Other Voices In The Oklahoma Blogosphere

From www.markshannon.com ~ As I mentioned the other day, I had a routine CTSCAN in connection with a scheduled routine "maintenance" treatment for my chronic lymphocytic leukemia. No matter how many times you go in for a checkup, there's always a thought in the back of your mind, MAYBE this time it will raise it's ugly head again. And this time, it did, again. So, it's PETSCAN (identifies "hot spots") bone marrow sample, needle biopsy, and then some form of chemo-therapy for at least six months. I've done this twice before. Once in 2002 for four months and again in 2005 for eight months. ("MONTHS" = three treatments in three days, once a month) As I said, it's not what I would prefer to do, (OK, I was actually very depressed when told,) but it's what you do when you have a chronic form of this disease, as opposed to an ACUTE form, which is more often than not, terminal. I consider it more of an inconvenience than anything else, having been through it before, I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. The last time I had treatments I didn't miss any work, played golf on a regular basis, and except for a couple of days a month, immediately after the treatments, it doesn't make you feel bad. Heck, I even enjoy my days in the chemo room with my fellow patients, especially since I got a wireless card for my laptop and an iPod. Of course there as many types of cancers, and some are just damn ugly, so I don't mean to sound as if the whole experience is some type of "party." I have lost friends to it and I'm more than aware how nasty it can be. I'll share my experiences from time-to-time, not because you're all anxious to hear every aspect of my life, but because It would be my hope I can take some of the mystery and fear away from it for those of you who will inevitably have to deal with it some time in your life. I know it would have been helpful for me.

From www.okiedoke.com ~ Apparently there is a big problem with Oklahoma schools finding enough teachers fluent in both Spanish and English. In a 10-year period from 1996 to 2006, the population of students in pre-kindergarten through the 12th grade in public Oklahoma schools went up 2.8 percent, while the Hispanic portion of that population jumped 135.5 percent, according to U.S. Department of Education statistics. And to teach students the English language, school districts need a growing number of professionals who speak Spanish. I think we may be going about this language stuff bassackwards. With the explosive growth rate of the U.S. Spanish speaking population, wouldn’t it be more prudent to skip teaching English altogether and adopt Spanish as our official language? After all, Okies already know how to pronounce Oklahoma in Spanish.

From www.ronblackradio.com ~ Fox 25 news ran a story last evening about a topic near and dear to my heart as well as the WILD Oklahoma Pro Staff - national statistics show a decline in the number of hunters, and Oklahoma is seeing a decline in the number of hunting license purchases. Lisa Monihan interviewed me about it and yes Gunnar (my German Shorthair Pointer) made his television debut. The truth of the matter is that one of Oklahoma's finest traditions could become extinct if we who enjoy the sport don't come together to encourage others to become a part of the wild outdoors.

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