Laughter Lives Tuesday

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else's "Laughter Lives!" posts.

Okay so this laughter is produced by my own stupidity. :o)

So I was on IM the other day with a very good friend of mine (real life friend) and we were casually talking about something. I remember the exact conversation, but I do not want to post about *that* conversation here.

However at one point my friend used an acronym. For the life of me, I could NOT figure out what this stood for other than the OBVIOUS .. but the way she used it in a sentence I knew that was NOT what she was talking about.

So to provide optimal laughter

Acronym: FB

My thoughts on what it was:

Facebook (obvious right)
Football
Flower Bed
Fancy Bachelor
Farmer Boots
Fish Bait

Those were just a few of the things I said, but some of the things I *thought* were

Funny Banana
Floral Bunches
Florida Beaches
Flounders Bite
Food Blender

So moral of the story ... even if it's OBVIOUS to you what the Acronym is. maybe you should hold off on Acronyms for me. *** Uh one reader wanted to know what FB actually stood for in this case. I am too embarrassed to say! ***

I once thought LOL was lots of love
ICAM ... Incompetent Can-opener Apparatus Machine

I won't even tell you what I thought LMAO meant. :D (for those that don't know it actually means Laughing My Ass Off)

Two New Comments (Anonymous & Robb)

**** My Not Me Monday automatically posted ... scroll down to see this *****

I would like to address two comments I received today. One is from an Anonymous person that I bet I know on a forum. Since she didn't leave his or her name ... I don't know who it is.

And I quote:

Living w/chronic lyme is not really living. The only treatment that has REALLY helped me has been declared illegal in my state. I was infected in 1988, not in the wood but in a suburb doing yard work. I found the tick and removed it. I was not diagnosed until 1998.
In the midwest, many doctors still deny that Lyme even exists and especially not here. It's everywhere and the symptoms can be anything. A microbiologist discovered more than 110 subspecies of the organism, many very virile and others very mild. It depends on the strength of the infection in the tick and that of the infected person's immune system and ONLY then can you determine how that person should be treated. I feel that each day I wake up is a gift for me. The lady who spoke about her life in the documentary "Under Our Skin" died a few months ago at 51. Her heart was so compromised that she just didn't wake up that day. What a blessing for her. I hope I am as lucky. I do plan to donate my body to a facility that is doing research on lyme at that time.

Hello dear friend. I completely agree with EVERYTHING you said. I am doing really well now with treatments that also controversial. I know I could have a set back at anytime, but I choose to live day to day with the HOPE that my LLMD has given me the best he can offer and even things that aren't traditional. I found out about Leslie almost as soon as it happened. I am assuming that is who you refer to in the statement I bolded. It is so extremely sad for her family, her friends, her doctors, and her "fans." I hear her sister is not doing well either.

Because this is a text basis thing and I can't read into the emotion in which you were writing, I am not sure if you are trying to educate my readers or me. Or if you were just angry because of how Lyme attacks the body of innocence or how the political aspect of Lyme attacks the doctors. You have an excellent style of writing in any case. I would love for you to be my guest blogger in the future as an educator of Lyme. So please comment if you would consider this and let me know how I can get in touch with you. I'm sure you're on the internet somewhere! :P Have a blessed day. I am so sorry that Lyme has havoced your life. No one gets Lyme until they GET Lyme. I heard that once froma friend of mine that has Lyme before I was diagnosed. She was completely dead on ... I couldn't understand what she was going through until I was diagnosed. However, I already had a fairly good idea because I had those same pains and symptoms. I just wasn't diagnosed ... I wasn't Living the Lyme Life. It may not be living in the same way a healthy person lives, but it IS a way of life. I eat, sleep and breathe Lyme Disease. I wake up with new ideas on how to stay healthy and write my congressman about the doctors that treat me.

Thanks for the comment dear friend, whomever you may be. It has inspired me to write early this morning.

Hello,

My wife found your blog. (very nice) I have lymes or so we think many Docs and pick lines later I still feel very sick. Im in Charlotte and I wanted to see if you mihgt telll me who your LLMD is? I would go to the ends of the earth to get well. I have sot just been put out to pasture on oxicotin and percocet for pain. You have very strong faith. Mine seems to be being tested. So if you could email me or call me with you LLMD s Name and number I really need some help and hope this hs been a long 21 months with no end in sight, going back to seee my infectious desies doc on thursday. I dont care where I have to go on to geet ride of the mean of stuff.

Robb
(left out your address & telephone number so it's not so easily findable for others)

Dear Robb,

I am so sorry that Lyme Disease may have touched your life in some way. If you have done any research at all, you will know that it is a political battle on physicians that treat for Lyme specifically. You are in an area where one of the BEST LLMD's is in the country. Many people would drive to the ends of the Earth to go visit him. I chose a different path because he was in a huge political/medical battle at the time of my still trying to find what was going on with me. And because of that fight, many people with Lyme will never say his name outloud on a public forum or even over the phone for fear of retribution. I am the same way with my doctor. However, I can forward you in the right direction. You or your wife (how did she find my blog? :) love her for that) should find the NC Lyme Disease Foundation. There is a place on there to email the founders. Those wonderful ladies will give you two suggestions for our area on doctors who treat Lyme. One is the gentlement I just referred to and the other is an Integrative Medical Physician in Raleigh (my doctor). They both treat differently and they are both very smart. I know patients who even see both doctors. One to get the more traditional treatment of Lyme and the other to get the more alternative treatment.

Both doctors will cost you quite a bit as neither takes insurance. I chose my doctor in Raleigh because at the time I wasn't even sure if I had Lyme Disease. It was just one of the many things I thought I might have. I chose him because he was a doctor that treats a variety of illnesses and I knew he did not have Lyme blinders on. I started this blog for two reasons. One for education and one for inspiration. My faith is one of the top reasons I believe I am doing so much better. I had (have) faith that God would provide. God always provides. Maybe not in the manner of our heart's desires, but he does provide. Keep the faith.

Now I will tell you depending on the severity of your illness and your body's resiliency, it may take quite a long time to get on the path to normalcy. I am not a doctor, but I did once stay at the Holiday Inn. :)

If you would like to talk more extensively, please leave a comment again with a way to email you. Email is a more convenient way for me to get in touch with people. Once I receive your comment with an email, and we correspond ... I will delete your comment so that is open to others as little as possible. I would hate for you to be exposed for the whole world to see and email. :o) With that said, I will probably delete your previous comment because I can not edit it to remove your address & telephone number. I wanted to be able to have your comment so that's why I posted it in this blog posting.

