Spring Break 2016

3/14/2016

It's been awhile but here I am. Last week was Spring Break at the University I work at. I have Friday's off so I got an extended week. Someone said, "We are a culmination of our experiences, so go out and experience. Don't be stagnant and boring." I thought I would give a detailed break down of my Spring Break.

Friday 3/04: I stayed at my parents house that day. I woke up early and took Cooper to get groomed. He wasn't happy at all to be dropped off but was thrilled to be picked up. I also ventured around town by going to the bank, going to Walmart to buy everything I might need for my hiking first-aid kit (more to come on the hiking story), and Taco Bell. For dinner, we went to a local restaurant called Joe's. I ordered a pancake since I can't eat meat on Friday's during lent. It was horrible. You could taste that the cooked it on the same grill that they cooked their "fish special" on, without cleaning the grill first. I guess that is what I get for not ordering the fish.

"Cooper all Groomed"

Saturday 3/05: I do have another job that wasn't quite on break yet. I went in to work a long day at the clinic. In the middle of sedations, I was plagued with a migraine. I took my migraine medicine as soon as possible along with some Tylenol, and it eventually went away. Thankfully, I had my medicine on me or I would have another week of headaches. We ate some good One and Only BBQ for lunch and our day didn't turn out to be as long as we thought it would be and we left at a decent hour. After work, my boyfriend and I watched the UFC fights and I called all of them correctly except the last one where I predicted McGregor to win.

Sunday 3/06: This is the day I should have gone to clean the warehouse, but I wasn't feeling it due to the migraine the day before. The medicine make me want to sleep due to a drop in blood pressure. So I stayed at my boyfriends house that day. He grilled out some steaks while I cooked some green beans and baked beans. Being a man, and not listening to my grilling advice, my streak didn't come out a perfect medium rare. (Future grilling tips: place steak on grill for 4min, then flip and cook for additional 3min. Do not keep flipping it every min.) We then watched The Walking Dead while eating a S'mores dip. 

"S'mores Dip"

Monday 3/07: I stayed in bed most of this day watching the food network channel because why not? I then cleaned the warehouse and went home. The day was uneventful yet great, because we all need a boring day in our lives.

Tuesday 3/08: I wake up at 5:15 am, this is very early for me. I get dressed and drink some coffee so I can go to work with my dad. Today's "work load" required him to fly to Winterhaven, Florida for a meeting. I could have sat at home all day, but I figured why not sit on a private jet then in the sun for a few hours before we face days of rain? I had lunch with the pilots and ate a ham and cheese omelet.

"Sitting in the Sun"

"Palm trees and the Jet"

Wednesday 3/09: Another day at the clinic. Our clinic has started a weight loss challenge. I submitted my weight and made a plan to lose some of it. We shall see how that goes. During the lunch hour, I go to the gym and walk on the tredmill at in incline for 30min, I run a few other errands. Back to the clinic in for a late night. Then I venture home, which take 2 hours due to pouring down rain and flooding.

Thursday 3/10: I wait for some shower glass installer to come and go twice to make measurements. I guess because they say, "measure twice cut once." Then I venture out into the pouring rain once again to go meet Olivia at Houston's restaurant. The chicken and Kale salad was delicious. To make things even more healthier, I went to Whole Foods with her next door. All health concerns went out the door when I saw the gelato and memories of Italy flooded my mind and I had to have some. I had to get somewhere quick because the sky opened up, and roads were closing by the hour due to flooding. Back to Brandon's house I go. I sadly had to miss the Gilmore Girls tournament due to weather conditions, but James and I will make our own, because I love that show.

