arrr, it's driving me nuts

All the rage lately is talking about how global temperature increase has led to warmer oceans and hence more hurricanes. Yet no one seems to give a flying flip about the apparent decrease in the number of pirates during this same time period. I think it's high time we put our priorities in order.


(click to enlarge)

the "moral hazard" of healthcare

A very good article from The New Yorker, by Malcolm Gladwell: "The Moral-Hazard Myth."

I recently received an e-mail from one of my former computer art professors, who teaches the senior-year class intended to prepare students for life after college. She sends out a survey each year to alumni asking what they're doing in art, what kind of job they have, etc. Question 13 was, "Words of advice?" I replied:

Get health insurance. Please. Even if your future employer doesn't have it, get your own. I was a perfectly healthy 24-year-old last fall until I found a lump on my collarbone. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and went through 6 months of chemotherapy and one month of radiation therapy. From diagnosis to completion, this all cost about $125,000, but thanks to insurance, it only cost me $1500 (of course, that doesn't include the income I lost from missing work). I know a lot of young people think health insurance is a waste of money, and I said that too when I first graduated, but obviously I'm glad I had it when I got cancer. (I'm fine now, by the way. Hodgkin's has an 85-90% survival rate.)

People my age often live by the idea that "I never get sick." Having had only strep throat a few times in elementary school, I hadn't been sick since 4th grade until Hodgkin's came along, and was also proud of my seeming invincibility. And unlike lung cancer, which people feel free to write off as being "punishment" for smoking*, there is no known cause of Hodgkin's, so it's not as if I could've really avoided it (although some hippies like to blame it on processed American foods or fluoridated water or the like).

*This mentality holds even though non-smokers who even avoid secondhand smoke can still get it, especially those of us who have been treated with chemotherapy for other cancers. Hence, breast cancer gets more attention and funding than lung cancer, which has a negative vibe attached to it. That being said, I was about run over by an irony truck this morning when I saw a guy smoking in the rain, sitting on the curb, with his chemo IV pump in tow (the Cleveland Clinic campus is now entirely smoke-free, including sidewalks).


Speaking of health, I saw my oncologists today. I will have a CAT Scan every four months for two years, the first being at the end of October (four months after I finished chemo/three months after radiation). There will still be some scar tissue, but if the scans show it's growing, that would be an indication of a relapse.

I will also have a thyroid test the sixth month after radiation (end of January), because this is when thyroid problems due to radiation therapy usually occur. I will also meet with my radiation oncologist at this time. They can give me medication for this, but obviously we'd want to catch it early.

As far as sun exposure goes, he said I've received "lifetimes' worth" of radiation on the upper chest and neck area, so we're asking the skin to work extra overtime to repair it. It should be fine to go swimming without a shirt so long as I use sunblock SPF 30 (which I always do anyway), but the key is to simply avoid sunburn, especially during the first year.

It seems like I was diagnosed ages ago, but it's only been nine months. My oncologists even seemed a little surprised that I felt completely normal as if nothing had happened. Here's hoping this is the end of it. Stupid cancer.

'urricanes 'ardly ever 'appen (except these past few summers)

I found a neat little hurricane tracker online. It not only has tracking animations for all of 2005 and 2004, but "historical" storms as well (Ivan, Andrew, Hugo, Galveston, etc.). A few days ago they added a forecast tracker, which is handy.

Looks like right now Katrina has weakened to a tropical storm, which will probably become a tropical depression before it reaches Ohio late Tuesday/early Wednesday.

Speaking of historical storms, who here remembers the "1993 North American Storm Complex," otherwise known as the "Great Blizzard of '93" or "Storm of the Century"? This was a storm they say only happens every 500 years, and there are some NOAA satellite images here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

I remember it as the time Atlanta got more snow than Cleveland in the middle of March. My brother also happened to be in Atlanta at the time, playing baseball with Ashland University during Spring Break. My dad flew down to watch (and visit his cousin), and thanks to him we have video footage of the baseball team helping shovel snow and uncover people's cars at the motel. The South was pretty hard hit and wasn't readily equipped to handle such weather, but here in Elyria I don't think we got even one day off school, as the storm was on its way out by Monday. My dad's flight home was canceled and he had to use a personal day off work, instead hanging out at his cousin's house with no electricity. If I recall correctly, by week's end the team did play some baseball, but obviously my dad missed it.


