Election

Suffering from cramp attacks. Don't think it's MS related. I can't blame everything on MS. Can I?
It's muggy outside and hotter this evening than it's been all day.
Just a quick note to say as I predicted Canada will have a Federal election in October .
The Tories are nervous about a possible Democratic win in the States and want to secure their position.

Feel Good Sunday Coming At You Early

Because of the Holiday and my BABY is coming home. I am posting my Feel Good Sunday Post today.

ENJOY your Holiday and be SAFE

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Are You Willing To Donate Your Brain Tissue For Research

Hmmm, I do not completely trust the National Data MS Registry Act. Lisa E. of Brass and Ivory goes into details about the National Data MS Registry Act. Is this the beginning of our government keeping track of individuals based on the disease they live with? I do not see the relevance of keeping surveillance on people living with MS will bring about a possible cure. I do know because of ones medical record that is compiled as a credit report can prevent you from getting life insurance. It happened to me when I sought to buy another policy. Had I not had life insurance already I would not have any today and that is why I advice any young person to seek outside life insurance from your job because you never know what life will throw at you.

Now, researchers need brain tissue and spinal fluid from MS’ers because it has the potential to tell us more about MS. Are you willing to leave brain tissue for research? I asked myself that since I read about researchers needing brain tissue from my local MS Chapter September newsletter. After pondering if, I want to donate a piece of my brain for research. I decided I would leave a little piece of my brain tissue and some spinal fluid for science. I want to do this for my daughters, their children, and other family members. Furthermore, I would be gone and why not help scientist understand MS and help further their research in finding a cure for MS.

MS could be genetic and if leaving a piece of my brain and some spinal fluid can possibly help scientist learn more about MS and hopefully one day find a cure from the research than I am all for it. I do not wish living with MS on anyone. It is bad enough dealing with RRMS and not knowing the day when MS go into the SPMS.

Witnessing History

To witness the nomination of Barack Obama an African American for President of the United States and to hear him speak tonight words cannot describe how I feel. For this to happen on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream" speech” is priceless.

THANK YOU AMERICA FOR PROGRESSING FORWARD…

YES WE CAN!

Freemasons

For some reason I can't paste a Word document in here and I'm too tired to type it all out.


Here's the Scottish Rite Freemasons Centre, and All Saints Church, right around the corner from me. Originally owned by the Tuckett family, the church was built for Mrs. Tuckett, who was wheel chair bound, and when I say that I'm not being politically incorrect. In the 19th century you really where wheelchair bound. Mrs Tuckett could be wheeled across the street to church to attend services. When you're rich you can do things like that.
I had a friend offer me to join the Masons. I decided against it since I'm not really sure what it's all about.


My first day on Amantadine .I have to take it every morning for a week then up the dose to one at breakfast, one at lunch. I'll be posting updates on how it's working and any side effects.

Amantadine

Starting my drugs tomorrow morning. Amantadine. Funny thing is I already have a bottle of these pills. The last doctor I had prescribed them. I didn't trust him which made me suspicious of anything he recommended. How can you trust a doctor who makes you sit around waiting for an hour and then when you finally do see him he barely has five minutes to spend with you ? And of those five minuted is busy shuffling through your file because he can't remember you.

My new doctor spends lots of time talking to me and even phones ! OK doc I trust you so I'll try this stuff. The side effects are mild at least, except I'm not thrilled about possible insomnia or constipation. I already have enough trouble sleeping.

Yes, if I could have one wish it would be to sleep through the night. I'm not greedy, six hours would do me fine.

Question: How many new blogs are started every day ? 7,000, 30,000 120,00 ?
Answer tomorrow.

Wiiiii !

Here's a statue of John A MacDonald, Canada's first Prime Minister. Seems like our current one is pushing ahead with an election. I wonder who will be next ? Funny thing is we might know even before the U.S. knows who their new President will be. I'm embarrassed to say I've walked passed this spot many times and never noticed this statue. I'll blame it on: busy work week, keeping my head down to avoid weirdos, style of walking.

I don't know why there are cannons on each side of John A, except that there are lots of cannons lying around Hamilton. Remnants of the War of 1812, when America tried to invade Upper Canada, as it was known then. That war is a big deal in the Niagara region, as it is home to many United Empire Loyalists. They remained loyal to Britain and ditched the U.S. during the Revolutionary War.

