Back from the Missing

Hello all,
I know I was missing but what could I do? I had surgery.  I went to the ER for pain in the abdomen, it has happened before.  I was expecting them to send me home with no fuss but instead they admitted me into the hospital.  I couldn't believe it.  The other part that surprised the s$%&* out of me was that I needed the gall bladder out. 
So there it was Friday night expecting surgery sometime Saturday or Sunday at the latest.  Well due to some complications which I won't bore you with, I was there until Tuesday evening.  By that point, I was sooooo ready to leave that place.  Then I went home and recovery was slooooww. 
I can tell you that living without a gall bladder is well interesting.  I don't recommend it.

I have been on facebook playing the addictive games like crazy which I started a few months ago.  Now instead of blogging, I'm doing that.  I'm trying to write my book so Facebook has to take a step back.  If you're interested in reading a part of the book, email me at bookreedr19@live.com and I'll hook you up.

M

In the hospital

I have been away for a while because I was in the hospital.  I had to have my gall bladder removed. It was very sudden and I had many tests before they would take the durn thing out so I sat in pain for days before the surgery.  It sucked ass.  Now I am recovering pretty slowly.  I have to rely on others to do things for me but slowly I am gaining strength to do it myself.  I have to learn to eat without the gall bladder.  Low fat eating...I have no choice now or I will be miserable.

M

Failed Diet Website

So I gave up on that website I was so excited about.  I don't who the webmaster is but they did not build it correctly.  There are definite bugs in their system.  However, I have found a great website that has even better tracking and an online community for motivational purposes.  There is meal planning and all kinds of functionality.  It's called startyourdiet.com.  Now if you want access to everything, you have to pay $30 a year but I think it's worth it.  I'm on my fourth day and doing great.
Wish me luck!
M

Diet Website Woes

Some of you may have read that I was using this diet website to plan and track my diet and I was excited about it.  However, after a few days I have realized the website is inevitably flawed and it is driving me crazy.  I have spent a lot of time now searching for another website and I have but I had to pay for its services for the year.  I will report on my progress in a week and let you all know which one it is so you can use it if you are interested. 
M

I should have stayed in bed

I had a radio frequency injection in my neck today.  It hurts like a SOB when I come home but usually I have to stay in bed the day and the second day.  If I try to do much it hurts more. Well here is my story:

I'm on this diet thing, some of you might have read about the website I found the other day so I need to eat only the food on the diet and my husband can cook practically nothing.  So I march myself downstairs after I sleep off the anesthesia and I start cooking.  Let me tell you OWWWWWW.  I should have stayed in bed.  We had basil oil cod with asparagus and brown rice.  The meal yesterday was so much better. On a scale of 1 to 10 this meal was a negative 3.  I should have stayed in bed. 

Well then I proceeded to knock over an entire pitcher full of raspberry tea all over the floor.  So there I was standing in the middle of raspberry tea feeling drowsy with pain killers after forcing down nasty yucky diet food.  Duh duh duh....here comes my savior to clean up the mess but was upset I didn't just stay upstairs in bed. 

Here I am now in bed propped up with ice and more pain killers. 

What is the reason for all this you ask?  Well it's supposed to help the pain in my neck.  But to get there, I have to have pain in my neck.  Oh well. Life goes on.
M

Surprise, surprise! OR NOT

Went to the doctor today and of course I knew that he was going to tell me that I needed to lose weight and exercise because of that annoying thing called cholesterol.  Big Shocker, I felt like telling the med student he always has come in first to assess his patients.  I felt this news coming.  But you all don't want to hear my woes. 

I found this really cool website where you put in your food allergies, the foods you don't like and it plans out your meals.  It gives you a shopping list.  There is a place to plot your progress and log your exercise.  That was exactly what I was looking for because I hate diets (not just the word) because I never know what to cook.  This gives you options of recipes for all the meals of the day and then you log them in. I thought I'd check it out for a couple of weeks and see how it goes.  Here is the site: http://www.drgourmet.com/user/login.php

Let's see if I am successful considering my bum ankle and inability to really exercise.  Will update you all later.
M

Fat Tuesday

I would also like to say a word about Fat Tuesday today.  I have never participated in the Fat Tuesday events to celebrate before lent begins.  I figure like this: it is just an excuse for people to go out eating and drinking and partying. 

