Ok, so all the medical problems I've been experiencing have now affected even the way I eat! Before this, I have always been fairly blessed in the eating department- I could eat what I wanted, when I wanted. But now, with mysterious weight gain and severe pain after eating, I realized something was gonna have to give. I also got put on some prescription medication for the pain and bloating (pills to be exact- which I despise with all my heart).
Anyway, those pills are actually doing some good...however, the effect doesn't last as long as my day. On an average weekday I'm up by 6:15 and don't go to bed till around 10:30 or so. I started out taking the pills first thing in the morning before eating breakfast at work. But I soon realized that by late afternoon (when I want to be at the gym or going out with friends) the medication would wear off and I would be hurting big time! Also, it didn't seem to matter what I ate- the pain was always the same. So, I decided it was time to experiment.
After a bunch of random food combinations, different lengths of time between eating, and planning my day around the stupid pills, I've figured out that I need to take the medicine later on in the day. Now I don't really eat anything for breakfast, which- I know, I know, is supposed to be the biggest and healthiest meal of the day. BUT...my body is responding well to this. I'll have a cup of coffee and maybe a few bites of a bagel or something, but that's all. Then around 11:00, I take my medicine and eat lunch at 11:30. I don't eat anything again till around 6- 6:30 pm. Absolutely no snacking.
Now, just because it cuts down on the bloating and the pain, it does not mean that this is exactly fun for me! I hate the fact that I am scared to eat, and that I'd rather deal with hunger pangs and a growling stomach than the other kind of pain. I miss my morning veggie omelet at work! And anyways, I am praying that this is just a temporary solution and that some day, I'll be able to eat like a normal person again. I really do love food, and food fuels my workouts!!!
I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon after work. I'll keep you posted on the outcome. I'm curious to find out what (if anything) was seen on the CT scan. On the 30th, I'm leaving for 6 days with my unit to go through pre-deployment medical screening. Who knows what will happen with that.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Peter and Breana's Wedding
I was in Canada again last weekend, this time for Peter and Breana's wedding! How awesome is that??!! It was a crazy whirlwind trip, but I did have a lot of fun, and the wedding went down without too many glitches! I was the maid of honor, and Phil was one of the groomsmen. The wedding party stayed at the Marriott in Niagara, and we had a great view of the Falls from our suites.
The wedding was very small; in fact, I believe there were more people in the wedding party than there were guests! Different, but fun and happy. Alaia was hilarious as usual, and stole the show. I swear she got more attention than Peter and Breana!
Peter and Breana are currently somewhere in or around Mexico- they went on a cruise for their honeymoon!
I've got a bunch of wedding pictures, but I can't upload any at the moment. If you are on Facebook, you can check out the album on my profile...I did manage to get them uploaded there!
The wedding was very small; in fact, I believe there were more people in the wedding party than there were guests! Different, but fun and happy. Alaia was hilarious as usual, and stole the show. I swear she got more attention than Peter and Breana!
Peter and Breana are currently somewhere in or around Mexico- they went on a cruise for their honeymoon!
I've got a bunch of wedding pictures, but I can't upload any at the moment. If you are on Facebook, you can check out the album on my profile...I did manage to get them uploaded there!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Not feeling my best these days
I won't deny it. Normally after a crazy drill, I can bounce back within a couple of days, but this time, its not working. There is just so much stuff going on in my life that I have to deal with that I seriously don't want to even start in the morning! There's financial issues, soldier issues, security issues, my own medical issues, deployment issues, friend's issues...I swear its an avalanche right now!!! Its like- where do I even begin????!!!!
Yesterday afternoon after work I took myself over to Massage Envy and got my free hour-long massage. That did feel wonderful! For 60 minutes I just tried to focus on how good it felt to lay still, and thanking God that there are such things as massages. But then afterwards, I stopped at Barnes & Noble to check something out, and while I was in there, I started feeling horribly queasy and sick. I left the store, feeling like I was gonna vomit. I didn't exactly vomit, but I was spitting up in the parking lot by my car. NOT a cool way to end the day! I've started on some prescription medication that my doctor hopes will help with the stomach pain and bloating. Hopefully it starts to kick in soon!!! I've got a CT scan scheduled on the 21st, and I really hope they find something.
