**sniff**

I took the Friday off because I have a sinus infection. It hit me like a sledgehammer and I knew if I didn't get some antibiotics stat I'd be in trouble. Big trouble. So I braved the pouring rain to drive 20 minutes in my jammies. I was so miserable that I couldn't even put clothes on. I get into the urgi care and wait. Forever. You know what they made me do? Put a mask on! So there I sit. Forever. In the waiting room. In my jammies. With a mask on. I was the ONLY one in that crowded room with a mask on and I'm feeling a little like a freak. Mask, jammies, the crowded room parted like the red sea.

When the adorable little physician assistant comes in she check me out. Oh yes, you've got something going on in that ear. Yep some swelling in that nostril. Feel some pressure behind your eye? Why yes I do now that you've mentioned it, nad it feels like my left eye will be squeezed out it's socket here shortly. Then she says here's what I want you to do, get some Afrin, some Ibruprophen and other miscellaneous OTC meds. You want to open up those sinus otherwise infection will set in. I think infection has already set in darlin, which is why I'm here, because I assure you, I didn't brave this nasty weather in my jams just for you to tell me to take otc meds. Well she says, I don't think you have a bacterial infection just yet and antibiotics will just do you no good right now. Do you need a note for work?

Yes she really did ask me that.

So now I'm a 12 year old freak, in jammies, with a mask. FML

I have just one word. Kaiser. I have another word but Kaiser doesn't care so I keep it to myself.

So I stayed home. In my jams. Drank toddies, ie SF apple cider with whip cream. Listened to the pouring rain outside. Watched a little tv. The last of Tutors season 3 and a little food network. I also picked up Mastering the Art of French cooking at Costco last week. A little inspiration from the Julie/Julia project.

Have you seen it yet? Oh you must you must. I got it for Christmas and I've seen it three times since. It's adorable and of course Meryl Streep is genius, as always. If you haven't seen it do. Or just buy the movie, it's that good. And you can never go wrong with Meryl.

So I take enough Ibruprophen for a small country. Enough zinc to make me barf and I even found an old, very old, probably no good bottle of Afrin. I don't know who's it is but I doubt anyone will want it now that I've stuck it up my snotty nose.

And the dripping. The dripping. The nostril dripping. I have a huge hunk of tp up my left nostril otherwise it just drips out onto whatever surface I happen to be standing over.

Saturday of course I wake up worse. Much worse. The sweet little doctor assured me that she's put a note in my file that says I can call in and get antibiotics if I worsen, which I did. So at 8:05 I try to call them up. (I didn't want to seem too desperate) Wouldn't you know that the chickie on the line says that doctor isn't in until Monday and she'll leave a note for her to give me a call when she gets in. Mini fit insues here and I demand to talk to a doctor, any doctor or nurse, I'll take anyone who knows how to read 'Give this girl antibiotics when she calls back' on the charts. No can do says chickie, the quickest way to get antibiotics is to come down and see another doctor. And pay another co-payment. So I do. This time in clothes but still unshowered. I get to the window only to be told that the urgi care does not open until 11:00. I have no idea what time it is but it's a long way to 11. I go home.

You think chickie might have mentioned that while I was on the phone.

FML

But today, today I am almost well. Amazing!

I guess Doc was right.

Has anyone seen my bra?

It's that time again! The yearly squishing of the boobs. It's not so so bad for me as I have something to spread out on that frosty sheet of glass. Still, not something you want to do anymore often than once a year.

As I was saying, mamo time, at the clinic. I love this clinic. They are fast, you hardly have to wait, it's never crowded and the ladies all remember you and call you by name and ask about your kids and it's just like family! Of course that means you see them more than most people see their doctors but. . . if you're gonna have medical issues it's nice to have friendly people around.

Am I ever gonna get to the story?

Why yes, what's your hurry? You got something better to do?

If so you should just go do it, this is just not that interesting.

Ok, I'm ushered into the dressing room. There are four teeny tiny itsy bitsy stalls to the left and then there's the ginormous dressing room fit for royalty or anyone with a wheelchair on the right. I always use the queen suite. I once used the teeny tiny itsy bitsy stall and I'll tell you it wasn't big enough to change your mind let alone try to get your bra off, wipe the deodorant off your pits and slide into one of those stylish gown tops, open at the front thank you very much. So I'm in the uber deluxe dressing room, do my thing and sit in the chairs provided until someone comes for me. There seems to be a glitch in the machines and people are running hither and yon and I'm waiting and waiting. No worries, I have internet on my trusty blackberry so I'm cool. In comes this pretty young mommy with her two adorable little boys. Into the dressing area. I quickly pull my clothing out of the comfort inn and tell her she should use this room rather than the claustrophobic closets to the left. No no, she says, it's fine, no no I says, please, you'll need the space for your little guys. She is grateful and goes in. I deposit my bra and blouse into one of the mini rooms and then I'm shuttled in to the mamo room.

