Went to go see the Nephrologist and my kidney functions are down slightly. He doesn't know why as nothing has changed other than the fact that I have a job now. Since working shouldn't affect my kidney, we're scratching our heads.
I have now been officially dubbed with Chronic Kidney Disease, not just Acute Kidney Disease. The doctor pretty much told me the kidneys are permanently damaged and a full recovery is probably not going to happen. Something I was pretty aware of already. So...if my kidneys don't get any worse (we're crossing our fingers), then I have Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease, which is considered Moderate.
I go back to see the Nephrologist again in June. If the kidney functions are down again, he wants to do a kidney biopsy to see what is going on and see how much scarring and damage was done to the kidneys. It won't do anything to fix them, but it might give us some insight into what happened. We'll see.
So that's the newest as to what's going on with the kidneys.
The new job is great and I'm soooooo happy to be working again. I'm back to doing Financial Aid at a college and love it. It's what I enjoy and I'm good at it. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I started doing it again. I'm happy and laughing again. Something that hasn't been seen for a while.
Overall...everything seems to be fine. Yeah, I'm still tired from the kidneys, but a person can't let that stop them.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Progress
I met with my kidney doctor and things are getting better. The kidneys are functioning at about 41% right now. They're not getting better as quickly as he'd like, but they're getting better. He says a normal time frame for the kidneys to heal is around 6 months and we're only in about 6 weeks, so he said not to expect drastic results. It will be like the story of the Turtle and the Hare. My recovery will be the Turtle. Slow and steady wins the race. Hopefully.
The doctor is hopeful and gives me hope of a full recovery, but at the same time, he's trying to prepare me for the fact that I might have permanent damage. If there is permanent damage done to the kidneys, lifestyle changes will need to be made. Nothing too drastic, just maintaining the diet and doing bloodwork more often to make sure the kidney function doesn't go down. Nothing much else they can do until the damage hits a point where the kidneys can't filter the toxins effectively and I'm not at that point right now and I'm still getting better.
The next checkup will be in March to see where things are and determine again what plan of attack we'll take from there, depending on if the kidneys continue to improve or if they remain at the functioning level they're currently at. So stay tuned!
The doctor is hopeful and gives me hope of a full recovery, but at the same time, he's trying to prepare me for the fact that I might have permanent damage. If there is permanent damage done to the kidneys, lifestyle changes will need to be made. Nothing too drastic, just maintaining the diet and doing bloodwork more often to make sure the kidney function doesn't go down. Nothing much else they can do until the damage hits a point where the kidneys can't filter the toxins effectively and I'm not at that point right now and I'm still getting better.
The next checkup will be in March to see where things are and determine again what plan of attack we'll take from there, depending on if the kidneys continue to improve or if they remain at the functioning level they're currently at. So stay tuned!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Apologies
Okay, I know I promised to keep you posted and I've been slacking on the job. BUT...things are going in a positive direction. Just not as fast as I want. I'm not a patient individual.
On December 22nd, I went and had more blood work done to see where everything stands and waited for the doctor to call. He stated it was so I would know before Christmas, but I didn't hear from him before Christmas. BTW, kudos to the phlebotomist who took the blood...I'm a hard stick in the first place and my time in the hospital blew most of my veins and they hadn't had time to recover by the time I went in. She got me on the first stick, which hardly ever happens...even in the best of circumstances. Anyway, back to your regularly programmed update. I called the Monday after Christmas, but the kidney doctor's office was closed, so I called again on Tuesday. The nurse explained that they were closed because of the holiday and replied that he usually gets back to the patient's within a day or two of having the test done(not sure what happened this time, because he promised to have my results to me before Christmas, but it didn't happen and I can't change that).
The kidney doctor called back within a few hours and said the results were better and that my kidneys were working at about 40% now. He said to give them a month this time before retesting, made sure the swelling went away (it comes and goes...I'm usually fine about 4 days a week and find myself swollen about 3, but nothing like the swelling I experienced right after coming off the dialysis) and wanted to see me in his clinic this time to make sure the medications I'm on are okay and formulate a longer-term plan of attack.
Yes, I'm still weak. Yes, he says that's perfectly normal. I've never eaten so healthy in my life, though I do miss some of my favorite foods. Most of the foods that were on the "do not eat" list were already foods that I mostly disliked anyway. Christmas Morning Breakfast was probably the hardest trial for me and I just should have fixed myself a breakfast different from everybody else.
You see, on Christmas, instead of having a Christmas Dinner, we have Christmas Breakfast. It's a family tradition and anybody who can make it comes over. It's a heart-attack's dream. There are cinnamon rolls, toast, bacon, sausage, ham, regular hashbrowns, hashbrowns with chives, eggs, usually at least 2 kinds of juices, and whatever additional treats my dad has dreamed up that year. It's a spread. The problem? A Kidney, otherwise known as Renal, Diet really doesn't want you to eat potatoes because of their extremely high potassium content. Hashbrown's are my favorite part of the breakfast. So I has a really small scoop. Bacon, sausage and ham all are to be eaten with caution due to the sodium content in them and can cause me to retain water and makes it hard for my kidneys to get rid of the sodium and can cause any number of complications. I had a small portion of ham (it seemed to be the least offensive of all of them, but probably was the worst offender of all), and a slice of low sodium bacon. I gorged myself on eggs. Probably had 3 helpings. Yeah, I should have just gone and fixed my normal breakfast, which is usually eggs and fruit, but I didn't want to make a big fuss about it. Stupid, I know. My bad.
Anyway. I've mostly been feeling pretty okay. Other than the weakness and fatigue, which I've been assured is completely normal and can last for quite some time. So although it's frustrating, I'm told I'm in a completely normal position.
Occasionally, my back will hurt, right where my kidneys are. It's becoming a little more constant now that it was before. It think that it's a sign of the kidneys kicking into gear. It's uncomfortable, but not unbearable.
I was planning on a trip to California (California Adventure and Disneyland for 12/30 and New Years Eve) to take my mind off my worries, forget about life for a while and see my cousin, who I'd been missing like crazy lately, but it was decided that Disneyland would be too much and plans were canceled. Big bummer. So I devour books instead. Feel free to throw out suggestions, they're always welcome! I've got a growing list, but don't mind adding to the list.
So, those are the updates. I will try to be a little more prompt in alerting you when I have some more news.
On December 22nd, I went and had more blood work done to see where everything stands and waited for the doctor to call. He stated it was so I would know before Christmas, but I didn't hear from him before Christmas. BTW, kudos to the phlebotomist who took the blood...I'm a hard stick in the first place and my time in the hospital blew most of my veins and they hadn't had time to recover by the time I went in. She got me on the first stick, which hardly ever happens...even in the best of circumstances. Anyway, back to your regularly programmed update. I called the Monday after Christmas, but the kidney doctor's office was closed, so I called again on Tuesday. The nurse explained that they were closed because of the holiday and replied that he usually gets back to the patient's within a day or two of having the test done(not sure what happened this time, because he promised to have my results to me before Christmas, but it didn't happen and I can't change that).
The kidney doctor called back within a few hours and said the results were better and that my kidneys were working at about 40% now. He said to give them a month this time before retesting, made sure the swelling went away (it comes and goes...I'm usually fine about 4 days a week and find myself swollen about 3, but nothing like the swelling I experienced right after coming off the dialysis) and wanted to see me in his clinic this time to make sure the medications I'm on are okay and formulate a longer-term plan of attack.
Yes, I'm still weak. Yes, he says that's perfectly normal. I've never eaten so healthy in my life, though I do miss some of my favorite foods. Most of the foods that were on the "do not eat" list were already foods that I mostly disliked anyway. Christmas Morning Breakfast was probably the hardest trial for me and I just should have fixed myself a breakfast different from everybody else.
You see, on Christmas, instead of having a Christmas Dinner, we have Christmas Breakfast. It's a family tradition and anybody who can make it comes over. It's a heart-attack's dream. There are cinnamon rolls, toast, bacon, sausage, ham, regular hashbrowns, hashbrowns with chives, eggs, usually at least 2 kinds of juices, and whatever additional treats my dad has dreamed up that year. It's a spread. The problem? A Kidney, otherwise known as Renal, Diet really doesn't want you to eat potatoes because of their extremely high potassium content. Hashbrown's are my favorite part of the breakfast. So I has a really small scoop. Bacon, sausage and ham all are to be eaten with caution due to the sodium content in them and can cause me to retain water and makes it hard for my kidneys to get rid of the sodium and can cause any number of complications. I had a small portion of ham (it seemed to be the least offensive of all of them, but probably was the worst offender of all), and a slice of low sodium bacon. I gorged myself on eggs. Probably had 3 helpings. Yeah, I should have just gone and fixed my normal breakfast, which is usually eggs and fruit, but I didn't want to make a big fuss about it. Stupid, I know. My bad.
