Posts filed under ‘personal opinion’
The Cardinal “letter”- H for Hypocrisy- pappish style
Long time readers of this blog will remember I have a real issue with the Roman Catholic Church – so I have researched the inconsistencies with what the hierarchy preach and what they have done – for example lets talk castration and that cover-up ( under 6 Popes)-
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/combining-religion-politics-castrations-cover-ups-church/
The “MEN of God forcibly castrating young men to cure them of homosexuality and covering up the wide-spread sex abuse amongst the men of FAITH????????? and then enabling the cover-up of such disgrace even NOW!- I AM SICKENED!!!.
Now the issue of homosexuality is coming full circle considering these same pillars of the Roman Catholic church are now facing the scandal of their own homosexual behaviours- a scandal that has seen the current infallible Pope apparently having to leave office
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287074/Gay-sex-rings-The-Filth-corrupting-Vatican–Pope-REALLY-quit.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/21/pope-retired-amid-gay-bishop-blackmail-inquiry
A potentially explosive report has linked the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI to the discovery of a network of gay prelates in the Vatican, some of whom – the report said – were being blackmailed by outsiders.
I have written extensively about the hypocrisy of those that have power in the “organized church” and members of their flock ( locally) .
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/ignorestance-and-the-roman-catholic-church-part-6/
I have no issue with people having beliefs or being of a faith as long as they don’t interfere or NEGATE my beliefs. AND this is what the priest Father Divas and his parishioners did in my opinion to my family.
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/06/25/ignore-stance-and-the-roman-catholic-church-part-three/
It is something I will not forget or forgive whilst my son’s remains are in a place I find abhorrent .
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/september-3rd-war-movin-on-hell-truly-is-other-people-chris-ritchey/
Angela (Lombardi) Ritchey DO- Susan Lombardi- Tim Lombardi Bishop Lennon- Father Divas
Somehow in this community of Mary, Mother of God Parish, Lorain , Father Divas, Tim and Sue Lombardi and their family Gonzales, Zaworski, Gott and the Vikas believe their right of faith superceded my own and that of my son’s .
They deemed it acceptable to gossip about the mother of a dead son at his ” viewing” .
They deemed it their right to bury a son’s remains without letting his family know.
They deemed it acceptable for write horrid letters questioning a mothers love of her son just a few weeks after his death.
They put their rubber stamp on his last earthly remains, they broke his family’s hearts, they ( his bride) went back on their agreement as to the agreement for our closure .
It is all documented
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/10/14/an-open-letter-mama-sue-lombardi/
and
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/12/11/december-11th-the-beginning-of-the-beginning/
And of course the Roman Catholic Church, under the auspices of Father Daniel Divas, Bishop Lennon, as is their want “locally” ignored my letters , my questions and our pain.
I lost what respect I had for the for the Roman Catholic Church . This community of religion and the Vatican, too long, have covered up or ignored for the sake of “princes of this church”.
The aftermath of the death of my son found me sickened, incredulous and confused by the actions of supposedly “christian like” people and their “leaders of their church”. The pain caused to a family who lost their only son – the needs of this family discounted and ignored WHY? Is that christian-like behaviour or the teaching of the code unto which these Roman Catholics adhere? 
We take care of our own- thinking – well I guess it probably is – although my experience with the “power and flock of the local church” Mary Mother of God parish and Calvary Cemetery is of only importance to me and mine. However, it is, in my opinion, the high-minded disgraceful behaviour and the who is who – the decisions, ignoring the wrongs and posturing that is causing the institution and business of the Roman Catholic Church its current PR and participation problems.
Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will being electing a new pope on 12 March. The new pontiff will have a host of issues to deal with, among them the decline in active worship right on his doorstep – in Europe’s Catholic countries……
In 1966, 80% of the French declared themselves Catholic. By last year, 35% of the overall population and 63% of 18-24-year-olds said they were “of no religion”.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21702993
In my opinion, Father Divas, and Bishop Lennon enabled such hurt to be done to us and enabled the compounding of a mother and fathers grief.
They enabled disgrace, they enabled dishonesty of the cruelest kind.
I wonder if any Hail Mary’s were given to Angela Lombardi Ritchey DO for her acts- the breaking of ones word ( in front of witnesses) the hurt caused by burying a son without his family in a cemetery not of his faith in a “family plot” that was not of his family and the tackiness that followed. How many Hail Mary’s does that get – I am assuming none because Father Divas of the confessional would have had to admit his part in this cruelty.
I wrote to the Vatican and to Cardinal Foley – who has since passed away- December 2011- he did respond to a grieving mother and that is the only comfort and succour received by the Roman Catholic ) CHRISTIAN Church this family received.
Why am I not surprised then at the whitewashing of the “sins” as the hierarchy and flock of the Roman Catholic Church deem them to be? The church is awash with disgraceful acts and cover-ups subjecting them to blackmail and perversion of justice.
Ironically the new spokesman for the latest round of problems and scandals has the name of Lombardi -
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/441908/20130304/vatican-cardinal-fake-pope-o-brien.htm
oh dear hopefully he is more honorable that the ones with which I have had to deal.
Oh! I am just a little tiny piece of the equation, insignificant among all the other “ignor stances” of the Vatican, the Popes – the cardinals, the archbishops, those who are the hierarchy of this church of shame and their underlings.
And still the community of Roman Catholics flock to their church, tears in their eyes – I know those tears – Why do these members of a world-wide congregation still follow these “icons” of the church for leadership?
