Mole Removal

I decided that since my head is starting to feel better I should make my face hurt (which, somewhere in the back of my head, ALWAYS makes me think of my brothers saying "it's killing me" and I'm scarred).

Skin cancer runs in my family and I've had nightmares of my whole face having to be dug out because I didn't have these moles taken off early enough. So. They're off. And my cheeks hurt so smiling is awkward. ha.

Oh! And my head is feeling lots better. I'm thinking in a few more weeks I'll be golden. Woot!

My family is too cool...

So, I think one of the reasons that I don't update this much is that there is always so much to catch up on. Here's some updates. I'll bullet them, because I just typed out all these procedures for work and now I'm in that mind frame.

• Dad got a job! He's going to Greece on Monday and will be there for a week (luckily, I had all the books for him. ha) and then in Chicago for a bit and THEN he'll be in North Carolina starting up a new food plant. Mom will stay here in Logan with Scott and Eric (who's going to be staying up here so I think I need a roomie for a few months. maybe.) to help her get the place ready to sell. If you know anyone with a burning desire to move to Logan--it's actually a really nice house and she's putting in new carpets and windows and all that jazz.
• Joelle and Stevan bought a house! Crazy. Really cute. I like it. Especially the pink bathroom. heehee They'll re-do that. But it's in SLC and in a really nice area.
• Matt signed up for an extra year teaching but will move up to New Haven and teach in a charter school--still through Teach for America and still in the ghetto, but it'll be HS instead of Jr High. He's so pumped about teaching. I love it.
• Josh and his cute family are heading back to Florida today and leaving all their newly bought snow gear. If you know anyone that needs any... :)
• Scott fixed my car yesterday. Old Georgia was having "issues"...
• Eric's meeting with an Air Force recruiter on Monday (I think it was Monday) and so I think I'm getting rid of some furniture... At least in May or so when I move.
• I am going back to work on Monday and have SO much policy to write. I've been thinking about my job and how I really get some pretty killer experiences. I think that's why I'm still working there. My goal this year is to really figure out where I want to be heading career wise and do what I can to be preparing for that. I like my job, but can't see myself doing it forever. I have three other goals: flossing (at least once a week) and reading scriptures daily without fail (sometimes I miss) and taking care of my head so I heal properly (I've had relapses and still am taking narcotics which isn't my fav).

Anyhow, I'll put some pictures on here, but that's the latest. Oh! And I'm STILL not allowed to exercise and am not quite sure how to not. It's weird. They said that as soon as I feel my heartbeat in my head I have to stop--apparently feeling that daily is a bad thing... oops. I guess cross country skiing was probably pushing it. ha.
Much love!

Update

I have been the worst friend ever (Jen! Sorry! I'm planning to call you TONIGHT.) because I still feel like ... well, the word I want to use is a swear word and while I'll think it, and maybe say it, I can't bring myself to type it. Let's just say, recovery from a six hour surgery is a bit worse than I thought. Though most of my besties out there are pregnant right now and can probably relate to the random bursts of nausea that make me not able to move or function properly. And waking up at 4 or 5 needing a percocet. ha. So, may need to get some more of those before I head up to Logan for Christmas with the whole family including all 5 cute nieces and nephews which probably means less relaxing. hmm. I do feel better after talking to a surgical technician friend of mine who said that most people feel entirely crappy for a good two months and THEN are so glad that they went through that, well, I'm going to type it, hell because their migraines really did get better as a result. So here's a picture of my new 'do. My forehead is still swollen and rashy--and my whole body is bloated and tired but I unfortunately can't live in a mumu. OH! AND the weirdest sensation ever: feeling your eyebrow regain feeling while in a swollen state in just one spot. Crazy. I'm good. And nope, there's nothing anyone can do, and really I don't want to mention it again or talk about it at all--so here's the only place I'll update. :) I'm a punk like that. Life's good anyhow. I mean, it's Christmas and I get to play all next week with family--just praying I'm up for it! Christmas cards are late this year too--sorry! But I love you guys!

Tricky, tricky.

So, I hate talking to people about my migraines. As in, I even don't really enjoy talking to my friends about them. There are a myriad of reasons why. I mean, I love my friends and it has nothing to do with that, but it's just weird. I know. Strangers are even worse than friends because they view me differently once they know. Either that or they try to give me helpful advice on how to handle them. Yes, I've tried Excedrin. Yep, acupuncture, acupuncture by fire (random), chiro, yoga, stretches designed specifically for migraines, every drug ever created, etc. And no, there's nothing you can do. In fact, you asking about it just annoys me. Because then I have to TALK about it (I've even been told that it may be a result of depression so I needed a shrink--riiiight) and we all know (now at least, please see the first sentence to this post)--I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT! ha. Well, and then now I just realized that people that I've lived with that know that I'm not a whiner and that I still live an active lifestyle and that I'm not depressed, I don't mind giving updates, as long as they're quick and to the people that know and love me. AND since those are the only people that check this (though they may not still be reading after that tirade)--here's the latest:

I had surgery early. The day before Thanksgiving. Because recovery is nasty and they say at LEAST two weeks off work and I didn't want to mess up Christmas with my WHOLE FAMILY (woot!). I'm still swollen and my head is stapled all along my forehead and I have a sweet scar on my neck (which doesn't make sleeping nice) BUT I haven't had a migraine since surgery. I don't know if it's because I haven't been off the percoset long enough to really find out, but I'm pretty optimistic.

I'm even ready to go back to Provo and work. So I know it must be drugs speaking there...

Freedom is coming.

December 12th.

Migraine Surgery.

Scholarship Ball

More work... :) My cute friend Kate helped me get ready and loaned me a dress. Love her!

Black Hawk

So, there's a lot more that happened in Hawaii and if you want I can email you links to the pictures. But since I obviously won't ever catch up, thought I'd post from yesterday. I got to ride a BLACK HAWK. Yeah. It was awesome. I got to do it last year too. There are those days that I love my job... The ones that look like it's sunny are taken hours and hours after I got there. It was freezing.
These ladies are on the same advisory board as me and are talented, successful, beautiful, and so much fun.
I sneaked my friend Kate on and Lauren is also on the board with me. She's great. My best friend at work.
Yahoo! (I also love that I'm wearing TWO jackets. Did I mention I was COLD? I was.)
We flew over clouds and really close to mountains and it was amazing.
I look scared. But I meant to look excited.

Goodbye!