In other news, today was the first day of my vacation-at-home. I didn't get a lot accomplished, partially thanks to the cold that developed Sunday evening, but I did do some car research I wanted to get done before going to buy my new car this week (more details to follow once I actually have it). I get a cold this week EVERY YEAR, as far back as I can remember right on through college, and I remember because it was always the first week of school. I was always pissed that my first impression to new teachers, students, whoevers would be {cough hack sniffle sneeze}. And it happens every year, almost without exception, around this time. I don't know why. I guess I should just start marking it on my calendar so I can plan on buying stock in Kleenex the week before.

roommate assault

A Bowling Green student is charged with felonious assault for hitting and burning her roommate repeatedly with a hot iron. Toledo Blade article here.

If she accused her roommate of having hidden cameras in the room, one has to wonder why she thought it was a great idea to whack her with an iron and get it caught on tape.

it depends what your definition of 'assassinate' is

I've said before this won't be a political blog, but this has more to do with pure stupidity than politics. As I'm sure you're aware, Pat Robertson has been in the news since Monday regarding statements he made on his TV show, The 700 Club. Just as a refresher, here is the full text of Robertson's original statement:

There was a popular coup that overthrew him [Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez]. And what did the United States State Department do about it? Virtually nothing. And as a result, within about 48 hours that coup was broken; Chávez was back in power, but we had a chance to move in. He has destroyed the Venezuelan economy, and he's going to make that a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent.

You know, I don't know about this "Doctrine of Assassination," but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really oughtta go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. And, uh, I don't think any oil shipments will stop. But this man is a terrific danger, and the United--this is in our sphere of influence, and we can't let this happen. We have the Monroe Doctrine, we have other doctrines that we have announced, and, uh, without question, this is a dangerous enemy, to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil that could hurt us very badly. We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another 200 billion dollar war, uh, to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with.

(I've uploaded an mp3 of it here [220K file].)

For the record, these do not strike me as words that would be appropriate for a man who portrays himself as a follower of the teachings of Christ, i.e. a Christian. And even that aside, why he thought it was a great idea to go on TV and call for a foreign president's death is beyond me. Surely his statement will help us in the War on Terror. ::rolleyes::

The next day, on his show, he flatly denied using the word "assassination" (technically, the word was "assassinate"). Later that day he issued a written statement "apologizing" for his remarks, and then proceeded to compare Chávez to Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein. One could debate whether Chávez has been beneficial or detrimental to Venezuela in his time as president, but the Hitler comparison brings a lot of baggage with it (hint: Godwin's Law, "objections and counter-arguments").

This is the same Pat Robertson who agreed with Jerry Falwell that pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians, the ACLU and the People for the American Way helped remove God's protection from the United States on 9/11/2001. (Falwell later apologized not for his comments per se, but rather "if I left that impression" -- i.e. it's your fault for misinterpreting me, not my fault for appointing myself as God's spokesperson.)

As usual, Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's The Daily Show hit the nail right on the head with last night's episode.

no more forum

Due to what I'll call "unforseen circumstances" (because that's what they are), I will not be rehearsal accompanist for Medina Showbiz's production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum... nor will the music director I was going to work with be music directing, nor will the director who asked us to be part of the team be directing. You can ask me for details privately (it's nothing juicy; I'd just rather not get all gossipy on a public blog).

Oh by the way, Cedar Point now closes at EIGHT P.M. on weekdays. It didn't even occur to us to check the times because we didn't think they changed until after Labor Day. But since school starts this week, the park was far less crowded than the last few times, so we managed to ride maXair and get in line for Millennium Force before 8:00. Millennium *almost* made it worth the $5 in gas it took to drive out there.

endorsement: lightbulbs

The random topic of the day is compact fluorescent lightbulbs. These things rock. A 9-watt CFL puts out as much light as a 40-watt incandescent, and is no bigger (longer) than the usual type A bulb.