These are men – with weaknesses and desires ( some so obscene by anyones standards- who go unscathed – protected into pulpits all over the world ) Is your kindly priest who forgives you your sins – one who blesses you after his own night of drunken debauchery, or crushing the innocence of a child brought to the church to be saved?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290439/Scottish-bishops-accused-covering-20-child-sex-allegations.html
They sicken me with their hypocrisy just as I am sickened by those that pray on their knees and profess to be pillars of a community locally who follow the same hypocritical behaviour .
Do the people believe these men have the ear to a God , they who have the power to save them to admit them have a key to enable them into some sort of eternal life ? Did these same men who wear the robes of archbishops who for years have trodden the paths of sinners have the power to forgive their congregations their wrongs. Yes! it is hypocrisy! On that an archbishop and I totally agree!
In a sermon in Glasgow, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia, now the de facto leader of Scotland’s 760,000 Catholics, said it was obvious why O’Brien’s resignation and admissions of sexual misconduct left the church open to the “most stinging charge” of hypocrisy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/04/scottish-catholic-obrien-scandal-authority
Ironically Cardinal Foley passed away from blood cancer two years to the month after my son- I hope his family has a peace denied to us by the members of his religion.
The Cowboys of Lorain- No more shooting blanks !-Part 7
Part One – http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/the-cowboys-of-lorain-building-standards-part-one/
Part Two-http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/the-cowboys-of-lorain-part-two-the-demo-men/
Part Three-http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/01/28/the-cowboys-of-lorain-the-process-q-and-a-part-three/
Part Four -http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/cowboys-of-lorain-are-they-gonna-call-q-and-a-part-four/
Part Five-http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/cowboys-of-lorain-occupy-lorain-rentals-part-5/
THE CITIZENS:
So what is a community to do ? Here we sit in the older neighborhoods of Lorain slowly dying. We are a community that is fueling its own destruction – we are the enablers of our own plight .
We are a city whose main big business ( in my opinion) has become the business of rentals - it is not unusual for property owners to own not just 2 or three rentals but we now have people owning dozens and dozens of properties – if not hundreds such as- George Schneider.
Why because they make money – just like any other BUSINESS hopes to . We have Kent Sutton, himself a mega property owner stating to the newspaper
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/06/18/news/mj6081873.txt
We (Lake Erie landlords Association) simply assure housing providers that they are running a business not like any other business,” Sutton said. “The housing should be kept up to some condition of the neighborhood.”.
It has been shown ( I hope) through my blog the landlords are determining the health and the condition of these older neighborhoods .
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/rape-of-lorain-literally-determining-the-health-of-my-neighborhood/
Why even the City of Lorain ‘s previous administrations such as the Foltin – Miller administration brought in Mr. Sutton to determine how rentals should be inspected- that was a “brilliant idea’ http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=82
I wonder who benefitted??? surely not my neighborhood.
We have over 10 thousand rentals properties in our housing stock of around 29,000 of those 10,177 are occupied rental.
( Note)These are not you high-end rentals the average rental costs are approximately $550.
Our vacant properties around $3,600 ( since some have now been demolished). According to the census in Lorain our numbers add up like this
of those 29,000 homes over 50 percent 15,953 were built before 1959 over half century ago in fact we have only had 755 homes built AFTER 2005.
Our housing situation is the stuff of nightmares in some streets.
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/category/lorain-multi-property-owners/
Landlords, who do not apparently care or do due diligence when checking references ( tip one – please check the court files- will give you an idea of their “worthiness” and reliability of your prospective tenants)
Far too many landlords have given succour to criminals who ply their trade in our neighborhoods: You want to help out these individuals fine put them in the house next door to you!
The individuals coming from incarceration are told which communities have the social service agencies readily available and into which neighborhoods they can assimilate - a neighborhood where apparently there are no lace curtains from which to be noticed- as there are either no windows and / or they are boarded up- leaving them free to do business from these “homes”.
LORAIN POLICE DEPT:
Take the recent case of Joseph Worthy and what can happen in these vacant homes- a drug deal gone bad , very bad in this “vacant home”. He was out on the parole- Joseph has been before had been before Lorain Municipal Court 55 times- and before Lorain County Court of Common Pleas 10 separate times – he has given his address on a number of occasions as the homeless shelter and a rooming house (Broadway) and Catholic Charities on 8th Street.
“
Police now say the victim knew her attacker, 36-year-old Joseph Worthy. They believe the victim went willingly with Worthy to a vacant home to take part in a drug deal. Police do believe a sexual assault took place during the drug deal. Worthy was arrested on rape charges.The investigation continues.
LORAIN FIRE DEPARTMENT:
Photo Source: Bobel – Morning Journal
These homes also keep the Lorain Fire Dept. busy ( emphasis mine)
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2013/01/08/news/doc50eba43b9313b166152884.txt
and from an earlier article -
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/06/12/news/mj6340590.txt
“The city of Lorain has a problem with vacant house fires,” Lorain Fire Chief Tom Brown said. “We have absentee landlords and homeowners. People get into the houses and cause crime. We don’t have any witnesses or descriptions of suspects. We need help.”
City Council wants to know the cost to the city of putting out the fire especially when it looks like nearly one-third of fire calls to homes is for vacant and abandoned house of late .
NOTE: speaking to Chief Brown he stated the LFD responded to 14 vacant house fires last year and 2 gas leaks.
also he stated that if he had the ability to charge for recovery ( as with Hazmat)) he would for have to apply for a minimum $1,000 per hour just for per vehicles and man power to be covered.-
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2013/02/09/news/doc5115d1b18bc05901902155.txt?viewmode=2
Councilman-at-Large Dan Given asked for an analysis of the cost per call to understand how different calls affect the budget for the city.
