In case you have trouble reading these, allow me to interpret 😂
"Dextrocurvature" of the spine means (adult) scoliosis towards the right, which I already knew about.
(Other imaging has stated it's both mid and lumbar spine and mild to moderate, but this particular imaging position only scanned lumbar area.
I have an acute/subacute L1 (lumbar or lower back) vertebral compression fracture resulting in 40% height loss, with surrounding acute/subacute edema indicating an acute/subacute event.
The words "acute/subacute" on both the fracture and the surrounding edema are definitive proof the fracture is a result of the accident alone.
(We also have a DEXA scan scheduled to rule out osteoporosis at play, but at this point, even if I do have osteoporosis, the above wording on the MRI scan would still prove the fracture was caused by accident, just exacerbating an underlying condition at most.)
I also have 2 disc compressions at L4-L5 and L5-S1, which are old and I did NOT know about.
(I just thought I had muscle spasms there due to scoliosis, and as I've said, I'm good with physical pain, so I had no idea)
Disc-space narrowing more towards one side than the other means the discs are compressed. "Desiccation" means the discs are "drying" or have lost fluid as a result. (The discs between your vertebrae are essentially your shock absorbers).
We know they are old because of the presence of osteophyte formation near them.
(Osteophytes are your body's way of compensating for disc-space height loss and develop over time; thus, how we know they are old and NOT a result of the accident.)
The disc compressions are likely the result of scoliosis rather than the accident.
The "spondylosis" mentioned - or "abnormal spine" is likely the result of the osteophyte formation and scoliosis as well.
This does NOT mean I'm not experiencing pain there as a result of the accident, I certainly am - the accident aggravated this area.
The good news is, NONE of this will require surgery!
Otherwise, a few people have asked for my appointment list to send prayers or good vibes or just to know.
A few more were just added.
They are:
OCTOBER:
Tuesday, October 20th, 9:40 a.m. - PCP to investigate the new upper rib pain - there may be imaging involved.
Wednesday, October 21st, 7:40 a.m. - DEXA scan. This is a bone density test to help prove the fractures were not a result of bone density loss or osteoporosis. (Even if I do have osteoporosis, it would make no difference after the MRI result proving the accident caused the fracture; if anything, it would only help my case that it caused a fracture already having a bone condition).
Tuesday, October 27th, 10 a.m. - follow-up visit with Neurosurgery after scanning results.
Thursday, October 29th, 8:00 - follow-up visit with Orthopedics to check wrist fracture and ankle sprain, also to check new hip and shoulder pain.
NOVEMBER:
November 17th, 1:30 p.m. - Cardiothoracic/Vascular Surgery to investigate whether true aortic mural thrombus or simple plaque build-up - and if it is a true thrombus, whether or not it was caused or worsened by the accident.
Gas is $4.35 a gallon, utilities are through the roof, and you can't go to the grocery store for even 3 or simple items without spending at least $50 - and all Trump cares about is using our tax money to put his name on stuff, tear down and rebuild the White House into a ballroom, spruce up public golf courses - and worst of all, fund his own campaign commercials?
(Although a federal judge put a stop to that last one, though he'll likely appeal.
Now look - I know that the president cannot control gas prices - or the prices of anything - without price control which would be true socialism, if not communism.
But at the same time, the reason gas prices are high is because of that damn attack on Iran, which he had no plan for and never should've done.
Most of us can hardly make ends meet, right now, but all he is worried about care about golf courses, White House ballrooms, and a Triumphal arch in DC, like he's Marie Antoinette, saying "Let Them Eat Cake" - with our tax money!!!
Now you all know that if Obama and Biden had done annnnyyyyy of that, you all would've gone nuts.
In fact, can you even remember why you hated Obama and Biden so much?
I doubt it.
(And don't say Epstein stuff because clearly, Trump isn't tackling that either, and unlike Trump their Obama and Biden's name never appeared in any photos or guest lists with Epstein - and some say the whole Iran thing was a distraction from it.)
Also don't say COVID because cases have gone down and/or are less severe since vaccines, and you're still alive, aren't you?
You Republicans are supposed to be the party of small government and small spending - hellllooo?
But when it's someone from your party having a field day with our tax money on frivolous stuff, while we can't even afford gas or groceries, you turn a blind eye to it.
Some of you voted for Trump simply based on the economy and now seeing it's worse and have changed your tune.
Others STILL don't see any problems with Trump yet.
Sigh. Okay, guess we'll have to wait until you finally see it.
Some of you never will, I guess, in true cult mentality.
(Regardless, I really hope there's some good cult deprogramming therapists out there on standby lol.)
