Whoa-oh-oh-oh-ohhhhh. How sweet it is!

Helloooo. I don't know why I am staying up so late when I have such a big day tomorrow. Perhaps it's the silly in me.

My friend Brian died on Wednesday night. I received the notification at 12:04 a.m. Needless to say, Thursday was a very challenging day. I was overwhelmed, though, by the support from my friends and family. Although it's very hard to know someone has lost the battle with CF, it's also refreshing to know that he lived a life that should make him proud.

Thursday was a big mass email day and involved interviewing candidates, so there was a lot going on and very little time to process the news. It kind of amazed me how well I was able to contain myself when necessary, but how shameless I was in the brief stints alone in my office. I honestly think that my composure, even in tough situations, has really been enhanced by improv. When it's time to perform, I have to rid myself of everything going on outside of the theater so that I can go on stage with a clean slate. I feel like I handled it all so gracefully, which is a lot for good ol' "macaroni water" me.

The big whammy is that I performed in a show Thursday night, too. So, having had probably 25 tiny tear outbursts throughout the day, several interviews to sit in on, and a huge technical failure day with our mass email tool (WHAT A TOOL!), it amazed me how well I was able to compartmentalize it for the duration of the show. I felt like I had a really great show, and I think it's a result of all of the emotion circulating in my body.

I got to do several new(ish) and exciting things: I was the therapist for Emo Couples Therapy, I commentated for Slow-Mo Sports Commentary (I think that was the name), I played Oscar Musical, I was a caller in Phones, and I played Musical Styles. It was also my friend's birthday (BA) and he was in the show, so there was great energy among the entire cast. Fun times! It was such a positive end to a day that started so painfully.

Today has been a nonstop day. I was still troubleshooting yesterday's technical issues, but I got everything finished. I got some groceries, too, which I'd needed to do all week. I also went to the bank. I had a crew shift tonight at the theatre and, since I was running super early, I had time to stop at Marshalls on my way. I got an orange shirt and some teeny tiny boat shoes. They're navy, red, and white, and they are now named "My Braves Shoes."

Well, tomorrow I have a ton to do... like perform at a festival and go see Tim McGraw. It's going to be exhausting, but I really can't wait. I'm going to try to exercise, too, so I better get to sleep. When did it become so late? Geez!

Thank you again to everyone who reached out to me on Thursday. Here's another way you can help: http://www.cff.org/great_strides/drewdotson5267.

SUNday

Welcome to Sunday!

My roommate just walked in with groceries and it reminded me that I still want a donut. I actually had a dream last night that I was eating a white powdered donut at my grandmother's house (although it wasn't her actual house). It's sad that I've let this become such an issue.

I'm about to be angry at the Braves. I went to the home opener on Friday night and the Braves won. The rest of the weekend hasn't been quite as pleasant for them. It ain't over 'til it's over, though, and they have two more at-bats today. COME ON, BOYS!

What else? Well, tomorrow is back-to-work day. I was on vacation last Monday through Wednesday, and I telecommuted on Thursday and Friday of last week. I wish I could say I wasn't going to be in a billion meetings this week, but I'd be lying if I said that. Also, my boss's last day was last Monday (SURPRISE VACATION PHONE CALL!), so things are going to be a little insane tomorrow.

One at-bat left. Don't get me started.

The Phillies just got a triple. Don't get me started.

The Phillies just scored a run. I have started.

I worked a crew shift at the theatre last night. I enjoyed the shows and devoured a piece of cake, so I'd deem the night a success.

Well, it's time to write some thank you emails to the latest Drew's Crew supporters. My fundraising team has raised $14,701 online. We're in the mid-campaign slump, so I'm expecting us to pick up the pace in the next couple of weeks. Go team!

Okay. I'm gonna post this before the Braves' last at-bat.

Have a swell Monday!

Feelin' lucky

This weekend has me feeling very fortunate. I'm lucky to know the people that I know and to have the support that I have. Drew's Crew is about to hit $10,000 online, which is well beyond where I expected to be at this time. It's especially surprising because the team is still forming and I haven't put a heavy emphasis on fundraising yet. It's really refreshing to see so many people standing behind me and my cause. Let's cure CF! http://www.cff.org/great_strides/drewdotson5267

Now, for the insane part... As I mentioned in yesterday's post, it was my friend BB's birthday. After I finished working my crew shift at the theatre, a group of us went out to celebrate. We went to a bar in Midtown and did some people watching and things of that nature. When we called it a night, my roommate and I got in my car so I could drive us home since I was the DD (double meaning!).

