First off, our POWER is back on! We were over at a friend’s house having dinner (because they had power) when we got word from a neighbor that everything was on. YAY!!!
This morning I took a shower because the water department showed up to fix the water main break. They GUARANTEED that the work would be finished by this afternoon and it looks like they are already done. YAY again!
I met with the oral surgeon for my jaw breaking surgery. He said it sounds like my VERY SEXY night guard that I use for teeth grinding may be affecting my bite so he is going to have me not wear it for a month and see if it makes a difference. If it is my mouth guard then I might not have to have surgery- just braces. We’ll see. In the mean time they will contact my insurance company to see if the surgery will be covered. All of this means that I can’t leave my job because sometimes getting the surgery approved can take up to TWO YEARS. I don’t want to have to go through this with another insurance company, so I guess I am stuck.
Finally, I was injected with Lupron today….in my butt. My insurance company called yesterday to tell me it was ready and to give me the final bill. $1024 FOR ONE SHOT. So ricockulous it is not even funny. The injection site is a little sore to the touch but no crazy thoughts running through my head or hot flashes…..yet. My doctor wants me to continue taking the birth control pills for five more days and then throw the rest out.
As I was running around to my various doctor appointments today, I realized that I have never seen so many doctors at the same time at any other point in my life! I drove home from getting the Lupron shot and started to feel sorry for myself. Why is this all so hard? Why is it all happening at the same time? I feel awful for being such a drain on our finances. But then I told myself that none of these things are life threatening. I don't have canceror a life long illness. Right now we don't have kids so we are in a better place to afford out of pocket expenses for surgeries and medications (even if it means not being able to put money away for other things). Even though it is all so overwhelming I can get through it....right?
8.31.2011
8.30.2011
Hurricane Irene
Timeline of the past couple of days
Friday
4pm- Leave work to let out the dogs. Change settings on fridge, freezer and basement freezer to the coldest setting possible. Head to the store to buy more processed food than I have bought in a while (Ramen, Easy Mac and Cheese, Whole Wheat Pasta, Pasta sauce, granola bars, etc). Can’t bring myself to buy canned fruit, so I buy bananas and apples as they don’t need refrigeration. Cringe when I pick up a 24-pack of bottled water. The store was VERY busy but people were not freaking out. Water was almost gone. Chuckled when I saw people stocking up on beer.
6pm- CP arrives home with a 30 pack of Coors (eww). He laughs at my store purchases, but little did he know….
Saturday
8am- Heavy rain starts to come down. The rest of the day it is either pouring or not raining; there is no in between. During one of the breaks of rain CP and I decide to take the dogs for a walk for some exercise so that they don’t go stir crazy. Of course it starts pouring a few minutes into our walk. Afterwards, we moved everything that could potentially fly away during a hurricane in to the garage.
11am- We decide to download the first 10 episodes of Game of Thrones on HBO for a lazy day inside. While they are downloading we head to Best Buy to buy a new receiver for the downstairs tv. We drop the car off for an oil change, use a Groupon for lunch and head home to set up the receiver. I fill up tons of water bottles and continue to make ice in the freezer.
7pm- Pick veggies from our garden in case Irene rips up the plants. That night we make a dinner full of garden delights: Caprese salad with our cherry tomatoes and basil with fresh mozzarella cheese (deemed my favorite meal out of our garden so far), Creamed Swiss chard (similar to Creamed Spinach), Beets with butter, dill and chives and then whole wheat pasta with homemade pesto. CP makes a tomato sauce out of the Roma tomatoes we picked for the next day. We shower in case we aren’t able to the next day and head to the basement to watch Game of Thrones. Meanwhile, I charge my Nook and both of our cell phones just in case.
12am- The couple glasses of wine have gone right to my head so I go to bed. I fill up the bathtub just in case we lose water. I turn on the news and hear that a tornado warning is in effect for SW CT. I head back down to the basement and tell CP we are all sleeping there that night.
Sunday
6am- Wake up with the dogs to take them out and feed them. We still have power and it is just a lot of rain/wind. Turn on the news and watch for a while. Play Words with Friends. Check Facebook to make sure friends down south are okay.
9:28am- Directv signal is having problems; the lights flicker and everything goes out. Bye bye power. :-(
9:30am- We head upstairs to use natural light and play Cribbage by our living room window. Notice people walking around in the neighborhood and a few cars driving around. Idiots. Wind is REALLY starting to get strong.
10am- OH MY GOD. There was a big gust of wind, CP saw wires in front of our house arch, there was a huge flash of light and suddenly there is a HUGE tree in the street. It took out a telephone pole and we now have LIVE WIRES across our front yard and driveway! YIKES.
Holy crap!
Tree took down a telephone pole
Tree is almost as wide as the height of our neighbor's Jeep!
Broken telephone pole
Live wires laying across our driveway
View from our house
See our next door neighbors outside and call to them to make sure they are okay. They are so lucky that their house and/or cars weren’t affected. I call our electric company to let them know.
10:30am- Fire department shows up to string up caution tape and close off our section of the street. A few of us take pictures. The fire department warns us that the wires are still live so to stay very far away from them. After the fire department tells us that it will probably be at least three days until we get power back, we invite our next door neighbors over to our house in case another tree decides to fall down and break open the fridge. Cheese, crackers, beer, etc. are all consumed. We move perishables from the fridge/freezer to a cooler (thank goodness I stocked up on ice). I joke with CP that he shouldn’t have made fun of me buying food because now we are going to need it!
1pm- Rain mostly subsides and people start to come out of their houses. Our street is a spectacle- people are taking pictures, pointing, etc. We start to joke that we should charge admission. Meanwhile we meet neighbors we have never seen before and everyone talks about their experience. We hope that power will come back on soon because we are so close to an elementary school and middle school. We check our garden and although plants have definitely been through a storm, everything survived!
10:30am- Fire department shows up to string up caution tape and close off our section of the street. A few of us take pictures. The fire department warns us that the wires are still live so to stay very far away from them. After the fire department tells us that it will probably be at least three days until we get power back, we invite our next door neighbors over to our house in case another tree decides to fall down and break open the fridge. Cheese, crackers, beer, etc. are all consumed. We move perishables from the fridge/freezer to a cooler (thank goodness I stocked up on ice). I joke with CP that he shouldn’t have made fun of me buying food because now we are going to need it!
1pm- Rain mostly subsides and people start to come out of their houses. Our street is a spectacle- people are taking pictures, pointing, etc. We start to joke that we should charge admission. Meanwhile we meet neighbors we have never seen before and everyone talks about their experience. We hope that power will come back on soon because we are so close to an elementary school and middle school. We check our garden and although plants have definitely been through a storm, everything survived!
Windswept leeks
5pm- CP notices water bubbling up our neighbor’s driveway…and then we notice it in our driveway. The water department is called and it is confirmed- we have a water main break. I run inside to take a shower in case the water gets shut off.
5:30pm- Because there isn’t any damage being caused by the break, the water guys promise not to turn off our water. They have to wait to do any work until the tree/electric company fixes everything anyway.
7pm- Thankfully we have a gas stove so we are able to heat up leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. We play cribbage with flashlights before retiring to bed. I finish my book with my Nook and a reading light. Thank goodness it is nice and cool that night because otherwise falling asleep would have been difficult without fans/air conditioning.
Monday
6am- After letting the dogs out and feeding them, I call into work to find out that we only have a delayed opening. I call my boss to let her know that I can’t work from home because I don’t have any power and I can’t drive into work because I have live wires blocking my driveway. CP and I decide to walk into town with the dogs to get breakfast and get the dogs some exercise. Afterwards we do yard work and I take a nap.
10am- CP and I start to discuss getting a rental car so that we can get to work this week and run errands. I suggest seeing how wide our cars are versus an opening in our side yard between the telephone pole and our shrubs. We can just barely squeeeeze the cars through, but both of them make it. WIN! We head off to find a generator, but to no avail. Thankfully REI still has headlamps (as we couldn’t find our camping ones on Friday night) and this cool lantern that needs no electricity to run (just a hand crank).
5pm: Heat up water on the stove so that we can do dishes.
7pm- Our friends agree to take the contents of our basement freezer (35+ pounds of homemade sausage, what is left of our beef CSA, homemade chicken stock/beef stock, kefta and meat pies) and store them in their currently empty garage freezer. We transferred them over just in time!
