I go into tonight's diary with a hefty amount of bittersweetness & a heavy heart with my Mom's ever - changing health situation & the news of Keith's Dad's passing on Saturday. Even though the news wasn't entirely a surprise, it's no - less gut - wrenching for a family that's been through so much over the last year.
Saying I'm sorry to Keith, his family, and their friends over Theodore Olbermann's passing doesn't quite seem to cut it. I guess all I can really say is that I was with my Mom on Thursday for her first chemo treatment, and she had a horrible painful frightening reaction to it & ended up having to spend the night in the hospital. She's actually back in the hospital again for a blood clot in her leg that developed; we had a birthday party for her yesterday in her hospital room. Her birthday is today; my Mom will be OK, and as frightening part of Thursday was, I wouldn't have been anywhere else, and I know you feel the same about these past months with your father. I hope you don't feel this comment out - of - bounds, but I think many of us felt your Dad was sort of our Dad, too, because you were so generous enough to let us into you and your family's world over these last months. Continued thoughts of strength & compassion to you, your family, and everyone who loved & care about your Dad. According to Howard Fineman, Keith contacted him over the weekend & asked that donations to the National Association of Free Clincs be made in lieu of flowers.
To update you on what's going on with my Mom, she noticed Friday evening that her left leg was swelling a little. She wasn't in pain, but she & Dad decided to call her doctor anyway. Her doc said to keep an eye on it, and if anything changed during the night to get to an emergency room to verify that the swelling wasn't due to the chemo and/or make sure she didn't have a blood clot on her hands. I woke Saturday morning to an email from one of my sisters saying my parents had indeed gone to the ER to get the swelling tested. Around mid - afternoon, I got a call from other sister saying that yes, indeed, my Mom had a blood clot. To quote her exactly, "She {Mom} can't catch a damn break!" So, a planned birthday party locale went from my sister's house to my parent's house to a hospital room in Lafayette, IN over the course of around 6 hours.
I would like to dip a bit into "this day in history" partially for entirely selfish reasons. On this date in 44 BC, Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius. Talk about a bad day at work! On this date in 1919, The American Legion was founded in Paris. Does anyone else besides me see an oxyMORANish bent to this item?! ;D And, on this date in 1939, my Mom was born. Here's to her birthday next year being as far away as possible from a sparkin' hospital!
I'm sure we all know by now of Peter Graves' passing this past weekend. Mission Impossible was a bit before my time. So, in thinking a little levity is desperately needed, Mr. Graves will ALWAYS be Capt. Oveur to me. ;D
Let's Countdown.
Lawrence O’Donnell should get a blue ribbon, a hearty hand shake, and his own show on MSNBC for the tremendous help he’s been & I’m sure will continue to be on Countdown – thank you! What a beautiful introduction to the show.
#5 "Closing Argument" - President Obama was in the hometown of Natoma Canfield today – a cancer survivor who had to drop her personal health insurance because of high cost only to find out afterwards that she has leukemia. A House budget committee began the grunt work on the potential reconciliation package. Speaker Pelosi is trying to stamp out rumors that there are not enough Dem votes in the House to pass HCR. Oh by the way, the town in Ohio where President Obama today just happens to be in the district represented by Dennis Kucinich. How ‘bout President Obama telling people to yell at Dennis to "vote yes"?! HA! Not bloody likely... Who/what was this woman’s health insurance provider??!! President Obama wanted the health insurance CEOs to understand "the human dimensions" of the current health care crisis by reading Natoma’s letter to them; that only works if you’re dealing with humans, President Obama.
Jake Tapper asked President Obama what current HCR legislation will do for Natoma. Ezra Klein’s been a busy boy today; he was on Diane Rehm’s show this morning! ;D Natoma wouldn’t have been denied coverage because of a pre – existing condition under the current proposed HCR. But, none of this stuff kicks in for YEARS! When/if HCR ever gets signed into law, what can be done to make all this happen before however – many years from now?! I want Boss Limbaugh out of the country post haste, dammit! Ezra doesn’t think today will affect Dennis’ vote in any way; he [Ezra] thought today might even harden his position. Ezra was in the room today with Speaker Pelosi when she said she was determined to not let HCR fail, and he thought she sounded damn determined. Well, I hope she’s got a few dozen rabbits in a hat somewhere. So, why’s Rep. Jim Clyburn saying there are not the votes?! This mixed – message $hit is insane. We need a totally new House every 2 years and a totally new Senate every 6 years; old Congress critters – like old fish – stink if left out for too long.
#4 "Courting Controversy" - OK, Clarence Thomas is usually on the verge of making me retch pretty much whenever I just hear his name. THIS story necessitates a bucket next to the futon I’m sitting on because I could truly lose my dinner here. Clarence just sits up there during all these cases & doesn’t say a damn word like in...oh...the Citizens United case when he KNOWS that his wife could gain financially by him making the decision he helped to make. Wow...that’s just... *&^%$#@!
The little Mrs. has started a group that is seeking contributions & will stand to benefit directly from the Citizens United decision unless someone somewhere with some cojones up on Capitol Hill SPARKIN’ DOES SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Virginia Thomas said the following at last month’s CPAC: I am an ordinary citizen from Omaha, Nebraska, who just may have the chance to preserve liberty along with you and other people like you. Wow... *&^%$#@! Her little cabal is called Liberty Central. Ain’t that nice?! Amy Feather told FAUX News that Virginia Thomas will hopefully make an appearance at a tea party rally ON CAPITOL HILL & SPEAK AT A RALLY ON APRIL 15! Justice John Paul Stevens will probably retire soon; Jeffrey Toobin was interview by Terry Gross today about the possible impact of Justice Stevens retiring. Here is a transcript; it was a damn interesting interview! If you’re a SCOTUS geek like I am, you will LOVE IT. Jonathan Turley should have some interesting words about the Thomas household! ;D I can just see the dinner conversation. Mrs. Thomas would ask, "So, how was your work today, dear?" Clarence would reply, "I just helped make us richer! That deserves a little somethin’ – somethin’ doesn’t it?" "Oh Clarence, I just love it when you talk judicial!"
Ugh... Well, I guess "Justice" Thomas will begin giving his salary to charity now since TAXPAYERS pay his damn salary! His services aren’t worth a plug nickel, anyway. Justices on SCOTUS have the personal prerogative whether to recuse themselves from cases; no one can tell them to do so, and no one can force them to do so. HA! Did Jonathan Turley just offer up his services on SCOTUS??!! MAN, I WOULD LOVE THAT! ;D
**Sorry gang, I can’t stomach Michael Moore under ideal circumstances; the last story and the last few days have been less – than – ideal for my psyche. So, I’m bailing on this segment; please give your thoughts about it in the comments. **
#2 "Natoma’s Story" - Natoma Canfield was supposed to introduce President Obama today; her sister had to do it because Natoma was in a hospital bed at the Cleveland Clinic receiving aggressive chemotherapy for recently – diagnosed leukemia. She sounds weak on the phone but says she’s feeling better. Natoma told her Rep., Dennis Kucinich, that HCR has to start somewhere. Maybe, if HCR goes down, and he votes against it, he can pick up the tab for her treatment; that sounds damn fair to me! Natoma’s prognosis is good; she’ll be in a leukemia ward for 28 days then get chemo every day afterwards. Ugh... this sounds just a little too familiar. Oh goody, I get to bail on Michael Moore again.