They are also much, MUCH cooler. I used to wonder why my room would get hotter in the evenings, even though it was cooler outside -- it was the four 40-watt bulbs in the ceiling fan. With CFLs now, my room doesn't heat up noticeably, and it's just as bright (actually slightly brighter).

At $5 apiece, these bulbs did cost more, but they also last over 10 times longer than incandescents -- not to mention the savings from the bulbs using less power, as well as the air conditioner not having to run as much.

Just be sure you check the package to see what "color" they are: warm means yellowish, cool means bluish. The "warm" bulbs are very similar to what we're used to with incandescents; to me, the "cool" bulbs are too stark and unnatural.

The one drawback is that they contain a very very small amount of mercury, and technically should be recycled rather than thrown in the trash. The places that sell them generally accept used bulbs for recycling, just as they do Ni-Cad rechargeable batteries. But seeing as they last 10x longer than normal lightbulbs, this is at most a minor inconvenience.

This bit of hippie-environmental and fiscal-conservative advice is brought to you by... the letter B, and the number 9.

feeling fine

I know I haven't posted in a while, but everyone I see is asking how I feel, so I thought I should give an update. I feel fine. In fact, I feel exactly the same as I did before the chemo (now, if I were a more active person, like say, an Olympic runner, I might have a different report, but I see no decathlons in my future). My eyebrows are fully back, and today I got my second post-cancer-treatment haircut. :) I'll see my oncologists on the 30th for a checkup and more details on the future tests/scans I will need to catch any bad stuff early.

I don't really have any other news to offer. I'm playing the organ at church tomorrow, going up to the cottage with my theatre friends next weekend, then I'm on vacation for a week (but staying home -- "Saturdays in college," remember?).

chronicle article

Sean MacNair has informed me that we have permission from The Chronicle-Telegram to reproduce the blog article so long as we

link

to

their

site.

Coolness.

So here 'tis: "Bloggers Growing at Home"
Chris Powell, The Chronicle-Telegram
Sunday, August 7, 2005
(file is 494 K, sorry if you're on dialup)

measles and hodgkin's?

Someone just posted to the Hodgkin's e-mail list this article describing a link between the measles and Hodgkin's Disease (you can also find plenty of other articles by Googling for measles hodgkin's). It seems that children who have the measles at a young age are less susceptible to Hodgkin's, whereas teenagers who have the measles are five times more likely to develop Hodgkin's. They're still trying to find the connection, especially as there's no agreed-upon cause of Hodgkin's (there is correlation with the Epstein-Barr Virus, but not causation; and EBV is associated with many other cancers as well).

No, I've never had the measles, and I got my MMR shot before 7th grade. :) But any connections they can make to other diseases, I think, gets us that many steps closer to better treatments and possibly cures.

cartooning

I got a nice e-mail from one of my 5th grade teachers, Mrs. Moulder, who had read the Chronicle article. Back in 5th grade Reading, we read about animator Bill Melendez, who has produced, directed, animated, barked and howled as Snoopy, and what all else for most of the Peanuts movies and animated specials. Those who knew me back then know that I was all about Snoopy and still have a rather substantial collection of Peanuts... stuff (which I am still in the process of putting into storage so I can make room for a drawing table).

In any case, Mrs. Moulder then had us create our own comic strip. This came easy to me, because I had already been working on one: the main character was a girl named Ann, who was sort of a mix of Lucy, Linus, Charlie Brown, and myself. (Yeah yeah, so three of those are males, which is why I eventually changed the lead to Brian Byrd; a lot easier to write an autobiographical character of the same gender... it was just easier to draw girls because of the hairstyles.) The similarities between the style of my drawing and Peanuts was pretty obvious, and understandable since it was Peanuts that got me into drawing in the first place.

I drew two comic strips with Ann, and Mrs. Moulder liked it and kept one -- and had me sign it so it would be valuable one day when I'm rich and famous. :) She's part of my motivation for wanting to be a cartoonist: I can't let Mrs. Moulder down!

i'm famous!

