2008
30
I had my first physical therapy session this morning…at 8:00 am! It was painfully delicious.
The first thing they did was submerge my left arm - elbow to hand - in a big Rubbermaid container filled with tepid water. Three EKG-type pads were stuck to my lower back, two electrodes were placed into the water and a charge was applied for 15 minutes. This process is called High Voltage Galvanic Stimulation. My lower back really tingled although not uncomfortably so. Eventually I should feel a tingling sensation in my fingertips but I felt nothing today due to excessive swelling in my hand which the current is supposed to help.
The highlight of my session was the massage. The therapist-in-training smothered my hand in lotion and began kneading toxin-filled tissue from the tips of my fingers all the way up to my shoulder. There were a few times when I grimaced but basically I was in no hurry for her to stop.
My next appointment is Wednesday morning at 11:00 am.
2008
30
Just between you and me…
I went to work for half a day today and will continue to do so for a while. I have a desk job in a nicely air-conditioned office so I figured I can prop my arm up there just as well as I can at home. Plus, I get paid when I’m at the office.
Don’t tell my doctors…
2008
27
I’ve become more and more frustrated over the last several days because 1) the swelling in my hand has shown no sign of receding and 2) my two main physicians are on vacation and won’t be returning until the first of next week.
Physician #3 - the plastic surgeon - told me after our follow-up last Thursday that he really didn’t need to see me anymore unless the other two weren’t available.
Well…they’re not! So I called his office yesterday and made an appointment for this morning at 9:00.
He quickly determined that a compression wrap would be good to try.
First I went to the hospital for an ultrasound to make sure there was no blood clot in my arm. All clear! In fact, the nurse cooed about my beautiful veins. Then I was off to rehab for physical therapy and the 3-layer bandage. According to the guy in rehab, I need to wear the wrap mainly while sleeping.
2008
27
Visas, camera equipment for foreign news crews, tickets to Olympic events: who needs ‘em? The People’s Daily rightly puts the focus on the true needs of Olympic visitors.
Beijing will create an electronic guidance system for public lavatories. Before the Olympic Games, guides will be set up at 210 major downtown streets and street corners. By then, those seeking out public lavatories can do so with the help of a GPS locator. This information was released at a press conference held by the Beijing Municipal Administration Commission.
Before the Olympic Games, Beijing will provide the location of public lavatories through a website, tourist and transportation maps, and posted guides on the road. Beijing has issued the style and setting requirements for posted public lavatory guides and the locations of posted guides on a main street. Guides will be posted every 50 meters to 150 meters apart from each other.
[source article from People’s Daily]
2008
26
Next Friday is July 4th but summer camp will be closed all next week so they had a patriotic celebration today. All the children were asked to wear red, white and blue.
Eliana and Karys came home with a tattoo on their face which they were both very excited about. Eliana’s says “I love USA!” and Karys’ simply says “Liberty”.
2008
25
2008
25
Gianna Mei Li Horak was adopted from China when she was 8 months old.
Each year on the anniversary of her adoption from China, Gianna composed a letter to her birth parents. She taped it to a helium balloon and released it into the sky—sending it back, her mom and dad told her, to the place of her birth.
Gianna is now 14 years old and returning to China on a tour with the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus leading up to the opening of the Olympic Summer Games in Beijing on Aug. 8. While there, she hopes to visit the orphanage from which she came.
Read the full article from the LA Times.
