Who Gets Up This Early??

I was up at 5:30 this morning. Not just awake, but out of the bed. And not just to go to the bathroom. No, I came downstairs at 5:30 to pour a cup of the coffee that I had set the automatic timer for last night and then back up for a shower.

I can think of no good reason for anyone to get up at 5:30.

Some people get up at 5:30 so they can get ready for work. Not worth it.

Some people get up at 5:30 to exercise. Definitely not worth it.

Some people get up at 5:30 for Bible study. This is where I should probably say I aspire to be like that, but a lie is a lie and I don’t want God to smite me. Besides, I think it’s considerate of me to wait until He’s got a little less traffic. And I’m all about selflessness.

Some people live on farms and get up at 5:30 to feed the animals or milk the cows or whatever. Why? Can’t you put the animals on a schedule like we do our kids?

I have gotten up before 5:30 to drive up to Big Bear for a day of skiing and at the time it seemed worth it. Looking back, though, not so much.

Today, however, I had to get up at 5:30 because I had a 7:30 appointment with the dermatology specialist. Yup. I’m flaring again. When I called Wednesday to make an appointment I was thinking I’d get in within the next week or two. The receptionist told me the next available appointment was in October.

“I’m not a new patient! I’m established,” I told her. Apparently new patients were being scheduled for December. INSANE! So I told her to forget the appointment and I wanted to talk to his nurse. After 24 hours of phone tag she called me yesterday and said the doctor wanted to see me at 7:30 this morning. Considering it was either that or a more convenient time in another three months, I hauled my butt out of bed, beat the traffic into the city and made it to the office before most of the staff.

He has no idea what I have, but he did a biopsy and alluded to the fact that his lab is much better than my regular doctor’s lab and given that his lab is the University of Pennsylvania – an excellent teaching hospital – I’m inclined to agree.

I was glad he didn’t prescribe steroids because I’m convinced they caused the massive rashes I had. So now we wait. Again. And I’m honestly not hopeful for a definitive diagnosis. I probably have some totally weird, never before seen exotic malady or something. He did say it doesn’t look serious in the least. Which is good, even though I never thought it was.

***

I met the ladies from my Bible study group for breakfast this morning, an easy task since I’d been up since 0-Dark-Thirty. We don’t meet for study during the summer, but try to get together once a month to eat. Gotta love that. Anyway, we met at a little diner called Nudy’s. Does that seem wrong on some level? A bunch of Bible study gals eating at a place called Nudy’s. And we did discuss pole dancing, but that’s another story.

22 Comments

  1. Lainey-Paney on July 27, 2007 at 6:08 pm

    Why I normally get up at 5amby: Lainey PaneyI normally get up at 5. I have to shower & get dressed for work, and be there at 8.I also have an almost 2yo that I have to get up & get ready for the day by 6.We absolutely must leave the house no later than 6:18 to get Gage out to my Mother-in-law’s house. Now, granted…she lives about 20 minutes away, but it’s in the opposite direction from where I work. So, I leave from Dallas, go to Rockwall, and then drive almost to Fort Worth to work. It sucks. But—here’s why it is worth it: Gage LOVES Memaw & Papa’s house, and loves them, and loves being there. And, I know he’s very well taken care of. And, she is free. You heard it…she charges us nothing. So, we provide diapers, wipes, baby stuff….randomly I take over groceries b/c I know they feed him….and she gets paid in a million thank yous, hugs, and kisses. And besides…we promised to pick out a really nice nursing home for her some day (I’m just kidding!)So…for me, that’s why.But I still think it sucks to get up that early.

  2. Rosie on July 27, 2007 at 9:50 pm

    Jen, you can always be counted on for a laugh. Let me start by saying, Early Morning=Bleeech!!!Yeah, I wank about getting up at 6 a.m. now that I’m working but GG gets up at 4:30 am so there’s zero sympathy for me in my household.I’ve often told people the most difficult thing I do all day is get up in the morning. NOT. A. MORNING. PERSON. NOT.So, uh…what kind of food do you get at a place called Nudy’s?

  3. Lynilu on July 27, 2007 at 10:14 pm

    Jenster. I just nominated you for an award at my blog. Please stop by and check it out. 🙂

  4. Mailyn on July 27, 2007 at 11:15 pm

    I get up at 5:30!! OK, not true. I am STILL up at 5:30.It rocks not having the need for sleep. Squeeeeee!!!!Pole dancing. Brings back the memories. Mehehe.I hope everything turns out well with the doc!!!

  5. knicksgrl0917 on July 27, 2007 at 11:26 pm

    hey! i’m going to cali this weekend and won’t be back until september… here is the website i was talking about where i made an extra $800 dollars last month….. Later!the website is here

  6. creative-type dad on July 28, 2007 at 12:28 am

    Nudy’s? for Bible Study.Sign me up!

  7. Jenster on July 28, 2007 at 7:58 am

    Lainey-Paney – Dallas to Rockwall and back to Fort Worth?? What a commute. And you are right. We do what we have to do so goodonya! And your rewards are great. :o)Rosie – I’m not a morning person OR a night owl. And I had the most delicious crepes filled with ricotta cheese and smothered in strawberries, bananas and blueberries. LOLLynilu – YEA!! I can’t wait to see what I got! Thanks. :o)Mailyn – The old power house is too week to be doing my thing on the pole right now. teehee. I probably won’t get my pathology report back until the 6th, but I’ll let you know.CTD – I’m sorry to tell you that all the waitresses wore dresses and aprons very reminescent of Alice. Which, frankly, was good for me!

