Max, The Perfect Dog

This week has been so hard. 

We had to put Max to sleep last Thursday.

My heart hurts so bad.  I miss him so much. A part of me died that day.  My little blond haired boy.  I miss his eyes, his smell, his stubby tail,  his solemn sighs as he fell asleep on my bed at night.

He was suffering so much though that we owed it to him as his owners to help him out of his misery.  His eyes said everything. "Please...I'm hurting and I'm ready to go".  For days I'd say my goodbyes to him each night thinking he would pass in his sleep at night...then I'd say my goodbyes in the morning before work, thinking he'd pass while I was gone.  This went on for about 4 days.  Finally, my parents, brother and I decided that we would not let him suffer.  Thursday was a blur.  Working that day was so hard.  I was consoled by a sweet patient at work who out of nowhere knew I was sad. 

My dad and brother took him to the vet. They were there with him as he went. My dad said he looked so peaceful.  I commend the Animal Hospital for being SO amazing and supportive ( to the point of making a donation in Max's name to a local pet agency called Recycled Pets. and sending us a sympathy card with Max's paw prints.).

I took Max home yesterday.  His remains are in a gorgeous cherrywood box and it sits on our hearth. 

As I type through blurred vision and tear...I leave you with some words that sum everything up.  

"Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty." 

A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. "

  
"Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them"   

-John Grogan, author of Marley and Me.

Maybe I'm next?

So today I witnessed a good friend of mine get married!
The wedding was beautiful! I will have to post pictures when I get back from NYC!
But just a little FYI.... I CAUGHT THE. BOUQUET!!!! Hahaaaa. That was a first for me! Yay!

I am getting so antsy about NYC! 2 more days! I have to work 2 more shifts, Monday and Tuesday. Then we have to be at the airport no later than 4:00am on Wednesday. Our flight leaves at 6:15...which means that they will start boarding around 5:45. And I am NOT missing this flight!!

Be prepared for several posts and a boatload of pictures when I get back!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Back Again!

Wow....I AM ONE SLACK BLOGGER.

But I'm BAAAACK. I think.

This past month and a half have been stressful and crazy.

Let me fill you in!

1.  I turned the big 2-3! I didn't do much for my birthday. Just had a loooovely lowcounty boil with my parents and brother and the boy. Delish!! And..... My birthday gift from my parents is going to be MY CHOICE of something fabulous in NYC!

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2.  My grandmother got put in the hospital for antibiotic therapy for a kidney infection and dehydration, 2 days after her 81st birthday. They discharged her 4 days later. 

Then 3 days after she got home, she fell and broke her hip.  She was placed on my unit at the hospital! I got to keep a close eye on her, but I couldn't be her nurse.  She was on my floor for 4 days and then they discharged her to a very good rehab facility. 

Well...4 days later ( this past Sunday ), we get a call from the rehab and they told us they were rushing her to the ER.  Poor Mammaw.  They thought it was heart or kidney related but everything came back normal She is back at her rehab facilty doing very well! She finally has an appetite and is raring to go! Keep her in your prayers!!!

3. I am finally off of orientation at work!! It is so liberating to be by myself ( but equally as terrifying!)



4.  12 days until I go to NYC with my mom, my BFF and her mom!!  4 free days off of work to get organized. 7 actual 12 hour shifts. One wedding ( i have the day off for that but I'm not counting it as a free day!)  So puuuumped!

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5.  My friend and I booked a reunion cruise to the Bahamas with a few of our nursing school friends.  We all haven't been together since May 7th, 2010.  The cruise is in September and it is leaving from Charleston, SC and leaves on Wednesday and comes back to port on a Monday. None of us have to take off any time from work.  Now I just have to get skinny!

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6.  My friend found out that she is going to have a little boy!!!!! I'm so excited.  Little Wyatt is going to be spoiled ROTTEN!


The next few weeks are going to be BUSY, but a FUN busy....and hopefully not a stressful busy like the past month has been.
Yay for me being back in the blog moooooood!

Worst Blog Ever = Mine

I am so slack. I want to be a better blogger...but I just don't feel like blogging.  When I do get the urge, I'm NOWHERE near a computer, and when I am, I have no desire to blog about what I 'wanted' to blog about. 

Anyways... 

I am SO pumped though that it's supposed to be 80 degress in SC tomorrow!

And my birthday month is RIGHT around the corner!

And my NYC trip is 52 days away!

And.....that's all I've got for ya'.

 

Face Time.

Hi. I'm Megan. I'm 22 and I still have acne like a hormonal teenager.  Boo.

I've been on tons of prescription creams, antibiotics and gels and crap from the dermatologist. They either don't do anything for my face or they completely burn the top 2 layers off and then fail to get better from there. Or they make me nauseous beyond belief.

