MSI Press Blog

Today would have been our 56th anniversary. We never got to celebrate our 50th — COVID locked the world down, and then 2021 took Carl with it. The grand plans we had for that golden milestone evaporated into hospital protocols and masked goodbyes. Life doesn’t always give you the ceremony you earned. But ninjas adapt. Ninjas restructure, reorganize, recalibrate. Ninjas keep moving. And this anniversary belongs in the Grandma Ninja series because Carl was part of the training long before I ever called myself a ninja. He went to every single one of my sessions with trainer Brittany. Every one. He’d sit there like my personal cheering section, amused, supportive, and absolutely determined not to be recruited into anything that looked like effort. If Brittany tried to rope him in, he’d grin and say, “You must stay up late at night thinking up the next marvelous torture.” Meanwhile, I was sweating through hours of drills — because it does take hours to go from flabby government wor...

  For Carl, hypercalcemia didn’t just show up in lab results—it appeared as brain fog, confusion, and instability . He fell several times, a common outcome when calcium disrupts muscle and nerve function. These symptoms led him to the ER repeatedly, where doctors gave him IV infusions to quickly lower calcium levels. 💉 What’s in the ER Shots or Infusions? According to clinical guidelines, ER treatment for hypercalcemia of malignancy typically includes: IV fluids (saline) : The first step, flushing calcium through the kidneys. Bisphosphonates (pamidronate, zoledronic acid) : IV drugs that block bone breakdown and reduce calcium release. Denosumab : A targeted antibody used when bisphosphonates aren’t enough. Calcitonin injections : Fast-acting hormone therapy that lowers calcium within hours, though only short-term. Steroids : Sometimes used in lymphoma-related hypercalcemia. Dialysis : Reserved for severe cases with kidney failure. Carl received IV bisphosphonates/deno...

The Leaver Ofrenda, 2025 Carl Leaver, the beloved typesetter for MSI Press, was born on November 1—a date that holds deep spiritual resonance. It’s All Saints Day, a time to honor those who lived with quiet holiness. And just one day later comes Día de Muertos, the vibrant remembrance of those who have passed, celebrated with altars, marigolds, and stories that keep their spirits close. Carl now belongs to both days. He is not overshadowed by them—he becomes greater as part of them. Our family celebrates Día de Muertos not only to remember Carl, but to place him within a sacred rhythm of continuity. His birthday opens the door to remembrance, and Día de Muertos lets us walk through it with joy, color, and reverence. We light candles, place his favorite tools and books on the ofrenda, and tell stories of his gentle precision and quiet humor. He is not lost—he is woven into the fabric of these days. 🌼 About Día de Muertos Celebrated from October 31 to November 2, Día de Muertos is ...

Carl and Murjan , at table Carl loved food. Not in the way people love snacks or comfort meals. He loved food like a musician loves sound—deeply, reverently, with curiosity and delight. He grilled with precision, plated with flair, and never met a cuisine he didn’t want to explore. Ethiopian injera, Vietnamese pho, Sicilian caponata—he welcomed them all. Food was his passport, his playground, his poetry. Carl didn’t binge. He didn’t eat to numb or escape. He ate because he loved the taste, the textures, the craftsmanship. He ate like some people chase sunsets or symphonies. It was his feel-good stuff. 🍽️ When Passion Meets Physiology Carl’s appetite was joyful, but it was also relentless. Over time, his body bore the weight of his enthusiasm—literally. He developed health complications, including cancer, and his doctors noted that his size played a role. This isn’t a cautionary tale. It’s a complexity tale. Some people eat to soothe emotions. Others eat to chase flavor. Some ...