Pneumococcal pneumonia

Despite the seemingly early advent of spring in the northwest and having dodged the H1N1 bullet all winter, along came Pneumococcal pneumonia and sidelined me for a week.

When I awoke a week ago today at 6:30 a.m., I felt as if I was drowning and I was -- in my own blood. My lungs were bleeding. Consulting nurse, Urgent Care, M.D. appointment, and further follow-up appointment with my PCP have gotten everything under control, but it has been a scary week and I have been so frustrated to have missed a week of work.

Many treatments with an SVN (small volume nebulizer), three antibiotics, a course of prednisone, and a series of inhalers several times a day and I am almost ready to go back to work tomorrow.

The American Lung Association has long used the advertising tagline: "When you can't breathe, nothing else matters." Hats off to Apria Healthcare for delivering a nebulizer to me at home late at night. What a wonderful service! They embrace that concept, too: "When you can't breathe, nothing else matters." apria.com

Jaynie Jones' network

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Mass murder of Lakewood police

First hearing the news yesterday (Sunday) morning, that four Lakewood, Washington police officers had been killed, I thought I must have mis-heard what was being reported. It couldn't be correct. If it was true, it must have been some horrific accident, perhaps a crash in a high-speed pursuit. But no. It wasn't a crash. It wasn't a pursuit. It was just four cops at a Forza coffee shop going over reports and planning the strategy for their day apparently having no inkling that they had all already lived their last day on Earth. Years ago when I took the training in the Tacoma Police Department's Citizens' Academy, we learned with a video simulator that from the time a life-and-death threat is perceived, there is on average only 1.5 seconds to respond definitively. In the execution and slaughter that occurred at Forza, the officers did not even have that precious window of time.

So help me God, don't anyone tell me "it was their time."

As we watched the continuing coverage from the crime scene and the manhunt for the killer it amazed and impressed me that Det. Ed Troyer, serving as public information officer, was able to keep his own emotions in check and handle all of the nagging reporters' often inane questions with equanimity, somehow keeping his cool, and remaining the ultimate professional in the most trying of circumstances.

The procession with the four bodies in the vehicles from the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office stretched for miles with police cars from every agency throughout the region; no sirens, just lights flashing, miles of lights flashing in honor of the murdered officers. That procession was infinitely longer than any I have ever seen in my life. It was as solemn as one for a president and easily stretched for miles and miles longer than any I've ever seen for a president. People lined the route in silence and solemnity sharing in the loss that this entire community is feeling now and that will surely leave a scar that may never heal.

The individual who murdered the four police officers surely had no long-range plan, but assuming he acted out of rage and resentment for his own periods of incarceration when he had an opportunity to strike back, what he inadvertently did will likely result in more people being killed. Police everywhere will be on high alert now that this has happened, lest it happen to them. They will be less inclined to 'wait and see' and if a threat is perceived who could blame them for acting on it and firing first to protect themselves.

Others often use the term "fallen" officers. To me, they were not "fallen"...they were murdered.

Each one of those officers was known to me, someone I had met and interacted with in a variety of settings. They were all good people. The Lakewood Police Department as a whole is exemplary. Just a week ago a survey was circulated seeking the public's input about how the Lakewood Police Department is doing its job. I was just one respondent to the survey and I offered praise for how professionally they handled two call-outs just about this time last year involving a family member. Thanks to their skill, even-handedness, and professionalism each of those situations was resolved peacefully with no one hurt. After I submitted my response to the survey, one of the police officers, Officer Adam Leonard, even took time and made a special effort to call and thank me for thanking them.

There is a veil of grief and sorrow that is shrouding all of Tacoma and Pierce County today; everyone here has been touched and affected in one way or another by what took place early yesterday morning at Forza. Lives and families changed forever. Nine children now with a dad or a mom. The effect will ripple through society endlessly. Nothing but sorrow.

Bridgeport Place Community Events October-November 2009

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009

Pain Management with Acupuncture

Kenneth Noble, MSA, LAc, acupuncturist, presented an interesting and entertaining lecture at Bridgeport Place Retirement & Assisted Living on Saturday afternoon.

Mr. Noble's assistant, Barbara Williams, handed-out health survey forms to each person in attendance. The residents enjoyed hearing what he had to say about how acupuncture can be useful for most types of pain by increasing circulation to areas where blood flow may be restricted and how stress can play a role. (Video clip provided below) There were lots of good questions and answers. Mr. Noble's clinical practice is in University Place.http://www.noblewellness.com

Bridgeport Place Dining Services Director, Cindy Fugate, provided refreshments for the group with a fabulous fruit tray of artistically arranged wedges of succulent cantaloupe, honeydew melon, red grapes, and fresh apple slices, plus bottles of water.

POSTED BY JAYNIE JONES AT 10:55 AM 0 COMMENTS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2009

More fun at Bridgeport Place

Bridgeport Place is a senior living community nestled right alongside Bridgeport Way West, in University Place. It is my honor and pleasure, a pure joy, to work with the staff daily to make this a warm, welcoming, inviting home for seniors, where residents enjoy a daily calendar of activities that can include trips out and about, special programs, and a variety of musical performances. For example...

Today the Memorie Singers performed a lovely program that sent their harmonious voices and lilting melodies all the way from the dining room throughout the hallways. What a treat it was to hear them again. Enjoy a little clip of their performance this afternoon in the attached video.

