COLUMBUS OH

OK, so this is a record (for delay). But after our last post, any reader should not be surprised.

Much medical news, for the most part bad: 18 October Bobbi discovered that her right leg hurt. She had a appointment with an orthopod pending for the 20th, at which time he xrayed the ankle and showed her that her right fibula was fractured. He told her to get an orthopedic boot and return in a month. At that time another film showed that she was healing well, so he told her to return again in another month. So now she has another appointment for tomorrow.

But last Friday she began to complain of pain in the right leg, this time farther up the leg and on the tibial side. Rob took a look at it and opined that the tibia was fractured - a much more serious injury. So tomorrow we all will know how bad and how long her disability will be.

Lew's health remains status quo - that is, balance is impaired, ambulation and standing remain difficult and painful, but not impossible. The heart disease remains a threat, but not imminently. All retrieval (memory) remains slowed, but not decreased.

Nonetheless, there is a bright side. Last week Lew accepted return of the Airstream after it had been shined to a mirror finish. Now if only health could be improved enough to permit travel!

It's midnight really and truly.  From past record, anyone should realize that we dare make no promises.

COLUMBUS OH

For some time now we have been making excuses for the repeatedly delayed entries for this blog. Perhaps now is time for candor.

Lew has not lied, his depression has been real enough. However, it has been trumped and to some extent precipitated by an out-of-control, Orwellian government. Long before Snowden, technology had progressed to the point where the government not only tapped our phones but also opened and read our first-class mail and monitored traffic through the internet routers. The gleanings were recorded, scooped up, and transmitted to Fort Meade where they could be recorded and analyzed.

Similarly, traffic cams, supermarket cams, street cams, and cell phones all over the country monitor citizen's comings and goings and transmit the results to local law enforcement agencies, which in turn transmit the data to Fort Meade. It goes without saying that these recordings are kept forever.

All this is right out in plain sight! Techno publications (especially hacker mags) have been reporting the facts for years. Indeed, in March 2008 Eric Schmidt (CEO of Googlegave a televised presentation outlining it all (though without mentioning either the government or Google by name).

I suppose the surprise has to be not the fact that this all was going on, but rather that the citizens were the only ones who did not realize it.

It took Mr. Snowden's June 2013 publication of "secret" government documents to get the public's (including legislators') attention. Yet there was nothing new in what those documents reported - merely that they were authored and signed by government employees.

What then, is the present state of affairs? So far as I can tell, despite the constitution and everything Mr. Snowden and others have reported, neither the government nor

Google and its peers have retreated so much as one inch. Once-sacred first class mail continues to be opened and scanned every day. Despite wiretap laws on the books since the the days of Al Capone, electronic communications continue to be recorded by both government and private corporations without judicial approval. Eyes-in-the-skys or Google's street view cars still watch over most of us in the cities, day and night.

Whatever other technologies may be involved, it is the internet which is central to and enabling of this illegal snooping. Its inventors never intended for it to be either private and/secure - on the contrary. After DARPA it was intended specifically to make information freely and universally available. As a result, now there is no possible way to make it private and/or "secure". Even the best encryption - encryption that this morning may be  sufficient - this afternoon will be cracked, leaving only the one-time key as a very inadequate guard for "security". Of course both of these techniques are too onerous for casual use. Furthermore, new "Zero-day" exploits are uncovered every day.

(Whether by government or by private individuals, the hacking itself is not difficult; good old-fashioned capitalism always trumps moral scruples: surely no one is surprised that hacking tools are a commodity on the internet black market. One need only know where to look.)

What is appropriate response for a responsible citizen? Clearly, that citizen will avoid connecting any data-bearing equipment to the internet (unless there literally is no other alternative). Similarly, he/she also will avoid the postal system. And an interesting little bit of relevant trivia: Western Union has been coopted since 28 April 1917.

Carrier pigeon, anyone?

Of course, as always, we plan to do our moral duty.

COLUMBUS OH

Well, you can tell this note is not what Lew intended - he began to draft it on the 14th. However, when he returned to edit the note, something in Google messed up and would not permit him to edit it. So now we are returning to our old tried but true procedure: draft the note in a text editor and then paste it into Google's blank form.

Since medical reports for old farts inherently are depressing, let's put them off until the end and begin with the best part, the Animals:

We have had a third dog around for the past couple of months - After his annual trip to Thailand, Rob could not resist the temptation to rescue yet another. However, Bobbi and Lew drew a hard and fast line - this was to be his dog, and whatever happened he had to be responsible for it - because they simply were too infirm to be responsible for another one. Not that they could not babysit, but he had to bear the basic responsibility for feeding, pottying, walking, medical care, etc. And of course he has done very well for this pup - as always.

