I took a short break thanks to my lovely gallbladder (Gladys, may you Rest in Peace), a little at-home stress and the end of the school year frenzy.
After I send some teacher emails (no fun), Eli (home exhausted) and I meet my mom for lunch at new favorite Thai Restaurant, shop at Target (of course), hopefully not to forget to buy the teacher gift (I am co-room mom — yikes), take Eli to talent show Pogo practice (that boy can Pogo, I tell you what), pick Kyle up from school (who left this morning in tears and is sick), and a bunch of other stuff, I will post my latest post. In the meantime (these few short hours) let me know what do you want to hear about?
I am not having an existential crisis. And YES, I really do want to blog. Blogs are awesome, right?
Unfortunately I have spent the past two weeks in a significant amount of pain. As I type, my body screams, “ouch!”
Last week when it all started, we were about to leave town and then we left town so I muscled through. Who wants to ruin Spring Break? Not me. We made it though, crazy rain and all. Finally home I actually felt a little better and thought I would be ok. Silly me for jumping the gun. By Monday evening I was panicked, in a lot of pain and thought an alien might just burst from my body. Exactly where might this alien burst from, you ask? Well, the alien felt like it was going to slice right through my right upper quadrant just under my ribcage, otherwise known as the Gallbladder Zone. I have had this pain before yet in the past the pain also passed. This time my gallbladder told me that it can no longer run on fumes. It is done!
Monday Evening I screamed, situated the kids and had Dave drive to the Salt Lake City hospital that accepts my insurance. We sped down the mountain, arrived, parked, I yelled at Gerry the Intake Nurse (in a very sweet and painful way) and was rolled into room 12. I felt foolish. In room 12 the nurse inserted the IV needle in a terrible spot (inside my elbow/the crook of my arm), I saw the doctor and I refused pain & nausea medication (you can do that and it cuts on the costs). A not-so-friendly ultrasound tech rolled me down the hall, banged the bed into the doorway and wheeled me into the room. In the room I received an ultrasound. When I asked her if she saw anything she would not answer. I understand why, but this is the first time I have dealt with such a vacant and rather obedient ultrasound tech. About two hours later I found out that it appears my gallbladder is filled with polyps, lesions and SLUDGE BALLS. Yes, that is correct, sludge balls and yes, the doctor indeed stated that the phrase, “Sludge Balls” is a medical term. Interesting.
Crazy IV in the most uncomfortable place
Because I am tough and did not want to pay an even higher emergency surgery fee, I opted to meet with the surgeon the next day. Tuesday I met her and Tuesday I fell in love with her. I feel confident in her skills and am grateful that I can get this alien demon excised, or would it be “exorcised?” I am scheduled for surgery early tomorrow. I need to arrive at 6:45AM. Thanks to good friends I will drop the boys off on the way and then other friends will take the boys after school.
As it stands here at 8:43 PM MST, I have not eaten proper food in days. I am tired of juice pops, apple juice and green tea. I am grateful I can still tolerate oatmeal. I need to stop my intake at midnight and after I finish this post, I will try to binge on Sorbet and Gatorade. Good times! Cross your fingers, pray, send vibes, chant or whatever you do that my surgery is as boring and routine as gallbladder surgery should be. Please know that I am grateful!
Thank YOU!
PS. Thank you for finding CrazyUS once again. I am hoping that some day soon I can really get this show on the road. What a strange year full of fits and starts.
. . . Bullies do not stop! Bullies are not always who we expect them to be. Who do you blame, because Bullies are often Bullied? Kids who do not Bully or are not Bullied keep their mouths shut. They keep their mouth shut maybe because it is easier to fly under the radar. Learning Tolerance? I am not sure if I buy it. I hope this new anti-bullying movie, BULLY, makes an impact. I really do! I do think the movie will let kids at least know that they are not alone and that they have someone who will listen.
The Blue Bully Sheet
Before I get into things let me throw out this DISCLAIMER. Dave and I are far from perfect, especially as parents. I am very aware that my kids are not perfect either. I also can tell you that my sons have been accused by friends, acquaintances, church folk and family of being unkind and mean. When I come to their aid I have been called a liar, ignorant and my personal favorite said by a random mom, “My son would never lie. I feel it in my gut. He is telling me the truth. He did NOT PUNCH Eli in the face. Eli must have done something to him,” The end! I have also been called out on my bad parenting (a few times) and have been told my kids are hopeless (another story for another day). Not only are Kyle and Eli not always on their best behavior, they are also big kids. They have a lot of energy and do not always make the best choices. One is often referred to as a know-it-all and the other often has a less-than-appropriate sense of humor. If the second was asked, he would probably admit that his less-than appropriate sense of humor has hurt a feeling or many. Thankfully I have been told by the teachers of the suspected know-it-all that he really does listen and let others speak. Yay for good teachers! Continue reading “The Blue, REPORT-A-BULLY, Paper Does Not Work . . .”
Last night I found myself talking on the phone. We had been trying to get ahold of each other for a few days and I was grateful she called. I know her, but not as well as I would like. She is the sister of some very good friends and her mom helped me acquire my lovely wedding flowers years ago. The boys were finishing their homework and Dave was making himself something to eat. We had already eaten, or, so I thought. I looked over and saw both boys with spoons in hand, slurping and chomping away.
“Cereal? You already had dinner!”
“Dad said!”
Ah, the ever-popular, “Dad said.”
I cautioned them not to go overboard and left the room. As we continued talking and I kept explaining, something occurred to both of us and then she said, “Well, then it was all worth it!” Chills ran up and down my arms. I like it when these moments happen. Continue reading “Blindness”
We were finishing our fourth lap around the Farm Park and Dave said one thing. I lost my mind and then wanted to punch him in the mouth. I am a lot like Eli or is he a lot like me? Instead of punching Big Daddy in the mouth I said, “I am driving home. You take the kids in your car. I will make dinner. Goodbye.” I kept my word, got in my car and drove away. Continue reading “One wrong word & my switch flips. Thank God for Old School Rollerblades!”
Peanut Butter Pro Bars make a horrible Swim Team Snack & Where are my Goggles: Hope is Stronger than Fear
The boys outside the Downtown Harmons
The side of Harmons Downtown, Salt Lake City
“Mom, you are so difficult sometimes.” Kyle said after taking a very deep breath and then earnestly tried to explain why a Peanut Butter Pro Bar is a lame pre Swim Team snack.
I think Kyle’s comment was in response to me saying something like, “Kyle, if you are going to ask for something, just ask, don’t get all whiny about it.”
And of course because we were in the car and I was driving my two sons to swim team practice, our snack discussion was obviously preceded by another emergent and catastrophic situation. Yes, seconds before Kyle told me how much his snack sucked, Eli nearly lost his mind, “MOM, MOM!”
“Yes, Eli, I hear you!”
“Mom, I CANNOT WEAR KYLE’S EXTRA GOGGLES! THEY HAVE DARK LENSES AND I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE!”
