Bedbugs Are A Nightmare!

You've heard of bedbugs, but have you ever seen one? Our mothers used to tell us to "sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite", why is that? If you've ever had bedbugs, you'll know why.

The bedbug is an insect that got its name from where it normally lives: mattresses, sofas, and any other furniture it can find to reside (even dressers and end tables). You normally find them moving around at night, especially just before dawn. They are attracted by warmth and carbon dioxide. But...they are not easy to find unless you know where to look.

The bug has two hollow tubes that it injects into you, one sends out an anesthetic (so you don't feel the bite) and an anticoagulant (so your blood thins to make you bleed easier). The other tube is used to withdraw your blood. Scary, huh?

This bug thrives in places with high occupancy, such as hotels and motels. Their population has increased in the US by 500% in the last few years. That makes me feel a little less secure about staying in a hotel when I'm on vacation as they've been found in large hotel chains, too.

To prevent having this nightmare happen to you, there is a great solution. BugZip sent me a few of their products to try out. They are paying me a modest amount for my time and I am giving them an honest review of their product.

The bed bug encasement is made out of heavy duty vinyl and you place your suitcase inside it, zip it up, and you're all set. (It is important to use two hands and go around the corners slowly to ensure the zipper closes correctly.) Bedbugs find it hard to climb up the vinyl sides. They also have drawer liner sizes, so you can place your clothes inside them and feel confident you won't be taking home any unwanted visitors when you leave.

When you're ready to go home, leave the encasements in the hotel room and be on your way. I've never had bedbugs at home or known if they were in hotels we've stayed at, but I have a trip coming up and I surely am going to be using BugZip in every suitcase. They are cheap insurance to prevent bedbugs from coming home with you.

If you are battling bedbugs, getting the drawer liner sizes, and placing your clothes in them will make living a little more normal for you. (Rather than living out of garbage bags.)

I strongly recommend getting this product if you are planning any type of travel in your future. A little prevention is worth way more than a pound of cure! Halfmoon

Saturday at the Homefront

Well, Thursday and Friday (yesterday) Steve mowed and weedwacked the lawn, which isn't as easy as it sounds. We have almost two acres to take care of (the other three we let grow and now someone else is mowing and baling it up, hurray!)

I feel pretty useless not being able to help. Once in a while, I go out to where we have wood for the campfire and pull a few weeds that are waist-high (so I don't have to bend over to do it). That only lasts a short while as I cannot stand for very long. I at least have a little path to where the wood can be picked up.

I used to ride the lawnmower while Steve mowed the hard areas with a push mower, then he would weedwack the rest. Well, that is history now. I actually enjoyed doing that much more than cleaning the house. Speaking of the house, it is in need of a good dusting. Maybe Heather will do that when she comes out.

Heather, Kat, Alyce, and Christian are coming out this afternoon. Josh, Shelley, Tay, and Carter are coming out too. Steve's going to help me make lasagna (which means I'll probably talk him through it as I can't stand to cook for very long).

I cannot wait for all of their company. It seems like it's been an eternity since I've seen them (July 6, to be exact). I guess it has been 12 days since we've seen Heather's crew. Josh and Steve came out a week ago to deliver his bed to our garage and a chair in the house. I had them take one of our recliners to dump as it is falling apart.

I wonder if we'll do the rest of H's fireworks???? Steve always hates doing them after the 4Th but we all love it! Also, we'll probably make a campfire and sit around it and talk.

My pain has steadily gotten worse. I had maybe a few days of my pain level being at probably a 4 and now it is a constant 5 - 6 during the day. By evening, the pain is at a 7 or 8 or above (especially when it's bedtime). I wonder if I'm approved for disability, if I'll be eligible for a Medicare supplement plan? Maybe you still have to be 62 or 65? I guess we'll take it one step at a time. Time will tell.

Hope your day is glorious. It's supposed to be cool all day and tonight it will be down in the 40's. Must be that global warming, huh? :) I've always said that was a bunch of hogwash! Have a great one! Halfmoon

A Note About Steve

After having a checkup with the orthopaedic surgeon, Steve was given a third exercise for home therapy to get him on the road to recovery. We are thankful that the therapy is such that he can do it at home, thus alleviating more trips to DSM and using less gas in the vehicle.

His shoulder is improving and I think he is finally seeing hope for the future. There is still the need to find a new field of work (as if that isn't a huge concern), but, at least he will be able to use his arm for the most part. The doctor strongly suggested that he not be in the carpentry field any longer as it could undo what the surgery accomplished.

Wednesday night his tooth started throbbing. He had a general checkup at the dentist Thursday and there may be a cavity causing the pain. They made an appointment for Tuesday. Meanwhile, anything hot or cold, or chewing on that side causes great pain. We're falling apart, aren't we Steve? He mentioned the fact that we seem to either be going to the hospital or doctor appointments all the time now. Bummer!

Steve and I have always been thankful that people complement us on how young we looked in the past. Those comments don't come as often now and Steve's been concerned with new wrinkles that are appearing. Maybe I'll check into wrinkle cream to see if that will alleviate this current concern.

Wow, I feel like all I do is whine about our health now. Sorry about that. I'll try to be more upbeat from now on! Halfmoon

Back at the Doctor

Luckily, the doctor was able to get me in at 11:15 yesterday. After having approximately two hours of broken sleep, I drag myself out of bed, take a bath, and head into WDM for my appointment.

