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Showing posts from August, 2009

Oh, America, you crazy dazy country full of CG Readers

It's funny, I was just thinking: I wrote a post that made fun of a bald guy, quoted but did not name a former co-worker (who frankly, no one liked anyway...and it was like 7 years ago), dissed casseroles, and shared a sad feeling, and I got 12 comments, 3 emails, and 5 phone calls. I wrote a post that told you that not everything I write is true, that I reserve the right to delete your comments, and that delves into the emotions instead of just labeling them- and no one responds. That "Readers' Digest," they're really on to something. Ok , enough about the blog. Back to the regular topic: ME! Tomorrow is the Kickoff of the "Unleash Your Story" fundraising event for the CF Foundation. I invite you, implore you, demand you to join Team Cystic Gal today! You don't have to donate money yourselves, I mean - some of you are poor! unemployed! cheap! - but if you can get some other, kinder, more-employed, less-cheap person to donate even one hard-earned dol

A follow up to NUMBER 9 (...Number 9... Number 9 . . .)

Such a firestorm was lit by my little top ten list, Ten Things a CG Wants to Say last night. I am so glad I wrote it, but what a whacky ride today was watching the comments and emails and some phone calls come in. Two and a Half Points for ToNight: POINT ONE: I feel, at this time, that I must be honest with you, the reader, and tell you something about the blog that you might have already intuited through reading it, or you might not have. This might be an element of the blog that you view as a turn-on, or a turn-off. This might be something you had not considered but do not really care about either way. Any way you take it, I must share with you that everything I write in this blog abides by a code of truthiness . Not a single thing in this blog is a lie. However, some things may not be particularly true. [Truthiness is a term first used in its recent satirical sense by American television comedian Stephen Colbert in 2005, to describe things that a person claims to know intuitiv

Newsflash!

CG Readership swells to greater than 100 daily readers! Check it out!! THANKS! Saturday night's post, "Ten Things a CG Wants to Say" is below . . .

Ten Things A CG Wants To Say: The post so crazy even my disclaimers need disclaimers.

1. To the guy that broke up with me right after I got out of the hospital: You are cowardly, and selfish, and also bald*. 2. To the neighbor who keeps asking me when I'm going to get better: I am not going to get better. Google CF already. 3. To the lady who keeps sending me bizarro emails about one of my comments on health care: Democracy and free speech are a bitch. Leave me alone. 4. To [people] who wondered why I'm still working: So that I can do fun things like buy groceries and pay my rent. Oh, and because I love my job and I'm actually really good at it.** 5. To my extended family members who don't send me a get well card anymore when I get sick: It would be nice to get a get well card when I get sick. 6. To my acquaintances who want to drop by the house: I don't need a casserole, I need you to hang out with me like a normal human. And I don't like casseroles.*** 7. To my cat who is sweet, laying in bed with me while my port needle is being changed: Y

There's Always Tomorrow

Today was not that much better than yesterday. But it was better. Things that made it better: 1)I called the CF Clinic and said, Hey man, this thing where I have to take 1/2 of my anti-depressant because of it's contraindication with my oral antibiotic is, like, uh, not working. Since I'm crying and sleeping all day and stuff. So we agreed that after these 3 weeks, I can go back to the antidepressant at full blast and stop taking that particular antibiotic (1 of the 3 I'm on currently). 2) I called my friends back (T-Money and H-Mama). Both called me yesterday and though I have to admit, I didn't really enjoy talking to them since I was all doomy and gloomy, it was better that I talked to them. Ditto for CysticMommy and CysticLady. 2.5) I still took a nap. I decided that no day is so bad, or so good, that taking a nap cannot indeed make the day even better. KEY: I limited my nap to a decent 2 hours. A normal-people-nap. I even answered my phone when N-Pregg called from

CG and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad TODAY

Okay I made it through one bad day. One bad bad bad bad day. Today, it was the sort of day where CG feels hopeless about her health and her personal and professional life in one big ball of sad sad sad, bad bad bad day. The good side of today: I made it through the day without sending angry sad sad bad bad emails to my ex boyfriend across town, or the two friends I have lost in the last six months. Similarly, I did not make any rash family phone calls. I managed to delete the few snide comments on made on Facebook. I DID manage to take all my meds and do that whole regime, complete with a PORT needle change, with only one small anxiety type of situation about the needle's length. Also, I talked to the three people that I can talk to when I am in this slightly incoherent state of hopelessness and nose-blowing. Three. That's a lot. The bad side of today: I slept most of the day. When I wasn't awake and crying, I was asleep. That can't be good. And I accomplished nothing

I'm Ok, You're Ok

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Thanks for the messages and tweets sayin', "Hey CG, where you AT?!" I had a poopy appointment at the doctor yesterday and I've been in a bad mood for two days. Hence, I have not posted anything. Yet, I am fine. More later today. I'm gonna try to write today while I do my meds even IF I'm in a bad mood about it. So there. And my cat is acting old and sick. :( That doesn't help. At the doctor yesterday, my anxiety was really kickin' in. Plus two drugs I'm on increase my blood pressure. So my blood pressure was high and we thought, let me take some time and CTFO, chill the f out. During this CTFO time, they brought me jelly beans. Coincidence? I think not. More later.

