I'm still here -- actually made it down the steps of our building yesterday to go to the doctor's office. I can almost bend my leg 90 degrees now and they were quite pleased. Coming back up the stairs when we got home took a little longer, but wasn't nearly as bad as I had anticipated. Today I feel like I ran a marathon!
I use ice packs on my knee at least three times a day for the swelling. Actually, they're not ICE packs, but usually a bag of frozen corn or blueberries wrapped in a towel. Hey -- whatever works! Don't have to go back for a month! She gave me a referral for outpatient physical therapy which I'm not going to arrange for awhile since I'm not charged anything for the PT who comes to our apartment, but will have a co-pay once I go outpatient.
Went through several days of nasty depression which I feel was probably from the meds I've had to take for pain. It's better now though. I even suggested to Steve that he go to NY and stay with his mom for a week or two just 'cause he was driving me nuts!
Can't sit on this computer chair for very long at a time since the muscle in the back of my leg really starts to throb. Will try to be more consistent in the future. It's also a form of online therapy for me.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Skin Conditions
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
The average person's total skin covering would weigh about 6 pounds
if collected in one mass.
In my case, it would cover about an acre!!!
The average person's total skin covering would weigh about 6 pounds
if collected in one mass.
In my case, it would cover about an acre!!!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The Therapist from Hell
A nurse from a home health agency showed up yesterday as ordered by my surgeon. She's great, gentle, experienced and concerned. She'll be back tomorrow to draw blood since I'm back on the blood thinners again.
Later yesterday the Nazi physical therapist showed up. I knew immediately that he was going to be one of "those" therapists who lumps all his patients into one, has no sympathy at all, and really doesn't care about my pain. He's built like Arnold Schwarzenegger and uses intimidation and guilt to get what he wants. He pushes and pushes and pushes to the point of nearly making me either cry or scream, and then told me I'll never get anywhere by trying to baby myself. I didn't get any sleep last night at all because of pain brought on by the exercises he forced on me. I called the agency today and asked them to send someone less aggressive, and explained that I've been dealing with physical therapists since my first knee surgery in 1983 and I've never met anyone like this guy. I'm more than willing to work to strengthen my leg, but not with this guy. With any kind of therapist, whether it be mental health or physical health, I've always done better with more nurturing types who have a sense of humor.
The agency called again to assign a new and improved therapist who'll come by tomorrow. They didn't seem surprised to hear that I found the first guy to be a bit overly aggressive.
Later yesterday the Nazi physical therapist showed up. I knew immediately that he was going to be one of "those" therapists who lumps all his patients into one, has no sympathy at all, and really doesn't care about my pain. He's built like Arnold Schwarzenegger and uses intimidation and guilt to get what he wants. He pushes and pushes and pushes to the point of nearly making me either cry or scream, and then told me I'll never get anywhere by trying to baby myself. I didn't get any sleep last night at all because of pain brought on by the exercises he forced on me. I called the agency today and asked them to send someone less aggressive, and explained that I've been dealing with physical therapists since my first knee surgery in 1983 and I've never met anyone like this guy. I'm more than willing to work to strengthen my leg, but not with this guy. With any kind of therapist, whether it be mental health or physical health, I've always done better with more nurturing types who have a sense of humor.
The agency called again to assign a new and improved therapist who'll come by tomorrow. They didn't seem surprised to hear that I found the first guy to be a bit overly aggressive.
Item from History
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
On this day in 1863, President Lincoln traveled out from Washington,
D.C., to Gettysburg, Pennsylvannia, to help dedicate a cemetery.
Just five months earlier, the battle that turned the tide of the
Civil War had been fought there. Lincoln spoke for less than two
minutes. Some in the crowd missed it. "The world will little note,
nor long remember what we say here," Lincoln said. Yet the
Gettysburg Address is one of the most treasured reminders of liberty
and human dignity in any language.
Go Abe!
