20070327

.: Work
I just had a very good work review, and a nice raise to go with it. I’ve received more and more responsibility within the company, and I’m enjoying it. My pay-rise wasn’t quite as stellar as Eva’s (mine was only 11,6%) but mine’s not fraudulent either! ;)

.: James Holden
I’m really enjoying James Holden, lately. Balance is fantastic, and At the Controls is also pretty good. I’m really curious aboutThe Idiots Are Winning, but I haven’t been able to get ahold of that yet.

.: UFC
I’ve been getting back into watching UFC and Pride FC regularly. I was so surprised that Josh and Frank both don’t like it because of the ground-work that comes into play with MMA. To the point where one of them (don’t remember who) said that if you’re a good stand-up fighter you won’t have to go to the ground. While that’s partially correct, there’s not a stand-up fighter in the UFC/Pride/Pancrase that doesn’t work on his ground-skills, because if you go up against those BJJ or Shooto guys you will be taken down, no matter how good your stand-up is. I haven’t seen Cro Cop’s UFC debut yet, and I’m also looking forward to seeing Quinton Johnson’s UFC debute, considering how he completely laid waste to Chuck Liddell in Pride.

.: Mother
My mother had to go back to the hospital on sunday evening, after being discharged for the weekend on friday. She didn’t like it, she’s bored and alone most of the time, and she misses the comfort and familiarity of home. She had a little freak-out yesterday as she talked to another patient who had been in the hospital for the last 9 months. She’s never been one to go and lay in bed, which is why she happily walked around with a headache for two months before she went to the doctor (who then ordered an MRI and discovered a tumor the size of a fist).

On friday they’re going to do a combination of a CT and a PET scan, where they pump her full of some radio-active stuff that responds to the abnormal cells in her lungs, in the hope of finding cancerous spots in her lungs that are more easily reached by bronchoscopy or surgery. The tumor in her right lung is way at the back, very close to her spine, hidden behind shoulderblades and ribs, so very hard to reach. They’d rather not do surgery just to get a sample for biopsy, so they’re going to see what else is out there.

I wonder if it’s possible to let her stay home most of the time, while she waits for friday’s CT/PET scan.

Meanwhile, the medication she’s taking to drain the fluid from around the tumor in her head are doing a wonderful job of keeping her less confused, more stable and less headachy. I think it also keeps her in good spirits, which is fantastic.