How to talk your nurse out of giving you a shot...

Or not.

I had been having back pain for a couple of weeks, juts thought I needed a massage or to see my chiro.

Come Sunday, my body just went a little nuts on me. I'll spare you the details.

Held off going to the ER and took a painkiller instead.

Monday morning rolled around, called the doctor's office and they had me come in right away.

Some test done, symptoms relayed and they knew what it was. A severe kidney infection.

Oh joy.

Doctor than says, "We're going to have to give you a shot in the butt." My thought, 'no way'.

Doctor left and said that the nurse would be in shortly.

As I waited I begin to make a plan in my head.

(Pay attention because this may be valuable to you someday)

My first thought was - I'm getting oral antibiotics anyway, why do I need the shot (I knew why)?

Second thought - tell them I can't deal with needles. (not true)

Third thought - tell them I can't deal with needles in my butt. (true)

Nurse comes in and says, "You doin' okay?"

I stared at her for a moment, looked down and saw the needle the size of Texas and said, "uh no".

She then left the needle on the counter and walked out for a few minutes. I stared at it for a good 2-3 minutes and tried to come up with another plan before she came in...

Maybe I could stash it somewhere...

Maybe I could just walk out...

Maybe...

And then she walked in.

She told me how she was going to give me the shot while I tried to stall her with questions...

By the time I was leaning over, I had run out of time and realized, I wasn't so good at talking anyone out of anything...

Pain. Burning. Pain and more pain.

In my mind it was something like this...

They kept me for a few minutes to see how I reacted and I of course was in pain, back pain, kidney pain, butt pain...

I dragged my leg limped out and was in pain all day...

Goes to show you, I don't know how to talk a nurse of giving a shot... so don't listen to me.

Just not gonna happen...

Did you think that was me taking a picture of our beautiful trees? hahaha, uh no. Not me. Reason being, I still haven't gotten around to it. What else is new?

Here are my excuses: Bedridden with a severe case of... the cold? Hmm. Yes it's true. I got a cold and it turned into an infection which turned me into my bed. What bad timing. But no bah humbug here just yet, I got me a bottle full of horse pills antibiotics and I'm on the mend.

I seriously doubt I'll get those holiday home photos up, but if I do manage it I suggest that all you wonderful people that read this blog write a comment. Since I know you are out there... okay so maybe you're not. :) I'd like to think you are.


Merry Christmas and Happy Shopping,



(Photo courtesy of Livia)

Who Knew - Bubble Gum is the Enemy

As a kid, did you ever hear your mom say, "Don't get gum in your hair!" or "Stop snapping your gum!"? I heard this plenty of times... but those warning didn't stop the peanut butter from coming out to fix the fact that I had blown too big of a bubble and now gum was intertwined with the hair. Oh Vey.

I am not a gum chewer. I'd rather have mints. I love the taste of gum but it's too exhausting to chew. I got a little stash in my stocking for Christmas this year and there was a cute little roll of Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape with a little Santa on the front. Enticing.

I took it to work and decided to chew a little strip... mind you I was bored to tears since work has been slow. I chewed that little bit and decided that I needed more. So there I was, chewing on a big mound of Hubba Bubba gum. If someone had told me that I would have injured myself on gum, I would have smiled, maybe giggled, maybe even choked on the gum a little. But alas, there was no warning from mom ringing in my ears, "You'll hurt yourself chewing gum!". I will be the first to admit that I am a little bit accident prone.

It started with a little twinge... that turned into a BIG twinge. I somehow pulled or ripped or angered something in my jaw/neck area. It screamed at me and yelped in pain - all.night.long.

I babied it all day today, took some trusty Advil and prayed for myself - hoping that it won't cause me to have to see the dreaded doctor over something so silly. I can just hear that conversation:

Doctor: So what are you here for?

Me: I was chewing gum

Doctor: And?

Me: I angered something in my jaw. Maybe pulled a muscle?

Doctor: (silence... staring... thinking - "dumb girl.")

I've come to one conclusion in all this - GUM is the enemy!

