Dancing through life...

I'm very tired these days. The school semester is winding down so of course, there's a lot more work to be done. I just turned in one essay last night, and I go into another one the week after next, plus an additional project. Then I've got a Spanish project due Dec. 9th, around which time I have to make arrangements to take both the chapter 5 test and the final since I will be in the hospital on the day of the actual final. On top of all that, my lead at work, John, is on vacation for the whole month of November, so I'm in charge of all things clerical around the office. Very stressful! I did get ahold of my therapist though and we've met twice. We're all scheduled up through January so that's definately going to help! Time's beginning to move again though. Sometimes I look at the calendar and just stare when I see how close I am to my goal (26 days and counting). Sometimes I worry. Not about the surgery, but about making sure the 16-17 lbs. are gone by my one-week pre-op appointment (20 days and counting). I've finally hit the 16 lb. mark, so technically, I'm there. I'm just paranoid that the scales at the clinic will say something completely different. I'm still working on losing a few more pounds so hopefully that will help. I go in for my final two classes on Monday, the 22nd so I'll weight myself then on their scale to see what it says. My best friend Brian says I should have put weights in my pocket when I first went in. Sometimes I wish I had. At other times, I'm glad I'm doing it honestly. Sometimes morality bites. What doesn't make the situation any easier is my current "Too Much Information: Moment of the Day!" Warning: Some of you may want to let your minds wander during this next part. I have sworn myself to honesty in this accounting and as this event plays a role in my story, I am bound to share. Anyway... as I've mentioned before, I haven't been taking my birth control pills for a few months since I ran out. I got the patch from my gynecologist in late September, but was told I couldn't start using them until the first day of my menstrual cycle. At the time, it was the last day of the cycle, so I'd have to wait a whole month before starting. Well, the reason I had gone on birth control in the first place was because of an irregular cycle. At that time, I had gone 54 days between periods (which is approximately 24 days late for those unversed in this science). When it finally came, I bled for two weeks straight, then stopped for nine days before resuming it again for another two weeks. By the time all that was over, I felt tired and weak. I was living in New Orleans at the time it happened and believe me, it didn't help. So now it's happening again. It's been 20 days since I should have menstruated and only last night did it start... I think. Today it's acting like nothing's happening, except for cramps (which I've been living with for a few weeks now, just not as bad). I did start the patch though so maybe the extra hormones will kick it into gear. I really, really, really do not want to be on my period anytime around my surgery date. Or my one-week pre-op apt. I can't wait for the darn thing to figure itself out so I'll stop retaining water and drop a few more pounds. Plus, I'm always ravenous the first couple of days and that's been happening off and on for the last 20 days too. Anyway, I'm done with that. Those of you who tuned out can resume paying attention. I've got so much to do before surgery. I've got a four-month calendar set up so I can remember what to do and when to do it. Sometimes it seems like it'll take forever to get here and then suddenly I realize I have so much to do and not enough time to do it in! There's so much to remember. I have to clean out my kitchen at some point, but not until I no longer need the food in there. I have to buy a robe for the hospital and a blender for after surgery. I also need a watch with a timer on it to help me regulate my drinking rhythm after surgery. At my one-week pre-op, I get my prescriptions for the post-op meds and I have to buy magnesium citrate for the 2-day purge before surgery. At some point I need to schedule my 6-week post-op appointment and order calcium citrate off of the internet. I need to figure out which protein supplement I'll be taking and get that all set up. I have to go shopping for my first month groceries with my parents. Plus I have to make arrangements for finals at school and register for next semester on Nov. 30th. (The next semester starts on Jan. 15th. I won't even be back at work yet!) Anyway, thanks for your patience and I promise to try and be more 'regular'. ;) I love you all and, in case I can't do it in person, I wish you all a Happy Holidays (whichever ones you may celebrate).