Here we go for round two of #PanCholLiveToot!
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I had another blood draw this morning, fortunately with only 3 vials rather than yesterday's 7 vials. And they managed to get what they needed with just one venipuncture, so that was nice.
#PanCholLiveTootThose of you who were with me on this journey the last time around may recall that it involves collecting stool samples. That's happening this time as well, starting today (I got a free pass yesterday). The procedure hasn't changed from last time, so if you're curious you can read what I wrote about it before, at https://federate.social/@jik/113414002326890114 or https://blog.kamens.us/2025/09/04/panchol-clinical-trial-thread-unroll/#poop .
#PanCholLiveToot -
Those of you who were with me on this journey the last time around may recall that it involves collecting stool samples. That's happening this time as well, starting today (I got a free pass yesterday). The procedure hasn't changed from last time, so if you're curious you can read what I wrote about it before, at https://federate.social/@jik/113414002326890114 or https://blog.kamens.us/2025/09/04/panchol-clinical-trial-thread-unroll/#poop .
#PanCholLiveTootThe nurses are cool about it, but I have to say it's really weird to press the call button and then when the nurse comes in say, "Here, I have some poop for you!" and hand them the equivalent of a sorbet tub with poop in it.
As the nurse was leaving the room a few minutes ago after giving me the sample container to use, she said, "Thanks for your poop!"
#PanCholLiveToot -
The nurses are cool about it, but I have to say it's really weird to press the call button and then when the nurse comes in say, "Here, I have some poop for you!" and hand them the equivalent of a sorbet tub with poop in it.
As the nurse was leaving the room a few minutes ago after giving me the sample container to use, she said, "Thanks for your poop!"
#PanCholLiveTootProTip, courtesy of @msokolov in https://fosstodon.org/@msokolov/115200828334719584: If you're going into the hospital and you'll be showering while you're there, bring a big, fluffy towel with you. Hospital towels are small, scratchy, and threadbare. You will be glad to have a nice one.
Here you can see (half of) the big towel I brought with me vs. a hospital towel.
#PanCholLiveToot -
ProTip, courtesy of @msokolov in https://fosstodon.org/@msokolov/115200828334719584: If you're going into the hospital and you'll be showering while you're there, bring a big, fluffy towel with you. Hospital towels are small, scratchy, and threadbare. You will be glad to have a nice one.
Here you can see (half of) the big towel I brought with me vs. a hospital towel.
#PanCholLiveTootAlso, if you expect to be spending a lot of time in bed in the hospital, then as @Adventurer (https://sfba.social/@Adventurer/115199676231327810) and @BonehouseWasps (https://mastodon.social/@BonehouseWasps/115199929810382931) suggest, consider bringing a comfortable robe. I personally did not bring a robe because I'm spending my days up and working, not lying in the hospital bed, and for that I prefer to be dressed in real clothes.
#PanCholLiveToot -
Also, if you expect to be spending a lot of time in bed in the hospital, then as @Adventurer (https://sfba.social/@Adventurer/115199676231327810) and @BonehouseWasps (https://mastodon.social/@BonehouseWasps/115199929810382931) suggest, consider bringing a comfortable robe. I personally did not bring a robe because I'm spending my days up and working, not lying in the hospital bed, and for that I prefer to be dressed in real clothes.
#PanCholLiveTootHere's a #poll that's relevant to my experience in the hospital for this clinical trial.
Which would you rather have? A week-long vacation where you eat:
#PanCholLiveToot -
Here's a #poll that's relevant to my experience in the hospital for this clinical trial.
Which would you rather have? A week-long vacation where you eat:
#PanCholLiveTootPersonally, there are few things I truly enjoy cooking, and I dislike washing dishes, pots, and pans, so I'd pick mediocre food cooked and cleaned up by others over good food cooked and cleaned up by me. That's why despite my sniping at Sodexo in this thread for not doing such a great job of running the food service at the hospital, I'm not actually all that worked up over it. Everything they've served to me since I arrived yesterday has been edible, which is really all I need.
#PanCholLiveToot -
Personally, there are few things I truly enjoy cooking, and I dislike washing dishes, pots, and pans, so I'd pick mediocre food cooked and cleaned up by others over good food cooked and cleaned up by me. That's why despite my sniping at Sodexo in this thread for not doing such a great job of running the food service at the hospital, I'm not actually all that worked up over it. Everything they've served to me since I arrived yesterday has been edible, which is really all I need.
#PanCholLiveTootIt's worth mentioning that a lot of the things that make people perceive food as "good", e.g., salt and fat, are less healthy. It's not _impossible_ to make food that's both healthy and delicious, but it's more work, and perhaps harder still in large quantities. So it seems like food service at any hospital, which is expected to serve healthy food to a large number of people, is going to find it challenging to make the food consistently delicious.
#PanCholLiveToot -
It's worth mentioning that a lot of the things that make people perceive food as "good", e.g., salt and fat, are less healthy. It's not _impossible_ to make food that's both healthy and delicious, but it's more work, and perhaps harder still in large quantities. So it seems like food service at any hospital, which is expected to serve healthy food to a large number of people, is going to find it challenging to make the food consistently delicious.
