Karen’s Chronicles

 I don’t normally endorse a product unless I’ve tried it and wholeheartedly approve of it. The product I’m about to tell you about is no exception.

The product I’m talking about is the HoMedics Therapist Select™ Percussion Massager.  This thing is freakin’ amazing…truly.  

Both Lonnie and I have tried almost every massaging product we can get our hands on. Before you say it, get your mind out of the gutter. I’m not talking about vibrators for pleasure.      I’m talking about back massagers. Ever since we were in a vehicle accident in 2005, we’ve done whatever we can to alleviate our back pain. We’ve bought all sorts of products ranging from a vibrating back mat thing that you lay on, a vibrating head rest, a vibrating neck u-pillow, every massage oil known to man, every pain pill known to man - and then some, sprays, balms, roll-ons…you name it. We have tried it. Back pain is some of the worst pain ever, so people who suffer from it tend to go overboard looking for relief.

Well, that brings me to this product. While we were at Walgreens about a week ago waiting for a prescription to be filled (ironically enough, it was a prescription for pain meds for our back problems), we were browsing around.  Lonnie happened upon the sale section and in it was the aforementioned massager. Of course, he picked it up and read the box. It sounded great…although both of us have grown very skeptical of these types of products over the past 3+ years.  The Therapist Select™ Percussion Massager normally sells for around $30, but this day it was on sale for half that price. Although we really didn’t have the money to spare, we decided to buy it. If worse came to worse, we could always take it back and tell them that it simply didn’t work…like we’ve done with other products in the past.

To make an already long story short, we’ve used this thing a few times since we first got it. I gotta say…it’s amazing!     That sucker really packs a punch, but in a good way. I mean, yeah…it’s kinda brutal and hurts, but that’s because it’s getting down deep into the muscles.  When you’re suffering from chronic back pain, the last thing you need is some wussie product that barely massages you.

Here are some of the features of this massager:

• High-intensity massage
Dual pivoting massage heads operate at up to 3,100 pulses per minute.

• Variable intensity control
Variable 2-speed control allows you to go from relaxing to invigorating massage at the touch of a button.

• Includes 4 custom attachments
Swap massage heads for softer or firmer massage. Includes attachments for soft, medium, firm, or heated operation.

• Comfortable to use
Lightweight, contoured design that’s easy to hold and use. An extra-long power cord gives you increased mobility.

• Optional heat*

*This product does not provide infrared heat and is not intended for medical use

I gave Lonnie a massage with this thing earlier, and I swear I’ve never heard him “Oooh” and “Aaah” so much. It almost made me feel insecure about my “abilities”…if ya’ know what I mean. If a massager can throw him into such a state of bliss, it must be pretty freakin’ good!

Anyway, that’s pretty much all I have to say about it. If any of you out there suffer from back problems…or even other problems that a good massage can help with, I HIGHLY recommend the HoMedics Therapist Select™ Percussion Massager!

These guys were doing something…

…not sure what…

…in downtown Portland.

 • As the title of this entry suggests, it’s really gloomy again today. I say “again” because it was this way yesterday as well. I’d normally be okay with it, but it seems to be depressing the heck out of me today. Oh well…this, too, shall pass.  

• I’m listening to Alice In Chains - “Jar of Flies”…which is probably a pretty stupid move since it depresses me as well.       Duh!

• We took my son to the doctor last night. He wiped out on his bike the night before and hurt his arm. After getting x-rays and whatnot, we learned that it’s not broken - just a bad sprain.  Whew!  They gave him some Tylenol 3 and put his arm in a splint thingy. He’s got to wear it for 4-5 days and then he should be just fine.

• I’ve been having some REALLY messed up dreams lately. Last night, I dreamed that my boyfriend was an executioner. It wasn’t Lonnie…some other guy who had an uncanny resemblance to Leatherface.  Not his face (thank God)…just his build and choice of attire.    :lol:

• I have been watching a show on BBC America called “Skins“.  It’s quite entertaining. It’s kinda like an English version of Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson’s Creek…but WAY less gay and lame.        It deals with sex, drugs, and coming of age…etc.  I recommend it.

• My Mom went to this place here in Vancouver called Jerusalem Cafe on her way home from a job interview today.  She said the guy who owns it is super nice…his name is Anton, which totally doesn’t fit for an Arab, but okay.        Apparently he ripped my Mom a new one for being ashamed of her heritage.  She’s always lied and told people she was born in San Francisco instead of the truth that she was born in Palestine. She’s dealt with a lot of discrimination in her life, so she says it’s easier to lie than to be up front and tell people she’s an Arab. I say BUNK! I am very, very proud to be Arabic, and if someone doesn’t like it, they can bite my Arab keister. That’s pretty much what Anton told my Mom, too…so maybe she’ll finally start being proud of what she is rather than ashamed. That’d be a really nice change.

• I downloaded IrfanView again. I used to use it years ago, but then for some reason I started using MS Picture Manager instead. I like IrfanView much more. Animated gifs are actually animated when you view them…rather than being still pictures like they are with MS Picture Manager.

