I got an email fro Laura Cooper today. I thought I would share.I got the check and I want to thank you again ,and both justin and christopher thank you and all the people that have helped . Laura
Please continue to spread the word about our efforts to help. Thank you, to all of you, for your help.
This Weeks Soldier Was Suggested By Cynthia
Cute and cuddly, or a messenger of death? I can't decide if this cat can be both, and I am not really sure how to feel about this one.Oscar the cat predicts patients' deaths
By RAY HENRY, Associated Press Writer Fri Jul 27, 5:33 AM ET
Oscar the cat seems to have an uncanny knack for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means they have less than four hours to live.
"He doesn't make too many mistakes. He seems to understand when patients are about to die," said Dr. David Dosa in an interview. He describes the phenomenon in a poignant essay in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
"Many family members take some solace from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a geriatrician and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old feline was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses.
After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd sniff and observe patients, then sit beside people who would wind up dying in a few hours.
Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously and is generally aloof. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work there, said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill
She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish tinge, signs that often mean death is near.
Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room though, so Teno thought his streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a harbinger of death. Most families are grateful for the advanced warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat notices telltale scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him.
Nicholas Dodman, who directs an animal behavioral clinic at the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine and has read Dosa's article, said the only way to know is to carefully document how Oscar divides his time between the living and dying.
If Oscar really is a furry grim reaper, it's also possible his behavior could be driven by self-centered pleasures like a heated blanket placed on a dying person, Dodman said.
Nursing home staffers aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying.
Oscar recently received a wall plaque publicly commending his "compassionate hospice care."
How would you, or do you feel?
VideoJug: How To Avoid Trapped Arm Whilst Cuddling In Bed
An who said this blog was informative!
Today I am mailing the first check off to Laura Cooper, mother of Chris Cooper, Jr. Again, my thanks to all of you. Please feel free to pass the information regarding our effots on to others you know.
It seems that there is no shortage of sickos in the world today. NEW YORK -- A pit bull who was found on fire while tied to a tree on Long Island died on Tuesday.
That was the first line a story I found on the WNBC website on the 16th. It was updated on the 17th. It is a story that is very sad, and it includes pictures that are accessible through a link, but they are very graphic. Both Captain Dramatic and myself were in tears. Yes, I let CD see them, as I felt they sent a very strong message. In that few minutes I was able to ascertain that my CD isn't capable of this kind of act, and will speak out if someone else he encounters is. Now I am slightly off the topic now, but before I go on you can find the entire article here.
It seems that a Pitt Bull dog was found tied to a tree, had been doused in gasoline, and lit on fire, and left there to burn by whomever had done this. He was a boy, and was named Maximus by emergency personnel. Maximus, who suffered burns over 60% of his body, died shortly after the incident despite efforts to save him. His caretakers, in his finals days, said that despite what he had been through, Maximus continued to try and wag his tail when they entered the room. That folks, tells me that this was indeed a very sweet and trusting dog, right up until the end.
I don't understand how any human can treat an animal like this. I don't understand it when they treat other humans like this for that matter. It happens though, and it shouldn't. It is wrong in ever sense of the word. Plain wrong. It breaks my heart to know that this animal suffered needlessly, and only offered some sick SOB a thrill, and it makes me worry for the world when things like this happen, as I know that this represents nothing but evil.
I am not sure how many of my readers hail from the great state of New York, but just in case, I wanted to post the necessary information, to be used by anyone with information, regarding this horrific event.
If anyone knows anything regarding this horrible turn of events, please contact:
The Suffolk County SPCA.
1-(631)-382-SPCA
http://www.suffolkspca.org/index.html
From what the article states there is a $1,000 reward for information that would lead to the conviction of the persons responsible. I would not need a monetary reward myself. Just the satisfaction of knowing that they couldn't do this to any other animals or any other people.
Finally, I wanted to let all of you know that I am much kinder than CD would be about this, should he have any say in what would happen to the perpetrators. CD would have them tied to a tree, doused in gasoline, and set ablaze as well. I did ask him how that made him better than them, and he pondered that for a few seconds. He said it wouldn't, but that sometimes you had to hit back to make people stop hitting you, and if he was in the same situation and couldn't hit back himself he would want someone to do it for him, and maybe this was one of those times. I couldn't argue with that reasoning as I know all too well that he is right. I think my son will be an ok addition to society as an adult if he stays on his current path...
Here's Hoping.
I received an email today from Laura Cooper, Chris Cooper, Jr.'s mother. Chris Cooper, Jr. is in Iraq, and well. I asked if we could have an update on their progress to raise money for the burial for Chris Cooper, Sr. Here is what Laura had to say.
"Hi, well we are up to $6,600.00 so far that is great huh ? so we are not far from $7,700.00 it has taken a great deal of burden off of chris jr ,he is so thankful and he is doin ok ,he never complains he just says mom I just do what I gotta do,and he says when he gets back maybe we can get chris sr a headstone , we are hoping he comes back in november. I pray he does so I can have thanksgiving with both my boys. thanks again so much love and prayers Laura"
As you can see, help is still needed, and every little bit really does count. I appreciate all that you have done this far, as I am sure that the Cooper family does as well. Please feel free to spread the word.
Anyone who read last weeks, very late, Ask Captain Dramatic, knows that we went camping with some of our Cub Scouts. We went to Davis Creek, had a close up of very large wild life in the middle of the night, and enjoyed ourselves immensely. I decided to post some of the other pictures from our trip and a video.
This is our tent. I love this tent.
This is some of the surrounding vegetation. I was a beautiful camp site.
And another view.
And here is my trusty ice chest being scoped out by smaller wild life. The boys took to feeding this squirrel just so they could then squirt it with the super soakers when it approached. Boys are such brats. aren't they?
After an all day water gun fight with the adults against the children, we had the boys begin working on their stuff for the talents show for that evening. Here is my favorite videos of the boys and their talent show. They did all their own writing, rehearsing, and choreography. Captain Dramatic is in the white shirt and black shorts. They were really proud of themselves, as they should be.
Talent Contest 1
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As you can see, we all had a great time.
I had mentioned in a previous post that there have been several things that have occurred recently that have kept me away from my regular blogging. One of those things was my sons Green Belt Test. Captain Dramatic has been taking Tae Kwon-Do for almost two years now and has finally made it to his green belt, or 7th grade. After they complete their test, which requires memorization and a skill test, they can then participate in the awards ceremony where they get to break a board and receive a certificate. Below is a video of Captain Dramatic breaking his board.
Chris Has Acheived His Green Belt
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The boards come in two sizes and "Sir" will judge the skill level of the child or adult, and also take into consideration their size and strength, and decide what thickness to use or what combination of boards to use. They are either a quarter inch thick, or an inch thick. This particular board was a quarter inch thick and giving one of the other children a hard time. Sometimes the boards just don't want to break. I have seem a few (very few) that have been passed through all of the student at various belt ranks only to be broken by the instructor who is a sixth degree black belt.
I have more thank you to dole out this morning! After my post yesterday regarding my fund raising efforts for Chris Cooper a few more of you have stepped forward. Many thanks to The Count in Texas, and to Carlos in Kansas! I know this will mean the world to Chris Cooper, Jr. and his family. Keep those donations coming and feel free to spread the word!
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