On this day in 1863, President Lincoln traveled out from Washington,
D.C., to Gettysburg, Pennsylvannia, to help dedicate a cemetery.
Just five months earlier, the battle that turned the tide of the
Civil War had been fought there. Lincoln spoke for less than two
minutes. Some in the crowd missed it. "The world will little note,
nor long remember what we say here," Lincoln said. Yet the
Gettysburg Address is one of the most treasured reminders of liberty
and human dignity in any language.
Go Abe!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Home Again, Home Again
Well, I'm once again home with the help of MedFleet, a team of four huge Pasco County firefighters who managed to get me up the steps on a stretcher. These were not guys who would be confused with wimps. Doubt that I'll find myself in that situation ever again (sadly). One of the guys was 31 years old, and the others referred to him as the "old man".
I found out yesterday before I was discharged that when the surgical drainage tube was removed from my knee, I bled like a stuck pig. Guess I was really mentally confused with the blood loss and they gave me two units of blood to replace what I lost. The surgeon was even a little shook up about it.
The home health nurse came by yesterday and was concerned about a very hot area on my lower leg, but it seems better today. I stepped on the wrong leg yesterday and I'm certain that the scream you heard was probably me. I've never felt that level of pain in my life and I couldn't stop crying. Today the back of that leg is all black and blue. We are now waiting for a call from the physical therapist who'll be coming by soon.
I move really carefully and my marathon days have been put on hold. Don't look behind you though -- I might be there. Not sure how often I'll be blogging, but at least it gets me into another room, another view.
I found out yesterday before I was discharged that when the surgical drainage tube was removed from my knee, I bled like a stuck pig. Guess I was really mentally confused with the blood loss and they gave me two units of blood to replace what I lost. The surgeon was even a little shook up about it.
The home health nurse came by yesterday and was concerned about a very hot area on my lower leg, but it seems better today. I stepped on the wrong leg yesterday and I'm certain that the scream you heard was probably me. I've never felt that level of pain in my life and I couldn't stop crying. Today the back of that leg is all black and blue. We are now waiting for a call from the physical therapist who'll be coming by soon.
I move really carefully and my marathon days have been put on hold. Don't look behind you though -- I might be there. Not sure how often I'll be blogging, but at least it gets me into another room, another view.
A Little Cat-ti-tude
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
Since housecats are clean and their coats are dry and glossy, their
fur easily becomes charged with electricity. Sparks can be seen if
their fur is rubbed in the dark.
Since housecats are clean and their coats are dry and glossy, their
fur easily becomes charged with electricity. Sparks can be seen if
their fur is rubbed in the dark.
Monday, November 12, 2007
All Systems Go
Tomorrow I get my new knee which I'm both looking forward to and dreading. Saw the cardiologist again today and all was well heart-wise so he gave me the final clearance for takeoff. Just wish I could beam up to about a week from today when the initial pain is over, and the real work begins. Maybe by this time next year I'll be ready for the Ironman Competition! Wish me luck!
Talk About Timely!
I got this via e-mail today from a site that sends me a daily motivation which often fits as well as this one:
Stronger Than You Know
Getting Ourselves Worked Up
Our capacity to cope successfully with life's challenges far outstrips our capacity to feel nervousness. Yet in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to an event that we believe will test our limits, we can become nervous. While we may have previously regarded ourselves as equal to the trials that lie ahead, we reach a point at which they near and our anxiety begins to mount. We then become increasingly worked up, until the moment of truth arrives and we discover that our worry was all for nothing. We are almost always stronger and more capable than we believe ourselves to be. But anxiety is not rational in nature, which means that in most cases we cannot work through it using logic as our only tool. Reason can help us recognize the relative futility of unwarranted worry but, more often than not, we will find more comfort in patterns of thought and activity that redirect our attention to practical or engaging matters.