The cannons are filled with cement because you just know some idiot will come along and say "Hey cannons !! Let's blow stuff up"

Had fun this evening playing around with the Wii console. I'm having to content myself with Wii Sports, since not one store in the entire universe has a Wii Fit for sale. The bowling is great to play with more than one person. The tennis and baseball actually had me working up a sweat. You don't just press buttons with a Wii, you have to swing the remote as you would a tennis racket or golf club. It's as close as you can get to the real thing. I recommend it, although the other games you can play aren't so hot. The graphics are kind of childish in comparison to other consoles . In Wii Sport, the figures remind me of Weebles.

Work is so dreadful I won't even comment. It has to get better , it has to!!

The weather is kind of feeling like fall, cool mornings and nights ; warm, sunny, pleasant, afternoons. This weekend coming up will be the last holiday of summer, Labour Day.

I have deleted a few blogs from my links . Easy Recipes no longer exists, MS My Way I had forgotten the author no longer posts on it, and lastly, A Stellar Life by Diane Stafford. She has decided to quit after a year of blogging and move ahead with other projects.

There are always new blogs to enjoy . I'm liking "A Tea Tray in the Sky" by Kelly Siobhan although I think the official title is Ms: Curiouser and Curiouser. I like tea so I'm sticking with the url name.

Oh Yeah, so far my Wii fit age is 71.
I have much work to do before I am fit.

Healthzone has a few interesting health tips today and the Independent a good article about bypass surgery. Not for the squeamish

Kellogg's Quick Response

I did not expect to receive a response so soon from Kellogg's. I feel a lot better knowing the black embedded spot inside the cream of my cookie was not an insect. CLICK ON IMAGE TO READ RESPONSE

I was satisfied with the two free coupons I received when they sent me the packaging to return the tainted cookie. I feel confident I can go back to buying their high quality products because it was only one cookie that had a black embedded spot. I also appreciate them sending me two more coupons and two DVD's City Slickers and Anna and the King. They are two good picks because I am a fan of Jodie Foster and Billy Crystal...How did they know? :)

Perfect MS Weather

A beautiful Monday with a cool breeze coming in off the lake. Perfect weather for someone with MS. There is a definite correlation between the weather and MS. Yesterday it was hot and humid ,
I was a wreck. Today it's mild and I feel pretty good. OK so maybe I'm stating the obvious, it's another point to make with my employer as to why I should telework. And speaking of work: This morning I was blown away by how attractive the manager is. Not at all as I imagined her. I wonder how she imagined me ? There I go, doing the Libra thing again.

This morning on the news there was a report about " Choconomics". When the economy is down, chocolate sales go up. I can so relate to that. Nothing like a cup of tea and a chocolate at the end of a bad day.

Time to get back to work. More Later

Rainy Days and Mondays

The rain today rather than cooling things down like it has all summer, turned outside into a horrid steam bath . I went out in the morning to do errands and the weather really knocked me down. I had one of my "spells" meaning sudden fatigue and fever, resulting in a total shut down of my brain . My legs went all funny . Fortunately, I made it back home in one piece and felt like kissing the air conditioner. What would I do without central air ?

I'm feeling pretty good now and all set for work on Monday . I wanted to start the fatigue medication this week end but didn't get the prescription in Friday's mail. Why did I tell the doctor to mail it instead of phone it in to the drugstore ? Guess it was my same old dread of taking pills. If it's here tomorrow I'm going straight to the pharmacy with it after work. I'm at the point now that I don't care if I turn into a junkie, I can't handle this fatigue.

Just as I thought, our sort of Prime Minister, is pushing for a snap election in the fall. I think he's concerned that a Democrat win in the U.S. , will have us all rushing to vote Liberal again.
I have my Green Party sign in the basement ready to put out in the front garden.

The manager who wrote a very rude letter to my doctor returns from holidays tomorrow .I've never met this person . I can't wait to have another pointless meeting to discuss how she can't do anything for me till the Health Canada assessment is done . This is manager number four in less than a year. I just love Mondays

Feel Good Sunday

A SONG FOR YOU
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Nature vs Wal Mart

Rather than whine about my miserable trip to Wal
Mart today, here are what I think will be some of the last garden photos. The wood walkway leads into the marsh in the" Laking Garden".



















