News and Internet

There is such sadness in today's news about death and the people that it happens to. When you realize that your life is so precious that it could be snuffed out in a second be it suddenly or by some horrific circumstance, the news is hard to escape. I try to focus on good and happy news only to divert my eyes to news of shootings, murder, slaughter and cannibalism. What a world I live in. To raise my three children and have them live past the age of 18 is an accomplishment in itself. To let them know of all of the people to avoid only to have their best friend commit suicide. What were his thoughts before he took his life? Would he take some of his friends with him? Enemies? What thoughts run through my children's minds in this day and age? I can only wonder and communicate with them as they weave the path of their lives and journey through this fragile time. I can't help but read the details of events leading up to the crimes, it's unavoidable, it's unexplainable, it's the Internet.

Before Humira

I was a complete mess of human less flesh. The pain was excruciating and my body was not mine. It felt alien and unknown to me. My joints were very hard to control let alone involve movement of any kind. Flareups? What the hell is that? In the dictionary the meaning: to start up or burst out in sudden, fierce activity or passion. This definitely was not passion! My immune system was on an all out assault throughout my body. I was not ready for this type of vicious attack. My diagnosis floored me. What? Where? How? Why me? In the end, all of this points to, "No Cure"! I think I've said this a time or two but only as a reminder to myself. I've signed on to a research company in San Francisco as a participant of RA and in the hope of them finding a cure for this terrible disease. So far, all of my medications have been working for me. As I look back to the time without Humira and where I was, it was a dark time for me. I was going through quite a bit of depression, but there was so much for me to do to keep my mind off of what I was feeling that there was no time for me to sit back and feel sorry for myself. I had a family to be in charge of, an unfinished kitchen remodel, employers that I had to work for and bills to pay. There was just too much to do and I was not going to let this disease hamper me in any way. I put my life in the hands of a world renown Rheumatologist and whatever he said to take as far as medications, I took. So far, his advice of resting, medication and monitoring are working. I am back to a full work schedule, my kitchen is finished and my family and friends still loves me. I am in a better state of mind and a much peaceful place of body.

Airline Lounge

is where I am at this week. It is a nice respite from working the gates and ticket counter. Our lounge is one of the best in San Francisco and very comfortable. If you are a frequent flier, a membership into this area is highly advised and recommended. Our lounge features a host of complimentary tidbits such as wifi Internet, choice liquors and finger foods. Most of all a place to get away from the leisure travellers and the airport noise. You can watch T.V. in style and comfort or download email and work related articles or chit chat with our nice bartenders and agents.
For me, it is nice to sit and finally catch up on my email, blogging and bill paying. I am still a little behind in my mortgage one of which I had already paid in December and January when I received a check to help pay for those months. My bank had sent me a delinquency notice for January which I will have to reconcile or else they will send a note to my credit company and put a bad mark on my report. It's all about the credit report that is keeping me from sinking. Already in the outrageously out priced state of California, there are hundreds of foreclosures and I am hoping that I will not be one of them now or in the future.

Fatigue

sets in as my long enduring hours of standing and constant work keeps my body from getting it's proper rest. I am right back to my old self again working tremendous hours a day for somewhat low wages and I cannot afford to do part-time work. In order to maintain my mortgage, bills and credit cards, I have to work maniac hours. By the time that I finish my work shift in the morning, I am completely exhausted by the time I get home. I have little time to nibble on something to eat before falling effortlessly to the comfort of my flannel sheets and firmness of my bed only to wake up at eleven in the evening in time to catch the news. I had a few tasks to do today but was too tired to complete any of them, one of which was to go to the bank and transfer some money which I will have to do tomorrow and to get a lab checkup for my primary on my glucose levels to test for diabetes which is an annual thing for me due to that it runs in my family. I want to try to prevent any diseases that my parents had and keep myself in check so that I can live a long comfortable life. Basically, whatever tests that I can afford under my insurance, I want it done.
I talked to Lynn on the phone and our conversations have been somewhat short due to our work schedules and family time. But we always manage to get a few moments in. She was a little upset tonight because Greg wants her to go to Hawaii with his mother, daughter and him for a family reunion. Lynn is not at all convinced that she is invited to go by her mother-in-law but at Greg's insistence. It would also be around the time that her daughter Camden would be coming home from London and we would be going there to escort her back which he seems to have forgotten. I told her that it sounds a little "fishy" to me since he initially wanted his "girlfriend" Pam to come up with her grandson in the summer to stay and visit which Lynn is "dead set" against because of her manipulating tendencies and destructiveness of self with no concerns of anyone but her own. I have met the woman and my take on her is completely opposite of what I would imagine Greg with as a partner. Her physique is slender and petite with short sandy brown hair with blonde highlights. She seems very fragile and shaken. I would not be attracted to her in the least if she were an eligible lesbian woman. Their talks will continue and I will lend my ear for listening and trying very hard not to be critical of what developes.

