Let’s focus on the good, the positives, and not on the twisted sick fucks that are out there.
Ha! Yes!
Good People of the Universe: 1
Twisted Fucks: 0.
Amen, sister!
Well, Umkay Vigoda, I sure hope you don’t die on us again. The Dopers down your way should hold a dopefest in the guise of a wake for you.
I am hugely relieved that it was only a cruel hoax, for you are a terrific person.
Oh thank God! I’m on travel and haven’t been able to check in. I hope to hell you’ve been ok.
Like I said in the “resurrection” thread – I’m just glad my time zone caused me to miss the whole sick episode :mad: – good to hear from you again!
Started reading this about a week ago.
Thanks for sharing everything Umkay.
I actually cried a little when I saw a post from a mod saying you had passed.
Will continue to enjoy reading this thread.
Umkay, So glad to hear that you’re alive and well. As you can tell by the other thread, a lot of us got taken in by that jerk. We also are much happier to be taken in by a hoax than have you actually be gone…Unless…you figured out how to zombify yourself…I mean, there was quite a bit of research into zombification earlier. There are a few things to check:
- Do you have an insatiable appetite for brains?
- Have your limbs reanimated themselves?
- Any oozing flesh?
Anyway, great to have you back and I’m so glad you’re feeling better. This leads me to a question:
When you have AD occuring due to something like gastric ulcers, how do they quiet the body long term? I mean, I’d imagine the ulcers continue to send pain messages for a fair bit of time…is there something that can be done to block that until everything is cleared up, or do you just need to stay in the hospital and fight the hypertension until everything clears up?
Oh…one more question for you. I was driving in to the office to take care of a few things and I passed a girl jogging, and since I have umkay on the brain due to this little hoax, this inane question popped into my head. Do you ever wear a ponytail? I would think that a rear ponytail would be rather uncomfortable due to the chair, but thought I’d ask.
umkay, welcome back. I love you. That is, I love whom you appear here to be, on the basis of my current understanding. I mean, in so far as somebody could love somebody else on the basis of a few week’s acquaintance in a discussion forum on the anonymous and unverifiable Web. Wow, what a ride. Calm down, Napier. The point is I am very happy to have you back.
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Moderators, I am thankful for the work you do and the trouble you take on behalf of the rest of us, and sorry for whatever weirdness the universe throws at you. I don’t mean to add to the pile. That said, I would greatly value anything you can throw our way about what the continuing investigation turns up, especially anything that helps us continue to invest our hearts in this amazing set of threads.
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As far as BS detection goes, it had occurred to me to wonder about the most completely engaging umkay, about whether I can trust that she is for real, but I have been accepting her as real. That umkay should die so soon after winning our hearts seemed unlikely, but then unlikely things do happen, and she has been hospitalized recently by her own account, and I don’t know enough about quadriplegia and hyperreflexia to reject the report of her death as sounding unreal. If people picked up clues from NotOk’s name or tone, well, good for them - I didn’t.
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As far as NotOk goes… well, to begin with, no distance is far enough, though that isn’t really how I meant it. I find it hard to hate people, because the more I know about a person, generally, the more their mindset seems to be a sane and reasonable reaction to their world, however insane or unreasonable their world may have been. But I do often wish certain people were completely and permanently separated away from the rest of us in our world. NotOk, if my current understanding of the situation is accurate, I hope you never touch any of the rest of us again, because I love the Dope.
As a sometimes transcriptionist I’m curious about the physical aspects of your posting. It sounds like for some posts you’re using speech software and for others you’re doing the mouth stick thing (is there a more PC way to say that?).
After reading this whole thread I’m impressed! Your speed is quicker than mine using traditional typing, your grammar is perfect, and your commas are always in the right place. 19 pages and not a single typo!
Can you share more about the software you’re using? How do you tell it to go back and correct errors? How long did it take you to train it for your particular vocabulary? How do you get voice recognition to insert a smiley? How long does it take to create a post if you’re using the stick? Do you get tired and have to take breaks in the middle?
I believe also that sometimes her carers type for her.
“Miss Jones, take a letter.”
Very glad to see you back. As something of a geek, I am curious what roles computers play in your life? Do you use voice-recognition software (I read post 950)? Have you investigated direct brain-to-muscle devices. No they are not ready for prime time, but it is hard to doubt they will be. I just heard on our weekly science broadcast that someone has developed a glucose fuel cell, made for implantation to power such brain transducers, but also things like pacemakers (which I have one of and, if I live so long, will need a new battery for). Link to Home | Quirks & Quarks with Bob McDonald | CBC Radio and choose the first segment (called brain power). Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to copy the URL of the actual broadcast that opens in another window.
I believed the awful hoax for the reasons **Broomstick **mentioned (the recent hospitalization(s) and AD issues). However, I sort of find it hard to believe that people have actually entertained the thought that umkay herself could be a hoax. (I know there have been other hoaxes, but this is different for various reasons.) The last thing we want to do is give **Notokay **any more power over us, and I’m slightly bummed that the result of **Notokay’s **evilness would be that people would actually question **umkay’s **actual authenticity. There are so many little details that no one but someone who really is a quad, or very intimately involved with a quad’s life, could know to talk about with such detail. In multiple threads, one as long as 19 or 20 pages, there have been no inconsistencies. What she writes has such a ring of truth. Such a ring NOT of BS. She is far from perfect and she admits it. Anyway. I don’t want to start a big discussion here about this (in other words, listen to what I say but don’t argue with me! heh :p), but just wanted to say that **umkay ** herself is pretty obviously real.
Here is a question: Would you be offended if, against all odds, the Mods would allow the addition of a zombie smiley in a wheelchair? This is a no-avatar board and even smileys can cause great controversy. Therefore it seems unlikely. But wouldn’t that be the coolest thing ever? Who’s with me??
umkay-A truly M and P question, what color is your chair? (mine’s black)
Hi, umkay. Welcome back from the dead. While you were “gone” I actually thought of a question.
What sorts of accommodations did you have in school (secondary as well as post)?
I was a TA a number of years ago for an Intro to Music course, and had to proctor some exams for a young woman who was in a wheelchair. She had partial use of her hands (I never asked her about it, it was none of my business), but it was challenging for her to write fast enough to complete the listening portion of the exam during class. This is where you play a snippet of music and the students have to identify the piece, or roughly what genre, and try to identify the composer. So I would administer the exam and give her as much time as she needed.
Anyway, that’s what made me curious about your situation.
Hey y’all. I’ve been advised that continuing this thread (or any other thread that revolves around my personal life) does not help quell rumors that I am a self-absorbed, death-faking, lying liar of a troll. So imma shut her down. I’m not leaving the board, just the thread. Hope to see many of you in other threads soon. 
That’s probably a good idea, just be sure to tell us all about the next time you take your next skydive!!!
When things die down, I’d love for you to continue…curious about some things and came to the thread too late…
I certainly understand, though. Thanks for all you’ve given so far!