Not Me Monday

**** Please go visit MckMama's blog today ***** Her baby needs our prayers. Click on the Not Me box and it will take you to her blog in order to read what is going on with her sweet baby.


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

So in order to release all of the things I did this week from my brain, I am going to tell you all the things I did not do. They go against my nature and are things I would NEVER do.

On Tuesday, I did not show up at my doctors office with two printed out photos of my arm. I would never freak out over a medical condition that would warrant me to show up at the office unexpected with not only one picture, but two. I most certainly did not circle the welp in the photo to show where it was with my finger as size reference next to it. I would not roll my eyes at the secretary when she suggested it would just an allergic reaction to something and I should just use Benedryl.

It did not take a whopping 6 days watching things that were in my DVR from vacation. I am not addicted to television and would never DVR these things while on vacation much less spend from 12:30 until 7pm every day watching them. It would not take me so long as to interfere in my regular shows that it would take an additional two days to catch up with all 30 things in the DVR.

On Thursday, I did not lose my V card by going to the hair salon to get my hair colored. I am most certainly not so self conscious that my grey hair had started to bother me. What I look like on the outside does not affect how I feel on the inside.

On Friday, I did not get upset and have actual tears when the Satelite went out because of a storm that spawned tornadoes. These actual tears were not an actual reflection of being upset because I was missing March Madness, but in fact due to being a little bit scared. Speaking of "scared," I was not so scared of the Tornadoes that I did not spend a good ten minutes in the bathroom thinking that I was about to have a Wizard of Oz moment. I was not preparing to bring the dogs into the safest room of the house.

After the Tornado threat was over, I did not stay up until midnight on Friday just to watch Carolina play. I did not FB about me needing toothpicks to keep my eyelids open and was not pestering all of my real life friends about how I needed them to help me stay up by chatting with them on AIM. They did not do this either! Certainly not. Not them.

I did not create a new blog on Saturday. I didn't spend all day on Friday and Saturday creating this new blog. It's address is NOT http://prayingforlymies.blogspot.com.

Something that is completely out of character for me is that I did not wake up near midnight on Sunday evening (aka almost Monday morning) to drink water. I did not wind up on my computer during the wake up break for water and post a youtube video on my facebook page, make a comment on my not new blog, chat with a friend and even check some lyme forums.
These are out of character for me at near to midnight so there is no way I would do this.

I am not an 80's movie geek. Back to the Future is absolutely not my favorite movie of all time. Therefore I did not beg for a Flux Capacitor that was found on Think Geek.com for my upcoming anniversary and I am not plugging for a gift on my blog. It's ONLY 249.99 ... who wouldn't want to buy me this beauty ... let me guess .. NOT YOU!

Here for your viewing pleasure are my old Not Me's!

Week 1: Wii Fit Cheater
Week 2: OCD Shoe Lace
Week 3: "Your in" for a real treat on this one.
Week 4: I'm 12 again!
Week 5: PICC me! PICC me!
Week 6: Oh "Holey" Days!
Week 7: Overeaters Anonymous
Week 8: Hair Today: Gone Tomorrow
Week 9: Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Week 10: Khakilin' at the store
Week 11: To Capri or Not To Capri
Week 12: Losing my V Card (today's post)

FAQ

I know some may have questions that I haven't answered in any of the blog posts. If you have a question ... now's the time. Put them in the comment section and if I'm not too offended by the question (haa haa), I'll answer them! I'm hoping to be able to use this in the about me section so that people can get answers quickly without having to scan the whole blog.



1. Who are you?

My name is Jennifer. I am in my 30's and live in North Carolina. I am married with zero children and a couple of pesky adorable dogs.

2. Why did you create a blog?

I created this blog to give encouragement to others that have Lyme Disease and other tick borne illnesses. I started it in September of 2008 after 18 months of treatment after reading other blogs that were inspirational to me. I had not found any Lyme blogs and thought I would create one.

3. How did you find out you had Lyme Disease?

Starting in 1995, I began having some strange symptoms. They lingered for quite some time and I was finally diagnosed by a LLMD in March 2007. If you want to know more, read this post on how I was diagnosed.

4. What is LLMD?

Lyme Literate Medical Doctors

Greta's message on Lyme

Do you know the name Greta from Fox News? Well she wrote a blog on Lyme. GO here and make comments so she knows it is important that we get the word out about Lyme Disease.

Praying for Lymies

I created a new blog inspired by Brent Riggs and my friends over at Truth about Lyme Disease.

Come visit and pray for my Lyme friends. First up is my friend Lisa from Truth About Lyme Disease Forum.

I am so excited about it. It has come together very quickly. Please go over and visit. Post prayers and encourage my Lyme friends. :D


Edited to add:

Here is our first Lymie of the Week.

Please send Lisa a special prayer or message by emailing: jenniferallton.lisa@blogger.com

It will automatically post on the praying for lymies blog.

That email will be disabled April 3, 2009 early in the morning. Here is Lisa's story:

I started getting sick in 1991. I went from Dr to Dr with heart palpitations, rashes, head pressure, memory problems, body aches, internal vibrations, and much more. They just kept telling me I had panic attacks. After 15 years of getting sicker and sicker I finally get diagnosed with Lyme Disease. After 3 weeks of Doxycycline I just got worse. I found an LLMD (lyme literate MD) but have a bad reactions to antibiotics. After three years in Lyme treatment I'm not much better. I also have bulging disks in my neck. I've lost much use in my right arm. My shoulder hurts all the time. But the worst is the endless fatigue caused by the lyme. I feel like all energy has been sucked from every cell in my body. It is leading me into a bad depression. I don't think if I didn't have faith in God that I would still be here. I know that this is the path that I'm supposed to lead so I just pray for the strength to help me get through it. I have three children, two dogs, three cats, and a bunny. They keep me gong. I'd be in bed all day if it wasn't for them! Thank you for your prayers everyone from the bottom of my heart!

Lisa

Living the Lyme Life (bump)

**Updated** March 15, 2009***

I noticed that there might be a few new folks learning about my journey. Go to these old blogs to see how far I've come. I update it every so often after writing a post that is relevant to my health.


My Diagnosis
My Therapy
A day in the life of a treatment
My PICC Line Story Part 1
My PICC Line Story Part 2
Grey's PICC Line Story
November 15, 2008 Update
Mercury Toxicity (My Mercury test came back negative)
Aluminum Toxicity
PICC Line Removal
Two weeks post PICC
Two year anniversary plus supplements
March 15, 2009 Update
Post PICC Pics
Conflicted Lymie
CDC Positive Test Results




There ya go. The most important health blogs all in one place! Enjoy reading if you've not read them before.