Another Big Win for the CG Breakfast

Thank you, Reeses Pieces and String Cheese. Though others may judge you, I never will. For though your taste combination seems odd, You have given me 5 extra pounds In only one week While out of the hospital.

My Twenties

[This poest has been deleted because it is included in my chapbook, "Into the East."]

Paparazzi, BACK T. F. UP!

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Photo of me. :) Dear CG Readers, This is my 100th post. It is not just a cosmic coincidence that last night I was on the phone with my friend Kathleen Rooney, asking her, "I think I should stop being anonymous with the blog - Go public -What do you think?" (She agreed that I should and coached me through it. Big thanks, KR!) The blog has been receiving some web mentions, one in particular for the "Unleash Your Story" fundraiser for the CF Foundation. I am going to be participating in this fabulous event and will write a post either later today or tonight outlining the event and inviting YOU, CG Reader, to join Team Cystic Gal! In the mean, time, read this article , and slay the dragon in your life today! With love and non-anonymity, Cystic Gal, ME

Congrats 2,000th Unique Reader!

It's YOU, Reading Pennsylvania!! You are my 2,000th Unique Reader!!! Email me and I can check your IP address and you will receive a luxurious grande prize!!!* *Under no circumstances will I be sending you a prize. Get over yourself already. Jeeeeez. But, thanks for reading!! And please, DO email!!!

NEWSFLASH!!

TWITTER @CysticGal NEWSFLASH! CysticGal now tracking 2,000th NEW reader via statcounter.com! http://cysticgal.blogspot.com/ ! Are you the 2,000th new reader ?! #CysticFibrosis

In the Year Two Thousand . . . In The Year Two Thousand Nine

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Me at home on Home IVs Day 2: 2nd Day of Home Workout, post-hemoptysis. More on revised exercises sitch in later bloggies . . . P.S. Who knew that a port, and a tube top, go so well together? Ah, home gym in the corner of my living room, I love you so. I would gladly forego new blue jeans and fancy I-Pod for you anyday. If only the other CFers would all do the same. Sigh . . . ON TO THE REAL POST: In the Year Two Thousand . . . In the Year Two Thousand Nine . . . Lately I've been asked my many Readers to tell more about my CysticGal demographics and specifics. Hard to do when CG is still in the semi-anonymous state that you read here. I'm going to dive on in and just keep using my very secretive, highly strategic pseudonym creation calculation to tell the story of CG. Just so you know, I am only keeping CG semi-anonymous so that if people google my real name for work-related stuff, they don't get this blog. The people in my life know that I'm writing it, and you know,

Picture of the Day

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First day home from the hospital. Full report: I accomplished all of my hospital related tasks. Only exception: I did pulmozyme once and hypertonic saline once. Did not do either of them twice. Figured, first day home after hemoptysis. Takin' it easy. I worked out for 20 minutes and it went well. I wore my oxygen all day and the only time I left the house was to go to CVS (ahh!) and to go the vet to get antibiotics (ironically) for S-Purry^. Wanessa (ahh) comes tomorrow. Last week, she must have thrown out my Yuckie cup. So today, I had to make a new one. My yuckie cup is where I put the yuckies. I like it better than little diseased dixie cups in my house or in my garbage cans. I put my yuckies in it, and then I rinse em down the toilet, then I squirt some sort of yuckie-killing household cleaner (whichever one is around) in there, and rinse. I take pleasure in writing YUCK!! all over my Yuckie cup so that I know never to drink from it, and that it is okay to clean it with househo

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety Jig

I am home tonight. Thus, an equation: 1 Cystic Gal+ 2 Cats + O2 Concentrator+ IV Meds+ Normal Meds+ Treadmill+ Peapod Delivery+ Laundry Drop Off+ Wanessa (if you don't know, you haven't been reading!)+ Full TIVO+ CysticLady+ H-Mama, J-Frusb, T-Money, J-teach+ All of my colleaguial love and support+ Bloggy Following and Support+ Awesome CF Team+ At least 3 Faux-Boyfriends= _____________________________ 1 Happy, but busy, Cystic Gal at the at-home hospital More tomorrow! L'Chaim!

