Lover Unbound Spoiler, Review, Rant...

I had a patient come in on Monday and when I spotted what she was putting back in her purse I got all excited. I barely could contain myself.
"Is that the new J.R. Ward book?" I practically shouted, almost jumping across the counter to grab at it. Thank goodness for very recognizable book covers.
She said yes and I proceeded to bombard her with my trials of trying to locate that book (several Walmarts, calling all around the city to different bookstores). Turns out she found it at a Walmart that was going to take me a total of 45 minutes to get to and from. So, I had a hard time getting through the rest of the day, I was so anxious to get my hands on the book. It was the last one on the shelf. I want to jump up and down for finding it even a day early.
I stayed up until 3am to read it. I even put down another book that I was currently reading - which is something I NEVER do.
Okay, now that you know the back story let me tell you about the actual story.
Scroll Down a bit to see, just in case you don't really want to know my opinion or read any spoilers because I can't guarantee that there won't be any.




























The happily ever after left a bad taste in my mouth as well a sadness that cloaked the whole read. I felt like I wasted my time, money and gas. I should have waited until it was at Half Price Books. Then maybe I wouldn't have felt so cheated.
So, I did read spoilers. I knew Jane was a ghost, though I didn't know how or when or what. I thought maybe she was a ghost from the beginning, but no, much worse. I understand the angst, the torture, the sadness leading up to what should have been the traditional happy ending you expect from a romance novel. If that is what you are expecting then you will be sorely disappointed. First off, Jane dies. Yes, dies. Then, somehow, the author makes it so that Jane can come back. Hmm...but come back as what you ask? A damn ghost. You remember the movie Ghost with Demi Moore. Remember how when Patrick Swayze meets the other ghost in the subway and the other ghost can touch things? Okay, Jane is like that. She has to concentrate very hard in order to be able to pick something up, or even be seen by others. Though, how this works I am not quite sure, V can see her all the time. He is able to touch her all the time concentration or not because of his gift/curse.
This isn't a happy ever after to me. To be with someone who can't really be there? Geez, people walk right into her - another thing that doesn't make sense because if she is wearing clothing you should be able to see the clothing, right? I mean, I think the book even mentions how her clothing looks empty. So how does Rhage walk into her?
The best parts were the V and Butch exchanges. It was very sweet. I don't know if the author always meant for there to be this love interest on V's part, but for me it worked. I never wanted them to be together, but I loved how they are there for each other, watching each other's back. Butch surprised me, pleasantly, by being so understanding and even considerate of V's feelings. Another good thing is that there are no Lesser POVs. I never liked to read things from their point of view anyways.
Oh, and in regards to the bondage thing. It wasn't a turn off, but not a turn on either. It seemed forced. I didn't like it. It felt almost like "Oh, I haven't addressed V's fetish and need for S&M with the love of his life, so I need to throw something in there." Tie him up and whip him. But, as I understand S&M bondage stuff, isn't the real power with the person who can call a stop to the whole process? So how would that make V feel so powerful, to know that at any time his sex partner can call a halt to the festivities? So the control stands with whom? Definitely not the "Dominant" person because that person does not control how far or how long things go for.
I hope that when it comes time for Phury's book that I will want to read it...and don't even get me started on Phury. I was so anxious for this book, but now I am "eh" about the remaining portion of the series. And the next one is supposed to be in hardback?!? I won't buy it in hard back, but maybe I will probably read it because I am invested in the series as a whole.
If you have read Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward, let me know your opinions. Maybe you can shed some light on this particular novel for me and help me fall in love with it.


Okay, enough of that. On a happy note I finished reading the first 7 Sookie books. Can't wait for the next one. I look forward to more Eric-Sookie interaction. I liked Quinn. I went back and forth with Bill, and I am not quite sure now. I don't dislike him, but he isn't my fave either. Didn't like Alcide, no matter how hot he is. I am not really pulling for any one person for her to pick, I am happy with how the book reads. Yum. Can't wait for the next one - at least I hope there is a next one. Also can't wait for True Blood, even though I am usually unsure of books to TV or movies.

Sookie!!

I picked up the first two stories about Sookie Stackhouse, Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series. I only picked them up because the second story had a picture of the Dallas skyline on the front. I love stories set in places I am familiar with. It helps me feel part of the story instead of just a bystander watching the story pass me by.
I love the descriptions of University Park because it was exactly how I thought of it. I have also heard of a lot of the cities she mentions in Louisiana. I know a few people who are from Louisiana and talk about their home towns. Those hometowns are mentioned in her books. I also have been to Shreveport, though I did not see a Fangtasia nor any vampires hanging around (at least none who were openly advertising themselves as vampires), it was still nice to read the story and think to myself "hey, I've been there!"
I am planning to get to the bookstore tomorrow to pick up the rest of the series, or at least book 3 and 4 (I have 5, but I am holding off on reading it until I read 3 and 4).
Listening: To nothing because even my ears are too tired to listen to anything after the butt kicking workout tonight.
Reading: nothing because I just finished the last page of Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris. I will wait until tomorrow to start a new read.
Knitting: umm, I seem to have misplaced Sheldon. I will look for him tomorrow morning so that I may continue to knit him. I want to finish him this weekend.

