Life Inspires Me

Archive for March, 2010

“Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.”  - Voltaire

I bet on long shots!

Spring is here!!

Finally all the snow has melted!
It’s starting to feel like spring.
My allergies concur.

Earlier this week was spent hunting for sinus med’s & eye drops to aide my tear ducts that no longer produce tears (due to previous brain surgeries’)…
Most recently (that I’ve heard) Fergie summed it up- Big Girls Don’t Cry.
Or, well, this bionic Amazon won’t be shedding a tear anytime soon.
I imagine with all the shit my surgeons put in my head I’d rust up like the tin man.

Spring Cleaning-
My room doesn’t even look the same.
All of my saved concert tickets are put away in a box.
Random obsessions and nic-nacs I’ve accumulated over the years are boxed up in the attic.
My walls are rather bare compared to before.
I just wanted one spot in the house where I can get away from all the clutter in my life.
I’ve been pretty good with the New Year’s Resolution of not putting up walls to keep people out of , but I did paint a brick mural in my room recently, hope that doesn’t count!
My closet is now completely cleared of all confusion… I mean oversized clothes I just HAD to have while my body was doing it shrinking woman stint post surgeries in 2008.
Who knew brain surgery could shrink my waist?!
I’ve turned the page am all about quality of things in life, not quantity… ECSPECIALLY IN MY CLOSET!

My brick wall

St. Patty’s Day-
If you were at the bar that morning looking for me, it would have been like Where’s Waldo…. But I would have been no where to be found.
Actually the morning of St Patty’s I was sleeping in the chair at the dentist office while having my teeth cleaned.
Yes, sound asleep.
My cousin told me after for next time they have blankets… just what need?!
With my luck I’d nap have the day away like the time Erin woke me up an hour after the tanning bed shut off and I decided to keep napping while I was in the buff… Oops!?!

Lepracan’s for Dinner-
With my fresh pearly whites and in my bright green coat I went out for dinner green beer with the Rent’s.
They were so cute because my mom has never had green beer.
She sign- “OMG I’m so old, but let’s do a beer run next year. (By beer run, she meant pub crawl).
Dinner was yummy!
Biggest surprise of the evening was the green beer gave me green teeth.
A simple fix of just brushing my teeth, but this is the last year I’m drinking green beer.

Kiss Me My Sister Married Irish!

Next year we'll do a beer run! -Mom

March Madness-
I was in AA yesterday for… ugh I sound like an alcoholic saying AA after St. Patty’s!? LET’S MOVE ON!
In Ann Arbor yesterday for my post shunt surgery appointment.
CT scans of my brain look good.
The fluid is draining from my head, so simply put the shunt is doing its job and my surgeons kick ass.
This is where I would tell you the good stuff planned to come from what I learned at the appointment, but instead there’s a big “TO BE CONTINUED….”, just like the cliff hanger endings to leave you in suspense.
Completely serious, and the shitty thing about is that it’s a cliffhanger for me too.
Upside to the medical cliffhanger this month is March Maddness!!!! Nothing better than
Even though I am U of M property (I’ve got the scars to prove it too!!), I’m routing for State all the way!! GO GREEN!!!

Oh, hello Detroit-
After my appointment we brought my cousin Erica in Detroit her baby shower gifts (she’s on bed rest. read the last post understand where the shower gifts came from.).
I don’t remember the drive from AA to Detroit…
As soon as we got in the car I crashed…
In the backseat I crashed and let my mom and aunt do their thing…
Then I wake up and TA-DAH!?
What’s up, I’m on the other side of my Michigan Mitten!
Who cares about the other gift’s my cousin scored from the shower (I mean I’m sure they are nice things, but that isn’t the point I’m trying to get at.), she really liked the gift from me!!
I got her a Sign Language book for the baby!!!
She liked the book!
…and it made me feel a little closer to her, because these were just a few little signs she would learn too.
(This is where I would totally do the chick thing and start to cry…. If only my bastard tear ducts worked…. Eh, I’ll just let an eye drop fall on my cheek and call it a good!).

TGIF-
Dude, I do kind of miss the TGIF line-up on ABC!?
Full House… *sigh*
Perfect Strangers… *double sigh*
Dinosaurs… *HAHAHAHA! Ear to ear smile*
…I’m having a nostalgic moment, please stay tuned….
Welcome back to 2010!
Even though I didn’t get back to the west side of the Michigan Mitten till late last night, On top of that running back out to get organic milk and egg to feed my asparagus omelet kick I’ve been having this week I was awake before with the birds.
Paired with my asparagus omelet was what I like to call my Green Sludge Garden Smoothie.
Don’t ask what exactly the smoothie consists of, because I honestly couldn’t tell you.
Little bit of this… little bit of that… whatever vegetables & fruits are at my disposal, and there you have a Green Sludge Garden Smoothie.
The glass that my smoothie was in best sums up, because once I drink it I feel like the Incredible Hulk…. Only a more ADD version… The Incredibly ADD Jolly Green Giant??
Let’s just leave as this- I love my veggies!!! ♥

Green Sludge Garden Smoothie

Snack time one of my pea snaps fell out of the container, and he had a face.
Well he had a spot where a face would be if pea snaps had faces, so I drew one on and named him Louie.
He’s been hanging out on my laptop all afternoon.

