I'm beginning to wonder if dunking all the FarmHands in bleach is a feasible alternative to the massive amount of sick we've got running through this house.
Last night Bitsy came home from kindergarten with a stomach ache and I had a raging head ache. She spent all night on the toilet or puking in an ice cream bucket. I spent all night sitting on the little step stool in the bathroom waiting for her to get done so I could clean us both up, sanitize, and lotion my hands. She alternated between passing out and crying in pain all night. I alternated between being sleepless and reading The Hobbit and snoozing in between trips to the bathroom. I moved Bitsy's mattress into my room and put her next to the bed so I could get to her quickly and she wouldn't wake the rest of the FarmHands during the night.
That forced Husband to the couch in a sleeping bag for the night. I think he may have slept 3 hours before the older 'Hands started arguing and banging around in the kitchen.
When Bitsy and I finally crawled out of bed at 10:30 this morning my head felt like it was being used as a bongo by a rather enthusiastic hippy in a drum circle. Every movement made my head pound. Every sound made me cringe. The light was too bright. Talking hurt like Hades.
Busha was sure it was a sinus head ache because of the massive amount of pressure in my head when I bent over but I hadn't had any other sinus symptoms. Web MD tells me I could have been experiencing a migraine. Since they run in my family, I wouldn't be terribly surprised. I didn't have any nausea but the other symptoms lined up nicely.
Daddy called and I told him what was going on. He suggested caffeine and I managed to get half a cup of instant coffee down before I crashed again. It helped more than the 2 extra strength ibuprofen I'd already taken.
Bitsy seems better. She hasn't puked in 14 hours and has been off the toilet for most of the day.
My head doesn't hurt at the moment (but I'm also not really moving and it's pretty dark in here except for the television and computer screen glows....oh, and I'm wearing noise canceling ear buds but not actually listening to anything).
I am so very over this winter.
Showing posts with label Sick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sick. Show all posts
February 23, 2013
January 26, 2013
It's A Whole New Flu!
I feel like one of those magazine makeovers gone horribly wrong. Instead of an All New You! I've ended up with an All New Flu! And let me tell you, even Cosmo couldn't sell this one.
BabyGirl came down with the lovely bug from the pit of Hell just under 2 weeks ago. She woke up on a Thursday with a low fever and an upset stomach. My knee jerk reaction was, "OMG! THE FLU!" but Husband, who is normally much calmer in certain situations, said to wait and see.
So I waited all night.....and I was right. It was flu. I loaded up the girls and took them to see our new NP who promptly put the entire family on Tamiflu. Well, at least she tried. The kids scripts were all fully covered (once I hunted down a pharmacy that actually had the medicine in stock- can I just say dragging a child so sick she's threatening to pass out all over town looking for medicine that while my boys are probably infecting family members 15 miles away and I've been on the run since 5:30 in the morning is not the way to spend an afternoon? I'm going to say it anyway) but Husband and I were going to cost over $200. I decided that was a bit much to spend on a preventative.
I was wrong.
It would have been so very worth it.
BabyGirl was up and going by Wednesday. I, on the other hand, have been in my bed since Tuesday night. Well, in my dreams I have been. In reality I spent about 2 days there then Husband went back to work, Bitsy came down with a 24 hour stomach bug, and I had to move my base of operations from the bed to the couch.
Things are not pretty around here.
We are on a slow decent into chaos.
Actually, it's not been that slow. It's been more like riding The American Eagle.
Husband will be here. He will make sure everyone is fed and dressed and out the door to school and life is golden, or as golden as it gets when your temperature is hovering around 101.3 and you feel like your spinal column is trying to escape from your back of it's own volition. We will happily climb to the highest heights watching the world spin away beneath us. Then something will happen. Someone will touch a sibling. Someone will get to play 7.3 seconds longer on the Wii than someone else. Someone will decide they need to sing while everyone else watches The Avengers and suddenly we've gone as high as we can go. A rapid, terrifying decent commences. There's screaming. There's crying. Hands fly up in the air. People bargain with God and a certain heavily medicated mother goes bat crap crazy on everyone in a 3 mile radius.
The CDC was right. Flu shots do save lives. The lives of FarmHands left alone with a mother too sick to deal with their normal shenanigans.
So get those flu shots people. Do it for the children.
And yes, as a matter of fact, I am suffering from a serious cold medicine hangover. Why do you ask?
BabyGirl came down with the lovely bug from the pit of Hell just under 2 weeks ago. She woke up on a Thursday with a low fever and an upset stomach. My knee jerk reaction was, "OMG! THE FLU!" but Husband, who is normally much calmer in certain situations, said to wait and see.
