Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

Well, We Tried... She's Too Tired, Way Too Tired

After an hour shoveling dirt on the hill out back accompanied by my dogs (Freddy and Tika), came in a little after 11 am to give the egg-bound hen her Epsom bath. What ever energy boost she had from this morning was pretty much gone and I decided to let her go. A mixture of olive oil and raw egg did not improve her and her head dropped repeatedly below the level of the water. The bound egg is really huge and at least another behind it.

After about 15 minutes and no improvement, I held her gently under water.

She didn't struggle.

 

Final Irony--Not Egg-bound

When I opened her up, expected to find an egg or even two. Not the case. She had impacted egg yoke and albumin, a large, yoke-colored lump with concentric rings inside it that had built up over who knows how long and then it moved down her oviduct and lodged there. It's in a container in the fridge if I want to run it by a local vet; I know one who would likely look at it and confirm for no charge.

Not much necessary, though. Veterinary World web site has it covered complete with pics. Not recommended. Unless you must. http://www.veterinaryworld.org/Vol.7/August-2014/2.pdf


Arsenic in Chicken Feed/Meat

While trying to identify the lump, came across this June 2014 article about arsenic in some chicken feed that the industry had claimed did not lodge in chicken meat but was instead pooped out. Now found to be untrue. Pfizer produced feed with cancer-causing arsenic as an ingredient. Well, of course. http://www.globalresearch.ca/fda-finally-admits-chicken-meat-contains-cancer-causing-arsenic/5353189

Did I miss this on the news?? Source is a rather strident Canadian non-profit. Suppose it's like paranoia, just because you are, doesn't mean you're wrong...

 

Hi Zip, What a treat to hear from you! Thx!

Vic

 

Up a Pound...

At a couple points last week I was up 5 or maybe even 6 pounds from my measured low since back from Trip West, still well below where I was when left. This morning, though, am up only a pound from yesterday and it's a good thing. Another trip to the Doc yesterday over in Terre Haute. Thought we were going to do another blood panel but he was satisfied reviewing the one done in Algodones. In Spanish, of course.

Another good thing, I suppose. No arrhythmia (irregular heart beat) noted and bypassing more blood work.

Anyway, he calls me a 'Special Case', in part because I don't at all look my age (and it's my birthday today--happy birthday to me! 66-years-old so I'll start saying I'm 67... by this time next year I should be okay with 67 coming up, if that's possible!) and I suspect that irks him a little bit. Until yesterday had not told him about my pulse oximeter recorder reports before and after Algodones. That caught him off guard.

Had him look at some of the supplements I sometimes take--at least that I take since the first pulse oximeter results. He liked the Red Yeast and insisted on giving me 2 new drugs. Ugh. Targeted. One replaces the Red Yeast. Oh, I suppose. Problem's how do I get off this stuff? Even if they are 'targeted'.

I mean, I knew had gained weight over the summer and did not feel well, short of breath and all, but the severe sleep apnea indication of 614 events in one night below 85% oxygen sort of knocked me over and into action. Doc said he couldn't explain the drop down to mere 29 events just a week after I got back from Algodones. Well, when you clear a larger path, even a little bit inside your arteries and vessels, it helps. A lot. Chelation/Plaquex. Down from 42 minutes under 85% to 2. A good thing. Brain doesn't have to wake up repeatedly to tell heart push harder. Send more oxygen!! Need it!!

Think next week I'll borrow the unit again and see where I'm at. My recollection of dream activity is huge compared to the lack of it all summer. Of course, if you wake up all night there's not much time to get into good REM (Rapid Eye Movement sleep where your dreams take place); you stay mostly Non-REM (NREM) and deep NREM.

Didn't tell him that my next stop was the new buffet where my old 'favorite' Terre Haute China Buffet had been. It's even better and at least they're charging enough to make some money. The old buffet was great but way underpriced. That can go on just so long. Wasn't needed.

Hey! Now I get a senior discount! Old buffet didn't have one.

So up just a pound today is good. Didn't think I ate heavily, for me. But it took a long wait and rest at Wal-Mart in Spencer after the almost hour drive back before I felt ready to tackle the track at the Y!

Got a ways to go before can claim victory on 15-pound weight drop, though.

Oh, yeah!

 

More Death...

Just up the hill a couple hundred yards yesterday as I drove out for Terre Haute, was a deer sprawled across the fog line. Like chickens, I suppose they all look the same until you get familiar with them and it occurred to me it might be one I saw a few afternoons ago out back. Probably. Haven't seen too many lately and just by coincidence, I'd guess it is.

Had the dogs in last night as it was chilly; they come in when it dips into mid-20's. It's only about 30 degrees now and almost 1 pm. Felt warmer earlier when the sun was out. Overcast now. Came in from a little more hand-shoveling out back. Better a slow-go at it now than a no-go next month when may wait a week or two for above freezing temps and the ground hardens more. Still pretty easy to work.

Too many roosters...

Had too many roosters before putting the sick hen head-down under her bath water and still have too many. 3. The largest and healthiest and rhooing-est is ironically probably the most likely candidate to turn into food, assuming I'm up to it. The dead hen got buried in a compost area, still full of blood and entrails to enrich the soil, now mounded up and covered with wood and other stuff to deter anything that might smell it and dig for her.

