they sound like prescriptions

Sometimes, the Universe gives me an inside joke to make me smile and know that I am loved.

Today, that came in the form of the Jonesin' Crossword from the April 28, 2021, issue of CONNECT Savannah.

Let me point out right now: I had picked up that issue, as well as several others in the bottom of the bin, when I'd visited the laundry before my trip to Ormond Beach.

That means I've had the issue, unread, since Groundhog Day.

Today, I grabbed it from the coffee table and opened it to the puzzle, and there was the title, teasing me:

"ASK YOUR DOCTOR" - THEY SOUND LIKE PRESCRIPTIONS.

Very funny, right?

So, quite naturally, I smiled back at the Universe and dove into the puzzle.

This one was very challenging, as it turned out, taking quite a while for me to solve the first of six special clues.

As good fortune would have it, that was the first of the clues, too, and was a big help in solving the others.

16-Across: "Feel the need to get in hot water? Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you."

'Get in hot water' proved to be the golden phrase that led me to JACUZZI - brilliant!

 

29-Across: "Lack of unusual influences getting you down? Ask your doctor if ___ ..."

'Unusual influences'? What better than ECCENTRICS for you!

62-Across: "Feel like the only way to be cured is by meat? Ask your doctor if ___ ..."

'Cured by meat' or 'meat that is cured'? Wouldn't that be BOLOGNA? Yes!!! LOL!!!

45-Across: "Do you need to reach higher in life? Ask your doctor if ___ ..."

Seems like 'to reach higher' is key, but "ladder" didn't fit.

However, ON TIPPY TOES sure did, and was quite a visual, too!

Now, to get those other two solved!

60-ACROSS: "Want to feel like you did it your way? Ask your doctor if ___ ..."

Well, 'did it your way' pointed to a song from Ol' Blue Eyes, but the answers to the surrounding clues didn't seem to point in that direction.

Well, not until I changed two letters, transforming 'pinesol' into 'pine oil'.

Yes, indeed, the 'drug' was SINATRA!

 

Now, how about that one pesky clue near the top that was slowing me down?

It turned out to be someone's name, too...

a funny-sounding one that's been the butt of many a late-night joke...

which meant I finally got it!

 

17-Across: "Are you managing your health under 'New Rules'? Ask your doctor if ___ ..."

That's pointing directly at a song title!!! Go, go, go, DUA LIPA!

Hahahaha! Hahaha!

 

Thanks... that was delightful!

(smile!)

beware the toxic fumes, dear heart

I've been doing a bit of research for known causes of atrial fibrillation.

That's because I have a crystallized memory from last May, when I was washing clothes.

It was May 5th, a Wednesday, and I'd grabbed the two plastic bags of Ronnie's clothes that had been placed in a chair in his room.

I had briefly opened the bag, but the odor coming out seemed to have permeated the plastic.

So, I took them to Sandfly Laundry, as I had a few things to wash, too.

My goal was to get his clothes odor-free, so that if he had a chance to wear them again, the pants and shirt would be clean.

Yes, that's how delusional I was: his body was eaten up with cancer allowed to run free and I was harboring thoughts that they might release him. 

I had placed his clothes, and the nearly-new red sneakers, into the washer, added plenty of detergent, and set that machine, as well as the one with my clothes, going.

About thirty minutes later, the cycles of both machines were done.

I'd placed my clothes into a dryer, then came to get his... and the stench that rose up in a cloud when I opened the lid made me step back and close it.

The odor was even worse than it had been!

The combination of old urine, spilled beer, and who knows what all from him sleeping out in the woods for so long had created a foul miasma with a life of its own.

I was glad I was wearing my mask, as that gave me some protection, but... whoa.

What to do?

Try to run the load again and see if that helped?

I was pretty sure it would not.

In the end, I opted to put the clothes back into the plastic bags, then threw them into the trash bins.

As for the shoes, I had hopes they might air out enough that his son could have them.

(That didn't work. A week on the porch and they still reeked, so I trashed them, too.)

I then washed my hands thoroughly and went outside for some fresh air as I waited for my clothes to finish drying.

Then, on the way back to the hospital, I'd searched for pajamas, as I wrote before, and missed seeing Ronnie, as visitation had ended.

That meant Tuesday, May 4th, had been the last time he'd been alert and talking.