So I waited all night.....and I was right. It was flu. I loaded up the girls and took them to see our new NP who promptly put the entire family on Tamiflu. Well, at least she tried. The kids scripts were all fully covered (once I hunted down a pharmacy that actually had the medicine in stock- can I just say dragging a child so sick she's threatening to pass out all over town looking for medicine that while my boys are probably infecting family members 15 miles away and I've been on the run since 5:30 in the morning is not the way to spend an afternoon? I'm going to say it anyway) but Husband and I were going to cost over $200. I decided that was a bit much to spend on a preventative.
I was wrong.
It would have been so very worth it.
BabyGirl was up and going by Wednesday. I, on the other hand, have been in my bed since Tuesday night. Well, in my dreams I have been. In reality I spent about 2 days there then Husband went back to work, Bitsy came down with a 24 hour stomach bug, and I had to move my base of operations from the bed to the couch.
Things are not pretty around here.
We are on a slow decent into chaos.
Actually, it's not been that slow. It's been more like riding The American Eagle.
Husband will be here. He will make sure everyone is fed and dressed and out the door to school and life is golden, or as golden as it gets when your temperature is hovering around 101.3 and you feel like your spinal column is trying to escape from your back of it's own volition. We will happily climb to the highest heights watching the world spin away beneath us. Then something will happen. Someone will touch a sibling. Someone will get to play 7.3 seconds longer on the Wii than someone else. Someone will decide they need to sing while everyone else watches The Avengers and suddenly we've gone as high as we can go. A rapid, terrifying decent commences. There's screaming. There's crying. Hands fly up in the air. People bargain with God and a certain heavily medicated mother goes bat crap crazy on everyone in a 3 mile radius.
The CDC was right. Flu shots do save lives. The lives of FarmHands left alone with a mother too sick to deal with their normal shenanigans.
So get those flu shots people. Do it for the children.
And yes, as a matter of fact, I am suffering from a serious cold medicine hangover. Why do you ask?
July 27, 2012
Adventures in Colitis- Not for the Weak of Stomach
Many of you already know what has been happening on the Farm, but not the entire story....and then I'm sure there are those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about (assuming someone other than my cousin and best friend still read this).
It's been a tough week to say the very least. A week I pray I never have to relive. A week I really wish would be over & done with but unfortunately will have a few repercussions.
Monday afternoon Uncle Gick came to stay with the FarmHands while Busha took me into town to see Dr.R (the surgeon who took out my appendix). I fell asleep on and off all the way to his office. I was in more pain than I've been in since they made me get out of bed after my first c-section (on the 1-10 scale I was at a 10). When we walked into the waiting room, the receptionist asked if I'd gotten her voice mail. For the record, my voice mail message says, "I do not check this mail box. If you need to get in touch with me, keep calling." So, no, I hadn't.
She was trying to let me know that Dr.R wanted me to have blood work taken before I came into his office. Good news: the lab is 2 doors down from his office in the same building. Bad news: I have to walk half way around the building to get in the elevator, go back to the first floor, stand in line and register as a hospital patient to have the blood drawn in the first place. By the time I got back in his office, it was a full hour later and I was still in serious pain.
When the nurse came to get me, Busha and I started down the hall. A few steps in and I had to steady myself on a door frame because I was light headed. On the off chance that they would need a stool sample, I took one at home and brought it in with me (seriously unpleasant, I know, but after waking up to bloody diarrhea I thought it was a prudent step to take). I also wrote down everything that had taken place since my symptoms first began because I knew in my state of mind I would forget quite a few key points like days of the week. Dr.R looked over everything (including my sample), did a serious examination of my abdomen and torso and told me he was admitting me to the hospital. He was not a happy man.
I was seriously dehydrated. He ordered IV fluids in massive amounts and a CT scan once I'd had a full bag of fluid. Busha took me to the hospital and the real fun began. I look like I've been on a heroin bender if you go by all the track marks on my my arms. When you're dehydrated it's not easy to hit a vein and keep it from blowing out especially when you need a bigger needle to put CT contrast through. 2 nurses and 4 needle sticks later, they called in the anesthesiologist nurse to get my IV going.
Eventually a dose of Toradol and a bolus of fluid made me comfortable enough to stretch out so I could lay down for the CT. My second CT in 2 months, mind you. After I was settled and a bit more comfortable, Busha went home. Dr.R came in just after 9 to tell me I didn't have any bowl obstruction but that my entire colon lit up like a light bulb.
