Grace in Small Things #28

What I'm thankful for today:

• Leftover Halloween candy :)
• After looking for over a year, I found a new winter jacket! (Bottom right picture)
• Funny, little boy on the bus with the awesome afro
• My new health insurance information finally arrived so I can finally send in my claim form.
• Delicious tea after my allergy shot (weekly tradition)
• Had to wait a long time in line to buy transit credits but finished just in time to catch my bus.

Grace in Small Things #27

I've been slacking a bit. Felt a little convicted this evening when I saw that my friend Alana had started Grace in Small Things. This is what I'm thankful for:

• I did not get a call for subbing work today. I have a cold and I'd rather not get a call than have to turn down work because I'm sick.
• My cold didn't amount to much. I've been tired, have a sore throat and runny nose but I've had worse. In the past any cold I'd get would kick my butt for weeks. Not sure if all those years working in schools have built up my immune system to colds or if I'm just better at taking it easy.
• Might sound silly but Shopper's optimum points. Just the other week I accumulated enough points that I could get $60 worth of free merchandise. Last month I didn't get many subbing days so I definitely need to use them.
• A cheap place to live. I know I'm 33 year old that lives with my parents but I wouldn't be able to work as a sub if I didn't. Right now I'm getting known within the school division and it will take sometime before I'm working often enough to live on my own.
• Pomegranates are the only reason that I don't gorge myself on Halloween candy. I'm so thankful they are in season right now.

Grace in Small Things #27

Much thankfulness for the following:

• Top Gear marathon on BBC Canada! Only one episode I hadn't watched before had me in tears (strange, I know). It featured a group of injured soldiers who were training for the Dakar rally. Not only that but the show arranged for former Stig, Ben Collins, to train the team.*
• My mom won Lagostina pots though Touchdown to Win and gave them to me! This was the first weekend where I really got the chance to use them.
  
  
• I'm so thankful that I can live with my parents while I become better known as a substitute teacher in the school division.
• Not only is the current book I'm reading extremely interesting, I'm getting a lot of great ideas of how I could use it in my teaching.
• Egg, tomato and Havarti sandwich for supper.

*Sister, it is a must view for when you're here at Christmas time.

Grace in Small Things #26

It has been awhile since I did this but Thanksgiving Weekend seemed like a good time to start.

• Glad to spend the day with my parents, my brother and his wife.
• I'm thankful that I feel so much better than I did last year.
• Habs won! Habs won!
• Delicious apple crisp for breakfast. Being an adult is awesome.
• Probably had the 3 easiest days of teaching ever this week.

Then there was the time I spent the day in the ER

As I last blogged about how my eyes were itchy, red and sore last Monday. Later in the morning my condition deteriorated to the point where my face, hands and legs were swollen. When my tongue got tingly and numb that is when we headed to the ER. Please don't be confused as is the time I spent the morning in the ER, not the day. Since my breathing wasn't obstructed in anyway and my throat was fine the ER doctor told me to take anti-histamines and prescribed a histamine blocker (I'm not sure the difference between the two) then sent me on my way. I went and saw my allergist and it was suggested that I wash my eyes every couple hours to clean away whatever I am reacting to.

Throughout the week my condition improved. I woke up from a nap Friday afternoon and my eyes were puffy and red again. The situation grew worse each day. This morning I woke up around 4:30 AM and was pleased to see that my eyes were much less puffy and red than the night before. I went back to bed for couple hours and when I woke up my face was swollen again. I took an antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory and put an ice pack on my eyes and laid down for awhile. As I was pondering whether I should go to school or not my throat started to swell up suddenly. I had problems swallowing but not breathing. Concerned that it would progress to problems breathing, I ask my mom to take me to the hospital.

Last Monday I only had 2 nurses tending to me when I came in, this time I had 3. I'm not sure if that is a reflection on my situation or the availability of staff at the time. I saw the doctor right away and they got me started on a hydrocortisone IV drip and gave me 20 mg of Prednisone. Since I had allergy testing coming up next week, the doctor last Monday shied away from giving me anything that could interfere with the testing. Today the doctor had no choice since my throat was swollen but this just means my allergy testing will have to be postponed. I had to stay at the hospital for several more hours after the IV was complete so they could monitor me.

