Paris ~ October 14, 2008
I love this building at 2 Rue Buffon near the southeast corner of the Jardin des Plantes. I've taken many pictures of the outside, including its very cool dinosaur sculpture and the critters attached to the outside of the building, but the doors have always been locked when I've been there. The inside of this building is the kind of thing I dream about. I can't imagine anyplace better. I should have been a paleontologist.
The early scientists are memorialized along with the animals. The name on the plaque in this photo is A. d'Orbigny. Alcide Dessalines d'Orbigney (1802-1857) traveled in South America and studied it's natural history and geology. He drew the first comprehensive map of the continent and is considered the father of stratigraphical paleontology, having noticed the importance played by the different layers in which fossils are found.
Update: I haven't been posting regularly. I've been feeling worse for a few days, but today I'm feeling better. I'm still topsy-turvey from the parathyroid disease and the surgeries in 2012. I'm beginning to figure out why my recovery may be so slow. Calcium is absolutely vital to the way the body works. It's not just about building strong bones and healthy teeth. It acts as a secondary messaging system for the endocrine system as well as a transmitter for the nervous system. Over the years my whole body had to adjust to higher calcium, then suddenly they threw it a curve-ball, removing the tumors that kept my calcium too high and causing it to go much lower. This looks perfect on paper, but everything has to adjust. Nobody explained the degree to which this could happen. I knew that the nervous system was affected, but I didn't realize until yesterday that calcium is also a transmitter for hormones, including thyroid and others. My thyroid TSH was at a pretty normal level before the first surgery and now it's quite high. I guess it takes a while to come back to normal. Meanwhile, life can be very uncomfortable. I was improving through January, and then February became very stressful and I got severe flu (or something). When I type too much I get inflammations, which is why I haven't been commenting, either. I'm doing better today, and trying to do everything right. Eating gobs of protein and taking lots of calcium helps, along with sleep and rest. I'm still figuring it out myself and with several Facebook groups, as my doctors have all been very uninformed on relevant points.
My Web Page: tapirback.com
8 comments:
It is interesting how it seems that everything in our body is inter-related. But you're learning that the hard way. The trouble is, I don't think a lot of medics know about all the possible interactions.
So sorry you had a setback, but hopefully, you're doing all the right things to get back on track.
Lois has found during her chemo that her oncologist was simply misinformed or ignorant on several topics. Pretty scary!
Nice to see you posting again!
Thanks, Lowell. Yes, it is scary. Some of the stuff they don't know seems pretty basic. I don't know all they know, but if I'm doing the research, they could at least split the fee when they're wrong!
Everyone who reads your post will know how much courage and fortitude you have. I am certain Lowell understands this as well. Also you have to become the expert in the field, cuz you can't depend on the doctors
They should definitely split the fee--or just pay you--for all the research you're doing. I agree with Lee: you have a lot of moxie and strength. I'm sad you've been having so many ups and downs, but I have great faith that you'll find the key to your own personal health and be feeling 110% soon.
The building is rather mysterious-looking hidden behind trees the way it is. I want to go inside and look at dinosaurs too!
A beautiful looking place, beautifully captured. Keep researching and keep getting better.
I'd love to have an explore inside too, and enjoyed the tale of some of the early adventurers. So sorry to hear of the health issues (my 2011 was also full of surgery), hope you keep figuring it out and getting better. It always astounds me how much patients have to advocate for themselves.
(Re: your comment on photos, it's incredible you couldn't take photos of your own hometown's cemetery! I'm very sure your ancestors would not have minded.)
Sorry to hear that and happy to hear that you are a bit better now. Just keep plugging away my friend.
I have been inside. It's interesting but not a "must-do" if you only have limited time in Paris. :)
Hope you get to feeling better soon. I can imagine that you must be quite frustrated with your recovery. :(
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