*****
I GOT MY FIRST TATTOO!!! On January 26th me and Liberty went to Freaks & Geeks Tattoo Sideshow in Asheville (www.freaks-n-geeks.com) and got matching tattoos! I'll post a pic soon. It's finally done healing and peeling (though it still itches! ack!) so I should be able to get a good pic of it soon. The next 2 tattoos that I plan to get I have artwork of in my gallery already. One is title Princess Aries Eyes (for lack of a better name) and one is Unico Cute (just the artwork, not the poor handwriting underneath it....). Just SO EXCITED about it I wanted to let everyone know! Mwahaha!

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog entry....
*****

Well, I went to my appointment for CF Clinic on January 24th. My lung function was down to almost as low as it was when they put me on IV last year. They really wanted to admit me for IV meds right then, but with everything else I had going on I wasn't really prepared to go into the hospital that day. So they put me on cipro, augmentin and Tobi for a week to see how I did. Well, I got worse. So, on Thursday the 31st I went back and they admitted me at UNC Chapel Hill. They got my PICC line in on Friday and sent me back home to finish my IV meds on Saturday. I go back on February 22nd for a follow-up. I'll keep everyone updated.

~C~

I found this on a friends blog. I know she got it from another friend, but not sure who so I can't site the exact source. But I just loved it so I wanted to add it here.

Subject: inside the life of a cfer !
Body: What I hate about CF...

I am a "trooper" and a "positive thinker" too just like you and it doesn't seem to make it easier when things get bad or just whenn you just get tired of having CF. I still cry and scream and want it all to go away when I get tired of doing treatments, tired of going to club med, tired of taking medicine, tired of being stared at when I cough a lot, tired of doing I V's, tired of hurting, tired of being tired...lol, and much much more!!! I "love" it when people talk about how I don't "look" sick and "act" sick, well folks I have news for you, looks can be deceiving. They don't see the waking up at 3am coughing and doing a breathing treatment and then trying to go back to sleep sitting up so that I can breathe. They see me right after I have done a treatment so that I can last just a few hours without coughing up a lung or two...
cf is a bitch..."It ain't for sissies"

1. Just when you think you are doing well, you get a flare up

2. The wonderful occasions of COUGHING up junk for hours on end, or
the sudden explosion of mucous when you have no tissues nearby

3. The TOBI-induced raspy-voiced, junky-sounding throat noises

4. GAS - especially when I have to be in a public place or social
situation

5. Diarrhea (or our typical stinkiness) when there is only one stall
or when you are at someone else's house

6. You are somewhere else (visiting, or at a wedding) for a meal and
there is nothing that you can eat that WON'T make you sick

7. Looking sick in the face even when you aren't particularly "sick"

8. Taking handfuls of medication pills at a time. The only cool thing
about it is showing my hubby how many meds I can take in one mouthful.

9. Being a trooper makes other people think what you are going through
isn't so serious, and they put expectations on you because they don't see
the real CF stuff

10. Having to keep size 4-6-8 jeans ready in case I have a "belly day". I
never know what's going to fit me based on bloating.

11. Everytime I'm at a store or restaurant I get "oh you must have the cold going around huh?"

12. To lose a loved one to CF.

13. To have CF turn our whole world upside down.

14. To let every decision made,depend upon how the CF was treating my
children.

15. To have our calendar fill up with appts. that had to do with CF clinic
visits, this test, that test, etc. instead of fun filled plans with our
child.

16. People always telling me they look up to me because I have been through so much and am so strong. That's because you only see me when I'm at my best.

17. When FAT ass people make comments about me being skinny and imply that I'm anorexic. No, Fat LAZY ASS I just get to eat what I want & stay thin because I'm dying from Cystic Fibrosis. Don't get jealous because you can't control your eating habits.

18. Waking up feeling really sick once again and wondering, will I ever feel better or is this my new normal?

19. I have to spend most of my day with breathing treatments, insulin shots, countless oral pills, CPT, and exercise just to fight CF for one more day

20) I get to wash my hands a million times a day because everyone is so sick in the winter and won't stay home when their sick. So, my hands feel like an 80 year old woman's hands...just to prevent the common cold.

21) I get to have people judge me for things I "can't" do rather than admire the many things I CAN DO DESPITE CF!


