DWTS Recap #4

(You'll notice there's no recap for week 3... sorry folks!)

I was a week behind in watching last week's results show:

• LOVED LOVED LOVED the routine during Hall & Oates
• Adele - need I say more?
• Getting to see Alex & Edyta dance

But onto this week. I sat on the couch this morning and clapped!

David Alan Grier & Kym -- as a longtime fan of In Living Color, I can appreciate D.A.G. I'm glad Carrie Ann is finally on board with that! I really thought David did a good job, and that Kym is an incredible choreographer! Good job!

Lil' Kim & Derek -- in spite of my previous comments, I thought this performance was spectacular! Lil' Kim was so composed and the footwork... the girls in the Pen need to give LK a shout out! Derek is growing on me... we'll see!

Chuck Wicks & Julianne -- Julianne can pull off campy (see the last three seasons), but I felt like Chuck wasn't selling it, you know? I honestly think the routine would have appealed more without those costumes, but that's just my opinion.

Lawrence Taylor & Edyta -- Unless you live under a rock, Edyta is 1) absolutely gorgeous, and 2) incredibly talented. I can't tell if Lawrence doesn't like her, but I feel like he's getting really upset with her (at least from the 10 second clips we get to see), but also in his dancing. One of the judges last night referenced that it looked like Lawrence was scared of Edyta. L, you're a big ole football player. You CAN do this.

Ty Murray and Chelsie -- INCREDIBLE. Ty Murray is awesome, and while I'm sure he would never in a million years refer to himself as a ballroom dancer, he's definitely got the moves! I'm so glad that Chelsie is a pro this year; she's done a spectacular job!

Steve Wozniak & Karina -- I feel like Karina was more relaxed this week because Denise Richards wasn't all over her man. I like Steve. He's cheesy, and campy, and nerdy, but God knows he's sincere in his faults. He can laugh at himself better than anyone in quite a few seasons, and is tough skinned enough to not let the judges comments' get to him. And Karina looked fabulous.

Melissa Rycroft & Tony -- I think this is the first time (that I've seen) Tony have a partner that 1) doesn't look like she's going to break, 2) CAN DANCE, and 3) is willing to push the proverbial envelope. I love Tony and want to see him in the final 3, or as the winner!! Vote for Tony!!

Holly Madison & Dmitri -- I'm not a fan of Holly's, but I am of Dmitri's. Holly took an actual beating this week in rehearsal and seeing her legs after their performance... OUCH! I think Holly is holding back, and that she can do better! Let's hope she gets the chance.

Steve-O & Lacey -- um.... Johnny Knoxville, I love you?! I'm glad you were in the audience wtih April Margera (Bam's Mom). I can't help but want to root for Steve-O. He can do this!!!!

Gilles Marini & Cheryl -- This dance wasn't my favorite but was performed exceptionally well. Congrats to G&C for 30! Keep it up!

Shawn Johnson & Mark -- I love that Mark gets his cheesiness sincerely (from this father), and that he's not afraid to look a little ridiculous for his craft. I thought the routine was great! but the judges were not so giving. Boo to you! Good job Shawn & Mark!

Have a DWTS recap? Leave a link in the comments!

Goals for Summer Oh-Mine!

• Lose some weight. Duh.
• Go to a Braves game again. I've been pricing tickets online and want to go on April 10th SO bad!
• Invest in Real Estate. !!!
• Learn to cook something really spectacular.
• Take another cake decorating class (and finish it this time)
• Finally join my church!
• ROADTRIP!!!
• Ride in a hot air balloon
• Learn to sew.

Thoughts?

Back to life... Back to reality.

Well, I've returned to the land of the gainfully employed.

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There is a very weird substance on my keyboard and frankly, it's weirding me out.

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I've given my coworkers a massive lecture on germs this morning, and I'm pretty sure I yelled at New Guy. (He's still got "The Cough". Not that you should be remotely surprised, right?)

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I've failed to mention that my medicine made hallucinate slightly and gave me CRAZY DREAMS. I mean wacka-doo dreams!

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Not that I should dish out medical advice ('cause I have no proverbial shingle for that), but this seems to be the year of pneumonia. If you get a bad cough... go get it checked out. Nearly every person I talked to said they knew of at least one other person who had pneumonia. It's crazy, and honestly, it's rough on your body. Different/worse rough than the flu, if that makes sense. Again... Just go to the Doctor. It's worth the trip!

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Okay... that's all I've got for now.

2009 Great Strides Cystic Fibrosis Walk - Team Nathan

I wanted to blog about the walk since it's been all consuming in my life these last three months.

For starters, we had OVER 150 walkers registered today.

Our initial goal was $55,000... we raised....

$18,535!!!!!!

You also should know that the entire walk raised just over $60K... meaning we raised nearly 1/3!!!!! AMAZING!!!

The stress of the pneumonia has been hard. Because of the high number of people who went to the Smith's last night, and the potential for more exposure, I wasn't able to go. It broke my heart. I literally wound up lying on the couch crying, frustrated that my sickness was preventing me from being a part of something to important.

