The conclusion

Alright...I bet you thought I would never return to the to be continued!!! Based on my past blogging, you would be right. However, I am trying to turn a new leaf knowing now that there are STILL people who read it! Amazing!

Okay, so they gave me a great shot and wheeled me to the surgery room. I don't even remember making it to the room, it was pretty amazing. This is what I remember next, waking up and feeling like a fully loaded bus what placed on my chest and I was surrounded by a lot of people. I tried taking a breath but it seemed like I couldn't. The lady, I assume a nurse, that was closest to me said, you had a reaction so you will be here over night. (now just so you know this is just day surgery, the plan was to be out of surgery by 11:30 and home by 6 at the latest). When she said that I was so shocked and really confused...coming out of anesthesia is weird. I tried to talk to tell them I couldn't breathe, but....I couldn't breathe and everytime I tried to say something I would start to cry, which then would make my chest hurt. I then started thinking, oh my gosh, did they have to cut me open all the way? Did they find stones? Did they really take it out? So many questions but I just kind of fell back to sleep, which was a nice thing because the pain in my chest was no fun at all.

So after coming in and out of it and trying to talk but only crying instead, I was eventually taken to the room I would be staying in, it was more of a transition area because there was no room planned for me considering I was supposed to go home. It was a large room with curtained off sections for each bed, but it wasn't a small section and really what did it matter I was so drugged up I didn't care. Finally Hannah came in to see me, I assume it was around almost 4 although I am still foggy on some of the details around that time. I had kind of forgotten about the whole reaction thing. I was in and out of it for a while, apparently I kept repeating the same things over and over, Hannah was kind enough to just keep nodding at me. Finally she started laughing and I was like what is so funny, she said, I just can't take you serious anymore. I was like, what are you talking about? She said, your lips are still so swollen. It wasn't until that point that I had realized that my body was still pretty swollen. That was a good time to ask....what the heck happened!

Hannah told me what best she could, that they had given me an antibiotic and I had a bad reaction to it. My thoughts were, it was an antibiotic, how bad could that really be. Then the nurse yelled at her for talking to me because I should have been sleeping because I had been through a traumatic experience. Seriously people, what the heck happened in there!? Come to find out, over talking with Brian and Dr Perez, at the beginning of the surgery they had decided to administer Ancef, which is a cephalosporin. It is not uncommon and is one of the most common antibiotics used in surgery. As soon as I had been given the medicine my blood pressure started to drop quickly, my lips puffed up, my whole body turned red and then my whole body started to swell. Dr. Perez is amazing and got my gallbladder out in record time, and the anesthesiologist, and some other people I am sure, started to administer whatever it was to help with the reaction. I experienced what is called a systemic anaphylactic shock. What occurs with that is vasodilation, the swelling of all of my capillaries, and also bronchoconstriction, which is the swelling of the bronchioles, which then stops the breathing. Still, I didn't think it was that big of a deal until I went to see Dr. Perez for my follow up. He explained a little more about what happened, and then told me that I needed to get a medical alert bracelet, which just seemed silly to me, I mean come on....for an antibiotic reaction. However he was serious and considering that I love this man not only for cutting through all the red tape and getting me in quick, but for doing the surgery so fast and so well and keeping me alive...I figured I should listen to him.

They say allergic reactions get worse the more you are exposed...so I never want to have cephalosoprin ever again, and now I can't even have peniicillins because they are closely related to the cephalosporin family. I know way more about antibiotics than I ever thought or wanted to know. I had to write on our white board at the house the name of it because I couldn't remember the name of it for almost 2 weeks, Hannah had to keep telling me what it was. So that was that, like I said, it is up for debate on the whole dying thing, if you ask me, it was no big deal. And actually I am grateful I found out about that reaction while under anesthesia and with so many amazing doctors around me.

Moral of the story, Brian Adams is awesome, Dr. Perez is my hero, and I hope I never have to take any antibiotics, just to be on the safe side ;)
Oh, and always make a note of meds, even when you are out of the country

Ode to Brian Adams

So I guess it is time for my yearly update on a blog I don't even think anyone is checking anymore, so...even if this is for my own record for later in life....here it goes.

So I have been checking up on my friends blog like 10 times a day, now I know this may seem stalkerish to anyone else but it is how I can get updates on her new very tiny baby. So everyday, literally at least 10 times I check to see if anything is up with this 10 week early baby boy. Tonight that made me think...what do I even have to post about, my life is not that interesting. Then I remembered, hey I almost died. Well not almost....but could have....it is up for debate.

