Curiouser and Curiouser

'We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.'

My life of late seems as if I've stepped through the looking glass. Things feel slightly off, not exactly as they should, and even a little warped. People are acting out of character, someone near and dear is no longer here, and something I thought would be routine, wasn't. I wake every day wondering what new weirdness is going to happen. What will be vaguely not right?

I know everyone has these kinds of days, these moments in their life when the world seems to be tilted just a little. Usually we ride it out and wait for the universe to course-correct. Most of the time it doesn't take long. But based on what I know is in my immediate future, I'm afraid I may need to buckle up for a few more weeks in Wonderland. With jury duty coming up, I'm crossing my fingers that The Hatter hasn't gone mad or a trial for the Queen of Hearts isn't on the docket. If it is, I honestly won't be surprised.

I See The Signs!

I think signs are awesome. They're a chance to get a message across while being a little creative and humorous or they try to be serious and come across as a little goofy. One of my "just for fun" goals this year is to try to take pictures of all the signs that give me a giggle. To kick off my Sign-O-Thon, here are a few I took this week, along with two at the end that I took a couple of years ago. Enjoy!

So many things come to mind, but I'll be nice. 

I always think this one is kind of sad. But yay that they get to play outside! 

I can't afford to send everyone who needs training to this place.

Um, there is a perfectly good road that continues past this sign to my destination. Why do I have to get out and walk for 1/2 a mile? And how do I get my car to the stop sign at the end of that 1/2 mile?

Would you attend a church that had Little Hope? Me neither.

Yes, this is where I get many of my friends, but I love them all. 

Ewwwwwww! I refuse to shop at a convenience store that wants to know if people "Got Worms."

Who knew The Way To Grace was in Pocatello, ID?

"Don’t Mess With Texas" has nothing on Washington's anti-litter campaign. At least we Texans don't threaten overt violence.

Excellent. They've now given up on trying to stop people from drinking and driving. Now it's up to the rest of us to just "watch out." 

Just a quickie to let you know I'm still alive and kickin'! I'm busy working on my next post, so expect it soon. In the meantime, take a look around and see if you can spot the redecorating I did on my blog.

Be Right Back...

Dork of the Day (or The Ding That Wasn't)

When things happen to my condo or car, I like to take care of the problem as soon as possible so I don't have to worry about it. That's why when a rock hit my windshield, putting a nice sized ding in it, I immediately called a company to fill it in before it could become a full-fledged crack. I had used this company before and they'd always done an outstanding job. This day they provided the same outstanding service.

My appointment window was between 9:00 and 12:00; they were coming to me, so I wasn't going to lose any work time, just a lot of money to fix the rock ding. Around 10:00ish, a nice lady arrived to repair my windshield. But when I went outside to meet her, she said she couldn't see a current chip, just one that had already been repaired. Huh? I could clearly see it. Was she blind? Did they send me a newbie who hadn't been trained properly? No worries. I'd help her out. I opened my car door, slid behind the wheel, and pointed to the big rock ding.

"Ah!" she said as I joined her outside, "I see the problem."

And with that, she used her thumb to scrape away my "ding." Turns out my ding was...a bug. After apologizing to her profusely and being reassured that I wouldn't be charged for the bug diagnosis, she assured me I wasn't the first to call about a "rock/bug ding." That didn't keep me from feeling like the Dork of the Day, but it was nice to know I wasn't the only one.

We all have our dorky moments. They keep life interesting and sometimes provide a few laughs. So here's to me and my Dork of the Day moment!

The Daisy Trail

It feels like forever since I've posted something new. These days, I do several things a bit slower than I used to, thanks to my unexpected side trip to the hospital a month ago. It's temporary. I'm working my way back to normal bit-by-bit. But nothing prepared me for the horror I would feel while doing something that used to be a breeze: walking a mile.

