Oy Part II

A couple days ago I regaled you with the latest illness. Did you think that was the end of it? That laryngitis was the last? In fact, it wasn’t. I know, right? I woke up a few times during Wednesday night with my right eye feeling very weird. That’s right, pink eye. I knew it as I tossed and turned and when I woke up, my eye was caked over.

At the doctor to confirm my goopy eye, the Doctor told me I also had a sinus infection. THEN, Friday morning I woke up with pink eye in my left eye. Oy, indeed.

I’d love to say that I knit like crazy while I was home sick, but I didn’t. I did home work and watched a ton of How I Met Your Mother. I am almost done with a pair of socks, though. Yay, me. I’m going stir crazy. I think a visit to a yarn shop is in order. Of course, I can’t buy any yarn, but I can smell and fondle it.

Oy

And we are sick again. Of course. Why would the universe want me to get in exercise for more than one week at a time? Or you know, clean?

It’s a weird cold or something, and we all have it in different stages. OP is pretty much done, I’m about half through (I think), and the Husband is starting. The last illness I had, like 2 weeks ago, turned into bronchitis. This one? Laryngitis. I’m afraid of what the next illness will bring. Alzheimer’s? Cancer? Explosive diarrhea? You know it’s a classy blog, when they reference explosive diarrhea.

Holy crap, laryngitis sucks, and I think it’s my fault.

I mean, yes, it’s my fault. I taught a training class which meant speaking for 1 1/2 hours with a mild cold and my larynx decided it was done. I get that, but that’s not why it’s my fault. It’s my fault because when I was a stupid kid (probably an angsty tween), I had a friend who had laryngitis. And I thought it would be so cool to have it. That’s right, I thought it would be cool to have laryngitis. I thought it would be cool to mime everything I need to say. I thought it would be cool to hiccup like a mouse on helium. I’m sure karma rubbed her palms together while laughing maniacally thinking “Oh you will, child. You will.”

Karma waited years and when my crime was so heinous, ZAP! I never realized how much I talk on a general basis. Yeah, all you people who know me in real life, stop shaking your heads and laughing. When I get my voice back, I’m talking 3 times more often. It is so frustrating to have to type out everything you want to say. The few signs I know help, and the Husband is very good at guessing my pantomime. It has definitely given me a even bigger respect for anyone who cannot communicate with people they are with. The patience it builds must be huge. I would not do well.

Right now I feel like Raj from the Big Bang Theory giving a lecture at an all girls college.

Experimental Craziness

It’s Foodie Friday!!!! I know, I know. I’ve officially hit kitschy. I will stop. Until next week when it’s Footsie Friday or something equally heinous.

Last week, I believe on a Tuesday, I had a doctor appointment. I bet you are so darn jealous. It was a little later than I normally schedule and in the opposite direction from work. One never knows quite how long a doctor’s appointment will take (no offense doctors), so I opted to not make lunch. I didn’t want it to sit in the car for hours. Plus, if I got out at lunch it was the perfect excuse to stop by Starbucks or, um, some other place. (Not addicted!). Sadly, the appointment went fast, so I swung by the house and threw together a lunch.

So now to back up a bit. I had seen a school lunch roundup at 100 Days of Real Food a few days before. Compared to what I ate for lunch growing up—soggy pb&j, water, and…something that must have been so heinous I can’t even remember—these meals were amazing. So different, creative, balanced, and healthy. No pb&j in site, although I think that gets you arrested and sent to Guantanamo these days. I was so taken by what I saw, that on Tuesday I decided to try one with our leftover Superbowl veggie tray.

I packed a metric ton of veggies (radishes, broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, and olives), with some nuts, a slice of “Daddy” cheese, and hummus. That’s it, and I was STUFFED!!! The afternoon at work always kills me and I need to find something to eat or I will be cranky (er, crankier), but that day I was full until dinner. Gotta love fiber!

I wasn’t sure if it was a fluke or was the food, so I decided to experiment. I packed a similar lunch all week, and into this week. And yes, not all were unprocessed food and I didn’t make the hummus and peanut butter from scratch. I’m amazing, but I’m also busy.

I did not think to photograph the first lunch. You’ll notice that the veggies are the same, although I did have broccoli on other days not photographed. You will also notice that hummus and peanut butter look like something from a diaper.

