Prizzlies or Grolars?
We’re up under the marquee today.
Welcome to Willow’s weekly coffee and tea garden. My name is Paul and I’m happy to be here once again in the garden tending to your needs for a cuppa, and sweets. It has gotten quite damp here recently so Willow and I have arranged some comfy chairs and sofas under the marquee where we will be warm whilst we sip our cuppas. The addition of some heaters has made this little nest quite toasty. I’ll be happy to bring a pot of whatever beverage you prefer – we have a wide range of teas and coffees to satisfy our world-wide readership. We can relax with a cuppa and calorie free sweets while we discuss the affairs of the week both personal and/or worldwide. How has your weekbeen?
Polar Bears are changing as polar ice reduces
There has been a lot of talk this week in Canada – my home country – about the fate of one of our national favorites – the polar bear. Since the 1980’s the amount of ice cover in the polar region has reduced from 75% to 45%, a significant loss of territory for the bears who used to live on the ice. As a result the bears have reduced in average size by over 100 kg (220 lbs) and have found themselves rubbing shoulders with Grizzly bears, who are moving further north. Apparently they get along quite well and have been interbreeding – a situation that has never happened before due to the lack of territory overlap. The new bear crosses are called either Grolars or Prizzlies. Interesting names aren’t they? Which one would you pick for our new bears? What do you think of global warming and its effects? Have you seen any changes in your weather or animals?
Burying Nuts
Speaking of weather changes, our squirrels (which I mentioned last week) seem to have stepped up their nut burying. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them as busy as this year. I wonder if this has any significance to how long or cold our winter will be? Do any of our readers have any experience in this area?
Would you like another cuppa or a sweet? There is lots so don’t be shy.On a more personal front I got very upset at one of my doctors earlier this week. You would have been proud of me though, as I managed to bite my tongue and keep my mouth shut. Running my mouth would have accomplished nothing. As a dialysis outpatient, I have treatment 3 evenings a week at the hospital. There is a rotation of doctors who come and visit us each Monday evening to make sure all is well and to make any adjustments necessary in our treatment. Last month I had been having a serious side effect from the dialysis and the doctor had prescribed a new medication to help the problem. I had been taking another med for the same purpose but it was no longer working. The directions on that med had been to take one pill immediately prior to dialysis. So, I got a new prescription and the directions said the same. It didn’t seem to be working at all for the first hour or two, but I had put up with the issue for two weeks, thinking it would eventually be OK.
Anyway, Monday, the doctor came to visit and I asked him about it. He seemed surprised and asked when I was taking the medication. I told him just before treatment as it said on the bottle. His response was that I had it wrong and was supposed to take it 2 hours before treatment not just before treatment. I was about to rip him a new asshole, when I realized that would accomplish nothing so I kept quiet. I tried it the new way Wednesday and Friday and it worked like a charm. Have you had any doctors gave you wrong information? And then tell you it was your fault? Arrrgh! That makes my blood boil just thinking about it.
Would you like another cuppa? I need one to calm down a bit. And I think I’ll have a sweet as well. Willow and I are honored that you dropped by the marquee in the garden today to visit. I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and the conversation and please feel free to look around at Willow’s other posts while you’re here. Have a great week. We look forward to seeing you here in the garden again next week.
IF WE WERE HAVING COFFEE: I would ask you if you would like another cuppa, or another cake . ! If we were having Coffee Original idea from http://parttimemonster.wordpress.com/
Sweet Anyone? In honor of our British Host Willow.
Links to all photos in order in which they appear.
https://willowdot21.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/64ab7-dsc04615.jpg
http://static.theglobeandmail.ca/3f7/incoming/article20904367.ece/ALTERNATES/w220/78743935.jpg
http://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/images/graphics/caching_grey_squirrel.jpg
http://www.isiomakidneyfoundation.i8.com/renal%20remedies.htm
https://willowdot21.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/84394-jubilee_afternoonteafinal2.jpg
willowdot21 
Thanks Willow for the chance to Guest Post. I am honored to both serve and to have chance to chat with everyone who drops by. I even get to have a few cups of coffee in between. Hope your week goes well
We all love having you here Paul you always have such interesting things to say. It’s great to have you. 😉 xx
Ugh, that would have infuriated me too. I would have calmly brought the bottle in and told him, “I think someone had it wrong, but it wasn’t me.” I’m glad it’s working now.
