If you haven’t noticed already, the world of Sunshine and Moonlight is filled with metaphors; nicknames if you will. Of course it all started with my nickname, “Sunshine” and continues with spots, sparkles, Grover, Liebestrophfchen, Dory, and wraps up with “Moonlight.” I love metaphors and I especially love having nicknames – cute nicknames anyway.
I think the desire for wanting a cool and respectable nickname comes from the fact that I never had one as a child. I was referred to as “Red”, “Howdy Doody”, “Freckles”, “Carrot-Top”, “Brace Face”, and a whole mess of other not-so-flattering names. Perhaps that’s why I love “Sunshine” so much. Back during my Solumedrol Sojourn, I was looking for yet another nickname – a horse name since I was in a horse race. Now that the Solumedrol side effects have passed (thank goodness), the need for a horse name is moot.
Even the hubby and Oboe have nicknames. I can’t repeat many of the hubby’s here, despite the fact they all developed out of love (smile), but Oboe is often referred to by a slew of names other than his own. And, he actually responds to them: Bear, Obie-won-Kanobie, Obie Dobie, Goobley-Drooler, Dupie (derived from the Polish word Dupa), and Lumpy-Puppy. The latter developed after Oboe developed some lumps on his body, primarily a benign, fatty tumor under his one arm. “Lumpy-Puppy” — not so flattering, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
You know who has the best nicknames? Mobsters! Whether Italian or Irish, those guys who were part of the old-time mob had the coolest nicknames! Whether in real life, in the Godfather, or in the Sopranos, I always reveled in the names these guys gave to one another. There was Joe “Joe Bananas” Bonanno, Philip “Fat Fungi” Gambino, Santino “Sonny” Corleone, Michael “Mickey Blue Eyes” Felgate, Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri, and Bobby “Baccala” Baccalieri, just to name a few. Sure, some of these men were pop-culture icons via screen and television and some were real. However, the list of mob nicknames is endless, even if you follow the belief that “there is no such thing as the Mafia.”
This past weekend, I developed a bizarre rash on both of my inner forearms and on my back and shoulders. We’re not sure what caused it, perhaps an allergic reaction to something I ate, or something I wore? Perhaps stress from a difficult weekend with Oboe that included another trip to the animal hospital? Maybe they were hives and not a rash? Who knew? My arms and back were covered (and I mean covered) with bumps – smaller than mosquito bites, but itchy none-the-less. Creams, lotions, and potions all helped heal the rash, but there was a point in time I became nervous that the rash would delay my Tysabri infusion scheduled for Friday. All I could imagine was me showing up for the infusion and the nurse turning me away because she couldn’t find a vein through all the little bumps.
Of course, because of the drama, the hubby gave me a new nickname – Bumpy. At first I grimaced, facing yet another unflattering name. Until I said it all together – “Bumpy Fabrizio.” I was thrilled! I jumped up and down! I had my very own mob nickname – Kim “Bumpy” Fabrizio! It made that darn rash all worth it. And of course it’s the perfect name. Who else could be the mother to “Lumpy” than “Bumpy?”
Countdown to Bump-Free Tysabri: Three More Days
CUTE! Nicknames are fun; glad you’ve fulfilled your dream of a “gangster” name. My husband came home from work one day, several years ago, and announced “Lucy, I’m home!” like Rickie always did on “I Love Lucy”. And, it’s stuck. He often calls me Lucy and people look at him like he’s crazy or he’s completely unaware of who he’s talking to. But, to me it’s a term of endearment.
I’ve had that mystery rash before – over the Christmas holiday, one year, when, of course, no doctors could be reached. I had it on my feet, ankles, hands and wrists. It itched liked CRAZY!! I, like you, used creams and oral antihystimines to relieve the itching, but never found the root cause for the mysterious rash. And, of course, it was gone by the time any doctors were back from their break. Hmmm, another symptom??
On another note, I found out yesterday that my friend’s dear 12 year old black Lab has a tumor (benign) on his shoulder that has gotten so large that he won’t do stairs anymore, much to her chagrin, as she’s grown used to his snoring beside the bed at night and now is not able to sleep in the silence. Good luck with Oboe!
p.s.
Thanks for the response about the exercise. We finally got our bikes out and ready to go – took a 40 minute ride on Father’s Day. LOVED IT!
Peggy, (um….Lucy),
I, too, wondered if just maybe the rash was another weird MS “thing”. Of course this was after the litany of other questions: “Did I change laundry soap? Try a new lotion? Change bath soap? Eat something unusual?” Everything came up a “no”, so the cause remains a mystery.
Thanks for the well-wishes for Oboe. The poor thing’s prostate is six to eight times larger than normal. We’re having him neutered on Thursday and they hope the change in hormones will reduce the size of the prostate after a few weeks. For now he’s responding well to pain meds, although the hubby thinks he looks “stoned” all the time now (at least he’s not in pain).
Maybe getting him neutered will also fix his OTHER problem, too. Small children and men will be able to come to your home with out being violated! lol Seriously though, good luck with the pup! Keep me posted!
Sunshine…(AkA Bumpy)…I think you forgot a few…How about…Jeeps…Peppers…Wirpy…Bashy…Chocolates…Paddy…Yambo…Gorilla Cassilla…You remember them…right? Come on…you memmer….memmer?
Hey…I just remembered my Dad’s nickname. It’s not one he particularly likes…but..none the less…..Johnny Ray it is! Now..here’s a little game we can all play. Why do you suppose they called him Johnny Ray?…anyone…anyone…anyone…Bueller…Bueller…Bueller…
Kim,
Just an FYI..
The same year I was diagnosed with MS I came down with a rash simular to the the one you are discribing here. It was very itchy with little bumps all over my chest stomach , back arms..it was called Pityriasis Rosea. the doctor gave me an RX of steriod cream, and it went away within a week or so.
The charge nurse on my floor where I was working diagnosed it for me after I showed her my rash, oddly enough she had it before.
If you go to mayoclinic.com and type it in the search menu it explains it further.
um…..how much caffeine did Hubby have today? anyone? anyone? Bueller…. ahhahahahahahahaha
The hubby, a.k.a. Tommy the Wop drinks too much coffee everyday. He does the flight of the bumblebee all morning and then drops over by 7 PM!
Ever consider switching to decaf? lol
Because Johnny Ray sang a song call “Cry” and Tom Fabs Sr. is a whiner? (Did I win anything?)
I have a mob name too–Gaylianno Fabrizio.
Hahahahahahha…ding…ding…ding…Gaylianno WINS!!!!
To Carol K – thanks for the information on Pityriasis Rosea. I looked it up on Google and think that I may have had that particular rash at a different time than the one I was referring to above. But, what I was speaking about in my comment here did not look anything like the pictures I found in my search for PR. The rash I was speaking to in this comment was tiny pimple-like bumps and not blotchy. Plus, I had it in the winter (they said that Pityriasis Rosea mainly occurs in the spring), I had it on my feet and hands (PR occurs on the chest, arms and shoulders), and it went away in a few days (PR lasts several months). So, I still have to wonder if my mystery rash was an MS thing or a dermatological thing or a combination of the two?
Hi Peggy (and Carol) — I, too, looked up PR and my rash didn’t match the pictures. Mine was exactly as you describe it here, Peggy — the hubby said the ones on my back actually looked like whiteheads — dozens and dozens of them. Still remains a mystery to me!