2009 Stricks Again!

I have been joking for weeks that my body was timing it so I would get sick just in time to be sick on Thanksgiving and my birthday. Well its happening in typical 2009 fashion. Yesterday I woke up with a sore throat and today its worse. The downfall is in full effect. I had things I wanted and needed to do today but I don't feel like getting off the couch. To add insult to injury its is glorious weather and I would love to partake in it.

Brrrrrrr

Its getting colder in SD. The heat is being used daily. I need more jeans and long sleeve shirts. Flannel is back which is awesome. Today the sun was out and it was glorious.

The down side of Tiny House

HAMMERING!!!!! It seems like every day for the past year there has been construction right outside my place. The worst part is the people doing it. My crazy landlord Peter is my least favorite part of all of living at Tiny House. He always makes creepy comments when I walk past him to do laurndry or walk to my car. He literally spends 5-7 8 hour days lurking around. His favorite things to do are pick through rocks, evil laugh, talk loudly outside my window, wasting water and block my garage or parking space. When will it end?

The most wonderful time of year

Baseball season is over and I am free to do what ever I want all the time.

Down with the sickness

So I had a pretty rough May. I got very sick and didn't really know why, but I had the same exact symptoms of when I thought I had food poisoning in Sept. I couldn't believe that I would get food poisoning this bad again. Since I hate going to the doctor so much I tried to ride it out. But after not getting any better for 3 weeks I broke down and went to the doctor. That was a horrible experience. He prescribed me unnecessary antibiotics which I am fairly certain made me way sicker. After not getting better and to 2 more doctors appointments, I was finally referred to a specialist. I diagnosed myself on WEBMD I was pretty sure it was ulcerative colitis so if was just a matter of getting the treatment. The specialist was also thinking it was UC but it needed to be confirmed before treatment could begin.

Now it gets worse. The way it was going to be confirmed was by putting me to sleep and sticking a long camera in my butt. I was fearing this all along. Before the procedure I had to fast to 24 hours and drink 2 liters of this stuff that tasted like spit and lemon scented toilet cleaner. I couldn't do it and I never thought it could be so hard. The procedure confirmed that it was UC and I was prescribed the necessary medicines.

Now it gets worse. The medicines consist of 10 pills a day for pretty the rest of my life. Now the worst part, I was prescribed cream that I have to squirt in my butt before going to sleep and leave it in all night while trying not to fart it out. Followed by pooping it out the morning and I am supposed to do that every day for 3 months. It was so unpleasant that I could only do it 3 times. As soon as I felt a little better I stopped that because you know what really made me feel better, NOT DOING THAT! I'll take the pills which still seems crazy to me but I have to draw the line somewhere. Well I was feeling better and having to take 10 pills a day was crazy. I couldn't believe I really needed to take them and have to forever. So I decided after drinking 3 drinks and eating a huge meal, at Stew's Disneyland Wedding, and not getting sick that I couldn't really have UC and quit taking the medicine.

Now it gets worse. I am feeling good and going though the day to day. Then I get the worst piece of mail I have ever received. It was a letter to follow up with my illness with giardia. WTF!?! The next line of the letter is amazing. "Giardia is a PARASITE." OK WTF for real because one why didn't the doctor tell me this and two how the hell did I get that. So this letter, to confirms that I don't need my UC medication because I can't believe that I am really unlucky enough to end up with UC and giardia.

Now it gets worse. Giardia, like e-coli or salmonella, are reportable illness which are investigated by the county health. Meaning that I am being investigated and since I handle food I am very fearful of being patient zero of some sort parasitic outbreak. While I was being interviewed by the investigator I tell her my doctor never told I had giardia and I am pretty sure I haven't been treated. She tells me that it likely I still have it and need to provide 3 samples of giardia free poop in order to be cleared. She was required to notify my job about the situation. After talking to the investigator I call my doctor to ask WTF? Well my punk ass doctor won't talk to me. The receptionist says she talk to me at my appointment which is 6 days away. Here is where I lose it. I hang up on the lady and am so angry. The investigator knew I had a parasite 6 days before I did. I was so so confused and had so many questions. I had no idea if I still had it. Did I need treatment? Could I really have both UC and gairdia? Do I really need to take 10 pills a day for the rest of life? That question was top at the list because 3 days after I quit the medicine I got sick again.

