The Power of Antibiotic Ointment

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Nikki Rose Ty

I got this cut early in 2011 from myself. Yeah, super embarrassing. It was even worse telling people! I couldn’t blame it on the curling iron.

I was leaning my face on my hand at the edge of my bed. My hand slid across the bed and my face simultaneously went downward. Thus, causing my dagger sharp thumbnail to scrape into my skin. I actually found a sliver of skin in my thumbnail afterward. Eww.

Besides looking like I had spit on my forehead for about a week, this ordeal wasn’t too bad. I used Target brand antibiotic ointment and cleaned up the cut 2-3 times a day. I didn’t cover it with a bandage because it ~~wasn’t likely~~ probably wasn’t going to hit anything and reopen. And, cuts heal faster if they are open to air. Just don’t forget the antibiotic ointment, generic or not. I can’t even see it now.

5 Things: Best Events of 2011

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Nikki Rose Ty

These “end of 2011″ lists are kind of corny, but I still decided to do one anyway. It’s even more corny that I waited until 2 months into 2012 to do it. Nevertheless, I think they are beneficial and useful in some ways. It’s a good way to reflect on all the good & bad events of a specific year. Plus, you can look at them later in life to reminisce.

Note: These are in no particular order.

1. Parents Moving to the Philippines
It’s been more than 6 months now. The first few months were really hard. I would leave the house to go shopping or hang out with Prentyce, and I would just cry in the car. It’s usually because I either invite my Mom to shop or we eat with my parents. Holidays and birthdays were a lot different this year, but not worse. I’m counting the days until they come back from the Philippines, which should be early 2013.

What I Miss Most
I miss my Mommy because she’s so fun and happy all the time. I miss her cooking, especially her pancit molo and lumpia. I miss my Daddy because he always looks out for me and handles things for me. I miss ~~debating~~ arguging with him and helping him learn new things on the computer. I miss visiting them. I miss their presence.

2. Hurting My Back
This was the absolute, hardest event of my life. I know that seems a bit dramatic, but when your life takes a 180-degree turn and you can’t do anything about it — it will break you. It’s not like losing a job, because you could just go do “something” about that. I could not make the back pain go away or make my body heal faster or make myself feel any happier. This was a blessing in disguise. I treasured it and learned from it. I’m so glad to have had my big brother and his wife, my sister-in-law, help me through this traumatic time. Even my nieces and nephews would get me food, run upstairs for me, pick up stuff off the ground for me, etc. Prentyce had to help me go to the bathroom and shower me (and no, not in a romantic way.), drive me around, etc. Health is something money cannot buy, not even billionaire Steve Jobs could afford it. RIP.

3. The Phenomenal iPad 2
My iPad 2 is the most useful electronic device I have purchased all year.(I haven’t bought that many this year… Ha.) I use it for school and leisure. It is so awesome; I’m serious. You probably know that already if you have one. It’s a time-killer with all the fun games, but it really helps me to be more productive. I can fax documents, annotate PDFs, check out my Evernote account, and so much more. Did you hear the iPad 3 is being released in the Q1 of this year?

4. Getting Engaged
After six years of dating, I am still in awe of the whole getting engaged thing. I know that others get engaged much sooner and then get divorced a lot faster, but I ~~think~~ know our wait was worth it. It doesn’t mean that we will have a more long-lasting marriage than those people, but it does mean I have been with someone long enough to know that I’d be happy with him forever. (Forever is such a daunting word… : /) I started looking at wedding stuff right after we got engaged, but haven’t done much planning. I think my family has done more planning than I have. Funny, right? I’m so glad I have the support of both of our families in this union.

5. Transition to UNLV
During the summer of 2011, I took my first UNLV class. It was CHEM 122: General Chemistry 2 with Professor Thomas Bussey. I was so nervous at first. Coming from CSN with 75+ transfer credits and a 3.74 GPA, I didn’t know how I compared to the rest of the student body. I thought, these people must be smarter than me. I have been going to a community college this whole time and they haven’t been. Come to find out, that was far from the truth! Yes, the people in MY group were smart, which really helped me. But, not everyone is. The message I took home from that was that I’m adequate. I’m smart enough to be here! And, that I deserved the A- I got in the class.

Oh, and also, Professor Thomas Bussey was the best professor I have ever had. It’s unique to find a teacher that knows how to really teach. It sucks that I never got the chance to tell him that. If I’m feeling stalkerish one day, I shall find him to tell him. The class still took a lot of work and the tests were not easy, but with enough drive, you could do this class or any class.

To close, 2011 was a really up and down year for me. I know others have gone through much worse than I have, so I treasure life every single day. You just have to believe that it always better with hard work and persistence. Life is good. God is good.