Piggybacking

on my wireless connections has been much harder to access lately. Everyone has locked in and blocked me from piggy backing off of their servers. Serves me right that I need to get my own wireless router to have my own access. My son dominates the Internet at home due to school and what not. I am left to my own devices at work or when I can get online at home so catching up on my blog has been a little bit more tricky.
What a stormy day it was at the airport and sure enough flight delays abound. We tried to accommodate as many customers as we possible could with full flights and other airlines. I'm sure many misconnected and will have to overnight in those connecting cities. There is nothing that we, as an airline, that we could do to accommodate all of our passengers. I have a full shift today and tonight and will need to go home and nap before the start of my evening shift. I received a very nice paycheck this time due to the fact that I'm picking up more hours versus my sick time paycheck which was pitiful. I can't neglect my health and will need to rest when I can and hopefully I will when I get home.

Personal Escort

for Lynn's daughter Camden as we breezed through custom and security lines of the checkpoint. Her check in at the ticket counter was uneventful and the agent seemed to like her travel outfit for Business First. Lynn and I exchanged some money for British pounds which didn't amount to much. $222.00 and some change only got us $100.00 British! Our dollar is worthless in the free world and I'm hoping it will have a better outlook soon. I could sense the stress in Lynn's voice when she called me in the morning to get a reality check and a shoulder to lean on. You can't comfort a worried mom about her daughter going away for six months. No matter what age, all moms worry! When I arrived at the airport, I could see the worried look and fatigue on Camden's parents face. I had that same look when ever my own children would step out the door and had to trust that they would be fine.
With Camden anxious to be at the gate, she said her goodbye's, kisses and hugs to her parents and we were on our way to the gate. Since I was in uniform blue, I was a direct target for the unending questions that usually come with my job. "Where is gate 93?" "How do I get to A17?" Looking at Camden, I joked with her, "It comes with the territory!" She laughed under her nervousness worrying about being on standby as she has never been in this situation of not having a seat before boarding. Lynn called me on my cell phone from outside of security to make sure everything was ok. Just then an unexpected gate change announcement was made and everyone in the boarding area literally picked up and trampled their way to the escalator. Luckily for us, we were right at the escalator entrance and quickly got there before everyone else. Lynn was hearing the commotion wondering "what the heck is going on?" I told of her a gate change and we were making our way to the new gate area and said that I would call her back. Once at the other gate, Camden checked in with an agent to let her know that she was there. While we waited, we chatted about my daughter Nani, my son, her sister missing her, her worried parents, her excitement to be in London for the next five months, the start of College less than a month when she comes back and her blog. I thought, "what a well rounded daughter she is". She will go far in life and make a difference. Hearing here last name announced, she approached the counter with me following on the heels of her white shoes. The boarding pass was given to Camden with 13E on it. I thought middle seat and asked if Camden could have an aisle seat. The agent quickly retorted, "In economy!" I took another look at her boarding pass and sure enough, it stated that she was sitting in "Business Class"! I became excited for Camden and told her that she had hit the jackpot. We quietly held our contained excitement to our final hug and well wishes as she boarded through the Business Class line. Camden's smile was as wide as the grand canyon, priceless. As she disappeared through the door, I waited a few minutes taking a look at the 777 airplane she was travelling on, thinking, she is going to have a wonderful time. I did not call Lynn back and told Camden to call her mother letting her know that she got a seat on the flight and made my way back to where Lynn would be waiting. As we sat down in the restaurant area to a cappuccino and pastry, Lynn couldn't contain herself any longer as she started to cry. She knew this day would come to let go of her daughter. We as mothers all have to do this at some point in our lives. Hers was today. I held her hand as we sat in our quietness while the flurry of airport activity and noise swirled around us. I offered to drive her home and we talked more. Feeling less worried, Lynn was comforted in her thoughts of letting go, a little at a time.

