Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Hands Across the Seas, Part III
Despite advancing march of the disease, Sarah continues to remain active in pursuing her projects and making arrangements to move to a hospice from her beloved cottage and the garden in which she takes so much pleasure. In terms of physical distance the hospice is not far. If feasible, Sarah would rather spend her remaining days in the cottage, among familiar scenes, objects, and with her two dogs.
Sarah took this photograph a few days ago.
© Sarah Meyer
In a message, Sarah wrote on November 9th:
Sarah took this photograph a few days ago.
"The falling leaves
fall and pile up: the rain
beats on the rain."
--Gyodai, translated by Harold Henderson
- Stefan has been and cleared ALL the leaves, AND composed the front garden. The earth becomes barer and barer, like me? Lucky to have him. At first, no dialogue. Now he tells lots of stories. Like that. So now, I, too, am spending a lot of time looking out the window, loving either the rain or the blue skies. The owl hoots every night. Love that, too.
Even among her friends, not everyone agrees with her decision. There are those who, for religious or other reasons, make use of all available resources that medical science offers to live longer even when hooked up to tubes. It is not about of being right or wrong. It is a very personal issue -- what being 'alive' means to some people.
But, after all is said, we cannot really feel the depth of emotional pain and suffering of her children.
Hemlock Society, America's oldest right-to-die organization, founded in 1980 in Santa Monica, CA, by Derek Humphrey, has splintered into different groups. Prominent among them is Compassion and Choices. Politics played a role in the demise of the Hemlock Society. A pity. The name was right, and so was its motto: "Good Life, Good Death".
Sarah's account of her illness contains a wealth of data about cancer and mentions an article in The Guardian about "......the ethical fudge which permits the refusal of treatment and terminal sedation, but not assisted dying". And an item from Dignity in Dying.org uk.
- 8 October 2009: New research shows a third of deaths are hastened by doctors
- Clive Seale's research into end of life practice, published this week in Social Science and Medicine, has found that over a third of doctors say they have given drugs to terminally ill patients, or withdrawn treatment, knowing that it would or intending to shorten their life."
This argument is not likely to come to a conclusion anytime soon. But that there are compassionate physicians who quietly play a role in assisting terminally ill patients is no secret.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Obama's Election Victory Redux
Not Much Has Changed * Year of Dwindling Hopes
What now? Nov 3rd election results clearly indicate the president's weakened position. Republican gubernatorial contender Bob McDonnell in Virginia defeated Democrat Craig Deeds by a wide margin despite Obama's efforts on behalf of Deeds. Polls were showing that McDonnell had a double-digit lead, so the result was not a suprise. In New Jersey, Democrat John Corzine (governor since 2006) lost to Republican Chris Christie. in a close race. These victories have energized Republicans.The mid-term elections are a year away. The Obama wave is receding; blacks and young voters stayed away.
The president has three more years in his first term.....a very long time in politics. Think of G.W. Bush and his sky-high popularity which plummeted in the last years of his second term. Obama's numbers could ascend or they could go down below that of Bush.
There are those who say that it is too early to stop hoping that President Obama would live up to at least some of the things he talked about during his campaign, and that he deserves more time.
The president has three more years in his first term.....a very long time in politics. Think of G.W. Bush and his sky-high popularity which plummeted in the last years of his second term. Obama's numbers could ascend or they could go down below that of Bush.
There are those who say that it is too early to stop hoping that President Obama would live up to at least some of the things he talked about during his campaign, and that he deserves more time.
Perhaps they are right. One year is not enough to get a lot done, especially when you think of the mess he inherited. Democrats have majority but not a veto-proof majority, and not all Democratic members of Congress are supportive of the president's goals.
That is not what is disheartening. On a number of issues the president has either gone back on his words or retreated too quickly when he faced opposition. It is almost as if all his decisions are based with an eye on second term; he wants to be all things to all men. He is paying a price but no doubt Obama and his team have considered the cost-benefit factors in pursuing their strategy.