Your topics this week are so interesting. One species is showing the result of warming. Another seems to be preparing for another harsh winter. The weather people are predicting a winter worse than last. We’ll see when it comes.
Good day 1Jaded1. Yeh, that particular doctor and I have had it out before. I called him unprofessional once and threatened to report him to the Doctors’ Association – he decided one day to tell me I need psychiatric help, in a public venue. I told him to go f*ck himself. He was better after that, especially when the nurses laughed. He’s hopeless, although I do think his knowledge of medicine is good, he does not relate to people – if there were no humans or animals in his practice he’d be fine. I met him one day in social setting and he was fine – I think it’s his doctor’s ego that gets the best of him – he’s always right and everyone else is wrong. Blah! Anyway, don’t get me started – Ha!
The global warming thing scares me- the average worldwide temp difference will only be a few degrees, nothing you or I would even notice if it came to that. The problem is that it unbalances the weather and some areas will increase by dozens of degrees and some will drop the same and then the really, really bad storms will result in the differences. So, in a local area, global warming may mean a big drop in temps.And you’re right 1J1, the predictions I have also heard have been for longer, colder winter. I hope they are wrong.
Thanks so much for dropping by to read and comment. Have great week and please drop by again
Fingers crossed that we all survive winter, ducks, squirrels, bears, fish and humans!? 😉 xx
I hadn’t heard the Grizzlies and Polars were inter-breeding. Don’t that beat all! I had to drop in for a coffee to hear this news. Huh.
If the squirrels are that busy, I’ll bet on a c-o-l-d winter and I bet it will be sudden. Brrr.
The weather’s been balmy all week except yesterday I needed a jacket and an umbrella.
same here Tess but today is gorgeous xx
~(~_*)~~
Hi LCTC! thanks for dropping by for a cuppa. Welcome. Yes, we now have a new species. I think they should be called Grolars – it sounds much tougher than Prizzlies. Ha! I too was wondering if the winter was going to be longer and colder, I hope not but I fear so. It has been quite warm here lately but last it night went down to 5 C (40F). The leaves are getting very beautiful , and I love walking on the leaf carpet on the sidewalks – the crunchy swishing. Have a great week LCTC.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrr
😉
Hi Paul!
What a wonderful morning for a cuppa and some sweets! That very first picture of the garden is divine…loved it!
I actually have comments for two of your subjects this morning.
Squirrels and nuts: YES! They are definitely busier than usual and I know that the Farmer’s Almanac is calling for increased snowfall this year in my part of the country. Yikes!
Medication: I’m so sorry that you had that experience with your physician. Here’s a fact that you don’t know about me. Part of my job is medication adherence and research. What you outlined was definitely NOT your fault and there was so much your physician (and staff and pharmacist) could have done to help you with that. Did you know that medication discussion between a doctor and patient only happens about 3.4% of the time and docs think it happens 75% of the time??? I’m so sorry. Do not even feel “dumb” for asking questions. It’s YOUR life (your kidneys!) and you have the right to be informed. Ah! Don’t get me started!
Anyways, I always love reading what you write and I’m so sorry that I’ve been a bit MIA lately.
Have a great rest of the weekend!
Michelle
Greetings MamaMick! It’s great to see you here. Thanks so much for dropping by. Have a cuppa and some sweets (these electronic sweets are all calorie free). Yes, we have busy squirrels and a prediction of a long cold winter too. Brrr. You spend a lot of time in your garden and yard, so I’m pleased that you confirmed my observtaions.
Yes, I have complained about the doctors’ lack of communication many, many times. And you are right, they are surprised because they think they are doing a good job communicating. Personally I think it is an ego issue – it is not possible to see the world through another’s eyes when you think you have it nailed through your own eyes. The medication this time was for restless legs, a side effect that dialysis has only imparted in the last 6 months or so. It is so bad that it is intolerable for me and without medication, dialysis wouldn’t be possible. There is no sign of it off dialysis only during.
