Big Day

Tomorrow is the BIG DAY! No, my birthday was last month and my wedding anniversary was 2 weeks ago. What other big days are there? My ear surgery is tomorrow, Tuesday. Am I nervous is the burning question I keep being asked. The answer is no. Nope, not at all. I expect to go in there and be heavily drugged and not remember a thing. I'm not nervous at the fact they may have to cut my ear back to remove a cyst and graph a new eardrum so that "maybe" I'll hear again one day....yet I am nervous about the after math - the most stupid stuff to most people. I am to expect pain and dizziness for a couple of days, which doesn't bother me, but it's the ear drops. I may rather have my foot amputated than have any drops put into any orifice of my body (I think SM2 once saw my tantrum and fear.) This may quite possibly be the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. I am being serious. Not only do I have to put these drops in my ear for a really long time I have to have packing in my ear. No biggie right? Not if they were just going to sew me back up or remove the packing one day - no sir, I have to leave the packing in my head and use the evil drops to dissolve the packing. This will cause "crackling" in my ear - The second thing I fear. I get the heebie geebies anytime my ears pop, change pressure or equalize. So, drops and cracking - that is what I am most nervous about.

Dr. House, who is nothing like the TV Dr. House, is allegedly the best of the best and I trust him fully. The problem is he won't be there every day to sedate me with elephant tranquilizers to put these drops in my ear. What if I fall by the way side and end up with a head full of packing, forever? What happens if my inner bandaging doesn't go away or dissolve - I'd have a stinky head for one, but that just can't be safe. Why God, why do they have to leave that in there? Aren't there malpractice suits for leaving stuff in people after surgery? I know that he knows what he's doing. I am just thinking of ways out of this crackeling packing drop causing episode.

Sigh, with a tear rolling down my cheek. At least my mom will be here for me. She flys in tonight and I will go eat a yummy Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad from Amerigos as my pre crackeling Last Supper. I'd like to drink heavily, but no alcohol before surgery.

Wish me luck good friends - after tomorrow I will be on the right track that hopefully in 6 months to a year - I will be able to hear you loud and clear. Oh the things we do for senses...you know you don't need a foot for any of your senses (except feel, but you'd have another to do that with.) So next time I talk to you all I will either have a new eardrum or no foot.

Fashion

I don't claim to have any fashion skills. I like designer clothes, but not on me. I love designer shoes and purses, because they always fit. Now you guys know me - I'm a jeans and t-shirt type girl, yet one thing you don't expect from me is that before I die I WILL own a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes.


So just because I am no fashionista, doesn't mean I don't have taste. Like for example...

Let's go over the pros and cons.

Pro - nicely shaped leg on the pant

Con - 1/2 inch too long for her

Pro - nice mani

Con - camel toe


Pro - pretty flow of hair (but I like it blonde)

Con - Pleats...really now


Pro - ok, so I can't think of anymore and I'm tired of being nice.

Con - these pants cause butt front

Con - she needs a better bra, tabloids say she's not wearing one.

Con - ok, I'll stop.



So now what I have told you based on my many many years of fashion experience. I had a funny thought the other day. I have a couple of pairs of these seamless VS panties...love em' - so comfy, non binding, commando feeling - love em'. When you are my size - really, what's the point of having seamless panties? If you are wearing a pant that causes you to have to wear a panty of such or a thong- you just should not wear the pants. Do you not think your cellulite ripples are shining through? Well, one may not have panty lines, but it surely doesn't hide those cute little butt dimples or side thigh/butt waves. I can see how seamless on people of normal size that can pull off the fitted dress pant or capri could wear them to prevent the linear eye sore. Ok, well that is what I leave you to ponder on over the weekend - why does VS make such expensive seamless panties in XL size? My conclusion is it's the nonexistence feel they have on your bottom, but that still has nothing to do with the concept.

New Colors

Trying to change up my page a little. I will try this dark bubbly layout for a few days and then maybe switch it up until I find my niche. I want feedback throughout this process. I'm feeling a little dark and trapped in this template....thoughts?

