It all comes round again...

Doc called. My actual doctor. Not a nurse or a secretary or an appointment person, my actual doctor. Some points were regained from yesterday's fiasco.

“So I have the results of your CAT scan...on a scale of 1-10, one being no sinus infection and 10 being really bad, where were you, and were are you now?”

And I said, “Well I was 9 or 10, but now it’s more like 5 or 6.”

And he was like, “OK, well first of all, I’d like to go ahead and refill your antiobiotic since it seems to be clearing this up at least a little.”

Of course I’m wondering why he hasn’t said what was on the scan. Was I just being paranoid and I'm one of those annoying patients who acts like a hypochondriac? Is this all in my head? Am I about to be totally embarrassed? So I say, “So what showed up on the scan? Was it not definitive?”

“Oh no, it was very definitive, you have infection everywhere.”

(I know—lovely, huh?)

So here's a mini lesson on sinus infections that you probably don't want, but I'm giving it to you anyway.

This is what a normal CT scan would look like:

(Big gray circles are the eyes, darken areas are the sinuses)

This is a CT of infected sinuses:


Here you can see that the darkened areas are smaller because the infection is inflamed and disgusting. Apparently this is what I'm dealing with. He is going to send me a report of my scan, so if there's anything fun in there, I'll post it after I get it.

A lot of times just part of your sinuses will be infected, but because I never like to do anything half-assed, I went for the whole shebang. So I am going to be referred to a specialist where they'll probably shove a hose up my nose and spray it all out (OK, not exactly like that, but you get the picture).

So at least now I know I’m not going crazy and that it is an infection, just a really bad one. So he’s referring me to a specialist, so I’m waiting for them to call me. My guess is that I’ll have to go get flushed out next week.

This would all be much more pleasant if my doctor looked like this:



Oh yeah...Dr. Carter can flush me out anytime.

Meanwhile, back on the farm

I'm starting to minorly freak out. I know it's not going to help if I have a freak fest, but this is getting ridiculous.

The antiobiotics are not working. Again. I have now taken two courses, and things are still infection-y. Bad bad bad, Leroy Brown.

So I had to go get a CAT Scan today.

I've never had one before (or any X-Rays for that matter--well, other than the dentist). It was trippy.

Of course what is a CAT Scan without a story to go with it??

So yesterday my doctor's office calls me and tells me to go to back to my doctor's office and go down to X-Ray across the hall. They'll be expecting me, and I can just show up anytime between 8am and 5pm Monday through Friday. Of course they're not open on weekends or after work because, well, that would be helpful. So I decide to go first thing this morning to avoid lines so I can get to work.

I go to X-Ray…I wait for about five minutes or so, and it’s eerily quiet and no one is there. So at 8:05 I go upstairs to the reception area and ask the lady if I’m supposed to check in or anything. And she says, “Oh, they’re open at 8 so they should be there very soon. If you just hang out down there, they’ll show up.” So I go back down. At 8:25, I'm still alone & quite annoyed so I walk over to the nurse’s station and say, “What is up with X-Ray?” and she says “They’re not open until nine. There’s an X-Ray across the building that opens at 8, you can go over there.”

So this is annoying in itself because
1. The chick on the phone is a retard &
2. The chick at reception is a retard.

But I haul my butt over to the other X-ray and say “Hi, I’m supposed to come over here and get a CT scan on my sinuses.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No, they told me just to show up between 8 and 5.”

“Well, we don’t talk walk-ins, they’re by appointment.”

Silent rage.

“Let me see if you’re in the computer……………no, you’re not in here.”

More silent rage. I think she recognizes it.

“I’ll call back there and see if they can squeeze you in.” [insert Jeopardy music here] “Yeah, they can take you. It will probably be about a half an hour.”

Luckily I only waited about 15 minutes and they got me in.

So now I wait, with my radioactive head glowing---

Raindrops on roses

So my first class went very well. I had Intro to Public Admin last night, and although I'm going to be a very busy girl, I'm looking forward to the class. The strange thing is that there are no tests in the class. It's two big papers, presentations, participation, and get this, a debate!

I looooooove debates



















The interesting part, of course, was that we had to draw our debate question and which side we will be supporting--so we got no choice in the matter. I got very lucky:

"In fighting a war on terrorism, is the U.S. acting within reasonable limits to maintain its civil liberties?"
My position = NO.

