OMG!!! I love the songs so much. And the cast has me in stitches. If you haven't seen it, click on the image.

New Yorkers Try to Swallow Calorie Sticker Shock

My response:

Now that my husband has been diagnosed with non-insulin dependent diabetes, we are all too aware of the need to count calories. He's been doing well with limiting his diet to sugar-free snacks and curbing his sodium intake, but the endocrinologist expressed the importance of counting carbs today in order to control his diabetes. This article highlights the importance of knowing what you are eating. When I look at the information presented, I shudder. As mentioned in the article, a meal at Wendy's for my husband had been nearly equal to his current daily recommended caloric intake. A meal consisting of  "a chicken club sandwich, junior bacon cheeseburger, large fries and a large Coke" actually adds up to 1,680 calories. The mind boggles...

Nearly 1800 calories at one meal... no wonder we both began packing on the pounds. Sure, when I go out, I opt for salad or a sandwich wrap, skip the fries, and get a small drink; but sadly, salads at restaurants and fast-food chains often are not much better. I remember about a year ago, eating at the Macaroni Grille, and later reading an article that stated that many of their pasta dishes had made the top twenty worst offenders. This is what I ordered, and how it stacks up nutritionally:

Carmella's Chicken Rigatoni dinner
Calories: 1320
Fat: 87g ~ 134% Daily Value
     Saturated: 34g ~ 170% Daily Value
Sodium: 1550 mg ~ 65% Daily Value

*Percent Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet*

Food for thought...
Back in May, food from various restaurants, including Macaroni Grille, were analyzed to determine whether their healthy menu selections were up to snuff. The most shocking offender was Macaroni Grill's Pollo Magro Skinny Chicken: It contained nowhere near the "less than 6g fat and 500 calories" the menu claims (let alone the 330 calories and 5g fat listed on the website's nutritional page) -- it actually had over 1,000 calories and just under 50 grams of fat. See Hungry Girl for details...

Reminds me of my cats:

Reading: my weekly horoscope

After studying your astrological omens for the upcoming weeks, I got really excited. There was so much I wanted to tell you. I popped a chunk of organic, fair-trade, cruelty-free, espresso-tinctured chocolate in my mouth and sat down to type an extravagant message. Maybe it was because I was overly pumped up, but in the next moment I accidentally swallowed the candy whole. What a waste! I'd gotten none of the bliss of sliding it around my tongue and mouth. But I recognized this apparent bad luck as a sign of what I needed to tell you: Don't get so worked up about the oncoming pleasures that you engorge them whole without even tasting them.

Wearing: BPAL Schroedinger's Cat
Working on:  second chapter of Learning to Fly, original fiction
                         rewrite of Foxfire: The Nine Tales of Aiko Kitsune, original fiction
Inspired by: The artwork of Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
Watching:  "Come Here" H/G fanvid, music by Lily Hadyn
Planning: scheduling appointments

Attention fellow geeks, nerds, and steampunk fans:

Now you can visit the Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog website to view the movie in three acts, starting today.
Watch as Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) and his nemesis Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) vie for the affections of Penny (Felicia Day). Laugh maniacally along with the mad scientist as he plots and schemes. Cry as he's thwarted by the superhero. Chuckle as they burst into song at the drop of a hat. Just come visit the website!

First act: July 15th
Second Act: July 17th
Third Act: July 19th

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog will be up until July 20th. Read Joss Whedon's Master Plan for details.

Midnight
Description: An ethereal bouquet of night-blooming flowers. Evening primrose, ruellia, flowering nicotiana, wild petunia, panani-o-kai, night phlox, night gladiolus, moonflower and the elusive scent of Nottingham Catchfly.

