The Doctor and the Pits--California Trip Part 2

Wednesday morning, June 18, I went to an appointment with Dr. Oommen George at the Hahnemannian Research Center in Irvine. Some months ago I contacted my friend PENELOPE, whom I had known since first grade. I remembered that she had breathing problems when younger so I asked how she was doing now. She told me she was seeing Dr. K.O. George. She described him as a "Brilliant Homeopath" who was doing wonders for her. On her next visit to him, she told him about me. She told him I have sarcoid and asked if he could help. His answer was "Yes, I can cure it." Well that certainly captured my interest! (Allopathic medicine says that the only way I can get any better is to have a lung transplant, which I do not want to do.)

We also found out that Dr. George's office was not too far from where Peter and Karen live, so we decided I should try going there. I went twice earlier this year and it definitely helped me. Traveling to California, however, wore me out and was terribly expensive. I tried something else for awhile instead, but didn't have noticeable results like I did with Dr. George. As long as we were going out there anyway, I decided to try Dr. George again. When I called to get an appointment this time I was sad to hear that Dr. K.O. George had suffered a mild stroke and wasn't currently practicing. I was told I could see his son, Dr. Oommen K. George, instead. He's supposed to be very good too, so I agreed.

I did go. Jim and I liked him very much. He is personable and knowledgeable and also computer savvy. Now that I've seen him once, he said we could connect via telephone and e-mail, and that I wouldn't have to go back and see him in person. YAY for not having to travel.

In Which We Go To The Pits

That afternoon found us at the Labrea Tar Pits. (If you have seen the movie "Volcano" that volcano in LA supposedly started at the Labrea Tar Pits.) We had been there many years ago, and I thought it would be fun to go back. I didn't know it would be so BEASTLY hot.

The sticky tar oozes up out of the ground, and has been trapping animals for eons of time. (They also found the bones of one woman, who they think was a long-ago murder victim.)

We spent part of the time outside on the grounds, and the rest of the time in the museum itself. The picture at the right was taken in the shade as we walked around the grounds, and looks pleasant, but believe me we were sweltering. Elizabeth and Kate were really good even though we were all very uncomfortable.

It was not only hot, it also smelled kinda stinky. Like tar actually. ^0^

Here's a close-up of the oozy, sticky, bubbly stuff.

I was glad someone got this picture of Peter. The tall building in the background happens to be where he used to work for Tokyopop, and yes, it's right across the street from the tar pits. He had been laid off just the week before along with 1/3 of the people who worked for that company. There was an interview with him posted on a website called Precocious Curmudgeon on June 10. It begins: "Among the 39 employees let go by manga publisher Tokyopop during a recent restructuring was Peter Ahlstrom. Peter was kind enough to respond to my interview offer, and after carefully reviewing a non-disclosure agreement, he submitted the following responses to my questions…" Click here to read the article. I would think it was interesting, even if I were not his mom. ^O^

No dinosaurs were caught in the tar pits, but the museum has lots of bones and displays of wooly mammoths and saber-tooth cats and other mammals and birds.

I thought it was funny that they had many different kinds of dinosaur toys in the gift shop even though there were no dinosaur bones in the tar pits. Kate didn't seem to mind a bit!

Please go on to part 3.