There is a history of strokes and heart attacks in my family so I am always looking for information and St. Jude Medical sponsors a site called Heart Library. They have a lot of interactive video’s where patients tell their stories and you can even submit your own plus videos where the doctors explain all about the heart and all kinds of diseases of the heart.
I think you’ll find these video’s are easy to understand and they use language that isn’t over your head. ICD, is a implantable cardioverter defibrillator and I watched and learned all about how it works and why it’s used in cardiac arrest patients. These are very well made video’s and you will learn a lot of information I highly recommend them.
If you know someone that needs more information be sure to tell them about the site above I’m sure they’ll thank-you for it.
The below photo is the one I was looking for of Bill, his buddy Porter, and Herman the spider monkey. I don’t know if you remember the sad little story I told you about Herman’s tragic death awhile back, but I said when I found the photo I would post it and if you want to read the post about Herman the horny spider monkey please do.
All the guys that were on the base in his squadron in Vietnam between 68-69 got a kick out of Herman and especially Bill. He was like their mascot for a short while and Bill swears he was a nice little monkey, but I still don’t believe him. We look at all his old memories from those years and it’s good he finally has someone that will listen to all he went through and that someone is me.
The Vietnam war was a senseless stupid war and so many of our Vets have never recovered from it. I just thank God that Bill had a different coping mechanism from so many of the other Vets I have known over the years and was able to keep his sanity and stay a decent loving caring human being. I have never in my life met another man like my Bill. I have waited 6 years to see a different side and it has never come.
Wow, my list of no-no words are getting much longer. I guess I can add the R-word now right along with my F-word, S-word, C-word that women hate so much, B-word that I’m quite use to using, D-word which there are several, P-word several here also, and N-word not to mention the dreaded H-word that Imus likes so much. Pretty soon all of the derogatory words will be wiped out.
Civilised caring people aren’t suppose to use these words, but you’d be surprised how quickly you can become uncivilized especially if you are threatened or you have one too many cocktails. It depends actually on how you were raised and what your morals are, but no one is perfect and I have heard some of the most vile language from otherwise decent speaking people in my years of bartending.
I have often called myself a retard without thinking of my use of the word or when Bill says something silly and makes me laugh I call him a retard. I guess I can tell him he’s mental or mentally challenged. I would never intentionally say anything about or to anyone to hurt their feelings nor would I make ugly comments about them.
We make up words and give them meanings so we can communicate better, but are some of these words necessary? No, but many of us use them in anger and when we want to make a “insert Fing-word” point. Why do we think it sounds so much better when we use a swear word? You may find a swear word here and there on my blog, but I doubt it. I do tend to use fricken or frigging a lot though.
Sometimes especially if used in excess it bothers my sensibilities, but I ignore the words usually because I do believe in free expression and freedom of speech so long as it’s not hurting anyone. I usually hold onto the “Do unto others as you would have done to you.” When I was young I was sent to a private church school and you could have used sugar as your swear word and still got into trouble.
Like whenever I would say “OH SUGAR” I would get sent to the principles office because of my tone of voice. “Insert” D-word I was always in that “Insert” Fing-word office. Sorry for that my weird sense of humor gets the better of me at times. We usually learn swear words very young and if you don’t use those words in your house you need to police friends and television. Okay that’s enough from me on this subject tonight I’m off to bed.
Our oldest neighbor is Mr.Wetzel and he is 82 and very active and agile. It’s nice when we are able to see our older seniors still able to enjoy life and aren’t forgotten. Mr. Wetzel took care of his ailing wife for over 10 years with no help because his wife didn’t want anyone else around her, she died last year and it was hard for him because they were together for so long.
He is okay now and helps everyone in the community with their flowers. This man is very knowledgeable about growing anything and people from all over come to visit and get his advice. I snapped a picture of his little house on the corner and you can see some of his flowers and he always keeps his lawn picture perfect.
Bill went over and got a shot of Mr. Wetzel for me, I apoligize that I had his age wrong above instead of the 77 I had he is 82, so I have now changed it..
He grows all kinds of flowers in the front of his house and the back of his shed. He also has a pump that he hooks up to a huge barrel when it starts to rain so he can use that for watering everything. He now goes to many events and family functions and stays busy with his love of gardening and growing flowers.
If we don’t see him for a day then Bill always goes to check on him. Everyone always keeps an eye out for him. Mr. Wetzel has very good neighbors that care and that’s important. I wrote an article about our older seniors and the rise of depression so seniors such as Mr. Wetzel are a huge source of inspiration for me and I just wanted to share him with you.
I received this little guy and poem from Karen and Gerard Zemeks and I accept this award because I know it is heartfelt and sincere and Karen has always lent a caring and loving word of encouragement during some of my darkest days and for this I am very grateful.
We need friends for many reasons,
all throughout the season.
We need friends to comfort us
when we are sad,
and to have fun with us when we are glad.
We need friends to give us good advice,
We need someone we can count on,
and treat us nice.
We need friends to remember us
once we have passed
sharing memories that will always last.
As far as I could see there really weren’t rules for passing it on, but I will do so at a later date because it’s cool.
