Tenn Talk

Today's Routine Dr. Visit

2005-07-27T16:08:00.000-04:00

All told -it was a delightful morning! The wheelchair is a god-send for this type of day. Whipping Dad from an airconditioned car into the airconditioned building and up to the Dr. office -- swift and smooth.

The day started well as Dad was up and dressed when I arrived at 9. Lots of laughs and confusion as I "bullied" him into changing his shirt.

I'm continually amazed and delighted at the way the doctors and nurses treat Dad -- total respect and caring. No matter how long or boring his story, they always let him finish. They provide him with complete information regardless of the fact that I'm also in the room. Dad just laps up all the attention.

Bottom line -- he's doing extremely well on his current treatment plan, and no changes were made. His weight is back up by 6 pounds - but that's due to a return of a gusto-appetite.

Lots of tests, mental and physical. Dad's mmse (memory) score is 22/23 (on a scale of 1-30). Last Oct, after his TIA, Personious tested Dad at a mmse of 25/26. Dr. Brooks told me today that Dad is so competitive during "testing" that he made up answers, then gently chided the doctor for "changing the rules."

Dad told the doctor and nurse that he wanted to go back to giving himself his medications. He has been questioning why he's taking so many pills, and he suspects 2 of them are sugar pills. Dad indicated that he would take the pills only when he thought he needed them. Ooops. Dr. explained it was best if the Atria nurse continued doing it for a while. Dad continued to question this even after we got back to his apt. I got his morning dose of pills from the nurse. Then I took each one of them and explained to Dad what it was by name and what it was for. He quickly came to understand that most of them are vitamins! Only 3 teeny ones are what the doctor called "your smart pills and your happy pill!" But all together, they sure fill up that little pill cup!

I've got to remember that when Dad keeps bringing something up again and again - it's only because he has not yet received an answer he can accept.

We had lunch-to-go back in his apt -- Buddy's bar-b-que with slaw -- only this time they put the slaw on the sandwich instead of on the side. Not bad. . .

As I left, Dad had just finished his slice of Key Lime pie, drained his cup of ice tea, and was heading for a nap.

A good time was had by all.

Computers, Dinners and Southern Accents

2005-07-19T21:54:00.000-04:00

Well, Dad is in rare shape! Even tho' he didn't stay up late to watch the Braves vs the Giants, he was pleased when I told him the Braves won 6-1. Thanks to Ted Turner's cable network, Dad watches every Braves game. He knows all the players by stats and quirks.

His dining room table is now complete. Another Bill has returned so there are 4 grumpy old men at every meal. They laugh, complain, interrupt each other constantly. Dad has even come to like the "early meal schedule" as they are served their meals, then the entire staff runs to the other dining roonm to serve the "late meal schedule." So Dad, Howard, and 2 Bills just hang out at their table for an hour and gab. It's a great social time for Dad.

Dad remarked that everyone at Atria is treating him so much better now that he's back. He's absolutely convinced that they have all decided to speak more slowly. How else can you explain why he can now understand their Tennessee accent!?!!

Ah, yes, the computer news. Well, the WebTV stopped working again. Go to Channel 3 -- press TV/Video --- green light on, but all we get is a screen saver of puppies and kittens. Pounding the power button on keyboard,on the other remote, any and all random keys and buttons -- nothing. Can't get the MSN screen, much less get it to connect to telephone. I called tonight and verified that Dad's still registered. Then switched to tech services where they told me to try turning the power on the surge protector on and off a few times. When I joked and said that's like receiving instructions to "jiggle the cord," the techie actually responded: "Yes, you might try that too."

WebTV - Argh!

2005-07-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

Getting Dad's new WebTV all hooked up was fairly easy until 2 weeks later when the keyboard developed problems. Had to pound on keys to get them to register. Spent a fortune on new batteries. No help. Called techservices. No Help. Sent email to tech services. 3 days later - solution is to "reset the keyboard." Remove the batteries, press power button for 60 seconds to "drain all the power." Then reinstall batteries. This voodoo actually seems to have worked.

Walked Dad through a tutorial. He primarily wanted to read his new messages and then forward a poem rather than transcribe a new one. Got all the way through the process. Chose an old Yeats, chose dozens of recipients, wrote a message, hit SEND. . . only to see "Mail is not available at this time." So it all ended up in the "draft."

Dad was not confused by all of this - rather he was very disinterested. After lunch, after dinner, he just seems to need a nap. Or a good ball game. But he's not at all frustrated or impatient with the vagaries of WebTV.

Meanwhile, don't worry if you don't see much poetry in your in-box. Yeats and Dad are tucked in nicely.

