Happy Halloween!

Enjoy the Holiday & have fun!

How I Love Autumn!

Ebola Overload

So today I had a doctor's appointment at The Polyclinic.  Damon and I arrived in time for the scheduled time and was greeted by the following:  "Have you traveled to Africa in the past 21 days?"  No I say as my jaw drops open at how insane this is.  Then comes "Have you been in contact with anyone who had traveled to Africa in the past 21 days?" To which I said no again.  Seriously, this is just getting out of control and the freaky unknowing people need to get a life.  Flu will kill more people than any ebola in this country!  Time to get real people!

A Moment To Laugh

A laugh that came along at just the perfect time.  It has been quite the Tuesday and I am so glad not to be in Chicago right about now.  Appears Mark has arrived in the Windy City and went to look at the "perfect" space that a guy he barely knew picked out for our new office space.  He texted that it was a space he would not rent in a thousand years.  And now I get to have a good laugh and I never saw the space.

Hmmmm, I Am Thinking Christmas Gift...

...for several people!  The Wine Purse - Carry your wine-to-go on tap, bring along to picnics, parties, the beach... Genius!

Last Sunday Of October

Ah a perfect day.  No plans or list of chores.  Waking up to CBS Sunday Morning and just taking ion the sound of rain outside and knowing I do not have to go out in it.  Will make some calls and Damon has some work to get done.  A good day to catch up on emails that have been left far too long.  Last night Damon made a really nice autumnal dish of veggies, hamburger, pasta in an Al fredo sauce.  I saw this picture on facebook and it just describes how I am feeling this day.

Yesterday was a delight in that we got to see Jodie and Rob.  They stopped over in the afternoon and we enjoyed a game of Catan.  I won again and it is getting kind of weird how I keep winning.  Not crowing or anything, it just keeps happening.  Damon is threatening not to play anymore.  I am thinking I should maybe bow out or perhaps try and work at not winning.  But even yesterday, I was not focused on the game.  But we do have a good time.  Happy Sunday!

OMG! Dad Used To Wear These...

I have been laughing at this for a couple of days now.

To think that this was Dad's go to pants for years!

The ad just has so much going wrong.

Stunning Photo

My sister posted this on her facebook page and it just caught my eye as stunning.  The contrast of nature to man made construction as well as the color variation.  Just a perfect picture to cap off a week that was just not so perfect, but at least made it through.  Enjoy your weekend.

Ah, The Rain Returns

I truly am happy to see all the rain and a bigger storm is due over the weekend.  There is just a real comfort I get watching the rain.  It was pouring outside and as I watched and listened last night I felt totally satisfied.  The leaves are turning and there is the anticipation of the various holidays that will unfold over the next few weeks.  Just a lovely time of year.

Michael's Big Adventure!

After 5,568.9 miles, I'm home!
Welcome Home Michael Glad you made it back safe.

An Unhappy Ending At Swedish

Yes, I should be all excited about getting out of the hospital this day and yet, it is challenging.  Overnight, things went downhill fast.  The nurse spills water all over my phone and fries it out.  Does not even say - Sorry!  Then, after giving my the latest diuretic does not keep up with the emptying of the containers only to see me wetting the bed and floor underneath due to a lack of attention.  Left me sitting there for over a half hour.  To say the least I was one pissed off patient - every pun intended.  I do not complain a lot about nurse care, but in this case I did file a grievance.  I do expect my replacement phone to be covered by the hospital at the very least.

On the flip side, I got to come home.  Damon and Curtis arrived about 3pm and we were soon off and running - stopping only to pick-up some meds at Walgreen's.  Once home it was a tad challenging to get to the apartment, but after that it was smooth sailing.  I have found I am feeling better and breathing better since home.  Have been able to attend to myself without Damon's assistance which was the regular routine prior to this stay.  Seem my oxygen levels are staying where they need to be and we are working together on portion control and eating better.  Now on Warfern, I have to eat a lot more salads.  

Using Mine Today

Not a whole lot to be said and so passing along...

A Week And Counting

Arrived last Monday and it seems that should the numbers hold I could be headed home tomorrow or Tuesday.  It has been a long week.  Started in the Emergency Room and from there is was on to the Intensive Care Unit for 2 days.  At That point my stats were good enough to send me up to the Managed Care Unit for the next 3 days.  The difference is that ICU is a two patient to each nurse vs. MCU is three patients to each nurse.  Then on Friday afternoon I was told at 3:30pm that I would move at 5:30pm to Heart Monitor floor.  Cool.  Well, not cool as the move did not happen until 12:30AM - yes - I am not kidding.  I was totally exhausted by the time I got in bed.

