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| Author |
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| 25 new of 257 responses total. |
davel
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response 140 of 257:
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Sep 6 17:19 UTC 2003 |
Go for it, Sindi! I hope you're feeling as much better as you're sounding.
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keesan
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response 141 of 257:
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Sep 6 18:48 UTC 2003 |
My big problem right now is to make/find a chair with enough padding that I
can sit on it. The short chairs at Jim's house are not very padded. His
living room chairs leave me feet four inches off the floor (with a painful
edge digging into my thighs) and the back of the chair is four inches from
my back. I have a low chair I use (which puts the table near my shoulder
leel) that we have been piling pillows on and using with a card table. I sent
him to my place to get some dense chair cushions. My office chair back is
really painful against my spine.
Right now I have one of Jim's chairs giving me a backache with a pile of stuff
under my feet and will go back to lying on my back to read instead.
Put a pillow behind my back, helps some but the edge of the chair is just
too high and rounded.
The AIWA tape player is a mystery to me. If I hit tape deck 1/2 and
Direction enough times at random (it took about 20) it will play a tape.
THe first deck may be dragging. Usually it just changes direction
without playing. Wonder how to get it to auto reverse. Someone should
give this one the 'worst design' prize, or the 'least instructions' prize.
--------------------------------
I get all sorts of encouraging email. Wonder how it got here so slowly
and how they knew on Aug 21 that I would be wanting to lose weight. I
found this buried among the things my spam filter caught (v;i;a;g;r;a,
online pharmacy, free health insurance quotes).
From bbb_6346_bs@hotmail.com Sat Sep 6 14:32:24 2003
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003 16:37:51 -1900
From: bbb_6346_bs@hotmail.com
To: Undisclosed.Recipients@cyberspace.org
Subject: tiny patch
[The following text is in the "Windows-1252" character set]
[Your display is set for the "iso-8859-1" character set]
[Some characters may be displayed incorrectly]
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If you haven't tried it, then you have no idea how much better it will
make you feel & change your life...Try it now...
http://www.freequotelkj.com/wl3
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If you have received this email and are not a member of our health club
then please remove yourself if you wish.
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----------------
I suggest lymphoma to anyone to lose weight instead, or hospital food.
Today's mail was a letter from U of M Home MED with a consent form so they
can bill me for home medical supplies. This is the box they delivered Wed
with the syringes for cleaning the PICC line. We used two, and 6 ml
heparin. The clinic said something about getting them picked up. I
wonder if it is worth the hospital's time and money to bill for two
syringes or they could just replace them and seal up the box (Jim can bike
it back to S. Industrial Hwy for them).
I have saved the insurance company potentially 20 x $130 on changing
dressings. They really ought to go along with a prescription for a
mattress pad. Also saved them a bunch of $156 physical therapy sessions
by walking around Kerrytown on Jim's arm and forcing myself to do things
here. Durable medical supplies are covered - a pad is a lot cheaper than
a wheelchair.
I just got a flower from the artist girlfriend of a neighbor where we are
building and a small art book. They are remodeling big time (small
house). The Art of the Surrealists. I wonder if she likes cookies.
She had other helpful suggestions says Jim.
No visitors have showed up to share the cookies. Missed them all
yesterday.
Got to get off this backbreaking chair now.
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jaklumen
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response 142 of 257:
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Sep 6 21:05 UTC 2003 |
Hospital food? Oh no, last hospital I was in the food was decent-- I
just didn't have much of an appetite because of the reason I came in
for. No, I'd say airplane food would more be likely.
I wouldn't know about lymphoma personally, but a friend of mine did
lose a lot of weight in the initial stages of leukemia.
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klg
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response 143 of 257:
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Sep 7 01:22 UTC 2003 |
". . . Half an hour later they came back and said my white blood count
was low and I was supposed to have been given some injection or infusion
on day 6 of chemo (last day of prednisone) to boost white blood cell
production. . . ."
Neupogen??? @$400 a crack. Works good, but makes your pelvis & long
bones ache. Comes in vials or in pre-loaded syringes. Had to search
for a pharm. that carried it.
