Iron Man

Today I went to see the movie, Iron Man. I admit it: I'm a sucker for superhero films (it must be my inner child). It did not disappoint. The movie was action-packed and full of explosions and great special effects. But, special effects aside, the story had some substance to it. The main character, Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey, Jr., is the billionaire head of a weapons manufacturing company who has a change of heart about the nature of his business and its complicity in worldwide violence. He decides to fight this violence with his alter-ego, Iron Man. Unlike most superheros, he didn't have any super powers; his powers came from technology. Also, Tony Stark was an imperfect person; he was shallow and arrogant, but his conscience moved him to do good. I find it more interesting when superheroes are not one-dimensional and have flaws like most humans. It makes them seem more real. Robert Downey, Jr was well cast in the role. He had the right look and projected just the right amount of attitude without overacting. Gwyneth Paltrow played his trusty assistant, Pepper Potts. She didn't do a whole lot, but she served the purpose well. It was an enjoyable two hours of escape. Sometimes it is nice just to sit back and be entertained. The viewing experience was enhanced by the DLP digital projectors which provided for a sharp, clear picture and awesome surround sound. It also helped that the wheelchair seating at this theater is very good.

Echocardiogram

On Thursday I went to UCSD/Thornton Hospital in La Jolla for my echocardiogram. I was a little nervous, eventhough I felt it would turn out well. Since Duchenne Muscular Dytrophy affects the heart, you never know what may pop up. The echocardiogram went well, eventhough a medical student did the procedure. She was surpervized, so she did it correctly. My heart turned out to be in pretty good shape. It was beating well and my ejection fraction, the percentage of blood pumped from the heart chambers (ventricles), was over sixty percent. That is very good. The doctor will go over the results. He will contact me if there is anything of concern. But, I don't think he will. It gives me piece of mind to know that my ticker is still in good shape.

Trach Change

Today I went to UCSD Medical Center to see Dr. Harrel for a routine trach change and bronchoscopy. The trach slid in smoothly and the broncoscopy showed no scar tissue problems. This is good since I have had so much trouble in the past with scar tissue obstructing my trach. I always feel good when there are no problems. In February the doctor tried four different trachs before he found the right fit (see blog post of 2/12/2008). It turned out my original type of trach was the best trach for me. So today there was no experimentation with trachs. He put in the same type of trach. I made it clear that I wanted the same trach. Why fix it if it isn't broken? I will go back in July for my next trach change.

Cardiologist

Yesterday I went to see a cardiologist for the first time. I had never felt the need to see a cardiologist because I never had any heart issues. This is unusual since Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy affects the heart. I guess I have been lucky. But, since I am nearing 40 and have DMD, I felt that I should have the ticker checked out. I went to UCSD/Thornton Hospital in La Jolla for my appointment with Dr. Rasinghani. When I got there I was given an EKG and then the doctor came in to examine and talk with me. The EKG results were not a cause for concern to him. That was good to hear. But, an EKG only gives part of the picture. To get a closer look at my heart, the doctor ordered an echocardiogram. I will go in on May 1 to have it done. I feel that it won't reveal any problems. Nonetheless, I will be relieved to get it done for my own piece of mind. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Last night (4/8) I went with my nurse, Ernie to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in concert at the Honda Arena in Anaheim. When I heard that he was on tour with The E Street Band, I had to get tickets. I was dissappointed that he was not coming to San Diego, but Anaheim is only about an hour and a half drive away. This was a concert I couldn't pass up. The drive up went very smooth; there was not much traffic. I listened to Bruce Springstreen on the way up to get me psyched up for the show. At the arena, we found a parking spot close to the entrance. An attendant led us past the crowds waiting to go through security before entering the arena and took us through a less crowded entrance to get in. Once inside we were ushered to the elevator and went up to level 4 where our seats were. My seats in the wheelchair section were very good; Ernie had a seat next to me. I was somewhat high up, but I could see the whole stage. There was also a videoscreen for some great closeups of the action. As we waited for the show to start we watched the people trickle in. It was great seeing people of all ages from teens to 60 year olds attending the show.

The show started late. I could feel the excitement and anticipation building as the wait lengthened. Finally, the lights in the arena went out and a steady roar arose from the crowds and chants of Bruce! Bruce! could be heard. The darkness was broken by a single spotlight which shone on a white calliope organ which rose from the back of the stage. It played some carnival music. At this point, the excitement was unbearable. Finally, the carnival music stopped and the calliope organ lowered back down. The stage lights came on and the crowd roared as the song Thunder Road blared from the speakers. Then without stopping they played Radio Nowhere, Lonesome Day, Gypsy Biker, Murder Incorporated, Magic, Atlantic City, Candy's Room, Reason to Believe, Prove It All Night, Because the Night, She's the One, Livin' in the Future, The Promised Land, and Brilliant Disquise. Next he played The Ghost of Tom Joad with Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine. It was followed by Last to Die, Long Walk Home, Badlands, and Out in the Streets. Bruce and his bandmates gathered on the stage to bow. The cheering continued even after the band left the stage and the incessant chant of Bruce! Bruce! Bruce! could be heard. Bruce and his band returned for an encore. They performed Meeting Across the River, Jungleland, Born to Run, Dancing in the Dark (a six-year-old girl was brought up on stage to be his dancing partner), and ended with the rousing American Land. As I left the arena I felt elated. I had just seen a great concert.