Imp: Immediately, I identify moonflower and nicotiana. This reminds me of Nyx in the imp, although there is no jasmine to immediately command my attention.
Wet: A blend of my favorite night-themed notes. Luscious, dark, tempting... I feel like a vampire. I'm already intrigued and it demands that I change into something suitable. I put on my aubergine lipstick and three shades of purple eyeshadow, pulled down two tendrils of hair to frame my face, and I was completely transformed from a dark blonde, rosy-cheeked hippie geek into a mysterious, eldritch creature.
Dry: So in love with this fragrance. It's so well-blended, and on the dry-down, it becomes more difficult to identify notes. It's a  feminine, more refined sort of vampire than Midnight Kisses. This is an intoxicating seduction rather than a heart-quickening rapture. Nicotiana seems to be a slightly feral or wild scent on me, but in this blend, it supplies just a hint of danger. This perfume demands your attention, says, "Look into my eyes... and you are mine."
Final verdict:  I love BPAL night-blooming flower notes. Darker than other blends, and quietly compelling, Midnight is subtle and complex, with a long-lasting throw. Another winner!

Dragon's Eye
Description: A piercing, radiant perfume: dragon's blood resin, lily of the valley, lilac and galbanum.
Imp: Gentle and inviting lilac. I don't smell the dragon's blood, although I do pick out a sweetish scent.
Wet: Heady lilac and sultry dragon's blood, spiked with lily of the valley. I was wrong about lily of the valley, it seems, for this loves my skin chemistry. (Perhaps there was something else in Endymion that made it smell like bandaids?)
Dry Lovely, absolutely lovely blend... The dragon's blood plays a supporting role, letting the lilac take center stage without it becoming a prima donna. I could wear this often, if I had a bottle of it.
Final verdict: This scent comes closest to the California Perfume Co. White Lilac that Avon used to sell. Every Christmas, I'd receive a small, bubble-textured bottle in my stocking, even though my mom is allergic to lilacs. A turn of the century ladies' perfume, bringing back the late Victorian elegance and innocence that I loved about White Lilac, yet more mature and somewhat coy.

Queen Mab
description: Warrior, Trickster and Goddess of Magic and Poets, she is one of the Tuatha De Danaan and the Queen of the Faeries. A very complex scent, both shadowy and fierce: black orchid, sandalwood, night-blooming jasmine, osmanthus, Somalian rose, and Chinese musk.
Imp: Intriguing... mysterious... This shows a lot of promise. Smells like expensive perfume; the kind that cultured women who know their worth wear.
Wet: This is definitely a queen to be reckoned with. It reminds me of Boaddicea. Not as ethereal as other goddess-inspired BPAL scents... somewhat primal. I can pick out the notes, but they like to dart forward and then duck into the shadows.
Dry A heady, floral musk. Very lovely, very regal and proud. The orchid and sandalwood keep it from becoming too "rosey" on me.
Final verdict: I feel powerful when I wear this. Feminine and strong, this is a good scent for boosting my confidence. The fragrance is commanding, as opposed to demanding (if that makes sense). A scent that makes one pay attention.

Marae
description: Vanilla orchid, Monoi tiare, gardenia, and light incense.
Imp: Tropical plants. A just barely there hint of florals. I don't smell the vanilla orchid yet.
Wet: Orchid, yes. A little bit of powdery incense, yes. Gardenia is sweet without becoming cloying, which I really appreciate. Not sure what Monoi tiare is supposed to smell like, but this note reminds me of a surf shop. It's a very clean, refreshing tropical plant scent that I associate with hothouses. (Apparently, it is Tahitian gardenia, but it smells quite different from the American variety.)
Dry: Imagine hands caressing creamy, tropical lotion all over your skin, with just a hint of coconut. The incense reminds me of tiki torches and moonlit nights on the beach. A vacation in a vial.
Final verdict: Having tried Opuhi, I knew that I'd like this. I definitely could smell the vanilla orchid throughout, but this is a touch bolder and more tropical than that. More floral than foody. So far, the Tiki line has impressed me.

