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Chicago Sheri

Friday, February 28, 2003

Was in a mood last night.
Nervous about the surgery.
But nervous about what exactly...I dont know.
Rationally I know that it will be taken care of.
Even if it has spread to my lymph nodes.
It's all fixable.
Rationally...I know this.
But starting to feel a bit emotional.
Last night after we got home, I went upstairs, got undressed, and got into bed.
Wanted to lay in bed and cuddle.
Brad laid down with me and rubbed my back.
Laying and touching helped.
I felt a little better.

I'm gonna stay busy this weekend.
I made a huge list of things for me to do.

Jake, a friend of Brad's from college sent me an LL Cool J CD from my amazon wishlist that came in last night. I need to call him. We played it last night as we ate tabouli that Brad made.

Thursday, February 27, 2003

I changed my comments from Haloscan to Backblog.
Since the Haloscan ones weren't showing up most of the time.
I think this one is better.
Also these comments will email me and let me know I have a comment, and can email back replies to comments left too.

Wednesday, February 26, 2003

Brad's old boss (not Todd), was sitting behind me while Brad and I were having lunch.
Brad now reports to someone else (with a dotted line to Todd), and told me the guy sitting behind me was the guy that wanted to let him go during layoffs.
So I farted in his general direction.....TWICE!!!!

Website Weds

Lite-Brite!!
Litterbox are back!
Corkdolls
Rubber shipping game
Chicken Tossing game
Jimmy Pee Show
Dogs in Cars

Tuesday, February 25, 2003

I GOT CARE PACKAGES YESTERDAY!!

The first box I opened was from Lisa, Tim and Shawn. (Brad sister in Toldeo and her family)
They sent me a Care Bear/ Cheer Bear.

They sent a card, saying to bring him to the hospital with me so they could be there with me in way.
You guys are so sweet!!! :D
I told Brad to take a picture of me in the hospital with my Care Bear.
They also sent us some pictures and one of them framed of Brad with his nephew, Shawn. Very cute!

The other box was from Addy, a friend of mine in Sacramento.
A Dirty Girl Goodie Bag!

2 Mini soaps, Mascara, Lip Gloss, Solid Scent, Nail Polish, and 2 Nail Polish Remover Towelettes

The scent smells good, very light and clean. Soaps smell good too. The lip gloss is a really cool dark bronze color, and the nail polish is lavender. Mom & I will do each others nails! :D
Thanks so much Addy!

I also got a card from Marianne, a girl back in Ohio that used to work with Brad at Bank One. That was sweet!

We got a new mattress last night.
Brad's back has been bothering him more, so we ordered a new mattress over the weekend.
We got one of those Tempur-Pedic mattresses.


I was rock hard when it was delivered. It had to warm up a bit.
We also got 2 pillows. Brad just got a flat one, and I got one thats curved and fits to your head and neck.
We both slept good last night, his back felt good this morning too.
And we both think we rolled over a lot less.
I think we really like it.
I told mom, next week when Brad gets up to go to work to come get into bed with me.

Monday, February 24, 2003

I like that one Nora Jones song.
Ok, I used to.
But its the only song I have heard of hers and I am getting tired of hearing it.
During lunch Navin and I went to Borders to pickup some books he wanted.
They were blasting (BLASTING) the Nora Jones album.
At first it was nice to hear something else of hers.
At first....
After like the 6th song we were wondering if they just had the same song on repeat...all hers songs sound exactly (EXACTLY) the same.
And it was so loud we couldnt get away from it. I kept hoping maybe she would have one upbeat little number in there....but NOOOOoooooo!
Same tempo, same sound over and over.
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

I didnt watch most of the awards last night, just clicked in and out a few times.
I thought Nelly sucked, and its too bad too...I like Nelly.
I like they way he sounds on his records.
But he had a bunch of other guys in there and they are all yelling the lyrics...it just doesnt sound good. Too loose.
And Kelly, for her duet with him, was really off key. It sounded better as she went on, but I think its just cause they turned up her recorded version up louder to cover her.

