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"High readings at doctors office are called 'white coat hypertension,'" emails Trif, our totally awesome primary-care doc at Beth Israel Chelsea re high BP readings -- 170/90 -- at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary in our pre-cataract-op examination this morning:
As long as you continue home monitoring with successful readings, no further medication is needed. You can explain this to other caregivers when you see them.
His bedside/emailboxside manner is to die for (bad choice of words for a man of healing?). Thinking back to this morning, we realized that beyond "white coat hypertension," our BP was driven sky high by having to sit in the MEEI waiting room with an overhead TV tuned in to "Live with Regis and Kelly." We've never been able to tolerate canned laughter, but that's not the worst of it. Can you say fiddling while Rome burns? No wonder there's a health crisis in this country. Once back home in the soothing aura of our computer's glow, with the TV tuned mostly to Fox News in the background and Tuck, Tiny and Baby going about their daily activities, the readings returned to wicked low -- 132/72 -- until we started getting up to speed on Kofi Annan's latest disproportionate spoutings, when our "numbers" shot up again. Cybermaster of the Universe Roger L. Simon got it just right:
Kofi Annan, the man who oversaw possibly the greatest heist in human history, has rushed to judgment of Israel, saying the Israelis "deliberately targeted" the UN outpost in South Lebanon where a couple of UN observers were killed. Needless to say, Kofi provided no evidence that the Israelis did this or even any reason why they would want to do such a thing. Facts were never of particular interest to the Secretary General. Why should he start now? Thank whatever deity, we only have a few more months to endure of this dreadful man.
As we told our imail correspondent this afternoon:
We: As I wrote in Roger L. Simon's comments, I am calling for a UN Resolution for unilateral withdrawal of Kofi Annan from the international stage.
She: I like it, but would kick it up a notch . . . a UN resolution to disband the UN.
The thought of it soothes our soul. Can't wait till that cataract-clouded eye can trust what it sees again.
If you were completely blind Sissy, you would still see better than Kofi Annan.
Posted by: Laura Lee Donoho | July 26, 2006 at 06:20 PM
This is a great idea. The problem is that they never enforce their resolutions. So if they do pass one to disband themselves it will never happen.
Posted by: KjO | July 26, 2006 at 06:29 PM
Withdrawal of the US from the UN is my choice. An even more stupid denial of what a governing body is all about than its predecessor, The League of Nations.
Posted by: goomp | July 26, 2006 at 06:33 PM
Only a few months left of Annan? Who's up next? Can we get Bolton appointed? Although I'm sure the rest of the world will implode if that happens (wg).
Posted by: Lornkanaga | July 26, 2006 at 06:54 PM
Complete US withdrawl from the UN is the best choice.
Hezbollah uses UN peacekeepers as human shields by having one of their headquarters right next to a UN observation post and they know they will not be held accountable and we have proof this is so by Annan's blaming Israel for killing UN observers before there is even an investigation on the matter.
Posted by: Tara | July 26, 2006 at 09:41 PM
Daytime television is enough to make anyone's BP soar to the stratosphere... doesn't matter what show it is - they are all hideous. I should teach you some of the beginning tai chi stuff - that would help you immensely when you want to strangle one of the morons on television. *grin*
Posted by: Teresa | July 27, 2006 at 11:40 AM
"high BP readings"?
please take good care...
Kofi is useless, as well as the UN...
very sad...
Posted by: hNAV | July 27, 2006 at 12:29 PM
In the midst of all this insanity, I had an appointment with my primary care physician, on Wednesday. She is an absolutely marvelous Orthodox Jewish mother of 6 who can yell at me more effectively in less time than anyone I know. To my pleasant surprise, the old B.P. was 130/84! Can you imagine how great my B.P. would be if we could get rid of the U.N. from our shores, tell Donald Trump he can buy the building for $1 if he (a) gets a decent haircut and (b) remodels it into tax revenue producing office or apartment building. NYC would have such a huge drop in unpaid traffic and parking fines that it wouldn't know what to do with itself. The streets would be safer for CITIZENS of New York, and we'd have moved a source of irritation and sedition off our shores to some third-world sinkhole where these despicable slugs belong.
If this isn't a WIN-WIN, I don't know what is!
Posted by: Gayle Miller | July 27, 2006 at 03:04 PM
I am right behind you on the withdrawal! Hey, I'm in Randolph for another week - e-mail me!
Posted by: Greta (Hooah Wife) | July 27, 2006 at 07:24 PM