Buckeye Mike

I would like to start off by showing my appreciation for the support of my last post. More than 300 people read my story about a disabled vet who was treated so poorly by a local hotel, and though it may not make a difference in the grand scheme of things, it is good to know that people care about their fellow man. Today is memorial Day, and it is so important to express gratitude for those who have served to give us all we have today, including the freedom to call out those who would be so callus and unfeeling to throw out this man after all he had been through. On this day I am thankful for my readers, and thankful for all who have put on a uniform and defended our freedom. I read a friends post on Facebook this morning, and it got under my skin just a little. Not that I had some moral or political objection to what he was saying, but something simpler. He talked about when something good happens, he is still expecting it to be bad. And it bothered me because I have been where he i...

I rarely use this blog as a political platform, and I cannot recall a time that I wrote about a personal crusade. I have written many times about my mother's battle with cancer, but that is different than righting a wrong. Today, however, I am going to tell you about an egregious violation of someone's basic rights, then I am going to ask you to help me right this wrong. Hopefully you will. I recently responded to a fire loss in Columbus. From the moment I arrived, I knew this home owner was going to need special attention. A Vietnam veteran and heart transplant recipient, "John Doe" is a man who is in his golden years and in failing health. He takes 32 medications a day, has a hard time getting around, and needs constant care from his loving wife of over 40 years, "Jane". For her part, she is very hard of hearing and lost her hearing aids in the fire. On the initial night, we contacted the VA to get his medications replaced, had his C-PAP machine serviced...

I confess, I am a people watcher. If you are sitting at a stoplight, singing at the top of your lungs to your favorite song, and you look over and catch someone staring- yeah that's me. I like to observe people and their behavior and how they react to certain situations. I remember seeing parents in the operating room at Kozair Children's Hospital in Louisville and seeing the anguish in their eyes. I recall the day my mother married the man I call Dad and how you could see on her face that this was the greatest moment of her life. There are thousands of examples I could give of still frame memories I have over the years, and I am sure any of you could as well. It's the tragic, the happy, the perplexed, the determined, the lost, and the enlightened images that make up life's beautiful moments. Who wouldn't want to watch them? Not long ago, my brother and I had a falling out. An argument filled with harsh words led to two months of not speaking to each other. I vowe...