AND the catheter is my friend...

So, quite an adventerous month. First of all, two weeks ago, I FAINTED on the subway in Manhattan heading to work. Fortunately, I felt it coming on and started moaning. Some nice people helped me to sit down (I don't remember any of this), and when I came to - about 10 seconds later - I had missed the 14th Street exit. Everyone was staring at me and asking me if I was OK. A nice lady and man accompanied me up the stairs to hand me over to some firemen at 42nd Street. It was then that I realized that noboldy had stolen my purse! Miracle in Manhattan! So, they gave me an oxygen mask and that helped. I was getting dizzy again, just sitting down. Eventually, the ambulance arrived and took me to the infamous Bellevue Hospital. Grrr... I wish they would have taken me to Brookly, where at least the people know me (I had passed out the weekend before and Peter had to take me to Brooklyn at midnight). So, I spent the next 16 hours getting infused with two units of blood and an unnecessary gynecological exam. I yelled at the ladies in the middle of the exam, "Excuse me, why are we doing this? Its so unnecessary! I have a surgeon who's seeing me tomorrow morning and he's doing surgery on me next week!" They, startled, told me that I should have refused the ultrasound downstairs. DUH. Why didn't I think of that? I guess I just trusted them... grrr... So, they admitted me to the hospital, where I spent long, wasted hours, watching the blood drop into my body and feeling more energy with every drop. Thanks to everyone who gives blood! I have a new appreciation. :)

My sugery (uterine fibroid) was moved up to last Wednesday, Oct. 28, in light of the fainting and all...

Dr. Bradley Trivax reports that the fibroid was HUGE (5 cm) and they got almost all of it out. Yikes, not sure I can endure anaesthesia again... [please everyone pray that they won't have to go back in]... anyway, apparently, in the surgery process, they perforated the uterus and "nicked" my bladder!? So, a general surgeon had to go in laproscopicly (the spelling is surely wrong) and suture my organs up. AARGH!? A one hour surgery dragged on to 3.5. Peter reports that the surgeon came out twice to explain and to reassure Peter, but he seemed stressed. They put in a catheter so that my bladder could rest. At first I was horrified, but now I have to say that the catheter is my friend!!! With my tummy being so sore, it would have been painful to get up and relieve myself very often. They were pumping me with liquids to get that anaesthesia out of my system. I spent Wed. night and all of Thursday in the hospital. So, apparently, a catheter should be in at least a week after such happenings... now its getting old. Not so much my friend anymore.... I'm pretty sure Dr. Trivax will be taking it out Friday morning, but I have to say, after five days of laying flat in bed, I was grateful to have it!

*Postnote: Peter was an absolute angel and nurse to me! Fortuitously for me, he was on vacation and could attend to my every beck and call. My blood count is low again, but I'm on iron pills and feeling much better. Today I took a walk outside! I am so humbled and grateful to be alive! Modern medicine is miraculous. A lady like me in the Middle Ages or even a hundred years ago would just have kept bleeding and have died...

Ode to Sara(h)

