Wednesday, January 31, 2007

emergency

Do you think you're ready for an emergency? Do you have an ICE number programmed into your phone? It's about time you take care of yourself. Do the smart thing and put a card in your wallet with this information... Label it: EMERGENCY INFORMATION

  • Your name (Also include your maiden name, too, if you're married.) Underline the name you go by. For example, The Hater's name is The (Super) Hater; Super would not have been underlined.
  • Your birthday (Your real birthday, the one with the real year you were born.)
  • Drug allergies (Just list them. If you have none, say "I don't have any drug allergies." If you have allergies, list them this way: Drug allergies: Benadryl, Penicillin, Keflex, tape)
  • Do you know your blood type? If so, list it. ("Blood type: O positive")
  • Do you wear contacts? ("Does wear contact lenses in both eyes" or "Does not wear contact lenses")
  • What medications are you currently taking? List them here. See below for how you should list them.
  • Do you have any significant medical history? Give a quick few-liners if you do. This does not have to be a novella of your history. Mention what is the most specific -- list those. (Mine would say "Significant medical history: thyroid cancer"; other people might list diseases they have, such as hypertension, diabetes, cancers, conditions that have caused you to seek medical help.)
  • When was your last Tetanus shot? List that date here. (The CDC says that you need a Tetanus booster shot every ten years.)
  • Any other pertinant vaccination information can be listed, too.
  • Emergency phone numbers. I list two separate people, just in case one cannot be reached.
  • You may want to list what your job is. I wouldn't go into a lot of detail, but it might be pertinent to your plan of care and type of education you receive.
  • If you claim a certain flavor of religion, I would list it on the card. This will prompt the staff to notify the chaplain who can best serve you and yours.
  • Make sure you put the date on it! ("last updated 01 Feb 07")
And as far as your cell phone goes, many people suggest programming an "ICE" number into your list of important numbers. In Case of Emergency = ICE. That way if you're unconscious, any EMSA worker can go down your phone and find who to call if it's an emergency. I don't have an ICE number marked, but I do have mine labeled "The Hater Husband", so that anyone should be able to figure out which numbers to call and get a hold of him. However, The Hater doesn't have any such numbers labeled in his phone; we're working on that one.

Next... do you take a lot of different kinds of medications? If so, you might want to have a separate note with those listed. Any time you are listing medications, please also include your medication allergies and herbal medications you take. You can do it in this fashion; this is what mine would say: (name of medication, dose, how often you take it)

1. Synthroid 200mcg once daily
2. prenatal multi-vitamin once daily
3. calcium supplementation daily (Tums, Citrica-Cal plus Magnesium)
4. ranitidine 75mg once daily in the morning
5. Advil for pain, if needed (not regularly)
6. I have no drug allergies.
It is most likely that you're on more medicines than I am, and that's okay. List what you are taking. That includes over the counter and herbal medications, too.

If you choose not to carry around an emergency medical card, please consider making a list of your medications and including it with your health insurance card in your wallet. In an emergency, it could save your life.

* This post was brought to you by a need for me to update The Hater's and my personal cards that we carry in our wallet. I'm using an index card that I cut to be the same size as all the other cards in our wallet. I've highlighted the edge in yellow so that it will easily be seen by someone going through our wallet looking for such emergency information.

beauty must suffer pain

These were always Mom's least comforting words when jerking tangles out of Sister's and my hair. These were the same words of wisdom passed down from Nana to her, and no doubt will be what Sister and I hiss to our children with tangles in their hair. Although I'd like to go on the record to say that I'll let my daughter use conditioner or get some spray-in to help those rats along.

I only mention this story because last night I heard Mom's voice in my head while I was getting eyeliner tattooed. The phrase "beauty must suffer pain" has never rang so clear for me.

Pain is an interesting subject. In nursing school they mentally beat us to remember that assessing for pain is the 5th vital sign.

