March 31
From my brain
Contents |
2009
Me 14:13, 31 March 2009 (EDT)
To copy over from FB:
- Was kidney stones, but isn't right now.
- Is not inflammation following kidney stones.
- Is still not kidney stones, isn't gall stones, and isn't issues with the liver...and no, it's not !@#$ing acid reflux/indigestion.
- Isn't anything to do with the endocrinologist.
- Isn't anything at a surgical level either, and his most likely probably not gall bladder either, so don't waste your money.
Came back from the surgical specialist that a friend from work referred us to. He took care of both her gall bladder and her husband's gall bladder issues, and raved about him. The ride there (and back) was horrendous today as I had a completely empty stomach and my insides were bouncing around horribly and I felt every little bump. The walk to his office was excruciating. The elevator up was nice and smooth, but later -- down -- not so much.
Anyway, go in, and the doc comes in and said he's reviewed everything. CT looks fine. Ultrasound of liver / gall bladder looks fine. Blood work looks OK, albeit that the liver stuff is slightly off, as were the pancreas stuff, but as he put it, "If the normal is 40, you were 42." It doesn't look / feel like a hernia either because it's not on any incision line, and there's nothing there when he pressed and coughed. He also said that between my history and the CT -- which these days really does show a helluva lot -- none of the earmarks of the gall bladder disease (under producing bile) is evident, so it would almost be a waste of money to do that test.
He did not dismiss the pain though. In fact, he regularly said that it's there obviously, but it just doesn't appear to be anything surgical, and he doubts that it's gastrointestinal. If it comes down to it, and the gasto wants him to do some work, he's there, but right now, it doesn't seem likely.
What he did also suggest is that it might be neuromuscular. There are two big abdominal muscles that are right inline with the area I'm complaining about. Wifey at this very moment is digging for a neurologist.
2008
Me 07:59, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
I realized something yesterday: I missed going to church. Really, it wasn't a new revelation, but rather it fully hit me. This is the worst I've been attending Lenten services since before I was converted. I had started going to services on Mother's Day with Wifey one year, and then converted in the fall, so I guess you could say this is the worst I've done during Lent since I even started attending services.
The services that proceed through Great Lent towards Pascha are integral in the spiritual journey. Without them, it's like it doesn't seem to feel like Easter/Pascha is even coming. Something is just left out.
This week was the Sunday of the Holy Cross. Father's homily focused on the fact that each of us is called up to take up our cross and to follow Christ. A big part of that is denying one's self, and this is a really alien concept for people to get their heads around. On the surface (especially to an outsider to the Church), this sounds like some sort of punishment, some sort of weird asceticism that we're inflicting on ourselves. In reality though, what you're denying is the things that are the outer you, not the inner you.
Father used funny little example of a man standing on a cliff. If he proclaims to out loud that he's wearing anti-gravity shoes and is going to jump to prove it. Obviously, this is insane. Just as insane is the way we convince ourselves that the sinful things we do on a routine basis that are "just who I am" are somehow legitimate; that they're "OK" and not harmful.
Father is a humble man (as hopefully all priests should be). He would probably be humbled even further if I told him directly how often his homilies hit straight to my heart. He does them without the hooping and hollering and shouting of my Pentecostal youth, but the seriously drive the point home about how to go about fixing areas of your life that God wants you to change.
Now to pray for the strength to go about changing them.
Me 10:30, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
As a somewhat related note to the above, I should not drink during guild nights. I played a couple songs I didn't have the reflexes to cover up (one lovely little n-bomb a the end of a track) and I know that I let out one f-bomb myself. I'm honestly surprised I didn't end up saying anything much worse.
To any of my guildmates who read this blog, my apologies for the inebriated guild leader during the prom.
Yay for impaired judgment via alcohol! /facepalm
Me 12:17, 31 March 2008 (EDT)
As the brain is a bit fuddled, I figured I'd do a quickie online quiz:
Your Thinking is Concrete and SequentialYou are precise, orderly, and realistic. You tend to get to the point and get things done. Difficult, detailed work is easy for you. You take things step by step. Time limits aren't a problem for you either. You work well with deadlines. What does drive you crazy is any sort of task that isn't precisely laid out.
You don't like anything to be ambiguous. You prefer to deal with the facts at hand. What Kind of Thinker Are You?
And in looking at post-post...uhh...yeah.
2006
Me 09:26, 31, March 2006 (EDT)
Now, if I only had that English degree: Coolest. Job. EVAR!