Delayed

out of Las Vegas due to San Francisco weather. My flight on US AIR was running about an hour and a half behind schedule. I was truly hoping it would not be delayed any further as I have a rescheduled RA appointment at 4:00pm. As a standby employee, I was cleared immediately by the nice male gate agent who gave me an aisle seat close to the front of the aircraft. With another SFO flight that was scheduled and now delayed, the agent working that one started piling passengers onto my flight which was now going to be very full. Needless to say, I made it. While waiting in the boarding area, I noticed "Dog, the bounty hunter", from Hawaii sitting at the slot machine area being closely watched by his co-worker/body guard. In a few seconds, his wife Beth showed up by his side and you can't miss her! I tried to dish out my camera from my bag but they were gone at the sound of the 1st class boarding announcement for Phoenix. That would have been a sweet picture.
My flight home was a little turbulent as we landed in raining San Francisco a little after 2:00pm. I drove home to check up on my son and the house and let Lynn know that I landed safely.
I had not seen my RAtologist since December when I started my Humira injections. In between that time, I have taken a few blood tests at the lab and so far, he is very pleased at where my marks are. My SED rate when I first started in August was over 100 when my Primary doctor diagnosed me. My RA, one week later pegged it at 96. Today, he stated it was at 32. He lowered my Prednisone from one and half tablet to one only. I'm still taking one folic acid and one multi-vitamin daily. 4 tablets of Methotrexate is still taken weekly. He was also very pleased to hear that I have not taken any Aleve or Motrin for pain. I would really rather feel the pain than NOT to feel any pain. How else can I identify if my body is hurting? My visits with him will be twice a year and hopefully down to once a year unless anything significant happens between now and then. I'll still be coming in monthly for more expanded blood tests which he will CC to my primary doctor. I am very happy that he's happy. I feel wonderful right now and very pleased with the results of my medication. Sure, I've gained a bit of weight versus the pain but to keep myself in check and back to normal, it's worth a little weight gain.

Poolside

at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas as I am comfortable in my lounge chair feeling the gentle breeze of the wind waft over my body and the warmth of the sunshine upon me. What a grand feeling knowing that I don't have to be anywhere at anytime with anyone, decadent! So far, I have not won anything on the silver mechanical monstrosities called slot machines. My budget was very low coming to Vegas in the first place with only one thing in mind....picking up my Starbucks coffee kit. Relaxed as I am, this will be my last night here in this beautiful hotel. I will be leaving early in the morning to catch whatever flight that will get me home in time for my RAtologist appointment at 4:00pm which was originally scheduled for today. About an hour in the sun was good and called it a day for the pool and started towards the spa for another workout on the treadmill and bicycle. I love my Diamond Card and all the perks that go with it. After an hour of working out, I made my way back to my room to rest and take advantage of my tub for a bubble bath, delicious! Only to shower off and take a short nap before going to the Diamond Lounge for something to eat. I met quite a few personable waitstaff while here in the lounge and it shows that they truly enjoy what they're doing. Rustin and Mario remember me from previous nights ago and nod, "Good to see you again!". I make my way over to my usual corner of the dining room in my two seater booth tucked away in a nook. Again, sandwiches are the main course with crispy chicken wings and dim sum rounding out the hors d'oeuvre menu. Drinks flow freely here and the patrons come and go. I take my white zinfandel and a cappuccino for drinks while noshing away on the canapes, deserts and appetizers. My belly full again, I bid adieu to the staff that has treated me as if they have known me for ages and set out to find a winning machine.

Starbuck Coffee Kit

was delivered to my room by the hotel staff. I was to pick it up between 3:00pm-8:00pm at the Rio Hotel but instead of inconveniencing me, the Rio had it sent over. What a perk! They thought of everything. Now that's what I call service.
Since it was a beautiful warm day, I made my way to the pool after eleven am. I wanted to check out what the Paris Hotel had to offer. The pool is located on the 3rd floor of the Paris and the outdoor pool is nicely situated beneath the replica of the "Eiffel Tower". It is an impressive backdrop. I niched myself into a nice little area as the tower loomed above me. I think I took enough pictures of the courtyard to add to my Virtual tourist site which needs some updating. After about an hour of sunning, I took the elevator to the 2nd floor where the spa was located. This particular spa costs $25.00 to use but with my Diamond Card, I am allowed in free of charge along with a guest. I worked out on the treadmill and the bicycle. This is definitely larger than the Bally's spa with basically the same amenities. After about an hour of working out, I wanted to find out about picking up my Starbucks coffee maker and made my way back to my room. That's when I found out my coffee kit was at the front desk. After talking with Lynn and catching up on our day, I was ready for a nap and to partake in another visit to the Diamond Lounge.

