Dawg Tired

Good for you!!!

I was living in Montana when I got sick.... I ended up coming home to Missouri! There was a doctor listed on a different website who was supposedly familiar with this condition.... but he must have been kidding!!!!! He let me know it was all in my head.

County? Federal? Mine was federal....

If you click on any items "bid now" link, go to that page, then, in the upper right corner, in the blue box, you can click on the "view sellers other items.... That will give you a page of all of the items, and a link to e-mail if you want to go that route....

It is better to go ahead and file if you think there is **any** chance that, in the future, you might need it. It is also my recommendation that you get a lawyer from the beginning.... If you do not file soon enough, and you put it off too long, you will be ineligible. My husband only avoided that deadline by a month because he kept putting off filing - then was in denial.... Was it worth it?? Well.... my employers LTD insurance cut me off after 6 months so now the ONLY income in the house is SSDI - so, yes, it was!

Do you think that maybe she looks at the other board but maybe doesn't come over here?

AAACCCKK!!!!! This comes up the same day I accused the kitty of doing something in the fireplace.... Fortunately, He didn't get punished, I just cleaned out his litter box really good. About a month ago I kept thimking I smelled something dead in the kitchen. Hubby is convinced (Okay, I am too!) that I have Olfactory hallucinations....

It was Monday. One of the worst Mondays in memory. Hubby and I walked in the door at 6:30 PM and the light on the answering machine was blinking, I hit the button and as the machine whirred I picked up a pen and some paper to write down any info. The first message was from Hubby's brother-in-law, regarding a family funeral that was coming, there was a message from a friend of mine wanting an opinion of a job she was looking at, and then came "Hi, you don't know me, my name is Mary. A friend of mine gave me your name. We had a wedding planned here at 7 PM but our preacher had an emergency and had to cancel at the last minute; could you, by chance, come preform the ceremony for us? My number is ***-****." I wrote the number and Hubby yelled from the next room, "Did that lady REALLY call looking for someone to do a wedding?" I laughed and told him that he had, indeed, heard right. He popped his head around the corner from the bedroom, "Well, I guess so....." I said maybe a wedding would be a happy way to end such a crappy day. So I called her back. "Hello, this is Rick's wife, he said if you still need someone to do the wedding he would be happy to help you" "REALLY??? Hey, everybody, GET DRESSED!!!!! We FOUND A PREACHER!!!! Oh, thank you, thank you!" I got directions to their home. I got out Rick's tuxedo and a shirt and tie then went and changed into a dress. We were out of the house by 6:45. Rick worried about the car being dirty - it has been sitting under the carport and it is dusty. We turned off of the highway and started watching for street numbers, this lady said she was next door to where one of our friends used to live so we had a general idea. We looked over each mailbox, she said they had a blue house with black trim..... Finally, the street numbers told us we had passed it up, so Rick turned around. Then, in the tall weeds there was a rusty mailbox with the proper street number so we turned down a dirt track - so much for worrying about the dirty car. There, about 1/4 mile off of the road, was a blue trailer. We pulled up at the end of a line of trucks and vans, the doors were open on one truck parked under a tree and Trace Atkins was loudly declaring he would put his boot.... well, you get the idea! At the back of the truck stood two men, one had long blonde hair and was wearing a shirt with the sleeves ripped out like Larry the Cable Guy. He came forward and introduced himself as James. Rick introduced us and James told us that everybody was inside. But there were about 7 or 8 assorted children running around outside - mostly playing with a pit bull that James introduced us to also.... her name was Dina.... (Don't forget James OR Dina...) So we went through the gate in the chain-link fence - someone had parked a van much too close to the gate but that fact, too, will come back into the story at a later time. Rick and I climbed the rickety steps into the trailer - up on the deck that had no railings and, preceded by several of the children, went into the trailer. There, in the kitchen, upon a barstool, sat the bride. In her white dress.... In her BIG white dress..... Her BIG white dress complete with crinoline underskirt and train.... sitting on a barstool and behind her was her friend, Mary, who had called us looking for a preacher. Mary, standing behind her friend in the big white dress with the crinoline underskirt and train, had a cigarette hanging off of her lips that bobbed dangerously every time she spoke, but she was not about to stop her task - she had a curling iron in her hand and she was carefully making banana curls in the long hair of her friend who was wearing the big white dress.... Rick almost immediately choked on the thick smoke in the room, but Mary cigarette still in place, was loudly thanking him. He spied the marriage license laying on the counter top and picked it up. CMT was playing on the TV, they were playing videos. Several teenage girls were running all over the room, attired in what appeared to be prom gowns. Mary was also