Trump, if you want this frivolous stuff done for your own glory, then pay for it your DANG self - or get one of your bitcoin fraudsters that you pardoned to pay for it for you! 😂
So I'm not sure what's going on, but starting Thursday, my back started hurting again, but more interestingly, my left upper ribs.
So we know there was an 11th rib fracture, but no others were mentioned; however, with the extensive soft-tissue swelling I had (also mentioned on scans), it was difficult to tell.
The strange thing about car accidents is that things can show up even weeks later.
Thus, I've spent the last 2 days with the full brace on, lying flat in bed again.
Argh, frustrating! I thought I was better!
As mentioned, I'm good with pain, unless it goes on to long, then I start to get impatient and frustrated - but I reckon I'll live, as my grandma used to say with things that weren't life threatening. 😂
In fact, I rode the stationary bike on Wednesday and also tried to fall decorate a little bit.
Oops, that may be the problem?
However, if so, I actually don't think it was the stationary bike - I think it was trying to decorate, bending and leaning over a bit to work on my wreaths.
I realized about an hour into it things were starting to hurt a little, so I stopped.
But Friday and especially yesterday, it started to hurt almost as bad as that first week.
MUCH better today, though, after wearing my brace.
My wreaths are spread out here and there, though, such that it looks like a pumpkin threw up in here. 😂
Anyway, some people have asked about my appointments this week.
They are:
Today (yes, Sunday) - 9:45 a.m. - lumbar MRI. (This will only show the lumbar spine where the fracture is, not ribs. It also will illuminate more on the aortic mural thrombus.
Tuesday - 9:40 a.m. - PCP to investigate new upper left rib pain.
Wednesday - 7:40 a.m. - DEXA scan - this is a bone density scan to prove that the vertebral fracture was not caused by postmenopausal osteoporosis and thus only caused by the accident alone.
Other than that, all good, except I'm getting stressed about finances. Everything is so ungodly expensive, right now, and of course, I can't DoorDash anymore to help.
But I'm trying to stay positive and forward-thinking, right?
That's the only way through.
I keep thinking it could've been worse and this WILL heal in time, right?
So the Department of Defense - erm - I mean Department of War, quietly released their new logo in recent weeks.
The eagle is larger and the wings are more angular.
Um - that's a little too close to the Nazi eagle for comfort for me - anyone else?
Here's the Nazi version ...
As IF we needed more proof that our country is turning into a fascist dictatorship - and that our own people are actually voting for it - although they don't necessarily realize that are, as it comes wrapped in "Christian" nationalist disguise.
Speaking of which, Christian values and Nazi values should be incompatible - the words of Christ and Nazi philosophy are in direct opposition to one another.
However, as the quote loosely attributed to Sinclair Lewis says, "When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross”
I say "loosely" because this phrase was never actually written or spoken by Sinclair Lewis - but he later noted he agreed with it.
Sinclair Lewis was more interested in fascism coming under the guises of enslavement to "laissez faire" ("hands-off" or unchecked) capitalism than religion - although he does lightly touch on misusing Christianity to manipulate voters to it.
In his book,"It Can't Happen Here," Lewis said:
"But he saw too that in America the struggle was befogged by the fact that the worst Fascists were they who disowned the word 'Fascism' and preached enslavement to Capitalism under the style of Constitutional and Traditional Native American Liberty."
The closest to this quote was actually said by James Waterman Wise Jr in a speech reported in the magazine Christian Century on February 5, 1936, he stated that if fascism came to America, "it will probably be 'wrapped up in the American flag and heralded as a plea for liberty and preservation of the constitution.'
Translation?
Exactly what I've said before - the smellers are the fellers! 😂
Whether extreme right (fascists) or extreme left (communists), they are two sides of the same government control coin.
Either way, the song remains the same (only MAGA/Trump defies the constitution themselves, while still feigning adherence to it.)
First of all, let me just start by saying that I don't know why men OR women would want to be in combat roles under this current administration, but if that's your thing, go for it, I guess.
Let me also say that considering our Secretary of War (cue rock intro), Pete Hegseth's very public commentary about changing the rules on handling sexual assault complaints (making them harder to file and easier to dismiss) - I also don't know why women would want to be outnumbered by that many men with no protection at all under Hegseth's new sexual assault rules, heavily favoring the perpetrators rather than the victims.
I mean, look at what happened at a Cornell frat, and they're not even jacked-up military.
(Speaking of which, super proud of you men for being publicly vocal on this one against the Cornell 7, standing alongside us - and I'm sorry that Hegseth didn't get the memo.)
Nevertheless, I guess some women want to challenge themselves in a military way.
Speaking of (aging) frat boys, note that despite the clip included in this video of Hegseth saying "War does not care if you're a man or a woman"in the below video, he designed the test to be harder for women - heavier on upper body strength - so they couldn't pass it.
