Class in 30

Hi! I have class in 30 minutes but I have enough time to get a post in!

So right now my apartment is just me and one other roommate. We were suppose to have another girl move in on Monday, but she never showed. I guess we scared her off... lol

Summer school ends next Friday! Yay! Then my crucial doctor's appointment the following Tuesday. Cross your fingers people, this one is important.

I'm busy with getting ready for formal recruitment too, on top of school and health. I enjoy it though, so no complaints there. It's just busy! Lots to get done, not enough time it seems.

Going home this weekend for some family time! I can't wait. I love going back home to visit when I'm away.

I have a kines test tomorrow on muscles of the hip joint, knee joint, and ankle joint and then a physics test on Friday on... I'm really not sure what the topic is even called. Stuff. Busy!! Lots of studying, at least 2 tests a week, this week has 3 for 2 classes. And a project due early next week!! Now do you see why I haven't been posting much?!

I got a new laptop!! I forgot to mention that! My old one was toying with me about kicking the bucket so we helped it along with a sale that came to Best Buy! I now have a nice speedy laptop that I love.

The boxer puppy is getting big and strong!! But I love having her around. It's nice to have some canine company.

Ok class in 23 minutes, but I want to do treatment too so adios!

-Andrea

It's Tuesday!

Like my title? Ha I couldn't think of anything else to put.

So this year I'm in a new apartment with new girls and I love it. There are 4 of us and 2 dogs. Seriously, I'm thrilled. I'm a MAJOR dog person, it's insane. In a month, two of the girls will be leaving, along with one dog, and I'm sad to see them go. We've all been getting along great. I'm so glad that at least one dog will be staying though. I know when I'm away from home, I miss my dog sometimes more than anything else. I mean, she sleeps with me every night! But even though I don't get to bring McKenzy with me to college, I still get a boxer to play with! She's still a puppy so it's tons of fun. She's in that awkward "teenage" stage where she's not used to her legs yet and thinks she's smaller than she really is. I love playing with her, even when I have to pry my fingers from her mouth from time-to-time. She's precious and I'm overjoyed that she'll be here for at least a year with me!



I just got out of my physics class. I can already tell that it will be the class I will have to really study for. It's not exactly a thrilling subject and it's at 8am and my focus is on the nap I'd really like to be taking! I know I know, bad student, but oh well. I'm even doing a good job of going to bed at a decent time (10:30ish) to get enough sleep to get up at 6:30.

This morning however I woke up at 5:10 coughing up blood. Can I just tell you how annoying and slightly scary that still is to me? Even though I understand it now, it still freaks me out. So I got up and took another Vit. K (I took one the night before because I felt that bloody cough coming on) and did my morning albuterol. It stopped mostly. I ended up just sleeping until 7 that morning hoping to give my body a little more rest. I think it worked. I'm not feeling fantastic and I'm a little wary because my lungs feel so fragile right now, but I'm still getting everything done that needs to be done. I'm going!

I have 152.4 hours on this Vest. To quote CFFatboy today, "Unbelievable to think of all that time we have to spend doing things others can't comprehend." Preach it! Dear "normal" people, can you imagine yourself in an inflatable vest being shaken for 20, 30, 60 minutes at a time every day? Being tethered to one spot for a lengthy amount of time? You can't write while doing the Vest, so homework is out. You kinda need headphones to hear anything while doing the Vest (plus the air compressor for treatments) but ear buds tickle while you're shaken. Don't eat or drink (that's really funny to try though). Don't forget, this is EVERY DAY! Crazy, huh? My friends have told my for years "I couldn't do what you do." Yes, if you had to and you knew nothing different, you could. But I see what they mean. They can't even comprehend having to be so constantly aware of their health status and planning a day with chunks of time set aside for treatments because it's not second nature to them like it is to me and my fellow CFers. Just a thought.

In case you live under a rock, the final Harry Potter movie comes out this Friday. Excited doesn't even begin to describe me. I literally get goosebumps every time I see a preview for it. I don't do midnight showings, or really crowded movies at all, but I'll go see this one early in the runnings. I'm stoked.

I'm also excited about that Dallas trip this weekend too with mama dearest. It really will be fun!

