Sunday, December 14, 2003

Defining nested, associative arrays in PHP

I was asked about this last week... here is a simple example:
$aaServers = array(

"serverName 1" => array(
"profile1" => "value11",
"profile2" => "value12",
"profilen" => "value1n"
),
"serverName 2" => array(
"profile1" => "value21",
"profile2" => "value22",
"profilen" => "value2n"
),
...
"serverName n" => array(
"profile1" => "valuen1",
"profile2" => "valuen2",
"profilen" => "valuenn"
)
);

$aServer = $aaServers["serverName 2"];
foreach ($aServer as $k => $v) {
echo($k." => ".$v."<br>");
}
should result in:

profile1 => value21
profile2 => value22
profilen => value2n

Cool IE Exploit

You would think Microsoft would have cleansed web addresses (and stripped out %00 strings) long ago... Spoofing an address using IE.

Six week update, post ACDF surgery

Last week I saw the neurosurgeon - with new X-rays - and was allowed to remove the neck brace. Instead of a disc at C4-C5, I now have a hollow synthetic plug. Inside the plug is a kind of "replicating DNA" that promotes bone growth through the hollow center. By May, the idea is that C4 and C5 will have fused through the the plug. The five week X-ray showed that it, so far, remains in place.

Some bizarre thoughts on this whole episode: I went for an MRI around 9/12. The MRI report (a two-page textual description) was faxed to my GP a few days later. Somehow, the second page of the report never made it to the GP. The second page spelled out that this was a "severe" situation, while the first page indicated "moderate". But the GP never saw the second page - and, seeing the first page - it wasn't obvious that there even was a second page. So I merrily went along living my life, going to PT and damaging things further with PT things like traction, presumably making things worse.

Of course, when the neurosurgeon finally saw the MRI at the end of October, he scheduled surgery for 11/4... just a few days out. And this is in a scheduling environment where people who are having trouble walking (like Jeff in Bethesda North Radiology, who has connections) can wait for months for their operation. Thus, it was a little more serious than I would have ever suspected.

Lessons learned:
1) Make sure you've got the entire report if you ever get an MRI (don't neglect the second page of impressions, which could differ from the summary)
2) Try to get the actual MRI image in the hands of a specialist (orthopedic, neurosurgeon, etc.) immediately
3) If you ever experience tingling and numbness in your extremities (especially after a trauma), get an MRI as fast as you possibly can

Still experiencing minor symptoms (and still on Neurontin to help combat them), mostly in the lower body. Primarily tingling and cold in both feet, lower legs and occasionally in thigh/knee areas - but, since going back on medication, only about a 1 to 3 out of 10 on the discomfort scale. The medical staff indicates that progress with spinal cord injuries is measured in months, not weeks.

I truthfully feel very, very lucky. I did an hour on the elliptical at Bally's yesterday - and feel pretty good so far today. Hopefully, progress will continue and my goal of bench pressing on May 4 will come to fruition.

Excerpted from FC's message board...

Q: What do you think Saddam's first words were on capture?

(singing) If I could turn back time...
> Peek-a-boo!
> Can you hear me now?
> Hello American Friends! My name is Bruce Springsteen.
> Ehhhh! Saddam NO HERE! He IN NEXT HOUSE! Come back ehhhh, later!
> Another loan lost to DiTech!
> I AM PLEASED FOR TO BE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!!!
> There will be dinner at this place you are taking me, no? And perhaps a shower?
> Not so close, cutie. I haven't brushed.
> Would it be rude to ask for hot sauce on falafel?
> Satan, is that you?
> Six "Chicken McNuggets" or I don't talk.
> i ain't surrenderin' until i get a sampler bottle of this great pantene shampoo i keep hearin' about on > cnn.
> Doh!
> Please mail this for me. This has to be in New York by next week. (Hands them a Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes entry form.)

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