TO DO LIST... The question is: Who's gonna do all this?

Here is my To Do List:

- Take down all the shoes, clean and put away winter boots and shoes, get rid of the ones no longer worn.  DONE!
- Take an inventory of unnecessary pots and pans and take them to a charity.
- Take an inventory of towels and linens, put away old ones to be taken to a charity.
- Go through the closets, put away winter stuff and bring out seasonal items. Clean up the closets.
- Go through the books and decide which will be given away, which will be kept.
- Go through work-related material and toss away what is not needed.
- Re-organize the medicine drawer
- Re-organize underwear and sock drawers
- Organize the china cabinet

OK... Just looking at this list, I feel exhausted. Need a nap... Now.

New Project

I haven't been working for the last 6 weeks. We had some problems with our Project Manager and the Customer expressed their dissatisfaction with his contribution. We got real upset because my other team-mate and I had been doing real well and had started enjoying the project.

When the Project Manager got back to us regarding what has happened, I told him that we had lost a lot of reputation with the Customer and that it was none of my fault and I would have to withdraw from the project. After all, why go somewhere you are clearly not wanted? My team-mate did the same and actually more. He pretty much burnt the bridges with the Project Manager and I do not think they will be working ever again.

Long story short, there is a new project which will require me working 2-3 days a week. I hope this one will be successful. Although, I missed the income, I was glad I could spend some time with sis, mom and BIL. I also was able to rest because all that driving and long hours at work five days a week was draining me. I like to work part time.

Anyway, tomorrow is my first day on the new project so, wish me luck!

DOCTOR vs DOCTOR

A friend of my sister suggested her to see another doctor. Her own (now previous) doctor was also suggested by one of her doctor friends and is known to be very good in his area of expertise. However, he was a bit distant and did not provide much needed details for her that made her anxious. He was cool about the problem but was not very reassuring. Plus, everything we read on the Internet was pretty bad and we almost believed she would not be able to reach 60 (she is 41 now).

Her husband told me that on several occasions he caught her crying thinking her days were numbered. This has broken my heart too.

So, when a friend of her with the same diagnosis suggested her the other doctor, she decided to give him a shot. The new doctor spent close to 40 minutes with her examining her from head to toe, looking at her lab and biopsy results and most importantly talking to her and her husband. He said that second stage meant nothing, that he still has a patient living quiet normally since 1992 when he was diagnosed at the 4th stage. He told her to become more active and maintain a healthy diet. She has been already losing weight due to eating healthy and he told her not to overdo it and feel deprived. He also told her that her high blood pressure is more of a problem than her condition. My sister laughed at that because all women on my mom's side has high blood pressure and we accept is as the family norm and a part of our lives.

My sister told me that her husband felt like getting up to hug and kiss the doctor because he was sooo upset and stressed about the possibility of losing her untimely. I think I can fly over and hug and kiss him too.

My sister will see him in two months with her lab results so that he can assess the dosage of the medicine and adjust it if necessary. She sounded wonderfully happy on the phone. She absolutely loved this new doctor. What a relief! He gave us hope and brightened our outlook of the future.

The personality of the doctor is so important for the patient to feel at ease. I am sure the other guy is excellent but he dis not speak much and was very brief in his dealings with her.

Frugal Retail Theraphy

I know the heading is an oxymoron but I needed a couple of things and I decided to take advantage of the winter sales. Besides I had been feeling down due to my sister's health lately.

I am pretty big as per the standards in my country so, it is a hassle to find good clothing items my size in Turkey. I am an American size 20-22 W. Marks and Spencer is little help and is outrageously expensive. They carry pants in my size but they do not carry any in Long. I am 5'9" so, Medium pants are always short.  Tops usually fit though.

So, I paid a visit to a Marks outlet and found two tops. One can be worn under a jacket and is dressy, the other is more for daily wear over jeans. I also bought a pair of dressy but comfy flat shoes from Nine West. They had been marked down. The bone behind my right foot makes it impossible to find comfortable shoes so this was a real blessing.

This is the shoe I got:

Don't Know What To Think or Feel...

My sister's biopsy confirmed the chronic life threatening disease to be at it's 2. stage. Her liver is currently fine but the biliary ducts are slightly damaged. Her doctor is away in the U.S. until Monday but, she contacted another doctor and was basically told that, she will be put on medication and most probably she will be OK for many years.

I would like her own doctor to come back on Monday and tell her what he thinks and what she should do.

I am 7 years her senior. It just breaks my heart to think that I may outlive her. I hope, I will not. I cannot deal with that. From now on, all my life I shall be praying that she will outlive me.

Hopefully her medication will work, hopefully the condition will remain stable and she will live a long life. It just kills me that there is no way of knowing this.