Had breakfast at a place we’ve wanted to try forever, but it was always too crowded until today. I had the shrimp and grits:
So good! The shrimp were on the shrimpy side but fresh, well-seasoned and not overdone. They’d cut the grits up into wedges and fried them as if they were polenta (which grits are a cousin of, I suppose). Never seen anyone treat grits that way, but it was GOOD!
Then we went walking in the woods until it got too hot. On the way home now. What are y’all up to today?
Open thread!
UPDATE: Faithful reader “bl” has found an old dog that needs to be reunited with its owner. Here’s his message:
I have a lost dog that I am trying to get home… I live in the Maryland suburbs of DC, and have notified the county animal shelter and posted on various lost and found pet sites, but no response.
The dog is an old black lab mix that only had a invisible fence collar and no tags. I took the dog to the vet and he is not microchipped.
He is very stiff and doesnt walk well so I thought his owner would be easy to find since he must live close by, but so far no luck. I tried to walk him around the neighborhood but we couldn’t get very far.
I travel for my job every week and leave Tuesday morning. I need to do something with him, at least while I am gone, by Monday evening. I am hoping someone in the DC area has a contact with a rescue group that I can work with.
He is very good with people and dogs, but not cats. I have a call into one local rescue group, but they havent gotten back to me.
Thanks for any help.
Anyone have ideas on how to help this dog?
UPDATE II: Here’s a photo:
He looks like a sweet fellow.
japa21
Yummy.
bl
Betty
I sent you an email through the contact form asking for help from BJ with a dog.
Thanks
TaMara (HFG)
Gardening….now that the surprise snow has left us I can resume my vegetable garden prep.
Another Scott
Looks good. I’ve never seen grits like that either (I was never a grits fan, but that looks more like cornbread and appears quite yummy).
I’m trying to get motivated to work in the yard, etc., … Stuff is growing too fast!!
Any news about bl and “Buddy”? I was expecting/hoping for a thread from AL about them this morning, but nothing has jumped out at me. Here’s hoping some non-shelter arrangement can be made quickly!!
Have a good Sunday, everyone.
Cheers,
Scott.
laura
We’re heading off the the farmers market to find whatever will accompany the country style ribs.
Will pooter about the yard watering (it’s going to be 97°!), weeding, planting more zinnias, cosmos and marigolds.
There will be beer, in a hammock, accompanied by a weiner dog, a book and a nap.
germy
jacy
That looks yummy. Never had grits until I moved to Louisiana. I have learned to make garlic cheese grits, which is really good and you can make using instant grits.
I’ve been on the thyroid meds for 5 days now. Yesterday was bad — had an hour-long panic attack and then had to lay down in the afternoon because I was suddenly exhausted, then couldn’t move until early this morning. Not sure whether the roller-coaster is thyroid or bi-polar depression symptoms or just reaction to the new round of medications. But this morning I feel halfway decent so I’m going to try and find something to do that is NOT work. The weather here is lovely right now, so maybe something outside before the coming rain!
BruceFromOhio
staying home to watch the rain
and reading this piece on Chris Cornell.
Hal
I’m making pork shoulder that I started at 300 but then turned down to 250 after an hour and a half. I added another hour to the cooking time, so I should get 8 hours in, which hopefully will be just right. I read through 20 different recipes which just ended up irritating me.
Also speaking of irritation, I see the media has decided Trump is sounding/acting presidential again. Will they ever stop hitting themselves in the face?
gene108
I wish it was hot. I went out of town for the past week, and when I left NJ it was cool – in the 50’s and low 60’s – and when I got back last Thursday night, I thought “finally, it is warm and I can put my sweaters away”, only to have it turn chilly again yesterday.
I really want to get to summer, when I can wear shorts, t-shirts, and sandals any time of day and head out the door.
Mike J
One of our boats got dismasted yesterday, so I’ll be working on that and some other minor maintenance. Also, an intermediate member asked if I’d dockmaster (they need supervision, and nobody had signed up), so I’ll keep an eye on them whilst fixing boats.
bl
@Another Scott: Never heard from AL. Just sent email to Betty. Hoping she helps out.
In the previous thread, I noted I am hoping a BJer can help me find a rescue group to watch Buddy Tues through Thursday while I travel. I drive back and forth to WV from DC every week, so I can drop him off on the way and pick up on the way back.
If the owner doesnt get in touch by the time I am back, then we should work on a permanent placement for Buddy.
Iowa Old Lady
I am sadly allergic to shell fish, so I’ll never eat shrimp and grits.
For the third morning in a row, I woke up to rain and 44 degrees.
Betty Cracker
@bl: I’m going to update this post to add that info.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@bl: from the way you describe him– old and having mobility trouble– it sounds like he didn’t come from far away?
