Take the Good with the Bad

First the Good News...

I've finally had some time to wind down and enjoy myself a little.

After the guitar concert, it was past 9:30 PM, so I was starvin'.
We went to Denny's for a late night feast. I had blueberry pancakes w/ white chocolate chips, a strawberry milkshake, eggs, hash-browns, sausage links, amazing pot roast w/ mashed potatoes drenched in gravy, & chorizo sausage.

Then yesterday, my friend was in town from the Caribbean so we went out to Chuy's and got fully loaded nachos w/ pulled pork, salsa, y queso (all you can eat, self-serve!) Comida deluxe, hatch chicken enchiladas, chalupas, etc. Frozen margaritas w/ tequila + a shot of Grand Mariner – great combo. (I love happy hour!)

The guitar concert went really well too!  Even though about 1/5 of our Guitar I class didn't show up, those that did didn't mess up too badly.  Watch the awkward footage below.  I'm in the back row with the white cast on my foot, nearly knocked over a guitar propped up on my way off the stage (I don't even know why it was there, nobody used it throughout the entire concert...probably just to vex the one cripple, that was me).

I mis-played one wrong note B instead of G, I think, but apparently nobody noticed.  My mom said she only noticed mistakes (in other performances) when it was obvious; for instance, she said in another performance (Guitar II) this girl would mess up frequently and then giggle to herself.



This is the level of classical guitar proficiency is what I aspire to attain one day!  Really cool guitar trio inspired by the French book, Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince) by Antoine de Saint Exupéry:



This was the last song played (I believe by the Guitar IV class.  Who said community college didn't have amazing music programs?!).

El Cachimbo (a Chilean folk song):




Now for the Bad News...

Now it's time to cram for finals, write my reports, and start on my application essays...oh boy!

Even worse, I went to the dentist on Friday (it's been a year since I've been) and found out I have cavities and need 2 fillings!  She even said I need to start flossing since I have some bone loss (holy crap!)  That really opened my eyes.  I'm flossing everyday from now on.  The dental hygienist and dentist suggested I get Invisalign for the bottom row of teeth which aren't perfectly straight.  However, when they sent the receptionist over she said I would need both the top and bottom done since it might affect my bite if I only get the bottom row done.  Oh I forgot, they also said I grind my teeth and need to get a custom night-guard!  Yeah dental work costs a fortune in the states.  (Yay, more exorbitant medical bills!)

I'm probably just going to get the filling done somewhere else.  When I asked for them to e-mail the X-rays to me they said I need to pay $25 for that...to obtain my own X-rays, which I already paid for.  It's not surprising that the dentist there owns a Rolex watch, manicured nails, and has done extensive cosmetic surgery on her face.  I could tell she's had collagen injections in her lips and botox (her face barely moved when she talked) and probably an eye lift before the dental hygenist even told me!  When she told me I said I'm not surprised.  Apparently, the dentist has been on TV a lot apparently.  She's also Persian but her hair was nearly platinum blonde with streaks, coiffed up high (it looks weird when your eyebrows are jet black but your hair is platinum blonde).

**UPDATE (5/1/2012):  I have no cavities at all.  There's no need for any dental fillings.  I have never gotten a dental filling in my life and I plan to keep it that way!  I also do NOT have bone loss.  Another dentist looked at my X-rays and says the bone level is more than good and she drew where older patients bones would show up usually.  I'm also not getting a night-guard because that was just a phase and I haven't have an issue with grinding teeth in years.


The one good thing that came out of this is that I learned to always seek a second opinion. Also, this close call made me realize the importance of flossing (I never used to floss before).  


Enough about your Dental Issues, What About Your Dang Foot?

Not much news now.  My doc is still vacationing in Italy and France.  I was supposed to meet him on the 8th of May but then I realized that's the day before my ACS comprehensive Organic Chemistry (I and II) final exam!  So I rescheduled and I'm seeing him on the 13th now.  I'm getting my cast changed then.  I'm going to ask how long I have to wear the NEW cast for and when I can start wearing a boot.  Most importantly, I'd like to know when I can start physical therapy.

Day 26 Update: Hurt Friends, PT, New Fund Amount, & Plants Attack!

Just Scroll Down to the End...

If you don't want to read my babble about inane, random topics.  This is the first breather I've had in awhile so I was indulgent and pontificated more than usual about myriad subject matter.


