LIVING WITH MCL

The year started out on a high note [for me], with Democrats taking control of congress, and Barack Obama taking the oath of office of President of the United States. Finally we would see policies that would advance the plight of the middle class. Tax  policy would no longer disproportionately burden working families, and we would finally get some reform in the health care arena. Or so we thought. It soon became evident nothing good was going to come from this, as our politics and politicians became more derisive, and the political right fought tooth and nail to ensure the new administration failed in every regard, even to the detriment of society. Then came the stock market crash in March, when the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached its low of around 6,500. Jobs were being lost to the tune of 500,000 per month, and talk of another great depression was spreading. Things fortunately didn't get that bad, and they have recovered somewhat, but the underlying problems still persist. H...

While The Weather Channel says it's 41°F outside, the thermometer at the house says it's 38.8°F, and that's just too freakin' cold. And the sun hasn't even come up yet, so it's bound to get even a little colder. 40°F is typically the limit I've [arbitrarily] set for going out on a bike ride, but what's a person addicted to cycling to do, when the weather seems to be stuck in this unusually frigid [for southern California] range. I've only been on the bike once since last Sunday, and that was on Wednesday, when I went out for a short 30+ mile bike ride, but I didn't leave until about 8:15 AM, when the temperature finally rose to about 45°F. I ended up having to ride by myself, since the club usually leaves at 7 AM during the week, that is assuming anyone else was stupid enough to go out that early. I've actually had to resort to going to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday to ride the Expresso.net cycling machine, but that is hardly comparable or...

There is all sorts of information in various print media and on the internet about the positive effects of the antioxidants, particularly Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), in green tea. But can you believe everything you read in print media, and/or on the internet? There are certainly plenty of people around making claims about the efficacy of green tea and EGCG, while at the same time trying to capitalize on the supposed efficacy by selling vitamins and supplements containing EGCG. The supposed reasoning being, if a little is good, then a lot is better. I for one don't subscribe to that theory, preferring to believe if you can't get it naturally, it's not worth getting. In fact I believe it was my mega-dosing on vitamin C, D, E and calcium which contributed to my contracting MCL in the first place. Now I refuse to take any medication, vitamin or supplement, even as benign as an aspirin, although I will admit to having taken an Advil or two, but that is about it. So in orde...

Why does obtaining health care, and buying health insurance [even Medicare] have to be such a daunting task in this country? Why are there so many different choices of health insurance? Why can't we just go to a doctor or hospital, and get the care we need without worrying about whether insurance will pay for it, or if not, how we're going to pay for it, and then having to worry about going bankrupt because we can't afford to pay for it ourselves? My wife is eligible for Medicare Parts A and B in February 2010. I thought that would make life a lot simpler for us, but after reading a great deal of literature, and scouring the internet for information concerning enrollment in Medicare, and purchasing a Medigap policy, to fill in the gaps for what Medicare doesn't cover, I discovered quite the contrary. First off as a little background, for those unaware, Medicare enrollment is open to everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions, on your 65th birthday, or after 29 month...

These are two terms that get bandied about quite often, and I might add incorrectly for the most part. I even recently received an email telling me that according to dictionary.com , they are synonymous. Well contrary to popular belief, not everything you read on the internet is true, especially when it comes to health care [and health care reform I would add]. Manifestations and symptoms, although related, are not the same thing. Symptoms are something that alert you to a problem, i.e. night sweats, bleeding that won't stop, fatigue, bone fractures [in the case of Multiple Myeloma], and manifestations enable the doctor to reach a proper diagnosis. Even more simply put, manifestations can be measured, symptoms cannot. For example, Increased bone fractures are a symptom of Multiple Myeloma, resulting from decreased bone density, which is confirmed through additional blood tests looking for abnormal amounts of plasma cells, and certain particular antibodies of Multiple Myeloma. Low p...

