Pharphuugglefluggen...

.. is what is said in the Horseshoe Nebula whenever a Schniznatz sneezes...but of course, that has nothing to do with us...for the present.

2007...what a year. Yup, I'm glad it's over. See ya year - don't let the door hit ya in the ass. Here's yer hat, what's yer hurry. It's been fun but not that much. So a fond farewell to broken computers...to heart attacks...to butter I really hate to say goodbye to butter, but if I want to say goodbye to heart attacks..I guess it's the best thing. And good bye to G Dubbs! Course, the future king or queen of America ain't lookin too strong...sigh. Let me see, which corporation shall I vote for...hmm..Halliburton? Time Warner? Disney? oh wait, Disney is Time Warner...I wonder if Time Warner is Halliburton..who the heck knows??
But it's okay...really it is. Because none of that has anything at all to do with the real reason we are all here...and that's love. So..inspite of the bitchin and moanin and complaining...it's the helping hands..the kind words, the pats on the back...all the little tiny things that don't seem like they really do much good..but they are invincible weapons. One smile can change a person's entire day...one word of encouragement can restore a person's faith when they're running on empty. No money is needed...hardly any time. You just look at someone...see the worry in their eyes, and show them your pearly whites. Most people will respond...some won't...but those who don't will be very curious why someone would offer a smile for free! It will get them thinking! So don't be afraid - join the army of kindness today. Wear a smile and even if you feel like poop yourself...you can't help but feel the smile if you're wearing it! Happiness is contagious and it's the best way to fight the war of the blue that seems so anxious to invade the lives of so many people! Times might be hard, but that's when people are at their best. We've seen it so many times before and we can do it again! If ya need one..just step right up..Pye hugs for free here..I need 'em, and I give 'em!
Happy New Year 2008 to ALL!
May the World Love Itself and Stop all the insanity~

It is so wonderful to hear from all of you again and I thank you for your messages~
Unfortunately, time does not stand still for healing or for the appreciation of good things; my mom (81 years) had to be hospitalized with pneumonia and other maladies which I cannot get a clear explanation of from the doctor in charge and seeing that virtually everyone in the fam is out of town for the holidays, I'm the only one here to take care of her.
So, I won't be doing a whole lotta bloggin right away - because Moms come first. Wish us luck though, as it seems the little lady, who we have always referred to as "98 lbs of screaming steel" has about run out of steam and I need to regain my strength NOW.
Thanks people - I remain your
Pye

So, I'm lying on my sofa...relaxing and watching CSI:Miami; just appreciating the phenomenal talent of Eric Deltoid, er, Delko...when my chest begins to hurt. It was like an aching in the center of my chest, y'know? And kind of a burning too.
Of course my first response was that I was having a bit of gastric distress, right? So I take a couple of Tums...and they do absolutely nothing at all.
So, I'm thinking...well, it's anxiety, of course...because it's 11 o'clock at night and the last thing I want to do is bother anybody! Alright, anxiety..I can fix that. I lay down flat; do some deep breathing and will my muscles to relax and unwind.
My chest hurts more.
Hmmm...well, this is not good, I think to myself...not good at all. What the hell, am I having a heart attack? Like yeah, that's really going to happen...I'm obviously just having a major anxiety attack and the more I'm thinking about it, the worse it's getting.
But the worse it's getting and I'm having trouble breathing, and maybe this isn't anxiety....
This inner argument went on for about 45 minutes to an hour...until the pain in my chest was about an "8" on the 1 to 10 scale as they always ask you in the ER. I finally decided I needed to be checked out and since I don't drive and it was too late to call anyone; I had to call the local rescue squad. A friend of mine was on that night, which made me a feel a little more at ease. I said, "Well Cindy, what do you think..am I just having a big anxiety attack?" And she said, "Well girl, maybe it is, but your blood pressure is 232 over 156, so we're taking you to the hospital!" Yup...okay.
In the ambulance they immediately hooked me up to an EKG, which spit out a totally normal reading. They gave me two baby aspirin and then a nitro glycerin. The fact that the chest pain began to subside as soon as the nitro started to dissolve should have been a good indication, but I was still convinced I was just panicking. As a matter of fact, the immediate thought in my mind when the cardiac specialist waltzed into the ER room and introduced himself was, What the heck do I need a cardiologist for? Imagine my surprise when he said, "our tests indicate you have had a myocardial infarction so we will be keeping you overnight and running more tests to find out where the blockage is in your heart".
Myocardial what? blockage in the where? That's impossible, I've been eating whole grains and vegetables my entire life! I hardly eat any red meat...I don't eat junk food...W T F??

