Smart?

Am I smarter than a 4th grader? It remains to be seen - I guess we'll know after my test on the 14th, but let me just tell you - they really put you through the ringer on these deals. I've got so much to brush up on, and not only that - but I have to be able to tell you the appropriate activity to assign in order to test the student's knowledge. Don't get me wrong, I think it's an extremely important vocation... but I also think that a lot of it is on the job training. I can't imagine that there is a teacher out there that would tell you they got it right the first year they taught on every subject. I think that you get it right on some things, but there is always room to grow and perfect your program.

I spent the first half (or a little more than that) studying - took a practice test, and got a 66% - which I hadn't looked at anything when I took that test... I have to make a 75% at least to pass... but it certainly is a lot less of a stretch than the last one I took. Last year I took the 4th - 8th grade social studies exam, and passed... but when I took my first practice test - I got a 48%!! I think that I can definently make this - but I always strive for better than just passing...

I've spent the last couple of hours working on my scrapbook while John continued his all day venture of building his work bench. It certainly is impressive that he built it when I look at it... and I know he's really excited about it. I took some pictures, but am actually about to run out for the evening... or at least for a little bit. John has to borrow some tools from his friend Robby, and we might go grab some dinner with them... but I'm waiting to hear back about that. If I end up going - I hope that it's not a really late adventure - or I'll be asleep on Sarah & Robby's couch by 9 or 9:30.

My body just isn't able to hang in there like it used to - I seem to be strapped for energy around about 9PM. I am good from 7AM - 9PM, but from there - it's really hit or miss. I know people that are at work longer than I can really stay awake... but I'm blaming it on whatever is going on in there... I haven't had any bad episodes since last Monday... but I haven't tried any meat since then either.

I'll post some pictures of the work bench and of my new scrapbook pages either later tonight or tomorrow.

Another Day/Dollar

Today was pretty boring and normal - nausea included. I've had a headache for most of the day, but hopefully that will go away soon. I might have to take a little liquid tylenol, but a good night of sleep will do wonders... and thank goodness it's the weekend and I won't have to use the alarm tomorrow.

I've already gone to the store for the next week - so I'm all set for a day of studying tomorrow and maybe a little scrapbooking if I get some progress made on the studies.

I'm supposed to be at a scrapbooking night making a really cool valentine for John, but with all the events of this week - my body just can't make it through anything else this week. The girls weren't getting together until 8 tonight, and I'll be in bed by 9... so it just wasn't in the cards for this time. I will definently be well and ready for the next one though!

I thought I'd leave you with a few old pictures for tonight...

This picture was taken of Maggie (lab) and Missy (boston terrier) a few years ago. We won 12 months of free food with it though!!

John sent this one of the girls to me at work one day... he was home sick - and he took it while they were waiting for me to get home.

This is a picture of me that I actually like - it's one of very few. It was taken during my junior or senior year of college (1999 or 2000) - so it's a few years old... but it shows how great I looked when I could afford to dye my hair red. It really was my favorite - maybe someday I'll be able to afford the up-keep again.

Retreating

Ok, so today was better in some ways, but not in others - I didn't throw up at all today. I did however have stomach cramps all day - and the got progressively worse as the day went on... but thank goodness they're done now. I've also had some seriously LOUD gurgling going on in there - it's embarassing, but it could be a lot worse.

I didn't hear from the doctor today, but I do have a follow up with the gastrointerologist on Monday the 11th. I talked to the girl at his office, and my file was on his desk - she said he'd call or have her call me if they saw anything on the ultrasound. I guess no news is good news, but am I the only one that thinks they should go ahead and call you with good or bad news - just so you don't worry about it for days?!

On a totally unrelated topic: A new show (Women's Murder Club) started last fall, and I fell in love with it for several reasons...

1. I love Angie Harmon
2. I love television crime shows
3. I love flawed characters that I can really care about...

Now, due to the writer's strike - there isn't much left on television these days worth watching... other than the few episodes of the things that didn't show in the fall. What this means for me is that it's time to form those exercise habits, and do some serious reading. Well, the Women's Murder Club is based on a series of books written by James Patterson.

I started reading the first one "1st to Die" last night and I absolutely love it! One really cool feature is that the chapters are all between 3 and 4 pages long - so they are really easy to read, and for someone that has a mild case of OCD - I don't have to finish reading in the middle of a chapter. I guess it makes me feel like I've completed a thought. It's a little after 8 here, and I'm pretty beat - so I'm off to read a few chapters and then drift off into dreamland... thank goodness tomorrow is Friday, but Saturday is a study day... John will be working on his new workbench that he's building for the garage, and I'll be studying for my test. I'll be sure to post pictures of John and his creation at the end of the weekend.

Whew...what a day...

