I have managed to make progress on my terrifying to-do list. I went in to work this morning shortly after my last post. I got home about 30+ minutes ago. What did I do all day?
graded book reports
graded science presentations
graded math warm ups and quizzes
graded homework packets
entered all grades in the computer
printed grade sheets for each student
printed missing assignment sheets for each student
gather necessary papers to complete missing assignments
gathered materials that need to be photocopied
prepared for a fun "kidney transplant" activity to be done sometime
chatted with a couple of grandmas via cell phone
watched an episode of M*A*S*H (I needed some background noise)
prepared for observation by assistant principal this week
prepared for two observations by mentor next week
I was a busy girl. I am feeling much better having gotten all this taken care of. Tomorrow we start big testing and I can start getting ready for conferences (still a couple weeks off). Now it's time to trade back rubs with the hubby.
*Hmmm. I just looked at my to-do list with the idea of crossing off the stuff that is done, but there's nothing I can cross off. I spent 7 hours at work and can't cross a damn thing off the list. Sheesh.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Blame Amy
1)Starting with your head down to your toes, what health/beauty products have you used/applied to your body so far today? [For example, shampoo, toothpaste, makeup, cologne/perfume, nail polish, etc.]
I have brushed my teeth with Scope (I hate toothpaste) and put on Suave deoderant. On my shower days, I would also have used Suave Humectant shampoo and conditioner. I never apply makeup - just the occasional lotion to soothe any dry skin and Carmex if my lips are chapped.
2. Do you have a ritual when you take a shower, such as washing your hair first or maybe even brushing your teeth in the shower? If so, what? Do you prefer baths or showers?
I like to occasionally soak in a bath, but showers are my daily routine. We have a HUGE shower with great pressure. Very important. I turn on the water to heat up and get my clothes together for the day. I get in and get my hair wet. Lather in shampoo. If the legs are fuzzy, one gets shaved now and the other after the conditioner is applied. Rinse shampoo, apply conditioner. Lather with body wash (same brand/flavor as the lotion above - Pretty in Pink from Vicki's Secret - a student gave them to me last year and I really like the smell.) Rinse body. Rinse hair. Exit. Toweling occurs in this order - face, arms, body, legs, hair. Oh, and a Q-tip afterwards is a must for the ears. I can't stand wet ears.
3. How do you get yourself up and going in the mornings? Coffee? A hot shower? Breakfast? Would you consider yourself a morning person at all? When do you usually get up?
I am a morning person and provided that I have gotten enough sleep, I don't really need anything to get up and go. My typical routine is such:
alarm, feed cats, bathroom, (shower every other day), dress, brush hair/do minimal prep, make lunch, read while eating breakfast, re-brush hair/brush teeth, pack things, kiss sleeping Mikey, head out the door. I am usually up around 6:30 and out the door around 7:30.
4. Do you normally eat breakfast? What do you usually have? Do you usually make it at home or go out for breakfast, or do you prefer not to eat breakfast?
My favorite breakfast is scrambled eggs and chili beans in a tortilla with sour cream. I have been known to grab a yogurt, a couple peices of toast, or some fruit when in a hurry. I cannot eat cereal on a school day because I am famished by 10:30 if I do. When I go out for breakfast, I order an omelet or pancakes. On rare weekends, we actually make pancakes or french toast at home. Messy.
5. What does your alarm clock sound like? A buzzer, music, or something else? Do you ever set your clock fast so that you push yourself to get ready sooner? Are you usually on time, late, or somewhere in-between?
It sounds like the Beep-Beep-Beep alarms you always hear on TV. Every time I hear that in a commercial my brain shouts "Wake Up!" and I get a shot of adrenaline. I have my bedroom clock set 10 minutes fast, which annoys the hell out of my hubby. I don't know why, because I KNOW it's 10 minutes fast and consequently allow myself to sleep 10 extra minutes. If it is something vitally important, I will be 5-10 minutes early. If not, I am usually a couple minutes late. I try to be on time, but it rarely works.
I have brushed my teeth with Scope (I hate toothpaste) and put on Suave deoderant. On my shower days, I would also have used Suave Humectant shampoo and conditioner. I never apply makeup - just the occasional lotion to soothe any dry skin and Carmex if my lips are chapped.
2. Do you have a ritual when you take a shower, such as washing your hair first or maybe even brushing your teeth in the shower? If so, what? Do you prefer baths or showers?
