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Friday Watercooler

Levi Johnston...Make...it...go...away...please! Is the only thing worse than the fact that he is out there bragging about how he is a "cougar magnet" the fact that he is getting any media time at all anywhere?  

Speaking of bad taste, have you seen the David Spade/Chris Farley spot for Direct TV? The first time I caught it was on the fly, and wasn't really sure I had seen what I thought I saw, but there is is. David Spade exploiting his close friendship with the late funnyman in what many think is a completely tasteless and tacky ad - apparently with the persmission of the Chris Farley Foundation (Chris's brother) and he got paid for it. Yikes.

And from the "in case you care" department, Page Six is reporting that Jon Gosselinhas finally realized he's the ultimate Halloween costume for idiots and is turning to spirituality to save himself. Gosselin says he will "reconnect with my deeper, more spiritual, more altruistic self" with counseling from Rabbi Schmuley, who used to work with Michael Jackson.To get the ball rolling, Gosselin plans to publicly apologize "in a sacred space to those whom I have hurt" at the West Side Synagogue on Sunday.

And how was your week? Happy Halloween, everybody!

My Parathyroidectomy

You MUST read this if your calcium level is 10.0 or higher! Otherwise, unless you know me REALLY well, this rather detailed account of my surgery a week ago today may be TMI. However, I promised my surgeon that I would help publicize hyperparathyroidism, because even though it is relatively uncommon, it is 70% undiagnosed so if you have a high calcium level you may have, as I did, a challenge in getting diagnosed. It took me nearly fifteen years!

Your calcium level is supposed to live in the 9's. As soon as any test results you have show your level is even once over 10.0 it is time to go to www.parathyroid.com and educate yourself. You will probably be educating your doctor as well. Don't let your physician tell you this is nothing to worry about, that prescription levels of vitamin D will fix it, or to just "wait and see." Because if, like me, you do that, you needlessly end up with some not so fun symptoms and permanent bone damage and increased risk for some cancers.

Hyperparathyroidism is caused by one of your parathyroid glands developing into a tumor. They are never cancerous, but secrete too much parathyroid hormone (PTH) which circulates in your blood, attacks your bones, and makes you feel bad. Remove it and you are cured. Sounds easy, right? Not so much.

Personally, my first workup that showed a high calcium level was fifteen years ago when I saw a reproductive endocrinologist. Over the years, I continued to have an abnormally high calcium level, kidney stones, osteopina, osteoporosis, fatigue, brain fog, and joint pain. The reason is that my lower left parathyroid, originally the size of a grain of rice, was growing what turned out to be a fairly large and robust tumor that soon obliterated it. Until I had it removed last Monday it was generating an extremely large amount of parathyroid hormone (936 - the range is 30-80) and causing my body to leach calcium from my bones. It seems counterintuitive that your body could produce too much calcium but when it does the body throws it off in kidney stones and can not use it so that your body actually depletes the stores you have in your bones. That is why when the doctor tells you this is not a problem, you should go to another doctor.

Or better yet, see a nurse practitioner. A friend and NP diagnosed my condition over the phone after I emailed her my blood work from one appointment. That was last year, and it took me another year to get the "real" diagnosis after my PCP referred me to endocrinologist who still took another year to say I "probably" had this condition. She referred me to a surgeon in her practice who said that the surgery I had last Monday was  not only not offered anywhere in his health care system but was actually a "medical impossibility" which we now know to be a very uninformed statement. The surgery he offered me was the old fashioned kind for this condition where they make a huge cut in your throat that leaves a four to six inch scar and you have to stay in the hospital several days and risk some pretty scary complications. The surgery I had by Dr. Norman at the Norman Parathyroid Center at Tampa General Hospital (a fine ANCC Magnet designated facility) took minutes and left me with a one inch incision that probably won't even scar. I took motrin for pain and left the hospital under my own steam, accompanied by DH, with no restrictions.

