Guacamole

It's been raining since midnight.  I went to bed about midnight and when I awoke this morning I found an email in my email box from an emergency weather service saying that there will be flooding until 8 AM in my county.  Already 1.5 inches of rain have fallen.  

This doesn't surprise me.  It is was expected.  Last week when I looked at the pathway of Hurricane Jeanne the map said it would get to Central PA late Monday/early Tuesday.  (Thank you Deb for the wonderful maps and services you provide.)  Of course at this point it has been lowered to Tropical Depression Jeanne.  I still find it strange that it made it this far inward off the coast.  The effects here have been very mild, but it is still strange to me.  

I can't remember if this is more or less rain then we got with Hurricane Ivan.  If it is more, you will see more flooding pictures in Val's journal today, because her town floods more than mine!  I hope the flooding isn't that bad though, because I want to go to Sam's Club today.  I have a craving for some guacamole dip and some chicken.  And I need a temper pedic pillow. 

Once again there are many that I haven't heard from in Florida since Hurricane Jeanne started.  I am assuming that their power and cell phones are off and they can't call.  I hate this.  I will just have to wait.  Perhaps I will just have to start calling people tomorrow.  There are four family members (or should I say even whole families) that live in the Orlando area, and they are one of the areas that got hit the worse.  I will just have to wait and see how they fared.  I am sure if something drastic had happened I would hear about it by now.  

Yesterday my Dad, Valerie and I went to Baltimore, MD (Johns Hopkins) so Val could get checked out to see how she is doing since they put in her v/a shunt.  It was a long day.  It took about four hours to get down there.  Then we had to wait for three hours to see the doctor.  When we finally got in the exam room the nurse apologized profusely saying that a patient before us had fainted!  Then she proceded to ask Valerie a litany of questions.  Some of her notes were wrong; she asked Valerie why she had had two shunts.  Valerie had had only one shunt.  When she finished up she went and got the doctor.

She returned a minute later with two doctors.  Dr. Williams (Val's regular doctor) asked a lot of questions again.  Then he asked her if she wanted the shunt adjusted.  "What would that.." Valerie started. "entail?" I finished.  I was wondering if she would have to have surgery or if they could do it right there.  I think Val was wondering the same thing, lol. 

"Oh, you could just jump up on the table right here, and we would have it done in a minute," the doctor said.  "But first you would have to have an x-ray done, and then have the procedure done, and then one more x-ray."  Valerie told them her surgeon said her v/a shunt was nonadjustable.  "Not true," Dr. Williams assured her. 

To make a long story short (which is impossible for me to do), they ended up x-raying her three times to tell her her shunt was nonadujstable. 

Now my question is, why would they give her a shunt that you couldn't adjust if the pressure needed to be adjusted on occassion?  They were going to adjust it from 200 to 180 yesterday.  I don't understand.  Anyway, Valerie wasn't upset because she feels so tremendously better since she got her shunt.  So I guess she's not going to complain.

After the long x-ray ordeal we drove the four hours home.

Chelsea visited a college yesterday.  She loved it.  She is curious to see what her future holds.  Ahh, to be young and excited and well, confused, lol. 

Monday Morning Questioon

It's time for the Monday Morning Question.  I mean it is past time.  It is more like the Monday Evening Question.  Sorry folks, I have been away for a couple of days and the question completely slipped my mind!  I was on my way back home tonight when I realized what day it was!  So here is the question late.  It is a pretty personal one:

Monday Morning Question:

What protest march might somebody spot you at?

My answer:  This is an easy one for me.  It would have to be a march protesting abortion.  I have participated in a lot of pro-life marches in the past. 

What is your answer?  Would somebody be likely to see you at a "Save The Manatees Protest"?  "Mothers Against Drunk Drivers"?  Reveal your cause!

