Chemical Labyrinthectomy -say what?

Beginning tomorrow, the ENT I love and trust will begin a very non-invasive treatment of the Meniere's disease. The fancy name is a Chemical Labyrinthectomy- Quite simple. Outpatient.


Insert tube into ear (same tube as the ones that are used for kids who have ear aches).
Drop gentamicin solution into inner ear.
Allow liquid to remain in ear for 60 minutes.

Repeat every 2 weeks

Conduct hearing test a week later to determine if hearing is adversely affected. If so, discontinue treatment. Switch to Plan B.

In my case, the Good Doc has indicated that we'll be aggressive and do weekly treatments.

Since the inner ear (the functioning of the semicircular canals) will be destroyed on the side causing the vertigo, I'll no longer have vertigo. All other symptoms will remain. But the disabling one will be eliminated. And that will be a relief.

I am looking forward to this. We've been waiting for months for the vertigo to subside on its own. That did not happen.

The Good Doc says that sometimes folks feel not so good for a few days, so we'll see. I usually go with the flow.

Goodbye, functioning semi-circular canals- and vertigo! Hello, whatever happens.

Carnival: Lebanese Armenian Cuisine in Sherman Oaks

I squeezed a little selfish errand into things over my prolonged weekend with my darling in-laws. This is my favorite middle eastern restaurant in the valley- the ta·bou·leh and hummus is perfect. According to the LA Weekly:

The whole human comedy — or carnival, as it were — flocks to this relentlessly popular Middle Eastern restaurant in a Sherman Oaks mini-mall for big portions of mezze and kebabs.

#10 (WEEK 5) Play around with online image generators, and getting old in the army.

So, I signed up for the School Library Learning to explore cool Web 2.0 tools awhile back - totally free- and open for others to use. Here is a post for an assignment.

I explored some online image generators. They are fun. I can see using them in the classroom as part of a culminating project.

Here is a poster of my 87 year old father-in-law.
He is holding his old army uniform.

Informative Election Quizzes and Suffragettes

So many candidates, so little time. Thank goodness for online quizzes! There have been 5 posted on the librarian listserv to use with students, so take your pick. I tried
Glassbooth - it promises to connect you to the 2008 presidential candidate that represents your beliefs the best. The others are the Candidate Match Game from USA Today, Votehelp, and Minnesota Public Radio's Select-a-Candidate.

And I promise that this is as far into the arena of elections that I will venture. Elections are good. Thank you to the people who have come before us to allow us to vote. Like the stylish chicks above.

The photo is from the American Memories collection at the Library of Congress - one of my favorite sites to use at Gage. Sheet music, photos, paintings, newspapers, political cartoons, interactive activities- such a treasure trove!

Gotta love the 1913 photo of suffragists Mrs. Stanley McCormick and Mrs. Charles Parker. I think they should have switched hats. Especially since the photo was destined for the internet.

Citation:
Suffragists Mrs. Stanley McCormick and Mrs. Charles Parker. 22 April 1913. George Grantham Bain Collection . American Memory. Lib. of Congress. 17 Jan. 2008.

The elderly and driving

I have the very best in-laws in the whole wide world. Hands down. Encouraging. Positive. Caring. Have been there if we need them, but don't do the buttinski thing at all. Have allowed us to be independent. Likewise, they have valued their independence.

Now their bodies are breaking down. It is time to say goodbye to driving. (Actually, it is past time, and we are just fortunate that a tragedy has not occurred to them or someone else. )

I am staying with my father-in-law (Milton) while my mother-in-law is in the hospital. He was visibly shaken yesterday when I came home yesterday from the hospital without his wife (we thought she was going to be discharged, but that did not happen)

Milton is a man of integrity. We've talked about the driving thing. The independence is important, but the bottom line is that he made a resolution a few years ago that he was going to keep driving until he is 88. That is not until November 08. We talked over how people re-evaluate based on changed circumstances, and that no one would think less of him, and that sometimes our bodies do not cooperate. I was able to share with him eye-to-eye and ear-to-ear the things that are happening with me... and how we are adapting - but that this is because we talk about things and use information. And face facts.

