Let’s do the twist…

Ever since early December, when I had my first in a recent series of back flare ups, I’ve been searching for a good back doctor in Houston. (I really need to get some Houston readers for some recommendations…anywho.) I had an appointment with one on January 2, the earliest I could get in. She gave me a prescription for physical therapy (again) and sent me on my merry way. On my way out the nurse gave me a list of places that I could go and that the therapy center would give me a call in a few days. Now, I’m not one to interrupt the process before it’s determined it doesn’t work. I waited for my call. As the waiting was occurring, I was also packing. Now the mayhem begins.

I have no clue where I put the script for the therapy. My golden ticket to go down the path of pain relief. I was a bit panicked but not to worry, just call the doctor’s office, right? Talk to a nurse. Get a fax. It should be easy when someone is trying to be proactive in getting relief to get what they need. Royal wrong. I’ve called once a week for the last three weeks to try and get on track with therapy. They can’t fax it. They can’t even get to my file. They’ll mail it to me once the mysterious person who can get to my chart finds it and magically makes a copy and mails it to me. OH! And, they have no record of ever contacting the physical therapy location.

Not to worry my lovelies! I was not idol in my time. I took it upon myself to get an exercise ball, some good back videos (yoga and ball exercises) and looked up various websites that had exercises that I could do in the comfort of my own home. Now, before you worry about me not being able to do the steps/positions/poses correctly, I’ve been in therapy before and kinda kept up with it between sessions…so I’m pretty sure (99.98%) that I’m doing the exercises properly. And, I have had a bit of relief…not close to 100% but better than nothing. The only parts of my body that are not happy with me are the ones in my arms and legs. But, that’s because they’ve been on a long extended vacation and I’m trying to slap their lazy asses (or mine) into shape.

By the way…I highly recommend you check out this website, Zombie Workout, if you need motivation to get your ass into shape!

Inevitably…

Every time B does laundry, I don’t touch it – HATE doing laundry, Miss Sassy La Rue must supervise him closely. Especially if he’s folding clothes. She snoops, stares, watches every tuck and fold. And waits for the inevitable.

B will leave my clothes out on the bed for me to put away, those that are not on hangers. This mainly consists of t-shirts, jeans, undies and the pile of mismatched socks. Miss La Rue will wait for the warm pile of cotton to be placed on the bed, waits for the lights to be turned off and then she pounces on her prey! She’ll tumble and twirl until cat hair has covered every bit of clean clothing and it’s coated to her satisfaction. When that daunting task is complete, she’ll nest in an unfolded pile and sleep because she’s so tired from performing her laundry duties.

Yes, I need to get in their quicker but sometimes I don’t even see B stealthily take clothes into the bedroom. I can’t help it if Project Runway has engulfed me to the point that I don’t pay attention to things around me. The other disconcerting thing is that Sassy doesn’t want there to be photographic evidence of her doings. What would you, her adoring fans, say if you saw her behavior? I will one day, succeed and catch her in the act…not merely walking in on the evidence and a tale flicking from under the bed.

Planning, part two…

Now, with a little enthusiasm (and I mean little – thank God I had coffee before going shopping) we have this weeks DELICIOUS menu:

Sunday: Stew with 10-grain bread
Monday: Apple Cider Pork Chops with Risotto (I’m a risotto WHORE!)
Tuesday: Chicken Picatta with garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Sushi night! Yay because we didn’t get to go last week, I had to work late.
Friday: Quiche Loraine
Saturday: Steak Night

And, for my lovelies, are a few pics of what came out of the kitchen last week…

Black Pepper and Garlic Pita chips, for snacking:

Sausage Rolls (They came out a little sloppy):

Shrimp, Asparagus and Shitake Risotto:

Enjoy! ***Oh, if you need menu ideas, stop over and look at some other menus at Organizing Junkie***

Dependency…

I know from time to time on this blog I will hark the wonderful meds that I have for my back. And they are good, to an extent, but I do try to use them cautiously, addiction runs in my family. I don’t want to be the one that had it all and lost everything due to an over familiarization with narcotics.

Unfortunately, the last few days I’ve had to take more of those pills just to function. Not because I’m addicted but because my back has been wretched. I didn’t go to work today due to the fact that I only could sleep approximately two hours last night. I’ve even tried to take naps today, to no avail. Even my wondrous drugs could not crack the pain that is my coursing through my back, down my legs, into my toes and back up to the base of my neck. The drugs only mellowed me and allowed me to accept the pain but in no way alleviated it. But, it also took little bits of me away, making me loopy, flighty and unable to concentrate on even minor tasks. This happens when I take the heavy hitters or the trifecta as I call it. An anti-inflamatory, a muscle relaxer and a pain reliever. I have various degrees of them all and yesterday I was on max cocktail. But because of my fear, I documented every time I took something and how much, so there would be some record that I could reflect on, after the episode, so I could assure myself that I wasn’t abusing. I also make a conscious decision to inform B of when I’m taking and typically what I’m taking and why. But, he knows I’m in pain. He sees my inability to stand, walk normally and the muscles spasms that wrack my body during these episodes.

