The coughing still lingers

Dear Flu,

While I am honored that you have chosen my body to ravage with your disgusting illness, I am so over you. The fever was fun, what with the full body aches and night sweats and sleeping for 18 hours a day. The headaches were super, and the stomach ailments were most entertaining. But that's all gone now. You realized that you have no hold over my mighty body and have moved onto another victim. I kicked your ass like Chris Brown beat Rihanna. And I won. (Too soon?)

Sincerely,
Should've Gotten that Flu Shot

Still sick

Yup, I'm still sick. That doesn't mean I got out of hospital duty, though. My mom's uncle had double knee replacement surgery on Monday and I have been anointed the "one who shall do everything and anything related to his surgery." Duties include going to every pre-op doctor's appointment with him, filling out his medical forms, driving my aunt to and from the hospital (IN MANHATTAN) every day, speaking with the nursing staff and physical therapists to make sure he's comfortable, and choosing a rehabilitation facility for after he gets out of the petri dish hospital. After he gets home, I'm sure some other duties will be added: doing his bills, perhaps collecting rent from his tenants, maybe even attending his granddaughter's school play. You know, because that's what family does for each other.

What was that? You say you wouldn't do all that for anyone but your mom? Yeah well.... that's how we roll in this family. You bite your tongue and do favors in hopes that someday, when you're laid up in a hospital bed getting pumped full of morphine, someone will come in and say, "Relax. I took care of everything. You just worry about getting better."

On a "this day couldn't get any better" note, last night as I pulled up in front of my aunt's house after 7 hours in the hospital, we were greeted with this lovely scene of 20 twenty firetrucks, ambulances, police cars and nosy neighbors:


I had no idea what was going on at first, but I heard helicopters. And any New Yorker knows that when you see News Chopper 7 floating around above your head, whatever's going on must be BIG. Then I noticed the smoke:


Turns out some dumb-dumb was replacing a boiler in his basement and it exploded, causing the whole building to go up in flames. After being stranded at my aunt's house for 2 hours (ok, so we ate Chinese food and watched TV, we weren't exactly stranded) I walked out and saw that the FDNY had left the local residents a little present:


An open fire hydrant. That flooded the street. In 20-degree weather. SMART!

I'm off to the hospital now. Feel free to leave me lots of comments so I have something to do in between being told what demands to make of the nursing staff!

Public service announcement

I realize I haven't posted in a few days, and I send my heartfelt apologies for the break in communication. But I have a very good reason. Actually, I have several good reasons. First, I've been pretty busy getting my room back in order. What started out as a simple paint job turned into some full-on construction. And it's not done yet. I promise to post pictures when the new hardwood floors go down in two weeks. Until then, you'll just have to trust that the room looks awesome so far.

The second reason for the hiatus is a little something called the flu. I'm pretty convinced I have it. Not only have I had a headache for 3 days, as well as a sore throat, runny nose and hacking cough, but there's another little present going along with this illness that makes it all the more fun...the kind of stomach ailment you get from eating the whole burrito (because you NEVER eat the whole burrito in one sitting), the kind of illness you don't wish on your worst enemy. Yeah. THAT kind.

But despite feeling like shit (ha!) I still managed to make it into Manhattan today to run an errand with my grandmother. All I really had to do was sit in the car while she went into an office building, so it wasn't that bad. I even managed to take some pictures. So while I try to stay hydrated and not cough up a lung, enjoy these pictures of my hometown. (All photos taken with my iPhone.)

Manhattan Skyline

59th Street Bridge

59th Street Bridge (AKA Queensboro Bridge)

Lexington Avenue

Grand Central Station

Park Avenue

Farewell Shea Stadium