Dusty Update

2005-07-06T14:51:00.000-04:00

Hello All!

Thought I would dust off (pun intended) this old blog and use it to send info about Dad. I'll end the good stuff via email, but save the detailed info on this blog. Things like ---- a list of his current meds. Boring, I know. But just in case someone asks . . .

Namenda - slows the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. He will be on this long-term.

Remeron -- antidepressant - mostly for sleeping too much, thoughts of death, irritability, loss of interest in daily activities. Effective dose 15 to 45 mg/day. Dad's on 30 mg/day; may decrease dose as needed. Primary side effect is weight gain directly related to increased appetite. Five years ago, when Dad was at home and before the disease had progressed to this point, we'd have tried St. John's Wort instead of Remeron.

Seroquel - antidepressant/antipsychotic. Treats delusions and confusion, and anger. Side effects: swollen legs, feet, arms. This drug is temporary and will probably cease within one month.

That's it -- unless you count the over-the-counter stuff ---- Vitamin B-12 (500 mg), aspirin (81mg), calcium (600 mg) and ICaps with Lutein (vitamins for eyes).

Atria is in charge of all meds -- whew! And it is ALSO a chance for them to pop in on Dad twice a day!

A local pharmacy deals directly with Atria, processes all of Dad's prescription insurance stuff, delivers the meds to Atria and sends the bill to me ($68/month).

You can ask questions by just responding to this post.

Think this will work? (THIS means the BLOG.) (THIS also means Dad's meds!)

Hope so!

Love to all. . .K

Tomorrow's Headline

2004-11-02T22:22:00.000-05:00

Dewey Defeats Nader!

A $54 Million Marketing Snafu

2004-08-27T01:30:00.000-04:00

First you have to understand that AT&T (generic) and AT&T Wireless are two separate companies. That's where the clarity ends. Now for the devilish details.

AT&T (generic) is currently running a massive TV campaign during the Olympics to promote their services to consumers. Unfortunately, they recently announced that they were getting out of the consumer end and would be targeting business customers only.

AT&T Wireless is running ads in Olympic programming touting the quality of their service, while they are being soundly rejected by hundreds of thousands of customers due to the terrible service their network offers. In addition, AT&T Wireless has recently been acquired and will begin operating under the Cingular name. So AT&T (generic) will get to use the AT&T name on all their wireless service. So, in effect, AT&T Wireless' advertising campaign has been helping a potential rival, AT&T (generic). Still with me?

This marketing nightmare began when both AT&T's committed to Olympic TV schedules 2 years ago. When their business plans changed, their marketing did not. Between them, they committed to - and spent - $54 million on advertising during the 2 weeks of the Olympics. The marketing people must be tearing their hair out. Not to mention the investors.

No one asked me, but I'd have suggested that they run public service spots in those time slots. Boys & Girls Clubs - brought to you by. . . Wearing a good-guy hat looks a lot better than sporting a stupid one.

VOIP - Pronounce it? Want it? Get used to it!

2004-08-20T01:24:00.000-04:00

VOIP - Voice Over Internet Protocol is new to the Internet and already there's a price war going on. Depending on which company you choose, you can have unlimited local and long distance phone calls for $20 to $30 per month, via the Internet. You can pick your area code, keep your existing phone number, call Western Europe as a local call, and do it all with your existing telephone number and a computer - and save one to two thirds off your current phone bill.

And it's cheap for the companies that run the Internet phone systems, too. AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner, Quest, Cablevision, Vonage (the pioneer in Internet calling) and newcomers like Lingo, are all aggressively jumping in to serve this rapidly growing audience. According to a recent WSJ article, the only thing stopping the consumer is the unfamiliarity of the process.

But it's amazingly simple. All you need: a high speed Internet connection (cable or DSL) and an adapter that plugs into your computer modem. Your computer routes the call over the Internet. Phone calls will travel the Internet along side normal Internet traffic, raising concerns about the quality and security of the conversation. But the savings can be significant for those with high speed connections from a cable company as they may eventually disconnect their phone line completely. Those with DSL cannot do without their traditional phone line, but still enjoy considerable savings on phone charges.

VOIP - it's not just for geeks anymore. I just wish someone would tell me how to pronounce it.

Cool Tools

2004-08-17T00:41:00.000-04:00

If the thought of a cordless, mini-soldering iron makes your heart race - this site is for you. It runs on ordinary lighter butane and fits in your toolbox. How about transparent duct tape, or a tapeless measuring tape that uses ultrasonice waves instead of a second person to hold the dumb-end of the tape.

