Wednesday, July 26, 2006

Ceiling Fans, Toilets and Gas, Oh my!

I have a HUGE migraine right now, hopefully I am getting my period which I missed this month. I am hoping I do because I am SO bloated and started my diet. It would really help my confidence if I just dropped the water weight I am holding onto. I was 126 lbs when I started chemo and I am 149 lbs now (as of Saturday). Thats a 23 lbs weight gain people! I never thought I would post this here but I plan on losing it and returning to my old weight since I worked so hard to do so before the sh*t hit the fan. I just weighed myself and I lost 1/2 lb and weigh 148.5 lbs. I am shrinking by the minute!

I mailed my wig back so they can sew the little combs into it. The adhesive was pulling out my growing hairs and I cant have that. I mailed it USPS Priority and insured it for $2000. If it gets lost I can use that money to pay for it because I used my CC. I would miss it but we really need the money. Its sad because I love that wig and I still plan on wearing it when the holidays come.

Well, since we are so broke I thought that I would make a few people their Christmas gifts this year. Thats the main reason I bought so much yarn when I went to the craft store the other day. I bought lots of stuff and still need size 7 needles to make the dishtowels for the kitchen. I am making a few for me and for my Grandmother who also mentioned some interest in crocheting again. I told her I have some yarn and an extra H hook that she can have to play around with. She sounded excited about it which is strange behavior for her. She is usually grumpy but hey if it makes her feel better. I am going to Knotty Girl later and am also asking about a lesson so I can really learn how to increase, decrease and all the stuff I am having a problem with. I plan on making my Dad a nice thick bulky scarf, he loves them. I am also going to make one for my Aunt, Mom, cousins and whoever I think is in need of a scarf! Some will be for outerwear and others will be for wear with a pretty sweater. I plan on making more than scarfs though. I am still learning so give me some time. I am definitely addicted because its all I can think about is making all these pretty things! From one obsession to another I say but its all good.

Last night while I was bathing my daughter I smelled gas. The kids bathroom is on the other side of the house and my husband and son were watching a video in our bedroom and he wasnt able to smell it. The furnace and hot water heater in down stairs and on the side of the house my daughter and I were in so I assumed thats where it was coming from and it was STRONG. I called for my husband and he immediately told me and the kids to GET OUT NOW were his exact words as he threw me the phone and my wallet. On the way out the door I opened as many windows as I could and called the police. Within 3 minutes I heard the fire engines. My kids were in their pajamas and we headed out the door and across the street to our neighbor J's house. He's such a great guy and his wife and kids were out there to helping me with my son and daughter because they were frightened. Hey, so was I. I had managed to get all the animals inside the HUGE crate I have. Three dogs and two cats sharing the space together. They were all good and they knew why. Animals are so smart. I pulled the crate over to the two open French doors which leads out to our deck and I figured they would be fine. If the fire men said to remove them I would have loaded them all in my car but my kids were with me and I couldnt get them physically out by myself. Plus they were on the other side of the house were you couldnt smell gas. While we were standing in J's driveway I heard the sound of sirens. Then I see not one, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 fire trucks make the turn onto my street! Wow, they dont fool around I guess. J said that they dont fool around with gas because they had a couple of houses explode. Thats a nice thought. When they were inspecting the house I went over to talk to one of the firemen. He was the nicest guy you would ever want to meet. He was also HOT!! Probably MUCH younger than I too. He kept asking me questions about my kids and mentioned that his son went to the same program as mine and so on. I havent been hit on in a while and thats what was happening. I looked HORRIBLE and had pizza sauce on my white shorts and a Buff that didnt match on my head. My eyebrows which consist of brown powdered eyeliner, were practically off my face. This guy must dig chemo chicks or bald ones! It was very funny. He made sure to check EVERYTHING so I could sleep that night. Eventually they found what they thought was the problem and I agreed. At the time I smelled the gas I was bathing my daughter and using the hot water. Our hot water heater is gas and over 20 years old. It was installed in 1984. My husband put the attic fan on with all the windows shut which created a negative pressure situation in the house blowing out the pilot light on the hot water heater. Therefore the gas smell and I mean smell. We opened everything and it still registered on the firemens gas detectors thats how strong it was. So they cant say for sure but I bet thats what it was. They couldnt detect any leak elsewhere so logical reasoning would say thats what it was. I have to call the gas company and have them come out to service the hot water heater. We really need a new one because the new ones have saftey features that the old ones are lacking but they cost a pretty penny as does everything else. Add something else to the list. We did find all the cat toys when the firemen moved the stove out from the wall to check the gas line. The cats were high on cat nip the rest of the night and you should have seen my old man stoned. He was wobbling all over the place. (I realized that previous sentence doesnt sound right if you havent read the entire paragraph).

My husband is quite handy and I guess things happen in threes. Last week our ceiling fan just stopped working in our bedroom. It was 20 years old also so the motor burned out from it being on day and night. With the heat we have been having I keep it on with the AC to move the air. We went to Home Depot and got a Hampton Bay for $60. It was a great deal because the one I really wanted was way to much and unaffordable at $269. Thats crazy and way over any budget so we got the cheaper one and I love it because it works! Then our Master Bedroom toilet started to leak from the base. DH had the entire thing taken apart with a gapping hole in the ground on Monday morning when I woke up. It took him 4 hours but he fixed it. It cost $28 in parts and a plumber would have charged at least $400 for the work with labor and parts. DH also fixed the pipes that came from the sink in the bath because they broke while he was fixing the toilet. Now this gas leak thing with the hot water heater happens. Anything else that can break?

I watched the couple that bought our other house move in the other day. I couldnt get a look at them close but one drives a mini Cooper. They already have lounge chairs on the front deck and flowers. I hope they find as much happiness there as we did. I am so happy a contractor didnt buy it and knock it down, it would have broken my heart to see such a cute little colonial with so much history being knocked down for a 5,000 SF McMansion to be put in its place. I cant stand those huge houses.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with my oncologist. The appointment is with the nurses and not the Dr. I am only having my port-a-cath flushed. This will be for the last time before my surgery and then its gone! I cant wait for it to come out but I am not looking forward to my surgery. I am nervous, anxious and frightened as the days inch closer and closer. I also notice that I am losing patience with little things and snapping at everyone. I think this is the reason.

I wish this damn headache would go away so I can knit and relax. It so relaxing to me when I am doing it thats one of the reasons I am doing it. Its more productive than watching TV or doing puzzles but that doesnt mean I am giving those things up either, fat chance.

2 comments:

Yoga Chickie said...

Hi Curly Brunette! I am a real poster!! Not one of those awful spammers....I had breast cancer four years ago and went through a lot of the same drugs you took....I have to tell you...you will get your weight under control, your appetite will get back to normal, you will feel better, your hair will be luscious and curly again!!

My blog has stuff about breast cancer, but mainly it is a blog about yoga...yoga saved my life.....

Lauren

CurlyBrunette said...

Thanks Lauren for your words of encouragement. It means so much to me when other survivors reach out to me. God Bless and thanks again! I'll be sure to check out your blog!