^^^ Good to see that you're happy and doing well, Mama Twitch. We want to see pics of your and LP's big bellies. The name you chose is lovely. :D
I'm excited and happy too, with a couple exceptions. I think I'll give the good news for a change first.
I'm going to the Bay Area for an extended vacation/sabbatical. I received my boss's blessing and the promise that there will be a place for me at the firm whenever I come back... exactly what date it will be, who knows, I can't have any pressure on me right now. The guy I have been dating since March is obviously less than thrilled, but he has been incredibly understanding and says I am worth waiting for. If what we have is genuine, we will find a way to make it work wherever we are and considering he is a computer engineer and I am going to Silicon Valley, perhaps he'll be persuaded to come to the promised land

as well. He's amazing. I can't believe a person like him loves a person like me; I feel so unworthy of it, but I know it's my own insecurities talking. Anyways, I am just absolutely sick of Florida. I can't even begin to describe the elation I feel at being able to be away from here during the hottest, most bug-filled and disgusting part of the year. We have a vacation home in the mountains near Yosemite as well, and it will be wonderful to spend time there. Please feel free to say hi thru PM if you live in the area and know some fun things to do, as I only know a few people there.
Now for the shitty parts.
My ex-live in boyfriend (who is one of my best friends, we ended on good terms) donated a kidney to his mother 2 years ago. It sounds like an incredibly noble and caring act, and in his mind it was, but he freely admits that his mother would have made him feel like shit for the rest of his life if he didn't donate, so he did it. In the testing process he had some results that were borderline (protein in the urine and elevated creatine), but after several retests they finally got numbers that were supposed to be OK, so they proceeded with the surgery. His mother has not rejected the kidney and is doing better than expected. The surgery was performed at one of the top transplant centers in the US, and every possible contingency was supposed to have been met before they started taking fricken kidneys out. Allegedly, the disorder Mom had was not genetic, but this can't be proven and although I maintained a positive attitude toward the surgery, I knew there was the caveat that he might have subsequent problems and I had recurring nightmares about it for months.
Now, my recurring nightmares may be coming true.
Recently "J," who is 27 and has always been active, has become bedridden to the point he is unable to drive and pretty much unable to walk because his legs are in so much pain. He has gone to a nephrologist (kidney dr) and they ran some tests but the results have not yet come back. Perhaps it's just a kidney infection, but perhaps it is one of the rare circumstances where someone who
probably should not have been a donor in the first place had a kidney harvested that he really needed. (Note that in general, kidney donation is relatively safe and most donors never experience any problems.)
I'll edit this to post an update once the test results come in, but for now I am soooo concerned. I don't want to see J suffer. I hate to believe that no good deed goes unpunished because it's such a shitty, jaded way to look at things. It bothers me greatly that people who are complete assholes get away with what they do but that someone who literally gave a piece of himself ends up with what likely is a pretty substantial problem.
There is just no fricken justice in the world.
I am trying not to let it get me down too much and trying to look toward the future with hope, because I am about to embark upon an adventure that will take me away from everything I have known for 9 years. It's both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I have 2 1/2 weeks to pack all my stuff into storage and sell my car, not to mention tying up loose ends at work. For the first time in 9 years, I will be living somewhere other than Florida and it feels great because this place sucks.
Sweetpea, it's great you're starting school again. Education has been the catalyst of many positive changes in my life.
FD- work it girl! Have an awesome summer having fun with your friends.
and alasdair- I'm not going to feed you any bullshit one might find on a Hallmark card. All I will say is, this too shall pass, and you will be a stronger person for it. Keep your chin up. The world is a better place with you in it, even if you're stuck feeling down.
EDIT: I forgot to post this edit before, so spank me.

J is doing well. His additional blood work indicated no problems, and he's feeling much better. The docs in their infinite wisdom think it's just exhaustion. *sighs in relief*