Author's posts
Jan 06
Today is…National Shortbread Day
Shortbread is a classic Scottish dessert traditionally made with: 1 part white sugar (I use powdered) 2 parts butter 3 parts flour (I usually use rice flour) And a bit of salt Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture which is caused by its high-fat content, provided by the butter. “Shortening” is …
Jan 05
It’s Red Hackle Day
Today is Red Hackle Day. This annual celebration on 5 January commemorates the award to The Black Watch of the right to wear the Red Hackle. Originally thought to be as a reward for their achievement at the Battle of Geldermaisen in 1794, in fact there is evidence to show that the Red Hackle was worn by …
Jan 01
First Foot on Hogmanay
In Scottish folklore, the first-foot is the first person to enter the home of a household on New Year’s Day and a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. Although it is acceptable in many places for the first-footer to be a resident of the house, they must not be in the house at …
Dec 07
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, which is observed annually in the United States on December 7, is to remember and honor the 2,403 victims who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. On August 23, 1994, United States Congress, by Pub.L. 103–308, designated December 7 of each …
Nov 28
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated in Canada and the United States as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. It is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Several other places …
Nov 23
Happy Fibonacci Day
November 23 is Fibonacci Day, an annual holiday that honors one of the most influential mathematicians of the Middle Ages – Leonardo Bonacci. Date Sequence November 23 is celebrated as Fibonacci day because when the date is written in the mm/dd format (11/23), the digits in the date form a Fibonacci sequence: 1,1,2,3. A …
Nov 22
Giving Thanks, Day 22
I am so thankful for all my doctors but today I am thankful for Dr. Amir Al-Juburi who saved my life by removing my kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma). In 2006 I picked up my husband for a biopsy and took him to an outpatient surgical center. While I was there waiting for …
Nov 21
Giving Thanks, Day 21
Today, and every day, I am thankful for coffee. Without it, I would have a daily headache and I’d have even less energy than I have now. I first started drinking coffee when I had my first job as a waitress at a Hayes-Bickford in Boston, MA. This was a summer job. A …
Nov 20
Giving Thanks, Day 20
November 3 was the 36th anniversary of my pituitary surgery at NIH. As one can imagine, it hasn’t been all happiness and light. Most of my journey has been documented here and on the message boards – and elsewhere around the web. My Cushing’s has been in remission for most of these 36 years. …
Cushing’s
- ℹ️ Basics: Testing: Dex TestsDexamethasone suppression test measures whether adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) secretion by the pituitary can be suppressed. How the Test is Performed During this test, you will receive dexamethasone. This is a strong man-made (synthetic) glucocorticoid medicine. Afterward, your blood is drawn so that the cortisol level in your blood can be measured.
- 📰 A Case Series of Bilateral Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling Using Desmopressin for Evaluation of ACTH-Dependent Cushing’s Syndrome in Pediatric PatientsPediatric Cushing Syndrome (CS) is rare and difficult to diagnose, especially when distinguishing ACTH-dependent subtypes. Bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) is an essential but technically challenging procedure for this purpose.
- ⁉️ Would *YOU* Do This?I remember someone on the House TV series trying a stunt like this on the episode titled Deception. At a betting parlor where House happens to be, a woman collapses and House makes sure she gets to the hospital. He thinks she has Cushing’s syndrome while Cameron starts to think she has Münchausen syndrome, a […]
- ‼️ Message Board Update (and new features!) Coming This WeekendVersion 4.7.21 of Invision Community is now available and includes a security update.
- ℹ️ Cushing's Disease BasicsCushing's Disease is a rare condition caused by excessive production of cortisol, a hormone essential for various bodily functions. It is a specific form of Cushing's Syndrome, where the overproduction of cortisol is due to a tumor in the pituitary gland. The condition affects 10 to 15 people per million each year, predominantly women between […]
- 📰 A Second Look at Cushing Disease: Hypercortisolism Recurrence From Another GlandCushing disease (CD) is the most common form of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-dependent Cushing syndrome (CS), whereas unilateral adrenal adenoma is the most common cause of ACTH-independent CS. However, the occurrence of different subtypes of CS in a single individual is very rare.
