Going under the knife- I mean, Harmonic Scalpel...

Surgery today, 11am. Bye bye tonsils! *SIGH* Scared, nervous. All that. Wish me luck.

Tonight's forecast... Dark!

Had a micro burst storm go through the other day and lost phones and Internet. Two massive and 100 year old trees got hit. Blew out the front light and knocked off the outlet cover off it. Blew the outside outlets on the front of the house, fried my fan inside the house. Luckily people, computers and the house were all ok. Sheesh. It was like a mini hurricane outside. Hail, lightning, torrential downpours, flooding... Craziness!

Um. On a side note, same day. Next door neighbor was using the bathroom at the time of a lightning strike and watched the electricity run right up his stream and zap him in the winky. *ROFLSNORTING* Sorry. I meant- SO not funny! He could have been really hurt! Yeah. He'd have to move out of state if he called 911 and said he needed transport for being struck by lightning on his winky. LMAO! "OK sir, where were you hit?" *snicker* "You were hit on your what?!" 911 dispatchers rolling on the floor laughing their butts off. You get the picture.

"Two Thumbs Up!" *BUT* DON'T BELIEVE THE UBER-HYPE!

That said, I thought The Dark Knight was FANTASTIC! Heath Ledger as The Joker was spectacular. His first magic trick left my eye twitching like mad. (No spoiler alert here kids!) If you have not seen this movie yet, go now before they pull it out of theaters. Now, THAT said, Bale and Oldman were fantastic as well. The entire cast was fantastic. I had no idea Anthony Michael Hall was going to be in it either. I really enjoyed the entire movie. And they get you... I though the movie was over like four different times. Thinking to myself, oh great, now I have to wait for the next one to see what happens. Ledger as the Joker set no boundaries and made his character both spooky and psychotic beyond belief. See? This WAS a "Two thumbs up." movie for me. BUT. I didn't want to go right back to the ticket booth and see it again like I did when I saw Iron Man. I WILL go get it when it comes out on DVD. Just WAY too much hype went into the movie before it was released that it just couldn't deliver. No movie could. I dislike hearing reviews/opinions on movies (bad or hyper good.) that I want to go see, from the media and friends. I learned that you go judge for yourself. Yes, Ledger died. It was tragic and a horrible waste, and I'd love to hear what one of the Olsen Twigs has to say about it. (Immunity my left butt cheek!) But this wasn't his last movie and the hype he should win a posthumous Oscar goes a bit too far. I do believe he should get a nod. We tend to glorify our dead and speak no evil. As The Joker, he broke the rules in this movie- he was SUPPOSED to! That was the point of The Dark Knight. It so worked for him. It was about rules and morals and how far would you go after all. His character has no rules and Ledger completely pulled it off- outdoing Jack in the more campy Batman movie and even a lot of his other scary roles. But to elevate him to a movie god? Not so much. More than just one actor made that movie a "Blockbuster Hit". The relationship between all the characters was key. Can't have Ledgers performance in the spotlight without Bale, Oldman and Eckhart (Who? He played Harvey Dent in The Dark Knight.) Team effort. And a great job by all of them. A must see movie! And let me remind you, I have always been a Heath fan.

This Phelps Phan Phreakin' Phlabbergasted!

Oh YEAH! Olympic Hottie Alert! HE GOT HIS 8 MEDALS!!!! BROKE 6 WORLD RECORDS!!!!
AMAZING! INCREDIBLE! PHANTASTIC! YOU GO B/F! *wipes drool*

My First EVER Crush!

