Busy weekend!

First, I can't believe that Wednesday will be the first day of April. Seriously? It feels like yesterday was Christmas!

Okay, so this weekend, David had his employee appreciation party. He was working, but as long as they had their pagers and radios, the guys could come to the party. He asked me to come down and I'm so glad I did! David ended up getting hypnotized - the guy said he could wake him up quick and he'd be fine to respond on a call if he had to - and then his coworkers took me out after the party for drinks! I stayed at his partner's house - he lives in the town but since he was working, I felt comfortable sleeping on the couch.

Sunday morning, we drove home and spent the day at the MAC. David's summer passion is racing. He does "solo racing" where only 1 car is on the "track" at a time. The track is a bunch of orange cones. And they have to wear helmets. It's pretty safe - one car did something funky and ended up going over a curb and screwed up his tires, but that's the first accident in years. David has a set of race tires and his mom said he could use her car this season. Here are two pictures from the first race:




My dad came out and watched for a little bit and so did David's mom and dad. We took our grill out there and had burgers. It was a little chilly but fun. Next race is the same day as the March of Dimes. It's in Lincoln, so I'll probably go there after the walk!

Then, the other highlight... my clothes from New York and Company came! I wore one outfit today:

I took this at the end of the night - I'm tired. But, you get the idea! These are size 12 slacks - I now own 2 pairs of slacks and 1 pair of jeans that fit. The tunic style of shirt makes me feel like I'm hiding fat - which, yes, is still there, but I felt bigger than I usually do in more form-fitting clothes. I got lots of compliments! This was taken at 54 lbs down (well, maybe more, but I don't weigh in until Wednesday).

So, it was a great weekend. It's going to be a long week. Next week is Spring Break and David and I have lots of plans! We are going to clean this house from top to bottom. The dogs are getting groomed, and I hope to visit at least one winery. (You know you aren't surprised!)

We are also going to get organized so that we can stop losing mail and figure out our budget better. We always get it on paper, but don't add in the extra stuff that has to be there - the fun money. So then we end up over spending because we "think" we have it. My goal is to be out of CC debt by this time next year. We can do it if we get our butts in gear and stop spending like money grows on the trees in the back yard! It will help that we aren't going to California. We are still taking our anniversary trip, and David wants to go to Kearney in August for a race. But, that's what fun money is for, right? Plus we'll have our monthly rewards that we earn and any big milestone ones as well. :-)

I've really been lacking energy lately. I'm drinking plenty of water and eating the right foods, but I still feel drained. I think I need to get back on a multivitamin - I got off while I was sick because I didn't want to take ANOTHER pill! Exercising seems to help also, but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I used to be. I need to get my butt back in gear and make myself accountable (thank God for goals!). If you have any tips on energy let me know!

Nighty night!

Baked Pizza Casserole

Okay, seriously. This stuff was AWESOME!! This was the recipe we got from our leader on Wednesday. I love pizza, and this is a healthy way to feed the craving! We are thinking about adding veggies to the mix to make it a little more filling. Make sure any changes you make you look at the points (run through Etools).

POINTS® Value: 7 pts
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients
1 lb lean meat (The original recipe called for beef, but we did turkey. David also thought that italian turkey sausage would be good too!)
1 can chunky italian tomato sauce (David couldn't find the chunky italian, so I used regular tomato sauce and added italian seasoning.)
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 refrigerated roll of pizza dough

Directions
Spray 9x13 pan and spread dough onto bottom. Make sure it goes up the side a little - about an inch, maybe a little more

Cook and drain meat. Add sauce (and seasonings).

Put meat mixture into pan. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Add cheese and cook another 5 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Weigh In!

Well, I went back tonight! The last time I weighed in was January 28th. That's right! 5 days later, I got sick, and all the other fun stuff that has happened.... So, remember how I had gained weight during my illness but lost it?

Well, I posted a loss of 1.6 lbs!!!! I have lost 54 lbs! I am just over 8 lbs away from my goal weight! David came to weigh in and is basically starting over. He couldn't find his book and their "high tech" system lost his info. He's down from where he was last week, but he also hasn't eaten much (gotta love flu and bronchitis!), but up from where he was before I got sick in July!

