I read the most amazing article today in Saturday's issue of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Kim Ode, a straight woman and mother, reported on one increduble man's journey into the heart of society...a journey he calls "Straight into Gay America. Kim has done a fantastic job of reporting, so rather than paraphrase, I'll just show you her article:
Kim Ode: A wheel and a prayer Kim Ode, Star Tribune June 11, 2005 ODE0611
Next Tuesday, a Lutheran pastor in Vermont will climb on his unicycle and set off on a month-long ride from house to house. He's not sure where he'll end up each evening. But he has faith that each host will lead to the next, and that each will help answer his question: What is it like to be gay in America today?
The answers will reach a wide audience through a website and, eventually, a book.
But folks already are listening. "What you are doing is so important," wrote Randi Reitan of Eden Prairie, whose son, Jake, is gay. "You can't even imagine what that news would have meant to us as I searched the paper every day just looking for the word 'gay,' hoping it was positive news -- news that would give me hope that Jake's life would be one of equality, not struggle."
The Rev. Lars Clausen has done this sort of thing before. Several years ago, he rode his unicycle through all 50 states to publicize the needs of the Inupiat Eskimos in Alaska, where he received his first pastoral call. This trip, which Clausen calls "Straight Into Gay America," also describes himself: a straight, married father of two daughters who believes he's being called to move the issue of being gay beyond the religious and political diatribes to something that resembles a conversation.
Or, they can try asking the question themselves -- without the unicycle. Without even leaving town, for that matter. The idea is to ask the question, then to listen, all the while keeping the decibel level to something resembling a bridge game.
This would be a lot harder than what Clausen is doing. He's a go-between, seeking out a friendly gay audience to enlighten the straight public. Going off on our own to understand opposing opinions seems way too personal, even a little risky. Besides, such conversations rarely have clear winners and losers. Why go to all that trouble for nothing more than an uneasy truce?
No question, I have an agenda: urging those who believe that gay people are sinful to ask gays how they deal with being the focus of such strong opinions. If their answers mirror what we hear from people who feel discriminated against because of their race, gender, age -- also things over which they have no control -- then some understanding about our common humanity might follow.
But the sword of truth cuts both ways. Fair play would mean asking people who believe that fundamentalists are hypocritical or irredeemable to ask how they deal with being the focus of such strong opinions. It's not a perfect parallel; people choose to believe what they believe. But the point is trying to understand how they make those choices.
Can this happen? Maybe. But it takes effort. There's not a lot of traffic between these polarized camps. Nor can you just dive into such questions; this is where peddling up on a unicycle actually might help break the ice.
Then again, maybe we can dive. There's something to be said for cutting to the chase, and Lord knows people rarely flinch at the chance to talk about themselves. The trick is to keep success from being defined as getting the other person to change her mind. Right now, it may be enough to hear each other out.
Clausen states that his goal is to find the "generosity of spirit in the everyday stories of everyday people." But his agenda clearly is more pointed. He wants to help gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Americans gain the full justice of their citizenship. If he's successful, his accounts of gays' daily lives will seem little different from the lives of straight people.
Will that be enough to illuminate the world? Not all at once. But at least he's making the effort to ease the antagonism before it grows even darker.
The need to understand each other will never go away, for as long as husbands and wives keep having babies, there will be gay people.
I urge everyone reading this to visit this website. It's amazing that one man has so readily grasped just what our society needs to transcend the hatred that's threatening to tear us apart. It's true: we all need to begin a dialogue that illustrates to everyone that gay people have the same hopes, needs, dreams, loves & crises that everyone else does. Gay men and women don't have an agenda, we just want to be seen as human -- which, I think is what everyone wants. So take a lesson from this beautiful man: take the time, gather your courage, and start talking.
Anyone who knows me or has read my blog with any kind of regularity knows that I have a kidney disease called hypocitraturia. Mostly, that means that I make kidney stones. Big, honkin kidney stones. I've been doing a lot of research into how I can medically prevent these stones, and I found some interesting things.
So, I went to my urologist -- who's an ass, by the way -- last week to discuss treatment options. I told him what I've been doing already as far as prevention: magnesium citrate, potassium citrate, hydrochlorothiazide, Vitamin B-6, a low-oxalate diet, and LOTS of water. I knew things were off to a bad start when he asked me why I was taking B-6 -- I mean, I was able to find literally hundreds of references on the vitamin's reduction of oxalate production. He'd never heard of this, and he's a doctor! So, I had some x-rays taken, which showed growth in all of my stones since my last x-ray (2 months ago). Obviously, the measures I've been taking are not good enough. So I asked him about other, additional medical options. Chelating agents, orthophosphates, cellulose supplements, increasing my potassium citrate dosage... You know what he said? "I think I've done about all I can for you; maybe you should start seeing a nephrologist."
Wonderful. I live in a town that doesn't HAVE a nephrologist. I don't have a car, and this moron is the only urologist in town. Without totally imposing on my friends, I have no way of seeing a nephrologist. So I basically have to choose between forgetting about treatment altogether or becoming a complete burden. I may go to see my GP to see if she has any suggestions, but other than that, I'm totally at a loss here.
On a totally different note, I read a most-amazing book. Bee Season, by Myla Goldberg. The basic plot is a totally unremarkable 11-year-old Jewish girl, who's always been overshadowed by her older brother with rabbinical ambitions, completel y amazes her family by getting roped into a class spelling bee -- and winning. She also wins two successively larger regional competitions and goes all the way to the nationals. It ultimately ends up changing the dynamic of her whole family. A unique and wonderful subtheme is religion: what it means, who God really is, and how a person goes about finding God. I know, it sounds a little bizarre, but it was a really transcendent novel. I totally recommend it. Below is a link for a discounted copy, if you're interested.