This should be a fun term. :)

Things to remember

As I start school today...
















Remember that this is not the right mindset for Public Adminstration:

"You're so damned concerned with what the public thinks that it

gets in the way of what's best for us!"

- Vista, CA, city council member Jeanette Smith, responding

to other council members who were against holding a

dinner meeting that would be paid for by the public.

Arms, legs, and shoes

OK, what is going on? They keep finding body parts in the Columbia River. First they found a body in a bag, and then they found an arm, and now they’ve found a leg (and I mean they just now did). What the dilio? Is it just somebody who got mad and killed his/her family or do we have a serial killer thing going on?

They also found some human remains on the coast. Of course the media is in a frenzy saying it might be Brooke Wilberger, but I don’t think they’ll get that lucky. I’m afraid they’ll never find the poor girl. I kind of hope it’s her, so her family can be at peace, and then maybe they can find some evidence to convict a killer.

Heebie-jeebies abound.

I went to the doctor yesterday, and my lungs are still clear, so this is good. I’m not Typhoid Mary or anything like that.

I do, however, have a raging sinus infection, and it’s not a good sign that the last antibiotics didn’t work. So they put me on some serious Augmentin which is a bitch on your stomach, but it’s supposed to kill just about anything. So if that doesn’t work, they’re going to do a cat scan on my face to make sure it is an infection, and then if it is, they’ll do this lovely procedure that basically flushes out the sinuses. It is supposedly very unpleasant, so let’s hope I don’t have to do that. I’ll let you know next week.

I’ve also decided that I’m going to be a little delinquent and buy some new shoes with some of my extra loan money for school. I don’t have it yet, which makes this terrible that I’m already mentally spending money that I don’t have, but I’m sick, so I can do what I want. ;)

I got a coupon in the mail for 20% off a total purchase at an Aerosoles store. These shoes are kind of spendy, but they’re really good for your feet. Plus, they’re cute! I decided I need a good brown pair and a good black pair (to get the most outfit-matches out of the purchase), and I think I’ve decided on these two:

(The brown ones)

(The black ones)

And then I kind like these too....
(The ivory or blue ones)

But first I need some cash-mo.

On a final note, even though I despise Wal-Mart (for many reasons), I think this is very interesting. I think it will help a lot of people.

Evil Shenanigans

A crime has been committed against humanity.

Starbucks bought Coffee People.

Is nothing sacred anymore?! Will that effing mermaid stop at nothing to rule the world?!


I am officially one of those annoying people who won’t drink Starbucks. I could ignore the pod people who work there, their questionable overseas policies, and their somewhat burnt-tasting coffee for the sake of convenience, but pretty soon all we’ll have are Starbuckses. I don’t like they’re let’s-buy-all-the-competition shenanigans. Evil shenanigans!


On an even more irritating note, I’m still sick. The antibiotics didn’t work, which leads me to believe that whatever infection I may have is actually viral. This is bad. We’re going on 8 weeks now. I’m going to try and see my doctor this week. I’m not going back to Urgent Care. You sit in the lobby for three hours, then another 20 minutes in the exam room, and then you’re in the presence of a doctor for 5 minutes, tops. I’m not leaving until they give me a definitive answer and some advice on how to avoid this BS. This is the third time I’ve been sick like this in ’06. Grrrr.


In happier news, the Race for the Cure was on Saturday, which is a zoo, but it’s always fun. And statistically, either I or someone I love will get breast cancer, so I’ll do what I can now for it! Although I have to admit—I’m really hoping that by the time I’m 40 and have to start doing mammograms, someone will have come up with a better method than the Squish-Em-Down-Now-I-Really-Need-a-Wonderbra machine. Please. Someone out there, I beg you.



Um, no, not quite what I had in mind.



I also went out to the Pumpkin Patch to check out the first Fall fruits and veggies. Beautiful bounty of squash (yum!), corn, pears, apples, plums, and much more! I love the Patch. And their prices are increíble.

Mmmm…Squtternut Bash.



Also, having read Sundry Mourning’s latest blogs about Geocaching, my interest is peaked. Methinks I’m going to have to get myself a cheap GPS thingy (or find someone who has one), because there are a TON near me! What a fun, dorky little adventure!



T-Minus 7 days until I start school. Zoinks!

The human torch was denied a bank loan.

My boss was freaking me out yesterday.

