Mucho ~ma for your Ma, DCJ.

And in I've Apparently Been Cursed to Live in Interesting Times news, we just got a message that due to a screwup at payroll, the paychecks that would normally show up today won't be deposited until tomorrow and, depending on your bank, might not be available until Tuesday (because obviously if a screwup like this is going to happen, it's going to happen on a 3-day weekend). They've already said they'll reimburse any overdrafts, and it's not like I'll starve or anything...just wish the nibbly ducks would move on to a new target. Sheesh.

I rested as much as I could today, but my ankle is still really hurting, and I think I might need to use my walker tomorrow. Blah.

(I'm a horrible person to have in a family, I am not someone who has much patience with other people's discomfort unless I really like you.)

FWIW, you're not the only one. I don't have much patience with my family member's emotional traumas, because with a couple exceptions I don't like or respect any of them. Wanting you to forge (or fake) a deep emotional connection when there never was one before to make her feel better now is too much to ask.

Andi, when you get a chance, I could use your expertise. My 15-year old cat (Lucky) was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease today. Sub-q fluids on a MWF schedule, and the vet wants to put her on a low-protein prescription food. I'm wary of what they will recommend. Any advice? Thanks so much.

Zen, our brains are often very much in synch.

I'm glad you caught up with me in Fb last night, Maria.

Hil, feel better.

Ginger, feel better. Lots of lung~ma headed your way.

Maria, cat~ma. I'm sorry.

Daniel, tons of ~am to your mother.

I made it through today. Now I'm debating whether to take a painkiller. I'm hurting, but I think I can deal with it, and I'm running low on pills and haven't made an appointment to see a doctor here yet. (I was going to call and make an appointment during my lunch time today, but a student needed to talk to me.)

I went with half a Vicodin and three Advil. It's working well enough.

I sat up most of last night because I had a sharp pain on one side every time I breathed in, except when I was sitting straight up. Kaiser didn't have any appointments available, and my oncologist told me to go to the emergency room.

I'm having a fluid buildup in my abdomen that's scheduled to be drained Wednesday, and it seemed to be a reasonable to suppose that the pain might be due to the mashup of fluid pressure and pneumonia. I think my oncologist and I both had the notion that a hospital would be able to drain that earlier and I'd feel better.

Instead I got a doctor who threw out unlikely scenarios like blood clots and got all kinds of tests and scans that showed the same thing as tests I already had at Kaiser. He contended that the shadows in my lungs that my doctor says are pneumonia were fluid that needed to be drained. He proposed a leisurely 4-5 days in the hospital treating me for one thing at a time and seeing what happened. None of that addressed the fact that IT HURTS WHEN I BREATHE. I left against medical advice. It seems, however, that lying on a supportive gurney for 6 hours helped the pain, which is much better.

It did make me realize that I need a better contingency plan for Mr Peabody.