This weekend on Saturday afternoon, November 7, at 1:30 a special presentation by notedacupuncturist Kenneth Noble, MSA, LAc, of University Place is scheduled. His lecture topic will focus on Pain Management with Acupuncture. He specializes in treating pain that can occur from a variety of causes including arthritis and other types of chronic pain. The program is free and open to the public; a courtesy RSVP to reserve a seat is appreciated. Mr. Noble's busy office practice is also located in University Place.

The Harvest Brunch is Sunday, November 15. There will also be live music. Tickets are $10 for adults; children under 12 eat free. Reservations are required. It is a multi-generational event and families are welcome, but call to reserve a place at the table as seating is limited. 253.565.1960 http://bridgeportplaceassisted.com

POSTED BY JAYNIE JONES AT 10:42 PM 1 COMMENTS

Halloween Safe Treats in University Place

More than 300 school children and their parents participated in the annual "Safe Treats" tradition at Bridgeport Place Retirement and Assisted Living on Halloween afternoon. The residents enjoyed seeing the children in their colorful costumes.

Prizes were awarded to the children dressed-up in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prize-winning costumes as a ninja, police officer, and a monkey. The youngest child in costume was a 3-week-old baby in a tiger suit onesie. All the children were precious to see and the residents enjoyed giving them their candy treats.

The staff had done an extraordinarily creative job of decorating.

Honor students from Curtis High School were treated to pizza and snacks in appreciation of them volunteering their time to help with the event.

It was tremendous fun for everyone involved. Having the weather cooperate with a day of sunshine was a bonus.

POSTED BY JAYNIE JONES AT 10:15 PM 1 COMMENTS

Hoppin' John

This weekend I received an e-mail from a friend I have not heard from in quite some time. Daniel Rogers sent a recipe for Hoppin' John. I'd heard of it before, but had never tried it. Admittedly, I did not have all of the traditional ingredients on hand to prepare this southern delight, but I substituted with what I did have on hand and it yielded a fabulous, spicy, home-cooked dinner for us. It will continue to serve us for several more dinners, too.

Farrah's Story

We watched the painful odyssey of Farrah Fawcett as she has waged a battle against the insidious anal cancer that has spread to her liver. The two-hour program on NBC, which aired Friday evening (May 15), was a profile in courage and determination but despite all of that the outcome looks bleak.

It was painful to watch not only what Farrah has gone through with her cancer treatment and the ravages of the treatments on her body, but equally heartbreaking to see Ryan O'Neil loving her so and grieving that is so raw. Even more painful to see her son 'Red' at her bedside...in shackles. He is serving some time in jail for a drug conviction, but was allowed three hours for a final visit with his mother. The jailers who escorted him to her home would not allow him out of the shackles on his legs, but did release him from the handcuffs so he could cuddle with his mother one last time.

Heartbreaking...

And it is heartbreaking and sad not only because it is Farrah with whom we have grown up watching and knowing from television and the movies over so many years, but because it is a template of what ordinary people go through every day around the world. Farrah is simply a high profile personality who has been able to bring more light to the disease process in a public way.

It is all tragic...for Farrah, for Ryan, for 'Red', and for anyone and everyone who receives a cancer diagnosis.

As I watched Farrah's Story and wept, her constant unwavering statement was, "I want to live." That reminded me so much of my own mother's remark to me years and years ago. Mama said, "I don't mind getting old. I just don't want to die."

Washington state mass murder and suicide

In the shadow of this dormant volcano in Washinton State, there was an eruption of rage that eclipsed anything the mountain could dish out: five children and their father are dead.

My thoughts follow in the blog linked below...




http://inyourneighborhood.blogspot.com/2009/04/harrison-family-murders-and-suicide.html

Satellite radio whoremongers

Minutes ago it was announced that Sirius/XM Satellite Radio worked out a deal to avoid bankruptcy, but obviously they’re hanging on by the skin of their teeth…

What do you think of Sirius/XM being on the brink of folding? Howard Stern’s deal and the other overpaid talents and not-so-talented have gored the cash cow…

Yeah, satellite radio made a big splash...whoopee! Look how long that lasted! It will be flippin’ hilarious if the whole dang satellite radio industry goes belly up and the world goes back to AM radio! Ha-ha-ha!!! Don’t count AM out just yet!

For that matter, we could bring back AM Stereo! Now there's a technology that never had a chance to get off the ground; let's bring it back for another go-round.

I know you’ve got satellite radio in your Lexus, Avalanche, and Escalade and enjoy it on the open raod (who wouldn’t?) but I just think it is time for all these ludicrously, obscenely, shamefully overpaid people – whether in radio, television, movies or the sports world – to come get their feet back down on the ground. Welcome back to tera firma. Come back to the REAL WORLD here on Planet Earth where the rest of us live…

The whoremongers of satellite radio have bankrupted their own industry.

"Now we come to the end of another broadcast day...er, uh, era..."

Remembering "Aunt Vicki" Victoria Sorrells

Aunt Vicki was the most beloved person, so full of life and fun. She was a giving, loving, character who gave so much of herself despite her personal and physical hardships and trials. She had a zest for life and a sense of humor like no one else. No one could tell a story, really weave a tale, like Aunt Vicki could. I miss her terribly.