Back to the Grind

Today was my first day back at work. Waaahhhhhhhh.....I hate getting up early. But since my family thinks to have to eat every day, I guess I will continue working. I sure did hate dragging that alarm clock out...

I have been home alone this week. The Rockstar is away at band camp (he's an assistant band director at one of the high schools, aside from being a special ed teacher as well). Harleigh was so upset when I had to leave her this morning. She is mad at me right now for leaving her all day...

So my first day back was fine. They moved me to a different classroom. I am now with the kids with severe and profound disabilities. I didn't mind the move, but it's like starting all over with organizing and decorating the classroom.


Several people commented that they thought I looked great and a couple asked me if I had lost a bunch of weight over the summer. I actually didn't lose any weight over the summer. I think it just appears that way since most of the swelling from the tummy tuck is gone (until late in the day) and I am wearing smaller clothes. I am also very tanned, which I think always makes you look skinnier.


In other news....mainly health related....I am sick of going to doctors appointments. Remember I told you that they thought I had a tumor on my parathyroid gland?? Well, I had an ultrasound done Friday. They saw "something" on the ultrasound, but the radiologist told my doctor that he really felt like I needed a nuclear scan. I'm not real sure what a nuclear scan is....but it doesn't sound like fun. My appointment is this Friday. It kinda pisses me off that I have to take time off work in the first week back, but the hospital only does these "nuclear" scans at 10:00 am on weekdays. The good news is that my bone density scan came back good, so even if it is a tumor it has not yet started depleting my bones of calcium (which is what a parathyroid tumor does over time). Hopefully I will know something for sure next week.


I hope the rest of you had a great hump day :)

Doctor Doctor, give me the news...

Do you have that song stuck in your head now???

I feel like I have spent the last week doing nothing but going to doctor's appointments. Last week I had to go to the Endocrinologist. I wasn't supposed to go until next month, but they had a last minute cancellation and asked me if I could come in. Since I am still off for the summer it was no problem for to have short notice.

She reviewed my bloodwork and ordered a buttload more. One of the tests ordered was a bone density test, which I had done today. I also went to my regular doctor...so that's 3 appointments in a week. And two of those are an hour away.

Between the Endo doctor and my regular doctor they are both fairly certain I have a tumor on at least one of my parathyroid glands (you have 4). Now they just have to locate the exact location of the tumor and then they will schedule surgery. I have to go Monday and have an ultrasound. The ultrasound is only about 50% reliable in locating the tumor, but they have to do that first before they order nuclear scan because apparently an ultrasound is much cheaper and insurance makes you try to find it that way first.

In unrelated health news my sister in law and niece are here visiting. If you have followed me since last year then you may remember that the diva spent a week with me last summer. She is still a diva. And still up my butt 24/7....I can't even go pee without my shadow. It's all good. I kinda like having a kid in the house again.

We are seriously thinking about adopting a baby (a fur baby) so that Harleigh has a playmate. She used to always play with my neighbor's dog and they moved last week. Harleigh has been so depressed since they left. She just goes over to the fence and stands there and whines. It is so sad. So I found a little girl who needs a home. I had to fill out an application. They asked me a ton of questions about me, my home, my work schedule, etc. They asked for 3 references and they called my vet's office. They take their adoptions very seriously.

I am hoping to take Harleigh to meet her potential sister this weekend. Good timing since she just got all beautified....

Triple T!!!

Thanks to the gorgeous (and preggo) Laura Belle we have Ten Things Thursday!!


1. Since it's summer I never know what day of the week it is. Today I am assuming it is Thursday since I saw a few people do TTT.


2. I have decided I want to be a stay at home mom to Harleigh. I can't get the Rockstar to get a second job so this would be possible :(

3. The Rockstar and I are empty nesters now :( The Boy moved out just a few days before we left for the beach. Going to the beach was a good distraction for me. I cried like a baby the night he left. I still haven't gone in his room. It will break my heart to see an empty room. He still comes over to eat (frequently) but it's just not the same as him living here.



4. I watched the new Honey Boo Boo last night. The only reason I knew it was on was because there were a few posts about it on FB. If you don't like Honey Boo Boo then don't watch it people. I don't like sports, so I don't watch it....and I feel no need to get on fb and talk about how stupid sports are. It's simple....if I don't like it, I don't have to watch it. Honey Boo Boo makes me laugh, so I choose to watch it.


5. I need to go shopping before I have to go back to work. I don't think I have any pants that fit me. Before school got out I was still having swelling from the tummy tuck. Now that most of that has gone away (except late in the day) my pants are too big. I only wear swimsuits and shorts when I am not in school, so I haven't even thought about pants. I better get on that....I don't think my principal would appreciate me showing up in my bikini. Or maybe he would....who knows :)


6. I wasn't supposed to go see the Endocrinologist until next month, but they called yesterday and said they had a cancellation for today. The good news is I don't have to take a day off from work next month to go. The bad news is I have to pass the cupcake place to get there. I will try to refrain from stopping, but I make no promises.


