Should Morals and Medicine mix?

Ahh, after a long break, I finally feel compelled to write. I am actually using this blog as a 'brainstorm' for my Medical Ethics term paper due in one week, and which I haven't started. No worries, as long as I have found a subject in which I can become passionate about, the words flow quite nicely.
I have a list of topics in which to choose the subject of my paper. I ended up choosing "Whether Pharmacists have the right to deny prescriptions on the grounds of moral conscience?" The main focus in this article involves the rapid increase in availability in drugs preventing unplanned pregnancy, such as Plan B or the "morning after pill", as well as abortion drugs, such as "RU-486". While RU-486 is only available through and for use in medical facilities such as clinics, hospitals, and doctors offices, Plan B is available behind the pharmacy counter, and in many states, including Ohio, do not require a prescription, so long as the patient is over the age of seventeen. Many pharmacists are blocking patients from acquiring that drug, due to their moral beliefs.
Quick background: Plan B is basically a mix of hormones found in everyday oral birth control pills. These are meant to be taken if the women was not on any type of contraceptives and has unprotected sex. Basically, its just taking birth control for two days. This is not considered abortion in the medical field. RU-486 is an drug that can be taken up to 49 days post conception, and will either prevent implantation, or disrupt an already implanted embryo. (Side note: "86" is a common term for 'killing' or 'destruction'.. thus some outrage has occured with the name of this drug, for if you manipulate it as so, you literally can interpret it as: aRe yoU for(4) 86'ing babies... whether that was the intent, the verdicts still out.)
Now, I work in a pharmacy, and Plan B is in high demand. It's not unlikely to see at least one or two patients a week coming in to buy this--and this is only when I'm at work.. not counting all other operating hours. I haven't encountered a pharmacist that has denied the sale of it to a patient, but there is a fellow technician who won't take any part in the dispensing process. How do I feel, you ask? Well, I am personally not for abortion, and I take oral contraceptives to ensure that I don't have a child a year.. not in my best interests. However, I feel that this decision is a personal one and I have no right to interfere with another person's situation. There may be extenuating circumstances of which I am not aware, nor at liberty to force the patient to divulge such information in order to recieve a medication that they are legally allowed to require on their own accord. I wouldn't jump in front of someone buying Tylenol.. this is, in technical terms, no difference in the availability of either drug.
So, while I DO support the open availability of the emergency contraception, I do not support the dispensing of RU-486 at any pharmacy. This drug has a higher risk of complications, it is an actual early abortion of an embryo. I also believe that it should be taken under the supervision of a physician, and a follow-up appointment should be warranted to ensure that... I don't know how to say this, but I guess that everything that should have happened did, and everything that shouldn't of.. didn't.
Some people do not see the difference in the morning after pill and RU-486. I believe that the morning after pill is nearly identical to what women take as everyday oral contraceptives, and thus, preventing a pregnancy through this method is no different than one prevented through birth control. There are those who argue that you could be preventing a fertilized egg to implant, and this is killing, but then you must also take a moral stand against birth control.. because there are two methods to birth control: 1). preventing release of an egg, and 2). should an egg be released and fertilized, preventing implantation in the uterus.
In my eyes, I believe that preventing a patient from getting the morning after pill is not ethical. Another way to argue this point, other than morally, would include: the patient now will not have to endure an emotional, and possible harmful abortion. This has to be seen as some kind of benefit, yes? Also, cost and availibility are important, especially to lower-income and uninsured women who cannot afford an abortion, medical care, or in the end, a child!
Bah! I'm cashed out already. Hopefully, this will give me some better ideas/arguments for/against this topic. Wish.me.luck.

A Weekend of Irony

I haven't written in quite some time, I just haven't had the energy to spew my thoughts after my long work weeks. But lots has happened, so let's get a quick catch up:
Two weekends ago, our pup, Jedi, began vomiting after eating some sand from Omri's sandbox. Idiot, I know. By the next day he is not eating or drinking, nor moving his bowels or urinating. So we take him to the closest animal hospital to us, in Pet Smart in Spring Meadows. They suspect a virus or parasite, but a boatload of money later reveals that he is not hosting any parasites. He is sent home with Carafate to inhibit the vomiting and some special food to spark his appetite. Fast forward to Saturday morning, Jedi doesnt want to move, eat, or anything. We feed him water witha medicine dropper, and take him back to the vet to search for an answer. They suspect an obstruction in his bowels, but caution against surgery, because he has a severe heart murmur, and cannot undergo anesthesia. We become heartbroken and decide that if surgery is necessary, we will just go for euthanasia, to prevent him further pain and a likelihood of an unsuccessful surgery. Luckily, X-rays reveal that the obstruction is in his colon already, so the vet reaches in and grabs it. What caused the blockage? Hair ties, sticks, grass, and such. The irony? I was reading "Mercy" by Jodi Picoult. The premise? A husband is being tried for the murder of his wife, who asked for her death in her final stages of cancer.
Jedi is now a chipper pup again, and wants to eat EVERYTHING, as well as being super rambunctious. Does anyone know why they're called Boxers? Because when they 'play', they actually 'box', which Frankies eye found out in an unfortuanate hit.

Fast forward to that Sunday night. Frankie decides to remove the ramp from the front of the house. His reason: We dont want to give robbers the wrong idea about this house. You see, there have been a string of home invasions of the elderly in the Toledo area recently, and we dont want to give anyone the inkling that we are easy prey. So the ramp comes down with the help of Kyle's chainsaw. The irony? The next morning, our car is broken into and the GPS stolen. Go figure! Thankfully, everything else was spared, save for the 5 CD's in there, Omri's mix was in the actual player, so that was spared, phew!

It was truly a trying weekend, as other bad news chose to fall upon me the day that Jedi was in the hospital. But, since I will need a good long rant, I will save it for another blog. Heh heh heh, I love cliffhangers.

caerphilly

Caerphilly, a town in South Wales, and also a word from the National Spelling Bee. I don't think that I spelled a single word right. Those kids are crazy.

Anywho, today we decided it was a nice day to go the the Zoo. As did every elementary school in the tri-state area. So many yellow school buses! We also bought a membership, so we can frequent as much as we like. Needless to say, Omri is so excited, she's practically jumping out of her pants, she was willing to have her hair brushed and put into piggy-tails once she heard of our destination. We rode the African safari train (mine and Olive's first time!), and got some good looks at a giraffe and some antelopes.