Friday 3/11: It started out as another day watching the food network but then I went to several banks to do banking stuff, then I met my brother on his lunch break at Walgreens to give him gifts for Ellie. My baby girl who turned 4 that day. She got peanut butter (the only people food she can eat) and some treats. I then drive around town a bit to see some of the flooding of the Wolfe River and notice all the wild life displaced by the flooding, yet they are still having fun playing in the water. I go downtown with Brandon and we should have gone to the Grizzlies game that we had tickets too, but we stayed on Beale. We first visited Topper at Jerry Lee's then we went over to Dyer's, where I ate a deep friend PB&J (only in the south.) Then due to me drinking a lot of Miralax for the past two days, I HAD to go home then. If you don't know what I 'm talking about, then google Miralax.

"Ellie as a Puppy"

Saturday 3/12: A day off from the clinic. I wake up and make Brandon breakfast in bed. Scrambled eggs with diced ham and toast. We then spend the whole day shopping for stuff for our hiking trip. We first go to Academy Sports. We buy some pads to sleep on and a few other small things to make life on the trail easier. Then we tried to go to target. We made it in the door and picked up a couple of items but it was too busy, so we left without our items. Next stop was Sports Authority which is going out of business. Brandon bought some clothes at a great price. Finally, we went to Bass Pro Shop. We both bought clothes and water reservoirs. We feel a lot better about having at least the essentials for our hiking needs. We then went to my brother's house and ate some BBQ and hung out with the birthday girl.

Sunday 3/13: We sprung forward and hour. Brandon and I went to eat at IHOP. I once again got a ham and cheese omelet. I then went to clean the warehouse. Back at his house, we tried some dehydrated meals we bought during out shopping adventures the day prior because it is better to know now, when you have more food options than when you are in the middle on nowhere and you don't have anything but that as an option to eat. I must say, what we tried wasn't that bad. We ordered more online along with some other things from REI.com (I think this is my new addiction.) We then watched The Walking Dead (good episode). Then we had tornado warnings and I thought, "oh no, we ate the emergency supply food for dinner before the emergency." There wasn't any tornadoes. Crisis adverted.

"Dehydrated Food"

That was my Spring Break. The end.

my foot remains a mystery

11/17/2015

I had surgery one week ago on my right foot to remove a tumor from the top of my foot. I never had a problem with the area until a swimming pool jumped out at me over the summer, and I just happened to hit a tumor. This is the third tumor I have had removed from this particular foot and I didn't consider it much of anything until I woke-up. The surgeon (who was a grumpy asshole that morning) was concerned about the cartilage cap on the tumor and sent it off for testing. I will get the status of its malignancy or benign-ness (I am making that a new word) Friday. The funny thing about osteosarcomas are that often times they do not cause pain and that's how they turn malignant. (I guess it't not that funny.) I'm sure it will be fine and if not, they already removed the tumor and thats the most they will do anyways so I'm one step ahead, except for the fact that I can't walk right now.

I hope to be walking soon or to be wearing shoes. Winter is approaching. The doctor gave me no time line of any of this. I don't even know what my scar will look like! So I will find out everything Friday.

Monday I will begin my adventure up to the World Famous Mayo Clinic. I have a bone scan Tuesday which will take up several hours of my day. Tuesday afternoon, I will do some retail therapy of the Mall of America (a very important healing process), and then Wednesday I will meet with my ortho-oncologist. If all goes well, I will try to drive home that day and be home by Thanksgiving.

So that's my update for now. Don't have much to say other than I have been sleeping a lot (like 18 hours a day) and hopefully I will get some answers or get back to my every day adventurous life soon.

I look how I feel

10/15/15

For those of you that keep telling me I look horrible and that I don't feel well, you have hit the nail on the head. Because I feel like I have been hit by a train and that train didn't even attempt to slow down. 