7. I love bacon.


8. I totally have a new addiction...frozen chocolate covered bananas. I love them and I have been eating a pack of these (or 2) every day...

9. Did I ever show you my Origami Owl necklace?? My mom and The Big Boy gave it to me for my birthday. I love it, but I kinda wish I had the large locket so I could add more charms.

 

 

10. I have been sleeping until 10:00 every morning...I will be hating life in 2 weeks when that time will change to 5:30 :(

And poof...just like that summer is almost gone :(

It's been a few weeks. I have thought about blogging many times...just never sat down and did it. I had to go back and look where I left off, so I would know where to start. So, I left off with returning from my 2nd beach trip. So I will catch you up from there...

A couple of weeks ago I went to have my yearly EGD for my Barrett's. It was a crappy day. It was pouring down rain. Part of the interstate was closed due to a wreck and I ended up being an hour late for my appt. I figured they would just reschedule it, but since I called and let them know what was going on they just moved some people around and took me right back as soon as I got there. I have never had any problems after getting an EGD. I have been having one yearly for about 10 years. This time I wasn't so lucky. Well maybe lucky isn't the right word. I blatantly did not follow my doctor's instructions, and I paid the price.

My doctor said: Do NOT eat anything for 2 hours. Did I listen????? Nooooooo. Just down from the hospital there is a famous little cupcake place. I told The Rockstar we just had to stop on the way home. They had a cupcake just for me....

 

 

So I got one of those AND one of these...

 

 

 

 

I slept the whole way home because I was still very much drugged. It took us an hour to get home and as soon as we got in the house I thought I just had to have a bite of my cupcake. The Rockstar told me not to do it since it still had not been two hours...but of course I do what I want to do and ate some of it any way.

 

 

That was a mistake....

 

A big mistake.

 

 

I lad back down to sleep some more. Out of a dead sleep I jumped up and ran to the kitchen sink (I didn't have time to make it to the bathroom) and threw up....blood. Apparently if you have just had a biopsy of your esophagus it is not a good idea to shove a cupcake down it. Lesson learned.

 

 

My band doctor was the one who did the EGD. I used to see a gastroenterologist for my Barrett's, but I don't trust just anyone running a scope down my throat now that I have a band. I figured the best person to do was the one who put in it. Any way, this was the first time I had seen him in a long time. I usually see his nurse when I go to the office. As you may remember, my doctor is not a huge fan of lapband and actually rarely does them. He went on and on about how well I had done and if he saw that kind of success more often with band patients he would be a bigger fan of them. It's always good to hear your doctor praise you :)

 

 

He was, however, concerned about the recent blood work that his office had done on me. Apparently my parathyroid hormone has been elevated for over 2 years (they have tested it 3 times in the last 2 years). If you are low in Vitamin D it can cause your level to be elevated....but my vitamin D is completely normal. Given the fact that I have a history of kidney stones and severe hypertension that is resistant to medication, he is concerned that I may have a tumor one of my parathyroid glands. He referred me to an endocrinologist, but my appointment isn't until next month. I will keep ya updated on that when I know something :)

 

 

Two days after my biopsy we hit the road. Where, you ask??? To the beach!!!! Yes, I had 3 glorious beach trips this summer!!!

 

 

On the way there The Rockstar stopped at a casino for me....he knows how much I love to play the slot machines...

 

 

 

We didn't stay long...because it would take me no time to lose all of our vacation money. I put in $60 and walked out with $63.

 

 

 

When we got to the beach it was pouring down rain, so we went ahead and unpacked and went to do our shopping for the week. The Rockstar was like a kid. He thought he had to have a boogie board, a pale and shovel, a new beach chair and who knows what else he managed to sneak in that buggy. He was trying out the beach chairs and actually had a hard time getting out of one of them. I was laughing so hard I almost peed my pants right there in Walmart...

 

 

 

 

The rest of the trip we had beautiful weather. We played in the water a lot...lots of exercise. Which is a really good thing because nobody likes to eat like The Rockstar does...so there was lots of food involved with this trip...

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I should tell you that most of that food was NOT mine. Although I ate more than I normally do, I did not go too crazy during this trip. We even made a quick stop at my favorite doughnut place (because the hot sign was on!!!) and I actually didn't even eat a doughnut.

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, like every other time I go out of town, my body went on lockdown. This shirt was not true for me...

 

 

 

So, needless to say, I have been spending this week trying to get my body back on track :)

 

 

I already miss the beach and am sad that there will be no more beach trips until next summer. Until then I will just have to look at these and wait until the next time...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only 2 more weeks and I have to return to work :( This summer went by waaayyy to quickly. Can I get redo????