We are back to making monthly goals. I reminded him that I never did get my reward from January - Wii Active Play. So here are my goals, and I'm stickin' to 'em!
* Exercise: Cardio 3 days a week. My body is still recuperating, so right now, 10 minutes is good. By the end of the month, I want to be back up to 45 minutes! My second goal is to walk in the March of Dimes, a 3 mile walk at the end of April. My reward is dinner at a local restaurant - they do have healthy choices, but this is a slightly pricier restaurant, so it's a good reward!
* Weight: 4 lbs. It seems low, but I know that since I'm getting closer, I may hit a plateau or consider myself "lucky" to lose one pound a week! My reward is another new outfit (1 top, 1 bottom - don't have to match or both be for work). I told David I NEED new clothes!

David's goals are:
* Exercise: 4 days a week of high intensity cardio. Reward: Movie night (but I have the right to veto because I don't like scary/gross movies)
* Weight: 10 lbs. Reward: Night away from home (hotel or something like that)

We also set long term goals. When I hit Lifetime, I get to go to a Bed & Breakfast. David set 10% goals each getting a trip. We set the rule that, when the goal is reached, we will book the reward. So, it may be a few weeks or a month, but it will happen. His lifetime goal is to book and go on a 7 day cruise!

Sunday night, I'm making a new recipe from my leader. It sounds really yummy, so stay tuned! :-)

March of Dimes

My friend Summer invited lots of her friends to help her in a mission: either walk with her or donate to March of Dimes. The walk is 3 miles long on April 26. 33 days. I can be healthy and walking 3 miles easy by then! :-)

Money is tight (as it is for alot of people right now), so I told Summer that I would walk with her! If you could help this wonderful organization out, please go to my page and donate. Every dollar counts to help these babies.

When Summer asked me to help, I thought about several children that I have cared for that were born premature. I took care of Haley when I worked at a daycare during college. She was born at 21 weeks. She is now in 1st grade and doing well! I actually saw her mom at UNO last semester and she has a sister now, who was born at 31 weeks. I also took care of Julia and Claire, 23 week twins. They were both healthy, slightly delayed (of course), but loving girls who were growing and so smart!

I am so happy that I can be a part of this! Now that I've entered a healthy chapter of my life, I can help people of all ages by walking for their cause. Please join me by donating or walking in your local area (or join our team!).

OMG! I cooked!

Before I got sick, David and I were cooking. Every. Single. Night. Or at least eating healthy left overs. Not so much while I was sick - he gave into my cravings (which is probably why I gained weight while I was sick). And then, while I was dealing with my tummy's "I hate food" stage, I was eating crackers, Sprite 0, and MAYBE jello (but that was usually too sweet). So, I amazingly lost the 12 lbs gained during my "Eat everything in sight and what looks good on TV" stage.

Last week, I made my Taco Soup. Sunday, I made the Crunchy Chicken Bake. (David asked me last night if I had ever made that. He was so out of it he didn't even remember me eating at all that night.) Tonight, I told David that I was going to make a nice dinner - sit down at the table, and enjoy ourselves dinner. Holy Cow! I made Meatloaf with Barley. David loves meatloaf, and for him to say "I don't remember you making this" made me sad. But, it has been quite some time since I've cooked anything. I gave him the choice between pasta or meatloaf. He picked meatloaf and got: meatloaf, baked sweet potatoes (with a little Splenda and Cinnamon on top), steamed veggies (seriously love Bird's Eye bags!), and a glass of wine from Loess Hills. I got the Loess Hills Blanc on Saturday from a local deli/wine shop.

He was pleasantly surprised, and so was I! It was so nice to sit down and enjoy dinner together. I also bought stuff for Strawberry Shortcake. Not sure if I'm gonna eat it tonight or not - I'm pretty full and my tummy is kind of arguing with me about eating more than 1/4 of what I "used to" eat. That's right. I'm still taking Zantac 3x a day and pray whenever I eat something in between meals.

Oh, and I went to the gym tonight. It went a little better than Saturday. I still only went 10 minutes on the Elliptical, but I went faster (averaged 3.9). It's still frustrating thinking about where I was, but I know I have to listen to my body so that I don't hurt myself!

