Blonde moments

I admit it. I have blonde moments. Lots of them. Especially lately. My memory is completely shot and it's really bugging.

I can't remember conversations I've had with people. That's the most prevalent problem I've noticed, but there are others. Like the fact that I cannot hold a thought process for more than a minute or two. My conversations are so fragmented I'm surprised people can keep up. I think I might need to be medicated for it (kidding!).

The one that is really bugging me is that I've had my discharge papers from the Emergency Room for weeks. They've been in my line of vision every day. I finally picked them up because I needed to find out when my Cardiologist appointment was and realized there was an actual diagnosis on the discharge papers!

First, I am seriously bugged that I cannot remember things I've made arrangements for, like said doctors appointment (p.s. Jan 19th at 2:00 in case I forget again). BUT...I can remember obscure factoids that I really don't need to remember. I blame the seizure.

Second, the diagnosis: Prolonged Q-T Interval Syndrome. I don't know what exactly it is yet as the internet is a bit scary and cryptic. Luckily, I have a rockin' brother and sister-in-law who are doing some research on it for me. And I'm writing down lots of questions for the Cardiologist since my primary care doctor wasn't very forthcoming. A message has been left for my primary care doctor as to whether or not I can start an exercise regimen (seriously needed) with this issue outstanding. According to the Mayo Clinic information, it's a racing heart syndrome that can be triggered by sudden startles such as a loud noise or such. Will keep you posted.

So...can I use this diagnosis as an explanation for a faulty memory?

Walking Wounded...Barely

I seriously cannot make this stuff up. We have another walking wounded in our family. This walking would would be of the furry variety, but somehow that makes it all the worse! Our temporary charge, Cougar (Kim and Leslie's dog), who is staying with our family until Kim and Leslie become permanent residents at another location after his recent graduation (happy late congrats on the graduation and baby, btw!) has become the walking wounded. We don't know what happened, we just know that somehow Cougar ended up with one huge (I mean, HUGE) gaping tear in his side measuring approximately 8 inches long. I have a theory of my own, but it only goes well if I explain some history, which will not be a surprise to some of my family and will be a huge shock to some other of my family. What can I say? I'm only human and as humans do, did something stupid and continued to do it as a twisted way of controlling my increasingly feeling out-of-control life.

Story line: I smoke. I have been a smoker for approximately...ohhh...5 months. It's not glamorous and I can't say I even particularly enjoy it, but I smoke. Of which, I have quickly decided to quit because, let's face it...it's gross...has made a recent cold of mine much worse and it's stinking and I constantly taste smoke. Yes, this is my glamorous life! Before my very glamorous seizure, I hadn't smoked for about 3 weeks and hadn't truly missed it, but decided that I did about the time I realized I probably wouldn't be able to drive for some extended amount of time. You see, I don't like feeling out of control, which has probably kept my life from spiraling ridiculously out of control up until now, which is why I refuse to drink, which I have tried in the recent months, much to my chagrin.

Anyhow. Now you have a history. I go out on "smoke breaks" while living in my parents house. Cougar is determined to be my best buddy, so hence, he has accompanied me on these infrequent excursions out onto the back patio where I bundle up and insisted on smoking a stinky cigarette that I was convinced was "healthier" because it didn't have any additives. What can I say? I'm a master of denial. Whenever I went out, Cougar went out. He likes to chase cars, so I would keep him in the back area of the house, where I noticed his increasing fascination with the bushes back by the swing set. He's too big to get behind them and I just figured there were some rats that fascinated him that he couldn't get at. No harm, no foul.

Apparently not. Today, I was crashed out in my room due to this worsening cold that has whipped my hide and I kept hearing the phone ring and nobody was answering. I dragged myself to the phone and returned my dad's repeated calls where he asked for an old raggedy t-shirt to be brought to him. He said something about Cougar and I surmised that somehow Cougar had become injured and was far enough gone that I figured the t-shirt was for my dad. So much for me being the hero and answering the phone for this urgent phone call. Note to self: do not answer the phone groggy, it's just a pain and we have to fix it later!

