Day Three/ Exhausted

Dual post again!!!!

Day 3-Your first love
So I don't exactly think I need to post a picture of him :-P But my very first love was Shawn. I was in high school and we were together for about a year. It was fun, and I really did enjoy it. He's a great person and his girlfriend is luck to have him. I learned a lot from that relationship and after it ended I really think I did a lot of self discovery and became a better person. Yes, I do say that I loved him, even thought I was very young... but it was a different kind of love than I feel with Spencer :) (of course)...

Now on to the rest of my posting. It's going to be brief. I've had a very long day and I need to try to relax to get some shut eye before the morning.
Spence was discharged yesterday.. YAY! But I had to take him to the ER this morning at 3:30 AM =( BOO!!!!
He's been sleeping upstairs because of a mold problem and so he called me at 3:00 AM and this is how it went:
Spencer: Nikki get upstairs now
Nikki: Why?
Spencer: Just come up
Nikki: Are you okay?!
Spencer: Get up here!
And so I hurried upstairs and flipped on the light to find the poor guy coughing up large amounts of blood =( He coughed up half a cup. we were about to call 911 but it started to slow down a lot and so we just called the hospital instead and they told him to get there asap. So we sped off to the ER. Lovely.

Briefly, here is what happened once we got there.

4:00 AM - arrived, vitals, explanation of events, meds....

Between 4-11 AM: Doctors, doctors, sitting around, chest xray, chest CT, doctors

11:30 - 3:30 AM/PM: Moved to observation... We were told that they were just going to watch him, they didn't want to embolize yet. We waited for his CF doctor to talk to him. Slept as much as we could. especially since I only got 2-3 hours of sleep.

3:30 PM: CF doctor came into observation and talked with us about everything that had happened. She was concerned. She told us that the chest xray was unchanged, but the chest CT showed some enlarged vessels in his right middle or lower lung. It also showed that a very small portion of his right upper or middle lung was collapsed but that was nothing to be concerned about. He was having some right lung pain, and so they are pretty sure thats where the bleeding was coming from. He was still coughing up some blood, but it was slowly and throughout the day. His CF doc decided to talk with IR to see if they wanted to embolize him then, or wait.

4:30 PM: IR (interventional radiologist) wanted to go ahead and do the embolization to find the source of the bleeding and get it clotted off.

4:30 - 7:00 PM: Waited forever to hear how it went. Found out that they couldn't finish the procedure. =( The vessels in his lungs are very very curly and curvy and with that and the combination of his heart beating and moving it all around, he couldn't get the catheter to the actual place of bleeding. He was in there for a long enough time that they decided to call it quits for today. They left the Femoral Artery line in there so that they can try again tomorrow.

7:30- 8:00 PM: Moved to MICU since he as an arterial line. Found out they are trying the embolization again tomorrow at 8:30 AM. I really hope it works this time =(

So right now, I am home... waiting to jump in the bath so that I can relax. I am so so very emotionally, mentally, and physically spent. I can't function and I can't relax. We've been in the hospital all (minus like 4 days) of February. I have been by his side through all of this and it's really taking it's tole.

Please pray that this embolization goes very well tomorrow and that he can get on the road to recovery VERY soon. The sooner he can start back up his treatments the better. I'm sure he'll be in the hospital for the rest of the weekend and beginning of next week - but of COURSE I would be MORE THAN THRILLED if he can get out of there sooner.

Also, please pray for myself. I'm REALLY struggling with all of this right now. I'm having a hard time balancing everything and I need the support now more than ever. So please keep myself in your thoughts as well as Spencer. It's hard going through all of this.... kind of alone.