Tuesday
7am- Into work we go! I shower at work so that we can keep any hot water in the tank for CP to shower with. A neighbor texts me that the crews are working our street right now, but they have to replace four damaged telephone poles, remove the tree, string new wire, etc. so I am hoping for power by the time we get home tonight, but won’t be surprised if they are just cleaning the street up.
Ahhhh Hurricane Irene. I’m glad that you didn’t destroy our house and cars, but you have been quite a pain.
How did you guys do in the hurricane?
8.26.2011
Natural disasters
Hasn’t the East Coast had enough this week?
First it was the earthquake. I was sitting at my desk looking at the window (I’m on the 19th Floor) and I felt some swaying for about 30 seconds. I called over to my coworker in the next cube over, “Did you feel that?” She replied that it was probably just a large truck barreling down the highway. Ummmm no. I spent the rest of the day freaked out because my building is NOT earthquake compliant (buildings on the East Coast are generally not, but my building doesn’t even have a solid base- it’s hard to explain but I don’t want to post a picture) and I was worried that the puppies were completely freaked out.
Turns out that Buster didn’t react to it while at doggie daycare. A couple of the dogs freaked out and hid under things for about 30 minutes; I guess it didn’t even phase Buster. When I got home Fuzzy Britches seemed perfectly fine and ready to play with a ball in her mouth. Berners must be too stupid to be scared.
Now Hurricane Irene is heading towards NC and should be hitting CT around midnight Saturday night. Our governor, local meteorologists and newscasters are all stressing to take this storm seriously. I guess Hurricane Gloria hit CT really hard in 1985; unfortunately people were unprepared and without power for at least a week. I guess the state has more trees than in 1985 so downed trees and flooding are going to be the biggest problems.
CP and I have already started to find all of our batteries, find flashlights/headlamps, charge the camping lantern, find our camping water jug, find a bucket to put water in for the puppies, etc. Hopefully our local grocery store is not sold out of food easy to make with no power. We will gas up the cars today, buy more gas for the grill.
We were thinking of sleeping downstairs in the basement Saturday night in case the large tree in our backyard decides to fall down on the house (or any neighbors’ trees for that matter). We will have to watch water levels to make sure that the basement isn’t flooding. Otherwise, we can sleep in the spare bedroom on the first floor and if the tree does fall it would have to hit the second floor first.
*crossing fingers we are overreacting*
Knowing my luck this year though.....
First it was the earthquake. I was sitting at my desk looking at the window (I’m on the 19th Floor) and I felt some swaying for about 30 seconds. I called over to my coworker in the next cube over, “Did you feel that?” She replied that it was probably just a large truck barreling down the highway. Ummmm no. I spent the rest of the day freaked out because my building is NOT earthquake compliant (buildings on the East Coast are generally not, but my building doesn’t even have a solid base- it’s hard to explain but I don’t want to post a picture) and I was worried that the puppies were completely freaked out.
Turns out that Buster didn’t react to it while at doggie daycare. A couple of the dogs freaked out and hid under things for about 30 minutes; I guess it didn’t even phase Buster. When I got home Fuzzy Britches seemed perfectly fine and ready to play with a ball in her mouth. Berners must be too stupid to be scared.
Now Hurricane Irene is heading towards NC and should be hitting CT around midnight Saturday night. Our governor, local meteorologists and newscasters are all stressing to take this storm seriously. I guess Hurricane Gloria hit CT really hard in 1985; unfortunately people were unprepared and without power for at least a week. I guess the state has more trees than in 1985 so downed trees and flooding are going to be the biggest problems.
CP and I have already started to find all of our batteries, find flashlights/headlamps, charge the camping lantern, find our camping water jug, find a bucket to put water in for the puppies, etc. Hopefully our local grocery store is not sold out of food easy to make with no power. We will gas up the cars today, buy more gas for the grill.
We were thinking of sleeping downstairs in the basement Saturday night in case the large tree in our backyard decides to fall down on the house (or any neighbors’ trees for that matter). We will have to watch water levels to make sure that the basement isn’t flooding. Otherwise, we can sleep in the spare bedroom on the first floor and if the tree does fall it would have to hit the second floor first.
*crossing fingers we are overreacting*
Knowing my luck this year though.....
8.25.2011
Attitude
Recently one of my coworkers spilled the beans that she is pregnant. Considering there are only a few of us young enough to have kids, everyone in the office got excited. I was talking to one of my friends who has one child (working on another) and told her the news.
“I’m sorry. I know how hard that must be for you.”
I was confused why she said that. Finding out that someone else is pregnant doesn’t upset me. I am happy for them. I was happy when two close friends announced that they were pregnant. I was also jealous because OF COURSE you want to be in the same boat as them…but not pissed.
Maybe she meant that I must be sad? I must admit that sometimes I do get sad. I wonder if I will have some of the experiences my friends have had….a baby kicking in my stomach, seeing my child’s face for the first time, watching CP be an amazing father, hearing my child’s first words, teaching my child how to walk/play sports/etc, teaching my child right from wrong, and generally watching them grow up. I do want these experiences and all of the good AND bad that comes with having kids. Sometimes I worry that if we stay childless we are going to lose some friends. Are some of our friends that have kids going to take vacations and not invite us because we don’t have kids?
Despite my occasional sadness over not being able to conceive so far, I would never want ANYONE to have to deal with infertility. It’s not something that I would wish on an enemy of mine. To wish and hope every month that THIS TIME will be different….and it is just the same old story.
But hating people that get pregnant (okay, I admit that I am not happy for druggies that are still able to get pregnant despite the fact they are ruining their bodies with illegal substances and in turn ruining their babies)? Wishing that others were going through my same journey? No.
It’s possible that I won’t have this attitude in a few years if we are still not pregnant….
“I’m sorry. I know how hard that must be for you.”
I was confused why she said that. Finding out that someone else is pregnant doesn’t upset me. I am happy for them. I was happy when two close friends announced that they were pregnant. I was also jealous because OF COURSE you want to be in the same boat as them…but not pissed.
Maybe she meant that I must be sad? I must admit that sometimes I do get sad. I wonder if I will have some of the experiences my friends have had….a baby kicking in my stomach, seeing my child’s face for the first time, watching CP be an amazing father, hearing my child’s first words, teaching my child how to walk/play sports/etc, teaching my child right from wrong, and generally watching them grow up. I do want these experiences and all of the good AND bad that comes with having kids. Sometimes I worry that if we stay childless we are going to lose some friends. Are some of our friends that have kids going to take vacations and not invite us because we don’t have kids?
Despite my occasional sadness over not being able to conceive so far, I would never want ANYONE to have to deal with infertility. It’s not something that I would wish on an enemy of mine. To wish and hope every month that THIS TIME will be different….and it is just the same old story.
But hating people that get pregnant (okay, I admit that I am not happy for druggies that are still able to get pregnant despite the fact they are ruining their bodies with illegal substances and in turn ruining their babies)? Wishing that others were going through my same journey? No.
It’s possible that I won’t have this attitude in a few years if we are still not pregnant….
8.24.2011
Funny story. You know how I was supposed to get my Lupron shot yesterday? Well, that didn’t quite happen.
I woke up yesterday and called my boss to let her know that I would be in a little late. I had to get my Day 3 blood drawn to make sure my ovaries are doing their job, pick up my Lupron shot from the pharmacy and bring it over to their office for the nurse to inject it.
Sounds easy right? That’s how the doctor made it seem. But in reality I spent almost two hours calling pharmacies to find one that had the drug in my specific dosage (one had it…but it was the pediatric form).
After a while I gave up, had my blood drawn and went to the doctor’s office to talk to the nurse. Maybe she knew where I could find Lupron in the correct dosage. She called all around but no one had it. I had one pharmacy that could have it by this afternoon and one pharmacy that had a lab attached and they could have it ready by that afternoon. The nurse told me that she could give me the injection today but I would probably have to take a pregnancy test beforehand. Ummm lady? I’m on my period. No sex happening over here and I can tell you that there is absolutely no way that I could be pregnant right now.
So I rushed to a fax machine to get the pharmacy the prescription. Five minutes later I received a call telling me that my insurance rejected the medication because it was not pre-approved and that it would be $1800. Would I like to proceed? HA HA HA HA HA. $1800??? For ONE SHOT???? Yeah right.