That done I head back to the dressing rooms to dress, remove the cute stickers the techie has used to decorate my upper torso and skedaddle. Except there is something wrong. Something missing. Something I cannot believe someone would take and something I'm not going to leave the office without. My bra! My bra is missing! It's missing! I look all over the tiny room. Twice. And honestly if it was in there it could practically put itself on it's so small in there. It's gone! Where could it be?

AND WHO TAKES SOMEONES ELSES BRA? Who does that!!!!

With goofy gown on I began to wander the dressing area. The only other person in that room was mommy and sons so I look in there. Her stuff is in there and I hate looking through it but, yanno, my bra, and it has to be somewhere. It's not in there.

I check in the hamper and around the hamper.

I check in every stall.

I checked in the cupboards they keep the gowns in.

That's all there is to this little dressing area. Where the heck is it?

I have no other choice but to wander out into the hall and hail a worker to help me find my bra. A techie finally appears and I explain my unusual circumstance to her and she begins the search as well. Another techie appears and we enlist her in the search. My bra is discovered. In the hamper. (I did SO check the hamper!) At the bottom of the hamper.

hers: Did you accidentally drop it in there with your gown?
me: I'm still wearing my gown!
hers: Oh. (these are bright women and they are looking at me like I'm nuts)
me: I really think the little boys did it.
hers: Oh right! (wink wink)

No, they believed me. Those little cuties were tearing up every xray room they were in.

So all is well

And the test results are. . .

ALL CLEAR ON THE WESTERN FRONT!!!

No abnormalities detected.

Contest: Write my obituary

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Will one of you kind readers sign up to write my obit when I die?

It could be sooner than I think. It turns out a paper cut CAN kill you. Or at least me. I suffered 3 very painful paper cuts last week. I could always turn a paper cut into something serious, requiring lots of attention, a little kiss perhaps, and the rest of the day off. But now it seems as if those pesky paper cuts can now send me to the ER. Should they occur on my left hand they could become infected. Rather easily. And quickly. The little teeny weeny itsy bitsy bacteria that is whisked off by the lymph in a healthy arm, becomes horribly and painfully infected in a lymph node challenged arm.

I was sick all weekend.

From a PAPER CUT!

To be fair, there were 3 paper cuts. But STILL!!

Thought I was gonna die.

So if I do, will you write my obituary for me?

Send your drafts to: nailark(at)yahoo(dot)com

What I did on my surgery vacation

I had plenty of things planned for my vacation. No sense sitting around doing nothing. Best to have a list of more things than you can possibly do rather than risk boredom.

So I read:

The Glass Castle: Pretty good, kind of sad, easy quick read.

Everything by Augusten Burroughs: I liked Dry and Running with Scissors best.

Witches of Eastwick: I'd never seen the movie or read the book and I have to say that the man witch, what's his name? Jack Nicholson plays him. The author I'm sure wrote it just for Jack because it sounds just like him. Was not impressed with the book all that much and wont see the movie.

Then I watched movies, or rather a series that I've been hoping to see but never got around to it.

Big Love: Someone told me this was really good. It's an HBO so I'd not seen it. Netflix (I love you with all my heart) had the first 2 seasons. La la loved it. Of course I like Bill Paxton and Jeanne Triplehorn and the little lady that plays Margene, adorable!

Then I had a dream that I was second wife. Third wife was useless, she sat around on the couch all day letting her kids eat dog food. I think that last bit was from Agnes eating dog food on the couch watching TV .(Running with Scissors) And I don't know who the husband was. Off to an 'official' function with first wife no doubt.

Then I watched as many episodes of Jon and Kate plus 8 as I can record and watch. Why? Why do I watch it? I just can't stop. I have no more small kids. I'll never have anymore small kids. I so love this show. It reminds me a lot of when my boys were little. I only had three but I ran a day care and often had 6-8 kids around me at all times. I totally relate to the whole food, clothes, noise thing Kate's got going on. Makes me think of Octomom. How on earth is she gonna do it? How? No husband and she is a little light in the head to start with. Lord have mercy!

I had planned to do some crafting.

I didn't do any of it.

