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Sunday, April 25, 2010

Whines and AntiWhines: The True Saga Continues

We shall overcome. In the meantime, life continues, no?

I'm a lot less whiney than last week. Not much has changed, except I snagged a really good spot for a late-summer picnic with family and local friends, during a time daughter will be home! Think I'm with Sarah about liking the party-planning, although this will be casual and pot-luck. This year, I thought about it far enough in advance to get the primo spot; and this year, I will not be changing the date out of a misguided effort to accomodate people who won't show up anyway.

In other news, I inherited Sue's giant zit -- which is totally unacceptable for a person who keeps being recruited by AARP (your invitation is probably in the mail, so don't laugh) -- so just want to warn you that the bar will be high for Old Skool whines this week. Give it your best shot.

What's the news with youse?

62 comments:

Liz Miller said...

I am also in the huge zit (ON MY FOREHEAD!) sisterhood.

One mega zit and a middle-sized zit. Right over the eyebrows.

Madeleine said...

AW: I was not the only one whiney about that schedule change with last week's family program at Sunday school. Spoke to several similarly put-out moms this morning.

W: The whole thing just makes me whiney. And SG had an "incident" during the narrow window before the family event that led to several serious talks during the movie portion of the event. She kicked a kid. Oy!

AW: Came home and napped after lunch.

W: Still tired and crabby after nap. Attempt at stepping down asthma meds appears to be a FAIL.

Unknown said...

No zits, thank the Big Dudette, but the yeast infection to beat all other yeast infections. Now in week 3, and moving towards week 4, I have seen doctors, gotten prescriptions that I have shot up my whohaa, wiped on my labia, and rubbed all over the area. I'm on my third box of monostat and although the bleeding has finally stopped, itching n burning are still my best friends.

Had my first and hopefully only brain frying seizure last week. Luckily I was in the hospital pharmacy when it happened and I don't remember a thing. Unluckily I got to spend a whole week with said yeast infection and a Foley. Which hurt more than childbirth.

Cannot blog here or elsewhere about all the horribleness in our lives. Suffice it to say we will soon be homeless due to hateful above the law landlady and crazee son who does not get it.

Cat who peed indoors died months ago but his stench is still with us. Kittens are now cats. Daughter graduating HS in June with no job, no college plans and desire to be a glass blower. But unwilling to do anything to become said glassblower.

Lastly, I am trying to give custody of son to state so he can get help longer than 2 week McLeans stay but the refuse to take him. Next step is very ugly but I'm too sick to take care of him any longer.

And that's where I've been.

Sue said...

Sorry about passing on the Zit Beyond All Comprehension, kathy a. I knew it would turn up somewhere else. It was too powerful to be taken down by little ole me and my clearasil.

Hubby had the sickies over the weekend. When you have MS and the sickies, the chances of making it to the terlet (read: bathroom) in time for any, um, activity there is not good. Poor guy. I hate to stereotype or sound sexist, but there is little that is more humiliating to a guy than not getting to the toilet on time.

I cleaned up enough kid pook and bark that it doesn't really phase me much, but he was just despondent. I feel so bad for him. Last night was Depends-land around here - a massive elephant in the living room that he didn't want to talk about.

Today he's feeling better, thanks be. He has a hard time believing me when I tell him that I don't think anything less of him when he can't control his bowels - just like I didn't think less of our boys when they didn't make it during potty training. It's a human thing, not an identity-defining thing.

In better Anti-whining news: It looks like the Amalgamation That Was Never Meant To Be is actually OVAH! *crowds cheering*

No more breakfast meetings. ~major grin~

redzils said...

Hurray to no more breakfast meetings!

*whispering* I have a job interview this afternoon. Cross your fingers for me - I really want this. /*whisper*

In other big cranky whines, I am car-less. First I had a flat tire, which I limped into a parking lot. The jack broke, so I couldn't get the car up, but someone stopped to help. We got the car up, but the wheel wouldn't come off. I called roadside assistance and pressed one for a "Roadside Emergency" and waited 16 minutes for a human voice, and another 20 for them to dispatch a tow truck with a 90 minute ETA...

Anti-whines: I had a friend with me. We didn't miss the show we were en route to see, since another friend came and picked us up. The car was towed to a shop, so I should get it back eventually.

Super-anti-whine: my friend didn't even laugh when I had a huge temper tantrum on the phone with roadside assistance.

kathy a. said...

they still make clearasil? huh.

glad your hubs is better, sue. and great news about the end of the endless bad meetings!

Liz Miller said...