ETA: Joy Reid trolling David Clarke with the “flare” scene form Office Space
Mnemosyne
I may take some cold medicine today and try to get some shit done since I’m finally starting to feel better after this flu. The always ironic part of these last stages is that I sound absolutely terrible because the sinus congestion is finally breaking up and messing with my vocal cords, but I feel better even if my voice is more Harvey Fierstein than anything else.
leeleeFL
Grits like that are soooooooo delish! I like to sprinkle some red pepper flakes in them before they stiffen. Then fry em in my vegan butter(margarine to you guys). So fantabulous with refried pinto beans and a side of something green!
Ailes son needs some therapy, or an arrest warrant, maybe?! Psycho didn’t keep that shit to himself, did he?
Mike J
@BruceFromOhio: Went to the Sound Garden Thursday.
MattF
Skipping the farmer’s market today– I’ve got enough fruits and vegetables and bread. And pastries. Also, with next weekend being a three (or four) day weekend, I’m just not in a hurry to get shopping done since I’ve got enough foodstuffs lying around to get me through the next several days.
I intend to skim/re-read Charlie Stross’ old Laundry Files novels, since there’s a new one coming up. He’s (wisely) introduced various new characters as the story goes along– but I need to get reacquainted with them. Unlike Richard Kadrey– who has a new Sandman Slim novel coming up– but has (unwisely) killed off most of his interesting original characters without introducing new ones. But so it goes– I guess one learns how to write a multi-book series the hard way.
bl
Thanks Betty. I am including a link to his picture.
Buddy
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@germy:
So… isn’t that sort of witness intimidationish?
bl
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I agree. I thought it would be easy to find his owner, but no such luck so far.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@Mnemosyne:
No writers thread it seems… maybe my calendar is screwed up. Seems like it’s been a while since the last.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
I’ve never had grits. It’s just not something you find on menus in rural NorCal.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@West of the Rockies (been a while): I’m thinking he’s a minor? but yeah, that sure sounds like a physical threat
SiubhanDuinne
@bl:
Aww, he looks like a sweetie.
pamelabrown53
I love the polenta/grits debate. I grew up in the midwest and we called it corn meal mush! On the rare occasion my mother was AWOL at meal time, my father woild cut rounds from a tube, fry it, and we’d eat it like pancakes with butter and syrup. Whatever, one prefers to call it, I really enjoy it.
Finally, we’re getting some rain in northeast Florida. Glad I got my walk in. Ran out, put the covered patio plants in the enclosure part so every part of the plant benefits. Hope all are having a day of respite and renewal.
SiubhanDuinne
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
I think the article said he was 17. So technically a minor, but IMO old enough to know not to say shit like that, at least in a public setting.
CaseyL
I love me some cheese grits, and am not about to buy instant grits because I would quickly OD on ’em.
This weekend Seattle is HOT and SUNNY. People have emerged from their waterproof bunkers to gaze in awe at the sky. I have no plans in particular, which means I should really go on a walkabout.
Lizzy L
I always thought grits (which I rarely eat) and polenta (which I eat pretty often) were the same thing.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
WI state senator tells Charlie Sykes David Clarke is his Frankenstein, “You helped create this”
Sykes nods and says, “I know”
bl
@SiubhanDuinne: @SiubhanDuinne: He is very sweet, unless you are a cat. He terrorized my cats. I have him confined to downstairs and they are staying upstairs.
Mnemosyne
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
I should probably email TaMara — it seems like we’re due for one but I haven’t seen one announced.
gene108
@SiubhanDuinne:
Ailes was 77 when he died. Figured his spawn would be older.
PsiFighter37
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: It’s great to grow a conscience once you have enough money to do it. I guarantee that if Sykes didn’t have enough money to live comfortably by now, he would still be doing his shtick in Wisconsin. Every time the NYT gives him editorial space, it pisses me off.
They’re all complicit. Even that douchenozzle Brooks is partially responsible for Trump as well.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@gene108: if trump makes 77, I think Barron will be 17
Strom Thurmond was 72 when he (AFAIK) fathered his last spawn.
Betty Cracker
@bl: Added pic to post. Thanks!
Roger Moore
@gene108:
The whole point of trading in your wife for a younger model is so you can continue to spawn. Just look at Orangemandyas.
raven
Pretty funny, this morning at the bakery they had the same grits on the menu and I said, “ah, like polenta” and they looked at me like I was a martian!
Catherine D.
Any chance that Invisible Fence could help? They might be able to contact nearby owners …
Mnemosyne
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
In NorCal, they call it polenta, but it’s basically the same thing.
jeffreyw
That looks a lot like this tilapia over grilled polenta in a crawfish sauce.
SiubhanDuinne
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Tony Randall was 76 or 77 when his first child was born.
hovercraft
@germy:
Of course he did, these people are their fathers spawns, they are evil. Between this and his other legacy, FOX News, I hope he is roasting in hell.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Wow, Lawrence O’Donnell had his Broderist Wheaties today– both parties are much more extreme today– it’s okay with him if Lindsey Graham uses HRC’s emails to placate his SC voters because he’s just doing it for cover while he really goes after trump
ETA: this is the LO’D I remember from when he used to fill in for Franken back on Air America and makes excuses for Joe Lieberman
smintheus
Just wanted to put this out there: Every plagiarist I’ve had to deal with has been fairly dense, but the ones who deny their plagiarism after they’ve been caught … just nasty and bizarre people.