Orgo II was Hell Today

I bombed my Orgo II test today.  I blanked on malonic ester and acetoacetic ester syntheses!  I also forgot what potassium permanganate does.

The lecture after the test and recitation went by so slowly, it was like Chinese water torture.

The good news, was that today was the last day of Orgo lab!


The CrossFit Casualties Keep Mounting!

(Disclaimer:  CrossFit was a hobby turned obsession for me and I have a lingering suspicious that I'll go crawling back to it when I'm healed, so I have nothing against it personally but I find it disturbing how many of my friends this past month have been seriously injured either directly or indirectly from the sport and it cannot be denied, even by the most diehard CrossFitter that there seems to be a connection, however tenuous.

I also want to add and give props to my local affiliate for taking a step in the right direction.  .380 has voluntarily opted to take down the clock and chalk to de-emphasize the competition and intensity over proper form and safety.  I'm confident in saying that if you practice CrossFit just for fitness and not to compete, then you most likely will NOT get injured, but if you want to excel on a competitive level then it's my humble opinion that SERIOUS injuries, as in probably requiring orthopedic surgery, are likely at some point in your athletic career.)


Today I found out that the owner of the CrossFit box I used to attend, Dave M., has a ruptured bursa sac in his elbow! It's also infected and they think it might be staph or MRSA.  Now I don't know if this injury was due to BJJ or CrossFit (maybe a little of both) though he did say in his FB status update that he felt off during the WOD this morning and then wound up in the orthopedic surgeon later getting his sac drained off.

Turns out Dave also has been getting spinal injections...sounds familiar with what Carolyn H. had been doing prior to her lumbar surgery.

Oh and I forgot to mention in my last post that Chad D. got injured during the CrossFit Open Games last year as well.  He was doing overhead squats in Open WOD 3, I believe, and wound up pinching a nerve in his neck.  He said he was out of commission for months and every time his blood pressure elevated for any reason he would get blinding migraines.  On top of that his wife, Kamwin D., had a hernia, I suppose from weightlifting.  Then, she also had back surgery a few months ago before Chad's freak car crash accident.  (The CrossFit celebrity, Bob Harper, even had a shout-out in a short video for Chad to get better.)

Chris H., Carolyn H., Tina V*., Jake W., Kamwin D., Chad D., Dave M., Brista M., and your's truly.

Hate to say it but...WHO'S NEXT?  0_0

(*Good news is that Tina was told by her chiropractor that she won't need surgery and she doesn't have a bulging disc in her cervical vertebrae.  She just needs to rest.  I'm skeptical because I was told comforting words by a chiropractor initially too.  However, not every case is the same.)

I think people easily brush off these injuries as just a sign of getting old or bad luck...however I know plenty of "old folks," who don't have any health ailments and every action has a consequence.  I think you can only get away with punishing your body for so long until it starts to push back (Newton's Third Law.)


Watch out for Poison Ivy, Y'all!

This is totally random but my friend Stacey H. got poison ivy on her face and hands and has pustules and contact dermatitis on her face from the urushiol oil.  I've always lived in the 'burbs so I know close to nothing about Poison Ivy or sumac.

(So apparently the cut-off time for this is 10 minutes tops.  After that and the nasty urushiol oil has already absorbed into your skin signaling your immune system to attack the affected epidermal cells!

"Before Urushiol has been absorbed by the skin it can be removed with water. However, time is of great importance as 50% of urushiol is absorbed in 10min. Once Urushiol has penetrated into the skin, attempting to remove with water is inefficient. Once urushiol has been absorbed by the skin it is recognized by dendritic cells called langerhans cells that are part of the immune system, these cells then migrate to lymph nodes where they present the urushiol to T-lymphocytes and thus recruit them to the skin, once in the skin the T-lymphocytes cause pathology by producing cytokines and cytotoxic damage to the skin.")

This website is a wealth of information though.

This made me LOL:  "Note that all parts of the vine contain urushiol, including the hairs. Using a chain saw to cut down such a tree produces flying poisonous sawdust."

I'm surprised terrorists haven't synthesized urushiol oil and used it as a biological/chemical weapon hah.

The most insidious part of this is that besides the first image (on that website linked above), the rest look like innocuous, run of the mill weeds in your yard.  I wouldn't think twice about mowing that down with a lawn mower and then getting urushiol oil bukkake'd all over my exposed legs or whatever.

