It Must be Fall

I think I am getting a sinus infection.

I know you are excited to hear this and you are thinking I hope she doesn't talk about her sinus infection today.

Well I am going to talk about it...kind of sorta.

Recently I have decided that I am going to cut back on the "pills" I take. I want to find more natural remedies for colds and sinus infections. I am still going to go to the Dr when I am really sick but no more running to the cold aisle every time I get a stuffy nose.

So the other day I made this: 

I am not sure what it is called. Its a honey, lemon and ginger infusion.

I have often heard of the healing properties of honey, lemon and ginger but never knew how to use them to help me. Thanks to Pinterest I have figured it out...I think.

You only need three ingredients raw honey, lemons and ginger.

1. Cut up your lemons (I used three) and add to glass jar.
2. Grate or chop ginger (about an inch) and add to jar.
3. Add honey to cover lemons. 

That's it.

Eventually it turns to a marmalade consistency and then you dump a spoon full into a cup of hot water, then sit back and enjoy your tea.

Mine is not there yet but last night I started to feel run down and yucky and I decided to try it. It didn't immediately cure my sinus infection but I haven't run to the pharmacy to get over the counter cold medicine either.

What are some of your favorite homeopathic cold remedies?

Here is the original post I found on Pinterest

The Rock Band in my Head.

Since Thursday last week I have had a pounding in my head.

Its a never ceasing always constant boom boom.

Some times its loud and sometimes a mild throbbing.

But this headache never seems to end...its been the most reliable thing in my very boring life.

It has wrapped itself around my brain like a very bad stalker.

It reached an apex on Monday when it hurt so bad that I couldn't even wear my glasses.

I normally don't suffer from headaches. When I do they are because 1. I need caffeine, 2. I am dehydrated, 3. I am congested.

This was not the case this time. I had no idea what was wrong with me until today.

Today as I am sitting at the office listening to some rock music (the office is empty except for me) I noticed that the bump bump noise I heard in my head was very similar to my preferred musical preference.

Its very odd to same the least.

Especially since it has receded to a dull bump bump...it has let the radio take over keeping the beat.

No Smoke No Fire

I have had a stomach bug for the last few days....I guess it is going around my little community. I am finally starting to feel better.

Based on my recent desire to have a baby, The BF has been convinced I am in fact pregnant. He thinks this every time I have a stomach ache. He may be a bit dramatic. Since I am feeling mostly better I am sure its the flu.

Out of curiosity I talked to my Health Nut Sister about when she was pregnant and when did she start experiencing morning sickness..her answer was from the moment the line turned blue.

What????

I remember her being very sick with the 2^nd baby (she lived in another state with the 1^st baby). She was seriously sick (she was rather pathetic and inactive...she is never like that) and I remember my mom saying that when she was pregnant with me she was sick from day one to the last day...I think she like The BF is a bit dramatic but that's what she says.

After this recent illness I have been reconsidering this baby thing. I have a sensitive stomach. Not regarding food (I can eat whatever I want most the time) but very time I get stressed, anxious or annoyed I get an upset stomach.

Now I am imagining months and months of upset stomachs.

I know its different for every woman but I am pretty sure that this apple didn't fall far from the tree.

A Prayer of Thanks

Praise to Lord God Almighty

Through whom all things are possible.

Thank you for all the blessings in my life.

Thank you for giving people imagination and creativity 

and allowing these people to create such amazing products 

such as Nyquil and indoor plumbimg.

This week mostly Nyquil, without which I would not be able to sleep

while this nasty cold wrecks chaos on my body.

And we all know how cranking I get when I don't have sleep.

In Jesus Name

Amen.

I Love the Smell of Napalm...Old Memories

Today I woke up craving the smell of croup ointment and not just any croup ointment...I really really want some Daniel's Croup Ointment*. At first I was confused by this bizarre craving until I realized that I could breath and was catching a cold (my first one of the year...yeah.).

