Where have all the happy people gone?

Resting afterwards
Originally uploaded by peejaygee

This is the first time I'm blogging after a 12 hour night shift, but I feel the need to put some thoughts out there this morning.

As I started to drive home from work this morning, I felt great leaving work behind; I had a good shift. I think I worked hard and provided really good care to my patients. But, the moment I leave the parking lot, I start to feel an overwhelming sense of frustration. What is it with the general public these days? On the way home, someone cut me off in traffic, I look around and see most people in a crazy rush to get somewhere that they don't enjoy going to in the first place, and when I go to Starbucks for a breakfast sandwich and a decaf coffee, I found the service to be not so friendly. Granted, I know the morning crew has to wake up pretty early (hey, I worked at Starbucks when I was going to university and hey, I just worked from 7pm-7am), but is it that hard to smile, make eye contact, say thank you or even just acknowledge me beyond finding out my order and taking my money? I remember when I used to work at Starbucks....I worked with a great crew. We had fun in the mornings. We had a lot of regular customers and you could tell that we genuinely enjoyed serving our customers. I know these days people often have a lot on their plates. I know what it's like to have a mortgage, barely get sleep between work and the kids and to have bad days (and I know there's a lot of personal suffering out there), but I find that more often than not, people are just not friendly anymore. Luckily, the people I've surrounded myself with make me feel good. It's just so frustrating most days to step out the door. Don't get me wrong, I'd go crazy if everyone were like Mary Poppins, but a little spoonful of sugar now and then wouldn't hurt.

Maybe now I'll have a peaceful sleep.......

The Sky's looking pretty blue these days!

Originally uploaded by peejaygee

I've now healed from my laser eye surgery. It all began in December, when I had laser eye surgery done to my right eye. Why only my right eye, you ask? Well, I was born with a "lazy eye" (my left eye), that was never corrected. Anyhow, up until about 2 weeks ago, I've only really been seeing out of my right eye. The reason why I had laser eye surgery done to my right eye was because over the years, it's become somewhat weakened (probably due to the fact that it's been doing the workload of 2 eyes for 32 years). Anyhow, when I had my right eye done (which by the way, can now see better than 20/20), I asked if anything could be done to my lazy eye. The eyesight out of my left eye has always been quite limited (as an example, I've never been able to make out the big "E" at the top of the eye chart with my left eye). I could basically see large images, minus the details.

As it turned out, laser eye surgery technology has improved so much, that they could work on my left eye. Luckily, the muscle that coordinates my eyes has always worked well (which is why people are often surprised to find out that I've had a "lazy" eye), but because no correction had ever been done to it (when I wore glasses, I would just have a balance glass lens over my left eye and I've only had to wear a contact lens over my right eye....which has been great for making eye wear cheap for me), it has had years of astigmatism and near-sightedness that had built up.

I was basically promised to get no better than 20/40 out of my left eye. Didn't sound too bad, considering, I've basically never really seen much out of it to start with. So, 2 weeks ago I took the plunge. Despite an episode involving the paramedics/firefighters attending to an emergency"ish" situation at my house (I was for-warned that my brain might have a bit of a tough time getting used to seeing out of 2 eyes....which it did.....beyond migraine pain, nausea, collapse....you get the idea), I am so thankful to have been able to have the procedure done. I'm constantly closing my right to look out of my left eye alone. What an amazing thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To the London Eye Centre in New West, thank you from the bottom of my heart! To my husband, family and neighbors, who've put up with me and have been very helpful, I'm grateful. To the painkillers, I thank you as well :)

Family, Fun and a Reason to Celebrate.

For those of you that know me, don't worry, I'm not pregnant!............

This past month has been all about spending quality time with many that are close to me. It all started off at the end of January with a family cruise to celebrate Paul's 40th birthday. It was our first cruise ever and what an amazing first cruise it was! We hope to go again some day, perhaps this time "sans kids". They had a great time, and we a great time with them, but it's a bit difficult to have a "relaxing" cruise vacation, when you're making sure that your 2 year old and 6 year old are having fun and are safe. What a way to celebrate Paul's milestone though! 8 nights at sea (with 3 stops at Mexican ports).

Since the cruise, we've had amazing, spring-like, weather. Paul and I have spent a lot of time with the kids outside. It's great to see all the neighbors come out from hibernation. It's hard to imagine that it's still only February, and tulips are starting to make an appearance in our garden. This past weekend we took the kids to Queen's Park in Burnaby. Any worries we may have had were left elsewhere. It was sunny, the trees were budding, the flowers were blooming, and the kids were giggling and smiling from ear to ear. The kind of stuff that memories are made of.

This past weekend we also threw a surprise, maybe not so surprise, party for Paul. I thought it would be nice for Paul to also celebrate his 40th with friends and family (as nice as the cruise was). I managed to pull off what I hope was a good time had by all. Although we had to wait for 3 hours longer than I had anticipated for Paul and my accomplice, Mike, to return to the house, it was a great evening. Party's like this one remind me of the movie, "It's a Wonderful Life" (a flick that I watch every Christmas Eve on NBC). Paul has made an impact in each guest's life (not to mention mine)!

I'd have to say that 2008 has started off on a great note. This year I'll be looking forward to the birth of my brother and sister-in-law's second child. Paul, Isabella and I also have the honor to be in the wedding party for a dear cousin of mine and his FABULOUS bride to be. Can't wait to have her "officially" part of the family.

I guess I can't forget to mention that this coming Thursday (3 days from now), I'll be able to see out of my left eye for the very first time (it's been my "lazy eye"/bum eye since I was born). I'm very excited, but a bit nervous. It's hard to put into words. I guess a bit overwhelming. None the less, I can't wait!

It's been a while....

I haven't been in the blogging mood for a while. It's amazing how life carries you away into a biss of "busyness". There's been many times where I've thought, "I'd really like to blog about this or that", but in the end I end up being too tired or busy (my moment to whine today). (which, by the way, I feel a bit entitled to have; it was a crazy busy day in the ICU today:) Tonight I've decided it's time to blog again. It's late, I'm tired after a 12 hour shift, but the kids are in bed, Paul's busy, and this is how I'd like to spend some "me" time before going to bed. No tv tonigh; , just me having a cathartic session with my laptop.

Perhaps what has spurred on my urge to blog tonight is that I found out that in about 2 weeks time I'll be seeing out of my "lazy eye" for the first time (if all goes as planned). Those who know me, know that I've had laser eye surgery a couple of months ago to my "good eye". It's been doing all of the seeing for the past 32 years and has required a corrective lens since I was in grade 2 (I guess it's hard work for 1 eye to do the work of 2, so it's gotten weaker over the years). Anyhow, I found out that my "lazy eye" can be worked on as well. I've been told that I won't be able to see better than 20/20, as I now do with my eye that has had surgery, but for all intensive purposes, I'll be able to see out of it (legally able to drive with it). Gotta love technology some times!

Cannot imagine what life will be like after the surgery. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but for someone who's only known what it's like to see out of one eye, it's a BIG DEAL! Today, I've been thinking a lot about what the heck it will feel like to see beyond the right side of my nose. My humorous husband said that he's sad he'll no longer be able to sneak in a tickle from the left side. I'll be able to intercept him much more quickly. (Besides my parents, he's my biggest supporter in this; he's so excited for me).

Perhaps I'll try to blog next time with both my eyes!