I like to occasionally soak in a bath, but showers are my daily routine. We have a HUGE shower with great pressure. Very important. I turn on the water to heat up and get my clothes together for the day. I get in and get my hair wet. Lather in shampoo. If the legs are fuzzy, one gets shaved now and the other after the conditioner is applied. Rinse shampoo, apply conditioner. Lather with body wash (same brand/flavor as the lotion above - Pretty in Pink from Vicki's Secret - a student gave them to me last year and I really like the smell.) Rinse body. Rinse hair. Exit. Toweling occurs in this order - face, arms, body, legs, hair. Oh, and a Q-tip afterwards is a must for the ears. I can't stand wet ears.
3. How do you get yourself up and going in the mornings? Coffee? A hot shower? Breakfast? Would you consider yourself a morning person at all? When do you usually get up?
I am a morning person and provided that I have gotten enough sleep, I don't really need anything to get up and go. My typical routine is such:
alarm, feed cats, bathroom, (shower every other day), dress, brush hair/do minimal prep, make lunch, read while eating breakfast, re-brush hair/brush teeth, pack things, kiss sleeping Mikey, head out the door. I am usually up around 6:30 and out the door around 7:30.
4. Do you normally eat breakfast? What do you usually have? Do you usually make it at home or go out for breakfast, or do you prefer not to eat breakfast?
My favorite breakfast is scrambled eggs and chili beans in a tortilla with sour cream. I have been known to grab a yogurt, a couple peices of toast, or some fruit when in a hurry. I cannot eat cereal on a school day because I am famished by 10:30 if I do. When I go out for breakfast, I order an omelet or pancakes. On rare weekends, we actually make pancakes or french toast at home. Messy.
5. What does your alarm clock sound like? A buzzer, music, or something else? Do you ever set your clock fast so that you push yourself to get ready sooner? Are you usually on time, late, or somewhere in-between?
It sounds like the Beep-Beep-Beep alarms you always hear on TV. Every time I hear that in a commercial my brain shouts "Wake Up!" and I get a shot of adrenaline. I have my bedroom clock set 10 minutes fast, which annoys the hell out of my hubby. I don't know why, because I KNOW it's 10 minutes fast and consequently allow myself to sleep 10 extra minutes. If it is something vitally important, I will be 5-10 minutes early. If not, I am usually a couple minutes late. I try to be on time, but it rarely works.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Pity Him
This is an actual conversation that occured in my house yesterday while we were putting away dishes...
- - -
Mikey: There's no more room for glasses.
Me (looking into the cabinet): WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? That's not the way the glasses go*.
Mikey: I couldn't remember how they went because there were none in there when I started**.
Me: You couldn't remember? After 3 years of having them exactly the same, you couldn't remember?
Mikey: Nope. But they'll work this way.
Me: Yes, they will. Which is why I won't make you fix them.
- - -
And every time I have opened that cupboard since then I have had to restrain myself from rearranging them. It has been an excellent exercise in self-control. I would feel sorry for him, except that he knew exactly what he was getting into when he married me.
*Yes, there is a "way" that thing go in my kitchen. It has been carefully arranged for ease of use and clean-up.
**This is from the same man who can't wash more than ten dishes at a time because he can't manage to stack them in a way that won't eventually collapse under its own weight.
- - -
Mikey: There's no more room for glasses.
Me (looking into the cabinet): WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? That's not the way the glasses go*.
Mikey: I couldn't remember how they went because there were none in there when I started**.
Me: You couldn't remember? After 3 years of having them exactly the same, you couldn't remember?
Mikey: Nope. But they'll work this way.
Me: Yes, they will. Which is why I won't make you fix them.
- - -
And every time I have opened that cupboard since then I have had to restrain myself from rearranging them. It has been an excellent exercise in self-control. I would feel sorry for him, except that he knew exactly what he was getting into when he married me.
*Yes, there is a "way" that thing go in my kitchen. It has been carefully arranged for ease of use and clean-up.
**This is from the same man who can't wash more than ten dishes at a time because he can't manage to stack them in a way that won't eventually collapse under its own weight.
Good Morning...
I hope that you are all having a great day. I don't have anything to tell you, just wanted to wish you a happy and productive weekend full of laughter and enjoyment. Peace.