She felt heavy when I placed her into the hole I'd dug, despite her bony feel. Don't have the pot and burner to deal with her feathers anyway.

The way chickens tell each other apart is mainly their combs (red thing on top of head) and wattles (red beard-like thing below beak). Oh, and you know how girls are, universally. They're more attracted to tall fellas with big wattles and combs... at least according to this web site: http://animals.pawnation.com/functions-wattles-chickens-5568.html

A nice, bright red wattle and comb also indicate health and the bigger, louder rooster has a bright red comb and wattle and some blue-black feathers with a bright sheen. So why cull him? Well, because he's supposed to be a Buckeye and they have bead-like combs less susceptible to frostbite.

Oh, I'm in no hurry. I have a little killing field over by the refrig; get a regular kill of mice there every few days as I have it set up to trap them at entry and exit. Got just enough room they have to cross over a trap. Last night a little one was just caught by her leg and tail and wriggling.

Carried her upside down to the trash as she thrashed, dropped her in and set the bag outside in the cold. Huh!! She chewed her way out and stole my trap...

 

Grumble, Grumble

BTM (Bloomington terminal manager) called this afternoon, said they 'cleared and approved' me for new hire. Okay, fine. At the time I was driving into Bloomington to stop by, see a 96-year-old buddy, a retired Episcopal priest--agnostic most of his life. Now there's a ha-ha. His birthday was the 6th--didn't stop by then because I figured his family would want that time (plus I loathe his daughter).

With my birthday today, his six days ago 30 years apart from mine, and that of a young, vibrant pianist I sometimes correspond with who teaches in Switzerland, we form an interesting triad--Steph's, December 1; Hal's December 6; and mine, the 12th. Gotta be some interesting numerical relationship there. Some kinda connection.

Hal came up with me a couple years ago to hear Stephanie in concert at the Gobin Methodist Cathedral in Greencastle. Didn't know he was mentor in a wind quartet to the Episcopal priest where the ex-girlfriend attended. Steph had made the Episcopal service interesting with her improvs riffing off the great classicists. Sunday morning mini concerts.

Even I got that. Very cool! Despite that I loathe the liturgy that the old girlfriend was so keen on. Steph helped get me through.

Unfortunately, one of Hal's friends arrived to see Hal at noon, stayed until 3 pm, oblivious to the new oxygen system until Hal finally bid the guy off. Very unusual for Hal. He's scrupulously polite and dignified, even at 96. At one look reminded me of the little hen too weak to keep her head up.

I left the Steak-and-Shake eggnog shake with a nurse. Myself, I rarely stay more than 10 or 15 minutes and can't grok this guy's obtuseness. Even on a good day, 3 hours is way, way too much. Dummy was coming out of the nursing facility as I walked up, and laughed that he had worn Hal out.

Dummy said Hal finally laid down and told dummy to leave, ha ha.

Ha ha, nothing. Really, really cavalier and stupid. Here's you sign, stupid. S.T.U.P.I.D. Put it on and take a selfie. Smile for the camera...

Oh, well. Grumble. Grumble. Hal's slipping more and more. Oxygen is new. Obtuse visitors don't help. Not sure why the nursing staff doesn't step in. They can. But they will happily treat Hal to the eggnog shake when he's able. Will have to settle for that, I guess.

Don't need anymore death this week. If at all possible, I'm all deathed-out for a while. Barring anything truly unexpected, the next shoe to drop's either 96-year-old Hal or my 93-year-old Mom, who just got moved back into the Memory Care Unit from Intensive Care for pneumonia about a week ago and who's turning out to be a tough old bird herself.

Sam's Club had one of these propane cookers, big pot with lid, perfect for scalding feathers loose. In the discount section for $49, down from $69.99. Didn't buy it.

Rooster's safe for now. Rhoo away, rooster.

 

Digital Orientation...

Okay, there are '17 courses' online; BTM provided me a link, personal login and password. Pays $145 to take the courses and each must be answered correctly question-by-question. No 90%. All questions must be answered correctly. Next step after that is drive for 3 days with a trainer. Can possibly start that Monday if done with the 17 courses. He gets the Monday list on Sunday.

Next week's a 'normal' week but BTM said my help the week following would be really helpful, holiday and all. I offered Mondays and Tuesdays--of course! BTM sounded satisfied. After all, they've kinda dragged their due diligence. BTM sorta bragged early on that they could get me going in 3 days or so. That's a while back and issues with my medical card and health didn't help.

Oh, who knows. Yard Boss was all of demanding ("Are you quitting??), defiant ("They won't treat you any better. It's all the same in trucking.") and bitter ("Yeah, it's not good when someone won't take your call...") and I reminded him that I never wanted full-time, never signed up for full-time... "Well, yeah, but that's just the way it is," he responded.

Unhappy about not knowing what to tell people, he was.

All the same Yard Boss doesn't want hard feelings and the door remains open if I want to come back and run a weekly Prairie like I'd signed up for in the first place. And he's finally hired a new driver he thinks will work out for some of the Prairies and I could get outbounds for him and me, too.

Yard Boss has no clue how much work and time that takes. Said it like I could do it pedaling backwards while sitting on the handlebars looking back to where I'd come from...

Oh, sure, Yard Boss. Sure!