CNN Question of the day

This morning when I logged onto Twitter (keeping abreast of the daughters' overnight activities), I came across a Tweet from CNN. Today's Question of the Day was to share your funny hotel story. It was early and without thinking, I adjusted the iPad for better lighting, tapped the link, and submitted my story. I was surprised to see that it actually made the segment, even more surprise that my brief synopsis was un-edited and read verbatim. I am such a CNN junkie, this made my day!

As soon as I can figure out how to do it, I will upload the actual video.

Thanks for KeepinUpWKaren, until next time.
~K

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: E-mail Coding System

I am on the phone with my oldest daughter (and my older sister in Virginia, along with her twin daughters that were in the car with her)... Anyway, I was asking my daughter if she read the article that I e-mailed her the other day. She responds by saying "I don't know, you mail me so many things." DID SHE REALLY JUST SAY THAT TO ME? Then, my sister chimes in to suggest I need to start coding my messages.

So, effective immediately, the following codes will be used in the subject line of my e-mails:

A - Read Immediately

B - Item of Interest

C - For Your Information / File

D - Print for Reading Later in the Bathroom

Thanks for KeepinUpWKaren, until next time.
~K

Update on my Recovery

Just a quick note to let you know I made it through the most grueling procedures ever (tonsillectomy, bi-lateral turbinate's, and septoplasty). I would deliver a set of twins naturally before having this done as an adult.

We made it home Friday just after lunch and I was feeling great (yep, the anesthesia gave me an extra kick in my step); looking awesome in my teal blue dress (with a fresh pedicure) and compression hose. I was thinking this was going to be easy breezy then Friday evening came and something from another planet had taken over my body. Despite the discomfort, I wanted to follow the discharge orders 110% so I was eating my popsicles, applesauce, and drinking lots of water... but it all kept coming back up. thinking this was normal, I persevered. I was also doing my nasal flushing 10+ times a day (they said 4 times a day but then I spoke to Frances’ husband and he scared the crap out of me so I wanted to have clean nostrils for my post-op) . I applied my ice packs throughout the day and took my meds according to the instructions.

I do not remember Saturday, except that I was in pain but felt that I needed to get up, shower, and continue my routine. I would only request assistance to get my icepacks or bring me a frozen treat every now and then. Sunday morning, As instructed, I took the pain meds at 2:45am on the dot, then again at 6:45am. Sometime after that I realized that I was taking narcotic shots and that my head would severely ache (more like someone hitting me upside my head with a bag of books) in the 3rd hour. I made the [un]consciousness decision to stop the pain meds right then and there, not even weaning off by dropping the dosage or cutting back the time. I would later regret this.

Sunday evening came and everyone was getting ready for bed, and I realize that I have barely had any sleep and that when I do fall asleep I am waking up with a violent cough that causes me to ... let’s just say gag (but it was worse than that).

I was OK with not sleeping Monday night as HSN was revealing the 5th Anniversary Cricut Expression 2 at 12:01am ET... so like the #1 Cricut fan I am, I stayed up, watched the broadcasts, and then ordered this wonderful $345 machine (I must tell you that I already own 3 other versions of this machine already – but this was the SPECIAL anniversary edition and HSN let’s you pay in interest free installments!!!!. Ooopppss.... I seem to recall something in my discharge paperwork about not making any big decisions or purchases while recovering. Oh well, I am pretty sure I would have ordered it if I did not have the surgery. Now to come up with a plan on how to hide it and then act like it has been here all along.... I will deal with that later.

...Where was I????

OK, Tuesday, was just like Monday except I was coughing and gagging worse and now my chest felt as if someone was standing on it. I had a bad history of pneumonia and bronchitis in Virginia and that got much better after moving to Georgia. I felt as if I had pneumonia without all of the other symptoms. My fever held steady at 99.9, so I went to the internet for answers. Note to Frances: DO NOT GO TO THE INTERNET FOR ANSWERS. Here I was plugging in my symptoms and became 100% convinced (and I convinced the doctors and nurses along with my family) that I was suffering from a pulmonary embolism.