If you're name is Sara(h) you're probably a kindred spirit! I was thinking the other day how I seem to be drawn to fabulous gals with said name and consistently make them my dearest of friends. Take Sarah Ehmke, for example. We sang together in Tucson Institute Chorale back in the early 90's and were part of the "9" innocuously elitist social club. What fun memories! She is a wonderful mother of five and is always pleasant, patient, forgiving, tolerant and kind to others. I'm grateful for her gentle nature and example. We currently follow each other's blogs and try to get together every Christmas for lunch. I look forward to that. Then there's my Italian amica Sara Tonon. We met on my mission in Italy (1995-1996) and were instant friends. She played the piano and we both liked singing Mormon "pop" so there began a long and enduring friendship. She came to visit me for two months in 1999, and again in 2003 for a few weeks. I've been to visit her in Torino, Italy FIVE times. Just can't stay away from this spunky and hilarious girl. She's soooo fun and bright. We've had some good times and written probably a thousand letters to each other over the years. Which brings me to Sara Swim Turley - a sweetheart of a girl with amazing piano talent. We braved the singles wards together, commiserating and laughing at a number of "linger longers," FHE's and "break the fasts"... it was fun to witness her courtship and romance to Scott Turley. We had an especially good time with our singing group, eh Sara? Your master's piano concert was AMAZING; you're so talented and positive; thanks for the memories. Next I think of Sarah Huffman, a gorgeous single from Omaha, NE who was a regular Halloween partier, a Sunday luncheoner, a weekend game player, a jewelry-attending goofball who'd always be a sport for birthday celebrations, watching General Conference at the Nelsons or movie nights. I sure miss hangin' with you Sarah, you're FABULOUS! Hang in there, Mr. Right is not good enough for you... yet. Okay, so here I am now in NYC and my two new BFF's are Sarah Fulton and Sara Orlando! Seriously, these ladies ROCK. Sarah Fulton is the RS President and blows me away with her spirituality, conversion to the gospel, and depth of character. I LOVE talking to her and laughing with her about... everything! I am so blessed by her friendship and I thank my Heavenly Father for this. She is such a beautiful person, inside and out. She regularly brings my world such joy and positive energy. Can't wait for game night and Sunday dinner with Marisol. :) A propos to blessings, I was inspired to talk to Sara Orlando about forming a singing group several months ago. She and I have also become fast friends in the early planning stage, but also as we have chatted about life's challenges, mostly health related. She is one of the most sincere and compassionate people I know. I can tell that she truly cares about my health and job problems and understands what I'm going through. She was recently assigned as my Visiting Teacher and my first reaction was, "she already takes care of me!" I am so excited to work with her in our octet and otherwise. What a lovely, talented lady!!!
Sara Morgan is the one that got away... almost! We met a few months ago and then she up and moved to AZ. In that short time, we laughed and laughed. And laughed. What a great sense of humor, wow! I enjoyed hearing her takes on life, her Jimmy Fallon stories, and listening to her insights. Oh, and she totally converted me to the Snuggie. A blanket with sleeves!? How do people live without them... seriously. I wish her the best of luck in her new life in AZ. She's missed greatly by myself and other folks here in NYC.
So, what is it about Sara(h)? Don't know, but its a great name and I just want to say that I love all you very much! Thank you for being my friend(s). It means the world to me.

Peter... on vacation

Peter finally has some "down time." He was assigned two weeks of vacation in October and two weeks again in April of 2010. We didn't complain about the assignments, given that many oral surgery programs don't allow more than a week vacation for the entire year! So, he's very lucky in that way. He's off from Oct. 15-Nov. 1. What is our happy chap doing on his vacation? Sleeping mostly, studying oral surgery, going to the gym and to the clerk's office. What, the clerk's office!!?... you're asking. Most days for several hours!? That's correct. Peter hasn't been able to put in the time on his calling that he'd like, which in his ideal world is about 10-15 hours a week. He gravitates toward clerking and organizational realms, so he's communiating frequently with the Bishop and the ward clerk about issues such as ordering supplies, cleaning up ward membership records, and GEO codes (don't ask me). He's happiest this way. Like his mother used to tell him, "a working Peter is a happy Peter." Too true. Most people on vacation in NY would be exploring the city, but our Peter, as you all know, is far from ordinary. He's very driven and focused, especially in his church callings. His brother, Patrick, is coming in town to visit this weekend and I think Peter might actually indulge in some sightseeing and brotherly bonding. Whatever happens, its a blessing to be married to this great man, and I appreciate his leadership and example. Hats off to you Petie-baby, may your vacation be everything you hoped!

