Vacation coverage continues!

Welcome back! This is in Shore Acres park on the Oregon Coast. Here was my favorite part of the park, there were calla lilies growing around this pond. These are my favorite flower, I used them for my wedding. So graceful!

In that same pond was this lovely set of sculptures. Ibis? I don’t know. But they are lovely.

And in the same pond (sorry) were these amazing water lilies – so PINK!

Now, it’s kind of hard to see her, but my Muum is seriously checking out this tree, trying to discern its name. But from this angle, I thought it looked an awful lot like she was holding it up. She didn’t even know I took it – oh snap!

Here is the coast at the Shore Acres park – beautiful. There were sea lions, but I didn’t want any pictures of them.

And here’s another view. Beautiful.

This was at a grocery store in Oregon. I was a little…taken aback? By this blatant generic take on Dr. Pepper.

Apparently Safeway’s. Whaaaat? More coverage to come. 

how about an update?

It’s been long enough, right? I can’t find my camera, so no pictures.

But the main news is that my back is still giving me lots of trouble. It’s been more than a month now acting up. So I started going to physical therapy again, it’s not working nearly as well this time as it did in January.

My physical therapist recommended that I see an orthopaedic doctor – someone in the same building who specializes in backs. In the back. In any case, that guy is (of course) booked out till mid-June. Such a familiar and depressing dance. I told Spencer I felt like we were starting that same chronic HA thing over again. What’s funny is that this has been going on (with my back) for years before – 14 years or so. But for so long it’s been really well under control.And I don’t know why this pain is back, it’s frustrating to be doing all these physical therapy appointments and getting no where. Frustrating to have *another* major set of pain symptoms to deal with.

I’m still hoping that this is all going to get wrapped up soon. That this will just have been a quick detour on my path. My path back towards normal life – and away from migraines!

On the migraine front, I’m seeing the Utah headache specialist on Monday for the first time in about a year. I liked her a lot, but her schedule is insanely busy. She said come back in 3 months! And I went out to schedule and she was booked 6 months out. So I wanted to see her for a 2nd opinion on how things are going w/me and my doc in Chicago. I’ll also see if she can fit me in any better – if she could fit me in for 3 month intervals.

Blech.

In other news, Spencer got his Master’s degree! That was fun, when I find my camera, I’ll put up some pictures (maybe just one picture?) of the festivities. He is still on his way towards a PhD, but this was a great chance to celebrate his accomplishments thus far. His parents flew in to celebrate, so that was really great. We got to spend time with the majority of Spencer’s family, and then had a joint picnic with both our families after the convocation! What a beautiful life we have.

A meme from my MIL

I have so little news these days – just trying to ride out the headaches. I did make my appointment for the headache clinic in Chicago – for March 5th. I’m going all in one day again. It seems like traveling is really hard on my migraines (not surprising), and so getting it all over with in one day is better than having two miserable days in a row.  

I’m in emails with my doctor (@ the headache clinic) to find out whether we’ll stay at this higher level of Tegretol and Baclofen. I had some blood tests recently – so we shall see!

It is also worth mentioning that the phlebotomist who took my blood got it in ONE STICK. This is like a miracle. It was pleasant. Onto the meme!

Four, Four, Four, Four…

A) Four places that I go to over and over

Smith’s (grocery store), church, the library, and Sam’s Club (my pharmacy!)

Let me know in the comments if you join in!   

Footwear Friday!

Hello everybody! How about some shoes for our Friday evening?

Black platforms – they don’t get as much wear as they used to – but I do like these shoes. I’ve had them for 7 or 8 years. When you have more shoes, you don’t have to wear any one pair too often!

They’re a pair of Nine West – very comfortable, as you can imagine.

And the side view – hooray for the side view!

And since I have been such a slacking blogger, let me catch you up a bit on my thrilling life.

*Today my littlest sister got her ears pierced – I was planning to have a fun day with my Muum and two of my sisters, as well as two nieces and a nephew. Of course that meant that I had a horrible night’s sleep last night, and wasn’t able to go. Missing those kind of fun get togethers are probably my least favorite part of The Headache.

*I had an appointment with a new GP (general practice physician) this past week. I hate seeing new doctors in general, especially GPs, because explaining this whole mess and all of my nonsense always means the appointment will take much longer than normal. I also forgot to bring my list of meds and dosages. No good at all.

What was good was the GP herself – a very nice woman, also thorough, and seemed ready and willing to jump right into ‘managing my care’. Wouldn’t wish that job on my worst enemy.     After the nurse came in and the GP had listened to my general story, she said to the nurse, “Where it says headache there, change it to migraine. Because that’s what it is.”

*I’m going to see a neuro here in Utah to try and have my next hospitalization take place in Utah and not have to fly out to Chicago for it. Also, I’d have friends and family I could visit with here in SLC – in Chicago it’d be much more…boring.

*I also have a new winter coat. I’m excited about it, but unsure. When I’ve decided on it (or something else) for sure, I will show you! Opinions are welcome. 

Filed under Family, headaches, migraines, shoes | Tags: clothes | Comments (8)

meme meme meme meme

i have been tagged for another meme! my sister gretchen tagged me this time.  away we go!

3 Joys
1) my husband
2) my family – i am so lucky to have such a loving and supportive family
3) music

3 Fears
1) ferris wheels — i have this recurring dream of dying on one. weird, i know.
2) …..
3) ….really don’t think there’s anything else.