I'm just about wetting my pants with anticipation...it's 49 long, excruciating days until Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is released. It's funny, I didn't start reading the Harry Potter books until after the third one was released, and I didn't know anything about them. I picked up a copy in a bookstore and just thought it sounded interesting. Just like so many other people, I got sucked in.
You know, the people who have been rallying agains the Harry Potter books, saying that they're warping young minds, really honk me off. The argument, of course, is that these books promote devil worship and black magic. It's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. For one thing, there is no devil worship in the any of the books. Religion simply does not play a part in the stories. Secondly, while there is black magic, the protagonists (Harry et al) are valiently fighting on the side of good. Third, they're fiction! I don't see how any child could read these stories and think that there's anything real at all about them. They just provide a fun, fantastic journey for young (and not-so-young) imaginations. Fourth, I don't see how people can think that Harry Potter could even hold a candle to some of the stuff out there that's marketed towards children. Violent video games, violent movies, MTV! And what's more, there are a lot of books that children have read for years that are darker than the Harry books. Take The Wizard of Oz for instance: it starts out with a house falling on a witch. Or Alice in Wonderland. Now don't get me wrong, I thing Alice is a wonderful book, but it's full of drugs and schizophrenia. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we live in a society where reading just doesn't have the place that it used to. Reading stimulates the imagination, provides the early tools of good communications, and studies show that fewer and fewer people are reading now than they used to. Amazing numbers of people in our country are illiterate, and even larger numbers are functionally illiterate. That's what I don't understand: Harry Potter is getting kids to read! And kids aren't just reading because they have to -- they're clammoring for more! How any parent could deny their child a book like this is beyond me.
Well, I'll get off my soapbox for now. However, since I've been so excited about our new installment coming out soon, I've been scouring the web for different Harry-geared sites.
My favorite is J. K. Rowlings own site. It's got a detailed autobiography, answers to fans' questions about the characters, links to Rowling's favorite sites, and edited-out snippets.
Another great site is the Harry Potter Lexicon. It's got an unbelieveably complete glossary of all things Harry, along with character biographies and a timeline. I understand that Rowling herself uses this site to double check facts and dates.
Then there's Mugglenet. This site is run primarily by teenagers that are fans of the Harry Potter books and movies. There's fan fiction (some of it quite good), games, trivia, and tons more.
Last but far from least is Godrics Hollow. Named for the place where Harry's parents lived (and died), this site is full of some very cool stuff. You can drive the Knight Bus, write a new song for the sorting hat, chat with other Potter nerds, download some cool stuff, and more.
Be warned, some of these sites contain spoilers, although how they got information on the yet-to-be-released Half Blood Prince, I'm not sure. I avoided them all -- I want the new book to be a complete surprise.
If you haven't reserved your own copy, I recommend getting it from Amazon. They give you 40% off, and will have it delivered to your door on the 16th (the release day). Better than waiting in long lines at midnight, for sure! I've provided a link below -- just click to order your own copy!
I recently read an article that really disturbed me.
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Indiana officials recommended on Friday that a man facing execution next week should not get clemency, a decision that could end his attempt to donate part of his liver to his sister.
Gregory Johnson, 40, had asked for clemency for legal reasons, or a delay in his May 25 execution date so the transplant could take place.
Johnson was sentenced to death for killing an 82-year-old woman during a home break-in in 1985. His 48-year-old sister, Deborah Otis, has said she would like a partial liver transplant from her brother.
Now, I don't want to get into a death penalty argument here. But it seems to me that that isn't even the point. All they would have to do is wait two months to give him his lethal injection, and in the meantime his sister would be saved. It seems like they're punishing her for his crimes. And exactly what is gained by keeping the execution on schedule? I mean, his liver could save a life if they wait, but if they don't then nothing good will come out of this. I wonder what the victim's family thinks about all of this.
Did you know that (in the state of California, at least) a woman can be fired from her job for refusing to wear makeup?
Darlene Jesperson of San Francisco is appealing a ruling by a 3-judge panel that upheld her termination for refusing to wear makeup. Darlene was employed as a bartender at Hurrah's Entertainment, Inc. when they instituted a new dress code that required all female bartenders to wear makeup. Jesperson had worked for the company for 21 years before she was fired in 2000. They called their new dress code "Beverage Department Image Transformation," and required makeup for all female bartenders among other things.
She is being represented by Jennifer Pizer of Lambda Legal, who stated that, "What makes it discriminatory is that it requires women to present themselves in a particularly feminine way."
Jesperson's case is currently being appealed. Read the full article here.
So tell me, am I the only one who thinks this is a ridiculous requirement? I mean, if a person is presenting themselves in a clean, professional manner, I'm not sure I understand why makeup would be required. But I want to hear what you think? Obviously, employers can require a uniform -- do you think that something like this falls under the category of "uniform?" I wonder if they required all men to be clean-shaven or have a particular hair cut...
