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Jul. 3rd, 2009 @ 05:37 pm Rant Warning
Largo or Allegro: contemplative
On The Turntable: CMP 026 - Blood And Fire-Celtic Myth Podshow-Celtic Myth Podshow

Here is a bit about comparing the Canadian health care system with ours. Working in the field, I can tell you that ours is broken and only getting more so. Any solution will cost many dollars, but you have to compare it with the cost of doing nothing .....which will break the bank anyway. This is money that we will have to spend with the status quo, but with reduced outcomes. I do not see us having a single payor system anytime soon, but we must have an option for the uninsurable and unaffordable. - a plan that is supported primarily by paid premiums- not taxes. I have yet to see any truly "market based" solution that comes close to that. I have read the republicans plan , as sketchy as it is, and fail to see it solving much- even if you fill in the blank spaces.
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Truth
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Jul. 3rd, 2009 @ 11:08 am New Video
Largo or Allegro: peaceful
On The Turntable: Cold Pizza for Breakfast-Christine Lavin-The Bellevue Years
Someone has put together a pretty cool video for ,"Never Split the Party."
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sheep wizards
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Jul. 2nd, 2009 @ 06:28 pm It is hard to know
Largo or Allegro: peaceful
On The Turntable: Cold Pizza for Breakfast-Christine Lavin-The Bellevue Years

It is funny how wrong I was about which songs would be most popular on , "Poetry of Wonder." I really thought that ,"Cast Away," would be the biggest seller...that's why I put it first. In fact the order is sales is," Pantheon," Circle of Love," "Do The Round Thing, and "Sing." "Cast Away" is #5.
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poetry of wonder
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Jun. 30th, 2009 @ 02:50 pm Thats Senator AL to you.
Largo or Allegro: sick
On The Turntable: Wond'ring Aloud-Jethro Tull-The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull
So my question is how many losing stupid fights can the GOP run at the same time? They might still fight this one.
I have a stupid virus and feel like crud. ......had sweats last night.
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newport
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Jun. 28th, 2009 @ 12:26 am (no subject)
Largo or Allegro: awake
On The Turntable: Dimming of the Day-Bonnie Raitt-The Best of Bonnie Raitt
Just home from the gig at The Crimson Moon. I had a whole lotta fun , but my shirt and kilt are soaked. ......taking a shower before bed.
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newport
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Jun. 27th, 2009 @ 07:40 am Closer to Normallity
Largo or Allegro: awake
On The Turntable: Made Out of Water-Alice Di Micele-By Ebb & By Flow

[info]dancingwriter, my lovely wife, continues to improve. She is moving around more and more and needing less and less pain meds. It has been too damn hot to go on walks as often as we should be. So she puts on musicals and almost dances in the living room. Her favorites seem to be, Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and Bride and Prejudice.
Im actually going to be able to hit the studio for a while today to do a little producing on the live album. I have a window now for the next couple of weeks when I can work on it. We play at the Crimson Moon tonight and over at Starbridge tomorrow and I think that we will be recording at both of the shows.
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newport
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Jun. 19th, 2009 @ 04:33 pm Getter better
Largo or Allegro: calm
On The Turntable: Haram Aleyk-Natacha Atlas-Mish Maoul

She has been able to get by on less pain medicine today. We went to get her INR checked this morning and it was waaaay too high. This means that her blood is too thin. It was just under the level that would have sent her back to the hospital. No rat poison today and lots of broccoli . She is in the living room, very gently loosening up to the music of '"Bride and Prejudice."
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newport
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Jun. 18th, 2009 @ 07:53 pm Mule and Plow
Largo or Allegro: cheerful
On The Turntable: Trouble in the Fields-Nanci Griffith-From a Distance - The Very Best of Nanci Griffith

Some of the worst of the sitcoms have catch phrases. Things that you laugh at because you know that you are supposed to laugh at them. Things like, "Dynomite," and," Wha'chew talkin bout?" to use two very dated ones. Real life tends to have catch phrases as well. Most are fads that sweep through and then disappear, "Wooo hoooo," and "Oh no he di'int."
My lovely wife[info]dancingwriter and I have a catch phrase that is really a sort of short hand. When ever we want to say something like, " I love you and I know that you love me. We are joined at the root and neither of us is leaving. We are far stronger than the sum of our parts and no matter what life throws at us we will and can face it together. If you fall, Ill pick you up and I trust you to do the same for me. Together, nothing can overwhelm us." we say instead," Mule and Plow." It comes from a wonderful song by Nancy Griffith called, "Trouble in the Fields." The song invokes the tough times of the depression and how our grandparents faced those troubled times. The end of the chorus goes.....

