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Mini-vents

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
My mini vent of the day: There's some rep at my work today trying to get us to buy memberships to one of those warehouse club stores. He brought in a ton of free food for us to sample. I saw the guy when he was setting up, and he was like, "Come back in a little bit! There'll be pizza!" I said politely, "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm lactose intolerant." So then he was like, "Well, we'll have fruit too!" I didn't say anything, but I thought to myself, well, can't eat that either. So far I'm batting zero!

So I just wanted a bottle of water and I went back later to try to discreetly take one without having to talk to the guy again. But he saw me and he was like, "Hey! You came back! Have some pizza and some fruit!" I acted like I didn't hear him, and I went over to where he had the drinks. There were some store-brand sports drinks that looked vaguely like generic gatorade. I saw a green tea flavored one and started reading the label to see what's in it - I can't do caffeine and sometimes green tea is caffeineated. The guy saw me reading the label, and I said, "I'm just checking to see if it's got caffeine." The guy said very enthusiastically, "It's got zero calories!" And I said, "I don't care about that, I want to see if it has caffeine! Do you know if this has caffeine?" The guy didn't answer, and then after a few awkward seconds he said, "There are bottled waters over there." I took one and left.

Ugh, I hate situations like that! I can't eat so much of what normal people eat, and they look at me like I'm a freak when I say I can't eat this, I can't eat that (a few of my coworkers saw me bypass all the food and just take water, they probably think I'm anonrexic or something). I can pass for normal most of the time, I just wish there were a way to somehow pass as normal around food and still avoid all my triggers.
 
Cat - I can sympathize with you. When I went to Florida just recently for my best friend's wedding, I was able to go to her bachelorette party. We went out for Spanish food and I was debating on whether to get ropa vieja or a chicken dish that I knew was gigantic and wouldn't be able to get a to-go box for because we were going out to bar hop right afterward. My two best friends haven't experienced what it's like for me to have Crohn's disease because I was diagnosed after I moved up here. they didn't seem to really understand what my conflict was. I had to explain that I didn't want to eat something I hadn't had since before I was diagnosed. I didn't exactly want to be in pain all night if it was something that ended u disagreeing with me. I felt that I may have sounded overly dramatic to them because they just don't quite get the digestive issues still. Ah well. In the end, I got the ropa vieja and it was DELICIOUS and it didn't bother my tummy. ;)

My mini vent of the day: i just got out of my creative writing class. And hey, big surprise, no one had anything ready to present in workshop. I decided to chance it and not try and rush to finish my story and bring it in because I had brought in a long full story last week. So, luckily, some of the "seniors" came in with some of their novel-length pieces they are working on. One kid particularly wanted to know if the love interest development in his piece was affective, because he doesn't typically right romance into his stories. The teacher asked for my opinion "as a married woman." I made some funny comment about how I enjoyed seeing the emotions from a male perspective character because you don't typically see that from guys in general. And two of the students (one guy and one girl) got very defensive by my comment. the girl, I could tell, was muttering something under her breath about none of the guys she knows are like that and the guy sitting behind me was like "That's not true." And when I finished up my critique I heard him say, "Well, that's an assumption" as if I had made a personal attack on him or something.

Fine, you don't have to agree with me, but I thought at least they could laugh about it. The teacher thought it was pretty funny and go a good laugh out of it. But I still stand by my comment. Yes, there are guys out there who love to share their emotions, but I still don't think they are the majority. ;)
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa: Wow, what a bunch of weirdos in your class! I took a creative writing poetry class my last year of college and it was great fun - there were a few people with legitimate talent in that class (including one girl who actually got a job offer to write greeting cards - and she got the job offer while she was still taking the poetry class, she hadn't even graduated yet!). Most of us knew we didn't have much talent as poets but it was fun to read our poems out loud and laugh at ourselves and give each other some creative criticism. I had fun and I do think it helped my writing skills too. Sounds like the people in your class take themselves waaaay too seriously! At least it sounds like the teacher is having fun. I hope you're able to have some fun with it too - get those sourpusses in the class to lighten up!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
BTW, "ropa vieja"? My spanish is super rusty, but doesn't that mean old clothes?? I'm curious now, what's a dish like that consist of (and taste like)?
 
My vent of the day... poxy bloomin stupid owners with out of control staffordshire bull terriers might be flippin apologetic but the poxy thing was still trying to attack all and sundry even after I was laying on the ground going 'oops I appear to have hurt my foot on your dogs thick skull', or words to that effect - it hit me tho I have a slight wish that it was the result of a deliberate counter attack - and I'm pretty amazed at myself for stepping in, which was I think due to me being genuinely concerned that Jessie (my dogs) life being in danger.
6 poxy boring weeks, fractured 4th metatarsal, at least before I'll be able to go for much of a walk - which is the only way I've kept my sanity these last couple of years. Majorly :(
 
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Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Beth, forgive me, I've never heard the term "poxy" before - am I correct in understanding it means "stupid" or something to that effect?

How awful that some mean dogs attacked you and your dog, and broke your bone no less! We have a similar problem with pit bull terriers over here, so many (stupid) people think it's really cool to have a dog that is bred for fighting and could kill you easily if it wants or if it snaps. And a lot of the people who have pit bulls around here don't train them well, so the dogs can get really out of hand. It can be really scary to have a dog like that approach me and/or my little corgi. I carry pepper spray in my purse but I don't know if I'd be able to get it out and use it quickly enough in the event of an attack. And I don't know if I'd be able step in like you did - I'd probably just stand there unable to move, or pass out from shock or something equally unhelpful. I hope you're able to find something to keep you sane until your foot heals. :(
 
Yeah, poxy is a polite substitute for swear words.