The other thing about pain is that very few people will actually admit that they have zip pain tolerance and are actually weenies. Everybody likes to boast that they have a high pain tolerance.*

Which leads me to wonder where my tolerance actually hovers. Sure, I took narcotics after my surgeries last year, but I think that was justified. After all, they sawed my neck in half, twice. To further investigate this question I bought an epi-lady-type shaver the other week, one that actually jerks hair out of your legs by the root.

I actually bought it for multiple reasons. One, because I hate to shave, and if I can do something so that I only have to do it once every six weeks, sign me up. Two, because everybody else I know who have used one says it was very painful. So I used it on my legs, and was surprised at how it didn't really hurt. Full of myself, I looked at the picture of the person using it on her bikini line, and quickly decided that I wasn't ready to move to that level. The next picture was demonstrating how to use it under your arms. I struck a pose and quickly realized that was a mistake. I must have done it wrong because it didn't really take any hair and totally chapped me. That's healed now, and my results from that experiment is that I'm only a partial weenie.

The real test was last night, and I'm sporting fuchsia donuts around my eyelids this morning. In fact, I wore matching scrub pants so that it would just blend in. I've got goop to keep on my eyelids for the next few days, but by a week it should be oh-so-fancy.

* Yet others like to boast they have a high drinking tolerance, and then end up wondering if their friends will actually show anybody the roll of pictures that were taken that night. Right, Jane? How about some tequila that tastes like ashtray? Let's give (you know who) a sip of a mudslide and watch her cheeks flush. You girls crack me up; I'll stick with the box wine and role of photographer... I learned my lesson.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

compassion fatigue

I learned a lot at the local oncology nursing conference this weekend. The nurse and social work tracks were able to go to each others lectures and still get full credit for attending the conference, and I think I was one of the only nurses who took advantage of being able to play for both teams. It was a fantastic opportunity.

And in response, my brain is tired. Tomorrow will come early.

The Hater is back in town, and we're already bemoaning Monday morning. We're catching up on laundry and waiting for supper to finish, and in the meantime we're watching the taped Star Trek episodes.

Zoloft still hasn't let on that she's nervous about her big day on Thursday.

Saturday, January 27, 2007

38.5

This morning I left the house about 7am and it was 39 degrees outside. When I came back this evening, about 6pm, it was 38 degrees outside. During the day there were showers of both rain and snow. You don't have to be a meteorologist to know that averages out to a cold day. Brr.

My back is whacked because of the conference and sitting all day. I even had my fancy back pillow, anticipating the cerebellar workout with the sit-sit-sitting.

Tomorrow is only a half day of sitting, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to get stretched out before I have to pretzel all over again.

Friday, January 26, 2007

2nd interview

Last night I received an email asking me to come in for a second interview with the Director. This will probably take place later next week. The Hater and I are excited.

His bags are packed for a short weekend trip. I'll be at a local conference. We plan on getting back together Sunday afternoon. It'll be a busy weekend. I hope yours isn't as crazy.

Ooh! I just received email #2 with confirmation for my interview. The Hater just told me that I can buy a new set of scrubs for the occasion. This is good because my scrubs are, indeed, tired. I've been waiting to buy new ones (and nursing shoes, too) because I've not been entirely sure if I'd land a job where I wore scrubs or just professional clothes. Either way, we'll be shopping soon.

I hate shopping, but I like the idea of a new job... Fingers crossed!

Thursday, January 25, 2007

destiny

Next week will be a big week for us.

Tuesday afternoon I will be getting my gateway tattoos. As much as I'd like to tell you that I'm going to get barbed wire tattooed everywhere or a sexy "sleeve" of flowers up my arm, the truth is that I'm not getting anything as exciting as that. I will be getting eyeliner tattooed Thursday afternoon. Yep, eyeliner. And I've been in preparation by eating one cup of fresh pineapple every day this week.

Don't get me wrong - I like pineapple. But it's hard to eat a whole cup of it for several days. It's supposed to help the collagen somehow, and by doing that decrease bruising. I've noticed that my lips are poofier, which would make since. If you want poofier lips and don't want botox, eat boatloads of pineapple!