I always feel so down when I get sick and really want my mommy to come take care of me. Some of my earliest memories are of my mom slathering Daniel's Croup Ointment all over me and wrapping me up in warm cloths.

Now that I think about I like to smell of it when ever I am sad, depressed or I am need of comfort. It invokes memories of being taken care of and loved it and always makes me feel better. This may be why I also love the smell of eucalyptus and menthol.

To be honest its a weird thing to like the smell of...I almost enjoy being sick. Almost.

It does so much for such a little jar. But I am out of my croup ointment and had I settle for Vick's Vapor Rub. Which helped me clear up the sinus problem but didn't give me the over all feeling of well being.

I really need my dad to visit and bring me some more.

*As far as I know Daniels Croup Ointment was created in a small town in Idaho and unless you order it online you can only buy it at the drug store in Malad Idaho. 

Im not Being Dramatic, Im Sick Part 3

Its the much awaited final part of my appendix story!!!!

As I am sure you know I survived my appendix rupturing and my emergency surgery and other than being tired all the time I am doint well. Today I would like to take the time to wonder how it is anyone can recover t in a hospital.

Dont get me wrong the hospital staff was awesome and they took very good care of me except I couldnt get any rest in the place. I am a girl that recover quickly if I can get some sleep. I bet I could have left the next day if I could have sleep for 8 hours staright but no they dont allow that at hospitals.

Let me create a picture for you.....its 9PM and you are just starting to doze off when you hear this horrible noise. You look over and your sweet BF is snoring away!!!! But wait this is your hospital room if anyone is suppose to be snoring it should be you. You try to send him home but he wants to stay with you. But 10 minutes later he is snoring away again. So after taking a picture you beg him to leave so you can go to sleep.

Then just as you are falling asleep the following things happen:

• 10PM: Aide comes in to tell you she is leaving and to see if you need anything else.
• 10:30PM: Nurse comes in to get IV antibiotics ready to start at 11PM.
• 11PM: Nurse comes in to start IV antibiotics.
• Midnight: Nurse comes in to switch IV back to saline solution.
• 1AM: Nurse comes in to take vital signs to make sure I am not dead.
• 5AM: (I got about 2.5 hours of sleep) Lab tech comes in to take more blood.
• 7AM: Nurse comes in to take vitals to ensure I didnt die yet.
• 730AM: My liquid breakast arrives.

Thank goodnes I was released from the hospital later that day I was exhausted and really need to rest.

At Least my Hair Looks Good

You may have noticed that once again I have been absent from my blog and my tweets are few and far between. I guess the world was not done with my family. In fact I would be surprised if there was an Emergency Room in Northern Utah my family hasn't visited in the last few weeks.

As you know my appendix ruptured and I had to have emergency surgery right before Thanksgiving and we all thought that was scary but things did not stop there oh no. That was only the beginning of ER visits for my family.

Since mom was scheduled to have a hip replacement surgery we decided to have our stocking decorating Christmas Party early so here we were all over at moms when my sister (very dramatically) says to my step-dad, "Whats wrong with your face?" As we all turn our attention to him we notice his face his droopy and his speech is slurred. So my sister and mom rush himthe the local ER were they inform us its not a stroke but Bells Palsey.

The following Monday mom has her surgery as scheduled only that evening my sister notices my dad is worse so she takes him back to the ER (which luckily was down the hall from moms hospital room). After the Dr telling us again it was Bells Palsey my sister took him home very unsatisfied with the answers we are getting. After more appointments and tests that we insisted on the determined he had a stroke.

Just when we thought things were moving forward and people were getting better my mom texts me and says:

• MOM: Grandma T is being transported to the hospital. She is having a heart attack. Your sister is with Pa. I will let you know what is happening.

Suddenly my life is like a bad soap opera. I immediately drive through the treacherous canyon. to go sit with my mom and niece while my sister takes my step-dad to the Emergency Room to be with his mom who ended up getting life flighted to a hospital in a bigger city.

