My alarm went off for yoga. When I had problems rolling over to shut it off and then had to use the bedpost to stand up in order to get to the bathroom, I figured I probably couldn't make it from the car to the door of the yoga studio, so I went back to bed, hoping to rest it off a bit more.
When I got up later, I realized that finishing the house for our party was NOT going to happen with me in the state I was in. I called Kaiser to set up an appointment.
They don't take appointments on New Year's Eve. They only offer urgent care.
Here's how much fun it is to have Kaiser (don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I HAVE insurance, but still this is ridiculous).
10:00am Urgent care opens
10:15am I arrive at Urgent Care and take a number.
My number is 40. They are on 10.
The number determines the order that you get to speak to the triage nurse, who determines who needs to be treated first and if there are any labs that can be done in the meanwhile.
11:20am My number is called to speak to the triage nurse (note: this is 65 minutes after I arrived--thank goodness I wasn't puking).
11:22am Triage nurse sends me to the receptionist, where I have to make a $35 copay, since it's Urgent Care instead of my regular $15 copay when it's not. Argh.
11:55am Physician's Assistant calls me back, weighs me, blood pressure, and asks, to my surprise, if I'm still not smoking. I tell her I don't smoke at all, and she says, "Good for you sticking with it." I then tell her I've never smoked ANYTHING in my life (since inhaling fumes from the kitchen fire doesn't count in my book). She told me my health record indicates that I'm a "former" smoker. I again stress that I have NEVER smoked anything, EVER. She said she'd update my record, but I have to say it concerns me as to how that got there in the first place.
12:00pm Doctor visits me. Actually really liked her as she was very sympathetic and flat out said, "What medication will help you most?" (I'd explained that neither Tramadol, which gave me headaches, or Vicodin, which doesn't help me, don't work). I told her I didn't like the idea of asking for medication, but Percoset helped in the past to get me over the wall when I'm acute like this.
12:02pm Take prescription to pharmacy then go over to the lab for overdue bloodwork.
12:05pm Get bloodwork done
12:15pm Get prescription and leave.
Grand total of 2 hours, of which 100 minutes were spent waiting--the first 65 of which probably could have been avoided if they'd had an efficient triage nurse. (She was very nice, just VERY slow.)
Came home, took drugs, laid down. At 4:00 my husband woke me and asked if I was going to work on the house.
Went into panic mode. This means that instead of cleaning, I bulldozed junk into a couple of rooms we decided to close off.
House looked better than it has in ages (with the exception of the bulldoze pits) and we had a great time.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
House Progress, Back Digress
Got a lot of work done on the house, and in particular my daughter's room today. Unfortunately I'm afraid that getting the mattress and boxspring out of the storage space in the garage worked a number on my back as it got stiffer and stiffer through the day.
I caved and took Tramadol again.
It did nothing for my back.
It did something for my head. I got a headache. Ugh.
Then as I was running around the house cleaning and organizing, my husband finally said, "If you need me to do something for you, just ask."
I didn't because
1) He had things of his own to do and
2) Then I would be doing nothing and our party is tomorrow and you can't walk through the house or sit anywhere and I would go insane sitting still.
3) I couldn't figure out why he said that. So I asked.
His response? "Because I'm tired of listening to you moan and groan all over the place."
Oh.
I finally gave up and went to bed on the thought that I would go to yoga in the morning anyway. Besides, I was hoping I could sleep off my painkillers-that-didn't-work headache.
I caved and took Tramadol again.
It did nothing for my back.
It did something for my head. I got a headache. Ugh.
Then as I was running around the house cleaning and organizing, my husband finally said, "If you need me to do something for you, just ask."
I didn't because
1) He had things of his own to do and
2) Then I would be doing nothing and our party is tomorrow and you can't walk through the house or sit anywhere and I would go insane sitting still.
3) I couldn't figure out why he said that. So I asked.
His response? "Because I'm tired of listening to you moan and groan all over the place."
Oh.
I finally gave up and went to bed on the thought that I would go to yoga in the morning anyway. Besides, I was hoping I could sleep off my painkillers-that-didn't-work headache.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Bikram Yoga, Day 8
Getting up earlier is getting easier; my whole body is shifting schedule. Unfortunately that schedule doesn't work so well for the whole family in the evening, but hopefully I can adjust my daughter to going to bed earlier too because she needs to.
