There is no such thing as the common cold. Each one is different and rather interesting. Right now I have a headache and a sore throat. I am hot and I am cold. I wonder how many days this will last. I have heard seven to 10 days is the usual run.
I hope you are faring better down there in Arizona as the New Year 2012 swiftly approaches. It was good talking with you on Christmas Day from Pittsburgh. That was a wonderful day watching James, 11, and Carmen, 8, rip open their Christmas gifts.
I do believe their parents will be sitting them down to write thank you letters. I tell the grandkids that all well mannered children write thank you notes.
My flights out to Pittsburgh and back were a piece of cake. Everything on time. When I flew out of Grand Forks on Dec. 20, the pilot said we were cleared and No. 1 for takeoff. It kind of amused me because there wasn’t another plane on the runway.
And I tell you one thing, Shirley. If there’s anything you don’t want to watch, it is the loading of bags into the belly of the plane. They give them a heave ho and a toss. Yikes. Somehow, everything gets through and I presume mostly OK.
All in all, it is great flying out of our new airport terminal here in Grand Forks. And Delta Airlines personnel were courteous and sympathetic as they changed my return flight from Denver earlier in December because of a death in the family.
Snow has been scarce around here. So, instead of snow sculptures this week during Winter Fest at Turtle River Sate Park, they made clay sculptures Wednesday. Today’s schedule out there includes a winter scavenger hunt.
The Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji has been advertising great conditions. They make snow daily!
And here in Grand Forks, avid tennis players have been on the outdoor courts this week. Christmas Day found UND tennis player Callie Ronkowski doing what she most loves — playing tennis. The temperature was almost 50 degrees. Callie and her dad, Keith Ronkowski, were able to spend the morning on the court at the entrance to Lincoln Park Golf Course.
That is where Callie, a Red River High School standout, got her start with lessons from Tim Wynne. She played on six state champion tennis teams and was state individual champion for two year with Tim Wynne as her coach. She now plays at UND for Tim’s brother, Tom Wynne.
Oh, and I should tell you, Shirley, that Callie wore a fur cap for her Christmas Day tennis match.
The UND basketball team has its work cut out for it as they play Kansas on the last day of the year. The women hoopsters are spending the New Year weekend on the road, too. Tonight they play Idaho at tournament in Montana.
Love from your sister, Marilyn, with a red nose and bleary eyes on the west bank of the frozen Red River of the North.
2011年12月28日星期三
Mumbai cold to fast, Anna health a govt headache
As Lok Sabha debated and passed the Lokpal bill late on Tuesday, worry mounted in Mumbai over Anna Hazare’s health which deteriorated sharply over the evening.
The viral fever that had laid him low in the days leading up to today’s protest fast spiked to 102 degrees F, and his blood pressure rose. Doctors attending on Hazare said his pulse rate had risen to 98, and he had a cold and a chest infection.
Well past midnight, Hazare’s health remained delicate, and there were indications that he could be moved to hospital from the fast venue at the MMRDA grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex overnight.
A team of doctors from JJ Hospital visited him and drew his blood for tests. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan spoke to him and appealed to him to end his fast. The chief minister said Hazare had told him that he would do as his doctors advise him to.
Officials in Mumbai and Delhi said the government was watching the situation closely. Given earlier experiences with the agitation in Delhi, the government, they said, was wary of appearing to force its will on Hazare, or take any action in a hurry.
Earlier in the evening, Arvind Kejriwal, Hazare’s close aide and member of Team Anna’s core committee, said he had made a fresh appeal to the activist to call off his fast but the 74-year-old was unrelenting.
Kejriwal and fellow activist Kiran Bedi had implored Hazare to end his fast in the morning as well, but Hazare had insisted that the crowds gathered in his support gave him the energy to carry on.
In fact, there wasn’t much of a crowd to speak of.
For an agitation that has always based its claims of legitimacy in numbers, be it at public meetings or on the web, the financial capital provided a significant reality check. None of the numbers freely bandied around by Hazare and his team —“lakhs”, “crores”, and poll ratings in the nineties — were in evidence at the MMRDA grounds, where the peak attendance did not appear to have gone beyond 10,000 at any point.
Until Hazare’s speech began around 3 pm, no more than 5,000 people were scattered around the 20,000-sq metre ground. A separate 10,000-sq metre area reserved for parking was almost entirely deserted. By 4 pm, about 8,000 to 10,000 people had gathered, a far cry from the 50,000 to 75,000 that India Against Corruption, the organisation spearheading the campaign, had predicted.