Brown said he is working on a reply for council.
It is possible to divide the department budget by the number of calls to get a dollar figure per call, Brown said.
The figure would be “astronomical,” Brown said. “People are going to fall out of their seats, and I don’t blame them,”
.
Our very school system depends upon a healthy community- our quality of life depends upon our neighborhoods. The survival as a viable community depends upon “quality” – The bar has to be set higher – we can’t have the mend and make do mentality- and drive by inspections that only get the bare minimum accomplished. 
THE JUDGES
Since the “business of rentals” is becoming Lorain’s largest business it is time to treat them as a business, to set a standard in Lorain and for judges to do more than fine someone a few hundred dollars and let the eyesores continue.
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/09/12/george-schneider-appealing-properties-or-wheres-the-judgement/
I see the need for more emphasis on the older properties. However, as we have learned in this series the City of Lorain Inspectors ( unless asked to Oh do come in) cannot do interior inspections . Changes NEED to BE Made in Lorain. Since in a previous post I referred to the City of Lakewood and their way of dealing with nuisances and older homes-
http://lakewood-oh.patch.com/articles/lakewood-buys-two-burdensome-boarding-houses
I checked with them as to interior inspections and point of sale. Let us look at Lakewood Building Dept. emphasis mine !
http://www.onelakewood.com/PublicSafety/Housing_Building/
The department is made up of one Dept. Administrator, one Assistant Building Commissioner for Residential, overseeing a staff of five residential inspectors, one Assistant Building Commissioner for Commercial, overseeing a staff of four commercial inspectors, one Litter Control Agent, and three Administrative Support Staff. This staff has over 300 years in combined professional experience with inspections, engineering, contracting, and support, plus 30 hours of continuing education every 3 years for each state certification an inspector holds (avg. of 4 certifications each)
The chief priority of this department is enforcement of commercial and residential building codes for every structure in the City. This task is accomplished through the following processes:
NOTE::::: Complete Interior Inspections
1.Annual inspections consist of COMPLETE INTERIOR , exterior, and yard area inspections of NON- OWNER OCCUPIED structures on a street by street basis. Streets are assigned until all of the above properties have been inspected. When completed, the inspection rotation begins again.
Now how do they get to perform these INTERIOR inspections when we apparently are on a “do come in basis ” or relying upon the integrity of the rental / landlord property owner. According to the Lakewood Building Dept. they send a letter with an appointment- and if they are not welcomed they go before the prosecutor because this is a codified ordinance with the City of Lakewood! YES! for Lakewood!
Now Lorain? we need to treat this business of rental as Mr. Sutton ( whose advice was to dearly sought by the Foltin Administration) as the businesses he says they are and treat them as such.
back to Lakewood:
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2.Exterior inspections are performed in all non-Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) areas. These are external only inspections and are assigned by complaint and on a rotational street-by-street basis.
3.Zone Check inspections are the responsibility of inspectors assigned to a specific ward of the City to ferret out the “eye sore” properties and to issue a correction notice to the property owner.
4.Exterior/Interior Complaint inspections are triggered from various sources including citizen calls, councilpersons, “report-a-problem”, police or public works referrals, etc.
5.Certificate of Occupancy Inspections are mandated for all non-owner occupied rental properties that are on the market for sale. This inspection includes the interior, exterior, and yard areas of the property.
6.Prior to Sale inspections are for owner occupied properties. Should an owner request it, an inspection is conducted on the interior, exterior, and yard areas when they are marketing their property for sale.7.Lakewood First Time Homebuyers Program inspections are initiated by the property owner and are required for participation in the program.
CITY OF LORAIN ADMINISTRATION AND LORAIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Lorain is literally feeding upon herself!
TIME FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, LAW DEPARTMENT AND CITY COUNCIL TO GIVE THE INSPECTIONS SOME AMMUNITION- !!!!! I DON’T CARE IF THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR -
TIME FOR OUR CITY TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT UPSETTING THE APPLE CART OF CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTORS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF OFFENDING THEM – WE, THE PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER IN LORAIN- WE HAVE PUT UP WITH TOO MUCH ALREADY!
No More Fudd for thought we need action!!!
Time Warner Cable- The Twaddle /Spiel – Can you hear me NOW!!!
SOURCE
This morning, finds the letters I wrote to Mr. Glenn Britt CEO of Time Warner Cable and to the FCC on the Chronicle Telegram Website in an article on “OUR” TIME WARNER CABLE “ISSUES” BY LINE Evan Goddenow
Reynolds on Tuesday said he was unaware of any recent widespread area problems.
“That would lead me to believe that this is kind of a couple of instances at various houses,”
And to that I say Mr. Reynolds in the terms of this ‘Brit” Absolute Rubbish – pure and unadulterated twaddle, waffle and poppycock-”
You , Mr. Reynolds of Time Warner of the Akron??? office obviously aren’t reading or listening or having any follow through ( once again may I add) with your customers! I expect more- Mr. Reynolds- after all you are in the “communications industry!
Let me remind you this is the same spiel you gave me and others in June 2011
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/time-warner-cable-tv-oh-it/
During the course of the two weeks ( this happened twice I finally got to speak to a supervisor who said
“this is the first I am hearing of this problem”EXCUSE ME!!! I have been tenacious to the point of annoying I have emailed, phoned written and chatted and apparently it is not getting back to the people in the organization who are actually concerned with fixing the problem. If this is the first they are hearing of this locally it isn’t because I didn’t try!
