May 31, 2008
One year ago today, my life changed.
Blythe was two weeks old, and we had left the house alone together for the first time, to go to the pediatrician’s office for a check up. I remember feeling like I was finally starting to recover from her birth and the hemorrhage that had immediately followed. I was tired, sure, but wasn’t that normal? We had a good time, and it was the first day since her birth that I didn’t take a nap. I was so proud of myself for that.
I had just fallen asleep that night when a funny sensation roused me. I went to the bathroom and passed a softball-sized clot (sorry if you’re squeamish). I know this sounds like the absolute wrong thing to do, but I didn’t see anymore blood so I went back to bed. I mean, I had given birth not all that long ago. A few minutes later, I heard Blythe cry so I got her out of her crib. As I was picking her up, I felt a gush that felt just like my water breaking. Only, obviously I wasn’t about to go into labor. I woke Jeremy, gave Blythe over to him, and went back into the bathroom. This time, there was no denying it: I was losing blood, and fast. I called the midwife while Jeremy called my parents to stay with the kids. Ever the multitasker, I nursed Blythe as I sat there on the toilet, bleeding and waiting for my parents to come so Jeremy could take me to the emergency room.
My dad helped me walk to the front of the house while Jeremy pulled the car around. We didn’t get far before I started feeling woozy. Jeremy caught me as I collapsed onto the kitchen floor. I’m not sure if you want to, but try putting yourself inside his mind at that moment: he had watched his wife lose what looked like gallons of blood, had been present as she hemorrhaged after two births and knew how urgent the situation had been both times, with medical professionals in the room. To top it all off, his wife had just looked him in the eyes, said she didn’t think she was going to make it, and lost consciousness. What I meant was I didn’t think I could make it to the car, but he had no way of knowing that. Fortunately, he brought me around in mere seconds. He may have even slapped me a few times, but the details are kind of fuzzy. I had passed out just long enough to be annoyed that he interrupted what had promised to be the best sleep I’d had in months. Don’t go toward the light, my butt, the light feels like the best Sunday afternoon nap you ever had.
Needless to say, my dad called 911 while Jeremy kept me awake. The EMT who rode in the back of the ambulance with me had mad skills – he was able to put in an IV line on the first try as we went over the crazy bumps on our long, gravel driveway. The emergency room was something straight out of a movie. An old lady was moaning and screaming; a legless lady was lying on a gurney in the hallway, her prosthetics a few feet away; a guy was gushing blood out of a huge gash in his leg. They parked me in the hallway, as well, and we waited our turn.
Eventually, it was determined that my uterus had retained some of the placenta. My labs came back, also, and I was strongly encouraged to accept two pints of blood while I waited for the ambulance to take me to a hospital in The City. I did take the donor blood – and it’s a good thing. If I hadn’t, I would have lost my life the following day…
Category: Life in general
Categories
One of Those Days
I was all set to write a different post, but THEN. I just couldn’t have a day like today and not write about it.
First thing this morning, I had an appointment to get my Live Scan Fingerprinting done for our new corporate license. So I dropped Alison at school, passed Blythe over to my mom, and drove to the courthouse 15 minutes away. The lady’s first question was, Do you have your paperwork? and the answer was No. So I drove back home, got the paperwork, and drove back. I handed it over, and the lady’s second question was, Do you have cash or a check? The answer to that was: All I have is $11 and a credit card. Nor do I have an ATM card to go grab some cash, and our bank is not only another 20 minute drive away, it isn’t even open yet. So back I went, for my checkbook. My third time through security, I swear the guard was muffling a laugh. At least they know for sure that I don’t have anything dangerous in my purse.
Finally, my paperwork turned in and my fee paid, I stepped up to the fingerprinting machine. There was a WARNING! after each of my prints was scanned. Because, guess what? Apparently I have old, man hands. My fingerprints have nearly been worn away and besides, they are all covered in creases and cracks. So I’ll probably have to go back in again to get them re-done, manually, by some sort of fingerprinting expert.
That task finally done, I made my way back to the car. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, I was attacked by a bird. It dropped down and pecked me right on the head! I tried whacking my purse at it, but I had just my little tiny wallet (Ok – honestly? I didn’t want the security people to see how messy the inside of my purse was so I carried just the necessities) but the bird was not impressed. The rest of the way to the car, the bird kept dive bombing me and doing fake-out swooping motions like it was Muhammad Ali of the bird kingdom. All I could do was wave my arms over my head and run.
In the midst of all this, I got a phone call from our accountant’s office. Our taxes were done (we filed an extension and paid our overinflated unreasonable estimated taxes April 15th, as you may recall) and they needed signing. Since we want our Big Fat Refund as soon as possible, I had to get down there right away. Which wouldn’t be a problem, except that the accountant’s office was an hour away, my mom was leaving for the weekend in just a few short hours but couldn’t get ready until I returned for Blythe, and Alison had to be picked up from school at 11:00. Are you following this?
