April 2005 – Page 2 – commonplacebook.com

Steph’s doing great!

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 22, 2005
Post category:Health

Just a quick update before I run back to the hospital — Steph’s
surgery went really well this morning. They were able to repair her
mitral valve, which sounds (from the surgeon’s description) like it was
even more damaged than they previously thought. There is no leak
remaining at all, which is wonderful.
We got to see Steph at about 12:30, but she wasn’t awake yet. They told
us that she would wake up within the next six hours or maybe even more,
but when we went back in at 1:15, she was awake already! By 4:00, her
breathing tube was out and she was talking a little, though she remains
very groggy because of the pain meds. (She’s having some really
interesting dreams.) At 6:00 they let her have some ice chips, which
made her very happy, and she may yet get to have some liquid tonight.
I’ll try to send another update tomorrow. Thank you all for all the
good thoughts, prayers, and positive energy — it helped a lot. She’s
quite a trooper.

Are you nervous?

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 21, 2005
Post category:Health

Heck yes. It’s funny, that’s the question that nearly everyone has asked me. I am really nervous. So I’m just in denial about the whole thing, for now. I’m sure I’ll lose it once I get to the hospital. 🙂

Seriously, though, I think I’ll be just fine. I’m young and strong and pretty healthy, and I know lots of folks who’ve had this done. It’s a major surgery, but it’s a pretty common procedure for the doctors, and since it’s not an emergency and I’m not currently in distress, things are really positive. I’m sure it will suck for a while, but I’ll be back and writing in no time.

For family and friends — if you’re in town, one of the main things we might need is for someone to sit with me in the evening so Stephanie can feed her cat and get her mail and tend to her home. So if you want to hang out with an invalid and watch some DVDs or play some Xbox, we’ll probably call you up.

Movie Primers

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 21, 2005
Post category:Movies

This is a site I need to return to and read in the future; GreenCine’s Movie Primers, which are mini-guides to key movie genres. Excellent for figuring out what the heck is up with French New Wave films. Without, you know, actually having to see them.

I’ll have what he’s having, please

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 20, 2005
Post category:Politics

JC: What I’ll say is that I think Eric Alterman and Ann Coulter engage in the same kind of debate.

I’m not sure what crack John Cloud of Time Magazine is smoking, but whatever it is, I’d like some, please. Because it’s got to be really amazing stuff for him to compare these two people.
And speaking of people on crack, Fox News is promoting the story that Timothy McVeigh was just a patsy and the real people who bombed the Oklahoma Federal Building was Saddam Hussein & Co.
They got the first part right — he was a patsy. The second part is what’s wrong; the people behind the bombing were extremist right-wing Republicans. But if course, it’s not in Fox News’ interest to tell you that, because they’re pals with the people that did it.

Individual-i

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 19, 2005
Post category:Politics

The Individual-i website promotes personal freedom by making the Individual-i symbol, which represents protection of individual rights, freely available for anyone to use. They also link to sites where people are selling Individual-i products.
Download a logo for your own use or buy a shirt or other items.

Pages I’ve edited on Wikipedia

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 19, 2005
Post category:Recently Read

Brighton, Iowa
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis Star
Nuvo Newsweekly

Surgery details and information

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 18, 2005
Post category:Health Monkeys

I go in for surgery at 5:30 a.m. this Friday at Methodist Hospital in downtown Indianapolis. 1701 N. Senate Blvd. Indianapolis, IN 46206. 1-800-248-1199 is the toll-free number to call for information.

If you want to see me in the hospital before surgery, please come at 5:30. If you are visiting while I’m in surgery, you will need to go to the main information desk to find out details of where I am. The operating room and surgery waiting areas are on the second floor of the A building. Parking garage 1 is the closest parking area.

Surgery starts at 7:30 and should take about 4 hours. After surgery I will be moved to the Cardiovascular Critical Care Unit (CVCC), which is on the second and third floors of the same building, building A. Family members may be in one of two waiting rooms — 317-923-0171 or 317-923-0170. Or you can try to call Stephanie on her cell.

Visiting hours while I’m in the CVCC are: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 12:30-3:00 p.m., 4:30-6:30 p.m., and 8:30-11:00 p.m. While I’m in the CVCC, I can receive cards and mylar balloons. Flowers, planters, or latex balloons aren’t allowed on the unit.

After a couple days, I should be moved out of the critical care unit to a regular room, where I’ll be for a couple more days. I should have more visiting hours there and be able to see people. If you want to come visit me, call the information number to find out where I am and what my visiting hours are. Or you can send me monkeys. 🙂

Stephanie will be sending some e-mail updates letting family and friends know how I am. She’ll also be posting to my Web site, so watch this spot for more information.

Top Ten Conservative Idiots (#194)

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 18, 2005
Post category:GLBT Issues Politics

This week’s list covers several issues of personal interest to me… the “Day of Truth” crap, Eric Rudolph’s nutjob anti-gay statements: “with force if necessary.” (Really, Eric? I can fight fire with fire), anti-gay nutjob Arthur Finkelstein’s gay marriage, and Jeff “Defense of Marriage” Miller’s adulterous behavior, which makes yet another addition to the right-wing hypocrite squad. I think at this point the Right-Wing Hypocrites team has enough players to start a game of cricket.

Big Things Louisville Trip

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 18, 2005
Post category:Big Things

Stephanie and I took a trip to Louisville this weekend to take some Big Things pictures. On Saturday, we visited the giant Colgate clock, the giant bat at Louisville Slugger Museum (another giant bat at the costume shop down the street) and a huge coffee pot at the Lynn’s Paradise Cafe.
We also went to the Louisville Zoo to see Gorilla Forest, the huge exhibit of gorillas. The zoo is really huge and very pretty and the weather was perfect for a visit. Gorillas are cool.
Once we got back Saturday night, I discovered I’d left my cell phone at the restaurant, so we drove back down yesterday to retrieve it. We ate again at the Paradise Cafe, which has really cool decor and a neat gift shop. We took pictures of a giant stone statue of hands, too. On the way back, we started brainstorming creating an art car, which Stephanie wants to do, with my help. We have a very fun idea. Also, I want to make a dining room table. It sounds silly, but we have a fun idea for one.
I like Louisville; it’s very pretty.

CPAP Breathing Machine

Post author:HFM
Post published:April 18, 2005
Post category:Health

I’ve been using the breathing machine for my sleep apnea since Thursday evening, and I think it’s a success. I feel much better rested now and able to concentrate. The mask part of the machine is somewhat annoying; I can’t read before falling asleep because I can’t wear my glasses, and I have to take my earrings out because they’re in the way. But I’m slept much more soundly.