Good News for the Bolte Family

Hi/Low Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their
site.

My Highs:

It was so refreshing to get away with my husband. Although my treatment has been lessened over the last few months, we have been under a great deal of stress with the illness of my Grandfather. So it was refreshing to get away for four whole days to go to the beach. Last time I was at the beach, I so cautious that it was hard to really enjoy myself. This time with no picc line, I was able to walk on the beach without fearing infecting the line. Here I was running towards the ocean. It was so cold though that I barely kept my feet in the water, but I did dig my feet down into the sand.

Also another High is that I got word that my Grandfather is doing better. He's been transferred out of the hospital and is in a rehab facility. I thought about him often while I was at the beach.

My Lows:

Only really personal low was that I had to return home. I wasn't ready to come home yet and upon my return was that several of my blogger friends were in need of some serious prayers.

Stellan's Heart

The Bolte Family's little bean. Their last ultrasound was a bit unsettling.

My Lymie friend Candice really needs your thoughts and prayers right now.

Emerson White: A precious little girl who needs your prayers. Visit her and say a quick hello on her guest book.



There are so many others that need prayers that I could go on and on. Please pray for all my blogger friends.

Post Picc Pics!

1. Take a nice long shower without a picc line cover *check*



2. Find a hot tub somewhere and enjoy it. *check*


3. Swim in a pool. *check*


4. Go Bowling. (soon?) :( Haven't done it yet, but hopefully have a trip planned with a friend or two (or 10) soon.

5. Walk on the beach *check*


6. Go to a Winterguard show! *check*

7. Spin a rifle. (Okay maybe not .. but it would be fun.) (uh yeah haven't done it and probably won't be doing it anytime soon, but do taking pictures of these count????)

Rifles at Fort Macon <>

8. Hug my friends without fear of being hurt (I seriously need to get better pics of this)


9. Sleep on my right side without hurting



What??? that's not me sleeping in my bed? Could have fooled me!?!?! It was one of my favorite photos that my husband took with our SLR camera. But yes I am sleeping on my right side again without pain.

Not Me Monday

**** Please go visit MckMama's blog today ***** Her baby needs our prayers. Click on the Not Me box and it will take you to her blog in order to read what is going on with her sweet baby.


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.






I did NOT consider wearing my annual green pants for St. Patrick's Day. I surely would never have considered wearing them because they have a huge hole in the rear. I did not give an excuse as good as the ladies on "What Not To Wear" give to Clint and Stacy when I wasn't explaining to my husband how it wasn't that bad.

The Green Pant Debate did not turn into the Great Closet Clean up of 2009. Since I don't have clothes (IE the green pants that I've NOT been wearing since '95) from the mid-nineties in my closet, the Green Pant debate did not cause me to create a pile of clothes that needed to be thrown away or donated. Obviously, I don't need to get rid of any of my clothes because they are all stylish and have been purchased in this decade. I did not go through a serious crying spell when I was pulling out some of my absolute favorite clothes from 15 years ago.

And since I wasn't cleaning out my side of the closet, I did not make my hubby clean out his side as well. That would be cruel to make him throw out his favorite T-shirts because they are stained with oil/dirt and riddled with holes. If I was a good wife, I would have discreetly thrown them out in the garbage and when asked later replied with "Uh I dunno ... you must have put it somewhere." I most certainly did not think about doing this after he went through his t-shirts and didn't get rid of all the ones that I would have. Nope Not me!

The Great Closet Clean up of 2009 did not cause me to go crazy and buy a bunch of pants from random places (including the Hip ~ Old Navy .. since I am not Hip in nature, Old Navy would never be on my list of places to shop). I did not purchase Capris because I swore about 5 years ago that I would either wear Shorts OR Pants and never those kind of pants that are neither kind. Now I am not in a panic because I barely have any regular sized pants and it would be nuts to be in a panic in March about not having long pants because I shouldn't need pants until September since I do not wear pants all summer long because I am not embarrased by my birthmark removal scar. I will not say pants anymore. PANTS PANTS PANTS PANTS PANTS!

Once arriving at Atlantic Beach, I did not ask my husband request that something be done about this:

Or This:

I did not seriously consider going to the store and purchasing Windex because evidence of a child that had been either picking his nose or eating some form of Kentucky Fried Chicken and rubbing it against all the windows in the room. This most certainly would not gross me out in the least. And I hope it is even more evident that I did not take photos of this to show the front desk if it wasn't cleaned by the time we got back from lunch/dinner.

While at the beach, I did not do cartwheels in the sand. My husband did not take photographic proof either. This is NOT me doing the worst cartwheel known to man.

Here for your viewing pleasure are my old Not Me's!

Week 1: Wii Fit Cheater
Week 2: OCD Shoe Lace
Week 3: "Your in" for a real treat on this one.
Week 4: I'm 12 again!
Week 5: PICC me! PICC me!
Week 6: Oh "Holey" Days!
Week 7: Overeaters Anonymous
Week 8: Hair Today: Gone Tomorrow
Week 9: Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Week 10: Khakilin' at the store
Week 11: To Capri or Not To Capri (today's post)


(PS Scroll down for the two posts I wrote yesterday about my Atlantic Beach Trip)

Atlantic Beach

So the primary goal of going on this trip was to relax and get away. We accomplished just that. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon to our destination of the Sheraton. I highly recommend this hotel at Atlantic Beach (especially if you can get the suite with jacuzzi tub). It wasn't long after arrival that we made our way back out to find something to eat. Now the funniest thing happened on our way out. I don't know if I mentioned this when we went to Nags Head that we had the hardest time finding pizza places. Well, pizza places were a plenty at Atlantic Beach. Every few minutes there was another advertisement for pizza. I was starving and we finally landed at Dairy Queen just so we could get something fast.

We went back to the hotel and walked on the beach. We proceeded to take the first of many photographs. We began thinking about all the things we could do, but wound up not doing very many of the things we had "planned." Two things kept us from doing them. Mainly it was the weather, but the other was that it wouldn't have allowed for much relaxing (our main goal for the vacation). We really wanted to go visit Cape Lookout Lighthouse, but it was just too cold on the day we could have gone.

We saw dolphins from our hotel room balcony. We attempted to take many photographs, but only a few really showed them. Here were the best two photos. We went out on the pier the next night about the same time hoping to get some more photos, but they didn't come out to play the next night. These were taken off our balcony on Friday Night.

Dolphins swimming together

Dolphin swimming in the waves.