Bumped!

After waking up at 9am, I finally got ready, packed and out the door to catch my 1:35pm flight to Las Vegas which was delayed to 2:30pm. I always call Lynn to let her know where I'm at and if I made my flight. We're communicative that way.
Boarding was complete, standbys were cleared and I had a row to myself. There is only so much that you could do on a 90 minute flight which left room for reading and snoozing, two of my all time greats! We landed with little fanfare in the glitzy city of Las Vegas and I made my way to the numerous shuttle services offered. The bus was full of patrons as we made our way to hotel after hotel until we finally arrived at the Rio All Suite Hotel. I checked in at the Diamond Services area and within a few minutes, I could see there was a dilemma. The woman checking me in advised me that they had "oversold" their rooms with conference attendees and wanted to keep the massive group together. My room would be offered to me if I still wanted it and If I took the offer to be put up at another hotel, this is what they would offer. My new digs would be the Paris Hotel, $100.00 in food vouchers, $100.00 cash, $100.00 in gambling chips and a limo ride to my hotel instead of the taxi or shuttle. I didn't blink an eyelash and quickly took the offer to help out the staff. They were very grateful and I was elated at all the goodies that I received. I inquired about my Starbucks kit and she advised me not to worry about it and to call in tomorrow for details to the concierge Diamond desk.
With my prizes in hand, my limo was a short wait and a short ride to the Paris Hotel. I checked in at the Diamond registration desk and was personably greeted by Jasmine who offered me a room on the 23rd floor at room 2349P. All the excitement of this day has worn me out and I couldn't wait to see my room. I thought, what type of room ends with a P? Upon entering my room, it was one of two in a corner niche of the hotel. With detailed elegance, the room was magnificent. A large king bed greeted me with a nice setti across from it housed in front of a large bay window peering kitty corner to "the strip". Another bay window looked out towards the airport and the mountains. In front of it sat two individual comfortable aqua green chair amid a large armoire housing the T.V and the ample drawer space for my personal belongings. The bathroom was quite spacious with a tub, shower and large vanity. The sign on the back of my door states that this particular room rents for $2000.00 a night, single or double occupancy. A third person is $150.00 extra! What extravagance!
I needed to feed my hunger and visited the Diamond lounge which was the opulence of what a lounge should be. Nicely appointed in dark cherry wood interior and the waitstaff in black and white suit and tie made this lounge elegant and professional. Dedicated to service, no one waited long for a table or to be asked what they would like to drink. Liquor flowed freely as did the appetizers which were replenished as soon as it was low. There was enough waitstaff to notice who were the new entrants and if you needed another drink. They were very attentive and professional. Fully satisfied from this type of meal, I did not need to visit the buffet or cafe. Instead I was on a mission to find my machine in this new hotel of luxury.

Sweetie's Day

I always look forward to spending time with my sweetheart, Lynn. Our time together is far and few in between and it was not our intention we were going to pack up our U-haul and move in together after our first or second or even our third date. We were definitely attracted to each other from the first day we met. Haole (Caucasian) woman is my weakness and long brown hair down to her waist, is an absolute plus.
Our time together sometime involves either one or both of her daughters at home, each doing their own thing. This time was Camden, who is getting ready for her trip to London next week. Bryn left with her father on a church snow trip to Lake Tahoe. I usually putter around the house or am on the computer playing video games which Lynn has me "hooked" on Jewel Quest II. Tonight, we shared responsibilities in cooking. Since she did the "lioness's" share, I cleaned the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. Sharing household duties and chores is a lesson in life of working together with the dependability and levelheadedness of knowing that a relationship takes two. It may not always be 50/50 but the rationality and maturity that comes along with knowing your partner should not be a burden.

