Forty-three

That's me, 43. How about 43 bits of random useless info, shall we?

1. I'm delighted to be getting older. Beats the heck out of the alternative. I do not however delight in some of the joys associated with getting older. Hot flashes can go back where they came from thankyouverymuch.
2. I'm not digging summer too much this year. Too dang hot for me. May have something to do with the aforementioned hot flashes.
3. Do you remember a while back I may have complained a bit about being skinny. Having trouble gaining weight? Well forget everything I said. Not an issue anymore. Maybe I'm not that delighted with getting older after all.... I kid. About the delighted part. Not the weight part. I've had to buy all new pants. Lets talk about something else.
4. I ripped the bead board wall paper off my bar last week only to put more right back up. What I took down was black. I wanted it white. I also pulled off the baseboard.
5. I bought new chunkier baseboard. In my mind I would cut and install it myself. I just needed Mitch to explain the miter saw to me. Yesterday he cut it for me. No griping was involved.
6. I love that man. He puts up with a lot. 
7. The chunkier baseboard has created a bit of a dilemma. I may be coming to you my friends for some advice. You never fail me.
8. I love being a nana. Bayleigh is the cheese to my crackers, the peanut butter to my jelly. She's my girl. Sometimes she drives me just to the edge of crazy and I tell her I'm running away.
9. I wouldn't get very far before I missed her terribly.
10. Both of my kids are adults. How did that happen?
11. I'm so very glad my kids aren't teens anymore.
12. They drove me well past the edge of crazy, but they are pretty great young adults.
13. I love my kids.
14. I'm very proud of them. 
15. I've developed an unhealthy pinterest addiction. Seriously. Somebody organize an intervention.
16. I seem to enjoy cooking more these days. (See #3)
17. I blame pinterest.
18. I do not enjoy cleaning up after cooking. I blame my family.
19. I think I'll declare this the year of if I cook it, you clean it. Sounds good to me.
20. I should be doing laundry right now instead of making silly lists.
21. Oh well, if it weren't lists, it would probably be pinterest.
22. I remember when 43 seemed old.  Not so much anymore.
23. I'm going to paint part of my lower cabinets white. See #4. Bought the paint last weekend at the Sherwin Williams sale.
24. I have no new progress to report on the attic.
25. I'm very happy with the stairs.
26. When I was a child, I dreamed of living in a house with an upstairs. When you live in a trailer, a house with stairs seems like a big deal.
27. It tickles that kid in me to see those stairs.
28. My favorite desert is tiramisu.
29. I started getting xolair injections. I've only had one shot. Anyone else on it?
30. For a long time I felt sure I was going to die young. That my only hope was to get a lung transplant and that prospect scared the bajeebers out of me. I don't really feel that way any more. 
31. I've decied not to put so much stock in what the doctors say. When you have an unnamed disease, how can they know what your prognosis is?
32. I'm getting the xolair because I researched and asked about it, not because it was offered. You have to be your own advocate. Look out for yourself.
33. A childhood friend wished me happy birthday on facebook and told me I was her first kindergarten memory. I had no idea. I wonder what it was.
34. I have mixed feelings about facebook. I like the ease in which you can connect with friends and loved ones. Share pictures, say hello. But, I don't think it's the place to air all your problems. I wish there was a TMI button next to the like button. Some folks share TMI. 
35. Sometimes I don't wish people happy birthday on facebook because I feel like so many have already done so, mine won't matter. I feel differently now. Every single birthday wish I've received today had made me smile and I've been grateful for each one.
36. Clutter makes me crazy. Messiness makes me crazy. I've been feeling very crazy lately.
37. I blame my family.
38. I blame pinterest.
39. I blame that darn clean house fairy whose GPS must be broken.  Come on sister. Sprinkle your magic pixie dust already!
40. I wish I was the dog whisperer. Man, these dogs and their barking drive me crazy. I've tried that anti-bark thing that emits a high-pitched sound- worked for about a day. I've tried squirting them with water- worked for about a week. Any tips?
41. I'm not a fan of the Fresh Beat Band on Nick jr.  
42. I love to dine alfresco. Not so much at home, but when we go out, I love to eat outside if possible. Not in this 100+ degree weather though.  Something about eating a good meal and sipping a glass of wine outside that makes it seem more special.
43. I made it to 43. Even though I may not post here as often as I used to, I still love this little corner of my world and I hope to keep hanging out here for many years to come!

Comments

[Bridgette]

Happy Happy Birthday! You bring so much to this little corner of the world. Your warm spirit, great ideas, transformations galore! And your honesty, I think honesty is so imortant :)
No cooking tonight, no cleaning up either.

[Bridgette]

Imortant, that's a word....right?

[Beverly]

Happy birthday, Autum!

[Beth]

I had to comment on #41. I saw the national tour of "In the Heights" (one of my favorite Broadway musicals) and one of the Fresh Beats was the female lead. She was horrible -- completely off key. Whenever I come across the show I cringe.