From his fasting podium, Hazare gave his familiar call for a sustained people’s movement to demand, after the Jan Lokpal bill, a law giving citizens the right to reject all candidates in an election. He also repeated his plan to tour the country in 2012 to campaign against the UPA government if it did not pass a strong Lokpal bill.
The government, Hazare told a modest gathering that was not estimated to have crossed 10,000 at any point during the day, was betraying not Team Anna but the people — and the people would strike back.
“Dilli ke parliament se jan parliament badi hai... Dilli ka parliament janata ke parliament ne banaayi hai,” he said.
A government that baton charges or fires on protesting farmers is autocratic, Hazare said, adding that a ‘right to reject’ law would ensure “goondas” would stay out of parliament and vidhan sabhas. Those who lose in such an election should not be allowed to contest again, he said.
Doctors said the activist was weak from having not eaten well for the past five days, and medicines would work well only if he ate solid food. Dr Devlat Pote, Hazare’s personal physician, said the activist had slept through much of Tuesday, which was unusual.
Hazare’s fast was shifted from Delhi to Mumbai to escape the capital’s harsh winter, but the weather in Mumbai has not been kind either. Mumbai’s suburbs, where Hazare is fasting, saw a record minimum of 11.4 degrees C before he began his fast today, and witnessed a huge variation during the day, with the maximum touching 30.3 degrees C. The forecast is for similar lows in the coming days.
Following the uncertainties surrounding Hazare’s health over the past few days, a fully equipped team of health specialists was present at the MMRDA grounds. In the morning, Pote had said that although Hazare’s health had improved over the past two days, it continued to be fragile.
“Anna’s blood pressure, pulse and weight is normal as of now. His last meal was yesterday’s lunch. We have advised him to drink plenty of water. Although his fever has subsided, the fluctuating weather condition has caused him a sore throat but overall, his condition is fine,” Pote had said in the morning.
The viral fever that had laid him low in the days leading up to today’s protest fast spiked to 102 degrees F, and his blood pressure rose. Doctors attending on Hazare said his pulse rate had risen to 98, and he had a cold and a chest infection.
Well past midnight, Hazare’s health remained delicate, and there were indications that he could be moved to hospital from the fast venue at the MMRDA grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex overnight.
A team of doctors from JJ Hospital visited him and drew his blood for tests. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan spoke to him and appealed to him to end his fast. The chief minister said Hazare had told him that he would do as his doctors advise him to.
Officials in Mumbai and Delhi said the government was watching the situation closely. Given earlier experiences with the agitation in Delhi, the government, they said, was wary of appearing to force its will on Hazare, or take any action in a hurry.
Earlier in the evening, Arvind Kejriwal, Hazare’s close aide and member of Team Anna’s core committee, said he had made a fresh appeal to the activist to call off his fast but the 74-year-old was unrelenting.
Kejriwal and fellow activist Kiran Bedi had implored Hazare to end his fast in the morning as well, but Hazare had insisted that the crowds gathered in his support gave him the energy to carry on.
In fact, there wasn’t much of a crowd to speak of.
For an agitation that has always based its claims of legitimacy in numbers, be it at public meetings or on the web, the financial capital provided a significant reality check. None of the numbers freely bandied around by Hazare and his team —“lakhs”, “crores”, and poll ratings in the nineties — were in evidence at the MMRDA grounds, where the peak attendance did not appear to have gone beyond 10,000 at any point.
Until Hazare’s speech began around 3 pm, no more than 5,000 people were scattered around the 20,000-sq metre ground. A separate 10,000-sq metre area reserved for parking was almost entirely deserted. By 4 pm, about 8,000 to 10,000 people had gathered, a far cry from the 50,000 to 75,000 that India Against Corruption, the organisation spearheading the campaign, had predicted.
From his fasting podium, Hazare gave his familiar call for a sustained people’s movement to demand, after the Jan Lokpal bill, a law giving citizens the right to reject all candidates in an election. He also repeated his plan to tour the country in 2012 to campaign against the UPA government if it did not pass a strong Lokpal bill.
The government, Hazare told a modest gathering that was not estimated to have crossed 10,000 at any point during the day, was betraying not Team Anna but the people — and the people would strike back.
“Dilli ke parliament se jan parliament badi hai... Dilli ka parliament janata ke parliament ne banaayi hai,” he said.