Fifth shot, right thigh, missed a day

It still doesn't get easier as I continue to inject myself with the Humira medication. I still talk myself into it and still wince upon application of it to my thigh area. I imagine that when I'm 65, I will be more tolerant of this procedure. I missed yesterday's injection due to that I work through several shifts and did not have the Humira with me. My RA said to take it immediately the next day and resume my injection the next time. I felt so bloated and swollen yesterday that during a few brief break times, I was able to put my feet up and rest. I felt much better after a nap and I promised that I will not ever work that type of shift again. Working 20 plus hours in a day is crazy, so what was I thinking? I have to learn to say "NO"!
I rested all day today and if felt good to stay in bed until 10:00am. After some leisure time, I got ready to run some errands before the weekend. I dropped into the lab to submit more blood for my RA appointment next week, visited the bank to make a deposit and filled up my truck tank with gas for forty dollars which does not go a long way anymore.
Coming home to a quiet environment, I relish the thought of taking another nap but instead I watch the American Idol reruns that I TiVo'd and have a plate of leftover spaghetti.

20 Hour day

My work schedule was continuous as I picked up shifts and strung them together due to co-workers needing to leave work early and some much needed overtime. My payroll specialist will have a fit to see what hours I have accumulated today. My shift started out at 5:00-9:00am for overtime. I worked my own shift from 9:00a-1:00p and finished the remaining shift of a co-worker from 1:00p-3:15. From 3:15p-7:00p, I started the shift of another co-worker, who left for Mexico City with her husband. 7:00p-12:00a, I worked for another co-worker who needed the day off to be at home with her children and from 12:00a-1:00a for overtime to help out with full flights and sick calls. But that doesn't count the 4:00am wake up time and my getting home at 1:30am. In all, it was a very long day and I could definitely see myself dragging as the afternoon wore on. I managed to nap between flights and stay off my feet at times but I could feel the fatigue from not fully resting like I should have been doing. With my mortgage due and other bills close behind, surviving to stay in my home takes precedence. With all the picking up of my hours, I also neglected to take my Humira shot and didn't plan on missing today and will have to make up for it by taking it in the morning tomorrow. My company sponsored a pizza day to celebrate Valentines day and our profit sharing day which was a very nice gesture.
At 5:00am, coming to work in the dark and leaving at 1:00am in the dark tells me that I've been here too long. Happy Valentine's Day.

Counseling session

ends for me and I will not be seeing Dr. Snow today with Lynn. Since our line of communication has been improved and my better understanding of what she is going through, we agreed that there was no further need to my continue visits.
I picked up some overtime shifts in the morning in addition to my own work schedule and will be returning again, tonight. In between, I have errands to run and dinner to cook which will leave me little time to nap. My biggest fear would be over sleeping and I have set three alarms at fifteen minute intervals to wake me. I always manage to wake to the last alarm and ready myself for work. Tomorrow is our pizza and profit sharing day. A VP from my company will be by to visit and talk with co-workers about our environment and answer questions. It will be interesting.
I went shopping for basic foods and always end up buying more than what I need, especially for my son. He drinks alot of juices and I need to keep him hydrated. Water has been a mainstay in our home. I cooked up a huge pot of spaghetti to, hopefully, last a few days. Nothing lasts too long in my household and gets devoured very quickly. I managed to start the process of filing my taxes online with Tax Slayer. They charge 9.95 to do my returns including the State and it is fairly easy. I have been using this company for several years and am very happy with the ease of it's program and the return rate of my monies for refunds. I'm hoping to complete this by the weekend.

Sunrise

during my early morning shifts this past week have been spectacular. After all the rain that we had in the previous weeks, this was a welcomed sight. The grey amber sky lighting up the San Mateo Bridge in the background on a clear day is particularly breathtaking. Purple, pink and amber hues wake behind the mountain to start a colorful warm day shaking off the chill of dawn. Before the powerful noise of airline engines roar or clanging metal from speeding tugs carrying cargo ever begin, the airport is eerily quiet and movement stands still. Squawking geese and other migrating birds can be heard in the distance while the faint sound of the bay sends shivers down my spine. The amorous scent of baked cookies at the It's It factory sends me salivating for a cup of chocolate mocha from the vending machine. The light wind kisses me softly as if to greet me and the brilliant sun radiates to warm me. A moment in time that seems to stand still for me to relish, savor and remember a beautiful day such as this.