EDIT: I also meant to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the 2 stories that I have read so far and I can't wait to read the rest!! =)

For the person who left a comment about Dr. Heier

Dr. Heier is great! He is honest, straight forward and very competent. He fixed my ankle, an injury that should not have healed considering the damage and the way I did not listen to medical advice. I have a great relationship with him and have no regrets about choosing him as my orthopedic surgeon. I suggest that you at least make an appointment and see him. You will see how great he is. He will answer all of your questions and take time with you. He is young, but don't let that dissuade you...he is very intelligent and keeps up with the new technologies in his field. In fact, he fixed my ankle with a new technique using different hardware. I know he practiced in Florida before moving to Texas. He started with Metrocrest in 1999 and has been their sole (no pun intended) foot and ankle surgeon since then. I guess all of that might be on their website.
When you do go to see him, tell him Deva (pronounced with a long E, like Diva) referred you. He will get a kick out of that. I'm not some random patient, he will know exactly who you are talking about (his staff may not know who I am, but he definitely does). =)
If you have any specific questions, email me at deva at gumaperez dot com I will be more than happy to answer any of your questions.

After reading that I wasn't knitting much I decided to pick up something. So, behind everyone else in the times, I decided to knit Sheldon. I am 3/4 through the body knitting. I am using Caron Simply Soft in a beige color named Bone. Stash busting. =) I will post pics later. Maybe once I have the body completed.
Made chicken kelaguen last night and leche flan. yum. We are going to see a friend of the DH tonight for dinner, someone he knew from high school. He wanted me to make something to bring with us so he selected leche flan because he likes it so much and kelaguen because it is a taste of home. It is a far drive...hope I don't eat all the food before we get there.
I finished reading Nalini Singh's first Psy/Changeling book. I went through to 3 different Half Price Book stores this past weekend during their 20% off sale. Bought the first three of the Southern Vampire series by Charlaine Harris. Have yet to start it. I need to get to a real bookstore to get the other released books from the Psy/Changeling series. Hmm...and I can't wait for the end of the month. The newest addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood hits the shelves on 9/25. Yay Vishous! I am excited. I want to know his story.
More later...listening to Hawaiian music...Kalapana, Ka'Au Crater Boys, Kapena.

What does an ankle fracture feel like?

Well, this was a question that my tracker tells me brought someone to this blog. So, here is your answer. When the fracture first happened, I didn't think it was broken. I could still move my toes and I always thought if you couldn't move your toes then you had a break and if you could move your toes then it wasn't broken. WRONG! My ankle hurt only when I tried to move my foot, but there was no constant pain or anything. It was swollen like I did not know possible.
Then they splinted it in the hospital. By this time I was given pain relievers so maybe my memories of this are a little different than the actual event, but I don't remember it being too awful. It hurt, but not pull your hair, punch the guy splinting you kind of hurt. Just a normal hurt.
The pain started after surgery.
Anyways, if your ankle hurts and you think it could be broken then get it checked. I have heard horror stories about people who were diagnosed with sprains and told to weight bear as tolerated only to later find out that they had a talus fracture (part of the ankle) that was now irrepairable. Don't let that happen. I was lucky and the ER doc thought he saw something on the xray even though there wasn't an obvious break. The CT told the story of a shattered talus that is not visible on a regular xray because other bones obscure the interior bone structures. So, whether it hurts or not and whether you can wiggle your toes or not, if you think there is a possiblity it could be broken get it checked out. ;)

Is summer really almost over?

Is it possible that I haven't posted since April? I guess it is. The summer has just flown by, probably because it rained so much in the beginning that it did not really feel like summer until August 1. Then the heat rolled in. So we haven't had the hellish summer we had last year, which was a nice reprieve.
The DH and I went to Guam this summer as well. It was fantastic albeit a bit short. We did not do nearly as much as we had hoped to do, but there will always be a next time. We hope. Considering this was my first time home since 1999, it was especially good for me. I guess it is always a nice when you go home and you realize almost everything is how you left it. That is the feeling I had in Guam. Like time froze until I got back and everything was peaceful, beautiful, and how it should be. We are all a bit older, all a bit wiser and all a bit more stressed out, but we are all the same. Friends and family just clicked right back into place as if we had never left. And, what a relief to know you can go home again.
I spent the rest of the summer reading books that I am sure most think will deteriorate the mind. I discovered paranormal romance/urban fantasy and have submerged myself into other worlds on a regular basis. I think I have read close to a hundred stories this summer, and have not finished. There are about 5 books in my TBR pile, but there were 9 on Friday night. As you can see, I am just plowing through them. I have never been one to pick up a series that had not been completed, I am not a patient person. Without thoroughly researching a series, I started reading at least 4 different ones...all of which have left me hanging with open ends that will not be closed in the near future. Some of them do not even have new books coming out until 2008! (damn you) But, to assuage some of the coursing want, some of the books I am waiting for come out this month and next month. (cheering inside)
A frugal person from necessity I have never had the habit of buying books new, but some of these series books have me hooked and I find myself haunting Barnes and Noble waiting, watching, ready to pounce on a new release. Unable to wait until a copy hits Half Price Books. *sigh*
On another note, I have been contemplating knitting and sewing, though have not actually done anything about it.
Another thing I picked up this summer is working out. I started in May. I go to an actual gym and I always have a goal of 5 days a week, but I am usually closer to 3 regularly. It still kicks my butt, but I pray that said butt will stop getting larger if I continue to make it to the godawful torture facility. My ankle screams at some of the torture I put it through, and the OS insists that I am healed, but sometimes I wonder if the pain will ever go away. I have asked and been told that I will need at least arthroscopic surgery and possible hardware removal. Though, the OS is hesitant about the hardware removal as am I. I had a steroid injection before the trip to Guam, and that helped immensely on the trip there. The trip back, however, caused my ankle to swell to double it's size and caused some mighty discomfort the whole 30 some odd hours home.
And finally, I will rant about television. Everyone who knows (and loves) me knows that I have a heavy addiction to the wonderful world of television. This summer has sucked because there have not been any new shows I have been particularly interested in. I am not a big reality watcher and it seems that the summer has been littered with reality show after reality show. I find it extra aggravating that the new seasons do not start until the end of summer. Do you remember the days when the summer hiatus ended at the end of August and started in June? Why do series end so early (in May these days) and start so late? You might as well not start until October. Geez! And then you take a winter hiatus as well!
Ahh...I can't wait for the office to start back up. I know that, even if you are a Pam/Jim fan, some people do not want them to get together as they believe it will affect the general integrity of the show. I, on the other hand, would like to see a season or two with them together, then a nice break up, then maybe even a series ending reconciliation. I could live with that. I know it sounds much like Ross/Rachel, but that was a good ride for a few seasons anyways. Plus it was just too painful watching Pam and Jim in the beginning of last season. I missed their easy banter and one minded foolishness. To me, that is part of the show and is hard to swallow without it.
Ok, I leave you with this. I am listening to A Fine Frenzy, One Cell In The Sea. I am reading nothing because I just finished a book. I have reread both Moon Called and Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs this week (don't torture yourself because Iron Kissed doesn't come out until January, dammit) GO ADAM! And the TV is off for once because the DH is sleeping quite peacefully. All in all, a good Sunday morning.

