BOOK REVIEW!!

Okay so I decided to try something a bit different. I know this has nothing to do with me living with Rheumatoid Arthritis but BECAUSE I have this nasty disease, I have more time to "lay around reading all day" as somebody once said. Ahem, that somebody shall remain nameless. *Sheepish grin*

So, without much further ado, I will give you my first, of what I hope to be many, book review. Now, some may be wondering what qualifications I have to give such suggestions? Well, the answer would be simply this: none. Nada. I have no professional qualifications. I have no fancy degree. I have no legitimate critical skills to make such suggestions. I do, however, have weird, and what some may consider eclectic, taste in literature. I was an English Literature major in college (only 16 credits shy of my Bachelor's degree at Gonzaga University). And I have had a love of reading since, umm well, since I could read!! So there you have it. You can either choose to read on (if you deem me so qualified) or quit now (and NEVER know what you are missing). Your choice. I will sit here and wait while you decide.

Doop die do.



*Nails tapping*



Hmmm-hmmm-hmmmm.




What? Oh, okay, then let's begin! (Good choice!)

I was watching the telly the other day and saw a movie trailer for an upcoming film called "One Day" featuring Anne Hathaway (Disney's Darling) and Jim Sturgess (the yummy lad who plays Jude in "Across the Universe," one of my favorite films). Immediately upon watching the trailer, I was hooked. So off to Amazon.com to order the book, and two painful days later (thanks to my Amazon Prime membership, I get free two-day shipping), I was nestled with my novel, ready to begin the twenty year journey of a boy and a girl, who could never get their timing, quite right.

"One Day" (written by David Nicholls, a British author of both novels and screenplays) begins in Scotland July 15, 1988 with protagonists, Emma and Dexter. Two classmates from Edinburgh College on the day of their commencement, anxiously (and a tad neurotically) awaiting the beginning of their lives, who meet for the first time and share one life changing night. A night that will begin their journey, together and apart, of life and all its ups and downs that so many of us have experienced. This one day of a chance meeting changes their path creating one of the most exquisite loves stories of our time.

Nicholls delicately vacillates between romance and friendship, allowing Emma and Dexter to struggle to find not only themselves, but each other, through the course of twenty years. Each chapter is one day (July 15) of each consecutive year. They are but a mere glance at where Emma and Dexter have landed whether it be working as a waitress at a cheeky Mexican Restaurant or traveling from one country to the next not knowing what direction to take your life. "One Day" tackles the questions of life such as: what do you do when you fall in love with your best friend or what chances are you willing to take for security, career, love, and friendship.

Nicholls is a grand master at the art of storytelling. His chapters are fluid and rich allowing the reader to take the journey with his characters. You love them and hate them, much like Emma and Dexter's relationship, yet find yourself rooting for them to come together in the end. Quite frankly, I couldn't stop reading.

I feel that I should leave it at that, and not give too much away. It is one of those novels that though you think you know what is going to happen, but find yourself surprised and a little shocked as the events unfold year after year. I literally could not put it down nearing the end (actually I stayed up until 2:30 in the am to finish it). It was that good.

If you are looking for a short but excellently written novel that you can loose yourself in, than this is the book for you! I think both men and women alike can appreciate this book because it deals with the emotional and physical challenges of life that we all face. I cannot recommend this book enough.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, click here to buy it from amazon.com. I should tell you that there are two versions available on amazon. One is what they are calling a "movie tie-in edition." I have no idea what the difference is, but I read the original publication (if you want to purchase the one I read). You can decide the difference.

Just DO IT!! BUY IT!!

If you do, I would love to hear your opinions on whether you enjoyed it, whether you agree or disagree with my assessment of the book. All that good stuff. After all, it makes the experience that much better if you can share it with others, right?

Thank you for allowing me to give you a reading suggestion. I hope to do this more often and perhaps include films and music as well. I will always warn you with the title of the post if it will be a review (in case you are not interested in my opinions...I have been told a time or two to keep them to myself).

Again, wishing you all good health and happy reading!

One more thing...I am anxiously awaiting the movie to come out, however with most films that derive from books, they tend to butcher them and I walk away unfulfilled and dissatisfied. I have already noticed a few changes they have made just from the trailer. Oh well, I will still watch it. It opens at a theater near you on August 19, 2011! :)

What Goes Around Comes Around...

