Crankster

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Latest

Everyone-
For everyone whose been checking in, thanks for visiting. As I imagine you can guess, things have been a little hectic of late. I'm still working on making the freelance writing thing pay, and we're still living in the Bronx. In an interesting surprise twist, my sister Ella has left Pennsylvania and is now shuttling back and forth between my sister Sue's place in Connecticut, my sister Jen's place in Brooklyn, and my place in the Bronx.

Ella is doing as well as can be expected. She currently has two drains in her liver and is seeing doctors at Columbia Presbyterian, the hospital where Malcolm X died. After extensive work by the folks at the Geisinger Clinic and by her Columbia doctors, it's clear that she will need a liver transplant. Unfortunately, her liver itself is in great shape; the only reason that it doesn't work is the extensive bile duct damage and scar tissue. This means that she will probably receive a very low transplantation score, and will probably end up getting a live liver transplant or a grade B liver. However, as with everything else, we're going to cross that road when we get to it.

In other news, Georgia is great, although she's started to develop a habit of speaking in ghetto English. Right now, one of her favorite words is "nasty," as in "Ooh, thass naaasty, mama!" It's taking a little getting used to!

15 Comments:

  • It's good to see you back. Thanks for the update.

    I'm not sure I understand about Ella's transplant. Are you saying that she will be low on the list and/or get an inferior liver because her own would work if not for bile duct damage and scar tissue? It seems that if the whole apparatus is non-functional for ANY reason, she shouldn't be penalized. What am I missing?

    So Georgia is learning English as a second language? You must be so proud. :)

    By Blogger heartinsanfrancisco, At September 19, 2008 at 11:18 PM  

  • Hearts-
    Thanks for dropping in! The hospital is going to ask for "special consideration," in light of the fact that Ella cannot currently live without two drains, both of which carry a serious risk of infection. That having been said, she's young, in good shape, and has a fully-functioning liver, all of which mitigates against her. Yeah, it's really unfair!

    And, yes, I'm enjoying the hell out of my daughter's ebonics skills!

    By Blogger Crankster, At September 20, 2008 at 10:43 AM  

  • So glad you popped in to update. Thank you for that! I was worried about you guys.

    I'm glad that Ella has such supportive and wonderful siblings :)

    The bile duct thing...what about a stent? Or would that not work? I'm so sorry she's suffering with this.

    {{Hug}} to you and your family.

    oh,and, your little one...toooooo funny! you should start calling her Janet jackson! lol

    By Blogger Echomouse, At September 20, 2008 at 11:17 AM  

  • I was really worried about Ella when you didn't post for so long. Glad to have you back. Sounds like Georgia is becoming bilingual and it's always a good thing to speak more than one language. I use my Kentucky accent shamelessly when I need it, then go right back to neutral in a heartbeat.

    By Blogger Scarlett, At September 20, 2008 at 3:17 PM  

  • Always in my thoughts, you all are. What I wouldn't give to hear Georgia in jive. Give VA a hug for me.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At September 20, 2008 at 4:46 PM  

  • I hope that everything goes well with Ella, despite the possibility of being low on the list!!
    As for Georgia-ooh, thaaas naaaasty!! You have got to record her! LOL

    By Blogger Claudia , At September 20, 2008 at 6:00 PM  

  • I am with everyone else in hoping that something good comes out of this. From our experience, most but not all transplants happen during major holidays. That's when the largest number of organs become available.

    Hug the family.

    By Blogger The CEO, At September 21, 2008 at 10:28 AM  

  • Sorry, I accidently left my comment under my porn star name, Scarlett. It's a long twisted story involving all basic human frailties and a new Apple ibook. Ask me about it and I'll make something up.

    By Blogger Spellbound, At September 21, 2008 at 9:17 PM  

  • Echomouse-
    They tried a stent, and it seems to be helping on the right side of her liver, but the left lobe is completely trashed. For that matter, the right side isn't going all that well, and a stent just isn't going to do it for long.

    About George, I know! Her latest is ending sentences in prepositions, as in "Mama! Where your purse at?"


    Scarlett-
    Good to know your porn name! I still pull out the appalachian accent from time to time, and a little bit of the Cape Cod accent has gotten me out of some tight spots. My only worry is that the kid is going to go completely ghetto!


    Franki-
    Thanks--and thanks for the Yoda-style sentence. Found it awesome, I did!

    Hope all is well in your neck of the woods!


    Claudia-
    Oh, we are! And, for the time being at least, Ella is doing pretty well. Thanks for your warm thoughts!


    CEO-
    That will probably play into a future post. Let me put it this way: prostitutes have livers, too!

    BTW, we went to the fifth-from-last game at Yankee Stadium and thought about you!


    Spellbound-
    Great picture, by the way! Sooo...do tell about the Scarlett moniker!

    By Blogger Crankster, At September 22, 2008 at 12:06 PM  

  • Ah, good to hear you're alive and well. And sorry to hear that things are still tough for Ella. So does 'nasty' mean 'nasty' or does it have some other slang meaning of which I am unaware?

    Puss

    By Blogger Glamourpuss, At September 24, 2008 at 8:44 AM  

  • Popped in to see if there was more news.

    What a great comment thread - porn, prostitutes, health, death during holidays, witty kids talking gangsta! It's got everything!!! lol

    By Blogger Echomouse, At September 25, 2008 at 10:26 AM  

  • Puss-
    Well, it also has a positive connotation, but I don't think George knows about it yet. Keep in mind, in ghettospeak, "nasty" actually has four or five syllables. George's slight lisp means it comes out more like "Mama, dass neaaaaahhhhhthty!" Think "In Living Color," and you're halfway there!


    Mouse-
    You're absolutely right. I really couldn't ask for anything more when it comes to comment threads!

    By Blogger Crankster, At September 27, 2008 at 12:05 PM  

  • Hooray! An update! I hope Ella's naaaasssssty liver gets replaced soon. Be thankful Georgia hasn't adopted the Hannah Montana "ya think?" That's way more cringe-inducing!

    By Blogger JamieSmitten, At September 30, 2008 at 9:06 PM  

  • man, I cannot believe you are back. I am a total stranger and thought the worse of what may have happened in your long absence. But I KEPT checking in.
    We are big fans of Ella's here in Central Florida.
    Glad she is hanging in and we are waiting for her next cool video.
    Does she NOT have her own blog yet???

    Steph

    By Blogger Steph C., At October 11, 2008 at 8:50 PM  

  • And of course, many many blessings on her health. She must beat it because she is an amazing addition to this planet.

    By Blogger Steph C., At October 11, 2008 at 8:52 PM  

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