My mom came and spent a couple of days with me. That was fun. She made breakfast, lunch and dinner and I was able to sit on my fanny the whole time she was here. The kids enjoyed having her hear. Middle took her out to the casino. OMG! What is it with old people and casino's?

Didn't matter, she got out and had a blast.

Medical Maintenance week

I was more nervous about the ultrasound than anything else.

All preggies understand the drill. Drink X amount of water an hour before visit.

I scheduled it for late in the day. Drank my water and headed for the clinic. I am obsessive about this. I do not want to get stuck in traffic with a full bladder or worse! What if I get into an accident? When I arrived they told me I was early. 'I know, I'd rather have an accident here than in my car.' They laugh and usher me into the back. Maybe the receptionist doesn't want me to have an 'accident' in there either.

Just for giggles I asked the tech if anyone had an accident on the table. 'Oh sure, every once in awhile.' I am relieved to see a bathroom right in the room.

DONE! I get to go home. I was so worked up about the whole thing that I decided I needed some candy to get over it.

I stopped at a market that has a nice sugar free selection of candies. I was really looking forward to some SF chocolate dipped marshmallows that they usually carry. They were out. So I picked up some gummy sour peach ring things, some chocolate dipped honeycomb. . . mmmmm... and some English Toffee.

Maltitol can cause stomach distress so I'm very careful about how much I eat. I had 2 or 3, maybe 4 peach things and a piece of honeycomb which is pretty darn good for sugar free. Not wanting to go overboard I had the tiniest bite of English Toffee. All good.

It's nice to get that over and done with. Now I get to wait until the results are in.

Medical Maintenance week

Next stop. . . . OBGYN!

Not to worry, nothing disgusting here.

I was sent to see the OB from my surgeon. You see, at Kaiser, you only have your 'visit' every three years instead of 1. Unless there's a reason to. Whatever. I had explained to my surgeon about some 'interesting' things going on. I wasn't worried but just thought I should mention it. Well she says, lets just have a peak and see whats going on.

So I'm sitting in the nurses station, getting my temp, blood pressure and weight. (wow, I gained a little more over the holidays than I realized) I tell the nurse that my surgeon sent me here. 'well' she says, 'I don't know if the doctor will do anything. It hasn't been three years.' Now I'm pissed. I did not drive all the way out here, take time out of my busy day, turn over my co-payment, to have the doctor tell me she's not going to see me. Kaiser!

I see the Dr. What a nice lady. She explains that there is a connection between breast cancer and ovarian/uterine cancer. She's going to check to see if things are normal. If not I may need to have surgery.

huh?

Instead of being pissed, now I'm freaked out!

She sends me off to have a sonogram/ultrasound to 'measure' me.

Nice.

Medical Maintenance week

Its that time for all good little cancer survivors to get their medical maintenance out of way. And it starts with blood work. It always starts with blood work. Since my cholesterol is high I need to fast before I go in. This creates a problem with work as my boss has many early morning appointments planned. He suggests that I have blood drawn later at lunch time and then I can take the rest of the day off. I say sure, but, so you know, I can't eat or drink anything until I go so maybe I will not be of much use to him. He says maybe I should go early and get it out of the way. He's nice that way.

I get into the lab and see no familiar faces. *sigh* I get called up to a Korean man who is hard to understand. I explain that he will need to take blood from my hand. Not, what is that called? On this inside of your elbow? That place. The tech's don't like to take blood from the hand if they can avoid it. It hurts more and tends to bruise, a lot, and no one wants that. He quickly grabs my arm, puts a tourniquet on it and starts tapping it to bring up vein. 'There,' he says, pointing to a faint vein in my arm 'doesn't look bad' 'No there,' I say pointing to a throbbing purple vein in the middle of my hand. 'It hurt more there' he says. 'No,' I says, 'It hurt more when you dig around for that tiny vein and then end up taking blood from my hand.' It's my standard line, they all get it and do it my way. This guy though, he starts tapping around my wrist and finds a tiny vein on the thumb side of my wrist. Totally ignoring the throbbing purple vein in my hand that's looking more like a big juicy worm about now.

It bruised terribly and still hurts days later. I miss my black gal with the Jamaican husband. She no longer works there.

Oh hey! Guess what? That place on the other side of the elbow? It's called anicubital space!

There has to be a funnier name.

How about elbolius?

I'm getting fuzzy!

I'm getting hair!

Ok, not a lot. It's just a light white fuzz. But it's there! Whoo-hoo!

