11/8/2025

Saturday, November 8, 2025

392 Roman Emperor Theodosius I declares Christianity the state religion

2008 Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested by federal officials for attempting to sell the United States Senate seat being vacated by President-elect Barack Obama

2014 CIA Torture Report was released, detailing the CIA's use of torture on detainees between 2001-2006

2019 US officials "deliberately misled" the public on the progress of the Afghanistan war, hid that it was a lost cause, according to The WaPo analysis of the "Afghanistan Papers"

In bed around 8 p.m., after spending the afternoon on the LZB recliner in my bedroom sick.  I vomited voluminously at 3:15 p.m. and vomited again at 5:15 p.m., though there was almost nothing left in my stomach then, and I could taste the stomach acid.  I woke up at about 11:45 p.m., got out of bed at about 12:15 a.m. to move to the recliner in the TV room.  Around 2 a.m., I felt some nausea.  At some point, I fell asleep and awoke for 'pit stops' at 4 and 5:40 a.m., feeling slightly nauseous (?).  I stayed awake after 5:40.

Meds, etc.  I am fearful of taking any of the medications prescribed for me this week, i.e., the Lasix on top of 12.5 mg. of chlorthalidone for fluid overload, or either of the two antibiotics plus probiotics prescribed for the lingering condition of my left lower leg, including ankle pain.  I was fortunate in being able to speak directly with Dr. Khalid at about 4:30 yesterday afternoon, after speaking to a triage nurse.  I believe I said I would try the antibiotics again today and stop if the nausea/vomiting repeated, and that I would stop the probiotic, but I'm not sure that that was how we left matters, because I wasn't very mentally alert when we spoke.  When I finished speaking with Dr. Khalid, I received a call from a Dr. Baker at the Madison VA facility, told her of my discussion with Dr. Khalid, but I don't remember that discussion clearly either.  I took a Lasix at 9 a.m., fingers crossed.  201.2##

    My recollection of yesterday's event, prior to vomiting at 3:15 p.m., was getting up at 5:50 a.m., moving to the kitchen to load the dishwasher, being very dizzy and slightly nauseous.  I toasted and ate two slices of sourdough bread with butter and strawberry preserves to calm the nausea, and then took the 3rd of the 5 daily Lasix pills prescribed by NP Kisro.  Later in the morning, I had a large bowl of Raisin Nut Bran, hoping it would bulk up my BMs.  At some time, the nausea returned, I returned to the bedroom and settled into the LZB recliner under a blanket because I felt sick, including chills.  At around 3 p.m, at my request, Geri brought me a dishpan, into which I immediately emptied the contents of my stomach.  I vomited again at 5:15, but my stomach was almost empty.

    On Thursday, 11/6/25, my journal entry, written early in the morning,  says: "up at 4:40 a.m, feeling a little nauseous, not good," and, in an entry after returning from the VA: "I'm becoming semi-brain-dead from such focus on my body's failings and demands."  

    On Wednesday, 11/5/25, I wrote: " Morning meds at 7:05 a.m. with sourdough toast to calm nausea.  First day of Lasix at 7:45 a.m.  Kevzara injection around 1 p.m.," and:

Making it to the bathroom has been a sometimes challenge for quite some time now.  I have a new variant on the experience starting today with the drug Lasix, another diuretic on top of the chlorthalidone I take each day.  Coping with an ancient plumbing system is one of the indignities of old age, one of a number, but high on the list.  I confess to some fear of taking Lasix because one of its possible side effects is nausea, and I am already feeling some nausea this morning, as I have for the last several days.  When did this start?  No surprise: I can't remember.  The worst of it was lying on the gurney during the EMG with needles in my neck, very dizzy, and fearing I would vomit during the procedure.  I made my usual mistake of looking up the data on Lasix and discovering that it "interacts" with some other meds that I take, but no information on how it interacts.

     On Tuesday, 11/4/25: "Woke up feeling slightly nauseous."

    On Monday, 11/3/25:

I got to thinking about resilience today after my electromyography and nerve conduction tests this morning.  The first part was no problem, but the second part  -with needles inserted - was both painful and sickening, especially when they inserted the needles in my neck.  I became very dizzy and nauseous, actually fearing that I would vomit.  It wasn't until I was home fa few hours that I felt 'normal.'    I was worried about walking from the hospital to my car and about driving home on the freeway, though I managed to do both

This is the last mention of nausea in the journal, except for Saturday, October 4th. 

