Whac-A-Mole started in Japan as an arcade game that lets you test your reaction times in whacking moles as they pop up on the console. Since its inception in 1975, arcade game variations and home versions have become available.
Wikipedia includes some interesting facts:
The game originated in Japan in 1975 as Mogura Taiji (Mole Smash) and in 1977 as Mogura Tataki (Mole Buster).
Whac-A-Mole (Mogura Taiji or Mole Smash) landed in the US in 1976.
The concept of the game—taking a mallet to a mole’s head—is not pretty. Researchers have been interested in studying the violent aspects of the game and how humans become desensitized to violence in video games1.
My interest is in the term itself and what it implies:
The term "whac-a-mole" (or "whack-a-mole") is often used colloquially to refer to a situation characterized by a series of futile, Sisyphean tasks, where the successful completion of one just yields another popping up elsewhere.
As a technical writer, I find the writing and editing process to be akin to Whac-A-Mole. Just when I think the deliverable is final, out pops a required change. The more collaborators involved in a project, the higher likelihood of multiple rounds of dealing with moles.
Whac-A-Mole is not restricted to writing. Many (most? all?) of my projects and even mundane tasks have an element of Whac-A-Mole lurking about.
Health conditions—especially when they’re unexpected—feel a lot like pesky moles. As soon as I think I’m in the clear and understand my treatment plan, something new arises. The most recent mole uncovered by a bone density scan is osteoporosis. The path I followed to the scan is humorous in a dark way.
Earlier this year, Aetna sent me a cheery letter, encouraging me to sign up for a bone density scan. Low BMI, colitis, and steroid use all pointed to the importance of a scan. Did I have questions? Not to worry! Aetna was here to help!
Next, my gastroenterologist recommended that I have a bone density scan for the same reasons. He ordered the test.
After some difficulty in having a local radiologist administer the scan—the gastroenterologist is in Houston and I am in Austin—I was able to book an appointment. The test itself was quick and painless.
The results, on the other hand, are not good: Osteoporosis. I’m a broken bone waiting to happen.
To add insult to potential injury, Aetna had this to say about coverage: DECLINED.
My initial reaction to the scan results was horror and despair. It all feels unfair. I’ve put in so much work for my health in the last two years, I believed somehow that I could get a pass, at least for a year or so.
But when has life ever been logical or fair?
At least there are actions I can take today: increasing dietary calcium; supplementing with calcium and D3; and partaking in weight-bearing exercises. I will soon receive an infusion of Reclast, a drug that is supposed to at a minimum arrest the bone loss. I’m unclear about whether I will be able to reverse the condition. The internet is murky about this. I have added this question to the list for my next visit with the endocrinologist.
Bun will close out this article by showcasing her latest box destruction project.
Her jaw is like a machine. Be sure to watch this video with sound.
Chittaro, Luca; Sioni, Riccardo (2012). "Killing Non-Human Animals in Video Games: A Study on User Experience and Desensitization to Violence Aspects" (PDF). PsychNology Journal. 10 (3): 215–243.
FUN FOR BUN!!!
“It’s always something” My friends and I seem to say this quite often. I have osteoporosis and had an infusion of Reclast. I have no reason to think I will be safe from broken bones but I try to be careful. That’s all I feel I can do right now. Good vibes are being sent to you from me!