What Would You Say?

What exactly are you supposed to say when someone calls you up and tells you, “I’m going to have to get one of my balls cut off.”? If it were D telling me this, I’d be crying tears of massive sorrow, but it was my uncle on the other end of the phone call.

I guess after years of abusing his body with the crakk rocks, my uncle’s body is beginning to fail him. He’s been clean for about 3 years but has developed diabetes and apparently some kind of male anatomy malfunction in that time. He and my mom have gotten close since he cleaned up, and she’s been sort of guiding him through the medical system and using her RN clout to help him bypass some of the healthcare red tape.

Well my mom being the busybody that she’s known to be is forever telling me his gotdamned business. Every time I talk to her she’s got to give me the Uncle E update. “Your uncle is moving up here and will be living with us in your old room. Your uncle has to get a catheter. Your uncle is having some issues with his *ahem* manhood….” So I guess he figures that since she’s been telling me his ish, he may as well skip the middle(wo)man and tell me his ish himself.

He’s a text message fiend. Do you hear me? Fiend! Like 12-year-old-just-got-their-first-cellphone fiend. So he likes to text me at the most unnecessary hours of the day (like 5 muhfuggin 30 A.M.) and let me know his business. “Going to get my scrotum checked today. Uncle E” or “Caught the early train to work cuz I have a dr appt at noon. Uncle E”. I try to be nice cuz I know he’s doing his best to live a clean life and is still adjusting to the new set of friends and circumstances he has so I usually respond with a “that’s great!” or something. But seriously, I’m not checking for him or his scrotum problems like that.

So when he called me last night, I was surprised as I always expect texts from him. His voice was all melancholy, “It’s official. I have to have one of my balls cut off”. I really was stuck for what to say. This is not a position I’m supposed to be in. I’m not supposed to be discussing dyck all willy nilly like that. Especially not with my uncle.

Uncle E: “Did you hear me? I have to have one of my balls cut off so they can remove the infected tissue. How do you feel about that?”

Me: “Ummmm. Ummmmmmmm. That’s really unfortunate. I hope you find some relief soon.” *thinking WTF is this man telling me this for?! I don’t have any feelings about his peen*

Uncle E: “Thanks. I know it’ll be alright. I just thought I’d tell you before your mom had a chance.”

Me: “Yeah, well you know how she can be sometimes”

Uncle E: “Ok, you take care.”

That was the extent of the conversation. Nothing else discussed; just his balls. I didn’t know what else to say. Complete loss for words and comprehension. I’ve asked them both not to involve me in conversations about anyone’s uhh… personal situations, but neither of them have any shame. They really think these types of conversations are normal between family. They need an intervention. Stuff like this is not normal conversation material.

*sigh* What the hell am I supposed to say next time this comes up?

Freedom, Day 3

I’m now on day 3 of my indefinite leave of absence from work. I see the ENT next week and will get the definite date for my sinus surgery then and will begin the pre-op crap. I really wasn’t trying to have another surgery any time soon, but if this will get me feeling better I really don’t care. I hear it’s painful as all get out, but again I really don’t care–plus I’m sure they’ll give me some of those “everything is great” painkillers.

This leave is indefinite, but the new building is scheduled to be done in late July so I will ostensibly return to work at that time. My time off will be unpaid after all of my sick/vacation time runs out, but we’re going to see if my situation qualifies for our A.FLAC to pick up. D and I spoke about the situation at length, and we decided that once I get my clinical schedule for nursing school we’ll figure out if I’ll be going back to work there. Whether I go back or not will also be determined by how well this surgery works and how I feel about transitioning from an admin position there to a nursing position. I’m just not sure I want to stay there given how my current situation has been. I’m not worried about it though, recession be damned.

I’m so excited it finally snowed yesterday. I was getting jealous of my parents up in the tundra back home. Every couple of days my mom was calling or emailing telling me that they got 6 or 9 inches of snow.  I miss real winter so much! I took my girlfriend’s eight year old son and a few of his friends to the snow hill and got it together on the sleds. I’ve still got some skills with the snow tubes! Me and some girlfriends are going to West Virginia over the weekend to really get some good snow tubing in. I’d better bring the Tig.er Ba.lm with me cuz I know I’ll be some kind of sore when we’re done.

I’m trying to get my fun in now cuz I know once I’ve got all those stitches in my head, fun will cease to exist for a hot minute.

WTF Face

You ever just want to slap the snot out of somebody and give them the “WTF, Really?” face ?

Yeah. I’m there.

