Chibi Drunk Sanzo Adventures

Yee!

2009-11-07T07:10:27Z

Costco has their annual great big tins of Walker's shortbread cookies in stock. These are the best shortbread cookies to ever be packaged. I have a tin. I am a happy person right now. ^_____^

I don't think I've used this icon more appropriately before...

2009-10-30T06:06:52Z

So, it's been awhile since I've updated, but hoo boy do I have a doozy of an update today. I nearly died this morning. Literally. There was a carbon monoxide leak in our apartment.

Yeah.

As background, I live in a basement apartment with Laren and Pel (neither of whom have LJ). There are three girls who live in the upstairs portion of the house as well. All six of us woke up at different times this morning with nasty headaches and other various ailments (nausea, wobbly legs, ringing in the ears, vision problems, etc.). Pel and the girls upstairs just thought it was a flu or a regular headache. I woke up a little late with said nasty headache and major ringing in my ears. I figured, hey, get to work, shake it off. (Pel had already left for work an hour or so earlier.) Well, Laren woke up while I was getting ready, stumbled to the bathroom, and had a seizure. I heard her hit some things and got up to see what was wrong about the same time she pretty much fell out of the bathroom and landed by my bedroom door (the bathroom door and my bedroom door are at right angles to each other). She was shaky and told me she just didn't know what was going on. I thought at first maybe she was going into a hypoglycemic episode, but suddenly things clicked in my head. My headache and ringing ears, her collapsing and not being able to move right... we had to get out of the apartment immediately. I also realized about then that I could smell just a hint of gas (usually companies add a little something to the CO so you can smell it if it starts to leak).

I hauled Laren up and out of the house, got her to the car, and called the manager. She said the maintenance guy couldn't get there for about 20 minutes. Pretty much I think I was too rational on the phone and too healthy sounding and she didn't quite believe that it was a gas leak so she didn't take it seriously at first. Don't worry, she did later and she's cool and very sorry about it, as is the owner. Anyway, at this point my brain wasn't working quite as well as it should, plus I wasn't sure it was a gas leak and Laren doesn't have insurance. So, instead of going to the hospital or calling the fire department or gas company or something, I decided I was well enough to drive us up to BYU campus to get to our friends who could help us. We did try to call people we knew, but nobody picked up. I also knocked upstairs to try to get people out who might have been there, but nobody answered. I did get up to campus fine, although I started to get really dizzy just before we got to the parking lot. We got to the table where our friends hang out, and thankfully and blessedly, Laren's cousin Charlie (a female, fyi) was there. Charlie is a certified EMT. She got us down, raised legs, dealt with shock, and took our symptoms. Meanwhile, I called my brother who works on campus, and he with the other guy friend who was at the table when we got there gave us both a blessing.

Again blessedly, just a few minutes after that campus emergency medical services saw something was going on and came over. (Charlie couldn't leave us long enough to hunt them down--I was in some shock, but Laren was really bad.) Things went pretty quick from there. They called dispatch and got the fire department over to our house. We told them to make sure they checked for people upstairs. Meanwhile, they got Laren and me on oxygen and called the paramedics when we didn't really improve. As we were waiting for various people and they took more vitals, dispatch called in that yes, there was a CO leak. There was also a girl still upstairs, but she was sleeping when I knocked and was so out of it that she didn't hear me. We got ahold of Pel and the other two girls who live upstairs, and got everyone to the hospital. Laren was so bad off they had to take her in an ambulance. Seriously, she was purple from her scalp to her toes, including her torso. She had gone beyond blue. I was well enough that I was able to be driven.

The six of us spent the next several hours in the hospital. First it was checking our carbon monoxide levels. For reference, the top range of a healthy level is about a 1.5. The lowest level of any of the six of us was a 7.7. Both the girl the police and fire department rescued from upstairs and I had the highest level at 14. We think Laren might have had a higher level, but by the time they tested her she had been aggressively treated with oxygen for about an hour. Either that or her symptoms were so much worse because of the shock from the seizure. We're all doing so much better now, and none of us had to be admitted to the hospital, including Laren.

Anyway, after checking the levels we all got to spend the next few hours in a hyperbaric chamber. Basically, they put these hoods on you, pump extra air in to simulate diving some 100 feet (3x normal atmospheric pressure, anyway), use the hoods to pump you full of straight oxygen plus some medicines to make the CO let go, and slowly bring you back to the "surface." It took several hours. They had a TV in there, though, and we watched Stardust. The "dive" took the time of the movie, including DVD previews, plus about 15 minutes extra. Tomorrow (well, today by the time most people read this since I'm updating so late) we go in for another treatment in the morning, then one more in the afternoon. These other two won't take as long, thankfully, but they'll still be about an hour and a half.