Christmas Photocards & Last Minute Shopping

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Nikki Rose Ty

For some reason, I want to send out Christmas/holiday cards this year. It might be my recent obsession with stationery, all this free time I have, or the fact that being engaged makes me want to do a million projects.

Here are photos from the past three Christmases of Prentyce and me.

Photos edited with iOS apps: Diptic, LabelBox, and PhotoTreats 
(Yes, I used all three apps per pic.)

I think we look pretty gosh darn sexy, but you might beg differ. My favorite thing about all three of these photos is that our poses are so similar. I also absolutely love that Mr. Albright has gained weight since 2008. Doesn’t he look ~~scrumptious~~ great?

We have yet to take our picture this year due to the fact that Christmas Eve has not arrived (only 6 more days!). If it is tasteful, I’ll be definitely sending it out to a few friends and some of my our relatives.

But for now, I have bigger things to worry about, like finding gifts for my big brothers. Boys are so hard to shop for! You can buy girls just about anything, i.e. lip glosses, lotions, nail polishes, make-up palettes, cosmetic bags, tops, shoes, etc. What are you supposed to get boys? Tools? Ehh. Shirts? I get them this every year, but I hate being so repetitive. Gadgets? I’m too poor. Ahhhh… I need another Christmas miracle in the next 6 days.

What’s the first Christmas miracle, you ask? I am feeling so much better! I haven’t had a muscle spasm in 2 weeks and I can walk around without getting fatigued. The physical therapy exercises really helped a lot. I continue to do them twice daily. Prentyce keeps reminding me to slow down though and not rush myself to health. It’s so hard to sit idle and while I have forgotten at times, nothing bad has happened ~~yet~~. I am asking Santa for more progress and long-lasting health for me and everyone I know. I hope he comes through for me.

I probably won’t update again until after Christmas, but I’m wishing you and yours a very happy holiday! Don’t forget to spread peace, love, and joy.

5 Things: I Wish I Could Do Right Now

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Nikki Rose Ty

1. Run up and down the stairs
The fact that it takes me a whole minute to get upstairs or downstairs is annoying. I have to actually step on each and every single stair while hanging on for dear life via the handrail. On a positive note, I’m finally able to go up and down the stairs, which means I can sleep in my room again.

2. Walk comfortably without this back brace
I’m getting really sick and tired of walking like a zombie. It was a funny joke around Halloween, but it’s been a week since then and I’m not laughing any more.

3. Drive my car to Walmart or Target
Shopping online is great, but nothing beats the clearance at Target. I can’t believe I missed all the Halloween clearance this year! : (

4. Bend over to pick up something
Although my toes are getting stronger, I’d prefer not to have toe muscles. I’ve been picking up many things with my feet lately, but it would be really nice just to bend over…

5. Sit on the toilet without any assistance
I don’t even want to elaborate on this one.

While this may have been written in a somewhat comedic manner, I’m actually really sad most of the time. I feel purposeless and useless. I can count the number of times I cry each day on one hand still, so until I can’t, I’ll try not to worry too much. I just hope I get over this handicap before I delve into a deep depression. Pray for me and I’ll do the same.

It’s been 2 weeks…

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Nikki Rose Ty

Sooo… Two weeks ago I was in an ambulance headed to the Spring Valley Hospital emergency department, where I stayed for about 7 hours and got diagnosed with a lumbar sprain.

Since then, life has been (to say the least) different. I haven’t put on make-up, done my hair, driven a car, or have been to work the past 2 weeks. For some of the days, I only got out of bed just to use the restroom. I ~~was~~ am still miserable.

I’m drugged up and feeling a lot better as the days progress though. My brain and hands are still functional, so I lay in bed and read on my iPad or… well that’s mostly about it. I’m trying to make the most of this time off, but it’s hard when you can’t access your own bedroom because it’s atop a flight of stairs.

My big brother’s house has a downstairs bedroom and that’s where I have relocated. It’s super convenient b/c the bathroom and kitchen are so near. They have been super accommodating and I am so lucky to have them. I’ll be definitely taking my nieces & nephews out for all the tasks I make them do for me, i.e. pick that up please, get me water please, turn off the light please, etc. I’m so glad I have family.

I’m hopeful in that I’ll get better because I am making progress. The scary part is that the doctor told me that once you injure your lower back, it is very easy to re-injure (<- Is that a word?) it. I was in shock… I don’t want to go through this again ever. So while this process may take a while, hopefully not too long; I hope that it heals well so that I’ll be back better than ever… I try to stay positive most of the time, but I have definitely cried myself to sleep some nights.

Pray for me? Thanks.