21) I hate it when I'm out in public and I have to take enzymes, and then insulin shots while people stare at me like I have the plague

22) I hate it when pepople smoke those F*&*ing cigarettes in a restaurant. Then I can't even enjoy my food because the smell takes my breathe away. I guess they really DO want Cancer & emphysema! What morons!

23) When all the meds make our teeth off color..

24) When your driving down the road and start coughing, and in the process shoot a lung rocket onto the windsheild

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What are the great things..that's right great things...

1) I have made many friends that I never would have known

2) I have strength that I didn't know I had

3) I learned early on that life is precious and I should honor each moment I get of it

4) I learned to swallow about 10 pills at once

5) I get to teach people about something people do not know about

6) I learned to sit for long periods of times at doctor's offices (patience)

7) I get to appreciate when I have a great day and can run up stairs.

8) Getting to eat a high fat, high caloric, high protein diet while everyone else counts calories (Amen to that!)

9) Being able to help someone else through it because you can truley say "I've been there".

10) People who judge you just because you have CF & want to make you feel bad about it just because they're the ones with a low self esteem in the first place

10) Being able to encourage others with CF.

11) I've learned that life is precious and there's more important things to stress over than material things.

12) I've learned that if someone can't handle me having Cystic Fibrosis then I don't want them in my life anyway.

13) I've learned that I only want positive people in my life and the negative people as far away from me as possible

14) I've learned that the people who love me will stand by my side when I'm feeling good and when I'm really sick. The people who haven't been here for me when I'm sick are worthless to me.

15) I've learned that I can accomplish most things any health person can do. It's just that I have to work three times as hard than they did to accomplish them. But, atleast I'm trying!

16) I've learned to get things done in a very short time because I recognize life is precious and short so have fun and do everything I want while I can.

17) I've learned to cherish everyone I love because at the end of the day I want them to know that I really care about them.

18) I get to educate others about CF who otherwise wouldn't know about the illness....then later I get to ask them to donate to CFF LOL

19) Playing pranks on nurses in the hospital.

20) If it weren't for CF I wouldn't know alot of the great people I know today from other CFers to the many great nurses, therapist, and doctors. I also feel like CF has made me a better person when it comes to caring for others and valuing life.



Contact Info:
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***ZK is an absolutely amazing artist and a very sweet person. One of my most favorite people on DA! Visit his page or face my wrath!***


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On Monday, January 7th, Kevin Anthony Newcomb was lost to an accident while at work. He was working on a billboard sign and fell, and was impaled on a stake that marked underground utilities.
I considered him my brother-in-law. He married my best friend Liberty, who I have considered a sister since I was 11 years old. He was an absolutly wonderful man who treated her like she was a precious jewel. He was one of the few truly good men left in this world. Nothing can ever replace him.

He will always be missed, loved, and cherished by all of us who knew him. He will be in our hearts and memories forever.

For those that have not been able to contact me, I have been staying at Liberty's house most nights. If you need me I can still be reached on my cell. Message me if you need the number, and I'll send it to you as soon as I get the message.

Take care everyone, and stay safe.

~C~

EDIT: Special thanks to Candina aka for making a graphic in memory of Kevin. It can be found here: In Memory Thanks SO much for making this!!


Contact Info:
E-mail: talica@gmail.com, coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
AOL IM: Talica27
MSN: coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
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IMVU: Talica's IMVU Page


***ZK is an absolutely amazing artist and a very sweet person. One of my most favorite people on DA! Visit his page or face my wrath!***


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I've been lacking on my updates again. I've been under tons of stress with my marriage circling the drain, so forgive my inability to keep up with messages right now. My stomach is going to crap again, migranes are becoming more and more frequent and my memory is shot. It's also that wonderful time of year again where things are getting cold. Oh joy. Cold weather = pain. So I'm also likely to be irritable on my bad days, which will likely be at LEAST 6 days out of 7. So I appologize to everyone in advance. But this is NOT my time of year. Not sure what else to say at the moment, so I'll leave you with a bulliten I got to help shed some light on my current situation.


*12 interesting facts about fibromyalgia*

For anyone who suffers with Fibromyalgia this is for YOU OR for anyone who has a family member, loved one, friend or knows anyone living with Fibromyalgia this is also for YOU ... perhaps it puts into a perspective what someone who has this goes though!!! Remember, never JUDGE a person UNLESS you walk in their shoes!!!!! YOU THINK YOU KNOW, BUT YOU HAVE NOO IDEA!!!