So once again I call the nurse and tell her the situation. She called the insurance company and I had two options. 1. Pay for the medication myself and ask for a reimbursement from my insurance company. 2. Wait until my insurance company orders the medication through their “specialty lab.” In the meantime I have to take birth control while I am waiting for the shot to arrive (something I haven't taken in over a year now).*
I opt for 2 because I don’t trust my insurance company to reimburse me.
So now I am on a birth control pill that I have never heard of (at least it was only $20) and hopefully the Lupron comes in from my insurance company before next Thursday as I am then out of town for 12 days. CP and I are confused as we have a ‘case manager’ at the doctor’s office and shouldn’t she have talked to my insurance company beforehand to make sure that the drug would be covered?
Oh and I’m feeling quite nauseous right now but have never had that feeling from birth control. Has anyone else had that side effect?
*I guess they need to keep my body in a “suspended” state.
I woke up yesterday and called my boss to let her know that I would be in a little late. I had to get my Day 3 blood drawn to make sure my ovaries are doing their job, pick up my Lupron shot from the pharmacy and bring it over to their office for the nurse to inject it.
Sounds easy right? That’s how the doctor made it seem. But in reality I spent almost two hours calling pharmacies to find one that had the drug in my specific dosage (one had it…but it was the pediatric form).
After a while I gave up, had my blood drawn and went to the doctor’s office to talk to the nurse. Maybe she knew where I could find Lupron in the correct dosage. She called all around but no one had it. I had one pharmacy that could have it by this afternoon and one pharmacy that had a lab attached and they could have it ready by that afternoon. The nurse told me that she could give me the injection today but I would probably have to take a pregnancy test beforehand. Ummm lady? I’m on my period. No sex happening over here and I can tell you that there is absolutely no way that I could be pregnant right now.
So I rushed to a fax machine to get the pharmacy the prescription. Five minutes later I received a call telling me that my insurance rejected the medication because it was not pre-approved and that it would be $1800. Would I like to proceed? HA HA HA HA HA. $1800??? For ONE SHOT???? Yeah right.
So once again I call the nurse and tell her the situation. She called the insurance company and I had two options. 1. Pay for the medication myself and ask for a reimbursement from my insurance company. 2. Wait until my insurance company orders the medication through their “specialty lab.” In the meantime I have to take birth control while I am waiting for the shot to arrive (something I haven't taken in over a year now).*
I opt for 2 because I don’t trust my insurance company to reimburse me.
So now I am on a birth control pill that I have never heard of (at least it was only $20) and hopefully the Lupron comes in from my insurance company before next Thursday as I am then out of town for 12 days. CP and I are confused as we have a ‘case manager’ at the doctor’s office and shouldn’t she have talked to my insurance company beforehand to make sure that the drug would be covered?
Oh and I’m feeling quite nauseous right now but have never had that feeling from birth control. Has anyone else had that side effect?
*I guess they need to keep my body in a “suspended” state.
8.23.2011
Gasland
Last week I watched the documentary Gasland. I finished the movie completely sick to my stomach and wanting to cry.
About the film: The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown.
Trailer can be found here.
My thoughts:
* Where is an Erin Brockovich when you need her to help out everyone with health problems from the drilling? The filmmaker received a letter offering $4k/ acre for his land in rural PA. He had 19 acres so he stood to make $100,000. I can only imagine how people in rural areas jumped on the chance to make that kind of money before thinking of the environmental and health consequences.
*The fact that the various state Department of Environmental Protection agencies are turning a blind eye to the problem is both horrifying and terrifying. Most agencies received tons of cuts because of the recession. Who is going to protect us from greedy companies that are all too ready to ruin land, animals and people all for a quick buck?
*In one scene the filmmaker talks to an organic beef farmer. He has drills all around him and won't drink his water because of all of the chemicals in it. However, he still allows his cattle to drink the water- he even says that he can't believe that they want to drink it because it smells so bad. How is this even allowed as an organic beef farmer? The cattle may not be getting antibiotics, feed corn, etc. but all of the chemicals in the water will be present in the meat once the cattle is slaughtered. Disgusting.
*Even though CT doesn't have any natural gas drilling, I still went on the website and emailed my senators and representatives about this subject. I really worry for my friends in the shale states.
Have you seen this documentary yet? I would highly recommend a viewing of it as you might be in one of the 34 states affected by the natural gas drilling. Even if you don't live in one of the states, the entire water system will eventually be affected by this drilling.
About the film: The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown.
Trailer can be found here.
My thoughts:
* Where is an Erin Brockovich when you need her to help out everyone with health problems from the drilling? The filmmaker received a letter offering $4k/ acre for his land in rural PA. He had 19 acres so he stood to make $100,000. I can only imagine how people in rural areas jumped on the chance to make that kind of money before thinking of the environmental and health consequences.
*The fact that the various state Department of Environmental Protection agencies are turning a blind eye to the problem is both horrifying and terrifying. Most agencies received tons of cuts because of the recession. Who is going to protect us from greedy companies that are all too ready to ruin land, animals and people all for a quick buck?
*In one scene the filmmaker talks to an organic beef farmer. He has drills all around him and won't drink his water because of all of the chemicals in it. However, he still allows his cattle to drink the water- he even says that he can't believe that they want to drink it because it smells so bad. How is this even allowed as an organic beef farmer? The cattle may not be getting antibiotics, feed corn, etc. but all of the chemicals in the water will be present in the meat once the cattle is slaughtered. Disgusting.
*Even though CT doesn't have any natural gas drilling, I still went on the website and emailed my senators and representatives about this subject. I really worry for my friends in the shale states.
Have you seen this documentary yet? I would highly recommend a viewing of it as you might be in one of the 34 states affected by the natural gas drilling. Even if you don't live in one of the states, the entire water system will eventually be affected by this drilling.
8.22.2011
Weekend
This weekend CP and I didn’t have anything planned per se, but managed to have an exhausting weekend nevertheless.
On Saturday CP needed to do some work so I went for a run (C25K Week 3, Run 2)- it was much easier than the run last week (Week 3, Run 1). That may have been because it was a little cooler outside. I then came back to the house and popped in The Biggest Loser’s Weight Loss Yoga DVD. Working out win!
Lunch that day consisted of a salad with lettuce, cucumbers, radishes and cherry tomatoes all from our garden. Yum. We then took the dogs to the brook so that they could cool off in the water and went food shopping. I made two Indian dishes for dinner (Butter Tomato Sauce- with fresh tomatoes from our garden and Zesty Green Beans- also from our garden) while CP readied the meat.
Zesty Green Beans
Smoked Buffalo sausages
On Saturday CP needed to do some work so I went for a run (C25K Week 3, Run 2)- it was much easier than the run last week (Week 3, Run 1). That may have been because it was a little cooler outside. I then came back to the house and popped in The Biggest Loser’s Weight Loss Yoga DVD. Working out win!
Lunch that day consisted of a salad with lettuce, cucumbers, radishes and cherry tomatoes all from our garden. Yum. We then took the dogs to the brook so that they could cool off in the water and went food shopping. I made two Indian dishes for dinner (Butter Tomato Sauce- with fresh tomatoes from our garden and Zesty Green Beans- also from our garden) while CP readied the meat.
Zesty Green BeansWe ended up buying almost 40 pounds of meat on Saturday because CP decided he was going to make sausage all day. And I mean ALL DAY. While I took the dogs for an hour walk, CP made Chicken Apple sausage, a delicious breakfast sausage. I then helped him put together the spices for an Argentinean Chorizo. Next up was a Chicken/Turkey Sausage with Roasted Green Chiles. Finally, a Buffalo sausage that CP ended up smoking until 10pm last night. The last sausage is AMAZING and is super delicious with cheese as an appetizer. Mmmmmm. So now our basement freezer is stocked with vacuum-sealed sausages….which we are going to have to start eating as our beef CSA starts up again in November!
Smoked Buffalo sausagesThe only bad part of the weekend? I got my period which meant that I couldn’t sleep last night because I was up worrying about getting the Lupron shot tomorrow. I really need to stop reading Internet comments about the side effects. All I can do is stay positive and hope that I come out of the three month shot unscathed.
But today is another day and hopefully I am able to sleep tonight. After work today I am taking the dogs to a local pool for a dog park fundraiser. After the pool is closed for the summer (yesterday), the town allows dogs to jump in for a day. Fuzzy Britches is going to be so excited! Buster will probably just play with other dogs instead of swimming…. But it should be hilarious.
How was your weekend?
