Sometimes I Just Hate Myself

I've never been what you'd call a neat person, but lately....well, lately let's just say I'd have to tidy up if Maw and Paw Kettle were coming to visit.

How many of you still have Christmas doo-dads up and/or out? I see a few hands. Well, I can beat that. I am just now bagging up my freestanding witch and three ceramic punkins that have been living in the entryway since mid-October.

I've got candle-making crap all over the house from my Christmas gift-giving rush. And packaging material from the 50 pounds of candy I made and gave away this year. A roaster lives on the loveseat. I have two or three boxes of trash cleaned out of the car - but perhaps too important to throw away. Those are in the middle of the living room floor. No less than a dozen pairs of shoes litter the floors and stairways. The contents of several suitcases leftover from trips long forgotten were dumped on the sofa so the suitcases could be repacked (and redumped later) as needed. Folded laundry is stacked on every step of every set of stairs. Hey! At least I fold it! There are probably enough toast crumbs all over the kitchen counter to make a pie crust. And these are just the highlights. In short...I am a slob.

The bad news is, I have a houseguest coming tomorrow. This person is a frequent visitor who settles in and makes herself at home. So, cabinet and closet doors get opened. There's no place to hide.

Why the hell do I do this? Because I CAN? I've known about this visitor for several weeks now. Why do I wait until less than 24 hours prior to her ETA to do something about this pigsty? I think it's the adrenaline rush.

I need a mother.

No...that didn't work the FIRST time around. Maybe a housekeeper.

She'd probably give up in disgust.

I'm hopeless.

Looking Through a Mother's Eyes

Thanks to Citizen Smash (The Indepundit) for the link to this
story about Capt. David Rozelle, who is soon returning to Iraq. Only, this time he takes extra baggage - "a sack of legs." Capt. Rozelle lost his foot during his first deployment to Iraq. It's a story every American should read.

It brought to mind my Christmas trip to North Carolina to visit my daughter and son-in-law, a Marine stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River. New River is in the same town as Camp Lejeune, the largest Marine Corps base in the world. Whether shopping in town, or running errands on base, it was the same. All these beautiful young men...making it through their days with the help of a variety of prostheses. There were so many that I commented on it.

"Yes," my daughter said. "We see a lot of them now. They're just now coming out of rehab and making it back to active duty."

"Why don't they just go home and be with their families? Isn't it enough to be wounded?" I couldn't help but think what their mothers must feel.

She rolled her eyes and looked at me with one of those expressions I hadn't seen since she was about 15. "Mom...this is who they are...this is what they do. They are Marines."

God love 'em.

The Immigration Issue

One of the things I get all hot and bothered about of late is immigration. I have been reading Michelle Malkin's book on the subject, and I sorta wish I hadn't started. I can't begin to describe the frustration I feel while reading it. I have to take it in small doses.

But, the issues she raises in her book are not my gripe today. No...today, it is far more personal. I live in one of those charming, "diverse" neighborhoods that the liberals tell you we need more of. My neighborhood is so diverse that fully half of my neighbors can't talk to me. I don't know how they function in this country with so little knowledge of English. Drives me nuts. But, even that is not the real issue.

No...the real issue is...CONDIMENTS.

I think.

I know from experience that when I go home tonight, I will be met at the door of my condo with the perfume of my nextdoor neighbor's dinner from last night still hanging in the air. The smells that come through those walls are enough to melt the hair from my Aunt Gertie's chin! It actually makes my eyes water! These are the same odors I endured during my two years of apartment-living when I first moved to the East coast. What the HELL do they use to cook with? Or is it WHAT they are cooking? I don't even want to think about that.

I don't ask a lot. Do you suppose we could place a ban on the importing of stinky foodstuffs?

I See London, I See France...

I've been too busy to blog lately. Life gets in the way sometimes. I've pretty much waited too long on this one, but can't let it go. Apparently, now it's against the law to let your underwear show in Virginia. Read all about it.