Baked Ziti for an Army

Good stuff, but made way to much for just me!

Come over for left overs - there is plenty!

Fiesta for 1

I wanted to share with you all what you missed out on.

It was the party of the century and I was the guest of honor!

My pico de gallo kicked serious culo...

quite possibly the best I have ever had!

Thanks Pioneer Woman, it was the hit of the party!

(margaritas weren't half bad either)

Breath of fresh air

So, after reading and craving both Susan's Ziti and Ree's pico de gallo - I HAD TO FULFILL my cravings immediately!

I gathered all the ingredients and produce for my pico de gallo and headed towards the 5 lines that were open out of 30 check out counters. I see this guy dramatically waving me and mouthing "HURRY HURRY!" for me to come to his check out line. It wasn't like a hey hey pretty lady in funky t-shirt and jeans with flip flops come in my line - wink wink. Instead it was like a jocular - beat the crowd game he was playing. So I played along. I looked both ways and made my way to his register. I layed out the ziti, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella, then on with all the produce. He said - yuck - what's up with all the produce? I said I am making pico de gallo doesn't that sound yum? Then all of a sudden my suspicions were true, he kicked it into gear....Oh my gah, that sounds so super yum! When I lived in Mexico we called it "something random he said" So I cued in - AH! Entonces, hablas espanol? Confused he was like ....uh si. To be completely honest with you I think he was blowing smoke up ratty t-shirt, but even still he went on to say how his friends mom speaks like 4 languages and is "super loaded" and yesterday he invited him and his "significant other" (I think he even did the quotation marks when he spoke? ) to the Bahamas. Even though I had like 9 items it seemed like forever that we talked. It was a breath of fresh air to have someone out of the norm to these parts totally flame all over the place. I think I want to take him shopping and maybe go drink martini's? For like 2 minutes of my life I didn't feel like I was in Mississippi in Wal-Mart, but maybe in the middle of Neiman's smelling perfume. I'm a dork - you can say it, but it was a fun change of 2 minute pace - literally, a happy feeling.

It would have been the icing on the cake if he'd of busted into song "I say a little prayer for you" like in My Best Friends Wedding. I would have been dancing on the conveiter belt.

I love cereal

I am trying a new tactic. I went to the store the other day to grab a couple of things and noticed the Special K box on the cereal isle. I love cereal, more than most - and all kinds from the bran to the choco chips. I saw that Special K had a new one out called 'Chocolatey Delight'
(I too thought it was spelled Chocolaty?) -as I was trying to figure out how this can be "good for you" I noticed the 2 week 6lbs diet that Special K offered.

I can't figure out how healthy this really is, but I am going to try it. You eat cereal for breakfast and lunch and then you eat a regular dinner. Hmmm......cereal = what I love and on top of that any Special K cereal fits in the plan....like Chocolatey Delight (which I haven't tried yet, but bought) or I like the Original with sliced banana in it. You can eat fruits and veggies and these yum little snack pack deals. To be completely honest with you - I have little faith in this plan, but I can't knock it until I try it. I am the Queen of Fad Diets and will seemingly try anything.

As for the eat what you want dinners - I am going to try some of the recipes Susan has posted. I look forward to the Ziti. I guess I could go in and figure out how many points the cereal has and the snacks and pretty much call it Weight Watchers?

This past weekend was a really nice weekend. Saturday Chippy and I worked on the ski boat - we had to do a little work on the floor. Once we get that puppy up and going it will be a good workout for him to start skiing - anything that is fun and can be classified as exercise is helpful. Too bad I can't do any swimming, skiing, tubing etc this summer. My ear surgery is next week and I can't get my ear wet for a while. I even have to wash my hair with a cup over my ear for like a week or two afterwards. After we worked on the boat we went to Jackson and went to Bass Pro Shop and Academy. I always forget how fun Academy is and they have cute clothes for relatively inexpensive prices! After that we went and ate BBQ at Corky's then headed home. Yesterday, Sunday, we went to see Blades of Glory which was partially funny but all around silly - which I love about Will Ferrell.