But today is another day and hopefully I am able to sleep tonight. After work today I am taking the dogs to a local pool for a dog park fundraiser. After the pool is closed for the summer (yesterday), the town allows dogs to jump in for a day. Fuzzy Britches is going to be so excited! Buster will probably just play with other dogs instead of swimming…. But it should be hilarious.
How was your weekend?
8.19.2011
Back to basics
Yesterday I decided to switch up my running training a bit. So far my runs have been about two miles at about a 12 minute/mile pace. That is SLOW. So slow that it is hard for me to admit my pace, despite the fact that I am coming from a two month break in running.
So as I thought about it, I decided to go back to the mainstay- Couch to 5K. The program is supposed to help you run 10 minute/miles by the end. (I was certainly not running 10 minute/miles during my half marathon.)
My next race is the Hartford Marathon Relay with friends in two months. While they are not going to care how fast I run, I don’t want people running the actual marathon (as opposed to the one section that I will run) to fly past me. It’s a matter of pride.
So I am going back to the basics. I won’t start at Week 1, but yesterday completed Week 3, workout 1 which sadly was HARD. It was hard because I pushed myself and made myself run faster than an 11 minute/mile pace (my Nike+ pace ranged quite a bit). My heart pounded and I was out of breath by the time I was allowed to walk. But I know that it will get better. Once I get used to the pace I will up my miles so that I am ready for the race. I probably should have started this earlier, but I still have two months to try to increase my speed. The longest section is a 10K which is totally doable.
Unfortunately I am limping around today from my plantar fasciitis. Yep, it has reared its ugly head again. I really should stop running, but I am not going to. I am not willing to take more than two months off right now. Maybe I will take some time off after my fibroid surgery…..maybe I won’t. Maybe I will just wait until I (hopefully) get pregnant. I will just have to decide based on my pain level. I read an article on Jillian Michaels and she said that although she hates running, before every workout she runs three miles. She said it is absolutely the best way to lose weight. And I would have to agree.
How did you increase your running speed?
So as I thought about it, I decided to go back to the mainstay- Couch to 5K. The program is supposed to help you run 10 minute/miles by the end. (I was certainly not running 10 minute/miles during my half marathon.)
My next race is the Hartford Marathon Relay with friends in two months. While they are not going to care how fast I run, I don’t want people running the actual marathon (as opposed to the one section that I will run) to fly past me. It’s a matter of pride.
So I am going back to the basics. I won’t start at Week 1, but yesterday completed Week 3, workout 1 which sadly was HARD. It was hard because I pushed myself and made myself run faster than an 11 minute/mile pace (my Nike+ pace ranged quite a bit). My heart pounded and I was out of breath by the time I was allowed to walk. But I know that it will get better. Once I get used to the pace I will up my miles so that I am ready for the race. I probably should have started this earlier, but I still have two months to try to increase my speed. The longest section is a 10K which is totally doable.
Unfortunately I am limping around today from my plantar fasciitis. Yep, it has reared its ugly head again. I really should stop running, but I am not going to. I am not willing to take more than two months off right now. Maybe I will take some time off after my fibroid surgery…..maybe I won’t. Maybe I will just wait until I (hopefully) get pregnant. I will just have to decide based on my pain level. I read an article on Jillian Michaels and she said that although she hates running, before every workout she runs three miles. She said it is absolutely the best way to lose weight. And I would have to agree.
How did you increase your running speed?
8.17.2011
Almost Wordless Wednesday
Buster is a fairly smart puppy.
Within a month of joining our family, he figured out how to open the door below. He jumps up and with his paws hits the door handle to open the door going out to our sunroom. CP thought it was cute when he figure out how to do this, I wasn't so sure. In about a month we will teach him to use the dog door, but wanted to keep that closed until we no longer were running a/c.
Recently he has figured out how to get past this gate that usually keeps him in the kitchen. We had hooks in the door frame, but took them out when we realized that we could just put the gate inbetween the door frame and the basement door.
However, a few weeks ago Buster figured out how to jump up with his front paws on the gate, use his nose to open the basement door, push the gate and run upstairs to wake us up. (He sleeps in a crate at night but we let him roam the kitchen during the day/after CP gets up for a work and while I am still getting ready upstairs.)
We tried to put a shoe underneath the gate so that the gate wouldn't slide but he broke through that. We put a heavy hamper of clothes but he broke through that.
Buster is one determined puppy.
This is our latest try. I put the hamper on the other side so that he can't jump up on the gate. So far escape has alluded him....but probably not for long.
What?!!?? I didn't do anything. I just wanted to be next to you instead in the kitchen by myself!
On a totally different topic, this is what I had to resort to doing to the vent above my cube. It prevents the steady flow of freezing cold air from hitting me. So far my boss hasn't said anything and since I put it up I still have to wear a winter sweater in the office, but it has helped a bit.
Within a month of joining our family, he figured out how to open the door below. He jumps up and with his paws hits the door handle to open the door going out to our sunroom. CP thought it was cute when he figure out how to do this, I wasn't so sure. In about a month we will teach him to use the dog door, but wanted to keep that closed until we no longer were running a/c.
Recently he has figured out how to get past this gate that usually keeps him in the kitchen. We had hooks in the door frame, but took them out when we realized that we could just put the gate inbetween the door frame and the basement door.
However, a few weeks ago Buster figured out how to jump up with his front paws on the gate, use his nose to open the basement door, push the gate and run upstairs to wake us up. (He sleeps in a crate at night but we let him roam the kitchen during the day/after CP gets up for a work and while I am still getting ready upstairs.)
We tried to put a shoe underneath the gate so that the gate wouldn't slide but he broke through that. We put a heavy hamper of clothes but he broke through that.
Buster is one determined puppy.
This is our latest try. I put the hamper on the other side so that he can't jump up on the gate. So far escape has alluded him....but probably not for long.
What?!!?? I didn't do anything. I just wanted to be next to you instead in the kitchen by myself!
On a totally different topic, this is what I had to resort to doing to the vent above my cube. It prevents the steady flow of freezing cold air from hitting me. So far my boss hasn't said anything and since I put it up I still have to wear a winter sweater in the office, but it has helped a bit.8.16.2011
Rainy errands
Yesterday I decided instead of driving the 1.8 miles to drop off mail, I was going to walk to the mailbox. In the pouring rain. With Buster.
And you know what? It wasn’t so bad.
During the walk I patted myself on the back for doing something healthy during my lunch hour instead of driving and wasting gas. I not only mailed the letters but also tired Buster out for the afternoon. In addition, the walk woke me up for the rest of the day. Earlier I had been very tired but the walk made me downright perky for an afternoon of work.
Yes I got wet despite my umbrella. Yes it was a bit difficult trying to deal with the umbrella, Buster and a bag filled with poop for half of the walk until I came upon a garbage can. But it was no big deal to come home after the walk, towel Buster off, and take off my wet shoes, socks and pants.
Yesterday weather-wise was a bit of an anomaly because the rain kept the temperature in the low 70s. This whole summer has been a bit difficult for the pups as it has been pretty hot in the middle of the day. But lunch hour errands that I can also use as exercise for one of the dogs and myself, while also saving a car trip? I hope to do that more often. I used to walk all of the time in Chicago- driving a car was much too annoying when you could take the El….but I don’t live in a downtown area any more so I don’t have as many opportunities and things are farther away.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Overall yesterday was a good workout day. In addition to the walk with Buster during lunch, I took Koda for a mile walk after work. Then I ran to the gym to take my first 1.25 hour power yoga class.
The instructor decided to turn the heat on which was unexpected- it is August. I was dripping everywhere throughout the class which made my mat slippery (which made downward dog more difficult). It's possible that I don't have a true yoga mat and just more of a workout mat....
So I guess I can say I have now taken a hot yoga class? Thank goodness I wore a Dri Fit shirt as I was nasty! I think that I would enjoy the class a bit more if I was better prepared for the heat.
Too bad I don't have time to work out this much every day!!
And you know what? It wasn’t so bad.
During the walk I patted myself on the back for doing something healthy during my lunch hour instead of driving and wasting gas. I not only mailed the letters but also tired Buster out for the afternoon. In addition, the walk woke me up for the rest of the day. Earlier I had been very tired but the walk made me downright perky for an afternoon of work.
Yes I got wet despite my umbrella. Yes it was a bit difficult trying to deal with the umbrella, Buster and a bag filled with poop for half of the walk until I came upon a garbage can. But it was no big deal to come home after the walk, towel Buster off, and take off my wet shoes, socks and pants.