Well, we (the company I work for) passed our ISO 9001 re-registration and AS9100 surveillance audits today with flying colors. That alleviates a lot of stress for me, because it's the one aspect of my job I have never been real comfortable with (fortunately I do have a lot of help though). I'm a degreed metallurgist, and sort of inherited this quality thing, which even after 20+ years of dealing with it, I still haven't completely grasped. Couple that with the fact in my 30+ years in the aerospace industry, I have seen one iteration of quality standards after another come and go, so after awhile you tend to become a little jaded. At least the current standard has managed to stick around for 10+ years, and appears to be here to stay. Still, the paper work and minutia, which in most cases [at least IMO] adds little, if any value to the product, can sometimes be too much to bare. Regardless, it is a relief, to be done with it for another year, and now I can finally get back to...

If I don't go for a bike ride, it just pretty much ruins the rest of my day. I feel like I've missed out on something.  Which I did. I missed out on exercising, something I believe has been part and parcel to my longevity. I also missed out on the banter that goes on during the ride, and afterwards at the coffee shop. It just makes for a lousy day. Instead, I went to the gym to try and make up for it. I recently learned that cyclists tend to have low bone densities, and are more prone to osteoporosis as a result. So while load bearing exercises are vital for everyone, they are especially important for cyclists. That didn't really help at all. In fact, it may have made things even worse. I made the grave mistake of thinking about work, and thinking about a statement my boss made to me last Tuesday. As I was getting ready to leave work, I reminded Wayne (my boss) about the upcoming ISO re-registration and AS9100 surveillance audits to be performed this week, 12/7 thru 12/9, a...

Most of you know, when it comes to the US health care system, I am not a big fan. Notably, it discriminates against the less fortunate, and in many cases does not work in the best interest of the patient. I think the following article justifies many of my concerns, pointing out a huge flaw in the for-profit, fee-for-service health care model adhered to in the US, while highlighting the importance of being your own advocate, and approaching everything you do, especially regarding your health, with a bit of skepticism. CHICAGO (Reuters) - More than half of patients receiving abdominal CT scans, an advanced type of X-ray, got them for tests they did not need, exposing them to excess radiation that could raise the long-term risk of cancer, U.S. researchers said on Monday. ............................. The University of Wisconsin-Madison team led by Dr. Kristie Guite studied 978 CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis done on 500 patients that were sent to the university to be interpreted. They...

The reality that I'm not getting any younger, any stronger or any healthier, although I'm hoping I can at least say the latter hasn't been getting any worse. This has just not been a good week, and I'm not even referring to the episode with Sylvia on Tuesday. I'm just not riding [my bike] well. I'm putting on a lot of miles (745 this month), but I don't seem to be improving much, if at all. I went for a ride on Tuesday, and had to modify it, because I just didn't have any energy. On Thanksgiving morning, I rode with the club to Whittier, and had the worst time [by over a minute] up Turnbull Canyon, than I have had in over 5 years. Plus I was dropped by the group, on the way back. (Fortunately I was only about 3 miles from the house, so it wasn't too devastating.) But yesterday was the worst, when I wasn't able to hang with the group for a second lap of the hammer zone. I guess it could be the weather. I definitely don't like this time of year...

There was excitement on the home front today, and as always when something like this happens, Edie was not around. She was out for her morning walk. I had just finished a short bike ride, and was just sitting down at the computer to read the news, and answer a few emails, when I hear Sylvia's coffee cup drop to the floor, and some strange noises emanating from her room. I immediately jumped up to see Sylvia flailing about. Now Sylvia has had Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIA's) before, but nothing at all resembling what was going on this time. This did not look good. So I immediately called for the paramedics. [note]I would like to thank the 911 operator for continually talking to me, and trying to calm me down. I only wish she had been more successful.[/note] Fortunately the paramedics arrived in short order, as I was starting to get a little nervous, and I had just been disconnected from the 911 operator, when my phone went into emergency mode (no joking). Well, at least that...