I can't drive, of course, so mom is the designated driver, but luckily she calls to get a further story and figures out that the t-shirt is for Cougar to tie over a drain because this apparent accident has ripped a clean 2-3 inches of skin around said 8 inch wound away from his ribs. This is when my mind cleared up and I asked if it could have been a rat (not fully comprehending 8 inches in my mind, obviously) or a feral cat because he had had such a fascination with the bushes for a few days and he wasn't far from the garage door when my dad heard what sounded like a short fight (maybe) and a resulting yelp of pain. The doctor says no rodent can do this and after seeing the damage, I agree. The doctor can only say that somehow, Cougar must have impaled himself on something, then ran away in pain to cause such damage. Cougar, my friends, is not a stupid dog (despite his continual efforts to become BFF's with me)...rather, I think a feral cat tore into him than the theory that he impaled himself on something.

So, we have another walking wounded in this family. And I am attaching pictures, some of which are just heart-rending. Some of which are gruesome. I gave you fair warning. I give you: the walking wounded.

Trip to the ER

I had myself a nice little trip to the ER today. My sister had her babies (one boy, one girl) early and by Cesarean section and she's unable to drive for two weeks. She was released from the hospital today and her husband had to work, so I was the person to pick her up, gather all the stuff from her latest stint in the hospital on bed rest (Sorry, she delivered at 27 weeks. The babies are doing fine, but are in NICU since they were so small, under 3 pounds each and can't breath on their own yet), and take her to buy a breast pump (Is my life glamorous or what...keep reading it gets better), then take her home to her house across the valley from us. Not a problem. I'm unemployed.

So, I got the call to go pick her up at about 10:00 and the hospital was about 5 minutes from the house. I packed all her gear up in the car, then we went and saw the babies. Holy tiny! Their little stomachs were just pumpin' in and out with the speed of the ventilators. I believe my sister said 600 breaths per minute, I can't remember too clearly. Anyhow...we were on our way to Babies R' Us and she realized she left her purse and wallet in the car and in her hospital room respectively. We turned around and got the required items, went back to Babies R' Us and were on our way to her house. We got to her house and we carted in the various paraphernalia to the house. She asked me if I wanted to sit down for a while and I said sure. I folded her husbands suit jacket and put it on the piano and that's all I remember.

The next thing I know, she's telling me not to move and that I had had a seizure. Yes, that's right ladies and gents. I am officially in the broken toy pile! She had called 911 and the paramedics were there and were asking me all sorts of questions like what was my name, what my date of birth was, what month it was (pretty sure I answered this one wrong, it's hazy), what day it is (failed), who was President (answered this right after some hard concentration...I almost answered Bush, then Osama. No...Obama!) and some others. My sister was terrified (rightly so, I was out for a few minutes apparently and bonus, wet myself! That's the other glamorous part) and I could tell she was freaked out just by the sound of her voice. I was carted off to the hospital in the ambulance (not a good idea for those who get motion sickness and are strapped to a gurney) and duly put under observation. My parents were volunteering at the Olympic Oval for Long Track Speedskating and my sister had to call my dad to have my mom meet me at the hospital. Six long hours later, no new answers were apparent. It appears that the seizure was triggered by medication and I will now be going through withdrawals for the next few days because I get to go cold turkey for all of it. No biggie, I can do it. I was released from the hospital and am now home.

I am now required to go see a cardiologist, my primary care doctor and I'm on 2 blood pressure medications. What joy is mine. Oh, and I can't drive. Oh, and my parents are going out of town on Tuesday. Does the good news ever stop around here? The good news is that there are no neurological symptoms and it was most likely a freak happening. At least, I certainly hope so!