So, there are several morals to this story...number one...BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY. If you aren't sure what the pain is...get checked out. Number two...you can be in the middle of a heart attack and have a completely normal EKG. The only way to know for certain if you have had or are having a heart attack is to have a blood test that tests for a certain protein that is released into your blood during a heart attack. Number three - you might have taken excellent care of yourself your whole life...eaten the right foods, done all the right things, and still have heart disease. The only way to know is to get your cholesterol checked. If your doctor tells you it isn't necessary, INSIST.
The reason I'm sitting here writing today, is because I called for help. Don't be afraid or embarrassed to do so. My family is very happy that I did!

In looking over my past entries, apparently my computer died last July! It's a good thing I started writing this stuff down because my memory is shot.

So, you know - the computer died, luckily I had purchased a thing to download data onto...can't remember the name of it...can't remember my way home. Course, that's partly the fault of the medication I'm on. But anyway..I was able to save my artwork and photos. What really killed me was I lost my music Over 1000 separate songs...it's been gut wrenching.

Summertime was crazy busy as usual. Everyone in NY moves at double speed trying to pack in twice as much life during our very short summer here. Every weekend there is a picnic, or a fair, or a reunion...by September all I can think of is "let there be snow" just so I can rest! This summer was no different and we spent some great days by the lakes enjoying warm breezes and the sounds of our own laughter. After being estranged from my brother and his family for five years, it is a real blessing to have this togetherness again.

I felt good enough to cook the turkey at Thanksgiving for everyone, and thought everything was copasetic...until Thursday night, the 29th of November.

I'm lounging on my sofa late in the evening, watching reruns of my new favorite show - CSI:Miami - (another blog)when my chest starts to hurt. To make a long story short, and because I want to speak about the problem of heart disease in more depth later; I had a heart attack! A month ago tomorrow as a matter of fact...it was a very scary experience, I can tell you. But I'm much better now, having had stents placed in the artery that was blocked.

I'm just happy to be here blogging again though! I must be feline in nature and I've had to have gone through more than half of the nine allotted lives by now as well... The experience freaked me out quite a bit at first, but then I realized, I'm going out dancing and singing, not sitting on me arse being afraid..so, don't look for me there.

Sure am glad to be back with y'all though!
Excelsior!
Pye

Wow...I feel like I've been stung, spun and spit out of some hairy vortex and landed up right back here where I started!
Last June my computer died...totally! But now I'm writing on this brand spankin new one that my kids got me for Christmas! I'm so happy!! I have the greatest kids~ I gotta say, not having a computer was kind of like being in solitary confinement...and in many ways it felt like punishment.
One of the positives that came out of it though was I reconnected with actually writing in a journal with a pen! Cripes..almost thought I'd forgotten how. There is just something wonderful and intimate about writing with a pen in a book and I'm glad I rediscovered it. In a way, it felt like rediscovering a part of myself and I also feel like I make a deeper connection when I write like that.
I sure have been getting to know me in ways I wasn't prepared for...but I will write more about that in the future...now that I'm BACK!!! I'm so excited to be able to join the Stream again! Not having all of your ideas and emotions...your good vibes; not being able to express my own feelings - or say what was on my mind, it was depressing! And I was in this really strange place and this weird group of people kept following me around...a Dr. Lion, and a Dr. Scarecrow...and I kept telling everyone that I just wanted to go home~
Anyway..I really look forward to sayin howdy hi to all of my former pals here, and to making new ones too! So HELLO EVERYONE in the Stream! Pye is back...limping and a bit ragged, but still scrappy! Just point out the 50 yd line and tell me which way to run...
Hugs to everyone!