Rob named this new pup "Oreo" because his coat is colored like Oreo ice cream. He is considerably smaller than the other two, but makes up for it in energy. Rob thinks he is part beagle and part blue heeler - Bobbi and Lew have no idea. He certainly is cute (what pup is not?), so no one ever is going to have the heart to get rid of him. His energy gives My-low a real run for his money - which of course is good for him.

Timmy continues to battle his weight - still loses less than a pound a week, and has at least 10 to go. But he is the most cuddly thing - has to have body contact with Lew all day and doesn't move. In other words, still the same couch potato.

Audrey's big black tomcat Lucky remains perhaps the most beautiful of the animals. At night he sleeps on the corner of the bed just beyond Lew's face, and a considerable part of the day sleeps by himself on the same bed. Yet he is no couch potato, since later at night and early morning he prowls. But like Timmy he has a voracious appetite, so Bobbi and Lew have to limit his intake just as tightly as Timmy's. It sure is pleasant to have a soft warm fuzzy black cat next to your cheek at night.

And finally Kitty-poo - she remains the domineering leader of the pack despite her diminutive physique. If anyone - man or beast - crosses her, she maintains respect with a pawful of the most-broken-glass-sharp claws. Yet at other times she will sit and sleep on one's lap and wallow in petting for as much an hour; just don't exceed the time or space she has allocated to you.

Family:
Last week Scott & Su visited the Columbus Lindners with their 2 sons, George & Brian. All 4 were in excellent health and enjoying their vacation immensely. Bobbi put them up at the new motel nearby - just a block away. They stayed long enough to eat out several times, including one evening at Rhonda's. Unfortunately the next day Lew developed a sudden cholera-like dysentery, and Bobbi the day after that; but severe as it was, it resolved in just a couple of days.

Of course most of the time went to talking. Scott continues his pleasant tour as pastor in Wesley Chapel, often assisted by Su who has fashioned her own career from photography (plenty of her work is posted on the web). Both boys are in college at the community college in Tampa, thus helping them dodge the modern bugaboo of student debt. They left on Friday for the next leg of their vacation - visiting Su's family in Vassar MI.

Medical Report:
Sunday night about a week ago, Lutherphoned to tell them that Linda had aspirated and been hospitalized in Bryan. Luther was quite dissatisfied with the doctors there because they were were dragging their feet about honoring Linda's treatment decisions (Linda does have some swallowing dysfunction but refused a percutaneous feeding tube). Fortunately, while there was initial concern about her very survival, she recovered without incident in just a few days.

22 June aunt Aggie was hospitalized after another fall. She has been another family concern simply because he is 95 or 96. However she too has made recovery and been discharged.

will not lie - both bipeds here have long exceeded their warranty. They continue to get around, but only with some difficulty. Bobbi's 3 implants did relieve most of her lower extremity pain, but now her left ankle has developed pretty severe arthritis - bone on bone. Likewise, age continues to trim Lew's sails - his back prevents anything approaching athletics. So both do the best they can in the gym at the Senior Center.

At the end of May Bobbi & Lew had a scare one morning when Lew looked into the mirror and noticed that his right eye was sticking out more than the left. This was scary because every physician has been taught that asymmetrical proptosis often is caused by an intracranial tumor, which in turn tend to be malignant. A trip to his opthamologist elicited some concern and a CT scan of the eyeball. He then referred Lew to a prominent young neurosurgeon who followed up with an MRI of Lew's head to see if there was anything in there. After a week or so the report came back: no pathology (still doesn't say if there is anything in there). But they everyone is much less anxious now.xx

COLUMBUS OH

March and April have been tragic, traumatic, and busy for the Columbus Lindners.

About 10 pm the evening of 27 March, Saphire suddenly collapsed. Lew's first thought was "stroke", so he and Bobbi got Saphire into the mini-van and drove her straight to Med-Vet. The vet drew some blood, went out to do the determination, and returned to tell us that Saphire was extremely anemic - which was obvious from her pale gums.

Everyone had known that this was coming since her last surgery (was that really over 4 years ago?), because it is the way dogs with malignant liver tumors usually go. The vet reviewed the possible interventions, and everyone agreed that, because she would continue to bleed, even the most aggressive of these could buy Saphire only a few days at best - a few very uncomfortable days for a very old (17 years) husky. Everyone agreed that the most moral and humane thing would be to put her down then and there, so the vet gave her an overdose of a barbiturate while Bobbi and Lew cradled her head in their arms - as they had done for Smokey less than 2 years earlier. A truly heart-rending deja vu.

However, the Lindners are fortunate to have the 2 very affectionate new dogs - thanks to Rob. Neither of them mourned Saphire for very long, which certainly helped the humans recover from the blow.

