Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group I was going to put this in the Asylum, but....

Oh, of course you did Sue...I was just saying, is all...

and wanted to add, i know how hard you've worked on all this stuff, and believe you when you say everyone down there working hard. after each hurricane, now with this. really heartbreaking to see your home repeatedly beat up, first by mother nature, then by man.

Hi: A balloon catheter is used in an angioplasty procedure. A folder balloon is placed on a guide wire and inflated at a location of choice. Could an industrial size balloon catheter be placed in the leaking pipe then inflated to stop the flow of oil? Only a thought...Tom

Yea!Kat and Brian are going to be coming back down in a few days and stay awhile while they work on their venture and I'm so excited and greatful...

Hi Michelle!

How are things really going down there? I think about you all the time.

I'm glad to hear that Kat and Brian are going to make a return trip. Both to work on the film venture and hopefully to get some good time together with you folks.

Pace yourself Michelle... Yeah I know better..

Well Chris, it really stinks and to boot, I'm flaring really, really bad...I'm about to take my Enbrel shot, hopefully that'll help...you really do know me!!! Ha!!! I love it...

My god, Kat, I have read this three times now (just read it out loud to my dad), and each time it just seems more incredible. The other times I didn't have time to leave a comment, but this time I am making time. I am sure you've left updates to this first post deeper in the thread, which I'll read next. I am just praying that they tell a success story, one where this technology your sweetie invented has been proven to work so incredibly well that BP could not ignore it. Of course, BP's continued arrogance and stupidity are so mind-numbingly beyond belief that I will no longer be surprised by any ignorant act taken by that company. I just pray that every officer of that company who even knew this rig existed ends up in jail. With the shortcuts they took on basic safety measures that could have lessened, if not outright prevented, the original explosion, I can only wonder if some of BP's officers should be charged with manslaughter or outright murder for the 11 men killed. After that comes the jail time for anyone who did anything to cover-up the scope of this disaster and the almost unthinkable amount of damage it's caused.

Ah, I know I'm rambling but that's because this makes me angrier than anything has in a long, long time. When I'm this angry, what often happens is I switch into total stream of consciousness mode--it usually makes sense to me, but sometimes that's it! I do want to be sure that I say this, however: Kat, you and your sweetie, along with every single person who has worked on this film technology, are quite simply heroes for taking it upon yourselves to try to determine if this film technology is the answer everyone has been looking for to stop this disaster. It sounds as if you've spent a lot of your own money to make the trip down there, etc., not to mention all the risks you're taking and how hard you must be pushing yourself AS-wise; I just pray you aren't in some horrible flare as a result of pushing yourself so hard.

Michelle, you are also a hero in this story, working tirelessly to try to save the land you love so much. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to see this happen to the ocean, beaches, and wetlands that are so vital to the entire region's economic, ecological, and emotional well-being. Kat's poignant anecdote about the local artist other residents did an amazing job of scaling down this enormous catastrophe and putting it on a very personal level, but I know that still cannot fully convey just how horrific this must be to anyone who lived in or near New Orleans. After Katrina, I just cannot believe that you now have to go through this nightmare, Michelle. Based on what we've learned about you here at KA, however, I think I can safely speak for everyone here when I say that I am not surprised that you have thrown yourself completely into efforts to try to make things better--that's just who you are and what you do. The emotional toll all these events have taken on you must be staggering, yet you refuse to give in and you keep fighting, and the help you provided to Kat and her sweetie is so incredibly impressive and so awesome. I don't think these BP bozos have any idea what they are up against right now! They are going to be dealing with two of the most AS-kicking women on this planet, and my guess is they aren't going to have ANY idea of what hit them when all is said and done!

Bravo to all of you, and our prayers are with you as you continue to fight the good fight down there.

Brad

or kill 2 birds with 1 stone - fill the leaky pipe with inflated BP executive fat cats.

People at my son's high school were asking for hair donations to help with oil spill today. My son is a skeptic in general and thinks this idea is too small to work. I say the small ideas add up and will help.

Kat/Michelle, way to go! It sounds like you've got a lot of planning going on however, IF you continue to run into roadblocks, think about the media. They can be a pain in the AS, but on the other hand, you've got international media covering this and yours would make a great story--whether you are being excluded from locations to test your product OR need investment/production funds. Best wishes!