I'll write more later. SO SO much on my mind, but I really need to get some rest since I'm going to be up at the hospital hopefully around 8-8:15.. -sigh-

-Nikki

Day 2/Thankful Thursday

Dual Post!
I also wanted to quickly mention where this blog challenge came from! I got this idea from a blog that I follow... you should check it out :)
Day 2 - Meaning behind your blog name
It's Simply... Life - I tried SO hard to come up with a clever blog name... I hope this sufficed. I just wanted a place that I could write... that I could write about my life with everything going on. Se everything I write about is.... just simply... all part of my life =)

Thankful Thursday: (Check out this blog to join in on being thankful!!)
1. I am SO thankful that Spencer is getting discharged today and that we can leave this place! We've been in the hospital nearly ALL of February and I am SO tired of it. I really need to get back on a schedule and get some structure back in my life. I've missed too many classes lately - and that just has to stop.

2. We get to move soon!!!! And this time is FOR REAL! We are looking at a basement apartment of a good friends house tonight! We're super excited to be taking this big step in our lives. It's been really upsetting to be pretty sure that Spencer's mom's house is causing him physical health problems, possibly because of mold. We weren't sure what to do, and then our friend SAVED us and offered her basement apartment. She's an angle. So we finally get to MOVE!!!!!!!!!!

3. I am thankful for the Church. I am recently decided that I wanted to look into the LDS church, and I think it's been the best decision for me. I think that now it isn't a decision of "if" I get baptized but "when". =) I have been such a happier person (in a whole, even though I've been struggling for a few weeks) now that i've made this decision and I can't believe that it can get even better once I get baptized and confirmed!

4. I'm sooo thankful that I will be marrying Spencer in just THREE short months! That's right! In exactly 3 months I will start the rest of forever with my love!!!! Ahhhhhhhhh!! =)

Day One

Day ONE:

Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

This is the most recent picture I have of myself.... Interesting pic. I took this picture for my facebook group Crohnicles of Crohnies. We were talking about what meds we were on and so I decided that I'd get a current picture of me with all of my meds. So there we go!

So lets start with these 15 interesting facts about myself!!!

1. I am going to be moving out soon with Spencer - and yes it's actually official this time!

2. I am getting married in THREE months!!! Oh my gosh... so soon! =) But I'm REALLY excited!

3. I have made the decision that it is not a matter of "if" I get baptized into the LDS church, but a matter of "when" I will be baptized, and I am honestly very, very happy about it.

4. I'm deathly afraid of spiders. I know it's a pretty irrational phobia, but It's getting worse!! In fact, Spencer showed me a pic of a spider online and I started nearly crying. Yikes. So please don't even tease me about it. It's not cool!

5. I also have a phobia of speaking on the phone - again, it's pretty irrational, but I HATE making phone calls. I avoid it like the plague. I'm not very good with confrontation either.

6. I have recently really gotten into the show "Cupcake Wars" <3>

7. It's really hard for me to motivate myself. A lot of, okay pretty much all of, my motivation comes from my friends, fiance, and family.

8. I look at the world with the way things "should be" instead of the way things are. It's a huge problem and something I'm trying to overcome... It's a pretty big deal with the way my mind set is.

9. I have a deep passion for helping kids. I can NOT WAIT to be a child life specialist.

10. Changing my major has been the highlight of my year so far.. Best decision EVER

11. My favorite season is, hands down, spring. Winter is really hard on my joints and health. Summer is better but it is usually too hot, and I have a major problem of getting over heated. Fall is the precursor to winter.... but spring is the end of winter and that means that my joints start to feel better!!

12. I am the worlds WORSE test taker. I psyche myself out way easy. I will study and study but then when I get to the test I blank. I haven't mastered test taking at all. I am pretty fantastic at multiple choice, but anything other than that my skills are seriously lacking. Even Spencer will back me up when I say I have the worse test anxiety EVER. =/

13. I always have so many things I want to blog about - but my main problem is getting my thoughts on paper (or in this case, the keyboard)

14. A new favorite hobby of mine is cooking! I have been enjoying making new meals for dinner... I am soon going to start trying new desserts and maybe some cake decorating :) It's relaxing for me to do! And it really benefits Spencer and his high calorie needs!!!!!!!

