Saturday, December 18, 2004

is there a doctor in the house?

Alex and I are about to leave for our Christmas trip back to Boston. While packing I couldn't believe I had to dedicate an entire bag to this


Sadly, none of that stuff is helping the dizziness. However, I will be attending my company's holiday party tonight anyways. I figure what the hell, I'll just blend in with any drunks.

Friday, December 17, 2004

allow me to apologize

to the 4 people who read this blog, but I just don't have anything to write about. I've been laid up in the land of the undiagnosed vertigo and nausea all week, feeling extremely sorry for myself.

Let it be known that I am getting up off my ass today and attempting to have a "normal" day. Maybe something funny will happen, like everyone at work will think that I'm a drunk because I can't walk a straight line and I'll miraculously get fired.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

for lack of something better to post

My inner ear is officially making my life miserable. But I can always count on Alex to attempt to cheer me up with plenty of delicious dinners.
I wasn't able to enjoy this last night, so instead I will share it with everyone.

Behold, the magic of meat.

Monday, December 13, 2004

reality check

Does Jeff Probst feel like as big of a jerk as he looks like when they film those crappy little segments of him getting the jury votes from a remote island to New York or Los Angeles?

Last night they had Jeff leave the tribal council area with the tub of votes and a machete, where he then proceeded to travel all night throughout the jungle, cutting any vines blocking his way to freedom. As it turned to daylight, he came to a clearing with a helicopter, which then took him to an airplane. Once on said airplane, he turned to the pilot and announced "here's where I get off," and magically suited up and jumped from the plane. He then parachuted safely to the middle of nowhere, where a kick ass motorcycle waited for him. This motorcycle even had a nifty locking rack system on the back for the all important tribal council votes. There was a close up of Jeff putting the votes safely onto the motorcycle, mmmm.... riveting television. Manly Jeff then drove the motorcycle through the mean streets of LA where he proceeded to enter the studio with his tub o' votes to let us all know who would win a million dollars.

It was just so lame.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

happy birthday, Ella!

I haven't met you yet, but I already know I love all 7 lbs. and 7oz. of you.

Thursday, December 09, 2004

favorite lyrics of the day (vol. 3)

From Christmas in San Francisco, performed by Vic Damone
Christmas in San Francisco
Looking like some fairy land
People with gifts in the crispy air
Giving old Saint Nick a hand

Let's take a peek in Chinatown
Eating lychee nuts and barbecued boar
What can you say about the Golden Gate
That hasn't been said before

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

minimal decorations = maximum creepy

Last night while Alex diligently studied for the National Board Exams in Optometry, I put 5 Christmas decorations out. My sister gave me some elves a few years ago, ones that looked just like the kind we had when we were growing up. Instead of hanging them on the tree, my Mom would always hang them from the lamps in the living room. It never seemed out of place to me... until I did it in my own home. Now I realize that it's kind of weird to have some little Snap, Crackle or Pop guy all up in your grill while you're trying to unwind on the couch.

Monday, December 06, 2004

I can't stop

eating these

Thursday, December 02, 2004

steroids and needles and tears, oh my

The past five weeks have been a pretty big drag for me (and most people around me), since whatever is happening to my inner ear won't let up. I'm not sure if this is some devious plan that fate has cooked up for me to miraculously feel better at Christmas so I will realize I should never take anything for granted, especially my health, ever again. Or maybe I'm just genetically inferior and I will have to learn how to survive the rest of my life feeling as if I just stepped off a giant amusement park ride with a wad of cotton shoved in my right ear. Which ever one it is, this dizziness and hearing loss is starting to make me lose my mind, a little at a time, everyday.

I finally dumped and filed a grievance against my primary care physician, because honestly, no one should have a doctor who tells you that you shouldn't be coming in for a visit once a year, but only when you have an "issue" to deal with. The wacky thing about this guy is whenever I did have an "issue" he would tell me to wait two weeks to see what happens. When push finally came to shove with this whole ear thing, he flat out refused to give me a referral to a specialist. So adios to you, bad healthcare provider. I did find out that I am not the only person who was treated this way, so let's keep our fingers crossed that he retires soon, because no one should be subjected to his kind of treatment.

The ENT and I went head to head last week for round two of me trying to explain my ailments. Attempting to describe what kind of dizzy I am experiencing has turned out to be a exercise in patience, and the results have not been very good. You can't just use the word dizzy or lightheaded with this ENT, and if it's not vertigo he can't help you out. After ten minutes of trying to explain myself and deciding against saying "well, it kind of feels like I'm drunk all the time, except I don't want to make out with everyone," I ended up in tears. He handed me a tissue and we pleasantly decided to agree to disagree. Then he wrote me 4 prescriptions, one of which was for Prednisone, and told me he's pretty confident these symptoms will stop soon. I have more tests next week.

I also started acupuncture treatments. I figure that even if it's not proven to work at least I'll be in an exam room for an hour where someone actually listens to what I have to say and is committed to helping me. That's got to be worth something to my psyche.

I don't know what else to do. Sometimes I think about suing the pants off of the two guys who rear ended me, because it would be so much easier to have some sort of explanation of why this is happening to me. And a big wad of cash sure would be pretty sweet right now.