The main two things we did (other than swimming in the pool and lounging in the hot tub) was go to Fort Macon & the NC Aquarium. I may share pictures of those later on, but here's another one of me under the pier.

PS. I've posted once today already so go down one to see my favorite photo of me from this trip.

I'm back!!!

Nothing much to say.

I went to Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. My husband and I relaxed. We had an enjoyable time of nothingness! I'll get a good post on the vacation in later.

We must have taken over 2500 pictures between two cameras.

My favorite picture of me:

Time Out

I am taking a Time Out from the internet. My husband and I are leaving Wednesday afternoon. We are headed to the beaches of North Carolina. We not only need time away from life, but we need time for each other. This has been planned for a few weeks and in light of everything that has transpired over the last week and a half ... I have decided that I will take this time not to bring a lap top with me to the beach. I will be shutting myself off from the world. I believe I need this time. You will not hear from me until Sunday afternoon.

No AIM, No Yahoo, No Facebook, No nothing.

A respite of technology so to speak. In case of emergency, we will have our cell phones with us. I will miss the internet I'm sure, but it will be nice to get away from life. Enjoy a hot tub and a pool and an Aquarium and who knows what else. It's going to be a spontaneous and not planned vacation. We'll wake up every day deciding what we'll do. We don't want to have our vacation so booked that we're exhausted by the end of it.

I'll miss all of you and hope that you don't post too many blogs without me .. I'll probably come home to tons of Facebook messages and notifications. I may even have a few comments here to approve. I hope to have many "Not Me" stories for Not Me Monday.

And my husband and I will enjoy our first night away from home without my picc line. What an awesome gift God has given me.

If I just lay here!

This is what I plan to do on my vacation:

My husband and I plan to waste time.
We plan to just lay there and forget the world. Forget all the medication, the pain, the journey, the life. But we do need something. I prefer that this song is not about a man & woman, but about "man" and God.

We'll do it all, everything, on our own
We don't need anything or anyone

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world

I don't quite know how to say how I feel
Those three words are said too much
They're not enough

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
to remind me
to find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes
They're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
I just know that these things
Will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me
And just forget the world

Not Me Monday

I chuckle because yesterday I said I would "NOT" do "Not Me Monday" and early this morning I feel compelled to share one thing with you that I did not do.

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



Because I am a fully grown woman and look completely my age (haa), I did not find myself in the CHILDREN'S department in search for a pair of khaki's to fit. I did not take said pants to the dressing room (size 14) and I did not try them on and stare in the mirror as they did not fit me almost perfectly. The only place they were not a little snug were my hips since I do not have any hips whatsoever ... the pants would not be snug there. I did not place the pants into the shopping cart and proceed to the check out counter anyways!

That's All for this week. (though you may want to come back just in case I think of things to add later) Stay Tuned next week after my beach trip. I am bound to do something that needs to go on NMM.

Here for your viewing pleasure are my old Not Me's!

Week 1: Wii Fit Cheater
Week 2: OCD Shoe Lace
Week 3: "Your in" for a real treat on this one.
Week 4: I'm 12 again!
Week 5: PICC me! PICC me!
Week 6: Oh "Holey" Days!
Week 7: Overeaters Anonymous
Week 8: Hair Today: Gone Tomorrow
Week 9: Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Week 10: Khakilin' at the store (today's post)

Sunday update

Last week was a difficult week. Not only was I emotionally drained from my grandfather's poor health, I had a cold. It was not pleasant. I wasn't sure if I would have the immune system to beat it, but so far so good. I took all my immune building supplements and was reminded of one special supplement that I have and took it today as well. It is a supplement that I took for to kill bacteria, but thought it might be useful for this particular strain of whatever it is that I have.

Because it does kill the Lyme bacteria as well, the potential for herxing is there. For those not in the Lyme speak, "herxing" is the effect of when the bacteria dies and creates toxins. Those toxins make you feel quite lousy and sometimes it makes you feel even worse than lousy. I fear the potential of the "herx," but I know that I need this supplement right now. When I return from the beach, I will begin a new supplement. This supplement may also create the herx reaction. I received this supplement last week, but have been terrified to take it.

It's Prima Una de Gato. (Most know it's name by: Cat's Claw) It is so strong that I have to take one drop in four ounces of water. Then increase each day until I get up to five drops. Depending on how I do, I may have to increase very slowly. Oh the other thing that I had done a couple of weeks ago was have my lab work redone. I wanted to see if I could possibly get a positive Lyme test. Through Labcorp, they have a negative, equivocal and positive results. There are no specific bands to look at .. it just gives you an overall answer. I do not know what my Labcorp results were previously, but this time I had an Equivocal result. This means that the bands weren't strong enough to be a full on positive, but there was something there so they couldn't say it was negative. I am waiting on my IgeneX test results. Those show more details on specific bands.

I can tell that stress is playing a role on how I feel physically. I have had small amounts of joint and muscle pain. I have also had a significant amount of twitching. The weather has also played a small role. It snowed the 2nd day of March, then it was hot at the end of the week and now it's cold & rainy! It has rained most of the week. Rainy weather affects my joints and muscles. It also affects my moods.

I had so much fun at Congress on Wednesday, but I was exhausted & winded at the end of a very short visit. It taught me that I am definately not at 100 percent. I received a hand written letter from Senator Rouzer from Johnston County. He is the Senator that had just read my letter prior to me walking into his office. However, he was not available so we talked with his wonderful assistant. :o)

And props to my best friend. He always seems to know exactly what I need when I am feeling down. He always seems to call when I'm feeling my lowest and knows exactly what to say or do to help me get my chin up. Props to my other friends too. You guys all rock. You have no idea how much your support and prayers have meant over the last week. The phone calls, the IM's, the emails, the comments --- you guys have a special place in my heart.

Just so it doesn't throw you off guard, I plan to take a Time Out from blogging this week. My husband and I are going to the beach on Wednesday. It will be a huge blessing to get out of town. My mother in law will be a huge blessing to us and stay out our house while we go out of town. Her staying will allow us to go out of town without worrying about our dogs or phone messages. She'll be able to hear all of our messages so if my family calls about my grandfather. We will return on Sunday. I'm sure I'll have a lot to say when I get back!

I believe I will skip Not Me Monday this week. I know I've said it before and still participated, but I have a lot of packing and cleaning to do before I leave on Wednesday.

Praying for Emerson White

I have been reading this blog about a little girl named Emerson for a while. The short of it is that she was born with a metabolic disorder and her biggest hurdle is complete intestinal failure. Eme had a multiple organ transplant and they removed her large intestine, spleen, and 2/3 of her stomach. They transplanted a small intestines, liver and pancreas.

