TGO David

@E4 No More how much time had elapsed since you took the COVID-19 vaccine and when the pulmonary embolism presented? Do you have any concerns that the two were related?

I get so pissed at my family for turning their ringers off on their phones. What's the damn point of the phone if it doesn't ring?? But, I digress. Call 911 first next time. If they bust your door down, I bet we can rally the troops on TGO and get it repaired.

Passing thoughts... 1. I really resent the fact that so many people have become self-proclaimed medical experts during this pandemic. 2. I really resent the fact that so many people have become amateur pundits on the topic of COVID-19 during this pandemic. 3. Social media has made the past two an even bigger problem, so I resent it at a higher level than I do #1 and #2 4. There aren't many people who trust the government and that's a big problem when the government perhaps tries to do the right thing during a pandemic but can't persuade people to believe them. I resent politicians more than I do any of the the first three in this list. 5. I am so tired of the proselytizing. So tired. I'm more tired of it related to COVID-19 than I ever am of it during political cycles, and that's saything something - because I f'king hate it during political cycles too. People have talked this subject to death to the point that a lot of folks just tune it out now. There is no signal to noise ratio because no one cares... it's all noise now to most people. 6. GO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. Follow their advice! also... see this link. I should have amended my comments.

^^^ People do not need to skip ahead without taking stock of this post. It is the most practical thing I've seen written on the topic lately.

I have as much of a problem with people who criticize pharmaceutical companies for paying their executives and top scientists well as I do people who criticize captains of industry who get compensated well too. People take big risks for the chance of big reward. People invest huge amounts of talent, knowledge and effort into work that might generate big reward. Practically all of the significant medical advancements that we have seen in the past century and which greatly improved the quality of life or survivability of humans in previously dire scenarios came as a result of "Big Medical" (not just pharmaceutical companies) who profited greatly from it. I see nothing wrong with this. Yes, we need some healthcare reform in our country but I would really suggest we start with the health insurance companies. You're going to find that most of the greed you're searching for in healthcare resides there and the ripple effect causes all other prices to rise.

True, but the reasons why that Holiday Inn (hospital) is understaffed deserves a hard look and then something done about it. Healthcare providers who were put on the front lines last year with minimal protection and no vaccine mostly fared well, just like the rest of society. This year they are being forced to take a vaccine that they might object to for a variety of reasons. This goes back to the concept of individual freedom and the sanctity of one's own body. There will be the argument that you shouldn't have unvaccinated caregivers tending to vulnerable patients, but there is so much data supporting the fact that vaccinated people still spread COVID-19 that this should be a moot point. Also, none of these caregivers -- vaccinated or not -- are being allowed to interact with vulnerable patients without PPE anyway. Again, moot. Hospital administrations are doing little to nothing to incentivize the retention of experienced veteran nurses but are showering new hires with tens of thousands of dollars in hiring bonuses. Veteran staff sees this as a slap in the face, and rightfully so, and is leaving because of it. Lets face it: We all might juts LOVE our jobs, but work is the "curse of Adam". We do it because we need or want the money. Hospital administrators have also for years been running the fine line of "just enough staff" to cover the patient census. Nurses have been overworked for a long time. Add to that all of the above, and those who can are cutting bait and finding other careers. All of this is creating a talent vacuum in the healthcare industry. Nurses who know a thing or two because they've seen a thing or two are exiting the workplace. My oldest daughter who has only been a nurse for a few years is now training new nurses who are making more money than her. Read that again: She has just a few years of practical experience and is still very much learning herself. She's being required to train new nurses because there aren't enough seasoned nurses above her to do the job. I'm thrilled for her success but sad about what she's facing in the years ahead. Privatization of healthcare is still the right way to do this and I am staunchly against socialized medicine (because it gets a WHOLE lot worse under those types of programs) but companies in this industry need to get back to their roots and check their core values. If it's profit over care or profit over their people, they're wrong.

I'm seeing data that suggests that the reason hospitals are at capacity has less to do with COVID-19 and more to do with staff shortages. Apparently nurses, beginning last year, with enough years under their belts or enough financial stability to do so, have been getting very fed up with the dynamics at play within the healthcare industry and have begun leaving. In significant numbers. What I've begun tracking is data to the effect that there are ample beds in hospitals, right here in Tennessee... right here in Nashville... but not enough nurses to keep all of them open and available.

Men who eat genuine Mexican food from roadside vendors are infinitely less susceptible to COVID-19 and Tetanus. It's science. (Disclaimer: Not actual medical advice)

Dangit. Well... at least you did better than most men seem to do, and actually went to the doctor about it. Hope all goes well.

If Lollapalooza didn't already test that theory, Sturgis likely won't.

Nuking China?

The G45 is the best G. --Me, Always

Rare sighting of ChuckTShoes on the job.