Thankfully this was only a little thing not one of the bigger fighting breeds. So many of these dogs are used to infer status and as you say not trained. Many of the owners wouldn't, I think, have any real idea of how and what to train them. They end up in rescue centres all too often when the owners gets bored or it bites the children/etc. I dont like the breed, it looks ugly IMHO!, but I feel really sorry for them as they only need boundaries, training/etc, to be sensible happy dogs.

I think pepper spray is classed as an offensive weapon here and is an "absolute" meaning there is no defence in court.
Hey ho.
 
Beth - I saw your status this morning! That is awful! Hope you and your doggie are on the mend now. :)

Cat - Your Spanish translation is correct! It does mean old clothes. It's basically a way of describing what the beef looks like. they cook it down in tomato-based liquid with peppers and onions until it becomes super soft and shredded - resembling old clothes. It's SOO tasty. One of my fav Spanish dishes ever. Typically is served with yellow rice and peas and platanos (sweet, fried bananas).

Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ropa_vieja

BTW...just got a call from Banana Republic. I have my 2nd interview tomorrow morning! ;)
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa, how'd it go with your interview? When do you find out if you got the job?

My mini-vent today is that a TON of my co-workers have colds and I'm pretty sure I'm going to catch a cold from one of them. My allergies have been bad lately and today I've caught myself scratching around my nose and eyes, which is of course bad - you're not supposed to touch your face if you're concerned about germs or if people around you are sick. I have been doing it unconsciously and always catch myself when it's too late, so I think a cold is probably inevitable now. It's a nasty one too, one of my co-workers was out sick for 2 days because his cough was so bad. Yuck! :(
 

Astra

Moderator
My super mini vent today - bloody cars!
My Astra has had a full service for £155, and a MOT for £30
It failed it's MOT miserably!
I had to fork out another £35 for new brake pads, then it passed.
And another £35 for a diagnostic look at the engine cos it's software needs updating.
By the bloody hell's fire!
£255, now I'm totally brassic and totally pissed off!

Hey Beth, I hope you're ok? Bloody dog owners! Poor dogs always get the blame when it's down to the owners not training them etc.
I dread taking Jay out to the park, there's always a mad Staffie knocking about! and...
OMG!! don't get me started on dog poo!
HUGE BUG BEAR!
I've actually gone up to people in the park '....Er, excuse me... (very indignantly)
Can't believe I've not had a smack in the chops yet, or worse, dog poo thrown at me!

lotsa luv
Joan the Moan
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Okay, one more small mini-vent from me (I'm a champion complainer, aren't I? ;) ). I was supposed to have a physical therapy appointment tomorrow for my arthritic hip - I scheduled this appointment quite a while back, over a month ago I think, and just this afternoon I got a call saying it has to be rescheduled because the therapist called in sick. Now, I know they have multiple physical therapists there, and since I've never been there before, I was hoping they could just assign me to a different one? Nope, for some stupid reason I have to stick with sick-girl so I had to wait until she had another opening. Urgh! That's just really annoying to me, once you get arbitrarily assigned to someone you have to be their patient and can't switch, even if you haven't had one appointment with them yet? That's so stupid!
 
Okay, one more small mini-vent from me (I'm a champion complainer, aren't I? ;) ). I was supposed to have a physical therapy appointment tomorrow for my arthritic hip - I scheduled this appointment quite a while back, over a month ago I think, and just this afternoon I got a call saying it has to be rescheduled because the therapist called in sick. Now, I know they have multiple physical therapists there, and since I've never been there before, I was hoping they could just assign me to a different one? Nope, for some stupid reason I have to stick with sick-girl so I had to wait until she had another opening. Urgh! That's just really annoying to me, once you get arbitrarily assigned to someone you have to be their patient and can't switch, even if you haven't had one appointment with them yet? That's so stupid!
Did they ask if you could switch or did they assume you wanted to stick with her? Is it possible they would let you switch? Or maybe the Rx you got has to go with a specific person. That is really such a bummer, especially since all practitioners are so damn busy now it takes forever to get back in. D:

My mini vent for the day is that the Prednisone is no longer giving me energy. I didn't mind having insomnia as long as I didn't *need* the sleep. Now I am back to waking up exhausted after 8 hours. *le sigh*
 
Getting stuck doing all the cleaning for every holiday. I am fortunate to have housecleaners come before a big event but they have to be able to get to things to clean it.
I start giving notice weeks before " please don't make any new big messes, if you take something out put it away, bring the mt everest of laundry down from your closet, shovel a path through your rooms" and sure enough it'll be The night before and I'm the one staying up all night to get it done.

I was so peeved today I took a big black garbage bag and dumped everything on my 15 year old sons floor into it and he can sort out what's clean or not as he wants it.

I love my family but holy cow. My husband is a wonderful man, but great googily moogily is he a slob. I'm afraid if I croak they'll end up on hoarders.

Meanwhile, somehow, I'm the crazy one because I'm running around screaming at everyone for not cleaning for the cleaners!!!
 
Hey Cat - Thanks for checking up on me ;)

The interviews went well. They were super short! I had my 2nd interview yesterday morning and I decided to dress down a bit. I still wore business appropriate wear (slacks, boots, a nice blouse, and a fun necklace--just no suit this time. And I still felt I was dressed nicer than most of the workers there, haha.

I was told I'd be called with a decision by the end of the week. So, that's coming up pretty soon! Maybe as early as tomorrow I might hear something.

Also...I workshopped another one of my stories today in class. It was slightly unexpected. Two of the three people that said they would have something ready by Thursday didn't even show up to class--neat. So, she almost let us go 45 minutes EARLY because no one else had anything. I had a feeling that was going to happen, so I had printed out the story I finished writing yesterday. But, I hadn't gone through the editing process yet, so I didn't want to make transparencies for the overhead projector unless needed. So...that's what happened. And guess what?? THEY LOVED IT! I was pretty convinced it was going to get super criticized based on how some of my other peices went, but I was totally wrong. I did get some minor feedback I'll be tweaking, but she told me I should leave the rest as is. She even asked for a copy she could keep for he "own amusement" and as an example of how to write in 3rd person objective. Apparently, the only "good example" she tells people about is Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway. Does that mean I'm just as good as him? Hahaha...