Kick butt hours

working just to survive in the state of California. My paycheck borders on the amount of hours that I pick up to pay my mortgage, bills with very little actually going to me. I was able to "max out" my credit cards during my four months off from work and have to pay the least amount due. Minimum wage has supposedly gone up and you have to figure on that type of paycheck, you won't be able to afford much. President Bush will be issuing approximately $600 dollars back to the tax paying people to spur spending on our already outrageously overpriced state. As long as consumer price goes up, six hundred dollars means nothing to anyone. Being a single mom working the hours that I do, I have to trust that my 14 year old son will do his homework, cook his own dinner and get himself to school. Most of the time, without my supervision. Versus when I was at home, he enjoyed the home cooked meals every night, late night talks and my constant presence of being at home. That was enjoyable for me and it took a disease to say, "time out" and take the much needed time off.
My erratic work schedule and the over load of hours that I have picked up will insure a healthy paycheck but my son will be the ultimate sacrifice. THAT is what I do not want, to neglect my son because of my work schedule. Luckily, we have a good line of communication and he is a wonderful son, a bit lazy, but a good son. For now, work will have to come first if I am to stay in my home. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for a good outcome.

Dyke's, Femme's

and everything in between as Lynn and I checkout the Respect women's tea dance night held at Harry Denton's Rouge on Polk Street and Broadway. Being "Gold Card" holders, we are admitted to any dance that DJ Page Hodel "spins" at, free of charge. It is a nice little perk that we acquired during our early years meeting Page courtesy of our good friend Marilee who now lives in Atlanta.
As we scan the dance floor for friends that we know, I notice a couple that used to be together and are now "broken up". It seems that they are still civil towards each other and instead of their hands and lips all over each other, they are at opposite corners of the club watching intently what the other does. I'm sure it must be very awkward but they seem to take it in stride. Their fake smiles beguiling the hurt they must be feeling. Their circle of friends carefully shielding them from any further damage. The feelings that they still share for each other are noted in their truthful glances.
Shelly and Mary introduced themselves and asked if they could sit at our booth. Being the Valentine's weekend many of the tables had reserve signs on them and hardly anywhere for a gal to sit. Introductions aside, we found out that both women are in the nursing field. Shelly lives in Modesto and Mary lives in Los Gatos and have been dating each other off and on for about 5 months. They have an "open relationship" and date other woman. In the queendom of lesbianism, there are relationships of all kinds.

Burglarized

My good friend Sarah whom we helped move some weeks ago into her rental house in Vallejo was burglarized one week after moving in! She called upon myself and a few of her friends to help her remove into a gated apartment complex today. Darrell picked me up and we drove over the Bay bridge together to keep each other company on the long drive over. We met up with Sarah, Norma and Sarah's mother who were helping her box up items that should have been packed before we arrived. After giving me the keys to the 30 foot U-haul rental truck, I was designated driver since everyone else was too afraid to drive it and I had a better handle on driving large vehicles. Darrell and I immediately proceeded to load the large items and were joined by the everyone packing it onto the truck. Five hours later, we were done with 80 percent of the house and ready to move it into her new apartment. Maneuvering the large truck into the complex was fairly easy and the only hazard was the carport overhang which I did not want to damage. With Darrell as my escort, he guided me in the blind spots. We quickly unloaded everything in under three hours. Perspiring, exhausted and hungry, we took a quick break. As Sarah's diligence in setting up her apartment to a normalcy grew urgent, so did our departure from moving the rest of her belongings. Darkness swiftly descended upon us and it was time to take the truck back. With all of the unloading completed, our weary bones tired and ready to make the long journey home. Thoughts of a long hot shower and a nice glass of wine quickly snapped back to reality as we advised our dear friend to call 1-800-MOVERS the next time she needs a hand.