I know, I haven't posted in a very long time...sorry. I spent this last weekend in Madison visiting one of my very best friends in the whole world, Bri, and her girlfriend Abby. We had an absolutely amazing time. I took the train to Portage, WI, and Bri came to pick me up. On Saturday, we had a great time walking around, visiting their roommate Molly's sex shop (they even had a book titled "The Art of Bottoming"), and watching Margaret Cho on DVD. Saturday night we went out first to a bar and then to a club, where we all drank ridiculous amounts of alcohol. I'm getting to old to drink like that...I lost count of how many shots we did. I was cruised by a very hot man with an irish accent (I love accents)...all in all, it was a fantastic evening. Sunday we didn't really do much, mostly due to some impressive hangovers. We just sat around and talked -- something that we don't get to do very often since we live three hours apart. Bri saw Abby off to a conference in New Orleans, and then we went back to Portage and played on a swingset until the train was due. Right before the train got in, we were joking about the train breaking down 10 minutes out of town (and how royally screwed I would be). Wouldn't you know, 15 minutes into my trip, and the train ran over something on the tracks and started on fire. Fortunately, it was a tiny fire and they just had to reconnect some hoses before we could be on our way, so we were only delayed about 30 minutes. Scary, though.
Now, I have an entire week off from work, during which I don't plan on doing anything at all (except for a urology appointment on Thursday. Hooray for vacations!
And, since I haven't done a book review post in a while, I figure it's time to catch up. A few weeks ago, I read an amazing book called The Binding Chair, by Kathryn Harrison. It's the story of an ex-prostitute in turn-of-the-century Shanghai and her neice. In China at that time, foot binding was a very common practice for young women. The girl would wrap her feet tightly with bandages to cause them to fold together in order to make herself more attractive to prospective husbands. Over time, the girl's bones would break down and her feet would be completely, irrevocably crippled, and she would have to wear special slippers just to walk. May's story is of a girl who entered into an awful, abusive arranged marriage, excaped to the city and became a prostitute to survive, and married an affluent white man. The theme of the book centers largely on the oppression of women and a woman's escape from this confinement. It's a fantastic read and explores a culture that many people don't know much about. It's very good.
One of my duties at work is to write a monthly one-page newsletter on pertinent health topics. I've decided that, since I'm writing it anyway, to post the articles on my blog as well. My May newsletter talked about carpal tunnel syndrome:
In an office setting, workers are generally safe from many hazards; there aren’t any power tools with which to cut oneself, and there isn’t any heavy lifting that could strain a worker’s back. However, people who work in an office setting, and in fact anyone who performs repetitive movements with his or her hands may be at risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is caused by compression of the median nerve. The median nerve travels down your arm and into your hand, and passes through a "tunnel" in your wrist. The carpal (wrist) bones form the bottom of the tunnel, and a strong band of connective tissue covers the top of the tunnel. The tunnel also contains nine tendons that are responsible for your ability to bend your fingers. These tendons are covered with a lubricating membrane called a synovium.
Problems can arise when, due to repetitive hand motions or other factors, the synovia swell. Since there is a limited amount of room in your carpal tunnel, these membranes end up pressing against your median nerve, causing numbness, tingling, and/or pain: carpal tunnel syndrome.
As many as 3% of adults suffer from this condition, and it’s estimated that an adult’s lifetime risk of contracting CTS is nearly 10%. It’s noted to be more prevalent in females (although men can certainly suffer from CTS) and it is most common in middle-aged people.
How can you tell if you suffer from CTS? CTS patients typically complain of a "pins-and-needles" sensation that often gets worse at night. As nerve compression worsens, the CTS patient will have a persistent ache that can radiate up into the forearm or elbow. You may have decreased feeling in your thumb and first two fingers. Flexing your wrist may cause the tingling or pain to become more pronounced.
While most people consider CTS to be caused only by repetitive motion, and while that is often the culprit, there may be other causes or contributing factors. Physical aberrations (such as a small carpal tunnel) can cause pressure on the median nerve. Certain disease conditions, like diabetes, gout or heart failure may also contribute. Even pregnancy can play a role in the development of CTS.
So you’ve been diagnosed with CTS? The mainstay of treatment is rest. Your doctor will likely provide a splint that will help immobilize your wrist, along with a recommendation for mild anti-inflammatory drugs. He or she may also provide tips on how to ergonomically position your hands and wrists when performing your everyday duties so that pressure is alleviated. More severe cases may require the injection of a steroid or lidocaine (an anesthetic) into the carpal tunnel itself. Finally, your doctor may elect to perform surgery to relieve the pressure on your median nerve. (For those with CTS in both wrists, surgery is performed first on one wrist, and the other is done when the first heals. Other therapies, some involving the use of ultrasound, are still being developed.
An old adage states that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When you work in a position that requires repetitive hand motions (such as typing), make certain to position yourself in such a way that you put as little strain as possible on your wrists. Ergonomically designed wrist pads, chairs and keyboards can all be beneficial to your median nerve. Of course, if you should start to experience the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, your best course of action is to see a physician; only a health care professional can determine whether you have this condition and how best to treat it.
Bibliography:
Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Viera, Anthony J., LCDR, MC, USNR (2003)
I read a very disturbing article the other day. The FDA has mad the decision to ban gay men from donating sperm. Basically, any gay man who has been sexually active within the last five years is not able to donate sperm. The FDA insists that since gay men have a higher-than-average HIV infection rate, this new policy is a safety measure.