Little Brother says that eyeliner tattoos don't count as tattoos. He says they're too fru-fru to be a "tattoo". I counter that they will be my gateway tattoos, which he thinks is an acceptable answer.

We'll be taking before and after pictures. I will most likely look like I've been at the bottom of a dogpile for a couple of days. We already have some ice packs made up in the freezer. Until then, I am the Pineapple Queen.

Meanwhile, Zoloft officially has an appointment to get her front claws declawed by laser next Thursday. She does not seem to be either excited or worried about this venture. It is very likely we will be pitiful together. We had to schedule her surgery around a time when The Hater and I would both be home to help hold her down for her antibiotics and pain medicine. She won't be happy with us for a while... but it'll be okay.

The other big finale for next week will be the Super Bowl. (That is next week, right?) The Hater says that Peyton is favored to win by several points, but I'm still nervous. Maybe I should wear all of the rings in my jewelry boxfor the game to send ring-like-vibes to him.

If all goes as planned it will be the trifecta week of destiny.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

breaking story

I only vaguely mentioned that I interviewed for another job last week. The interview lasted about two hours and I left feeling really good about it. I think it would be a job where I could be creative and autonomous, and have lots of patient interaction witout the fear of bathing myself (or any future babies) in chemicals. Not to mention mucho denaro (and supremely better benefits packages), at least compared to what I'm being paid now.

So now I'm waiting to hear back from them. The Hater and I are partial and think they should hire me. We think I'd be wonderful. But like I said, we're partial.

Waiting. And trying not to be too excited... but, for the record, if I were offered this position it would be a good move to a place that would encourage me to grow, give me options for further rungs up the ladder. It would also play into all of the survivor stuff I'd like to do in conjunction with LAF. Essentially I could have my cake and eat it, too.

Which brings me to the plot twist...

Yesterday at work my boss (who knew I was going to interview for the other job because I wasn't about to lie to her) pulled me into the hall and asked me if I would want to stay with my current company if she gave me her job. Management. She said she didn't want to retire, but she would be willing to swap with me and work full time on the floor. I told her I'd have to talk to The Hater about it, but that I would consider it.

Pre c-bomb I know I would have jumped on this opportunity. It's what I wanted to do. The Hater and I talked about it, and there's really no question... I'm really hoping to hear back from the other people this week with an offer. If it doesn't work out, I'll probably take the nurse manager job.

Either way it spells big changes for us this Spring... stay tuned as the story unfolds.

Monday, January 22, 2007

blogging for choice

Today is the 34th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Bloggers are supposed to unite for a day of activism for choice.

Why this blog? Because choosing not to choose is still a choice.

Here are some other great choices:

1. fertileHOPE A nonprofit organization dedicated to cancer patients faced with infertility. This is a fantastic site with lots of great information for people who want fertility preservation options while undergoing cancer treatments.

2. the American Fertility Association This group believes that when it comes to building families, there are endless possibilities. These guys want to see the day when the word "infertility" becomes obsolete.

3. The International Premature Ovarian Failure Association Exactly what it says: info and support for women

4. Surrogacy Solutions This group helps families grow who cannot do so alone. They use egg donation and surrogacy to help grow these families. They provide emotional support to all involved.

5. Adoption and Adoption are two different websites with information on just that.

6. Cord Blood Donor Foundation Donate your baby's cord blood to cure other people of awful diseases.

7. Planned Parenthood Planned Parenthood health centers offer high-quality sexual and reproductive health care, including family planning, gynecological care, STI/STD testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, and abortion services.


Blog for Choice Day - January 22, 2007

momentum XLI

Congrats, Peyton! We are so very excited about the win last night. I'm sure you were feeling our Uglyhoma vibes during half time. And I'm sure that wearing your jersey helped you get through those iffy moments...

Just so you know, we never questioned. We knew the Colts would pull it out. Go team.

It's the same for the Super Bowl, Peyton. We have no doubts. Smash the Bears.

We'll be cheering from the inherited blue sofa, under the free blue blanket, thinking big orange thoughts for you. Woo-Hoo!

