Ready to Leave 2008 Behind!

I've heard people say that optimistic people always believe that good things are still ahead of them. Well, let me say that I am NOT an optimist, though I do believe (and hope) that things will be better in 2009. I would almost dare say (and hope again) that things can't get any worse, in some ways.

This was not a good health year for me. First, shoulder surgery, although I should say that, finally, my shoulder is feeling better than it has in years. I guess it was a good thing to remove the broken piece of bone that was just floating around inside me and causing extreme pain. The fact that my left collar bone is a few centimeters shorter than my right collar bone really doesn't even matter because it is actually strapped down now! (I'm just trying not to think about the fact that they had to drill a big hole in it and use CADAVER tendon to accomplish the task.)

Also, my birthday was spent hooked up to a horrible medical device they use consistently in nursing homes. (I just might post more on this later, when I am able to laugh about it.) I've already informed my children to unplug me and/or shoot me when I get to this point in my life again. I think they need me around for a few more years, or I would have instructed them to shoot me this time.

Oh yes, I almost forgot the thyroid nodule scare last April. I went to the ENT for ongoing sinus and allergy problems and he found a large nodule on my thyroid. He insisted on having an ultrasound where they found many more nodules. I then was sent to the Radiology department for a biopsy, since the largest nodule was big enough that they needed to biopsy it. That was traumatic enough by itself, it's just that "the one possible complication that almost never happens" happened. Somehow they did something and my neck filled up with fluid and I got a huge lump. I want to say it was a hematoma, but I'm not sure if that is the correct term. Anyway, I had a huge lump on my neck for a few days. I'm somewhat lucky because they said it would turn bright purple and it only turned a gruesome shade of yellow and kinda bluish greenish.

And last, my teeth. What a pain! Our dentist retired so I went to his replacement. He informed me that I would need a crown on a bottom tooth that looked like it was getting some chips in it. Why, oh why didn't I wait until it absolutely needed to be done? I told him to go ahead, since it needed to be done and it has been a nightmare ever since. When he was doing the impressions for the crown, he didn't have the right stuff to make the mold. What he had was too runny so he kept re-trying it until he got one that looked good enough. I have never had a crown before, and I hope to never have one again, so I didn't know what a big problem that was. The tooth has hurt from day one since they put on the temporary and the permanent crown has been no better. I'm sure it is because the crown isn't fitted properly. I finally had to have another dentist do a root canal. It was kind of an emergency, so I had it done two weeks after my shoulder surgery. That was interesting! The tooth still aches like crazy sometimes, especially when I sleep on the right side of my face. I also have two teeth on the top that ache a lot. Actually they have hurt for a few years now. I have replaced two existing fillings and had another one put in, hoping to fix the problem. So far no luck.

What is interesting is that when other things hurt, like my shoulder surgery, my teeth miraculously seem to feel better. Someone pointed out that it was probably the pain meds I was on. I didn't think of that. I do know that most things must be getting better because my teeth are starting to hurt again. What really hurts is my bank account because we have no dental insurance and crowns and root canals and fillings are not cheap!

Yes, indeed, I am a Murphy's Law girl. At least when it comes to medical things. Maybe I'll explain more later. I have decided that I am either the healthiest sick person around or the sickest healthy person. I do know that I want to stay away from doctors and hospitals all next year.

Back to the pessimist label, I will wear it proudly. Like someone else said, if you are a pessimist, you are right half the time and the other half things turn out better than you expected, so basically, I guess it is all good.

(Ok, weird random thought: Do you think I would have better luck if I'd actually forward all those chain letter e-mails instead of throwing caution to the wind and deleting them immediately?)

Ok, Here Goes: A Random Story

Well, let's just jump into this:

Why I need to lock the car while I am driving

After my shoulder surgery, I was on pain meds for a week or so. Morgan and Ally were taking piano lessons from Haley Johnson Judd and they were relatively expensive. Hal was supposed to drop them off at piano and my mom said she would pick them up. (For some reason I can only remember Morgan going that day. Not quite sure. Must be the drugs.)

Anyway, when it was almost time for Hal to take Morgan I called him to make sure he remembered. He was actually somewhere pretty far away (maybe Brigham City?). Since I didn't want Morgan to miss her lesson, I decided to try and drive her myself. I hadn't taken any pain meds since 5:30 a.m. and it was around 9:00 a.m., so, in my drug induced state, I was pretty sure I could take her myself.

We got in the car, and things seemed to be fine until we made it to 3200 South. They were doing road construction so we had to stop. Then the guy came over to see which way I was going. That would have been fine, except the window on the Blazer was broken so I couldn't roll it down. I had to open the door to talk to him. That was embarrassing enough, but when I leaned out the door to tell him, I leaned a little too far and had a hard time sitting back up. I'm pretty sure he must have thought I was drunk!

Anyway, we went on our way and all was well, or so I thought, until it came time to turn left onto Haley's street. I stopped and opened my door. And then I sat there waiting. Morgan asked, "What are you doing, Mom?" I answered, "Turning left." Finally she suggested I shut the door and turn on the blinker. (I don't really think there were any other cars on the road at the time that I needed to wait for so I could turn.)

Well, we finally made it the rest of the way to Haley's house without incident. I also remember wondering if I was even capable of making it home. Since my mom was coming to pick Morgan up and take her home I knew I might as well just do my best and get home as soon as possible. I tried to concentrate very hard and, as far as I know, I did better on the way home. Whew! I decided then and there, no more pain meds for me!

That would be the end of my story except for the fact that a week later I was driving to Openshaw's house and, once again, when it came time to turn left, I opened my door and just sat there patiently waiting. I would probably be there still if Morgan hadn't been with me again, gently reminding me "Mom, shut the door and turn on the blinker!"

So kids, when people tell you not to do drugs, now you know why!

My First Blog Post!

Merry Christmas everyone! Welcome to my first blog post. Now that I am actually doing this, I am literally at a loss for words. (Normal in a real life setting, not normal with a keyboard in front of me. I am a notorious e-mailer. I can carry on a conversation very well in cyberspace. In real life, not so much!)