The young woman who used to sit for MM, beginning when she was about to start high school, is graduating college this Spring.

Graduating. College.

GRADUATING COLLEGE.

HOLY COW.

And her mom is my age.

Liz Miller said...

Hooray for no more B'fast meetings!

Double hooray for friends who don't laugh at you for having a tantrum.

Madeleine said...

Grrrr. Just lost a comment. What liz said, plus:

Boo for teh sickies, boo for zits, and boo for teh eternal tick tick tick of the hands of time.

Nonny Moose said...

Not that I'm an addict or anything, but facebook is just showing a blank screen. Is it down?

Nonny Moose said...

Um, in the immortal words of Roseanne Roseannadanna, nevermind.

Madeleine said...

Nonny Moose, you should have seen me the other day when Bloglines went down for like, hours and hours.

I trawled twitter to see what was up and go the excellent suggestion that, as soon as it came back, I could export my list and move over to Google Reader. And wow, Sue's blog updates properly again. Whee.

Liz Miller said...

Mystery of extra-large forehead zits solved. I had suspected the cause and was, uncharacteristicly, prepared.

Hello, Aunt Flo! I've made up a bed just for you!

Sue said...

You know. It seems like something must be off-kilter in the entire universe when I *get* the Monster Zit despite no longer hosting Aunt Flo. Does it not seem unfair? Really. Once Auntie has hit the highway, she should take her fireplacing zits with her. In a big ugly gooey suitcase.

That is all.

Sarah at ratatat said...

OK scared of the giant zip floating through whine land.

Did I whine last week about hosting a party for which I didn't make or see the invitation? If so - update -- the party was very very nice. But so odd to have a party at your house at which you know very few people. (It was a going away party and thus for their friends of which I only know some.)

Anti-whine--the stomach flu did hit all 7 of us (even my mom, who uses grandmotherly powers to avoid any and all kid illnesses), but that means we're done. Thanks for playing.

Redzils - oh no. We had great luck with our last roadside assistance thing (well, only ever roadside assistance call), but we were still in the city and it should have been easy. Just not our city, so we didn't know who to call. Does anyone keep a tow truck number in their wallet? I used to and now I don't.

Sue said...

Hooray to Sarah for adding to the Pixie Lexicon!!! Now we have pook, bark and .....wait for it....zips!! Even giant ones!

None are pleasant in the real world, but make for "I'm laughing with you, not at you" giggles here in Pixie land.

Crossing fingers for you redzils....

esperanza said...

AW: My Baboos are road trip warriors. mapswithbaboos.google.com will report that the trip takes 8 hours with two baboos. The trip out was with two stops @ 1 hour each, for feeding of various parties and potty for mama. The trip back today was with one stop (!) @ 1.5 hours at a friend's house (yeah for friends with houses in convenient places!).

W: oh my goodness. I am so tired. My brother the extravert wears me out what with the coming and going and going and coming. I R a homebody.

AW: I have the best SIL on the planet.

Additional AW: Sweet and Mini are not as high-maintenance as Running Niece (who is Sweet's age).

W: Being around Running Niece makes me more aware of Sweet's motor skill and speech delays.

margalit, glad to know you are still out there. Sorry about the mountains of whines.

Anonymous said...

The interview went well... I don't want to say more, and jinx it...

Yay, baboos! They sound like total travel troopers!

Sue said...

Sorry Margalit - about all of your troubles and about forgetting to greet you earlier! It's good to hear from you.

Redzils - you completely Rock The Catbox! Srsly.

Esperanza - you are such a good mom and you have such great Baboos.

A zip note for all the zip sufferers this week - Yes Virginia, they do still make Clearasil. Heh. (Only ancient folk like me will get the reference to an old Christmas movie: 'Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus')

Loses something when you have to explain it, and yet, I crack myself up.

Liz said...

So, read an article yesterday on Dioxin in tampons. Dioxin.

Am wearing pad only today. Getting a diva cup ASAP.

Anonymous said...

Liz...all tampons? or just a certain brand?
Because, at the risk of TMi, I don't think a pad alone is gonna cut it for me....
Now I'm off to google "diva cup"...
--Neighbor Lady

Anonymous said...

w: feeling very insecure as I attempt to change fields and actually go back to work....now someone just has to hire me...want to be a teacher, but am feeling a bit adrift as I try to transition from stay at home mom to teaching. Just a moment of existential angst....

aw: have a new toner cartridge so I can print out my amended tax return for last year....

w: since when did printing an amended return get to be an antiwhine?

w: small medical issues with Neighbor Boy are causing me anxiety....I know they are small in relation to what many many others are dealing with, but when it your sweet guy they still somehow seem big

aw: had a nice family vacation to DC over school vacation week.

w: must. go . write. cover-letters. now. but all I want to do is curl up with a good book. If I had a good book.

maybe I need chocolate....

