Schön Deutsch Party

Last night Josh and I went to a German dinner that was put on by our German language class at a grange out in the "country". Sort of a weird area, because there is open farmland, people riding horses down the street...but it's surrounded by city and suburb on all sides. It's just an odd!!

Anyway, we were there a few hours early and learned how to make Spaetzle for vierzig (40) mensch!! Tedious but interesting. It was nice to be out doing something that didn't involve needles being stuck in me and hours of waiting in a über flattering gown.

It was interesting watching our professor down the beer, too. Fun times!!

Visitors

My oldest sister and my niece had a layover in Portland on their way to L.A., today so Josh and I took them downtown and we played around a bit. We went to one of our very favorite street vendors (some of Portland's most charming attractions are the fabulous, high-quality street merchants and International Food Parking Lots...hehe) and had THE BEST VEGETARIAN TORTA'S IN THE U.S. In case any of you ever happen to be in the Portland area, stop by La Jarochita at SW 5th Ave and Oak in beautiful downtown Portland. There's my plug. LOL.

Anyway. They were both delighted with the...we'll call it brunch, because it was 10:30 or so in the morning. Afterwards we hopped the train and went to Old Town Pizza (also very awesome) and took advantage of their beautiful espresso bar. We kicked it there for about an hour, sipping our lattes and mochas and chatting, and enjoying being in a warm, dry place. I love the Fall and Winter in Portland...the non-stop rain and generally mild days, but today was just cold and extremely wet.

After that we strolled thru Chinatown and stopped by one of our favorite mom and pop import stores where I found a beautiful Mah Jongg set that I HAD to have. It was a steal at $50. I love it. The tiles are the perfect size and weight (HEAVY!) and I love the artwork on them. We will be inviting some friends over for dinner and Mah Jongg tomorrow night, for sure!!

So it was a nice mini-visit! Hopefully I'm feeling good enough on their way back to visit again. It did take a lot out of me today to be up and moving so much. We'll see.

The pictures are from Old Town Pizza. One of me with my sister and niece, and the other of Josh with them. The building is gorgeous inside. It's a great example of frontier city architecture. Love it!

Where have I been??

In hospital hell!

On October 29th at 7:00AM, after a little over a week of intense discomfort in my abdomen, I got on the train and went to the ER. I got right into a room, which was really awesome, and got to put on a really snazzy gown while I was waiting for my Dr to come in and see me. What fun!

So, after explaining the nature of my pain and how long it had been bothering me, and some poking and prodding of my tummy, he ordered me up some morphine, blood-draws and a CT scan! Wheee! It didn't take long after the scan for him to come in and tell me they were tracking down a surgeon and moving me up to the OR for an immediate emergency appendectomy! It hadn't ever occurred to me that I might have something really wrong with me...I thought I had pulled a muscle at the gym or something. Here it was though...a big ugly infection staring me in the face!

So I silently freaked out with a smile on my face and nodded at whatever the Dr was telling me at the time. They inserted my IV line, put on a drip and shot me with some more morphine and I waited. Nobody except for Josh knew where I was at, and he thought I was going to be out in time to meet him at school and go to class as normal....not the case. I called him at 11:20 and said (verbatim) " I would really like it if you got off the bus right now and hop the next train to the hospital. They are prepping me for surgery right now. Please hurry. ". Which was met by a silence and then I hear "What's the quickest way to the train?" Bless him, he got there in about 40 minutes and met me in the short-stay room they had me pre-op.

Enter the cutest anesthesiologist ever. Dr. Derby. He was really bubbly and friendly/chatty and he really helped calm me down. Plus, I wanted to pinch his bum and he was fun to look at...and he had the best drugs I've ever had in my life...lemme tell ya! By the time he was done with me I was all smiles and mindless babble.

Anyway...when I woke up I had no idea where I was or how I got there and I had a brief moment of panic where I tried to rip all the wires and tubes off of me and there were strangers holding me down and telling me it was OK, I had surgery, was I in pain....it all came back about the time they administered another hefty dose of pain meds and some kind of anxiety medication. I don't know how long I was in that room...but I was grateful when they wheeled me to my suite, where Josh was waiting for me. He was really great the entire time I was in (3 full days), he came and sat with me and got bored with me and watched TV with me...and showered with my mutilated self...LOL.

It was interesting! I don't want to do it again. I've had a bunch of complications since I got out, and I spent the day in ICU on Tuesday with blood poisoning from a burst infection at the former site of my appendix. Really not fun. I'm on a score of medications for the infection and pain and I've been stuck doing nothing since the 29th, essentially.

Today, against the wishes of my Dr, I am going to school. I really need to do this. I am so bored, and I hate missing classes....even if I have been telecommuting in (I've been webcamming in to my lectures, so I can still participate, etc...pretty cool). So wish me luck!

The picture was taken a few days after I got home...you can see the three incisions they made for the laporascopic procedure...it was weird and gross. It got worse before it got better looking, too...just be thankful I didn't post that! I hate having a shaved tummy!!! It looks retarded and it itches!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway....that's where I've been. Hope y'all are having a better time of it! :o)