Multiple fires sprung up in the Columbia River Gorge this afternoon. The highways on the Oregon and Washington side are both closed due to the fires and the low visibility from smoke.
They have been evacuating hikers from the trail I hiked on last friggin’ week.
One of these fires is now threatening a mid-sized city (The Dalles). 3000 people evacuated so far. This news clip has footage of a firefighting airplane dipping into the Columbia River. I guess it’s a good thing the river is so close?
Previously
Less than 2 pounds, and now that the fetus has been “delivered” at around 6 months’ gestation she’s being taken off life support, because that was her only value to the state:
822 g, I don’t know exactly how to interpret “about 6 months” but that could be anywhere from 24-28ish weeks. Around 26-27 weeks would match the weight, but I have to think that the “unconventional” nature of the majority of the pregnancy would lead to complications. In any case, this poor kid has a long row to hoe, and a NICU stay that will be months long. Generally, over 27 weeks has a decent chance of coming through with a good outcome, but this case is so far from “generally” that I don’t think anybody could make a prediction. And I have a hard time seeing the state footing the bill for the combined ICU bills for Mom and baby, so the family is facing literally millions in medical bills. I am glad I am not in this NICU. The conflicting directives and values would be maddening.
I can’t say how angry this whole episode made me. Whoever made this decision at Emory to put her family through this ordeal without their input or consent needs to be fired…
And I’m sure the family will end up footing the fucking bill.
Yeah, looks like it:
The family continues to raise money for long-term care expenses and support for both children. A an online fundraiser notes mounting hospital bills and ongoing emotional and financial strain.
This poor family. This poor woman… this poor baby.
After being confronted in person by Minnesota Senator Tina Smith, Mike Lee has deleted his offensive tweets about the shooting. Calling people out on their shit, especially face to face, can still be effective.
“Minnesota nice” has a deep cutting edge designed exactly to shame assholes when deployed correctly.
Tina Smith, you did what needed doing today. 
I don’t know if this is the most appropriate place to post this, but I’m going to start screaming if I don’t let some of this anger out.
My daughter-in-law’s sister-in-law (wife of my daughter-in-law’s brother) has been participating in treatment trials for her pancreatic cancer (diagnosed late last year). We got word yesterday that she has now been moved home for hospice care.
The trials, of course, were stopped by Trump and Elon & the Doge-Bags as part of their “Depraved Indifference” tour.
I know what the prognosis is (in general) for pancreatic cancer, and I don’t know what stage hers was diagnosed at. I’m not sure that the trials she was part of would have, realistically, made much difference in the outcome. But those supercilious assholes took away any chance of that.
I am not, by nature, a violent person. I honestly cannot think of a time when I have ever physically attacked anyone. But right now, I am so GODDAM FUCKING ANGRY that I am having trouble thinking clearly, so it’s probably fortunate that I’m not anywhere near any of those evil bastards.
Fuck cancer, and fuck this timeline.
I am so sorry to hear about this, and so in agreement with everything you say here. The entire world deserves so much better than what the current administration and its supporters are giving us right now.
We were very near to being able to cure pancreatic cancer using mRNA based immunotherapy. Of course, mRNA is of the Devil and must be eliminated, so…
I have no idea if you relative was in one of these trials or not, but the abrupt halt to this line of research condemned a hell of a lot of people to a death that was unnecessary. Add it to the blood on their hands, and yes, i share your rage.
Could that be used as prevention? 2 first degree relatives died of pancreatic cancer. 
That was not what they were working on, it was very much therapy. But preliminary work was very, very encouraging. Now all gone.
RNA neoantigen vaccines prime long-lived CD8+ T cells in pancreatic cancer | Nature
Yes to both! And heartfelt support to you and your family.
