April’s eclipse will mean interruptions in solar (and wind) power generation, which could strain electrical grids

The Conversation ^ | March 8, 2024 | Vahe Peroomian

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Nope. I drove up from the SF Bay Area on the Peninsula to Madras, OR. I was going to watch there, but the forest fire smoke was horrible, so I turned east and kept going until I hit clean air. I got to the John Day Fossil Beds and the air was pristine. Had a beautiful spot on a hill overlooking the John Day River with about 30 other people. People from all over the country and some from Europe all converged on that remote hilltop. The farthest north I got on that trip was Madras.

I’m feeling kind of blue right now that I did’t plan a trip for this eclipse. Especially sitting here recovering from my second bout of COVID (yuck).

[steve86]

Ok, get well. It must have been some other trip I’m thinking of. That was a long drive.... Just as well you didn’t make plans to see tomorrow’s eclipse in Texas... Weather doesn’t sound promising at all.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Thanks.

Isn’t it terrible that the weather looks bad in TX? A few years ago, I thought about booking travel to the west coast of Mexico, and it doesn’t look good there.

Whoever would have thought that North New England, Missouri, and Illinois would have the best weather? Crazy!

[steve86]

This eclipse will have nearly twice the duration of totality compared to 2017, but a crapshoot as far as picking a location with clear skies. Only sure thing is to fly above the clouds!

[Myrddin]

I had forgotten until you said that that I could see stars. That was so cool! I was just west of Baker, OR at a little higher elevation and sky was crystal clear.

Some of my co-workers from San Diego made the trip to Oregon for the 2017 eclipse. They rented a nice cabin on the center line of totality. The pictures they captured were outstanding.

I was so impressed at the August 2017 eclipse, that I wanted to be present for the one today (April 8, 2024). Unfortunately, my health has failed. I'll have to make due with pictures from those who can see it live. It really is worth the effort if you can arrange it.

[steve86]

Looks like Mazatlán is under cloud cover but a few miles south is clear.

[steve86]

Did you have that surgery you were talking about?

[steve86]

But live view there looks sunny (ATM).

[steve86]

You can see very light overcast drifting across partially-occluded sun.

[steve86]

Mazatlán is packed liked sardines on the beach. I don’t envy that situation. Crowds are a bad idea these days anyway.

[Myrddin]

Did you have that surgery you were talking about?

Yes, the gallbladder is gone. ERCP on Wednesday to try to clear the common bile duct. It is dilated to 17mm. Normal is 4mm. I thought the laparoscopic surgery would be trivial. The surgical incisions still hurt after 2 weeks. The big one used to extract the gallbladder continues to bleed. The more serious current problem is iron deficiency anemia and a very large RDW on CBC. Having a challenge getting RBC, ferretin and hemoglobin up.

[Myrddin]

I'm home from the ERCP. I had a really great German doctor who flew in from Iowa to do the procedure. What was envisioned as a 30 minute procedure with propafol devolved into general anesthesia with a very detailed removal of a cyst from the distal end of the bile duct and removal of the sphincter connecting the bile duct to the duodenum. A stent was inserted to hold the lower bile duct open. I built up so much back pressure on my bile duct that it looks like a sock instead of a 4mm duct. I will will have yet another surgery to endure in Salt Lake City to build a bypass bile duct. That will be open abdominal surgery. Friday brings a chest CT to see if that pulmonary node is yet another gremlin.

The gallbladder removal was actually unnecessary and didn't resolve anything. The problem was a cyst blocking passage of bile into the intestine and backing up the whole biliary duct tree. Too late to undo the gallbladder. The incisions from that one will take 6 to 8 weeks to properly heal. They are still "pooched out" and bleeding.

The whole cascade of medical procedures started with a blood test to qualify for a less expensive life insurance policy in January. In retrospect, it is good that I have been very frugal with my PTO. Orthogonal to bile duct issues is the severe iron deficiency anemia. I dislike feeling light headed all the time.

[steve86]

Ok, I’m relieved to hear that your surgery went well, and pray that your recovery continues smoothly and no more serious conditions arise (like issues surrounding the pulmonary node). You’ve already shown resilience through this process, and I have no doubt that you will overcome the next procedure with the same strength and determination.

[Myrddin]

The other shoe dropped just after 1 PM MDT. As part of the ERCP yesterday, a biopsy was taken from "the Ampulla of Vater" and sent to the pathology lab. Result: adenocarcinoma of the Ampulla of Vater. A very rare cancer. Treatment is the typical chemo/radiation/Whipple procedure. No certainty that is hasn't metastasized. Perhaps that node on my right lung that will be the subject of the CT scan tomorrow. If treatment is "successful", prognosis is 100% 1 year, 61% 5 year. I did better with the cancer in 1985. This one will be a bigger challenge.

[steve86]

Ok, thanks for the info.

I replied about Medicare supplements in the other thread.

I have been fortunate, a couple years older than you, to not have had any “show stopper” new conditions arise or really anything new. Just the same old chronic stuff which is disabling at times.

I thank the Lord and pray that this state of affairs can continue a few more years although definitely not pleasant when under a “siege”.