HIDDEN BIGOTRY

Have you ever met one of those people who think they are really self aware but really aren't? I spent some time with one today. This person, we will call her G, kept telling me how she to along with all kinds of people and worked with all types of people. Then G would say the most bigoted comments. I heard: that Asian speaking person really does understanding English, he is just acting that he does not understand me so he doesn't have to do the work. How ignorant is that? Could it be that the Asian person doesn't understand what you are saying or the context in which you are saying it? Or how fast you are speaking (I am famous for this). I speak horribly fast.

I want to shake them and tell them how unaware they about their our own intolerance.

Until tomorrow...

PASSED MY SECOND EXAM!

I found out today I passed my second exam on animal rescue. It was really hard. Well it isn't really on animal rescue but on Incident Command Systems. Basically what that is is the method of setting up the command centers when there is an emergency. Remember the last emergency? Sandy or Katrina (why are they always named after women?) You see the white tents and all the people in the vests? Those are the people who are running the incident command center. I am studying how to set that up, who is in charge, and what forms get filled out. It is quite complicated.

I have one more test to go. It is quite taxing and SO much to remember. All this on top of the drill we will be running in a week and a half.

On another note: I went to see my crohn's doc today and we discussed my health. My gut is sore right in the area where crohn's acts up. I am hoping this doesn't mean a flare is coming soon. We discussed how to manage during stressful times. We got off on a tangent and I have been forbidden to eat at buffets. I am not a buffet eater to begin with but with bacteria running rampant and e-coli, salmonella, etc. buffets are out. She is worried I will end up with something I can't fight.

Until tomorrow...

ANIMAL RESCUE EXAM #2

Today I spent almost the whole day studying for the second animal rescue exam. It had an interactive study guide with sample exam questions and then the exam. Most of the questions I knew the answer to but some I had to look up. Then the final question. I had no idea the answer to the final question. I didn't even understand where they got the question from. I searched the whole study guide and could not find the subject matter anywhere. Finally, I took a wild guess. It was a four answer multiple guess question. I knew that two of the four answers where incorrect so it was a 50/50 guess. I need to get 75% correct in order to pass. I figure I have a good shot.

I have one more test. The test today was harder than the one I took last week. I sure hope the next test is not harder than this one.

Until tomorrow...

ANIMAL RESCUE TRAINING DAY 3

At today's training we went from station to station learning the different tasks at the different stations. We need to learn the different stations because in two weeks we will be setting up a rescue station and manning it. They are going to assign each of us our task for the drill so I don't know what I will be doing.

They also took our photos for our ID cards.

My back was feeling fine until I got home. Then I needed to take a muscle relaxer and lay down for a while.

I still have two tests to go tomorrow I will do the next one.

Tonight was supposed to be movie night but everyone had something else to do or was out of town or sick. So Brenda and I watched Flight.

Until tomorrow...

BACK PAIN DECREASES

I woke up this morning and my back felt much better. I was very surprised. After the pain I was in yesterday I couldn't believe I wasn't in horrible pain again today. I took it slow taking a shower and getting my shoes on, then I went off to a clients. I was only going to work for a couple of hours but I was feeling good so I worked a few more. All without medication.

Then when I got home I decided to make some dinner and the pain set in. I took a muscle relaxer and of course a few hours later I fell asleep while watching TV. Now I am writing this post and thinking of taking a pain killer and going to sleep. Last night I took one and had a hard time sleeping until about 3:00 am. I kept waking up. I hope tonight I will sleep all night.

Until tomorrow...

ANOTHER DOCTOR VISIT

I woke up this morning and the left side of my back hurt again. Only this time it hurt worse. I could barely stand, it hurt so bad. This time it wasn't just in spot like on Monday. This time it was the whole area from under the shoulder blade to the top of my hip. It is weird because it doesn't hurt along my spine like you would think. It is all in that fleshy part. Even the shower water hurt.

I went to my previously scheduled physical therapy appointment but told her NOT to touch my back until I figure out what is wrong with it. She very carefully worked on my neck.

I called my doc first thing when they opened and got an emergency appointment. I also found out the test results from the urinalysis test on Monday: negative. No kidney infection. Good news.