Ah well, I guess I'm not going into the country anytime soon.

Mosquitoes, poison ivy, chiggers, mites, black widows — these are a few of my least favorite things...

Oh yeah and this sneaky f*cker won't even stay the same.  Apparently as the seasons change, poison ivy does too, and not just in color but also in form:

"At this time of year, looking for three leaves will not work. The green lines indicate where two leaves have already fallen off. The asymmetric leaf shape and the color pattern are the best keys in autumn."

So for those who forget that plants are living organisms.  Realize that they too want to live as much as any other animal life form, like us.  They also have defense mechanisms to fend off predators, who view them as food.  We tend to forget this reigning complacently at the top of the food chain.

I'm not just talking about the popularly known ones like the venus flytrap or other plants that consume insects.  There's also the cassava (yucca or manioc) root, which naturally contains high level of cyanide.

From Wikipedia:  "It must be properly prepared before consumption. Improper preparation of cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication and goiters, and may even cause ataxia or partial paralysis.  Nevertheless, farmers often prefer the bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves."

It's also well-known that many mushrooms are poisonous and contain mycotoxins that can cause convulsions, hallucinations, abdominal cramping, coma, and even death.

So next time you dig into that healthful salad, give thanks for your green friends your consuming and hope they aren't poisoning you.  I'm sure they're working on it though. ;-)  Food for thought.


The Facts & Figures


*Fund Amount (as of 10:20 PM, 4/25/12):  $2,322.77

(*Once again, this amount reflects the PayPal account money including $ already spent on surgery and fees, but excluding checks sent in the mail.)

Updated Contributors List!


Cream O' the Crop

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alvin Lin
Niven Hsu
Ted Glomski
Alex Holliday
Kyuha Lee
Siby Spurgeon
Jonathan Ko

Uber-Generous Group

Jessica Wang
James Ash
Molly Wang
James Haver
Chase Park
Tina Ayala-Vance
Shawn & Stacey Hiller
Pearl Chang
Valerie Easterling
Kim Palumbarit


Gonna Get My PT On Thanks to Y'all!

You guys are amazing.  I was going to just YouTube physical therapy after I get my cast off but now maybe I can actually afford an actual PT when this is all said and done! ;-p

Day 23 Update

It's been so long since I've updated that I think I've forgotten how to do this...


What I've Been Doing...

I've been pretty absorbed in practicing the three songs for my solo guitar test on Tuesday.  I got an extension but the downside to this is that I have to play individually!  Everyone else played as a group last Thursday.

I've been practicing "Killian's Ground," "Impressions," and "Guadarme Las Vacas."  These songs only involve the 1st through the 4th strings and for "Killians" we first do tempora, then root strum, and finally play the melody twice through.  For "Impressions," I'm playing the melody while others are playing the easier (repetitive) arpeggios.  For "Guadarme Las Vacas," we will play the chords first for some measures, then continue on with the melody.  (I probably misspelled all those classical guitar techniques.)

For the most part, I've gotten this down pat except I'm afraid I'm not changing the chords fast enough for the root strum, especially when changing from A to D and then immediately to e.

Oh yeah and as for the science classes that count, I have finals just around the bend.  Meh.


E'rrbody's Gettin' Surgery!

Seriously, I don't know WTF is going on lately but it seems like every CrossFitter I know has encountered some horrible random-ass calamity or requires some type of orthopedic surgery due to insane training.

Jake, a crossfit trainer at an affiliate in Plano, tore his bicep and has bone spurs and requires surgery.  He told me it was probably due to lots of "overhead movements" but primarily due to carrying Atlas stones, but that was way back in December during a local CrossFit competition.  (I had suspected that it was due to tons of snatches (I know that sounds wrong) or butterfly pull-ups or curls?)  The problem is that he's a past addict and cannot take any painkillers, so I really don't know how he's going to be able to handle that post-surgery pain.  I think he's really underestimating how much it's going to hurt.  And keeping your arm completely immobilized is not easy!  So any slight movement is going to send waves of intense pain through his body.  I suggested just getting piss-ass-stupidly drunk off his poison of choice but he says he's given up alcohol as well.  I told him that we all need our vices and he's too young to be a saint already!

