Butterfly and the Terrible Awful No Good Very Bad Night

(Disclaimer: This post includes some mild TMI. Don’t read on if you can’t deal with vomit or sweat.)

I forgot to tell you, reader, about how last Saturday went down.

• Near the end of rehearsal, I started feeling very, very shaky; and soon nausea set in. Just as I was about to leave the studio, I realized “I better get home quickly, because I am about to throw up.”

(Have I mentioned this happened during a downpour of Biblical proportions? Because it did.)

• By the time I made it to my exit, I was shaking like crazy. Once I got home I bolted to the bathroom and proceeded to throw up in a violent, painful way. This went on regularly for some five hours; until I finally calmed down enough to keep down some water and saltines.

It’s worth mentioning that Craig was out of town at this time. Even though I tried to distract myself by watching movies on my laptop, and random noise that I heard caused me to jump out of my skin.

• I finally got ready to go to sleep, when I started sweating profusely. I’ve had night sweats before, and I thought this was part of my body’s way to rid itself of whatever had made me sick earlier… but that doesn’t make it any less unpleasant. Your pajamas are soaked and stuck to your skin; all your sheets and pillows because grossly damp, and you become aware of the fact that you don’t exactly smell nice.
• Just as I drifted off, I heard my two cats making a racket. I looked over the edge of the bed, while I didn’t see anything, I could tell by their behavior that there must be a (big) bug in my room. I was NOT equipped to deal with bug-slaying at that moment, so I rolled over and prayed the cats would dispose of it (Sure enough: after mere seconds of hearing Steve claw at the carpet, I could hear him chewing on something that sounded…crunchy).
• I drifted back off again, only to be awakened by Steve throwing up on the carpet…right next to my bed.
• After hearing him scratch on the carpet some more, I discovered he was trying to bury his mess. With my laptop cord.

The next morning I woke up drenched in sweat, and proceeded to clean up cat vomit and look for the remains of The Alleged Bug (I didn’t find them. I guess that’s what made Steve sick?). Then I texted Craig and asked when he would be home, because we sure needed him.

Here’s to better Saturday nights.

 

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Your Cat Is a Jerk: Level 50

I’m quite sick right now (apparently being injured just WASN’T ENOUGH). Last night my husband brought in a plate of food and a glass of water into the room where I was resting, and left both on the bedside table. I didn’t reach for them right away (very drowsy/dizzy; thank you, Doxycic), and a few couple of seconds later I hear “Look at that cat!”

I roll over and look and the little fart is standing on the table, face in the glass, drinking my freaking water.

Bugger.

The plate had chips on it, which I didn’t finish. When I woke up a bit later, he was eating one of the chips (he Has A Thing for tortilla chips).

Jeez, cat. Stealing food and drink from a sick woman!

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Twenty-eight Journeys Around the Sun

Today is my twenty-eighth birthday. It’s a little weird to think that I’ve been a legal “adult” for a full decade.

It’s been a pleasant, though uneventful day so far. I did not teach today because my knee is not ready yet, which was a little disappointing because I enjoy my Saturday classes (but I’d rather be safe than sorry). Instead, Craig made me breakfast, I got a package and a phone call from Mama Butterfly, and we’re going out for a nice dinner this evening.

***

Since this birthday is not terribly blog-worthy, I wanted to share some of my favorite birthday memories from my adult/dancing life:

Twenty-first: That morning I onstage at the Hobby center in a performance for school students. That night, I had final dress rehearsal for the “big” show that the company was performing that weekend–and the directors and other dancers got me a cake and sang to me backstage. How sweet! Afterwards my roommate and another friend bought me a drink at The Proletariat (sadly, now gone). And oddly enough, this was the Daily Bible Verse for that day.

Twenty- second: So far this was the best birthday ever. In the morning I rehearsed Jose Limon’s There is a Time with a dance company– what a wonderful experience that was! After rehearsal, I met up with the dancers from my own dance ensemble, and we piled into a limo (actually a white stretch Hummer) that took us to the airport…where we flew to Pennsylvania for our first (and only) tour. It was a truly magical weekend; and will always treasure those memories. 

Twenty- fourth: On my actual birthday, I went to work and set a ballet that I was very fond of. Nothing too meaningful there. But the day before I’d had my first date with Craig; so it was special in that regard.

***

I have high hopes for my twenty-ninth year on this earth. Really, they’re the same “high hopes” I laid out for myself  less than four weeks ago on New Year’s day; only re-affirmed and with a new sense of fight. Things have not been going my way in the first month of the year, but I’ve resolved to not let it sink me into a deep funk (again).

Someone on FB wished me a happy birthday with the following quote from Nora Ephron: “Above all be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” I really needed to read that, so I thanked the person and copied down the quote (and stuck it next to my laptop, for the next time I’m tempted to whine).

I’m going to close with this little meme, only because I’ve been doing so for eight years now:

</ twenty- seven > < twenty- eight >

 

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Down & Out in Houston, TX

My knee continues to hurt and swell, despite my being very careful on it (especially at work), missing class, resting, and keeping it wrapped & iced down & heated up.

*cue the tiny violins*

First it was frustrating, but now it’s gotten to be depressing.  My usual day-to-day life is very exercise-oriented, and being sidelined from my routine has left me bored and sad. I can’t hike in the beautiful weather or enjoy the dance classes I’ve worked for; I’m missing my internship (my second day!) because I can’t plie without pain; my job (that I love so dearly) is complicated because I can’t demonstrate everything. What’s a dancer to do?

*crescendo of tiny violins*

Worse than the boredom and disappointment, though, is the fear. What if it gets worse? What if something tears, or requires surgery? Dance is not just my joy, it’s my livelihood. What will I do if I become unable to work? And just when things were going well for me, dammit.

***

So. That’s where I am today. Missing a day of dance, hurting, bored, and worried. Trying to alleviate the pain with ibuprofen & ice and the worries with prayer. I should use this down-time for productive non-physical things, like catching up on reading and finding new music for my classes*– it’ll help the boredom and cheer me up a bit, too.

Writing a whiny blog post seemed like a good enough start. 

 

*and resisting the urge to drown my sorrows in tumblr and Netflix

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Rocky Start.

So, how’s your year going so far?

As for mine? Let’s see:  I wasted zero time catching whatever bug is going around the community where I teach (probably didn’t help that one of my little-littles coughed directly in my face on the second day back), and was knocked out sick for three days last week (and missed my first Thursday night of classes).  I felt better by Friday and enjoyed two days of dancing and being outdoors in the bee-youtiful weather… and woke up Sunday morning with a swollen, sore knee. WTF? While I’m thankfully able to teach (albeit very carefully), I haven’t been to a ballet class or a nature hike all week.

In the midst of all that, we had some worries about our truck (which, mercifully, turned out to be nothing), and I evidently had some malware on my blog (no idea what happened there, but it’s fixed now).

The first two weeks of 2014 have been frustrating. I made lots of plans and wanted to accomplish much, but so far I’ve been sick in bed or sidelined with a bag of ice on my knee. It feels like a bad omen, but I’m trying to stay optimistic. And praying for that light at the end of the tunnel.

***

Despite all that, I started a new internship this week, in a youth arts program. It’s a really great program– I’ve known many kids who have been part of it, and even more adults who have taught for it– and I’m really thrilled to be involved. I’m assisting with a teens dance class; they do an hour of modern dance followed by 45 minutes of improvisation. The kids are really great (I’ve worked with at least one of them before), and the teachers are fantastic! I’m looking forward to next Tuesday.

…2014 isn’t off to that bad a start, after all.

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