It is a challenge to move in that there is a whole new learning curve that has to be overcome.  So many staff have preconceived notions of people who are overweight.  I have had to show them that indeed I can walk, talk, eat, drink and wet all by myself.  It was also the week that they are redoing the kitchen so like half the menu is not available, making for a boring routine, but Jodie and Rob brought some lovely blueberries yesterday and oh how wonderful.

So, at this point oxygen is back on track, continue to void myself of water like crazy and the Heprine seems to be working.  I do not get overly excited and do hope to see home soon.  At this point, the one nice thing is that my room does look out on downtown and Puget Sound so that is a good thing.  Enjoy your Sunday.

Fear-bola = Oh How True It Is!

Rarely, do I post a full story or column, but in this case I felt with what has been going on, it was necessary.  Mel Robbins wrote the following and it is worth the read.  Have a good Saturday.

(CNN) -- Right now, two-thirds of Americans are suffering from "Fear-bola," according to a new Washington Post poll. It's a hyper-contagious disease that affects the brain, making sufferers fear a widespread Ebola outbreak in the United States.

Fear-bola is an airborne disease that spreads through conversation, entering your brain through your ears. Fear-bola is so contagious that some victims have contracted it by simply seeing images and videos about Ebola.

Once inside your body, Fear-bola attacks the part of the brain responsible for rational thinking. It starts with a low-grade concern about the two health care workers diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas and slowly builds into fear of a widespread epidemic in the United States. Almost half of the people affected by Fear-bola are also "very" or "somewhat" worried they themselves will catch the virus.

Fear-bola is dangerous because it leads to confused decision-making and illusions. People who favor travel bans, for example, suffer from Fear-bola. Anyone convinced Ebola is an airborne virus is suffering from the disease. If the news that a second health care worker in Dallas diagnosed with Ebola made you think you're in a real-life "Contagion" or "Outbreak" movie, you suffer from Fear-bola.

Fear-bola can also affect institutions. Navarro College, a small community college outside Dallas, has contracted Fear-bola and has stopped accepting students from countries with confirmed cases of Ebola, according to The Daily Beast.

Navarro has rejected every student application from Nigeria, a country with 174 million people and 20 cases of Ebola. By the way, after "world-class epidemiological detective work," that outbreak was traced back to a Liberian-American. Nigeria is five days away from being declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization.

To put this story in perspective, it would be like Harvard suddenly sending rejection letters to every high school applicant from Texas, stating: "Unfortunately Harvard is not accepting applications from students in states with confirmed cases of Ebola." As you can see, Fear-bola is extremely dangerous at an institutional level because it leads to widespread discrimination.

I almost caught Fear-bola from a good friend when he told me: "You better believe I'm worried about Ebola. Sure, the docs say, 'Don't worry. It's not airborne. You must touch fluid to get it' ... but what if a person on plane or subway sneezes, sending fluid particles at me or a few drops on the seat. ... That's not airborne to docs ... but that's fluid and now I have Ebola. Yeah, I'm very afraid."
That was all it took to contract Fear-bola. Suddenly, I felt the urge to Google "how far does a sneeze travel?" (It's 200 feet, by the way.)

Once you contract Fear-bola, you can't help but spread it to others. After talking to my friend, I called my mom -- who luckily gave me a dose of common sense. As she put it, "I don't know what everyone is so worried about Ebola. If you're in West Africa, yes, you should be afraid, but here? It's ridiculous.

"One person has died in the United States from Ebola and that's awful. But if you want to worry about a contagious disease that can kill you, worry about the flu. Did you know tens of thousands of people died from the flu last year, tens of thousands? I don't see people stampeding to CVS to get a flu shot."

She's right. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from 1997 to 2007, flu deaths ranged from a low of about 3,500 to a high of 49,000 deaths a year. The flu reached epidemic levels in last year's season. And just like that I was cured of Fear-bola with a dose of the facts. Unless you are a health care worker or family member caring for an infected patient, you are not going to contract Ebola in the United States. You have nothing to fear.

We cannot allow Fear-bola to take over America because the world needs our help. We need to think rationally, and we need to think globally. In West Africa, the facts are grim -- more than 4,000 dead, and the outbreak is doubling in size every three weeks. The World Health Organization says West Africa could see 10,000 new Ebola cases a week by December.

It's spreading quickly in West Africa because the affected countries are politically unstable and recovering from war, and they lack the public health infrastructure to quarantine people properly, provide health workers with protective gear and educate the population about risks and best practices.
We're right to be concerned about the welfare of the medical professionals who were treating Thomas Eric Duncan, who died from Ebola in Dallas. But an outbreak is not likely. Our public health and communication infrastructures are yet another reason why there will never be a major Ebola outbreak here. The spread of Ebola overseas has more to do with the social and political realities in West Africa than the reality of the virus.