(FYI, he also took women and people of color off the promotions list.)
But guess what?
91% of them passed - with 96% of the men passing.
In fact, the reporter herself from this segment passed it with flying colors!
He also said, during his famous speech at Quantico - the one where they threatened national security and ongoing missions by calling in all generals from around the world to hear it in person - stating "No fatties, no trannies, no beardos, no weirdos, no wimps, no radicals. Just warriors"
Oh, BTW, Aging Frat Boy - you're dang right to say war doesn't care if you're a man or a woman ...
... but it also doesn't care if you're gay or trans, black, white, brown, or purple, whether or not you have a beard, whether you're Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or atheist, nor what your personal politics actually are, either.
But Hegseth likes things in neat little boxes with labels, despite no one neatly fitting in them - including himself.
Because as for Hegseth passing the physical fitness test himself?
Bzzzz ... that's a fail.
And we ladies - and the internet - took notice 😂
Ah-hahahahaha! 😂😂😂
Pttthhhhbttt ... you suuuuck!
Dude - lay off the booze and blow - even the girls passed you! 😂
Sigh, yet another example of Republican hypocrisy - envisioning a fantasy world of perfect standards that even they, themselves, cannot uphold - and instead of just admitting they can't, they continue to pretend they are in fantasy.
Also, what men like Hegseth don't understand about women is, we also like to challenge ourselves in different ways - and some women enjoy doing that through physical workouts too!
(NOT talking about myself, of course. 😂 I do try to stay active, but not a super workouter. Although after being injured, I will say it makes me more determined than usual about getting stronger.)
So as mentioned in my first post yesterday, I was already going to write a post about a documentary I watched over this rainy weekend on HBO Max called "Class Action Park"- the most dangerous amusement park in U.S. history.
I mean, I'm surprised we 80s and 90s kids survived any of these amusement parks and water parks, because there were virtually no safety regulations followed or checked!
However, despite improved safety conditions and checked, accidents can still happen.
So I grew up about 20 minutes from Kings Islandin Cincinnati and I had a season pass. As a child, I was terrified of roller coasters and didn't ride them, but loved them as a young adult and adult.
(FYI - Kings Island is now owned by Six Flags as of 2024).
I remember there were virtually no safety features anywhere, and if there were, the 16-year-olds - many of whom were my friends and classmates - were running the rides and never checked to see if they were latched properly back then. They were too busy hanging out, flirting, and having a great time! 😂
Ah, 80s kids, the "latchkey" generation with little supervision - assuming everything and everyone was safe, though it so was NOT!
The biggest problem, however, is that at that time, they sold unlimited beer and liquor at Kings Island - which of course resulted in a plethora of accidents over time, such that they stopped selling it for a time, but they do again now, and I'm just waiting for another accident to happen.
I remember an incident in 1982 on Grad Night, a drunken kid tried to ride atop the elevator on the Eiffel Tower and was killed. Later, another woman passed out drunk on a ride and was so lax, she slipped right through the bars. And in 1989, someone drunk fell in the water pond and was electrocuted, as was the security guard who tried to save him, due to an open electrical wire in the pond. Then, of course, The Bat was shut down due to multiple injuries, just being a rough ride.
Even by the time my daughter was born, though safety had vastly improved, there were still issues at times - just not as many - and more importantly, no one died.
In fact, true story - on July 9, 2006, my exhusband, myself, and his son and my daughter all went to Kings Island. At that time Paramount Studios had bought it and renamed many of the rides after movies and it was generally considered safer.
My ex wanted to ride "Son of Beast" that day.
(This was one of the rides Paramount kept "as is" instead of renaming it, as they did the original "The Beast.")
Although I loved the original The Beast, there was something about the angles on Son of Beast I didn't like, so despite loving roller coasters, I never rode it.
My ex and his son were heading out after lunch to ride it.
Of course, I wasn't going to ride it, and my daughter was wary of it already, too, so we were going to do something else.
However, I got a chill and said "Please don't ride that today, okay? I'm telling you, something bad is going to happen. Promise me you and K won't ride it. I don't think he's tall enough anyway yet."
At first, he laughed, but at the time, he also knew that when I got that sense that strong, to listen to it.
We suddenly heard sirens and saw ambulances driving through the park, and when we asked people what happened, they said they shut the ride down, multiple injuries.
My ex-husband turned to me, white as a sheet - "OMG, it WAS that sense you get sometimes!"
A cracked wooden support beam and fractured vertical members in the Rose Bowl (the large elevated helix) caused a 5-inch sag in the track structure. As a result, the train slammed into this damaged section at high speed and riders experienced a severe "pothole effect," comparable to hitting a brick wall.