The Major
The Major sends The New York Times to the woodshed….
bl
@Catherine D.: I am going to take apart the collar today to look for a serial number. One of the lost and found pet sites says that Invisible Fence will cooperate to see if the serial number is registered. Unfortunately, I have to wait until tomorrow to call them.
hovercraft
@gene108:
These people you have to remember keep acquiring “new wives” and they often want kids of their own, which is why they have young kids, doesn’t Murdoch have young ones from Wendy?
Another Scott
@bl: It looks like that has worked in the past with a lost dog with an IF collar. Fingers crossed!
Cheers,
Scott.
Hal
@gene108: Joan Walsh just wrote an article in The Nation about the one and only time she met Ailes. She described him as 60 and arthritic and talks about how she found it odd he had a newborn. I think this was his first and only kid with his third wife.
https://www.thenation.com/article/my-only-meeting-with-roger-ailes/
Elizabelle
Good to see that beautiful dog up front and center. Hope a good petcare solution is found for Buddy.
WRT Ailes’ son: the dick does not fall from the tree. Maybe the kid’s incensed now that all the brave truthtellers are coming out of the woodwork to say nasty stuff about his father, the corpse. They did not do so as fervently in life.
Also, it seems young Barron was left at home to continue his schooling. That’s merciful. May he never have to transfer schools this fall. It would be best. For all of us.
Mike in NC
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Rich vain old men feel obligated to keep polluting the planet from their gene pool. Sad!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
he hasn’t tweeted in forty-eight hours, when he called the Russia investigation a “witch hunt”, and he read a speech that left out almost all his campaign rhetoric. Forty eight fucking hours.
Redshift
Making french toast with the last of the challah bread we brought back from New York, yum! Then, since Ms. Redshift finished submitting final grades for her classes this week, we now get to start in earnest on reclaiming our house from the aftermath of moving her parents to assisted living and clearing out their house.
Elizabelle
@BruceFromOhio: Ah. Chris Cornell. Thank you. I’ll read it.
Tokyokie
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I figure Ailes Jr. is going to go on social media and get like-minded GamerGate types to harass the living hell out of his old man’s accusers. Because he’s a privileged white guy and his accusers are all uppity women who don’t recognize their place in the eternal hierarchy. And I also hope that by doing so, Junior gets harassment suits filed against HIM and loses the golden parachute cash he inherited when daddy died.
Greenergood
@gene108: Probably Ailes had to get super-rich before he could find someone to bear his spawn – maybe that took a while …
japa21
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Charlie has been very upfront about his having been part of the problem. Back in the early 90’s he was pretty good. But as the Clinton scandals got more steam he jumped on the more radical RW views and started spewing those. This continued through the Bush years and into the Obama years. He admits that radio hosts such as he contributed to the rise of people like Trump and Clark. He is much more like he was in the early days of his career. I will give him credit for seeing the light, just wish it had been earlier.
Redshift
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I’m convinced he hasn’t tweeted on the trip because he still uses his personal unsecured phone and has no signal overseas. (There have been a couple of tweets that look like theywere written by staff.)
And as for Schieffer, we have literally thousands of actors who can “sound presidential.” How is that low bar even worth mentioning?
Gozer
Hangover recovery.
Reading a history of US special operations forces (Oppose Any Foe by Mark Moyar) and the updated version of Stephanie Coontz’s The Way We Never Were (first read it 20 years ago and re-bought it when I found out she updated it last year).
On the topic of old dudes having young wives and kids, apparently John Tyler (b. 1790) has 2 living grandsons. His son Lyon Tyler also had sons at an advanced age.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Redshift: in his most recent public address, the “Commander-in-Chief” used a service academy graduation to whine that he’s being picked on. Today he managed to read through a completely hypocritical (and I’m glad of that, in a small way) speech without creating an international incident So he’s presidential.
Mnemosyne
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
Apparently MSNBC has been dragging their feet on renewing his contract so they can replace him with a conservative, so he may be trying to dial it back a bit until then.
@Hal:
I sometimes suspect that women who have kids with much older men do it because they want to have close to 100 percent control over the kid’s upbringing, with the dad just helicoptering in once in a great while (and, of course, financing the whole thing). If they had a kid with someone their own age, these days most men would want to do 50/50 parenting or pretty close to it.
Donna K
I dunno. That’s a shrimp dish with a grit preparation on the side, but I’m not sure it qualifies as “shrimp and grits.” If you can’t dig in and get a nice spoonful of grits with a shrimp in it, it doesn’t pass the test. That said, it looks really good!
Elizabelle
@Hal: From your Joan Walsh link:
(with Ailes’s death, our promise to keep the meeting off the record passes, too)
Whoa. I wonder if now the floodgates will open. Kind of a signal to other journalists there, do you think?