 

I should have thrown out the clothes instead of trying to salvage them.

If I had, I wouldn't have had instances when I would have to pause while mowing the yard, just to catch my breath.

I had thought it was from the day maybe being too hot for such activities.

Now, I think it may have been a warning from my body about the after effect of those toxic fumes on my heart.

Funny how the brain confuses the signals from the chest, responding with lung distress when it should register as heart distress.

Perhaps, in my case, it's because I have had so much lung distress during my life, from frequent cases of bronchitis and two bouts of pneumonia, that my mind immediately flashes the 'lung problems again' card.

After all, I've not had heart issues, ever.

Until now, that is.

After my ex had the first two stents placed into his heart, I had a study done of mine, to make sure it was healthy and strong.

After the stress test, the doctor told me he had patients half my age whose heart was not nearly as healthy!

What was my weight at the time?

Probably close to what is is now, as that's been fairly constant for two decades.

In other words, I was overweight then, just as I am now.

My heart doc wants to say the atrial fibrillation is due to my weight.

I insist it was caused by exposure to toxic fumes.

 

The obnoxious, nauseating, funk that had risen from the washing machine might as well have come from an industrial factory spewing chemical pollution into the air.

Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2016 shows uremic toxins - i.e., kidney discharges containing indoxyl sulfate, p-cresol, and p-cresol sulfate - can be a direct cause of atrial fibrillation.

I'm sure I was exposed to such poison, as I know Ronnie had been unresponsive for at least two days before anyone contacted me or an ambulance, so his jeans would have been saturated with urine, if not other bodily fluids.

Other research from NIH, a 2015 study concerning inhalation of a variety of atmospheric pollutants (chlorine gas, carbon monoxide, bromine gas, sulfur dioxide), shows those factors can also contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation.

Still more research from that esteemed source, this time in 2018, also links exposure to toxic solvents to the development of atrial fibrillation.

Even the Environmental Protection Agency has documentation from 2009 that exposure to toxic fumes and indoor pollutants can cause atrial fibrillation.

When I brought up the possibility of toxic fumes being the cause of my heart problems at the meeting with Dr. Cobb today, he had never heard of such research.

Honestly, I can believe that.

I'm sure he's not been exposed to such current research since he left medical school.

I just hope he might look into a little.

All it took for me to find the articles of interest was twenty minutes on the computer.

gee, the little orange thing doesn't LOOK deadly

Yesterday, I called Dr. Cobb's office for the third time about the new medications.
All three of those calls addressed the amiodarone elephant in the room.

I'm not saying it's gray or even big, just not addressed properly.

The tablet is round and a shade of light orange, also known as Cordarone.

One would never guess it to be capable of rendering me blind, with lung damage and a thyroid gone wild... but it is capable of that very thing.

So, as I was saying, I called yesterday morning.

This time, though, I was fortified with information from both the Surgeon General's website and from the FDA Medication Guidelines website.

https://medlineplus.gov/
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/medication-guides

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2018/018972s054lbl.pdf#page=13

Both sites had not only confirmed the dangers the drug posed to me but also flatly stated that the drug should only be administered to patients hospitalized for a one-week stay so they could be closely monitored, as the drug can cause more arrhythmias to occur.

That certainly was not the case for me.

I had not been given the drug at all in the hospital, nor were its hazards explained to me before my release from St. Joseph's Hospital.

This could have all been handled much better by Dr. Beverly Lippert, the physician's assistant who took over for Dr. Cobb on that day as he was not available.

All that would have been needed was to discuss the reason for the amiodarone and the risks associated with its use.

At the bare minimum, an oral review of my medical history with me would have revealed at once that it was too risky for use by me.

In addition, the two medical websites both stated the drug should not be given to people over 60 years of age.
I'm so glad I did the research on it Tuesday night.

When I spoke with the person answering the phone at his office, she had me pause to allow time for her to write all I was saying.

I did so, clearly stating each part of my medical history that pertained to the risks associated with the amiodarone.
Then we rang off, her telling me she would have the doctor's assistant, Paige, return my call.

 

When Paige did call back about ten minutes later, I clearly stated my objections to taking that antiarrhythmic drug, giving her my medical history yet again and citing the two reference sites to support my objections.