I Hate Feeling This Way

Lately I have been going through major mood swings.  One minute I feel  depressed and another minute I feel super up.  I don't mean I feel good, I mean I feel too up.  So up that I am so full of energy, that I am running around doing a thousand things and then soon after falling into an exhausted heap.  Or so up that I am only able to sleep a few hours a night, and this causes me not to be able to focus or concentrate during the day.  I am in a horrible phase with my bipolar right now.  It could be worse of course; I don't need to be hospitalized right now.  Thank God for that.  Whoever things the "up" end of bipolar is fun is mistaken.  It is miserable in a lot of ways.  And depression is oh so miserable too.  Anyway, my doctor is working to try to find the right medication to even me out.  I hope she hurries because I HATE the way I feel...  

I am so excited!  I got my digital camera today!  I can't wait to start trying it out.  I am going to have to read about it a little though, and play around with it some, so if I don't post pictures immediately, you will know why.  I also nead to get a port for it.  If I understand correctly from reading the instructions, you need a port to recharge the batteries and to transfer the pics to your computer.  Perhaps I should be asking Stuart's advice on this one.  (I got your camera Stuart!)  

Tomorrow is my Carmelite meeting.  I don't feel fully up to going because I didn't get all my studying done (Bible study and spiritual study).  That is because it has been so hard to concentrate with the bipolar.  But I just spoke with the president of the Carmelite group on the phone and she said to come to the meeting regardless of whether or not I had my lessons completed.  She is such a sweetheart.  It is going to be very hard to concentrate tomorrow at the meeting though because with my bipolar right now it is hard to concentrate on anything the past few days.  Gee, I am being real honest in this entry tonight.  

Well, I should get off now.  Maybe I will get some studying done for my meeting tomorrow.  Or maybe I will go to bed early so I will be fresh in the morning.  Or maybe I will play around on this computer for awhile, lol.  

Oh, yeah.  Please pray for my nephew Matthew.  He is in the path of Hurricane Jeanne.  He already lost his house in Hurricane, oh, which one was it, Charley or Frances.  Now he is staying at a friend's house.  It would be horrible if something devastating happened to him again.  Stay safe Matthew, and I love you!  And I pray your whole family stays safe.  That goes also for members of my family on the east coast who are in the path of the hurricane.  Stay safe and may God be with you.  

Happy Fall!

Happy Fall!...
I got on here yesterday to write an entry saying "Happy First Day of Fall" when a notice popped up from McAfee saying I had a virus.  I got off immediately and ran a virus scan.  To my horror I had three viruses!  The infected files could not be deleted or cleaned.  They had to be quarentined before they could be deleted.  Being quarentined took quite a process.  It might be easy for some, but this was the first time I had done this so it was a little complicated for me.  And the program wouldn't let me take care of the files all at once.  I had to do them one at a time.  Which means I had to run the scan over and over again.  About five times.  It took hours.  I mean hours.  Anyway, thank God it is done.  There was the possibility that I was going to have to send it to McAfee to get it straightened out (if it was infected in a certain kind of way) , which meant I wouldn't be able to use my computer for awhile (eeeegads!), but thank God it didn't come to that!  Funny how we rely on these computers for so much!  Anyway, my computer is up and running this afternoon.  And I am happy!!!

On My Haircut...
Okay, so I didn't give you a picture.  That's because I don't have my digital camera yet.  I should have it real soon.  Right now I have a throw away camera with like 27 exposures and poor resolution.  It wouldn't do me justice, lol.  Really, the problem is - I don't want to take one picture of myself and 26 pictures of nothing.  I guess I could take 26 pictures of my cat, but I might bore you, lol!  I think I will wait till I get my digital camera and have my sister Valerie take a picture of me and then I will post it.  I am scared for you all to see a picture of me though.  I am frightened of people seeing photos of me.  That is because I have low self esteem and I don't think I am very pretty.  Looks aren't important anyway so I shouldn't worry.  It is what it inside that counts.  I am just being silly.