So...between the brother in Texas whose family has spent most of the past 2 years in a hospital with their middle child, my sister who was on bed rest for 5 weeks and the babies who are still in NICU, another brother who had a ruptured appendix and still has a hernia, and my stint to the ER, I think our family has officially had enough of hospitals (well, it would have been enough with just the Texas Beam's, but we have to push our luck, of course!) and it's not over yet! At least one family will have a stint in the hospital for the rest of the year (My sister's babies) and we never know what else will happen!

Keep throwing good thoughts our way, we certainly need them!

Unemployed and slightly disgusted

Yes, that's right. I'm unemployed. Well, sort of. The job that I was working at has decided to terminate my "Assignment" with them (I was working through a temp agency) because I got sick too much. I wouldn't be sick if everybody and I mean everybody wouldn't come in sick to work! Case in point: One of the ladies I worked with had a cracked wisdom tooth. She had the tooth pulled and they told her she was out of absences (in the company handbook, there is no such thing as an excused absence), so she came in with a big gaping hole where the tooth was. And she talks on the phone all day. I'm still technically employed with the temp agency, but they don't have any positions right now.

I got the call from my temp agency (at about 8:00 PM) telling me not to go back in and that she would go down to pick up my personal belongings. I just asked her to have my friend who still works there to pick it up. I am my mothers daughter and had accrued quite a stash of food and other stuff like tylenol, aleve, hair stuff, makeup (for those emergecies, etc.). I'm happy to say that it looks like the person who cleaned out my desk (By 8:00 AM the next morning) took the drawer out and dumped it upside down into box. There were two boxes. I am also pleased to report that I cannot confirm or deny, but it looks like there are some things missing like a bag (We're talking Quart size plastic bag full) of Crystal Light Packets. You know, the kind you mix in a 16.9 oz bottle of water. I also cannot confirm or deny that there were two boxes of nutrigrain bars that each had 2 bars eaten out of them. The boxes are gone and I got 3 bars in the boxes. I can confirm that a sweatshirt of mine was almost confiscated because it was considered "Unclaimed." Uh, it was sitting on my desk...wouldn't you think it's my sweatshirt?! You do the math. Is this a rant? Yes. Do I feel better? Yes. Guess it's a good thing I wasn't offered a permanent position there.

Soooooo...if anybody knows anybody hiring....I'm available!

Blast it! Thwarted again!

Yeah...remember that goal of mine to walk 2 miles a day? Hasn't happened. The treadmill was flanked by a piano that we are storing here for my sister and I couldn't get around it to plug it in. Plus, I've been taking it slow this week. This week was kind of a rough week with my fibromyalgia.

Today, lo and behold, my brother-in-law and his brother-in-law come by to pick up the piano. And take the treadmill, too. I whine to my father about how I was going to use that and he tells me to use the bike he bought (he purchased a recumbant bike). Yeah, but it doesn't burn as many calories and it's mind numbing! So, now I get to use the recumbant bicycle to exercise instead. I was going to just do yoga in there (works great for my fibromyalgia, btw, doesn't make me sore), but the bike takes up all the room in there. So ride the bike I will! Good thing I got myself 2 iPods (long story) to keep me entertained while I'm peddling away!

Oh, yeah. Fair warning to my fellow curlies: Until my hair grows out and I can wear it curly all the time again and until I get back into school, this blog is going to cover just about whatever I want to talk about, which lately, seems to be fibromyalgia, since mine is acting up. Sorry, Charlie! Keep checking and I'll let you know from time to time how the hair is doing and when I'm back in school!

For your information, I recently purchased some curly hair products from CURLS. I tried the trial size of CURLS Gel-les'c (the products I purchased can be found at www.curls.biz) and my hair seemed to like it, which it doesn't seem to like anything I have in my very extensive arsenal of products. So I ordered the Children's version of most of the products as they're cheaper and seem to be the same product. I bought the cream cleanser, coconut conditioner, hair tea, moisture spray and Gel-lec's (pronounced Jealousy...lame, I know). I'll keep you posted on how it goes. I think it's time for a protein boost. Might do that tomorrow followed by a DT. I've been neglecting my hair lately, gotta get on top of that!