All six of us girls are in the same ward, and our ward Halloween party is tomorrow night. If the hospital lets us keep our hoods (and they put our names on them, so I bet they will), I'm going to vote that we all go together in scrubs and with the hoods and go as carbon monoxide poisoning victims.

Oh, so the way it happened in the first place. We just got our heater fixed last night and turned it on for the first time. As it turned out, there was something wrong with the vents and the CO exhaust was backdrafting into the apartment instead of going outside. The vents are fixed, the place was cleared by the gas company and fire department, and we're fine to go back. However, all six of us decided to stay at other places tonight, mostly out of nervousness. There were no carbon monoxide alarms yet, and, well... I'm not sure how much I trust the maintenance guy. XD We were informed that the alarms have been installed now, though, so we'll be back tomorrow night. Also, while the owner couldn't out-and-out promise that she'd cover all hospital bills, she as good as did. She can't promise yet because she's in a business with other owners and does need to check with them. But when she was talking to us all, she started to cry a little. She has daughters our age, and couldn't help imagining them in the same situation. (Plus, seriously, what judge would look at the situation and say we had to pay our own hospital bills? Even from a purely business standpoint the other owners have no reason to say no, and every reason to say yes.)

I hope my non-Christian friends will bear with me on this one, but I truly thank the Lord for helping us. There are so many coincidences and things that shouldn't have happened this way but did, and they saved our lives. Laren had a mono relapse and never gets up that early, but if she hadn't I would have gone to work, and she would have stumbled out of her room and possibly not made it out of the house at all. My mind was so out of it I have no idea how I managed to figure it out in the first place. With my levels where they were, there should have been no way I could not only haul Laren out of the house, but drive us somewhere to get help. That's just a few of them. I am very, very thankful right now for so many things.

So, all in all an eventful day, but one that's going to turn out just fine.

Passing along the amazing

2009-09-11T04:50:06Z

I got this video from squeakchan a bit ago, but I forgot to post it. This person is amazing. She has a lot of other great videos and covers and original lyrics as well. I highly suggest visiting her YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/katethegreat19

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

2009-08-22T19:10:34Z

I think my latest pulmonologist finally found the answer to my illness. When I went to her, I mentioned my fatigue and general foggy-mindedness as symptoms. She said, "Hmm, let me check your vitamins D and B12 levels, just in case." She also sent me for lung function testing from the premiere doctor in that area since one number there had been low and neede following up, and my previous pulmonologists hadn't done so.

After the tests, when I went back to her, she told me that my lungs were absolutely fine, and in fact in very good shape. The one low number had improved greatly. My vitamin B12 levels were really good, too. My vitamin D levels, on the other hand, weren't. Optimal vitamin D levels are between 50 and 80 ng/ml. Below 25 you're considered deficient. I was at 13.

I had no clue why my levels were so low, though. I do get a bit of sunlight every day, and I drink 2-4 glasses of milk a day, which is fortified with vitamin D. (I loves me my milk.) My mom is in town, and when I was talking with her about it, she said, "I bet it's one of your medicines." When she said that, I said, "You know, I bet it's the Prevacid." Sure enough, when I got back to work (no internet at the new place yet) I poked around and found out that Prevacid, which is for acid reflux, has a semi-rare side effect of leeching out vitamin D and preventing its absorption in some people. I just have to be different, I guess. =P

Then I remembered, when I was on the antifungal medicines, I had to stop taking Prevacid as well. Ding, ding, ding. Now, I do think the mold was a factor as well and it was the combination of stuff that caused my symptoms. Back when I was sick from exposure (which was not long after I started taking Prevacid), just moving out of that room made me feel better. And then, after I got better while taking the antifungal medicine then relapsed when I started taking my inhaler, I did stop taking Prevacid for awhile to see if that was the cause. There was no change.

My going theory is that is was the combination of vitamin D deficiency plus the mold and fungus in my system (although not an active infection, I don't think) that caused me to have such severe symptoms. Once I get the vitamin D up, my body will probably take care of the rest of it. To that end, I have stopped Pravacid altogether; Zantac works for my acid reflux, it's in a different family of drugs, doesn't affect vitamin D, and my doctor says it's safe to take long-term; I'm taking vitamin D supplements; and I'm taking the homeopathic stuff from Dr. Frazier to balance out my system, get rid of lingering fungus, and further help my digestion and acid reflux. With all the information I have now, I'm actually grateful to the mold, as weird as that may seem. Without that we probably wouldn't have found out about the D deficiency until my bones started getting brittle.

