rich-c: hi rich rich-c: sorry I'm late Dr.D.: Hello Richard! Dr.D.: I was hanging about in another window with this one minimized. rich-c: yep, the old bad penny is back Dr.D.: New hip, though :-) rich-c: I'd jus5t about given up and started a game of Free Cell Dr.D.: I hope the painkillers aren't still messing with your mind. rich-c: yeah, left rear suspension totally renewed Dr.D.: Gack, I hope I'm more interesting than FreeCell :-) Dr.D.: I'm also surprised more folks aren't here now. rich-c: haven't had any last two days and for three days before took one Percocet befoe physio and that was it Dr.D.: Frances did tell everyone that you were to be back Friday, and that your appearance here today was a given. rich-c: sometimes some folks are slow to get the message - others just never noticethe clock Dr.D.: I hope you're able to rest comfortably. Dr.D.: And that the physiotherapy isn't too onerous. rich-c: no sweat; took me a bit to settle in but I had a fine sleep last night rich-c: problem is, I can only sleep in one position and that's bad for my bed sores Dr.D.: Bed sores?!? rich-c: sure - I've spent almost 3 weeks on my back with a pillow between my knees rich-c: got a fine little erosion site on my butt Dr.D.: But hospital staff are supposed to move people regularly enough to prevent that, sigh. Dr.D.: That was impossible due to the surgery? rich-c: true, but it's a positional thing, and they can't move you away from the one position Dr.D.: Did they give you a gel-filled matress pad to sit on? rich-c: yes, there are and will be restrictions on my movement Dr.D.: That's what we used when I worked as an orderly, this nifty gel stuff that was much softer than a matress. rich-c: haven't heard anything about gel-filled mattress pads - have to investigate Dr.D.: It was this block, about 2 feet square, maybe 3 inches thick. rich-c: hope fairlt soon to be able to roll to my right Dr.D.: Laid on the mattress, then you laid on it. rich-c: never seen or heard of it - but I'll investigate, bet on it Dr.D.: It really allowed force to distribute out, so it didn't get concentrated on sharp bony points, where most ulcers develop. rich-c: these seem to be almost dead centre of my pelvis - which figures Dr.D.: Would sleeping sitting up every once in a while help relieve the pressure? rich-c: also means that when I'm up and sitting the weight still gets concentrated in the same place Dr.D.: Is a recliner-type chair (if you have one) contra-indicated? rich-c: officially yes, but there's a reason for that rich-c: the restriction is that my knees must be lower than my hips Dr.D.: Not being an orthopaedist...the reason for this is? rich-c: so I plunked three thick pillows into the recliner then parked myself in rich-c: I must not cross my legs, or move either across the centreline of my body rich-c: I also may not twist my body rich-c: nor may I reach my arms below the level of my knees Dr.D.: I guess this is all to insure proper healing. Dr.D.: I hope not permantently! Dr.D.: Ooops, permanently rich-c: yes - I gather that the artificial hip is very slightly smaller than the original rich-c: and that under stresses it dislocates more easily, especially in the early stages Dr.D.: But walking and stairs are not verboten, are they? rich-c: oh no. I'm hiking all around the house and had to show the therapists that I could go up and down stairs before the hospital would spring me Dr.D.: Eventually you'll be allowed to drive, too, I hope. rich-c: in fact at some point I'll be giving you a brb while I go do a lap of the kitchen just to keep things flexible Dr.D.: Sure, walk all you need to! rich-c: driving is a question - neighbour Joseph did it at three weelks (though he says DONT tell the doctor) rich-c: but others say anything from four to six to eight weeks rich-c: of course once you're out from under the hospital's watchful eye you can do as you please rich-c: you can also live with the consequences of your indiscreet pleasures Dr.D.: Driving is contradicted for good? Or just until a longer-than-most-people-can-stand-to-wait interval? rich-c: my review appointment with my surgeon is Dec. 18th rich-c: well, no one is watching so you basically make your own call - caveat as above rich-c: since the Safari is automatic and it was my left hip that was done, I can easily operate it rich-c: also stepping up into the van is far easier than sinking into a low car Dr.D.: Since you'll need to be driving again at some point...wait the extra bit just to be sure it's all healed up. Dr.D.: If we get a bad winter this year, you won't be wanting to be out in it anyhow. rich-c: yes, among other things I still cant raise my leg up off the bed more than an inch rich-c: I can flex the knee joint and kick behind me like a mule Dr.D.: That's good, Frances had noted to us some reduced knee-joint flexibility. rich-c: right after the operation I