qbubbles's blog

2008 Virginia Cavs

004

Yep, thats my arm.  And yep... I do realize that my Cavs suck.  Yesterday M and I went to the Virginia v. Richmond game in C-ville.  We braved the hurricane/tropical storm thing and had alot of fun (and also got choice parking for freeee).  We had some time to kill, so we hit up Alumni Hall and I got my arm "glitter tattooed".  The food was great, we had excellent seats and absolutely no rain!  The downside?  It took UVa 4 goddamn quarters to score a single touchdown on Richmond.  Giving our defense credit, of course, we did keep them down to 0 despite their quarterback's uncanny shotgun arm.  Their kicker should be taken out back and forced to watch Napoleon Dynamite 50 times a day as punishment for missing 2 field goals at 10 and 20 respectively. 

I save my vitriol for Peter goddamn Lalich.  He completed 53%, threw two interceptions, was sacked twice, and generally looks like a 12 year old beanpole with no greater aspirations than to dick around on the football team and get laid.  He threw, repeatedly, to no one.

Al Grohl is no better.  He went for it on 4th and 9!!!  Who the fuck goes for it on 4th and 9!?  Especially when you have the All-American Reject as your QB.  I find it incredible that this man used to coach pro football.  He seems to be losing his marbles, one game at a time.  If there were ever a time for a "Fire Grohl" sign, it would have been at this game.  While we won, it was more due to the fact that Richmond screwed up rather than we did well.  We had 9 penalties for a whopping 103 yards!!  Who the fuck is teaching these people?  Most of these goddamn penalties came either before or after the actual play of the ball.  They were stupid mistakes and personal fouls.  Goddamnit, people!?

Of course, dont get me wrong.  I will continue to root for my Cavs, and continue to believe that their shit doesnt stink when I'm talking to co-workers... but when I see when fuck up as much as yesterday, and then win the goddamn game, thats just not fair.  For all intents and purposes, UVa won... but Richmond still beat them.

Parotidectomy

In July of 2005 I had a full parotidectomy.  What, in god's name is a parotid and why the hell did it get ectomy-ed?  Well... apparently, this is a pretty common thing.  Whats not so common is how large and how old mine was. 

After I was born, my mom noticed a small lump behind my ear, near my jaw.  She asked the doctor about it and they told her it would go away soon enough and to just ignore it.  Fast forward 19 years and I, for the first time ever, notice this centimeter large thing.  I went to a doctor and they told me to ignore it since it didnt hurt and it was probably just an overlarge lymph node (although, in hindsight... a fuggin large lymph node is a bad sign by itself anyway).  Another year goes by and I'm in with my new family doctor in C-ville and they're doing a quick once over for State Department.  The lady feels under my ear and says, "Whats that!?"  "Dunno... you're the doctor."  "Have you always had this?"  "Yep."  "Well, is it bigger than normal?"  And sure enough, that thing was about an inch big.   

I got a referral to an Ear Nose and Throat dude who took one feel and said, "Oh yeah.  Its a tumor in your parotid gland.  That should get removed."  So, we did a little biopsy.  Holy frick on a stick... I can handle alot of random shit done to me, and things cut open and what not.  But I can usually see whats being done to me.  Not so much this time around.  I very nearly passed out right there in the chair.  I was crying, it was just bad. 

Results come in... its benign.  Doc still wants it out.  Says, "How's next Wednesday for you?"  Um... ok.  I'm handed a packet of info that I needa give the hospital (Living Will, Next of Kin... that kinda stuff).  In the meantime I was given a script for valium (Am I that transparent?) and an appointment for an MRI. 

Day of the thingy rolls around.  Ma and Dad, M, and his Mom... all in the room with me.  I couldnt eat from midnight on till the surgery.  It was supposed to go down at 11am, but at 2pm, I was still in the room.  I was getting pissy, hungry, and more nervous by the second.  Finally, a very nice nurse comes in and tells me that everything is ready.  I sit in my wheelchair and say bye to my family.  I'm wheeled all over the place and finally arrive at the room.  People are everywhere, things are set up on a table... Jesus.  At this point, I'm very much scared to death.  I'm not talking, and only barely responding to requests.  They told me to go something, I blankely did it.  They told me to take something off... I mutely complied. 

There is a moment in everyone's life where they realize that absolutely nothing is in their control.  I had arrived at that moment.  I knew that this surgery was very necessary, and that I had reached a point of no return.  I laid down on the table, and a very kind man came up to me and told me that they were going to start the anestesia... and that it would only be another few seconds. 

I was pulled out of my sleep in what felt like almost 10 seconds later.  I was yanked.  It felt like I had slipped down into a nice little hole, and was forcibly removed by my face.  I vaguely remember complaining that I had to pee, and that I really had to pee, and oh my god someone please get my ass to a toilet I need to pee.  I was given a bed pan, but I dont do that.  I had to pee.  I remember hearing an announcement that said, "Visiting hours are now over" and I began screaming and crying for M and my parents.  The lady told me that that announcement didnt apply to them.  I fell back asleep. 