• I’ve been sending my BFF, Sarah, text messages from my computer. Hehe…it’s pretty fun, actually. I’m easily entertained, I guess. The only problem is that I’m worried that she’s being charged every time I send a text message, so I’m doing it less than I would like to.  (Sarah, if you’re reading this, please let me know if you’re being charged or not, okay?)

• I said it before, and I will say it again - if you want me to link to you on my sidebar, just let me know! I’m wanting more junk over there, so I’m more than happy to oblige.   

• Speaking of my sidebar, I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but I have an Anti-Obama thingy over there.  I would like to clarify that I am in no way, shape, or form a Republican. (other than the fact that I’m totally pro-life)  I will not be voting for McCain, either. I can’t stand the guy. I really, really can’t stand Obama, though, so that’s why I’ve got that there. That’s all I will say on the matter. The last thing I want is another political debate. I pretty much couldn’t hate political debates more than I do right now.

• I really need to pee!      I’ll be right back!…….

• Ahhhhh….relief!  

• School starts on the 3rd of September, and we’ve yet to buy any clothes or supplies.  My daughter asked me the other day, “Why do we always do the shopping right before school starts?”   I just kinda stood there and said, “Umm, I have no idea. I guess we’re just last minute kinds of people.”  Really good explanation.  :roll:

• My Mom is going to make Salmon for dinner tonight. Mmmm….I loves me a hunk o’ Salmon!

• I am SO cold right now. Lonnie has the A/C cranked up way too high.      I hate it when our body thermostats aren’t in sync.

• Okay, that’s enough babbling for now.  I’m going to go throw some clothes in the washing machine and do a few other things around the house.  Have a super-duper day and I’ll babble at you again soon!  

I just got off the phone with my Dad. I’m sitting here with tears streaming down my face as I type this.  For those of you who don’t know, my Dad had surgery last Thursday.  He’s been living without the use of the lower chamber of his heart for a few years…AKA heart failure.  People who have heart failure tend to develop enlarged hearts - which is a very bad thing. The more enlarged the heart becomes, the more weak it is.

The surgery my Dad just had is a very new procedure. He volunteered to have  it done…basically to be a guinea pig. He’s the 233nd person in the entire world to have it done. What they do is go in and put a mesh type of bag around the heart. This bag prevents the heart from enlarging…therefore increasing the life span of patients.

The surgery went very well. The doctors said it couldn’t have gone better.  :)  Of course, I’m very happy to be able to say that. My Dad is my hero, my best friend, and one of the few people on the planet who I have genuine respect and admiration for.  In other words, he means the world to me.  The thought of losing my Dad physically hurts. I know that I will probably have to deal with that one day…after all, parents tend to pass on before their children do. I have no idea how I’m going to handle it. I actually can’t think about it for more than a couple minutes or I’ll freak out and start bawling.

Anyway, now that you know what my Dad just went through and how much he means to me, it’s time for me to vent a little. Please forgive me for dumping my problems on you…writing things out has always been the best emotional outlet for me.

As I previously stated, I just got off the phone with my Dad. He is feeling like total shit. He said, “If I would have known then what I know now, I wouldn’t have agreed to have this done.”  He’s in an unreal amount of pain. He’s on pain pills and everything, but still…having your chest sawed open is going to hurt like Hell.  He has a build up of phlegm in his lungs…which is very common after this type of surgery. The doctors have him doing breathing exercises and whatnot to ensure that he won’t get Pneumonia.  Although the exercises are painful and a pain in the keister, he’s doing them. The last thing he needs is Pneumonia on top of everything else.

My Dad has a girlfriend. They have been together for…*thinking*…about 16 or 17 years, I think. At one time, they had talked about getting married, but it never happened. I have no idea why, and I’ve never asked. It’s not my business. I will refrain from using his girlfriend’s name because…well, just because. It doesn’t really matter, but hey - just in case he or she stumbles upon my blog, I’d hate for either of them to get upset. The chances of that happening are very slim, but you never know.

Anyway, my Dad’s girlfriend is a very strong woman. You could say that she wears the pants in the relationship. That’s kinda how my Mom was with him, too. Maybe that’s where I get it from…liking to be with dominant people. I said to my Dad, “I assume that _____ is making sure that you’re doing all of your exercises and everything.”  He said something like, “You could certainly say that!”  Then he proceeded to tell me that he and his girlfriend had gotten into a “screaming match” yesterday. (Yesterday was his first day at home after the surgery.)  I asked him what the heck happened. Here’s what he said…

Apparently ____ has been feeling taken for granted and/or unappreciated.  My Dad said that she got all up in his grill because he’s not being very good about thanking her for the things she’s doing to take care of him. He said that he explained to her that he’s just in A LOT of pain, so he’s not exactly in his right mind and that he can’t stop and thank her everytime she does something for him.  He said that he told her that he really does appreciate all that she has done and is doing to take care of him, but he’s simply hurting and not doing so well.  That’s understandable, right?  I think so.