Sleeping in the hospital wouldn't have been bad if it hadn't been for the 800 times a night they had to come check and see if I was still alive. Toradol every 6 hours wasn't bad either. More samples were collected, more labs done, more blood drawn.
The next morning Dr.H came in to see why I was back in the hospital. I told him I had decided to spend my summer there. "If I had 37 kids, I'd spend my summer here, too!" he said. I love my doctors. He took me off all food or drink by mouth and went off to investigate what was going on with me. Dr.R said he thought Dr.H was trying to starve me to death when he discovered the NPO order a few hours later. I told him they'd have to duke it out amongst themselves. I didn't care so long as no one took my pain meds away.
I'm not sure when it happened, but eventually words like inflammation, ulcerative colitis, crohns, colonoscopy, and flexible sigmoidoscopy started getting tossed around.
Wednesday morning rolled around and Dr.R scheduled me for what is affectionately known as a flex sig (see above paragraph). He didn't want to go in for a full colonoscopy because there was a massive amount of inflammation and he didn't want to risk perforating my colon. Personally, I'd like to keep my colon un-perforated as well. That involved being put under conscious sedation (that is a bit of a misnomer). I don't remember anything before they moved me from the gurney back into my bed in my room. Ulcerative Colitis was his initial suspicion.
Wednesday they finally decided I could be put on a clear liquid diet. By that time I hadn't ingested anything since the glass of lemonade I nursed all Monday morning. Chicken broth has never tasted so good. Do you have any clue how many food commercials are on television each hour? At least 85,000.
After breakfast (my third meal of chick broth, orange jell-o, apple juice, and a Popsicle in a row) on Thursday, Dr.R came back and said all my tests had come back negative and I was feeling leaps and bounds better so he thought I should eat & possibly go home.
My pathology reports from the flex sig are negative. All my cultures, samples, blood work, and other various tests are clean. Right now it's a guessing game. Dr.R has me on medication for Ulcerative Colitis until I see him again Friday, August 3rd. He said there will eventually be a full blown colonoscopy but he wants to wait until he's sure my colon has healed from this flare up.
I'm praying this was caused by some kind of infection/bacteria that isn't going to be an on going battle (U.C. is a chronic condition and not something I'd wish on my worst enemy). Things are beginning to return to normal. QM is here taking care of all of us. I'm resting as much as I can.
Maybe next time I'll tell you about my rather entertaining neighbor from the hospital.
It's been a tough week to say the very least. A week I pray I never have to relive. A week I really wish would be over & done with but unfortunately will have a few repercussions.
Monday afternoon Uncle Gick came to stay with the FarmHands while Busha took me into town to see Dr.R (the surgeon who took out my appendix). I fell asleep on and off all the way to his office. I was in more pain than I've been in since they made me get out of bed after my first c-section (on the 1-10 scale I was at a 10). When we walked into the waiting room, the receptionist asked if I'd gotten her voice mail. For the record, my voice mail message says, "I do not check this mail box. If you need to get in touch with me, keep calling." So, no, I hadn't.
She was trying to let me know that Dr.R wanted me to have blood work taken before I came into his office. Good news: the lab is 2 doors down from his office in the same building. Bad news: I have to walk half way around the building to get in the elevator, go back to the first floor, stand in line and register as a hospital patient to have the blood drawn in the first place. By the time I got back in his office, it was a full hour later and I was still in serious pain.
When the nurse came to get me, Busha and I started down the hall. A few steps in and I had to steady myself on a door frame because I was light headed. On the off chance that they would need a stool sample, I took one at home and brought it in with me (seriously unpleasant, I know, but after waking up to bloody diarrhea I thought it was a prudent step to take). I also wrote down everything that had taken place since my symptoms first began because I knew in my state of mind I would forget quite a few key points like days of the week. Dr.R looked over everything (including my sample), did a serious examination of my abdomen and torso and told me he was admitting me to the hospital. He was not a happy man.
I was seriously dehydrated. He ordered IV fluids in massive amounts and a CT scan once I'd had a full bag of fluid. Busha took me to the hospital and the real fun began. I look like I've been on a heroin bender if you go by all the track marks on my my arms. When you're dehydrated it's not easy to hit a vein and keep it from blowing out especially when you need a bigger needle to put CT contrast through. 2 nurses and 4 needle sticks later, they called in the anesthesiologist nurse to get my IV going.
Eventually a dose of Toradol and a bolus of fluid made me comfortable enough to stretch out so I could lay down for the CT. My second CT in 2 months, mind you. After I was settled and a bit more comfortable, Busha went home. Dr.R came in just after 9 to tell me I didn't have any bowl obstruction but that my entire colon lit up like a light bulb.