Anyway. I've mostly been feeling pretty okay. Other than the weakness and fatigue, which I've been assured is completely normal and can last for quite some time. So although it's frustrating, I'm told I'm in a completely normal position.
Occasionally, my back will hurt, right where my kidneys are. It's becoming a little more constant now that it was before. It think that it's a sign of the kidneys kicking into gear. It's uncomfortable, but not unbearable.
I was planning on a trip to California (California Adventure and Disneyland for 12/30 and New Years Eve) to take my mind off my worries, forget about life for a while and see my cousin, who I'd been missing like crazy lately, but it was decided that Disneyland would be too much and plans were canceled. Big bummer. So I devour books instead. Feel free to throw out suggestions, they're always welcome! I've got a growing list, but don't mind adding to the list.
So, those are the updates. I will try to be a little more prompt in alerting you when I have some more news.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Health Drama
Hopefully this will serve as a kind of update for everybody who needs or wants information on what has been happening with me lately. Yes, another health drama has happened. Yes, I am as well as can be expected right now. I will tell the story as best I can.
For the past 3-6 months, I have been experiencing pretty constant nausea and occasional vomiting. Went to see my GP about it, who couldn't really tell me much and referred me to a Gastroenterologist (I think that's the name, at least). I put it on the back burner because I don't have insurance and am unemployed.
Enter Sunday. I'm sick all day. I figure I have the flu. It's pretty miserable. Then as the day goes on it gets worse and I begin to get a little concerned, so I drag some respectable clothing on and trudge downstairs and tell my parents I think I need to go to an urgent care or hospital. My dad takes me to urgent care, where they tell me they can give me medication for nausea and make sure I can keep some fluids down, but cannot star an IV because they close at 9:00 and they don't start IV's after 8:00 because they take too long to finish and we arrived at 8:30. They took my vitals and were concerned with my blood pressure being so low. My blood pressure is pretty low anyway, but with the dehydration of being sick, it was lower than usual, so they embarked on a adventure to take it in 3 different situations to see if they could get a better blood pressure. They kept on getting errors on the last situation and while they were trying to get that last blood pressure, they gave me the nausea medication and drew bloodwork. When the results of the bloodwork came back, my kidney functions were way out of whack and showed that I was basically in Acute Renal Failure, otherwise known as Kidney Failure. Off they sent me to the Hospital.
The hospital admitted me to the ER, pumped me full of IV fluids and started running multiple tests and reran the bloodwork to make sure there wasn't an error. The results came back worse than at the urgent care facility. I was admitted to the hospital because my kidneys are kaput.
Three days later, no real answers exist and we may never know what caused my kidneys to go into renal failure. The doctors are scratching their heads. Right now, their theories are that my blood pressure was so low that the kidneys didn't get enough blood, causing them to shut down. Another is that medication could have contributed to the shutdown, but that theory is lower down on their list of possibilities. The main theory is that it was a completely random occurrence aggravated by dehydration. At least, that's my understanding.
There is no magic pill they can use to fix this. The only thing they can do is try dialysis to get the toxins out of my body and hope that my kidneys will start working again. The doctor's say my kidneys are functioning at approximately 2-3% of normal. So, I have a temporary dialysis catheter in my neck and will be undergoing dialysis 3 days a week until hopefully the kidneys are functioning again. The doctors are very optimistic that after I'm fully re-hydrated and my blood pressure gets to a more "normal" range, my kidneys will return to normal and so will I.
Thank you to everybody for their concern and thoughts and prayers. They have been wonderful and they've been a wonderful buoy during a struggle. Though this is a hurdle, it's not insurmountable and something we can definitely deal with.
I want everybody to know that I feel fine. I don't feel sick, other than the ever-present nausea, which isn't anything new. The dialysis isn't pulling fluid off me, which I understand is the draining part.
So, that's the 411 on what happened. I'll keep you updated as news comes along.
For the past 3-6 months, I have been experiencing pretty constant nausea and occasional vomiting. Went to see my GP about it, who couldn't really tell me much and referred me to a Gastroenterologist (I think that's the name, at least). I put it on the back burner because I don't have insurance and am unemployed.
Enter Sunday. I'm sick all day. I figure I have the flu. It's pretty miserable. Then as the day goes on it gets worse and I begin to get a little concerned, so I drag some respectable clothing on and trudge downstairs and tell my parents I think I need to go to an urgent care or hospital. My dad takes me to urgent care, where they tell me they can give me medication for nausea and make sure I can keep some fluids down, but cannot star an IV because they close at 9:00 and they don't start IV's after 8:00 because they take too long to finish and we arrived at 8:30. They took my vitals and were concerned with my blood pressure being so low. My blood pressure is pretty low anyway, but with the dehydration of being sick, it was lower than usual, so they embarked on a adventure to take it in 3 different situations to see if they could get a better blood pressure. They kept on getting errors on the last situation and while they were trying to get that last blood pressure, they gave me the nausea medication and drew bloodwork. When the results of the bloodwork came back, my kidney functions were way out of whack and showed that I was basically in Acute Renal Failure, otherwise known as Kidney Failure. Off they sent me to the Hospital.
The hospital admitted me to the ER, pumped me full of IV fluids and started running multiple tests and reran the bloodwork to make sure there wasn't an error. The results came back worse than at the urgent care facility. I was admitted to the hospital because my kidneys are kaput.
Three days later, no real answers exist and we may never know what caused my kidneys to go into renal failure. The doctors are scratching their heads. Right now, their theories are that my blood pressure was so low that the kidneys didn't get enough blood, causing them to shut down. Another is that medication could have contributed to the shutdown, but that theory is lower down on their list of possibilities. The main theory is that it was a completely random occurrence aggravated by dehydration. At least, that's my understanding.
There is no magic pill they can use to fix this. The only thing they can do is try dialysis to get the toxins out of my body and hope that my kidneys will start working again. The doctor's say my kidneys are functioning at approximately 2-3% of normal. So, I have a temporary dialysis catheter in my neck and will be undergoing dialysis 3 days a week until hopefully the kidneys are functioning again. The doctors are very optimistic that after I'm fully re-hydrated and my blood pressure gets to a more "normal" range, my kidneys will return to normal and so will I.
Thank you to everybody for their concern and thoughts and prayers. They have been wonderful and they've been a wonderful buoy during a struggle. Though this is a hurdle, it's not insurmountable and something we can definitely deal with.
I want everybody to know that I feel fine. I don't feel sick, other than the ever-present nausea, which isn't anything new. The dialysis isn't pulling fluid off me, which I understand is the draining part.
So, that's the 411 on what happened. I'll keep you updated as news comes along.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Nicholas Sparks...you suck.
Yeah, this post has absolutely nothing to do with anything. It's simply a rant. Over Labor Day weekend, the parental units went out of town and I had the house to myself (well, I was dog-sitting, so as to-myself as it gets with two dogs). I decided to Redbox the weekend away. It's cheap, fun and I like my own company enough for two (lucky for my single self!).
Now, my loathing of Nicholas Sparks is probably only known to my cousin Ashlee (we had a big fight about it because she really likes him as an author and I loathe him) and probably my hairstylist because I had refused to see any of his movies past either Message in a Bottle or A Walk to Remember. Whichever came out later. I actually have nothing against him as an author. He is an amazing writer. It's his subject matter that I loathe. I'm a happy book reader. I don't like it when people don't end up together and happy ever after. Hey, if I'm not getting my happy ever after, the people in books may as well be, okay! Also probably the reason I adore romance...there isn't any romance in my real life...may as well read about it. But I digress.
I hate that there is angst, strife, hurt, and basically, real life in all his stories. When I read his books or watch his movies, my heart hurts. You know, your feel so badly for the people, your heart turns over in sympathy...I call that my heart hurts for them because literally, my heart hurts and I hate that feeling. So I had ordered a personal boycott on Nicholas Spark's movies that had recently come out, of which two I really wanted to see. I got blackmailed into seeing The Notebook and it only further reinforced my resolve.