For lent, pick something that is very meaningful for you and which you will learn something significant if you were to deprive yourself of it and give it up.  It's not so bad.  The one thing that's hard for me is the no meat on Friday thing.

I remember one year I gave up chocolate: oh my goodness did I go crazy.  I was so addicted to chocolate that giving it up taught me that one should not be so addicted to anything like that. 

It's late now so people are probably home but I bet they went out to party before the season of Lent and of sacrifice.  What are you giving up?
M

Starting all over....

Many generations of the women in my family have crocheted.  I still have the memory of my grandmother crocheted even as her hands were shaking.  She didn't have a purpose for the crocheting; she would just make blankets like crazy so we would donate them as baby blankets to St. Vincent De Paul.  Well I used to say as my mother tried to teach me that I couldn't sit still long enough for crocheting and that I'd rather read a good book (still would rather read a good book).  These days I like to crochet.  Even made a purse. 

The one thing I hate about crocheting though is that as you are going along and everything is all peachy keen, if you start making mistakes, particularly in the early years of learning, then you have to unravel the entire thing.  It sucks.  Also if you want to cut off a piece here or there, you can't because then your yarn would unravel.  I've started all over on one of my blankets three times now.  Hope it is the charm and I won't have to start over again.
M

Many Hours of Searching...No Job

I have spent countless hours searching many different websites looking for a part-time job or something I can do at home and have come up with nothing.  It gets frustrating when you know bills are coming up and your husband has been carrying all the weight.  I have searched my brain trying to think of something I can do.

I have started two separate novels.  One of the novels is about 1/4 of the way done.  I am hoping that I can finish it and maybe publish it.  Problem is, I'm stuck.  Too much stress from the job hunting and money problems have wiped my creative brain.  Please muse come and visit so I can continue writing.  The one I am focusing on is a romantic drama about a woman who experiences a death in the family and then has to overcome that.  It might be the answer to my prayers. If only I can finish it.
M

Dogs must have arthritis

Today I saw a commercial for an orthopedic bed for pets.  My mother and I sat and laughed.  It's made out of the temperpedic material that returns to shape after you lie on it.  I guess some pets must need a really comfortable bed once they get up in age, but some of these TV ads are just hilarious.  What will they think of next? 

By the way, people claim the Pedi Sure works to cut down dogs nails but it scares the crap out of them every tme you put a nail in the litte hole and it hits the sand paper.  I think it's a bunch of crap and I ould rather take my dog to the groomer from now on. 

Have you guys ever bought anything off the TV that actually worked for you?
For me, it was the wonder hangers.  That's about it.
M

When you're out of commission

Whenever I am sick or unable to do the regular chores around here, somehow the world starts to become messier.  I admit that my husband does try to do some dishes but unfortunately he does not know how to cook.  So I tell him, "Baby, what happens when I am so sick that you have to take care of me completely and you can't cook anything?" Well, we are at that point. I can't stand on my splinted ankle and my husband has to run out and get fast food every night because he doesn't know what else to do.  If he tried spaghetti, it would be mush.  I know, he tried mac n cheese; you wouldn't have wanted to be there.  His eggs leave something to be desired and I am a picky eater.  He should go to cooking school or at least take those classes where you learn a few dishes.  I would attend.  So today I had a meltdown because I knew this would happen that I would be left telling him that I was hungry over and over and he wouldn't know what to do so the hours would drag on.  Here we are and he finally went to Taco Bell and I hate Taco Bell but it was better than your traditional hamburger and fries.  During my meltdown earlier today I called my mom and cried mom help me.  So she is coming over tomorrow thank goodness and I know I can count on real food instead of fast food for days.  Soon she will be moving in and it will be for the best because situations like these come up more often than not.  I love my husband but there is no one that can take care of me like my mother.
M

Uncomfortable Restrictions

Well, friends I am sitting here with a splint on my right ankle/foot.  It sucks.  It is bothersome and sometimes it hurts.  I have to wear it until I have an MRI and the doctor gets the results back.  All because I stepped wrong on my ankle and two months later the pain is worse.  The worse part is we have stairs.  How in the hell can I bring my dog up and down the stairs with this damn thing?  I hope I don't have to wear it for long. 

