Any Ideas?

A while ago, a blogger friend of mine, Atomic Lola, wrote about her spring break visit to see her brother. When she arrived, her brother and his girlfriend had made up a goodie basket for her and decorated the guest bedroom to make her feel like she was a special guest and to enhance her spring break feeling. I thought this was a super cool idea, so I would like to do something for Siren when she visits next week.

Any ideas?

She's bringing her boyfriend for their first vacation together, so I thought I could get them a bottle of wine and some glasses, along with some chocolate to compliment the wine, but after that, I'm stuck. After the craziness of the past couple of weeks, I really want her to be able to relax and have a good time. However, I don't have tons of money to spend on a gift basket. Please help!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Siren is going to be okay!

Yes, she has tumors in her head, but the new doctor she went to has told her not to worry. He says all of her symptoms are from migrianes, and the old doctor blew everything out of proportion when the tumors were found. Apparently people can be born with tumors called Cavernomas and live with them for their whole lives without ever knowing they exist. The blood that was in her brain was old blood, so her tumors were bleeding at one point. She'll have to have an MRI every six months to monitor the tumors, but she isn't in any danger as of right now.

The new doctor also noticed that the old doctor botched the Spinal Tap she did, so she is on pain meds for that but should be feeling like her normal self within the week.

I am so relieved. Thanks so much for all your kind words of support!

I'm on the Verge of Freaking Out

My best friend and kindred spirit, Siren, is sick. Not just "feeling a little under the weather" sick, or even Swine Flu sick. Siren is 2 tumors in her head sick. A week after having stroke like symptoms, we still don't really know what is going on. At first the doctors thought she was having a TIA stroke, then they ruled that out. Then they thought she had a seizure, but then crossed that off the list as well. After an MRI, they diagnosed her with having 2 tumors in her brain known as Cavernoma. They are bleeding. That was on Monday. It is now Friday and her doctor hasn't returned her calls or given her any follow-up information. She is now spending the day looking for a new neurologist.

I am very worried. Worrying is one of the things I do best. I just can't stop and I'm having a hard time thinking about anything else and staying focused on things I have to do, like work. Instead I am searching the web, trying to gather as much info as possible to try to help her find a new doctor. She's supposed to be coming for a visit in two weeks. If she is still well enough to travel, I will be taking her to Minnesota to go to the Mayo Clinic. It is apparently the best neurological center in the United States and has the most experience treating Cavernomas.

Siren is 29, has 3 kids under the age of 7, and except for one friend in Austin, she is completely alone. I so badly want to fly down there and be with her, but at almost $500 for a plane ticket, I just can't afford it. And I hate not being able to do anything for her. Have I mentioned that I'm worried?

My lists of 8

So many people have been playing this game and I decided to join in on the fun!

8 things I am looking forward to:
1. Siren coming to visit at the end of the month
2. Getting my motorcycle
3. Tearing up my extra driveway and making a yard
4. Learning how to ride my motorcycle
5. Seeing Murderboner's first live show
6. Camping in August
7. Seeing Eric
8. This weekend

8 things I did yesterday:
1. Made potato salad
2. Made avocado salad
3. Sang Happy Birthday to my dad
4. Chased Stink around the yard
5. Had french toast for breakfast
6. Hung out with my mom
7. Laundry
8. Played with The Bachman

8 things I wish I could do:
1. Lay on a beach right now
2. Pay all of my medical bills today
3. Knit
4. Enjoy my job
5. Ski
6. Run a marathon
7. Play the banjo
8. Keep plants alive

8 shows I watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. True Blood
3. NCIS
4. The Daily Show
5. I
6. think
7. that's
8. it!

8 Favorite Fruits:
1. Avocado
2. Raspberries
3. Blueberries
4. Strawberries ( can you tell I like berries?)
5. Mangoes
6. Honey Dew Melon
7. Bananas
8. Pineapple

8 Places I'd like to travel:
1. Venice
2. Florence
3. Tuscany
4. Barcelona
5. Seattle
6. Maine
7. Antigua
8. Poland

8 Places I have lived...well, I've only lived in one...Woodstock, Il

If anyone wants to play along, go for it!

Falling Behind

My life usually doesn't feel too busy, but lately I can't keep up with anything. I have three weeks of laundry I need to do, and honestly, if I wasn't out of clean panties, I would probably be putting it off another week. My kitchen is a mess. The only reason my sink isn't overflowing with dishes is because The Bachman has decided to start taking things out of the sink and chewing them to a million pieces. Even though I mowed last week, my yard looks like a jungle and I have no idea when I'm gonna be able to mow. Oh, and I have a dining room table full of bills that I have to go through and start paying.

So, what have I been busy doing you ask?

Working. I picked up a couple extra shifts at the Animal Emergency clinic this week. On Tuesday and Friday I worked from 8am to midnight. Then on Thursday I spent the day at doctor's appointments. And I have a ton of stories from the week to share, I just can't get started on them yet because I really need to pay some attention to the previously mentioned laundry and then spend the rest of the day with my mom.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to catch up a little!

Go Cubs Go

On Saturday I went to my first Cubs game of the season. Hot Husband and I took our friends JD and Sonic with us. We usually make it to about 5 games a year and this was probably the nicest day I have ever been at the ballpark. 70 degrees. Sunny. A very calm SW wind. Sort of unusual for early May at Wrigley Field.

Dos Equis Ambar is my favorite beer, but for some reason I absolutely love Old Style Light when I am at the ballpark. We all drank a lot, and because the Cubs beat the Marlins 6-1, we did a lot of cheering and chest bumping. Here is a picture of Hot Huband and I chest bumping at the Captain Morgan Club after the game.



And here is a group pic with JD and Sonic.




After 4 Old Style Lights, 1 bratwurst, 2 orders of nachos with peppers and 1 licorice rope, 1 win by the Cubs and approximately 65 chest bumps, I made it home just in time to pick up some beer and start all over with friends for the evening.

Three Things I Have Realized in the Past 24 Hours

1. I will never understand why men cannot clean up after themselves after they have compromised the integrity of a bathroom.

2. I have become one of those really sweaty guys in the free-weight section of the gym who grunts when he lifts. I like it and my new muscles.

3. I have learned to stop expecting to hear "thank you." I am genuinely surprised when people remember their manners.