Friday, June 29, 2012

Waiting

Waiting is hard.

We are waiting for some medical test results for my dad, and it's SO hard to not get ahead of myself with what-ifs, etc.  There's a difference between thinking about something, maybe even having a plan for the worst case scenario...and fretting.  I'm making a conscious effort to NOT fret.  Patrick and I are having conversations about our part in all of this (we all live together, so this affects us, too),  our plans and hopes for the future, etc.  I don't feel like I'm letting my worries get away from me, but it will be a relief, one way or the other, to get the results.  The hospital said it would take three days...which falls on Saturday. I don't know if they'll contact us then? or if we have to wait til Monday.  Time will tell, and any and all prayers are appreciated.

In school news, I registered for my classes on Tuesday!  I had mapped out my first choice of days/times, and then I pulled together a Plan B, just in case the first ones were unavailable.  I got into all of my first choice classes!  I will be taking Math, English, Anatomy & Physiology, and Medical Terminology. 

Shannon's off with her BFF in Florida this week.  She started off the week playing with TS Debby, but now the weather's nice, and they're getting lots of beach time, etc.  Today they toured Florida State University.  Shannon said she really liked it, but she didn't think she could go there, because she might melt, lol!  As much as I miss her, it's actually been good having her away during all of this medical testing and the resulting conversations.
 

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Shingles and NYC

Summer's off to a whiz-bang here! 

Shannon finished up her freshman year of high school with straight A's.  So proud of that girl! She went on an impromptu 4-day camping trip with her BFF, to kick her summer off right!

I've been noticing over the past 2 weeks that my arm was extremely itchy, and that my upper back/shoulder blade area was sore...like a sunburn.  My underarm ached.  Those symptoms didn't match any ailment that I knew of, so I just kept an eye on them, and tried to drink a lot of water in case my glands (underarm) were swollen, etc.  Saturday morning I woke up with a line of bug bites on my arm.  Patrick looked at them, and agreed that they were probably spider bites.  Sunday morning, my bites were more "clustered" looking, and I concluded that it must be poison ivy (I've never had poison ivy, so I was just guessing).  I felt better, because I assumed this explained my weird symptoms.

I was talking to a friend of mine about my "poison ivy," and she said that whenever she'd had poison ivy, it DIDN'T feel like what I was describing.  I did a little googling, and began to notice a trend of seeing Shingles mentioned.  Finally, I searched Shingles, and lo and behold, the description fit perfectly.  Argh.

I went to the doctor on Monday morning, and she confirmed it.  I've got anti-viral meds, and medicine to help with the nerve pain...but to be honest, I'm pretty miserable.  I feel generally ill, and my whole right upper body/arm feels like it is simultaneously being stung by fire ants, badly sunburned, and very deeply bruised. My arm is still developing bumps; they haven't blistered yet. Funzie! (My parents live with us, and have both had the Shingles vaccine, in case anyone remembers that, and wonders.)


While all of this has been happening, there has been other excitement in the house, too!  We've been preparing Shannon for her trip to NYC!!! For the past two years, her Girl Scout trip has been saving and planning this trip, and it's finally here!  She spent Monday night at her leader's house, and they caught an early morning flight on Tuesday.  She texted me a few pictures yesterday, and all I can say is that she has perma-grin!  My girl is in heaven, and I couldn't be happier for her.  It's a very nice distraction from my dumb arm.