Tomorrow Phil and I leave for Canada once again- this time for a quick trip for Peter's wedding!!! That should be pretty cool! I'm actually going to be able to wear my bridesmaid's dress (that was too small at first because I had gained all that stupid weight). I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and chronicle the whole experience!
Yesterday afternoon after work I took myself over to Massage Envy and got my free hour-long massage. That did feel wonderful! For 60 minutes I just tried to focus on how good it felt to lay still, and thanking God that there are such things as massages. But then afterwards, I stopped at Barnes & Noble to check something out, and while I was in there, I started feeling horribly queasy and sick. I left the store, feeling like I was gonna vomit. I didn't exactly vomit, but I was spitting up in the parking lot by my car. NOT a cool way to end the day! I've started on some prescription medication that my doctor hopes will help with the stomach pain and bloating. Hopefully it starts to kick in soon!!! I've got a CT scan scheduled on the 21st, and I really hope they find something.
Tomorrow Phil and I leave for Canada once again- this time for a quick trip for Peter's wedding!!! That should be pretty cool! I'm actually going to be able to wear my bridesmaid's dress (that was too small at first because I had gained all that stupid weight). I'll be sure to take lots of pictures and chronicle the whole experience!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Drill- the whole story
Well, I'm back from a long drill at Camp Pendleton. Whew what a time. How do I even start to describe what went on?! Energy, anger, frustration, giddiness, sadness, impatience, relief...I felt all of this and more over the course of the three and a half days I was there.
Lets start with Thursday night. First formation was at 1900 (7pm for you civilian peeps!), and we were to focus solely on loading the vehicles (Humvees), establishing our radio communication, and getting on the road to Camp Pendleton. Our target time of departure was 2100 (9pm). Well whaddya know, we didn't roll out the gate till 2330 (11:30pm)!!! NOT a good idea...and oh by the way, half the vehicles are running on empty. As part of the senior leadership, I was royally disturbed by this. I won't name names, but I know who dropped the ball. I'm furious. I get on the radio "Lead vehicle, lead vehicle, we do not have fuel. I say again, WE DO NOT HAVE FUEL." Response: "Vehicle 19, we will stop in Del Mar." Ummmm...Del Mar is 25 miles away. Some people are on EMPTY. My responses are ignored. Finally we get to Del Mar, and haha, just kidding, the gas station we were going to stop at doesn't have diesel. Beautiful. Again, I won't name names but someone certainly doesn't know how to recon very well. All of us leaders in the convoy are going into fits. We manage to get to another gas station on our own and fuel all the vehicles. By this time is 0100 (1am). We've still got a long way to go. By the time we get to Camp Pendleton (Talega area) its 0300. Gotta get up at 7 folks...have a good night. (There were more issues before I managed to get to bed, but I'm not even going to go there.)
Three hours after getting to bed, we are woken up in a boot-camp sort of manner- the 1st SGT is screaming his head off that everyone has 8 minutes to be in formation in full battle gear. Ooops..who forgot to tell the 1st SGT we were going to let the soldiers sleep till 7??? I run out the door and try to get my platoon sgt to inform the 1st SGT. Too late...the damage is done. Soldiers are stumbling out of the barracks half asleep. The 1st SGT is still screaming. Total chaos. All the leaders are angry; all the soldiers are confused. At this moment in time, I hate my life. The 1st SGT screams at me and I have no clue what he's so mad about.
Fast forward a couple of hours, and we are at the M249 SAW range. That, at least, went a little better. Everyone does some firing, and feels a little better. I even have a little bit of fun!