Anyway...I have nothing to complain about today. ;)
 
Okay, one more small mini-vent from me (I'm a champion complainer, aren't I? ;) ). I was supposed to have a physical therapy appointment tomorrow for my arthritic hip - I scheduled this appointment quite a while back, over a month ago I think, and just this afternoon I got a call saying it has to be rescheduled because the therapist called in sick. Now, I know they have multiple physical therapists there, and since I've never been there before, I was hoping they could just assign me to a different one? Nope, for some stupid reason I have to stick with sick-girl so I had to wait until she had another opening. Urgh! That's just really annoying to me, once you get arbitrarily assigned to someone you have to be their patient and can't switch, even if you haven't had one appointment with them yet? That's so stupid!
Hi, Cat!
I don't understand this. I am a speech pathologist & if I have a sick day, I make it up that week. I have to because that is the way insurance works. I do home health, mainly pedi but some adult also. The orders are only good for so long.
Sorry you nave to go through all this jazz.
Michele
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa: That's awesome about your class! So glad to hear that everybody loved your story. :) That had to be a nice feeling after everything else you've gone through in that class! And good luck with the job, I hope you get the call soon!

My mini vent of the day is that I'm completely exhausted. Last night my acid reflux decided to start acting up just before bedtime. I took some Tums and some Zofran and stayed up too late because I just cannot lie down when the acid is going like that. Then, when I finally did crawl into bed, for some unknown reason my dog wouldn't stop barking. I couldn't figure it out, she had food & water and she had just been out for a pee & poo. My only guess it that the dishwasher was just finishing up a cycle and she didn't like the sound, but we've run the dishwasher at night in the past and she's never had a problem before. She finally shut up after about an hour of barking. When I finally did nod off, I still didn't sleep well - had vivid dreams which mostly involved nausea in some way (I don't know if anybody else has been to Disneyland lately, but there's an Indiana Jones ride there which makes me so very nauseous, and for some reason I kept dreaming that I was going on that ride!). So even when I did sleep, I didn't really get much rest. My hip is hurting again now too. I just keep telling myself, I just have to make it through today, then I can rest the whole weekend. I have no plans, so I'm just going to relax.

On a side note, I've been considering getting a second job, but was not sure if I could handle it. On days like this, it becomes abundantly clear that my body absolutely could not handle having to go to a second job.
 

Astra

Moderator
Mini vent part 2

Software updates for my car cost another £93!!!
£350 I've forked out this week
Bloody cars!
I'm soooooooooooooooooo venting!!
 
Major holiday still on horizon- check

Cleaners coming today and I still have stuff to pick up- check

Woke up again at 2 am, this time with my stupid cough- check

STARTED MY STUPID PERIOD TWO WEEKS EARLY- CHECK!!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Oh, theMrs, that last one is truly awful! I always feel so yucky when my time of the month comes around. It just exacerbates the d and the cramping, it's miserable! Hopefully it coming early means it'll be over in time for the holiday, though.
 
I hope so too! I'm not sure if it's full blown or just popping in for the morning for a quick visit yet, but I think I'll be glad when menopause truly hits.
 
Oh, I know how you feel Mrs!
My week:
Lap top went all blue screen of death on me.
Car acting like a constipated bear.
My foot has been asleep for two days and the topper of it all....
I get my period two weeks early also! Oh and it makes it's appearance right in the middle of a meeting with MY NEW BOSS!
TGIF!!!
Michele
 
Ohhhh dear!!! It always seems to happen all at once doesnt it?

Btw, the secret to getting the cleaners to show up an hour+ early? Run an errand across town! Ergh.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa, did you get the job?

The Mrs, how'd it go with the cleaning?

How's everybody else doing today?

My mini-vent is that I just don't feel like myself the past couple of days. The weather has been horrible, which always makes me feel down (and sleepy!). My guts aren't bad but they aren't quite right either. I have this weird dull ache coming from my stomach and I don't know why. My acid reflux is getting under control again after it went haywire last week, so maybe the stomach thing is because I started taking Omeprazole again for the reflux. I feel hungry but also a little nauseous, and oddly I've been having both d and constipation the past couple of days and cramping too. It's hard to describe, but it feels like my body can't decide what to do and I it ends up going in several directions at once. It's disconcerting. I wish I could just sleep this off.
 
I'm sorry you're not feeling well :(

Got it done and both Seders went swimmingly. Unfortunately the rib I cracked a few weeks ago from coughing was acting up bad by the end of both nights so I did a bit of laying on the floor and pointing :D. Few more things to put away today and then life gets back to whatever normal is!

Eta- I drank wine on Monday for the first time in years. Ended up with terrible reflux that my meds didn't touch. Served me right.
 
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Cat - They called me yesterday morning to offer me the job. I told them I wanted some time to discuss with my husband before making a decision. So, I have to call back today. Turns out the job pays significantly less than I thought it did. It sounds like hours are based on how well you do too. She actually said I would get "between 0-20 hours." Yeah, I'm not sure I like the possibility of my hours ever being below 15. Plus, having to work on the weekends and rearranging our weekend things like allergy shots, church, grocery shopping, etc. So, yeah...after all that, I'm going to turn down the job. It just seems like it would be more of a hassle for not enough pay or guaranteed hours to say yes. Sure, it'd be nice to have the extra money, but it may keep me from being open to a job with more hours and more pay. There may be several positions opening up in the Records department at Trinity. So, I'm going to hold out for those, I think...
 
Well...just got off the phone with Banana Republic. She seemed kind of pissed in her response to me. I was very polite and thanked her for the opportunity, but told her I didn't think it was going to work out for me at this time because I was looking for something with more guaranteed hours and a little more pay. I told her I wanted to be honest about it and she cut me off and said "Yeah, had I known that I wouldn't have gone so far with everything." Then gave me the obligatory "thanks for calling" and hung up before I had a chance to say anything else!

