Category: Picture Time

Another one of my photographs from our afternoon at the Cockrell Butterfly Center. To see it in its full glory, click on it to get to Flickr.

The fun thing about photographing butterflies, especially when using the close-up filters, is that I never really know for sure what I got until I get home and view the pictures full size. Some of them looked great in the small preview screen on the camera, but when I got home the part I wanted to see as clear (like the face of the butterfly) was fuzzy – I have such a small margin of focus to work with that it makes it more of a challenge – and gives me more satisfaction when I find the quality photographs in the bunch.

Hand Update: I took the steri-strips off last night (ew) and got to see my incisions for the first time. When did I become so freakin’ squeamish? I never had issues with things like this before, and now … ew. That is all I could say, over and over. Ew.

I’ve gone without my splint for most of the day today (the doctor said I don’t need it, but can wear it if I want) and so far, so good. I do still feel like my hand is curved and I can’t straighten it – like I am holding the computer mouse. I think that is just from the soft-cast and the incision in the center of my hand, and I’m sure as the scab goes away it will get better. I have some pain in my wrist and thumb still, especially when I try to move my hand from side-to-side. I also have difficulties opening things like jars or turning doornobs. My overall recovery time is 6 weeks though, and we aren’t even at the 3 week mark yet, so I know some of this will improve with time.

I’m off to try to knit now. I signed up in November for a class on Aran sweater knitting next Tuesday taught by Beth Brown-Reinsel and I want to make sure I’m up for it! I would really hate to miss this class, but there is a waiting list to get in. If I’m not up to knitting, I can pass my spot on to someone else. The doctor said I’m ready; I hope he is right!

I have a Biology test tomorrow. Half of it I’ll do ok on – it is about genetics, which I think is cool, so it is easier for me to learn. Some of it is more in depth and more memorization than my brain seems to be up to these days, so I’m a little stressed about that. *sigh* At least I now know that my blood type is really IAi, and I must have inherited the “i” from my mom who is Type B, and the IA from my dad who is Type A. I am also Type A (A- to be exact) and could pass on either the IA or the i to any future children. See how much I’ve learned?

Oh well, pretty pictures are a good distraction from studying. I need to find some time to go take more photographs with my new camera. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that is going to happen this week between tests and finals right around the corner. I hope I can keep my 4.0 average, but Biology might get the best of me. I guess it is time to get back to the books.

The above photo can be downloaded as a wallpaper. Please let me know if you use it – it is nice to know that my pictures go to a good home.

It has been a crazy week, from Sunday evening through today. Here is the rundown:

– Sunday I went to the emergency room because around 4:00 in the afternoon the left side of my face started to go numb. This is not normally a good sign. Add to that the fact that I have borderline high blood pressure which has been wonky ever since the carpal tunnel/shoulder thing started this summer (cortisone, NSAIDs, it has been a ton of fun), and I was pretty nervous about it. After a cat scan to rule out a stroke or anything else serious, it turned out to be nothing. *whew* However, while I was at the ER my blood pressure went up to close to 200/120, after being 150/100 when I came in to the ER. Which led to …

– I skipped my Chemistry quiz on Monday morning and spent a few hours on the phone finding a better doctor to go to. I then went to class, although I was only there physically. My mind was off in space. I had a 2:00 appointment with a new doctor who is a cardiology and internal medicine specialist, and I really liked her. For the first time in years, I feel like someone actually wants to get to the root of a lot of strange things going on physically. She didn’t make me feel like I was completely neurotic, even though I know I can be, so it was a good day. I have more testing coming up on December 2nd.

– Tuesday I got my last Algebra test back – 96.5! Whoo hoo! However, I could tell I was still battling some sort of bug because I was so drained.

– Wednesday my Chemistry teacher made a point of asking me if I was feeling ok – she said that I looked super tired. I felt it too. After I left class I went by Twisted Yarns to check on the stock of Kureyon for daysies. When I got home, I crashed. I slept for about 4 hours, and then managed to get up, eat dinner, and crash again.

– Thursday – Happy Thanksgiving! Fortunately, I was feeling better. My Mom cooked a fabulous meal – I don’t normally like turkey that much, but it was so delicious! Everything else was wonderful too – I’m still craving more of the stuffing. Mmmm… Afterwards we went through the Black Friday ads and I picked out the things I was going to go shopping for this morning. Matter of fact, I didn’t bother going to sleep – at 2:30 am I realized I would never get back up in time to make it to the stores.

– I went to Wal-Mart at 4:30 this morning, after staying up all night. Then to Circuit City, then to Office Depot, and then to Kohl’s. I finally made it back home around 9 am. I got most of what I wanted to get, although obviously not at the stores I went to first. (I bought nothing at Wal-Mart and Circuit City.) I slept until 1:30, and now I still feel like a zombie. Ugh.

Back to the pretty pictures. So much easier to focus on instead of words right now.