The younger (My-low) continues to be ADHD (which shows his Jack Russell heritage) and Lew's last remaining psychiatric patient. Otherwise he is hearty and healthy, energetic and constantly hungry - he eats anything not under lock and key: animal, vegetable, or mineral. But however active, he remains a most comforting companion.

Timmy the couch potato remains ridiculously affectionate and dependent, having to remain constantly right next to Lew - preferably in direct contact. And he is overweight. He must lose because we don't want to care for a diabetic dog for God-knows-how-long.


The cats also remain status quo. Lucky (the inheritance from g'ma Audrey) remains shy and diffident nearly six years after her death, but is beginning to show Lew a little affection. He sleeps directly next to Lew's head, even during the day. On the other hand, little bitty Kitty-poo - all six or seven pounds of her - remains the pack leader, enforcing her status through her dominating and (when she thinks necessary) vicious personality.

Paul continues his role as the curve-breaker in nursing training. Despite the ease with which gets top grades, he nevertheless persists in studying. Clearly he is not willing to rely on genetics to get him through - obsessive-compulsive. He took Lew to a ballet (Alice-in-Wonderland) which really was most gratifying for Lew - a birthday gift, if you will.

Out-of-school and unemployed, Bobbi none-the-less stokes her anxiety by taking on projects at church. Currently she has dominated her way into a leadership role in the evangelism program and tutors some school children on the side. Healthwise her out-of-warranty body and Lew's anxiety continue to be threatened by her weight. Already that has cost her four surgeries and now threatens her remaining hip, knee, and both feet. And how long can she continue to escape diabetes?

Of course Lew's body is even further out-of-warranty. His heart continues to be the greatest threat, but the back pain is most in-the-face. It worsened around the beginning of February, so that it now is truly difficult for him to do any walking. But he is bound and determined to travel, no matter what.

Enough for now - stay tuned for the next installment, same time, same station.

COLUMBUS OH

Global Warming? Where? For the past 20 years the temperature in central Ohio hasn't gone down to zero, and snow visited only 1-3 times per winter season. This season the snow has been on the ground since the beginning of December. And cold??? What a shock!

(PAUSED)

(RESUMED 5 Feb:)
If you have been following the weather in Ohio, you know that we have continued to be slammed with waves of cold air and snow. We had one day when the temp went up to near 40 and most of the snow melted off, but then it fell back down again. And last night central OH had several inches of snow, with a crust of ice over the top. We stayed in the house and did not go anywhere.

(PAUSED)

(RESUMED 11 Feb:)
MEDICAL:
My-low - has continued his remarkable adjustment. His hyperactivity has diminished markedly, though he still qualifies for the diagnosis. He has become admirably polited and obediant to the slightest gesture - so there has been no need to train him to voice commands. He and Timmy sleep in the same bed with us every night know their (self-chosen) places

Timmy - our couch potato remains lazy and overweight. But he certainly remains cuddly as well.

Saphire - continues to go along as if she has no tumor. But every day we wonder how much longer this can go on. She too is a couch potatoe, but we blame that on age - and the fact that she is a husky.

Lucky - Audrey's big black tomcat remains more aloof than the other pets - yet loving and cuddly when it suits his mood. But despite the fact that he could hurt any of the dogs badly, he remains the most submissive of the pets. He needs to join Timmy in a diet.

Kitty-Poo - not at all submissive. She dominates the other pets, and even all the humans. After Lew, she is the pack leader - and neither is she willing to concede anything to Lew.

Paul - continues on with his nurses' training, spending most of his time in his room, studying.

Rob - has spent most of his time the last year, working. But now he is preparing to return to Thailand again.

Bobbi - continued her relatively uneventful recovery from surgery, having returned to her AM churchgoing this last week. She still complains of fatigue, so her PCP asked for an Echocardiogram and initiated a cardiology consult. Once again, we wait. She also continues to follow her own family tree back intermittantly, has gotten back several generations from Mary Boleyn.

Lew - heart status quo, spine still painful every day. But he continues to go to the local senior center every weekday afternoon in order to exercise on their machines. He also tries to continue enlarging the family tree.

COLUMBUS OH

Medical Report:

Lew is much more upbeat today. Bobbi had her surgery at 8:15 AM Tuesday 30 December, was in the recovery room by 10:30. But she didn't get to her room until about 4:00 PM - she always has excreted anesthetics slowly. The next morning she still had brain fog and was cross as a bear in Spring, but was released Thursday. She has been home since, mostly asleep. Finally this morning she woke up cheerful, thank God. So hopefully we're over the hump.

By now Bobbi is a bionic woman and should be as good as she is going to get - her back is fixed (as good as it is going to get), she has two new joints, and now the knawing pain along her esophagus should be gone. In order to avoid any more surgery she has sworn to lose her excess weight. So this morning she is surfing for the first time since the surgery.

That's it for the moment - everyone else remains status quo.