sunday catch up

I think I should have a tshirt made that says, "I survived 48 hours without internet"... but it sure wasn't easy. Even though I was at my office Christmas party Thursday night and got much accomplished Friday evening and Saturday morning... Austin can tell you how sad it was to see me sitting here playing free-cell on my internet-less computer. I'm an addict. There's no way around it.

I think I'm ready for my week of medical madness ahead. I got all the laundry put away... made a massive grocery run... cleaned out the fridge... got all the presents wrapped and grouped by family... changed the sheets on my bed... I even have a cache of canned vanilla cokes and cat litter in my trunk to take care of the needs of my boy and my furboys.

This afternoon I have to make up some jello... I was going to use the pre-made, single serve kind while I'm on my liquid diet but our store only had variations of red: cherry, strawberry, raspberry. I had to buy the old fashioned jello powder - apricot, orange, peach. I was also surprised at the limitations of popsicles (which I keep spelling "pop-sick-els", a fraudian spelling, I think)... I ended up buying mango italian ice. I couldn't have anything on the cherry/strawberry spectrum and I couldn't have anything with specks of real fruit. EVERYTHING in the popsicle aisle was either geared toward kids (i.e. red) or high end (with fruit) I bought tons of apple / white grape / white cranberry juice. That will be a treat because I rarely drink juice... too high calorie.  And I have fat free chicken or beef broth. Woohoo.

I'm on the liquid diet all day tomorrow... nothing by mouth after midnight tomorrow night for the colonscopy on Tuesday at 11:30... which seems kind of extreme because if you have the first appointment you have the same "nothing by mouth" cut off. I just had the misfortune of scheduling late and having a midday appointment. At any rate... tomorrow I have the whole nasty prep to go through and I am dreading it in a huge way. Post colonoscopy I stay on the liquid diet for my surgery on Wednesday. Again, I drew the short straw because I can't have anything by mouth after midnight and my surgery isn't until 10:40. Post surgery I'm allowed to eat but then there's the whole fear of whatever goes in has to come out at some point so I won't exactly be having a steak. The last surgery I had (not counting my wisdom teeth removal) was June 2008 while I was in Jacksonville. I was basically abandoned the next day after surgery and didn't have the strength to fix anything for myself... I lived on graham crackers and apple juice that weekend. However... the graham crackers and apple juice were oddly comforting so I bought some for this week.

I've definitely pushed myself too much this weekend with all the laundry and the shopping and toting stuff and  so on but... I usually make myself rest up on the weekends so that I'm able to work the next week and I only have 6 hours to work this week, so I think I'll be ok. I figure... I'll be on enough *feel good* stuff this week that my back pain will be minimized. I was worried about the impact on my back during surgery but it's a face down hips supported kind of thing so it shouldn't cause any damage to my spine.

I am now on managed care through my health insurance. Basically... managed care is when you have a chronic illness... they have an RN available to help you make decisions regarding your care. The thought behind it is that if there is a medical professional guiding you there will be a more targeted care plan. I did the initial intake with her last week over the phone and when she saw the entire list of diagnosis' that I have she was shocked that I was still working. I'm glad I had the talk with my pain doctor last week about the incentives to continue to work and how few of his patients improve when they stop working. There is something about having a goal, something to focus on, that keeps people from giving up. I want to work. I just want it to not hurt. That's realistic, right?

Today... I have to run back into town to pick up prescriptions (including the wicked colonscopy prep stuff)... need to make my jello... and... I've got a special "last meal" planned... shrimp with cilantro lime rice. I'm undecided on whether I'll watch the Tom Brady vs. Tim Tebow matchup today. My blood pressure was high all last week - Friday it never got below 150/100 - I think it's been far lower this weekend because I've been super chilled with Austin out of town but... I take everything so personally when it comes to Timmy that I'm thinking I better wait until the last five minutes to watch lest I stroke out. It's much more enjoyable to watch the post game wrap up than to actually watch him play.

So that's the news here in the nest this weekend... hope all is well with all of you! Love and hugs!