Health and dis-ease

Summer seems to bring out the band concerts – at public museums, community celebrations, and holidays.  Often, the offerings are outside and free.  (I must explain that I am speaking as someone who lives in a 4-season locale, so outside winter music is pretty much limited to Christmas caroling.)  In 1697, William Congreve wrote: “Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast” which I will translate to 2009-speak as “Music is a stress-buster.”  Therefore, music performers are healers.  So, scour your local area for freebie concerts.  Check your Art on the Avenue nights, First Sundays for Families, 4^th of July, even the local high school’s marching band camp.  I am sure you will score something good!

Through a good friend, I just watched a YouTube video which led me to Wiki for more information, which led to a link, which led to another link.  At the end of it all, I came upon a marvelous site:  www.circusofcancer.org.  For those of us who learn by seeing, I highly recommend visiting Circus of Cancer and going through all the chapters in the photo album.  It may enlighten you better than my words have.

I will react to just a few isolated photos and commentary which struck a chord with me.

The accommodations for chemotherapy.  My partner is in the middle of his third round and we have seen good changes at the local hospital where he has received his chemo (treatment is planned by a CLL consortium hospital, but administered close to home.)  For the very first round, he was crammed into a 20 by 50 foot infusion room with no privacy, one visitor chair per patient – all of us sitting hip-to-hip with the patients – and two ceiling-mounted televisions blaring the most obnoxious daytime programs imaginable.  Further insult was that his infusion arm rested on a pillow with a blood stain.  That just heightened the angst of it all.

Happily, for rounds two and three a new wing is finished.  There are spacious areas similar to emergency room areas, with privacy curtains, enough room to wiggle, and individual television sets.  Furthermore, there are many windows and peaceful works of art.  However, the treatment chairs are still pretty much as shown at the Circus of Cancer site.  Nevertheless, as also stated on that site, if one does a little fibbing and finagling, he can score a real hospital bed for the infusion.  As my partner is the CHAMPION of fibbing and finagling, he is very comfortable.

Nurses and personnel for chemotherapy.  Wonderful.  Every single one of them.

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Going to the bathroom during chemo.   This is an activity which we didn’t consider beforehand.  How does a patient go to the bathroom during a possibly six-hour long infusion?  Catheterization?  No.  One must figure out how to sit up, stand up, disconnect the electric monitor, and pull the entire apparatus to the potty.  Then the challenge is how to pull one’s pants down and take care of business without messing up the tubes, needles, and etcetera.  This is why it is a blessing that all the chemotherapy staff are likely to be wonderful, as discussed above.

I am so glad that Kelly Corrigan created the site, Circus of Cancer, which plainly and honestly shares her experiences.  Even more so, I am thankful for her happy state of health.  God bless ya, dear!

Two artisans have opened a booth at Zerns Farmers’ Market in Gilbertsville, PA.  Sarah Ellers is a designer of jewelry and seller of Wiccan ware. Doug Libby is a drum maker and vendor of world percussion-related products.  After meeting in the outdoor sellers’ area, they teamed up to open a booth in the indoor market.  I find this so incredibly interesting because there is a similar successful drum and celtic shop combo in West Reading.  Maybe it is a natural vibe.   Located at stand number 145, their store names are Saharah’s Treasures and Alive Drumming.

 Elegant and whimsical, the SaharahJ jewelry is displayed at practical prices.  Now that is what I call a treasure:  beautiful and  affordable accessories!  Additionally, she sells Wiccan household décor items and fascinating oddities.  One of her unique offerings is incense with a twist.  Rather than the sticks which end up smelling more like smoke than the intended aromatic fragrance, hers is a powder which is sprinkled onto a burning charcoal plug.  This means there is much less smoke and much more aromatherapy.  Sweet.

Doug makes many of his drums.  Curiously, this peace-loving man started his working life in the Navy, but his journey has taken him to world percussion in every aspect.  As he was drawn deeper into drumming (responding to, as he calls it, “the beat from within”), he gained the privilege of serving as an apprentice to Conrad of Bucks County.   Now he teaches djembe, performs, facilitates drum circles, and builds drums.  Knowing Doug, I am honored to own one of his drums because the positive karma he imparts is very strong. 

Check these newcomers out..for yourself and for holiday gift ideas.