Thursday, February 24, 2011

Doctors Rounds

So, it's back to the doctors again. This time it was the rheumatologist with a difficult to pronounce name. Very nice young man, looks almost exactly like my brother.

There were 6 pages to fill out for him, and he spent almost an hour with me, asking about lots of things. Details are the key to figuring out these odd ball diagnoses, and rheumys deal with lots of oddball stuff.

He poked and prodded a bit, checked lymph nodes all over me, looked very closely at the blood vessels in my fingers, and ordered tests.

Good thing i had my puzzles with me, it took over an hour for the chest x-ray and the 12 vials of blood to get drawn. Yes, 12. When you are looking for oddball stuff, you have to really look, for everything.

So, in 3 more weeks, we should be closer to knowing...something. Right now, i'm going to continue to just bandage the worst areas with lots of antibacterial cream, wear gloves when doing dishes or cleaning with liquids, and otherwise ignore the situation as much as possible. Our upcoming vacation is of much more interest than a meeting with a doctor that is going to be after we are back.


Today is:

Dragobete -- Romania (lover's day, and the day birds choose a mate, also considered by locals as the first day of spring)

Flag Day -- Mexico

Gregorian Calendar Day

Inconvenience Yourself Day

Independence Day -- Estonia

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

National Artist Day -- Thailand

National Tortilla Chip Day

Regifugium -- Ancient Roman Calendar (flight of the king)

St. Matthias' Day



Anniversaries Today:

The American University is chartered by an act of the Congress of the United States of America, 1893
Western Washington University is established, 1899


Birthdays Today:

Billy Zane, 1966
Kristin Davis, 1965
Eddie Murray, 1956
Steven Jobs, 1955
Alain Prost, 1955
George Thorogood, 1950
Edward James Olmos, 1947
Joe Lieberman, 1942
James Farentino, 1938
Michel Legrand, 1932
Abe Vigoda, 1921
Chester W. Nimitz, 1885
Honus Wagner, 1874
Wilhelm Karl Grimm, 1786
Ibn Battutah, 1304
Emperor Toba of Japan, 1103


Today in History:

St. Francis of Assisi, age 26, receives his vocation in Portiuncula, Italy, 1208
In the first imperial coronation by a pope,Charles V is crowned by Clement V, 1530
Pope Gregory XIII, by decree, institutes what is now known as the Gregorian Calendar, correcting the older Julian Calendar, 1582
L'Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi, one of the first works recognized as an opera, receives its première performance, 1607
The London première of Rinaldo by George Frideric Handel, the first Italian opera written for the London stage, 1711
The US Supreme Court first declares a law unconstitutional (Marbury v Madison), 1803
London's Drury Lane Theatre burns to the ground, leaving owner Richard Brinsley Sheridan destitute, 1804
The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, the first removal treaty in accordance with the Indian Removal Act, is proclaimed. The Choctaws in Mississippi cede land east of the river in exchange for payment and land in the West, 1831
William Otis of Pennsylvania patents the steam shovel, 1839
The first parade to have floats is staged at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1868
Andrew Johnson becomes the first President of the United States to be impeached, 1868
The SS Gothenburg hits the Great Barrier Reef and sinks off the Australian east coast, killing approximately 100, including a number of high profile civil servants and dignitaries, 1875
China and Russia sign the Sino-Russian Ili Treaty, 1881
Chicago is selected to host the Columbian Exposition, 1890
Rudolf Diesel receives a patent for the diesel engine, 1893
Hudson Motor Car Company is founded, 1909
National Public Radio is founded in the United States, 1970
The United States Olympic Hockey team completes their Miracle on Ice by defeating Finland 4-2 to win the gold medal, 1980
Buckingham Palace announces the engagement of The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer, 1981
A special commission of the U.S. Congress releases a report that condemns the practice of Japanese internment during World War II, 1983
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini offers a USD $3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie, 1989
The last occurrence of February 24 as a leap day in the European Union and for the Roman Catholic Church, 1996*
Japan launches its fourth spy satellite, stepping up its ability to monitor potential threats such as North Korea, 2007
Fidel Castro retires as the President of Cuba after nearly fifty years, 2008

*The Romans counted Feb. 24 twice in leap years, instead of adding Feb. 29; that continued in many places until 1996

6 comments:

  1. Good lord! I was going to ask what you were doing up this late, but if you've been trying to juggle a medical routine along with your kitties, then it's perfectly understandable. Unlike, alas, your condition perchance. Get better! That's an order!

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  2. Oh, Mimi, I know that your hands are a trial and a vexation. You use your hands so much, so it's not like this is a trivial thing. I hope that you can get some answers. At least it isn't contagious, which is a blessing. That doesn't change the fact that it sucks for you, though.

    Congrats on the upcoming vacation! When are you going to leave, and where are you going to go?

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  3. Merry, the medical stuff is just a frustration, and seems to be getting better with the warm weather. It might be something that i will only have to deal with in winter, at least i can hope.

    Thank you, Jokamo! My wonderful father, Grandpa to the kids, is taking the whole family to Disney World in Florida. Well, the whole family except my brother, Uncle P, who is in New York. We will march forth on Mar. 4 ;), and be back on the 14th, and Brother-In-Law, The Mouth, will babysit the house.

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  4. I hope these tests yield some answers.. and a solution to the problem.

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  5. Mimi, I hope the new round of tests give some concrete answers. The upcoming vacation (soon!) sounds great. Ya'll are going to have a wonderful time.

    Re: yesterday's blog - the weather has really been something. It's hit about 83 here today. Nice and warm. I keep thinking about the big ice and snow storm that hit our area on March 13 of '93. Hope that doesn't happen this year!

    All my prayers are with you Mimi, for your hands, and for a safe and lovely vacation with your family.

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