You see about 2 years ago I started getting sick, it was pretty quick to assume it was my gallbladder but we didn't see stones so that was that for a while. Then I had to get insurance and well insurance through the university makes doctor appts hard. It is a very long story of trying to get appts and a couple ER trips before I made it to the surgery room. What actually got me there was the kindness of an amazing man. Susan Adams is a good friend of mine in the ward, I adore her girls and look up to Susan and her husband. Her husband, Brian Adams, is a surgery resident at UNMH and since she knew about all of my medical woes and trying and failing for appts, she had mentioned it to her husband. He was just about to start his rotation at the surgery clinic and said he would talk to his attending to see what red tape they could cut for me. And just like that in less than a month I was on the surgery table. Can I just tell you I pretty much love Brian Adams (the surgeon) and Dr Perez, like I totally love them. Perez met with me and after some tests to check my gall baldder came back normal he still felt like there was something wrong and decided on surgery.

I expected to have to wait a month or so to schedule the surgery, no...Brian calls me up and says, can you have surgery on Monday...I was like, you mean in 6 days!! It was no joke! I was so excited to finally get it done so I could feel better again. Hannah decided to take the girls to her sister's house and she would go to the hospital and wait for me. It is a day surgery, at the most it lasts an hour and a half, then about 4 hours after surgery you get to go home. Pretty awesome right! Ya....that only happens if there are no complications.

As I was in surgery prep they ask about a billion and 3 questions. A lot have to do with allergies and what not. I was so proud to say no to everything, I thought I was so cool for not having allergies. That would have been the time for me to remember that when I was in Brasil and got my staph infection they thought I had an allergic reaction to antibiotics. You know...I can't be blamed, it was Brasil, I had a staph infection that had already entered my bloodstream, it was a long time ago, I had no idea what the antibiotic was and they weren't sure if it was the reaction to the antibiotic or the staph infection. In hindsight....it was the antibiotics.
to be continued.....

I know it has been a while....I hope you all missed me!

So I have had a couple people remind me that I have a blog....made me feel a little loved to know that there are at least a couple people out there that read this.

I don't have any real excuse as to my neglect, just busy busy BUSY!!! So can someone please enlighten me as to what I was thinking when I decided to take 5 classes in the summer?!?!?! In the beginning I was thinking, sweet, knock out 5 classes in an easy 12 weeks...no problem. Yeah after about the 4th week I realized taking anatomy and physiology lecture and lab in the summer was a bit crazy. After some time I figured out how to balance all the classes and study time. Then once I got everything down...work got to the busy part...well what was supposed to be the busy part. We open a store in El Paso for two months in the summer and so we have to pack half of our inventory and set it up down there. I was "lucky" to help set up (just happened to be over the 4th of July weekend). It ended up being more fun than I thought. Lots and lots of swimming and sun, so of course I was happy. (and left with 2 new pairs of cute shoes) The downfall to the trip was it threw of my groove, you threw off my groove! So it took a while to get back into the hang of things.

Now here I am...2 more weeks!! 5 midterms, 3 exams, and 6 quizes and I am done!! Well, by done I mean for this semester, break for 2 weeks then right back into it. But, for as much as I complain about school keeping me busy I am so very very grateful for the opportunity I have to get an education. And of course so grateful for Jeb and Hannah letting me live with them while I get this all done.

So...I have tons of other things to write about and fill you in on my fun and exciting adventures to Phoenix (a couple times) and my trip to LA. So I will leave you hanging and you will just have to return in a couple days and see if I have released those stories to the public.

Glorious Finals

So finals are very very quickly approaching, anyone who is in school is totally aware of this. If you are not in school you are either thinking, hahaha suckers!!! or, huh finals 'shrug'. The ones that dismiss it quickly are the ones who probably didn't do the whole school thing. The other ones are those that have been in our shoes and are throwing it in our faces that we are still in school and subjected to torture, all of which we pay for.

I was in microbiology lecture and, instead of paying attention, I was thinking 'why am I not totally freaking out, finals are next week, shouldn't I be like pulling my hair out?' I have decided that the week leading up to finals, and finals week itself are my favorite of the whole semester! I know some of you (if anyone is reading this at all) are thinking, crazy lady do you not realize IT IS FINALS?!