When you grow up watching someone abuse, you get scared that you too will fall into that pit. And, when that someone has a very similar situation that was the catalyst to abuse, you get paranoid. To the point of going to the doctor and leaving without a script because you don’t want the MD to presume that the only reason you’re their to see them is to get more drugs. I can understand the physicians concern, I’m twenty-nine. I’m not supposed to hobble or walk hunched. I’m not supposed to have co-workers remark that I LOOK like I’m in pain. But, I can’t get a doctor’s appointment when I’m in pain, because the orthopedist/neurologist has a six week wait. So, on the appointed date I walk in to the appointment normal with a beautiful gait, SUPERMODEL, and I’m not wracked in pain. And, going to an ER, sitting in an uncomfortable chair and waiting three to eight hours for them to tell me to see said neurologist and give me the drugs, I that I already have, doesn’t help come to a final solution.

Also, my other fear is that my back situation has progressed into the realm of the heavy injections. Needles that are measured in inches to a foot in length or worse surgery. It’s the proverbial rock and a hard place, and all I want to do is climb up and out.

Alive…

Yes, I’m alive and kickin’. I may have only worked two days this week but these two days are beating me up and spitting me out. I hope your week is great, fabulous and filled with lots of love. As for me, I’m crashing on the couch and waiting for a new episode of Project Runway to start.

Feel free to join me.

Avert your eyes…

(Especially, Deb and Jocelyn.)

Alright, I’m showing you the areas that are somewhat presentable. I’m not showing you the bedrooms due to the guest room currently being a junk storage area and the master bedroom having massive laundry piles in every corner. Those piles are where socks come to mate because before we moved I couldn’t find a sock to save my frozen toes and now every sock I’ve ever owned since age four has been found.

Anywho, on to the grand tour!

Livingroom (my computer is the one in the very corner – yes, that’s where this magic happens):

Dining/B’s Office (yes, he has DUAL MONITORS, I’m jealous):

Ms. La Rue inspecting:

AND, for the BEST PART OF THE WHOLE APARTMENT…….THE KITCHEN!

Another fab kitchen view (before the move):

Now, you know why I have such an orgasm when we found out that this unit was available for us to move into. If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen caressing every piece of granite, stainless steel and slate.

Planning…

I have my menu for the week ready to go. I think. I hope. Right now this is what my ambitions are set upon and I actually bought ALL of the groceries we’ll need to accomplish it. Please nothing spoil in my fridge, please! (I’m famous for buying veggies that are ripe and on the cusp of starting their own civilizations.)

Okay, since you all are waiting with bated breath, here goes:

Sunday: Risotto with shrimp, asparagus and shitake mushrooms
Monday: Rosemary and lemon marinated chicken breasts with roasted zucchini, yellow squash and potatos
Tuesday: Sausage rolls with fried cabbage and onions
Wednesday: Roasted tomato sauce with orchietto pasta
Thursday: SUSHI NIGHT! (no, I’m not excited)
Friday: Pork chops with roasted apples
Saturday: Either New York strip or go out, we’ll see.

And, I’m cooking enough for most nights to have leftovers for lunch. I’m really looking forward to cooking this week, in my new kitchen. Can you hear the angels singing because of my joy??

By the way…

(Two posts within hours, I know – CRAZY!)

It’s back on the food monitoring, weight posting, me going nuts (hence NUTCASE!) all over again. Nope, not just for the wedding, but to finish the goal I set out for myself. I’ve completed every goal that I’ve set that had true importance in my life.

- Move out of my parents house before marriage. Check
- Graduate from college. Check times five.
- Find someone who makes me truly happy and loved. CHECK!
- Lose enough weight to wear non-plus size clothes. Check.
- Be at a healthy weight and sustain it. Ummmmmmmm

That last one, it means a lot to me. Just as much as food does. I need to find a happy medium between the two. So, you’ll be reading about me whining about portion sizes and I’ll be reading your comments chewing my ass out. And, together will celebrate the accomplishment.

Hit me…

With your best shot, FIRE AWAY!

I am a Guitar Hero III goddess. And, I’m kicking B’s ass on the Wii version of the game. I’ve never been one into game systems until the Wii came along. I mean it was fate. How else do you explain walking into a Target, one month after the console release, and buying the system off of the shelf with no fuss or muss? And, in the last year, I’ve played Wii Sports, Mario Party 8, Poker, and a host of other titles, most requiring you to sweat a little to accomplish your cartoon characters goal. Wii boxing will cause you to SWEAT, bring towels.

So, if anyone needs me, I’m working on my Santana cool, metal head banging and preparing to take over the faux guitar world.

It is finished…

Contracts have been signed and a date has been set. A dress has been purchased, colors picked, invites designed and now it’s time to sit back. The only pressing issues are registering and mailing out invites. A month before the whole dealio will be a slew of decisions but until then, I’m done.

Oh, I have to buy shoes. Darn. And, if any of you come across darling white, flat sandals, send them my way.