Most of us find it remarkably difficult to focus on two distinct thoughts or emotions at once, and we can use this natural human limitation to our advantage when trying to stay centered in the period leading up to a potentially tricky experience. When we concentrate on something unrelated to our worry—such as deep breathing, visualizations of success, pleasurable pursuits, or exercise—anxiety dissipates naturally. Meditation is also a useful coping mechanism as it provides us with a means to ground ourselves in the moment. Our guides can aid us by providing us with a focal point wholly outside of our own sphere.
The intense emotional flare-up you experience just before you are set to challenge yourself is often a mixture of both excitement and fear. When you take steps to eliminate the fear, you can more fully enjoy the excitement. Though you may find it difficult to avoid getting worked up, your awareness of the forces acting on your feelings will help you return to your center and accept that few hurdles you will face will be as high as they at first appear.
Stronger Than You Know
Getting Ourselves Worked Up
Our capacity to cope successfully with life's challenges far outstrips our capacity to feel nervousness. Yet in the weeks, days, and hours leading up to an event that we believe will test our limits, we can become nervous. While we may have previously regarded ourselves as equal to the trials that lie ahead, we reach a point at which they near and our anxiety begins to mount. We then become increasingly worked up, until the moment of truth arrives and we discover that our worry was all for nothing. We are almost always stronger and more capable than we believe ourselves to be. But anxiety is not rational in nature, which means that in most cases we cannot work through it using logic as our only tool. Reason can help us recognize the relative futility of unwarranted worry but, more often than not, we will find more comfort in patterns of thought and activity that redirect our attention to practical or engaging matters.
Most of us find it remarkably difficult to focus on two distinct thoughts or emotions at once, and we can use this natural human limitation to our advantage when trying to stay centered in the period leading up to a potentially tricky experience. When we concentrate on something unrelated to our worry—such as deep breathing, visualizations of success, pleasurable pursuits, or exercise—anxiety dissipates naturally. Meditation is also a useful coping mechanism as it provides us with a means to ground ourselves in the moment. Our guides can aid us by providing us with a focal point wholly outside of our own sphere.
The intense emotional flare-up you experience just before you are set to challenge yourself is often a mixture of both excitement and fear. When you take steps to eliminate the fear, you can more fully enjoy the excitement. Though you may find it difficult to avoid getting worked up, your awareness of the forces acting on your feelings will help you return to your center and accept that few hurdles you will face will be as high as they at first appear.
Strange Website
Check out this website when you have nothing better to do. Pick how you're feeling right now and then get taken to a random website. Pretty cool.
If you get taken to a cool site, leave a comment and let me know about it!
http://www.bored.com/moodsurfer/index.php
If you get taken to a cool site, leave a comment and let me know about it!
http://www.bored.com/moodsurfer/index.php
The Truth about Root Beer
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
Root Beer was invented in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, Sr.
No wonder Barq's root beer is so good!
Root Beer was invented in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, Sr.
No wonder Barq's root beer is so good!
Grumpy Meets Angst
Contemplating major surgery, trying to quit smoking, and getting flack about my weight causes me just a tiny bit of angst. Steve was really grumpy today for many of the same reasons, but from his standpoint. He knows what to expect from my surgery from his own point of view, he's on Chantix and is still smoking (although a lot less), and he doesn't have a clue how hard it is for me to lose weight. I am truly an emotional eater, and when I eat, it's usually something sweet. Chocolate soothes my soul like nothing else can do. He'll point out how he was once 15 pounds heavier and how hard it was to lose that extra weight. Fifteen pounds to lose would seem like nothing to me! I'm certain that I've lost and gained 1,000 pounds in my lifetime. I've been through enough relationships by this time to know that it's just not worth it NOT to express myself if I have something to say. Suppressing it and then resenting having to hide my feelings has never worked for me.
One way or the other, this too shall pass.
One way or the other, this too shall pass.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Strange Stuff
42 Weird Things You Would Never Know!!
1.) A shrimp's heart is in its head.
2.) The 'sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick' is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
3.) Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
4.) Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
5.) If the government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title 14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal Regulations, implemented on July 16, 19 69 make it illegal for U. S. citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?
