I could never be a gymnast

Yesterday, on my last day of "vacation," I decided to use the paint I'd bought for the guest room to paint the stairwell and upstairs hall. I decided I don't like the color for a bedroom but I didn't want to waste it and the stairwell walls are as nasty as the rest of the walls were when I moved in.

dun dun duuuuunn...

Things were going pretty well until I realized, as I was standing on a chair at about the same location I was standing to take that picture, that my balance is worse than I thought. After wobbling and suffering a pseudo heart attack, I decided I'm enlisting help for the parts I can't reach safely. So, to recap: I'll risk cutting off my toes to remove a mirror and a broken face to replace a bathroom faucet, but when it comes to self home repairs, I draw the line at falling down a flight of 18 steps to my death at the risk of having a half-painted stairwell.

Ever since I've had dizziness off-and-on, I've been skeptical of the original diagnosis of an inner-ear condition. However, recent events make me think there may be something to it and I didn't really feel like testing it out yesterday.

During Insanity workouts, there are two exercises that I just can't do because I fall over every time:  

suicide drills and hit the floor. Basically, you go quickly back-and-forth sideways and touch the floor in between. And "hit the floor," I do.

I also have almost fallen over in the shower a few times lately, just standing there, and when I was home for Christmas I realized that while hugging my family members, I get the feeling like we're falling over but the other person doesn't. So so strange. I have absolutely no idea if there's anything I can do about it so for now I'll just avoid reaching over the steps and replace any floor-hitting with other exercises.

Speaking of exercises, I've formulated a running plan for 2013. First of all, I won't be paying to run any races. I've decided that this year I will focus on the house and working on getting out of debt. (so if anyone has a treadmill they're looking to give away, pick me!) Therefore, I'm going to train for and run my own race. No, I'm not joking. It won't be nearly as fun but I'm still reaching for that half marathon PR and to get speedier. Also, because why not, I want to be able to do a 10-minute plank this year. As far as other goals, I am going to train Pippi to balance things on her head.

I'm under no illusions that she'll be able to do this. One or
two treats is all I'll ask.

To be honest, I have no clue how many miles I ran in 2012. I had a goal of 700 miles and then I un-signed up for DailyMile and quit tracking them. Also, my goal of doing a pull-up got shattered when I got rid of my gym membership bought my own house with no room for a pull-up bar. But then again, I think "bought my own house" trumps "do one pull-up".

Here's to 2013!

This was supposed to be a post about running

There are two doctor appointments I'd been putting off making. Last week I bit the bullet and made them both...without really checking my calendar too closely. It didn't even occur to me that I have today off work (thank you Martin Luther King) until it was too late. I'd made one of the appointments for this afternoon. The entire reason I picked the doctor that I did is because it's close to work and since I'm not going to work today, I'd rather not waste the gas and time. I called this morning to reschedule and was told that because I rescheduled less than 24 hours out, I'd be receiving a warning letter and if I did it again, I'd receive a bill for $50.

I only WISH I pooped money!
(thank you Google Images for this gem).

 

Ok, so I understand that a doctor's time is valuable and all that, but are you kidding me? Fifty dollars?? How can they even enforce that? I'm pretty sure I'd skip on that bill and find another doctor. As it is, I have to pay a $70 copay to see a "specialist" and basically all the doctors lately I've been to (with my gynecologist as an exception) are specialists.

Have fun on bathing in my sorrows.

Here's the way I see it: I called to reschedule, not to cancel. Give me some credit. While I understand that means you now must wait two days to receive the money I would have given you today, at least I didn't just not show up. How about those times when I have to wait in the waiting room until well past my appointment time and then once I get in the exam room, I must then wait again before I even see the doctor. Why is your time so much more valuable than mine? When will I be receiving my $50 check for the inconvenience?

If nothing else, this past year has made me really loathe the medical system, health insurance, and question how much they're really trying to help me rather than just seeing me as a bag of money (when, in reality, my credit card is taking the hit).

So, that's my rant for today. It's been one helluva year, medical bill-wise, and apparently it's not getting any better any time soon. That goal of getting my own place is taking so much longer than it should!

No, you're not missing anything. This has nothing to do with this post.

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Maybe all good things come in a bottle

"Working at home" takes on a whole new meaning when you have a dog.

I decided to get some work done at home today since I'm still feeling ..."eh", and also do some research on ENT doctors for that second opinion I've been meaning to get. I had this false sense of working at home being awesome and relaxing and care-free. Except...I have a dog. Not just any dog...a dog who thinks she needs attention ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY! Do you know how difficult it is to do work when you have a forty pound ball of energy on your lap?

So anyhow, I think I've decided on a doctor to contact, thanks to some very helpful coworkers. I just need to figure out how to get my records from the other doctor's office. I don't know why but I feel like this is going to be like pulling teeth from a rabid crocodile. Only time will tell.

Yesterday, on my last day of "vacation", I decided to make banana bread, using bananas that I'd had in the freezer. Have you ever done this? Do you know how disgusting bananas are when you thaw them after being frozen? I was sure I wouldn't want to eat the bread after seeing that, but thankfully it came out looking much more delicious than thawed bananas.

I am delicious!

I used the recipe for Bakers' Secret Banana Bread from the Unofficial Hunger Games Cookbook and made it my own by using half as much sugar as the recipe called for and adding in a boatload of cinnamon and some oats. This is the first time I made banana bread successfully, without it overflowing in the oven. Score one for me!

I'm currently eating the last of it. Apparently my sister-in-law and I have the power to finish off an entire loaf in 24 hours. I'm thinking pumpkin bread may be my next order of business.

I also took the opportunity of my free day to paint my nails. Little did I know they'd turn out looking like something the younger me would dream up, but I still like 'em.