I made arrangements for the kids and headed up to the accountant’s office, stopped by and picked up a prescription, and made it home in just a couple of hours. Once inside I went to change my shoes and realized I didn’t have to, because I had been wearing my house shoes the whole dang time.
Categories
Where My Money At?
It’s April 15th, do you know where your money is?
I DO. I just sent it off to the post office (not with the mail carrier, of course) in a tear-stained envelope where someone will stamp it with today’s date. I am certain that the people who receive it on the other end will do a little victory dance on their desks and order a round of lattes, paid for out of the tax payer’s ever-shrinking wallet. Handing Uncle Sam that kind of cash would be enough to turn a girl Republican, if a girl wasn’t already quite firm in her political beliefs.
2007 was a stellar year for us. But, tempted as we were to put our money somewhere fun, (the newly fantabulous BMW X-5 got more than a few looks from us) we held it close to our collective bosom. Sure we splurged here and there, but for the most part we were sensible. We’re just cheap smart like that. When we started our new business at the end of last year, we were lucky enough to have some capital to get off the ground and be able to live off of our savings. Well, technically we’re still living off of our savings, but today that little nest egg magically transformed from a dinosaur to a robin’s egg. Ouch!
In honor of all those who are hurtin’ today, I’m going to list a few tricks we’ve employed to reduce our spending over the past six months. A lot of these earn bonus points for both helping the environment and dropping your poundage.
* Trade services with the Preschool. Dude, we’re paid up till Kindergarten
* Eat out less. We love to eat with friends, but we trade dinner nights at each other’s homes, instead. Then the kids can play instead of squirm and we still get the occasional night-off from the kitchen.
* Plant a garden. Produce is expensive, especially if you buy organic.
* Drive a fuel-efficient car, and drive only when necessary. We live on a ranch, so walking/cycling anywhere is impossible. But we try to consolidate our trips “into town”.
* Hand-me-downs are THE BOMB, as are buy-sell-trade children’s clothing stores.
* Go brunette. *sob*
* Home-make gifts. They require thought and time, but doesn’t that make them more special? I tell myself that, anyway.
* Use up those gift cards that are stashed in a drawer somewhere.
* Cash in credit card miles for gift cards and travel vouchers.
* Put only $20 onto a coffee card, and make it last all month.
* Borrow books from the library or friends instead of buying.
* Share a subscription to favorite magazine(s).
Here are a few money saving tips that you ought to avoid:
* Using duct tape for hair removal instead of waxing.
* Re-using any kind of feminine hygiene product.
* Washing clothes in your kids’ bathwater.
* Letting the dog “wash” the dishes.
Feel free to share your money saving tips!
>Today is the 10th anniversary of our first date. Although at the time, we were just friends catching a movie. Which was Titanic, so just friends catching a romantic movie.
>Blythe has been running a high fever, and the doctor has no idea what’s wrong with her. He assumes it’s “a virus”. Last night her temp reached 103.1, and I was scared out of my mind. Today she’s feeling much better, and the last time I took her temp it was 98.8. Whew!
>Blythe discovered that she can put her foot in my mouth while she nurses. It makes her laugh, and I’m amazed at her flexibility.
>When attempting to home-make chocolate for dipping, do NOT also talk on the phone and cook chili. There is a very small window of opportunity before the chocolate becomes more like frosting.
>BOSSY is making the San Francisco stop on her Excellent Road Trip today. Jeremy and I are getting ready to head down to meet her! Is my husband the best or what?
Categories
For ME?
Dear Mail Lady Postal Carrier,
My oh my, I am SO flattered that you would drop two tickets for a Caribbean Cruise in my mail box! I mean, a cruise for ME? When you had so many other customers you could have handed them off to? I hardly think my girl scout cookies are worth that, but I’m so touched that you would try and make it up to me in such a nice, thoughtful way. Of course, I couldn’t keep them. I think our neighbors, Wesley and Autumn, would miss their cruise tickets a little more than I missed my cookies. We’d hate for you to get another reprimand from your supervisor, wouldn’t we? But don’t worry, I dropped the tickets right in their box the next day, so they probably never even missed them.
I also really appreciate you delivering my mortgage statement to someone else. I almost didn’t notice except that after I paid bills, there was a bit more money in the account than usual. Again, what a thoughtful person you must be to try and get one of my neighbors to pay my mortgage for me. They didn’t redirect it, so it’s very possible they are dumb nice enough to send in a payment. Next time, just go ahead and deliver it to me though, OK?
One last thing, and this might hurt a little. I’ve been having the UPS guy deliver my packages. Now, don’t get upset. He’s just so nice about it, and comes to the door and everything. Sometimes, if a package is heavy or I’m holding the baby, he even carries the package inside and sets it wherever I’d like. I wanted you to hear it directly from me, so there aren’t any hard feelings.
I’ll be seeing you,
Andrea