I feel really good about this. Things have clicked into place, and my gut feeling (which I'm sure is the Spirit in this case) says that this is it, this is right. And the best part? It's just in time to still make it to the water park this summer. ^__^ Next weekend, anybody? August 29th, Raging Waters in Salt Lake City? Yes/yes?

Nothing clever, just something I wanted to share

2009-08-14T01:16:24Z

I wanted to post a link to this article about virtue that I got from double_dear. Sheri L. Dew says things much better than I can. I agree with what she says, and I think it's important that people know what I believe. I also respect that other people believe differently, so please don't look at my posting this as any sort of condemnation of anyone else.

chibidrunksanzo @ 2009-07-30T17:34:00

2009-07-30T23:40:07Z

In Memory

1994-2009

Tippy is gone. The vet called today with the results from the blood tests. The problem was in her intestines or pancreas. Almost all the possibilities weren't treatable at all, and the one that was treatable wasn't curable, it would just buy a little time. It was time to say goodbye. I took her in at 4:30, and the techs helped her peacefully along.

It just has to be shared

2009-07-23T23:42:40Z

And you thought clowns were scary:

see more Fail Blog

Don't Drink and Con

2009-07-03T06:25:10Z

Okay, this isn't about drinking, but it sounded like a clever title. And hey, I've heard that sleep deprivation leads to behavior that's similar to drunk behavior.

Anyway, pixiepilot and I are here in LA at AX. Well, technically right now we're here in Burbank at my brother's house chillin' and sleepin' and stuff because despite how nice it might be to be closer to the convention center, a free place to sleep is better than hotel costs. Anyway, yesterday we drove here from Utah. Neither of us had gotten enough sleep the day before, and then there's me with my breathing issues. (Amusing interjection, at work I now have the nickname "Gus." It's short for "fungus lung." XD)

Today, after getting badges and checking in stuff at the art show and checking myself in for the masquerade, we were exhausted. We decided to call it an early night and headed to the car. On the way there, after crossing the street... I totally biffed it. Tripped over either my own two feet or the curb, I can't remember which. Normally I can balance myself out no problem when that happens, although it takes a heavy, hopping step or two. Today not so much. The exhaustion combined with the slight overbalancing from the messenger bag with my laptop in it proved too much for me, and gravity won the day. I went down hard.

I'm okay, and the laptop is okay. I whacked my knee pretty good, bruising it up and getting a minor scrape even through my jeans. After icing it the swelling went right down, though. I'm just feeling the bruising (no colors yet, but I'm sure they'll show up later), and I can't kneel on anything for a bit. So no, this is not a repeat of A-kon*, and I will still be doing the skit. \o/ Other than that, there's the tiniest little scrape/cut on my finger, even smaller than the papercut I got earlier today, and another finger had the skin roughed up, but not enough to even call it a scrape.

Small miracles were at play, though, which I am completely grateful for. I tripped at the corner, and the ground past the sidewalk was about half an inch below the cement. That half inch saved my face and possibly some teeth. I only ended up with some dirt on my nose and chin. I also happened to be carrying my messenger bag so the laptop was behind me instead of in front of me, unlike how I'd had it all day before then. If I had fallen on it... yeah, that would have given me one dead computer screen at the very least.

On another note, when doing the at-con check in for the masquerade, I found out that unless they make some last-minute changes, I'm the very last skit. But hey, they'll finish with a bang! Alright, technically they'll finish with a ninja running awkwardly off stage, but even that bit will be awesome!

Also, double_dear, if you have your laptop at the con and check LJ, we should set up a time to meet. I'll be checking my e-mail and LJ at night.

*At A-kon last year I was planning on doing the same skit. Then I tripped on the escalator and ended up partially tearing a ligament in my ankle. When your ankle is about twice its normal size it's probably not a good idea to dance on it. Especially when you're by yourself and your whole cosplay skit is dancing.

^_________^

2009-06-27T18:34:07Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIKKIBUTT~!!!!

Because this video needs to spread as far as it possibly can

2009-06-06T02:46:09Z

Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart," the literal video version:

AX plannings

2009-05-20T19:50:47Z

Pix and I are officially going to AX. ^_^ We've got our registration, we've got a place to stay, and we've got transportation. Woo! I also got a table in the art show (not the alley) so I can display and possibly sell some etched shot glasses, other glasses, and mirrors.

