TIL...

[auntiehill]

Today, I learned that pine beetles cannot survive in cold temperatures.

Woo.

[cooleddie74]

Today I learned that, every once in a while, if someone royally screws up your order for takeout food that the manager will let you have your next order of equal or lesser value for free!

[scotpens]

thestrangequark wrote:

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Isn't it just obnoxious how even the fucking temperature affects it? Although I have to say the best fun is when my liver decides to pump out glucose for no reason giving me a nice spike to 550. I only have a vague sense of the conversion, but I'm thinking a 2.6 is around 40 and a 550 is around 16. Also, I wonder why you guys don't measure it like we do -- mg/dl is more exact than mmol/l.

From Wiki:

The international standard way of measuring blood glucose levels is in terms of a molar concentration, measured in mmol/L (millimoles per litre; or millimolar, abbreviated mM). In the United States, mass concentration is measured in mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre).
Since the molecular weight of glucose C6H12O6 is about 180 g/mol, for the measurement of glucose, the difference between the two scales is a factor of 18, so that 1 mmol/L of glucose is equivalent to 18 mg/dL.

I never even knew there was a way of measuring blood glucose other than milligrams per deciliter. That's us provincial Yanks for you.

[thestrangequark]

^This is the one rare case where I think our (the American) system of measurement is better. That 18 point difference in the scale factor seems huge to me when it comes to measuring blood sugar! I mean, just a 15 point difference on the American scale is a big deal, eg the difference between 55 and 70.

Anyway, today I learned that I absolutely do not have breast cancer! Yay! Though my boob hurts like a bitch, and I still might have to have surgery on it. They did a nasty biopsy today (for which they can't use anesthesia) which basically involved shoving a needle into the most sensitive part of my breast and wriggling it around and suctioning out cells. It's really sore.
They don't actually know what it is, and think it might be a rare kind of tumor that's associated specifically with type 1 diabetes, but they know it's not cancer! I get to have a mammogram and another biopsy, and then wil find out about surgery.

[cooleddie74]

Awesome news, tsq! I'm so happy for you!

Sorry to hear you might have to slog through some sort of surgical procedure for the other issue you mentioned, but at least it's not cancer!

[CorporalClegg]

thestrangequark wrote:

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Anyway, today I learned that I absolutely do not have breast cancer! Yay! Though my boob hurts like a bitch, and I still might have to have surgery on it. They did a nasty biopsy today (for which they can't use anesthesia) which basically involved shoving a needle into the most sensitive part of my breast and wriggling it around and suctioning out cells. It's really sore.
They don't actually know what it is, and think it might be a rare kind of tumor that's associated specifically with type 1 diabetes, but they know it's not cancer! I get to have a mammogram and another biopsy, and then wil find out about surgery.

Woot!

This makes me happy. Of course, I'm only thinking of myself here because I'm assured many more years of epic art and blessed wisdom that comes with it.

[thestrangequark]

Yep. Not cancer, not dangerous. No risk of losing my life or even my boob! This makes up for the annoyance of any future procedures entirely!

[Mr. Laser Beam]

No cancer or danger? That is very good news, tsq.

[Shanndee]

I'm so glad to hear this tsq! That's great news!!

[the 4th hanson bro]

TIL that in a pinch, jumbo paper clips can stand in nicely when one leaves one's collar stays at home.

[auntiehill]

thestrangequark wrote:

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Yep. Not cancer, not dangerous. No risk of losing my life or even my boob! This makes up for the annoyance of any future procedures entirely!

Yeah, biopsies like that hurt like a son of a bitch! I had a weird cyst two years ago and had to go through something similar. Mammograms are nothing compared to that. Not that mammograms are fun, mind you, but it's really just a case of being briefly uncomfortable. As with most things, the anticipation of it is far worse than the event.

Today, I learned about oDesk. I may have to fill out some applications there and see if I can score some extra work.

[cooleddie74]

Just curious, tsq...did your physician use a tunneling mammography machine on you? I don't know if that's the official, accurate name for the imaging system but at the time my mom passed away four years ago(thankfully it wasn't from breast or any other form of cancer) her breast care specialist was about to acquire a new model of mammography imager/machine called a "tunneling imager" or something along those lines. It was supposed to be more comfortable and easier for the woman and, I believe, require less time to acquire a clear and readable image.

Perhaps auntie might know something about these "tunneling" mammography machines as well. I was just curious. If you guys don't know or can't remember that's cool. My mom never got the opportunity to use one of them and I always wondered if they were indeed faster and more comfortable.

[RevdKathy]

TIL that TSQ doesn't have breast cancer, and it made me smile. I would do the happy dance, but I also learned today that the new meds the doctor has given me make me feel like crap, at least for the first few days, so dancing is out. Consider me dancing inwardly for you.

Sorry your boob hurts, sunshine, but well worth the discomfort for that news.

[macloudt]

Great news, tsq!

Today I learned that my 100 lb Golden Retriever is well and truly scared of a 6 lb, 14-year-old cat.

[thestrangequark]

^We had a dog like that, but even more extreme! Our St Bernard, Daisy, was terrified of one of our cats, Minnie, when we fist got her. To make it even funnier, Minnie was a runt and weighed about 2 lbs!

auntiehill wrote:

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Yeah, biopsies like that hurt like a son of a bitch! I had a weird cyst two years ago and had to go through something similar. Mammograms are nothing compared to that. Not that mammograms are fun, mind you, but it's really just a case of being briefly uncomfortable. As with most things, the anticipation of it is far worse than the event.

That's actually very comforting to hear. I have been very anxious about the mammogram, but am finding a lot of support here on the board, which is really nice as I tend not to discuss medical problems with friends and family IRL.

cooleddie74 wrote:

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Just curious, tsq...did your physician use a tunneling mammography machine on you? I don't know if that's the official, accurate name for the imaging system but at the time my mom passed away four years ago(thankfully it wasn't from breast or any other form of cancer) her breast care specialist was about to acquire a new model of mammography imager/machine called a "tunneling imager" or something along those lines. It was supposed to be more comfortable and easier for the woman and, I believe, require less time to acquire a clear and readable image.

Perhaps auntie might know something about these "tunneling" mammography machines as well. I was just curious. If you guys don't know or can't remember that's cool. My mom never got the opportunity to use one of them and I always wondered if they were indeed faster and more comfortable.

Actually haven’t had the mammo yet, just the biopsy. I’ve heard that over the years they’ve gotten much better, though. I will just treat myself to something afterwards! Maybe chocolate. Or booze.

RevdKathy wrote:

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TIL that TSQ doesn't have breast cancer, and it made me smile. I would do the happy dance, but I also learned today that the new meds the doctor has given me make me feel like crap, at least for the first few days, so dancing is out. Consider me dancing inwardly for you.

Sorry your boob hurts, sunshine, but well worth the discomfort for that news.

It’s a bit better today. I’m sorry your meds make you feel like crap!