Shoot-out at the campground

Yesterday we were in town when we heard sirens and saw an unmarked police car racing out of town. It's the first time I've heard sirens since we left Salt Lake City. We thought it odd but continued on our way. Then another police car passed and took the turn off south of town; exactly where we were headed. Hmmmm, something is going on. We continued south toward our campground and passed an ambulance parked on the side of the road as if waiting for a call. To get into our campground there is a short dirt road and a bridge over the Blanco River. We get to the bridge and it is blocked by a Sheriff. Apparently they were serving a warrant on one of the campers in the tent section for a hit and run. The man took a shot at the officer. As we sat about 200 yards away from the area where the "suspect was at large", more and more State Troopers arrived. Mike and I had our books so started to read while we waited. Suddenly a shot rang out loud as a cannon. It echoed off the mountains. We heard the officers call for the ambulance, but the ambulance only stayed briefly and left without a passenger. They finally let us back into the campground. Our trailer is about 100 yards from the tent area where the man was killed. He had a big beautiful, obedient German Shepard that was led away by animal control. He seemed like such a nice dog. I hope they find him a good home.

Our version of roughing it

Mike and I are on vacation at a campground in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It is beautiful with mountains on three sides and a river right behind the trailer. There is no cell phone coverage, no TV coverage, no radio except a flamingly twangy country station, but by cracky we've got internet! I needed to have internet because I've stupidly decided to go back to school. I will call this stupid until I get the degree, then I will decide it is the smartest thing I've ever done.

Mike and I went to the Fred Harmon art museum today. Fred Harmon was the cartoonist that drew the Red Rider and Little Beaver series.....Robert Blake played Little Beaver on TV. The guy was a good artist but I have to say with 21st century sensibilities it was quite racist; making the indians look kind of dumb. But those were the times. Mike loved every minute of it! He got to see an orginal Little Beaver BB gun! I had to pretend my knees were sore to get him out of there. Oh wait my knees are sore from climbing up and down cliff dwellings in Mesa Verde.

Well crap!

I guess I won't marry the maker of that drug after all. Today sucked. The pain was pretty bad. I was shaky and slightly nuts but no nausea. The barometric pressure was 30.09. When it gets high, I get pain. I still think this drug is mostly helping. Nothing is perfect.

So now here I sit trying to write my first graduate school paper; high on Lortab. What the hell, I'm pretty articulate even on Lortab.

Vindified

I am always getting my words mixed up. I think my brain goes faster than my tongue. That's my theory anyway. My son's favorite was when I said we needed to buy a "show snovel" (you figure it out).

I may have to marry the person who invented Lyrica. Lyrica is the new drug I started last week. It is for nerve pain. It is a miracle. I am not without pain. My goal isn't that high. I am just not psychotically in pain or sitting at my desk with an ice bag on my head. My usage of pain pills has gone down by 2/3. I did not know it was nerve pain. I just knew it really fucking hurt. Hell, no wonder it was so bad. Nerve pain can be a bitch. I now have proof that it wasn't all in my head, that my pain is real. I told my husband the other day that I feel vindified (vindicated + justified).

Pain as a living thing

The last two weeks, the pain has been immense, amazing, paralyzing, fucking awful. My nose, teeth, cheeks, and skull hurt so bad that my thighs shake, my heart pounds, I sweat, want to throw up something awful, and feel like running away (like that will help, it will just follow me) or at least laying down under my desk. When it happens at work, the level of panic and things that go running through my head such as how the hell would I make it home even if I could get someone to come to cover for me. I think of calling Mike and having him come get me, but in the end I take a Lortab and maybe a sliver of Phenergan for the nausea and sit at my desk with an ice bag on my head until I can function again.

I'm in the middle of six days off. I saw my doctor on Thursday. She have me a new drug that is sometimes used for nerve pain. I'm supposed to take it three times a day. The first time I took it, I was dizzy and kind of loopy. I want to give the drug a good shot because I cannot work like this but I must work. The drug is called Lyrica. Isn't that a happy name? It sounds lovely. It doesn't make me loopy any more but when I go to bed at night I'm down for 12 hours. I'd rather not sleep for 12 hours so I hope that side effect goes away.

So I'm trying this medication on my mini-vacation. I wanted to shampoo the carpets and wash the dogs. But I'm doing school work (such a good student), laying down...washing dishes....laying down....vacuuming my bedroom....laying down. I am going to clean this frigging (frig just for you Mom) house this week. We are going on vacation in two weeks and I want the house clean first.