A government that baton charges or fires on protesting farmers is autocratic, Hazare said, adding that a ‘right to reject’ law would ensure “goondas” would stay out of parliament and vidhan sabhas. Those who lose in such an election should not be allowed to contest again, he said.
Doctors said the activist was weak from having not eaten well for the past five days, and medicines would work well only if he ate solid food. Dr Devlat Pote, Hazare’s personal physician, said the activist had slept through much of Tuesday, which was unusual.
Hazare’s fast was shifted from Delhi to Mumbai to escape the capital’s harsh winter, but the weather in Mumbai has not been kind either. Mumbai’s suburbs, where Hazare is fasting, saw a record minimum of 11.4 degrees C before he began his fast today, and witnessed a huge variation during the day, with the maximum touching 30.3 degrees C. The forecast is for similar lows in the coming days.
Following the uncertainties surrounding Hazare’s health over the past few days, a fully equipped team of health specialists was present at the MMRDA grounds. In the morning, Pote had said that although Hazare’s health had improved over the past two days, it continued to be fragile.
“Anna’s blood pressure, pulse and weight is normal as of now. His last meal was yesterday’s lunch. We have advised him to drink plenty of water. Although his fever has subsided, the fluctuating weather condition has caused him a sore throat but overall, his condition is fine,” Pote had said in the morning.
2011年12月27日星期二
How to Tell If It’s Allergies, a Cold or the Flu
Understanding what illness you have is important in figuring out how to treat it, and how to get rid of it.
Garyl Hester of New York City thought he had a sinus infection when he went to the doctor – but he had it all wrong.
“I couldn’t get rid of it, I couldn’t shake it,” said Hester, 48. “So (my doctor) tested me and found out I was allergic to dust mites, which I never knew before.”
Hester said he now has an air purifier in his house and he bought hypoallergenic sheets – and his headache is gone.
New York-based allergist Dr. Jonathan Field said most patients get confused and often do not know what kind of medical condition they are dealing with.
“If they have a fever, if the headache tends to be more extreme or if they lost their sense of smell, then it sounds to me like a sinus infection,” Field said.
If you are prone to sinus infections, try an irrigation rinse to prevent them or get tested for allergies.
Field said colds and sinus infections are often triggered by indoor allergies, such as dust, mold and pet dander.
“Colds tend to be mild, and you have typical symptoms like a running nose, itchy eyes – a little bit of a sore throat and mild muscle aches, but generally you feel well,” Field said.
Cold symptoms should not last longer than a week, he added. Taking zinc at the onset of a cold can decrease the duration of the illness and severity of symptoms.
However, the flu is much worse – symptoms are more pronounced in terms of muscle aches and fatigue, and you will definitely have a fever.
The onset of the flu is very sudden, Field added.
Prescribed medication is the only cure for influenza, which can be deadly. Up to 36,000 Americans die each year from influenza, so if you think you may have it, see a doctor immediately. A flu shot is the best prevention.
Garyl Hester of New York City thought he had a sinus infection when he went to the doctor – but he had it all wrong.
“I couldn’t get rid of it, I couldn’t shake it,” said Hester, 48. “So (my doctor) tested me and found out I was allergic to dust mites, which I never knew before.”
Hester said he now has an air purifier in his house and he bought hypoallergenic sheets – and his headache is gone.
New York-based allergist Dr. Jonathan Field said most patients get confused and often do not know what kind of medical condition they are dealing with.
“If they have a fever, if the headache tends to be more extreme or if they lost their sense of smell, then it sounds to me like a sinus infection,” Field said.
If you are prone to sinus infections, try an irrigation rinse to prevent them or get tested for allergies.
Field said colds and sinus infections are often triggered by indoor allergies, such as dust, mold and pet dander.
“Colds tend to be mild, and you have typical symptoms like a running nose, itchy eyes – a little bit of a sore throat and mild muscle aches, but generally you feel well,” Field said.
Cold symptoms should not last longer than a week, he added. Taking zinc at the onset of a cold can decrease the duration of the illness and severity of symptoms.
However, the flu is much worse – symptoms are more pronounced in terms of muscle aches and fatigue, and you will definitely have a fever.
The onset of the flu is very sudden, Field added.
Prescribed medication is the only cure for influenza, which can be deadly. Up to 36,000 Americans die each year from influenza, so if you think you may have it, see a doctor immediately. A flu shot is the best prevention.
2011年12月26日星期一
Emergency rooms see too many outpatients
The hospital in Ajman, one of the busiest in the country, receives 450 to 500 emergency cases per day, said Dr Abdul Karim Halimi, the emergency department director. He attributed the high number to the facility's proximity to industrial areas and one of the two motorways linking Umm Al Qaiwain and Ras Al Khaimah.