That was the excitement of the evening. Well, and Max and Sam getting baths - they rolled in something and SMELLED. Of course these are the 2 that hate baths the most and I still have scratches on my arms an hour later. But, they are happy now. In fact, Max is sitting at my arm trying to help me type!

I plan on going to weigh-in tomorrow. I'm hoping I'm down at least a little bit. If nothing else, I haven't been eating much the last couple weeks. And I've been trying to make healthy-ish choices. But, I know I'm not getting enough fruits and veggies, so my goal next week is to get back into it! I miss my veggies and fruits. Now it's spring and more stuff is coming back into season! YAY!

Crunchy Chicken Bake

I'm due for another recipe! I haven't done one since the end of January. Oops! Probably because we haven't been eating the healthiest while I was sick and then last week was Conferences. I had to cook this chicken, so David will have some when he feels better. Anyways.. Here is another recipe from my WW leader. I think I might play with the spices in this. It wasn't bland, but it wasn't quite right. If you make this and change/add spices, let me know what to try!

POINTS® Value: 5 pts
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 40-45 min

Ingredients
2/3 cup cornflake crumbs
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp brown sugar
3/4 tsp onion powder (I used dried minced onion)
1/2 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika
3/4 garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 skinless bone-in chicken breasts (I used chicken tenders and adjusted the cooking time to 30 min)

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, spray baking sheet

Combine everything into a bag. Spray chicken with cooking spray, put chicken in bag, and shake. Place chicken on baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. If you use tenders or boneless chicken breast make sure you adjust this time accordingly! 30 minutes did it for my chicken tenders.

Sunday Ramblings...

I went to bed last night thinking I'd get to sleep in, do a little laundry, go shopping, and just relax. Yeah, right.

I woke up at 9:00 and noticed I missed a text message. David's partner had texted me to call him - that David got sick at work. I guess he woke up about 2:00 with major abdominal pain. About 3:00 he went up to the ER because he was puking and other stuff... The doctor ordered an Xray because his pain was a little higher than he thought it should be for the flu - he was thinking gull bladder or possible bowel obstruction. Luckily between that a bunch of blood work, he decided it's "just" the flu.

2 of his coworkers had this this week - and slept in the bed he slept in for the last 2 nights. They, of course, decided not to disinfect or wipe anything down. The sheets were changed, but that's it. David was just lucky enough to catch this while he was at work. The doctor thinks that, because he's still dealing with the bronchitis, his immune system was low so it hit him harder than the other 2 guys.

He obviously wasn't up to working his shift or driving home. So, my dad and I drove out there to get him and his car. He ended up with tons of pain meds, anti-nausea, and 3 bags of fluid. We stopped at the grocery store to get lots of fluids, popsicles, and chicken broth. I also got him TheraFlu, Immodium, and a 'script for Reglan from Walgreens. Now he's passed out on the couch under 2 comforters and 2 blankets. I'm trying to stay away from him so I don't get it, but I figure I probably will... fingers crossed not until the end of the week!

I was supposed to go shopping today for clothes. I had a coupon from New York & Company that expires today. The friend that was going to go had to bail, and I didn't want to leave David. So I shopped online. I spent a little more than I had planned but I got 2 pants and 2 tops. I'm excited to get my clothes in a week. Then I'll have a "fashion show" for you!

And my last randomness for the day... When I was at the grocery store getting popsicles, I noticed Weight Watchers has new ice cream things! Fruit popsicle with vanilla ice cream - I LOVE those things, and now they are healthy! Oh, and you know how Snicker's has their ice cream bars? Well, Weight Watchers has their own! They are 3 points, which is a little higher than I usually like to go for sweets, but they will be so worth it!

And then, I decided to get Frosty Paws. Have you seen these? They are dog-safe ice cream treats! They come in individual cups and I've heard good things about them. My sister and brother in law give their dogs these yummy treats about once a week. In fact, Shammy can open her own cup if you start it just a little bit! I thought today would be a good day to try these - instant entertainment for the dogs. They LOVED them. I got the original flavor. Max immediately took his outside, and Allie tried to enjoy her's in the recliner. I vetoed that. Toby eventually ate his laying on David's feet (David finally warmed up a little!). They were gone in less than 30 minutes and I had happy puppies with dirty faces! I think these are going to be a common entertainment/treat around our house! :-)

Getting back to it...