Oh I did some reading during my time of nothingness. I had mentioned reading the 7th Harry Potter book again, but I also read a few other books, such as To Kill a Mockingbird. I love that book. I went to B&N and bought Schindler's List. It's a hard read, but so far good. I'm having to put it on hold though with the fast pace of my summer classes. I'll have some time between summer classes and fall classes, so maybe I'll read some more then.

I guess I'm now just getting out all of my thoughts I had kept bottled up during the time I was "uninspired" to write. Enjoy!

-A

Parents, tattoos, and surgeries

Today is Parent's Weekend for Sigma Kappa!! My rents are here, but I thought I'd put in a quick post since I've been really MIA lately. It's been a fun day filled with brunch with Mom, bowling with Dad, and then our banquet this evening!

So... I've been putting this off, but I wanted you dear bloggers to read that I got a tattoo! Check it out:

(That's the inside of my left ankle/heel area)
I've been putting it off because I wanted my parents to see it in person before I put it up here. I was getting it done Monday, but the tattoo parlor was closed. I was getting it done Tuesday, but they had no openings. So finally, I made an appointment for Thursday and got it done. It kinda hurt, but worth it. Joey, the tattoo artist, called me a wuss. Haha.

Beeker had her surgery and is recovering now. She has to stay in one of those cones and I hate that, but it's necessary. Poor baby. :[

Fatboy also had his surgery, but he's not in a cone! He went home really soon post-op and starting eating right away!! Trooper. Read about it here.

10 Days until my doctor's appointment. And sometime before then I need to have lab work and xrays done. Hmm. When am I going to find time for that?

Time to go have fun with my sisters and my parents!
-Annie

Hello, 2011!

My first week back in school since the New Year has been pretty good. Busy, big surprise, but good! This weekend is going to be busy too with it being Sigma Kappa Parent's Weekend and our banquet.

Sorry for the short update. I'm sleepy still, I've got class soon, and I've got a lot on my plate including a test on Monday.

Here's a shoutout to CF Fatboy who had another sinus surgery yesterday. No update from him yet, but his wife said that they were home already, which was earlier than Fatboy expected! That's fantastic news.

Sorry for the short update. My next one should be longer.

-Andrea

Prayers for my brother's dog Beeker who is having her right eye removed today due to a tumor. Praying that the surgery goes well and the tumor is benign.

Greetings, from the other side of finals week

The quarter is over and break has begun... THANK GOODNESS. That was a rough quarter, to say the least. But it's over now and it's time to relax for a while, eat lots of good food, spend time with family and friends, and then, once again, start thinking about Winter Quarter.

Health update!

I've still been coughing a good bit (I think it's related to my wacky schedule during finals week) but NO BLOOD!! I can't even tell you how excited this makes me. I still check each time I have a coughing fit, just to be sure, but so far nothing. Yay!

On the other hand, my gut it furious at me. This happens from time-to-time and is where most of my CF problems have occurred. It will pass in due time. Amusingly enough, when my colon makes really funny noises, it freaks my dog out because she doesn't know where the sounds are coming from. Hee hee

Speaking of my puppy, she's been very, VERY clingy lately (I'm talking thunderstorm clingy) and I think it's because she's afraid I'll leave again. The last few times I've been home during college, I've either not stayed the night or only stayed about 24 hours. Not long enough for my dog to be happy with it apparently. She's been enjoyed curling up in my bed with me, I can tell. She's there now waiting on me. Well, she's already napped on my stomach, curled in my knees, and on my feet keeping them warm during the day. Clingy clingy. But I love it. :]

Time to rest up for a Saturday or relaxation. Doing nothing is hard sometimes! Ahh, the joys of break!

-Annie

To celebrate the week of thanksgiving, look for my upcoming post on things I'm thankful for!

Being a Mommy is HARD WORK.....

.....so I'm glad I'm only an AUNT!