But this Labor Day Weekend, my resolve wavered and fell. I rented Dear John and The Last Song from Redbox and watched them. Good? Yes. Great? Maybe. Did I hate it because it did everything that I loathed about Nicholas Sparks and his movies? You better believe it. So the boycott is back on. Nicholas Sparks is back to sucking simply because he makes me feel bad for people in a book or movie.
Dirty little secret: I did have to go buy The Last Song because even though it hurt, it didn't hurt as bad and I really did like it. Maybe he doesn't suck as bad as I'm trying to make him suck. Boycott remains in effect.
Now, my loathing of Nicholas Sparks is probably only known to my cousin Ashlee (we had a big fight about it because she really likes him as an author and I loathe him) and probably my hairstylist because I had refused to see any of his movies past either Message in a Bottle or A Walk to Remember. Whichever came out later. I actually have nothing against him as an author. He is an amazing writer. It's his subject matter that I loathe. I'm a happy book reader. I don't like it when people don't end up together and happy ever after. Hey, if I'm not getting my happy ever after, the people in books may as well be, okay! Also probably the reason I adore romance...there isn't any romance in my real life...may as well read about it. But I digress.
I hate that there is angst, strife, hurt, and basically, real life in all his stories. When I read his books or watch his movies, my heart hurts. You know, your feel so badly for the people, your heart turns over in sympathy...I call that my heart hurts for them because literally, my heart hurts and I hate that feeling. So I had ordered a personal boycott on Nicholas Spark's movies that had recently come out, of which two I really wanted to see. I got blackmailed into seeing The Notebook and it only further reinforced my resolve.
But this Labor Day Weekend, my resolve wavered and fell. I rented Dear John and The Last Song from Redbox and watched them. Good? Yes. Great? Maybe. Did I hate it because it did everything that I loathed about Nicholas Sparks and his movies? You better believe it. So the boycott is back on. Nicholas Sparks is back to sucking simply because he makes me feel bad for people in a book or movie.
Dirty little secret: I did have to go buy The Last Song because even though it hurt, it didn't hurt as bad and I really did like it. Maybe he doesn't suck as bad as I'm trying to make him suck. Boycott remains in effect.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Getting up at 6 a.m. is for the birds
I have a new temp job. I'm hoping it resolves into a permanent job because I like the work surprisingly enough. The only big bummer? I start work at 6 a.m.! And this isn't one of those roll into work in just anything jobs either! No, I have to be semi-professional and it would be preferable if I had makeup on and hair styled. I'm still working it out. Next week, the partners are going to be in the office (they live all over the west and mostly work from home offices), so we have to adhere to the dress code more strictly.
I think I'm going to shower at night and try to rewet and style my hair in the morning when I'm doing my makeup and brushing my teeth, etc..
On the up side, it is nice to get off work at 2:30 in the afternoon, but because I'm still getting used to getting up at 4 to get ready for work (takes me a while to get awake and get moving, people...sooooo not a morning person), I usually come home and crash for about a 3 hour nap. Yeah, it feels great, but I should probably get into a better sleep pattern, especially since I have plans to work out in those hours once we retrieve the treadmill from my sister's house.
I even have grand schemes to read after I'm off from work...nope. I've read a paragraph or two and I'm zonked. It's pretty comical, really. Hopefully I adjust before this assignment is over. Or hopefully they hire me on permanently.
Anyway, that's what's going on lately in my neck of the woods.
I did have a trip to Fresno that was loads of fun, but I've decided to keep that to myself. But it was fun and thanks to all the peoples involved in making it so much fun. I really needed it. And it turned into a very special weekend. Awww!
I think I'm going to shower at night and try to rewet and style my hair in the morning when I'm doing my makeup and brushing my teeth, etc..
On the up side, it is nice to get off work at 2:30 in the afternoon, but because I'm still getting used to getting up at 4 to get ready for work (takes me a while to get awake and get moving, people...sooooo not a morning person), I usually come home and crash for about a 3 hour nap. Yeah, it feels great, but I should probably get into a better sleep pattern, especially since I have plans to work out in those hours once we retrieve the treadmill from my sister's house.
I even have grand schemes to read after I'm off from work...nope. I've read a paragraph or two and I'm zonked. It's pretty comical, really. Hopefully I adjust before this assignment is over. Or hopefully they hire me on permanently.
Anyway, that's what's going on lately in my neck of the woods.
I did have a trip to Fresno that was loads of fun, but I've decided to keep that to myself. But it was fun and thanks to all the peoples involved in making it so much fun. I really needed it. And it turned into a very special weekend. Awww!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
I Fought with the Rocks and the Rocks Won!
Ever have those places you go just to chill and think? I do. Mine is a place called Saltair. It's a once grand relic from my grandmother's days during World War II just off the Great Salt Lake. Lately, it's in a decline and mostly hosts concerts (usually punk bands or harder rock from what I understand) and raves. During the days, families go out there and hike the distance to finally reach the water. For those of you who may not know the Great Salt Lake is called America's Dead Sea. It's so salty, you just bob in the water (provided you actually get to water deep enough to bob in...the Great Salt Lake is notoriously shallow).
This is a very pretty picture of the Great Salt Lake. I believe it is a picture from Saltair. This is a look similar to what I saw yesterday.
This is a view of the Great Saltair in finer days. I did not take these pictures because I didn't realize I was going to Saltair when I started driving, I just wanted to get out in the sun and enjoy the mild (80-ish degree) weather we were enjoying for the holiday weekend.
The lake levels are wayyyyyy down because of the drought we've been in and despite epic rain and snowfall, the levels are still down. I was smart and decided to travel with flip-flops, so walking in sand in flip-flops are not advisable in Great Salt Lake sand. They tend to have little gross puddles of sand flies and icky stinky goo. Since I didn't want to trek through that to actually reach the water, I just decided to climb some boulders that used to be in the lake, but now border the Saltair land.
It was beautiful. The wind was blowing, so it was actually a little brisk. No bugs of any sort. The sun was shining, the sky was blue. It was a perfect relaxation, enjoying the bounties of nature, thinking spot. I sat on my rock for a long time and enjoyed. It was heaven!
Then I decided to get off and drive home (Saltair is about a 30-ish minute drive from my home). I scooted to the edge and though I found a better way to get off than I did to get on. Wrong-o. I fell off the rocks. About 6 feet. I fought with the rocks and the rocks won. Big time. People saw, of course, which was embarrassing, but I was laughing too hard at myself. I told them I was okay and eventually (due to the laughing) got myself up and out.
I'm slightly damaged. I have scrapes on my right forearm and scrapes, swelling and (according to my mother) bruising on the left side of my face. Don't ask me how I accomplished that. I'm talented...that's all I know. I'm stiff and sore and think I might have strained some ribs on my back. Is that possible? My parents are just laughing when they watch me walk around the house. I have an evil plan to get dressed (sort of) and try to go walk and see if that loosens up my muscles a bit. It seemed to work yesterday when my muscles started to tighten up.
So, my commune with nature went well, my return to the modern world...not so well. Oh, well. Life will go on, I guess! And no, I will not include pictures of the abused face.
This is a very pretty picture of the Great Salt Lake. I believe it is a picture from Saltair. This is a look similar to what I saw yesterday.
This is a view of the Great Saltair in finer days. I did not take these pictures because I didn't realize I was going to Saltair when I started driving, I just wanted to get out in the sun and enjoy the mild (80-ish degree) weather we were enjoying for the holiday weekend.The lake levels are wayyyyyy down because of the drought we've been in and despite epic rain and snowfall, the levels are still down. I was smart and decided to travel with flip-flops, so walking in sand in flip-flops are not advisable in Great Salt Lake sand. They tend to have little gross puddles of sand flies and icky stinky goo. Since I didn't want to trek through that to actually reach the water, I just decided to climb some boulders that used to be in the lake, but now border the Saltair land.
It was beautiful. The wind was blowing, so it was actually a little brisk. No bugs of any sort. The sun was shining, the sky was blue. It was a perfect relaxation, enjoying the bounties of nature, thinking spot. I sat on my rock for a long time and enjoyed. It was heaven!
