Maybe you should call your doctor today?

What sj said, Teppy. This sounds like it's been going on much too long.

Birthday Happies, askye!

Whoosh, what a weekend.

On Thursday night I stopped by an ATM to get some cash before picking up Windsparrow from her workplace. On the way out of the parking lot, the badly sharp driveway edge ripped out the temporary patch on my exhaust system, and mangled the pipe.

After driving to a well-lit grocer's parking lot, I spent 20 minutes and a lot of duct tape pinning the remains as best I could off to one side under the car. Then I drove out of that parking lot and it all ripped off again.

Tailpipe dragging, I drove to pick up WS and we went to another grocery store and i spent another 20 minutes trying to secure what could not be secured.

So much for MacGuyver this time. it last about 10 seconds.

Drove to a gas station and called AAA, got a tow home. Driver used a zip strip to affix pipe under the car. Yay.

Friday, no one could work me in to get it repaired.

One said come in Saturday at 8 am, leave it here, we'll see what we can do.

They called me late, sorry, can't do it, need to order the parts, and it'll be $285.

I said thank you no.

Took it that afternoon to another place, in Owatonna, 15 miles away.

Nope, parts would have to be ordered. Ordered parts, it's $70 cheaper than other place, including labor. that'll be Wednesday.

Meanwhile, I decided to tackle the mysterious water problem. Water gathers when driving in rain, and it puddles under the feet. Armed with a can of "great stuff" foam sealant, I took apart the trunk carpeting.

Then I looked in the spare tire spot. Spare tire is almost completely under water. I spent a good hour getting the rusty, and overly long bolt holding in the tire off. I used Liquid wrench and a hammer.

Finally got out the tire and gouged open the drain on the bottem of the spare tire compartment. The jack is a mass of rust.

Then I turned back to my original mission.

All along the wheel well weld, on both sides is rust, not only that, but I can see daylight through. Fist sized holes in some places. I can see the tires.

Good thing I bought some special metal tape.

Tapes and foamed and sealed it all up on both sites. Used Styrofoam egg carton cover cut in strips for additional backing.

It's all ready now, I hope.

I still have to drive mufflerless wonder to work today and tomorrow. Should be fun.

Yeah, I'd definitely call the doc, Teppy.

Am at work. Craziness!

What sj said, Teppy. This sounds like it's been going on much too long.

Just since Thursday night. Not to pooh-pooh it, but it's actually only been 3 1/2 days. It *sucks* to be going through it, but 3 1/2 days is actually a very short amount of time for gastroenteritis.

My doctor will tell me to do what I've been doing: fluids, bland food, chill out. Just because it sucks doesn't mean he can fix it.

Ok. Well, take care, you.

Ok. Well, take care, you.

And I'm not pooh-poohing all y'all's concern; it's just that there's not much a doctor could do for me. If I were severely dehydrated, I could go to the ER and get IV fluids, or if my stomach pain were worse, I could beg for big gun antimotility drugs, but I'm not dehyrdated my stomach pain is less, so I just have to keep doing what I've been doing.

(Which apparently is complaining a lot.)

Believe me; I'm the first one to run to the doctor if something is fixable. I would if it were.

You culd have a tummy transplant.

You culd have a tummy transplant.

If it would be smaller, I'd be all for that!

I'm the first one to run to the doctor if something is fixable. I would if it were.

I will just wish you faster alleviation of the pain, then. My tummy upsets rarely last past a day (unless it's an outright flu), so I'd probably be in a panic by now!