Yesterday weather-wise was a bit of an anomaly because the rain kept the temperature in the low 70s. This whole summer has been a bit difficult for the pups as it has been pretty hot in the middle of the day. But lunch hour errands that I can also use as exercise for one of the dogs and myself, while also saving a car trip? I hope to do that more often. I used to walk all of the time in Chicago- driving a car was much too annoying when you could take the El….but I don’t live in a downtown area any more so I don’t have as many opportunities and things are farther away.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Overall yesterday was a good workout day. In addition to the walk with Buster during lunch, I took Koda for a mile walk after work. Then I ran to the gym to take my first 1.25 hour power yoga class.
The instructor decided to turn the heat on which was unexpected- it is August. I was dripping everywhere throughout the class which made my mat slippery (which made downward dog more difficult). It's possible that I don't have a true yoga mat and just more of a workout mat....
So I guess I can say I have now taken a hot yoga class? Thank goodness I wore a Dri Fit shirt as I was nasty! I think that I would enjoy the class a bit more if I was better prepared for the heat.
Too bad I don't have time to work out this much every day!!
8.15.2011
Monday bullets
*My interview on Friday was going well…..until they informed me that it was only a part time job. Hmmm. I didn’t see that anywhere on the job details and all of my job searches had been for full time employment. I found this out about 10 minutes into the interview and we hung up shortly after that because there was no use in continuing the conversation. Oh well.
*Friday night I went to see OAR with a friend. It was my first time seeing them and it ended up being a really fun concert.
*Saturday CP went over to a friend’s house at 7am to help smoke pork and drink Bloody Mary’s (crazy men and their meat). Meanwhile I went to a yoga class, took the dogs for a long walk and cleaned the house. That night we headed over to the same friend’s house for the delicious pork dinner and drinks. We never mean to stay late/drink a lot at their house but it always seems to happen…..
*Sunday we didn’t have anything planned for the day because it poured rain all day, but we ended up being very productive. We went to the mall to get outfits for my father-in-law's upcoming wedding. I bought the dress below which isn’t usually something that I would wear but I thought that it would be a great dress for a HOT HOT HOT wedding in Palm Springs and hopefully the wedding in Denver the following weekend (meaning I only have to pack one dress for both weddings).
What color shoes do you think would work with this dress? (NOT purple)
*CP and I also got busy cooking and baking. CP put a beef roast (our last roast from our beef CSA last year) on the rotisserie in his grill with some salt and pepper and later made a chimichurri sauce- delicious. We also used cherry tomatoes and basil from our garden, pairing it with fresh mozzarella for an amazing salad. Meanwhile I made two loaves of banana bread, two loaves of sandwich bread and chicken salad using herbs from our garden so that we would have lunch for this week. Whew!
What did you do this weekend?
*Friday night I went to see OAR with a friend. It was my first time seeing them and it ended up being a really fun concert.
*Saturday CP went over to a friend’s house at 7am to help smoke pork and drink Bloody Mary’s (crazy men and their meat). Meanwhile I went to a yoga class, took the dogs for a long walk and cleaned the house. That night we headed over to the same friend’s house for the delicious pork dinner and drinks. We never mean to stay late/drink a lot at their house but it always seems to happen…..
*Sunday we didn’t have anything planned for the day because it poured rain all day, but we ended up being very productive. We went to the mall to get outfits for my father-in-law's upcoming wedding. I bought the dress below which isn’t usually something that I would wear but I thought that it would be a great dress for a HOT HOT HOT wedding in Palm Springs and hopefully the wedding in Denver the following weekend (meaning I only have to pack one dress for both weddings).
What color shoes do you think would work with this dress? (NOT purple)
*CP and I also got busy cooking and baking. CP put a beef roast (our last roast from our beef CSA last year) on the rotisserie in his grill with some salt and pepper and later made a chimichurri sauce- delicious. We also used cherry tomatoes and basil from our garden, pairing it with fresh mozzarella for an amazing salad. Meanwhile I made two loaves of banana bread, two loaves of sandwich bread and chicken salad using herbs from our garden so that we would have lunch for this week. Whew!
What did you do this weekend?
8.12.2011
Interview
In a few hours I have an interview with a nonprofit that I would absolutely LOVE to work for. It’s kind of funny that I even got the interview. The job notice was posted in mid June; I didn’t see it and apply for it until mid July. The posting had already been removed from their website, so I sent in my resume and cover letter to the Executive Director. I didn’t hear back from them so I figured that they had already filled the position.
On Monday I received an email from the nonprofit asking me if I would be available for a brief phone interview this week. This was the ONE cover letter and resume I sent out before I got the news of my fibroid surgery so it’s pretty amazing that I got a call back. So send good thoughts at 2pm today!!
The only potential problem with this job? I don’t think that it is going to pay enough. I am going to reserve judgment until I hear straight from the nonprofit, but if the salary is not close to what I am being paid now I won’t be able to take the job even if sounded like the best job in the entire world. Between our mortgage payment, the braces, two upcoming surgeries and out of pocket costs for IUI(s) next year, I need to maintain my salary level. Also, our renters out west are moving out at the end of September so we are currently trying to figure out whether to sell the place or rent it out again. Either way there is probably going to be at least a month where we will have to float two mortgages.
So yeah, while I am excited about the phone interview, I am trying not to get too excited because if I to make it through to the next round, my bet is that I won’t be able to take the job if offered it. *sigh*
On Monday I received an email from the nonprofit asking me if I would be available for a brief phone interview this week. This was the ONE cover letter and resume I sent out before I got the news of my fibroid surgery so it’s pretty amazing that I got a call back. So send good thoughts at 2pm today!!
The only potential problem with this job? I don’t think that it is going to pay enough. I am going to reserve judgment until I hear straight from the nonprofit, but if the salary is not close to what I am being paid now I won’t be able to take the job even if sounded like the best job in the entire world. Between our mortgage payment, the braces, two upcoming surgeries and out of pocket costs for IUI(s) next year, I need to maintain my salary level. Also, our renters out west are moving out at the end of September so we are currently trying to figure out whether to sell the place or rent it out again. Either way there is probably going to be at least a month where we will have to float two mortgages.
So yeah, while I am excited about the phone interview, I am trying not to get too excited because if I to make it through to the next round, my bet is that I won’t be able to take the job if offered it. *sigh*
8.11.2011
Anxious
I’m a bit frustrated today. I finally got in touch with the nurse for the fibroid surgery and she told me that the reason I haven’t gotten a call to schedule my fibroid surgery is because my hospital is getting a new robotic arm and they don’t have the schedule yet. So hopefully I will have a better idea of when I could have the surgery by the end of this month.
I would like to get it scheduled because with Thanksgiving, our mid-December Bahamas vacation (which may or may not happen at this point) and Christmas, there is a small window of opportunity to have the surgery. I have to wait three months for the Lupron to work and I can’t start that until my third day of my next period (late this month). So late November would be the earliest I could have the surgery. I will probably be out 7-10 days and I don’t want to feel too crappy on our vacation, even if our plan is just lay by the pool and drink fruity drinks (with some scuba diving if I am allowed). Of course I also have to be cleared to fly too…. I also don’t want to feel crappy on one of the holidays because we will be with CP’s family and I don’t want to be cranky around them (despite the fact that they will completely understand why).
Of course I am already stressed about this which is silly, but something that I can’t seem to control.
And then I am also nervous because I spoke to one of my African American coworkers (MJ) and it turns out that she AND her twin sister have had the surgery. Fibroids happen more often to AA women (they have no idea why)- which makes me want to joke about what a mistake it was to date my AA boyfriend in college as he clearly was the cause of the fibroid (ha). Anyway, her sister took the Lupron shot and had the surgery three months later. MJ said that she was an emotional/hormonal basket case from the Lupron…which is what I am afraid of. I had a period of two months in law school where I went NUTS because of the weird birth control I was taking (lucky CP was out of town a lot from work or else we probably wouldn't be together!). Her sister was so crazy that MJ refused the shot prior to her surgery. I shared my fears of being crazy due to the Lupron with CP and he said he figured that it was going to be a hard three months. Oh boy.