I am hopeful that by exercising, light weight training, and close monitoring of my DEXA scans and with proper supplements,over the enxt two years that  I can build back up the damage that was done to my bones.I can't get back the times I missed with family and friends because I was so tired I could not function or the years of brain fog where I made stupid mistakes at work and at home. There is no reason to endure this when this is a condition that is one hundred per cent curable so I am spreading the word. Dr. Norman is the best paratyhroid surgeon in the world. At his practice, this is all they do. If you choose to go to Tampa for this operation, your insurance will likely cover it. You will  have to pay an out of network fee and your travel expenses but it will be worth it to have this condition cured.

Dr. Norman is kind and at the same time mortified that patients like me exist and present with a fifteen year old tumor (he can tell by the size and the PTH level ) that have lived with sometimes debilitating symptoms needlessly. He has a fantastic website that is designed to educate both patients and physicians. If your calcium level is 10.0 or higher, there is a 99.9 per cent chance you have this disease. If your doctor won't listen talk to a nurse. Or refer yourself. Get it taken care of and don't be like me - ignoring everything because you think that it is PMS, menopause (TAH/BSO 5/03), or you work too hard, or that in our sleep deprived nation it is "normal" to be incapacitated with fatigue. Become your own advocate and get it taken care of today! Call me or email me if you could possibly want any MORE information - inclduing a picture of my tumor.  By the way, as value added, Dr. Norman sends a copy of the picture of the tumor along with a letter to all of your doctors who missed the diagnosis. Knowledge is power.

Friday Watercooler

Angelina Jolie made me cry last night.

I was watching here interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN (sans mullet lady) and Jolie was talking about her work as the UN Ambassador for the Commission on Refugees. While always prefacing her statements with the comment that she is not political and that there are many more people out there who have greater expertise in the subject than she does, her first hand accounts of her experiences with displaced populations always strikes me as moving and informing.

The current crisis area is Pakistan on the border of the area where the Taliban has a strong hold in Afghanistan. It is the largest migration of refugees since Rwanda and no one is doing anything about it except the US and Angie and Brad. The US has given some $300 million in aid, and the Jolie/Pitts just gave a mil of their own but Europe and the Mid East  et al are disappointingly uninvolved in this cause making it hard for the aid to get to the refugees. When asked to go into detail with individual stories, she returns time and again to the resilience of the people who have lost everything, and are grateful for nothing more than to be alive. Juxtaposed to her own children, who have everything, and want for nothing, she wants to make sure they are exposed to these stories and that it instills a desire in them to advocate for those that are less fortunate.

A rather stark contrast to "He's Just Not That Into You" which I watched the other night starring Brad's ex, and you can almost think you understand him. Don't get me wrong, I am not judging as the world needs good rom coms. This is not one of them. It is a bad movie. Stay away! Wait for the new one coming out that is a re-teaming of Nia Vardalos and Aidan, AKA John Corbett, where they attempt to recapture some of their Big Fat Greek Wedding chemistry.

So my summer movies are so far two that are outstanding, as in Rachel Getting Married and Frost/Nixon, and two that are stinkers, as in the one above and Bride Wars. I have turned from chic flix to chic lit, where I am having better luck. Just finished Hedge Fund Wives, and an oldie but goodie from Madeline Wickham, aka Sophie Kinsella, Sleeping Arrangements.

A step above the chic lit genre into some good quality fiction I highly recommend American Wife but Curtis Sittenfeld. I am a fan of her two other books, Prep, and The Man of My Dreams. IMHO this is her best work yet. A very thinly veiled roman a clef of Laura Bush, the novel has its beginnings as an opinion piece Sittenfeld wrote in 2001 for slate.com claiming that while she deplored her husband and everything he represented to her, she had a crush on Laura Bush. Love 'em, hate 'em, or somewhere in between this book will suck you in to the rarefied world of a political dynasty and attempts to answer the question "what was she thinking?" in a way that will make you think you are reading an autobiography. It's out in paperback, and perfect for a summer read. A good piece of fiction writing that is meant to be savored.

