It's cold

I went walking this morning at 7am but it was so cold, nipping at my nose and cheeks that I stayed out for 15 min and walked home. I checked the temp, 32*, that's cold and why my nose didn't feel too good. Supposed to get up to 51*. In my wimpyness that sounds better, and I'll walk then.

Rick's facility here in Austin makes nothing but IV bags; they send out 40 semi-trucks a day filled with bags. At the end of the 2013, maybe beginning of 2014, they had some boxes that they called "leakers", meaning that something was making them slightly wet. The people on the line who noticed this took a few days to tell anyone, even tho their 2 big issues are always leakers and particulates (in the solution). They have to notify the FDA when something like this happens. Finally get to the bottom of it - long story. Rick gets it solved, but they then have lots of product that can't go out until they follow protocol.

Meanwhile, the US is having a flu crisis, lots of people hospitalized and needing IV bags. Hospira has 45% of the market, and between the leakers and the flu, and who knows what is going on with the other companies that make IV bags, there is now a shortage. Yesterday someone from some agency (can't remember) called Rick and asked if they had done all that is necessary to make sure that their product was good, Rick said yes, so this agency called the FDA and said to let Hospira release the product. (I might be bungling this telling of the story.)

Then this morning I read on Yahoo News about the shortage of IV bags. I also read the comments at the end of the article and the commenters seemed to be blaming Obamacare. Now I'm as ready as anyone to blame everything on Obama and Obamacare, but this shortage had nothing to do with either.

Love, Love, Love...

...my hair.
I went to my stylist yesterday armed with pics of short haircuts that I liked. I had sent them to Paige and she said don't cut it short, I like it long. My stylists looked at the pics and said you don't want to do that. We discussed a few options of what I could do to change it a little, but not drastic. Roma (the stylist) said she has to talk clients out of doing something crazy all the time, cut or color.

As an aside, lots of people try to tell others what to do, so it's nice when one of these types actually executes good work with her/his plan (ahem to the dentist in Philly with his great plan for my tooth and cap, obviously someone I shouldn't have listened to, but hard for me to know when an "expert" I have hired actually knows his/her business).

But, back to my hair, the result of which I Love!!
I know this isn't important in the grand scheme of things (maybe not even in the short scheme of things) but I do Love it. Might be my fav of any.

My mirror tells me I am the fairest of them all.

Pill Popper

At the age of 57 I have turned into a pill popper. This is what I take everyday: 2 fish oils, 1 vit D, 1 baby aspirin (cardiologist said to take this, but I'm in the process of reconsidering, I read pros and cons all the time), L-thyroxine (another one I'm really not sure about, but they test my blood every year and say yes), ibuprofen or Aleve (so my jaw joint will quit inflaming), muscle relaxant, Claritin during allergy season, known here as cedar fever.

 And can I say that I don't mind being 57, but the 60's scare me.

Back from seeing the wizard...

....the occlusion specialist.
He adjusts the mouth splint each time, which requires a lot of manipulating my jaw. He takes new wax molds after each adjustment; last time my jaw did crazy movement, which he said showed that it still wasn't finding its correct home and didn't surprise him. This time the movement was a little more of what he expected (altho he has told me that he doesn't have any expectations, the jaw will go where it needs to to find its home and the bite is correct and stabilizes).

On the drive home I noticed that the ringing was now a high pitched squeal, especially in the right ear, which is the side of my jaw that moved the most. And my jaws are spasming now; a slight tap, tap, tap, tap, tap of my teeth against the splint. Usually I don't notice this after a visit, but today he did do a lot of manipulation, yet it didn't seem more than usual. I'll take an ibuprofen and the muscle relaxant for sure; he says as the mouth and jaw dance (my words) but not in harmony, there is a lot of inflammation, and then tightness of the muscles, which then causes more problems.

As I was lying back and he was seated behind me moving my jaws and peering into my mouth (doesn't sound pleasant, but I guess the innards of the human body are worse for grossness) and seeing where the jaw and teeth are in relation to each other, he held the jaw position and told me that's where it should be. I do wish one of the many dentists and the orthodontist I have seen over the last 25-30 years, with their multitudes of x-rays they've all insisted I need, would have taken the time to really look at my mouth, jaw, and teeth. But, perhaps they just aren't trained to observe this. That is my next question: why not?

I asked him again about the possibility of surgery, he looked at the molds of my teeth and jaw, showed me the overbite and said without the splint in, my bottom teeth would be going into the roof of my mouth, so he stills thinks it will be necessary.

Yay.

Docs and docs

I have 2 doc appointments scheduled for this week, and then a hair cut and color. Actually make that 2 dentists - I think the occlusion specialist has been trained more on the dentist side than the doc. If I need to have the surgery, sure not looking forward to it.