And to add to my frustration, I think I have killed my seedlings. I have been trying to grow daisies in this special seedling grower and there are only a few hanging on.  I'm hoping if I put them in a bigger pot they will live.  If not, I'm giving up growing things from seeds because my thumb is brown not green.  I'll just buy the flowers already grown up.  Perhaps then I can keep them alive?  Please Mother Nature.

M

Things you may not want to do

When you go throughout the day to day, suddenly you realize that too many years have passed and your parents are getting older.  Unfortunately for me, my father passed away so it's just the one parent I am speaking of. Parents need tender loving care when they are older because a lot has changed since they did the things we do on a normal basis; for example, buying a car.  Now we seem to know better but because they are stubborn, they still know best.

So, my friends I will be walking around a dealership tomorrow being harassed by the salesmen left and right but mother knows best. 

Could I say no, sure I could say no but she is my mother and put me on this earth and we do what we have to for our parents.  All I can do is be there to try to fend off the annoying bloodsuckers as long as possible.  (I hope none of you are car salesmen).  The way the world is, or the way it should be is that the mother gives birth and takes care of the young and then they fly off into the world to do as they will.  But there comes a time when the mother needs to be taken care of from the young they cared for.  Well, my time is coming slowly but surely. 

M

Cure for boredom

How many of you have ever gone to bed because you are bored?  How many of you ever picked on your significant other because you were bored.  Well let me give you some advice about what not to do do when you are bored.  See Paranormal Activity .  If you are of the light hearted, especially with ghosts, don't see that movie.  They made it seem like the Blair Witch, where it looked like real footage of hikers getting lost and the witch comes after them.  Well I was scared out my wits because we have had some spooky ghost type stuff at my house.  It looks like it would be real footage and Paramount says in the beginning thanks for the tapes from the family...but my husband looked up some information and it said that the people were actors and so on.  So I refuse to believe that it was real.

The other scary movie I ever saw was The Exorcism of Emily Rose and that was based on a true story.  THese ghost stories are the only movies that scare me.  Oh and The Ring made me jump a bit.  Otherwise, these days scary movies are for a good laugh and a cure for boredom.  Anyone agree?
M

Can I have a popsicle?

For some odd reason for the past two days, I've been feeling a bit under the weather.  I feel completely run down like I have no energy.  Also, I've slept most of the day and night.  So am I gettig sick?

Whenever I am sick I eat popsicles like they might not sell them anymore.  I don't think I am going to write anymore tonight because it's back to bed.
M

Too many hours in a day

Today I got home about 6:30am since I had been at that sleep study.  That is way too early for me. That meant I had hours in the day to do stuff.  Weird!?  I normally get up a little later than that.  Well I threw a roast in the crockpot and cooked it for 10 hours and guess what, we had meat for burritos or tacos or whatever.  I'm telling you, this recipe is awesome because you can eat for days on that meat and you can do so much with it.  Watch when the roasts go on sale.

Instead of making burritos, I made rolled tacos.  And what we do is cover them with homemade tomatillo salsa, a fresh pico de gallo, Mexican cheese, avocado and sour cream.  They are delicious.  For full recipe of the beef, let me know.  Dinner was muy delicioso and super easy.

But Im happy to be laying in bed with the laptop because of the pain in my neck and too much to do when there are too many hours in the day.  I much prefer getting up a little later. :)
M

