Let it rain...

News blues

Despite wildfires making their “own weather”, today, San Francisco Bay Area has a light sprinkling of rain. Are the two related? Who knows? In the meantime, let’s enjoy the sprinkles. Read more >> 

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Every person and every case of covid is unique with no hard-and-fast rule for how sick a person will get or how long a person remains infectious. These guidelines offer a general framework, but patients should consider their different circumstances, priorities and resources to assess risk. 

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The mesothelioma community is large, tight, caring, and constantly toiling away in the background. Once a diagnosis of mesothelioma is confirmed, the “meso community” gets involved with free materials, free advocacy, legal advice and support, free online seminars – and a library full of free publications, from recipe books to more techno-medico information on types of meso, meso care facilities, the latest on chemo and/or immunotherapy, etc. This community, one quickly discovers, is large, diverse, helpful, and “on the ball.”
As Mary’s primary at-home care giver, I get involved wherever I can to ensure Mary – and I – access whatever information we can to address her long-term needs. (More below.)

On war and culture war

Ukrainian war-art exhibition arrives in Brussels >> 

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The Lincoln Project:
Weekend (0:37 mins)
The Boss  (1:47 mins)
Meidas Touch: Texas Paul EXPOSES how Trump is Exploiting Ex-Wife Ivana’s Death for Profit  (3:37 mins)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Mary has been doing well with the meds. She is concerned (so am I) about the oxycodone. The dosage was 10mg immediately after surgery and dropped down to 5mg before she returned home. We maintained the 5mg dose every 4 to 5 hours until last night when we implemented 5mg every 6 hours. This is proving exhausting. That extra hour or so between dosage is, Mary reports (and I see) very challenging. Today, instead of up-an-at-‘em Mary, I see slow moving, short-of-breath, and pain scrunched Mary. 

She’s not her usual self, ready to take on the day. Rather, she’s staying in bed Mary, not hungry Mary, unwilling to engage in protracted conversations Mary. 

She’s also determined Mary. “I’ve gone this far with cutting back the dosage – and I've extended the time between dosages. Why would I stop doing that now? Pain is to be expected. I’ve had my left lung scraped and bruised, banged and bashed. That hurts. Drugs help, but not enough. Let me alone for now. I can manage.”
What can I do but keep an eye on her and let her manage her health her way?

But, oh, it hurts to see her hurt.