When we got home, Jedi was continuing his lethargy that had started last night when he also began vomiting, refusing to eat and not pooping as well. Frankie, the web MD, looks up his symptoms and says he might have Parvo, a parasite that kills 75 % of dogs that contract it. So he hightails him to an animal hospital in Pet Smart to get an experts opinion. All in all, he has no virus or parasites in his intestines, the vomiting and lack of appetite is most likely due to some play sand that he decided would be a good snack earlier that day. And he was diagnosed with a heart murmur that's an 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. This has me worried. Some dogs(mostly bred ones) are born with it, and will eventually grow out of it, however it can also be a sign of congestive heart failure or valves that aren't doing their job. Either way, there's a lot of turbulence in his lub-dub. We have to take him to a veterinary cardiologist to find out exactly what's wrong. We have decided to hold off and see if he continues his lethargy after he has begun eating and pooping regularly. It stinks that his heart is broken. The vet says we could call the breeders to get a refund or exchange, but we love our little guy a whole bunch. Hopefully, he grows out of it.

Kerry is over tonight, she cut her hair and now has bangs. Frankie and I decided that she looks either 9 or 10, but still lovely. She thinks that Nicholas looks like Ashton Kutcher, now I'm questioning her judgement.

Olive turned 5 months old last week. I hadnt realized she was getting 'so' old until I was watching her wiggle around on her back a few days before. She is eating up a storm (I couldn't get enough green beans in fast enough the other day),trying to hold her own bottle, and rolling this way and that way, and also trying to sit up. She laughs and blows raspberrys and is an all around cool chicka. Omri likes to try and make her laugh, today she was doing 'I'm a little teapot'.

Omri is now a big fan of knock knock jokes.
Her favorites:
Knock, knock
whos there
car go
car go who
car go beep beeeeeep

knock knock
whos there
boo
boo who
dont cry, its just a joke

and the banana-orange one, although she tends to go straight for 'orange ya glad I didn't say banana?'

My favorite
Knock, knock
who's there?
Olive
Olive who?
I love you!
..... no, I'm Omri!! (she says it every time.)

Time to go make some Ghiradelli dark chocolate brownies, or cookies... hmmmm

I think I may be getting the sickness.

It's no surprise that I would be getting sick. Over the past week, Omri was sick twice. First with a vomiting/fever fit, then with a cough/runny nose over the weekend. I thought working at a pharmacy had made me immune, but I havent been sick in 2 or 3 years, so I can't complain too much.

I didn't feel like this at my interview this morning, I was surprisingly wide awake after getting up at 5:30. I get to Findlay, a little early, and I read some of my book (The Associate by John Grisham) to calm my nerves. I go in, write a decent essay, and wait to talk to the Dean. In the meantime, there's a little girl in the office, playing with ball with an older man and her parents. I get to talking, and I end up mentioning that I have two girls at home. A few minutes later, the older man announces that he is the Dean and he's ready for my interview. We go in, and the first subject he wants to talk about is how I'm going to handle two children and school. I reply that while it's dificult, I make it work, I have a good support system, and that my past two semesters I've gotten straight A's. He then says, No, I'm talking about the guilt that you are going to recieve when you aren't spending enough time at home with your children. I'm momentarily taken aback at this, but say that I feel the means justifies the ends, and while they may not understand at this young age, it is for the benefit of their future. He proceeds to pester me on the subject for a few more minutes, and finally begins the interview, which seems to proceed either downhill or a plateaued direction. First, he asks me, why Findlay? I say, they have pharmacy, small school, and that their recent accreditation may offer some unique and new perspectives on pharmacy practice, as well as other such comments. He then says, "Basically you didn't get into UT", and writes this down as my ONLY comment on this matter. Seriously? Thanks... A few mediocre Q&A's later, he presents me with an ethical question:
What would you do if you found a black envelope outside in the parking lot?
Me: Turn it into the office.
Him: What if it contained enough cash to pay for your tuition for the next 5 years?
Me: Well, If I found an envelope, I wouldn't look into it, but if it should be open, and I see this, I would still turn it in. I have lost money before, usually only a 5 or so, and I was upset about that. I would hope that if I lost money, someone would turn it in for me. I would choose to give someone else that respect.
Him: What would you do if we called in 6 months and state that no one picked it up?
Me: Tell the University to use it for whatever it needs.
Him: You wouldn't tell us what exactly to do with it?
Me: No, I don't really think that's my right if it's not my money to begin with.
Him: You don't have to answer just what I want to hear you know.
Me: (crickets).......................
The interview ends not much later, and I proceed to take a tour. It's a really neat campus, with lots of nice amenities. I am not at all confidant about gainng admission though. I find out the last week of May/first week of June. We'll see.

In other news, I bought a pickup for $250 from Patrick's work. It's WELL used, and the steering is slightly off, but I really enjoy it. I always wanted a pick up. Fun. Frankie tilled an area for a garden (where Mary used to be). In the process he found an ice cream scooper, a super long metal pole, and a cat skull. We are now making plans on what to plant. I just wish it would warm up and stop raining. Omri just got a bicycle, police car, and T- ball set, and I really would love for her to be outside more, but the weather has not been permitting. Soon enough I suppose. Time to go police the Jedi and Omri tag team.

Procrastination, exclamation!

I just finished a 4 page book review about 10 minutes ago, and it's due in about 3 minutes. I began at about 9:30, that's a new record. While I'm famous for procrastinating, I usually never cut it THIS close, but alas, my clothes are still wet from laundering earlier. I officially offed my mom's on the verge dryer. It was doomed, and it choose to crap out on my laundry day. I tried the whole clothesline thing, but it the sun was setting, so, now they're going to be hanging in my bathroom until Patrick can install the proper devices to activate my laundromat in the basement (another instance of procrastinating! I've only lived her for, SIX MONTHS!). Argh. Ugh. Blah.