Awake from sleep

Well I'm back from the sleep study.  THAT was an interesting experience. The room was really nice and the bed was nice and cushy but they connect you with wires everywhere so how can they expect you to sleep comfortably.  Also, they had me take my nightly meds and then they put me in bed and told me they wanted me to be asleep within about 20 minutes or so. 
Firstly, I don't sleep well in other places.  Secondly, I usually read or write before I go to sleep.  I told the man I would read and for him to come back and turn the light off because I'd probably be asleep in 20 minutes.  Well, I couldn't get comfortable to hold my book so I took out my IPOD ( I had to get permission cuz the music would send brain waves) and thank goodness to Sarah McLachlan because I fell asleep.
I must have woken up the first time about an hour or so later sweating and music still going.  I just said my tech's name and he came in to make adjustments.  I had to stay cool because otherwise the wires wouldn't pick up the right signals so we had to remove a blanket and he had to lower the temperature in the room.  Plus, he had to disconnect me so I could use the restroom. 
That is the way the night went.  Everytime I woke up I had to call him and he would come in to disconnect me so I could use the restroom.  But see here is the thing, he knew I had woken up and that I was sweating before I did.  I woke up about 4 times throughout the 7 hours even though I was restrained by the wires. Also, since I had the injections in my neck on Friday, my neck was killing me so I had to tell him I was going to take another pain pill.  It was a comfortable room though: private bathroom with shower, private TV. It wasn't an alltogether bad experience.  He woke me up at 5:30 and disconnected me.  Then I was allowed to go home. I am interested to hear the results.
So now I am wide awake way earlier than normal with pain still from the procedure on Friday. But the sleep study is out of the way, which I am glad.  Updates to follow.
M

Vote on my poll

Hey try out my poll and vote!!! Tell me what you think so I can change the level of the blogs or keep them as they are.
Thanks,
M

I hate waiting

So here I am waiting.  My neck hurts from the procedure on Friday so I want to lie down and take a nap.  But I have the sleep study tonight so I can't take a nap.  I'm not feeling well so I don't really feel like doing anything but wait.  I have three hours left before I have to leave.  My bag is packed.  At some point I have to cook dinner but that is all.  I can't wait for this night to be over.
You know, before I think I was kind of excited but now I'm irritated that it's ruling everything for the day.
M

Couldn't sleep

Okay, so I was up trying to learn how to add stuff to my blog which I never tried to do before and I had a thought.  A long time ago, I promised to put poems, stuff about everyday life, and recipes on here and I have not added a recipe in a while or ever. I forget.  So say you're hungry and you have barebones pantry stuff.  But you have some kind of pasta and a can of tomato sauce.  Plus you have either a can of whole tomatoes, stewed tomatoes or diced tomatoes.  Or maybe you have fresh tomatoes.  But the kicker is that you have no jarred tomato sauce like Ragu or Prego and you are hungry.  Well get your water boiling cuz I'm going to teach you an easy peasy sauce for any kind of pasta when you don't have many groceries in the house.

Take the can of tomato sauce and put it in the blender (or food processor).  Then add a can (and these are 15/16oz cans) of diced tomatoes or whole tomatoes, whatever.  Then add some either fresh garlic or garlic power, fresh onion or onion powder, a little bit of sugar, salt, and pepper.  This is all to taste.  Then blend until there are no tomato lumps.  Pour into a saucepan so you can cook the canned tomato taste out of it and pour about a half to three quarters can of water in the pan.  Let it cook on med-hi while the pasta is cooking.  Then by the time you have drained your pasta, you will have a very quick and not so bad sauce. 

And hey, if you want to add basil or some other spice, go for it.  It's about what's in your pantry.  I usually have a little sauce leftover when I cook half a pound of spaghetti.  It's cheaper than a jar of your favorite sauce too. 

Questions, let me know.
Okay, this really is goodnight.
M

What a movie can do for you

Laying around all day today beccause I couldn't raise my neck without pain, I've watched movies I've seen several times before but not for a while.  Seeing a movie you haven't watched in a while but is one of your favorites is like visiting a friend.  These movies are comforting and remind you of the past.  You can remember events of the day you saw the movie for the first time.  You think of the people who were with you.  It is nice to watch an older movie instead of always choosing ones I haven't seen. Netflix helps us with that.  We love Netflix.

Almost every night I watch movies instead of regular television programs while doing other things (I'm a huge multi-tasker).  My husband usually picks Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.  We have seen this movie so many times that we quote it; both of us. We pick apart the scenes.  We have even critique the music.  Sometimes in other times of the day we find ourselves quoting this movie.  Why do we watch this movie so many times you ask? I don't know.  Usually I pick a movie to watch and they are the same few over and over but he usually picks Nick and Norah.

