Friday, September 8, 2017

I have never worked.

In response to a less than friendly email I received 01 Sept 2017.

To whom it may concern:

For ten years, I did not work as a hotel maid, summer and winter, until my hands bled from the chemicals and the cold, and my body was permanently damaged from the physical labor.

I never worked in a sewing factory in the sweltering heat sewing piecework, hundreds of pieces a day until I thought I’d go blind from the fibers that floated in the air and clogged my nostrils and lungs.

I never worked the closing shift in a convenience store, stocking shelves, sweeping and mopping until my arms ached and I never overcame the fear of being robbed and killed.

I never worked in a hospital, registering emergency room patients – or what was left of them. Nor did I stand on my feet for entire shifts or fall asleep from exhaustion against a wall.

I never worked in a hot, muddy greenhouse carrying pots of rotten succulents or pushing wheelbarrows full or plants that succumbed to the winter temps. I never hoisted giant bags of perlite, vermiculite, sand, and bales of peat over my shoulders to the cement mixer we used to make potting soil or a cough from the rising dust of the tumbling mixture.  I did not stand for hours sewing seeds in a hotbed or transplanting seedlings nor was I exposed to toxic chemicals that were used liberally.  I never went hours without a bathroom break or a sip of potable water because there was neither and I never had to haul ten gallons of water at a time from the pond down the hill when the pump went down.

I never loaded bales of hay or 50# bags of feed or rose at daybreak to milk a quartet of goats, then hurry in to strain the milk and chill it down quickly in one-gallon glass jars, filling every shelf of the fridge. I never trimmed hooves, sheared hair or felt the heartbreak when a bottle-fed kid didn’t make it.

I never worked for $6 a day, sorting through nasty cast-off clothing for salvageable items to resell and I surely must not have been bitten by head lice and fleas.  But, by golly, I managed to buy my children’s Christmas gifts from what people like you threw away.

I never raised two children or made a house our home. Or raised a garden, mowed an acreage, cleared brush,  planted trees, built a septic tank, back-filled lateral lines or mixed cement by hand. I never re-plumbed an entire house, replaced floors, insulation or sub-floors, nor have I crawled underneath the house to repair water leaks when the heat tape failed to protect the pipes after losing electricity for ten days or an especially cold period of winter.

I worked on a marriage, my children’s happiness and my own self-worth.  I made a vow to stay with the marriage even through the bad times.  I vowed to raise my children to be respectful and honest. I made sure they knew not just their immediate family and friends but their grandparents and the large extended families.  They spent most weekends on a working farm, learning farm skills and they have retained that to this day. Those weekends were as valuable to my children as they were to the grandparents who found special favor with them and treated them with great love and respect. My children became their favorites.

They also spent time with the other set of grandparents who taught them a different culture, la raza y la importancia de la familia.  They met their tíos y tías grandes  and knew the love of their bisabuela.  They place great value on family, present, and past.  The present immediate family is small.  They have a few first cousins on their fathers’ side, but none on mine and that’s okay. They have lots of second, third, fourth and more and they are great fun to meet and know. We all believe that quality is better than quantity.

Quality of life is also greater than the quantity of coin.

Except for the losses of people close to me, I’ve lived a good life and I know that it will only last another year or two at most.  There are things I would like to do but I’m limited without stem cell therapy or a lung transplant and not even the less expensive ($10K) of those are attainable. So, I will be happy with what I have, as long as I have.  Currently, I only want to see my grandchildren again and then go to visit a dear friend in the Delta, drink margaritas and listen to blues.

Do no harm. Hug your dog or cat.  Say “I love you” to those you love.  Have ice cream when you can.

And don’t be afraid to prune those broken branches. The tree will survive.

This tree will survive.
 brokenmaple   ~K

Friday, May 23, 2014

Max and me.


Max was rescued from death row at a filthy municipal dog pound. I saw his face and vowed that he would not stay another night there. I fostered, then adopted Max in early 2012. And the rest, as they say, is history.
My friend, Max is not movie star or famous for any of his talents. He's not trained very well, except to hop into the truck when we "go", put "paws up" when we get on and off leash and gives 'hugs' by closing his eyes and laying his head against my shoulder, arm or face. He doesn't have a YouTube following and has only starred in a few of my shaky videos and blurry snapshots and no one pays for either. He doesn't have fancy breeding or a pedigree and neither do I, so I guess we fit together pretty well. Max's favorite thing is to be with me. He lies by my feet when I am working at my desk, he sleeps beside me at night, rides along to my doctor appointments, errands and shopping with me and loves to go to Sonic for a junior burger, plain and dry. I call him my unofficial service/therapy dog because he has saved my life a few times, but mostly, he is a best friend and a joy in my life.
Max has lymphosarcoma. Without treatment, his prognosis was 3 to 6 months. With treatment, he is expected to go into a remission that will last an average of 12 months. Each time the lymphoma shows up, he will be treated, but the remissions will be shorter in length with each treatment, and each moment will be precious.
Any donation amount is greatly appreciated.

Humble and gratefully yours,
Karen – Max's mom.
- See more at: https://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/meet-max-and-me-/181837

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Princess Blackie

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Princess Blackie came to live with three young brothers when she was just a baby. They have given her lots of love and in return she has been a loving, calm, best friend to them. Princess Blackie was out on adventure and stumbled across a steel trap. The trap nearly severed her leg. Although in pain, Princess Blackie has been a real trooper throughout the veterinary examination to determine if her leg may be saved. Unfortunately, it cannot and requires amputation to save Princess Blackie's life. Almost as unfortunate is the fact that the three young brothers and their mom cannot afford to pay for the amputation which is estimated to cost between $540 and $880. The family decided to have Princess Blackie put down. Well, we cannot let best friends be separated like that and since Princess Blackie is a healthy kitty in all other respects, we want to help save her life and prevent these little boys from the sadness of losing a pet. I know, even as an adult, how I would feel if euthanasia was my only affordable option if put in the same situation. We need to keep this little family together and I am asking for donations, either on Princess Blackie's ChipIn page or directly by telephone via credit/debit card to Arbuckle Veterinary Clinic, Sulphur, OK, 580-622-3133. We know you remember your own first pet and hope that you will find it in your heart to help these three little boys hang on to their best friend and beloved Princess Blackie. Any amount is very much appreciated. Thank you.