Ol’ girl from work who’s been sort of cyber-stalking me and trying to be me sent me a message that said “I really don’t know what’s up or why you haven’t been talking to me, but I hope all is well”. So rather than go tit-for-tat in emails and text messages, I called her and let her know what my problem is with her. I’m the kind of person where I might not say anything to you for a day or so when I get angry just so I can get myself together, but I won’t beat around the bush when I discuss my issues with you. I don’t do a whole lot of talking behind people’s backs, but if I do talk about someone, I’ll never lie to them and say that I didn’t–if they ask, I will tell them what I said too. No need to hide that. Anyway,  I was nice, but I let her know that I’ve lost a lot of respect for her as a woman, as a friend, and especially as a mother to her son because she’s setting a bad example for him.

Rather than accept that like a grown woman or at least try and defend herself, she tried to put that ish back on me. She cussed me left and right talkin’ somethin ’bout “You ain’t shit. Your family ain’t shit. Don’t nobody give a damn about you and your snooty I-went-to-college ass. You don’t have shit that I want” ad nauseam. Loud as hell. I’m sure her neck was rollin all over the place and she was waving her finger around. Just like Shenehneh she went on and on. “Oh no you didn’t just teeeeeelllll me you lost respect for me!! That don’t matter no way cuz I lost respect for you a long time ago. I’m done with you”

When she finished her crazywoman rant (I’m surprised she didn’t hang up on me the way she was going)  I said,

“You lost respect for me, huh? I guess that’s why you’ve been spending all of your waking hours trying to be me and trying to get next to me. You don’t care about me and mine, right? So why were you stalking me, trying to get with my husband behind my back and trying to dig up dirt about me through my family? Apparently we got something you care about. And you weren’t done with us last night the way you were sending desperate ass messages to my family on fac.ebook. Heffa you must not realize they told me about you. Done with me? Bitch please I’ve been done with you.”

*silence* *crickets and all that*

“Oh. Well you still ain’t shit Tasha!”

*silence**crickets and all that*

“Riiiiiight. Since I’m not shit, I’m gonna get off the phone and continue not being shit. Sweetie, you have a good day and good luck in your life. I’ll throw some prayers up for you”

WTF and really!? It’s amazing to me how some women really think work is the new middle school. *smh*

Runnin ‘Round

I didn’t get to post yesterday about the Inauguration, but everyone has already said all that I would have said. I’m elated about our new president, but at the same time realistic that our country’s problems can’t and won’t be fixed immediately. Yes we can, Yes we did, Yes we will…

I’ve been running around trying to deal with some more family issues. My mom had urgent surgery to get some kind of stimulation device implanted in her spine so hopefully her pain will be relieved to the point where she can walk. She let me know a whole 36 hours before surgery so we were scrambling to get to her. While dealing with her, she also let me know that she cashed two life insurance policies–mine and my brother’s. Granted she was the beneficiary on both and they were the policies she took out on us as babies, so it doesn’t matter, but ehhh. I don’t know what to make of that.

My dad fell off the face of the earth. Like no one…his wife or anyone…can find him. Greeat. Not the first time so I’m not worried, but come on bruh. Stop doing that ish.

I’ve been forced to take a leave of absence at work because I got ANOTHER sinus infection. I’m there 4 hours a day. Daaaamn. I’ll be having sinus irrigation surgery the first week in February. Most likely I won’t be returning to work there based on my doc’s orders, and bosslady knows it. I’m working with the proper people to get things taken care of legally. Thanks to all of you who pointed me to the proper people. It’s a legal issue now, so I’m sure it’ll be just fine.

Normally with all the noise going on around me, I’d be stressed to the hilt but I’ve found my way back to some balance. Other than the fact that I can’t breathe (daggone sinus infection lol), I’m working with some inner peace for the first time in a loooong time. I’m looking forward to the Vegas trip for my birthday in March and I’m looking forward to some extended time at home to regroup and decide what to do until nursing school starts in August.

Phone Foul

Every month I send a T-mobi.le a few stacks in exchange for (shitty) cell phone service and this is how they treat me? I’ve been faithful for the last 4 years (don’t know what the hell possessed me to renew the contract) and this is the best they can do?

When I got a new phone a year and some change ago one of their representatives sold me HARD on the insurance plan. $50 deductible and if my phone is lost or damaged, I get a new one. Great.

Now my phone is damaged. I mean out of service. Done like OJ’s career. I called and was told that my insurance policy is no longer valid and I’d have to buy a new phone outright. Really? How is that the case when I get charged extra for the policy every month?

After 45 minutes on the phone and two supervisors, it was determined that my insurance policy expired January 1, 2008.  A.fugging.year.ago. The rep took off the insurance charges for the coming bill and offered me a $20 credit for my troubles. Excuse me, but what the hell is that? They didn’t even offer to refund me extra money I’ve been paying every month. And on top of that, I still need a new phone. I wasn’t about to pay full price for a new one.

