A Quick Getaway, An Oil Leak and An Injured Ankle

Well, today is Sunday, July 27th and it has been an interesting week (since last Sunday). I have been 39 years old for a month today and it seems forever longer. I have really had to push myself in my workouts the past week and have had aches and pains in places I don't usually get them. I had emailed a friend of mine who is a chiropractor and has worked on my back before, about some strengthening exercises for my lower back. It's my weak point, but I also wanted to get it ready to carry a backpack everyday for classes. He found some low-tech ones for me to do using an exercise ball and emailed those to me to print off. I got the exercise ball last Thursday and had hoped to integrate them into my workouts this week.


We are in what the weathermen call the "Dog Days of Summer" and I feel it. A week ago last Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we were in Air Quality Alert days. High heat and humidity with stagnant air. It felt just awful and suffocating. I hate it when it gets like that. You get out of the shower on days like that and immediately feel like you need another shower. Also, it's awful on my asthma, which is very much under control, but days like that make me feel like I can't breath outside. Ugh. And those kind of days effect my ability to be able to be outdoors for campaign work, which I hate.


I got the car back last Monday from the mechanic's shop, without it being fixed. He got it to act up, like it does for me, racing and stalling, but not long enough to figure out what the problem was and he had it for almost a total of 2 weeks (that was awful). That whole situation is/was very frustrating. It's frustrating that he couldn't figure out the problem and fix it and it's frustrating being without a car. He said I would have to wait for the problem to become more consistent, which thrills me to no end since I am driving that vehicle. Once the problem becomes more consistent, then he can figure out the problem. But in the meantime, I have to wait for it to get worse and then be without a vehicle again while it's fixed, if I ever get to that point. Stupid car.

So, I get the car back on Monday afternoon. Tuesday morning I take it to get the oil changed in it cause it needed it and I had a coupon for a decent deal. So, I go get the oil changed. After they are done and I go to the cashier to pay for it, he says very casually, 'The mechanic says you have an oil leak and the underneath of the car was soaked in oil'. That just makes my day, let me tell ya. And it's only 10am! I parked the car backwards in my garage, when I got done running my errands, so I could see if the oil was indeed leaking and it is. There were oil spots on the floor of garage of a decent size Wednesday morning. That leak still needs to be found and fixed. Fun.


I did manage to apply for a job last Wednesday. I did it all online which was an interesting experience for me. It's at one of the universities here in town and it's part-time. It seems like it would fit what I need very well, but I haven't worked a steady job for quite a long time, so we'll see how it goes. I also posted my resume, such as it is, on Monster.com, in case anyone on that site might be interested. I have a few other places I am going to apply and we'll see what happens. I need to find something that will be flexible with my class schedule, but that also will give me a certain amount of money per week. With everything that's going wrong on that car, I am going to have to try to save some money and go see my Pops' car guy in Kentucky at Christmas break and see about getting something else; if the car lasts that long.


My mother-in-law graciously switched vehicles with me last Thursday so I could still have my little getaway to my cousins in Sidney. I thought that was very nice of her and I much appreciated it because I really didn't want to take the beast (that's what I call the car) on the open road with all that is going on with it. So, thanks Mom!


I spent time each day last week working on the house. I worked on the bathtub/shower (which is a bear for me to clean, physically), worked on the main bedroom as it has been a disaster area for quite some time, moved everything I could out of the dining room and kitchen and swept and mopped it. Just little things that have needed done on top of my regular Monday cleanings (bathroom, laundry, change of sheets and blankets, sweeping etc.). So, the house is starting to look better bit by bit, which is hard work, but makes me feel good. I want to get most, if not all, of these side projects done, before classes start in September, cause after classes start, it won't get done. I won't have time.


