Picture of the Day - 102

"Under the Strawberry Moon" Photography by Boris Twist

If you wish to see more of Boris' photography, please visit his Flickr photostream here.

"Listen To Your Body, Bock" - Part 2

"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp", oil painting on canvas (1632), Rembrandt

In September 2001 I had just gotten out from a biannual medical check up and was driving back to work when my cell phone rang.

The caller was a nurse at the doctors office I had just left. He told me to immediately stop driving as soon as it could be done, park the car and get myself transported to the emergency room at the hospital. They were going to fax the paperwork there meanwhile. No, I was absolutely not allowed to drive there myself under any conditions.

When I (a little irritated) asked why this brouhaha all of a sudden, I was informed that they had received the results of the blood tests that had been taken and according to them I should actually not be alive, moving about and definitely not driving a car on public roads on my way to work. Apparently the tests showed that my blood count (Hb), which should normally be between 130-170 g/l in a healthy male, was down to 56 g/l.

During the following five days I was subjected to every kind of gastrointestinal examination on the books, gastroscopy, Esophagogastroduodenoscopy, rectoscopy and colonoscopy, I was fed with some radioactive gunk which then was filmed as it passed through my system, from the mouth to the other end.  Despite the extensive examinations no ongoing leakage was discovered, nor any scars or other signs of old leaks. As far as the tests showed, I had the most beautiful and healthy gastrointestinal system in Northern Europe.

It was - and still is - a complete mystery how and from where I had been leaking blood extremely slowly over what must have been a long period of time. If the drop in the blood count had been sudden I would have gone into a state of shock and died.

All the doctors I met asked if I hadn't noticed any bleeding from my body. I told them that I hadn't noticed anything of the sort. I had from time to time been feeling a little tired, but nothing exceptional and I had not had a single sick day during the previous three years.

While at the hospital I was given a bag of blood a day, and I noticed that I became more alert and awake and realized how tired I had in fact been.  "You must listen to your body, Bock" they all told me, but if there was no noticeable shift I cannot understand what my body could have told me.

I was released from the hospital on Monday September 10, 2001, in a much better condition than when I was admitted and told to regularly check my blood count. (There is an easy way to do it without a blood test. You look at the palms of your hands, if they have a nice rosy color all is well but if they go pale you should take a blood test.) I have never had a problem like this after that incident.

I was on sick leave for a month after being released from the hospital, the doctors and my employer insisted on it even if I was feeling better than I had felt for a couple of years. The day after I had come home my father called me in the afternoon and told me to turn on the television, there was something dramatic and strange going on in New York.

As I sat down in front of the television set, I saw a tape being replayed of the first plane crashing into one of the towers at the World Trade Center, I watched live - in a state of complete horror and disbelief - when the second plane crashed into the other tower, and later when the towers crumpled and crashed to the ground, one after the other, and listened to all the speculations all through the night.

Sweden's National Day 2014

June 6 is Sweden's National Day and the Swedish Flag's Day in first life.

In SecondLife it has also been proclaimed to be the International Kiss-A-Swede Day by The Much Honored Bock McMillan, laird of Southern Charm, prince of Cascade Falls, Sovereign Ruler of the Commonwealth of The Southern Enchantment Region and Outer Territories and by the United Nations appointed Protector of the Solace Island and Mount Whitney sims. 

To celebrate the day I am - as has become my habit - going to share with you the song that should rightfully be Sweden's National Anthem (if everyone would just listen to me).



This is a lousy concert version. Ulf is most likely more than a little drunk and is taking far too many liberties with his own beautiful song, but all other versions on the Internet have limited permissions and could not be viewed by International audiences. I am indebted to my friend Petr Hastings-Vanbeeck for helping me find this video, as something is better than nothing!

I Feel Best In Open Landscapes
music and lyrics by Ulf Lundell (lyrics translated to English by Bock McMillan)

I feel best in open landscapes, close to the sea I want to live
A few months throughout the year, so I can get peace within
I feel best in open landscapes, where winds are blowing full
Where the larks fly free up to the sky, and singing wonderful
There I make my own aquavit, and flavor it with St. John´s Wort
And drink it with pleasure, with herring and homemade bread
I feel best in open landscapes, close to the sea I want to live.

I feel best in peace and freedom, for both body and soul
No one comes too close to me, who shuts in and steals
I feel best when the day is breaking, where fields are filled with light
When cocks crow far away, where it´s far to the closest house
But still so close, that one quiet silent night
When you're sitting under the stars, you can still hear the laughter
I feel best in peace and freedom, for both body and soul

I feel best when the sea is swelling, and gulls are crying high
When the beach is filled with seashells, with the oceans sound inside
When the clear and the simple, can exist the way it wants
Where yes is yes, and no is no, and doubt is lying low
Then I tie a ring of leafs, and lay it on the closest rock
Where runes were cut for our sake, once so long ago
I feel best when the sea is swelling, and the gulls are crying high

I feel best in open landscapes, close to the sea I want to live.

Picture of the Day - 101

"Wastelands" Photography by CishCash

If you wish to see more of CishCash's photography, please visit their Flickr photostream here.

Kiss-A-Swede Day 2014

At 00:04 local Swedish time on June 6, 2014, my royal consort availed himself of his own personal Swede to kiss on this Swedish National Day (Nationaldagen).

Happy Kiss-A-Swede Day everyone, now go out and grab a Swede to kiss!

"Listen To Your Body, Bock" - Part 1

"David", marble statue (1501-1504), Michelangelo

At least three times during my adult life health care professionals have seen fit to tell me that I should "listen to my body".

Well it is bloody easy for them to say that, without knowing what a darned chatter box my body is and ignoring the fact that I also have medium to strong tendencies of hypochondria which I try to keep in check. I avoid going seeking medical care and attention if I am not certain that there really is a problem.

The first time this happened, was when I had appendicitis with peritonitis. I was in my late twenties.

A few hours after a delicious Friday lunch, consisting of deep fried prawns  with curry sauce, at my favorite Chinese restaurant, I started feeling queasy, threw up a little and had vague belly aches. I thought there might have been a bad prawn, so I went to bed and tried to sleep it off.

When I woke up on Saturday morning I wasn't feeling queasy anymore but my whole midsection ached. I tried to purge myself but nothing would come out, so I tried coffee. That didn't help either. I slept off and on the whole day and night. Early on Sunday morning I was woken by the pains in my belly, which had now centered down to the lower right section of my belly. That was when I understood what it was, and decided to take the first  bus to the hospital emergency room.

At the hospital I was whisked past the people waiting there and got a drip and private room waiting for a surgeon who could operate me. Which was about an hour later.

It seems my appendix had been close to rupturing. One doctor told me it had been gangrenous, while another said it had been pernicious, both however scolded me for not having "listened to my body" and for having delayed far too long in seeking medical care. They also agreed that I could have died if I had not come in when I did.

The strange thing is, that before the doctors told me off I was rather proud of how I had handled it. I had listened to my body and had sought medical attention when I knew I needed it.

Picture of the Day - 100

"High Wire Act" Photography by Tomais Ashdene

If you wish to see more of Tomais' photography, please visit his Flickr photostream here.