Here are the letters:To Glenn Britt CEO Time Warner and the FCC
Time Warner Cable
Corporate Office
60 Columbus Circle
New York, New York 10023 December 17th, 2012FOR THE PERSONAL ATTENTION OF MR. GLENN BRITT
Dear Mr. Britt,
Re: Time Warner Cable – Lorain, Ohio and surrounding area
As you may recall, I wrote to you and your corporate offices in June of 2011. I had an issue with your poor service and the lack of follow through on the freezing/pixelating issues faced by those residents in this area who had the “digital box”. I wrote a post on my “thatwoman” blog at that time http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/time-warner-cable-tv-oh-it/ . The temporary fix whilst waiting for apparently the emergency maintenance of switches in the area, as told to me by your technicians, has apparently been unsuccessful. I would conclude 18 months of waiting is more than enough time to fix an emergency.
I have, for those 18 months put up with freezing and pixelating on most of the lower number channels, but your company is well aware of the problems so I will not regurgitate the complaints. I have enclosed my latest blog post.
You are losing customers ( see attached blog post), maybe this is of no concern but I for one am dismayed and angered that I am paying you faithfully since 1995 for a service that is only partially what I am supposed to be receiving. This is not acceptable, in my opinion; one of us is not living up to our contractual agreement – payment for services rendered.
I would hope, Time Warner Cable, will look closely at the issues in Lorain, Ohio and surrounding area and as a provider of a service , which is by no means inexpensive, address your technical problems and lack of customer service. I look forward to an early reply as to how you and Time Warner Cable are going to do to remedy this situation. I remain:
Yours sincerely
Loraine Ritchey – loyal customer and “that woman blog”
CC. Mayor C. Ritenauer- City of Lorain
P Riley- City of Lorain Law Director
J. Cordes – Lorain County Administrator
Federal Communications Commission -ENC
To The Federal Communications Commission
Attn. Complaints Cable Television Complaint
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554 December 17th2012Dear Sir/ Madam,
RE: Complaints of longstanding Time Warner Cable Company- Lorain Ohio and vicinity
Please find enclosed my letter to CEO- Glenn Britt of Time Warner Cable Corporate Offices and a hard copy of my blog post on the subject.http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/time-warner-pixelating-freezing-glen-britt-leaving-in-droves/. Please note there is the original post of June 2011 linked in the post enclosed with this letter. http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/time-warner-cable-tv-oh-it/
Residents of the City of Lorain and surrounding areas have been putting up with partial (pixelating /freezing) service on their high definition boxes. We have been informed Time Warner Cable is fully aware of the problems but are ignoring the upgrades purposely. I would like to think this is not the case however, you can see by my personal experience I am still having the same difficulties with quality of service for nearly two years. I, unlike many, have decided to try and fix this issue and to hold Time Warner Cable accountable in upholding their end of our monthly agreement and contract to receive a quality service for a substantial fee.
I note on my bill ( see enclosures) the FCC also receives a monthly Regulatory Fee as part of my bill and also there is a matter of a Franchise Fee. Therefore; I would like your assistance to determine whether or not Time Warner Cable will be upgrading their service to this area, stopping the freezing and pixelating issues or stop charging for a service that is not satisfactory.
The City of Lorain and vicinity is not alone with these issues, I have searches on my blog every day from all over the United States with the same complaint. Obviously there is a huge problem that is effecting more than I and I would assume, they too, pay for the FCC Regulatory Fee on their bills. On behalf of all those frustrated and angry customers who are still with Time Warner Cable, I ask your assistance in rectifying this lack of service. I remain:
Yours sincerely
Loraine Ritchey
CC. Mayor Ritenauer- City of Lorain -J Cordes County Administrator- P Riley Law Director Lorain
September 3rd -”Drs.” Love- Labor- Lost – Cleveland Clinic – Chris Ritchey
2 faces of life- by Chris Ritchey
September 2009- found only 4 blog posts for that month- We had been given the devastating news on August 29th delivered with cold clinical monotone by Dr. Brad Pohlman – as he strode through the door into the “holding room” where Chris, Angela , Nikki and I sat.
“This is bad- very bad – the cancer is back- your only hope for a cure is SGN 35 – and we ( the Cleveland Clinic) closed our trial last Friday-”
I remember thinking at the time as his words only confirmed my greatest fear of the last weeks:
“you have messed around with tests, biopsies, for 4 weeks – knowing as we did, 8 days previously, the cancer was back and you couldn’t have put him on the list for the trial. Bloody Drs. they knew days ago the prognosis- he knew the results the day before when we were called to come in- why wasn’t he or they ready with information as to the next step”.
I looked over at you, behind my own sunglasses as you absorbed the news , there was a swallowing and a slight lifting of your chin only lower it to your chest, your nostrils flared slightly as you sucked in a breath, your knuckles turned white as your hands balled into fists at your side, lips pressed tight together .
We waited, silenced, to be told the next course of action – Dr Pohlman folded his slim frame , with his still elegant slacks and starched white coat and expensive leather loafers into an empty chair.
“ SGN 35 is your only hope. You will need to find a trial that is still open- but most have closed, as we did, on Friday”
I don’t understand
I said- anger at this man who just delivered my son’s death sentence with the same matter of factness as a mechanic telling you “You need new tires”.