Robin texted with bad news about Ginger. She has been in the hospital this last week and is not doing well. They think the lymphoma has come back. She is one of the few people who I think of as completely Christian - I have never heard her do or say anything that is even remotely gossipy, complainy, etc. Always, ALWAYS, upbeat and positive, cheerful with a smile and a kind word. She has the 3 little girls ages 4-11 or so. I have been praying for her since yesterday. If there were anytime that a miracle would truly be needed, now is that time for her.

Cedar Fever

The cedars here are doing something that is producing pollen, and it is really getting me. I'm taking Claritin, but I'm starting to feel like I might need something more. Last night around 3 am I started  sneezing and couldn't quit. Finally I got up and went to the couch so I wouldn't wake/keep awake Rick. This morning I got up and my eyes were glued shut.

Jason told me if I have allergies and cedar trees produce a particularly potent pollen, a good place to move would be called Cedar Park. Hmmmmm.

I can blog!

I didn't realize how much I enjoy blogging until I could no longer blog from this computer, my new one. For some reason an error message kept popping up when I would try to post something new. We took it into the Geek Squad at Best Buy, and the geek solved the problem in 2 seconds. Nice to be a geek. Anyways, I get to blog again.

Most of my plants in my outdoor planters got killed with the cold weather that we had, especially around Christmas. So that lets me know what will die, usually, and what will live. In the spring I won't replant anything expensive.

Rick and I are both noticing that the days are getting longer. Not as dark in the mornings, and lighter later in the evenings. I always feel like hibernating during the winter during the shortest days, and want to get outside when the days get longer.

New computer

After I got home last week, unpacked and put everything away, I started my computer to blog. My screen was all messed up, with horizontal and vertical lines running thro it, and a black blob the size of a thumbprint on the right side. It still ran, but seemed like the problems would continue or get worse. Sat Rick and I went to Best Buy to a new computer for me.

Once again, everything has changed, but I suppose it's good for my brain to learn new stuff.

For some reason (that Rick will figure out!) it will not let me post a new blog entry, nor on my old computer. I dislike posting on the iPad.

As usual, nice to be home, but I miss all the utahites.

Don't hurt your brain

When my kids were home, I monitored the amount of tv watching and would tell them when it was enough tv time, concluding by saying it was scrambling their brains, or it was time to go do something useful with their brains. A couple of years ago (?) Paige let Stella watch a movie and then  said she couldn't watch another or it would hurt her brain, but let Stella watch another movie or program anyway. At the end of the tv time Stella told Paige, "I watched another movie and my brain doesn't even hurt."

It was cute, even tho I have bungled this telling of it. Ask Paige for what really happened.

Macy's 3rd Bday Party

Paige does such a nice job with her parties - which she loves to give. So she went all out for Macy's 3rd. The theme was a carnival/fair. Her front room was turned into a big top tent, along with multiple games for the kids. Scott and Jessica came early to help; Jessica made cake pops, quite yummy, and Scott popped the popcorn in her popper that looks like a mini one that the movie theatres use.

Mary was there to memorialize the event (she's a great photographer).
We had fair food - pigs in the blanket on sticks (like corn dogs), popcorn, candy treats, cake pops, koolaide drinks in the fun bottles, and I made funnel cakes. I had forgotten I was going to do that until Paige reminded me. They can be a little messy to make, but delicious (and reminds me of the Hendricks County Fair, which I still miss).

I guess the partying will soon end, and everyone back to daily routines.

Beautiful lights

Scott's birthday dinner was last night at PF Chang's. After the dinner Chris, Alyona, and I drove over to Riverwoods (outdoor mall). They had decorated the trees and other items with bright blue (always my fav color for Christmas lights), green, and red lights. It was pretty. We went into their gaming/play area; it had lots of fun stuff to do, quite varied, including an indoor surfing pool.

This is a panorama that Chris took.

Count of the sickies

Two weeks ago Stella came home from school sick, got Macy and Paige sick. Stella was getting better, and Macy was getting worse until she ended up in the ER. Then Alyona, Jessica and I all got sick to different degrees. Two days ago Hattie started getting sick. Paige called the doc yesterday and he said bring her in on Thurs if she hasn't gotten better (worried about RSV because of her age). Macy still coughing, raspy chest, runny nose, Stella still coughing, I'm on the upside but still in the head and nose (I was wondering what a head cold and sore throat would do to my ringing ears, didn't make them worse) and I think everybody else is on the upside of it also.

When it rains, it snows.
Hmmm, what political thing can I make of this?

Rude Toilet

One day Paige, 3 ggrrls, and I were out shopping and Paige took Stella and Macy to the restroom while I waited with Hattie. Paige and Macy were in one stall and Stella was in her own. Paige heard the toilet flush and then Stella say loudly, "I wasn't finished pooping, you weird toilet!"

Paige and I found that so funny; it took me a while to decide if it was appropriate to post. So if it's inappropriate, it got posted anyway. (Just try to not use any weird or rude toilets.)