SIL

Friday morning, around 4:00am, my wife's phone started ringing.  This, of course, startled us both immediately into awakening.  We both have had a variety of "bad news" calls over the years, and a large percentage of them have occurred during the middle of the night. So, we both immediately had surges of stress hormones course throughout our body.

It was my sister-in-law (my wife's sister, the one with kidney failure).  She was calling to try to tell us that she was being taken to the hospital via ambulance.  Her voice was very quiet and weak, extremely slow, and slurred.  

After a bit, her husband (my BIL) came onto the phone and explained that she was weak,  could not stand, and was disoriented, only minimally responsive, and was an ashen grey color, was systemically endemic, and her arms and legs were darkening. 

* * * * *

My wife immediately rushed to the hospital and into the emergency room.  Even at that hour, there were too many people and too few clinicians for the workload.  Mostly, the nurses were attempting to conduct cursory triage of the folks.  My SIL was deemed at significant enough risk, that within a little over an hour after she arrived, she was wheeled into one of the slotted "rooms"  (one wall is simply a curtain) that lined the emergency room.  Other than a few checks of vitals (her blood pressure was 250/125 at admittance, and her heart rate was ~120) not a lot transpired for another hour or more.  A call had been placed and a message left, for her kidney specialist.   She eventually called back and ordered a dialysis treatment for my SIL, and she was wheeled away for roughly four hours for that treatment.

* * * * * 

When she was eventually returned from dialysis, she was still minimally responsive, displayed slurred and very slow speak when purposefully coaxed to talk, and was still massively endemic.  From the time she arrived at the hospital she was for all intents, minimally responsive for over 14 hours at the hospital.  No physicians came to see her/us, but of course a clinician did supervise her dialysis while she slept through the proceedure.

* * * * *

By about 16 hours, she started to talk slightly more, but all the other symptoms remained, including hallucinations.  But, the increase in talking... we were taking it as a good sign.  

* * * * *

Eventually, around 18 hours after admittance, a clinician came and talked to us.  It appears that my SIL's primary care physician, who my SIL had visited about a week ago, had prescribed to my SIL a pain medication due to her continued extreme pain from her neck fusion surgery several weeks ago.  This primary care physician knows (of course) that my SIL is a dialysis patient.  Apparently, when my SIL's kidney specialist eventually read my SIL's current (very long) list of prescriptions, the pain medication the primary care physician had prescribed was completely contraindicated for patients with kidney failure.  

* * * * *

My SIL has had two additional dialyses thus far.  She is mentally more aware and talkative, so it appears a corner has been turned, and things are getting more satisfactory.  Unfortunately, if current protocols for American medicine are followed, my SIL will likely be eligible for discharge perhaps as early as tomorrow.  My wife is with my SIL now, trying to convince my SIL to ask/beg to be (instead of discharged) transferred to a rehabilitation facility so that she can build her strength back up with physical therapy, have supervised (instead of home) dialysis, and have the tests done to look at her spinal fusion (they are out-patient procedures, which the way the damnable American healthcare (more accurately the damnable American insurance system) operates, "cannot" be done while ADMITTED to the hospital due to (insurance) "rules" no matter how ass-backwards the whole notion is in terms of actual patient care.  

But, my SIL dreads the idea of going to a rehabilitation facility, because she would rather just be in her home.... but there she does NOT have the things she needs to get herself back to where she needs to be as a baseline.  Home physical therapy.... if provided at all, takes several days to establish.... her home (due to dialysis equipment and other things) does not have adequate space for her to safely practice the walking (with a walker that she needs) she needs to do to regain strength.  She SHOULD be automatically in a rehabilitation facility, but now-a-days, the "first step" is to ask the patient if they would "rather go home" or perhaps "go to a rehabilitation facility" because the majority of hurting, sick folks will CHOOSE to go home, rather than to rehab.... and the insurance companies save a lot of money.

It is disgusting all around, IMO.

PipeTobacco 

Rodents

After writing about the "Fage" yogurt situation yesterday, I can happily report that TODAY, I did remember to take the odd parchment paper layer off BEFORE adding my little bit of brown sugar.  I believe the purposeful writing helped me remember this task more easily.  