BH says he's never seen anyone so excited over a little fuzz.

I finished my last treatment Tue. I am now headed over to the radiologist for a thorough nuking. It's just a consult right now, I don't know exactly when I'll start.

Twelve Days of Treatment

I am feeling pretty good physically. My arm with the blood clot however prevents me from much computer work, or any work. And of course it's my right arm which makes doing any thing coordinated that much more fun.

This last week I had some girlfriends over for a visit. I needed to interact with something other than the couch and tv. But hey! I am discovering the Food Chanel. I hadn't watched it in a long time but I am loving it. Paula's Home Cooking, Barefoot Contessa, Everyday Italian, 30 minute meals and Semihomade with Sandra Lee. Easy Entertaining is ok too. I watched a little of the Nigella chick last night. No go. While I love a British accent hers bothers me, and she totally lost me when she called for a kilo of something or other. How do I deal with that?

Oh and I went to Costco yesterday and got 2 new cookbooks.

Can you tell I've not lost my appetite? I haven't. I've not been very nauseous at all and it doesn't stop me from chowing down either.

Ok some fun. After reading over the list of side effects (and just in time for Christmas) my girlfriend decided to write me a song.

On the FIRST day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the SECOND day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…Two swollen “Cankles” …One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the THIRD day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the FOURTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the FIFTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the SIXTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me… Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the SEVENTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…Seven nurses leaping, Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the EIGHTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…

Eight maids ‘a’ serving, Seven nurses leaping, Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the NINTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…

Nine discolored veins, Eight maids ‘a’ serving, Seven nurses leaping, Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the TENTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…

Ten Mouth sores,Nine discolored veins, Eight maids ‘a’ serving, Seven nurses leaping, Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the ELEVENTH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…

Eleven sets of eyelashes, Ten Mouth sores, Nine discolored veins, Eight maids ‘a’ serving, Seven nurses leaping, Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really loves me

On the TWELVETH day of treatment

My Chemo gave to me…

Twelve reasons to LIVE, Eleven sets of eyelashes, Ten Mouth sores, Nine discolored veins, Eight maids ‘a’ serving, Seven nurses leaping, Six giant bruises, Five flu like symptoms, Four kinds of bleeding, Three days of nausea, Two swollen “Cankles” ,One shaved head and a family that really LOVES me!

Isn't that hilarious!

I did shave my head Thursday. I left the bangs. It was such a relief to cut it off. It had been shedding heavily for days and felt dead. With my bad arm I was not able to wash and dry it. It's still all there. I expect in a few days it will all come out but for now it's manageable.

Doin alright!

Still a little yukky.

Happy Tuesday!

It is not a happy Tuesday but I need to psych myself up for the next couple weeks.

It's not an unhappy Tuesday for any real reason. I've just got a lot of things happening.

I was off work yesterday. HAPPY CANADIAN THANSGIVING EVERYONE!

My moms in Canada, celebrating T-day with rele's.

I work today and I've got lots do do and one day to do it in. Tomorrow I go to the doctor for all the presurgery stuff. Thursday I am taking my Real Estate license exam.

So I studied my butt off this weekend. (I should be able to fit in 'those jeans' by the end of the week)

Friday I'll work again. I need to put Tom and Mo Slowski to bed. It's getting cold and they are slowing down. Then I think I'll bring Maya B to my home. To live! With us!

Who's Maya B?

My dog from my previous life.

No, not Frank the pug darn it. He's a daddy's boy and it wouldn't be right to take him.

Maya B is a Chihuahua mix that I rescued. I really don't know what she is and no one seems to have an answer. I only have one pic of her. She moves an awful lot and it's hard to get a good picture of her. She is not a camera hound like Frank who will stop and wait for the shutter noise before he moves again.















This is the best I can do right now.

Bringing her here will be interesting. I've some things to get before I can bring her. Little things like food. I need to replace all her toys as they may not get to come with her. She'll need a new blanket. Again because I don't know what I'll be allowed to bring. I hope that I'll get to keep her kennel and harness and leash. If not I'll need to get new ones. She needs to be groomed as no one has done anything with her. It's a little cold here so I'll get her a new sweater. I had made some but I don't know where they are anymore and all my patterns have mysteriously disappeared.

OK, I'm off to get ready for work.

Happy Tuesday!

And the results are in!

WARNING!

The following entry is not good news and some may find it upsetting.

Read on at your own risk.


I did receive the results from my biopsy yesterday. The results were positive for cancer.