So while I was not in anyway uber-productive, my lovely Frank the Tank was. In case you havent seen the visual representation in Facebook, our backyard began its long journey of it's facelift. Not much has been done to that space but cutting of grass in the past year or so, or maybe longer, I don't know. Therefore, it was overrun by plantage. I had no idea what was what, save for the grass, large tree(still dont know what KIND of tree it is) and the lilac bush/shrub/tree. Apparentely, after I headed off for mi madre's Frankie decided to do something about it. And he enlisted Neighbor Kyle's help. Kyle has lots of tools. And the renovation begun... Basically all unnecessary freestanding edifices about the yard were yanked out--save for big tree and lilac. It was interesting to see the backyard in a more open way, it seemed a lot bigger! The only haphazard part that remains is along the back fence, but since railroad tracks exist on the opposite side, I'm quite ok with that. I am not gardening inclined, so I'm not sure what is a weed-except for dandelions, which I leave because Omri likes them. I also lack any ounce of creative ability in that field, so I imagine that for now, keeping grass at a reasonable length and dog poop under control is my main focus for the yard. Well, I would love a picnic table, patio, and swing set, but that's another year/battle.

Frankie is also making the awesome list this week because of his homemade salsa. I was apprehensive, because while I enjoy salsa, I am quit the weakling when it comes to hot/spicy foods. I love 'em, but then my nose runs, and my eyes water, and I turn into that guy from Dumb and Dumber, lying on the floor of an off the highway diner. Anyways, he goes to Krogers to buy some produce and gets to work with a knife and the Magic Bullet(not that magic). End product is a slush that looks like it originated from some swamp that contains bacteria and fungi that have yet to be named. BUT IT WAS DELICIOUS! Perfect amount of jalepeno, cilantro, and all the other good stuff. He did a re-make on Saturday, but ended up chopping the tomatoes by hand, rather than adding it into the Bullet. Even more tasty. I keep telling him to open up a restaurant, featuring his famous taters and salsa.

This week also featured two food firsts for Omri: Barrys Bagels and Munster cheese. She thoroughly enjoyed a cinnamon vanilla bagel, topped with strawberry cream cheese. She apparently wanted to eat it for every meal that entire day. When Frankie bought the 'maters for salsa round 2, he went to Monnette's, and also got 2 pounds of Munster. I had to admit that I had never even tried, and I love it! Of course, Omri comes over "What you doin?" --Eatin' Munster cheese. "Monster cheese!" This was quite the novelty for her, and she loves it, as long as it's not an edge piece that has some of the coloring on it--I believe thats from a vegetable rub or something of that sort. Funness. I am always pleased when that child eats something new, let alone eats at all!

Off to eat Munster cheese and rest my neurons.

Mourning a fish and an incredible piece of steak

The past weekend was full of events and a general blast. The weather was amazing, and we enjoyed some good foods. It makes me even more excited for summer!

Olive had a doctors appointment, weighed in at 14 pounds, 24 inches long. What a big girl! She is loving her veggies and cereal. Baths are also a special time. She has begun to stick out of the baby tub so we put a little water in the bottom of the tub and see what would happen. She has now discovered the joy of splashing!

She also enjoys being in the bath with Omri. It's quite fascinating to see the bond that has already formed between them. Basically, Olive loves Omri. She sees her and instantly laughs and/or smiles. It's adorable.

So Friday begins with a 10 to 6 work day, that actually lasted until 7 due to some last minute nursing home deliveries. Frankie and I had made plans to go out, so Aunt Kerry was over to watch the girlies. Since they both go down around 7 or 8, we had them asleep before we left so it would be an easy job for Ker. Our original plan was to go to Olive Garden. I'm pretty sure that we always plan on going there, but never actually make it. We drive by, and of course it's a wait on Friday night, so we set out for other options. The Olliver House downtown became intriguing, so we set off. We arrive and walk in, through Maumee Bay Brewing and end up in Rockwells. Instantly I feel underdressed in nice jeans and a shirt in this fan-cay establishment. We go anyways. We decide to get a bruschetta for an appetizer, and I had some Pinot Grigio (sp?). That bread was amazing! The roca tomatoes were so juicy and marinated delicously. Then there was the mozarella on top. REAL mozarella. AH-mazing! We then wait patiently for our steaks to arrive. Our server arrives and informs us that we need to be careful, because our plates are a scorching 500 degrees! I hear the juices from the meat sizzling as she sets down perhaps the most beautiful piece of cow that has ever been seen by a meat fanatic. The aroma was mouth-watering, and I was ready to dig in--although slightly cautious of the hot plate! The first bite is nothing short of heaven. It was cooked to medium rare perfection, and I thought to myself, if I get Mad Cow, it had better be from this most damn delicious filet that I have ever been in company with. Needless to say, it was worth every penny (and it was a lot of pennies)! I told Frankie something along the lines of : I am going to cry with every other food I eat, because it will never taste as amazing as this. This surely must be on everyones list of what to accomplish before they die: EAT AT ROCKWELLS. A glass of red wine later, we decide to head downstairs to Mutz. Except, we are informed that Mutz no longer exists. The other bars in the downtown area are a no-go due to a Hens game that just let out. So we head home, with a pit stop at Doc Watsons for one more beer (just plain ole Bud Light).

Saturday morning, the fam plus Ker head to Bob Evans for some breakfast. I love their food, even if I did work there for 4 years. Country Biscuit breakfast with sausage gravy is the most yummiest! We proceeed to drive up River Road and back down again, to stop off at Lickity split for the first soft serve ice cream of the season. I'm pretty sure they have the same signs for the past 10 years. Afterwards, Ker, Ollie and I head to Target for odds and ends, because who DOESN'T love a good Target trip?? That night the girls and I ended up at Raeann's camper. Omri had a blast, wanted to play at the beach (which was the box) or the water (which was the actual beach on the lake/pond. We had some hamburgs from the firepit and Omri rode on a bicycle for the first time. Well, more like Nate pushed her around the drive on the bicycle.

Sunday was yet ANOTHER beautiful day. It started of very strange though. Omri woke up that morning crying. When asked what was the matter, she said "cookie monster". Well, what was wrong with cookie monser? "He's sad." Why is he sad? "He went poopoo in the potty" She then goes on to repeat this, except with Elmo. She was VERY upset about this for most of the day, and I'm slightly concerned that this could impair potty training.
We headed to Borders in search of Duck Tales DVD, and ended up scoring on a good handful of kids books for a dollar each! I love their 'bargain' books. Picked up Frankie some khaki shorts, and headed home because Ollie was getting cranky. Later that evening, we had an impromptu cookout with the neighbors (Kyle and PJ). Some ribeyes, corn on the cob and fried taters were on the menu. To drink: only the most WONDERFUL drink in the whole entire world: Framboise (Fram-Bwaah). A raspberry Belgian beer that tastes nothing like beer, only goodness. Another thing to put on a to-do list: Drink Framboise. The night ended up with one hour of screaming from Olive, only to discover that she may possibly be teething. Oh geez....

