PERSONAL NEWS #66
Sunday, July 24th, was quite a busy day for this gal, which I like. Started off with a good workout session in the morning near Port Washington with Marie [ie: Personal Trainer]. My only gripe was the gym didn’t have air conditioning on that day, just fans. Mon dieu! Too much heat makes this gal lightheaded, plus brought on a headache. Marie’s hubby Joe [fellow DoP member] had some Tylenol. Amen! From there I took the train back into Manhattan, picked up some lunch in Penn Station and hopped onto the C subway to Central Park West. As I’m about to walk into Central Park in search of Sheep’s Meadow, I cross paths with actor Alfred Molina. Looked like he was heading home from a workout, as his gym clothes were sweaty. Some films I’ve seen him in: Frida, Chocolat, Enchanted April, Ladyhawke & Raiders of the Lost Ark. After some searching thru part of Sheep’s Meadow I found my DoP members [ie: Carol & Ellen] lazily sitting under trees. Lynn McMullen [Peace Alliance] also joined us for our “meeting/picnic”. [I contributed homemade cookies, brownies and a bag of chips.] Shortly afterwards Kevin showed up with his wife Irene and their two adorable young daughters. They also brought yummy picnic goodies. Irene’s rice salad was fabulous! We had an excellent meeting! Much brainstorming plus summarized the previous day “congressional training” and everyone took notes.

Towards the end of the meeting/picnic Ellen heard from Linda [NYC Kucitizen] via cell phone. Ellen and I had planned to meet Linda down at Chelsea Piers for drinks at The Frying Pan. Said our “goodbyes” to the others around 5:15pm and made our way out of the park. Before jumping on the downtown subway, we took a “bathroom break” at B&N. Once down to 23rd Street we switched to a bus over to Chelsea Piers. It’s great seeing Linda again and catching up on lots of news/gossip. “The Frying Pan” outdoor café is terrific and sits out on pier in the Hudson River. The breeze felt good while gazing at the sunset over New Jersey and sipping wine with friends. A table or two away from where we were sitting was Bernard White [ie: WBAI’s morning program “Wakeup Call”] with a friend having dinner. Love listening to “Wakeup Call” while getting ready for work in the mornings. Their a non-corporate radio station that has liberal/progressive views and totally opposite from that Rush Limbaugh bull crap. At one point, Bernard White’s dinner guest stepped away and I stroll over to say a few words to a man I admire. Mr. White is a most congenial man. What a pleasure, for me, to briefly meet and chat with Bernard. Next to the pier is a tugboat that “The Frying Pan” utilizes for its customers. They had tables and chairs set up. The three of us toured the tugboat before heading off to Linda’s car, which was parked on 12th Avenue. Got home after 9:30pm and crashed for the rest of the evening.

On Thursday, July 28th, I took off as a personal day from work. I was scheduled to get a Bronchoscope at Methodist Hospital in Park Slope that morning. Over the past week I'd briefly discussed, as well as received approval for personal work day. As well as discuss details with my DoP friend and support buddy [Karen]. Had to be at the hospital by 8:30am, so was up very early and took subway [ie: G & F lines] to Park Slope. [Also, no food or liquids starting at 10pm the night of 27th.] Arrived at the hospital around 8:10am, to find that Karen was already there. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Ha! I've never been a fan of hospitals and all it entails. Never! Up on the 3rd floor I checked into Room 312. Karen helped me take off my jewelry, as I was that nervous. She gave me a supportive hug before I went in for prep work leading up to procedure. [May I add that all the nurses that day were great, friendly and displayed good bedside manner.] After changing into a hospital gown, socks and locking up my personal belongings, I was interviewed by an intern. She took my vital signs, asked me questions for the numerous paperwork and while inserting the IV [ie: boost electrolytes] into my left hand I started weeping. Yep, I was nervous and high strung at that point, though desperately trying to stay calm. Wasn't working. The kindly gal brought me tissues and calmed me with soothing words. By this time its 9am and I sat there waiting for my procedure. The delay lasted over an hour due to some emergency & the procedure room wasn't "ready". While waiting I tried to meditate, which is difficult when a doctor or nurse would pop in "interview" cubical to check my paperwork. I asked several individuals when I'd be getting my sedative and no one had an answer. Finally the lung specialist I'd been seeing came by to speak with me at length. I asked him about the sedative and he said "soon". Good lord, I want it now!

