but... but... ND is in Canada and KT is in CA.... WAIT?! Could there be OTHER Scrabble Bitches?

Pshaw, o_a, have faith!

I put an ad on craigslist, with the headline "seeking scrabble partner...in crime?" and they responded to my ad! Saying I might find some of them attractive, but more importantly, they play scrabble tuesday nights at the dyke bar. And indeed, they are awesome.

Though KT and ND are ALSO super awesome.

So, for the latest update, it looks like the only way to stop the bleeding is for S to have a procedure which will essentially install a shunt that bypasses the liver completely. It's minimally invasive, and also reversable (which might need to happen if her body is just producing too much junk, which in turn causes her brain to wig out).

We had a long talk with the doctor here about it, and there's been much communication with doctors back in LA, and while we were hoping to avoid the procedure altogether (it has been brought up as a possibility back in LA), or at least wait until we get back to LA to have it done, the bleeding is not stopping, and this is really the only way we're going to be able to get it under control.

This for sure means we'll be here for at least three or four more days.

I may wind up having to go back to LA alone, and possibly fly S back a few days after, but hopefully we'll be able to avoid that. It may still have to happen that way, or something similar, as our kitty is probably desperately wondering where we are and missing us like crazy. Plus I have some other obligations back in LA, but we'll see how things play out.

Beyond that, S is doing quite well, all things considered. She's a little scared about the procedure, but she's keeping up a brave face, and the outpouring of love and support from all of you unbelievably awesome people has really lifted her spirits.

It's helped me quite a bit, too.

I should mention about the cat -- we did not just leave him alone with a big bowl of food or something, we have cat sitters checking in on him daily, but we lose the sitters after Friday.

{{{Sean and S}}}

I wish I had more to offer than virtual hugs.

Also, someone please make me stop reading Salon letters. (There was an article about theology and atheism. Thus, the "I don't need to know anything at all about religion to know that it's all nonsense" people are out in force. My thought -- English needs an equivalent word to the Hebrew "apikoros." It means someone who's studied the law and rejected it, as opposed to someone who isn't religious just because they've never learned what it means. Having only the word "atheist" to describe both of those people makes for circular discussions.)

askye, my undergraduate degree was history. I don't think it mattered one way or another. I think that library experience was the most valuable thing.

I think one of these days I'm going to track down every one of Fay's posts from her world travels and save them in a special file that I can burn to CD so I can have my own personal Fay-book.

I totally want one of those CDs. Oh, wait, we could share on the interbunny! Perhaps with something like the Nilly archive. Hmmm....

And most importantly, I'm so that there are so many folks able to help out, Sean. I wish I were there so I could help. Heck, I just wish I were there. I know it's hard, but I hope that the time spent with localistas ends up giving you and S at least some good memories out of all of this. Much prayer, ~ma and good thoughts that this procedure works well and is effective.

Criminy, Sean. I'll call you tomorrow to see if it's okay to stop by after the movie.

Yeesh. I'm with you on that idea, Hil.

I'm an atheist, but I got here from long, careful (and, in fact, ongoing) study of religions, and religious texts and thought. There have been multiple occasions in which I knew more about a religion than a follower of the religion in question did.

And through this study, I have also come away with a healthy respect and admiration of many religions, religious people, and some tenets of faith, even if I do not share that faith.

There's no excuse for ignorance, people.

Hell (pun intended), there's quite a number of religious speakers, writers and thinkers whose work I enjoy and agree with, even if I will never actually share their faith.

Sean, My Saturday is open. If you need me to wander up to LA and feed the cat, I'd be happy to. Just would need to figure out a way to key me in.

Sean, I wish you and S. lots of health and sanity ~ma. Cricket said that she had a cat sitter lined up for you to contact; did you get her message?