A beautiful serene place. I think people would be better off walking around the marsh, rather than wasting their lives at Wal Mart buying junk they don't need. I vow today was my last trip ever to Wal Mart and I've only ever been four times. Did they film "Night of the Living Dead" there ?

Do you believe in karma?

A month ago, my husband found someone's PDA at the service station and brought it home. I told him, "That thing could hold someone's hold life in it. We need to find out who it belongs to". He said, "I am not going to go through the trouble of finding out who this belong to". I asked, "What are you going to do with it". He said, "Nothing". I told him, "I was going to find out who it belongs to and call them". "Do what you want", was his reply.

For the world of me, I could not figure out how to operate the phone or anything else on the PDA. I eventually gave up and kept it near me in the case someone calls the number. I figured someone would eventually call. A few hours later that day someone finally called, but I could not figure out how to answer it. I figured how to answer the phone around the fourth time the phone ranged. I hurried up and said, "Don't hang up my husband found this phone and I am trying to find out who it belongs to". The woman on the other end said, "It's my boyfriend phone that is why I kept calling hoping someone would answer".

She was excited someone not looking to keep it found the PDA and I met them in a public place to return it. The man who owned the PDA said, "Thank you so much, you have no idea how you saved my life". I laughed and told him, "I told my husband someone life is probably stored in that".

Who would have known a month later, I would loose my prescription eyeglasses and wallet. That is what happened Friday. I did not realize I had lost my glasses and wallet until I came home an hour later. I took off my prescription sunglasses and reached into my purse for my eyeglasses, only to discover they were not in there. I dumped my whole purse and began to panic when I realized they were gone. I went and searched inside my car, thinking maybe that they dropped out of my purse. Nothing, thankfully, I only went to two places while I was out. I discovered where I left my eyeglasses after calling the establishments I had been.

I immediately went to retrieve my eyeglasses and got the shock of my life. He also handed me my wallet, I had no idea I did not have my wallet. He told me two different people turned both into him. I checked my wallet and everything was still in it, I thanked God and immediately thought about my good deed of making sure I found the owner of the PDA my husband found a month ago.

What bothered me was I could not recall how I could have lost my eyeglasses and wallet. I finally stopped stressing about how I could have lost something so important because it was driving me...it is starting to drive me while I am typing this, but I am letting go. The important thing is that I have them both and because I did a good deed a month ago, yesterday a good deed was returned to me.

Mid Day Report

Mid Day Report only to comment on how tired I am . Doubt I will do any blogging when I get home . My life sucks right now . I carry on. I have no choice.

Here's my mini consumer report:

Clinical strength deodorant really does work and is mild. No dry itchy underarms and no scent. Good stuff, even on a hot day wearing a sleeveless top

After two weeks of visiting the internet cafe at lunch, my conclusion is that the research is right. Personal internet use really is better than going for a walk at lunch time. It clears my head. Employers please allow your workers to have access to outside internet during work hours.

Don't know how to get a good bra fit ? Visit Bravissimo. It's easy and you don't even need a measuring tape. Turns out my bra is too small (no I'm not bragging)

Zip lock bags are a nightmare for me. I give up . I just cut them open with scissors. Who decided that every food item ( even lettuce) should come in those horrible bags ?

That's it time to get back to the snake pit a.k.a Work.

It is About to Get Dirty

UPDATE:

I removed the original post because I noticed new wondering eyes to my blog from my city. This post would have revealed the identity of one of my sources and to leave it up would be irresponsible of me.


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The Wait Is Finally Over

My Cervical Spine


I can now breathe a sigh of relief; I was putting off going for an MRI of my cervical post-spine and thoracic-spine because I did not want to know if lesions formed on my spine. I received the results of my and MRI and I ecstatic that I do not have any lesions and I have no sign of arthritis.

The right half of my body is slowly connecting back to the left half of my body. I am convinced my body split in half because of the stress behind the death of my mother-in-law and the extreme heat. Although I believed stress and heat was the cause of my body splitting in half. My doctor did the right thing having me take an MRI to rule out the possibility of my MS advancing to my spine. I now have a peace of mind when I suffer pain surrounding my spine area that I do not have any lesions and it is just the symptoms of MS kicking my ass for not keeping my stress in check and being in the heat too long.