Saturday was my range- the MK19 40mm grenade launchers. Awesome! This was actually a pretty cool day. There were some bumps in the morning setting up the range- where's the sandbags??? Oh...aaaahhhh...SGT M. forgot to get them loaded on the 5-ton truck. Beautiful. Send SFC A on an emergency run to go get some! Hose clamps. What the heck are hose clamps??!!! We can use duct tape. Duct tape fixes everything! Yay! You get the picture. I'm in charge- its my range- and its actually pretty cool. My voice gets tired from repeating the commands all day though. I sound like a scratchy recording:
"Shooters, at this time position yourselves behind your weapon. (Pause) Lock and load your weapon. (Pause) Shooters, at this time, fire your ghost round- ghost round ONLY. FIRE! (Pause. Click, click, click) Recharge your weapons. (Pause) Shooters, commence FIRE!!! (Boom, boom, boom!)
The day goes on....some weapons jam, I get a stomach ache and have to sit out for an hour while my OIC takes over, radio checks every half hour, my face is completely dry and I get windburn, people shoot and shoot some more...but overall, its a good day. Success at last! Then more drama occurs in the evening aside from the range, and I get SUPER mad. I won't name names. A meeting gets called. The drama continues. Can I just go to bed now please? Thank you. This day gets a 5 on my scale- 50% good, 50% bad.
Sunday- our last day. Hurry up everybody, I know you all just want to get home! Wake up was at 4am. Rush to the M16 qualification range. I get to do half of the process. At least I know I can make good shot groups! And then finally its time to leave Camp Pendleton! We drove back to the armory, but our work is FAR from done. Weapons cleaning, paperwork, a random drug test, leadership meeting...by this time I'm too tired to even be upset at anything any more! Another female NCO and I are so tired we are getting giddy. Somehow the conversation turns to prehistoric woolly mammoths and we're laughing till tears are in our eyes! What is so funny about woolly mammoths? Nothing...they are only funny after you've been working for 18 hours!
Finally...FINALLY I'm released. I drive home in a daze. I managed to crawl into bed around midnight. Ahhhhh, quiet. And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes my drill story!!!
Lets start with Thursday night. First formation was at 1900 (7pm for you civilian peeps!), and we were to focus solely on loading the vehicles (Humvees), establishing our radio communication, and getting on the road to Camp Pendleton. Our target time of departure was 2100 (9pm). Well whaddya know, we didn't roll out the gate till 2330 (11:30pm)!!! NOT a good idea...and oh by the way, half the vehicles are running on empty. As part of the senior leadership, I was royally disturbed by this. I won't name names, but I know who dropped the ball. I'm furious. I get on the radio "Lead vehicle, lead vehicle, we do not have fuel. I say again, WE DO NOT HAVE FUEL." Response: "Vehicle 19, we will stop in Del Mar." Ummmm...Del Mar is 25 miles away. Some people are on EMPTY. My responses are ignored. Finally we get to Del Mar, and haha, just kidding, the gas station we were going to stop at doesn't have diesel. Beautiful. Again, I won't name names but someone certainly doesn't know how to recon very well. All of us leaders in the convoy are going into fits. We manage to get to another gas station on our own and fuel all the vehicles. By this time is 0100 (1am). We've still got a long way to go. By the time we get to Camp Pendleton (Talega area) its 0300. Gotta get up at 7 folks...have a good night. (There were more issues before I managed to get to bed, but I'm not even going to go there.)
Three hours after getting to bed, we are woken up in a boot-camp sort of manner- the 1st SGT is screaming his head off that everyone has 8 minutes to be in formation in full battle gear. Ooops..who forgot to tell the 1st SGT we were going to let the soldiers sleep till 7??? I run out the door and try to get my platoon sgt to inform the 1st SGT. Too late...the damage is done. Soldiers are stumbling out of the barracks half asleep. The 1st SGT is still screaming. Total chaos. All the leaders are angry; all the soldiers are confused. At this moment in time, I hate my life. The 1st SGT screams at me and I have no clue what he's so mad about.
Fast forward a couple of hours, and we are at the M249 SAW range. That, at least, went a little better. Everyone does some firing, and feels a little better. I even have a little bit of fun!