6.) In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
7.) A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
8.) 23% of all photocopier faults world-wide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.
9.) Most lipstick contains fish scales
10.) Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
11.) If you sneeze too hard you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force they can pop out.
12.) In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand.
13.) It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
14.) A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
15.) More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.
16.) Horses can't vomit.
17.) Butterflies taste with their feet.
18.) In 10 minutes, a category three hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.
19.) On average 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year.
20.) On average people fear spiders more than they do death.
21.) Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.
22.) Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.
23.) Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
24.) Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
25.) It's possible to lead a cow upstairs... but not downstairs.
26.) Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
27.) It is physically impossible for you to lick your elbow.
28.) The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
29.) A snail can sleep for three years.
30.) No word in the English language rhymes with 'MONTH.'
31.) Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
32.) The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
33.) All polar bears are left handed.
34.) In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.
35.) An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
36.) TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.
37.) 'Go,' is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
38.) If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand 7 feet, 2 inches tall.
39.) A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
40.) The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
41.) Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.
42.) Almost everyone who reads this email will try to lick their elbow.
1.) A shrimp's heart is in its head.
2.) The 'sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick' is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
3.) Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
4.) Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
5.) If the government has no knowledge of aliens, then why does Title 14, Section 1211 of the Code of Federal Regulations, implemented on July 16, 19 69 make it illegal for U. S. citizens to have any contact with extraterrestrials or their vehicles?
6.) In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.
7.) A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.
8.) 23% of all photocopier faults world-wide are caused by people sitting on them and photocopying their butts.
9.) Most lipstick contains fish scales
10.) Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different.
11.) If you sneeze too hard you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die. If you keep your eyes open by force they can pop out.
12.) In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand.
13.) It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
14.) A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
15.) More than 50% of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call.
16.) Horses can't vomit.
17.) Butterflies taste with their feet.
18.) In 10 minutes, a category three hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.
19.) On average 100 people choke to death on ballpoint pens every year.
20.) On average people fear spiders more than they do death.
21.) Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.
22.) Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.
23.) Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
24.) Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
25.) It's possible to lead a cow upstairs... but not downstairs.
26.) Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
27.) It is physically impossible for you to lick your elbow.
28.) The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
29.) A snail can sleep for three years.
30.) No word in the English language rhymes with 'MONTH.'
31.) Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
32.) The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
33.) All polar bears are left handed.
34.) In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies, including their eyebrows and eyelashes.
35.) An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
36.) TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.
37.) 'Go,' is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
38.) If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand 7 feet, 2 inches tall.
39.) A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
40.) The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
41.) Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.
42.) Almost everyone who reads this email will try to lick their elbow.
Non-Fattening Food for Thought
A Matter Of Priorities
Letting Go Of The Little Stuff
We experience numerous disappointments each and every day. Our expectations go unmet, our plans are blocked by circumstance, our wishes go unfulfilled, and we discover that our lives are subject to a myriad of forces beyond our conscious control. In some cases, our response is powerful because we must invest ourselves and our resources to overcome genuine hardship. In others, our reactions are far more passionate than our circumstances likely warrant. The tension that permeates our bodies and minds when we are late for an event, interrupted at work, or sitting in traffic is not inappropriate, but it can interfere with our well-being in profound ways. When we stop worrying about relatively unimportant matters, we can be at peace and devote so much more of ourselves to what is truly important.
The small frustrations and irritations wield such power over us because they rob us of the illusion of control. But every problem is a potential teacher—a confusing situation is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, and difficult people provide us with opportunities to display compassion. There is a natural human tendency to invest copious amounts of emotional energy in minor dilemmas and frustrations in order to avoid confronting those more complex issues that are largely outside the realm of our control. The intensity of our response provides us with a temporary sense of personal power that helps us cope with challenges that might otherwise overwhelm us. But it is only when we let the little stuff go that we discover that the big stuff is not really so devastating after all.