We were chatting and driving on 400 when I saw a car weaving in my rearview mirror. I was in the center lane of the three-lane highway. It looked like it was about to barrel into the back of my car, and it startled me to the point of yelling. Before I could even realize what was happening, I saw the headlights jerk to the left and I started to brake. The SUV then looked to have lost control and headed toward the cement wall that acts as a median. When the car was literally feet from crashing into the wall, the driver must have spun the wheel to the right, and the SUV crossed directly in front of us (perpendicular to the way of traffic). Thankfully, I was shocked into braking, but a car in the far right lane didn't see this happening and we watched the SUV barrel right into the driver's side door of a truck.

Debris went flying like rain onto our car, and both the truck and the SUV started spinning. I slammed on the brakes so hard that we started to fishtail and head straight for the cement wall/SUV that was bouncing off of the wall. How we made it between the two spinning cars without getting hit is beyond me. It was truly like our lives flashed before our eyes. Both scared speechless and shaking like crazy, I tried to make my way to the side of the road as AH called 911. As AH was fielding questions from the 911 dispatcher, I saw the SUV start to reverse (it ended up facing the wrong direction after bouncing off the wall and back toward the shoulder).

The SUV then started riding up the shoulder behind us and I was hopeful that they were turning around to move the car out of the way and wait for the cops. However, given my experience two months ago, I knew better than to trust that someone would do the right thing. I started yelling that the car was leaving and tried to remember how to put my car in drive. As the SUV went by, I yelled out the first three letters of the license plate, but we were both so shocked that neither of us were functioning to the best of our abilities. When I got the car going, I started trying to follow the SUV. The car got off at the first exit so I started to follow, but I'm positive that they could tell that's what I was doing. The person started (or continued) driving like a maniac. For example, we started to get in a left turn lane right behind them at a red light, and they instinctively got out of the turn lane so they could have a green light and cut across three more lanes of traffic to make a quick right-hand turn. At this point, we realized that catching them was hopeless (and probably dangerous), so we decided to head back down the highway to turn around and get back on heading toward the accident.

When we got back to the scene, people were standing outside of their cars and the truck looked even worse than I'd envisioned. There were items from the bed of the truck on the highway and the whole right side of the truck was practically touching the ground. The tailgate was on the other side of the totaled guard rail, and the metal sound barrier past the guard rail was torn up, too. I was relieved to see that the driver's door was opened and that everyone was standing. We then realized who the driver must have been because there was a lady who was clearly in shock and very emotional.

The cop finally arrived a few minutes after we made it back and, once again, I became the witness to a hit and run. The cop said I would be the primary witness since I was in the middle of it and had seen everything happen. He said that I could expect to hear from the detective regarding the case. I wonder if it will be my same detective friend; I'm quite the magnet! As the cop was getting my number, another group of witnesses started trying to make a love connection, but the cop wasn't having any of that.

I couldn't sleep when we finally got home (after 3:30 a.m.) because it was one of those moments that makes you think about how your life can change in a split second. As my roommate and I walked through the grocery store today, all we (mainly I) could talk about was how that could have played out differently. It's times like these when I think about some angels I know who are breathing easy and looking after me. It was such a frightening experience, and I really can't even put into words how grateful we both feel today.

It makes me think about life and, despite the health battles that I face, I'm not exempt from anything. That was one of the scariest things I've ever seen, and I'm amazed that we were so lucky. It's just a reminder that you can do everything right, but you can't control the crazy things that other people might do. There's obviously no need to live a life of fear, but there's a need to live a life that makes you proud.

Love you all.

Whether the weather is cold...

Greetings! It's Sunday! Normally I would be bummed because it would mean the weekend is coming to a close, but, if things go according to plan, it's going to be snowy and icy and we won't have to go to work tomorrow.

It has been a theatre-filled weekend. Yesterday I worked the box office for the kids' show. I performed last night and it was fun. I played Conducted Rap, Sounds Like a Song/Rap, Foreign-Dubbing (as a dubber), Sit Stand Lean Oscar, Buzzer Courtroom (Barbara as the bailiff), and Musical Styles. It was sold out!

Friday night I went out with some work friends (KQ and SS) and we stayed out entirely too late. I had a lot of fun, though. I messed up my sleeping routine, so that's another reason I'm voting for snow.

What else? I'm going to an apprentice celebration tonight. It should be fun!

ROAR ROAR ROAR

It seems like I just wrote, but what gives...

Right now I'm perturbed because I just opened a ridiculous medical bill...and I don't use the term 'ridiculous' lightly. It's amazing that health procedures cost so much money, especially when they're things that I don't even want. I guess it would be one thing if I behaved in a way that brought on tons of medical expenses, but it's sort of lame that something genetic could cost so much money. Normally I don't have a 'why me' attitude and that's not what I'm trying to convey; I'm just saying that it's a shame that all of this money pays for things I'd rather not have. In case it wasn't obvious, opening that envelope was not a good end to my day. But oh well...all of my complaining isn't going to give me a discount, so I should probably stop.