The ride never reopened.
(I don't get "senses" like that as much as I used to, not in years, with the exception of my own car accident a month ago. However, I had no idea it was going to be a car crash - just that "something bad is about to happen, but it's going to be okay." First one I've had in literally years.)
Back to the safety of the rides in the 80s and 90s (or the lack thereof), Mark and I just watched a documentary called "Class Action Park" on HBO Max this past weekend.
It's about the most infamous amusement and water park of all time, "Action Park" in northern New Vernon, New Jersey.
So of course I can't share the full documentary here, but here are the highlights - narrated by former teen employees, some of whom are now comedians - so it's both hilarious and disturbing!
I mean, you're laughing because it's so "no rules, anything goes" and crazy unsafe rides - but also horrified.
And the thing was, if you didn't come back to school in the Fall with a battle scar from Action Park, then you weren't "tough" enough. 😂
Now - some of these rides shown in the video don't seem that bad because we have safer versions today (we hope), so in that way, many of these things were ahead of their time, only no one cared or even checked for safety.
Others should've never existed in the first place for humans or any living creature! 😂
This video clip doesn't even cover it, you have to see the full documentary to get it - drunken people setting stuff on fire or trying to jump their boats over other boats, but landing instead on people's heads, chasing employees down in the race cars - we're talking full-on anarchy chaos!
While watching it, I said to Mark "Yeah, so ... you and your brother, S, would've been all about this park, growing up, had it been near Detroit, wouldn't you?" 😂
Like I said, you really have to see the full documentary to get a full picture of how dangerous it actually was -there were at least 7 known fatalities from this park in and a plethora of other injuries, some of them permanently disabling!
So why - and how did this go on so long without anyone shutting it down?
That's a good question - here's what went wrong.
For starters, the park's creator, Gene Mulvihill, took funding for the park from disgraced Wall Street trader, Bob Brennan, who was banned from Wall Street for selling penny junk stocks and bonds.
(I mean, how sociopathic do you have to be to get kicked off Wall Street in the 1980s, I ask you? 😂)
Both men were nearly of an anarchist mindset, believing in no rules and total freedom, no government intervention.
1). Instead of hiring actual engineers to design and build the rides, to save money, they took any Joe Schmoe off the street to design and build the rides.
2)No one would insure him, so Gene created his own fake insurance company in the Cayman Islands which didn't exist.
3)They only had to report to the state "serious" injuries, but left the word "serious" up to park interpretation.
4)The park performed no safety inspections themselves at all. They did have state safety inspections, Gene often gave lavish gifts to the community, particularly lawmakers, so nothing was ever cited or done. The park also brought in tons of tourist income to the tiny rural city of New Vernon, New Jersey, so many looked the other way.
5) All attraction employees were under the age of 18 and often went off leaving rides unsupervised or did nothing to help people struggling - especially at the waterpark
6). With lawsuits, Gene never settled and would drag out cases until they went to court, so none of them were ever settled or resolved - and in fact, one of the fatalities was blamed on a rock in the park the kid's head hit, rather than the ride itself he was thrown from! (This despite the state safety inspection previously ordering them to remove the rocks.) Thus, Gene - and his fake insurance company - never paid a dime to the families of the dead or permanently disabled.
7). They sold alcohol without ever checking IDs or putting a limit on clearly inebriated patrons.
8)Gene never paid state or federal taxes, which went on for years, until finally he went to prison for 10 years for tax evasion, insurance fraud, and money laundering - but never for the fatalities or injuries that occured at his park.
Ah, white-collar crime that "harm's no one" (but actually harms the most amount of people) - Trump's favorite!
Speaking of Trump, he very nearly invested in Action Park himself, but pulled out at the last minute after a fatality had just occurred.
Once again - how sociopathic and fraudulent do you have to be, such that Trump won't even invest in it? 😂
And I thought Kings Island was bad!
Good Lord, how in the heck did we survive this stuff in the 80s? 😂
See, this is why we need a good balance between government oversight (for health and safety, consumer protection, and justice that preferably money can't buy you out of) VS. capitalism - when either side goes unchecked for too long and wields too much power, we have major issues!
So Malone's is known to be the best restaurant in town (arguably, but generally known as such).
RFK Jr. apparently recently ate there and now they have this plaque up ...
As the commenter who posted this on Reddit said "Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Malone's."
Yeah, um ... now I'm afraid to even go in there, I might catch measles or COVID? 😂
"Yes, lemme have the "RFK Jr. Worm-Ate-My-Brain Special," with a side of measles and COVID! Heck, let's throw all caution to the wind and add on the "Comeback Combo Platter" - chocked full of TB, polio and smallpox, for extra kick." 😂
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