I also wanted to mention that I am (surprisingly and happily) able to report that this morning, my tally for my Wordle "streak" is now at 115 days.  I have to admit, however, that back on Tuesday, I almost LOST my streak!  I believe it is now safe to talk about the word, since it was the word for Tuesday, September 22nd..... and could not be NOW construed as a "spoiler" or an inappropriate "reveal" today.  So.... if I am incorrect and it is still not appropriate to talk about a past Wordle... please let me know and I will try to remove the below portion and not talk about it again:

* * * * * * * * * * *

On Tuesday, the Wordle word of the day was "STOKE" which I thought was a bit odd and a bit on the "too esoteric" side to be a "Wordle Word".  I actually DID think of the word "stoke" early in my work to solve the puzzle... and had it in my mind as a choice at my guess #3.  But, I kept dismissing using the word "stoke" as it seemed so UNLIKELY especially since I had many OTHER, seemingly more likely options..... like STOLE, STOVE and STONE.   I truly think STOKE was a strange word to have in Wordle.  You can of course "stoke" a fire, like folks do with a campfire..... and I have often used the word in a more colloquial and euphemistic sense when I would often say (or perhaps mutter under my breath) that I needed to "stoke" my pipe.  I would say this when I was smoking my pipe and I would notice that the ember in the bowl would start to prematurely "go out" and there would be a noticable decline in the beautiful, flavorful pipe smoke. 

So.... I think stoke was not a really good choice for a Wordle word.  The only other time I felt the Wordle word was inappropriate was now perhaps about two months ago, when the Wordle word of that day was "OVATE" which I did try at guess #3..... NOT because I ever thought it would BE the Wordle word of the day, but because it used a lot of new letters I had not yet tried that day.  I think "ovate" was too sciency a word for the broad public and really think it was unfortunate as a choice.  Ovate has two relatively related meanings..... it a) describes an oval shaped (egg shaped) object in biology, and also b) it is used to indicate the release of eggs (especially in insects).   I was of course happy I picked this word and did so soon my stream of guesses..... but I thought it was unfair for most folks.  

* * * * * * * * * * *

So, I am going to go to the Retiree's Cigar Group this afternoon.  I hope it is as fun and enjoyable as always!  I may ask the fellows if any of them remembers Union Leader pipe tobacco and see what they may know.  Last night, I took a quarter and gentle pried up the lid on the can again.  I smelled the leaf's aroma again.... and to ME it smelled extremely enticing.  To me, there is a definite "molasses" type of aroma, which I think seems rather wonderful to me.  I wish I could ask my Dad why he seemingly did not like Union Leader. 

I ran my miles in a rather chilly, mildly rainy environment this morning.  It was 48 degrees F (~8.5 C) at 5:15am this morning, and it was continually misting in terms of rain.  I wish I would have worn gloves.  

I better go to work with my rodents.  I have quite a bit of weaning to accomplish before heading to class.  

PipeTobacco  

Yogurt Mishaps & More

I have routinely eaten yogurt virtually every weekday for several decades.  While I like most every yogurt.... I do have some PREFERENCES of what I would much prefer: 

• I have grown to greatly prefer "Greek" yogurt more so than other styles.  I like its generally thicker texture, the more "realistic" tart profile of the yogurt, and that it offers the greatest variety of no-fat versions.
• I have eaten many of virtually all yogurts.... but I am not particularly fond of "fruit on the bottom" yogurts as they a) tend to be sloppier for me (either through mixing or through "dripping" if I do not mix the yogurt and fruit), and b) they tend to be (to my tongue) excessively sweet.  
• The flavors I have ESPECIALLY liked over the years have been 
• Honey Greek
• Vanilla
• Lemon
• Lime
• Unfortunately..... Honey Greek (which was only very mildly sweet) was discontinued many years ago.
• Unfortunately..... Lemon and Lime seem to also now have been discontinued (for roughly a year or so)
• Unfortunately..... Vanilla is available in a hit-or-miss fashion and I am fearful it is also on its way to be discontinued
• So..... as of late.... I have been having more and more often.... PLAIN Greek Yogurt
• Sometimes I eat it plain.... but PLAIN is an apt phrase.... when all alone, it is a tad dull
• Sometimes I bring a tiny bit of honey and/or a tiny bit of brown sugar in a zip-lock type bag to add to my yogurt.....but that a) tends to be rather messy.... and when I am working and eating.... this is not a good thing... as I do not need to dribble/drop more things onto my clothes or my beard than I already do..... and b) it involves more "steps" to get ready than just grabbing a yogurt from the fridge to dump in my lunch box.

