Normal Oddity

For those of you who don't know, Crohn's disease is an auto-immune disorder, where my immune system is attacking my digestive system... I have lived with Crohn's disease for over 6 years now. I was diagnosed in January 2003, but I had been feeling symptoms of the disease as early as September of the previous year. For the unknowing, the definitive way to diagnose Crohn's is through a small-bowel follow-through, followed by a colonoscopy. Living with the disease has actually turned into an educational opportunity. Since I have had four colonoscopies, I can educate others on what to expect. The best advice I can give someone who is about to have one done is to wear sweatpants, stock up on good quality toilet paper, and keep a book in the bathroom while doing the prep for the procedure. The sweatpants are a necessity, as you will not have enough time to unbutton your pants while you are cleaning out your system. The procedure itself is relatively painless, as you will be g...

One of the jobs I have is working as a security officer at the Eugene Public Library, in Eugene, Oregon. Following is a collection of my thoughts about this job that came to me on Thursday, the 25th...  I have learned to never say that it is quiet around the library. As soon I utter that phrase, I will receive a call that trouble is afoot. For instance, on Sunday, it started out as a quiet afternoon shift. At about 2:00 PM, an episode of downtown, teenage drama decided to spill into the library. It ended with a young man being told by the police to go catch his bus, and my having to write a novel of an incident report.  It stinks being a contractor working for the city. In return for making sure the library is safe for patrons and staff, we get paid well below what an actual city employee would make for doing the same task. On the upside however, our jobs are not subject to the mood swings of the city's budget. Also, even though I work at the library, I am unable to check out any o...

Something tells me that a runny nose is not a common side effect of the pain killer Percocet. And for me, Percocet is not a pain killer, it's more of a "forget you were in pain" medicine. Short posting I know, but so far, I don't think anyone reads this blog...