What else? I'm tired. I just finished working lights at the theatre. I am going to sleep like a baby. I guarantee you that.

I'm getting my Cortisone injection tomorrow. PUT IT ON MY TAB. (Side note: I can't really be too bitter about that one because the cornhole injury was an unfortunate accident directly related to my behavior.) Pitiful.

I had a nice Christmas and have had an enjoyable week so far. Aside from the Falcons' loss on Monday and my long complaint-ridden paragraph to start this blog, I really don't have anything to complain about. :-)

My phone is CRAZY!

Sweet dreams. You are awesome.

It's pouting time

I'm in an unexplained bad mood right now. I really can't rationalize it, but I think it's probably a combination of being tired and having a long to-do list. WHATEVER.

Thursday's show was awesome! It was sold out and we got a standing ovation. Hoorah! I was in a straight scene, ABC Buzzer, Emo Second Date (not changing emotions), Meet the Holiday Experts and Oscar Musical. The audience was great and had a lot of energy, so we responded with a lot of energy. I enjoyed myself! 'Tis the season...

Friday I telecommuted for a bit and went into work for another little bit. One of my colleagues (HA!) was having her going away party, so we all went to El Azteca for happy hour. Me, TO, and a couple work friends (KQ and SS) then went to the theatre to watch the show. It, too, was a sellout, so we watched it from the cafe.

Yesterday I made myself useless for a lot of the day and then covered someone's lights shift at the theatre. That definitely wasn't in my plans, but duty called. Soooooo, I stayed up way too late again. I did get a present, though, from ES! I got the Elf DVD (LOVE IT!), some rum (LOVE IT!), and the Jimmy Eat World CD (LOVE THE TRACKS I'VE HEARD!).

I'm pretty sure it's nap time.

Raise your glass

I've become so delinquent on this blog-posting business. Oh well. I'm enjoying myself!

I had a good Thanksgiving. We usually go to my uncle's farm, but that didn't happen this year. I ended up doing a Thanksgiving dinner with my friend (LW) at her husband's parents' place on Thursday night. Even though I missed my family, I had a really great time. It was very low-key and we just pretty much sat around and enjoyed each others' company. The food was delicious, too! I'm thankful for everyone who offered to host me. :-)

After the dinner, I ended up heading to my parents' house as a surprise. I was already out in their direction, so I figured I would show up and spend the night. I spent all day Friday hanging out until I had to head to the theatre to work lights. Then I headed back to my parents' house Friday night and did Thanksgiving: The Sequel with my dad's side of the family on Saturday. Then, I headed to the theatre again to do suggestions for last night's show. Are you getting exhausted reading this? I feel worn out just typing it.

Today I went to my brother's place and watched the Falcons beat the Packers. It was fun!

I'm about to go to sleep. It's really early, but I've had a busy weekend. I've got a big day tomorrow!

It's gonna be a great week, world!

Night owl

Yooooooooooo. Just got home from a crew shift at the theatre. I was supposed to be on camera, but I ended up suggestionizing and camerafying solo because there was a no-show. It was fun! I hadn't seen a main stage show in a good bit. Hoorah!

I performed on Thursday night and was in some fun scenes - Buzzer Talk Show, Spanish-Dubbed Soap Opera, Sit Stand Lean Oscar, ABC Buzzer Beatnik Poetry, and Musical Styles (Reggae, Blues, Country, Rap). I have an official new favorite game of all time: ABC Buzzer Beatnik Poetry. Oh man! That junk is crazy-fun! My mom came to the show (per usual!) and so did two friends (JM and SLW). Baller!

Well, I've been staying up way too late since this whole hospitalization thing. I gradually stay up later and later and sleep later and later. I've pretty much lost all structure to my days, but I'm going to fix it ASAP. I guess this proves that, when I have it my way, I'm a bit of a night owl. I've always thought that I was a cross between a morning person and a night owl, but someone who slumps in the afternoons. I think I prefer being up late versus going to bed early. See? I wouldn't be having this debate with myself at 1:21 a.m. if I wasn't a night owl.

I don't really feel like saying anything else. I could try to recap the entire week, but it runs together. I went to the doctor and it went pretty well, but I need to see the eye doctor and the neurologist. Umm, my roommate and I went to Willy's on Thursday for lunch, but I think I need it again tomorrow (which is now 'today').

Honestly, I just can't believe October is ending. It feels like it just started... Happy Halloween! I don't like Halloween.

