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Monday, March 31, 2014

WW - the "Keep Your Expectations Low" edition

Greetings pixies!

I'm not exactly the hostess with the most-est, but hey, around here we go with Whatever Works. I'm taking the day off tomorrow because:

1. Ice storm
2. Self-proclaimed snow day - because I need to have ONE snow day this winter. This agonizing, soul-crushing, never-ending winter merits a day in my jammies.
3. Fireplacing migraine. Not the worst I've ever had, but probably the most annoying.

So, day off. That's an AW for sure.

Whine away pixies...

66 comments:

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Sue, you deserve that snow day! I'm glad you're taking it, but I'm sorry about the fireplacing migraine.

Whines, I have a few:
1.) I'm fireplacing sick for the SECOND TIME THIS MONTH! Beginning and ending March with head colds. This one started with Mr. Q, and we're both miserable. Now I'm watching E nervously.
2.) While I'm at the editing stage of That Chapter, it's still not done, because of sickness and clingy, whiny toddler (seriously: eyeing her suspiciously).
3.) So, I need a new OBGYN. We happened to watch the news for the first time in ages (because my parents were on for a second in the background of something), and that's how I found out that my doc is being investigated for inappropriate behaviour toward a patient. Yeah, I don't care if he's still practising during the investigation: I'm out of there. Well, I guess that's one way of getting a second opinion. (But seriously: Whaaaaat?!)
Related: life is a complicated thing. It's strange holding two thoughts in balance: solidarity with that patient, while at the same time being thankful for how he saved E and my lives. It's strange simultaneously thinking "I'm never going to put myself into an examining room with him again" while being thankful for the kindness he showed my family (and being aware that, even though he was kind to me doesn't mean he didn't victimize someone else.)
So, yeah. Glad that I stopped myself from calling his office today, and decided to book my yearly pap with my GP instead. And my GP is awesome, and has always been willing to fight to get the right specialists for me.

esperanza said...

Sue, re: #3, I'm sorry.
QWP: your #3 is horrifying!!
And, not that you asked for medical advice, but I switched from an OBGYN to my GP for yearly checkups too, after I got done having Baboos.

AW: Sweet was a rockstar at 3 back-to-back-to-back appointments for her feet this morning. Cooperative, cheerful, patient. I was pleasantly shocked. Er, I mean surprised.

W: 7 hours in the car (Round trip from my parents' house to the hospital for the appointments--Mini stayed with grandma this morning). Then trip home.

W: We three were awake at 4:30 this morning. Sweet went back to sleep for a while, but Mini--and thus I--did not. We left the house at 6:15 to get to the appointments.

W: combo of whine #1 and whine #2 means I am so tired I am lightheaded. I may just sleep right here on the couch and not brush my teeth. Ew.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Some well-earned sleep is needed for esperanza and the Baboos! So glad that Sweet was a rockstar for her appointments today.

Esperanza, my main plan has been to go to the GP for routine stuff, but I was supposed to go back to my OBGYN at some point anyway, to give my final answer about what procedure to have to take care of my Health Issues. I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone, at first, and then thought better of it. So now I'll have my GP get me a new referral, and will restart this whole process. But I kind of feel better about talking over my options with a different specialist.

Miranda said...

Eek is right QWP!!! I feel the need to breathe into a paper sack on your behalf.

!!!

Hopefully you are fast asleep, esperanza.

Sue, you too. And may the fireplacing headache go away. xoxoxoxo

So, you remember the unbloggable? I may have found a solution to that problem. It has a certain ... elegance. I am proud of myself for thinking that up.

And you remember the thing? I heard about that too. It's a Big Thing for 1-3 years but related to the thing I have been doing so that is good.

I am tired of enrichment expenses. I may start selling off plasma to make them more affordable. Sheesh.

Liz said...

Hugs all around. QWP, I can't even.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Yeah, I really can't even. The amount of trust that you need to have in your gyno, and then to find this out... Blergh. I'm doing a lot of work this evening, so that I don't dwell on this too much.

Miranda: a possible, elegant solution to the unbloggable? Potential huzzahs!

Sue said...

QWP - oh my goodness! I am speechless. Also, feel better soon (twice in a month is just wrong).

esperanza, I do hope you get some rest - tired to the point of lightheaded isn't good ya all. Yay for Sweet and all the appointments!

Miranda, yay for the solution to the unbloggable! Also congrats on the Big Thing.

Miranda said...

Also, if you follow me on the book of faces, you saw that Tween Son is just too adorable. I don't mind cleaning out bowls filled with his puke because, teh cuteness.

kathy a. said...

Sue, hope the migraine is better.

Q -- ick!

Yay, Sweet!

Miranda, solutions are good, but elegant ones even better.

