Tony had to report to North Dakota as of 4pm Sunday afternoon. Camp Grafton, apparently a small, itty-bitty base at least half the size of Fort Custer, and for those who haven't been on the actual base of Fort Custer, I'll explain it for those who have been in the camping part...it would probably be considered MAYBE 1/10 or less of the entire campground. Like ONLY where the camping happens. No trails. Itty Bitty base. In the middle of nowhere.
So, last Wednesday, Tony noticed one of his tires was hissing at him, then he noticed a GIANT crack in the side of one...which is where it hissed at him from. Knowing he had to leave Friday, he freaked out, knowing we couldn't afford a new tire, let alone 4 new tires, which he needed. He almost was forced to take my mothers Ford, which at first, I wish he did, but now that hind sight is 20/20, I'm glad he didn't. But, his mother (her and Will are apparently rich again...) bought him new tires. Four of them, in fact. which was awesome. The reason I say hind sight is 20/20 and I'm glad he took his truck is this: Tony left Friday, probably about 1:30pm...his journey was going to be about 1007 miles one way. He had to travel through a chunk of Indiana, a chunk of Illinois, a chunk of Wisconsin, completely cross over Minnesota, then through half of North Dakota. He stopped in Illinois some time near 11pm that evening to sleep, since he was tired. At 3:30am, he woke up, and wide awake, continued on his journey. Some time that Saturday, It snowed like 18 inches in Minnesota along highway 94, which sadly was where Tony had to drive straight through...It was VERY snowy.......which sucked....
Thankfully, he had his 4-wheel drive truck (not mommy's car) and 4 brand new pretty tires. He made it through just fine, he got into Camp Grafton about 4pm Saturday afternoon, he had left early from Michigan just because he wanted to make sure if something like taking 4 extra hours to putt through 18 inches of snow, he'd have the time to do it safely.
But he's safe, he says North Dakota is a baron flatland with no trees to block the wind so it's super windy, and the base is so small, and the nearest town is probably the size of Potterville. Sucks for him but on the plus side of him driving down, he gets 47 cents per mile, which means $470 one way, so he only spent about $200 in gas going down there, and he's getting double back. Totally awesome.
Tony comes back somewhere near the 12th of May, but he plans to stop in Wisconsin somewhere to see one of his friends from basic training, I have only heard him be called "Lugenbeel" so whatever. We'll see him soon :)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Some bad, but mostly good baby news
SO...as you may or may not know, on Friday, my OBGYN called me to let me know that a specific type of protein found in my blood was high when my blood test results came back...the possible products of me having this high protein in my blood could mean a few things; examples are spina bifita, or some type of brain defect. She told me nothing else of my results other than that my kid has like no chance of having Down Syndrome, which was good news, but it still didn't make me feel better.
Monday, I got an expected call from MSU Women's Health Clinic in Lansing to schedule an appointment to get another ultrasound done to go back over and make sure the spine was the way it was supposed to be along with the brain how it was supposed to be. This appointment happened this morning, thankfully, and I have good news: everything looks the way it is supposed to look!!!
BUT I am still considered a high-risk pregnancy: after my ultrasound, I had another appointment with a genetic counselor to explain everything, and for me to ask my questions. She explained to me what everything means...bare with me...
They tested my blood for 5 different things: a "perfect" test result would come back with all 5 results at 1.0. Nobody comes back with perfect results, but a good "normal" test result would have all 5 come back close to 1.0 as possible, like .7 or 1.4 or whatever is OK...my first high protein, "AFP" came back as 3.7, and the other one, I think it had the initials were HCG or something, it was also 3.something. AFP, or alpha fetal protein, is only created in my baby's liver...and since she virtually "produces" the amniotic fluid, is let out that way and then goes into my body via through my uterus and into my blood stream. Which is how every pregnant woman has that protein in her body. But they did the ultrasound, and the spinal collum is supposed to make a triangle around the nerves and such...like so<>...to have spina bifita, it would look more like V...and since the bottom of the spine's bones are so tiny at this stage, they can't be 100% positive one of those bones isn't like V, but since her legs were moving, and her feet weren't "club feet", they say they are 90% positive she is fine.