Today my little piece of progress at yoga was that during Eagle pose I was able to just barely get my fingers in between each other (I had been just grabbing my thumbs).
The rest of the day was spent painting my daughter's room. I had to have it done before my husband got home so that he could lay down the new floor so that we can move her stuff back in her room so that we can clean things up to be ready for the party that we're having for New Year's.
We're hosed.
Today my little piece of progress at yoga was that during Eagle pose I was able to just barely get my fingers in between each other (I had been just grabbing my thumbs).
The rest of the day was spent painting my daughter's room. I had to have it done before my husband got home so that he could lay down the new floor so that we can move her stuff back in her room so that we can clean things up to be ready for the party that we're having for New Year's.
We're hosed.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Bikram Yoga, Day 7
I can really feel the difference in my back between 1 day off and 2 days off between yoga sessions. I just can't put that much space in or I start feeling like I need pain medication again.
Even though we do the same routine every time, I still haven't memorized it yet. I can't get over though how much more quickly class goes than my first one. I'm just breathing and trying to make it through and all of a sudden we're in the last of the seated poses and I'm amazed we're almost done.
I am finally reaching around my foot in the seated head to knee pose. Well, at least with my outside hand. The inside hand doesn't quite go because both the abdominal excess and flexibility, but I'm closer now.
I have got to get pictures of these poses soon since I'm making progress.
Even though we do the same routine every time, I still haven't memorized it yet. I can't get over though how much more quickly class goes than my first one. I'm just breathing and trying to make it through and all of a sudden we're in the last of the seated poses and I'm amazed we're almost done.
I am finally reaching around my foot in the seated head to knee pose. Well, at least with my outside hand. The inside hand doesn't quite go because both the abdominal excess and flexibility, but I'm closer now.
I have got to get pictures of these poses soon since I'm making progress.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
DRIVEeatMERRYCHRISTMASpresentsDRIVEeatMERRYCHRISTMASpresentsDRIVEeatMERRYCHRISTMASpresentsDRIVEsleep
Our Christmas traditions have changed over the years, but since we've been married, they've been pretty much the same. After our very French Christmas eve, we sleep for a few hours, then drive for an hour to get to my Dad's, where we have Christmas breakfast, open stockings and presents, and then lounge for a bit before heading over to my aunt's (about a 40 minute drive), where we have an early (4:00) dinner, open presents, then drive another half hour to my uncle's (other side of the family), where we have birthday cake for my cousin, and do a cousin gift exchange, then drive home (another 45 minutes or so).
It makes for a very long day on very little sleep.
As indicated in my last post, we were able to get more sleep this year, but not for the happiest of reasons.
This year we had to pick up my grandmother as the family is attempting to drive her places rather than let her do the driving. That's a whole long story in itself and this isn't the best place to go into. Anyway, we were elected to pick her up.
We were actually (oddly) running on time when my cell phone rang in the car. My dad was calling--my grandmother was apparently very distressed that we weren't there yet (30 minutes before we were supposed to be there) AND that we weren't answering our phone (which was at home, so therefore not possible to answer if we were on our way).
We got there, right on time, and picked her up.
My grandmother is a pretty amazing woman. She worked for three different governors of the state of Oregon and is not someone you want to have on your bad side when it comes to pulling political power. She's 88, still active in her church, and physically active as well. Since I was a little girl though (and probably since before then), she's had a habit of "patting" people fairly forcefully.
When I was six, this resulted in me being pushed unaware and unable to lift my foot over a step on time, making me crash face first into the pavement. One of my teeth turned gray--fortunately it was a baby tooth. Her comment? "You need to be more careful, dear!"
And as I got older, I learned to set down any beverage glass I was holding because when Grandma came in for a hug, it would inevitably get toppled and I would be told, "Oh goodness, you need to be more careful, dear!"
As I greeted her at her front door, she leaned in for a hug and I literally had to grab the door frame to keep from falling down her front steps. Add that to being unable to take the pressure of much weight because of my back and I was left gasping for breath.
Some things never change.
We loaded up the car with Grandma and her presents and drove over to my dad's.