On Multiple Blood Tests!...
I went yesterday to get my blood tested to see why I have been having charley horses.  I went into the lab and waited about twenty minutes because everybody decided to go at the same time I guess.  After my name was finally called and the phlebotemist was taking my blood, I asked him, "So what are they checking for?  I have been having horrible charley horses."  I was real curious.  Some in this journal said it would be low potassium. Others said calcium. Another said I would be low in potassium, calcium and magnesium.  The phlebotemist looked at me kind of incredulously when I said charley horses and said this is a sugar test.  I said, "Oh, well I didn't fast."  "You don't need to fast for this one," he said.  I finished up and walked out to my car.  Then I got to thinking.  Why would they be doing a sugar test.  I am a diabetic.  Could my sugar level have something to do with my cramps?  Of course not!  Oh good grief, the doctor ordered the wrong test!  I went back to the doctor's office and spoke to the receptionist.  "The doctor ordered the wrong test,"  I said.  "I have been having muscle spasms, I don't need a sugar test."  She called up a nurse on the phone.  "Go back to the nurses station in Waiting Room B," she said.  So off I trotted.  I had no sooner rounded the corner to the waiting room that the nurse came around the corner with the lab order.  No sorry for the mistake or anything.  I gave her a thank you and I was back to the lab.  There were fifteen people waiting to get blood drawn again.  But the receptionist was kind and told me she would put me at the top of the list!  I was called in right away.  "Which arm would you like done?"  I was routinely asked.  "The left one," I replied, "as I was just here five minutes ago and had the right one poked." The other phlebotomist who had done the right arm turned around when he heard my voice and said, "Oh I am so sorry they gave you the wrong test."  "Don't be," I said.  "It wasn't your fault."  Then I was quickly done and I left the office with my two bandaged arms, lol.  Seems like I have been having a lot of strange medical experiences lately.  Oh, by the way, the doctor checked to see if I was low in magnesium!  Interesting.  Iwish he would have checked for the potassium and calcium also.

Well, I must go now.  Hope you don't catch a virus! 

My New Do

New Haircut...
Yesterday I got my hair cut really short.  My Mom cut it for me.  She did a fabulous job.  It looks really cute.  I am still in quite a shock over it though, because I have had shoulder length to very long hair most of my life.  I did it because I wanted my hair to have more body and shape.  I guess it makes me feel "fortyish" in a way which is a little frightening (lol), but at the same time it makes me feel more stylish.  I really like how it came out, as I stated.  I think it looks sophisticated and cute at the same time, if that is possible!  Thanks Mom for your good job!  I guess you are a great barber without going to beauty school.  You had to cut the hair of a husband and six children all those years!  I knew you were the person I wanted to do it when I wanted to go short!

Muscle Spasms...
I had horrencous muscle spasms last evening.  I mean charlie horses in my calf muscles.  I was resting on the couch and this horrible charlie horse came.  I mean a horrible one.  I screamed!  I couldn't work it out of my muscle.  It hurt so bad I couldn't even pull my toes upwards as I was taught to do when these things happen.  John was still over and when he heard me scream I said pull my toes forward.  He did it.  But every time he let go the pain returned.  I screamed when he let go.  The waves of pain rushed over me again and again.  So he  had to hold my toes in place.  Poor guy did that for about two minutes.  I watched as my muscles spasmed for two minutes.  It was strange to watch.  Finally I was able to reach down and massage the spasm out and he was able to let go, poor guy.  His arms were going to spasm probably just having to hold my legs/toes really tightly forward.  I wonder if the neighbors thought he was beating me when they heard me scream!  At any rate, after that leg stopped spasming, the other leg started!  That one wasn't as bad but it wasn't too much fun either.  Today has been rough also.  My legs have had mini spasms.  I only got about two hours sleep last night because of those spasms.  Every time I would try to sleep the muscles would hyperflex and then start spasming.  So I had to stay awake.  Which just made the muscles worse.  And then today I was so tired I wanted to fall asleep all day.  But whenever I tried, those muscles started hyperflexing and spasming again!  Finally today I thought I had better call my physician.  I was in too much pain to even get up and do it though, so John called for me.  The doctor wants me to come in to get bloodwork done tomorrow morning.  He thinks I am deficiant in something, I think.  I am not sure.  Meanwhile, I have to take a muscle relaxant tonight.  I hope it works.

Good night.  I hope everybody is having a great week.      

Monday Morning Question

It's time for another question.  This one is going to be a little easier because last Monday's was so difficult.  