Now that my happy hubby is allowed to drive, he decided to take a trip to the mall. Bree and I ended up taste-testing teas and sniffing perfumes at Bath and Body Works, then grabbed her a clearance rack dress at Limited Too. The guys got their geek on at Best Buy since I picked up Guitar Hero: Aerosmith for his birthday. (Gotta admit that he gets more exercise than I'd thought using the Wii.)
We got a little bit of walking in after lunch at Subway, then went to the movies. The girls saw Kung Fu Panda, while the boys saw Hellboy II.

I'm sort of appalled that Nantucket Off-Shore Blends cost $5.99 a tin now. The last time that I'd gone there, they'd been $2.99. Instead of grabbing three sodium-free blends, we ended up with one. He's done very well this week on his adjusted diet. I told him that if his blood sugar is in the normal range, he can have a cookie after dinner each night. They are sugar-free and fairly healthy anyway, but it gives him incentive to pay attention to serving sizes. So far, the only time that his blood sugar has spiked was this morning after breakfast, which had been the norm during his hospital stay on the heart-healthy diet. It seems like he gets a boost around 10:30-11am no matter what he's eaten. He hasn't been snacking between meals, either, so this might be "normal" for him. He doesn't feel ill when this happens, and it normalizes after lunch. He can bring this up with his doctor on Tues.

Anyway, hope that everyone is having a good day. In a few, I'm going to heat up the oven for broiled tilapia with veggies since he did eat out today. I'm thankful that my husband has received good medical care and that he is home.

Here's what my scar looks like.

I'm hoping to find an artist who can incorporate the scar in the design, someone who can transform it into a thing of beauty, like so:


(Although I don't want a design that large.)
My scar roughly resembles a tropical flower, so a vine with moonflowers is one possible design. What I'd been told was that it would be a good idea to stick to asymmetrical designs, so florals, vines, animals, etc. are a safer bet. Things to avoid: Celtic, tribals, and lettering. Anything like that would be more suited to a flat, unblemished surface because the artwork would need to match up properly. Plus, you want to avoid inking geometric designs on the worst part of the scar, although they could write "Luna" underneath the scar.

More ideas to come.

Luna Lovegood layout by janine42584 
Potterpuffs moodtheme by lj user moonlit_cadence - italyatmidnight

Much thanks to janine42584  for use of the layout. Check out her layouts- seriously, they are brilliant!

So, we spent the 4th at the hospital, and then walked about a mile and a half because the bus was on an hourly schedule. (The transit website; it lies, I tell you!) He's doing fine, if bored. He eats better than I do, actually. (I've been amazed at what he is allowed to eat, because I thought his diet would be more restrictive than that.) His blood sugar fluctuates after meals, and sometimes he needs insulin, but otherwise he's on the mend. He should be coming home after he recovers from the angiogram on Monday. Ironically, had he not been given dinner on Thursday, they could have done the angiogram and sent him home yesterday. (He needs an empty stomach, and all.) At least him deciding to stay over the weekend gives me time to get some things done, like his laundry and food shopping.

If this had not happened, we would not have found out about the diabetes. This episode has forced him to reassess his diet. Before, he may have glanced at the nutrition information on a package, and picked something lower in sodium, but then he'd eat two servings, which sort of negates the healthiness. And of course, extra calories are not of the good for a diabetic.

Today's agenda:
1. Food shopping
2. Laundry
3. Scrubbing pots and pans

Hopefully, I'll be finished with the dishes today, and then focus on scrubbing down the bathroom tomorrow. I'll be checking in here sporadically, so leave a message or comment and I'll get back to you.

EDIT: Thank you both for your good advice and suggestions. I'll be working on a flavorful, healthy diet. The good news? Bryan and I will eat anything (except for cranberries ^_^). He actually prefers veggies steamed and not smothered with sauces, so it will be an easier adjustment than I'd realized.

Visited Bryan in the hospital. He's looking good and feeling fine. He wants to come home; however, he needs to have an angiogram first thing Monday morning. He could come home today provided that he follow strict doctor's orders, but he'd have to pick up his meds and buy groceries to prepare meals that he can actually eat, which means NOT RESTING. I just got off the phone with his doctor, who stated that after the angiogram, he is not allowed to drive himself home. I had to promise to kick his butt if leaves against medical advice. So he's decided to stay for the weekend.

