Atropa Belladonna

~ Raven (a.k.a. Nightshade)'s Weblog ~


These are the ARCHIVES of April 2006. For more archives, visit the Archives page. For the current Weblog entries, check the Main page.


Sat, April 29, 2006 (11:35am)

Green is the new Black

There's more green on my face than black now, I think. The photo for Day 6 was specifically taken with a flash so you can see the lovely color.

I'm actually feeling worse again, lately. I don't know if it's because I've been running on not-enough-sleep all week, or if my body is choosing to rebel every day around 4pm-ish (well, sometime between 2pm and 6pm, which seems to be my lowest time of the day), or if the pain is caused by bone healing (which causes swelling as the body brings more fluids into the area to clean out debris). Any which way, I nearly fainted again yesterday. I did a full grey out, and sunk to the floor. It wasn't caused by low blood sugars, because I'd deliberately eaten lunch, plus food at 2 pm, and then another double sandwich at 4pm. My Blood Pressure (according to my Mom's portable BP cuff, which I used shortly after the incident) was just fine, at 122/80. So if it's not low BP or low Blood sugars, then what's causing this?

I hope it's just the swelling and the healing. I've decided to take extra Tylenol & ice packs coming up on that part of the day, and see if it helps.

Meanwhile, I have very good news to take my mind off the head injury: I got my True Dungeon Tokens in the mail yesterday!

It's as bad as a CCG addiction. I opened up the 30+ packs, and revelled in the smell of fresh ink, and turned the pretty tokens over one by one to see what pretty Rare and Very Rare items I got. Pretty much everything I'd been hoping for, to equip my charcter for the True Dungeon event at Gen Con this summer. And some more shinies, besides... like a +2 Longsword!

The geek in me rejoices!

Fri, April 28, 2006 (8:45am)

...in which our Hero is beaten about the head by a 2 year old.

Yeah. Ouch.

You wouldn't think that such a little guy could do so much harm, but yesterday Jasen kicked me in the face while I was changing his diaper - kicked me right on the (broken?) cheekbone - and my face exploded with pain. There were stars, blinding stars, and me screaming and rolling on the floor trying not to throw up. Really, really unpleasant.

There was more screaming later in the day when Jase did his "Death from Above" trick, where he stands on the computer desk at leaps at the person sitting on the computer chair. I caught him by the waist, but his torso swung forward and his head made a solid impact with my forehead & nose, and I nearly threw him out the window in anger/shock/frustration/pain. But the desire to throw him out the window was at least a conscious thought, and thus could be consciously over-ridden.

I have new bruises from the experience, however. If anyone is following the progress of my colorful face, you can see the fresh mark on my forehead. There is a similar fresh & swollen mark over my right cheek, but you can't see it as much through the old injuries.

Here's today's update: Day 5.

Kay. Tired of talking about injuries now. If I keep this up, no one will bug me about keeping a Mommy Blog... they'll accuse me of keeping a Trauma Blog.

Thurs, April 27, 2006 (1:15pm)

And the swelling goes down...

Good news on 3 counts, today!

1) The swelling has gone down enough that I no longer look like Constable Odo. I realize you couldn't see it well from the head-on photos, but for a while it looked like my forehead kinda flowed right into my nose. Everything was swollen, and I couldn't make nose-wrinkles or forehead wrinkles at all. Now, I can wrinkle with the best of 'em!

2) My glasses fit again! Since the accident broke my frames, I've been using an older pair and balancing them on my nose. This morning, however, I was able to put those glasses on properly, so I could drive to the lab and get my blood test done.

3) I took my broken glasses to Shoppers Optical to see if they could be fixed. And they Can! And they Did! For FREE! Apparently the frames were robust enough to handle the mangling, and only the screw needed to be replaced. The frames aren't quite as strong now as they once were, but if I don't tangle with any more O2 tanks, they should last me a few more years.

Anyway, here's the update: Day 4.

Wed, April 26, 2006 (10:50am)

Looks like I may actually have succeeded in my quest to fracture my skull. The X-rays from my follow-up appointment came back showing an abnormality along the right orbital bone. It lines up perfectly with the exceedingly painful place on my cheek, and the doctor says it probably indicates a fracture. But the jaw bones (upper and lower) are fine. The nasal cavity is fine. The sinus cavities are all intact. Those are the important ones - if the orbit is broken, it's not a problem.

So, what exactly happened?

There's been a medical investigation launched. So far, they have determined that my blood pressure is running very low. I probably had low blood sugars at the time, too (I had eaten earlier in the day, but was due for a meal). Also, having had the flu last week, my body was not quite 100%. Mix that all up with a bit of a system shock (watching the Dr. suture a deep wound on a kid) and my system couldn't handle it. I just fainted.

I am glad I felt light-headed before it happened, because it would be scary to think this might happen again with no warning. As is, I have to be good to myself for the next couple weeks, and really, really, pay attention to my body's signals, particularly if I start feeling light-headed again. I've been forbidden to work for the next week, too.

I wonder if this means Worker's Comp will send someone to watch my kids for me?

Anyway, here's the update: Day 3 - in which I close my eyes and look like a dork so you can see the pretty colors above and below the eyes. How goth.

Tues, April 25, 2006 (8:50am)

Thank you for all the Comments & support. They are much appreciated.

Since the images are not something everyone wishes to see, but people did ask for updates, I will continue to post them. However, I'll hide them behind links. So, for today's viewing (dis)pleasure: Day 1 (yesterday) and Day 2 (today) wherein we can see the swelling increase and the color spread across to my other eye.