Friday, October 29, 2004
TGIF
Ways to make teaching difficult:
- have a helicopter land on school grounds, accompanied by members of the DEA and a drug sniffing dog
- have a party
- invite the cheer/dance/flag/band squads from the nearby high school to do a pep rally
- have a week of rainy/cloudy/drizzly days
- give them candy
- ask kids to sit still for a 90 minute assembly
- give them caramel apples
- attempt an art project
- get close to Halloween
How to make one day feel like a week:
- do all the above on the same day
- have a helicopter land on school grounds, accompanied by members of the DEA and a drug sniffing dog
- have a party
- invite the cheer/dance/flag/band squads from the nearby high school to do a pep rally
- have a week of rainy/cloudy/drizzly days
- give them candy
- ask kids to sit still for a 90 minute assembly
- give them caramel apples
- attempt an art project
- get close to Halloween
How to make one day feel like a week:
- do all the above on the same day
Thursday, October 28, 2004
If Only
If I were going through the bored-out-of-my-tears process of healing during the month of November I would be participating in NaNoWriMo. Not because I am a good writer or because I have any particular aspirations to author-dom, but because this morning, in the shower, I came up with the BEST idea for a sci-fi story. Seriously. Since the chances of me ever actually writing it are negligable, and since I trust you all implicitely, I will share the idea that could potentially make me a wealthy and famous author. Be sure to mention me in the credits if you steal it.
Here's the deal. It is many years in the future. Everything is pretty much the same. Life goes on...except every once in a whilea person under great duress performs a feat that is technically "impossible". Not just out of the ordinary...really, physically, scientifically impossible. A man desperate to get to a last chance interview before it is too late manages to slow the passage of time until he can get through a snarl of traffic. A woman bring her stillborn child back to life with the power of her denials. A child decides to fly away from an abusive situation, and does it...literally. Things are getting wierd.
The world's top scientists start researching and manage to pinpoint the moment in time when these impossiblities started becoming reality. After a bit more research, they learn that this is the same moment that "a devestating event" (not exactly sure what, but I suspect it has to do with WMDs) occurs. It turns out that everyone - the entire population of Earth was killed in that instant. However, following the premise of so many stories before, those inflicted with death don't realize that they are so inflicted. They go on with their daily lives as before, unaware that anything has changed. And since they all died at the same time, there was no one to notice the shift (aside from the initial feeling of queaziness and disorientation that was shrugged off so casually).
Eventually, it is postulated that what they have been taking for reality for so long (like, 50 years or something) is, in fact, nothing more than a mass hallucination. Or perhaps a figment of a collective imagination. As with any theory, there are believers and non-believers. The trouble is that the believers, suddenly accepting the facts of their own death, immediately puff out of existence. This solidifies the theory with any non-believers who were leaning on the fence and they become believers...and puff out of existence...convincing more non-believers...you get the drift.
In traditional ripple-effect form, people begin puffing out of existence more and more rapidly. Eventually, you are left with a small collective of individuals, who would of course spend many pages discussing what lies on "The Other Side". These folks are struggling to maintain even the basics of their created reality - since the small number of minds leads to a large number of inconsistencies and gaps. Eventually, they decide to give in to the reality of their own deaths, puffing out of existence (and into some unknown), at which time the Earth returns to its own reality. The story ends with a discription of a formerly war-torn, devestated planet showing the first signs of growth and re-birth.
Oh...and if you do steal it...I want a copy of the final product. Thanks.
Here's the deal. It is many years in the future. Everything is pretty much the same. Life goes on...except every once in a whilea person under great duress performs a feat that is technically "impossible". Not just out of the ordinary...really, physically, scientifically impossible. A man desperate to get to a last chance interview before it is too late manages to slow the passage of time until he can get through a snarl of traffic. A woman bring her stillborn child back to life with the power of her denials. A child decides to fly away from an abusive situation, and does it...literally. Things are getting wierd.
The world's top scientists start researching and manage to pinpoint the moment in time when these impossiblities started becoming reality. After a bit more research, they learn that this is the same moment that "a devestating event" (not exactly sure what, but I suspect it has to do with WMDs) occurs. It turns out that everyone - the entire population of Earth was killed in that instant. However, following the premise of so many stories before, those inflicted with death don't realize that they are so inflicted. They go on with their daily lives as before, unaware that anything has changed. And since they all died at the same time, there was no one to notice the shift (aside from the initial feeling of queaziness and disorientation that was shrugged off so casually).
Eventually, it is postulated that what they have been taking for reality for so long (like, 50 years or something) is, in fact, nothing more than a mass hallucination. Or perhaps a figment of a collective imagination. As with any theory, there are believers and non-believers. The trouble is that the believers, suddenly accepting the facts of their own death, immediately puff out of existence. This solidifies the theory with any non-believers who were leaning on the fence and they become believers...and puff out of existence...convincing more non-believers...you get the drift.
