Rest In Peace

RIP , Mom

Neva Louise White Starchman
11/11/22 to 07/30/09--11:42 PM

We loved you, Mom, but now you are free from the pain of your body

The Mystery Of Death

There is nothing more emotional, awesome, chilling, and mysterious than the countdown to the passing of a loved one. Eight days have now passed since we were told that my Mother would ot live until the weekend. We were stunned, because just a month earlier we were told that she would live another six months to a year. But, suddenly, and like an avalanche that appears out of nowhere, we got the call that she was in "decline", and that if she lived to the weekend, they would be surprised.

I made the calls that I someday knew that I would have to make, and there were many tears. I told everyone the news, and we all held our collective breaths as the hours ticked slowly by. That has been eight days ago today, and she still breathes. When you go in the room where she is sleeping, there is an eerie silence that is deafening at times. The aides have started playing soft music in the background on the CD player, and there are scented candles burning in the room. Mom looks almost angelic as she sleeps, and that is all that she does, Her eyes have not been open in over a week, and she does not respond to anything, but still her heart beats steadily.

What is going on here? The philosophical and theological questions swirl through my mind like blowing snow, and they never stop, even as I sleep. Has her soul already left her body, and are we seeing only a mechanical shell? We are told by both medical people, and by the chaplain that she is at peace, and is between the two worlds of spiritual and physical. They say she is being prepared to leave the earth for the next plane. I wish that I could know the answer.

You see, my Mother is a DNR, so she is receiving no life support except for pain meds. She has not eaten or drank anything for over 5 days. How does her heart keep beating? Yesterday, the family was called in, and I made what I thought would be the last trip to see her. We sat in the room and waited. A phone was put up to her ear so that my daughter in San Diego could say her goodbyes. We all wept, including the nurse in the room. My sister from Seattle came, and sat with her until the wee hours of the morning. I waited for the phone call, but sill her heart beats.
I am at lost for words, The waiting is gut wrenching. I know she is going, and I accept that. I have made my final peace with her. And still, as of this morning, her heart is beating, and she remains unresponsive.

I wish that I could understand.

Balancing The Budget-Not A Problem

Geesh, what is all of the hullabaloo about balancing the budget? For Pete's sake, it is so simple that Homer Simpson could do it! Here is the Cedar Street Kid's simple way to balance the budget, gleamed from my own personal experiences.

Let's say that I have a moderate income, average house payments, car payment, grocery bill, taxes, and on and on. No problem. But, today I pass a jewelry store and see a ring that I "must" have. And to my delight, the sign in the window says" easy credit terms, no payments for 6 months" Wow, my kind of deal. With the smug look of someone who knows that they can pull of the deal, I enter the store, and say"wrap it up, bub" I don't really need to look at the paper work, because, after all, the first payment is not due for 6 months.

I go to pick up the mail, and another miracle is in the box. Yes, sir, I am special because in the envelope addressed to me is the confirmation that I have arrived. For I have been pre-approved for a 10,000 credit card, no questions asked. Wow, in my mind I incorrectly observe that I have ten grand to spend anyway I like. Thanks, First National Bank for the money. Not to worry, low interest rate for 6 months, and they were even nice to send me a check all made out for eight grand. All that I have to do is cash it, and it is all mine. Can you say Hawaii vacation? Visions of beaches now dance through my head. Simple, they only want low monthly payments. Not a problem.I can still afford the payments, and it is still five months before the jewelry store payments come due. Not a problem. I have it under control.

After getting back from vacation where I have spent the entire "gift" of eight grand from First National, and maybe having dropped another 2 grand on misc. expenses over there, I have used up my ten grand limit. Not a problem, for there in the mail is another golden opportunity, for here is a Second National Bank offer in the box. Wow, another ten grand gift awaits me. I can start all over, cash their generous five grand check, and go to Vegas. Not a problem. And, i still have 4 months before the jewelry store bill comes due. Not a problem.

I go to the Post Office, and there is my first statement from First National Bank. Hm, guess they wanted their money back after all. Oh well, how much of a payment could it be. I rip open the statement, and my eyes bug out. Wait, what's this? $35.00 over the limit fee, and a 29.99percent interest rate on the eight grand check! I thought that they had said a low interest rate. But there, o the bottom of the statement, there is a tiny, almost unreadable sentence about the interest rate being higher on cash loans. Oh well, no problem. I will use the Second National Bank card check to help pay the First National Bank card. Not a problem.

Well, after the Third National Bank and Fourth National Bank cards miraculously arrive just in time, I am once again on a roll.And I have learned how to balance.
It is so easy. You simply use Second National to pay First National, and Third National to pay Second National, and Fourth National to pay Third National. Now, when Fourth National is due, you go to your friendly Money Tree Store, and borrow against your paycheck. Easy way to go, and the interest rate is only 500 percent. So you ge t payday loan to pay Fourth National, to pay Third National to pay Second National, to pay First National. Not a problem.Easy as counting to one.

So you see, you too can balance your budget easily. I think that I will send my method ot Congress to help balance the National budget. Whoops, wait a minute, they are already using that method, and the President says to us "Not A Problem".