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My First Surgery

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Here I am. There are 32 more days of the year remaining and I have $200 left on my Flexible Spending Account. I can pay for expensive reading glasses at about $100. I can call my dentist and inquire about a mouth plate for possible night time clenching at about $150. I will renew every possible medication. I might buy some expensive OTC lotion for my dry skin. Some allergy medicines. Perhaps, I will see my PCP about my aching toes..... I swear if it is a bunion, I will freaking lose my mind. All my exercise is walking.

Anyway, I am boggled. I wonder if I should see if an air purifier would be covered under the FSA?

Since I am having a procedure in December for my condition, I had the bright idea of researching the out-of-pocket costs for it. I have something that left unresolved can become sleep apnea. The possible resolutions => lose weight or have UPPP. I have mentioned this in a previous post. I have lost no weight. Therefore, I am having Radio Frequency, Ablation Palatoplasty, Septoplasty and Turbinate Reduction. A mouthful wasn't that?
The billing department will give me the costs, then I call my insurance company. This is all very complicated but it must be done in order to use up my FSA for 2010.

But here is the clincher. The Flexible Spending account rules change in 2011! And I didn't know this. I am hitting my head on the desk. I completely missed the rule changes. Therefore, I have a bunch of money set up for the FSA for 2011 that I will not be able to use on stuff I currently need.
Argh.
On the bright side, if I have a bunion problem then treatment will be covered by the FSA.


I should mention that Trey lost his brand new handknit scarf this weekend.

If I could get you to view this

Monday, November 29, 2010


Multitasking

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

If you will recall, I use a rebounder for exercise. I used it to teach myself to knit and walk at the same time. It made my walks at the park more enjoyable.
Now, I am able to knit and bounce for quite some time. I decided that watching TV while knitting poorly used my time.I pulled my old music stand out of the attic and propped a book onto it.
I am a reading, knitting, bouncing fool.
I purchased this rebounder ages ago.It is worth paying for an expensive model. While I have not always used it, I have had numerous memberships at gyms, it remains in good shape. This one is a Nordak Rebounder.

I enjoy bouncing after work for a half hour or so. The ENT doctor ordered me to lose 50 lbs in order to avoid the Uvula Palatoplasty surgery. I gave myself 3 months. I have lost absolutely nothing.  How can I lose weight if I do not sleep well at night. The time of day when the body burns calories? How can I lose weight if I am tired all the time. How can I exercise everyday after work and make my crochet, knitting and sorority meetings? Argh.
I do not eat that much in calories. I know this because I track my calories on Calorie Count. It is a vicious stupid cycle. I do not want this surgery, but I must get some sleep.
I work-out almost daily for at least 30 minutes. When I am not in the mood to bounce, I have a power yoga DVD.I am still overweight.
I have added Vitamin D to my diet. I read that women do not get enough of the vitamin and its link to weight loss in several magazines and blogs this month. Still, I expect to have the surgery.
In anticipation, I want my bedroom to be very warm when I am in recovery. In my search for the drafts coming into my room, I caught sight of my cat. As you can see, the spot in front of the radiator is the warmest spot in the room.


Conference a go go

Sunday, November 14, 2010

I attended a conference last week.
The conference itself is an annual event. I generally describe it as a conference of debauchery and business. For years, when I attended the conference, I would meet up with a friend and we would pretend to be a Conference Couple in order to avoid the aggressive advances from the opposite sex. In the past few years, I have not been able to find a fake conference boyfriend and instead behaved aloof and distant.
Last year, I took Dude with me. This year, I went solo.
You know how conferences go. Everyone gets together after the last workshop/plenary of the day and heads off to a restaurant. I missed the mass groupings for dinner. I walked to the lobby hoping to find someone as hungry as me. I found Old Guy. We ran into each other in the lobby and decided to head to the eatery together.During the walk he asked me repeatedly, "How are you," and "What is going on with you?" Normally, these polite questions would not be remarkable. In hindsight, because he began asking the two questions before we left the hotel and asked them several times more between the short romp to the eatery and before the waitress took our drink orders, I should have suspected early that something unusual was about to happen to me.
First, he reminded me that the 90s version of our professional conference was likened to going to Las Vegas. I agreed. I had been in my 20s. Attending the conference back then was a guaranteed fun time.
That is, until I began wearing long skirts, attending church regularly, and dating less frequently.During that period, I found my conference boyfriend and we would be a annual Conference Couple. I avoided passes by sexy philanderers and he avoided pinches by older, more aggressive, single women. After a few years of this, he moved onto a new job and I stopped socializing at the conference when I attended.
While I ate, he began a long story about how he has observed my personal and professional growth through our interactions at the conferences. I began to count the number of times OG poked me in the arm.
funny pictures of cats with captionsAfter I hit 15, I excused myself to find a co-worker from my department, who was at the conference and at the same restaurant.