Sleeping in the hospital wouldn't have been bad if it hadn't been for the 800 times a night they had to come check and see if I was still alive. Toradol every 6 hours wasn't bad either. More samples were collected, more labs done, more blood drawn.
The next morning Dr.H came in to see why I was back in the hospital. I told him I had decided to spend my summer there. "If I had 37 kids, I'd spend my summer here, too!" he said. I love my doctors. He took me off all food or drink by mouth and went off to investigate what was going on with me. Dr.R said he thought Dr.H was trying to starve me to death when he discovered the NPO order a few hours later. I told him they'd have to duke it out amongst themselves. I didn't care so long as no one took my pain meds away.
I'm not sure when it happened, but eventually words like inflammation, ulcerative colitis, crohns, colonoscopy, and flexible sigmoidoscopy started getting tossed around.
Wednesday morning rolled around and Dr.R scheduled me for what is affectionately known as a flex sig (see above paragraph). He didn't want to go in for a full colonoscopy because there was a massive amount of inflammation and he didn't want to risk perforating my colon. Personally, I'd like to keep my colon un-perforated as well. That involved being put under conscious sedation (that is a bit of a misnomer). I don't remember anything before they moved me from the gurney back into my bed in my room. Ulcerative Colitis was his initial suspicion.
Wednesday they finally decided I could be put on a clear liquid diet. By that time I hadn't ingested anything since the glass of lemonade I nursed all Monday morning. Chicken broth has never tasted so good. Do you have any clue how many food commercials are on television each hour? At least 85,000.
After breakfast (my third meal of chick broth, orange jell-o, apple juice, and a Popsicle in a row) on Thursday, Dr.R came back and said all my tests had come back negative and I was feeling leaps and bounds better so he thought I should eat & possibly go home.
My pathology reports from the flex sig are negative. All my cultures, samples, blood work, and other various tests are clean. Right now it's a guessing game. Dr.R has me on medication for Ulcerative Colitis until I see him again Friday, August 3rd. He said there will eventually be a full blown colonoscopy but he wants to wait until he's sure my colon has healed from this flare up.
I'm praying this was caused by some kind of infection/bacteria that isn't going to be an on going battle (U.C. is a chronic condition and not something I'd wish on my worst enemy). Things are beginning to return to normal. QM is here taking care of all of us. I'm resting as much as I can.
Maybe next time I'll tell you about my rather entertaining neighbor from the hospital.
July 23, 2012
The weekend of Art (and TMI)
Art came to see me this weekend. At first the trip was to be a surprise, but she gave up on that idea very early on in the game.
I was so excited to have her coming...and then Thursday hit. I ended up sick. Without going into gory details, I was having stomach issues. I figured it was no big deal. She wouldn't be here until Friday night & I'd be all better by then.
Well, I wasn't. Friday afternoon rolled around & I opted to take an Imodium AD thinking it would take care of the problem & I'd be good to go for the weekend. It took care of one problem, but seemed to lead to a whole mess of other issues.
I was in pain. A lot of pain. Like pre-appendectomy pain. Saturday, Art convinced me that I needed to go to the doctor. Unfortunately we made it to town a little late & ended up in the ER instead of the walk-in clinic.
3 hours later they sent me home saying there was no infection so my pain was probably related to my surgery (that happened a month and a half ago....that hasn't caused me pain of any kind in weeks). They gave me a shot of Torodol that wore off before we ever left the hospital.
Saturday was spent laying on the couch- hurting.
Sunday was spent laying on the couch - hurting. Sunday morning, when I found myself unable to pee, I called the hospital and made them page my surgeon. He was off on vacation and had a house full of people. But he told me he wanted me on clear liquids for the rest of the day (by this time the only thing I'd eaten in nearly 24 hours was 1/2 an order of McDonalds fries on Saturday afternoon- yes, the pinnacle of heath, but it was the only thing that sounded remotely appetizing and I was starved). He said it sounded like I either had a stomach bug and had blocked everything off taking the Imodium or I have scar tissue adhesion from my surgery that has caused a bowl blockage. Either way, he said the best way to go was clear liquids and wait to see if things being working on their own. If I was still in pain, he wanted to see me in his office this afternoon.
They're going to work me in at 3.
The QM says that when I get better I owe Art a visit in Tennessee to make up for the failed visit here. I think that's a splendid idea....or I would if I thought anything was splendid right now. It's hard to see the bright side when your stomach hurts like that chick who had an alien pop out of hers. I'm so glad Art was here. I only wish things could have been, "Way funner," to quote Elle Woods.