    On  Friday, 10/31/25: "Last antibiotic at 5:30 a.m.  Morning meds at 10:45 a.m." 

    On Wednesday, 10/29/25: Meds, etc.  "Doxycycline at 4:40 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.   Morning meds around 6.  Feeling out of it all day, started out with the thought that decrepitude is like seasickness -  you don't know if you're more afraid of dying or continuing to live with it.

    On Friday, 10/24/25: "I spent the whole morning in the VA ER, arriving at 8:30 and leaving at 11:30.  . . .   After picking up more antibiotics and Vicodin at the pharmacy, I came home to start another week on the antibiotics.

    On Wednesday, 10/8/25: " I took my second-to-last antibiotic at 6 this morning."  

    On Saturday, 10/4/25: "In bed by 9, up at 5:50.  Woke up feeling slightly nauseous."

I was already feeling nauseous "for several days" before taking the first Lasix on Wednesday, November 5, suggesting that it's the antibiotic or antibiotic plus the probiotic that caused yesterday's severe nausea and vomiting, but it's Lasix that lists vomiting as a potential side effect.  In any event, I took Lasix #4 at 9 a.m.

Message to Dr. Khalid:

Dear Dr. Khalid,  I woke up again this morning with mild nausea and have decided to stop taking the antibiotic medications and probiotic until this problem clears up.  I believe I told you yesterday that I would start these meds again today, but I don't want to risk another day completely out of commission.  Yesterday was my third day (of the prescribed 5) of taking Lasix, and I see that nausea and vomiting are listed as possible side effects of that med, so I'm wondering if Lasix was the 'culprit,' though I had been experiencing nausea for several days before taking the first Lasix.  I'm unsure whether I will take it again this morning.  It was prescribed by NP Kali Kisro in the Gold Clinic.  I'm also unsure of whether to continue the Kevzara/sarilumab biologic in light of my tendency to re-infect.  It was prescribed by Dr. Ryzka in the Rheumatology Clinic.  I'm not confident that I am thinking very clearly on all or any of this and would appreciate your advice.  Thank you. 

Dear Dr. Khalid,  I woke up again this morning with mild nausea and have decided to stop taking the antibiotic medications and probiotic until this problem clears up.  I believe I told you yesterday that I would start these meds again today, but I don't want to risk another day completely out of commission.  Yesterday was my third day (of the prescribed 5) of taking Lasix and I see that nausea and vomiting are listed as possible side effects of that med, so I'm wondering if Lasix was the 'culprit,' though I had been experiencing nausea for several days before taking the first Lasix.  I'm unsure whether I will take it again this morning.  It was prescribed by NP Kali Kisro in the Gold Clinic.  I'm also unsure of whether to continue the Kevzara/sarilumab biologic in light of my tendency to re-infect.  It was prescribed by Dr. Ryzka in the Rheumatology Clinic.  I'm not confident that I am thinking very clearly on all or any of this and would appreciate your advice.  Thank you. 

 An iconic photo

Geri bought me two pairs of trousers at Walmart yesterday when I was sick, just like I like them with elastic waistbands and wide bottoms.😊

Trump screws 'little guys' again.  I asked ChatGP"

Is there a federal tax deduction for the cost of remediating the flood damage in our basement from the 10-inch rain in Milwaukee on August 9 and 10 this year,  > $18,000?

 

Short version: Probably not, unless the event ends up being declared a federal disaster area by the President. And as of now, there hasn’t been a federal disaster declaration for the Milwaukee flooding in August.

Here’s the deal in plain English:  After the 2017 tax law changes, casualty-loss deductions for individuals were basically eliminated unless:

    The loss was from a federally declared disaster, and

    You itemize deductions.

So even if your basement took a beating and you spent a painful amount on cleanup, repairs, mold remediation, etc., the IRS only lets you deduct those costs if the area gets an official FEMA disaster declaration.

For the Milwaukee 10-inch rainfall on August 9–10, 2025:

Wisconsin did have local/state emergency declarations, but no federal disaster declaration has been issued for that storm.

Without that, the IRS doesn’t allow a casualty-loss deduction for homeowners.

He and his billionaire buddies receive every 'business loss' imaginable, but homeowners get squat.  Government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich.  He who has the gold makes the rules.