There are so many things wrong with this, I don't know where to begin. First of all AIDS is no longer a "gay" disease. According to the American International Aids Foundation, the disease is most commonly transmitted via vaginal intercourse. It's not hard to extrapolate the reasons why HIV initially spread through the gay community. In the late seventies/early eighties, gay men did not see the need for contraceptive measures when having sex. Think about it: obviously no one was going to get pregnant; the worst thing that men though could happen was syphillis. (Which, while no walk in the park, is at least treatable.) When you couple that fact with the fact that the social stigma of being in a long-term, monogomous gay relationship was prohibitive, you realize that many gay men had unprotected, short-term affairs. What's sad is that even now, HIV is still considered by many to be a gay disease, as though it's God's way of "thinning the herd." Let's get serious -- if God was handing out sexually transmitted diseases to punish people for sinning, most of the straight people I know would be in the free clinic all the time!
I think what really gets me, though, is that the FDA has repeatedly nixed the idea of simply having stronger controls. (Read the following communiations to the FDA regarding this issue here, here, and here.) I guess I don't understand that. Why couldn't they simply test sperm for the virus? They do it anyway! It's the same quandary that's confused me in regards to donating blood. The red cross is continuously short of blood, and they test blood for HIV anyway, so why aren't gay men allowed to donate? And under these new regulations, a gaystraight man who had unprotected sex with an HIV infected prostitute could donate as early as one year later, but a gay man in a 30 year monogomous relationship, even one who still practices safe sex, could not! Only gay men who have been celibate for the past five years would be able to donate.
Now, it's not like I'm in any particular hurry to provide a "sample," but this will pose a realy problem for the gay community. According to the article, many lesbians in committed relationships feel more comfortable using sperm from a gay donor. While it's not clear if women with a particular person in mind will be subject to these restrictions, it stands to reason that some of these women aren't going to know a mand that they want as a father for their children.
I think that, more than the practical problems, it's the gesture itself that sticks in my craw. And I'm not the only one. A quote from Kevin Cathcart with Lambda Legal: "The part I find most offensive — and a little frightening — is that it isn't based on good science," Cathcart said. "There's a steadily increasing trend of heterosexual transmission of HIV, and yet the FDA still has this notion that you protect people by putting gay men out of the pool." Here is Lambda Legal's full article on the topic. And HRC's.
I urge everyone who is as outraged by this as I am to contact the FDA. Even though they've been ignoring us so far doesn't mean we shouldn't flood them with letters. Their address is:
Being born on the 3rd day of the month is likely to add a good bit of vitality to your life. The energy of 3 allows you bounce back rapidly from setbacks, physical or mental. There is a restlessness in your nature, but you seem to be able to portray an easygoing, "couldn't care less" attitude. You have a natural ability to express yourself in public, and you always make a very good impression. Good with words, you excel in writing, speaking, and possibly singing. You are energetic and always a good conversationalist. You have a keen imagination, but you tend to scatter your energies and become involved with too may superficial matters. You are affectionate and loving, but sometimes too sensitive. You are subject to rapid ups and downs.
CLOVIS, N.M. - A call about a possible weapon at a middle school prompted police to put armed officers on rooftops, close nearby streets and lock down the school. All over a giant burrito.
Someone called authorities Thursday after seeing a boy carrying something long and wrapped into Marshall Junior High.
The drama ended two hours later when the suspicious item was identified as a 30-inch burrito filled with steak, guacamole, lettuce, salsa and jalapenos and wrapped inside tin foil and a white T-shirt.
"I didn't know whether to laugh or cry," school Principal Diana Russell said.
State police, Clovis police and the Curry County Sheriff's Department arrived at the school shortly after 8:30 a.m. They searched the premises and determined there was no immediate danger.
In the meantime, more than 30 parents, alerted by a radio report, descended on the school. Visibly shaken, they gathered around in a semi-circle, straining their necks, awaiting news.
"There needs to be security before the kids walk through the door," said Heather Black, whose son attends the school.
After the lockdown was lifted but before the burrito was identified as the culprit, parents pulled 75 students out of school, Russell said.
Russell said the mystery was solved after she brought everyone in the school together in the auditorium to explain what was going on.
"The kid was sitting there as I'm describing this (report of a student with a suspicious package) and he's thinking, 'Oh, my gosh, they're talking about my burrito.'"
Afterward, eighth-grader Michael Morrissey approached her.
"He said, 'I think I'm the person they saw,'" Russell said.
The burrito was part of Morrissey's extra-credit assignment to create commercial advertising for a product.
"We had to make up a product and it could have been anything. I made up a restaurant that specialized in oddly large burritos," Morrissey said.
After students heard the description of what police were looking for, he and his friends began to make the connection. He then took the burrito to the office.
"The police saw it and everyone just started laughing. It was a laughter of relief," Morrissey said.
"Oh, and I have a new nickname now. It's Burrito Boy."
*************** "Oh my gosh, they're talking about my burrito..." I'm still giggling. :-)
Well, not exactly a jet plane. I just purchased my train ticket to the lovely town of Portage, WI (that was sarcasm...they even have a Mullet Street) to visit Bri for a weekend! In a few weeks, we'll be having a fantastic time in Madison walking up and down State Street, eating at Himal Chulie (or their new, fancier spin-off), and partying at a most-fun gay club (where I will hopefully be surrounded by a harem of lost 22-year-old Venezuelan...hmm, no, Colombian...porn stars, who are amazed at my firm, supple youth and the charisma that I virtually exude from my pores). Or, maybe I'll just get shitty on tequila shots. Either way...
Nonetheless, a good time will be had by all. I miss Bri and the amazing Abby, and I'm sure Little misses his Auntie Mike.
Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.
Your saturation level is higher than average - You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don't be afraid to run out and make things happen.
Your outlook on life is brighter than most people's. You like the idea of influencing things for the better and find hope in situations where others might give up. You're not exactly a bouncy sunshine but things in your world generally look up.