Then I decided to get off and drive home (Saltair is about a 30-ish minute drive from my home). I scooted to the edge and though I found a better way to get off than I did to get on. Wrong-o. I fell off the rocks. About 6 feet. I fought with the rocks and the rocks won. Big time. People saw, of course, which was embarrassing, but I was laughing too hard at myself. I told them I was okay and eventually (due to the laughing) got myself up and out.
I'm slightly damaged. I have scrapes on my right forearm and scrapes, swelling and (according to my mother) bruising on the left side of my face. Don't ask me how I accomplished that. I'm talented...that's all I know. I'm stiff and sore and think I might have strained some ribs on my back. Is that possible? My parents are just laughing when they watch me walk around the house. I have an evil plan to get dressed (sort of) and try to go walk and see if that loosens up my muscles a bit. It seemed to work yesterday when my muscles started to tighten up.
So, my commune with nature went well, my return to the modern world...not so well. Oh, well. Life will go on, I guess! And no, I will not include pictures of the abused face.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
I have a job! (Temporarily)
Miracle of miracles! I know, you're surprised! It's only temporary, but could work into permanent. I've only worked one day, but like it a lot. The people are super casual and very nice. It's through a temp agency, which I guess is the only way to go about getting a job in these times. The company is booming, so I hope to prove myself and be able to stay on permanently. They seem like an amazing company to work for. Bonus...I don't have to dress up to work there. First time in over 12 years. Only problem is that I don't have casual clothes to accomplish that. Bummer.
Keep your fingers, toes and anything else crossed for me and pray that this works out! Please let this work out!
Keep your fingers, toes and anything else crossed for me and pray that this works out! Please let this work out!
Monday, May 31, 2010
Skin Issues
Somebody please help! I need help with my eczema! It's getting to the point where I have to take Prednisone weekly if not more often to keep the eczema on my hands under control. I'm not putting anything out of the ordinary on them and the side effects of Prednisone are heinous. I hate it. The prescription steroid creams don't touch the flare-ups. I can usually keep the flare-ups on the rest of my body under control with lotion and/or coconut oil application, but it just doesn't work on my hands. I've tried cotton gloves, latex gloves, pretty much everything. Now the flare-ups on my body are starting to get out of control, too.
I have discovered that I am allergic to Jojoba Oil, so I recently purged myself of all (I hope) products that contain that product. I lotion up nightly, but that doesn't seem to help. I have a patch of eczema on my neck that people seem to think is a hickey. In my wildest dreams, people. And if it were a hickey, it would be hidden by cover-up. Seriously.
People swear by Eucerin, but I cannot abide the sticky feel of it and it never rubs in, just sits on the skin because of the Mineral Oil/Petrolatum/Lanolin. And it doesn't help. My skin reacts very well to lanolin, which I realize is a very rare thing for people with eczema, but whenever I spin sheep wool that still has lanolin in it, my hands never have a problem. I just don't do that and it makes my hands ache to spin as much as it takes to keep them the way they need.
I'm trying to go a natural approach with products that will actually penetrate the skin and help heal it from the inside out, so I'm looking for products that do not have Petrolatum/Mineral Oil. Does anybody have any solutions that they have found that worked to keep the flare-ups down? I hate taking the Prednisone as it makes me a hag, ravenous and a total insomniac for days. Oh, and the hormones go completely out of control. I can be a raving lunatic one moment and in tears the next. Not something I enjoy. HELP!
I have discovered that I am allergic to Jojoba Oil, so I recently purged myself of all (I hope) products that contain that product. I lotion up nightly, but that doesn't seem to help. I have a patch of eczema on my neck that people seem to think is a hickey. In my wildest dreams, people. And if it were a hickey, it would be hidden by cover-up. Seriously.
People swear by Eucerin, but I cannot abide the sticky feel of it and it never rubs in, just sits on the skin because of the Mineral Oil/Petrolatum/Lanolin. And it doesn't help. My skin reacts very well to lanolin, which I realize is a very rare thing for people with eczema, but whenever I spin sheep wool that still has lanolin in it, my hands never have a problem. I just don't do that and it makes my hands ache to spin as much as it takes to keep them the way they need.
I'm trying to go a natural approach with products that will actually penetrate the skin and help heal it from the inside out, so I'm looking for products that do not have Petrolatum/Mineral Oil. Does anybody have any solutions that they have found that worked to keep the flare-ups down? I hate taking the Prednisone as it makes me a hag, ravenous and a total insomniac for days. Oh, and the hormones go completely out of control. I can be a raving lunatic one moment and in tears the next. Not something I enjoy. HELP!
Monday, May 24, 2010
What the frizzle?!
I thought Utah weather was all out of whack until I woke up this morning to witness it SNOWING! Snowing, people! On May 24th. What the heck is up with that? While I know this isn't the latest snow in history, it's gotta be darn close and I'm about done with the up and down swing with the weather. One day it's nice and sunny, then next, it's cold and rainy (or in this case, snowy).
Can't the weather make up it's mind?! No wonder my hair and skin has been going crazy. I have been making a concentrated effort to try and work on my poor abused eczema-ridden skin. It's showing slight signs of improvement, but the constant swings of the weather don't help. I'm extremely sensitive jojoba oil and don't like to use mineral oil and/or petrolatum if I don't have to because the latter don't really moisturize, they just coat the skin to prevent moisture loss. I don't have moisture in the first place, so loss is ridiculous. I also live in a VERY arid climate (except for the fluke weather system hovering over Utah lately), so regular "lotions" such as Lubriderm don't work because it has glycerin in it and all it does is pull what moisture I have in my skin out into the air.
So...with that all being said. Any suggestions on a lotion or cream that isn't too pricey that isn't scented since scents tend to make me want to vomit?
I know...I'm asking the world, but am hoping that someone might be able to help me. Because I'm at my wits end.
Can't the weather make up it's mind?! No wonder my hair and skin has been going crazy. I have been making a concentrated effort to try and work on my poor abused eczema-ridden skin. It's showing slight signs of improvement, but the constant swings of the weather don't help. I'm extremely sensitive jojoba oil and don't like to use mineral oil and/or petrolatum if I don't have to because the latter don't really moisturize, they just coat the skin to prevent moisture loss. I don't have moisture in the first place, so loss is ridiculous. I also live in a VERY arid climate (except for the fluke weather system hovering over Utah lately), so regular "lotions" such as Lubriderm don't work because it has glycerin in it and all it does is pull what moisture I have in my skin out into the air.
So...with that all being said. Any suggestions on a lotion or cream that isn't too pricey that isn't scented since scents tend to make me want to vomit?
I know...I'm asking the world, but am hoping that someone might be able to help me. Because I'm at my wits end.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Walking Wounded
Literally. I am the walking wounded. Who would have guessed that a routine fishing expedition into my moving boxes would turn into a run to urgent care and stitches? Background story, you ask? Okay.
I woke up this morning craving homemade Chex Mix. So I took myself hence to Walmart and purchased the makings and after hemming and hawing, got around to actually making it. I gathered the fixin's and couldn't find seasoned salt anywhere in the kitchen. I just knew I had some in my boxes downstairs, so I trekked down to the basement and was digging through my boxes from the kitchen and happened to knock a favored coffee mug off the monster rack the boxes are stored on (the coffee mugs were just sitting there because I was going to bring them upstairs, but then I realized I really didn't drink herbal tea enough to warrant space they would take up). It shattered and hit my right foot. I muttered some choice words (not cuss words) and checked to see if it cut my foot because it felt like it, but saw no blood, so I continued looking without moving my foot so I wouldn't cut the bottom with all the shards of ceramic all over the place. I took a moment to shift the remaining coffee mugs over to what I thought was a safe distance and continued looking for the seasoned salt and consequently knocked off another favored mug, at such a time I gave up looking and went to go up stairs. I turned around, took two steps and felt a certain wetness on the bottom of my pajama bottoms and realized that I had been cut. So I lifted the leg of my pants and hobbled up the stairs where I grabbed a rag and wrapped it around the wound before going to the couch to survey the damage.
The wound wasn't bad, but it was relatively deep and right where the foot flexes at the toes. What with all the recent doctors visits, I was determined I could take care of this, so I sent my mom on a scavenger hunt for butterfly bandages, super glue, alcohol, bandaids and such. No good. The cut wouldn't stop bleeding. And whenever I flexed my big toe, it got worse. So I called my doctor. They don't do urgent care of any sort. Off I go to an urgent care facility. But not before finding the all important seasoned salt. Where, you ask? In the wrong cupboard, of course. Where else? Duh!