Kevin Kelly -- co-founder of Wired and former editor and publisher of Whole Earth Review -- welcomes submissions and nominations for cool tools in a variety of categories from health and media to computers and gardening.

Readers' advice, photographs, links to stores, manufacturer's specs and prices will all have you scrolling and clicking and compiling a Christmas Wish List far earlier than you thought possible.

East Tennessee in the News

2004-08-08T23:52:00.000-04:00

It's been a long hot summer. And East Tennessee has made it to the National's in the News Department.

First there was the birthday guy who broke into the little league field snack stand down in Blount County. He'd covered his body with nachos and cheese before he was arrested by some real sharp sheriff's deputies.

Over in Hawkins County it was the deputies who were absent as several inmates made a break for it. Well, actually they walked out the unlocked back door of the jail. They didn't go far. Just over to the convenience store where they bought a couple of 6-packs and went back to their cell. It was after the second beer run that they got caught. The cell block party got a little loud and the deputies finally got a little wise.

Meanwhile up in Grainger County they broke out of the jail to protest yet another dinner of macaroni and cheese and turnip greens.

Like I said, a real long - sloooow -- summer.

At the Library - Name That Book!

2004-08-04T22:10:00.000-04:00

There's a contest among the staff at the library to name their newly compiled Staff Cookbook.

Among the entries:

641.5

The Well-Fed Librarian: Best-Loved Recipes from the Stacks

With over 350 recipes, it's clear these people love to cook. And it's almost frightening to see how many of the recipes center on chocolate. . . in almost every category! And sometimes 3 kinds of chocolate. That is, when they're not also adding pecans and peanut butter.

Best Seller

2004-08-01T00:35:00.000-04:00

The 9/11 Commission Report is a must-read. If the US Gov site is too crammed with requests -- try this one -- Just click on "Best Seller" shown above. Thanks to Dr. Pollard at UT School of Info Science who has posted a full copy on his web site.

It may take a while to download as it's over 7 megs. But worth every byte. I haven't printed it out, just reading through it on the computer. And what a story!

It is SO well-written, I checked to see if they gave the writer a credit (they didn't). The first chapter, detailing the minute-by-minute flight of the 4 hijacked planes, reads like a Tom Clancy novel. The organization and clarity of this report are unusual for a government report. I wish more organizations (and corporations) wrote like this.

If you can, split the screen and read the footnotes along with the copy. The annotated footnotes are compelling, add details and offer a glimpse at the depth of the investigation.

No wonder it's a best seller. As of last week, 350,000 copies sold out. And they're in the second printing. My only question - how did the book get into print so quickly? Bookstores were offering paperback copies at $10 each the day AFTER the report was released.

And am I the ONLY one who saw the film clip of the President tossing his copy of the report into the bushes?

This report is generating a lot of interest from the public. Might as well get your copy now - one way or the other.

Radio - cleans up its act

2004-07-24T02:37:00.000-04:00

Clear Channel Radio announced that it would begin to restrict the number of commercials it aires on all its radio stations. Let's hope their competition will take note and follow their lead.

It's good news for advertisers. Screaming car dealers reveal more than the availability of cars. It's an indication that radio is VERY underpriced. So much so that auto dealers are buying far more spots than necessary -- annoying listeners, and filling every available spot on the air. There are far too many commercials per hour on the radio. Over the past 2 years, the clutter on radio has escalated.

A little restraint on the part of the stations to limit the number of commercials and increase the amount of content will begin the long process of wooing back listeners, and offering advertisers more value for their ad dollars.

It's been quite a while since I included radio in a media plan (except for the occasional sports sponsorship). While rates may also climb, a little exclusivity will be worth it. This is a situation I'll monitor closely.

Blog Hopping

2004-07-21T02:47:00.000-04:00

One Blog Thing leads to another -- and the best way to find a great blog is to go to one. Most blogs have a long list of internal links within their postings, as well as a sidebar listing their favorite blogs.

I've listed one Blog Directory --- but a word of caution first. Be sure to click on "advanced blog search" and do a word search. If you just start linking to blogs by topic you'll have to plow through dozens of diaries, rantings, porn, and hopelessly outdated blogs. Time consuming. Frustrating. If you cllick on the Blogspot logo on the top of THIS blog, you will find such a list. Good luck. . .

If you read about a blog in the newspaper or a magazine - be sure to try it. If a blog has national attention, it's probably worth your time. Here are a few to get you started.

Blog Directory

The Blogarama Directory is a general place to start. You might want to check out their "preferences" link to activate various filters.