Louie The pea snap with a face

Time bid you all bid adieu.
Someone brought home some Girl Scout Cookies, and I’m certain they won’t make it through the weekend!

PS- Doctor’s appointment next week for my throat, be sure to stay tuned! xoxo

Peace, Love Rock on!
Jess

Pressing your face on a window

Monday’s just seems to come so fast and smack you in the face!
Recently I taught Cooper to make funny faces by pressing his head against the window… Monday’s are a lot like that.
The weekend went by way too fast!
Actually this past week went by in the blink of an eye!

I was in Detroit for a good portion of the week visiting Bear and still recovering from my surgery.
Yes that’s his name, and yes he gives the most excellent bear hugs!
In a nut shell, the week was spent doing yoga, reading, and I tested out some new recipe’s… Squash & Sweet Potato Won Ton’s!
AMAZING!!!
Bear said everything I made was astounding, but I think he was more excited dinner wasn’t a frozen dinner.
Behind every good man is a pile of dust and hopefully a great woman to help clean up their mess!
FYI- I’m a compulsive clean freak, if you invite me to stay with you, there is a very good chance I will clean your place. My Man-Clan in Chicago knows this all too well! You’ve been warned!!

Squash & Sweet Potato Won Ton Stirfry

Thursday I took the Grey Hound home, sat near the cutest elderly Amish couple.
Ok old people to me are just so darn cute! Maybe just as cute as pregnant women, but I’ll explain that one in a minute.
The whereabouts of the horse & buggy, I’m not certain. *still scratching my head on that one*
The husband’s beard had to have reached his bellybutton… if only my surgeon’s would stop shaving my head every surgery the hair on my head could be that long!
Hmm… I wonder how I’d look rock’n a bellybutton beard?!
I better stick to shaving my 7 o’clock shadow!
I’m not sure who was more into watching a movie on my laptop me or them, but it reminded me of 2 different incidences at Union station in Chicago while I was waiting to train home.

Bye little Amish couple. I love you!!

Union Station Incidence #1-
I was seated next to a group on Amish women in the waiting area for my train chowing-down on a veggies burrito and they just kept staring at me as I inhaled that baby.
I know the stares were at me because I was next to a wall.
I was texting Tim (member of my Man-Clan) about what was going on and advice to get them to stop looking at me eat.
He got a kick out of it and gave me some ideas.
Acting on his advice I stopped eating, stood up, turned to the women and said, “I’m a robot!!” and took it a step further making loud computer noises as I danced the robot. They stopped staring.
Eventually people started tossing change my way.

Union Station Incidence #2-
Seated on the train waiting for departure I was eating sushi I had just picked up earlier that day from the place down the street from the Man-Clan’s apartment.
Mmmm sushi! ♥ *starting to drool and my eyes are glazing over*
I wasn’t sucking down the sushi like I usually do with my veggies burrito I get in the food court, dropping $40 on some freshly rolled salmon I wanted to savor every bite.
The train was pretty empty, me and maybe 10 other people sporadically seated in the train car (approximately 50-60 seats per train car).
I could feel stomping down the aisle coming my way… like a stampede … The Choo-Choo Train Stampede to hurry and find a seat.
I’m guilty of rushing to find a seat when I’m running late, but I try to do it so I don’t disturb other passengers’.
Of all the seats on the desolate train car this woman decided the seat next to me was where she wanted to plop down.
We’re seated face to face… I’m trying to not make eye contact and just enjoy my sushi.
As soon as she was seated she started to make this disgusted look and gasp of disapproval.
I showered that morning, so I know I didn’t stink.
Salmon does have a scent, but it isn’t a strong scent.
I’m deaf, not blind.
I tried to ignore it hoping she would stop, but she just kept doing it glaring at the sushi with disapproval.
She was over reacting to the extreme… Drama queen… No Best Actress Nominee for you! Actually no Oscar invite for you!
I’m pretty easygoing and very sociable, I typically befriend whoever I’m sitting with having long conversations the whole way home about sports and what brings us to Chi-town, but this situation was beyond trying to play nice.
You disrespect me, I’ll bite my lip and eventually set you straight right there.
You disrespect my food, I’m going to make you feel like an asshole that you are.
Fed up with her childish behavior I stuck my chopsticks in my mouth like a walrus, began to clap my hands like a sea lion, and made noises like a beluga whale while repeated bowing to my sushi.
Just as noisily as the herd trampled in, she stampeded off to find another seat.
There I was left alone to enjoy my sushi.

Moral of my Union Station incidences’-
Yes, I love food sooo much!
Yes, I play with my food when I eat.
Yes, I love Chicago and traveling.
Yes, I am actually a robot (bionic ear baby!!).
Ohhhhh!? And it isn’t polite to stare, especially when I’m eating!