Things that I am thankful for:

• when my very nice nurse unhooked me from the IV, gave me a robe so I could go to the bathroom. Fact: IVs really make you want to pee.


• when I was finally allowed to put my pants back on even though I was still waiting for the doctor to discharge me.


• my breathing was never hindered during the course of my reaction


• my mommy drove me to the hospital then stayed with me all day


• My right hand and arm are sore from the IV but fortunately I learned how to write with my left hand many years ago.


• my mommy bought me a delicious sandwich from Italian Star Deli

Grace in Small Things: Day 24

Has a rough day so a couple will be hockey themed (thus it will not make sense to most of you)

1. Some one in my fantasy hockey league dropped Tuukka Rask. Fool! He will be my 3rd goalie after Martin Brodeur and Evgeni Nabokov. [Translation: I have really good goalies]. This same fool dropped Alexander Semin when he was on injury reserve.



2. Martin Brodeur got a shut out! I'm in 1st place in my fantasy hockey league and my lead increases everyday.


3. Pilates started again today! I missed it so. At the beginning, the instructor asked me to talk to the class about how it has benefited me since my falls.
   
4. On the way to school, the bus driver saw me about a half block from the bus stop so he stopped for me


5. My bus driver on my way home has mad defensive driving skills. A taxi ran through a yield sign and the bus driver avoided him completely. I don't know many people who could have reacted that well in a car let alone a bus.

Grace in Small Things: Day 23

I'm going to do things a little different, I'm going to give a bit of a story to go along with the things for which I am thankful for the sake of context:

I couldn't find my bus pass this morning so I missed the bus. I didn't have time to go to my locker before my 8:30am lab:
1. I'm thankful I was still wearing my coat and mittens when the fire alarm went off and we had to stand outside in -2C weather for a half hour.

After we finally started the lab, my water pump broke so I have to come back another time to finish it:
2. I'm thankful for extra time to work on my two assignments due for tomorrow.

The assignments were not going well and my professor was not where to be found
3. I'm thankful for spontaneous airplane making contests, even if I lost. Sometimes you need some silliness to help make it through the day.

4. I'm thankful for Alana because my assignment would have taken way longer if we had not worked together.

I attended a physics lecture this evening at the university
5. I'm thankful for carmel double chocolate chip cookies for snack afterward.
6. I'm thankful for traveling companions for at least part of the bus trip home.

After a very long, frustrating day
7. I am very thankful for having silly people in my life that like nerdy things like I do.
8. I'm thankful I got home before my parents went to bed
9. I'm thankful to watch the last period of hockey (rare occurrence these days)

Grace in Small Things: Day 22

Ok, I admit I've been slacking. I haven't posted a GiST in about 2 months. Did lousy on a midterm today so I felt like I needed to focus on the good:

1. Mom discovering bag of leftover Halloween candy


2. Triscuits and melted Havarti


3. Being able to go to bed early tonight and sleep in (a little) tomorrow morning


4. Dad helping me with my ridiculous E/M homework


5. Finding out this morning that one of two of my labs due on Thursday is fast to complete and easy!


6. Awesome hair day


7. My lab partners are awesome, I don't know what I'd do without them.

Grace in Small Things: Day 21

I'm possibly way too tired to be doing this but here I go...

1. Work went really well today. Yesterday was a bit of a disaster so I was expecting the worst.


2. Last day without my own computer (according to the UPS tracker)


3. My professor performing a melting ice dance


4. Good conversation with no distractions


5. Sweet, delicious Neo-citrin

Grace in Small Things: Day 20

Just under the wire. I actually wrote these on the bus this afternoon but didn't have time to type them until now:

1. seeing my favourite 3 year old bus mate. He is made of awesome even when he is too tired to practice his evil laughter


2. Leo the bus driver is the man. Always a privilege to be his passenger, There is a reason why he is the bus driver with the most seniority.


