So, here I am, eating breakfast and reading articles on the Internet, and I see an article about going through a scanner like those used at an airport to find your jean size at various stores. Really?! Maybe I am out of touch, and granted I am not really into shopping, but everyone knows their approximate size, and what is so hard about taking 2 different sizes into a dressing room to see which fits better?
I did buy some jeans about 3 weeks ago. I went into Wal Mart, went to the Levi's, and grabbed two pairs that were a size bigger than what I currently had. They were baggy, but they were the fit I was looking for, and it took me a hot 30 seconds to grab and go. Granted, I am about as far from a size 4 or 0 as you can get, and the article seemed targeted at that size group, but still, why is figuring out your clothes size rocket science? Mr Vanilla likes to tease me that I am the smallest size at the store for larger girls, which is true, but I still don't have much confusion over which size to try on. According to Teenage Vanilla, I always go too big, but I would rather be a bit baggy and not have fat folds revealed in all their glory for everyone to see. And, being bigger, clothes shopping can be a bit distressing. Even with the help of Spanx.
Even when I was thinner I still didn't enjoy clothes shopping much. I enjoy buying the girls clothes (although a day at the mall can be tiring!), and seeing how great they look in the outfits they put together, and I like wearing clothes that look nice, but I wish I could just twitch my nose and have the clothes appear on my body - having to go look and try on is the part I don't like. Since I am home right now I have it easier, since I can just put on capri pants and nice shirts, and I am good to go. I realize most people have some sort of body image issue, and it extends into going shopping for outfits, but still, being scanned to let me know my size is too much. My size is big and bigger, and I can try on a couple of sizes and figure it out. Oh, the machine gives you the 2 best sizes to try on, from what I read. Again, Really?! We can't do that for ourselves?
I was talking with Teenage Vanilla last night, and she is really against me using our actual names in the blog. I'll give it to her for now, but I'm thinking if I like to read about people's lives, I like to see pictures and know names and ages. So, it will happen, just don't know when. Little Vanilla won't care, she will just want to make sure I mention her a lot. And Little Vanilla is on my mind, as I was up with her once or twice last night (I really can't remember, as I was really tired) around 2ish, and I am tired this morning. Not her fault, she has that allergy cough going on, and needed more cough stuff. Which, luckily, I had brought upstairs so I didn't have to navigate the stairs in the dark (I've fallen down the stairs twice). Unfortunately, Little Vanilla also requested an allergy pill since she was stuffy, so down I went - without falling!
Have a great Vanilla Day!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Bad Blogger
I will be the first to say I am not a good blogger. I have good intentions, but my follow through isn't there. I thought about it, and I think what is hard for me is that I don't want to offend or upset anyone, and so I hesitate to say things. I really need to get over that. This doesn't mean I'm going to babble on about what the Teenager is doing, or go off on Bobi, but if I have something to say and it includes those in my life, I'm going to go there, just in the nicest way possible. So, here is to becoming a true blogger, and going for it. I think I said that in January, but you know what we say in January should always be taken with a grain of salt!
Thursday night all of the Vanilla's, Bobi, and Teenage Vanilla's good friend Hannah went to Seder at the synagogue. Teenage Vanilla had a Bat Mitzvah a year and a half ago, and it was incredible! However, once it was over we seemed to have taken a bit of a break from synagogue events. It was really good to go to the Seder and see people, and to also see how many new people there were! Teenage Vanilla reconnected with her good friend Synagogue Amber (because we also have Cheer Amber - same name, different association), who is also friends with Hannah through Teenage Vanilla. Little Vanilla got to spend non Hebrew/Sunday School time with her friends, Mr. Vanilla and I got to spend time with friends, and old friends were found!
The Seder started, and I was looking at other tables, and I saw two men who were so familiar. I thought they might be a couple we had lost touch with when Mr. Vanilla left a job 4 years ago. I leaned over and asked him, but he said we didn't know them. Well, once it was time to get food at the potluck, I look over, Mr. Vanilla is talking with the guys, and yep, they were who I thought they were. Mr. Vanilla said he could only see the back of their heads, while I could see profile, so from that view didn't look like anyone we knew. Jim had converted to Judaism, and although he belonged to a different congregation, it was a bit far and so they were looking at our Temple. They remembered we went to this one, and had actually talked about maybe seeing us there. The world is definitely small! It was great to talk to them and to see them, and we will be getting together with them soon.