Sarah, the sis-in-law that went with me to Boston, packed up her bags and flew to California with other family members! My brother is busy with his full-time job and his online work to get his masters degree. He's swamped! So I got asked (and of course accepted!) to help take care of my sweet nephew Carter while Sarah was gone. So almost every day I have been taking him or picking him up from day care and keeping him the rest of the day. Today is my day "off" since I took him to daycare this morning and my brother is keeping him for the night. I'll have him all day and night on Friday though! I love that little kid to death, but I'm so tired! He just wears me out! It's hard work being a full time Mom!!! I had always been told that babysitting is great birth control! lol

I'm so behind on things I need to get done. My room is *still* a disaster, I need to wash my Cayston pieces for this afternoon's dose, I need to shower (groossss), and several other things with deadlines coming up in the next 3-4 days!! Maybe I'll be motivated after I finish this post. I work better under pressure...

I've made a point to avoid phone calls from pharmacies, drug companies, etc. ever since I turned 18. However, they are starting to ask for me instead of my parents. While I've been typing this, I got a call from the people who ship Pulmozyme. I ignored the call, but then felt kinda guilty. So I called them back and went through their automated system until I finally reached a real person. Turns out, they were just calling to inform me that Pulmozyme was shipped.

Thanks.

I don't know how, honestly, but I'm an entire box behind on Pulmozyme. I mean, I'm almost done with the box I'm on now and have a full one in the fridge and now one on the way!! How did this happen?! I don't skip, especially not an entire box's worth! Oh well. Better than needing it and it not shipping on time.

Oh, and I forgot that I need to drive out to my brother's house (outside of town) and deliver the Pack 'n Play and let out their dog... well... I wouldn't call Coach a real dog. He stopped trying to make us believe he was a real dog a long time ago.

Here are a few old pictures from when McKenzy and Coach were younger, just because I want to post a picture today.

-Andrea

Auntie Anne week

This week, starting today, I will be taking up a lot of responsibility with taking care of Carter, the nephew! His mom just left on a vacation to California so I'm helping my brother with his daddy duties! Also, I'll get to spend some quality time with brother #2, and I'm pretty excited about that too.

Not too much to report on since I've been home that I haven't already mentioned. My backgammon addiction is growing, but I taught Chris how to play and he likes it too! I was not going to order my own game to take to college because I was afraid no one would want to play with me, since it's not a common game anymore. But now that Chris likes it, I'm reconsidering ordering one! I'll just use my Amazon money, thank you Zenpep!

And lastly, I knew Harry Potter was a good book, but McKenzy found it especially enticing....

Ugh. Dog.

-Annie

VBS + Dixie

So I'm exhausted from chasing 4-5 year olds this week. I've been doing craft projects at church and at home for these sweet [read: wild] kids and I'm beat! I've been with the boyfriend when I can since he's going to be gone to visit his sister again this weekend. So I'm putting off things like cleaning until then when I'll have more time. I'm finished the Vest/treatment at the moment which is why I'm still up. Mom and I just spent the last hour planning details of our Boston trip! It's so close!! I'm getting extremely excited. I'm not sure how I'm going to work Cayston into this trip, since I'll be on it while I'm there, but I'll manage!

I feel like posting a few pictures of Dixie, my last dog before McKenzy. Dixie died the summer before my senior year. I made the very difficult decision to put her down because she was so, so sick. I still miss her a whole lot, despite having McK. They are two

very different dogs. Dixie was very passive while McK is a much more active and crazy dog. They were/are both very sweet however. Dixie will always have a special place in my heart. I want to post a few pictures because I don't believe she really ev

er made it on the blog and she was such an important part of my life for so long (11 years) that it's only right she gets some air time!

So here we go: I love and miss you Dixie!

It won't let me post the last picture. Well I can, but it's rotated the wrong way. Never had that happen before. Odd.

-Annie

Sore from shopping?!

I woke up with my back hurting, my arms hurting, and other random muscles hurting. I wish I could say these were from a great workout... but they were just from my fun shopping day with Mom on Sunday. This is insane. Honestly, unless I went and worked out in my sleep last night, that's the only thing I can even possibly be sore from. How sad is that? I mimicked the "taking off a shirt" motion and my arms surged with pain. Yep. It was my shopping day with Mom. *sigh* I've said it 100 times and I'll say it again: I'm old, fat, and retired.

