"Jacinda's Labour Government Hotline" by KrazyKiwi

I don't know who KrazyKiwi is, but he/she posted a really funny (yet sadly accurate) comment recently on WhaleOil.

This perfectly captures the current, sad, blind, sell-out-to-UN, globalism-is-fun, carbon-neutral-pushing Labour-Green government "running" NZ at the moment.  One might ask: how did this fringe, far left minority government get into power?  So, the party who got 6% of the vote (Winston Peters) decided to join them to form a coalition government. Called MMP (a weird system I don't fully understand), the majority of NZ voted for the center-left National party, but they didn't have "enough" of a percentage. Winston's tiny 6% party was the "decider". Winston was angry at National from past "hurts" - AND - he wanted MORE POWER so he went with the WEAKER party (Labour-Greens). Voila... fringe lefties got into power...

Anyway, as an example of the left fringe madness hitting NZ, a recent rumor I heard: newly 'elected' NZ PM Jacinda Adern stopped to listen to some greenie kids protesting something about oil/gas - and decided (without DUE process or consideration) to END oil/gas exploration in NZ. Period. This was/is a pure anti "global warming" virtue-signaling without-mandate decision will HURT the NZ economy.  

From 10 May 2018 Analysis An end to oil exploration in New Zealand" By Molly Lempriere:

"One of the main arguments against the ban is the economic impact. The National Party, Ardern’s Labour Parties major opposition, claimed the ban would cause the demise of an industry which contributed $2.5bn for the economy.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Oil & Gas chief executive Andrew Jefferies suggested the move would simply leave the country dependant on expensive imports. “Two thirds of our national energy use is industrial and transport related, for which complete renewable alternatives are not currently economically viable. Therefore the choice for New Zealand is whether we use our own resources for our own benefit, or New Zealanders rely on overseas energy sources benefitting those economies.”

Similar stances have been taken by other groups in New Zealand. “The Government’s decision to end offshore exploration of oil and gas will cost New Zealand at least $6.2bn, according to documents released during election negotiations”, said ACT Leader David Seymour. “We now know at least some of the costs involved with this PR stunt. Each household will be at least $4000 worse off. "

This minority government does NOT have a mandate to destroy the NZ economy.  WAKE THE F UP NZ! 

Ok, my rant done for today.

Here is what I call "Jacinda's Labour Government Hotline" by KrazyKiwi.

.......RING RING RING... calling Labour....

"Hello. Thanks for calling the Labour government helpline. Please choose the option that best helps us to serve you.

If you’re calling from the UN, thanks so much for getting in touch. We really appreciate you. Just press ‘1’ to start video call with Ms Ardern. She’s breastfeeding right now and is happy to chat about opportunities.

If you are Labour youth member and you’re concerned about sexual abuse the please press ‘2’ and we’ll put you on hold for 12 months. If you don’t want to hold that long then just have another RTD and leave your address after the beep. A trainee care worker will be right over.

If you are an Oil & gas worker, press 4 to be put thru to AirNZ reservations. We don’t want you, but the Aussie do

If you are a union organiser and you’d like to access our complimentary ‘Schedule a Strike’ service, press 5

If you are a small business owner, then press 6 to be put through to Christoper Luxton. He’ll tell you how its done.

If you are a member of the ‘High on Labour’ club, and your gear is nearly tapped out, then press 7. One of our friendly dealers will take your order.

If you are from Mr Peters’ Office, please note we’ve previously given you Jacinda’s direct number. Please hang up, call that number and leave a detailed message about the policy you’re demanding today. This will be delivered as per our secret coalition agreement.

If you are from the Media, then press 8#, and then enter your membership number. This week’s media plan will be emailed to you.

If you are a net taxpayer, the you can press ‘9’ continuously, but no one will answer. Get back to work.

If you are an agitated Green supporter the please press 0. We’ll replay some relaxing 1980’s eco-propaganda, and after the beep would you mind leaving us the name of your party leaders. We’ve forgotten who they are. Thank you. "

ANGRY PHONE image from DreamTime

Protest: Stop party pill testing on animals in NZ

New Zealanders marched today in Auckland and around the country to ask the government to stop legislation allowing animals to be tested for party drugs.

"Why should I die for you to get high?"  Good question: the answer is NO. 

Only 1 politician voted against legislation the NZ public had NO input on -> John Banks of ACT.

