Category Archives: Family

Kilauea volcano, fertility and miscarriage

It’s a sight in Hilo as regular as evening rain: groups of Japanese women wearing colored tour badges and clutching small bags board buses at the airport bound for Kilauea volcano. While their husbands in Honolulu play golf, these women journey to Hilo for the day. Men play for par while some women seek fertility.

Kilauea volcano lava flow
Lava forming new land at Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island

Pele is the Hawaiian goddess of fire. She rules volcanos, and consequently, the birth of new land. As such she is viewed by many as a powerful symbol or fertility. Women seeking to conceive or who wish for a child of a particular gender have sought Pele’s help. The story goes that if a woman makes a precious offering to Pele, she may receive help conceiving a child. The small bags carried by many of the Japanese women to the Big Island contain gold and silver coins, which they throw directly into the hot lava, before it has cooled to stone, as an offering to her.

If pregnancy does ensure, but goes awry and results in miscarriage, the Japanese recognize the importance of the event. They offer a cultural view of the aborted fetus, called “mizuko”, which literally translates as “water child”, as a being who has not fully solidified yet, according to Daddytypes.com. The Bhudda takes a special form, called “jizo”, to watch over these lost creatures and help them find their way into life through another form.

In American culture, we have few words or concepts to help mothers grieve their lost children who were not fully formed. Perhaps we can adopt the concepts of mizuko and jizo, just as some Japanese women have adopted Pele.

Checking pets to and from Hawaii

Question from a reader: What are the airlines’ rules for kennels to transport pets as checked cargo/baggage to and from Hawaii?

Answer:

American Airlines provides the most specific details on which size of pet (dog or cat) kennel / crate they allow. According to their website:

Pets Traveling as Checked Baggage

The maximum size for checked kennels is a series 500 kennel with the following dimensions: 40″ long x 27″ wide x 30″ high. However, this size kennel is not accepted on the Boeing MD-80 (S80). Kennels checked on MD-80s must be able to fit through the cargo door while remaining in an upright position. MD-80 cargo doors are 29″ high x 53″ wide.

Series 700 kennels are not allowed on any aircraft.

The maximum weight of a checked pet and kennel (combined) cannot exceed 100 lbs.

Collapsible Kennels (those which can fold down flat) can not be accepted due to the risk of collapse during transport.

Pets Traveling as Carryon

The maximum size for cabin pet carriers is 23″ long x 13″ wide x 9″ high.

Other domestic airlines are likely to have similar guidelines, but they aren’t posted. I suggest calling your desired airline to check before booking a ticket.

Remember that the FAA also imposes runway temperature restrictions for pets. Generally, pets are only allowed to travel when the runway is not more than 85 degrees F and not less than 45 degrees F. An exception can be made to 20 degrees F, if a veterinarian certifies that the pet is acclimated to lower temperatures. No exceptions are allowed over 85 degrees (think Dallas in summer) or under 20 degrees (think Boston in winter).

Basic health requirements must also be met, including original proof of vaccination for rabies for pets departing Hawaii. For pets traveling to Hawaii, stringent health rules apply. Learn more about those from the state quarantine office. Due to state budget cuts, the inspection facility at Honolulu Airport has reduced its hours as follows:

Effective December 1, 2009 inspection hours for dog and cats at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) will be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays. This information is particularly important for those who are qualifying their pets for direct release at the airport.  Pet owners should be sure to arrange for their flights to arrive by 3:30 p.m. because it may take up to one hour for the airlines to transport a pet to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility and animals not arriving at the facility by 4:30 p.m. will not be released at the airport that day.   Pets arriving in the late afternoon and evening will be held overnight until inspections are completed the following morning.  Pet owners who are connecting to neighboring islands should pay particular attention to the change in inspection hours.  (An advisory was posted on this website on August 17, 2009 to advise pet owners of the probability of reduced inspection hours.)

Elderly couple consider divorce to keep health benefits

A dear friend’s parents have been married for nearly 50 years, but now are considering divorce in order to keep healthcare benefits. Is this status quo really worthy of protecting, as some opponents of healthcare reform advocate?

About 2 months ago Mrs. Jones (name changed at her request) had a sudden, massive stroke. Her brain swelled 15cm, while her doctors prepared her family for the worst. But Mrs. Jones survived the first three critical days. When she regained consciousness, she lost all feeling in and control of her left side. She can’t walk, sit or swallow. It could be 6 months of intensive phsycal therapy before she can take a drink of water.

Mr. Jones retired from a job in aerospace years ago with a full pension and benefits. His insurance will cover 120 days of rehab for his wife. Then Medicare will kick in, since Mrs. Jones is in her 70’s, and cover an additional 65 day of rehab. Each day costs about $2,000 for care and therapy.

But when Mrs. Jones’ doctors and therapists met last week to establish treatment goals, the most they hope to achieve is swallowing within 6 months. By the time her insurance runs out, Mrs. Jones will be lucky to be able to sit up by herself. The rest of the care will have to be paid out-of-pocket, which would bankrupt Mr. Jones in the midst of his retirement.

The couples’ attorney recently suggested the couple divorce to protect assests and allow her to qualify for Medicaid.

Is this really the heathcare system we want?