That is, I'm famous among Lorain County residents who read page C3 of The Chronicle-Telegram today. Reporter Chris Powell wrote an article about Elyria bloggers, including me. Unfortunately, the Chronicle only puts the first page of each section on their website, so I can't link you to it, and in the interest of copyright non-infringement, I won't post it here. But since Chris pretty much quoted me verbatim from my e-mail, I'll just copy that here:

I first blogged in March of 2003 but found that I didn't have much to say and only one person was reading it. I started it up again in May of 2004, basically just to post links to interesting articles and offer my random thoughts.

In November, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, so the blog was a great way to keep everyone informed on my cancer treatments and progress. It has also served as a journal for me to go back and remember what I went through, what my doctors told me, what my side effects were, etc. I also hope it can be of use to other newly-diagnosed Hodgkin's patients, because it always helps to hear these things in a first-person account without all the medical jargon. For example, today I just posted about a new cancer treatment that will hopefully render chemotherapy unnecessary.

The only edit I would make is that the article listed my address as http://home.alltel.net/bbird65/blog/ when it really should be http://blog2.bryanbird.com (which just forwards to Alltel's server). No big deal; the latter one is just easier to remember.

The article was also accompanied by one of the better photos that's ever been taken of me -- my hair may be receeding, but I'll be danged if the chemo didn't wipe out that acne!

Anyway, since the article isn't on the Chronicle's website, I thought it would be nice to link to the other blogs mentioned in the story:

I got a new dance it's called The Side to Side
Hard Times
The Pardoner's Tale
The Red Brick Times
Thoughts of a crazed mind

Incidentally, I originally started blogging just to keep my friends informed on what I was doing, especially my college friends who live out of Ohio. When it came to cancer time, I got a lot more visitors because I was telling everyone to read the blog -- I didn't really want to repeat myself a hundred times, but more importantly, in written form, I can revise and proofread and make sure I get every point across, whereas in speaking I'm likely to forget something. Now that the cancer is (almost assuredly) done with, the blog will return to its regularly scheduled randomness, already in progress.

So anyway, hello to all you Chronicle readers out there, even though you probably already visited earlier today before I had a chance to post this. Please feel free to check out my main site, bryanbird.com, which includes my digital art and graphic design portfolios, as well as my design and music résumés.

cancer research

I read an article today about a new treatment that uses nanotechnology to kill cancer cells. The procedure works by inserting nanotubes into cancer cells, then exposing them to near-infrared laser light -- this heats up the rods, which heats up the cell and kills it. Cells without the rods simply let the light pass.

The trick, as has always been the case with cancer treatments, is how to target cancer cells specifically while leaving normal cells alone. Chemotherapy goes after rapidly-reproducing cells whether they're cancerous or not, which is why patients often lose hair and encounter various other side effects (including, oh gee, more cancer down the road!). Radiation therapy damages the DNA of cells near the tumor area, and healthy cells are able to repair the damage while cancer cells aren't specialized/developed enough to do so and eventually die out upon passing on the mutations through reproduction.

This nanotech treatment takes advantage of cancer cells being covered with folate (folic acid) receptors. By coating the nanotubules with folate, they are able to bind to cancer cells but not healthy cells.

One might ask why this property of folate identification was not used previously to differentiate cancer from normal cells. Methotrexate has been used to inhibit the metabolism of folic acid, which is present in rapidly-reproducing cells. But again, the problem is that other cells in the body need folic acid. What makes the nanotech different (if I'm reading this correctly) is that the nanotubules make their way into the cells that are covered on the outside with folic acid, rather than eliminating the folic acid altogether. That is, the folate is only used as the identifier, rather than as the object of attack, and previously, we had nothing to do with this piece of information. Now with nanotechnology, we're able to insert thousands of rods half the width of a DNA molecule into a single cell.

The treatment is still in its early stages, and has only been used in lab cultures, but hopefully it can be applied to humans as well. They are already trying to tailor it to treat lymphoma in mice.

It's reassuring to think, should I have a recurrence of cancer later in life, that I may not need to have chemo again or a stem cell transplant.

"So, a round of applause for...this inanimate carbon rod!"