But, I meant that I wasn't going to miss the walk... at any cost! There were more than a few bumps in the road, and I wish I could tell you that I haven't been frustrated with people the last few months. I still have good friends who haven't paid, I got chewed out more than a few times this morning, and that in combination with my exhaustion was almost overwhelming. But I know that's a price you pay when you do stuff like this... somebody's always gonna be the fall guy, and this is my chosen plight! I made it to the school before the run (only to find out that Student Life didn't cut the check properly and the representative was not pleasant), and got to see a few of my friends who were running! God love them for running in the rain! I had a quick trip to Walgreen's for some poster board (for a sign you'll see in future pictures!), and wound up crying (the UGLY CRY) with the cashier. You just never know when grief will hit you.

And being at the walk... was no small feet. We had a HUGE group of walkers! Here is a pretty good picture of us all taken before and after the walk!



I am beyond exhausted from today. I overdid it and am paying dearly for it tonight. Honestly, I'm not excited about going back to work on Monday simply because I don't trust the people I work with. I don't think they get it... GO TO THE STINKIN' DOCTOR! Tomorrow (well today) is going to be a day of rest and recuperation. If you're still praying for me, please know that I covet your prayers!!!

Thank you again for all your giving! You are so much a part of us finding a cure!!!!!!!!

Love,
Jenn

Various and Unsundry: I'm still medicated edition. :)

I wanted to post something right now because I don't feel AS bad as I did yesterday... :)

• I had a dream that I got called into H.R. at work because I'd been blogging the company name. For the record, I have NEVER blogged where I work, and will never. Blogging Company Name = No More Job That I Love.
• I actually slept for 8 hours (from 3-11) this morning. Praise the Lord!
• My SD made chicken & rice soup that he calls the "Miracle Bowl".
• My mom reminded me that my medical records said something else... "Patient appears slightly agitated".
• You think???
• I'm getting really emotional about this weekend. I'm terrified about people have germs that could hurt me (even a cold could put me back in jeopardy), but I keep reminding myself that it push comes to shove, I'll wear a mask.
• I'll look like a dork, but who cares.
• We're at almost $9000... and there are still people who haven't donated. I can't even begin to articulate how stinkin' excited that makes me!!!!!
• I forgot to do a DTWS recap. Maybe later today... who knows.
• My parents got the house painted (inside). Our living room has been clinically white for 15 years... but now it looks homey!

That's really all I've got. I mean, I sleep, I cough, I take enough cough medicine to put down elephants, don't walk more than 40 feet at a time -- my life is not uber-exciting, but it's mine, and I'll take it.

Don't forget to get signed up for the giveaway!!!!

Love Y'all!!

Jenn

Me again, folks.

I just want to say that reading the comments that some of you left have made me cry. Thank you a thousand times over.

I have acute lower left-lobe pneumonia. I went to find a better example, and of course there are a bajillion types of pneumonia, and no definition is really fitting.

It was quick -- as in less than 7 days. It was full lower lobe, meaning the bottom half of my lung was completely white on the chest xray.

I'm not going to go through all my CBC numbers, but acting like a fruitcake and driving myself to the E.R. with a 103 fever might have been the smartest thing I've done in a while. I was able to get the first round of antibiotics before a few of my levels hit the 1,000 mark. (Which is critical when it comes to your white blood cell count.)

I am not allowed to go back to work until at least Monday, because of risk of infection to and from coworkers. Believe it or not, I would rather be at work. Somebody write that down, I don't say that, well, ever.

I honestly would not wish this on my worst enemy or Mr. and Mrs. IhopeYouFellOffTheFaceOfTheEarth.

I should tell you that I had to go pick up my records for my follow-up visit yesterday. I decided to read through them with my Mom (who came to visit me/take care of me), and I couldn't help but crack up at the notes from the E. R. Triage nurse on Saturday night:

"Patient appears to be mildly obese. Patient appears to be overly anxious. Patient appears to have some issues."

Really? I guess I should be thankful she didn't type, "She's an anxious fatty". That would have been worse.

This is not the medicine talking.

I have not been this exhausted in ... well, ever.

I've never had anything impact my lungs the way that pneumonia has.

Before you think that sentence is from ignorance, it's not. It's from inexperience.

And in my mind, now just days before the CF Walk, I can't help but gain some insight into Nathan's life. Mind you, no where near the magnitude, but I understand in a more powerful way than I ever thought I could.

• Not being able to catch your breath.
• Coughing until you lose your breath.
• Gasping for air.
• Constantly hearing yourself wheeze.
• The constant ache that coughing causes your rib cage.
• Trying to put on a happy face as though your okay, only to have those moments, when everyone is gone, that you remember, that I remember I'm not.

It is humbling in the deepest sense.

Because of the pneumonia, I won't be able to walk this weekend. Last year, Nathan feared even on Friday night that he would not be able to walk. And on Saturday morning, while my team is making their way around Cleveland, I will be sitting down somewhere feeling a pain that hurts the deepest depth of my heart. To think that Nathan ever felt this is heart wrenching.

And more than ever, in my heart and mind, I am convinced that no one should have to go through this disease. If you haven't given, please do. If you think about it, tell someone. Every single dollar counts.

http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/TeamNathan2009

http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/JenniferCalhoun