I can’t frickin’ stand these stupid Christmas Hallmark specials and other holiday specials that mean my shows are canceled that week! But what’s worse are the incredibly repetitive and obnoxious holiday sales ads whose jingles I can’t get out of my head. Two-day sale? Um, hello? That commercial for Carson’s two-day sale was last week. It’s been way more than two days since that sale ended. Oh, wait! Let’s just recycle the commercial for this week’s one-day sale with 50% off for seniors.

Is anyone else sick of seeing his mug every time you turn on the TV or get online? I sure am!

Jonathan Roy, Patrick’s son. Guess he takes after his dad, eh? Read the Yahoo! article here: Ex-NHL player, Quebec coach Patrick Roy and son suspended for brawl during game. You won’t catch me doing that. I don’t think.

So, this is the first post of 2008 and basically it’s to tell you that I will be on hiatus for…oh, I don’t know. Until I get better, anyway. In short (if that’s possible for me), here’s the scoop:

I saw the PCP at the beginning of January and he said that I’m out for the rest of the (hockey) season. Of course that absolutely killed me. Both he and my pdoc agree that I need a change of scenery and climate, so I’ll be spending some time with my family in Las Vegas, which of course I’m anxious about, especially because I still can’t bring myself out of the house on my own, though I think I’ve figured out why. Guess you’ll have to wait and read about that if I blog about it.

Here’s some good news: when I saw my pdoc last week or the week before, he decided to ban ECT as treatment for me!!!! Yay!!! Woohoo!!! How cool is that?! Of course it isn’t necessarily permanent, but so what? It hasn’t been working anyway, and my forgetfulness and concentration are just absolutely A-W-F-U-L. I mean, I forget whether or not I’ve conditioned my hair while I’m in the shower (on the days that I shower, which are increasing).

Other good news: Basil’s pancreatitis of the pancreas, as Brian calls it, is nearly all healed up!!!! The vet called near the end of December and left a voice mail about Basil’s last blood test that I couldn’t really understand, but basically some sort of something that was at 500+ last time is now at 100+, which is awesome, and all the other levels that they tested have either decreased or increased, whichever is the positive result.

Anyway, ’til whenever…

Love and kisses,
Barb

Tiger vs. Tiger
(click to enlarge)
(click here to view the game pics)

*groan* Another hockey post, you say? Well, it almost feels like my swan song game post, since I won’t be playing for a while. Oh, yeah: I’m having the MRI for the uterine fibroid embolization tomorrow; if I have the energy later in the day, I’ll write more details. Or the next day, or the next day after that, or the next week, or when the whole ordeal is over with.

So if this is my hockey swan song (I know I’m being fatalistic — indulge me), it was a great one. It was Sunday, October 28, and Brian and I were pigging out on ribs and watching the Bears game. I get a call around 4:00 p.m. from a goalie friend/mentor asking if I could sub for her. That night. At 8:00 p.m. At a rink I’ve never played in. Against a team I’ve never played against. But I jumped on the chance even though I was terrified. The Inferno is a team that’s at least two levels more advanced than my own! Luckily, I know many of the team members from the Spring and Summer Mixers, so that eased some of my anxiety.

It wasn’t my best game even though we tied. My teammates that night said I did great, and I thanked them for the opportunity to play at a higher level. I didn’t see much action that night, and when I did, I, personally, think I sucked because I didn’t get much action. Thankfully, my teammates were there to pick up my slack.

Ironically, the goalie subbing for the Vikings’ own is the Blue Tigers’ goaltender! And the skater who scored their first goal against me, but whose shot I’m blocking above is on the Tigers’ White team!

Two things I learned this game: women’s hockey in the greater Chicagoland area is still barely getting off the ground, otherwise we wouldn’t all be running into each other; and not seeing much action for most of the game isn’t necessarily a good thing because your muscles start getting cold and stiffening up on you, and you also end up thinking too much instead of simply reacting.

I can’t believe this was over a month ago. This was the last time I played.