All the fractures are now officially healed. The talus took the longest, a total of 7 full months before I was given the all clear, five of those months were spent in a cast.
A little bit about the whole experience since my last post was in October when I was first given clearance to walk. That was not a fun experience. For the first couple of weeks or so I was very unsure about placing any weight on the bad foot. I used a cane for those weeks. Eventually I was able to progress to walking without the cane, but I was only able to do it with a cast on. So, because I did not feel secure in the boot, my OS placed me in a removable cast. That worked out very well. I was up an walking within a week of receiving the removable cast. In December, he let me take the cast off completely and gave me a small ankle brace (like the type pro athletes use when they sprain an ankle). On 12/13/06 was the first time I was able to walk without any external bracing of any sort - and it was a short trip from my bed to the bathroom. I walked barefoot, something that I had not been able to do since July 14, 06! A whole five months! Let me tell you, it was not easy convincing my surgeon to let me out of the cast either. He kept saying, "Deva, I just don't think you understand the severity of this type of fracture." But I felt good, and he told me that after 6 months from the surgery I would be back to normal. How could I be back to normal if five months in I was still in a cast. So, a visit in December which involved x-rays and then I was on my feet without a boot or a cast. WooHoo!

The x-rays from the visit showed possible avascular necrosis. This saddened me because who wants to know that they are going to have arthritis in their ankle no matter what.

So, 2 months passed and I went in for a check up. In February I was given the all clear. And, great news, new x-rays were more promising. These showed no real sign of AVN. My OS told me to take it easy for another couple of months. No running, no kickboxing. Give it some time. And I have been. I still have a bit of a limp on long shopping trips. My ankle still gets sore first thing in the morning, but it loosens up throughout the day. The swelling is much better, only swelling very marginally. No real pain to speak of. I was warned that I may need a cortisone injection after a couple of months if I did have pain in the joint, but so far I have not had any symptoms to indicate that I will need that.

And, to answer a comment question, my pins are internal all 6 of them and the plate. The bone was in fragments, so my OS put it back together using the plate (a technique he had learned only 2 days before the accident). He used an ankle model prior to the surgery to bend the plate into the shape he wanted, and it turned out to be pretty close. He then used that along with pins to hold everything together.

I was in a fiberglass cast for the first 6 weeks - maybe 8 - weeks. When that was removed I was placed into a removable boot and remained in that until October. Then I was placed back into a cast, though this on was removable for showers and bed time. Then, in December I was taken out of the cast altogether. I have pictures, which I will post when I get home, as I am at work right now and don't have access to them. If you have any other questions, feel free to leave another comment.

On the knitting front - I know, it seems like I am a non-knitter these days. In my defense, I haven't blogged about anything. The knitting hasn't been neglected, just neglected being blogged about. I am joining the craftster knitting challenge this time around with the Summer Knitting Challenge. So I have been working up some designs, swatching like crazy. I have a perfect silk blend for this project and an idea working itself out. Maybe I will post some pics that don't show too much of what is going on.

More later kids.

