Ignorant Historian

As nasty as these things are, they seem to pass quickly, praise God.

Disposable ice buckets make excellent barf buckets.

Having a nurse for an aunt is incredibly handy.

Watching my brother make his wedding vows is incredibly surreal.

My brother’s friends don’t remain high schoolers forever.

Illness is a great distraction when I’m trying not to cry.

Just because he’s getting married doesn’t mean my brother will stop being a pest.

Being ill gets me out of talking to virtual strangers.

Though the thought of most food makes me want to barf when I have a stomach bug, wedding cake still sounds appealing.

My brother can be kind and compassionate (to his sister!) when required.

My dad will always go to great lengths to care for his daughter.

When I’m ill, it’s always best to have my mommy around.

I hadn’t planned on blogging this weekend.  I had thought I’d come back Monday with a cutesy “it all went well, and they’re married” post, but it seems that further developments require me to share the story with you prematurely.  At least if someone laughs at the situation, then I can feel like there’s some good from it!

So, last night after the rehearsal, I got ready for bed late.  Two of my Seattle cousins were sharing a hotel room with me, and I was doing my best to be quiet as I finished packing and showering while they slept.  As I lay under the covers, I felt unusually tense.  I assumed it was stress and/or the bed, but I found out otherwise shortly.

About an hour later, I woke up extremely hot.  I took measures to be cooler (including sitting on the cold toilet seat!), and was eventually able to cool off enough to get back to sleep.  Which lasted about 30 minutes.

At which time I knew I had an imminent date with that cold toilet, but didn’t quite make it.

Is now the time where I should say you might not want to read this if you’re queasy?  Or is it too late?

Yes, in the hotel room that I was sharing with the cousins I haven’t seen in 3 years, I threw up on the floor.  It’s a bad habit of mine; not making it to the bathroom (not that I throw up often).

At that point, I knew something was up.  I knew the tenseness and hot flashes I was feeling were not stress, but something far yuckier.

Not having any reasonable medicine, I woke up my cousins to ask if they did (they did not).  I found out later that they weren’t able to go back to sleep right away…I felt so bad!  I don’t want others to be miserable simply because I am.

Then I went down to my parents’ room and cried for help. That’s what parents are for, right?  My dad was able to find a 24-hour gas station in this 2,500-person town, and bought me a bottle of Pepto.  The color of which I promptly saw in the toilet bowl several more times in the middle of the night.

Scared to go back to bed, I slept on the recliner in my parents’ room.  I was able to sleep for about 45-minute stretches in between bathroom runs, so I certainly didn’t get much sleep.

When it was time for me to start getting ready to go to the church (5:30 AM), we knew we had a real problem on our hands.  I hoped it would have gone away, so that I wouldn’t even have to tell the bride, Amanda.  Unfortunately, there was no hiding it from her.

As an aside, Riley and Amanda were both incredibly gracious to me, carrying more for my health than my ability to participate.  She even texted me on their wedding evening to check in on me!  I’m so happy to be able to officially call her my sister.

So I went to church late (7 AM), with just enough time to get my hair and makeup done before picture.  I had one more bathroom run, but thanks to some medicine from my nurse aunt and her warning to eat and drink NOTHING, that was the last of it (I hope I didn’t jinx it…I’m not in the clear, yet)!

I was feeling better by pictures, and was able to fully participate.  But, as the time drug on and the drowsiness of the medicine started to kick in, it was obvious to all that I wasn’t all right (I’ve heard I was anything from pale or gray to green from various sources).  Thanks to some fast acting, I was made to lay down on a back pew until it was time for me again.  Without those naps between pictures and the wedding, I wouldn’t have made it!

Praise God, I was able to stick out the wedding, and look normal while doing it.  It was funny how many people whispered “Are you sure you’re okay?” to me as I walked down the aisle to take my place as maid of honor.  I actually think my sickness kept me for tearing up as I likely otherwise would have.  About 5 minutes from the end, I knew that I was on my last legs, but I made it…and promptly took a 2-hour nap during the reception.  At this point I was able to slowly introduce water back into my system, of which I was very grateful.