After the movies I went to Women's Bible Study where the topic was about sex....that was fun/funny. Everyone wanted someone to say something, but no one wanted to divulge any info - it's a small town they may be penned as the Town Nympho if they spoke? True or untrue, it doesn't matter. It may be a church function, but that doesn't matter either....Yet all in all the teacher did a great job educating us on men and sex and why. One thing she did say is that parents shouldn't tell their kids that sex is dirty or nasty or BAD, but they should stress what a special gift it is and should be treasured. Anyway it did show me how the image of sex has been spun to sinful and bad and taken away from the true meaning of something shared between a woman and a man, married, that God has created. I can't explain it like she did, but it made since to me. And no, I will not talk about my sex life - sorry.

Once I got home from church, Chip had hamburgers on the grill. Fred and Tasha came over and we ate and watched a movie. I was so tired from my happy weekend I went to bed at like 10:00. Fun weekend - very relaxing yet eventful!

No room....to talk (or for my big bootie anymore)

I can't gripe at all of my daily blog reads for not posting anything in a while, because I too am guilty. Seemingly after I blog I can think of 100 other things to talk about, but right now I am at a loss. One thing I do know for sure is that my a$$ is large and after seeing pictures of myself at my sister-in-laws wedding - you could set a coke can on my hips/butt area. Now if that isn't motivation to lose some weight then how about finding out yesterday that an ex-boyfriends sister is in the same wedding you are in come October. Why is that nerve wracking when I'm happily married and living la vida un-loca? Because I'm a girl...and have a big butt...and because I can. Any way there are all of these factors over my head on why I should run to Colorado everyday to run with the Janii and then run back, but here is the issue. I truly have tried, but not hard enough. I have set my alarm for the past 2 days super early. Night before last I set it for 4:45 so that I could snooze an hour and then get up and walk or something productive before work....but I hit the snooze for 3 hours! Who does that? So last night when I set the alarm I set it for 5:45 because surely after yesterdays episode I wouldn't snooze that long ever again - plus I felt like a total dip for even doing that - so I knew I would not do that again and didn't need that extra hour of snooze. Wrong - I snoozed for 2 hours this morning. I guess my body knows I don't have to get up until like 7:30-7:45 and goes into coma, paralysis, you can't get up mode! How in the world can I save my large bottom from getting larger if I can't even wake it up to do something about it? Tomorrow is Saturday so once I do wake up I don't have to work and can go walking or Zumba. I did go walking last night in the neighborhood. It was nice, the dogs enjoyed it and then got a good nights sleep. Now really, I could layer the reasons one on top of the other on why I should push it into high gear, but being in this wedding in 5 months with girls the size of my left leg should be reason enough. Focus, Focus, Focus! I'll let you know how the motivation level goes. Sigh....

1 down 49 more to go....

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of our wedding. We made it! This has been an extremely trying year, but I have come to appreciate our relationship much more, especially over the past few months. So much has happened it's hard to reflect back and realize what a long year it was, but how fast it went - does that make sense? As most of you know my husband moved me from civilization about a year and a half ago to his hometown to pursue a new career. After 6 months of our marriage, 10 months of living here - 2 hours before we are closing on our new house he gets a call to be transferred to Alabama. It was like a Godfather situation...an offer he couldn't refuse. So, we still close on the house and here I am in our big new house all by my lonesome with my 3 kiddos...sad sad story huh? No way! The sad story was before we closed on this new house - both working from home, together 24-7 in a 1400 sq. ft. house with 3 dogs between 20lbs - 112lbs and driving each other bonkers...that was bad. Husband and I are extremely independent and most don't understand how we can do what we do - him gone during the week, home on the weekends. Me in B.F.E. protecting my young from mean neighbors with nice flowerbeds, my lack of socialization and killing the garden to nourish our bodies. (I wanted to sound like I really was far away from civilization, but it's not true).
The Land of Koz has started to grow on me...we are trying to develop a life here and make friends and be involved, etc - the American thing to do. Now the Hunky Dorie part didn't come until 3 1/2 months ago when I decided to take a positive turn with my attitude because the year before that was hellacious and I couldn't dwell on anything but the bad...which made for a long long long year. I'm pleased to say that I can reflect back and be happy with where I am in my life right now. My next goal is to make it to our 50th Anniversary.
I do have a funny story. Yesterday we were talking about how many boys there are to carry on his last name - there are 3....one is gay and about 45 years old, one is his 14 year old cousin and then him. Before his 14 year old cousin was born there were no other boys and his gramps enlisted him to carry on the family name before he passed away. What a strong load to carry at age 8 knowing you were the last hope of the family tree, the carrier of the 'holy grail' so to speak. Now the crown has been placed upon my head because of this ....how did he put it, oh yeah....."obligation" .....that he has. I asked if we could wait until the 14 year old cousin got married to see what the pedigree would come of the name if we waited. I think we decided that was a good plan....or maybe I decided that? My second question was....what if we were to have a girl, does that mean I have to procreate until an XY chomesome is made? Sheesh, I did not sign up for this - I guess that's why he didn't bring it up until after a year of marriage?