In traditional ripple-effect form, people begin puffing out of existence more and more rapidly. Eventually, you are left with a small collective of individuals, who would of course spend many pages discussing what lies on "The Other Side". These folks are struggling to maintain even the basics of their created reality - since the small number of minds leads to a large number of inconsistencies and gaps. Eventually, they decide to give in to the reality of their own deaths, puffing out of existence (and into some unknown), at which time the Earth returns to its own reality. The story ends with a discription of a formerly war-torn, devestated planet showing the first signs of growth and re-birth.
Oh...and if you do steal it...I want a copy of the final product. Thanks.
In Print
The Article was published today. On the front page of section B in our local paper was a whole column about my, my kidney, and my class. The kids were thrilled.
...a group of fourth graders at...
"HEY! That's us! We're in the paper!"
The article was well written and accurate. The author, John Hunneman, always takes a very humane, thoughtful approach to his stories and this was no exception. He listened carefully to what I said and brought out (what I think to be) the most important aspects of the whole situation. I was particularly happy to see that he quoted me as saying,
"One of the reasons I wanted to become a teacher was to have an effect on people's lives...Maybe this will teach my students it's important to be nice to each other and help each other. Maybe this will help them learn there is more to life than big cars and Nintendo."
I couldn't have said it better myself. Oh, wait...
BTW - I saved a copy of the article for myself and one for each household that contains a parental unit. I will either mail them to you, or (more likely given the number of things I have to do) bring them to MN with me and pass them on in person.
...a group of fourth graders at...
"HEY! That's us! We're in the paper!"
The article was well written and accurate. The author, John Hunneman, always takes a very humane, thoughtful approach to his stories and this was no exception. He listened carefully to what I said and brought out (what I think to be) the most important aspects of the whole situation. I was particularly happy to see that he quoted me as saying,
"One of the reasons I wanted to become a teacher was to have an effect on people's lives...Maybe this will teach my students it's important to be nice to each other and help each other. Maybe this will help them learn there is more to life than big cars and Nintendo."
I couldn't have said it better myself. Oh, wait...
BTW - I saved a copy of the article for myself and one for each household that contains a parental unit. I will either mail them to you, or (more likely given the number of things I have to do) bring them to MN with me and pass them on in person.
Tired. So Very Tired.
I am feeling just the tiniest bit overwhelmed by all the things I have to do before Thanksgiving...
*prepare my students for end of trimester testing
*complete report cards and parent/teacher conferences
*have 1 formal observation from my assistant principal
*have 2 observations from my BTSA mentor
*develop 3 weeks' worth of plans for a sub
*clean house and arrange for cat-sitting for the nearly 2 weeks we'll be gone
*get my oil changed and new tires put on my car
*participate in the time honored tradition of trying to get out of jury duty
*mentally prepare for the day when I give someone else a part of my very own body
I'm going to bed. Wake me when it's over. :)
*
*complete report cards and parent/teacher conferences
*
*
*develop 3 weeks' worth of plans for a sub
*clean house and arrange for cat-sitting for the nearly 2 weeks we'll be gone
*get my oil changed and new tires put on my car
*
*mentally prepare for the day when I give someone else a part of my very own body
I'm going to bed. Wake me when it's over. :)
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
A Date
The surgery is scheduled for Monday, November 29th. I have to be there for pre-surgery preparations on the Friday before. We're working on arranging travel plans and I am hustling my butt to get ready for 3 weeks of being gone. Wish us luck.
**OOPS - Thanks to Kathy for catching my not so little typo...hope no one was freaking out! :)
**OOPS - Thanks to Kathy for catching my not so little typo...hope no one was freaking out! :)
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Hell's Lawn
From an e-mail that someone I have never met got from someone I have never heard of:
"For love, you visit. You visit hell, if you have to. And if they throw you out of hell, you wait on hell’s lawn, indefinitely."
Hell, yeah. Right on.
"For love, you visit. You visit hell, if you have to. And if they throw you out of hell, you wait on hell’s lawn, indefinitely."
Hell, yeah. Right on.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Snack Attack!
Apparently hearing that I had a very low sodium level was all it took to convince my brain that I needed to eat nothing but pretzel sticks for days. Perhaps if I were to remove the Bag O' Temptation from my desk where it is easily accessible as I check my e-mail in a post-school snacking frenzy I wouldn't be close to finishing off the bag.
Fame
So, the room mom in my class has notified the local paper about my kidney donation and someone is coming during my prep tomorrow to interview me for a local interest column. Yikes. And I thought I could just do it and the only things people would care about was that I was missing school. I'll let you know how it goes.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Family AND Friends
I finally put my finger on the peculiar feeling of dread/discomfort that accompanied learning of my cousin's death. I have been sad for the obvious reasons, but there was an odd, unrecognizable aftertaste that hung in my mind each time I thought about him - beyond my regret that I couldn't attend the funeral - more than just my dismay at not getting to know him better in past years.