Anyways, Carolyn, someone who has been certified in level 1 CrossFit, is also going to need surgery.  Her's is on her spine though!  She says her doctor is very good though.  He better be, since one little slip or nick at one of those hundreds of thousands of nerves running through your spinal cord and you're paralyzed for life.  (I can't imagine being that surgeon having that amount of mind-numbing pressure; I don't know if I would be able to do it.  Surgeons are amazing people, truly.  And spinal surgeons even more so.)  She has 3 bulging discs in her lumbar region.  It happened many years ago during US Air Force training and a fully grown man fell over a 15 ft wall and landed right on her neck.  She's been scaling her WODs but I can't imagine not treating something for that long.  She said she's been having injections in her back but now the pain is unbearable.

I've mentioned this before but Chad, my CrossFit evening trainer at the local CF box I used to attend, was in a freak car crash.  Apparently, he was at a stop sign when someone slammed into him from behind and pushed his car out front and then some other car slammed into him from the side.  His car was totalled and had to be cut into and he was medi-flighted out to a hospital, where he was in the neurological ICU.  Like Carolyn, he's also an Air Force veteran.  However, his wife and her friends have been organizing fundraising events and is even selling his Harley Davidson bike for at least 11 grand, so the medical bills MUST be high.  If our nation can't even take care of its veterans anymore, it's a sad day in 'merica.  (Update 12:30 AM, I found out through Facebook that the car wash fundraiser / auction event was wildly successful and they managed to raise more than $20,000!  That's amazing.)

Then there's Chris, who I used to CrossFit with.  He got surgery on his rotator cuff around a month ago and is still doing physical therapy now.  I saw a photo of him and his face looks rather gaunt.  We were both trying to gain weight prior to all this.  I was doing the GOMAD protocol and he was using a traditional weight gainer supplement.  I think we both were making good progress but that's all been for naught with the injury and subsequent surgery and inactivity.

Now there's Tina.  I used to CrossFit with her at another local CrossFit affiliate in TX.  She had been complaining of shoulder issues for a very long time but now it's her neck that's giving her issues.  She had borrowed someone else's muscle relaxers medication (I advised against it) but it's been giving her gastrointestinal discomfort.  She hopes that she won't require surgery.  She's been hitting the WODs really hard as of late.

For older surgeries, there's Brista, who made it to the Crossfit Regional competition last year and this year.  She had surgery on her shoulder last year.  Not to be left out, her husband, Jonathan, had a box jump incident (not as bad as mine) where he went to the ER for stitches.


I'm Not Invincible After All

All this is hammering home the ominous message my orthopedic surgeon told me about how doing exercises similar to CrossFit is just asking for future surgeries.  I'm not sure I've sworn off all such exercise entirely (because I'm a dumbass) but I've definitely decided I'm no longer INVINCIBLE and I need to be more cautious and smart when it comes to exercise.  I've treated my body like I'll never get hurt for too long.  I used to do back handsprings in the yard where I landed hard on the side of my neck and not even thought too much about it.  Those days are over.


Vicodin Depletes Your Liver's Glutathione Stores!

I was reading more about the side effects of Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen (5/500 mg) the other day and realized that it's not just constipation I should be worried about! LOL

Apparently, acetaminophen (aka Tylenol or Paracetamol for international readers) also depletes your body of its most important endogenous antioxidant — glutathione!
(Well, it actually recycles other antioxidants, but it's known as the "mother of all antioxidants.")

According to Wikipedia, acetaminophen is added with hydrocodone to help with analgesic effects but also to discourage additive behaviors because it can lead to fatal liver toxicity!  Maybe it's just me, but I think they are better ways to discourage "recreational drug use" besides killing someone through liver failure!

From Drugs.com, under the "Hepatic" subtitle :

"Alcoholic patients may develop hepatotoxicity after even modest doses of acetaminophen. In healthy patients, approximately 15 grams of acetaminophen is necessary to deplete liver glutathione stores by 70% in a 70 kg person. However, hepatotoxicity has been reported following smaller doses. Glutathione concentrations may be repleted by the antidote N-acetylcysteine. One case report has suggested that hypothermia may also be beneficial in decreasing liver damage during overdose."


Chicken Legs

It's also rather frightening to see how fast muscle atrophies.  I can visibly see the dramatic difference between my right thigh and left thigh now.  Both legs have lost a lot of mass but my right leg looks so emaciated, like an AIDs victim's leg...well not really but nearly.


