Financials

May has been a great month financially.  And the timing might be perfect.

I get paid every other week.  This means 26 pay checks.  This means twice a year, I get 3 pay checks in a month -- instead of the normal 2.  This is helpful.  Almost like extra money.  Because the other 10 months I have to live on 2 pay checks.  May is a 3 pay check month this year.  I love 3 pay check months.  Extra money.

I also hadn't spent all my tax return.  I love tax returns.  My father thinks they are stupid.  He believes you should never get a return.  You should get the money throughout the year.  Because otherwise the government is just holding onto you money.  For a year.  But I like tax returns.  Again -- extra money.  Feeling rich.

Then I got my internet bill.  Apparently I double paid last month.  Balance due this month ... $0.  I like that kind of bill.

In April I paid off one of my credit cards.  Again.  I fell off my "no credit card" wagon when I made the move.  I don't use it now.  But I used it during the move.  And I have been paying it off since.  So balance due this month on that credit card ... $0.

In April I paid off a huge chunk of my other credit card.  Yes, I only have 2 credit cards.  It was a bigger balance.  I paid off half.  I paid a small amount at the beginning of the month and then paid a huge chunk in the middle of the month ... of April.  So balance due on this credit card ... $0.

I went to pay my last installment of my heating bill today.  I was on a monthly budget plan.  I have oil.  This allowed me to lock in a price for the oil.  It also allowed me to not get stuck with a huge bill on delivery at a time that I didn't have money.  Again, I am sure my dad would hate this but it works for me.  So I went to pay the final installment today.  They had over estimated my monthly installment.  I overpaid.  I have a positive balance.  No more heating until October (if I am lucky).  So balance due on this bill... $0.

I liked May.

Mean Mama

Doctor ... part 3

Part of all of these doctor appointments included a mammogram.  My first.  Despite being in my mid 40's.  I have heard it is easier for large breasted women - like me.  I can see why that is now that I have been through it.  But small or large, it really isn't much fun to squished and squeezed.  From all angles.

I had my mammogram just one hour after all those ultrasounds I mentioned in a previous post.  By the end of the day I felt a little battered and bruised.  But then it was done.

And then a week later, as I sat in the exam room with Ladybug waiting to talk with her doctor, my phone rang.  Normally I wouldn't answer it in the doctor's office but I was expecting a call from my doctor about the thyroid med problem.  So I answered.  But it wasn't the doctor.  It was the hospital.

Nurse:  The doctor would like you to come back in for a follow-up mammogram.
Me: Oh.
Nurse: Your first one showed some abnormalities and she wants to see different images.
Me: Ok.
Nurse:  It is important that you know that 85% of these turn out to be nothing.  We just want to make sure it is nothing on you.
Me: Ok.

Trying not to react.  With child in the room.  But FREAKING out!  What is I have a problem?  What if I am sick?  And I have to wait a week for the next appointment!

So today was the follow-up mammogram.  They showed me my pictures.  Kind of strange to see my tatas up on the screen.  My left breast had a spot they were concerned with.  My right breast had two spots they were concerned about.  So they squeezed and squished.  But to be clear -- they did it more this time.  Then they rushed the new images to doctor to look at before I was allowed to get dressed.

I waited with an elderly volunteer.  She wasn't there for the first mammogram.  Is this someone they offer when things are tense?  When there is a possibility of bad news?  Do I need to hear about how her son kept getting fired from job while I am naked from the waist up and waiting to hear news about my boobs?

And then the news came.  The left breast is fine.  But there is still some concern about your right breast.  What does that mean?  They need more information.  So, grab your things (don't get dressed) and walk down the hall (in a johnny) to an ultrasound room.

Two very nice ladies do the sonogram.  With it up on the wall so I can see.  The inside of a boob -- on an ultrasound -- kind of looks like the ocean in a storm.  They took some pictures and rushed off to the doctor again.

Finally the doctor came in -- my first meeting with her.  She THINKS everything looks find.  She is not concerned at this time.  But I have to go back in 6 months for a recheck.  I am fine.  For another 6 months.

Mean Mama

Doctor ... Part 2

Actually this is the first part.  But It seemed less important.

I have hypothyroidism.  But I have been unmedicated for some time now.  This is not a good thing.  But I ran out of the prescription and had no doctor. 

Like a good doctor she didn't just trust me.  She insisted on labs.  Not that thyroid medications are a drug that can really be abused (not sure who would want to) but labs are important.  The TSH level should be in the range of .5-3 (although some doctors will go all the way up to 6).  My TSH level was 28.89.  Now I know why I can't lose weight, I am exhausted, and I am depressed.

I asked that she prescribe levoxyl.  There are several thyroid meds but this is the one I like the most.  Only one problem.... it is not currently in production.  Something to do with the manufacturer and it won't be available until sometime in 2014.  So she prescribed synthroid.  But since there is a generic form I got that.  I am normally not opposed to taking a generic but I hate taking a generic thyroid medication.

I started taking it on April 24th.  By early May I was feeling better.  More energy.  Less depression.  Better sleep. And my ankles began to swell.

Now I have had feet swelling issues for a long time.  But they hadn't swelled all winter.  I enjoyed the fact that my feet were normal.  Why now?  And then it dawned on me.  No meds... no swelling.  Meds... swelling.  Is this a reaction to the med?  I hadn't made the connection for 7 years ... and in my defense, neither did my doctor.