My Thoracic-Spine

The Doctor Calls

My neurologist called today. The good news is, no new lesions according to the latest MRI.
The bad news is, I have to have the EVP tests done again as the old ones are defiantly lost. Don't really mind those tests, lying around have electric current run through me. I actually like it on my feet. It's like a super massage. I'm just annoyed that it's duplication caused by ineptitude.

After telling the doctor how much time I've taken off work ,he convinced me to at least try a medication for the fatigue. I'll be starting that on the weekend to see how it goes. I know it sounds silly, but I feel like I'm caving in. When I commented that a drug will just mask the symptoms, he said sometimes masking is good. Regardless, I can't go on this way and am at least willing to give it a try. Then like a silly ass, I started crying telling him about other symptoms that I don't really want to mention here. He was very re assuring and I did feel better afterwards.

If anybody out there takes drugs for fatigue I would welcome your comments.

Other health news: Hamilton General Hospital has received a federal grant for a heart research centre. Read about it here. Seems our sort of Prime Minsiter, smells an election coming and is handing out candy. Ha! trying to make out like he cares about healthcare. If he and his conservative buddies had their way the whole system would be privatized. It's only because most Canadians flip out when you even suggest taking away their universal health care system that he stays quiet now on that issue . The only reason he's still in power(minority gov.) is the other parties are so pathetic right now. I vote Green. I figure they can't do worse than the rest so why not give them a try.

I got 6/8 on the health quiz this week. Wow ! 50% of pregnancies are unwanted. I thought it was much less.

Me, Myself, and I

Images of the way I'm feeling right now.


























Like an Alien,wandering, floating. Partly in the world and partly out of it.

Stand Up to Cancer

Saw an interview tonight with Laura Ziskin, discussing the "Stand Up to Cancer" fundraiser to be aired on all three U.S. networks on September 5th at 8:00 p.m. Read about here
and here.

More and more I'm reading and hearing, that cancer is now considered a manageable chronic illness . One step closer to a cure ?

More Art

Here's more art to enjoy. I'm off, and not feeling too good,which I will comment on later.
Art is good for the soul.

This Feel Good Sunday Is Dedicated To My Fellow MS Bloggers Who Are Going Through Some Tough Physical Symptoms Right Now

YOU CAN MAKE IT...

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Oh broken promises
And shattered dreams
No hope it seems
Still I believe
That I can make it
By faith I am leading
The King and I
I will survive
And I know I can make it

I can make it
Through the sun shining rain
Make it through my sickness and pain
Make it when they scandalize my name
Make it just as long as the Lord is on my side
Everything I know will be alright
I can make, make it

Out in the cold,
No place to go
Still there is hope
Where the doors are closed
That I, I can make it

I can make it
You can make when mother is gone
Make it
Sometime you may feel like you're all alone
Make it
You don't have nobody to depend on
Make it
Always remember God is still on the throne
I can make it
The enemy wants all of us to fail
Make it
But God is gonna make us the head and not the tail
Make it
All you gotta do is make up in your mind to make it
Make it
You can make it

Just as long as the Lord
Just as long as the Lord
Is on my side
The Lord is on my side
Everything I know
Everything I know
Will be alright
It's gonna be alright
It's gonna be alright
Just as long as that Lord
Just as long as that Lord, yes
Is on my side
Is walking right by my side
Everything I know
Everything that I know, yes I know
Will be alright
It's gonna be alright, it's gonna be alright, hey

Art in the Gardens

Elvis

Just a quick post to say I'm feeling a whole lot better today and looking forward to getting out and about. It was a bad week and what's really maddening is I only worked 3 days ! Well it's over and it's the weekend. Yay!

In one of those odd little coincidences of life, I received a postcard last night from Graceland.
Today is the anniversary of Elvis's death . Keeping in mind that this is random. When a post card member requests an address, they don't know where it will be .

I will be sporting my Elvis purse today in honour of him.

Love ya Elvis !!

Dinosaurs, and Doctor Patient Rules

Here's a couple of pictures from the museum trip this past weekend. The columns are in the subway station called Museum, which is a big improvement. It use to be such a grey ,dismal,
unwelcoming station.
Can't get my head around the creationist idea that humans and dinosaurs existed side by side The guy above looks like he would have enjoyed us as snacks.