If I could turn back time

Don't you wish I would stop quoting songs in my post titles?

I just got home from working my last crew shift of September. Now, that's technically a slight fabrication because I think I'll be helping out at a [repeat] graduation show on the 21st. Either way, it feels good to have that out of the way early in the month. That means I have some full-fledged weekends ahead of me! And, when I say "weekends," I mean "one weekend" because I have to work at homecoming on the weekend of the 24th. I trained someone on lights tonight. I'm not sure how successful I was at training because there was only one show and he didn't really get to practice, but he seemed to get it - the light bulb seemed to go off for him. HAAAAA!

Last night's show (I guess two nights ago now) was a lot of fun! The piano guy was sick, so we had to do it musicianless! That was a first. I played Repeat Scene Direction (masculine, nerdy ninja, schizophrenic), Foreign-Dubbed Soap Opera, Remote Control Styles, ABC Buzzer Cooking Show, and Helping Hands Oscar. It was so much fun! The crowd wasn't gigantic by any means, but they were really supportive and it seemed like everyone in the cast had a blast. It was such a great end to a somewhat stressful [mass-emailing] day. For the first time ever, a patron told me she laughed so hard she cried. SUCCESS!

Today I swam some laps during lunch. I've been soooo horrible at exercising lately and decided I'd give it a whirl today. It was enjoyable, even though I didn't swim all that much. Tomorrow I plan to run for a while. I'm kind of in that chicken-versus-egg-not-working-out-because-I'm-too-tired-but-tired-because-I'm-not-working-out scenario. Time to correct that JUNK!

Tomorrow I have a friend leading a team (SW) at the Great Strides walk at the University of West Georgia. I am so thankful to have an extension of Drew's Crew -- Drew's Crew Two -- representing at the walk tomorrow. I was hoping to make it, but should have requested off from the theatre in advance. I feel loved even though I am supporting from a distance.

Bedtime for me. I'm exhausted. Even though this week was short, it was JAM-PACKED! I got my CT scan done Thursday, but haven't heard back from the doctor. I'm eager to get that sinus surgery on the books.

Good night, world!

Moving picture

Helloooooooooo! It's bedtime! I know it's early, but I'm trying to take advantage of the Labor Day holiday - and my parents' anniversary. This week will be AWESOME if I start it off with some solid sleep!

Well, my hair appointment was successful on Saturday. I got my hair dyed brown with some blonde highlights. I like it so far. We'll see how its unveiling goes at work tomorrow.

Saturday night's crew shift was surprisingly short because the 10:30 p.m. show got canceled. Although it stinks that it got canceled, it was refreshing to finish up earlier than expected. I ended up going out for a few drinks after the show, so I still got home as late as usual (2:00 a.m).

Sunday I slept in until about 11:00 a.m. and then headed to the gym. I spent most of the day being lazy. I did, however, go to a MOVIE! I went to see The Other Guys (with MM), which was pretty funny. I hadn't been to the movies in forever and I really enjoyed it. I didn't fall asleep during it, either, which is an accomplishment for me.

Today was a lazy day, too, but I got to catch up with a friend I haven't gotten to see much this year (ER). Between her endeavors in Israel and my crazy-busy life since she's returned, it was good to catch up. We had some beers at the pool and talked life. It was so good to see her!

Finally, I went out to eat at El Azteca with JM. I hadn't seen her since her BIRTHDAY last weekend, so that was fun, too. It was a Labor Day well-spent.

Now I'm gonna get a solid night's sleep!

He knows my nose

Wow. Wow. I can't believe I haven't said anything in so long. It feels like I was just writing in here... Well, where should I start? HECTIC.

Saturday was a fun day. I slept in and went to the gym. Then, my mom and I went over to my grandmother's house and we all (plus my uncle) went out to eat at El Toro. At one point, my grandmother said, "I had something so hot I couldn't eat it the other day and I thought of Drew. My tongue caught on fire." I don't know why, but it cracked me up. Lunch was delicious!

I worked lights on Saturday night and I'd say it was pretty successful. Aside from a few iffy music cues, I thought it went really well. It was fun and mentally stimulating all at once. Woohoo!

Sunday was lazyish. I slept in (again!) and went to the pool. The weather was actually pretty cool, so I didn't stay out for very long. I came inside and napped on and off for most of the Braves game. The Braves made a MIRACULOUS comeback to win the game, so that left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling!

On Sunday night I dreamt that my front four teeth were messed up. It was almost like they were baby teeth again. The weirdest thing is that I know someone else (MM) who also had a jacked-up-front-four-teeth dream simultaneously. Tell me something cooler than that...

