h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yesterday was Matrix day again, the 11th time...

Due to a rare neurological condition my intra cranial pressure is higher than beneficial, and thus need to be monitored. Two large needles are put through the space between two of my lower spinal vertebrae and into the spinal canal just below the end of the spinal cord. The needles are connected to a computer via a delicate "plumbing system". The tricky part is to not get the needles entangled with "the horse´s tail" the nerves that goes to the part of the body below the needles. When the flowmetry starts and the spinal fluid spins more than usual the delicate nerves get entangled and THAT HURTS! terrible…the word lightening suddenly gets a new, very brutal meaning.

However, this time it screwed up completely. I almost fainted twice and the neurologist on call didn't even manage to get a single needle inside me. Regardless of that, I had to take the rest of the day off and spent it sleeping surrounded by most of the Lair Cats. Still some head- and back ache, but better than yesterday.

It'll be a new attempt within a couple of weeks. Probably by inserting the needles into my head via the shunt this time. Experimental procedure still, so it requires attendance of a bunch of doctors "just in case" - so there will be a neurosurgeon, an anaesthesiologist/internist and maybe a neurologist as well.

I'm not looking forward to it.

Oh dear, poor DQ That sounds decidedly unpleasant, and having to go through all that with no result just makes it worse!

But it sounds like you're doing the right thing, curling up among the cats. Can one of them make a decent cup of cocoa?

Oh dear that sounds very nasty indeed

it certainly does

and all i can do is wish you

i feel so useless

Poor ! I hope all the s help you feel better.

HN

I could certainly do without the matrixing, but seemingly it's the only way to monitor my ICP I guess the outer coverings of my spinal cord are just too scarred and fibrotic after all this poking that has been done in the past that it's tricky to cut through.

Yesterday wasn't a good day either, far too much of it was spent in bed. The Lair s enjoyed having company in bed though, so I was properly by them.

I've got a couple of booked classes at the Sports Centre this afternoon, but somehow I doubt I'll be able to go.

That's a pity. I like the mental image of a dragon on a treadmill. You'd need one for each foot!

(Seriously, though, take it easy. Wish I had wings myself to fly over there and give you a as well. I can send you some more cats, if you need them...)

Thanks

... but unfortunately I think I must refuse the offering of more cats...

Leopardess has just about started to realise that she doesn't need to go into attack mode every time another of the Lair s are in her close vicinity. There has been some friendly sniffing every now and then, but she has to chase at least nightly...

Even I've started to realise that there are a limit of how many cats one can have in a city apartment , presently I think this limit is five.

Awww, Leopardess sounds like Makita, the cat we've just acquired. She hisses at all the other cats, the dog, and even herself in the mirror

DQ, that procedure sounds awful, and I'm sorry it didn't go well this time. I hope it will go smoothly and with as little discomfort for you as possible when they try again.

We've got a more or less happy balance here with the two kitties, but we won't be getting any more till we have more living space. There's no hissing or growling any more, thankfully.

I used to have a cat that hissed at himself in the mirror, too. I thought he was kind of silly to do that. .

there have been times when i felt like hissing at my own image in the mirror

Oh, I've done that.

Sorry DQ that you been having such painful treatment.

Take care and lots of love and best wishes.

This made me think of you: http://hollycomics.livejournal.com/388772.html#cutid1