CharmingBitch

Day 12 V 3.0 In other news, I have The Cancer

Yeah, I know. I was shocked and a little pissy, too. Because we were JUST told that no, no it's not cancer. Just some ovaries in my cysts and uterus in my tumors. Yeppers, that is exactly how the Dr. explained it to me; that I was just full up on things that shouldn't be there but because my family doesn't have a history of gynecological cancers (now, everything else, stomach, brain, liver, breast: affirmative) he didn't take seriously the results of the initial CA 125 test that was done (and understand, that test is not definitive proof by itself; I trust you will Google this and educate yourselves because you seem to be fairly self motivating), he didn't give the outrageous result of that test the weight that it should have been given based not on family history but actual, you know, symptoms such as: constant, chronic pelvic pain (like I was ovulating all day, everyday only instead of eggs I was dropping boulders wrapped in sand paper coated with spikes: YEAH), sorry boys, avert your eyes for un momento but I was bleeding non-stop for WEEKS at a time. Yes. Weeks. And it was bright, shiny, 'fresh' 'new' blood not what we ladies typically associate with menstruation (I couldn't hate that word more if it came to my house and kicked my dog, honestly) and the deal sealer which almost nobody would associate with ovarian cancer was the pain in my thighs and lower back/buttock area. See, when we first got here in September I attributed the pain to having been strapped into a too full car for 3000 miles and then directly after that I bought a pair of shoes for that wedding that had just a bit (like 3 inch) heel which is approximately 3 inches more than I am accustomed to (THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID) wearing so I thought okay: Lots of driving, lots of dancing in new shoes, that is why my thighs literally cramp so hard it brings tears to my eyes just walking to the mailbox. But that pain combined with the pelvic agony and bloodletting surely meant there was something amiss but I sure did not want this to be the answer.

Day 12 V 2.0 Pick me! Pick me! Pick me!*UPDATED*

As we have talked about a lot around here lately, most of us are struggling in this economy and in addition to utilizing programs like Angel Food (and I neglected to mention it previously but they DO accept food stamps/EBT benefits) and giving the Grocery Game a whirl, I have also been entering every online contest and giveaway that comes across my screen. Every little bit helps, right? Now, I don't mean entering like sweepstakes or blind games (meaning companies I don't otherwise know of or do business with); in other words, I am trying to stick with contests run by people that I know and trust and I want to share some of those very contests and giveaways with you guys because again: Every little bit helps and also, it's fun to win things!

Day 12 Recall Of Infants' Mylicon Gas Relief

Right. Obviously, I didn't make it with NaBloPoMo but that is okay. I am just going to make an effort to pick it up from here and also to comment more on the still participating blogs.

Anywho! Just wanted to let all you parents know about the

Nationwide Recall Of Infants' Mylicon Gas Relief

Click the link for effected lots and product codes. A friend of mine had a baby this past weekend and I gave her a stash of baby products that included several boxes of Mylicon because it's one of those things like Motrin, lotion and wipes that don't necessarily make it onto a registry but you're sure to need, especially in the early days. And honestly, J is almost 3 and I still use it with him almost weekly because he habitually won't eat substantively for a few days and when he finally gives into his appetite he gobble gobble gobbles like he's starving which as you know means: gas gas gas and some more gas.

Anywho! Check your bottles if you've bought Mylicon recently and let your parent friends know to give a look at what they have on hand, too!

Day 8 Read These People

I won't even make excuses (other than my lovey dovey schmoopy Big Daddy D is home this weekend and we have been having hella fun with these kids) but again, a list. I know. I suck. I'm sorry. But YOU won't be if you read these people. Or marry someone as awesome as D.

• Raw Dawg - A) He is terribly handsome B) He is crazy smart; as in Doctrate by age 24 crazy smart. Like one of the world's top four experts in Infectious Disease (which oddly, is something we have never talked about, hmmm) C) He is an incredibly talented writer by any standard but what I enjoy most about his writing is that yes, it makes me think but it's moreso the absolute unabashed joy and passion he has for his children. It shines like a beacon and colors everything he does in his life. You won't regret it - Go. Now. Read. Get your think on.
• Fringes - Yes, I have linked to her before but go catch up: She's married, having a baby and if I read the most recent post correctly, she's pulling her blog. FUCK. Go. Now. Read it while you can. Sigh. Please let me be wrong. Dammit.

Well the list wasn't meant to be terribly long but now I HAVE to go get all up in Fringe's business and find out if she is forsaking the innernetz. SOB.

Day 7 Things I Want To Talk About Later

Yeppers only Day 7 and I am again resorting to a list with about 5 mins to spare until midnight because I excel at time management that way. I know. You're jealous. It's okay. I understand.

• How sick I am of reading conservative blogs calling all liberals or Dems hateful names and assigning motives of essentially treason while not realizing they're doing exactly what they're bellowing about without care.
• Let us clear this up: Obama was hung in effigy at least four times, in the last month of the campaign alone. Was anyone charged with a hate crime? No. Not once. Not any of the many, many times it's been done over two years. So that one time, when it happened to Palin and the right was hollering about how, ''If it happened to Obama, there would be outrage, riots, and people charged with hate crimes...'', you are wrong, small minded and more than a little revealing about yourself when you make such reckless, ignorant claims. Am I saying that 'just once' to Palin was acceptable? No. Am I saying the reaction of the right to that 'just once' was transparent? Absolutely.
• No, I don't think anyone who didn't vote for Obama is a racist. Do I think you're prejudiced with a strong leaning toward racist when you endorse talking heads, bloggers and random internet writers who refer to Obama as, ''that fucking nigger'', yes, yes I sure do and I will never be afraid to say so directly and without hesitation. If you want the satisfaction of the ugly words, own them. Say them. Post them your goddamn self instead of hiding behind a veneer of 'fair fighter' while linking to bigots.
• And it's almost 12 - Am out - Same time tomorrow, I am sure.

