I really wanted to post at least once a week, maybe twice. But life got in the way. I came down with a cold for the new year, thought it was over, then it turned into pnuemonia. My chronic pain has flared up with this, and now my pain meds are less effective. My daughter had an ectopic pregnancy and almost hemmorrhaged to death because we thought she was passing a kidney stone, and left her to relax while we hosted a birthday party for her daughter-checking on her intermittently. (we got a clue when she passed out, and her lips were white). Ironically she had thought she was pregnant last month, but had tested negative (though she kept saying she felt pregnant), then started her period - an extra long heavy period and she is prone to kidney stones. She was in the hospital for a five days, four blood transfusions, lost a fallopian tube and a baby, but she's now on the mend. After she came home, we all came down with a stomache flu - one by one even my post surgical daughter. It's been a hell of a month for us (two for me).
I finally was able to get something else prescribed for my nerve pain, and stopped taking Lyrica. I'm not sure yet, but it feels like my face is less puffy. I had gained quite a bit of weight in the two and a half years that I've been taking Lyrica. Lately my face has seemed huge to me, the skin in front of my ears seemed to puff out. Not anymore. I'm hoping that means that I'll be able to move around more - and lose some of this weight. I've also just realized that I'm not having some of the leg muscle pain that I've had for the last year. Unfortunately I am still having quite a bit of pain in my upper extremities and hands/fingers. That's probably going to always be a part of my life....blah,blah,blah.
Things finally calmed down this weekend for us, and I snuck out to the bookstore. Even though I have over 50 books at home that I haven't read yet, I still NEED to go book shopping on a regular basis. My income has dropped, so this means I have to wait for paperbacks of books, when I used to be able to buy hardbacks, start looking at second hand stores for books instead of buying new, and cutting my shopping trips to once a month instead of every weekend. I've never been well off, but have enjoyed buying a book or five whenever I felt like it the last few years. Now it's back to waiting for a few extra dollars, paying bills first, etc, but I'm thankful that at least I can still buy a few here and there. There was a time when I couldn't afford to buy toilet paper, much less a new book (thank god for my wonderful neighbor, who used to give us toilet paper!), so I use to read and re-read books. This led to Book Hoarding - where I saved every book I ever read, so I could read and re-read, and re-read...... I finally started taking books to thrift shops - especially when we had to move. I even tried to give away books as I read them, but they kept coming back to me. Some I wanted back, but not all.
I went to the bookstore and spent $35.00 on books for me and my grand-daughter. She's two years old, and growing out of the colors, animals, and shapes genre of books. We are now looking for short story/picture books for her, since she now likes to lay on the bed with me and listen to a story. She is one (the best) of the reasons that I can't always finish a book within a few days like I used to.
I bought the newest Kitty (the werewolf) book by Carrie Vaughn, Kitty Raises Hell. The other books are by authors I have never read before, two are debut novels:
- Spiral Hunt - Margaret Ronald
- death's daughter - Amber Benson
- Ravenous - Sharon Ashwood
- Unclean Spirits - M.L.N. Hanover
I am in the middle of Unclean Spirits. So far; Jayne (jhah-nay) Heller's uncle has died and left her his belongings - which just happen to include millions of dollars, a few properties and storage units full of stuff-stuff like weapons and files on the Invisible College. She's a so-far normal human. When she was young though, she had a wild night - blacked out - and woke up with an unfinished tattoo on her back and her uncle covered for her. I think this unfinished tattoo is going to be an important detail later in the story, but after one mention this detail is not mentioned again - so far. She meets a few of her uncle's friends, is attacked by people who are being "ridden" by unclean spirits - demons. She manages to fight them off with some suddenly awesome fighting skills that just appear out of nowhere. Later she attributes her mad fighting skills to an adrenaline rush as she fights for her life. (I think it has something to do with that tattoo). Her new friends tell her a little about demons, etc, but she thinks that although they clearly believe what they are telling her, they are crazy. Things begin to happen that convince her they are not totally loony-tunes. The only thing I'm not really crazy about right now (could just be personal taste) is the almost instantaneous mutual attraction between Jayne and one of the characters (Aubrey). At least it isn't mentioned every other page, or acted on yet. I still have 200 pages to read (356 pages total).
Book Goal Update: 30 books to read in 2009 - I've read
- Magic to the Bone *****
- Demon Bound *****
- Island of the Sequined Love Nun *****
- MonaLisa Blossoming ***
- MonaLisa Awakening ***
- Bone Crossed *****
- The Summoning *****
- Remember Me *****
I actually didn't realize that I had read this many books, (two were a little forgettable) if I keep this up, I'll have to amend my reading goal to 30 books in 6 months!
Health Goal Update: not so good, though my face feels thinner to me. With all the sickness and life crap, I was able to go on three walks. I am feeling a little better physically, meaning not so deathly ill, so maybe I can get out with my walking partner (two year old granddaughter) a few times this week. My long term health goal is to lose enough weight to get off blood pressure medicine. Anything you have to take on a daily basis can't be good for you in the long run.
So even though things were pretty bleak last week (no matter how far into the pregancy - a loss is a loss), and I've been pretty sick it feels like thing will finally start to get better.
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