Flight, Flight (or Freak)

Here is the thing, I recently found out I freak in an emergency.

My sister is special needs as you most likely already know. She has a syndrome called Aicardi Syndrome. She has many things that need to be taken care of on the daily. For example her feeding tube. She has to get her liquids through her stomach because she doesn't like to drink water.

Anyway, she is one of the coolest sisters around.

My sister Bridget on a different day than the emergency.

 One night my parents went out with some visitors. I stayed home and watch my sister which I do all the time. I went through the usually routine and put her to bed. Then sat down to watch a show. Then, she started moaning. So I went in and told her to go back to bed and tucked her back in.

She wouldn’t shut up.

I went back in and Bridge was sitting up again. At this point I was annoyed so I brought in my phone and headphones and laid down with her. After a little while I thought she fell asleep so I left.

Then about ten minutes later she was crying again but a little harder. I went in again. This time she was kicking and flailing. Bridge kicked her feeding tube and she was going to knock it over and that would be bad. So I grabbed her foot and the tube was stuck in her toes.
I pulled the covers back.

Her feeding tube that is supposed to be inside her was on the bed.

I gulped. Then yelled. Then went into overdrive.

I called my parents and of course they didn't answer so it was all me.

The thing is the stomach closes within twenty to thirty minutes which is not a lot of time. I knew I had to work fast or else I would be calling the ambulance and my sister and I would be going to the hospital to have emergency surgery.

Bummer.

She was screaming and grabbing at her stomach which was not helpful. I had to make sure her hand didn't touch the hole into her for many reasons.

a. It’s a hole in her stomach.
b. It’s bleeding everywhere.
c. Do I need another reason?

I grabbed her and ran down the stairs. I put her on the couch. I yanked the string out of my hoodie and tied her hands behind her back. She was really mad at me but what was I supposed to do?

I took the tube to the kitchen and usually we have a back up tube that's ready to go but we just came back form Hawaii so it was not unpacked yet. I figured this would have to do.

The hole had gotten a little smaller so it was very hard to jam into her.

I pushed really hard and wiggled.

I GOT IT IN!

My sister was in a lot of pain but I did it and that is all that mattered. I untied her hands, put her back in bed and laid down with her. I taped her stomach over with about twenty pieces so it had no chance of coming out again. I fell asleep with her waiting till my parents got home.

Some people say that people either have fight or flight reactions. I have also heard of freezing. Have you ever heard of freaking? Well now I know.

I freak.

Happy Freaking,
~Corrine

Pet Peeves

We all have them.

1. Road sign corners- This is my number one issue. Sitting in the front of the car  brought to attention the issue with all of the road signs, especially the green ones. They are square signs with sharp corners but they white lines that outline them are rounded. I bet you had not noticed this before but they need to cut the corners. I am crazy but still. CUT THE CORNERS!

   

   Look at those corners! Courtesy of (The Austin Chronicle)

2. The NBC logo- Yes, I know it is supposed to be a peacock but why did they have to put a nick in the purple triangle? All the other ones are uniform so why can’t the purple one blend in. Ugh
3. People touching my feet when they are dry- Don’t get me wrong I love a good pedicure but when my feet are dry and someone touches them with their own feet it is the worst thing ever.
4. When someone doesn't flush- Our school seems to have issues with this. Just flush the toilet! Is it really that hard ladies?
5. How Negin says qué hacemos hoy with the same amount of pauses every time- Ever since the beginning of time Negin has said what are we doing today in the same way and it has gotten old. 
6. Just thinking about nails on a chalk board- This one doesn’t need an explanation.
7. The feeling of my glass water cups-  Our washing machine doesn't work completely right so it leaves this horrible feeling on the cups that makes me cringe.
8. Gluten free freaks who have no medical reason to do it-  Come on pasta is amazing. How could you go without it. You only live once.
9. People who slurp their cereal- Just eat like a normal human please.
10. When people don’t tell you their middle name-  Some people go to extreme measure to keep their middle name a secret. Does it really matter?
11. When the person you need to stalk is on private- Ugh I don’t really want to request.
12. When people talk about the movie you are watching while its playing- Please just close your mouth and watch.
13. Shakespeare- He should die, ohhh wait he is dead. Forget him!
14. When spell check does work right- I am a horrible speller so I rely on spell check for life. When it doesn't get the right word you want it is really annoying because then you actually have to learn how to spell it. 
15. When people talk with a lot of spit in their mouth- There is always that one person that has spit in the corners of their mouths all the time. Please swallow then continue to speak.
16. When you can’t get the hair out of your mouth- Sometimes a small piece of hair gets in your mouth and it takes a little while to get. I tend to open my mouth and stick my hands in. It doesn't look good but that hair needs to leave.
17. How kids who don't shower actually have an odor and they don't do anything about it- Enough said.
    I think I have a case of low key OCD.
    
    Happy Annoyance,
    ~Corrine
    
    
    
    
    

Hawaii

Basically re-living a dream.

No stress what even is that? Sometimes you need a vacation. That is all there is too it.

(I want to apologize for making you jealous in advance.)

Over presidents week we had a week off from school so my family and I went to Hawaii. We left Friday night and flew into Kauai. 

The view from my airplane window.

 We drove in to our hotel and got leis and drinks. I was in Paradise.

The sky was blue with a few with puffy clouds floating around. I visited the pool and looked out onto the cliffs down to the Pacific Ocean. The air was perfect temperature and the breeze was crisp and calming.

The very next day we made sandwiches and headed to a beach that was right next to Lumahai River. It was hidden off the road and not many people were there. I floated down the river into the ocean, boogie boarded and slept. It was one of my favorite beaches of the whole trip. After the sun set we packed up and got Acai Bowls with fresh fruit then went back to the house.

My parents and I are all certified scuba divers. With my aunt with us we could actually go and do something as a family. We called Sea Sport divers and went diving all day. We left off the south coast and did two dives. The first one I was super nervous but once I was under water it was fine. I saw turtles, fish and the coolest part was listening to the whale singing. If you stopped swimming and listened you could hear the low hum of the Humpback whales. I tried to tell my dad by touching my ear then attempting to sign whale but he didn’t understand. After the first dive we came up and my mom and I spotted two whales. We drove up to them and watched them dive under. Then we went to cooled lava caves and saw a dozen of turtles. We swam all through the dried tubes and caves it was so interesting. After the day was over I was really tired but we got ice cream to end on a good note.

On the next day we went to Hanalei bay which is famous for all kinds of surfing. I took a surfing lesson the first day and then the following day I rented a surfboard and surfed on my own. It was so fun. My favorite part had to be watching the professionals out on the huge waves though. 

Just climbing on some rocks at the beach.

We ate dinner at a restaurant or got take out almost every night. I had four ice creams, one shaved ice and one acai bowl. All of my food was delicious. My favorite restaurant was this tiny place in the middle of nowhere. It was a Mexican shack with the best fresh fish tacos I will ever eat.

I was in such a chill state. I cannot image being that stress free again. I was not salty on the inside I was salty on the outside. So, sorry for making you jealous. I truly needed to go back to when I was in low key heaven.

Happy Heaven,
~Corrine