Bobby’s Blog 10/31/14

 

Happy Halloween, everybody!  I have quite a few things to talk about, so let’s get started.

 

A dark cloud always hovers over my head on this day, unfortunately.  My grandfather died 25 years ago on this day, when I was ten.  I still remember the day pretty vividly—I had just gotten back from trick-or-treating at the mall with my mom when my dad called and told me Grandpa had died.  I remember not knowing how I felt about it at the time—definitely not happy or anything like that, but my grandfather and I weren’t that close.  I regret that now, but at the time, I was intimidated by him—he had had a tracheotomy, and used a hand-held voice box to speak.  I was named after him, and to me, that is a big honor—he served in the Navy for 25 years and worked at the post office until he retired.  I always take a few moments on this day to remember him.

 

One year and one day ago, my son’s dog was accidentally killed by one of our other dogs.  They were outside playing in our fenced-in backyard, and unfortunately, they liked to go after each other’s collars.  Judy, my ex Lisa’s mom, yelled across the house that one of the dogs was down.  One of the other dogs had gotten her jaw stuck in Lola’s collar.  She couldn’t get loose, and choked Lola to death trying.  Christian was devastated, and hasn’t been the same since.  The image of Christian lying on Lola’s body screaming will forever haunt me until the end of my days.  I asked him yesterday if he was okay, and he seemed to be, but I know it still hurts him.

 

In less depressing news, Christian got an award in school for “Best Supporting Student” and also got invited to our nation’s capital for a People to People seminar.  We are so excited and proud for him—he may have an attitude sometimes (as most eleven-year-olds do), but he does great in school, and I can’t ask for more than that. 

 

I’ve been keeping up on the Brittney Maynard story since I first read the article a few weeks ago a magazine.  For anyone who doesn’t know, she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and was given six months to live.  Rather than wither away and suffer a horrible and painful death, she elected to move from San Francisco to Oregon, where death with dignity is still legal.  She intends to pick a day, take a lethal dose of pills and have a peaceful death surrounded by her family.  Naturally, this has caused a great deal of controversy.  I, for one, support her decision.  People don’t always take into account the family’s suffering, not just the patient’s.  Thankfully, I don’t know from experience, but it has to be horrible to watch a loved one suffer every single day for the rest of their life, watching their quality of life dwindle away in the process.  This way, Maynard’s family can still hang on to the better memories and prepare for the final day rather than be unprepared for a sudden death.  A news story today revealed that she intends to postpone the day, and I think it’s great that she’s still feeling good enough to hang on for at least a little while longer. 

 

Now that I look back at it, this blog has been terribly depressing!  I apologize for that … that wasn’t my intention.  To make it up to you, Doctor Bobby will send you to YouTube and prescribe some Honest Trailers by Screen Junkies.  Their hilarious takes on famous movies, done in the voices of the guys who do the actual movie trailers, has made me and the boys roar with laughter many times.  Tell them I sent you—that’ll surely be worth another laugh :p

 

I hope everybody enjoys their Halloween!