couldn't even flex the knee one inch rich-c: but at the rehab hospital I was happily doing laps of the floor Dr.D.: Just took some time. Dr.D.: Keep doing the laps. rich-c: in fact, caught hell a couple of times when I wandered out having forgotten my cane! Dr.D.: Are you using a cane still, or are you completely stand-alone? rich-c: funnily enough, if I'm without the cane I have a very pronounced limp, but with the cane can already hold a near-normal gait rich-c: oh, I expect that I'll likely use the cane for some few more weeks - canes are handy at times Dr.D.: Got some people you want to whack? :-) rich-c: let's say that properly (and very subtly) placed they can discouragee the inconsiderate from jostling you rich-c: also great for pressing handicap-door buttons and stuff Dr.D.: Hehe Dr.D.: Carry it anyway, just for show. rich-c: in fact I used the cane to turn the computer on just now - it's lower than I-m allowed to rash rich-c: reach Dr.D.: Get yourself a nice wooden one with a gold ferule or something :-) rich-c: oh, for home I have a nice stout wooden one, with a splashy adjutable aluminum one for outings rich-c: though at this season I may want to get an ice-pick end for it (yes, they exist) Dr.D.: I wonder how much trouble you'll get in airport security, though. rich-c: yeah, likely drive their metal detectors nuts Dr.D.: The ice-pick end would make them made I think. rich-c: though I guess new hips are so common now they're used to it Dr.D.: I wonder if they will start making people carry some kind of official document that says "I have the following prosthetic implants: blah blah". rich-c: anyway there are no airplane flights in my immediate future projections Dr.D.: Hope you're able to come to ADAMcon 16, currently slated for El Paso, TX. That would be a long drive. rich-c: we are very much planning to come and hoping we can do it as a driving trip rich-c: brb - want a drink of water Dr.D.: Given that it's to be in September, I may end up being able to attend only for the weekend part; my teaching duties may be changing soon. Dr.D.: [drink of water acknowledged] rich-c: why, what's in the wind for you? Dr.D.: Possibly a job shift from Senior Research Associate to a full-time Instructor. Dr.D.: And on track to become the Department's new Executive Officer when the current EO retires in 2 years. rich-c: well, considering the success you've had with your robotics teaching sideline, I'm not surprised Dr.D.: Well, one casualty of the change would likely be the existing robot course. rich-c: and I gather that suggests your research publications have been well received, too Dr.D.: My teaching would be back to mainline biology stuff. Dr.D.: I would still be working with my current boss in a consulting or other small capacity, but his grants would not be underwriting my salary. rich-c: so a good teeacher gets plunked right into his specialty - that's fair rich-c: I assume this would be an effective promotion, perhaps with tenure implications? Dr.D.: The advantage (should this come to pass, the Chairman is working on it) would be me finally being off soft money. Dr.D.: No "tenure" (that's for research faculty running their own labs and writing research grants). Dr.D.: But it would be a de facto permanent position. rich-c: do not most regular teaching faculty have tenure there? Dr.D.: There are no "teaching faculty" at CWRU, only tenure track is research. Dr.D.: However, reality is that there are not enough tenured faculty to do the undergrad teaching well. rich-c: I gather that is rather different from the situation around here, then Dr.D.: And right now, only me and the EO who is planning to retire can teach any anatomy courses. Dr.D.: So I would have the comparative anatomy and human anatomy courses as part of my teaching load. rich-c: yes, that does tend to make you somewhat indispensible Dr.D.: It's all very tentative at this time, a fair chance it can't happen, but the Chairman would like to see it happen. rich-c: Lord knows you've been on the bubble for too many years- time they showed some appreciation of your contribution Dr.D.: Since it also looks like the NSF has bought my grant to develop a web-based robot course, that could become the replacement for the current LEGO-based one. rich-c: it's common here for high school teachers to look down on university instructors Dr.D.: Though ideally I'd like it to be a separate, complementary course, not a zero-sum game. Dr.D.: Your HS teachers are better-trained? Good if they are. rich-c: concede they may be experts in their subjects, but no one ever taught them how to teach Dr.D.: Not the case here, I am afraid. Dr.D.: Here many HS teachers know all the education gobbledygook but are poor in the subject matter. Dr.D.: Also, teaching no longer has the monopoly on smart women for careers. rich-c: point is, university faculty have no formal teaching