Hello and welcome to a bonus episode of Podcast Pontifications with me, Evo Terra. “Uh oh. A bonus episode means bad news, right?” Well… yes. But only temporary bad news. And here it is:I'm taking a temporary medical leave from Podcast Pontifications. At least through the end of this week, but hopefully not much longer than that.  Relax, there’s nothing life-threatening wrong with me. Now, the issue I’m dealing with is definitely quality of life-endangering, if only from the nausea-inducing pain and the nausea-inducing opioids the doctor has me on to try and control said pain until he can make a permanent fix to my issue. I see him tomorrow for a consult, and I’m confident we’ll be able to quickly schedule a minor outpatient procedure to take care of the not-so-little nine-millimeter stone that’s taken up residence in my left kidney. Since last Thursday, I’ve only been able to sit up for maybe 15-20 minutes at a time, then it’s back to the prone position as I try to live through its wrath. And with all the other work I have to get done to keep my podcast consultancy going through this, something has to give. That and I really want to make sure I deliver to you a good, quality show every day. But the way my head is swimming right now because of the opioids and residual pain they can’t control, I don’t think I can reliably do that.So until the good doctor can go in there and pound them into sand, blast them into oblivion, or whatever they might do while I’m knocked out, I’m taking a medical leave from this podcast. Sitting up for the 3.5 hours per day necessary to properly make and distribute the show doesn’t sound like something I want to do while fighting through the pain.  While I don’t anticipate financial ruin when I get the bill for this soon-to-be-scheduled procedure, I still invite you to go to BuyMeACoffee.com/EvoTerra and toss a few coins in the bucket, if only because you are very happy that I'm taking care of myself.If you’re new, don’t worry. I’ve something like 360 episodes you can churn through while I’m away. They’re all on PodcastPontifications.com.And if you need to know how I’m feeling, I’ll probably overshare on my Twitter account, as I am wont to do. Twitter.com/evoterra is me.Once we get this little brick out of my system, I’ll be back with you. I’ve a full book of topics to cover with you, once I have the fortitude back.And then, I'll be back for yet another Podcast Pontifications. Cheers!Mentioned in this episode:Support For Abortion RightsWhile Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th. Abortion is a basic healthcare need for the millions of people who can become pregnant. Everyone should have the freedom to decide what’s best for themselves and their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety, and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions. Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Even if you live in a state where abortion rights are upheld, access to safe medical procedures shouldn’t be determined by location, and it shouldn't be the privilege of a small few. You can help by donating to local abortion...