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

Isn't it amazing how our brains regrow connections? This is so cool, it's almost mind over matter...

or at least re-route them. But yes, quite remarkable the brain.

Christopher Reeve lived with the hope that nerve fibers could grow back enough to restore movement to paralyzed extremities. He died before that could happen.

they are still w*rking on that, paul. it may not have helped reeves, but there is hope for many others

- - -

maybe if we lay a lot of mirrors out in the desert sands we might also be able to get rid of excessive heat / reduce global warming?

creating alternative fuels for our cars may not reduce carbon dioxide sufficiently?

Dear Ictoan,

Thank you so much for that info on the Spanish Tower. It looks remarkable. I have downloaded it and also sent it to my brother in the States. it is interesting that this morning there was a very gooddocumentary of Michael Portillo in spain. I really enjoyed that. I also saw the first one that he did.

Remarkable how innovative the Spanish are.

I must admit that it is marvellous to be able to learn all about the wonderfully innovative things when I have not been out of this little town for a great many months/years. London seems so far away. Oh gosh. I forgot that I went to France for the day just a month ago. I hope to go again early in the New Year. I love it there.

Tranquillizing Sheep is a game which was developed by the Human Research Biology sectiTn of Oxford University. I believe that it was done in order to help people develop faster reflexes. I thought about it and decided that, as my circulation in my brain had been interrrupted by the stroke, that it could possibly help me improve the bad circulation if I did these exercirses.

Thank goodness I was right and the result has been little short of miraculous. It took a great deal of patience however. the lowest score one can achieve is that of being a "Sluggish snail" It took me two months of practising every single day before I reached the next stage of being an !Ambling Armidillo! Which is generally where I play at!!, The next stage of being a "Bobbing Bobcat" happens when I manage to find time to do the eercises every single day. !!I also record my score every single time and try and do it 25 times every day. I do not know if the rehabilitation units ever do anything like that, but I can assure you that being over 80 means that the majority of the medical world consider that I have "lived my life" and do preciouw little to make it either easier or to improve anything physical I do. !! I do not really mind, escept that it would have been a much quicker recovery had I been able to have some rehab. work done with a physiotherapist. But as my own daughter is one nd certainly never suggested anything to me........!!

Enough moaning. I am really lucky to have managed to take myself in hand and have managed to achieve everything that I have wanted.

go well my new friend and take care of yourself. You have such wonderful dreams of what can be acheived and I know that I am going to enjoy our friendship.

Go well and have a happy and satisying time over the festive season.

Christiane
AlsoRan

22/ZII/09 12.10 GMT

There is always something new to be learned at this site.

If you really apply yourself.

Perhaps.

However, I have often learned things here without trying. What matters more is being engaged and receptive.

Christiane:

Here is a site B'Elana showed me. I found it fun while I was recovering from the last cataract operation - I'll probably use it again next week after left-eye surgery:

http://www.omgpop.com/#/arcade/gamelobby/letterblox

The Letterblox are big enough to see.

<The Squadron of Flying Cucumbers pauses momentarily over the H2G2 headquarters, then continues on its way toward Bethlehem, where it will graciously consent to being shaken, its seeds rattling musically inside like maracas.

Hi Dimitri

I felt seasick just looking at it. !!What is it supposed to do.

I also had both eyes operated on years ago for cataracts. At the moment I virtually have got just peripheral vision again but I am not going to have another op. I have had too many. I am sure that I was supposed to rest my eyes after the op. Aren't you?

Honestly, blind, deaf, long past my sell by date!!1 but I still enjoy life immensely, and will have a lovely christmas with my son Keith and myself. We are going to fetch him tomorrow. I hope that the roads will not be too icy. I hope that I have got enough presents for everyone.

Go well and all good wishes to the twp of you over the festive aeason.

Christiane
Ar80

22/XII/09 18.45

Hi Dimitri

I felt seasick just looking at it. !!What is it supposed to do.

I also had both eyes operated on years ago for cataracts. At the moment I virtually have got just peripheral vision again but I am not going to have another op. I have had too many. I am sure that I was supposed to rest my eyes after the op. Aren't you?

Honestly, blind, deaf, long past my sell by date!!1 but I still enjoy life immensely, and will have a lovely christmas with my son Keith and myself. We are going to fetch him tomorrow. I hope that the roads will not be too icy. I hope that I have got enough presents for everyone.

Go well and all good wishes to the two of you over the festive aeason.

Christiane
Ar80

22/XII/09 18.45

Christiane:

I hope you have a lovely day.

To play the game, you make as many words as possible from some letters. The blocks are very large. I am not very fast, and often lose.

Nowadays they use lasers and put in a plastic lens, and you are supposed to look at whatever you like - only no heavy lifting or bending for a week (intraocular pressure).

These guys on hootoo here don't know about this yet. Being an early bloomer, as usual, I got my cataracts before everybody else. Most of the other patients are retired.

No need for you to feel past your sell-by date...my dad is your age, has had a heart attack and germ cell cancer, and he's still doing his own driving, gardening, etc.

Dmitri

I had my first eye op over twnety years ago in Cape Town south Africa.

I had the second one about ten years ago in Maidstone Kent.

Both are begining to feel slightly weary. I no longer can read anything without a huge magnifying glass. But I will not have another op -for what ever reason. I have had more than my fair share I can assure you. One day I shall regale this website with them. and most of them were done long before keyhole surgery.

The first one, which was having half of my left lung removed plus the most enormous benign tumour(wan'nt I lucky?)amd one of my ribs, was done in Cape Towm on 1980. I had half of the medical students coming to examine me before the op because I had apparently had the tumour for fifteen years and |I thought I could not breathe becaise I was too fat - and then my lung collapsed and was collapsed for five years before the op I am !!. Actually they gave me ten years to live and that was nearly thirty years ago. !! double I think. !!

I was operated on in the same theatre that the first ever heart transplant in the world was done by Dr. Christiaan Barnard - did you know that it had been done in South Africa? so I refused to be put to sleep before I got to the theatre and there were the two theatre operating tables. It was quite a thrill I can assure you. !!

So now I have told you - nay, |I have boasted to you about my operation - one of two big ones.!! Naughty old lady. !!

go well,
Christiane
AR80

22.XII/09 19/05

Please forgive me if I have not edited it correctly. My eyes are tired and I must leave my computer.

Christiane:

You are one amazing lady. You should boast - you always have something to teach us.

You and Prof Animal Chaos are medical wonders. (I only get medical tourists looking at my eyes, apparently I'm, er, unusual...)

Go well.

Dmitri

You're noth unusual, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sorry, "noth" should have been "both."

(My eyes and fingers are past their sell-by date...

i myself have passed the 'best before' date but what do i care, i can still enjoy

hope you will all enjoy the upcoming holidays

Once I get to my brother's house, I can relax for about six hours. Then I will probably have to worry about driving safely back to Boston...