This beautiful girl is very sick. She's been in the hospital for 13 months and she undergone additional surgeries since the multiple organ transplant.

Please visit her website and pray for not only this little girl, but her beautiful mother Erika who updates the blog as frequently as they can. Why do they need such urgent and many prayers now? The hospital is sending Eme HOME. Read her blog on why this is such an overwhelming task. She has been placed back on the transplant list and is waiting for it to be activated.

Prepare yourself

I hate those two words: Prepare yourself.

There are several phrases I hate:

"You need to sit down."
"Prepare yourself."
"Take a deep breath."
"It's time."
"He's had a good life."
Anything with the words "do not resuscitate."


On Saturday, I got the phone call I've been dreading the last 9 years. I don't remember everything about that phone calls, but some various words I heard:

Emergency Room
Critical Care
Struggling to Breathe
Immobile
Vomiting
Prepare yourself

After hemming and hawing over these words that circled in my head, my husband and I went up to the Critical Care Unit for me to visit. I "took a deep breath" and went in. What I saw wasn't pretty because it sure looked like to me that "it's time."

Sunday he's doing better. I hear nothing Monday or Tuesday, but on Wednesday I get another phone call. Again the words struggling to breathe were part of the phone call. On Thursday, I get all the phrases I hate ... including Prepare yourself & the DNR orders.

So now it's a waiting game. Will it be today, tonight, tomorrow? This weekend, next week, the week after? We do not know. What we do know is that he's struggling with oxygen levels and that he is refusing to eat. He's barely talking b/c he's struggling to breathe. Will the last words I him say is "I love you too." I hope so. That's a phrase that I could hear over and over again and never tire.

But in the meantime, I am just trying to "prepare myself" because "it's time" and "he's had a good life." I'm struggling to breathe, but trying to "take a deep breath" and I am "sitting down" because it's all I can do at the moment knowing that my Dad & Uncle signed the "DNR" orders just the other day.

Honestly, I am doing the very best I can with my motto: "The skills that I have and the love I receive."

Welcome

I would like to say a big welcome to my Anonymous commenter Sam and Charisse. Thank you for commenting.

Sam, the best post to read to catch up on everything is:

Living the Lyme Life

I never went bowling with my PICC Line. I haven't even been able to go since it was removed, but do you have a Wii? In Wii Sports, there is a bowling game! It's so much fun.

Thanks for commenting. Enjoy my blog. I've been going through some emotional highs and lows, but I hope you'll find something useful here.

Inspirational Thursday

How Great is Our God!


Week 1: It is Well
Week 2: Who Am I? Casting Crowns
Week 3: I Can Only Imagine Mercy Me
Week 4: Mighty to Save Hillsong
Week 5: Here I am to Worship:
Week 6: Praise you in this storm
Week 7: From the Inside Out

Hi/Lo Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their
site.

This week has been amazingly full of both Highs and Lows. I will finish the post later this evening, but wanted to start it off now.

Jennifer's Highs.

1. My visit with Congress really went well. I think I brought Lyme Disease Awareness to many at the Legislative Building, but also Integrative Medicine.

2. My photo op with my Doctor & Nurse. I don't know where the photo is going to show up, but I do know it's a big deal. I hope I looked okay. Probably a bit too happy to be a patient and a bit too dressed up!!!! But still very cool opportunity.

3. My biggest high however was hearing my grandfather said the words "I love you."

Jennifer's Lows.

1. I am still very winded from my visit with Congress. I don't know that it did my health any good to visit that many people, but I do know it did my heart good. So even though I am paying for it today, many others will reap the reward for my measly low later.

2. My grandfather is not doing well. It makes my heart heavy & sad. When I saw him lying in the hospital bed, it took me back 9 years when I last saw my Granny in the same position. It hurts my soul to lose her all over again. My other low is that now that I'm sick, it really is in my best interest (and his) not to visit. So I got one visit with him at the hospital. I hope he remembers how much I love him and even though I am not there ... I hope he feels me in his heart. I love that man. He's something special to me. Always has been and always will be. Memories I have of him are everlasting.

Congressional Meetings

It went really well, but it was exhausting. I don't think I've done so much walking in such a long time. I was winded (and in fact I still am very winded). We split up into three groups. One group was lead by my doctor. He walked with a huge Lyme advocate that sees the amazing Dr. J in SC and also one of his patients who also has Lyme Disease. Another group was lead by another patient of his who has Lyme. She walked with another couple of Lyme patients both of whom see my doctor. And then there was my husband and I who were escorted by my nurse practitioner.

Many of the offices of the congressmen were empty. They were in meetings or out for lunch. However, we were able to talk to a few people who were not only interested in the bill that we were there for, but also interested in Lyme Disease. My husband and I were especially wanting to meet the senator that emailed me. He wasn't in, but his secretary had just read my letter. She was very interested in my story and wanted to know more. While I was in the office, the phone rang. She insisted I stick around so she could talk to me more about Lyme Disease and Integrative Medicine. So we waited and then talked to her. Shortly after, we called my nurse in so she could talk more specifics about the bill. We went back later to see if he was in the office and he was. We talked to him for about 10 minutes and he said he would sign yes on the bill!

In the second building, we made an effort to find the office of the senator of our county. We went in and he was out at lunch, but his secretary wanted to know why we had stopped by. She would let him know. Well as I'm explaining that I had written him a letter, I realized that my letter was sitting right there on top of her pile of paper work. As I was saying, "I wrote Senator ----- a letter about my difficulties in getting diagnosed with Lyme Disease and how integrative medicine has helped me," she asked if I was Jennifer. She had just read my letter right before I walked through the door. She talked with us for a good 15 minutes and said that she was certain that he would sign yes on the bill when it was introduced. That another Senator had brought his letter over to the office for him to read because it was such a compelling story. So the letter on my Senator's desk was actually another Senator for a different county.

My Senator hadn't received his letter yet because he hadn't gone home to retrieve it. How amazing is it that they had just read the letter before I walked into the office?!?

I am very exhausted from the very busy day. I hope I made an impact on some important people because my body is going to pay for it. I'm not sure if it's allergies from tree pollen or if it's just a standard cold or if it's turning into a sinus infection or if I picked something up from the hospital on Sunday, but I am very exhausted and winded. It's difficult to breathe, but not enough to really be concerned. If I'm still having trouble in the morning, I may stop by to check my oxygen level after work and to let them listen to my lungs. I empathize with my CF friends today because I am struggling with every single breath. Pray that my body shapes up and my immune system starts fighting this mess.

