This is for you, Laurie

I was reminded by my dear friend that I haven't blogged in awhile.  This semester is trying to kill me.  I'm enrolled in five classes (one of which is a lab).  I am working forty (plus) hours a week.  I have two fifteenish page papers due in April and June for PITC trainer certification.  My toe injury is just now about healed enough to run, so it's been over a month since I worked out and over two months since I ran last.  Oh, and my husband is in his fourth week at Basic Military Training (boot camp) for the Air National Guard.

(Pink and black logo designed for the wives and girlfriends like me)



This semester (my last full time one!!) would have been crazy anyway, but being separated from Lee is what is really miserable.  Everything in my life revolves around him.  My world is now a little bit off kilter.  My friends and family have been amazing sources of support, so that helps. Some.  :)  I have spoken with him twice and received three letters.  I carry his letters around with me in my purse...what can I say, I'm in love.  I knew he was my favorite, my best friend, my everything, but my comittment to him has been renewed in this time apart.  I will go to his graduation in the middle of May and I can't wait to see how he has changed into an Airman. 

I was pretty much in denial about him leaving prior to his departure.  Now that he is gone, I've had to step up my manic obsessive researching and find out more about what he is actually doing.  I am so proud of him for making this decision to serve our country.  I am truly honored to be married to a man who has a hero's heart.  I have always known that he is the kind of man who puts others before self, who sacrifices in the time of need, who does the right thing when no one else does.  But now that he is in the military, I think he will have opportunities to show others that kind heart.

(In a side note, this is new for me, because my political/social beliefs are kind of anti-war.  I believe that war exists and that it will always exist, but I hate it.  But that's a discussion for another day.  Remind me to cover capital punishment then too.)

I have been trying to become a better version of myself in his absence.  I had some grand plans to get in shape and lose about ten pounds, but the above mentioned conglomorate of random time-sucking activities is making that hard.  I have accomplished a beautiful tan!  I also have made a point to spend time alone with God, listening to Him and reading His word before I write my husband each night.  It has really made a difference in my life.

Are any of you from military families?  Do you have advice for me or for him?  This is hard!

Toe-tally Fantastic

Tuesday morning I went to the doctor to finally get my toe "fixed."  It's a long, gross story, but basically I got a really bad blister running my first half marathon last April.  That, combined with a weakened immune system from my miscarriage and the wart virus (picked up anywhere I would have been barefoot) combined to give me an "atypical" infection in my toe.  It was disgusting and it hurt. I had already had it treated for when my PCP thought it was a fungus.  Since it wasn't a fungus, the treatment didn't work. So I chose to go to a specialist.

I have a great podiatrist.  If anyone in the Tulsa area ever needs one, I highly recommend Dr Jill Jackson-Smith at Metro Tulsa Foot and Ankle Specialists.  She impressed me.  She is kind, intelligent, and she explains everything to you.  I really hate doctors who act as if they are so superior or just make decisions for you without explaining them.  She is not like that at all.  She gave me several options, and let me know what they would each be like.  Plus, they have the best selection of magazines in the waiting room that I have ever seen.  Big bonus.  I had People and Health and Lee (who I dragged along to be my extra set of ears since I don't listen very well and only hear about half of what doctors tell me) had Field and Stream and ESPN.

Dr Jill put a solution on my toe to get rid of the yucky stuff.  The mixture is cantharidin (acid from a blister beetle) and salacylic acid.  And it hurts like heck.  It was some of the worst pain I have ever felt- I couldn't sleep.  It's been two days and I still can't walk or put weight on my foot.  My toe looked gross before, but now it seriously is one of the grossest things I've seen.  As one of my students would say, it's "nasty".  I'm taking Lortab, which is making me itch all over.   I have a nice little rash from it.  My skin hates medicine.  (Side note: I have also been lucky enough to have my Aunt Flow come visit during this toe experience.  The good news is that the Lortab totally took care of my cramps!)

Don't worry, I won't post any pictures of my actual toe.  I'm not mean.



I hadn't expected to miss so much work, so that kind of stinks.  I left at 9:30 Tuesday fully expecting to make it back by noon for a webinar I had signed up for.  But that plan failed....and here I am, 48 hours later, still on the couch, still in pain, still in the same pj pants.  Tomorrow is a training day, so I plan to get my disgusting toe up to work and learn something. 

Sorry for such an unglamorous post.  The Lortab has drained every smidge of creativity from me- I can't think of anything more fun to write about than my yucky toe.  That's sad folks, really sad.


Do you have any interesting or gross medical stories?  What do you hate or love about doctors?