i hate doctors

--Last Friday--
Dr. So-and-So: let see, the last time i saw you was... in 2005?! How come you don't see me more often?
me: I hate doctors.

Dr. s-n-s: all you people get a rash you think it is so weird.
me: ummm, well considering I have had two in my life, this one and chicken pox at 7.. it IS a little weird for me.

Dr. s-n-s: We will take your blood and see what that turns up, we should get the results Monday.

--yesterday, (Monday)--
i call Dr. so-n-so's office @ 11:30am... no results, call back after lunch.
i call again @2:30pm... can't give results over the phone, must make appointment
make an appointment for tomorrow, Tues.

--today, (Tuesday)--
Dr. s-n-s: your blood test results indicate you have been fighting with a virus (no shit?!!) most likely measles--> but then the good dr. proceeds to tell me my white blood cell status COULD be an indicator of HIV.

WHAT?!! how is that the first alternative to measles that came to your mind doc??

He wants me back in two weeks for follow-up blood work. he follows me down the hallway toward the payout desk asking me if i would consider myself to be in a high-risk category.... ummm.. no i says, not to the best of my recollection...but to be on the safe-side i will double-check with the hubby on his last 10 years of multiple sex-partnering and IV drug use.

Happily, I am on the uphill side of this fever-rash thing... the rash is disappearing and I am feeling much more energetic.

argh

going on day three of a strange flu-like bug. main symptoms are fever and aches, and no energy at all... I have a few lumps in the glands of my neck... my neck, shoulders, and spine are the worst... Monday when it all started I thought perhaps I was suffering from a wine-induced hang-over... but the fever part was a little odd.

I feel a little better today, still have a bit of a fever so best to stay home and not subject anyone to my germs.

weekend

this weekend was a quiet one with the exception of some hellaceous storms that blew through... my weekend was primarily full of animal-need tending and laundry, as G went on a 100-mile run out in the Katy Prairie area. The pic above is from another bike run G went on, but i like it so much I had to post it here.

Sunday, after 3 tries G Jr. was finally able to get a phone connection that allowed him to hear me and know I was on the line with him.. the phone connections are so bad for the most part Big G and I just try to just listen to him talk when he calls.

His base had just come off a "Black Out" this is a term the military uses to describe shutting down all outside access from the camp. Doing so enables the military to officially notify families of the deaths of their children before the family happens to hear about it through "gossip."

The camp had been attacked by mortar rounds. The tent next to G's was wiped out, many were injured, a few were killed. Mortar hit about 50 feet in front of the truck G was in... thank fully he was protected. G talked a lot about the sounds of the incoming mortar and the amount of shrapnel that gets scattered about by them.

G is supposed to get to come home for R&R in October... we are looking forward to having him home.

all day yesterday was a dark cloud - literally and emotionally.

Around 6pm or so, enough of the clouds had lifted that the sun was coming through...everything outside was awash with a beautiful golden light... and shafts of golden-yellow light shone through the windows on the west side of the house... looking outside, the wet foliage looked especially green and alive.

Doll Face

You have got to go look at the video posted on ArtNewsBlog

Hootie Support

Late-night-bleary-eyed tech-support angel helping hopeless and quite unhappy iPhone users... me thinks it must be a genetic pre-disposition to saying "hello, this is "--", how may I help you today?"

about that fence...

Construction of border fence may jeopardize unique Rio Grande wildlife habitat "A magical place" for eco-tourists, but a target for Homeland Security...
By Juan Castillo, AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

a moment from history :)

The year is 1989, and it is a beautiful sunny day (15th of July)... They had finished the section of Beltway 8 near I-10/Gessner in Houston, TX... In celebration, a concert was given on the Beltway (before it was opened to traffic obviously :) and I drug my two young daughters there to hear the band who's hit song caused them both to walk and dance like Egyptians for months on end... The Bangles.

I wonder if my girls remember the first concert/road party they ever attended?

rainy saturday didn't even stop us

Saturday, Yale Street Arts Market in the Heights and M2 Gallery were packed despite the nasty weather. Gordy's pics to follow...

The most lovely attendee at the Yale Street Market - Michelle

Duke and entourage jamming in the rain

someone who hasn't got the sense to get out of the rain

Artist Jeff Woodruff & moi

Catching up with Michael at M2 during the Light Show