Hooo, boy - if I had time to tell you about what's been happening around here the last two weeks, I'd have done it here - lol! It's always frustrated me that when I have the time to blog I have no events to share, and when I have events to share I'm too busy to share them.
In a nutshell, I got back from the fabulous crafting weekend with just enough time to head out to the hospital and have my sinus surgery (shaved my turbinals and repaired my deviated septum). Then I got to be goofy on pain meds for the week.
Then I went to teach a class at Stamp Your Art Out with some very lovely ladies. However, I had some equipment issues, the classes both ran way over, and I fear they will never let me teach again. To make the day even brighter, I stopped for a much-needed dinner break on my way home to Indy and, apparently, clicked the unlock button rather than the lock button on my carkeys, because I came out to discover my iPhone and charger had been stolen/
Needless to say, Idiot Girl hadn't backed up her phone in about two weeks, so her whole life was as absent as Paris Hilton's undies. (I've been having a great time trying to reconstruct everything, getting the line suspended, etc.)
Then I had to do Part II of the Sinus Solution: allergy testing. Have you ever had this done? What a thrill! It's more fun than having your gums scraped! I was there three hours - I watched a DVD while the nurse poked me 37,000 times. The best thing was getting the results immediately - no waiting for the lab to call. (Which is good since they would have reached my cell phone and left a voicemail in oblivion.)
Are you sitting down? (I still can't believe this.)
I'm allergic to EVERYTHING.
I'm not kidding - I am allergic to every single stinking thing they tested me for. (No wonder my sinuses are killing me and my head is constantly pounding.) I am allergic to trees and grass, cats and dogs, all kinds of dust: flour, wheat, garden variety, etc. I'm allergic to dust mites and cockroach bits and mold and ragweed and pollen. I'm even allergic to stuff I've never heard of.
But the one thing I was shocked to find I'm allergic to is....
Wait for it....
PAPER.
I am allergic to paper.
Now some of you may remember when I walked away unscathed from a car accident that literally should have taken my life - and then broke my toe the next day in the living room when I ran into a stepper. I found that hysterically funny.
This whole paper allergy business strikes me as equally absurd, and I have to admit I laughed my fanny off when the nurse told me this. I mean, before I became a paper crafter I had only one other "hobby" in my life: I'm a voracious reader. I LOVE books and have spent more money on them than on clothing, grooming and every other personal expense combined.
The good news is I don't have to give up reading or paper crafting, but I have a whole list of stuff I have to do to make it less hazardous to my health. We can also keep the cats, too, but they can't come into the bedroom ever again - and we're already hearing complaints about that.
And now I'm off to tackle yet another portion of my very dusty house - yet another reason I've been awol. Oh, and I have to order a special silk mask for when I clean or garden. (Yes, I should wait for the mask to arrive before I start cleaning, but I've gone this long unprotected - what's a few more days, eh?)
What a rollercoaster time you're having Deborah! I also turned out to be allergic to everything they tested me for, but thankfully they didn't test for paper. i'm a librarian so that would have been mighty interesting. Take card hun, Jo x
Posted by: Jo | October 22, 2011 at 01:38 PM
Wow! What a few weeks you've had indeed! :( Good news that you are now armed and dangerous. ;) Good news as far as the wheat goes is that there are lots of wheat and gluten free options. Hope you adjust well to all the changes you're making. Hugs!
Posted by: Sarah M | October 22, 2011 at 01:56 PM
Oh dear! What a few weeks you've had! Thank goodness you don't have to give up the crafting - we would all miss your talent terribly! I have a niece who is also allergic to "everything." She survives quite nicely and I know you'll figure it all out too, Deborah! Hang in there - sending non-allergic hugs! :)
Posted by: Barb | October 22, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Oh, My! It has been a very crazy few weeks for you! I'm so sorry your iPhone and charger were stolen! That stinks!! But I loved getting to meet you! and hope that we can meet again. I thought your class was amazing! Good luck with the allergies. I have to admit- the paper allergy is ironic and absurd! Hope to talk to you soon. Heather
Posted by: Heather S | October 22, 2011 at 02:42 PM
sorry about your phone! hope you start feeling better soon!
Posted by: Linda C. Baker | October 22, 2011 at 04:05 PM
Hi Deborah! So sorry about your phone. Lately I've been dealing with allergies too. Hope you feel better soon. Hugs :)
Posted by: Berenice R. | October 22, 2011 at 04:31 PM
I need that allergy test too! My sinuses are horrible; I end up with the worst headaches and sinus infections every time low pressure systems move in really quickly.
Posted by: Trina | October 22, 2011 at 05:10 PM
Allergic to everything? Paper? I have never even heard of that. I am so sorry you have had all this stuff happen to you. My hope is that after all of it you will feel better. I have to have allergy tests (again) and it isn't the most fun ever that's for sure... Take care!
Posted by: Jana | October 22, 2011 at 06:24 PM
Hi Deborah, I do hope that you are feeling so much better & that things settle down for you soon. I just got back from holidays, where I had sinus "issues" from the minute we got there to when we got home xoxoxoxoxoxo
Posted by: Paula | October 22, 2011 at 06:38 PM
Good grief, girl, when it rains it pours! You have certainly had your share and then some this year......please keep sharing as you learn to deal with all those allergies. Our dog was allergic go lots of stuff outside and they gave him shots for it. Can you do that sort of thing?
Posted by: Lin | October 22, 2011 at 06:53 PM
what a great post Deborah.... I laughed too when you said you are allergic to Paper!!!! What a week you had! Hope you get sorted and maybe it's about time to hire a cleaner!!!!! at least for the rest of the house ~ if you crafting space is like mine.... no cleaner in her right mind would even venture in the door. Take care.
Posted by: Dawn T | October 23, 2011 at 12:06 AM
You certainly haven't had an easy couple of weeks. Now that you know what you are allergic to, you can make the necessary changes. Be patient and hopefully you will start to feel better soon! I'm glad to have met you in Ohio and I hope that we will meet up again.
Posted by: Margaret K. | October 23, 2011 at 09:44 AM
Yes, ladies, 2011 will go down in my personal history as a very eventful one for a variety of reasons. Thanks for all the well-wishes! (To be honest I'm thinking these allergies are a Godsend. Now Spouse and Gigi and I will ALL be forced to be tidier, clean more, and purge more. This has great promise!!!)
Posted by: Deborah | October 23, 2011 at 09:50 PM