Chris can’t get on the trial here????-
No,
stated the clinician in his lab coat
we are allowed only so many and we are full and have a waiting list – St Louis might have an opening- I will check on the internet this weekend……
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing ” he would check the internet over the weekend-” Hell he has a staff of dozens why wasn’t that information available already?
My son, it seemed to me was a “failure” of the double stem cell transplant – his refractory Hodgkin’s lymphoma back with a vengeance – he would not to be counted as a “medical” success story and so was seemingly to me and to Nikki was being passed off- the lab rat didn’t pass the test- I could almost see the wiping of the hands .
I looked at you sitting so still, back pressed hard against the wall( trying to keep upright), eyes hidden behind your aviator sunglasses once again, hiding the tears I know were filling your eyes . Nikki looking with utter disbelief at this man with the white lab coat , diamond earing and white frame glasses who had just delivered a death sentence.
Nikki spoke, her tone incredulous :
What do you mean St. Louis? – this is the Cleveland Clinic you are supposed to be the best- and you are done? Can’t you put Chris on SGN 35 here on compassionate grounds?
A slight shrug of his shoulders, No! as she shook his head-the beautifully coiffered silvery hair not moving. I got the feeling he just wanted out of there…..
Angela, who had said nothing during this time except
” we purchased a juicer and Chris is drinking fresh juices” -
Pohlman looked at this ‘Dr. in training” with a surprise flickering across his face and said
“be careful with how much you do with that it might throw off any treatment results .”
Nikki said :
Isn’t there anything the Clinic can do?
came the reply from Dr. Pohlman .
We could try a ” Allogeneic” stem cell transplant . Are you his sister? We could test you but I think the insurance company will deny it – Chris’ immune system is not recognizing the cancer and chances are your immune system won’t kick in in time , but we will test you, if you like, to see if there is a match I will have the paperwork sent to you .
Meanwhile you sat, saying nothing as your very hope of a life disappearing, as you were “discussed” – words of death echoing off the stark cold walls. I know you daren’t speak. Finally interview over, you walked from the room Nikki and Angela followed you out the door. I stayed back stood up , legs shaking , my world crashing in ….
White Coat of Death- Chris Ritchey
I looked at this Dr. so removed from the cruel news he had delivered and I said:
Is there nothing ? Chris did every damned thing he was told to do – you sat here on June 29th after the double stem cell transplant, in this very room telling me he was clear- dismissing me – when I questioned his need for another PET scan in August? You said – NO! there is no need all his CT scans are clear -He wouldn’t need to be seen until November – this can’t be happening- isn’t there anything you can do you are his Dr. the trial is here – hope is here
I could hear myself “begging” this man for hope…….
I will check with St. Louis, you will have to excuse me , I had to fit Chris in- I have patients waiting…….
The next days were a whirlwind of everyone of us on the internet and phone following leads trying to find trials with openings with the SGN35- St. Louis, Chicago became options but it was to MD Anderson , Houston Texas you went- they called could you “be there tomorrow” for an appointment and we made sure you were. Your Labor day exploring a Texas ranch whilst you waited to start with SGN 35
I wrote, on the following, September 3rd…….
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/remember-the-kind-of-september-chris-ritchey/
this will work it has to be a sign- fate or whomever decides our destiny couldn’t be so cruel as to keep giving hope only to dash us on the rocks of despair- to give us the “avenue of against the odds”.
3 months later -you died but not from the cancer
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/concrete-in-the-lungs-june-3rd-chris-ritchey/
and a year later this post – where the juice was mixed with tequilla 
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/september-3rd-war-movin-on-hell-truly-is-other-people-chris-ritchey/
NOTE: I have also categorised this post under the Doctors and Physician series “The Good Doctor”, although this post is a little out of the ‘running order”.
Part One
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/the-good-doctor-or-dentist/Part Two
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/the-good-dr-or-dentist-part-two/This is the story of what happened to THIS family from MY perspective, as we lived through those dark days that ultimately took my son -and from my own “non medical” opinion- I realize there are thousands of experiences with blood cancers and the Cleveland Clinic and I am sure with great success for some
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/06/a_healthy_fathers_day_for_clev.html
I am hoping readers experiencing the obscenity of Cancer and other catastrophic illness will find they aren’t alone and maybe just maybe those of the white coats who become immune to emotions of death , as they scan the records of their next patient in the holding room, will remember the beating heart does more than pump blood……………….
Gridlocked and the writing stop sign!
It isn’t as if I have writers’ block , maybe it is grief gridlock or that I am a becoming a marshmallowy pillow of a vehicle . I keep absorbing the information, the stories, tucking away the posts in a part of my mind but although I am taking on board the fuel I just can’t get to the gas pedal. I could write about so many things – most of them already started:
The continuing journey of in search of my son but the stop sign on that particular street is the cost to continue – it takes a great toll on me physically and emotionally- I have to move forward slowly – there is no E-Z pass available .
Healthcare and the Drs. – that has been started with so much to cover but I know eventually I will have to pull out the terrible memories at the Cleveland Clinic and relive those days of horror in order to explain the treatment courses for “refractory Hodgkin’s Lymphoma”.
This particular stop sign finds me with “guilt gridlock” as I know I can help those that come to my blog every day with the search term “is Hodgkin’s curable”. I know, just like I did, they need and want answers in lay terms and I could help with the potholes and speed bumps and no exits on that journey. The engine of bravery is barely ticking over.
The Rape of Lorain by conglomerate Landlords and Banks -
The research needed and time to discover the who is who- there is an apathy that has controlled me these past weeks and I can’t get out of 1st gear on this one. So the information sits and idles on my desk top!
