So I know it's been awhile since I last posted. I'm not lying when I said my life gets kind of crazy.
The past week I haven't really been able to be home except to sleep. I picked up some nights at Jimmy John's and then worked until 7 at the gas station. I also have been working straight through without my regular day off so I have been completely exhausted and broke down crying at work one day. I was able to get a weekend off to go to a Red Wings game, the awards banquet for the gas station company, and just have a day to myself and my son at home. Unfortunately, my son is sick (like always lately), so it's been a little bit hectic with taking care of him, my house, and myself.
I hope this year is finding you all doing well! It's treating me okay, although I do have to say that I can't wait for my tax refund to come. I have many bills and people to pay off, get my car checked out and fixed, pay in advance at my apartment, and get some things that we need and of course want. But the rest come first! Money is no joke to a single parent. Hence, why I have 3 jobs.
Next month, my son has surgery to get his tonsils and adenoids taken out. He gets sick a lot and always has been because of his throat. So I really do hope that this surgery helps him in that way! It's also going to help him with his sleep apnea, snoring, and mouth breathing.
Honestly, I'm also looking forward to having 6 days off of all 3 of my jobs. I need to recoup!
Well, this is all for now. I hope to have a couple of more COPD posts up by the end of the month!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Sunday, January 12, 2014
1/12/13
So it's been a crazy busy past few days with work and life.
I'm sad to report that one of my coworkers' wife died a few days ago, so he has been taking some days off and it has kind of been hard without him. He is our cooler guy. He fully stocks, organizes, and puts away any deliveries concerning the cooler. So with his absence, the cooler has gone un-stocked with little choices available to the customers. NOT GOOD. So that's what I've been doing my past two shifts there.
Fortunately, I have been able to have Monday off at the gas station and Jimmy Johns to attend the visitation and funeral in support for him, along with another coworker and our manager.
I never like to hear about deaths, whether I know them or not.
Tonight, I found out that a Red Wings player Tomas Tatar's father passed away yesterday. Tonight he scored a goal and when he skated away, he kissed his hand and pointed to the sky. <3
It brought tears to my eyes.
I'm sad to report that one of my coworkers' wife died a few days ago, so he has been taking some days off and it has kind of been hard without him. He is our cooler guy. He fully stocks, organizes, and puts away any deliveries concerning the cooler. So with his absence, the cooler has gone un-stocked with little choices available to the customers. NOT GOOD. So that's what I've been doing my past two shifts there.
Fortunately, I have been able to have Monday off at the gas station and Jimmy Johns to attend the visitation and funeral in support for him, along with another coworker and our manager.
I never like to hear about deaths, whether I know them or not.
Tonight, I found out that a Red Wings player Tomas Tatar's father passed away yesterday. Tonight he scored a goal and when he skated away, he kissed his hand and pointed to the sky. <3
It brought tears to my eyes.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
This white crap can go!!!
So today's post is not about COPD.
These past few days have been a winter HELL! I normally hate winter, however hockey usually keeps it worth going through the cold. But this winter? Ohh. Not even hockey can help me stand it! And honestly, those that know me know that this is huge.
ALL.THE.SNOW.CAN.GO.!
I honestly can not stress enough how much I hate this winter. The roads are absolutely ridiculous. Nobody knows how to drive without going 5 miles an hour and taking up both lanes so that those that actually KNOW how to drive can move around them.
I had done about 7 hours of driving in total today. I did two shifts at Jimmy Johns, then the driving to and from home and between the other jobs.
I have actually seen my very first live accident! Like, I have never actually seen one happen.
Until today. And I would have completely missed it if I wasn't such an observant (most times) driver, looking everywhere when driving.
I turned my head to the left and seen this red truck pull out just about right in front of a black car. The black car seriously had no time to stop. The truck should have waited. But of course, they didn't. Coming back from a delivery, I went the same way, and looked inside the red truck as I passed and there were two guys in there laughing. All while the teenager from the car was freaking out and according to my co-worker, crying. Well, to be quite honest, I would have to. I mean, his whole engine area was just a jumbled mess.
Just too many accidents today. We even had to stop delivering about 3 hours before close.
Sheets of ice covered with snow.
I even ended up landing in a snowbank on a run. Thankfully, the residents in the complex were nice enough to stop and try to help me out in this single digit cold! I was so stuck that it even took a little while to get me out with tow straps.
Cold. Snow. Roads. Screw this.
This winter is the worst. And the longest. I think we even had snow in October or November. Ugh I can't even remember!!
These past few days have been a winter HELL! I normally hate winter, however hockey usually keeps it worth going through the cold. But this winter? Ohh. Not even hockey can help me stand it! And honestly, those that know me know that this is huge.
