Yes, it's difficult to be this good, but I try to live up to my reputation.

I am getting better slowly, and hope that I am actually better by Tuesday when I am supposed to go to work again.

They say that allergy for several antibiotics (in my case two: penicillin and doxicyclin) is very, very rare condition, but oddly enough I am not only person in my family allergic to at least two different kind antibiotics. Maybe we are slightly odd then.

At least one thing is for sure: I will sleep like a baby next two weeks, because of that course of cortisone. (Taking that the reaction actually becomes milder within 24 hours, otherwise I have to run back to the clinic.)

I chose stainless steel after reading Jalanetipot.com's material comparison and ordered this baby:

It's interesting really: every time when I have had a flu, and nowadays just sinus problems, I have wanted to wash the sinus blockage away with salt water... I just hadn't heard about Neti pots and saline baths for sinuses before this year.
Human body seems to know what's good for it, hopefully. At least I am really waiting to give the Neti a try.

bits_2_whole

And Masa has recovered well from his tiny operation, though he's still a bit sleepier than normally (but isn't that how castrated toms should be: lazy asses? *grin*).

Anyway, my allergies have been behaving lately because I am well medicated and I stay away from allergens... but today I got an image of how bad my allergies really are.
I can't be in the same room with a plate of buns and cookies (made of wheat), not even heavily medicated (20mg of ebastine and 400mg of mometasone furoate), without getting a sinus induced migraine...

And this is "only" cross reactivity... (maybe I should reconsider that Epi-pen prescription...)

Blah, maybe I just should get back to bed and continue my nap until 6:15 tomorrow...

Anyway, retail therapy... I stumbled upon fabric sale and came home with two plastic bags full of fabric (click the thumbnail as usual):

My reason to go into a fabric store was that little tan piece on the upper right, as I need it for model's lining. Others... well, they just wanted to come with me.
The blues on upper left were the expensive ones, but I couldn't leave them there... rest of the fabrics in the big picture were in One bag full of fabrics only for 10€ sale so I just picked up everything I thought could be useful for me or my mother. (That white webbed fabric for example will end up in dye pot and after that I will sew couple of airy home tops. Those flowery fabrics end up serve my shirt demo - and rest of them... who knows, they would be great curtains, for someone who likes lighter shades (like my mother).

That ant fabric (who could resist a black fabric with metallic red ants on it?! Even less when it was in One bag full of fabrics only for 10€ sale...)) will probably end up being something more comfortable, I actually can see it as a dressing gown, and there's so much of that fabric that rest will probably end up being nice, short, "airy" nightie... just to have a matching set, you know. *grin*

And the books: 'Dictionary of Jewish Biography' ($43.80?! I paid $16.5... and mine was bought from a Finnish store and they had to order it for me (odd thing for a sale book, don't you think?)) and 'Hand-stitched Boxes' ("List Price: $24.95", I paid ~$10, and this one had to be specially ordered too).
I have to say that based on short browse that box book is really worth those 7 euros it was in sale. Imagine book filled with instructions for several dirrently shaped and sized boxes made of fabric and there's instructions even to those beautiful sewing cube boxes I have been drooling all over 'net.

Blog ponderings

The thought of moving my blog on Wordpress base came out from its hiding place again, while looking for templates for Periphaeria's blog.
And at this point I even have a hosted domain... it would be matter of only installing another WP. The negative side of it is that I would lose all the comments (and apparently tags too) even I could import the posts...

Weight gain

Last months my weight has been slowly increasing without any significant changes in my diet. I found out why: it's my allergy medicine's less known side effect! Said antihistamine causes weight gain which probably means that it messes my insulin levels... it boggles your mind, but at least now I know what to say to my doctor. I rather take cetiritzine as it's better for my metabolism, even if it isn't as modern version as levocetirizine.

To make it fun, levocetirizine also causes... shortness of breath. (I still have it, though I feel better now.)

And how do I know that Xyxal is the one to blame? I have been taking other antihistamine about a week now (because I lost the prescription and ran out of Xyzal). During this time my weight has come down almost five kilos, without any diet changes.

I have been wondering why I suffer from tightness in my larynx after I give HH her antibiotics. Guess twice why (the reason is *so* obvious that I am ashamed of not getting it before I read the safety instructions from the package... (Hint: I am allergic to penicillin. )).
The answer is simple: she is taking amoxillin which is one form of penicillin and I handle her tablets twice a day. Which I shouldn't do, being allergic to that stuff.
At least one thing is sure: I really am allergic to penicillin.