Feeling a little better tonight. The plan is to get to work tomorrow Just have to see how things go in the morning.

Here's a blog I ran across in the New York Times health section by Dr. Rob. Read his six rule for doctors and patients. Yeah maybe in a perfect world or alternate universe.

Home Today

I'm home today . Hard to describe this weak wasted state I'm in. I'm only writing this as a record of how I'm feeling so can tell the doctor. Things started to unravel yesterday afternoon and went downhill from there . When I got home from work I kept telling myself all I had to do was rest and I would be fine . In the evening I got everything ready to go to work today, had my clothes, lunch, and bag organized. Decided to go to bed early and listen to music, not feeling sleepy, just weak . Over and over in my head I played the mind games," Oh I would be fine", " I just did too much during the day" ( how much is too much and how can I tell before it's too late?) " have to take it easy" " rest and I'll be OK".

Then this morning I couldn't get up . Just couldn't get my body to do anything. I hate lying around in bed, just hate it. Finally around 8:00 a.m. I lifted myself up thinking I should at least call work. I did that and got a not very nice acknowledgment from my temporary boss(yeah another one). Not that I blame her, she didn't ask to get loaded down with a case like me. Anyway, I feel too lousy to worry about it.

Slowly I managed to get washed and dressed and came downstairs to have breakfast. Don't think I'll be doing much stair climbing today. I'm alone and my legs are wobbly. Stiff, and yet at the same time feel like rubber.

Have I left anything out ? No except that I did buy a Wii, only I'm too brain dead right now to figure out how it works. I'm sure it's very easy. Maybe later and maybe later I'll have something good to write about too.

So What Next ?

OK When does it happen? When will I get to the acceptance phase of having MS ?
I'm not there yet and I'm not sure which phase I'm in right now: anger, denial, sadness , or all three at once. How long does it take to get to there ? When I get there will I be a sagacious dispenser of MS philosphy ? Will I beleive all the MS myths ? ( I have MS but it doesn't have me etc. etc.) Does it matter if I accept it or not ? I mean I'm still going to have this crappy affiction no matter what right ?
These are mid day ramblings from the internet cafe .I wonder what all the people are writing about? More later from home

Garbage

Ahhh I feel about 10 kilos lighter today. I haven't lost any weight, my filing cabinet has.
After rummaging around the last couple weeks looking for documents for my lawyer, I realized the secure filing cabinet was becoming a convenient dumping ground for any and all papers. Today I searched every folder in it and did a through culling . Do I really need to keep old pay stubs and gas bills from five years ago ? Normally I'm not a pack rat, but there's something about papers that I feel compelled to keep them around longer than necessary.
I shredded everything and as an added precaution threw the works in a tub of hot water, then mushed it all up before throwing it in the green bin. I know that sounds paranoid. I have a friend who went through a perfect nightmare due to identity theft . The police think the thieves were able to do it from rummaging in her garbage , so I figure the shredding and mushing are worth it to avoid that hassle .

Didn't feel much like walking today even though the weather was nice and I had the day off.
I just feel so tired and weak. Managed to get over to the drug store in the evening which is at least a 40 minute walk there and back. Better than no exercise at all.

Had a funny conversation with the cosmetics lady, about garbage of all things. Not your typical beauty counter talk. All because I told her that I didn't need a plastic bag and woe to me if I did bring one home. My son is anti- plastic and rightly so, only it sure is hard to live without it.
She told me her son is the same way. I laughed when she told me how he checks to see that every little bit of garbage that can go in the recycling or green bin does. She said she gets so fed up with it that her daughter will take a bag of garbage from home to work with her and put it in the dumpster there .
Then the two of us complained about the icky, maggot filled, green bin, and how sick we are of using it. She agreed with me when I said we should just burn the whole works. After that I left , my green bag filled with over packaged items . More junk for me to sort for the recycling.

11:00 p.m already , time for me to get ready for bed and another anxiety filled day at work tomorrow. It sure sucks when others have total control of your life. Which is the way it is for me right now.

