tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116954882024-03-07T02:33:06.927-05:00wKHMKHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.comBlogger525125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-68476332639112565042017-07-04T17:00:00.001-04:002017-07-04T21:05:45.454-04:00Miss me?<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Hey ya'll, it's me! I took just a bit of a break, six years or so. So I feel a little better these days and doing some things I feel like sharing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not so much to report except I'm still working on reclaiming my craft room, organizing everything. It could take years but my knitting stuff is accounted for and documented. Enough in fact that I'm casting on a project: some beautiful Cookie A. Socks in a gorgeous Manos del Uruguay über light sock weight yarn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh technofart. I tried to insert images but no go. Next time!</span><br />
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KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-30382824748229502862011-04-18T00:13:00.000-04:002011-04-18T00:13:32.723-04:00Paul Simon: So Beautiful or So What<div class="gmail_quote"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><blockquote type="cite"><div><div class="im"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've been wondering what it would take to cause me to post here. Turns out, it was a simple request to share my impressions of a new piece of music. That's a request I rarely decline.</span> </div></div></div></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><div><div class="im"><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Simon's new disc dropped on Tuesday; he's had a string of kind of "meh" recordings following his really awful production for stage (The Capeman) in the mid-1990's. The pre-release hype for SBoSW was impressive: things like "...his best since Graceland...". Well, if you're talking to me, that's one hell of an assertion. </span></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-H5ORVOob_narqoIqBx5rTcSB_AxRZjRcsKNVCxkrF2PHATjOGzVy69Jsd6Lf2EynML6NFUZj3LW18BIWeMXm6l8oEgde6fz0orPDL1hwbMfLr-WUqbCV8Ltx34PZlBO6ggeknw/s1600/pssob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-H5ORVOob_narqoIqBx5rTcSB_AxRZjRcsKNVCxkrF2PHATjOGzVy69Jsd6Lf2EynML6NFUZj3LW18BIWeMXm6l8oEgde6fz0orPDL1hwbMfLr-WUqbCV8Ltx34PZlBO6ggeknw/s320/pssob.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wouldn't ever really commit to the notion that any recording could be the best in the whole world so I'm not saying that exactly. Primarily because I'd have to listen to every bit of recorded music to have any credibility and beyond having the time to do that, some music is just shit and I won't listen to it. And who am I to tell anyone what has the most merit? Art is all about the personal experience of an offering so by definition a given piece of art will be different for each person who takes it in (caveat: not all music is artistic). BUT for my money, time and taste there are two albums that run neck and neck for favorite (and I rarely even commit to personal favorites when it comes to music): Carol King's Tapestry and Paul Simon's Graceland. So that's one thing to be considered. Another is that Simon's follow-up to Graceland was another exceptional album: Rhythm of the Saints. Finally, no one should ever forget that IMO, the funniest music video ever is You Can Call Me Al --- and that tune came to us from Graceland. So, for me, from 1986 to 1990, Paul Simon was just on fire. Could this new disc measure up to that level? I'm a little skeptical.</span></div><span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So in determining whether or not this latest disc is Mr. Simon's best since Graceland (or even if its just good) I had to, at long last, try to sum up why Rhythm of the Saints was never an album that I could listen to over and over and over as I have (and do) Graceland. I listened to it today for the first time in maybe 10 years. I was pleasantly reminded that there are some excellent songs there, a couple which are really beautiful. </span></div></div></blockquote><br />
<blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Paul Simon makes some remarks in the "making of..." DVD that accompanies SBoSW about whether or not the pop/rock album remains a viable art form. A very good question, too, because we don't find much of it in popular music. Jazz still finds value in albums. Those often come together by some theme: the echoes/repetition of rhythmic patterns, similar key or time progressions or extended efforts to capture an experience in sound, like Brad Mehldau's Highway Rider. </span></div></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Graceland hung together via the inclusion of several different forms of "world music" the likes of which had never been taken on at such a large scale, and similarity of a few lyrical themes. It's a freaking GREAT album. Rhythm of the Saints took the same approach and the music was good, interesting, fresh. But you know what? I think there was too much thematic similarity in both the music and the lyrics. And I'm sorry to say it but I think the music overpowered the vocals a good bit. It's almost as though Paul Simon and his producers forgot that his fans love his gift of lyrics, we love his voice singing them. I love his insight into the human condition, the foibles of individuals and nations. And those things were easily missed on RotS (unfortunate initials). </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtmntxkQzeJQ38DjXTFmcpLOnVXaTOUP3UO3VYbom66n5SC-AOJFz94nwWByZMtCTMBl9_c-3FulFA6AbzASzLtW7nLhncRyTE_HM64zB-FRO8U_ag2jZU0v-gjc4aeFS9Azi6g/s1600/paulsimon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtmntxkQzeJQ38DjXTFmcpLOnVXaTOUP3UO3VYbom66n5SC-AOJFz94nwWByZMtCTMBl9_c-3FulFA6AbzASzLtW7nLhncRyTE_HM64zB-FRO8U_ag2jZU0v-gjc4aeFS9Azi6g/s320/paulsimon.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So: is the new disc better than RotS, not quite so good as Graceland? You know what?<span> I do think so! How great is that? It's not as overtly exotic as either of them but it sounds fresh in its cross-cultural infusions, its harmonies and instrumentation. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span>How does it stand up on its own, separate from other Simon efforts? I've only listened through 3 times but it seems there are provocative social ideas and some love-your-life-as-it-is kind of songs that we've come to look to Paul Simon for. Spesh K, I hope I've told you enough about how I sized the album up and what I think of it as part of Simon's catalogue. I think It's the best thing he's done since Graceland and that's one hell of an assertion!</span></span></div></div></div>KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-57526373068843796072010-12-30T18:38:00.000-05:002010-12-30T18:38:16.245-05:00If you can't say anything nice...so I haven't been saying much. Not that I'm upset or bothered by anything its just that life has been overwhelming lately and kinda dull to read about. I thought I'd wrap up the woes and miseries of 2010 today and perhaps tomorrow or the next day everything will seem brighter.<br />
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MIL remains ... not well? I'm not sure what there is to say, she's not actually sick but a lot of things are not right. She has that chronic obliterating pneumonia that's being held in check a bit by high dose steroids, her kidneys are failing: so badly that she mostly can't feel one foot at all from all the edema in her lower leg and feet and she also can't walk. At all. So she's been in a rehab place forever trying to maintain some strength and figure out how to walk should her edema ever get better. She's unhappy and half-crazy so you can imagine that creates challenging interactions. We are presently preparing for her to come home as she is no longer benefitting from PT but she won't agree to the changes that need to be made to her apartment before she can be there safely. Tomorrow Rob and I are going to lay all the cards on the table and see if she changes her tune: she can't come home until she agrees to the installation and use of a chair lift in her stairway. If she's discharged from the Rehab place before that happens she'll have to be placed elsewhere. Not really looking forward to that visit.<br />
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That Other Thing (TOT) continues to challenge us with her trifecta of diabetes/celiac and Hashimoto's. Her blood glucose management is awful: there has been a LOT of covert eating. According to data from her continuous glucose monitor, her bg has been in range only 30% of the time in the last two months. She's mostly extremely high...a clear waste of insulin and worry. I'm a little uncertain what to do: I don't want to get all controlling with food and create the kinds of issues that typically brings. I don't know how or where but she's also getting gluten somehow in her food: her tummy is all distended again. I'm thinking maybe we need the help of a therapist.<br />
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But Christmas was nice. We spent Christmas Eve in a winter wonderland over at the newly developed <a href="http://www.nationalharbor.com/intro.htm">National Harbor</a> As lovely as some moments were, it reminded me of why I rarely go to places like museums....people always push themselves to the front, stand in the way, exhibit all kinds of entitlement behavior that really annoys me. Christmas Day, MIL was able to spend at home with us and that was very nice. Lovely gifts, good food, plenty to be happy about.<br />