Now I'll explain the not so great news: Because those 2 specific things came back high, together they signify that I have a higher chance of going into premature labor, my water breaking early, bad case scenario preeclampsia, SUPER worse case scenario, still-born. But still-born is like SUPER unlikely, so I'm not worried about that, more along the lines of premature labor...I opted out of having a amniocentesis because the risks out-weighted the benifits, I'm already at risk for my water breaking too soon, why poke a hole in the bag if I don't really need to, so I am not going to. It would be really bad if I started getting contractions because they poked the bag. plus, it wouldn't matter either way, there is nothing I could do about it anyway, obviously termination is WAY out of the question, so taking the risk of the amniocentesis makes no difference. Plus, going from 90% sure of no spina bifita to 95% sure, is a pointless test that i won't mess with. 5% isn't a big deal. So, I guess you can say, other than the risks later on, everything is fine.
But if you think about it this way, if my biggest concern is a preemie baby, and not spina bifita, I think I'll be OK.
Oh, and as of right now, Tony and I want to name her Bayani (Bay-on-E) Sage.
Monday, I got an expected call from MSU Women's Health Clinic in Lansing to schedule an appointment to get another ultrasound done to go back over and make sure the spine was the way it was supposed to be along with the brain how it was supposed to be. This appointment happened this morning, thankfully, and I have good news: everything looks the way it is supposed to look!!!
BUT I am still considered a high-risk pregnancy: after my ultrasound, I had another appointment with a genetic counselor to explain everything, and for me to ask my questions. She explained to me what everything means...bare with me...
They tested my blood for 5 different things: a "perfect" test result would come back with all 5 results at 1.0. Nobody comes back with perfect results, but a good "normal" test result would have all 5 come back close to 1.0 as possible, like .7 or 1.4 or whatever is OK...my first high protein, "AFP" came back as 3.7, and the other one, I think it had the initials were HCG or something, it was also 3.something. AFP, or alpha fetal protein, is only created in my baby's liver...and since she virtually "produces" the amniotic fluid, is let out that way and then goes into my body via through my uterus and into my blood stream. Which is how every pregnant woman has that protein in her body. But they did the ultrasound, and the spinal collum is supposed to make a triangle around the nerves and such...like so<>...to have spina bifita, it would look more like V...and since the bottom of the spine's bones are so tiny at this stage, they can't be 100% positive one of those bones isn't like V, but since her legs were moving, and her feet weren't "club feet", they say they are 90% positive she is fine.
Now I'll explain the not so great news: Because those 2 specific things came back high, together they signify that I have a higher chance of going into premature labor, my water breaking early, bad case scenario preeclampsia, SUPER worse case scenario, still-born. But still-born is like SUPER unlikely, so I'm not worried about that, more along the lines of premature labor...I opted out of having a amniocentesis because the risks out-weighted the benifits, I'm already at risk for my water breaking too soon, why poke a hole in the bag if I don't really need to, so I am not going to. It would be really bad if I started getting contractions because they poked the bag. plus, it wouldn't matter either way, there is nothing I could do about it anyway, obviously termination is WAY out of the question, so taking the risk of the amniocentesis makes no difference. Plus, going from 90% sure of no spina bifita to 95% sure, is a pointless test that i won't mess with. 5% isn't a big deal. So, I guess you can say, other than the risks later on, everything is fine.
But if you think about it this way, if my biggest concern is a preemie baby, and not spina bifita, I think I'll be OK.
Oh, and as of right now, Tony and I want to name her Bayani (Bay-on-E) Sage.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
"It's the 'Miranda's random news show'...staring..."
OK, our first guest today is the most recent and exciting news of all (or at least to me) I am having a little girl!! YAY I had my ultrasound on Monday, it took the student tech. chick an extra 20 minutes to realize that my baby is very modest, and kept her body clenched up tight...knees in her chin, feet crossed in front of her girly parts...so she went and got the senior tech, and let me go pee FINALLY. The senior tech figured it out in like 3 minutes. I am glad it's a girl, that makes me excited, I just hope I don't scar my child from pink and dresses like my mother did to me...I'll keep the pink down to a dull roar, don't worry...but little baby girls look so cute in dresses...but I see lots of bright colors in her future, like orange, yellow, maybe even lime green...or soft purple...god I can't wait to tickle her tummy...
