And the race is on!

So those of you reading this are going to think one of two things:

1. Wow, those two really need to get a life.

or...

2. Isn't it great how the little things in life can amuse them.

So here it goes. As I have mentioned a few times before, my blood draw and my husband's left huge bruises on our arms (can you tell this really traumatized me...ha ha ha); Tony and I have a little race going as a result of it. He thinks he can heal faster than me and I am sure I will heal faster. It is so competitive I ask to see his arm several times during the evening (as if it would change within hours) and he asks me very first thing in the morning. He even tried cheating and hit my bruise (not abusively I assure you) and I tried cheating by icing it to hope the swelling would go down.

In case you even care a little...Tony is in the lead. I think I am a close second but I had my blood pressure taken on my bruised arm today and I am afraid somehow that might cause a setback...ha ha ha.

Isn't it Funny...

If you read my blog frequently then you know my latest "issue" was the blood draw that left a huge hematoma and bruise on my arm (which I might add is still looking pretty bad after a week) Well, my huband called me into the room the other night to show me his arm. His bruise is much larger than mine! Although his doesn't have a small lump like mine still does and mine "pinches" off and on in the elbow unlike his, it doesn't matter...his LOOKS a lot worse. He insisted he was fine but it runs halway up and down his arm! It is also this ugly brown color. At least mine is the purple to yellow color of a normal bruise.

This is the "funny" part. I immediately switched from worrying about myself to worrying about him. I check his arm every day and worry it isn't looking any better. I also try to convince him to have it looked at while all the while not carrying at all about mine anymore. I suppose us women are naturally born with the "care for others over yourself" gene or something because I can honestly tell you, I worry way more about something wrong with him than me if we both have something going on.

Another example, I have fought a sinus infection for over a month and then conjunctivitis (as you dedicated readers know.) I finally sought treatment after my co-workers insisted my eye may be contagious. My husband has had a sore throat and "not felt right" the past few days and I want him to see a doctor and worry about how he is feeling. Ha ha ha. Funny how our minds are programmed...

And it continues...

After yet another sleepless night spent on the couch so my husband could get some sleep; while I coughed continuously and erroded my teeth from the sugar of the cough drops I slept with in my mouth, I awoke to get ready to get a blood draw I needed done.

The lady seemed nice and I have had my blood drawn a million times so although initially "scared to death" by needles I have come to be better at blood draws. I was a little nervous when I saw her prep a vein literally on the side of my arm but I still remained calm through the pinch, watched the blood fill the tubes and held the guaze on without a problem. Then I had the band-aid applied and thought I had made it through another successful blood draw. That is until I started to feel the throbing, which quickly led to pain to the touch and what felt like a growing buldge in my arm. I obviously quickly checked the "damage" to find a quickly growing hematoma where I had the blood draw and ever growing "blue skin."

The pain continued throughout the day and the discolored skin continued too. Now, it is still very tender to the touch although I think the hematoma has finally stopped growing. It also obviously sucks that this "lump" just happens to be where you bend your arm! The coloring is even more ugly but I think it too has at least stopped spreading. I promise you, I am NOT thinking what next now. I know many more things could be next. So instead I am thinking, please let this be it.

*Sorry to those who didn't want to hear more whining from me. I just have a little "kick me when I am down" feeling. I promise, I will get over it (I think.) :)

Don't Ask That!

I coughed all night on Saturday and woke up to crusty and blood shot eyes. I thought perhaps it was because of yet another sleepless coughing night but throughout the day on Sunday my eyes (particularly my left) got progressively more red. As my Mother-in-Law put it, I had "demon eyes."

Come late Sunday night they were bad. I even tried the old "put milk in them to coat them" but that didn't work so in the middle of the snow storm my wonderful and slightly irritated husband rushed me to Rite Aid (we got stuck behind a plow truck but I squeaked through the doors just before closing) to get some Visine (which on a side note...what is it with having so many options? They had Visine allergy, sinus, regular, extra strength, extra lubricating, long lasting...too many choices!) Anyway, it sure burned when I put it in but I thought I had fixed it...they were just dry.

Then I go to work Monday and repeatedly get asked what is wrong and do I have conjunctivitis. So I go to the ER to ask the friendly doc what he thinks (I work in a hospital mind you and I happen to have the office next to the ER docs) and he informs me he wont even give me an informal opinion unless I actually check-in (in other words, unless he makes money off me.) So I say screw that (pardon my language) and call my PCP. They are very good and say I sound miserable (I mention my cycling cold just because I feel this is the cause of the "demon eyes") and they set up for an appointment right away.