Rehearsal was canceled on Monday since we don't have a show this week, so I ended up going to the Braves game (again!) with ES. The Braves killed it, so I happily improved my record to 6-2; I broke my two-game losing streak, thankfully. Even though I probably shouldn't have stayed out so late on my one night off this week, it was a lot of fun. I wouldn't take it back!

Today was taxing. I went to the ENT for a check-up and it looks to be time for SURGERY. I get a CT scan next week to get the full scope, but it's pretty much a definite thing. This came as no surprise, but I'm still irritated. I also got an email about needing to see a kidney specialist, so add that to my list of nonsense. Summer 2010 will go down in history... I'm ready for it to end.

I worked the camera at a graduation show tonight, which is why I'm still up after 1:00 a.m. on a work night. This isn't my idea of a smart decision, but I've only been home for an hour. The Braves killed it tonight, but the Phillies won, too, soooo... We're up by 3 games, so I'll take it!

Our house. In the middle of the street.

It is late! I need sleep!

I just got home from my first night of training lights at the theatre. It was a lot better than I expected it would be. For one, it didn't take as much out of me as is does when I'm mingling with the patrons. Mainly, though, it was easier than I thought it would be ... probably because my teacher was DA BOMB (KW)! I watched the entire first show and then did (almost) all of the second show with moral support. Awesome!

What else? The stone. I had another bout of kidney stone pain this morning. It wasn't Vicodin-worthy, but it was pain of a there-are-almost-tears-in-my-eyes level. Thankfully I took some ibuprofen and it was pretty short-lived. The anxiety-provoking thing about this is that, now that I know what I'm expecting, I know that the pain should be returning. That is NOT a good feeling! I got some twinges of pain throughout the night, but nothing long-lasting. Let's see how tonight goes!

I had J. Christopher's today. Spinach and bacon skillet in the houuuuuse! It included many things that I believe are on the do-not-eat list, but that's okay. I forgive myself.

Tomorrow evening I have a workshop at the theatre. That being said, I'll probably take it easy all day since the weekend has been a little hectic. I went out last night and was up until about 2:00 a.m., and here I am at the same hour again tonight. What a wild child I am! At least I'm enjoying myself...

The eyelids are heavy, so I better give in and sleep.

zZzZzZzZz

Welcome to Tuesday. I just wrote a blog post and lost the whole thing.

I really realize how pointless my ramblings are when I don't even know if it's worth retyping. Basically all I said was that I could

___

Well, what you see above is what I wrote before work today. Now it's not even Tuesday anymore, I'm tired, and I have no idea what irrelevant information I intended to share this morning.

I'm sure I mentioned how I couldn't sleep last night. I think the whole staying-up-until-dawn-on-Sunday thing put a little wrench in my plan. I was literally in bed for a few hours when I decided I should go ahead and get my morning shower. Then, after that didn't make me tired (at 3:00 a.m.), I decided to do sudoku. DORK! I dried my hair after that and then finally fell asleep for a few hours. I haven't had a night like that in forever. I am really surprised I made it through the day. I'll confess, though, that I had a Monster at about 5:30 p.m.

Today was quite the day. I sat at my desk for all of two hours, and none of that was in a chunk that exceeded 30 minutes. Chunk is kind of a gross word. Anyway, I had meetings from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., followed by sitting in on an interview/discussion for another hour and 45 minutes.

Tonight I was working on camera at a graduation show. I truly had a blast! One of my friends that was originally in my six-month class performed. He and his story are both incredible.

I'm about to start an inhaled antibiotic. It's pretty new to the market, but the doctor suggested that I start on it. She said, and I quote, "It may help stave off a course of IV antibiotics." We can only hope! I want to get my hands on it before I head out of town for the weekend. Yeeehaw!

Well, I usually telecommute on Wednesdays, but I have a training that requires my being in the office, so I'm sure that will be enthralling.

It's like thunda...lightnin'

Well, the weather doesn't exactly look glorious for Shoot the Hooch 2010, but WE WILL PREVAIL! According to the hourly forecast, it's supposed to rain pretty much all day. We'll see where the day takes us, but I'm positive we'll have fun!

So, let's talk about the doctor. Booooooo. Yesterday's appointment with the endocrinologist went pretty well. I have to get about 8 million blood tests done for different things, so I guess I'll be knocking those puppies out on Monday. My bone density has been dropping and they want to check out all kinds of stuff. They also want me to collect my urine over a 24-hour period to see if my parathyroid is jacking up my calcium levels. There is a nice little rhyme that indicates something is wrong with the parathyroid, "moans, groans, stones, and bones." The most ironic thing is that the kidney stone debacle hadn't even happened when I was forced to make this appointment. WE SHALL SEE!