Other news...sorry those who read this, I never got to the whole "I got a job" news, but I guess this annoying story starts in February...I'll start there:
FEBRUARY 12th, 2008. Valentine's Day
The Depot. My parents used to take me there when I was younger. Within the last like 5 years, it has bounced around from being sold to other random people, going out of business, opening some new business that bombs in the first few months, whatever. Apparently in November of 2006, an obnoxious man named Larry and his "wife/girlfriend/life partner" or whatever she is named Mary Jane, or MJ, opened an Italian restaurant. They somehow even found themselves a real Italian chef...Vito. Born and raised in Italy. He's like 67 or something...old and set in his ways...remember that...
Needing a job, I decided one day sitting at home bored and alone, hey, I should put in some applications at places that look like fun...I need money, hey, the Depot, lets go in there. I walked in to find two girls probably between the ages of 19 and 22. Lisa, 19, apparently graduated with Tony, not that either of them know each other. The other girl, I already forgot her name. I put in my application, she said she'd call me, because they needed a new waitress.
The next day, she called for me to come in for an interview. I did, and she introduced me to Vito, and MJ, and told me that if it doesn't come from either my head waitress (which was her) or Vito, don't do it. Vito is virtually the boss of everybody, apparently because he is the shit and is always right, etc. The next day was Valentine's Day, they wanted me to come in at 10am to help set up for dinner which started at 4pm. I did, I stood on my feet all day for the first time in weeks, worked my ass off, and apparently, without trying, impressed Vito. YEAH!
Sorry, going into too much detail...about 3 weeks ago this Thursday, I was working with Lisa, my schedule was 11am to 4pm, at 2pm, everybody but one waitress and one cook go on break until 4pm...which meant me and chef was staying while everybody went on break since Lisa worked until 8pm. At like 2:15, a group of 20 people came in, and I served them to the best of my ability. Out of 7 separate tickets, THE FIRST ONE I FILLED OUT WAS FOR A COUPLE WHO WANTED LASAGNA, AND RAVIOLI. I literally had served the same couple the day before. I remember this because somebody who knew them joked about how he was a lawyer and tips big. Salads came with their lasagna and ravioli, they both wanted French. I wrote this on my ticket. I handed chef my completed tickets, I waited for him to look at all of them and he said "OK, I got it." and I went and refilled drinks and got salads around.
Soon, chef had all of my food done and ready. Except for my ravioli. I asked him where it was and he freaked out and asked where on any of my tickets it said i needed ravioli. I hadn't seen my tickets since I originally handed them to him, chef had handed them to another waitress who just came in for her pay check but was helping me out a little. I got them from her, and showed him. He accused me of forgetting to tell him that I added onto the ticket, and that he doesn't make mistakes, and I am calling him a liar because I told him I didn't add the ravioli, and he continues to go on that being a chef is his life and he doesn't fuck up like that and then told me to go home as soon as my table left. He was very mad, none the less.
I didn't say anything bad about him, he put words into my mouth, I never called him a liar, all I said is that I'm not a liar. But CHEF IS ALWAYS RIGHT. Jimmy got a job there, he agrees with me on how even if chef fucks up, it's totally everybody else's fault. Because chef was pissed off about this, he had his wife, who happens to do the schedules, take my name off the schedule. I kept calling, for 2 weeks, "am I needed today? When will I get to work?" They just kept telling me "we hired a new girl, we don't want her to screw up, so we're training her good". What the hell ever. I went in last Thursday, and personally asked chef if I was ever going to be put back on the schedule, he said basically he still is upset about that day, and how I still won't admit to screwing up (BECAUSE I DIDN'T) and he still isn't over it. "I need some more time" he says.
Well fuck him and his stick he still has up his ass. I didn't fuck up, and I'm not going to say that I did just to make you feel better. I'm not going to lie about doing something I didn't do. Fuck that.
At least Jimmy is doing well, apparently chef really likes Jimmy, which is good.
Well my wrist hurts now, sorry for ranting, it just really upsets me that he is so petty. GET OVER IT. Other than that, not a whole lot new going on, job hunting, slaving for my parents to work off my $900 some odd dollar debt...yeah, I owe them money...lots of money. So instead of them hiring some new punk kid and paying him minimum wage, they just have me come in and work for like $6 an hour but at least it's under the table, no taxes...not that I'll see anything of it, I already saw it...now I'm just working it off...speaking of, I need to go get ready, I have to go to the bike shop at 1:30 to hang out with mom and do nothing. WOO.