 Try explaining why you flew to the restroom covering your mouth to your grandmother during church. "No Mammaw...I'm not pregnant.  I only ate a full meal like it said on the prescription bottle and then took my medicine."  Yes...that happened. Two Sundays in a row actually. 

My dermatologist said that the next step is Accutane.

NO STINKIN' WAY.

I've heard HORROR stories about Accutane.  No I do not want to be suicidal. No I do don't want to have to take pregnancy tests every month because of the horrential PROVEN birth defects. 

" Accutane stops all oil production in the body which can cause:
Dryness, discomfort with contacts, joint pain, back pain, dizziness, drowsiness, nervousness, dryness of the lips, mouth, nose, and skin, cracking or peeling of skin, itching, rashes, or changes in finger nails. In extreme cases, it has also been known to cause severe birth defects or even fetal death, depressed moods, trouble concentrating, insomnia, agitation, change in behavior, hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, blurred vision, sudden or severe headaches, vomiting, hearing problems, seizures, severe pain in upper stomach, fast heart rate, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay colored stools, jaundice, severe diarrhea, rectal bleeding, black, bloody, or tarry stools, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, purple spots under the skin, easy bruising or bleeding, or bone fracture."

No thanks.  I'm too young for rectal bleeding, purple spots ( I'm trying to get rid of acne spots, I don't need anymore colors on my face), and the suicide things potential is just scary.

So I'm taking things into my own hands.  I'm going to spend my hard earned money on products that I believe will help my face instead of antibiotics and creams that make me feel horrible. 

Now that I have my own health insurance and a big girl job, I'm the one paying my bills.  I'd rather experiment with products than pay a $30 copay for 5 appointments that last 6 minutes each.  

Beauty.com is my new best friend.

I spent a good 2 days comparing products and I finally decided on 4 of them

philosophy purity made simple 

This cleanser is awesome.  It really deep cleans and really gets all the gunk and grime and makeup off.  There is no chemical fragrance. What you smell is a blend of extracts that make this cleanser smell amazing! You only need just a 'pearls worth' and massage in for 30-60 seconds. I use this every morning and before bedtime. I Love it!

Skyn ICELAND Nordic Skin Peel.

This reminds me of those Clean and Clear Astringent Pads from those teenybopper acne days.  BUT IT'S NOT. 

It's awesome and it tingles and makes your face feel really cold!

It contains lactic acid, which is derived from corn sugar and helps to exfoliate the skin.  It also has witch hazel which helps to shrink pores and calms red irritated areas.

It smells fresh and isn't overwhelming at all, nor does it dry out the skin.

I use this at night, 2 days in a row, in between my black mask treatment.

MALIN + GOETZ Acne Spot Treatment.

This is my favorite. It has a medicinal smell to it which I don't mind at all. It contains 10% Active Sulfur.  It does not have the yucky sulfur smell most people think of.  I dip a Q-tip in it and spot it on all my bumps.  Once it's dry, you can't really even smell it.  This stuff will dry up a fresh zit in a heartbeat (well....overnight...at least). 

This makes me want to go swim in a sulfur spring. 

I use this every night before bed. 

P.S. I SUCK AT PRODUCT REVIEWS. Don't laugh.

Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

It's a black mask. One you go black you don't go back is the truth.  My skin LOVES this.  It contains Active Charcoal. "Activated Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, White China Clay absorbs environmental toxins, Lecithin dissolves impurities" --Beauty.com said it so perfectly. It doesn't overdry like I thought it would. It sure felt like it would while it waa on. It rinses off really well, unlike some of those cheap mask where you practically have to squeegee the mask off. 

I place a washcloth in hot-as-you-can-stand-it water and then wring it out and put it on my face for about 2 minutes, or until it doesn't feel hot anymore.  Then I slather it on, except for around the eyes and mouth.  It takes about 15 minutes to harden.  You will know when it's time to rinse. Try to smile.  It's like a temporary Botox treatment minus the botulism.

I use this every 2 days before bedtime. 

--I'm really excited about the results that I've seen after only being on my little regimen for less than a week.  My skin feels healthier and smoother and I'm using less concealer and foundation. --

I can't wait to get to the point where my face is CLEAR and I can start working on the old acne spots that take FOREVER to fade.  I'm thinking a day at a medical spa might fix that in the future.

I'll keep you all posted on my face!! I would do a makeupless "Before" photo...but I'm not that brave yet....but I will share with you my Sulfur Spot Face!

Viewer's Beware!

Gooood Night Y'all!