I need my researching friends to help me find out more about Mirena - google it because the webpage won't work for me. I saw a commercial for it, but don't know much about it. Anyone know anything?

Update....I have readers!

What an exciting thing! I didn't know I had readers! I'll have to actually write important stuff now, I just thought it was me and SM2 commenting back and forth and trying to be fancy and technologically advanced about it! I'll have to get a little more organized about my page now.

Well since my fan crowd was so impressed with my pasta skills I will put pics and comments of how I cooked it...

The pasta was just alright. It was my first time so I need a little practice. It was hard to tell when the noodles were done boiling because they never truly dried out like the store kind.





I wanted to do a light pasta so I mixed a little sherry and parsley and a dash of EVOO.

I went ahead and mixed the pasta in with the 'sauce' once it cooked a little

Here is the final picture. Once I started eating, it was still a little bland so I added tuna. I need practice, but it was sure fun.


You are right Jenn it does take a while to make the pasta. Hubby says he knows how to make homemade Alfredo, so maybe we can do this again this weekend and I can practice making the dough. I have a couple of thoughts on how to make it a little easier....we shall see! I think I want to do a lasagna next time - maybe we can make a white lasagna with the noodles, chicken and Alfredo?? It will just have to be a surprise!

Smelly Investment

I am a glutton for 'NEW & IMPROVED' tag lines in the supermarket. Consider me a poster child that is sucked in to marketing tactics and on top of that being from the instant gratification generation - doesn't help. I can see a commercial for a creamy glass of chocolate milk and get up from my recliner like a zombie to go and make me a glass from the fridge. It never tastes as good as I want it to, but I GOTTA HAVE IT. Much like my investment the other day- I had to have it, but it didn't work out like I wanted it to.

You know that funky smell I sometimes talk about that appears every now and then between my office and the kitchen? I thought it was my plants, I thought it was a flower I had on my desk, I removed things from the area 1 by 1 until I thought maybe it was my trash so I'd take out the trash 24-7 to no avail...then I got a new trashcan and I haven't smelled it since then. So YEAH! Mission accomplished. Well as preventative maintenance I was in the garbage bag isle of the local market and saw this glad odor shield invention. Mmmmm I thought - Fresh Scent - how pleasant! It gave me a warm cozy feeling knowing I would never be haunted by that horrible smell from the garbage again. I've used these bags for about a week or so now and the first few days I could smell the Fresh Scent wafting by as I passed - oh happy thoughts of butterflies and birds untainted by rancid rubbish. I would take out the garbage when it's full and skip to the trash bin outside happy from the Fresh Scent. Ok...well I'm back from fairytale non smelly garbage land. I now think it is more nauseating to have that Fresh Scent on top of leftovers. I just passed by and the can isn't even 2/3 full and wanted to lift the lid and puke in it. Hind sights 20-20 I guess? So I take out the garbage and in the outside 4'x2' bin where I have been confining my Fresh Scented trash and it smells worse than just trash. It's like when you use room deodorizer and you just make it worse by adding Country Lavender to the poop smell or what have you. I think you get the picture - and it's not nice.
I can not wait until I finish using this box and it is out of my pantry - - - which too smells like Fresh Scent. Oh gag. I may just go ahead and give them away because I can't throw them in the trash - it would stink it up!