An argument can be made that its OK or necessary to test some substances on animals before testing on humans - say for life saving drugs.

But for PARTY PILLS?! 

These are NOT necessary. I'll presume MILLIONS of dollars will make its way into NZ government's pocket by drug companies seeking to get their products to "market" in NZ.

REALLY NZ?

This was covered on 3News yesterday - and today.

Will the government LISTEN?

Follow: Stop Party Pill Testing on Facebook

Follow: topic #spptnz or @spptnz on Twitter

Longest Australasian Road Tunnel in NZ

NZ road construction is going on right now: they are building a 2.4 K tunnel which will be Australasia's longest road tunnel.  Check out the videot:



more info at:  http://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/waterviewconnection/

What Auckland really needs is a new train commuter tunnel underneath the water connecting the city's main downtown business (the CBD) to the North Shore.  Hopefully that will be done at some point.

A train to Auckland's north shore is REALLY needed! It was needed 20 years ago... In the mean time, I look forward to the Waterview tunnel.

Murder, death not racist: just Left's modus operandi

The NZ Herald dutifully reports only LEFTIST American news outlet stories.

They describe the current Gosnell horror abortionist trial - as a "lynching".  Herald uses this racist word for the trial of a baby murderer. Does it matter what color skin the murderous doctor had?  Of course it does not.

If anything, more black American babies are murdered than white. Now that is racist. Black genocide IS going on. Margaret Sanger, who's "work" started 'Planned Parenthood' and their efforts to legalize abortion mills. These are places where babies are murdered - not clumps of cells.

They Are Babies.

So back to Gosnell - there is a USA lamestream media blackout on this story (pun intended). 

Over at LI, law professor Jacobson writes A Culture of Death is their Choice (the Left).

The Left always takes the PRO DEATH position.  The Left is:
pro abortion (death)
pro infanticide (death)
pro Islam (death)
anti God (life)
anti Christian (life)
anti Jew (life)

Yes, professor, you are correct: the Left IS a culture of death.  Even their 'animal rights' organization PETA who loves to yell and screams at people to 'never' kill or eat ANY animal - even PETA kills pets: they kill puppies and kittens!  Their Virginia facility? A 90% kill rate. 

So, the left is happy to kill baby humans and baby animals.

And who says killing atrocities committed by Hitler's Leftist-Facist-Communist regime could never happen again?!  It IS happening all over again in Europe and America - RIGHT NOW.

Commenter Frank says "Imagine being there watching your own newborn enter the world, alive, helpless, on the operating table being scissored and stabbed to death. Imagine the pain, of Jabbing a pair of scissors into the back of the neck and clipping/severing the spinal cord of the helpless baby, virtually beheading the tiny victim. I can't imagine anyone even doing that to a newborn gerbil, guinea pig, kitten or puppy, let alone a newborn child. My God, what has society come to..."

HotAir reports: “It jumped, the arm”; Update: Media score – Rutgers 41, Gosnell 0

Where is Evil = The Left
Where is Death = The Left
Where is Horror = The Left
Where is Lying = The Left
Where is Theft = The Left
Where is Tyranny = The Left

Colonel Meow

Once in awhile I go look at "I can has cheezburger?".  They have funny cat pictures there, little videos and stuff.  If you like animals, cats, you'll think some stuff there is funny.  Check out a cat I saw there, who has his own Facebook page.

I present Colonel Meow

from Facebook titled "Spanish Saturday" Ole!

Did you giggle just looking at him?  He was a rescue.  Looooooks like he might need an occasional brushing... and of course a supply of alcohol.  (?)  LOL

bad hair day Colonel or too much caffeine?! pic from Facebook

In NZ, they'll understand the Gareth Morgan joke - he wants to get rid of NZ cats!  Well, I think he just wants NZ cats to stop killing all the native NZ birds.  That part I can get behind.  I have a solution for Mr. Morgan and New Zealand:

KEEP YOUR CATS INSIDE NEW ZEALAND

- Cats are MUCH safer, no fights, extra kittens or death by road kill
- MUCH less or no bird killing
- got rats or mice on the farm?  Get a Jack Russell Terrier!

Easy. Problem solved.