I have never had that happen to me before! I can't help but feel like somehow I was the jerk, even though I was just trying to be honest. Would it have been better for her if I had taken the job and then quit after two weeks when I got sick of it and/or found something better?? :( I'm not sure I would ever feel comfortable shopping in that store after that experience either. Didn't see that coming...
 
told her I didn't think it was going to work out for me at this time because I was looking for something with more guaranteed hours and a little more pay. I told her I wanted to be honest about it and she cut me off and said "Yeah, had I known that I wouldn't have gone so far with everything." Then gave me the obligatory "thanks for calling" and hung up before I had a chance to say anything else!
Yea, and you were thinking the same thing. Had you known about the hours and how little pay they were offering, you wouldn't have "gone so far!"

Forget her. She's just cranky 'cause she thought you were a good catch.
 
Thanks for your response, diesanduhr. :)

My husband said the same thing to me. I even went through 2 interviews. Had I known the pay was so low, I probably would have declined the 2nd interview and not wasted her time. I don't know why she was so surprised when I called back to turn it down. I mentioned several times in my interview how I really needed a job and we needed the money and when she asked how many hours I wanted I said "As many as I can get." So, wanting more money and more hours shouldn't have been that surprising.

My husband says I should consider writing to the company and reporting her. I guess one thing I can be happy about is I found out what kind of person she was and be happy I don't have to work with her!
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
My vent for the day....I've come down with bronchitis. On the bright side it's a 4-day weekend so I can rest up

Mark
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
My mini-vent is that the stomach thing I mini-vented about yesterday has gotten wayyyy worse. :( And I don't get a 4 day weekend, so I had to use a sick day today (tomorrow's a half-day). I'm going to the doctor later today so hopefully I'll be feeling better soon.

Marisa, sorry to hear about the job, but it's good that you're not working for a (yet another) whacko lady. Good luck with the continuing job search!
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
Marisa

I am sure something will come along. Life is to short to work in a negative work environment.
 

xJillx

Your Story Forum Monitor
Mini-Vent for Today:

My husband wanted to change my oil to save some dough, however, all the needed itesm cost around $25 (my Acura dealership charges $35 and that includes a car wash and vacuum). And to top it all off, he took off a good deal of the bumper's paint getting it up on the lifts! So, we only saved a lousy $10 and now I need to get my bumper repaired.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jill, that sucks! Hopefully your hubby won't try to change the oil himself again.

To add to my mini-vent today, I just shit myself. First time ever too (well, since I was potty trained anyway). So awful! Thank goodness I was at home when it happened. I've got to go to the doctor in a little bit and I will be wearing a pad!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Thanks all. I knew you guys would understand! :) I just got back from the doctor, it sounds like it's gastritis although he did some blood tests to check my pancreas & gall bladder just to be safe. He didn't give me any new meds, but he's tweaking the dosage of some of the meds I'm already on. He said I should double my dose of prilosec, as that can help heal gastritis, and he is going to consult with my GI about possibly tapering my Entocort from 6 mg down to 3, as he said that steroids can sometimes cause gastritis and a lower dose may help me feel better.

I'm just going to rest the rest of today, and if I'm feeling somewhat better I'll try to make it through work tomorrow (only 4 hours, it's a half day because of Good Friday). Otherwise I'll call in again and continue to rest. I may even call my in-laws and say I'm too sick to make it to easter.

(I don't know if any of you guys remember me talking about this, but last easter I went to my in-laws and I was berated by my drunken father-in-law because he didn't think I'm sick or as sick as I am, and he basically told me that I should just suck it up and eat normal food with the rest of the family. Even when I tried to explain, he just shut me down and made me cry. He's gotten a LOT more understanding and sympathetic since then, but it's still a really bad memory and I am honestly not too keen on spending easter with the in-laws!)
 
I do remember you telling us about that, Cat! Take care of yourself first. :) the in-laws will always be around. Best to be feeling at your best when you have to deal with them. ;)

Hope the medication tweaking will help you get over this stomach bug!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Thanks Marisa! I just got a call saying I should stop Entocort altogether, and that I have an appointment for an ultrasound of my gall bladder & liver scheduled for tomorrow. My GI wants to see me on Monday too. So at least they're taking me seriously and getting me in for quick appointments.

I just sent my mother-in-law an email saying I might not make it to Easter. At this point, I'd much rather just stay home and rest.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Thanks Marisa and Jill! :)

Edit: Almost forgot. My mini-vent today is that I'm starving! They told me no food or drink for 6 to 8 hours prior to my ultrasound, which is at 1:45 today. So I haven't eaten anything since the small amount of white rice I had last night, and I haven't drank anything since this morning (I have snuck a few small sips of water just because I don't want to get dehydrated - I can tell I'm getting there, I've got a headache which is always the first sign of dehydration for me). I feel weak, probably from combination of illness & lack of food/water. 1:45 can't get here quick enough!
 

hawkeye

Moderator
Staff member
My mini vent for today -

Today is one of the advanced poll voting dates for a federal election, we went to the advanced poll in the early afternoon and there was a large turnout so it was about a 25 minute wait to cast a ballot. It was quite disappointing to hear the number of people grumbling about having to wait in line, given the sacrifices that were made for our freedoms and that people in some parts of the world do not have such a right.
 
Cat - I hope you get some good results on your ultrasound (whatever that might be).

Hawkeye - I'm glad the grumbly people are still doing it though. There is a thing right now in WA State where people are unhappy about being required to mail their votes in. Going to the polls apparently feels more "patriotic."