I'm going running again today with sis-in-law Sarah if the weather is good. Last night the rain was so bad I, along with everyone else around me, had to go 40mph on the highway just to get any sort of clear vision. It was bad bad bad. So if the rain comes again tonight, we will put off running. Maybe I'll Wii Fit it up again. I do love the Wii Fit.

I'm thinking my neck is sore from sleeping with my puppy last night. If there is even a slight roll of thunder, she's super-extra needy for hours after it's over. With the serious storms last night, she sat in my lap and shook. I was going to take a picture, but my camera wasn't nearby. I had to take her outside to go to the bathroom one more time, before she went to bed, right in the middle of those storms. I walked out with her with an umbrella and plopped her in the grass. She was fine until some thunder roared: she jumped up and over and right out from under the umbrella. She wasn't as happy about being outside anymore. I finally got her to do some puppy business and we went inside. I got her a towel and kept her in it until I was sure she wasn't wet or cold. My neck might hurt because when she sleeps with me during storms, she is almost under me she's so close. She might at one point have wedged herself under my neck or my back, placing my neck at a funny angle. It's ok though. She needed me.

Time to wash Cayston stuff so I can do this morning's dose. Having 2 pieces for 3 treatments is wearing on my last nerve (but! I'm biting my tongue and being positive about it). Luckily, I end my first round of Cayston Thursday night!!! Only a few more days!!

-Annie

DEXA and stuff

I did the DEXA bone density scanner on Monday. The result: I have very good bones! :] I guess all that calcium over the years did some good. Thanks Mom!

I am FINALLY back in my own bed for good. I am done house-sitting, thankfully, and can't wait to curl up with my puppy for the night. She's anxiously waiting me to finish the Vest, do Cayston, scoop her up, and go to sleep (just look at that sad face!!). But I keep having to stop the Vest because it hurts my stomach and my back. Not sure if it makes a difference that I keep stopping and restarting it, but I have to.

I went to visit my college today! I felt so good to be "home". I went and saw my Big, Elizabeth, and then my study buddy Ragan. It was fun. I miss those girls and that town so much.

This Friday, LBASYC is visiting my home church! I will definitely be at that concert to see my friends and hear their beautiful music. As soon as the concert is over and I hug a few people, I'm driving out to Chris's camp to watch his Friday night campfire skits. He's been ragging me for 4 years to come watch so, since I promised I would this year, I figure I should keep that promise. ;]

I have a few more days of relaxation and then my life picks up pace again (not always a bad thing!). I will be going to the home LBASYC concert *next* Friday and then getting up Saturday morning, July 3, and riding with Chris down south to visit his sister. I'll be riding back with his parents on the 5th so I can make a meeting on the 6th that is for the camp I start working on the 11th, after a skit filming I have on the 10th. BUSY BUSY!!! I can't wait. I'm going to be very tired, low on energy and blog posts, but having a great time.

Alright, NOW it's time to go to sleep! Gnight!

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASON!! I love you, Brother. :]

The First Days of Summer

What have I done during my first day and 1/2 of summer? Hahah practically nothing. It's been great. Thursday night, I stayed up until about 2 talking a friend who was leaving for Germany the next day. I then slept until 11 the next morning. But after waking up I went to the den and stretched out on the couch for a few more hours. I was ready for the day around 3:00pm when Chris picked me up so we could run a few errands together. Unlike me, he hasn't gotten a chance to catch his breath because he's been so busy. Friday for him included packing for a boy scout national school camp thing, packing for a trip to help his sister move, and driving back to college to get new membered into Pi Kappa Phi, a fraternity he's joining. Saturday morning he left for the national school. I took on the job of sewing on some patches onto his boy scout uniform and they took foreeeeeever and I worked past midnight it. It was pretty easy to stay awake because Mom got this great... idea to watch the original Nightmare on Elm Street on Netflixs at like 8pm. I don't do horror films at night. I love horror films, just not when it's dark already. I stayed busy enough between the time the movie ended and when I went to bed because I didn't have nightmares.... thank goodness.

I've got a little while before I'm leaving home again, which is good. I don't think McKenzy (my puppy) has realized this because she still hasn't left my side for very long. I just got my right arm back from her so I could finish typing this but she's now an armrest for me. She's soooo warm...

