Hallelujah!

Hallelujah, glorioski and yee-haw, everybody … this was a DOUBLE MILESTONE DAY for me!

MILESTONE #1. It all started this morning when I told Sam that I couldn’t wait one more day — after six stinking weeks! — to sit at my desk in the study, and we had to figure out a way to make it happen posthaste. So Sam put together a clever plan combining two 15-foot rides in my wheelchair and a little shlepping in-between with my walker. Bottom line … I finally spent six amazing hours seated in front of my beloved iMac, designed five new greeting cards for The Howdygram Store, answered some emails and printed 15 envelopes for my May, June and July birthday cards.

MILESTONE #2. About half an hour after I sat down in the study this morning I got a call from a physical therapist with Agape Home Healthcare. At last, PHYSICAL THERAPY! Juan showed up at 4 p.m. and we worked together for about 90 minutes. He taught me three essential exercises that I can do lying down — yep, that’s my kind of exercise! — to strengthen the muscles in my ankles, knees and “glutes.” He’ll be back on Tuesday for another session and then two times a week for the next month.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has expanded its warning about an E. coli outbreak connected to romaine lettuce to include all forms of romaine, including whole heads and hearts of romaine grown in the Yuma, Arizona, growing area. A previous warning was limited to chopped forms of romaine, including salads and salad mixes.

The CDC based the new warning on eight new cases of acute gastroenteritis in Nome, Alaska, that appear to be connected to the current outbreak affecting 53 people in 16 states. Thirty-one have been hospitalized, the CDC said, and although no one has died, five people have developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome. Oy.

Fresh, crunchy romaine lettuce delivers your family’s daily dose of E. coli.

The CDC recommends that consumers should throw out any romaine lettuce in their homes, even if partially eaten, and avoid eating romaine at restaurants unless the establishment can confirm that the lettuce is not from Yuma. (Don’t bother asking because you’ll look like a jerk. Just skip the salad.)

E. coli are a diverse family of bacteria that can be found in the environment, in foods and in the intestines of people and animals. Most strains are harmless. To avoid becoming infected with a harmful strain, the CDC recommends using proper hygiene, such as cooking meat to its proper temperature, avoiding raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products and juices, and not swallowing water when swimming. (Because everybody drinks pool water, right?)

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