I told her that I’m going to take a long lunch tomorrow to go to Portland State to take care of a few things before I start school on the 25th. Because she is losing her mind a little at a time, she apparently completely forgot that I’m starting grad school. Then she started asking me 20 questions and freaked out when I said I was taking 3 classes. “Who’s your advisor letting you take 3 classes when you’re working full time?!” and other unhelpful comments.

Of course, she doesn’t know that I don’t really plan on being at this job for much longer (I’ll start looking for something else in January). But really. Does she need to be like that? First of all, I’m not worried about it. Yes, I know I will be a busy mo fo. Yes, I’ll probably have days where I’ll be stressed out. But I knew that going into this new endeavor and now she’s making me second-guess myself. No, no. Not cool.













Ugh. Oh well.

On a side note, stop this silliness, people.

On a side-side note, I decided to change my picture/avatar/profile thing. Of course half the time it doesn’t show up and is still showing my old one. This is strange to me. And yes, I tried re-publishing my whole blog. Oh well. If you want to see my new pic, it shows up when you view my profile. This is a picture of my bridge—the same one hanging on my living room wall. It was a limited edition print taken by Ray Atkison. They printed 400 (they’re all numbered) with the proceeds going to the re-lighting of the St. John’s Bridge.

In other news, Macy’s had its grand opening this weekend in Portland. There are five or six in the metro area, but the best is downtown in the old Meier and Frank building (not to mention my sister is a manager there). But it looks like they’re really stepping up and making the place more presentable—which is quite a task because it’s an old-ass building. But oh so pretty.



Also had dinner at Alessandro’s, which was orgasmic. This adorable Italian guy (either the owner or manager I believe) was quite attentive and made sure everything was excellent (which it was, lemme tell ya). He even kissed us on the cheeks when we left! !Molto buono!



After the cute Italian man we went to the Comedy Club, and I will say this was the funniest bunch I’ve seen yet. Damn I love that place. They have the best Hurricanes there, too. So for a good laugh in Portland, Oregon, head down to Harvey’s.

Five years later

I was a sophomore in college. I had an early class, so I was the first one up that morning. Yawning my way to the girls’ bathroom, everything was silent—most people were still sleeping. As a traipsed along in my bathrobe with my shower stuff, one dorm’s door was open. Two guys were inside huddled around a radio—I couldn’t make out a word of what they were listening to, so I thought nothing of it.

As I stood in the bathroom brushing my teeth, a weird feeling came over me. I skipped the shower and headed back to my room. (I know that sounds kind of dramatic, but it’s true). I turned on the TV to the shocking scene of the towers on fire. After watching for a few minutes, I thought it would be best to wake up my roommates. One of them was too lazy to get up and see what was going on (this is the same roommate who, five months later, would say “the Pentagon was hit too?”). The other two joined me in our living room as we watched the devastation unfold.

A few minutes later I said, “I’m honestly surprised they’re still standing.” Not 10 minutes later the first tower fell.

Then I had class. I couldn’t skip because I had a test. So I threw my hair in a ponytail and rushed to class, only to see that half were missing. My professor kept us there for only 10 minutes to discuss what was happening and then told us to find someone with a TV so we could know what was going on.

Not long after, the university declared all classes canceled for the day. I sat in front of my TV for the rest of the day, watching as the Pentagon was hit, seeing footage of people jumping out of the towers to a death that was less horrifying. I remember when the plane crashed in Pennsylvania—they weren’t sure if it was shot down or if it was an accident. All airline flights were canceled.

My mom called to beg me not to go into Portland (my school was about 30 miles west). It hadn’t really occurred to me not go, but I told her I wouldn’t. As I was on the phone with her, I could hear my little brother (who was six at the time) yelling for my mom. She went over to him and he asked, “Is the Statue of Liberty OK?”

A few days later we had a candlelit vigil for those who lost their lives. As we stood outside in total silence, one of the first airplanes allowed back in the sky flew over our heads. It was a very eerie feeling.

Over the next several days, weeks, years, we’ve been told more about the attacks. Somehow, I almost feel like we know even less. Did our administration ignore warnings? Did we deserve the attack? Will we ever know?

One thing is for sure—our culture of fear has only increased. People turning in their own neighbor for looking suspicious. An Hispanic man kicked off a flight because they thought he was Arab. Terrorism, wars, death.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to say anything about this fifth anniversary coming up on Monday, but I was thinking about it today, and that’s what blogs are for, right?