What if we sell that new John Deer
Then we'll work these crops with sweat and tears
You'll be the mule, Ill be the plow
Come harvest time, we'll work it out
There's still a lot of love
in these troubled fields

So "Mule and Plow," is always meaningful for us and much faster to say. I was wondering what long term catch phrases or short hand statements you have in your lives?
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newport
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Jun. 17th, 2009 @ 03:04 pm We are Hooooooooooome!
Largo or Allegro: cheerful
On The Turntable: The Red Shoes-Kate Bush-The Red Shoes
My lovely wife [info]dancingwriter is sitting on our couch watching '"Bringing Up Baby." I am so glad to have her home. Thanks again to all of you who have given us your prayers. Thanks very much to those of you who have purchased my music. ( I shipped more to CD Baby on the way to the hospital this morning). Some of our friends brought over a turkey shepherd's pie for supper and I just got back from the drug store with drugs, and the Wally World with rice pudding. She is smiling amid coughs.
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newport
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Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 07:29 pm (no subject)
Largo or Allegro: cheerful
On The Turntable: You're Gonna Get What's Coming-Bonnie Raitt-The Glow
We are awaiting only one event before she can come home. ......Proof of a fully functioning GI tract. I have very strange chants running through my brain.
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newport
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Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 05:54 pm Woooo hoooo
Largo or Allegro: cheerful
On The Turntable: Better Way-Ben Harper-Better Way - Single

It looks like I'm bringing her home tomorrow! Many people have asked how they can help us. Aside from energy work of various kinds, which we really do appreciate, there is something concrete that folks can do. I hate to sound mercenary but here it is. Buy my CD, "Poetry of Wonder." . Emerald Rose CDs help as well, but the solo project is more direct. With two huge surgeries this summer, you can imagine what the finances are like. You can Download, Poetry of Wonder," from ITunes or get physical copies from Amazon or CD Baby. If you want the real disc, CD Baby is always the indie musician best friend, and pays out more. If you already have the cd and like it, you can write reviews on Amazon or Itunes or CD Baby or just generally talk it up. Thanks
Now it is time to turn the mattress, wash sheets, vacuum, and get the house ready in general to receive her royal self. I have already cleaned the bathroom and the kitchen floor. Sniff,,,Is that me? and take a shower. Special thanks to [info]loganstone for mowing my grass
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newport
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Jun. 13th, 2009 @ 10:35 pm A good day
Largo or Allegro: tired
On The Turntable: Ding, Dong (The Witch Ain't Dead )-Heather Jinmaku-The Balance

Today was a day of removal . The only tube she has left is the IV for pain management and that may leave tomorrow as they moved toward pain pills. Her chest tube site is still oozing a bunch, but other than that she is all sealed up. We had two really long walks up and down the corridor today on room air. The lovely[info]reikimaster and the lovely[info]thunder24 came to visit. It was truly wonderful to see them and a good time was had. I felt comfortable leaving her tonight to sleep in my own bed. Im pretty wiped out and I will need to recharge. It is starting to look like we may be bringing her home on Monday or Tuesday. Wooo Hooo! I think she would love to have more visitors tomorrow, but we will watch her energy level.
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newport
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Jun. 13th, 2009 @ 10:17 am Not the average Saturday.
Largo or Allegro: tired
On The Turntable: I Hope-Dixie Chicks-Taking the Long Way
I slept in a recliner last night beside her. They just cant give her the level of care that I think she still needs. They weren't going to walk her last night or get her up to the chair and no one told her to use the incentive spirometer. The nurses out here are really good, but they have too many patients. The techs just know what to do with her. The fentanyl pca is giving good pain care, but she let the pain reach breakthrough level last night . It took several punches close together to bring her to comfort and then she was quite drunk when I got her to the chair up this morning. I came home to get a couple of hours of sleep and do the basic home stuff. Now Im off to the Hospital again......Things to look forward to on this day.... the chest tubes may come out and they may let her have Starbucks decaf...... both of these possibilities bring large smiles to her lovely lips.
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newport
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Jun. 12th, 2009 @ 04:25 pm Closer to the door.
Largo or Allegro: tired
On The Turntable: Private Idaho-The B-52's-Wild Planet
Zipped home to return our son O from a visit with my lovely wife. He handled it very well and she smiled a lot with him. They had a person who was sicker than [info]dancingwriter and really needed a bed, so she is now out in a regular room... 3447. Visiting hours are much more liberal out there. I think her tongue may be permanently stained from all the red jello she is eating, but other than that she is looking better. She is trying hard not to start staring ahead at the next surgery that awaits . They gave her a med pump that she can control to deliver pain relief- maybe that will help.
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newport
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Jun. 11th, 2009 @ 11:20 pm Walking, sucking, and Sponging
Largo or Allegro: hopeful
On The Turntable: Irish & Celtic Music Podcast #68-Marc Gunn-Irish & Celtic Music Podcast
Today she walked around the nurse's station. Pain is down to 1 or 2, and ice chips are now ok. She said in a temporarily hoarse post intubation voice, "It is amazing how fast perspective can change... ice chips and sponge baths are glorious." I want to thank all of you for the comments and good thoughts. There are just too many of you to respond to, but I read them all. Off to bed
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newport
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Jun. 11th, 2009 @ 01:50 pm (no subject)
Largo or Allegro: hopeful
On The Turntable: Zoot Suit Riot-Cherry Poppin' Daddies-Zoot Suit Riot

