World of mine Wednesday’s Ws

What’s top of my mind: A friend dealing with cancer. I recently heard from a dear one who was recently diagnosed with a cancer. At first it sounded ‘not too bad’ but the follow-up appointment revealed it’s not as ‘good’ as first imagined; a more aggressive treatment is indicated. Hopes that were high were crashed. During these times one wants to ‘do something’, say something, do something/anything to assuage the sense of helplessness. – none of that works very well. Only thing really is to let that person know I love them and I am there.

Where I’ve been: Tucson. My direct flight from Detroit Metro to Phoenix was diverted to Tucson due to a storm that shut down all flights hither. I have never been to the Tucson airport. We landed and stayed on the runway for a while, waiting for the ‘all clear’ to fly to Phoenix. I wondered if we were going to be dumped out in Tucson and I would have had to call Someone to drive to down to pick me up. We got the OK to take off the flight to PHX took all of thirty minutes to do. I felt relieved to be home but I also felt sorry for all the poor souls that had connection flights. Missing a connection flight and feeling stranded in an airport is an anxiety like no other. It is one reason why I give myself 3-4 hours between flights.

Have you been to Tucson?

Where I’m going: Nowhere. After a week away from home I plan on staying put. I have no need nor desire to go out other than to Uncle Albertsons to pick up prescriptions and basics.

What I’m watching: My left knee. For some time now the L knee has a pain inside it. It is not red or puffy, and it doesn’t hurt to walk. However if it bends ~60 degrees there is moderately high local pain. Squatting hurts. I’ve seen what happens to old folks when their knees go and they can’t maneuver. Oh the horror.

Anyone with a dodgy knee?

What I’m reading: An article on the efficacy of genetic testing for prescribing psychotropic medication. There are a bunch of fancy genetic tests these days and they measure all sorts of things that so far no one really knows if knowing this sort of stuff actually does anything really to better patient treatment. They don’t tell me what to prescribe or what the patient may respond to. Rather they tell what the patient may be sensitive to take. I always start low and go slow with all medications so that knowledge doesn’t really help: I don’t like ordering tests whose results won’t help me make a decision. An article in JAMA last month summarized these genetic tests (which are mostly ‘paid out of pocket’ and the data possibly sold to other companies) haven’t shown any great saving costs or avoidance of side effects. I found in one of the shrink-rags a recent article suggesting otherwise they do make a difference. I plan to read this one carefully. It looks written by someone working for one of these genetic test companies, which immediately raises my suspicions.

Any Spo-fan get genetic testing done by your doctor? Did it make a difference in care?

What I’m listening to: Hadestown. I got the soundtrack some months ago and am finally getting around to hearing it. Podcasts take up so much of my listening attention I have many CDs and music downloads yet to be heard.

What I’m eating: Detroit-style pizza. The Hallmark store next to Uncle Albertsons closed and the place reopened as a pizza parlor. One option is to get the pizza ‘Detroit style’. Hot puppies! This is the best style of pizza; do no dare to question this. As Detroit-style pizzas go it is ‘fair’ but it beats the usual pies any day. We promised ourselves to limit our pizza consumption to no more than once a week, on ‘date night’ when we both sit at table eating pizza while quietly watching a TV show neither one of us enjoys, like a normal couple.*

Have you ever had Detroit-style pizza?

Who needs a good slap: My colleagues. Many of my fellow wizards here in PHX only work for cash. Many folks cannot afford to do this and this is at a time when there is a rising need for help. This need is being filled more and more by RNs and in some states by PHDs who get to diagnose and write prescriptions for mental illnesses. The MDs in response lobby and spend money against the PHDs and they aren’t overall supportive of RNs either. Folks, you can’t have it both ways. If you won’t treat patients yourself, please don’t block them from getting help where they can.

On my 1-5 scale, I give my colleagues two slaps.

Who gets the fist bump: Filiberto’s. ~ 2-3 weeks ago I went through their drive-through to order lunch and drove away only to later realize they have given me someone else’s order. Yesterday I went in to order in. The lady behind the counter saw me, lit up, and exclaimed “Oh! You’re back! We got your order wrong!” and took down from the bulletin board the receipt she had saved. She gave me that order for free. Gracias!

What I’m planning: A Spo-shirt. Last Christmas I made a Spo-shirt for Brother #3 that turned out to be not his size. I took it back and when I was in Michigan last week I took his measurements and we went to Joannes to find fabric. He found some none-too-subtle U of M fabric to make a shirt suitable for tailgate parties and football games. Whatever floats your goat, bro.

What’s making me smile: The Board of Directors Here at Spo-reflections. These rapacious Ragnorak-types recently voted to renovate the Heorot Johnsons II kitchen as the avocado-green cauldrons and harvest yellow fondue sets were looking worn from wear. They went to ‘Bed, Bath, and Beyond’ which they misread as ‘Bloodbath and Beyond’ hoping for some quick pillaging of kitchen knives and espresso machines, those sorts of things. They forgot there are no electrical outlets at HJ2 and worse they didn’t have any coupons. Oh the horror. Their “I want to speak to the manager” remonstrance beats all “Karen’ types by a country mile. They came back with wagons full of towels, humidifiers, dinnerware sets, and a few cashiers in ropes to serve as thralls. I persuaded them to let the BBB staff go and hire instead some electricians (or someone like them) to get the hall wired for electricity and artificial lighting. They are soon off to Home Depot to look at chandeliers , preferably strong ones suitable for swinging from.

Have you ever burned down a Bath Bed and Beyond?

*This is an attempt at humor. Please don’t write in.