I had an interesting case today (no problem discussing it in general terms, it is now public record), and learned something. (That happens when I'm not careful.) It was an alleged DUI prescription drugs case. Driver drives straight through a roundabout about 4:00 AM and strikes a car on the far side. Field sobriety tests are bad--they have to be discontinued for fear she will fall and hurt herself. Various other central nervous system signs. She tells the officer she takes multiple Rx meds, one of which is associated with sleep driving, and another of which is associated with DUI (when abused); another, well maybe. The sleep-driving one is not found in her blood; the others are all at low to mid-range therapeutic, which speaks against both abuse and intoxication. So, the sleep med is out of the picture. Three remaining drugs are typical for people with chronic pain (an analgesic, an antidepressant, and an anxiolytic), and after an introductory period should cause no problems--they may not ever cause problems. That leaves one other med (at mid-range therapeutic level); I knew it as an anticonvulsant, but she denies epilepsy when questioned by the officer. I dig deeper, and find it is the first-line drug for prophylaxis of migraine. I dig deeper and find that some types of migraine can cause the same sort of symptoms that to the officer resembled intoxication. So, at the very least there is reasonable doubt. But while I was reading up on migraine at Wikipedia:
I realized that the headaches I had as a teenager (and have had rarely since) had all the hallmarks of migraine! I had attributed them to eyestrain from "excessive" reading combined with mild farsightedness. If that isn't the damndest thing. I see that the treatment I developed for myself is the recommended basic treatment, too. Heavens, I used to live on aspirin; I also took to wearing dark glasses and avoiding bright lights. Other things match too.
Strangest set of migraines in my life were a period in my mid forties. I'd gone back to help my old firm (Big 8 accountants) -- this was the place that triggered my Graves Disease when I worked for them full time.
I began to have these little episodes where the right side of my body seemed "light" and unattached. If I reached for a cup of coffee, I'd over shoot. Bringing the cup back to my mouth, I'd misjudge, and bang my teeth. Finally one happened when I was walking, and I fell against the wall. After months of tests with a neurologist, MRI and the lot, he concluded that they were migraines. He suggested that the stress the accountants caused was not really worth the $, and I quit again. The "headaches" went away. Have only had it again once or twice since.
I DO have scintillating scotoma (often without the scotoma) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillating_scotoma
Interesting; I had never heard of scotoma, scintillating or otherwise. In recent times (the past decade or two?) I have had visual disturbances when I am dog tired in which the peripheral parts of my visual field (spreading towards the center) waver like a reflection on water. If they come my way again I will have to pay closer attention to them. (Cutting back to a 32-hour shift on the weekends I work has made life a lot easier...)
Alan, that's pretty much a description of a scintillating sans scotoma. They tend to last less than an hour with or without. Naps are easy outs since you can't use your vision while they're happening.
Wow, Alan! That is not only fascinating regarding the situation you helped with, but all the more because you solved an old question of your own. (Hurrah for those who dig deeper!!)
It's rather akin to what spiritual guides encounter when we sit and listen to people tell their spiritual stories. Seldom does some intuitive reflection arise to offer the seeker without it also applying to some aspect of the guide's own life.
I think Sanders' age is a big problem. He would be 83 by the time he finished his second term. At 77, I am already beginning to question how well I can perform a much less demanding job.
It sounds good that he would want to encourage others of similar views, which I understand from the newspaper article to be his objective. In addition to chronological age, Senator Sanders has been too long in the public eye to satisfy voters' desire for someone fresh. I subscribe to the proposition that that was one of Gov. Dean's handicaps, and that it is one of several major obstacles for Senator Clinton. At the least the country could profit by someone pulling a more conservative President toward the left/populist/progressive part of the spectrum, as Huey Long did with FDR. It would trouble me if such a candidate seemed to lack any foreign policy smarts, but those have been rather lacking in at the least the past couple of presidents and the currently pundit-anointed.
Bernie just wants to do exactly what Howard sought to do…get into the mix and spice up the conversation, ask the hard questions, bring up the people's concerns.
But we already lost our best Governor ever. Do we also have to give up a solid Senator, too? Perhaps. But, oh, how Vermont sacrifices!