And where did Bruce, Steve and a Foo Fighter get those fake cockney accents from?!?!?

Friday, February 21, 2003

I was truly surprised Trista picked Ryan.
I thought she was Charlie all the way.
I am overwhelmed in reality TV lately

Surreal Life - I am liking Vince Neil more and more everyday! and cant stand Corey Feldman.
Joe Millionaire - Seems a bit dim, Zorah was boring, and Sarah was bitchy
Bachelorette - I thought she handled everything great and with honesty
I'm A Celebrity: Let Me Out Of Here -
High School Reunion - A school from a Chicago suburb
American Idol
Osbournes
Anna Nicole
Real World
Michael Jackson interviews - I dont think he is a child molester...just yreally weird. And that reporter was really mean to do what he did and in the way he did it.
even watched the Hot or Not show and Real World/Road Rules challenge a little!!!!

Wednesday, February 19, 2003

Website Wednesday

Pimpin' ain't easy
Hi Ho
Moon Song
Love Cubes
Crab vs. Pipe
Mystery of Time and Space
Cell phone tricks

Tuesday, February 18, 2003

Yep
I'm really easing into this whole thing now.
I'm not worried.
I'm nervous...not about anything going wrong but just about it in general. Like I used to have a phobia of needles, I'm pretty much over it, did fine with my blood tests today..but it just still stresses me.

I'm really tired and my eyes burn tonight.
Today went fine, smoothly even,
Nothing scary or awful,
But it just wears me out.

I'm ready to get this thing over with now.
And lay around for a few days with my mom.

Did the doctor thing today.
Took blood, signed a bunch of pre-admit papers, met with the aneth...(the drug person),
tested my vocal chords.
Wasnt bad.
Nothing painful.
Sprayed nasty tasting novocaine down my throat, taped me reading outloud, and then he held my tongue with gauze and stuck a little camera to the back of my throat and videotaped me making the "e" and "ah" sounds.
They will do it again after the surgery.
Just to make sure nothing is damaged and turns out just like it was before.

I did a lot of waiting around.
I thought it would be just half the day and I would go to work, but everything was running behind. I left about 2:30 but then had to take a bus and the blue line back (another hour) so I just went home instead of to work. Kept the boss updated.

Im tired, have a bit of a headache.
Gonna rest and watch American Idol.

Thursday, February 13, 2003

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

The best way to use plastic sheets and duct tape for Valentines Day:

I feel better now.
I can go have my coffee.
Now that I know Nicole Sullivan from Mad TV is the voice of Joan in Clone High.
That was bugging the crap outta me.
I recognized the voice but couldn't place it.

I keep getting flashes of that I dont have thyroid cancer and I am just playing a really sick joke on everyone for attention.

I dreamt Goliath was an irish setter. Same red color he is now, but with longer wavy dangly fur. Looked pretty.
In the dream I watched him shovel poop into his mouth with his paws.
When I yelled at him, he stopped for a moment, looked up at me with his mouth full of poop, and poop covered face...poop hanging off the long fur around his mouth. And then went back to eating in a frenzied state.

Time for coffee.

A really good site on thyroid cancer.

Wednesday, February 12, 2003

Website Weds

Letters game
Clones game
ASCII generator
Soda constructor
What if I put this in my microwave?
Stupid computer tricks

Just posting these now.
Got late into work.
Train was over an hour late.
First had switch problems, then the brakes froze and then needed to replace a hose.
Hooray! SHORT DAY!
And I got Monday off too!

Tuesday, February 11, 2003

Talked with family and friends a lot today.
Called mom and Sunny.
Bev called me at work. Lisa and Marsha & Ray sent me sweet messages. :)

Im feeling better already.
I decided I want to keep my thyroid.
I would be happy with keeping it a little jar to show everyone, even the people that dont really want to see it.
Or maybe setting it in something and making a paper weight out of it.
(yes I am serious) :P

Maybe I will even make a poll, "Name That Tyroid!"

Also, I will take my camera with me to the hospital.
I think that will be a lot of fun too!