All I can say is it's about time! Now, I'm waiting for the law against stretch clothing obscenities. You know the ones....10 pounds of flour in a 5 pound sack kind of thing. Women over 22 wearing a tank top. Biker shorts anywhere else but atop a bicycle seat. Speedos on anybody. Now THAT's what I call offensive!

What Did I Tell Ya?

I got good news from the doctor last night. I don't have leukemia...nor do I have aplastic anemia. My bone marrow has not been damaged by some unknown source, such as radiation, environmental toxins or the bazillion pain pills I've taken in the last two years. There's not a tumor lurking in my innards.

The bad news is I came in positive on two autoimmune disorder tests of some sort or another. So, now I have to see a rheumatologist. I know a bit about autoimmune disorders, and I know that there's not much that can be done, other than to treat the symptoms. Rats!

Down in my heart, I knew this would be the answer. Of course, we're not there yet. I still have cups and cups of blood to give.

Feeling a little less grumpy, though.

Scattershooting...

while wondering how serious bloggers earn a living.

Thank you, Amazon. I just received my copy of Michelle Malkin's book Invasion. Subtitle: How America Still Welcomes Terrorists, Criminals, and other Foreign Menaces to Our Shores. I am so looking forward to settling down with this book tonight. I do realize that I should probably double-up on my blood pressure meds first.

I went to a lively Super Bowl party last night. Great food and company - and not a bad game, either. Several people brought snacks, including one person whose family owns Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church, VA. If you are anywhere near the beltway, it's worth a trip to the restaurant if for no other reason than to roll in a vat of their Spun Garlic Sauce. I haven't been to the restaurant yet, but I can tell you that was the best stuff I've tasted in eons. Everyone at the party says Peking Gourmet will spoil you for Chinese food anywhere else. I believe it!

It probably won't surprise you to learn that there are lowly lifeforms on this planet that will steal the snow shovel right off the front porch of a gimpy, grumpy old broad. I actually thought maybe they would return it after the snow had melted and they didn't need it anymore. I'm such an idiot sometimes.

Glimpses Into the Future

I got a chuckle yesterday while listening to a local radio station's newest contest spiel. They were hyping an upcoming competition for all-expenses-paid trips to the Gnats' summer training camp.

WHAT? Gnats?

Turns out they were talking about the newest baseball team on the block....the Washington Nationals. Or, as they are apparently going to be nicknamed - the Nats.

Do they not realize how that sounds? That handle will be the cheapest joke in town for sports writers from coast-to-coast - especially if the Gnats play on a par with the rest of the Washington teams.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

This Can't Be Right

I feel great today. Absolutely great. My feet don't hurt. I have energy. My achy shoulder isn't aching. This is weird.

Over the last 48 hours, I've gotten my computer back up and am finally online from home again. That feels good! Then, feeling all full of myself, I fixed the vacuum cleaner. It's been a while. With two cats, the carpet has begun to change colors from tan to gray. I'm not sure I am actually going to vacuum, you understand. But, now I CAN, if the mood hits me.

What I think I am going to do is fix myself one more cup of Postum and watch the latest addition to my stash of feel-good movies - Michael.

Chain, chain, chaayayayayan....chain of fools...

The Pincushion Effect

I have lost count of the places I've been poked in the last week. I can't imagine what it must be like for people who are really, really sick!

Yesterday was fun. The bone marrow biopsy was supposed to be a "mild ache" that lasts for 10-15 seconds. Yeah, right. Don't you believe it, baby. Here's what really happens. First, they numb you, just like the dentist. Then they poke this needle in your butt until it stops at your pelvis bone. Then, what appears to happen is that they screw the thing through the bone into the marrow. PAINFUL! Yes, indeed. The lidocaine doesn't penetrate into the bone, so you're on your own at that point. Then the real fun begins. They start sucking the bone marrow out. That is (a) weird and (b) painful. It hurt like a tooth that has gone bad...just before they do a root canal. Of course, that which has been screwed in must be screwed OUT. I thought the guy was gonna have to put his knee on my butt to get enough leverage. But, eventually it did come out and it was all over. I didn't even embarrass myself. I did ask if we'd be doing this again anytime soon. He assured me we would not. He'd better not be lying to me!