In the stress of a singularly tense incident, differentiating between an inconsequential annoyance and a legitimate challenge can seem a monumental task. Ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will be as vivid in a year, a day, or even an hour. As focused as you are on this moment in time, your reward for letting go of your emotional investment may be the very happiness and harmony of being whose loss you are lamenting. Needless aggravation is seldom worth the cost it exacts. You cannot distance yourself from life's inconsistencies, irritations, and upheavals, but you can relinquish your desire for perfect order and gain peace of mind in the process.
Letting Go Of The Little Stuff
We experience numerous disappointments each and every day. Our expectations go unmet, our plans are blocked by circumstance, our wishes go unfulfilled, and we discover that our lives are subject to a myriad of forces beyond our conscious control. In some cases, our response is powerful because we must invest ourselves and our resources to overcome genuine hardship. In others, our reactions are far more passionate than our circumstances likely warrant. The tension that permeates our bodies and minds when we are late for an event, interrupted at work, or sitting in traffic is not inappropriate, but it can interfere with our well-being in profound ways. When we stop worrying about relatively unimportant matters, we can be at peace and devote so much more of ourselves to what is truly important.
The small frustrations and irritations wield such power over us because they rob us of the illusion of control. But every problem is a potential teacher—a confusing situation is an opportunity to practice mindfulness, and difficult people provide us with opportunities to display compassion. There is a natural human tendency to invest copious amounts of emotional energy in minor dilemmas and frustrations in order to avoid confronting those more complex issues that are largely outside the realm of our control. The intensity of our response provides us with a temporary sense of personal power that helps us cope with challenges that might otherwise overwhelm us. But it is only when we let the little stuff go that we discover that the big stuff is not really so devastating after all.
In the stress of a singularly tense incident, differentiating between an inconsequential annoyance and a legitimate challenge can seem a monumental task. Ask yourself whether the emotions you are feeling will be as vivid in a year, a day, or even an hour. As focused as you are on this moment in time, your reward for letting go of your emotional investment may be the very happiness and harmony of being whose loss you are lamenting. Needless aggravation is seldom worth the cost it exacts. You cannot distance yourself from life's inconsistencies, irritations, and upheavals, but you can relinquish your desire for perfect order and gain peace of mind in the process.
Friday, November 9, 2007
DOES the Beat Go On?
Had the nuclear stress test today -- kind of a strange experience. Since I'm unable to test on the treadmill because of my rotten knee, they first injected me with a radioisotope, took a scan, then hooked you up to some kind of EKG machine and started an IV with a vasodilator (medication that opens up the blood vessels) and rapidly see how the heart works when stressed. That part was weird and I felt like I was going to stop breathing! My whole body felt really hot and my face was really flushed -- kind of like an induced hot flash. Spooky, but the doctor checked my blood pressure about six times during that part and I think I passed, but won't know until Monday. I'm just glad it's over.
Shortly after I got home, the surgeon's office called to let me know that my bloodwork was normal, but I have a slight urinary tract infection. I asked the nurse why I don't have any symptoms (burning, peeing a lot, etc.) and she said it happens all the time. Now I have to start on an antibiotic for that!
It seems like I'm encountering lots of road blocks on my way to this knee surgery. Is there some kind of message in that? Perhaps I'm supposed to limp the rest of my life and eat Vicodin like jellybeans?
Shortly after I got home, the surgeon's office called to let me know that my bloodwork was normal, but I have a slight urinary tract infection. I asked the nurse why I don't have any symptoms (burning, peeing a lot, etc.) and she said it happens all the time. Now I have to start on an antibiotic for that!
It seems like I'm encountering lots of road blocks on my way to this knee surgery. Is there some kind of message in that? Perhaps I'm supposed to limp the rest of my life and eat Vicodin like jellybeans?
Are you Marathon Prepared?
Read in the St. Pete Times today that the Ironman World Championship will be in Clearwater starting Saturday. 1,500 triathletes are expected to compete -- if you can do the following and finish first, you win:
A 1.2 mile swim on Clearwater Beach
A 56-mild bike course
A 13.1 mile run, mainly through Clearwater
Let me know if you'd like to sign up -- I'll let them know.
