We've got that! Well....I'VE got that....

If there's a doctor in the house....they might know what this is.


"Streptococcal pharyngitis usually appears suddenly with a severe sore throat that may make talking or swallowing painful. In severe cases, breathing may be impaired.

Symptoms may include:

Sudden and severe sore throat
Red and enlarged tonsils (I DON'T HAVE ANY!!!)
Yellow and white patches in the throat.
Difficulty swallowing
Tender cervical lymphadenopathy
Fever of 38°C (101°F) or greater. (I think 103' AFTER 3 Motrin IB counts...)

And in addition:

Absence of cough or dry cough
Halitosis
Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting
Rash[1]
Peeling skin on fingertips a few weeks after treatment
Hives or other systemic allergic response, without the presence of the symptoms listed above


...and, BECAUSE I have this:





...I get to wear THIS:





...and take THIS:





If you have never HAD the pleasure of taking Biaxin, it's like sucking on THESE for 2 weeks:





....only, they are anything BUT close to new. Let's say they get run through Las Vegas slots for about a month. Then, put a whole bunch of them in your mouth. That HAS to be the same taste that Biaxin leaves in your mouth after the second dose. The sad thing is, I've taken this so many times, I'm almost used to it.


So, if you ever see me in Vegas....and you see me licking the coin drop trays of slot machines......you'll know I am out of money, and probably feeling a little under the weather....



Funny thing was, after I told the doc that I was running 103' Sunday night/Monday morning....AFTER taking 5 Motrin IB....and she came in 2 minutes into my 5 minute Rapid Strep Test and said "OH CRAP!"........I started tasting dirty coins in my mouth.....

She's at it again!!

Sorry I have been gone for so very long. I've been a little pre-occupied.....


Things here have been a little nuts. My friends husband of 34 years up-and-moved-out, in a fast and furious week....without any notice. It came as a shocker to all of us. So, I have been trying to be there for her. Trying, being the operative word.


Besides that, Dean is getting over being sick. He NEVER gets sick...so this was an anomaly. To add to that, a couple of weeks ago, during his cardiac rehab, they stopped him during his workout, and said there was a problem. Took him straight up to his cardiologist, and was told that he was in atrial fibrillation. He's been on coumadin and Toporol, and sees the doc again on Monday. Looks like they will be taking him to the Heart Hospital and de-fib'ing him there with the paddles. Doesn't sound like fun to ME. On Tuesday, he is supposed to leave to Las Vegas. He gets to race a NASCAR around for 10 laps....3 times. He comes home on Thursday.

I am trying to have an old high school friend over for dinner on Tuesday night...but, was just reminded that I am subbing for "old ladies" bunco. I was the VERY youngest, until another lady brought her daughter-in-law. So, I am next to oldest now. Most of the ladies are well over 60...all the way up to almost 80. They're a HOOT!! I'll have to figure out how to rearrange my schedule now. :-\

It's been a rough couple of weeks for me. Things have really been wearing on me. A couple of you are aware that I had an issue one week ago this past Friday. I was considering suicide. Seriously considering it. I could visualize exactly how it was going to go down. With MUCH prayer, I just took my day, minute-by-minute...and made it through. Since then, I have come to realize how very much I mean to my friends and family, and how much I am loved. I greatly thank all of them for the support that they have shown, and the prayers that they have been praying for me. I'm just at an all-time low...and I can't do it alone. Thank you all.


On a MUCH more positive note, Briana is at it again! Not only did she finish her charcoal sketch of the sheet that was AMAZING, she was handed another project in her "beginning art" class. She was to reproduce a famous picture, using shapes, rather than lines and curves. She chose a picture of Marilyn Monroe, and then changed her mind because it was too difficult. Upon telling her art professor, he said she could do better work....so.....she switched back to Marilyn, fearing that she would NOT be able to finish the project. Well....she finished. And she texted me to tell me that her art class "hates" her again. Here's what she came up with, against the picture she copied it from:





Here it is by its beautiful self:





Her next project is to do the same picture, using geometric shapes. I can't WAIT to see how that one comes out! I'll keep you posted!


My upcoming schedule of travel should be fun. I was invited to go to Harvey's in Lake Tahoe with a couple of girlfriends. One was invited to play in a golf tournament with the Teamsters. I guess she kicks ass (besides BEING a kick in the ass!!), and all the guys want her in their group when it comes to golfing. I just knew that she had a gold medal in softball from the summer Olympics that were in Japan several years ago. RaeAnn....YOU ROCK!! So, we will be leaving sometime next Sunday and returning shortly after. Quick trip, but should be a nice little get away. Hopefully, I will get as lucky on the slots as I did on Dean's and my trip to Vegas!! I won over $1000 on the nickel machines! Well....ONE machine. ;)


So, have you seen JUNO yet? I LOVED it!! Was SSOOO glad that I bought it! The gal that plays the part of Juno, has the demeanor and wit of Janeane Garofalo. HILARIOUS dry wit. The girls and I have just ADORED watching that movie over and over again. Other than that...the only other thing that's been on TV (at least while Dean is home), has been the Dodgers. So, I have being doing a lot on the computer. I love the Dodgers....but, watching it constantly is not a strength of mine. I can listen to it in the background, that's fine.