qualifications, is the thought Dr.D.: Teaching and nursing have suffered the most from the expansion of horizons for working women, 'cause the pay is non-competitive. Dr.D.: That point is true. I've just been through a semester-long teaching fellows series to try to correct that. rich-c: and I think you've encountered more than one professor who, however outstanding in his field, just couldn't get his lessons across Dr.D.: There was never any selection pressure at the university level for craft of teaching. Dr.D.: Bring in the research $$$, that's all you need to get tenure. And not molest the students, but that's about all else. rich-c: here to teach you must have a university undergraduate degree plus teacher's college or equivalent rich-c: that applies even at elemenatery level now Dr.D.: So then you must have research-only faculty tracks. rich-c: if you have additional subject expertise (honous - masters - graduate degree) your pay is higher Dr.D.: Haha, here advanced degree will prevent you getting hired. Dr.D.: You can get a M.S. after you've been working for a few years and tenured by your union/school system...but me as a Ph.D., would never get hired at the entry level. rich-c: don't know how strong the publish or perish pressure is in our universities Dr.D.: Our university system is now so taken over by business models that learning and education are only secondary issues. Short-term economic gain to the Board of Trustees and endowment is all that counts now. rich-c: high school teachers with doctorates are uncommon here, but I have had some and met others Dr.D.: This has become abundantly clear around here with the crew changing CWRU to Case. Dr.D.: Pointless new logo, marketroid salesspeak, stuff that's crafted to look pretty to Joe-Bob...sigh. rich-c: Toronto now has a new president but what direction he will take is not totally clear Dr.D.: Has Ms. Rin managed to get herself a job in the new administration? She's missed the last few Wednesday chats and nobody seems to know. rich-c: he talks a lot about excellence though and has been very successful in fundraiing from teh alumni Dr.D.: Oh, duh, University of Toronto, my bad. rich-c: Erin? don't know quite how things tand Dr.D.: Stupid me. rich-c: she was here for the Liberal convention Nov. 10 and didn't have a job then Dr.D.: Our alumni fundraising....haha rich-c: Toronto now has quite a massive endowment fund Dr.D.: After the name change to remove "Western Reserve" from everything, every sign, every building, etc., all the Reservie alumni have voted with their feet. rich-c: oh dear - that is no help at all Dr.D.: There is nothing left on campus that says "Western Reserve" anything except one gymnasium which has a sandstone block over the door that says "WRV" (V=Latin U). rich-c: as I recall, Toronto has had nine Nobel laureates on faculty so far, and does not consider that nearly enough Dr.D.: No Nobel laureates on faculty...but a pathetic "brag display" in the glass atrium attached to our Biology Building with plaques noting all the people who got Nobels who worked here at some point. rich-c: every once in a while the Alumi magazine notes graduates who [icked up Nobels later in life Dr.D.: I think only one of them was ever still here when he did his prize-winning work, or did a significant amount of his work here. Dr.D.: It's a sad testament to all the good ones who got away from this place. Dr.D.: But they try to spin it otherwise. rich-c: of course there are others who don't have Nobels (yet?) but are growing reputations Dr.D.: Perhaps physicist Lawrence Krauss (the "Physics of Star Trek" guy) has enough cachet to snare a Nobel prize, but he is more of a "popular" celebrity than any whiz-bang researcher, as far as I can tell. Dr.D.: He was buddy enough with Stephen Hawking to get Hawking to come visit last month, though. Dr.D.: That might have made international news. rich-c: that sounds pretty promising Dr.D.: Richard, I hate to stop talking to you...but I have to go get supper in the oven... rich-c: and just because someone has used his expertise for fun as well doesnt mean he isn't a giant in his field rich-c: understnad completely, Rich - I have to go take a walk anyway Dr.D.: Joan is working tonight and we have to be on the road by 6:15 PM tonight. rich-c: see you on chat Wednesday? Dr.D.: It's just that I've missed talking to you :-) Dr.D.: Glad to have the chance again. rich-c: my pleasure, as ever Dr.D.: Go take your walk, say hi to Frances. Dr.D.: And I'm off to the galley... rich-c: and you go eat and enjoy bye now
Dr.D. left chat session
rich-c left chat session
moved to room Meeting Place
changed username to Pepe
Pepe left chat session
moved to room Meeting Place
changed username to Daniel Bienvenu
Daniel Bienvenu moved to room The Garden
Daniel Bienvenu moved to room Meeting Place
moved to room Meeting Place
changed username to rich-c