Did you know that your uvula can swell????

Yes, it can, and I learned the hard way yesterday. Despite the sound of the word, uvula is NOT a girly part. It's that little flap of skin that hangs down in the back of your throat. Heh. Everybody has a uvula.

I have allergies, and I guess I'm allergic to tree pollen. A week ago yesterday, I started getting sick. It trailed along through the week moving from my chest to my nose. I bought stock in Puffs, and I swear by Robitussin.

Anyway, this past weekend was totally shot because I felt like total crap. My hubby was out of town at a D&D con so my cat & I did a lot of laying around, watching tv, and lap-topping. When I got up Sunday morning, my throat felt really dry. After drinking water didn't alleviate the problem, I got a mirror to look at my throat.

ACK!!!! My uvula was HUGE!!!! It was bulbous and hanging down almost to my tongue. Yikes!!! I could feel it when I swallowed!!!!

"What's wrong with me?", I thought. "I'm having an allergic reaction, and it's going to swell so big that I'm going to choke."

Straight to the laptop I went and googled "swollen uvula". I found this site which was immediately helpful and comforting. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3345/the_uvula.html Among the possible reasons for this condition, Allergies could have indeed caused it, or dehydration, or mouth breathing, or snoring. All four of those described me.

Regardless of my worse fears being debunked, I texted my hubby asking him if there was anyway that he could come home earlier than he had planned. Immediately, he called, and I told him all about my swollen uvula and that I just needed him to come home. Then, I think I had the closest thing to a panic attack that I've ever had. I was hyperventilating and I couldn't talk. My husband knows me well enough to know that my nerves were getting the best of me. He soothed my fears with calming words, and I finally got myself together. Then, he told me that he was already committed to playing until 6pm with a group that was counting on him.....well, counting on his character's abilities. :P I understood. Really, I did. I just wanted him to be home sooner than 9pm because I missed him. Oh, well....

I decided to call my mom & dad who live across town to take them up on their offer to bring over lunch. I had talked to my mom several times the day before, and she was chomping at the bit to *do* something. I think that woman would have brought me absolutely any food that I wanted. Honestly, I just didn't want to eat anything fancy, but I sure didn't want anything that I had in the house. I just wanted some veg soup, a grilled cheese sandwich, and some ice cream.

Before long, Mom & Dad arrived. I planted Dad on the couch in front of the tv and gave him the remote. Mom & I put together my lunch, and they even brought me fresh pineapple from Hawaii that my brother had just had shipped to Mom for her birthday. It was awesome. Despite my having a rocking headache, we had a nice visit. I showed Mom my uvula which had gone down somewhat from the ibuprophen & all the water that I drank.

I swear, I think Mom & Dad cured me. After they left, I progressively felt better, and, believe it or not, today I went to work and only had residual symptoms.

Oh, and my uvula's back to its normal size.

I have truly lost my Chucks-loving mind.

As someone who has slightly wide feet and an especially high instep, I got to where I didn't even try on shoes that weren't marked W or C. Of course, this has limited my shoe buying choices for about the past 15 years or so. Therefore, I had never had a pair of Converse All Stars aka Chuck Taylors.

Last summer I noticed one of the other roller girls changing into lo-top black Chucks after practice. I thought they looked really cute on her. It was also like I was seeing Chucks for the first time. Not long after, I was shopping in TJ Maxx when I found hi-top olive green Chucks with pink trim on sale for $19.99. Just for fun, I tried them on and the FIT!!!!!!!!!! It was love at first sight. They felt so good on my feet!

For several months, I was content to enjoy my one pair. Then one day, I decided that I needed a pair just to wear to the 'Canes games. You know....to trek back and forth to the car from the RBC Center....especially through those stupid muddy parking lots. I found double tongue lo-tops in black with red accents on Zappos for $37, and they became my official game going sneaks.

Then, I really can't explain what happened. A few weekends ago, I found myself on Ebay & Shoes.com & Shoemall.com & Amazon.com & Converse.com, and now I have 3 more pairs and two on the way! I haven't paid over $30 (including shipping) for any, except one pair. 4 out of the 5 pairs came from Ebay and are either totally brand new with tags in the original box or only slightly worn. First came the virgin cranberry/parchment striped hi-tops from Shoes.com ($40).....then, the pink & green lo-tops slightly used from a lady in OR ($30.85).....then, the brand new chocolate brown hi-tops with a pink eyelet overlay from someone in Texas ($29.19).....the worn-once pale pink lo-tops with pale pink eyelet overlay are on the way from some lady whose daughter couldn't wear them ($19.25)....and I just won a pair of lo-top whites from a lady in Brevard NC for $18.50!!!

In a few short weeks, I went from 2 pairs of Chucks to 7 pairs of Chucks.

Love them!
Love them!
Love them!!!

I know that I'm not alone in my obsession. I don't feel bad about buying all of these either because...well, I'm not really a shopper-type so I don't spend a lot of money at the mall. Me? I love a bargain....and that's what I've been getting PLUS super comfie cool shoes.