New Toy

I bought a new toy yesterday! I couldn't wait to try it out so I set it up and tried my hand at making pasta. I made a special dough for my first attempt at pasta. I blanched some spinach, put an egg in my food processor and chopped the spinach in with it. I then added about a cup of all purpose flour and mixed it with my handy dandy Kitchen Aid mixer. I then attached my new tool and......

Here is the set up
- dough rolled into egg shape
- attachment on my mixer
- paper towels to lay the pasta on and dry out
















Here it is in motion - making flat noodles. Cool, but I can't figure out how to make it not clump together after I detach the 'strand' from the mixer















This is fun - all this with such little dough. I have flat noodles (left), macaroni noodles in the back, and lasagna noodles in the front right. Check out the super long lasagna one I made! I have to let it dry out before the taste test. I'll let you know how it goes.



I leave you with the awe of the hole.....

look at that macaroni hole.

I admire Ree for taking on a new lifestyle and becoming the pioneer woman. She's my inspiration. Although I do not know her personally we are BFF.

I feel as though we have a common ground. Not necessarily in the same light, but as far as taking on new ways of living. Her living was filled with pedicures and shopping but is now filled with hot cowboys and awesome pictures and calf nuts. While mine is now filled with close mindedness, poor grammar and then quite possibly a new story on my top 10 list of "things that could only happen where I live."

Yesterday I was with my sister in law and she wanted to stop and pick up the local paper. I had a headache so I wanted to grab a couple of Advil and a drink. We went to the nearest gas station and found a crowd of people standing out back near the car wash. The curious human I am, I too went to check out the excitement to find the perfect new joke for Jeff Foxworthy - "You might be a Redneck". A beat up old blue and white single cab truck had pulled into the automatic car wash to shine her up - there's nothing wrong with that - unless you have selected the 7 cycle automatic pressure wash and vortex dryer while you have a garbage bag taped to your drivers window. Friends, I do wish I had my camera. We all stared on as the wash started. Cycle 1 was light, just a prewash. Cycle 2 was a little more aggressive, Cycle 3 reverted back to some "special soap" lightly sprinkled on.......then Cycle 4 came full force - although you couldn't see the guys face through the black bag window you could see the impressions of his arms trying to hold it up as it violently attacked him. By this time they had pretty much closed down the gas station because all the cashiers were outside checking out this idiot. Once the vortex dryer came though the guy in the truck had had it with the garbage sack he pulled the remainder down and wadded it up into a ball. Now with a transparent view of the crowd watching him - he pulled out of the wash and next to the gazers - the only words spoken were from an old man in a snap up shirt and jeans -- "Jew get wet?" The guy went on to say how the motor in his window went out and he can't roll it up - he then was showing the on lookers how he had all the parts to fix it, but hasn't had the time..........ummmm. What? You might be a Redneck.

Welcome to my life.......Ree, wanna switch places?

I wanted to blog about my yard, but I am embarrassed and my pictures are stupid. I wish I was as crafty and green thumb-ish as my #1 fan SM Squared - I can't even compare - so I digress. Instead we will play show and tell for what I did this past weekend.

Below we have the guy in certain circles known as Fred.

Our buddy Fred is the 'fi-ah stah-ta'

He kept the warmth flowing for us until about 3am when I was on the verge of tears because I was so freaking cold. If I'd have known all you had to do was rake the coals and add sticks I would have started the fire back up and thrown myself in it, but instead I fell into a coma until about 7am. Mr. Rachel was warm and cozy in his blanket while the other crew was in the Serro Scotty crashed and had pleasant dreams.

Now this is a funny picture.

You may not notice, but on the very top log there is something random on top of it....