My mini vent is how ridiculously tired I am right now from missing one dose or Pred. Just one dose! I am trying to stay awake here at work.
 

ameslouise

Moderator
Cat - Feel better! Or don't feel better - not sure which one will allow you to bag out of Easter dinner! JK of course - I hope you feel better AND get to skip Easter! Glad you're able to get the tests and appt quickly.

Nicole - how much pred are you on? I missed a dose when I was at about 12 or 15 mg and I thought I was going to die. Hope you can get back on track soon.

No mini vent from me - just checking in to see how eveyrone was doing!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Laura, I feel for you! I stayed home to rest up while hubby went to his parents' house for easter. But therein lies my mini-vent of the day. I just cannot lie down and do nothing. Even if I'm terribly ill and lying in bed, I still have to be playing my DS or crocheting or actively doing something. So, I'm home "resting" but there's so much to be done around the house. So I did a little vacuuming, laundry, tidying up. I was going to do the dishes too. But as I knelt down to get the dishwasher detergent out of the bottom cabinet, my right kneecap dislocated! Owie ow. My kneecaps used to pop out of joint fairly regularly and they haven't for a few years, probably because I've been pretty careful about kneeling. I guess I wasn't careful enough today. That's a really awful pain. I managed to get it popped back in place within a few seconds, but it is going to hurt for the next few days anyway. Ow.
 
When in the heck is it going to stop snowing or raining here? This is a hell of way to run a deseret! Forcast for tomorrow - rain turning to snow Monday night. I had plans to actually put an hour of work in the yard each day, starting tomorrow. Gees. We are going to float away!
 
Got a letter from my GI's office on Friday (and doesn't your stomach always drop when you see THAT). It said that I failed to either schedule or perform the CT my doc had prescribed. HA!
 

Astra

Moderator
My mini vent of the day

Nearly a month ago I had a tooth extracted, it became infected in the injection site, had a week of Amoxicillin and it healed.
But now I've got a lump of scar tissue on my palette and my tongue is catching it all the time when I talk or eat. It doesn't hurt. But...
It's driving me insane!!
I'm going mental with it! AARRGGHH!
 

xJillx

Your Story Forum Monitor
Aw, Joan, that sure does sound uncomfortable! I hope that it clears up soon.

My mini-vent for today:

It is a BEAUTIFUL day here in PA today. It will be almost 80's and sunny. I was so excited for it to actually feel like spring. However, everyone in my office is complaining about how hot it is and the AC is set at 64! I have a small office (literally like 8x8) with a vent directly above my desk. I AM FREEZING MY ASS OFF! Though it is spring outside, it still feels like January in here!!! Ugh!
 
Started menstruating yesterday (a week early). Today my guts hurt like a mother, I have a migraine, and the office is ridiculously cold. I am so uncomfortable and cranky and unhappy!
 
I had my 1st accident with Ozzie today..has really knocked my confidence.
It was a lovely day, been for a long walk on the beach and my belly must have been sweating and everything just got loose and moved- cue an almighty mess and a pair of ruined white linen trousers. Friends unsure of what to say, and me none to sure what to do. Would have been funny if not so bloody tragic!
Why, when thing's are going well, do I need to be brought back down to earth with a bloody big thud? Cue more tears!!!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jill, my office is the same way during the summer (it's only in the 50s/60s here so no AC just yet). I'm one of those people who is always cold, but I swear they crank the AC as far as it'll go and it practically snows in the building during the summer. I have to wear a big bulky sweater to the office and peel it off as soon as I go outside again. That can't be good for the human body, to go from one extreme to the other like that. I go from frozen to sweating in about 10 seconds!

Andrea, poor thing, I don't have a bag so I wouldn't know what to do either. :( I did recently poo myself for the first time so I can relate to the feeling of that. I didn't know what to do first, run to the bathroom or stick my pants in the wash or what. I just felt so ashamed. And I couldn't tell a soul in the world except you guys here - nobody else could understand like you guys can! So Andrea, we understand, and we feel for you.

My mini-vent of the day is that I'm just depressed. Ready to curl under a rock and sleep for about a hundred years. Had a less-than-good GI appointment this morning and am still nowhere near a diagnosis and am just feeling like I'll never get one and this is how the rest of my miserable life will go. I know that's not productive at all but that's just how my day is going. At work and trying desperately (and failing) not to cry at my desk. It's a lovely day out, I'm feeling somewhat better from my gastritis, and I should be happy - just can't be happy today though. Pity-party, table for one!
 
Cat, I'm so sorry. Really am hoping that you get some answers soon. It's much overdue!!
Please make that a table for 2 and I will come join you x
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
which one to pick for my mini-vent/rant???.....husband was away most of last week, then accepted another assignment so he will be heading out of town tomorrow-Fri instead of Wed-Fri.....

Gut was KILLING me the other day - right below my breastbone....am hoping it isn't my gall bladder???.....

Knee is still bugging me -going to call the ortho doc for an appointment...

Oh - some GOOD news - NO KIDNEY STONES!!!!! Yay!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Thanks Andrea, I'll make it a big table so it can stretch across the pond to you! ;) I am feeling a bit happier suddenly. I have a co-worker who has UC and he understands a lot of what I'm going through. He always brings me candy when he can tell I'm depressed. He just filled up my candy dish with lots of yummy Starbursts and things. :) Brought a smile to my face which says a lot on a day like this!
 

Terriernut

Moderator
Andrea, I know.....oh, how I now know!!!!

I went MONTHS without a prob...until I was in the middle of Tescos and Costa coffee. Perfect....NOT!

Down on the floor we go.

Misty
 
Cat - That is so nice of your coworker! :)

My mini vent of today is hat I have only 2 weeks left of class and I'm in a PANIC to finish my portfolio. I'm still only halfway done with my 3rd story. Depending on how long it is, I may or may not have to write a 4th story to get to my 16,000 word portfolio minimum. And I haven't even started my edits on the first 2 stories, which involves adding MORE narration to one of them! Ack! I have a feeling that I won't have time to get my stories to where I really want them to be. So, I'm going to have to turn in a portfolion I only consider adequate.