wearing a prom gown of uncertain vintage. The bride was on a cell phone telling someone that she was SO happy - that they were going to just go get married by a judge but then decided to have the BIG wedding she had always dreamed of. Rick spoke to the bride for a few minutes then a man came out of a bedroom wearing a black suit that was a few sizes too big, a white shirt, no tie, and a pair of brown cowboy boots. He also introduced himself as James.... Okay, now I will tell you that the bride's name was Gayla, too. So Mary stood there, working on her friend's hair for a while longer then she picked up a small tiara from the counter and put it carefully on Gayla, too's head and then picked up a much-loved bridal veil (it had obviously been in the kid's toy box and had holes in it!) and put on her friend's head. Gayla, too immediately smiled and, getting up from the barstool ran into the bathroom to look at herself. Shania Twain came on CMT with the "Forever and Always" video... all activity ceased and the volume was turned up. Gayla, too was misty-eyed. Mary was talking to one of Gayla, too's sisters. "Oh yeah, that's my wedding dress. I got it out of the closet and it was YELLOW!!! So I thought what the **** and i put the **** thing in the washing machine on the gentle cycle and just look at how nice and white it is!!" Satisfied that she was the most beautiful bride ever, she turned her attention back to the cell phone. She was trying to reach her dad to walk her down the aisle. But apparently he was not able to be there. Her boss and his wife were there and her boss told her he would be honored to do it so that was settled. I went outside to wait for the big event. As I reached the bottom of the steps I was introduced to Samson... the rottweiler.... don't forget him, either! I went through the gate out into the yard, Rick and James the groom were walking around trying to decided just where to hold the ceremony. There were now, about 25 people in all in the yard. One of the girls in a prom dress came out carrying a boom box. She sat in the only chair in the entire yard and told everyone that the wedding would start..... So, she started playing the Shania Twain CD and the door of the trailed opened and out came another girl in an old prom dress... then Mary in her prom dress .... then Gayla, too .... in her BIG white dress with the crinoline underskirt and the train. Two of the girls in prom dresses walked behind her, carrying the train. Remember the van that was parked too close to the gate? Well, there were also bags of trash, and apparently, James-not-the-groom had made a last-minute effort to clean up the yard in anticipation of the BIG wedding.... and on top of the trash bags was some rusty chicken wire. So, through the gate, threading her way between the van that was too close and the rusty chicken wire, came Gayla,too.... Over the strains of Shania singing "Forever and Always" came Mary's voice, "Don't drag the train through the oil spots on the driveway!!!" So, since it was on command, the girls -in-prom-dresses who were carrying the train lifted it up even higher than it was to begin with.... good thing the BIG white dress had a crinoline underskirt. So, safely through the gate, the van parked too close, over the oil spots and past the rusty chicken wire, Gayla, too joined her boss and together they traversed the yard and arrived at the spot where Rick and James-the-groom waited for them. Along with Mary and James-in-the-ripped-off-sleeves. Apparently he was the Best Man. Rick began the ceremony.... the couple exchanged vows then he paused for "their song".... Again we heard Shania sing "Forever and Always". During the song Dina and Samson decided to escape the yard and James-the Best-Man had to run catch the dogs and put them back in the yard. He got back in his place among the wedding party and the song was still playing. The couple were standing facing each other with a dreamy look in their eyes, but the sun was going down and it was hitting her full in the face. Rick leaned slightly forward and said, "If you love her you will lean a bit to your right and shade her face." James-the-groom obediently did. James-the-best-man said,"Man, how long does that song last, anyway?" Rick said, "Um, I think it's called "Forever and Always". They all laughed. Finally the song ended. One of the ladies in the yard, who was wearing a purple polyester pantsuit had her hands in the air, lips moving, saying a silent prayer. The couple exchanged rings, he pronounced them husband and wife, then Gayla, too asked him, "Can I throw my bouquet now?" He told her she could do whatever she wanted so she turned around and tossed it. Two of the girls-in-prom-dresses had a brief tug-of-war. One of the girls brought the marriage license out of the trailer and Rick filled out his part of it. He poses for a few photos. I tell him it is time to go hime.... he decides to stick around a while. Well, okay..... 30 minutes later - the cake has not been served yet, he has been mauled by 2 dogs an several children, and now James-the-groom accosts him with the story of Dalton, their 3 year old son. It seems that between the 2 of them they have 7 kids.... Gayla, too had her tubes tied - but still got pregnant with Dalton.... so Rick was being regaled with detailed stories of Dalton's conception and delivery.... I let Rick squirm for a while since he didn't listen to me when I suggested we leave, so, he deserves it, right? I finally said I was not feeling well so we left.... and laughed all the way home!