I know I mentioned that I have said before that I am usually very disappointed with screenplays based off of books and I believe Nick and Norah was.  However, I haven't read that book. In fact, there are some movies that if I read the book after I saw the movie, I would be confused because I would be expecting one thing to happen and spend the whole book waiting and not enjoy the true essence of the book.  So what am I really saying: if I've read the book, I shouldn't see the movie and if I've seen the movie, I shouldn't read the book? 
Either way, movies can be distractions, they can be noise in the background while you are busy with something else, and like I said before they can remind you of old friends.  I love movies as much as I love books; especially since I can put a movie on and give myself a pedicure.  It will keep me company.
Geez I sound lame. It's late, too many painkillers.
Goodnight.
M

Sleep Apnea

Have you ever gone to the doctor and they provide you with enough literature about your new condition to fill your bookshelf? Well, obviously not that much but enough reading that you could fall asleep to it?  Well when my asthma doctor suggested I have Sleep Apnea and she handed me the pamphlet, I set it down.  Then she listed the possible medical problems I could have with Sleep Apnea.  That sparked some interest and I actually read the pamphlet.

Did you know that it can make you so tired during the day that it increases your chances of causing motor-vehicle accidents?  Lately, I have noticed it is more difficult for me to concentrate while driving so I have been scared to go anywhere. If you have sleep apnea, you won't be able to sleep well at night, you'll wake up several times during the night for a variety of reasons but many are because it is the body's response because you have stopped breathing. 

Sleep apnea can also cause morning headaches, poor concentration, and loss of sex drive.  There are other problems associated with sleep apnea but the one that scares me the most is that I stop breathing throughout the night.  My father stopped breathing something like 95 times a night without his breathing mask.  It's scary stuff.  Sometimes I wake up choking pretty badly.  Well tomorrow night, I will have my study to find out how many times a night I stop breathing. 

The insurance companies used to pay for the testing and treatment completely when it first started but now that it is diagnosed more often, now we have deductibles and co-pays to pay for the testing.  Isn't that frustrating. 

I'm hoping after all this, I'll be able to sleep better and have a more restful sleep so that I can get more done during the day. Perhaps if you think you have the same symptoms, it might not hurt for you to check it out as well.
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/sleep-apnea-symptoms
M 

Conundrums and other Problems

How redundant eh?

For some time now, I have been attending a Pain Center for injections.  These are to treat chronic pain issues.  Usually they are painful themselves (isn't that the cherry on top) so I am given awake sedation to help with the pain.  I come home and go to sleep for a  while to wear off the sedation.  Now today, I had an injection in my neck but I can't go to sleep.  I have to stay on a regular schedule because I have to undergo a sleep study on Sunday night....I need to be able to fall asleep at around 10 or 11pm on Sunday evening.  If I fall asleep now, my sleep schedule for the entire weekend will be off and then the sleep study will be a waste of time and money.

Why a sleep study you ask?  Well, they think I have sleep apnea.  Apparently, I have little passages inside my wee little nose and in the back of my throat and I snore, wake up choking, am always thirsty in the middle of the night, and overall wake up too many times during the night.  That leaves me tired the next day.
Well someone slap me upside the head.  Can someone have finally figured out some of my health problems.  The doc said sleep apnea can cause all sorts of problems.

So now I am in a ton of pain from the shots but doing my best to sit up at the computer instead of falling asleep.  Thanks to my husband for not letting me use the laptop in bed; at leaset I would be comfortable.

Maybe just another hour then I'll get some zzzz's.
M

Discouragement

It seems eeons ago, I began my job search. I applied to some job and the application went into cyber space.  Since then, I've only been contacted by few.  Then I receive the dreaded, "We're looking through other applications and then we'll call you."  That is the brush off.  I just imagined it was the holidays and HR departments were on vacations and very busy.  Well now, it's after the holidays and HR people are working so where are they?  My phone sits by me and it is waiting for the ringer to go off.  Everyday I spend hours on job boards looking. 

How do you spell whine? 