The best of the political blogs are two that are regularly quoted in the press. Both have national reputations for accuracy and insight, often blog back and forth, and offer a balanced view of the political scene -- IF you link to both of them!

Talking Points Memo

Talking Points Memo by Joshua Marshall offers political analysis from the Left. He can go on a bit, but his comments are well researched and insightful. Also includes a long list of blog links.

Instapundit

This nationally known blog not only comes from Right, he is also a law professor at UT!

South Knox Bubba

South Knox Bubba offers a great taste of Knoxville/national news, politics, barbeque recipes, and photographs - If you start saying "OK. Then." I'll know you've bookmarked SKB. And you're not alone. It's another Knoxville blog that has received national acclaim.

Library Chronicles

For a personal blog by a guy who works in a New Orleans library, try this one. You'll meet all sorts of his friends, co-workers and a few "patrons we love to hate." -- It's a fun and gentle site.

Let me know what you find! It's a blog jungle out there!

The Ultimate Internet Search

2004-07-15T02:53:00.000-04:00

Search what the searchers are searching! If you've wondered what the world is searching for, here's a peek. Search engine MetaCrawler lists its top ten current search requests every 15 seconds at:

Metaspy

Your screen is automatically refreshed every 15 seconds. And if you're real fast with the mouse, you can click on a search for a link to its site.

Maxwell Smartt on Coke

2004-07-12T02:32:00.000-04:00

...a can of Coke, that is. Today, instead of talking into his shoe, Agent Maxwell Smartt would be looking for a specially marked can of Coca-Cola. Coke's summer promotion features a cell phone-ladened can. Instead of soda, it's equipped with a GPS chip that alerts the finder to prizes of cash, a home entertainment center, an SUV and a call from the US military.

Yup. The brass at Army, Air Force and Marine Corps bases from Fort Knox to Alaska are up in arms. "I wouldn't worry if one was in my refrigerator," one of them explained. But their concern is that if one of these Coke cans shows up at a top secret meeting, the GPS device inside the can could spill the beans by evesdropping. No one seems to question why military personnel are casually drinking Cokes at TOP SECRET meetings. . .but that's another blog.

Coke says 'piffle' to the military complaint, noting that, when activated, the cell phone and GPS data are directed solely to Coke's Prize Center.

So. If you spy someone talking into their Coke can, call Tom Ridge. Tell him Maxwell Smartt say's "hi!"

Easy Come - Easy Go

2004-07-08T01:55:00.000-04:00

Congress originally authorized $18 billion for Reconstruction in Iraq. To date, it is estimated that only $2 billion has been spent. And most of that on "security." As in guards, security guards for American personnel in Iraq. The rest of the budget just waits. Mostly they're waiting for the shooting to stop.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Iraq is quickly establishing a presence -- a huge presence. They're setting up a staff of 900 in the Royal Palace. This is the largest US embassy in the world.

And, yes, the budget to run the embassy comes out of the Reconstruction Budget.

It all depends on your definition.

2004-07-06T23:27:00.000-04:00

Glen Campbell was arrested last November for drunken driving that caused a minor accident. He offered this defense at his recent court appearance. Claiming he wasn't really that drunk, he explained he "was just over-served." Then he added that he didn't remember anything about the accident because he was "in a blackout mode." He was sentanced to ten nights in the Phoenix jail (maybe with a good dictionary at hand).

WalMart Defends Sex Discrimination

2004-06-25T22:03:00.000-04:00

Wal-Mart is involved in a massive class-action suit that includes 1.6 million women who are current and former employees. They claim that at all Wal-Marts women are paid less than men, that pay discrepancies exist in most job categories, and the salary gap widens over time. In addition, they claim that women take longer to enter management positions, and that the higher one looks in the organization, the lower the percentge of women.

Wal-Mart's attempts to portray each store as an independent decision-maker failed. So they offered this as a partial explanation for differences in wages:

"...some sales jobs require a gun license, while others pay a premium for workers skilled in handling live crickets sold for fishing."

Of course! Now I understand! It's the "cricket factor" -- HE earns more money than SHE because HE has the tough job of herding all those crickets. . . with a gun.

Today's Library

2004-06-22T14:57:00.000-04:00

I used to go to the library, check out some books, a music tape, and maybe a video. Then I'd head home, sit in my favorite chair and enjoy the book while listening to the music. Later, we'd watch the video. You went to the library, but went home to enjoy the benefits.

Today, going to the library IS the event. Lectures, discussion groups, book clubs, film festivals, community meetings, coffee and tables for brown baggers, live jazz quartets inside, and rock concerts in the plaza outside, art and craft exhibits and demonstrations, antique appraisal events, puppet shows for children, and so much more. If you can dream of it, today's library can probably facilitate it.