It is vital to mobilize our health care experts and nongovernmental organizations overseas quickly. The best way to prevent Ebola in the United States is to protect people in West Africa. Here, two people are infected with Ebola in Dallas; in West Africa, more than 8,000 are infected. The fewer people who get it in West Africa, the less likely it will spread here. It's counterintuitive, but a travel ban driven by Fear-bola would actually spread Ebola, as this article in Forbes explains.

A travel ban would also seal us off when invaluable resources from the CDC and the National Institutes of Health need to be deployed to help stop the spread of Ebola on a global scale. If a ship is sinking, what good does it do to lock ourselves below deck in our cabins? In 2002, we were invaluable in fighting SARS and in 2009, working with China to curb the swine flu outbreak.

If you live in West Africa, you have reason to be afraid. If you care for Ebola patients, you must be extraordinary careful. If you have been placed in quarantine, you better remain there until you are cleared.

For the rest of us here in the United States, it's time to eradicate Fear-bola and focus on how you can help those who are suffering from the Ebola outbreak overseas. And while you're at it, you should probably get a flu shot.

Friday Funny

I needed a good laugh this day.  Saw this posted on my sister's facebook posting.  You never know when you will find your next laugh!  Have a great weekend.  Mine will be spent here at Swedish First Hill I do believe.

Micheal's Road Trip

Michael retired at the end of last month.  The next day he left on a road trip.  He has been having a grand time.  Has been visiting many national parks plus the Balloon Fiesta in Santa Fe.  Has walked a lot.  Sounds like the adventures continue at The Grand Canyon.

Back on the interstate, I continued west until Kingman, AZ and turned onto some county road Siri said to take. My ultimate destination was Grand Canyon West. This little destination is home to the Skywalk above the canyon. Chris told me that I was going to pay, and howdy, he was right. Those photos of me on the Skywalk, Karen Pugh, may require me to take out a second mortgage. Overall, I was surprised I wasn't as freaked out at seeing the canyon floor 4,000 feet below my own feet. In fact, some guy from NJ and I started daring each other and finally we got on our hands and knees and actually looking down through the gaps between the glass. 

I'm glad I went --- don't need to go again.  While the cost was one factor, being herded on buses just isn't my cup of tea at this time. It all seemed a bit frenetic as well. The absolute best part of the trip was that I got to drive through miles and miles of a Joshua Tree forest. The two pictures attached are not all that representative but it was where I could pull off the road.

A Month Of Pink!

A pink ribbon is a symbol of breast cancer awareness. It may be worn to honor those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, or to identify products that a manufacturer would like to sell to consumers that are interested in breast cancer. Pink ribbons are sometimes sold as fundraisers, much like poppies on Remembrance Day.

The pink ribbon is associated with individual generosity, faith in scientific progress, and an optimistic "can-do" attitude. It encourages individuals to focus on the emotionally appealing ultimate vision of a cure for breast cancer, rather than the reality that there is no certain cure for breast cancer, and no guarantee there will ever be such a cure.[8] The practice of blindly wearing or displaying a pink ribbon without making other, more concrete efforts to cure breast cancer has been described as a kind of slacktivism due to its lack of real effects,[9] and has been compared to equally simple yet ineffective "awareness" practices like the drive for women to post the colors of their bras on Facebook. Critics say that the feel-good nature of pink ribbons and "pink consumption" distracts society from the lack of progress in curing breast cancer. It is also criticized for reinforcing gender stereotypes and objectifying women and their breasts.

A Great Picture

My brother Steve and his wife Karen went down to Ashland for a visit to see Mom.  his was a picture sent out on facebook by my brother Mike.  What similar laughs.  And hey, the hair matches too!

Not The Monday Planned

The past few days had been challenging for me.  Sluggish energy and swelling in the legs had returned.  Little desire for food and difficult to sleep.  Damon was going to head into the office to work on computers.  Something in my gut said no.  I asked him to stay home.  A major good choice.  Why?  As the day progressed, my health declined like a snowball rolling down a mountain.  It was not pretty.

Multiple calls to doctors provided suggestions that were not successful and finally at 4pm Dr. Stemson said it was time to call 911.  The call was made.  At the hospital by 6pm and into a room about half past midnight a good thing!ght.  Long day and third time to hospital in 6 weeks.  Back at Swedish First Hill.

A Good Time Had By All

Oktoberfest is the world's largest funfair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is a 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year. Locally, it is often simply called Wiesn, after the colloquial name of the fairgrounds (Theresienwiese) themselves. The Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the original Munich event.