"Most of our emergency cases are for traffic accidents and construction site-related accidents," he said. "Unfortunately, there are also a number of cases that are not very serious and could be treated in our outpatient clinics but end up in the emergency department."
He said the hospital commissioned a study on the congestion in the emergency department. The study found most people preferred the department, even those with simple ailments, which increased pressure on emergency staff.
"Doctors spent a lot of time examining some of these patients before deciding to transfer them to outpatient clinics," he said. "This is precious time spent on someone not in a life-threatening situation, yet there could be one in that situation waiting."
He appealed to patients to go to the outpatient clinic straightaway for minor issues.
Hospital emergency departments being flooded with non-emergency cases is a problem nationwide, said Dr Yousef Altair, the head of the accident and emergency department at Saqr Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah.
A study by the hospital in 2010 showed that 73 per cent of patients admitted to the department had only minor ailments.
"They come in for anything, even a common cold. The real emergency cases are few," he said.
Although there are enough family physicians in the emirate, patients do not want to wait until business hours to see a doctor, he said.
"Some [clinics] are not open 24 hours. Hospitals are open 24 hours," he said.
Some people even visit the emergency room at Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi to get prescriptions renewed, said Dr Jihad Awad, the head of the emergency department.
Other non-severe cases, which account for 10 to 15 per cent of the 300 patients admitted daily, include sore throats, body pain, nausea and chronic pain.
People also visit the hospital for check-ups, he said.
Everyone from the government to the physicians who treat minor cases in emergency departments must educate the public, Dr Awad said.
"They have to inform the patient about the cases they should be worried about and the cases they should just follow up with their family doctor," he said.
Dr Omar Al Jabri, the medical director of the Ambulatory Healthcare Services Company (AHS), said people also must be educated on what is a serious ailment.
"Their first choice will be emergency partly because they think they have something serious, most of the time," Dr Al Jabri said. "Part of it is individual education."
Ehab Ahmed, a 30-year-old Egyptian, said he brought his 2-year-old son to the Sheikh Khalifa emergency department with a fever.
He said most patients prefer the emergency department because the staff there were quick to attend to patients. He also said there was nowhere else to go when the outpatient clinic was closed.
Dr Halimi said the outpatient clinic at the Sheikh Kalifah Hospital operated from 8am to 11pm.
He said the emergency department was there to deal with cases that required immediate intervention, such as traffic and construction accidents, burns, heart attacks and epileptic seizures.
"Most of our emergency cases are for traffic accidents and construction site-related accidents," he said. "Unfortunately, there are also a number of cases that are not very serious and could be treated in our outpatient clinics but end up in the emergency department."
He said the hospital commissioned a study on the congestion in the emergency department. The study found most people preferred the department, even those with simple ailments, which increased pressure on emergency staff.
"Doctors spent a lot of time examining some of these patients before deciding to transfer them to outpatient clinics," he said. "This is precious time spent on someone not in a life-threatening situation, yet there could be one in that situation waiting."
He appealed to patients to go to the outpatient clinic straightaway for minor issues.
Hospital emergency departments being flooded with non-emergency cases is a problem nationwide, said Dr Yousef Altair, the head of the accident and emergency department at Saqr Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah.
A study by the hospital in 2010 showed that 73 per cent of patients admitted to the department had only minor ailments.
"They come in for anything, even a common cold. The real emergency cases are few," he said.
Although there are enough family physicians in the emirate, patients do not want to wait until business hours to see a doctor, he said.
"Some [clinics] are not open 24 hours. Hospitals are open 24 hours," he said.
Some people even visit the emergency room at Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi to get prescriptions renewed, said Dr Jihad Awad, the head of the emergency department.
Other non-severe cases, which account for 10 to 15 per cent of the 300 patients admitted daily, include sore throats, body pain, nausea and chronic pain.
People also visit the hospital for check-ups, he said.
Everyone from the government to the physicians who treat minor cases in emergency departments must educate the public, Dr Awad said.
"They have to inform the patient about the cases they should be worried about and the cases they should just follow up with their family doctor," he said.
Dr Omar Al Jabri, the medical director of the Ambulatory Healthcare Services Company (AHS), said people also must be educated on what is a serious ailment.
"Their first choice will be emergency partly because they think they have something serious, most of the time," Dr Al Jabri said. "Part of it is individual education."