A quick post

This is going to be a quick one, but I feel like I'm neglecting my blog! I had an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. Good food, family time, and great church - Need I say more? It was wonderful. So unlike myself, I forgot my camera at my job! So no pictures from my end. I was so bummed and I didn't even think to use my phone. Oh well!

Now back to the normal things of life, work and obligations. I am getting into the Christmas spirit, we put up our family room tree on Friday night/Saturday morning. I'll post a picture here later on tonight or tomorrow.

We still have a ton of decorating to do in our home, but life is a little busy right now. We have bugs (sick bugs) going around our church and home. I am determined to stay as far away from all the sicky people and maybe, just maybe get by.

Hope you all ate tons of bird and had a great time with Family!

08.29.08

Gramps,
You'll never read my blog again, I don't know why I am writing to you, but it comforts me in some way.

My life was forever changed on Friday night at 11:15 PM. The impact you had on me will forever be with me.

What will we do without you? I feel at times that I can't breathe or even speak. Something is just not right. I have so many special memories, recent memories of you that are to painful to write here at this moment.

No matter how much I knew that this day would come, it came too soon. I guess I would have never been ready. I have so many questions, yet there are no answers.

I wish we had more time...

Love,
Deb

A Curveball

Life threw us a curve ball this past Friday. I've lived at the hospital since Friday and was home for the first time last night.

As most of my blog readers know, my mom has a pituitary tumor that is very rare and there is one known treatment besides surgery. She's been taking shots three times a day for almost a year. Last week she stopped taking the shots because they found gallstones in her gall bladder. Before this tumor my mom was the healthiest person I knew. No meds, ever. No aches and pains, no nothing. Even with the tumor she had no symptoms. The meds she was on were too much for any body to handle and effected her liver which in turn effected her gallbladder.

On Thursday she went in for her weekly blood test to check her liver and it showed that things were coming back to normal. Friday morning she begin to have pain. Now, if you know my mom, she never complains about pain. Ever. She won't tell a soul. That is what almost happened here until my brother mentioned to my other brother that she had a stomach ache. The pain increased to the point that she decided to call her doctor, they told her to get to the emergency.

My sister and I met her and my dad at the emergency and we waited and waited for 2 hours while my mom was out of it in severe pain. She said that the pain was so bad at one point that she nearly passed out. My mom's #4 pain is like my #15 pain. She can stand anything.

To make a long long story short, she was admitted and put on serious antibiotics. Her gallbladder and pancreas were inflamed because a gallstone was being passed. We found out later that the gallstone was stuck in a duct and the surgeon had to squeeze it out because it was too large to pass. That explained the severe pain she was in.

She had surgery yesterday, her gallbladder removed and a biopsy of her liver. She came out of it perfectly. She was even able to go the bathroom last night and "eat" soup and drink for the first time since Friday morning.

She is really good this morning and the surgeon said that he's pretty sure she can come home today! Yay!

All in all, I am drained emotionally and just exhausted. Saturday was a very hard day, I don't think I've been more scared than I was.

Sigh. I am so glad this weekend is over. Once I get more sleep and things settle down I will post some pictures of her "hotel like" hospital room.

Keep her in your prayers these next couple of days! =)

-Daily B-

Random Nothings and Then Some...

It has been a long two weeks! I haven't blogged very much or checked out everyone else's blogs.

After the 4th it seemed like everything was happening. This past Friday my mom found out that her liver didn't look normal, after her blood work was checked. This is caused by the excessive amount of meds she is taking to shrink her tumor. Her specialist wanted her to cut back until she could see her first thing Monday. She did another rushed blood test and was scheduled for an ultrasound the following morning. Come to find out she has gallstones. My mother, the lady whose never been on meds before this tumor and the lady who is as healthy as a horse... even with the tumor. She was not too happy, but at least she doesn't have to take anymore shots as of right now! Woohoo!!!

The doctors are going to find another way to treat this rarest of the rare tumors. How? I don't know, that's why I am NOT an MD.