I like her description of the “mutant” form of charming. Lot of these wastrels have that working for them.
Tokyokie
@SiubhanDuinne: Randall was 77 when his first child was born, but he was married for 54 years to a woman who couldn’t have children, and he remarried after her death. So it’s don’t like he was constantly shopping for newer models.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@Mnemosyne:
Oh, well, I’ve had that… I like it as a small side to chicken mole (pronounced mo-lay for the unfamiliar) and such.
Another Scott
In other news, TheHill (with a name substitution):
Vigorous debate and contests are good, but people need to keep their eyes on the prize…
Cheers,
Scott.
SiubhanDuinne
@Greenergood:
Yeah, Fox News was launched in 1996 and he married Elizabeth in 1998. She was his third wife (waves to Trump, Gingrich, and Limbaugh), and was 20 years his junior (born in 1960).
Mnemosyne
@West of the Rockies (been a while):
I’ve always assumed that the Southwest tribes of Native Americans (Najavo, Pima, etc) that grew corn have a name for cornmeal mush, but I’ve never heard what it is. It seems like it gets called either polenta or grits in American English (or, I guess, cornmeal mush).
geg6
Making an Asian style grilled pork tenderloin, jasmine rice with peas and green onions and roasted carrots and broccoli with a sweet and spicy sauce for dinner. Hockey game at 3pm, so this is an easy dinner for after the game.
HeleninEire
LOL I love the Irish. The Irish weather service is telling people to prepare for a “heat wave.” No irony. It’s gonna be up to 23 Celsius throughout next week. That’s 73 Fahrenheit. I fucking love it here!
SWMBO
@bl: He looks like a better cared for Walter. And no one may be looking for him for much the same reasons. I hope you can find a safe haven for him.
Mnemosyne
@Another Scott:
As I’ve been saying, obviously establishment Democrats in California have no idea how to win elections, what with our dominance in every statewide office and our supermajority in the legislature. ?
There does seem to be a split between Northern and Southern California Democrats right now. Wilmer fans in So Cal have been getting their asses handed to them at the ballot box, but they’ve been doing fairly well in NorCal.
But jumping straight to I’m gonna sue! after losing by a small margin in an intra-party election? Christ, what an asshole.
SWMBO
@Mnemosyne: Doritos or Tostitos? Maybe with the Spanish influence? Lol
Kathleen
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: He also said people responded to Wilmer because he was “honest”, which resulted in me switching immediately to L&O SVU reruns on USA. That’s what I get for breaking my “don’t ever watch cable TV news shows for any reason” rule.
Major Major Major Major
Hope the dog gets found!
This post title reminds me of the John Prine album Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings.
Mnemosyne
@SWMBO:
Those are tortilla chips — you make them by frying up the leftover tortillas from the day before that have gone stale. ?
There’s the filling you put in tamales, but it’s made with corn flour (masa) and not cornmeal mush.
This seems like a question that a Texan could answer, because Tex-Mex seems the most likely place where there’s been crossover. But they may just term it “grits” since they’re culturally part of the South.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Kathleen: he has a grudge against the Clintons– HRC specifically– going back to their efforts at health care reform. Something about disrespecting Moynihan, for whom O”D has the same weird Daddy issues as a lot of middle aged Dems of the era (Russert and Tweety, to name just two). The tribal Irish thing is strong that crew.
columbusqueen
@SWMBO: I thought that too–you up for another go round, debit? I can drive in a relay, & Ellie needs a new boyfriend.
burnspbesq
So apparently a large number of freshly-minted Notre Dame graduates walked out on Pence’s commencement address.
One imagines His Holiness smiling that little smile of his. One of the primary objectives of Catholic education is to guide young men and women in the exercise of their God-given intelligence to discern good and evil and take appropriate action.
Well done, Irish.
Local lurker
@bl: Just to offer up a possible lead, in case the Invisible Fence people can’t help – I’m in MD, too, and got my pup from PetConnect Rescue. Good people, very reputable, and I know they have foster homes in MD and VA. Possibly they might be able to help? Good luck!
Mnemosyne
@burnspbesq:
IIRC, Pence converted from Catholicism to some crazy Protestant megachurch, which is the kind of thing that tends not to be well-received by Catholics. Sadly, one of the reasons I know this is that I’m distantly related by marriage to the guy — my aunt’s husband was a first cousin of the veep’s.
I remember my uncle very well, and I’m pretty sure he would be referring to his cousin Mike as that asshole were my uncle still alive.
Kathleen
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: As my father (whose father was born in Ireland) used to say, “He has Irish Alzheimer’s”, which means he’s forgotten everything except for the grudge. Thanks for the backgrounder, which I didn’t know since I don’t follow any of the cable people except for Joy Reid on Twitter only.
Elizabelle
@burnspbesq: Great to hear. You go, Irish.
Hoosiers been on to Pence’s lack of abilities for a while now. He was gonna be former Governor, period, if he hadn’t thrown his rump onto the Trump train.