The following editorial was in the Minneapolis Star Tribune today. It was written by a (straight) resident of Clear Lake, MN. At least I'm not the only person who's outraged by this ridiculous amendment...
Jon Tufte
April 23, 2005 TUFTE0423
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It is my belief that a Constitution, whether for our nation or for a state, is an instrument that guarantees freedom and rights of the people and should not contain amendments that discriminate against any group of people. To this end, I wrote an e-mail to the chief author of H.F. 6 -- Rep. Dan Severson, R-Sauk Rapids -- relaying my disappointment in his stance on the issue and his authoring such a bill.
In the e-mail I stated that I knew we didn't see eye-to-eye on the issue of same-sex marriage, but that wasn't what I was writing about. I stated that I believed the proposed amendment was actually writing discrimination into a Constitution that guarantees freedoms and that this amendment was discriminating against a select group of people based on their sexual orientation. By adding this amendment to the state Constitution we would be changing the fundamental purpose of the document.
I went on to explain how thankful I was that this same type of thinking wasn't prevalent when our nation was working on racial equality and women's suffrage. We would have been putting amendments into the Constitution that discriminated against these groups of individuals.
I wrote to Severson saying that I understood he was not my representative; I was writing to encourage him, as chief author of the H.F. 6, to listen to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals coming down for Lobby Day on April 7 and to listen to understand, not to respond.
The following paragraph was his response to me in its entirety:
"Jon
"Let me first of all say that I don't represent you. Rep. Olson does. Second I always find it petty when people like you say 'I'm so disappointed.' You neither know me nor have enough information to be disappointed. Please contain your hatred. We think differently and that is America. Bye"
Is this the type of response we should expect from an employee of the state of Minnesota and an elected representative of the people? Personally, I don't believe that it is.
First of all, I did tell him that I knew he was not my representative. He is the author of the bill, so why shouldn't I be writing to him? Or should we be looking at another amendment so that we can't do that either? Secondly, he found it "petty when people like you say 'I'm so disappointed.' "
How could I know him? -- probably because of the news releases, his website, and his status as chief author of the bill. My question back to Severson is, "How can you refer to 'people like' me when you truly don't know me?" Or ask that I "contain" my "hatred," when I was only stating that I didn't believe we should have an amendment that writes discrimination into our Constitution? Who's showing hatred now? It scares me to think that this is the type of thinking that I got from an elected official in the state of Minnesota.
This is not a gay issue -- this is an issue of allowing this type of thinking and discrimination to be woven into our state Constitution. Where does this take us next? Who is the next group that we should discriminate against? Using the basis for this proposed amendment, perhaps it will be single parents or divorced people -- after all, theirs are lifestyle choices that don't preserve the sanctity of marriage and the traditional family.
I urge you, all of us -- lesbian, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, divorced, single parents, married, etc. -- to be actively involved in seeing that this amendment never makes it to a vote. Let it be known that you do not support discrimination in our state Constitution.
Happy Sunday, everyone! It's a beautiful day out and I've got the house all opened up, just enjoying the fresh air and the fact that I'm not doing anything today.
I read an article the other day about all of the scandal surrounding the cox-2 inhibitors: Vioxx, Celebrex and Bextra. These drugs are used for arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, and their big claim to fame was that, unlike the NSAIDS (ibuprofin, naproxen, etc.), they cause less gastric irritation because they selectively target the receptors that control inflammation without also targeting the receptors that cause stomach problems. Bextra was just recently taken off the market, and Vioxx was removed a couple of months ago (although there's speculation that it may be returned to the market with strong warnings), because with long term use there's an increased risk for cardiovascular problems or a rare but fatal skin reaction. (Celebrex remains on the market, but carries strong warnings.) Anyway, the article mentions that for long-term treatment for arthritis, experts are recommending the use of a regular NSAID (like Aleve) along with a proton pump inhibitor like Prilosec or Prevacid. This concerns me. I had concerns when Prilosec was made available for over-the-counter purchase, because these drugs are not made for long-term therapy. The drugs take action to basically "shut off" the acid-producing pumps in the stomach, unlike other antacids which either neutralize the acid after it's produced or "turn the pumps down," like lowering the heat on a gas stove. The potential problem with long term use is that after a while, the lining of your stomach can begin to atrophy since your acid pumps aren't secreting the way they should. Now, there's a lot of conflicting evidence about this, but the fact is that these drugs are all relatively new (within the last 10 years or so), and the long term effects haven't been studied enough. Here's a link to some standard consumer information on the PPIs. I guess I'm just not convinced that this is the proper course of treatment for people, especially with drugs like Zantac or Pepcid on the market that don't have the same risks.
Ok, random subject change. We've started a new program in our department that I'm pretty excited about. We're trying to become more health-conscious at work, considering our jobs mainly consist of sitting at a desk for 8 hours. The supervisors talked about it, and we're making a lot of changes to our policies, but one fun thing that we're doing is a walking challenge. Heather spent some time looking up the distance in miles between Winona and several cities across the country. Participants are to choose a "city goal" and then, between now and the end of August, try to walk to that city. We were all given pedometers to track our progress, and the top three walkers win a prize. I'm not really doing it to try to win, but it's really interesting to see just how much I walk in a given day (I don't have a car, so it's usually quite a lot.) And I think it's a fantastic program: hopefully people will be encouraged to walk places now instead of driving. I'm sure it's not going to overtly improve the health of our staff, but exercise has been shown to improve one's mood.