Torture of Prisoners - Extraordinary Rendition Still following Bush administration's practices. FISA Backed away from opposition to retroactive immunity for telecom companies that assisted in warrantless wire tapping within the USA. The Middle-East After a strong statement calling for complete halt of settlement construction by the Israelis, the president quietly retreated. Israel continues to be one of the primary recipients of financial and military aid from the United States. The aid package is 'classified' . And no one talks about Israel's nuclear arsenal! Reform of Wall Street The hands-off policy that allowed giants of Wall Street to come up with creative mortgage finance packages and exotic investment plans which eventually caused the markets to collapse began long before Obama became president. However, it is now quite obvious that it is going to be 'business as usual'. Eventually, when some of the proposed measures to curb abusive practices take shape they will be largely symbolic.....toothless. Prominent members of his staff were involved in creating, and benefiting from the actions that caused the crash. Democratic members of Congress have turned out to be in the pockets of lobbyists just like the Republicans. The Democrats are not blatant about being in bed with special interest groups, but that is the most one can say about them. Barring a few exceptions, our elected representatives are creatures of a corrupt system. Health Care Reform The president quickly retreated from a strong public option provision. Loud reaction from his "liberal" supporters forced him to return to resurrect the issue. But let's not fool ourselves. The much vaunted plans for a health-care plan to cover all Americans are dead. When the final bill emerges it is not going to be anything close to universal health care available in Canada, Britain, and some European countries. And costs will keep going up. Currently, it looks doubtful that a bill would clear Congress and submitted to the president before the end of the year. With the huge deficit that now exists, lack of funding for health care is a major obstacle. As long as we continue to take part in wars and propping up dictators in various parts of the world money for social programs and domestic infrastructure would not be available. Iraq and Afghanistan The mess started under G.W. Bush's presidency. We don't know what kind of presence we shall have in Iraq a year from now but President Obama is maintaining plans for withdrawal. A different story in Afghanistan where NATO's UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is involved. But we have been running the war since 2001. The president is expected to announce his decision about increasing the number of soldiers. The military commander has asked for 40,000 more. The number of attacks by drones has increased. Afghan civilians continue to suffer deaths and injuries. Hamid Karzai, the puppet installed by Bush administration as president of Afghanistan in 2004, won a technical victory in recent election when, after detection of wide-spread fraud and announcement of new election, his opponent decided to withdraw from the race. Corruption is said to be rampant in Karzai's Afghanistan. According to recent reports, President Karzai's brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, is one of the major players in Afghanistan's drug trade, and he enjoys a cozy relationship with the CIA. The CIA has been paying him for years to assist in the war against the Taliban. |
A year ago we believed in his message about 'change'; there was a feeling of excitement that things would be different after eight dark years of Bush and the neocons. Not going to happen. Better than Bush is how I feel but there are days when it is hard to maintain that position.
A friend who contributed $1,000 to Obama's campaign in 2008, reveled in his victory:
- My faith in our country and the belief that education and intelligence and smartness still has value in this country has been restored! at least for now.
- On my next international trip I hope I don't have to fidget to disclose my country or origin anymore.
"Almost a year since your message full of joy and high hopes. You were not the only one to feel good. But how do you feel a year later? "
His response:
"Ha ha.. Wonderfully ripped off."
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Hands Across the Seas, Part II
Consultations with doctors; visits from friends and family members; taking care of the various mundane yet important tasks that must be dealt with, Sara M. continues to be active and energetic in pursuing her projects.
Her messages convey no sign of despair. Sarah recently completed and published her research about surveillance societies. A lot of work went into it. For Sarah, it is a labor of love. The post reflects her passionate position about injustice and the widening use of technological advances in weapons of war that only the major nations can afford and use them to achieve ends which rarely have anything to do with democracy and freedom for the people of the countries under attack.
A friend wrote to her that "prayers work". There is no argument about the fact that some people find solace, strength in prayers.
Our ex-president G.W. Bush spoke on October 26th at a Get Motivated seminar (ticket price $225.00) in Fort Worth,TX, about being helped by god in his decisions. And former prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, talked about "divine impulses" during a video interview published by The Washington Post. Two men with blood on their hands. Sickening. No doubt the grand inquisitors felt empowered by god to burn the heretics. And the Crusaders went on their looting and pillaging expeditions blessed by god. In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, the Islamic fundamentalists are killing each other as if there is no tomorrow. They,too, believe in prayers and they blow up innocent people in the name of their god.
It was what Sarah wrote about her garden that made me feel good.
*****
A friend wrote to her that "prayers work". There is no argument about the fact that some people find solace, strength in prayers.
