This one's a bit graphic...

I've been sitting here for about 5 minutes wondering what to write.

I'm going to be completely honest today - I don't have any idea what I've shared on here this week. My brain is tired. I really REALLY want to share good things, but my brain isn't recognizing them right now.

Yesterday was so stressful. If it wasn't for my friend Rachel and my mom yesterday, I think I would have crumbled at about 2pm, and just sat and cried until I fell asleep. My car died. I've been pushing so hard lately that March seems like a distant memory. The energy boost I had from my time off is all gone and I'm in the negative spoon and PTO wise. The Apartment is a mess, there are dishes in my kitchen sink and the pile of clothes in the bedroom is enough to make me want to light a match.

After my Mom left my apartment last night, I sat down to eat and a cat fight broke out. Our outside vagrant cat, Zeus (you remember him, right? Little grey and white cat?) was being attacked by a black cat I've never seen before. I had been messing with my new piercing, because I remember when I was 13 and got the first 2 done that I should mess with it when my hands are perfectly clean, and make sure to move it about a bit so it heals completely. Well, I was messing with it, Mischief and Mayhem launch at the window and then each other, and Charlie launches into me, making the back of the earring go flying, and my ear to bleed.

Crap.

So I yell at the girls and they run two different directions. I grab my water cup and launch outside to drench the fighting cats. The black one runs off, and I check Zeus over. Apparently he was winning. I don't know why I find that surprising, since he's brought me dead mice and last week he offered me a dead squirrel. Well, by now I know I need to go take care of my ear. Guess who ate my dinner while I was outside? Charlie? Mischief? Mayhem? My money's on Charlie, that he started it and then Mayhem bullied him away and ate the rest.

Crap!

So I throw the dishes in the sink and go tend to my ear. While cleaning it, I make the grand mistake of taking it out. Husband came home and found me on the floor. It was all just way too much - the jumping up, losing dinner, losing a little blood.

I don't say this enough, but Husband came to the rescue. I'm sure he's never had to put an earring on someone - let alone through a fresh piercing while the person is faint and covered in ice packs and sipping on a cold drink - lying on the floor no less - but he did it! My ear is really sore now. I can hear my Mom and Grandad in my head "Head like that's supposed to hurt!" lol. Good news is, it's clean and I'm going to be VERY careful to not mess with it near animals! My home went from chaotic, but kinda chill to "WHOA! RAOWRRRR!!! HISS!! OWWW!!! CRASH! BOOM! HISS!!!!Bark, BARK, BARK!!!!" in 30 seconds.

Today I've been working hard to make sure we have enough people coming in to help all the patients in need. I know Summer is a crazy time for everyone, but all the blood banks suffer in the summer, and that means patients have a higher risk of not getting the help they need. When I say all blood banks suffer, I mean it. Last summer was awful. across the state, all three blood banks were on TV, Radio and internet trying to beg people to come in. Usually by the last week of the month, I'm already scheduling the week after next. (2 weeks out.) Today, I've been scheduling people for Sunday and Monday. Summer has arrived again!

I'm so grateful for Rachel sending me Starbucks! The barista yesterday said "Beth! I haven't seen you in forever! Where's Charlie?", and when I told her that I had to drop caffiene, she almost cried for me. Either that or she cried knowing that her regular isn't coming in much anymore! haha! I told her how wonderful of a job he did in the nice restaurant last week. I'm convinced if we hadn't been allowed to practice outside and then *inside* starbucks that he wouldn't have been able to make it through the meal like a Service Dog. You see - we don't have a table at home. We eat on the couch, or sometimes I eat outside on the back porch, where I have a folding chair and milk crate I use as a table. So there's no place at home for us to practice meal time manners. I think that made the barista's day, because they always want to pet Charlie, but of course can't because he's working and so are they.

That's all for now. Hopefully when I get home I'll remember to post a picture of Charlie with his new toy from my friend "H". :)