I was so excited to have her coming...and then Thursday hit. I ended up sick. Without going into gory details, I was having stomach issues. I figured it was no big deal. She wouldn't be here until Friday night & I'd be all better by then.
Well, I wasn't. Friday afternoon rolled around & I opted to take an Imodium AD thinking it would take care of the problem & I'd be good to go for the weekend. It took care of one problem, but seemed to lead to a whole mess of other issues.
I was in pain. A lot of pain. Like pre-appendectomy pain. Saturday, Art convinced me that I needed to go to the doctor. Unfortunately we made it to town a little late & ended up in the ER instead of the walk-in clinic.
3 hours later they sent me home saying there was no infection so my pain was probably related to my surgery (that happened a month and a half ago....that hasn't caused me pain of any kind in weeks). They gave me a shot of Torodol that wore off before we ever left the hospital.
Saturday was spent laying on the couch- hurting.
Sunday was spent laying on the couch - hurting. Sunday morning, when I found myself unable to pee, I called the hospital and made them page my surgeon. He was off on vacation and had a house full of people. But he told me he wanted me on clear liquids for the rest of the day (by this time the only thing I'd eaten in nearly 24 hours was 1/2 an order of McDonalds fries on Saturday afternoon- yes, the pinnacle of heath, but it was the only thing that sounded remotely appetizing and I was starved). He said it sounded like I either had a stomach bug and had blocked everything off taking the Imodium or I have scar tissue adhesion from my surgery that has caused a bowl blockage. Either way, he said the best way to go was clear liquids and wait to see if things being working on their own. If I was still in pain, he wanted to see me in his office this afternoon.
They're going to work me in at 3.
The QM says that when I get better I owe Art a visit in Tennessee to make up for the failed visit here. I think that's a splendid idea....or I would if I thought anything was splendid right now. It's hard to see the bright side when your stomach hurts like that chick who had an alien pop out of hers. I'm so glad Art was here. I only wish things could have been, "Way funner," to quote Elle Woods.
June 8, 2012
Proving once more that I am a mean mother.
Husband and the kids spent hours this week getting the grass pulled out of the sand patch, the tarp laid just so, the pool assembled and finally filled. The filling takes most of 2 days and all of one night....and a really long hose. I was recuperating indoors so I wasn't available to help.
Now I realize I also won't be able to enjoy the pool.
Yesterday I went to see the surgeon to have my stitches removed and my one week out check-up. After swapping stitches for steri-strips, he told me he doesn't want me bending over or lifting anything over 20 pounds until I see him again in three weeks. Much to Bitsy's chagrin, the steri-strips and scab are keeping me land locked for the time being. I need to stay out of the water until my incision is completely healed. She has spent most of the day trying to convince me I can just lounge in my papasan in the pool. "It's not swimming, Mommy. It'll be OK."
Unfortunately, Mom's unplanned abdominal opening also means the highly anticipated trip to Holiday World has been put on indefinite hold. I can hardly make it through a trip to the grocery right now. A full day spent walking around an amusement park and hurtling down water slides is entirely too much for me to imagine let alone attempt.
As we were on the way home from town today, Husband and I were discussing New Harmony, IN, where we spent our very brief honeymoon. I said I would love to take the FarmHands there sometime to go on one of their walking tours. Under his breath, Husband mumbled, "You'll have to speed up a bit first."
I said, "Are you making fun of my shuffle?"
"No. I'd be happy with a normal pace." Can't say I blame him after having to follow me through the grocery while I moved like an octogenarian. "So would I, dear."
Now if we could just convince the FarmHands that I'm not faking just to ruin their summertime plans.
May 31, 2012
How to get an unscheduled day away from home.
Just come down with appendicitis.
Simple, right?
But I really don't suggest it.
Tuesday afternoon, around 5:30, I got sick. My first thought was that I had a wicked bad case of gas & no gas-x in the house. After trying every possible position to get comfortable I decided a hot bath would help. It did, but only very temporarily. It was Bucka's birthday and I had made him Cat Head Biscuits for dinner but had to call Busha and tell her we weren't coming because my stomach hurt too bad. Then came the vomiting. Fun. After 2 extra-strength Tylenol and an hour on the couch with my hot rice bag, I was comfortable enough to sleep....but only if I didn't move at all. It was a long night.
The next morning all 4 of the FarmHands had check-ups with our family doctor. Husband went with us & planned on sitting in the car while I took the kids in to see Doc. I told him I really thought I'd need his help inside. Doc took one look at me trying to walk & he new something was wrong. 15 minutes later I was on my way to the hospital for a CAT scan. By 1:30 that afternoon I was being wheeled down to surgery.
