I hear the train a comin'

2006-08-29 - 7:45 a.m.

It's Tuesday and I have the day off. I feel like I definitely need this day off. Lolo has to work today, and in a way, I think this is kind of good. A little break from each other. Not that we really need a break from each, but still.

For the last four days I've been working in the CCU. I love working there, but it can sure be stressful. It's been really busy there lately. Yesterday rounds lasted until 1:30. I didn't quite finish everything, ended up passing quite a bit of stuff on to Deep (who was working 1300) at the end of the day. Several HIT antibodies pending. One of these I suspected highly while the rest of the team didn't seem to agree with me. The other one the team suspected highly while I didn't suspect much at all. Of course it was this other one that got the argatroban drip started. And then, even though she's not on any other anticoagulants, her INR shot up to 13.8! Yikes! I'd never heard of argatroban having such a big effect on INR and I talked to Deep at the end of the day and she told me she thought it would only raise INR by up to maybe 4. But later, I was discussing this with Lolo, curled up on the couch together and he said he'd talked about it with Minnie and she had told him that sometimes people on argatroban have INRs that go clear up to 11 or 12. Now I almost wish I was working today just so I can find out if either of these patients actually have HIT.

Yesterday after work Lolo and I went out to dinner with Butiki and her sister. Butiki is very fun to be with. She always has funny stories to tell. I was tired though, so it wasn't as much fun as it could've been. We were supposed to also go kayaking, but I kinda backed out of that last minute because of tiredness. We went to a restaurant in the U District called Agua Verde. It's right on the water there in the cut between Lake Union and Lake Washington. The food was very yummy (I had the catfish tacos), but the service really sucked.

So today I don't have too much planned. Just shopping, I guess. I need to buy my parents an anniversary card (34 years) and probably a gift card for dinner somewhere too. Grocery shopping probably. This weekend is Lolo and my one year anniversary. He's taking me out to dinner Monday evening. I'm thinking maybe I should buy myself a new outfit for that. And do I need to get him an anniversary present too? I've always been opposed to the present thing, but what if he gets me something?

And now for a quiz taken from Heavenly Ginger:

The "Older People" Survey (Meant to be completed by those ADULTS out of high school)

Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids?

'Have you ever kissed someone?'
'Missed someone?'
'Told someone you loved them?'
'Drank alcohol?'

Here are some questions for the people who are a little ... Okay, okay... OLD FOLKS like us......

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? My credit card bill because I'm anal and always go through all my receipts and match them up with the charges on the bill to make sure everything's square. It's a lot of work. Also, it's always the largest bill I have (partly because I pay several other bills with this credit card).

2. What's the best place to eat a romantic dinner? Home.

3. Last time you puked from drinking? Never.

4. When is the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar? Never. I've never been drunk.

5. Name of your first grade teacher? Mrs. Teitzel.

6. What do you really want to be doing right now? Reading.

7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?A librarian.

8. How many colleges did you attend? Just one, unless you count the Chinese class I took at the local JC for fun while I was in pharmacy school.

9. Why did you wear the shirt that you have on right now? Lolo said he likes it, plus it's comfy and bright red and non-cotton.

10. GAS PRICES! First thought? Thank goodness I can walk to work.

11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you... Lolo, of course, and it would be to a nice house in the Seattle area...perhaps in Magnolia.

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? I don't have to go to work this morning!

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night? Probably something mushy about Lolo.

14. Favorite style of underwear? Low-rise briefs.

15. Favorite style of underwear for the opposite/same sex? Briefs.

16. What errand/chore do you despise? Ironing.

17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer at an art gallery? No, probably more like the library or a concert hall.

18. Get up early or sleep in? I prefer to get up early, and go to sleep early too.

19. What is your favorite cartoon character? Inspector Gadget.

20. Favorite NON sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy? Cuddle. Cuddle and talk. Cuddle and read.

21. A secret that you wouldn't mind everyone knowing? If I wouldn't mind everyone knowing, it wouldn't be a secret.

WHAT HAPPENED TO 22 and 23? They eloped with 40 and 41.

24. Your favorite lunch meat? Turkey.

25. What do you get every time you go into Costco? I'm a girl living alone in a one bedroom apartment--I don't shop at Costco.

26. Beach or lake? Lake, as long as I get to go to the beach sometimes too.

27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual that was invented by people who died at 20? No.

28. Who do you stalk on MySpace? I've never been to MySpace.

29. Favorite guilty pleasure? Used books. I own hundreds but I keep buying them.

30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about? Save the Last Dance.

31. What's your drink? Diet Mt. Dew.

32. Cowboys or Indians? Cowboys.

33. Cops or Robbers? Cops.

34. Do you cheer for the bad guy? No, not generally.

35. What Hollywood star do you think resembles you best? None, really.

36. If you had to pick one, which cast member of "Lost" would you be? I haven't really seen that show.

37. What do you want when you are sick? Rest.

38. Who from high school would you like to run into? I wouldn't mind seeing most of my friends from high school, but I wouldn't really mind not seeing them either. There is a friend from junior high I'd love to run into though.

39. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? There are three country stations in the Seattle area (KMPS, KKWF,and KNBQ), I have all three programmed into my radio and flip between the randomly depending on which one isn't playing commercials at the time. I have no idea which one was on last.

42. Norm or Cliff? Cliff.

43. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? The Cosby Show.

44. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back? Probably the way I broke up with my first boyfriend...or the way I let my relationship drag on with him after it should've been long over.

45. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work? This doesn't apply to my work, but I like everybody I work with.

46. If you could get away with it, who would you kill? There's no one I would even dream of killing.

47. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? There's nobody famous I'd really like to have dinner with, but if I had to...Hugh Jackman maybe...or Phil Vassar...

48. What famous person would you like to sleep with? Assuming we're in some sort of alternate reality where this wouldn't constitute cheating or involve any sort of painful emotions for anybody, probably Hugh Jackman.

49. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? No.

50. Last book you read for real? Is it possible to read a book not for real? Last finished "Love in the Present Tense" by Catherine Ryan Hyde and currently reading "The Prestige" by Christopher Priest.

51. Do you have a teddy bear? I have a stuffed cat named Boomer, but he's kind of gone by the wayside since I started spending my time with Lolo.

52. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth? In the airport bathroom after getting off the plane so I could kiss Lolo hello unselfconsciously after eating whatever grossness had been served during the flight.

53. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? I'd like to go see San Diego, I went there when I was in 3rd grade but don't remember it very well. As for places I've never been in California...the top of Mt. Shasta? Mt. Whitney?

54. Number of texts in a day? Is this referring to text-messaging? I text-page doctors with recommendations at work all the time, and sometimes text-page Lolo when he and I are both work decentrally at the same time, but outside of work I don't do any text-messaging.

55. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or relationship? Neither, I'm very happy in both my career and my relationship.

56. Do you go to church? No.

57. Pencil or pen? I prefer pencil, but have to use pens at work.

58. bueller??? bueller??? bueller? I'm still here.

59. How many jobs have you had? Six. 1) Assisstant to the assisstant to the Dean of the School of Music in my university 2) Intern pharmacist 3) Pharmacy Intern 4) Pharmacy Resident 5) Relief Pharmacist 6) Critical Care Pharmacist

60. What do you want to achieve in life? Happiness for me and those around me. I want to spoil my grandchildren.