Another voice in the 'stupid body, stupid pain" chorus. I woke up at 5 a.m. and had to take codeine for my stupid thumb. Eighteen more days until my cortisone shot.

You know, the critics say that government health care will have long waits for medical appointments. That will be soooo different than HMOs. t /sarcasm font

heh ... every time I hear one of those ads with a portentous voice warning about "a government bureaucrat deciding" when you can have health care I think "yeah ... instead of an insurance company bureaucrat". sheesh

Medications: HCTZ, Lisinopril, Lipitor, Aggrenox, Tramadol, aspirin. My eye doctor recommended lutein and AREDS B-complex. I also take multivitamins, minerals, fish oil ... those regular pill compartment things don't work - it takes two or three compartments for a day's worth of pills.

Y'all know that vitamin C has never been shown to prevent or cure colds in any actual scientific study, right?

But at least you won't be up nights worrying about scurvy.

Eh, I take it for general immune system strengthening.

I don't really take vitamins - more often than not I remember to take a multivitamin, but all the more interesting supplements I've tried have seemed to be juat a creative way of peeing money away. But maybe I haven't found the combination that makes a difference.

That's a stupid train of thought. It'll do lots of stuff that lots of other people's won't.

That's never much in the way of consolation, though, is it? I'm trying to re-learn how to play the piano, and the chord spans my tiny hands can reach are quite cool, but it doesn't quite make it worth the mess my hands are in after years of being too bendy. I do hope your pain eases off, Hil.

the critics say that government health care will have long waits for medical appointments.

In relation to the above, I've been waiting two years to see a hand specialist on the NHS. This is extreme, but not unheard of. It's making me cranky at the moment, with all the dropping things. The rug in my living room looks like a two-year-old lives here. On the plus side, free-at-the-point-of-use treatment has meant I've been able to see some great specialists without becoming bankrupt. I wouldn't look at the NHS as a model, though. My research is, in part, looking into the extremely messy way it tends to treat its patients.

Ben & Jerry's Phish Food. (Of which, for various reasons, I've eaten quite a lot today.)

Cricket folks are very enthusiastic.

Goodness, yes. My old roommate is a serious cricket fan - it has taken over her entire life. I've never seen anything quite like it. She watches rather than plays, but it's like a religion for her.

the critics say that government health care will have long waits for medical appointments.

I do encounter longer waits for (non-urgent) health care in Australia. Nonetheless, having experienced both systems, that's a price I'm fully willing to pay for not having to worry if my insurance covers that particular doctor.

I take it for general immune system strengthening.

I take it because I used to get lots of nose bleeds, that stopped when my mom started giving me vitamin C. Being a fan of not having nose bleeds, I keep taking the C. Last winter, when we started seeing a lot of stories about D deficiency and how it causes some odd aches and pains, Daniel suggested I try it (can't hurt, might help). Lo, and Behold! 2 grand a day does make certain foot and leg pain disappear for me.

Two grand a day of the other type would make a lot of life's pains go away.