Dalai Lama in DC - Diabetes in Abington - Columbo in Willow Grove / Poem: To his Holiness the Dalai Lama

Please join me, the Belle of Cowbell, in celebrating the Dalai Lama's 76th birthday. The public is invited to his 10-day public appearances from July 6 to 16.

How do I know? My daughter Sarah is there! Read her column for The Huffington Post.

He speaks thru an interpreter. His Holiness, Tenzin Gyatso, b. in 1935, was officially declared the 14th Dalai Lama when he was 15 yrs old. His unofficial declaration was made when he was only 2.

After the Tibetan upraising in 1959, he fled to India.

He travels the world preaching his brand of Buddhism and calling for Compassion as the way toward a happy life.

Lynn Sinclair, our most excellent teacher at Diabetes Management Classes, part of Abington Memorial Hospital.

Survey says: I gave her excellent ratings. In my comments, I wrote that the fluorescent lights were too bright for my eyes. (I wore sunglasses in class.)

When I got home from class, she left me a message on my answering machine. She'll seat me in a different spot.

We had about a dozen people in the class. We watched as a huge beetle made its way from one end of class to another.

Finally, Lynn picked it up and took it outside.

Here's the most important thing I learned:

Use a fresh needle every time you inject or check your blood sugar.

Why? Every time you use a needle or lancet to check your blood, the needle is being damaged and made raggedy! If you could see it under a microscope, she said, it might look like a saw.

It damages our tender skin.

Then I went to my pharmacy to pick up my drugs, and checked with Dr Bob, who said Absolutely! He's very smart.

When I picked up my Zocor, he said Are you allowed to use this w/your antirejection meds?

Yes, I said, since my kidney team knows about them.

Then, today, I saw my family doctor, Jim Foxhall, who said Do you know about the recent findings about Zocor?

Turns out it's contraindicated when you use some other drugs, including the antirejection med cyclosporin, which I do not take.

I like that my health team is up on things.

Reason I saw Foxhall was for my pre-surgery exam. Spine surgery scheduled for Weds., August 3.

I also brought w/me a Fabulous New Problem I developed in the middle of the night.

Having done online research and working w/my all-knowledgeable friend Helen, we diagnosed it as a bunion.



It's classic gout, said Foxhall. I'm now on a pack of Prednisone. 10-9-8-7- etc. Took ten at a time - take with food or milk - taken while eating yogurt and walnuts.

Gout is so painful I do my shopping wearing one shoe on my good foot and a black sock on my bad foot.

Scott had bet me I wouldn't finish Fordlandia in time for my book discussion group at the library today.

I finished it in the examining room at the doctor's office.

Naptime....and more Columbo.

TO HIS HOLINESS, THE DALAI LAMA, ON HIS 76th BIRTHDAY

We find ourselves together again,
Dear living room. You know what I like best?
Sure I like the Rice Krispies men from Jonatha,
the clay pots from sister Donna,
the robin's nest from the rosebush.
But when I come downstairs at dawn,
a finger dusting the wooden banister
my eyes are drawn to the light:
There you are -
Day! -
waiting always beyond the window
untouchable
breathless
innocent -
- both of us -
newly born.