Just when we thought everything was quite again (grandma is doing very well they were able to clear out the blockage, place a stint in her artery and place a temporary pacemaker) we had to (and by we I mean my sister) rush my sister to the Emergency Room. Yup hospital staff now knows us by our first now. Moms leg was swollen and the Drs were worried about a blood clot. Luckily they didn't find one.

Needless to say December has been a rough month for us. I want to skip it and go straight to 2012. Nothing bad can happen in 2012 except that world ending thing. But after everything we have been through that doesn't seem like that big of a deal.

I am Not Being Dramatic, I am Sick: Part 2

After arriving at the hospital (and the girl who checked me in was overly happy to see me...Oh yea the clinic just called about you) a nurse takes me to my room and as we are passing the bathroom she asks if I would be able to give a urine sample. I would really like drugs before I have to move but more important I have not had anything to drink beyond a few sips of water I doubt I could pee (why do I always blog about pee) at that moment.

They install me in a room and start doing all the fun stuff they do, blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels and heart rate After they gather this info they give a little something something to take the edge of but not get rid of the pain. Soon they are hooking an IV up to my arm....or at least trying to hook one up. Apparently the first one the nurse tried to use was defective. Yes that's right defective and soon blood is dripping out of my arm all over the place.

This caused me to start turning gray again and I am immediately given oxygen (love oxygen its amazing I am going to start demanding it every time I go to the hospital or Doctors office) and the nurse takes out my bad IV and tries to give me another one and not having much success she calls another nurse to come help her (apparently the apparatus they use is a new design and they really don't like it).

Soon the ER Dr comes and starts asking me all the same questions the other Dr at the clinic asked. I was slightly annoyed (I am still in pain) that the two places didn't share more information with each other but I calmly (this is really out of charter) answer all the questions. The ER Dr tells me that the problem could be anything (duh Google told me that). He would like to do more blood work and run some tests on me. He explains that he would like to start with an ultrasound because he does not like to do CAT Scans on woman in their child bearing years if he can avoid it because of the radiation.

I would like to take a moment here and ask why is everyone so concerned for my unfertilized eggs. Those things are 36 years old, any that are still viable are apparently strong little suckers and a little radiation is not going to hurt them. And if I am lucky the radiation will kill them and I will be infertile.

Soon the lady from the lab is here to take more blood. Only know my blood is not flowing like an avalanche coming down the mountain (name that song) and it takes forever for them to collect their 3 vials of blood. After a little more time a very nice tech comes to take me away to have the ultra sound. Which was a new experience in pain.

After 30 minutes the Dr came in said everything from the ultra sound looked good. No Ovarian cysts, Gall Bladder, Kidney or Liver issues. Now that they have ruled out all those things he would like to do a CAT Scan. I call my mom and tell her this and although she is not convinced I am sick she asks if I want her to come to the hospital. I tell her wait after they decide whats wrong.

After the horrible Cat Scan the Dr comes in and says "Your about to give birth to....a very inflamed appendix We have called the on call surgeon and he will operate on it tonight." And as the Dr is telling me this nurse comes in and gives me morphine. I have never been so happy in my life....I have morphine and oxygen. Its the best combination of happy ever.

I am soon calling both parents and my mom makes me cry. Yup that's right I am laying in a hospital bed about to have major surgery and my mom made me cry. Now I realize my mom was teasing me and trying to make me laugh but the morphine was doing its job and I cried instead (sorry if I made you feel bad mom).

About this time the surgeon comes in and tells my that my appendix needs to come out immediately the CAT Scan showed some fluid in the area and they are worried its perforated (which is a nice way and less threatening way of saying it burst).

Now mom and step-dad are with me and they are getting ready to wheel me away and I start worrying about my nails. My polish was all chipped and faded and I was freaking out that I wouldn't be able to get a mani/pedi any time soon. I am not kidding I cant make this stuff up I am moments away from going into surgery and I am worried about my manicure. I need therapy!!!!