Libraries are not just humming with activity, they're bursting at the seams. Talking out loud is the norm as people are turning to the library for a wide variety of experiences. Of course, books and research will always be the backbone of the library. That's why the library has Internet access and reference librarians trained in use of search engines, and Books on Tape! Today's library is alive with activities, discoveries, the joy of learning, an intense spirit of inquiry, and a strong sense of community.

Today's library is a destination, not just a borrowing point. It IS the point. That's why we need a new central library in Downtown Knoxville.

Broccoli Sprouts

2004-06-18T02:39:00.000-04:00

Ah, broccoli sprouts. Let's just see how many Google searches that generates!

Got the urge to grow your own sprouts? Skip the broccoli. A 4-ounce packet of broccoli seeds for sprouting contains a billion seeds the size of poppy seeds.

After 10 days of soaking, rinsing, and draining, several of the specks had begun to sprout -- about the size of a hangnail. And no matter how well I rinsed them, the kitchen reeked of brocolli all day. I finally dumped them in a flowerpot. Darned if they aren't growing!

Since I only used a teaspoon of seeds, I 'll probably sprinkle the remaing gazillion seeds in the back garden and move on to the next packet. It's "zesty salad mix" that contains alfalfa, radish and wheat.

Spammed if we do . . .

2004-06-16T22:57:00.000-04:00

Spammed if we don't. The Federal Trade Commission told Congress not to waste their time creating a national do-not-spam registry. FTC explained that it would be too easy for spammers to break into the registry and send to spam to all those e-mail addresses.

Update

2004-06-15T19:28:00.000-04:00

O.K. So there are about 135,000 US troops stationed in Iraq. But right now there are 1.4 million US troops on active duty. Where are they? They can't ALL be in Alabama! Is it possible that we could avoid reinstating the draft if we went up the lines of the existing military personnel. "They're trained, they're ready, and they're in cushy jobs" shouldn't be the motto of Today's US Armed Forces.

Grocery Store Mystery

2004-06-15T02:36:00.000-04:00

Picnic tables for sale at Kroger. Not just the table -- but table, umbrella and 4 chairs -- all for $199.95. What are they thinking? Does the shopper's grocery list for the picnic read: hot dogs, hamburger, buns, pickles, mustard, and a $200 table set? Do you charge this purchase, or write a check? Do you need your Kroger discount card scanned first?

Just who is the target demographic? Yes, there are other impulse items at grocery stores like the ubiquitous UT shirts and the 99-cent mangos. But as much as I do NOT associate Kroger with outdoor furniture, I also do not consider lawn furniture an impulse purchase.

Yet Kroger must be selling them, and making quite a hefty profit or they wouldn't carry and promote them. Is Kroger saying: When I grow up I want to be like WalMart? Or is WalMart saying: See? I'm all grown up -- I now carry groceries?

There's a marketing rationale somewhere here that escapes me. There's also a Kroger merchandise manager somewhere making the picnic table decision. Maybe he's also the pickle guy. . .

Between the Lines

2004-06-14T14:37:00.000-04:00

I've tried to stop reading betwen the lines. But sometimes a newspaper article can just leave you hanging. But then there are those that just smack you in the nose. . .

The Washington Post reported on Colin Powell and a State Deptartment report that showed an incorrect decline in terrorist attacks since 9/11. Powell, claiming a "numbers error," denied that the administration tried to cook the books with false information. Powell is quoted as saying:
"We can't get away with that now. Nobody was out to cook the books."

'Scuse me? "We can't get away with that NOW!?!?" Just WHEN did they "get away with that?" Makes me want to go back over every report. . . oh never mind.

Then Powell ends with the note that the erroneous terrorist report was compiled by the Terrorist Threat Integration Center, a newly formed CIA clearinghouse. Hummm, the TTIC-- I'll be sure to add them to MY clearinghouse!

Am I missing something here?

2004-06-14T14:15:00.000-04:00

Just how many troops are really in Iraq? The same numbers are published regularly: Out of a total of 135,000 US troops on active duty in Iraq, 40,000 are National Guard, plus 40,000 Army Reserve -- a total of 60% of the total US troops! -- leaving room for 55,000 regulary Army. This does not count how many "contractors" there are working in Army positions.

If anyone has different figures, I'd sure appreciate a heads up. A huge contingent of Army Reservists left town this morning for "an 18-month tour of duty in Iraq." 18 months?! I was under the impression that reserve and national guard units served only one year.