National OCD Day!!!!!!!

Ok, so maybe there isn't such a day, really. But today, for me, it is. As I sat in my morning ritual; coffee in hand, GMA on the tube, (Charlie's last day), cats and dummy nearby, I was reading my morning paper. This is how I start everyday. It's ritualistic, I know. It's a must. Everything was going well; typical bs, crime, politics, same old crap, different day stuff. Ah, some new recipees to try. And BAM!! "National Hand-freaking(so I added that) Shake Day!" Now, tell me - because I am asking - WHY DO WE NEED SUCH A THING???? I read their vague stupid descriptions of each "type" of handshake from the "macho cowboy" being the bone-cruncher to the "dead fish" need I explain. The "sweaty palm" had me running for, not only my nearest bottle of Purell, but my Zofran. I'm saying to myself, for all the folks out there just like me, if this is a national day, as stated, we with issues should HAVE IT OFF, for fear of the unknown!! Unfortunately for me, I'm off permanently right now. If not, that alone would have sent me over the edge. Hey, don't do it folks. I'm not a prude, by nature - and I do shake hands on occassion; I just really really don't like, nor do I want to. So I avoid it like the plague.

When my husband introduces me to someone, who puts their hand out, and I blankly stare and, I must have a complete look of disgust or something of the like on my face, he'll very kindly tell them, with a laugh, "she's afraid to shake your hand. Bird flu thing." Hey, you just never know!! When we go to a picnic, like his company clambake, I just keep both hands full. simple. Can't shake with no hand. And that is what I say, too. Frank will just look at me and laugh. I just smile and say, "duh, germs! did he wash after the bathroom? how do we know?!'' To which he just agrees with a smile.

So for me, it's National OCD Day! Sorry, I can't shake your hand, I have issues. Even my kids tell me I have issues. "That's right!" I say, head held high. And in a sad, sort of safe, way - I am teaching them to grow up with issues.

I forgot one very important thing in my last post about potty procedures: when you need to wipe, get t'paper, rip off at least the first foot, then get clean piece, then wipe. I never use the hanging piece - germs jumped on. GET RID OF IT!!!

I taught my girls how to use the potty procedures, and they are very good at them. They don't sit, they don't touch, except with towels. They know the 2 towel rule; 1 for turning on/off, one to dry and open door. They know the t'paper rule. One of my girls took this to the extreme - of our home bathroom!! At first we thought maybe somebody had a cold, due to the enormous amount of paper being tossed in the cans. But then, the "cold" never went away, and well, nobody had a cold. We noticed her hands were constantly deep red and very chafed from excessive washing. (just where did she get that behavior??) 2+2 equalling 4, she was caught, ahem, red-handed. I needed to retrain my little dear that my potty is not filled with the same multiple germ-medium that the public has, and unless she wanted to sell matchsticks to keep up with never-ending supply of t'paper we need, she needed to stop. She did. I hope. Unless she has decided to flush. Being on a septic, and having had some issues, sorry just can't go there, it wouldn't surprise me.

When it came to Nicholas, being the Power Ranger, that was easy. On, off, wipe, wash hands. That was home. Public, not so easy. Frank doesn't allow me to take him to the girl's room, because, "he's a boy, he needs to use the men's room! Don't worry, he'll wash his hands." Meanwhile, I'm getting my little green-covered, keychain-toting bottle on sanitizer ready to slather the Ranger from head to toe, in his ears, eyes anywhere he'll let me. "He just washed his hands!" Frank will say. I'm thinking to myself, (just his hands, hands only?????) Nick will just smile, rubbing the stuff in, loves it. And then he'll say, "don't worry, Mom, I'll just shoot the germs away with my power shooter; sstthhhhhoooooo sstthhhhhoooooo!!!!" Big smile. From him.

Ok, yes, OCD is running through my veins. I believe it's part of my personality. That's ok, because my husband and my kids and my friends like that part. They get a great laugh out of watching me literally freak out when I do. And I do.

By the way, we ALL have issues. Don't we? Maybe yours aren't as bold as mine. Or, you're not as bold as I to tell. who knows. But I will say this, without being sarcastic; I'm not shaking hands today. Not to be rude to the so-called "national" part of the word, but for my own reasons. For me, it's well, personal. I don't shake. Get this, I didn't even teach my dogs to "shake their paws;" so how about that? Oh, I smell the hate mail coming.

Wishing you a pain-free day. hoping the air around here will clear because the himidity sucks.
deborah

Just What the Doctor Ordered!