I am in less pain today. Yesterday I was running pretty much constant pain to the point of nausea. Today, it's under control with mere Tylenol and icepacks. I've got a follow-up appointment at the clinic today, so I can show all my co-workers the pretty colours, and perhaps I'll see if I can find anyone to cover my shift this weekend. I feel physically and mentally capable of working, but I have run into one snag: I can't wear my glasses. Even if they weren't broken, my nose is too swollen and sore to handle them for long. Grrr.

Amusing thought for the day: Shades says that he wants to print me T-shirt which says, "I  FELL" in big capital letters across the top, and then has a copy of my WCB report beneath, so people can see that he does not beat his wife.

I think, Hjalti, that Shades can sympathise with you, and the looks you got, after K fell down the stairs.

Comment added Tues, April 25, 2006 (2:10pm)

Myrna has this Public comment:
I think you should have a t-shirt that says, "And you should see the other guy..."


Sun, April 23, 2006 (11:59pm)

Work was boring tonight, so I thought that I'd liven things up by trying to fracture my skull.

I took a header straight into an oxygen tank. Not a little portable one, but the big kind you can't lift, and thus gets pushed around with its own little trolley cart. I bashed my eye and cheekbone, bounced off the tank, hit my forehead on the metal trolley, and then fell backwards and smashed the back of my head on the floor. I broke my glasses. I got a bloody nose.

I also got to ride in an ambulance for the first time in my life. And I got to wear one of those fancy neck-injury collars. And get strapped to the spinal board!

Alas, 4 hours in Emergency revealed that I had not actually succeeded in my attempt to break important cranial bones, although I might possibly have damaged something around my right occular orbit. So I was released from ER with orders not to drive, not to eat any solids for the next 24 hours, and to have someone wake me every 2 hours through the night to make sure I was still okay.

I imagine the next few days will be very... colourful... as my facial injuries go through the rainbow of bruising. For anyone who really cares, here is a current photo. I might post regular updates of my spectacular new look if anyone Quick-Comments with such a request.

Tues, April 18, 2006 (10:30pm)

I just picked up the Sims2: Family Fun expansion pack. It's not a real 'expansion' so much as a new skins and objects pack. Basically, $20 for a bunch of professionally designed items & clothing for your Sims, with no other new 'game' content. No new neighbourhoods. No annoying new interactions. No mini-games-within-the-game. Just... stuff.

I think I like it. Perhaps if EA makes more of this kind of expansion and less complicated game stuff, I might buy more of it.

Or I might... um... read a book.

Sat, April 15, 2006 (5:10pm)

Excuse me for giggling maniacally, but my daughter just ran int to the livingroom and announced, at the top of her lungs,

Listen Everyone! There's a new place to play! Come visit Connors-Play-Bedroom-Dot-Com!
There's toys and games for everyone!!! C'mon!!!

And she ran off down the hall back to Connor's room.

Since I wasn't entirely sure I'd heard that right, I asked, "Where exactly am I supposed to go?"

Her response was, "ConnorsPlayBedroom.com! It's all one word. Just Google it, if you want."

.... ahhh, yes. That's my kid.

- - - - -

Comment added Sun, April 16, 2006 (9:40pm)

housebound has this Public comment:
Our daughter, the pop-up ad.

Sun, April 9, 2006 (9:20am)

Shades is in Chicago right now. I thought I'd mention that here, since he didn't post it to his weblog, or seem to tell anyone, and if I don't say something about it people will be confused when I say, "Yay! He's coming home tonight!"

So.. YAY! Shades is coming home tonight!

I've been a single parent for the last couple days, but it started off quite well. Since he didn't have to be at the airport until mid-morning, Shades let me sleep in on Friday morning. He got up with the kids, made coffee, set Kale up with her morning nebulizer treatment, and all the fun stuff which hapens around here in the mornings. He even prepared supper and put it in the fridge, so come Friday evening and the arrival of our weekly gamer crowd, I could just pop stuff into the oven and have delicious food ready for everyone.

Friday was good. Took the kids shopping and bought Connor a tricycle and a helmet. Assembled it while Kale was at Kindergarten for the afternoon. Connor really enjoyed riding, though he's not so fond of the helmet. The evening gathering was enjoyable and low key. We watched Lady Jane (historical tragedy, Mmmm) and talked a lot. There may have been some gaming which happened, but I didn't notice.

Saturday morning I made arrangements with my parents and took the kids swimming. Connor and Kale loved it (as usual) and Jasen got to play at the indoor play park in lieu of his usual screaming-at-the-water thing. After 90 mins of serious playing, I took the kids home, fed em, and watched with great satisfaction as they kinda flopped down in the livingroom too tired to make any mischief for the next 3 hours. It was great!

Sat. eve was very quiet. I surfed the net, played video games, watched CSI:NY, hung out with the Walrus a bit, and went to bed late. Slept well. (I guess going swimming was a bit draining on my body, too.)

Today it is grey and drizzling outside. The kids are happy. I am considering making pancakes for breakfast. Supper will be brought over by my Mom (who will put on a fabulous feast as always, I'm sure) and Shades will be home later in the evening.

Life is good.

There are, however, several hours left in the day for the kids to make plenty of mischief before relief arrives. We shall see what happens.

Wed, April 5, 2006 (9:55pm)

Just came back from seeing V for Vendetta. Excellent movie! But the previews before it were inspiring, too. Pirates of the Carribean II will be out, soon!

I know this is rather early to be making plans... but just so anyone who cares can arrange their time off sufficiently in advance: A pack of us will be going to Pirates II at Galaxy Cinema in Sherwood Park on Friday July 7th (premiere night) for probably the 7pm(-ish) showing. We will be going in full costume, Yar har! You are invited to join us, if you aren't doing anything else that night.

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