Feline Noir.com is a cute weblog about old movies, music, kitties and life.

Hi. I am Kymberly, and this is my site. I live in Bremerton Washington. A beautiful town across the water from Seattle. I live with my six cats, yes that number is correct, and my boyfriend Jacob.

I love to color, watch old film noir movies or almost any movie from the 40's. Garage sale and Roller Derby is also very dear too me.

The best way I can describe this web-site is a quote from my boyfriend. "Honey, things that are weird and quirky to other people are just normal to you."

So Please stay tuned. My first real post will be coming soon.

I have spent the last 3 years of my life being sicker than a dog. We came to the conclusion in a semi-diagnosis about 9 months ago with Celiac Disease. This was after many many Emergency Room visits (43), more scopes than you can imagine, blood work to the point I didn't have any veins left and scan after scan.

My symptoms were extreme. They would hit without any warning but usually in the morning after going to the bathroom. Sometimes all of a sudden I would have nausea, vomiting, severe sweating, chills and severe stomach pain. (I was literally a wet rag doll.) I would lie in the shower (until all the hot water was gone.. to the chagrin of my boyfriend who wanted to take a hot shower)with the hot water just running down all over me trying to relax and feel better. My "episodes" would last 5-12 hours straight depending on whether I would pass out from sheer exhaustion or finally decide it was time to go to the Emergency Room.

On two occasions the attacks were so bad I had to call an ambulance. My treatment was always the same. Bags of fluid due to dehydration and electrolytes out of whack, blood work, nausea medication and pain medication, plus some new test. My visits would last anywhere from 4-6 hours with the occasional over-night stay. The Diagnosis was always the same, Gastritis or Abdominal Pain of Unknown Cause. I always left the hospital feeling great. I was rehydrated and higher than a kite. After each "episode" it would take a whole day of sleeping to just recover from the physical and emotional stress my body experienced.

On top of the "episodes" I was also experiencing weight loss, loss of energy, sleeping 12-15 hours a day or sleeping all weekend. Fear of food, no appetite, anxiety and stress about leaving my house (it really was a nightmare to I have an "episode" while out and about.) And let us not also forget the depression, helpless and hopelessness I felt.

My physical symptoms would appear sporadic and there was no pattern. I was tested for lots of digestive and female disorders. Crohn's, Colitis, Cancers, Bacteria's, Ulcers, Endometriosis, Hormones, Acid reflux. Anything they could think of, and many I have forgotten by this time. As each test came back negative my depression, anxiety and fears increased.

What the Hell was Wrong with Me! I was getting desperate. These "episodes" were affecting every part of my life! My work, My relationships, My confidence, My ability to even function.

To be Continued.

Today is my birthday. I turned 41 today. Where the hell did the time go? Seems like just yesterday I was in my 20's. I don't feel 41. I still feel hip and with it. I go to concerts (I love brit-pop, punk rock and indie music). I am involved in Roller Derby. I color. I make zombie dolls and love old movies.

I am not one of those crazy birthday people. You know the type where it is their day from the moment they wake up and every second revolves around their day. I am not putting these people down that's their thing.

I guess it is a good thing I feel this way since I spent all day today in bed sleeping recovering from my previous days Celiac attack. I slept all day with the comfort of my kitties sleeping all around me.

Jacob made me some delicious gluten free spice birthday cup cakes.

They are so good that Tabitha (my evil kitty) keeps grabbing the cup cake wrappers out of the trash to lick them.

I received some great gifts. Six more months subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio. I love Howard Stern. New Derby skates and gear, 2 cool new coloring books, pearl earrings, a cool book about Hollywood and some nice cards.

All in all a very nice birthday and with that here is hoping no more bad Celiac attacks for the rest of 2007.

So after 3 months of being off from work. I went back. It's not as simple as that you see. The past two years I have been sick with Celiac disease and didn't know it. So I have missed lots of work in the last two years. Maxed out my FMLA both years and had to even go on extended disability for this last time out. So when it comes to work there is lots of anxiety. Am I finally back for good??? Am I going to get sick or need some other surgery in the near future? Am I going to eat something and have an attack at work? On top of all that. There is the stress of my boss and co-workers. They have been supportive but I know they are tired of Kymberly and her illnesses. I can't say I blame them I have felt the same way about myself many of times. It's only natural to resent someone who is out sick all the time and you have to pick up the slack. So at this point lets just say they don't trust me yet. Trust to know that I will be present.

That is a FISH philosophy. FISH philosophy is a corporate concept that we subscribe to. It basically evolved from the Seattle Market Fish Throwers. There are 4 basic principles. 1. Be present 2. Have fun/play 3. Make their day 4. Choose a great attitude. If you apply these principle's to your work, attitude and co-workers then everything is better. It's a good/fun philosophy to have but lately I have been falling short. I haven't been present and I definitely haven't made their day.

So today I marched off to battle. It feels like a battle. A battle with my body and sometimes my spirit. For the most part everyone was nice and welcomed me back for the umpteenth time.

When you live in Bremerton it can really suck if you miss the ferry. Last night my good friend Jessika missed the boat. And she missed it by literally a minute.

First off I want to say the Ferry is very cool. I love that I can walk on a boat, take a beautiful ride across the Puget Sound and an hour later arrive in down town Seattle.

There are lots of times in the day to catch a ferry. The Boat runs back and forth practically all day. But there is this weird gap of time in the evening that can really mess up your whole night. In the evening leaving Seattle going to Bremerton there is a 10:30p.m. and a 12:50a.m. boat. So when going to Seattle you have to decide do you want to get home at 11:30 or basically 2:00am. That's a big gap! So when you miss the 10:30p.m. boat and your stuck with the 12:50a.m. boat that can really ruin your whole night.

Jessika is the Festival Fairy. She was at Seattle's yearly Folk Life Festival. And she missed the boat. She called me from the terminal to bitch and complain and I knew I had to save her. Bainbridge Island is a half hour drive from Bremerton and a half hour ferry ride from Seattle and there is no gap of boat times in the evening. So I told her to jump on the Bainbridge boat and Jake and I would come get her.

I could hear the grateful relief in her voice and got ready to go. We had to leave immediately. Now this is not just a 30 minutes drive to the ferry and a 30 minute drive back. This is a 1 hour and 45 minute round trip for us. But I love Jessika and Jake is totally cool with my girlfriends so we rescued her and got her home safe by midnight. You do that for a friend.

I have never been one of those people who made resolutions and took them serious. Whatever resolution I usually did make was over by the first week in January.

But last year sucked so bad that I am actually going to try to make some resolutions this year. I need some serious change in my life.

1.Write in my blog more than every 6 months. (which I would have done if not so sick this past year)
2.Take control of my health. I am going to be more pro-active in my celiac disease and not let the disease continue to depress and debilitate me.
3.Decide what I want to do in life. I have worked in corporate america for the past 22 years. I struggle all the time with “is this what I want to do the rest of my life”. I want to be creative. Sew, be artistic and find some bliss. I am tired of working with people who don't care about each other. Where I work everyone is phoney and unaware of the world around them. But I know I need my insurance and well paying job to pay off all my medical bills. This will be my most challenging resolution.
4.Read a book daily.
5.Listen to more music.
6.Get out of the house more.

I know that these are going to be very challenging to accomplish. But if you knew me you would know once I REALLY put my mind to something there will be no stopping me.

So those are my New Years Resolutions. I am going to try really hard to make them happen and regain control of my life.