We're on our way.........

Just a few things that caught my eye

Still winter here, 1 degree f. this morning, still a couple feet of snow in my yard.  Perusing the papers this morning, a few pictures caught my eye, and I think stand without comment.

Perhaps a hiccup on the way.......

So, I have an new doctor on my case, a sleep specialist.  Most of the others, FP's, Cardiologist, EP, etc I know or know of..
..
The Sleep doctor was an unknown to me when I saw him a few weeks ago. He seemed fine, a bit free on metaphor in conversation, but there's a lot of that about.

I had the sleep study, results given to me by him a day later. Severe Sleep Apnea....could or could not be the cause of the cardiac issues. Time, and a CPAP therapy would tell the tale.

So 4 days ago I started. First night rough, second third and last night better, because of changes in pressures etc I made in the device. And orders to the company providing the machine.

Today I get a call from him, telling me that he and he alone would be in charge of my care, etc, etc.

Not the first time I've had a disagreement with a colleague.

And, like the others, we came to an agreement.

One of the grandkids

I'm back in MT, trying a new treatment (tx) for what seems to be the cure-all be-all of my diagnosis so far: OSA. For the uninitiated, that's Obstructive Sleep Apnea. One stops breathing for some, perhaps many periods during the night, sometimes short periods. in my case up to 67 seconds. No wonder the rest of the body get's pissed, right? The heart is going...."Um, man, had no oxyhemoglobin here in a bit, what's up", the kidneys are transmitting..."Ok, no need to take a leak anymore, right?"

So as of last night I'm on CPAP.....Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.....the theory is as follows:

So I have this device, looks like this:

Fits on with a mask that covers nasal and oral passages, is hard to get used to, but I have little choice. It's 9:30pm, going to bed. Last night I got about 3-4 hours sleep with the device. The mask and accouterments take some getting used to.

In the mean time, I give you Fiona, sledding on a drawer of the RV. 

"So, Grandpa, where's the fun in this?" 

Enough being probed, prodded and generally abused......

I've had it with the medical community, bless their hearts, but we've only gotten a bit further in a month of prods, needles, dyes and general unmentionables. So Thursday I'm flying home for a bit of a rest.

As to our 'government', I'm now waiting for a state of emergency to be declared, martial law imposed, and Trump claims the title of Fuehrer For Life, the Judiciary branch abolished from the chain of governance, and all passports invalid.

In the meantime, here's a picture of my youngest, with the view from Pike Place Market.

sign of the times

Appeals Court makes right choice, what next?

Court Refuses to Reinstate Travel Ban, Dealing Trump Another Legal Loss

No doubt headed for SCOTUS. My question is: How will Roberts vote? 

The Supremes

A email today from my less-than-esteemed GOP Senator Daines, edited slightly but not affecting content:

Dear Mike,

One of the most important jobs a U.S. Senator has is providing advice and consent for a Supreme Court nominee. An Associate Justice for the Supreme Court can serve an average of 27 years. That’s why a decision on who to vote for, who to stand behind, and who to stand with is so important – not only to me but to our children and grandchildren.  

I was honored to be at the White House East Wing with President Donald J. Trump while he made the announcement that Judge Neil Gorsuch would be that nominee to take the chair of Antonin Scalia. What an honor to be nominated for that seat in particular.  

Judge Gorsuch’s academic accomplishments are nothing other than stellar. His decision to serve as a Justice in the highest court in the land is truly a testament to his character, his intelligence, his understanding of the law, and his commitment to the Constitution.

Judge Gorsuch was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Tenth Circuit in 2006 and was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Of utmost importance in a Justice is the desire and the ability to apply the law as it was intended, not to legislate from the bench. So I was thrilled to hear him say, “A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge, stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands.”

My reply:

Dear Senator Daines (Staffer, Intern, etc)
Regarding the nomination of the present 'president' for the bench. I'm going to take a page from the GOP handbook here: 
1. I think the people should decide who goes on the Supreme Court. 
2. Your party has already established the precedent that only the next elected president can nominate said judge, I propose we table this nomination until the next election is decided, and that president can decide. 
3. If you find that unacceptable, I will abide by your decision if, and only if, you will first consider, the previous nominee, Judge Garland.
Cheers,
Mike Mulligan
Butte Mt

Ironic and Appropriate

Meet the Federal judge who blocked trump's muslim ban.

Judge James Robart, on the Federal bench 12 years. He has been praised by such divergent people as Senator Patty Murray and Senator Orin Hatch. 

The irony?  He's a GOP appointee, put on the bench by Georgie boy Bush, confirmed by unanimous votes. 

One can just imagine the tantrum trump is throwing, flinging himself down on the Oval Office floor, kicking his heels into the carpet and flinging his arms around. 

One can only hope that the still-honorable members of the GOP will grow a pair, or whatever metaphor you like, and support this ban. 

Yet another Daines email

My unworthy GOP senator, Steve Daines, sent out an email today wanting us to support splitting up the 9th and 12th Federal Court of Appeals, apparently to get a mix that would rule more in favor of trumps unconstitutional executive orders. He says the Federal Courts are 'broken', as they've stayed the immigration directives.

My reply:

Senator Daines (or staffer or intern)
Broken? I'll tell you what's broken: the integrity of the GOP. Following a lunatic president down a dead end alley that leads to the loss of what are our real American Values.  Your party is so far even from that of the Reagan era, let alone the Party of Lincoln. Were Abe alive today he'd weep at what you and your fellow party members have done, following the lunatic trump.

You don't represent me, or a significant percentage of Montanans.

Sorry, staffer or intern, but good lord, respect yourself and get a job with someone less onerous than this man.

Mike Mulligan
Butte, MT

PS....as always, this is going on my blog at http://memoirsofacardiopulmonaryguy.blogspot.com/

South of the Border, Down Mexico Way......

Copy and pasted from the Seattle PI, once Seattle's morning paper, now entirely on line and very legit.:

"You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt given to AP. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it."

A person with access to the official transcript of the phone call provided only that portion of the conversation to The Associated Press. The person gave it on condition of anonymity because the administration did not make the details of the call public.

The Mexican website Aristegui Noticias on Tuesday published a similar account of the phone call, based on the reporting of journalist Dolia Estevez. The report described Trump as humiliating Pena Nieto in a confrontational conversation.

Now, is it true? I don't know, but it sounds like our membrane-thin-skinned 'president'. It sounds just like his campaign 'speeches'. 

So, buckle up, buttercup.