I woke up to being rolled down a hall, and a bunch of nurses around me.  I, again, said I had to pee.  They helped me up and walked me to my own private bathroom, where I proceeded to finally pee.  I also puked.  I was told that was normal.  Mom, Dad, and M came in and tried to talk to me.  M laughed and told me that I was in pediatrics.  Lol.  I was a stone's throw from 21, and I was in the little kid ward.  Cute.  Mom tried to put some lip balm on my lips and I groaned.  Eventually, I drifted back off.

I woke up at 11 something at night.  I realized that I was fuggin starving.  I pressed my nurse # and said I had to pee (a recurring thing), and that I was a lil hungry.  The lady came to unhook my legs from the "No Blood Clot Thing" and asked me what I wanted.  I asked for chicken noodle soup and strawberry ice cream.  I figured... fuck.  I'm in goddamn Peeds.  I called M and talked for a hot second, and then went back to sleep.

In the morning I was released and Ma and Dad stuck around for a bit to take care of me while M was in class.  My entire face was twelve sizes waaay too big, especially the right side.  Apparently, my tumor was bigger than they thought, and also so damn wrapped up in my nerves that what supposed to be 2 hours ended up being 5ish. 

I still cannot feel my right earlobe and some of my neck.  But, attached here is the picture of my scar that M took a few days ago.  I cant see it, so I was wondering how it was going.  Anywhoosit... thats my story.  And I would love it if I never had to go to another hospital again.  But I know thats not possible.

175

      

Payback

I'm uploading this pictures instead of cooking dinner because M is being a douche about it.  So, there!  Pictures are from the Maryland Renaissance Fair of random people and random things.  Im not a big people picture taker... I'm kinda nervous and shy about that kinda thing (although, I can strike up a conversation with anyone).  There were also great pics of M... but I dont post pics of me or mah fam.  So nyah. 

Virginia State Fair

I'm entering mah pictures into the Va State Fair... also my award winning cherry pie.  I thought I'd show you folks the ones that have made the cut.  Too bad you cant taste the pie.

097edit

057edit

017

063

077

015

002

111

078

 

One Email Can Change So Much

I am now, today, back at Bethesda.  Yesterday I got an email from the bossman saying that they needed me over at the job that I was actually hired to do today.  So, I headed on out to the various locations I had to go to and got my new badge and car pass.  All went as planned, and this morning I arrived back at the location where I hated for so long.  I wont lie, I actually had to take an ativan to get out of the car.  That was pleasant...

I stopped by the library, said hi, and wanted to talk to J and The Blonde, but neither were in.  I skipped across the street and hit up the Starbucks for breakfast and some tea.  Hit up the Safeway and said hi to the really nice cashier lady.  Then back to the building and I spent the morning with some of the nicer IT type folks who were always kind to me.  At 8, I called the lady I was supposed to, and proceeded upstairs to my new office. 

What a great bunch of folks.  Again... people wear fuggin jeans!  And I absolutely love the personalities. 

Nothing much else to say, yet.  :P  More tomorrow. 

The Moon Possum...

I wonder if I should be worried that M wants to "Do the Moon Possum".  Apparently it involves a post digger and the inside of his nose...

Worried.

Updated: Now im asked if I want to "Do the Rickshaw Driver".  omg... what have I married?!

Busy Weekend

After DC on Friday and C-Ville on Saturday, Sunday is our day of rest(ing our feet and calves). 

220

:(

I am devastated.  RIP LeRoi.

Leroi

Sweet Peas

My mom has a sweet pea vine growing in her front yard.  I hope I did it justice.  :)

006

I Has Telephoto

Telephoto

Isnt it pretty?  M bought it for me a coupla days ago.  I'm gonna use it every time we go out.  I love Macro pictures and this will just make it so much easier.  *sigh*  Its pretty.  With this new addition, in addition to the extra battery I travel around with (and never need), I'm gonna have to pick up a bag.  And, since I'll be taking more pictures, I need to start backing up, so I have to look at a Maxtor drive.  Yes.  I said Maxtor.  Maxtor is all we used to use back when I worked at the Army Corps of Engineers... and if the Army trusts it to work after a world wide Fed Ex flight and the harsh environment of the Arabian and Persian deserts... then thats good enough for me. 

M keeps offereing to buy me a 4gb or 8gb stick.  I have never even come close to maxing out my memory on the 2gb stick I currently use.  I even took video for an hour and only used the first (of 5) indicator lights.  The video, by the way, was wonderful.  Great quality, great sound... even though it was in a bar and pretty far away from the intended target.  Why dont I post it?  Nah.  I dont even know the beginning of how to edit video... and I wouldnt want to post crap.  I have a reputation to uphold.

In other news, the parents have graciously offered to fund a hotel/villa/apartment thing in Orlando for them, us, and my aunt and her girlfriend in October.  We'd have to pick up flight and food and tix for parks... but hey.  Its still a good deal.  M and I ordered out plane tix yesterday through Jet Blue.  They're the only ones I hear good things about anymore... but there is alot of time between now and October.

Tomorrow I will be at a Maroon 5/Counting Crows concert at Nissan Pavillion.  I know... i know.  Nissan is an evil black hole of corporate scum where cars go to die in the parking lot.  However... seeing as how the tix were free from my buisness unit at ABCD, we figured it was ok.  We'll hit up ma and pa's before the concert just because... but I'll definately be bringing the camera, and we'll see what we see.  :)