Blogs

on Rheumatoid Arthritis is plentiful and abound on the Internet. In my search for knowledge about this disease that has taken up residence in my body, I am the gracious host and have learned to co-exist with this foreign invader by administering medicine that will help to keep the swelling from gravitating upwards making my fingers look like pudgy sausages and from the excruciating pain that rides along with it. Of course there are side effects and a myriad of other problems that come with taking these medicines. My RAtologist is keeping a close watch on my blood and my state of mind during my appointments. There are many helpful and informative sights on RA originating from society and centers for health. Knowledgeable as they are, the blogs or rather reports are very detailed as far as talking about the factors, symptom's and depth of the disease. I find comfort in the blogs written in part by people like me that have a life, family, work and are trying to understand the "why me?" syndrome. I remember when I was first diagnosed with this disease. I was thinking, "ok, it's not Cancer" and I wasn't really too worried about it. After delving into the Internet on any and all information about rheumatoid arthritis, I was exhausted. The only visual material wording that stunned me in all of these blogs were the words, "No Cure". At least Cancer has a cure! My emotions were overwhelmed and I cried for a few moments at a time. There was too much for me to do before I become totally debilitated by this disease. It took me a few months say the word "disease" and acknowledge it as such. After a healthy amount of reading and extensive visits with my RAtologist, my state of mind is in a better place and attitude. I have learned to cope with this foreign resident and have given everything it needs so that we can peacefully co-exist one day at a time.

Rollercoaster

week for me since I've been back to work. I've picked up hours like crazy to pad my paycheck in anticipation of paying my monthly mortgage and a host of other bills that I have due. I should just about clear them all. I will definitely be completing my taxes this weekend and hoping to receive that within two weeks time. My company is also giving my profit sharing check next week on Valentine's Day, which will be a welcomed addition to my bank account. I am also trying to find the time to fly to Las Vegas to pick up some freebies that my Diamond Status with Harrah's has allowed me comp rooms and prizes in a way of enticing me to exclusively use only their casino group. I'm here to tell you, it's working! For the month of February, I will pick up a Starbucks coffee maker, grinder, coffee and travel mugs, gratis, courtesy of the Paris Hotel in conjunction with Harrah's. I've invited Lynn and her daughter to fly with me to Las Vegas. Lynn's daughter will be flying to London during the week of Feb 24th. She will be a volunteer at the Pax Lodge for about 5 months and receiving a stipend plus room and board. It is a wonderful opportunity for her and she will meet other young women from other cultures and what a time she will have. I'm jealous! So, I thought if they flew with me to Las Vegas, we could all have some fun together and enjoy the sights. I'll find out next week.
Work has been very busy and there's talk about Delta and Northwest merger that has the industry as a whole, up in arms. It is a waiting game and may the best airline win.

Communication

between Lynn and I have developed into a better relationship for us. Since that fateful day in December, we have talked of our problem with Dr. Snow and she in turn has given us feedback with good results. Her kind words and compliments of us as a couple strengthen our bond. It is here in counseling that we discharge all of our questions, answers and thoughts with her examination of our relationship between us and our families. This is information that Lynn and I rarely have conversations about when we are alone due to the fact that we want to enjoy each other's blissful company. Lynn doesn't want to chit-chat about the "hard stuff" and would rather we talk about our issues in counseling. Inside of our bubble, life is tropical and sunny. Outside, it is cold, alone and bitter. In our quest for a better understanding of our relationship, we are slowly bringing the imbalance in our lives to a stable plateau. Slowly, ever so slowly.

And the winner is.......

is it too premature to say that Hillary Clinton is President? I personally would love to see a woman in office and Hillary would be my gal! So now you know who I voted for. It seems a record number of people of all cultures surrendered themselves to the polling booths to cast their vote for the best candidate. I saw scanned the crowd and took note of a large number of very young voters eagerly looking over initiatives and asking questions to the staff. Clearly, the first timers are very excited about this momentous event. They are fortunate in their young lives to be experiencing this phenomenal moment that may never ever repeat itself in American history of an African American man or a High powered woman running for the President of the United States of America. I am blessed to be alive to witness this grand wonder.

Don't forget to VOTE!

If you haven't already done so, tomorrow is going to be a monumental day and I am so excited that it is happening in my lifetime. We are either going to have our first EVER African American or our first EVER woman President. Polls open early and in most States, will be open until 8:00pm. Most people have done the absentee ballot by mail and I thought about exercising my option to vote that way but my return to work has left me with very little time. I definitely can feel the fatigue from the lowering of my prednisone and I certainly miss my nap times. In between shifts, I find very little time for that and will have to make that a priority soon. Luckily for me, work has been non-stressful. Our flights are full but not to the point of overselling. Our premier members can't always get the seats they requested because of frequent plane changes and security checks. For the most part, work has been enjoyable. There is the constant gossip which I try to stay away from or just not repeat it to anyone other than Lynn. Airline gossip is appealing and amusing to her and is another form of riotous humor in my line of work. The attitudes that passengers have and what they think they can get away with is unbelievable. If you've ever watched the show "Airliners" and what the Southwest staff go through on a daily basis is true. If I could put pen a book on the daily idiosyncrasies that I experience, I would be a millionaire.

