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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Very Whiny Whining

I'm feeling whiny and Bridadoon hadn't appeared yet, so I decided to bring this week's Whiner's Ball into being a little early.

Very Whiny Whine: I'b sick! I do't hab time to be sick!

Very Whiny Whine the Second: Last week was the first week of classes. I lived out my teaching nightmare: showing up late, not being able to find the room once I got to the building, not having all my materials...

Anti-Whine: As my sister points out, at least I wasn't naked. And this is another week, and another chance to show them I am an actual competent adult (no! pressure!).

How are things going for you, Pixies? Whines, anti-whines, and consoling stories of the days you lived out your nightmares welcome.

60 comments:

kathy a. said...

ouch! love your sister's comment. ;) and yes, this is another week. and also, things are always mixed up first week, no?

when my cats commit little faux-paws -- like missing the windowsill and sliding down the wall -- they choose to carry on as if nothing much happened. not a bad strategy.

my worst nightmare was a nasty false accusation that i can't discuss. i guess the silver lining is that i don't worry so much about the little mistakes we all make.

Sue said...

Redzils, you may be comforted to know that preachers of all faiths have virtually the same nightmare. Including the one noted so accurately by your sister.

Still - not how you wanted to start, right? Whine away....

AW: We're having such a great visit with my son from Out West. He's catching up with friends and we're enjoying lots of meals and time to visit.

W: I have to go out of town for a few days to get my headache injections. That appointment was made months ago, and our son didn't tell us he was visiting until a few weeks ago. He is totally cool with me going, as he's here for a few days after I get back. But still....

AW: He and hubby are planning meals around everything I can't eat. There will be a feast of gluten, garlic and onion laden foods around here starting tomorrow morning. They both love to cook, so it's all good. Even better, our younger son loves to eat! Happy happy everyone!!!!

kathy a - our little darling has taken to flinging not only excess litter out of the box but also the occasional *ahem* gift. She sits outside the room where her box is and stares into the room as if *we* made a mess. she really isn't happy until we've cleaned up after her. Only proves what we all know: Good help is hard to find.

esperanza said...

Redzils, Sue is right. My worst preacher nightmare was that somehow I had cut my sermon into individual words because that would be easier to follow(?) Not surprisingly, they got all mixed up and I had no idea what to say. Nightmare come true: I got lost on the way to the church and walked up the aisle during the prelude. Way to make a first impression.

W: Snot. Coughing. Cough medicine with CODEINE that does not work. The nebulizer works great, but only for four hours. I like to sleep for more than four hours.

W: Sweet's snot has resulted in a Very Bad Attitude.

W: Mini is completely recovered and ready to go at full speed. She needs a job.

AW: um. Not feeling so AW today. Um. Hopefully they can both go to school tomorrow.

Sue said...

Early Mullett Nomination for Esperanza with "She needs a job". Definite early contender.....

AW: packed for the morning.

W: need to be at the airport by 5:00. a.m.

W: I have my standard Sunday night headache, which does not generally result in a good night of sleep at the best of times. When the alarm is set for 4:00 - not much sleeping will be going on.

Bleh.

AW: by tomorrow night, my head will be nicely anesthetized.

Sarah at ratatat said...

Sue - yay for the visit with your son, sorry that's you'll miss the middle part, but it seems like their making it an AW. And I hope your treatment works!

Oh Redzils - it will make you seem human? Let's hope next session goes well!

Esperanza- hope they go to school. And y'all get better soon!

I missed my chance last week to say thank you to Amy and wish I could offer her a hug. What a wrenching thing.

esperanza said...

Seriously, Universe. New symptoms last night for all three of us. Tough luck. They are on their way to school. Doctor this afternoon, mostly for my sanity.

Liz Miller said...

Hugs to everyone.

Redzils, oy! I still have student dreams of arriving late for an exam for a class I didn't even know I was registered for and without which I cannot graduate.

W: My hair has gone all floofy on me and refuses to cooperate, even though I have beaten it thoroughly.

AW: My knitting is going great.

And frankly, if I have to have either hair or knitting go well, I'd rather have the knitting.

Liz Miller said...

