diagnosis needed, intense pain

For over a week now, I've had this odd, intense pain under my right jaw and slightly below. I think some lymph nodes in the right side of my neck (the ones that run parallel to your throat) are not happy.

The odd thing is that after several days of two antibiotics - Levaquin and amoxycillin - the pain hasn't diminished at all. Instead, it's worse.

I kept thinking that the antibiotics would kick in at any time, but today I felt so awful that I didn't get up until 2:00pm, and that was only to eat a little so I could take my Levaquin dose.

I can't help but wonder if it's related to my recent root canal, or to the fact that I have an old root canal that developed something that an endodontist calls a "sinus tract". Which suggests that a root canal has gone bad and needs surgery from the outer gum. (Both teeth are on the right side - one upper, one lower.) I can't afford to have the sinus tract fixed as it would run about $1,600.

If anyone happens upon this and might know what's causing it, I wouldn't mind a third opinion (have already been to two doctors in the last few days).

Ears and cats and opinions

Over the last two days, I seem to be trying to develop a sore throat/ear infection of sorts. Basically it's all on the right side: all the lymph nodes on that side of my neck are unhappy. But the ear and throat pain builds up during the course of the day.

Since I don't like to take antibiotics casually, I decided to hold off for now and dose myself with vitamins and zinc instead. But it's a standoff. I haven't gotten any better or worse since it began three days ago.

Also I added to the cat population here, at least temporarily, by bringing Rusty back from the shelter earlier today. Rusty is an aging orange and white cat with two problems: a) he generally doesn't like other cats, and b) he sometimes shows his displeasure by peeing where he shouldn't. He also has a mouth condition that requires steroid injections every couple of months. He's been at the shelter for literally years now, always looking unhappy, and I am beginning to despair that anyone will ever adopt him.

I had a chat with a long-time friend Alex earlier today. We've known each other for over 10 years, and although we initially met sharing hopes for romance, it was fairly obvious that there wasn't any physical chemistry. But that didn't keep us from liking each other and keeping up the friendship.

During our conversation, I mentioned John's odd horoscope/message and asked what he made of it. After filling him in on the card I'd sent, what I'd written in the card, and other details, Alex finally said: "The only reason I can think for someone sending such a weird message is if he were really drunk."

Although I really can't see John as an aging alcoholic, stranger things have happened.

Weird and weirder

After wondering WTF John meant by sending me the message shown in the previous blog entry, an astute and intelligent reader spotted exactly the same words at a horoscope Web site. True, it was an elderly site, but the message was a horoscope for Leo, which is John's astrological sign. Not that I put great stock in horoscopes. But there you are.

At least I know he didn't sit around and compose the message, but still, why on earth send it to me?

On to other, more intelligent things. My doctor friend, who occasionally buys up 20-30 tickets for movie premieres, invited me to the opening night of a film called Cloverfield, which was earlier this evening. I won't give away any plot, but let's just say it drags a bit before getting your interest in a major way. I thought it was entertaining enough. I give it 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

John Savelle emerges after years, but all I can say is "huh"?

Anyone who has visited my other blog (see links for my other, older blog) has probably figured out why I started blogging - I was looking for a man. No, I wasn't looking for Hattori Hanzo, although that would have made a lot more sense.

Anyway, after about four years of complete and utter silence, John Savelle finally sent me something. I can't call it a letter, though. But there's one small problem - it doesn't make any forking sense.

I should back up here and explain that in December 2007, I sent him a Christmas card through a UK-based card service. The reason I did that was to minimize suspicion in his household, as an international stamp would be much more noticeable, although I didn't write anything salacious either. If anything, it was kind of pitiful I suppose.

Basically, I asked him to let me know he was alive and well if he were indeed at this address, as the year 2007 had been lousy for me.

Today, I went through my mail and saw a letter with a UK stamp and his handwriting. Before I opened it, I realized the envelope only had one sheet of paper, so I wasn't expecting anything good - probably a "please go away". I stuck it in my pocket and walked around the house with it for a while before I finally opened it.

But here's the really weird bit - he didn't send a letter at all. Instead, I got a sheet of paper with the following message on it - typed out, not handwritten:

Spells 'R' Us

Thank you for calling Spells 'R' Us. All our operators are busy right now so you are being held in a queue. Meanwhile, may we tell you about our special offer on Eye Of Newt? Order three in any colour and you get your next Wings of Bat at half-price. Thank you for your patience. We are experiencing very high call volume. If you cannot get the right ingredients for your ideal recipe this week, go ahead and cast your spell anyway. Your Magic is more than enough to ensure success!

CHIN UP

What on earth could this message mean? If he wanted me to bugger off, why didn't he just say so - why make up a strange "on hold" message instead? Is he calling me a witch? Has he read too many Harry Potter books? Is he senile? Or is he just messing with me?

If you would like to hazard a guess as to what this message means, I am absolutely at a loss what to make of it. Please leave your guess in the Comments.

Big Brother strikes again

One reason I've not been able to add much to this blog in the last couple of months is that the Powers That Be at work have decided to ban employees from viewing blogs. Not sure I see the point, esp. since I used to get some good market info from reading mortgage brokers' blogs.

Does anyone know a sneaky way around the proxy server? Anonymyzer has, alas, already been blocked. Bass turds.