Ehab Ahmed, a 30-year-old Egyptian, said he brought his 2-year-old son to the Sheikh Khalifa emergency department with a fever.
He said most patients prefer the emergency department because the staff there were quick to attend to patients. He also said there was nowhere else to go when the outpatient clinic was closed.
Dr Halimi said the outpatient clinic at the Sheikh Kalifah Hospital operated from 8am to 11pm.
He said the emergency department was there to deal with cases that required immediate intervention, such as traffic and construction accidents, burns, heart attacks and epileptic seizures.
2011年12月25日星期日
Packers tailgater Timothy Merry patrols Lambeau in ape costume
Bigfoot wears a size 12 shoe, isn't camera shy and has been spotted this season at Green Bay Packers home games.
That's right, the mystique of Lambeau Field gets turned up a few notches whenever Timothy Merry steps inside his massive ape-like costume to patrol the parking lot.
"It's very warm," said Merry, who is a lean 6 foot 2 inches tall but stands nearly 7 feet when he puts on the hairy creature getup. "The head is a little top heavy, so your neck gets a little sore after a while. But other than that, it's perfect to wear to games in the cold."
Merry, a 27-year-old delivery service driver and middle school ice hockey coach from Hartland, first stepped into the suit for the Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings game Nov. 14 at the suggestion of a friend — the same friend who had scored the costume from a film studio.
"He said he'll buy my tickets for the Packers game if I wore that costume," Merry said.
On game days, fans sometimes mistake Merry for Chewbacca from "Star Wars,'' but they have no fear of getting close to him.
"Girls sometimes want to be picked up off the ground. They ask me if that's my real height, because I'm actually looking out my neck," he said.
Loads of people snap photos nonstop to document their close encounter.
Some people even told Merry they planned to use it as their Christmas photo.
"Every step I took, I was turning around and taking pictures with somebody," he said of his second outing as Bigfoot in an XXL green Clay Matthews No. 52 jersey at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game Nov. 20. "Girls loved it. Guys loved it. Even fans from the other team loved it."
And the interest didn't exactly slow down once he was in his seat inside the stadium.
"Pretty much every person that passed me tried to get a picture. It was kind of hard to catch the game," he said.
Merry has been a Packers fan since the mid-1990s, when the team became a playoff contender with quarterback Brett Favre at the helm.
"I'm a Packers fan,'' Merry said. "I'm not a Brett Favre fan.''
Merry usually takes in about two games a season, but now that he's crossed over into Bigfoot territory, he plans on attending more.
"I'm pretty much going to wear it every time I go to the Packers game, and now that I have it and know how much fun it is, I'm going to go to as many Packers games as I can,'' he said.
That's right, the mystique of Lambeau Field gets turned up a few notches whenever Timothy Merry steps inside his massive ape-like costume to patrol the parking lot.
"It's very warm," said Merry, who is a lean 6 foot 2 inches tall but stands nearly 7 feet when he puts on the hairy creature getup. "The head is a little top heavy, so your neck gets a little sore after a while. But other than that, it's perfect to wear to games in the cold."
Merry, a 27-year-old delivery service driver and middle school ice hockey coach from Hartland, first stepped into the suit for the Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings game Nov. 14 at the suggestion of a friend — the same friend who had scored the costume from a film studio.
"He said he'll buy my tickets for the Packers game if I wore that costume," Merry said.
On game days, fans sometimes mistake Merry for Chewbacca from "Star Wars,'' but they have no fear of getting close to him.
"Girls sometimes want to be picked up off the ground. They ask me if that's my real height, because I'm actually looking out my neck," he said.
Loads of people snap photos nonstop to document their close encounter.
Some people even told Merry they planned to use it as their Christmas photo.
"Every step I took, I was turning around and taking pictures with somebody," he said of his second outing as Bigfoot in an XXL green Clay Matthews No. 52 jersey at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers game Nov. 20. "Girls loved it. Guys loved it. Even fans from the other team loved it."
And the interest didn't exactly slow down once he was in his seat inside the stadium.
"Pretty much every person that passed me tried to get a picture. It was kind of hard to catch the game," he said.
Merry has been a Packers fan since the mid-1990s, when the team became a playoff contender with quarterback Brett Favre at the helm.
"I'm a Packers fan,'' Merry said. "I'm not a Brett Favre fan.''
Merry usually takes in about two games a season, but now that he's crossed over into Bigfoot territory, he plans on attending more.