CG Readership Stats for August, 2009

CG Readership Stats! Because I missed a post while in the hospital, I invite you to read the readership stats as updated recently. I am excited about the growth of my blog, in just 60 days of writing!! *All stats updated on 8/15/09 **All stats prepared via statcounter.com - it's crazy psychic. 1,814 Unique Readers . 818 Returning CG Readers 80 Daily CG Readers 16 New CG Readers Daily - Holy Poops! 31 US States with CG Readers! Most (163) Readers are in Pennsylvania - and I don't even live there! 11 Countries with CG Readers! 84 Twitter Followers 35 Bloggy Followers 8 Medical Professionals Who Read CG! (8/1-8/15) - I would like this number to grow 0 Real Complaints, 1 sort of casual complaint Crazy Facts: 7% of CG Readers found my site by googling the word "yuckies" 32% of CG Readers spend more than an hour when visiting the site.

A Poem From The Hospital

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OxycoPoetry Began the day with brushing teeth Like other days, lungs gave me grief. "Port placement will be first thing," they say. I change my shirt, and I'm on my way. Then pulse climbs high, O2 drops low. The sweat starts seepin out. Time for freaking-out-relief. My lower lip begins to pout. No valium says the nice P.A. It will mess up your sedation. Oh me, Oh my, "I'm freakin ' NOW- "Don't you see the situation!?" Dr. U-Bird^ and his friend N- pregg^ came to have a calming chat. Then ativan helped us all out I was calm, and that was that. In the scary surgery room, I fell fast asleep and don't recall They made some cuts and balloons and such That is my memory, none at all. I slept it off, my head did hurt. My chest felt sort of odd. I wake up later, groggy at first Not too much to check my bod. My port placement looks so super nice. My boobs, I checked 'em double twice. Not too high and not too low. Sex'll be great and it sti

My Birthday Totally Blows

It is my 29 th birthday today. Girgle Girgle . Last night I had a fun dinner planned with an attractive male companion. Which is, you know, the perfect time for hemoptysis . Girgle Girgle . My night was ruined. Later, getting ready for bed (alone, duh). Girgle Girgle . Sleep, ruined! Today, on my way to rehearsal for a perfect Oh wonderful play with a wonderful team of wonderfuls Girgle Girgle Flood Spit Flood Spit Flood Flood Spiiiiit . ( Flashforward 12 hours) To bed, in the ER, still waiting for a bed. More tomorrow. My Birthday Totally Blows. (So just in case that wasn't clear, I had a lot of hemoptysis two times this morning, after 2 lesser times last night, and with my history decided to come on in. Now, waiting for a bed, started some IVs, tomorrow starting some hormones and getting my PORT put in. So keep those "your boobs'll be fine" comments coming. And I'll miss the rest of the play I'm directing with at least 2 new fabulous colleagues whic

CG issues a public apology to male readers

I'm sorry for talking about my boobs so much. One more week, gentlemen. Hang in there. Ok. I'm in the hospital and I'm getting my port in tomorrow. Thus, I'm going to read as much as I can about it tonight so I'm feeling super prepared. UNLESS, I start to feel more anxious. Then, I will stop reading. More later. Please follow me on twitter for live hospital-tastic updates!!

I Work Hard To Be Pretty

Tonight I was going to write a great article about vanity in the Cystic Gal equation, and reference a poem by my friend K. Rooney, which references something I said once, or maybe a couple of somethings a few times. So really I woulda ended up skipping the part where I reference her and just reference me and then brilliantly extemporize. Then I worked out. Now my headache is back. Now I'm to bed. I'm zeroing in on the headache being caused by higher use of supplemental O2, which does NOT lead to low O2, but might lead to CO retention. I'm a disaster. Doctor next week. This week, L'Chaim. CG

"If You Can't Be With the One You Love . . .

Honey, Go to CVS. That's right. Go to CVS." (I have been told that those are the original lyrics to that song). When I am not feeling good, there is simply no better place to venture to, than CVS. (Or Walgreens, or !!really!! , Osco.) After Cystic Lady's transplant, one of her very favorite things to do was to go to the pharmacy to get her new meds, and also many things that can enjoyed, both medical, consumable, and beautification related. Tonight's purchases and also the highlight of my day: blood pressure taker thing; gummy bears; Vitamin B; Excedrin; and new eye makeup for green eyed Cystic Gals. I might feel bad, but boy I look pretty :) Goodnight y'all. I hope to send a good blog out tomorrow. Love, CG

Write-A-Thon for CF (missed post = extra post)

I will be doing this!! http://unleashyourstory.com/ I will write about it soon. Take a look and get excited ahead of time !!