CAN CONFIRM! Yesterday was the end of the first 24 hours and my shoulder was throbbing. Today the muscle is still very sore to the touch at the injection site. My wife, a nurse, says that it's because the pH balance of the shot is quite a bit different than my body's normal pH and that caused it to burn and continue hurting. I, on the other hand, now a true believer in "The Science", am quite certain that it hurts because the wires from the microchip have burrowed deep into my arm and are now receiving VLF signals from China. One of us is right and the other is wrong. I know who my money is on.

Speedy recovery! Going in through the throat is an interesting surgical approach but I'm sure it minimizes negative consequences of the surgical procedure itself. Kind of like how the IRS always goes for my wallet through my anus. But different at the same time. They minimize nothing in that procedure.

Status Update: Injection site in my shoulder was a little sore for most of the evening. Not a biggie. A little Ibuprofen and some self massaging ( giggity ) took care of that. I woke up this morning with a bit of a sore throat but no other problems. My energy level seems normal, no fever, and no aches that I don't normally have. I did notice that I forgot something rather simple while I was doing my normal morning routine, so I'll try to remember to pay attention to this and see if it's the same "brain fog" that I had with actual COVID earlier this year. I honestly wouldn't be a bit surprised to see some strange occurrences like that as my body's naturally-acquired immunity kicks in and punches the J&J payload in the balls. STILL no wireless charging capability. The government microchip I got might be a dud.

As I've been saying, people need to determine who they are going to trust for their medical advice (such as their doctor) and then weigh that heavily against all of the other noise being made about COVID-19. My doctor and I caught up with each other on the subject last week and he recommended that enough time had elapsed for me since I actually had COVID-19 back in February, and now, for me to give strong consideration to one of the available vaccines. His position was that the mRNA ones are most effective against the delta variant for someone who's never had COVID before, but that for me the Johnson & Johnson one would be fine. It would effectively be a booster for my existing natural antibodies. I got jabbed with a needle this afternoon. So far, no superpowers have manifested but I am hoping at least that the microchip the government surely implanted in me will allow for wireless charging. It burned like a mother when the nurse pushed the vaccine in, so I can only logically assume that means the 5G signals were flooding into my bloodstream. If I turn into a zombie, promise me you guys will aim for the head and not be cruel and shoot me in the .

I know it's a hard pill for folks to swallow, but there's not a single one of us who is going to make it out of here alive. We've all got a date with the Grim Reaper. It sucks that for some folks he comes as a virus, but there are a million other ways people die every day too and a lot of them have better forms of prevention than what we have for COVID-19. A person should seriously just listen to their doctor, analyze the risks, factor in their own risk profile, and make their own decision. I really hope the bleeding hearts don't hassle me the next time I have a cheeseburger or a glass of bourbon, or inhale some gun smoke. None of those things are good for you either, but I'm taking my chances. "Every man dies, but not every man really lives."

That is a really good idea.

I've never had a problem with an optic fogging, even on open-emitter designs like the RMR. I do put Cat Crap brand anti-fog on my lenses, same as I do my prescription glasses, but I also think the fact that the optic stays relatively warm while carried against my body helps as well. Even still, these days I find myself gravitating toward the closed-emitter designs like the Holosun 509T for a variety of reasons - antifogging being one of them. You might give them a spin if you get serious about the Dot Life.

Hopefully people are listening to their doctors and not the media, politicians, or the Internet. My doctor told me to wait because I've had the real deal. He also told me to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccine if/when I decide to participate in this ridiculously unprecedented clinical trial. What blows my mind is the staggering amount of "Vaccine Shaming" that is wrapped around this whole issue. Even if I ever do decide to get vaccinated against COVID-19, I'll probably take it to my grave as a secret. And hopefully that'll be a long time after the vaccination and from reasons completely unrelated to the vaccine. This issue isn't just politicized, it's been "socialized" to the point where an alarming percentage of people actually want the government to force their fellow citizens to undergo medical treatment. FORCE. And here we are participating in an Internet community centered upon the one Constitutional amendment that was designed to keep the government... a government... any government... from doing that sort of thing to you. Weird.

I was mainly just testing to make sure that the new database engine didn't puke on a new post, a reply, etc. But now it's just fun.

True Story: I'll make eye jokes all day long and screw with people at work. We once were interviewing a guy who we had already decided was going to be a perfect fit for the team, from perspectives of qualifications and cultural fit. He was a messed up individual like the rest of us. When we took him to lunch, he asked how brutal the on-call schedule really was. I told him, "Look man... I had two working eyes when I started this gig." He paused barely a second and erupted in laughter. We hired him practically on the spot.

I mortify the people at Lens Crafters when I ask them if I get a 50% discount because I only need half of what they're selling. Those poor people don't know how to respond.