Right Colonel?

studying up on how to make new friends!

down in New Plymouth NZ

We found a house/pet sitter so we've taken a 3 day vacation and drove down to New Plymouth.  I'm taking a technology break after a 5 hour drive.  My husband has some kind of shooting pain in his back down his right thigh so he's resting for a bit reading his Kindle.

We love our technology.

Tomorrow hopefully he'll feel better and we'll do some trekking around Mount Taranaki. There are some good walking trails here I'm told.  The view is spectacular from this far away, so getting closer with a hike will be cool.  Check it out snap we took an hour ago:



Mount Taranaki

Well, as you were... hope winter isn't too much of a drag if you're in America.  Here are a few more reasons perhaps your next vacation will be in New Zealand...    :-)

USA frozen? Aw too bad, so sad; summer here

Good morning from Auckland on a sunny, summer day in January 2013.  Yep, while N. America is freezing cold, we have lovely, relaxing summer weather.  We have a work holiday today Monday the 28th and are probably going for a hike nearby on a trail, then maybe do some gardening or barbecue-ing... we'll be chillaxin' for sure. 

Neener neener.

Chelsea sugar banana muffins yum

I haven't posted much with the tag "Yummy people food" but banana muffins are yum.  I just made some using the Chelsea recipe.

Chelsea sugar refinery near downtown Auckland on shorline - pix from flickr

Chelsea sugar is a NZ brand - a company which has been in business since 1884.

They have catchy commercials and sponsor a yearly show called NZ's hottest home baker.  I've seen it the last 2 years.  It is a really cute show and the contestants whip up all kinds of baked goods featuring Chelsea sugar products (of course).  I get the urge to make muffins or cakes when I watch it - so the show is dangerous to your mid section. 

I suppose that is exactly why cooking shows are so popular - people go out buy the ingredients and start bakin' up a storm...  :)

Going to eat a muffin now - go bake somehing now yourself and have a good day...

Hobbit trilogy - the unexpected journey begins

Peter Jackson's movie "The Hobbit" premiers in Wellington NZ tonight.  Want to go? Sorry the way is shut. The planning for premier has been going on for 6 months. 

In 2012, NZ opposition Labour government was against employment law changes NZ National brought in with majority of votes - to get the film(s) made down here.  National says it was worth it to bring more tourism to NZ.  It is.  NZ is SMALL and needs the business. 

Now Labour big wigs invited to premier say they supported movie all along?  Hypocrites!

Well, bah humbug to them...

LOR and Hobbit Fans who come down to NZ can book a tour of the film locations through Red Carpet Tours.

Let's hope this film does bring more people down to beautiful Aoteoroa, the NZ economy needs them.

Now get ready to take an unexpected journey back to the land of elves, dwarves, hobbits and a wonderous adventure of enjoying NZ scenery...   :-)

75% NZers Vitamin D deficient

I am one of them...

I've had a lot of periodic pain the last couple years.  On my dietician's recent recommendation, I got a Vitamin D test last month in September. Normal range on my results is 75-90.  I was 7 or something (don't have data as I type this)...

I started a 10 day prescription of Vitamin D.  After two years of no menstrual cycle, I got mine.  (sorry blokes, yep, its bit of girl talk...).  It was a doozy.  LOTS of pain for 9-10 days.  Same pain I've had off and on for 2 years. 

So, my latest theory: my uterus seems to have been trying to have its monthly cycle and it could not -perhaps due to lack of Vitamin D.  I'm scheduled to get another abdominal scan on my girlie parts to check 'em out. Ian W. explains a bit about Vitamin D:



I'm still researching this a bit more especially since I'm personally impacted.  Vitamin D affects bones - plus many other processes in your body including women's reproduction. 

I didn't know that, did you?  I've definitely been avoiding direct and mid day sun living in NZ since UV rays are harsher down here - and I've made myself ill by avoiding sun!  .... Ummm... Ooooops...?

most of us need at least 5-30 minutes of sun twice a week (image from here)

We humans need the sun - more than we realize.  So, I'm continuing my research and hopefully my general health will improve now so I can have a few more decades on the planet and feel better. 

Gonna get this book, too:

get Ian's book here

Oh, and by the way, have you heard global "warming" stopped 16 years ago and "man made" global warming (fondly called AGW by believers) has been officially disproved. 