Sunday, January 21, 2007

ham rolls

FYI: puff pastry does not equal fillo

Today's culinary disaster involves a minor shopping faux pas. See statement above.

We ended up not with ham rolls, but papery ham things, brushed in egg, and not very good. Although I am proud my palate decided that apple butter would help the dryness and bring out the cayenne pepper. They were so bad that we only ate a couple of them before throwing the rest away.

Thank goodness we had leftover chicken soup!

I'm super PMSing today and about to leave the apartment for some air before Peyton's game. The Hater says I shouldn't care who wins this game, but I'm hoping the Bears beat the Saints because I don't want New Orleans to get any more steam for the Super Bowl. That would put mucho pressure on my Peyton.

Weather update: No snow this weekend. Just some rain. We'll both be working tomorrow. Pshaw.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

8" lie

We were supposed to get mucho snow today. Alas, all it's done is rain. It did sleet for a little while, but it stopped and rained again. The Hater is sure that he'll have to work Monday.

As of now there's no question that we'll both be working.

Meanwhile, I think my interview went well yesterday. The boss had to leave about twenty minutes into it (with apologies), so I'm not so sure how that will impact my chances. The three of them are supposed to meet on Monday to talk about the interview. The good thing about the rain is that there's no question they'll have to work, too.

This afternoon I made some homemade chicken noodle soup, which we decided was an A+. I froze half of it so that we can eat it again in a few weeks. The rest of it is in the fridge, sucking up its own juices, and will be the main staple for tomorrow.

For supper I made some salmon croquets, which weren't as good as Nana's recipe. I voted it was a B-, but The Hater said they were a B . So we may end up making those again sometime.

Sans thunder snow, tomorrow's plan is taking it easy and watching some movies. If I get froggy, I might bake some ham rolls. We'll see.

Little Brother has been here since Friday afternoon. He and The Hater played soccer last night while I konked out. It was another 17 hour Olympic sleep-out for me. He (Little Brother) brought me his dirty laundry to do, so we've finished the weekend laundry +/- for now.

As of now The Hater wants to go to the casino because he's mad we didn't get any snow. Little Brother wants to watch the fight. I'm getting tired, so who knows what will happen tonight...

Friday, January 19, 2007

quickie

I have an interview this afternoon for the good job that I think I might want.

More on that this weekend when we're watching the thunder snow. TGIF.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

ice apocalypse

Our household has declared a War against Ice. There's a solid sheet between 2-4" over the whole city. Solid... as in you walk and drive on it and it doesn't make footprints or tire marks.

Tonight it's going to get down to 9, I think. It'll be a great night for long johns and extra blankets.

But it gets better: we're supposed to get between 3-6" of more sleet this weekend. There's a line in the song "In the Bleak Midwinter" that says "snow had fallen, snow on snow". I think of that when I think about ice on ice this weekend.

So begins the Ice Wars. Our dripping faucets and thermostat counterattacks...

who knew

My birthday is April 11th, otherwise known as Eight-Track Tape Day.

The Hater's birthday is July 19th, which you may remember as Flitch Day.

What's Flitch Day? Good question: It's an old custom from yesteryear that developed into Flitch Day. Bacon was given to any married couple who could prove they had lived in harmony and fidelity for one year. Very few "took home the bacon."

Our anniversary, July 12th, National Pecan Pie Day, really tickles The Hater. Maybe we'll get bacon and pie this year!

Bizarre Holidays What should you have been celebrating?

Monday, January 15, 2007

sleepy in our eyes

That's right... another snow day! My boss called last night after I'd gone to sleep and told my husband the good news: no work on Monday. Too much ice. We celebrated by sleeping late and watching DVRd shows.

It's good for me that I'm not working today because I filleted my right index finger yesterday while checking out The Hater's saw blade on his Gerber. Who knew the saw blade was as sharp as a knife blade. I do now. Another day out of being washed umpteen-zillion times will be good for its healing.

The cat has been exceptionally sweet and cuddly today, not to mention crazy running around, too. We think she'll be even crazier running around girl tomorrow after we go back to work. She likes it better when we're both here. Come to think of it, so do we.

