AND then we had to call the cable guy...

During the harrowing health adventures I described in my last post, my poor, beleaguered husband was also having to move us to another apartment, because our lease was about to run out, and the owner of the condo we were renting had decided to sell.  (The appliances were older than I am, and even less "work-brickle," as we say where I'm from.  Believe me, both sides were ready to say good-bye.  Our new place is much nicer, thank God, even if it is smaller.)  With me unable to pick up the SuperToddler, let alone pack and move boxes, because of my recent hernia surgery, Good Man Michael has been doing most of this on his own, with the aid of his parents and a few faithful volunteers from church.  (THANK GOD FOR OUR NEW CHURCH!)  Meanwhile, I have been untangling things like forwarding addresses, cancelling old utilities, establishing new ones, and calling the cable company to set up FOUR DIFFERENT APPOINTMENTS (so far) to switch service from our old to our new place. 

1. This new apartment had no cable (the previous occupants were dish users), so the first cable guy couldn't do anything for us.  They had to send out "a crew" to "dig" a new line, and I dare not think about all that was involved in that.  This is truly the joy of being a renter; the owner approves the digging, it's their property, let them worry about it.
2. The crew came, and apparently they dug and spliced and whatever else they do.  They knocked on the door when they were finished and announced, "OK, you can call the company and have them send someone to turn it on now."  Thanks.  Did I mention that they were also installing the internet?  Yeah; serious web surfing withdraw, and having lived in Kazakhstan for a short time, I can tell you that NO, that is NOT just a first-world problem.
3. Guy came today and turned everything on.  Hail, o glorious Internet!  Sat down to play with the new remote for my new cable box, establish my list of favorite channels, etc.  Wait.  What the WHAT?!?!?!?!  Where are the premium channels I actually paid for so Brigid could have them (Disney, Cartoon Network, Nick Jr.)?  (Yeah, I know, we're sickeningly into 1st-world problems now; it still pissed me off).
4. Called customer service--"We'll send an agent over tomorrow."  Yipee.  At least he's coming on a Saturday, rather than making us wait until Monday.  And this has been my day, and my week.

The point, however, is that I DO have internet again, so I can once again BLOG.  And let me show you by far the best aspect of our new place.

Yes, that is my SuperToddler enjoying her brand-new, fully fenced-in back yard, the whole of which I can observe through the lovely French doors at the back of our living room.  This arrangement makes everyone extremely happy.

Isn't that just the cutest little Elmo-clad monster you've seen all day?

So, What've You Been Up To?

Here's a brief run-down on my absence of the last three weeks or so:

• ER visit #1--nausea and...other unpleasantness; CT scan #1; sent home
• ER visit #2--pain--a hella lot of pain; CT scan #2; diagnosed with a hernia; sent home
• Doctor visit--scheduled a surgical consult--Pain continued to escalate into
• ER visit #3--somebody finally had the good sense to call in the surgeon and get me admitted
• Hernia surgery--sent home with painkillers and post-op instructions after 3 days in hospital
• 2nd day home, started having nausea and...other unpleasantness...again, which led to
• ER visit #4--Apparently, being unable to sip water and keep it down will get you admitted quicker than screaming pain--who knew?
• Another three days in hospital, during which digestive system HOPEFULLY reset itself, and the hernia incision healed nicely.

I am now home, and praying to God that I get to stay here this time.  Meanwhile, I tend to the SuperToddler as best I can, even though I won't be able to pick her up for another two weeks (proving that even Papa STILL being layed-off has its silver lining), while Good Man Michael packs us up and moves us, because our rental lease just ran out.  I know there could always be more chaos in our lives, but I really think we're about as fully stocked up on it as we can handle for right now. 

The sweet little SuperToddler has been a little trooper about it all, trying to roll with our punches and not freak out over all these disruptions to our daily routine, but she has been pretty worried at times.  Yesterday she announced, "Mommy is here and Papa is here!"  She also caught sight of my incision; she had to look me very seriously in the eye and ask, "Are you OK?"  I explained to her that I was, that this was my "OW-ie" that the doctors had worked on and now it was getting all better.  After that, she could run off and watch her Leap Frog video again.