Today on Facebook, I saw a comment from one of my younger friends entitled:

"I hate all F&#@ing cops!"

Obviously this caught my attention.

You see this friend of mine is quite young. She just turned 21 as a matter of fact and therefore, I was curious as to why she was so upset with the police force. As I read further, I found out the reason she was so upset was because she was pulled over by a police officer for failing to signal with her blinker as she was making a turn. Apparently she doesn't have insurance (which is a big no-no here in Washington). So her ticket was written for $740!! Five hundred and fifty for the failure to have proof of insurance and another hundred and ninety for failing to signal.

All I can say is that she must have argued with the police officer over this ticket because that does seem a bit excessive for failure to use a blinker. I mean, I have done that myself. It can happen. But not having insurance when it is required by law?? That is a totally different story.

You see, I can remember when I was younger and was on my own for the first time, struggling to make ends meet, robbing Peter to pay Paul. I get it. I know what it is like. But I can honestly say that I have never, NEVER gone without auto insurance. There are a few bills that you ALWAYS have to pay on time and your insurance is one of them. Or you DON'T DRIVE!! End of story. Your rent and car payment are the other two biggies that you must pay every month because you need a roof over your head and you need a car to get from A to B. (I know you don't need a car, but I grew up in rural Montana and there was no public transit system to rely on)

It is very irresponsible for anyone to drive an automobile that is uninsured. There is a reason this is a law. And there are consequences when you break the law. End of story.

So I told my father this story and he started to laugh at me. He said I sure must be getting old, because it is funny how my attitude has changed over the years. Maybe that is true. Maybe I am more of a stickler now days and now that I am more mature. But is there really anything wrong with that? At first I was offended by his comment, but the more I think about it, the more I am okay with my reaction. I guess I am just thinking of all the people and or property that she could potentially ruin if she were to crash her car being uninsured. Does she make that much money at her job that she could afford to pay for damages?? I bet not.

I really wanted to post something to her Facebook and give my opinion, but I thought how she may react and decided against it. What's worse, is her friends were sympathizing with her and recanting their "horror" stories of the "idiot" cops they came into contact with. The nerve of those police officers doing their job!!

I guess I would maybe give her a little more sympathy except, and I am not exaggerating here, this is her third post about how she was pulled over by a police officer for one infraction or another but (because she is really cute and bats her eyes) she gets off with a warning! So maybe I think she kinda had it coming. Is that harsh? Am I just being a hater to all those pretty young things out there that can bat their eye lashes or show some skin to get away with murder? Maybe. But I am a true believer in Karma. So what goes around comes around. Maybe she will learn a valuable lesson here and maybe realize that she has no business being behind a wheel of a car if it has no insurance.

But I am sure that is asking too much!

Wishing you all good health and humor. Oh, and DON'T DRIVE UNINSURED!! Just sayin'!

I to am a Stupid People

Today I found myself making an erroneous attempt at humor. I say erroneous because it went horribly wrong.

I posted this on Facebook to one of my friends who works at a Veterinary Clinic:
"Sorry about the cat bite...that bites!! Tell Dr. Carter I said that...you know how he loves those puns!! Their so punny!! :)"

Okay. Do you see my mistake?

It is a common error and one that has become one of my biggest pet peeves over the years, which makes it ironic that I would do it myself. I mean, usually, I get physically disgusted when people do this. Okay, maybe not physically (I mean it's not like I throw up or anything) but seriously, this really really bothers me.

Still haven't guessed it yet?

Well it is the common grammatical error with the words "their, there, and they're." I know for some this may seem trivial but to me, it is annoying. It is fundamental grammar; something that should have been taught and memorized when you learned to spell. There are other examples that irritate me just as much: your and you're; effect and affect; to, two, and too; it's and its; where, were, and we're (there are more, but you get my point).

But why does this bother me?

Me of all people! Me, the girl who cannot spell. The answer is simple really. It is just a stupid pet peeve that really has no basis. And on top of it, I STILL have to look up the difference between words like "empathize and sympathize" and "then and than" and sometimes I STILL use the wrong one. I know I am not perfect nor do I know everything in the world, but it for some strange reason makes me shudder when people screw up these little words.