David and I made the decision last month to cancel our gym membership with Prairie Life. I absolutely love the gym, the classes, the pool, the people.... everything! But, it's a 30 min drive from us and it's expensive. So, we decided to join Anytime Fitness. There is one about 5 minutes from our house and David loves that he can go ANYTIME he wants. You get a key faub that will get you in 24 hours a day. It isn't staffed very often - 6-8 hours a day - and there are no classes. It's nothing special, but it has equipment that we don't have at home. And it's $40 cheaper than Prairie Life! David said I can get some more work out videos so that I get my "classes" in. I already have 2 of Leslie Sansone's walking, a Pilates/Yoga video, and a Wedding Workout. But, I want to get a Tae Bo and maybe another Walking Video. I'm hoping to get my knee strong enough that I can do the 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels. I'm also going to get some hand weights to work on muscles when I'm doing arm moves with the walking video.

So, I haven't worked out since before I got sick. #1 - no time. #2 - I got sick and had surgery. No way that was going to happen! So, I went tonight for the first time. I grabbed one of the emergency "necklaces" just in case. You push the button and 911 gets called. I was the only one there, so it was peace of mind for me.... I made it 10 minutes on the Elliptical! Granted, it was only at 3.7, when I used to go 30 min at 5.1 or higher. It felt good to get back to it. I'm planning on doing 10 min every other day for a week to 10 days. Then, I'll up it to 15-20 min, and so on...

I also want to start the Couch to 5K program again. I had started it before I got sick in July and never started again. I'm hoping the elliptical and some treadmill will build my knees up to complete it. I also need to get new shoes, but the ones I have are doing the job until my birthday (I hope).

It kills me that I'm back to being where I was when I first started working out. But, I know that I have to listen to my body if I want to get healthy again!! I have just under 10 lbs to go before I'm at my goal. I'd love to be fit enough to wear a size 10 and be toned. I'll get there. It will just take time!

That's about it for this post... I bought a bottle of wine today and I'm gonna go get a new outfit tomorrow - or a couple tops for work, depending on what I find! I just need clothes that fit! Everything is too big, or if it fits, it's wintery. I can't wear sweaters when it's 70 degrees outside!

Family Pictures!

David and I had pictures taken at the end of January. After mix-ups from the post office, lost emails and phone numbers, we got our pictures! My friend, Summer, did an awesome job! We did them at home so the dogs could "participate." They didn't cooperate as planned, but we got a few cute ones, plus lots with just us. As you look, you have to remember something about my husband: he doesn't smile unless he's laughing. Seriously. Even at our wedding, he didn't smile for the portraits - yeah, he smiled throughout the day, but the only pictures he was actually smiling in were the random ones. Portraits? Nope! He freezes and goes all serious. Sometimes, he smiles with his eyes. But, this time, he decided he wanted to be random and not even look at Summer very often! Men! ;-)

2nd Opinion

Today, David and I went to see my GP, who has been my doctor since moving to Nebraska in 1996. She knows my family history (probably better than me!) and is upfront and honest. I had to see a student just to see her - she didn't have any appointments until next week. But, she's "staffing," so the students consult with her and then she'll see the patient if necessary. Of course, she had to see me!

Basically we decided:
* I'm not eating enough fiber. Why? Because my stomach hurts.
* My stomach hurts when I eat because the acid is eating my stomach. I'm not eating enough food, because I CAN'T, but that is hurting me!

So, we're doing this:
* Zantac 2 times a day to help the acid
* Fiber powder 1 time a day
* Continue the Miralax 1 time a day (opposite the fiber)

BUT, here's how this is different: If I am not feeling better in 2 days, she will squeeze me in on Friday. She thought about doing another x-ray to see if the "poop block" has gotten out at all or if it's still there. But, she is guessing that, if it's not gone, the fiber/laxative/zantac will help get rid of it. And, even if I'm feeling better, if I'm not pooping regularly again in a week she wants to see me. Wow, you mean, you're going to solve the problem, not just mask it??? Wow!

