SWITZERLAND FORUM

[Emeritus]

Hi, ck. Sorry that I've been so buried in other people's paperwork. I didn't really understand how the cuts in funding for state schools had effected them. There are no full-time counselors at all. The faculty tries to find time to prepare kids for their degree plans, but they are overstretched. I wonder about the future of public education in this country. In the mean time, legislatures seem more concerned about helping businesses and restricting women's rights. (Gets down off soap box).
The weather here has been mild, because we get fronts from Canada at this time of year. Unfortunately the jet stream shifts to the north in late summer and it becomes unbearable. It also creates low pressure areas that attract hurricanes. I can always leave when hurricanes come, but my home can't. I'm expecting insurance costs to rise again.

[cklaurence]

I hear you on the education situation, Em. Both my daughters teaching; however, I don't think Emily is too dedicated to it. Abigail, on the other hand, is in it for the career. She's 31 and single with no prospects. I believe this is her 7th year teaching, and she's working towards her Masters. At least she's smart enough to be going for administration. The classroom is a terrible place to be--I know that from the five years I did it, and I could see then that it was only moving down hill. Sadness.

Our insurance is astronomical here. The really funny thing is--they require us to maintain flood insurance regardless of the fact that our house is on the highest point of Miami Beach. No matter how high the floods have gotten here, even when every lawn around us is flooded, the waterline has never gone above our sidewalk. Perish the thought we should save a penny on insurance...

[Emeritus]

It's the same thing here, ck. The only way that you can get homeowner's insurance without flood insurance is to prove (and the burden of proof is on the homeowner) that your home is not in the 100-year flood plan. My home is over 100 years old and we've never had water up to the house, but I still have to buy flood insurance. It's just another way to rip off the consumer.

As for Abby, perhaps she has no prospects because she doesn't want any. I can certainly understand why an intelligent, independent and assertive woman would prefer her freedom. I was always attracted to women like that. Except for Sarah, they all intelligently and independently asserted that they were uninterested in marriage, at least not to me.

[cklaurence]

I would feel much better about Abigail if she were happy with her complete independence, but unfortunately, her immediate group of close friends (who have been together since Mommy & Me days!) have all gotten married and have children of their own... She is odd one out. It's pretty tough on her. Although they are scattered all over the country, they have regular get togethers and when they do, they bring the little ones.She was good until the babies entered the picture. It's not that she wants kids of her own (yet), but it has changed the dynamics,.,.,.in a rough way for her.

As far as you go--any woman that didn't want to marry you, just plain didn't deserve you and were marking the space until Sarah arrived. You and Sarah were clearly meant to be...

[Emeritus]

OK, that's enough off season. Somebody kick off and let's play football. I'm hoping that the Texans will continue to improve a little each year. In the meantime, I'll be satisfied with a third consecutive division championship. The Colts look ready to make a run at it.

[cklaurence]

I think there has been more football talk/news than ever before this offseason. It just seems to go on and on (whether they have anything to say or not). Don't get me wrong--I'm not complaining of course, it is my lifeline to the game, save for the fact that the Fin news has been so dismal, what with Ross' continuous threats to pull the team out of Florida and take it West. It would hurt me terribly to lose my team, but this billionaire asshole has no business holding up the people to pay a portion of upgrading the stadium. Joe Robbie built the stadium with his own money, never asking for a cent from anyone. Not long after his family sold the Dolphins and the stadium, they took his name off the stadium, which I thought was a horribly disrespectful thing to do. To this day, many of us still refer to it as "Joe Robbie Stadium," and will continue to do that as long as it stands. It has gone through so many corporate names that it's a laughing stock. Whichever corporate entity bids the highest gets its name on the stadium that year. How sad is that?

I feel as you do--let's bring the game on already!!!

[Emeritus]

I noticed that the Houston Texans gave $100,000 to Oklahoma tornado relief, so I guess that they are financially secure. They just sprang for new video boards, which persuaded the NFL to let them host Super Bowl 51. I'm really not much into video boards, but they are 30% larger than the ones at Texas Stadium that Jerry Jones is so proud of and I enjoy seeing him topped. I just hope that by Super Bowl 51 - I believe in 2017 - the Texans are still in contention.

[cklaurence]

Seeing Jerry Jones' Cowboys outdone by anyone is always a pleasure, but it is a special joy when your Texans have the pleasure, Em. Congratulations on you new scoreboards!

I remember several years back when we got our new scoreboards and I did a photo shoot inside the stadium for my website, the one thing I wasn't aloud to take any shots of were the scoreboards (this was around 2006) because at the time, our new ones were state of the art. Now we're nowhere but being threatened to lose our team by Ross if the people and the State don't come up with funding to make the NFL happy enough to grant it enough improvements to earn another Superbowl. So much money. So many threats. Too much money for my thoughts...

[Emeritus]

The teams are already practicing, which always makes me feel better. I really hate the off seasons. There is nothing in the news except disasters and politics until football starts again. I'm finished up with the graduate students, so I have a lot of free time. I want to save my vacation for late summer when I can escape the heat, so I'm at loose ends.

