Ach damn, Ali, that's rough. Cyberhugs chika.

Yep, sucks Dana. Thanks.

So sorry, Ali. The nice thing about brain tumors is they're generally pain-free (although chemo sucks no matter what kind of cancer it's treating.) I had a friend in college get treated for a brain tumor, and ultimately it went into remission and he's alive and fine today. I hope things work out the same for your friends.

I saw one of them yesterday. You all may remember I've mentioned the car accident I attended a couple of years ago and how I've remained friends with the man I helped? Well it's that man. the tumour has been caused by the accident or the plates in his head. The doctors don't really know.

He's been taking oral chemo for about a year now, and it has shrunk somewhat, but still too large to operate on. They say maybe down the track.

So anyway, yesterday we sat down for a chat, and it turns out I'm the first person he's told about this. He's known for more than a year and hasn't told a soul because he feels he's put his friends and family through enough with the accident.

Anyway, I suggested that he needs to tell his family if no one else because if it does all go balls up, they're going to feel terrible that they didn't spend as much time as they could with him etc. He said he's going to start by telling his mother (who's in her 70's) and then probably his older sons and see how that goes.

At least I can help him more now.

All things considered, that good advice Ali.

What a downer thread. I know, whatever.

Ali, I agree that he could make things easier for himself, and ultimately for the others around him if he were to share his knowledge of things. Not easy by itself but easier and better in the long run. Tough... so sorry.

Dana, I got nothing but sharing the sorrow of your story. Terrible.

glatt, that is sad, and a monumental lifetime marker. But this can be the point (upon reflection) at which things begin/began to get better. This has been anticipated, though dreaded, but still isn't really a surprise. I hope their shock and sadness is processed as soon and as safely as possible.

***

There's a story in the news here, well, in the national news too. Here's a link to the local paper's coverage, but CNN, Fox, it's everywhere.

It appears as though the biological father, Josh Powell, killed himself and his two young sons. This story is a long and ugly one, and I don't care to restate the whole sordid bullshit now. But the thought that this dad would let his kids into the house, block the entry of the social worker and then blow up the house.. fucking fuck.

I know they call it "murder-suicide". I wish it were "suicide-oh well".

or in this case - "Suicide - Yay"!

From what I read, the social worker is completely traumatized. It was supposed to be a supervised visit for this very reason, the dad was nutzo. She let the kids run ahead of her, they got to the door before she did, and he locked her out. Then she had to watch the house blow up. One imagines the children were not silent through this horrific ordeal, either. That's the kind of guilt you never recover from. On the other hand, I really don't think she could have stopped him, at best she would have been inside with the kids when the whole place went up in flames.

and to make it even worse (if possible)
Officials: Powell children had head and neck wounds, hatchet found nearby
The preliminary autopsy results of Josh Powell and his two sons show that they suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning,
and the boys also suffered from other injuries.

Poor little buggers. What a fucking awful thing to happen.

Reading that article it sounds like Powell's father was a fucking nutjob as well.

Gods, how awful must the Grandparents feel? Persuading them to go for their visit when they just wantesd to stay and play. To do the 'right thing' like that and have it turn into this. My God that would never leave you.

Heart wrenching interview with the grandparents, here.

you can get that on a swim cap, apparently

Attachment 37242

The doctor at my local clinic barely speaks English, so I'm having trouble understanding what I'm supposed to be doing re booking myself into a hospital and arranging for scans for this baby. Over the last few days I've spoken with two hospitals, both of which haven't received a referral from this doctor but whom my doctor claims to have sent the forms to.

I've made an appointment tomorrow at my GP, so I'm going to let them have it. I'm fucking sick of it. If you want to work in the health care profession, please learn to speak the common language of the country you're trying to work in!!!

eta: I'm going to chat with some of my local friends and see if anyone knows of a doc who speaks English and might look after me through this pregnancy.

congratulations for the baby!

and i don't know about australia but in many countries you have to take a written test for the local language in order for your diploma's to apply, so... have you considered communication via text?

lol nope. I think I'd rather just find a doctor who speaks english so I can explain what happened during my last pregnancy in order to get the best care possible. It's not that I have a problem with people with strong accents or who don't speak the language 100%, it's just that I consider my health to be pretty important, and if I don't feel I'm being understood, or if I can't understand what's being said to me, there's a problem, and being pregnant, I only have a limited time frame to work with. ;)