Then, onto the study appointment. Well, we successfully got blood on the first stick today! *round of applause* Basically I sat in a chair and we had a space heater in the chair in front of me blowing right at me. It worked like a charm! Then, onto the dreaded PFTs. I didn't realize the PFTs were dreaded until I saw the results. I last went to the doctor on June 1 - before the travels and the Series of Unfortunate Events. My numbers have dropped pretty significantly in that short time. These are hospitalization-worthy, hands-down, but we'll see if the information is relayed along to my doctor. I don't feel bad enough to warrant going into the hospital, but I do know these are pretty much the worst numbers I've ever seen. Laaaaaaaaame.

Yesterday I had lunch with my friend (ED), her mom, and her brother. It was fun to catch up and eat MEXICAN FOOD! We got kicked out of the restaurant because we're cool like that. And they were also closing for the afternoon.

I operated the camera at the theatre last night. The show was sold out and a lot o' fun.

Off to tackle the Chattahoochee!

You're beautiful

Sing that title like James Blunt sings it, please.

Well, it's late, but I haven't even been home for an hour. Tonight's show was fun. Like I mentioned, it was a private event for a consulting firm. Ironically, when I ran out at the beginning of the show, one of the first people I saw was a person I had a lengthy meeting with the other day at work. He is a member of the alumni board. That was actually extremely shocking, and I could tell he was just as surprised. In the show, I played Conducted Orchestra, Buzzer, Repeat-Scene-That Kind of Family, and Emotion Interview (with a physical characteristic thrown in the mix). I had a lot of fun in every single scene, which felt really great!

Today was a very hectic day work-wise. Yes, I worked from home, but it felt almost busier than if I'd been in the office. When I walked out the door for the show, it hit me that I hadn't even eaten a real meal all day. I'm not saying that like I'm proud, but I'm just surprised that today was that crazy. For the first time ever, I even forgot two of my three study drug doses. I'm not proud of that, either. I did end up using my lunch hour to go to the grocery store today, and I successfully bought a cart of groceries for the first time in at least three months. Pathetic, I know.

I can't remember if I mentioned this or not because my mind is so ... gone, but I have my endocrinologist and study appointments tomorrow. Then I'm heading to meet my friend (ED) for a late lunch. I am pretty excited for the day! It's a little busy for a day off of work, but it will be nice. I work at the theatre tomorrow night, too. Saturday means floating down the Chattahoochee with some really fun people. I soooo look forward to this day!

Well, my voice is halfway gone, which is a great foreshadowing for tomorrow's appointments. I am interested to see where my PFTs sit; the hospital is typical for me in August...

I am feeling a lot of positive energy lately. Heck yes!

One last thing - I had a crazy dream this morning. Sorry to all you cat people. I was walking to my front door and there was a cat staring me down. The cat was gray and pretty fluffy. I noticed as I neared the door that his tail was unattached, sitting next to him. When I got close, he jumped up and tried to bite my hand. I was trying to violently shake him off because it hurt so bad. I ended up hurling him off and the funniest thing is that this happened in real life. I literally woke myself up chucking a pillow across the room. I know that probably doesn't sound as funny as it was, but I could totally see that being a YouTube sensation if it had been recorded.

I'm proud to be an American

I'm pretty bummed that I didn't hear my favorite 4th of July song this year. OH WELL! I guess the radio stations weren't feeling patriotic.

I just got back from watching fireworks with my mom and roommate. I'm actually at my parents' house. After my grandmother's 86th birthday party today, I headed back here with my parents. My mom and I ran by the mall to return a few things and then watched the Braves lose (sadly).

Well, I've been feeling allergy-tastic these last few days. It honestly blows my mind because it's the middle of the summer; it doesn't seem like I should be sneezing with an itchy throat. I woke up in the middle of the night on Thursday and have been coughing more than usual ever since. Oh well...It could be worse; I could have a kidney stone.

What else?! Friday was one of my Summer Fridays and it was a really dreary day. I worked a bit and took several naps. Friday night I went out and ate some Turkish food and then hit up Starbucks. Ahhh! Starbucks! I hadn't really gotten a chance to enjoy a good ol' coffee since I got back in town.

Saturday I got up, worked out, and then headed to meet my sister at the pool. We laid around and talked for a few hours and then headed to El Toro (!) for some lunch. After that, I came home and took yet another nap, which ended up being three hours long. Impressive, I know. The emcee for last night's show then called to see if I could stop by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for ABC Buzzer Cooking Show. I got the oddest combination of things, including candy corn, Vienna sausages, and turkey gravy. I also treated myself to an iced White Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks in Kroger. Oh man! I forgot all about this interaction until right now.