Speaking of knitting, I have just guaranteed that I actually DO have enough of the main color for the mittens, by NOT knitting the thumb of the first mitten, and instead starting the second mitten (on the theory that I could, in a pinch, knit the thumbs in a different color if I run out).

But! Have I just jinxed that by telling you of my brilliant plan?

kathy a. said...

liz -- huh? i didn't hear anything... on a totally unrelated subject, always good to have a backup plan!

kathy a. said...

dear drivers --

no, your SUV does not belong in a "compact" space, even if it is smaller than a tanker truck. you also do not get the right of way just because your vehicle could totally squash mine.

all you people who are planning to turn? there is a handy device that lets other drivers know, so we can take defensive measures.

when the sign says "no turn on red" at that funky intersection where you can't see cross-traffic coming, i'm not going to turn on red. even if you honk at me more than once.

let's review the stop sign. it means "stop." you do not get to go just because the person ahead of you is now moving. you do not get to roll around the corner on a right turn. you especially do not get to make a little "air-kiss" stop and then roar on through before those pesky pedestrians in the crosswalk can hold you up for five seconds.

if your music makes my car windows rattle, your music sucks.

the rules of the road are not like roller derby. weaving around lanes at a high rate of speed does not make you the derby queen.

sincerely yours,
kathy a.
grouchy old person

Liz Miller said...

"if your music makes my car windows rattle, your music sucks." Gets my vote for Mullet.

Sue said...

Yes, another definite mullet vote.

Pixies are on Fire this week!

Kathy - I nodded at every comment, so add me to the "grouchy old person" club. (Ya, like there was any question of my lifetime membership!)

AW: love, love, love my pain doc. She listens. She asks all the right questions and she is very gentle with a needle.

W: I counted 23 injections this time around. Such an odd feeling - usual piercing hot knife headache (which was enjoying a lovely 8/10 day) is numbed down to about 4/10. However, every one and then I have to mop up some fresh
bleeding on my face and neck - btw highly vascular areas so not a problem. Just odd.

AW: I am SO fortunate to have this treatment option and such a great doc.

Days said...

W: My kids just got home from school and I just managed to drag myself out of bed for the day. The extra dose of chemo this round definitely sapped my energies.

W: Pending a miraculous rebound in strength and energy, bloggy meet-up for this week will have to be put on hold. Phooey.

AW: Am home in my own bed for all this arduous ``taking it easy.``

kathy a. said...

((( days ))) so good to hear from you, even if you are feeling icky! glad you are home and resting up there. xoxox

Sarah at ratatat said...

Oh Days, hang in there. And sorry for the loss of bloggy meetup.

KathyA - that should become an internet meme if I knew how to start those things ;-) And another vote for mullet.

Liz - knitting trumps hair seems a fair thing.

Whine: We are repeating the fights we had in November and December. Seriously. I wish I knew how to win this time (kidding, there is no winning and I know it)

kathy a. said...

oh, sarah. xoxo

if you haven't talked to a lawyer yet -- yeah, one more thing! -- it's a good idea to find one specializing in family law. you need to know your rights, and how to get something in place to govern whatever it is you're arguing about, while you work out all the details. AND, then if you get garbage, you can say, "talk to my lawyer."

referring garbage to a lawyer won't work all the time -- you're raising kids together, even apart -- but maybe having that protective barrier can turn down the heat? it would help to not have to be arguing all the time.

Sue said...

Oh Days, I figured as much. To be honest, I was concerned that a bloggy meet up right now might be too much for you. I feel better knowing you are taking care of yourself and resting well.

I'm totally tired now and ready for a long night of sleep....

esperanza said...

Oh, hugs to days. And to people with floofy hair. Yay for Sue's head.

Verdict: allergies on top of cold. No ear infections. Meh.

New Whining Subject (well, an old one but new for this week!): stoopid insurance. Sweet needs OT. OT from the same place she gets PT is not in-network because their credentialed OT has left. Time to get another one credentialed:???? months??? Next closes place is an additional half hour away from home. Grumble, grumble.

esperanza said...