Barium is interesting. The berry flavor was OK. It's the texture that could use some improving. They called it a "smoothie." It's more like a "slimey." A heavy slimey. At least it wasn't chalky. I expected something like an antacid, but it wasn't like that at all. But there was 900 ML of the stuff! A lot of gunk to choke down in a 2-hour period.

Pancytopenia. That's my diagnosis. It means my red cells, white cells and platelets are low. Essentially...my blood supply is dwindling. Blood is good. It makes many things so much easier. Like life, for instance.

When I started this blog, I did so just because I was ticked off about something or other and had no way to vent. I had no idea that I would be documenting a medical adventure. I'm trying not to dwell on it, but it's difficult. It will be a week before I have any answers. I'm betting the answer will be "more tests." Stay tuned.

Barium Deep

Hmmmm....

My blood is indeed goofy. They oughta know. They took it out of both arms!

CT scan tomorrow. My first adventure in Bariumland. I chose the berry flavor. "Only one patient has reported that it's bad." What...were the rest of the patients comatose? (I promise a review.)

Plus, they're going to take some bone marrow. I don't know why that gives me the willies, but it does.

I'm getting grumpier about this by the minute.

I'm going to go on record as betting that my old friend lupus is back. But, I'm not going to say a word to the docs. I want them to turn over all the rocks.

Grumpy, grumpy, grumpy!

Life's Little Frustrations

You've heard it before..."Old age is not for sissies." Just burn that into your brain. As you head down that road to your twilight years, buckle your seatbelt, for the ride is indeed bumpy.

I had my annual checkup on the 26th and am learning that I am falling apart - even more than I thought I was. At the start of the year, I was taking 3 meds - two for blood pressure and one for diabetes. Suddenly, I'm taking SIX. ARRRGH! This morning, it's off to the hematologist/oncologist. I don't have a CLUE what that's about, but the speed with which the appointment was accepted kinda bothers me. Hmmmmm...

Oh...and every person of a "certain age" should have a good podiatrist. I can't emphasize that enough.

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My daughter is working as an extra on One Tree Hill, which is a series on the WB on Tuesday nights. So far, two shows into the new season, my local WB channel has carried something other than One Tree Hill in that time slot. It was basketball last night. As if the Wizards are worth watching. This frustrates me. Very much. In fact, it PISSES ME OFF!

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I installed a new hard drive on my computer last night. I bought a nice, shiny new copy of Windows XP to load on it. Everything worked like a charm...except for my sound card and Ethernet connection. So, I'm going to have to go back to Sony and grovel for the drivers. Damn! Actually, I already did that this morning. $31 later, a CD is supposed to be on its way to me via two-day express. The product description for this CD does NOT list my model number (and does warn that the software is model-specific) - but why should that be an issue? After all, my model number appears NOWHERE on Sony's website. But, the human being said this would work. I am waiting patiently for a positive outcome.

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I continue to be amazed at the local NBC affiliate. The Pope's in the hospital. You may have heard that. Apparently, the local news folks figure that since they are in such close proximity to him, they should do some in-depth reporting on this one. So, they sent one bright young woman out in the pre-dawn darkness to stand on the street in front of the Capitol building, where she announced (again) that the Pope was in the hospital. Then, broadcasting live, she introduced a series of file stories on the Pope.

While...standing...in...front...of...the...Capitol...building.

Then, they cut to another bright young woman who was broadcasting live while standing on some street corner downtown. She said something about how this Pope has touched so many lives, yadda, yadda, yadda. (Traffic going by....) Then she introduced a canned interview with some guy who wrote a book about the Pope. She carried on again about the Pope's communication with the world. And then she signed off as more traffic whizzes by her.

Does this make ANY sense?

I didn't think so.

Why don't they just do a clean, sophisticated report from their damn anchor desks and quit trying to impress people (certainly not ME) by doing live reports that have nothing whatsoever to contribute to the issue at hand?

I don't know why these people get to me, but they do.