This is what dedication looks like:

100_0236
Originally uploaded by mlochk22@

And if you've never seen it before, here it is. Over 50 years at our local hospital caring for individuals, remembering house calls, and being paid with whatever the patients could give you, including animals, fruits, and grains, as well as their own hard work. It was wonderful listening to his stories. I found it even more memorable that he asked one of my coworkers (who is slightly younger than I) if she would like to have the painting in his office back, since it was done by her grandmother. Wow, talk about connections to the town people.

 

I just love how everyone in the pic, but one guy who never smiles, is smiling! Its a warm fuzzy pic!

Adult Tonsillectomy, the rest of it!

By the Sunday after my tonsillectomy, I had house cleaning to do and was not feeling well still, thanks to that damn cold on top of everything else! I did clean the house, but my weekly home blessing, which normally takes me about 2 hours if stretching it out, took me 4 and a half hours to complete. I didn't realize how quickly I would tire out and have to sit down to rest!

Monday, I went to work. Hindsight is 20/20, and I should've stayed home that day. I tried to do too much and wound up having some post op bleeding. I was fast acting and got it stopped within 5-10 minutes, no big deal. I was still running a fever, so no allergy shot for me! That didn't happen, in fact, until that Friday! I also called the doc, since I had taken my last bit of antibiotics, and was still running a fever. I was told I should be ok, as the antibiotic would stay in my system for about 3-4 more days, after ending it. Turned out all right, in the end. Left work early cause I just couldn't make it through the whole damn day.

Tuesday, should've stayed home, but didn't. Had another smaller bleeding episode. Still had that damn cold (which actually didn't leave until about the middle of the next week) but felt a bit better overall.

I am now feeling really good! It's a month post op, everything looks really good back in there. My best bit of advise that I never thought of...don't use toothpaste that foams. It's difficult to get it out when you're mouth is swollen and it hurts to spit, I used just baking soda and good luck getting to those back teeth! Also, get an appointment for a teeth cleaning, cause you will so want one. I already had on scheduled for the 17th of Nov, almost a month later and they had to scrape and scrape the back teeth, cause they were nasty! I hadn't been able to brush those teeth for about 2 and a half weeks. Also, you will get sick of ice cream and pudding and will do anything to get away from it, I promise you that!

Oh, and would I recommend this to anyone? Only if it's necessary!

Me, you picked me? I really won something? Wow!

That's right folks, me, the one who never, ever, ever wins anything, won something!

I read a lot of blogs (understatement!!) and one of them is Phat Fiber Sample Box. I really enjoy all of my blogs, and this one is no exception! So when they had a contest on a set of handmade stitch markers from Pedras, I thought "hmmm, why not? I like that set there...not too girly, functional, and I like them." So, left a comment, but didn't think I would win anything! However, I did!!


Wow! I had to read the blog post ~ twice!! LOL!!! How's that for funny? Didn't think it was me the first time...It was my blog name that finally got my attention!

So, my winnings should be on its way soon, as I have emailed Jessie with my RL addy, so here's to learning some more patience!

And to both Jessie and Priscilla, Thanks!!

Just an FYI

I'm not dead, I promise!! I just got sidetracked!! Lots of pics to come, and some talking, etc.

Sorry for the long delay!

Adult tonsillectomy, post op day 4 (Saturday)

Guess what y'all? I have a slight cold to go along with all the rest of this madness...now doesn't that just suck ass? It's a good thing that I do sinus irrigation anyway, cause it really does help thin out the mucus and clean ya out somewhat so you can breathe a bit better. On top of everything else too. I did not sleep well last night, probably because my throat hurt sooooo much and because my nose was a bit stuffy last night, so mouth breathing increased really causing my throat to dry out and wake me up from pain. Not even the narcotic pain meds were cutting it completely.

I found out the hard way that cold stuff is not going to do it for me at this point. I just makes my throat hurt worse, rather than soothing it. It was not soothing at all. More like tear producing. So, warm stuff for now for the most part. My ears even hurt to the point of wanting to cause some tears, but what can I do? it's normal after having your tonsils ripped out to have some ear pain to go with it.