Split shift

at work with a nap in between. Today was my first day back on the morning shift and I was greeted like an old friend by my co-workers. Lots of warm hugs and chatter on what I have been doing with myself for the past four months. It was nice to see everyone as I have missed them all very much.
After arriving home, I quickly got into my pajama, robe and slipper, made a healthy tuna sandwich and turned on the T.V. to the Superbowl. I enjoy watching the commercials in between plays, laughing until my side splits. I didn't last too long, TiVo'd the rest of the game and took a one hour nap before getting ready for my next shift at night. Talking to Lynn throughout my day, she was upset at the fact that her husband wanted her to pickup their daughter's contact lenses tomorrow unbeknownst to Lynn. She was not warned of this but rather told. That meant for her go drive to Campbell in the morning, foregoing her own work day and pick up the prescription in order for their daughter to play Lacrosse this week. I advised her to tell her husband that HE needed to pick up the lenses. HE can afford to play hookie from work and does so often by goofing off in the morning, writing and playing tennis. And yes, HE can pick it up! So she told him to do it. Do guys think that we are their personal secretaries? He also invited some people over for Super Bowl without telling her when she wanted to enjoy a nice quiet afternoon at home after church. Can't a gal get any peace in her own home? So she retreated to her room to call me. She tells herself, "a year and half more, just a year and a half more".

Reaction

to my Humira shot produced a bruise where the puncture in my thigh was and a few hours later, a slight raised red swelling of where my 1st shot in December appeared. I thought it odd and will wait another day or two to see what will develop. So far, this is the only reaction that my body has produced to the injection. I will have to revert to the diagram for other target areas of injection and interchange during the bi-monthly process.
Tomorrow is the start of my new bid on the morning shift. After picking up tonight for a co-worker, morning will arrive very soon. Gone is my cherished mornings of sleeping in and enjoying the last bit of warmth from my bed. I will be working a double shift but not continuously, it will be a split shift for a few days this week. In between that time, I will return home and nap for a few hours. Somewhere during that time, I will have packed my breakfast or dinner keeping warm at the same time from the inclement weather of the week and making sure to check in with my son. Enter the Rat race of my life to make money and survive in this overpriced and underpaid society we call California and all the politicians that think a family can exist on an hourly wage of $8.00 an hour. What Podunk country do they live in anyway? I'd like to see them subsist on that wage and work the long hours that I do and have nothing to show for it by the time my paycheck arrives. Election time is around the corner and it will be an interesting race of the powerhouse candidates. Vote!

Broken promises

My friend, Yvonne and her church in San Mateo had an event that involved my surrogate family, The Evans. It was a night of music provided for by the Tongan Children's brass band, a slide show of the Church trip to New Orleans in October 2007 and a potluck dinner with Mama's gumbo being the feature attraction. It was quite a showing of church parishioner's as the event was an enormous success. The slide show was showcasing the church trip to New Orleans and their assisting in the rebuilding of two Katrina Families. Devastation is still present today with the help of FEMA and other government assistance slowing to a trickle. The undeniable assistance of relief only benefiting a fortunate few. Our government and state officials have abandoned this spirited icon of history and it's people only to turn their attention towards remembering their fiscal budgets and broken promises. No where in history has there ever been a mass exodus of peoples treated with the harshness and cruelty as the Katrina Survivors. They are a people without a country. Nations saw the devastation and we were gripped to our T.V. for weeks as word of loved ones ebbed out onto our screens. Monies poured in from every country on earth in the hope of finding a recipient. Well wishers sent cards, letters and offers of adopting whole families to come and stay with them. Strangers helping strangers. The hearts of the world reached out to New Orleans and softly held it's people close to it's bosom. Months later as the welcome mat wore out with family and friends, Mama would say, these ignorant people said to the Katrina families, "Get over it!" How can you tell a proud family that lived through a devastation that most of us can only imagine, at best, to "Get over it?" I'm sure it will be tucked away in the corner of our minds like every other major world catastrophe, but it will not be forgotten. Like the horrific Indonesia Tsunami in 2004, New Orleans Katrina and the cries of it's people, will not be forgotten.