Yup I do, and I understand that I am supposed to remember everything since the beginning of the semester and in some classes it will make or break my A (or C in one class) I have been striving for. But when you are taking a butt load of classes and the whole rest of the semester you are trying desperatly to remember what is due for which class, what quizes are when, and when are big exams for which classes. Juggling all of that is not easy and pretty stressful, can be done, but stressful. But once finals approach, nothing is due, there aren't any tests, all you have to do is sit in lecture, soak it in and study previous material. None of this CUSS I fogot my paper is due, or oh CUSS I forgot we had a quiz today. (for any of you who don't get the cuss thing, watch Fantastic Mr. Fox, hilarious!)

So yeah, I am handling finals well, already planning my two week break I have between semesters. Although I do have a new found distraction...the internet. We have developed a love hate relationship. It has been an on again off again relationship for sometime now. I got internet at the house for school work, I know I know what you must be thinking. It was for school work, but there are always other benefits that come along with it, like writing a blog :) But, now it has me connected to all my Brasilian friends again, and this is VERY distracting for me for many reasons. I LOVE talking to them and sit up till late (which is 3 hours later for them) catching up with them. It is making me want to go to Brasil now even more so than before. Maybe the internet wasn't such a good idea, hahaha!!

Speachless...twice in one day

So today I was going to my microbiology lecture, and before class started I thought, maybe I should get a beverage to keep me awake during the lecture. You see my poor roommate (my 21 month old niece) has been sick, and last night she woke up every hour and a half. It doesn't even bother me, I just felt bad for her...poor girl has had a fever for 4 days. But anyway, by the time my micro lab was over I was ready for a nap.

Although today I had somewhat of an excuse as to why I might fall asleep during lecture, I had no excuses for the past 4 lectures that I was doin the "head bob" in class. So I decided to take preventitive measures. Then I realize...dang it! I left my wallet in my car (dumb move for so many reasons). But wait! Sweet, I have a dollar in my pocket, but wait! Since when are sodas $1.25? What happened to the days of $.75 or even $1! Oh well, looks like my fate is decided, the teacher can't say I didn't try. Just as I walk away a girl sitting at the table next to the machine says, "do you need a quarter?" I said, uh...no that is okay. She said no I have one right here, it is okay you can take it. No, no it is okay...then she says, it is a quarter, just let me give it to you. And so, to save my career (because otherwise I would have fallen asleep in class, not understood the material, failed the class and that would have resulted in never getting into the nursing program which then results in no job ever) I took the quarter and thanked her. Nice people are refreshing, good to know they are still out there.


Now the second one is just more of a vain thing. I was FINALLY leaving school today, the day just didn't want to end, and I am walking across campus, across the street to get to where my car is parked. As I am walking my train of thought goes like this...I am so glad that I finally don't have to wear a jacket, it feels so good outside and it is almost 6 o'clock, that is amazing...dang, I can't forget to do my exam analysis, or to read my English short stories, oh snap! I never started the Lincon book, totally have a test on that on Monday, k, note to self read the book...it is kind of windy, but not cold...my hair is flying everywhere...dang my hair is long, pretty sure it is like to my elbows, yeah it is...totally got it stuck in the window the other day...maybe I should cut it, but I really am liking it...hmmm I will log that away to think about...this light always takes forever, I am just one cross walk away from being in my car and....Oh hi (the guy from my English class interupts my deep thoughts)....small talk, essays blah blah...finally get to cross the street. It was good talking to you, have a good weekend all the normal chit chat and then all of a sudden BAMM!!! He says, Hey, you have the most beautiful hair...just thought you should know, see you Monday. Wait what...huh...did he...well, maybe I won't cut my hair :)
Thank you nice people for making my day!

Meus pensamentos...

Ontem colocei um post, nesse post felei das experiências quando chegei em Brasil. Quero traduzir isso por meus amigos em Brasil. Sei que eles vão gostar...tomarà neh.

Tinha que escrever em minha ala de ingles sobre uma lingua, ou quando apredi ler. Decidi escrever na experiencia de aprender portugues.