STOP BREED SPECIFIC LEGISLATION - STOP BSL

If you haven't heard of it before, then please take a moment to read about it. Breed specific legislation is what your government is spending its money on. It is your government trying to tell you what type of dog you are allowed to own. What type of dog it thinks is safe. Today it is the American Pit Bull Terrier that is at risk. And it is at risk in your backyard. Even if you do not own an American Pit Bull Terrier, please do not support BSL. If this is successful with the American Pit Bull Terrier it will be successful with other breeds. One day the German Shepard, Akita, Doberman, Wolf breeds, Rottweiler and any other breed deemed "dangerous" or "vicious" will be on the chopping block. People who are ignorant on the subject of how dogs react to different methods of training. Your dog could be next.
Please support the punishment of the deed and not the breed. We all know that breeding is not the only factor in an animal's behavior. The owner, yes, you and I, are what make our dogs strong or weak. Fierce or docile. Treacherous or loyal. We make our dogs who they are, we make them act the way we do. It is our training, our treatment of them, our energy that makes them the great dogs that they are. Unfortunately, there are people out there who think about themselves only and not about how their individual actions will affect the people who live nearby. And your city, county, and state reps do not understand. They want to keep the people who are scared and ignorant of the breed happy without doing the proper research.
Punish the people who teach their dogs to attack. Punish the people who do not love their dogs, who put their personal wants above the needs of their dogs. Punish the people who abuse their dogs. Do not punish the owners who take care of their animals. Who treat them as part of the family. Who protect their animals as well as the people who may come in contact with them. Do not punish us, the owners who care and do not want to lose our beloved dogs. We keep them because they are strong, loyal, and caring animals.
So, fight BSL. Even if you do not have a dog, do not have an American Pit Bull Terrier, fight BSL. Register to vote, write to your reps, sign the petitions. Get your voice heard. Before it is too late and your dog is taken away from you as well.

If you live in the Dallas area, especially DeSoto, please note that your city is trying to pass a breed specific ban targeting the American Pit Bull Terrier. Please go to your city's meeting as they will be trying to do this on 12/7. Sign the petitions. Let your voice be heard!

Do not let them take away your dogs because of one person's stupid acts.

Helpful links filled with educational information
Diane Jessup's Working Pit Bull
American Dog Breeders Association
PETA Kills Animals
Punish the Deed, Not the Breed!
Stand United - Support the Fight

In Your Eyes - Rogue Wave

Quick post about Rogue Wave. I was watching Just Friends and the song that plays towards the end of the movie. You know the part, where Chris is flying back to Jersey and searching for Jaime. Anyways, I kept thinking how that song is so very familiar. It was bugging me, so I did a google search for the lyrics. I didn't know the title or artist when I did the search, so I just typed in the lyrics as I heard it. I came across this blog, which put my mind at ease. The song's title is Eyes and artist is Rogue Wave. You see, the song plays on an episode of Heroes. So, listen to the song, watch Heroes because it rocks, and go ahead and watch Just Friends if you need something to fill a void on a Sunday night when you do not want to go to sleep because then Monday will come that much sooner. Just have the TiVo tuner set to some comedy rerun so you can toggle during boring or just embarrassingly painful moments.
Oh, in case anyone is wondering. I had a good Thanksgiving. We had ham, chicken kelaguen, bbq chicken Guam style, rice, and some other things. Aaron's mom came in for a short visit. Her first chance since the accident. She wanted to come and put her mind at ease I guess. And it was a short notice visit...meaning she called us on Monday to let us know she arrived on Wednesday. We did a lot of shopping while she was here. Result? Mailing a whole bunch of stuff back to Guam. =)
Have a good night folks.

Deva

I can walk! (Updates on the infamous Talus Fracture)

Well, almost anyways. I have been given the all clear to walk. My OS suggests using a cane. It is painful. I complained that the boot I was in did not feel supportive enough and he put me in a removable cast. This was done as a cast is custom to my leg and foot as it molds to me when it hardens. Currently I am not liking the fit and may have to go back this week for different one. He also suggested a cortisone injection, but I think I will hold off on that for a few more weeks. I am told that the injection will help with the pain which would make it more bearable to walk. It is still very painful and I have not worked up the courage to put my full weight on that foot yet. I am using a walker. I will pick up a cane this week and see how it goes.
The bad news is that there has been onset of AVN (avascular necrosis) at the top of the bone. This means that the bone is calcifying signifying the lack of blood supply to the bone. I am told that it could be worse. While the bone has not collapsed, there is still a chance of that. This is why I need to be extra careful when putting weight on it, using a cane in case I lose my balance. Knowing this is what feeds my fear of walking on it. But I am trying.
In addition, Dr. Heier wants me to break my tibia or fibula the next time I decide to break a bone. Ha! Like I chose this one in the first place.
Pelvis fracture is doing better than the talus fracture. The pelvis is healing. I was given some simple exercises to help increase strength in my thigh, back and butt muscles to hopefully alleviate the pain I am having in my back and glutes. We will see how it goes.

It's a Pumpkin Eat Pumpkin World

It has been a while since a post, but I wanted to share my picture. I carved the pumpkin eating a little pumpkin. Like a cannibal pumpkin. Someone at my last job did a pumpkin like it and then I found a bunch of other pictures of people who did the same thing. I thought it was cool, so here is my rendition.

