My lovely wife is tried and hurting. We got her up out a chair and walked in place before getting back in bed and she was a real trouper. They pulled her NG tube today but she still cant have anything by mouth except an ice chip and a kiss. Pain management is going to continue to be an issue. Her Docs are still being conservative with advancement in what she cant and cant do. Just because things have gone very well doesn't mean that this wasn't a big damn surgery. Nausea and vomiting could be very bad thing . For the locals, she is in room 10 in the Ronnie Green Heart Center at Northeast Georgia hospital. Visiting hours are
5:30 – 6 a.m.
10 – 11 a.m.
1 – 2 p.m.
5 – 6 p.m.
8 – 9 p.m.
She is still really worn out , so visits need to be on the short side. I know you all want to see her, and she asks often to make sure that you all know that she grateful for your thoughts and prayers. I am also very thankful. Im cleaning the cat box, doing laundry, answering email, taking a shower and then back to the hospital.
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newport
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Jun. 10th, 2009 @ 09:55 pm Life is good even you are bone tired.
Largo or Allegro: tired
On The Turntable: We'll Always Sing-Celia-Red Alabaster & Blue
My lovely wife is right and truly extubated. For the medically minded, she is also sans PA catheter, lumbar drain, and femoral art line. They will be getting her up to a chair at about 11 pm . She is in a little pain (4 on a scale of one to ten,) but she can sleep through it. I left when I knew that I was keeping her awake. I have been reading The Snow Leopard aloud to her with Robin Huw Bowen on the cd player. She will walk tomorrow and she is ahead of schedule for this big of a surgery. I am home and will sleep tonight.
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newport
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Jun. 10th, 2009 @ 10:27 am Moving along
Largo or Allegro: cheerful
On The Turntable: PaganFM! 06-06-2009 (episode 09-23).-Dee Hebert-PaganFM!
I am out the door to the hospital. Things are going well. They just called and they are about to take her off of the vent and I want to be there when they do. It looks like tomorrow will be good for visitors.
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newport
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Jun. 10th, 2009 @ 08:13 am My lovely Wife Is Fine
Largo or Allegro: cheerful
On The Turntable: The Hills They Are Hollow-Damh the Bard-The Hills They Are Hollow

Surgery went wonderfully yesterday. They ended up not having to put her on the heart bypass machine ......thats a good thing. My lovely wife now has two, count them, two descending aortas. She received an," Extra- anatomical bucket handle graft." One end of the graft is above the stricture and it rejoins the aorta below the narrow place. think.....coffee mug handle. They kept her asleep over night and will wake her up this afternoon. Funny moment yesterday..... with versed on board she said, " The colors...the colors.... I can see the space between the molecules." As I walked out of the hospital this morning with the sun rising into a crystal sky and The Dixie Chicks in my Ipod, I knew I was a very blessed man indeed. Now to clean the catbox get a few hours of sleep and back to the hospital.
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newport
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Jun. 6th, 2009 @ 08:55 pm Why I have been away
Largo or Allegro: determined
On The Turntable: I Walk With The Goddess-Kellianna-I Walk With The Goddess

We have been on an emotional roller coaster since February. A long up and down medical string of events has brought us to this.... My lovely wife [info]dancingwriter is going to have a section of her descending aorta replaced on tuesday. She was born with a strange ticker, and at the age of 8 got about a 4 inch piece of polyester in place of her descending aorta. It was only half size, befitting her size, and has badly calcified over the last almost 40 years. She was only the third kid to get one, and the youngest at the time. Her chart from 1970 was still in storage because she was so special..... so she is a rather unique. In response to the constricted flow of blood, everything about the graft has dilated like Dizzy Galespie's cheeks. This means that in 4 to 6 weeks she will have to back into surgery to fix the aortic arch.
We are very blessed that I work at the #1 heart center in the state, and everyone is set to roll out the best for my lovely wife. I have been scrambling to take care of many little details and the next three months will be even more intense along those lines. We have had to rewrite our schedule for the entire summer, but all of that is a small price to pay. We are lucky that we have been able to maintain her health coverage, and we have the best friends and chosen family in the whole world. I know that we will be well helped in the months to come. I will try to keep updating.
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newport
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