Our Beth Moore study last week was really good. Each week it is good, excellent. I have learned so much from it and feel so much closer to God in my personal relationship with Him. And Beth Moore is just awesome! Such an encouraging, intelligent, energetic lady! God has really used her in a mighty way with this study and all of her studies, I am sure. We aren't meeting this week because New Life is having VBS in the evenings this week. But, our small group was graciously offered an opportunity to get-together at one of our lady's house, just to hang out, snack and fellowship. So, that's what we are doing, which I am really looking forward to. Beth Moore will be back next Wednesday, August 6th and then the next week, the 13th, will be our last night! I can't believe it will be over already! It seems like we just got started. I will miss it when we are done, but know that it would be difficult for me to do while working and being in college in the school year. It's a lot of good, hard work, I don't mind that, I have enjoyed it, but I know because it requires so much that it would be impossible for me to do any other time of the year, but the summer.

Last Friday morning I went to my cousins in Sidney for the day and overnight. We had a good time together and it was nice to get away for a bit. We talked and talked (which we always do!) and went to the Shelby County Fair Friday afternoon. Then we went back to the house and chilled for a bit, talked some more, looked at pictures of my cousin that he had sent from Iraq. He is doing okay over there (this is his 3rd and last tour), but is ready to come home and get out of the Army. His enlistment actually will end before they are scheduled to come back to the U.S., so while we are all proud of him and his service to our country, we are all ready for him to come home especially this time. Keep him and his group in your prayers if you would. I would appreciate it.


Anyhow, Friday evening, we decided to go to the movies (she hadn't been for a while). She (my cousin) wanted to see 'The Dark Knight'. I had seen it a week ago Saturday with a girl friend of mine here in town, but it was so good, I didn't mind to see it again. So, we drove down to Piqua, got a quick bite to eat and then saw the movie. She loved it (I knew she would)! I liked it again too, and noticed things this time I hadn't when I saw it the first time. ( I must put in a note here to say that Heath Ledger plays 'The Joker' brilliantly and it is especially poignant since he passed away last January.) So, we got back to her house about 1030pm or so. We changed into our pjs and sat and talked some more. Watched the 11pm news and then got into 'The Late Show' with David Letterman and 'The Late, Late Show' with Craig Ferguson (who is hilarious). We talked and laughed through Letterman and into Ferguson's show, then both of our bedtime meds finally kicked in and we decided to call it a night. Still, it was after 1am before I got to sleep.


I woke up the next morning about 715am, a full 45 minutes before my alarm was set to go off. I was irked. The reason I woke up was cause I was in pain. My left knee. He hurts and aches from the arthritis from time to time. Also, when a front is coming. Both my cousin and I can tell the weather with our bodies. Certain parts hurt when the weather is going to change or a front is coming. I got up and went to the bathroom and then watched some morning news on FOXNEWS channel. She woke up about 8am. We talked for a bit, watching the news and then both of us got ready for the day. She had to be at work at 130pm, so I left about noon. I also was expecting strong storms from the cold front and wanted to get home before those fired up. I got home around 2pm and as it turned out, the storms popped up later in the afternoon all around us here, but we didn't get a drop of rain here at the house.

So, last night, I catch up on some emails, get ink for the printer and print off my back exercises, and just chill. I ended up watching the original 'Peter Pan' movie last night on 'Wonderful World of Disney' on ABC. It was just as good as it was when I was a kid and I enjoyed it just as much. I was tired and knew I would have to get up at 7am this morning to get my workout in (including the new back exercises) and then get ready for Church. So, I had taken my first set of bedtime meds at 8pm or a little after, wanting to get to sleep about 10pm cause I was tired and knew I would have to get up early today.


At some point, after I had taken the dog out for her bedtime walk and all, I was getting out of bed to go to the bathroom. I have this stupid habit that I need to stop doing, but did it anyway last night. When I was getting out of the bed, I stood up on the bed ( I do this all the time) and then step from the bed, onto my cedar chest at the foot of the bed and then the floor. I don't know why I got in the habit of doing this, but I have. So, I am doing this last night, and as I stepped from the bed to the cedar chest, the cedar chest slid on the wood floor out from underneath of me. So, my left leg, which was on the cedar chest, went with it as it slid and my right leg, slid right off the bed between the bed and the chest to the floor. I knew instantly that I had done something to my right ankle in particular. It was that nice, instant, kind of pain. Don't ya just love that? I recovered myself and stood up. I slid the chest back up against the foot of the bed and went on to the bathroom. It's then I notice that I have scraped my right ankle, it's swollen and had already bruised nicely. Great.