3. half hour to sit in the park on a beautiful day. I need to do that more often even when I'm not forced to.


4. Miss Kylee is here! I miss her when she's gone.


5. being let out early in two classes -- every extra minute of break helps on a long day


6. people who wait for me so I don't have to walk to class alone


7. too short of sleep but then ready 20 minutes early and very productive morning

Grace in Small Things: Day 19

1. the wonderful online community of teachers who make my job easier.


2. even though my new computer is somewhere between the Atlantic Ocean and my toilet, I have a computer at home I can work on in the meantime


3. concord grapes -- I like how I can pop them out of their skin into my mouth


4. finding out you influenced someone for the better


5. awesome hair day, even after I had a 3 hour nap

Grace in Small Things: Day 18

1. Got an email from Ky that her presentation went well!


2. multiple naps


3. talking about silly things with my sister


4. leftover pizza for breakfast


5. house to myself for the day

Grace in Small Things: Day 17

Sorry, got a little too tired to finish this last night...

1. generous friends


2. FREE HAMBURGER, CHIPS, POP AND MINI DONUTS! First week of school is awesome.


3. saving time by getting a ride to school from my dad


4. plans for an upcoming trip coming together better than I imagined


5. some much needed perspective on how blessed I am

Grace in Small Things: Day 16

1. Steve Jobs was in such a good mood after his liver transplant, he gave me a 160 GB IPod instead of a 120 GB one


2. finally got gas money for my trip last month


3. opportunity to get my name on as many journal articles as possible in the next two years


4. someone with a lot to purchase letting me go ahead in the line


5. having the time to run silly errands with a silly friend (details to follow)

Grace in Small Things: Day 15

Sorry this is late. Last night I wasn't feeling well and went to bed at 8:30

1. the class that I thought would be scary might not be so scary after all


2. resolving some differences


3. Alana gets to be my lab partner for one class


4. my mom had a good night sleep and is feeling much better


5. finding candy in my school bag


6. my friend Elizabeth's daughter had surgery on a detached retina. It was a complete success and she has already started to regain vision. The recover will only take 3 weeks instead of the expected 6 weeks.

Grace in Small Things: Day 14

It is the difficult days when the little things mean the most...

1. didn't miss any thing despite being late for class


2. thought I missed the bus this morning but it was just really late


3. being reminded you can't judge a book by its cover


4. FREE mini-donuts


5. the new nurse at my allergist office is a girl who sat next to me in Grade 9 Math


6. being referred to as "Awesome clever"


7. only one class and no work today (easy start to a hectic semester)


8. watching Top Chef with my papa


9. despite being banged and bruised and little lighter in the wallet, I am incredibly thankful for my health and to have a family who loves me very much

Grace in Small Things: Day 13

1. my dad muttering "I'm doing science" while making a 3% acetic acid solution


2. my electric wok is out of storage!


3. despite having a bad cold, my mom did all the dishes so I could clean my room


4. all the wonderful people that help those in need (even when it is someone they don't know)


5. someone reaching out to see how you are doing

Grace in Small Things: Day 12

1. I thought I had a migraine coming on but I got better instead of worse :)


2. May-B bought me tea for our mini-road trip


3. Sunday afternoon naps are the most satisfying of all


4. holding hands with my daddy while we watch TV (it helps keep him out of trouble)


5. cool breeze on a hot day

Grace in Small Things: Day 11

This is also my 1100th blog post!

1. eating a Sour Jelly Belly Twister on the steps of Westminster United with my friends


2. visited my bff Megamunch*


3. getting to go to bed early then getting to sleep in (about 9.5 hours of sleep)


4. leftover pizza for breakfast


5. finally getting to go on the second floor of the Legislature. I'll make it up to the dome some day.

*Rawr means I love you in dinosaur

Grace in Small Things: Day 10

1. sitting in the grass, barefoot waiting for my bus in Vic Park


2. free buffet with steak! I'm on a roll -- two days in a row with free meals.


3. good news that a large blood clot in my leg is no cause for concern


4. an evening at home and supper with my parents


5. silly conversations with my sister