Dang, we need the sun and WARMTH to survive... Anyone screaming about man mad global cooling yet?!?!  (dats next I'm sure...)

trouble in NZ: Treatygate

Yep, another 'gate' story.  This one is here in New Zealand as writer exposes appeasement:

"Wake Up New Zealand, We’re Being Conned!"  by John Ansell

"These two opposite reactions caused me to divide Maori into two broad groups, which I call Achievers and Grievers.

The Achievers I admire very much, especially those who – sadly – feel they have to escape to Australia to live the lives of equal New Zealanders.

But the Grievers I can’t abide. They clearly descend from the ethically-flexible rebel minority who breached the Treaty in the wars of the nineteenth century, and their inflated sense of entitlement has been costing the rest of us dearly.

It is a charming but potentially fatal flaw of New Zealanders that we want to be nice to people at all costs.

Unfortunately there is a fine line between niceness and cowardice. Being nice to Griever Maori can be very costly indeed – especially when the iwi elite are aided and abetted in their extortion attempts by all the other elites– the political, bureaucratic, academic, judicial, legal, and media.

The approach of successive governments since the early seventies can be summed up by a word most commonly associated with the late thirties: appeasement."

Read the rest here.

still skiing after recent NZ volcanic "eruption"

No worries, just a weeeny little volcano blew here - a NZ volcano blows last night, but GOOD news, the ski hills re-opened later -> that's how we roll down here in volcano land...

can you any skiiers on the white blob...?

Today's NZ media reports some flights were cancelled after an eruption on Mt. Tongariro but by the end of the day, ski hills reopened.  Well that is good news isn't it!

NZ news also misleads the country and the world by stating "first eruption in 100 years" while the NZ government site itself states there have been eruptions in this area 1870, 1948-1949, 1954, 1973-75 and at Mt. Tongariro specifically:

"Mt Tongariro is not a single volcano, but a complex of craters that have been active at different periods. In 1868, violent earthquakes marked the eruption that formed the upper Te Maari crater, named after a Māori chieftainess. Upper Te Maari erupted again in 1896–97, dumping 50 millimetres of ash on the Desert Road, and wafting ash as far as Napier."

So the lie today is "first in 100 years" - but WHY LIE to the public?  There are only 4 million in NZ, I mean how panicked could we get down here?  Pfffft

Stay tuned...  if a big one blows, I'll be worried... but for now, all is OK  :)

back in the garden plantin' stuff

You can garden all year here in Auckland.  Nice feature.  I've noticed this summer is teeny bit cooler with teeny bit more rain compared to last few summers: global cooling period?  I love rain really - water is life and makes everything luscious, alive and green.  Here are a few snaps of plants I put in last week (yep, a January summer garden!  Snowing by you?  Sorry to hear...)

aaaaaaah...... summer

11 dead in Carterton NZ balloon accident

fallen balloon from Stuff.co.nz - moments before striking a power line and catching fire

Have you been up in a hot air balloon?  A balloon accident in Carterton, NZ 7-Jan-2012 took the lives of 11 people.  Witnesses heard screams from passengers as a fire broke out when the balloon hit some power lines.

Michael Daly at Stuff reports Balloon disaster worst air tragedy since Erebus even though "Ballooning was a safe sport and New Zealand had one of the best safety records in the world."

From Stuff.co.nz, a "36-year-old Carterton farmer was milking a herd of cows on a Somerset Rd farm when he saw the balloon.


He had seen it many times before, but this time it was different. The balloon's height was fluctuating.


Moments later, about 7.25am on Saturday, all hell broke loose.


"It hit these powerlines and it just shorted out and we lost power to the cowshed and it burst into flames," Mr Searle said yesterday describing the crash which killed 11 people.


"The noise from the screams was like something from a movie. It was just crazy.


"It was just screams of horror. I've never ever heard screams like it before. It was from the support crew on the ground and from people in the basket.


"It [the balloon] was on fire, it started going higher with a powerline attached to the top of the basket and it was stretching the wire.


"As the balloon started to go up one guy leapt out. And then about 20 seconds later another one jumped out. I think it was a lady.


"The screaming and the noise ... It was just unreal."


The balloon continued to rise until it snapped the power lines."

My personal emergency recommendations are for those of you taking any future balloon trips: if close to ground and balloon hits power pole and bursts into flames? ... Jump

RIP Carterton balloon passengers and pilot

2011 in review and stuff old media really tried to ignore



beautiful coast of NZ after take off from Auckland

 2012 greetings to you and yours!  So, um, really, 2011 was kind of a shite year, wasn't it?