I noticed that some of the hits to my blog were specifically looking for a cannibal pumpkin pattern. Unfortunately, I do not have a pattern, but it was fairly simple to achieve without the pattern.
My particular pumpkin was carved partially with a pattern and partially free hand. The eyes I carved from a pattern, I got the pattern with the carving kit I picked up at Wal-Mart. You could just pick any pair of eyes you like and print it to carve on your pumpkin. I chose not to free hand this part because I wanted them to be symmetrical. I chose a spot for the pupils and scraped the pumpkin skin off to achieve that light yellow effect. This part of the eye (pupil) was not in the pattern, but I thought it added a realism to the pumpkin. You will notice there is no nose on the pumpkin, mainly because I forgot. (There went my realism)
Then the fun part. The mouth I freehanded. I carved the spot for the little pumpkin smaller than I thought it needed to be then slowly carved out more and more a bit at a time to make the space large enough to fit. I used the small pumpkin as the guide, periodically trying to shove it into the larger pumpkins mouth. I made sure to leave the "tooth" as the piece to hold the little pumpkin in the larger pumpkin's mouth. I debated with using a toothpick through the tooth and into the little pumpkin to hold it in place. In the end, I opted to just leave it alone. The tooth held the small pumpkin in place just fine.
The small pumpkin I did not carve. I just drew on him with a permanent marker.
I used WD-40 on the pumpkin post carving. Though it did not smell like anything other than WD-40, my pumpkin still collapsed after 4 days. I would not suggest this method. I think you should just leave the pumpkin as is after carving and let nature take it's course. You should, however, carve closer to the actual event you want to use it for, Halloween, party, contest, etc. OR - you could put your very large pumpkin in your refrigerator and just drink all the beer you have in there to make room. I vote carve closer to the date you will need it.
Hope this "tutorial" helps someone. If so, post pics and comments. :)

Just a small update on the talus fracture

I saw the doctor on Friday (9/29) and the verdict is I still am unable to walk. I will be using the roll-a-bout for about another 3-4 weeks. I can weight bear in small doses to walk to bathroom and such, but definitely not outside of the house. My hips still hurt and get real sore after a long day of work or shopping. I am putting some weight on my foot, but have not tried walking yet. To tell the truth, I am scared. Dr. Heier, when I asked if I could walk, was still hesitant when he mentioned walking around the house. Hearing that, I am taking it slow. He says that the talus is just one of those fractures that he likes to take extra care with. The bone is healing nicely from what we can tell. So far there is no sign of AVN (avascular necrosis). We are concerned about that as well as arthritis, but we will wait and see.
I am still in the boot, and I have it on whenever I put any weight on the foot. I do not put weight on it without the boot on. I will probably be wearing the boot for a little while longer.
Okay, I am going to eat lunch. More later people!

CSI NY New Episode 9/27/06

Does anyone else watch CSI: NY? I think this season may just be interesting. I know that some people like shows that pay more attention to the cases than to the personal lives of the characters. I like the personal sides. I like to get to know the characters, their backgrounds, their relationships, their lives. I think it makes the show more human, more real. This particular episode "Not What It Looks Like" was interesting in the last few minutes of the episode.
Danny shows that side of himself that we all know and love by asking Lindsay if she knows what she is doing. Telling her that they have undercovers to do that part of the job and she doesn't have to risk herself. He listened intently for clues and when she was made he was the first to realize it. Then, rushing in, the scenes showing Stella going for the bad guys first but Danny going for Lindsay first. They are sucking us in to this Danny Lindsay obsession. And that hug at the very end? Classic move to get us to watch more and more.
I like the idea of Danny and Lindsay hooking up. The flirting is cute and I understand stretching out hookups so that people keep watching, but I want to see this one happen already! Haha! I am just impatient because The Office has no hookup, Bones - no hookup, CSI - no hookup, House - no hookup. I have no romance this season! And, if you know me, you know I am a sucker for romance.
So, Danny and Lindsay. Please tell me there are other people out there who want these two to get together. Mack with the new ME is okay, but I have nothing invested in her. I don't know her. To me she is a new character and I can take her or leave her right now because I know nothing about her. Flack is hot and needs someone, but I think his character needs a little bit of development first. Stella, well, after that last relationship from last season I think she needs a break. Maybe for this whole season. But Lindsay? I like her. That small town girl who is strong enough to hold her own in a new, big city. She has built in character. And Danny, we know he was the tough guy from the wrong side of the tracks making good now. He has heart. A caring side. I think those 2 have chemistry best explored more in a relationship that happens this season.
So - the powers that be - if you read this know that I will still watch if the D/L hookup happens because I will just be thankful for SOME romance in this television season!

Okay, premiere week recap, knitting & injury updates

I actually have pictures to post this time around.

Knitting - I am currently working on My So Called Scarf. It is going quick, whenever I decide to pick it up. The stitch pattern was very easy to memorize (this is great!) and the Manos is very nice to knit with. I thought it would be too scratchy at first, but not so far. The color is really pretty and I am glad I am finally getting around to this. I may just figure out a pattern to knit a hat version out of the scarf since I do not have the knitting magazine with Cross Hat-ch in it. I will post pics of the scarf progress when I get home today and a pick of the hat should I ever do it.




- I have also swatched for the Beaded Cami. I bought some pink silk yarn blend from ebay earlier this month. The gauge was dead on! This was very exciting for me. Now, I have to decide if I want to review the pattern and rewrite it so I can knit it in the round or just knit on straight needles and fight through the seaming process. I will decide this weekend.




- I have also received the Homespun yarn I bought on ebay as well for my grandma's friend's aghan. She requested a white afghan for her birthday in November. Considering that I have ADD when it comes to knitting, I do not think I will actually complete it in time for her birthday. But I will give it my best effort. In addition to the white request, she also wants it to be sparkly. I have some beads, but now I am thinking about using a metallic carry along yarn instead and maybe using a lacy type of boarder with the metallic yarns. This may add just the right enough of sparkle. I will post progress once I start it.

