Author's posts
Dec 11
Dickensian
I’m loving this TV show from Britain! Dickensian is a British drama television series that premiered on BBC One from 26 December 2015 to 21 February 2016. The 20-part series brings characters from many Charles Dickens novels together in one Victorian London neighbourhood, as Inspector Bucket investigates the murder of Ebenezer Scrooge‘s partner Jacob Marley. We are staying in a Residence Inn long …
Nov 18
Giving Thanks, Day 33: November 18, 2017
Adapted from https://cushieblog.com/2010/11/22/40-days-of-thankfulness-days-thirty-one-to-thirty-five/ Today is the anniversary of my one and only zipline experience. I had been thinking about doing this since my kidney cancer surgery 3 years earlier. I figured I had “extra years” and I wanted to do something kinda scary, yet fun. So, somehow, I decided on ziplining. All the following is …
Nov 12
Giving Thanks, Day 26: November 12, 2017
Our son Facetimed yesterday, just to chat. I am thankful that he’s doing so well for himself, has a wonderful fiance, has a good job, good friends, is a fine musician and that he’s not afraid to say he loves his parents. We love you, too!
Nov 11
Giving Thanks, Day 25: November 11, 2017
Giving thanks to our Veterans today I’m not sure how Veterans Day turned into a Friday holiday and a day to sell stuff, but then, most every holiday has turned into a day for stores to run “sales”. Possibly, the original intent was to give our veterans a break but it has sure morphed …
Oct 31
Giving Thanks, Day 14: October 31, 2017
Today I am thankful for my dog, Mimi. She’s a beautiful dog, sweet, loving and usually very mild-mannered, but she’ll bark her head off whenever she hears someone in the driveway. Tonight, she barked at potential trick-or-treaters and we have lots of candy left over. Thanks, Mimi!
Oct 28
Giving Thanks, Day 11: October 28, 2017
Today, I am thankful for Saturdays. It’ the one day of the week I don’t have to be anywhere, do anything. I can do webwork, if I want, but I don’t have any deadlines. I never have doctor appointments on Saturdays, no medical testing. No piano students. I don’t even talk to …
Oct 23
Giving Thanks, Day 6: October 23, 2017
Today I am thankful for naps, even longer than those on the chart above. Ever since my Cushing’s days in the early 1980’s, I’ve needed long daily naps – like 3 hours each – to get through the day. My endo says I’d have more energy if I took more Cortef, but when I …
Cushing’s
- 📰 Thymic Neuroendocrine Tumor With Metastasis to the Breast Causing Ectopic Cushing’s SyndromeWe present a case of a 34-year-old woman with a rapid onset of severe hypercortisolism in April 2016. After initial treatment with a steroid inhibitor (ketoconazole) and diagnostics including 68Ga DOTA-TATE PET/CT, it was shown to be caused by a small thymic NET.
- 🦓 Day 4, Cushing’s Awareness ChallengeOur “Official mascot” is the zebra. In med school, student doctors are told “When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras“.
- 🦓 From a Past Blogging Challenge ~ Sleep, the Goldilocks and the Three bears of Cushing’s DiseaseInsomnia was one of the first things that troubled me enough to try to get help for with Cushing’s Disease. By my last year in music school, I had flipped my schedule around. I felt best and got more done if I practiced through the night and slept through the day...
- 🦓 Comment added to Day 4, Cushing’s Awareness ChallengeThanks to AI, this year I was able to see a whole lot of zebras outside a hospital :)
- 🦓 From a Past Blogging Challenge: Cushing’s Awareness Challenge – Danielle, Day 3One of my least favorite things about my life with chronic illness is having imaging appointments. Whether it's my yearly brain MRI, or a chest X-ray, the whole process is uncomfortable, and sometimes even painful...
- 📅 Adrenal Insufficiency United’s Lunch & Learn, Los Angeles California, May 3Adrenal Insufficiency United’s Lunch & Learn Events are one day mini-conferences located in different cities in the USA. We find great local speakers to lead sessions and give presentations about issues affecting those with adrenal insufficiency. These one day events will be packed full of opportunities giving attendees more chances to ask questions, share their […]
- ℹ️ Adrenal insufficiency BasicsAdrenal insufficiency is a condition where the adrenal glands don't produce enough of certain hormones, primarily cortisol and sometimes aldosterone. This disorder can be categorized into primary (Addison's disease) and secondary forms.
- ℹ️ Cushing's Disease BasicsCushing's Disease is a rare condition caused by excessive production of cortisol, a hormone essential for various bodily functions. It is a specific form of Cushing's Syndrome, where the overproduction of cortisol is due to a tumor in the pituitary gland. The condition affects 10 to 15 people per million each year, predominantly women between […]
- ℹ️ Cushing's Syndrome OverviewCushing’s syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs when the body is exposed to too much cortisol. Cortisol is produced by the body and is also used in corticosteroid drugs. Cushing's syndrome can occur either because cortisol is being overproduced by the body or from the use of drugs that contain cortisol (like prednisone)…
- 📰 Ivory Tower: New PET Scan Molecule Offers Breakthrough in Detecting Cushing’s SyndromeResearchers from endocrinology and nuclear medicine departments have introduced a new PET scan molecule that enhances the detection of adenoma/small tumour causing Cushing’s syndrome. This development promises to improve surgical interventions and patient outcomes.
Music & Local Events
- 🍿 Coffee & a Classic: An American in Paris, TodayThere’s nothing better on a Friday morning than a classic movie and a fresh cup of coffee in our meeting room!
- 🐥 Raise Chicks this Spring, Today through April 9Purchase your 4 chicks and specify your pick up day April 4-19, 2025. They sell out quickly! Add-on a care kit if don’t have one. Decide where you would like to keep the chicks, laundry room, bathroom, mud room, and set up a box to be their home. (Tips below) April 4-19: The Farm Market […]
- 🛐 Lenten Hymn and Devotion, Week 5Brian Stevenson, Pender UMC Director of Handbells and Ensembles, presents a series of hymn-based devotions on Wednesdays during Lent. “Go to Dark Gethsemane” is a Lenten hymn that spotlights scenes from the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ’s life.
- 😎 Register for Vacation Bible School (VBS)For potty-trained three year olds through ninth graders. Embark on an exciting journey with Road Trip VBS, based on Joshua 1:9 – "The LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Discover God's presence everywhere as we explore new places, make new friends, and experience God's goodness together. Join us in a fun-filled adventure […]
- 🌎 Mini-Makers – Earth Day Edition, April 5Reduce – Reuse – Recycle! Spend a crafternoon making beads for bracelets. necklaces or even toy snakes using old magazines!
- 🧐 Brain Power, All AprilEnhance your mental fitness with “Train Your Brain” activities! Sudoku, crosswords, Color Me Happy, and word searches. Each activity is aimed at stimulating cognitive function and supporting memory improvement.
- 📆 O'Connor Music Studio CalendarUpdated daily with music and Northern Virginia events.
- 🧱 Brick Buddies: Build A Bridge!, April 8Use your imagination and engineering skills to complete the monthly challenge out of basic LEGO bricks. All materials are provided and stay at the library.
- 🎶 More Music OpportunitiesCalling All Musicians: Join Pender’s Vibrant Music Ministry! Are you passionate about music? Do you feel called to share your musical gifts in a community of faith? Pender is seeking talented musicians to join our vibrant Music Ministry team and contribute to our uplifting and spiritually enriching worship services!
- 📚 Toddler Storytime-Read with a Cop, April 16Join us for Early Literacy story time with stories, songs, and finger plays. Read by a police officer from the Fairfax County Police Department!