For us: My husband's father passed.  A few months later the family dog, too.  Mum was left in a big house all alone (bummer).  She got a bit lonely so has a new puppy now and we (and her daughters) are over there often.  She is OK after a tough year of loss.

My 2011 was full of on again off again abdominal pain (stink) - some of the year is a bit hazy to me lost in a battle of overcoming pain.  Sorry if I missed anything big...  You can always read good stuff on the various sites I link to... I can't keep up with everything now can I?!  :)

The world had a tough 2011 around the globe - the scariest stuff: so many Arab countries in turmoil and the horror of Islam on the rise there.  In NZ, Christchurch had killer earthquakes. Japan had a devastating Tsunami in a shocking display of earth's brute force.  In man caused disasters, Obummer and his communist crew continue to raid the USA treasury (hello, huge MF global crisis anyone?!?!), Holder's illegal gun running to Mexico: killed hundreds - while media and Democrats don't care, but fully support Occu-pooper Soros supported paid idiots and continue ignoring patriot T.E.A. partiers.  Hey, did you notice media stopped bashing Sarah Palin when she announced she would not run for POTUS? Old media next turned their venom against the Hermain Cain train and derailed it quite well, didn't they... At least alternative media continues to grow and expose the truth  - hey that Weiner guy was fully exposed for being a big pervert, wasn't he?  Some sweeet vindication served up by alternative media!

Anyway, on a happier note for 2011 for me, despite it all we managed to have some good fun in 2011.  We were able to travel home to Wilmette Illinois (near Chicago) to visit family and friends.  My father came down to NZ and we showed him around Auckland. We travelled down to the Christchurch area. We got 2 new dogs.  We've completed some home improvement projects such as updated plumbing, new electric panel for the whole house and insulation replaced in the attic.  We got to attend a semi-finals match for the Rugby World Cup 2011.  NZ won the final (NZ was happy!) and The Warriors got into their final as well - yes they lost, but had an outstanding season. 


Oct 2011 - me in Chicago near Millennium Park  :)

Guess I'll try to ignore the shite from 2011 and focus on good memories.  Speaking of ignorance, the old media actively ignored all sorts of stuff (since most of them are merely communist shills of course).  Here is a decent list from WND covering the most ignored stories of 2011:

"1. The true rate of unemployment and inflation and the real state of the U.S. economy, which is far worse than reported.


2. The Justice Department’s “Fast and Furious” operation, which facilitated the delivery of American firearms into Mexico to violent drug cartels, later used in the murder of hundreds, including a U.S. Border Patrol agent.


3. The organizations and money behind the supposedly “leaderless” Occupy Wall Street movement.


4. The role of leftwing groups and the Obama administration in the fall of Arab regimes and the rise of Islamic radicals.


5. Compelling evidence from multiple experts that the birth certificate released by Barack Obama on April 27, 2011, is a fraud.


6. The true mission of Islamic groups such as CAIR and other U.S.-based Muslim Brotherhood-front organizations and their infiltration of the U.S.


7. The real impact on the U.S. economy of Obama’s $787 billion stimulus.


8. The harmful impact of unions on the American economy.


9. The looming potential for an EMP attack on the U.S. and its devastating impact.


10. The federal government’s raid of the Gibson Guitar factory."

I'm sure you are enlightened and HAVE already heard of all these issues, right? 


one of my favorite views of Auckland from out west in the Waitakeres

 Now it is 2012.  This year we plan to do a bit more traveling here in NZ. February a summer batch rental is in store for us somewhere and April we want to go down to Christchurch again.  Hopefully it will be a good year and the Mayans just ran out of room on their calendar, yes?   ;)  Let's look at the glass as half full this year, shall we?

And, oh yeah... I think in November 2012, there might be just a few other things going on.

Merry Christmas from New Zealand

a NZ Christmas tree "Pohutukawa" near Piha Beach 20 mins from  my house

In 2009 I pondered how it is weird to experience warm weather at Christmas.  After 4 years of living in NZ, it is still weird.  Christmas is a Christian holiday combined with the pagan winter festival plus Santa and Reindeer...  Santa wears a wool suit.  He lives at the North Pole.  His sleigh is made for snow.  Lights decorate houses in winter where its dark at 5pm.