I make it no secret that I don’t like our president. I don’t like his policies. I don’t like his administration. I can’t believe we still don’t have Bin Laden. I worry that things are just going to get worse. I don’t believe we were attacked because the “terrorists hate that we love freedom.” It’s not as simple as that. It’s years of manipulation and war torn lives and bad foreign policy and religious differences and oil prices and cowboy tactics.

But one thing’s for damn sure. Maybe we provoked them, maybe we ignored warnings, maybe we’ll never know---but those 3000+ people did not deserve to die.

I only hope that someday, years from now, I can adequately explain at least a little of what happened and why to my future children.

That’s the burden of our generation---teach the next, so this will never happen again.

Crikey Again!

(My favorite)

Crikey!

I am so sad that the Steve Irwin, the crazy Crocodile Hunter, was killed yesterday, leaving behind his wife and two young children. I really liked that crazy guy—but I have to admit it was like his last joke. I mean, who else would get pierced in the heart by a sting ray? Only the Crocodile Hunter. If he’s going to go, he’s going to do it in style.

But I’m still very sad. :(


On a happier note, my bronchitis is clearing up already after being on antibiotics for only a few days. I think this is because the antibiotic they have me on is ridiculous. It’s so strong that it was actually making me feel sick to my stomach. So I went and bought some acidophilus (a pro-biotic) which is helping immensely. So now I can kill that bad bacteria and put good bacteria back in. It is a little weird to think that I’m eating one billion live cells when I take it, though. It reminds me of the time I had to take the Typhoid vaccine—it was also alive and had to be refrigerated. *shudder*


In other news, go see Little Miss Sunshine. It is a fantastic movie. Best I’ve seen in a very long time. I would even consider going to the theater to see it again (which I almost never do). Go see it. Skip, run, and sashay on down to the theater.



I finished The Bronte Project, which I did enjoy but I must admit it’s not my favorite read. Cristina read it, and because she and I share the same love of the Bronte literature, I knew I had to read it. :) I actually found it a little abrupt—and I found the end to be found wanting. But overall I was entertained—and it made me want to go get a book of the Bronte letters. In searching for a picture of the book cover, I also discovered that someone has purchased the rights to make it into a film.



I’m also quite excited because the season premiere of House is on tonight. It’s probably the only show on Fox that I really enjoy (other than Will & Grace reruns). And I think Hugh Laurie is pretty damn sexy.



T-Minus 20 days and counting until I start grad school. Yikes!

She works hard for the money

A guy outside my window is serenading his girlfriend with “All You Need is Love,” and I must say they have attracted quite a crowd watching them. Quite entertaining, I must say. Oh, now they’re kissing. Say it with me: aaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww…

Ahem.

I’m quite glad it’s Friday. I’m even gladder that tomorrow is Saturday and I can sleep in. I’m even more pumped that I have Monday off for Labor Day!


Whooppeeee!

Let’s discuss Labor Day here for a moment. Did they just decide, “You know, September’s boring. There are no holidays in September. Let’s put in a day that we can all get off work!” I find it inherently ironic of course that you’re celebrating workers while they’re not working. Furthermore, the only people who really get the day off are those with stuffy desk jobs like myself who, as much as I hate to admit, are the least likely to truly need the day off. I mean, what about the dudes slinging fish down on the docks or the grocery clerks scanning your food for hours at a time? Or the janitors of the world? They sure’s hell don’t get the day off. And I do! Paid, no less! I mean, what kind of holiday is this?! It’s more like, “Hey, we’re going to celebrate your labor. You know how? By making you work more! Back to the galleys, slaves!”

And to protest this silly, rather unfair holiday, I will be having a BBQ and drinking with my friends. [Come on, what am I gonna do, go to work anyway?]

In other news, I have bronchitis. And sinusitis. What is going on with my *@!#%! immune system?? WHY do I have bronchitis in August? And why have I had it for six weeks? And why does my physician assistant have to be so hot when I’m sitting there in a hospital gown?

Speaking of whys & hot guys (hey, that rhymed!), why does the hot recycling guy send his minions to come and get my recycling? Doesn’t he know that I like to be sexist and watch him lift that heavy recycling bin? And then watch his butt as he walks out the door? Someone memo him on this, please.



No, no, not like that!!!




Ah, yes, that’s better.

Have a good weekend, everybody!