life & lululemon

"picture your eventual demise. it can have an amazing effect on how you live your life."

-lululemon athletica

krislyn made this cake for one of her co-works at lulu. how freaking cute.

I always thought that quote was just a little weird and made me feel uncomfortable. I preferred the sayings that remind me to take my vitamins and make sure I drink a lot of water. much more pleasant.

that being said, i went to the doctor because my sore throat was getting worse and I feel like I was getting an ear infection or something.

Negative strep test and ears looked fine.

BUT then when I opened up my mouth and he looked at my tonsils.

There was a mini-freakout.

Apparently one tonsil was EXTREMELY swollen and was starting to MOVE.

he informed me what there is a condition where a absecess can develop behind your tonsil and when it gest bigger, it pushes your tonsil and can eventually block your airway.

UMMMM... okay then? Good thing I was in my velour sweatpants.

He wanted me to go to the ER immediately. Umm what?

Alrighty then.

Off I went with my dearest mommy. My first stay in a hospital and I am 26. Not too shabby.



the ER doctorm and both nurses were men. it was so interesting. They were very nice and very helpful and I got released with a small suitcase full of medicine. (well not really but I feel like remembering when to take them all (every 3 hours, twice a day, blah blah) is giving me a headache. If the antibiotics haven't gotten rid of the infection by tomorrow and the swelling hasn't gone down, I have to go back and get the abscess drained. Umm. that might not be so fun as my vicodin induced nap in the hospital room today.

since I was in the ER department, I had some neighbors. (remember, my FIRST time being admitted to a hospital so this was all new.)

my closest neighbor was thsi man who was broughten in by his girlfriend of 30 years less than his age (whenever they asked their relationship, she would loudly exclaim, "OTHER!"

The symptoms sounded like a heart attack and he had been having mini-strokes for the last few months. (NOTE TO SELF: IF YOU HAVE ARM/CHEST PAIN EVERY SINGLE NIGHT FOR A GOOD HOUR, PROBABLY TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. but that is beside the point I suppose)

He was worried, his gf was worried and it was just a sad situation.

Sitting in that surprisingly comfortable hospital bed in my airy nightgown listening through the "curtain," I feel like I finally understood the meaning of that lulu quote.

One day I could be in that hospital for something a little more serious than a "peritonsillar abscess" (even though it hurts like a B! :)

I could be on the other side of that curtain, the one attached to all that beeping.

I was getting impatient after being there for 2 hours and complaining about my $100 Emergency Room copay that I was going to have to pay.

He had no insurance and were trying to figure out a plan to not lose a battle to Heart Disease.

It was the closest I had gotten to strangers absolutley flirting with death. I wanted to run out of that place and go out to lunch with my grandma. I wanted to take Jenna Mae and Megan to see that new disney princess movie. I wanted to go to the Farmer's market and get REAL food and not obsess over the amount of carbs. Heck, I wanted to go get that striped maxi shirt that I liked but it kinda made me butt look big :)

but i couldn't, as I was waiting for my precious prescriptions and I think the nurse could have easily caught me had I made a break for it.

so instead? I realized there was something I could do right then and there. It didn't cost money, I didn't need to pay plan tickets to start crossing off my list of travel bucket-list spots.

I closed my eyes (not hard because of my lovely pain meds :) and said a little prayer for the man next to me. A little prayer that when I get overwhelmed and feel like there is so much to do in life to "live it up" all that really matters is that I love on others like Jesus loves me. Even when they don't have insurance, or didn't ever take their baby aspirin or I don't even know their name.

Cuz my time here WILL run out, hopefully not by tonsillitis :) but who knows? that little room in the ER  just was a VERY obvious reminder that as much as it may be uncomfortable to think about, we are not promised tomorrow.

i mean really though. Morbid, but so true. Think of your eventual demise... if that doesn't make you want to go do what you love and stop stressing about the little things or the last five pounds, I don't know what does.

 so it was been a very cozy first weekend of summer. Pouring rain, frozen yogurt, scrambled eggs and lots of Red-box movies. and when I swallow I seriously feel like there are razors in the back of my throat and my ear might explode. :)

thanks lulu and dr. wayne :) i learned a lesson in tonsil anatomy AND appreciation, all in one day :) all for a measley $100 copay :)