I also slept through the clean-up (I promise that I didn’t fake it to get out of work!) before we made the hour-and-a-half ride back to my parents house.  I’m thankful to be in some borrowed pajamas and resting with the TV to distract me (I have a hard time concentrating on reading at the moment).  I hope to take a nice bath shortly and hope into bed.  Here’s hoping for a must-needed good night’s sleep!

And that’s how NOT to spend your brother’s wedding.

I can’t believe it’s December.  Like, really.  Last night I thought, “I’ll get a haircut in November or December” thinking that was a long time away.  Now that it IS December, I have no idea when I’d have time for a haircut!

December is always my favorite month, probably because my birthday (the 15th…you still have time to buy me a gift and stick it in the mail ;) ).  I’ve always been a huge Christmas fan, but I haven’t really felt the Christmas spirit this year.  I’ve been dutiful in planning Christmas presents (ordered the first ones in the wee hours when I was avoiding going to bed), but not in writing Christmas cards or decorating.  Still not sure either of those are going to happen.  We’ll see.

I’ve been struggling with a cough since a couple of days before Turkey, and finally decided enough was enough.  I could tolerate it enough for a while, but it’s starting to head south, and the last time I let it, I ended up with bronchitis.  I know something is wrong when I can hear myself breathing in my headphones and they’re not attached to a stethoscope.  (on a totally random note, I don’t think I’ve ever written that word…it’s kinda funny looking!)  I have an appointment to see a PA this afternoon and feel incredibly grownup…usually I have to go to urgent care because I don’t know where else to go (and I’ve always had insurance, it’s just my patheticness).  I’m determined to find a primary care doctor now, though.  I’ll see if I like the office I’m visiting today.

So, to complete this randomness, what are you looking forward to most this month?

So, this weekend was an interesting one.  I’ve been sick since Thursday (just a cold, I think), so I ended up not working or doing much else.  Worked out alright, though, because I did the Read-a-thon, and ended up reading the entire, long weekend.  It’s a little weird to be back in the real world!  If you’re curious what all I read, you can read my post about it here.  I read 6 1/2 books in 3 days!  In all the reading I’ve done lately, here are some gem quotes I pulled out:

“I don’t know if I was happy that day–those tense and edgy feelings were getting stronger and stronger–but I do know that I’ve never been happy sense.” – Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden, p. 54

“Bah…Turkey’s for the birds.  Only uncool people go to Turkey.” – The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, p. 126

“Unless we come to grips with the fact that we’re of precisely the same stock as Dodd and Stalin and Mao, we’ll never get over thinking that we deserve better.” – If God is Good by Randy Alcorn, p. 76

“If I’d had anything fun to do, I don’t think I would ever have read as much as I did.” - The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, p. 175

“Who but us [survivors] has the audacity to admit we are no match for a world in need of redemption?  We choose how much we will carry away with us from the fire.  Everyone else pretends they can’t even see the ashes.” – Josef in White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

“…it doesn’t take away your fears, it only lies to you about them, makes you temporary believe you don’t have them.  And I know it’s a lie, but what a powerful one!  Maybe I’m not who I always thought myself to be, maybe I’m the sort of person who will do anything to hear what I want to believe.” - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, p. 367

“Recording what we’ve done, in words, on paper, it’s got to be our way of telling ourselves that we mean something, that we matter, that the things we’ve done here made a difference.” – Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden

“Worshipers came and went as they pleased, prayed according to how they felt most happy, and mingled freely with other GSD members.  It enjoyed moderate success, but what God actually thought of it no one ever really knew.” - Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde, p. 223

“The face of evil is frighteningly ordinary.” – Chuck Colson, quoted in If God is Good by Randy Alcorn, p. 134

“It seems if there were a formula to fix life, Jesus would have told us what it was.” - Searching for God Knows what by Don Miller, p. 10

“He hasn’t accepted his death.  He is already fighting hard to stay alive.  Which also means that kind Peeta Mellark, the boy who gave me the bread, is fighting hard to kill me.” - Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, p. 60