Monday Morning Question:

Knowing what you know now, what one thing would you change about your high-school career? 

My answer:  I would not have spent so much time and energy worrying what the other kids thought about me. 

What's your answer?      

Bye Bye Ivan

The rain finally ended a few hours ago.  It appears that Ivan has moved on.  It wasn't too bad.  The worst of it was that I was trapped in the house for a day and a half waiting for the rain to stop, and for the roads to stop flooding.  Some areas did get hit worse than others.  My sister Val's town (the next town over) was flooded pretty bad.  To find out what it was like, check out her journal.  She has two articles on the flooding.  If you'd like, you can read about it here and here.  The second link has photos of the flooding. 

Valerie's journal, Val's Thoughts, is really worth visiting.  It is an Editor's Pick this week!  Congratulations Val! 

Well, just checking in to let everyone know I am fine and that I have electricity.  I will be back soon to write another entry.  :-)

John's doing great!

In the entry before last I wrote that John went in for a check up with his oncologist.  He went in to see if there were any signs of the lymphoma coming back.  Fortunately, Dr. Ford said there were no signs of cancer.

Let me digress for a minute.  Many of you do not know John's story.  John is my boyfriend.  Six years ago he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma.  When he found out he was devastated.  The doctors told him he was in stage 3B and gave him only a few years to live.  Maybe a lot shorter.  It didn't look hopeful at all.  But John was a survivor.  He fought with everything that was in him to stay alive.  At different times he had doctors who were saying it was just about hopeless, telling him that he would need a bone marrow transplant, and to start looking for a donar, and that this wouldn't save his life, just buy him time.  Finally he got a doctor who tried a new experimental chemo cocktail on him, and it did the trick; it saved his life.  That along with his will to live.  Praise God for that!  

There were a lot of ups and downs during these times.  Sometimes we felt like it took everything to just keep going.  John had more of a positive attitude than I did though.  I looked to him for strength to get me through.  And to the Lord.  John was upbeat trying to have a positive attitude, but often the chemo made him very, very tired and sick.  Another thing that was hard at this time is that many people disappeared from our lives.  They just couldn't face the fact that he had cancer because it was too sad for them.  So we had to go it alone to a degree.  Well, not really.  We had my wonderful family, and his also.  

Shortly after John finished chemo, the doctors checked to see if the treatment "took".  It seemed to.  At first they were apprehensive because such a short time had passed.  With every new check up the doctors were more and more excited.  So were we!  There came a day when John was officially declared cancer free.  I still remember that day clearly in my mind.  We were in the doctor's office.  I said "What did you say?" because I didn't think I heard it correctly.  I thought I would pass out or something.  Just like I thought I would pass out when I found out he had the cancer.  But this was a good kind of shock this time!  He was not going to die from a cancer that many who get it die from.  He was truly fortunate. 

Every six months to a year John goes back to do a sort of routine check up to make sure he is still fine.  He passed with flying colors the other day.  Sorry I left you all hanging! 

Thanks for all you who were concerned about him and left comments and emailed me.    

Hurricane Ivan, Here?

I just got an email from an emergency service I belong to saying that Hurricane Ivan will be affecting my area.  Who would have thought it would be coming to Central Pennsylvania?  We are supposed to be getting flooding from 8 AM tomorrow (Friday) until midnight Saturday.  Of course it won't be as bad as anywhere else in the country.  I am not pretending I will be hit like other J-landers.  It is just strange to me to be in a situation like this at all.  The email said to prepare in case there are bad conditions.  I am prepared!  I have been prepared shortly after Sept 11th for a tragedy.  I have water stored away (which I check every few months to make sure it is fresh), canned food stored (also fresh), flashlights, batteries, a radio, etc, etc.  I have the local Red Cross number.  I  have extra medication.  I have this stuff in a certain room so that if I ever have to evacuate I can just grab it and run!  Some people laugh at me and call me the Preparedness Woman, but I feel more in control always being prepared.  Okay, so perhaps I am getting way carried away.  This storm will be a piece of cake compared to what most people will go through.  But I am glad at least that I can be prepared.  

