Morning Habits

This week I'm trying to get back into my morning routine.

Routines are funny things. I've had the same routine in the morning for years now, the only changes being what time it starts. Currently it begins between 6 and 6:30, just depends on how many times I smack the snooze bar. This gets me out of the house between 7 & 7:15 and on "normal traffic" days I'm in the office at 8 +/- 15 minutes. I am not one to stress about being here at 8:00. Thankfully this company is not full of "clock-watchers."

While I was out for the last six weeks, my routine changed a bit. No need for an alarm clock on most days, so it was turned off. On the days I did have to leave the house in the morning (usually a doctor's appointment) the noise of the kids getting ready for school and DH getting ready to run DS to school was plenty to wake me up.

The funny thing? I still found I needed something to get the brain going in the morning. No work to do and I couldn't face a computer that early, so I found myself listening to local talk radio (DH's morning habit) and working a word puzzle or two at breakfast. I sat down at the table every morning with a light breakfast (toast or pastry and juice), a freshly sharpened pencil (yes, stolen from my son) and a Cross-Reference puzzle book from the UK (sent by the incomparable Fiona - I've yet to find a good source here in the US for these particular puzzles). A bit of cryptogram exercise with the added spice of UK spellings (not always a factor, but now and then one sneaks in) and I was ready for the day.

Of course the rest of the day was primarily spent watching movies or finding something of interest on daytime TV (even with a satellite, that was a huge challenge most days). I did manage to stitch a bit and read and of course napping was very important.....

Now that I'm back to work, though, I kind of miss my morning puzzle. Might have to modify the routine just a bit ;)

Just when I thought it was safe to breathe....

First, the "good news" is that I'm well enough to return to work as of today. For those readers remaining, this means new entries a bit more often ;) It's a lot easier to open a window and work on an entry between other work tasks than working up energy to shuffle into the office and boot up the home PC. I found the Blogger interface on DH's iMac was less than spectacular....

Of course I'm not exactly 100%, but part of that is due to a cold! Yes, I was pretty much done with the pneumonia only to be hit with a cold last week. At least the OTC meds help with these symptoms. I feel closer to normal today than I have in weeks.

Let's kick off the week right with the Stitching Blogger's Question of the Week:

Do you know it all or is there something out in the stitching world you still want to know how to do?

Know it all? Good heavens no! There's always new things to try. One of the few high points from my recent Hershey trip was being introduced to needle-felting. Very intriguing! I have yet to give it a try, but one of these days I'm sure I will.

And because I have a few more minutes: Sunday Brunch

Malling

1) Do you enjoy shopping at the mall?

I don't avoid it....but I only go with a specific purpose or item.

2) What is your favorite mall food?

Panda Express Orange Chicken! Thankfully they've started opening restaurants outside of the mall and one not far from my house (I talked DH into take-out quite a few times for lunch in the last month)

3) What are your three favorite “mall” stores?

SunCoast Video, See's Candy (Molasses Chips...yumm), and Waldenbooks

4) What is your favorite mall?

My "favorite" is Horton Plaza in San Diego. The one I shop at the most is Superstition Springs here in Mesa.

5) Do you have one special person that you enjoy going to the mall with the most?

Probably my daughter. She's old enough to clue me in on what's "hot" but not too old she won't go shopping with me..lol.

The End is in Sight!

First, I apologize for not posting about my anti-climactic doctor's visit last Friday. The one today actually had *real* information.

Last Friday they did a second chest xray and as expected, I showed improvement for the pneumonia! Still coughing though, so they finally decided to do a blood test to see if I had some more serious version.

In Arizona we have a local pneumonia variety called "Valley Fever." It's serious in that there really are no drugs currently available that will do much for it. You either get over it eventually, or you don't (especially troublesome for the elderly, young children and pets). There is a blood test to determine if you have or have ever had it, though.

So last Friday they took blood for the test. And I waited for results. And waited...and waited...until today.

Good news! I do NOT have Valley Fever (nor have I ever...interestingly enough having lived here 8 years). I do not have "myoplasmic pneumonia" either (the other possibility they were testing for). This means I have garden-variety viral/bacterial pneumonia. One that's fairly resistant to the antibiotics described, but treatable nonetheless. This also means I can do one more week of drugs (steroids) and that *should* take care of the remaining cough.

I'm cleared to go back to work on the 29th. I still have to rest and take it easy, but the end is definitely in sight! Everyone say "Hallelujah!"

(And I've kitted up TW's Wedding Sampler for my brother...so I foresee a celebratory start this weekend on it LOL)

A Progress Report

Has it been over a week? Sheesh...one would think that I'd have a better sense of time being that every day is the same here in pneumonia-land.

I can happily report that I am indeed, feeling better. Now whether that's because I've finally finished all the antibiotics or because I seem to have more "good feeling" hours than bad ones, I'm not sure. I'm sure part of it is the well wishes I've received here and on the Rotation BB (amongst other BB's). You have no idea how much that helps....

I'm still coughing. The "day" cough medicine doesn't help much (makes me lightheaded) but the "night" cough syrup isn't bad. It's just filled with codeine and knocks me flat after an hour. Not exactly something I can take during the day....

I rarely have the "breathing thru wet tissue paper" feeling, which is a BIG improvement. I haven't had a cough-till-I-can't-breathe episode for awhile either. Not to say I don't have bad coughing still, I certainly do. For some reason mornings and evenings are the worst.

Tuesday evening we went to DS's Veteran's Day program. First time I'd been out of the house this week and I'm afraid I coughed thru a good part of the 40 minute program :( I stayed in the back of the auditorium and muffled as best I could. We had plans to see "The Incredibles" today but that is on hold in order to avoid annoying the rest of a theatre audience. {sigh}

Tomorrow I go back to the doctor for a second chest xray to see if there's improvement (I'm sure there will be) and evaluate further treatment and my short-term disability leave. Fun.

Oh...one bit of good news this week. My baby brother is engaged (he's 30). His fiancee is wonderful and with the wedding planned for April, I think I might manage to stitch something for them. The question is what? TW's Wedding Sampler? Dragon Dream's Fantasy Wedding Blessing? Victoria Sampler's Heirloom Wedding Sampler? Anyone know of a wedding sampler with a motorcycle on it? LOL

I'm still alive....

I still have pneumonia. It's officially "bilateral" - hey, when I do something, I do it all the way!

I'm now on short-term disability leave from work with the earliest return date Monday, but at my current rate of recovery, that ain't gonna happen.

I've watched a ton of DVDs, more TV than during the entire rest of the year, drunk gallons of water and tea and read 3 books. And of course, stitched a bit (though not a huge amount - the cough is so draining I end up dozing quite a bit).

If you can spare a healthy thought or two, I'd appreciate it greatly.