As I ended a conversation with my father this afternoon, I asked him to hug the surviving sister for me. It was all I could do to say goodbye without bursting into tears, for I suddenly realized that this poor girl was mourning the loss of a brother. A BROTHER. Not someone she saw occasionally at family gatherings. Not a distant relative that she read about in holiday newsletters. The boy she grew up with, the only person to share parents and upbringing with her, is gone.
Even now, I want to cry thinking about this. I can't imagine how I would go on if one of my siblings died. I know that I see them only rarely - half a continent seperates us - and I know that I don't talk to them nearly often enough, but I think about them on a daily basis. They are an elite few who truly understand who I am and where I come from. I am so proud of each of them and so amazed that 4 people who are so completely different can be so tightly bonded. And of course, being the oldest, I feel a certain amount of responsiblity and obligation when it comes to their well-being. Losing them would be losing a charished and vital part of myself. I can only imagine a pale reflection of what Kelsey must be going through.
I am so, so sorry for her loss. And so profoundly greatful that I was able to call each and every one of my siblings today. We talked about the weather and our parents and each other and jobs and all the mundane little things that make up our lives. I wish I could say that this attention to them would remain strong. Unfortunately, it often takes a shocking loss to make us appreciate that which is with us every day. I will keep this in mind as long as I can.
As I ended a conversation with my father this afternoon, I asked him to hug the surviving sister for me. It was all I could do to say goodbye without bursting into tears, for I suddenly realized that this poor girl was mourning the loss of a brother. A BROTHER. Not someone she saw occasionally at family gatherings. Not a distant relative that she read about in holiday newsletters. The boy she grew up with, the only person to share parents and upbringing with her, is gone.
Even now, I want to cry thinking about this. I can't imagine how I would go on if one of my siblings died. I know that I see them only rarely - half a continent seperates us - and I know that I don't talk to them nearly often enough, but I think about them on a daily basis. They are an elite few who truly understand who I am and where I come from. I am so proud of each of them and so amazed that 4 people who are so completely different can be so tightly bonded. And of course, being the oldest, I feel a certain amount of responsiblity and obligation when it comes to their well-being. Losing them would be losing a charished and vital part of myself. I can only imagine a pale reflection of what Kelsey must be going through.
I am so, so sorry for her loss. And so profoundly greatful that I was able to call each and every one of my siblings today. We talked about the weather and our parents and each other and jobs and all the mundane little things that make up our lives. I wish I could say that this attention to them would remain strong. Unfortunately, it often takes a shocking loss to make us appreciate that which is with us every day. I will keep this in mind as long as I can.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Testing Day 2
Once again, I was required to fast for my first test of the day. I had to eat my final meal before 6 pm and avoid all food and water after 10 pm. This would have been bad enough, but I also had to drink a big bottle of lemon-flavored laxative. At about 1:00 am, I woke up and spent about 30 minutes in the bathroom. I will leave the rest of the details to your ample imaginations. Needless to say, this - coupled with the fasting - left me quite dehydrated. This is where the excitement comes in.
My first test was a CT scan. For those who have never experienced a CT scan, you lie down on a big table and they move the table back and forth through a big circle (looks a lot like a Stargate). They needed to inject a much larger amount of contrast solution so they could see the parts that they wanted to get images of (kidneys, ureter, bladder, etc.) so they had to insert an IV port. For some reason, the port needed to be in my right arm which is NOT my good arm for injections and draws. The veins in that arm only show themselves after I have been working out heavily. The first attempt (in my elbow pit) didn't even catch a vein - I suspect it nicked one though, because I still have a bruise there.
The nurse then decided to try my right hand, which would have been fine, except that she said, "It's harder to get these ones in because they roll." Gee, thanks. I needed to hear that shocking lack of confidence just as you were aiming a needle at me. Between the nerves and the dehydration and the minor pain and the being tensed up and not breathing the way I should, I managed to nearly pass out. I didn't faint, but I must have gotten pretty darn white, because I had the undivided attention of every nurse in the room. One was holding my feet up, one was holding a cold rag to my forehead, one was grabbing the blood pressure cuff (after I told her that my BP drops dramatically in these situations), and several others were watching and asking how I felt. It was quite embarassing. Eventually, I managed to bring my BP up high enough that they would believe me when I said I felt fine. I headed over to have my CT scan.
