On the whole, a chunk of coal would have been more welcome.

Well, after a not too sucky evening in the ER, we know why I'm having problems this time around. I have gall stones. The treatment of choice is surgery to remove the gall bladder. I've got medications for pain and nausea and need to avoid high-fat and greasy foods. A consult has been put in to the surgical department; they're supposed to call me Monday.

Once again I'm just happy that this thing has a name. If it has a name we can fight it. The adjustments in my diet are going to take some work. I may well have had my last pizza orgy, and Fake Mexican Food has gone from a staple to an occasional treat. A lot more poultry in place of beef. We'll make it work.

I'm really pleased with Kaiser's ER. They are efficient, caring, and work with you to establish your problem and make sure that you know what's going on at any given point. They're also fun. While being rolled back from X-ray the orderly and I were singing Christmas carols at the top of our lungs. I was on morphine, I don't know what his excuse was.

More surgery. Most likely after the 1st of the year. Hopefully I can schedule it for a Friday to minimize the amount of work I miss.

My Kiri wins at Winter Gift.

We exchanged gifts last night (before dinner, thankfully.)

She got me Civilization IV: Warlords and Beyond the Sword.

I may never leave the computer.

murphymom is no slouch either. she gifted us with a nice heated mattress pad.

Christmas TV

I really don't watch that much TV anymore. But yesterday I turned on the tube to see what was on, and struck gold. After watching The West Wing episode Abu el Banat, I switched over to BBC America and got Dr. Who: The Christmas Invasion. Dr. Who: The Next Doctor and Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Four hours of Christmas programming with almost no heavy-handed emotional appeals.

Great stuff.

At the hospital, we discovered Pawn Stars on the History Channel. Fun show.

The Heavy Metal Sunday Christmas Spectacular!

Happy Holiday, Headbangers! Three videos for this special day.

( Unwrap your presents! )