It all started 2 weeks after getting a cortisone injection in my toe for a bone bruise and a tumor that's all inflamed, that wasn't the most pleasant of things because needles shouldn't go into joints. 3 days later I ended up in the ER for bleeding from my lower intestines. Guys not just a little blood, I was questioning if I started my period but nope it was not it was just a lot of blood from other body parts. My period came 3 days later and it was the period from hell and I couldn't go more than 30min without being away from a bathroom. Once again so much blood. I then got the pleasure of experincing a colonoscopy 30 years early. That prep is no joke, but not as bad as I thought it would be, but then noting seems that bad when you feel like the main character from Stephen King's Carrie. During the prep, the vomiting of blood started. So that was a fun addition. Then the day of my colonoscopy came and I told the doctor about my adventures. He didn't seem too concerned. As I was being put to sleep I realized (for the 26th time) I realized that this is the best feeling in my life. To momentarily quit life and not have any worries at all as you drift off into a deep sleep and hope they don't kill you in the process. I have been working 1/2 days since the procedure and everyone keeps asking why I'm at work since I look horrible. When you have chorionic illnesses, you learn the best thing to do is get out of bed and get dressed every day. You always seem to feel worse if you stay in bed and in your pjs. Now I am living each day as I normall would with the exception of occasionally bleeding from strange places, extreme stomach cramping, vomiting, and now a fever. I am going to fake it until I make it and really would appreciate you all lying to me and telling me how pretty I am intead of telling me that I look like hell. 

Busy until July

6/16/2015

Hey yall,

I told yall I would post again soon, and here I am doing just that. This one is short and sweet and basically just me writing out my to do list somewhere other than a sticky note. I will be really busy until July and here is why:

For the next 5 days today - Saturday, I will be working every day and some extra hours to complete everything that needs to be done in the office and jobs are changing things up on me so I have to go to more meetings than usual. I have also made plans with many people in the next 5 days. Today I will be seeing one of my friends that I have known since kindergarten. Thursday I'm pretty sure I made plans with 3 different people..oops. Friday, I am taking the new exchange students from Thailand to hang out and see our city. Saturday I will be hanging out with my mom after work!

Sunday - the flowing Friday, I will be seeing my MHE family out of town. There will be plenty of pictures. I remember meeting them the first time 4 years ago. I first flight got delayed, missed my second flight, and I eventually got in after being awake for over 21 hours to be thrown into meeting over 20 people from all over the world with MHE. I was tired and had a ruptured ear drum and I just wanted to sleep but instead I went out to dinner with them all. It was lovely. I got to know so many great people. I still remain close to many. I go to their weddings, I send Christmas cards, we skype once a month. A few days later at the big gathering we have every year, that number at least tripled to the number of people I would meet my first year. I keep going back every year, this year due to unforeseen events, I had to change a flight and I will be going to visiting just my small but sweet loving MHE family a few weeks sooner than I really should. I thank them from the bottom of my heart for letting me intrude at the last moment and accommodating me.

Saturday (the 27th) - I get this whole day to wash clothes, and pack my house because I am moving! To where? Great question. So good, that I am not really sure of the final answer right now.

Sunday - Leave for Knoxville. Monday - Wisdom teeth removal in Knoxville and coming home that afternoon.

Tuesday - Final moving day. Yes, the day after surgery. But no worries. I got this.

Wednesday - Back to work and maybe my life will slow down.

So that is that. Be expecting a travel and moving and surgery blog soon.

It's been awhile

6/12/15

Hey guys,

It has been a longer than I intended for writing on here but life happens and I get busy doing a whole lot of nothing. I will take this time to catch up with everyone. I spend so much time listening to other people's problems that I will now take this time to share the last 6 months of my life with you. Not to worry, it isn't all bad.

In December, I finished all my course work at CBU for my Bachelors degree in Biology. That relieved a lot of stress because I no longer had to study non stop and I could sleep normal hours again! In January, I was offered more hours and higher pay at my current position at CBU in the study abroad department, so of course, I took it. I since then, have been planning trips to Europe and getting people ready to spend semesters Abroad in various countries around the world. I have major wanderlust while doing so.

