STONER

About 3 1/2 years ago I missed my flight from Connecticut to Utah. This was when I experienced my very first kidney stone. I was about to make a 7 hour trip home-even boarded the plane-but when I headed straight for the bathroom instead of my seat, I knew I wouldn't make it. I asked the flight attendants to please get my carry-on and I raced to the jet way where an airline employee shoved a barf bag in my face...just in time. Humiliating.

When being discharged from UCONN Health Center ER I asked my doctor what the chances were I may have another stone. He shared with me some interesting statistics...

Every person has a 10% chance of getting a kidney stone.
If you've had one stone, your 90% more likely to have more..."Unfortunately, if you have a second stone, you are what we call...a stoner."

Today I officially became...a STONER. Not just a second stone, but a third as well. I drove myself to one of Salt Lake's finest Emergency rooms this morning and spent the entire work day watching "What Not To Wear" and trying to pee in a cup during commercial breaks. You'll be happy to know that I was finally able to give them a good sample for testing AND the real estate agent from Chicago LOVED her new look!

Beijings Got Game

Da__Da__DaDom...Dom...Dom...Dom__DomDom...DaDomDom___DomDomDaDomDomDom!
It is that time again! It only happens every two years...I make up for all of the time I haven't spent watching sports in 17 glorious days. Since I am trapped in "the lab" again, I've got all the time in world!

Last night was the opening ceremonies of the SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES!!! Bottom line--magical. I was blown away by the artistry and talent. Beijings got game! It was literally beautiful. They used fireworks to make giant footprints in the sky leading up to the Olympic Stadium (nicknamed "The Birds Nest" ) where there were 2008 drummers creating, what looked like a digital clock, the count down to the start of the games.

The Bird's Nest looked like it was sparkling! Definitely YouTube worthy if you didn't see it. I get all warm and fuzzy during the opening ceremonies...the whole world coming together in the name of sport. There are always these amazing displays of humanity during the Olympic Games. The athletes are so inspiring and there is this feeling of respect between them.

I absolutely love watching the Olympics, especially the Summer Olympics! Watching the Olympics was always something we would do as a family growing up. I love it! Sadly everyday obligations--work, church, sleep-- keep me from watching EVERY minute. However, there are several events I make a point of watching:

Gymnastics!!! Women's and Men's
Swimming--Go Michael Phelps!
Diving
Track and Field
Basketball--the Dream Team is now known as the Redeem Team. We lost the Gold and took Bronze in Athens. Now is the time to bring home Gold baby!
Beach volleyball

The only downside...the constant reminder of my lack of self-discipline! Does anyone else ever wonder what event they would be competing in if their parents had shipped them off to live with their coach from the time they were 10? Mine--table-tennis or hula hooping (if it were an event). My dad would have been so proud!

FREE AT LAST!

For the first time in my life I was grateful for Monday to come! Particularly, last Monday. I spent the entire weekend (Friday morning to Monday morning), essentially trapped in a hospital room without windows. I am currently part of a clinical research study, investigating a new pain medication. This study requires 3 different 3-night stays in their "lab". Fortunately there were several other study subjects there to keep me company--9 women and 9 men (don't worry, no co-ed sleepovers). All the girls were in one hallway, sharing one custodial-like bathroom and all the boys were in another hallway.

So what did I do to bide the time between meals and routine blood draws from the IV in my arm you ask? This:

• Slept!!!
• Read a bit
• Chatted with my roomie Sally--she's 18 and getting married in Vegas two weeks from now to a boy from Bulgaria. Honestly, she is a really nice girl. I was pleasantly surprised how well we got along.
• Painted my toenails and fingernails
• Watched Juno! Love that movie.
• Watched an obscene amount of television--so much you kind of feel sick afterwards because you haven't done anything to get your blood pumping for awhile. Gross!

**Disclaimer: we were strictly told to not participate in any strenuous exercise during the course of the study (Translation: I better be really good about eating healthy. Thankfully chocolate is also off limits during the study. That will help).**

Bonus: they fed us all our meals and gave us good snacks, i.e. fruit snacks, granola bars, apples, yogurt, etc. It was also a great weekend for 80's dance flicks on T.V.; Flashdance AND Girls Just Want to Have Fun were both shown...multiple times.

1 stay down and 2 more to go. Then the $4500 is MINE! HAHAHAHAHA.