My Summer Makeup Routine

 Makeup for Summer

I wanted to share with you all my easy summer makeup routine.  Summer makeup should feel light and fresh.  This is my almost everyday makeup.

1) First I put on Jergens fake face tan. 

2) Then, if my skin is feeling dry I put on some real moisturizer with SPF.  If my skin is feeling fine I skip this step.

3) Next is an important step.  I slap on my St.  Tropez sunless tanner.

It comes out as a foam and this is what it looks like.

And when I rub it on my face it reminds me of chocolate.

4) Now I need to curl my eyelashes.

5) The last step is to apply mascara.  This is my go to summer mascara because it makes my lashes long, skinny and natural looking.  I apply it to my bottom lashes first, then my top.

And here is the finished makeup look.

And here is me with the same makeup on a different day messing around with our home decor.

Well, I wish summer never had to end, but my easy summer makeup routine doesn't have to end.  I can wear this natural look all year.

My Hip

My Hip, My Hip, My Hip

I have not had any pain relief in quite a few weeks.  I am feeling awful these days.  Just a few weeks ago I was feeling great and I thought that it was a turning point and I was getting better. 

Each step I take is searing pain.  My abductors are sore, my glutes and piriformis are screaming, and my hip flexor is crying.  I don't even get pain relieve from any of the cocktail of medicine I have, but I am still taking my anti-inflammatories for fear that I will get worse if I don't take those.
 

I need to make some changes so I can feel better.  I am taking Wednesdays off of work so I work Monday, Tuesday, then a day off, then Thursday, Friday.  I felt really refreshed coming to work on Wednesday, but still in pain. 

I have been slacking on stretching.  I am only stretching twice a day opposed to 5-7 times a day I was doing and I have not been to the gym in weeks.  I just feel so exhausted from the pain, but I know the gym is good for me. 

Last weekend I laid in bed the whole weekend, and I still felt painful on Monday.  I hope this weekend I can relax. 

So these are the changes I need to make:

1. Eat healthier (I have been eating a lot of sugar lately)
2. Go to the gym
3. Stretch more
4. Rest whenever I have the chance, even if that means not getting as much done

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.   At this point I would stand on my head all day if it would make me feel better.  Speaking of head stands, I miss yoga, but I can't do it because of my impingement.  I can't even do child's pose.  But before my surgery I did do a handstand, I that is something I can still do as long as I am careful not to land hard on my feet.

Blog Series Planned

Blog Series Planned Non Hip Related (kinda)

I have a few (kinda) non-hip related blog series planned.  I want to do a blog series on finding a job when you have a disability and how to dress for business.  The series could really apply to everyone looking for a job, or even if you already have a job the series will talk about how to dress, how to ask your employer for accommodations if you have a disability (even something like wrist pain), and what to do if your employer refuses.

My next series I have planned is about hair removal.  I am obsessed with hair removal.  If you were somehow born without a hair on your body you want gone, then god bless you, but I wasn't.  So in this series I will talk about temporary and permanent types of hair removal, what type is right for you and how to get the best results.

My third series will be about cleaning your house when you have a disability, but a lot of the tips can apply to everyone.  If you're lucky enough to have a 24 hour maid, then good for you!  I wish we could all have 24 maids, but until I train Penny (my dog) to clean the house this is just not going to happen for me.  But most people, even if you do have a maid whip through your house on a regular bases, still need to keep it clean.  I have a lot of cleaning tips to make things easier and faster and ways to be able to clean if you have chronic pain that wont make you feel like you just ran a marathon after you do your dishes.

So how do these blog series sound?  Which series do you want to see first?

Liebster Blog Award

Liebster Blog Award

I was given a Liebster Award today by Denise, wife and mom times 3 at Learning to Walk Again. Thank you, Denise!







Liebster Award
LIEBSTER - The meaning:
A German word meaning sweet, kind, nice, dear, beloved, lovely, valued and welcome.


Here are the guidelines for the Liebster:

• Post 11 random facts about yourself.