[cklaurence]

The humidity has already ramped up here, and from here it only gets worse. Dolphin management keeps patting themselves on their backs about the team they've put together and what a powerhouse they've put together--jerks! Haven't yet learned to just shut up and get the team in shape, then see what happens when it's put out there against the others. Oh well, it's just another waiting game.

I've been working with a group of Arachniacs--all professionals, such as photo journalists, journalists, engineers and so forth--trying to get the word out about Depomedrol/Epidurals and Arachnoiditis. It is a very committed group and I'm honored that they contacted me after seeing me blog in one of the Arachnoiditis support groups. It has slowed me down on my sequel, but I feel like I can actually be a part of at last breaking the cold, cruel silence of the medical profession and big pharma and perhaps save some people from the same fate that I and so many others are living. It's such a carefully kept secret that it's impossible to get an accurate number of cases of Arachnoiditis in the world. It's a web of lies and deceit that the more we learn, the more we feel as though we've opened Pandora's Box.

So for a little while I've put the sequel aside, but I'll get back to it.,,,

[Emeritus]

I have a friend who gets epidurals for back pain. I told her about the dangers, but she didn't believe me. She says that she doesn't believe that professionals would give them if they were harmful. I have learned not to argue with people who are skeptical without at least looking at the facts, so I dropped it. I hate it, but until the medical community speaks out about it, people won't be convinced unless it happens to them.

[cklaurence]

It's pretty scary to think (especially in light of all we've learned in the past few years) there are those out there that refuse to believe doctors would ever do anything that could harm them. More and more is coming out about the epidural fiasco (neither the epidurals or the Depomedral they inject are FDA approved)--not the least of which is that scores of doctors and clinics are becoming very rich from giving them.

We have proof that my disease came from an epidural (as I never had back surgery of any kind, which is pretty much the only other way you can contract Arach. You might suggest to your friend to take a trip over to U-Tube and google up "Dr. Oz Show Epidurals Part I." She apparently missed the original show, but this covers the Epidural portion of the show well (AND she gets to see my 7 seconds of fame, lol). The funny thing about the epidurals is that most people aren't getting relief from them--in fact, some even get worse; yet they keep going back for more. The doctors tell a bunch of different stories. Some say the relief is "cumulative," some say it's necessary to have continuous series for proper relief. What no one says is "You could end up with Arachnoiditis, which is the most painful disease on record. It is incurable and there is no treatment to take you out of the pain or save you from the myriad of symptoms that come with it."

I have a couple of doctors I trust implicitly--other than them, I get 3 and 4 back-up opinions to anything a doctor tells me. The misuse of epidurals is so blatant that there are credentialed physicians that give epidurals to people with Arach, supposedly for pain relief! I know this is true because when I was finally diagnosed, the "famous" spine surgeon I was referred to told me he had something that would fix me right up (remembering now that at the time I knew nothing about the cause). With that, he gave me an epidural and sent the disease into the next stage.

I'm glad that you make the attempt to reason with people about epidurals. I get on my soap box every chance I can. Sometimes I'm lucky (or should I say the person I'm preaching to is lucky) and they listen to me. Other times, people are like your friend. If she continues to get them, she's playing Russian Roulette. I hope she's getting some serious relief from the epidurals...

[Emeritus]

I'm afraid that some people see wishes as facts. They have no difficulty convincing themselves that what they want is the truth. I learned a long time ago not to argue with them, because our hopes are precious to us. I have lost friends that way, because when what they hope for doesn't happen, they look for somebody to blame instead of accepting that it just wasn't realistic.

[cklaurence]

I too have lost friends because of my outspokenness. I don't mean to be pushy, and it's most usually regarding a subject I believe strongly in and just don't know when to stop. I've mellowed tremendously in my old age, but--well, as recently as a few years ago (and I know you've seen that side of me!) I was much more persistent in trying to get my opinions across to others.

Hell--do you think it could be me, myself and I that drove away the huge numbers we had here posting? As you well know, that still drives me crazy--the disappearance of so many, so quickly. The thing is, the reasoning that people give me for not posting here anymore, while justifying their constant posting at facebook just doesn't float.

I'm told that certain people don't get along with certain other people, yet with the new Switzerland, you can open your own page and keep it between you and friends--just like fb. I see the same disagreements at fb that I saw here, the same vitriol and the same good times--but none of it (save for you, me and any hooverers who are out there (and they ARE out there). I don't guess it much matters. Peace is still there, but no fights for him to moderate, lol.

Well, the important thing is that football season is limping up and I am so, so, so ready! The heat here--and we knew we would pay for our mild winter--is already like July, so I'm sopping up the air conditioning in preparation for the blisteringly hot summer games to come...

[Emeritus]

The Texans spent millions to acquire Ed Reed, only to learn that he had two sports hernias. He had them operated on this summer, but the Texans will be lucky if he's ready by the start of the season. It turns out that the Ravens knew about it when they released him, but they didn't tell the Texans about it.

