Lithuania was fucking great. It was warm as hell and sunny, not just cold still-wintry sun, but real, actual, warm, feel-good sun. I got the smallest of sun burns on my nose and forehead, a pleasant pinkish red glow all over my face. But maybe that was just the joy of being in somewhere other than St. Petersburg for a change. When we decided to go on Friday afternoon it was so last minute, all built on a lot of needing to get the fuck out, and it was certainly worth it. I'll write all about it later, but I can't promise any time soon because this week promises to be insane. I've been asked to take some photos for next year's Bard-Smolny Program brochure and so I am kind of busy going to about 798274892374 classes to photograph students "learning and interacting in a cross-cultural environment."
Until then, let this little gem of a news story (found by Cathy Keough) hold you over.... the things that happen in Russia when I leave the country....
TREE FOUND IN RUSSIAN MAN'S LUNG.
Fir Tree Found Growing Inside Man's Lung
1:14pm UK, Wednesday April 15, 2009
Russian media has reported that a man who complained to doctors of severe chest pains was told he had a fir tree growing inside his lung.
Artyom Sidorkin found a fir tree inside his lung. Pic:East2west News
Reports say Artyom Sidorkin, 28, from the Urals region of Russia, is believed to have inhaled a seed which then sprouted inside him.
Doctors were convinced he had cancer after he came to them complaining of agonising chest pains and coughing up blood.
An X-ray showed what was believed to be a tumour, and he was rushed to the operating theatre.
Surgeon Vladimir Kamashev from Izhevsk in the Urals was quoted as saying "We were 100% sure."
"We did X-rays and found what looked exactly like a tumour. I had seen hundreds before, so we decided on surgery."
Before removing the major part of the man's lung, the surgeon investigated the tissue taken in a biopsy.
"I thought I was hallucinating," said Dr Kamashev.
"I asked my assistant to have a look: 'Come and see this - we've got a fir tree here'."
"He nodded in shock. I blinked three times as I was sure I was seeing things."
The 2in (5cm) spruce, which was said to be touching the man's capillaries and causing severe pain, was removed.
Mr Sidorkin, now recovering after the op, said in reports: "To be honest I did not feel any foreign object inside me. But I'm just so relieved it's not cancer."
Biologists are sceptical about a plant growing inside human body.
"It is absolutely impossible for a green plant to grow from this small seed inside a man's body. In order for a plant to start growing from the seed, it needs a lot of conditions - light, then water and certain temperature," said Olga Baranova, a university professor.
Click to see a shocking image of the tree inside Mr Sidorkin's lung (WARNING, IT IS SUPER GRAPHIC!)
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