Injury update:
It has now been 10 weeks since the accident, 9 weeks since the surgery. This means it has been 10 weeks since I have walked, put weight on my left foot, driven a car, gotten up on my own without some type of human or other assistance. I am hoping that in a few weeks I will be given the okay to walk. I am also hoping that it will not be too painful when that time comes.
I have an appointment next week to take another x-ray of my ankle. All in all, I have been feeling pretty good. My back (hip) and right leg have been giving me some trouble. Numbness, pain, tingling feelings. Aside, from that I am doing okay. I sleep without the boot on my left ankle and that is going well. When I get home I immediately remove the boot and this gives quite a bit of comfort to have it out. I have good flexion and extension (up and down movements) without too much discomfort. It still swells vastly and makes it uncomfortable to move at those times. I am getting around well enough, though.
Since being back to work (August 7) I have only missed one full day of work. The first week back I worked half days, but have been working full time since then.
I have pictures of my foot when it swells (usually when I get home from work). I have been thinking about posting it on here, but I am still thinking about it. haha.
To all the people who have left comments about their talus fractures and encouragement to get better - THANKS! It is greatly appreciated. And I am sure it is a relief to all the other people out there (lurkers, you know who you are) to know that they are not alone with their injury and recovery woes.

Now - for the exciting stuff! Television!
Last night was the season premieres of My Name Is Earl, The Office, Grey's Anatomy, and CSI. Okay, I have not watched CSI yet, but it is on my list for Saturday morning television. I like to save some of my favorites for the weekend when the husband is still sleeping (usually because there are NOT his favorites.)

First - The Office
* I thought that the "Okay" was a little bit of genius and a little bit of WTF. My take is that Jim already knew Pam's answer. He knew what she was going to say at that point, but decided to put it on the line anyways. He had to give it one last shot. He knew she felt the same way, at least some of it. And though she was still getting married, he would have that moment.
* I am not so sure about the Stamford office thing. The Office (Scranton) is not quite the same. And I think letting Michael get so over-the-top with the conference room (the hug and kiss) was a way to show how things are without Jim. He was, after all, the guy who kept Michael in check while still making him feel like he was in control. Ahh, Jim, we miss you.
* Rashida's roll, I hear, is supposed to be a love interest for Jim this season. Knowing this going in to this episode I was curious to see what role she would play in the opening episode. Also, going in to this episode made me not like her already since I am a Jim and Pam devotee. The imitating Jim was a genius move though. She had it dead on and it was funny. We will see how he wins her over and how it all plays out.
* The view - dark, grey, dreary. Great!
* Jim in a suit. Aww, our boy is all grown up!
* "It pays to be gay"
* Angela was extra repulsive. I am not so sure about making her as ignorant as she was. I understand it was completely in character, but I still did not like it.
* Meredith and the hand sanitizer!
* Phyllis and Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration.
* "My house now has 2 toasters"
* "That'll show them" Ryan regarding not being a temp.

Okay, enough of the Office obsession

Grey's Anatomy:
* "I am in love with you. So, you have a decision to make because when I had a decision to make I made the wrong one." This is what it means Meredith!
* Christina crying? Umm, I don't see it. When she lost the baby, I saw it. This time, I didn't see it.
* I know he is only signed for 6 episodes but "My hat is in the ring" Chris O'Donnell is gorgeous. Though I want Meredith and McDreamy to be together, I think being with Finn for a bit is not such a bad idea.

Alright, I really have a lot more to say, but I have to get back to work. More later - after I watch CSI tomorrow morning!

One More Month Down

I know, I know, it has been a month since the last post. Apparently, even being injured has not improved my blogging skills. This is a quick update for anybody who cares. I am out of the cast now - I actually got out of it 4 days ahead of schedule. Dr. Heier was kind enough to take me out of it a few days early. I actually went in to see Dr. Guess about my back and Dr. Heier was kind enough to check to see what I was doing in the office not seeing him. So, he agreed to take the cast off. I am in a boot (you know the one, it looks like a huge black ski boot). This is 100% removable, which means I can sleep, lounge and shower without something covering my leg/foot. It is still too soon to tell if AVN will set in, but we have high hopes that it won't.
I am working full time, 40 hours a week just as usual. I am using a Roll-A-Bout to get around. So, no more wheelchair - THANK GOODNESS! I am still not able to walk, but at least I can get around on my own for the most part
Now for the problems.
My foot still swells to about twice its size on a daily basis. Everyday that I go to work, go shopping, or am not in bed with my leg propped up means my foot, ankle and calf will be swollen for hours before it decreases in size to something closer to resembling a human foot.
My skin is still very dry. The day the cast came off it looked horrendous. It was scaly and sensitive. My skin was tight where the dry skin was not shedding and loose where it was. My foot is still very itchy and not quite healed. I am suspicious that this has a lot to do with the fact that my foot still swells thereby stretching the healthy skin. This causes my skin to dry out and break. Oh, the itching is bad.
My back (really it is my hip and tailbone area) are still very bothersome. In fact, some movements of my leg cause a deep, shooting, nerve pinching pain down my leg. This is very uncomfortable and makes me very cautious about moving around, even when I am lying down. I also have pain while on the roll-a-bout. My right leg and inner thigh hurt constantly when I am it. Getting on and off is painful, though moving around on it is bearable. Most of the pain was concentrated on my right side, but has been becoming more bothersome on my left side as of late.
Okay, so that is enough of the injury updates. Now on to the fun stuff.
I have been knitting as of late and have some projects in mind. This weekend I will post pictures. Yes, I said pictures. These will be of in-progress projects as well as some pics of my post cast foot in case anybody is interested on what to expect if they are going through the same talus fracture woes.
More updates this weekend. I will keep everyone posted. I am going to try to post more often to see if I can keep up with the 4 post requirement for SP9 before I sign up for it. I really enjoyed SP7 and am really looking forward to taking part in another one.