I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I didn’t always get through the afternoon without a snack, but it was so minor and a Clementine was enough to sate the appetite. I felt most full with the one with peas, but there were also too many nuts in that one.

I’m still fiddling with amounts (you’ll notice that there seem to be more veggies in the bottom, more filling, boxes) and I’ve been swapping out the side boxes (one box not pictured had peanut soba noodles), but overall, it’s AWESOME! Not only am I less snacky in the afternoon, but I found that I had more energy at Zumba this week. I just need to come up with a few more variations (lentils, sweet potatoes, spinach, etc.). I do believe I have a new standard lunch.

Oh, and I did go to Starbucks anyway after that appointment. (Not addicted)

Covering my mouth

I think there’s been a 3 week quarantine sign on our door. OP was sick with a cold, cough, snot, and general ickiness. Then I got sick with flu-like symptoms (NOT THE FLU) which developed into bronchitis. I got the flu-like symptoms^[1] from her, or so I thought until she got sick again with very similar symptoms to me. She didn’t mind the second disease round as much because she got to go to work with Mommy one morning. Apparently going to work with Mommy is the bees knees. Keep thinking that, kid, in 20 years you’ll change your mind.

I think we are all over the sickly shenanigans. Of course, the Husband never really got sick. Oh, he felt crappy for a couple days but no snot, no cough, no sneezing, no flu-like symptoms, no fair.

It’s okay, Mommy. I’ve build a wall to keep the germs out.

Unfortunately, I single-handedly ruined his birthday by being sick. Don’t think it was just me being sick that ruined his birthday. (I keep wanting to write brithday which makes me think of bris-day, which no one ever wants to celebrate. I would imagine.) Because I was sick, a day with friends was canceled and he ended up picking up the surprise birthday cheesecake I had ordered. I also had to bail on the birthday family dinner, although he did still get to go so that was nice. Adding insult to injury, I had left his birthday present at work the week before to set it up. Guess where it still was on his birthday because I hadn’t been at work before then? Yeah. Birthday fail.

That’s okay. I made it up to him by not coughing on him.

Sadly, I didn’t get much knitting done while I was sick. Instead I did homework for a class I’m not taking for a grade!!!! Yes, you read it right. I’m taking a chemistry class this semester and doing all the homework, but not being graded (except I am getting a grade on the homework assignments to check my knowledge). And, instead of using my sick time to knit and bond with my yarn. I. Did. Homework.

Don’t worry, I’m disappointed in myself too.

[1] If you are ever asked if you want a flu test, say no and then run away screaming. There is nothing more horrific than having a swab stuck up your nose until it touches your brain and then pushed into your brain so it comes out of the back of your head. I would rather have a shot.

Safe and Sound

How do you anorexics do it? I flew home Friday and while I made it home safe and sound, I made myself sick in the process. It started on Thursday. I had hoped to be in bed, asleep by 9:00 on Thursday. I had to wake up at 3am for a 6:25 flight, and I thought getting 6 hours of sleep would mean I wouldn’t feel as exhausted when I got home. Unfortunately, the best laid plans go up in smoke, get kicked in the crotch, and run through the wood chipper. I made it to bed around 10:00 (not bad) but then my brain kicked in because I WAS GOING HOME and I couldn’t sleep. I finally fell asleep at midnight.

So I went into the flight exhausted. Then, I was so nervous that I couldn’t eat. Every time I did, I’d feel better for a second and then want to vomit. Of course, not eating made the feeling worse. I’ve been sick all weekend and am only starting to feel better today. Adding insult to injury, I couldn’t sleep last night so I’m exhausted. At least I got some sleep on the flight and I did some knitting. Oh, and got to hug the Husband and OP right on time. That was worth every second. Well, almost.

The rest of the weekend was interspersed with feeling sick and a lot of sleeping. I did try going out to a local outdoor sports convention. I bet you are so jealous. It was actually a lot of fun. There were a ton of running, biking, and tri groups interspersed with stores, food items, and other wacky stuff. OP LOVED the protein bars. I was pinning future happiness on winning a massage. It didn’t happen. It’s rigged! Rigged, I tell you! I guess I’ll just have to get a massage the old-fashioned way, by laying on my stomach and letting OP climb all over my back.

I charge a million dollars an hour, and I'm worth it.