Flying the Flag and Recuperating...

Happy Flag Day...

I have not been blogging due to a surprise visit, Saturday morning, from my two daughters, two grandsons, and son in law.  They left early this morning to return to California...  We had a wonderful, jam packed, fun weekend....and I just woke up from a three hour nap.

I watched a movie today while folding towels and sheets.  It was called, LIFE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT, with Angelina Jolie, Edward Burns and Tony Shalhoub.  Jolie and Burns are reporters and she interviews a homeless man (Shalhoub) who predicts she will die in seven days.

The tag line is: "What if you only had 7 days to live?"

Toward the end of the movie there is a quote, and although there are similar versions to it, my research found it may have been words from the script....

"Live each day

like it was

your last

because

one day

it will be."

To Be Yourself...

" To be yourself

in a world

 that is

constantly

 trying to make you

 something else

 is

 the greatest accomplishment."

~ Ralph Wado Emerson ~

Sail away from the safe harbor...

Twenty years from now

 you will be more disappointed

by the things that you didn't do than

by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines.

Sail away from the safe harbor.

 Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

~ Mark Twain ~

Wisdom from the aged...

This was written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, in Cleveland, Ohio.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else .

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, 'In five years will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone for everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come....

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Paybacks are a B**%@!....

September, 2007 I had a colonoscopy.  In February, 2008, the  local news channels reported over forty thousand (40,000) patients, including myself, had been exposed to Hepatitis B, C and HIV.

Anyone having procedures at The Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada on Shadow Lane and its sister clinic, Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center on Burnham in Las Vegas, Nevada, between March, 2004 and January, 2008, could be at risk of infection.   Dr. Depak Desai (pictured below) owning several endoscopy centers, instructed his anesthesia nurses to reuse the syringes and vials of anesthesia used to administer the anesthesia, Propofol. CAN YOU IMAGINE???

This man was a Physician who took the Hippocratic Oath!!

It was reported in the paper this guy was so greedy, he threatened his staff if they did not comply with his tightwad techniques to save every penny.  A normal colonoscopy takes 20-30 minutes.  HE WOULD DO THEM IN TEN MINUTES!!! And then brag about it!!!

For one year of my life, I lived with the unknown, while being tested for those diseases.  I could not even share food with my grand sons or allow them to drink from my cup.  I was absolutely paranoid around my loved ones and friends. I felt terrified. My children and husband were scared to death. My elderly parents were horrified. It goes without saying the mental/emotional anguish my family and I went through during that time.  Thank God I was given the "all clear"at the end of all my testing. I feel so very lucky and Blessed to have escaped infection, when so many did not...

Google this guy and you will not believe your eyes when you read about him.  Even a layman, who never worked within a hospital setting, WOULD NEVER EVEN THINK of re-using syringes and vials of anesthesia.  Supposedly, the needles were changed, but one syringe, contaminated by a needle from an infected patient, re-used to withdraw anesthesia from a re-used vial, is a double whammy for infection to a healthy patient.  IT IS ABSOLUTELY UNTHINKABLE and CRIMINAL!

Today, FINALLY, two years later, with delays, pleas for his "poor health" and strokes brought on by "stress", Depak Desai, his two employees (nurse anesthetists) Ronald Lakerman and Keith Mathahs, were indicted by the Grand Jury on 28 counts of racketeering, performance of an act in reckless disregard of persons or property, criminal neglect of patients, insurance fraud, theft, and obtaining money under false pretenses.  Many of the charges are felonies.  This guy is going away for the rest of his life! (I HOPE!!)

He surrendered today, turning himself in.  He is under house arrest until he posts a one million bail. I hope he can't make bail.  I hope he has to stay at the Detention Center instead of his four million dollar mansion in the Red Rock Country Club Estates. Tell me this guy's Karma did not come back to eat him alive! Paybacks are a B**%@!

I was so ecstatic when I heard it on the news, I stood and cheered!

I was never into roller coasters...

We signed the papers for our Reverse Mortgage, May 21st, so no more house payments.  Our plan is to stay 2-5 more years and wait until the real estate market improves.  Our plan B would be to sell and look for something cheap (?) in CALI to rent and Plan C is to stay here if the market does not improve...

We are gearing up for my husband's retirement...meeting with Financial Advisers and Tax people...trying to line up all our financial ducks in a row...

My husband is in the process of trading his fancy, sporty, Acura RL for a cheaper, more economical Toyota or Honda...

This morning, as I came back from filing for my Social Security, there was a message on our machine from that Realtor who brought over one of two sisters who was interested in buying our house after it was taken off the market... (I think I wrote about this event on my other blog, Mystical Journeys)

When I showed the sister and her husband the house, they were kind of obnoxious.  They arrived a half hour early, before their Realtor (who was lost) and made themselves at home, as if they were relatives.  They stayed so long, grilling me about the neighborhood, I thought they expected an invitation to dinner!  The man kept after Izzy, trying to get her to come close so he could pet her.  He kept going to her, ignoring my repeated warnings that she had been abused by a man and was leery of them.... Finally, I just let Izzy bark at the jerk...

The woman talked the entire time about her home, which is also the same model as ours, going on and on how FABULOUS it is.  She did not make one compliment toward our home, only about how nice our back patio was...

Anyway, they are back!  The Realtor said the other sister is coming out in July and wants to negotiate with us. (Oh, really?)  I told the Realtor we had not heard from them, so we thought they were not interested.  The Realtor assured me "they were interested...just playing it cool".... (How's that workin' for 'ya??)

I am not too impressed with the Realtor.  She wants us to allow her to list our house, cutting out the agent who helped us before we took it off the market.  (Sorry lady, we don't operate like that...)

I let her know we had just signed the papers for the Reverse Mortgage.  She misunderstood, and told me, "to hold off". ( Too late... )  When I informed her we just did it, she began admonishing me for "not calling her."  (Maybe she was, suppose to call us, but didn't??) We would have to start our California home search all over again...because the deadline to make changes on the Hemet house is a few days away...and we thought we put that option to rest... The taxes, insurance and HOA are twice as high as what we pay now anyway...

Who knows...our lives seem to pick up speed as we age, instead of slow down!  Just when you think we can stretch out on the beach of relaxation, a rogue wave floods the camp and we must start all over again....

I was never into roller coasters, but I may have to learn to like 'em...something tells me we better hang on tight from here on out...

On Love...

One of my favorites....

by Kahlil Gibran

When love beckons to you, follow him,

Though his ways are hard and steep.

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams

as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.

Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

Even as he ascends to your height 
and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

So shall he descend to your roots
and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,

 that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you

 that you may know the secrets of your heart,

and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness
and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh,

but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart,"
but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love,
for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires,
let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart
and a song of praise upon your lips.