The worst thing that will probably happen to me is that I will lose power and go through withdrawl because I won't be able to read journals!  But John lives across the courtyard and I can invite him over and spend some quality time with him.  Some time I don't get to spend with him when I am on the computer, lol.  

Well I must go.  Keep safe everyone.    

Another Medical Tale

Yesterday sure turned out to be a strange day for doctor's visits.  Last night John told me about the appointment he had yesterday with his oncologist.

After I went to my dental appointment, John headed over to the oncology office.  He was going for his six month check up.  He walked into the office and Dr. Ford looked at him.  Dr. Ford saw his T-shirt (It read: "I'm proud to be an American") and the doctor said, "I bet you're for Bush, aren't you?".  John was a little taken aback.  Here was a man who had only seen John twice.  A doctor who had only seen him twice and was speaking politics to him in the doctor's office right off the bat.  Dr. Ford continued, "So what country do you think he is going to invade next?"  John stood there kind of stunned.  "I think Iran or North Korea," the Dr. said.  I don't know if John had even thought about the subject yet, but I do know what he was thinking about at the time.  He wanted to get the results back from the tests he had taken a few days earlier.  He wanted to know whether he was still in the clear and still a cancer survivor of five years.  Cancer that they thought at one time would probably be terminal.  Go figure. 

 

The Dental Hygienist from..University Dental

I went to the dentist today.  I began to become a little nervous when I realized I was not going to have my regular dentist clean my teeth, but instead a dental hygienist.  My apprehension was warrented.  Turned out she was the hygienist from, well, University Dental.  I think I must have been her very first patient ever.  She treated me very roughly, did not take her time, and fumbled around in my mouth a lot.  She also hurt me a lot.  Now you have to understand that I can accept a lot of pain.  I have fibromyalgia and my back is often in a lot of pain.  But this was strange to sit there and have someone inflict it on you when they could have been more careful.  I knew it was going to be bad when she took the x-rays and gouged the side of my mouth.  Wow.  Then she said, "I am going to move your chair now", and swung me around and hurt my neck.  I guess she has to give her patients warning, lol.  Then began the picking of my teeth with that metal pick/scraper thing.  She kept missing and jabbing me in the gums.  No, poking me and stabbing me in the gums.  I said "Ow" several times and she said "Do you have sensitive gums?".  Yeah right, lady!  I noticed myself tensing up real bad.  I made myself relax.  With each poke I tensed and after each poke I made myself relax as if that was going to make it hurt less the next time.  Tense, relax, tense, relax.  Then she jabbed me so hard I tasted blood.  A stream of blood I tasted for about two minutes.  I guess I won't go into the rest of the gory details, except I will mention that there was no sink to rinse and spit, and she was not using the water and suction machine on me to get the pastey/cleaning fluid out of me, except maybe once.  She was making me swallow it!  So I gagged!  Well, if you have gotten this far, you are probably sick, so sorry I have mentioned all this, and I won't go any further.  At least I can be happy that the dentist came into the room and announced that I didn't have any cavities.  Hooray!

After I went out into the waiting room to set up an appointment for six months, my dental hygienist came out and came over to a young girl who was sitting in a chair in the waiting room.  On the floor facing the girl was a little tiny baby in a carrier.  The dental hygienist was excited and came quickly over to see the baby.  In her excitement she kicked the baby!  The baby awoke and started to cry.  Then I started to think that perhaps the hygienist was not being careless on me and just trying to work too fast, but that she was truly clumsy!  I wonder how long she will last in that profession!

Next a dentist (a different one than mine) came out into the waiting room to look at the baby.  She took the carrier and turned it away from the young lady to face her!  I couldn't believe it!  Why would people be touching other people's children without asking?  While they were sleeping, no less?  Especially if they didn't know them.  I know they didn't know them because they were asking questions.  When everyone left the girl made a horrified face and turned the baby around to face her.

Oh, I forgot to say, when I first walked into the dental office, there was a woman standing there at the receptionist's window waiting to be helped.  She said she had been waiting for 25 minutes and the dental office had been totally empty!  After she and I waited there for awhile, the staff finally came in.  Dentists and hygientists and office workers et all.  Perhaps they were out taking a power lunch.  How strange!