With just me and the doctor in the little exam room I laughed a little when she said cancer cells were found in my biopsy samples. "Me? I have cancer?" "Yes you do." she said. After that she began talking in another language. It sort of sounded like English. She finished her exam, asked me to get dressed and she would take me to the conference room.

There, in the conference room I was met with another nurse, Ginny, that was a breast cancer survivor for 15 years. She had a stack of books and papers. The doctor gently explained the roadmap of things to do next, what will happen if this happens, etc. Again she is speaking in broken English. I cried through the whole conversation.

Ginny spoke to me for a few minutes. She was speaking the same language as the doctor. I understood some of it, not all. Ginny is in charge of the support groups. She gave me a book on FAQ about breast cancer and a journal and invited me to the support group. She explained how important journaling would be in my recovery, (recovery? I'm not even sick!) that it would help me with questions I would have for my doctors and record my progress. I am wondering who she is talking to. There is only 3 of us in the room.

The doctor, who was so kind and very compassionate, asked me if I had any questions. I said just tell me what I have to do next.

An MRI will be scheduled next. They will call me for appointment times. Then surgery.

I left, still crying.

I found my way to the waiting room where BH was at. Still crying I said, time to go. Ginny had followed me out and hugged me. She made sure I knew I could call her if I needed to. I think I will.

BH just outside the office asked me what happened. I told him I have cancer. He just quietly walked me to the car. We may have said a few things. In some language I couldn't understand. I cried most of the way home.

BH and I have not been together all that long. I told him he barely knows me. I'm going to be sick, they are going to start hacking parts off me. How is he going to handle that? He sweetly said he has no choice. He does though. I don't but he does.

I think about moving in with my parents.

I don't know how much care I'll need.

I'm not afraid. Just sad. I'm still crying.

I talked to my mom yesterday. I'll tell my boys today. I'll talk to my dear friends soon.

"THE PROCEDURE"

So last Thursday I had my bilateral biopsy. Other than being incredibly long (4 1/2 hours) it was mostly painless and uneventful.

My nurse was wonderful and walked me through it every step of the way. She asked me if I was nervous, I said no, I lied. I expected it to be painful and uncomfortable but knew it couldn't be worse than giving birth.

After changing into the ever so cute oversized pink blouse with no buttons and many ties that are not in the right places to be of any use I am ushered into the procedure room. Now there is this very narrow red padded table with a hole in it. Yep, that is where it goes. In the hole. And it hangs down and they raise you up like a car in the shop and they work under you, just like a car in the shop.

Then they make you stay very still while they take a dimensional Xray of your breast so that they know exactly where to take the sample. Then they numb you up with a novacaine type medication. This was the only painful part. While they were doing the extraction I was forwarned that you may not feel pain but you may feel the sensation of pulling, tugging and perhaps a little burning. Nothing, nada, zip. After being in one place, not moving, for so long I was stiff and my hand fell asleep.

Then the fun part. They placed butterfly type suture bandages over the wounds. I was told they may bleed a little. They did. Then she placed large gauze pads over that and placed a large piece of tape (like 4"x4") over that. Then they wraped me up like a mummy in a huge ace bandage. I did not think I could put my bra on but she said I would need to put the ice packs in the cups. As big as I am the ice packs are bigger. Folded in half they stuck out with sharp goofy points after I put my blouse back on. She told me to keep the wrap on for 24 hours, no shower, then after that I could change the gauze and put a sport bra on. Keep the ice on for the rest of the day. She explained that I would be a little sore and feel some tenderness for a few day.

She was wrong. I was way beyond sore and tender. I felt like my boobs were on fire. They hurt so bad. I just went to bed and moaned all night.

The next morning I was sore and tender. And itchy.

I was asked if I was allergic to tape or bandages or latex. I said no. As it turns out, I am allergic to tape, bandages or whatever. I was going to scratch my boobs off so I took off the large tape holding the gauze on. It was red everywhere the tape was. Much better off.

I am still trying to scratch my boobs off.

I need to take off the suture tapes. Fast. Now I have huge ooozy blisters where the suture tapes are. They are much worse then the incision.

Today my incisions are very healed up. The blisters are getting better and starting to scab up.

Today I go back and talk to the doctor. I should get the results from the biopsy today. I hope.

Wanna see a picture of my breasts?

Poor Dear. If being a chicken wasn't bad enough.



















A little more modesty if you please.















I was trying to take pictures of my mamogram films but the image is just a black blur. Even in person it is just a black and white blur. I don't know how they see anything.