( XxXxXx )

( LD50 )

"We'll love you just the way you are if you're perfect."
-- Alanis Morissette

It has to be spring... I haven't been cooking this much (during 24 hours) since... stone age, probably (or since my separation at least *grin*).
Anyway, let me introduce you my version of Finnish pancake (Finnish pancake is baked in oven. In this part of the world fried ones are crepes): ( Click for more )

Testing my tolerance for mushrooms with a hearty midnight snack. (But fact is that I have eaten mostly white carbs today and my blood sugar levels are having a joyride in a blood sugar rollercoaster - and I need to eat well before getting to bed, otherwise I can't sleep.)

( Click )

...what it is?

I have passed two pricks and two epicutanes with negative results from latex, but still I have got allergic reactions from that stuff.
Dermatographic urticaria could be one possibility, but my dermatologist tested my skin and his opinion is that it's not very likely possibility as my skin doesn't react in the way it should.
And if that was the reason I'd get the symptoms with polyurethane condoms too, which is not the case.

But, on positive note: 2 x prick test, 2 x epicutane and 3x doctor's consultation = 22 euros (which I didn't even have to pay myself..). Cheap, huh?

I so love this... not.
Because I am not allowed to take my allergy meds my body has begun to misbehave. My muscles ache, my back aches, one part of my right foot has lost its tactile sense, I itch, I am restless (that is more restless than normally), my skin is becoming spotty... All this just because I am not allowed to take my antihistamines.

It took three hours from me to fall asleep last night because of all this (even I was extremely tired), which means that I have slept whopping 2½ hours. I feel like... you know.

/me wants her Xyzal...

Saga of PayPal...

...continues.
Part N: their site contains inaccurate information. PayPal account's owner and the owner of the bank account you withdraw funds to don't have to be same person/ institution (at least when you transfer to a Finnish bank).
I transferred money to my mother about two weeks ago, and now, when she came back from her cottage, she said that my transfer had got through (I used her credit card at Sewandso (as they don't have PayPal option) to buy some fabric and things for PD).

So, in the end that downgrade was unnecessary.

In general: isn't life a ball? (And SAT update will follow after I get back from the hospital.)

...as I am having a nasty itch. I wouldn't have it if I was allowed to take my allergy meds, but as coming week begins with prick test and continues with epicutane I will happily itch and feel miserable until Friday. (Oh yes, another set of tests.)
I have also realised why grains are such a problem: it's all about my pollen allergy. It explains even my corn issues. (And I am not gluten intolerant. It's all allergic: I can eat wheat (without upset stomach, itching stills) if I take maximum dose of allergy meds - this has been tested with an innocent pizza which gave its life for science. Long live scientific experiments.)

PayPal

...or PayPälli as I lovingly call it in Finglish (you can translate it to PayIdiot as pälli is slang expression for an idiot).
They downgraded my account while I was out voting (parliamentary democracy is wonderful thing), I took an advantage of that and withdraw pile of virtual euros. Now... we just have to wait and see will that money actually move to where it's supposed to move. (And, I was pedantic little b*stard and gave whole $FIRSTNAME $2NDNAME $3RDNAME $SURNAME litany to the bank account holder (or what ever) box. Now they can't claim that the name doesn't match. )
Hopefully it happens soon as I Lady P. really needs to buy an external burning drive (my Lady's laptop's CD burner is getting old and blind) as I she needs to take backups of PD's info. (Currently I just move my Lady just moves her backups to bits_2_whole's (nerdy sisters ) server.)

Considering entry with SBQ... I have had one slogan in my mind lately, due this continuous high I am having... Who needs drugs when you can design?
You know, I feel like I was in love - and admittedly I spend as much time with my software than I'd do with a SO if I had one... But I like it up here in the clouds.

I'm beginning to sound like that person who I was with Wolfie, don't I? All this gushing (but I think it was I who said that she misses that person, I got what I wished for)...
(Talking of Wolfinho... it's almost a year since he popped to my life. Silly thing. (I think I have to harass him a bit one of these days. *evil grin*))

Skin Care aka. She knew what she was talking of...

When I had my first appointment at Skin and Allergy Hospital I had a chat with one nurse (as mentioned) and when I complained about water's drying effect she said that I should consider buying bath oil and rub it to my skin when showering, to prevent my skin from drying excessively during winter months, and it seems to me that she had an idea in that advice. I bought a bottle of bath and massage oil last time we made our regular cosmetics order from Dermosil and have used that stuff for couple of times already. It really makes the difference. My skin is actually soft after shower and I have no need to run to closest moisturiser container right away.
I just hope my skin won't develop problem on the sesame oil that stuff contains...

