This collection of entries is from January 24, 2004.
I watched the landing of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity on the Internet (and CNN - I prefered the NASA Select feed, as I always do, for the lack of commentary, even though I like CNN's Miles O'Brien). It's still absolutely effin'™ amazing that we have landed two rovers on Mars this month (OK, one's not exactly working right now, but I just can't believe that they're just going to lose Spirit). I'm just trying to figure out why Al Gore and Arnold Schwarzenegger are doing in the mission control room...
My cousin Jimmy is 39 years old, married, with three daughters. An IT guy, like a lot of people in his family. Anyway, last Wednesday, he had just come back from home Depot and was playing with the kids on the floor when he lost feeling on his right side. He didn't think too much of it - he had been having kidney stone problems, but they called 911 anyway. He walked out to the ambulance when it got there.
Turns out he had three mini-strokes. He had ruptured a vein in his neck. Normally this is either inherited or happens when the person has been in a serious car accident, where the head moves violently. In this case - he doesn't fall into either category.
The feeling has returned. He's on Coumadin to thin out the blood so it won't throw another clot. In the meantime, he can do absolutely nothing for 6 months - no travel, no playing with his kids - NOTHING.
Do you realize how lucky he is? Man I hope he's going to be OK...