So...bottom line. Exercise starts Monday. Recumbant bike for at least an hour. Maybe for the duration of a movie, depends on how out of shape I really am. I know I'm severely overweight, but I think I'm still pretty fit. Guess we'll find out!

Halloween

I'd just like to state for the record that I really don't like Halloween. I think it's a lame holiday and usually just crash that night (hence me posting on here instead of being out at a party). This year, working for a new company, they celebrate Halloween. I mean, celebrate! We had a potluck lunch (soup was provided, chili and clam chowder, yum!), where everybody brought something (had way too much food, btw) and people dressed up. They were giving away prizes for most authentic and funniest costume.

So, I figured I'd dress up. I had an idea. I have a weird obsession with Marie Antoinette. I don't know why, but she fascinates me. And it doesn't help that I have a French woman in my office who tells me more about French history, it's great! Anyhow, I had an idea...my sister has a Marie Antoinette-esque dress that she bought when she was going to get married the first time (called it off and couldn't ever sell the dress). I text her and ask her if I can use it. She says it probably won't fit. I say I want to at least try on the dress. So her husband drops it by the house and I'm able to try it on. Yep, it doesn't fit, BUT it laces up the back. I have a nude tank top that I can wear that actually matches the gold embroidery and we can lace me up without zipping it up. Brilliant, right?

So I start searching for wigs. They're all sold out. Then I realize that my cousin had a Marie Antoinette wig from a Masquerade Ball from a couple years ago (maybe 2?). So I text her and ask her if she'll send me the wig. She did and I got it Wednesday. It's perfect, exactly what I wanted!

Since Halloween was on Saturday this year, we all dressed up on Friday. It was a pretty unproductive day and I lived to rue my choice of costume.

First of all, this is a wedding dress. It's heavy as all getout! It has a hooped skirt (which was interesting trying to get into my car and drive), and it's too long, since my sister is taller than me. It has a train that we tried to pin up with a couple safety pins. This did not last, so I ended up dragging the train around me and feeling like Scarlett O'Hara when I would get up to go anywhere, because I would grab one of the hoops and lift up the skirt of the dress to walk.

People were awed. People told my I was insane (which I realized about the time I got in my car), but I was determined to win one of the awards! So I went to work with a sideline trip to a grocery store where people were awed and said my costume was awesome (I did not have the wig on as yet). My arm movements are restricted and I'm laced up a little tight (thank goodness I did not live back then and have to wear a corset!). This is going to be an interesting day at work.

Have you ever tried to sit in an office chair with a "Gone With the Wind" hoop skirt and 30 pounds of dress on? No? I have! It's nigh to impossible! Once I got in my seat, I pretty much stayed there. The safety pins on the train popped and started poking me in the derriere. We tried to fix it, but they just couldn't hold the weight of the material. So now I'm walking around with a train. I put on the wig as everybody starts to drop by and man, is it hot! I start to sweat, which makes my makeup start to wear off a bit, so I take off the wig until pictures.

Management comes around and takes pictures of everybody who dressed up. If I can get a copy of them, I'll try and post those, too!

Around 12, my mom arrives with my contribution to the potluck (cornbread muffins, in case anybody was wondering) and a change of wardrobe. So my friend unlaces me and I am now comfy-cozy in a pair of jeans and a button-down men's shirt and a hat (the wig totally ruined the hairdo).

The good news is I totally won one of the awards! A $25 gift card to Applebee's. When I texted my cousin to let her know what I won, she replied with "Well, let them eat cake," a famously quoted phrase that Marie Antoinette allegedly said to starving French people. There is huge controversy as to whether or not she actually said it, but I wasn't witty enough to actually think to say that when I got my prize!