Its super windy wet nasty yucky snow out. Actually might be sleet.
I got off the train and got totally bitch slapped around trying to get to my car.
It was really wet, and stung as it slapped me around.

I wasn't hungry after work so I didnt get the cake.

I have to pick Brad up from the train station later tonight, and might just pick some up then if I want it.

AND...
such a perfect day to get a sweet gift.

I had this DVD waiting for me when I got home.

from a sweet friend of mine Lydia for my birthday.

I REALLY LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

But on a good note....
I just found out I am getting a bonus and raise this year.
I didn't get either last year.

Turns out I have cancer.
The doctor called me today while I was in a meeting, so I stepped out.
He just got the results in late yesterday.
I am scheduled for surgery on March 3.
They are going to remove my thyroid.
The medication they put me on, will help shrink my thyroid and make the surgery a little easier.
I will continue using the medication as a replacement of my thyroid.
Its a 3 hour surgery and I will stay over night and go home the next day.
They will make a 2 to 3 inch cut at the base of my neck.
They will have to schedule me for some pre-tests like bloodwork and a test on my voicebox.
They said something about putting novocaine down my throat and then doing some tests on my voice.

I think I am going to eat a big piece of chocolate cake tonight from Portillo's.

Sunday, February 09, 2003

As I type this in the office before we go run some errands and get some caffeine in me I am watching dancing lights on the ceiling and walls.
Beautiful colors.
Purple, blue, green, yellow, red....moving across all the walls around me.
Its so gorgeous and soothing.
Everyone should have one of these



A genuine Swarovski crystal takes the sun's rays and turns them into a colorful shower of rainbows that dance around your room. A solar cell runs the little motor that spins the crystal (no battery required). A suction cup (included) sticks everything securely to your sunniest window. Makes a magical gift.

Friday, February 07, 2003

I just finished watching Fabulous Stains.
I still remembered some of the lines!
It made me happy.

Thursday, February 06, 2003

I really had a good day yesterday.
Thank you for all the cards and well wishes, it really made me feel special.
Usually I'm bummed on my birthdays.
But I was ok.
You guys were really sweet to me. My mom called, Brad's mom called to tell me happy birthday. I opened gifts from family.
Got some really cool stuff too!
I got the Lenny Bruce book I wanted and it includes a CD kinda like a documentary with some clips from his shows.
A rock tumbler, to polish rocks - which I just think is really neat.
Some nice bath stuff, a candle, and some sweaters and pj's my mom sent me, OH and the DVD for The Fabulous Stains my sister got for me!
Brad woke up early yesterday and sang me "Happy Birthday" in bed and gave me a new TV and a subscription to People magazine.

I had an appt with a doctor yesterday because of a mass on my thyroid.
I left work early to go to the specialist about the "nodule" (that word cracks me up) in my thyroid.
I was surprising cool about it, not nervous, just something that has to get done.
Brad went with me, which was nice, cause he is just relaxing to be around also he totally handled us getting there and finding the place for me. We took the blue line to Forest Park and then got on a bus to take us to Loyola Medical Center. Takes a little under an hour, but much cheaper than a cab!

Dr. Steve De Jong was really great. He is a professor too, so lots of residents and students around. And they were all really nice about everything.
They had me swallow water and looked and felt my throat while I did that. Helped me feel it for myself since I didnt feel anything before. Kept calling it a "nodule".
Had the student come up to feel it too.
It was funny, Im just laying there saying to him "Come on, come touch my nodule!" It sounds so crass. I LOVE IT!
Did a biopsy.
They cleaned my throat off 3 times with iodine, and then gave me a shot of novocaine so when they did the biopsy it wouldnt hurt as much and so I wouldnt move around as much and mess them up.
They took 4 small syringes and poked it from different angles and sucked a little bit out. The novocaine hurt worse. It burned.
The biopsy just felt weird. I could feel it in me, and feel pressure from it moving around, but also I was just nervous and tense.
They had me laying down with a doubled over pillow under my shoulders so my head was tilted way back.
The doctor did 2 syringes, and had the resident do they other 2 with his supervision.
I told them afterwards, I didnt want to sit up right away, I was worried about getting light headed. That happened before, when I am laying down for a doctor and tense and then I get up too quick. The nurse was so sweet, she brought me some apple juice.
He gave me a prescription for some pills that is supposed to shrink my thyroid and the "nodule", and I have an appt in 8 weeks to see if its shrunk.

