Vacation Wrap Up

Well, I'm back in Tampa. It's my first day back at work and I'm surprisingly grumpy about it. Usually I get wound up and motivated to get back in the lab, but today I just wanted to lay in bed with a book and a couple of cats.

Sorry to worry everyone about my health. I know I and some of my friends have been on edge about these things lately since a dear friend of mine is battling leukemia right now. I tried to make it clear early on that I am alright now. I wasn't ever really that scared until the doctors started bringing up diabetes. They tested my blood sugar which was fine and I'm just taking it one day at a time right now. Let me continue with my day by narrative of my crazy vacation.

Tuesday, the day after the Wolves game I spent around my mom's house doing laundry. I walked up to the authentic Mexican restaurant a block away and got a take-out burrito. That evening we had planned a girls night, my three best girls and I. I sure wasn't going to let my wound get in the way of seeing my girls, and I knew that these are three girls I can completely be myself around even if I am crabby and in pain. They'd still be happy to have me there. Since I am at the mercy of whomever can cart my butt around while I'm in Minneapolis, one of the girls who was going to pick me up to take me to girls night at dancingo4's apartment came to my mom's house early to catch up. We were CNN junkies together for a couple hours, she helped my with my wash and then we made the trek to the 'burbs and stocked up on snacks and wine before arriving at our destination. Girls night was fun as always, but a little more low key than usual. Two of us were on the disabled list and one of us had to work the next day so she couldn't stay over night like usual. The huge amount of antibiotics caused me to take things slow, but I still drank my requisite amount of wine, and we filled our silliness quota once again.

Wednesday I hung out with Dean's parents. We went out to lunch and I helped them pick out kitten things for the kitten they were going to get that evening. I wish I could have seen it before I left but I am eagerly awaiting pictures. By Wednesday the antibiotics were taking their toll and I was seriously nauseated. That evening I took my aunt, uncle and cousin to the Bad Plus concert. They play every year in Minneapolis around Christmas time (since they are from Minnesota) and my Dad usually takes me to see them. Since he was still in New York, I took my aunt uncle and cousin instead. Besides feeling like crap, the concert was awesome. They are so fun to watch.

Thursday I had to go back to the ER to have my wound checked and the packing removed. My resident this time was a really cute woman about my age who was so pregnant she looked like she could go any time. She said my wound looked very good and that after getting my culture results back I could stop taking one of the two antibiotics. The bad news was that in the meantime the infection had spread to another boil on my back. I knew it was there and I didn't mention it earlier because I didn't want to complicate the story. The first resident said he didn't think the infection would spread. Lucky me. The other boil on my lower back (right below my "tramp stamp" as Dean affectionately calls my tattoo) had to be lanced and packed as well. I'm such a mess! She again brought up the diabetes and suggested I get screened further back in Tampa. Yikes. The immense neasea I felt stopped shortly after I stopped taking so many drugs and I started to feel halfway human again. Thursday I saw my extended family again for lunch. I also did some serious grocery shopping for my grandma. I brought the groceries over and visited with her for awhile, reminding her of the situation with Dad. She had been feeling espeically nostalgic that afternoon and told a few stories of the early years of her relationship with my grandfather, who died of Polio before I was born. I have been begging her to write them down so I can collect them some day. She assures me that he is one thing she will never forget. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wanted the stories for when she was gone.

Friday I visited my great grandma once more and went shopping at the Big Mall again. There were "deep discounts" as my stepdad excitedly remarked and my mom and I got some cheap clothes. We had a quiet night and the next morning said our good byes before they had to go to work.

Then Saturday my grandparents took me to the airport. My flight was in the evening and delayed an hour. I was worried I wouldn't get home in time to celebrate the new year with Dean. It's important that we spend that evening together because it's our anniversary. We've been together 6 years now.

Sunday Dean and I drove down to Miami as an anniversary gift to eachother. We went to the Heat game (they played the Wolves, who got spanked AGAIN.) We had a fancy, delicious meal downtown after the game, spent the night at a hotel and drove back yesterday. It was a wonderful time.

That's it. You're all caught up. Now it's my turn to see what everyone else has been up to.