remind me again why I'm at the Headache Clinic?

Since last week's hospital visit, I have felt fine. Tired, of course, and my joints continue to claim they are 100 years old instead of 41, but generally okay. So what was I doing at the Headache Clinic today? Good question....

My OB insisted I see a neurologist after she and all the other docs I saw were unable to find a cause for my vision loss. I think it was a case of CYA but I opted to humor her and called the neuro guy she recommended. They said they could see me in March, maybe. I pushed and said I thought my OB wanted me seen a bit sooner. Suddenly there was an appointment in two days.

It turns out the neurologist practices at the Headache Clinic. I showed up early, knowing that I had an appointment with someone who may be able to help with my lack-of-employment situation soon after. After much foot dragging, they finally gave me the "new patient questionnaire". The bulk of it was a calendar to chart my headaches (not having any) and the meds I've taken for my headaches (duh, left those pages blank too). Needless to say, everyone was very confused.

The PA was great and took down all of my info and (lack of) symptoms. I told him (and everyone else) as nicely as possible that I had to be out the door at 12:05. At 12:15 I still had not seen the doc and was supposed to be at my other meeting. Deciding that if any of this was stress-related then getting to my other meeting was going to do me more good than anything else, I told them I could not stay and left.

When I called back later in the afternoon to reschedule, they put the doc on the phone instead. He said as long as nothing I experience lasts more than an hour, or happens more than twice a week, I shouldn't worry. He is going to mail me some info about taking a small magnesium supplement and increasing my fluid intake. Made it all sound like he sees this kind of thing all the time and was very reassuring.

I feel kind of bad about bailing on them now, especially since the doc was so great on the phone. At least I don't have to go back in and be recognized as the nut-job who left without seeing the doctor.

more cabinets

More cabinets went in today (though not all of them!), and the tile arrived. Photos here.

Light fixtures arrived today too but won't be installed for a while.

Appliances tomorrow. I feel like a kid the night before Christmas.

RIP, Molly Ivins

From the Houston Chronicle comes the news that Molly Ivins lost her battle with breast cancer today. She was my favorite political writer and someone who earned a place on my "five people I would most like to have dinner with" list, especially if she could bring Ann Richards with her. I'd gladly give a kidney for a shred of her wit and writing talent.

If you haven't read any of Molly's books, I highly recommend two older ones, Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? and Nothin' But Good Times Ahead. Her columns are easily found via Google.

big week in the new house

The kitchen cabinets for the new house arrived today and installation has begun. New photos on Flickr, as always.

The tile installation starts tomorrow and appliances arrive Thursday. It's all starting to look a little more like a place people will live, rather than a construction site.

Shrubs and trees, front and back, are all gone too.

crime. cupcake crime.

This is probably the closest I'll ever get to food porn but alas, it was more of a food crime. CD didn't eat the cupcake I chose especially for him (dark chocolate, of course) to have on my birthday. He put it in the fridge. Ewwww!

Thanks to Suzy who sent gift certificates to Dozen for my birthday. I only used part of them. Saving the rest for mint meltaways (and someone who will appreciate them to share them with!).

I'm back and you're behind

Yes, really, I'm back. From the ER, from the land of the employed, from a dog show in Philadelphia, from Maine. You name it, I'm back. Not exactly sure how it happened but I have not blogged in 2007. Nothing against 2007, I just haven't been in the mood.

Working backwards, I spent the afternoon at the hospital being monitored. Working backwards some more, I felt dizzy this morning, then lost vision in my right eye completely. It came back after a few scary minutes and I felt okay, aside from a lingering headache. I finished session number two with the professional organizer, then realized the baby wasn't moving quite as much as she had been over the weekend. I had some water and got horizontal on the couch for a bit, but there wasn't any improvement. Called my doctor's office, expecting to be told to wait for it to happen again, then call. Instead, I was told to go to the ER. They would call and let them know I was coming. When I arrived I was taken almost immediately up to the birth center and into a triage room, where we spent the next few hours plugged in and wired to monitors. Not surprisingly, baby v2.0 - the girl version became extremely active as soon as everything was connected. I answered lots of questions, many of them repeated by three different medical professionals, had a neuro workup, etc. All was deemed to be fine and I was sent home with no special instructions, except that I have to see my OB this week. My regular appointment next Tuesday is not soon enough. It was all big fun. I hope I don't have to see the inside of the birth center again until sometime in April.

Still working backwards, you read that whole employed thing right. My position was eliminated about 10 days ago. On advice of counsel, this isn't exactly the place to be going into detail about the situation. Suffice it to say we're doing fine and, if I take a long view of things, this is likely to end up being a good thing.

Just a few more random updates and you'll be all caught up:

• Penguin celebrated her ninth birthday on the 19th. She doesn't look a day over seven.
• Oliver moved to a toddler bed a little over a week ago. His room isn't big enough to have both set up during the transition, as most books recommend, so he did it cold-turkey and hasn't looked back. When I got back from Philadelphia I couldn't easily put him in his crib. Either the arms are too short or the belly got too big, so for a while only CD could put him to bed. Since he has to go to Utah later in the month, we decided to make the move. We also didn't want Oliver to associate losing his crib with the arrival of his sister, or to make too many transitions at one time when we move to the new house.
  
• The organizer is helping me de-clutter before the impending move, as well as organize the new spaces. She's brilliant. Yeah, I could have done this all myself but it's more fun with her and I know I'm doing it right. The savings we will see from not moving the clutter should cover what it is costing.
  
• The house is progressing, though it has seemed like slow progress the last few weeks. It's about to pick up speed, however. The drywall and plaster are done and the floors are in process. Next week we should start to see cabinets, appliances and tile being installed. I'm trying to stay optimistic about moving in sometime in March. There's not much I can do to make it happen any faster. We hit a small snag in delivery of some of the tile but have adjusted. We may move in without a shower in the master bath. I can live with that, and use the kids' bath shower for a while if necessary. I am making progress on finding light fixtures, rugs, and other things we will need for the house.
• My Patriots lost yesterday. My Steelers have a new coach.
• Tomorrow is my 41st birthday.