Living the dream!

Florida has some cool things. We have Disney, Universal, and Sea World which are all great for families. We have some interesting wildlife like Florida Panthers and Florida crocodiles (not gators those are common). We also have flying cockroaches. Yes, I know they’re “palmetto bugs”. Just because you call it that does not mean that changes what they are. They look like roaches, they act like roaches, and they live in your house like roaches. They are cockroaches that are huge and can fly.

Guess what new and cool thing you can get in Florida now? Dengue fever! For those who don’t know dengue fever is a disease — ranging from mild to severe — caused by four related viruses spread by a particular species of mosquito. Mild dengue fever causes high fever, rash, and muscle and joint pain. More-severe forms of the disease — dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome — can additionally cause severe bleeding, a sudden drop in blood pressure (shock) and death.

The mosquitoes that carry this special present will bite you at anytime, even during the day. Unlike the traditional Florida mosquitoes who are most active at dusk and dawn.

People always ask me what it’s like living in paradise. I’m living the dream everyone. Living... the... dream!

Being a hermit looks better every day.

I’m a little concerned about the quality of worker we have extending the road outside of my home. The main roadway that leads into my subdivision is being widened. Two weeks ago they accidentally hit one of the water lines and the whole area was without water for a few hours. Today I leave my complex and realize that the whole road is shut down. I find out why - seems this time the workers cut the gas line. Now, call me crazy but you would think they have diagrams where all of the utilities are. Gas lines, power lines, water lines, cable…What did you say? OH they DO?!

I can’t even dig a hole in my back yard to put in a fence unless I have them come out to mark the lines around my house. How is it that these geniuses not only cut the water line but have now also cut a gas line that could blow us all to bits?

I’m really considering buying land in the Pacific NW and just becoming a hermit. Seems safer.

I don't need to know your story - I need you not to hurt me!

I hate arrogant know it all's who do not listen when you tell them something. Don't you? Today I had to have some blood drawn for some routine tests. I’ve become an expert of where you can and cannot take blood from me. I’ve had some horrible experiences with blood draws (flashback time):

Picture this, a cute curly haired Korean/White girl with reddish hair (yes it was reddish) sitting happily in the blood draw chair kicking her legs. Then the person who is going to draw her blood comes in with a person who is learning how to draw blood (insert tense music here - end of flashback).

I don’t remember how many times she did stick me, but blood was running down both of my arms. I also couldn’t bend them for two days because they hurt. As I got older I turned my fear around and decided that I will know where people can stick me to get blood. Which brings us to today…

She takes my left arm and decides she wants to go for the vein that runs down the outside of my arm closer to the elbow then the middle. I tell her “That one is really hard to get. The one in the middle is much easier.”

“Don’t worry hon I’ll get it.”

“I’m telling you I’ve had to do this a lot. It’s hard to get.”

She ignores me wipes it with alcohol and sticks me. Ok…so of course she doesn’t hit the vein. She just digs the needle around digging for the vein. “Oh, it moved on me.” Yeah yeah. She continues to move the needle around.

“Are you ok?” she asks. Because I think she can see the annoyed maybe pissed look on my face.

“Yep, I’m fine” she digs for another minute or so.

She takes the needle out and decides to try the other arm. I say “The one on this side that you can see blows very easy.” Which means the vein breaks.

“Oh, we’ll try it anyways.”

Me: (sigh)

“You must have deep veins.” which is code for I messed up so I’m going to make up excuses.

“No, I don’t actually.” and she ignores me.

She sticks the weak vein and gets enough blood out of it before…it blows. Now I’m going to have this cute bruise on my right arm. Yay!

If they would just listen to me we could avoid ME being harmed.

But at least I found out that today was her birthday, (she’s 51) that her son is back on R&R from Afghanistan (he’s in my prayers), that her older son is in Afghanistan as well, and is going to make the Army his career. The youngest one has killed 5 people and really hates the military, will be in on tour until January, and then has 3 months left before he’s done. OH, and don’t forget that on the Fourth of July her son helped her move because he decided he should help her while he’s here.

I know crazy people like me but is there a way to request a not crazy phlebotomist next time?