My (almost) Brush With Fame

I drive the shitty little rental car to work today - ick. Still sounds like a pack of angry rodents under the hood. I get to my second hospital - and it's fucking busy. One of the weekday people came in to help me because she knew it would be very very busy (as I missed work on Friday) - and it lived up to expectations. I go into to one room to take pictures, the mom is from Quebec and has a friend there with her who is speaking French to her. I take the picture of the baby and it turns out good, she's happy. As I'm closing the sale, mom and her friend are talking about the baby's daddy and how sad it was that he had to go out of town today - but at least he gets to play tonight. So I'm just listening, but not really paying a lot of attention. Then the mom starts saying something about something being on an injured list, which peeks my curiosity so I start paying attention as I process the sale. They talk some more about the dad and playing in a game tonight, and how lucky it is the baby came a week early or daddy would have been out of town all week. OK, so I finally ask the mom what her husband does that has him out of town. She says "He's a hockey player." I'm thinking 'OMG - he's one of the Dallas Stars..." So I ask who he plays for (I guess my smart genes shut off the moment she said 'hockey player') and she says The Dallas Stars. I'm such a dork, all I can say is "I love hockey... that's cool... " I think I mumbled that I loved hockey a couple of more times. So I finished the sale and left, the mom was so very nice and appreciative of my taking such good pictures of her new baby, then I imediatly went to the phone and called my hubby - I could not even remember the player's name!! LOL - I was still just so shocked that I had taken his babies picture! I love hockey, but I never get a chance to watch it these days - the little people tend to be intolerant of any programing that is not animated and put out by either Disney or NickJr. Anyway as soon as I got hom I had to call my brother in law and tell him because he's an even bigger Stars fan than I am. hehehehe... I know, I'm a dork.

hehehehe... I feel for another stupid quiz! I couldn't help it, I love this kind of art work - Vargas is my favorite artist of this particular era.


Hopeless Flirt


What Kind of FLIRT are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Bizarre... but funny....

I am Pacman. I am an aggressive sort of personality, out to get what I can, when I can. I prefer to avoid confrontation, but sometimes when it's called for, I can be a powerful character. I tend to be afflicted with munchies constantly. What Video Game Character Are You?

Somehow I knew I'd be Pacman.... ;o)

Busy Friday...

Well... not exactly, but it sounds better than 'Lazyass Friday For Me'.

Not a whole hell of a lot happened today... yesterday... well stuff happened and I was to freaking busy to write about it.

Alarming!!!

Free alarm systems are offered in the lovely townhomes that I currently reside, all you have to do is pay the city permit fee and the management will turn the alarm on for you. We opted not to do it, as we were fucking poor (were? what do you mean were? still ARE) and could not spare the permit fee. Anyway.... we have the alarm key pad next the door anyway, and last week I set it so that it would *beep,beep* when the door is open (because I have kids and need to know when the little sneaks are trying to escape). Yesterday my oldest, Super Girl was being a brat, as she often is (far to damn often) and she went to the key pad and started pushing the buttons. I told her to stop it, then went to make sure she didn't turn off the door chime. I notice the 'Armed' light was lit - which it wasn't before, I thought "That's odd, I never paid for the alarm to be activated." and I opened the door. Guess what? the alarm WAS ACTIVE!! And I didn't know the code to turn it off!! So it's blaring and I'm pushing keys to try to turn it off, Super Girl has started crying because it's so loud and I'm wondering if this is going to alert the police (wouldn't that be just my luck). I finally call the manager's office and get the answering service. They tell me they will get someone to turn it off. In the mean time I find some packing tape and put it over the alarm to kind of dull the sound a bit. It shuts off, but I notice that the red 'Active' light is still lit. DAMN. Hubby had gone to the post office to mail something for me and would be home soon. I call the office again, get the manager this time. Explain the situation AGAIN. She sends a maintenance person over. Of course as soon as Juan arrives and I open the door, the alarm goes off again. He doesn't know the code either (*sheesh* why did they send him over anyway?) after a few minutes it stops, he starts trying to disconnect the alarm, hubby arives home, opens the door - alarm is going again! Juan finally breaks the alarm so it's all peace and quiet from then on. Although I do miss the door chime... but not enough to risk that shit again!

Gumbo Night

I made hubby's favorite - chicken and sausage gumbo last night - it was perfect. (I took a picture, will post later) there is none left today. Ahhhh....




Gumbo Night... Again????

Brother in law called today and wanted hubby to help him with the install of his new DSL, since we have had ours for a while, hubby agrees. We get invited over for dinner. Brother in law made me promise not to laugh at him, because he was making cajun food (because I've been making cajun forever and mine is damn good - he was nervous I'd be a bitch about his). When we get there we see that he's making Chicken and sausage gumbo. hehehehe... Mine is better. I need to teach him how to make a roux...

