Tuesday, October 26, 2010

What is wrong with you? Oh...a few things...

OK, so most people know that there is something up with me.  I haven't really talked about yet. To some very close people I have but I keep getting asked if I am OK by those not in the loop.  So here goes.

I went to the doctor one day last month stating that my arm hurt due to past poor ergonomics.  Also, my bowel movements aren't going so well and lastly, the last time I donated blood my iron was low.  (I have been anemic in the past, took supplements and then came back with OK levels).  So, the doctor sent me for an xray on my elbow, sent me for some blood work to test my iron and told me to get some metamucil.

The results came back from blood work that my iron levels were ok, my hemoglobin was low.  So she sent me for more bloodwork, getting 6 blood tests and a stool test to check for colon cancer.  I was vitamin D deffeciant.  She asked me to start taking Vitamin D supplements with Calcium supplements.

The results came back from those tests with some interesting information.  My iron levels were dangerously low, as well as my hemoglobin.  Trying to figure out what is making that happen.  Its my periods.  I practically hemmorage every month. So, the doctor wants to see what is causing that to happen and see what we can do about my iron levels.

Also, one of those 6 tests was a random test called C Reactive Protein.  Here is some info on that.


Your doctor may order this test to:
  • Check for flare-ups of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or vasculitis
  • Determine if anti-inflammatory medicine is working to treat a disease or condition
However, a low CRP level does not always mean that there is no inflammation present. Levels of CRP may not be increased in people with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The reason for this is unknown.
A more sensitive CRP test, called a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) assay, is available to determine a person's risk for heart disease. Many consider a high CRP level to be a risk factor for heart disease. However, it is not known whether CRP is merely a sign of cardiovascular disease or if it actually plays a role in causing heart problems.

Normal Results
Normal CRP values vary from lab to lab. Generally, there is no CRP detectable in the blood.
Your doctor may also use a highly sensitive test called hs-CRP to help determine your risk of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association:
  • You are at low risk of developing cardiovascular disease if your hs-CRP level is lower than 1.0mg/L
  • You are at average risk of developing cardiovascular disease if your levels are between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L
  • You are at high risk for cardiovascular disease if your hs-CRP level is higher than 3.0 mg/L
Note: Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean
A positive test means you have inflammation in the body. This may be due to a variety of different conditions, including:
This list is not all inclusive.

So, my CRP came back at 3.2.  I was told immediately to start a lifestyle change as cardiac arrest is imminent. I have already started eating better and going to the gym.  I can always use advice in this area! I would love a gym buddy.  Recently, Jesse at work has started a Biggest Loser club and I have joined. Hopefully some support and competition will assist me in obtaining my goals.


Today, I had an ultrasound to check to see if I have fibroids in my uterus. That was interesting as I sat in the waiting room in my gown, bladder full of water. They were running behind, I had to pee so bad that it started to come out. I couldn't take it anymore so I went to the bathroom and pee'd.  I was upset, I was going to have to reschedule!  I came out and the tech was looking for me.  Thankfully, I had enough left in me to complete the ultrasound.  Then she told me to empty my bladder and come back for the second part of ultrasound...the camera up my vagina part. OH!  Oh, OK.  Wasn't aware of that!  It didn't hurt anything, but still..wow!


Tonight, I have to fast as I am getting a diabetes test tomorrow, plus another cholesterol test.  While there, I will hand in my stool samples.


I also have a pap test booked for November 3rd to see if that will yield more information, plus to potentially go on the pill to control some of my period even tho I have been "fixed"!


So, a bit overwhelming these past two weeks.  I will know more next week if anything shows from ultrasound, diabetes and cholesterol test.


So that is what is up with me!


Friday, October 22, 2010

To Infinity and Beyond: Not a Toy Story blog.

I don't know if this blog will reflect the title.  Not meaning I will blog about Toy Story.  But originally, I thought I would blog about travel.  Specifically, my travel plans.  Maybe I will start there.


I finalized my Los Angeles plans.  This of course excites me. I will get to see friends, and take my family to LA for the first time.  I have gone before, stayed with my friends Mark and Bari in Bakersfield.  Bari has gotten us passes to Legoland and Universal Studios, so that saves us a ton of money.  We have rented a minivan for comfort so we can have Crystal with us at all times!