As an intellectual exercise I memorize things while driving to and from work, if I'm not too tired. (Miyoko does sudoku puzzles.) It has long (but only very slightly) irritated me that I had forgotten all but the first few lines of The Internationale, so that's a good project. The problem is that the English-language version I remember is not the one in the 1968 IWW Songbook, or any of the versions given in Wikipedia or any of the sites it links to. So I mucked around on the Internet and assembled it from bits here and bits there; the largest parts of it I found in a Senate speech and in a letter from Helen Keller to Gene Debs. My reconstruction follows. Does anyone here happen to know the source? --Alan ===================== Stand up! ye wretched ones who labor, Stand up! ye galley-slaves of want. Man's reason thunders from its crater, 'Tis the eruption naught can daunt. Of the past let us cleanse the tables, Mass enslaved, fling back the call. Old Earth is changing her foundations, We have been nothing, now be all.
Refrain: 'Tis the last cause to battle! Close the ranks, each in place, The staunch old International Shall be the Human race.
There are no saviors e'er will help us, Nor God, nor Caesar, nor Tribune, 'Tis ours, O workers, must the blows be That shall win the common boon. From the thief to wring his stolen booty, From the prison to free the soul, 'Tis we ourselves must ply the bellows, 'Tis we must beat the anvil's roll.
Arise, you prisoners of starvation! Arise, you wretched of the earth! For justice thunders condemnation. A better world's in birth. No more tradition's chains shall bind us. Arise, you slaves, no more in thrall! The earth shall rise on new foundations. We have been naught, we shall be all.
'Tis the final conflict; Let each stand in his place. The international Shall be the human race.
In a group one can be perfectly companionable by singing any words to the song, non?
Come to think if it, something like that is described in "The Dispossessed." Which reminds me that I am enjoying some light reading (Harry Harrison) preliminary to re-reading "The Left Hand of Darkness."
I love life in a small town. We have a local "Front Porch Forum" which comes via email. At least four times we've seen the first two items on the list worded much like this latest version:
Found Dog Found lost dog. Small (20 lbs or so) black, curly, poodle/Maltese ish, wearing green collar no tags. Call XXX-YYYY
Missing Dog Our 12 year old Black toy poodle went missing Friday afternoon. He is not a wanderer but is getting on in years and may be senile. If someone has seen him Please call us at XXX-ZZZZ
Just checked, and - yup - I still find Facebook depressing.
I had migraines in my twenties that were so bad I'd lose vision in one eye and could no longer speak coherently (I would "think" a word, but "say" a different word). Dr. thought it was epilespy and put me on a belladonna derivative (Bellergal), which turned out to be poisoning me. Over the course of my life I found I could short-circuit the attacks. My warning signs were numbness and tingling in my fingertips and wiggly shapes like white worms in my vision. Aspirin turned out not to help, so I'd take 2 ibuprofen immediately and make my surroundings as dark as possible, eyeshades and all, and sleep. When I woke up I'd be fine. Too much stress and hunger combined seem to be dangers for me. Rarely have problems now, thank goodness, 'cause those puppies suck.
Oh, and I had an EEG when I first went to the Doc. They found that my brain never slows down. Whether in natural sleep or sedated sleep my brain waves remain in the fully awake pattern. Which I thought was pretty weird. But then, so am I.
I have to admit I enjoy my weirdness because I don't think it's readily visible to people who are casual friends. I look like a mild-mannered reporter on the outside, but I do fly my freak flag on occasion, and giggle while doing so.
I just realized I have not submitted my Central California ag report, so here goes.
Cotton harvest is completed, many of the fields are plowed down (to deny the pink bollworms places to overwinter). Fields are in various stages of preparation for the next crop, whatever it might be. Some are yet to be plowed, some are plowed, some have been nicely prepared for planting, some are planted and being irrigated (with sprinklers), and some are showing green. The lettuce field I saw being harvested two weeks ago still hasn't been plowed, so I plan to glean some on the way home. (They leave the small heads, and probably miss the occasional market-sized one.) I wasn't able to do it two weeks ago because my relief was late and I didn't leave work until well after full dark.
Howard has horse sense! or, Whinny for Howard!