Shitty Little Car

That's what the marketing pitch should be for the Geo Metro. "Geo Metro... It's a shitty little car, but it's cheap. Buy one today." We got a rent car today because our busted-ass car won't be ready yet. Sheesh... We rented something cheap - so we got the Shitty Little Car. This is BY FAR the worst car I have ever driven. It sounds like 10 angry hampsters under the hood when you accelerate, the shocks... wait... what shocks?, the steering is VERY stiff (needs power steering fluid - hubby and I had a disagreement about - he said that it didn't have power steering - guess who was wrong? hehehe), but... the breaks are good. *sigh* it's only temporary.... Could be worse I suppose.

Wooohooo! Good News!

My sister called a bit ago, she just got the pathology reports on her husband. It's Stage 2 cancer and it was contained - has not spread to any other tissue! YAY! T will still have to have chemo, but it looks like the biggest part of it is over. He is still in the hospital in CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit), and will probably stay there for at the very least until Monday - he's in a lot of pain, but it's finally manageable. Thank God!

3XThursday 3/13/2k3 : Shock Shock Therapy - Judy's Answers Thanks to Jake for the questions

1. So what do you do to cope with stress?
I try to do something that takes my mind off of what ever is stressing me. Reading, drawing, painting, crocheting, cooking, take a walk, exercise, just something that I enjoy and will distract me.

2. Have you ever just got close to snapping or suffered bad effects from stress?
Yes, the last 2 years have been extremely stressful. I have come close to snapping a couple of times. The 7 months prior to February were the worst, I had lots of bad effects from stress - insomnia, anxiety attacks, hair thinning, depression... Thank God for anti-anxiety medication.

3. So what are the great pressures in your life? I am not asking for a Freudian psychoanalysis so just go over the basics.
Finances, parenthood, relationships, family


Bonus for Comments: So do you think all this gizmos and Internet technologies are making our lives easier or harder? Why?
I think they make our lives eaiser. Having so much technology at our fingertips is great. Being able to shop from home (and not with a cataloge), comparison shop, look up information, converse with others... while in my own living room waiting for the microwave to finish warming my cup of tea from Timbuktu delivered the day before via over night delivery from some obscure company with a great web site, and hopeing I don't spill any on my nice silk pajamas that were a lovely present ordered from my favorite shop by my thoughtful husband while he was at work...there is no compairison. I love technology. Life is great.

West Nile Nearly Beaten

It seems that I have almost got this blasted West Nile Virus (cold) beaten. Copious amounts of Sudefed and Nyquill have done quit a bit to relieve my suffering and aid me in difficult tasks (such as breathing!). Today I'm feeling much better, that 12 hour Sudefed works wonders (and gives me a strange buzz). Hubby seems to have succumb to the powerful effects of the West Nile Virus (cold) and now is resting semi-comfortably in his sick bed... I say semi-comfortably because it's difficult to get much good rest with two children bothering you. Hubby is about to the severe whining stage, which makes me tempted to feign being much sicker than I truly am, just so I can avoid his whining. But... that would be cruel as he has been quite a dear and taken care of me quite nicely in my weakend state. *sigh* I'll take care of him. It's not that I hate doing it, it's just that he does whine like a wee baby when he's sick, making me feel a bit homicidal towards him. (*note to self... remember to take your anti-crazy pills).

Nyquil Dreams

The best thing about having a cold is taking Nyquil. I do love that stuff, it lulls me into a nice cozy state of sleep. the odd thing is that I have very bizarre, lucid dreams! Last night was a really whacky one... I won't get into the details for fear that someone might go all Freud on me and come up with something horrible in an analysis. I'm generally a light sleeper and I dream all the time, so I was thinking that with the Nyquil I'd sleep deeper and not wake much at night, nope... I still woke quite a few times. And it such a strange way, I'd wake up and be totally awake for a few moments - (I'd get more Nyquil if it was time and I was all stuffed up) then I'd be sleepy and go right back to sleep a few minutes later. And have more dreams, often continuing where the one I had awoken from left off. Hmmmm... I wonder if taking Nyquil when not sick is harmfull? hehehe... Just kidding.

Ladies Check This Out!!

I love this site! Adios Barbie celebrates women of EVERY size and shape and encourages women to love their bodies "through thick and thin". Check out the hysterical game 'Feed The Model'. Links for books and stuff (check out Vinnie's Tampon Cases!). The articles are great also, very well writen and thought provoking. Well worth a look or two.

A - hehehehe... your so funny, such a hippie at heart, but totally a realist. You were born in the wrong era. ;o)

L - I must get a ricer. I don't know what I'd use it for other than the potatoes, but it looks cool, it's a kitchen gadget and I want it. It looks like a giant garlic crusher.