"I'm pretty much going to wear it every time I go to the Packers game, and now that I have it and know how much fun it is, I'm going to go to as many Packers games as I can,'' he said.
2011年12月22日星期四
'You see those eyes and you melt'
Two weeks ago, little Joey was so sick his caregivers couldn't determine the puppy's breed.
They thought he might be a shar-pei, because of the wrinkles around his paws and face, but later realized the roughly 5-month-old black dog with the soulful eyes was badly wrinkled because of severe swelling.
Found tied to a pole in Berlin during a cold snap, he was suffering from such a severe case of itchy mange that the blanket rescuers wrapped him in stuck to his wounds.
His little eyes were swollen shut. He was so weak he could barely lift his head, and had to be hand-fed and carried outdoors to relieve himself.
"He was a bloody mess when he came in," said Meggin McKnight, canine caretaker at the Worcester County Humane Society, where the puppy has been nursed.
"He would sleep all day and barely pick his head up. It seemed like slow-going but it was like overnight that he came around. Now he's growing. He loves to play. He likes tug-of-war. You see those eyes and you melt," she said.
McKnight dubbed him Joey because he reminded her of helpless baby kangaroos who are born blind and only a few centimeters long.
"We all took turns hand-feeding him. When he came in he was starving. You could see all the bones in his back and around his ribs. Now he's all plump," she said, smiling.
"The first day his eyes were open and he was yapping I looked at him and said, 'Get outta town. Look at you.' His tail was wagging," she said, laughing.
The puppy was spotted by a good-hearted passer-by who rushed him to the Humane Society. The former owners are not known, but their cruelty certainly put Joey's life at risk.
"He is one amazing little creature," McKnight said. "His strength and resilience is nothing short of a miracle. ... We were devastated and shocked at his condition when we first laid eyes on him. It was the worst case of noncontagious, treatable mange we had ever seen and a clear case of neglect and abuse."
Sick as he was, he wasn't irritable about being medicated or bathed.
"He was a real trooper. We are all so relieved and proud of him. Despite this horrible ordeal, he has developed into a sweet endearing little puppy that showers us with kisses. He has his appetite back and is growing like a weed," she said.
He will be a healthy dog. Other than mange, he was in good condition with a strong heart, his veterinarian said. Even though he didn't have early proper nutrition, he's developing mentally, knows his name and looks up when he's called.
It appears Joey is a Labrador retriever or mastiff. His fur hasn't grown thick yet but the little he has is black.
"Even without fur, we think he is the most beautiful boy in the world. He is so loyal. He'll follow me everywhere I go. He tries to crawl up my leg," said McKnight, who's fashioning a scrapbook of his improvement and growth for the family who eventually welcomes him into a safe home.
And that won't be a simple adoption; applicants will be interviewed thoroughly.
The Humane Society prohibits adoptions beginning Christmas week until a few days after the holiday, to be certain owners are serious about committing to the care of a new pet, not just caught up in the holiday excitement and a cute puppy or kitten.
A positive light surrounds Joey's early misfortune so close to Christmas.
"It just makes you realize if you put your heart and soul into something, it all works out. The gratitude he shows us, how much he loves you, makes it all worthwhile," McKnight said.
"He brought us all together as a team. We all took turns feeding him a combination of baby food and puppy chow. It kind of made us realize how much we all depend on each other," she said.
They thought he might be a shar-pei, because of the wrinkles around his paws and face, but later realized the roughly 5-month-old black dog with the soulful eyes was badly wrinkled because of severe swelling.
Found tied to a pole in Berlin during a cold snap, he was suffering from such a severe case of itchy mange that the blanket rescuers wrapped him in stuck to his wounds.
His little eyes were swollen shut. He was so weak he could barely lift his head, and had to be hand-fed and carried outdoors to relieve himself.
"He was a bloody mess when he came in," said Meggin McKnight, canine caretaker at the Worcester County Humane Society, where the puppy has been nursed.
"He would sleep all day and barely pick his head up. It seemed like slow-going but it was like overnight that he came around. Now he's growing. He loves to play. He likes tug-of-war. You see those eyes and you melt," she said.
McKnight dubbed him Joey because he reminded her of helpless baby kangaroos who are born blind and only a few centimeters long.
"We all took turns hand-feeding him. When he came in he was starving. You could see all the bones in his back and around his ribs. Now he's all plump," she said, smiling.
"The first day his eyes were open and he was yapping I looked at him and said, 'Get outta town. Look at you.' His tail was wagging," she said, laughing.
