And Sometimes Life Just Happens -

Yesterday I made a schedule so I could make sure I could accomplish all I need to do to be a "compliant" patient and fit everything that needs to be done into a timely fashion. (Because really and truly, there are drug interactions to consider!)

What I forgot is that LIFE happens during treatment! There are phone calls to answer, bills to be paid, garbage to be taken out, cat boxes to empty, friends to chat with, laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, and the ever familiar weekly or bi-weekly medical appointment. I try to multi-task so that I can be frugal both on gas and my energy, and try to fit in an errand when I have an appointment whenever I can.

I will admit I messed up from the get go. Forgot to drink "the shake" for breakfast. Ok. Grace. Grace. Extending grace. Remembered to bring my 10:00 meds to my appointment and didn't even feel weird about whipping them out and gulping them down (although I think I've now sufficiently learned that "gulped" pills do not a happy stomach make.)

I've had some MAJOR issues going on in my life and I've been trying to make peace with some situations such that I am able to respond in a way that makes ME comfortable w/out causing another too much stress. It's really all a variation on the theme of letting go and acceptance, although the hopes/dreams/names of the not-so-innocent change as the situation warrants. I will say being among the Chronically Living has greatly impacted the amount of drama I can handle (very little) and my "bullsh*t quotient," which is now also quite low.

After my appointment I went to the grocery store and noticed how QUICKLY I could shop. Organic produce. Apple cider vinegar. Wild caught fish. OH. And two 2X weekly pill boxes; one green (day) and one blue (night.) I erroneously planned on every month being the February of Leap Year, and only had enough boxes for 28 days. Problem solved. When I load up next month's worth of supplements this weekend I'll be much more prepared and, therefore, much less frantic. I probably won't even cry this time. I was actually rather proud of myself as I'm branching out and trying new salad veggies in my daily "Immunity Salad." And, to be honest, organic veggies are REALLY cool looking. They actually look like they came out of a garden and have green leaves on them and everything (carrots and beets.) I rather smugly lined up to pay for my items while perusing the carts of those around me. Salty snack foods, cookies, beer, cigs, boxed Mac and Cheese and the ever popular Ramen Noodles. CLEARLY these people had never heard the benefits of HEALTHY eating. And then I did that, "STOP, bad thoughts, STOP" thing in my head, because the truth is ... until recent blood work for food allergies and a mandated organic diet by my LLMD, I only THOUGHT I ate a healthy diet. What I actually ate were things that OTHERS claimed were healthy foods. Ok, maybe for them, but certainly not for me! So, inside my head I shut up rather quickly. To pass the time in a line that claimed to be "express," I looked for gum to help relieve that nasty "tin foil mouth" thanks to one of the MAJOR meds I'll be on for a very long time. Well trained now, I flipped over the pack to read the ingredients. Oh my goodness. Who knew? I'm not sure WHY I thought the back of the package would read, "gum," but it didn't. I couldn't even BEGIN to attempt to pronounce those words, even in my head. I felt defeated. I did not buy the gum.

I was blessed by a visit from a dear friend this afternoon who helped me whittle away the hours by helping me make lists (I LOVE LISTS) as well as advise me on some color/design choices for a project. She's a gifted artist and honest to a fault ... I'd have trusted her with my children and I don't say that about just everyone.

At 2:00 she reminded me to take my Activated Charcoal with 32 ounces of water. This is a new one for me so I was actually glad to have the company as I popped the pill, drank the water, and sat on the couch with my stomach sloshing.

I was going to drink "the shake" I was supposed to have at breakfast for dinner. I forgot. But I did eat a green apple and almond butter with my 7:30 meds. That counts. And while I didn't FORMALLY exercise I did walk to the mailbox and back and throughout the grocery store. That counts, too.

But what's NOT going to happen today is that I am NOT going to write about how to remove a tick! WHY? For several reasons. First of all (and pretty darned important) I'm not sure I've ever SEEN a tick let alone extract one. I did carry around a "Tick Twister" on my key chain all last summer out of sheer terror. I even watched a video online about how to use them. I purchased one for each of my sons and tried to nonchalantly do the, "Hey ... just thinking about you and got you this cool lime green Tick Twister thing." I'm pretty sure they thought I was overreacting at the very least. I'm also pretty sure they didn't affix them to their key chains. Whatev. Just don't come crying to ME asking me to dig a tick out of your navel. Ok. That was kind of some dark Chronically Living humor. I'd want them to contact me but I will admit I get squeamish just thinking about it. I'm not afraid of wounded, bleeding, broken boned youth ... but ticks? They scare me. They aren't fixed with a gentle cleaning, hydrogen peroxide, casts or band aids. Not even Super Hero ones which I refused to purchase on general principle. But I wish I had, because to kids a band aid IS healing. But I'm not going to go down the "parental regrets" path. But someday ... remind me to tell you about the Lawyer and his radio rights, or lack thereof.

Yup. I'll try and imbed a link about removing a tick. What I know is more about what NOT to do.

* Don't grab at it with tweezers.
* Don't smoke/burn them.
* Don't break them into pieces. (Like ticks break. As if.)
WHY? Because if you tick them off (ha, ha) they will literally puke their poison Lyme laden guts out into you. You do not want this.

* If possible, take a photo of it on you. (Camera phones have taken "evidence" to a whooole new level.)
* And, if possible, capture it alive and seal it up to take in for analysis.

W/out further fanfare, the Tick Twister video. I am not endorsing this product although I did have one on my key ring ... which made me feel slightly ahead of the curve "aware." And a tiny big environmentally hip. I shoulda bought the Ray Bans.

The link did not imbed.

Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcW3E3jNv8I