Well, that was my day at the dentist. 

Hope your day was more fun than mine!        

Thanks for playing along

Now that I have read ya'lls answers to the Monday Morning Question I am about to change my answers to C.S. Lewis, Michaelangelo, and Abraham Lincoln.  But I would still leave in my extra credit answer.  But, sshhhhh, don't tell him.  Or something like this might happen.  

Oops I did it again.  Please don't tell.  Thanks for playing along everybody.  It's been a blast.  Let's do it again next Monday! :-) 

Aren't they cool?

I have always loved Sesame Street.  I watched it when I was a child and I watched it with every child that I helped take care of through the years as an adult.  I found this graphic and decided to put it in here because I thought Bert and Ernie looked really cool!  This is my first animated graphic.  Thank you to the two people who helped me to do this (you know who you are!).  Well, I must go.  I hope everyone is having a great Monday. :-) 

Monday Morning Question

I decided just for fun to start something called Monday Morning Question.  Every Monday Morning I will put a question in here and then answer it.  You can leave your answer also in the comments section.  That way we will get to know each other a little better. 

Monday Morning Question:

If you were sitting at a round table of 3 famous writers, artists and/or musicians, past or present, who would be joining you? 

Emily Bronte (I just love Jane Eyre), Leonardo di Vinci, and George Gershwin (I'd ask him to get up and play something on the piano that he had composed). 

Extra Credit:  (Of course I didn't ask you for extra credit, but I am going to put this down anyway, lol.)  I would invite John M. Scalzi along just because I want to meet him.  No I didn't write that because he would give me extra attention for mentioning him in my journal.  Like yeah, right, he reads my journal, lol!

Slumbering John

Today, or shall I say yesterday because it is after midnight, was a fun day.  It was also solemn because it was Sept 11th, but it was fun, because I decided to celebrate it in a light hearted way, feeling that I was glad to be alive, and counting my blessings for the things I have (such as family and John), and for being able to live in such a great country.

John and I spent the day at Val's place.  We had such a good time.  Well I did anyway.  John slept through everything.  He fell asleep on the couch and slept for hours!  While Val and I did things on the computer, John slumbered away.  While we were in Val's office on the computer we heard marching band music and for hours saw a trail of people coming by the window!  We didn't find out until later they were having a 9/11 parade.  I shouldn't call it a parade.  A 9/11 solemn commemoration procession.  After spending time on the computer with Val I spent time with Chelsea.  It was nice because I haven't seen her in a long time because she has been so sick.  She is feeling so much better, by the way.  Then we ordered carry out and we walked to pick it up.  When I came back I woke up and asked John to join us.  He was shocked to hear how many hours he had slept.  After eating a really good meal we said our goodbyes and went home.

John and I finally heard from his side of the family in Florida.  His Dad and StepMom Mary Ann came through the hurricane fine.  They even hosted another family in their home because it is a sound structural brick house.  The only thing that happened to them is that they lost power for a day and a half. 

John's sister Darla and her fiance Harry had mandatory evacuations and went to Harry's son's house which was a strong structural home somewhat out of the path of the hurricane.  Upon returning, they were very fortunate to find that there was no damage except to Darla's bird house.  I would take that!  They returned to find there was no electric and no water, so they had to turn right around and go back to Harry's son's house because they needed these things.  

Darla and Harry got married today (Saturday I mean) at 2 PM.  John's Mom told me she decided to wear a pinkdress!  

I hope that they don't decide to honeymoon in Florida as Ivan is expected to come in the next week.  I don't know how much of the state it is supposed to hit, but I do believe Matthew (Val's son) has school off on Monday in anticipation of the hurricane.  Drat.

Well I guess that is all for now.  Take care.       

 

September 11th

It has been three years since that tragic day of September 11, 2001 when over 3,000 Americans had their lives taken from them by those who hate our freedom.  But we will never forget those who died that day at the World Trade Center, The Pentagon, and in the downed plane in Pennsylvania. 

