Rapid progression toward a meme

I got this meme from Laura, who got it from somebody else. I really haven't much to say. Kina is doing alright (rather graphic link), albeit extremely sore and wacked out on painkillers. I'm in and out of good respiratory standing. I think it is indeed pollen allergies, but I am going to try to get a throat culture done just to see what issues there are left. That's really all, so on to the meme, if that's OK with yunz.

If I was wise I’d be cleaning my room!

If something I’m eating drops on the floor I… tend to cast it aside, unless it's on a rug, then no problem usually.

My favorite breakfast cereal is… corn flakes.

If I were a cat, my name would be… Garfield, I guess.

When I was little I… was more trusting in others and myself.

This weekend I shall… watch the MLS playoffs. Go Rapids! Kick some FC Dallas hiney! Tonight at 9 eastern on FSC!

the point of no return (the rebirth of a young woman)

I have had my mother in town for a few days. In general, things have gone wonderfully, which is hard to say sometimes with her. I admire her for many things. She is a good contributor to society, a talented person in many ways, and good to be around when we are on the same wavelength. Often we aren't, though. She and I are very different personalities, and it can get grating.

We saw a good adventure movie with Kevin Costner, though. Honestly, I was in the mood for lighter fare, but this movie proved to have extremely good special effects, nice scenery, very well developed characters (even if they only figured in as side characters).

We then ate at Outback. I had some pasta dish with shrimp and lemon sauce. My mother had a side of broccoli and a side of mashed potatoes (I almost called them mashers just now. Not much in the mood to write, but I think I need to). Tons of brown bread as well. Lovely bread. Lovely lovely bread.

I then got home. A new acquaintance (I guess you can say friend, on an IM level) has hit a financial wall that she never quite crashed through on her way to a double lung transplant. However, for whatever reason, tonight a new set of lungs were offered to her despite her financial situation. She had gotten home, to suburban Erie, I believe, a few hours earlier, and had to make a trip back out to Cleveland for the operation, which is underway as this is posted (8:45p et, if I remember). Not sure how long this kind of surgery lasts, but apparently updates will occur here in the "About Kina" forum.

Big night. Kind of exhausted. Kind of tense, but happy. I think it'll all be OK. Not sure, though. This is truly the point of no return.

Might shoot some photos tomorrow somewhere in the North Hills.

UPDATE: Kina went in to the O.R. just before 9, IIRC, and came out with two new lungs at 2:15. Apparently the procedure went as it was supposed to, and her family first saw her 45 minutes later. Thus begins the next phase of her life. Still in danger (rejection), but more in control of her life.

UPDATE 2: Off the ventilator already. Not sure how long she was supposed to be on. I'm new to following a transplant; anybody else witness this sort of thing? But everybody seems amazed.

the verdict is in

I have been shut out. 0 frogs out of 5.

the verdict

I must say that I think maybe I did take it somewhat personally for, like, 30 seconds. Oh well. I think I found it easier when a second frog commented on the official comments, which clarified things for me. That helped me digest some of the initial criticism.

My take is that black is probably kind of hard on the eyes, though I like how it works on Russ's blog. My school colors were green and gold, so I might move over to that soon. I don't want y'all going blind on my blog. 'kay?

So, anywho, I am trying hard to shake off a respiratory sickness. Probably just a cold, but you never know. My throat feels like I'm inhaling tiny glass particles. I am coughing with a vengence. But I am lots better than I was two weeks ago.

I had arranged to go see Kina in hospital in Cleveland on Tuesday, since my mother and I are driving up there. She was scheduled about three weeks ago for a tune up, which is when they get cystic fibrosis patients to where they are supposed to be with their lung function and other associated issues. It's just basically planned intensive care, and is scheduled every so often. The thing is, Kina started getting symptoms of bladder trouble and pneumonia that basically coincided with the start of the tune-up, so she has had to linger there for an extra week or so. However, she is perked up now, and going home to suburban Erie tomorrow morning for a week before going back in for what I understand is another tune-up. But, she will get to bond with the husband for a while and go on horseback, which she hadn't done since she was a kid. And I shall listen to Rammstein, which she got me hooked on.

As for me, I am still going to Cleveland with my mother to visit family on my late biological father's side. That'll be nice; I hadn't seen them for a bit. Likely it'll just be my grandparents and an aunt and uncle, and we'll hit some restaurant close to my grandparents'. Hopeflly not Eat 'n Park or Cracker Barrel.

All else is alright. My volunteer job is going fine. I have almost strictly been entering data into a database to record monetary and goods donations from churches and individuals in the North Hills (suburban area nort of the two east-west rivers (don't dare ask me which---could be the Ohio, Allegheny, or Monongahela).

Ahhhh, and I got a neat little patch from Russ for one of his space missions. Y'know. He runs one of those li'l mom and pop NASA-type organzations. So, cool patches are a must.

Go Rapids!

And RIP Mooch. You were too young. :(

Yay!

OK, well, I seem to have missed only two blogs Run with Me and Win or Lose, We Go Shopping as far as changing URLs. If I am wrong, hollar. I aim to correct.

Things are going well, both at the volunteer job and in general. However, tonight I am having what appear to be bladder spasms, which happen every so often. Thing is, I can't find any web info on them, and don't know if that's even a recognized medical event. Sorry to gross y'all out, but y'all can delink me if I get too bad. But anyhow, I am probably hitting bed early, especially as I need to get up at 6 to go to my volunteer job tomorrow.

I am actually looking forward to it tomorrow. I was really gloomy the first day because of a fellow artist on deviantART that is ill with various complications of cystic fibrosis. She has been in hospital for two weeks in Cleveland (she lives in Erie), and I have been following her case a bit. Well, probably more than a bit. I get drawn into it more than is likely healthy. She is a talented artist and very much wants to live, but has hit a funding wall. She's 1/10th of the way to being able to pay for a set of lungs. I have really gotten myself a bit upset about this. It's a shame that money should keep a person from living. Add to that the fact that I thought she was more ill than she is. She was taken to a hospital in Cleveland with pneumonia and bladder stones. Two weeks on, she's not great, but she is set to get back to work photoshooting and modeling next week, right from her hospital room, and then be released in one to two weeks.

I'm not going into my work at NHCO because she actually signed on to AOL IM, which I am on as well (along with Yahoo IM). I had to tell her something, so I just initiated a conversation, and surprisingly, we hit it off. We chatted for about an hour and got to know eachother in a rudimentary sort of way and exchanged a few laughs. After a very short while, she seemed all to happy to have someone to talk to. Once we warmed up to eachother, she became very upbeat and we chatted about my life and hers, both in the CF world and outside of it.

I am quite cheered up. I know I really shouldn't have gotten worked up about it in the first place, because she was a complete stranger, but now I feel almost like a friend with the great first-time conversation we had (albeit in the pixellated sense you people are my friends).

So, like I said, I think I'll report more on NHCO tomorrow. Should be more interesting tomorrow.

Cheers.

Don't yinz worry abaht it.

I know all y'all are kind of getting fed up with Blogger. I'm not, but I have had my issues. I'm staying pat for the forseeable future, but I will change the affected blog links tomorrow. Pwomise! Gotta order some pizza now though.

And volunteer news tomorrow as well. Nighty night, peoples.