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Two-thousand and ten, I would like to say that it's been a tough year: far too tough. I won't miss you at all. Not even the blissful days I spent on the beach with my kiddies in August.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-48140639502061959792010-12-07T21:28:00.005-05:002010-12-07T23:36:11.475-05:00Long Time, no post: Holiday EditionSo---its been busy. Same old thing, where's the fun in that? My Dad had gallbladder surgery and he's doing fine but that's been the only diversion lately.<br /><br />The holidays are sincerely right around the corner. Am I ready? No. Don't make me laugh. This year I'm less prepared than ever. IDGAS, really, although I must get the tree up soon. In light of the frenetic last four months we've opted out of Mullen Movie Night which is perhaps the one thing I regret most about the changes we'll make to accommodate our situations (well, also the Snickerdoodles).<br /><br />Holiday music, though, that's the easy, sure-fire part. It seems to me in all of the years of collective blogging most of us haven't talked a heck of a lot about our favorites. Let me put that in order now:<br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">All-time favorite traditional and serious Christmas song?</span><br />No question: O Holy Night. I prefer it sung solo by a strong tenor with great swelling orchestration but I'll take it pretty much any way.<br />2. <span style="font-weight: bold;">That one song that says, unequivocally, that the holidays have arrived?</span><br />"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Springsteen and The E-Street Band. I am a product of my generation.<br />3. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Favorite Contemporary Carol and/or favorite contemporary cover of a traditional holiday tune?</span><br />This is tough and I'm leaning toward The Eagles' "Please Come Home for Christmas". There's no shortage of good candidates and I'm eager to hear from anyone who'd like to say. I do have a real fascination with Straight No Chaser's verion/mashup of "Twelve Days of Christmas" ("I miss the rains down in Africa....).<br />4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Carol that most reminds you of your holidays as a younger person?<br /></span>Again, no problem on this one for me. My high school band played "Sleigh Ride" at every Winter show. It abolutely transports me and I even know all the words...<br />5. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Favorite version of "Baby, it's Cold Outside"</span><br />This is a classic feel-good holiday tune and its been done over and over, mostly universally well. I'm gonna go old-school on this with Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting but I must give a nod to Zooey Deschnnel's duo with Leon Redbone from the "Elf" soundtrack. Zooey Deschanel's performance was PERFECT.<br />6. Finally, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Your all time favorite disc--aka, if you could have only one holiday music disc, what would it be?</span> I feel only slightly torn about this one. I would choose Aaron Neville's "Soulful Christmas". Yes: its that good. And I would definitely miss my Canadian Brass recordings.<br /><br />So....get to work. Share, people, share.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-12571003567868868752010-11-23T15:49:00.004-05:002010-11-23T22:45:29.898-05:00When Nothing is Fun(ny)so...funny is like gold to me. A smart, funny man (to be my favorite kind of funny requires wicked smarts) who can play guitar could put me in a great many compromising situations. In these days when very few things are funny and I don't have much time to chat with Rob (boy cracks me up), I rely on a few web comics to get my giggle on.<br /><br />Most of you already read <a href="http://xkcd.com/">XKCD</a> . My friend pointed out <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/">Hyperbole and a Half</a> a few months ago. Here's a <a href="http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/02/please-stop.html">favorite</a> from that author; but really, they're all priceless. Gets kids and parents dead right all the time; pets, too. I can't believe I almost forgot <a href="http://thisisindexed.com/">Indexed</a>! Mostly super smart and very frequently ironic...<br /><br />How about you guys? What are your fave web funnies?<br /><br />I should point out that the biggest laughs I've had recently came from <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/22/arts/television/22lebowitz.html">Public Speaking</a> (boy is she a force to be reckoned with...) and the beginnings of a friend's <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> effort. Friend is posting his No bits on his <a href="http://trollpants.wordpress.com">blog</a> which also includes some other creative writing. He's a silly, smart guy; writes very well.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-30313382342758692372010-11-22T21:49:00.002-05:002010-11-22T21:51:41.823-05:00Thanksgivingis coming! Yay!<br /><br />We're going totally scaled back: a bird and three sides, a store bought dessert. That's right, you heard me: no gluttony. Also, no achey back, no terribly messy kitchen, no cooking all day and then not eating 'cuz you're just over it.<br /><br />Good thing, too. Its been the kind of year where I need some extra time to come up with my list of things for which to give thanks. I know at least one: I won't be bushed when dinner begins and my husband won't have to spend all night at the sink.<br /><br />What about you guys?KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-30045020899829405922010-11-10T00:19:00.003-05:002010-11-10T00:42:16.382-05:00Unbelievablewhich is to say even I don't believe this and yet...'tis true. Seriously: sit down for this.<br /><br />We've taken TOT out of her public school pending resolution of complaints we have regarding accommodation of her diabetes related academic needs. Situation is getting ugly, we know that we'll never be comfortable with her there under the current leadership so whatever may come of our official (and copious) complaints, she will never attend school there again. We've asked for her to be placed in the other elementary school that serves our community (Thing 1 and Thing 2 attended there before it became overcrowded and they split the boundary and built this new school). But until we know how our request will be resolved--what are we doing?<br /><br />Frack. I'm home-schooling her.<br /><br />I KNOW. I can hear you bristle, see you make that lolo gesture with your finger by the side of your skull...and really, why wouldn't you?<br /><br />We talked a lot about this issue and the possibility of this solution last year when the school wasn't responding as we wished to her needs and my husband was keen to pull her out but I was not so keen to be a teacher, much less a teacher of my own daughter in my house. Its something of a statement that taking this route now is the very best of our limited options.<br /><br />In our home county, a family that elects to home school must either submit to portfolio reviews of the curriculum being used or hitch their wagon to a state-certified home schooling program; most of those organizations are church based and cater to a curriculum that is much heavier in religious content than we could tolerate. Luckily, for less than a thousand dollars we found a GREAT, sincerely great, curriculum and all associated lesson plans and materials. Classroom in a box.<br /><br />It has been WONDERFUL so far. The materials are fantastic and although I always have a lot of previewing to do to prepare a day's lessons we are doing so well and really enjoying it. A "school day" is mostly about 4.5 or 5 hours with only one student and a rookie teacher so we're able to accommodate the ups and downs of her blood glucose levels and the challenges they bring to concentration with breaks and distractions---and overall, its just a lot less difficult for her in terms of the time demand and the one-on-one interaction.<br /><br />Its kind of like playing school but with really cool props. And its a huge relief from the constant struggles we were having with the Administration at her school.<br /><br />I wouldn't want to point out in such an upbeat post about the timing being kinda challenging for initiating this effort.... life does keep rolling on, doesn't it? And let us not forget this: being a parent will lead you into positions you never imagined.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-38638050746139760822010-11-06T23:20:00.002-04:002010-11-07T00:29:42.477-04:00In a Hospital RoomShe: (feeling her pulse points repeatedly) "I can't find my pulse!"<br />I: (not looking up from my book) "It's in there."<br />She: "How can you be so sure?"<br />I: *Stunned silence* ?<br />I: "Self-report of clinically significant impalpable pulse is notoriously unreliable."<br />She: (rolls eyes) "You really are insufferable sometimes."<br />I: (with sarcastic glee) "I'm quite sure this is not one of those times."<br /><br /><u>The Sweetness</u><br />We have had more than a few nasty disagreements over the years. She loves me, I know. But we'd both admit in each other's presence that we've often not liked the other. We've spent a lot of time one-on-one in the last couple of months. I am able to comfort her when she's at her most agitated. I'm glad of that.<br /><br />She's not well. She might not leave us next week or next month but I'll bet she won't be here next Thanksgiving. She has talked about my daughters during our hours in the rooms, about how she has loved them so completely and delighted in caring for them as wee ones when I went to work.<br /><br />I knew in those days how lucky I was to leave my children in the care of their loving grandmother, even if she rarely did things as I wished, if she undid every ounce of discipline and orderliness I'd tried to instill in them. Even if she sometimes overstepped my "Momma Grizzly" boundaries. Even if she perpetuated bottle nipple rejection of precious pumped breast milk by dribbling it on their lips from her fingertips.<br /><br />I think in these last few days I've for the first time <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> appreciated the gift she gave to me and to my children -- not the savings, the safety, the convenience, the freedom from infection. The real gift: the family joined over three generations, all of us caring for our others. I've finally felt truly connected to her as we shared our recollections of each daughter in their early months and years. I inadvertently called her "Mom" once...it just fell out of my mouth. This is something I've never, ever done, even when my teen friends would do so. I have one mother: she gave birth to me and no matter how much I might have felt comfort or love from friends' mothers, I never even considered diminishing my mother's efforts by calling someone else by her name. <br /><br />I love what Mary M. has shown to my daughters about family connections. I certainly loved my grandparents just as I know my girls love my own parents but it is an entirely different family model. I hope my children will let me play the same part in their family lives.<br /><br /><u>Sisters</u><br />After she'd had her xanax this evening and settled down, the room grew quiet. I looked at a crack in the pink paint over the doorway. I had my first sad moment of the Bethy Blue season that is knocking on my door. Just as I thought of the many hospital rooms I sat in with Beth, she said, "and what an awful time of year it is for all of this to be happening..." Asked to clarify she said, "well, its very close now to Beth's anniversary..." And I swear--- we hadn't been talking about the holiday approaching or its' sad memories.<br /><br />A few more hours passed and it was time for her night meds: steroids for the pneumonia, colace for its usual purpose, vitamin K to coagulate the blood they'd been thinning for her embolisms (until she nearly bled to death), oxycontin for pain. I read as she watched the silent television. She asked, "has Kathy planned any hikes with Shane?". I said I was confused; I don't know anyone named Shane. Perhaps she was confusing me for someone else? "No," she replied, "your daughter's golden retriever. Are they planning any mountain hikes?" "My daughters, your granddaughters, have a golden doodle named Noodle, a shih tzu named Otis. Maybe you're thinking I'm your sister, Dorothy?"<br /><br />She said no and closed her eyes, exasperated with me. Then opening one eye only, she studied my face. "You're right. I thought you were Dorothy." I thanked her; her sister is lovely in face and character; they love each other well.<br /><br />I wonder if she's going now to be with my sister. Over the rainbow, maybe.