Anyway, please pray for Helen in the hospital, Milton as I take him to visit her, to the audiologist today, neurologist tomorrow, and for stamina for me.

Often, it is the doctors who take a drivers license away; sometimes the children "abscond" with the car and keys, and report the adults to the DMV; I believe it would be easier for Milton to make an adult decision to re-evaluate and decide that he will not drive, and hand over the car to someone else.

Neighborliness in the 21st Century

My in-laws have lived in the same house for 42 years out here in North Hollywood, and have seen others come and go around them. They are such caring people that folks watch out for them. Yesterday the next door neighbor rang the bell to let us know that the headlights had been left on.

Later on, when I wanted to check e-mail, one wireless point showed up....security-enabled, of course. Based on the cars parked along the street, and what the folks had told me, I guessed that the same neighbor might be the one with wireless. So I went next door and pressed the buzzer on his cinderblock and wrought iron fence.

The gentleman, dressed in his native Thai garb, came down the driveway to the gate.. He listened when I explained that my mother in law was in the hospital, I might be here a few days, and noticed that wireless in the neighborhood... perhaps, please, that would be so kind and generous, etc.... He went back inside, returned with a slip of paper, and waved off the thanks I offered. (I promised that I wouldn't steal anything- that I didn't know how. He smiled.)

I still do the back and forth with my next door neighbor with butter, salt, and such. (I have the best neighbors in the whole world. If anyone is looking for a home, there are a couple for sale- one on the other side of us, the other across the street- we look out for each other in Riverside, too :) ).

Metaphor for my life

This is one display that I pass occasionally in my travels- and I smile every time.

It supposed to be functional, in that you cannot get out of the area unless the receptionist (who is sitting on the other side of some locked doors) remotely unlocks the doors to free you.

Alas, there is no red button. The first time I was leaving, there they were, nice large wooden locked doors. I knocked on the doors. No one heard me. I pressed on the intercom switch. No one responded. I looked across the hallway- no red button there, either.
The button in the middle of the brass rings did not seem to do anything.

The thing that appeared to be a light switch really is a light switch. It turns off the lights in the hall way. If you try it, people in uniforms appear and ask why you've turned on and off the lights.

When I did, they unlocked the doors and let me out.

I stopped and asked the receptionist about the sign that said to press the red button. She smiled and said that maybe there used to be one, but she was not sure why there was not one now. I told her it was a wee bit confusing.

Since then, I've always managed to hit the doors when others have been entering. So no need to press a button. But I know the secret. Just toggle the light switch.

Life's confusing. Just need to know the secret. Then it all makes sense. And keep your sense of humor. Don't get frustrated. Remember, light switches sometimes are keys to unlocking the heaviest of doors.

P.S. The other time that I caught security's eye was when I took this photo. "Why you takin' pitchers?"

"Because I think it's funny that the sign says to press a red button and there isn't a red button. It makes me smile every time I see it. I want to remember this. I try to find the humor in things. It makes life more fun."

Thanks.

Thoughts have been rattling around my head- about family, friends, loving, serving, possessions, time on earth, health, the future and what might lie ahead in the story of our family.

Most thoughts are too private to post for the whole www to read. They are between me and my Maker, the one who wrote my days even before I was created. He knew that 2007 was going to be the crazy awesome blessed year that it was. I've talked to Him about it extensively, and read up to get His opinion on things. Still don't understand, but I trust.

One thing that I do want to share is that I have been blessed with many friends who have come along beside us to provide the tangible and intangible things that we've needed to make it through. I wanted to say thanks.

Thanks.

They've moved her to ICU and might need to intubate her.....

And are asking everyone to spread the word via e-mail and blogs.... and to pray for her and their yet-to-be-born daughter. (24 weeks gestation)

Such an incredible story of love and faith. Happening in real time.

If you missed my post a few days ago, just click on over to Nathan's (Confessions of a CF Husband) blog. His wife, Tricia has Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and "had been preparing for a double lung transplant until we discovered we are pregnant." Nate is the worship pastor of Nags Head Church in Outer Banks.

What are you reading?

Imagine {God's Blogs}
INSIGHTS FROM HIS SITE
by Danny Donoho


This was a Christmas gift to me. I'm enjoying it.