ALL.THE.SNOW.CAN.GO.!
I honestly can not stress enough how much I hate this winter. The roads are absolutely ridiculous. Nobody knows how to drive without going 5 miles an hour and taking up both lanes so that those that actually KNOW how to drive can move around them.
I had done about 7 hours of driving in total today. I did two shifts at Jimmy Johns, then the driving to and from home and between the other jobs.
I have actually seen my very first live accident! Like, I have never actually seen one happen.
Until today. And I would have completely missed it if I wasn't such an observant (most times) driver, looking everywhere when driving.
I turned my head to the left and seen this red truck pull out just about right in front of a black car. The black car seriously had no time to stop. The truck should have waited. But of course, they didn't. Coming back from a delivery, I went the same way, and looked inside the red truck as I passed and there were two guys in there laughing. All while the teenager from the car was freaking out and according to my co-worker, crying. Well, to be quite honest, I would have to. I mean, his whole engine area was just a jumbled mess.
Just too many accidents today. We even had to stop delivering about 3 hours before close.
Sheets of ice covered with snow.
I even ended up landing in a snowbank on a run. Thankfully, the residents in the complex were nice enough to stop and try to help me out in this single digit cold! I was so stuck that it even took a little while to get me out with tow straps.
Cold. Snow. Roads. Screw this.
This winter is the worst. And the longest. I think we even had snow in October or November. Ugh I can't even remember!!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
COPD post #2- Diagonsis and Treatment
Okay so I'm going to put this post into a scenario to show how one would get diagnosed and treated for COPD. To make this a little more personal and kind of realistic, I am going to write this post as if you, the reader, were going through the process.
After reading my last post about COPD with the signs and symptoms, you decide that it sounds a little close to home and make an appointment with your doctor to get checked out. Your doctor asks about your signs and symptoms, family history, medical history, and some questions like if you smoke, or are consistently in environments with lung irritants such as dust, chemical fumes, second hand smoke, etc.
One of the signs you have is a cough. You tell the doctor how long you have had it, how much you cough, and whether there is mucus present or not. He takes out his stethoscope and listens to your lungs. He orders for a test to be done.
The test that is done on you is called Spirometry. A technician asks you to take a deep breath in and blow out through a tube that is connected to a small machine. This machine measures how much and how fast you can blow out.
You are then diagnosed with COPD.
What treatments are available to you?
Lifestyle changes: Quit smoking, stay away from possible lung irritants.
Medicines: Bronchodilators (inhalers) or a combination of bronchodilators and steroids.
Vaccines: Flu shots and Pneumococcal vaccines.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Oxygen Therapy
Surgery: Bullectomy, Lung Volume Reduction, Lung Transplant.
After reading my last post about COPD with the signs and symptoms, you decide that it sounds a little close to home and make an appointment with your doctor to get checked out. Your doctor asks about your signs and symptoms, family history, medical history, and some questions like if you smoke, or are consistently in environments with lung irritants such as dust, chemical fumes, second hand smoke, etc.
One of the signs you have is a cough. You tell the doctor how long you have had it, how much you cough, and whether there is mucus present or not. He takes out his stethoscope and listens to your lungs. He orders for a test to be done.
The test that is done on you is called Spirometry. A technician asks you to take a deep breath in and blow out through a tube that is connected to a small machine. This machine measures how much and how fast you can blow out.
You are then diagnosed with COPD.
What treatments are available to you?
Lifestyle changes: Quit smoking, stay away from possible lung irritants.
Medicines: Bronchodilators (inhalers) or a combination of bronchodilators and steroids.
Vaccines: Flu shots and Pneumococcal vaccines.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Oxygen Therapy
Surgery: Bullectomy, Lung Volume Reduction, Lung Transplant.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Update.
So I haven't posted yesterday and I'm not doing a COPD post tonight, either. I probably won't do any for the rest of the weekend. If I do, one will be up on Sunday. I am going up north to a best friend/sister's house tomorrow morning. The last couple of days, my son and I have been sick and frankly, I didn't feel like posting much after working all day while being weak. I hardly had a voice today and been coughing and sneezing every few minutes and I hate it.
I hope everybody's health is up and good!!!
I hope everybody's health is up and good!!!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
COPD post #1
What is COPD? COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It's a disease that makes it more difficult to breathe as time goes on. The leading cause of this horrible disease is cigarette smoking, first-hand and second-hand. Other causes of COPD include long-term exposure to air pollutants that can be found in many different kinds of environments. More uncommonly, COPD can also be brought on by asthma.