I'm also tempted to find some reason to e-mail my professor and let her know I won't be coming to class on Thursday. We have Easter break right now, so I don't have class tomorrow, just Thursday. I'd much rather have the whole entire week to focus on getting this story done than show up to class and be expected to present an unfinished/unedited story because no one else brought anything else in.

I have NO idea how I'm going to get it all done!
 
Ooh that sounds awful. I get really terrible joint pain but nothing ever dislocates! Hope it heals quick.

I updated my uh oh thread, I'm not happy with the way things are going health wise for me but my big rant of the day is our stupid dog who is probably part husky because she is 100% escape artist and she figured out yet another way through the fence today which resulted in the kids and I chasing her frantically through the neighborhood with them diving at her and missing and me making my " puuuuppppyyyyy" hog call sound til she got tired and jumped in the car with me.
 

AndiGirl

Your Story Forum Monitor
I had a good Easter with my family. I did find out that Randy's, my brother, ex-wife is moving to Washington and taking the kids. He's so bummed out over that, and I feel for him. She's on her third marriage. My poor nephew and niece.
 
I'm pretty sure the "mania" the pred gave me was actually me having the same amount of energy as my peers for a change. I miss it. Come back, mania.
 

Astra

Moderator
My mini vent for today

My teacher is leaving in June.
Instead of them getting a supply teacher in til we break up for the Summer, they've asked me to be acting teacher with no extra pay!!
Oh the irony!
Oh how we laughed!
And they wanna get me on an incapacity wotsit cos I've had time off!
And that's my ammunition for the Trustees!
Venting but rubbing my hands with glee too!
 
My mom always knows how to say things that make my blood pressure rise. She likes to complain about my dad a lot. Granted, it's mostly true, but some of the stuff I've heard since I was little. It gets old. I've tried telling her I don't like talking about it, but she does it anyway, even RIGHT after I tell her I want to change the subject. Oy. Then she'll end the conversation finally with, "Alright, I don't want to stress you out." Right...too late for that!
 

AndiGirl

Your Story Forum Monitor
It sounds like our mother's come from the same stock, Marisa. My parents have a good marriage, but my father isn't the easiest person to get along with and my mother can be extremely hard to satisfy. I hear complaints from my mom too. Of course, I have to hear complaints about Randy and my sister too. It makes me wonder what she is saying about me to my brother and sisters.
 
Andi - I wouldn't say my parents relationship is good, but my mom would never leave my dad. He's a bum that will never change. Regardless, I still love them both. They have terrible communication and love to push each other's buttons. My mom's way of "dealing" with it is ignoring him for the most part, being passive aggressive, and then dumping all the negativity on me. I don't think a child should have to carry that kind of burden. :( I would say she needs to vent to her friends, but she doesn't take/listen to advice either. They just need therapy! And until then, I need therapy! LOL
 

AndiGirl

Your Story Forum Monitor
Why must parents do this? I've been trying to save my parents some grief. I haven't shared even half of the problems that I've been encountering, health, financial, and otherwise. I have a very full plate right now, and at times, I feel like I can't handle things.

I wish that I could tell my mother to, "Chill out, and be thankful that you have an easy life!" She has no health problems. She has grown kids who for the most part turned out to be productive, decent human beings. She needs to realize that my father will never be a sensitive, romantic. My dad is handsome, and is an excellent provider. Mr. Personality and sensitivity he is not. My mother is not hurting or wanting for anything in the material sense. I am starting to get mad when I hear her complain about things. Randy is the only one of my siblings that has the nerve to tell her to stop being so whiny, and that her ingratitude can be sickening. Good for him! I guess my sisters and I don't have that kind of backbone. My mother is always finding fault with our spouses. That really bothers me. She'll pick apart my father, and then on another day, none of our husbands (aimed at my sisters and I) are as good as our father. Ugh!!! I probably need therapy too!
 
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Urgh parents; who'd have them :( I was soo happy when mine split up. I was on a campsite in france when I heard and I got seriously drunk that night in celebration.

Anyway, my vent. So my foot is now in a fetching purple cast cos the fractured metatarsal has 'budged a little' and needs to be immobalised. And we learnt yesterday that that wasn't the only thing, I've got nasty damage to the ligaments and joints in the middle of the foot which will need surgery at some point in the future because I'll get arthritis in them. All because some stupid £$%^ of a £$%^&*( chav can't have his precious Staffordshire Bull Terrier of a fighting dog on a lead. And then the &^%$ gives us a false name and address. If I ever find the little £$%^ I'd love to break his foot and see how he likes it. Lovely dogs my arse.
At least Jack dog had his stitches out yesterday so doesn't need the horrible collar on to stop him scratching them out.

Can you tell I had a crappy night yet, foot doesn't like being stuck in a cast and cant move so it twitched and spasmed until I took sleepy drugs to knock me out. Then hubby woke later with one of his problems. So all in all we both had a rubbish night.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa and Andi, my parents are similar. They don't get along most of the time and never really have, but they won't split up either. They both call me separately to complain about what the other has done or said or whatever. They are both crazy in different ways and they both drive me crazy!

My mini vent today is that those toll-free 1-800 nurse advice lines are totally worthless! My hubby has kidney stones and he's been in massive pain again last night and this morning. He had some questions about his pain, as it had moved, so he called the nurse line and was asking the nurse his questions. I could only hear his side of the conversation, but it was clear he wasn't getting the answers he expected. At one point hubby said to the nurse, "Are you just googling this? Because you're not telling me anything new, I already knew all this from the internet! I was hoping that, being a nurse, you could give me some actual useful information!" Poor hubby. And stupid worthless nurse on the phone!
 
Andi - I guess the best we can do is try as best as possible not to do this to our kids (when I have kids ;))!