Finally, around 10:10am, I was escorted into a surgery room were another doctor and two nurses were prepping, along with my lung specialist. They didn’t even start the sedatives until during the X-ray segment and my throat felt a wee bit odd. I was told that when one is on the sedatives one doesn’t really feel or remember the procedure. If that’s the case, then my sedative didn’t kick in until halfway thru the procedure. It was horrible! The procedure goes thru one nostril, down your throat and into the lungs. Much sobbing, coughing, shaking and feeling like I’ll vomit … oh yeah … I remember quite clearly. Both doctors held me down by the shoulders and requesting the nurse to give me more sedatives. Too late pal, I’m already aware of what’s going on and it’s a mini nightmare. I guess the sedatives finally did kick in as the last half of procedure was very fuzzy to me. Next thing I know I’m in recovery [11:05am] and a nurse is checking my vital signs. After sleeping abit I wake up and talk briefly with the nurse, plus ask for my handbag, which was in locker 22. [I never want to go thru that procedure ever again. Never!] The nurse finally brought me my handbag. Took out my makeup bag so I could freshen up my face. After the sobbing I’d done I knew my face would look something like Alice Cooper. Not a pretty sight. After freshening up as best I could I slept some more. The recovery room was large enough to hold four other gurneys and all were full. At 12:30pm I asked the nurse for an aspirin or Tylenol, as I had a headache. This was caused by crying and the sedatives wearing off. I also asked to see Karen, but was informed she had stepped out for abit. By this time I just wanted to get up, get dressed and leave, but no, not so. More X-rays were done, followed by a brief conversation with a doctor whose bedside manner was cold and spoke in medical lingo. All I understood was there are no holes in my lungs. Well, that’s a comforting thought, thanks doctor. Finally allowed to leave at 1:15pm and Karen was waiting for me with a B&N shopping bag. She killed some of the waiting time by going to a B&N down the street. Got a chuckle out of that. I signed release forms while Karen phoned car service and then it was out into blessed sunshine.

We sat outside and waited for the car service. I told Karen all what transpired since that morning. She in turn told me about her book buying at B&N, plus we also discussed the new Harry Potter book. Finally the car service showed up and with bad traffic it took awhile to get back to Greenpoint. We had the car service drop us off at the grocery store [ie: lunch items & supplies] and then walked the two blocks to my place. While I made a fruit smoothie in the blender, Karen made phone calls to my Mom, work and some friends to let them know I was okay. We sat in my living room chatting for abit and noshing on food, because I was hungry and hyper at that point. [I really should have more guests over to my place, like I used to years ago, cause its fun.] After walking Karen to the subway I felt my whole system starting to crash. Got home in time to happily fall into bed and sleep for 3 hours. I was told by my doctor that I could only eat soft foods or liquids for 24 hours, no solids and only utilize Tylenol. Made phone calls that evening to family and friends, answered emails, did some reading and then back to bed around midnight. And yes, I felt well enough to go to work the next day. Amen!

P.S. More “personal news” coming soon … stay tuned.

MORTGAGED TO THE HOUSE OF SAUD
Robert Scheer / Los Angeles Times
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0809-27.htm
Yet on Friday, Bush's father and Vice President Dick Cheney made another in a long line of obsequious American pilgrimages to Riyadh to assure the Saudis that we continue to be grateful for the punishment they dish out. "The relationship has tremendously improved with the United States," Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al Faisal told a news conference in Riyadh. "With the government, of course, it is very harmonious, as it ever was. Whether it has returned to the same level as it was before in terms of public opinion [in both countries], that is debatable." Well, score one for public opinion. It makes sense to distrust the mercenary and distasteful alliance between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. We protect the repressive kingdom that spawned Osama bin Laden, and most of the 9/11 hijackers, in exchange for the Saudis keeping our fecklessly oil-addicted country lubricated.

THE BEAN GENE MACHINE
Steve Pratt / The Northeast News [UK]
Sean Bean is pretty good at playing bad guys but, as he tells Steve Pratt, his latest villian, the boss of a human cloning institute, does have some redeeming features.
http://www.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/the_north_east/entertainment/FILM0.html

QUOTE OF THE DAY ... The only thing worth globalizing is dissent. Arundhati Roy [The Progressive Magazine - April 2001]