--Neighbor Lady

Sue said...

((((NL)))) Of course its a big thing - it's your boy! Hope it all sorts out quickly and well.

Liz- Dioxin???? And they're letting us know now. For how long has this been a problem? Crap. I used them from age 13 - 46. Not to be all feminist-crazy-eyed-person on y'all, but if dioxin turned up in men's shaving lotion, there would be loud national outcry and a call for the CEO's head on a platter.

Women's health issues make my head spin in circles. Grrrr..........

kathy a. said...

yay, baboos!

NL, good luck with the job search! here, have some of my GS thin mint stash.

here is a blog post about the dioxin in tampons: http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/node/13305 there is some info about safe brands and alternatives. i'm feeling a little crabby about the condescending bit at the end, though; "a few hours of temporary comfort" is not at all how i think of tampons.


W/AW: got my physical, bloodwork, referral for the squishing. for some reason, my blood pressure is higher first thing in the morning, and it was worse today because i was nervous about what she'd say about the BP. [talk about your catch 22.] fortunately, i sometimes remember to take my BP and write down the readings, so she thought it looked pretty good overall. whew!

Liz Miller said...

That's where I got the info, Kathy A! And yeah, "a few hours of temporary comfort" got me seeing red (as it were).

Pads don't really do it for me, either, but I'm just changing more often.

I don't mind dealing with the goop, I just don't like the drippy faucet feeling.

Liz Miller said...

Keeping my appendages crossed for all job seekers, and sending out well wishes for all health issues.

JenR said...

Somehow oil got into the spark plugs on my husband's car. Which killed some other part, then another part, then that killed the exhaust system. Over $1000 in repairs. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

Hugs to all zip-sufferers. I have had clear skin twice since the zips started in high school. Once required many prescription drugs. The other required pregnancy. So now I'm in my 30's with teenager skin.

Nonny Moose said...

In the TMI category -- one of the side-benefits of using a diaphragm for birth control is that it catches the flow, pretty much. I gather that is also the idea with diva cups. My flow was, um, heavier late 30's through mid 40's, and this helped save me from floods of doom. YMMV.

Sue said...

Despite the lack of Aunt Flo, I stand in solidarity with all the seeing-red tampon article. Few hours of temporary comfort, my arse.... just sayin'...

As someone who has hit 50 and STILL has the zips, I would like to shake my fist at the Universe because ya know - give a girl a break already!!!!!

kathy a. said...

oh, JenR -- the rube goldberg machine of car part failures. that sucks.

on the issue of zips -- well, first, thanks for the solidarity! but also, the lexicon is growing. do pixies need a fireplacing glossary yet?

esperanza said...

Yipes, the tampon thing is worrisome, and the author of that article needs a cluestick for the last sentence.

Whine: I'm pretty sure the Sweet Baboo has pinkeye. Which means, at the very least, a trip to the doctor tomorrow, probably no school tomorrow :(, probably a baby sister with pinkeye, and likely a mama with it before this is over with. Bring on the soap and water! Not looking forward to an antibiotic festival.

Also, whine: not to disparage cat people in the least, but we are just not cat people. Except that now we are apparently kitten people. Mama cat with at least two babies behind our woodpile. Esperanza does *not* need more creatures to take care of at this point.

kathy a. said...

esperanza! a double-header!

well -- i'm sure the pixies have more ideas, but for the pinkeye, i'd suggest [1] warm washcloth to clean the eye, [2] handwashing all around, [3] wash towels and washclothes -- use paper towels where practical, [4] antibacterial swipes where things get touched a lot. pinkeye is contagious, but easily treated with the ointment, and one case doesn't mean everyone will suffer.

as a cat person -- mom and babes are not your problem. but there might be a local rescue organization that can help.

Liz Miller said...

10% bleach solution in a squirt bottle. Wash sheets, towels, etc. in HOT water.

esperanza said...

well, one whine gone. Apparently a non-cat person seeing kittens is enough to freak out their Mama. Over the fence she went with them.

Did I forget to mention the fire in the gas grill? Ruined the burgers. Sigh.

esperanza said...

That last sentence makes no sense, as there is *supposed* to be fire in a gas grill. What I mean to say is that the little grease-catcher thingie underneath that we never clean out caught fire. And made lots of nasty black smoke. And made the burgers charred, and not in a good way. *That* kind of fire in the grill.