EDIT: One doctor diagnosed him with congestive heart failure due to a viral infection. The other doesn't think so. Either way, he wasn't in good shape when he arrived. When he was admitted, his heart was only pumping at 15% efficiency. The ECG results and other tests indicate that there is a blood clot, and that although he feels fine, he could be in serious trouble if he doesn't follow doctor's orders for long-term health.

UPDATE:
I feel like I'm either going to cry, scream, or throw up. Now that I know he's mostly okay, the stress and fear have caught up to me. I need to relax tonight, otherwise I'll be a wreck. The kids need me to be okay, so I need to take care of myself, too.

Talked to him this morning. He got some rest, at least. The medications are helping to drain the fluid from his lungs and extremities, so less coughing and feeling ill. Mostly, he's bored. The food is surprisingly good for hospital fare, and at least he has the TV.

They ran a CT scan, which revealed that there are no blood clots or anything like that. However, there appears to be lymph nodes on or near his heart, which they'd like to take biopsies of to rule out anything suspicious. So far, it's looking like his heart was working a little bit harder than normal due to the rise in blood pressure, but there doesn't appear to be any damage. Most of his stay has been comprised of testing and observation, to rule out potential problems. They've scheduled an ultrasound of his heart today so we should know more soon enough. It's very likely that all he'll need to do is continue taking medication to drain the fluid and to lower his blood pressure and make appropriate dietary changes. Most of what we prepare at home is fine.  Hopefully, he'll be able to come home tonight, although it's more likely that he'll be released tomorrow.

EDIT: One of the nurses mentioned that he might be going home today and do the ultrasound on an out-patient basis. Which would be really cool, since he'd rather be home and get a shower. So, crossing my fingers for luck, that the doctors give him a relatively clean bill of health, and let him out of there. ^_^

The cardiologist is reviewing the chest X-rays and tests thus far. He/She would like to run an ECG (echocardiogram) and other scans to determine the problem, since he/she doesn't think that Bryan is having CHF. In fact, it's quite possible that his heart is not as enlarged and/or the situation as severe as first thought. *prays* However, the hospital staff does believe that he is diabetic, and are closely monitoring the situation.

In the meantime, he's on complete bed rest while he waits to hear back from the cardiologist. Hopefully, we caught this early on before it could develop into a life-threatening situation. He seems to be responding well to treatment for now, and managed to doze in short spurts. Every time he started to snooze, though, someone would come in to check his vitals, run more bloodwork, etc.

Thank you everyone that is thinking of him. Keep your thoughts positive for the best possible outcome, okay?
As for me, I keep having these moments when I feel like I'm going to burst into tears, but then it passes. For now, I just have to keep busy, otherwise I won't be able to keep it all together.

*takes a deep breath*

Okay. Here we go...
My husband is in the hospital.

Last night he had come home halfway through his shift at the call center because he felt horrible. He'd been coughing too much to continue accepting calls. About a month ago, we both had some chest congestion left over from an illness. While my symptoms improved after one dose of expectorant, his continued to worsen. His grandparents were supposed to come for a visit, and he did not want to worry them, so he accepted my suggestion for an over-the-counter inhaler "just in case", at least until he could schedule an appointment with his doctor. He felt much better afterwards, and was finally able to get a decent amount of sleep that night.

However, over the past two weeks, even with the inhaler, his coughing at night has progressively gotten worse, often keeping him up at night. If it wasn't for the inhaler, he would not have been able to function at work. He's been stressed, irritable, and increasingly more tired throughout the day, yet cannot rest at night. We both attributed his symptoms to asthma and exhaustion from lack of sleep. We also considered that maybe there was a problem with the ventilation system at work, since he'd feel miserable there yet his symptoms would improve at home. So someone had been checking into it over the weekend.