The rest of the day went fairly normally--visiting with relatives, little kids having more fun ripping open presents than playing with what was inside (and then asking, "Can I open more presents, please?....PLEASE....PLEEEEEASE!!")
We got home, unloaded my daughter's loot, and crashed.
It makes for a very long day on very little sleep.
As indicated in my last post, we were able to get more sleep this year, but not for the happiest of reasons.
This year we had to pick up my grandmother as the family is attempting to drive her places rather than let her do the driving. That's a whole long story in itself and this isn't the best place to go into. Anyway, we were elected to pick her up.
We were actually (oddly) running on time when my cell phone rang in the car. My dad was calling--my grandmother was apparently very distressed that we weren't there yet (30 minutes before we were supposed to be there) AND that we weren't answering our phone (which was at home, so therefore not possible to answer if we were on our way).
We got there, right on time, and picked her up.
My grandmother is a pretty amazing woman. She worked for three different governors of the state of Oregon and is not someone you want to have on your bad side when it comes to pulling political power. She's 88, still active in her church, and physically active as well. Since I was a little girl though (and probably since before then), she's had a habit of "patting" people fairly forcefully.
When I was six, this resulted in me being pushed unaware and unable to lift my foot over a step on time, making me crash face first into the pavement. One of my teeth turned gray--fortunately it was a baby tooth. Her comment? "You need to be more careful, dear!"
And as I got older, I learned to set down any beverage glass I was holding because when Grandma came in for a hug, it would inevitably get toppled and I would be told, "Oh goodness, you need to be more careful, dear!"
As I greeted her at her front door, she leaned in for a hug and I literally had to grab the door frame to keep from falling down her front steps. Add that to being unable to take the pressure of much weight because of my back and I was left gasping for breath.
Some things never change.
We loaded up the car with Grandma and her presents and drove over to my dad's.
The rest of the day went fairly normally--visiting with relatives, little kids having more fun ripping open presents than playing with what was inside (and then asking, "Can I open more presents, please?....PLEASE....PLEEEEEASE!!")
We got home, unloaded my daughter's loot, and crashed.
Friday, December 24, 2010
Bikram Yoga, Day 6
I had originally intended to go to the late class and try to finish pictures of my postures afterward, but with everything I had to do today, decided the early class would be better.
For once, I planned ahead. Too bad it was because I'd procrastinated so many other things that I was forced to.
I'm still feeling change in my yoga poses with every class. They may be miniscule, but for me it's nice to be able to feel progress--especially since I never seemed to be able to make progress in physical therapy (with Kaiser anyway).
The only downside is that now I'm debating whether I should take pictures in my poses as I can do them now, or whether I should go back to where I was. I'll figure it out on another day when I have more time.
I spent the day scrambling and wrapping presents. My husband went up to the mountain to play in the snow.
Our Christmas eve tradition as a couple is FABULOUS. His best friend is French, and I will refer to him as "G" for this. G and his wife put on the most incredible dinner. Usually it is just their family that is invited--and us. I totally married in to an awesome invitation on that one.
Usually the festivities start around 6:00, we socialize for a bit, and then around 7:00 we start in the Christmas-decorated living room with a Champagne toast, complete with some kind of delicacy (imported cheese, truffles--the mushroom kind, olives, and oysters have been a few). Then we meander into the dining room where we have multiple courses up to the main course of lamb. This is followed by (forgive my atrocious French spelling if I mangle it) True Normand, a few more courses, and then at midnight we return to the living room, and open presents. After presents we go back to the dining room, have the Bouche Noel (Yule log) dessert, and then a coffee course.
In all, about a 10 course meal.
Did I mention that nearly every course has a wine specially chosen to match it? Not that my husband or I drink, but on occasion we have sampled them. I, unfortunately, do not have a sophisticated enough palette to appreciate it and usually just refuse now, insisting that they not waste any on me and let someone who will enjoy it have it instead. G still tries, every year, saying, "You just don't like wine because you haven't found one you like yet."
The True Normand is a sorbet and apple brandy. This I happily partake of, even though I'm still teased because I once referred to it as the "stomach bomb."