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">[Note: This exasperation on her part that I would not be who she thought I was reminded me much of my Uncle Don Walker's insistence that </span><span style="font-size:85%;">a nurse on his floor of his nursing home</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> was my Mom. I love that when my Mom did actually visit him, after a period of some length insisting this nurse was his niece (there's a limerick in there, I just know it...), she said, "Uncle Don! It's me: Mary Frances!" And he said, "Well, its about time you admitted it!"]</span>KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-16438802789590513262010-10-24T21:32:00.002-04:002010-10-24T21:44:01.855-04:00MIL fell, Husband went to some place higher in the sky than Denver (Keystone?), MIL had to go to the ER in an ambulance because she was having chest pain. Thing 2 told me she'd been having recurring pain in her left chest about 5 times every day for about 5 minutes at a time, so bad she was having trouble breathing through them. Husband came home in time to belatedly celebrate his birthday in between taking Thing 2 to the ER for an episode of chest pain and checking out short term rehabilitation facilities in which to place his mother for convalescence.<br /><br />Wore my boots for the first time this autumn looked great, feet hurt. Ate first meal of the day at about 6 PM when absolutely ravenous and as TOT's blood glucose plummeted so low it was looking like time for rescue glucagon.<br /><br />Stopped at store to buy occlusive dressings for TOT's glucose sensor, filled Thing 2's prescription for medication, downloaded form for School Health Room staff so she can take it at school. Presented Husband with birthday gifts, interrupted by late night door bell which can only mean one thing on October 24: we've been boo'ed. Dismayed to see all three girls abandon their Dad's modest and delayed birthday celebration. Opened door to collect dollar store Halloween treats and allowed dogs to escape. Nobody wants to go keep MIL's dog company.<br /><br />Less than 12 hours until all of these people leave my house and it becomes conceivable that some of this madness will stop.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-47437473113831565602010-10-05T23:15:00.006-04:002010-10-06T00:30:59.783-04:00News from the front lines: anxiety and booksThree weeks ago (I think) my MIL passed out in the back yard as she was making her way slowly about the business of preparing to bathe her dog. Fortunately (or not as we will consider later), her older brother was with her and he was able to help break her fall so she pretty much just slid down the side of the house and landed on her butt sitting up. Rob happened to be home for some reason, perhaps so we could actually talk face to face uninterrupted. Off in the ambulance, some odd things on a chest Xray.<br /><br />My MIL is 83. Her brother is 85 and spends a week with us each September. But mostly just her because he drives us batshitcrazy. But we love him. In a one-day-a-year kind of way.<br /><br />Here are the high points:<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><blockquote>1. Dilaudid makes my MIL delusional. And a bit meaner than usual. And escalates her suspicious nature to full-on paranoia. She was no ones' favorite patient and we saw that in the way she was cared for. That's always lamentable no matter how difficult the patient.<br />2. My MIL insisted she was able to come home; we said, "um, no" and then the pulmonologist who two days earlier told me he hadn't see MIL in several days and therefore was unable to tell me what was written in the pathology report of which he had a copy---that guy--- he said she was fine to go home. What he meant, I'm sure, was: we can care for her lungs adequately on an outpatient basis. Not the same thing.<br />3. Small old ladies are difficult to pick up off the ground. Its harder on the third time than the first.<br />4. Protection of her dignity is extremely high on my list of priorities. That notwithstanding, there are some things that could be managed much better in short term rehabilitation facilities.<br />5. Walking up hill is more difficult than down and we'll have to negotiate both any time we take her out. Physicians don't make house calls (unless you're Michael Jackson and then you should be veerrrrrrry careful).<br />6. It sucks awfully badly to lose your physical strength before your mind goes.<br />7. The hardest words to swallow are "I told you so". But it can be done. If you try really, really, really, really hard.<br />8. I know there's another thing. I'll come back. OH! I KNOW! Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP -- that's pretty incongruous, no?) is the most obscenely graphic disease name since black death.</blockquote></span>We are doing the best we can. It is very difficult. The home health nurse came today, was very surprised MIL was home in her present condition and told us she should not "ambulate without supervision" until the home Physical Therapist does an assessment some time this week. Mary thinks that's just fine. The rest of us---not so much. It has helped me alot to think of my sweet cousin, Caddy Jean, who spends most of her days with people in similar situations (I mean my MIL, not me; I'm a great hang). I always put on my I'm-happy-and-not-at-all-grossed-out-or-annoyed face before I see her and so far its working. Refer to item number 1, above.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Books</span><br />I've been reading mostly books about huge disasters in the US lately and then other books that expound on various underpinnings of those events. John M. Barry has written two really exceptional books. <u>Rising Tide</u>, and, <u>The Great Pandemic</u> on the great Mississippi River flood of 1927 and the flu pandemic of 1918. I've never read history so well written. I heartily recommend both.<br /><br /><br /><span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDiWIWQJ42BDjtChzJtgORBpVMwJGPGGwSrX55_ow8CL0GdhTP1xzH4OGCg_asERh_vSA25kejFcOR-kf98ibpxJkuBm40GLzMjkNFs-pOKj81juYt2kwqSwSGxbpgyF5bKjF6g/s1600/danielleevans.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDiWIWQJ42BDjtChzJtgORBpVMwJGPGGwSrX55_ow8CL0GdhTP1xzH4OGCg_asERh_vSA25kejFcOR-kf98ibpxJkuBm40GLzMjkNFs-pOKj81juYt2kwqSwSGxbpgyF5bKjF6g/s200/danielleevans.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524781828988512802" border="0" /></a></span></span><br />I haven't read a lot of fiction lately but I did speed right through a collection of short stories by Danielle Evans titled, <u>Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self</u> . Not everyone is a fan of short stories but I mostly certainly am. These are eight great tales of (mostly) young women, mostly African-American (I think) with varied relationship and coming of age themes. I'm looking forward to reading more from her. Looking back now, I don't recall what in this very brief <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/books/16newly.html">NYTimes blurb</a> called to me, but it did and I'm glad of it.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-12769682220960820592010-10-02T11:02:00.006-04:002010-10-02T12:33:06.301-04:00Music; Adventures in Insulin Therapy (Math Re-Mix)It's been a couple of crazy weeks: everyone in our household has had respiratory crud with fever, all of us have seen our doctors with extreme fevers. My MIL thought it would be fun to add in a major health crisis (I kid; she can't help it) and she's been in the hospital for two weeks while her OLDER brother was here visiting so the monkeys have been running the asylum. Uncle Father Fred is a retired catholic priest and completely incapable of thinking of much other than himself, his priestly world and Hawaii (he spends about six months there every year...he's never taken me).<br /><br />I don't want you to miss the trees for a forest so let's get to it:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Music</span><br />I have a lot of really good new stuff but I have fallen in love with something that is a complete surprise.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSw_56u3ceNxVGyXdMWT-akwyQNVqVHdmMvSddtAMHXrnoUFslG22BNxw1yOLSmwAmjYaB-Gkam6GrNSXi7TsnW17ume_D6GQ-ndOg7EglKucwk8zWFcETSoY8QFJz_n4M7URodw/s1600/begonias.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSw_56u3ceNxVGyXdMWT-akwyQNVqVHdmMvSddtAMHXrnoUFslG22BNxw1yOLSmwAmjYaB-Gkam6GrNSXi7TsnW17ume_D6GQ-ndOg7EglKucwk8zWFcETSoY8QFJz_n4M7URodw/s320/begonias.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523467526750779538" border="0" /></a><u>Begonias</u> by Caitlin Cary and Thad Cockrell. Caitlin Cary along with Ryan Adams and others formed up <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskeytown">Whiskeytown</a> which preceded Ryan Adams's efforts with the Cardinals which I like very much. Like Whiskeytown, Begonias is alt-country for real; the steel guitar whine keeps us from any delusion. I never saw my tastes heading down this road but this is a cd full of *really* good songs and stunning harmonies. Cary's voice shimmers as Cockrell's advances the melody; it's a great pairing. I listen to the entire disc very often. I hear lots of Tom Petty in the chunky guitar sounds. I have a special affection for "Something Less than Something More".... it reminds me a lot of Tift Merritt's "Trouble Over Me" with its almost apologetic request for at least the appearance of love. Heartbreak done exceptionally well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Adventures in Insulin Therapy</span></span><br />That Other Thing (TOT) has been ill along with the rest of us. Type 1 diabetics are by definition folks with immunity challenges so it hit her harder than the rest of us. At first her blood glucose levels were terribly low: what little food she was eating wasn't absorbing as usual so her insulin needs were really tough to gauge. Once the fever was gone she still had a bit of cough and sniffles so I kept her home for what I thought would be one more day to keep her from causing an outbreak.<br /><br />That day I detected the tell-tale smell of ketones on her breath: high blood sugar? Really? She'd been so low for days. So I sent her off to see if she had ketones in her urine: HUGE. Bad, bad. We got a bunch of insulin in, had drinks and waited to see what would happen. Scary stuff. Long story short: we determined that, at least for now, her insulin dosages are increased about 200% across the board.<br /><br />Glucose metabolism isn't as straight forward as many think, especially when your diet has been shifted to omit wheat flours---seems all the substitutes have metabolic challenges. So I thought I would share a little bit of insulin math with you. I'll present our insulin calculations for breakfast...you know, that sleepy meal before you're thinking clearly.