So, after the bathroom, I limp to the freezer and get an ice pack. I get back in the bed and put the ice pack on my ankle and take some motrin. I waited a bit and then about 10pm took the rest of my bedtime meds and went to sleep, hoping the ankle wasn't as bad as it looked.


This morning, my alarm went off at 7am, cause it's a workout day. I groggily turned it off and lay here a minute. I know pretty quickly that my right ankle is throbbing and my left ankle isn't feeling so hot. I look at both of them and they are both swollen. Even better. I limp to the bathroom and find it very painful to walk on both, but particularly my right foot/ankle. I get done in the bathroom, gingerly walk to the freezer, get 2 ice packs and gingerly make my way back to the bed. I know I will not be working out and after icing them both and taking some motrin and waiting for it to kick in, I know I am not going to make it to Church either. Ugh. I text hubby that things weren't good, ankle wise, and asked him to stop by here on way to church and walk the dog. Poor thing was probably crossing her legs waiting. He also brought back the beast and took his mom's van to take back to her. I thanked him for taking care of the dog and bringing my beast back for me.


I wait a while and then ice both ankles again and take more motrin. By 1pm they are both hurting pretty badly, especially the right one, and the coloring on it continued to get worse from the bruising. So, I get dressed carefully and gingerly drive myself to an urgent care center to have them looked at. That was a nice trick. It hurt to walk, to drive etc. The doc looks at them and x-rays the right one to make sure it's not broken or fractured. It's not, thankfully. He diagnoses the right one as a sprain with deep contusions (bruising) to the bone, ligaments, and tendons. Nice. Sometimes those injuries are worse than breaks. He gives me a script for a super-motrin and some pain medicine. I stop at Walgreens on the way home and fill those scripts. He didn't wrap the ankle, but I bought a small ace bandage while waiting on the scripts and wrapped the right ankle when I got home. It made the ankle feel more secure and not as painful. I iced it again when I got home and ate a sandwich and took 2 pain pills. The left one is just pretty stiff right now and doesn't feel too badly. Just stiff and sore.

I am to stay off the right one as much as possible (there go my workouts for the week!), elevate it, ice it and let it heal on it's own. Ease back into my workouts when it starts to feel better and not as painful to walk on or use. The things I manage to do to myself, I tell ya. I am the worlds biggest klutz! I always have been, especially when I was growing (I am tall and mostly all legs), but still continue to be so even now.

So, that has been my life lately. I am still working with my counselor and we are making some good progress. I am getting stronger every day and learning how to do for myself. It's not fun, but it's nice to know that I am stronger than I thought I was.

God is still working on me too. It seems I learn something new every day whether from my daily Bible reading, prayers or Beth Moore study. I like the learning and I know it's good to grow, but can be painful and difficult too. But any kind of growth is like that isn't it? Painful and difficult.

I register for classes tomorrow morning for fall quarter online. That's a new one for me. I am used to the real old fashioned way; you fill out a paper with the classes you want, then you wait in line (forever it seems) to see the registrar in hopes that you can still get into the classes you want. Anyhow, I have my classes picked out, their ID numbers written down, everything ready to go for registering online first thing in the morning. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. Hopefully I will get the schedule I have written down. It has me starting at 9am and done M-W-F at 120pm and T-Th at 10am. It's 3 classes for a total of 14 credit hours. It's a lot, but what I need to take this year, equals out to 3 classes per quarter to get it all done. Plus,that still gives me late morning/and afternoon time for a job. So, here I go, into my new adventure of finally finishing my degree and getting back into the job market.

I guess I have blabbed way too much for this time. Wow! It's 7pm already! My how the time flies when I am writing on here.

I hope ya'll are doing well. I hope that ya'll have a good week. Oh! I expect my new nephew any day now! He seems in a hurry to get here (although isn't due til Aug 17th) and I am bettin' he'll be here way before then!


Anyhow, ya'll have a terrific week! May God Bless all ya'll!!!!