In 2010 I shared a few negative experiences I've had this time of year. 

For 2011?  Well, the only 'bad' is I haven't managed to send anything to family except flowers to arrive at my mother's in Glenview, Illinois USA.  We managed to get our NZ presents (aka known as "pressies") for all family members here so we'll wrap all those today - and head to mum's for lunch tomorrow Christmas day. 

Growing up in Wilmette in a Catholic family, we used to go to church every Sunday.  On Christmas sometimes we'd attend midnight mass Saturday night.  Last time I went to midnight mass was before I was married probably 1998 or 1999, I was living in an apartment and was supposed to meet a sister and my mother there.  Neither showed up.  They were tired.  My NZ family aren't church goers, yet they are very spiritual and reverent people in their lives, in loving and caring towards each other and other people they know.  Their kindness and love help me live my life here away from my Illinois roots.

Do you need to go to church to be spiritual?  No. 

This year I am happy to be able to share a Christmas holiday with NZ loved ones.  Some of us will be bringing our pets to mum's (dogs!).  There are 3 puppies and 2 adult dogs so 5 wee doggies will be added to the fun at mum's with around 20 adults and one 3 year old. 

Tomorrow should shape up to be a wonderful day of food, family, puppies, pressies and the warm summer NZ sunshine...

I hope you all get to share some food, prayer, joy and happiness wherever you are this year - Merry Christmas everyone!

Lisa G in NZ

still unexplained after 2 years of social medicine



in this diagram, my internal abdominal oblique and tendionouse inscriptions both seem to hurt?

I have had abdominal pain on and off for 2 years.  After various tests by socialized medicine, I have not been given a definitive idea of what the problem might be.

Permanent lower abdominal cramps

Two years ago the pain started like monthly female period cramps (these are great fun, just ask your girlfriend, wife or mother!) which lasted over a month.  I started taking lots of ibuprofen.  Cramps seem to worsen. 

Ultrasound

Went for ultrasound to check female parts and appointment with intestinal specialist.  All OK on the ultrasound. Cramps really bad one morning around 3am so went to emergency clinic.  African doctor said no more ibuprofen, I was making issues worse.  Switched to panadol (tylenol) which is paracetamol.  Had to take 4-5 days a week sometimes 8-9 pills a day.  My local doctor recommends I see a dietician and agrees with intestinal specialist I should get a colonoscopy. Local blood tests confirm very low iron and low iron absorption.  I'm given couple months worth of doses of codeine for bad pain. I take it periodically when needed.

Dietician

About 8-9 months ago, I started seeing a dietician.  I give up coffee, caffeine, soda / fizzy drink and incorporate more fiber and iron into my diet.  This seems to help a bit.  Yet, periodic cramping pain continues.

Colonoscopy

It took about 1 year to get a colonscopy. I was put on the waiting list Oct-2010 and had the procedure end of Sep-2011.  Minor divurticulitus found, nothing major and no cancer or anything.  Surgeon gives me prescription for couple months of fiber drink.

New, severe pain

Sunday morning 27-Nov-11 I awoke about 3:00am with a new, sharper abdominal pain near the appendix area and shooting upwards.  Felt like a knife inside me.  I took some codeine and panadol.  I went to work Monday but wasn't too happy. Tuesday I stay home and try to self medicate some more.  Pain is intensifying.

30-Nov-11 in hospital

Wed 30-Nov-11 I go to my doctor first thing.  He worries about my appendix.  He sends me to hospital.  My husband leaves work to drive me there.  I'm given some intra-venous pain meds (morphine?) and try to explain my symptoms to a couple of different doctors. 

X-ray

Later in afternoon at hospital, they Xray my abdomen but apparently not much found.  I send husband home.  It hurts to stand up or walk, but mostly ok if I just lay still. I stay overnight.  No dinner or breakfast but am given more pain medications.  Next morning head of surgical and team of doctors assess me.  He recommends CT scan of my abdomen.  They don't think appendix - my symptoms are different.

CT scan

Next day I get a CT scan at 1pm.  I'm allowed to eat so have some dinner.  Yum: hospital food. One of the surgeons who had assessed me yesterday (twice), came by with CT results around 6pm.  He says he doesn't see any divirticulitis, anything wrong with intestines or any other organs.  CT is a "snapshot" but it is inconclusive.  He says I can go home if I'm feeling OK. He thinks it might just be an issue with an internal abdominal muscle.  He advises it will either get better on its own by just relaxing for a week - but if pain worsens, I have to go back to hospital.  I get a prescription about 8pm for about a week's worth "tramadol". 