Everything's better with sparkles!

I also discovered something I wish I'd had the foresight to add to my Christmas list.

Boyfriend in a Bottle

I'm not sure why he's gotta be in a bottle. It seems pretty difficult to date someone who's encased in glass, but maybe there's something I'm overlooking. Maybe this is a best-kept secret or something. What do you think?

It looks like a new fad in boy bands.

It strikes again

After not experiencing any symptoms from my supposed Patulous Eustachian Tube in a few weeks, I got hit hard once again this past week. I'm thinking it may have something to do with the holiday stress or holiday eating, or something having to do with the holidays, since last time it happened was right after Thanksgiving.















I've done tons and tons of research on the topic and have decided that (I assume) the type of dizziness I experience (yes, there are different types. I bet you didn't even know it!) is called nonsyncope nonvertigo dizziness. It's difficult to explain how it feels, but it's not as if the room is spinning, as with vertigo. My running has suffered this week, as has my mood and the way I feel. All I really want to do lately is sleep, which is very unlike me.

Don't worry, Mom. I like to sleep too.

Although I've succumbed to the fact that this is something I'll likely have to live with for the rest of my life, I'm considering going to get a second opinion from an ENT not in the hospital. I just can't stomach another $100 hospital fee. Jerks. If there's something I can do about it, I want it DONE!

Ok, onto happier times! I finally finished Mockingjay on New Years Eve, so I can say I read the entire series in 2011. (It only took me about three months to finish the last book. I blame A.D.D.) :)














And now I really need someone to talk about it with! It did not end the way I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. You??

I also learned how to share books via Kindle, which is a pretty fantastic development. Anyone have a Kindle and wanna share? I need a new book to read now.

Pinterest made me do it :)

The case of the apple napper

Dude, karma, really? REALLY?? FREAKING REALLY???

I think this week is proof that I'm in a rut, of sorts. It started Monday during spin class. I was feeling super dizzy on the bike, but since I was holding onto the handle bars, I was pretty sure i was safe. When I got home, every time I turned, a wave of dizzy fell over me. Yesterday morning when I woke up, I had a hard time just standing upright. I had to take yet another sick day from work.

Today I'm feeling a little better and I seem to be ok as long as I don't look anywhere but straight ahead when walking. Today's run should be super interesting. Damn you, eustachian tube!

Ohhh...oh yeah, and then after Pippi having normal...ahem....BMs  for a few days now, this morning she had an accident in the house with blood in it. For crying in the sunshine! So much for finally getting in a full week of work. I'm pretty worried about her. I hope it's nothing serious, but I foresee having to take her to the vet tomorrow.

In other news, Pippi's new obsession is apples. I had an apple on my nightstand last week and while I had my back turned, she stole it and ate half of it. Ever since then, whenever there's an apple around, she MUST HAVE IT. I was eating one the other morning and, thankfully her eyes aren't made of lasers or I'd be dead.

Apple? Apple? Apple? Apple? Apple?

I spent the time yesterday when I could at least sit up ok, making Noodle Huggers and collars like it was my job. In a couple weeks, I'm going to be a vendor at the NC State University Club Holiday Shoppe. I'm not a big people person, so this is a big step. If anyone is mean or rude to me, I'm gonna whip 'em with a Noodle Hugger.

Say that ten times fast

My friends, you are about to be schooled. I've been diagnosed. Yesterday after finally getting in to see the ENT, he diagnosed my waves of dizziness/ear issues as Patulous Eustachian tube. (Sounds dirty, doesn't it?) All this time, after talking with Kari, I'd been thinking it might be Meniere's Disease, but apparently what I've been feeling (that I might fall over and with waves of fuzziness in my extremities, and pulsing sounds in my ears) is not vertigo. Vertigo is the feeling that the room is spinning, not that you are spinning. Who knew?


What does patulous eustachian tube (PET) mean? 


Literally:
Patulous means open, gaping, expanded
Eustachian tube means a canal extending from the middle ear to the pharynx; auditory canal

Actually:
A rare physical disorder where the Eustachian tube, which is normally closed, instead stays intermittently open. When this occurs, the patient experiences autophony, the hearing of self-generated sounds. These sounds, such as one's own breathing, voice, and heartbeat, vibrate directly onto the ear drum and can create a "bucket on the head" effect.

Ready for some really disturbing images?

Here's a diagram of the ear and what happens when the E tube is working ok.

Lesson learned: The inside of the ear looks really really disgusting.

So, after hearing all of this, I asked the doctor the ten million dollar question, "Is there a way to fix this?" The answer is that there are minor surgeries that can be done, or I could try gaining five pounds, or whenever I feel it lay down or use lubricating nose spray. I can tell you that I refuse to gain weight on purpose, so that one's out. For now I'm going to try the laying down and the nose spray. My gut feeling is that this will do nothing for it, but you never know. I have a follow-up appointment in January.

So remember up there when it says this is a rare condition? Yeah, story of my life. Here are some other facts about PET:

• The average age is 30 years, with a female prevalence
  (Interesting. I'm a female and will be turning 30 in two short months.)
• Fatty tissues hold the tube closed most of the time in healthy individuals
  (Mmm...fatty tissue)
• Substances which dehydrate the body are also possible causes of patulous Eustachian tube. Examples are stimulants (including caffeine) and exercise
  (...and so I'm still staying off caffeine and sodium. I miss coffee so much.)
• In extreme cases surgical intervention may attempt to "bulk up" the Eustachian tube tissues with fat, gel foam, or cartilage or scar it closed with cautery. These methods are not always successful.
  (I have a feeling I'm stuck with this forever.)

Yippee!

The things that make all this seem ok?

Yes, we're snuggling. What's it to you?

Mom mom mom mom pet me mom mom mom mom.