::

On the 4th I was peeling raw shrimp for a ceviche with my cousin. We were all pretty sick over the 4th weekend and figured we caught some bug that was going around. My cousin developed a weird rash on her hand and a day later I did too... puzzling. The weird looking rash looked like I was badly burned or bruised. I started getting concerned so I called the Doctor, went in and was told that it looked like it might have been an allergic reaction... weird. My cousin went in to the doctor and was diagnosed with Vibrio vulnificus. Her Doctor told her that our family was lucky because someone could have died from it! Hello! I called my doctor and she still thinks I have a rash and antibiotics are needed. I thinks she's wrong but hey, what can you do? lol

::

I am so excited this time of the year. The OC Fair started last week. I love, love , love the Fair. Once I walk through the gates I leave my diet and good eating habits outside. Cinnamon Rolls, Grilled Corn, Strawberry Shortcake, and a million other yummy things to add to your thighs and deriair!

I'll have a ton of pictures to post. The OC Fair is pretty big and packed. The food is good, weather is good, good concerts... It's got it all.



-Daily B-

My Heads Full of Blah

** Whining Begins Here**

Blah. That is how I feel. I am one of the few people I know that rarely gets a headache. I could go months without feeling a twinge in the head. When I do get a twinge, it's just that, a twinge. It last for no more than an hour or so and it's done and over with for another few months. Not the case today. See this picture? This is what I see everywhere!

I've had a headache for over 36 hours... and it doesn't look like it's going to let up anytime soon.

I had a whole story about how my headache made it's way into town, but I would so much rather not bore you with the details... lol

** Whining Ends Here**

::

On a much lighter note, I finished Chateau of Echoes by Siri L. Mitchell. Great book. If you love France, food, history and romance, you'll love this book. I can't compare it to any other Siri Mitchell book. It has it's own feel, not like any others except for the fact that it brings another country to you. The story is told between nowadays and the 15th century. You become a tourist and historian.

I'm onto Lady of Milkweed Manor by Jane Klassen.... That is once I can get this headache/migraine to disappear.

Deb v The Mud

ROUND ONE
Mud 1 / Deb 0

Everything happens to me. I am not a clumsy person. I am not a clumsy person. I am not a clumsy person... I have fallen and hurt myself three times in my adult years. All three times have been in the last year and half. I am not a clumsy person!

I did a little mud sliding last night. I was on my may into a hotel in Newport, stepped off the curb and next thing I know I am falling, very slowly. I landed on the front of my ankle. DANGER. Most of you know I just injured my ankle in October; ripped the ligaments and tendons pretty bad.

I ended up landing under a Camry that was parked in front of the curb. Apparently I made no noise when falling since no one came to my rescue. I called my sister for help after I was already flat on my back in the mud. My sister-in-law came and bent over laughing while I whimpered. I finally told her to "shut up". LOL! My sister was too busy rummaging for her camera.

By the time I got up, we are all laughing so hard, I was laughing and crying. lol! Getting up was not simple, covered in mud and stuck in mud made me slip and slide. I ended up crawling over the flower bed to a dryer area.

My ankle was hurting, not as bad as my other injury though, thank God. I went home and looked at my foot and saw BLOOD! lol. This mud was infused with some sort of plant chemicals and would not come off, I still have a film of mud on my foot that won't budge!

I came out of the ring with a swollen bruised foot, toes, and a few scrapes. The mud, well... It's still sitting there laughing at me.

The worst thing... or funniest, my sister got it all on video! Her first reflex to help was "Pull out the camera!"

Its Got Me Good...

10 Good Things About the F-f-f-f-luuuu - Achooo!

1. You can be as much of a loner as you want to; no one dares to come near!

2. You can legally be higher than a kite

3. You have an excuse for growling in your sleep due to your drugged state of mind

4. You can act like a whining baby... okay maybe not good

5. Boss wants you to stay away

6. You can stay in your pajamas all day or all weekend in my case. (not the same ones...)

7. Watch old seasons of the Apprentice all day long

8. Read to your hearts content, when your lucid that is

9. Make a sniffling mess and no one cares

10. Complain to your hearts content and not annoy people... or at least they won't admit it!