action of our elected representatives, 
• the insane greed and lust for power, money, and 15 minutes of fame,
• the overwhelming national debt,
• the millions of people looking for jobs,
• the loss of moral compasses by many people,
• the ever-increasing numbers of homeless people and addicts of every kind,
• the looting and stealing of other people's property by thugs,
• the destruction of property over stupid things like a sporting event won or lost,
• the great lack of respect for authority, anything or anyone, 
• the huge number of single mothers and abdication of responsibility by fathers,
• the boys who think that they are tough because they belong to gangs and are no strangers to drive-by shootings and other criminal acts,
• the ridiculous mismanagement of funds in cities, towns, and states causing the loss of needed protection provided by police, fire fighters, and our military.  
• and so many, many more issues that taint life in the world today.

You will notice we did not mention natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, fires,  hurricanes or tornadoes as they are things over which humans have no control. The problems we discussed are all man made and, therefore, in truth can be resolved by mankind if we are inclined to fix them.  We talked about things that could, should, or might be done to resolve the problems and make the world a better, safer place.

We believe the thing that could start to make things better is LOVE.  All children and adults need love, compassion and kindness, and when they don't get it anger, rage, and bad behavior are the results.  There have always been evil people and evil acts, and there are people who have been loved but still choose to go down a wrong path in life. Many people want to fight, quarrel, kill, threaten, attack, and generally behave like jerks.  Love, kindness and compassion can help many of them and, over time, prevent the numbers from increasing.

Such a simple answer but a true answer.  Will we all ask ourselves what do we do that we need to stop doing, and what do we not do that we need to start doing?  Will we begin in our own homes, on our own streets, in our own cities and towns?  Bad people and bad deeds make the daily news, but there are still millions of good people in this world who are never mentioned................there are enough good people so that we could turn the world around if we join forces and decide to do it.

"What the world needs now is love, sweet love......................"  How about it?  Are you in?

Summer 2012

Summer 2012 has been filled with ups and downs, and I am so grateful for the "ups" in my life.  After my lung cancer surgery I am cancer free...........no chemo...........no radiation...........just five years of follow-up with my oncologist.  Knowing that the surgeon was able to remove all of the cancer is definitely a huge "up" in my life.  

Another really significant "up" is my only grandchild's recovery from a very scary experience.  He and his parents came from Tokyo to visit me.   I am always thrilled to see them since we are separated by so many miles.  My son and grandson were to take a side trip to Texas, and shortly after the plane departed my grandson experienced tremendous pain in his back and shoulder.  On board were a doctor, a paramedic, and a nurse, but no one had any idea what was wrong with him (no one had a stethoscope) so he was given oxygen for the remainder of the flight and advised to go to the nearest urgent care facility upon arrival at DFW Airport.  Urgent Care doctors could not determine what was wrong with him but, thankfully, decided to take a chest x-ray which revealed one of his lungs was partially collapsed.  An ambulance ride to the nearest hospital emergency room followed, a chest tube was inserted and he was admitted to the hospital.

After a week of being unable to get his lung to remain inflated on its own, he underwent almost the same surgery I had just had weeks earlier.  He was in the hospital for 13 days and then remained in Texas for two additional weeks waiting to be released to fly (not only back to the desert where I live but back to Tokyo).  We were all very relieved when they made it safely back to Tokyo last weekend with no problems of any kind.

My grandson is close to six feet tall at age 16, and he is extremely thin.  The doctors who treated him said that he had spontaneous pneumothorax which is not uncommon in teenage boys and young men who are very tall and thin. Spontaneous pneumothorax is a collection of air or gas in the space between the lungs and the chest that "collapses" the lung and prevents it from inflating completely.  They cannot predict when it happens or what if anything precipitates the collapse of the lung, but I can assure you it is a very scary experience for the patient and family.  

My grandson is doing well and this week started his junior year in high school. I too am feeling well and looking forward to Fall and Winter 2012.  Despite a long absence from my blog and on-line shops I very much appreciate all of you who continued to read posts and visit both shops www.malcolmfortots.etsy.com and www.malcolmfortots.com

My family and I have been truly blessed and are thankful for the outcome of this memorable summer.

Will Absence Make The Heart Grow Fonder?