I liked the little tidbit on your page about nutmeg. I was making oatmeal cookies and I couldn't remember if it was nutmeg or cloves, so I put them both in the cookies (along with cinnamon). Ya know what? I do have a sense of well-being. I don't know if it's the nutmeg or if it's just because I wanted a cookie and these are quite yummy. ;o) A should forget politics and have a cookie.

As for me, I'll stay far far from politics and other such nonesense - I'll stick with cooking. :o)

A- I'm glad someone from your family is going to help you weather the (what appears to be)torrential financial storm you are facing. It's always a blessing when family will help. My family is not like that (ask D) they will help - sometimes - but there are generally strings attached to anything act of 'generosity' that is imparted by them on you. Then they act as if even the tiniest thing they have done is absolutly monumental and deserving of constant thanks and acolades. *sheesh* it's really not worth it to ask for help from them. Half the time they will say no, and give some poor mouth reason, the other half they will say yes with conditions. My sister is not like that. which I am thankful for. yes we do fight, and we have fought a lot in the past year, but that is all water under the bridge now. We had 6 months of not talking to each other and dealing with our own issues and problems with no other help. Retrospectively, It is actually a good thing that it happend - she and I grew a great deal as people. But I digress. It sucks that we have no other family to count on. Right now my sister is going through so much and she really can't count on anyone else in the family, and I can't offer much more than a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen with. Anyway... A - you are lucky to have some family who cares for you and your kids.

Mashed Taters

L and A - with much shame I must admit I make my mashed potatoes from instant. I absolutly hate pealing potatoes. I have in the past made mashed potatoes with the peals on, but I don't think my hubby likes that all to much. And quite frankly I do like the taste of instant potatoes. It's about the only thing I make instant. Well mashed potatoes and instant brown gravy. I absolutly love that, it's complete heaven for me. Although, I don't eat mashed potatoes, or potatoes of any kind all that much - let me explain... my former step father insisted that we have potatoes with most every meal. He would not eat rice and would only allow pasta served once a week (in the form of spegetti and meat sauce or lasanga). So it was potatoes, mostly mashed potatoes. My sister and I were the slaves in the household so we were relegated to pealing potatoes to please his magesty's demands for mashed potatoes and gravy. *ick* So there in lies my dislike for pealing potatoes. I know it's really not that much work, but I hate to do it. I will do almost anything to get out of pealing potatoes. It's crazy I know. I don't mind taking all the extra steps to make a cake or loaf of bread from scratch or take hours to prepare an intricate and elaborate meal. But you can damn near guarantee that it will not include mashed potatoes and gravy from scratch. Viva La Instant Mashed Potatoes!

Gourmet Meals With The Little People

This evening we took the little people to the ever classy Dairy Queen for dinner (I needed to pick up my crazy pills and didn't feel like cooking - DQ is right near Eckerd). So we get to DQ and apparently everyone else in the neighborhood has had the same thought - 'DQ for dinner!'. I take a seat with the little people and hubby orders for us. First they want to play with the salt shaker, then the napkin holder, then they want to climb on the table (all of the above was nixed by mommy right away.), when hubby get's back to the table I tell him to go get ketchup with Super girl - I figured it would keep her busy for a few minutes so I could focus on keeping Cabbage Patch Baby off the table. they return with 4 little cups of ketchup and take a seat to wait for out number. All the while Super Girl has started saying "I'm hungry. I'm thirsty. I want my food." over and over and over. Cabbage patch is wanting to pour salt on the table again. Super girl and Cabbage Patch see the ketchup and of course want it, hubby says no, I say "let them have it - it's a vegetable after all." Hubby gets a smirk on his face then starts laughing. Kids eat ketchup like it's fine caviar and all is peaceful for a few minutes.

Tuesday, Sucky Tuesday

Well it hasn't been just horrid, but it's not been great. Here I sit with a nasty case of that blasted West Nile Virus (a cold). My misery is unending (the last couple of hours of feeling like my sinus were going to explode sucked), if not for the local Witch Doctor (hubby) who concocted a healing brew (TheraFlu) of reched taste (really it is) but powerful enough to induce a healing slumber (knocks me on my ass when taken with a shot of Nyquill). I'm just waiting for the blessed blackness of sleep to overtake my weakened condition and bring me a brief (4 to 6 hours.. not to exceed reccomended dosages per day) repreive from my suffering (constant drippy nose, dry cough and continual sneezing). I've overcome the past pathogens - Anthrax (strep throat), Eboli (horrible food poisioning) and Small Pox (last nasty cold I had), so I have faith that my imune system is strong (I have lots of medication to carry me through this) and I can weather this storm without a trip to the alchemist (doctor) for I fear the black magic she casts which brings excruciating pain before the healing (penicilin shots - hurts like hell). The cost is to great (I couldn't sit straight for 2 weeks!).