And, I should also mention a HUGE antiwhine and hope not to jinx things: Mini has slept 6-7 hours every night for I think the past week. Even in unfamiliar surroundings and after difficult, nap-interrupted days. Yay, Mini!

Days said...

Yay to Mini and the end of the dreaded breakfast meetings!

Fingers crossed for the interviewees and job hunters.

Boo to zips, dioxin, AF and infections of all types.

Speaking of such things, I think I am on the verge of another strep throat meltdown, coinciding with a sizable and incomplete project due at work tomorrow. And the weekly whine reminds me just how much I hate my job sometimes.

The post-adoption honeymoon period is definitely over. Patience is in pitifully short supply today.

AW:? Tomorrow is a new day. Thank goodness.

Anonymous said...

Okay, girl pixies, I gotta do this: they don't pay me or even know I exist, but I am a volunteer shill for the diva cup. It is not too dramatic to say that the diva cup has a huge effect on my quality of life. It took a couple cycles to get used to, and now I cannot imagine going back to anything disposable.

It makes Aunt Flo's visit into total non-issue. I've literally run a marathon with it in without discomfort. I forget it's in, and no longer dread Aunt Flo's arrival and every minute of her stay.

Try thee a diva cup! (As always, your mileage may vary).

Anonymous said...

Oh, and we are having a Training! Emergency! so I am flying to the farthest north city in North America (says so on their website, even) to help deliver a training developed by the federal agency pronounced "SeeDeeSee."

I've never been there, so I am excited, but also scrambling toget the laundry done so I can pack, find someone to take care of my dogs and pick up my farm share, etc.

Days, I hope your patience regenerates fast and the new day helps.

Yay, sleeping Baboos!

*hugs to everypixie*

Liz Miller said...

W: Oklahoma, Georgia, Arizona, and - oh yes - Virginia.

We are one fireplacing fireplaced-up nation.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Oh Liz. I join you in hanging my head.

redzils-hope the trip to the far north is interesting. Good luck!

Days - hugs and patience. Chocolate increases patience, right? or so I tell myself on hard days.

Esperanza - Yay on sleeping babies. And on antibiotic eye drops for pink eye. Stay away from the gooey stuff.

JenR - hope the car gets back to doing car things, like being able to be driven.

A whine in advance - the baby (at 19 months perhaps I should say the toddler?) hates to nap when anyone fun liker her big sibs are home. Said toddler is a whiney screamy mess without naps. Summer is going to suck.

Seeking Sue's advice, as headache sufferer and wise woman - my daughter is having headaches. If you were a kid and had headaches, where would you had wished your mom would start trying to fix them? Tylenol and ibuprofen don't really do anything. I can't quite tell if we are in migraine land or not.

Anonymous said...

A regular pixie anon today because it just hurts too much. My husband cheated on me. I ran to where my child was vacationing with my parents and told him he needs to be gone when I come back. My job is giving me time off bu tit is the worst possible time to be gone. I do not know what to do. Divorce seems impossible. Staying seems impossible. I'm lost.

kathy a. said...

sarah: camp. day camp, art camp, sports camp, camp with field trips, swimming camp. and/or tradsies with other families -- which i think is win/win. sure, for every 2 hours of blessed peace, you also get 2 hours of more kids, but we usually found that having extra kids made everyone happier.

kathy a. said...

((( anonymous )))) that sucks beyond words. seriously. xoxoxo

i hope he is gone when you get back, but you need some backup plans. and to see about getting a lawyer -- whether or not divorce is on the table for you, you need to have advice and a way to protect yourself and your child.

Liz Miller said...

(((((anonymous))))) What kathy a. said.

I'm so sorry.

Days said...

(((anonymous))) There are no words.

Sue said...

oh anonymous, I'm so very sorry. Sending pixie hugs.

Sarah, I didn't have headaches until adulthood, so I don't have much wisdom when it comes to children's migraines. If Tylenol and ibuprofen aren't helping, it might be time for a doc visit and referral to specialist - just to cover all of the test bases - CT scan, MRI, whatever you can get. The more you can rule out, the better.

After that, I'm not sure about meds for children/young people. I do remember a friend in highschool who had blistering migraines. She was allowed a low dose of beta blockers when it got really bad for her. Might be worth asking about.

Also, there are plenty of alternative approaches as well that may help: massage, physio, meditation etc. A good naturopath could test for food allergies as well.

I hope things improve really soon.