For the next few weeks I will not be writing any blog posts due to my surgery and recovery.  I hope when I am once again back to my old self that I will be able to pick up where I left off and that you will once again be kind enough to read my blog, give me your comments, and share ideas or suggestions for topics that interest you.  Until then, I wish all of you well.

Do I Take Things Too Literally?

When people tell me they are going to do something, I expect them to do it.  I expect them to do it when they say they will do it, and I expect if they are unable to do it that they will contact me and tell me they are NOT going to do it.  They should either explain why they cannot do it, or they should give a new date by when they will do it.  I don't care if it is returning a phone call, following up on a service request, scheduling an appointment, providing information, or anything else; it matters not if they think their commitment is mundane.  It is NOT mundane to me.  Phone calls should be returned within the same day whenever possible or at least within 24 hours.  Follow-up is crucial so they should not drop the ball and never get back to their customers or clients.  Connecting the dots and using common sense should be requirements for all persons who holds jobs.  If they are unable to use their common sense or to connect the dots to see a conclusion based on their actions or lack thereof, then the people employing them should provide training to them and require that they not be too lazy to practice what they are taught.  We are
becoming a nation drowning in incompetence, ineptness, apathy, and even downright ignorance.  How did this happen to America?  Even in professions as crucial as healthcare, a doctor recently told me that he is increasingly frustrated because it seems no one has passion for their work anymore.  He said they just want to put in their shift hours, get their money and go home, and they really do not care about the patients.  Needless to say, as I face my upcoming surgery I hope I do not end up on the hospital floor where those types are.  A sad commentary on the times in which we are living!

If I Were A Little Kid, Would I Cry?

Most of the time I am a very strong, positive person with so much optimism that my daughter has always referred to me as Polly (Pollyanna).  Recently I was diagnosed with lung cancer, and it is not easy to wrap one's brain around that kind of news especially when one does not look or feel sick.  For the past two weeks all I have done is be examined, scanned, biopsied, pinched, patted and poked, and have three days at the beginning of next week with more of the same.  I have been trying to be very upbeat and not write the ending until I know the middle.  So if I can deal with something significant like lung cancer, why am I on the verge of tears because the circuitry board in my central air conditioner burned up a couple of hours ago.  I got my reliable repairman to come out even though it is Saturday, but he cannot order the part until Monday and has no idea how long it will take to get the new board.  You may recall that I live in the desert so the temperature is already well into the 100's and rising.  Trying to juggle all the appointments, prepare for the surgery which has been scheduled, organize things so as not to burden my children with too many details to handle.............all of that I have been doing and can do...............but the darn air conditioner breaking was not in my plans or on my calendar.  Now I must either impose on a neighbor or friend to use their guest room or go to a nearby hotel..............forgive me for whining as I know there are people with so many more problems and worse ones than I have...........but today at this moment I have just reached my coping limit.............tomorrow is another day, and I will do better.

The Doctor Is In And Eisenhower Medical Center Is The Place To Be

Even more often than usual, my calendar is filled with medical appointments.  Scan for this.  MRI for that. Biopsy of something else. Injection for small tear in rotator cuff. I have some doctors whom I have been seeing since moving to the desert six years ago.  Now I have added two new ones just this week.
Since moving here I have encountered only three doctors I chose not to remain with, and I replaced them with different ones who actually seem to be interested in my health.  I am thrilled to say that the two additional physicians are in that same category so I am feeling very blessed as I face some new health challenges.  When you must put your life in the hands of strangers it is imperative that you at least like these people, that they listen to you and address your questions and concerns, and they do not crank patients in and out of their offices as if  they were factories.  My two new doctors and my existing physicians all serve me well, and together they encourage, comfort, heal, and treat me with unfailing kindness.  I am very thankful for each one of them and for Eisenhower Medical Center which provides great care and high standards to all who enter their doors.  Lucky me to have the good fortune to live in an area with such good health care.

Has Common Sense Vanished From The USA?

There is so much information masquerading as "news" or "truth" it is hard to know what to believe or whom to believe.  I am very distressed when I read things that indicate decisions are being made for the citizenry by people in official capacities who have absolutely NO qualifications for the jobs they hold.
We are lacking people who have common sense, who can connect the dots of any scenario to form logical conclusions or come to intelligent decisions.  Surely I am not the only person who feels that our lives have been tossed on something akin to a carnival ride (the Tilt-A-Whirl comes to mind) from which we cannot escape until we the people take back our country and demand more from our paid elected representatives and leaders.