One Week Down and 3 To Go

Yes, I said one week down. In the cast, I have 3 weeks to go. Then I should be out of it. WooHoo!! But, I saw Dr. Heier the other day and he indicated that he probably would put me into a removable cast instead of a boot. I was hoping to be completely out of a cast, but I will settle for a removable cast over the regular cast that I have on now. Still no walking for another 8 weeks, but at least I will be able to take a shower without a plastic bag over my leg.
I went back to work this week. So far I have not completed a whole work day, but I am hoping to suck it up and do 8 hour days starting next week. Tomorrow is a short day as we get out of work early on Fridays. My ankle and leg have been swelling quite a bit while at work. The swelling causes issues because it is painful. It feels very tight with a burning and tingling. It isn't unbearable, just difficult. Surgery was on July 20. I have been off of all pain meds for one week now and I feel pretty good. I was taking the pain medication for 2 weeks post surgery. My stomach was very upset from all the medications. One day I just chucked all the meds and decided I could do without it. Maybe not the smartest idea, but at least my stomach is trying to kill me now.
My foot spasms every now and then. This causes bad pains in my ankle. It takes a while for that to ease. My toes also spasm and that causes pain as well. I can wiggle my toes, but I do not have full range of motion. I cannot lift them and I cannot bend them completely. This is very painful and can cause my foot to spasm.
I have been trying to do some research on talus fractures. Most of what I could find was not good news. Things like blood supply loss to the bone, bone death (avascular necrosis), loss of up and down movements, weakness, arthritis, continued pain. There was some good news like, if the bone was not displaced then there is a good chance that the bone will not die and the blood supply will naturally renew itself. Considering it took 6 pins to fix, something tells me the bone was displaced. The information that I have also said that the whole bone may not die. There may be sporadic death and that some of the bone may still be viable. I am still hoping for the best though.
I am hanging in there. It could be worse. I could have died.
With that I leave you with a picture of the crash. I was the passenger.

Broken ankle, broken pelvis, broken sacrum, sigh

On July 14 I was in a car accident. A 4x4 GMC truck smashed into the passenger side of my Matrix. Unfortunately, I was the passenger. I have searched online for stories of other people's trials and adventures with a talus fracture and I have come up with very slim pickings. So, just in case there are other people out there searching for information on a person's adventures with a talus fracture and trying to heal from one, here is my story.
Yes, this was a mostly devoted to knitting blog, but I haven't been knitting too much lately due to some changes in living situations. Now that I have been stuck in bed, I haven't felt like knitting all that much. I find it uncomfortable to knit while laying down. Sitting is a also not very comfortable as I have a few pelvic fractures and sacrum (tail bone area) fractures on the right side. Ankle fracture is on the left side. So, needless to say, there is no comfortable position for me these days. I can lie on my back for a short while, turning on my right side is painful, turning on my left is difficult because of the cast. Lying on my stomach is comfortable for my back, but I can't seem to find a good position for the leg in a cast. So, 4 more weeks of this torture then I will be in a boot. Which, considering that I will have to be in the boot for 23 hours of the day, it probably will not be much better.
So, about the accident. We were driving home, turning left and did not see the truck in the oncoming lane. An "Oh, Shit" later and we were hit. I remember not being able to breath, thinking that I was going to die, then someone telling me that help was on the way. I must have passed out. Well, my ankle was hurting, my back was hurting and my chest was hurting. My husband, the driver, undid my seatbelt for me because I asked him to. He was trying to reassure me that we were going to be okay. Very scared, he asked me how I was every 5 minutes. After a while, I wasn't up to answering and was giving him a thumbs up. The paramedics or firefighters (really not sure which) cut the door off my car and got me out of the car. A trip to the ER revealed a talus fracture.
Me, not knowing much about a talus fracture thought all I needed was a cast and I would be back to work on Monday. The ER PA looked at me sadly and said "This is going to need surgery. You need to contact an orthopedic surgeon on Monday to get this taken care of ASAP." He gave me the name of an OS, Dr. Hayden, and informed me that Dr. Hayden would call me the next day, Saturday, to discuss the injury. I went home still with the hopes that this would be an easy fix. I worked in an orthopedic office for 5 years. I knew a great orthopedic who specialized in feet and ankles who surely would know the quickest and best way to handle this particular fracture.
Dr. Hayden phoned me on Saturday morning. He stated that
the talus, not a good thing to break. It has a very weak blood supply. In breaks of the talus, the blood supply is usually severed and non-renewing. There is, in fact, only a 10% chance that this blood supply would renew and the bone would heal to its previous glory. He offered to fix it for me, I thanked him for his help and told him that I knew a good surgeon who could help me out. He wished me well.
I hung up the phone and promptly burst into tears. It finally dawned on me that this fracture was not a simple wrap it in a cast and be on your way. So, I called a doctor I knew, Dr. Guess who is a back surgeon. He told me to relax, take my pain meds, get some rest and come into the office on Monday to see Dr. Heier. On Monday, Dr. Heier worked me in between surgeries. He was no more hopeful than Dr. Hayden. Dr. Heier told me the same thing, bad supply, bad bone to break, the bone will probably die and I will probably have arthritis in that ankle. But, we can definitely fix the break. Okay, Dr. Heier, thanks!
Surgery went well. It took 6 pins and a plate, but the bone fits into its rightful place in my ankle now. I am not quite sure how much of what is in there is actual bone, but there is something filling that space now and it isn't a bunch of bone spread about however it wanted. I was in a plaster splint for about 5 days then I was placed into a fiberglass cast for another week. I had the stitches removed this past Tuesday and I was placed into another fiberglass cast that I will be in for 4 weeks. A little window was cut into the top of my cast for my bone stimulator to fit into with the hopes that the bone will heal faster. The cast is torture, rubbing and pressuring spots that I find quite annoying. I can't walk and it feels like I will be in this predicament forever! It is hard to be optimistic when you know the chances. It is a waiting game now. Waiting to see if the bone heals, waiting to see if the blood supply renews, waiting to see if the bone is going to just die and calcify. Just waiting.
So, in short, if you are in the Dallas area and have a talus fracture seek out a surgeon who specializes in foot and ankle surgery for repair. Dr. Keith Heier in Carrollton is great. Talk to your surgeon at length. Get his best and worst case scenarios along with the percentages of a best scenario. Get it repaired as quickly as possible. Then hope for the best.
I will keep you posted as to how everything is healing. Email me or comment if you have a question or if you have been there and have some advice on how to cope.

