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相对论

昨天，敦敦放春假，我们娘俩来到上海科技馆玩了半天，在我看来上海科技馆在规模，技术含量和想象力方面都超过了香港和新加坡的科技馆。

三楼，有个相对论剧场，看完精彩的演出，敦敦很兴奋，牛顿，爱因斯坦对质量, 速度，时间和空间的贡献掀起了孩子心中好奇的波澜。爱因斯坦的广义相对论很哲学，其中不同速度状态下时间的变化的概念并不是很容易理解的，对于敦敦来说真像个烫手的山芋。回家后,我们娘俩开始了对爱因斯坦的 '系统研究'.

仔细想起来，我们这些时间遂道上匆匆的过客. 对于包括时间在内的各种事物的认知十分有限,甚至可以说是相当的肤浅。大部分人对自然界的认识停留在中学水平。上了大学就准备为名, 为口奔驰. 更无奈的是, 现如今, 大部分的孩子从小学甚至幼稚园就开始进入学习各种技能的战场. 在父母焦虑的目光下,孩子们拼命被动地啃着前人留下的'知识'. 跟本没功夫对周围世界进行细致的观察和思考, 环境的高压下, 孩子们的创意思维全方位'短路', 即使长了 '爱因斯坦的大脑' 也会给被烧得萎缩掉.

爱因斯坦的伟大就在于相信自己的大脑和他对真理契而不舍的追求. 现如今有多少孩子相信自己的思考会改变人类的未来? 我经常和敦敦探讨许多人类目前面临的有待解决的大问题如能源危机,环境污染等等, 希望他从小就感到做人要善于思考, 承担责任, 改善世界.

爱因斯坦老头若是今天还活着的话，肯定觉得我们这些后人没啥大出息，有他这样的高人指路，我们应该已经在太空有所作为了，可昔今天的人类目前还在地球上整天忙着编织互联网，准备把自己彻底地罩住的同时还沾沾自喜呢。

Ron Owen

Miller Fisher Syndrome – Variant of

Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)

Week of April 16 (Tiff's birthday!)

Started off with a slight cold. Everyone in the family had been going through the same thing- sore throat, cough, congestion caused by East Texas weather.

Thursday, April 19

Did not sleep well. Woke up with excruciating back pain.

Friday, April 20

Took him to the emergency room only to find out he had probably pulled a muscle from coughing. ER doctor told him he had bronchiolitis. Gave him Bactrim DS and pain meds for his back pain.

Saturday, April 21

Legs were extremely sore. Resembled a stick man walking. Worried because he was complaining of his hands being numb. His doctor was not on call, so I spoke with another dr. He wanted him to come back to the ER. Loaded Ron and made the familiar trip yet again. They decided he was having an allergic reaction from the antibiotic (Bactrim DS). Ron was complaining of having trouble sleeping – he told him to discontinue Bactrim and take an Ambien CR.

Saturday afternoon –

Symptoms are progressively getting worse. Beginning to have difficulty feeding himself, holding a cup or even walking. Kept thinking that something is just not right. Decided to call a family friend that is a physician who told me to bring him up to the hospital AGAIN!! After various tests performed and several phone calls later, Ron was being transferred to ETMC for a diagnosis of Guillain Barre Syndrome. No one in the family had every heard of it and we did not know what we were in for.

Saturday night –

Got Ron situated in the neurology intermediate care room. Complaining of being in much pain and his fingers "locking up". Still had some general feeling in some portions of his body. Had a rough night sleeping.

Sunday, April 22 morning –

Things are progressively getting worse. He has not lost all ability to speak and cannot move any portion of his body. He is completely paralyzed, including his eyes. What is going on?? We decide it would be best to call Tiffany in Cozumel and see if she could get a flight home. Many prayers are beginning to be lifted as well as many phones are beginning to ring. Word is getting out that Ronnie is not doing well. Luckily Neal is in from college so he comes up to be with dad.

Sunday afternoon –

Noticed that he is having trouble breathing. They decide to put him on a CPAP. We were escorted out of the room and they wheeled Ron's bed into an ICU room several doors down. I guess that his neurologist and pulmonologist were right – he would get worse before better. BUT, we were just simply not prepared for it. We were now told the rules – only 3 visitors at a time and only during certain times. We went to see him in his room and they had decided not to put him on a CPAP, but the ventilator. They told us they would be giving him morphine and just wanted him to relax as much as possible.

Sunday night –

Tiffany arrives home from Cozumel. Many sweet friends call and stop by the hospital.

Monday, April 23–

Still not much change – still on ventilator and not able to move any part of his body. The nurses and care received could not be any better.

Tuesday, April 24–

Making some progress!! Ron can now communicate by raising his eye brows. This was much needed for both of us. 1 blink means yes, 2 blinks mean no, and 3 blinks means I LOVE YOU!

Wednesday, April 25–

Walked in his room with the country music turned up. Didn't know if the Travis Tritt was calming his nerves and he made sure to raise two eye browns (NO). Did not know if he wanted to listen to the news (NO). He just wanted it turned off. Asked him several questions – he said he was farely comfortable. Tiffany noticed his blood pressure and heart beat fluctuating – that is all part of the syndrome. April asked him if he had been thinking a lot and he raised one eye brow. She then asked him if he had been meeting with God and he raised one eyebrow. Throughout the whole visiting time, he made sure to raise his eye brows three times and we made sure to let him know as well how much he is deeply loved and supported.