15. I can not multitask!!!! I get distracted so super easy! If I am having a conversation and there is a lot of background noise it's so easy for me to trail off and focus. I don't know how long I've had this issue, but oh it's been so prevalent these last few weeks!!!!!! So to my friends: I'm not purposely ignoring you!!!! Give me a chance and perhaps a quiet environment and I'll be better at conversating!

That was fun! Can't wait for day 2! :) Maybe I am slightly vain? I enjoy writing about myself :-P

The Challenge

So I have challenged others to do this, and I tried it on facebook, but I didn't get very far. The 30 day picture challenge. I've found one more tailored to blogs and so I thought I would try this for my blog!!! Not all of them are pictures - but I love pics so I'm going to put as many up as I can =)

I have to get to class so I'll do day one tonight, but hereeee we gooo!!!!!

-Nikki

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite TV shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

Bamboo.Pink - Jewelry!!!

So, I've been thinking about taking the plunge for a couple months now on some independent sales. I have been super tight on money and I just don't have much to save. I'm pretty much living from month to month on what I have!!!

I thought about while I am looking for a 'real' job and even after I find one to start selling something like scentsy, avon, or starting my own Etsy store... but it seems like all of my friends are doing the same things so I decided not to go ahead with it. Plus I'm not all that great at selling things!!!

But just as I decided to give up with the independent sales I just heard about this new jewelry line coming out in March called Bamboo.Pink! I've always loved jewelry but a lot of it is too expensive for poor little me - buuut this line seems pretty affordable and from the few pieces I've seen, it looks super cute!

So let me tell you a little bit about Bamboo.Pink - & maybe convince you to sign up with the link I will provide later hehe. (PS. I'll say this again later, with more explanation, but singing up is NO OBLIGATION to sell jewelry!!!)

It's a new jewelry line made and designed by JudeFrances. Bamboo.Pink consists of necklaces, earrings, bracelets, iPhone/Pad covers, sunglasses and much more. They are predicting that this will be the fastest growing women's internet start-up company in history.. Hmm pretty impressive :-p The jewelry will be sold through consultants on personal websites and through "virtual" jewelry parties, but you can also host parties if you like but you never have to buy jewelry to keep in stock at your house since it's all internet based!!!

So right now, since they haven't officially launched the line, it's not about selling - right now it's about getting AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN TO SIGN UP so that they can have a big base to start selling as soon as they launch! I hope I made myself loud and clear! Haha. So basically what I'm saying, is that if I can get people to sign up, I have the opportunity to earn some free jewelry, cash, and other prizes. The more people that I can get to click on this link, the better off I'll be! =) And if you want the chance to win these prizes, you can get people to sign up through YOUR link and so on. If you just want to see if you can win some free prizes and aren't interested in selling jewelry, NO PROBLEM! If you decide that after you have signed up that you don't want to sell, they will simply remove your name and you're not obligated to do a thing, plus you get to keep the free stuff, cool! Signup is FREE for only a few more weeks!!!! So don't miss out!!! You have no obligation - so just dooo it!!!!

So here's what I'm saying. I'm not only signing up to get the free stuff, but I'm seriously thinking about trying to sell some stuff so that I can have a little bit of money on the side... I also just want to let my friends know that this is out there and it's something I want to sell in the near future :)

Here's what I'm asking of you......

Can you sign up by clicking on this link ----> https://www.bamboopink.net/nikkijohnson

You don't have to commit to ANYTHING at all. The more people I get to sign up for this - the better my chances are of winning some cool prizes before I start selling some awesome jewelry! And if you get people to sign up through your link you have some chances to win prizes as well =)

Once BambooPink has launched in March, I will let you all know more info of how to order their products through me!

Thanks for helping me out! =)

-Nikki

Wait and it will come to you...

Wow. I was really beginning to doubt my chances of landing a nanny job or a regular scheduled babysitting job. I was thinking that I was going to have to take the route of working at Smith's or being a CNA, even though I don't have the interest in becoming a CNA anymore. I have looked online many times for a job and nothing has went through because of either schedule conflicts, location, or requirements. Spencer and my friends have been telling me to just wait and a job that is a right fit will come up eventually... I was beginning to doubt them!!!