Monday: nothing exciting, at least not that I remember.

Tuesday: our fish Achoo was found floating beside the filter. I'm not sure how Omz is going to take this, but we call her over to the toilet anyway. She sees Achoo in the potty and is confused. I explain that Achoo is sick, and he is going to the ocean with Nemo to get better. And the screaming ensues. Another traumatic experience with the potty... it's pretty much her nemesis. The only thing that calms her down is the promise of a replacement, which will probably not happen, because a goldfish tank is impossible to keep clean--they are listed as the 'dirtiest' fish, and no amount of cleaning/water replacement/filtration will keep this water clear! I think our cat and dog will be fine in keeping the pet department occupied for a loooong time now.

Alas, I have just written a novel. Time to reverse the carpal tunnel thats setting in...

Swamp Water

As a child growing up, I was never a fan of Kool-Aid. Just wasn't my thing. The amount of sugar was never right, leaving you with either not enough or a complete overload. It was not until I met Frankie that I gave Kool-Aid a second chance, and thus, my love of Swamp Water began. Basically, it is just a mixture of lemon-lime and orange Kool-Aids. It turns this disgusting green color that looks like a mix between well, swamp water/baby poo/babyfood/boogers. Despite it's appearance, it is most scrumptious and we made our first batch in a long time tonight. I couldn't believe when he poured out the required amount of sugar that it was ALL going in there. The displacement of water due to the obscene amount of granulation almost overflowed out of the jug. To mark this special occasion of the rebirth of swamp water, we drank it out of wine glasses. So refined we are. We also decided that we were going to freeze some in ice cube trays and call them.. Snot Pops. Omri will surely go 'Ew! Gross! Yuck! No ways!', but she'll cave in in due time.

I have alot of things I want to talk about, but I have home work that I should really do so I can watch the first new Grey's Anatomy in about a month!

Street rat? I no buy that..

Ah for all those Disney lovers out there (or parents!), the movie of choice at present time is Aladdin. Yesterday Omri was walking around singing Aladdins song about being a street rat, in her language of course. Very funny. I love it when she goes into her own little world and sings or acts out her favorite parts. She knows the movements and basic phrases of the opening, and its pretty hilarious when it gets to the part about prehistoric tupperware.. you just have to see to understand. Now I would love to post such a video, but we are currently without photomaking capabilities. I bought a camera in January, a Nikon coolpix that was easy to use, which is of highest importance to me.. I just don't get cameras! Only a month later, and it's nowhere to be found. The house and car have been searched sevenfold and no camera. I keep putting off buying another because I'm convinced that as sooon as I buy one, I'll find the other. But now that I realize that i have about 3 pictures of olive from the last three months, I feel lots of guilt--especially compared to the grotesque amounts that I have of Omri. I am searching ebay for a good deal, but havent found anything amazing yet.

So this whole getting a dog thing is literally like taking care of an infant. Going outside for potty breaks is never ending (although accidents are almost eradicated!), and the new trend is that Jedi will only poop if I'm out there with him. Go figure. On the other side of the pet poop front, our katze Kenny has a mean stink to his excretions. He is famous for it. A few weeks ago, I noticed that he was spending an abnormally long amount of time in his litter box with no effect. Instantly, my mom freaks, because a similar event happened to Thunder that almost killed him last year. Evidentely, cats can have crystallization build up in their kidneys, causing urine to back up, which ultimately kills them in a short period of time. Thunder required a $600 surgery. Now I love Kenny, but not THAT MUCH. As awful as it sounds, its cheaper to put him down and get another kitty. However, there is option 2: switch to brand name cat food. One reason I have great love for Kenny is his love for Kroger Value brand cat food. Seven bucks for 15 pounds-- for some perspective for the catless, $7 would buy you maybe 7 lbs. of brand food-- and he actually refused the 'nicer' stuff on teh occasions that I would get it for him. Apparentely this is the culprit of this kitty epidemic, so now.. I switch him to Purina Indoor Cat formula. Bad idea, the poor guy got the runs--with extra stink! So I got some Friskies today, hopefully this will do better. These pets give me more stress than the kids do!

Olive has become a huuuuge eater recentely, probably around 30 to 36 ounces a day. She has cereal most days now, but with her becoming increasingly hungry, I am going to jump the gun and feed her some veggies tomorrow to attempt to satisfy her hunger. I do need some tips on making your own baby food though--help Sarah! Also, Omri is becoming more and more interested in interactive play. I am forced to become the horrible actress that I am to keep her happy. Let's just say I have no career in children's movies, TV shows, etc. One of Omri's Easter presents was The Cat in the Hat Comes Back. We read it tonight. I forgot how much I loved that book, compared to the first one! My Dr. Seuss collection is decent, although I still need a few classics: There's a Wocket in my Pocket, Hop on Pop, and others. I dont really want any other material thing for the girls except for a complete Dr. Seuss book and Disney movie collection. The new fangled things just can't beat out the classics. Plus, I enjoy them too!

Only 3 more weeks of classes left--thank god! I'm exhausted, and I haven't read any books in a loooooong time. I know there's at least 3 James Pattersons, and a few Chuck Palaniuks. I really want a hammock to have in the backyard for reading, but I keep having these visions of Omri plummeting headfirst into the ground, and ours is not soft!

Allright, time to end all this 'ado about nothing'. The news begins in T minus 3 minutes. Gotta get my fill of Ch. 11.

Peer reviewed journals just aren't my thing

My next assignment due in my Prevention and Control of Disease class is an review of a peer reviewed article based on disease prevention. Using Google as a search engine for this has only given me links to articles that are impossible to understand. I may have found a keeper just now, regarding Vitamin A supplements and it's correlation with reducing Malaria in Africa, but at the late hour, I'll save that stress for tomorrow. It's only due tomorrow night at midnight!! Ah..

What a beautiful day out today. Since Frankie has been quite under the weather, I took the girls to my moms and did some laundry. Omri was outside all day; playing with chalk, pinecones, shovels, balls, Logan. Olive spent some time in her Exersaucer, but kept throwing her toys in the dirt. I don't think she ingested too much!

