Saturday, September 20, 2008

Oooo! What is that?

Ever come home and opened the door to some odd smell? Usually I am the only one who can smell it. I try to track it down. Is it the dog? The garbage? The garbage disposal? The bathroom?

I realized why no one else in my family can smell it. They don't want to look for it. They don't want to have to do something with it when they find it.

That's OK. They get the task of cleaning out the refrigerator. They get to see and smell things that no one should ever have to encounter!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Not An Easy Task

I'm currently taking some medication that I am supposed to not take within 2 hours of dairy products, calcium or ant-acids. When I picked it up from the pharmacist she told me to take it on an empty stomach and said that calcium is in a lot of things, even broccoli. OK... let me get this straight. "On an empty stomach" means two hours before or 2 hours after eating. And if I have calcium within 2 hours (or even 3) of taking this, it will bond to the calcium and just exit my body without doing what I'm taking it for.

This has been harder than you'd ever imagine. I have to take a different pill as soon as I wake up and then wait one hour to eat. I take several pills after I eat. I have to take them with food. This new temporary medication has thrown a monkey wrench into my whole day. And I have to take it TWICE in 24 hours !!

A few days ago I took one of the "on an empty stomach" pills at 6:00 PM. That meant I couldn't eat dinner until 8:00 PM. I went ahead and made dinner for my family and was really hungry. I decided I would just snack on something. Aha! Pastacio nuts! I read the label of ingredients. Yep, they have calcium in them.

Later that evening I was looking at the label for Lysine (which my chiropractor prescribed for the canker sore on my mouth). It has calcium in it too.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Where I Am Today

I have joined a "Lose it for Life" group that meets weekly. Lose it for Life was co-written by Steve Arterburn of New Life Ministries. I had heard of the weekend retreats they hold across the country and thought it sounded like a wonderful program. It was such a thrill to discover a group starting here in AZ.

This is a comprehensive program that address physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Out of the Mouth of Babes

I'm recovering from some sort of bug. I've had a fever, headache, chills, aches and pains. Then I must have fallen asleep on a heating pad because I have what looks like a large burn on the left side of my back.

My daughter was sitting across the table from me yesterday and she noticed what appears to be a cold sore coming out on the corner of my mouth. She said "Mom! What's that on your face?! You are just decapitating!"

Here Piggy Piggy

I had a fever for a couple of days followed by a day where I seemed to be sweating alot. Immediately I thought to myself "I'm sweating like a pig."

What?! Do pigs actually sweat alot? Where did that thought come from?

If you have firsthand knowledge about pigs, I'd like to know your take on "sweating like a pig." Thank you.

Customer Service

Have you noticed that when you receive good customer service it's a shock? When was the last time you heard someone call you Mrs. _____ or even greeted you with a cheerful voice EVERYWHERE you went in one day? It may happen in one place, but it doesn't happen everywhere you go (or at least everywhere I go).

I thought it was a joke when the card scanners at Wal-Mart started asking you if your cashier was friendly today! It is very rare that I have a friendly cashier at Wal-Mart. They are usually frazzled and a bit cranky. Maybe it has something to do with the looooong check-out lines that never end. Why are there twenty some check-out lines anyway? There are only three or four open at any one time!

I must be invisible sometimes when I go to the grocery store. I have had employees stocking the shelves practically run over me with those pallets of boxes. Aren't they EXPECTING to see shoppers in the aisles? I've approached employees filling the dairy cases and heard things said that would make any mother turn red with embarrasment. Some cashiers will be talking to either another cashier or to the bagger and they will be talking about things that should not be said aloud in front of a stranger! If it's not a true life episode of Jerry Springer happening before my eyes, it's an expose of "I haven't even had my break!"

I appreciate my fast food being delivered to me fast, but can I have just one bag shoved out the window at me at a time? And if I order more than two drinks please don't be perturbed when I ask for a drink carrier. Are napkins optional now? I thought it was strange when you had to ASK for ketchup as if it was an "extra" item. When I go to KFC, I WANT butter and honey with my biscuits! That should be a given!!

I find myself saying thank you when I'm given my receipt. I finally figured out why I'm saying thank you. Because SOMEONE should be thanked when a transaction has been made. Hmmm, it's a subconscious thing for me. I just say it. I must have been taught to say it by my parents.

New Experiences

My husband often comes home from work with these words on his lips, "I've got a story for you!" I was able to say those words to him last night.

I was in the drive through line at Wendy's and finally reached the window. Just before I was handed my food I see a police car drive up into the drive through exit. Yes, it was coming the wrong way. It stopped and two officers got out. They went inside. I received my food and ... had to just sit there. I couldn't go forward and I couldn't go backward. There was a long line of cars behind me. This was not a kodak moment. It won't end up in my scrapbook, but this was an experience I had never had before. In that I could relish the moment.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Revelations

Had a couple of revelations. One is not a new one, but I was reminded of it. There is NO THING that will make me happy. NO THING can satisfy me. NO THING will ever be all I ever need (after I get that one thing, I will want some thing else).

The other revelation was a new one and it was a really BIG one.
There have been times when I thought my kids (the introverted ones) were trying to ask for help but that they just weren't able to. I'd think they wanted to say it but just couldn't.

Well, last night I was thinking about that again and I was also talking to the Lord. I asked Him why. He said it's not them, it's you. You are/were that child.

Hmmmmm .... I wonder where this will lead? I don't know any more yet. In time I know God will reveal more to me. Afterall, He is the Wonderful Counselor.

No mask today

Helllo September!! Before any more time passes, let me catch you up.

My husband has his voice back but still struggles with his swallowing. I haven't been walking, rdiding the exercise bike or making the healthiest choices when I eat. I have a new stressor in my life. Thankfully my weight hasn't gone back up.

I saw my kidney Dr. today and he said that for all accounts and purposes, I'm cured. There's a 95% chance that this will not ever happen to me again (kidney failure following a surgery). It was a rare occurance. I am the first patient that this has EVER happened to by my surgeon (having performed hundreds of the same operation). No one knows for certain why it happened to me... or so I'm told.

I was asked to bring in all the medication I am currently taking (in the original containers). I could not believe HOW MUCH I TAKE when I had to put all the bottles in a ziploc bag!!! I never imagined myself in this state. I am taking 16 pills a day (some of them are natural suppliments). We are talking about a full time job to manage them all. I have often wished for a private nurse that would just bring them to me as I need to take them.

Yes, exercise will benefit me. Losing weight will allow me to go off some of the medication. Why isn't my health ever enough of a motivation for me?!

Just being real.