Nobody has officially told us that we'll be working tomorrow, but we're pretty sure the roads will be clear enough for us to go back to the salt mines. But secretly inside we're hoping that when it gets down to 6 tonight it'll be cold enough to refreeze everything so that we won't have to go back... even though another day would mean crazy catch-ups whenever we do go back to work.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

yellow bracelets

Tune in to CNN tonight and tomorrow night at 8pm and 11pm EST for a special on cancer and America, Saving Your Life. Hosted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta and featuring my buddy, Lance Armstrong.

FYI: This was filmed while I was at the Livestrong Summit in Austin last October. My friends and I are in the audience, and are in the section that is in front of the speakers. Most of the camera pan sweeps are with audience members to the left and right of the stage... so I'm not expecting my big television debut. But you should watch it and look for Waldo anyhow.

This seems like an appropriate time to tell you about my last lab that was drawn a couple of weeks ago. My TSH was still low, so they've re-upped my Synthroid dose (thank goodness). I should feel the effects of that increase in the next few weeks. My tumor marker was up; that's not so good news. What was a probable dose and scan this spring has turned into a definite dose and scan, plus or minus a PET scan, too. It's not end of the world news, but it's just a reminder that this dog and pony show isn't over yet.

And, even though Angry Dissenter warns that we shouldn't play the "it could be worse" game, that it's the game you always win, that it's the game that doesn't actually solve anything or make anything better... We're just glad that it's not so high we have to have another surgery. It could be worse.

So watch the CNN special this weekend and learn what you can do to save your life.

staying warm

The first wave of ice has hit OKC again. The Hater's work closed early and he picked me up from my work about lunch. A drive that usually take about seven minutes took him almost 40 due to the weather. My boss let me leave early; it took us another 40 minutes to get home.

The next wave of icy-snowy mix will hit tomorrow. The Hater's already off of work Monday for MLK... and he's already been dubbed Jeeves for my driving, if work is open, which it probably will be.

We've made Zoloft an appointment to get her front claws declawed via laser next week. We think she knows that it's coming because she's been extra sweet since we've been home. More on that story as it develops.

Until then, we're glad we have electricity and are trying to take advantage of all things technological -- just in case we lose electricity soon. The Hater says if we lose power he'll play Scrabble with me. My fingers are crossed.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

hola Teguscigalpa!

I was in Honduras after hurricane Mitch. My very best advice? Don't drink the water.

Montazuma's Revenge is noooo fun.

Hope you're having a good time, Vol Mom!

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

iFever

Yesterday was a big day for the tech world. Imagine a big Star Trek and a big Star Wars convention being held in a town where the people dressed up as Jedi made faces at the people dressed up as Vulcans.

In the computer world it was a PC convention and a Mac convention... held in different states to keep the gawky stares down. And the new big i-feature was unveiled, as The Hater has been bugging me about for months: the iPhone.

No doubt I'll get this wrong, but here's my attempt to describe it:

iPhone: The Hater's current cell phone :: Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory: Charlie Bucket

It has bells and whistles and syncs with the Mac and isn't it wonderful and can I have one when our current cell phone contract is up because we were talking about changing service anyway and you can have one, too, and the 3-way calling stuff works with this one and you can check your email and you can minimize the screen by just touching it!! Gasp!

iPhone: The Hater's current cell phone :: the Tennessee-Alabama Fireworks store: one sparkler

I haven't caught the iEnergy, but it is exciting. Currently I'm a little miffed at the Mac... You see, I had a Chia pet on my widgets. Had. Imagine a dashboard where you can personalize whatever little doo-dads you want to have at easy access on the desktop. Calander, calculator, word of the day, temperature, google bar, and fun little games and such. Click - boom kind of toys. I chose a Chia pet. To keep it alive you just have to click on it every day.

At first I thought you just had to click on it when you were logged onto your sign in. Death to Chia #1.

And so I started Chia #2 before I realized our trip home would surely kill it. It did.

