Another Trip!

I'm unexpectedly and suddenly going on vacation again and I haven't even written about the last one yet! I'm planning to write about our Great Desert Trip soon...

Gus got a call this month from USAID in Washington D.C. (USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, is the official agency of the US government by which development assistance is channeled to other countries). They requested his help for six weeks starting on Monday the 17th. I'm planning to join him for two of the weeks and decided to fly out of SLC so I could spend the other four weeks in UT. Another reason for driving to Utah first is dental.

Yes, my teeth are getting coal in their stocking this year. Along with four others, I've been dealing with The Big Bad Tooth for almost a year - filling, infection and finally a crown. Well, apparently the infection NEVER went away and is abscessed in the bone and needs either a root canal or to be extracted. And guess what? According to my doc and one website "Dental abscesses can also make you generally ill, with nausea, vomiting, fevers, weight loss, chills, and sweats." Hey, that sounds familiar! I'm hoping that the dental troubles are the cause of my mysterious illness and that getting a root canal will resolve the symptoms. My weight loss is getting scary now, another 7 lbs. in the last month. (I hope you don't take this the wrong way, like I'm bragging about my weight loss.) I was really heavy for a few years and that was not healthy but obviously, this is not healthy either and I don't want to be this thin. I like to have a little more meat on my bones! And my butt - what butt? I have a concave ass now which is horrible in this age of J.Lo, Beyonce and Kim Kardashian. If only I had the money for tooshie implants (just kidding!). And don't get me started on the disappearing boobies...

I didn't ask Santa for root canal for Christmas but like getting underwear from Aunt Sue or a new mop from Gus, it is greatly needed and appreciated. Unfortunately, one of my favorite things about the holidays is the food (especially Nick's prime rib, cream cheese mashers and Karen's green beans) and since I'll have the root canal right before Christmas I don't think I'll be eating much (except the mashers)!

Well, I'm driving to Utah next week - weather permitting - and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone but I can't make any plans until I see the endodontist. I'm not even sure if I'll be able to make it to D.C. If any of the other four problem teeth need big work I may have to stay in Utah the whole time.

I hope you don't mind my writing about all my health problems - it doesn't make for good writing but I want to keep my really close friends and family updated. I apologize to the rest of you for too much information!