Kristin, if there's anything I can do for you and/or Drew, please let me know. You've got massively good vibes headed your way, but if you want to talk my cell is on. So much love to the both of you.

If anyone knows an anti-hiccup magic spell, please cast it. Poor Drew is still miserably hiccuping as he tries to sleep. And they have him on Thorazine to treat the hiccups, which freaks me right out.

I'm sorry to have gotten semi-hysterical.

An entirely rational reaction to what's going on, so nothing to be sorry about. As for the hiccups, I think there are acupressure points that might help. I'll see if I can find a description for you.

Ok, from [link] points called Abdominal Sorrow

Location: On the lower edge of the rib cage (at the junction of the ninth rib cartilage to the eighth rib), one-half inch in from the nipple line. Benefits: Relieves hiccups, indigestion, appetite imbalances, abdominal cramps, and ulcer pain.

You gently press the spot on each side at the same time - this one that has worked for me, though there are others suggested at that page.

Yep, I actually tried some of these with him, but it hasn't helped. His diaphragm is being irritated by the inflammation of his pancreas, so I suspect they are especially difficult to treat. Sigh. Thank you, though. It was a great idea.

Sorry, Kristin - the only thing that helped me sometimes with hiccups is drinking from the opposite side of the glass, but I see it's not an option here.

Oh, Kristin, that's got to be so tough. I hope the hiccups subside soon. The little stuff like that can just be the last damn straw.

And -- I just don't feel like posting this in Beep Me, but -- I found out tonight, right before we were walking out the door to have dinner with friends, that one of my uncles on my dad's side passed away today. This has been, without question, the most craptastic 6 weeks of my life.

This is an uncle who, like all of my dad's 7 siblings, has had heart disease. He had more than just blockages and stuff, though; he had lots of problems with clots in his legs, and he also lost a LOT of his cardiac function after a major heart attack a while back.

My dad hadn't kept in touch with Uncle Steve for years even though they lived in the same town, because of weird family hoo-hah and not liking his wife and whatnot. So there's that.

I think he was about 62 or so, which is just -- god, too young. But my dad said that his quality of life was crap for the past few years because of his limited cardiac function. He couldn't leave the house often, couldn't do much really, and wasn't a candidate for heart transplant (though I don't remember why).

So this is a case where I can't say it was unexpected in a general sense; it's just that in the specific sense, I didn't know he was in imminent danger of dying. And, well, it kind of sounds like none of his brothers and sisters did.

We had already had plans to go over to some friends' house for dinner, and Dad called as we were about to leave (actually, had Tim not been running late, we wouldn't have gotten the call). I lost it, while Dad was being stoic on the phone and saying to try to not be sad, because Uncle Steve's quality of life was so diminished in the past few years, and this was for the best, etc.

When I calmed down, we went to our friends' house, and it was good to see them, and they made an excellent vegetable lasagna, and we spent hours laughing at stupid stuff on YouTube.

But now that we're back home? I feel like I've been hit in the face with a brick. God DAMN.

{{{Steph}}} I'm so sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry, Steph.

{{Teppy}} I'm sorry.