I even told her that I would be glad to research other antiarrhythmics, that I was an analytical chemist with a PhD, fully capable of doing so.

You know what she said?

With mouth closed, she had replied "um hmm" several times to me as I spoke.

Seriously, like she had been put out by having this conversation with me.

Then she told me that she would "tell Dr. Cobb that you refuse to take the drug."

With that, she was gone.

Seriously.

That was around 10:30 AM.

Just before 1 PM yesterday, Paige called me back.

Dr. Cobb would like to speak with me about the medication.

My choices were 0830 Friday morning or 1415 on Monday afternoon.

Of course I took the appointment that would save my weekend from needless worry.

So, now I have geared up to do battle for my life tomorrow morning.

That will all be before breakfast.

But, I will have all of my pill bottles with me.

I will have the paperwork I was sent home with from the hospital, marked up to show I had read it thoroughly.

I will have the recent photo on my phone of the retinal scan done my Dr. Smith at the Savannah VA Center of the retina in my right eye, with its detaching vitreous layer, and the date of the opthalmogic migraine that sent me to the hospital three years ago.

I'll even have the blood pressure and pulse readings I've recorded three times daily since my purchase Monday of an Omrom BP7250.

I am fully ready to plead my case.

I pray that he will listen.

don't know why, not a cloud up in the sky, stormy weather...

Actually, it was a day that couldn't quite make up its mind today.

Vacillating between overcast gray and bubbly blue, at least it was warm.

You know me... any day with the highs in the 80's was right as rain!

That brings up a fun textversation I had with my first niece this evening.

(smile!)

She and I were talking about my new toy, then she switched the train to another track.

her: How is the healing process going?

me: Have a blood pressure monitor now, gives my pulse, too.

her: I have been thinking about getting a blood pressure monitor. Mine has been pretty high lately.

me: The machine I bought is Omron 5 and CVS even gave me a ten-dollar coupon to use the next time I shop.

her: Oh, nice.

me: That's what I said.

her: How is the weather there?

me: Still warm in the house. No idea about outside.

her: Pretty good storm coming.

me: Yeah, the weather people are all excited. Lol

her: The wind just went crazy then the bottom dropped out for about 10 minutes. Now it is quiet.

me: A few rumbles, but that's all.

her: Didn't hear any thunder.

me: Lots of thunder here, nothing else.

me: I misspoke. Pouring rain!

her: LOL. Still quiet.

her: Boom! There goes thunder here. And loads more rain.

me: Yeah, it left town about ten min ago. You're welcome!

her: Thanks!

me: Helping fill your pool. Lol!

her: It is already full. Thanks though.

* _ * _ *

That was an hour well spent!

Add to that the long conversations with my blue-sky Penny and with my British friend Andrew and it's been a very nice day!

i thank You, God!

request for prayers for my dancing heart

April 3, 2022 - 5 PM  · Shared with Your friends (on facebook)
On March 31st, I had catheter ablation to repair atrial fibrillation,
which was the cause of my hospital stay in February. I have been home
since Friday, recovering, and I must say today was definitely better
than yesterday. Please pray with me that my dancing heart will soon return
to its normal rhythm. Many thanks. ❤

Cathy Lewis
Sending good thoughts and prayers your way.

Pat Andres
You will be outstanding very soon!

Tammy Oostlander
Sending prayers

Sue Kosokowsky
HOLY!!!! sending prayers to healing vibes to you by the heap loads❤️

Jackie Frant
Sending positive thoughts your way. And if you need anything just holler

Kate Strickland
Sending you much love. I hope your finds a new and safer rhythm to dance to soon

Sarah Logan-Reynolds
Gentle hugs! Take care of yourself!

William Peterson
Prayers ❤️

Sharon Frain Novinger
Sending you much love and healing!!💕💕

Matthew Smith
I hope and pray my big sis

Lorretta Ruggiero
Praying for you and your lovely heart!

Fae Hill Kameron
Praying for your complete & speedy recovery.

Anne El-Habre
Oh wow! Glad you're home and definitely count on prayers!

Jan Parham Williams
🙏🙏🙏

Susan Carlile
Hugs & healing sent your way!

Sherry Moore
Tina, sending prayers.

Caroline Switzer Verner
Glad you are feeling better, and hoping for improvement each day!

