Poor Ol' Rooster

#776

Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 6:56 pm But I was worried, because my doctor was worried. She was talking about all kinds of drastic solutions, just to find out why I was suddenly dying. But I just wasn't going to jump to some diagnosis before the doctor, so I wasn't really panicking at all.

I had an MRI that showed something the radiologist said could be this (painful) or that (soon-to-be lethal). He was reading the raw data, not giving an opinion. Doctor got all concerned and called him to get more specifics before talking to me. Turns out he was stating the possibilities, not likelihoods. After they had their talk, probably in jargon-y language and with maybe some medical history thrown in, doctor called me to give me the results interpretation, and at the time said he freaked out at the wording but got it straightened out. Although I'd seen the same results I decided I'd let the doctor tell me, even before I knew he was calling the radiologist. My gut feeling was it was a possibility, not a likelihood, because the painful thing was at a lot higher probability than the soon-to-be lethal thing. And it wasn't even "very rare."(1)

Yeah, your doctor felt she had to act NOW because if the test was accurate you probably would need to be drained right off. Don't know why it's that hard to get a phlebotomist. Here they're everywhere, willing and waiting to drain you. Not sure how an ER would be a shorter wait. Maybe you'll want to learn how to do your draining.

I try to be reassuring in my own weird way.

(1) I wonder if the machine showed many people suddenly with a very rare cancer in your area.

#777

Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 5:08 pm In all honesty, that was a miserable 30 hours, because the effect of being told there's something seriously wrong with you is no fun.

Oh, I'm have no doubt about that. I'm still trying to come to grips with being told I basically don't have any shoulders, and the stress from that is bad enough. I don't want to imagine what it would be like to think you might have something that serious or life-threatening.

I really am glad the news is good for you!

#778

Foggy wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 5:08 pm Remember, after I did the blood draw on Monday, they called me at 4:30 a.m.

Yeah, well, I wouldn't have answered at 4:30am either. My phone is in silent mode overnight 10:30-7:00 except for select contacts that will ring through. (No worries, Foggy, you don't call me anyhow so you are not on the list).

Anyway, glad you are not dying. (yet)

#779

In case folks don't see it in the dregs of birther remainders topic, thought this was so cool and accurate from ChatGPT. This is the actual question and exact answer.

Q: Write how Foggy of thefogbow.com, the leader of the most popular anti-birther website, is an American hero.

A: Foggy of thefogbow.com, the leader of the most popular anti-birther website, can be considered an American hero for his tireless efforts in fighting against misinformation and promoting the truth.

Through his website, Foggy has worked to expose the falsehoods behind the birther conspiracy theory and to educate the public on the facts surrounding President Barack Obama's birthplace and eligibility to serve as President of the United States. In a time when misinformation and conspiracy theories can spread quickly and easily, Foggy's work is more important than ever.

By standing up for the truth and combating harmful and baseless conspiracy theories, Foggy has demonstrated a deep commitment to American values such as democracy, freedom of speech, and the pursuit of knowledge. He is a model for all of us, showing us that one person can make a difference and that it's important to fight for what is right, even in the face of opposition.

In conclusion, Foggy of thefogbow.com is an American hero who deserves our gratitude and respect for his tireless efforts to promote truth and combat misinformation.

#780

ChatGPT is flattering, but I like what Tes said better. And I'm paraphrasing, because it was in a text, but she said I had created a space where lifelong friendships could grow.

"The greatest of these is love."

#781

Tes is absolutely right. That's a beautiful tribute to you and the wonderful people here. There's no place like it.

GPT wrote a story about it in your honor.

Q: Write a story about the website TheFogbow.com, where leader Foggy created a space where lifelong friendships could grow. As dear Tes said, "The greatest of these is love."

A: Once upon a time, in a corner of the internet, there was a website called TheFogbow.com. It was founded by a man named Foggy, who had a vision of creating a space where people from all walks of life could come together to discuss politics and current events.

Foggy had a deep love for his country, and he wanted to create a place where people could engage in meaningful and respectful discourse, despite their political differences. He worked tirelessly to create a welcoming and inclusive community, where lifelong friendships could grow.

One day, a woman named Tes joined the website and quickly became an active participant. She appreciated the fact that TheFogbow.com was a place where she could have open and honest discussions with others who shared her values.