Our ex-president G.W. Bush spoke on October 26th at a Get Motivated seminar (ticket price $225.00) in Fort Worth,TX, about being helped by god in his decisions. And former prime minister of Britain, Tony Blair, talked about "divine impulses" during a video interview published by The Washington Post. Two men with blood on their hands. Sickening. No doubt the grand inquisitors felt empowered by god to burn the heretics. And the Crusaders went on their looting and pillaging expeditions blessed by god. In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, the Islamic fundamentalists are killing each other as if there is no tomorrow. They,too, believe in prayers and they blow up innocent people in the name of their god.
It was what Sarah wrote about her garden that made me feel good.
"Stefan is clearing the garden now, which is sort of a mirror ...
I love the garden with the bare earth and compost. The red roses
are still blooming,along with the winter jasmine."
I love the garden with the bare earth and compost. The red roses
are still blooming,along with the winter jasmine."
A corner of Sarah's garden - June 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
The Seasons: Last Days of October 2009
"Especially when the October wind
With frosty fingers punishes my hair,......."
- Dylan Thomas
Still have enough hair left to feel 'frosty fingers', and that is something to feel cheerful about. And there is more. Heading for 76, my knees holding up -- can run (jog), ride a bicycle, and enjoy hiking on local trails.
The change in temperature is noticeable. Breezy and cold but sunny morning. Soon, leaves will begin to fall and pile up and then,hopefully, the rains will follow. After two winters of below-normal precipitation we need rains. Returned empty-handed from a foraging trip last week. Didn't find a single chanterelle. It was too early; the ground still dry and hard.
Far away in South Asia, Islamic fundamentalists are on killing sprees. And we are on a mission to defeat the so called 'insurgents'. In the process we kill innocent civilians. Our government calls it collateral damage. "State terrorism" is a more apt description. According to NYTimes, the CIA had been in cahoots with Ahmed Wali Karzai (brother of president Hamid Karzai) who is said to be a key player in the drug trade. Nothing new. History is full of our shameful role in support of goons in different countries.
*****
Far away in South Asia, Islamic fundamentalists are on killing sprees. And we are on a mission to defeat the so called 'insurgents'. In the process we kill innocent civilians. Our government calls it collateral damage. "State terrorism" is a more apt description. According to NYTimes, the CIA had been in cahoots with Ahmed Wali Karzai (brother of president Hamid Karzai) who is said to be a key player in the drug trade. Nothing new. History is full of our shameful role in support of goons in different countries.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Hands Across the Seas, Part I
A Friend's Decision to Die with Dignity * October 2009
"The winds that blow-- ask them,
which leaf of the tree
will be next to go"
---Soseki (translated by Harold Henderson)
As we grow old the circle of friends and acquaintances shrink. Inevitable. We are here for a limited time and sooner or later our time comes. In the last eight years I have lost two childhood friends to cancer. In both cases their suffering was not prolonged. I don't know what they would have done if faced with the decision to go through a long, expensive, and ultimately meaningless series of treatments.
I have strong feeling about 'right to die' and 'death with dignity'. Simply put, I do not believe in an after-life. I accept the "blank certitude of death". If I should happen to be afflicted with terminal illness my decision would be to let the end come without going through lengthy medical procedures, certainly without being kept alive on life support. My children and friends are aware of my position. I have filed the necessary document with my health care provider and hope that there would not be any hitches but one cannot be sure. Some people not only want to cling to life regardless of the state they are in but they also do not wish to allow those who feel differently to opt for final exit.
Only two states -- Oregon and Washington --in our country have enacted laws to permit physician assistance in dying. For the rest of us it is a different situation. Personally, I thought that Dr. Kevorkian did great work until he was imprisoned for assisting terminally ill people to die. We don't have anything like Dignitas, the Swiss organization. So, one has to plan in advance for the eventuality to avoid being a victim of the system, hooked up to life support.
A friend, Sarah M, who lives in Sussex, UK, was recently diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. She has decided to avoid going through the various stages of treatment which could prolong her remaining days. It is a horrible, painful, degrading disease. Sarah is a passionate activist in human rights causes and justice for the Palestinians. Widely traveled, she is a voracious reader, enjoys gardening, pets, and music. While the NHS in Britain does not have provision for pro-active measures to hasten death, one gets the impression that it is less rigid in its position than the American system under pressure of religious and political organizations to which 'euthanasia' is a dirty word.
Neither Sarah nor I believe in prayers. I think of her and hope that palliative medicine would help her to cope as she prepares for her final days in a hospice.
Listening to Glenn Gould, Piano, A State of Wonder, The Complete Goldberg Variations (BWV 988) 1955. Sony Classical Legacy S3K 87703.