KC then. The KC I had a crush on when I was, hmm, 4 or 5 years old to my Teen/ Tiger Beat years. Fond memories. I loved his music. Still do. Fell into some free tickets, oddly enough, at my doctors office. The nurse's brother was there, he got stood up for the night. I had been walking by and heard this and KC and the Sunshine Band in one sentence and offered to be his date. *GRIN* Ended up with his tickets. What a nice guy! Never been to see KC. Had such a blast! KC is actually a riot. I learned that tonight. He was wondering what happened from being 18 to suddenly being 57. He's still got those dimples. I've still got my memories. And yes, Marky Mark, KC is white. Old joke, lmao. SS is the only one who'd get it. That's if she remembers. *snort*
KC now, but add about 30 pounds to the above pic because he quit smoking. I'm adjusting my memories from way back when and last night. It's still not meshing, lmao. What a great show to go see. You want entertainment and people who know every word to every song, you really need to go to see them. I loved the 70's. I still love my KC.
LINK to Cape Cod Melody Tent
LINK to KC's site

KC & The Sunshine Band: Friday, August 15th 2008 8:00 PM At Cape Cod Melody Tent

Always a Melody Tent favorite, KC & The Sunshine Band return to our stage again this summer! They remain as widely popular today as they were when they first danced onto the music scene 30 years ago. So grab your gold chains and your “Boogie Shoes” and get ready to “Shake Your Booty.” One of the most progressive bands of the 70s, KC & The Sunshine Band is credited with changing the sound of modern pop music. Harry Wayne Casey – KC, for short – developed a unique fusion of R&B and funk, with a hint of a Latin percussion groove, giving us an impressive string of hits. KC also brought a bit of male bravado to the predominantly diva-led disco scene, and established a signature sound incorporating a Caribbean feel to their music, with swelling--and staccato--horn parts and multi layered vocals. Over the years the band’s grooves and bass lines have been sampled in everything from R&B by R. Kelly to Rap by Snoop Dogg. Music acts like White Zombie, Baha Men, Beyonce Knowles and American Idols Kelly and Justin have covered KC’s music. With sales of over 100 million records, three Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and his music featured in over 75 movies, KC and his crew’s spirited, ultra catchy pop-disco music have inspired folks around the world to “Get Down Tonight” for over 30 years. So spend the evening with KC and the band and you’ll leave saying “That’s The Way I Like It.”

O Captain! My Captain!

TEK'S GETTING A DIVORCE! MMMM, MMMMMMMMMM... Um, I mean, Oh, what a shame!

Behind on My Mutterings

1. Month to month :: tedious


2. Adjusted :: tinkered


3. Prank :: bad


4. Mop :: bucket


5. Clarity :: Held


6. Parenting :: ?


7. Glenn :: Scott or John?


8. Fingerprint :: ID


9. Pineapple :: song


10. Attorney :: $

Peeking into the blog.

Just checking to make sure it's still there.

*SIGH* I'm tired. Watching the Olympics. Zoning out. Reading other blogs. Thinking about how I SUCK at blogging. Yeah. I think I might put myself into a coma with this blog. I swear I hear crickets chirping. No news From the Front Step. OH! Wait! I lied! I saw a turkey cross the street twice, there's a woodchuck that realizes across the street is the safest place to eat, I've stepped on one slug and 7 snails and something freakin' flew past me across the lawn tonight. No clue what it was. Fox, cat? More shroom's and fungi's are blooming in the yard. No more obscene ones. I guess that would be more in the Green Thumb Project area. Fruits and veggies coming along. Looks like it might be a tough winter by the amounts of fruits and nuts on the trees and bushes. Had some yummy cukes and tomatoes out of the garden. Black walnuts are as big as limes in the trees and acting like freakin' grenades if the unwary walks under a tree. The snake hasn't eaten any more of my fish. Once again holding steady at 7 fish. Hmm, wait. I didn't blog about the damn fish stealing snake. There's a thought. For later. *YAWN*

Hello? Anyone out there?

Open Up and Say "AHHHHHHHHH..."

The Date: Aug. 22

The Place: CCH

The Event: Tonsillectomy

*SIGH* OK, I booked it. A bit anxious about this surgery. And I forgot to ask if I am a day surgery or overnight? I was under the impression it's day surgery. Everyone else seems to think it's an overnight stay. I'd rather be at home. Hopefully I won't find another medication allergy during this surgery. Hopefully I won't have bleeding. AT ANY TIME! Hopefully I won't be in agony. HOPEFULLY I will have someone home to take care of me, because that's not a sure thing at the moment. (Oh, boy. going to my mom's for a few days. SO bringing the laptop. Maybe someone will have an open wireless connection in the hood.) Annnnd... It's NOT an overnight stay! WOO HOO! I forgot to ask the surgical coordinator when I called today. JUST called her back. I was informed "...they don't do that anymore." PHEW! PISSAH!!