I had been told several times by several people that days 4 and 5, or day 4 or 5, were the worst, and I think I've figured out why. Cause by that point you're feeling fairly well, only to have the pain come back in full vengeance to pay ya another little visit. Swallowing brings a whole new sensation of pain, and you have to force yourself to swallow anything, especially since getting dehydrated is BAD! And so is a decrease in blood sugar, which is a definite possibility when you're barely eating a damn thing! Yet another reason why people loose 10 to 15 pounds afterwards. I can barely eat ramen noodles without causing pain, much less anything else! And I'm a few days out! And I don't see it getting any better!

We were supposed to go to a picnic, but with the way I was feeling, I knew that wouldn't be happening for me, so I sent Mike off by himself. Sounds like he had a grand time with all of the local and semi-local geocachers searching out caches and eating up a storm. I slept on and off on the couch sitting up all day. I had my water, my warm tea, and a travel pillow, and stayed just about where I was all day, except to get more to drink, go to the bathroom, or get something to munch on. So, it was a good thing I didn't go, cause I would've been miserable the whole time.

I'm also running a low grade temp again, up to 99.5-ish F. I'm wondering if I should be worried about this at this point, but Dr Simmons said something about not getting my allergy shot come Monday if I'm still running a low grade temp. I may call them on Monday, just to check up on it, but it sounded like maybe he thought I would be on and off for the healing period. I don't know and its better to be safe than sorry, so I will probably go ahead and call him. Maybe I can get some new antibiotics, since the current batch tastes AWFUL!!! And that puts it nicely!

Adult tonsillectomy, post op day 3 (Friday)

I'm a bit late on this, but so be it!

I felt wonderful on Friday. Got up, had a call from the dr's office stating that my tonsils were benign (which was a plus, because he was somewhat more concerned after he took the one side out and realized it was hard feeling). I folded some laundry, then took a nap, cause that made me fairly tired.

So, off to work I went after my little 45 minute nap. I had already knit one hat and crocheted another for some people at the hospital, plus I had a thank you card to drop off at the OR for the people that took such good care of me. I was there for about an hour and fifteen, then went by my friends work and stayed there for about forty-five minutes and by the time I got home, I was whooped. Completely. I slept for the rest of the afternoon, that's how whooped I was. And my throat HURT!! Too much talking!

I really kinda sucked to feel so well, but yet not be able to do much. Lesson for the day: Don't push yourself so hard!

Now: pic of hat I made for someone special (that isn't in my family...)



I hope he gets some use out of it!

Silly quizzes that I love so...

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Simple, Progressive, and Sensual

25 Ukiyo-e, 20 Islamic, 16 Impressionist, -23 Cubist, -26 Abstract and 8 Renaissance!

Ukiyo-e (浮世絵, Ukiyo-e), "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of Japaneseand paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. it mostly featured landscapes, historic tales, theatre, and pleasure. Ukiyo is a rather impetuous urban culture that has bloomed in popularity. Although the Japanese were more strict and had many prohibitions it did not affect the rising merchant class and therefore became a floating art form that did not bind itself to the normal ideals of society.

People that chose Ukiyo-e art tend to be more simplistic yet elegant. They don't care much about new style but are comfortable in creating their own. They like the idea of living for the moment and enjoy giving and receiving pleasure. They may be more agreeable than other people and do not like to argue. They do not mind following traditions but are not afraid to move forward to experience other ideas in life. They tend to enjoy nature and the outdoors. They do not mind being more adventurous in their sexual experiences. They enjoy being popular and like being noticed. They have their own unique style of dress and of presenting themselves. They may also tend to be more business oriented or at the very least interested in money making adventures. They might make good entrepreneurs. They are progressive and adaptable.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

Post op day 2, adult tonsillectomy

Today I became brave! Or it sure did feel that way!! I drank some warm tea, not hot!! WARM!!! and it felt pretty good, and I have one and a half cans of soup and boy did that taste great too!! My only complaint was that it had small chunks in it of mushroom, or potato and that was fairly painful to swallow, even after I chewed on it some more. And these pieces were TINY!! Not big chunks, but small ones that any other person would have just swallowed, not even bother to chew up! And boy did it hurt!! I took my narcotic pain medication after that! Next time I know, take tylenol before hand and drink cold ice water to numb it up first, then eat and let the tylenol and cold ice water afterwards help out.