The puppy was spotted by a good-hearted passer-by who rushed him to the Humane Society. The former owners are not known, but their cruelty certainly put Joey's life at risk.
"He is one amazing little creature," McKnight said. "His strength and resilience is nothing short of a miracle. ... We were devastated and shocked at his condition when we first laid eyes on him. It was the worst case of noncontagious, treatable mange we had ever seen and a clear case of neglect and abuse."
Sick as he was, he wasn't irritable about being medicated or bathed.
"He was a real trooper. We are all so relieved and proud of him. Despite this horrible ordeal, he has developed into a sweet endearing little puppy that showers us with kisses. He has his appetite back and is growing like a weed," she said.
He will be a healthy dog. Other than mange, he was in good condition with a strong heart, his veterinarian said. Even though he didn't have early proper nutrition, he's developing mentally, knows his name and looks up when he's called.
It appears Joey is a Labrador retriever or mastiff. His fur hasn't grown thick yet but the little he has is black.
"Even without fur, we think he is the most beautiful boy in the world. He is so loyal. He'll follow me everywhere I go. He tries to crawl up my leg," said McKnight, who's fashioning a scrapbook of his improvement and growth for the family who eventually welcomes him into a safe home.
And that won't be a simple adoption; applicants will be interviewed thoroughly.
The Humane Society prohibits adoptions beginning Christmas week until a few days after the holiday, to be certain owners are serious about committing to the care of a new pet, not just caught up in the holiday excitement and a cute puppy or kitten.
A positive light surrounds Joey's early misfortune so close to Christmas.
"It just makes you realize if you put your heart and soul into something, it all works out. The gratitude he shows us, how much he loves you, makes it all worthwhile," McKnight said.
"He brought us all together as a team. We all took turns feeding him a combination of baby food and puppy chow. It kind of made us realize how much we all depend on each other," she said.
2011年12月21日星期三
Why You Shouldn't Call In Sick Unless Absolutely Necessary
I thought about calling in sick to teach my classes at the gym last week. I don’t even get up very early. I just didn’t feel like it.
The kids both had stuffy noses that started with a sore throat. No fevers this time, but wasn’t that a faint tickle I felt in the back of my throat? It’s so cold, I thought. I could easily call in and find a substitute for my two classes.
But no, I knew that’s just a slippery slope. And, it's not like I felt terrible. Winter hadn't even officially started. Get up and go, I said, reminding myself that you shouldn't call in sick unless absolutely necessary. I am so glad I did.
About five weeks ago, a new person came into my Yoga/Pilates class, Danielle. As instructors, we are trained to always ask if there is anyone new to class, so we can guide them more fully through movements.
Danielle told me she hadn’t worked out regularly in seven years, but at that time had been a yoga instructor. I welcomed her enthusiastically and we started our workout.
Danielle was older than me; I could tell. I don’t really try to guess a person's age, as I feel I am terrible at it anyway. Also, it doesn't really matter to me. (I constantly forget my mother’s age, which she is somewhat responsible for by telling us, “Age does not matter." I think she’s right.)
Danielle moved through the yoga poses with both familiarity and some slight difficulty, but one of the best parts of yoga is that the movements help you become more balanced and strong very quickly.
After class, I thanked Danielle for coming, and told her I hoped I would see her again. She said she definitely would be back for my classes and then shocked me when she told me she was 67 years old. I would never have guessed.
Danielle did come back. In fact, she came to every one of my yoga classes for the next five weeks. We shared a bit about ourselves as group instructors, our fitness history and our families.
I learned that Danielle would be moving in the new year to the western suburbs of St. Louis, so she could provide more room for her grandchildren to visit. She had mentioned she would try to keep coming to our gym in the Central West End, The Lab.
I am so glad I did not listen to the little devil on my shoulder that morning last week telling me to call in sick. When Danielle walked in to class, she told me it would be her last at The Lab.
She decided she must be realistic. The Lab would be a far drive and she had discovered her insurance company would pay for full membership at two gyms closer to her new home.
We talked and laughed through our final class together. At the end, as we said our goodbyes, I learned for the first time that her daughter and her family live in Madrid, Spain.
Furthermore, seven years ago, at 60 years old, she walked in the Camino de Santiago in Spain. She asked if I had ever heard of it, and I had not. (My cultural experience is very limited and specific to Germany, my father’s homeland.)
She explained that the Camino de Santiago is an annual pilgrimage in Europe of hundreds of miles, always with the same destination: The town where St. James is buried. People from all walks of life, all over the world and all ages come together for the walk.