On to Biznass...


To my surprise, people are still donating to the fund!  THANK YOU SO MUCH, Y'ALL!  Because honestly, even though the surgery is over, follow-up visits are still breaking the bank!

Just last week I had a short follow-up visit with the doc, where he took out some staples and put on a cast and bam!  That was $300.  I, then had to plead for a discount, and like 25 minutes later it was reduced I think $15 bucks or so.  Barely even worth it.

Meanwhile, my doc is going on a vacation to Italy and the French riviera.  Then when he comes back I'm going to have to change my cast again in order to change the angle of my foot.  This means a new cast and I'm assuming another $300 bucks spent! Lucky me!

Then, eventually I'll have to get a boot.  Maybe I'll just tell them I'll buy one off e-bay LOL.

After all that, I don't have any idea how much physical therapy sessions will cost without insurance.


The New Cast!

I'm really glad my leg is metal-free now and while my leg feels like it's 10-15 lbs heavier, any progress is welcome.


The Figures!


Expenses So Far*:  $3,685.00

The Breakdown: Faith Surgical Center Fees: $2,000
Surgeon's Fee (with the 30% discount): $878.00
Anesthesiologist Fee: $250.00
Orthopedic Consultation Fee: $125.00
Previous Ortho. Office Visit: $78.00
Crutches: $32.00
Prescription Meds: $22.00
Dr.'s Follow-up Visit (staples removal & cast):  $300.00 

(*Not including the next follow-up on May 8th and then the future physical therapy sessions.)

Current Fund Amount*:  $2,278.88

(* Amount including the money spent for surgery and follow-up visits so far but excluding the checks received in the mail from family friends.  I'm keeping track since PayPal displays all transactions made in the account.)

I am thrilled at breaking that 2 grand barrier!  It's been sub-2 grand for a very long time.


Updated (4/22/12, 9:30 PM) Contributors' List

List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations): 

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Ted Glomski
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop): 

Jessica Wang
Shawn & Stacey Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Molly Wang
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit
Pearl Chang

Once again, if you don't see your name here yet.  Don't fret.  I will soon put up a comprehensive list (unless you object) without these categories.  I also appreciate all those who helped me out in non-monetary ways.


Can't Thank Y'all Enough

I am so grateful for my generous friends.  When Ted Glomski suggested I set up this fundraiser online using PayPal, I told him that I'm not going to be able to raise even $100 dollars.  Little did I know that in a week I would get more than $1500 and even though it's slowed dramatically in a few more weeks after that, I've garnered more than 2 grand now.  I'm amazed by everyone's out-pouring of kindness for their fellow human being.

Day 18: Staples Off, Cast On! (My B-day)

This won't be a proper post because I still need to cram for a test, but I wanted to touch base with everyone since it's been so long since my last post.

Today happens to be my birthday...a lot of family drama to be honest, but I'm not going to launder my dirty laundry here.

While today certainly wasn't what I had in mind, I guess I can't complain since I'm still alive. I just got to keep reminding myself that each day is a gift and I know I'm extremely lucky despite it all.

The surgical staples were yanked out today without any lidocaine or any other numbing agent.  It didn't hurt as much as I expected but it definitely wasn't painless. A lot of puss came oozing out as some of that black coagulated blood was disturbed.

Casts are so easy to put on now! They just wet some bandages and wrap it tight and in 2 min., it's dry — presto! A few minutes of work and $300 is spent, yikes!

(Stay tuned.  I'll update this post tomorrow.)

Achilles Tendon Repair Info. (Day 13)

Follow-up Visit

I went to the doc's office this morning for a follow-up and got my bandages and splint taken off for the first time since the surgery!  Don't worry I got new bandages put on again and a hard splint on the bottom to maintain plantar flexion.

(Turns out the doc is going to recycle this for the hard cast...I found that rather distasteful but then he assured me just the cast part in the back, not all the soiled, bloody bandages as well.)

Soiled Dressings

It was pretty gnarly looking.  I had no clue there were friggin' staples in me haha.

My cell phone doesn't have flash and Samantha has an iPhone 4s so she offered to take some photos and send them to me as e-mail attachments but I decided to go with my own photos after all.  They are more close-up and you can see more details like that weird blood pustule and the weird black grooves.