Not So Delightful

I just ended my call with a Kellogg CSR this morning about my experience last night with one of my favorite Keebler brand cookies “Dipping Delights Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies”. Last night I had a sweet craving and I went and opened my newly purchased bag of Dipping Delights. I joyfully pulled out three sandwich cookies to devour.

I have a ritual when I eat sandwich cookies; I open the cookie and eat the side without cream first then slowly eat the creamed side. I was in heaven enjoying the taste of my Keebler cookie until I opened the third sandwich cookie.

At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw a black spot in the cream of my cookie. I pulled my eyeglasses off and closely looked to see if it was something stirred in the cream. I was sick to my stomach when I realized it was something embedded in the cream. It was horrifying wondering about the first two cookies I consumed that I vomit my stomach contents.

I could not let this go, I decided first I was going to call Kellogg Monday morning and I was going to return the bag back to the Commissary where I purchased it for a full refund on Tuesday because they are closed on Monday. The first thing the Kellogg CSR offered was replacement coupons; I really did not give a damn about replacement coupons. I told her, “I would not be purchasing Dipping Delights again after that experience.” As if I really cared, she informed me the coupons were good for any Keebler product. “The purpose of me calling is to inform Kellogg of what I saw in my cookie and I really did not care about the replacement coupons, I plan to take it back to the commissary where I purchased it to let them see what was in the cookie.” She offered, "You could return the cookie back to Kellogg and we will analyze what it is in the cookie and we will send you a report."

I did not see any harm in that because if I take the bag of cookies back to the store they would just refund my money and I would never know what it is in the tainted cookie. I also thought it was best to send it back to them so they could investigate what it is and check out the conditions of the plant it came from. In my mind, what if someone does not open his or her sandwich cookies as I do and ingest a cookie with what I found inside of mine.

I told the CSR that I plan to blog about my experience with their cookie. She asked, “Are you seeking something.” I replied, “What do you mean am I seeking something.” She responded, “Do you plan to take this further.” Oh, now I know what she was thinking. I said, “If I was seeking something I would not have called Kellogg, I am taking you at your word that Kellogg will analyze what is in the cookie I am returning and send me an honest report. Yes, I was horrified when I saw the black spot in the cream of my cooking and it made me sick to my stomach knowing I ate two cookies before that discovery. I plan to blog about it because it happened to me and I will never eat another Dipping Delight Cream Cheese Sandwich Cookie.”

IMO, everything thing is not a lawsuit, it is irresponsible to not report what I found in my cookie. What if after Kellogg does their analysis of what was in my cookie and found it could be harmful to others. The responsible thing for Kellogg to do is recall that batch of cookies. If I discovered it in my bag it is possible that batch of cookie from the plant where it was made could have some serious quality control problems and what I found in my cookie could be lurking in other packages.

21st Century Boy

Here's a good website I ran across while reading The Independent tonight. 21st Century Boy

The author of the site realized he didn't know how to change a tire, tie a tie, or shave properly, and figured other young men didn't know how to either. He was right, and he now has a very successful website with what I think are some useful tips . Besides the ones mentioned above there's one telling how to hold a baby and another about how to check for testicular cancer.
Anyway, I emailed this one to my son because I'm pretty sure he doesn't know how to do any of this stuff either.

Rest In Peace Isaac Hayes

Heaven called home two talented souls this weekend. Memphis is singing the blues with the lost of Isaac Hayes. Below are my favorite songs by Isaac Hayes…

Walk On By

"

By The Time I Get To Phoenix



I Stand Accused

Feel Good Sunday

Join me in putting up a Feel Good Sunday music video, website link, poem, or story.

Time to start our week FEELING GOOD…ENJOY
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Accountability

Those of you who been reading my blog for a while may recall a few post I posted about what I do in my community. I revealed a threatening incident against me, but as I thought about it. My blog is about living with ms and what I do to keep the Mayor office of my town accountable did not belong on my blog.

Well, it is heating up again because we are in an election year and I have given my four-year report card that is not in the best interest of the incumbent that is reported in the inaugural issue of my monthly Did-U-Know Newsletter. Therefore, my posting will not be as regular as it use to be, but I will try to put something up once a week. I will be back on my blog posting regular again after the election and I will make my rounds on the blogosphere when time allows it.

Stay HEALTHY

Blindersoff aka Debra

Medicaid Fraud and the Homeless

Read about it here.