So yeah, the planner in me is going nuts because I just want to be able to write my surgery date into the calendar so I can start mentally preparing. I am also anxious to meet with the oral surgeon at the end of this month and get things moving on my braces. *sigh*
I would like to get it scheduled because with Thanksgiving, our mid-December Bahamas vacation (which may or may not happen at this point) and Christmas, there is a small window of opportunity to have the surgery. I have to wait three months for the Lupron to work and I can’t start that until my third day of my next period (late this month). So late November would be the earliest I could have the surgery. I will probably be out 7-10 days and I don’t want to feel too crappy on our vacation, even if our plan is just lay by the pool and drink fruity drinks (with some scuba diving if I am allowed). Of course I also have to be cleared to fly too…. I also don’t want to feel crappy on one of the holidays because we will be with CP’s family and I don’t want to be cranky around them (despite the fact that they will completely understand why).
Of course I am already stressed about this which is silly, but something that I can’t seem to control.
And then I am also nervous because I spoke to one of my African American coworkers (MJ) and it turns out that she AND her twin sister have had the surgery. Fibroids happen more often to AA women (they have no idea why)- which makes me want to joke about what a mistake it was to date my AA boyfriend in college as he clearly was the cause of the fibroid (ha). Anyway, her sister took the Lupron shot and had the surgery three months later. MJ said that she was an emotional/hormonal basket case from the Lupron…which is what I am afraid of. I had a period of two months in law school where I went NUTS because of the weird birth control I was taking (lucky CP was out of town a lot from work or else we probably wouldn't be together!). Her sister was so crazy that MJ refused the shot prior to her surgery. I shared my fears of being crazy due to the Lupron with CP and he said he figured that it was going to be a hard three months. Oh boy.
So yeah, the planner in me is going nuts because I just want to be able to write my surgery date into the calendar so I can start mentally preparing. I am also anxious to meet with the oral surgeon at the end of this month and get things moving on my braces. *sigh*
8.10.2011
Almost Wordless Wednesday
I'm not sure why this picture keeps loading upside down because it is saved correctly, but these are some of the Natchitoches Meat Pies that we made this past weekend to save and make in the next few months. Yum!
Quiche made this past weekend with swiss chard from our garden!
After meeting with the fertility doctor, he suggested that we test for various genetic diseases. If my insurance doesn't cover the test, it is only $316. We decided to go ahead and do the test because if we are both a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis (which would give any baby that we had together a 1 and 4 chance of having CF), we won't be having kids. The test was easy- just spitting into the container I am holding up the picture, mixing a preservation liquid into my spit, sealing the package and then calling FedEx to get the sample picked up. I should hear back in a couple of weeks.
Kefta Beef Fingers made this past weekend to freeze and make later. We used 5 pounds of beef so we made quite a bit! I promise they look better once grilled. :-)
It's not the prettiest of pictures, but this Roasted Veggie Stacked Enchilada (recipe from The Sweets Life) was delicious! CP is not always a fan of the entrees that I choose to make, but he really enjoyed this. We will definitely make it again.
I got bored one day and decided to make cinnamon rolls. They are surprisingly not that difficult and I got to use my bundt pans. It was really hard to not eat more than one or two for breakfast!
It's blueberry season in the Northeast so while CP and I were in NH we picked up some fresh blueberries. CP LOVES when I bake pies. I really only like baking pies if the bottom crust is premade and I can make a crumb topping (because it is easier). :-)
It's not the prettiest of pictures, but this Roasted Veggie Stacked Enchilada (recipe from The Sweets Life) was delicious! CP is not always a fan of the entrees that I choose to make, but he really enjoyed this. We will definitely make it again.
I got bored one day and decided to make cinnamon rolls. They are surprisingly not that difficult and I got to use my bundt pans. It was really hard to not eat more than one or two for breakfast!
It's blueberry season in the Northeast so while CP and I were in NH we picked up some fresh blueberries. CP LOVES when I bake pies. I really only like baking pies if the bottom crust is premade and I can make a crumb topping (because it is easier). :-)8.09.2011
Weekend in bullets
*Friday night was spent at a friend’s new house. We drank entirely too much, stayed up too late and I came home with about 5 million mosquito bites (give or take a few), but it was a fun night.
*I woke up early Saturday morning with a headache and achy body from the alcohol. I dragged myself out of bed, dressed and picked up my friend. She was feeling equally crappy. We headed down to the center of our town for 1.5 hours of power yoga in the street to celebrate the opening of a Lululemon store. About 200 people set down mats on the pavement while random people took pictures and watched from the sidewalk. Every time the teacher made me close my eyes the world started to spin. Surprisingly, I made it through the class and actually felt better. Yoga really does some amazing stuff!
*Saturday CP and I took his car to Carmax, hoping to sell it for a good price. Kelly Blue Book said we could get $11,000+ from a private sale and $9,000+ for a dealer trade-in. They ended up offering us $6,500 despite nothing wrong with the car. Needless to say, an ad went up on Craigslist that day. Hopefully we can sell it soon!
*I took the dogs to the river again. Buster played with his favorite puppy friend and Koda took other dog’s toys. They were both exhausted after the trip.
*CP and I watched The Kids are Alright on Saturday night and were once again disappointed at a movie that everyone raved about. I think that this is why I don’t see a lot of movies these days- they just aren’t that good.
*Sunday was a day spent making food. We made 5 pounds of Kefta Beef Fingers (a Lebanese dish) and 16 large Natchitoches Meat Pies (kind of like Cajun empanadas). Thank goodness for our freezer downstairs as we now have a bunch of food stored for easy dinners the next couple of months!
*This weekend we signed up for the CSA beef share again. 20 pounds a month of grass fed organic beef for six months. We are still trying to finish the beef that we have left in the freezer from last year’s CSA- we have until November! All of that beef will come in handy while I am on Lupron as the doctor said that you can became anemic on the medication.
How was your weekend?
*I woke up early Saturday morning with a headache and achy body from the alcohol. I dragged myself out of bed, dressed and picked up my friend. She was feeling equally crappy. We headed down to the center of our town for 1.5 hours of power yoga in the street to celebrate the opening of a Lululemon store. About 200 people set down mats on the pavement while random people took pictures and watched from the sidewalk. Every time the teacher made me close my eyes the world started to spin. Surprisingly, I made it through the class and actually felt better. Yoga really does some amazing stuff!
*Saturday CP and I took his car to Carmax, hoping to sell it for a good price. Kelly Blue Book said we could get $11,000+ from a private sale and $9,000+ for a dealer trade-in. They ended up offering us $6,500 despite nothing wrong with the car. Needless to say, an ad went up on Craigslist that day. Hopefully we can sell it soon!
*I took the dogs to the river again. Buster played with his favorite puppy friend and Koda took other dog’s toys. They were both exhausted after the trip.
*CP and I watched The Kids are Alright on Saturday night and were once again disappointed at a movie that everyone raved about. I think that this is why I don’t see a lot of movies these days- they just aren’t that good.
*Sunday was a day spent making food. We made 5 pounds of Kefta Beef Fingers (a Lebanese dish) and 16 large Natchitoches Meat Pies (kind of like Cajun empanadas). Thank goodness for our freezer downstairs as we now have a bunch of food stored for easy dinners the next couple of months!
*This weekend we signed up for the CSA beef share again. 20 pounds a month of grass fed organic beef for six months. We are still trying to finish the beef that we have left in the freezer from last year’s CSA- we have until November! All of that beef will come in handy while I am on Lupron as the doctor said that you can became anemic on the medication.
How was your weekend?
8.05.2011
Hope
It’s the end of what has been a hard week here in NSC land. But you know what? Despite the two surgeries that are looming over me in the next year or so, I’m starting to feel better. The one good thing about this fibroid is the fact that it is something wrong with ME not CP. So I can make the decision to tell whomever I want about it. That doesn’t mean that I have to give away that CP and I are trying to conceive…fibroids can be found during a regular annual exam (ahem…despite the fact that mine were not).
Telling people/complaining has helped my mood. Just getting it off my chest to various people has been cathartic.
Having this surgery is not the end of the world. It is frustrating that I feel absolutely fine yet need to have two surgeries. But hey, I can’t complain that I am otherwise healthy. Hopefully this surgery is just a bump in the road to motherhood. At least that is what I keep telling myself.
I have to be patient (not my strong suit). 32.5 years old is still fairly young when trying to conceive. There is still hope.
Telling people/complaining has helped my mood. Just getting it off my chest to various people has been cathartic.
Having this surgery is not the end of the world. It is frustrating that I feel absolutely fine yet need to have two surgeries. But hey, I can’t complain that I am otherwise healthy. Hopefully this surgery is just a bump in the road to motherhood. At least that is what I keep telling myself.