In my defense, when I asked what it was the first year, it was explained to me that the combination of these specific ingredients has an effect on your digestion that essentially clears room in your stomach so you can keep eating, even though you were full moments before. I SWEAR that G said to me that first year (in his French accent), "Eez like a bome een your stomach." (It's like a bomb in your stomach.) Whether or not he said that, it's what I remember, so the next year, I asked if we were having the stomach bomb and no one knew what I was talking about.
Now they all know and tease me.
Anyway, this is our tradition for Christmas eve--usually we get home about 2:00am, sleep for a few hours, then leave the house by 8:00am to get to my dad's.
This year was different.
G's daughter, who is only 6, has been in the hospital for two weeks, much of it in intensive care. The doctors aren't completely sure what's wrong (and in the interests of their privacy, I won't go into the few details I do know), but she hasn't been able to keep her fever down for more than 48 hours so they won't release her yet.
We (my husband and I) first found out a few days after she was initially admitted. We were told that Christmas eve would be cancelled. The only (selfish) good thing out of this is that it would mean we could sleep before our Christmas day traditions (three parties to go to and about 120 miles of driving).
We found out that the hospital granted G's daughter a 7-hour leave for the Christmas eve celebrations, which they bumped to late afternoon instead of evening.
It was quieter and more subdued. G's daughter stayed in their bedroom on the bed, having stories read to her by her uncle, and we went in, one at a time, to say hello and let her open presents.
Poor kid was weak and in pain. She hurt too much to stay for the celebrations, so G's wife and brother-in-law took her back to the hospital after only a couple of hours.
We still had the rest of the party with G, his parents, and his wife's dad. My daughter and G's son (they're only 4 months apart) had fun playing together.
G came up to me at one point, frantic. "Do you know what the bows are?" Apparently he got a call from his wife at the hospital. I'd given their daughter a frame with her name in it, which had a whole bunch of hair bows hanging from it. She liked it and was demanding it be brought to her at the hospital.
I'd initially felt a little bad because this year our budget forced us to do a number of homemade gifts, but at least one of them was a hit. Probably the most important one, considering how much not fun Christmas in the hospital is for a kid.
We ONLY had a six-course meal this year (no True Normand), and as I was once again refusing the wine on grounds that it shouldn't be wasted, G responded, "Education is never wasted," I decided I would try a little bit.
And I finally found one that I LIKED. REALLY liked. I probably won't ever have it again since it was a 1989 Something or other imported from France, but I enjoyed what little bit I did have. I would probably have consumed quite a bit more, but since I was driving home (my husband doesn't do well with a standard transmission), and it's been so long since I've had alcohol, and I screwed up the tags on my car, I didn't want to get pulled over and then face DUI charges. I'm also so overly paranoid that in all I probably had half a glass of wine and stopped drinking it about three hours before leaving.
We finally left at about 10:30, much earlier than normal. Dad had scheduled his Christmas breakfast to a brunch for us, but it was still nice to know we'd actually get some sleep this year.
For once, I planned ahead. Too bad it was because I'd procrastinated so many other things that I was forced to.
I'm still feeling change in my yoga poses with every class. They may be miniscule, but for me it's nice to be able to feel progress--especially since I never seemed to be able to make progress in physical therapy (with Kaiser anyway).
The only downside is that now I'm debating whether I should take pictures in my poses as I can do them now, or whether I should go back to where I was. I'll figure it out on another day when I have more time.
I spent the day scrambling and wrapping presents. My husband went up to the mountain to play in the snow.
Our Christmas eve tradition as a couple is FABULOUS. His best friend is French, and I will refer to him as "G" for this. G and his wife put on the most incredible dinner. Usually it is just their family that is invited--and us. I totally married in to an awesome invitation on that one.
Usually the festivities start around 6:00, we socialize for a bit, and then around 7:00 we start in the Christmas-decorated living room with a Champagne toast, complete with some kind of delicacy (imported cheese, truffles--the mushroom kind, olives, and oysters have been a few). Then we meander into the dining room where we have multiple courses up to the main course of lamb. This is followed by (forgive my atrocious French spelling if I mangle it) True Normand, a few more courses, and then at midnight we return to the living room, and open presents. After presents we go back to the dining room, have the Bouche Noel (Yule log) dessert, and then a coffee course.