Hope everyone had a great week!

Tuesday Watercooler

There is a fine line between vigilance (as Webster's defines it "the act or state of being constantly attentive and responsive to signs of opportunity, activity, or danger" ) and hysteria. I know from being on Facebook that there are a lot of swine flu doubters out there that think we have slipped into the latter. I had a few thoughts in that direction myself yesterday sitting in two airports for hours on end and having time on my hands to see the non-stop CNN feeds. Started looking at folks around me to see who looked tan and had maybe possibly been to Mexico on vacation. I did get some Airborne and already had hand sanitizer because here is the thing. Remember several years back when I was posting about being on the pandemic flu task force? And it is not IF with pandemics but rather, WHEN? What scares them with this is that it is has gone person to person (rather than animal to person) quickly so that means it is a fast mutating virus. If you think that about 30,000 people in the US die every year and that is from a flu that we do have a vaccine for, then you can maybe understand the need to be vigilant. And, I would myself rather the CDC et al be over prepared than under prepared. Meanwhile, thanks for coughing and sneezing into your sleeve.

Just to make us feel better comes news that Alicia Sylverstone is making a sequel to Clueless. How have we survived the last decade without it? Renee Zellweger just turned forty and was serenaded on her birthday by Harry Connick Jr. but is no longer dating Dan Abrams. Can you believe Mel Gibson is worth 900 mil? And have you heard that some anonymous donor has been out there making huge gifts to universities? These universities all have one thing in common - they are helmed by women. HAS to be Oprah? And how was your weekend?

Friday Watercooler

Harem pants? Are you kidding me? That is what is reportedly hot on the fashion runways for fall. Remember the Rule: if you wore it the first time it came out no matter what it is you are too old to wear it the second time around! Are you scared? Do they look good on anybody? Well, maybe MC Hammer in that gold commercial.

Poor Lindsay Lohan. First she has to deal with the trauma/drama of her recent breakup and now she is being dissed by her all time idol, Stevie Nicks. Told that LiLo was in talks to play her in an upcoming biopic, Nicks reportedly said "over my dead body" as she claims that LiLo is too messed up on drugs and alchohol to do the job. Wow, that has to hurt as if I am not mistaken Stevie had to have her nose surgically repaired as the result of doing too much cocaine in her younger days.

Care to schedule a lunch meeting with Don Draper? Jon Hamm is making himself available to the winning bidder on eBay for an online auction that benefits the Adrienne Shelly Foundation, which supports female filmmak -ers with scholarships and grants. His significant other is Jennifer Westfeldt, her wrote, produced, and starred in Kissing Jessica Stein, a nice little film that while maybe is not on my top ten list, I always enjoy watching. And Jon Hamm has a bit part in the beginning as the preppy dinner guest who turns out to be "taken."

If you are headed out to Easter on Parade you will see Audrey Hepburn with us decked out in her Easter finery. Whatever it is you are doing this weekend I hope it is a good one for you!

Thursday Watercooler

Yes, I am here to tell you that it only hurts for a minute. Turning fifty that is. Had lots of fun parties over the weekend with friends and family, great food, thoughful gifts, and a really good time. What is not to love about being the center of attention? I am truly blessed!

If you are just starting to tune into American Idol, that is OK because IMHO it only just got interesting. Finally the visually impaired guy is off and he just isn't a great singer, totally not in the league with the rest, and watching him doing the group routines complete with dance steps every week was producing some cringeworthy moments. And like last night Seacrest saying "let's watch" the you're going home video together. Maybe it is impowering, don't know. But I found it hard not to feel like he was somehow being exploited by the prodcuers - which is sort of how I feel about shows like the Biggest Loser. I know I know, can't exploit someone if they don't sign up for it but just glad that part is over. Ones left are all truly good.