For once public healthcare seems to work effectively: I already got an invite from the Skin and Allergy Hospital for my next appointment. And as I thought, I'll have another round of epicutane. Fun. Great fun. Not.

Talking of allergies... last months I have been joking how I am allergic to carbohydrates, but honestly, what else can you say when you get killer migraine just because you happened to eat rice noodles? As I know that I am not allergic to rice - and this seems to happen every time I eat "normal" amounts of carbohydrates (You'd be shocked to know how much protein my diet contains). Carbohydrate intolerance? *grin*

Fortunately that migraine seems to be over now, I need to be at my best at 11:00 (I'm having that job interview).

And, ah, Alegría has been liked, which makes me one very happy camper.

... and... the light is green!

I had a chat with "rehabilitation counsellor" today (I had an appointment) and she said that as long as it is not an official business I can do it. I can do it if I am part-time freelance designer... You know... I can do it! Gosh, I feel so, so, so good!
The thing is that our legislation doesn't allow unemployed person to have any kind of official business, as in their books you are a business owner and therefore you have a job. End of case.

But, this is where "freelancing" comes in: if it's occasional, if it's not official business, if it doesn't prevent you taking a job if one's offered to you... you are allowed to do it. It falls in selling your own products at a market place category, according to her - and of course I agree.
Tax authorities don't give a d*mn as long my sales don't exceed 8?00 €/ a - and if they ever exceed that I should consider making it official as my income would be big enough to make it (with some help from SII (as my income would still be low enough to receive housing allowance))...

And to continue on good news, or positive possibilities... if I get official report from my doctor that I can't practise my profession SII will most likely pay me another degree. In second level (we have ~three levels: mandatory school, second level and third level (university and its kind)) though, but it's a start. It would mean housing allowance and rehabilitation allowance, plus, as far as I know, welfare officials shouldn't have any reason to nag about me applying for my monthly allowance from them...
In other words: my income wouldn't be any better it is now, but it would be enough as it would be secure. I would get the allowance from two to three full years without any questions.

I have my next appointment in April, but she recommended that I'll make an appointment with vocational guidance counsellor to clear few things - and according to the RC VGC's opinion is greatly appreciated when SII makes the decision will one get full government support for one's studies...

What can I say? Oh mi gosh! Things may get better... really.

I've been wondering quite some time why I still have frequent dreams of Wolfie... they are not bad or sad dreams, but he's only person who frequents in my dreams so I find it rather curious. Or maybe it really takes this long for my mind to process myself over him. Who knows.

It also seems that that cortisone treatment had some effect on my moods, as now, when I'm on the lowest dose (last pill is waiting...) I'm actually getting to more hopeful mood, and my rhythm seemed to get back to normal in one day (woke up yesterday after 3PM, get back to bed after 9 PM, woke up ~2:30 AM).
And my ovaries haven't been hurting at all.

So, I am one (relatively) happy camper again, though one thing bothers me... I designed this gorgeous biscornu in my dreams and I can't remember how it looked like!

Allergy

My dermatologist called day before yesterday, and he booked some more tests for me. That means that little /me goes to condom shopping when she gets the appointment scheduled - as I have got symptoms from latex condoms, and as my previous tests didn't gave positive for latex allergy this is the next thing to do... it's possible that I'll get another round of epicutane. (Fun!..)

Firstly: noticing that I had one itchy bump in my back night before last one... there was absolutely nothing when I got into the hospital yesterday...

- "Though there's this rash"
- What rash? I never have a rash...
- "...in your back"
- Yeah, I kind of figured out that much...

Becoming a big, blue meanie, part something

As some parts of my family can't seem to grasp the idea of not giving things I don't need as a Yule gifts I've decided to announce (actually I have already done it in a way, this just proves that some people don't know how to read) that they should forget whole thing. If they want to gift me on some officially approved day my birthday will be only one when I expect that - and if one really doesn't want to listen my pragmatic wishes they should not give anything... (It's easy for stitchers though, they always know what they can give - new stash!)

On happier note

I got my gifts from bits_2_whole yesterday: camera for my another cell and new keypad to my 3100 (it kind of suffered last spring for some odd reason... *grin*). Things I really find useful, so they're much appreciated. ^^