Weekly Update

Wow this week flew by. I wasn't too busy...I just never really got around to blog. This little blog here has been neglected. Anyways. Here is a short update on my life since me last post

1. I have been diagnosed with tendinitis in my shoulder. How the hell did that happen? I have no idea. For the past 3 weeks my left arm has been a gimp arm. I grimace in pain during everyday tasks such as dressing, bath and reaching for things. It sucks. I'm on the same antiinflamatory pain med as my dad!

2. I just started a new face regimen for me acne. Definitely a future post. Let's just say I've been on the regimen for 5 days and I can see a difference already! So excited for clear skin! It's about time!

3. My neighbors to the right of me needs to go to hell or move. They called Animal Control on our two sweet dogs. We have never had trouble with our dogs or other neighbors. All of our other neighbors go goo-goo gaa-gaa over Max and Molly. This is definitely a post for another day. My little blackberry can't handle it.

Goodnight!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Gift Swap!

I LOVE this idea. How fun! 

.:: About Be My Valentine ::.

Sign-up, get matched w/ a buddy, shop for a valentine care package, and swap via mail!

So Simple! I can't wait to find out who my 'buddy' is!

Thanks Meg for starting this!

So. Sore. Can't. Move.

That was the first thing out of my mouth this morning. 

Last night I spent THREE whole hours doing Just Dance with my 2 bffs. 

 One is preggo and she totally kicked my butt. The other is a former cheerleader...so she kicked my butt too. I got 3rd place everytime.

But OH MY WORD. I haven't been this sore since my prom workouts in high school.  P90X didn't hurt this bad.  Maybe it's because I lack coordination and any dance skills.  Add laughing hysterically to the mix and that my friends.....is why it hurts to breath right now. 

Oh...and I fell on my butt. 

However! I think this might just be the answer to my weight-loss prayers. I danced my little heart away for 3 hours and didn't even realize it! 

One hour a day for the next several weeks and I might just be a skinny minny.  Or be on my unit at the hospital. Haaaa

Yes. We were filmed. 

I'll have to think about posting them.

Have y'all "Just Dance" -ed?

Busy Me.

Holy Cow. Almost 2 months goes by and I've only blogged a couple times.

I will fill you in. 

1. Happy Birthday Blog!  It's been a good year!

2. Work is GREAT. I mean it. It's so much better than my old job.  My co-workers are AWESOME. My preceptors are AWESOME. I really feel like a real nurse.  I AM A REAL NURSE (RN...hahaaa).  Yes...there are bad days. Yes..there are still pain-in-the-ass patients, but the good days and the patients who are sincerely appreciative make up for it.   I go off of orientation at the end of March. I'm up to 4 patients now ( up.to 4 patients...HA... sounds retarded when I ONLY had 22 patients at my old job ).

3. I blogged about Christmas and my life in December. See here.

4.  My close friend found out that she is pregnant! Can't wait for August to meet him/her!

5. Weight loss. Haa.   I've been trying to eat healthier. TRYING. I've been packing my lunch more. Working out. HAHA. I'd rather sleeeeep! I did get a Wii Fit. It's fun. I guess that counts. I think I've been losing weight. Several people in the past 2 weeks have said that I look skinnier! Really ?! Thanks! I'll take it!

6. I've also been sick since January 14. Lets see. It started off as an upper respiratory infection and a sinus infection.  One doctors appointment and some Amoxicillin and 36 hours later and I feel worse than ever.  I go to the Urgent Care clinic and see Doctor #2 and he tells me that almost 2 full days of antibiotics hasn't touched what I have. He said that I had pharyngitis and both of my ear drums were inverted. (Inverted Ear drum-an imbalance in pressure between the middle ear and the outer ear caused by blocked (with mucus/throat funk) eustachian tubes--which can cause pain). Joy.  I missed work for the first time.  The next day at work was pure hell. I've never sneezed so much in my life. I'm tempted to call it projectile snotting . My sleeve needed to be autoclaved. Haha. Any who....2 days later and I felt better! I've still got the digusting crud cough but I feel dandy!!

7. Opie weighs 80 POUNDS. Holy Moly.

Ok. That's all I have for now. I'm exhausted. I worked a 14hour day yesterday and a 13 hour day today.  $$Money$$Money$$Money$$!

Girls Trip!!

Last night, my best friend and I booked a trip to NYC in April with our moms!  So excited!!!  This will be my first trip to the Big Apple!

Our gorgeous 'boutique' hotel is right next to Times Square in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.  It is located in the theater district and is just blocks from Central Park, and Rockefeller Center!

We are leaving on a Wednesday morning at like 6am and are flying back to SC on Saturday evening. So we will have 3.5 days to experience the city!

photo credits

Now it's time to penny-pinch like I've never penny-pinched before!!!