I have a Yahoo! e-mail account - they seem to have the very best spamguard around. If I am doing anything at all that isn't strictly personal I use that address. For instance, I use that address on the website where my book is advertised. That way it is a "blind" account that no one can possibly access personal info off of. If I do get unwanted mail on it - which is rare - I click the "mark as spam" button at the top of their page.

Oh, I watch them, and enjoy most of them. But he records all the reruns and crime shows on the satellite ALL NIGHT..... I mean, I would like some, Fraiser, Nanny, Golden Girls.... Just something else once in a while!!! P.S. I have now hauled 2 five-gallon buckets of dirt out of the fireplace - it is lovely with candles in it!

Ok, So... Since I had a ham in the freezer from a hog we were given last year and only a few months to go until we will have another I decided to bake the ham for Father's Day breakfast tomorrow at church. I woke up this morning feeling absolutely like crap so I went back to bed after a bowl of cereal and giving Hector a drink of milk since he was hugging the fridge.... And I got back up about 9:30 am - still feeling like crap but maybe not quite as bad. But I HAD to get the ham into the oven so I got it out, decided to bake it in the big ol' cast iron skillet and I placed the ham in the skillet (the whole thing was sitting on the granite-topped kitchen island) and I got out the "Honey-Praline Ham Injection Kit"..... It's a Southern thing, for those of you who are not familiar with such. Now, one would think that since I was a nurse I could operate a ham injector - I was confident this could be done easy enough - after all, a ham will not squirm, holler, gripe, yell, or bite (I used to work at a dog kennel....) So, Following the directions, I scored the ham with a sharp knife and then cut a VERY attractive checkerboard pattern in it then I attached the injector needle to the syringe, stuck the business end into the supplied honey jar and tried to draw up the glaze. Nope, it didn't work. On closer inspection, the honey was much too thick to be drawn into the syringe. So I put it in the microwave and nuked it for 30 seconds, took it out, swirled it around and repeated the process.... Ok, this should work. I tried again. OK, I could now draw up the honey into the syringe and I stuck it into the ham and pushed the plunger. A stream of honey shot out of a hole in the ham, shooting through one of the nice checkerboard lines - right into my purse which was sitting on the nearby kitchen table - OPEN!!! Ok - I was GOING to WIN!!! I drew up more honey (I would address the whole honey-in-my-purse thing later) and shot the ham again, all right - things were going smoothly. I continued on, then, as I was shooting it for hopefully the last time - I got a stream of honey that went straight up toward the ceiling fan.... Ok, I don't know if any actually got ON the ceiling fan or not - I still have not got up the nerve to look. So, at last the ham was in the oven. Phew! Still feeling like death warmed over and exhausted, I stretched out on the couch. Now Hubby has a captive audience so he makes me watch 3 hours of crime shows he has recorded (He thinks I should be interested in them...) So, at last the ham is done and I took it out of the oven, put in cupcakes I was making for tomorrow too. A couple turns in the oven and I have all of them baked. I took a nap for about an hour. I got up, put the ham on the cutting board to slice it and I hear a loud banging - Hubby decided (after 2 years!) to take the board off of the front of the fireplace. When we bought this house the fireplace had been sealed off - we know it has been sealed off at least since 1972. And today, while I am up to my elbows in honey praline ham - he decides to remove the boards.... Ok, so, I go in to check this out and there is a HUGE bunch of dirt, ashes and who knows what else in the bottom of a surprisingly huge firebox in this old fireplace. And he grins at me, "Ok honey, you can put the candles in now!" (Y'all know he has a head injury, right????) Ok, so, now exhausted, in the middle of the fibromyalgia flare I have been fighting with for the past 4-5 days, I have made cupcakes, baked a ham, and now I have the bottom of a fireplace to clean out.... a fireplace bottom that has not seen the light of day for 35 years or so!!!