Redzils: Enjoy your trip North! Bring a jacket. Just sayin...

AW: I'm going to DALLAS tomorrow!!! Woot!

Madeleine said...

More hugs for anonymous pixie. I hope things will become clearer when you have some time to think.

And sending good wishes to Sarah as you try to figure out your daughter's headaches. Has her vision been tested?

Liz Miller said...

Check sinuses too. Teh spouse had a deviated septum that created horrible headaches due to serial sinus infections.

kathy a. said...

sarah -- oh, i think vision testing is a good place to start. and also a general physical with someone who is really good at listening and not freaking kids out.

esperanza said...

Hugs and a shoulder to cry on for Anonymous. That just stinks.

And this may sound cold, but I'm learning from my friend (of last week's whine, married to a shmuck much like Anonymous's husband) that it would be really smart to get a checking account and credit card in your own name, pronto. Stash some money in the checking account now.

kathy a. said...

esperanza is right on with that advice, anonymous.

purple_kangaroo said...

I loved using the DivaCup. But after having a bit of a prolapse while giving birth to Baby E, the few times I've used it the suction has seemed to make the prolapse worse. Sad. :(

purple_kangaroo said...

((Anonymous)), big hugs. So sorry.

purple_kangaroo said...

The 9-year-old with leukemia is still fading away. He can't walk or eat, and his mouth swollen and bloody (he had another tumor in his mouth, and radiation again). It's so heartbreaking to read what his parents write on FB and Caring Bridge.

Last weekend a bunch of friends trucked in snow from the mountains to give him a "snow day" since he was disappointed there was no snow this year. And last night an NBA basketball player came to his house to visit him. There's a lego fund to keep him supplied with legos, and people are helping with all sorts of things from meals to childcare.

I'm glad there is so much love and support for them.

purple_kangaroo said...

Liz et al, I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse, but I did find this little blurb that says,

"A study by Michel DeVito and Arnold Schecter, published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2002, concluded that even if all the dioxin in tampons (and diapers) were absorbed into the body, the exposure to dioxin would still be thousands of times less than the dioxin people typically consume in the food they eat. "

The article seems to be relatively balanced, at a glance:

www.center4research.org/wmnshlth/2005/tamponsafety.html

kathy a. said...

PK, thanks for that link. it looks to me like what liz and i saw was largely lifted from that report. i did not see anything else recent that added information.

Anonymous said...

((((anonymous))))
So sorry for what you're going through.
--Neighbor Lady

Liz Miller said...

PK, please give hugs to your friends from us.

kathy a. said...

yes, what liz said. xoxo

amy said...

Big stuff happening out there in pixie land this week. Many hugs to margalit and anonymous -- I wish I had wisdom to share. I do not. :(

As for me, I'm PMSing so intensely that I was ready earlier today to give my children to the nearest ice cream truck driver. I even made it Facebook official. I'm feeling better now, but I think that's only because it's past kid-bedtime.

And I had to tell a student today that she failed my course. She's pissed. I honestly could not care less. (See PMS, above.)

I don't like feeling this way, but I really, really hate people when I'm on my period. Not all y'all, though. Y'all are cool.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Hugs to Anonymous. I have no words - just hang in there. And lawyer up, I guess.

P_K - how sad, Too sad.

Amy - I hope you get a break from people soon. Or a break in the PMS.

Thanks for the headache advice. I think we've seen too many doctors and I need to find the one gem who will tie it all together. She has amblyopia (20/20 vision in the right eye, 20/400 vision corrected to 20/60 in the left). The eye doc used to say headaches were a good sign of her brain trying to use her "bad" eye. She's seeing an ENT for chronic ear fluid and tubes congestion...but maybe it is time to explore the allergist. And she is seeing a therapist for anxiety, (and stomachaches). All 3 doctors will accept the headaches may be caused by what they study, but no one has stopped them. Hmmm...I'll have to work harder at this. Physical... Thanks Sue, Madeleine, Kathy and Liz. I knew the pixies could help.

Madeleine said...

Sarah, how frustrating. Our simple suggestions may not be anywhere you haven't been already, then. Wishing my magic wand had batteries in it right now.

Amy, the only good news about PMS is that it will end eventually. I hope you are feeling better today.

Also, it's hard to feel badly for a student who failed if she didn't do any work. (Assuming that is the case, because I'm guessing you would care a tiny bit if you thought she'd worked hard all semester and still failed. Also, in my experience watching My Love put grades together, it is generally hard to fail if you put some effort into the course. Failing, as opposed to getting a D, generally comes from not handing in work.)