OK... enough melodrama... ;o)

Other things...

Something Else That Sucked Today

A couple of weeks ago I located a friend that I have not seen in about 4 years. He wanted to get together for lunch today. Sounds great. So hubby and I got the kids all polished and shined and got ready. Part way to meet our friend, the car stops accelerating... Just stopped. Like it wasn't getting any gas. Then it stopped all together. Shit. On the freeway. I had managed to get over to the break down lane. Hubby had to call his dad to come rescue us, and a tow truck to take the car to a service station. *sigh* so the car is in the shop. At least hubby has been laid off so he won't be missing any work. I will be missing some work though, tomorrow I was supposed to go in, but I had to call and get Evelyn to work for me. Luckily the hospital has been really slow as far as births so it's not been very busy. Actually it's a good thing that I'm not going in, being sick with a cold is not cool when you have to be handling babies. So we didn't get to have lunch with our friend. *sigh* and the car is in the shop *sigh*. Life will go on.

Something Else For Today...

My brother in law had surgery today, this is a part of what my sister sent to me:
Here are all of the pertinent facts:

1. The cancer was found to be much higher up in the colon that it was originally thought to be.
2. The tumor that was removed was about 4 inches long by 2 inches in diameter. (appx)
3. The tumor was diagnosed Preliminarily as Stage II. The results from the pathology lab (due in 3-5 days) could change that Stage to a Stage III, but at this time, we are not anticipating that.

T's tumor is a Modified Duke B1 or B2. We will know better when we get the pathology report from the lab.
Medical Terms:
Modified Duke B B1: tumor penetrates into, but not through the muscularis propria (the muscular layer) of the bowel wall.

B2: tumor penetrates into and through the muscularis propria of the bowel wall.

TNM Staging System (Tumor, Node, Metastisis) (How bad is it?)


Tumor

T1: Tumor invades submucosa.
T2: Tumor invades muscularis propria.
T3: Tumor invades through the muscularis propria into the subserosa, or into the pericolic or perirectal tissues.
T4: Tumor directly invades other organs or structures, and/or perforates.

At this point, we believe that the tumor is a T2.

It is not believed that the lymph nodes are involved, again, we will not know with any certainty until the pathology reports come back.

The doctor has led us to believe right now that although the cancer has spread to just past the colon, it has not metastasized (spread beyond the colon to other body parts). Again, sounding like a broken record, pathology reports will let us know what is going on.

The information above was retrieved from: http://www.oncologychannel.com/coloncancer/staging.shtml should you care to read further about colon cancer.

Because of where the cancer was located, the surgery was a lot more involved than what they were expecting it to be. The surgery was a lot more extensive.
T is in extreme pain and his pain is being reduced by the use of morphine. The morphine is not able to completely relieve the pain, so he is still in a great amount of pain.

Please, say a prayer for my sister and her husband. I belive he can beat this, but I know it's a hard road to travel and I know it will take a lot of strength on his part and on my sister's part.

Monday With The Sniffles

I'm coming down with a cold... which just sucks ass. I hate to be sick, especially with a cold that lingers on and on... And I'm all out of Nyquill.... time for an outing to secure important provisions! Today is my husband's first day of unemployment, he spent a couple of hours this morning looking online for work, and a friend we saw on Saturday (game night) told him about a job that is for part of a week, and is out of town, but it pays so what the hell. He' going to talk to Pete some more about the job. Luckily hubby get's a decent severage package and can collect unemployment. I'll be picking up extra days at work for a while which will help.

My boss is an imbecile. She called me last Thursday to get me to work at one of the hospitals I used to work at for Friday (not my favorite hospital to work either). So I said yes. then she asked if I could work this week at that hospital. I said not on Monday and Tuesday, I have to have time to clean my house and I'be working Wed-Fri at a different hospital. She said she would talk to someone about working for me on Wed so I could work at that hospital on Wed. OK, end of conversation. I get a call at 10:15 this morning asking me why I wasn't at that hospital. That I had said I would work M-W at that hospital. I said, no I said I couldn't work on Monday or Tuesday, I have to have time to clean my house, but said I would work Wednesday. So now she's pissed she has to find someone to cover that hospital. OH well. I couldn't be working today anyway with this cold. I can't work with babies while coughing, sneezing and with a runny nose. I'd freak if someone had come into my room to handle my baby who was obviously sick. Just need some medicine, I'll be right as rain.

Well I need to go clean up this pig sty I call home (Sheesh... why can't men clean house!!).