Me: I'll have a grande iced White Chocolate Mocha.
Worker: (messing with register) Grande iced White Chocolate Mocha. Hot or cold?

The show was fun last night. The 10:30 p.m. show was canceled since the holiday weekend has been kinda of quiet. It was a nice treat considering how tired I'd been feeling. I could have lasted the two shows and would have enjoyed myself, but I was EXHAUSTED!

I ran three miles this morning.

I'm riding back to our place with my roommate tomorrow morning. Yeehaw! We plan to spend the day at the pool, so I'm hoping for nice weather!

Waiting is the hardest part

Oh, kidney stone, how I hate thee.

So, this kidney stone thing is getting a little awkward. I get a text/email/call every couple hours asking me if it has passed. As people know, I'm not very shy about much, but it's just kind of a strange topic since it involves human waste and what not. Anyway, as far as my body and my strainer indicate, it is still hanging out inside of my body.

Since I've been fortunate enough to have never experienced this before, I really don't know what to expect. I mean, theoretically, it could be out in a few minutes and everything would be back to normal (excluding the fact that there's another one in my kidney that could choose to jump out whenever it wants). I'm hopeful that it will be gone today, but in my "big picture" mind, I'm already trying to strategize about tomorrow. I feel most secure at home since people aren't here to witness everything, but it's also hard not to leave the house when I'm feeling pretty good. Who knows how much of that has to do with the painkillers, though...

Today I'm supposed to go to my grandmother's for a little birthday celebration for my mom and uncle. The trickiest parts about that are: 1) I'd have to get a ride, 2) packing the strainer is awkward, and 3) I keep dozing off at a moment's notice. I haven't yet decided whether or not I'll try to truck it over there.

I didn't make it to the theatre last night. I was confident that I could be pain-free while I was there, but I'd HAVE to use the bathroom in the time I was there, which would involve bringing the strainer. AND, given that the camera person is literally in the audience, I'd need to guarantee I wasn't going to fall asleep. Thankfully the theatre folks were very understanding and encouraged me to stay home and get better. All I'm waiting on is the "get better" part.

Well, this is going to sound nutty, but I might go try to exercise. I read that activity can help it pass, so perhaps that's what I'll do. The thought of it makes me anxious.

It feels like it's time to take another narcotic, though, because I feel the dull pain returning in my lower right back. The doctor told me to take medicine at the first sign of pain because the oral painkillers only work up until a certain point before IV painkillers are needed. Maybe the exercise thing needs to be moved to the back burner for now. Sigh.

Thank you to all for being so supportive!

Weight a second

Well, today was a fine day. I really didn't experience much pain at all since I kept myself medicated all day. I only got nauseous a few times and truly only felt some minor pain in my back. That pain was nothing compared to yesterday, though.

The weirdest part of all of this is that I am gaining tons of water weight. Since the stone is just before my bladder, everything isn't flowing through quite like normal. So, I literally weigh five pounds more today than I did a full day ago. Isn't that nutty? I feel like I'm pregnant with a Gatorade baby. It will be GREAT when this is over!

The Braves won today after being swept by the White Sox in a three-game series earlier this week. I was relieved to see that!

Today my mom helped me take my car to get an estimate since I am not really up for driving with these medications. It is truly going to be pretty cheap. I've just gotta work out the details surrounding getting to and from places while the car is getting perfected. I'm relieved that this isn't going to be THAT big of a deal.

As of right now, I plan to work at the theatre tomorrow. If tomorrow is anything like today was, I should be completely fine getting out of the house for a bit to work. I'm only on camera for both shows, so that sounds like it could be easy. My biggest concern is just the drowsiness. I seem to have made vast improvements on the pain front, but I don't want to be dozing during my crew shift. I guess I'll make the final decision tomorrow.

I need to go downstairs to get more Gatorade to add to the rest sitting inside my body waiting. This has to be causing hiccups somehow. I've had them about six times today.

Time for some sleep!

You've gotta be kidneying me

Seriously.

I woke up today and got out of bed, ready to head to the gym. After I'd been standing for a few minutes, I was in excruciating pain. Now, though, it was more localized in my abdomen than in my back. I got in the shower to tough it out, and literally couldn't stand. By the time I got out of the shower, I was just in tears. I called my mom and just started bawling like a tiny little baby.

She was headed out to my place and I couldn't take it anymore. She called my sister, who came to get me so that we could get a head start. We went to Emory because it makes it so much easier for the doctors to know everything about me. I was that person in the ER doubled over, crying out in pain. They got me back to a room and my blood pressure was hovering at 160-something over 100-something.