Working Girl

Well, hopefully the job hunting nightmare is coming to an end. I finally went to a temporary agency two weeks ago and they have hooked me up with some no-brainer, but money-generating gigs. For two days I was a registration girl at Jacob Javitts Convention Center in Manhattan. $12/ hour to print labels and troubleshoot people standing in the wrong lines. Ironically, six years ago I attended a tourism conference at the same place as an important and dignified attendee with a business card. But no matter. Next, I filled in as receptionist at Hanesbrands Inc. (clothing designers) for a girl that was out sick for one day. $15/ hour to smile, make coffee, receive and sign for packages, distribute mail, and otherwise surf the internet. I currently find myself on a one week assignment again as a receptionist for Leucadia National Corporation; the regular receptionist is on vacation this week in Florida. So, I'm enjoying the perks of a free lunch everyday (rock on!), plenty of downtime, and friendly people. Whats in store for next week? TBD. But, I feel so relieved to have some, any income right now. And its kind of nice to have no-brainer jobs that allow you to concentrate on other things, like Italian idioms, which is the current book I'm studying here at my desk. I just had some business cards printed that say: Allison R. Nelson * Historian * Italian Instructor * Tour Guide*... why, Peter asks me, did I have these printed? Don't know... just to feel important I guess, and to remind me that I do have skills even though the economy is down and out. Bless you, Solomon Page Group (temporary agency)!!! You saved the day.

The Big Apple has a WORM in it right now...

Well, you may have noticed that I haven't blogged much since moving to NY. How could that be!? Its one of the most exciting places on the planet. True. For those with money and fun companions. I have neither. My dear, sweet Peter works so much that his eyes are perpetually red and his feet are perpetually sore. He needs lots of rest on days off, but we try to squeeze something in here and there. Something FREE if we can! I've been unemployed for four months now and we're feeling the pinch. Ugh. Bad timing on moving to a new city with no network and in this economy!? So, learning patience, reading lots of good books, and getting to know myself and the city when I can explore without feeling guilty that I'm not looking for a job! ITS a great BIG WORM friends!!! :) Not looking for a pity party... at all, I just have to be honest. And I should admit that I'm technically "underemployed" because I tutor 3 private Italian students once a week and that brings in some meager funds. So, all is well, things will get better, and the Lord is in charge. Yesterday I went to the temple and felt so much joy and peace. I'm very excited for General Conference this weekend and to the inspired messages from our prophets. I'm proud and grateful for my membership in the Lord's true church where we learn that life is a journey of growth and learning, repentance and change. An adventure indeed!

The Nelson-Cope Ladies Book Club

We're official! We now embark on shared pleasure in the mind-stretching exercise of literary exchange... as a family sisterhood. You know who you are: Mary, Naomi, Alana, Amy, Andrea, Annaca, Abbie, Tammy, Ally, Emily, Jackie, Arianne, Cassandra, Natalie, Laura...

The first book is "Rebecca" by British author Dauphine du Maurier. Published in 1938, it soon became a best-seller. Essential plot: An unnamed narrator marries a wealthy Englishman whom she met while vacationing in the French Riviera. She accompanies him to his country estate in Manderley, and confronts the lingering presence and haunting memory of her new husband's first wife. Intrigued? Me too! Apparently, Alfred Hitchcock's movie Rebecca is based on the novel. I'll have to watch it once I'm through.

Here's the plan: we'll read a book quarterly, and our first deadline is November 15. On or after that date, the plan is that you now have an "excuse" to pick up the phone and call one another! Discuss amongst ourselves! Email, IMM, chat, write your comments here on my blog. Impressions, thoughts, likes, dislikes, we want to hear it all! But we won't have one common forum, just many interpersonal exchanges by various means as listed above. The next book will be chosen by Amy Makechnie for the Jan-March 2010 quarter. We'll go to her blog for the details and the written forum. Sound like a plan? Happy reading everyone!!!

Book recommendation!

This book is a lovely read. Its light and uplifting, gripping, yet tragic. The protagonist has the most witty and eccentric personality. She's delightful, creative, spunky and has an outstanding vocabulary. She is like totally my mother-in-law's twin. If my mother-in-law lived in London, were 33, single, and wrote books for a living. I actually haven't finished the book, but I started yesterday and I'll either be up late tonight or early tomorrow morning to do so! The plot: in 1946 in London, a writer receives a letter request from a stranger, beginning a friendship with him and all of the others in the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - from the Channel Island Guernsey that was under German occupation during WWII. It becomes the inspiration for her further work.