The test result will be in by Monday if tis cancerous. If it is, the I will go in a lot sooner and have them take it out.
Im ok with this.
Im not nervous.
Either way it will get taken care of and I will be ok.
If they take it out, I think I will get a scar across my chest.
Im weird...but I kinda like that part.
I wouldnt want a scar across my face but besides that I think scars are cool.
War wounds.
Of course to be the rough tough cream puff that I am, I would tell everyone I got the scar in a knife fight or something really cool like that. :D

After we took the train home and let the dog out. We went to my birthday dinner at Sullivan's.
Had a medium-rare fillet mignon, mushroom caps, asparagus, and Brad had the Kansas City strip steak and split the sides with me. Came with a lettuce wedge covered in tomato cubes and blue cheese crumbs and a blue cheese dressing. THEN... we got cappuccinos and split a chocolate souffle.
Everything was just wonderful. It was a real treat.

Wednesday, February 05, 2003

THATS RIGHT

Website Weds

Special message made by me just for today!
Make you own marker message
Worm game
Big head puppies
Pay no attention to the monkey behind the curtain!
Slightly modified State of the Union speech
Cat puke diary
Monkey vs. Robot

Tuesday, February 04, 2003

When I want to do a quick brisk walk, I need to set the tempo in my head.
Lately when I walk fast I have been singing "Louis Prima - Angelina" to myself.

I eat antipasta twice
just because she is so nice
Angelina
Angelina
the waitress at the pizzeria
I eat zoop-ing minestrone
just to be with her alone
Angelina
Angelina
the waitress at the pizzeria
Ti vol-glio be-ne
Angelina I adore you
E vol-glio be-ne
Angelina I live for you
E un pas-sio-ne
You have set my heart on fire
But Angelina
never listens to my song
I eat antipasta twice
just because she is so nice
Angelina
Angelina
waitress at the pizzeria
If she'll be a my My Car-ra mi-a
then I'll join in matrimony
with a girl who serves spumoni
and Angelina will be mine


They put up some spackle at our elevators after they moved the push button box thing down a bit.
A small section of it was still wet when I left work yesterday, so I carved my initials in it with my fingernail.

MY INITIALS ARE ON THE SEARS TOWER NOW!!! Whoo-hoo!

Monday, February 03, 2003

I bought myself a "Revo-styler", the spinning hairbrush.



I tried it a little last night, on my dry hair, didnt do much but my ends already had a little curl to them.
Tonight I will wash my hair and try it out on damp hair and see how it goes.
I got it at Target.

Saturday, February 01, 2003

I really had a good time last night.
The show was done in a gallery..which has a lot of light to show off the artwork.
So lots of lights, and crowded with people make it really hot in there!!
Most of the time I was standing on a chair to see Richard's performance, and it was still a little tough to see all of it.

I got to meet Juan, and new friend of his. Very sweet Columbian guy he met while in Miami. I hope he visits again.
Silky Jumbo was there.
I didnt know much people there except for the super cute punk Sam and her friends. But everybody was so into Richard's performance.
He was really great.
He came out with a Tab and eating Luna bar after Luna bar, and spoke with a New York Jewish accent. He was telling us a story about him and Ethel Merman, and how hot Madge was for Ethel.
There wasn't a slow moment...it all was really great stuff.
Everybody was laughing and couldnt take there eyes off Madge.

I saw Richard do another character for Feast of Fools that I liked, but I truly truly just loved Madge. I think cause he just knows the character so well. Its based on his family members and how they talk and gesture.

I want to see more Madge!!

Richard in character as Madge


Sam & Courtney



Juan and Madge


The strangest pants I saw all night





Silky and more Madge




The most handsome man there!