dude...it is hot.

in all honesty, it is probably very pleasant most places here, for example, in a hammock, on the beach, in the ocean...however today in my laboratory (yes, I pronounce it the way an evil scientist would....) the a/c went out and it worked its way towards 90 degrees. I know because I checked. :) so, as I sweated in front of a microscope in what could very well have been the 3rd circle of hell I thought to myself, self, tonight you need to update your blog...seriously. So I came home, took a cold shower (purposefully), grabbed my pjs hot out of the dryer (which in any other climate would be a good thing--here, ugh) and am now sitting below my living room fan.

Okay, so here are the updates:

Health

Oh happiness is being pain-free. You may all recall I had hurt my back (NOT at work. :) ). It made me gimp around, the pain was horrible. Or so I thought. Until a week and a half ago when I woke up Friday morning, began vomiting, went to work to give a talk on asbestos, continued vomiting, was fairly certain someone was stabbing me in the right kidney (just typing that is giving me a twinge), drove home, took pain pills, vomited pain pills (I know...the waste), told my husband "hospital" and off I went to Governor Juan F. Luis Hospital in Christiansted. Now, typing that sentence was a lot easier than the actual journey. My (poor) husband had to learn to drive on the left hand side with me screeching in agony and then passing out for a little while. And in reality neither of us knew where the hospital was--but I had a good idea.
However, we made it there fairly quickly and I was triaged in ahead of people--which was for the best since I was about to lay on the floor--and it wasn't very clean. They gave me Toradol--which although not a narcotic became MY BEST FRIEND as it helped relieve the pain. Which came back, and then they introduced me to morphine--at which point my wise, wise, husband took my phone away and I took a nap. The nurse tucked my blanket around me so it wouldn't touch the floor because (and I quote), "don't want any of the creepy crawlies to get up there". (I know, ewww, right?) So, long story short, it turned out to be a kidney stone. Holy hell people, drink water, do not get dehydrated, I did, and it is not worth the PAIN. I passed the darn thing per the CT scan but I am kinda disappointed that I didn't get to see it...maybe I could of made a bead out of it or somthin...
So, yeah. I am healthy (now), but I had a hell of a run there for a while.

Neighbors
Sadly, nothing exciting to report. He hasn't spoken to me since Wilkes arrived. It also appears that he has not been beaten up again, so that's good. My landlord apparently arrived back tonight (I see his jeep) but other than that no interesting news there.

Can't really think of much else that's going on. They did a big round of asbestos awareness training at the refinery, so I have been busy--and busy is good. However I don't like to confuse being needed with being important. This job is still hanging on by a thread--not a wussy thread, but a thread.

Hugs to all!