Tonsillectomy at 37... YE GADS! Or "A Very Long and Boring Blog"

I have to say I am sitting on the fence with this one. I've had 6 various surgeries. Never been really scared. UNTIL NOW! JEEZE! You want to get your panic button whapped, you just go sit in with an ENT Doc giving you full disclosure on a Tonsillectomy. ACK! I must have tuned out at times, because after my visit I couldn't remember him looking into my ears, lmao. Turns out I have a spot on my tonsils as well. He said I'd have to have it removed and biopsied. With my past history, cancer is an issue. Yet another spike of fear. He also said my tonsils were terrible. Hmm, ya think? Nothing new there. I had just gotten over a bout with tonsillitis a little over a week ago, or maybe 2 weeks. Why did he think I was there to see HIM, an ENT, in the first place??? Whatever! I fit the criteria for chronic tonsillitis and surgery. Now, do I really want to DO this? Having had sore throats since I was a child and my ears hurting because of them, well. *I think so.* I see many pro's. But the con's are REALLY big, REALLY serious. I understood everything he was telling me. I was polite during the quit/dangers of smoking lecture and I held eye contact the entire time of the visit. My brain may have buzzed off a few times, but I had backup. It is going to be very painful. And this pain is going to be worse than childbirth and back surgery. Back surgery was nothing. I don't think it will be as painful as when I ripped my lower back muscles off, but I am sure I will let you guys know! I have been doing research and taking the stuff off the net with a grain of salt. I now wish to GOD I had them out when I was a youngun. Here is a VERY TAME version of a Tonsillectomy. I know this site, from an office, didn't want to scare off prospective patients. Snort.

Adult Tonsillectomy

What Is a Tonsillectomy?

A tonsillectomy is when your tonsils, the lymph tissue that lies on either side of the back of the throat, are removed during surgery.

What to Expect

Moderate to severe sore throat pain (mostly when you swallow). This may last 1-2 weeks.
Ear pain. This may last for 7-10 days.
Blood tinged mucus. This is normal for about a week. Avoid lots of coughing and clearing of the throat.
A heavy grey-yellow membrane. This will form where the tonsils were removed. It will slowly go away as you heal. This often takes 3-4 weeks.
Bad breath. Your breath may be bad smelling for a few days while your throat is healing. Drinking lots of fluids and good oral care are needed to help decrease this odor.

Pain Relief

For throat and ear pain, take the pain medicine as directed. You may also want to use an ice pack or ice collar. Many patients feel this helps ease the pain. If you take pain medicine ½ hour before meals, it will help to decrease the pain when you swallow.

Activity

Limit your activity for one (1) week.

Avoid too much physical exercise and activity, swimming or lifting greater than 25 pounds.
Be sure to get plenty of rest.
Plan to be out of school or off work for about 1 week. (MUsT HAVE SOMEONE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU!)

Diet

Follow the "tonsillectomy diet" for 1-2 weeks. This means
Begin with clear liquids (water, broth, apple juice, popsicles). Cold or lukewarm liquids are easier to drink at first.
Advance to full liquids (milk, cream soups, ice cream, cooked cereals) as soon as you feel ready.
Add soft, bland foods when you feel you can swallow them (scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes)
Avoid these foods:

Acidic foods (orange or grapefruit juice, tomatoes)
Spicy foods
Rough foods (popcorn, peanuts, potato chips, cold cereals)

Drink plenty of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated.(EVERYONE CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH) This will also help you to heal. Begin eating more full liquids as soon as you are able. Your throat will still be sore but eating more solid foods and taking in liquids helps to coat your stomach and can help decrease nausea.