But Rachel, what is it?

It's a pair of panties. Now, now I know what you are thinking and this was NOT and X rated camping trip. Those little panties were from our friends little girl who tried to pee in the woods and instead aimed and hit her under roos. Moms solution was - we have plenty more where that came from and tossed them in the fire.

Not to worry - she did find more. See!

This is our clan and our set up. My tent was far off to the right of the Serro Scotty Camping device in the middle of the arctic circle. I don't have a picture, but I just want you all to know how much I enjoy eating Smores. It makes hypothermia alright.

Sunday night we watched a documentary on the Galapagos. This was neat to me because I have been going back and reading my journal from when I lived in Ecuador and laughing and reminiscing. Maybe one day in my spare time, I will publish it for all to read. It was fun to see some of the animals and places I have seen first hand through that documentary. For example, the tortoises - they can weigh up to 500 lbs and live for hundreds of years. Here are a couple of pictures of authentic Galapagos turtles.

I went through other pictures, but they were mostly of people and not the place, sorry. I must not have all of them in one spot because I did have a few of the flamingos that I couldn't find and I found a pic of me in the muck they live in (wearing the same t-shirt that I wore yesterday - 10 years later). I did get a lot of lush pictures in the Amazon, maybe I can have fun and go through pictures and take you all on a mini guided tour of my world travels, while I reminisce. Could be fun, could be boring - depending on your mood.

I leave you with this ~

The thought for the day...

How can there be self-help "groups"???

birth blog

Last week we talked about my ear issue and how skinny I used to be, but I'm ok with those things. I'm keeping my new found Positive Attitude that I made for new year's. I'm proud of myself - I think I have done well trying to see the good in things and realizing that only I can make a difference in the things I do and don't like in my life.

(I wrote this blog and then re read it, just so everyone knows, I am not sad or hold any grudges, The things I will talk about are now seen as humorous and is why I can write about them.)

One thing I don't have control over is my birthday. For some reason this year I was happy it was my birthday - it was going to be a good day and I prepped myself for it. Friends took me to dinner the week of, made me brownies, sent me cards. It was a nice hype. I always receive the 1st call from my mom, which I did. The day went on and I received calls from friends and in laws it was nice. I worked in the yard, which is what I wanted to do, and ate Chippy steaks that were PERFECTLY how I wanted it to taste and then passed out on the couch, early. So really things went how I planned in my head. It was an ok day, a tiff here and there which didn't 'totally' ruin my day, but set me back a little. I truly thought this year would be different. Now what I'm about to say is not negative by any means because it's the norm and I have accepted it over the past many many ...many years. I thought maybe my dad would remember to call. He didn't, but this is now the, oh I lost count year that he didn't call. That is what I have come to expect. What I didn't expect was a card in the mail from him, which was a step in the right direction and accepted happily. I called him Sunday to thank him and he said he didn't do much this past weekend just hung around and grilled out......which is better than the "I was watching TV" excuse he had about 3 years ago. But this comment is not meant derogatory - it's now humorous. It's a yearly bet that I take dibs on.

I realized this year that birthdays don't mean as much as they should, or maybe as much as I want them to. Growing up mom was always like THIS IS YOUR DAY! Which I always believed. I still do. I have received a few calls yesterday and today - "OH I'm the worst friend in the world, I feel so bad I didn't call" But really, it's ok. I promise. I had a good day and am now a year older and wiser and plan to take complete advantage of my wisdom.

2007 has been an odd year thus far. I wasn't really expecting much out of it since I had a surgery right off the bat, expecting another one on my ear, not living a normal married life, holding more responsibility than I care to amongst other things, but it has taught me a lot in these short lived past 2 1/2 months. Only I can make things what they need to be in my life. Sounds so simple, but I just now figured it out and how to control it. Sure I have to play with the cards I'm dealt, but it's my job on how I want to make the most of them. I'm trying really really hard to do the right things. We shall see how the rest of the year goes. I'm expecting changes. Positive changes that I can control.