I almost forgot the most exciting (er nervewracking) part. So I get to my doctor's office and there is a office full of people in the waiting room. One lady with a camera, two gentlemen that would be going with us, one lady that would be going with us and a patient that was waiting for her IV treatment. So I sat down next to the camera lady (thinking that she was going with us to Legislative Building) and Rob sat on the other side (there were no two seats side by side). A few minutes later, Dr. P comes out and motions for the photographer to come back. Then a few minutes later, he opens the door and motions for me. I was confused, but went back with my husband. He then informed me that the Triangle Business Journal was taking photos for the Journal and wanted pictures of him and one of his patients. He thought I would be perfect and to come on back for my photo OP. OMG ... they took my picture with my doctor and my nurse! Then another photo of us looking at supplements! *gasp* Glad I didn't wear jeans & a tshirt!

"God's Willing"

"My husband is more than likely taking off this coming Wednesday to tell our story and then it is my hope that I can go the next time on the 25th. I'm not sure if it will be possible, but if it is God's will for me to be there ... I will be there."

I said this on Sunday. On Monday morning, I talked to my boss about the exciting opportunity that my husband would have this coming Wednesday and if it went well that I would possibly get to go later on. It was then when she said that I should go since it was my story. You about had to pick my chin off the floor and stop me from saying "seriously."

I have always said that God gave me Lyme Disease for a purpose. I believe that this is part of the purpose for me to use my Lyme Life to help Integrative Medical Doctors that help all illnesses. Now God willing, I will be healthy enough tomorrow to talk to these men *and women* that can help Integrative Medical Doctors.

Wish me luck and lots of prayers.

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.



You are not reading my Not Me Monday right this very moment since earlier this morning I said I would NOT be posting one today. Since there were no major incidents this week, I will not be posting this in a list format.

1. I did not have a perfectly good melt down over my hair on Wednesday after I realizing I had no clue on how to use hair torture devices (hair dryer & flat iron) on my newly styled hair.

2. I did not go on a massive cleaning spree Saturday morning since I did not spend Monday through Friday of last week napping every afternoon. I certainly wouldn't let my house get overwhelmed with stuff after making a resolution of keeping up with laundry.

3. I did not do said massive clean up because a friend was coming over for the first time. Since I am a regular party home (stop that laughing Missy), my house is prepared for company at all times. Also since this visit was planned in advance (a whole week at that), I wouldn't have to rush at the last minute to do cleanup duty.

4. I did not freak out when my husband came inside on Sunday and use the word "tick." I did not make him strip down and throw everything in the washing machine immediately. I also didn't force him to take a shower and check every inch of him for ticks. I did not set the washing machine load on rinse twice and only wash his items of clothing because that would be a waste of water & detergent. Also this did not cause me to remind everyone on facebook to check their loved ones for ticks every single night.

5. I most certainly did not skip my planned nap today to go shopping instead. I rarely go shopping. I did not use the excuse of going to Congress to purchase a new outfit because I am not going to Congress on this coming WEDNESDAY! I did not spend THREE FULL HOURS at Kohl's trying to find the perfect outfit. It did not take me a full 90 minutes to find ONE PAIR of pants that fit. It didn't take another 30 minutes to find a top that fit and matched. I most certainly did not beg one of the sales associates to help me find something fashionable to go with those pants and top because that would mean that I absolutely have no fashion sense. I didn't actually utter the phrase , "You mean that doesn't match?" Nor was I given a lecture on how "accessories make or break an outfit" since I used to work in the Accessories department I would definately know this. It didn't take TWO sales associates and one additional hour to find something that would be appropriate for wearing.
















Here for your viewing pleasure are my old Not Me's!

Week 1: Wii Fit Cheater
Week 2: OCD Shoe Lace
Week 3: "Your in" for a real treat on this one.
Week 4: I'm 12 again!
Week 5: PICC me! PICC me!
Week 6: Oh "Holey" Days!
Week 7: Overeaters Anonymous
Week 8: Hair Today: Gone Tomorrow
Week 9: Liar Liar Pants on Fire (Today's post)

update health/political front

*** unless I am feeling a bit on the witty front later *** Not Me Monday will be postponed or cancelled on my end. I apologize to those that look forward to my witty Monday humor, but I was not able to put anything together over the weekend like I normally am.
**** regularly scheduled post now commencing.

So I'm assuming that my Grandfather will be just fine since I've not heard a word, but continue praying. Not just for him.

I was feeling it yesterday, but I woke up just now with a doozy of a sore throat. This happens nearly every time I go to a hospital. I did everything by the book after I got home to prevent it, but my immune system just isn't strong enough. Please pray for me. I have a fever and a severe sore throat. Those are my only two symptoms as of yet. I work today for 5 hours. I suspect I'll make it through that part and then crash when I get home.

Not only was I exposed at the hospital, but it's been nothing but "sickies" at work the last few weeks too. PLUS like I said on Saturday morning, the trees are pollinating. So it could be a number of things. My specific job duty really needs me to be at work. I'm really the only one that can do this duty and I'm already planning on two much needed vacation days next week and missed one full day for snow last week. I have to teach 12 classes to each "group" in a normal 20 days. Now I have to teach those same amount of classes in 17 days. I only have about 2 hours a day to do so and I have more than 2 hours worth of groups. I don't have much room to play with and my doctor is wanting me to either take a day off or take a few hours off early to come to the General Assembly to help tell my story to the Legislators. (how exciting is that?)

My husband is more than likely taking off this coming Wednesday to tell our story and then it is my hope that I can go the next time on the 25th. I'm not sure if it will be possible, but if it is God's will for me to be there ... I will be there.

Let me try to go back to sleep. My throat is really quite painful and I have virtually nothing that I can take that doesn't knock me completely out. So I'll wait until I get home at 12:15 to take that tiny amount of Motrin/Tylenol that will knock me out into next week. Medications have weird effects on me. Either they don't work at all or they overwork. I never know each time what the effect is going to be. So I can't take it now b/c it might knock me into next week.

PS a friend of mine from HS had a baby girl yesterday March 8th. The baby was a bit early (3 weeks I think) and her lungs may not be ready. This friend has had quite a bit of what I call (not to be insensitive .. just my humor to deal with adversity) "baby making trauma" so please pray for her and her little one (just over 6 pounds and 19 inches long).

Obviously in normal circumstances, I would want to be there. BUT A: Baby needs time to do any healing that needs to be done B: Hospitals are like breeding ground for bacteria and exhibit Grandfather shows that hospitals & me can't be intermingled C: I am already concocting something and would hate to share. If it weren't for A & C, I'd be there in a heart beat.