[cklaurence]

That sucks, Em! Lying by omission is lying just the same; yet, couldn't they have put him through some serious medical testing before picking him up? I always think there has to be some reason for them letting top players go and am leery whenever the Fins pick someone up that seems too good to be true...

[Emeritus]

We are getting some players well. Brian Cushing expects to be back next month. Everybody is pleased with our first-round draft pick, a receiver who is expected to take some coverage away from Andre Johnson. If the Colts weren't so remarkably improved, I'd feel pretty confident about the Texans winning their division for a third straight year.

[cklaurence]

Must be great to have such confidence in your team, Em. We're in limbo once again this year, and of course, I'm dying to see what BB has in mind for Tebow!!!

I wanted to wish you a wonderful Father's Day, Em. Although World Weary isn't here to hug you and tell you himself, I'm sure that he's some place much better than this one, and loving you as dearly as he did when he was here. Just wanted you to know I was thinking about you and hoping you are okay today. I know how much I miss my daddy, but I can't begin to imagine how rough it is without your son. Huge hugs, Em...

[Emeritus]

Thanks, ck. Pericles gave a funeral oration for the first dead of the Peloponnesian War and said that while it is painful for children to bury their parents, the mind rebels against parents burying their children as something unnatural. Any loss causes grief and we just have to go through the process. Tom's birthday was June 21 and I always cry on that day. Being a husband and parent was the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me. As bad as the loss hurts, I try to remember that some people never get to experience either one. I had some wonderful years to be grateful for.

[cklaurence]

It is truly every parent's nightmare, Em. No one should ever have to face that in their lifetime.

I don't think our phone has ever rung after ten at night that my heart doesn't stop. That fear is something that has been with me from the day I gave birth to my oldest. I'll never pretend to understand how you feel, but you know of course that my heart is always with you, and I will surely thinking of you on June 21st this year...

[Emeritus]

Thanks, friend. We are given nothing permanently, not even those that we love. Our parents grow old and die. Our children grow up and move to have their own families. All that we can do is be grateful for them while we have them and let them go with love.

[cklaurence]

You are so right, Em.

I was very close to my mom and we loved sharing time together. We shopped, we built businesses, worked campaigns and although we were both very strong personalities and had our share of arguments--I always loved my time with her and a day never went by that we didn't at least speak on the phone. Throughout her last years, whichever of us woke up first, made the first call of the day.

I had hoped to have the same type of relationship with my own kids, but it will never happen. I always seem to put my foot in my mouth about something, and with the exception of my oldest son (who rarely misses a day of checking in on me), the other three can go weeks without even a text. I'm grateful when they need something or I wonder if I would ever hear from them at all. My first thought every morning is "maybe today..."

When I've tried to talk to them about it, I am told how manipulative I am--so I've stopped that and let them have their space. It's one of the hardest things I've had to do in life, but I (thankfully) do have a life outside of my kids so I throw myself into it. Now that I've gotten involved with the activist Arachniacs, I have an extra passion and hope the group finally brings the needed attention to the danger of epidurals and the resulting horrors (such as Arachnoiditis). Then there's that thing I do--writing books...

Have a great day, Em! Big hugs...

[cklaurence]

Some big day yesterday in Patriot land. I was wondering what your reaction to the team's immediate release of Hernandez? I guess "innocent until proven guilty" means nothing. They hadn't even reported the charges.

Hope all is well with you, Em.

[Emeritus]

ck, I don't know enough about the case to comment. I suspect that the action of the Patriots is less an assumption of guilt than an assumption that he will be too preoccupied to do the team any good. Football is a cold-blooded business. When somebody is no longer an asset, they are let go, no matter how much they have contributed to the team or how much the fans love them. A coach has to always look at the fact that he's one bad season away from being fired, no matter what his career record. As much as I love the game, I hate the business.

[cklaurence]

Yes, the business part is a killer, and for sure that's one player who won't be of any assistance to the Patriots this season. Selfishly, I only hope they made enough bad moves off season to give the Fins a chance to eat them alive for a change...

[Emeritus]

It's hard to think about football when the temperature is 100 degrees. I may have to take a vacation somewhere cooler. I hope that you are all well.

[cklaurence]

You're welcome to vacation here at The Manor. Problem is, I don't think it's cooler here than there, although they tell us the temp has been hanging around 85-87 degrees during the day. I'm only a couple of blocks from the ocean, and the exciting South Beach. So that's an option for you while you're deciding on places to go...

[cklaurence]

HAPPY, HEALTHY AND MOST OF ALL SAFE FOURTH OF JULY TO ALL WHO HOOVER HERE!!! WITH LOVE, C.K.

[cklaurence]

It's so quiet here over the holiday week that it's starting to echo...

[Emeritus]

I spent the holiday and more in Houston, visiting friends. The Houston Medical Center, which includes M.D. Anderson, is across Main Avenue from Rice, or at least is was. It has grown enormously, and is sprawling all over the place. It must be a very profitable business.