My beloved spent the past 2 days with his mom; I'm switching in today. We think she had a stroke on top of the other stuff. Even she does not think she can live alone at her apartment any more.

It has been hard as heck to get information and get things done. In 2 days, my beloved got less than 5 minutes with a doctor, who ordered tests and then didn't call when he got the results. Grr.

AW: taking the train! Dinner with the cool cousin and her family tonight! Hotel is right next door, so EZ commute!

esperanza said...

Elegant is indeed good. And I think you're happy about the Big Thing, so yay for that too, Miranda.

Kathy a, whew. Once it gets settled down with MiL in an appropriate setting, it will be worth it. But this part is hard.

kathy a. said...

The doctor called this morning and confirmed a stroke.

I'm on the train -- comfy, incrowded, with café car and wifi. I like riding the train!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((Kathy a))) I hope that your time helping your MIL is really productive.

W: Well, news of my doc's disciplinary hearing is starting to make wider news (last night it was on the TV news, but hadn't hit the internet yet), which means I've encountered the first victim-blaming post on Book of Faces. (Dude: I had a positive experience with him, too. But I'm also aware that he behaved differently toward me, because he knew Mr. Q and I are Christians, and he knows friends of mine, and I'm married. He also works with a lot of people who aren't so privileged, and he's not so kind to everyone. I already knew that part, but chose to ignore it because he was comfortable dealing with my complicated case when I was pregnant.)

W: My faaaaaace huuuurts. (How many times have I whined that, this winter?)

AW: Mr. Q is using one of his family days to stay home tomorrow. He can take two family days and one personal day, per year, and we had been saving them in case I had a procedure during this school year. At this point, considering the time it takes to switch specialists and the waiting lists for elective, non-emergency procedures, there's no way it's happening before June. So: Mr. Q will be home tomorrow! He will manage E all day, and I will alternate between napping and writing.

Andy said...

Hello all! Horrible news! I have a very minor leg injury that nevertheless prevents me from walking without a limp. It happened at work, so I am on Light Duty.

Light Duty means that my normal days of hanging out with my patients on the unit and doing things like playing basketball and dancing and fitness and weightlifting and crazy science experiments are off-limits. The parts of my job I can do include going to meetings, filing reports, typing assessments, cleaning my office, going to more meetings, and cleaning my office some more. It's shaping up to be a fun filled week.

Also, my "wife" is "sick" and unable to do anything (she has a "fever" but she didn't take any "medicine" because of course she didn't), so I get to pull myself up and down stairs and all over the house taking care of the pets. Also, I didn't get crutches because she said we had some I could use. They top out at 5'10". Reminder, I am 6'4".

Follow up whine: Tuesdays are the days when she has class all evening and I get the house to myself. Except for Tuesdays when she is "sick" and skips, which is now every Tuesday because she is avoiding the instructor.

Andy said...

QWP: I'm so sorry about the OBGYN... that's a bad situation all around.

Miranda: Vague Congratulations for Solution to Unbloggable and General Well-Wishes in Big Things!

Esperanza: I heard about a new app called GoogleNaps. It uses Google Maps, and finds good places nearby to take a nap wherever you are.

esperanza said...

Oh, Andy, light duty sounds terrible. Hope you heal quickly.

W: unbloggable. So frustrated at ongoing situation. Talking about it doesn't seem to help. Blech.

esperanza said...

Oops, I forgot:
AW: pitching in for a retreat this weekend. I used to do this all the time. It's fun! And energizing! And I feel competent.

kathy a. said...

Things are not good. MIL is very critical; they rushed her back to ICU, and couldn't see her for a good long while; her stroke may have progressed; too unstable to transfer to a neuro unit someplace. I'm hiding out in the hotel room for a little while, because...

Her best friend adores her, and I like her, and it's good to have someone at such times. But I decided that 6 straight hours is about my max.

Thanks for the many loving thoughts.

esperanza said...

oh, kathy. I'm sorry things are deteriorating so rapidly. Hiding out in the hotel room is certainly allowed. Sending hugs.

Sue said...

(((((kathy))))) I'm so sorry things have worsened. I agree, hiding in the hotel is good self-care.

QWP - sorry to hear about your sore face. Bleh to being sick again.

Andy - Light Duty sounds awful. I hope you heal quickly so you can get back to the more enjoyable parts of the job. I'm sure your clients are hoping you will be back soon too.

esperanza, sorry about the unbloggable.

kathy a. said...

Google Naps is prize-worthy. Andy, hope you get back on regular duty soon!

Yay for daddy-time!

Esperanza, glad you have the retreat to at least relieve the unbloggable.

AW: found my toothpaste!

Liz said...

(((Kathy)))
Heck, hugs for everybody.