More Radio News

I just received an email from a friend telling me that you can now find Jagger, Dean, Mondo and Jasmine (formerly of the Morning Edge) on 105.3 Free FM in Dallas. I am not sure what the station is about. I only tuned in for a moment this evening online and it was all talk from what I could understand. Since I only listened to their morning show because it was on a rock station, I probably will not continue to listen to their morning show. But, just in case anybody is still curious about them, they can be found at 105.3 Free FM Dallas.
Thanks Wendy for the heads up!

Black Thursday

Ever have a day of the week that you just dread? Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy my job. But, dammit, I hate my Thursday uniform. Every Wednesday night I go to sleep thinking "Fucking A, it is Black Thursday tomorrow." And every Thursday I wake up thinking "Why does Black Thursday have to come every fucking week?" Why black? Well, I wear a uniform and every day is a different color. Thursday is, you guessed it, black. And, though scrubs are generally comfortable, these scrubs are cursed. Every other pair of pants I own, all the same brand, all the same size, all the same style fit perfectly fine, but these pants have decided to be my living nightmare. Not knowing any better, when I went to try on the uniform I only tried on one color. Ahh, if I only knew then what I know now. *sigh*

On a different note every day I resolve to actually knit something and finish it. And every day life gets in the way of fun. First of all, in case you haven't heard, we are - unfortunately - moving in with my mom. The one thing I thought I would never do again...thinking about it makes me want to cry. But, sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do. I had 6 great years mom free. Six fantastic, joyful, carefree years, just Aaron and I enjoying life. And the streak ends at the end of this month. So, you can tell by my ecstatic telling of this that I must be packing up a storm just itching to get into her house. I think I have one box packed. Got to take along the books.
And, aside from the moving, my job description at work has morphed in to a completely different position that what I was hired for. I am now the surgery scheduler. This is the first job that I have had that seriously scared me to think about taking on, but it turns out that it is not so bad. I guess it could be worse.

So, this weekend I will actually get some knitting done. Or, maybe, christen that sewing machine I got for Christmas that I was so happy to receive and even picked out myself.

Oh, and I have a few "new" music addictions. New for me anyways. I am really liking 30 Seconds To Mars (forget that Jared Leto is seriously hot) the music is really good. The first song that I heard was pretty good, now the new one is good as well. Their website plays a few songs, great. And I really like Shinedown's new song "I Dare You". I have been boycotting The Edge in the morning...and I only catch miniscule clips of The Edge in the afternoon...but I did catch Shinedown recently and I really enjoyed it. The lead singer's voice reminds me of Jibe - in case anyone out there remembers them. Wendy? You remember, right? We need to catch a concert again sometime soon. At least one this summer because it is pathetic that I haven't been to one in a really long time. =)

Aaahhh!!! It's a...snake?

So, a couple of weekends ago, Saturday, my sister calls me to tell me that I need to go with her to their house tomorrow because there is something in the master bedroom's closet that I need to look at. They are moving in, and I ask what is it? She tells me that they think there is a snake on the top shelf in the closet. Well, my husband hears me talking and gets out of bed. I ask him what he is doing. He rolls his eyes and tells me "Well, if it is a snake we have to go and take care of it." I think about it for a second and I agree. No point in having a snake roaming around their house. So, I tell April to stay at the house until we get there.
We arrive at the house with Aaron's snake catching tools in tow. April and my mom are sitting on the floor in the corner of the living room as far away from the master bedroom as possible.
"Has it moved?" I ask.
"How the hell should I know, I haven't gone back in there." Was April's reply.
What was the point of having them stick around? I have no idea. That is my family for you. Even my brother, who was there at the time they found the snake, refused to catch it or kill it. Opting instead to let it languish in its comfortable den atop the shelf in the closet.
We set up the stool in the closet and I get up. Looks like a snake to me. Aaron gets up and makes a sound of disgust. He picks up the snake with a pair of tongs and laughs. Ahh, lo and behold, the snake is a...drum roll please...a piece of fabric. Aaron promptly runs out into the living room and throws the "snake" at my mom and April. They scream, he laughs.
Exciting weekend.
Aaron's snake fighting tools. ;P













Our lovely and terrifing snake.