I have built an itinerary, I will share in case you want to stalk me.



Arrive on the Thursday Nov 11
check into Tangerine


dinner and hollywood blvd
go to bed at The Tangerine


Fri nov 12
Go to Santa Monica Pier, see the sign etc...
go to bed at Tangerine


Sat Nov 13
wake up and go to Legoland
Go to bed at Tangerine


Sun Nov 14
check out and head to Universal Studios till 5pm
Andrew's birthday dinner
drive to BAKO (Bakersfield)
check into Doubletree


Monday Nov 15
chill day at Gonzos
go to bed at Doubletree


Tuesday Nov 16
check out drive to LA
fly home.


Excited. No clue what I am doing with my pets.  Any volunteers? Two golden retrievers, 2 cats.


Also, I am very excited that I have also planned a trip to Montreal January 14 to the 17th.  Its Michele's Quarter Century old birthday party.  Since she can't come on the cruise a few of us are going to her!!  I have never been to Montreal so this will be awesome!  Girls weekend, drinking and shopping. LOVE IT! 


Plus, my cruise with Barenaked Ladies and Great Big Sea is just 106 days away.  We have booked a hotel in South Beach for the weekend of the cruise.  There will be roughly, 30 of us staying there and having fun.  CANNOT WAIT!!


I have 3 weeks vacation for the 2011 year.  Trying to decide what to do with them.  Obviously the cruise is one.  My parents will be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary next Sept, and if we can, I think we're going to Hawaii!  I get a lot of interline deals and my mom wants to go there really bad, I can get us great hotel rates!  We can fly on my flight benefits, standby, but possible!  So that is two weeks. I guess I could take some time off in the summer to be with the kids and go to PEI for a week. I love going there.


Its almost Halloween and I am so not ready!  I think I should start that! I have to get Quinn his costume.  For the 5th year in a row, he wants to be a NINJA.  I think i will take him to Don's Hobby Shop on Center street. 


I have a lot more to say but I don't want my blog to be too long.  Maybe next week, we can discuss my health. Ya, its an issue!  Till then...safe travels!

Friday, October 15, 2010

My cathartic blog....

I have vowed to never talk about work in my blogs.  I very much dislike it when people talk negatively about their workplace in their private social sites.  My thoughts are: if I am so happy to make it a status, then I clearly need to move on.  I mean, I know we have tough days, but there are expressing stress or frustrations and then there is bad mouthing your company.  Its tough for me, I work for an airline, and I pretty much treat my facebook friends as guests or potential guests.  I love my company and I don't want to say stuff in my status that our guests and potential guests could see and form an opinion on.  If I put stuff in my status saying negative stuff, then I can only assume my friends are thinking "Geez, if one of their own talk like that, imagine what everyone else says, must be a poor company".  I don't know if you are like me, but I will not use a business based on what my friends say.  Word of mouth is the BEST way of advertisement and if the advertisement from the employees is that they are stressed, frustrated and mad...then why would I give them our business?


That being said, I want to talk about my work.  Bare with me, I am building....


Almost one year ago (tomorrow)  was the day we shut down our reservation system  to "upgrade" to a new system.  What followed was chaos. Insanity. Heartbreak.  Stress beyond stress.  Frustration levels.  All which lead to many tears.


Our old bookings weren't speaking to our new system (well not exactly, but I think that helps the general public understand) and altho we were trained all summer long, the learning system to our live system were nothing really compareable.  


This resulted in our guests holding for HOURS.  Some of our finest employees would work 12 hr days just to be able to take 4 more calls that day.  To help 4 more people.  After all, calls were taking 1 to 2 hrs to resolve.  We would often answer the phone to hear people snoring, waking them hours after they had called in.  In an 8 hr shift, we would talk to maybe 5 or 6 guests.  Compared to taking 6 to 10 calls in an hour before.


I wish I could put into words how we felt.  But I don't think I can.  When I try, my eyes well up with tears. I met some amazing people at work that I had never met before.  It was traumatic and we all bonded over it.  I made so many new friends and some bonds will never be broken.   