I've been fairly bored and got up and showered today and took the little one to school. Then I came home and did nothing but finish up a knit hat and start and finish a crocheted hat. I hope the recipients like them, since the one is a beanie and the person may not like it and the other is a little large, but I did that so that it would fit over her wigs she wears from time to time without being too binding. I think on Friday I will go ahead and drop them off and go visit with a friend of mine as well. I should probably try to get out and about some to get prepared for monday. I've decided that it is probably a good thing that my job consists of sitting on my rear the majority of the day, or I might find myself just flat worn out! And I may just find that out anyway!

So far so good, but as someone reminded me "the worst day is day 4 or 5". Well, I seem to be defying all the odds anyway from what people were telling me, so maybe that won't happen either. We'll just wait and see!

Post op day 1: Adult tonsillectomy!

Well, yesterday I was in a bit more pain than the day before. My neck was sore, stiff and painful, I had more swelling than the previous day and it didn't help that I wasn't using the ice packs or eating ice like I should've been. However, I got better in the evening, and felt much better by bedtime.

I've been able to avoid the narcotic pain medication for the most part and use tylenol instead. Granted, it's 650 mg arthritis formula (not that it makes it much different from the regular stuff, just that it's extended release and higher mg per pill), but still, it's just tylenol. I have only been using the narcotics for bedtime or for extreme pain (which I haven't really had too much of!)

I'm very sick of ice cream, and other cold foods, but what do ya do? I'm going to try warm stuff on post op day 2, such as some warm tea and soup. Anything other than ice cream, pudding, jello, etc. I'm sick of it!! And to make it worse, Alex ate pizza last night and it smelled soooo good, as did the saltine crackers he munched on later on!! Man! Does this suck!! Although, I know in my mind that I can't have this stuff cause it will cause extreme pain and possibly bleeding and I have no desire for either of those consequences.

So far I haven't had any post op bleeding and I'd like to keep it that way.

Last night, I slept really well, only waking up twice. Once to go pee the other to get more pain meds cause it woke me up. I also had some post nasal drip that didn't go over real well overnight, also. I haven't done my nasal saline rinse since Tuesday morning, so I guess I will have to do that soon. Nothing worse than chocking on post nasal drip! Good thing I'm not sleeping on just my pillow, cause I'm sure it would've caused me to cough a lot if I had been. Which brings me to the:

TIP OF THE DAY!! When they tell you to sleep with you head slightly elevated, LISTEN!! It really does help keep you from chocking on your own spit for one thing, and from coughing due to things like post nasal drip. I'm using my memory foam pillow, a small kids pillow and a thin adult pillow to help elevate my head up so that I don't choke on my own saliva. Probably a good thing, huh?

I also had a post op fever of 99.7 degrees F, at the highest. After a little research, I decided not to worry about it unless it got above 101 for more than 24 hours. It started late on the day of the surgery and lasted most of all of today. By the evening, it had worn off for the most part. No big deal! And apparently nothing to worry about, so I followed my instincts correctly, this time around.

Well, day after went fairly well, little problems. I hope this reassures some one out there that might be reading this.

The first 24 hours

after my tonsillectomy went fairly well. Not too much pain, considering I've have strep throat that's hurt more than this. It's more of an annoyance really, but knowing that it will soon be over makes my day! It's the lack of real food that is killing me! Not that I would really want to eat much right now, but I am steadily getting sick of jello, pudding, ice cream, ice, and yogurt. However, tomorrow, I am going to try some warm things, like my tea that I am missing horribly! and maybe some broth type soups. No semi-real food til maybe saturday or later, depending on how my throat looks, and feels, by then.

This was my first ever surgery, first time for anesthesia of any sort, and I scared myself about this procedure by reading too much stuff on the internet! Never, ever, ever look up "adult tonsillectomy" online. You'll begin to wonder what the hell you were thinking about when you agreed to go ahead with this! Everyone complains about the pain and agony, which I personally have little of so far (thanks for the high pain tolerance, whoever!), and how awful their recovery was. Well, so far so good 24 hours later, except for the lack of sleep last night.

For those of you who don't take my advice to never ever look up "adult tonsillectomy" online here is my tips that I have garnered so far:

1. Ice, and a whole bag of it! Chewed up and swallowed it feels sooooooo good, plus it helps keep you hydrated. Although, I'm sure the dentist wouldn't appreciate it, I'm sure, it is just a temporary thing!