Very proud of the Irish. Don’t normalize this shit.
Elizabelle
@SWMBO: Yes. The Walter is strong, with that darling dog.
Hal
@Mnemosyne: Hayes, Maddow and LOD are all experiencing higher ratings and viewers directly related to the way they cover Trump, and msnbc wants to replace O’Donnell with the likes of Hugh Hewitt, Megan Kelly and Nicole Wallace.
Van Susteran’s show isn’t doing well and I’ll be shocked if Wallace lasts a year. She’s been second winded by Sarah Paulson’s portrayal of her from the movie game change and that can’t last forever. Kelly might have some momentum from name recognition but there’s already a Fox News so what new base is she bringing in to the network? Very annoying.
Woodrowfan
@Gozer: I have an aquantance about 60 whose granddad was born in 1842. Both dad and granddad fathered kids late
Fair Economist
Polenta and grits are at least siblings, not first cousins. They’re both basically cornmeal mush and the difference (other than the name) is that polenta is cooked much longer. That particular prep (dried ‘n fried, you might say) is delish, but definitely falls on the “polenta” side. “Shrimp and grits” is a much catchier name, especially in the South, so I would neither expect nor object to leaving the name untouched.
I don’t get much of either, to my sorrow. I’m from the South and love my grits, and polenta even more, but my family is from elsewhere and complains about it being tasteless mush. My son did like cheese grits for a while but doesn’t anymore (sniff).
Aleta
My partner’s been in severe pain. He had several days of internal pain he thought was severe back pain or kidney stone, then had shingles break out over two weeks ago. He’s had limiting pain before, but never like this.
His medical center, where he can only see a PA or their assistant, has been lowballing him on the pain med. I asked if he could see a doctor, but they only have one who is part-time and can’t see him.
He normally won’t take even an ad+vil and never stops working no matter how he feels. This time he can barely stand up, weeps a little in the morning and at night, hurts him to walk or move his arms, hurts him to breathe. He says the shingles themselves are the least of it; he could handle that.
I think he has a severe case where the nerves in one whole side of his body are inflamed internally; he has the feeling of bad cramps in his diaphram and back. (His shingles went down after a week, but he hurts inside from his head and mouth down to his knee.) Any touch to his skin makes him cry out.
I’ve been driving him to the med center or calling them for him almost every day for a week. He’s been in 4-5 times now, sees a different PA or their assistant each time. I asked him to ask them for an anti nausea med, because the one time he took a low dose hydro#cod #one twice in a row (4 hours in between), it made him dizzy and nauseous, but they actually said that’s only for cancer patients.
So after a week, they gave him the lowest dose of tram #a #dol, 4 a day for 7 days. I relieves it a little, so he can sit up and walk a little (then collapses from the pain). But after 5 hours he’s in horrible pain again, so he doesn’t get through a day or night.
I guess I have to call them again tomorrow, but I keep worrying they will think I’m dr # ug seeking. They have known him for 20 years or more. I know they are following new regs and guidelines now, but I also wonder if it’s because of his appearance and demeanor.
He’s a hf aspie researcher and professor, forgets to brush his hair, wears old T shirts and loose pants. Very gentle and doesn’t demand, just accepts what they say and leaves. I went in to the first two appointments with him, spoke up about how he normally tolerates pain well but this is severe, but I’m also trying not to interfere too much. One of his guiding principles is to trust people. He has good independent insurance; but there’s a scarcity of good doctors here.
Libby's Person
@bl: If you need to leave him at a kennel while you’re out of town this week, let us know. I’d be willing to chip in a few bucks to help cover the expense.
SiubhanDuinne
@Tokyokie:
Oh, I know, and I wasn’t in any way trying to put him in the Thurmond-Trump-Ailes box. Just meant to note that siring children even as a septuagenarian isn’t all that rare.
Booger
All right folks, you’re getting on my nerves. Grits are not cornmeal or polenta. Cornmeal is corn which has been ground. Polenta is made from Cornmeal which is slowly simmered in a large amount of water. Grits is corn which has been treated with alkali (nixtamalized) a technique all corn-eating cultures discovered as a way to avoid the deficiency diseases that result from eating untreated corn.
Teddys Person
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: The word “sound” is doing an awful lot of work in that argument.
burnspbesq
Having grown up a Jersey Guy, I had no idea what grits were until my first breakfast in the dining hall at Washington & Lee. Looked like Cream of Wheat to me. When i found out what it actually was and how it was prepared, I lost interest in about .001 seconds.
Another Scott
@Aleta: That’s horrible. :-(
I’m sure you’re thinking of everything, but is there a chance that an emergency room would be more responsive? I know they are very cautious about treating pain these days, too, but there’s a chance you could find someone who will listen.
Best of luck.
Cheers,
Scott.
(Who had chicken pox as a kid and never felt such horrible pain since. He can only imagine what he’s going through.)