I wrap my foot, take apart a tennis shoe to get to the urgent care because of course it's raining here. We get right in. The doctor takes a look, tells me that it would eventually heal, but since it's right at the flex-point would break open often and would take months to heal fully, so he's going to stitch it closed and put me in a post-op sandal. I get the honor of receiving a tetanus shot because it's been just over 10 years since my last shot and set free with my super-stylish sandal and a prescription for antibiotics. Who knows what kind of stuff was on those mugs in the basement, right? Example of my stylish sandal I get to wear for 2 days:
The stitches come out in 2 weeks. Oh, yeah. On top of that, I had my Echo stress test follow-up scheduled for tomorrow. Had to reschedule that for two weeks down the road, too.
What's that you ask? Did I finally get my Chex Mix? Why yes...I did. And it was delicious! Yum!
I woke up this morning craving homemade Chex Mix. So I took myself hence to Walmart and purchased the makings and after hemming and hawing, got around to actually making it. I gathered the fixin's and couldn't find seasoned salt anywhere in the kitchen. I just knew I had some in my boxes downstairs, so I trekked down to the basement and was digging through my boxes from the kitchen and happened to knock a favored coffee mug off the monster rack the boxes are stored on (the coffee mugs were just sitting there because I was going to bring them upstairs, but then I realized I really didn't drink herbal tea enough to warrant space they would take up). It shattered and hit my right foot. I muttered some choice words (not cuss words) and checked to see if it cut my foot because it felt like it, but saw no blood, so I continued looking without moving my foot so I wouldn't cut the bottom with all the shards of ceramic all over the place. I took a moment to shift the remaining coffee mugs over to what I thought was a safe distance and continued looking for the seasoned salt and consequently knocked off another favored mug, at such a time I gave up looking and went to go up stairs. I turned around, took two steps and felt a certain wetness on the bottom of my pajama bottoms and realized that I had been cut. So I lifted the leg of my pants and hobbled up the stairs where I grabbed a rag and wrapped it around the wound before going to the couch to survey the damage.
The wound wasn't bad, but it was relatively deep and right where the foot flexes at the toes. What with all the recent doctors visits, I was determined I could take care of this, so I sent my mom on a scavenger hunt for butterfly bandages, super glue, alcohol, bandaids and such. No good. The cut wouldn't stop bleeding. And whenever I flexed my big toe, it got worse. So I called my doctor. They don't do urgent care of any sort. Off I go to an urgent care facility. But not before finding the all important seasoned salt. Where, you ask? In the wrong cupboard, of course. Where else? Duh!
I wrap my foot, take apart a tennis shoe to get to the urgent care because of course it's raining here. We get right in. The doctor takes a look, tells me that it would eventually heal, but since it's right at the flex-point would break open often and would take months to heal fully, so he's going to stitch it closed and put me in a post-op sandal. I get the honor of receiving a tetanus shot because it's been just over 10 years since my last shot and set free with my super-stylish sandal and a prescription for antibiotics. Who knows what kind of stuff was on those mugs in the basement, right? Example of my stylish sandal I get to wear for 2 days:
The stitches come out in 2 weeks. Oh, yeah. On top of that, I had my Echo stress test follow-up scheduled for tomorrow. Had to reschedule that for two weeks down the road, too.
What's that you ask? Did I finally get my Chex Mix? Why yes...I did. And it was delicious! Yum!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Resumes, Cover Letters and such
As you probably know if you read my blog, I'm an unemployed bum and have been for quite some time. I've been sending out my resume, but haven't been getting a whole lot of responses, so I figured I would enlist the help of my Uncle, who was an Employment Specialist for our Church at one point. It didn't hurt that there was a very specific position that I wanted that I have previously held before, so I can make it very, very specific.
My problem? I suck at writing resumes and cover letters. I mean, I really suck. For the most part, I can bumble through the skills and experience part because...hey, you either have them or you don't, right? I mean, you can word them differently (which my Uncle totally helped me with, than you!), but the experience and skills are what they are. The objective is really all you have to catch their attention and it's really hard for me to do. My brain doesn't wrap around the concept of what an employer is looking for in an objective. Thankfully, I have people who have worked in the business of helping people get hired that are more than willing to look at it and help me out or I think I might be in serious trouble.
But the worst part is that I suck at writing a cover letter even more than I suck at writing an objective. I feel like I'm bragging too much about myself and the employer is going to snort and just chuck it in the garbage because there is just no way that I can possibly live up to what I'm claiming, even though everything I say in the letter is true. And I try to balance the professional distance with personality that gets me in the chair for an interview. This results in anxiety of the highest order for me. Really.
Again, luckily, I have a great team of family and friends on my side who are soooo patient and willing to help me. Especially when I do the exact opposite opposite of what they told me they wanted. So, to them...thank you. And now, I have a prettier resume, so hopefully I get more calls back for more jobs!
Does anybody else have this problem? Am I the only one who struggles with resumes and cover letters?
My problem? I suck at writing resumes and cover letters. I mean, I really suck. For the most part, I can bumble through the skills and experience part because...hey, you either have them or you don't, right? I mean, you can word them differently (which my Uncle totally helped me with, than you!), but the experience and skills are what they are. The objective is really all you have to catch their attention and it's really hard for me to do. My brain doesn't wrap around the concept of what an employer is looking for in an objective. Thankfully, I have people who have worked in the business of helping people get hired that are more than willing to look at it and help me out or I think I might be in serious trouble.
But the worst part is that I suck at writing a cover letter even more than I suck at writing an objective. I feel like I'm bragging too much about myself and the employer is going to snort and just chuck it in the garbage because there is just no way that I can possibly live up to what I'm claiming, even though everything I say in the letter is true. And I try to balance the professional distance with personality that gets me in the chair for an interview. This results in anxiety of the highest order for me. Really.
Again, luckily, I have a great team of family and friends on my side who are soooo patient and willing to help me. Especially when I do the exact opposite opposite of what they told me they wanted. So, to them...thank you. And now, I have a prettier resume, so hopefully I get more calls back for more jobs!
Does anybody else have this problem? Am I the only one who struggles with resumes and cover letters?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Random Musings
I thought ahead and purchased my mom's Mother's Day present. I'm quite proud of myself. And I'm pretty sure I some of it will be used. She and my Dad pretty much buy what they want when they want it, so it's an ugly mess of trying to find Mother's and Father's Day gifts.
I have a skin yeast infection. That has turned into a skin yeast and bacterial infection. It's so bad that a topical solution won't help, so I'm taking pills to resolve it. Except I have the prescription "deodorant" to prevent it from seeping. NOT RECOMMENDED, PEOPLE! I almost cussed. Well, maybe I did because it stung sooooooo bad! I did do some Lamaze breathing for sure. It was awful. Upside? I have unlimited refills and once my body gets used to it, I only have to use it once every few days. Bonus! No more wasting money on Deodorant!
I received my missing items from Neal from Fresno. Poor guy has been super busy at work. He has charged me with trying to get Ashlee out here to see us. I told him that hell would sooner freeze over than Ashlee would come visit us.
Tomorrow, I'm going to go get my hair cut. The girl did such a good job last time, I'm going to let her have at it again and see what I walk away with. I like sassy hairstyles.
I hennaed my hair again. I just couldn't stay away from the red. I think I secretly should have been born a redhead and now just have to correct it manually for the rest of my life.
I have a skin yeast infection. That has turned into a skin yeast and bacterial infection. It's so bad that a topical solution won't help, so I'm taking pills to resolve it. Except I have the prescription "deodorant" to prevent it from seeping. NOT RECOMMENDED, PEOPLE! I almost cussed. Well, maybe I did because it stung sooooooo bad! I did do some Lamaze breathing for sure. It was awful. Upside? I have unlimited refills and once my body gets used to it, I only have to use it once every few days. Bonus! No more wasting money on Deodorant!
I received my missing items from Neal from Fresno. Poor guy has been super busy at work. He has charged me with trying to get Ashlee out here to see us. I told him that hell would sooner freeze over than Ashlee would come visit us.
Tomorrow, I'm going to go get my hair cut. The girl did such a good job last time, I'm going to let her have at it again and see what I walk away with. I like sassy hairstyles.