3 Goals
1) research and work with my doctors to improve my migraine situation — less pain or fewer headaches; i wouldn’t mind both!
2) and more immediately, to finish hanging our pictures — then we’d be totally MOVED IN!
3) also to schedule a few more doctor’s appointments…one of those things i’ve been putting off

3 Current Obsessions
1) Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Peanut granola bars. really more of a candy bar. so delicious.
2) Burt’s Bees minty chapstick
3) sparkly hot pink toenail polish

3 Random Surprising Facts (*possibly not that surprising)
1) i love to be on time.
2) my tomato plant has 2 orange tomatoes, and half a dozen little green ones. i can’t wait for a red one!
3) my favorite movie is Gone With the Wind. LOVE the costumes, love the southern accents, love the story.

I tag …. no one! not in a tagging mood tonight. but if you want to play along, let me know in the comments — i’ll come visit.

Pain — has an Element of Blank — By Emily Dickinson

Pain — has an Element of Blank
It cannot recollect
When it begun — or if there were
A time when it was not –

It has no Future — but itself –
Its Infinite contain
Its Past — enlightened to perceive
New Periods — of Pain.

the nausea seems to have passed! thank goodness! it wasn’t taking it at night that helped, because unfortunately for me, the effexor is an extended release. so i was nauseous no matter when i took it. BUT my body slowly got used to it. and now i am much improved. if we could just do something about this pounding pain in my temple… 

the moving in is coming along, slowly but surely. i disappeared for a little while there — we were at a family reunion (spencer’s family) up in sundance. ooh, it is gorgeous up there! so pretty. did i take any pictures? no. but when my dear husband posts some, i’ll link to them for you. the reunion was good, but it was a little disconcerting to come back to an apartment full of boxes. so much work yet to do! today i did the first set of laundry and grocery shopping since we’ve been in the new place. seems crazy to be bringing more things INTO the house!

on a parting note, my husband posted this photoblog entry the other week — he calls it ‘Waiting’. love it! i promise i’m not angry, just bored. and i’m sure i didn’t realize he was taking my picture.

Happy Birthday to Me!

it’s my birthday!

happy birthday to me! i’m 27 today. the funny thing is, i feel much older. something about going to doctor after doctor, them not being able to figure out why i’m in pain all the time….

no, seriously, this is a happy entry. i’m out having a great time — lunch with my sister (fingers crossed that she can find a babysitter) and two of my good friends, and then to gardner village to shop and window shop. this is all courtesy of some mondo meds that i’m allowed only once in a blue moon.

then tonight my honey is taking me out to dinner and then we’re going to check out an art exhibit at the utah museum of fine art. they call it monet to picasso…there’s got to be something in there for everyone, right?

so here’s where you come in. i would LOVE to hear from you – most especially anyone who is out there who i’ve not heard from before. if you read here — tell me what you’d want for your birthday in the comments.

Father’s Day

i love my dad. so much that i won’t post a picture of him here.

he’s touchy about things like ‘privacy’ and not having his picture posted on the internet. fair enough. it’s not for me, but i get it.

but i will tell you a little bit about him and how much i love him. and why i’m so lucky that he is my dad.

mostly i’m lucky because without him, i wouldn’t be the woman i am.

the thing is, i don’t talk about it much, but music is what makes my soul sing. i can’t live without it, and it nourishes me. i need it.

i’m sure the reason i need it, the reason i love it is because of my dad. he taught me to read music, to listen to music, to feel music, and to love music. you might be thinking that a person can’t be taught to love music or to listen to music — and that might not be entirely true. but in some ways it is. i remember laying on the carpet in our living room with the score of the 1812 overture, listening to it playing (loudly of course) over the stereo. and dad would follow the music along with his finger, jabbing the cannon bursts like exclamation points.

he would trace the different national anthems along for me to see how they were woven through by tchaikovsky. he showed me how dynamics worked in a tangible and exciting way.

of course my dad has loved me and supported me through difficult times; breakups and disappointments. but nurturing my love of music is one of the things that endears him to me most of all.

i love you dad!

a little wedding recap

well i’m not going to go over the whole weekend — way too many events, and i’m only going to post a few pictures. here’s one of the bride’s pretty sister doing my hair

and then here we can see how it turned out! it was so fun having my hair done – it’s been a long time. probably since my own wedding, since i had an occasion to get my hair really done up.

and then this was a dance with my honey – this was my moment with him. most of the rest of the weekend he was taking pictures, literally. but somewhere over the rainbow was playing (the ukelele version) and i think the siblings of the bride and groom were supposed to be dancing. so he came and danced with me for a bit — after he’d gotten the necessary photos, of course! i was happy to see him, and happy to have a moment with him.

you can see the bride and groom in the background. and in less-important news, you can also see my super cute brown shoes…i tried to break them in beforehand, but they only lasted 4 hours or so. seems like the shoe makers didn’t account for my 4th toe. strange. i will show them to you later on, another entry.

many other wonderful and fabulous times were had (the actual wedding, for instance). but these are a few from the reception, which was also beautiful and a lot of fun.

If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right. — Mary Kay Ash

well i got home early this morning from arizona – i snuck off without telling you. since spencer and i were both leaving, i didn’t want to invite the robbers to come for a visit. but we were gone all weekend to phoenix, spencer’s brother was married this weekend to a lovely girl, and spencer was the photographer. it was (of course) a very exciting weekend. spencer’s done quite a few engagement pictures before, and a few bridal portraits, but this is the first wedding he shot as the primary photographer. i’ve seen most of the photos, and he did a great job.

the wedding was beautiful, they were married in the LDS mesa arizona temple. there was a reception and a luncheon and another luncheon – lots of fun times with our family and her family. i am bushed.

here are some links which will hopefully amuse.

LOL pony

Wasted food

Sad cat — also funny, don’t worry

Couch/bookcase