I get offered the 3:00 appointment but I had somewhere to be at 4:00 so I pick the 2:20 appointment. Guess what time I get in...3:00 (I end up waiting 4o minutes to be seen.) The doctor walks in and says, "How are you? Oh! You have a red eye!" I tell him I have been cycling a cold for 4 weeks now (he quickly tells me that is unlikely) and then I tell him, "Well, I did have a kid out sick last week with conjunctivitis but I am sure that isn't it because I didn't see symptoms until well over a week after seeing him last." He looks and confirms it IS conjunctivitis and my cycling cold is a sinus infection. The doctor also notices on my chart I am allergic to bee stings and asks if I use an EpiPen. I say I did but it is expensive to keep refilling if you dont' use it (it expires like other meds.) He gives me the lecture on the importance of it and I agree to get it again.

I go to fill my prescriptions and the pharmacy does not have my medication, they have to order it. It should be in tomorrow. So, I have two infections I can't yet treat! But wait! I was able to get my EpiPen. So all is not lost. If I should get stung by a bee today I will be prepared!

I ask , "What's next?" Wait! Don't ask that! The school I contract with has head lice going around! (This is not a joke by the way.)

1 of 3 wishes granted

Over time I have developed a mental list of three wishes. Not really important wishes like, "I wish for the health of my family" or "I wish for world peace." More like trivial wishes that wont make a big impact on the world but will have an impact on me. Selfish wishes I suppose. However I feel I deserve to have them because I consider myself one who often thinks of others and often puts others first. I also often do wish for the bigger and more important things such as health, happiness and peace on Earth. So here are my three trivial but important to me wishes:



1. To swim with dolphins

2. To visit Hawaii

3. To see Elton John in concert



Well ladies and gentlmen (I doubt men read my blog but in case they do...I include them :) ) Wish number 3 has been granted. I will be going to see Elton John in concert at the Cumberland County Civic Center on February 28th. I pray the weather is good and this really does happen because it really will be a dream come true for me. My husband says he heard it will be just him and his piano, which is exactly how I have hoped to see him live.



It is really interesting (to me at least) how this all happened. I mentioned at one point to the receptionist at work that I would love to see him and every time he comes to Maine I never hear about it and if I do, he sells out within minutes. Our receptionist called me a few days before tickets went on sale to tell me she got a notification from the list serve she is on for the Civic Center that he was coming and when tickets would be going on sale. I looked at my work schedule only to see I had a client arriving at the exact time the tickets would go on sale. Then, the client moved their appointment and tickets went on sale DURING the client's appointment. My mother was going to try to get tickets for me but she was busy at work. My brother's girlfriend was able to try but got locked out of the system because the window was loading too slow and when she tried to open another it booted her to prevent people from doing the multiple ticket orders thing. She called my mother who was able to squeek some time in between customers to order tickets online. So....as far as we can tell, I have tickets. I am cautiously optimistic because the tickets still need to arrive in the mail, the weather has been bad lately, and probably for the biggest reason of all, I can't believe I am actually going to see him! I have loved Elton John for a long time for not only his songs but also for his talent and how simple many of his concerts are. To think I am actually going to see him just blows my mind.



So, come February 28th I just might be able to check a wish off my 3 petty wishes list. How great is that?!

It's Back!!!

Or...it never left :( So I was feeling pretty good and thought I had finally made it through the illness I described in my post. However, that of course couldn't be the end. I had a severe sore throat Tuesday and woke up Wednesday with a stuffy nose and last night into today I have added a cough. Sigh...

I think I should quit work. I work in a hospital but also contract with a school and preschools. Could I be putting myself in any more of a germ ridden area than I do at these locations?

Here's hoping I am on my feet sometime soon (and I mean really am better...not just these teases of one day of feeling good and then another cycle of symptoms.). It has already been close to three weeks! I keep cycling into a new round of it! The cough doesn't help cause it keeps me up at night! I am running on three hours of sleep right now. Sigh...

Football?

I thought some of you might find this amusing. Right now my whole family and my husband are sitting in the living room watching the Super Bowl. I can hear cheers, outrage, and lots of heated conversation. Where am I? In the spare room typing this blog and surfing the web. I even went so far as to take a seperate car to my parents' house so I could arrive late and leave early :) I am sure some of you may be outraged at the idea of this but I have to confess, I am not a football fan. Ironically, I think it is the sport I understand the most too!

Some of you may remember my previous post about actually attending a Pats game a while back and we had amazing seats. I went then solely because my husband had never been and he didn't want to go without me because we went with two other couples. However, I do admit I enjoyed the game in person. On TV, not so much, even if this is a possible historical game.

I do enjoy the commercials but unfortunately, there is far too much football mixed in :)

Go ahead, stone me now die hard Pats fans. For the sake of saving a little face...GO PATS!!!!