Sunday, March 22, 2009

Wowsers!...

I love Texas springs! The humidity is low, there are little green buds on everything and the weather is absolutely fabulous! I've had the windows down and the back off my Jeep all week. My co-workers comment they always can tell when I have my top off because I always wear my hair in a pony-tial during that time!! AHAHHAHAHA

Catch-up time! So, the contractor's paint crew did a less than stellar job... and now we're still packed up like we're moving and the owner is coming out to do a walk-through tomorrow afternoon. His manager and I had a great chat on Friday morning and she assured me they would re-paint our entire house if needed. Luckily it's not that bad, but there is a lot of touch-up needed. I could've done a ton better job on my own so I can't imagine having to settle for it currently.. But, I've had my charm in over-time and I know the owner is going to see it my way.

Had a great gathering of friends and family down on the island yesterday. It was great seeing so many people down there... I know Galveston is going to be okay... As bad as the economy is right now, it might have been the best thing for the island - people aren't going to Mexico but going close to home. It's getting greener down there as well, which is good.

I'm in a bit of trouble for yesterday, though. I got a little too much sun on my lower arms and face/neck. It was a high of about 75 but with a great gulf breeze so you didn't feel the heat at all. I was just hanging out with friends, casting my reel and whoops!! Good thing is I'm not feeling any side effects from it. I've been lathering up with aloe and lotion so it's all good.

Nada much else going on - I'm feeling good. I still have the last little bit of a cough left over from my bought with bronchitis. That was not fun at all!! Almost a week of not being able to sleep, even with meds!! I apparently was pretty close to officially having "pneumonia" but my doc said something about my lungs sounding like "something I don't remember", which meant it was just the B word, instead of the P word. I still can't sleep laying flat - I'll still start a coughing fit. It's starting to get annoying but I've been told completely normal. I'm just happy it didn't cause my nerves to go all hay-wire like the last case of flu I had.

I'm going to get off the computer and go sit outside and read for a bit - Storms are supposed to come in tomorrow and it's supposed to be all gray and rainy - gotta get my vitamin D in while I can!!!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Hack hack hack...

Wonderful color isn't this? Normally green is my favorite color, but not right now. Why? Because that's the color of all the crap coming out of my nose and lungs right now. Seems I caught a pretty good case on Bronchitis.... nasty!!

Started last Thursday and I thought I was getting a mild case of the flu - it's going around and was due.... Little bit of fever and a whole lot of yuck... Finally went to the doc yesterday when I woke up with fever over 100.... NOT GOOD!!!!! Turns out I'm only a couple of steps away from the big P so I'm now loaded up with yet more drugs... Which is complicated considering I'm allergic to penicillin so they have to go outside the box for me... And, I'm on an inhaler for a week.. I never knew how nasty that stuff tasted! No wonder the kids in IT were able to kill the monster with it!!!

And, I should probably be staying home for a couple of days... I think I got yelled at more by being at work yesterday by all the moms in the office than I ever have before. They're really going to pummel me today but I can't stay home - the contractors start today on the last of the Ike damage inside the house, replacing sheetrock and then painting. So, I'm sure the fumes of paint (even though it's not really that bad anymore) are not the best thing for my lungs right now...

I hate the coughing... My sides and stomach are so sore right now. And, the cough medicine my doc prescribed yesterday is apparently no longer made so I was dreading of going another night of no sleep and constant hacking. Luckily, I called my bff and knowing all the freakin' drugs in my house told me the proper cocktail to knock me out. Man, I actually got close to 9 hours of sleep last night.... starting at 830! I woke up and my legs were actually sore because I don't think I even moved 1 muscle... I also woke up with no voice, which really sucks.... I don't even have the low whine I had after the super bowl when I lost my voice in celebration of Pittsburgh!!!

Yeah is the life - also, because of the contractors starting on the other side of the house, which includes the office - I will be without internet for a little while.... Oh well... The house will be all pretty after they're done so it's a small price to pay!! Now, you'll have to excuse me while I go try and give another little gift of myself down the drain!!!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Woo hooo!....

YEAH!! I had such a wonderful time with my nephews over this past weekend. It was so amazing. There are 3 of them under the age of 6 and it's totally organized chaos! My sis in law told me that it keeps getting easier and now they might discuss a 4th edition.... YIKES! The middle one is going through the terrible-terrible 3's and she offered to let me take him home... AHAHHAH

I also got to see a step-brother that I never really get to see cuz he lives in other states... and his daughter who I last remembered seeing her as a toddler. Amazing!! So smart and just a wonderful young woman! It was great to see my step-brother as well. I really hate using the prefix like that considering I've known him all my life... he's just as much my brother as my biological ones...

Funny - I couldn't help but look at all my little ones running around me and pray that they never get MS... or anything other than flu and the chicken pox and all the normal stuff... Nothing not normal. MS is normal - I guess. I know we've all experienced that "but you look so good" bit from people.

But, have you gotten this one: Well, if you're going to get a chronic illness - MS is the one to get.

I have. I've gotten that one. I didn't know how to take it or how to react... I've mostly just shrugged and mumbled something to the effect of "I guess so..." So, is it better that I have MS rather than... Lupus? RA? Cancer? CF? I have a co-worker that is a very good friend of mine. Her husband has CF - cystic fibrosis. She married him 5 years ago not knowing if they would celebrate their 5 year anniversary together... He's waaaaaaaaaaaay old for a CF'er at 34. They're trying to have kids - they went through a long and hard time trying to decide that one and I remember being a shoulder for her to cry on a couple of times during some of the harder parts of that conversation...

So, because he has a guarenteed death sentence at some point - barring a lung transplant - his disease is worse/better than mine? I would agree but how does that make either one of us feel? What about a friend who had about an apple sized tumor at the base of her brain removed a couple of years ago and it was malignant. She went through several rounds of chemo and last I heard she was still in remission at last check-up. Was that better than what I have? Technically I could be called in "remission" since I haven't had a flare in about a year... Her cancer could come back at any time, just like my MS could flare at any time...

My dad got told a verson of the same thing when he got diagnosed with CLL - if you're going to get cancer it's the one to get. He didn't know what to think of that and asked me about it. I didn't know what to tell him - I told him I had no clue either. I've read the Last Lecture - things would be a lot different with a fatal diagnosis. A lot different. Better or worse? That, to me, is like having a chicken versus egg discussion...

My partner has chron's... Had it for over 15 years now. She's been a life-saver in maintaining sanity with a chronic illness. She's been through all the phases of diagnosis - ever wonder in the similarity with it and the phases of grief?? In a way, we are in a state of grief over what we have lost.... I have better days than others in dealing with the grief. Today is a good day. I had a great swim at the pool and am enjoying a relaxing evening at home.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Yeah...

I survived a weekend with all my nephews!! YEAH!!

Now, I'm back home and missing them royally - I wish they didn't live so far away!

And I planned on reliving all the glorious details but that will have to wait for another night - my stomach is hurting and lurching and i just want to crawl in bed.

ta-ta