My doctor told me I should take it easy and never go fast enough to begin breathing heavily. No problem. I've walked that trail a hundred times. For a few days I went out, did my walk, and was proud of myself for making it up the little hill and back down again. OK, so it's really just a slight incline. It took longer than it used to and I had to keep slowing down because I became winded easily (thanks a lot, blood clots), but I did it. Then I realized just how slow I was going. Turtle slow. Worse than old lady slow. Toddler just learning to walk slow.

There I was, enjoying the beautiful day, saying hello to those going the opposite direction, when it happened. I was passed by two small women who were at least in their 70s. They had their cute little outfits on, complete with matching caps, and there I was in my baggy jeans (because I've lost weight) and giant straw hat (hey, it was sunny and I'm very fair). I had just been smoked by Miss Daisy and her friend on the walking trail. Fine. It was a sad moment. I stopped to mourn and catch my breath.

So on I trudged, trying to convince myself that they were superhuman and I'm really not that slow. The reality is that I am right now. That's OK. If I keep doing what I'm supposed to, someday I'll be back to normal or better, and when I am, I'll leave them in the dust as I pass and be proud of how much I've progressed.

What Does It Feel Like?

I consulted my trusted blog advisor, Steven, about what I should write for this post, and at first said I didn't want to divulge too much about what's been happening in my personal life lately. I've since changed my mind. I think what's happened to me this past week is important, and I need to write about it, just in case it might save the life of someone else.

Last Monday was a typical day; however, I noticed a little soreness in the upper part of my back. As the day went on, the pain grew worse and I decided I had pulled something. The pain spread across my back and into my chest, and I noticed it was getting harder to breathe. By the end of the day, I couldn't take in deep breaths because of the pain. 

I was supposed to Skype-cook with Steven that night, but knew he had a cluster headache (trust me, they're terrible), so I at least had a reprieve until he felt better later. We talked and decided ibuprofen and an hour of rest might help us both. An hour later I felt slightly better, and we cooked our meals together via Skype (same recipe at the same time with our laptops in the kitchen). Total prep, cook, and talk time was somewhere around 2 hours, maybe a little less. Once dinner was ready, we logged off and ate on our own. I was beginning to hurt again, but only had one ibuprofen left, so I decided a heating pad might help. It did. To the point that I fell asleep in a comfy chair with my laptop, phone, and TV remote all in my lap. I woke and decided I should have gone to bed a couple of hours ago. 

It never occurred to me to take my heating pad with me, so I simply went through my usual routine and went to bed. Hours later I woke, unable to breathe. My back and chest hurt. My first thought, of course, was that this was something a hot bubble bath could cure. No. It did help relax me and ease the pain, but it was no magical cure. I remembered the heating pad, put it on the bed and turned it up to high. Ah yes, that was what I needed. By morning I would be a different person. Little did I know...

When morning came, the pain and painful breathing were still there, so I called my doctor to see if I could get an appointment to get a muscle relaxer. I got the doctor's nurse, and we went through a series of questions and I could tell where this was headed -- heart-related problems. Um, no. I did my best to convince him it was muscle, and he did his best to convince me to go to the emergency room. I have a phobia of hospitals, so, um, no. I was determined to talk him into the muscle theory. He was having none of it.

Go. To. The. Emergency. Room. 

I finally agreed, then called my mom, who came and got me. Right now, moms are the best thing ever invented! I called Steven and let him know what was happening, and to assure him nothing was going to stop me from boarding a plane on Saturday to see him. I also called work to let them know I'd be late because my doctor's nurse was insisting I waste time and money going to the emergency room.

My mom and I drove to the Valley Hospital and Medical Center in Spokane Valley, and once I told them the list of symptoms the phone nurse insisted I write down and give them, I was immediately escorted to an area to have an EKG, which was normal. Yay, because I told everyone within ear shot, several times, no matter what they found, they must fix it in time for me to board a plane to Texas on Saturday.

Next up? Drawing blood. Ha! No easy task where I'm concerned. My veins are difficult to find, so they have to take it out of my hand. What's worse than having blood drawn from your hand? Having an IV inserted into your wrist, again because they can't find veins. I was then whisked away to x-ray and brought back with results shortly to follow. No problems with the x-rays; however, the blood tests showed signs of elevated....something that means I could have blood clots or an extreme inflammation somewhere. Next step? Whisked off to have a CT scan.