A Joke From God

I have a quirky relationship with God. Growing up Catholic, then straying/returning/straying/returning/ un -declaring from Catholicism has provided me with a bizarre blending of the many ways in which the persona of God has been portrayed. Maybe you are like this too. You have a God that you think of, and you are certain that your picture of God is different than any other person's picture . Perhaps you and God share a chat every now and then. My God is there for me for the serious situations. But he also has a comical side. Every once in awhile, my God likes to send me a little sarcastic joke. I promise you the below story is true. I had a good day today at work, and tried all my magical ways to keep my oxygen perfect. (Laughter can begin here.) Despite my flawless and inspiring efforts at health maintenance, and a cup of coffee, I was developing a headache at the end of the day. As I made the heroic journey up the stairs from my basement, where I, like a good domestic partner

Oxygen FU, and Introducing....Morning Minis!

Hello My Dear Readership! I only have a bit to type as tonight is dedicated to airway clearance, for serious, so I can only type while my Pulmozyme runs! I have some F ollow U p regarding oxygen for you! Thanks for your help last night. Especially tweeters. Here is what I learned in my one day of research regarding my oxygen troubles, mostly contributed by Cystic Lady. Tips on Oxygen for the Working (Cystic) Gal: 1) Always have an extra mini tank in your trunk that you don't use unless you absolutely have to. Like a "Please go to my car and get the tank from my trunk," type of scenario. 2) Leave an extra tank in your workplace. 3) You should not carry your tanks, even in that funky backpack thing, if doing so makes you use more O2. You gotta roll with it, baby! Use a rolling backpack or crate. I happened to have a small rolling milk crate that I call my 'rolly-do,' that I have used in rehearsals for years. Turn out, it work for rehearsal crap AND mini tanks. 4) I

Trifecta of Headaches: O2 call for help!!

I have been pretty down for the count these last two nights with the Trifecta of headaches: Low Oxygen leading to Low O2 headache, leading to... Lots of oxygen, causing very dry sinuses and THAT sort of O2 headache, leading to saline spray, tylenol and home remedies followed by a nap, leading to . . . Sleeping through my 2nd daily cup of coffee, which all creates . . . The low O2, dehydration, caffeine headache. Horrible. CG needs oxygen tips. When your need for oxygen goes up, how to avoid running out of oxygen while AT work? When your oxygen goes low, to bring it up gradually on low Liter volume, or blast it up with 3 or 4 Liters? When your nose and sinuses are dry, best solutions? What's the AC got to do with it? Should I just turn the darn things off? Should you take meds for the headache? Or does that make the dryness worse? How does caffeine play into all this? Holy poops I need some advice!! Please feel free to pass this on. I've been in the bed blinded with headache two

Quickie 2

The second quickie is never as good as the first. First you do a quickie and you think, hey! that was fun! Then you do a second and you think, well that's just great. now we're at this phase in the bloggy relationship. already. that's just great. haha. ok, I'll change the subject. Exercise today- Remember about two weeks ago I gave up running and I wrote a big bloggy about it with Homer Simpson at the top? How could I forget? These past three days of trying to run again were more stupid than Homer J. Simpson. My workout is going great every morning until I try to run for a mesely (measily? meazilly? Is that even a real word?) for 45 FRIGGIN seconds (friggin is not a real word but at least I know for sure how it's spelled) - I am ruining the glory of my morning workouts. Tomorrow, the true test. First day of rehearsal. Must exercise at 5:45. That's right, in the aaaaaaaaaa mmmmmmmmmmmmm. It's a plan. In the meantime, my yuckie production has quadrupled. If I

Quickie

Quick post tonight because I'm tired and just got home from a CFF fundraiser, which was fun but loud (dance party). Update regarding morning exercise. So far, going well. Today not as good as yesterday, in that I had to stop half way through for some serious mucus production. ICK. Sorry. Did I forget to mention that you shouldn't read anything about CF if you aren't comfortable with the word MUCUS? ICK. Thus, I say, YUCKIE. EDIT: "Update regarding morning exercise. So far, going well. Today not as good as yesterday, in that I had to stop half way through for some serious Yuckie." Yuckies lasted about ten minutes but boy that stuff can move. So that's good. I finished off at 20 minutes walking, only 45 seconds running which had marginal success, and at 4L of oxygen. I did not experience the same hunger which I did yesterday, but all the same nausea. :( Tomorrow, I will go to 25 minutes walking, stick to 45 seconds running, increase to 4.5L of O2 and hope that t