<br /><br />Background: TOT is currently on a multiple daily injection regimen. This means she gets insulin in two or three formulations at least five times per day and mostly more. They fall into two general classes: slow rising, long acting insulin that is referred to as "basal" and is meant to serve the purpose of metabolizing sugars pumped into the blood stream by the liver...just regular stuff we all do. Basal insulin supposedly has no peak and acts for 24-hours. We've found we don't get good results unless we divide her daily basal into two injections: day and night. The second type are faster and shorter acting insulins that are given with food or given to quickly reduce high blood sugars. Some of them peak faster and are used up fast, some stay around longer and peak lower. <br /><br />Before Wednesday, Lindsay was receiving 1 unit of insulin for every 25 g of carbohydrates at breakfast time and 1 unit per 22g carbohydrates at all other times of day. She had a correction factor of 1:90 - 100 mg/dl, meaning if her blood sugar is high she should have 1 unit of insulin for every 100mg/dl in excess of her target blood glucose which is now 150 mg/dl.<br /><br />Ready?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:85%;">TOT wanted to have Cinnamon Rice Chex (CRC) for breakfast. Its one of the few cereals we've found that will accommodate her grain restrictions and doesn't bedevil us with glucose challenges we just can not manage. General Mills reports that CRC has 25g of carbohydrates per serving which they put at 30g of cereal. ha. We put a bowl on a scale and put cereal in the bowl until TOT said when. 52 grams of cereal.<br /><br />52 grams of cereal/30 grams of cereal per serving means we were looking at 1.73 "servings" of CRC.<br /><br />1.73 servings at 25 grams of carbohydrates per serving gives us a meal of <span style="font-weight: bold;">43 grams of carbs</span>.<br /><br />At breakfast TOT uses an insulin to carb ration of 1:25 since she's usually more sensitive to insulin in the AM, but we were late getting up so we used a factor of 1:22. With 43 grams of carbs, that gives us a need for <span style="font-weight: bold;">2 units</span> of insulin. Since she's been ill, however, we've had to increase her bolus ratios by about 150 - 200% so we were looking at about 3 - 4 units; we could call it 3.5 units and be close. <br /><br />We know that CRC tends to have two metabolic peaks: a fast, high peak and then a long period of no glucose making it into the blood stream for about 4 hours when we see a smaller increase that sustains for a while. That puts us in the position of having to use two different "fast-acting" insulins to get both a fast insulin peak and a later increase that lasts a while---all while not overdoing the shorter insulin and ending up with a huge and dangerous drop in blood glucose while we wait for the rest of the sugar to go live. Experience has shown us that Lindsay can eat CRC with a 1:2 ratio of Novolog (high peak and short activity) to Regular (lower peaks, longer activity).<br /><br />A 1:2 ratio applied to 3 units would give a neat and easy to measure accurately dose of 1 unit Novolog and 2 units Regular. We'd need to try to finesse a bit more of each to get to 3.5 - 4 units. Our syringes have 0.5 unit scales but are really tough to eke out small differences. Of course we might use our handy injector pens except Regular doesn't come in a pen and never mind: with pens its a half-unit click or nada; no wiggle room. We won't know for certain whether our assumptions and estimates are correct for 6 hours because that's how long it takes to clear all of the insulin we'll give her. Of course we could always check midway and try to regress blood glucose against what insulin we think is still active... graduate level statistics, that.<br /><br />So that's the cereal. We needed to measure her blood sugar to see if we needed a correction factor. Holy Cow, her blood sugar was 350! Wow. Two units of extra Novolog for that correction in usual times but we're needing a more these days...still, I'm reluctant to double a 2 unit correction so I go for 150%: 3 units of Novolog to correct before bolusing for food.<br /><br />So there we are:<br />Fast peaking short acting insulin in the amount of about 1 for cereal and 3 for correction: about 4 units<br /><br />Slower peaking, longer acting insulin in the amount of about 2 but probably closer to 2.5 to hedge the measuring challenges.<br /><br />Two injections almost ready to go. But guess what? There's not one more vial of Regular in the fridge. I was wrong. And without Regular, there's no cereal. So we start over with a different menu.<br /></span></div></blockquote><br />Thanks for taking this adventure with us! Our insulin pump is supposed to arrive on Monday but we can't begin to use it until we get further word from the insurance company about their coverage and not until we see our doctor for the start-up session. The pump should help a LOT with this stuff. But that's another adventure.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-69160591552984582722010-09-14T12:24:00.002-04:002010-09-14T12:59:43.812-04:00After a long hiatus...I'm checking in. I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to more frequent blogging but Lyman is. Check out his <a href="http://blogthebackbeat.wordpress.com">new blog</a> on WordPress. It looks great and I love the mobile browser version for WordPress. As far as I know its much better than Blogger but I haven't checked Blogger in a while....<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's Up</span><br />Everyone is back in school which has largely meant that I am also at school to observe as the staff become accustomed to That Other Thing's (TOT's) diabetes needs. Its been difficult...her glucose levels are very high on school days, mostly not on weekends (which makes us suspect she is terribly excited about school and adrenaline is complicating things). Its been hard to know whether we should wait this out or increase her insulin and risk her returning to her normal level and then having a hypoglycemic episode at school.<br /><br />We are in the thick of transitioning to insulin pump therapy with integrated continuous glucose monitoring. It should make our lives a bit more simple and give TOT a lot more freedom. We're hopeful we'll get insurance coverage for the market's most advanced device, the <a href="http://www.minimed.com/products/insulinpumps/">Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm Revel</a> (I swear these devices have more names than circuitry...) in case anyone is curious. <br /><br />Our endocrinology practice has a pretty structured process for beginning pump therapy: six months on a basal/bolus multiple daily injection regimen with demonstrated competence, three in-service like education sessions, psychiatric evaluation (we still don't understand the value of that but they didn't discover our insanity so its OK) and then the pump starts with a 1 week saline trial and then we should be live. We also had to sign an agreement to not leave the region for one month after the insulin pump goes on so that if anything goes awry they will be on hand to ascertain the problem and make adjustments. So we are now at the point where all that remains is the last educational session (which is followed by opportunities for vendors to demonstrate their wares) and then begin the insurance certification process. If I understand correctly that could mean our insurance company will have our request by the end of this week. Please cross your fingers for us.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Fun</span><br />Soccer is underway for the autumn season; spouse is coaching Things 1 and 2 team with most of last year's team but a few lost as the coach decided to jettison the league we've been playing in and see if circumstances were better for the girls in another league. So they have new team colors and therefore a new name: The Flying Camels. I rather like it for its enigmatic quality. TOT is playing with the same coach, same group of families she has played with the last two years---they also have new team colors: orange and white. I'm lobbying heavily to name this team the Orange Navels but I anticipate being overrun by the rather unimaginative favorite, Orange Crush. Bastards.<br /><br />Today is Yom Kippur and I wish all of my Jewish friends an easy fast and day of valuable introspect. For us it means a day of no school---for Thing 1 it means going to a movie with friends and no grownups. I don't even know the parent who is doing the dropping and picking up. <br /><br />I'm OK with it.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-54955077878902506612010-07-16T22:11:00.003-04:002010-07-16T23:06:43.169-04:00Another verse, different from the firstTomorrow the girls and I are taking off for a visit of undetermined length at my units' house. We do this trip often enough---we typically think of everything we might need or want, shove it in the back of the minivan and get things rolling.<br /><br />My Mommy-mobile is getting old: 10 years. It has 100K+ miles and for the last 40K there has been this undiagnose-able rumble coming from the rear axle...not only makes for a loud passenger cabin but it worries me a little. This year, we drive the Eurosedan that is wholly Rob's--- a gift from his mother and myself for not actually dying when we thought he was going to a couple of years ago. He likes being alive (and we like it, too) and he really likes his car. Its a very gracious loan: I know he does not want to drive the minivan for whatever portion of the time he's here (he's joining us at some point).<br /><br />Problem: not nearly as much storage or cabin space. I think its likely that the US military has engaged in conflicts with lesser logistical staging than this trip has required. Clothing, entertainment and food all organized by the time at which they'll be needed and the space the packing containers will occupy. You know what's a really big deal? Auto manufacturers have yet to develop a cabin space for a lady-driver's handbag. In the minivan, there's this nice little floor space between the front Captain seats---in the sedan: nada. I suppose my bag will sit behind my left foot or something.<br /><br />You know what else is a really big deal? Food and diabetes supplies for the kid with not one, not two, but three metabolic diseases. Good lord: I've done the best I can:<br /><ol><li>Gluten free snacks, portioned and labeled</li><li>"Emergency" sandwich for L in case we have a harder time finding lunch or dinner fare than I think we will.</li><li>Box of cereal for breakfast on Drive Day 2 and also to guard against the need to find gluten free meals as soon as I arrive in Tampa. I know its overwhelming to contemplate preparing to feed her--I'm sure my Mom will need some guidance once we arrive.<br /></li><li>A loaf of gluten free bread in case we have to resort to supermarket excursions for additional sandwich fixin's. Did you all know that its a bit of a challenge to find a grilled chicken breast fillet in a fast-food outlet that isn't plumped and juicy with sugary solutions that include gluten? True. But Chick-Fil-A---they have the goods. And they even fry their waffle fries in separate fryers than their breaded chicken so folks with wheat issues can still have some fries.<br /></li></ol>So. If there's no room in the car, really, for my purse; if our trunk is quite full of suitcases (as minimalistic as we could be) plus the few amusements I've allowed the girls to bring along, if I'm already taking up a chunk of the cabin space with twice as many diabetes supplies as I think I'll need (that's what the rule of thumb is...), if I've prepared for most food contingencies---where do the kids sit?