Have you ever seen the movie Donnie Darko? If so, you will recognized the stripped down version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World" as the film's haunting themesong. The Adam guy, who is growing on me, bested that version, IMHO, and got the only standing O Simon Cowell has ever given a contestant. So far, it is the only thing I have bought on ITunes this season. Click here to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XOpgcEOhC4 

In other news, not to be outdone by Valerie Bertinelli, have you seen pix of our girl Kathy Griffin running around town in the same blue bikini? She looks pretty good too considering she is 42. She's hosting the Bravo A list awards on April 15 and some of the promos look pretty funny! She even sings...OK, speaking of the 15th, am I the only one who will be doing my taxes this weekend?

Do we really need a biopic of the Three Stooges starring Sean Penn? From the Farelly brothers and also including Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Torro? I am not kidding. You will not catch me watching that one. I did watch Rachel Getting Married and wow, that is one intense film. Did you know that Neflix is now connected to FB? So that if you rate a movie you watched it will cross post? It won't go back to all the ones you have already rated, but it is a pretty good tool for those of us who like to share opinions about films. I digress.  I can see why Anne Hathaway was nominated for it but also was pleased to see that playing her sister Rachel is the actress who played Midge in the first several episodes of Mad Men - you know, the hippie chick Don Draper took to the beatnik place and wanted to take to Paris. She is equally awesome and I liked the film - though it is one of those you have to immediately go back and re-watch parts of after you know how it ends to see if Demme was really saying what you thought he was saying and if you actually get the darn thing. Oh, and Debra Winger too! I think I did get it but I am eager to talk to some one else who has seen it. I also bought the soundtrack on ITunes.

OK. That is it for today. Unless someone stops me I am on my way to the Target website to buy the Wii complete with the Wii Fit bundle for a really great price - I have been hoarding those Target gift cards since last Christmas and finally have enough. Have a good one everyone!

Thursday Watercooler

Life on the road. Here at the Beau Rivage where I can look out the window of my 18th story hotel room and see nothing but the Gulf. I try to imagine a thirty foot storm surge and water up through the third story of this place and marvel that it survived. Yesterday we drove from here towards New Orleans and got as far as Pass Christian. You may recall that is where ABC's Robin Roberts is from who did some telecasting from there in the early days of Katrina as well as Ellen Degenres. The devastation is stunning - the debris has been cleared but there is empty space, a few bricks here and there, maybe some steps or traces of a foundation. Remnants of a Waffle House sign but no Waffle House. We have a book that is a before/after pictorial guide they sell in the gift shop here (and everywhere) with proceeds going to the ongoing Katrina relief fund. The highway is close to the water here, kind of like the outer banks, and the contrast of the white sandy beaches and the stark nothingness of what used to be hotels, homes, restaurants, and casinos is eerie. And it has been nearly four years. What Katrina did not take, the recession might. Business is off about fifty percent over last year and though business has picked up a little since I have been here, it is hard to say that the 80,000 sq foot casino and 2,000 slot machines are "busy." The fine dining restaurants are not open nor are most of the shops in the hotel. Despite the challenges everyone is nice and the service is spectacular - we dined at Emerile's last night in one of the casino's and it was terriffic. BAM!

So when you are in a conference you are in a news blackout but I did manage to catch a few minutes of Denise Richards "elimination dance" from Dancing with the Stars. Bless her heart when you get eliminated BEFORE Steve Wozniak you know it is bad! And it was. Two high profile bike accidents this week - Matt Lauer hit a deer with his bike and had to have his arm surgically repaired and Lance Armstrong broke his collarbone in four places! Ouch! No decision yet if this derails his plans to give the Tour de France another go - I think great retired athletes should stay retired. Lance, think Michael Jordan! Hope everyone has a great day!

Tuesday Watercooler

The theme of today's post is set by the opening lyrics to an Elvis Presley song:

A little less conversation, a little more action please
All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me
A little more bite and a little less bark
A little less fight and a little more spark

That is what I thought this morning as I listened to the radio and the news that we are once again going to study the idea of where baseball is going to come to our fair city. And by baseball I mean a farm team.