Saturday was my range- the MK19 40mm grenade launchers. Awesome! This was actually a pretty cool day. There were some bumps in the morning setting up the range- where's the sandbags??? Oh...aaaahhhh...SGT M. forgot to get them loaded on the 5-ton truck. Beautiful. Send SFC A on an emergency run to go get some! Hose clamps. What the heck are hose clamps??!!! We can use duct tape. Duct tape fixes everything! Yay! You get the picture. I'm in charge- its my range- and its actually pretty cool. My voice gets tired from repeating the commands all day though. I sound like a scratchy recording:
"Shooters, at this time position yourselves behind your weapon. (Pause) Lock and load your weapon. (Pause) Shooters, at this time, fire your ghost round- ghost round ONLY. FIRE! (Pause. Click, click, click) Recharge your weapons. (Pause) Shooters, commence FIRE!!! (Boom, boom, boom!)
The day goes on....some weapons jam, I get a stomach ache and have to sit out for an hour while my OIC takes over, radio checks every half hour, my face is completely dry and I get windburn, people shoot and shoot some more...but overall, its a good day. Success at last! Then more drama occurs in the evening aside from the range, and I get SUPER mad. I won't name names. A meeting gets called. The drama continues. Can I just go to bed now please? Thank you. This day gets a 5 on my scale- 50% good, 50% bad.
Sunday- our last day. Hurry up everybody, I know you all just want to get home! Wake up was at 4am. Rush to the M16 qualification range. I get to do half of the process. At least I know I can make good shot groups! And then finally its time to leave Camp Pendleton! We drove back to the armory, but our work is FAR from done. Weapons cleaning, paperwork, a random drug test, leadership meeting...by this time I'm too tired to even be upset at anything any more! Another female NCO and I are so tired we are getting giddy. Somehow the conversation turns to prehistoric woolly mammoths and we're laughing till tears are in our eyes! What is so funny about woolly mammoths? Nothing...they are only funny after you've been working for 18 hours!
Finally...FINALLY I'm released. I drive home in a daze. I managed to crawl into bed around midnight. Ahhhhh, quiet. And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes my drill story!!!
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Late night posting...a lot on my mind
Well, its almost 11 pm and I'm succeeding nicely in staying up late on purpose. I have a very long drill this weekend, which will consist mostly of staying out in the field up at Camp Pendleton. We are gonna be shooting, which will be fun, but I will be freezing my butt off at night! Booo!!! Needless to say, I won't get much sleep. So I'm staying up late tonight, sleeping in in the morning, and then hopefully will be able to stay up just fine tomorrow night. This usually works for me so...we'll see.
Just a quick recap of my New Years- I had so much fun! I spent New Year's Eve with Phil of course, as well as Tammi, and two other friends of ours who we affectionately refer to as Rabbit and Labradoodle. We had a great time goofing off, playing Guitar Hero and board games, eating, and generally acting silly! Here's some pics:
For those of you who haven't heard yet, I've been experiencing some weird medical issues these past few months as well, which has resulted in several visits to the doctor, blood tests, an ultrasound of my liver, and coming up next- a CT scan of my chest, torso, and pelvis. I won't go into all the details here, but I've been experiencing a lot of discomfort, and most distressing of all- WEIGHT GAIN. BOOOOOOOO!!!!!! If you know me at all, you know I'm a fitness freak, love to run, and thoroughly enjoy being small. So needless to say, this is NOT going over very well with me! I'll keep you posted as I find out more myself.
Anyways, I'm just rambling and enjoying experimenting with this blog so far! I'm sure my page might look kinda weird once in a while- I'll figure it all out soon! I'll try to post pictures as often as possible. The joys of digital cameras and memory cards! :)
Next post will be all about this drill, I'm sure. Goodnight, sleep tight!
So I'm gonna start blogging
Yep, I am. Welcome to my crazy world. I figured since its the beginning of the new year, I'll start something new. And in case I get deployed like I'm supposed to, this will be a handy dandy way to keep people updated on what's going on with me.
So...check back soon!
So...check back soon!
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