Oh no! The Antpocalypse has begun!

Mrs. Treydog’s bionic eye(s) got a workout on their first day!

That pizza must be pretty good indeed. After all, 50,000 ants can't be wrong!

Treydog's Excellent Adventure. At the risk of jinxing myself, I've not had an 'ant episode' in some years. My kitchen used to be infested with them. Luckily, when I had my home termite treated it seems to have rid me of ants too. They sometime get in my car, but so far haven't messed with groceries.

My "soon-to-be" Daughter got in her infrequently driven car about a month ago and had an antastic experience too. I mean, why a car? No food or water, right?

However, if I was an ant, Gatti's Pizza would be high on my list of things to have a great time eating with my army of friends, lol.

Poor Mrs. Treydog; I hope the doctor didn't give her any instructions such as "Don't get Bionic eyes wet in the first 24 hours;" or "don't get near any ant colonies for the first 24 hours," etc.

My best wishes for her speedy recovery from surgery; and hopefully no ants made it inside from that adventure!

A colony of pizza ants makes you wish for a regular winter

Treydog’s antventure had me chuckling . . .

I‘ve been fortunate so far to avoid any such visitors!

An update: I had my bronchoscopy yesterday, and the dr found mucus plugs throughout my lower lung fields. He removed quite a bit of it, and collected samples for cultures. Afterwards, I had a fever (up to 101.2) so it was a good thing I had taken the day off from work. I could only eat a couple of pieces of toast, and didn’t manage to drink enough fluids, I was so wiped out from the fever. Today the fever is gone, but I”m still tired, throat is still sore, and I really need to catch up on my fluids. I hope to get results in the next few days, and we’ll see what we are dealing with.

Rider, I hope that you're on your feet soon and that it turns out to be something that's easily treated.

In arthropod news, I met a tiny baby centipede in my sink this morning. I wonder if and where I will meet its 999 siblings.

Rider, so glad they are looking and beginning to find some stuff that will help diagnose. Then, as Grits said, we'll hope it's something that is easily treated.

I know it is sore and exhausting right now, Haute; but you will be surprised how much better your breathing will be just from them cleaning what they did from your lungs; and when you breathe better you will feel much better.

It is really hard to feel 100% with any lung issues because the life of every cell in your body depends on your lungs for that oxygen to keep every cell and every organ alive. Even small things can obstruct your breathing and offset your whole health system.

When they cleaned the cysts out of my lungs, they filled my lungs with some kind of cleaning solution and scrubbed them; then vacuumed the water out and sent it and the cysts off to a Pathology lab to make sure everything was benign. (it was).

My throat was sore a few days from the procedure; and I was exhausted for two days from it. But then suddenly I was able to breathe deeply again for the first time in a long time; no coughing or wheezing; and suddenly I had ten times the energy - just from how easy breathing became after removing those cysts and that cleaning of my lungs.

That easier breathing lasted two years. (I need them to do it again; really having issues again now). But you just had yours done; this should really help you. Did they send them off to Pathology to determine what was causing the mucous plugs?

I am much better pleased with this doctor now that he/she is proactively hunting for a diagnosis for the problem (and actually doing something about it). I hope they can fix your lungs up so you can feel vibrant again!

You'll probably have to sleep hanging upside-down like a bat so that anything collects at the top end of the lungs, where you can easily cough it out.

But in this country, there's probably a pill for it. It will cost more than the Transylvanian treatment, but ...

I do hope (and believe) that getting those plugs cleared will make you feel much better. And now if the specialist can find the cause and get it to stop- THAT will be cause for celebration.

Take care of yourself, my dear friend.

Tennessee this week:


https://www.facebook.com/WVLT8/videos/2335509439903533/?t=6

Poor Tennessee!! Send some of that water our way!

Update: my pulmonologist prescribed a High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation Vest for me to wear - likely a couple times a day to start. It simulates the process of cupping but uses an air compressor to periodically compress the chest wall. I have a trainer coming tomorrow night to teach me how to use it. I'm hoping that it helps clear the mucus out of my lungs.