Every year on September 11th the names of those who have died are read aloud on television.  My sister-in-law Shawn wrote a poem commemorating those who lost their lives during this tragedy. 

I Remember What You Taught Me

I remember what you taught me
When I heard your names first called
That you had granted the ultimate gift
And laid down your life for us all

I remember what you taught me
With your selfless sacrifice
That freedom is a gift to treasure
No more an inviolate right

I remember what you taught me
When I read of your lasting strength
That a life lived daily to the fullest
Is our greatest defense

I remember what you taught me
When I say my prayers each night
That I'm proud to be an American
Who won't go down without a fight!

Shawn Catherine Fisher

Copyright 2004 Shawn Catherine Fisher

Of Doctor's Appointments

Today was just a day full of doctor's appointments.  First I went to my General Practioner and we discussed my asthma and my diabetes.  The conclusion of the conversation was that to get my diabetes under better control (or rather to prevent it from getting out of control), I need to lose five pounds.  I have been doing so excellently as far as my sugar levels go, but I have gained some weight as of late, so he wants me to lose five pounds by my next visit.  I should be able to manage five pounds or something is wrong with me.  He asked me why I had put on weight, and I told him because I have been eating too much!  Duh!

After this it was off to the lab to get blood tests.  I had a great phlebotomist.  I didn't even feel him withdraw my blood! 

I also went to my psychiatrist today.  She adjusted my medicine once again.  I am taking awhile to come down from the hypomania for some reason.  I just want to stay up all the time (I mean not go to sleep very often!).  I am hyperactive with lots of energy and I do lots of projects.  These are signs that I am still hypomanic.  I can't wait until the medicine makes me even again.  I just want to be normal.

Let's see, what's new?  Chelsea was sick for five days but is feeling better now.  She was finally diagnosed at the emergency room.  She was suffering from acid reflux.  I can't wait to spend more time with her now that she is feeling better.  Matt is doing ok and made it through Hurricane Frances ok.  Let us pray that Hurricane Ivan doesn't hit him this weekend.  Maybe I said that in an earlier entry, but we can never have too many prayers!

Nothing is too much new with me.  I have been playing around with my computer learning new things.  It has been so much fun for me.  I have also read a few photography books.  I don't know the technical side of photography yet.  The books were just on how to take a good picture.  Like what makes a good photograph.  I found what was said fascinating.  I learned some things that never occured to me, and read some things I already new, that were instinct to me.  Oh, I think photography is going to be fun!  I think one of the best things about a good picture is enjoying your subject!  Especially if people are involved.  Just a thought.  

Hope everybody has a good weekend!

Daft or something like it

I must be, as my friends in the UK would say, daft or something.  I just woke up after a nap (or so I thought) and phoned John to ask him if he wanted to go to Barnes and Noble to look around at books with me.  I thought maybe there would be something of interest we may want to purchase.  When I reached him he replied, "Krissy, we can't go to the bookstore at seven in the morning.  It is not even open yet."  "It is not seven in the morning," I replied, "it is seven at night.  I just woke up from a nap.  Let's have some supper and then we can go out."  "You just woke up from a night's sleep," he replied."  "Let me go check my clock," I said.  Sure enough he was right!  Now how did I accompllish this one???  I am not senile yet, lol!  :-)     

I'm going digital!

Good morning!  I am really excited!  I am going to step into this century and get a digital camera.  I don't know too much about how to use one so I am going to have to learn how.  I love taking photos so much!  But I have been using the throw away cameras from Wal-Mart!  You have probably noticed that as the resolution on my photos in this journal have been so poor, lol.  Thank you for sticking with me thus far, though. 

Let's see, what else is new.  My family has made it ok through Hurricane Frances.  My sister Deirdre who lives in Florida is fine.  She was without power for 13 hours.  My nephew Matthew and his family are also ok.  They got together and weathered out the storm in a resort.  (I need to put a picture of Val's son Matthew in this journal.  I haven't done that yet.)  I haven't heard from John's family yet.  I wonder how his father and stepmother are doing.  And also his sister and her fiance.  They are supposed to get married this Saturday!  If they don't call by tomorrow we will have to call them.  Oh, I was just thinking about Hurricane Ivan that is supposed to be coming to Florida, I think this weekend.  We must pray that everybody will be safe.  These people are taking such a beating.  The third hurricane in a row.