Follow-Up

You may be scheduled for a follow-up clinic visit about 1 month after surgery. Or, your doctor may not schedule you for a follow-up visit if you feel comfortable with the healing process and have no other concerns.

When to Call the Doctor or Clinic Nurse:

Call one of the phone numbers below if you have:

Any bleeding in the throat (YOU CAN BLEED TO DEATH, POST-OP AND 7-10 DAYS AFTER)
Nausea and vomiting that doesn’t get better
A fever over 101ºF (taken by mouth)
Pain not controlled with medicine (FROM WHAT I HAVE READ? NOTHING MAKES THE PAIN BETTER-MAKE NOTE TO SPEAK TO THE DOCTOR THAT I WILL NOT TOLERATE POOR PAIN CONTROL)
A feeling that you are not healing as you should. It takes about 7-10 days before you will start to feel better.

OK! THIS? ^ Up there? Pfft. Nothing like they tell you in the freakin' chair in the exam room. Here's a link that an actual doctor wrote on a Q&A. You gotta see it as it's very close to what my doc told me to expect. Though I didn't ask a stupid question. LINK! The very next day after my visit, the surgical coordinator called me to book surgery. I wasn't home, so I have until Monday to figure out how and when I am going to do this. You need someone there to take care of you for a week. Thank God I'm close to the fire station, lmao, and a hospital. Because this darn surgery has made ME paranoid. I liked this artical I found, so I'm including it as well. Maybe there's one of you like me that needs their tonsils out as an adult, lol. I wish Doctor Hoffman was my doc, he seems to be saying what makes me feel a bit better about going through with this surgery! Not saying my doc wasn't great!

Pain & Adult Tonsillectomy
By: Douglas Hoffman

Question :
I'm scheduled to have a tonsillectomy in a couple of weeks. At my age, 45, I'm being told repeatedly that the post-op pain will be excruciating. ("You will want to die" is the exact quote.) Why is this? If the pain's so excruciating, why are painkillers not prescribed in amounts that will control the pain? If the pain is not controlled, doesn't this set up a dangerous situation that could result in chronic pain? Are doctors paranoid about prescribing effective relief? I find the thought positively intolerable, and I am no stranger to post-op pain -- this will be my ninth operation.
Deb
Answer :
I have never read a convincing explanation as to why the postoperative pain from tonsillectomy increases with age. Most ear nose and throat doctors (ENTs) assume that the nerve supply to the throat must change with age, but I do not think that this has ever been proven.Arguably, a more interesting question is whether this phenomenon is even real. Do kids tolerate pain better than adults? Do adults whine more than their children? Pain is very much a "brain phenomenon." As we say in the biz, "no brain, no pain." Example: Under general anesthesia, the patient experiences no pain, because the patient experiences nothing at all. Nevertheless, the body reacts to surgical pain. Surgeons commonly inject local anesthetic agents before making their first incision on a patient under general anesthesia. Why bother, if the patient is unconscious? Because the patient's body still reacts to pain. By injecting a local anesthetic, the surgeon makes the anesthesiologist's job easier, because the anesthesiologist does not have to deal with the great fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure that are associated with surgical pain.
The adult brain is a great deal different than the toddler brain, which is different from the older child's brain, and so forth. Does the same injury (a 1cm incision on the back of the hand with a scalpel, for example) entail the same degree of pain for a four-year-old as for a 40-year-old?
I suspect that a great deal depends on fear, anxiety and depression. When we tell our adult tonsillectomy patients that they are going to be in a world of pain, is this a self-fulfilling prophecy? In other words, do we provoke so much fear and anxiety in the patient as to predispose him or her to a more painful outcome?
Sorry to rant, but your first question is thorny and only stimulates a variety of other questions, all of which are, I suspect, unanswerable. Your other questions are a great deal more approachable.
Can your doctor prescribe pain medications sufficient to control your pain? Certainly. You will need to be very clear with your doctor ahead of time that this is extremely important for you. I would ask, "What are you going to prescribe for me? And if that doesn't work, what will you prescribe for me?" Make it clear that you will not tolerate inadequate pain management. Given this forewarning, your doctor will probably make absolutely sure, ahead of time, that your medications are adequate. Otherwise, he'll have an angry patient (bad for business) who will call him at all hours to complain about her pain (bad for the doctor's mental health).
Can undertreatment of pain lead to a chronic pain syndrome? Theoretically, yes, but I have yet to see this occur following tonsillectomy.
Are doctors paranoid about prescribing effective pain relief? Absolutely. In times past, doctors used to be afraid that they were "creating addicts," and consequently there was a tendency to underprescribe narcotics. This sort of prejudice still exists in the medical community, but most caregivers now realize that narcotics are not addictive if they are used only to relieve pain. Nowadays, we're not as afraid that we're creating addicts.