The support on the floor was tremendous. We had so many guests who were so understanding and kind.  They made it worth while.  


We went from 8 hour holds, to 6 hours, to 4 hours, to 2 hours, to 1 hour, and then to none.  We finally broke through our hold times in March.  I wasn't there that day, but the cheers and tears that occur is a true sign of measurement. 


Today, we still have hiccups, but wow, what a difference.  Our new system has opened up so many doors and my companies success feels like it has no boundaries.


So today, in my heart are so many who shared so much with me.  We succeeded because we cared.


Cheesy, I know.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Being Thankful

Often we fall on difficult times whether it be losing a job/not gaining a promotion, breaking up with your spouse, illness and sometimes the death of a loved one.  But I think what determines the future is being thankful for what remains.  Maybe its easy for me to say that as I haven't fallen on many hardships during my adult life.  I have had my up and downs but thanks to my partner Andrew, life is going quite well.  At the end of the day we can't go back and change what has happened, only do our best to ensure things are easier in the future.


Today I have many reasons to be thankful.  I am going to list them, not in order of importance, just as they come to mind.


Andrew - he is my rock and my bestfriend. He takes care of me, and helps me grow as a person.
Hilary and Quinn - my kids ensure that I always strive to be someone who makes them feel loved and be proud of. 
My mom and dad - they have always been there for me and did everything they could do to ensure I was ok. They still are there for me.


Friends - this is a big one.  I have different tiered friends. My besties keep me sane and help keep me Jody, not just mom or wife.  My other besties, who pretty much do the same.  My friends (working their way to Besties)  - always putting a smile on my face and listening to my jokes.  My acquaintances who randomly join me for lunch at work, sit with me for the day and share, on their way to friends.  I need all of them! I am nothing without my friends.


My job - I love my job.  It works with my personality, made some of my closest friends there, plus I love to travel so it helps!  I am also thankful to my leader, Terra.  She means the world to me.  Without her, I don't know how I would have that job anymore.


My fashion sense - I am awesome there.


Twilight - its my world now. 


Bacon - enough said.


I hope you all find atleast one thing to be thankful for today.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Coffee, shoes, purses and turkey!

I am off today.  They expected it to be quiet today and I asked if I could surrender my shift to assist in meeting service levels at work, and they said yes! I stayed home because Quinn came home sick yesterday, Andrew had a big day with a new client today so we didn't want to risk him missing that.  Quinn woke up feeling much better than yesterday, but his throat is sore.  He did go to school, but he put me on standby.  This does give me some time to get groceries (10% off at Safeway today!), clean the litterbox, make a nice dinner, play facebook games and blog!


Today I put metamucil in my cereal.  It worked out well for me.  I need a new coffee machine. I should put that on my christmas list!  I don't like home brewed coffee. I have tried many brands. Tell me what brand you like for home and I will try it.


To Terra, who looked uber hawt in her sassy suit, I apologize for making fun of your shoes. They were horrendous, that doesn't change, but I am sorry if I embarrassed you.  But thank you ever so much for believing in my tastes enough to go buy new shoes to complete the outfit!  Other than your hair (we've talked about this, angle those bangs and bob, but your hair did look nice), you looked smashing from head to toe. I am hoping you are wearing those shoes again today.  


I have discovered my feet swell too often and my feet look horrible in shoes. Disgusting. Like big balls of dough shoved in a shoe.  


Yesterday, after work, I met Michelle at Laura's where we picked up a dress that she had on hold.  Before Laura's we hit Winners, and OH EM GEE! I got a new Kathy Van Zeeland purse!  They had so many to choose from, but I chose this one!  I got her 50% off, for only $60!  Now I have 5 of her purses, I just love how they are so "LOOK AT ME, IM BLING BLING GAUDY".  A purse says a lot about a person.


So GOBBLE gobble day is coming. I cannot wait to make TURKEY! Oh how I love that dinner. I love to take in strays for thanksgiving dinner.  Without family and friends, what is a holiday?


Time to get groceries and do all those things that I can do since I am home today, on standby.