After spending most of the night at the ER (watching Coleman watch the playoffs on a 19” tube TV), I was reassured that I had healthy lungs but somewhere out of the blue I have developed acid reflux and have scarred (BURNT) my esophageal lining.... WTF????? I was put at ease to know that a heart attack has the same symptoms, but my EKG and chest x-ray were picture perfect. So after the nurse jacked up my IV, had me gagging at the site of blood (think goodness I could not smell), I was administered some great meds and went to sleep. They woke me to discharge me, I rested a few hours at home, the pain came back at 5:30am and then I got up to get ready to go to the doctor.

Three barf bags later (one was a grocery bag that held the intake nurse's lunch and iPod), my doctor came in and was surprised by the change of events. After convincing him that I have only had heartburn during pregnancy and that I have never had any issues like this, he agreed that we should blame the anesthesiologist and just deal with this issue head on and get it under control. Then he decided to gag me by looking down my throat and then announcing that he had to remove the stiches, splints, and then flush my nose...... I was not a happy camper but then by the grace of God (and a lot of pain), I felt air in my nose. I was actually breathing through my nose.... so it was all worth it and based on the condition of my tonsils after extraction he was 100% sure they were infected which caused the jaw pain.. neck pain.. loss of hearing.... are we having fun yet?

I go back to work in 2 weeks. In the meantime, I am on the road to recovery and now learning how to live without spicy foods and carbonated beverages.

Just wanted to give you a QUICK update. I am back home, starving, still miserable, but on Prilosec (waiting for it to kick in) and looking pretty good after dropping at least 10 – 15 pounds.

~K

PS – Since most of you have weak stomachs, I have left out a LOT of the details (I know Rhonda and Frances want them) and did not want to send the gross pic from this morning (please let me know if you like to see it).

Momma was working the pole.... well kinda

My youngest received some great news last year.  He was nominated by his teacher to serve on the school's Flag Patrol.  This is a great honor and it comes with great responsibility.  The members of the Flag Patrol is required to be a role model for their peers, they are to maintain their grades, and perfect attendance is a requirement as well.  My Champ was a perfect nomination as he fit the criteria and he takes this job seriously.  So seriously in fact that while sightseeing in our Nation's Capital this summer, we were standing in line waiting for the Holocaust Museum to open and they called for all Military and Federal Employees to come forward, my son humbly raised his hand and asked "What about Flag Patrol?  You know, the people that raise and lower the flag at school."  While that provided entertainment for the crowd, his little heart was broken - this is how seriously he takes this responsibility.

This week they are taking a writing test at school and their class schedule was thrown off a bit.  My son came home yesterday and said that his teacher did not dismiss the Flag Patrol to take the flag down.  We were leaving the house, heading to an appointment, and once we passed the local high school and my son saw the flag, he screamed "Oh my goodness... the flag is still up!"  Please know that he was not concerned about the high school flag, he was thinking about his school's flag.. the one several miles back... the one we already passed... the one that is actually in our back yard!!!

I pull over and I call the school, and it was confirmed that the flag was still up.  This was one of those "What we gonna do now?" moments.

My son, the confident young man that he is, assured me that he could do it with my assistance.  Seriously????!!!!  I did not go through Flag Patrol Training!!!!  I remember holding the flag in Elementary School and in Sunday School -- the small flags on wooden dowels.  I HAVE NEVER WORKED THE POLE!!

I turned the car around, headed back to the school, and fear set in.  My son again told me we could do this.... and we did it!!!  Even though he teased me that the flag almost touched the ground (it really did not).  The most rewarding part for me was when we went to fold the flags, he let me flip the triangle portions of the flags... how rewarding.

I should have him let their sponsor know that I can walk over and fill in anytime... well, not in the mornings, but in the afternoons... provided I am not on a conference call or something.  Just consider me to be a back up to the back-up.

~ Thanks for KeepingupwKaren

She's a beauty!

KK's Kindle arrived and she is beautiful!

After she rests and recharges from her overnight journey, I will acclimate her to her new home. Hopefully the other gadgets and collections will not get jealous, they will have to remember their first day at home. I am sure I gave them the same (if not more) love and care.

While she is resting, I have a conference call and then need to find a snack for Champ, as he will be home from school soon. Zoe is off watching her favorite movie and Serena has settled in on her pillow for an afternoon nap.