Ok -- good book time. I read a super memoir of Augusten Burroughs called Running with Scissors. I read his novel Sellevision last year and loved it, so thought I'd try some of his nonfiction. The story is entirely true, but it almost reads like fiction -- his childhood was so dysfunctional and crazy. Burroughs's mother was also a writer, and she suffered from mental illness. She actually signed over guardianship of her child to her psychiatrist. The psychiatrist is also quite nuts, and Burroughs ends up living his teen years in a disgusting house with the doctor's family -- one of whom is a gay pedophile. The fact that he is now a productive member of society is just astounding. I'm not even going to start on all of the bizarre things that happened to him growing up (you wouldn't believe me). Just trust me. It's a very good book.
I don't really have anything new going on in my life right now, but articles like this make me sort of glad I lead a boring existance...
KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - A German cannibal and prosecutors launched rival appeals at Germany's top criminal court Wednesday against his manslaughter conviction for killing and eating a willing victim.
Meiwes admitted to killing a Berlin computer specialist, Bernd-Juergen B, he met via the Internet, but was spared a murder verdict as the victim had asked to be eaten in a startling case of sexual fetishism.
Meiwes recorded the deed on video tape and shocked the court with his matter-of-fact account of how he severed the man's penis at the latter's request, and how they both tried to eat it, first raw and then fried in a saucepan.
When I first read this, I thought it was a joke. It's not. It's also too funny to not share. So, here's your chuckle of the week:
LONDON (Reuters) - A 66-year-old British grandmother with a taste for marijuana casserole was spared jail Friday despite admitting she had shared cannabis-laced cookies with fellow pensioners.
Patricia Tabram from East Lea in the northern tip of England, who said she uses cannabis to alleviate pains in her neck and back, pleaded guilty to possession of the drug with intent to supply.
But Judge David Hodson said he would not make a "martyr" of her when she returned to Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing. Instead, she received a six-month suspended prison sentence.
The white-haired, bespectacled granny was unrepentant, and said she would keep cooking with pot.
"I had it this morning in my scrambled eggs and I'll have it again for lunch. I'm not giving it up," she told Channel 4 news.
Tabram has become a symbol for Britain's legalize marijuana campaign. On her Web Site, www.grandma-eats-cannabis.com, she promises soon to provide free recipes, as well as tea towels and mugs for sale.
Last year, Britain downgraded cannabis from the same class as cocaine and ecstasy to a lower class of illegal drug, which means police are not expected to arrest people for possessing small amounts but can jail them for supplying it to others.
Police said they raided Tabram's home after a tip-off in May last year and found 31 cannabis plants along with hydroponic cultivation equipment. In a later raid they found 47 bags of "skunk," a particularly strong form of the drug.
The set-up at Tabram's home "bore all the hallmarks of any sophisticated drug dealer," police said in a statement.
Since this whole gay marriage thing blew up, Sen. Michelle Bachman (R-Stillwater, MN) has been trying to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot The bill that she authored had to get passed through both the House and the Senate before it could be put before voters. However, she's sped up the process; I don't think anyone had expected things to be moving along already. The bill did pass the House, but was defeated in the Senate last Thursday! At least for now, no amendment in Minnesota! You can read a complete article on it here. Thank goodness; I guess we're still a blue state. :-)
I also read that the same day the Connecticut Senate approved a bill that makes CT the first state to recognize civil unions without pressure from the courts. Evidently they will have a similar setup as Vermont; the bill will provide most of the same rights as marriage, but without the license. Originally lawmakers planned to enact a law similar to the one in Massachusetts, providing an actual marriage for same-sex couples, but decided that the populace would be more accepting of this. It'd be interesting to see exactly what differences there are as far as "marriage" benefits go between this new civil union and a marriage. But -- it's a step in the right direction!
Now, if we could just keep from getting complacent -- we need to keep fighting!
I was excited at the beginning of the week because we hired a new operator for our department. It's so hard to find people that are smart enough to do the job and still willing to work for our low wages! Last month, we fired a woman (and it was a long time coming), and started the hiring process to replace her. I was more involved than usual since her shift was from 10 to 7 and she would be working under me for the majority of her shift. After a couple of interviews, the decision was made to bring her aboard. She was supposed to start today.
However, on Saturday, in the local newpaper there was an article about a theft. A 23-year-old shift manager at a McDonalds was arrested. What happened was a woman left her purse behind in McDonalds and an employee did the right thing by putting it in the office. As it turns out, the shift manager stole the credit cards and license as well as a ring valued at $1500. (Now, why someone would be so careless with a purse containing valuables like that is another question, but I won't get into that here.) The shift manager went on a spending spree at several local stores. When she was arrested, she was wearing the ring. She confessed to everything. (I tried to find the article so I could link to it, but it wasn't posted on our paper's very lame website.)
It was the same girl we hired!
My god. At the risk of sounding like a shallow socialite, it's so hard to find good help. Now, we have hired some real winners during the time I've been with the company, but this really takes the cake. The operators in our department are taking down names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdays, credit card numbers and social security numbers on a very regular basis. This could have turned into a huge disaster -- I guess it's lucky we found out that she was a thief before she started, because she could have ended up stealing from one of our customers, at least their money, and maybe their whole identity.
So Angie, my daytime counterpart (and the one who formally hired her), left her a message to call before she came in to work. She didn't call. No, 7 a.m. (we start people in the morning the first two weeks for training), she was waiting outside the door. Rita, my boss, was in her car and saw her out there, so she gave her a little speech about how her "background check" came back and we could no longer offer her the position. Nice, huh? Apparently she just said "Oh," and left.