I've never had a CT scan and apparently having an IV in my wrist required the consultation of three people before they could proceed. I also made sure I informed them that they were to find nothing because I had to be on a plane to Texas on Saturday (this was my theme for the day). They finally decided the dye or whatever could be injected into my wrist and did so. Once the scan was over, I was again whisked back to my little room where my mom was dutifully waiting. A short time later, the nicest doctor in the world (seriously) came in and asked if I wanted good or bad news first. Hit me with the bad. "You're not getting on a plane to Texas on Saturday." That was all I heard and I began sobbing.

Again, moms are the best invention ever because she heard everything he said. Once he left and she calmed me down, I had to ask her what was wrong with me. I had blood clots in my lungs, better known as a pulmonary embolisms. I could have had a stroke or died on the plane.

They did an ultrasound to find the root of the clot, which turned out to be behind my left knee, then checked me into the hospital for five days of absolutely no rest and a massive amount of confusing information.

All this is to say that we all feel aches and pains, but some need to be taken seriously. If mine hadn't happened to affect my breathing, I probably would have popped ibuprofen for days thinking it would go away, then I would have boarded that plane on Saturday.

Don't ignore aches and pains that stick around for a while or have no real cause. Call your doctor immediately. Believe me, it's better to have some tests run and find out all is well than to die because you thought your pains were normal. I'm a healthy person. This was proven by the million other tests they ran on me. So it can happen to anyone. They believe my pulmonary embolisms were caused by a medication I was taking, but it could be genetic. We're hoping I'll only have to take blood thinners and go in for routine tests for six months. Fingers crossed.

To anyone who made it this far in this long post, I know you've heard it all somewhere before. If I can help save someone else by posting my story, then this whole blog thing has been worth it.

Is This Amount OK? Um, No.

OK, I have to share another pet peeve of mine. When I use my debit or credit card to checkout at any store, the machine always asks this question, to which I'm unable give an honest answer, "Is this amount OK?" Hmm. To be honest, no, it's not OK. I'd like to pay you 50% less, but you're not giving me that option, so I guess I'll have to say yes. The more appropriate question would be, "Is this amount correct?" or "Is this amount accurate?" 

Maybe I'm just being picky, but honestly, every single time I want to answer, "No, I want to pay less." I've mentioned this to several cashiers and they've laughed and agreed it is a dumb question. 

So there's my rant for the day. Will someone kindly tell the makers of the credit/debit card machines to please restate the question? Sigh. Probably not. I suppose I'm just stuck with this pet peeve, unless I want to go back to using cash.

And I've Got... Nothing

And what did my wondering eyes see this week?

So a few people have asked me to update my blog and post something new and brilliant. Well, believe it or not, I've got nothing to say. Hey! No laughter from my friends and family! Stop it! Really, I just can't think of anything worthwhile.

Now things that are trivial and inconsequential, that I can do. But worthwhile, not this week. This week consisted of...

Chasing down my garbage can as the wind blew it away while watching a TV show...during the exact same scene. Three times. After rewinding three times, I finally heard the single line I'd been waiting to hear. By then it was anticlimactic.

I'm in my 40s and discovered it's still possible to get a pimple. Really? How is that fair?

Cut myself in the kitchen with my cool new knife, cut myself in the kitchen with my cool new knife, and then cut myself in the kitchen with my cool new knife.

Worked out, then immediately went grocery shopping while looking and smelling like a vagrant.

Passed up buying a piece of carrot cake because I was assured there would be homemade carrot cake at an office potluck. There wasn't.

Was quizzed by my doctor about the ins and outs of long distance Skyping with my boyfriend, how exactly we cook "together", when we met, what our moms thought when we Skyped with them, and more. An hour and a half later, I finally left to go to work. Oh yeah, and we also talked about my health.