Beth - I cannot believe how much damage you experienced due to this dog. That is unbelievable! I'm glad your little pup is doing much better and I hope you can get fixed up real soon. I feel sorry for the dog that has such a stupid owner. Dogs don't have to behave in vicious ways. Shame on the owner for encouraging that type of behavior!!

Cat - I had to figure out how worthless they are after I had a misfired Humira pen. They said, like you said, all of the things I had already looked up on the internet or heard about on here. Don't get me wrong, nurses can be very valuable, but if people are going to work at a hotline where theyy're supposed to know about lots of differnt problems, then they should be trained better. Or have nurses that speciallize in certain areas and have that as an option when you call in. Frustrating.
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
Well- my day WAS going really well -managed to leave work about 2 hours early (nothing on my calendar and it was BEAUTIFUL out!)....anyway - I was out in the front yard, doing some cleaning up and weeding...grabbed a handful of dead grass and had something pierce my ring finger on my right hand!....felt like a thorn - thankfully it came out....I looked at my finger - a bit of a hole, not a big deal....UNTIL it started bleeding!...

Then of course the PAIN started....I had to have my daughter come over and get my gardening tools from me (now, she is 6!)...she saw my bloodied hand and exclained - but was a good girl.....I went in and washed as much of the dirt off as possible - then Tori put a bandaid on it for me!

Of course, my finger has been swollen since - OH - and of course I got myself in the pad of my finger!

Any bets on this getting infected? Of COURSE - I couldn't stop working - so I managed to get it nice and muddy/dirty.....all clean now though!
 
This morning I give a stool sample, no blood. Tonight I pass nothing BUT blood. Who tells my poop to mess with me like that??!!
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
Gee L, it bled that much just from a thorn prick? Ummm, I hope it wasn't a spider bite!!
No, def. not a spider bite- it ~felt~ like a barb going in my finger (like barbed wire!)...even looked to see if there was a piece there - our land used to be a cow pasture, with buried wire in places still.....

So my next mini-vent - my finger still hurts! :crab:

Oh yeah - and I found itty bitty ANTS in the house today!!!!!!!!!!!!!:crab::crab:
 
Well, here was my day today.

9:00 a.m. My wife and I arrived at my G.I. doc's office for my appointment, only to find that he was not going to be in today. We were told they tried to call us yesterday, but we never got a call or a voice mail message from his office. This is a 35 mile trip one way from our house to his office.

11:30 a.m. We arrive at a state office (Department of Human Services) to get fingerprinted - needed to renew our foster care license. We were told by the foster agency just to go there and they would do the fingerprinting. DHS told us we needed an appointment.

2:00 p.m. We also needed a copy of our foster daughter's Social Security card. We arrived at the Federal Building in Ogden, UT to put in the application for a new card, only to find the building had been evacuated because of a mysterious white powder in the mail at the IRS office, which is in the same building.

I took the day off work so we could get all this stuff done today. What a wasted day.
 

AndiGirl

Your Story Forum Monitor
Bummer Doug Ute! This is a little off topic, but when you mentioned Ogden, Utah, I started missing my old stomping grounds. I attended Weber State University. I miss Ogden!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
My mini-vent is that my weekend is going to consist mainly of cleaning. My grandparents are coming over for a visit on Sunday, and my grandmother has OCD. If she finds dust or dirt, she'll start cleaning - if I leave one dish in the sink, she'll wash it - if the dog sheds one hair, she'll get the vaccuum! She's nearly 80 and I don't want her to do that stuff, so that means I have to clean my house from floor to ceiling and make sure everything's immaculate. My house is pretty clean already but it's not up to grandma's standards. So I will be elbow-deep in scrubbing and dusting and washing tonight and tomorrow.
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
Found out my niece has been admitted to the hospital with pre-ecclampsia...she is 31 weeks yesterday.....so far her BP has dropped on bed rest, but she may be induced on Sat night....I'm crossing my fingers she can hang out for awhile longer!!!
 
Bummer Doug Ute! This is a little off topic, but when you mentioned Ogden, Utah, I started missing my old stomping grounds. I attended Weber State University. I miss Ogden!
Really! We live in Kaysville. I attended the University of Utah. (Thus DougUte)

It really is a small world, isn't it.
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
Thanks Cat! Every day they can keep her BP down etc is one more day my little great-nephew can develop! (yes, we know it is a boy).....

Now....I have a sale tomorrow, and need to find the ambition to finish loading the van! ugh.....
 

Dexky

To save time...Ask Dusty!
Location
Kentucky
My mini-vent is that my weekend is going to consist mainly of cleaning. My grandparents are coming over for a visit on Sunday, and my grandmother has OCD. If she finds dust or dirt, she'll start cleaning - if I leave one dish in the sink, she'll wash it - if the dog sheds one hair, she'll get the vaccuum! She's nearly 80 and I don't want her to do that stuff, so that means I have to clean my house from floor to ceiling and make sure everything's immaculate. My house is pretty clean already but it's not up to grandma's standards. So I will be elbow-deep in scrubbing and dusting and washing tonight and tomorrow.
Tell your grandma she can come visit me anytime she wants:)

Hope they can hold your niece off a while longer L, but 31 weeks isn't dangerously early is it??
 

ameslouise

Moderator
My mini-vent is that my weekend is going to consist mainly of cleaning. My grandparents are coming over for a visit on Sunday, and my grandmother has OCD. If she finds dust or dirt, she'll start cleaning - if I leave one dish in the sink, she'll wash it - if the dog sheds one hair, she'll get the vaccuum! She's nearly 80 and I don't want her to do that stuff, so that means I have to clean my house from floor to ceiling and make sure everything's immaculate. My house is pretty clean already but it's not up to grandma's standards. So I will be elbow-deep in scrubbing and dusting and washing tonight and tomorrow.
That sounds like an HP not a YP (her problem not your problem!)