ReplyDeleteI had an interesting case today (no problem discussing it in general terms, it is now public record), and learned something. (That happens when I'm not careful.) It was an alleged DUI prescription drugs case. Driver drives straight through a roundabout about 4:00 AM and strikes a car on the far side. Field sobriety tests are bad--they have to be discontinued for fear she will fall and hurt herself. Various other central nervous system signs. She tells the officer she takes multiple Rx meds, one of which is associated with sleep driving, and another of which is associated with DUI (when abused); another, well maybe. The sleep-driving one is not found in her blood; the others are all at low to mid-range therapeutic, which speaks against both abuse and intoxication. So, the sleep med is out of the picture. Three remaining drugs are typical for people with chronic pain (an analgesic, an antidepressant, and an anxiolytic), and after an introductory period should cause no problems--they may not ever cause problems. That leaves one other med (at mid-range therapeutic level); I knew it as an anticonvulsant, but she denies epilepsy when questioned by the officer. I dig deeper, and find it is the first-line drug for prophylaxis of migraine. I dig deeper and find that some types of migraine can cause the same sort of symptoms that to the officer resembled intoxication. So, at the very least there is reasonable doubt. But while I was reading up on migraine at Wikipedia:
Migraine [Click]
I realized that the headaches I had as a teenager (and have had rarely since) had all the hallmarks of migraine! I had attributed them to eyestrain from "excessive" reading combined with mild farsightedness. If that isn't the damndest thing. I see that the treatment I developed for myself is the recommended basic treatment, too. Heavens, I used to live on aspirin; I also took to wearing dark glasses and avoiding bright lights. Other things match too.
--Alan
Strangest set of migraines in my life were a period in my mid forties. I'd gone back to help my old firm (Big 8 accountants) -- this was the place that triggered my Graves Disease when I worked for them full time.
DeleteI began to have these little episodes where the right side of my body seemed "light" and unattached. If I reached for a cup of coffee, I'd over shoot. Bringing the cup back to my mouth, I'd misjudge, and bang my teeth. Finally one happened when I was walking, and I fell against the wall. After months of tests with a neurologist, MRI and the lot, he concluded that they were migraines. He suggested that the stress the accountants caused was not really worth the $, and I quit again. The "headaches" went away. Have only had it again once or twice since.
I DO have scintillating scotoma (often without the scotoma) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scintillating_scotoma
Interesting; I had never heard of scotoma, scintillating or otherwise. In recent times (the past decade or two?) I have had visual disturbances when I am dog tired in which the peripheral parts of my visual field (spreading towards the center) waver like a reflection on water. If they come my way again I will have to pay closer attention to them. (Cutting back to a 32-hour shift on the weekends I work has made life a lot easier...)
Delete--Alan
Just say Neigghhhh!!
DeleteAlan, that's pretty much a description of a scintillating sans scotoma. They tend to last less than an hour with or without. Naps are easy outs since you can't use your vision while they're happening.
DeleteWow, Alan! That is not only fascinating regarding the situation you helped with, but all the more because you solved an old question of your own. (Hurrah for those who dig deeper!!)
ReplyDeleteIt's rather akin to what spiritual guides encounter when we sit and listen to people tell their spiritual stories. Seldom does some intuitive reflection arise to offer the seeker without it also applying to some aspect of the guide's own life.
Bernie Sanders for President 2016
ReplyDeletehttp://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20131115/NEWS03/311150043/Sanders-wants-progressive-presence-in-2016-president-race
Sounds good to me.
Delete--Alan
I think Sanders' age is a big problem. He would be 83 by the time he finished his second term. At 77, I am already beginning to question how well I can perform a much less demanding job.
DeleteIt sounds good that he would want to encourage others of similar views, which I understand from the newspaper article to be his objective. In addition to chronological age, Senator Sanders has been too long in the public eye to satisfy voters' desire for someone fresh. I subscribe to the proposition that that was one of Gov. Dean's handicaps, and that it is one of several major obstacles for Senator Clinton. At the least the country could profit by someone pulling a more conservative President toward the left/populist/progressive part of the spectrum, as Huey Long did with FDR. It would trouble me if such a candidate seemed to lack any foreign policy smarts, but those have been rather lacking in at the least the past couple of presidents and the currently pundit-anointed.
Delete--Alan
pundit-anointed potential Democratic Presidential nominee, that is.
Delete--Alan
Bernie just wants to do exactly what Howard sought to do…get into the mix and spice up the conversation, ask the hard questions, bring up the people's concerns.
DeleteBut we already lost our best Governor ever. Do we also have to give up a solid Senator, too?
Perhaps. But, oh, how Vermont sacrifices!
As an intellectual exercise I memorize things while driving to and from work, if I'm not too tired. (Miyoko does sudoku puzzles.) It has long (but only very slightly) irritated me that I had forgotten all but the first few lines of The Internationale, so that's a good project. The problem is that the English-language version I remember is not the one in the 1968 IWW Songbook, or any of the versions given in Wikipedia or any of the sites it links to. So I mucked around on the Internet and assembled it from bits here and bits there; the largest parts of it I found in a Senate speech and in a letter from Helen Keller to Gene Debs. My reconstruction follows. Does anyone here happen to know the source? --Alan
ReplyDelete=====================
Stand up! ye wretched ones who labor,
Stand up! ye galley-slaves of want.