I hennaed my hair again. I just couldn't stay away from the red. I think I secretly should have been born a redhead and now just have to correct it manually for the rest of my life.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Vacation Recap
I am back from Malibu/Fresno and it was so much fun! We got to camp for over a week, sit by a campfire every night (for some strange reason, I wasn't into the S'mores this time...so lame of me), go to the beach, see the waves on the beach at night (I missed the opportunity to see a sunset on the beach because I was sleeping...duh me), go shopping at thrift stores that reside in a ritzier part of town than I will probably ever see, eat some good home cooking and go to the Orange County Swap Meet. Fun was certainly had by this girl!
While it wasn't exactly relaxing due to the fact that there were a lot of kids camping this year and they were prone to get in trouble and we all had our eagle eyes out, my batteries are certainly recharged and I have a whole new outlook on life again.
There was kind of a revolving door in the camp because people were only staying a few days due to work and other commitments, but it was sooooo much fun meeting all those people. They were all so nice and happy and I found myself smiling more than I have in the past long while.
I had gone with a list of books I wanted to read, but didn't get much reading done (though more than Ashlee) because there was always a kid to keep track of, waterproofing of tents to be done (though I slept through most of that, I did help when I realized what was going on), dinner to be started, lunches to be made, breakfast to be cooked (I kind turned into the bacon girl while there if I woke up early enough) and more.
Naps were enjoyed by me and not so much for Ashlee, which I know she was really looking forward to.
I ended up doing 2 haircuts in camp for two semi-related little girls that turned out super-cute. I was supposed to cut and color my Aunt Gwen's hair, but that never happened...not quite sure why. I was also supposed to highlight another person's hair while I was in Fresno, but that never happened either. It would have been fun to be "back in the saddle."
An emergency burn and ensuing argument was had by burn victim to go to the emergency room. There is always one emergency per trip, I understand and it turned out to be bad, but okay.
I got to meet a family that is quite an inspiration and frankly changed my outlook and thought process permanently, I hope. Despite great challenges, they have banded together as a family and are making the best of a bad situation and everything else that seems to get thrown their way. Very moving and touching to someone looking in. They'll probably never read this, but someone will who knows who I'm talking about. Between this family and my extended family, my faith in my religion has been revived and strengthened. Much kudos because my family has been trying to do that for a very long time. Shows what living and leading by example and being in new circumstances can do.
I also went to go see Clash of the Titans...3D with Ashlee. I really liked it. Yeah, at times it was over the top and hokey, but come on...this is Greek mythology! Everything was over the top and extreme. Highly entertaining and quite informative, which I don't think the original Clash of the Titans movie had, even though I love that one, too.
My return trip was going to be a journey and I new it, but it turned out to be quite a journey! I had two layovers, one in Los Angeles for 4 hours and one in Las Vegas for what was supposed to be about 2 hours, but turned into more like 4 or 5. All told, my day from beginning flight to landing time in final destination turned out to be 13 hours. I could have driven home in that time, as my cousin Heidi pointed out, had I been able to drive.
All said and done, I'm very glad I went on this vacation, though technically, I couldn't afford it. It was very good for me and I got to see family much missed! It won't be so long next time and that's a threat and a promise!
While it wasn't exactly relaxing due to the fact that there were a lot of kids camping this year and they were prone to get in trouble and we all had our eagle eyes out, my batteries are certainly recharged and I have a whole new outlook on life again.
There was kind of a revolving door in the camp because people were only staying a few days due to work and other commitments, but it was sooooo much fun meeting all those people. They were all so nice and happy and I found myself smiling more than I have in the past long while.
I had gone with a list of books I wanted to read, but didn't get much reading done (though more than Ashlee) because there was always a kid to keep track of, waterproofing of tents to be done (though I slept through most of that, I did help when I realized what was going on), dinner to be started, lunches to be made, breakfast to be cooked (I kind turned into the bacon girl while there if I woke up early enough) and more.
Naps were enjoyed by me and not so much for Ashlee, which I know she was really looking forward to.
I ended up doing 2 haircuts in camp for two semi-related little girls that turned out super-cute. I was supposed to cut and color my Aunt Gwen's hair, but that never happened...not quite sure why. I was also supposed to highlight another person's hair while I was in Fresno, but that never happened either. It would have been fun to be "back in the saddle."
An emergency burn and ensuing argument was had by burn victim to go to the emergency room. There is always one emergency per trip, I understand and it turned out to be bad, but okay.
I got to meet a family that is quite an inspiration and frankly changed my outlook and thought process permanently, I hope. Despite great challenges, they have banded together as a family and are making the best of a bad situation and everything else that seems to get thrown their way. Very moving and touching to someone looking in. They'll probably never read this, but someone will who knows who I'm talking about. Between this family and my extended family, my faith in my religion has been revived and strengthened. Much kudos because my family has been trying to do that for a very long time. Shows what living and leading by example and being in new circumstances can do.
I also went to go see Clash of the Titans...3D with Ashlee. I really liked it. Yeah, at times it was over the top and hokey, but come on...this is Greek mythology! Everything was over the top and extreme. Highly entertaining and quite informative, which I don't think the original Clash of the Titans movie had, even though I love that one, too.
My return trip was going to be a journey and I new it, but it turned out to be quite a journey! I had two layovers, one in Los Angeles for 4 hours and one in Las Vegas for what was supposed to be about 2 hours, but turned into more like 4 or 5. All told, my day from beginning flight to landing time in final destination turned out to be 13 hours. I could have driven home in that time, as my cousin Heidi pointed out, had I been able to drive.
All said and done, I'm very glad I went on this vacation, though technically, I couldn't afford it. It was very good for me and I got to see family much missed! It won't be so long next time and that's a threat and a promise!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Beware...this is kind of a happiness countdown again...
No, I didn't do anything special. There is a bar just behind our house called the Leprechaun Inn and even at noon, the parking lot was overflowing. They do a very good business on St. Patrick's Day.
The only thing I did was go for my final appointment for my permanent makeup. Some of you may and may not know that I decided to get permanent makeup done. Due to an increasing amount of allergies to eye makeup and a huge increase in laziness, I decided to get permanent makeup done, especially full lips (since mine are originally the color of my skin almost). I had my eyebrows, eyeliner, lash enhancement and full lips done and haven't regretted it for a moment. I will post before and after pics soon. I was not smart enough to document the process as it went by as it happened in 3 treatment sessions. Needless to say, I'm extremely happy and will go to Malibu and not ever have to worry about my "makeup" coming off as I play in the ocean or wake up in the morning and stagger out of the tent still half asleep. Not that I ever really cared before, but it's nice to not to have to worry about doing your makeup all the time (though I love makeup and will still play...the stuff I had done was just a base and I can always build and play with it, which I love even more).
The countdown is on for Malibu and seeing the California Greens! I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! Whenever I think about the trip, little butterflies arrive in my stomach I'm so excited! This is going to be such a good trip and I'm glad I found a way to make it. Plus, spending some quality time on a beach (which I've only really seen in passing up 'til now) will be a novel and fun adventure. I'm a mountain girl through and through because I grew up with them, but I think I could very easily be transformed into a beach girl. There is something about the wildness and wind and the saltiness in the air that I like. Meh, I'll get to explore it more and maybe be able to put it into better words later.
My brother and sister-in-law celebrated St. Patrick's Day in true form, which I find so adorable I can't even contain it. They had a whole green day which started with green milk for their cereal, a hunt for four leaf clovers and a leprechaun (seriously, why didn't we do this when we were kids, huh?), a trip to Austin for the nephew, which included the good news that he is now on the kidney transplant list (I cannot donate because I'm too fat first, but also because I have the wrong blood type and my heart condition, otherwise, I'd be first in line for testing), playing at a green park, dinner of green pancakes and green eggs and ham and finished out the night for the two oldest with a green bath. This family is so cute I cannot put it into words. They make sure to make every day special and do the cutest things to make sure days are memorable, especially after having spent so much time in a hospital. Reminds me to enjoy the days, not just the special days.
In otherwise unnotable news, I have changed up some medication and it's amazing the difference I feel. I no longer feel like just laying in bed all day and sleeping. I don't feel like crying all the time. I don't find myself watching sad Lifetime movies all day long. Heck, I even feel like getting up and showering, which is a huge leap for me, trust me. It's amazing how a little change can make such a difference in how you view things. I'm happy again...after many months of my pity party. Yeah, it was a pity party and I still fall into it, but at least it's passing kind of like a storm. I highly encourage someone who is taking medication that just doesn't seem to cut it to ask the doctor to change it. It can make the difference in how you view everything and make a huge difference. Small changes, I tell you.
