The Dead Collector: Bring out yer dead.
[a man puts a body on the cart]
Large Man with Dead Body: Here's one.
The Dead Collector: That'll be ninepence.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm not dead.
The Dead Collector: What?
Large Man with Dead Body: Nothing. There's your ninepence.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm not dead.
The Dead Collector: 'Ere, he says he's not dead.
Large Man with Dead Body: Yes he is.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm not.
The Dead Collector: He isn't.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I'm getting better.
Large Man with Dead Body: No you're not, you'll be stone dead in a moment.
The Dead Collector: Well, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I don't want to go on the cart.
Large Man with Dead Body: Oh, don't be such a baby.
The Dead Collector: I can't take him.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I feel fine.
Large Man with Dead Body: Oh, do me a favor.
The Dead Collector: I can't.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, can you hang around for a couple of minutes? He won't be long.
The Dead Collector: I promised I'd be at the Robinsons'. They've lost nine today.
Large Man with Dead Body: Well, when's your next round?
The Dead Collector: Thursday.
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I think I'll go for a walk.
Large Man with Dead Body: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Isn't there anything you could do?
The Dead Body That Claims It Isn't: I feel fine. I feel happy.
[the Dead Collector glances up and down the street furtively, then silences the Body with his a whack of his club]
Large Man with Dead Body: Ah, thank you very much.
The Dead Collector: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
Large Man with Dead Body: Right
All jokes aside, I feel like for the last 4 weeks I've been on the brink of "death" and at various points I come up for air then get sucked back down. About 2 weeks ago I got to be throwing up every afternoon/evening, and had lost almost 5lbs. Last Friday as a last stitch effort to try anything I went to Rite-Aid to buy some of those motion sickness acupressure wrist bands. (They are technically for nausea in general but most people use it and know what they are for their indicated use of motion sickness). Miracle of all miracles, as soon as I put them on I got instant relief that brought my nausea from a 10 down to a 6 or 7. I started crying tears of relief right there in the car. For the first time in weeks I was able to walk into my house without gagging or vomiting. I still have thrown up a few times since wearing them, but my general nausea level is very much decreased.
It was perfect timing too, because that weekend was Ryan's cousin Philip Cross's wedding up in Glendora (which is quite a drive and necessitated an overnight stay up there). I was anticipating it being a miserable weekend for me, but with the bands it was bearable and even more enjoyable than anything else I would have been doing (like melting into the couch for hours on end watching Law & Order marathons). I had to split the second they served the food (poultry and I just dont mix right now, and I dont think any amount of acupressure or drugs could lessen that right now), but at least I made it through the ceremony and the beginning of the reception. It really was beautiful, and the Crosses did a great job. Nicole's dress was really stunning and the red/white color scheme was perfect for a Christmas time wedding; fitting for the season but not tacky and screaming "X-mas!".
So the only downside to them is that they are REALLY tight and leave pretty big welts on my wrists for a while after I take them off. So Im wearing them when I get off work in the PM until I eat breakfast in the AM, then I take them off to give my wrists a break until the PM again.
My first appointment was at Kaiser on Monday. It was so nice to make sure everything was ok (heart is beating!) and especially the confirmation that there is only one of them! I dont know what I would have done if it was twins. lol. I invited Kimmy along, cause with missing Aurora's birth I knew she would love to be a part of whatever she could be for this second one. It was a long day; the appointment, then I got two shots (the flu shot and dTap) and my blood drawn. I was so tired by the time we got back home!
I made my first appointment with UCSD for January, and I'm excited I get to see my midwife Rita from last time (I found out she's taking an extended leave so she wont be my midwife for this pregnancy but all of them at UCSD are so great I can't go wrong).
As for home life, I have had an increase in energy, so Ive been able to in short bursts help Ryan clean the kitchen, put away my clean clothes, wrap our xmas presents, etc. He finally got sick of feeding himself and Rory PB&J's and quesadillas for dinner every night, so he picked up some easy frozen foods at Costco to prepare. My mom has taken Rory on a few occasions for several days at a time, which allowed Ryan to get caught up on household chores and also to get out the Xmas decorations and to get a tree, and decorate. He put up bulbs hanging from the trees outside and it looks sooo cute! Go honey!
One thing we didnt get around to this year: taking a xmas family photo or getting out cards/letters. This is the first year since we've been together that I have not gotten them out. But it will probably be the last, unless I come down with some other debilitating illness around the holidays at some other point in my life. Next year's letter will be crazy since we'll have two years to catch up with.
On other news, my cousin Jay got a date in Feb for coming home from his third deployment in Afghanistan, and we are so excited to have him home safe and sound, and see him, his wife Leizel and their son Jude.
Love and hugs to everyone and their loved ones this Christmas!
