Just Gotta Hang On....

What I've Been Up To

 

Time Of Your Life Photography on Facebook

I totally didn't notice my hair sticking up until I watched this back. Oh well!

Geeking Out

I seriously get as giddy as a 10 year old school girl does over the Jonas Brothers every time I see this trailer.  I'm such a nerd.

How Twins Are Made

Too funny not to pass along, and if only it were that easy!

(From an email forward:)

Getting Stuck on an Elevator = Case of the Mondays

I have a completely irrational fear of falling from a great height, in addition to mild claustrophobia.  So, it was was with a sinking dread when I came to the realization that I was stuck on an elevator at my office - dangling 120 feet in the air.

While normally I would try to hold my shit together in such a situation, I started to panic once I felt the elevator brake trying to "release", sending visions of plunging to my death below through my head.  Not to mention the fact that no one was answering the emergency phone line in the elevator.  Nope, not too reassuring at all.

Finally, after 10 excruciatingly long minutes, I hear a voice on the other side of the door telling me they'll have me out in a minute.  Instead, the elevator starts moving.  First it goes down 8 floors, then back up 7.  I hopped off on the 11th floor, which is also part of my office, and immediately started hyperventilating and crying hysterically.  I had tried not to succumb to a panic attack while in the elevator (seeing as how I didn't have my inhaler with me, in case it triggered an asthma attack), but as soon as I was free, it hit me full force.  One of my co-workers thought I was dying, the way I was carrying on.  After about 5 minutes of "getting it out of my system", and popping a X*ana*x, I was ok.  Of course, that doesn't stop me from contemplating taking the fire escape to get home, but I don't think my knees can handle 14 flights of stairs, except in the case of an emergency.

So, how's YOUR Monday been so far?

Love Thursday: Happily Ever After

This is a photo I shot at a friend's wedding.  I really love the looks on their faces; the joy of the newly-married.  They're a great couple, and I couldn't be happier for them.

Happy Love Thursday, Everyone!

Obama/Coburn SMACKDOWN!!*

*Dammit!!  Didn't realize the video wasn't working.  You should be able to find the SNL skit at NBC.com.

If only it were true....

Proof I Am Boring

(Please ignore the messy office behind me!)

Love Thursday: There Goes My Hero

 

(My husband, Jake, watching the sunset over Lake Hefner)

So many times, people make the mistake of thinking that in order to show someone you love them, you must do so in a material way, with flowers, cards, jewelry, et cetera, or by constantly telling the other person "I love you."  Yet, so often, the little ways love is shown is taken for granted.

My husband did such a thing this week. 

I've recently taken up doing photography in a more professional capacity, and had my first wedding shoot last month.  I had been working on processing and editing the photos when the external hard drive I had the photos stored on crashed last week.  I had made the amateur mistake of not backing the photos up to a disc, so I was in a panic, to say the least.  I was literally sick over the thought of losing someone else's precious memories.

My beloved sprang into action, spending countless hours trying to repair the drive himself (he does IT for a living), and when that failed, he had me try sending the drive off for data recovery, despite the enormous cost.  He could see how upset I was, and he was doing everything he could to try and make it better.  When we received the estimate for the data recovery ($1800!!!), and had to decline the service, Jake still did not give up.  As a last resort, he scanned both of our computers for any images, hoping he would be able to recover something.  To my surprise, we found ALL of the photos on his computer!!  Apparently, when I transferred the photos from my camera to the external drive, I had inadvertently exported and saved them onto his computer.  The both of us were ecstatic! And I've now backed up the data in 5 different ways...lesson learned.

That Jake would not let me give up, and spent so much of his precious downtime trying to help me, showed me how much he loves me.  After almost 14 years together, it's easy to take your partner's affections for granted, but I knew, without the words, that this was love.

Happy Love Thursday, everyone!

Post-Surgical: Long Story Short

First of all, thanks again to everyone who stopped by to offer a message of support about my laperoscopy.  Your words and good wishes meant so much to me during this stressful time.

Now, for the news:

There was NO endometriosis.  I know, I'm just as shocked as you are.  I had every. single. symptom.  A veritable repeat of what I endured before having my first lap' 9 years ago.  I expected a mass of endo and adhesions on/around my left ovary, but nope.  Clean as a frickin' whistle.

So, why am I in pain?  They have no explanation.  The current theories are either andrometriosis (aka adenomyosis) in my uterus, or IBS.  I'm thinking I definitely do NOT have IBS.  I don't have the symptoms, and I'm sorry, but my bowels are not making my pelvic region feel like the victim of a slasher movie every month during my menstrual cycle.  If it is adenomyosis, there is no treatment, other than a hysterectomy.  And, since I have yet to get any use out of my uterus, I'd like to hang on to it for now, thanks.

I cannot tell you how depressed and frustrated I am.  While it is good NOT to have endo, at the same time, I hate not having a diagnosis.  I'm basically being given the option of having my uterus ripped out, or spend every month for the next 10-15 years until I reach menopause in pain.  Not fun.  Not to mention I have no idea how this would affect IVF.  Would my embryos even be able to implant?  And if they did, what's the risk for miscarriage?

So, back to square one.  Which is absolutely nowhere.  Sorry, but I'm gonna be a Bitter Betty for awhile on this one.