2. water to go with the ice and to help keep you hydrated. My advice, get a pitcher, fill it up and keep it in the fridge so it will be good and cold...really.

*odd-ball foot note here: The cold stuff with help keep your blood vessels nice and constricted so that you will have little, or no, post op bleeding, which is always a plus! That post op bleeding will land you in the Emergency Room and possibly back into the Operating Room to re-cauterize your throat and you start out a square one again!

3. cool to cold foods for a few days, such as those mentioned above.

4. an ice collar. sounds strange, but it helps to reduce the swelling that occurs, even on the outside of the neck. By reducing the swelling on both the inside with the cold ice, water, and foods and on the outside, I think it feels gobs better. In fact those were one of the first things I grabbed right after I got up this am.

5. rest!!!! I can't stress that enough. I also believe that is why adults have so many more complications. They try to do too much. I found that out first hand last night, and all I did was get up, dressed, got ice with a little bit of water and then sat in the car to go to my sons school for an awards ceremony. By the time I walked into the school I was already just absolutely exhausted! By the time we got through the 30 minutes of sitting and got out of there, I was ready to sleep! And I really didn't do too much!

So, take the time off work, enjoy being a bum, don't worry about the house work, showering (for the next day, at least), or doing anything that doesn't include your butt firmly planted somewhere that you can sleep at as well! Meaning, the couch or bed! Seriously! That will do more fore you than trying to do so much stuff you make yourself sick!!!

Not to mention, you probably won't be sleeping well at night either, so it's very important to get rest throughout the day! I think I slept on and off all night a total of maybe 5 hours...maybe. I'd say closer to four, but let's not go that extreme. Maybe I slept more than I thougt...

I took a full dose of pain medication (I've been taking half doses this first day) at 11:00 pm, after snoozing some on the couch, took a full glass of water with ice in it to help keep it cold throughout the night and woke up at least 5 times to go pee, a good 10 to 15 times to get a drink of water, and twice for middle of the night pain meds (the first time it was too early, so I just went back to sleep, sorta, for another 30 minutes). I went though the whole glass of water by 6 am, so I got up and got more and laid back down for another hour before getting up for the day, where I'm now sitting on my butt on the couch listening to the news while playing on the computer. Yup, taking it easy.

So there's my advice on this subject, so far. I will probably continue to blog about it for a while, as I continue to add to my diet and activity level. For now, I have knitting to do, so that's exactly what I'm going to do for now!

Lookie at what I have now!!!

100_0095
Originally uploaded by mlochk22@

A little garter snake for my backyard!! Hurray!!

And before you ask: yes I warned the snake about the lawn mower. And what happens if you meet it...unlike the other snake...

see previous post about my disappointment over that...

Blog your week Thursday...

as in last thursday, the 2nd of october. Yup, I suck...

Blog your week Wednesday

After some technical difficulties (ie: bad screwed up camera), and missing yesterday, I got a new camera and did snap a few pics for the day! Enjoy!

Keeping our cool wrap up...

While our bill went up up up and up for our electric/gas/trash/water, all in one utility bill, I had found Crunchy Chicken and her wonderful challenge. While we had already bought a programable thermostat and were using it, we could still do better and with the cost of utilities rising, that was just the rest of the push we needed to start. And while I'm environmentally minded, others here are not, so using the rising cost of utilities gave my idea the go ahead. Plus, no one here noticed the change until my son said something about 2 weeks before the END of this challenge. Just like a male! So, here's what we did:


I didn't start up the air conditioning until it was over 80 degrees in the house and then I had it set up for 4 different time schedules.

At 5am it kicked in to cool the house to a nice 78 degrees. (And for those of you saying, well, 80 is only 2 degrees more, why bother turning on the air? I have one word: HUMIDITY!!!) Then from 9am til 4pm it was set to 80 degrees (just cause we're not home doesn't mean the sweet kitties have to suffer during the hottest time of the day. From 4pm until 10pm it was set to 78 degrees again and from 10pm until 5am, it was set at a nice warm (actually comfortable) 82. We also kept all the ceiling fans going as well.

Not too bad, plus, with the cooler weather we actually had, it didn't feel bad at all. I'm not sure how we would've done had there been ALOT of the 100+degree with 80-100% humidity days. Maybe not as well, though I could be surprised about that one.