#PanCholLiveTootOn the other hand, a wealthy friend of mine whose children were born at a hospital in Greenwich, CT, a _very_ wealthy community, told me that hospital had a tradition of serving a steak dinner to the parents after every birth, and it was a _good_ steak dinner.
So I suppose if you're the kind of hospital that caters to rich people and charges fees consistent with that, you _can_ make the food delicious.
#PanCholLiveToot -
On the other hand, a wealthy friend of mine whose children were born at a hospital in Greenwich, CT, a _very_ wealthy community, told me that hospital had a tradition of serving a steak dinner to the parents after every birth, and it was a _good_ steak dinner.
So I suppose if you're the kind of hospital that caters to rich people and charges fees consistent with that, you _can_ make the food delicious.
#PanCholLiveTootStory time… There aren't many Boston area kosher caterers, so Jews here tend to experience the same ones over and over at weddings and bar mitzvahs. My wife and I attended many affairs done by "the expensive caterer," but then we went to the wedding of a _very_ wealthy friend, and the food—from that same caterer—was leaps and bounds better than ever before. It turned out there was a "how much it costs absolutely does not matter" level of quality we'd been totally unaware of.
#PanCholLiveToot -
Story time… There aren't many Boston area kosher caterers, so Jews here tend to experience the same ones over and over at weddings and bar mitzvahs. My wife and I attended many affairs done by "the expensive caterer," but then we went to the wedding of a _very_ wealthy friend, and the food—from that same caterer—was leaps and bounds better than ever before. It turned out there was a "how much it costs absolutely does not matter" level of quality we'd been totally unaware of.
#PanCholLiveTootI mentioned earlier that when they took my blood pressure during intake it was quite high. That was also true when they took it again yesterday.
Furthermore, several times in the past week I've had unexplained minor chest pains.
I thought this was totally out-of-the-blue, and I was a bit worried, but I just realized what's going on.
I had a cortisone injection in my hip for the first time last Friday. It turns out they can cause elevated blood pressure for 5–7 days.
#PanCholLiveToot -
I mentioned earlier that when they took my blood pressure during intake it was quite high. That was also true when they took it again yesterday.
Furthermore, several times in the past week I've had unexplained minor chest pains.
I thought this was totally out-of-the-blue, and I was a bit worried, but I just realized what's going on.
I had a cortisone injection in my hip for the first time last Friday. It turns out they can cause elevated blood pressure for 5–7 days.
#PanCholLiveTootThey just took my daily vitals and my BP was at 120/75, a lot better than the 190/95 reading they got when I arrived on Monday! Perhaps the excess cortisone from the hip injection has finished working its way into my bloodstream.
I'm peeved the N.P. who gave me the cortisone shot didn't mention anything about it potentially elevating my blood pressure for a week.
I suppose she didn't know I'd be in the hospital three days later with people taking my BP daily.
#PanCholLiveToot -
They just took my daily vitals and my BP was at 120/75, a lot better than the 190/95 reading they got when I arrived on Monday! Perhaps the excess cortisone from the hip injection has finished working its way into my bloodstream.
I'm peeved the N.P. who gave me the cortisone shot didn't mention anything about it potentially elevating my blood pressure for a week.
I suppose she didn't know I'd be in the hospital three days later with people taking my BP daily.
#PanCholLiveTootMe to room service rep: "Please tell me the total calorie count for the meal I ordered?"
Room Service: "The system doesn't tell me that."
Me: "Everyone I've ordered food from since Monday has been able to tell me. I need to know the calorie count for my meal."
RS: "Oh, I don't know how to do it. Please hold, I'm going to transfer you."
*hold music for ~a minute*
RS (same person, not transferred): gives me the calorie count for the meal
Problem solved, no harm done, but still,
.
#PanCholLiveToot -
Me to room service rep: "Please tell me the total calorie count for the meal I ordered?"
Room Service: "The system doesn't tell me that."
Me: "Everyone I've ordered food from since Monday has been able to tell me. I need to know the calorie count for my meal."
RS: "Oh, I don't know how to do it. Please hold, I'm going to transfer you."
*hold music for ~a minute*
RS (same person, not transferred): gives me the calorie count for the meal
Problem solved, no harm done, but still,.
#PanCholLiveTootThey came in this morning and mopped the floor of my room and the connected bathroom. On the one hand, sure, I guess it's important to keep hospital rooms clean. On the other hand, there ain't nobody here but me, and I'm not exactly tracking in dirt from the outside, and I'm only going to be here for a week, so it seems a bit much to mop the floor while I'm here.
#PanCholLiveToot -
They came in this morning and mopped the floor of my room and the connected bathroom. On the one hand, sure, I guess it's important to keep hospital rooms clean. On the other hand, there ain't nobody here but me, and I'm not exactly tracking in dirt from the outside, and I'm only going to be here for a week, so it seems a bit much to mop the floor while I'm here.