I also work at Choices. This job has opened my eyes to a whole other world. While working at CBU has allowed me to travel the world this one has allowed me to see what is really going on here at home. I will not go into detail about what I do, I will say though that it has caused so much family conflict and I don't think that my father has ever been so disappointed in me when I told him that I will not quit this job. (He doesn't like me asking him for money either so its a lose-lose situation.) I also have learned that I can not tell people where I work or what I do without getting cursed out or getting told I am going to hell for a good 30min straight. My opinions on that? The world would be such a better place if we would all just stay out of each others business but if you have to be nosy, it better be to lend a helping hand and show support. The world has enough hate and if you are that so morally against something, tearing someone down doesn't make the world or you a better person at all.

Health. Where should I start here. Over-all I would say, until recently my health is doing a lot better. I had surgery in March on both of my arms at the same time. I didn't make a huge announcement about it at the time because after 24 surgeries, lets face it, no one cares. Three days later, I was fine and back at work and they didn't even know I had surgery even though I winced in pain every time a patient touched me. Everything healed up nicely from that. Fast forward to about 2 weeks ago. My lower right wisdom tooth started coming in and my arthritis in my jaw has gotten unbearable.  I will have all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed June 29th in Knoxville, TN and my jaw will be evaluated at that time. Until then, I am on an extremely soft food/ liquid diet. Basically anything that requires chewing is not allowed to go in my mouth. Luckily, they have come up with better tasting protein powders since the last time I had jaw surgery, but the extreme fatigue and hungriness has kicked in (the hunger should go away in 3-4 days).

Working out. Guys, believe it or not. I have been working out and trying new things. I work out with a personal trainer named Cathy 2 days a week. She is great. I also do a latin/ hip-hop dance exercise class every Tuesday night and I do a spin class one morning every week. After losing 30 pounds since last May, and I still have 30 more to go. I have stopped losing weight 2 months ago but have continued going down in jean sizes. (I know, I am replacing muscle with fat). I have been training hard for a certain job that requires me to be a bad ass not a fat ass. haha. I am happy with my progress but not happy enough with the complete package. I will get there though!

Guns. My brother taught me to shoot. We took the carry permit class together and passed and I bought a few more guns. Thats all you need to know about that.

I will post another update soon guys. I promise!

24

3/8/2015

Recently undergoing my 24th surgery, I guess some would call me an "old pro." I won't even go into detail about the surgery at all but rather all the things about surgery that usually happen yet no one ever talks about. We'll post-op that is. 

1. I'm so tired. I can nap and nap for days. I usually never take naps but now I'm doing good to stay awake for more than 6 hours at a time.

2. Appetite. More like none. I haven't left true hunger in days. The only reason I eat is to take my medication.

3. Nausea. After I get over the first day of vomiting, then I spend the next few days with just the feeling and the feeling alone is just lovely.

4. Medication side effects. Lefts just get this out of the way and say a very common side effect of pain medication and anesthesia is constipation. But thank god for Miralax, right? If that doesn't work within a few days suppositories it is. 😱

5. Stitches. They burn when they are pulled in certain directions and they itch like hell when they start heal.

6. Independence. You can just throw that out the door. Struggling to get dressed and shower is down right embarrassing for an adult but thankfully this isn't my first rodeo and I'm used to asking for the help because if I wasn't then I would probable smell horrible. 

Faking it until I make it through this recovery. 😁

Happy 2015!

Jan 1, 2015

Happy New Year and well wishes to all! This is a different post than normal because it will not be talking about doctors. This past December I finished college and I've been trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. Well guys, I haven't done that yet. I have decided that I will just make a list of 365 things to do in 2015 and do them. There is enough for one a day, but I will not do my list that way. Some are long term goals, while others will only take me 5 minutes to complete so I may do a few things in one day then go a week without doing any of them. As I complete each task, I will take the time to reflect and write about it in a journal. I have completed one thing so far, but I am not prepared to discuss it at the moment. I will post around the 25th of each month quickly stating all the things I have completed but going into detail on 2 or 3 of the items. By the end of 2015, I hope by compeleting this list (that I will post at a later date) to grow as an individual, to make a positive inpact in other's lives, and to just have a great year filled with fun and joy. 

I wish everyone a year a great health, joy, fortune, and luck.

xoxo