Lets see... we started off the day going to get blood drawn for SEVERAL tests - I ended up having to give 6 of the large vials, and 6 of the smaller ones... and should hear back on all of those in about a week.

From there we went and checked into the hospital. It's amazing to me the amount of paperwork you have to fill out for a proceedure that it supposed to take all of 15 minutes! It always cracks me up too when they ask you if you feel safe at home... with your husband standing right there... if you didn't feel safe at home - I certainly don't think you'd feel safe to say it at that moment either. John and I always get a laugh about that - and tease each other all the time about it... if he accidentally nudges me - I'll be "I'm not safe at home!!" and we laugh.

Anyway, they took me back to the area where they do the tests, and I filled out some more paperwork and got all set up with the IV and machines needed to monitor my vital signs during the proceedure. They wheeled me to another room and we waited for the doctor to arrive. From there I got my instructions and "happy drugs" (that didn't really work) - I don't really remember them putting the scope in or anything like that, but I do remember a few times where I'd sort of cough or gag a little - and they'd just tell me to relax and breathe.

They took me back to the prep area where I had to wait for 30 minutes in "recovery" so that the drugs could wear off a little more so you can walk out. John came in and talked to the doctor, and come to find out - they didn't see any ulcers or strictures while they were in there. It all looked great, and I have the nasty pictures to prove it.

They told John to go get the car and I got dressed - I was ready to walk out the door, and the doctor called back to tell them to send me over for an ultrasound of my abdomen. I walked right in and got that done - then we were able to come home.

Basically, for now I'm back a couple of steps in my diet plan - eating the protein shakes again, and staying away from meats. I'll hopefully hear something from the docs on my ultrasound in the next day or so - and from there I go back to the gastrointerologist in two weeks for an update.

For now, I'm still groggy and don't feel great - but I'm trying to function. It's back to work tomorrow which hopefully will be uneventful, but we all know that it probably will stink...as it normally does.

Here we go...

Hi everyone,

I'm still having nausea today - so I decided I'd better go ahead and push up my visit with my doctor. I saw him at 2PM today, and he immedately called my surgeon - and a friend of his that is a gastrointerologist.

So he sent me down to see Dr. Azad straight from his office, and they've basically decided that it could be one of three things:

• A stricture - the food isn't passing through because of scar tissue
• An ulcer
• Gallbladder that possibly needs to be removed

So tomorrow morning - I'll be in outpatient surgery having a scope done down my throat - thank goodness for good drugs!! From there - Dr. Azad will be able to see if there is an ulcer anywhere, or if there is a stricture. If it is a stricture - he'll be able to stretch it with a baloon, but it will take three scopes to get it completely stretched to where it should be.

He said that 80% of the time though, it looks completely normal - which means they'll have to start looking at the gallbladder option.

Since I can't match the problem to any trigger food - they're having to be aggressive to figure out what it is - in the mean time though - I'm only to have my protein shakes. It's sort of like going back to week 1 out of surgery. (only I can tollerate 4 ounces at a time instead of 2)

I won't be able to go to work tomorrow - I'll have to come home and rest because of the drugs. So that means another day off, but I'd rather that than feel bad, right?!

I hate throwing up

Ok, the title should clue you in on what this post is about... meaning DAD... you might not want to read this one...

Ever since I was released for eating solid foods - I've had this happen a couple or three times a week... but today - I spent the entire day throwing up! Once was so hard that I saw stars and was dizzy for a few minutes. Of course when I needed to have the bathroom at the office alone - was just about the time that everyone on my floor needed to use the facilities... so I had to get creative.

Anyway - the last time was on my way home from work (thank God I had a cup in the car), and that was about 3 and 1/2 hours ago. I'm now really weak and dehydrated, but I've gotten in two thirds of a protein shake this evening... which at least means I've gotten some nurishment into my system - which hadn't happened since around noon.

I was so scared to tell John - poor thing - I know that he always means well... but I just saw myself being wisked off to the ER tonight. He's been great - when I got home though - I accidentally scared him to death. Here is about how it went:

John: "What's with the milk?"
Me: "I don't want to tell you..."
John: "Tell me"
Me: "Ok, but promise me that you'll let me handle it my way..."
John: "What is it?!"
Me: "I've been throwing up all day"
John: "What do you mean?"
Me: "Well, I got in two meals this morning but ever since I've been throwing up about once every hour or so. Let me try to drink some shake tonight, and if I can't keep it down - we'll call the doctor tonight"
John: "Okay, but don't ever scare me like that again"
Then there is a big hug...

I'm headed to bed right now - I've been dozing in between my two meals tonight... sounds like I'll probably have to call my doctor tomorrow, and stop for some gatorade on my way to work in the morning.

I'm starting to become convinced that something is wrong here... but I'm giving it another day or so to see how things go.