Hello,

Today, I’m going to talk about health care. It’s talked about on the news every day. It is in every paper you pick up. It’s cause riots and sit ins. It causes elections to be won or lost.

But, honestly, many of us take health care pretty much for granted. Unless, of course, you are a pig. Pigs have problems with health care. Oh, if you are a pig in a hog house, I guess pig care is pretty important. But if you are a pig in the human health care system, it’s kind of rough.

I just learned this a week or so ago. One of my brother-in-laws had a problem. He was getting fat! Now to many people getting fat is a way of life. But this guy starting getting fat at his feet. I mean his feet swelled up so he was wearing tennis shoes. Then snowmobile boots. Then overshoes with no shoes. Then his legs started getting fat. Picture a skinny guy with big fat legs and feet. That was he.

He went to the doctor. And the doctor said…No more monkeys jump….Never mind. Wrong story.

Anyway he went to the doctor and was told that he had a leaky heart valve and his body was being pumped full of fluid. This is not a good thing. There is a fairly routine procedure. And this is where the pig comes in. They repair human heart valves with the valves of a pig heart! Really! What used to be life threatening is now repaired safely with the help of a pig! I found that amazing. And somewhat amusing.

Because you see, this brother-in-law said he stole a pig once but it squealed on him and he had to return it.

So, being the caring relative I am, I brought this up. I went to the hospital to reassure him. And I had some suggestions for him. I suggested he request a Duroc hog. Duroc hogs are those good, long, lean red hogs. I have a friend that raised them all my youth years. They were fine hogs.

And I suggested that since this pig had to die for him, he should try to get more of the hog. I suggested he tell the doctor to cure the bacon and hams, keep some belly for side pork, and cut the chops especially thick for grilling. He did not appreciate my suggestions. Funny how some people get crabby when they aren’t well.

He hasn’t had the surgery yet. It is scheduled in the near future. And I am hoping he doesn’t run into a hog that has any history with him. I’d hate to see him get a relative of that pig that squealed on him!

And remember what my Grandpa always said. “It always rains right after a dry spell!”

Praying for rain, Dean