This was my first time to see Bruce Springsteen in concert. I had always heard that he put on a great show. I was not dissappointed. I was amazed by the energy shown by the 58 year old Springsteen and his band. They performed for close to three hours without any breaks. From start to finish they played one great song after another. The drumming of Max Weinberg, guitar playing of Steven van Zandt, and sax playing of Clarence Clemmons, made for a great compliment to Bruce. The show went by too fast. It was well worth the expense.

The Olympic Torch Relay Fiasco

I am saddened to see the disruptions of the international Olympic torch relay. The International Olympic Commitee (IOC) may cancel the rest of it. The international torch relay has become a nice tradition. It symbolizes good will among man, and is not a forum for politics. I can understand the anger towards China over the unjust occupation of Tibet, but there are other forums for protest; the Olympics is not the right one. I am also bothered by talks of boycotts of the Beijing games. The atheletes give it their all to be a part of the games, and for their country to deny them this chance because of politics completely goes against the spirit of the olympics, and denies them their chance to shine. I was against the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow games, the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles games, and I would be against a boycott of the Beijing games. The Olympics should transcend politics. We should let China enjoy it's moment in the sun and push politics aside for the sake of the games.

4000+

Recently, the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq surpassed 4000. This occured with little mention. I guess this country is suffering from Iraq War fatigue and is preoccupied with the worsening economy. But, we must not forget our men and women in uniform who have fallen halfway across the globe in the hornets nest called Iraq. It may be that there is a drop in violence, but our soldiers are still dying, along with many Iraqis caught up in the vicious cycle of sectarian violence. The tragedy is that all this violence was unleashed by an invasion based on the lies and deceit of the Bush administration. By invading a country which posed no threat to the U.S. and which had no connection to 9/11 and Al-Qaeda, makes the U.S. the belligerent. The neo-conservative hijackers of our government, including Dick Cheney, have been itching for a fight with Iraq, ever since the first Gulf War when George H.W. Bush decided not to march on Baghdad and topple Saddam Hussein. This is one of the wisest things George Bush Sr. did (next to signing the Americans with Disabilities Act). He understood the terrible consequences of such a course of action. I guess the son was easily influenced by the neo-cons, and not his father.


After the terrible events of 9/11 the U.S. received much good will from around the world and even support to go into Afghanistan. But, this goodwill was soon squandered by our rush to war with Iraq and our subsequent invasion of a country which didn't attack us. They scared the American public with the catchphrase, weapons of mass-destruction, and visions of mushroom clouds over U.S. cities. They also tried to link Iraq to the 9/11 attacks and Al-Qaeda. What many people don't realize is that Osama Bin Laden detested Saddam Hussein. Al-Qaeda was not in Iraq until our invasion and occupation of that country. But, with that said, more of the attacks on U.S. personnel have been carried out by Iraqi insurgents who don't want us in their country. Attacks have decreased recently because we have paid off the Sunni insurgents with large amounts of cash. But, the violence goes on with little end in sight.


I look forward to the day when our troops can return home. This will not happen anytime soon. The problem of Iraq will be inherited by the next president. If it is John McCain, we can expect to be in Iraq until who knows when. If it is Barack Obama, there is a good chance we will begin a withdrawal. Hillary Clinton is also for withdrawal. But, I don't completely trust her. She voted for the resolution to go to war against Iraq. Barack Obama was against the war from the beginning and still is. This is one of the big reasons why I support Obama for president.


I grieve for our fine men and women who have given their lives in the service of this country. I feel that they have died in vain. Also, I feel for the families and friends of the fallen. I am sad for the sons, and daughters who have lost their fathers or mothers, brothers and sisters who have lost a sibling, mothers and fathers who have lost a son or daughter, wives and husbands who have lost a spouse, girlfriends and boyfriends who have lost their sweethearts, people who have lost good friends. War creates a chain of tears. While I mourn the dead, my thoughts also go to the 20,000 or more who have been added to the the ranks of the disabled, through loss of limbs, head injuries, etc. And, last but not least all the Iraqis who have lost their lives, or have been injured as a result of the violence. There is so much suffering all around. We must not forget this.

A Day in Pompeii

Today I went to the exhibit, A Day in Pompeii , at the San Diego Natural History Museum. The ancient Roman city of Pompeii was buried by the massive eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. In 1748, the city was discovered and archaeologists began to excavate the site which was very well preserved. I have always been interested in Pompeii and was excited to have the chance to see artifacts from this city, especially since I am unable to go to Italy and see it in person. The display of everyday items, such as jewelry, household items, statues, and colorful frescoes gave an insight into the daily life of the city. They also showed a video with computer recreations of what the city and its buildings probably looked like. But, the most interesting were the body casts of some of the victims in the positions they were in as they died. The bodies of the victims were encrusted in ash, and their bodies decomposed, but the form of their body remained. An archaeologist decided to pour plaster into the hollow shells to create the body casts. There was a man covering his mouth and nose in a futile attempt to protect himself from inhaling the thick ash, there was a guard dog that was so well preserved that even the collar was clearly visible, and the most touching was the forms of a man and woman lying together; the man was reaching out to shield the face of the woman to protect her from the ash. I could just imagine the fear of these people as they were overcome by the ash. This helped to bring me in touch with the past. It is one thing to read about it, but to actually see items used by the people of Pompeii, and to see actual people that lived there makes the history of Pompeii less of an abstraction and more of a reality.

