Message 984

I threw up a couple of times yesterday and again this morning, but it was mostly dry heaves since my stomach was mostly empty. I have an appointment at 1 PM today to see Brenan Scott my gastro enterologist. I have another appointment with my family doctor at 5:10 PM. She squeezed me in at the end of her day. I had a terrific headache this morning, and I was about to take my next anti nausea pill when I noticed that it says MAY CAUSE HEADACHES as a warning on the label. Maureen and Vanessa are driving me to my appointment with Brenan. I hope something can be done.

Message 983

This is a record late message because I spent several hours in Urgent Care at PAMF. They put me on an IV with anti nausea medicine in it. I also filled a prescription to bring some anti nausea pills home with me. I also have an appointment to see my family care doctor tomorrow for a follow up. Yesterday I spent the day in bed again. I did watch the Sharks lose to Florida 2-3. They were ahead 2-1 in the third period and then lost. Bummer. In the evening I watched the first episode of Any Human Heart on PBS.

Message 982

I made a mistake in yesterday’s message. Julian pointed out to me that Vanessa did not have a toe cut off. She had the nerve removed from her third metatarsal. So she still has all her toes, but can not feel the pain anymore. Yesterday I read all of The Economist. Last night I threw up at 1 AM right after I went to bed. It was mostly dry heaves since my stomach was empty. This morning I threw up again right after breakfast. I did not make it to the sink, so it was a mess to clean up this time.

Message 981

Yesterday Maureen took Vanessa to the doctor to have one of her toes cut off because the cortisone shots she has been taking for years can not be continued. Because her recovery took hours longer than she expected she called and asked me to pick up Beech and Annie after their schools in the afternoon. It was great to see the kids, in spite of Annie having a meltdown, so that she exhausted herself and took a nap after we got home. Vanessa is doing well, although she will not be able to drive for a week.

When I got home, I watched the Sharks game against New Jersey. The score was 0-0 until the middle of the third period when Marleau finally scored. Unfortunately New Jersey then scored two power play goals, so the Sharks winning streak ended and they lost 1-2. I was surprised that Jim called this morning, so I joined him and Helen at Starbucks before doing my weekly Safeway shopping.

Message 980

I took my prostate pill last night, so I threw up first thing this morning. It was before I ate any breakfast, so it was mostly dry heaves. I am glad that I will skip the pill for two more days now before I take another. Last night I watched three installments of American Experience on PBS. They were about Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill, and Kit Carson. Although I was familiar with all of them, I learned a lot of things I did not know before, especially about Kit Carson.

Message 979

I just got back from having breakfast at Heidi’s Pies with Vanessa and Annie, Reggie, and Henry and his wife. I have brought Annie home with me so Vanessa can have her hair done. After I send this message I will take Annie to Nealon Park.

Yesterday Josh came over and watched the Sharks beat Columbus 3-2. They fell behind 0-2 in the first period and came back to win. After the game we went to El Cerrito’s for dinner. We ran in to Larry and Judi there with friends. After dinner, I went home and watched the second half of the Warriors game against Denver. Both teams made a lot of three-point shots, and as usual the team that made the last shot won, which was the Warriors by two points.

My Doctor said he doubted my medication was responsible for my nausea, but he agreed with my plan except that he suggested every other day to take the pill instead of once a week. I decided to compromise on three times a week, so I skipped last night too and am feeling good today.

Message 978

Yesterday afternoon I watched the Sharks shut out Washington 2-0. Again Couture scored the first goal. The game started at 4 PM PST because it was another road game. Joshua came over after work and watched the second and third periods with me. After the game I watched a DVD of the movie Nadine with Jeff Bridges and Kim Bassinger. It was a comedy, thriller, farce. Johs decided it was not worth watching, so he went home after the game, but I give it three stars.

I threw up again about noon yesterday. Joshua suggested that it might be the medicine that I take in the evening for my prostate. It dawned on me that he might be right, so I skipped my pill last night, and today I feel much better. The medicine is called Tamsulosin HCL. If it is the cause of my nausea, it explains why I feel sick in the mornings and better by bedtime. I take the pill half an hour after my evening meal, but the side effects do not kick in for a few hours. I have tried stopping this medication before, but after a few days I notice that I have trouble urinating, so I start it up again. Maybe I can start a routine of taking it only once a week instead of every day. Unlike other drug allergies I have discovered, in particular Cipro and Sulfa drugs, Tamsulosin HCL does not give me a rash. I will keep you posted on how this works out.

Message 977

I just got back from going to the post office to buy anytime stamps. I first went to the post office nearest to me, but they were out of anytime stamps, so I had to go to the one downtown. I bought four sheets, so now I should have enough to last me for a few years. Last night I watched a DVD of the 1972 movie Bad Company with Jeff Bridges. I have been watching a lot of Jeff Bridges movies lately, and he was really young in this one. I give it 3.4 stars.

Message 976

Yesterday I finished True Grit on my Kindle, and also Science. In the afternoon I watched the first half of the Super Bowl, then went with Larry and Judi to join Ron and Marci at a Turkish restaurant in Palo Alto. After dinner the Super Bowl was still in the fourth quarter because of the long half time show, so I was happy to see Green Bay win. In the evening I watched another episode of Poirot on Masterpiece Mystery.

Message 975

Yesterday I watched the Sharks shut out Boston 2-0. It was a good close game. Couture scored a goal in the first period and Setoguchi scored an empty netter with two seconds to go in the third period. After my Safeway shopping I read all of The Economist. Later in the evening I read up to 92 percent of True Grit on my Kindle. I should be able to finish it today before the Super Bowl. I will route for Green Bay because their quarterback is from the Chico area and played for Cal, but I do not really care who wins.

Message 974

Helen and Jim were busy, so I did not go to Starbucks this morning. Instead I balanced my check book. I am now watching the Sharks play in Boston. The game started at 10 AM Pacific Time. After the usual Friday night PBS shows yesterday, I read some more on my Kindle. I am feeling pretty good today, so I will do my Safeway shopping this afternoon after the hockey game is over.

Message 973

Yesterday I downloaded the book True Grit for my Kindle and read the first couple of chapters. I have been hearing so much about it on TV in discussions of the new Coen brothers movie that I decided to read it myself before I see the movie. In the evening I watched a DVD of the movie Wild Bill with Jeff Bridges and lots of other good cast members. It was the story of Wild Bill Hitchcock, and it was reasonably well done, so I give it three stars.

Message 972

I just got back from having breakfast at Heidi’s Pies with Reggie, Henry, Vanessa and Annie. After breakfast we went to pick up Vanessa’s car at the repair shop where they had replaced her broken car window. Last night Joshua came over and brought fish and chips and watched the Sharks beat the Ducks 4-3 with me. The Sharks went ahead 3-0 in the first period and held on to win 4-3. Joshua and Jason had been at the game in San Jose the previous night where the Sharks came from behind and scored 5 goals in the third period to beat Phoenix 5-4. I also finished reading Science yesterday.

Message 971

I stayed in bed all day yesterday, so I am feeling a lot better today. It is a beautiful sunny day outside, so I think I will take a shower and do some laundry. I see on the news that Illinois is getting hit by the big snowstorm. I hope Ethan, Julie, and Alex are not snowbound.

Message 970

I am a little late getting this message off because for some unknown reason I have not been feeling well this morning, so I have been napping. Last night I watched a DVD of the movie The Fisher King in which Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams play mentally disturbed people. It tries to be be sophisticated by referencing the Holy Grail and all that middle ages nonsense but I thought it was a trivialization of the subject. I give it 2.3 stars. I also started reading the new Science.