On the downside, about the Chrono Trigger group. I don't think I'm going to be able to get Robo done. I'm still sick with this "can't breathe right" thing, and even if I get the proper treatment today it will probably be a week or two or three before I can work on Robo. (At this point I get out of breath making a sandwich. No way I can do the necessary work for Robo until I'm better.) That's really not enough time to get him done like I want to, and I don't want to be a slap-dash Robo. However, I think I can do Frog, and we don't have a Frog yet. ^^d And if worst comes to worst, I can get a green wig and be the human version instead of the frog version. Robo will just have to wait for a later time.

Watchmen

2009-05-14T04:45:30Z

I read Watchmen for the first time, just finished tonight. You know a novel (graphic novel or not) is dark and depressing when after reading a chapter or two you get a spiritual lift from then reading the Old Testament. XD Still, I don't regret reading Watchmen. Having read comics from all parts of the 80s, and read some in the 90s and some more recent, I can see at least some of the boundaries that Watchmen didn't just push, but looked at, rolled its eyes, and shot. It's also one of those where the more I think about it the more I realize, "Oh, hey, I see what that was about." All in all, I'm still kind of processing and probably will be for a long while.

Also, if you know anything about Watchmen but haven't seen this, you must:

A little behind the times, but my initial take on FFXII

2009-05-07T04:38:21Z

I was having an especially hard time with the breathing today, so I stayed home from work. Then I figured, hey, I've got all day, I might as well finally play FFXII. I played all day (because, let's face it, to get a good feel for Final Fantasy games you have to play for quite awhile), and finally stopped right as I got to the sky city place. Bujherba, or however it's spelled.

I have to say, the game so far? I'm rather underwhelmed. The characters are recycled and one-dimensional (maybe two in some cases), the voice acting is, eh, not bad, but not good enough that I don't notice it (if that makes sense), the music is forgettable, and the plot is predictable. I'm not wholly impressed with the license system and I'm undecided about the battle system, but I'm warming up to it. I do like Balthier, but that's the attitude and accent, really. He has yet to do something I wasn't expecting. It is very pretty, though. The cut scene flying over the sky city was dang cool. Still... Please, somebody tell me the game gets better.

Ah, doctor logic

2009-05-02T05:06:04Z

I saw the new doctor about the relapse breathing issues on Tuesday. He doesn't think it was/is a fungal infection either, and he had the same reasons as the other doctor, but he actually, you know, explained them so I understood and was willing to keep testing other stuff instead of brushing it off as all in my head. He seems to think my getting better on the other medicine (Vfend) was a fluke or a placebo reaction. I personally remain unconvinced simply because through all my weird medical history, even when I was desperately hoping or was sure a medicine would work, I never had a placebo effect before. And, in fact, I was scared that the Vfend wouldn't work either, not so certain it would that my body took over. Still, I think with this guy I'll be able to jump through the right hoops. I honestly do not care if it's a fungal infection or something else entirely. I just want to be better.

Anyway, aside from scheduling tests and taking blood and a urine sample, he also gave me some Singulair to take. I have an allergy to NSAIDs, which means pretty much every over-the-counter pain medicine out there except for Tylenol and Excedrin. Singulair is a pill that treats both asthma and allergies, and sometimes people with NSAID allergies develop a weird asthma. This brings me to my sigh about doctor logic.

My doctors have said there is no physical evidence beyond the difficulty breathing that I have asthma. Singulair marks the fourth asthma medicine they've thrown at me anyway, just to see if it works. On the other hand, when I tried Vfend to see if it worked, I got better. But my doctors say my problem can't be a fungal infection because there is no physical evidence beyond the difficulty breathing. ...I may bring that up at my next appointment.

Happy birthday!

2009-04-30T15:21:31Z

Happy birthday double_dear!!

Even though you guys probably won't read this until tonight. Still!

Woooo! ...@.@

2009-04-27T05:25:01Z

So, I took advantage of the Orange Box sale that I posted about before. I've been playing Portal and loving it. I've beaten storyline mode, but only one of the advanced stages so far. Part of that is because, as much as I love the game, I get motion sick if I play for too long. =P

Oh well, it just means I'm self-limiting on how long I play, right? Right!

"Aperture Science: We Do What We Must Because We Can."

This will be a triumph

2009-04-26T03:59:04Z

Make a note here: HUGE SUCCESS

http://store.steampowered.com/sub/469/

The Orange Box, which includes Half Life 2, Team Fortress 2, and Portal, is only $10 this weekend. Only this weekend, though, so sorry for the late posting.

Click the link and buy, already!

Addendum: So, I totally forgot I already owned Half-Life 2. Only the basic game, though, and I didn't have any of the rest of the stuff that came in the Orange Box (Portal! C'mon!). This means I have an extra copy that I can give to somebody through my Steam account. Let me know if anybody wants it.

