'Yay!'she said SMILING!

I am very happy to announce that...the right corner of my mouth is starting to work again! And yes, I can smile again :) It's a bit of a crooked, lopsided smile but who cares, I see progress and that after just 2 weeks. I have an appointment with my doctor next Friday but if things keep on going the way they are I have a good mind of calling work and telling them I'll be back next week!

Have to say: I am so relieved that it didn't take my mouth months to get better! And although my face still hurts, I can at least articulate again and that's all I need to get working again :) Guess the exercises did work! I guess the pain in my face is nerve pain and I am taking painkillers for it but all and all I am so happy I could just jump around!

Truth be told I never expected to get better this soon and ok, my face is still drooping but I have faith that's gonna be allright too, and I don't care if that's gonna take 3-6 months or even a year. As long as I can talk I can work so that's good!

Ok, don't have much else to tell, just wanted to share the good news with y'all :)

Have a wonderful day!

Hugz, Anna

(Temporarily) Laid off...

Got a phonecall from work today. They asked how I'm doing and when I can come back... Of course I had to explain Bell's palsey again and also had to tell there's no saying when it'll be over.

So since I was still in my trial month I am gonna be temporarily laid off. Have to call them when my mouth works again so they can give me a new contract. I KNEW IT! Why can't things just go smooth, why do I have to get some obscure ailment nobody knows what starts or ends it. I hate this! With my first pay I was gonna repair my scooter finally and from there on I could start saving money... Well, looks like that's all gonna be delayed now.

I am so, so sad about that but I understand work too. Shit happens apparently.

On the other hand...I DO have more time for reading now. Last season I watched this great HBO series, A Game Of Thrones. It is based on the 'A Song Of Ice And Fire' series by writer George R.R. Martin and my son gave me the first 4 books in paperback format for my birthday. They're all about 1000 pages so although they do look 'small', the paper is thin and the letters tiny ;) I have been walking around with 'A Game Of Thrones' ever since I got the giftbox, I read some in the bus going to work, and always read 1 or 2 chapters in bed before going to sleep.

I am VERY happy to announce I have started in book 2 now: 'A Clash Of Kings'. And since the HBO series followed the first book very well I can't wait to see the 2nd season... and I am reading it now :) The books are lovely, well written and I don't think it's gonna take me almost 2 months to finish this one.

There was another tv series I well liked: 'Legend Of The Seeker', based on the books of Terry Goodkind. And that writer has written another book, first of a series too I think, called 'The Laws Of Nines' And guess what: my son bought me that book too :) In Dutch this time but who cares ;)

And of course part 5 of 7 of  'A Song Of Ice And Fire' is just out now! Only in hardcover edition for now but by the time I am ready for it it should be out in paperback :)

So you see, I have LOTS of reading to do...now that I have lots of time to do just that!

Y'all have a great day, 

Hugz, Anna

Bell's palsey really sucks... Ben&Jerry's therapy helped a bit :p

Here I am, writing in the very early morning hours, haven't slept yet. And I can't sleep. Not because of my eye, that closes ok at night, I just have trouble keeping the cornea hydrated by day since I can't blink. But I'm gonna call the doctor for drops or a gel today, promise!

Yes, my face dropped a bit more since everything started. My speech is even worse than it was and things like eating and drinking aren't going too good either. I have been to the doctor on Friday and he told me again it may take up to several weeks or even months to heal and he gave me another appointment for over 2 weeks. He even said the Prednisolone might not even work, and make me depressed. Bloodglucose is through the roof.

How encouraging is that huh? Well I have Prednisolone for one more day and then I'm at least done with that. 

I decided on some therapy today. Ben&Jerry's whole pint therapy! I got me a pint of something new-ish I had seen: Coconutterly Fair. Choco icecream with coconut caramel swirls and chocolatey coconut caramel crunch. Took me almost an hour to finish the whole pint and it was sooooo DELICIOUS!!! Got me in a total sugarrush and I felt happy for a few hours :p

Hey, I promise: I only do something like this when I really really need it! It has been at least 2 years since I ate a whole pint of B&J's! I think I had 1 or 2 of those tiny 1 person tubs in the meantime!