The doctor was happy that they found the cyst but was concerned that they didn't address why my white count was so high. She ordered another blood draw and the count was now at 16,500, down from 17,000, but that is still too high and what is causing it?

It's possible that the nerve blocks I had the day before could cause it, but she didn't think that would do it. So, once again, I have to come back in eight to ten days for another blood draw to see if it goes down. Meanwhile, unless I have a high fever or chills, I can continue my life. Wonderful, huh?

With all of the bills coming in from my RF, nerve blocks, hospital, and doctor visits, we're going to need a bigger cash drawer to pay for all of it. So goes life, huh? At least our spirits are up and I have faith that I'll make it through. Have a great day! Halfmoon

Waiting, Waiting, and More Waiting

My previous entry was about my visit to the doctor for the pain in my right side. If you read it, you know I headed to the hospital for tests. We arrived around 5:30 PM and was checked in within 15 minutes. I was told I had three people before me waiting to go to rooms.

Piece of cake, right? After two hours and seeing many people being called to go to rooms (most of whom came in after me), I became frustrated. Steve called another hospital to see what their wait time was and, of course, they wouldn't even give him an estimate of time.

We went up to the receptionist and I asked for the orders my doctor called in because I was going to go to the other hospital. After a few people became involved, the supervisor came up and asked my name. What do you know, I would be the next person to be taken to a room.

I understand if someone comes in with heart pains, or something dire, they would go before me, but PLEASE, all of those people could not be having problems worse than mine. After finally being installed into a room, the nurse went over why I was there, the doctor came in and ordered a CT scan be taken.

After drinking a dye flavored with red Crystal Light (that tasted like metal), I had an hour and a half wait before the scan could take place. I told a total of three nurses that I was allergic to fish, but I had had iodine contrast before, just leave the port in in case an antidote is needed.

The nurse finally came in and told me they were ready for me, she also asked me about shellfish. Again, I explained my history. She decided to talk to the doctor to see if I needed Benedryl and some other thing (who knows what) before the scan. Of course, I needed it and that meant another hour wait before the scan could take place.

After the scan the doctor said it looked good, so now they are ordering an ultrasound to see what is going on. Another wait for that and finally I had the ultrasound taken. Meanwhile, since 5:45 PM I am not allowed any food or drink. Let me tell you how thirsty I was and then the hunger pains start in.

The ultrasound showed a cyst which was causing the pain. Nothing but clear liquids for 12 hours, however, I could go home. We left the hospital at 4:00 AM and headed to HyVee to get my meds (for pain and nausea).

We finally arrived home at 6:00 AM, I lit a candle, said my prayers and went to bed. I did, however, have to set my alarm for 8:00 AM to make an appointment to see my family doctor before Noon. Such is my life! Hope your day went better than mine (and it was Steve and my 32ND anniversary for Pete's sake! Halfmoon

Well, Allrighty Then

Steve and I decided to go to Shang Yuen for lunch for our 32ND anniversary as Linda comes over to visit on Thursdays. He got up early, made 3 cherry pies, a rhubarb cake, and put a roast in the crock pot. How cool is that! Gotta love that guy! And I do, and I also appreciate him so much.

I talked to Abby earlier and told her where we were going. "Oh, no," she said, "now that's all I'm going to be thinking about!" She loves Chinese food there too. We used to celebrate people's birthdays there (before the family got so big and the price of feeding them so large). When I think of her, I am reminded of Daisy and think it would be fun to shop for pet beds, so Daisy has her own little space to lay in comfort!

I've been having pains in my right side of my stomach for two weeks that aren't fun, but I've been able to tolerate them. When asked to lay on my stomach at the pain control center (for nerve blocks), the pain was sooooo bad I had tears running down my cheeks.

Before leaving Mercy, I called my family practice doc and made an appointment to be seen. As it was, I was sleeping on the Kraftmatic bed in order to tolerate sleeping (what little I can get). Her advice to me, after drawing blood and the whole nine yards, was to head to the hospital. (Do not pass go, do not collect $200, do not stop at the drug store, or to get something to eat.)

Needless to say, that shook me up a little. All I knew at that point was my white count was 17,000 (10,000 is the norm). I knew more tests were in store for me, probably a CT scan. After calling Josh asking him to let himself into our house to unplug the crock pot, we headed to the hospital. But that's another story. Watch for the sequel to this exciting saga, coming soon! Halfmoon

Father's Day

Back at the home front, the kids all came out to celebrate Father's Day with their Steve. I just love it when we get the whole family at our house. Syd and Jadah were both there, too!!!!

Josh came out the day before and helped his dad with the yard. It looked really, really beautiful. I don't think it's looked that good in a long time. Steve II, was planning on coming out Sunday morning, but there was nothing left to do.

We had lots of great food and Steve and Angie brought a strawberry cheesecake in honour of Sydney's birthday. She is growing up so fast. Still cute as a bugs ear (what do bugs ears look like?), and petite. She's an avid soccer player, is really into gymnastics and is thinking about cheerleading in the upcoming school year.

While Steve and I have been piddling around the house a lot, the only outings we have are to the libraries in surrounding towns. I wish we would win the lottery so we could take a Caribbean cruise. Wouldn't that be grand! Half a safe day! Halfmoon