Thoughts at 4 AM.......

No one gets through this life without being impacted by the terrible condition called "cancer".  It touches us all, even if we ourselves never contract the disease.  It is everywhere.  And we seemingly know so little about it, even after having spent decades and trillions of dollars on research.  One thing is generally true:  we basically treat it the same way we did a half century ago---surgery, radiation (before that it was X-Rays) and chemo.


Just almost impossible to believe, isn't it, that we still cannot cure it?
And in most cases we still don't know what causes it or why some people get it and others do not.


Now, what I call the "cancer industry" has developed into a gigantic entity employing millions of medical personnel and encompassing billions of dollars annually in research and treatment.  And yet, with all of our vaunted technology and genetic models and so on, we cannot cure it or prevent it.


I was struck yesterday as I watched television by how pervasive cancer awareness has become.  Here were four commentators---all tough ex football players---discussing the upcoming game to be televised...and all wearing pink ribbons.   The pink ribbon is ubiquitous.  So ubiquitous, in fact, that it has lost its meaning.  I see them on businessmen and women, children and even automobiles.


I hate cancer and I even fear it, but I must say I am really tired of all the sporting of pink.


What would happen if a cure were found?  Would our economy collapse because of the many millions of medical personnel left jobless?  What would happen to all the medical facilities and equipment?   What about the drop in drug company profits?  Would that cause further layoffs?  Would insurance rates suddenly fall to 1/2 of their previous levels, causing more layoffs? 


Your thoughts?

Our Most Excellent Adventure....Part II

Front Enrance to "The Grand Old Lady of the Ozarks"

The Grounds of the Crescent Hotel Are Beautiful, With a Lovely Chapel Just Down the Mountain 

After a whirlwind visit to Branson, Missouri on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning, Cindy and I turned our attention to the charming little burg of Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  Eureka Springs is about an hour south of Branson over winding, country roads.  The trip was relaxing and scenic.

The Massive Lobby Fireplace

We arrived in Eureka Springs about 1:00 and slowly drove the main streets of town...up, up, up the mountain past the edge of town, winding slowly up the mountain to the top, where we were greeted by the "Grand Old Lady of the Ozarks"---the Crescent Hotel, our accommodations for the evening.

Door to Our Room---201

The Crescent Hotel has a wonderful history.  It was built in 1886, and was originally a destination for the wealthy, who flocked to the area to bask in the healing waters of the area's natural springs.

Inside Our Room



Over the years, the hotel has been renovated several times, most recently in the period encompassing the past 13 years, after it was purchased by the current owner in 1997.


Balcony of Our Room Taken From the Back Grounds of the Hotel

View of The Crescent Hotel From the Backside

Without a doubt, the most infamous period of the hotel's existence was the 1937---1940 time frame.  Those were the years that the hotel was run by Dr Norman Baker, who turned the hotel into a hospital for cancer patients.


Dr Baker Claimed to Have Invented a Serum, which, Combined with X--Rays, Nutrition and the Area's Mineral Spring Water, Could Cure Cancer.  Apparently, Not Much Has Changed in the Past 70 Years.

That may sound like a noble pursuit, but unfortunately, in Dr Baker's case, it was anything but.  Touting a serum he had concocted as a "cure" for cancer, this quack lured thousands of patients from all over America.  Once he had their money, the patients were put in an asylum where they eventually died a horribly slow and painful death.  Often, the doctor would write to the loved ones of the patient and inform them that "Your aunt Maude is making wonderful progress, but we need more money to continue treatment".  Of course, when this type of letter was written, aunt Maude had already passed away.

The good doctor had an incinerator on the premises, and it was put to use in the middle of the night to dispose of the bodies.  There are many, many stories about the doctor---I would advise that the reader Google for more detailed information.

Mugshots of Dr Norman Baker After His Arrest.  He was Sentenced to Only Four Years in Prison and a Paltry $4,000 Fine

At any rate, it is no wonder, with the history of the place being so colorful, that ghosts are said to inhabit the premises.  In fact, the Crescent Hotel is one of the top ghost haunts in America.  This is part of the appeal, I suppose.

Cindy is afraid of three things---snakes, dentists and ghosts.  And this is a major reason for our visit.  She went on a ghost tour of the hotel the night we were there.  The guide was quite skilled at explaining all the ghosts that had been seen, and the events at the hotel over the years that had given rise to hundreds of sightings.

Dr Baker's Autopsy Lab

The tour visited Dr Baker's morgue---in the basement of the hotel.  Then the tour moved to the autopsy room.  Then to various rooms of the hotel that are said to be the most haunted. 

Picture of the "Ghost Maid" at the Crescent

The tour took two hours, and when Cindy got back to our room at 10:00, I have never seen her so wired.  When the door to our bathroom suddenly swung open without warning, she was ready to jump out the window.

The Hotel Dining Room is Spacious and Beautiful

Our visit was wonderful.  There was a little chapel just down the mountain from the hotel, and it would play Christian hymns that would echo across the forest every few hours.  There was a spring next to the hotel that was scenic and offered a place to reflect on its history.  The dining room and lobby of the hotel were magnificent.


Our Favorite Art Shop---The 83 Spring Street Gallery in Downtown Eureka Springs

 After a huge Thursday breakfast in the dining room, we visited our favorite art shop downtown, 83 Spring Street Gallery, before departing for home.  We had a wonderful trip, and a most excellent adventure.

Check out Cindy's more detailed version of events at the Crescent on her blog