Also, there's an odd growth at the bottom of my foot that was never there before (see that bright white spot on my sole?).  The surgeon said it was probably just a "maceration" (maybe he meant laceration?) but later said it's probably a tumor.  I said I'll cut that out myself and he said he would watch.

Metal Gear in Me

He said I would get a cast put on, on Tuesday since the staples aren't ready to come out yet.  He said if he tried yanking them out today they would "hiss" and "squirt"— nasty!

New Ace Bandage

The doc said, "Don't worry.  I'll make it all pretty again for the ladies.  I could see the stress in your eyes."  What a joker.

I asked him if it would be OK for me to return to classes next week and he said, "I want you to.  We can cure everything but stupidity.  Have you heard that before?"

He also told me that since I waited so long to have surgery, the gap has widened considerably so instead of using 2-4 strands, he needed to use 6.  I asked him about the suturing and he said it's super strong sutures.  He said those 6 sutures are strong enough to support my whole body if they were hanging from them upside down.

Surgical Staples vs. Sutures


I forgot to ask why staples were used to close the wound instead of sutures though my mom said that black stuff ARE the sutures so she said both were used, only since it was such a large wound both sutures and staples were required.

I'm not so sure but this eHow Health article explains it pretty well.  (Note to self:  also ask the doc to check my left Achilles because it's been feeling odd.  I hope it's not tendonitis.)

I read a study that said in stapling led to 4x the number of infections versus traditional suturing but since I obviously have staples in, I'm going to ignore that study and not post the link.  Ignorance is bliss.  Anyways, there are plenty of other studies out there that say they are comparatively the same, the only difference being cosmetic (staples leave more scars, but scars are sexy so who cares?).

A preview of what's going to happen to me next week:

__________________________________________


The Nitty Gritty

I found some more interesting videos to post.

This one is just a general video on how one ruptures their achilles tendon or if it's just tendonitis (check this out, B-money!).

\\


This other one talks about the Krakow suturing technique for connecting the two ends of the ruptured tendon.  It's a very detailed and informative video.  The best one I've seen so far.  (FYI:  some graphic still images show up after 2 minutes though.)





David Beckham's Ruptured Achilles Tendon (2010)


After seeing that video, I looked it up and apparently soccer star, David Beckham, ruptured his Achilles tendon in 2010; I don't follow soccer/football so I never knew.  Read about it here.

After 2 years, David Beckham I guess is still not all healed though and he never went to the World Cup because of it.  Now he's doing Bikram yoga to heal his Achilles.  Sigh ... I tried to find an article stating that the soccer star was now all healed but even after 2 years, I couldn't find any.  Oh well, I'm a lot younger than him...

_____________________

"Plastic Planet"


I know this has nothing to do with my achilles surgery at all, but I also wanted to write a review on a brilliant documentary I started (but didn't finish) last night called "Plastic Planet."  It's fascinating and scary how much a completely synthetic product has come to dominate our planet, from clothing, chemicals, fuel, to even cosmetics and food additives.

They assured everyone that plastic is a completely inert material that will not invade the food system but in fact, it has.  Fish eat tiny bits of plastic that has broken down from sunlight exposure and the churning of the seas.  Cattle and livestock eat petroleum-derived, pesticide-laced grain feed.  Even our processed foods are all packaged in various plastic materials and even preserved and colored with petroleum-derived preservatives, food colorings, and other additives.  We are assured it's all safe, but we now know (after all the BPA, pthalates, parabens, plasticizers, etc. media blitz) that it's endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic.

I believe it's a German documentary so I couldn't find the interview I was after with the scientist, Klaus Rhomberg.  He talked about how a single PVC diaper takes 200 years to breakdown to its component petroleum materials.

Anyways, for those that comprehend German, enjoy! (I didn't see this clip in the documentary; it's probably part of the deleted or extras from the DVD, so I have no clue what he's talking about.  Can someone translate?)

For English-speaking folks, here's a trailer:

Day 11 & 12 (Today) Update

Day 11 (Yesterday):


Orgo II

I tried to read about phosphorous ylides and Wettig reactions but basically zoned out.  I finished reading Ch. 19 but I just couldn't seem to focus.  I tried to finish the OWL homework online today too but only managed to get through carboxylic acid nomenclature and a tutorial on the Wettig reaction.  Sigh.


"Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox"

I also watched this rather quirky but illuminating documentary ("Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox") on the late Dr. Emmanuel Bronner, the creator of those Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps.  You know the peppermint soaps with the crazy labels:  "All One! All One! All One!"

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-dr-bronners-classic-liquid-soaps

It was quite entertaining.  The man escaped the Nazis from Germany only to be locked into a mental asylum in the U.S. and put there by his own sister!  He escapes to California where he sunbathes in the nude and preaches about "uniting Spaceship Earth" while selling his castille soap.  Brilliant.

http://brokelyn.com/tested-the-crazy-alleged-uses-of-dr-bronners-soap/

Disturbing Jewish Complex

One disturbing fact, was about how Dr. Bronner actually favored his youngest son who appeared to be Aryan since he had blonde hair and blue eyes.  He neglected his older son, Ralph, who took after himself and "looked Jewish" with dark brown hair and thick glasses (Dr. Bronner was legally blind).  Dr. Bronner developed a complex over his Jewish heritage in Germany.  When he tried to play with the neighborhood kids a group of them took a pail of piss and threw it at him and called him a "Jude (Jew)!"  In his labels and in his preaching, clearly the Jewish faith remains a strong part of his identity but in his unbalanced treatment of his children, it's also clear that deep down in his subconscious he bore a self-hatred for his Jewish heritage.

So it's ironic, that Jim (the favored Aryan child) grew up to completely dimiss his father's teachings as insane ramblings and it was Ralph, who has gone on to carry his father's legacy and spread not only the message of the Castille soap but also his father's message of unity and faith.

Dr. Bronner lost both of his parents to concentration camps and his sister thinks that trauma destabilized his psyche.  Dr. Bronner referred to his stint at the Elgin Mental Asylum as "a concentration camp" where he was forced to "mix cement like a slave" (the mental patients were forced to do labour as it was believed to help aid in their treatment).  He also had undergone shock therapy there.


The Groovy 60s

Apparently, during this time in the 60s, Dr. Bronner was a contemporary of Paul Bragg (the apple cider guy), so the heath movement was strong, especially on the West Coast.  It was said that Dr. Bronner was embraced by the counterculture, which is ironic since Dr. Bronner had this paranoia that the commies were out to get him.  He even called the FBI numerous times claiming that the communists were poisoning the public water supply with sodium fluoride.  (There are only a few American cities that have refused fluoridation of tap water, off the top of my head Ashland and Portland, OR have always refused fluoridation due to its toxic effects.)

One would think that Dr. Bronner would be more concerned about right-wing fascists due to his experience in Nazi Germany, who knows.

Ralph Bronner had this to say about the documentary.


More Netflix Streaming

OK so I got carried away with my synopsis of an interesting documentary... It's on Netflix streaming for those interested.  I've been watching a lot of Netflix lately.

I'd recommend "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil;" it's about these rednecks in West Virginia fighting off stupid preppy college kids. "Phase 7" is another quirky, funny horror movie (It's Argentinian).  Oh and I actually liked "Quarantine 2" and unlike the first one,"Quarantine" being a complete rip-off of the original Spanish movie, "[Rec]," "Quarantine 2" is completely different from "[Rec]2" and I think it's even better.


Tucker & Dale vs. Evil was hilarious.  I love horror/comedies.
"They hate my face!" LOL!


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Perspective

Day 12:

Now about my recovery.  Laying in bed all day has given me some lumbar back problems that I hope will go away once I start moving about some more.  At least I don't have to worry about bed sores developing.

My mom gave me some perspective too.  She said back when she broke her collar bone, she was forced to wear a torso cast and in the summer it was so sweltering and humid that it got itchy and she developed boils underneath the cast.  It also didn't heal properly because she was still made to do household chores like sweep the floor etc.

I also found out that my CrossFit coach was in an awful car crash, where his car had to be cut into and then he was medi-flighted out to a hospital.  He had two brain bleeds and was not breathing on his own. Then just today his wife said on Facebook that he has opened his eyes and even breathed for awhile without the machine.  The marvels of modern medicine.

So yes, I'm extremely lucky to have a brain that is functioning (more or less), a heart that beats, and lungs that work on their own.