Dr. John, that is..... and folks, he was sultry, dressed in a very nice, (color here), RED suit; and he definitely brought some much-needed N'awllins to our area. It was so good to sit and relax, boogie-woogie, voodoo-yoo-doo, with the doctor. I so could have done without the lights. They got me later. But we thoroughly enjoyed the show. Sat in the (insert a little snob here please) "reserved seating" area - FOR FREE!!!! I'm a firm believer in if-you-don't-ask-you-don't-get! I mean, what is the worst that can happen right? We had pretty awesome seats. Maybe 13 rows back, ahem, center! I did get bumped by these 2 hippie draw-backs dancing in the aisles - but hey, they loved the doc!!! I'm just sure the ER was flooded with freaks who had the misadventure of coming down from their " E " trips. Now that was one to see, for my girls. I'm still not sure which they were more shocked by; the hippies dancing, or the trippers tripping. (note to self, new song in the making......)

Half-way thru his act, light blinking, amps cranking, hippies dancing, trippers tripping; and my left ear gets that ever-present little nagging PRICK!! I about stood up in agony. Frankie knew what hit. "You wanted to come!" I did, and I enjoyed the show. Like a deer in the headlights, they showed spotlights to the crowd and at first, I stared, unable to look away, ear-piercing pain, and then DUH Deb, look away, far far away!!!!!!! I hid my eyes. Frank hid my eyes. Couple lttle tingles on the tongue, twitch twitch of the nose. ice pick ice pick. But,, hey, this is DR. JOHN!!!!!!!!!

I couldn't hold it anymore, pee, that is, TMI, I know. I'm a little bit of ......................... well, I'm searching for the right word, and I have a picture in my head of everyone that knows me too well screaming OCD FREAK at me. Suffice it to say, I have issues on public policy and restrooms. Accomodations, well, I had to go, and aside from getting arrested, in public peeing behind a bush, which isn't beside me, I had my girls with me - we were headed for the port-a-grotesque. I carry, on my keychain Purell hand sanitizer, on my keychain. I have it in my car (did I mention my new 300M???????) sorry! I have it in my purses, each purse, each bathroom is fully stocked, each lotion is emulsified, my dishsoap even is antibacterial; folks, I have issues. I'm here to tell you - don't trust ANYONE! People are dirty, filthy, scummy. I love people, but a lot of people, just don't take the time to wash their hands!! GROSS! 5 minutes people!!!!

This is critical. When my husband reads this........ anyway. I'm serious; watch people. That is a statement, to actually WATCH PEOPLE! WHAT THEY DO! If you absolutely HAVE to use a pub restroom; this is how I take matters in control; first, NEVER, and I mean NEVER touch anything with your bare hands.
1. you have no idea where the other hand that touched it WAS!! think about that for just 10 seconds. disgusting isn't it.
2. did they wash after they touched??? how would you KNOW???? Use your shirt, feet, anything but your hands. Elbow is the best if it's a "push" door. Always flush with feet, never hands. If you can't use your hands, use paper. or leave it!!!! This goes without saying - DON'T SIT!!! When it comes to the hand-washing part, if you don't come equiped with your own sanitizer,
1. first get your towels, 1 to turn on and off the water , 1 to dry hands.
2. turn on water, clean hands. turn off water, with same towel, then toss it.
3. dry hands with CLEAN towel , open door with it and leave. I usually leave the towel on the handle of the door, making sure NOT TO TOUCH THE DOOR HANDLE WITH MY CLEAN HANDS!!!! Yes, I'm a little bit of an OCD freak. I don't particularly like to shake hands, and I have issues. I don't breathe outside of my shirt in pub restrooms either. I won't even go there. My skin literally crawled when my girls and I had to use the port-a-grotesques, but we lathered ourselves in Purell when we slithered back to our seats. Frank asked if we found it ok, and watched as we cleaned ourselves. I just shivered off the YUCK!!!! Trying not to think about being confined to a small germy compartment, contaminated, doomed to the unthinkable.

We left before the fireworks; I was enjoying my own inside my brain. My lips were going numb. My ear was getting pierced, my nose was having an odd deja-vu experience of it's own. When I got home, safe to my room, after a relaxing glass of Doobie Blues, my right eye went black and I saw nothing. Now, that was oddly familiar. Hadn't seen that in a while. And my left side was feeling a little weird, couldn't quite place it, just weird. Had to pee, though. Need to get to the safety of my own little clean potty room. Trying desperately, and I mean, desperately, to get to my feet, and my left arm and leg decide - "no, we're not working for you tonight girl-friend" - now I remember. The little hemi stuff. Well, feeling a little buzz from the wine, a real need to get to the potty and an incredible desire to burst out laughing, but don't dare for fear of peeing the bed, Frank, with a bad knee says, "let me help you." Now I'm in hysterics, thinking in my head how this could turn out. It took a good maybe 3 min to get me there; and then I tried to stand up when finished. I had a little buzz on - down I went. Ceramic tile on boney hips and knees going fast-hurts. But now I'm cracking up. Frank, was nervous. I make him nervous with this stupid disease, but we are starting to enjoy life again. yeah, losing my left side was truly enjoyable. It was funny. He got me back to bed. And Sunday was less than enjoyable. I need to remember to write down a few things to tell my doc. Like how the auditorium in my church makes my head go completely out of balance. My whole body starts twitching when I'm there. Must be the acoustics or something. Uh oh, time to go get the kids from VBS already!!!!!!!