Dinner with the Pros

(1)Me and my sister, Bibbi

(2)Me, Junior Seau and my sister

(3)Me and Drew Brees

(4)Me and Kyle Turley

(5)Me, my sister, David Wells(L), and Billy Ray Smith(R)

(6)Me and Phil Nevin

(7)Me and Joe Horn

(8)Me and John & Holly Carney

Last night I attended a charity event called Dinner with the Pros. It was a fundraiser for TAPS (Teen Adolescent Placement Services), a wonderful organization which helps troubled teens and their families. There were many athletes from Major League Baseball, the NFL, and Golf in attendance. It was arranged by John Carney(NFL)and his wife, Holly with the help of Phil Nevin (MLB) and Tina Mickelson (LPGA). I was a guest of my friends, John and Holly, who have supported TAPS for several years. John Carney, for those who don't know, is a kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs (previously he played for the New Orleans Saints and before that the San Diego Chargers).

The event started off with a local rock band, The Fijis. They are three tenth graders who play blues and rock. For teenagers they were pretty good. Then there was a magic show with the magician Steve Spellman using pro athletes as assistants. He performed at my 39th birthday bash last year. He is humorous and very talented. The show went pretty well, except for Steve falling off the stage. After the entertaining show they showed, a tribute to friends John Carney and Junior Seau. The evening got serious when they talked about the great work of TAPS. Two teenage girls that were helped by TAPS gave their moving testimonials. The evening ended with an auction. All through the evening there was also a silent auction of sports memorabilia. It was nice to be able to mingle and talk with the athletes. I met Junior Seau(NFL; New England Patriots), David Wells(MLB; Pitcher for the LA Dodgers), Drew Brees(NFL; Quarterback for the New Orleans Saints), Phil Nevin(MLB), Kyle Turley(NFL;New Orleans Saints), Joe Horn(NFL;Atlanta Falcons), Billy Ray Smith(ex-NFL, local sportscaster). They were all very nice and all posed for pictures with me. Junior Seau gave me his autograph. I usually don't like to ask for autographs, but he offered it. It was an enjoyable night.

Trach Change

Today I went to UCSD Medical Center to have my trach changed. I usually have my trach changed about every three months by my regular pulmonologist at Sharp Hospital. My trach was last changed at the end of August. In October I had two incidents with scar tissue obstructing my trach (see blog posts of 10/15 and 10/17/2007), which led to two E.R. visits. It was suggested that I see a specialist who deals with the removal of scar tissue. At the end of the month I saw Dr. Harrel at UCSD Medical center (see blog post of 10/30/2007) who decided to order a different trach instead of removing the scar tissue. It was supposed to take about six weeks to get it. Six weeks later, there was no trach. My nurse, Ernie called the hospital to inquire about the trach. They said that they hadn't received the trach yet. But, once they got it they would have to send it out to be sterilized. They didn't expect a long wait. December went by and then towards the end of January, Ernie called again to find out what was going on. He kept leaving messages and getting no response or they said they would check it out and call back. They never did. I felt like I was getting the run around. Frustrated, I contacted a patient advocate at UCSD. She said she would look into the matter. An hour later someone from the pulmonary department called to give me an explanation about what was going on. She explained that the trach had to be sent to the VA Hospital in La Jolla to be sterilized, but they didn't have a contract to do that. Once, they made the proper arrangements with the VA, the trach would be sent there via courier to be sterilized.

They finally received the trach at the end of January. After that long wait, I was eager to get the old trach taken out and the new one put in. The new trach was supposed to be an improvement over the other one. The doctor took out my old trach, put down the bronchoscope to check out my trachea, and everything looked good. Then he inserted the new trach. It didn't fit right. The trach tube was too long. The measurements got screwed up somehow. He then tried another trach. It didn't fit. A third trach was inserted. It was too big. It was uncomfortable and I was unable to talk. I was not happy. They were going to keep it in. The nurse said I might be able to talk in a week. This was unacceptable. I made my displeasure known by shaking my head and mouthing to Ernie that I couldn't talk. When they realized that I was very displeased that I couldn't talk, the doctor decided to put in a fourth trach. This fourth trach was exactly like the original trach that they were going to change. I was relieved that I was able to talk. After all this ordeal, I was very anxious to get out of there. They wanted me to stay a while for observation. After a short time I told them I wanted to leave. When I was told I could leave, I zipped out of there in my chair at full speed. Good thing that nobody got in my way. I will come back in two months for the doctor to check things out and maybe put in a new trach.