3/27/2026

 Friday, March 26, 2026

1863 Confederate President Jefferson Davis called for a day of fasting & prayer

2019 US Special Council Robert S. Mueller wrote a letter to US Attorney William Barr regarding Barr's summary of the Mueller Report stating Barr's letter "did not fully capture the context, nature, and substance" of the findings. "There is now public confusion about critical aspects of the results of our investigation. This threatens to undermine a central purpose for which the Department appointed the Special Counsel: to assure full public confidence in the outcome of the investigations."

2025.  Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said a 25% tariff on automotive imports to the United States was a "direct attack" on his country by the Trump administration and vowed to respond.   Japan confirmed it had asked the U.S. for an exemption from the new automotive tariffs, saying the 25% tariff on vehicle imports would have a massive negative impact on its automotive industry. Japan is one of the largest exporters of cars to the United States.   The United States suspended financial contributions to the World Trade Organization. 

In bed at 9:30, awake at 2:30 and on to the LZB after the weigh-in.  At 3:05, 157/63/32, largely the same 5 mintes later, and at 7:25, 160 71/32.  High systolic, low heart beat.  Are these the sort of readings I should report, and, if so, to whom?  Dr. Singh?  Michelle?  Maggie?  Kali?

Morning meds at 11 a.m.  Ranolazine at 8:10 a.m. and 9:55 p..m.  Trulicity injection at noon..

On this date last year, I wrote:

MLB's Opening Day and a telling comment by Mike Barnacle on Morning Joe: "The point about major league baseball and opening day is is the word 'hope,' 'hopeful.'  We've never needed baseball more than we need baseball today because baseball is an everyday proposition.  It gives you someplace to vent - your anger, your hopes, your dreams,  It gives you a chance to realize that failure is an option because you don't win every game.  And it takes your mind off the things that we talk about here every day which is so deeply depressing."

The program's first 10 minutes were devoted to blather and banter about the upcoming season and I paid little attention, but just before they turned to the news of the day, they guessed who would win the World Series and David Ignatius said he had to pick the Red Sox because his mother was a true blue Red Sox fan till the day she died at age 94.  It reminded me of my mother and her devotion to the White Sox.  I remember her listening on the radio to Jack Brickhouse announcing the games while she irioned her uniform for her work as a waitress.  Are these tears welling up in my eyes as I remember her , or is it the eye drops I put in earlier?  My memories are of her in that dingy, roachy, 3 room, basement apartment, with Kitty and me and my miserable, war-wrecked  Dad, the worse living quarters in the neighborhood, and our family the most notorious because of Hartman's crime against us, but Mama's delighting in the successes of Billy Pierce, and Sherm Lollar and Chico Carasquel and Luis Aparicio and Minnie Minoso and lamenting their failures.  I hope and wish that there really is a Mormon Heaven and that Mom and Dad, and Kitty and Jim and Uncle Jim and Aunt Monica are all up there, happy together, waiting for me.  

The faded, B&W photo is of my mother wearing the Italian peasant outfit she was required to wear when she worked at Louis George Restaurant.  It was that blouse with the puffy sleeves that I recall her ironing in our little kitchen while listening to White Sox games.

Yesterday was Opening Day for the Brewers and, as usual, the stadium was full, as were the parking lots with lots and lots of tail-gaters despite the lousy weather: cold, windy, with rain beginning before the first pitch by young Brewer phenom Jacob Misiorowski, who got the win in the Brewers' 14-2 victory.  My abdominal CT scan at the VA was completed by the middle of the 6th inning, so I was able to get on the freeway before the huge crowd let out from American Family Stadium, but the traffic on I-94E was still bumper to bumper because of construction reducing the normal 3 lanes to 2 lanes.

 Symptoms today.  As of noon, lightheadedness has not been a problem.  On the other hand, I've taken my BP and HR readings 45times since my 3 a.m. weigh-in, and, although the systolic BP readings have tended high (up to 160), my heart rate has registered as steady at 32, way low.  It occured at 3 a.m. and at 11 a.m.  

Secure message to Melissa/Maggie at CHF clinic and reply:

I'm wondering what, if anything, I should be calling about other than weight gain.  The reason I'm asking if that I've taken my BP readings 4 times today, and each time the systolic reading was high (150s to 160), but the heart rate has been consistent at 32.  Dr. Singh told me that that reading from the blood pressure device is inaccurtate because of my arrythmia, so I'm wondering whether I should consider it a matter of no concern, or, in any event, nothing to contact you or another about.  Sorry to bother you but I'm not sure what I should be contacting you about, other than weight gain, or whether I should contact Dr. Singh, or my PCP.   I'd appreciate your advice.  Thanks.

Date: March 27, 2026 at 2:42 p.m. CDT

From: WESBEY, INGRA A (MK Cardiology Team@)

Hello Mr. Clausen, 

I am covering for Michelle today, she will be back next week. For heart failure concerns - monitoring weight gain of 3 lbs overnight or 5 lbs in one week, new cough, swelling in feet, ankles, legs, or stomach, feeling fatigued or decreased energy, short of breath (more than normal if you already have shortness of breath), lightheaded or dizzy, or irregular heart beats (more than normal) are some of the main concerns regarding heart failure symptoms that we monitor. 

When having PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) it is hard to get an accurate reading on your heart rate from a blood pressure monitor depending on how often you are having PVC's. 

I will alert Maggie Angeli NP and Dr. Singh to the message that you have provided. It is  important that you keep a log of your blood pressure readings, so that we can see the trends that you are having at home on your current dose of medications. Please bring your blood pressure logs with you to your appointments with Dr. Singh, Maggie, and your Primary Care team, so that they are all on the same page. 

If I have any additional recommendations from your providers we will reach out. If you have any additional questions please feel free to reach out via secure messaging or HF nurse line 414-384-2000 ext. 45984 or the EP (electrophysiology) nurse line at 46916.

Thank you for your service, 

Ingra Wesbey RN

I'm not sure what this means, but I guess the consistent readings in the 30s is not a problem.  Now it's 36 at 5:10 p.m.