Back to this past week-

Friday I cleaned the whole house.
My house is over 100 years old, and I swear it collects a 100 years worth of dust in a snap.
The motive behind cleaning was not just because I am an OCD clean freak or that its Spring Cleaning time, it was Cooper day!!!
The little monster was coming to spend the weekend with me… and my parents!

I spent the morning running errands and grocery shopping.
The Health Hut’s renovation left me speechless.
Holy goats I wanted to buy everything in that store!?
At least I made it out with under $100 in damages’… this time that is.
I’m trying some new herbals for pain management… its too soon to tell, but I’ll let you know what the jury decides.

Teen pregnancy still leaves me befuddled.
Children taking care of children… it is what it is, but not my cup of tea.
Instead of passing out condoms and automaton baby dolls to take care of in health class, teens should have to do the grocery shopping for a baby.
If the baby department of the store doesn’t make them choose to refrain from becoming another statistic, it’s sure to confuse the hell out of them!
Looking for Cooper’s formula I felt like a guy whose girlfriend asks him to pick up tampons while he’s at the store.
I was so out of my league.
Guys, I have a whole new respect for you!
The whole time I’m searching for the formula I’m texting my mom & sister for help.
9 pictures on my BlackBerry sent to them & 28 minutes into my quest for Cooper’s magical container of formula I finally found it!

Friday night I saw the play, Beauty & the Beast with my aunts, girl cousin’s. and grandma Cookie (Cookie is the only word in sign I taught her).
I cried, not complete waterworks…like how men tear up during a chick flick they are “dragged to” by a female companion.
Not only was the show badass, I could remember all the songs from watching the shit out of my VHS as a kid.
I think I may be a tea pot for Halloween this year, because I adored Mrs. Pots’ costume in the performance.
Puffer you always out due yourself in productions every year!
Holy goats!? For a high school production, it was just as good as the stuff I’ve seen on Broadway!

Puffer's Beauty & the Beast

Saturday was my cousin’s baby shower.
She lives in Detroit and is on bed rest for 2 more weeks, so she wasn’t there.
I’m going to see her later this week.
My cousin obviously wasn’t at the baby shower, but there was some orgasmic cake though!!
I’m going to be completely honest here, I only like going to family events for the cake…. Oh and seeing my family isn’t so bad either.
Rykes cake is the best!
Shhhh… I had 2 pieces!
I was pretty hungry, so I had a lot of salad prior and then pigged out on the cake.
I was so full it made my shunt hurt a bit, so I stuck my belly out making me look pregnant.
Ohh I love the Buddha belly!
I love pregnant women…. I’m envious because I wish I could rock a Buddha belly.
Pregnant women waddle too… like penguins.
I love penguins too… that’s another topic for another day.
But Saturday I got to flaunt my faux Buddha belly.
Side note to Cooper- Dude, no cousins from me for a LONG time!

My faux Buddha belly

We had to give Cooper back yesterday.
My mom & I took Cooper back to Grand Rapids… More like my mom drove and Cooper & I napped in the car.
Spring is here because my eyes itch like crazy and I’m sneezing way too much.
A weekend just isn’t enough with my little buddy.
He’s at such a fun age, 10 months old already.
He’s crawling now and is so curious.
I joke and call him Little Pooper because he wants to get into everything.
He’s a little shit, but a very curious little shit!

Corrupting Cooper to be a bit metro

Ah where does the time go?!
Time just zips by when you’re having fun, and Monday’s come and push against you like a face on a window.
Life inspires me to enjoy the ride!

Be sure to stay tuned- I’m going back to AA (Ann Arbor, Michigan) later this week for my post-op check up/ to discuss the next step in dealing with the re-growth of the bilateral acoustic neuromas (AN) and pain management for the nerve pain caused by the AN’s and other tumors.

Peace, Love, Rock on, and Happy Monday to you!
Jess

I recently had shunt placement surgery.

Recently, as in about 2 weeks ago yesterday was my surgery. To my surprise my surgeons used staples to hold the incision together on the top of my head. The staples looked like a wee train track. I haven’t had staples with any of my recent surgeries, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with their removal.

I had my check-up appointment Tuesday to have the staples removed. All that afternoon prior to the appointment my mind was fixated on if the removal of staples was going to hurt. I was making myself a bit nervous; after all the surgeries I’ve gone through, pain and needles still bother me.

When my staples were being removed it didn’t hurt at all. It was more relieving than painful. It was quick pressure, a little pinch and then they were out. It was nice because the staples were kind of itching and it felt a lot better after getting them off.

No more choo-choo train. Now there is only a small bald spot on the top of my head around the incision. Luckily, I have more hair on my head then Chewbacca, and I figure if Donald Trump can rock a sexy comb-over, so can I!

Uh, later choo-choo train track!?

Papa Stone taught Cooper to drum!!