This was us last night before bed. I wanted a new picture for Facebook and I wanted her in it. I set her down after this picture and she didn't budge. She was so sleepy!

Today... hmm... today I'm not doing much either. Today is graduation for my college and my high school friends! It was a year ago I was graduating.. how strange. How wonderful. It was an exciting time. A nervous time.

I guess I'll attack the millions of boxes/bags that I brought home from the apartment and figure out what can stay boxed up and what needs to be unpacked. I also think it's time to take a trashbag to my room. There are things I no longer need and I really can free some space up. *sigh* But I really don't want to yet!! I'm still being lazy. I guess I'll figure out a common group or something.

My boyfriend joined a frat. I know I mentioned that earlier, but this is me just thinking about it. How strange!! I love it, don't get me wrong, but he was as anti-frat as I was anti-sorority. Look what's happened to us. :] I'm excited for him.

I'm hungry. Food time (as if there was anything to eat in this house. We need to go grocery shopping!!!)

-Annie

"No Excuses!"

And yet... still not running. And my running buddy just left for Illinois. *sigh*. The cold outside takes my feeble motivation and stomps it into the ground. And the stationary bike was put up in the closet to make room for family. So I sit.

I've noticed a change in my level of coughing, and so has my mom. THAT'S NOT GOOD because now she's worried I'm either getting sick or CF sick and I have a Dr. appt in January. Fantastic. I'll be up and running starting around Jan 4 (since I'll be back in college-town) but it's going to be another tough start from the beginning.

On a lighter note, it's Christmas Eve! Today will be a good day with going to the grandparents' for the traditional pizza lunch and then to a family friends' house where every year they host the after-dinner party. The dinner was at another family friends' house, but they've had a busy year with 3 weddings and sick parents, so no annual Christmas Eve chili dinner. So the after-party people this year are picking up the slack and serving dinner too. Life's pretty great around here around this time of year.

So my dog is strange sometimes. In her crate, she has a water bowl that is attached to the metal door. We fill it every night. We also always give her her pink blanket (that her birth owner gave her as a parting gift). It seems by every morning, the pink blanket is put in the water. And not usually just a corning, but stuffed in there. And this morning, I think she tried to take a bath in it, and was pretty successful. One side of her face, her belly, her tail, and all four paws were sopping wet. And as soon as I let her out of her crate, she heads for my bed. *sigh*

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a great morning. :]

-Annie

Back "home"

Back in my college town, nothing too exciting has happened. I was going to go to a basketball game, but that got all messed up, so I didn't. I'm really tired and will be going to be in the next 2 hours or so. *yawn* Good thing too, because I have 8AM CLASSES EVERY MORNING. I must have been suicidal when I planned that.

Today has not been a good day overall. It started when I woke up late and has kinda gone downhill. That's probably part of the reason I'm tired. I'm just drained from all the negativity of my day. Tomorrow can only be better!

I'm going to miss being tackled by my puppy early in the morning tomorrow. Even though she always woke me up earlier than I wanted, I loved every time she did it. And especially when I fell back asleep and woke up with her curled where my knees bend, fast asleep with me. That's something to wake up to. :]


-Annie

Highlighting the Best Moments of Christmas '08

• Family came into town!(Including 2 huskies)
• My brother/sis-in-law got a new puppy!!
• My mom unwraps a Quesadilla Maker box: "Oh! I've never had a Quesadilla maker before." "And... you still don't. Sorry! Open the box!"
• My aunt giving my mom and myself Fancy Bibs: for those nights out to protect your dress!
• My sis-in-law giving her sister earrings.... when her sister has gauges.
• GREAT FOOD.
• The family's attempt to sing a Christmas song together and my mom disliking our choices.
• Watching home-videos of myself and my brothers when we were really little.
• An hour long Uno game.
• Cutthroat.... aka "I h.ate this game"
• And the Christmas Eve service and the true miracle of Christmas.

And one more thing: my favourite gift this year-
I called my brothers, their wives, my aunt, and my grandmother to pitch in money to surprise my parents with tickets to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra coming to town on Dec. 27. That was gift I was most excited to give this year. :]

-Andrea