But the reality is.... I do not understand why any of those four flavors would be discontinued.... they each are great flavors.... it is both perplexing and frustrating.

Now.... during the past two weeks my wife has been buying a particular brand of yogurt that is quite atypical in our rotation (I encourage her to buy me the cheapest kinds she can find).  The brand is called "Fage" which I have no idea how the company wishes me to pronounce their name, but in my pronunciation, I say [using old-school phonetics..... ˈfāj ....or via "sounds"..... ph...AAA.... z......yah and it makes me think of a "bacteriophage" like the image at the top of this post.... I talk about bacteriophages in class frequently.... as they are viruses that infect bacteria (common knowledge).... but they are being used more-and-more frequently as vectors to help in a variety of aspects of research medicine to help in developing vaccines and other treatments.  

But, this "Fage" yogurt, which normally is rather pricey (but was on DEEP discount the last two weeks).... has a very weird aspect to their packaging.  Like virtually all single serving yogurt, there is a foil covering over the container that you peel off before consuming.  BUT.... the Fage, which has the foil covering as well..... ALSO has specifically resting directly ON TOP OF THE YOGURT, a small disk of what I would describe as "parchment paper" (people often bake things on this type of paper product).  

I have absolutely no idea WHY they add this little disk of parchment paper.... but I can attest that it is not to my liking.  EVERY SINGLE DAY, when I open my plain, Greek Fage yogurt these past two weeks, and I go to add my honey and/or brown sugar..... I end up dumping it onto that damnable parchment paper disk..... because it blends in perfectly with the yogurt.... and I forget (every time so far) that they do this weird addition to their packaging.  With my forgetting about this disk.... I then have to fish it off the surface of my yogurt... and try to also scrape off the honey and/or brown sugar that is ON THE PARCHMENT PAPER (not in my yogurt).... so that I can get it actually into the yogurt.  

Every day I end up WITH MORE MESS because of this.

It is interesting to note that while I am ENTHUSIASTIC about potentially trying out my Dad's Union Leader.... I am not feeling a sense of longing to try it.  I think it may be that I fear I will perhaps find it "hum-drum" like my Dad apparently did, having it last so long.  But, in an equally interesting way.... my PCS score is hovering around a "9" the last several days..... but in my dreams and in my longings, I am imagining re-indulging in the many pipe tobaccos I KNOW I relish.  I do not know if there is an actual term for this or not.... but.... as I have stated before..... sometimes.... if I try VERY, VERY HARD.... I can almost conjure up the experience to such a degree where I can almost taste the flavors and aromas of the various pipe tobaccos.... and almost feel the way these beloved pipe tobaccos will gently massage and quiet the neurons of my mind. 

PipeTobacco 

PipeTobacco  

Fall is Here.... Whether We Are Ready Or Not

With the HIGH temperature today expected to be only 61 degrees F (~16 C), it already feels cool and fall-like.  It was only 43 degrees F (~6 C) when I did my run at 5am today so I had on sweat pants and a sweat shirt.  

It is always interesting to me that I am ALREADY feeling COLD at the above temperatures when they occur in September.  Yet, when they happen again in late April/early May.... the same temperatures feel rather "balmy" and I can even wear shorts.  

If we can muster up the ability to do so, I personally think it would be wonderful to adopt a "snowbird" type lifestyle in retirement.  "Snowbirds" in my region, will "overwinter" down South where it is warmer in Georgia or Florida or some similar area, but return to the North during the Spring/Summer/Fall.  

I have been thinking a great deal about my surprise find of the Union Leader pipe tobacco.  Some thoughts though.... since it was not a particular favorite of my Dad's.... I am wondering if I would find it disappointing?  Or, would the shear fact that it WAS my Dad's and I had this amazing discovery 30+ years after his passing.... make it a monumental and very special event for me to try?  And, it is also curious to me that since it is also hovering ~ 60+ years old itself.... that has me very curious for the "time machine" aspect of sampling said.  I will keep trying to figure out the best course of action I should take (if at all).