Did I mention this whole time that The BF was in the room with me except for leaving briefly while I was getting an ultra sound to go get something to eat. He never left my side. He made me laugh and kept me calm the whole time even offered to sneak me ice chips when they told me I could not have any.

Tomorrow all about waking up in the middle of surgery....okay really slept right through it. Tomorrow will be why I hate hospitals

I am Not Being Dramatic, I am Sick: Part 1

I was debating if I should post the story about my appendix rupturing. It cant be that exciting of a story and I am sure I am not the only persons who had a ruptured appendix that required surgery that day but then I thought parts of it are funny. And I do like to share my stories. And I do have a lesson to share.

Do you ever think about your appendix? I never did. Currently I think about it all the time. If something was wrong my mind never went to maybe its my appendix and being a bit of drama queen you would think I would go straight to the appendix but nope not me. So here is my story....

On Saturday after lazying around the house all day (it was a snow day and no kid weekend) I started to feel a little sick. I was kind of pissed that I wasn't feeling well I wanted a nice relaxing weekend not I am getting sick weekend. But all night I just felt icky and I was sure I was getting some horrible stomach flu. All day Sunday my symptoms keep getting worse which at this point was only abdominal cramps.

Some time Sunday night I started vomiting and by Monday morning I felt better just very very tired. So I decided to stay home from work so I could sleep I figured the worse had passed. The BF offered to stay home and take care of me on Monday but I figured all I was doing was sleeping and I would be fine.

But soon I started having horrible horrible pain in my side. As long as I didn't move it didn't hurt but even reaching for the remote was causing me more pain than I could imagine.

I then did what every person does when faced with a mysterious illness....I Googled my symptoms. Only for once Google failed me. According to Google I had anything from kidney stones to an ovarian cysts. So then I tried WebMD which seemed to think I was having a problem with my gall bladder. I then did what any smart girl does I called my mommy. Who told me I didn't sound (she claims (and she probably can) that she can tell by my voice when I am sick and when I am being dramatic) sick and I just have a stomach flu and probably pulled a muscle vomiting.

So I laid in bed wishing away the pain. But it didn't go away it got worse and now just wiggling my toes was causing lots of pain. I texted The BF's mom and asked if she would be willing to bring by some Chicken Noodle Soup and Sprite (That always helps my upset stomach) she told that was no problem she was running errands and would stop by as soon as she was done.

In the mean time the pain is more than I can handle so when The BF calls me to check up on me I ask can you come home I think I need to go to the Dr something isn't right and I don't think I can drive myself. Being an awesome BF he immediately agrees to come home and get me.

Since I am me I decided I cant go to the Dr without showering. Where I decided I couldn't go anywhere with out shaving my legs. That's right I am withering in pain and I am vain enough to shave my legs before leaving my house. About this time The BFs parents show up with my soup only his mom doesn't think I have the stomach flu and she wants me to go to the Dr. soon because my complexion was grey. Which I guess was not a flattering color on me.

Once The BF shows up he takes me to the Dr who after making me pee in a cup and taking blood tells me that my white blood cell count is dangerously high but they don't know whats wrong with me. And they are worried that they cant do any tests because I am in so much pain. They want to send me to the hospital so they can manage my pain while performing test.

Luckily they let The BF drive me to the hospital instead of sending me by AMBULANCE!!!!

On the way to the hospital, on a road so full of potholes I am amazed we made it, I called my mom and told her what the Dr. said and my mom (still from only hearing my voice) "they are being silly you are not that sick!!!!!!" True story that's what she said. (In her defense I was bizarrely calm. Really really calm and if she had seen that my complexion was grey she would have believed I was sick).

Okay this post is getting long I will continue the rest of my saga tomorrow.