Esperanza is not amused. Sweet tossed and turned and fussed all night, only to start throwing up this morning. Really? TWO WEEKS of sick kids wasn't enough?

kathy a. said...

oh, NOOOs! all this and bark, too. hope sweet is feeling better, pronto.

so frustrating about the stoopid insurance. and the lack of a credentialed OT. is there anyone closer who is credentialed, even out of network? if so, you might be able to badger them into covering an out-of-network provider. (i assume you have or can get documentation of need -- from the pediatrician and the former provider.) there may be an ombudsman who can help.

if you are not getting action and have an attorney friend willing to write a demand letter -- we found a greater willingness on the part of insurance jerks to do the right thing if they got a letter on legal letterhead. (ymmv.)

esperanza said...

"credentialed" means "how you get to be in the network," not state-approved. It's actually not the stoopid insurance so much as it's the therapy place, now that I think about it. They just didn't seem to have their act together when I called to check on it yesterday. I could threaten to leave, but...no other place to go. This is the downside of country living. Upside is doctors who give you their cell phone numbers.

kathy a. said...

stoopid therapy place. so, do they have someone qualified, but just not on the network yet? is the holdup at their end, or with the insurance company? (could be either thing; if the ins. is being balky, the therapy place could actually use your help pressuring.) you have a baboo in need, darn it!

AW: good meeting today! a rough patch has been fixed. onward we go!

esperanza said...

They have several qualified, not on the network people. The holdup is at their end. Other than, "I'm going to have to take her somewhere else" I don't know what else I can do. Besides pestering them, as I am. And the "somewhere else" threat has the same problem as many of my threats: it's not especially appealing to carry out.

Sue said...

Sorry to hear about the added bark Esperanza. That's wrong in so many ways.

AW: slept in late. Yummy indulgence.

AW: no headache despite sleeping in. Good "sleep hygiene" is important for migraine sufferers, but sometimes I feel a need to rebel. The day after treatment is a good day to cheat. Apparently. *grin*

W: missing the season finale of "Homeland" because the hotel (as nice as it is) does not have super channel.

I know, lame whine. About as lame as lame as they come.

Forgive my lame-ness and accept my pixie gentle hugs for everyone in need of hugs.

kathy a. said...

No! Headache!!! happy dance.

Anonymous said...

Yay Sue! So happy no headache!
:) Neighbor Lady

esperanza said...

Yay Sue! Best news I've heard all day! Not much competition, there, but yay! anyway!

Liz Miller said...

Yay!

Sue said...

Still good here! Yay!!!

Not so great on the fire placing cancer front. The young son (ten years old) of friends of ours got some bad news this week. Mostly related to side-effects from treatment, but still, Universe, this little guy has been through enough already!

W: idiot comments about how the boy's courage through it all just shows how strong he is. That old chestnut about how "God only gives us what we can handle" makes me want to SCREAM! What absolute crap! This family is doing what they can to get from one day to the next, that's it. They are not on some inspiring mission of strength. My guess is they would all rather be weaker than to gain any kind of strength from the f-ing cancer.

People said the same thing to me when my Mom died. I refrained from commenting on their incredibly bad theology.

kathy a. said...

oh, sue. we are on a page about the fireplacing cancer. xoxoxo

esperanza said...

And now, pixies, I could not be making this up: Mini is running fever. Barking is over for Sweet. Both home from school today, though.

Sarah at Ratatat said...

Sue - yay for no headache pain! And boo on the strength mumbo jumbo.

Esperanza - when will it end???

And an anti-whine - a phone interview for the last job I applied for. Today. Should have just done it that moment, because I set it up for 1pm and now my stomach is all knotted up in a different way.

W/AW: maybe a clue there...my stomach has been upset since my husband and I fought on Monday morning. And this upset is completely different.

Wish me luck, pixies.

kathy a. said...

good luck, sarah!

Liz Miller said...

Good luck, Sarah!!

It is exceedingly obvious that I do not have enough yarn to finish the right-hand mitten.

How stupid will it look if I have one mitten and one fingerless glove?

kathy a. said...

liz -- maybe one hand can be the happy multi-colored hand? this is the right time to remind us all of the one rule my kids' best art teacher had: there are no mess-ups in art.