My wife is extremely busy this week at work (somewhat unexpectedly.... but somewhat because she forgot about several things).  This has me feeling a bit lonely.  Our plans to drive together at least some of the time this week have been discarded, and several of our typical evening routines have now been usurped in a variety of fashions.  

But, I will persevere, I guess.

PipeTobacco

Monday Thoughts

Surprisingly, my vehicle was ready  Friday afternoon!  I actually enjoyed, however, the carpooling with my beloved wife, even with the occasional inconveniences in each of our schedules.  We both feel that way.... and are hoping to try to establish a couple of days each week where we carpool.  That may be easier said, than done however, do the variances of both of our schedules.  But, I hope we can do so.

I am not excited about the work week.  But, I shall carry on. I do not have many thoughts at the moment.... or at least no (at least partially to me) interesting thoughts.  I ran.  I thought about pipes.  I am just pushing through the day.  I will go to rehearsal.  

I just feel tired.  Even though I tried not to, I ended up spending quite a bit of time thinking about the kid I do not talk about here anymore.  So much of it makes me hurt, sad, and angry.  But there is nothing I can really think of to do.  The "ball" is not in my court at the moment.  I will say, however, that while love is permanent, trust is not.... trust is earned and needs to be maintained.  When love exists but trust is lost.... it is a damn hard situation.

I would have been better off yesterday (and probably this morning) if I could have figured out how to NOT think about things.

PipeTobacco

This & That Friday

No indication that my vehicle will be done today, sadly.  They did suggest it may not be done until perhaps Monday or Tuesday initially, depending on their workload.... but I had hopes it might get done earlier.  

Yesterday's Retiree's Group was a true mental rejuvenator for me as usual!  It was a great time talking and joking with the guys.  No pressures, no posturing.... just congenial discussion and enjoyment.  I again sampled a Cohiba Red Dot 6x60.  It was pleasant.

With the fact that I had my wife's car, this changed some of the parameters of our meet-up for swimming.  Usually, on Retiree's Cigar Group Day.... because of our different locations, we both drive separately to get to the pool.  I usually end up getting there about an hour earlier than my wife due to her often scheduled on-line meetings on Thursday, so I get in to the space, and typically shower and then lift some weights in the gym and work on the BOSU and the "Jump Platform" to try to develop better balance and strength.  I shower first, so as to not get negative looks from the "gym rats" working in the space because of my cigar milieu.  

Well, with my having my wife's car, it made it necessary for me to collect my wife after her work was done before we headed to the pool.  And, as such, she did comment on my personal "cigar aroma".... not actually negatively... but just that she noticed it.

When we arrived, I went to shower, and she did 10-15 minutes on the stationary bike (to try to help her knee.... she has been trying to be consistently keeping her knee strong so as to not have a repeat of her knee injury from before).  When I got out, we both headed to the pool to relax and talk more.  

This morning, I awoke from a dream, where I was actually trying out the Union Leader pipe tobacco.  The dream actually was exceptionally pleasing and it was delightful to wake up to.  It was a bit disjointed though, because it was set in a hot Summer setting and I was walking in the woods.... initially with a walking stick in hand.  Then (out of nowhere) instead of the walking stick, I had one of my pipes and had been carrying around on a strap slung over my shoulder of all things.... the tub of Union Leader pipe tobacco.  I was nearby a bird observation tower in the woods in this dream, and I walked up the tower, sat on the bench and proceeded to fill my pipe with the Union Leader and try it out. I awoke to the clang of my phone alarm while I was in the midst of enjoying the bowlful in this dream.

When I dressed and hit the pavement to run today, I had to very purposefully train my mind onto focus on the rosary.... I kept drifting back into thoughts of the dream.  But, eventually, I did complete the rosary.  

But, I have been thinking a lot of that dream since then.  I have a rather dull Department Meeting coming up a bit later today.  I suspect I will eagerly allow my mind to drift from the meeting topics back to the dream and to my thoughts on if I will/should actually try the Union Leader.

PipeTobacco

Selmer Signet 100 "Special"

As I have my wife's vehicle today (my car repair is still in process), I am happily still going to be able to go to the Retiree's Cigar Group this afternoon!!  I am very much looking forward to talking with the fellows.  It is such a fun, jovial group and I am so happy I tried it out.... and that I feel I fit in very well!

