I don't think I've ever posted in Beep Me before, but I need all kinds of -ma. The week that started with my purse getting stolen has just gotten much worse.

This afternoon while driving home from school, I was the middle car in a three car accident. The car in front of me stopped while attempting to merge onto the freeway, and I slammed on my brakes and stopped in time. However, the car behind me hit my rear end at full speed, pushing me into the car in front of me and then my car did a full 180 degree turn off the road and ended up on the shoulder facing the wrong direction.

I appear to be unhurt so far, but my car looks pretty damn bad. The muffler was on the ground, the hood won't open, the radiator is pushed out of place, and I don't know what the underside is like, as it appears the hood of the car behind me actually went under my back end. In short, every panel except the roof and the doors is severely damaged. It's a two year old Jetta, so it takes a lot to total it, but that's what I'm hoping for right now.

Requesting ~ma for a little boy I just saw in the elevator. He and a caseworker got on at a court floor. Poor little guy (3-4 yo) had a bruise and fresh scab under his eye, and looked completely overwhelmed. Caseworker told him they would know what was going to happen in half an hour. Then I think she realized he didn't have a concept of half an hour and just let him play with her watch. She spent the rest of the long ride crouched next to him, telling him she believed him and he didn't have to be afraid.

Have no idea who he is or what's going on, but it can't be good.

My father had Stage III colon cancer last year; he had the malignant part of the colon removed followed by chemotherapy. Shortly after completing the chemotherapy he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He has not felt completely healthy since the end of the chemotherapy, and in particular has had anemia that the doctors couldn't find a cause for. This week he had an endoscopy, which found another tumor in the small intestine, immediately underneath the stomach. I just got the news that this tumor, too, is malignant.

My parents won't know anything more than this until next Tuesday. More surgery will certainly be required, but we don't know the prognosis and we don't know what sort of tumor it is.

I'd be grateful for prayers. I'm also likely to be mostly dark for awhile (or perhaps present and manic).

Just heard from Daniel Jensen. He's been admitted to the hospital for the infection in his leg. Expected stay: 5 days.

Cards may be addressed to:

D.C. Jensen District One Hospital 631 SE 1st ST room #314 Faribault, MN 55021

I'm sure phone calls would be appreciated, as well, as he has no internet access there. (507) 332-4814 is the direct line.

I'm speechless. Russell is a much-beloved friend of Alicia/Redstreets (my housemate) and a pretty good friend of mine. Victor, you may know him from west coast poetry slams. He's been a very visible activist for better dialogue with and among Muslim-Americans since even before 9/11, and especially after. I met him at an event his San Francisco mosque co-sponsored to open itself to questions from the larger community in the wake of 9/11. If his religion and his activism turn out to be the reasons for this attack, I'm going to be even more shocked and dismayed at the direction this country is going. Prayers, vibes, and email messages of support would be vastly appreciated. (Yes, I know there's a PayPal link on the linked site, but I don't feel good asking Buffistas to donate money to a non-consensus cause. Use your own judgement.)

(on edit: Stompies, if you feel this is an inappropriate use of this thread, I'll be glad to edit out the link.)

My sister's six-month MRI is on Monday; if we are very lucky, the brain tumor will not have grown. Any kind thoughts welcomed.

February sucks.

Our son ran a high fever for 7 days. This is a virus that is going around, nothing to be done about it. Then he started coughing so hard he threw up. His doctor didn't think he needed to be seen and he seemed to get better, so we sent him back to school. He coughed so hard he threw up again and had to come home early.

Friday morning we took him to the doctor. Two chest rays, several stethoscopes, and a breathing test later, we got the diagnosis. He has asthma. He did a nebulizer at the office and came home with an inhaler and instructions to use it every four hours. We'll go back Monday to talk about what kind of asthma it is; it is possible that it won't be chronic, but was just a disease-triggered episode.

This shit can STOP now. Really. Immediately.

Any vibes that can be spared and sent Baltimore-ward would be much appreciated.

Sorry for the vagueness.

Dear Buffistas,

In my office move, I seem to have lost my database of addresses for care packages and various things I mail out from time to time.

If you have been a recipient, would like to be a recipient, or just want me to have your address, please email me the info at: msbelle (at) earthlink (dot) net

I know Deena has a database, but I don't remember who all I had and don't want to continually bother her with request after request.

Thanks - msbelle

I'd appreciate some patented Buffista job ma around 4 pm EST today.

Thanks