#PanCholLiveTootRegarding yesterday's poll <https://federate.social/@jik/115216580243925705>, which there's still time to participate in if you haven't already
, I just want to say there's obviously a third option I didn't offer in the poll because everyone who doesn't _love_ cooking would probably have picked it: "good food cooked and cleaned up by others".
Indeed, my definition of a perfect vacation is a week of good food cooked and cleaned up by others.
#PanCholLiveToot -
Regarding yesterday's poll <https://federate.social/@jik/115216580243925705>, which there's still time to participate in if you haven't already
, I just want to say there's obviously a third option I didn't offer in the poll because everyone who doesn't _love_ cooking would probably have picked it: "good food cooked and cleaned up by others".
Indeed, my definition of a perfect vacation is a week of good food cooked and cleaned up by others.
#PanCholLiveTootToday's adventure in computing while trapped in a hospital for a clinical trial…
My computer at home, which is also my SSH jump box and the backup server for my home network, appears to have crashed. D'oh!
I'm going to have to walk my son through rebooting it this evening, which is complicated, because I brought its keyboard with me to the hospital, and booting requires a long encryption password which is normally provided by the YubiKey that's on a chain around my neck.
#PanCholLiveToot -
Today's adventure in computing while trapped in a hospital for a clinical trial…
My computer at home, which is also my SSH jump box and the backup server for my home network, appears to have crashed. D'oh!
I'm going to have to walk my son through rebooting it this evening, which is complicated, because I brought its keyboard with me to the hospital, and booting requires a long encryption password which is normally provided by the YubiKey that's on a chain around my neck.
#PanCholLiveTootMy #PanCholLiveToot friends, I just got some very good news!
No cholera vaccine bacteria were detected in yesterday's sample. This is good for me personally and for the #PanChol vaccine in general.
For me personally, it means there's a good chance I'll be able to go home before the weekend. If today's sample comes back clean tomorrow, then they'll probably start me on prophylactic doxycycline tomorrow and send me home Friday.
(continued) -
My #PanCholLiveToot friends, I just got some very good news!
No cholera vaccine bacteria were detected in yesterday's sample. This is good for me personally and for the #PanChol vaccine in general.
For me personally, it means there's a good chance I'll be able to go home before the weekend. If today's sample comes back clean tomorrow, then they'll probably start me on prophylactic doxycycline tomorrow and send me home Friday.
(continued)And while I'd be happy to go home before the weekend, I'm even happier about what this might mean about the efficacy of the vaccine.
If there's no detectable vaccine bacteria in my samples, that likely means the antibodies my body created in response to the original vaccine dose I took last November successfully killed off the booster vaccine bacteria I drank on Monday.
(continued)
#PanCholLiveToot -
And while I'd be happy to go home before the weekend, I'm even happier about what this might mean about the efficacy of the vaccine.
If there's no detectable vaccine bacteria in my samples, that likely means the antibodies my body created in response to the original vaccine dose I took last November successfully killed off the booster vaccine bacteria I drank on Monday.
(continued)
#PanCholLiveTootIn other words, THE VACCINE WORKED.
At least, it did for me; it's important to note that two others who preceded me through this trial phase had vaccine detected in their samples so they had to stay longer.
(Now I am wondering if COVID may have something to do with this. We know COVID damages the immune system. I've only had COVID once, but anybody else going through this trial who isn't as COVID-cautious has probably had it multiple times. Will that mess up the study? Hmm.)
#PanCholLiveToot -
In other words, THE VACCINE WORKED.
At least, it did for me; it's important to note that two others who preceded me through this trial phase had vaccine detected in their samples so they had to stay longer.
(Now I am wondering if COVID may have something to do with this. We know COVID damages the immune system. I've only had COVID once, but anybody else going through this trial who isn't as COVID-cautious has probably had it multiple times. Will that mess up the study? Hmm.)
#PanCholLiveTootOK, so, with my son's help as my eyes and hands at home I've figured out why my home computer dropped off the network and fixed it so it won't happen again. This is a crossover #PanCholLiveToot / #TechIsShitDispatch post.
Apparently at some point in the last ten years, the US and EU enacted power-saving regulations for computers which essentially require them to sleep by default when no one is using them.
Because of this, Debian is configured by default to sleep after 20 minutes of idle time.
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OK, so, with my son's help as my eyes and hands at home I've figured out why my home computer dropped off the network and fixed it so it won't happen again. This is a crossover #PanCholLiveToot / #TechIsShitDispatch post.
Apparently at some point in the last ten years, the US and EU enacted power-saving regulations for computers which essentially require them to sleep by default when no one is using them.
Because of this, Debian is configured by default to sleep after 20 minutes of idle time.
…I'm typically logged in all the time on my computer, and I have GNOME configured never to sleep, so this isn't usually a problem. However, earlier today my GNOME session crashed (that's the first shitty tech thing), and twenty minutes later, the GDM greeter put my computer to sleep.
The second shitty aspect of this is that there's no user-friendly way to prevent this from happening. There's literally been a GNOME bug ticket open about this for 7+ years.
Ref: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gnome-control-center/-/issues/22
…