When he got home last night, however, he iced his ankles because they were swelling. The night before, his feet had begun to swell, which we agreed was due to his high blood pressure. We both recognized that this was not a good sign, but it never occurred to either or us just how serious the situation could be. That night, when his coughing woke us both up for the umpteenth time, I irritably said that if it bothers him so much, why doesn't he just get checked out? (Granted, I was exhausted from weeks of not sleeping well, since I'm prone to insomnia to begin with, but now I feel like a callous bitch in light of the situation.)

Unable to sleep comfortably due to coughing, my husband kissed me goodnight around midnight and said that he was going to get checked out at the nearby medical center. At 7:30am, my husband called from the hospital, where he has spent the night under observation for and will be kept for at least one more day, possibly two depending on how he reacts to treatment. He had not been able to get to a phone until then.

Apparently, his blood sugar is high, his blood pressure is high, and his heart is enlarged. The chest exam revealed that his lungs are full of fluid, as well as his feet. The doctor came in to check his stats and we were disconnected. Suddenly, his diagnosis hit me upside the head, and I couldn't believe that I had not seen it sooner...

My husband might have been experiencing congestive heart failure. They have not used those words, but I know what pulmonary edema is, and what it usually indicates. So right now, I'm trying not to freak out because I know how close he came to having a heart attack, even if he has not realized it yet. His high blood pressure is the most likely culprit, although he might have diabetes as well.

When he called back at 8am, he told me that his blood pressure was lower, although still of concern, yet he'd had worse levels when he was first diagnosed in Florida. Another positive thing was that I was correct; he had lost about twenty pounds recently. Thankfully, his kidneys are fine, which had been another concern. So, my efforts to provide healthier meals and encourage more exercise have been gradually paying off... Ironically, if he had lost weight too quickly, it would have put more strain on his heart. He's in stable condition, so it seems like he's out of the woods for now. The negative is that his blood sugar is high even though he has not eaten anything since 10pm. After they flush his system, they will continue to monitor his levels and maybe he'll be able to eat something around noon. We can only focus on getting him better enough to come home. However, when he is released, that is when the real work begins. If he wants to live to see his children grow up, then we both will have to make some major changes in our diets and fitness levels.

This is our second wake-up call, since we hit the snooze button last year.

*crosses fingers and prays for a good prognosis*

I always joked around that he has a big heart,  but I never knew just how true those words were...

I love this show so much, so much that it hurts. Such a beautiful pain, though.
No spoilers here. Just lots of respect and anticipation for the season finale.

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed. Well let's see.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you love (and strike through the ones you hate!).
4) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them ;-)


Of the 57 books on the list that I've read,  I'd read the majority of them as a child. Most of the books on this list that I haven't read are actually fairly new books.

How did you do?

Here's the highlights of my week so far:

Kids are out of school.
Scrambling to clean to find important paperwork for Food Stamps, only to find that it's common record and can be accessed by the assistance office anyway. Whew!
Currently wearing: Schroedinger's Cat
Went to the Zoo picnic.
Managed to write a few one-shots and work a little bit on the outline for my Kitsune novel. It's been on the back burner since moving here, especially since I accidentally deleted the file from the old computer, thinking that I'd already transfered it to the new one. Smooth move, Ex-Lax...
Waiting for the economic stimulus check to arrive so that I can be all caught up with bills. (Well, except for the student loans, which I've pretty much given up on. I'm lucky if I can pay it off before my kids start talking college.)
Still waiting to hear if I have a job.

Yeah. That's all she wrote.
Birthdays are coming up soon, so I need to figure out what to send Mum.

You know how sometimes people on your friend's list post about stuff going on in their life, and all of a sudden you think "Wait a minute? Since when are they working THERE? Since when are they dating HIM/HER? Since when???" And then you wonder how you could have missed all that seemingly pretty standard information, but somehow you feel too ashamed to ask for clarification because it seems like info you *should* already know? It happens to all of us sometimes.