" . . . she pulled out 15" or so of thin plastic tubing from my vein
after which nobody needs to teach Jim to do dressings. The one who put
the thing in said it would be used for all the chemo treatments (5
months). It is heaven to get it out, so what if they stick needles in
my veings twice a week and put in 7 more IVs (I have had that many, they
keep messing them up and redoing them) for 2 hours each.. . . ."
No word on a "port"?? The dr. & nurses said that the chemo is caustic
stuff and injecting it through an IV would pose a risk to damaging blood
veins & surrounding tissue.
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keesan
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response 144 of 257:
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Sep 7 01:26 UTC 2003 |
Hospital food may be decent if you like meat and are trying to lose weight.
Today I rested and Jim cut my hair. Amazing how exhausted you can get from
walking around one day when you have been bedridden two weeks. What is left
of my muscles aches.
I now have an interesting red rash at the bend of my right leg that itches.
I suspected some other fungus infection so called the hospital to ask about
it. The nurse in the ward where I had been said it could be:
1. Allergy to allopurinol. Usually appears on the arms. Does not usually
appear after taking the stuff for weeks.
2. Irritated hairs. My leg is not terribly hair.
3. A fungal infection. Jim got me some cheap KMart antifungal cream to apply
twice a day.
The hoarse throat may go away if I stop swallowing the Nystatin.
I have no unusual symptoms. Stop flossing my teeth. Low platelet count.
A bit of blood in my nose. Nothing to worry about.
I forgot to take home my pain medicine.
I went back to sleep. Skipped the bath and showered instead as it was
quicker. Discovered I could barely lift my spoon at supper. Went back to
bed. Tomorrow is another rest day. Eat eat eat.
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keesan
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response 145 of 257:
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Sep 7 01:28 UTC 2003 |
I managed to program numbers 1 2 and 3 on the AIWA to Toledo, Lansing and
Toledo I think by hitting clear program 2 (etc) set. Cannot for the life of
me get 1 to program to Canada - what do I try next? When I hit 1 it goes to
Toledo instead while trying to program.
Jim discovered you can set the autoreverse on the unit not the remote control.
Now it repeats once instead of not at all or forever.
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scott
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response 146 of 257:
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Sep 7 02:35 UTC 2003 |
Often you set a preset by holding down the button for a couple seconds.
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jep
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response 147 of 257:
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Sep 7 03:07 UTC 2003 |
It's great news to hear you're doing so well, Sindi!
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keesan
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response 148 of 257:
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Sep 7 15:59 UTC 2003 |
Which button needs to be held down a couple seconds - the number, prgm, clear
or set?
I gained a pound but it seems to have gone away again before breakfast. Jim
is mashing my three pills in apple sauce. I am still hoarse.
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keesan
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response 149 of 257:
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Sep 7 19:28 UTC 2003 |
I will try programming Canada to number 4. Today is a video day as I don't
have the energy to turn pages. Manon of the Spring.
Dare I ask what library videos people recommend?
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scott
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response 150 of 257:
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Sep 7 20:15 UTC 2003 |
Usually you hold down the number button?
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tpryan
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response 151 of 257:
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Sep 7 21:43 UTC 2003 |
Sorry skipping last 60 or so responses. Anything happen?
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dah
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response 152 of 257:
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Sep 7 21:54 UTC 2003 |
Yeah, an ASSHOLE posted.
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keesan
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response 153 of 257:
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Sep 8 00:25 UTC 2003 |
Yes, the one in 152.
I think the CLEAR button is broken. I programmed 4 to Canada with no problem.
Jim suggested unplugging to clear but I don't mind two Toledo buttons.
We downloaded and printed all the book suggestions but the library catalog
(online) is broken today. I stopped reading Last of the Mohicans. Too many
rifles. Thoman Mann is unhappy. Jane Austen got lost (under the bed)?
My Macedonian friend who is playing in an international women's basketball
tournament in Orlando Sept 2-9 and will be in NY Sept 15-21 was hoping to
visit me and I have to get hold of her somehow. Can anyone track down the
Macedonian women's basketball team email address in Orlando for me? Or the
email address of an international tournament there? We tried.
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jor
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response 154 of 257:
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Sep 8 01:46 UTC 2003 |
Those damn Mohicans. I had to bail,
a third of the way through.
