The Hibernating Ladybugs have Awoken!

So there are around ten ladybugs that have been hibernating in my guest bedroom/ office this winter. Since this is our first winter in this apartment, I don't know if they are regular guests in the suite. It was quite a shock to find them all bunched up in the corner above our windows that overlook the river. Apparently, ladybugs are attracted to light coloured buildings with southwest exposure, like ours.



Well, this morning I went into the room to tidy the desk and saw two ladybugs making their way around the room. The others are still in sleep mode. I hope they aren't unsuccessfully trying to find their way back out.




I really want to get rid of these pretty little pests, but apparently it's best to leave them be when there are so few: http://www.ladybuglady.com/infestation.htm.



Sigh. Ladybugs, who'd have thunk?

Hair Dye

Today I'm dying my hair. I'm doing it right now in fact. It's quite tingly. I'm only doing the top portion of my hair because the lower half of my scalp is too sensitive for the dye. I found that out years ago when I dyed my hair blonde. I got a serious reaction from scrubbing the dye into my scalp. It must have been the transition into a blonde.

This time around I'm going red. I am already a red head, but in recent years I've darkened up a bit. I'm a little more brown than orange and it's even darker in the winter. So, I"m dying my hair red with the hope that it will just be a little more brilliant in colour. And, I'm updating my blog about it because I don't know what else to do.

Also, 20 days until we leave for the DR. That means only 25 days until my weddddding! I'm getting really excited about both the wedding and the vacation. Two weeks in warm Punta Cana. Bring it on!

Today is a surprisingly busy day for me. I love keeping busy and I'm so glad to be finding more stuff to do. This afternoon I'm making my way out to Burnaby to see a rheumatologist. I don't even know what we're going to talk about. Then tonight I'm going back for round two of CANDY MAKING! On Friday night we made chocolate bark, which I forced Julien to make with me again yesterday. Tonight we're making peanut brittles! This might become my new holiday tradition!

Oh look at the time. Must go wash hair. Time sure flies when you force yourself to update your blog. Toodles for now, Tania and Julien (the only two people who really read this)! xoxo

Love and Hate

Something I love: watching people eat.

I could seriously watch people eat all day long. Even gross eaters get me totally excited. Last week, I became totally addicted to the TV show You Are What You Eat and my favourite part was the beginning, when these unhealthy people were gorging their faces with the worst possible foods. I just got hungrier and hungrier. I don't know what it is.

Back in high school I used to eat about 500 calories per day in an attempt to lose weight from, what I've gotten used to as, my somewhat meaty figure. Still, that didn't stop me from suggesting McDonalds for lunch. So, me and my girlfriends would drive up to the drive through at the Sooke Mickey Dees, they'd all place their orders, and then, after they were finished ordering and paying, I would request a glass of water. They would call me a bitch and I would insist that I wasn't hungry. As much as I wanted to McDonalds food, I took almost as much joy in watching my friends eat it as I did in eating it myself.

Salads and other healthy foods aren't good enough. I like watching people eat greasy, messy, gross shit. The louder the chomp, the more I relish in their eating experience. I used to love sitting beside my grandpa during dinner because he was always a loud and messy eater.

I just love it.

Something I hate: Sports Bras

I usually love sports bras, but these days, I hate them with a passion. I haven't been without wearing a sports bra for more than a period of fifteen minutes for the past three months. I wear a sports bra when I work out. I wear a sports bra when I sleep. I wear a sports bra when I'm relaxing on the sofa. I wear a sports bra during sex. The only time I don't wear a sports bra is when I'm in the shower. Those fifteen minutes of freedom are heavenly, but short lived.

I need to wear the bra to support my breastbone. If I don't wear it, my massive breasts pull away from the centre of my chest, causing my breastbone to slowly crack open. Okay, I'm over exaggerating a little. My breasts are not that massive, but it does keep my chest together. I've developed very itchy and sensitive skin where the bra sits. I can't wait until I'm able to sleep bra-less again. I've never been a bra-sleeper.

So that's about it. I hate bras. For now.

My Poor Bum

Today I finally got my first penicillin injection to prevent any further outbreaks of Rheumatic Fever (I like calling it that--makes me feel hardcore). But get this, I have to have it injected into my butt! Ouch! I wasn't expecting that. It hurt, and now my bum is sore. I get to look forward to this every month for the next ten years! Insane.

But I had a great weekend! I got to see a lot of family, starting with my grandpa and uncle, then my Gruncle Ralph. I then went to the island and saw my parents, siblings and their spouses, my grandma, and my good old friend Nicole. Nicole took me on a trip to Port Angeles (I don't know where I got the idea that we were going to Tacoma ...!?!?). It was a nice trip. Port Angeles is smaller than I thought, but there are lots of cool things to see there. Mainly all of the Twilight hot spots. Everywhere you looked, cardboard Bellas and Edwards were watching you. This made me think of my cousin Tania and how much she looooooves Twilight. <3

Listen to your mother ...

Okay, so my mom has been known to over worry about certain things. But, as I get older, I am starting to find that it's often better to listen to my mom than to fight her. For example, after my twitch was diagnosed and Sydenham's Chorea, my mom immediately looked up everything she could find on it. This usually drive me nuts because my mom is not a doctor and she sometimes researches different problems too much.

Anyways, after I was diagnosed, my mom kept insisting that I be on penicillin or some other kind of prophelaxis. It wasn't until I was recovering from heart surgery in Sooke and had another case of chorea that my mom printed out an article for me and again explained why I needed it.

There is no specific treatment for SD. For people with the mildest form, bed
rest during the period of active movements is sufficient. When the severity of
movements interferes with rest, sedative drugs, such as barbiturates or
benzodiazepines, may be needed. Antiepileptic medications, such as valproic
acid, are often prescribed. Doctors also recommend that children who have had
SD take penicillin over the course of the next 10 years to prevent additional
manifestations of rheumatic fever.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/sydenham/sydenham.htm

Finally I understood. I was never treated for the antibodies that caused the SD, only the SD symptoms (the twitching and stuff). Anyways, I've mentioned this to all of my Dr.'s, but I had to see my neurologist to finalize everything. I saw my neurologist today and, after saying multiple times that I don't need to be on prophelaxis, he came to the conclusion that I do, in fact, need to be on prophelaxis for at least five years. The confusion: SD is considered Acute Rheumatic Fever and requires the same treatment as Acute Rheumatic Fever.

I can't believe I have been diagnosed since June and haven't had anything to stop the problem. My poor vulnerable new valve is probably being attacked by these dangerous antibodies as I type. Even more frustrating, I have to wait until Wednesday before I can get a prescription for the medication.

November 22nd Weigh In

Today's Loss: -3

Total DR Loss: -4.6

Goal: 15

I saw Feist on Friday night. She's very talented!! That's all.

New plan.

Okay, I'm trying to get a whole free line between each new paragraph. I'm going to try pressing enter and shift at the same time!

Did that work?