Andy, I'm particularly sorry that "Light Duty" is sucky duty.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((Kathy a))) I'm glad that you did take some time for yourself. We've done the ICU thing a few times, and you need to rest and take care of yourself as well, or you're going to be useless really soon. Well done making self care a priority.

Andy, I would like to sign up for Google Naps. That sounds wonderful. And "light duty" sounds pretty frustrating!

AW: I submitted my chapter! A month late, but it's done. Now, for my next trick, I'll write a chapter and a third, plus introduction and conclusion, in a month and a half. (Eep!)

W: this cold. My sinuses gave up yesterday, and I had so many nosebleeds. It was terrible. Now I'm scared to blow my nose, and mouth breathing is difficult because of my sore throat. *whiiiine*

kathy a. said...

For self-care today, I've started with breakfast and second breakfast. If you get to the hospital cafeteria at 6 a.m., the scoop of "omlette" (eggs, cheese, onions, etc.) is fresh and delicious. But because you will not eat much anyway, it is totally OK to go to the free hotel buffet at 8:00, where a few bites of biscuit and a tad of gravy are enough, thanks.

Yay for progress, QWP!

Liz said...

(((QWP))) Netipot? Also, Vicks?

W: After a 78-day absence, Aunt Flo has returned for a visit. I was realllllly hoping that her daughter, Mina Paz had come to stay.

Go away, Aunt Flo. You weren't missed.

Sue said...

Agreed - Google Naps = award-worthy!

QWP - yay on The Chapter!!!! Excellent! Sorry about the ongoing sinus thing. Bleh.

I love second breakfast kathy a!

(((Liz))) a 78 day break is nice, but never would be better, right? Maybe this is AF's last hurrah.

AW: Hubby had a really good doc appointment today. The world of New Normal is easier for him than he thought it would be.

W: I wish he didn't have to think about New Normals.

esperanza said...

Kathy, anyone who needs to put "" around omelette needs an extra hug. Blech.

QWP, be glad you aren't here. Visible clouds of oak pollen are wafting throughout the countryside. It's like I imagine mustard gas would look, though probably that isn't accurate. 'Twould not be good for your sinus situation, I'm sure. I hope it improves pronto.

Sue, I'm sorry there has to be a "new normal," but at least it is tolerable.

Anonymous said...

Hugs to Kathy a. Hope the situation stabilizes, and you also get good rest too. Also, may I say that the mention of biscuits and gravy is making my extremely hungry.

Hugs to Sue about the new normal.

Hugs to QWP about the nosebleeds and sinuses but yay on the chapter.

Hugs to Andy about the injury and the yucko situation at home.

Yay for Miranda's elegant solution.

Hugs for esperanza's unbloggables.

And a new doc for QWP stat.

W: situation worsening. we have help now though. but things are not being fixed very quickly. which....I know, I know......but still.....

W: I am just so fireplacingly tired. and sad. just sad.

AW: Neighbor Girl is doing well. Got a new haircut she loves. Rolling with things pretty well.

--Neighbor Lady

Sue said...

((((((NL)))))). I'm so sorry about your worsening situation.

Andy said...

AW: It turns out Light Duty is the bomb. Sure, I could use this time to get caught up on much needed office work, but everyone feels sorry for you and is friendly, so instead I go from office to office chatting everyone up and generally preventing anyone from doing work.

kathy a. said...

((( NL ))) xoxo

esperanza said...

So sorry things are so rough, NL.

kathy a, any news today?

kathy a. said...

There is no good news today.

Except, my cousin brought a cheer package of tacky magazine, soda, large candy bar -- and also her wonderful tween/teen daughters, and some laughs and hugs.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((NL)))

Andy, it sounds like your coworkers are making light duty better for you!

esperanza said...

That's a good cousin you have, kathy. And we can take bad news and whining too, remember.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((Kathy a))) Glad that your cousin brought you a care pack. We're here for those days without good news.

Andy said...

Thinking of you, kathy a and neighbor lady

kathy a. said...

By no good news, I really mean that my MIL is not in a survivable situation. It got very terrible and complicated the past couple days, and the timeframe looks short.

Many thanks for all the love. xoxo

Anonymous said...

(((kathy a.))))
(((Sue)))--hope the migraine is feeling better

--Neighbor Lady

esperanza said...

(((kathy a))) Peace to you and yours for whatever the timeframe is. I hope you got some rest.

Liz said...

((((NL)))) (((((Kathy A)))))

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh Kathy, I'm so sorry. So many hugs, and I'm thinking about you and your family.

Sue said...

I'm glad the light duty has a silver lining Andy!!

(((kathy a)))

W: No interwebs at the office AGAIN. Argh.

AW: Went out at lunchtime and bought some very awesome rainboots - red ones!!!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Sue, red rain boots are a very exciting AW!

