Good morning! Welcome to #WeekendCoffeeShare, a place where we share all that’s gone on during the week. Grab a drink and join me for a chat.
I wrote a majority of this post the night before my sinus closure surgery (Thursday) in case I wasn’t up to writing anything after my surgery.
Update: the surgery was quicker than I expected. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes and I was awake the whole time. The most painful part was the numbing part. Isn’t that always?
As I’m writing this, my left cheek is hurting. I’ve been trying to keep my mouth shut, to refrain from talking but as always, I couldn’t. Mom kept asking questions when I wanted was sit on the couch, crochet, and watch TV. She sold her house, you see, and got the money yesterday, and now, she must find ways to grow the money. As always, she’s asking me all these things when she’s completely capable of figuring it out herself.
Every time I opened my mouth came the pain. Did I mention stitches were involved? The surgeon estimated it’ll take me 2 weeks to heal. I wonder if for once, she’d stop thinking of only herself.
Okay, now let’s get back to the post.
If we were having coffee, I would tell you the week has kicked my ass again. Why does every week feels like month-end at work? Who am I kidding? I’m never going to fully catch up with my work. I can only do one or two things a day now because everything at work just takes forever.
Meanwhile, I hadn’t had the chance to go out for a walk. My back and shoulders have been screaming in pain. I couldn’t lift my right arm above my shoulder on Tuesday and my back was in so much spasmic pain I almost fell out of bed because I couldn’t stand up straight.
I went to the doctor and he said there were several large knots in my back that requires a professional to smooth them out. My body’s inflamed, he also pointed out. It must had been the chronic stress and the weather. Don’t tell me this is what people call the joy of growing old?
If we were having coffee, I would tell you my aunt next door (mom’s sister-in-law) finally spilled the beans on a huge secret. The moment she said it, I knew it’s been eating at her for a mighty long time. After she told my mom, my mom basically told the world. That blabbermouth! I swear, my mother cannot keep a secret and she wonders why people don’t tell her anything.
Anyway, the secret was my cousin got arrested in China late last year playing bookie in an illegal gambling ring. This was definitely new to me. The only place I know gambling is illegal is the state I live in – Utah. He was caught taking bets on the World Cup. He had already been in prison for 30 days before his parents bailed him out so he could get married.
It’s surprising how anyone can think of getting married in the midst of all this chaos.
Mom had spent the week researching Chinese laws and contacting friends for loopholes. I’m just glad she’s not making me do it. I hate reading laws. I just cannot comprehend what it’s written. The technical lawyer jargon, it reads like gibberish to me. Why can’t they dumb things down to the layman’s level?
According to mom, my cousin might be facing a maximum of 3 years in prison when convicted. Of all the stories and movies I’ve seen and heard about prison, I fear for him. I read somewhere Chinese prison is similar to the Russian Gulag. Yikes! 😨
Meanwhile, mom kept on saying, “he deserves it. That’ll teach him.” I’m not sure if anyone ever really deserves prison.
At least I know now I’m not the black sheep of the family but I still feel like an outsider. I used to be a black sheep because of my gender. Sadly, despite living in a mostly gender equality world, there is gender inequality within the family.
#weekendcoffeeshare is hosted by Natalie of Natalie the Explorer. I appreciate you stopping by and hope to see you back here next weekend.
This is Another Story 
Sounds like you’re dealing with a lot. I hope you heal quickly from the surgery and the pain in the rest of your body eases.
I hear you about work. Mine has been kicking my ass too. I’ve finally accepted that 1) there’s no such thing as being caught up, and 2) I’m doing well to get 1 major thing and a couple of minor things accomplished each day.
Hang in there.
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I think I’ve accepted I’ll never truly catch up with my work. Unfortunately, the tight deadlines don’t give me much leeway to breathe in between tasks.
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I’m so sorry you are in such pain. As a person with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, you have my complete sympathy. I hope the healing from your surgery goes quickly and smoothly. I am so sorry for your cousin in China. Three years seems really harsh for what is largely a victimless crime. (I lived in Nevada for 13 years.)
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I think I just need to use the next couple of days to focused on healing. Hopefully I’m able to do that.
I have been told I have an elevated rheumatoid factor, so rheumatoid arthritis is a sooner or later thing for me.
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I’m sorry you’ve been in pain, and instead of being able to rest and recover, you have to deal with family issues… hope you’ll manage to take some time for yourself and feel better soon!
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It’s just unbelievable how unsympathetic some people can be and it’s so unfortunate I happen to live with such people. Sigh…
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I hope your surgery heals well my friend. Take care and follow all the directions of the doctor.
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I hope so too.
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Take care my friend
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Thanks. 🙂
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You’re welcome
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I hope you’re feeling better each day post-surgery and you’re able to go for a walk and do gentle stretches often. #weekendcoffeeshare
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Thank you. I am feeling a bit better, though the pain is still there. I don’t imagine it would go away this quickly but hopefully soon. 🙂
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Hi YingLan,
What a week you’ve had. . .
I hope you’ve feeling better by the time you see this note.
I don’t hold out much hope for your job getting any easier. Companies are still struggling to keep their doors open so help is not likely anywhere to be found.
About jail/prison in China; I’ve heard similar stories about what they’re like and regret that your cousin is stuck in one. I would have thought that just living there, he would know and avoid such a problem. China would feel like a police state to us compared to the US. The more I learn about China, the less likely I am to ever visit.
My high school girl friend actually lives there, teach ESL I think. I can’t imagine why she would do such a thing and suspect something here went bad for her and she felt the need to leave for some place very far away.
Do insist on being allowed to rest and heal.
Find and relish those few moments of peace that find you.
Blessings.
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Hi Gary, I am feeling a little better after continuously applying benzocaine to numb my cheek and taking Ibuprofen 800 twice a day, though I can’t say I’ve had much rest over the weekend as one of the remaining individuals in the family always needs my help because everyone is afraid of my mom.
My cousin is someone who’s always looking for ways to make fast money. I think he knew gambling is illegal but he has a mentality that one can do whatever one wants as long as one don’t get caught. Even when he was in the US, he would rather drive for Lyft or Uber than go to school. Sigh…
I spent 4 months in China back in 2017 and to be honest, if I wasn’t traveling, I’m not sure if I want to stay longer in a place where I have to go through loopholes just to access the websites I visit daily like banking and email. If I want to teach ESL, I would rather be doing that from the comfort of my home, not China.
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I am so sorry to hear about your cousin and also your aunt. I am sure this was a terrible secret to leak because what happened to your cousin is considered dishonorable (losing face for your aunt). I’ve noticed within families, it’s like a contest of who is the better relative — black sheep and who is the most successful. It’s all so very high school.
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What’s sad is some people are still rooting for him like his dad and father-in-law. Also, even after all this, I’m surprised the in-laws still allowed their daughter to be married. I feel bad for the girl.
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