I haven’t found our wedding pictures yet, so I may have to write about our wedding tomorrow or later — if I can find them by then. In the meantime, I was finally able to take a close-up shot of a cat pendant I made for my sister. I still need practice with the zoom lens and flash and stuff, but compared to how the old pictures turned out, this is like, 100% difference.

The ears, paws, and part of the tail are made of copper, while the head and body are made of nickel, as are the jump rings that connect all of the separate pieces together. I even made the coiled neck myself! It’s supposed to look like Basil, who’s a Siamese-tabby mix.

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Angelo says: More pet pics are available for your viewing pleasure at this week’s Friday Ark. If you post your own pets’ photos, leave them a trackback or comment and you’ll be listed there, too. And remember — they don’t limit pictures just to cats!

Today’s our anniversary. (l) The lump sum was deposited a month early — like a great anniversary present! I can’t believe it came in on our anniversary. I swear, that Maneki Neko in the sidebar works!

So guess what we got??? Take a look below. They look kind of goldish in the picture, but they’re actually platinum and…from Tiffany’s. But I figure they still cost less than a wedding would have.

I’ll write more about our “wedding” and post pictures tomorrow, if I can find them!

Originally written Monday, March 12, 2007:
I’ve had a shitty day, and it’s only just after 3:00 p.m. I didn’t sleep at all last night. Planned to leave for the gym at 10:00 a.m. before my pdoc appointment at 12:40. Left at 11:00 a.m. instead, all anxious because I couldn’t find everything I needed and when I did, I kept misplacing it. Then I walk out the door, and I see that our fucking car is booted. The ironic thing is that Brian just paid all the tickets online this morning.

Those of you familiar with Neopets will know what that means. Anyway, he went to City Hall to take care of it, and when I looked out the window a few minutes ago, the car was de-booted. Except the City left their stupid stickers on the driver side window, I don’t feel like scraping them off, and I’m in no condition to drive anyway (one of the staff at the pdoc’s said he’d try to work some magic if the boot’s taken off). But I’m in no frickin’ condition to drive — I just took a Klonopin a few hours ago, and I didn’t sleep last night. Grrrrr….

Because of my recent ECT, I can’t remember what, if anything, has happened since my last “apply for disability” post seven weeks ago. I do remember having to fill out another SSDI Evaluation, which I never did. Then I was supposed to see one of their doctors again, though that could have been for SSI. It just so happened that I was having inpatient ECT at the time, so they decided that I didn’t need to see their doctor after all. Go figure.

I found out yesterday that I’ve been approved for SSDI! I applied in frickin’ December! I mean, can you believe this whole process barely took three months? Nor did I have to see their doctors. Guess I’m pretty disabled, eh?

My monthly payment will be about $1k, which will cover the rent with some change left over. I’ll get a year of backpay, which amounts to five figures. (If you want to know the approximate amount, Contact Me, but I’ll only answer if I know who you are and not just a lurker, either — personal friends are exempt from this; so be sure to include your blog title.) They’re going to direct deposit it when they deposit my first check; they pay out on the third Wednesday of each month and are a month behind. So my March check will be deposited in April.

As for that SSDI evaluation I never completed? I talked to my adjudicator in Springfield, and she said I can toss it out! Sweet.

The local SSA office wanted me to come in so they could process my SSI claim, which it turns out I don’t qualify for because Brian makes way too much at his new job. Still, they wanted to make sure they didn’t owe me any money so I stopped by yesterday to drop off the requested paperwork, as instructed. The…counselor (?) I spoke to on the phone told me not to take a number; rather, give the guard my name and tell him I’m just bringing in documents. So he took my paperwork to the counselor, but when I had questions he couldn’t answer, she was nice enough to see me at her window and explain everything, even though I didn’t have an appointment.

This is such a relief! And of course I’m going on a shopping spree! We’ll finally be able to get wedding rings. The ones I want are super expensive, but we never had a wedding, so we deserve it! I only wish we could get them in time for our anniversary, but better late than never!

Obviously, the Maneki Neko in my sidebar works!

Originally written Thursday, February 28, 2007:
Need to make a trip to the emergency room? Don’t go to Swedish Covenant Hospital’s E.R., where Brian and I have now been for two hours, even though I told the triage nurse that I rated myself a 9ish (out of 10) on the pain scale.

While waiting in triage, located approximately 15 – 20 ft. from the entrance, we made the unfortunate discovery that the sliding glass doors wouldn’t slide shut. Brian happened to glance at a thermostat, which read 54?F — indoors. Fortunately, we waited only 15 (very cold) minutes in triage. Afterwards, the nurse was kind enough to let us wait in the emergency room itself, rather than in the waiting room, which is next to the entrance.

Kind as she was, however, I was the one who offered to give a urine sample. I’ve made enough visits to E.R.s in the past, and they always ask for one. I may be mistaken, but I believe this is standard, especially for women, to ensure she isn’t pregnant. The results dictate the procedures the staff may or may not be able to perform. When I finished, I set the cup where she instructed.

The restroom was disgusting: discarded hospital gowns littered the floor; the toilet seat was raised, displaying a large, dry urine stain towards the back of the rim; and the sink desperately needs Drano? Build-Up Remover. When I urinated again later, even more gowns were strewn around, and the stain remained.

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