Religion- Heaven and Hell -The organisation of the masses -
It is all there waiting – the caution lights blinking – because the road to be followed is not on the map and the responsibility of the driver’s seat has left me stalled. The openness of the road is daunting.
City of Lorain – history, politics, crime, people – the good and bad, schools
That vehicle is so full it cannot get past the weight scales to get back on the road. There are just so many passengers it is a quandary as to who should get off the bus first. There are 65 categories on this blog and I have a tale to tell for each and everyone of them .
Freedom – the price of freedom – and the perception of freedom- is freedom relative?
Exploring this road finds me in need of a licence to continue?
This vehicle has an empty seat and its fuel gauge is hovering around low so short trips are the outcome . There seems to be “missing” stops signs along the way.
So here I am in the lay by of life at the moment assessing thedamage of continuous fender benders waiting for the gridlock to break and finding the energy needed to start the engine and continue.
Birthday- Chris Ritchey- and the Chris -Miss present
In Search of my Son Part 18
BIRTHDAY…..
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/08/21/birthday/
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/08/21/birthday-chris-ritchey/
Once again a week in August – a time past of celebration – the happiness of a wedding anniversary , your birthday and then mine used to cause your father such consternation ( a lot of money outgoing all in one week 
.) As you grew, we started to combine the celebrations , after all, we “shared your birth” – you , I and your dad as had watched as his son was brought into the world that August day.
But that next day , whilst your Nana was being picked up from the airport and everyone was busy preparing for our homecoming, Nikki wanting to meet her little brother was all excitement – you and I had a quiet time in the hospital room – a time to bond.
I held you , propped up on my knees, looking at your little face, all red and blotchy, little finger nails so perfect and I made the promises mothers make- I talked to you of life , your big sister and how I would never let you down , I would do everything I could to keep you safe and give you happiness. I was so grateful for the gift of your life. I can remember every word I spoke to you that morning and then Dr. Shotz telling me as long as my mother would be at home with me we could leave and start our lives as mother and son and take home MY birthday gift – YOU!
Your last birthday on this planet – saw my failure – I did try but I couldn’t keep my promises made on your “birth – day.
I sat in the Cleveland Clinic waiting room, which reminded me of an airport waiting area – the big electronic sign boards telling of the status of patients and their respective surgeries – holding patterns – landed – in flight or in this case – recovery – in operating room etc. It made me feel quite ill at the cold technology announcing “status” of those under the knife in the same way planes landed at Hopkins Airport.
I sat trapped having to listening to what I considered inane comments , stupidity and selfishness of thinking by your bride’s vacuous grandmother and her brood http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/september-3rd-war-movin-on-hell-truly-is-other-people-chris-ritchey/ who had decided to “surprise us” ( although I know your “bride” wasn’t surprised )
My whole being was fraught with worry that morning , my insides were shaking and sick with fear, what would they find? My son going under a surgeon’s knife – cutting into your neck to see if the obscenity of the curable cancer had once again beaten the ” treatment”.. I just wanted to go somewhere quiet away from chatter with my thoughts. I didn’t want to be polite. I just wanted peace.
They coffee clutched the time away with their frivolous discussions of fashions, cake , birthdays and celebrations seemingly without thought of how this would affect those that did truly love you ). If there ever was a time where I heard my own grandmother’s voice it was then ” Remember Loraine, breeding will out”
I wanted to scream and shake them as the grandmother decided it would be a good time for a betting game- we were all supposed to pick a time from the time your name came on the big board informing us you were now in the operating room as to how long it would take for you to be under the knife and the time of the surgery .
“Angela it isn’t fair though you can’t be part of this as being a doctor you would know the answer – giggle, giggle, giggle” Lisa what do you say? Frank? 45 minutes, 55? an hour?
and so it went.
Nikki had excused herself and I was left alone with them. I ignored the game as best I could and tried to ignore them, all the while wishing they were somewhere else – anywhere but there, but the puerile woman would not shut up – Clowns – artwork Chris Ritchey
Come on Loraine you must have a guess, join in – otherwise you won’t win! Angela , do we have time to go to the cafeteria – Loraine isn’t it your birthday too in a couple of days – it is Chris’ today isn’t it – will you have a party, what kind of cake, will your mother be baking one or two?
I wanted to reach across the arm of the chair , as she prattled, joined by her granddaughters, and throttle her. I wanted to scream at them
Shut Up! are you all so damned insensitive you can’t see your imbecilic diatribe is ripping me apart, I don’t care about your nonsensical games , I am in torment that my son will die- can’t you see our pain you stupid,selfish people?
I kept quiet for my son’s sake. I felt like I was being swept away and immersed into a mindless black comedy. Shades of things to come, as your next birthday they placed cake and balloons on your grave.
I could stand it no longer and went outside where I vomited the choking bile into a gutter, floods of tears, held back for hours , exploded from me. Nikki came to find me and we sat away from the “prattlers” until the announcement to meet with the Dr.
As much as I try I cannot get your last birthday out of my head as the surgeon confirmed that the cancer was back- a gift of death on your birthday I had Nikki take me home – I knew that if you saw my face as you came round in the recovery room- you would know things were bad and I couldn’t bring you that pain on your birthday and I knew I couldn’t hide the horror from you ! Guilt swept over me as I also knew that by me not being there when you woke up would also cause you concern- I only hoped the excuse Nikki had to get back to feed Gavin would be plausible.I just couldn’t let you see what I know was written on my face.