“I realized then that I didn’t understand anything.  I read all the books I could.” – The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, p. 32

“Greed often helps people think of reasons they might not discover on their own.” - The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, p. 115

“The regime had understood that one person leaving her house while asking herself, ‘Are my trousers long enough?  Is my veil in place?  Can my make-up be seen?  Are they going to whip me?’ no longer asks herself, ‘Where is my freedom of thought?  Where is my freedom of speech?  My life, is it livable?  What’s going on in the political prisons?’ ” – The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, p. 302

“Marriage, like spinach and opera, was something I had never thought I would like.” – Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde, p. 93

” ‘You know how to kill.’
‘Not people,’ I say.
‘How different can it be, really?’ says Gale grimly.
The awful thing is that if I can forget they’re people, it will be no different.” – Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, p. 40

I think the title says it all.  I almost feel like normal.  I can’t tell you the last time I sneezed or blew my nose (I went through an entire large box of Kleenex the past 5 days!), but it’s been a few hours.  My mind appears to be back as well, and mostly intact.

I don’t really have anything else to say, but I didn’t want to keep you all in suspense until morning.  Thanks for praying!

Here I sit at home. Yesterday I started getting sick with a runny nose and runny, well, let’s just say that I was runny on both ends (sorry, TMI I know). I really don’t think they’re related (the second symptom has since gone away). After sleeping 9 1/2 hours, I’m feeling a little better, but I skipped class (since I slept right through it) and won’t be going in to work. I’ll be spending the day working from home.

I was to go to the dentist to get some cavities taken care of, but I figured that wouldn’t be a good idea since I wouldn’t be able to breathe out of my nose. When I called they were pretty adamant that I not come in, even though it wasn’t 24-hour notice. I imagine they don’t want to get sick!

You know what’s funny about this? I have a 5-page paper due Friday. I didn’t start it until AFTER I got sick. There’s a reason why I don’t wait until the last minute to write papers. Procrastination didn’t work for me in college, and it doesn’t work for me now.

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I’m thankful to have a flexible job that allows me to take off when I need and work from home as needed, too.

I’m feeling much better. After one more bout of sickness in the early morning hours and a morning of queasiness, I’m feeling better. I took a shower, changed my sheets, and changed into a fresh set of pj’s to enjoy the rest of my evening (can you tell I’m going out on the town?).

I might attempt to set a record for the number of Gilmore Girl episodes watched in a day…I’m at 9 right now. Or maybe I’ll give the girls a break and settle in for a night of pirating, casino-robbing, or CIA-evading (why do all my favorite trilogies deal with illegal activity?). Whatever I do, I’m not spending any more time sitting up at the computer, so…good night!

**Not for the faint of heart**

I’m sick. I went to bed early last night becuase I was super tired. I slept in slightly this morning, and got up to start work on my last assignment (due tomorrow) for my January class. Usually, this is a great time to work for me, and I greatly enjoy writing papers (or as much as you can) while in my pj’s.

Instead, I was super queasy so I just sat there and watched Gilmore Girls. My roommate decided to run to the pharmacy to pick me up something and a Sprite. The pharmacist recommended Dramamine, which I took.

Within a half hour, I felt normal. I hurried up and got dress and make-uped (yep, a word) and went to my first class in the semester. Of course, I had taken Dramamine, so I fell asleep. After about 45 minutes of class, I woke up having to (insert lady-like term for throwing up).

I made it to the bathroom, fortunately, but it went everywhere. Sadly, I had to go to the bathroom as well, so the whole time I was (insert lady-like term for throwing up), there was tinkle dribbling down my leg.

I decided to skip out on the rest of class and head home and change. I’m supposed to babysit this afternoon, but I hope the mother will be able to arrange things so that I don’t have to. I don’t know if this is contageous or not.

I’m not sure why I felt like I had to enlighten the blogosphere to this fact. I probably should be using whatever energy I have left to write that last assignment. I hear my pillow calling…