I like to keep up with what’s going on in my home town, and I read the Buffalo News online when I get the chance. As well, I sometimes listen to Buffalo radio stations when I can pull them in up in Toronto. Last week I was in my car and I was listening to one of those FM morning shows from Buffalo. I had to chuckle at the subject matter. It seems that the Mayor of Buffalo, Byron Brown, has a nineteen year-old son, Byron Jr., who keeps getting caught doing very (politically) embarrassing things. Not too long ago, he was caught on a video surveillance tape smashing his dad’s SUV into a couple of parked cars, which of course he was foolish enough to deny having done. A week ago last Saturday, Junior pulled another great stunt when he was caught shoplifting from a discount clothing store in N. Buffalo. On its own this is embarrassing enough, but the kid, who comes from a well off family, stole a $20 boom box and $40 worth of clothing. Of course shoplifting anything is unacceptable behavior, but he really looked silly shoplifting such cheap stuff. Go big or go home. Naturally this is a huge embarrassment for the Mayor. I don’t know how this will play out for him politically, but if I’m his public relations guy - that is, if the Mayor of Buffalo even has one - I’ve got my work cut out for me. I suppose one could go with the “hey-he’s-a-stupid-teenager” defense … lots of parents have boneheaded teenaged sons (and 19 IS the new 13), and in that sense this incident probably humanizes the mayor. Brown could use a little of that; the man is a walking sleeping pill. He has absolutely no personality and speaks in a monotone voice. On the other hand, the more judgmental among us (i.e. people like me) are likely to say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Anyhow, it’s nice to know that Buffalo has it’s very own version of Billy Carter. Perhaps Byron Jr. should come out with his own beer, like Billy Carter did. Byron Beer.
Over the years Buffalo has had some interesting mayors. Apart from the fact that most of Buffalo’s mayors did little to improve the city, Jimmy Griffin sticks out in my mind as one of the more colorful ones. An outspoken Irishman from Buffalo’s First Ward, Griffin said whatever came to his mind without much concern for the political consequences. Among other interest groups he managed to alienate, he seemed to take great pleasure in enraging Buffalo’s homosexual community. I remember once when he was on a radio talk show, a gay man called in and started to attack Griffin‘s notorious homophobic behavior. Griffin said something like “I thought ‘gay’ was a happy word … I don’t get it, what do you people DO with each other?” He was also famous for his advice to Buffalo residents after a blizzard shut the city down. He suggested everyone just buy a six pack of beer and stay at home. Clearly, the man was a genius.
In the news last week, there were devastating floods in Pakistan, wildfires in British Columbia, and a little welcome rain in Southern Ontario. Finally, and a propos to my many comments about my parents geriatric journey, I watched a “60 Minutes” story covering the very sensitive subject of end stage health care. The discussion was about the high cost of dying, and the gist of the story was that American taxpayers are paying an increasingly unrealistic amount of money to foot the government bill for end stage health care. Put another way, we are putting WAY too much of our limited health care resources towards keeping people alive long past when their life is effectively over. I know that shortly before my father passed on, my sister Jill and I did everything in our power to ensure that he was as comfortable as possible at the end of his life. He died at home, and that was what he wanted to do. He told us so. He had, and Mom has, wonderful nurses. One nurse actually took on the role of Dad’s death coach, making the process less mysterious and frightening for him. This, I have come to believe, is the best one can hope for in situations like this. Admittedly, my family had the financial resources and commitment to do this, but the sad fact remains that we as a society have lost touch with reality. We are sweeping the reality of death as a part of life under the rug, and that does neither the terminally ill or their families any good. Organizations like Hospice can help (and Hospice is not for everyone), but some of it is simply about common sense and love. At some point we must have the dialogue with the our loved one about his or her wishes. Excluding euthanasia from the discussion, give that person some control over the end of his or her life, and help make it as painless and peaceful as possible. As for me, I would rather “pull the plug” than die badly, alone in an ICU, hooked up to a respirator and IVs at $10,000 per day. It’s a tough, complicated subject, and I’ll wager the right-to-lifers want to shoot me (really, they do that). I say spend the money on education and therapy, so that more people are apprised of their options, and/or what is right for their loved ones. Modern medicine is a wonderful thing, but let's save the ones that can be saved. Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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