Unexplained fever - wierd (plus Big Papi baseball)

John

How nice that your parents are coming to visit.  They will have jet lag so you can rest when they do.  Also the fact that they are older they need naps so just take one when they do.  I'm sure they will be so glad to see you they won't care about doing anything else but spending time with you.  I hope you don't look like my husband.  His mother lives 10 minutes from us and he talks to her on the phone every day.  He doesn't like to go visit her in person because she just worries more about him when she sees him.  He is going to sit down and have a long talke with her before the surgery.  I can't immagine how she will take that.  She lost Jerry's sister at 41 of breast cancer, her husband of 50 yrs 8 months later of lung cancer, and last year she lost all three of her brothers in 7 days.  All from a different illness.  If she thinks she might lose Jerry I can't immagine what she will do.  So give your mom and dad a good visit.  I'm waiting for some funny stories.

JoAnn

Hi all,

Thanks for the notes. It is wonderful to be here chatting in this alternative-reality world. As you know, it's difficult to communicate with 'regular' friends on these heartfelt matters of life, death, medicine and rock and roll. It always feels like I'm being too self-centered and tedious. They don't seem to understand how important the right amount of Lactulose is, or how exciting it is to sleep for several hours -- in a row! I guess that I'm being self-centered and tedious here but you can't hit me to shut me up. Do speak up though; I tend to rant.

It must be time to increase my Lactulose since I forgot to call my doctor on the Cipro request. I must admit that I've become accepting of not remembering names and I now expect to drop the ball on at least a couple of things each week. I did get the guest room set up for my folks. What a job. I had set up an office in there and it had totally taken over -- I hadn't noticed.

Connie - Yes, I'm sure that the schedules will work out. And now that naps are not optional, when it's time to rest, it's time to rest. The attempt to get to sleep at a better time and develop a better schedule was an abysmal failure. I tried to sleep at 2, 4 and 6 am. My body would have none of it. If my mind wasn't racing, my legs wanted to run, or that invisible guy with the imaginary screwdriver was poking pains into me. Not even my usual half of a vicodan or BB King helped. When I can't relax with BB King and Lucille serenading me, you know it's hopeless. Finally, at 7:30 I got to sleep and was out until the phone rang at 10. Abysmal Failure!

JoAnn - I don't think my appearance will shock my folks. In having to explain why I'm giving up my company and board commissions, several people noted that I look healthy. I admit that I spent some extra time at the beach to cover any sallow or jaundice skin tones. Of course my father will probably look better than I, regardless. My folks live in a seniors community in AZ and Dad is always being hit on by the widows.

Well gang, I'm off. It's almost 3 and I think I can . . . I think I can . . . I think I can.

Be well, John (Robert Johnson blues tonight)

Hi all,

Just a quick update on the fever. Nothing definitive but we've run out of benign potential sources so Thursday we start on the no-so-benign possibilities. I would hate for things to become too boring around here.

So to address this latest turn of medical events, I'm taking my parents to Mystic Aquarium tomorrow (today) (OK, dad will drive, and mom will insist on paying, but I suggested the trip). Ballard, the guy who found the Titanic is based there, so in addition to aquatic life, there should be some good pirate treasure and trinkets on display. My folks go back to AZ on Wednesday.

I'll let you know what happens on Thursday, although I think I have a good idea of the outcome. Nothin' to it! A quick biopsy and a couple of small incisions. So simple I might do the biopsy at home. How difficult could it be? Question: what's better for sterilizing a dull Swiss-army knife -- cold or hot water?

I trust that you are all keeping your spirits up and fighting the 'good fight'. Definitely a Clapton night.

Be well, John

John you are funnny. I'll do the biopsy.......I like to see men in pain. Just kidding. I know all of your friends here, are sad that your parents are going home tomorrow.
Tell them we said to stay with you........tell em we said "pretty please!" If that don't work tell them Pres. Bush sold Arizona to the Iraqis.

Can you tell I had a hard day today at work..........I get goofy when my brain melts down. Have a great evening..........

Hi again,

I hope that each of you are doing as well as you can. As much as I would love to hope that each of you are truly well. Thanks to each of you caregivers and best thoughts to each of you patients.

We had a great day at the aquarium. My fever was just over 99 when we started out (97.1 is normal) so I was hesitant to begin, but one Tylenol and an hour of sitting in the car prepped me for the day. Beluga whales, penguins, seals and sea lions; sharks, tuna, bass and anemone; sea critters of all sorts were on hand. Ballard's videos of the Titanic were amazing. Did you know that 14 years before the Titanic tragedy, a book was written about a ship the size of the Titanic that sank on it's maiden voyage after hitting an iceberg. The ship in the novel was called the Titan. Just weird.

My folks go home tomorrow and I will miss them terribly. They are patient Midwestern souls and always fun to be around.

Butterflythree - In doing home biopsies, I don't like to waste a lot of time with sterilization of my Swiss army knife, so I think I'll stick to cool water. Five minutes for medical safety seems excessive.

Pink Grandma - I hadn't recognized the value placed by women on seeing men in pain. Since mentioning that as a perk, most of my female friends have volunteered to do not only the biopsy but other elective surgeries. A couple of my ex-wives had specific suggestions of surgeries they would like to perform.

Connie - I found that going to the aquarium with seafood on the mind doesn't work. They don't serve anything from the sea. Might traumatize those little kids who just had their hands in the 'sea life touch tank'. But they had plenty of mammal dishes available. Hey, wait a minute -- I'm a mammal -- I think that I'm traumatized. What's wrong with this picture?

Good night all, tonight Fleetwood Mac.
Be well, John

johnct

    i was glad to hear you had a great visit w/ your parents!! how is your fever? the biopsey is no big deal i have had 2 for thyroid they give you a local and you dont feel a thing except a little pushing. since my transplant i have had 5 liver biopseys thru my neck that dear friend is no fun. so good luck wed hope you got to sleep its 430 am i am still wide awake isnt the lives of esld patients the bomb

                                                                                             joelene

June, I think anestesiologists only pretend to know what they are talking about. I wouldn't give a second thought to what she said. How insensitive! I hope you have been feeling well. Thoughts and prayers are still with you.