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keesan
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response 155 of 257:
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Sep 8 13:14 UTC 2003 |
Today another blood draw and we meet my doctor friend at noon. Maybe he can
figure out why I have been hoarse for a few days. Also decipher the
Macedonian letter better than I could. I think my friend's daughter is
waiting for test results (from Bulgaria) about possible stomach cancer.
In addition to the state universities (which I think are still free) Macedonia
now has 'more efficient' private ones for some subjects, but the tuition is
half a year's salary. I offered to help ($2000/year). Room and board
$150/month. She has two daughters, makes $330/month and has managed to save
$3000 in 6 years since the divorce. She has not seen or heard from or
received money from her ex and her employer is doing massive layoffs (1000
people at a time). Country of 2 million has half million unemployed. She
thinks she is safe until 2005 (from layoffs). Our unemployment is nothing
compared - programmers without jobs programming can still find some way to
make a living.
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gull
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response 156 of 257:
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Sep 8 15:22 UTC 2003 |
On my Aiwa I program a station by pressing the 'ENTER' button once.
It's assigned to the next available slot. To clear a slot I press ENTER
twice. Yours sounds like it's different, though.
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keesan
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response 157 of 257:
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Sep 9 01:32 UTC 2003 |
No ENTER button. Thanks anyway. We have two other mystery programmable
stereos that we gave up on elsewhere - this was actually usable.
Today we left at 10 for an early blood draw to 'avoid the rush' and waited
an hour for the blood draw and then went to see my doctor friend about my
throat. A mystery (I am very hoarse). He helped read the letter.
At about pm apparently someone called my name to tell me my blood test
results were okay and I could go home but Jim had gone to find me lunch and
I had fallen asleep. About 3 we asked and the same person came back out and
said we could see a doctor. About 4 they took height, weight, blood pressure
(first three cuffs were broken), pulse (down to 100), and temperature (all
normal) and I waited another hour to be told that I should gargle salt and
soda water four times a day after eating and before Nystatin. Let's hope it
helps.
The rash does not look fungal to the doctor. Maybe an Allupurinoal allergy.
I should have stopped taking it a few days ago. (On discharge I was told to
take it until chemo next monday). I will stop. No more need to wash and
apply antifungal cream twice a day or mash allopurinol in apple sauce. The
gargle is quick and easy.
I sat for 7 hours. I will recuperate from the blood draw for 2 days and do
another Thursday and go home and wait for results.
Platelets normal (no more bleeding from the nose when I wipe it). White blood
cells double last time but 1/1/4 normal but lots of litle precursors. I
should start feeling pretty good by about Sunday. More chemo Monday, first
appointment. So who needs sleep. They said I could bring breakfast.
Jim found 7 books on the list and I will be on my back for two days instead
of siting. Nice to spread out the exercise a bit but that is life.
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oval
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response 158 of 257:
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Sep 9 15:31 UTC 2003 |
jim sounds like a great guy - i'm glad he's taking care of you.
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keesan
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response 159 of 257:
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Sep 9 16:14 UTC 2003 |
Jim is a super nice guy. He is currently mashing my vitamin pill in a mortar
and pestle so I can take it with apple sauce instead of choking on it. And
doing the last two months' laundry since I had no energy for it. And biking
all over the place every day to find me interesting foods - brie yesterday.
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keesan
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response 160 of 257:
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Sep 9 16:33 UTC 2003 |
Yesterday I phoned the Home med people about returning a large box full of
dressings and syringes. They will pick them up but thrown them out. The
syringes are sealed in a bag but someone might have put arsenic in them.
Then the visiting nurse called to come out and teach us how to change the
dressingon the PICC catheter (they removed it at the hospital Friday). The
hospital must have called her to reschedule from Wed to Mon than forgot to
cancel. She will pick up the bo x of supplies for use in training nurses.
jim kept two syringes for filling ink cartridges with, and the roll of tape.