So, she diagnosed me with gastrointeritis and constipation. My stomach lining is getting inflamed because of the acid in my stomach. If I can get my stomach calmed down, I can eat enough fiber and get myself regular again. She said that IBS is more or less an everything-else-ruled-out disease, and since I didn't have signs of Celiac's at my colonoscopy in August, I probably don't have that. She said I could, in theory have IBS, but if we can get it under control now, I should be fine. Fingers Crossed!

Oh, and she complimented me on my weight loss! I'm back down to where I was right before I got sick. She was very proud of me and said I looked awesome. She asked me how many inches I lost and was even more impressed that I've gone from an 18W to a 12! I told her that my personal goal is to get 5 lbs below where she wants me. That way, I do have a little room for mistakes/body fluxuations and to find the sustainable weight for my body! She agreed and said she can't wait to see me in a few months when I go in for my med check.

Not that this is getting too long or anything, but... David and I joined a new gym today. I absolutely love Prairie Life and I already miss it. But, Anytime Fitness is right down the street from us and has 24 hr access. The gym is clean, has 2 private showers and 2 private bathrooms. They do offer personal training - limited hours, but they are there. And, we are saving $40 a month! I'm going to build my video collection and set up a schedule. I want to start the C25K again as soon as I feel my body is ready and I will complete it this time! David and I are thinking about finding a 1/2 marathon that we can complete together. Any ideas of a good 1/2 marathon in the Midwest for beginners?

Fun Sunday!

Well, I'm feeling human finally. My stomach is still doing "it's thing" and I have my appointment with my GP on Tuesday. The Miralax hasn't even helped today - nothing is moving, and I'm getting sick to my stomach when I eat. I just took an anti-nausea pill so I can eat in an hour or so!

But, anyways... I went with a friend to the local craft fair! I haven't been to one since I was little, and I had so much fun! I almost got myself into trouble - there was so much fun stuff! So, here is what I got:


Totally cute shirts for my nephews that says "my daddy is my hero." David's brother recently joined the military and is stationed at Ft. Dix. He has seen his papers and can go at anytime... they've been doing training missions to prepare them for Afghanistan or Iraq (I'm not sure where he'll be going). So, we got their two sons adorable shirts to wear!



This is really cool. It's a place mat on one side. On the other side, it's a chalk board. The cool thing? It lasts for forever - they had some sample ones that had been used for over 4 years! The matching bag has a snap so it can keep the box of chalk. Plus, turn it inside out and it becomes an eraser! Even better thing? It can go in the washing machine with towels so if the place mat gets dirty, it's okay. I'll be using this with my tutoring student and my classroom students as well. Can't wait!


This "wine" sign is really cool. The photographer takes pictures in Council Bluffs, Omaha, and Lincoln of different letters found naturally wherever she is. She custom makes stuff, and her interactive website is really fun to put stuff together and place your order. I want to get one with our last name soon! This company is going to be very dangerous for me, I can already tell!


I'm planning on hanging my sign on this wall, next to the wine cabinet. I'm going to get some hanging shelves - either black or the cherry color that the cabinet is - and put our wine glasses from various wineries on those shelves. So excited about my project!

My friend got a really cool purse and a bib to give her parents when she gets pregnant. FXed it gets given soon! :-)

"You don't look good"

I went back to work yesterday. I dealt with the silent treatment from my aide, and I made the mistake of letting the kids hug me while I was standing up. I ended up with a couple heads being "slammed" right into my abdomen. I thought I was feeling better until THAT happened.

I did the colon cleanse on Monday, and it helped a little.... on Monday. Tuesday morning, I started feeling clogged, and realized the clogging was starting back up again. I didn't eat breakfast Tuesday morning because I wasn't hungry and my stomach was upset. I didn't even FEEL hungry until 10:30, and by then, it was almost time for lunch. Lunch? Yeah.... I could barely eat because I started feeling sick again as soon as I started eating, and it was a mild lunch. I ate very little (maybe a 1/3 of what I usually eat), and then couldn't stand the increasing pain anymore. To eat dinner, I had to take Reglan, which is an anti-nausea med. After I ate that I was fine....