It reminds me of one of my favorite books called " Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by: Lynn Truss, a British journalist who was sick and tired of people getting it wrong. But she is way worse than me. Truss is what I would call a grammar bully (a term which I did not pen). I have a friend, whom I love dearly, but she can be a bit like this as well. Let me clarify, that I do not think she is a grammar bully, but rather a word connoisseur and pretty much knows her stuff. You see, I would not correct someone unless I knew we had that kind of relationship that it would be a welcomed critique rather than taken with ill intentions. People like my friend and Truss are such sticklers for proper grammar that they cannot help themselves and immediately correct a person, regardless of whether they welcome the critique or not. They do not see this as demeaning or uppity, they are just simply correcting a wrong, and after all, wouldn't you want to know if you were wrong?

See the problem with this for many, and I have been one of them in the past, is that it feels like they are saying, "Hey Dumbass! Are you stupid or what?" I know they are not saying this and it's only my imagination fueling this ridiculous reaction, but all the same, that is how it comes across for many. So, I have decided, as a rule of thumb, to not correct people...unless I know for sure it will not be misunderstood. Like my friend who is the stickler, I could tell her if she made a mistake and she would not mind the correction. She WOULD, however, debate me on the issue because it would be difficult for her to believe that she is wrong and I am right!! :)

So the question therein lies, what would you do? If you saw a grammatical error such as the "there, their, and they're" debacle, would you correct them? Or would you just let it go and secretly keep a mental note of the mistake? And on the flip side, if someone does correct you if you were to make such a grammatical faux pas, would you be offended or would you welcome the correction?

Food for thought.

All I have to say is that I am not afraid to correct myself, which I did (on Facebook) and I drew attention to the fact that I too am wrong sometimes and we all make mistakes, so we need to just GET OVER IT!! Right?

Hmmmm. I suppose that is easier said than done!

Wishing you all good health and humor!

Beyond the Blue Horizon...

Yesterday my (not so favorite) nurse came to the house to examine my wound. She is a specialty nurse because she deals mainly with special cases and wounds such as mine. I guess I just called myself a special case. Hmmm.

Anywho, she decided to put this foam like spongy stuff in my wound that is bright Royal Blue! It apparently contains a dye (thus the vibrant color) that is antimicrobial but it also promotes tissue growth and healing. She said we will try it for two weeks and at the end of that period, then evaluate if it made any difference. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping, of course, that I do not turn into a smurf!!

In honor of things blue I have decided to put together a few facts that have to do with being BLUE!

1. The color Blue is my favorite color or hue. I love all shades of blue: turquoise, robin egg, sky, powder, royal, sapphire, indigo, teal, baby, navy, heather, aqua, azure, cerulean, cobalt, cornflower, cyan, electric, indigo, ultramarine, pacific.
2. The English word "blue" comes from the French word "bleu".
3. It is one of the primary colors. The other primary colors are red and yellow.
4. It is generally stereotyped to the male gender. Pink is for girls!
5. One of my favorite foods is BLUEberries, which FYI are very good for you!
6. The Democratic Party color is blue. Need I say more?
7. I love Bleu Cheese Dressing! YUM! Add some hot wings equals happiness!
8. My eyes are blue. Well, blue with brown flecks in the center. That's why I tell people I am only partially "full of shit"!
9. A blue moon is defined as the second full moon in a calendar month. The last recorded blue moon was on December 31, 2010. I tried to view it, but I live in the Pacific Northwest and therefore the forecast called for clouds, clouds, and more clouds!
10. All babies are born with blue eyes. Within their first year of life, their eyes will change color to their permanent shade (i.e. blue, brown, green, hazel, etc)
11. People use the term "being blue" to mean being depressed or down. Something I have been lately, but not today!! Feeling pretty good today...mentally that is.
12. Blue is associated with things that are freezing or cold, but the flame from fire is actually blue...weird.

Okay, enough with the random trivia, which I am sure most of you already knew. Just a quirky posting that I felt like sharing!

I will be sure to let ya'll know if the blue spongy thing works! Here's hoping!

Wishing you all good humor and health!

Broken Lady...

Good News! I am still broken!

Okay, okay, I know that is not good news per say, however, it does explain why I cannot walk without excruciating pain and things are still not right after nine months from my initial surgery.

Hold up. I think I am getting ahead of myself.

