Tylenol Just Won't Cut It

Another trip to the lab this morning. It wasn't crowded at all--in and out in record time. Today's value is: 438 Next lab work is scheduled for next Friday! Huzzah.

Last night my bleeding increased to heavy bleeding. So that's good since it most likely means the HCG level is still in decline. But not so good? Cramps! Normally I load up on on advil or motrin (whatever's handy), but those are currently on the forbidden list. They did say tylenol is okay, but that didn't actually do anything for me. So last night I broke out the ole heating pad. It's the one I used ever since my first cramps started. It looks very 1970s, but I don't know for sure how old it is. It has colors like mustard yellow and turquoise and it's a paisley pattern. I've been using it since the early 90s. A bit of menstrual cramp nostalgia right there. But of course every other time I've relied on the magic of the heating pad I've also been on copious amounts of ibuprofen. At one pint last night I turned off the heating pad. Apparently a mistake, because I woke up later and needed it again. But the good news is I've been told I can take my hydrocodone that's leftover from my surgery if my cramps get bad again. Sweet!

The roads are greatly improved after Wednesday's weather. HOWEVER, we could get 1-3 inches tonight. Ugh.

And another thing. Today is the 10th anniversary of my grandfather's death. My eyes still well up with tears every time I think about it. In fact (I wasn't sure of the exact year until my uncle posted it on Facebook today), but it was the reason I didn't want my parents to reschedule Christmas this year. We rescheduled Christmas in 2002, because my grandfather wasn't doing well. He was having back pain and they wound up calling a squad to take him to the hospital. Three days later he died. He had cancer and wasn't going to live much longer anyway, but it just felt too awful to reschedule Christmas because of my dad's influenza and developing pneumonia. Irrationally, in the back of my mind I thought the same thing could happen. We almost lost my dad in March and I didn't want to chance it this week. Superstitious? YES!!!!!!

Wednesday is the New Monday

After a thrilling 4 day weekend, it's back to the ole grindstone. Except it isn't really. Today we're in the midst of some winter weather. Our office currently holds just 4 people: 2 office assistants, a student worker, and an HR person. (Isn't funny that when I started up my Google music just now the first song was "Lonesome Town?") It seems most of the mucky mucks had already planned to take today off. We are the troopers. Well, it seems everyone else drove here. I took public transit. It's $2 each way, and well worth it.

View from my window at 9:40 am on 12/26/2012

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family. My dad has influenza A/ H1N1. My mom seems to also be sick. And my nephew and niece spent a lot of time coughing. It's a miracle we got out of there alive. Of course we could have been infected and it just hasn't kicked in yet.
My hcg level on Monday was 734. It seems to be continuing a downward trend, because I am now experiencing a bit of bleeding. My next blood draw will be Friday. Hopefully I can get my little car out of the neighborhood by then.