On Tramadol

"Tramadol - is a synthetic opioid analgesic indicated for moderate-moderately severe pain. Tramadol, like all opioids, does produce "morphine-like" effects including analgesia, euphoria, anxiolysis (reduced anxiety), dizziness, somnolence, nausea/vomiting, constipation, and sweating. However, tramadol causes significantly less respiratory depression than morphine. In contrast to morphine, tramadol has not been shown to cause histamine release. At therapeutic doses, tramadol has no clinically significant effect on heart rate."

Lingering pain

So after I got home from hospital, I stayed home that  Friday and basically was in bed for 4 days. I took Tramadol here and there and have been taking a dose of Tramadol nightly. I have one more dose left.  Tues night, I did not take any and Wed I woke up with lingering pain - so took another day off work and laid in bed all day.  So what is the end to this story?  I still don't know.  Today is Thu 15-Dec-11.

No diagnosis yet

Two years later... and I still have periodic abdominal pain.  It is slightly better with changes to diet - and with a week's worth of rest and tramadol.  However, if I don't eat for a day or two?  I still have some pain.  I've been ultra-sounded, x-ray-ed and CT-ed.  I feel slightly better?  Sorta...  I can walk around and I'm at work today - will see how long I can sit without pain.  I just took some more panadol. 

Hopefully my liver won't shrivel up from too much panadol. 

My opinion of socialized medicine?  Well, it seems OK so far but I still have some pain and no definitive diagnosis yet.  This is frustrating.  I wonder if Chicago doctors would have figured this out by now...   I'll never know I guess... *sigh*, so if I keel over and die, it was nice blogging with you.  Wish me luck...



internal organs - mine are supposedly all OK

on the beach in NZ pondering

at Muriwai beach, NZ last week

Oct 14, I was out of town for a week then back Oct 23 showing my dad around Auckland city, the Waitakere rain forests and beaches for a week...  However, this week I haven't felt much like blogging.  Just feel like walking along the beach and relaxing. 

Politics can be boring, eh?  However, these people rule our lives.  They must be held to account...

NZ has their 3 year elections this month.  The 2 major parties are National (center-left-ish) and Labour (far-left-ish).  Labour is way down in the polls.  Under the MMP system Labour could only 'win' if National doesn't get enough votes and agreements with the other smaller parties to form a coalition.

National might get enough votes to win on their own and not need any smaller parties.  I suppose that would be OK.  It would be better if National didn't have to cow-tow to minor parties - say the race based Maori party.  National has to make weird racially motivated "pay us" and "give us stuff" concessions to Maoris for them to agree to support policies National wants.  Its weird and gives way too much power to the wee and wrong racial parties. 

Yep, I'd be fine if National was voted in to rule alone without any minor parties.  National needs to be held to account for their own policies. The current system, MMP, is just dumb. There is a referendum for NZ to have their say yea or nay to MMP.  Then, they'll (politicians) will "think about it" and possibly change the political system from MMP to something else.  Could be interesting I suppose. Maybe...

For American politics, the knives are out now for Herman Cain about some supposed "scandal" which happened 10 years ago.  The establishment and the left do not want a conservative black man in the White House.  He cannot leave the "all blacks should be in the Democratic plantation" meme.  How dare he be independent, a conservative and a successful leader and business owner.  How dare he.  Even conservatives are attacking him saying he doesn't have enough foreign policy experience (or some rot).  What, did Obumbles the magic dragon have oh-so-much experience with ANYTHING? America's standing in the world and foreign relations have magically healed under Obambam?  HARDLY...

For pete's sake, America needs a conservative POTUS.  If not in 2012, we'll work towards 2016.  In 2012 America should vote conservatives across the USA in federal and state positions and make Republicans the majority in the senate and house of representatives.  Thus, even if Obomination is re-selected illegally (might not get on Arizona ballot this time around: Sheriff Joe insists on validating birth records!), a majority of Republicans should be elected to stop the rise of communism-statism otherwise known as Democrats.  Perhaps...

We'll see.  Dunno.  America will get the politicians it deserves.  If people get engaged, informed and involved, Americans will turn away from the collectivist thinking and illegal fiats being imposed on it - and return to being a Republic. 