Happy BIrthday!

[Autum]

I can tolerate most of the Nick Jr. shows and even enjoy some, but that one is awful. Makes me cringe too.

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

xo autum

[Autum]

Imortant is definitely a word : )

Thank you so much for your kind words! They really do mean a lot.

Have a wonderful evening.

xo autum

[Autum]

Thank you Beverly!

[Elaine]

Wishing you a wonderfully, amazingly, deliciously, blessed birthday!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Elaine

[Katie]

Happy birthday! I'd be curious to know your thoughts on Xolair after you've used it a bit longer. I love your blog and actually help make Xolair, I'm always curious to hear how it works for our patients, particularly when it comes to off-label use, as it sounds like yours is.

[Goodmankg]

Happy, happy Birthday Autum! I loved this post, and I love that you're back posting! :)

[Autum]

Hi Katie,

Thank you for your birthday wishes.

Ill be glad you let you know how it goes with the Xolair. I dont think it would really be off label use in my case.
I have genetic congenital bronchiatasis. Ive had every test imaginable and many diseases have been ruled out. I see the pulmonologists at UNC. They say what I have presents very much like CF so they have always treated me as such.
My mother died at 38 with the disease. My son, my sister and three of her children also have the disease. When my son was an infant he had a biopsy. I remembered them telling me that the cells seemed to be in the state of an allergic reaction. This was what I recollect them telling me 21 years ago and them using lay terms. 
My pfts are really poor. My fev1 is around 23% but there is always an improvement after bronchodilaters. I have had long acting bronchodilaters in the past, but never was very compliant, because I didnt think they were helping. I got really sick last year and it scared me. I was determined to do whatever I needed to preserve my level of functioning. I did a lot of reading. Anything I could find about CF or bronchiactasis.  This is getting very long and wordy. Ill just cut to the chase and say Ive been using perforomist religiously. My need for rescue inhalers cut dramatically.  Ive been on 5mg. of prednisone for over a year and really want to get off.
In some of the research I did, I came across something about xolair and I think it was actually on a CF blog. The girl was sure she had asthma in addition to CF and found the Xolair to be a miracle.
Anyway, I asked the pulmonologist about it and they sent me to be evaluated by and allergist. He determined I did in fact meet the criteria and thankfully my insurance is covering it. My copay is only 33.00. I was so delighted to find this out. I was so worried that I would get approved and the copay would be more than I could afford. 
I am very hopeful. I know it will not cure damage that is already done, but Im praying it will help me to wean from the prednisone.

I will gladly let you know what I think. When do you typically begin to notice improvement?

Thank you for your comment!

Autum

[Shari]

Happy Birthday! Hope it's been great! Love your list... I've never checked out pinterest but think now I might have to...

[Autum]

Thank you Kathryn. I cant promise how long it will last, but Im glad to be back posting too!
I havent heard from you in a while. How are you doing?

[Autum]

Oh my Shari, I cant be held responsible for any addiction that may result.
When you sign up, you have to request an invitation. I dont think it takes long to get a response and you can be pinning in no time.

[Stacey]

Sending you birthday wishes from Oz. have a great birthday week. we are nearly twins....great yr 68

[Autum]

Thank you Stacey! When is your birthday?
My husband thinks 68 was a very good year. He has 2 girls born in 68. Me and his first car. A 68 Dodge Charger. Got it when he was 15 so shes been around longer than me ; )

Happy Birthday to you too!

xo Autum

[Kristyn]

Happy birthday! Here's to many more.

[Thimbleanna]

Happy Birthday Autum! I REALLY hope there's no pinterest intervention in your case 'cause I'm enjoying the heck out of your pins. (I'm spending way too much time there too.)

[Jody]

Happy Birthday. With you on Fresh Beat Band ... can't watch it. Only redeeming quality is the Ikea fabric in their faux windows (and since I have the fabric, I don't have to watch the show to see it :) ).

[Autum]

Thank you Jody!
Ive never  noticed the fabric. Ill have to look for it next time it happens to be on. Right before I turn it off ; )

[UK lass in US]

Happy birthday! Vinegar was suggested to me as a spray, when water didn't work (for the dogs). It turns out that my dog is the only dog in the world that likes vinegar: he used to try to catch it in his mouth...

[Lesley]

Happy Birthday Autum!! Love your list and I'm with you on the Pinterest thing - in fact I've had to go cold turkey on it this week to get our pre-holiday laundry done! It was all or nothing, as it's impossible (for me) to just pop into Pinterest for a quick five minutes ;o)

[Nancy L.]

Happy birthday!! Hope it's the best yet! I'm with you about the TMI button for Facebook! My goodness! I'm not ready for a Pinterest intervention just yet - it's not that I don't have a problem; I'm just not ready to be rescued. :-)

[Ann]

Happy Birthday Autumn!!! Hope its been a great one!

[Amber Carrillo]

Happy Birthday - LOVE the list :-) and I'm so with you on Pinterest...and the TMI button is a genius idea!