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    Go, Go, Go, Hillary!

    Reelect_hillary_12107

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    May 16, 2008

    links for 2008-05-16

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    May 15, 2008

    links for 2008-05-15

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    May 14, 2008

    What's a hydrocephalus surgery like?

    Many people ask me what Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is and how one gets it and how to cure it, and, and, and... It's as if I had Google stamped on my forehead. It's a syndrome. A syndrome is something wrong doctors haven't found the etiology for. Some other syndromes are: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, irritable bladder, and so on and so forth.
    If doctors know not the reason for syndromes, that means they know not a cure for them. NPH is a chronic accumulation of spinal-cerebral fluid in the skull. This fluid compresses the brain. The brain slowly shrinks to give space to the fluid.

    How do doctors deal with this condition? First of all, the diagnosis is extremely difficult to get. You'll need an MRI of your brain, which means having a referral. I don't know how long I have had this. Maybe since 2003, when I got peripheral neuropathy of my  left hand. Or since I had bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction in 2001-2002. What I do know is that I have had had writing problems since 2005. NPH impairs both your muscles and your brain. Another possibiliy may have been lithium, which induced a hypercalcemia in the summer of 2007.

    I started falling in 2006. At first I could pick myself up. Then I fell in the bathroom of the Arpoador Inn. I shuffled my feet, and I couldn't walk. My friends said I was obese. I led a sedentary life. I went to see a great doctor. Neurontin was to blame and I had myasthenia as a diagnosis.

    Finally, at the beginning of December 2007, I had an MRI of my brain. I was falling a lot and emotionally unstable. The NPH was diagnosed. Nicolas and I found the UCLA-Westwood Hospital and the Big Kahuna, Dr. Bergsneider. My appointment was scheduled for sometime in March 2008.

    Continue reading "What's a hydrocephalus surgery like?" »

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    links for 2008-05-14

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    Not All Is Lost; Hillary!

    I got back to an awoken state yesterday. The stiches near my right ear hurt a lot. So I sleep and wake up all weird hours. Here is a photo of my home away from home, Le Petit Café, a bistro. You can click to enlarge. For those of you more advenurous, here,just click, are the words of Iron Man, Black Sabbath's great song. Freaky Deaky, I fell asleep. Tomorrowski, fer shure. BTW, the anarchic_universe network is open to anyone and those who don't want to participate in it, please feel free to leave. Now. Thanks a lot. Sharing includes honest exchanges.

    Le Petit Café - My fave bistro

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    May 13, 2008

    All Is Getting Back to Normal

    I have a big headache. The surgery of NPH seems to have been successful. I get aggravated with people who come "help" but "cannot." That was the case this morning with the physical therapist, who kept on using the verb "walking" with meanings unknown to me. He meant assisted walking, walking with a walker, and so on and so forth. Other than that, I have a headache the nurse won't give me anything for because she already gave me something. And I am  still tired.  Rats! 

    Today is Emanciipation Proclamation in Brazil. I thought of Nina Simone, and I found this on YouTube.
    Next stop will be Freakytopia.  Later, folks !

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    May 12, 2008

    links for 2008-05-12

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    May 11, 2008

    Don't Tell Me You Have Procrastinated So Far!

    If you still have no gift for Mommy, you may use this virtual one. It's courtesy of Anarchic_Universe® on behalf of Mommy. Just a click away. Please click. G'ahead. Print one or more; as long as you 'fess up where these roses come from; that's alright.

    Today is a good day!

    Posted at 05:19 PM in Visual Arts | | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

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    Happy Mother's Day Everyone!

    Tomorrow I have brain surgery. We must live for today. Please, SMMUSD Mothers, get a grip and let justice take its course. Teachers have union representation. Administrators failed you, not unions.

    A spiteful group ganged up on me in 1994. A process which started with seventeen letters, which I saw at Dr. Quarles office, on Saint Anthony's day,  June 13,  grew to  seventy letters on June 30. The same people I had aided, whose kids I taught computers skills, some kids whose gifted status I spotted, were there seething in rage. That was the little gift the psycho former principal, who changed last name three times in the course of the school year, who  couldn't have children, who got one of these administrative credentionals targeted at ethnic minorities, although she is Cuban by Accident, Gallego by roots, like calling a cat born in the oven  would be a cookie, who was forced into resignation by scandals over the teaching of sex education to second graders, led by four teachers.
    This process ended as the California Teachers Association rep. told these people either they'd take what one impartial parent gave as a negotiation document. It was the year of O.J. Edison Language Academy wanted its own soap, on a daily basis. I was Teacher of the Year, what a joke.

    After that year, I worked under extreme stress, seeking perfection at all cost. My math club teams won but didn't move on to the county competition. In 1999, I had fibromyalgia, in 2001, breast cancer, 2002, bilateral mastectomy, reconstruction, asthma, peripheral neuropathy in my left hand, hypercalcemia,  diabetes, and finally a diagnosis of NPH. Tomorrow I hope to have my surgery and have my shunt.

    I may be heavy today. Looking at several photos in my iPhoto library, I realize my weight gain started when Mommy had breast cancer in 2003. Unlike me, she was very stoic; without a complaint. I have Dr. Ph.D. and Mini-Me. Two Brazilian bloggers are conducting yet another defamation campaign against me. This is sad, inhumane, and disgusting.

    Unlike my Hillary Mac, unlike my candidate, I shall overcome. Justice prevails despite some horrible humans in this world. 'Tis my gift to last minute people. Print the rose and give it to Mommy.  A big hug, really tight, to recent mommy Dr. Daniela Mann, in Portugal, author of Amar-Ela.

    Rosas para mamãe 1

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    links for 2008-05-11

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