Edited to add: Woke up at 5am without a fever. I woke up with that sweaty feeling and knew it was gone. Got up and it had dropped 2 degrees. Let's pray it stays that way, but I think I'll still take a nap when I get home from work. I already put the laundry that will need to be done this afternoon in the washing machine. That way all I have to do is put it in the dryer. It can wait there for a while if need be after it's dry! :D

Another update

12:26 pm update:

My grandfather has been sitting up for a few minutes at a time this morning. He is also more responsive to questions and has been asking what is next.

They suspect that he received this lovely pneumonia from his recent stay. He should be moved to the regular floor today and continued to be monitored. He's not out of the woods by any means, but it was a relief to get this update from my Dad this morning.

Instead of making new posts on this today if I get word ... I will just add to the top of this post.

Update

Going out to dinner to take away nerves: $50.00
1/2 a tank of gas $10.00
Hearing your grandfather say I love you: Priceless


After hemming and hawing since 11, I decided that it was important for me to go to the hospital whether it was a danger to my own health or not. I knew if something happened and I didn't go, it would eat away at me the rest of my life. So my previous post said that he has double pneumonia. That is pretty much all I knew before I went.

Once there, I learned the following:

1. He has double pneumonia ~ meaning pneumonia is in both of his lungs. He had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday from another stay where he had been having difficulty breathing. I am not sure whether he was being treated for Pneumonia already or whether this was something that popped up after he was discharged.

2. He is on Oxygen. He's already been on this at home with the nasal cannula, but he had on the mask. They say they are going to switch him over to another kind (i'm guessing nasal cannula) since his Oxygen levels are now stable to avoid drying out his lips and mouth with mask.

3. His blood pressure was really really low when they admitted him into the ER by ambulance. They began fluids right away and just the fluids alone have raised his blood pressure closer to normal. He's on an automatic blood pressure monitor that monitors him every 30 minutes or so. While I was there it was about 110 over 57.

4. His respiration were between 15 and 20 while I was there. Apparently this is good, but I don't know much about respiration rates.

5. The plan is for the pulmonologist (the lung doctor) to come visit in the morning to see about transferring him out of the Critical Care Unit to a regular hospital room. They want to keep him in the Critical Care Unit at least over night to keep a better monitor of his stats.

6. He was responsive to the nurses and to us while we were there. It was very difficult at first for me, but when he realized I was there he opened his eyes and talked to me briefly before going back to sleep.

7. How am I? Well it was very difficult not only because I hate to see my Grandfather in this condition, but b/c the last time I was at that hospital my Granny was literally on her death bed. She died before I could get there in time. Every spring, I get lonely for her. "It will get better in time" they say. But does it ever really? Yes & No. So today I was getting my heart ready for another heart ache. I am also worried about my own health because it was very dangerous for me to go there. BUT, I had to go. We were only allowed to go back 2 at a time. So I went back with my father. Then my father left me there alone and my uncle came back. Then my Uncle left and my brother came back. I then left to see if anyone else wanted to go back.

It was at that time I knew visiting hours would be over and there was nothing else to do but to come on home. Please continue to pray.


**** there were 3 messages posted on this day *****

This one, the initial one on my Grandfather and then the one about it being the one month anniversary of my picc line being removed. Ironic that on the day one month ago that I had my picc line removed that I head to the hospital to see all these IV tubes coming from my grandfather.

IMMEDIATE prayers

My grandfather is in the hospital. It's very critical especially the next 12 to 24 hours. He has double pneumonia. He's on IV antibiotics & fluids. He doesn't have a regular room yet and I'm on my way for the almost 90 minute drive to the hospital. This is the same hospital I last saw my Granny in almost 9 years ago. The memories are overwhelming and the emotions are spilling out my eyes.

So your prayers are needed in a most dyer way. First and foremost, prayers are needed for my grandfather. Please pray that he can pull out through this bout of pneumonia like he has every other time. And if it goes the other way .. that he doesn't pull out, please pray that it's easy for him. I don't want him to be in pain.

Secondly and maybe just as important .. please pray for me. It's all I can do to type this right now. My emotions are off the chart, but more than for strength .... please pray that I don't catch anything while at the hospital. I am extremely susceptible to every little germ, but I feel that I need to be there with my family. So please keep those prayer warriors going that I am able to maintain my health while being with my family.

I am not ready for a set back and pneumonia is not something my body can handle right now. Thanx for your continued support and prayers through this challenging time. I'll keep everyone up to date as soon as I can, but keep in mind that I won't have access to the computer after I leave in a few moments until I return home.

It's been one month

This message is going to be discombobulated. I'm just writing to write. I am not editing therefore I apologize in advance for any run-on sentences or misspellings. :) (Missy IGNORE THEM). :) Also sometimes my head goes faster than my head so I might start a sentence and stop it mid sentence. Uh sorry about that. I think it in my head and even think I've typed it, but yeah .. I haven't.

On to the regularly scheduled post:

It has been one month today that my PICC Line was removed. It's been one month as of yesterday that I had a treatment for Lyme Disease (minus supplements that I've been on the last week). It's been one month and two days since I last had an IV for heavy metal poisoning. It's been one month and one day since I got a saline/heparin injection. It's been one month since I've seen my doctor.

ONE MONTH!!!! One WHOLE month! I have been up to my doctors in the last month a whopping 4 times.

February 7 ~ get picc line removed & appointment
February 24 ~ MSA testing
February 25 ~ blood work.
Then on March 3rd to bring balloons to the office for a a miracle two years of treatment. (though it was on March 1st .. March 3rd was the first day they were open.

What did I miss you ask? Well, I would have been to get my picc line changed on:
11th, 18th, 25th, March 4th. There would have been some sort of "emergency" too. I probably would have had 1 treatment for Lyme and 1 treatment for Heavy Metals. Those would have more than likely been done on the same day as a dressing change, but sometimes that couldn't be arranged so add in 2 more days. So far that would have been 7 days at the doctor's office in addition to the 7th appointment, 24th MSA, 25th blood work. So make that 9 days at the doctor's office in a month. 9 days out of 20 days they are open. OMG. How grateful am I that I was only there for 4 days of the 20? Words can not explain. That means also that I was minus 5 days of pain b/c those picc line changes are not fun. I had one day of pain instead. The blood draw was not fun and I still have a bruise 10 days later from where they took blood.

How am I doing?