The Green Thumb Project *Belated update pics and more to come*

A Fungus Among Us

OK. WTF is the one that looks to be a... Hmmm, an Xrated object let's say. Anyone? It's awfully mushroomy around here this summer.

She's Craftyyyyyy... *A Better one!

Ah, well. Trying to get good pics of these seems to be tough for me. And noooo Auntie KK, it's NOT hard! My 2nd, 3rd and 4th. lol. nothing else to blog about. Some Green Thumb stuff coming up. Just a boring girl!

She's Craftyyyyyy...

Sorry if it's a little fuzzy. This is my first attempt at Iris folding. Um, I tried! LOL! I really should have used a solid on the bottom fin, or the same as the top fin. I was going for a compassy feel. I'm going to make a moon and another dolphin tonight, I think. It's so stinkin' hot and humid outside where we are doing it, I might just grab it to do up in the a/c. But Auntie KK and SS, get ready to try it when we get together for scrap booking!!! VERY easy... Pretty enough to frame, to make cards for someone who'd appreciate the effort and stuff like book marks, etc... I'm thinking about doing a tractor and choo-choo for the O-man's room. Good enough to frame! This is all pretty origami (and other types) paper, card stock and tape. How simple is that? Look out AC Moore! Here we come! I am actually excited about this craft. It is easy, no real special tools required and all you do is fold your strips of paper, follow a pattern and tape the paper. There are free patterns on the web. Well, a bit more to it than that, but those are the basics. A mini paper cutter and a nice sharp exacto tool are good too.

The Green Thumb Project

Today I planted some sort of daisy and a mini rose. I moved some ferns over to the pond garden and planted some Cukes, Clarkia, Pinks and Sweet William seeds. I KNOW! It IS a BIT late to be PLANTING. Oh well! I watered really well and added water to the fish pond and just pretty much puttered about, yanking weeds as needed. It was a bit hot and sweaty. But I got things done. I also rewarded myself with a nice cool bath, a bottle of cold water and my book. Coming soon are more pics. Happy Fathers Day tomorrow for those of you who are daddy's. Going to the Cape for a nice cookout. But since it's going to rain, eating in seems like a sure thing.

She's a surgical case

The day before surgery! Went to SS's to spend the night and take her to surgery. No problems before, during and after... I'm sooo jealous! LOL Any who, she woke up all bright shiny happy like in recovery. (: LOL All hunky dory. Speaking of Dory, she kinda reminded me of her. "Oh look! A shiny thing! PRETTY!" *snicker* She wasn't TOO bad, but hey, it's anesthesia. Tomorrow is the dressing change and I get to do that. SS just isn't into gore, so I'll take care of her and show her how to clean it up. The worst thing are the stitches, because the skin is really folded over, so they feel really tight and there are a few disolving ones inside that feel pinchy. When I had it done, all I wanted to do was rip them all out with my teeth! All in all, she's having a better time than I did on my left hand! Twice. *sigh* GOOD GURL!!!

BEACH DAY! *93 degree heat wth 100% humidity!

UGHS! What an awful heatwave. This is August weather- GO AWAY UNTIL THEN! SHEESH! Went to the beach to cool off and try to breathe. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Tales From the Front Step

This industrious hawk was diving off the light to get earthworms, of all things!

(Sorry the pics are so grainy, it was twilight and he was at the end of zoom range, lmao.)