  8. Em on July 28, 2007 at 8:57 am

    Yeah, 5:30 is far too early to be up for ANY reason.I also wanted to let you know that I tagged you with an award. I always enjoy reading your blog and wanted others to know!

  9. JenniferTX on July 28, 2007 at 9:39 am

    Well, poor Pilot Man has to get up sometimes at 4:30am when he has to be at the airport at 6:00am. Then, if it’s a fly day, he gets to be wide awake most of the day or, well, bad things happen. Luckily he knows better than to call me that early in the morning! I am NOT a morning person at all!I’ve got my fingers crossed that this doctor can figure out what’s going on with your skin, Jen. Have a GREAT weekend!Love ya,Jennifer

  10. WhyMommy on July 28, 2007 at 9:42 am

    Good luck with the diagnosis — I can’t BELIEVE that they wanted you to wait until October. Way to persevere!

  11. Prunella Jones on July 28, 2007 at 9:54 am

    I wake up at 5 AM daily, even though I don’t want to. I have just never been able to sleep for more than five hours at a time. Thank goodness for caffeine.You know, sometimes when my pole dancing group gets together we discuss the bible. Okay I’m lying, but we might do that one of these days.

  12. Jenster on July 28, 2007 at 11:29 am

    Em – Thank you! I just tagged you for an award, too! :o)Jennifer – All I can say is better him than me! For hundreds of reasons called passengers.Whymommy – Thank you! Out of all the different types of doctors I’ve seen in the last few years, dermatologists are the hardest to get in to. Crazy.Pru – Caffeine only gets me so far and it usually ends up with heart palpitations.And you CRACK ME UP!!!

  13. Gretchen on July 28, 2007 at 11:38 am

    Um…so does this mean you’re not a morning person? And…I can identify with the “you’ll never get in to our office, I’m sorry. Have a nice day.” I’m glad you were persistent!

  14. April on July 28, 2007 at 2:27 pm

    Who gets up this early??? NOT ME!!

  15. radioactive girl on July 28, 2007 at 3:11 pm

    Approximately 5 days a week I get up at 5 to exercise. I hate every minute of it, but once the kids are up it gets so busy that I would never do it if I wasn’t up before them all. I am not an early riser by nature, it has taken 9 years of having kids to beat it into me. Now I am not good at getting up early, and I am also not good at staying up late anymore. Good luck with the dermatologist stuff. How frustrating! When I was on the high dose of steroids, I ended up with a rash, so I bet your theory about that is correct.

  16. D.O.M. Dan on July 28, 2007 at 9:11 pm

    I wish I could sleep in until 5:30. A couple of months ago I changed my wake up time from 4:30 to 5:00. Yes, a.m. I do get to sleep in on Saturday’s until about 6:00 a.m., but on Sunday I have no such luxgury. As a Hospitality Minister at my church for the 6:30 a.m. Mass, I have to be there before it starts.

  17. a wandering heart on July 28, 2007 at 10:53 pm

    I am not a morning person, either. Hubby wakes up at 6:30, which is bad enough. Baby Bear usually wakes up when she hears the water running for his shower. Last weekend she woke up at 5:30 for no apparent reason other than we were in a motel and it was a strange place filled with funky noises like a possessed microfridge and window a/c. That made for a very long day.I’ll be praying for you as you wait for the test results. I had a melanoma scare 4 1/2 years ago. I have a nice scar on my wrist that freaked my students out when they saw it. Trying to explain cancer in 10 seconds to kids who are supposed to be learning to read better is not that easy.Lauren

  18. Ann(ie) on July 29, 2007 at 4:37 am

    I get up at 5:30 for work. It’s NOT worth it!! I don’t speak much until I get my Starbucks fix.

  19. angela on July 29, 2007 at 4:11 pm

    Loved your observation about traffic. You’ve got to write a book. How’s the agent search going?

  20. Jenster on July 29, 2007 at 4:50 pm

    Gretchen – You are correct! *ding, ding, ding* I am NOT a morning person! Or a night person, for that matter.April – Not something I’m likely to do again for a long time.Tori – Yet another reason you’re my hero. :o)Dan – I am always in awe of people who volunteer their early mornings. I have no doubt God has a special blessing for people like you.Lauren – Thanks for visiting! And someday you will have children who are old enough to get their own cereal and you can just snooze away. Of course, someday you will have children who WANT to sleep in later than you do. It’s NICE!I was diagnosed with breast cancer when my daughter was in the 4th grade. The teacher asked if I would come and talk to the kids about it. It was a very good experience for all of us – though some of their questions were something else! :o)Ann(ie) – I would probably need a Starbuck’s IV if I had to get up that early on a regular basis. Goodonya for doing it, though!Angela – I was supposed to have my query done Friday, but it’s not finished. Instead I’ve been working on a magazine article. Wing up a prayer for me! :o)

  21. Jen on July 29, 2007 at 11:51 pm

    Oh man. Sorry about more skin problems. Though you are not all that hopeful for a diagnosis, I am. I will be praying it up!And….it is so funny that you and your Bible Study group were talking about pole dancing. Pole dancing was a regular subject at my old Bible Study. The ladies in my group were picketing a strip club that had opened. I was not allowed to picket because I was 7 months pregnant though. Once again, I miss all the fun!

  22. Jenn on July 30, 2007 at 10:12 am

    Pole dancing is like the new arobics…I would probably break the pole in half. Me and a pole…not sexy. When school is going on I get up ant 5 and sleep in the tub until 5:30 then get ready for work. It is a good plan…I do not have little hands dangling in the tub or boats floating around with me.

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