My mom calls me a scheemer....

I have been thinking about posting info about what I do to save money. Sometimes I feel like I want to write a book about all the tricks I have learned from doing research and taking the time to learn different ways to save money. Well, today i had some good successes. I always go through the newspaper on sunday to find coupons. I also have learned that if you look through the safeway circular it has "super coupons" for a couple things every so often. More now I believe because people are financially in trouble and they want to encourage people to shop. I take my grocery shopping very seriously. I always shop on Mondays because the produce is freshly stocked, and very few people shop on Monday, and the sales are still going until tuesdays. So I had already done my shopping this week, but I discovered a coupon in the circular for 10 off if you spend 50 dollars. When you have CF, you eat, so i figured there is someway I can spend the money on things we need... I figured out how! hahaha... Now, i must say, the thing to making a coupon of $10 off is only to buy things you would be if you didn't have a coupon. SO, i had to figure out what to get. Casey is a coffee-a-holic, and Peet's coffee was on sale, so I got 2 of those. I use distilled water to irrigate the sinuses, so i got 2 of those (also on sale) I got 2 yogurts (also on sale) I got 3 waters to keep in the garage (I am buildling an earthquake emergency kit, which were also on sale) They also had the game apples to apples, which I have wanted (on sale 1/2 off for 9.99) I found a roast for almost half off, i got chicken to put in the freezer (the trick here is that you get chicken that needs to be used that day and they put a 30% off coupon on it and you put it in the freezer and use it when you want if you can't use it that day). So i got a lot of stuff... I think I got a few other things.. Oh yea, i got 2 honey mustards that casey likes and for buying 2, I got a coupon for a dollar off my next shopping trip.
Also, there was a super coupon for raisin bran for 99 cents. So i got that too. It was quite a trip. Essentially I saved $44 off the bill, and the way I see it is I got the game Apples to Apples for free! It was a good day!

Updates

Well, i didn't get through Tuesday as well as I had hoped. I developed a fever at about 230pm yesterday and felt like crap for a while. I had to miss my retreat meeting, I am sorry to my fellow committee members to those of you who read this. I am going to give the drug one more try next week, and hopefully I will feel better next week. I can't continue to take a drug that makes me sick for a day, because I have things to do, a life to live. I got kitties to play with at the humane society. Tuesdays are going to be my kitty day, so I need to have some free time not feeling too crappy.
Other than that.... I got my car into the shop to fix the recall out on it, I have been putting this off for too long, and I am very happy to finally have that done. Tomorrow it is going in the OTHER shop for a oil change, tires, and 30,000 mile check up. The car has to go to the doctor too ;)
Also, today is a great day... we finally closed our new refi-mortgage (well Casey did). We were able to take advantage of the drop in rates and luckily we closed at the perfect time and got a rate of 4.85 which is amazing. We were very happy about it. To have it finally close was quite a relief, because now loans are so difficult to get. We applied for the loan on Dec 23rd, and it is now Feb 25th.... how crazy is that. Just glad it is done. So that is my update....

More pictures

Just thought i would post more pictures from the hair experience.....

Follow up

Sorry I didn't post more about the haircut sooner.... I was exhausted and needed to rest. I am still liking my hair, but i must say it isn't as fabulous as when it was done in the salon. My curls are tighter than i would like, but i am working with it. I have worn it down everyday since the cut... so that is an accomplishment for me. It is amazing how i feel more comfortable now than i ever have with my hair. It is good, I am embracing the crazy.
Friday was my last day of training with the cats at the humane society. I did my mentorship and now I am able to go play (and clean) the cats at my own leisure. YAY....
Tomorrow i have to take fosamax again, and I am hoping that i don't have a reaction. Let's cross our fingers for that one... other than that we are just ending a normal lazy weekend.

AFTER!

This is the final result! I love it. i got my hair shaped and highlights. It is also all about the products they used. I am really excited and really tired from the day... I will post more tomorrow...

Before

Well, finally we made it all the way to SF to Madusalon and got our hair cut!!!! I had my appointment with Adrian at 3pm, and we ended at a little after 6pm. It was a great experience, but I am tired tonight and I just wanted to post pictures and I will write about it later.... I figure you all will forgive me, all you want to see is the pics....
Just to explain, you know all of the commercials where they do before and after shots? I wanted to take some drastic before shots... so enjoy and feel free to chuckle. These are both before pictures (one a little more realistic than the other)

Good to go....

Ok, I made it through the night. i didn't want to get too excited about getting my hair done today since Monday night was a dud. So I am feeling good and getting ready to go. Our appointment is at 3pm, so i got to sleep in and have time to do a little before the appointment. Ok..... I am excited... it will be a whole new me! YAY! I will be back when it is all said and done!

Pictures

We got a new camera, I started to play with it today... it takes great pictures... I can't believe Milton actually shows up on camera!

Hallelujah!!!!

Well, my body never ceases to amaze me. After a day of sickness, I am fine, just fine. No fever for more than 24 hours now. I am actually extremely well infact, my pulmonary function tests are up 4% since I started the Aztreonam (about 8 days ago). I am so excited about this news, I could just pee.... Also, i called the pharmacy about getting more Aztreonam (there is a national shortage right now) and the pharmacist was able to nab some from the hospital and is stashing it for me, so I am going to have almost a month on hold, so i can work with getting the meds as they are released. SO NICE of her to do this for me. Anyways, thank the lord, no hospital. ALSO... my mom was able to reschedule our hair appointments for tomorrow... so I will still get my hair cut!!!! YAY!!!!!!! It is turning out to be a really good week. I haven't had a hopeful appointment like this for a LONG TIME. I think it has been at least 2 years since I have had something happen where i wasn't just maintaining my pulmonary function, but actually gaining. My goal is to keep getting listed for transplant as far away as possible, and this is making it more of a possibility. It also will hopefully let me push my time between IVs to be longer. YAY. Thank you all for caring and supporting me.... it gives me strength.