A 1.2 mile swim on Clearwater Beach
A 56-mild bike course
A 13.1 mile run, mainly through Clearwater
Let me know if you'd like to sign up -- I'll let them know.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Heartbreak?
Saw the cardiologist today -- the EKG said I have a "nonspecific ventricular block and bradycardia" -- bradycardia (slow heart rate) I've been told I've had for 20 years. As for the block, I'm scheduled for a stress EKG tomorrow, although not the kind on a treadmill because my rotten knee couldn't do it. It's called a Thallium stress test where they inject radioactive isotopes and then take nuclear scans of the heart. If it goes well, I may still be able to have my knee done next week. Won't know until Monday when I see this guy again for results. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Limping A Little Longer
Went to the hospital for pre-op testing today -- it took a couple of hours. By the time we got home, there was a message on the machine that my doctor wanted me to call her. Finally reached her and she informed me that my EKG was abnormal, so I'd need cardiac clearance before I could have the knee replacement. Got an appointment with a cardiologist tomorrow, but his nurse said it was doubtful that they could finish all the required testing for clearance by Tuesday when the surgery is currently scheduled. Bummer -- I have more time to be anxious.
Seems that as I get older, medical stuff becomes a little more complicated. Because of my history of infections, I'll be started on IV Vancomycin the morning of surgery. Vanco is a really powerful antibiotic that has to be closely monitored via one's blood so it doesn't become toxic.
Personally, I'd like to just get this done and plan to request a one-month induced coma during which time I'll receive physical therapy, and be able to walk when I awaken in December!
Seems that as I get older, medical stuff becomes a little more complicated. Because of my history of infections, I'll be started on IV Vancomycin the morning of surgery. Vanco is a really powerful antibiotic that has to be closely monitored via one's blood so it doesn't become toxic.
Personally, I'd like to just get this done and plan to request a one-month induced coma during which time I'll receive physical therapy, and be able to walk when I awaken in December!
Money Fact
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in U.S. coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
If you have three quarters, four dimes, and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in U.S. coins without being able to make change for a dollar.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Facts you might not want to know
Human body facts:
The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.
-A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball
- It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
-One human hair can support 3 kg.
- Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.
-The attachment of human muscles to skin is what causes dimples.
-The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.
- A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.
- If the average male never shaved, his beard would be 13 feet long when he died.
-There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
- Side by side, 20,000 cells from the human body could cover about one inch.
- Women blink twice as much as men.
-The average person's skin weighs twice as much as their brain.
- When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate. .
. . ..they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate!
- It takes twice as long to lose new muscle if you stop working out than it did to gain it.
-You're ears secrete more earwax when you are afraid than when you aren't.
-Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.
- If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.
-The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man.
You checked out the length of your thumb.. Didn't you?
The largest cell in the human body is the female egg and the smallest is the male sperm.
-A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball
- It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.
-One human hair can support 3 kg.
- Human thighbones are stronger than concrete.
-The attachment of human muscles to skin is what causes dimples.
-The average man's penis is three times the length of his thumb.
- A woman's heart beats faster than a man's.
- If the average male never shaved, his beard would be 13 feet long when he died.
-There are about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.
- Side by side, 20,000 cells from the human body could cover about one inch.
- Women blink twice as much as men.
-The average person's skin weighs twice as much as their brain.
- When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate. .
. . ..they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate!
- It takes twice as long to lose new muscle if you stop working out than it did to gain it.
-You're ears secrete more earwax when you are afraid than when you aren't.
-Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you are standing still.
- If saliva cannot dissolve something, you cannot taste it.
-The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man.
You checked out the length of your thumb.. Didn't you?
New Toy!!!
