The Apex

Yesterday was the day after chemotherapy. By far, it is the best day of the cycle.

Full of it!

With liters of saline watering down the poison, Russell's blood volume was good. His heart rate was down from its normal 120+. His color was not the pallor of last week. The potassium and B12 gave him a boost of energy akin to the non-stoppable, ever-readiness of our children. I was ready to take full advantage of events others take for granted: We were going to tackle spot shopping.

Load up!

The children are home from school for spring break. I asked, "Who wants to go to the store?" To the credit of the school's speech pathologist, Nicholas raised his hand and said, "I do!"

Veronica asked, "Where are we going?" Ever the social director, she needed the itinerary.

"We are taking Daddy to the hospital for his medicine, and then we are going shopping. Do you want to go to the store?" Instantly, my mind's eye saw her with a pencil behind her ear, clipboard in hand, bird-dogging her help.

Getting everyone in the car, a mild adventure on a good day, was a chore with which Russell helped. (Victory!) He grabbed Nicholas' hand and out the door my men went.

Pick a channel.

Daddy likes light '80s. Veronica likes turn of the century NY clubbing music. Momma prefers classic '60s rock & rock. Since Veronica asked for a specific song before I turned on the player, clubbing music it was.

Halfway through the trip, Daddy started signing, "If I were King of the Forest" (1939 Wizard of Oz). Veronica was delighted and learned the words before we got to the hospital.

I am glad my car knows its own way to all the places we go. The ocapella chorus, of questionable quality, was as entertaining as the morning and evening chorus our hounds use to serenade us each day.

The smiles made my heart soar.

"I want hamburger chickens."

In the unending attempt to put weight on Russell, when have instituted a tradition: McDonald's after the hospital. Russell gets a high-fat sandwich. I get a fish patty. Nicholas gets French fries (his second voluntary vegetable). Veronica gets "hamburger chickens". She knows we go to get hamburgers, but she gets chicken nuggets. To her mind, they are "hamburger chickens".

Shoot me before Wal-Mart.

The sheer size of what I consider a microbial store, wears Russell. He does well to travel 300 feet at a clip before sitting down to catch his breath. We made a full lap of the store with Russell even traveling a few aisles to retrieve what interested him.

Interest alone is a victory. For more than three weeks, Russell has had no appetite. I have been unable to entice him to eat even his dyed-in-the-wool favorite foods. For the silver lining, the dogs are eating well as a result.

Back to the road!

With everyone having gotten a toy (Russell, too), we loaded up for the 35 mile trip home. A vibrant conversation ensued, with all occupants in participation. Nicholas even tried to keep up with the melody of the songs.

Please stow your tray tables as we prepare for descent.

We stopped by the mailbox. Russell rightfully fussed it was brimming. The mailbox has always been his job, but the quarter mile round trip to the mailbox is more than he can handle. Yes, our front yard is a bit over one-tenth of a mile.

I am not fond of snail mail. My paraplegic sister has been my postal ray of sunshine. We send each other cards and hand made postcards. She maintains, "It is so nice to go to the mailbox and get something from someone who does not want money." She is right.

The children were happy to bring in merchandise and help put everything away. The dogs were glad to see us with a full box of French fries. Russell was tired, but fulfilled from the trip. I was happy we had spent the time together.

Laughter is good medicine.
Ann Marie

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Rural America copes with food prices

Kershaw, October 3 (One World) Rural America is making tough decisions in the face of rising food costs. Choices include where to buy, what and when to eat and whether to eat at all.

Known for homegrown vegetables and farmer's markets, rural towns like Kershaw, South Carolina, are returning to their farming roots. Independent Grocer's Association (IGA) Foodliner is changing the way it buys produce for it customers.

Rather than relying on regional corporate suppliers, the grocery store is buying produce locally to offer affordable foods. Foodliner's manager says, "We have to offer local produce to lower costs to keep from throwing away the food we cannot sell."

Luxury food items, like higher priced cuts of meat and seafood, are not selling as well as they did last year. On the other hand, less expensive alternatives are selling out. Canned tuna, potted meats and beans are selling faster than ever before. Residents are looking for cost effective alternatives to fresh meats.

He could not state how much the change in his sales can be credited to gas prices. "I know I am seeing some people who used to shop out of town. Now, they can't afford the gas to drive that far."

In the local newspaper, The Kershaw News-Era, ads for farm animals have doubled in the last three months. Breeders are advertising goats, chickens, pigs and cattle as a food source rather than as pets.

Turkey and poultry farm owners are answering local demand for immediate access to products. To cut shipping costs, farms are selling packaged poultry and eggs at the processing plants directly to the public.

Handmade signs line the residential roads advertising fresh fruits and vegetables for sale. Local residents allow anyone to stop and buy their home-grown wares. In the past, these foods would have been canned and given to friends and family.

Today, families are selling these foods to make ends meet. They cannot afford to give any away. Some gardeners gather on vacant corners of crossroads with ice chests filled with vegetables for sale. One lifelong seller says, "This used to be a hobby. Now, I need the money to put food on my own table."

Family Feed & Seed is seeing more sales this summer in seeds and nursery plants. The owner, Mark Rosengrant says, "When the plant is a dollar and one tomato is a dollar, no wonder everyone wants plants." Rosengrant says that he sees more new faces every week looking for a way to save money at the grocery store.

Kershaw Area Resource Exchange (KARE) has begun opening its doors three times per week to meet the community needs. The KARE food bank distributes three times more food stores than its previous high since opening its doors.

KARE director, Mike Hilton says, "With the rising costs of gas, energy and food, more families need our help to feed their children." Hilton says that families need monetary help because they are making choices to pay bills or buy food since they cannot afford to do both.

One KARE recipient says, "I need food for my kids. I paid the electric bill so they wouldn't turn it off. If I go hungry, that's one thing, but I have to feed my kids."

Another came on behalf of her 86 year old mother. "Mama can't keep the lights on, go to the doctor and buy food. At least [KARE] will give her some food."

The change in food spending is evident in the health changes of the community. At-risk senior citizens are being treated more often at Sentinel Health Partners for ailments like shingles, anemia and malnutrition. Influenza is expected to be a larger concern this year based on nutrition-related immune deficiencies.

Adult residents are losing weight. One of the clinic doctors says, "It is not a conscious decision for most of these folks. They simply don't have as much to eat."

Children are not growing at the same rate. The doctor attributes this to smaller portions at the dinner table. "It is hard to get parents to admit that their children are not getting enough to eat."

School cafeteria worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, says, "The children eat all their lunch no matter what we serve. Even the picky eaters are cleaning their plates." This could be considered a benefit: Children are receiving and eating a balanced meal at least once per day.

The elementary schools report that more children are eating breakfast at school. Parents have weighed the cost of school breakfast versus buying and preparing the food themselves. School breakfast is cheaper.

Area restaurants do not win the same battle. Fewer people are dining out. The average cost for a family of four to eat at a restaurant is $38.00. A well-budgeted, balanced meal for four at the grocery store is $13.00. In combination with homegrown foods, the same meal is as low as $7.00.

Rural America is choosing to shop smarter, grow its own food or do without it.

Author's note: Many people interviewed for this piece were unwilling to allow their names or quotes in print. Each described the strife over food prices and hunger as demoralizing, inhumane and shameful. Revealing publicly the inability to feed oneself is too great for most.

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