And lastly...I purchased a Kindle. It's an electronic book notepad that has wireless connectivity. I'm a huge reader and wasn't looking forward to lugging a suitcase full of books for the vacation and stumbled across this Kindle. The initial price is steep at about $260 (thank you tax returns), but the cost of books are so much cheaper than physical books and there are tons of classics that are free. I'm glad I purchased it. Best luxury purchase ever. Highly recommended.
No, I didn't do anything special. There is a bar just behind our house called the Leprechaun Inn and even at noon, the parking lot was overflowing. They do a very good business on St. Patrick's Day.
The only thing I did was go for my final appointment for my permanent makeup. Some of you may and may not know that I decided to get permanent makeup done. Due to an increasing amount of allergies to eye makeup and a huge increase in laziness, I decided to get permanent makeup done, especially full lips (since mine are originally the color of my skin almost). I had my eyebrows, eyeliner, lash enhancement and full lips done and haven't regretted it for a moment. I will post before and after pics soon. I was not smart enough to document the process as it went by as it happened in 3 treatment sessions. Needless to say, I'm extremely happy and will go to Malibu and not ever have to worry about my "makeup" coming off as I play in the ocean or wake up in the morning and stagger out of the tent still half asleep. Not that I ever really cared before, but it's nice to not to have to worry about doing your makeup all the time (though I love makeup and will still play...the stuff I had done was just a base and I can always build and play with it, which I love even more).
The countdown is on for Malibu and seeing the California Greens! I'm so excited I can barely contain myself! Whenever I think about the trip, little butterflies arrive in my stomach I'm so excited! This is going to be such a good trip and I'm glad I found a way to make it. Plus, spending some quality time on a beach (which I've only really seen in passing up 'til now) will be a novel and fun adventure. I'm a mountain girl through and through because I grew up with them, but I think I could very easily be transformed into a beach girl. There is something about the wildness and wind and the saltiness in the air that I like. Meh, I'll get to explore it more and maybe be able to put it into better words later.
My brother and sister-in-law celebrated St. Patrick's Day in true form, which I find so adorable I can't even contain it. They had a whole green day which started with green milk for their cereal, a hunt for four leaf clovers and a leprechaun (seriously, why didn't we do this when we were kids, huh?), a trip to Austin for the nephew, which included the good news that he is now on the kidney transplant list (I cannot donate because I'm too fat first, but also because I have the wrong blood type and my heart condition, otherwise, I'd be first in line for testing), playing at a green park, dinner of green pancakes and green eggs and ham and finished out the night for the two oldest with a green bath. This family is so cute I cannot put it into words. They make sure to make every day special and do the cutest things to make sure days are memorable, especially after having spent so much time in a hospital. Reminds me to enjoy the days, not just the special days.
In otherwise unnotable news, I have changed up some medication and it's amazing the difference I feel. I no longer feel like just laying in bed all day and sleeping. I don't feel like crying all the time. I don't find myself watching sad Lifetime movies all day long. Heck, I even feel like getting up and showering, which is a huge leap for me, trust me. It's amazing how a little change can make such a difference in how you view things. I'm happy again...after many months of my pity party. Yeah, it was a pity party and I still fall into it, but at least it's passing kind of like a storm. I highly encourage someone who is taking medication that just doesn't seem to cut it to ask the doctor to change it. It can make the difference in how you view everything and make a huge difference. Small changes, I tell you.
And lastly...I purchased a Kindle. It's an electronic book notepad that has wireless connectivity. I'm a huge reader and wasn't looking forward to lugging a suitcase full of books for the vacation and stumbled across this Kindle. The initial price is steep at about $260 (thank you tax returns), but the cost of books are so much cheaper than physical books and there are tons of classics that are free. I'm glad I purchased it. Best luxury purchase ever. Highly recommended.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Let's do it the Redneck way!
So...what do you do when the weather takes an unexpected change from a balmy 54 degrees to freezing and rain mixed with heavy snow and your car needs new brakes and rotors and you're not willing to wait until the weather gets better? You do it the redneck way, of course! Observe. The following pictures display the redneck way. What is that strange white thing above the strange white car up on a jack, you ask? Why, it's a canopy that you usually see at farmers markets and/or swap meets. Why do we have one? Your guess is as good as mine. I think it's for family parties when the weather undoubtedly turns on us and there are just too many people to fit inside the house.
What's all this you're seeing, you ask? Well, there is a rougly 1,000 square foot garage that is full of tools, but no room to park a car to say...fix the brakes. There is an evaporative cooler that was supposed to replace our current one, but hasn't made it onto the roof yet. A white cadillac that is unregistered (I think it runs), a motor home that is unregistered (undecided if it still runs, it hasn't seen the road for years), a car that is unregistered and receiving TLC for new brakes and rotors (under said canopy), a truck that is registered and in working order, a house that though unfinished for years is in working order. The neighbors house which to my knowledge is completely finished and in working order and has a car parked in the garage. And another Cadillac which is registered and in working order. I think I covered everything.
I give you...the redneck way! And just for the record, I didn't do this, though I offered to help. My brother (the one borrowing it) and my father were the ones who fixed it.
What's all this you're seeing, you ask? Well, there is a rougly 1,000 square foot garage that is full of tools, but no room to park a car to say...fix the brakes. There is an evaporative cooler that was supposed to replace our current one, but hasn't made it onto the roof yet. A white cadillac that is unregistered (I think it runs), a motor home that is unregistered (undecided if it still runs, it hasn't seen the road for years), a car that is unregistered and receiving TLC for new brakes and rotors (under said canopy), a truck that is registered and in working order, a house that though unfinished for years is in working order. The neighbors house which to my knowledge is completely finished and in working order and has a car parked in the garage. And another Cadillac which is registered and in working order. I think I covered everything.
I give you...the redneck way! And just for the record, I didn't do this, though I offered to help. My brother (the one borrowing it) and my father were the ones who fixed it.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Whoops!
Bad news bears! All the brakes have to be replaced as well as the rotors on the back. The good news is that my dad is so handy, he's going to do it! The repair shop was going to charge $500 to do the work and my dad thinks it's highway robbery. Well, the parts turned out to be about $150 on their own.
I offered to help, but he prefers to do things on his own, so I let him go about his business. When it began to get dark outside, I went to check on him. He was having trouble getting the rotors off, saying somehow they're linked to the emergency brake. He had taken one side in the rear off and had moved to the other side to see if there was something magic. People, he had been working on getting the rotors off the rear for hours! He looked it up online and couldn't figure it out.
So me, being the helpful daughter I am, held the light for him because that's all I was pretty much allowed to do. After watching him logic his way through why the rotors wouldn't come off and how there seemed to be some magic answer he didn't have and muttering about how it seems to be connected to the parking brake, I finally asked him if the parking brake was on. He tells me no and I ask him if he's sure. He says he's sure, but sends me to go check...sure enough, the parking brake was on. Poor guy! Three to Four hours work trying to figure out why he couldn't just pull the rotors off and it turns out it's because his daughter actually uses the parking brake. He never does, so it didn't occur to him that it might be on.
We got the rotors off, but parts fell out of one side that has to do with the parking brake, so that's a riddle that has to be solved today. Hey, at least the front brakes will be a breeze now!
And the cutest part? He was out there for that long and I'm sure he was frustrated, but he just kept plugging at it, trying to figure out what the magic was! Then when we solved the riddle, he just finally removed the part and made some comment about how that was easy. My dad...you gotta love him!
I offered to help, but he prefers to do things on his own, so I let him go about his business. When it began to get dark outside, I went to check on him. He was having trouble getting the rotors off, saying somehow they're linked to the emergency brake. He had taken one side in the rear off and had moved to the other side to see if there was something magic. People, he had been working on getting the rotors off the rear for hours! He looked it up online and couldn't figure it out.
So me, being the helpful daughter I am, held the light for him because that's all I was pretty much allowed to do. After watching him logic his way through why the rotors wouldn't come off and how there seemed to be some magic answer he didn't have and muttering about how it seems to be connected to the parking brake, I finally asked him if the parking brake was on. He tells me no and I ask him if he's sure. He says he's sure, but sends me to go check...sure enough, the parking brake was on. Poor guy! Three to Four hours work trying to figure out why he couldn't just pull the rotors off and it turns out it's because his daughter actually uses the parking brake. He never does, so it didn't occur to him that it might be on.