<br /><br />With about 10 hours left till we roll, we each have a bag of our own with amusements and some of the snacks for both the drive and hotel stay, a community bag with jammies and changes of key clothing for day 2 as well as a shared cache of personal care items. That should get us in and out of the hotel with one tote each plus two shared bags; the rest will sit quietly in the trunk and stay out of trouble. Strike Force Mullen. Ninjas. Commandos. Here and gone before you know what has happened...I hope its that smooth.<br /><br />I have greater aspirations for this Tampa trip than I do typically. Stay tuned for updates. In the next post I intend to discuss how I came to my final decision as to whether I should bring my own tequila and/or scotch or plan to drink my Dad's. Riveting stuff. Be sure to tune back in.<br /><br />By the way, I made my own play lists this time. You guys gave me nada last time. Thanks.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-6788847729623111752010-06-29T19:23:00.004-04:002010-07-01T18:13:51.611-04:00Anna is 10!I didn't get to attend Carrie and Lyman's wedding 10 years ago this past week because I was juuuuussssttt about to have Anna. Born she was and we were expecting to catch up on all the Indianapolis/Martinsville scoop when my Mom and Dad were SUPPOSED to come meet Anna.EXCEPT: my Mom chose to have a heart attack instead. So after a day in the hospital, a day of partying with the wedding people, she went home.<br />Quite the series of events for this family to remember at this time of year, isn't it?<br /><br />Anna has a hard time gathering enough people for a party...following about 2 weeks after school lets out here, invariably half of the people she'd like to invite are off on adventures of their own. We managed to squeak in a few girls (seriously: one girl left the following morning for six weeks in Russia) for a pool and slumber party. I made adorable pool totes filled with dollar store gems like surprisingly cute sunglasses, body lotion, leis, goggles. And bubbles, candy, natch. (Edit: add photo of bags)<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuB9Vqi7rNJLP7mu9VvEOZ8em0t-RkLJAU1aDpS7Be1GSfFygingsxxt9WqyTcPLRRnFRVPXevbjmtaHBtYh0Bhiad9SMK6_-OZrqcla5ApF7vq_-ujiSrGCqUBO-KW_NkAwjJ9w/s1600/merbagcollage.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuB9Vqi7rNJLP7mu9VvEOZ8em0t-RkLJAU1aDpS7Be1GSfFygingsxxt9WqyTcPLRRnFRVPXevbjmtaHBtYh0Bhiad9SMK6_-OZrqcla5ApF7vq_-ujiSrGCqUBO-KW_NkAwjJ9w/s320/merbagcollage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489063855076084514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Simple T-Corner Tote, Reversible<br />(no pattern)</span><br /><br /></div>We made our own pizza this year and I gotta tell ya: it was easily every bit as good as most of what gets delivered around here and the girls had a blast putting them together. It cost about half as much as delivery; nice.<br /><br />Pictures later but for now, just this: HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNA! Mom: take care of your heart. Myocardial infarction at 58 is no joke.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-78230814196315233842010-06-23T19:08:00.005-04:002010-06-23T20:07:00.975-04:00Birthday: Mine, Dad's, Anna'sI had a birthday. It sucked. Don't worry about not remembering: no one did and it wouldn't have mattered. I'm over it. I will say this: its one thing for your Mom to have not mailed your bday gift to arrive on time. Its another when she hasn't even shopped for it yet. But we all have our moments so that was that.<br /><br />Every year, I buy myself a gift. Its almost always new music although sometimes it might be music gadgets: my Sennheiser earphones, my Otterbox case that allows me to swim with my iPod. This year? All music. I keep a running list of cds I want but I can't justify purchase of at the particular moment. Some of you will laugh because you know: I place almost NO limitations on purchase of new music...that's fair: I don't buy a lot of clothes, fancy purses or liquor. I like for Rob to buy my jewelry and mostly, my gadget obsession has been covered by AT&T contract renewal incentives so we're cool. Rob has all the books he wants, I have my music.<br /><br />Here's what I've bought for myself this year:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;">Patty Griffin -- 1000 Kisses<br />The Avett Brothers -- I And Love And You<br />The Decemberists -- The Crane WifeGentleman Jesse -- Gentleman Jesse<br />Iron and Wine -- Our Endless Numbered Days<br />Paul Westerberg -- Folker<br />Gillian Welch -- Time (the Revelator)<br /></span></blockquote>I was sure I'd bought more than this but hey....look at me going all moderate! I've yet to hear The Decemberists or Iron and Wine nor all of Gentleman Jesse but so far, so good. The Avett Brothers disc was produced by Rick Rubin: not bad for a relatively unknown North Carolina bunch of Roots-rockers. And it sounds VERY good. Patty Griffin is a little more twangy than I usually go for but I get why people are nuts for it: the lyrics are magical and resonate deeply. Paul Westerberg appears to be what I love most: cynical musings on life thus far, which is (I'm sorry to say) a little bit sad nostalgia for youth and glad-to-be-done-with-it middle age...and all of the scrapes in between.<br /><br />Most of these selections were culled from Paste Magazine's <a href="http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2009/11/the-best-albums-of-the-decade.html">50 Best Albums of the Aughts</a>. I was really thinking about Loretta Lynn's Van Lear Rose based on the glowing reviews but you know...I couldn't do it. Has anyone heard it? I certainly grew up in a household that loved country and western (as it was then called most frequently) and during the time that Ms. Lynn was the undisputed queen of the genre. And who doesn't love "Coal Miner's Daughter"? If I had one objection to Paste's lists it would be that they seldom include jazz or R&B---and when they do, you can feel how much they begrudge giving props to artists outside the indie roots/rock universe.<br />Rob found <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127987395">this</a> and threw it my way. Interesting, this discussion of jazz-bots...WTF? I was pleased to see Brad Mehldau's epic piece of work, Highway Rider, included in the "Top Five Thus Far in 2010" but felt like their endorsement was somehow less sincere for spending about half the discussion on how its not like his previous work with quartets and trios, riffing on popular music and standards.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad and Thing 2</span><br />Dad and Thing 2 have birthdays a week apart, Dad's just two days after mine... we get a little burned out on birthdays around here. For the first time in years, Dad actually gave me some gift ideas....I told him I was all out of "I don't know" and "I don't care". And it was really easy: Dad loves nothing more than to eat out on someone else's dime so a gift card it was to Outback.<br /><br />Middle Daughter will have her birthday party on Saturday, just a few days early so week night issues don't preclude the revelry. She'll be ten and that makes it the last year we do the traditional birthday soiree. We'll be taking a minivan full of girls to the pool and home for a slumber party. Theme: Luau. I have to get cracking on gift bags that will take the form of beach bags with standard beach/pool equipment---which I will ideally find at the dollar store... wish me luck.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gps9ykWb-nmmgH1x6ZVvi-n47O3kXGQJbwIgzFGK3GVQb7p-sW9LNp8aZstmNFIB-RUm_QaBe-tHpqPa3FjB9ENx4e_Er7bgPaA3iCmGm0g76DFU57W2KyIxL5LkjeddB5tmIg/s1600/thedogsfb.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gps9ykWb-nmmgH1x6ZVvi-n47O3kXGQJbwIgzFGK3GVQb7p-sW9LNp8aZstmNFIB-RUm_QaBe-tHpqPa3FjB9ENx4e_Er7bgPaA3iCmGm0g76DFU57W2KyIxL5LkjeddB5tmIg/s320/thedogsfb.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486123666859734722" border="0" /></a><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:78%;">A photo of the birthday girl and her sleepover guests from last night...<br /></span></div><br />Movie suggestions for T2's party? I have no idea....KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-75436654772259586952010-06-20T19:00:00.004-04:002010-06-20T20:21:38.635-04:00What's the Problem?Tim Burton's film adaptation "Alice in Wonderland" was released on DVD recently. Pity we didn't get to see it in theaters in 3-D---must have been terrific. The handful of digital 3D flicks I've seen in the last year or two are awesome and better with each release. I had been eager to see this film from the moment heard this: Wonderland, Burton, Bonham Carter, Depp. I heard very little about it, though, while it was running in its theater release.<br /><br />And then it made it to DVD VERY fast---always a sign that the box office wasn't all the studio had anticipated. So I ordered it, I watched it, I LOVED IT. I watched it again and then, again. And then I bought it to have on my iPhone because I found I was wanting to watch it more than my kids did.<br />I did some light googling for reviews and turns out the critics didn't like it so much. And it didn't do so well with audiences eithers. This I do not understand. Perhaps, just perhaps, that's because people are either very strongly attached to the book (never read it) or the other film adaptations (not so sure I've seen any of them start to finish)---the story never held my interest previously.<br />But Tim Burton is fabulous and dark and odd. And his quirks with Carroll's psychedelic adventure was a perfect pairing... the costumes, the sets, the madness all made the perfect platform for Johnny Depp who was MAGNIFICENT as the Hatter. I must say: his costume (as well as Bonham Carter's) was so awesome, I could freeze frames over and over just to get the minutiae of it:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrvJrNYy9xtnk7L-1DZqn443mYWo8w-MGxXEDhb9q4ZsAR_IlB6FzCsj5bl8EeZPPwJTq75k9avENjebby4wdH6an0-lu_wHuaoZl4RbHSpGN5tOz4oMOvKGEdSgCEBOYg1_mtw/s1600/alice-in-wonderland-0908-01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 403px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrvJrNYy9xtnk7L-1DZqn443mYWo8w-MGxXEDhb9q4ZsAR_IlB6FzCsj5bl8EeZPPwJTq75k9avENjebby4wdH6an0-lu_wHuaoZl4RbHSpGN5tOz4oMOvKGEdSgCEBOYg1_mtw/s320/alice-in-wonderland-0908-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485000039518415458" border="0" /></a><br />I love the Hatter's bandolier of thread spools. Want one for myself. There were actually some really awesome bonus features on the DVD, one of which was the costuming piece and another about the production piece...amazing blending of pure CGI, CGI/live capture and then purely live capture elements. It was a fantastic piece of work.<br /><br />Anybody else see it? Whatcha think?KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-34546193250574666812010-06-19T12:13:00.004-04:002010-06-19T13:47:06.338-04:00The Celiac ChangeSo I hate that all I seem to post are the details of TOT's health issues, but I need to document it: I can't help it if you keep coming back to see what you'll find :)<br /><br />As expected, she is Celiac positive. At this time, to prevent complications of disease (growth retardation, malnutrition, increasing loss of intestinal function, intolerance to lactose, increase of autoimmune issues, etc) the only strategy at this time is complete elimination of wheat and wheat-derived products from the diet. And actually, not just wheat: there's a family of wheat like grains (distinguished by their outer coats) that include rye, barley and many others.