But...damn! I was so happy I finally landed a job and now...I don't know what's gonna happen! I am still in my trial period so I have no idea what the consequences are gonna be... I may even be laid off again :( I'll tell them I'll do anything, as long as I don't have to talk...

*Sigh* Should see if I can get some sleep at least...otherwise I am gonna have a looooong day ahead of me!

You all stay safe and healthy!

Hugz, Anna

Silly face...

Yeah, so I am all happy to have a job again and after a long weekend I'm all ready to go back to work. But then there was this....little snag on Monday.

I woke up with a massive headache. Nothing to worry about I think, that happens quite a lot lately so I take 2 paracetamols and just go ahead doing what I do usually in the morning: watch stuff on BBC and look at my mail and FaceBook. I made coffee and when it was ready to drink I take a sip and...what the f***? Coffee is coming out of the right side of my mouth. Oooookay.... So I take a mirror and have a look at my face. It doesn't look allright so I start making faces at it. And find out that the right side of my face is not working along with the left side.

Well, I kinda dismiss it, thinking I am tired or something and I go shopping, had to go to the mall because the supermarket there had some nice offers and *cough* my fave clothes store is right next to it and they had some very nice offers too, end of sales ;) I got a top (was €19.95 now €7,00), a fancy short jacket (from €34,95 for €7,00) and two pairs of leggings (each from €14,95 for €2,00). I looove shopping like that :D

When I got home again I decide to take another look at my face and had to admit it got worse. So I decided to look up the symptoms on the internet and think: oh I just can go to work tomorrow and visit the doctor on Wednesday. 

At night, when Dan got home we talked a bit and Dan is definitely concerned about me. He tells me numerous times to call the doctor immediately but I tell him it's night so why bother them with something minor. He even tells me to call off work (something he'd NEVER do) and please visit the doctor the next morning then. But I am still stubborn. After we turn on the cams his concern even grows, and I can see too my face is really drooping. Since I smoke like a chimney and am a diabetic Dan suspects I might be having a TIA.

Ok, now I am starting to get scared. And when my sister Andrea comes online the two of them start to chat behind my back and Dan tells me to go online with Andrea and show my face on cam. Reluctantly I do and she too starts to tell me I may be having a TIA and should call the doctor immediately. So okay, to make the two of them happy I make the call and have to go to the hospital immediately. Have to call my son too to take me there because they don't want me to drive myself.

Keep in mind please it is 4 am by now! And I am a bit scared but still really convinced it could have waited until morning! My son got scared by the word TIA, one of his sister's friends just had a stroke at 22 yrs of age...

When we get to the hospital the doctor is very nice and diagnoses me with what I thought it was all the time: Bell's palsey. He too says I have the risk factors for a TIA so it is good I came by and because the palsey only started in the afternoon he wants me on prednisolone as soon as possible to have a better chance on healing. He gives me a patientletter to read everything once again and puts a special little insuline schedule on it because the prednisolone may highten my bloodglucose.

So here I am now, taking my meds, monitoring my bloodglucose levels, talking like I had half a bottle of whisky too much and dabbing my eye and nose with a tissue because stuff keeps coming out :p Can't eat soup (bummer, my ultimate comfort food :p) and drink coffee through a straw. It can take weeks to months before I am all normal again. I just hope my speech comes back first because I wanna work!!!

On the other hand, I am in the good company of people like George Clooney, Milo Ventimiglia and Joe Mantegna. I think especially the last two are still a little bit lopsided but I also think that's kinda sexy ;)

Well, it's time to face the world again and go do some shopping. Cy'all soon again!

Hugz, Anna

 

Working Girl...

Today was my first day at work. I had to come in early because I had to turn in my contract and other papers before noon. Although I slept well, I woke up long before the alarm so I had ample time to get ready, and at work even have a (free!) coffee or 2-3, smoke enough to last me 2 hours and read a bit in the sun.