Cultures are still negative, though the results won't be final for a few more weeks. I also have very low IgG levels, and have to have vaccination titers done to see if I qualify for a gamma globulin infusion. I also had an upper GI study done yesterday to rule out airway reflux.

This doctor is very aggressive from a diagnostic standpoint, which fits in very well with my practice philosophy from my veterinary practice days. He knows I've been dealing with these issues long enough, and understands very well that I want to get off the prednisone - the only way to do that is to figure out the underlying cause, but first we have to resolve all the other complications.

Best wishes to you, Rider, as you seek (and hopefully gain) some answers and clear paths ahead.

Hopefully these are the early steps to the eventual resolution.

Aw, bless your heart Haute! But I am so glad this doctor is actually doing something for you and giving you answers! I hope and pray this helps you!

He actually seems to want to cure you, rather than just sell you drugs. Are you sure you're still in the USA?

Ha! I was gonna ask the same thing In any case, great that you seem to have a caring physician who is trying to fix the situation.

Good news to be sure- I am very much in the camp that feels doing something (as long as it has a reasonable chance of success) is much better than just throwing one's hands up and telling the patient- "That's how it is."

Know that you are in our thoughts and our hearts, dear friend.

It's nice to see some familiar faces still around. It's been far too long.

💖

It certainly has Jacki! Pull up a mushroom and stay a while.

Knew if I stood on this corner long enough, the people I hoped to see would come by! Welcome home!

Hi there, Jacki! Good to see you.

A mushroom you say? I am easily swayed by delicious mushrooms, especially they're sauteed in butter.

GAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!! It's JACKIE DICE !!!!!!!!!!!!


WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT !!!!!!!!!!!!

I’ll be heading out of town and off the net for a week later today to go visit Acadian Sr. He’ll be 99 this winter so I like to go visit each spring and fall as long as the ancient paladin is still with us.

I look forward to returning in a week and catching up on things here!

Godspeed, Acadian! And may Da Force™ be with you and Acadian Sr!

Have a good time with almost one century old Paladin!

Safe travels A! Give our best to Acadian Sr!

Safe travels, Acadian!

Now I had my morning coffee I'm ready to watch radar...as well as countdown to my next paycheck to order a Nerf Minigun---mmmmm.

You will def be missed; but how lucky you are to have this time with him! I hope all goes well on your visit; and my very best wishes for your Father's continued health and sharp mental state!

Have fun mate!

<3 hug the old man for me.

Safe travels Acadian! Enjoy your time with Acadian Sr.

Road trip followed by burst pipe in Grits world. Joy and pain.

Ouch! Hope the pipe waited till you got home!

Oy, Acadian! How was trip to Acadian Sr?

Hi there! Trip went smoothly and no problems. Awfully nice to be home though!

And thanks all for the travel well-wishes.

Yep. It could have been MUCH worse. However the destruction noise coming from my formerly warm and tidy kitchen is eroding my calm!

Ooh on the trip; and Aw, I'm so sorry!!!" on the burst pipe. That isn't good, did it freeze up already this year?

Like Acadian said; I hope it waited till you got home to burst so you didn't have too much damage.

I feel you on burst pipe. We had a clogged shower drain(washing machine empties into shower) and the machine dumped a load of soapy water and a load of rinse water on my bathroom floor a few days ago.

Water damage is FUN.

Good point, was it freeze or corrosion? The latter often means you have to suspect a whole lot of other pipe.

Yeah corrosion can mean lots of pipe replacing.

Unfortunately it was corrosion, so now I'm eyeing up all of the walls. Today's setback is a supply valve that broke while dealing with drying out the floor. Ugh.

Did I mention that the family plus friends will be home for Thanksgiving?

Oh bother.

That's going to be fun. So you're on a time limit too.

Aww, sorry to hear that, Grits. I hope the necessary corrective measures go smoothly, quickly and affordably for you and yours.

Shark Bite connectors are your best friend!

Thanks, folks. The plumber is installing new valves right now, so at least the heater-fans are off. Fingers crossed that he finishes before the carpenter gets here. Also that the carpenter doesn’t break the cabinets (or countertops) getting them out.

I’m having fond memories of apartment life!