On a different note:
One of the things I have to get off my chest that it has been brought to my attention that I am rude and sarcastic in a bad way. Everyone I have ever met has been a victim of my degrading humor which is meant to be funny - Yet, I am not funny. I apologize to anyone I have ever offended or caused to "roll their eyes" at me. This aspect of me probably won't change or else I will never have the opportunity to speak again. So, I apologize for the past and in advance. I look forward to another 26 years of raw unedited humor! Oh if you could see the evil smirk on my face. Just to let everyone know things are changing, it is my mindset, not necesarily who I am. I like me, why would I redo that?

Skinny Rachel

Most of you have never seen the skinny Rachel.

This picture was of friends and I before prom my Senior year of High School. Almost 10 years to date.

Look how my friend Lalo can actually wrap his forearm around my waist. Now it's like whole arm around my waist. This is my motivation picture. I will be skinny again, one day.

So I don't have to explain this a dozen times over the phone, I figured blogging is best.

Some of you know, I went back to the doctor today because my left ear popped day before yesterday. This was completely random because my ear hasn't been able to do so in about a year. I was excited because I could hear a little better, but scared because I didn't know why. Especially since I was to have minor surgery to put a tube in that ear and remove my adenoids in a week. Today, Dr. Cole had me pop my ear as much as I could and it ended up being a good thing. He said a couple of things which I will get into, but has recommended me to a Dr. that specializes in this type of stuff. Dr. House (not to be confused with the cocky dr genius on TV)

As we all know I am a visual learner, so I have attached links and cartoon diagrams to help explain what is going on in my ear. I avoided graphic realistic pictures for those with a weak stomach (Adrienne & Chip).

What I have is called a Cholesteatoma (see diagram attached where I marked in red where it is)

An explanation of what a cholesteatoma is can be found at this link - it's the best I could find. http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/ears/cholesteatoma.cfm

When I popped my ear for Dr. Cole he could see the cholesteatoma move, so he informed me I need to pop my ear no less than 25 to 50 times a day. He doesn't know if it will help maybe relieve the pressure/suction that could possibly invert the cholesteatoma, but our ears are suppose to do this automatically about every other word we speak allowing air flow. This cholesteatoma is caused, as you can read, from complications of the Eustachian tube not draining. Hence I couldn't hear for the past 10 or so months. Randomly enough the drainage is not happening because my adenoids are abnormally large covering the Eustachian tubes, on both sides, causing the 'clog'.

Either way, I have to have my adenoids removed. As far as the tubes go he is unimpressed with my tympanogram, test that measures pressure in my ear off of my eardrum. It is to be at a bell curve, but even with my ear having popped, mine is still flat. Here is what a tympanogram does http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tympanogram So since he is not happy with the results of the tympanogram it is still a possibility that I have to have tubes in now BOTH of my ears.

So here's the potential plan. Dr. House check out the cholesteatoma - then go in remove the adenoids and cholesteatoma, decide if I need tubes and kill about 100 birds with one stone. Seemingly as you can see from the diagram where I marked in red that it is near the eardrum. If the cholesteatoma is removed I may have to have a Tympanoplasty. As I mentioned I left out the graphic pictures and I couldn't find any non realistic cartoon diagrams, so in our language this is an eardrum transplant. They graph skin and make a new drummer boy fer me.

Long story longer....all of this could have been prevented. I have been to 5 doctors now and about to see the 6th in a year about this....ridiculous. As I mentioned a cholesteatoma happens because the fluid in my ear has been 'stagnant', if you will, causing poor air circulation. As you can read in the link about the cholesteatoma it can spread towards the brain, which Dr. Cole explained to me can go toward the frontal lobe or the cerebral cortex that holds spinal fluid, and if not tended to has not so great repercussions. He was unable to see the base of the cyst and is taking action because at this time we don't know which direction its going to continue to grow. They are setting up an appointment with Dr. House for me, but he is allegedly the best of the best and hard to get into....so it may be another month. Good news is this is getting taken care of, I have finally found someone that knows what's going on and by seeing this Dr. House allows for a second opinion and we will go from there.