Other news...sorry those who read this, I never got to the whole "I got a job" news, but I guess this annoying story starts in February...I'll start there:
FEBRUARY 12th, 2008. Valentine's Day
The Depot. My parents used to take me there when I was younger. Within the last like 5 years, it has bounced around from being sold to other random people, going out of business, opening some new business that bombs in the first few months, whatever. Apparently in November of 2006, an obnoxious man named Larry and his "wife/girlfriend/life partner" or whatever she is named Mary Jane, or MJ, opened an Italian restaurant. They somehow even found themselves a real Italian chef...Vito. Born and raised in Italy. He's like 67 or something...old and set in his ways...remember that...
Needing a job, I decided one day sitting at home bored and alone, hey, I should put in some applications at places that look like fun...I need money, hey, the Depot, lets go in there. I walked in to find two girls probably between the ages of 19 and 22. Lisa, 19, apparently graduated with Tony, not that either of them know each other. The other girl, I already forgot her name. I put in my application, she said she'd call me, because they needed a new waitress.
The next day, she called for me to come in for an interview. I did, and she introduced me to Vito, and MJ, and told me that if it doesn't come from either my head waitress (which was her) or Vito, don't do it. Vito is virtually the boss of everybody, apparently because he is the shit and is always right, etc. The next day was Valentine's Day, they wanted me to come in at 10am to help set up for dinner which started at 4pm. I did, I stood on my feet all day for the first time in weeks, worked my ass off, and apparently, without trying, impressed Vito. YEAH!
Sorry, going into too much detail...about 3 weeks ago this Thursday, I was working with Lisa, my schedule was 11am to 4pm, at 2pm, everybody but one waitress and one cook go on break until 4pm...which meant me and chef was staying while everybody went on break since Lisa worked until 8pm. At like 2:15, a group of 20 people came in, and I served them to the best of my ability. Out of 7 separate tickets, THE FIRST ONE I FILLED OUT WAS FOR A COUPLE WHO WANTED LASAGNA, AND RAVIOLI. I literally had served the same couple the day before. I remember this because somebody who knew them joked about how he was a lawyer and tips big. Salads came with their lasagna and ravioli, they both wanted French. I wrote this on my ticket. I handed chef my completed tickets, I waited for him to look at all of them and he said "OK, I got it." and I went and refilled drinks and got salads around.
Soon, chef had all of my food done and ready. Except for my ravioli. I asked him where it was and he freaked out and asked where on any of my tickets it said i needed ravioli. I hadn't seen my tickets since I originally handed them to him, chef had handed them to another waitress who just came in for her pay check but was helping me out a little. I got them from her, and showed him. He accused me of forgetting to tell him that I added onto the ticket, and that he doesn't make mistakes, and I am calling him a liar because I told him I didn't add the ravioli, and he continues to go on that being a chef is his life and he doesn't fuck up like that and then told me to go home as soon as my table left. He was very mad, none the less.
I didn't say anything bad about him, he put words into my mouth, I never called him a liar, all I said is that I'm not a liar. But CHEF IS ALWAYS RIGHT. Jimmy got a job there, he agrees with me on how even if chef fucks up, it's totally everybody else's fault. Because chef was pissed off about this, he had his wife, who happens to do the schedules, take my name off the schedule. I kept calling, for 2 weeks, "am I needed today? When will I get to work?" They just kept telling me "we hired a new girl, we don't want her to screw up, so we're training her good". What the hell ever. I went in last Thursday, and personally asked chef if I was ever going to be put back on the schedule, he said basically he still is upset about that day, and how I still won't admit to screwing up (BECAUSE I DIDN'T) and he still isn't over it. "I need some more time" he says.
Well fuck him and his stick he still has up his ass. I didn't fuck up, and I'm not going to say that I did just to make you feel better. I'm not going to lie about doing something I didn't do. Fuck that.
At least Jimmy is doing well, apparently chef really likes Jimmy, which is good.
Well my wrist hurts now, sorry for ranting, it just really upsets me that he is so petty. GET OVER IT. Other than that, not a whole lot new going on, job hunting, slaving for my parents to work off my $900 some odd dollar debt...yeah, I owe them money...lots of money. So instead of them hiring some new punk kid and paying him minimum wage, they just have me come in and work for like $6 an hour but at least it's under the table, no taxes...not that I'll see anything of it, I already saw it...now I'm just working it off...speaking of, I need to go get ready, I have to go to the bike shop at 1:30 to hang out with mom and do nothing. WOO.
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