AW: pushing my luck, but a really fabulous work meeting this morning! go team go!

W: omfg, i am so very swamped.

Anonymous said...

I love that: "there are no mess-ups in art"

W: Strep! again!! Neighbor girl again! (or maybe still?) and hopefully this does not mean I am next since I got it from her last time (2 weeks ago for her). Hopefully my penici11in worked better than her amoxici11in. Now a z pack, ugh.

AW: i have the best boss in the whole world, who would be mad at me if I came to work and *didn't* stay home with her. Not really, but she is just awesome and understanding!

Cross the pixie fingers that the strep bugs get wiped out quick!

--Neighbor Lady

esperanza said...

Ugh NL, I hear you on the ongoing/repeated sickness. Fingers crossed.

Mini is much worse tonight. Her "well child" checkup is scheduled tomorrow, so I think we'll turn that into a "sick baby" appointment. Poor thing, sick on her birthday.

Sue said...

Aw, poor Mini!

NL - the word strep says it all. Ick, ick, double ick.

Sending good healthy wishes to all.

AW: nice to be home. Another few days with Visiting Son will be nice. Especially without a hurting brain.

W: New wheelchair has not arrived yet. I know I'm just impatient to see it in action, but I was hoping it would be here today. Maybe tomorrow.....

Liz Miller said...

Boo to strep! Boo to birthday sickness!

Yay to no headache and good visits!

And yay to my husband for rescuing my mittens by letting me cannibalize his crocheted pot holder made out of that same yarn. Enough for the thumbs even!!!

kathy a. said...

liz -- oh, even the thumbs? yay! but i stand by no mess-ups in art. ;)

hugs to NL and esperanza. that is totally sanitary over the internet.

sue, may the wheelchair arrive tomorrow! so glad you get some good time with visiting son.

esperanza said...

To heck with it, I think I'll just open a sanitorium. Sweet and Mini and I can be the first patients.

W/AW: I heart Poison Control. They are so nice and understanding. Yep, a little medication mixup with the nebulizer.

Anonymous said...

Oh, my. ENough already for Esperanza! Hope mini is feeling much better soon! And happy birthday to her! (even though it stinks to be sick on your birthday)

W/AW Delivery of furniture long-expected from the south is apparently arriving today. however i would never have known if i hadn't called. how were they planning to actually --you know--deliver without telling me they were coming???
I am home with sick Neighbor Girl, but get SUCH a weird vibe from the company about this driver that now I am a little nervous about receiving the delivery from him and his helper(s?) without my husband here. I know that sounds really really wimpy and damsel-ish, and I am really truly a stong woman. But the vibe was so weird that I am freaking out a little just being here with my sick girl and them.

Am I crazy and paranoid? or wise and intuitive? such a fine line.

--Neighbor Lady

amy said...

NL, our hunches serve a purpose. Don't ignore them, but don't let them rule your sanity. Maybe your husband cannot be home, but the delivery people don't need to know that. I have a contract to have water softener salt delivered, and one of the delivery guys skeeves me out, so on the rare occasion he is delivering the salt, I chit chat with him on his way in about how someone (my mother, or the furnace repair dude, or my husband, you get the idea) should be coming over shortly and I hope s/he doesn't park the delivery truck in. 99% of the time it's a lie, and I'm okay with that.

Also, I highly recommend the book The Gift of Fear.

amy said...

I had a handful of petty whines, but I've forgotten them all since last night when my husband was awesome and supportive and loving in response to my long overdue request for his support as I try to find something to get involved in this summer -- for ME and MY sanity. I crab about a lot of crap with him, but really, he's an all right guy.

And just this morning, I got an email from the tutor who works in my class that made me cry. She's such an incredible woman, and I had no idea of all the tragedy she's had in her life since last summer. She broke up with the father of her toddler daughter, and within a month, he was murdered. Her father had a stroke, her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and, and, and...

I wake up and walk to my kitchen and think, "I hate my kitchen" or "I hate how messy the house is" or "I don't want to go to work today", but the truth is, my life is fairly blessed. Now if only the kids would quit whining...

amy said...