I have to be patient (not my strong suit). 32.5 years old is still fairly young when trying to conceive. There is still hope.
8.04.2011
Book reviews
I have continued to read a bunch of books on my Nook. All ratings out of a possible 5 stars.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
4 stars
A white woman is determined to find out more about the family and background of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American woman who had cervical cancer. Cells taken from Henrietta were reproduced in a lab (without her knowledge or permission) and years later, billions of them are used all over the world. The book was great and the ethics discussion at the end was fascinating.
The Child Al Confino: The True Story of a Jewish Boy and His Mother in Mussolini’s Italy by Eric Lamet
3 stars
This book is about a Jewish boy and his mother sent into internal exile in Italy during World War II. I had no idea that this happened so it was interesting to read about the restrictions put on him and other Jewish people by Mussolini in order to appease Hitler. I was amazed that he could remember conversations he had as a kid with such detail, but sometimes the book became a bit too detailed.
Alone by Lisa Gardner
3 stars
Bobby Dodge, a police sniper, is the prime suspect for the death of a man he didn’t even know. Once he starts fraternizing with the man’s widow, he is sucked into family drama while trying to deal with his own past. I wasn’t a fan of how the detective found the widow so mesmerizing- does that really happen in real life??? Also there were plot points that were not plausible. Quick read though.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
2 stars
French naturalist Dr. Aronnax embarks on an expedition to hunt down a sea monster, only to discover instead the Nautilus, an amazing submarine built by Captain Nemo. Together they explore the underwater world while Dr. Aronnax tries to figure out why Captain Nemo never wants to live on land again. This book was written back in 1869. I was AMAZED with his knowledge of ocean currents, underwater life, etc. However, too many details bogged the book down.
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
4 stars
Jacob, newly orphaned and penniless right before finishing his vet degree at Cornell, joins the circus. He meets a broad cast of characters and falls in love with Marlena, the star of the equestrian act. I thought that it was interesting that the book kept jumping between the main character when he is in a nursing home and then his memories of his time in the circus. Haven’t seen the movie yet, but I doubt that it does the book justice (plus it has the guy from Twilight in it).
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
3 stars
A novel about the Bergland family and how they spectacularly fall apart. Every character was self absorbed. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 200 pages or so, but got bogged down when the husband became wrapped up in his work. I have heard some complaints about the book being hard to follow because Franzen jumps to different characters to narrate the story, but I didn’t seem to have a problem with that. I hated the ending- it felt like Franzen figured that he had already written enough pages and just decided to wrap it up quickly.
The Front Porch Prophet by Raymond Atkins
4 stars
I picked up this book as a “Free Friday” selection on Barnes and Noble for my Nook. I’m not sure that I would usually pick it up but the book was fun to read. The book is about A.J. Longstreet, a man trying to deal with his childhood best friend’s terminal cancer diagnosis. While it sounds like a depressing context, the book is full of funny memories and stories with quite a cast of characters.
Infected by Scott Sigler
3 stars
This was another “Free Friday” selection from Barnes and Noble. The premise is that a mysterious disease is suddenly turning ordinary people into paranoid murderers. While the CIA races around trying to find a live victim, the CDC analyzes the quickly decomposing bodies. Meanwhile, a University of Michigan former football player becomes infected and has to fight the parasites on his own. I lot of the time that I spend with my Nook is during lunch when I can sit for 45 minutes to read while eating. This is NOT a good book to read while eating lunch because it is fairly graphic and gory.
Read any good books recently?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
4 stars
A white woman is determined to find out more about the family and background of Henrietta Lacks, a poor African-American woman who had cervical cancer. Cells taken from Henrietta were reproduced in a lab (without her knowledge or permission) and years later, billions of them are used all over the world. The book was great and the ethics discussion at the end was fascinating.
The Child Al Confino: The True Story of a Jewish Boy and His Mother in Mussolini’s Italy by Eric Lamet
3 stars
This book is about a Jewish boy and his mother sent into internal exile in Italy during World War II. I had no idea that this happened so it was interesting to read about the restrictions put on him and other Jewish people by Mussolini in order to appease Hitler. I was amazed that he could remember conversations he had as a kid with such detail, but sometimes the book became a bit too detailed.
Alone by Lisa Gardner
3 stars
Bobby Dodge, a police sniper, is the prime suspect for the death of a man he didn’t even know. Once he starts fraternizing with the man’s widow, he is sucked into family drama while trying to deal with his own past. I wasn’t a fan of how the detective found the widow so mesmerizing- does that really happen in real life??? Also there were plot points that were not plausible. Quick read though.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
2 stars
French naturalist Dr. Aronnax embarks on an expedition to hunt down a sea monster, only to discover instead the Nautilus, an amazing submarine built by Captain Nemo. Together they explore the underwater world while Dr. Aronnax tries to figure out why Captain Nemo never wants to live on land again. This book was written back in 1869. I was AMAZED with his knowledge of ocean currents, underwater life, etc. However, too many details bogged the book down.
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen
4 stars
Jacob, newly orphaned and penniless right before finishing his vet degree at Cornell, joins the circus. He meets a broad cast of characters and falls in love with Marlena, the star of the equestrian act. I thought that it was interesting that the book kept jumping between the main character when he is in a nursing home and then his memories of his time in the circus. Haven’t seen the movie yet, but I doubt that it does the book justice (plus it has the guy from Twilight in it).
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
3 stars
A novel about the Bergland family and how they spectacularly fall apart. Every character was self absorbed. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 200 pages or so, but got bogged down when the husband became wrapped up in his work. I have heard some complaints about the book being hard to follow because Franzen jumps to different characters to narrate the story, but I didn’t seem to have a problem with that. I hated the ending- it felt like Franzen figured that he had already written enough pages and just decided to wrap it up quickly.
The Front Porch Prophet by Raymond Atkins
4 stars
I picked up this book as a “Free Friday” selection on Barnes and Noble for my Nook. I’m not sure that I would usually pick it up but the book was fun to read. The book is about A.J. Longstreet, a man trying to deal with his childhood best friend’s terminal cancer diagnosis. While it sounds like a depressing context, the book is full of funny memories and stories with quite a cast of characters.
Infected by Scott Sigler
3 stars
This was another “Free Friday” selection from Barnes and Noble. The premise is that a mysterious disease is suddenly turning ordinary people into paranoid murderers. While the CIA races around trying to find a live victim, the CDC analyzes the quickly decomposing bodies. Meanwhile, a University of Michigan former football player becomes infected and has to fight the parasites on his own. I lot of the time that I spend with my Nook is during lunch when I can sit for 45 minutes to read while eating. This is NOT a good book to read while eating lunch because it is fairly graphic and gory.
Read any good books recently?
8.03.2011
Cranky
I love CP very much. However, this summer has been tough.
For the past couple of months CP has had a daily three hour commute (1.5 hours each way) to a project in MA. I used to hate my daily two hour commute myself…I can’t imagine having to add another hour on it.
It’s not just the commute though. CP works for a small company and although he told his boss that he needed help months ago, his boss has refused to send anyone to MA to help him with the project saying that he can’t spare anyone. Meanwhile, CP has been working crazy hours and trying to catch up on paperwork on the weekends. CP’s client even called CP’s boss to tell him that CP needed help. A month too late, CP’s boss finally sent someone….but only for two weeks.
CP is tired. CP is stressed. CP is cranky. CP doesn’t have time to work out (which would help his mood).
Unfortunately he comes home and isn’t much fun to be with because he is worried about work, worried about the next day and everything that he needs to do. (Needless to say, all of this stress can’t be helping his sperm.)
Recently CP has started staying over in MA one night a week and frankly, I welcome the night off from his crankiness. He is much more relaxed and fun on the weekends.
I hate that I can’t do anything to help his mood. My job is not stressful so I have time to make doctor/vet appointments, pay the bills, walk the dogs, train Buster and generally keep the house together. But there are some things that I can’t do because I am not authorized to do them (i.e. call his credit card company to get the “pay by” date changed) and then I have to remind him to do it. That shouldn’t be my job since I am not his mother, but his brain is focused on work and not much else right now.
I REALLY can’t wait for this project to be over in a few months. I want my husband back.
For the past couple of months CP has had a daily three hour commute (1.5 hours each way) to a project in MA. I used to hate my daily two hour commute myself…I can’t imagine having to add another hour on it.