I was looking online for jobs last night, ready to apply for about anything that would pop up. I had about 4 pages book marked to send resumes to and there was a job as a nanny that looked like a good fit and so late last night I decided to send an email to the family inquiring some information.

Low and behold I woke up to an e-mail this morning from that family!! And things get more exciting from there!

Now before you dig into me and start lecturing, I am very aware the potential risks of finding work online. I'm being super careful and cautious and I won't do anything stupid. I have my guards raised so please don't worry - I'm a smart girl!

Sooo.. The father e-mailed me back telling me that an interview wouldn't be possible. My heart sank as I thought, once again, a job that sounded perfect wouldn't work out.. but then I went on to read... Their family is from Scotland (ahhhhh!) and THAT'S why an interview in person wouldn't be possible! He's a doctor, she's a teacher. They are living in Scotland now and are currently looking at moving to the states. =) They need someone they can trust to look at a few houses for them and then help their family get settled and feel welcome here. After they get settled they would like someone to nanny after school for a few hours. PERFECT!

Ok now pause... nothing is final right now with this. I have NO idea if anyone else has sent him an email and if he will be interested in me. It sounded positive, but I don't want to get my hopes TOO high before it's official. But it's kind of hard not to because for so many reasons I feel like I would love to watch after his kids.

I mean... number one.. I get to look at houses - come on, who wouldn't?! Even though it's not for myself, it's fun to do. Number two... he said that they are very flexible with schedules and so I would basically get to choose my hours!!! HOW COOL IS THAT?! I have such a crummy schedule this semester, and THAT'S what's been getting in the way of many jobs.. So for someone I can choose my hours with - that's perfect. They also said pay was negotiable which is super good and a good sign that they are willing to work with me and everything.

(And yes, again, I know.... There are risks involved with speaking to someone from a different country. I know, if they need me to pay for anything - I'm not going to do it.... I know warning signs and I won't fall into that category of innocent people getting screwed over... so don't worry.)

I am really excited about this. As I said.. I don't want to get my hopes up too high, but it sounds pretty promising. I e-mailed them back telling them a little about myself since they shared a little about their family, and gave them some references so that he can contact people so that they can trust me more.... I guess we'll see where it goes from there :)

Please send good vibes and pray for this.... I DESPERATELY need a job and so far it sounds like a very good fit.I just need to know that everything will work out and that it's not some kind of scam.

:) :) :) Gosh I hope this works.....

Thank you!

So before I head to bed, I thought I'd make a quick blog....

First I want to say THANK you to all who called Spencer or sent him a message today. I can't even begin to describe how much it meant to him that you all took the time out to show him that you care and that you support him. He beamed today every single time he got a phone call or read a nice post. If you could send encouraging thoughts to him the rest of the week while he's here it'd be great =)

I also want to give a special thanks to Kristin and Krystle for coming to visit today!! We had SUCH a good time with you guys today - it was so nice to see new faces here in the hospital and we REALLY appreciate that you took the time to stop by and say hello!!!!

And also a HUGE thanks to Christine and Adam for staying here until the wee hours of the night playing games with us! I don't think I've laughed that hard in ages! SO much fun! Thanks for sticking around!!!!

Spencer is feeling better and doing well =) His PFTs are good right now for the 1/2 mark and the doc thought a good goal was to get his FEV1 in the lower 40's before he's discharged. Planned discharge is Thursday, the 17th; so he's got all week to work to get them up! :) His Glucose tolerance test came back alright - I don't think he has the diabetes! So that's a super good sign - One thing we don't yet have to deal with.

I think we're starting to go insane in here! Being prepared for the hospital really helps get us through the first week - but the second week seems brutal! :-P Doing the same things every day gets so boring. And he's feeling better so we get pretty antsy... But at least the first week went by fairly quickly!

Hope that starting on Monday we'll feel the days zoom by!!!

If you still would like to visit, call, or email I or Spence - Feel free!!! Let me know if you need any info to do so :)

Thanks!! :)