I have, since you died, tried other ways to remember the day of your birth and to give Gavin, and now Braedyn, a present – a Chris – miss present so once again there will be joy, laughter and good memories associated with your special day. I try temper the memory of your last birthday and those uninvited purveyors of self with the happy laughter and giggles of your nephews.
This year, “Transformers” is the toy of the moment” Oh! how you loved that show and the robots when you were little – drove us crazy with them- and now Gavin has discovered “Transformers” and his mum will be plagued with Optimus Prime .
But it is the packing box that has been transformed - It is now Gavin’s Boat , painted, named and launched with great happiness and pride as Braedyn looks on not quite sure of what is happening!
Nikki, will send another donation to your scholarship fund at LCCC to continue the remembering of you and your life – and I will try to make it through another
birth- day and try my very best to replace the awful memories of memories of that last birthday.
LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEADERSHIP AWARD- CHRIS RITCHEY
Debra L. Richter
Alumni and Scholarship Coordinator
Lorain County Community College Foundation
1005 N. Abbe Road
Elyria, OH 44035
440.366.7758 – Office
440.366.4078 – Fax
The Journey- In search of My son continues
Part One - In search of my son- In search of me
Part Two – Tourjours Moi-Always Me
Part Three - Always Me – Always Chris
Part Four - In search of My Son-
Chris Ritchey – Thanks
Part Five - Dark Humour- Shedding a Light
Part Six - The Unfinished Portrait
Part Seven- The Unfinished Portrait- The Artists
(2) Part Two – Who Are We Really?
Part Eight- When Premonition Becomes Hindsight
Part Nine- When Premonition Becomes Hindsight – Part Two
Part Ten (a) – There is an “I” in Death
Part Ten (b)- I didn’t know my son- Chris Ritchey
Part Eleven- Unfinished Portrait the Artistic Gene
Part Twelve- Unfinished Portrait- the Artistic Gene- Part Two
Part Thirteen- A Place of Echoes
Part Fourteen – An Absence of Laughter
Part 15 - Who I am , the artist speaks
Part 16- The Lowest Ebb- I knew my son- Chris Ritchey
Part 17 - The Journey Continues- I long for Laughter- Chris Ritchey
Disclaimer : These events are as I perceived them to be and are witnesssed and documented .
The Progress?- Then and Now- “Veterans Park” – Lorain Ohio
Official Logo BRB- design Christopher Ritchey 2007
A celebration took place on the 200th anniversary of the “first business” in this area ( the Nathan Perry Trading Post) August 2007- celebrating the settlement that became Lorain.
You can find the photos of that day here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12219598@N06/
The White Dove Crow -2007 Veteran’s Park – 1807- 2012
A photographic history of that little green space from whence this city was born! A time caught in the lens of a camera of oh so long ago
Dan Brady has archived some of that history and in particular the War Memorial
http://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2011/05/veterans-monument.html
JUNE 2011 found me once again writing about this park
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/three-coins-in-a-fountain-hardly/
and
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/a-home-in-veterans-park-a-city-up-for-rent/
“The homeless men ( one of whom apparently was groping himself – through his clothes as a female resident was walking through the park on a summer evening)settling down early in the evening so as to get the best bench- first come first served- ( what happened to the spacers so a bench could be made for sitting and not sleeping??)”
my conclusion at the end of that post 14 months ago
IF THE CITY OF LORAIN AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES INSIST ON BEING CHARITABLE THEN THE CITY OF LORAIN AND THOSE AGENCIES- SUCH AS THE ADULT PAROLE AUTHORITY – THE VARIOUS CHURCHES AND PROGRAMS- HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THEIR CLIENTS.
THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL WE DO AND THEY ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILTY TO THE REST OF THE THOSE OF US HERE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD! AND REMEMBER “those charitable organizations have paid directors and staff they are also a “BUSINESS”
Fast Forward to this week and another wonderful photo that of a collage of the park
The full story can be found in the two Morning Journal articles of this week.
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/08/16/news/doc502c6c2d950e5837967303.txt
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2012/08/17/news/doc502dc633b3c31405941653.txt”
But it is going to take more than foot patrols – it is going to take the City of Lorain to “clean up its property as well” including the missing lampposts, taking down the old hanging broken Christmas lights and removing graffiti and please put spacers in those benches.
The city needs to follow its own edicts what is good for the citizens with the Nuisance Sweep has to find the city not living in its own glass house
14 months of complaining falling on collective deaf ears……
Which picture do you prefer of this historic park ?
THIS ???
photo Morning Journal -NATE PARSONS
OR THIS
Rape of Lorain- literally- determining the health of my neighborhood
Remember the 1st Methodist Parsonage ? One of Lorain’s history mysteries and oldest homes from the Ohio Historic Inventory
Our first parsonage is pictured for you right along side of the little brick church. It was built when the church was built and cost $1,000. It stood on the northwest corner of Washington and W. Main St ( W. Erie) on lot no 110 of the original town plat ……..
The parsonage was a good house for those days but when Rev. J.P. Mills came in 1883 we find in records “The Parsonage underwent repairs, an addition was built, the grounds graded ….. The manse[cleric's house] was sold when the old church was torn down. A Mr. Robinson , a young real estate dealer of the day, bought the property for $1,650.00 ……….