The Munich Oktoberfest originally took place during the 16 days up to, and including, the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival would go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the first Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1. In 2010, the festival lasted until the first Monday in October, to mark the anniversary of the event.

The festival is held in an area named the Theresienwiese (field, or meadow, of Therese), often called Wiesn for short, located near Munich's center. Large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed, with almost 7 million litres served during the 16 day festival in 2007. Visitors may also enjoy a mixture of attractions, such as amusement rides, sidestalls and games, as well as a wide variety of traditional food such as Hendl (roast chicken), Schweinebraten (roast pork), Schweinshaxe (grilled ham hock), Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick), Würstl (sausages) along with Brezen (pretzel), Knödel (potato or bread dumplings), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes), Sauerkraut or Rotkohl/Blaukraut (red cabbage) along with such Bavarian delicacies as Obatzda (a spiced cheese-butter spread) and Weisswurst (a white sausage).

National Coming Out Day

Every year on National Coming Out Day, we celebrate coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) or as an ally. On Oct. 11, 2014, we are marking the 26th anniversary of National Coming Out Day.

26 years ago, on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, we first observed National Coming Out Day as a reminder that one of our most basic tools is the power of coming out. One out of every two Americans has someone close to them who is gay or lesbian. For transgender people, that number is only one in 10.

Coming out STILL MATTERS. When people know someone who is LGBTQ, they are far more likely to support equality under the law. Beyond that, our stories can be powerful to each other.

Hot Doug's Closes

While the closing of Hot Doug’s may have marked a somber moment in the encased meat world, there’s a new meaty menu set to go up on the walls of the former sausage superstore.  Frank Meats Patty is expected to move into the iconic Avondale space located at California and Roscoe as early as Dec. 1, Chicago Eater reported.  But it will not be the same.

Hot Doug’s closed its doors for good last Friday, marking the end of a legacy in the city’s hot dog realm.
Owner Doug Sohn said he has to vacate the building by Nov. 1 and announced plans to auction off the decorations for charity.

But there will be one piece of Hot Doug’s that could make things easier for fans—the new meat will be cooked on the same grills.

Eater reports that the group is purchasing Sohn’s kitchen equipment. "If you serve good food and keep the prices fair, people will come in," Corbett said in the interview. "As long as the customers know I'm not trying to be Doug."

It was a fun place and I am glad to have had the chance to visit!

It Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Well, I just started laughing when I saw this posted on facebook.  Leave it to someone to find a way to be topical and entertaining at the same time.  But you have to wonder what the filling is made of?

The Blood Moon

The total lunar eclipse of Oct. 8 was visible to observers in North America, western South America, parts of East Asia, Australia and other parts of the Pacific, weather permitting. The  lunar eclipse is also the second of four consecutive total eclipses of the moon that make up a unique "tetrad."

During the eclipse, the moon passed into the darkest part of Earth's shadow, which caused the moon to glow with an eerie copper color. This color shift has caused some people to dub the natural satellite a "blood moon" during total lunar eclipses. The moon's temporary color also created an incredible, unique sight to behold for photographers on the ground.

Damon Moment

Here is Damon from a couple of weeks ago getting ready to have his two teeth pulled.  Not quite sure if it is a "selfie" or if someone there took it.  But one thing is for sure, you can tell he is on some mighty fine drugs!  Since the dental visit he has felt so much better, but as they said, he has a lot of work that needs to be done.

A Thought For The Day

My sister sent this to me and it made me laugh thinking about my boss and just how happy I am that I am not like him.  It is sad really, in that a few years ago, he was not nearly as vicious as he is now.

Happy Birthday Jodie

Jodie is a very dear friend and tomorrow she turns 43.  She and Rob were coming over to play Catan and visit yesterday and so Damon had a fun idea that I totally agreed with.  A bit of a surprise party for the birthday girl.

We got online and purchased a gift card from Amazon and Damon went to Freddy's and got champagne, some sweets and a fun card.  They had brought some red wine which was served with dessert as we had the champagne while playing Catan.  It was a fun day.

No Post Saturday XVII

A restful weekend regaining my strength.  

Catch up later!

Friday Thought...

Thanks Janet - perfect timing!

Happy Birthday Dad

He would have been 92 today.  My two nieces are in this picture.  Kevin has yet to be born.  He was a great grandfather to them and a pretty terrific dad as well.  Never heard a bad word about him.  He is on my mind as I prepare to head home from the hospital.  A lot of thoughts are on my mind this day.

What You Can Get In Argentina...

While I find this amazingly funny, 

I find it amazingly odd.