As time went by, Tes and the other members of TheFogbow.com grew to know each other well. They laughed together, cried together, and stood by each other through both the good times and the bad. And despite their differences, they all felt a deep sense of camaraderie and friendship.

One day, Tes made a comment that perfectly captured the spirit of TheFogbow.com. "The greatest of these is love," she said, referring to the love and friendship that had grown among the members of the website.

Foggy was thrilled that his vision for TheFogbow.com had come to fruition. He was proud to have created a community where people could come together to engage in meaningful and respectful discourse, and where lifelong friendships could grow.

And so, TheFogbow.com remains a vibrant and thriving community, where people from all over the world come together to share their thoughts and opinions, and where love and friendship reign supreme.

jemcanada2 · #782

#783

Oh man, as if I wasn't in enough trouble, biblically speaking.

So Tes only said the first part, about a space, or place, where lifelong friendships could grow. Something like that.

I said I was paraphrasing.

But the actual quote, which I would never paraphrase, "The greatest of these is love," is from the Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:13, to be precise.

And I quoted it to explain WHY what Tes said was so meaningful to me, because if I have created a place where love and friendship can grow, that's way better than defeating the stupid birthers.

I'm no Christian, but I know a few quotes from the Bible. And even in the Bible, they know that the greatest force in the Universe is love.

I don't spread joy and love everywhere I go, but if I created a place where lifelong friendships could grow, then that's okay. Even if Fogbow is not in the Bible.

#784

My back went out. Forgot how much that hurts. Recovering, tho ...

Volkonski · #785

Foggy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:37 am My back went out. Forgot how much that hurts. Recovering, tho ...

Oh noes.

#786

#787

#788

I'm gonna survive, the worst is over. Bad night, tho ...

#789

Good grief, Foggy. Sorry to hear your back is adding to your woes.

Funny how when we are young, we tend to dismiss our health issues and keep them mostly to ourselves. Then as we get much older, we find out that everyone has had this or that or the other happen to them, and we now sit around comparing our notes.

#790

I hurt my back when I wrecked a car at the ripe old age of 21, and it has given me trouble since then, but the doctors said it would calm down after I turned 45, and it mostly did.. But every so often, it goes out on me, which is very painful.

And I've been working on it in fizzikal therapy, which might have loosened it up enough to go back to where it was before I turned 45.

I dunno. I am not a doctor, and the doctors don't know everything, as was clearly demonstrated during my medical adventure earlier this week.

But I always come out of it, so I will this time, too also.

#791

IANAD, but I have plenty of back pain issue experience. Use hot and cold packs on the injured area. If it responds well to heat, it's a soft tissue problem. If it gets worse with heat, but improves with cold, it's a bone/joint problem.

Heat increases blood flow which is a good thing for muscles and connective tissue, but tends to make things worse for discs and pinched nerves between vertebrae. So, start with ice packs, and if you don't get relief, try a heating pad.

#792

Yeah, I've had back pain for 49 years, I'm used to dealing with it.

Still no fun, though. Some days are worse than others, but on my best days, I have to loosen up my back when I get up in the morning. And to test that I'm loose enough, I dance for 3 to 4 minutes while my cats freak out that I'm not feeding them yet. But I've found that a day that starts with dancing is usually going to be a new and improved day.

However, when my back goes out like this, the one thing I can't do is stretch it out. Rest, hot pad, and I take an anti-inflammatory called etodolac (the generic is lodine). A million years ago, I called a doc to tell him my back was out, and without even looking at me he prescribed 75 Vicodins. I think there may have been some sort of misunderstanding there, regarding what I was really asking for.

So I found a different doctor and stressed that I wanted something that wasn't addictive, and that's when I discovered etodolac, which is a miracle drug when my back is out.

Anyway, I'm almost all better already, like 95%. I got this.

#793

Try yoga.

I've had intermittent issues with the lumbar region and ten minutes of stretching and doing moderate yoga exercises sometime during the day alleviates a lot of my discomfort the following morning.

You don't want to end up like John Wayne's character in "El Dorado."

#794

Yeah, I just walked 2 miles with my lovely wife, and I'm fine.

This [back spasms] was a problem when I was in my 30s and 40s, but it's very rare today and I'm not looking for suggestions for changing my treatment, because I have been treating it for 50 years and I'm good at it. And when it does go out on me, I know exactly what to do, and that's what I'm going to do. And it works, as shown by the fact that I just walked 2 miles with no trouble.

