The paper I cowrote this summer was accepted for publication in the International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences.

Those patented Buffistas vibes are requested for central Ohio today, where my 4 month old niece is having a kidney removed because it is not functioning. While, viva human bilateral symmetry, she'll probably have a perfectly uneventful life, surgery in the wee is still scary. So please, extra vibes to my SIL who is especially worried and upset.

Just a quick drive by to let you all know I am still alive. I am not feeling better. The antibiotics my doctor tried did nothing, so she decided "Hey, lets do another ultrasound!" If I decide to go forward with it (the appointment is Thursday), it will be my third in the last month. I'm extremely frustrated, and thus have decided to seek a second opinion. I'm going to a new doctor in about half an hour, hopefully he'll think of something to do besides ordering useless repetitive tests and telling me to rest. I am so sick of feeling sick and in pain.

Hugs and love to everyone, and extra hugs to those who need them most. Special thanks to Ellen for sending me Angel and chocolate, to DX for the surprise package of delicious chocolate, and to Susan W. for her secret santa present that arrived yesterday. And to Sumiko for sending me regular "Are you alive" emails. Buffistas are the best, I am so lucky to have each and every one of you. I hope to be back around more soon, but at this point I am hardly even working, as I get tired really really quickly and spend a whole lot of time sleeping. But I am thinking of you guys, and hope everyone had a good holiday.

Love and kisses to all of you.

Very small drive by to say I'm back. Home is a beautiful place.

My MRI came back. Completely normal. (Apparently they can't detect gay vampire snuff porn with current equipment.)

I realize that you are all likely as tired of hearing me whine as I am of doing the whining, but I wanted to let you know how yesterday's appointment went. The new doctor has a very take charge kind of attitude, and I have high hopes that she will get to the bottom of this. I had a CBC yesterday, and I have an ultrasound on Thursday and a colonoscopy on Friday. Hopefully SOMETHING will give her the clue she needs to diagnose this and make it go away. We discussed a number of possible ailments, ranging from BIG SCARIES to silly little nothings. I'm sticking with the silly little nothings.

In the meantime, I have been feeling awful. I have no energy, I'm feverish off and on, and after a particularly clumsy encounter with my cat yesterday, in which I nearly broke BOTH of our necks, I am in even more pain than I have been. My spirits are lower than low, as I am just SO FRUSTRATED. This probably isn't even anything big, but it has kept me sick for five weeks now, and I want my life back. Somebody fix it? Please?

Numfar, do the dance of TRUDY HAS AN APARTMENT!

My papa had a stroke. Collective prayers are appreciated. Don't know how he is, the message was on my voicemail when i got home, and everyone is asleep, now, and i don't know what hospital he is in.

I spoke to my dad this morning, and he said Papa will be okay, that he can move, and they took out that tube (intabate tube? i don't know. I don't watch er). He had the stroke during chanukah dinner on Sunday. No one called because no one wanted me to worry. (!)

He's in ICU. Don't know when he's going to get released. QPB lent me his cell phone this morning so I could call Boston from work and get an update, but the nurses were busy and they said to call back later. My dad is being really vague.