Touch me. Touch me like you didn't touch me last night.

So far, over 55 people have participated in the latest

MONKEY ROLL CALL!

I highly encourage you to click on that link and go over to that entry not only if you haven't posted yet, but also if you haven't looked at it in a while.

These are some of the faces of your social network.

Scroll through the comments. Look at the faces and associate them with the usernames you've always seen.

Read who they are, what they do, what they're going to do, where else they live online...

Do this in your Facebook, Flickr, et cetera. Find faces for the names. See the people behind the phosphor dots. Talk to 'em.

I know for a fact that at least a dozen of my readers have met in real life after meeting on my LJ and then arranging to hang out with each other and that's FANTASTIC.

And I've met...over thirty? Forty? of the people from here and Flickr and Orkut, all of them amazing.

I feel like I finally have some plans for my online presence again, from writing to art to...a few new features and some I abandoned.

Help me make it stick this time, after so many months of fail.

And you know what? The future, for all of its bad shit, really kicks ass sometimes.

Go internet.

b


PS - Since I forgot to add this last time: Last.fm / Flickr / YouTube / Delicious (still have some to add) / Twitter / LibraryThing / Facebook

IN OTHER WORDS -

Myofascial Pain Syndrome is neither degenerative nor fatal.

I cannot express to you how happy Sara and I are right now.

Here's a very basic rundown:

The doctors at the Mayo Clinic theorize that all of this started with some sort of viral infection that was attacking her body, resulting in an elevated temperature, muscle pain, elevated ANA levels, et cetera.

Once it had run its course, it had done some damage to the fascia of her muscles and set her brain permanently to the "pain" setting. This means that even though most of the damage may actually be over with, her brain is still registering her muscles and joints as being in a state of horrible pain and weakness.

It has some crossover with fibromyalgia, and sometimes people who have that also have myofascial pain syndrome.

Sara just started two medications to keep things under control and has been given an exercise, stretching, and joint movement regiment in order to keep her muscles in shape and to help with healing.

There is a good chance that she'll at least get her current state under control, and some people on medication and exercises can head for nearly complete recovery.

Thanks to everybody who offered words of encouragement, prayers, positive thoughts, et cetera.
They meant so very, very much to us, and kept us smiling and hopeful.
 
Six months of this has been extremely difficult, but I'll keep you updated on her recovery, and I'll be keeping her updated on all of your responses to this entry.

We love all of you, my monkeys, and I love my wife.

Smooches,

b