So we came back from home and I started Chia #3 with full intentions of watching it grow off of the screen. I missed one day this weekend. One day. RIP #3 virtual plant.

I'm an iHerbiciderer. I failed to click one day.

I'm really mad about it. I think there should be some kind of one-day-clause. It's a CHIA PET. A no-muss, no-fuss plant. Why does it need a click every day? Give me a break. They're so low maintenance that children can take care of them.

I've not created Chia #4 yet because I don't know if I can commit to being on the desktop every day. So dead Chia #3 looks at me every time I see my widgets. It's upside down, donning a sign that says "You failed to water your Chia." Sad.

So I'm a little iMiffed right now. I'm glad that we have time between when the phone comes out and when our current cell phone contract dies... give it time for the iBugs to be worked out. Maybe I should tell The Hater that he can have a phone if he can keep one of the virtual Chia Pets alive for more than three months.

Nah, that would be too mean to poor Charlie. At least he didn't try the full-course bubble gum like Violet Beaureguard.

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

uxorious

/uk-SOR-ee-us; ug-ZOR-/, adjective:
Excessively fond of or submissive to a wife.

That's today's word of the day on my calander. What a great word.

pester pester pester

Relentless. The cat pestered me for petting all night long. Nevermind that she didn't want any attention from us while we were awake and watching football. Oh, no... that would have been too easy.

The Hater is excited that he gets to wear jeans to work today. I'm wearing scrubs today, which isn't nearly as exciting. The cat is wearing an old collar; I might be looking into getting her another one this weekend when The Hater is out of town.

We were pleased to see the SEC dominate the Big 10 again last night. I rooted for Florida and The Hater rooted for a double loss. Ohio State is now 0-8 against SEC teams over the last five years. The Hater adds: And remember, we only lost by one point to Florida this year.

Last night during the game I completed my obsession with this online game, a modern version of the old snake game. You remember, the one where you're the snake and you slither around the box picking up pieces that make you longer all the while you can't touch yourself or the box where you're slithering. This time it's a mouse game instead of an arrow game... and I beat the game last night. All the way to level 50. Hard core.

Nothing else exciting... I'm going to make a list of things to do this weekend while The Hater's out of town. While the cat's away....

Sunday, January 07, 2007

he's the one that I want

Because he lets me watch the new musical tv shows... on the big tv and everything. And! He even ti-vo'd a musical I've not seen. And he hates musicals, so that means a lot.

I've been a snotty mess this weekend. The nice thing about being at home is that I don't have to wash my hands every time after I sneeze or blow my nose. Monday draws near and my hands have almost recovered enough to take another week of chlorahexadine scrubs.

The cat is no longer afraid of the new living room set-up. She has reclaimed her seat on the sofa and slept there most of the weekend. It's a hard life for this house cat.

Friday, January 05, 2007

she said yes

Sister called last night to announce that we're going to have a wedding! (I could almost see her gawking over her engagement ring over the phone.) She says it will be either this summer or this fall, and of course we're going to be there.

They started dating just a few weeks before The Hater and I were married, which will be four years this summer. She hadn't realized it, but I still had some planning books at home. I told her where those were so she could get started. Sister's forte isn't decision making, so this should be exciting practice for her. We talked on the phone for almost an hour last night.

Of course Mom and Dad knew before Sister, and she tells that they spilled the beans to the grandmothers before she knew, too. Dad was on the phone with his mother when she asked him if they were ever going to get married, to which Dad replied, "Funny you should ask that..."

This is going to be fun, Sister. Woo-Hoo!

Thursday, January 04, 2007

painting marbles

Most of you know that I work with marbles. Mostly I mix the colors and paint them. Other people with more marble education than I have actually choose what color families to mix, but I do the actual mixing and painting. It's an art and a science, and I'm pretty good at my job. I know enough to know what color families should be chosen, and what colors we will expect to paint the marbles, but mostly all that I do is the painting.