I’m done with their no-English speaking bad telephone manners having azzes. Tomorrow afternoon I’m headed to Veriz.on to switch over. Hopefully with them I won’t have to basically hang out of my kitchen window to get a signal and hopefully I’ll get an insurance policy that actually protects something. Hmmph

Dilemma Part 2

So I went back to work yesterday and was told “They’re doing something with the air now. The guys were in here this morning. They haven’t found anything yet, but I should have a report next week. That should be good for now.” For real? That’s how this is going to go? Just kind of brush me off like that?

I found out from another co-worker that they found several leaks in the A/C system. I don’t know if it was freon or what, but still…it might be helpful to let me know that so I can pass that on to my doctor. Funny how no one in a position of importance bothered to tell me that. Hmmmm…

Thank you everyone who left suggestions in the comments and in my inbox. I was able to get a recommendation for a reputable employment lawyer around here and have started the process of finding out what the proper course of action is. In the meantime I’m on a half-day schedule now.  I see the doctor on Friday and if I don’t get a good report from there, I may be forced to take a medical leave of absence. I’m not really sure what to make of all of this.  I’m disappointed, but that’s the best I can come up with right now.

We’ll see how this all pans out. I’m trying to see this as a blessing. It may be time for me to get out of there and make a fresh start. It’s in God’s hands. No matter how it turns out, I know I’ll be just fine.

Now back to regular blogging…

Dilemma

I’m dealing with another dilemma at work. I’ll come back and update, but basically the boss renigged on her promise to let me work at home and she knows I can’t deal with the air in the building.  I’ve provided her with more than enough medical documentation, and gave her the doctors’ contact info. The doctor doesn’t want me in there, D doesn’t want me in there…and now apparently she doesn’t want me in there. I’m at a loss about what to do. My doctor says I have mold growing in my sinus cavities cuz of that place and will have to have a quick irrigation/surgery to get things all the way cleared out. It’s that serious.

Am I supposed to quit because of this? Take this to the labor board? Any suggestions????

Any Given Sunday

Nuff Said… Go Giants!!

Finally!

We finally got our ceremony picture proofs in today. They’re hosted online in non-copyable ‘proof’ form, so I can’t actually copy/paste or upload and save from the company’s website. I did find a way to jack a few though, but the quality suffered a little bit. I was starting to get some fiery emails like “I know you gon’ post some pictures right!?” lol, so here we go.

Walking Down the Aisle

Lighting Unity Candle

With my new sisters

Umm okay, that’s enough voyeurism for a while. If you’re nosy and want to see the whole truckload of proofs, email me and I might hook you up.

And it feels so good

I just got home from work and it’s 10AM. I walked in there this morning not knowing what the hell I was about to do, but I’m glad I did it. See, outside of the co-worker trying to steal my damn identity issue, I’ve been having other issues as well. Since I transferred to this location a year ago, I’ve had eight sinus infections. On Sunday I was diagnosed with another one plus the flu…I’d been sick since Wednesday (I damn near slept through New Year’s. Once I said Happy New Year, I went back to sleep and slept for 28 hours straight) and got tired of it on Sunday and they said I had the flu and sinusitis. Another dose of extra strong antibiotics and Tamiflu. Another sick day used. Not the business and definitely not the way to start a new year.

I’ve never been sick like this before, and my doctors have begun thinking that my recurrent sinus infections are a result of my work environment. They believe there is some mold or other garbage floating around the air that’s making me (and several other co-workers) miserably sick.  My office is on the basement floor, in a converted closet. Sexy, right? To be sure it wasn’t my home situation, our complex had our air tested (all is clean) and we installed two air purifiers. While we were on vacation, I had a little cold but it was nothing that DayQuil couldn’t handle. As soon as I got back to work last week *BAM* I have the flu and sinusitis. I was fine on Monday and sick by Wednesday. That leads me to believe some ish is up with the air in there.

So today I went down to my office and dropped my stuff off then went up to my boss’ office still not knowing what I was about to say. I got in there and silently prayed for the right words to say. I was able to explain my situation and let her know that my body can’t handle that environment and also explain the situation with my co-worker in more detail. I let her know that if we can’t find a reasonable solution or a compromise, I would have to leave the company. Surprisingly, she was really receptive.  So we discussed part-time and working from home until we move into our new building in July. As of right now I’m on a medical leave of absense and they’re working on getting the air checked. My work from home situation should be set up by next week.

My M.O. for this year is to go for exactly what I want and not be afraid to ask for what I want and what I need. I’m proud of myself for having the gall to let bosslady know that we’d have to work this situation out on *basically* my terms. Looks like this is a good way to start the year. Hopefully things will just get better from here.