Okay, so last post I caught you up to date with my progress (or lack thereof) with my broken hip and me trying to get a second opinion. Well folks, it only took me sending me records to FOUR (Yes, I said FOUR) doctors to finally find ONE who would agree to see me. Not only that, but I actually had the appointment and the news was not so good.

So when my doctor, Dr. Dumbass (that is what I like to call my first orthopedic surgeon for obvious reasons), told me that I had a non-displaced femoral neck fracture last July, he said the only course of treatment was to pin it so that it remained together because he told me that if it broke apart than I would need a total hip replacement and at my age, this was not optimal because hip replacements only last for so long and I would need to have it done again in 10 to 15 years. So, like a dumbass (okay I know I have reserved that for his name but you will see why I too deserve this title) I trusted what he said, didn't get a second opinion and had the pinning surgery.

I was stupid.

Last week I went to my new Orthopedic Surgeon (Praise the Lord!) who incidentally is young and seems fairly knowledgeable (however with my last error in judgment on picking a doctor I am not sure that I am qualified to make such a decision)and the moment he pulled up my current X-ray I saw the problem.

THE GAPING HOLE IN MY FEMORAL NECK WHERE MY PINS WERE PLACED!!!

So my non-disclosed femoral neck fracture is now displaced. Broken. Kaput. The dish has run away with the spoon!

Upon closer examination of my current X-Rays, there appears to be a gap (a pretty friggin BIG gap since I saw it all the way across the exam room) where my fracture was to begin with. The whole reason I went through this whole ordeal was to prevent THAT from happening.

Yep! So my hip is now worse than it was to begin with. Fabulous.

Not only that, but my new doctor is concerned that my infection has gone to the joint. So he ordered an MRI (which if you read the previous posting last July of my last MRI, you will understand why I was OH so exited to hear THAT news) and then he wants to do a needle aspiration where he will stick a needle into my hip joint and pull some fluid so they can culture it to determine if the joint itself is infected.

Doesn't that sound like a good time?

On top of all of this, one of the pins is starting to bow from the weight because Dr. Dumbass told me to walk on my leg! Correction, he couldn't understand why I wasn't able to walk on my leg without the aid of my crutches!

There are no words (well obviously there are, but I think you understand my exasperation by saying this).

I am back on non-weight bearing and have to be on my crutches 24/7. Suck.

He said if I keep putting weight on my leg, the pin will snap. Double suck.

Basically one of two things that will happen here:
A. If the joint IS infected then, he will go in and surgically remove the hardware (the three screws that the Doctor Dumbshit put in me) and the ball to my hip joint. Put in a spacer and leave it like that for six to eight weeks, put me on IV anti-biotics and then go back in and do a total hip replacement.

B. If the joint is NOT infected, then we have to wait until my wound that I have right now (and have had for the last seven months) to completely heal and THEN go in and remove the hardware and plate my femoral neck where the fracture is or do a total hip replacement.

So there you have it. Option A or B. Hmmm. What to choose, what to choose.

Oh wait, I don’t get a choice! I forgot! No, I have to wait and see if my infection has spread to my joint tissues and if not then wait for, oh, probably another six months before I can go back in and have a total hip replacement, which is apparently what I should have had in the first place!! I swear to God, if I see Doctor Dumbass in a dark alley, only one of us is coming out the other end...and it ain’t gonna be him!!

How am I doing? How am I dealing with all of this?

Well, there have been tears. There have been A LOT of curse words. But I have wonderful support in my life with my family and friends and I could never have gotten this far without each and every one of them! I am very blessed to have such wonderful people in my life who have helped me thus far and who (I can only hope and pray) will still be there for me on this long road I have ahead.

It has been difficult to mentally grapple with all that has happened in the last couple weeks, but mostly I am scared that the outcome is so uncertain. For a control freak like me, this has become a nightmare!!

Game plan is to move forward (I Will Survive...Against All Odds)! I got rid of my old doctor (Another One Bites the Dust, Because it's Too Late to Apologize) and got a shiny new one (Baby Im a Want You)! I know I can get through this (with the Power of Love because the Bitch is Back)! (Hahaha...okay, I will stop with the song titles, but COME ON...that was pretty good.

I will keep you posted...STAY TUNED!

Wishing you all good health, humor, and healing!