Grandma M&M had surgery in Indy on Monday so Mama was on her way to our neck of the woods when they took me back. That was a God send because we really need her help around here right now.
Apparently the surgeon asked me if I wanted to go home the same day and I told him no. I wanted to stay in the hospital over night because I didn't want to try to recover from surgery at home with 4 kids.
He opted to do an open appendectomy in stead of the laproscopic surgery because of how close my appendix was to the surface. He said it would be faster and easier to get to it if he just opened me up. I figured one opening as opposed to 3 sounded good to me.
I'm sorry if this post is a bit disjointed. Vicodin and I are buddy-buddy right now. I think it may be nap time.
Simple, right?
But I really don't suggest it.
Tuesday afternoon, around 5:30, I got sick. My first thought was that I had a wicked bad case of gas & no gas-x in the house. After trying every possible position to get comfortable I decided a hot bath would help. It did, but only very temporarily. It was Bucka's birthday and I had made him Cat Head Biscuits for dinner but had to call Busha and tell her we weren't coming because my stomach hurt too bad. Then came the vomiting. Fun. After 2 extra-strength Tylenol and an hour on the couch with my hot rice bag, I was comfortable enough to sleep....but only if I didn't move at all. It was a long night.
The next morning all 4 of the FarmHands had check-ups with our family doctor. Husband went with us & planned on sitting in the car while I took the kids in to see Doc. I told him I really thought I'd need his help inside. Doc took one look at me trying to walk & he new something was wrong. 15 minutes later I was on my way to the hospital for a CAT scan. By 1:30 that afternoon I was being wheeled down to surgery.
Grandma M&M had surgery in Indy on Monday so Mama was on her way to our neck of the woods when they took me back. That was a God send because we really need her help around here right now.
Apparently the surgeon asked me if I wanted to go home the same day and I told him no. I wanted to stay in the hospital over night because I didn't want to try to recover from surgery at home with 4 kids.
He opted to do an open appendectomy in stead of the laproscopic surgery because of how close my appendix was to the surface. He said it would be faster and easier to get to it if he just opened me up. I figured one opening as opposed to 3 sounded good to me.
I'm sorry if this post is a bit disjointed. Vicodin and I are buddy-buddy right now. I think it may be nap time.
March 5, 2012
Dear Sinuses, Get Out.
Dear Paranasal Sinuses,
Consider this your eviction notice. You have 30 days to vacate the premises or I will be forced to involve the authorities.
I have attempted to work with you over the past 35 years but you are refusing to cooperate. I have given you free reign in my face. I have medicated you. I have flushed you. I have avoided the lovely fluffiness of the farm kittens because you do not enjoy their company. I have run air filters. I have boiled water with wonderful smelling essential oils to make you happy. I have run the humidifier 24/7 to keep you moist. And still you abuse me.
This week, it was not even your turn to be cantankerous. My throat and lungs were having their brief time in the spotlight. Just as they were beginning to calm down and let me return to the chaos that normally fills my life, you had to put your two cents in. And what a two cents it has been; pain, pressure, congestion, drainage. You've gone so far as to get my throat and lungs to rejoin the party.
I'm afraid this is no longer working out for me so I think it's about time you packed your mucus membrane and moved out. I've been breathing through my mouth so long at this point that I doubt you'll be missed.....but I do not doubt I'll notice your absence. It will no longer feel like a family of small elephants is stomping across my face.
I'll forward your mail if any comes. Otherwise, have a nice trip and don't let the door hit you in the respiratory epithelium on your way out.
Sincerely,
FarmWife
Consider this your eviction notice. You have 30 days to vacate the premises or I will be forced to involve the authorities.
I have attempted to work with you over the past 35 years but you are refusing to cooperate. I have given you free reign in my face. I have medicated you. I have flushed you. I have avoided the lovely fluffiness of the farm kittens because you do not enjoy their company. I have run air filters. I have boiled water with wonderful smelling essential oils to make you happy. I have run the humidifier 24/7 to keep you moist. And still you abuse me.
This week, it was not even your turn to be cantankerous. My throat and lungs were having their brief time in the spotlight. Just as they were beginning to calm down and let me return to the chaos that normally fills my life, you had to put your two cents in. And what a two cents it has been; pain, pressure, congestion, drainage. You've gone so far as to get my throat and lungs to rejoin the party.
I'm afraid this is no longer working out for me so I think it's about time you packed your mucus membrane and moved out. I've been breathing through my mouth so long at this point that I doubt you'll be missed.....but I do not doubt I'll notice your absence. It will no longer feel like a family of small elephants is stomping across my face.