Mart
@bl: That worked for me. The fence collar folks would not tell me where the owner was. Turned out the dog was three doors down, and we knew the folks sorta well for neighbors. I was a bit embarrassed, but happy ending.
Kathleen
@Aleta: So sorry to hear that. Stupid question on my part – I’m gathering there is not an ER he could go to? Sending prayers to you and him. This sounds serious.
ETA: Like Scott, I’m assuming you’ve already thought of all of your options.
ETA: Sending prayers your way for both of you.
SiubhanDuinne
@Aleta:
Oh, the poor guy, to be in such pain and have the medics wave it off or refuse to see him. I have no advice or suggestions, but am sending lots of loving support and healing thoughts. You are a good person to stay on it and work to get him the relief/treatment he needs. Please don’t forget to take care of yourself during this (hopefully brief!) spell.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I read that Brian Willaims wants his time slot, and Williams is Andy Lack’s fair haired boy. So to speak.
Teddys Person
@Libby’s Person: Me too. Oh by the way, I’m jealous of your apostrophe. I used to have one in my nym, but a couple of months ago, my comments all went into moderation. I was told it was the punctuation that FYWP didn’t like.
SWMBO
@Aleta: Did they give him valtrex for shingles? I has shingles so severe in 2012 and 2013 that they gave me a month’s supply. If he gets that, take it with food every 8 hours. Valtrex is an antiviral that is a miracle drug. It helps with itching, swelling and most of all, the deep muscle nerve pain. My shingles were on the side of my head and neck. Couldn’t turn my head (had to turn my shoulders) and after I got the antiviral, I was good with a 200 mg ibuprofen. It must be taken by the clock. Good luck. (Also you can have residual shingles problems for up to 3 months. I had the first outbreak in early December and 2 recurring outbreaks until they gave me 30 day supply of the stuff.)
WaterGirl
@geg6: oooh, how do you make an Asian style grilled pork tenderloin?
Redshift
@Aleta: Much sympathy. Shingles is the only pain (including surgery) that my Marine father in law ever described as more than “a little uncomfortable.”
Origuy
@Aleta: Is there a medical school nearby with an associated medical center? Sometimes they are more proactive about pain control. Also, I take gabapentin for nerve pain. It has very few side-effects, isn’t habit-forming, and can be taken with a wide range of dosages. A low dose works for me, but some people take much higher dosages.
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: I had the exact same thought. Rest in peace, Walter, we still miss you.
Corner Stone
@Origuy: Please be careful with gabapentin. It rapidly and completely changed my dad’s behavior and mental faculties when his incompetent fucking doctor decided to randomly change his meds one visit.
Tokyokie
@SiubhanDuinne: I didn’t think you were, but I’m defensive about Tony Randall, because he’s a fellow Tulsa native. And he did a much better job of obscuring that fact than I’ve managed to do.
SiubhanDuinne
@Teddys Person:
Stipulated that I am extremely partisan, but I find it astonishing that anyone — even the ancient, doddering Bob Schieffer — could listen to that breathy, whiny, reading-it-for-the-first-time, sounding-out-the-words-like-a-second-grader monotone, and find it in the same hemisphere as “Presidential.”
WaterGirl
@Aleta: My heart goes out to you both. I have heard that shingles is terribly painful and I so wish I had some good advice for you. hugs
Ruckus
@Hal:
I think it’s more, “Will they ever stop hitting us in the face?”
SiubhanDuinne
@Tokyokie:
Oh, I loved him! He used to do a better “Lydia the Tattooed Lady” than Groucho, and a better cover of Flanders and Swann’s “Have Some Madeira, M’Dear” than Flanders and Swann did themselves.
And he introduced me to one of the best words in the English language: boustrophedonic.
Kathleen
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Is that why Joy featured him in the “defending Trump” segment? I thought she was being ironic.
Tokyokie
@Aleta: Shingles are caused by the varicella virus, which after the acute phase (chickenpox) will move to the dorsal nerve root ganglia and remain dormant. Outbreaks will follow the affected dermatones and can be triggered by stress. Pain is a stressor, so until it’s addressed, he may continue to have shingles. Find somebody who will more aggressively treat the pain. In the meantime, try oatmeal baths for the sensitive skin and antihistamines for the itching.
laura
@Aleta: you many want to try a couple of things like contacting the plan ombudsman or primary care doctor and raise holy hell and put them on notice that holy hell will continue until he has an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan and pain management asap.
Mention contacting the local news.
Channel your inner Terms of Endearment:
https://youtu.be/A1AIroyiLEM
raven
So, I just finished oiling my antiques, opened my FB and read the third grits reference today!
sukabi
@germy: vile and vicious seems to run in the family. But on the plus side if he follows thru with his very public threat those ladies can take his father’s harassment windfall so jr won’t have that money to play with…
Origuy
@Corner Stone: The doctor did tell me not to stop taking it or fiddle with the dosages without the doctor’s consultation. Seem to be ok so far.
