Ahh it’s Day Two. At least there is a Day Two. The aftermath of a battlefield always seems to have a slow mist rising from it as if a call to fallen souls from Heaven.

The beach after a storm smells fresh and and hints at a crisp invitation for renewal to the swimmer, wanderer, or the newly lost. And somewhere stranded between those metaphors, lies the silhouette of yesterday’s efforts. So as today begins, the canvas I walk into is absent color but not without hope. A grainy oil painting telling today’s story, dapples of oil applied with brush strokes for highlights and half tones, all in grey scale.

I had alot of time to think about Samson last night and this morning. I arrived to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at 3:00 pm to begin a shift of 19 hours watching the heart-lung machine as Samson had been placed on ECMO late last night.

The night was restless as different scenarios and “what-if’s” comingled with my dreams and rose to the surface faster and more furiously than the bubbles rising and convoluting from the ocean floor that I was swimming over. Certainly his age (25) and outward appearance of great strength and invincibility, made me wonder when whatever felled this oak tree, would eventually turn towards me, see past my shadow, and begin to lay waste.

Time to wake up and go…

Memories of a book I had read as a child surfaced, of Walter Reed and his tremendous courage as he studied the origins of yellow fever, eventually drilling down to the mosquito (Aedis Egypti) as the only plausible vector, and summarily allowing one to infect him- thus proving his theory. So of course the question of potential risk versus sacrifice was tabled for discussion.

Discussions of the soul. When Ben Hur tosses caution to the wind, and clutches his mother to his arms and body, a mother ravaged with leprosy thus subjecting himself to the dreaded disease, yet freeing him of something far worse, cowardice and indifference, that was a discussion that may not always set you free, but recognizing courage in yourself if only for a moment, well that goes a long way. But enough of that.

The question of risk and possible infection is something that each attending Nurse, Physician, Respiratory Therapist, and a whole slew of medical support personell, must ask themselves before comitting to rendering hands on care to what is suggested be- a potential deluge of critically ill patients.

So everybody showed up, unvaccinated because of a dearth of supply and government parcelling, totally cognizant that the high frequency oscillator that was being used to keep Samson’s lungs compliant, was also an open sytem aerosolizing the virus into the surrounding room air ensuring everybody’s exposure. Essentially a microbial mist of potential contamination was rising and released to all attending to Samson’s care.

That was our collective Ben Hur moment. We flinched, but we all showed up and stayed.

Earlier in the day I got a call identified as “Holland Law” which I answered. It was Rudy Guiliani (sp?). Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

Happy Halloween!!!!!

It’s also clear, they’ve had him save the dirt and not say too much early on. Save the ammo for the right time, don’t spill the beans all at once, be strategic about it. I bet he gets fair parental rights ironed out and just to insure it stays that way, he plans on keeping the big dirt ammo if needed.

It’s obvious Scarah knows she’s now in hot water and she’s turned it over to Van Flea, gotta pay for damage control, more dang legal fees. We know she’s got to be seething mad! I’m not sure Todd would be mad for the same reasons, it’s not like Levi is asking for money or anything unreasonable. But for Scarah, oh, the humiliation, she loses control and she hates to lose.

I’m sure he’s in good hands, and Scarah knows her cats out of the bag, Levi has shared the dirt with the right people which should keep him safe, in a sane world anyway. Watch your back Levi, I wouldn’t call Scarah sane.

Just in case you missed the full article…..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/oct/31/ed-pilkington-interview-levi-johnston

“Tank works as a private detective doing criminal work and what he calls infidelity cases.”
[.....]
“Between them, the two men act as Johnston’s bodyguards, media agents, advisers, mentors, guardians and priests all rolled into one. It’s obvious from the way Johnston interacts with them that he depends on them. “No ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers!”, Tank barks before we start the interview, and Johnston dutifully obeys, only rarely falling into the monosyllables for which he is notorious.”

So her name remains on the ballot. (Not to mention mail in and any early voting.)

So the Republican ballot is split any way you look at it.

A vote for Dede is a none of the above or a vote against Hoffman. Whatever. The effect will be the same.

Personally, I think she was stupid to suspend her campaign today. She only had three days to go. What was the point?