A constant companion

A quote I've read recently: "Make a friend of pain and you will never be alone."

With my current hospitalization that got me thinking, as I am in pain currently, what keeps bringing pain and I together in this way?

My first surgery was in 1987. I was an innocent. I don't think I did anything to make it happen.

Second surgery was in 1992. I was in a marriage going downhill. I had no job and no health insurance. I was in a hospital 5 hours from home and things were just going no good. I was in the hospital 28 days straight. All of those personal things mentioned I am sure were determining factors in causing me to get sick.

The third surgery was in 2000. It was my last year of college, I was spreading myself thin, I was stressed, I knew I was moving. But the surgery worked great and I recovered in record time.

A fourth surgery happened in 2005. I had important family members moving away from me, causing me emotional distress. I was working a very hectic job with tons of responsibility.

In 2008 I was admitted again for two weeks and was very sick. At the time I was in way over my head at UCSD in a new job that totally drove me crazy.

Now it is 2010 and other personal issues, emotions and such came to such a level I think it cause this flare up.

What seems to be the common thread? Stress. Stress, anguish, guilt, despair but especially stress seem to drive my major Crohns flare ups.

So what I think I need to learn is how to handle stress. I feel I have a full life, good family and know how to enjoy myself. But evidently I know nothing about handling stress and its effects on me.

Counseling?
Self help book?
Therapy?
Medicine?

*update*I am still in the hospital. No changes to my condition. Obviously a little tired and frustrated with the situation. Today is day 4 of my admittance.

The saddest thing....

Is being able to see your own home out of the window of your hospital room.

=(

Will I ever get better?

Faixa Roxa

I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in March of 2008.
I was awarded my blue belt August 28th 2008.
Tonight, February 4th 2010, I was awarded my purple belt!!

Stay tuned for a more in-depth report on the promotion and my feelings. Thanks to all who help me train!

...used to laugh and call him names....

scene: 2nd grade children milling around outside an elementary school during the winter in Montana. One red headed child walks up and the other children surround him and sing.

children singing: Rowdy the red haired reindeer has a very shiny head, and if you ever saw it, saw it, you would even say it glowed. All of the other children used to laugh and call him names. They never let poor Rowdy, Rowdy, join in any reindeer games.

The song would normally stop there and the first verse would just be repeated again. I would quietly blush and just take it in silence. When they saw I wasn't getting rattled there would just be a bit of laughter and then it was over.

Really though, Rowdy the red haired reindeer? What kind of dumb kids were they? I thought it was all about Rudolph's nose?

Chia Rowdy

Thanks to my friend R.S. I have finally learned why the state in Mexico is called Chiapas. It is named after president Obama's favorite toy, the Chia Obama. Personally if I was him I would take this almost as a racist affront. But hey, if the guy can win a Nobel Peace Prize and then give us the largest defense budget in 50 years and not be able to pass his health care bill with a super majority..... well who am I to then also say he shouldn't be proud of Chia Obama?

The fact that Mexico had such foresight to name a state in honor of a future American president is amazing. So amazing they decided to also create a celebratory drink in honor of the occasion.

If you've ever been to the jungley state of Chiapas or in the desert of Copper Canyon you might have heard of this drink, chia fresca.

So that I to may have a thick, full head of sprouty hair I decided to make some myself!

1 teaspoon Chia seeds
1 teaspoon azucar (sugar)
1 tall glass of agua (water)
1 cap full of lime juice

Mix the sugar and lime juice into the glass of water. Then add the Chia seeds and let them "swell". Refrigerate the mixture until it has almost reached the consistency of Jello. Alternatively you can drink the whole mixture at once if you wish, before it has really 'set up'.

Every morning eat a teaspoon of this and see if you don't just feel great all day!! Or that someday, if you're a really good community organizer and teach at Harvard, you could be El Presidente.

needed and wanted

Kaiser really really really needs a day time urgent care clinic in San Diego. I can totally see why people abuse the emergency room. They have almost half a million "subscribers" in San Diego County and only one big hospital? Silly. Short sighted. Cheap.

Or they could just hire more general practitioners with a smaller patient pool and more same day appointments. This is what they try to do now, but I don't feel it is very successful based on my experiences with it. It's like they are doing it only half way.

I'm happy to have health care, but I think it could be better. And I say this because I have had better, so I know what else is out there. I just happen to have to accept what I have as it really is much better than nothing.

The people at Kaiser have always treated me just fine. Not spectacular or even great, but just fine. It is the organization that is the problem in my opinion. (The opposite of my feelings about the DMV, which seems to be a decent organization but the people in it are horrible)

Rant off. Can you tell I am having health issues and am not well equipped to deal with it?

New Mexico Photo Recap

Sandia Peak snowboarding




Museum of Nuclear Science






Randomness



High School Science fair, er I mean the conference