Oct31

Wake me up when September ends. -Green Day

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Wake me up when September ends. -Green Day

I could also call this “My birthday month, Part 2… No, really!”

Yes, I know it’s nearly November. I’m behind at life. Also, I must clear Mrs. Instructor’s name by stating that she was in no way demanding I post my stories about her. Unlike her predecessors, Chex Mix Guy and Sensei, she has not become an attention monster. You know who else hasn’t? Surfer Dude. He knows full well about this blog and has never, to my knowledge, checked out what I’ve written about him. Wouldn’t you think he’d at least be curious? Amazing.

Okay. On with the pics, etc.

When we last saw our intrepid heroes, Heather, Neighbor, and Ilsa planned a coffee date do-over, this time at a joint called Archer’s Arrow, totally chosen by me for the name alone.

My birthday month had some not so great happenings, so I’m going to intersperse pics from the coffee house with the less fun stuff.

For instance, I went to the dermatologist on my birthday due to an odd rash on my side. She took one look and said, all in one breath, “You have shingles I’m so sorry.”

She said it usually flares up due to stress. (That part’s going to come in again later.)

I was prescribed an antiviral and what is essentially, she told me, diaper rash cream that I was to spread on the rash with a popsicle stick and then cover with Saran wrap.

So, I at least didn’t have to worry about diaper rash, and if anyone shoved me in a fridge, I’d stay fresh for a while.

Also, I was crinkly.

Back to the pics! Outside the coffee shop stood this:

Go ahead and take as long as you need… then laugh.

Sadly, the antiviral prescription was sent to the wrong pharmacy, one ten minutes away, and even longer to get home again. I waited in a long line to be told this. Meanwhile, Hubby sent me a picture of my birthday steak and side dishes and children waiting for me at the table at home.

Frustrated, irritated, and itchy, I went straight home to find my very wise and wonderful husband had my all-time favorite song queued up and ready for me. (This will be your trivia question I just decided! Don’t worry, I’ll give clues.)

Back to the coffee. What did I order? Without a second thought, this:

An Americano as an homage, if you will, to my long-time readers who remember me jokingly wondering, as a newbie white belt, if the Jiu-Jitsu move “Americana” was a type of coffee. Having a blog has made drink ordering so much easier on a number of occasions.

Two days later, at another appointment during this super fun birthday week, I was told I have a hormone deficiency, specifically of estrogen.

I know, I know. You’re all thinking: What? Ilsa? The super princess pacifist in the frilly pink dresses and nail polish and lip gloss Ilsa? She’s low in estrogen? No!

Part of the coffee house seating was swings! Scroll for three close ups. (The fourth swing wasn’t that funny.)

Not to worry, though, friends. Turns out, my body overcompensates for this lack of estrogen by producing an over abundance of, are you ready? Cortisol, aka, the stress hormone. And because of this, I was told I have high anxiety.

Then on the SAME day, I was asked if I could substitute teach middle schoolers for two weeks. They literally had no one else to ask.

Seriously, I can’t make this sh*t up.

So of course I said yes because I had just spent gobs of money figuring out more of what was wrong with me, so I could use the extra work.

I’m fine now. I survived both subbing and shingles, but not being able to go to Jiu-Jitsu for a week wasn’t fun, especially since I was told I need to exercise extra hard to burn off that excess cortisol.

😒

My dear friends also gave me these cute gifts, which were completely unnecessary, but still appreciated.

Little succulents in a box with birch wood (my fave) and some yummy smelling seasonal soap.

Oh, yes, and my birthday dessert.

Chocolate Lasagna: Oreo crust, cream cheese, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream topped with Oreo crumbles.
Super delish!

My all-time favorite song of all time. (I say that redundantly because that’s how much I like the song.)

Clues:

  1. It’s by a classic rock band with a two-word name.
  2. It’s about a band member who had schizophrenia or psychosis.
  3. The song title is four words.

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70 responses »

  2. Doh! Not only was I almost the first to comment, but I also knew right away it was Pink Floyd “Wish You Were Here.” Damn you for stepping on my turf, Autumn!

    You should’ve asked for a shot of estrogen in your Americano.

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    • Fortunately, a quick search said getting shingles more than once is rare. Hopefully it will be one and done for me. I’m sure I could have had it worse. Sorry about your rash reaction. :/

      That dessert was so good. We had it for my daughter’s birthday only a few weeks earlier, but I wanted it again! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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  7. I can understand why your Dr said that the way she did. It can be horrible.
    That oreo lasagna sounds wonderful. Good enough to badger my brother into making it, hahaha!
    I never would have guessed that song, as I’m not much of a music listener. Guess I’ll have to hang around and try again next time…

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Ugh, so sorry you got shingles, but glad you were able to get on an antiviral in time. My son had shingles at age 16 and my hubby also had them a few years back. I mistakenly thought it was an old person issue, but it’s not.

    The estrogen thing is concerning because it affects so much. I hope you get a remedy.

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  11. Pink Floyd and shingles. Interesting combination. My advice is to not get shingles, it can hurt. I find it odd that it’s affecting young people now. Used to be only us old guys got it, but now they give us old dudes shots to prevent it. The world is turning upside down.

    Pink Floyd might have had a song about that …

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  12. I hope the bout with shingles was mercifully brief, Betsy! Might merit its own blog post, huh? I got it sooner than I thought I would (early 40s, I believe), but only on my lower leg and it was practically gone by the time I had the sense to go to the doctor about it. Now at an age where I’m SUPPOSED to get shingles, I get inundated by online pleas to get the vaccine. Nope. I’ll take my chances, knowing I’ve already gone round with it once 🙂

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    • Maybe a week and a half of it being obnoxious? The itchiness lasted longer than the pain. I hated waking up in the middle of the night finding myself itching, or waking up in the morning discovering I’d been itching because I had the cream under my fingernails. On the whole, it was more a nuisance than anything. Yeah, I think you and I are good without the vaccine.

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  14. I feel so bad for you, shingles are miserable. I just had my shingles shot a month ago thank God. I have seen the Chocolate Lasagna all the time and thought it would be super sweet. If you loved it I may just give it a try! Happy belated birthday Betsy!

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    • OMG, “by any beans necessary” is so perfect for you, Ally Bean!

      I have no memory of having had chicken pox. My mom insisted I didn’t, that I had the vaccine as a child, but it’s impossible to get shingles without having had chicken pox, so…. Weird that even my big sister has no memory of the pox. Over achiever that I am, it would figure that I’d be the first case in history of getting shingles without chicken pox first. 😉

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  18. Sounds like a stressful month interwoven with many sweet moments, including that delicious chocolate lasagna. I’ve never heard of such a thing and I want one now!

    Shingles sounds painful and I’m glad you’re on the mend now!

    And you’ll need to do a profile of Surfer Dude one day. He’s the one I bet most readers wanna see a spotlight on!

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  19. Shingles – glad you are recovered from them. They are painful. My oldest daughter has been diagnosed with too much cortisol also. She is a school teacher – so just what she needs to add to the stress level she gets fomr teaching in our schools today. Your dessert looks great!

    Liked by 1 person

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  21. Pingback: The world has turned upside down | Motherhood and Martial Arts

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