Steve got me a new computer today and I'm having a great time trying to figure it out. We went to Circuit City where the guy was obnoxious; then we went to Best Buy and got a good deal on a Gateway with a 19" monitor. What fun! Now I just have to figure out Windows Vista which I really didn't want, but if it ends up too yucky for me, I'll just re-install my old XP. Haven't started using the digital camera yet, but it's coming soon. We're getting so hi-tech!!!
Surviving Each Other
The last two days of both of us quitting smoking have been really rough. Steve's the one taking the medication and he's got a nasty cold on top of it. He has been doing really great, but today he was complaining about the cats making a mess, all the cleaning that needs to be done (although I have no idea what he's talking about), blah, blah, blah. I dealt with it by lying down on the bed with a good book and ignoring him. I truly believe now that the key to a good relationship is learning how to effectively ignore one another at the right times. Remembering to be kind to one another can often be a huge challenge.
Last night I looked in every crevice where I ever hid a cigarette in the past but couldn't find any. Had to stop at Walgreen's today and gave serious thought to buying myself some "secret" smokes, but I don't want to be the one to blow it this time.
Last night I looked in every crevice where I ever hid a cigarette in the past but couldn't find any. Had to stop at Walgreen's today and gave serious thought to buying myself some "secret" smokes, but I don't want to be the one to blow it this time.
Tidbits
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
In the blockbuster hit, E.T., the Extra Terrestrial (1982), Harrison
Ford was cast as the school principal, but his only scene was cut.
Director Steven Spielberg decided his presence in the film would be
too distracting. Ford's wife Melissa Mathison wrote E.T.'s screenplay.
In the blockbuster hit, E.T., the Extra Terrestrial (1982), Harrison
Ford was cast as the school principal, but his only scene was cut.
Director Steven Spielberg decided his presence in the film would be
too distracting. Ford's wife Melissa Mathison wrote E.T.'s screenplay.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Quote
"We're here for a reason. I believe a bit of the reason is to throw little torches out to lead people through the dark."
~ Whoopi Goldberg
~ Whoopi Goldberg
Breaking Bad Habits
I have so many bad habits, but smoking is probably the worst, as well as the most difficult to stop. I stopped once before and started up again after 12 years! The blame fell on New York City at the time for being stressful. Now there's nothing to blame but myself.
I got a prescription for Chantix, the new wonder drug for smokers trying to quit, and we decided that since I was able to quit once before without medication, Steve would use the prescription and if he gave it up, I'd give it up too. So far , so good, but not without complications.
We're both a little edgy, but we expected that and have kept ourselves busy doing little things for the past couple of days. He's lost his taste for cigarettes and just chews on a cigar without lighting it when the need arises. He's also lost his sense of taste so food doesn't taste very good at the moment. We woofed a huge bag of sunflower seeds today mostly to keep our hands busy.
Keep your fingers crossed -- this is a tough one.
I got a prescription for Chantix, the new wonder drug for smokers trying to quit, and we decided that since I was able to quit once before without medication, Steve would use the prescription and if he gave it up, I'd give it up too. So far , so good, but not without complications.
We're both a little edgy, but we expected that and have kept ourselves busy doing little things for the past couple of days. He's lost his taste for cigarettes and just chews on a cigar without lighting it when the need arises. He's also lost his sense of taste so food doesn't taste very good at the moment. We woofed a huge bag of sunflower seeds today mostly to keep our hands busy.
Keep your fingers crossed -- this is a tough one.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Polish Invention!
Here's your totally useless fact of the day:
Q-TIPS Cotton Swabs were originally called "Baby Gays." In 1922, Leo
Gerstenrang, an immigrant from Warsaw, Poland, who had served in the
U.S. Army during World War I and worked with the fledgling Red Cross
Organization, founded the Leo Gerstenrang Infant Novelty Co. with his wife. They sold accessories used for baby care. After the birth of the couple's daughter, Gerstenrang noticed that his wife would wrap a wad of cotton around a toothpick for use during their baby's bath. He decided to manufacture a ready-to-use cotton swab. Gerstenrang developed a machine that would wrap cotton uniformly around each blunt end of a small stick of carefully selected and cured non-splintering birch wood, package the swabs in a sliding tray type box, sterilize the box, and seal it with an outer wrapping of glassine (later changed to cellophane). The phrase "untouched by human hands" became widely known in the production of cotton swabs.