Danielle said she wanted to tell me that she realized many things on the walk, but one of the best was that the Camino de Santiago is representative of one’s life.
She said she would meet people and walk and talk with them for maybe 10 minutes or a whole day, and then not see them again the rest of the trip, and that was okay.
Danielle explained how she was glad we had met. She thanked me for being a good teacher and said that now it was time to move on. I said thank you to her as well and that change is good. We both teared up as we hugged goodbye and wished each other well.
People continue to surprise me.
It's likely I will never see Danielle again, but I will never forget her. She had the courage to return to yoga after a seven-year hiatus, walk into a gym class at 67 and get back at it. Not to mention that she walked such an amazing pilgrimage at 60.
She inspired me to never give up, even if you think you already did, and to try new things, like walking hundreds of miles in a foreign land with many strangers.
By doing this, and having the courage to truly live, we can enjoy the journey and the people that come and go while on the trip. Don’t call in sick, unless absolutely necessary. You might miss an important pit stop.
The kids both had stuffy noses that started with a sore throat. No fevers this time, but wasn’t that a faint tickle I felt in the back of my throat? It’s so cold, I thought. I could easily call in and find a substitute for my two classes.
But no, I knew that’s just a slippery slope. And, it's not like I felt terrible. Winter hadn't even officially started. Get up and go, I said, reminding myself that you shouldn't call in sick unless absolutely necessary. I am so glad I did.
About five weeks ago, a new person came into my Yoga/Pilates class, Danielle. As instructors, we are trained to always ask if there is anyone new to class, so we can guide them more fully through movements.
Danielle told me she hadn’t worked out regularly in seven years, but at that time had been a yoga instructor. I welcomed her enthusiastically and we started our workout.
Danielle was older than me; I could tell. I don’t really try to guess a person's age, as I feel I am terrible at it anyway. Also, it doesn't really matter to me. (I constantly forget my mother’s age, which she is somewhat responsible for by telling us, “Age does not matter." I think she’s right.)
Danielle moved through the yoga poses with both familiarity and some slight difficulty, but one of the best parts of yoga is that the movements help you become more balanced and strong very quickly.
After class, I thanked Danielle for coming, and told her I hoped I would see her again. She said she definitely would be back for my classes and then shocked me when she told me she was 67 years old. I would never have guessed.
Danielle did come back. In fact, she came to every one of my yoga classes for the next five weeks. We shared a bit about ourselves as group instructors, our fitness history and our families.
I learned that Danielle would be moving in the new year to the western suburbs of St. Louis, so she could provide more room for her grandchildren to visit. She had mentioned she would try to keep coming to our gym in the Central West End, The Lab.
I am so glad I did not listen to the little devil on my shoulder that morning last week telling me to call in sick. When Danielle walked in to class, she told me it would be her last at The Lab.
She decided she must be realistic. The Lab would be a far drive and she had discovered her insurance company would pay for full membership at two gyms closer to her new home.
We talked and laughed through our final class together. At the end, as we said our goodbyes, I learned for the first time that her daughter and her family live in Madrid, Spain.
Furthermore, seven years ago, at 60 years old, she walked in the Camino de Santiago in Spain. She asked if I had ever heard of it, and I had not. (My cultural experience is very limited and specific to Germany, my father’s homeland.)
She explained that the Camino de Santiago is an annual pilgrimage in Europe of hundreds of miles, always with the same destination: The town where St. James is buried. People from all walks of life, all over the world and all ages come together for the walk.
Danielle said she wanted to tell me that she realized many things on the walk, but one of the best was that the Camino de Santiago is representative of one’s life.
She said she would meet people and walk and talk with them for maybe 10 minutes or a whole day, and then not see them again the rest of the trip, and that was okay.
Danielle explained how she was glad we had met. She thanked me for being a good teacher and said that now it was time to move on. I said thank you to her as well and that change is good. We both teared up as we hugged goodbye and wished each other well.
People continue to surprise me.
It's likely I will never see Danielle again, but I will never forget her. She had the courage to return to yoga after a seven-year hiatus, walk into a gym class at 67 and get back at it. Not to mention that she walked such an amazing pilgrimage at 60.
She inspired me to never give up, even if you think you already did, and to try new things, like walking hundreds of miles in a foreign land with many strangers.
By doing this, and having the courage to truly live, we can enjoy the journey and the people that come and go while on the trip. Don’t call in sick, unless absolutely necessary. You might miss an important pit stop.
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