I am writing my novel, but that doesn't guarantee anything and bills are due.  If any of you out there have a part-time job available, please let me know.  I need something.
M

Puppies and Storms

For days now, the rain has continued.  I have enjoyed lounging around in my comfortable clothing getting all cozy.  If you don't know, I am in Arizona where it hardly ever rains.  However, puppies and rain do not mix.  Puppy says, "Mommy, take me outside to pee."  So Mommy takes puppy down the stairs and puts puppy on porch to relieve himself.  However the wind, the rain and the thunder makes the puppy just sit, cower and shake. Well, where else is he going to pee?  He isn't potty trained to pee in the toilet like Jinxy and we don't have a litter box so puppy gets soaked while I wait for him to do his business.

Now what happens if I give up and bring him in because I feel bad that it is cold and wet outside?  I'll be cleaning up my own floors until the rain stops.  So puppy has to suffer.  But instead it is I who suffers.

The ritual continues.  Mommy take me out to pee.  Puppy wants to come in because he can't handle the cold and wet so I let him in and put him in his kennel.  Then he tells me Mommy take me out to pee. So it's back outside (up and down the stairs).  At this point it's number four times where I think I spotted that he peed finally.  But what about my welfare. 

Rain, rain, go away.  But come back when puppy is older and not such a little whimp.

M 

The Fifty Cents of Hollywood

As an avid lover of books I find that the movie version of my favorite books I've read is somewhat lacking.  That cannot be more true than for My Sister's Keeper, which just came out on blu-ray and dvd.  I've been waiting patiently for it to because it is probably my favorite of Jodi Piccoult's novels that I've read.  I should not have got my hopes up.  Although the movie does follow the book in that it skips between characters' perspectives and from the present to the past, it completely changed the ending. 

I understand that sometimes directors and screenwriters believe they need to change things up to create more of a feel good ending or to make it seem less sad for the audience, but come on.  I was so disappointed.  I hate to tell what the difference was because there are those that saw the movie but did not read the book.  Go to Wikipedia, which for some may not be the most reliable site for information will tell the person the real ending to the novel even though it won't make you feel better about the characters in the movie.

So everytime a movie comes out based on a book I've read and fell in love with: example: The Time Traveler's Wife, I will have to be more cautious before I see the movie.  Maybe read some more reviews.  That movie did the book justice I thought.  I remember the day that I found it tucked in a corner of a used bookstore and thought what an interesting concept.  People need to read the details; there is so much lost on the screen.  I'm sad to think about what they are doing to the The Lovely Bones.  That movie is getting such poor reviews. 

Here is the moral of the story: read the book.  See the movie if you feel ducky especially if there are special effects and such.  But life is too short to miss the details. Hollywood should keep their nose out the books and come up with their own ideas for screenplays.

M

Happy New Year's?

Good evening to all of you that didn't drag yourselves out into the chaos that is New Year's Eve.  Why do people put a stigma on this night that there is a requirement to go out and drink more than their livers can handle?  I guess I'm one of those boring people who want to stay out of trouble and stay safe and spent the evening warm and happily not celebrating.  My husband and I had food delivered, we watched a movie, and played Monopoly. I kicked his ass.  Now at midnight, he said Happy New Year and duly fell asleep.  It was funny. 

Two years ago, we were in Disneyland for New Years.  We did so for our Honeymoon and our Anniversary.  That was fun.  Pretty safe, cold, but fun.  Otherwise, I'm sorry to say that most of my New Year's Eve have been spent lounging, staying safe....bored. 

But is being bored the best way to go.  Should you always have stories about one New Year's Eve....Why not choose any weekend and go out with friends and have fun.  Why just this night must it be so blown up? It's like Valentine's Day.  Why not have your husband/significant other take you somewhere special any other night of the year? Why just that day? 

I do have that one New Year's Eve that I will take to the grave as the best New Year's Eve ever.  I've told who I need to tell all about that night and if I never have another New Year's Eve quite like it, that would be ok because it was fantabulous. 

I think I'd rather take this night as a time to think of 2009 and all the good and bad and what I can do to make 2010 shine.  You never know how many more of these evenings there will be left.

I hope those who are out there making a mess of themselves find their way home safely. 
M