6 weeks, 4 doctors visits, and 2 rounds of antibiotics later...

Ben is STILL sick! Yesterday, after another week sleepless nights, I'd had enough and dragged him back to Mercy... something had to be wrong, I mean how can you finish 2 rounds of antibiotics and still be this sick? His cough was getting worse, not better! Fortunately, we got a doctor who knew what he was doing this time, and was able to finally diagnose him correctly. Ben has... Pneumonia! Yup, makes sense now, huh? Apparently they were treating him for lesser infections and so of course, the antibiotics weren't doing anything but masking what was really going on while it was progressively getting worse. Grrr... Anyway, so now that we know whats really wrong, we have some super-drugs that *should* kick this nasty germ to the curb. Last night we FINALLY both got some decent rest, thanks to this wonderful cough medicine that knocked him out cold, it was GREAT! :) Ben will make a full recovery, although it might take a few weeks... but at least we're now on the right track!

Why God Made Pets...

This is one of those forwards (email) that I received and being the animal lover I am, I just had to share it with everyone!

WHY GOD MADE PETS

To help around the house...

To protect our children...

They look out for smaller ones...

They show us how to kick back and relax...

They help us when we're down...

They have great expectations...

They know who's boss...

AND... they know when we need a good laugh!

Hope that made you smile!!! Oh and by the way... research shows that those with pets live longer than those without! So... get a dog, its good for your health! (Well, unless you're allergic or something... then nevermind... a fish maybe?)

Just when I was starting to forget...

... about how nasty Lupron can be to my body, I get this phonecall today from the Oncologist at my specialty/mail-order pharmacy. She was wanting to set up my next month's dose and shipment, but first has to remind me and make *sure* I understood the ramifications of this drug. Pretty much five minutes of "Are you aware this is posion they'll be injecting you with and that you can suffer various undesirable side effects such as: (insert looooooooooong list)?" I do believe I'll receive this same phonecall month after month, because I had to listen to the same shpeal last time too. I know they're just doing their job, but I almost wanted to say, "Um yeah- I get it... My hair is falling out, I can't sleep at night, I have become uncomfortably familiar with what my menopausal family members/friends call 'personal summers', and I'm sure with each coming month I'll become aqcuainted with all the other side effects! Please, don't rub it in..." Oh wells, c'est la vie!

Died and gone to heaven?

Its been rumored about for months and not much info has been available, but it is officially now under construction! I better start saving up all my pennies, WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!

It has begun

So I'm a week out from my first shot, and without a shadow of a doubt... yes, I've started feeling some of those nasty side effects. Yesterday I was at work and all of a sudden I was on fire. My co-worker said I turned beet red (and ya'll know I do not turn red easily... I was apparently born without the ability to blush or even look a bit flushed?) and while I couldn't see myself right then and there, I sure did feel like I had smoke bellowing out of my ears! I'm quickly learning that dressing in layers is a must and that having a freezer nearby (you know, to stick your head in!) comes in handy! :)
Other than that, it hasn't been too bad. Headaches and knee pain have popped up a few times this past week, but nothing unbearable. Probably what bugs me the most is not being able to sleep very well... Every morning I wake up around 4am and no matter how hard I try, I cannot fall asleep again! This really stinks since I have to get up at 5am every day to go teach Seminary... that last precious hour that could be spent sleeping just taunts me... grrr...

Loopy on Lupron- Month 1

I received my first Lupron shot yesterday... It was all a bit anti-climatic after all the hoops I had to jump through just to get the darn medicine in the first place! It took almost a month to get it approved and mailed to my doctor, but yesterday was the BIG day, finally. I went up there on my lunch break and my nurse gave it to me and it was all over in like 5 seconds. I'm not sure when all the crazy side effects are supposed to start, but I *think* I may have had my first bout with the hot-flashes/nightsweats last night... I wasn't able to sleep very much and kept waking up super hot... then falling asleep and waking up cold... then hot... then cold... etc. I even had a dream that I was in some building that was filling up with lava (no clue where it was coming from) and when I got to the roof, it was raining super hot mud outside! I was trapped and about to burn alive when I woke up... drenched in sweat. Nice, huh? We'll see what this month brings... I'll be sure to keep you all updated on my crazy happenings.
Oh, and on the positive note... I got permission last night to stay on my Metformin throughout my Lupron shots. Why is this so great? Well... I put on 20+ lbs while on all of my lovely fertility drugs and was having a REALLY hard time losing weight. After my surgery I was put on the Metformin and was able to lose it all, yippy!!! Some women have been known to gain like 50 lbs on Lupron ( YIKES!!!) and when I heard that I just about died... hopefully the Metformin will keep me from blowing up, I really like being able to squeeze back into the wardrobe I haven't been able to wear for over a year! :)

A new do... and a collar too!