Answer 11 questions the presenter has asked you, and give 11 questions to the people you’ve awarded. [Choose 11 deserving bloggers and share your post with them. REMEMBER! The people that you choose should have less than 200 followers]

Tell them you’ve chosen them for the award. [No tag backs]

Snag this button and proudly display it on your blog!

My 11 Random Facts:

• One leg is longer than the other and I wear a lift in my shoe
• Marie is my middle name
• I wish that I owned a vineyard
• I have had two hip surgeries
• I have had three of my wisdom teeth out
• I love the color grey because it reminds me of my hometown Seattle
• I adopted a dog named Penny this year;  she is four years old
• I volunteer at the animal shelter making videos of cats
• I love chocolate and coffee
• I love lime flavored Margaritas!
• I sing "Call Me Maybe" to my dog and she likes it

And here are the questions that Denise asked me:

1. Why did you start blogging?   I started blogging because so many people were asking me questions about my hip and about my condition.  I found that even strangers were very curious.  Blogging is a way to keep my friends and family up to date and to raise awareness about disabilities.  It can happen to anyone.
2. What is your favorite season? My favorite season is Fall.  I love the crisp cold air, the warm cozy clothes, the pumpkin flavored coffee and the beautiful leaves changing colors.
3. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I love warm, white, sandy beaches.  I love to lounge around drinking margaritas and reading a good book.  My favorite place I have ever been was Cabo, Mexico, but I am sure there are plenty of white sandy beaches in the world just waiting for me.
4. Who is your role model? My role model is my grandma.  She is the kindest, most good hearted person I know.  She is beautiful and has beautiful skin and a pretty smile.  She had hip pain for years before her hip replacement and I rarely heard her complain. 
5. What is your favorite thing about yourself? This is a tough question.  A physical trait I love is my eyes.  In pictures they turn out so blue, but when I look in the mirror they look green and grey.  Another trait I have is that I love to clean (some things).  I love a clean bathroom and kitchen.  A clean room makes me feel so good and I am glad I enjoy the process of cleaning as long as I am not feeling too crummy.  If I didnt have my hip condition my house would probably be sparkling all the time.
6. What was the first concert you ever went to? I think it was a No Doubt concert I went to with my best friend when we were in high school.  It was super fun.  We were in the standing room only section and got really close to the stage. 
7. What is your favorite book? My favorite book always changes with the last book I read.  I really enjoyed The Hunger Games.  Before that I read Dreams of Joy by Lisa See.  I love to read a good book, but I wouldn't say I have a favorite.
8. If you could create one law, what would it be? You have to be nice to others.  Haha, mean people suck.  I know this couldn't really be a law, but mean grouchy people should just stay at home.
9. What are three words that best describe you? Sweet, clean, hairy, haha (but I getting laser hair removal so I wont be hairy for much longer)
10. What is your favorite quote? "All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else."  Mae West I love all of Mae West quotes.   
11. If you had to eat one food item for the rest of your life, what would it be?
coffee, does that count?  I could do decaf and put milk in it, but it wouldn't be very nutritious.
Here are the questions that I am asking you:

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. What is your favorite tv show?
3. What would you do if you had a million dollars?
4. Are you a good dancer?
5. Are you good at Jeopardy / Do you watch the show?

6. If you could choose a super power would you rather be able to fly or teleport?
7. What is the last book you read and did you enjoy it?

8. What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

9.  Where do you plan to take your next vacation?

10. What color is your toothbrush

11. What is one of your nicknames?

Katie @ Hedgehog Blog  Susie @ Goodnight Nobody Jorge @ RunJorgeRun

The Pain is Back

 OMG a Spoon!

The last few weeks I was beginning to feel better.  I was finishing my day with extra spoons!  I thought this was a turning point for me.  I was excited but I didn't want to get my hopes up.



Then I started a new job and the pain came back with a vengeance.  I now end each day with negative spoons and need to spend the whole evening and weekend resting.  I knew my decrease in pain was too good to be true.  Friday night after my first week of work I lay awake all night in agony, until I took a pain killer and a tylenol pm at 5 am and dozed off around 6 am only to wake up again a 9 am in pain.