<br /><br />Its a huge task; wheat-derived products, specifically gluten-related stabilizers, emulsifiers, thickeners are found in places you'd never imagine: lip balm, ice cream, many, many shelf-stable products---salad dressings, ketchup, barbecue sauce, SOY SAUCE for heaven's sake!... but not only is the playing field very broad, the table is also unbalanced because food manufacturers are not required to explicitly state that products contain glutenous byproducts---so some things that are problems don't appear so: laboratory sounding things like maltodextrin (malt anything, actually) and ingredients so benign as "hydrolyzed vegetable protein". And just in case things aren't sufficiently difficult, food manufacturers are not required to label individual elements in flavoring mixes that are approved by the USDA/FDA for use in "upstream" production of a final product and over time, large manufacturers may change providers and there is often a change in content: bottom line---label reading to the <span style="font-style: italic;">n</span>th degree, all of the time. A long established "safe" product may well suddenly become one that causes a flare-up.<br /><br />I know we're lucky--we have both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's close by---both have extensive gluten-free options and staff who are knowledgeable and HELPFUL. In fact, I was surprised last night to find a fair offering of a few of the best regarded GF foods in our every day grocery store. Still...its more of a challenge for all of the residents here.<br />I've been feeling badly for Thing 1 and Thing 2---Rob is great about having fun with them but I don't like how divided our family time has become. Lindsay's insulin requirements have been pretty volatile and we're just beginning to understand metabolism of "mixed meals"...e.g., a meal with a lot of fat and a lot of carbohydrates can be terribly unpredictable and require LOTS of vigilance; lots of sleeplessness nights. So we're getting smarter about consciously making decisions that could impact our enthusiasm for activities on the agenda or wish list for the next day...likewise physical activity: we're just not certain enough of her response to have a day filled with activity and then add in a food item we aren't completely certain of.<br /><br />Its a blessing that it is now summer. We are all happy enough with long days in the pool, a bag of oranges, pretzels (gotta find some gluten free replacements....), crudites and some drinks. We don't need much more than that between now and September. But so long as we're on the subject: I surely wouldn't mind a bit more sleep.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">And now, for something entirely different</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aH0NhOqaWBHqkMaFsuKAWL2i5yyBUtBviC4vC8lFQ0jaPGVKAzwkq-YEhqAoGmKZ9XuF35bm2AFjoRIGwr9rRRi1w9NGlfkKEuFBVWNOh2x0CyNYxMtnTlkq5_qC6oqj_dtckw/s1600/teacherwallets.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aH0NhOqaWBHqkMaFsuKAWL2i5yyBUtBviC4vC8lFQ0jaPGVKAzwkq-YEhqAoGmKZ9XuF35bm2AFjoRIGwr9rRRi1w9NGlfkKEuFBVWNOh2x0CyNYxMtnTlkq5_qC6oqj_dtckw/s320/teacherwallets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484541141996568674" border="0" /></a><br />End of the school year means time to thank our teachers and counselor for all their really heroic efforts in behalf our children and their educations. Its always a bit of a dilemma...the gifts shouldn't be too lavish but they should convey genuine appreciation, it helps if you know the teacher a wee bit but it never seems enough. This year, it was small card holder type four-pocket wallets that I made. Lindsay's teacher is young woman who loves pink, her iPhone, crafting and coffee....so we had lovely pinky wallets (floral and stripes; pretty) with iTunes and Starbucks gift cards. I also cut credit card sized pieces of card stock to make small thank you notes that the girls personalized. Pretty pleased, I am.<br /><br />Happy Father's Day tomorrow to all the Dads.... that you know of ;-). Love to all!KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-77411954532384248942010-06-11T17:53:00.005-04:002010-06-11T19:07:37.121-04:00Unhappy DayToday was a big day for TOT---endoscopy to confirm <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coeliac_disease">Celiac Disease</a>. Type 1 diabetics get the star treatment at National Children's Hospital surgery center: first cases of the day. Seven-thirty procedure? Please report to check-in with ID, Insurance card and signed consent by 5:45 AM. yeah. Did us the big favor of dodging most of the commuter rush into DC---yay?<br /><br />They know their stuff---had the diabetes management down for the morning, let her wear her diabetes bracelet, all that. We had a little time then in this kick-ass play room: Wii stations, books, movies, art and craft supplies; great stuff. And what else? Not one, but TWO full time nurses that are "child life specialists" whose job is to make sure the kid knows what is going down and is happy about it...and if not----hey--here's a free dolly for you! But seriously: while we waited for the team to be all ready, the child life specialist brought TOT some brand new, pointy crayons (to keep!). She also brought to TOT the face mask that they were going to use for the first phase of anesthesia induction---the idea being, have her sniff some happy gas and go to sleep then place all of the IV lines, leads, catheters, bite guards and get the procedure going. This mask, the critical piece in taking TOT from awake and a little worried to ready for a procedure that she'd have no knowledge or memory of, this they allowed her to decorate with stickers and paint with bubble-gum perfumed oil to make the (nasty smelling) gas smell GREAT! Not so much. It also kind of burns. And it kind of feels like you're suffocating.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPS9FepH3BuVOk4GJke7pYcTBQvaYY6oagFSAXhdAMgd3-OuZsmuoyNhxKGBRhSzHBIFeyhTt03LDxSpwOWBUf-SnUawHj8Ipmq59XxjQeM5ktEezb7mXxN1EEnxZU5WaJOcA8g/s1600/collage.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPS9FepH3BuVOk4GJke7pYcTBQvaYY6oagFSAXhdAMgd3-OuZsmuoyNhxKGBRhSzHBIFeyhTt03LDxSpwOWBUf-SnUawHj8Ipmq59XxjQeM5ktEezb7mXxN1EEnxZU5WaJOcA8g/s320/collage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481656397628097970" border="0" /></a><br />So with the nurse anesthetist, the surgeon and the anesthesiologist, Rob and I walked Lindsay down the loooong corridor to the procedure room. Which was very cold and cramped and full of odd things. And you know---there is just something really scary about that bed (table) right smack in the middle surrounded by all those things to be <span style="font-style: italic;">used on you</span> for purposes little understood. She balked. She backed as far against the wall as she could. I swept her up in cradled arms and lay her on the table with her favorite bunny and they put the mask over her face as she began to cry. And cry. And kind of scream. And finally, she flailed her arms and kicked at the face of one person standing by and before the kick was landed, it was caught at the moment she fell off to sleep.<br /><br />I'm a cool cookie about things clinical but her fear, making her face it, that was not something I'd like to do again.<br /><br />The surgeon walked us to the waiting area (note: no Wii or movies for the waiting Moms and Dads...helloooo? Where are MY new crayons? How about a little woozy gas?) and asked if I would be OK (he's a terrific doc). Thus assured, he went back to get the party started. It was ten, maybe fifteen, minutes until he came looking for us to report out on the procedure. He showed us pictures of her innards, which looked exactly like they should, healthy or no. Just as he said, "Ok, we'll call with results next week. The recovery room folks will call you back just as soon as the OR staff report out---likely before she's awake", the buzzer went off and he walked us back to find Lindsay sitting up in her bed, pink cheeked and smiling, watching Nickelodeon.<br /><br />She swore she didn't remember anything but as the day has passed she has asked questions about why certain things happened--things she claimed to have no recollection of when asked previously. Why couldn't we stay in the procedure room, the gas smelled so bad, and: it seemed to her that she was asleep for a looong time.<br /><br />I'm so glad its over. I almost don't care what the results are: we'll adjust. I would simply NOT like to have another kid breathing gas through a mask again. I've said it before, I'll say it many more times: I am ten years older now than I was in February.<br /><br />Oh---and for those following this plot line, our meeting at school finally got what we are due: <a href="http://ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html">Section 504 accommodations</a> for school, both health and academic in addition to an agreement to keep her with her class cohort. That saga, dear readers, is one ugly story with a great ending---for another day.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Knit</span><br />In case you've been one of the fortunate people who have not yet been forced to ooh and aah over my latest piece of work please see this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpjyhMKzO0oFiMnbfoH2oJczAzWNmeCygPEy12B9Tt6BCMIdR6xp0kl6ophzhNYY-wkuSC1vtwyjHiHXuzhIgt0x1nkl7wIH5XWaLhlkenRG8U9nUZTDw7xKYiJHBqVAv1tyrjg/s1600/shihstole.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcpjyhMKzO0oFiMnbfoH2oJczAzWNmeCygPEy12B9Tt6BCMIdR6xp0kl6ophzhNYY-wkuSC1vtwyjHiHXuzhIgt0x1nkl7wIH5XWaLhlkenRG8U9nUZTDw7xKYiJHBqVAv1tyrjg/s320/shihstole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481645900586856690" border="0" /></a>Interested folks can find details on my <a href="http://ravel.me/khm/5f28l">Ravelry page</a> . Its a lovely, super soft merino wool stole; about 20 inches wide and 72 inches long---perfect for wrapping up against the fall/winter chill.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-71194404076025727292010-05-27T00:03:00.003-04:002010-05-27T00:22:57.306-04:00Mommy BragMight as well call a spade a spade, right? Tonight was Thing 1's Spring Concert. I missed the winter concert because of someone being ill so I was really looking forward to the event tonight. I've noticed HUGE improvements in her playing this year and I'm so pleased.<br /><br />Middle School---there's a jazz band (yes, a jazz band; an after school "clinic"), the sixth grade beginners, sixth grade intermediates (that's where Thing 1 is), seventh grade intermediates and an advanced band. The jazz band opened and I gotta tell you---it was waaaaaayyyyyy better than I would have expected. A couple of complaints: too many solos (everyone wants a moment) and too few females. But to me, the very idea of introducing the rudiments of improvisation at this early point is such a gift. I wish, I wish, I wish I'd had that opportunity. <br /><br />Sixth grade beginners---better than you might think, lots of intonation issues but some style, some dynamics and rhythms more sophisticated than I recall playing. Thing 1's group was next and they played about five numbers---a march, some Dvorak selections (nice work on dynamics, kids!), theme from The Incredibles and Louie, Louie which also included some improved soloing from each of the sax players...it was GREAT! Awards were presented for each ensemble and young Thing 1 was recognized as the most improved player and I just burst out in tears---I know she's worked hard and that she's really loving it. And I know her band director really has her attention and respect. And that, my friends, is the foundation for a long, happy relationship in school music instruction.