I went to see the doc and he poked and prodded and decided that I have probably tweaked (technical term) my L1 and T12 vertebrae and pinched a nerve along a muscle that runs laterally. Which is why I feel no pain along my spine. But just to be safe he sent me down for X-rays just to make sure I have not fractured my spine. We all know what a delicate flower I am. There was a LONG line at x-ray so that took a long time. (This diagram is from http://ctspinedisc.blogspot.com/2012/03/transition-areas-of-spine-what-are-they.html)

Now I am on pain killers and muscle relaxers. There are no more anti -inflamatories I can take. I can't tolerate Motrin or Celebrex. So, now I am sitting here waiting for the relaxer to relax me. At bed time I will take the pain killer. Last time I took Vicodin it didn't do anything for me, so I don't hold out hope there. I do hope the muscle relaxer will help my neck too!

Until tomorrow...

DOG LICENSE

Today I renewed Happi's dog license. It is a strange form. The main question it asks s whether you want to renew the dogs license for one, two or three years. Now, if you read my blog you know I have a strange, dark sense of humor. When I read a form that asks me if I want to renew my dog's license for one, two or three years I immediately go to a funny place.

Now I have a decision to make do I pay for one year, two years or three years? How healthy is Happi? She is seven years old. It s almost like a morbid gamble. I don't want to over pay. i check off three years and years later I get a renewal in the mail. Then I would get all sad if Happi is no longer with us.

On the other hand, I don't want to under pay and have to renew each year. Seems like a waste of time. What a dilemma. And what if your dog was ill. Would you only get the license renewed for one year? Would that be a bad omen?

After all this I sent in a check for three years. I took a gamble that our lovable and faithful Happi will be around for at least three more years.

Now before I get nasty posts, this mostly all tongue in cheek. Of course I would always get my dogs license for as long as I could. I want my dogs to be around as long as I can.

Until tomorrow...

DOING SOME COOKING

I got home late tonight so I needed to make a fast dinner. I had some rice already made and I mixed that with some veggies and beans and tossed it in a bell pepper with some soy cheese. Voila! Dinner.

Then I decided to make some Zoku pops. This time I used my new Zoku tools and put some strawberry slices in the pops.

It makes a really cool and tasty Popsicle.

On a side note, I passed my first animal rescue test! Yay! Two more to go.

Until tomorrow...

RACK OF RIBS

This morning I woke up and I had a horrible pain in my lower left back. I waited a few hours to see if it would go away but it didn't. So I called the doc. My doc is on vacation and the doc that was subbing for him told me to come by at 2:45. Boy, 2:45 didn't come fast enough!

At the appointment the doc probed and pushed and decided that I have a bruised rib. How did I get a bruised rib? I have no idea. She had me go down and get a urinary test too just to be sure it was not my kidneys.

She also didn't order x-rays to see if my rib was broken because I have had enough x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, etc.

So I sit here in pain. I can take Tylenol if I want but that is about it.

Now, if someone could tell me how I bruised my rib, you win the prize! Can the water coming out of a hot tub jet bruise a rib? If so, that could be the winner! Other than that, I can't figure it out. On Sunday I went food shopping then spent the whole day studying and taking a test for the animal rescue course, took a hot tub, then watched TV. Nothing physical.

Until tomorrow...

SORE HIPS

Last night my hips got really sore from all that standing around at the drill yesterday. I have come to realize that standing is way more difficult for me than walking. Walking hurts after a while but I get significantly more sore from standing for long periods of time. Like when we went to Disney, I had a hard time standing on the lines waiting for the rides. I think it is the pressure of bones on bones when standing around.

This morning I didn't feel much better than yesterday. After running some errands and taking my first online test for my animal rescue class, I went in the hot tub. I felt much better after soaking for a while. I brought a magazine with me so I would stay in for a while and really soak my aching bones. I have to say I am feeling much better.

I am sure tomorrow, I will feel much better than today!

The test for the animal rescue course was much more difficult than anticipated. It also took much more time than I thought it would. I have two more tests so I better get cracking!

Until tomorrow...