The IV in my hand was hurting the whole time they prepped me for the scan. When they were going to hook me up to the contrast solution I mentioned how sensitive it was, so they decided to move it to my elbow again. After yet another needle stick I was ready for the scan. It involved lots of lying on a table with my arms over my head. I had to hold my breath each time they took an image. The worst part was when they inflated the little balloons strapped to my abdomen. I think they were supposed to prevent the contrast dye from travelling too quickly, but it mostly just felt like they were jabbing straight through me. I had a hard time staying still during this part. After they got all the images they needed, I had the IV removed and headed out to the series of meetings I had scheduled.
First, I met with the hypertension nurse, who explained the results of my blood tests and my 18 hour BP eval. Next, I talked with my coordinator briefly. We talked about scheduling and she made sure I didn't have any questions. After a break of a couple hours (occupied with window shopping and feeding our faces), we went to a little educational class. They summarized all the info that everyone else had given me in the last 2 days. We got to watch a DVD of an actual kidney removal. It was facinating. Finally, I met with the nephrologist again and he gave me the final "go ahead" after looking over the results of all the tests.
There you have it. The entire two days of testing to be a kidney donor. My hope is that someone who plans to do this in the future will read this and now what to expect, because I didn't have a clue. To anyone who is worrying about these tests, I just want to tell you that it is not bad. I whine and complain about the fasting, but it was really not bad at all.
My first test was a CT scan. For those who have never experienced a CT scan, you lie down on a big table and they move the table back and forth through a big circle (looks a lot like a Stargate). They needed to inject a much larger amount of contrast solution so they could see the parts that they wanted to get images of (kidneys, ureter, bladder, etc.) so they had to insert an IV port. For some reason, the port needed to be in my right arm which is NOT my good arm for injections and draws. The veins in that arm only show themselves after I have been working out heavily. The first attempt (in my elbow pit) didn't even catch a vein - I suspect it nicked one though, because I still have a bruise there.
The nurse then decided to try my right hand, which would have been fine, except that she said, "It's harder to get these ones in because they roll." Gee, thanks. I needed to hear that shocking lack of confidence just as you were aiming a needle at me. Between the nerves and the dehydration and the minor pain and the being tensed up and not breathing the way I should, I managed to nearly pass out. I didn't faint, but I must have gotten pretty darn white, because I had the undivided attention of every nurse in the room. One was holding my feet up, one was holding a cold rag to my forehead, one was grabbing the blood pressure cuff (after I told her that my BP drops dramatically in these situations), and several others were watching and asking how I felt. It was quite embarassing. Eventually, I managed to bring my BP up high enough that they would believe me when I said I felt fine. I headed over to have my CT scan.
The IV in my hand was hurting the whole time they prepped me for the scan. When they were going to hook me up to the contrast solution I mentioned how sensitive it was, so they decided to move it to my elbow again. After yet another needle stick I was ready for the scan. It involved lots of lying on a table with my arms over my head. I had to hold my breath each time they took an image. The worst part was when they inflated the little balloons strapped to my abdomen. I think they were supposed to prevent the contrast dye from travelling too quickly, but it mostly just felt like they were jabbing straight through me. I had a hard time staying still during this part. After they got all the images they needed, I had the IV removed and headed out to the series of meetings I had scheduled.
First, I met with the hypertension nurse, who explained the results of my blood tests and my 18 hour BP eval. Next, I talked with my coordinator briefly. We talked about scheduling and she made sure I didn't have any questions. After a break of a couple hours (occupied with window shopping and feeding our faces), we went to a little educational class. They summarized all the info that everyone else had given me in the last 2 days. We got to watch a DVD of an actual kidney removal. It was facinating. Finally, I met with the nephrologist again and he gave me the final "go ahead" after looking over the results of all the tests.
There you have it. The entire two days of testing to be a kidney donor. My hope is that someone who plans to do this in the future will read this and now what to expect, because I didn't have a clue. To anyone who is worrying about these tests, I just want to tell you that it is not bad. I whine and complain about the fasting, but it was really not bad at all.
Testing Day 1
I spent Sunday night fasting (food and water) so I could be ready for my blood test first thing Monday morning. And when I say "first thing", I mean it. We were up at the clinic at 5:50 am. The Mayo clinic has a different desk for every possible test/procedure you can need. This means you have to first track down the desk in The Amazing Medical Labyrinth, and then sit in a waiting room each time you need something done. There is no multi-tasking there.
The first desk got my signature regarding insurance and sent me to the second desk where I got my schedule for the two days. There were at least 14 appointments on it. They gave me a brief (and LOUD - why have the other patients stand back for privacy reasons if you are going to shout so they all can hear anyway?) rundown of the days' events and sent me on my way.
