snm blog

Mom just passed away this morning. Wasnt there, but nurse said it was peacefull. When we left last night she was sleeping and my dad remarked that she looked like an angel. Nurse said throughtout the night that was how she was. Thank goodness.

taro-mobile — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:10:32 +0000

Mom just passed away this morning. Wasnt there, but nurse said it was
peacefull. When we left last night she was sleeping and my dad
remarked that she looked like an angel. Nurse said throughtout the
night that was how she was. Thank goodness.

Turning a Page

taro — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:08:33 +0000

Forgive me for this what I’m sure will be a downer post, but I feel the need to put out some of my feelings, as much to help myself as anything. With the turn of New Year is supposed to be hope for a brighter future and all that. The turning of this New Year was with me quietly festive and nothing out of the ordinary. Small group of friends, fireworks to chase out the bad, some drinking. Morning was yummy traditional Japanese as prepared by my mother. All was well until today. My mother, who was still quite active and in good health, suffered from a sudden hemmoragic stroke. No prior signs. Just as she was talking on phone it hit her. The outlook is not positive. My dad is taking it pretty hard. This was very sudden and unexpected, she’s only 66. She’s currently in the ICU and is getting good care. I have nothing but good to say for all the staff of Queen’s and the EMS technitians. Honestly, I hold these healthcare professionals in the highest regard. I can’t say the same for the fool on Kalanianaole Hwy. ambling along in the middle lane yacking on his cell phone. Didn’t he wonder why there were no cars around him all of a sudden as the ambulance passed?

I know there’s the whole life & death thing, the end of your life is inevitable. But when you come face to face with it with your immediate family, it’s still harsh. I’m feeling it’s too early here! She’s stable in ICU right now, but after her second scan she was worse than first came in. The prognosis for recovery is not good and there isn’t a whole lot they said they can do. Surgery was not advised and is likely to not make much of a difference. Basically we came to decision with the doctor that they will do things to keep her comfortable, but if things turn for the worse, they will not undertake extreme measure to prolong life. There’s a part of me that wants to scream, no, damnit, she can’t die! She still has much to enjoy, much to contribute. But the doctors compassionate, but realistic assessment of if they went through extreme measures to keep her alive, in all probability she would be severely disabled requiring nursing home care and would not be able to communicate, made me realize that she wouldn’t want that. I wouldn’t. I don’t think there are many people who would. In a somewhat ironic touch, my dad said he & mom were talking the other day that she said when she dies, she wants to go with a stroke. No prolonged illness battling cancer or anything like that.

Thanks to all my good buddies who were quick to lend a hand and ear (and texts, in this day and age of instant communication technology. I’ve discovered that texting also allows me to maintain composure and communicate better. I’m sure I’ll have more bouts of choking up, sorry bout that Chuck). I’m not a deeply religious person, although I do hold some feelings toward Shintoistic beliefs that there is spirituality around beyond what we can see. Perhaps it is only a human device used to seek solace in moments when there are things beyond your control, but it is a valid device none the less. So I will not deny any of your prayers to whatever belief you hold. I welcome it and am thankful for it. Perhaps the spirits will decide it is not her time and will give her and us the strength to pull through and recover. Otherwise, I hope they can grant her quiet and peace to go without suffering.

Anyway, it is getting late, I need to try and rest to see what the dawn of a another day will bring. Once again, thanks everyone for your thoughts and feelings.

risu-mobile — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:16:07 +0000

Root, sorry to hear about your mother. My best wishes go out to her and the whole family.

Oh damn, at Queens.

taro-mobile — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:32:31 +0000

Oh damn, at Queens. Mom had stroke w/a pretty bad hemmorage. Shes
going in for 2nd CAT scan right now. She will be going for surgery.
She’s pretty cognitive but cannot speak & no response from right side
of body. Writing this as much to calm myself as anything.

59th Kouhaku Uta Gassen

risu — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:51:40 +0000

Fabio’s favorites Pabo performed, but unfortunately, paired with some old guys. Perfume got to do a solo, but they were pretty terrible with the synthesized Cher-o-phonic distortion thing going, but they still weren’t as bad as show opener Hamasaki Ayumi. I wonder how long it will take people in Japan to wake up and realize that she really sucks jagged kidney stones? Speaking of suck, NHK resurrected the dead with a performance by washed-up has-beens,Speed. Last year it was TMR who got a chance to reprise his youthful days as a top-selling artist. This year, Speed went on to prove that time and a mediocre wine yield an old, mediocre wine. They were still as bad as they were when they were on the Oricon charts, with flat notes and voices strained on the high-pitched edge of cracking in the same places they have always been. Mikawa Kenichi’s performance was somewhat rudely intruded upon by some gangly tall transvestite. I guess recently, they have felt the need to have something on the shocking side - last year it was that naked fitness dude, and the year before that it was HG. Probably the best performances of the night were the operatic tenor dude and Jero (Jerome Charles White, Jr.). Angela Aki, Aoyama Thelma, and Hirai Ken performed well, although I am not a big fan of their genre of pop. Needless to say ,there was no good rock. There have been rock acts in the past, but nothing harder than L’arc en Ciel. They really needed Krauser II and DMC! Here’s the official site if you’re interested.

Hatsuhinode

risu — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 21:54:34 +0000

Just about now, the sun is rising in Japan for the first time in 2009. On the webcams in Hokkaido, people have been up since dark, getting ready to photograph it at various scenic spots. Being the furthest part of Japan to the East, Hokkaido will get the sunrise first.

Just watching now to see the moment…

Oh… there it goes!

Shin-nen akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!

Sugoi!

risu — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:42:42 +0000

Whoa!
How does one begin to describe this…
We got lunch from Sugoi’s in Kapalama (near Woodcraft and the Driver’s Licencing office). They had breakfast stuff, so I ordered the “Hash Loco Moco“. Lo, a more amazing thing I have never before had! Imagine if you will, a Loco Moco made with a 3cm thick, 15cm diameter breaded and deep fried corned-beef hash patty instead of the hamburger patty! Essentially corned-beef hash katsu and a fried egg on rice smothered in brown gravy! The gravy was a tad salty, but the hash was very good.

Sorry - I neglected to take a picture

Highly recommended

Four out of four grinning monkeys

About $5.90 USD including tax

Dessicate!

taro — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:22:17 +0000

Packed in my senbei I had for lunch. Oh my, that sounds very dangerous! I better go find some dessicant to pack this in!

Power

taro-mobile — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:12:13 +0000

Oh, sorry, the earthquake power outage was two yeArs ago. Hour 11, no
power. radio said to expect longer.

What is this, a new Hawaii holiday tradition?!

taro-mobile — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:34:54 +0000

What is this, a new Hawaii holiday tradition?! It was just about a
year ago when the power went out island wide. At least there was a
fairly valid reason for it with a eartjquake. About 45 minutes ago,
just when i left work, the power went out and i watched it cascade and
follow me home. Way to go HECO, sign that the grid is overloaded.