Well, that's my excitement for the week. Before I go to bed, though, I want to share with you the most fantastic book I've read in a very long time: The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down, by Anne Fadiman. It's the most amazing, touching, heartbreaking story I think I've ever read -- and it's entirely true. Lia Lee is an infant born to a large family of very recent hmong immigrants (in 1981). Her parents speak no English, so when she has a seizure, they aren't able to communicate with the emergency room doctors. Finally, after several seizures (which had always ended before they arrived at the ER), she was diagnosed with epilepsy. The hmong culture is vastly different from our own, and the way a hmong person deals with an illness is usually by performing sacrifices, burning the skin and having a shaman perform rituals. The medical community had a very difficult time trying to communicate with this family that was completely illiterate and spoke a different language. The two cultures completely clashed and after an unbelievable number of totally frustrating, horrifying encounters, the book comes to a tragic conclusion. The author is a journalist who did an amazing job of translating this whole disaster into a remarkably unbiased account. The way she goes out of her way to explain the physiology of epilepsy, the doctors' frustrations with this "noncompliant" family who don't understand and won't give their daughter her medicines, as well as the unique and beautiful hmong culture, makes it impossible to choose sides no matter how much you want to lay the blame at someone's feet. As a (former) healthcare professional, it really opened my eyes to the pitfalls of caring for someone who has very different ideas about illness. It's an amazing book that you'll never forget.
And so begins another chapter in the continuing drama of Mike vs. the Kidneys From Hell.
I went to the doctor yesterday. Not the urologist, just Dr. Schmitt. Both Sunday and Monday night I got only about 2-1/2 hours of sleep. The pain wasn't bad enough to send me to the ER, but it was bad enough to keep me awake. I debated going anyway on Sunday night, but I decided that a good night's sleep, while precious, wasn't worth $200 (I have a deductible to meet).
Thank god for Dr. Schmitt. Her 2nd question, after "How bad is it?" was "What do you want me to give you fo the pain?" So, like it or not, I'm back on the opiates. She's going to make a junkie out of me yet. It was almost funny: after she wrote me an enormous prescription for some really strong pills, she asked me if I wanted some Toradol to go with them. I told her no; it doesn't work very well unless it's injected and it gives me gutrot. She seemed almost depressed. I think she wants so badly to fix my kidneys for me and she knows that she can't, so she just bends over backwards to make me as comfortable as possible. I told her about my new plan: should I start to pass a stone, along with the opiates I'm going to try a dose of pyridium. (It's a smooth muscle relaxer that people generally take for bladder infection pain.) My theory (and I have no idea if it'll work) is that if it can help relax my ureter it may speed things along. She actually got out her prescription pad and started writing before I could interrupt and remind her that I could get it over the counter. It's really sad that more doctors aren't like her. As busy as she is, she never acts rushed, always listens (really listens) to what I'm saying, and always considers my suggestions or objections regarding a treatment. And when we disagree about something, she takes the time to explain herself and then lets me make the final decision. With as many problems as I've had, and as many doctors as I've seen, it's so very rare to find someone that you trust to always do the right thing.
I also got to glance at the results of my 24 hour collection from a couple weeks ago. I didn't do more than glance, because Dr. Schmitt had already been in the room with me for 20 minutes and I knew she was busy, but I noticed two things. (There's another thing I like about her: most doctors would just tell me their own interpretation of any lab results, but she knows I know what the values mean, so she actually hands me the reports to look at.) My citrate was rock-bottom, even though I've been supplementing, and my oxalates were through the roof. Hopefully the urologist will call me tomorrow so we can discuss these; I'm totally at a loss as to what to do next.
Well, before I drop off into drug-induced never-never-land, I want to share a really excellent book. Read Lovely Bones, by Alice Sebold. In the very beginning of the book, 14-year-old Susie Salmon is brutally raped and murdered by a neighbor. It's the story of how Susie's family copes (or doesn't cope) with her loss and with the pain of not knowing exactly what happened. But the brilliant thing about the story is that the whole thing is narrated by Susie -- from heaven. This incredibly unique point of view gives the reader the opportunity to know what all the characters are thinking and feeling (even their secrets), because unlike most books that focus on just one viewpoint, Susie is able to see everything from heaven. It's also fascinating reading the author's depiction of the afterlife. But even without the quirkiness of the story, it's very well written and has a very compelling plot. This was another fantastic recommendation from Shelley at the bookstore; now I'm passing it on!
I know...I'm a bad, bad blogger. It's been far too long, but I just really haven't had anything exciting or meaningful to say. Not that I do now, but...
Well, so ends a beautiful three-day weekend. I have done absolutely nothing. That's not entirely true; I did try a new recipe for this bean soup, which partway through I could tell wasn't going to taste very good so got altered considerably. It ended up coming out fairly tasty, although I will be eating this soup for the rest of my life. It's kind of sad that that's the most productive thing I've done all weekend.
I did spend some time yesterday talking with my mother, who called to say "happy easter." Happy easter ended up taking an hour and a half. She's a wonderful person, and she doesn't even really get on my case about things any more, but she still has this amazing knack for making me feel like I'm doing everything wrong. She made a comment about giving me their piano (I'm the only one in the family that plays, so it makes sense) when I get a house. When I get a house. HAHAHAHAHA!!! It was all I could do not to laugh right then. I know she doesn't mean it, and I know she really does understand that I'm not as well off as they are, but it gets irritating trying to justify why I don't have this or that every time I talk with her.
