Author: Yajaira

Since the other parents and us are switching turns with our kiddos every Thursday for summer, I have to keep myself busy when they’re not home or else I become extremely bored, and a little weepy at times 🙁 .

One of the afternoons 2 weeks ago when I was picking Jaylen up after work (he’s going to his dual-enrollment classes during summer), we saw a pile of cacti waiting for brush pick-up in front of a house. When I got to Mario’s, I asked him if he had any old tarps or anything I could pick up a cactus with. He said he had an old pool, so he cut some pieces up and Jaylen and I stopped in front of the house.

We both stood there, hands on our hips, figuring out how to roll the cactus on the plastic. Jaylen said we’d pull the plastic close and roll a cactus with the other plastic and we’d each hold a side of the plastic and place it in the car. As we’re contemplating, the owner of the house walks out. I get nervous, and slightly embarrassed since I’ve never done anything like this, but I wave and smile. He comes over and tells us to pick the ones we want and he put two in the car for us, just like that with his bare hands!

So I had two giant cacti I had to somehow get into the ground, somewhere in the yard!

On one of my trips to Walmart for some cacti soil, I found this adorable baby!

We had a busy week coming up at work, and since my boss wouldn’t be in on Monday we crammed all the to-do’s into Friday, which included finding transportation for a group coming in from Irapuato. So as we’re waiting for someone to assist us at this one car rental place, this kitty jumps on my lap!

Then we stopped by this Mexican candy shop on the way to another place: Dulcerias Pinkies! My first time there, ever, and it was just like the isles and isles of awesome candies we’d buy in Reynosa for the kids’ parties (back when we weren’t scared to cross 😕 ).

We had a photo shoot for Mr. Kirk Clark at 4pm so we rushed over. After the photos were done, Mr. Clark invited us to SALT for drinks and hors d’ ouvres!

I love hearing his wonderful stories and the inspiration behind his beautiful artwork! He invited us all to stay for dinner, but Jorge had just gotten out of work so I thanked him profusely and excused myself. At least my boss and Gerry stayed to join him.

My love got home and we decided to have a date-night that evening. We used our gift certificate, so that was even better!

Saturday came around and I decided to make myself some breakfast instead of going jogging or to yoga (again 🙁 ) since I was still pretty sore from my procedure on Thursday. Breakfast on my porch is one of my favorite things, ever. If the darn mosquitoes weren’t so abundant I would have totally done some yoga right there.

I repotted some of my overgrown cacti and my new prickly one into clay pots.

While I was at it, I decided my poor large FREE cacti had waited long enough, and finally planted them (very carefully).

I showered, then Mom and I were going to go visit Gramma and grocery shop. We were talking about plants and she tells me to stop by the nursery near the house, so I oblige, heh.

We found so many awesome plants, and for cheap!

I even got a few extras in one of them!

We dropped them off at home and then visited Gramma and did grocery shopping. I had an awesome lentil soup made for when my love got home from work :).

I cleaned and repotted some plants on Sunday after breakfast.

And made us some awesome salmon sliders for lunch.

I took down all my succulents from my windowsill garden in the kitchen and vacuumed/dusted everything. I vacuumed and cleaned the bathroom, too. I always spend all day on my days off running errands and doing housework and then I regret when Monday comes 😆 . But I put on my big girl panties and conquered the entire day, completing all bullets on my to-do list at work. And that deserved some homemade Fancy Ramen when I got home from work, and later, Salty Dogs for the hubs and I.

Jorge and I had actually made plans to go to Suerte Bar & Grill since the weekend on Monday evening since we were kidkess, but when the day actually came…we kinda stalled at getting ready until we thought, why go out when we can have drinks at home? And it was glorious!

On Tuesday, I stopped by Valley Garden Center after work. I needed some big clay pots to repot the cacti from Saturday that didn’t fit in the ones I already had, and ended up getting some adorable tiny cacti!

And then came Wednesday and along with it the whirlwind of gluttony during work for the next few days!