So, to the title of this particular post.... I walked in, running a minute or two late, and my principal says "You look too skinny" and asks a Kindergartner to give me his graham crackers! The funny thing? All month I've gained weight, and then lost the same amount, then gained a little, then lost a little.. right now, I'm up about 5 lbs, probably because of the stomach stuff.

As the day goes on, teachers are stopping me and talking to me... Several told me I didn't look like I felt good. One of the parents of my students says "I'm glad you're back but you don't look good!" Gee, thanks.

Today, my second day back.... My para talked to me a little more today! I was observed by my supervisor, which went fine - she warned me about it yesterday. And I made the rule that if the kids wanted to hug me, I had to be sitting down. That saved alot of pain and close calls! A few people told me I looked "better" than yesterday - Thanks, I think? I'm still being told that I'm really skinny and someone told me she was worried about me when she saw me picking at my lunch! Sorry, dealing with stomach issues... not much I can do! But, I still got told that I didn't look good. One teacher even said "Wouldn't it beat it all if you ended up pregnant right now!" Yeah, thanks. I know she doesn't know we're having problems having a baby, but I did say that we had to wait now..... and then she made this comment and I about started crying!

I called the GI doctor again today. His nurse said she would talk to him and call me back. But, guess what? His latest appointment is 4:00 and he's only in clinic one day a week. So, chances are, it's gonna be more time off for me to figure this out... Everybody is telling me what to try to fix the plumbing issues and I finally said "I don't want to mask what's going on. Yeah, it sucks, but I think it will be easier if I just follow what my doctor says."

So, I'm glad to be at work. I come home beyond exhausted and hurting like no other, but I'm back. I ate dinner - no Reglan beforehand - and it didn't upset me too much (still irritable, but not so much that I feel like crying like other meals in the recent past have. Maybe that's progress?

Conferences are next week and I'm overwhelmed. My report cards are due Monday, which really freaks me out. I don't even know my kids anymore! My para is helping get some stuff done, so that's nice. But, I just don't have the energy to work on them at home, and I only have 45 min a day that I can work on them, and that's also my time to get other stuff done. EEK! I know it will be okay, but it's going to be a L.O.N.G. week!

"Wait and See"

So here's my vent post for the month. It will probably get long because I have alot of bottled up frustration..... Ready?

I went to see the GI specialist today. Guess what he said? Do this, wait a couple days, and we'll see what happens. Really? So this makes 3 doctors - 6 if you count ER doctors - who have basically told me to "wait and see" while I've been sick. So, I'm basically prepping for a colonoscopy without having the procedure. Dr. C told me I could mix the stuff with whatever I needed to so that I could tolerate it better. I mixed it with Sprite and that helped a little. But, I'm so flipping nauseous from it - I'm probably not drinking anymore of it, and I've only had 1/3 of it. I'm starting to gag as soon as I just smell the stuff in the glass. And yes, I tried plugging my nose. I can't swallow it like that - it irritates my gag reflex.

And because of all these damn doctors telling me to wait and see, we have to wait to have a baby. We will have to have a summer baby unless I (a) switch school districts to one who gives paid maternity leave separate from sick time or (b) wait 3 years to get 30 days of leave built back up. Even while trying to have a baby, it always seems like I'm waiting and seeing. We time having sex by doing OPKs and charting, and then we wait and see if it worked. When we started it was "wait a few months so your body can adjust to being off the pill and then see what happens." Once David started the Clomid it was "wait 3 months and see what happens." Seriously. I know having a baby isn't always a quick thing. Obviously, I understand that. We've been trying for over a year and a half. And now, we have to stop and wait and see if September will work for an IUI. David is waiting to go back on Clomid until April or May, giving us more than the 3 months of "waiting and seeing," but that gives us a window. He will also be taking the FertilAide daily starting in April. I'm going back to a regular prenatal, and then in August, I'll do the FertilAide but add anything that's "missing" from the prenatal since the formulas will be different.