But... America will have to want it. 

In the mean time, I'll be on the beach... at least for awhile.  Pondering...

obligatory NZ Rugby World Cup post

The Rugby World Cup here in NZ has been going on a few weeks now.  The pool games are finished and the quater finals started this weekend.  We went to the match last night between France and England.  We took a 15 minute train ride to Morningside station and walked 5 minutes to the park.  Above is the entrance we went in.

The view we had was very good way up high in the nose bleed section.  It was a great atmosphere and our section was full to capacity with many fans sporting face paint, wigs, French hats, English flag capes or team colored shirts or jackets.  We had a good hour to kill before the game started so we walked down many stairs (maybe 50 or so?) back to ground level to get french fries (chips) and diet cokes and hiked back up to our seats at the top of the stadium.  Stair master done for today? Check.

At one point, looked like a small rain cloud was heading our way and we spotted some rainbows, but we were spared.  Weather was cool and clear for the game.

Above is when anthems were just about to be sung to start the game off. A gentleman from Kent, south England, wore a South African jacket on, a purple and red Scottish kilt and a "anyone but England" t-shirt.  He and his wife had rented a camper van and were traveling NZ for their first visit and had gone to a few rugby games thus far.  They both sported red, blue and white stripes face paint - to support France.  An English girl and her French boyfriend sat near us and took turns clapping for sides.  Mr. from-England-but-supporting-France told us the French supporters were chanting "Allez le Blue" meaning "Go the Blue" so we chanted along when appropriate. 

The English supporters near us liked to sing "swing loooooow, sweet chariot, comin' for to take us hooooome".  Every 5 minutes or so, some random English bloke would stand up, face the crowd and start everyone off with "swing LOOOOOOOW, sweet ..." and the crowd would join in for a few words then stop.  Same thing again later but usually started by another random, slightly inebriated Englishman. 

The crowd managed to do 'the wave' a couple times all the way around the park when the game was taking a slight boring tack for a few minutes. 

England looked bit slow moving during most of the game.  Big strong blokes who couldn't seem to run very fast nor get too many passes off to keep the ball moving forward.  They dropped the ball at some crucial times stopping their momentum.  France, on the other hand, played like they were on fire.  They ran faster, passed faster and the game was more exciting when they had the ball which appeared to be most of the game.  Scoreless for a good 10 minutes or so, France got a penalty so they kicked to start off with 3 points on the board to England's 0.  Then again, France 6, England 0.  At this point individuals near us yelled "get it together England..." or "c'mon Paddy"  (hey, wrong team??) and we even heard a kiwi yell "smash 'em bro!"...   Everyone was hoping England would rise up to the French challenge.

But alas, no, England rallied a bit in the second half but final score was 19-12 with France the winner.

More match details from last night at Stuff.co.nz.

We left with a few minutes left to play, climbed down a bizillon stairs, walked the 5 minutes back to the train which left a few minutes after we boarded.  For an 8:30am game, we got home about 10:45pm after thoroughly enjoying the excitement and crowd at the Rugby World Cup.  Good job boys and congratulations to France, oui oui!

unexpectedly, our team The Warriors make the finals this weekend

more on VODAFONE WARRIORS here

YEAH boyz!  With 2 critical matches in the quarter and semi finals hard won, The Vodafone Warriors play in the NRL grand final this Sunday in 2 days!

My husband has been an avid supporter of The Warriors since the team started in 1994.  With league as an Australia favorite sport and a competition of only Australian teams, The Warriors was the first NZ team to join the National Rugby League.

2002 saw them make it to the finals but they lost the final game - a heart breaker for fans.  We were living in the USA for the 2002 match, but my husband found a radio station playing the game live so was listening avidly in middle of the night USA time.  (I fell asleep, oops). 

This weekend, all 3 teams in The Warriors club have made it to their respective finals:  The Vodafone Warriors have carved out another piece of history with close to 50 of their players now set to be involved in all three grand finals at ANZ Stadium in Sydney next Sunday (October 2).  The coaching staff is doing something right to get ALL 3 teams to their respective finals. 

We can't make it over to the match in Australia, but will be cheering them on TV.  They are the underdogs - 1 New Zealand team in a competition of 16: 15 are Australian.  It will be great it they win!  Go boyz!