Back in the days when I was working.... (In the last century it seems like!) I worked for a blood center for a while. We recommended people take Geritol when they couldn't tolerate the prescription iron supplements. It does not taste too good but I have tasetd a lot worse! It will also raise your hemoglobin level quicker than a lot of things. I know, Geritol has been around forever... but there is a reason for that! I worked for an ob-gyn who would recommend to the pregnant ladies that if the prenatal vitamins made them sick to take 2 Flintstones with Iron every day. I can tolerate them MUCH better than a regular multivitamin.

I fainted during a deliberation of a Federal Grand Jury..... Hubby laughed about recieving a call from the Federal Marshall telling him to come get his wife! Fortunately, the assistant from my dentist's office was serving with me and she knew exactly what to do when I slid from my chair and hit the floor.... I was not only excused - they gave me a letter excusing me for at least the next 5 years! Believe me, if you faint on them - they DO NOT want you!

I am so sorry. It seems like so many things are happening to you in such a short period of time. Perhaps the universe knows that you are able to handle it - and that you are the best person there is to help your friend at this time in your life... I wish I could give you a big hug and tell you that it will be all right - but those aren't assurances that any of us here on earth can give. Please know you are in my prayers - you have so much value to the world and so many talents to share. Maybe because you are so intelligent you have such an inner strength - but you are so exhausted that the exhaustion is clouding your judgement.... You have a lot on your plate so TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!!! Love you! Gayla

I think my tachycardia causes my dizziness and the fatigue.....

I don't think that would work.... because, obviously - we DO more work that most of them do! Hubby was approved in August 2004 for his SSDI. The Lawyer sent us to a collection agency when they didn't have their money by December - because we had not seen a single penny from them despite multiple phone calls. I finally got a congressman in ANOTHER state to inquire. It seems that the person assigned to handle his case had quit-been fired-retired... who knows what? But anyway it was assigned to someone who DID NOT EXIST! Finalli in February 2005 we got a check. No apology - nothing from the attorney - who COULD have handled this for us. Nope, WE are too efficent to work for them!

When I am very symptomatic I sometimes cannot speak and other times my speech is slurred like I am drunk.

Lysol spray.... I can use it on window screens, spray it on them and the places they frequent - it's amazing! The generic does not seem to work as well and for some reason the smell makes me sick but the name-brand Lysol does a wonderful job!

I, too, have the extreme dryness. I am 47 and take HRT due to a hysterectomy. When I tried Wellbutrin it got unbearable! I use a lot of lotions and it seems I have to always be carrying a water bottle - I bought a purse that has a special pocket for it. I have a friend with Lupus/Sjogren's Syndrome - she developed it at an early age... we have a lot of the same problems.

Yes, the book was published last November and I mailed 2 autographed copies today to be put in the auction. It looks like we have some great things coming in! Love the jewlery!!

My books are going out today - looks like we are getting some really nice things!

We are meeting once a month, the 4th Tuesday at 7pm. I had good feedback on this first one so I hope we can grow in numbers! Thanks for your encouragement!

My initial denial took from September 2002 to May 2003.... I finally got it through - after the ALJ hearing - in October 2004. I did not get my first check until January 2005.

Last night was the first meeting of our HopeKeepers group. I have never started a suport group before so I was nervous. We had 7 people attend! I found that pretty amazing since, lately, on Sunday we have only been having 13 or 14 people at church. My husband (head injury) and I (NCS) were there along with 2 other couples and a woman. We had a very good discussion and I did the "spoon theory" (??) exercise to demonstrate what it is like to live with a chronic illness. One couple came to our house afterward and the wif said it had never occured to her before what it must be like to deal with the fatigue. Her husband has a head injury from a car accident and she is constantly pushing him to do more... So, I feel like it is a positive start.

It's a cat's life! click on the link - it's a photobucket video of my cat.