O’Beast, Wells, and Metolazone

Ever notice that after you’ve gone and called the doctor to get an appointment you immediately start to get better? It evidently works that way with cats too. O’Beast scarfed down breakfast this morning like the piglet he’s always been. He still needs his annual check-up for his heart condition, so I’ll drag him (over what I anticipate will be very vocal protests) to the vet’s anyhow.

To my delighted surprise, Turner showed “Citizen Kane” last night. I’ve loved that movie ever since I first saw it two decades ago. It had been a long time since I’d last seen the film, and it was nice to get reacquainted with it. As I seem to do with any good movie, I noticed several new things on this subsequent showing that I’d never noticed before. I find it amazing that Orson Wells was only 25 years old when they made the film. The make-up job to age him as the film progressed was equal to anything modern make-up artists could have achieved. The use of lighting in the movie was at times pure genius; the scenes in the library and at the opera house particularly come to mind. The Socialist watched the film with me. It was his first time seeing it, and I don’t think he was quite as taken with it as I am. Ah well, I fail to see the lure of “Evil Dead 2,” and that is one of his all-time favorites. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

And now the medical news. You really didn’t think I’d manage to write an update without making some comment, did you? The new diuretic continues to do it’s thing in a big way. I’ve been on it since Tuesday, and as of this morning I’m down 9 pounds. I’m still enjoying intermittent bouts of mild nausea, but I’m so tickled by being able to see my ankles and kneecaps again that I’m not going to complain. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really going to need a paracentesis on Monday. I’m not going to cancel the appointment, but I don’t anticipate Dr. Liver being able to get much more than four liters off of me this time. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that my MELD score will go up because we’ve been able to get so much fluid off of me.