I mentioned in my last entry that my future M.I.L., Barb was whisked away due to ill health by ambulance. As if that in itself wasn't enough to cause us concerns as to what was happening with her- the hospital in our area decided to fuck with our heads a little extra just to piss me off a little and cause me to lose a lot more hair I can;t really afford to shed.

You see, they have this new system at our hospital here. I guess it's supposed to be this new and improved part of patient care. When a patient is admitted, as Barb was- they give you a 5 digit code to give your family or friends who might need or want to call the hospital and check up on your status. And then anyone having that precious code can be given any information on the patient's status, room, direct phone number, etc. Awesome. NOT! I mean, I am pretty sure that it could be a great thing- when it works.

Barb was taken in to the city by ambulance. She was alone. No one followed them or anything as everyone was running on zero hours of sleep and were helpless anyway. So we attempted to call the hospital and get any info. We were told she wasn't there. WHAT?! Was she discharged? She hadn't called anyone. I called back a bit later and found out she must have been "between floors." She was there, and even had a room. Good then. What's going on.

Well, soon as I gave them her 5 digit cold they'd be happy to tell us. What code? Then the lady proceeds to explain. To which we're left to explain that Barb entered the hospital by ambulance- alone. No one was there to get her g*damn code. But without it, they were helpless to tell us anything. I wanted to render that receptionist helpless!

After much arguing and wasted breaths, I was finally patched through to her room. Where for the rest of the day and into the night- the phone rang. And rang, and rang, and rang- and rang s'more. Nothing. Well, what the fuck? Mom FINALLY called the next morning. Apparently, the ringers are turned off on all of the phones until an admitted patient turns them on. Well fuck me gently with a chain saw!

The woman could have been int he morgue there for all we fucking knew! Christ almighty reach down and strangle the hospital worker who thought up that fucking system.

So okay, his Mom's not dead. Turns out it wasn't even pancreatitis. She had a very severe bladder infection that was causing the extreme flu like symptoms and high fever. However, when they were running the battery of blood tests (y'all know what vampires await fresh blood in hospitals) they found that Mom had suffered a heart attack. A fucking heart attack. One month before her 49th birthday. Have mercy...

They were s'posed to have run a catheterization (sp?) test today on her. It's where they'd stick a scope up through her groin to her heart. She wasn't thrilled about that- but who would be. But they couldn't run the tests because she had deficient magnesium levels and her heart was agitated. Grrr. So we don't know how bad the attack was, how much damage it caused if any or if she has any clogged arteries or anything. So we're left waiting and relying on the hospital's crazy fucking "system." Lord help us.

On a more positive note, since Mom was gone and Nicol, Samantha and I had plans to wake up at the ass crack of dawn to go to a Bridal Expo at the resort- we decided to have a slumber party that night at their place. What a trip that turned out to be. LOL!

I stayed the night so that I could get some rest and wake up early enough. I didn't want to have to try to haul my ass out of bed and trek a mile down the road in the bitter cold of northern Michigan's wintry hell just to shower and get ready. Well, it was fun to say the least! Unfortunately, we didn't get to bed 'til after 2 a.m. And at the exact moment I fumbled my way to the girls room to the bed they made up for me, I awoke them with my severe hysterical fits of giggling that seemed to be quite uncontrollable!

Once they were up, it was over for sleep. We lay there and talked and talked and talked. We kept swearing to just "one more cigarette," and finally- almost a pack later for everyone and a quick glance at the clock signaling it was well after 6 a.m., we slept. That is, until the alarm went off at 9 a.m. and we had to get ready. Get Shane off to work and hit the road to make the bridal expo.

I have never before attended a Bridal Expo. But man, what fun I had! They treated all the bride elects to such respectful pampering. You could just see the dollar signs in every vendors eyes the minute they spotted the rocks on the fingers of the women who were there seeking help in planning their big days!

There were fashion shows, (Samantha enjoyed that immensely. I kept hearing how hot this chick or that one was until Nicol got a bit irked and told Samantha she could go home with one of them if she liked)There were tons of cake vendors and one caterers booth all offering delicious samples. Well, one cake decorator awed me with his work.

When I inquired to his selection of sugar free confections, he gave me a load of bull shit about how the one or two people who might need sugar free desserts were insignificant. I explained that I, the bride- would be innocent of the charge. He laughed and went on about how we can't please everyone. Then I had to try to tuck away my inner-bitch and explain that he misunderstood me. I said I was innocent. He was ignorant. I explained that I had had gastric bypass surgery and was not supposed to eat sugar as it caused "dumping." He said, well, then you're insignificant. It's not about you. It's about pleasing your guests and making them happy. You're grateful to them for showing up and their gifts. You wine them, dine them and give them sugary confections and deal with it.

Well again, fuck me gently with a chain saw. I am NOT! repeat- NOT! insignificant. It is my day. And he could kindly fuck off in his sugar sweet dream world but my money would not be his to have.

I mean, puh-leez! I did thankfully, find a baker who was all too happy to explain that she could accomodate my needs with a sugar free layer if need be. Thank God there are still some people out there who can make their customer's happy. Yanno?

My weight loss is kind of blah right now. I'm still stuck at 240 pounds, so I'm significantly smaller, yes. But I have hit one hell of a plateau which frustrates me to no end. But I have managed to lose 127 pounds, so that's a blessing! I just really want the next 25 pounds or so to melt away with a quickness. I have a wedding to get ready for. I want to be thin, healthy and dead fucking sexy on my special day damn it! I have come to far to not succeed now!

My hair has thinned like you wouldn't believe. It's definitely noticeable. And as if the showing scalp wasn't a dead ringer, the loose strands and clumps of hair that fall down onto my clothing should be a dead ringer. It's bad enough that I am thinking a wig might be in order when the wedding arrives.

We still have no running water. I am still grateful for the in-laws-to-be allowing us the use of their free flowing water for bathing and laundry. I am even planning to cart my dirty dishes there tomorrow after work to be washed and rinsed in a proper, non-prairie like manner.

Right now, everything just sucks moose cock in a major way! I am trying to see the humor in it all- honest. I am even making jokes and light of it all myself. But there are those on again- off again moments where things just seem to get the best of me and stress makes way to tears.

But this too, shall pass. At least that's what I am told. And if not, well then- I guess I'll be the thinning bald woman about town. I s'pose it could be worse. I just can;t think of how right this moment.

Simply,

Sara