I also took the opportunity to plan a get together with the Dalton's and the Mill's. I do see Kathie D when I do the Hebrew School pick up on Thursday, but chatting at the car window just isn't the same as being able to really sit and talk. Donna M and I haven't had a chance to talk in eons, and we sat next to each other and caught up a bit. We are having both families over in a couple of weeks, and all of us are looking forward to it. Teenage Vanilla is really determined to get Will D, who starts high school in August, to come to her high school instead of the one he is planning to go to. She can be like a dog with a bone, so poor Will D is in for it!
Since Mr. Vanilla is not Jewish (although we are raising the girls Jewish) on Sunday we gave the girls Easter Baskets, which Little Vanilla had been asking me about all week. No live animals this year - although the desire to give Teenage Vanilla another bunny was hard to ignore! - but we did give them a joint gift of a smoothie/milkshake/icee maker. It can do more than that, but that is what they will use it for. Instead of hauling out the blender every day, we now have a set with 5 cups so they can make individual drinks right in the cup they will drink out of, everything goes in the dishwasher to clean, and the base is small enough to keep on the kitchen counter. They used it right away, and we all loved it. Less mess and parts to play with! They also got plenty of chocolate, and the new Crayola colored bubbles. Belle and Jack really loved the bubbles, and their purple and green colored fur showed! The girls had fun blowing bubbles, the dogs chasing bubbles, and adults watching it all. Teenage Vanilla got zebra stripe duct tape because she loves to use duct tape for everything, and Little Vanilla got a bright pink and a bright blue nail polish. Once again we had a great time with holidays!
I am actually carrying a notebook with me now, so whenever something hits me that might be good for blogging, I write it down. I hate sitting down to do this and going blank, knowing I have all these good ideas bouncing around in my head somewhere. I have nobody reading this right now, but I plan to change that. So, if you stumble upon me in the next week, let me know.
Have a wonderfully Vanilla Day!
Thursday night all of the Vanilla's, Bobi, and Teenage Vanilla's good friend Hannah went to Seder at the synagogue. Teenage Vanilla had a Bat Mitzvah a year and a half ago, and it was incredible! However, once it was over we seemed to have taken a bit of a break from synagogue events. It was really good to go to the Seder and see people, and to also see how many new people there were! Teenage Vanilla reconnected with her good friend Synagogue Amber (because we also have Cheer Amber - same name, different association), who is also friends with Hannah through Teenage Vanilla. Little Vanilla got to spend non Hebrew/Sunday School time with her friends, Mr. Vanilla and I got to spend time with friends, and old friends were found!
The Seder started, and I was looking at other tables, and I saw two men who were so familiar. I thought they might be a couple we had lost touch with when Mr. Vanilla left a job 4 years ago. I leaned over and asked him, but he said we didn't know them. Well, once it was time to get food at the potluck, I look over, Mr. Vanilla is talking with the guys, and yep, they were who I thought they were. Mr. Vanilla said he could only see the back of their heads, while I could see profile, so from that view didn't look like anyone we knew. Jim had converted to Judaism, and although he belonged to a different congregation, it was a bit far and so they were looking at our Temple. They remembered we went to this one, and had actually talked about maybe seeing us there. The world is definitely small! It was great to talk to them and to see them, and we will be getting together with them soon.
I also took the opportunity to plan a get together with the Dalton's and the Mill's. I do see Kathie D when I do the Hebrew School pick up on Thursday, but chatting at the car window just isn't the same as being able to really sit and talk. Donna M and I haven't had a chance to talk in eons, and we sat next to each other and caught up a bit. We are having both families over in a couple of weeks, and all of us are looking forward to it. Teenage Vanilla is really determined to get Will D, who starts high school in August, to come to her high school instead of the one he is planning to go to. She can be like a dog with a bone, so poor Will D is in for it!
Since Mr. Vanilla is not Jewish (although we are raising the girls Jewish) on Sunday we gave the girls Easter Baskets, which Little Vanilla had been asking me about all week. No live animals this year - although the desire to give Teenage Vanilla another bunny was hard to ignore! - but we did give them a joint gift of a smoothie/milkshake/icee maker. It can do more than that, but that is what they will use it for. Instead of hauling out the blender every day, we now have a set with 5 cups so they can make individual drinks right in the cup they will drink out of, everything goes in the dishwasher to clean, and the base is small enough to keep on the kitchen counter. They used it right away, and we all loved it. Less mess and parts to play with! They also got plenty of chocolate, and the new Crayola colored bubbles. Belle and Jack really loved the bubbles, and their purple and green colored fur showed! The girls had fun blowing bubbles, the dogs chasing bubbles, and adults watching it all. Teenage Vanilla got zebra stripe duct tape because she loves to use duct tape for everything, and Little Vanilla got a bright pink and a bright blue nail polish. Once again we had a great time with holidays!