Chegei no aeroporto do Sao Paulo...ficei com medo! As pessoas estavam falando um tipo de lingua que era bem estranha...ai meu pai, como vai aprender isso. Na primeira vez que tinha que praticar o que estava aprendendo no CTM...pensei o professor estava brincando comigo. Ele vai me deixar na rua onde niguem fala ingles...E tenho que falar com uma pessoa. Ele falou...pode trazer com voce um papel pequeno com algumas notas pra te ajudar. Escrevi algumas coisas, foi assim...Eu:Oi, tudo bem. Pessoa na rua: Estou bem e voce? Eu: Estou bem Pessoa na rua: Que bom, tchau. O que são as chances que isto acontecerá...nenhum!

O professor realmente me deixou na rua! Como olhas bem aberta...e com medo, estava olhando as pessoas...quem vai ser simpatico? Eu vi uma mulhar andando, pensei, ela parece bem legal, bem simpatico. Ta....vai ser ela....Eu: Oi tudo bem? Ela: dhfjalfdj jdalhfdjeu dfjkdal fjdh Eu:.............. Ela: (sorriso) fdjkaf djkfd;a fjdk fdajlk;f.

Ela saiu...escrevi o que ela falou....queria falar com o professor e talvez ele pode me dizer o que aquela mulher me falou. Agora eu sei como a conversa foi....Eu: Oi, tudo bem? Ela: Estou otimo, voce e Americana aprenendo portugues neh? Eu:.......... Ela: (sorriso) vai aprender, nao desiste. Ela era bem simpatico, e na verdade foi nesse dia que eu sabia que iria amar as pessoas do Brasil.

Tinha muitas coisas engracada que aconteceu quando estava aprendendo portugues...sei que muitas das pessoas que estao lendo agora sabe disso! Si voce lenbra de alguma coisa que eu fiz....compartilhe!

---sei que meu portugues nao e muito bom mas tomara que da pra ler...nao colocei os acentos....e dificil de fazer no computador nos EU. Tchau!

Remembering

So I am supposed to be studying...and I am, but as I was saving something to my flash drive that I use for school I got distracted and started reading my essays that I wrote for English last semester. The first one we wrote had to do with reading and language. I decided to talk about my feelings and expierences learning portuguese. I thought it was fun to read again and thought I might share it...although it was fun for me to read because it is about me and well...I think it is funny to look back on those days, hopefully you will enjoy it also...

I never knew it was possible for my heart to beat so quickly. While standing in the Sao Paulo, Brazil International airport holding tightly to my suitcases, my heart was racing. It was all so unfamiliar: the people, the smell, the view and, more than anything, the sound. People buzzed by carrying on what to them was a normal conversation. However, my eyes widened as I suddenly understood what it must be like to be an infant not having a clue what the people around him were saying. Soon enough I would understand the frustrations of trying hard to form words to communicate what I was feeling.

While in Brazil learning Portuguese, I attended a daily language class for eight weeks. I was very diligent about taking notes and doing any assignments in my efforts to learn this new and difficult language. When the instructor told me that we would be going out to the busy and hectic streets to put what we learned to the test, I was very nervous. I remember thinking, “this man is crazy,” and I would be laughed at for sure. He said we could have a note card as a guide for conversation, so I took extra care to write out my note card.

Riding the bus my eyes were glued to that card, not really trying to memorize everything but hoping that by using some unknown mind power I could make sure that whoever I stopped would follow the conversation I had planned. Then came the moment of truth. Walking down the busy streets of one of the most populated cities in the world, I looked for someone who might be understanding. As I looked ahead on the littered sidewalk I saw a woman walking towards me. For some reason my attention was drawn to her. It may have been that she did not seem to be in much of a hurry. It also could have been her large brown eyes that seemed kind and sincere. I stopped her, and in an uncertain voice said, “Oi, tudo bem?” My eyes widened and my mind was racing, the busy noises of cars whizzing past, the honking, the random chatter and the noise of the dogs barking all faded away as I realized nothing she said was on the card. I think she could see the uncertainty and fear in my eyes not knowing how to respond. She then gave me the sweetest smile and put her hand on my shoulder and said, “vai aprender, nao desiste.” She walked away. I scribbled down what she had said, determined to find out what it meant: “You will learn, do not give up.” Those simple words with a sweet smile gave me the encouragement I needed to keep trying.

These experiences along with the words of encouragement gave me what I needed to master Portuguese. In the moments when I did not hesitate, when I was able to speak clearly what I was thinking, even through the struggles and mistakes, it was always worthwhile. After a year and a half in the land of Brazil, it was time for me to leave the culture, the people, the land and the language I had grown to love. The language had become a part of me. I could say with full confidence that I was fluent in the beautiful language of Brazil.