People Are Fucking Insane

Taken from Bitch Magazine Winter 08 Issue No. 38:

From the "Things that make us stabby files"

IS RAPE EVEN A CRIME ANYMORE? That's the question many people are asking after a student at Washington, D.C.'s Howard University was denied treatment at various area hospitals after she claimed she was raped. The unnamed 19-year-old reportedly attended an off-campus party, where she was given a date-rape drug and subsequently anally raped. Whe she, accompanied by friends, went to the Howard University Hospital requesting teatment and a rape kit, she was sent home. Why? Because she "appeared intoxicated." The student came back the next day, and - though totally sober - was denied one again an examination and rape kit. D.C. police were summoned (D.C. requires hospitals to obtain a statement from police deeming sexual assault credible before issuing a rape kit) - again, no rape kit. Finally, the woman went to George Washington hospital. You know what happened, don't you? Yep: denied, denied, denied. THIS WHOLE DEBACLE STEMMED FROM ONE OBSERVATION: THAT THE WOMAN CLAIMING RAPE "APPEARED INTOXICATED." GUESS WHAT DATE-RAPE DRUGS DO? THEY INTOXICATE YOU. (All caps are mine, in the article, this passage was in bold.)

The woman in question is filing suit against George Washington University and it's hospital, as well as Howard University Hospital - as well she should. In the meantime, to the long list of things women shouldn't do if they want their claims of rape to be taken seriously - wear short skirts, high heels, or nice underwear; be a nonvirgin; be attractive and/or friendly; stay out late; have a drink; have the temerity to be someplace alone - we can now add, "appear intoxicated, even if the intoxication was utter inadvertent and , hello a crime in itself." Good to know! -Andi Zeisler

Seriously, have we stepped back into a world of moronic pre-feminist idiocy? Unbelievable. I hope she sues them and gets millions. If only. She'll probably be screwered. A hour's worth of compassion (from professionals who are required to be compassion as part of their job description) would have helped this woman and possibly caught a rapist. Now, her life is devastated, she has to beg for compassion, and will likely be left in the dirt of litigation. Like the title of the article says, it makes me want to stab someone!

Bad Day

Today is the fourth day of my tonsillitis. Started on Saturday, went to ER on Saturday night for strep test (negative - YAY!), got antibiotics and motrin, went to bed. Sunday, sat/slept in the sun all bundled up in sweats and long sleeves on my deck, took medicine, watched t.v. and went to bed. Woke up Monday in excruciating pain and my lymph nodes had swollen 3x what they were on Saturday. Made appointment with GP - took one look and said it was the worst throat he'd seen, might be abscessed, sent me to an Ear, Nose and Throat guy. ENT guy numbed my throat and then stuck a really big needle in my tonsil to drain pus - no pus, no abscess. YAY! But, severe, acute tonsillitis. Went back to hospital for blood test to rule out other viral possibilities. Got new antibiotics, steroid and prescription painkiller. (Not actually a pain "killer" more like a take-the-edge-off-the-pain medicine.) Anyway, today, woke up with same pain, but far less swelling. YAY!

Took today off of work for sickness. But instead of resting, went to the accountant to file taxes (we are actually getting money back this year - a small miracle in and of itself), went to a 2:00 meeting that was moved to 7:00 but I didn't know it until 2:20-ish. Went to work to pick up stuff to do at home so I can stay home tomorrow. Called vet because my dog has enormous growth on her side that got suddenly bigger in the last 48 hours. Went for some R&R and got a pedicure and manicure which took half an hour longer than it should have, so 20 minutes late to the vet. (Did I mention that my throat hurts?) Waited 20 minutes at the vet and then got the news that the enormous growth is of course cancer (did I suspect? yes, was I ready for that, not really). Scheduled surgery for my beloved, big fat shadow that is so my dog, who will hang on forever just because she loves me. Took her for dairy queen treat. Went to tell CJ and cried at his work in front of his boss. Cried on phone to my mother on the way to 7:00 meeting -(why is my sick day so fucking long?) Hour and a half meeting later and I am driving home in pouring rain/thunderstorm. Arrive to find CJ crying over the dog. My throat hurts.

Is anyone else wondering why I am severely sick for the third time in three months??
Is it wrong that the tax man visit was the best part of my day??