For profit hospitals in The U.S. , sending recruiters out to bring homeless people to the hospital for bogus or minor treatment . Some of the treatments even made healthy people sick. This scam sucked millions from the government medicare system.

So many who can't get medical care and hospitals are stealing money from the system.

Still want two tier health care in Canada?

At least St Mike's hospital in Toronto has an actual out patient clinic for the homeless. You can
get treatment there for anything even if you don't have a health card. Real care, not fake care for profit.

Heaven Is Laughing

I knew he was ill, but I did not now from what. I was devastated to hear The Mac Man died this morning. I did not believe it at first because it was rumored last week he had died. Unfortunately, today was not a rumor and to learn he was ill with the same disease my friend had made my day gloomier.

Bernie you were called home too soon…Rest In Peace Mac Man

One of the Original Kings of Comedy

Internet Cafe

It's official. I'm a geek. I signed up for a membership at an internet cafe called Click . Yeah I'm 15 years behind everybody else, so what. Click, is a very short walk from the office. I can go out the back door at work, run across the parking lot, and be there in less than 5 minutes . Now I have a place to go at lunch time when the weather is lousy, and it has been that way all week. Rain one minute, cool the next, then hot, then rain again. It's certainly a better use of my time than hanging around the lunch room or at a restaurant gossiping . Far too much of that going on at work. People should shut up and worry about their own lives .
At work we aren't allowed to access the internet or use email for personal reasons. If you get caught ( and many have) it's serious, you can lose up to 3 weeks pay and even get fired.


The guy that owns Click, is a very cute Asian kid .I say kid because he looks like he's about 15 years old. Funny how more and more people look like that to me. He sold me a $10.00 lifetime membership, which he swears really is for life. So if I'm still around at 100 I can hang out at the internet cafe. If it's still there!

Today was a another roller coaster ride at work Total insanity. I feel like I'm working for the communist party with all the stupid bureaucratic double talk I have to put up with. If I hear or read one more "unfortunately" "however" or "but" excuse from a manger, I will scream. Don't ever get sick, because nobody gives a damn.

Went to the art gallery tonight thinking it was freebie night. The very rude lady at the desk advised me that no, that was only on the first Friday of the month. She said only the Canadian Gallery was free this evening. Then another equally rude lady turned looked at me and said with disgust " Free ! yeah right, don't I wish" What a stupid cow. OK so we go up to the Canadian gallery and had fun looking at the Bruegel Bosch Bus . Slowly making our way around following the paintings down the stairs, next thing you know we're in the Japan exhibit . Looked around at that ( lots of cool art there). Then we went into a room filled up with beautiful antique kimonos and that's when we got busted. Turns out we had wandered into the "pay" section. After questioning us, the security guard led us back to the freebie section.
We left using the side door where the outdoor sculpture court yard is. The same rude lady that had been at the front desk came running after us. She said we couldn't use that exit because there was a wedding going on ?? Hmmm, private use of public spaces. I told her they could use more signs. She wasn't impressed.

Had Fish "N" Chips for dinner tonight. I was tired and the rain spoiled my barbecue plans so those are my lazy excuses. How is it possible to be this tired.

MS Society

Here's the Hamilton chapter of the MS Society of Canada. Yeah not very impressive looking, but a good place. I've been there a couple of times, once when I was first diagnosed, and another time when I started having serious problems at work. The volunteers are nice enough, good listeners and answered most of my questions, and I had lots of questions. They suggested I join a group, I guess it's like therapy sessions, people getting together to share their stories, but I'm not interested. I'm not one much for joining groups anyway.

Had a message at MS Watch asking be to take a look at this MS site. Lots of good articles there including one about yoga .

I'm finding it hard to write this tonight. I have hit the fatigue wall and my brain is cloggging up. Maybe it's time to go check out some more prolific blogs.

Lazy girl that I am I ordered a pizza for dinner . For me to be too tired to cook is really, really, tired .

Downtown

Here's a couple of shots I took today in Gore Park. Queen Victoria and the fountain.