Until next time....

~Thanks for KeepinUpwKaren

Out For Delivery - My new toy is on it's way!!!

If you all don't hear from me after this afternoon it's because I have a new toy on it's way and I plan to hide in a corner and play with it!!!! Being the southern belle that I am, I may even have some sweat tea and cookies for the UPS man as I sit on the front porch in my rocker and await his arrival.

I can see it now -- I will be a hermit, in the same yoga pants and t-shirt that I had on three days earlier, my eyebrows will resemble one of the muppet characters, my hair will look like a birds nest, and Serena will be the only one that enjoys my body odor... but it's ok cause I'll be all up in my kindle!!!!!

Now, I will be able to read in the car at night (I still do not understand why the car light has a book icon on it if you can't use it to read in the car at night - that's another blog entry) and in the bed without bothering my DH. This device may save my marriage *wink*.

(Thanks Sparky!!!)

~Thanks for KeepinUpwKaren!

God protects babies and fools... My Craigslist adventure

I get myself into some crazy stuff and the majority of my adventures involve craigslist... yes, craigslist, the same website that murderers, pedophiles, and Congressmen lurk.  Unlike them, I tend to lurk in the For Sale section, mostly under Art & Crafts.  Why buy at full price when I can purchase the same item on Craigslist for less???  So every now and then, I look out there for items of interest.

A few months ago I came across Craigslist and saw a posting that sparked my interest.  A lady wanted to open up her home to others that wanted to scrapbook.  In the scrapbooking community, this is called a 'crop' and it's normal to attend crops with friends at local craft stores, churches, and homes of friends.  Her post indicated that she lived a good distance away from me and I did not think that I would attend.  I am not sure why, but I sent her an email letting her know I thought what she was doing was very nice.  Before sending the e-mail, I included my phone number.

I know what you are thinking and before you go on, you have to understand that I do not watch horror movies... I do however watch the news, but again, I don't know why I even reached out to her to begin with or better still, why I included my phone number??

Next thing you know, my phone is ringing... and it's her!  We'll we talk about the event, I tell her that I am a craft hoarder, she tells me she is a three time widower, and the conversation lasted just about an hour.  She tells me that she painted her mailbox with Tim Holtz paints, her craft room was just updated as a tree fell on the roof, her kitchen was under renovation, her family room was large enough to accomodate several long tables and chairs, and that she had a baby grand piano.  I am not materialistic, but all of these things led me to believe she had a nice setup going on at her house.

So..... what do I do next????  I call my BWF/partner in crime and we decide to attend the event.  If that's not bad enough, I was selling a Cricut tote bag on Craigslist and when the lady came to purchase it from me, I told her about the event.  She went home, found the posting and she RSVP'd as well.

What have I done and what have I gotten these poor innocent people into????

So, to make this long story short, we head out to the other side of the Perimeter (which seemed like the other side of the world).  We follow the directions she provided.  We ran into the little country store with the ATM machine to grab snacks and cash.  We make the next left, drive for a bit, and then turned right onto the dirt road).  Actually, we drove past the dirt road and had to make a u-turn. In hindsight, I think that was God trying to tell us to keep on driving.

We arrive at the house, which if you look through distorted glasses, could be the house same she described in our conversations.  I am really not one to judge, but the plywood covering the large hole in the front porch should have been another warning sign.

We ring the doorbell, we ring the doorbell again, we knock (after we realize the doorbell is not functioning), and then we finally open the door.  We were greeted by the lovely lady that purchased the bag from me.  We feel a sense of relief (there are normal people here), and then we follow her to the scrapbooking area.

I am going to stop here, and just summerize to say that we met a LOT of nice people (it felt good that we were not the only fools), we learned a lot, and we purchased some great tools.  However, the house needed to be condemned (at least on a 30 day corrective action plan by the local health department or featured on an upcomming episode of Pet Hoarders), and that DFaCS should have been called (the lady's son appeared to have ringworm from head to toe and he was running around half dressed carry a large butcher knife).

Thank goodness we made it out and returned home safely.  It was definately a learning experience and we made some great connections.  We now have a great story to tell and everyone can laugh at my expense. It's all good.

Thanks for KeepinUpWKaren, until next time.

~K