It was my follow-up appointment today, 1 month after my first steroid injection, 4 months after my surgery.

I was nervous about what the doctor would say. Of course, the most dramatic thoughts: permanent nerve damage, we’ll have to have a follow-up surgery. Or the more logical one: I may need another steroid shot 😳 .

I told Michelle that I was going to pretend it didn’t hurt when assessed me and pressed on the nerves, but as soon as he did…I screamed and flinched. There was no way to hide it 🙁 .

So he walked out to get a syringe, then came back and prepped me. Since I knew what to expect I was even more nervous than the first time. He pressed into my skin near my under arm with his fingertips to find the “most painful” spot, but I was so jumpy and nervous that every spot seemed to hurt. I frantically grabbed around me until I reached the pillow to clutch. He pressed the needle in and I instantly wanted to scream. I was clutching onto the pillow so hard my hand was hurting when it was over. He massaged the area after 3 pricks (straight into the nerve, then the rib, then above the nerve). I still felt pain when he was assessing the area. So…he said I would need another shot, and I swear it took my breath away when the needle reached my rib. I almost thought he pierced my lung!

I’m shaking like a leaf due to the anesthesia and everything hurts. I feel terrible pain in my rib and just driving or turning when I’m driving gives me a shock of pain. He said this would hopefully be the last time it hurts this way. But we’ll see. It still feels numb on the right side of my right boob. Yet, I still feel the same pain in my nipple although when I was at the office it didn’t feel that way. I’m waiting to see if the pain subsides within 3 days, as he said it would the first time I ever got the shot.

[Edit June 12, 2016] – Well, I developed a large lump at the injection site on Friday. It’s painful to the touch and of course I bruised up. The seam of my very thin sports bras I’m still wearing were irritating the bruise and I felt soreness on my rib and my back! But, my nipple isn’t sore anymore and the pain on the right side of my boob has diminished a LOT, thank God! Now I just have to wait for the lump to flatten out. I hope it does 🙁 . I had *just* started running again, but decided to just go on a walk the evening of the steroid shot. Haven’t run or walked since, meh!

[edit Monday, June 20th @ 11:41pm]
Got home after work and picking up Jaylen and changed clothes. I took my sports bra off (still wearing them, the light ones with spaghetti straps) and realized I had lots of bites/red bumps right along my scar, closer to the cleavage. I figured it was a mosquito that got stuck in my shirt. Fast forward to 11pm, when I was getting ready for bed, and found that the original bites flattened and weren’t itchy and red, but now the other side of the vertical scar was! It itches like hell. Had to bust out the good old hydrocortisone and allergy pills!

So my little brother graduated from UTRGV yesterday with his Bachelor’s in Health Science. To say I’m proud is an understatement. I wish I could have made a bigger deal about it, but he didn’t even want Jorge and I to take him to dinner, much less have a small party or BBQ. Plus, it freakin’ rained, so that put a damper on the whole deal (pun intended).

Mom and I went to visit Gramma as John got ready. She sent him a congratulatory video with me :’).

But yes, he was nervous–you could tell. But he got up there and received his diploma and even though he made a crazy face at the camera as he passed, you could see the relief in his face. The 7 years it took him to work and put himself through college. Moving out if his beloved apartment–the apartment he took me into when I had nowhere else to go after my divorce in 2010–and moving in with Jorge and me in 2013 to finish his last 2 years of school. His stress, his emotions–it’s alm over and it was worth it for him. I was glad to see the day come!!

Didn’t like either photo we took together–my face looks weird–but I had to post one!

I won’t mention the sh*tstorm it was trying to find him afterwards, the annoying rain, or the rude campus cop that ruined the end of the event for mom and I (okay, so I did mention it–whatever 😡 ), but it was great.

We got home, dried off, Jorge ordered us pizza and then I made this “Dump-Cake” for John.

It was the best, but I’m pretty sure we’ve developed diabetes and high cholesterol 😳 !