Sneezy, Bashful and Grumpy!*

I have been feeling under the weather!!!! Which is a nice way of saying I have been mean and pissy to everyone. Especially if they bother me when I don't want to be bother and I never want to be bothered.

But mostly I am upset that I am not getting to do what I want to do because i am so freaking tired.

I have not been able to be as active on my blog and respond to everyone's comments.

I haven't been able to check out the blogs from this weeks #commenthour.

My presence on twitter is nonexistent these days.

And my head hurts to much to read.

No wonder I am cranky not only am I physically drained but I cant do any of things I do to relieve stress. I would go shopping but I am trying to save money. Plus I would probably get cranky at everyone for being at the store at the same time I was and bothering me.

I think I am going to sneak away from work and go take a nap at my moms house except she just moved and there is no place to nap over there.

I would go home but The BF is there and I am sure he would bother me.

I hate being cranky!!!

*Sorry for the unusually grumpy post.

I Know I Haven't Been Feeling Well but Come On...

I have been sick with some pretty horrible virus that has me in the Dr's office 3 times in 3 weeks.

It started out with what I thought was a cold that turned into a sinus infection. From there I was having a hard time breathing and then had a rash develop on my stomach and chest. I thought the rash and the cold symptoms were 2 separate issues. But today my coworkers informed that they may all be connected and that I have West Nile Fever!!!!!

WTH!!!!! I never go outside how did I get West Nile Fever don't you have to be bitten by a mosquito. Oh wait that one day I was outside planting flowers and vegetables. The day I got sunburned and to be honest it was soon after that I started feeling down. But West Nile Fever what are the odds?

In Utah the odds are 0.01-0.24 for every 100,000 population. What? That doesn't even make sense. So I looked up the symptoms and I'll be damned if I my symptoms don't fit into the criteria:

• Fever
• Headache
• Body Aches
• Fatigue
• Skin Rash (occasionally)
• Swollen lymph glands (occasionally)
• Eye pain (occasionally)

Okay so I don't have the swollen lymph glands or eye pain but those are only occasionally but still it can't be West Nile Fever. Next I looked up where the rash is usually located if you have West Nile Fever and that's right on the stomach and chest right where mine is located.

So now thanks to the Internet (and the paranoia I inherited from my mother) I now think I have West Nile Virus.

See mom I told you I didn't have measles.

If You are Going to Bust me, Can I keep the Handcuffs?

Last night as I was getting all comfortable and finishing up my book my mother calls and wants me to drive her to the store. Being the most awesomist (It’s a word I swear) daughter I tell her yes but I am in my pjs so I am not going in the store. I know it’s not a big deal to go to the store in your pajamas everyone does it these days. But I hate doing it every time I do I end up running in to someone I know and its never in my cute lounging pjs its always the old ratty flannel ones.

So after dropping my mom off at the door I circle around the parking lot looking for a place to park that allows me to keep my eye on the door. But it appears everyone in town was at the store yesterday at 5:30PM (Don’t ask why I was in my pjs that early its for me to know and blog about at a later date). So I start circling the parking lot and circling and circling and circling. I can’t decide if it looks more like I am stalking someone or trying to land a plane when I notice what can only be a drug deal going down.

Then it occurs to me my actions are those of someone looking to score some thing other than a gallon of milk at the store. Add in my slightly unkempt look and that I am sniffing a bottle of Vicks Vapor Rub like it is my drug of choice, I know its only a matter of moments before either a local dealer approaches my car or drug task force starts monitoring my every move ready to make a drug bust.

Cold medicine always makes me a little paranoid.