I called my doctor.  She was out of town.  The on-call doctor told me to stop taking the meds until I had a chance to talk to my doctor.  I stopped on a Wednesday.  Swelling went down slowly.  By Monday my feet with almost normal size again.  This could be a med reaction.

Doctor called on Tuesday.  She said this would be an unusual reaction.  She wanted me back on the meds and watch to see what happened.  I went back on them on Wednesday (I couldn't bare to do it on Tuesday).  By Friday my feet were huge again. 

Guess I am calling the doctor tomorrow.

Mean Mama

Doctor...part 1

By my updates, you may have noticed that I have started going to the doctor.  This is turning into a full time job.

It all began with a trip to the primary physician.  I did exactly what I was suppose to.  I wrote down a list of questions and concerns.  One of the things I wanted to talk about was menopause.  I am in my mid 40s now and I was hoping that perhaps I might be entering it.  She said it was not likely.  I was not happy. 

Because of miserable PMS and periods (details of which I will not go into) since the very first time (at age 11), I have done some research on a procedure called ablation.  I wanted it.  I talked to my previous doctors.  They weren't interested in having the conversation with me.  But I trudged ahead and brought it up one more time with this new doctor.

She didn't even blink an eye.  She referred my to an OB/GYN to have a consult.  Progress!

I went in for the consult.  She discussed it with me.  She discussed other options too.  Progesterone.  IUD. Other medications that I can't remember.

She also said I needed to have a few tests before she could say if I was a good candidate. 

1) A uterine biopsy.  There is some concern that having an ablation would prevent early detection of uterine cancer.  It was a quick procedure.  I slender thingy (no idea what it is really called) is slipped into the uterus and it collects a little bit of the lining.  Done.  Quick.  Right?  She said it would be like a contraction.  Like I have an idea what that is like!  She said it would take about 30 seconds. 

OMG!  If that is what a contraction is like -- why does anybody ever have a second baby.  And it took about 2 minutes -- because my lining would no cooperate with her.

Good news!  No cancer.

2) An ultrasound.  Both kinds.  Before the procedure can be preformed, they have to discover the shape of your uterus.  So they need to look at it from all angles.  So first came the trans-abdominal ultrasound.  This requires you to drink 32 ounces of water 1 hour before the procedure.  By the time I was brought into the exam room I was only moving from the knees down in fear of peeing my pants.  And then they glide this little device over your belly gently.

NOT!  She took this evil device and pressed it into my belly.  Looking at my ovaries, uterus, kidneys, and she might have also been looking for China.  It lasted forever.  It was painful.  There was nothing pleasant about it.

When it was over I got the chance to pee and then it was time for the other, less pleasant part of the ultrasound.  I won't go into details.

Good news!  I have a normal shaped uterus. 

But there was a bit of bad news.  I have a cyst on one of my ovaries.  This is not shocking to me since I have PCOS.  But she is insisting on a second round of the ultrasounds at the end of June to make sure it is not a big issue.

So no decisions on the ablation surgery.  It will wait until after I have a few more answers.  Stay tuned for an update.

Mean Mama

Driving

I feel like I have a lot to say.  And because I have a bad case of verbal vomit, I also seem to have a case of writer's block.  So I am starting with a light hearted story first.

Last weekend  I decided to go visit my mom.  It was mother's day, after all.  So after work on Friday, I headed out for the short 3.5 hour drive.  Michelle, my trusted GPS, was on and in the car.  I drove about 2 hours, down the regular path. 

Then all of a sudden, Michelle asked me to turn down a road I don't normally take.  I complied.  Then I got worried.  Did this road hook up with the road I needed to cross the river?  So I was driving and checking on the GPS.

And then I see the blue lights in my rear view mirror.  Perfect!  Great!  Was I speeding?  What is the speed limit here?

A very nice sheriff comes up to the window.  No, really, she was nice.  She asks for license, registration, and proof of insurance.  Proof of insurance?  Am I suppose to carry that?  Luckily I found it.  She asks where I am going.  She seems happy that I heading to see my mom.  She asks when my last speeding ticked was.  She almost fell over when I said never.

She didn't give me a ticket.  This was really nice since I was going 58 in a 45.  She was in a good mood. 

I don't normally have that kind of luck so I decided to take it as a gift.  I decided to be aware of my speed.  And the speed limit. 

Until 15 miles later.  No joke.  I am crossing the bridge and I see blue lights in the rear view mirror.  AGAIN!  There is no way I am getting out of this twice.  In 15 miles. 

This sheriff was less nice.  To the tune of $145. 

Was I speeding?  Obviously.  I was going 50 in a 30.  In my defense, the speed limit was 50 leading up to the bridge.  Apparently, the speed limit drops to 30 on the bridge.  Immediately following the bridge, it goes back up to 50.

I paid the ticket.

Mean Mama

Ladybug's obsession with the TV is getting out of control. 

She loves TV.  Even when she is not watching it she wants it on.

So tonight we were running late getting home (2.5 hour commute, dinner out, and grocery shopping).  I told her that when she got inside it was straight into the shower and then bed. 

I put the groceries down and walked into the living room.  She was on the stairs heading up to take a shower.

The living room TV was on.

WHY?

I turned it off.

I went upstairs.

My bedroom TV was on.

WHY???

I like TV.  I get it.  But this seems a little extreme.

Mean Mama