It is also what I thought when I read this piece in the Washington Post. If like me and most of America, you are outraged at the AIG bonuses, go ahead and read what they did with the other 99.9 per cent of it. Seventy nine percent of which is yours. I believe that is what is commonly known in the public sector by the highly tehncial term  "double dipping." Enough with the mock outratge on both sides, please. Sing it, a little less conversation a little more action, please!

And just to close the loop on the theme for today, a really cool action happened to me yesterday as result of some conversation we had on 4chixpost. I migrated some of the book reviews over to FB when I thought I was going to kill the blog and when I discovered the cool FB ap for book reivews. One of the books I reviewed was discovered by the author herself and she reached out and friended me on FB! I just think that is so cool. So yes, now you have to go back and re-read the review I did on "Little Chapel on the River."

OK, Happy SPD everyone and remember, Air in go bra!

Friday Watercooler

I love The Rock! He is everywhere lateley promoting his new movie Escape from Witch Mountain. A hilarious turn on SNL last week. If you missed it, I have included the best links: the opening song and dance routine a la Chicago, deabating if Hollywood had made him "go soft" and one where he has a hulk like transformation into The Rock Obama. And finally as a cheesey Hawaiian singer at a tourist resort. If you read Janet Evanovich's mind candy detective series, in my mind he is always Ranger. BTW, she needs to go ahead and make a deal and get this thing going or my favorite pick to play Stephanie will be to old - I favor Marisa Tomei. I digress.

Is Jen not over Brad? Reports that she and John Mayer who looked so lovey dovey at the Oscars are now over. Sad but not surprising news that Anna Nicole Smith, RIP, is back in the news as her "lawyer" Howard K. Stern has been formally charged with conspiring to furnish drugs to Smith prior to her death.He was arrested and booked by police in Whittier, Calif., with bail set for $20,000, police records show. Also charged with felonies were two doctors, Sandeep Kapoor, 40, and Khristine Eroshevich, 61, who allegedly prescribed medication unlawfully to Smith, according to the L.A. County District Attorney's Office. My next question is, how about her son?

Feeling like you want a taste of fashion amid the gloomy weather? Reports are that there is no gloom in Paris. John Galliano at Dior is showing that the new black IS black, and also gray. There's glamour, opulence, metallics, cowl neck (ugggh!) scarves, masculine touches, tuxedo dresses and tux jackets with biiiig shoulders, animal prints and a return of the suit and winter white and sheer hosiery. (Thanks Cindy Adams at page Six for this report). And how was your day?

 

Thursday Watercooler

If you are watching American Idol, or The Soup, you know that they have a visually impaired contestant that is making for some cringe worthy moments. There was Seacrest trying to "high five" him after he made it through following his original audition. Last week, in the group number, they made a clever use of seating so that he could comfortably particpate. Last night in the group number they had him (heavy sigh)..............dancing. Let's just say that it was bad, and I don't mean that in a Michael Jackson theme week pun sort of way. I do like Kelly Clarkson's new song, My Life Would Suck Without You very much - may favorite of hers since Since U Been Gone and plan to by it at Itunes. Very treadmill worthy. Along with Pink's Rockstar, though I am not sure how new it is.

In other news, Chris Brown has pulled his name from consideration for the "Kid's Choice" awards - ya think? He has also reportedly fired his sexy manager who presumedly sparked the fight that turned violent with her alleged text message.Is it me or do you just feel like there is not a happy ending to this story any where in sight?

Jim Cramer and Jon Stewart are set to have a face to face show down on The Daily Show tonight.  Dominick Dunne is undergoing the same unorthodox treatment for cancer that Farrah Fawcett is in a clinic in Germany - it costs $75,000 for a three week treatment where you get a IV injection of stem cells. Dunne is documenting the whole thing for Vanity Fair.Stay tuned!