Which is okay, but also slightly boring. There's not a whole lot of opportunities to move up the marble ladder. Up until yesterday I was in the process of interviewing for a job as a marble educator -- teaching both the marble-painters and the owners of the marbles about the painting experience. But all of the vibes I kept getting about that job were bad* so I told the marble boss yesterday that I'd just stick to mixing and painting marbles, not teaching about them. Jaws dropped, eyes bugged, but the one thing I was sure about was that I wasn't sure about that job.

I think letting that one pass was a good decision, even though there aren't many opportunities for marble-painters to move up the marble ladder.

Meanwhile, I've sent a resume and follow-up letter to a different marble boss at another marble company. I heard they were going to have a marble mentor position open to mixers and painters. I don't know a whole lot about this job other than it's based in one building and it would be a grassroots job, lots of hand-holding for people whose marbles were being painted. Much like the marble educator position I wasn't sure about, but this one has better vibes. The only problem is that nobody's contacted me from that place. So although I think it might be a good change, they may not want me. Therein lies the however.

But that's not the twist! Last night after I came home from painting marbles, I received a phone call from someone at another marble factory in town, seeking me out for a marble mentor/coordinator position they would soon be opening. She said it would be like a mentor position ++. She said there would be opportunities for growth and more education. I asked her to email me a copy of the description once the marble details were ironed out.

If you read my blog even quasi-regularly, you'll know I have marble issues of my own. I'm expecting another coat of paint on my personal marbles this spring. It may be that I need to be in a place where I'm slightly bored while that drama is going on. Or maybe it'll be fine and I can go ahead and schedule my marble certification exam and change jobs and save the world.

I don't know. I need some advice, and I don't want any hokey "you have to do what's right for you" nonsense. I know that much. (Let's use a third analogy!!) Do I reach for the gold ring this pass of the merry-go-round, knowing I may not have another opportunity to grab it, knowing if I get up that someone's going to get my horse, knowing that there's currently lots of drama on the carousel and it might be easier to just keep my seat...

You're turn. What should I do?

* Lots of travel, no credit for creativity, marble drama, extra cell phone, and they'd never tell me how much they would pay for my marble expertise.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

refuse me

Before Christmas lots of my coworkers had an upper respiratory ick. I told thm I wasn't going to get it. I refused it.

Now they're passing around a stomach bug and fever. I've refused it, too.

But in the interim I think I'm getting the upper respiratory cough/hack/sniffle shuffle, and I'm less than thrilled. There's nothing that makes a day seem longer than when you can only breathe out of one nostril. If I start coughing a lot I'll have to wear one of those really sexy paper masks.

I hear there's supposed to be power in the written word, so I'd like to officially refuse the sickness in my life, from cold to thyroglobulin. I'm done with you. I refuse you. Go away and pester nobody else.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

congrats, Boise State!

43-42 in OT-- despite some poor calls in the 4th quarter and a magical hook and ladder, the Broncos prevailed with a classic statue of liberty play! That's what I'm talking about! They went for it!

Serious football like that deserves an undefeated season. Who knew blue astroturf held such magical properties. We'd like to nominate the Boise State coach for Coach of the Year. (He was like the Pete Maravich of football.)

I have one very serious thing to say to the BCS: Boomer! It's time for a college playoff game.

And it means that much more to us that they beat Uglyhoma. Super congratulations from a couple of serious Vols. Thanks for an exciting game; you deserve the W.

Monday, January 01, 2007

resolved: a parade

Hopefully 2006 will be the worst year of our lives. We were ready to mulligan it for a new hand from the beginning. Following the great ones before us (mainly Angry Dissenter and The Vol Abroad), here's the parade of our year in review.

January 2006

I finally admit that I've been abnormally tired for about a year. I think that maybe working out more will give me more energy. I try the Strip Tease workout, which The Hater argued didn't have enough strip to it. It's so dry there's lots of fires in Oklahoma.

February 2006

Our percentage for picking the Oscar winners beats Angry Dissenter's choices. The Hater's wallet is stolen. None of this was actually posted: I went to the family doctor after exercise and changing my sleeping patters didn't change my fatigue. My labs were normal; he said my thyroid was slightly enlarged, but nothing to cause worry. It was the one thing that really worried me, the one thing that was always on my mind; I only knew enough to know that something was wrong, which I didn't think was enough to blog about. Meanwhile, The Hater was dealing with a lot of crap at work.