Day 6 For the Love of Jackson

I know I promised a post of substance tonight but on this anniversary for Jackson (who would have turned 2 in September) I feel completely wrung out from the events of the week, last several weeks actually, the events of tonight and the weight in my heart that reminds me daily that I will not ever be certain I did enough, tried enough, loved enough or will ever suffer enough to make up for losing my sweet man.

I miss you, Jax. Life is good and getting better daily but it will always feel incomplete without your handsome face, mellow disposition and sense of purpose and intent you gifted both me and your father with just by virtue of existing so criminally briefly.

I love you, baby boy.

Day 5 We Partied Like It Was 2008

Man. I so much wish all my friends in the computer lived within a stones throw. We had the best party ever in celebration of the best election ever at the best house ever surrounded by the best new voters ever. And it was AWESOME!! Sincerely wish you all could have been here; and YES it was all inclusive, no matter who you wanted to win, who you voted for, we took all comers (um, eww?).

If you followed my stream of babble on Twitter yesterday, this is all old news but for those not in the know, D and I campaigned like FOOLS for this election. The little bit of time D was here, he was door knocking with me, registering voters, handing out flyers, getting doors slammed in our faces and wrangling a gaggle of kids with us the whole time. It was nothing short of fantastic! And the payoff was HUGE!! We met, obviously, many new voters, a truck ton of other volunteers and more of our neighbors than I think we have collectively ever known. And many of them shared our home and our joy at the election yesterday. We were all super stoked that no matter the outcome we were at least guaranteed A CHANGE and it was a hugely non-partisan love-fest with a final headcount totalling OVER 500 people in and out of our house, eating, laughing, talking, sharing and essentially fellowshipping over our love for this country and the excitement of what the future will bring.

Of course, not all 500 people were there at once; we had a steady stream in and out from about 9AM till after 11PM last night. I wish there were words to convey the joy within our walls; the kids were super stoked because they (at least the oldest 3) felt invested in the outcome and included in the process and the adults were again just gleeful that as Sam Cooke told us decades ago, a change was gonna come. And it did. Wow, did it ever.

Oh, deeply contented sigh, I am again cutting it close to the edge but tomorrow, I promise and swear a substantive post about not just the outcome of the election but what I think, hope and believe it will mean for all of us. For now though, I will just leave you with the words I haven't been able to stop grinning and repeating, ''YES WE CAN!! YES WE DID!!''.

Day 4 - YES WE CAN! YES WE DID!

America, I am so totally in love with you right now I can barely take a breath. We did it. Obama did it. New and better days are ahead of us, people. Believe it.

Having said that, I can't let this go: This is not an historic election because Obama has different eye or hair color than McCain. Please stop, I implore you, bragging that your kids or family members or even yourself ''don't even notice Barrack is black''; being 'colorblind' isn't something to brag about or encourage. By pretending to do so you minimize wholesale the greatness of this election and what it means to us as a country and a society. We can notice and embrace and celebrate our differences without being separatist but when we willfully ignore them we do ourselves no favors and in fact halt the progress being made in this country.

But, end of the day, I love you America. I really, deeply love and appreciate you. Thanks for helping turn this country around in the right direction.

Day 3

SADIE WANTS YOU TO VOTE

Polling Place Finder

Election Day Problems?

Call one of these hotlines:
1-866-MYVOTE1 (866-698-6831)
1-866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
1-888-VE-Y-VOTA (en Español)

Voter ID Requirements
Make sure you know what you will need to bring to the polls. Check out the ID Requirements for your state.

Day 2

Blimey! Only the second day and I'm already 2 for 2 in waiting until the last minute! Let's hope this doesn't mean a pattern is being set in motion.

So. The short and sweet of this post is to talk about my favorite 'kid'. Oh that's right. I have a favorite; an unabashed favorite who is the light of my nights. Picture of said golden child after the cut!

NaBloPoMo - Yeah, we're doing it.

Squeaking in at the last minute for even the first day but yes, yes, yes I am going to do the madness again this year. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to the following:

• Politics
• Sickness of the dirty campaigning, nasty ads & the absurdity of the internet
• Children, raising them & enjoying them
• The fact that I do not, as was suspected, have ovarian cancer
• What I do have though is a uterus full of tumors and ovaries ate up with cysts
• The distinction between cysts and tumors is not known to me
• Active participation in the election - What did you? Blog? Knock on doors? Register voters?
• The timing of several alleged Obama campaign volunteers and employees suddenly developing a conscience the weekend prior to the election and anonymously 'verifying' the use of every dirty trick the GOP has accused the Obama campaign of indulging in
• No, that's not questionable. Not at all. It's fact if you believe many blogs.
• Hee. That is all.
• Again, the timing of 'outing' Obama's aunt as being here illegally. Who is that meant to convince? What is point or purpose?
• The fact that there are people who still to this day believe Obama is Muslim. When they aren't beating him up over the words of the preacher at his Christian church.
• Gay marriage. I need to know why people don't ''believe'' in it. Seriously. Why not? What is the cost to you, personally or to us as a country? I need to know.
• Abortion Abortion Abortion and Air quotes Air quotes Air quotes
• ''Women's Health''
• People who don't participate in NaBloPoMo but make it a point to post sarcastic rants about how they have better things to do; get over yourselves. It's obviously not a requirement but seriously: whining about it it's very existence makes you look like a dick. See also: Gay marriage.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand ever what else comes up. Should be a fun month!