For many years a Miss Kate Baumgart owned the corner property but quite a few feet of land were taken off when W. Erie was widened. One of the oil companies bought the corner when it became eligible for business and the house was moved north on Washington and west on Fox St. ( 2nd St). If you go down that way you will see it about half way down the block on the north side. ………
Well it seems that historic old Parsonage has sold and GUESS WHO purchased it for $11,000 on July 30th 2012. quite the deal as it sold for $75,000 in 2006None other than our previously documented landlord Deborah Akin - documented because but she has been busy now 32 properties listed to her since that post on the 18th of June 2012
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/06/18/the-neighborhood-that-was-landlords-banks-and-business/
how about Deborah Akin and a quick search of the auditors site in her name only 29 properties and remember the those murderous gang lords the police have been tracking down well close to home here at 1026 Brownell -
Randy Glover pleaded guilty-
Glover, along with 21 other suspected gang members of Member of Blood or Money or Bitches gang…..He also pleaded guilty to earlier charges of two counts of felonious assault, having a weapon under disability, obstructing official business and two different counts of burglary……….Police believe the gang is responsible for nine of the last 12 murders in the city in the past four years and other violent crimes including home invasions, shootings, intimidation and drug trafficking.
How did that background check work out for you Deborah? I know how it worked out for my neighborhood.
:
So here we go again Deborah hasn’t obviously been checking or -in my opinion and perspective – gives a damn about the tenants- because I didn’t have to look up her latest tenant in the old parsonage……….. HE CAME TO ME- THROUGH THE SHERIFFS DEPT.
1543956 Henry Cardona 1018 2nd St Lorain OH 44052 View Record
his credentials include the fact that he is a ‘HABITUAL SEX OFFENDER” with rape under his belt, possession of drugs etc. two minutes to get his “history” and resume on Lorain Municipal Courts dockets.
Thanks Deborah – you sure know how to give this old neighborhood “HISTORY”
and the children play unaware in their innocence ……………….
to be continued
For the record the A-Z of multi – property owners Lorain- “A” (2)
Part one
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/for-the-record-the-a-z-of-multi-property-owners-lorain-a/
From Ab…. to Ad… in the series of who owns what in Lorain.
Each group of owners is a little different, some have family members as the owners, some partnerships,some under LLP’s and some take more research than others.
Being human I may make a mistake in “attribution” with this confusing scenario of who is who . If I make such a mistake please advise me and I will correct the information immediately . However let us look at the “next on the list” OF GROUP PROPERTIES :
ADAMES- ( JUAN) there are 11 properties listed under ADAMES – all but two have the tax bill going to the same PO address- so I am led to the conclusion that the owners listed are all part and “parcel” ( pun intended) of the same ” group.
First property listed on the Lorain County Auditors site to Rafael Jr. and Juan Adames is
608 West 21st Street
( Note all photos taken from the Lorain County Auditors site- most recent photo- as always if the state of the property has changed – please let me know)
This house doesn’t seem to have a sale history past 1993 and at that time sold for $22,000
In fact it looks like this group of Adames purchased most of the properties in the 90′s last one 2003 1439 W. 22nd Street which sold for $25,000. at that time .
The most expensive property seems to be 1632 Meister Road- at $70,000.
The Adames’ on the whole paid an average of $22,000 for their properties -in the area of 18th street, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 29th 33rd – they at least have some longevity as owners
to be continued.
Disconnected thoughts- COMMUNITY??? Which Community???
I am in disconnect mode – thoughts pop in and out but I have little inclination to follow through- Maybe it is the pre school “plague”- Yes! since Gavin started preschool we have all suffered. Since October 2nd we have sniffled sneezed and coughed with at least 4 different viruses. We, like typhoid Mary, continue to infect each other. Oh! you can wash your hands all you want but when the baby is using your neck to wipe his nose as the poor little stuffed up mite tries to get some sleep- forget the hand washing! As for that flu shot (Sigh) Please people keep your sick kids home- we old ones have enough problems with the “rusty” years.
Thought Two: Mayor Ritenauer wants the community to band together
Mayor Chase Ritenauer says community must stand against ‘unacceptable’ mayhem by Rick Payerchin: Morning Journal
My thoughts are good! about time – the community should band together – however what about that “OTHER MEMBERS of community” – you know such as the BUREAU OF COMMUNITY SANCTIONS-
http://www.drc.ohio.gov/web/bcs.htm
THE multi million dollar granting facility from the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that helps the offenders… the same “Community” that helped the now defunct Compass House to help populate this area with more RSO’s than we knew or know what to do with (261 in Lorain- as per the data from the Sheriffs Dept.
How about those halfway houses for the adult parolees???? not that we don’t have parolees in our neighborhoods and community already Looks like there were 287 parolees in Lorain as per the Dept of Corrections website – And these are just the members of our “COMMUNITY” that can be tracked .
AND how about the lucrative Non Profit SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES- you know that part of our “business” COMMUNITY whose clients are part of our community
I have said it before
http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/a-very-civilized-affair-well-that-is-meeting/
and will say it again
You have to wonder if this “Community ” was one of the reasons that Anthony Calabrese and Co thought it profitable for those “half way houses” business You know the now infamous “Alternatives Agency”
http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2011/09/22/anthony-calabrese-iii-and-sanford-prudoff-indicted-in-cuyahoga-county-corruption-saga
Could the money that could be garnered from such a “community” have led to more “inmates in the correctional facilities”?
http://www.cleveland.com/countyincrisis/index.ssf/2011/09/federal_grand_jury_indicts_att.html
Can it be???? Is it such a stretch? ( pun intended!)
YES! WE NEED ALL THE COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER not just those of us that live here !
To be continued………………
.
January 10, 2013 at 3:33 pm 2 comments