I will keep everyone updated. I hope you all have a better understanding of what's going on - it's hard for me to explain without these visuals and over the phone. I don't have to have surgery on Wednesday which is good news as well, but I have to wait even longer to get this new found problem fixed which is aggravating.

Now the burning question is......Am I going to fall apart before I'm 30?

Addictions

I have a new addiction. It's a blog. How cyber goofy am I? I wouldn't go as far to say it's an affair, but close, I think about it often and wonder what my new blog friend that doesn't know I exist is doing...did I mention it's a female. Does that make me a lesbian? Just kidding. I did find this really fun blog and it gets a lot of traffic and the girl Ree, is hilarious. Check it out when you have about 10 hours to hang out Confessions of a Pioneer Woman

Speaking of addictions...Grey's is a rerun tomorrow, so that's a pisser. When will there be a new one? I'm dying here.

Tonight my friend Kim and I are going to Starkville to eat at The Veranda and possibly take in a movie. Should be fun, I'm looking forward to it.

This past weekend hubby and I planted a garden......I know, give us a break, we didn't know you were suppose to wait until AFTER Easter. We are instant gratification type people and wanted to do it now. It doesn't matter if we have anything grow or not we have invested a total of $1 in the whole thing. I did buy a strawberry basket where you plant the strawberry roots and it grows in a hanging pot. That did set us back a good $5, but I plan on having strawberries o' plenty. In the garden we will have a luscious supply of Spinach, Watermelon, Cantaloupe and Cucumbers. We shall see. I'll take pics as they start to grow even though everyone thinks we are idiots. Cut us some slack....we are new to the gardening thing and one day you will be begging for my prize winning veggies. Oh, what a thought! Don't they have contests at county fairs for prize winning squash and cucumbers and stuff? Don't tempt me! You know I have an addictive personality. I may join the Vegetable Circuit and travel near and far to show my beautiful vegetation. Miracle Grow will probably be my sponsor. Yeah, you're envious. Look out because size does matter. Who knows I may even get into entering hydroponic vegetables.

I'm an Asteroidea

I've become that blogger. You know, the one where you go and check their blog to see what's up and it's the same damned thing you have already read like 2 weeks ago. My deep apologies.

Good day boys and girls. Can anyone tell me what an Asteroidea is? Asteroidea sound it out.
Ass ter o idea. If I were to guess I would say a smart ass that has all the answers. Wrong. It's a starfish. Well I think I have become an asteroidea - in both my definition and the literal meaning. I went to the doctor yesterday because I can't hear out of my left ear. I had a sinus infection a year ago and it clogged up my ear. I like to say it happened after I got married, makes for a funny story. But that isn't the truth. Hubby and I make an odd couple, he can't hear out of his right ear so together we have to make sure at restaurants we sit on each others "appropriate" side, it's a good thing I like to drive or we'd never hear each other in the car.

Back to the story. So after 1 year and 5 doctors later they figured out what is wrong with me. I have to have my adenoids taken out and a tube put in my left ear. There is still a 90% chance I can gain my hearing back. Ok, what does the starfish have to do with anything? If anyone knows anything about starfish - they regenerate. So you can chop off one of their arms or flange's or whatever you call it and it will eventually grow back. Well back in 1987 it was a traumatic time in Little Rachel's life, she had to have surgery. Her adenoids and tonsils were large and must be taken out. Now, 20, - yes exactly TWENTY years later my adenoids have reappeared so large and in charge that they are the cause of my ears not draining. And because not one of the doctors caught this, my ear has become progressively worse and now has a cyst in it. The cyst can be a serious thing, but we don't know anything about it until the doctor goes in and checks it out. So I will keep you updated on that, but don't want to alarm anyone.

Now that I know I'm a starfish - I'm not saying I am going to chop off my appendages to see if they grow back, that would be ridiculous - but pretty cool if it happened!

I learned a lot about starfish or "sea stars" while looking for a picture to post. Pretty odd little creatures. Check em' out if you have a second. Starfish