And yes, we will be participating in the Freeze challenge as well!

Carmel Apple Pie...

SLAGA Fall Picnic 2008
Originally uploaded by mlochk22@

I didn't know what this was to begin with, but soon found out that one of the guys brought in a carmel apple pie. It was simply WONDERFUL!! In fact, this is what it looks like when your almost done:



yup, that good!

Blog my week: Monday

Hospital Picnic 2008

I wasn't there for very long, but here are the pics that I did take!

Fall is upon us...

100_0053
Originally uploaded by mlochk22@

I find it somewhat ironic that my birthday just happens to be in the fall when, as I get older, I begin to contemplate the "fall" of my life. Good thing I don't think too hard about this subject, because I could seriously get depressed, considering my birthday falls just right.

Today, in fact, I turned thirty.

A whole new decade in which to learn things.

What have I learned so far?

Not to be such a bitch to those you love, because they can, and sometimes will, leave you to find their own path in their lives. And yes, that has happened to me. And I'm getting more okay about that everyday. Somedays are harder than others though.

You can't change any body, only they can change themselves. Yt another hard learned lesson, but one that worked out beautifully in the end.

Don't be a perfectionist. It only hurts you and everyone around you. If you run around "fixing" everything some else took the time and energy (and love, presumably) to do for you, don't go behind them because it's not done the way "you" want it done. Plus, it stops them from wanting to do anything for you ever again. And we won't even get into what it does to your heart and stress levels! Plus, for some of us, it stops us dead in our tracks and keeps us from doing anything at all! The best fix I've found for this is www.flylady.net : trust me, it's worth it!

Take time for you. I'm very busy in my life right now, with school, work, child, marriage, trying to keep some friendships going, etc. I still have to take time for me. So, I picked back up my embroidery, found my crochet hooks, got some yarn, picked up knitting needles and began to do stuff that I truly enjoy. Best site for those of us who are truly yarn addicted: www.ravelry.com . Best wait for a website invite, EVER!! And if you're not into that, do what you are into. It's worth it for you and for those around you.

Don't ever follow the pack. It's too easy to get sucked into something you may not truly believe in by doing that. And that includes everything from politics to religion. I am forging my own independent path in those areas, and encouraging my son to do the same. You should too.

I'm sure there is much more that I could wax poetic about, but why bother? Everyone takes something different out of their own life experiences.

As for the pic: I love fall, it's my favorite time of the year. And I especially love the variety of pumpkins and gourds that you can get this time of the year. These pumpkins were at the Dutch Bakery Amish store in Tipton, Missouri. I love going down there whenever possible, you never know what they might have!

There's no place like home...

100_5450
Originally uploaded by mlochk22@

Or at least, that's the scene that this pic reminds me of. Cutesy little mary jane styled shoes with my very first pair of completed socks! They are a bit bulky because I used sport weight yarn, not fingering, but living in this area, getting fingering weight yarn seem to be next to impossible. Not to mention, the one (cheaper) store that does sell sock yarn sells some in colors I don't like, to tell you the truth.

Of course, I had to change the pattern some cause I'm sill that way, but otherwise, it was all good. I love this pair of socks and have already started on a new pair for me when my cranky husband demanded to know where his pair was?

So...after listening to him complain, I started him a pair using the magic loop method, which I really love doing! I'm going to do that for mine and Alex's handwarmers (dashing and fetching from Knitty.com). I can get both done at once (which it really why I love the ML.

Alex made safety patrol, and since that means he has to be there somewhat earlier (we leave 10 minutes earlier than before), I have to get out of here!! I will be posting pics more frequently, because I now have a small (wonderful!) camera that I received for my birthday, so easy of pic taking has just gone up! No more big camera to drag around, I now have a pocket sized camera to take with me everywhere! Love it!!!

More to come later! And more pics of the socks on flickr.com, just click the pic to get there!

Just in case you hadn't seen these yet...

100_5461
Originally uploaded by mlochk22@

This is the new "in" toy for the 5th grade set this year: Bakugan. Yet another import from Japan that my son can't live without! But that's ok, he's paying for it, not me! And really, they are kinda cool! You shoot them onto the "gate card" that have metal implanted on them, and they pop open. They shut up like big-ish marbles and open when they get onto metal. They rock!