On a lighter note, I'm trying to decide on a halloween costume. Yes, I know it's a little early, but I'm going to have to come up with something even better than last year's costume, and last year it took me several months to put mine together. And besides, as the token gay man in the office, I'd be pretty ashamed of myself if someone outdid me. So far I'm trying to decide between Queen Elizabeth and the pope. The queen would be a pretty spectacular (and appropriate) costume, but I think the pope has some comedic value :-). Who knows, I might go of on a completely different track -- if anyone has any ideas, let me know.
I haven't done a book review in way too long, and I have read a couple of good ones lately. I think everyone should read Girl With a Pearl Earring, by Tracy Chevalier. Shelley at the bookstore recommended it, telling me it was one of her favorites. I can see why. It's historical fiction, taking place in Holland in the 1660s. The novelist took one of Vermeer's paintings and told a story around it, making up a maid that had to leave her home to work in the famous painter's household after her father had an accident. At first she is intimidated by these aristocratic people, but she's fascinated by her master's paintings. She ends up getting painted herself, almost tearing the household apart in the process. Chevalier uses a very basic, almost simple technique that makes the whole story extremely colorful and alive -- a lot like a fabulous painting. Read it -- it's very good.
It's been a long, sore, shitty week, and I'm glad it's over. But aside from the general relief of having two days off to hide under the bed, I saw something online tonight that made me smile.
Check this website out. If you are at the bar (or wherever), and some loser starts pestering you for your number, you have a new option. You no longer have to choose between (a) giving it to him, (b) giving him a fake number and (c) publicly humiliating him (which has always been my personal favorite). The Rejection Hotline has phone numbers set up in major cities across the country that you can give out freely. The person leaves you alone, thinking they've scored, and when they try calling you a couple of days later, they simply get a recorded message that says, "Hello, this is not the person you were trying to reach..." I love it. I just wish they had a Winona number (not that I'm exactly beating the guys off with sticks or anything, sleazy or otherwise).
I have bad news. I went to see my urologist on Thursday for my 3-month follow up. I got x-rays taken and waited to be seen. First he asked how I've been feeling, and I told the truth. I've been a bit disappointed to still have some sporadic pain. For a good month after the ureteroscopy, I was able to convince myself that it was just "leftover" pain from the trauma of the surgery. And it really is very occassional. But when I do get pain, it's not just a little twinge...it hurts!
But, I digress. He just said, "OK," and popped my films up on the light box. He left the room right then for something (before he looked at them), so I was checking them out before he got back. Now, mind you, I worked in geriatrics and I've never been good at looking at x-rays. If someone snaps their leg in half, I can pick that out, but I'm not good for much more than that. But I spotted them right away. Just because I'm so bad at interpreting films, I thought I was mistaken. So as soon as the doctor came in, I gestured to two little flecks in the approximate kidney area -- one on the left and one on the right. "What are these?" I asked. I was so hoping he was going to tell me they were dust or some sort of bubble in the film or else something that belonged there -- basically, that I'm an idiot. Oh, no. "Those, I'm sorry to say, are stones." That's right. Two fresh little kidney stones, not even 3 months after I got my urinary tract scraped clean.
What really gets me, aside from the fact that I'm still paying on my first surgery (I haven't even got the bill from the 2nd one), is that I'm now spending $30 a month for medications to supposedly impede new stone formation. And one of my new pills is a diuretic, so I have to pee 49 times a day (I'm exaggerating, but only a little). I was really hoping for at least a year with unclogged kidneys.
The doctor wanted to know what I wanted to do (which I read to mean, when did I want to schedule my next surgery). I laughed at him and told him that I couldn't afford to do anything but suck it up at this point, which is entirely true. So he wrote an order for a 24-hour urine collection (which I did yesterday -- yippee!!) to see just how effective (or ineffective) my new meds are and I went on my merry way. I cried a little on my way back to work. This is just too much.
So now what? The only thing I can think of at this point is to sit down next Saturday and drink a gallon & a half of water as quickly as possible and lay on my side, hoping for the best. At least when they're small, they should be able to come out. The bigger one (on the right side), though, looked like it was right in my renal pelvis, so why it's still sitting there, I have no idea. It's not like I don't drink a lot of water as it is.
Well, that's my story. I'm sore, upset, and $3000 and a lot of pain later, I have absolutely nothing to show for my troubles. Oh, well. At least I have health insurance...
Check this ad out and tell me if you don't think this is the most incredibly offensive thing you've seen in a long time. And, yes, it's a real, honest-to-god advertisement.
On a lighter note, however, I just finished watching Margaret Cho's Cho Revolution...hilarious! In one of the bonus features she mentioned George W. Bush was a cheerleader in high school. Now there's a visual picture that perks me right up... :-)
I've done way too many entries that haven't included my "trademark" book review, and I just finished a winner, so I'm devoting this entire post to a review.
I just read The Secret Life of Bees, buy Sue Monk Kidd. It was amazing. It's the story of Lily Owens who runs away from her father and her small South Carolina town in 1964 with her black housekeeper/surrogate mother. Lily and Rosaleen find themselves in another small South Carolina town where they are taken in by some eccentric beekeeping sisters. During her summer with the sisters, Lily learns an awful lot about love and honesty and race relations, and also learns the truth about what happened to her mother. Your heart will ache for all of the characters and you'll be amazed at the ending. It's really a fantastic book.
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