Came home, and watched Superbad. Now, I was terribly skeptical of this movie. I am not a huge fan of crude, rowdy comedies of late, and I figured this would amount to nothing more than a boob fest. Suprisingly, I found myself quite amused at the banter between the two best friends as they finished out their senior year trying to get alcohol to impress some girls at a graduation party. I think that the one guy in it (also in Juno), was a pretty skilled funny guy. Makes me want to go see Adventureland. Probably wont, but alas, it may be a VOD (Video On Demand) possibility for the future.

Speaking of movies, Starz and Encore movie channels were free this weekend! This enabled us to watch Superbad, and I'm recording Gone Baby Gone overnight. Also watched Vantage Point off and on at my moms--it was ok. Might have worked out a bit better if I would have sat through the whole thing. VERY excited for May 15th, Angels and Demons comes out in theaters. Even Frankie's looking forward to this. Also, Harry Potter in a mere 3 months! Ah... it's sad to think that there will only be one more movie. Even more sad that there are no more books--this also goes for Twilight. Alas, it's always best to go out on top, rather than to drag it on and on and on until the story is soap opera-esque.

SNL's Best of Amy Poehler is on. LOVE her. must watch. farewell.

Now blog it out

Arrrrgh. It's been far too long bloggity-blog. Two 40 hour weeks, a handful of exams, and I am pooped. haha ADD kickin' in: Frankie is watching VH1's 100 Greatest 80's One Hit Wonders and they were talking about this guys career after his hit. Apparentely he was a producer for Christina
Aguilera, No Doubt and Miley Cyrus, but when they said Miley Cyrus, they showed a picture of Stevie Wonder. Silly editors.

So what's new you ask? Well Omri is growing up way too fast, she even has a pimple on her face! (No joke, I was shocked, but I am exercising GREAT restraint in not popping it). She also went poopy in the potty the other day. While she was incredibly proud, she has no interest in repeating this. The beautiful princess, Tinkerbell, and Elmo underpants have no effect on her decision. She'll wear them, and destroy them. O well, every box of Pampers= one vaccine for a disadvantaged kid, so I guess she's doing her part, eh?

Do you realize that buy vaccinating every single person for all vaccinatable(?) diseases could eradicate smallpox and other such ailments from the world!?! Or so my Prevention and Control of Disease professor says.

Anywhos, Ollie is almost a quite grown 4 month old. She rolled over (from belly to back) for the first time a few days ago, yet I have yet to witness it because of work. She is enjoying cereal, and I can't wait to start on veggies here in the near future. She is also sleeping an average of 10 to 11 hours a night. AMAZING! I LOVE IT! SLEEP HAS RETURNED!

Or so I thought.... The next order to discuss: the pup. So we decided that we didn't have enough on our plates and that we REALLY needed a dog. A few days of scouring The Blade classified led to me driving out to Curtice after work to pick up a Boxer. Why a Boxer you ask? 1). Kid friendly, 2). trainability, 3). overall cutness, 4). guard dog capabilities. So I picked out a male fawn colored 7 week old and headed home. The reaction from Omri is worth every pee puddle and whine: "Hi Mom--ahhhh!" Hands to the face, total and complete shock. She apparentely didn't believe me on the phone when I told her I was bringing him home. We christened him Jedi, and set forth to pethood. He and Omri are bestest buds, which is perfect when she is craving more attention that is taken up by Olive.

Time to go. Dog had an accident.. newest story of our lives. More later.

Homework or Heroes?

Ah, screw both and blog! Today delivered some poopy news about my scholastic future. I had a meeting with a nursing advisor at UT. Now, I am not trying to be overpretentious, but I feel that I am overqualified for the nursing program at this point, and I feel like I should jump straight into clinicals. I do only have 6 classes before I can begin, so I am loading myself up with an 18 credit hour fall semester! Yuck! The good news is that these classes are packed into Tuesdays and Thursdays, with 2 of them online. Score! The bad news is that there is an application process for the Bachelors of Nursing program. Heh, no problem, I am a genius, right? No, apparentely not. I was informed today that my GPA is .4 points lower than what I thought (3.4). This is all due to a PSO class that I was signed up for spring semester my senior year at BHS that I decided to not go through with due to a bad case of senioiritis. Little did I know that my teacher never submitted the paperwork to withdraw me from the class, so the University of Findlay has me on record with an "F" in Calc 2. SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY SERIOUSLY. No wonder I didn't get in the pharmacy program! This information never showed upon my degree audit or unofficial transcript, so I was never aware until now. Now I am barely competitive for the nursing program! The minimum GPA last year was a 3.49, which I am nearly half a point away from now! The only upside is that they are redoing the entire process, making it 3 times a year, and with more spots available, which will hopefully work to my advantage. I am going to be calling Findlay to see if there is anyway I can get rid of this! yuck yuck yuck. The most appropriate word for this situation is: redunkulous.

Which leads me to another story: movies, particularly kids movies. I am amazed at how I have never disliked a single Pixar movie that I've seen. Seriously, they are cinematic chocolate! Frankie went out to get headphones for his iTouch so he could run(see next paragraph for story), and came home with a slew of movies for the fam. For Omri he got: Pinocchio and Bolt. Me: Twilight (still havent watched it due to homework/cleaning/kids/work/life). Himself: The Nightmare Before Christmas. So we proceed to watch Pinocchio (not my favorite Disney classic, but Omri loved it). Then we watched Bolt. This movie was hilarious and I loved it.. I even cried a bit at the end. So sweet. Two thumbs up. Even if Miley Cyrus is one of the voices.. more about Miley Cyrus later. We also recorded Wordplay on the Independent Film Channel (one of the BEST channels ever, if you have to pay extra for it, its worth it!). Funny stories about crossword enthusiasts, and now me and Frankie are on a crossword kick, we almost got a NY Times subscription, but it's slightly more pricey than what we anticipated! Another good documentary that we've recorded from IFC is "I Like Killing Flies". It's about this restaurant owner in NYC, and he is over-the-top crazy! For instance: no parties of 5 are EVER allowed to eat at the restaurant. There's a whole plaque devoted to this! If you can ever find it at a Blockbuster, rent it!! I just recorded "The Pianist", and I haven't watched it yet, but I can't wait to. I have a slight fascination with WW2, I think I could watch any show/read any book on the subject.