In all seriousness, it was pretty scary. There were moments when I wasn't sure I was going to make it through. I have never been through pain anywhere near this bad at any point in my life. The central theme throughout the day was that "people say they'd rather have a baby than a kidney stone." I was in a room just bawling and yelling at the top of my lungs for more than an hour. Finally they started giving me IV morphine, which worked for a few minutes and then wore off.

At this point a doctor came in, heard the story, and was pretty sure it was a kidney stone. She ordered another painkiller that's good for stones, and got me scheduled for a CT scan. The painkiller did wonders and I was able to lay flat for the first time all day. I went to get the CT scan which showed two kidney stones. One of them has already made it through the toughest parts and is hanging out just before my bladder. The other's just chilling in my kidney.

I got to come home after 10 long hours, and don't really have to go back unless I vomit, get a fever, or have the severe pain again. It's about time for another pain pill. I'm on four different medications while we wait this out, but it should take care of itself. We're just hoping the second one stays put in my kidney. Jerk.

Thanks to everyone for helping minimize the accident drama from last night. Honestly I've forgotten almost all about it since I didn't get to call the insurance company while in the dungeon.

I've already found a crew shift replacement for tomorrow night, and am going to try to wait it out and attend on Saturday if I'm functioning. I know some folks who are on crew Saturday and I bet someone would drive me (!) if I'm still on all of the medicine.

This has got to be the end of this series of events.

Late December back in '63

Guess who hasn't gone to sleep yet?! Guess who isn't going to sleep tonight?! This was not intentional.

Today was such a busy day. Between trying to finalize everything under the sun for work and get ready for this trip, I have been going nonstop all day. I stayed up later than I should have last night, but I think the adrenaline was kicking in because I wasn't feeling tired. This morning I woke up pretty early, too, probably because my body knew how much there was to accomplish today...

DANG! THE BRAVES LOST! They didn't just lose or anything. It hit me that I didn't see any of the game, so I checked the score.

Anyway, I did go to the fitness center for a brief stint today and met a neighbor. That was a highlight of the day because it was the only moment when I forgot how much stuff there was to do. Fast-forward through a day of nonstop work (I am still emailing work people right now) into a crew shift. The camera is officially jacked up, so it was a challenge to train tonight's pupil appropriately, but he got the gist of it. The show was a blast.

Right before the show I was in decision-making mode. Knowing how much stuff I needed to get done when I'd get home at midnight, I made the decision to drink a Monster at 9:00 p.m. for my shift drink. I was tired enough that I never really got a boost, but at least I'm coasting right now. About an hour ago, I had to make another decision - whether to take a nap or not. I started to lay down to take a nap, but then I decided maybe I should truck through. So, I went and unloaded the dishwasher.

I'm very hopeful that everything goes smoothly with our travel arrangements tomorrow. My biggest source of paranoia is all of my medicine. I tried to make phone calls to make sure I have it all figured out, but I'm not sure how effective that was. Let's just say that my study drug looks shady... little homemade-looking packets of white powder. Being the person I am, I would like to be up-front at the airport about all of my medical stuff and what not. However, I don't want to end up going through some ridiculous drama just because I chose to be honest. I'm carrying all of my medicine in my carry-on and I have the best documentation I could get for each of the items. I don't think I will bring anything up unless I'm asked. Once I get through the airport shenanigans to leave, though, I'll have to go through Customs. I hope I'm not in a jail in the Dominican Republic by the time you read this. Maybe I could sue someone and make a lot of money if that happened. I must officially be delirious to be having these trains of thought. Choo. Choo.

I need to make a luggage tag.

I don't feel so hot today, but I know that relaxation is just around the corner. It doesn't help that I've been up forever, but oh well. I might drink an Emergen-C after I finish my morning breathing treatments that I just started. I'm getting picked up in 1.25 hours.

Man! I set up my out-of-office reply a few hours ago. That felt so good! I literally won't deal with work for the next 16 days. BALLER! I know I'm going to have some revelations over the next few days of things I forgot to do, but I'm going to let them slide.

It's weird when an occasion finally arrives that you thought would never get here. It's still a little surreal to me, and part of that probably involves the fact that my brain isn't functioning at its full capacity right now. Wait, I don't think that makes sense. It's not acting to its fullest potential? I would hope its capacity isn't maxed out because I don't feel very smart right now. I am talking in circles.

I hope I haven't forgotten anything. Luggage tag. Luggage tag. Luggage tag. I just finished my breathing treatments, so I guess I'd better pack up my little machine and put it in my carry-on. La. Dee. Da.

I'm gonna miss y'all. I love everyone. Please bail me out of the DR jail.

Oh, and I doubt I'll have access to blog-writing. But I'll try to document each day so that I can write upon my return.