That was a suggestion from Lyndon Baines Johnson's National Security Advisor, McGeorge Bundy, on what to do in Vietnam, about 6 months into Johnson's presidency after Kennedy's assasination. No matter what your views on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the tapes of LBJ, as presented by Bill Moyers on PBS ( part 1 and part 2 ), sheds tremendous light on the complexities and the struggles LBJ dealt with in deciding the course of action to be taken in Vietnam. They are TRULY enlightening, to say the least, and even President Obama would do well to listen to them! IMO, it's a great piece of journalism. Something we could use a lot more of now a days. Editor's note: Johnson dismissed that suggestion out of hand, but I just wonder now what would have happened had he not? And I wonder if that same piece of advice might not be such a bad suggestion for putting an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well?

I knew I shouldn't have gone for a bike ride this morning! I was tired, it was cold outside (44°F), and I just didn't have it in me to go for a bike ride, but I also know whenever I choose not to ride, for what ever reason, I end up regretting it even more. So I dawned all my winter riding clothes (gloves, tights, booties & cap), and headed out. The ride started out fine. It was cold, and overcast, but along the coast the weather always seems to moderate some, so I knew I would be fine. I just only wish the weather was the only thing I had to worry about. As we headed out, I could hear the [dreaded] clicking from my bike starting up again. [I thought I had solved that problem twice previously.] It started out faintly, but with my ears covered, and the wind blowing past them, I could barely hear it. So I continued down the coast, hoping I was just imagining it. Of course I wasn't [imagining it]. The further down the coast I went, the more pronounced the sound became. I s...

At least you can negotiate wine prices. I didn't try negotiating menu items. Just returned from a weekend vacation in Las Vegas to celebrate our [Edie and me] 35th wedding anniversary. WOW! 35 years, that's longer than a lot of people I know have been alive. Oh well, but I digress! All in all, this weekend was one of the more pleasant and memorable ones. We stayed at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay in a very comfortable 725 square foot suite. We saw Bette Midler on Saturday night, which surprisingly [at least to me] was very enjoyable. We then ate at Bradley Ogden after the show, Aureole on Sunday night [our anniversary], and RM Seafood Monday night. All the meals were great, as were the wines. The most memorable being the 10 course dinner we had at Aureole on our anniversary, which is the main reason I'm 7 pounds heavier today, than when I left on vacation. But the best part of the weekend was negotiating the price for a bottle of wine at RM Seafood Monday night. As I was peru...

I find it very interesting when comparing results of tests performed at Kaiser and the VA, all the results are better [higher] at the VA. After receiving the latest blood test results (taken with 24 hours of each other) At the VA, my hemoglobin was 12.7 g/dl vs 11.5 g/dl at Kaiser, and my platelets were 212 thou/cumm at the VA vs 178 thou/cumm at Kaiser (both with the same reference range). Even my blood pressure was higher [not better]. At Kaiser, and when I check at home, my blood pressure always ranges from 110/60 to 120/70, but at the VA, it's always about 130/80 or higher. I can certainly understand blood pressure being higher due to the environment, and a shorter wait to have my blood pressure taken at the VA (little time to relax after a brisk walk to the doctors office), but why the hemoglobin and platelets? Oh well, I guess that just goes to show you how much variability there is in the equipment and/or the technicians interpreting the results, and a good reason not to foc...

It's a lot easier to tell your customer to go F*^# themselves. Of course I would never use such blunt terms. I'm [usually] a lot more tactful. It seems Lockheed Martin Corporation, yes that aerospace giant building the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, is having some internal problems. It's not unusual during times when business is bad, for customer quality reps to reject parts for no good reason, to show their bosses what a great job they're doing and justify their position. And that's exactly what has happened here. [At least that's my take on the situation.] One of the Lockheed quality reps, went into one of our vendors (which they are permitted to do), and told the vendor to stop working on the parts after he discovered they used an unapproved vendor for honing. The problem is there are no requirements to use approved vendors for honing, and there are no approved vendors for the process (anywhere in the world), as there is no specification for the pro...