Been working out a lot. My workouts will be getting longer and harder starting May 1st. This will be the second time I have pushed them up since I started back after my surgery. Feels GREAT!! I have had lots of compliments already about how I look like have lost weight. I haven't. I think I have gained muscle. However, I have lost one size already. My trainer says I should lose another size within 4 weeks!! I CAN'T WAIT!!

Well....I think that's about all of the exciting news in MY little world.


OH! If you know my mom and her house situation, we met with her attorney on Friday. We will be going to binding arbitration by the end of May. I presented him with a bunch of pictures of her house....UNFINISHED....and he was REALLY thrilled that I had thought of that. So, he's going to ask for a 6 hour meeting, instead of the 4 that was originally scheduled. Say a little prayer for her (and me!!). She and Heather need to get moved into a new house....and we need to get ours back!


Hope all is well with you. Once again...I apologize that I have been so preoccupied and not "mentally" available to blog. ;)

Back from Vegas, baby!!

We JUST got back from Vegas tonight...and what an ENJOYABLE weekend we had!!


We stayed at the Wynn Hotel (above)...on the 59th floor (out of 60 floors), with a panoramic view of the strip. I will blog more about our trip (and my new-found favorite slot machine), along with adding my own PERSONAL pics. We saw the show: Le Reve...which I thought was PHENOMINAL!! We had VIP seats, and they were GREAT!! If you get to Vegas, and wanna see a great acrobatic show, Le Reve is the one!





I will warn you: you need to have a vivid imagination (the show, afterall, means "The Dream" in french...), and if you don't have that, you need to appreciate SEVERE acrobatics at EXTREME heights.


Anyways....stories and pics later. For now, I need my bed. You would think that for $400 a night, I would get some AWESOME sleep. But, no. NONE of the nights I was there, did I get a good nights rest.

So, I shall chat later...once I have fully recuperated.

Me-Haul

Me-Haul with a U-Haul.

Today, I got to drive one of these. JUST like this one. Whatta haul. Mom says I could fly a plane if I wanted to. (I think she's being generous...)

Actually, I thought I did very well. And, to think that I passed up driving a limo, years ago. Maybe I could go back...

Had some jack ass man riding the line while he was driving his big new Lincoln Navigator. Mom and I think that maybe he was coming back from a "liquid lunch". We got to a red light at the same time, and he looks over at ME, like I was the idiot driver. Then, he does the "automatic" closing of his side mirrors. I don't get road rage...but I sure shook my head at him when we met up at the next light.

Driving it was rather....freeing. I like doing new things. Especially things that "chicks" don't normally do. Like drive a 14' U-Haul, pull out the ramping, move furniture, and get the whole thing back within under 2 hours. It was rather liberating.

***checking off "DRIVING A U-HAUL" on my list of things to try***

Next up: flying a plane, of course!!


Well, it's been a crazy day. I actually had a SEVEN MINUTE nap today, before running off to the next errand. CRAZY day!! Went to bunco....won NOTHIN'!! I always give those little old ladies a run for their money!! One of the subs said that I HAD to be a good woman, if I am married to a German!! I had to laugh at that one. Cute little ladies.


I truly had something interesting to write about. It came to me during the night. But, now I can't remember what it was about. All I remember is that it had to do with irony. Maybe there's something ironic I the fact that I forgot what it was about....


Saw some great movies in the last 48 hours. I AM LEGEND was pretty darned good. Now, I need to watch the second disc, which was the unrated "controversial" version. Then, there was the movie that was fun for the whole family: DAN IN REAL LIFE. Dean even had us watch it the night after we had just watched it. I HIGHLY recommend it. It has Steven Carell, Dane Cook, Juliette Binoche, Dianne Wiest, and John Mahoney in it. REALLY great movie. Then, we watched THE WAITRESS, with Keri Russell. Chick flick. Decent.


Tomorrow will be another crazy day. Then, Thursday will be, also...but, I have my massage to look forward to on that day. I think Friday has NOTHING scheduled!! YEA!! Maybe I will go to lunch that day.

I'm looking forward to getting out of Fresno again...this time, heading for Las Vegas. Should be a nice time. We've booked a great room at a high-end hotel...and are planning on seeing at least ONE show. I'm kinda getting excited. I will be interested to see how well we do without stepping up to the dice table!! There's so much to see in that city...and we have always stayed inside playing craps. We shall see....


Ok....it's time for me to TRY and get some sleep now. I still am struggling in that area. Believe it or not, yesterday during my (final) post-op appointment, my doctor told me that I needed to drink a glass of wine each night before going to bed. The night before, I had taken an Ambien CR, and still woke up a few times during the night. Never been TOLD to drink before!! WHAT A PRESCRIPTION!!!

So...I think I can handle a glass of wine right now...

CHEERS!!