<br /><br />Yadda yadda, everything else was great. The last two numbers were so cool---each year they allow eight grade musicians to compete for a guest conducting spot and this year's honoree directed Soul Man and did it really well. The finale is what they called an Instant Concert where the Advanced Band invited all alumni of the school's bands to join them on stage and play a fun number that is basically 8 to 16 bars of about 50 recognizable pieces of classical, holiday and pop music compositions. Energetic and kind of hilarious.<br /><br />I can't wait for Anna's show tomorrow night. I think a group of first year viola players (who by the way meet for a max of one hour per week) might be a lot less compelling. Just in case, I'm bringing my iPhone for games or Facebook whining...stay tuned!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BTW</span><br /><br />That other thing will be seven tomorrow. SEVEN. NFW. She met the pediatric gastroenterologist today; great guy who wants to do an endoscopy and biopsy on June 11 but he's all but certain of the Celiac diagnosis.... luckily Lindsay doesn't really know what that is and I don't intend to tell her until ... another day.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-43420158793159324452010-05-04T13:55:00.004-04:002010-05-04T15:42:43.913-04:00Yo! Cuatro de MayoYes, yes: its almost Lyman's bday---happy day, Cousin. Not only is May 5 Lyman's bday, it also marks the eleven-month mark since the last post on his (?) blog...interesting.<br /><br /><u>Knitting</u><br />I've been doing some. I made this cute little thing for my third cute daughter:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kl8MG2HO9dL37IDmfNqDm8GzJ-x0q_Ud8O_tRZ6SVo9yQ53Q2nhbQMWHyhIXuyo7wgoLbRGxbqZIfgUBr_BYnki56ot2n9vTSzh9QKcuGtdbEQuG07J1GZ3lQmhD8UXbfLCHVA/s1600/lindsaycollage.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Kl8MG2HO9dL37IDmfNqDm8GzJ-x0q_Ud8O_tRZ6SVo9yQ53Q2nhbQMWHyhIXuyo7wgoLbRGxbqZIfgUBr_BYnki56ot2n9vTSzh9QKcuGtdbEQuG07J1GZ3lQmhD8UXbfLCHVA/s320/lindsaycollage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467484678935806594" border="0" /></a><br />Not much to say about it: snips of left over wool from other projects, a nice piece of luck in my fabric stash--done. I will say that the hearts are intarsia and although it wasn't hard, it is a bit of a pain in the arse to be handling all those bits of yarn as you carry things along. I think people who do a lot of color work have bobbins or something...<br /><br /><u>Music</u><br />Lots of good stuff here lately: I've been re-listening to Terence Blanchard's "A Tale of God's Will: A Requiem for Katrina" -- beautiful, grand and chaotic; angry. Love it. This resurgence of interest was brought about by several listens to Brad Mehldau's "Highway Rider"... I won't go on and on about it here as it has been written about quite favorably in <a href="http://thehurstreview.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/brad-mehldau-highway-rider/">so</a> <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/03/album-review-brad-mehldaus-highway-rider.html">many</a> <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=35658">other</a> <a href="http://jazztimes.com/articles/25941-brad-mehldau-highway-rider">places</a>. Its the kind of music that should be listened to as an event: lie down, have a drink; listen. I love it.<br /><br />I've been going further down the Roots/Americana path with a recording from The Duhks -- the single "Mighty Storm" thunders through telling of the 1900 Galveston, TX flood. Its hard to hear it and not think "KatrinaKatrinaKatrinaKatrina". I heartily recommend this disc for its creole/cajun/caberet/folk inclinations all smushed together---really great sound. I have a couple new cds from Caitlyn Cary (formerly with Ryan Adams/Whiskeytown): one with Thad Cockrell, the other solo. Both are about what I expected but I haven't listened enough to make much of it. I'm expecting today to receive the Court Yard Hounds disc--I know little of it. Its the two non-Natalie whatever Dixie Chicks plus Jakob Dylan. I'm looking hard for something to fill the void The Wailin' Jennys have left as they haven't hit the studio in too long...<br /><br /><u>Other Pop Culture interests</u><br />Obviously, I'm in a big New Orleans mode---I'm living for Sunday evenings' Treme on HBO and also reading Rising Tide, a historical account of the Mississippi River flood in 1927. Great stuff---the least you can do is check out Treme. Good stuff, great cast, good tunes.<br /><br /><u>Idiots and Morons</u><br />On Facebook a "friend" of mine, a dude from High School, keeps making these really obnoxious status updates---like referring to supporters of health care reform as MORONS, or those who think government can get anything right as IDIOTS. I've tried to say, "hey, I'm one of those people---are you really going to call me an idiot?" and that's been pretty much the case. And while I do think that most people who disagree with me would think differently if they were to think a little more, I stop short of calling those people names.<br /><br />So let me tell you about an idiotic idea held up for examination by PBS' Frontline: the health risks of childhood vaccination. The people who believe that we would all be better off without universal immunization schedules have NO clue what our <span style="font-style: italic;">population</span> has been spared by vaccination. I think its true that science should endeavor to produce ever cleaner, safer vaccines and to limit the adverse outcomes that are legitimately the result of vaccine. But I don't think we should stop the presses until we've arrived at that point. Although I know of no one in my own age group with polio, I do know a couple of folks that contracted polio---and while I'm terribly sorry for the parents and families who have had bad vaccinating experiences, its the basic tenet of public health to prioritize the health of a community as expedient to improvement of individual health. The same people who squawk over minor vaccine reactions will be really unhappy about being exposed to kids with rubella while pregnant.<br /><br />You can't have it both ways, kids. You either want to work toward eradicating disease or you choose to put everyone around you at risk of the disease. Smallpox, Polio, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Whooping Cough, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Diphtheria, HiB...terrible, terrible diseases with really awful costs of life and disability--all of them rendered completely or nearly nonexistent in the United States by the work of organized public health operating at the population level and dedicated scientists working at their benches. Compare the risks, make your decision but remember: the decision you make for your family is a decision you might be making for an entire community. We've been down the "natural" immunity path before---that's how we arrived at the vaccination schedule.<br /><br />This sh*t REALLY gets under my skin...har! Hadn't seen that pun coming.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-48113897431821452052010-04-14T13:57:00.004-04:002010-04-14T14:33:04.258-04:00Hello April 14!I am somewhat less tired, frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, tired than yesterday. That's better.<br /><br />You know what there hasn't been enough of in my life? Commentary on this season's American Idol from anyone other than my husband or our pre-pubescent daughters. So one interpretation could be that we're all tired of it or that none of the contestants are very exciting. Whaddya think?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelgzII-Aa8MjgriJfDOLQCoh4Nf-ViluRnWH7iJt32QI_ltzLDXwW9kltEbYs6AHKnqNbfQ5eJ22WTLXuC2rdas95PBepZK_x_Kyl_uaMJPtTW9lj0V7-2VmXjASGt2-AywmY4w/s1600/bowersox.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelgzII-Aa8MjgriJfDOLQCoh4Nf-ViluRnWH7iJt32QI_ltzLDXwW9kltEbYs6AHKnqNbfQ5eJ22WTLXuC2rdas95PBepZK_x_Kyl_uaMJPtTW9lj0V7-2VmXjASGt2-AywmY4w/s320/bowersox.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460056701652167266" border="0" /></a><br />Personally, I love Crystal Bowersox. She's got the right stuff. If she doesn't win...well, it will be just like every other season of Idol where the "winner" is determined by 13-year olds whose parents have paid for unlimited texting plans on AT&T.<br /><br />Which brings me to what I think might be the most remarkable thing about Idol this season: how much of that show can they sell for product placement, endorsements, performance time, exposure of key players' breaking artists? Seriously--I think 20 years from now what Idol will be remembered for is its sky-is-the-limit approach to selling portions of their show and packaging all of those marketing ploys into the actual entertainment...crazy. But we sit there and eat that messaging up...<br /><br />Rob thinks I'm cynical. I think he must have some financial interest in Ford or Coca-Cola...<br /><br />In other pop culture happenings, <a href="http://www.hbo.com/treme/index.html">Treme</a> premiered on HBO Sunday. David Simon's newest project it is expected to be the story of a handful of musicians and other performers trying to scratch up a living in post-Katrina N'awlins. The cast is full of old friends from previous Simon projects and it looks like some really interesting character work. If the first week was any indication, some great jazz (and I don't mean old school New Orleans Pete Fountain swing...) is part of the plan, too. Whether it evolves into the incredible social commentary we love so much from Simon's previous works is something we'll have to give time. I will tell you that it has already changed my thinking in one way: when I die, ya'll please make sure to assemble what ever kind of second line you can manage, OK? I love, love, love the opportunity this show represents to put great contemporary jazz center stage. I hope Simon takes that and runs with it.<br /><br /><u>Report from the Garden</u><br />Beth's dogwood is in full blossom; very very pretty though decidedly crooked. My lillies-of-the-valley are pushing up through their mulch blankets in the sunnier spots, still snug in the shady places. Anna's Yoshino cherry is aflame with flowers, Lindsay's Stellate Magnolia about finished as is our baby Japanese Magnolia. We lost our two evergreens in front of the house from the weight of the winter snow: I think I will replace them with something to remind me of my Grandma. No idea yet what that will be...KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-63710154477293720592010-04-14T00:22:00.002-04:002010-04-14T00:28:01.815-04:00Briefly...Tired, overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, tired.