Jim Reed
I am sorry to hear that you had to deal with hospitalization, but I am
very happy that it sounds like you are on your way to a full recovery.
Get plenty of rest and I look forward to seeing you as soon as it's
convenient and comfortable for you!

Kempf Susan
🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️

Barbara Narcarti
Get better soon!

Jennifer Bowers
🙏🙏

Andy Peña
Godspeed to you, Tina! You are way too lovely to have to go through
this! I’m glad to know that you are well on your way to recovery…
If there is ANYTHING you need, I am a phone call away.

JinHi Soucy Rand
I’m sorry you’ve been through so much. I hope your recovery is
as quick and uneventful as possible. Big hug. 🤗

Hallie Henry Allgood
I had no idea you were having problems. I hope that fun loving,
free spirited heart is healed real soon.

 

Genie Brazzeal Lawson
Sending healing thoughts and good karma your way!

Lynn Lee
Oh no! Had no idea! Praying for you always!

Marcia Ford
I've got you in my prayers girl. 🙏. Love ya if you need me just let me know.

Yvonne Pizzo Roach
Let me know if I can help you with anything.

Kathy Landers Schaal
Prayers for your health!!

Linda Combs
Feel better soon.

Lisa Will
Prayers for steady beats and improving health!

Susan Morgan
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Lindsay McCord Norman
We’re so sorry to learn of your health issues, Tina.
May your dancing heart take a short break from the over exertion
and just return to its regular ol’ song!

Tony E Smith
Love you Tina, Our prayers are with you. Get better soon 🤓

John Tisbert
Sorry to hear that you’ve been sick. Hope you feel better soon.

Christina Smith
Love you! Prayers for you!

Beth Harn-Via
Prayers and big hugs coming your way.

Cathy MacGowan
Thoughts and get well prayers coming your way.💕

Damitta Roberts
🙏🏾🙏🏾get well soon🙏🏾🙏🏾

Robin Johnson Maddox
Praying Tina 🙏❤

C Robb Worthington
Best wishes for a speedy recovery


Terri Tatum
I wish you happy and healthy healing!

Karin Watson
🙏🙏🙏🙏

Ursel Guy
Get well soon! I pray for your Health! I have the same problem.

Melinda McEwen
Prayers for you Tina. Love ya

Cindy LaCount Pinion
🙏🏻 for a speedy recovery!

Barbara Namkoong Gooby
I love your dancing heart! May it and you heal quickly and completely!

Stephanie Mostashari
Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
I love you ❤️

 

D Scott Kimball
Prayers comming your way

Brantley Moate
My mother just had the first of two surgeries for the same problem.
Hope you’ll feel better soon!

Lynn Engler
Your dancing heart will be out on the dance floor before you know it!!

Michelle Davidson
Sending love and prayers for speedy recovery and a healthy heart! ❤️

Penny Walker Bos
You've got the prayers! How about an electronic gift card to a restaurant
i could order?

Venita Johnson
Praying for you

Stephen S Gerard
I prayed before you went in. I will pray again for good measure.

Rhonda S. Curby
I’m glad you’re home and resting. I’m sorry you’re going through this.
Take care my friend.

Linda L. Walker
You are most certainly in my thoughts and prayers. I love you dearly.

Jeff Powless
All my prayers Tina! See you soon my dear cousin.❤️

Jo Coleman-Williams
Thinking of you

Lynette Geesaman
Hey Faustina, I’m sorry to hear about your troubles but glad to hear
your positive attitude. We may not chat and be in touch, but know
that you are loved! 😘 And I will say a prayer for you tonight …
and thereafter if my foggy brain allows!

Monica McDermott
You have all of my positive thoughts for a speedy recovery coming your way!

Karen Halloran
🙏🙏🙏🙏

Dee Smith Phillips
You have all of my prayers Tina. I love you much!

* * * * *

I am so blessed to have so many who care about me...

 

i thank You, God.

reaffirmation of life... and some lunch, too

 Dear Willie, 

Today has been a much better day than any of the weekend days were. 

Thank God! 

I was in such pain on Saturday, but taking Tylenol every six hours made it gradually fade off into a thing of the past. 

Yesterday, I tried to finally catch up on sleep and I've come pretty close to succeeding.

I'm still tired today, but I'm better, 

and I even got dressed and brushed that long hair of mine, 

and went to McDonald's for lunch. 