But I get it. You want to enjoy your visit without her feeling the need to clean up your shit.

Good luck, hope the visit goes well.

Paso - sorry about your niece - hope she and baby are okay.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
My mini-vent today is that my brother is still not keeping me in the loop about his plans. For those who don't remember, I vented a month or two ago about how my brother decided to go back to school and didn't tell me. He currently lives with us so it's kind of important to know if/when he's planning on moving out. He spontaneously decided he was going to move to another city and finish his degree there, and didn't tell us. I found out from my parents.

So, fast forward to now, and my brother's plans have changed, and again I found out from my dad! Bro just couldn't be bothered to tell me, I guess. Again. Brother has now decided that he's going to stay after all (so again, this is something that directly affects me, since he'll continue living in my house after all) and do online classes instead. I'm fine with that, brother pays rent and I'm glad to collect the money, and he's been a good housemate. I just wish he'd keep me informed of his latest plans - is that so much to ask? He's 25, it's not like he's a flaky teenager anymore. A little communication would be so nice!
 
That is annoying, Cat. Would it be possible to talk with him about it? Of course, emphasize the part about being happy about him staying, but that it would be nice to be kept in the loop about things rather than hearing about them from your parents.

:) Or you could just increase his rent until he starts being honest with you, hahaha.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa, I did talk with him about this - twice now! After it happened the first time I asked that he tell me first when he makes plans like this. He said yes, sure. And the second time that this happened, I found out from my dad while brother was in the room, and I told him more emphatically that he NEEDS to tell me stuff like this right away, as in, before he tells our parents, because it affects me more than them! (Our parents live in another city, brother lives with me - you'd figure he could tell the people in the same house before he gets on the phone and blabs to mom & dad!) He said yes, sure again. My hubby also told brother that the lines of communication need to be more open, so I'm hoping brother at least takes hubby seriously if he won't take me seriously.
 
Hmm! That is sure strange! Well, yes, I hope he at least listens to the hubby this time. ;-)

My mini-vent today is that my husband has 2nd round interviews today for a job he REALLY wants. I wanted to go with him the first time (okay, sit in the car while he interviewed), but I had to work on my portfolio that I was feeling behind on. Today he has his second interview and I can't go with him again because I have my darned class to go to! Rargh! I know he is really nervous, so I wish I could be there to support him, but I already skipped a class last week, haha.

OH well...this is my last week of class, yay! ;)
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Good luck with your husband's interview, Marisa! And good luck with your portfolio and the end of the class!

I feel like I'm venting a lot lately, but I just want to vent about hubby's kidney stones again. He was in awful pain this morning and the vicodin took awhile to kick in. When it did finally kick in, all he was able to do was sleep. I feel so helpless seeing him in pain like that and not able to do anything. It's tough seeing both sides of the coin - on one hand I'm usually the one in pain and he's helpless to do anything for me, and now the situation has been reversed. Neither situation is fun in the least. I hate this!
 
I would feel that way if I were in your position, Cat. What are the doctors saying about these persistent stones?

Thanks on all the well wishes. I think I'm pretty much done. Just waiting for any last minute feedback I get in class. :) Can't wait to turn the sucker in! I'm ready for summer break!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Marisa, he's got a procedure scheduled for mid-May but he's hoping he can pass the stone before then. He's got two kidney stones, one large and one tiny. He appears to have passed the tiny one already but the large one is what's giving him troubles. When I took him to the ER a couple months ago, we were told that the larger kidney stone is about 5 mm by 7 mm and he may be able to pass it on his own or he may not. The procedure that he's got scheduled involves them going up the urethra with a tiny scope, and when they locate the stone they'll blast it to smithereens with a laser. The procedure sounds very uncomfortable and expensive, so both hubby and I are hoping that he can get the stone out by himself very soon. Either way, his pain should be coming to an end in the next couple of weeks. If the stone comes out by itself, hubby's urologist can analyze it and find out what it's comprised of, and then he can advise hubby on how to change his diet so that he can avoid future stones. So there's another reason we'd like for hubby to pass it on his own. I just hope it happens soon, poor hubby has been in a lot of pain lately and it is horrible.
 
That sounds awful! I hope he passes it soon. Does drinking water help? I don't know anything about kidney stones but I would imagine if you want to pass one the more you pee the better, although that probably means the more you pee the more pain you're in. It's hard seeing your loved ones in pain like that.
 

Lisa

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
New York, USA
ooohhhh Cat - I can sympathise with kidney stone pain!...Been there, had the ER visits.....

My uroligist told me to drink REAL lemonade to help keep stones from forming. You also need to up the fluid intake to help keep things dialated - to help move stuff along.

Hope he passes it!

my mini-vent...it STILL isn't time to go home!!!!!!!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Diesanduhr: Yes, hubby's been drinking tons of water. The ER doc also gave him a prescription for something called Flomax, which helps him flush out his system (it flushes out more than just the kidneys/bladder, hubby's sinuses also flush like crazy when he takes the Flomax). I'm not sure if it's the Flomax or the stone (or both?) but hubby's had to urinate very frequently. But still, no stone. :(

Paso: Yes, I got hubby some real lemonade from Whole Foods and he sometimes drinks straight lemon juice as well because we heard that was good for preventing future stones and possibly dissolving existing stones (I read conflicting reports in my googling so not quite sure about that). His urologist told him to take ibuprofen to keep any inflammation down so that the stone can move more easily, and hubby was even put on pred for a little bit too! So he is doing absolutely everything he can, and it's still been a really awful experience and still the stone refuses to be passed so far. The ER doc said that 5 mm is about the upper limit of what can be passed, but then when he consulted over the phone with the on-call urologist, that doctor seemed to think that hubby should be able to pass the stone. So, I don't know what to think. Hubby's stone is 5 x 7 mm so it's definitely in the gray area - I really hope he can somehow pass it!
 
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