Deep down, I must have always known stretching was a waste of time, since I've never stretched on a consistent basis, and I've never been the worse for it. I'll admit I did believe some of the hype that it prevented injuries, but that still never provided enough incentive for me to do it on a regular basis.  But now this 2004 report [how come it took so long to get this out?], by the National Center for Injury Prevention Control (part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), seems to confirm there is very little, if any, benefit from stretching. Warming up before exercising [something I do] is important, but there is no evidence stretching pervents injuries. It may increase range of motion [which is a good thing], but that's pretty much it. WHEW! One less thing to worry about. :)

Yesterday, I went to see my primary care physician at the VA hospital. But before getting in to see her, I had to see the nurse to take my vitals, and ask me a few questions. The first questions were related to whether I had PTSD. Since I've never seen combat that was an easy one to answer.  No! But then came questions concerning depression, e.g. in the past 2 weeks have I felt depressed, down, not feeling like doing anything? I snickered at first, not sure how to answer, but then I thought, Yeah I'm depressed, down, and sometimes don't feel like doing anything. Why would you even think that wasn't the case? I've got a terminal illness, which I monitor on a monthly basis, waiting for the moment when something changes drastically, for the worse, and I have to start treatment. I may hide it well sometimes, but that doesn't mean I don't feel like that  most a lot of the time. Then there's the fact the company I've worked at for the past 20+ years (and ...

It all started Monday morning, when all of a sudden, as I was surfing the net working on my computer (a Mac) at home, the hard drive froze. Nothing I did could bring it back to life. So I took it to the Mac repair facility, where I was told the hard drive was no good. And I hadn't backed up all my data. Fortunately the repair was covered under warranty. Then there was the email from Becky which I alluded to yesterday , about changes to the quality policy manual at work, which hopefully has been mostly resolved. Becky, after confirming with PCC, has agreed to put all the changes in the export manual we already have. Then yesterday I pissed Becky off, because I was in a hurry [to go home], and screwed up two planning documents which the shop needed, so they'd have something to work on today. (I was hoping to stop by the hospital  early enough to get the results of my monthly blood test before the end of the day, which didn't happen.) Becky fixed the error, but she shouldn...

After 20+ years working for a small company, I just don't think I'm cut out working for a BIG company. Yesterday, Becky forwarded me some revisions to our quality policy manual suggested by our new owners, Precision Castparts Corporation (PCC). Now normally changes to our quality policy manual aren't a big deal, but in this case it involves export and foreign national visitor policy, which I don't think belongs in our quality policy manual. By including that in our quality policy manual, it provides additional fodder for an auditor to find fault with our quality system. Why not just have a separate export and foreign national visitor policy outside of the quality system? Well, what a surprise! We already have one of those [and I didn't even know]. Still Becky thinks it needs to be in our quality policy manual because of this and that which I'm not going to get into here. She also said Carlton Forge Works (CFW) is putting it in their quality manual. So? What doe...

Maybe I shouldn't have gone for a bike ride this morning, after a relatively hard ride yesterday [but not overly hard], and a pretty fancy dinner last night, consisting of two especially good bottles of Pinot Noir (2006 Dumol Ryan's Vineyard, and a 2005 Frédéric Mugnier, Nuit St. Georges, Clos de la Marechale), and just rested instead. But I'm a glutton for punishment I guess, and I refuse to let this feeling of malaise, I have been experiencing lately, continue. So I ventured out anyways. I didn't go with the club, since I got up late (remember those 2 especially good bottles of wine) plus there wasn't a scheduled ride today, as the club was putting on a cyclocross race. Instead I went out by myself, and did my favorite ride, Turnbull Canyon. I knew I wasn't feeling that great, but I was able to make it up the first climb (Colima) struggling only slightly. It wasn't until I started up the back side of Turnbull, that I realized just how badly I was feeling. ...