Man's reason thunders from its crater,
'Tis the eruption naught can daunt.
Of the past let us cleanse the tables,
Mass enslaved, fling back the call.
Old Earth is changing her foundations,
We have been nothing, now be all.
Refrain:
'Tis the last cause to battle!
Close the ranks, each in place,
The staunch old International
Shall be the Human race.
There are no saviors e'er will help us,
Nor God, nor Caesar, nor Tribune,
'Tis ours, O workers, must the blows be
That shall win the common boon.
From the thief to wring his stolen booty,
From the prison to free the soul,
'Tis we ourselves must ply the bellows,
'Tis we must beat the anvil's roll.
Only version I've ever known:
DeleteArise, you prisoners of starvation!
Arise, you wretched of the earth!
For justice thunders condemnation.
A better world's in birth.
No more tradition's chains shall bind us.
Arise, you slaves, no more in thrall!
The earth shall rise on new foundations.
We have been naught, we shall be all.
'Tis the final conflict;
Let each stand in his place.
The international
Shall be the human race.
In a group one can be perfectly companionable by singing any words to the song, non?
DeleteCome to think if it, something like that is described in "The Dispossessed." Which reminds me that I am enjoying some light reading (Harry Harrison) preliminary to re-reading "The Left Hand of Darkness."
--Alan
I want to sing that song!
DeleteIt feels very much like the last song of Les Miserables!!
I love life in a small town. We have a local "Front Porch Forum" which comes via email. At least four times we've seen the first two items on the list worded much like this latest version:
ReplyDeleteFound Dog
Found lost dog. Small (20 lbs or so) black, curly, poodle/Maltese ish, wearing green collar no tags. Call XXX-YYYY
Missing Dog
Our 12 year old Black toy poodle went missing Friday afternoon. He is not a wanderer but is getting on in years and may be senile. If someone has seen him Please call us at XXX-ZZZZ
Interesting thought. Old customs persist in forms altered by technological advances.
Delete--Alan
Just checked, and - yup - I still find Facebook depressing.
ReplyDeleteI had migraines in my twenties that were so bad I'd lose vision in one eye and could no longer speak coherently (I would "think" a word, but "say" a different word). Dr. thought it was epilespy and put me on a belladonna derivative (Bellergal), which turned out to be poisoning me. Over the course of my life I found I could short-circuit the attacks. My warning signs were numbness and tingling in my fingertips and wiggly shapes like white worms in my vision. Aspirin turned out not to help, so I'd take 2 ibuprofen immediately and make my surroundings as dark as possible, eyeshades and all, and sleep. When I woke up I'd be fine. Too much stress and hunger combined seem to be dangers for me. Rarely have problems now, thank goodness, 'cause those puppies suck.
They sound like VERY good things to not have...
DeleteRe Facebook, I was reading somewhere that young folks are leaving it in considerable numbers.
That anonymous "Anonymous" was I. But you knew that.
Delete--Alan
Well, the icon was familiar. ;-)
DeleteOh, and I had an EEG when I first went to the Doc. They found that my brain never slows down. Whether in natural sleep or sedated sleep my brain waves remain in the fully awake pattern. Which I thought was pretty weird. But then, so am I.
ReplyDeleteAnd the world is richer for your weirdness, Susan! [grin]
Delete--Alan
I'll bet it's the secret of your sewing acuity!
DeleteI have to admit I enjoy my weirdness because I don't think it's readily visible to people who are casual friends. I look like a mild-mannered reporter on the outside, but I do fly my freak flag on occasion, and giggle while doing so.
DeleteI just realized I have not submitted my Central California ag report, so here goes.
ReplyDeleteCotton harvest is completed, many of the fields are plowed down (to deny the pink bollworms places to overwinter). Fields are in various stages of preparation for the next crop, whatever it might be. Some are yet to be plowed, some are plowed, some have been nicely prepared for planting, some are planted and being irrigated (with sprinklers), and some are showing green. The lettuce field I saw being harvested two weeks ago still hasn't been plowed, so I plan to glean some on the way home. (They leave the small heads, and probably miss the occasional market-sized one.) I wasn't able to do it two weeks ago because my relief was late and I didn't leave work until well after full dark.
--Alan
Amazing to think that somewhere people are almost ready to plant again, as here we settle in for Winter.
Delete