I am actually carrying a notebook with me now, so whenever something hits me that might be good for blogging, I write it down. I hate sitting down to do this and going blank, knowing I have all these good ideas bouncing around in my head somewhere. I have nobody reading this right now, but I plan to change that. So, if you stumble upon me in the next week, let me know.
Have a wonderfully Vanilla Day!
Monday, January 3, 2011
Resolutions
It's that time again, to make a list of resolutions that really, most of us don't keep. I don't make resolutions, so I start out ahead not having to be disappointed next month that I didn't do it. I admire people who do make resolutions, and keep them, but it just isn't for me.
I do have goals. Besides trying to keep up with the clutter in the house, and make sure the Vanilla Girls get to all activities on time, I have small things I strive for. I want to be a better blogger, and see where it takes me. Finding a job would be good, so I guess it goes under goal. Use the new Wii Fit Plus is a great goal - especially when you see what your Mii looks like if your weight is a bit high!
Really, I think the best part of starting the new year is looking back at all the good things that happened in the last year. 2010 had its challenges, but when I look back I see a lot of good things that happened with family and friends, and how blessed we were. So, wishing all a very Vanilla 2011!
I do have goals. Besides trying to keep up with the clutter in the house, and make sure the Vanilla Girls get to all activities on time, I have small things I strive for. I want to be a better blogger, and see where it takes me. Finding a job would be good, so I guess it goes under goal. Use the new Wii Fit Plus is a great goal - especially when you see what your Mii looks like if your weight is a bit high!
Really, I think the best part of starting the new year is looking back at all the good things that happened in the last year. 2010 had its challenges, but when I look back I see a lot of good things that happened with family and friends, and how blessed we were. So, wishing all a very Vanilla 2011!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Bunnies Live How Long?
A couple of days ago I was in the car with the 14 year old, having picked her up from cheer practice. Both of the girls are in competitive cheer, the older one in her 4th year and the younger one in her 3rd year. When I pick up the older one, it is just the two of us, and it is nice to have the talking time. She was complaining (again!) about taking care of the bunnies, and her younger sister's part in it. She commented that she wanted the bunnies, but she didn't think they would live very long, kind of like goldfish. The rest of the ride home I just couldn't get over that tidbit. Like goldfish? We've had the bunnies over a year and a half now! So, I told her bunnies live about 5 to 7 years, and she looked horrified. As we talked, she doesn't want the bunnies to die, but she would like to give them away (Who is going to want 2 adult bunnies? Besides, they are our bunnies, and they would be sad to leave their home). They have been here long enough I guess. And Patches, whose picture is to the side, loves the older one. He always runs to her and wants to play. Like goldfish. It still gets to me! She really is a smart kid, but I think something happens to teenagers, and for several years there are holes in the thought processes. Like goldfish...
I have managed to get on the treadmill 3 days straight, and for 2 of the days I made it a mile! Baby steps, and they all count. My goal is to treadmill 5 days a week, and if I can on weekends, all the better. I do think the new arthritis medication is making a difference, but I have only been on it a week, and I'll give it more time before I give a final verdict. I am just amazed I have made it 3 days! And, I joined SparkPeople, which is a free weight loss site with a lot of tools and forums to help lose weight, track goals, and give support. I used it when I lost weight before all the back stuff started, and it was really helpful. And free! Free is especially great since I am not working.
I hope everyone has a great weekend, and as always, I Love My Vanilla Life!
I have managed to get on the treadmill 3 days straight, and for 2 of the days I made it a mile! Baby steps, and they all count. My goal is to treadmill 5 days a week, and if I can on weekends, all the better. I do think the new arthritis medication is making a difference, but I have only been on it a week, and I'll give it more time before I give a final verdict. I am just amazed I have made it 3 days! And, I joined SparkPeople, which is a free weight loss site with a lot of tools and forums to help lose weight, track goals, and give support. I used it when I lost weight before all the back stuff started, and it was really helpful. And free! Free is especially great since I am not working.
