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28 Feb |
Some good news, and some bad news Day to Day Life, Edie
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The good news is Edie’s Serum Free Light Chain reading dropped to 14 from 16, which at first glance means the Thalidomide is working. Of course, one test does not a trend make, so we really need to do another test, in a month, to see if the trend continues.
Still it is encouraging, and now Edie has decided to reduce the dosage of the Thalidomide to 75 mg per day from 100. I’m not so sure that is the best idea, but since the side effects are causing other problems, it is at least worth a try for a month.
And now for the bad news.
On the way home from work this evening, Edie ran into a tow truck and dented the hood of her car. It isn’t catastrophic, but in my attempt to fix it, I did so in such a way that now I can’t get the hood open, to try an fix it some more. (Fortunately, she didn’t cause any damage to the tow truck or herself, except emotionally).
I only need to be able to open the hood, and have it look somewhat respectable, so I figured I would take it into work to see if Bud, our maintenance guru, and resident auto expert, could help out. Unfortunately, Bud is off racing his dragster this weekend, so now I have to wait till Monday.
I’m not sure there is much Bud can do, but short of taking it to the auto body repair shop, that is the best I can hope for. Of course I may end up taking it to the auto body shop anywaze.
In the long run, that may be the easiest solution.
BIG SIGH
IMPORTANT UPDATE:
It’s a good thing I don’t have to work for a living. In my infinite wisdom, I forgot that I have to release the hood from the inside of the car, before I can expect to open the hood from the outside.
Bud called and reminded me of that. He also thinks he can get it back to looking somewhat reasonable. So since the car drives fine, I can wait till Monday.
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28 Feb |
International Pinot Noir Celebration Day to Day Life, Wine
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I just made reservations for the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), in Oregon at the end of July. I even made reservations at a local B&B.
I typically don’t like making such plans so far in advance, especially when I have to pay for everything in full at the time, for fear that something will cause us to change our plans. (Remember I am very superstitious).
But this event appears to be particularly well attended, and attendance is limited. Plus the first three B&B’s we chose to stay were already completely booked, so we decided it was best not to take any chances, and make the committment.
So if anyone else is going to the event, I hope to see you there, and if you think you might like to attend, I suggest you get your reservations in early.
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27 Feb |
Sometimes change is not so good Day to Day Life, Off Topic
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I’m a metallurgist. I even have a degree in metallurgical and materials engineering to prove it, and at one time in my career that was all I had to worry about. That, however, was when I worked for a larger company.
Now I work for a much smaller company, and as others who may also work for smaller companies know, it is not unusual for one individual to perform more than one job.
At the company I work for now, our president is also the chief engineer, our production control manager is in charge of maintenance as well, and in addition to being the company metallurgist, I am also responsible for quality and planning.
I never complained before, because I have always been able to perform all those functions, with little if any problems, but as the old Bob Dylan song goes,
With the advent of AS9100 (comparable to the automotive industry’s QS9000), the quality portion of my job has become considerably more difficult, but most of those problems are easily manageable, especially with the aid of an able assistant, as well as cooperation from everyone in the company.
But recently, there have been some changes, as the result of the company winning its first order on the new F35 AKA Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, that are starting to create real consternation with the planning portion of my job.
You just can’t imagine the amount of paperwork we have been inundated with to produce these parts, which I started attempting to go through yesterday, including new quality documentation and specifications requirements.
What was wrong with the old specifications and documentation requirements? They accomplished the same task, and in a much easier to understand format.
Now I’ve got one document that refers to another document, that refers to yet another document. And then there is a document that has some vital information, but the document has no name, nor is there anything directing me to use that document.
And there’s more, which I won’t even bother trying to explain. I have just become so frustrated, I have resorted to asking the customer for help understanding exactly what is required of us.
What has caused this trend for over complication, where more focus is placed on the paperwork involved, rather than the actual job being performed?
It’s obvious to me, the people devising these requirements have no concept of what goes on in a manufacturing environment. If they did they would be spending a lot less time focusing on generating more paperwork, and instead focus on the quality of the parts, and the integrity of the suppliers.
Does that sound familiar to anyone in any other industry?
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25 Feb |
I’m really feelin’ it now Cycling, Diagnosis, My MCL
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When I was first diagnosed with MCL, one of the first articles I read was by an eccentric doctor, Arthur B. Robinson, who reported on a case of supression of squamous cell carcinoma in mice, simply by restricting nutrient intake.
It was that report that caused me to eliminate all vitamins and supplements, restrict my dietary intake, and increase the amount and intensity of my exercise routine, but after losing about 40 pounds, and seemingly stabilizing my blood counts, I have pretty much “fallen off the wagon” lately.
Now I’m not sure if it was the eating, or the higher intensity exercise which seemingly helped control my MCL, but I decided restricting my diet, of everything I love to eat and drink, was just too extreme.
So I decided it was the increased exercise that did the most good, and for the past month, I have again increased the amount and intensity of my exercise. So far this month I have ridden over 530 miles (which is the most I’ve ridden in a February since 2003, the first February after my diagnosis), and have even added some weight lifting and running 2 to 3 days a week for anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.
I just hope this is working (I have another blood test scheduled for March 7th), because today was a particularly hard ride, which I am really feeling the effects of now, having just awoken from a 30 minute nap, while watching the last stage of the Amgen Tour of California on TV.
I was only able to watch two laps of the race live!