The Police start the process of entering Hoarderville.

A series of texts had informed us that a particular home we were associated with had been left abandoned. The text's continued saying that neighbors had started complaining about a disgusting smell that was emanating from said house. I made a call to the police, communicating this information and asking for assistance. Meeting them at the house, they knocked on the door, looked in the windows, and based on the volume of items littering the interior, said it couldn't be abandoned; there was too much stuff. What couldn't be dismissed though was the distinct smell of something rotting. My wife had a PIN number for the digital door lock from years before if they were interested. They were and gained entry. As the door opened, the smell hit us full force, causing all to step back momentarily. After a short pause to regain focus, the police entered. I tried following but was told to wait until they checked the premises. When they excited later, the only source for the smell they could find was a freezer left unplugged (We learned a short time later the power & water had been off for 6-weeks). This diagnosis was made in a basement with only a flashlight. They said we could enter, but be aware the smell gets worse and the flies thicker the further you go. Oh boy. With nothing more than our Covid approved face masks, a small flashlight and the camera on our phone, we went in. The first video to document this lasted less than 12 minutes, but was easily the most disturbing scene in memory. Possibly the quickest and easiest reference is that the disaster cleanup company has been on site now going on 3-weeks, in hazmat attire and have filled ten 40 yd dumpsters. It may take two more weeks to finish. My part of this story began a month or so before. It was to be a new listing—after an eviction. This had been under consideration for several months, delayed mainly because ( I think ) the owner of the home was hoping for a miraculous change of character from the tenant. My client had actually helped this individual acquire the home nine years ago. She didn't have the credit needed and my client felt compelled to help. Things went well for several years, followed unfortunately by years of financial stupidity which caused the story to come full circle. From homeowner, to renter, to eviction. Whether it was the cause or the effect, the continual drama in this individuals personal life led to a total of five failed relationships, four of which produced children. The last child was born premature and severely disabled and sadly died before her third birthday. When the police arrived on that call, they immediately contacted DCFS. As a friend and neighbor explained to me, the police walked into a house whose entire interior was littered by belongings and covered in filth. To make matters worse, the deceased child was piled on dirty bedding that was surrounded by animal feces. The infant had swallowed magnets. The neighborhood rallied together and formed a group to clean, sanitize and repair the 3700 square foot home and keep DCFS at bay. This was 18-months ago. Fast forward to the present. Rent payments had been sporadic at best and stopped entirely six months ago. The owner made every effort and gave them every opportunity to address the situation, but continual silence offered the only option left—eviction. Before empathizing completely with the tenant, she is a nurse and worked full-time throughout the pandemic as did her husband and in addition, received $4,000 a month from the military pension from her 1st husband. My other evidence is filling 10 dumpsters with personal belongings is not cheap. Of note here is the fact the tenants had the legal right to enter and retrieve any and all belongings they chose to abandon six-weeks before. Of all the shit ( literal & figurative...) left behind, clearly the most shocking, and concerning, was a conservative estimate of 30,000 rounds of boxed ammo—mostly 9mm. As the agreed upon day was being decided, I called multiple police agencies to solicit help. None was offered, or available, so myself and a partner met them on the prearranged day and time, got the necessary signatures of release,and let them have at it. After they finished, I surveyed the property and found only the ammo and a parked 90's era Cadillac missing, and some stuffed animals. The most difficult part of this journey though has been seeing the conditions the kids lived in. It is one thing if adults choose to live this way, but kids have no say in the matter. Canned and packaged food donations from The LDS church sat unopened, yet bags of chips and candy littered every floor. The bathrooms were unusable and a good portion of the finished basement is filled with mold. Each bedroom door had a padlock attached on the outside. I could go on, but my point is, where was DCFS (* Department Child & Family Services) ? They were acutely aware of the problem in this house when they found a dead child, yet this "House of Horror" went unchallenged. Overworked and understaffed are legitimate reasons, so what can be done? See something, say something. It is a cliche but you get my point. Of note, the initial texts that started this came from family that has taken in the oldest child that was still living there, but feared retribution and asked for anonymity. There is a six-year girl still in their care, and yes, we have started a case number. We are not letting this one go.

This is my world

I recently received a voicemail informing me I was eligible to get my Covid booster shot and find myself conflicted. I will explain. Prior to my first vaccine shot, I needed the blessing of my cardiologist and primary physician. After receiving my seasonal flu shot in 2019, I was struck with pericarditis. The doctors determined the flu shot contributed to the illness and recommended I discontinue all flu shots in the future. As the pandemic rolled on and a vaccine became a reality, I wanted (or needed ) to know if the vaccine were different enough from the flu shot to be safe. The cardiologist said ask your primary care doctor. When I called and asked, he said no without hesitation. Unlike when I approached him before, there was no thought or pause. Nothing like "Good question" or "Let's look into it", just "No". I had hoped for an answer that required at least some consideration, some reflection on the pros and cons given the published severity of the illness. Honestly, I was surprised when he actually researched my pericarditis. He is a decent guy but exerts as little effort as needed to get you in and out. Fortunately, I had another resource, a secret weapon if you will. My neighbor is the CEO of Select Health in Utah. He is battling cancer and he is winning. Because of these facts, he was very well informed about all things Covid. He knew my health background and after consideration, he recommended I get the shot. He felt I was in no danger from the shot. I appreciate that most don't have this option, and maybe I wanted the vaccine bad enough that I would have kept asking until I found someone that gave me the opinion I wanted all along. Fast forward six months. I thought nothing could-or would be more divisive than the 2020 Presidential election, but how wrong I was! Vaccines or masks or fuck you Biden is the banner you proudly fly. I find the moderate road of make your own decision becoming narrower every day. I have not changed by original belief that being vaccinated against Covid was the right choice-for me. I also knew (and stated as much in an earlier blog post) that this shot would become an annual event, similar to the flu-shot. What I hadn't anticipated was the mixing and matching of vaccines and of greatest concern to me was a "Super Booster." This is administered as a cocktail of Covid & seasonal flu vaccines and given in one single shot. I am not militant by nature and believe the Covid shot makes sense for most people but not all, including myself now. As I also said in an earlier blog post, I think I have a simple solution to the vaccination issue and the desire for choice. If a person chooses not to get vaccinated and gets Covid, they assume a greater portion of the medical bill, or pay a larger deductible or a higher premium. This has been the case for tobacco users for decades. Smoke or not-your decision. In my world, I don't see humans changing their behavior anytime soon, especially now. The more someone is is told to do something, the more reluctant they become, but attack the pocketbook and see what happens. To answer the expected question-medical exemption, is my answer.

Post script-This evening I was informed that our Thanksgiving may be a perfect reflection of our Covid obsessed world, with some family feeling uncomfortable being with those that are unvaccinated or that have not had the booster. I (and my wife) choose to be with our kids, but are empathetic of personal choice.

Post-Post Script-CBS Sunday Morning ran a feature that said one million people die every year from mosquito bites-one million! I'm glad those numbers aren't broadcast nightly.

I just realized this is my only post for October. I started a number of drafts but kept getting pulled back to these two. The above stories have given me perspective on a variety of things, primarily how lucky I am. Everyday is what I choose to make of it. Happy or cynical is entirely on me. Now if I could only exercise with some frequency and kick the sweets…