Artificial intelligence

 

I just finished reading a book by JL Lycette called The Algorithm Will See You Now.  

This is a story about allowing artificial intelligence decide who can or cannot receive medical treatment based more on whether the treatment is good for the profit of the health organization than on what is necessarily good for the patient. It is also a book about human nature and the lies we tell ourselves and others. Would we really be any better at making these rational decisions than a machine? Read the book and decide for yourself. It's a good story. I received an advance review copy for free, and left this review in various places voluntarily.

Artificial intelligence seems to be everywhere these days. 

This morning I have already seen an ad for an AI app that will write stories for me. I'm not interested in that as writing is how I like to express myself. It wouldn't be my story if I let a machine make it up.  It does prove that the algorithms are at play though. Already my tablet knows I was reading and writing about this subject. Why else would this ad pop up, not once, but three times this morning?

I already have an app with AI doing my bidding. I can say "Hey Google" and have any question answered. It's handy to just be able to check the weather before I get dressed, check for any needed conversions or even find out how to use left over egg yolks without even having to type the questions in.  I really should use her more often. I know she's listening because Google will occasionally pop up on her own and ask, "How may I help you?" That normally annoys me but next time I think I will just have her tell me a joke or play a song for me. A little something to brighten my day never hurts.

And, in case you have not noticed, I have been using AI art work on my blog and elsewhere since the beginning of the year. My eldest son has been having a great time with it and since he introduced  me to it I have had it  generate a few images that were useful to me. Sometimes I use them to illustrate my story and other times I use them as a jumping off spot for my own art.  If you look at the AI pictures I have posted so far this year you can tell they are computer generated as they often have obvious flaws in them. Many artists are worried about AI taking over the art world. While it may come in handy for writing factual pieces, and coming up with pictures you cannot find by simply searching I do not believe the human aspect is something  that can ever be totally replaced in either the arts or medicine.  What do you think?

Covid Time

 

Well, it had to happen eventually,  I guess.

I sneeze most mornings due to cat allergies, but the sneezing and snuffing lasted longer than usual Tuesday. My hubby kept asking if I was alright and I assured him I was. We went about business as usual and I picked up my new hearing aid. I get to test it out for a couple of weeks and then go back for adjustments. 

I did a test for Covid that day and I got a negative result.

The next day I had what I chalked up to be a weather migraine along with my snuffies. But again my hubby was looking at me funny and asking repeatedly if I was okay. I took the covid test again to prove that I was, but this time I got a positive result. Oh, joy. I had several events lined up to give my new hearing aid a good test in various situations before my next appointment but I guess that won't be happening. 

I am isolating in our spare room, trying not to pass this bug on, though in a 900-square-foot bungalow in the dead of winter, I doubt that will do much good. At least I have my tablet, my Kindle, and my sketchbook to keep me occupied. And I am also lucky enough to have a good man who brings me food and lots of treats. I have accused him of trying to fatten me up but he is a Cancer and they tend to show love by feeding you. I have seen lots of evidence of that over the years.

I have done my best to avoid Covid up until recently because I am prone to bronchitis.  That's scary enough, without Covid. I have gotten a bit lax with the masking lately. And I admit to being slightly overdue for a 5th vaccine.  My antibodies are still high, according to the latest Stop-CoV blood sample I sent in. Still, I feel foolish for having let my guard down when I knew there were so many sick people in our area.

Because of my age and history of bronchitis, I was able to get the antiviral,  Paxlovid from our pharmacist. Let me say, that stuff works! It got rid of all my symptoms right away. I had a strange little reaction after the first dose but it didn't last long. The next morning, after a wonderful night's sleep I was thinking about how glad I was that I got the antiviral. And then I took my second dose.

Within minutes I was reminded of the little reaction the day before. Only this time it was much worse and lasted longer. I called the medical center and asked to speak to someone about Paxlovid reactions.  I explained the pressure on one side of my head that started with feeling like my brain was swelling and progressed to make my face on that side feel weird....not quite numb but kind of like when the dental freezing is coming out. The nurse had never heard of that side effect before and could find nothing like it on the symptom site they use. She put me on hold while she checked with a doctor. The doctor she consulted was not mine but he told her I could go ahead and continue taking the antiviral since the reaction went away the previous time. I told her it was a much stronger reaction this time and very scary. She said I could quit taking them if I wanted. 

By the time it was time for the next dose I had decided preventing the bronchial condition I didn't have yet was suddenly less important. I figured I would be better off seeking medical assistance with that than if I blew an aneurysm or something.  It was probably an allergic reaction but whatever it was, it was so much worse after the second dose, I didn't want to try a third one. So, of course, without the pills, I woke up coughing several times last night and have my other Covid cold-type symptoms back.  As I said, the antivirals work.  Don't let my experience stop you if you are qualified and may need them.