Hillary, what a pain. Glad you managed to have fun anyway.

Speaking of pain, I am in it. And whether it's that or hormones or whatever, I am super cranky and want to burn the world down. I may also be getting sick. So I'm going to take and Ambien and go to bed early because I have also signed up for a 7 am Pilates/cardio class across town. 15 sessions over four weeks. Lord help me. I guess I'm hoping it will jumpstart my fitness, get my days started earlier, and motivate me to quit smoking (again). And help with stress.

Now if I can just get out of bed.

You can do it, smonster!

I'm trying to be accountable, so I'm saying here that I'm going to get my bloodwork (cholesterol, thyroid, blood sugar) done ASAP. I knew I was overdue, but I thought it was by a year. No, it's at least 2 years. Sheesh.

Despite doing the 5K (and I *am* proud of my finish time, and proud of how much I trained for it, and I intend to continue with the walking and also add weights in as well) I've also been really tired for the past several months,* and have a few other weird symptoms that I'm giving the side-eye to, so before I see my doctor, I might as well get my blood work done to see if there's any legit underlying issues like anemia or diabetes or thyroid.

But what that means is that I need to actually GO get my bloodwork done. So I'll call tomorrow and see if I need them to re-send the order for bloodwork (since it's over 2 years old, I don't know if orders expire).

*(I know that 2017 is turning out to be even more stressful than 2016 was,** and stress can make you tired, among other things. So this might just be stress being a dick. But I don't actually think this is normal tiredness.)

**(The newest thing is that my mom has an aortic aneurysm that needs to be repaired ASAP. I know rationally that [1] these are actually common, and [2] the surgery to repair them is also therefore common and pretty uneventful. But irrationally, my monkey brain is screaming, because this is the WRONG parent to be having heart surgery. But my rational brain knows she's insanely healthy for a 70-year-old. [Shit, she's insanely healthy for a 60-year-old.] So she'll recover well after surgery. But my monkey brain is just chanting "heart surgery noooooo" over and over. My mom and stepdad are both worried, with occasional forays into FLIPPING THE FUCK OUT, so I'm staying rational and soothing for them. But man, my monkey brain is losing it.)

Anyway. Bloodwork. Yes.

Steph, of course you are worried about your mom. You've had a rough time of it lately so your anxiety levels are already... well, let's just say that pump is primed. It does not matter that the surgery your mom needs is pretty common and not as extensive as other procedures. Every surgery is a serious one. You are not imagining that there is something to worry about. And yes, that your mother is generally healthy and very fit and active increase the chances that things will go smoothly.

Sending good thoughts, Steph. Parents going in for surgery is always stressful, even if your rational brain knows it will turn out fine.

well, let's just say that pump is primed.

Ha! Well done, WindSparrow making me laugh when reading about Teppy's mom having surgery. Also, yes of course it is very worrying when your loved one has surgery, but good that she is in such good underlying condition.

Yes, I think you probably need another blood work order. Get to it, missy!

Speaking of pain, I am in it.

I hope you had a good rest and that the Pilates is great.

Steph, I don't blame you for being worried. Parent health stuff is stressful and you are dealing with so much already. Which reminds me, has someone taken a picture of Tim's dad in his new! pants and sent it to the nosy aunt yet? Because I'd be sore tempted.

I went! I made it! On time, even. We're working out at a park on the river in the shell of an old warehouse (just roof and columns, no walls). It's very pretty and tranquil, unless a super long tanker train is screeching slowly by, which is what happened this morning. Next class is Weds.

Now I'm at the dentist, getting a checkup. Work out and dentist before lunch on Monday - I feel like that should be enough for the day, but no such luck. I also need to go to the shop for a couple of hours, stop by my credit union to see if I have any prayer of getting a car loan, do homework for my business class, and then there's the never endling list of admin tasks… but at least these things will be out of the way.

What does everyone else have going on this week?

Which reminds me, has someone taken a picture of Tim's dad in his new! pants and sent it to the nosy aunt yet? Because I'd be sore tempted.

Oldest Brother just took the pants to him yesterday, and he didn't want to try them on, so the box is still sitting on his couch. But I kind of want to take a picture of the stack of pants and send it to her.

He's a whole other kettle of stressful fish. I thought that getting him into assisted living would make things easier for Tim and his brothers, but Jack hates being in assisted living so much (and he's so confused and disoriented because of his dementia) that it's just created so much more work and required so much more emotional energy from the boys.

Because of his dementia, he "resets" to several years ago, so he truly believes that he's healthy and great and will be fine if he goes back home. And he also defaults to putting the boys in the roles he sees them in. Which means he calls Oldest Brother like 4 or 5 times a day and actually shouts at him demanding that Oldest Brother get him out of there and take him back home. (We didn't find that out until this weekend. Jesus. He doesn't call Tim that often, and he doesn't shout at him.)

Fortunately, Oldest Brother has started just sending his Dad's calls to voicemail and not returning his calls until after work. Even so, it's really stressful.

2017 needs to get its act together. (I am steadfastly ignoring the horror in the White House.)

I'm currently on hold with the doctor's office for a new bloodwork order. Look at me being all accountable and shit!

Success! They'll put orders for bloodwork in the mail to me so that I can go to the lab near our house. I eagerly await finding out exactly what percentage of my blood is cheese and what percentage is leftover Easter candy.

See, smonster? I knew you could do it.

It is my surgery week! I'm going to pretend that means I will soon be fixed, although it's still 3.5 more days! I would kind of like to sleep through the whole time, but work expects me to work.