Last night I accidentally made a chef salad big enough for eight, and I was alone. I ate enough for two.

This morning I woke up and realized I had all the ingredients to make a breakfast casserole I was craving. Woohoo, because I never have all the ingredients!

But other than that, I've got...nothing.

A Few Views of My World

A few people have asked me to post some of my photos. Soon I'll be taking new ones, but in the meantime, here are a few of my current faves. 

The Twilight Zone opening? The Time Tunnel? Am I a sci-fi geek? No, no, and yes. It's actually a purple Slinky on a dark couch. I took it one day after being snowed in at home for several days (final snow count; 7 feet-ish). 

Most people enjoy the view from the top of lighthouses. I'm afraid of heights and prefer the view from the safety of the ground. During a trip to the Oregon coast, my friends trekked up the stairs to take in the vista. As I watched them huff and puff their way up, I thought the view from my perspective was really cool too.

Drip, drip, drop. As the above mentioned 7 foot snowfall began to melt, I saw this icicle and wondered how long it would take to get a photo of a single drop. Surprisingly, not that long. I think it took me 4 or 5 shots in just a few minutes.

This reminds me of a postcard. @Steven and I went for a drive and stopped at a park along a river in Spokane, WA. The day was perfect. The snow was crisp, the sky was a perfect blue, and there weren't many people out (possibly because it was 9 degrees).

This photo always reminds me of my mom. We drove up to Green Bluff in the Washington area, and stopped so we could take photos of this sunflower. I framed it so I could get the blue sky and red barn as well. My wonderful mom was so focused on the flower, she never saw the big red barn. She did manage to accidentally get it in her shots. And she says I'm unobservant...

When you enter Yellowstone National Park it clearly states you must stay at least 25 yards aways from the elk. They are wild. However, once you're in the park and people are rushing to pull over and take photos, it's easy to get caught up in the moment. I was so excited, I ran up to him and began snapping photos. I was thrilled no one else was around me. Yay! It was only after he bellowed...loudly, that I looked around and saw that everyone with half a brain was standing behind their cars, including my mom. I stupidly took another shot or two anyway, then joined them.

The Sapphire Pools at Yellowstone National Park are incredible. If you ever want to see how many colors are possible in nature, visit Yellowstone. It's simply gorgeous. I stood and stared at this bubbling pool for a while before remembering I might be able to capture it in a photo. This is close, but I still don't think it shows off just how beautiful it really is.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you know this is Haystack Rock on the Oregon coast. If you've never been to the Oregon coast, I highly recommend making the trip and doing the drive. It's beautiful. Some friends and I spent several days touring the coast and other parts of Oregon. This shot was near the end of the day and it was so peaceful. I'd love to go back some day soon.

This is the view from the top of Steptoe Butte in WA. The fact that I was able to snap this photo is nothing short of a miracle. I'm terrified of heights and the drive up to the top of the butte is harrowing. Imagine a tiny road that is supposedly two lanes. (Uh huh. Two lanes if one is a car and the other is a bicycle!) It winds around the butte in a giant corkscrew. So if you're in the passenger seat, you're on the edge of a cliff the entire way up. Frightening! But somehow I managed to survive and left only shallow finger dents in the car seat. I'm really glad I did it, but I'm not sure I could do it again. Unless someone offered to pay me. A lot.

I was standing on a bridge, looking down into crystal clear water and realized the bridge was perfectly reflected, but with depth and texture. I liked the effect the water created.

During a trip to Atlanta, some friends and I stopped by the church where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached. It is now a memorial to Dr. King, and while you view photos and take in the atmosphere, they play his most famous speech over loud speakers. As everyone silently sat in the pews and took it all in, I snapped this photo. I was moved by the history of it. The wood is worn where hands have gripped it over the years, hands that belonged to people who had the privilege of hearing Dr. King firsthand, hands of people who perhaps marched for equal rights and freedom, hands of people who maybe changed the history of our country. This photo is one of my favorites. Every time I see it I'm reminded of that day and that moment.