I was so in the dumps, I decided to go for a walk downtown at lunch " when you're alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go downtown". Not a bad little park considering that the rest of the downtown is pretty scuzzy. Every new mayor talks about urban renewal and that's it , talk.
Even though right now I'm working with some nice people I feel so isolated at work, like I don't belong, don't fit in. Maybe it's because my future is so uncertain. I keep telling myself things will get better and yet I don't feel it is so. It's only Wednesday of a short week and I'm exhausted.

Besides that ,my son is working the evening shift and I haven't seen him for two days. I really miss him being around and telling me how terrible the world is. It's actually fun to have a nihilist teenager in the house.

I had so many other things I wanted to mention but they have gone completely out of my head.

I did find it cool that despite China filling Beijing, with 100,000 soldiers , 400,000 volunteer security people, arresting and jailing every dissident, and blanketing the city with security cameras, that protesters still managed to unfurl a "Free Tibet" banner right near the Olympic stadium. When will we ever learn that oppression never prevails !

The Quiet Room

Today for the first time and due to extreme fatigue , I paid a visit to the" Quiet Room" at work. This room use to be a first aid station with an attending nurse. They got rid of the nurse and replaced her with a network of first aid volunteers. The room has a single bed, a wheel chair, and some first aid supplies. Can't really say much about the bureaucratic nonsense I had to go through to use this room just to lie down for half an hour. The last thing I need is to get sacked for violating confidentiality. Even though my manger thinks it's OK to violate mine by sending snoopy , none of her business, letters to my doctor. My doctor, in a very polite way, told her where to go. Naturally, the bureaucrats can always justify their stupidity and make it appear that they are doing something for my own good.
Dear managers, you know how you can help me ? Stop trying to help me.

The only good thing that happened all day is I was able to buy the first field tomatoes at the Farmer's Market. They still had raspberries too, so I'm good to make peach melba and another shortcake.

At 10:00 there's a documentary on PBS , "18 with a Bullet" about gang violence in San Salvador. Did you know that there's a gang called the MS gang ? From what I have already seen in the previews these guys are really nasty fellows. Should be interesting .

Prescription Data and Insurance Coverage

Interesting article in the Washington Post . Now Insurance companies can find out your prescription and lab test history, to increase or deny you insurance. It's like a health credit rating.
Consumers should be wary of this. It's fast and cheap to do and you can be denied insurance based simply on what drugs you take and how often. It can also be used to limit the amount of tests you have done.
This applies to U.S. residents however, anyone in Canada who has additional insurance for costs not covered under the health care plan of your province, should be concerned as well.

If insurance companies thinks it's a great idea, it's because it benefits them , not you.

Got an email back from the sleep clinic. Have to be referred by my family doctor and appointments are made based on that referral . I'll be taking him the form next week.

Peaches

Here's a photo sent to me by a friend from 1966 of the stairs going up "The Mountain".
It's really the escarpment, however in Hamilton they like to exaggerate. Folks who live on The Mountain, think of themselves as being better than us peasants down here in the city core.
I actually prefer it here. I find up there is too suburban. When I get a chance I'll go over and take a picture of what the stairs look like now.

I use to be able to climb all 265 of them. It was a short cut for us to get to a club my son belonged to, where he played a Star Wars card game. We would trudge up the stairs every Tuesday. He would play and I would go shopping, unlike all the other parents who use to butt in the game which I think ruined it for the kids. The trip home was easy, all we had to do is shoot down the stairs and we'd be home in ten minutes. Now I look at those stairs and think to myself " no thanks". I'll stick to walking.

I bought my first batch of local peaches today. They should be softened up enough by tomorrow to eat. Looking forward to it. If they have any more raspberries at the Farmers Market this week, I'll make Peach Melba.

There was an article in this weekend's local paper The Spectator, about a sleep clinic. The doctor they interviewed sounds like a sensible guy and not a drug pusher.. Turns out the clinic is right nearby my place. I sent them an email about getting an appointment. I really believe that if I slept better it would go along way to making all the rest ( read MS symptoms and work situation) more bearable. It's worth a try. I'd be happy with 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Wacky Stuff

Too tired to do much blogging. I'm busy with the garden and have a grocery delivery on the way.
Thought I would post a link to Stuff by Wackystuff, a postcard member who is a very creative guy.
He'll make a cool postcard and send it to you if you like.
So if you need some cheering up, or just want a smile , check it out. I've listed it in my hobby links too.