Hmm, what else is new?  I spoke with my Uncle Gene (my Godfather) on the phone today.  It was great to talk to him.  I hope to visit him soon, maybe next spring.  I will put a picture of him in this journal.  I would have done it today except I can't find the pictures I took of him right now, lol!  I must clean my apartment!  Well, it is clean, I just stored some things, and it is not totally organized. 

Well, I guess that's about it for now.  Hope everyone is having a great week. 

Can you teach me how to paint?

I found this picture of Michael the other day when I was looking through my photographs.  Yes, I know I have been showing so many photos of him throughout this journal, but I couldn't leave this one out!  That is a box of painting materials in front of him.  From the picture it looks like he is saying "Can you teach me how to paint?"

Well, I must go.  I will try to come back and do an entry later today.  Hope everyone is having a great Labor Day!

I've been sick

Yuck.  I am up because the cat just threw up on the rug.  Multiple times.  And when I am awoken these days it is hard for me to get back to sleep.

Other then my entry last night, It has been a week since I have written in this journal.  I have been having a rough time.  First I went through a severe bout with asthma that lasted for days.  I couldn't even get on the computer some of those days.  Then I went through a lot with my bipolar.  My medicine was not adjusted properly and first I was depressed and then I was hypomanic.  Maybe even slightly manic.  My doctor finally adjusted my medicine correctly.  I have to be fine tuned every so often!  The medicine is absolutely necessary because of my brain chemicals.  The medicine just sets them right.  Not drugs me up, just makes my chemicals the same as every "normal" person.  I try to explain this to people sometimes because they don't understand and they ask me a lot of questions.  So I hope you don't mind the explanation.  Anyway, since my doc has changed my medications I am starting to feel a lot better.  When I was the other way I was having trouble concentrating, hence no journal entry.  

Wow, I wonder how those who are in FL are faring under Hurricane Frances.  I have friends and relatives there.  My sister Deirdre is there.  Matthew (Val's son) is there.  John's sister Darla is there. John's Dad and stepmother live there.  Wow, so many who live in FL.  And some have already lost so much from hurricane Charley.  Especially Matthew.  I wonder if the storm is over yet.  I think it is supposed to be still going on because it is slow moving.  All we can do now is wait.  And pray. 

Well, let me think if there is anything new since I wrote on here last.  Hmmm...  Chelsea arrived to live with her Mama Valerie.  I got to see them a few days later when my asthma had gotten better.  They came over to my apartment.  We had a great time.  Val played Bookworm (thanks a lot Stuart, lol) while Chelsea, John and I played a really fun Pictionary type game where we tried to guess what each other was drawing.  We had a blast.  Chelsea smeared us! 

Valerie says Chelsea loves to go out every day.  Sounds like she is quite the social butterfly, lol.  Love you Girlie!

Well, not too much else new I guess.  I hope everybody is doing well. 

Krissy

Weekend Assignment #22

Okay Blogmaster Scalzi, here is my homework assignment for this week. 

You asked us:  Got a photo you really love?  Show us and tell us why.  It'd be nice if it was one you haven't shown on your site before.  

I chose the photograph above for several reasons.  It brings back great memories of my childhood.  There I sit with my brother and sisters.  But I also like it because I find it comical.  Yes comical.  I call it "The Line Up".  When my Dad was taking photos of us when we were young he would always line us up against a wall and take our photo that way.  Hence we were inevitably posed.  My Dad was looking at the photo the other night and said I had ruined it by putting my hand in front of my face.  Shame on me for scratching my nose at the wrong time and ruining the pose, lol.  Just a note: one of my sisters is missing, Deirdre, the youngest one.  My sister Valerie looked at the photo the other day and said, "Hey, where's Deirdre?".  I told her that she was probably off having her diaper changed!  I just want to say hats off to my parents for managing all six of us.  I love you Mom and Dad.