Got to be birds flying higher

tugrik passed sometime recently. Although I didn't know him, I knew of him, I have been thinking about a lot of older fandom folks.

It made me recall the passing of a local model horse collector and how some Canadian collectors are trying to collect hobby history--photos, older models, etc.

It's wild to think so much fandom is just sitting around in people's memories, if not a box of fanzines in the attic or tapes and hard drives gathering dust somewhere. What do we do with these memories? It seems like a miracle LJ and DW are still around. More than one site I frequented has gone away, if I can remember the name of them at all! It seems like a job for AI to sift and sort through.

It's better to laugh than cry :-D I love the Holderness Family--the dad never outgrew his theatre kid energy :-D

Watch on YouTube

This year has been full of medical firsts for me. Some people encounter them earlier in life, but a lot of it is new to me. I have a so-far undiagnosed problem and I'm hoping for answers of some kind.

I share this information because everyone's experience is going to be different and I found it so fascinating, albeit a little annoying. My original CT scan was booked for a hospital way down South. The best they could do for me in October was the downtown urgent care centre. Not exactly a place one wants to spend a Friday night, but it was all right. Mom came with me :-D

I followed the instructions super closely: no eating six hours before the procedure and clear fluids up until three hours before the procedure. I was told to arrive for 7:30 and if I done a CT scan before, I may have extended the drinking period for a little longer as the tech had trouble finding any good veins from being a little dehydrated. Once the shunt was in place, I was given a 1.5 litre water bottle--the bottled water kind--into which had been mixed lactulose, a laxative. It's intended to swell up your small intestine for the scanner and hoooboy, did it ever. I drank 2 cups spaced 15-20 minutes apart. I couldn't sit after the second serving and had to stand for the last. The worst part is that one can go pee anytime, but you will feel like you have to poo :S It works fast and I couldn't trust even farting. I was terrified of going #2 and then we'd have to reschedule and be out $100 cab fare.

The tech was great and got me on the table on time. The actual procedure lasted about ten minutes and I couldn't wait to run to the washroom afterwards. Fortunately there were cabs outside and we didn't have to wait for one because I barely made it back home. If I kept the South hospital appointment, there would be no way I was getting home in one trip :S

The machine was really cool. It was a big donut shaped machine that the bed moved back and forth through. It gave verbal instructions such as when to breathe and when to hold your breath. And then came the dye! It's an unforgettable feeling--a fast, whole-body flushing sensation and I seriously thought I wet myself. According to the tech, they did three different tests and I hope they got everything they needed!

The downside of having a 9:30pm appointment was having to drink enough water to flush out the dye. I certainly didn't feel like eating or drinking afterwards and OMMMMMMGGGGGG I didn't know my body could hold so much liquid or expel it. It was a very uncomfortable night to say the least. So that's my free advice for today--rebook for a day appointment if you can and don't count on going back to work afters :-D

I went for my first mammogram today. Now that I'm 45, it's important to start preventative screening and judging by future procedures, the mammogram was an absolute breeze. I'm making this entry public because I'm sure like many Gen-X women, I heard all sorts of stories from my elders that a mammogram was a painful process and terms like "boob squisher" aren't helpful either. We didn't have graphical Internet until 20+ years ago, so mammography always seemed like a mysterious process, if discussed at all!

I mentioned this to the tech and she said "The machines have certainly changed over the years." and I'd hate to think someone missed out on screening because of fear of the unknown.

The mammo machine was a Hologic model and it felt like stepping into an episode of Star Trek. After confirming with the tech that I was not pregnant, she gently guided me where to stand, where to lean, relax my shoulder and when to hold my breath.

The process was not painful--it was uncomfortable, sure, but definitely manageable for the 10 or 15 seconds she needed to compress each breast twice. First the machine platform was at a 90 degree angle, and then it rotated to 45 degrees to get another view.

To be honest, I did scare myself when the tech returned and needed to retake photos of one breast. Surely that couldn't be good? I teared up a bit and she reassured me that it was all looking good but the positioning needed adjustment.

Then it was off for an ultrasound, which was painless.

The doctor radiologist came out and said there were no concerns. Now the next time I have a mammogram, they'll have imaging to compare it to. I didn't expect to get results so fast! I left the clinic feeling really good and proud I went.

Mammograms save lives. Preventative screening saves lives. Do it for you!