That was nice!

I was able to sit outside in the sun, under a blue sky, and enjoy the little breeze on my face. 

Not bad for the first time I've been out of the house! 

I know you're as excited as I am that baseball will be starting soon! 

Hooray! 

I made a schedule of the games I will be going to in June and July. 

I will also let Steve know, so maybe we three will be at a game together again. 

That would certainly be wonderful! 

Okay, I've said what I aimed to say, so time to go. 

We'll be talking again soon!

with love!

well, it's monday and i'm still breathing in and out

I won't kid you, it's been a rough weekend.

That bit about "breathing in and out"?

It's easy to take that for granted unless it's so painful that each and every bone in your chest feels bruised and at risk of breaking.

That's what I had going early on Saturday morning.

I had woken up at 4 AM, thinking I had to pee, which I did... but also aware that I could not breathe normally without great pain.

I kept trying to get back to sleep, doing so fitfully for several hours.

Finally, around 11 AM, I woke and called Dr. Cobb's office.

Sorry, the answering service told me, all their doctors were over in South Carolina, but they would patch me through and have the on-call doc call me back.

Really?!

Fine.

Dr. Flood called me soon after, listened very well, and assured me this was normal and to be expected after ablation surgery. I should take two Tylenol right away, then more as needed.

So that's what I did, keeping to regular doses every 6 hours.

I also slept most of the day.

That probably was the biggest help.

I had awakened around 4 AM again yesterday morning, but I took another dose of Tylenol and returned to bed, sleeping well.

Someone from Asbury Memorial came by in the early afternoon, bearing flowers.

That makes the third time in less than a year that I have been given flowers by the church.

As I told the Peace Guy last night when he called, I will be so glad when my birthday comes next month and I am 64.

Being this age at which Mama died has certainly been a strain.

Coupled with Ronnie dying, my breast cancer scare, and getting fleeced by the DEA scam all combined to turn this past May into a horrible beginning of my new year.

Today, I woke up with no chest pain, lungs able to take deep breaths in and out, the bones in my chest taking no notice of that movement, no matter how deeply I inhaled -

all as it should be.

That's a good way to start this week.

I called Dr. Cobb's office to ask about the three new medications (amiodarone, sucralfate, and pantoprazole) and the missing of the ramipril for my blood pressure and all questions were answered by assistant Paige (new ones are temporary, so no need to worry about the need to not give to folks with hypothyroidism, like me; plus, definitely take the ramipril). 

Good to have the doctor back in his office.

Just one more month to go before my new year begins.

i thank You, God.

more than cake to her

Estelle Harris, perhaps best known as George Costanza's mother on "Seinfeld", died yesterday.

She would have been 94 in another twenty days.

Jim Reed shared the following story of an interaction he had with her some few years ago.

*****

"Once," Jim Reed said, "I was a featured extra in a f*cking horrible theatrical movie ("CBGB") that Estelle Harris played a supporting role in.
We both finished our lunch one day in the catering tent at approximately the same time, and just as I was pouring some hot water for my tea she walked up and began searching through the desserts with a dejected look on her face.
"Are you looking for something in particular?", I asked.
"Well," she replied softly, "I saw some folks with that red velvet cake, and it looked pretty good. Do you know if there is any left?"
"Yep. Hold on a second," I replied, and then walked a few feet over to my table and returned with the last slice of said cake -- which I had just taken for myself a couple of minutes before.
"Here you go," I said. "I believe this is the very last slice. I grabbed it a moment ago, but haven't touched it. Enjoy!"
"But it's yours, you got it first," she replied, with a slightly perplexed look.
"Yeah, but I wasn't actually in search of some, I just chose it absentmindedly. I'd much rather you have it, and I hope it winds up being good," I explained, handing it to her.
Almost immediately, tears began to well up in her eyes, and I feared I had somehow offended her.
Then she placed her free hand on mine and said quietly, "That's one of the sweetest things anyone has done for me in years."
I was taken aback and reflexively blurted out something like, "Well, I certainly hope that's not the case..."
She lowered her head a bit and said, "It doesn't matter that people recognize me from 'the show.' It's very hard for me to find work these days. And when I do, most people in the business act like I'm not even there. Being old in show business is not something I wish on others."
I was at a loss for words and truly did not know how to respond, so I just said with a smile, "Well, I am glad we met, and that you just happened to run into the only guy with any red velvet cake to give."
That broke the spell of the moment and she threw her head back and laughed loudly.
Then she said, "My last scenes are today and I fly out tonight. Thanks for making this a nicer experience than it has been up until now."
(Like I said, this was an infamously awful, unprofessional shitshow of a production, that resulted in one of the most understandably reviled films of the past 20 years.)
Before she headed back to the set, she walked by my table, leaned down towards me and said, "You know, that cake wasn't half bad!"
RIP, Estelle."
*****