1. My pain - My pain is not your pain. It is not caused by inflammation. Taking your arthritis medication will not help me. I can not work my pain out or shake it off. It is not even a pain that stays put. Today it is in my shoulder, but tomorrow it may be in my foot or gone. My pain is believed to be caused by improper signals sent to the brain, possibly due to sleep disorders. It is not well understood, but it is real.

2. My fatigue - I am not merely tired. I am often in a severe state of exhaustion. I may want to participate in physical activities, but I can't. Please do not take this personally. If you saw me shopping in the mall yesterday, but I can't help you with yard work today, it isn't because I don't want to. I am, most likely, paying the price for stressing my muscles beyond their capability.

3. My forgetfulness - Those of us who suffer from it call it fibrofog. I may not remember your name, but I do remember you. I may not remember what I promised to do for you, even though you told me just seconds ago. My problem has nothing to do with my age but may be related to sleep deprivation. I do not have a selective memory. On some days, I just don't have any short-term memory at all.

4. My clumsiness - If I step on your toes or run into you five times in a crowd, I am not purposely targeting you. I do not have the muscle control for that. If you are behind me on the stairs, please be patient. These days, I take life and stairwells one step at a time.

5. My sensitivities - I just can't stand it! "It" could be any number of things: bright sunlight, loud or high-pitched noises, odors. FMS has been called the "aggravating everything disorder." So don't make me open the drapes or listen to your child scream. I really can't stand it.

6. My intolerance - I can't stand heat, either. Or humidity. If I am a man, I sweat...profusely. If I am a lady, I perspire. Both are equally embarrassing, so please don't feel compelled to point this shortcoming out to me. I know. And don't be surprised if I shake uncontrollably when it's cold. I don't tolerate cold, either. My internal thermostat is broken, and nobody knows how to fix it.

7. My depression - Yes, there are days when I would rather stay in bed or in the house or die. I have lost count of how many of Dr. Kevorkian's patients suffered from FMS as well as other related illnesses. Severe, unrelenting pain can cause depression. Your sincere concern and understanding can pull me back from the brink. Your snide remarks can tip me over the edge.

8. My stress - My body does not handle stress well. If I have to give up my job, work part time, or handle my responsibilities from home, I'm not lazy. Everyday stresses make my symptoms worse and can incapacitate me completely.

9. My weight - I may be fat or I may be skinny. Either way, it is not by choice. My body is not your body. My appetite is broken, and nobody can tell me how to fix it.

10. My need for therapy - If I get a massage every week, don't envy me. My massage is not your massage. Consider how a massage would feel if that charley horse you had in your leg last week was all over your body. Massaging it out was very painful, but it had to be done. My body is knot-filled. If I can stand the pain, regular massage can help, at least temporarily.

11. My good days - If you see me smiling and functioning normally, don't assume I am well or that I have been cured. I suffer from a chronic pain and fatigue illness with no cure. I can have my good days or weeks or even months. In fact, the good days are what keep me going.

12. My uniqueness - Even those who suffer from FMS are not alike. That means I may not have all of the problems mentioned above. I do have pain above and below the waist and on both sides of my body which has lasted for a very long time. I may have migraines or hip pain or shoulder pain or knee pain, but I do not have exactly the same pain as anyone else.

I hope that this helps you understand me, but if you still doubt my pain, your local bookstore, library and the internet have many good books and articles on fibromyalgia.

Author's note: This letter is based on communications with people throughout the world, males and females, who suffer from fibromyalgia. It does not represent any one of the over 10,000,000 people with FMS, but it can help the healthy person understand how devastating this illness can be.

Please do not take these people and their pain lightly. You wouldn't want to spend even a day in their shoes...or their bodies!
_________________



Contact Info:
E-mail: talica@gmail.com, coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
AOL IM: Talica27
MSN: coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
Yahoo!: Talica27
ICQ: 227588932
IMVU: Talica

Other Sites:
MySpace:
Click here! Visit me on MySpace, or I'll poke you in the eye!
CherryTap:
Talica's CherryTap Page!(WARNING: CherryTap is for 18+ only. It's similiar to MySpace, only no minors allowed. Sorry!)
Geocities:
Talica's Island
Mischief Makers: My Cat's Blog:
Mischief Makers
IMVU: Talica's IMVU Page


***ZK is an absolutely amazing artist and a very sweet person. One of my most favorite people on DA! Visit his page or face my wrath!***


MY FRIENDS/GREAT ARTISTS I WATCH











CLUBS I'M IN/WATCHING

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Come visit the insanity at the IPA!! [link]
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Well, as of the 16th of August I'm a student again! Started back classes for this semester at Haywood Community College! Just taking 2 for the moment.

