Hello Legionella

Hi all,

I have been out of touch for awhile, and am just getting reorganized. My Dad was admitted to the ICU 2 1/2 weeks ago with what turned out to be Legionnaire's disease, a very severe form of pneumonia. I went up to CT as soon as I found out, and just got home yesterday. He ended up spending 8 days in the ICU, and another 4 on a medical floor, and then came home on supplemental oxygen last Tuesday. It was a very scary, crazy, emotional experience, but he is now on the road to recovery. I stayed at his house while he was in the hospital, and then after he came home to help him get back on his feet. The kids were with a combination of Kevin, Kevin's parents, and me over the last few weeks, and have been remarkably good through the whole experience.

I am glad to be home, and to catch up on the blog posts, etc. I hope you are all doing well!

Shannon

As Clark Griswold put it

"Worse? How can it get any worse? Take a look around you [Jill] - we're at the threshold of Hell!"

In one of my low points as a parent I shouted the last part of that classic line as I pulled a Fasani and nearly put my fist through our bedroom door. This was following Reva's yacking up all over the bedroom right after I finished bathing the kids.

The Papsdorfs have been hit hard by a cold/flu virus something for many days now, and it is grim. I've cancelled four classes, skipped office hours, the kids are miserable, Jill can barely stand, and, to top it off, the one person who could typically help us through this, my Mom, can't, because my Dad has to go into the hospital tomorrow.

I just thought sharing my misery with you all might be a more productive, and less painful, form of catharsis.

That is all.

P.S. For those of you of a religious persuasion, your prayers would be appreciated.

IT help

Anyone know how to compress a movie? I'm trying to make a silly video fit into 100 MB.

Doesn't someone in the BLD know something about movies or computers?
I'm looking in the direction of Maurissa and Doug (that is, east northeast).

A word to the wise

If you ever find yourself at Kid Shelleen's in Wilmington, Delaware, DO NOT order the black bean burger.

It is most definitely NOT certified Angus beef.

Expensive diet pill?

Since I started taking Malerone, an antimalarial pill, I've lost 12 pounds. I lost 3 pounds before I left for India, almost 7 pounds in India, and ~ 3 more since I returned. I look much like the picture Jon posted from 14 years ago.

I go off the Malerone today, and I'm hoping to balloon back to my welterweight class. The other option is I have a tapeworm.