Ruckus
@Redshift:
I believe that I can sound presidential. Doesn’t come close to making me presidential. Or close to even presidential material. Proper public speaking is a skill. dumpf doesn’t have it. Or anything else, except bullshit. He has that in way over abundance. People who like bullshit or who can’t tell the difference voted for him.
Mnemosyne
@Aleta:
Like SWMBO, I’m wondering if they bothered to give him an antiviral for the shingles, or just gave him some inadequate pain meds and brushed him off. If they gave him an antiviral and he’s still in that much pain, then it’s not working and they need to try something else.
Usually doctors and PAs hop to it when you say “shingles,” so I’m surprised they seem to be blowing you off. Is there a way for you to leave a message for the actual doctor? Or is there an urgent care or ER to take him to?
Major Major Major Major
@Origuy: I take gabapentin and another anticonvulsant for seizure prophylaxis and mood stabilization. It can definitely have psychological effects.
Aleta
@Another Scott: @Kathleen: Thanks. Thought about the ER, but he’s very reluctant to go. I also wondered if they might be unwilling to prescribe over his med center’s orders. The ER used to be a reasonable price here, but has become very expensive now, even with insurance, after a company bought the hospital two years ago.
@SWMBO: He was given Valtrex for one week. Then they took him off it because the actual outbreak on his skin had gone down (it’s a fairly big area but the blisters never broke). I wanted him to take it longer, in case the skin pain everywhere else meant he might have another outbreak if he stopped too soon, but they told him it’s not necessary. Not sure I believe that. Thanks for support.
@Origuy: Thanks. None nearby, but those or a teaching hospital would be a great idea. He does take Lyrica (he used to take gabapentin) for stenosis. Normally he was taking 1/2 the prescribed amount, but a few days ago, afterI saw that gabapentin is also prescribed for shingles pain, I suggested he take the full amount of Lyrica. But doesn’t seem to help enough so far.
fergie
My olden dead mother born and raised in North East Texas used to fry left over cornmeal-or-Hominy grits. She would pour leftovers in a loaf pan then slice after set and fry in butter in an old cast iron skillet. Then when crisp on the outside and still soft in the middle, real maple syrup poured over the slices on your plate. In texas they called it Fried Mush. I suspect it came from depression cooking because they also ate burnt flour gravy on toast. (my mom was a girl in the depression and there was not much food)
Elizabelle
@Aleta: Sounds like too much pain NOT to go to the ER. And suppose there’s something hiding in there, with the shingles? I’m so sorry to hear of his health.
And gag on the hospital being so much more expensive.
SWMBO
@Aleta: This is bullshit. I took it for a week, the second time for 2 weeks and the third time for 30 days. He needs more antivirals and he probably needs the full 30 days by now just to get it beat back and controlled. Raise unholy hell until they give him enough to get it controlled and manageable. There is no reason to suffer if they have something that works. Also, I was able to cut back on the ibuprofen after a couple of days (it was 800 mg every 8 hours at first) because the Valtrex alleviated the nerve pain. They are treating the symptoms and not the cause. If you get enough of the antivirals, you won’t be asking for the pain meds as much.
Ruckus
@SWMBO:
Was going to mention something along this line. Had a shingles episode and it was for me a very sharp deep pain in my neck and face, where it showed up. I was told that it can be internal as well and the pain is immense. High level, sharp and whatever it is around is affected. The anti viral was great, got right to it and cut down the pain in about a day. Not a lot of fun, my doc told me I was lucky to only have it basically externally.
Catherine D.
@Mart:
Yup, I once found a border collie in my front yard with a Virginia address tag (I’m in Ithaca NY). When I couldn’t get through to the phone number on the tag, I took her to the SPCA. Turns out she belonged to an idiot grad student two houses up the road. At least he got a lecture from them!
debbie
@Aleta:
SWMBO is right. Shingles can have lasting effects. Get to an ER or to a doctor who will take this seriously.
Adam L Silverman
@bl: @Betty Cracker: I’ve emailed the rescue group, specifically the foster family, that I got my dogs from. They’re in Central PA, but have contacts and work with groups and fosters in Maryland. As soon as I hear back I’ll put them in touch.
Mnemosyne
@Aleta:
Also, if he’s an aspie, they’re probably assuming that his affect means he’s not in that much pain, while someone like you who knows him well realizes he’s in enormous pain.
I would keep pushing for another round of the antiviral, and make them explain why not if they say no.
Fireweed
Making meatloaf for dinner because my partner loves the sandwiches for lunch through the week. I added half a pound of ground chorizo as an experiment. Cook’s Country made shrimp and grits yesterday and it looks like the real deal. https://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/8405-shrimp-and-grits
raven
@Ruckus: I got it on my forehead and into my let eye while I was finishing my diss. One thing they wanted me to do was take it easy and minimize stress!