Con update

2009-04-14T15:55:05Z

H'okay, so, I did not have enough money for registration before San Diego Comic-Con was sold out. ;_; (And of course it's after the fact that I find out my brother can get me in for free or for a discount. Next year I'm so going.) I am definitely going to AX, though. My only new cosplay plans this year are Robo (Chrono Trigger) and Sasori (first version, Naruto). Oh yeah, and Shino if I can get into the Masquerade. Heck, I'll probably wear my Shino Dynamite costume anyway. ...And maybe Navi, although I need to make version 2.0.

Which brings up the Chrono Trigger cosplay group. So far we have me, double_dear, sporkkunoichi, and... xian_pu? Are you official? I'm Robo, Spork is Crono (because dangit, if you don't have the wig already I will freaking make you one), and Xianpu will be either Ayla or Magus, depending on the fitness factor. I can possibly rope pixiepilot into being somebody. >) Any other takers? Double_dear, do you guys have characters picked yet?

That's all from me for now.

Had to share

2009-04-13T15:34:26Z

The other night (in a dream where I was talking to friends, no less) I came up with an amusing mental image.

Happosai (from Ranma 1/2) meets Tsunade (from Naruto).

...*SNERK*

That... is not so cool.

2009-04-12T06:11:19Z

You all remember the breathing problems that I finally got taken care of? The infection that would have killed me? Well, it appears to have only been in submission and is making a comeback. Yeah. Fun. The past few days I've noticed the burning in my throat and chest again, and then I started getting out of breath or breathing a little heavily doing regular things. Walking around CostCo today for 30-45 minutes had me panting, while last week I had been doing 15-30 minutes a day on the elliptical machine. Not a lack of conditioning, thanks. (Unfortunately, the sudden resurgence could be because of the exercising. I have athletically induced asthma, so I always take a puff of my steroid inhaler before exercising. Steroids promote fungal growth.)

The good news is I had been worried about possible permanent damage and had been searching around for a doctor that had actual, you know, knowledge and experience in fungal infections and mold exposure. The day I realized my symptoms were coming back was the day I had also found a pulmonology clinic in the Salt Lake area that has the experience I need. They were able to get me in on the 28th of this month. I feel good about the place. Well, as good as I can after my previous doctor experiences. The nurse who answered my questions when I called for information asked if my other doctors had done the various other tests. When I said no, they didn't know what to do with me, she said, "Well, we will. =)" (You could hear the friendly smile in her voice.) They also want to see a disc of the actual CT scan images instead of relying on the report from the initial doctor. That makes me feel like they really do know what they're doing.

The other upside (assuming these people really do know what they're doing, oh please, oh please let them know what they're doing) is that this way I can get a real, official diagnosis of a fungal infection, and we'll be able to nail my old complex to the wall. Not having the official tests and diagnosis was the weak link before.

Please, please, please let them actually know what they're doing.

It walks down stairs

2009-04-09T04:50:14Z

I bought a Slinky today. That's all I have to say. =D

I've been meaning to post these

2009-04-07T04:21:06Z

I know there are other Canada-ites on my list, but this song is especially dedicated to learan and harpergrey. Phew! You two are safe! ^_~ (Yeah, the videos are dumb, but it's the best way to play the songs)

Note: This song is often mistakenly attributed to The Arrogant Worms, but it's by Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie.

And this is a bonus, for special use once learan finally gets her citizenship.

This one, on the other hand, really is by The Arrogant Worms.

Birthdays~!

2009-04-02T01:04:28Z

Happy birthday isauraoktobre and cosplayeriori! No joke!

D'awww~!

2009-03-28T15:17:42Z

This is one of the cutest and most awesome news stories I've read in awhile. ^_^

Fireman dresses as Spider-Man to rescue boy

Stupid smart jokes!

2009-03-24T05:06:31Z

I've shared most of these jokes with pretty much all my RL friends, so now it's time to share with people on-line!

-----

Heisenberg is driving down the road when a cop pulls him over.

"Do you know how fast you were going?" the cop asks.

"No, sir," Heisenberg replies, "but I know exactly where I am."

"You were going 20 miles over the speed limit," the cops says.

Heisenberg throws up his hands and says, "Great, now I'm lost!"

-----

Descartes is sitting in a bar. The bartender says, "Can I get you anything else?"

Descartes pauses for a moment, then says, "I don't think so."

Poof! He disappears.

-----

A Buddhist monk walks into a pizza parlor. The pizza guy asks, "What can I do for you?"

After thinking for a moment, the monk says, "Make me one with everything."