Now it gets worse. The investigator went to my house to drop off cups for me to put the poop samples in. On the bag it says to wait 48 hrs after finishing treatment to collect the samples. TREATMENT!!!!! What treatment? My doctor didn't even tell me I had giardia never mind treat me for it. My doctors appointment comes and I really expecting her to say that I don't really have UC and the giardia caused my illness and with some medication this whole thing will be over. Rather then living with a life long autoimmune disease. The doctor comes in and I have giardia and need to take very strong antibiotics that kill protozoa. I am also the only patient my doctor has ever had that has tested positive for giardia. So of course my first question is did the giardia cause my problem. The doctor shoots that down right away.

Now it gets worse. The doctors tells me that I have both. The parasites are living in my upper intestine and the UC is in the lower. Well no wonder I felt so bad!!! While most people have UC only at the end of the intestine and some have it on 1 side, I have pancolitis which means I have it in my ENTIRE lower intestine and not one part is normal. Also it would take about six months to heal. LAME!

Now it gets better. I am feeling much better although not 100%. The antibiotic (which brings me daily pill count to 13 btw) are messing with my concentration. I have since burnt the shit out of both my hands in a freak peanut brittle accident. I burnt 3 racks of ribs after lowering the temp but not hitting the enter button. So the ribs cooked at 350 for like 5 hours. And tripped in a hole while walking on the beach. Thankfully I am done with the antibiotic this week. I am still taking the 10 pills but I can't bring myself to do anymore ass cream treatments.

Jay's 30th Birthday

Bummer

I've been pretty bummed out lately with low energy and unmotivated. All I can do is try to stay positive. Sunsets and majestic scenery are very uplifting.

5 trips in 5 weeks

The past 5 weeks have been a whirlwind. Starting out with a trip to Ocotillo Wells Thanksgiving weekend, then going to Vail, Co for a week, then NJ for a week, then June Lake, Ca for 4 days, and finishing with Ocotillo Wells this past weekend. I am ready to relax in San Diego for a little while. The weather is glorious.


Fire in the Well from TerribleOne on Vimeo.

This past camping trip was the best desert trip I've had to date. I finally made it thru all the gears on my motorcycle and feel a lot more comfortable riding. I rode from the camp site all the way to Shell Reef which was scary at times when trucks whipped past. There were also tons of fireworks which kept the night exciting. The weather was incredible! I couldn't believe that it was January.

Sunset Cliffs

Jay shot and edited this video. All footage was taken from Sunset Cliffs.

Surfing Sunset Cliffs. from TerribleOne on Vimeo.

75 days

It has been exactly 75 days since I have worked. Tonight I have to go in for a re-hire session thus ending my streak of not working. Although I still don't think I will be working to much until March. In the past 75 days off I have utilized the time in the following ways;

- Camping in Johnson Valley, CA - where I got to ride a motorcycle and quad for the 1st time
- Camping in Ocotillo Wells, CA - where I learned to shift the motorcycle
- Skiing in Vail/Beaver Creek, CO for a week
- Visiting my family in New Jersey for a week
- Rollerblading in the middle of day during the week
- Surfing glorious San Diego
- Spent Thanksgiving with the Thompkins family
- Thursday night dinners
- general shenanigans
- Went to June/Mammoth 12/30 -01/03
- Celebrated my birthday twice
- learned that El Cajon and bros aren't all bad

NYE & Extreme Sledding in June Lake CA

We went up to stay at Paul's house for NYE. We got there Tuesday night and stayed until Saturday evening. I rode June on Thursday and Mammoth on Saturday. I wanted to ride Mammoth on Friday but most of the lifts were closed due to high winds. The night of NYE we just stayed and partied at the house and it was the best NYE ever. Paul, Jeff, and Jay worked very hard to make the most extreme shed run I have ever seen. Here is the footage:

"Ode to Tiny House"

Its not a portrait, its a tribute.