I'll forward your mail if any comes. Otherwise, have a nice trip and don't let the door hit you in the respiratory epithelium on your way out.
Sincerely,
FarmWife
January 2, 2012
On the First Day of Christmas....
Instead of song birds in fruit bearing trees, young women milking bovine, European royalty jumping around like grasshoppers, and a troupe of piccolo players, I got sick kids. And to make things super fun, they didn't all get sick at once. The spread it out over the first week of their Christmas break. #1 Son got started a day early missing the last day of school when he vomited All. Over. My. Bathroom. But I already told you about that.
BabyGirl picked it up the first day of their vacation with a sore throat & vomiting. Since Doc was about to leave the office for days on end, he gave us a script without the strep culture just to be on the safe side & save me a trip to the ER over the holidays. Too bad we still had to go...but that's for later in the post.
B.B. puked Christmas Eve morning & again Christmas morning preventing us from going to church on Christmas day. He complained of a sore throat on & off for 24 hours. By the time the weekend was over, I had worn 3 pairs of pajamas & no "real" clothing. What's the point of dressing when you're laying around for hours on end, watching House Hunters on an endless loop of HGTV, and living off Chex Mix and Poor Man's Toffee?
Bitsy rounded us out by running a fever & having a sore throat Monday & Tuesday keeping the two of us housebound while everyone else went to Little BIL & Aunt Cher's for lunch. By Wednesday, everyone was finally feeling better just in time for rain & rain & more rain.
Thursday the roofers showed up. Two high strung dogs plus half a dozen Mennonite men on the roof plus four nosy kids equals entirely too much going on for one FarmWife to deal with. So I kenneled up the dogs who were trying their hardest to coax the men off the roof so they could be summarily eaten, plopped the FarmHands down in front of the television, and proceeded to undress my Christmas tree.
By Friday, we were officially de-Christmased, it was warm enough to throw the FarmHands outside, & Bitsy had a WIC appointment, so the monotony was finally broken. The roof was finished that afternoon much to the dogs' delight.
On Saturday everyone came by to see our new lid. MIL & SIL came first followed by Uncle E, J, & Beffie. Uncle E gave Husband some drywall tips before he got started on the bathroom ceiling (I lost my skylight in getting my new roof....I am still in mourning, but fully understand the need for it's departure). Then Busha & Bucka came by very proud of Husband for, "Finally putting a roof over our Granddaughter's head." Little BIL & Aunt Cher stopped by on their way out to lunch with MIL & FIL. Everyone seems to like the new change.
Saturday afternoon Husband was putting the flashing up behind the gutters when he came in the house. "Um, come look at this, FarmWife. Do you think I need stitches?" His had slipped while sliding flashing into place & he cut his hand on the new roof. He had a 2 inch gash on his right hand across the knuckle at the base of his middle finger. One frantic hunt for a sitter, and a quick trip to the ER & he is now the proud owner of his first ever stitches. Four in total that earned him a hand full of stickers from the ER nurse & large strawberry milkshake from me. He was very brave.
Tomorrow our "normal" life resumes. I'm ready for it. Today I've battled allergies and a massive headache along with children in serious need of more structure than I'm willing to give. Husband's feeling lousy as well & I'm hoping it's just a bug & not infection in his hand. I'm keeping a close eye on it & him & if things are the same in the morning, Doc will be getting a New Year's visit from the FarmFamily Patriarch.
Happy stinking New Year.
Oh, and incidentally, I've finally joined the movement that is Pinterest. You can find me here if you like. Let me know if you pin. I'm just getting started & haven't quite got the hang of it. I'd love some ideas & input.
BabyGirl picked it up the first day of their vacation with a sore throat & vomiting. Since Doc was about to leave the office for days on end, he gave us a script without the strep culture just to be on the safe side & save me a trip to the ER over the holidays. Too bad we still had to go...but that's for later in the post.
B.B. puked Christmas Eve morning & again Christmas morning preventing us from going to church on Christmas day. He complained of a sore throat on & off for 24 hours. By the time the weekend was over, I had worn 3 pairs of pajamas & no "real" clothing. What's the point of dressing when you're laying around for hours on end, watching House Hunters on an endless loop of HGTV, and living off Chex Mix and Poor Man's Toffee?
Bitsy rounded us out by running a fever & having a sore throat Monday & Tuesday keeping the two of us housebound while everyone else went to Little BIL & Aunt Cher's for lunch. By Wednesday, everyone was finally feeling better just in time for rain & rain & more rain.