I hope everyone has a great weekend, and as always, I Love My Vanilla Life!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Family
Last week the girls were on fall break, and Mr. Vanilla took a week of vacation. It was wonderful! We didn't go anywhere, but it was just nice to have a whole week that wasn't too scheduled. It is times like that where I can slow down (okay, I am not currently working, so really, I am not going all that fast!) and talk with Mr. Vanilla about how blessed we really are. I mean, financially with my not working and trying to take care of my back issues it is difficult, but that is just money. We will come through this part. We have our family, we have friends, and that is what is important. Money is great, and it sure makes life easier, but it is meaningless when you realize that without family and friends, life is lonely and sad.
I went to my regular pain medication doctor and told him I am ready for him to help me through medication. I fight the medication, because I am ever hopeful there is some procedure that will magically work to fix my back and take away the pain. Since this is a progressive journey with my back slowly (sometimes it feels quickly) degenerating, I need to get realistic. Which is what my doctor said (and he is one of the good ones!); he told me I need to look at this as a chronic condition that is not going away. Mr. Vanilla was with me, and when the doctor told me I need to take my pain medication on a regular schedule, which is what Mr. Vanilla always tells me, well, his look said it all. Apparently waiting to be in pain and then taking the medication is not the best way to go. I just really dislike taking so much medicaiton. So, I am taking my medication every six hours while I am awake, and I have started a new one for arthritis. Not sure if I have arthritis in my hand and back (I have it in my right hip, so chances are good it is starting in other areas) - x-rays didn't show anything major the doctor saw, but he will have a radiologist read, and they are doing blood work, and one thing being looked for is rheumatoid arthritis. The new medication makes me a bit sick and sleepy, but I figure this will pass soon.
I also plan to start the fun weight loss and exercise journey. I need to lose the 50 pounds I lost and then gained back when I started all this back garbage. Not easy for me, because food is comfort, and I like to eat ice cream and chocolate. And, since my back went out when I was thin, I have this thought that losing the weight isn't going to help. Which, realistically, I know is not correct. I know losing the weight will help, because being overweight is unhealthy and slows me down. I am giving myself 2 weeks to get a plan in place, and then no more cookie dough ice cream in the house. Thankfully Skinny Cow makes awesome ice cream cones and cups, which save me. I know I can do this, and everything I do that gets me healthier and out of pain means a better time for me and the rest of the Vanilla's.
Have fun today, and, as always, I Love My Vanilla Life!
I went to my regular pain medication doctor and told him I am ready for him to help me through medication. I fight the medication, because I am ever hopeful there is some procedure that will magically work to fix my back and take away the pain. Since this is a progressive journey with my back slowly (sometimes it feels quickly) degenerating, I need to get realistic. Which is what my doctor said (and he is one of the good ones!); he told me I need to look at this as a chronic condition that is not going away. Mr. Vanilla was with me, and when the doctor told me I need to take my pain medication on a regular schedule, which is what Mr. Vanilla always tells me, well, his look said it all. Apparently waiting to be in pain and then taking the medication is not the best way to go. I just really dislike taking so much medicaiton. So, I am taking my medication every six hours while I am awake, and I have started a new one for arthritis. Not sure if I have arthritis in my hand and back (I have it in my right hip, so chances are good it is starting in other areas) - x-rays didn't show anything major the doctor saw, but he will have a radiologist read, and they are doing blood work, and one thing being looked for is rheumatoid arthritis. The new medication makes me a bit sick and sleepy, but I figure this will pass soon.
I also plan to start the fun weight loss and exercise journey. I need to lose the 50 pounds I lost and then gained back when I started all this back garbage. Not easy for me, because food is comfort, and I like to eat ice cream and chocolate. And, since my back went out when I was thin, I have this thought that losing the weight isn't going to help. Which, realistically, I know is not correct. I know losing the weight will help, because being overweight is unhealthy and slows me down. I am giving myself 2 weeks to get a plan in place, and then no more cookie dough ice cream in the house. Thankfully Skinny Cow makes awesome ice cream cones and cups, which save me. I know I can do this, and everything I do that gets me healthier and out of pain means a better time for me and the rest of the Vanilla's.
Have fun today, and, as always, I Love My Vanilla Life!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Lousy Care
This blog actually came about because I was so upset with what happened Thursday morning. Have you noticed how a lot of health care providers tend to treat us patients as if the only right we have is to listen, nod, and prostrate ourselves on the floor? I know there are a lot of wonderfull providers out there, and I go to some, but this one, well, I think the world would be better served with her not providing health care.
