Its Blogtastic!

Gut feeling...

aldous — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:58:25 GMT

Okay, so here's the deal... I've been out of work for over a month, thanks to the fact that I haven't been able to stop from throwing up once to twice a day every day since July 22nd. At first, other symptoms accompanied it, making me think that it was a simple bout of gestroenteritis (see "stomach flu"). However, after a week, all other symptoms faded except for the nausea and vomiting. Mind you, with losing roughly half of what I attempted to eat, fatigue also is present. So, when it wasn't likely flu, they ran a set of bloodwork to see if it was kidney or liver function related. Negative, no trouble there. They then ran blood to see if it was anything metabolic at all- diabetes or anything else. Again, negative (much to my relief, diabetes runs in my family). They then had me undergo an Upper GI scan, the kind of radiological scan where they have you drink down a barium shake so they can take picures of your stomach. The most disturbing thing about that procedure was how much the barium reminded me of old-school McDonald's strawberry milkshakes. Yet another reason NOT to partake of the golden arches. The Upper GI revealed what looked like a growth inside my stomach, a gastric polyp. These growths are rarely malignant, but still, that needed to be taken care of, so, yesterday I went to St. Mary's Hospital to have a gastroscopy (where they stick a tube down your throat so they can see, take pictures of and perform laser surgery on the inside of your stomach). Ahead of that procedure, which was scheduled for 3:30 in the afternoon, they don't want you to have anything but clear liquids after midnight and nothing at all after 8:00 am. Needless to say that I was very hungry and thirsty by the time I got to the hospital. Given the use of anesthesia, they didn't want you to drive yourself to and from the hospital (especially FROM), so Jim took me there and sat with me awhile until it was time for the procedure. It was good to not have to take the bus and be there alone. So, I was put under for the first time in my life, and the doctor said that most people recalled th procedure hazily while under and was merely comfortable, but a few responded by simply blacking out. I was the latter. I recall NOTHING of it. That might have something to do with how I don't drink alcohol or use any other form of sedative drug, ever-- my body has no resistance built up to that sort of thing. When I came to, I discovered that they had not found a polyp while they were in there. There were a few things they took some biopsy material of but that was all they did in there besides take pictures (I have a copy of these images too, if anyone cares to see them). I was driven home by another friend, Rodney, and it was only five or ten minutes before two more dear folks, Sarah-Jean and Peter showed up to watch over me for awhile, bring me some gentle food to eat and/or cook while my stomach heals, and share some DVDs with me. Peter lost interest in the second movie and went and cleaned my kitchen! After a few hours, they were quite satisfied that I was doing okay, and they left, letting me hit the sack and sleep. I slept very soundly, only having one dream that was particularly distressing. I woke up this morning around 10:00 am. So, now I'm waiting to see if I will stil be throwing up when my stomach returns to normal use (I've not eaten much yet, but that's about to change), as they didn't actually remove much of anything or do anything more than get some biopsy samples, so I'm not optimistic that whatever's bothering me has been addressed. At least I'm doing okay after the procedure. So, that's the update for you all. Sorry for not giving you all more frequent updates, but I've not been up to much online the last month.

Something to note...

aldous — Wed, 31 May 2006 19:27:07 GMT

Patchouli is not the brand name of "Fix-a-Flat" for owls.

Grave humor

aldous — Sat, 20 May 2006 20:12:02 GMT

After Quasimodo's death, the bishop of the Cathedral of Notre Dame sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell ringer was needed. The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews personally and went up into the belfry to begin the screening process. After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he had decided to call it a day. Just then, an armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringer's job. The bishop was incredulous. "You have no arms!" "No matter," said the man. "Observe!" And he began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced he had finally found a replacement for Quasimodo. But suddenly, rushing forward to strike the bell, the Armless man tripped and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below. The stunned bishop rushed down two hundred and ninety five church steps, when he reached the street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before. As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of them asked, "Bishop, who was this man?". "I don't know his name," the bishop sadly replied, "but his face rings a bell." WAIT! WAIT! There's more... The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless campanologist, the bishop continued his interviews for the bell ringer of Notre Dame. The first man to approach him said, "Your Excellency, I am the brother of the poor armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honour his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty." The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and, as the armless man's brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest, twirled around, and died on the spot. Two monks, hearing the bishop's cries of grief at this second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side "What has happened? Who is this man?" the first monk asked breathlessly. "I don't know his name," sighed the distraught bishop, but..."He's a dead ringer for his brother."

Cultural Creative, eh?

aldous — Sun, 14 May 2006 22:40:31 GMT

QUIZ RESULTS: WHAT IS YOUR WORLD VIEW? You scored as Cultural Creative. Cultural Creatives are probably the newest group to enter this realm. You are a modern thinker who tends to shy away from organized religion but still feels as if there is something greater than ourselves. You are very spiritual, even if you are not religious. Life has a meaning outside of the rational. Cultural Creative ========= 88% Postmodernist ======== 81% Idealist ======== 75% Existentialist ======== 75% Materialist ======= 69% Modernist ====== 63% Fundamentalist == 19% Romanticist 0% What is Your World View? (updated) http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=23320

I'm going straight to Hell... ;-)

aldous — Sat, 13 May 2006 22:30:44 GMT

The Dante's Inferno Test has sent you to the Second Level of Hell! Here is how you matched up against all the levels: Level | Score Purgatory | Very Low Level 1 - Limbo | Low Level 2 | Very High Level 3 | Moderate Level 4 | Very Low Level 5 | Low Level 6 - The City of Dis | High Level 7 | Moderate Level 8- the Malebolge | Low Level 9 - Cocytus | Low Level descriptions: http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-information.html Take the test: http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv So to sum up, Very High only on Lust (level 2), High on being Heretical (level 6), Moderately Gluttonous and Violent (levels 3 and 7), And Low or Very Low on being a Repentant Believer (in Christanity? yep [Purgatory level]), a Virtuous Non-believer (it's all that Lust and Heresy [Level 1]), being Prodigal or Avaricious (level 4), Wrathful or Gloomy (I dunno, I do have a temper [Level 5]), Fraudulent, Malicious or Pandering (level 8), and in being Trecherous (level 9). Pretty close to how I see me. ;-)

Late Dinner

aldous — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 07:35:39 GMT

So I have just finished eating the two most perfect grilled cheese sandwiches ever. And I cooked them. Yum!