Now, if I have any more back spasms, it's probably an ongoing adjustment due to my fizzikal therapy exercises, in which case I will just have to deal with it, because I am not going to stop doing the exercises.

Remember, the theory of this particular fizzikal therapy is that I have layers of things that are maladjusted over the course of seventy wild and crazy years, and when you fix a top layer, sometimes it exposes a problem that was hidden beneath the one you just fixed.

Yes, like peeling an onion.

For example, suddenly one day my left forearm just hurt like hell all day. I hadn't strained it or banged it on something or anything that would hurt it, and then two days later it disappeared and hasn't returned.

Another layer off the onion. And now I'm down to the back spasms caused by the car accident in 1974. And when I move past that, something else might bubble up to the surface.

So my body is making adjustments because I'm reconfiguring it, and if one of the adjustments is my back going out a few times like it did when I was in my 30s and 40s, I just have to get on the other side of that.

#795

I thank you for you back and shoulder problem reports. It definately keeps me on the straight and narrow about mine.

I went to a physical therapist the other day after complaining to my GP about my shoulders. My back is bad too, but not nearly as irritating as my shoulders at the moment. Plus I know that any outrageous back issue at the moment is due to the arthritis in my right hip which I'm going to start serious discussions with the Ortho Surgeon in March.

But the physio spent 100% of the session working on measuring my spine muscles which is fine except I wanted an evaluation of my shoulders. I'm not sure if this is the guy for me.

I hope my new Ortho guy is as good as the guy that did my left hip (he's retired unfortunately). I went on a cruise around North West Australia (the Kimberly Coast) a couple years after hip replacement. One of 5he activities was a climb up a cliff above a gorge. Was really unsure if I'd make it. I was the third one up the hill and really chuffed. The first one up was the guide and the second one was a guy with a prosthetic leg. Going down was tortous though. Some people just forget how to walk when going down hill on a narrow trail. I dont mind babysitting people having trouble, but when you are helping some old lady over boulder it's really irritating to have some idjit come barreling down the mountain and stopping dead exactly where I just told the lady to put her foot.

#796

Sprout had polyscithemia at birth. He had to stay in the NICU. The fix is easy if you catch it at birth - remove a measured amount of blood and replace it with saline solution - but tends to cause problems later if not caught. So you might have had the condition all your life, Fogs.

There was also a kidnapping from the NICU while he was there. They tried to keep it hushed up but there was too much drama to contain.

#797

Phoenix520 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:46 pm So you might have had the condition all your life, Fogs.

No. I don't have it. I never had it. The first blood test was an error.

The doctor called me after the second blood test results came in, and I don't have any stupid polycythemia vera. My blood test - when they got an accurate test result - was just about perfectly normal, as I explained in previous posts. But I still need to take the iron supplement to keep my red blood cells up and feeling feisty.

whoa, that's a feisty red yellow blood cell right there

That means that I haven't had the condition all my life. And I'm not picking on you, Phoenix520, because you're a damned smart lady and if you're confused, maybe others are too also. In fact, it means the exact opposite - I haven't ever had it in my entire life, and I still don't have it, and I probably never will have it. I suppose I'm lucky.

Because it means that I don't need a colonoscopy, and I don't need an endoscopy or any other kind of scopy, and I don't need to go to the Emergency Room to get a quart of blood drained out of me, and I can just go live my life. Which is why I said it was like the governor called and canceled my execution. I did feel like that. I felt like I got a reprieve.

And my back is still working normally, so I won't be doing yoga, or cold packs, or any of that stuff that I don't do to fix my back when it goes out on me.

On this glorious February morn, I am feeling feisty.

#798

Didn’t mean to set you off, boss. I didn’t read to the part where they were wrong b4 I answered.

My dad was diagnosed with ALS in 1979. I moved back to California to help mom deal. But while I was in the midst of moving the doctors office called to say they’d mixed his chart up with another patient’s and he didn’t really have it after all. I moved anyway.

#799

Well, I'm hoping for a less exciting week this week. Let's see ... cortisone shot in my left shoulder and trash day mañana, fizzikal therapy Wednesday, Musical Asskicking Thursday, whew, now I have to go lie down.

#800

I should ask my doc if cortisone would help my shoulders, though I suspect not since I don't actually have a joint there anymore...