Thank you for the hug, Sarah. :) I think if I had had the chance to reconnect with my dad as an adult, the wound would be less tender, but he died when I was in high school, so I never got a chance to know him.

Esperanza, I swear, you just do not seem to catch a break. I'm off to have words with the Universe about this.

Sue, I am completely with you about the "God never gives us..." bit. My mom says that ALL the time, and you know, I think it's garbage and it's hurtful to say to a person who is the middle of a personal tragedy. Is it supposed to be comforting? Like saying, "I know you will get through this"? I think that is how my mom means it, but that's not how I hear it.

I don't have time to read the whole thread right now. I'm going to be late for everything today if I don't get moving, but I will try to check back later. :)

kathy a. said...

oy, esperanza! there should be a special prize for any whine containing the phrase "poison control."

NL, amy has a good point. also, what the fireplace with not telling you when they are coming??

amy, such incredible sadness... what sue said upstream, when people say the universe only gives us what we can handle? wrong.

esperanza said...

Thanks everyone. Mini has an ear infection and still with the massive allergy attack. I've got a call in to Sweet's pulmonologist for some medication advice. Nebulizer is busy.

Liz Miller said...

NL, this is where cell phones come in handy. As soon as the delivery guys are in the driveway, CALL SOMEONE. Your husband, a friend, a neighbor. Tell them you are nervous about this guy, and that you are using the phone as a safety line. That if you are cut off, or if they hear anything weird, they are to call 911 and send police to your house at once.

When the delivery guy comes to the door, open it, say clearly to the person on the phone with you, "Hold on a minute, [name of person], the delivery guy is here, let me tell him about where this stuff goes. Do you mind holding while I do that?"
Talk to the delivery guy, use his name if it's on his uniform.
Continue conversation on the phone. Stay on the phone the whole time he's there.

amy said...

Liz is BRILLIANT! I'm going to do that next time I'm weirded out.

Also, I REMEMBERED MY WHINE! Gah! For the first time in my adult life, the first time in all the years I have owned my own flatware, I chewed up a spoon in the garbage disposal. Dangit!

kathy a. said...

oh, amy for old skool.

Liz Miller said...

I won the internets today. I really did. Me.

I won.

kathy a. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
kathy a. said...

but you know what? my friend gigi was a saint on earth. she is inspiring me even now to finish some of the grand work she started, and especially the thing we collaborated on. i'll always be a better human because of her.

esperanza said...

oh, kathy. If someone says that about me, I will be happy with the life I've lived.

Pixies. Universe. Really. I am not making this up just to win some kind of an award. Sweet started running fever tonight. I'm sure she also has an ear infection. So here's the grand tally, if you've had a hard time keeping up.

Mini: 2 ear infections, allergy attack, coughing constantly. Total of 4 meds.
Sweet: likely 2 ear infections, nasty cough, snot in abundance, upset tummy (resolved). Total of 4 meds (including regular ones)
Esperanza: sinus infection, bronchitis. Much improved. Total of 3 meds.

I am NOT A NURSE. I DO NOT LIKE THIS.

Sorry to yell.

kathy a. said...

shouldn't there be some nurse elves or something for esperanza? and also, she NEEDS A BREAK ALREADY.

thanks, esperanza, for your kind words.

amy said...

esperanza, if you can't yell here, where *can* you yell? #truth

Sue said...

Yelling is okay here. Anytime.

W: two comments eaten by Blogger last night. Brilliant, glowing W/AWs.... Gone.

The Blogger is not my precious.

esperanza said...

Well, after Sweet's trip to the doctor today, my diagnosis was incorrect, but my prescription would have been fine. No ear infection, but fever probably indicates sinus infection and/or bronchitis. So, another trip to the pharmacy for the very same antibiotic as Mini.

kathy a. said...

i took down yesterday's comment about losing a wonderful colleague. too sad; i was too upset; too much information.

i've really got a problem with this one relative. i should never open email from her, but of course i do anyway, usually to my regret. this person is seriously short on empathy, and her drama-ometer is stuck at eleventy.

kathy a. said...

oops, i also deleted my kudos to liz for winning the internet!