The Oppenheimer Report - 8/2/10

The last trip to Buffalo was bittersweet. My sister and brother-in-law drove in for a few days, and we had at least one good dinner with Mom. Sadly, the Lewy Body Disease is taking its toll on her, and we can do nothing but stand by helplessly as it wreaks havoc on her mind. We’ve tried a dozen drugs to help her with her struggle and all have had unacceptable side effects. The best we can do is to keep her as comfortable as possible, and that’s no mean feat. This is a degenerative disease; she’s in bad shape now and there are times when she is aware of what is happening. I wonder how many families out there are dealing with this privately, because they can’t believe anyone else has had a similar experience. It’s a complicated, frustrating, sometimes frightening emotional roller coaster. Why do I air some of these very personal details in public? First and foremost, because I am self-absorbed, but there’s another reason. I think a lot of my peers are facing similar dilemmas, and some of us aren’t talking about it. A lot of us were well cared for by our parents, and now, as the parent becomes the child, we feel honor bound to return the favor. I’ll wager there are more books out there on the subject of child care than of geriatric parent care. I can say with some certainty that Lewy Body Disease is the most confounding and difficult challenge I have yet faced, and I never saw this coming. I simply was not prepared emotionally for this.



While I was in Buffalo, I took a bike ride around the city because Garden Walk was on. Garden Walk is a Buffalo event wherein residents with notable gardens open up their yards to curious onlookers. Some of the gardens were exceptional, but I only had time to scratch the surface. Buffalo’s rustbelt industrial reputation, as well as its sometimes horrendous weather, are notorious, but sadly, it’s a well kept secret that much of the city is in fact very beautiful. Buffalo is a city of good neighbors, and strong, healthy neighborhoods.



I’m now back in Toronto for a few days to continue helping my in-laws clean out Rose’s apartment. We’re through the worst of it but must now dispose of all the furniture. I’m guessing they’ll give it all to some charitable institution, but the trick is to find someone who will pick it up for free. Most of it is good quality, but most charities typically charge to pick up furniture donations. Go figure. The other day, Shauna found Rose’s false teeth, which Rose had misplaced shortly before she passed on. I heard that Winston Churchill’s teeth fetched over $23,000 at auction. What in heaven’s name does one do with Winston Churchill’s false teeth … put them next to the Waterford crystal in the china cabinet? Anyhow, perhaps we can include them in a garage sale, or perhaps they would be better marketed in eBay. I’ll wager there are other folks out there as twisted as I who could figure out a way to incorporate false teeth into their “collectibles” stash.



In the news, 21 people were killed and over 500 injured when a crowd swelled in the underpass leading to and from a music festival in Duisburg, Germany, called “Love Parade”. And finally, it looks like the immigration debate in the U.S. is headed for the Federal Supreme Court. If I understand correctly, the core issue is the State’s right to enforce rather strict immigration laws imposed by but not enforced by the Federal government. For instance, Arizona is now trying to enable local police officers, at their discretion, to require immigration verification from “suspects” in the course of their routine investigations. On the one hand you have the civil liberties concerns, and the potential for abuses there. On the other hand, you have newly established and potentially overburdened national health care system. I’m sure nobody will abuse that right, any more than they abuse welfare, or social security. This promises to be a heated debate. Will Texas and Arizona threaten to cede from the union? Load up the rifles Chester, yeehaw, we’re fixin’ for a fight!





Written by Jamie Oppenheimer c2010 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED