Well, this is going to sound very odd, so I might as well jump right in,
rahter than try to arrange it in any way.

	Good news? I _DO NOT_ have Multiple Sclerosis, or Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, nor do I have menningitis. The tests were _quite_ clear on those
accounts.

	Weird news? I have albumin in my spinal fluid. This is a common protein,
found in the human body, and in eggs. But I seem to have an unsually high
level, approximately 108% to 110% of what's considered to be normal.

	Why? They don't know. <frustrated grimace> They don't even know what it
_means_. What's causing it is unknown, and they can find no reason for my
body to be producing this protein in this large an amount.

	It doesn't seem dangerous at the present time, so they've sent me home
with instructions to monitor my symptoms, and report to my family doctor if
there is any sudden or disturbing change.

	In the meantime, they've listed my case as a 'stroke-like incident or TIA'
and increased my daily intake of aspirin from 325 mg to 500 mg, in the
hopes of preventing another occurence. 500 miligrams.. bleah. My mouth
tastes like I've been eating willow bark. <sigh>

	And I get the upcoming joy of having further (and painful) tests performed
on my tender bod. ^_^ The smart money in the doctor's betting pool is some
sort of immune system oddity related to my arthritis. Heh. Think I should
get a bet in? Or would that be considered the same as a jockey betting on
himself? ^_^

	I wanted to let you all know this, because you'll all been so supportive.
I've had to dedicate the better part of a ZIP disk to all the sympathetic
emails I've received over the past several months. You've stuck by me, and
you deserve to hear the good news just as fast as you've heard the bad.

	Thanks go to the crowd at KawaiiMUCK who have almost _militantly_
attempted to keep my spirits up, the infamous Skyknight, who's been calling
me every two weeks at his own expense (and threatening to don his armor and
beat me senseless if I didn't start smiling again ^_^) to cheer me up, and
all of the people on my pre-reader list. 

	And most of all, to my SO, Aili.. see you soon, baby. ^_^

	Ed Becerra

	(whose .sig doesn't haunt him so much any more..)


	"Dreamers may die, but the Dream is eternal.."