SMALL CRIMSON PLANKING

One of the miracles of modern medical science is 'Clopidogrel', trade named 'Plavix'. It has made life wondrous and surreal, especially during an interval involving pork chops yesterday.

黑椒豬扒飯 ('haak jiu chü paa faan'): Black pepper pork chops and gravy with rice. The restaurant had been closed for a few weeks while they were on vacation. During which time I kept thinking of pork chops.


Per Wikipedia: Clopidogrel is "an antiplatelet medication used to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in those at high risk. It is also used together with aspirin in heart attacks and following the placement of a coronary artery stent (dual antiplatelet therapy). It is taken by mouth. Onset of effects is about 2 hours and lasts for 5 days. Common side effects include headache, nausea, easy bruising, itching, and heartburn." End quote.

The key thing there is A) I'm taking it daily on doctor's orders, after getting a coronary artery stent, for at least a year. And B) a very minor work related cut, which happened on Thursday afternoon.

That very minor cut is still bleeding. I replaced the bandage before going out for pork chops on Friday. Then replaced it again before actually leaving my apartment. It was drenched after I finished lunch. And by the way, the gravy on those chops was fabulous.

I think I saw a waitress look "quirked". Not distressed in any way, just mildly "quirked". Not all customers leak blood. Later on people at the bakery where I went for tea in between smoking my pipe were unabashedly curious.
How come your finger is bleeding so remarkably?

Again, per wikipedia: "氯吡格雷（Clopidogrel，商品名為波立維(中國大陸)、保栓通(台灣)（Plavix），分子式：C16H16ClNO2S，莫耳質量：321.82g/mol），是抑制血小板聚集的藥物。" End quote.

Key phrase being "抑制血小板聚集的藥物" ('yik jai huet siu paan juei jaap dik yeuk mat'). In which the important term probably unknown to most people is 血小板 ('huet siu paan'), that being an invented word. Literally it means "blood little plank". How often do you suppose tiny bloody planks get mentioned in daily conversation?

抑制 ('yik jai'): inhibit, suppress, hold down.
血小板 ('huet siu paan'): platelet.
聚集 ('juei jaap'): assemble, gather, collect together.
的 ('di', 'dik'): possessive particle.
藥物 ('yeuk mat'): medical substances, pharmaceuticals, medicines.


When she got home, my apartment mate asked why my finger was so bloody, then happily suggested that the vampire hamster (one of the stuffed animals) would be more than willing to "deal with it". Delighted, even.
Today I bandaged it in several layers, as the people I encounter while at work are mainly white folks. Unlike nearly everyone I dealt with yesterday.

White folks get queasy so easily.
It might put them off their feed.


I don't think Caucasians eat pork chops.




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