- ✍️ Add or update Your BioPlease add your bio. Your information will help others. If anyone would like to do something for the Cushing's Awareness Challenge but you don't have (or want to have) a blog, why not consider adding your bio?
- ℹ️ Cushing's Syndrome OverviewCushing’s syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs when the body is exposed to too much cortisol. Cortisol is produced by the body and is also used in corticosteroid drugs. Cushing's syndrome can occur either because cortisol is being overproduced by the body or from the use of drugs that contain cortisol (like prednisone)…
- 📅 Cushie CalendarCushie Calendar! Our Cushie Calendar has been updated with a new look and it's now embedded with the message board calendar. All items are color coded. There are iCal and RSS links at the lower right and there is a Printable View.
- 🎬 Video: Cushing Disease & ACTH-Secreting Pituitary TumorsIrina Bancos, M.D., an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Jamie J. Van Gompel, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Minnesota, discuss Mayo’s multidisciplinary approach to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary tumors.
Music & Local Events
- 🇺🇸 Today is Flag Day!National Flag Day is celebrated annually in the United States on June 14. This day commemorates the adoption of the United States flag on June 14, 1777. On National Flag Day, Americans show respect for the U.S. Flag and what it represents. Our independence and unity as a nation is represented by our flag. The […]
- 🎵 Pop Goes the Weasel – Daily Listening AssignmentsToday’s Daily Listening Assignment is a little different. Pop Goes the Weasel was chosen today because somehow, somewhere someone chose today as National Pop Goes the Weasel Day.
- 🎶 Tickets Available Now for Washington Balalaika Orchestra Concert: Fairytales, June 15MaryO is in this Orchestra! Let the Washington Balalaika Orchestra transport you into a fantasy world through the magic of our folk instruments, as well as flutes, oboes, and clarinet. Revel in the thrill of Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherazade, the passion of Bizet’s Carmen, and the beauty of Borodin’s Nocturne and discover new favorites as well. […]
- 🔥 Touch-a-Truck: Firetruck, TodayCome explore the fire engine, investigate the equipment, and talk to community helpers! In addition, the firemen will show us what they wear and why. Popsicles, tattoos, and crafts will follow up the departure of the firetruck.
- 🎶 Washington Balalaika Orchestra Concert: Fairytales, TodayMaryO is in this Orchestra! Let the Washington Balalaika Orchestra transport you into a fantasy world through the magic of our folk instruments, as well as flutes, oboes, and clarinet. Revel in the thrill of Rimsky Korsakov’s Scheherazade, the passion of Bizet’s Carmen, and the beauty of Borodin’s Nocturne and discover new favorites as well.
- 🐞 Illusive Insect Scavenger Hunt, All JuneInsects are moseying around the Children’s Section for the entire month of June! Find 10 hexapods for a prize!
- 😎 Register for Vacation Bible School (VBS)For potty-trained three year olds through ninth graders. Embark on an exciting journey with Road Trip VBS, based on Joshua 1:9 – "The LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Discover God's presence everywhere as we explore new places, make new friends, and experience God's goodness together. Join us in a fun-filled adventure […]
- 🌈 Can You Find the Colors?, TodayPictures of paint palettes showing some of our favorite colors are scattered among the children’s books. This scavenger hunt at the City of Fairfax branch is fun for all ages and runs during FCPL’s Summer Reading Adventure – June 11th through August 18th!
- 🪴 Neighborhood Plant Clinic, TodayCalling all home gardeners! Drop in for horticultural tips, information, techniques, and advice from the Fairfax County Master Gardeners. Weekly until July 26
- ✝️ Hymn History: O Spirit of the Living GodOn Pentecost Sunday, June 8, 2025, the Pender choir and congregation lifted their voices in the stirring hymn “O Spirit of the Living God” (UMH #539), celebrating the movement of the Holy Spirit among us.