Anways, Frankie hadn't been running lately, because it's been cold and what not... So Friday he gets real excited to go and try again. I buy him new athletic shorts from walmarts and off he goes. After I wait anxiously for an hour, he returns, slightly sweaty, but proud of a 3 mile walk/run. Later on in teh day, the feeling of accomplishment has diminished and in its place: painful tootsies. He can still barely walk, as the outsides of his feet are extremely sore! We've tried the cold water soak, some biofreeze, and good ole fashioned foot rubs, but it's still there. A trip to the Andersons for some steakage almost killed him. It's pretty pitiful. Poor guy. Needless to say, I think next time he'll take it a little slower!

Also, funny story: apparentely at the Grammy's Miley Cyrus wanted to meet Radiohead, one of her "like, favorite bands ever!" But they refused. Lil Cyrus goes on the radio and says that she is going to "ruin them" by telling all of her fans to boycott them. I'm sure that one of the most influential and sucessful bands ever is going to feel the dent from this tween crowd. Silly girl. Radiohead released a statement saying that "“When Miley grows up, she’ll learn not to have a sense of entitlement." I used to not have such a thing for Radiohead, despite Frankie's admiration and devotion, but their concert last August was so amazing that I am a complete convert. I guess I should like them anyways, since they are the reason that we named the first girl Omri...

Ah, but I've rambled far too long about nonsense, it's time to do something more productive!

The water stands for hours...

... in my tub. Now what has started as a mildly slow drain has turned into almost complete blockage. No amount of Drano or Liquid Plumber Foaming Pipe Snake could resolve this problem. I even bought a snake, and attempted to show off my handyman capabilities to Frankie (long hair has given me years of experience), but alas, that has no chance with the twists and turns in our pipes. So we call our other handyman, aka Patrick W. Roseman (I'm making him business cards).
Said man removes pipes, only to find a hard substance not far into pipes that wouldn't even budge from the threat of an ambitious butter knife. Time for the professionals. Have to call Roto-Rooter tomorrow for the diagnosis and prognosis. Wished we lived in New England for the slight chance our plumbers would be Jason and Grant from TAPS (or Ghost Hunters). A two for one! My plumbing would be solved and my paranormal concerns confirmed or denied. Alas, I will settle for Joe the Plumber, so long as I can take a shower without standing in several inches of icky water.

Last week on the said sunny day from a previous blog, Omri and Frankie graced the Toledo Zoo with their presence. Needless to say, she had fun. The loves her animals. Now, she wakes up and says "I see animals.?", as a combination statemention/question. She then proceeds to tell me about each animal, and then goes "I say hi to monkey". Wish we had a membership so we could go a couple times a month. She also thinks for some reason that hippos are purple. And that they climb trees. And that they have belly buttons. Must be something from a Sandra Boynton book. Omri can also almost say 'hippopotamus' clearly, making it her longest word that she can pronounce. It's a big improvement from "hippo-party", which she used to say. haha

So our family is having a slight dilemma. You see, we love animals. A whole bunch. I think I would fill the house with animals if they weren't a crazy amount of work. Anyways, we already have one cat, Kennison McGee, aka Kenny. Frankie has been talking about getting a dog for quite time now. An English bulldog specifically, but those slobber mongrels cost more than my computer, and that's just crazy. So we found some Beagle pups for around $150. Not bad, we'll throw them into consideration. I would really love a lab, because I think they're great dogs all around: good with kids, guard dogs, loving, slightly dumb. But our little casa may not support such a large quadriped. Alas, Kenny is a literal definition of 'scaredy cat', and I worry about how he will do with a rough canine. So I suggest another kitten. Omri and Frankie go to the Humane Society, but kittens aren't 'in season', a few more weeks, and they'll be flooding the place. That's a no go for now. I would love another animal, because i think it's important for the kids to have animals, especially this young to prevent/reduce pet allergies in the future. We probably won't even end up getting anything, but the idea is always fun to entertain.

Anyways, time to skidaddle and watch some tele to relax, it's my night to get up with Olive!

Belly Up!

So our second fish, Achoo, is pretty much the most ridiculous pet I've ever owned. I looked in the tank the other day and almost had a cow because he was floating on his side in his corner that he favors. Oh no, He's dead! But no, his mouth was still moving, and a good poke from Popeye righted him. Not much time passed, and I again found Achoo in an upside down position in the middle of the tank. This time, a little push from me with the fish scooper tool, and he was on his way. I begin to become worried, especially since the next time I find him, he is upside down in their hideout log. Oh, Achoo, are you trying to commit suicide. So Frankie, a.k.a. Internet M.D., decides to investigate on the inter-web. Turns out that when Achoo eats (flakes from the top of the water), he intakes water, and this gas in his stomach ruins his buoyancy, causing him to turn over. It's quite pitiful actually, we right him again and again, only to watch him struggle to maintain his uprightedness. Now the fish are to be on a special diet of pellets that will float to the bottom so silly Achoo won't be stuck upside-down for the remainder of his life, however long we can keep him alive.

Anyways, we got a real glimpse of spring the other day with some almost 70 degree weather, coupled with some lovely sunshine. This called for Ollie's first time in exposed sunlight/air/general outdoors in her life. She enjoyed being carried around in her stylish track pants, as Omz and Frankie picked up sticks. Sticks, I must add, we have no shortage of. We have multiple piles in the back yard, and a couple large limbs/trunks from a tree that neighbor Mike took down. I kind of just want to set fire to the majority of the back yard, because there is so much to pick up still! A lawn mower would be destroyed by this stuff! Alas, I don't feel like alarming any Smokey the Bears, so I hope that the neighbors will be needing a lifetime supply of kindling for their firepits--i'll bring marshmallows! Omri also was able to meet Mike's two little boys, Joe (5) and Ben (3). She pretty much thought them hilarious, and I'm glad she'll have some buddies to do sprints and watch trains go by with. Her and Ben hugged it out, though I think his original intention was to pick her up, Omri misread that signal. Another plus to our neighbors: both sides are resourceful when it comes to cars. Our brake lights had gone out and voila! Mike had the parts sitting in his shed. He says he can fix the muffler/exhaust/shivering problem my car has too, and super cheap, since he gets parts at cost from his shop.