Class Schedule:
M-W-F - Expository Writing 9:00-9:50
T-Th - World Religions 8:00-9:15

So, that's where I'll be in the mornings now. THANK ANY AND ALL DEITIES FOR COFFEE!!!

Which reminds me: After our World Religions class Melissa and I were having a religious discussion while driving around, and she made one of the greatest quotes I've ever heard her say: "Dear Deity: Please let there be no cops." Yes, we are great friends with the gas pedal, so sue us. Then again, please don't, we're poor enough as it is. We're lowly students that live with our parents and scrounge change for mountain dew, coffee, and the Burger King value menu, so we can't afford court fees. Which would stand to reason why we should obey the speed limits... but oh well.

Take care everyone!

~C~



Contact Info:
E-mail: talica@gmail.com, coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
AOL IM: Talica27
MSN: coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
Yahoo!: Talica27
ICQ: 227588932
IMVU: Talica

Other Sites:
MySpace:
Click here! Visit me on MySpace, or I'll poke you in the eye!
CherryTap:
Talica's CherryTap Page!(WARNING: CherryTap is for 18+ only. It's similiar to MySpace, only no minors allowed. Sorry!)
Geocities:
Talica's Island
Mischief Makers: My Cat's Blog:
Mischief Makers
IMVU: Talica's IMVU Page


***ZK is an absolutely amazing artist and a very sweet person. One of my most favorite people on DA! Visit his page or face my wrath!***


MY FRIENDS/GREAT ARTISTS I WATCH











CLUBS I'M IN/WATCHING

Horray! A fan club for ZK!><Join! Now!





Come visit the insanity at the IPA!! [link]
The IPA forum: [link]

Well, time for another update. My quest to fix my G.I. issues has been temporarily put on hold. I'm still having some problems, but right now most of it is being caused by stress. Not much the doctors can do to diagnose a problem until my stress level goes back down. I've been staying at my parents house for about a month or so now. I was having problems at home and I'm going through marriage councelling. That's all anyone really needs to know about that at the moment.

In other news, my dog Sassy had to have another skin surgery. She came through just fine, but she's very sore, in pain, and tired. It was more complex than I had originally thought. She had a growth on her skin on her back (some breeds of dogs get them in old age) that she kept chewing on, so it got pretty bad. He had to make a very large incesion to remove it, and it was so deep he put drainage tube in also. The tube is scheduled to be removed on Tuesday, and her stitches come out in 2 weeks. She's on antibiotics and pain medication through her recovery. The total items removed from her skin this time were: the large one on her back, 2 on left side, 2 on back right leg, 1 on muzzle, 1 by left eye, 1 on right eyelid, 1 on back of head. SO needless to say she's sore all over. I have one of those cone-shaped collars on her so that she can't chew on herself and pull and stitches out by mistake. She's NOT happy to be wearing it at ALL. My poor baby girl. She has a hard time getting comfortable to sleep, so hopefully the pain meds that she started today can help her enough so she can get some decent sleep. Once the stiches come out and her hair grows back, she'll be good a new though!

Pictures taken the day of the surgery can be found here: Pics Click Here
WARNING: Several of the pictures contain blood, since she DID just have an operation. There's blood in her hair around some of the sites that were stitched. It's perfectly normal. Just wanted to warn anyone who's squeemish about that kind of thing.

That's pretty much it for now.


Contact Info:
E-mail: talica@gmail.com, coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
AOL IM: Talica27
MSN: coderedmtdew27@hotmail.com
Yahoo!: Talica27
ICQ: 227588932
IMVU: Guest_Talica

Other Sites:
MySpace:
Click here! Visit me on MySpace, or I'll poke you in the eye!
CherryTap:
Talica's CherryTap Page!(WARNING: CherryTap is for 18+ only. It's similiar to MySpace, only no minors allowed. Sorry!)
Geocities:
Talica's Island
Mischief Makers: My Cat's Blog:
Mischief Makers
IMVU: Talica's IMVU Page

MY FRIENDS/GREAT ARTISTS I WATCH











CLUBS I'M IN/WATCHING

Horray! A fan club for ZK!> <Join! Now!





Come visit the insanity at the IPA!! [link]
The IPA forum: [link]