That problem must make your job very difficult Mama. I’d love to discuss it at length sometime. One of my specialities is teamwork in business, and in the light of that, the doctors are also seriously lacking and I suspect for the same reason – egos. I’ve had situations where a “team” of doctors, nurses, social workers, and other specialists have discussed my case and after the fact I’ve found that there was very little communication – I end up telling the others the issues that the doctor knew and didn’t share. Dipwits. i understand the fundamental reason for this – when they have a patient’s life in their hands, for instance an emergency, I for one, do not want them second guessing themselves – so they are taught self-reliance in med school. The problem is that they express it as arrogance. Pilots are exactly the same for the same reasons. I’ve gotten into some pretty abusive arguments about this over this during the years of medical treatment. Ha! Some were quite funny as when I am upset (which is rarely) I get a very cutting sense of humor. AArgh! Soapbox alert! Sorry Mama.
Thanks so much for the read and comment MaMa and I hope you’ll drop by again.
I think that you and I would probably share that same soapbox!
There’s an evidence-based technique called “Teach Back” which is fundamentally simple to implement and increase satisfaction, understanding and adherence on both sides of that prescription. I’ve taken care of a few kind people on dialysis and I have no doubt that your positive spirit keeps you going. Do you write while you are “hooked up?” You are a fascinating man, Paul. So glad our paths crossed!
Michelle
🙂 xxx
Yes, there are also lots of techniques used to aid communication and understanding in .a team environemnt as well The problem being that all parties have to acknowledge that there is a problem – and that is the hard part with doctors. It is a “soft” skill (as opposed to a “hard” skill that requires physical information) and they are very difficult to explain to someone who is skeptical that soft skills even exist. I’m sure you have run itno this as well Mama. I’d be interested in swapping war stories. ha! We studied some amazing books in Change management that I think you would really like. They basically talk about soft skills and the like – with real examples. and how well it works.
I think you are right -we would be standing on the same soap box. ha!.
I actually sleep most of dialysis but then I am up most of the night and am usually on the computer or writing. There is wireless in the hospital but typing is easier with two hands and I have a fistula, so one arm/hand has to remain immobile during treatment. Also the wireless in the hospital is not secure and I have had some passwords stolen before They tried a permcath for dialysis but my body covered it with fibrin very qiuickly. The permcath would last from 2 weeks to a month and even then would require regular TNP treatments and running with lines reversed.
Anyway, I tend to ramble, sorry about that. Thanks again for coming by Mama
Paul your goodness of spirit and and ability to smile at adversity amazes me.
Do drop by any time Mama anytime
Thank you! I’m hoping to make lots of time in November to get to know all of my new blogosphere friends better. You right up there at the top of the list!
Have a great week!
Michelle
I look forward to getting to know you better then too xx
I hope the polars survive, Paul. It would be just awful to lose them forever, you know? Tragic. Freaking results of our bad acting for too many years.
Doctors giving bad orders also could be tragic. Maybe should not have held your tongue, because although your ill-timed pill consumption was caught and changed before too much bad effect — we hope — the next poor schumck could keel over and die on the spot. What then? I am acutely worried for you, me — I take a lot of meds for my diabetes — and all of us at the mercy of getting the right instructions for our pills and medicines.
Thanks for sharing a cuppa with me today, my friend, and thank you Willow, for having us over under the marquee.
It’s my pleasure to have Paul and all his friends here. I worry about Drs and meds too. I have have had a couple of unfortunate repercussions and near misses, luckily lived to tell the tail. Let’s hope all the bears do too. xxx
This particular medication is not life threatening Mark, and you are right, switching medications always involves some risk. I try to be as diligent as possible when that happens. I should know better than to take a new medication from this doctor. I will adjust that behaviour. Thanks for pointing that out.
Yes, the polars are in serious trouble. I can’t see how they can avoid becoming extinct in time – their habitat is disappearing and can’t be replaced.
Thanks for dropping by for a cuppa Mark. I always enjoy your comments. I hope the rest of your weekend goes well my friend.
Thank you for stopping by my blog today.
I hope to see you there often.
Thank you and I extend you the same hope that you will visit here! 🙂