"Bore Oil" is a fluid that is well know to most clarinetists.  If you are fortunate enough to have a horn that is made of grenadilla wood (in olden days, the body of less expensive horns were made from metal or galvanized rubber and did not use bore oil.... and today, less expensive horns are made of plastic and also do not use bore oil), you need to regularly oil the wood with bore oil to prevent cracking/splitting of the wooden body parts.... which can happen EASILY in a grenadilla wood clarinet due to it continually experiencing drying (when not playing) and moisture (while playing).  Grenadilla wood is a very dark wood and gives the clarinet its classic, nearly black color.

When I was evaluated for my horn back in 5th Grade, I ultimately chose the clarinet (see previous post a couple of days ago for more details if desired).  The music store fellow who assigned to us which horns we would get, had a big box of Selmer Signet 100 clarinets.... which were decent, student-level horns of that era.... and the plus was that unlike the "inexpensive" horns the music store fellow did not immediately offer (he only did to so, behind the scenes to parents who balked at the purchase) , the Selmer Signet 100 horns were made of actual grenadilla wood.  So that is what my parents got for me.... they were not ones to "question" the authority of the music store fellow.  

So, I and 5 or so other of my friends who were designated future "clarinetists" got these particular horns.  Some of us were rather fastidious (including me) and took to heart the idea of "oiling" our clarinets regularly.  A couple of my friends, though... were not particularly fastidious by nature... and did not do so.  After about two-three years, a couple of these friends had a problematic crack or two or three develop in their horn.   

One thing I noticed on my horn that none of my clarinet peers had, was that along with the normal "Selmer Signet 100" stamped into each section of the horn, I had stamped in mine the additional word, "Special".  I thought this was rather cool, although I really had no idea why it was there.  I did not really talk about it much but I did like that it was stamped in there.

It was not until many decades later, with the age of the Internet, that I thought about investigating my horn more.  I was very surprised to learn that my "Special" designation to my Selmer Signet 100 indicated that it was NOT just a nice, student-level horn, but instead was considered an "Intermediate-level" horn (not a "Professional" horn, but in-between student and professional).  I confirmed this was true also by reading on the Internet the stamping numbering system used on the mouthpieces.  Student-level mouthpieces had one particular stamping number, but the "Special" had a different stamping indicating a slightly better mouthpiece as well..... which conformed to what I had as well! 

I was very surprised.... happily.   My parents had bought what was offered by the music store fellow, and did not question it.  And, the horn did not differ in price from what the other kid's parents bought either.

In thinking about and contemplating this realization that I had what was classified an "Intermediate-level" horn.... it helped me to make sense of a couple of things that I had noticed and had aggravated me a bit back as a 5th grader:

1.  Even though my horn was kept as pristine as possible by me (horn with oiling the wood and polishing the keys.... and washing and waxing the case regularly)... I was always a bit frustrated (but never said anything about it to my parents) that MY case came with a small "ding" in the case, and a bit of the vinyl material on the case had been torn.  Even though I never complained or said anything about it, it bothered me enough that I would as a kid, routinely color the exposed wood where the ding and tear was with a black marker to try to get the imperfection to blend in.  

2.  When I first opened my horn after getting it, there were three different areas in the fuzzy material lining the case that had matted down and had an oily residue on them.  This too aggravated me as a kid (even though again I did not say anything) because it did not seem as "perfect" as my friend's horns of the same ilk.  I tried several times to clean these spots, even using an old toothbrush and soap a couple of times to get those areas to "fluff" back out.... but I never got it to look FULLY new, and I can recognize those areas even to this day.  

What I suspect may have happened.... was that I may have actually received what was either a) a lightly used "Special" horn that had been returned to the store, or b) perhaps I received what had been a  "floor model" of the "Special" horn at the store.... and that in either case, I suspect the fellow just popped my clarinet it the box with the other "student-level" Signet 100's (non-"Special") horns he was selling.... and I randomly ended up being the kid given that particular one from the box.

Even though the case issues DID aggravate me as a kid, in hind-sight now, I am actually even more enamored with the horn my parent's bought for me.  I was always extremely appreciative of them for letting me be in band and getting me my horn..... but I look back even more fondly now that I know (or suspect) the things I do about my "Special" one.  It is, to me, even more "Special".

PipeTobacco