IWETHEY v. 0.3.0 | TODO
1,095 registered users | 0 active users | 0 LpH | Statistics
Login | Create New User
IWETHEY Banner

Welcome to IWETHEY!

New further to the Ganesha Machine
I’ve been wearing the cumbersome CPAP apparatus for three months now, and while I still dread a bit the nightly ordeal of girding my nose, which most nights noticeably delays the onset of sleep, I find that once there I tend to remain until morning, and the spousette reports that the nights are peaceful at last, adding that I perhaps do not fully comprehend how much tolerance she has expended in the dark these past decades. And while I’ve yet to experience the radiant burst of well-being that some users have reported, I do seem to register an amelioration of the mingled sensations of fatigue and anxiety that have figured perceptibly in my waking hours these recent years in particular.

I’m not yet prepared to draw any firm conclusions, because the Ganesha Machine has not been deployed in isolation: near the end of September I submitted to a battery of blood tests to determine whether I had incipient diabetes—turns out I do not—and a few days later received an urgent message from my CaesarCare croaker instructing me to leave off strong drink, or even weak drink, at once. Apparently there are, or were, levels of some exotic enzyme in my krovvy that are the equivalent of distress flares fired off by a dodgy liver. Upon receipt of this head-scratcher, I did a quick gloss of online particulars on liver disorders and their practical consequences, and concluded that there are other internal organs I’d prefer to be killed by, so I thereupon complied with his order. In a subsequent email I protested that I have never been a heroic drinker (not like Peter O’Toole, for example, who was exactly twenty years my senior, who drank more in any given calendar quarter than I do in five years, and the posthumous study of whose liver has already yielded dramatic advances in materials science), to which the doctor replied that whether or not the liver was inflamed in consequence of alcohol, it would certainly be inflamed with further consumption. And so I have been a most unwilling teetotaler at precisely that period in my professional life at which the succour of strong drink would be most welcome. In any event, the elevation of my spirits may be partially and paradoxically accounted for, looking at things in terms of metabolic chemistry, by the subtraction of spirits. One thing I do notice is that my chronic heartburn has all but disappeared, which is all to the good, since esophageal carcinoma is another exit strategy I’m hoping to avoid.

It seems likely that I’ll be wearing the Facehugger forever, but the enhanced slumber has largely reconciled me to this. Dr. T says that if after half a year on the wagon my blood numbers have improved, he will permit me alcohol in severely limited volumes: the equivalent of a few glasses of wine a month, and on no account sufficient at a single sitting to make me unduly cheerful. OK, I can live with that. Except I don’t know what I’m going to do if either Trump or Cruz comes out of Cincinnati as the nominee.

abstemiously,
New Re: further to the Ganesha Machine
I don't recall if I mentioned this when last you wrote about Being John Ganeshovich: there are alternative masks which do not require the straps, using just a mouthpiece and a connected nasal pillow.

I believe I'm going to go back for another consult with the sleep clinic to see if they have made any progress on treatments for central sleep apnea. CPAP and BiPAP don't really do much for me, unfortunately.

If either Cruz or Trump wins the nomination, we will be obtaining passports. If either of them wins the Presidency, we will be exploring external accommodations. I've been learning a second language in case this eventuality eventualizes.
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New Really?
It's good to have a passport - they're handy if you want to hop across the border for a quick vacation.

Trump's national net unfavorable numbers are yoooge. -15.5%

HRC is at -9.1 (with a lot of noise)

BS is at +7.1 (with a lot fewer surveys).

Donny won't win the Presidency. I don't think he'll win the nomination either. If he actually wins Iowa and NH, too many people will come out of the woodwork to attack him for him to survive the race, I think. (For some reason, almost nobody but JEB? has been willing to go after him so far. It's hard to believe that won't change.)

Cruz may win the nomination, but it's up-hill. If he does, Hillary will crush him and should have yoooge coat-tails, also too.

I'm reminded of Kerry looking like a loser until he came from behind and won Iowa. If Kasich does decent in NH, he'll get more attention and will be the obvious choice of the "establishment" people. He might be dangerous in the fall, but it should still be a big D year when it's all over.

Hang in there, and do what you can to create the future we all want. :-)

My $0.02.

Cheers,
Scott.
New Re: It's good to have a passport.
And for Scott it's just a commute drive to Cruz country! :)
Alex

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

-- Isaac Asimov
New Really.
There is, unfortunately, more to elections than favorability or should-bes. There's a reasonable chance this primary is going to be a floor fight between the establishment, conservative, and Trump lanes. With respect to the election itself, the Republicans want the presidency badly enough that I expect there to be Significant Shenanigans as well.

Regardless, as you point out, it's good to have a passport regardless. :-) It also doesn't hurt to have a plan B. As far as doing what I can, well, ex-pats can vote too, eh? ;-)
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New Yup. They can vote - for a while anyway!
Though I do recall that lots of over-seas service members didn't have their votes counted (too labor intensive, wouldn't change the results, arrived late, etc., etc.). Dunno if my memory is faulty about that though...

Cheers,
Scott.
New Well, as long as you are a citizen
States are required to let expats vote. Your voting state is the last state you lived in, even if you don't plan on coming back.