Thanks, Jim, for sharing such a sweet memory.

doctors are people, too

I knew Barbara had a distrust of people in white coats, but I didn't realize how deeply that vein ran for her.

A textversation this evening made that clear, though.

She was checking in on me after the catheter ablation on March 31st.

- - - - - 

B: Getting ready for my own nap.
Do you feel any different, preferably better, since your surgery?

me: Felt like hit by truck, even hurt to breathe.
Told by on-call doc to take Tylenol.
Did so, back to bed again.
Now, tired, but able to take deep breaths.
Really don't like getting shocked.

B: Being able to take deep breaths is a really good sign!
Hopefully you won't have to do this again.

me: I don't think I could stand to.
I do know I should have asked more questions before this surgery,
so I would have known what was involved.

B: It wouldn't have mattered.
They water down their remarks so that you think it's nothing.
To me that's lying.
It's what they do - just like politicians.
I have a question that makes the docs squirm.
I now ask what should I know that they are not telling me.
I learned "you'll be walking tomorrow" means "you won't even get to
ride in a wheelchair post op and will be totally bedridden for 24 hours."

me: Damn. That's harsh.

me: I believe the doc would have been honest with me.
That's not the issue.
I just would have liked to know more so I could have better prepared for the pain.
I have had some terrible pain this time, right after the surgery and today.

me: I am doing better now than for most of the day.
This [pain] all started about 2 AM.

me: I should have called the doctor's office then, but I was trying to ride out the pain.
Stupid on my part.

B: Now you know why I have PTSD.
I'm glad the Tylenol helps.
Just be sure to take it with food.

B: Hopefully you'll sleep tonight.
I like a fool stayed up til 5:30 watching Pearl Harbor which I'd only seen
in pieces on tv.
Slept all day.
Guess I should fix lunch/dinner and take the garbage out.

B: Oh yeah, it's only Saturday!

me: Hey, as my stepdad used to say, every day is Saturday when you're retired.

- - - - - 

 

And so I had taken that bit of cheer as my exit cue from the phone.

I am so grateful to Peggy Byck, my General Practioner so many years ago, for an excellent insight she gave me about doctors.

They're just people, too, doing the best they can with the information at hand.

She explained that most people who come in with an ailment fall into several categories.

The first category: the patient has something which the GP can diagnose, as the symptoms follow set patterns and test results directly correlate to a specific, treatable, malady.

The GP then prescribes the needed medicines to cure the problem and patient is happy.

The second category: the patient has something which the GP cannot directly diagnose, as the symptoms are not part of any regular disease; however, the GP can determine which specialist should be used to identify the problem.

The GP then refers the patient to a specialist.

The specialist then checks the patient's symptoms to see if a set pattern emerges, using test results to directly correlate the pattern to a specific, treatable, malady.

The specialist then prescribes the needed medicines, and/or performs the necessary surgery to cure the problem and the patient is happy.

The third category: the patient has something which the GP cannot directly diagnose and may even have to use their best judgement to recommend a specialist.

The GP then refers the patient to a specialist.

The specialist checks the patient's symptoms but no set pattern can be determined and test results are inconclusive, which may indicate that a different specialist is needed, or may indicate that a team of different specialists is needed, as the malady may be rare.

I understood.

Now, I tend to view doctors as the people they are: highly trained professionals with concentrations in niche areas.

One wouldn't expect someone with a doctorate in history to teach organic chemistry.

Nor would one expect a foreign car mechanic to repair the city's water purification plant.

We each of us have our own specialties, right?

We just need to bear that in mind and stop expecting other people to be mind readers and wranglers of miracles.

One last thing: when your doctor asks questions, be honest.

They're just trying to help you be the best you can be.