CF rears it's head

Well, today ended up being a dud. What a bummer.... I woke up at 3am last night with a fever and chills... it appeared to be just like my jerish Herximer reactions I get if I am not desensitized to IV antibiotics.... It went through the same course, and today I was going to not let it stop me, but as I was getting ready this morning (after not sleeping much) It started again and i got more fever and extreme chills and shivers. So we had to call to cancel the appointment. BUMMER. Now I have a doc appointment tomorrow at 830am to evaluate what is going on. I was feeling well, and it is hard to believe an exacerbation hit this quickly, but I can't deny that I don't feel too hot today. So of course all my laundry is dirty, I need to clean the cat box, and I might have to go in the hospital. It always happens this way, that I have so many loose ends to tie up before I leave for a few days. I am hoping tomorrow I won't feel so crapy and this was a reaction to Fosamax that I just started yesterday, but I think the clinic thinks it is an exacerbation.
NEW TOPIC.....
Just as i was typing the last line of my blog entry Milton decided to get on the computer and put his paws on my keyboard and his head on my hand. He erased everything! Luckily casey came to the rescue and told me to push Control Z and it brought it all back. Thank the lord! Well, I am going to sign off now... I am guessing Milton needs attention.

Tomorrow tomorrow.....

The sun will come out Tomorrow, so you better hang on till tomorrow...... (those were words from Annie). Tomorrow is the day i am going to take the plunge and get my hair cut. So the words from Annie seemed appropriate (since i am a curly head). I am going to own the curls, and be a curly gurl. My appointment at Madusalon is with Adrian, and my Mom has an appointment with Isabelle. It is a special salon that specializes in curly hair, which is quite a skill. Most people run screaming when they see curly hair, but the people at Madusalon offer a warm place to fall and want to help you bring out the curls instead of hide them away. We are both excited, but honestly a little nervous because it will be a change. I will have to make sure to take a before and after picture.... wish me luck. I will report back!

Becoming a Cat Socializer

Tomorrow morning I am taking my cat socializing training class for the Humane society of silicon valley. I am very excited to complete one of the final steps to working with the cats. The last step after the 4 hour class is to have a 3 hour appointment to go around with a mentor to teach you about the details of the shelter and cat handling safety. I do believe that i am naturally good with cats ( i do have a good track record of taming the most difficult cases at Bay area cat rescue) but this will be a different scene, and I am excited to have formal training with cats. I have always been very involved with animals, and wanted to be a vet when i was a little girl. I appear to be coming full circle in this stage of my life. There is also the potential to become a cat adoption counselor with more experience, and I feel this could be a really good position for me, combining my love of animals and counseling skills (granted it isn't therapy, but working with people). I am excited at the potentials at the humane society, but I can get overly excited, and not be able to fulfill all of my desires because of my illness... but i want to do what i can. so i am off to bed shortly, and will have an informative day tomorrow... hopefully i will survive the earliness... wish me luck. MEOW.....

Aztreonam

Hello everyone.... I have a magic word, Aztreonam! No, i didn't say Alakazam.... Aztreonam is an antibiotic used to treat Psuedomonas, which CF people harbor in their lungs. I have taken Aztreonam through an IV for years, but only today, right now as we speak have I gotten to take in through a nebulizer. I have been trying to get this drug, as it was supposed to be FDA approved late last year, however it didn't get the approval, due to political reasons, is what i have been told. I have pleaded with the docs to find a way for me to get it and now FINALLY i have gotten it. It tastes a bit like paint thinner, grass, and rotten eggs, but the potential benefit that I have heard about is well worth the nasty taste. I am so excited to get to try this drug. My life is obviously boring if drugs is what i am excited for, and not even psychoactive drugs.... There is a national shortage of the drug, but I have enough for 20 days, and hopefully that will last till I can get a little more to complete the 30 day cycle. The plan is that I take this drug for 30 days and switch to another drug called Colistin, which I have taken for years, for the other 30 days. This method helps to keep me on antibiotics with the least risk for resistance to develop. Well, wish me luck in getting this in my lungs... and hope for improved lung function!!!!!!!

Addict

Well, I am an addict... it is official. I am sure I posted earlier that my beloved Mother's cookies was put out of business by the current economic crisis. I have been eating Mother's oatmeal cookies since I was a little girl. They are my security blanket. I stocked up when I hear they would be gone, I had 7 boxes. Well, my stash is dwindling and I had a freak out the other night... and went on an internet search for mothers cookies... well, i found some. i bought them and I will be getting 6 more boxes to help my addiction and grieving process.... I can't wait till they get here! I will have to ration... I know i am ridiculous........

Room-a-day-give-away

I have been entering a contest called the room a day give away.... It is for $25,000 to re-do a room of your choice. I am hoping and praying that I win. I know it is silly, but I have found weird ways to get some money each year. I am running out of interesting ways to find money without working, and I am hoping that this year I will be lucky enough to nail this one. I know it sounds stupid, but if you find it in your heart to send out positive vibes, I would really appriciate it. I know we need world peace and other people are suffering, but this would really bring a lot of joy to a poor little disabled 27 year old (wink). I will let you all know if i win! There already have been a bunch of drawings, and I am hoping that i win this week. Feel free to enter for yourself also, if you google room a day give away, you will find where to enter. Good luck to you if you enter.... I got a good feeling about this...... It is time for a new Kitchen to manifest itself in my house.... new kitchen.... new kitchen.... that is the montra.... new kitchen.........