We probably won't be going to California in June. I just don't think there's enough money in the budget. I lost one of my tutoring cases because his counselor - he's a foster kid - told the foster mom that he "had" to have somebody there consistently. I understand that. But, I'm pissed. That's $100 a week we're losing. The company told me they would get me another case when I was ready for it. So, I'm going to "enjoy" 2 quiet weeks with just my one case, and then I'll get another case. We owe the hospital so much money, plus we have credit card debt. We want to get out of debt, besides our house and student loans, so this it's probably better that we skip the reunion. But, I haven't seen my family in a long time, so I'm sad.

On the working page.... I spent 2 hard years working my ass off to get my ESL/ELL degree. But, because I'm not tenured, I have to wait until the summer and see if they will need an ESL/ELL teacher somewhere. I do like my school - not all the people, not all the time, but that's anywhere.... - but I feel like I'm wasting my master's degree doing Pre-K. I don't know if I should take stuff home at the end of the year or leave my stuff there. I know that it's still early - only the beginning of March - but I would love to know by the end of the school year. That way I could plan my school year easier!

Well, now that my stomach is in knots, my ass is on fire, and if you've actually made it through this, kudos to you! Thanks for listening! I'm done ranting about waiting and seeing. Hopefully my next post can be a little more optimistic!

Friday Update

It's been a long week....

Sunday - went to ER for pain. Gave me drugs, did CT and blood work - nothing new.
Monday - went to surgeon. "Everything looks good. Give it 2 days and go see OB."
Tuesday - ended up in ER again at night. Full of shit!
Wednesday - went to OB. Told me to take Magnesium Citrate, which the ER had said. Did a bottle of that last night, all it's doing is shooting brown water out my ass. He said if I wasn't feeling better tomorrow, he would send me to a GI specialist.
Thursday - feel human, but still not shitting. Took another bottle of Magnesium Citrate (grape flavor this time - it tasted better than the Lemon, but it was a little more bitter). Called OB for GI referral.
Today - I have an appt to see the GI on Monday. OB is letting me go back to work on Tuesday! He said he is going to put a note about seeing the specialist, but that I can go back with "lifting as tolerated."

How do I feel about this? I am excited to go back. I miss my kids. And I'm almost out of days. I just hope my ass will cooperate! Right now, I have to stay relatively close to a bathroom due to the water-shooting issue, and it's kind of hard to say "Hold on kids! Mrs. Reynolds has to shit!" And I'm not looking forward to dealing with the politics. But, I'm there for the kids, not to make friends and make stupid people happy. I wish what happened didn't happen, but it's not my fault I got sick and everybody involved needs to understand that!

Oh, and according to the OB's scale on Wednesday, I'm back down to where I was before I got sick (well, 2 lbs higher than the WW scale, but that could just be the scales)! YAY!!!!! I'll hopefully go to weigh in on Wednesday and see where I'm at officially!

Happy Friday!

I'm full of shit!

Well, I'm still in lots of pain, right? I went to the ER on Sunday, and then saw the surgeon on Monday. Everybody keeps saying the same thing.... "I'm a little surprised that you are still hurting and have no energy, but give it a couple days and go see Dr XX in a couple days." Yeah, thanks.

Well, today, the pain got worse, and I started being sick to my stomach and bad case of diarrhea. David took me to the ER and....... An X-ray and more blood work shows: I'm full of shit, especially on my right side (which is where I'm having most of the pain). So, they gave me Diloted for the pain and Reglan for nausea/inducing poop. And sent me home with an RX for Reglan and told me to pick up a bottle of Magnesium Citrate (or something like that).....

Oh, and I've officially decided that I should never, ever, ever be given Diloted for pain. In July, they gave this to me and I got sick after I ate. This time, I specifically said "You can give me anything, but please don't give me Diloted. It makes me sick." So the nurse brings in: Diloted mixed with anti-nausea. Supposedly, that was supposed to help, right?

But, I was kind of itchy after it started kicking in, but didn't think anything of it..... Then, we went to Village Inn, and guess what????? I had to puke before we left! I'm still itchy, but David said as long as I'm not having problems breathing and I'm not breaking out, I'm okay..... So, I'm drinking my bottle of Magnesium Citrate and watching Biggest Loser from DVR!

Deifnitely never taking Diloted again, and officially full of shit! *End of random post and update*