You Buy the Condoms, No You Buy the Condoms

Yesterday I woke up very sick. The kind of sick that makes you realise that you need to go to the Dr and get antibiotics no matter how much you hate taking antibiotics. After making the appointment I was talking to The BF and this is the conversation we had:

• The BF: Are you sure?
• Me: Sure about what.
• The BF: You need to go to the Dr and get antibiotics.
• Me: Yes I am sure  (I may have said this snarkily).
• The BF: Won't antibiotics interfere with your other medicine?
• Me: What medicine?
• The BF: Your birth control.
• Me: Thats not medicine.
• The BF: Whatever, wont it interfere with it?
• Me: Yes
• The BF: You better get condoms while your at the store.
• Me: Condoms are your responsibility.
• The BF: Its your birth control and your antibiotics.
• Me: I am not buying condoms.
• The BF: Are you embarrassed to buy them?
• Me: No. I buy the birth control pills you can buy the condoms
• The BF: Your the one who handles the birth control.
• Me: (getting very snarky) I spend $20 every month on birth control. I am not spending any more money if you want to have sex this month I suggestion you go buy some. I am sick and I don't care if we have sex at all this month.
• The BF: I hope you feel better.
• Me: I have got to go make some phone calls. Love you
• The BF: Love you too.

This conversation is brought to you by The National Organization for Dysfunctional Conversations Between Men and Women.

My 9th Sick Day...I Better Make It Count

I was out sick for a few days and in my cold medicine stupor I wrote 5 different posts but did not publish any of them. Thank Goodness. Cause when I say stupor I mean I am "high" on cold medicine. I am not kidding my philosophy for dealing with a cold is over medicate, over medicate over medicate. Its a wonder I haven't ended up in the E.R. or on some DEA watch list for buying to many of the "good' cold medicines. For all I know I am on some DEA watch list along with the FTA, FDA, and the PTA.

How many times to you need to show your ID and sign that paper before the alert the Feds. I always go to the same pharmacy but the amount of allergy pills and cold medicine I have had to buy in the last 3 months must of caused some alarm to start go off in some secret government agency. I am sure some secret agent is now parked outside my house and work in fact I have seen that red car parked across the street every where I go lately. Wait...that's my car.

I know what you are all thinking "Weren't you just sick". And yes I was. But it seems I decided that getting over one cold was not good enough I needed to get over another more devastating cold and instead of being sick on the weekend when its slightly more convenient like last time I decided to be sick in bed when I need to be at work. You see just as I was recovering and feeling better I caught The BFs cold. I explained to him that I appreciate his sharing but its not necessary to share everything with me.

Now that I am slightly coherent I am going to go reread the posts, edit them (no telling what I decided to share while "high") and publish them. Or delete any that are just to far out there. After that I think I am going to take some more cold medicine and possibly take a nap. Just don't tell my boss I am not doing my monthly reports.

Whiny Needy Me

I may be the worlds worst sick person. I get a little tiny sniffle and I am flinging myself on the bed with my hand to my forehead in a such a dramatic manner that theater actors are standing back applauding. I try not to be this way but it just seems so natural to over act my woes. The good news is that you can tell when I am really sick and when I am merely not feeling well very easily. If I am really sick I don’t do anything but sleep. I will sleep for hours wake up eat and then go back to sleep. I neglect my dog and everyone else around me. In addition to the the sleeping when I am really sick I am horribly horribly horribly whiny instead of just dramatic.

The BF is amazing when I am sick feeding me chicken noodle soup and cold medicine and even remaining patient in the face of all my needy demands. I want a chi tea, I want saltine crackers, I want to watch reruns of Friends, you get my point. What he doesn’t get is my need to sleep all day he just looks at me like I am crazy and keeps bothering me. I try to explain to him I really will recover faster if you leave me the hell alone. But he wants to talk to me or show me the latest app he has downloaded or wants me to listen to the new Devil Wears Prada CD. Or the worse thing of all go out to dinner. Please honey take the kids have a nice dinner go to the movie just leave me alone.

I of course will never say these things to him because he calmly and sweetly meets all my crazy ill time demands. This weekend I have come up with a solution to my dilemma….instead of taking so called Day Time cold medicine I have decided to only take Night Time medicine. That way I can sleep through the endless noise and conversation going on around me with out missing a beat. I will let you know how it all turns out.