In all, about a 10 course meal.
Did I mention that nearly every course has a wine specially chosen to match it? Not that my husband or I drink, but on occasion we have sampled them. I, unfortunately, do not have a sophisticated enough palette to appreciate it and usually just refuse now, insisting that they not waste any on me and let someone who will enjoy it have it instead. G still tries, every year, saying, "You just don't like wine because you haven't found one you like yet."
The True Normand is a sorbet and apple brandy. This I happily partake of, even though I'm still teased because I once referred to it as the "stomach bomb."
In my defense, when I asked what it was the first year, it was explained to me that the combination of these specific ingredients has an effect on your digestion that essentially clears room in your stomach so you can keep eating, even though you were full moments before. I SWEAR that G said to me that first year (in his French accent), "Eez like a bome een your stomach." (It's like a bomb in your stomach.) Whether or not he said that, it's what I remember, so the next year, I asked if we were having the stomach bomb and no one knew what I was talking about.
Now they all know and tease me.
Anyway, this is our tradition for Christmas eve--usually we get home about 2:00am, sleep for a few hours, then leave the house by 8:00am to get to my dad's.
This year was different.
G's daughter, who is only 6, has been in the hospital for two weeks, much of it in intensive care. The doctors aren't completely sure what's wrong (and in the interests of their privacy, I won't go into the few details I do know), but she hasn't been able to keep her fever down for more than 48 hours so they won't release her yet.
We (my husband and I) first found out a few days after she was initially admitted. We were told that Christmas eve would be cancelled. The only (selfish) good thing out of this is that it would mean we could sleep before our Christmas day traditions (three parties to go to and about 120 miles of driving).
We found out that the hospital granted G's daughter a 7-hour leave for the Christmas eve celebrations, which they bumped to late afternoon instead of evening.
It was quieter and more subdued. G's daughter stayed in their bedroom on the bed, having stories read to her by her uncle, and we went in, one at a time, to say hello and let her open presents.
Poor kid was weak and in pain. She hurt too much to stay for the celebrations, so G's wife and brother-in-law took her back to the hospital after only a couple of hours.
We still had the rest of the party with G, his parents, and his wife's dad. My daughter and G's son (they're only 4 months apart) had fun playing together.
G came up to me at one point, frantic. "Do you know what the bows are?" Apparently he got a call from his wife at the hospital. I'd given their daughter a frame with her name in it, which had a whole bunch of hair bows hanging from it. She liked it and was demanding it be brought to her at the hospital.
I'd initially felt a little bad because this year our budget forced us to do a number of homemade gifts, but at least one of them was a hit. Probably the most important one, considering how much not fun Christmas in the hospital is for a kid.
We ONLY had a six-course meal this year (no True Normand), and as I was once again refusing the wine on grounds that it shouldn't be wasted, G responded, "Education is never wasted," I decided I would try a little bit.
And I finally found one that I LIKED. REALLY liked. I probably won't ever have it again since it was a 1989 Something or other imported from France, but I enjoyed what little bit I did have. I would probably have consumed quite a bit more, but since I was driving home (my husband doesn't do well with a standard transmission), and it's been so long since I've had alcohol, and I screwed up the tags on my car, I didn't want to get pulled over and then face DUI charges. I'm also so overly paranoid that in all I probably had half a glass of wine and stopped drinking it about three hours before leaving.
We finally left at about 10:30, much earlier than normal. Dad had scheduled his Christmas breakfast to a brunch for us, but it was still nice to know we'd actually get some sleep this year.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Bikram Yoga, Day 5
Today again felt like I made more progress in yoga, which is a good thing, but also, since I want to take "beginning" pictures, not as great because I'm already further than I was when I started.
The instructor agreed to do the photos after class, but it took so long for the studio to empty and the front desk replacement was late, so we only got a few of the poses done.
Hopefully I will be able to get to it on Friday, although I'm not sure if that's realistic since it will be Christmas eve.
The instructor agreed to do the photos after class, but it took so long for the studio to empty and the front desk replacement was late, so we only got a few of the poses done.
Hopefully I will be able to get to it on Friday, although I'm not sure if that's realistic since it will be Christmas eve.
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