So, to those who wanted to know how the costume turned out, I give you pictures. I was going to paint my lips, too, but they were all chapped and it just wasn't going to happen. The necklace is real, a gift from my grandmother. I thought it an appropriate accessory. I was going to wear all my rings, but forgot them. Oh, well.

Job, Hair and other boring happenings in life

Yes, that's right. My life has been pretty boring. Mostly because by the time I'm finished with work, I'm so mentally exhausted I literally go home and crash out. Now, this job isn't hard, it just takes so much mental energy to remember all the rules and I'm dealing with 15+ different rules and regulations each day.

I do have a friend that is amazing and makes work so much more fun and we have a grand old time. Thanks to Julie for keeping me sane when I'm about to lose it!

Work is going great. I've had a few unavoidable absences, so they're giving me a probation before being hired on. That's fine. I deserve it. I need to prove that I can be at work and be productive. They deserve that proof. I've got pills to help me over most of the issues that prevented me from getting to work before, so I'll take my pills and get myself to work.

I've made some very interesting aquaitances at work. I wouldn't quite call them friends because we just go out on smoke breaks. Yes, I take smoke breaks with the smokers. Otherwise, I don't get breaks. And it turns out to be the most hilarious breaks ever in existence! I love my smoke break buddies, they're just too fun!

There is a lady at work who is from France. I love her. She is so funny! I wish I had more direct contact with her. She's across the way from me and every once in a while, she'll drop by just to chat. I love that about her. She's actually interested in me and my life and will genuinely talk to me for the few minutes until I have to get back to work. She's amazing, too! Love her!

Did I mention that I really like my job? It's exhausting, just because the fibromyalgia tires me and I sit all day looking at a computer. I don't get up a whole lot like I used to at old jobs, so I get stiff, then everybody asks me if I'm okay. I admit, this transition has been hard and days have been rough. I think I've come in to work without makeup more often that with. I need to get it together.

So I have a plan:

Exercise. Yup, the best help for Fibromyalgia is exercise. Imagine that! We have a treadmill at the house, have for years. Do I use it? No. Rumor is my sister is going to take it to walk on while she's pregnant, but it hasn't disappeared yet, so I'm going to use it. My goal? 2 miles every day. Yes, it's very little, I know. But I have to be very careful not to overdo. I will increase as I feel like I can handle what I've got.

Next, Hair. My hair has been a nightmare. It's still toasted from the bleach. So I went to my stylist that I met at the school I had been going to and asked her to do whatever she could to get as much damage off as possible. She tried a very sharp a-line, but it just wasn't working, so she cut it into a very trendy asymetrical very short bob. it's like a long pixie cut in back with my hair coming to a point just in front of my ears. Very cute and everybody says it looks cute. I can wear my hair curly again (thank the heavens!), but it's a little wild yet. I might try straightening it and seeing how it goes. I love the cut, though. My stylist (Chelsey at Landis Salon in Bountiful) did an amazing job. I'll try and style it tomorrow and post the pic. It's really fun and when I actually where makeup, it's edgy, which is very fun for me, since I've always been quite conservative.

Last. Boring happenings. Nothing much going on, except for work and trying to get my hair back to normal. I'm reading a pretty riveting book that got me hooked off a TV Series. I'm not even sure what channel it's on or if it's even aired in the US. I know it's filmed in New Zealand. The bad guy in the TV series is actually one of the elf lords from The Lord of The Rings movies. This book series is 12 books! Holy commitment! I'm on the third book. Turns out the TV series is not so much like the book. I'm hoping I'll find the connection in further books. For those of you interested, the TV series is called The Legend of the Seeker. And the book series I believe is called the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind (I think). Very intriguing, but not for young adults.

So...Sorry for not posting more often, but after staring at a computer screen for 8 hours a day, the last thing I want to do is come home and look at a computer again! I'll try to be better about posting.