Here's wishing all pain-free days
deborah

Well Color Me AURA!!!!

You know it's going to be one of those days when you wake up to pretty jumping, flashing fireflies; happily bouncing around my eyelids. Do I want them there?? NOT! I know why they're there - pure unadulterated torture. And that is pretty much what I got. ooooh, and the spinners that I used to get, hey, they came back. And I thought it was a break from my former med friend. Dummy!

Yeah, and did I mention the grad ceremony. I was plannng on attending the entire service; afterall, my niece,and my best girlfriend's daughter, whom I've known since, uh PRETTY MUCH CONCEPTION, and a few other grads were present. Hey, this is a time of celebration folks. A milestone, not to be taken for granted, nor lightly. I was excited for Amy; and she wanted us there for her, and we were. Until the airhorns started to go off. The screaming. The flashing little hand-held lightbars, muted, and yet drowning sounds of an auditorium can make to a migraneur - I was finally defeated. I did see Amy walk across the stage, I didn't see Nicole. I couldn't take the beast any longer. And so I stumbled out, holding my head; so was the ever-present vice, tighter and tighter and TIGHTER. Can I just say I have plans this weekend, too???!!! Got home, 2 Toradol, a Skelaxin - let's face it, that nerve block, still feeling some muscle pain around the spinal column - but after about an hour, I was actually feeling a bit better - down to a manageable 4.

And this morning the pretty fireflies greeted me again! Good morning fireflies! Hello beast to come, I'll try my best to defeat; afterall Dr. John is in town, and you made me miss him last time he was here. I didn't get to see my wonderful DMB because of you. There are a lot of things I miss because of the beast; tonight, today actually - I have Amy's party, and my little lady, Alexa is going to be with us. She would have graduated with Amy, except for a little thing called - oh yeah - mental retardation - she is a trip!!!! She will be so happy to see Amy, and Amy loves Lexi. They grew up together. Amy is going to study Early Child Ed, hmmm, yes, Lexi has a lot to do with that.(note to self, post pics of Amy and Lexi)

Sooooo, today's defeat is like this; grad party for Miss Amy, followed by Jazz fest with a cool playing Dr. John and fireworks. How does that sound to end the evening for a migraneur??? I'll be sure to let you know!!

I'm still trying to figure out how to get my sidebar to work!!

Under My Pillow and Screaming

Yesterday I had a nerve block. Today, I am feeling the after effects of that block, at point zero, cervical interlaminar - OUCH!! Took a Skelaxin this morning, hoping to wipe out the spasms in my surrounding muscles, applied ice, several times since yesterday, to no avail and have had one constant monster trying desperately to claw it's way out of my skull! Do I think the block is going to work?? So far, NO! But it has only been a mere 24 or so hours.

I had to move from my former Typepad site because of some strange problems, not going to go there, but I found myself here. I'm hoping to land here for a long time! I don't particularly like change, especially when I'm feeling the beast in my fu@#ing eye, ears, skull, neck and pretty much everywhere inside my damn skull right about now; so I really hope I can stay at this blogsite. I also hope I can figure out how to use it!

On a good note, my wonderful hubby bought me a car! My dream car. Now brace yourselves, it's not all that (to some), but to me, it's my dream car. We had one before and he traded it in for a new MINIVAN, and well, I never let him live that down. Now the minivan is wonderful, especially with our brood, we need it, we live up to it, we beat it. But hey, a girl needs certain princess items - and since I am the "queen bee" as he calls me, I deserve a "coach". So he bought me a 2002 300M, not the new "pimped-out" to death 300C, but the M, that for some stupid reason, they decided to stop making. WHY, who knows! But this is gorgeous, complete with sun/moon (sorry I don't know the damn difference) roof, and why do I care, I have one!!!!!! And it works, my hair stays in place, and I look GOOD! I can play my DMB in style, in my heated leather seats when I need them to be, course, right now, no reason for tht. What a wonderful smell that leather has - mmmmmmmm. Even when I'm having a migraine, it smells good. I will definitely put the pic up when I get one. I had to get it to the ins co for one today, and they actually had a POLAROID camera!! Can you stand it??? Well, the pic was pretty bad, no wonder she gave me so many; I'm still waiting for them to finish developing.

So this is me, out from under my pillow today, for just a short while. Going back for more Zofran and Toradol. Hoping all pain-free days