Luann by Greg Evans and Karen Evans for June 14, 2024

FOL-DE-ROL also happened to be the name of an early 70s TV pilot Sid & Marty Krofft produced that was basically a sketch show, but all set in a Renaissance Fair.

She knows her time is close and is ready for it. Passing it on to Luann.

Well.

Looks like Mrs. H may be taking dialysis it the near future.

Stick close, Lu.

Mrs. Horner will need the support.

She knows that father time is passing her by.

Wait, what? She has kidney diseases? That came out of left field. And Luann never asked why she fainted. Holy whiplash, Batman! Someone’s put the horse before the cart, metaphorically speaking.

May we all live long enough to just wear out.

I foresee Luann donating a kidney.

That’s what took Mom in the end- kidney failure. But I’m told it is a merciful way to go, you just get more vague in the last few days until you go to sleep, without much discomfort. Of course, at 103, one certainly can’t complain.

Kidney Dialysis is a terrible thing to have to go through. My late mother did. R.I.P.

Last week we had philosophy from a six year old. This week it’s philosophy from an eighty year old. The Alpha and the Omega.

A reality check for Luann.

She knows that she’s dying, and is preparing Luann for it.

Has any character ever passed away in the long history of this strip? Or do they live forever a la “Gasoline Alley”?

A good friend the Mrs. an I have had for over 42 years just came home from the hospital yesterday. She took her last dialysis on Monday and entered hospice with a caregiver at her home. Without dialysis, totally non functional kidneys, an very low blood pressure she prolly has mebbe 7 to 12 days. It’s pretty sad

Kidney treatments usually means dialysis. Some who have been there have described it as, “getting beaten up several times a week”. Wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Sad.

Kidney Dialysis…. Ugh..

I just looked up kidney transplants on Mayo Clinic website. There’s no upper age limit for either donors or recipients, it just depends on their total state of health.

Yes, it sounds like Mrs. Horner is preparing Luann for her death. But an arc about living kidney transplants would be smart and may help address the shortage of available kidneys.

One bottle of kidney pills from Bones and she’ll be good as new!!!

“Did I say ‘fall’? Oh, silly me… I shouldn’t have said that. Anyway, what’s your favorite TV show these days? Is it ‘The Fall Guy’? …. Oh, dang. I did it again, didn’t I? I’m sorry. Anyway, there’s a really cool movie you should check out… It’s called ‘Legends of the Fall’… oh me oh my… This just isn’t my day, is it? How could anyone have fallen for that? OMG Mrs. Horner, I am SO sorry, i’m really falling fast here, aren’t I? ….oh jeez…”

Both kidneys, ugh? high blood pressure? Diabetes? Overuse of NSAIDs? Bilateral kidney cancer (rare but that’s my issue). I spend a lot of time in urology offices reading pamphlets.

Coincidentally, this morning I got a text from my friend, HIs wife is waiting on surgery to remove a kidney stone, and today she fell and broke her hip.

Words of wisdom from Mrs. Horner.

I didn’t know the 8 ball had that for one of its answers…

My husband’s family was close to his fifth grade teacher even after he grew up. Exchanged cards and had her over for dinner and stuff. After I married my husband, I was involved in the Christmas card exchange but that was all. Things had wound down by then. After several years, I joined a church choir and it turned out to be the same church she went to!!! Totally by chance. We got to be good friends. I started taking her to church. We would go out to lunch occasionally. When her health started declining, and she got moved to assisted living, I would visit her several times a week. We would sometimes eat together. I would read to her. I kept her niece up to date on how things were going. I did this for 4-5 years. I was the last person to visit her. She died the day after. My husband and his family never visited. I guess they felt I was doing it for them? She was a wonderful person. Totally with it to the end.

Pets or humans, chronic kidney disease is a downhill slide. I’m on my 2nd cat with CKD. Lost kidney function is never recovered. The ability to filter electrolytes goes, then muscle function and eventually the heart. Dialysis is hugely expensive (for a pet); you don’t do it. Yesterday i could not understand why Mrs. Horner was in an assisted living facility. Now i do.

Mrs. Horner is such a sweet person.

Ms. Horner is in the right place.

So far, my kidneys are OK, though, some years back, I did pass a stone. Now, that was a day to remember, or try to forget.

As Warren Zevon said, “Enjoy every sandwich.”

Think about it, do some research, and get ready. No proselytizing here, but you have to seek before you find.

someone’s preparing for the “fall.”

It hurts a bit to see that Luann doesn’t smile anymore, fortunately Mrs Horner never stops and tries to make her smile again. Let’s hope Luann can accept it as part of the life. I fear that the writing class will change teachers, or will Mrs Horner find a way to continue it by instructing her TA, Luann, to carry it forward? Perhaps following her instructions? Dunno if it’s possible, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the story go this direction.

Y’know, about the most boring subject to see addressed in the COMICS would be the ravages of old age. This seems to have become a format where everyone needs to talk about their ailments.

Pray for the best, expect the worst

It’s called dialysis. All your blood is run thru a filter. Doctors prefer to give donor kidneys to younger people who will use them longer. Waiting list is long.

I guess years of drinking like a sailor on shore-leave will do that.

“I see you’ve stopped wearing that idiotic B.S. shirt. The hell was that about, anyway?”

“I don’t remember.”

Sage advice on the sofa. Just like the good old days.

Good advice.

What a wonderful lady! Great outlook.

Good advice, Luanns getting a real grownup dose of reality. It’s been a long and winding road to get here hasn’t it folks.

Looks like they are getting ready for a comic strip funeral. Mrs. Horner seems like she has accepted her mortality.

More good advice from Ms. Horner.

Please have a listen to Ned Landin’s “Falling Down”, available on YouTube and at his site, NedTV.com.

Horner used to work for Hallmark. She wrote all these cheesy cards.

Good attitude.

Mrs. Horner looks pretty good. My neighbor is 85 and still teaches higher level math classes at the local university.

Very nice message!

It isn’t that fall that hurts. It’s the landing.

Here’s hoping.

I’m sure many of us thought the exact same thing. It’s something Luann would do without thinking about the consequences.

However, if she is thinking about it, I wonder what her family will think??

Next weeks arc:Luann goes to visit Mrs Horner and runs into Gunther. Mrs Horner smirks knowing she’s always tried setting the two up. She pushes them to go out to dinner together to reminisce about the good ole days. As they get to the restaurant Luann is shocked to see Aaron hill and delta?!? With their baby and one on the way. Turns out Aaron and delta left town to avoid Luann finding out about their love. But after Aaron sees what a knockout Luann has become he tries to win her back. And Gunther is heartbroken again.