I explained to my co-worker that OG was clearly drunk.I had had a whiff of his breath BEFORE our drinks had been delivered and realized that he was plastered. I asked the co-worker to find me before he left the restaurant to retrieve me.
funny pictures
Okay, it wasn't really this bad. I just thought the pic was freakin' hilarious see more Lolcats and funny pictures



I returned to OG and he finished his very long and painful story (I was up to 30 arm pokes) with "I am attracted to you." That took me out of my haze. I had heard him replay my accomplishments: starting as an adviser and being promoted to Director; being a grant employee and now having written a high scoring grant application; and renting to owning a house. I knew all of these things, of course, it was a little odd having him recount them to me. I thought he was going to suggest that I run for an elected position in the association. His admission deflated my ego, just a bit.
I casually retrieved my cell phone and sent a text message to my co-worker.

Find me, NOW!

I have known this colleague since I began in the association 14 years ago. I have worked with him on numerous committees, I believe he is at least 15 years my senior. I refer to him as Old Guy for that reason. Knowing that I am approaching 40, I am in no way indicating that I am not old to some of the newer members of the association. I am not hitting on them either.
Later my co-worker would tell me that he could not find me at the restaurant.He did not get my text until after he had left. He asked me how did I end the dinner. I told him that I simply stood up and announced that I was ready to go. Try it next time you are on an awkward date. It works.



GAWD I hate being single

All at once

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Chilly Willy's Electric Blanket Pictures, Images and PhotosLast week the frost hit my cannas, tomatoes and collard greens. I turned on the heat. I pulled the plants out of my yard.
I pulled out my 2 piece puppy pajamas.   The electric blanket. The hot cocoa.  The radiant heater for the drafts. 
I have lived in my house for five winters.  This winter, I am determined to find the explanation for the severe COLD in my bedroom.  My bedroom has more draft than the basement. I feel like a forensic detective trying to solve a murder when I am walking around with burning incense to find drafts.
I discovered one draft emanating from the closet.  Yes, the closet.  I have placed a towel under the door.
Another draft seems to come from the new windows.  I still cannot determine the exact place. I am sure shoddy workmanship is the problem.  Never select your window company based on seeing a label at a Habitat for Humanity house.  Willingness provide energy saving windows for a homeless family does not equal superb installation for your home. 
A third draft begins in the craft/computer room which houses the upstairs kitty litter.  I had the balcony door draft proofed last year.  I can't figure out where the air originates now that the door is sealed. Probably the closet or the new window. 
The final draft that slaps me in my face comes from the attic.  I purchased this handy tool called an attic insulator from Owens Corning.  I place it atop the stairs. Yes, the attic opening is located in my bedroom. I didn't build my home.  I just live there.
This winter, I hope to stay warm.  


And now,the Indian Summer.
Which means the beginnings of a sinus infection.  Nice.
Sadly, I am at a conference located 3.5 hours from home. I have missed half the conference in bed.  I have missed three meals.  I feel like crap.

All I have been able to do is work on the projects that I brought with me and read.  As you can see I have finally turned the corner on the ruana. The wrap should keep me warm this winter once I get it completed. 

chilly willy the penguin Pictures, Images and Photos  
f
Yes this warm. I used to love Chilly Willy as a kid. I didn't think that I would become him when I became a homeowner.
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 BTW the socks that I mentioned here  from Elizabeth  have been keeping me warm.  

Ta Da!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Halloween: a shot of adrenaline

Monday, November 1, 2010

http://www.guidetoonlineschools.com/history-of-halloweenRemember that the new Black Friday is the weekend of Halloween. I received an email on Friday for Sears advertising their holiday savings sale. I guess the economy has revved up holiday shopping.  No surprise there.  We need it.  Enjoy this post about history the Halloween before it changes into the herald of the Xmas shopping season.    Also, get your candy at half off today.

Online Schooling - Halloween

Source: Guide to Online Schools

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