The first appointment was a typical blood draw. I wanted to take the nurse who did it home with me so she could be my regular Vampire Lady. The one I have now is awful. I would love to get blood drawn and NOT look like I was a heroine junkie afterwards!
The second appointment was a renal function test. Of course, this was scheduled right after I have been fasting for about 12 hours, so I had to chug the water pretty hard for awhile. This was okay, since I was practically dying of thirst! They set me up in a little room, injected a small amount of contrast solution into the back of my arm and told me to wait for an hour. Not as bad as it might seem. They provided me with a nice warm blanket, my book, and a bottle of water. Mikey was there to keep me company, too. When they got back, I had to pee into a bucket and give some blood. I then waited another 45 minutes and repeated. Not so bad, except for the starving part. Luckily, I had a short break at this point and managed to grab some food from the hotel breakfast.
Next, I met with a nephrologist for my general medical exam and a surgeon for a basic discussion about the surgery. (Two different desks in two different parts of the clinic, of course.) This was followed by an ECG. This was quick and painless, although the gel pads were cold and sticky. I then headed to yet another section of the building to meet with a nurse who hooked me up to an 18 hours blood pressure monitor. Although this didn't hurt, it was annoying as all get out. The thing went off every 10 minutes and each time I was supposed to sit or stand still until it was done. It also made my arm sweaty.
My last test was a chest x-ray, taken by a very nice man who didn't really seem to know what he was doing. In fact, I had to go back a second time to redo one of the pictures. The most difficult part of this test was figuring out how to put on the paper gown, which had 3 - yes, 3 - arm holes. Being a clever girl, it only took me a minute to solve this little puzzle.
Mike and I then met with a social worker (she didn't really seem to know what she was doing either, but she was very nice as well) and answered questions about my support system (great), my work (great), the amount of pressure I was getting from people to donate (none), and whether I can afford to miss work (yes). This meeting ended at about 4:00 pm. Neither of us had eaten a decent meal all day and both of us were exhausted, so we headed back to the hotel for a nap and dinner.
So ends Day 1 of the testing adventures. Stay tuned for Day 2 - by far the more exciting day.
The first desk got my signature regarding insurance and sent me to the second desk where I got my schedule for the two days. There were at least 14 appointments on it. They gave me a brief (and LOUD - why have the other patients stand back for privacy reasons if you are going to shout so they all can hear anyway?) rundown of the days' events and sent me on my way.
The first appointment was a typical blood draw. I wanted to take the nurse who did it home with me so she could be my regular Vampire Lady. The one I have now is awful. I would love to get blood drawn and NOT look like I was a heroine junkie afterwards!
The second appointment was a renal function test. Of course, this was scheduled right after I have been fasting for about 12 hours, so I had to chug the water pretty hard for awhile. This was okay, since I was practically dying of thirst! They set me up in a little room, injected a small amount of contrast solution into the back of my arm and told me to wait for an hour. Not as bad as it might seem. They provided me with a nice warm blanket, my book, and a bottle of water. Mikey was there to keep me company, too. When they got back, I had to pee into a bucket and give some blood. I then waited another 45 minutes and repeated. Not so bad, except for the starving part. Luckily, I had a short break at this point and managed to grab some food from the hotel breakfast.
Next, I met with a nephrologist for my general medical exam and a surgeon for a basic discussion about the surgery. (Two different desks in two different parts of the clinic, of course.) This was followed by an ECG. This was quick and painless, although the gel pads were cold and sticky. I then headed to yet another section of the building to meet with a nurse who hooked me up to an 18 hours blood pressure monitor. Although this didn't hurt, it was annoying as all get out. The thing went off every 10 minutes and each time I was supposed to sit or stand still until it was done. It also made my arm sweaty.
My last test was a chest x-ray, taken by a very nice man who didn't really seem to know what he was doing. In fact, I had to go back a second time to redo one of the pictures. The most difficult part of this test was figuring out how to put on the paper gown, which had 3 - yes, 3 - arm holes. Being a clever girl, it only took me a minute to solve this little puzzle.
Mike and I then met with a social worker (she didn't really seem to know what she was doing either, but she was very nice as well) and answered questions about my support system (great), my work (great), the amount of pressure I was getting from people to donate (none), and whether I can afford to miss work (yes). This meeting ended at about 4:00 pm. Neither of us had eaten a decent meal all day and both of us were exhausted, so we headed back to the hotel for a nap and dinner.
So ends Day 1 of the testing adventures. Stay tuned for Day 2 - by far the more exciting day.