Every morning I wake up excited about my new job but dreading taking my first painful step out of bed.  Ugh!  I find myself needing more pain medicine just to function.  I don't like taking pain medicine and try to avoid taking any medicine as much as possible, but I also want to be able to make it to work and do a good job.  I see my pain management doctor again soon and I will discuss this with him.

I am also going to get a power scooter so I can take my dog out for walks.  It is not fair to Penny that I can't take her for walks. 









If I get a scooter I will also be able to shop, shop, shop til I drop with the money I make at my new job.  There are a few fun things I want to buy.  Right now, without a scooter, shopping 'til I'm dropping means about 20 minutes.  That's not even enough time to buy anything.  I hope I can spend three or more hours shopping with my very own power scooter.  And if I have my own scooter, that I paid for, and belongs to me, then the store employees can't give me dirty looks, ask me if I really need that scooter, and try to kick me off of it.  Take that mean employees!

Lots of Love from your scooter happy Angie

I Saw my Pain Management Doctor Today

Pain Management

Pain Management is always an uphill battle.   That is why it is good to have a team of doctors behind you.  Today I saw my pain management doctor and we discussed a lot of options for pain management.

For my knee pain my doctor thinks I have a bit of degeneration and I am going to go see a podiatrist to get some orthotics for my shoes.  I also have some exercises and stretches to incorporate into my daily routing.



 I will renew my handicap parking and continue with my Voltaren gel and Tramadol that I take twice a week at most to once a month at least. 

I also have a prescription for 20 Norco, which is similar to Vicodin that I will take when I travel on an airplane because traveling always puts in terrible pain.  I had to take a drug test to get this prescription.  It brought back old memories of when I had to take drug tests from when I was on probation for a minor in possession of alcohol at 13 years-old.  Haha, I was a trouble maker, but I turned out alright I think.  My records are destroyed, by the way, so I can just pretend that incident didn't happen.








I'm going to get a power scooter as well.  That way I can go to Fisherman's Wharf or take my dog for a long walk.  I want to get a small, thin scooter so that I can be more mobile.

It may seem like I am taking a lot of medication, but it is all taken as needed and none of it is taken together, although it would be safe to take together is what my doctor told me.  I also had my liver function test and my liver is functioning normal.  I have been on ibuprofen since the onset of my hip pain at 13 years-old so it was important to get my liver tested.  Glad it still works, especially since I did so much drinking in my teen years.



And the good news is that my hip is improving.  Seven weeks ago I could not even walk to my mail box.  Now I can walk to my mailbox and back three times.  Whoot Whoot party!

I am going to see my pain management doctor again in 4 weeks.  I will be hopefully starting a new job soon (I've had 3 interviews) and I want to see my doctor to let him know how I am function while working full time.  It was rough working at my last job after my surgery.  I felt awful.

The Beach

Going to the Beach

 

The beach is one of my favorite places in the world.  I feel like there is something magical about the beach.

Last weekend I drove a couple hours to the beach in Santa Cruz, CA.  Actually I had to drive a little farther to Carmel, CA so that I could go to a dog friendly beach.  The beach in Carmel, CA had white fluffy sand and beautiful crashing waves.  Even though there was a little overcast, it was still a great day.

Before I started my day I took two tramadol.  I wanted my day at the beach to not be affected my how much pain I was in and I wanted to leave my crutches at home.   Ever try to use crutches on the beach? Tramadol doesn't take all the pain away but helps to take the edge off so I can walk around a bit more and be able to carry stuff.

The sand at the beach felt so good on my hips and joints.  Walking on the beach makes me feel like I am almost a normal person.  I was actually able to take what you would call a walk on the beach, although I didn't go far just in case.  It was such a wonderful day.

Then after a couple of hours at the beach my tramadol wore off, I was exhausted and it was time to go.    As soon as I took one step back onto the paved road I felt the familiar searing pain in my hip joints and my Saturday mini vacation was over.

Back to reality.  I wish I could spend everyday at the beach.  If I was a professional surfer I could.

Here is to wishing the whole world was a fluffy sandy beach,

Angie