So, my family finally convinced me to go to a new practice for chronic pain (lots of back issues). Front desk staff nice, person who brought me to the room nice, then in walks the Nurse Practitioner. She will talk to me, and then I get to see the doctor. We seem to start out fine, even though when she wants to know where my pain is, and I tell her the diagram is the new patient paperwork, she flips one page and tells me she doesn't have it. What? So I point out my pain areas on a diagram. She'll ask me again in a few minutes. Now, when talking about my pain issues, I do bring up my medication frequently, but it is a big part of what I do to control the pain. We are about 2 or 3 minutes into the discussion, she asks a question, I start off talking about the medication, and she interrupts me and tells me we have talked enough about the medication, and we are continuing on. Not in a nice way either. I just stared at her, and this is where I lost it. I let her know that I felt she was rude, and her attitude was not nice, and she told me I was beligerent, and she can't help me unless my attitude gets better so we can work together. No apology, and no compassion at all. At this point I am crying....good thing I had my own tissue, because she didn't offer any.
She finally left, and the doctor seemed nice, but I was already done with the practice. When I went to check out, I was going to let them schedule the MRIs since I needed them, but when I asked why only neck and thoracic were ordered, and not lumbar, little miss NP told me when I came back we would talk about the lumbar MRI. Hmmm, if I come back, and they send me out for another MRI, and then I have to come back again, they get 2 more office visits to charge for! This one visit was $638 - crazy! I also asked for valium, since I am Very clausterphobic. Because I am a drug seeker, she refused to give me the 2 pills that would get me through the MRI. I didn't schedule anything.
Compassion would have been nice, caring, listening, understanding. Instead, I got condescension, an attitude, coldness, and looked down upon. It was such a fun time!
However, my day improved because my wonderful Mother, affectionately called Bobi (pronounced Buh Bee - Hebrew word for Grandmother) cancelled her Mah Jong game, came over, and spent the day with me. I know, I am 42 and I needed my Mom. But sometimes you still do. Mr. Vanilla called to check in on me during the day - I had called him blubbering between Nasty Girl leaving and the doctor coming in - and make sure I was okay, and the 2 Vanilla girls gave me hugs to help.
Okay, that is enough for my first try. And, even if nobody but the 14 year old Vanilla girl and her friend read my blog, I am still glad I am doing this. It will be good for me. Until the next one, I Love My Vanilla Life!
So, my family finally convinced me to go to a new practice for chronic pain (lots of back issues). Front desk staff nice, person who brought me to the room nice, then in walks the Nurse Practitioner. She will talk to me, and then I get to see the doctor. We seem to start out fine, even though when she wants to know where my pain is, and I tell her the diagram is the new patient paperwork, she flips one page and tells me she doesn't have it. What? So I point out my pain areas on a diagram. She'll ask me again in a few minutes. Now, when talking about my pain issues, I do bring up my medication frequently, but it is a big part of what I do to control the pain. We are about 2 or 3 minutes into the discussion, she asks a question, I start off talking about the medication, and she interrupts me and tells me we have talked enough about the medication, and we are continuing on. Not in a nice way either. I just stared at her, and this is where I lost it. I let her know that I felt she was rude, and her attitude was not nice, and she told me I was beligerent, and she can't help me unless my attitude gets better so we can work together. No apology, and no compassion at all. At this point I am crying....good thing I had my own tissue, because she didn't offer any.
She finally left, and the doctor seemed nice, but I was already done with the practice. When I went to check out, I was going to let them schedule the MRIs since I needed them, but when I asked why only neck and thoracic were ordered, and not lumbar, little miss NP told me when I came back we would talk about the lumbar MRI. Hmmm, if I come back, and they send me out for another MRI, and then I have to come back again, they get 2 more office visits to charge for! This one visit was $638 - crazy! I also asked for valium, since I am Very clausterphobic. Because I am a drug seeker, she refused to give me the 2 pills that would get me through the MRI. I didn't schedule anything.
Compassion would have been nice, caring, listening, understanding. Instead, I got condescension, an attitude, coldness, and looked down upon. It was such a fun time!
However, my day improved because my wonderful Mother, affectionately called Bobi (pronounced Buh Bee - Hebrew word for Grandmother) cancelled her Mah Jong game, came over, and spent the day with me. I know, I am 42 and I needed my Mom. But sometimes you still do. Mr. Vanilla called to check in on me during the day - I had called him blubbering between Nasty Girl leaving and the doctor coming in - and make sure I was okay, and the 2 Vanilla girls gave me hugs to help.
Okay, that is enough for my first try. And, even if nobody but the 14 year old Vanilla girl and her friend read my blog, I am still glad I am doing this. It will be good for me. Until the next one, I Love My Vanilla Life!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)