We got the rotors off, but parts fell out of one side that has to do with the parking brake, so that's a riddle that has to be solved today. Hey, at least the front brakes will be a breeze now!
And the cutest part? He was out there for that long and I'm sure he was frustrated, but he just kept plugging at it, trying to figure out what the magic was! Then when we solved the riddle, he just finally removed the part and made some comment about how that was easy. My dad...you gotta love him!
Friday, March 12, 2010
There is such a thing as too comfortable!
I did not take pictures because I was simply too disgusted with myself at letting my car get into the state it was in.
Yesterday, my parents came home and asked if my brother could borrow my car because he got in an accident and totaled his. It's unregistered, but insured, so I said if we can get it registered, then he can certainly borrow it since I'm not supposed to be driving. My dad, ever so gently suggested I clean it out before doing anything else with it and now I realize why. My car is a 2 door coupe. When I finished cleaning out just the inside, I had a 13 gallon garbage bag full of garbage. Not to mention random articles of clothing, hair clips, new windshield wipers, etc. (I am happy to report that I replaced the windshield wipers all by myself!)
I vacuumed out the car, which was probably worse than cleaning out the garbage (I HATE to vacuum), then sprayed some air freshener. I might get ambitious and take a baby wipe (no Armor All) and wipe the dust off the dashboard, etc..
Next is the trunk, which I admit is completely and utterly full. Not looking forward to that!
Yesterday, my parents came home and asked if my brother could borrow my car because he got in an accident and totaled his. It's unregistered, but insured, so I said if we can get it registered, then he can certainly borrow it since I'm not supposed to be driving. My dad, ever so gently suggested I clean it out before doing anything else with it and now I realize why. My car is a 2 door coupe. When I finished cleaning out just the inside, I had a 13 gallon garbage bag full of garbage. Not to mention random articles of clothing, hair clips, new windshield wipers, etc. (I am happy to report that I replaced the windshield wipers all by myself!)
I vacuumed out the car, which was probably worse than cleaning out the garbage (I HATE to vacuum), then sprayed some air freshener. I might get ambitious and take a baby wipe (no Armor All) and wipe the dust off the dashboard, etc..
Next is the trunk, which I admit is completely and utterly full. Not looking forward to that!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Leavin' on a Jet Plane!
Yes, that's right...I'm leavin' on a jet plane and GETTING OUT OF UTAH! For 10 whole days! I'm so excited!
My cousin and her family and friends go the week before Easter to the Leo Carrillo State Park in/around (not sure) Malibu. Ready for a picture I found so you can be jealous? It probably won't look like this, but a girl can dream...
I really am excited about this trip, though it requires me being in a swimsuit, which I haven't done for about 8 years. Water and me are not great friends. But I don't much care about what I look like in a swimsuit because really there's nobody there to impress. It's all family and I've come to realize I am a big girl and I may as well embrace it until I'm ready to fix it.
The reason I'm so excited for this trip is because I get to see one of my favorite sides of the family! I love the Fresno Green's and being around them is always a good time to be had and I laugh like crazy. They're game freaks and it gets quite competitive, but it's a relaxing time when I can recharge my batteries. Plus, I never get to see them and they are just so different from my family. I cannot wait to attempt winning at Risk or Scrabble...I'm not very good so winning is always a victory for me!
Don't you worry...there will be pictures. Unflattering I'm sure, but we'll be having fun, so who cares? I leave 3-23 and will be enjoying every minute of being wireless! Correction. I leave on the 26th. I don't know where the 23rd came from. Duh.
My cousin and her family and friends go the week before Easter to the Leo Carrillo State Park in/around (not sure) Malibu. Ready for a picture I found so you can be jealous? It probably won't look like this, but a girl can dream...
I really am excited about this trip, though it requires me being in a swimsuit, which I haven't done for about 8 years. Water and me are not great friends. But I don't much care about what I look like in a swimsuit because really there's nobody there to impress. It's all family and I've come to realize I am a big girl and I may as well embrace it until I'm ready to fix it.The reason I'm so excited for this trip is because I get to see one of my favorite sides of the family! I love the Fresno Green's and being around them is always a good time to be had and I laugh like crazy. They're game freaks and it gets quite competitive, but it's a relaxing time when I can recharge my batteries. Plus, I never get to see them and they are just so different from my family. I cannot wait to attempt winning at Risk or Scrabble...I'm not very good so winning is always a victory for me!
Don't you worry...there will be pictures. Unflattering I'm sure, but we'll be having fun, so who cares? I leave 3-23 and will be enjoying every minute of being wireless! Correction. I leave on the 26th. I don't know where the 23rd came from. Duh.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
So, my cousin Ashlee tagged me to answer this list of questions. Truthfully, I had never seen such a list until I saw it on her blog, but who am I to stop the show? So, here you go...
4 shows i like to watch:
1. Ghost Hunters
2. Ghost Whisperer
3. Criminal Minds
4. Charmed
4 things i am passionate about:
1. Reading
2. Family
3. Spinning
4. History
4 words or phrases i say often:
1. Really? I mean, really. (said with sarcasm)
2. I wasn't sleeping, I was just in my bedroom.
3. "Can you take me ____?" Since I can't drive due to medical restrictions.
4. seriously!? (said with as much sarcasm as one can possibly muster) have to ditto this from Ashlee
4 things i have learned from the past:
1. i seriously lucked out in the parental department (ditto again from Ashlee).
2. If you can't laugh, then it's a sad, sad world.
3. Sometimes saying nothing is the best coarse of action out there. It prevents family feuds.
4 places i would love to go:
1. The UK
2. Germany
3. Italy
4. Egypt
4 things i did yesterday:
1. Walked to the store
2. Watched the Olympics
3. Took a shower, oh divine!
4. Started reading a new book
4 things i am looking forward to:
1. Being able to drive again
2. Walking to the store and buying gumballs...I love those things!
3. Nephew coming home from the hospital now that Niece is home. She's like holding a football.
4. Getting rid of the knot in my neck
4 things i love about winter:
1. How quiet the snow makes everything right after it's fallen.
2. Fire's in the wood-burning stove
3. A Homemade meal that warms you from the inside out
4. Seeing the beautiful landscape when the snow falls only in the mountains and not in the valleys.
4 things on my wish list:
1. Books. I'm compiling quite a list.
4 people i tag:
1. anyone who wants to.
4 shows i like to watch:
1. Ghost Hunters
2. Ghost Whisperer
3. Criminal Minds
4. Charmed
4 things i am passionate about:
1. Reading
2. Family
3. Spinning
4. History
4 words or phrases i say often:
1. Really? I mean, really. (said with sarcasm)
2. I wasn't sleeping, I was just in my bedroom.
3. "Can you take me ____?" Since I can't drive due to medical restrictions.
4. seriously!? (said with as much sarcasm as one can possibly muster) have to ditto this from Ashlee
4 things i have learned from the past:
1. i seriously lucked out in the parental department (ditto again from Ashlee).
2. If you can't laugh, then it's a sad, sad world.
3. Sometimes saying nothing is the best coarse of action out there. It prevents family feuds.
4. Smiling when you have a bad day can turn it into a good day...you tend to meet the most interesting people through this method.
4 places i would love to go:
1. The UK
2. Germany
3. Italy
4. Egypt
4 things i did yesterday:
1. Walked to the store
2. Watched the Olympics
3. Took a shower, oh divine!
4. Started reading a new book
4 things i am looking forward to:
1. Being able to drive again
2. Walking to the store and buying gumballs...I love those things!
3. Nephew coming home from the hospital now that Niece is home. She's like holding a football.
4. Getting rid of the knot in my neck
4 things i love about winter:
1. How quiet the snow makes everything right after it's fallen.
2. Fire's in the wood-burning stove
3. A Homemade meal that warms you from the inside out
4. Seeing the beautiful landscape when the snow falls only in the mountains and not in the valleys.
4 things on my wish list:
1. Books. I'm compiling quite a list.
2. Longer hair. I was stupid to whack it all off.
3. A trip to California for Easter
4. a husband (is there an outlet somewhere?) copied from Ashlee again.4 people i tag:
1. anyone who wants to.
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