Needless to say, I can't wait for it to get warm. I bet this summer will be a blast, with our super huge backyard, and the neighbors that we can enjoy having in close proximity. Even if Kyle has his nipples pierced and and a F.B.I. tattoo (Full Blooded Irish, not Federal Bureau of Investigation). haha Speaking of tattoos, I've entertained the thought of getting a sleeve. I think they're beautiful. But I'm wayyyyyy too chicken.

Patience required

Today was a long day at work. Not necessarily time wise (7.5 hours), just patient wise. It seemed as if there was an abnormal amount of people showing up to drop off/pick up/complain/ask questions. This, coupled with a short staff, made things seem never ending. The drive-thru for instance, I believe is the last thing that belongs in a pharmacy. It drives me nuts to see people who are picking up meds for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and their type 2 diabetes from being overweight who refuse to get out and walk in the store. Across the board, this lazy mentality that affects so many people discourages me. I don't understand how people can ignore their health and rely on quick fix methods to put a 'band-aid' on their problems. Argghh!! I guess I am not the model for perfect health, but I'm at least more conscious of it. Somedays I think about beginning a running regime, since most of my family can probably kick my butt! Seriously, I used to have a less-than-6 minute mile. I believe I ran the Komen freshmen year at about 25 minutes. Sheesh, that's amazing to think of now. I need a new pair of tennis shoes though, the other pair is slightly disgusting from the basement flood (see previous post).

I'm watching HLN news channel, and "Showbiz Tonight" is on, and Tyra Bank's talking about something or other. That woman freaks me out. Kind of makes me uncomfortable. She's everywhere. Yet I still watch America's Next Top Model reruns like it's my job, haha.

Uh-oh, gotta do the dishes, they've definately been soaking for a good hour!

Where are my fishing weighters?

So today was a rainy day in the T-O-L. And my basement is prone to some moisture. I really had only paid attention to the two back corners, because that's where I had seen puddles before. But, then, I glanced over towards my washer/dryer and thought I saw a rogue wave. NOBODY TOLD ME WATER COME UPWARDS FROM THE GROUND. Perhaps I was naive, I always thought the sub-pump would activiate itself in times of need. However, the pump is old, and hasn't been used much, so it didn't kick on, leaving a good 4 inches of water in about a quarter of the basement. I roll up my pant legs, throw on the New Balances(ruin my slippers-yeah right!) and grab the cell phones. In previous times of disaster at my residences, I would call the landlord and have them send over the appropriate handyman for the job. This time, I needed to do this myself. Or at least by myself with Patrick talking to me in one ear. Hey, I didn't alert Frankie, so I was kind have some independence with this! So I wiggle the rod thingy with the floaty balloon that you find in the tank of your toilets and VOILA! Water is leaving my basement, at a fairly rapid rate. Phew! But the pump also won't turn off by itself and since it's going to be a rainy night as well.. i'm probably going to leave it on. I don't need the Lake of Evil to sprout it's ugly face again. You may have won this time water, but i'm gonna fix that basement up and be free of you FOREVER!

Water= 1
Emily = 0 (but an "A" for effort)

last published on feb. 18

'Published' makes this sound much more important than what this really is: a mindless blog that I attend to only when I can make myself do it. Pretty much the story of my life. I'll do the dishes, but I hate those pots and pans, so those may sit there for a day or two. Perhaps if I listen to music while I do this, I could be more inspired, but it doesn't help that I do not own a CD player, save for the one in my car, although the LED lights don't work, so I don't know which track I'm actually playing. I've memorized most of the important CD's and radio stations because of this. This unusual LED problem also leads to a constant flickering light on my trunk door that never ceases in it's blinking. I've had many a people warn me of a drained battery, but alas, LED does not drain your battery, thank goodness.

So, last week I recieved some pretty crappy news that put me in a major funk. I applied to the PharmD program for the second time, and for the second time, did not receive an interview. Needless to say, my dreams were crushed, and I seriously wanted to destroy the UT College of Pharmacy. I know that I may not seem impressive on paper, but I am pretty awesome in person and I wish I could have gotten the chance to show these nincompoops that I could make a damn fine drug dispenser, had they given me the time. I would be tons better than those uber-nerds that have no life but studying (honestly, how will these people survive in the real world?). Alas, I resorted to plan B: Nursing school. I now plan to work towards a BSN in nursing. I hope to eventually become a nurse on the maternity ward, even though I know that this is the hardest area of the hospital to get into. I guess I always have to pick the most difficult route. I am not 'settling' by becoming a nurse, it's something that I've thought of being since I had Omri. The nurses at St. Ann's were so amazing that I wanted to be like them, have an impact on someone's life in one of the most crazy/amazing/life-changing experiences that they will ever have. Bringing babies into the world, how amazing! I briefly flirted with the idea of becoming a flow blown OB/GYN, but Dr. Marlowe warned me that the insurance overhead was astronomical these days, with all the lawsuit-happy people out there. Plus, nurses do the brunt of the work anyways, they get to hold the babies!

On the home front, Popeye (our goldfish) has recently acquired a new crib, and is living large and in style (i.e.-10 gallon rectangle tank, awesome log to hide in, super cool algae plant). Of course this means that we need another fish, because he looks ridiculous in there by himself. So I tell Omri that tomorrow we are going to get Popeye a 'friend' and I ask her what she would like to name the new fishy. She replies 'friend'. Oh, Omri, your silliness never ceases to brighten even the gloomiest of times. She was so lovable the day I found out about the Pharm D program, with extra lovin', and I just had to have her sleep next to me that night, for comfort. Although, she is doing quite well sleeping through the night in her bed. Olive has had a few 6 hour nights in a row, I hope this is a new 'pattern' for her! She is so adorable right now, smiling up a storm, and 'talking' away. She loves kisses on her chubby little cheeks, that always gets her going.

I took both girls to the mall with me Sunday (with aunt Kerry to help), and that was fun, Olive slept away in the stoller, while Omri behaved (mostly) for Kerry. I found several pairs of shorts for myself for $12! I was excited. Then, at Borders, I raided the bargain children's section for a few My Little Pony books for Omri (one with a puzzle--her latest love, and the other a mini Magna-Doodle), and a few Baby Einstein and Elmo books for Olive, all about $3 to 4.