Old Skool Whines for today:
1. Li'l E is learning how to feed herself with a spoon (sometimes she even uses the correct end of the spoon!), and so we let her feed herself her yogurt every morning. But that means that Every. Inch. Of. My. Life. is now covered in a thin layer of yogurt. We're all roughly 90% yogurt, at this point.
2. I went for almost two years without taking any cold medicine, between trying to get pregnant and finishing nursing. I took Nigh-Quill for the first time in over two years, last night. It turns out that I am now a featherweight, and twelve hours later, I'm still unable to operate heavy machinery.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(I mean "featherweight" regarding my tolerance levels, and not actual weight. No one slip me a teaspoon of alcohol, or I'll be dancing on the table.)

Sue said...

Great Old Skool whines QWP!

I remember those early "How does this spoon thing work anyway???" days very well. Good times.

Ugh. The cold medicine always lays me flat, but not for as long as you. 12 hours without driving the tractor - that's harsh. :)

esperanza said...

I experienced the same lightweight phenomena post-nursing, QWP. By that point, it had been about 4 years for me. I always take 1/2 doses of that stuff anyway. But even the 1/2 dose put me off the tractor forever. A hangover without any fun the night before.

Re: yogurt-izing of the family. The Baboos have both inexplicably decided that they should not use a napkin anymore. Tablecloths and/or clothes are perfectly acceptable. The laundry personnel do not agree.

Liz said...

QWP, am I an awful person for shooting water out my nose at your spoon whine?

esperanza said...

Be glad you were only drinking water, Liz!

Queen of West Procrastination said...

Oh my goodness, I just read a Vanity Fair article about some fancy-dancy new parenting theory that results in one year olds eating properly with real cutlery, never dropping a bit of food, and drinking from proper glasses. And all I could do was chuckle and think about how horrified they'd be with E, spreading around yogurt with the back of her spoon, and smearing it through her hair.

Liz said...

Did you check the date on the Vanity Fair article?

Queen of West Procrastination said...

February. But I've now heard that VF either extremely stereotyped the parenting style, or Hollywood actors have taken something that's been around for decades and have turned it into EXTREEEME PAREENTIIIING! *guitar riff*

Liz said...

I was just asking 'cause April Fool was two days ago.

Anonymous said...

QWP-- when ours were little, we got a stash of Neighbor Guy's old white Tshirts--the ones that had gotten too ratty around the collar or had shrunk too much, and used them as whole body bibs. Much more effective than those little things with cute duckies. Plus a chance of not having to do a clothing change after every meal (except for the Tshirt, many of which we still have as art stuff, and they still have stains).
:)Neighbor Lady

Miranda said...

Well, shoot. Elegance has apparently gone out of fashion.

Hugs to Kathy A and to NL.

W: I'd like to entertain a discussion about gendered professional expectations at a time when I would be able to participate sans venom dripping from every word.

kathy a. said...

We lost her this morning. I'm heading home on the train, because our kids are very sad; beloved is sticking around to take care of things and see his aunt tomorrow. (Aunt wants to see her sister's body before cremation, which I think is weird, but everybody gets to be a little weird within reason.)

Sue said...

((((Miranda))))

(((((kathy)))) I'm so very sorry for your loss. Hugs to you and your family.

Miranda said...

(((kathy)))

Miranda said...

(((kathy)))

kathy a. said...

I loved my MIL. She had her faults -- she was the silverware-re-arranger during visits, sometimes had a sharp tongue -- but she was loving and generous, and she raised my sweetie and spoiled my kids and loved animals and always had a garden going.

It went way downhill so fast, especially the past couple days. I happened to arrive just as she hit the steep downhill part; and feel comforted that her suffering is over. But I know others are feeling many other things. xoxo

esperanza said...

oh, hugs to everyone, kathy a.

Queen of West Procrastination said...

(((((kathy))))) Oh I am so sorry, Kathy and family. That is so rough. Extra hugs for all of you, and we're here to support you.

Miranda, I'm so sorry that the elegant solution didn't work out. And I'm extra sorry that you're dealing with unfair gendered expectations in your workplace.

Anonymous said...

((((((((((((kathy a. and family))))))))))))
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Hugs and prayers and thoughts for you and yours.
--NL

kathy a. said...

I forgot AW's! First, I saw a live wild rabbit in the hospital parking lot, walking over the other night. Bunny!!

And, again with my wonderful cousin who lives in MIL's town -- they are having a garage sale in a few weeks, and offer to sell anything we need to unload! And store it in their garage until the sale. Plus, they have a truck. I <3 cousins.

Liz said...

((((Kathy)))) thinking of you and your family.

Cousins are the best.

Andy said...

Sorry for you and your family, Kathy.

Sue said...

Awards tomorrow, friends!