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Surgical Footage (for the "Nip/Tuck" Fans Out There)

I've gotten to the point where I can now look at images and videos of the surgical operation that I underwent on Friday without getting too squeamish.  Perhaps, it's just morbid curiosity but I'd like to know exactly how I was repaired.

Part of me wants to give up Naturopathic Medicine and become an orthopedic surgeon now...especially since graduate students and professional students can no longer apply for subsidized loans I might as well be learning something that can truly help someone, right?  I don't know.  I was so sure about becoming an ND after India but now I'm not so sure...

This is a cool video showing the surgical repair using a "burrito technique," where the orthopedic surgeon places a graft jacket over the sewn tendon.

This, on the other hand, is just a really bizarre video since it has upbeat Greek music playing to a seemingly more gruesome repair of the torn achilles.

Rubber Ducky (Day 10)

It's the Little Things...

I don't think I've ever been so thrilled at the prospect of taking a bath.

This must be some grand scheme by the universe to teach me gratitude or something.

I'm never going to take for granted hot running water and soap again, especially shampoo!  My head was so itchy after several days without a shower!  It was interesting having to take a bath sitting in a chair in a bathtub with one leg all wrapped up and hanging out over the edge LOL.  Now I know what it feels like to be an old man in a retirement home getting a sponge bath (or conversely a swaddling baby...).

A few days ago, I was ecstatic at being able to poo and now I'm thrilled that I can take a bath. It's like I'm a baby again!

Next step is being able to walk again...but that probably won't be in the horizon for the next few months.

It truly is remarkable how you feel after a hot bath though.  It's as if shedding all those dead skin cells, dirt, grime, and hair externally also leads to an internal renewal process.  Shedding the old shell and emerging a new rejuvenated you.

____________________________________________

List of Cream of the Crop Top Contributors (Triple Digit Donations):

Jorge Salhuana
David Wu
Alexander Holliday
Alvin Lin
Siby Spurgeon
Kyuha Lee
Jonathan Ko
Niven Hsu

(4/9/12 Updated) Extremely Generous Contributors (very close to the cream of the crop):

Jessica Wang
Shawn Hiller
Valerie Easterling
Christina Ayala-Vance
Chase Park
James Haver
Kim Palumbarit

Total Amount Raised To Date (including the $ spent for surgery, so far):  $1,955.58


Close to 2 grand after a week of fundraising is amazing!  I am so grateful to everyone who donated and those who helped in non-monetary ways as well.

The Breakdown:

Faith Surgical Center Fees:  $2,000
Surgeon's Fee (with the 30% discount):  $878.00
Anesthesiologist Fee:  $250.00
Orthopedic Consultation Fee:  $125.00
Previous Ortho. Office Visit: $78.00
Crutches: $32.00
Prescription Meds:  $22.00

Total Surgical Cost To Date*:  $3,385

*The anesthesiologist office warned that the bill may be raised retroactively if the surgery took longer than expected.  Also, I'm not sure if they charged for those shots of Demerol, cortisone, etc.  I won't know until they send the bills in the mail.


I'm just amazed that 57.8% of the surgical bill (that we know of) was covered by fundraising done in a week.  And it's all thanks to y'all.

The need for donations is no longer urgent since the surgery has been done and they require payment beforehand but it would be appreciated if the surgical fees could be defrayed and the future follow-up visits and physical therapy costs could be cushioned as well.


No One Is Forcing You To Donate; Private Message Me If You Want A Reimbursement

Again, I don't think I can stress this enough, only donate if you are freely willing and able.
(I would much rather you not donate, than try and hold me in your debt or blame me for any future financial troubles for taking your $20 to put towards surgery...)

For those that for whatever reason regret giving a PayPal donation should step forward and let me know and I will gladly reimburse them, no questions asked.

I sincerely dislike passive aggressiveness, so instead of bearing a grudge against me behind closed doors or expressing dissatisfaction in other insidious ways, just spit it out and I'll appreciate the initial gesture and sentiment, nonetheless, since you helped me through a very hard time.  I promise I won't hold it against you.  I've forgiven much worse, believe me.  I also understand firsthand what it's like to be between a rock and a hard place, so don't fear, you'll have a sympathetic ear.


Thank You

For those that have donated freely out of the abundance in their heart, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart and have all the confidence in the world that material and spiritual abundance flows both from you and to you for the rest of your days.