I will so botch this spelling, but... Petechia Hemorrhage. (Okay, I cheated and looked it up on Wikipedia)

3 years ago about this time of year, I got this for the first time. Tiny red spots all over my torso, esp. around panty, bra, and waist line. Itchy and irritating. I had just started a new allergy medication 2-3 weeks before (Zyrtec) and so it was linked to that. It simply dried me out too much... So I stopped it and went back to Claritin (which is all well and good, but not very effective at all) and suffered through another allergy season. [it was shortly after this that I started allergy shots].

Then 2 years ago about this time of year, I got a nasty sinus/upper respiratory infection and the allergist wanted to try a new allergy medication on me. Nope... 3 weeks later... itchy tiny red spots. ***side note: just in case you didn't look at the link, petechia hemorrhaging is when the capillaries burst, creating the red spots that can take days or even a couple of weeks to descipate.*** So, I am having an allergic reaction to my allergy medication.

Then... 1 year ago, about this time. I got it again. I can't even remember what medication it was that I started taking, but apparently that was a no no too. 2-3 weeks after taking it... red spots. This time what I remember most is that it was in my hairline and even on my ear lobes.

Now... I started some new medication (2 months ago), so I am unsure if it is connected, but itchy tiny red spots on torso, upper thighs, shoulders, and even some on my arms. It hasn't come up on my neck, but it is a little bit on my scalp. Even though I haven't had any new medication since 2 months ago, it is occuring to me that they had switched my generic on medication I take as needed for cold sores. And yes, I started that on Sunday. The only thing that doesn't hold is usually it takes 2 weeks on a medication to make this effect, not 1-2 days. *sigh* this is frustrating. Maybe it is just my bodies reaction to spring. I am allergic to spring.

Self-Centered People, and I Can't Cuss at Them

Yet another member of my family has died. My great Aunt Ruthie. I was less connected to her than to my uncle, but I have fond memories of her. You know the person in your family that is kind to all. Happy to see you, and her face lights up when you walk over to say "hi." She was always ready to give or receive a hug. She is like this with all the cousins so I am not special, but she was the type of person that would make you feel special. This is not a shocking passing. She was old and had lived a full life, getting to hold her great-grandbabies.

So I was telling this to "someone." She was trying to get the right person in her head, but it came across as really self centered. She asked... "Is this the one that owns the lake property where they have the weinnie roast every year? Shoot. Not that I ever met her, but I saw her when there for the weinnie roast." (Shoot??? meaning, my gradkids look forward to that weinnie roast, I hope they don't cancel it). When I expressed my plan to go to the funeral, her reaction was of shock. "For a great aunt?" Yes, for a Great Aunt. Yes, for my father's aunt. Yes, for a woman who would sit with me and talk with me. Yes, for someone who has known me all my life and celebrated all of my victories with me.

So, here is a hint for anyone that needs one. When someone says they are going to a funeral, it means that the person who died has meaning to them. (I am not a funeral junkie - even if this is my 4th in the past year, I don't really like going to them. I go because that person is special to me and deserves to be honored by me). To express shock or even surprise that the person wants to go to this funeral is rude. Plain and simple - all that is needed from you is a I'm so sorry to hear of your loss... or even this loss (if you can't bring yourself to imagine that I might be hurting). Your commentary is not needed, not appreciated, and frankly makes you look selfish and completely lacking in sympathy. This may be a true statement of you, you may be completely lacking in the skills to see life outside of yourself, but just in case you don't want to look this way... at least say the words that match cultural decorum or shut the "flip" up.

Toast

I don't know why. But I am craving toast. Something buttery with crisped crust and peach perserves.

It could be that I missed breakfast this morning. It could be that I just took a swig of cold coffee (cold from sitting out, not iced coffee) and now my stomach is yelling at me.

It could be that... I don't know. I just think toast sounds like a good idea. It is something that I will get a hankering for and can eat an entire loaf of bread toast style (not all at once but over a several day to one week time period)... I think I am entering into a toast time.

This could be that my body knows I am planning something mean for it... (26.2 mile marathon on April 24th!!!) It could be that bread (of all sorts) represents comfort food to me and I am wanting comfort.

Oh... it could be that bread is my butter and jam delivery system and I am actually craving butter?

Another possibility is the psycho-somatic manifestation of.... nah! Even I couldn't come up with something. Toast just means toast.

The world may never know why I want toast today.

Sad

I just heard from my dad. My uncle Forrest passed away. He has had a fight with lung cancer for many years. During the first occurance, they removed 1/2 of his right lung (I think that is right) followed by radiation and chemo. This time around, he just got so tired, so quickly. That was when they discovered, almost by accident the cancer in his abdomen. He went back for his regular scan of his lungs and because of a little bit of pain/discomfort in his stomage, he asked them to scan a little lower.

His children were able to be with him in the end. Please remember his wife Brenda, and his kids... Micheal, Denise, Lana, and Melanie.

I have great memories of going over to their house for holidays. His house and yard and very much connected in my memory to my grandparents. Four generations lived side by side (and that still continued with Forrest grandchildren with three generations). Grandpa (my great-grandfather) lived in a small cabin next door to Grandma and Granddad and on the other side was Aunt Brenda and Uncle Forrest and their 4 kiddos. We would go over for Summer fun (4th of July is my biggest memories)... the cousins would thromp around in the creek behind the houses... raid Grandma's cookie jar... then run up to visit Grandpa (who would also give us cookies)... then we would take the Crawdads we caught from the creek to Uncle Forrest's carport and see if we could get them to fight together. There would always be some sort of country fun, whether it was shooting guns at paper targets or bottle rockets up in the air... The uncles would always be in lawn chair between Granddaddy and Grandma and Uncle Forrest's house, supervising or instructing or correcting the kids.

He was a wonderful and deep spiritual man. A deacon in his church. Someone that truly loved God, fellow men and country.

Engagement Pictures

Went to Cheekwood this past Sunday to take engagement pictures. What fun! We were climbing up rock walls and in between Bamboo. There was blowing of bubbles and even laying in the grass. All sorts of cuteness was to be had. Laura L. was kind enough to bring her camera and snap the pictures. And the phrase of the day... "I love it. Ya'll are so cute."

Finished Ignoring

Maybe... it is has been quite some time since I posted. There are several reasons behind this... none of which seem to matter today, because I want to complain a bit.

Will the person (or dog) that put sand in my eyes last night please step forward? Okay... maybe not. Is it just me or are allergins so completely out of control? Really, Seriously, Truly out of control. I feel like I have golf balls stuffed up my nose. And someone set my eyes on fire.

What is odd... I expected this two days ago. I know that when it comes to allergies I am what they call a "slow reactor", but really... after a good rain I expect relief... but NOOOO...

Thanks for listening. I plan on posting with a little more regularity. Let's see if that works for me.