 

 

I am working on a new project for the company so my day started with a briefing. We're offering old clients a very nice deal to subscribe to a computer magazine. I wanted to look intelligent and ask questions but alas, it was all clear and I know the magazine well :D

Well, I made 7 sales in my first shift and was told that was very good for a starter on a starting project. I made one little mistake my supervisor said, and we're going to iron out some things later.

All and all, I am happy I have a job again even if I'm only a callcenter agent :D

Cy'all soon, 

Hugz, Anna

The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth...

I had a LONG talk with Dan last night. I really wanted to know what the hell was going on, why he doesn't want to marry me. I did more research and it turns out that, if I go to the US on a work visa, I will lose my Dutch citizenship in the end and I have to say, I am quite attached to that. While, if I get married to an American, I will get an American citizenship and keep the Dutch one.

Turns out he had his own personal reasons which he told me. He felt quite humiliated because it was stuff his Polish Opa taught him a man never troubles his woman with. But I told him Opa is long dead and we live in 2011 now, and we have a relationship based on equality!

Luckily it is all stuff that can be worked out, and no reason for me at all to feel personally rejected. Which, with my lovely self-confidence, is a big relief of course ;) It is just all gonna take a bit longer than expected but I'll be leaving for the US in the end. And that's what it's all about! (And I will be keeping my Dutch citizenship too *\o/* )

Yesterday my contract for my new job arrived. As I expected it was a 6 month, 0-hours contract which ends on 1/31/2012. When I go to the supermarket I'll copy it and send it to Social Services. I hope I can get to 32 hours FAST so I won't be needing the money from Social Services anymore and I can save some money and have my scooter repaired :p And save for my next trip to Chicago of course!

And of course I will still be searching for a job in or near Enkhuizen. There are some callcenters in a city near Enkhuizen but I will keep that as a last resort, since they never give you fulltime work right away. So either I have to have some money saved or just find another job.

Dan is still planning to come overhere. No word on when yet but this year for sure! It's been 13 months since I saw him last, well, saw him in real life and I miss him so much!

It has been a while but at long last a lot is happening in my life again. I have learned a lot in the time I was home jobless, most importantly I learned to live with little money so I can go on doing that and save, save, save! I have never had as little money as I had the past year and a half and I managed quite nicely.

I will try to update my blog regularly again, but no promises ;)

Cy'all soon again! *Hugz*

Anna

Yup, I'm back!

Nope, sorry, I didn't get Raptured :')

I was just a little bit bored and depressed and stuff because I have been without work for so long :p So I have a good reason to start writing again BECAUSE I LANDED A JOB!!!! Yes, a real paid one even :') Ok, it's not the best of jobs and somehow I am even a little bit ashamed because I am once again a callcenter agent.

Yes, I am one of those annoying people that call you when you least expect it to sell you something you really don't need. The callcenter I am gonna work for now is a lot bigger than the one I worked at before and the desks are nice and roomy and have little walls so they kinda look like cubicles. In my first month there I will work 12 hours a week although I will try to get that to 32 hours a week asap. And my first assignment there is working for a computermagazine I happen to know and like. So not a bad start! They already asked me for a multilingual project for a travel agent so I can use my English and Italian :)

Other news... I won't be going to the US on a fiancée visa because Dan absolutely doesn't wanna get married. The #@#&%^&%#^!!! At first I felt really personally rejected but then I thought: I am not gonna take everything personal! Dan is looking for a job for me, so let's all hope and pray he finds one soon :p

In the meantime: I can't really stay here living at my son's house. It's been almost 2 years now and still no hope for a house of my own... So my sweet sister Andrea invited me to come live at her house in Enkhuizen. So I'll need to find a job there and mooooove! My son thinks it's gonna be easy peasy apparently, I've been looking for a week now (ever since Andrea invited me) and my darling little boy calls me every now and then and asks: 'Well, found a job yet? ' *Sigh* Oh well...

Anyway...I am kinda hopeful again and happy I found a job at least! Time to crawl out from under my rock again ;)

Have a great day !!!!

Hugz, Anna