Well, I am exhausted. I think it is mainly thanks to my friend PMS, but I am exhausted none-the-less. I've taken more naps in the last week than I have in the last 4 months. However, I do feel rested when I finally do wake up, which is really good. I also think that part of my problem is the pollenating *bastards* trees that are starting to pop out with little spring buds.

On a senator letter front: I had two letters returned to sender. The address is not correct. So I think I will send an email to these senators. I also received a list of the other representatives of congress. So I suppose another letter will have to be written (er make that 170 letters or so), printed off, stuffed into envelopes, addressed (which is quite a task of it's own), stamped, sealed, and sent off. Quite an undertaking for someone that even two years ago could barely write her own name .. much less coordinate such a process.

Inspirational Thursday

From the Inside Out



Week 1: It is Well
Week 2: Who Am I? Casting Crowns
Week 3: I Can Only Imagine Mercy Me
Week 4: Mighty to Save Hillsong
Week 5: Here I am to Worship:
Week 6: Praise you in this storm

Hi/Lo Thursday

This post is part of "Hi/Lo Thursday" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to read everyone else's "Hi/Lo" posts and get your link on their site.

(I couldn't figure out how to get the Hi/Lo button to work)

The Highs of the week:

I was able to go to a winterguard competition and see my friends compete. It has been over years years since I have been able to do this so the fact that I was able to go two times this year ... it really felt like I was flying high.

Although, it was predicted ... the snow on Monday was a real high for me. It has snows three times at my house this year. We rarely get one snow much less three.

I had a huge weight removed off my shoulders a week ago today. Literally. My hair stylist removed probably 10 or more inches of hair and bulk out of my hair. The new style felt wonderful and I felt beautiful for the first time in years.

I celebrated my "two year anniversary" with my doctor on Sunday. It makes me so happy that I have come so far in the last two years. I also took a picture of my supplements that I was on and then the amount of stuff I will be taking over the next few months. The difference is amazing.

On a similiar note, I received an email from Senator John Snow (foreshadowing the snow we had on Monday???) on Friday saying he supported the bill that will help North Carolina Integrative Medicine.


****************************************************
Where there are highs .... there are lows.

My one and only low this week was already posted yesterday. It makes me so sad that I can't get a hang of my new hair cut. Take a look right here to see what I mean if you missed yesterday's post.

Missing the "gene"

I am missing a very important "gene" in my genetic make-up. This isn't a medical condition of missing an actual genetic component, but there is something missing none-the-less. As you all know, I recently got my hair cut. I let my hair get way too long. Why you ask? Because the longer it is, the easier it is for me to maintain. That is until it gets to a certain length where it begins to form a bird's nest in it overnight.

If I don't feel like trying to do something with it, I could throw it up in a pony tail and go. This has been my ritual since middle school. I've only gotten my hair cut this short since 1990 ... maybe 3 times. Every time I get really excited at the hair salon, but then the let down happens.

It's the moment I realize ... I am missing the "girl" gene. The gene that automatically is there that let's me know not only what to do with my hair to make it look good, but how to do it. After my hair cuts, I wait as long as possible to wash it because I know after I wash it ... it will never look as good as it did.


So last night, I finally washed it. I couldn't find my "clips" to "hold up the layers" to dry it with a kind of torture device called a hair dryer. So I finagled my old picc line covers to hold my hair up. It worked, but whoa was it funny looking. I still am not quite able to dry my hair nice and straight with the dryer and brush b/c ... who can brush their hair and hold a hair dryer at the same time?????? Oh wait .. the whole female population ~ except me.


I attempted to dry it. I spent two hours "trying" to flatten the mess out of my hair disaster with a hair torture device known as a flat iron. I used some kind of product for heat and used some kind of product that smells good and the mist misery fell upon me as the spray sprewed (yeah yeah I made the word up) all over my glasses.

So after spending over two hours working on my hair, I first cried about how I was missing the fixing hair gene and then I slumped into bed the hair messer-upper device. I woke up with my hair sticking straight up in the air with no evidence that I had spent wasted over two hours of my life the night before. So I had to lose another 45 minutes just trying to get it to look decent for work or I'd be ridiculed by the ladies (that have the gene).

*sigh* It saddens me that I can not figure out how to make my hair unruly. This is my profile of what I saw this morning. I can not even show you the front view because I had just rolled out of bed and it was a sight not to be seen. Can you see that "mess" in the back sticking straight out?

And just on Thursday,
my hair stylist a woman who has the hair fixer gene
had my hair looking like this:



What is wrong with this picture???? Can anyone help me? It took her an hour to wash, cut, dry and flat iron my hair. It took me NEARLY FOUR HOURS to wash, dry and flat iron and it didn't look anywhere close to how she had it. :(

Another Winterguard Comp

On this past Saturday (2/28/09), I went to another Winterguard show. I had so much fun watching my "friends" perform. Still wishing I was out there, but yet glad I didn't have the pressure of catching every toss and running from one end of the gym to the other. I might be "well" comparatively, but I am most certainly not ready to pick up a flag, rifle or sabre (and what the heck is an air blade????).

I could not do this move:

I love the look of this photo below. This group of girls made me smile too. I believe they are from Kinston North Carolina. They did a show called "Chaotic Dreaming." It reminded me of Living the Lyme Life ~ my actual life, not the blog.



Here below, we have Assembly Line again. See the guy in the front (with the black pants & suspenders)? He remembers me from my early 90 shows when I performed in High School. He saw me talking to a friend. He raised his eyebrows trying to place me when he remembered the school I marched with and it was nice to have someone remember me from when I wasn't sick. And when doing the following move would have been a piece of cake.



And the last picture: Can you spot what is wrong in this photo?



Need a hint? My friends in this guard are the only two without a blue flag. You see the one up front "flying" a plane. The other? She's SUPPOSED to have a flag. Ooops. Guess she dropped it. See all those peeps in the back of the gym? All of them are perfomers. While I was there, I ran into an old college friend. Always nice to see old friends.

I was so in my element and yet felt so out of place. I was on the wrong side of things, missing thing ... wanting to pick up a flag, rifle, sabre .. and yes even one of those really cool air blade things.

McFlurries are Falling

The traditional Car shot in an nontraditional manner. I usually put the date on the car so that way I know exactly what day it is later on. See the cool clouds? They were quickly moving. It's amazing I got them in the shot at all.



This is out my back door. Such a beautiful wintry scene.



The massive tree outside my back door. I love to look at this wintry precip. I am so glad I don't have to drive out in this weather! Apparently wake county is bad because my work closed. My work never closes for wintry weather.


Some call this a wheel barrow .. today it's an Ice Barrow
And for that matter is it Barrow or Barrel?