Who does it affect? COPD affects just about everybody in one way or another, like I mentioned in my previous post. People who smoke or used to smoke are the most at risk to getting this disease, because of the damage done to their lungs while smoking. According to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov, most people who have COPD are at least the age of 40 before symptoms begin. On a different level, I say COPD affects non-smokers (there are those who don't smoke and are exposed to second-hand smoke) because of emotional ties with loved ones who smoke and already have, or may have in the future, COPD. My grandfather died from COPD and my mother currently has COPD. Although I don't smoke and rarely am exposed to second-hand smoke, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease affects me because it affects my very close loved ones. I mean, my mother and grandfather. It has been 12 years since my grandfather died and I'm scared for the day that my mother dies because of this horrible disease that they both had gotten due to being smokers.
What are the signs of COPD? The most common signs are an ongoing cough or cough that produces a lot of mucus (aka smoker's cough), shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness. Someone with COPD may not have all the mentioned symptoms, just like someone who has all the mentioned symptoms may not have COPD. But, if you or someone you know has all the symptoms and are a smoker, I suggest possibly getting checked out by a doctor to rule out the possibility or get treatment as soon as possible.
This is all I have time to post right now, but more will be back either today or later on tomorrow!
Who does it affect? COPD affects just about everybody in one way or another, like I mentioned in my previous post. People who smoke or used to smoke are the most at risk to getting this disease, because of the damage done to their lungs while smoking. According to http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov, most people who have COPD are at least the age of 40 before symptoms begin. On a different level, I say COPD affects non-smokers (there are those who don't smoke and are exposed to second-hand smoke) because of emotional ties with loved ones who smoke and already have, or may have in the future, COPD. My grandfather died from COPD and my mother currently has COPD. Although I don't smoke and rarely am exposed to second-hand smoke, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease affects me because it affects my very close loved ones. I mean, my mother and grandfather. It has been 12 years since my grandfather died and I'm scared for the day that my mother dies because of this horrible disease that they both had gotten due to being smokers.
What are the signs of COPD? The most common signs are an ongoing cough or cough that produces a lot of mucus (aka smoker's cough), shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest tightness. Someone with COPD may not have all the mentioned symptoms, just like someone who has all the mentioned symptoms may not have COPD. But, if you or someone you know has all the symptoms and are a smoker, I suggest possibly getting checked out by a doctor to rule out the possibility or get treatment as soon as possible.
This is all I have time to post right now, but more will be back either today or later on tomorrow!
Finally, information on the important things!
Now that I have direct access at my ready, I am able to start blogging more about the issues that I want to bring awareness to. This being the new year, I will start with every month being dedicated to a certain topic, along with my other everyday ramblings.
January will be about COPD. I will be gathering some important information and facts shortly here soon and begin creating posts about COPD. If you don't know what COPD is, my next post is a great way to begin understanding it! :) Just to give a taste of what it is, COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
If this is something that you may interested in learning more about, stay tuned for upcoming posts on more information about it in all different ranges!! I would like to bet that MANY of you readers may one day have this horrible disease affect your life in one way or another.
Until next post.
January will be about COPD. I will be gathering some important information and facts shortly here soon and begin creating posts about COPD. If you don't know what COPD is, my next post is a great way to begin understanding it! :) Just to give a taste of what it is, COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
If this is something that you may interested in learning more about, stay tuned for upcoming posts on more information about it in all different ranges!! I would like to bet that MANY of you readers may one day have this horrible disease affect your life in one way or another.
Until next post.
The beginning of 2014
So it's 10:00 am, EST and I have been awake for about a half hour, but lazing around in my bed. Yesterday, I started feeling sick with a sinus head cold that just worse as the night went on. I had to take some nasal decongestant to get some relief.
My son didn't make it to midnight, but I did along with my brother, sister, and 13 year old cousin. We watched some TV and I ended up passing out before my parents got home. When I woke up, I felt so much worse and was having some nausea. I almost couldn't make it home, but so glad I did because I really wanted my bed! My throat was also starting to get sore like it was strep throat and hurt to swallow much.
This morning, I feel kinda better. No nausea, my nose isn't so stuffed, and my throat doesn't hurt too much. I still feel like crap and want more sleep but that won't be happening.
Today is the Winter Classic, a MAJOR outdoor hockey game for fans of all teams and is set to be the record breaking game because it is hosted by the Red Wings and will be played at the Big House, University of Michigan's football stadium that seats 109,000!!
It is on at 1pm and I will be going back to my parents around then to watch.
I hope the start of the new year finds the rest of you in a healthier state than I am!
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