Anyways, I should attend to some schoolwork, no time to slack now! I WILL GRADUATE SOMEDAY. i think i can, i think i can. Hm, that's a book I need to get for the girls!

February is already over half over...

... and I don't know where that time went. I seriously feel as if the days are flying by at warp speed. Olive is nearly 2 months old.. Omri a true 2 and a half. I go back to work in 4 days, and I'm not sure how much I'm looking forward to it. It's been a good 10 weeks, and most of me feels ready to get out into a new environment. I am going to miss having tons of free time, even though it never really felt 'free', I always was doing something. Having two children has gotten the best of my energy and focus. In that respect, I am very glad to go back to work, and glad that they will be with Frankie every night, he's much more suited to be a stay-at-home parent.

It's funny because Frankie just walked into the room and I lost my train of thought. I don't like to be watched when I am writing blogs. I know that he will just read it in a little bit, but right now I guess my thoughts and feelings are uber-vulnerable.

Anyways, me and Omri did a little shopping run today. Old Navy, Kohl's, and Babies "R" Us. I always like taking Omri with me on these errands, even though she's starting to act out a little bit when she can't get something she wants. Highlights that I got: Cute black flats from O.N. for under 10 bucks, and an awesome Melissa and Doug block-style puzzle, which can produce 6 different puzzle pictures. I managed to sneak that in the cart when Omri wasn't looking, something I am getting pretty good at. Otherwise, she will try to open it or drop it, which isn't great when it's a pack of cinnamon rolls and the cardboard splits open. You should see her at Kroger. God forbid if I walk by the sushi counter and she doesn't get a pack for herself.

So my countdown on my status for professional school is less than one week now. Super.Nervous. Not going to dwell on it, I've done pretty well thus far.

Now Frankies turned on American Idol and I just can't focus on anything, perhaps I shall resume this later.

it's been awhile

so I have been slacking on starting this whole blog thing. I know Sarah made at least one comment that I was to spend some quality time with the keyboard this past weekend in Columbus, but alas, the kids sure kept us busy!

I am currently taking four online classes this semester: Medical Terminology, Psychobiology, Prevention and Control of Disease, and Geological Hazards. None of these classes are required at all for my major, I am actually taking them for 'fun', since this is my last semester of my full scholarship, and I figured I'd better put it to good use! I feel bad though, I took online classes because I knew that they would be easier to manage with my newborn baby schedule, but I do not feel as if I am learning to my full capacity, since i am not 'attending' lectures each day. Oh well, I can only hope that next semester will bring me a new courseload that will finally put me in a forward direction in my educational career.

I find out in a mere 23 days whether or not I recieve an interview for admission to the professional division of the College of Pharmacy. That basically means that if I get an interview, I am one step closer to graduating with a Doctor of Pharmacy. The competition is fierce, usually around 250 people apply for I think around 90 spots. Last year, I did not even get to the interview portion, which I had anticipated since my GPA wasn't a 4.0. Although my GPA still isn't a 4.0, it's much better than it was, since I made all A's this past fall. I know that if I can get an interview, I will have a very good chance to make the cut. I know that they interview around 150 people, so a little over half of the candidates get in, but I am very confidant in those types of situations, and I think that I can pretty much charm the pants off anyone.

It's funny to think about school for me though. When I began college, I was a straight B student. I didn't really try, probably because I was on this high horse after having an exceptinal high school run. Then, I go and have two babies, and I am doing pretty darn good! Most people think that I would be in the most difficult situation to make it through school right now, but I think I almost thrive on the stress. I like to be busy, always occupied. I am actually looking forward to going back to work in 3 weeks. I hate being couped in the house! I get cabin fever, and I find myself making little trips here and there to make the time pass.

Omri learned how to do shadow puppets on our bedroom wall tonight. Her favorites: bird, tiger, and a 'dinoraur'(as she says). She was laughing so much that she threw up! As for Olive, she slept for 5 hours last night(bless her heart!), and has loved laying with her lullaby seahorse(like the gloworm). Frankie, is in iPod heaven with his new iTouch, and is considering starting a running routine. We went to Target today to find the Nike thing that keeps track of your runs, but they didn't have it. I've thought about beginning an exercise plan, maybe to tone up a bit, but I have to say I am not good at keeping up with exercise. I feel like the girls are exercise enough some days! We'll see!

I'm off to play with this new repeat-letter Sudoku book that I got for $1 at Barnes and Nobles.

In the beginning...

So I've decided to start to start writing a blog as a therapeutic exercise, as recommended by Frankie. I know I have lots of good things to say, but conveying thought through speech has always been much more difficult for me than just simply writing it down. I tend to think alot more when I speak, and then you throw in my dyslexia of the mouth, and I can become very confusing.

So, what's new you ask? Well, Olive is about to be four weeks old. I can't believe how fast it's going already. Just a month ago, I was barely able to breathe thanks to the added pressure on my diaphragm. Now, I've felt completely healed from childbirth for nearly 3 weeks. I have to say, hers was a wonderful labor, if you can even call labor such a thing as 'wonderful.' It's wonderful compared to Omri's, that is. With Omri I felt I lost so much control and was completely out of my element, probably even my mind at points. She ended up being vacuumed out because I wasn't pushing efficiently enough and she was in distress. With Olive, I experienced about an hour and a half of what I see as 'true' labor, and then a handful of pushes, and gush- there she was. Frankie was able to cut the umbilical cord and then I was able to hold her immediately following the birth, rather than being whisked away to be evaluated. Even though she showed up a bit on the teeny side, she was/is strong. The kid eats like a champ and keeps it down too! Then.... the farts began....

I have never seen so much gas come out of a human being, and have such a potent stench at each and every occurence. It quickly became evident that this flatulence was quite uncomfortable for little Ollie, so I decided to try Simethicone. Seemed to work, for a few hours.. needless to say, we switched her to sensitive formula for a bit. Anything to keep her happy, because when she's content, she only gets up once in the middle of the night. I don't know what we did to deserve that, but I hope it continues!

As for Omri, she seems to be doing overall.. pretty good with the transition to a 2 child family. I notice more outbursts lately, but then again, shes two! Her personality is forming more and more by the day, she's so funny--and she knows it! I like the fact that she has an opinion-- even if it makes things more difficult sometimes! She is so bright and loving, and is becoming a great big sister.

So anyways, all is well on the kid front. I'm going to think about catching some shut eye while they'll let me.