Headache Be Gone

My three day headache seems to finally be gone. I'm being cautious in my optimism, but I think it may have left the building. Woo! And of course, right after I typed that I felt a small twinge in my right temple, but this twinge pales in comparison to the pain I was having yesterday, so I'm still optimistic.

The question now is, what the heck was going on? I'm wondering if this may be the start of migraines? My Mom used to suffer from them - I remember her going into a dark room with an ice pack to put on her head, leaving me with the strict admonition to be QUIET. Or maybe it was a hormonal thing - a new, extra special symptom of PMS. I don't know. All I know for sure is that it felt amazing to be headache free today (it was still kicking this morning, but I took three Advil, and that, combined with the long night of good sleep I got may have been the magic ticket to kick its butt).

So there's some good news. The other good news is that my vacation starts in 40 minutes, woo! I love vacation so very much.

Okay, people, I'm off to do things. Have a great Friday afternoon!

Blah and Look! Cute Picture!

My vacation is so close! And it's a good thing, because for some reason I am feeling so stressed right now. Work is insane this week, because of orientation. Since Tuesday night I have been having what is apparently called "ice pick headaches," which is basically shooting pains in my right temple. They come, last about three or four seconds, and leave. The pain is swift and strong and goes pretty quickly, but it's like a lightning strike (or an ice pick strike, I guess) that just keeps coming over and over again, so it's rather disturbing and painful. I'm actually thinking of going to the doctor about them, and I HATE going to the doctor.

Add in all the stupid ways in which people can get on your nerves (and for some reason today there seem to be many people doing this), and I am just more ready for vacation than ever.

Only one more day to go! Sigh.

In other news, this picture is currently on my work desktop. It's not a great picture, but it sure is making me laugh whenever I look at it. Duff just looks so perturbed at having Willow sitting on top of him, practically. :D

This Brain Has Gone On Vacation, Check Back Later

I still have two more days to work before I go on vacation, and I have enough work to do that both of those days will be fairly busy. And yet, my brain is trying to leave early. It's trying to set an out of office message, like so:

"We're sorry, but Denise's brain has left for vacation. Said brain will return to work on or about Tuesday, July 21st (one day after her body). Her brain will respond to all work requests at that time. Thank you."

I'm having to really concentrate to keep that message from playing every time someone e-mails me or talks to me with something they need done.

Must fight vacation brain! At least until Friday at 4:00!

Vacation To Do List

J and I are taking vacation together next week, woo! We're not going anywhere, but you know what? Relaxing at home together is enough. It's going to be great.

So, last night I wrote up a vacation to do list on our white board calendar, and I thought I'd share it with you. Ready? Okay, here goes.

1. Go to Red Robin with J's parents on Tuesday
2. Go to steak house to use the gift certificate I won last year
3. Go to Quack's (a local diner) to use my birthday month coupon
4. Go get soft serve ice cream (yum)
5. Go to baseball game?
6. Go mini golfing?
7. Have birthday cake!!
8. Go to Home Depot
9. Go to movies with Sarah (me, not J)

A little explanation of each: 1. it's become an annual tradition to go out to lunch with his parents during our vacation. Any tradition involving me getting a free hamburger is one I highly encourage (free because his Dad always pays, which is very nice of him); 2. Self-explanatory, really. The steak house is quite a ways away from us, and it has never worked to go. But while we're on vacation we have the time, so free food, woo!; 3. More food! Love it; 4. summer is synonymous with soft serve ice cream, isn't it?; 5. this one isn't happening - the local team doesn't have any home games that week. But it's okay, we'll just go some other time; 6. maybe! It's fun; 7. The best part of birthdays, apart from the gifts, and I already got those, so woo! Cake!; 8. J is finally going to spend his birthday money to buy himself a work bench. All men should have one of those, right?; 9. I asked Sarah if she wants to go see this, because J definitely won't want to, and neither does her husband. And we've both read the book, and I want to see it. I'm hoping we'll go this Saturday (I need to finalize this with her, though).

So, yes. A vacation centered around food. :D There are worse things! And any vacation that ends with my birthday is one I will always love.

(The diet will resume on the 20th, by the way, although I will try to not go completely overboard on a daily basis.)

Duff Update

Great news! Tonight when I got home, McDuff was running around full of energy, his lump completely gone. Woo! J took him to his regular vet this morning, of course, and was told that since the swelling has gone completely down in just half a day, it was most likely an allergic reaction, and he should be fine with just a few more doses of Benadryl (half a pill, so that it doesn't knock him completely out).

This is SUCH great news. I was already missing having Duff act like his normal self.

Also, the vet said it could be something as simple as a spider bite. Blech. Another reason to hate those 8 legged things.

Duff Don't Be Scaring Us Like That!

A few days ago, J noticed a small lump under Duff's armpit. Then he developed a lump under his throat, so J called and made an appointment for him to go to the vet tomorrow morning. Well, Duff decided he couldn't wait that long - his throat and head were all swollen today, and he was acting sick - just listless and not himself. So we took an unscheduled trip to the emergency vet today.

Duff: "I was feeling bad, man."

The vet game him a shot of steroids and one of Benadryl, and we waited to see if the lumps would go down. They got a little smaller, but not a lot, so the vet was talking about what could be happening - she mentioned the word lymphoma and basically scared the crap out of us, and we spent the next 15 minutes or so in the room alone with Duff, worrying and trying to decide what to do next (leave him there for observation in case the throat swelling closed his windpipe), have them run tests, take him home). I felt his neck, and it had gotten smaller! The vet agreed when she came in, so we took him home with instructions to give him a Benadryl tonight before bed, and then to just keep the vet appointment tomorrow. Now, three hours later, the lump has shrunk so much it's almost gone. Whew! J will still take him to his regular vet tomorrow, but we're very relieved that he is doing so much better.

Why is it that our pets have to scare the hell out of us like this from time to time? I could live without repeating this experience again for a while, okay?

One funny thing, though - all the people there were women (vet, assistants, receptionists), and they all fell in love with our McDuff. He's such a lover!

Duff: "What can I say, the women love me!"

Pictures from Today

July 4, 2009: Farmer's market, parade, talking with my sister, relaxing, my first fireworks with J. :) All in all, it was a pretty darn good holiday.


Prettiest horses.


Best band (I hate when high school bands don't make an effort and look like they don't want to be there - this one was great, though, with the uniforms and marching in step and sounding great).


Is it even possible to have a parade without fire trucks?


A pretty shot of the local college campus, where the fireworks are set off. My camera takes really good low-light shots outside. I wanted to test the fireworks setting, but I'll need a tripod before I can do that. When I tested it, the shots came out all blurry from me shaking as I held the camera.

Happy July 4th!

Well, it didn't take me long to forget to write an entry this month, did it? Sigh. I'll try to make amends by posting twice today. I'm going to the usual small town July 4th festivities with my sister this morning, and I'll take my camera and share any particularly good photos with you.

As for today, the dogs and I are all ready. I'm wearing my Old Navy 2009 Independence Day shirt, and the dogs are dressed up, too.


Willow


Bernie


Rosie


McDuff (who isn't wearing a bandana because it was a bit small, and he's got a lumpy throat issue going on right now, that he's going to the vet for on Monday - but he's being patriotic in spirit, I'm sure)

Happy July 4th! I'll be back later with stories and pictures.