It is Saturday morning about 2:00 AM, and I am having one of my little bouts of insomnia tonight/this morning/whatever you want to call it. It is funny, I have been extra tired this week, and now that I really want to sleep, I am wide awake. A whole lot of good cutting down my caffeine intake has done me this summer! Grrrrrrr!
My sleep has been quite an issue this week. For some strange reason, I have been unusually tired, and have been sleeping a great deal. On top of that, I started running a fever yesterday, so to make sure nothing bad is going on, I will see the doctor in a few hours at 10:15 (I hope to sleep by then, too). Who knows if all of this is from the surgery or all the other health issues I deal with every day?!?! If I griped about all of them, as you well know, I would have a million different blogs to update, and that is not what I am here to do.
Caren and I had a good week here on the home front. I have to admit, while during the past year I adjusted to having the house all to myself during the day and was pretty much set in my ways with my schedule, I have loved having Caren home this summer. In fact, I really wish she did not have to go back to work in just a couple of weeks. While I have never been a big supporter of the “Start School After Labor Day” movement, I might just have to become a member. Of course, if they are going to push for a later start time for school, I suggest they go all out and start the “Start School After Halloween” movement.
Caren and I both made the trip to Lebanon, Indiana, to see my mother at the nursing home on Thursday. Alzheimer’s continues to take its toll on Mom. I am certain that Mom did not recognize either one of us, but she did become slightly more aware of things, I think, while we were there. We met with her medical team and other people associated with her care, and we began to discuss different options for hospice care and her end of life wishes, as Mom has begun the downward progression so often associated with Alzheimer’s. I am so thankful that we did sit down with Mom when she first came to live with us and discuss her wishes for medical care and her final days. If you have not done it yet with your own parents, I recommend you do so, as it does not necessarily make this time any easier, it at least gives you the peace of mind to know that you are doing what they wanted. Sadly, this transitional period from Mom’s current state to the great beyond can take many, many months.
Not to shift gears to quickly, but I am kicking around the idea of getting some corporate sponsors and starting a Testicular Cancer Awareness campaign. I thought I might take the Ghost of Leon and my one remaining testicle and hit the road and take an across the country road trip singing the praises of making sure men give themselves monthly self-exams as well as a general testicular cancer awareness campaign. Of course, I would say this is many months off, as I have never taken on anything like this, and really do not have any idea where to begin. If any of you have ever started your own charity before, let me know!
While this type of cancer only affects about 8,000 Americans every year, it is one of the more highly curable forms of cancer out there. Of course, my big goal is to have some car company (maybe Chrysler since I live in Kokomo and there are all the huge Chrysler plants just down the street) donate a vehicle (and gas) for “the cause” and I will call it The Testicle Spectacle.
I figure I will have a few obstacles to overcome if my idea is ever to see the light of day. For instance, if you are getting corporate sponsors for something like this, whom do you get? I mean, who wants to be the company associated with testicular cancer? It is fashionable t0 be a sponsor for breast cancer awareness – and rightly so, as the need to fund breast cancer awareness, treatment, and research is great. Nevertheless, who wants to be associated with testicles? Admittedly, this notion is humorous, but I am very serious here.
Me? I could use my own humor to educate and get people to deal with the issue, and I think you all would agree with that (if anyone still reads this blog). However, would the corporate big wigs of some company want to be associated with testicles? Make all the ball jokes you want – trust me, I have thought of them all during the past month, but I am not so sure corporate America wants to be associated with testicles – unless it is under the auspices of say, The Lance Armstrong Association. In addition, I do not see some big telethon on one of the television networks anytime soon, as well.
All of this is in the planning stages, but my desire is serious. Heck, I haven’t even researched how to become a non-profit organization yet, as I figure there is probably at least one form to fill out or something (more like 500,000 I am sure). And more importantly, I should probably discuss this with my wife, too. I think I should do that now in the “planning” stage instead of one evening over dinner looking at her and saying, “Oh, by the way, I will be leaving for a 50 day road trip tomorrow, do I have enough clean clothes?” I believe that would be what we call, “BAD!”
I will keep you updated on the progress, and as always, I welcome ideas and suggestions. Feel free to contact me at rickett@educationalfutures.org. I figure the more ideas, the better!
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