My Trip
The overall trip to MN was very enjoyable. I got to visit with my father and my step-mother, as well as my cousin (the future recipient) and her hubby. We did lots of eating out, lots of lounging around lazily, and quite a bit of watching Clerks: the Animated Series on DVD. The flights were good and the hotel room was good (even though they didn't have the hot tub working). I managed to get my hair colored like I had been planning. The non-medical stuff was all pretty typical. Just the way I like it. Stay tuned for more detail about the actual reason I was there.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Tidbits
I am 100% in agreement with this political rant from MomBrain.
I am eating pretzel sticks and root beer for dinner. And that doesn't bother me. Unless Mikey makes ravioli. Yum.
Here's the current hairdo.
This shows the color pretty well, with the obligitory beam of light.
Here's the new me.
And here are some pics of the kitties.
That's the baby on top of the door. This is his latest trick. His next trick will be figuring out how to get down. Stupid cat.
Zazzy likes to sit in my chair. She has the cutest face!
Huzzah is our big boy. Really big.
I am eating pretzel sticks and root beer for dinner. And that doesn't bother me. Unless Mikey makes ravioli. Yum.
Here's the current hairdo.
This shows the color pretty well, with the obligitory beam of light.
Here's the new me.
And here are some pics of the kitties.
That's the baby on top of the door. This is his latest trick. His next trick will be figuring out how to get down. Stupid cat.
Zazzy likes to sit in my chair. She has the cutest face!
Huzzah is our big boy. Really big.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
In Brief
I have tons to say about the testing that was recently done, but I am exhausted both physically and mentally at the moment. But I do want you to know that I have been given the official "Green Light" by the nephrologist. This means that we are now waiting for them to schedule the surgery.
Oh, and I dyed my hair red. I will post a picture as soon as I get around to taking one. Probably this weekend. :)
Oh, and I dyed my hair red. I will post a picture as soon as I get around to taking one. Probably this weekend. :)
The Big Stuff
My cousin, Kyle, died in his sleep last night. Although his life had by no means been an easy one, it still came as a shock - completely unexpected. Please send healing thoughts to his mother, father, and sister, as well as a prayer of guidance for him whereever he may be.
There are many, many thoughts running around in my head tonight, but I am incapable of gathering them into coherent sentences. I am swamped by thoughts of the past, when I knew Kyle better, the present, and the numerous dramatic things that are happening in our family, and the future, wondering if I can possibly ever be greatful enough for all that I have. I just keep coming back to this one thought...
Life is just too fucking strange.
Peace be with you, Kyle. We love you.
There are many, many thoughts running around in my head tonight, but I am incapable of gathering them into coherent sentences. I am swamped by thoughts of the past, when I knew Kyle better, the present, and the numerous dramatic things that are happening in our family, and the future, wondering if I can possibly ever be greatful enough for all that I have. I just keep coming back to this one thought...
Life is just too fucking strange.
Peace be with you, Kyle. We love you.
The Little Stuff
What a craptacular day. Maybe it is coming down off such a good day that made it seem worse, but this was not a day I want to remember for long. It all started first thing in the morning...
1. Stomach cramps nearly kept me from work. I was on my way out the door when I actually had to lie down on the floor and curl up in a ball to get through one. This has happened to me before, but not on a day when it was so vital that I go to work.
2. Something in my inner ear was thrown off by the airplane or the listening to music through headphones on the airplane or something. I have had the dizzies since we landed last night. I turn my head to look at someone and the whole room sways.
3. My class full of angels, who were very well behaved for the sub - praise all that is good, were not so angelic for me today. Their little halos were definitely tarnished, what with all the talking out of turn and wandering around the room and telling me what to do. I actually had someone say, "Do you want me to tell you how Mrs. T (the sub) got us to be quiet?". Um. NO. Who's class is this anyway?
4. My head has been throbbing off and on all day.
And that's just the little stuff.
1. Stomach cramps nearly kept me from work. I was on my way out the door when I actually had to lie down on the floor and curl up in a ball to get through one. This has happened to me before, but not on a day when it was so vital that I go to work.
2. Something in my inner ear was thrown off by the airplane or the listening to music through headphones on the airplane or something. I have had the dizzies since we landed last night. I turn my head to look at someone and the whole room sways.
3. My class full of angels, who were very well behaved for the sub - praise all that is good, were not so angelic for me today. Their little halos were definitely tarnished, what with all the talking out of turn and wandering around the room and telling me what to do. I actually had someone say, "Do you want me to tell you how Mrs. T (the sub) got us to be quiet?". Um. NO. Who's class is this anyway?
4. My head has been throbbing off and on all day.
And that's just the little stuff.
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