<br /><br />More medical scrutiny is required for TOT, I miss time with my older daughters, soccer is on, spring allergies are in full swing.<br /><br />I have some great new tunes (thanks, Lym, for some good pointes), I'm alternating reading books with scintillating titles like <u>Think Like a Pancreas</u> with light fiction that is not worth the time it takes up but is indeed distracting.<br /><br />How are you guys?KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-27278523161897456142010-04-02T12:30:00.003-04:002010-04-02T13:57:39.977-04:00Wowzers---lots of them!Man, its been almost a month since my last---and what a month it's been! L's diabetes is keeping us on our toes, up all night burning the midnight oil. I'll keep things succinct by saying her insulin dose is completely wrong and we are at odds with her endocrinologist. We will be having a new one.<br /><br />Yesterday we made rounds to two pharmacies to pick up the month's meds---L's have to be in a 24-hour place, the rest of us have ours at a convenient place. At the end of it all, this is what we had:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ5G3ckA_lqCBv6qiA7OV2Dat74Xhddg6GM8LoUBC6iVo4IDwWFcR55UkQXKpzN-bvVFFhl1vugGcTa0IZgL8LDMHmZ8e-lx0YACBLP6HicTEzmLohA-wDmpdkdE8n77qHEc0Jg/s1600/holymotherofrx.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZ5G3ckA_lqCBv6qiA7OV2Dat74Xhddg6GM8LoUBC6iVo4IDwWFcR55UkQXKpzN-bvVFFhl1vugGcTa0IZgL8LDMHmZ8e-lx0YACBLP6HicTEzmLohA-wDmpdkdE8n77qHEc0Jg/s320/holymotherofrx.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455580376120688146" border="0" /></a><br />Mostly diabetes supplies, a few of which won't require monthly refills but mostly, yeah, this is what a month will look like. A few of the rx bottles are allergy and daily meds that Rob and I take and are 90-day supplies. Still, total damage? $300. WITH "good" insurance.<br /><br />I will say that this load of meds cost less than last month---it seems like our insurer has adjusted our generic medication co-pays by half. Crazy. The pharmacist said lots of people had seen unexpected changes in their co-pays---how about ya'll?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Health Care Rant<br /></span>Diabetes is definitely among the diseases that has a distinct socio-economic divide---Medicaid simply doesn't pay for an adequate number or quality of supplies. Medicaid covers the cost of a low accuracy blood glucose test strip, 100 per month. That allows for about 3 tests per day----with L's new diagnosis and facing many many years of disease that could become complicated, we've been testing at least 10 times per day. Now, if she were an established patient, if she were stable, we'd still be testing at least six or seven times a day MINIMUM to calculate insulin for meals and corrections...we'd want to measure to compensate for activity, we would want to test more should she become ill...so many things can change blood glucose and effect the amount of insulin that should be given. Giving too much insulin: big problems right away---giving too little, big problems over time. Its surprising to me that Medicaid would scrimp on the part of disease management that would save them money in the long run. Go ahead---let them develop kidney disease---pay for dialysis, heart surgery. Shit makes NO sense. And more than just being infuriating, people with uncontrolled Type 1 Diabetes DIE from it. Forty years ago, the life expectancy of a Type 1 diabetic was about 40 years from diagnosis and those people had at least SOME insulin...it wasn't great or even good but it was infinitely better than nothing.<br /><br />Final bitch about diabetes: glucose test strips cost (retail) a little over one dollar a strip for the meter we use; I'd imagine they're all about the same. At diagnosis, the endocrinologist prescribed 200 per month, "test 6 - 8 times per day". Between learning the idiosyncrasies of the machine and our concerns about her blood glucose being very unstable, we blew through the first 200 in under 2 weeks. We got an override on the 30-day interval after the pharmacy tech got all legalistic on us and we called our insurance company ourselves (from our cell phones, right in front of him). Those were gone about 2 days before we were eligible for the next installment. Did I mention that paying out of pocket is over $200? So I called my endo and asked her to increase our monthly allotment to 300; done. Pharmacy wouldn't issue the additional 100 so we waited out two days by pulling strips from the least used of our meter packs... and then the Pharmacy SAID our insurance wouldn't cover the cost of 300 strips because the doctor's order to test at 6 to 8 times per day doesn't add up to 300. The ballsy little Pharmacy Tech had the audacity to ask "how many times per day do you NEED to measure her blood glucose?" . My answer was the kind of answer meant to tell someone they were overstepping their role and they should get the eff back where they belong. It was good and I didn't curse :) Finally, he answered my thrice asked question, "do I need to have my physician call you?" in the affirmative. But seriously: it took WAAAAYYYY too much effort and distress to get the supplies I need to care for my daughter. And I am tenacious, and I understand the rules, and I'm not afraid to go toe-t0-toe with anyone who doesn't understand or doesn't want to help in the ways they should. These are the kinds of things that effectively reduce access for other people who have coverage but don't receive all the benefits to which they are entitled and which they sorely need.<br /><br />As of now, L is on Day 2 of a 96-hour continuous glucose monitoring study---should help us sort out why her insulin dosing is so difficult. We are advocating strongly for not only an insulin pump but also a personal continuous glucose monitor for her. She seems to be the right kind of patient and I'm sure it would ease our concerns a great deal.<br /><br /><br /><u>Not Diabetes or Health Care</u><br />Spring is in full swing---the pollen count is like 7 bazillion units per cubic centimeter of air (relatively too freakin' high). Our spring break dreams of bicycling, hiking and basking in sunshine have been seriously derailed in favor of arriving at the right OTC allergy/sinus cocktail: runny nose/post nasal drip? Dry it up with psuedoephedrine. Sinuses congested (and yes, you can have a runny nose and be congested)? Take Allegra D or Claritin. Itchy throat, watery/irritated eyes? Throw in some benadryl. Good grief.<br /><br />Have I mentioned, though, that its extremely beautiful? Yes, indeed. Sixty-five degrees, sunny, no humidity and flowering trees...from behind my windshield or windows, everything looks great. Seriously: today when I went out, I covered my nose and mouth with my shirt sleeve hoping to filter out some of the pollen. I tried to not touch my face at all until I'd returned home and washed my hands...I still feel like crap....KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-88408408105566326702010-03-03T21:23:00.002-05:002010-03-03T21:28:58.663-05:00Update: Sweet LindsayWe're a week home under our own management: FAIL. We've been testing her blood at least six times every day and we've seen 3 glucose levels in our target range. Not only that: we've been in the scary high glucose ranges more often than not. And we've been seeing some ketones in her urine. Bad, bad, bad.<br /><br />Endocrinologist has adjusted her insulin twice; she is in utter disbelief that these high numbers could be valid given proper counting of carbohydrates and calculation of dosage. Not so subtle subtext: either Rob and I are dumbasses or Lindsay is eating on the down-low. I'm not buying it.<br /><br />We're going to consult with another endo to see what another clinician might think. That's all I know. Except I'm tired: I'm tired of being the Mommy who does all the meal planning, research and portion control, gives shots AND gets to be the target of Lindsay's frustration.<br /><br />I want a vacation.KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11695488.post-17681601713471468672010-02-24T14:36:00.002-05:002010-02-24T14:59:49.047-05:00On life and how it sometimes sucksNot Thing 1, and not Thing 2 but That Other Thing (TOT), the one that is six was just diagnosed with <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CBgQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mayoclinic.com%2Fhealth%2Ftype-1-diabetes%2FDS00329&ei=CYCFS7u9IqbEM57hxDQ&usg=AFQjCNG12WqeF5idQTaiKgJ34POIHOsCKA&sig2=0E8IJF6a-lE6NBNIjUjM7A">Type 1 diabetes </a>. I'm using this post to disseminate info to those who need or care to know quickly. You can not imagine what kind of circus this diagnosis has set in motion with TOT and myself are in the Center Ring.<br /><br />The kid has had profound fatigue issues since the beginning of the school year. So much so, in fact, that it was a REAL struggle to get what should have been 20 minutes of easy homework done most evenings, she just wanted to go to sleep or zone out. At some point she began to have trouble with night time bed-wetting and complaining of headaches. I thought there might be a problem in the classroom so I raised the question with her teacher---nothing had been noted so we just kept struggling. We got her night time potty issues taken care of but she was still really thirsty all the time and she was waking three or 4 times each night to empty her bladder. And headaches, tummy aches---vague, minor. And school wasn't really getting better...but I know TOT is a very smart and capable kid so it wasn't making sense. I don't know why I wasn't thinking there was one big problem driving all of this.<br /><br />And then I noticed she was getting REALLY skinny. I mean REALLY skinny; scary thin. Still tired all the time, dark circles. We ramped up the mandatory sleeping, started working really hard to put weight on her and then---the telltale sign of human metabolism gone awry: the smell of ketones (sweet, fruity) on her breath. A quick little test of the urine in her pediatrician's office on Monday afternoon got us a free stay at the hospital where we are now.<br /><br />We are learning everything we need to know...well, they're trying to tell us but its way too much to get your head around. We're working on stabilizing blood sugar at a good level and trying our best to get her hydrated, let her get rested up and allow me to figure out when I won't be too scared to allow her to be somewhere I can't see her in case I screw up or things go wrong.<br /><br />And then we have to begin clearing administrative hurdles to allow the school to monitor blood sugar, to allow snacks (when we figure out when they should be...), make sure all of her teachers know how to manage her needs and recognize the bad signs. And catch up. Try to make it out of first grade by September. At least I'll get to see her in the middle of every day: she'll have insulin at least four times per day and one of them will be at lunchtime. Since school health room staff won't do that, I will.<br /><br />That's alls what I know. Thanks to everyone for love and concern. We're just trying to keep our heads above the sugar-free water...KHMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05370307704273976378noreply@blogger.com7