Q-TIPS Cotton Swabs were originally called "Baby Gays." In 1922, Leo
Gerstenrang, an immigrant from Warsaw, Poland, who had served in the
U.S. Army during World War I and worked with the fledgling Red Cross
Organization, founded the Leo Gerstenrang Infant Novelty Co. with his wife. They sold accessories used for baby care. After the birth of the couple's daughter, Gerstenrang noticed that his wife would wrap a wad of cotton around a toothpick for use during their baby's bath. He decided to manufacture a ready-to-use cotton swab. Gerstenrang developed a machine that would wrap cotton uniformly around each blunt end of a small stick of carefully selected and cured non-splintering birch wood, package the swabs in a sliding tray type box, sterilize the box, and seal it with an outer wrapping of glassine (later changed to cellophane). The phrase "untouched by human hands" became widely known in the production of cotton swabs.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Hello Surgery!
Steve and I went to see Jennifer Cook, MD, today after being referred to her by a nurse who works with her in surgery. Interestingly, I met the nurse at the wedding in NJ, she's from Minnesota, her husband's a chiropractor here (who I plan to see in the future), and she works right around the corner from where we live!
Dr. Cook was first a mechanical engineer trained at MIT and then became an orthopedic surgeon at Harvard. Quite the underachiever! She's young, really sharp, and answered my myriad questions in a very straightforward manner which I appreciated. She'll be doing my left total knee replacement on 11/13/07! I can't believe I'm having this done so soon!
After seeing Dr. Cook and getting the surgery scheduled, I started having major angst, mostly because I still have not-so-fond memories of the pain after this surgery in my other knee four years ago. She claims I'll be in and out of the hospital in three days and then have RN and physical therapy visits at home. I told her we live on the second floor of our building with lots of steps but she seems to think I'll be able to do the steps.
When I had my right knee done, I remember the therapist coming into my room the day after the surgery and telling me to use the walker to get to the restroom. I told him he was out of his mind, but I did it although I didn't think I'd ever be able to get up off the can afterwards.
I'll try to focus on a few months from now when I can stop taking Vicodin hopefully. When Dr. Cook looked at my knee xrays, she said she didn't know how I was walking at all!
Wish me luck! You might want to wish Steve luck too since he'll be taking care of me for the most part. He was a good nurse for me last time, and he's really happy that I'm finally going to have this done. I wish I could feel happy about it, but that'll come later.
Dr. Cook was first a mechanical engineer trained at MIT and then became an orthopedic surgeon at Harvard. Quite the underachiever! She's young, really sharp, and answered my myriad questions in a very straightforward manner which I appreciated. She'll be doing my left total knee replacement on 11/13/07! I can't believe I'm having this done so soon!
After seeing Dr. Cook and getting the surgery scheduled, I started having major angst, mostly because I still have not-so-fond memories of the pain after this surgery in my other knee four years ago. She claims I'll be in and out of the hospital in three days and then have RN and physical therapy visits at home. I told her we live on the second floor of our building with lots of steps but she seems to think I'll be able to do the steps.
When I had my right knee done, I remember the therapist coming into my room the day after the surgery and telling me to use the walker to get to the restroom. I told him he was out of his mind, but I did it although I didn't think I'd ever be able to get up off the can afterwards.
I'll try to focus on a few months from now when I can stop taking Vicodin hopefully. When Dr. Cook looked at my knee xrays, she said she didn't know how I was walking at all!
Wish me luck! You might want to wish Steve luck too since he'll be taking care of me for the most part. He was a good nurse for me last time, and he's really happy that I'm finally going to have this done. I wish I could feel happy about it, but that'll come later.
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