Hard to get it all coordinated, I guess. Today the hospital called to ask
where exactly to phone and mail. Jim gave them his addres as home and work,
and himself as contact instead of my brother. (Someone made a wrong
assumption when filing out my blue card - instead of asking me who to contact
they copied over my brother). My brother is somewhere or other between Boston
and Toronto or maybe is home from vacation already. He never answer my email
of a week ago when I let him know I had been in and out of the hospital. Got
to get this Patient Medical Advocate thing signed and turned in next time we
capture a pair of witnesses who don't work for the hospital like Jim's
neighbors do.
Today we need to wash (Jim does) the woolen sweaters and things that I was
going to wash in May but could not as I was bedridden with pulled muscles.
If the moths have spared them. They smell funny from my apartment basement
(which floods when it rains as the gutters don't work). And see if any of
Jim's chair collection has a padded seat and back.
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slynne
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response 161 of 257:
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Sep 9 21:12 UTC 2003 |
You know Sindi. I have a thermarest chair I could let you borrow. You
could put it on a chair and it would provide some padding on the seat
and back of any chair it was put on.
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keesan
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response 162 of 257:
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Sep 9 22:05 UTC 2003 |
That would be appreciated! What I have now is not working well and Jim loves
to try thermarest products. Still need to try my armchair at the apt but I
did not have the strength to first remove a thermarest mattress that JIm had
folded and stored in front of it because he found a free space to do so. It
will take a few weeks to get my apt usable after the few months when I was
just dropping things wher they fell, and the two weeks when Jim was sleeping
there and spending days with me at the hospital. I came back andfound he had
been eating peanuts for supper (evidence being the pie plate he uses to
microwave them, on a burner) and a frying pan (from the burner?) on the chair.
TOday I got a chain-mail type thing about Bush trying to steal another 87
billion dollars from us all from another translator (to whome I passed along
a Polish job). She says she had breast cancer treated in 2000 and the cure
was much worse than the symptoms. I guess breast cancer caught earlier must
have a lot less symptoms than I had. I can handle the cure better than the
hospital stay. Also (did I mention) a description of what the linux group
person in SPain ( who it turns out is also a translator) went through -
surgery, radiation and chemo for a tumor on his tongue, which made it
especially difficult to gain back 20 pounds. He says he was not sure he would
make it at times but he and his friends devised a liquid diet.
I don't have to deal with liquid diets, or nausea, or coming for chemo
treatments every day, or coming from the UP for a bone marrow transplant, just
somehow surviving the exhaustion and minor side effects. (Wish I could get
more sleep at night - maybe my digestion will improve over the next four
months, that is my only really annoying problem right now, so who cares if
I am too hoarse to be heard at 5 feet).
Jim discovered you can print photos (not quite the same shape at 640x480) at
K-Mart for 50 cents. He goes out shopping daily and has these little
adventures on the way. He also found a pear tree. We are down to about 200
pears without the new pear tree and I don't have the energy to help make pear
juice. Our pear tree has a few very hard green pears and the grapes are not
quite edible enough for the raccoons to knock them all off yet so Jim is
eating them sour.
I survived the 7 hours wait for blood test results better than I did last
Friday, possible because Jim agreed I should not be practicing walking the
same day this time (or visiting stores afterwards). A couple of hours sleep
in the daytime and I can wobble around the house a bit and even sort laundry
and I FED MYSELF bread and cheese and milk. Jim is making a stir-fry now out
of the rock-hard tomatoes from the neighbor and some Napa cabbage. 500
calories to go. I weighed 95 at the hospital with clothes on. I hope some
is going into muslce and the rest into padding for my seat.
Today was uneventful except for one call from the visiting nurse about picking
things up, one call to confirm that I have moved (to Jim's house) and that
my brother is not the one to contact (he never answered my email yet) and one
call to remind me I have chemo Monday. I unplugged the phone to sleep.
Tomorrow I will attempt another shower with Jim's help and with short hair.
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keesan
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response 163 of 257:
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Sep 9 22:18 UTC 2003 |
Another translator looked up allopurinol rash for me. I checked for other
side effects which include digestive upset and 'closing of the throat'.
Neither doctor thought of this one - they suspected yeast infection and could
not see anything. I hope to be able to talk again in a few days. Got to be
your own doctor.
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scott
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response 164 of 257:
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Sep 9 23:03 UTC 2003 |
Jim better not be muscling in on "my" pear tree in Vets Park. ;)
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