Plantsmantx
@Lizzy L:
As I understand it, polenta is just the name of a cooked dish made from plain ol’ cornmeal. What we commonly call grits is a meal made from hominy. Hominy is the result of soaking kernels of corn in an alkaline solution until they swell and burst out of the hulls. It’s a process called (lemme look it up for the correct spelling) nixtamalization. Masa harina is hominy that has been ground into a flour.
debit
@columbusqueen: I actually have a second dog now. Kelpie is blind, has some neurological movement impairment and (possibly) reoccurring cancer. Her house training is also still a work in progress (about 97 percent there, though). So unfortunately, my plate is kind of full. But I will happily chip in to help board him or transport him to a new home.
Patricia Kayden
I would try Lucky Paws which is a rescue org in DC.
Aleta
@Elizabelle: @SWMBO: @debbie: @Mnemosyne: and everyone:
Thanks so much for the good advice and support. Really appreciate it. From your input I think I need to find a doctor or use the ER to get him better treatment tomorrow. I’ve been concerned from the start about possible long term nerve pain if he doesn’t get good care now. I really really appreciate everyone’s input. @Mnemosyne: Yes I think that’s a really good point. Some of us are wired like the dogs or cats who hide signs of their pain from the outside world. I made a point of telling them pain doesn’t ever overcome him like this and give them some verbal ‘metrics’ to. indicate the level, but it didn’t change anything.
geg6
@WaterGirl:
Back too late, probably, but it’s easy. And especially good for a gas grill. Marinate two one pound (or so) pork tenderloins in 2/3 cup of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon ground ginger and 3 smashed garlic cloves for at least 3 hours. Meanwhile, put 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup honey and 1 1/2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a saucepan and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside. Take the tenderloins out of the marinade (discard the marinade) and put over direct heat on high to wear for about 7 minutes. Turn and sear for another 6 minutes. Baste often with honey sauce. Turn off grill, keep lid closed and let pork finish cooking another 5 minutes or so until 145-150 degrees.
Mnemosyne
@Aleta:
Hospitals and doctors are still adjusting to the reality that most people on the autism spectrum don’t just “grow out of it” (nor do most people “grow out of” ADHD, but I digress).
You may need to use the specific phrase “He is on the autism spectrum” to really gain their attention — I hope it will work!
Aleta
@Tokyokie:
That’s a really good point about pain being a stressor.
The first day we went in he had an unusual high bp reading, which I thought was understandable given the pain. (They prescribed a bp medicine. It quickly went back to normal the next day, so they then said hold off.)
I’ve tried cold compresses or suggested baths but he says the touch of even water on his skin (where there’s no outbreak) is too painful.
Btw, he says he wishes he had gotten the vaccine. I haven’t wanted to get it myself, until now, maybe. I got shingles many years ago after a series of shots but nothing like this.
debbie
@Aleta:
The shingles vaccine is a live virus, so a lot of people can’t take it. The vaccine has also been known to give some people a mild form of shingles. My doctor said it’s harder to treat and get rid of than full-blown shingles. She’s assured me that if I get in to her quickly enough, shingles will be very treatable.
frosty
@bl: @Adam L Silverman:
I talked to my wife and we could watch him mid-week while you’re out of town. We’re long-time dog owners but have no pets now. And someone’s home during the day. We live in PA off of 83 just over the Mason Dixon line. I work in Hunt Valley and could arrange to meet you somewhere south of Baltimore on Monday after work. I’ll email Adam and he can help us get together if need be.
Good luck finding the owner.
— frosty
SWMBO
@frosty: This is why I love this pack of jackals. We find a way.
Teddys Person
@frosty: The community at this blog reminds me that not all (or even most) people are mind-boggling assholes. You and your wife are good people.
Another Scott
@frosty: Thank you and your wife very much for stepping forward. Here’s hoping that bl and “Buddy” have good luck tomorrow, but we’ll all rest easier knowing that he has an option if his owner isn’t found quickly.
Fingers crossed all around.
Cheers,
Scott.
satby
@bl: @frosty: Just was catching up after work and this is great! I’m so glad you’re watching him frosty, and that you picked him up bl. It’s not totally unlikely that someone dumped him too, it happens to older dogs that start needing more vet care . I hope not, and that the invisible fence people can id and help reunite this old boy with a family that is deeply missing him.
Good luck, and keep us posted!
J R in WV
@bl:
So… you’re living in Metro DC, and working in West Virginia?
I mean, that’s great, I obviously like WV, but you gotta admit it’s different. Most people drive that the other direction, if you see what I mean.
And good luck with Buddy, he needs all the help he can get. Thanks for trying to help him out.
Lizzy L
@Aleta: Shingles sucks. My father got it in the last year of his life and it hurt until he died. My mother got it in the last month of her life, but the doctor recognized the rash and gave her Valtrex immediately. The Valtrex knocked it right out. Sounds like your doctors are being dicks. I second the suggestion that you find out if the organization has an ombudsman; if they do, call the ombudsman and complain. My other suggestion: do you have a friend who is also a lawyer? A letter suggesting that they are not responding appropriately to your partner’s symptoms, and that you intend to notify whichever state agency has oversight, might at least get their attention. Sending you good wishes!!