Apparently his explanation wasn’t good enough for _____.  My Dad told me that they got into such a heated argument that lasted for a while…he said that he was having a difficult time breathing afterwards.  :cry:  He said, “I think we got it all sorted out, but it was ugly for a while.”  Now, I ask you…am I wrong to be upset about this?  I’m still sitting here crying…picturing my Dad in a screaming match with ____ days after having heart surgery. The mental image is killing me inside. I can barely contain my anxiety over the matter. I so badly want to be there for my Dad…and take care of him.  I wouldn’t care if he ever said, “Thank you” or showed appreciation. It’s not about me. It’s about my Dad and his recovery.

My heart hurts…my throat has a lump in it.  I so badly want to call ____ or write to her and ask her to cut my Dad some slack…but I know if I did that, she would probably take it out on my Dad for telling me what happened.  There’s nothing I can do but sit here and feel helpless.  I would give almost anything to be able to be in there taking care of my Dad. I HATE the fact that I was here to help Lonnie’s Dad through his quintuple bypass surgery, but I cannot be there for my own Dad during his heart surgery. I’m plagued by guilt and anxiety.

The thing is, I don’t dislike my Dad’s girlfriend. She’s actually a nice person with a big heart. It’s just that she can be pretty harsh at times. There have been times in the past where I was brought to tears due to her mistreatment of my Dad. She tends to talk down to him and that really bothers me. I cannot stand to hear someone talk to my Dad that way. It’s not like it’s a constant thing or anything…but the fact that it happens at all bugs the heck out of me.  Nobody is perfect, though, and I realize that. I guess I just hold my Dad up so high on a pedestal that when someone isn’t treating him perfectly well, I kinda freak out and get overly upset about it. I’m very protective.

I guess that’s all I have to say on the matter. I feel kinda guilty for coming off like I dislike _____ or something. I don’t…not at all. I just dislike how she talks to my Dad at times….and especially right now. The last thing anyone who has just gone through heart surgery needs is a verbal altercation. The stress of that type of thing is NOT good for anyone…but especially not for someone who’s just been through such an invasive procedure.

*sigh*  Okay, I’m going to shut up about it now. I just had to vent my feelings so that they won’t affect me throughout the rest of the day.  I will continue to post updates as to how my Dad is doing.  If you are the praying type, PLEASE include my Dad in your next prayer.  He’s in a lot of pain…he feels absolutely horrible.  He could really use a relief from the pain.

Thank you for hanging in there with me while I vented. I feel a little better.  :)

• I’ve been Photoshopping all day today. I was supposed to be working on a website layout, but instead I’ve been making graphics for my own use.     Lonnie’s going to kill me!    

• I still haven’t figured out why not all of the smilies show up when I type the shortcuts in. Must be a Wordpress glitch or something.  Oh well…I’m not bothered enough by it to attempt to fix it.

• It’s been SO hot the past few days. My daughter wanted to have a picnic, but there’s no way I’m willing to sit outside in the extreme heat and eat.  We’re going to have to wait and do it once it cools down a bit.

• Lonnie’s cat just went into heat again.  

• I ran out of creamer for my coffee earlier.       I really hate it when that happens.  I much prefer my coffee with a splash of creamer…but I’ll drink it black if need be - which is exactly what I did.

• I was going to call my Dad today, but I doubt that he’s up to talking on the phone. I can’t wait to hear his voice again. I’ve been really worried about him. Knowing he’s all laid up in the hospital and I can’t visit him is killing me!   

• Tomorrow is my Mom’s birthday. Although I dread the idea of turning the oven on, I need to. I’ve got to bake her a birthday cake. Birthdays aren’t the same without a cake & candles.  (She’s turning 61…although she claims to still be 39…AS IF!)

• I just asked Lonnie to rub some Tiger Balm into my shoulders and neck. I hurt SO badly today. I carried a huge air conditioner from downstairs all the way up stairs. I had no choice. Since Lonnie had four teeth extracted, it’s against the dentist’s orders to lift heavy stuff…that left me.  I’m certainly paying for it now. My back hurts!!!

• Wow, cool. I didn’t expect him to rub Tiger Balm on my neck while I sit here, but he just started doing it, so I can continue to blog while I get rubbed down. This is the life!    :D

• I chatted with Amir for a few hours today!       It was so nice to chat with him again. He’s always such a positive influence…he could make the Grinch smile!

•  The vapors from the Tiger Balm are making my eyes burn.    :o

•  Baked Cheetos are so freakin’ tasty! Mmmm!

•  We bought a new doorknob for our bedroom door. I can’t believe it didn’t have a locking knob to begin with. That should be a given, right? I mean, it’s a five bedroom house…a house this big is almost always going to have kids living in it. Parents need a way to lock themselves in their room! The last thing my kids need is to be scarred for life because they came barging into our room and got an eyeful of some X-rated shenanigans! GOSH! Home builders need to use their noggins!

•  I love Legos!

•  Well, it’s 6:30 at night and I have no idea what to make for dinner. We normally eat at 6:30, so this is not a good sign.       I’d better get off of here and go prepare some food for the family.  Buh-bye for now!