First off, let me clarify... the collar is NOT for me! :) That said, and before I post the pics, I wanted to thank you all for your birthday wishes and kind words to cheer me up. I really do appreciate it... you guys are just the best! :)

Ok... so for my new hair, here it is... tada!

Now, about that collar... Loony has officially become ours, since the neighbors finally approached us and pretty much begged us to take her b/c they just don't want her. Anyway, so I decided a few days ago to go and get her a pretty collar and name tag and make an honest doggy out of her! :) Here she is in all her new-collar glory!

How cute is she??? We've managed to fatten her back up and she's doing a lot better with the whole potty-training stuff. This weekend we took her to the doggy-park for the first time and she handled herself very well... we think she'll adjust pretty well now that she's not being neglected, poor thing!

The big 2-7!

Well, today I grew 1 year closer to 30... only 3 years left, lol. The thought is a bit scary, but what can you do? Time presses on, whether you want it to or not. Birthdays have always been fun for me, but this year it was a tad bittersweet. Anyone who cares enough to read this blog is close enough to us to know about our struggles the past 2+ years with getting pregnant... While I can't speak for Ben, any and all holidays or special events (like birthdays, for example) have become a bit difficult for me in the sense that they mark another year that has gone by and the realization that we still find ourselves in the same old place... childless. It's another chance for me to look back on my "plan" and see how life's not turning out quite like I'd thought it would... Yeah, I know, "The easiest way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans." While I know full well that my Heavenly Father has a plan for me (one that more than likely I will be happier with in the end than the one I'd originally wanted) days like this make it painfully obvious that things are most definitely NOT in my control and there is nothing I can do about it but sit patiently and endure.
Depressing thoughts on what should be a fun day, huh? Well, in all fairness, my b-day hasn't been altogether a bummer. Yesterday, my wonderful hubby took me out to dinner and a movie and we had a grand ole time! I also did something I'd been meaning to for a while... chop my hair off! That's right, I took the big plunge and cut about 5" off my falling-out mane. I figured it would make for less of a mess in the shower drain! Plus shorter hair = less tangles which in turn = less combing/pulling which HOPEFULLY will = less hair falling out! :) I should be starting my Lupron this week so... here's to this having been a good move on my part! :) If anyone wants to see my new due (Do? Doo? Hmm, how do you spell that word?) let me know and I'll post a picture.

I'm "it" again!

Erin just tagged me again, so here we go... this one is a bit different than last time!

10 Years Ago:
I was 2 days away from turning 17 and going to Stuyvesant High School. Can't remember much more... probably hanging out with friends, reading, studying my brains out and just being my dorky self!

Snacks I Enjoy:
Anything chocolate, fruit pies, bagel chips, ice cream, and other unhealthy things! ;)

5 Things On My To-Do List:
Clean the house
Take Loony to the Vet
Get my hair cut tomorrow (woohoo, I'm excited!)
Prepare my Seminary lessons for next week
Turn 27!

Things I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire:
Tithing
Pay off all our debt
IVF as many times as it takes to get us some babies!!!
Buy Ben an orchestra, lol...(He's always wanted to own/manage one)
Buy my parents a house
Start and run an animal rescue
Fund research for a cure for Endometriosis
Donate to St.Jude's Hospital (they treat childhood cancer and never turn patients away)
Go to Hawaii and swim with the dolphins
Go on a mission with Ben when we're older

3 of my bad habits:
I hate housework... *GASP!* I know, I'm a horrible wife!
Procrastination is my middle name
I don't always have the courage to speak my mind which leads to me getting walked all over

5 places I have lived:
New York
Uruguay
South Carolina
Utah
California

Jobs I have had:
Custodian @ BYU
Cashier/Cook @ BYU (Teriyaki Stix)
Asst. Manager @ Jamba Juice
Office Manager @ Shelter Insurance
Insurance Coordinator @ Eye Clinic

Things people don't know about me:
I am hooked on InuYasha
I used to want to be a Pathologist and work for the CDC!
I only have 1 & 1/2 ureters... LOL, if you really want to know how that works, ask me.
I sing in my sleep
I secretly wish I controlled the world (more like enforcement of laws) so that I could punish anyone that mistreats animals by hanging them from their pinky toes and other various methods of "torture"... (I know... the world is very lucky I'm not in charge)

And on that lovely note... I tag: Shannon, Linsey, Kathleen, and... Kim! :)