March 2006

The Hater's fluffy hair. Chocolate oatmeal. Boring posts to cover the fact that I'm absolutely exhausted. March 23rd, the c-bomb drops. My surprise trip to LBG for Sister's birthday and R&R becomes a big ball of cancer.

April 2006

Surery #1: total thyroidectomy. They also took a parathyroid gland, which threw off my calcium; my face and neck tingled for a week. From now on forever I'll be on thyroid medicine and calcium supplementation. The Hater and I decide that there's so much stress in our lives that we would make a great reality tv show.

May 2006

We realize exactly how sucky the low-Iodine diet sucks. We "pimp the prison" and prepare for my first radioactive Iodine (RAI) treatment. I plant some flowers on the porch at a desperate attempt to do something normal. I really enjoyed writing the Roshomon posts with Angry Dissenter; they were the best distraction therapy for being hypothyroid and miserable. I take my first RAI treatment, asking specifically for the Jedi-blend. Meanwhile, I'm getting boatloads of much needed mail, support, prayers, phone calls, emails, etc; The Hater becomes short-order cook extraordinae.

June 2006

I come home from work and fall asleep half on the bed with my pants down. I'm so very exhausted. England doesn't win the World Cup.

July 2006

The day before I got on a plane to go see Angry Dissenter I find out the cancer is back. Surgery #2: a right modified neck dissection. 6 of 20 lymph nodes were positive. We recover slowly and I end up having to get physical therapy for my right arm and shoulder. I still have lots of neuropathic tingles and may have them forever. The Hater's first post of the year is debuted in the form of Hezbollah Haterade.

August 2006

Photo diary of healing scars. The Hater declares war on Microsoft. We begin the second lap of the Low-Iodine Diet; it still sucks. We pen another letter to Phil Fulmer asking him not to stink it up this season.

September 2006

Being hypothyroid again causes me to have nightmares every time I go to sleep. It's football time in Tennessee. Radioactive Iodine dose and isolation #2. We scored tickets to see the mighty Blue Raiders play Uglyhoma. The Hater and I reshelve 1984 in the Current Events section of a local bookstore.

October 2006

The Hater and I celebrate our 7th date-a-versary. I begin to feel human again. I win a scholarship to go to the Inaugural Livestrong Summit in Austin and hang out with Lance and John Kerry. We talk about football.

November 2006

The Hater is robbed of People's 2006 Sexiest Man Alive awards. The Dorks and Sister come to Uglyhoma for Kodak moments. The Hater's parents come to visit the next weekend. I'm still tired.

December 2006

The Hater and I have our first big marital dispute about who to cheer for if Peyton plays against the Titans. We go home for Christmas and have a great visit. I win the fantasy football Super Bowl and get a ring before Peyton. We ring in the new year with blind abandon and resolve not to have any more surgeries.

new year fumbling

UT lost their bowl game to Penn State, 20-10.

On one had we're sad. On the other, we're just tickled their season was better than last year. Coach Fulmer, you're safe for another season in our books. Cutcliffe, you rock.

We're not going to let the loss rain on our '07 parade. We've already had our turnip greens and black-eyed peas, and my second attempt at the haystacks (via the microwave instead of the redneck double boiler). They're cooling and we've decided that '07 has to be better than '06.

I'm super proud to announce that I kept my '06 resolution the ENTIRE year. If you remember, I resolved to let my eyebrows grow back by not plucking (or waxing) them again. And I'm here today, a year later, pleased to report that nary a tweezer came close to my face, much to the chagrin of Sister and the Vietnamese ladies who do my pedicures. Tada.

That one took so much energy that I'm going to make a low-key '07 resolution: I am resolved that we won't have any more surgeries this year. The Hater thinks that's a great resolution; we'll try really hard to keep it.

Here's hoping everybody's year is exactly what they secretly want it to be.