It’s not just the commute though. CP works for a small company and although he told his boss that he needed help months ago, his boss has refused to send anyone to MA to help him with the project saying that he can’t spare anyone. Meanwhile, CP has been working crazy hours and trying to catch up on paperwork on the weekends. CP’s client even called CP’s boss to tell him that CP needed help. A month too late, CP’s boss finally sent someone….but only for two weeks.
CP is tired. CP is stressed. CP is cranky. CP doesn’t have time to work out (which would help his mood).
Unfortunately he comes home and isn’t much fun to be with because he is worried about work, worried about the next day and everything that he needs to do. (Needless to say, all of this stress can’t be helping his sperm.)
Recently CP has started staying over in MA one night a week and frankly, I welcome the night off from his crankiness. He is much more relaxed and fun on the weekends.
I hate that I can’t do anything to help his mood. My job is not stressful so I have time to make doctor/vet appointments, pay the bills, walk the dogs, train Buster and generally keep the house together. But there are some things that I can’t do because I am not authorized to do them (i.e. call his credit card company to get the “pay by” date changed) and then I have to remind him to do it. That shouldn’t be my job since I am not his mother, but his brain is focused on work and not much else right now.
I REALLY can’t wait for this project to be over in a few months. I want my husband back.
8.01.2011
Yep. Worst year ever.
How do I characterize the infertility appointment CP and I went to yesterday? On one hand it was hopeful….but it mostly just left me depressed.
First off, the experience itself is just so invasive. Before we even got to our appointment we had to fill out 8 pages of information about our health, our sex life, etc. Then when we got to the appointment we had to answer even more questions from a nurse. It’s embarrassing and weird. One question was whether I have PMS (one of the least-invasive questions). CP chimed in that I have to clean when I am about to get my period- which I guess would be considered PMS??? When asked if we thought my PMS symptoms were mild, moderate or severe, CP tactfully said mild. ;-)
After the question and answer session, the doctor came in to take a cervical cell sample which just felt like I was getting yet another pap smear this year. Then he did a uterus check with one hand inside and one hand outside pushing and prodding (ladies, you know what I am talking about). After that he took an instrument that looked like a long dildo (no joke- CP and I both looked at when we were waiting in the room and laughed at it…..little did we know that it was going to be inside me in a few minutes) and did a vaginal ultrasound.
His first words? “How long have you had this fibroid?” (record scratches to silence) HUH? He points to a large object on the screen and says, “that is a large fibroid on your uterine wall. I’m surprised they didn’t see it during your HSG test.”
My fibroid is like the one on the right- as far as I know it is not attached to the uterine artery.
First off, the experience itself is just so invasive. Before we even got to our appointment we had to fill out 8 pages of information about our health, our sex life, etc. Then when we got to the appointment we had to answer even more questions from a nurse. It’s embarrassing and weird. One question was whether I have PMS (one of the least-invasive questions). CP chimed in that I have to clean when I am about to get my period- which I guess would be considered PMS??? When asked if we thought my PMS symptoms were mild, moderate or severe, CP tactfully said mild. ;-)
After the question and answer session, the doctor came in to take a cervical cell sample which just felt like I was getting yet another pap smear this year. Then he did a uterus check with one hand inside and one hand outside pushing and prodding (ladies, you know what I am talking about). After that he took an instrument that looked like a long dildo (no joke- CP and I both looked at when we were waiting in the room and laughed at it…..little did we know that it was going to be inside me in a few minutes) and did a vaginal ultrasound.
His first words? “How long have you had this fibroid?” (record scratches to silence) HUH? He points to a large object on the screen and says, “that is a large fibroid on your uterine wall. I’m surprised they didn’t see it during your HSG test.”
My fibroid is like the one on the right- as far as I know it is not attached to the uterine artery.
So it turns out that I have a 4.7 inch fibroid growing on the side of my uterus. The HSG test did show that my uterus wasn’t triangular- the doctor noted that my uterus is asymmetrical but I guess didn’t catch the fibroid. I have most likely had it for a couple of years because of its size. Fibroids can cause infertility- miscarriages, early labor, etc. They can also cause heavy periods, painful cramping, etc (which helps explain the past few years). The more estrogen you have in your body, the faster they grow so it probably grew quite a bit while I was on birth control and slowed when I stopped taking the pill about a year ago.
Pregnancy means a surge of estrogen in the body which means that I need to get the fibroid taken out before I can get pregnant.
CP and I both had blood taken yesterday for various tests. On the third day of my next period I will head into the office to get more blood drawn (to check my ovaries). Right after that I will call in a prescription to my pharmacy, pick up a vial of Lupron and have a nurse at the office inject it into me. The drug will shut down my ovaries/drop my estrogen levels in an effort to shrink the fibroid before surgery. The shot will basically give me a early taste of menopause for about three months (hot flashes, headaches, bone loss, possible joint pain, etc).
I can look forward to the surgery to remove the fibroid right around my birthday in December (YAY!), an overnight stay in the hospital and then being out of work for 7-10 days. The doctor will go in through my belly button and two other spots on my stomach in order to remove the fibroid. If I ever get pregnant I can count on a c-section because the surgery will weaken my uterine wall and natural child birth may cause it to rupture. There goes my hope for natural child birth....
After the surgery I need to give my uterus at least three months to heal from the surgery. After I start to have regular periods we can try the IUI procedure…..but I also have to worry about the oral surgery aka breaking my jaw surgery that will happen 8-12 months after getting my braces on- so the timing is up in the air.
I have to say that I am at least happy with our doctor (unlike my last surgeon). He took the time to sit with us, answer any questions that we had and generally made us feel comfortable. He explained that he thought that we were good candidates for an IUI procedure because we were both young. We like the fact that he had a plan.
However, I am extremely depressed that I am have yet another surgery dropped on my plate in the coming year. I don’t even want to think about the out of pocket costs CP and I are going to incur. Between the braces and the fibroid setback, it is entirely possible that we can’t even have the IUI procedure until NEXT JULY.
The other thing that will now be put on hold? My job search. I'm looking at four weeks out of the office for two surgeries/recovery time. There is no way I can accrue enough time at a new job to manage that. That makes me even more depressed....
Sigh.
Boy do I need a vacation.
The State of NSC- July 2011
A monthly take on my world.
Weight: 203 (It is no fair that I keep having to weigh in while I am on my period). That being said, it looks like I gained some weight in July. Boooo.
Current Feeling: Sad. Anxious. Worried. Not at all ready or looking forward to the next year or so (more tomorrow).
Running Stats in July
Total Miles Run: 4.11 miles
Time Spent Running: 50 minutes, 9 seconds (I’m SO SLOW after taking almost two months off!!!)
Longest Single Run: 2.06 miles
Current aches and pains: I haven’t had any plantar fasciitis pain during my two runs so far, but I did wake up this morning with some pain after getting out of bed (booo). I’m trying to stretch as much as possible.
Current Favorite Song: Mumford & Sons “Little Lion Man.” I don’t listen to teenybopper music ALL the time. :-)
Looking forward to: Something good happening to me this year.
Annoyed about: As always, my job. But after the doctor’s appointment today, it looks like I won’t be able to switch jobs for a while now. :-(
Proud about: Absolutely nothing. Life is kicking me in the a** right now and I feel utterly defeated.
How are you feeling with the start of this new month?
Weight: 203 (It is no fair that I keep having to weigh in while I am on my period). That being said, it looks like I gained some weight in July. Boooo.
Current Feeling: Sad. Anxious. Worried. Not at all ready or looking forward to the next year or so (more tomorrow).
Running Stats in July
Total Miles Run: 4.11 miles
Time Spent Running: 50 minutes, 9 seconds (I’m SO SLOW after taking almost two months off!!!)
Longest Single Run: 2.06 miles
Current aches and pains: I haven’t had any plantar fasciitis pain during my two runs so far, but I did wake up this morning with some pain after getting out of bed (booo). I’m trying to stretch as much as possible.
Current Favorite Song: Mumford & Sons “Little Lion Man.” I don’t listen to teenybopper music ALL the time. :-)
Looking forward to: Something good happening to me this year.
Annoyed about: As always, my job. But after the doctor’s appointment today, it looks like I won’t be able to switch jobs for a while now. :-(
Proud about: Absolutely nothing. Life is kicking me in the a** right now and I feel utterly defeated.
How are you feeling with the start of this new month?
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