I had to bring my last films to a new place. It's called the Breast Center. Imagine that, a whole clinic just for breasts. After I fill out all my paperwork the receptionist asks me, and I'm not kidding, she says, "Are those pictures of your breasts." Why yes they are. And now everyone in the office knows I bring pictures of my breasts wherever I go. They are all women and they don't even think this is funny.

Nobody really likes mamograms for obvious reasons but I never mind them all that much. But this time was the grandmammy of all mamo's. First off it is in OC about an hour from where I live, with morning traffic it can take 2. I get there after 1 hour and 45 minutes of driving and arrive about 15 min early. A little after 9:00 am. I get called back about 11:30. Yes, 2 1/2 hours later. I am sitting next to this wonderful lady that has been waiting 1 hour longer than me. I'll call her Christine. Christine and I are grumbling to one another the whole time in the waiting room. Not only are we there FOREVER but the waiting area's thermostat is set at meat locker. We are freezing our chi chi's off. We talk of making a fire to warm ourselves with the outdated magazines. The house movie is Second Hand Lions staring Haley Joel Osment (recently in a car accident where alcohol may have been involved) Michael Caine, Robert Duvall and Kyra Sedgwick. Great movie, check it out.

Christine and I are now waiting in another waiting area. This time we are wearing matching oversized pink blouses that have no buttons. There are six of of in the tiny waiting area. We are all grumbling about how long we've waited, Christine clearly being the winner here, and how far we've driven to get here. Christine losses bad here, she lives in the city a few minutes from the office. San Diego wins, Fallbrook comes in second and I am third. The other 2 gals do not feel like playing. Fallbrook leaves the waiting area and comes back 10-15 minutes later. We ask if she is ok.

"Oh yes," she says, "I just went to get a sandwich."

"A sandwich!" We all scream. "How is it you escape to get a sandwich and we don't. And could you not have brought a little something back with you?"

The ""Point Nurse"" comes in. We complain to her. She disappears and comes back with a basket full of goodies. Cookies, granola bars and water. We are happy and quiet. We are eating. I put ""point nurse"" in double quotes for a reason. She repeatedly tells us that she is the "point nurse", with air quotes. She goes into a lengthy explanation of what this means. We don't care. She thenthanks us for our 'support'. Christine turns to me and says "I didn't say I supported her." "I didn't hear anybody else say it either." For all our grumbling we were not rude or mean to anyone on staff. As much as we wanted to. After all, they did bring us cookies. The back waiting room movie was 'You've Got Mail!" Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, you can't go wrong there.

The tell me the little specks they have been watching are growing and multiplying. The have a name for them but I can't bring myself to name objects mischievously residing in my body. I will need to return to the Breast Center to have a biopsy. I hear these are a party. I'll bring friends, and definately lunch.

On the way home I see this unusual building.

I don't know what it is. Maybe when I go back I'll check it out.

Show and Tell Thursday. . . . ?

Well Shoot. Somehow I missed the whole show and tell post on Tuesday. I really enjoy the show and tell. This week however it was on houseplants and since I don't own a single houseplant I don't feel to bad about missing out. Soooo, if someone could share with me how I missed the boat on this one, please let me know. I have so few pleasures in life.

We all know how much dogs love music.

So no show and tell, not to worry, I have plenty to share.

Tuesday I had a little eye surgery. Not a big ordeal. I had a little mole growing over my tear duct that had to be removed. It didn't bother me as much as the doctor but nevertheless. So I have to be in La Jolla at 8:45am. This is about a 2 hour drive with traffic. The traffic wasn't so awful. We get there and the air conditioner is broken so we have to reschedule. BH says that we can go to San Diego since we are there and have coffee or whatever. Just as we get to San Diego they call us back and tell us we can do the surgery in the office.

We head back and I get my little procedure done. It's not a big deal. He puts a few numbing drops in my eyes and then he sticks a needle in my lid and shoots in a bunch of novacane. This sounds much more painful then it really was. It stung a bit but after having 3 kids I can't say it was awful. He slices off the mole, I don't feel a thing, and I go home.

Here is the hysterical part. My left eye is numb. Totally numb. Like your lip gets at the dentist. My eyelid won't close. I blink and blink and try to close the eye. Nothing. One of the drops he gives me dilates my pupil. So I have this eye, that I can't close and the pupil is totally blown. I look in the mirror and laugh myself silly. It is very creepy to blink and see that eye, with the huge pupil, staring back at you. BH laughed. He called it my Columbo look. (in case you're wondering, I am a huge Columbo fan and Peter Falk has a glass eye.) It didn't last long.