Some states allow expats to vote in local elections as well.

You can be responsible for requesting your ballot as not all states will send it; there is also a federal emergency ballot if you don't get your real one in time.
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New It's scary how much you've looked into this... :-/
New More somewhat idle curiosity than anything
I knew you could vote as an expat from previous reading, but the above information is from a 30 second Google to reply to your post. :-)

There's a lot that goes into moving out of the country, not the least of which is how it affects one's children. Plus, in the worst case scenario (Trump or Cruz as President with a blow-out Republican congress), from a simple safety aspect staying in the country may be be best, sad as that seems.
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New Re: More somewhat idle curiosity than anything
I mentioned this earlier, but can't find it quickly. A different linky is below.

Bobcat Goldthwait:

"My favorite Barry Crimmins joke is, 'People say Barry if you don't love America why don't you leave it?' He says, 'Because I don't want to be a victim of its foreign policies," Goldthwait recalls in the "Meet the Artist '15" video for Sundance.


There's some truth to that... :-/

Cheers,
Scott.
New Indeed.
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New We're hiring
Just sayin'

(HQed in San Diego, too...)
New Good to know :-)
Not sure I'd want to deal with the coworkers, though...
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New Eh, they're fine.
There's just this one bloke.
New It's probably like finding the mark at a poker game
Every high stakes poker game has a mark. If you look around the table and can't figure out who it is, it's you.

Every job has that guy everyone hates. So if someone tells you, "Everyone at my office is great," then ...
--

Drew
New Damn...
I just said that in The Water Cooler... :-P
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New I love it when a plan comes together
--

Drew
New :-)
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New Yeah, I heard about him.
Thinks he knows everything there is to know about things.
Regards,
-scott
Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
New I thought that must be one of _my_ coworkers, based on how many of them say we do have such a guy.
New I'm glad it's working out. Having a happy spousette is good too! :-)
New You'll get accustomed to the CPAP.
My son has been using one for a decade and doesn't mention it anymore.

If it's a major distraction and you're overweight, you could try losing some weight. That would make the soft palate less flabby. Also there are surgical procedures, not necessarily with a knife, that can reduce it's size.

The potential liver problem is more worrisome. That needs follow up. Good luck!

I've got to get a physical! Ignorance *is* bliss.
Alex

"There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that "my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge."

-- Isaac Asimov
New hope your doc also gave you the hyarge list of common medications to avoid
no acetaphinomin (Tylenol) nsaids (except aspirin) ibuprofen (motrin etc) benadryl. All are much worse for the liver than booze. Also a lot of the blood pressure medicine can be harmful.
always look out for number one and don't step in number two
New Thanks. He didn't, but...
Aspirin is the only painkiller not based on grapes to which I ever have recourse, and that very seldom. I used to treat bad colds by quadrupling the recommended dose of Nyquil (which didn't really do anything for the symptoms, but which rendered me woollily indifferent* to them) until I understood the folly** of that thirty years ago.

cordially,

*Sort of like nitrous oxide in dentistry. Last time I went in for major sandblasting I opted for the gas. I registered that discomfort was occurring, but it was more like reading about an ordeal undergone by someone else, far away and a long time ago.

**I was raising to my lips the sixth little plastic cup of that vile green fluid that day when a gag reflex took hold. I lowered the cup; the reflex subsided. Raised the cup, gagged; lowered it, no gag. Repeated the ritual two or three times, concluded "My body really, really wants to convey something important," and never took Nyquil or any related remedy again.
     further to the Ganesha Machine - (rcareaga) - (23)
         Re: further to the Ganesha Machine - (malraux) - (18)
             Really? - (Another Scott) - (8)
                 Re: It's good to have a passport. - (a6l6e6x)
                 Really. - (malraux) - (6)
                     Yup. They can vote - for a while anyway! - (Another Scott) - (5)
                         Well, as long as you are a citizen - (malraux) - (4)
                             It's scary how much you've looked into this... :-/ -NT - (Another Scott) - (3)
                                 More somewhat idle curiosity than anything - (malraux) - (2)
                                     Re: More somewhat idle curiosity than anything - (Another Scott) - (1)
                                         Indeed. -NT - (malraux)
             We're hiring - (pwhysall) - (8)
                 Good to know :-) - (malraux) - (7)
                     Eh, they're fine. - (pwhysall) - (6)
                         It's probably like finding the mark at a poker game - (drook) - (3)
                             Damn... - (malraux) - (2)
                                 I love it when a plan comes together - (drook) - (1)
                                     :-) -NT - (malraux)
                         Yeah, I heard about him. - (malraux) - (1)
                             I thought that must be one of _my_ coworkers, based on how many of them say we do have such a guy. -NT - (CRConrad)
         I'm glad it's working out. Having a happy spousette is good too! :-) -NT - (Another Scott)
         You'll get accustomed to the CPAP. - (a6l6e6x)
         hope your doc also gave you the hyarge list of common medications to avoid - (boxley) - (1)
             Thanks. He didn't, but... - (rcareaga)

No, I am your father.
184 ms