Thursday the roofers showed up. Two high strung dogs plus half a dozen Mennonite men on the roof plus four nosy kids equals entirely too much going on for one FarmWife to deal with. So I kenneled up the dogs who were trying their hardest to coax the men off the roof so they could be summarily eaten, plopped the FarmHands down in front of the television, and proceeded to undress my Christmas tree.
By Friday, we were officially de-Christmased, it was warm enough to throw the FarmHands outside, & Bitsy had a WIC appointment, so the monotony was finally broken. The roof was finished that afternoon much to the dogs' delight.
On Saturday everyone came by to see our new lid. MIL & SIL came first followed by Uncle E, J, & Beffie. Uncle E gave Husband some drywall tips before he got started on the bathroom ceiling (I lost my skylight in getting my new roof....I am still in mourning, but fully understand the need for it's departure). Then Busha & Bucka came by very proud of Husband for, "Finally putting a roof over our Granddaughter's head." Little BIL & Aunt Cher stopped by on their way out to lunch with MIL & FIL. Everyone seems to like the new change.
Saturday afternoon Husband was putting the flashing up behind the gutters when he came in the house. "Um, come look at this, FarmWife. Do you think I need stitches?" His had slipped while sliding flashing into place & he cut his hand on the new roof. He had a 2 inch gash on his right hand across the knuckle at the base of his middle finger. One frantic hunt for a sitter, and a quick trip to the ER & he is now the proud owner of his first ever stitches. Four in total that earned him a hand full of stickers from the ER nurse & large strawberry milkshake from me. He was very brave.
Tomorrow our "normal" life resumes. I'm ready for it. Today I've battled allergies and a massive headache along with children in serious need of more structure than I'm willing to give. Husband's feeling lousy as well & I'm hoping it's just a bug & not infection in his hand. I'm keeping a close eye on it & him & if things are the same in the morning, Doc will be getting a New Year's visit from the FarmFamily Patriarch.
Happy stinking New Year.
Oh, and incidentally, I've finally joined the movement that is Pinterest. You can find me here if you like. Let me know if you pin. I'm just getting started & haven't quite got the hang of it. I'd love some ideas & input.
December 22, 2011
An email I just sent to Walmart
Yesterday as I was in the check-out of the (insert nearest location to the Farm) Walmart, my 10 year old daughter passed out as she was walking out of the bathroom. I left my order on the line & ran to get her. As I was helping her up & trying to walk back to our line she collapsed again. I picked her up & put her in an empty cart sitting at the end of an aisle & went back to the register where my groceries were. Not a single Walmart employee offered to help & there were quite a few in the area watching us. The cashier who was checking me out asked what was wrong & I told her my daughter was sick & had passed out. After finishing my order & waiting for me to pay, she finally asked if I needed help getting my cart out to my vehicle. At that point I needed to get my daughter home as quickly as possible so I didn't want to wait any longer. I told her no & left the store.
As I was pushing one cart, pulling the other, and trying to keep an eye on my 4 year old who was also with me, the gentleman who works in the parking lot bringing in carts asked me if I needed assistance. When he saw my daughter laying in one of the carts, he did not wait for an answer. He immediately said, "You cannot do this alone. Let me help," as he took the cart full of groceries from me. He asked if my daughter was Ok and he unloaded the dog food I had under my cart. He then asked if I wanted him to finish unloading my cart as I was getting my girls buckled in. I said, "No thank you. I can handle it from here. Thank you so much for your help!" He told me he hoped my daughter would get better quickly & ended with, "God bless you. Merry Christmas," as he took both of my carts & walked away.
The man who helped me was obviously mentally disabled. I've been told his name is Keith. I was very shaken up & very worried about my daughter & he was the only person to come to my aid. He should be commended for his kindness & his desire to help.
Yeah, it's pretty well self explanatory. I thought about adding that the rest of the staff could really use a lesson in kindness from Keith & probably some training in what to do in case a customer has an emergency, but I decided to leave well enough alone. I think I got my point across without being overly critical. There are some really great people that work at our local Walmart but for some reason, none of them were around when I needed them.
As I was pushing one cart, pulling the other, and trying to keep an eye on my 4 year old who was also with me, the gentleman who works in the parking lot bringing in carts asked me if I needed assistance. When he saw my daughter laying in one of the carts, he did not wait for an answer. He immediately said, "You cannot do this alone. Let me help," as he took the cart full of groceries from me. He asked if my daughter was Ok and he unloaded the dog food I had under my cart. He then asked if I wanted him to finish unloading my cart as I was getting my girls buckled in. I said, "No thank you. I can handle it from here. Thank you so much for your help!" He told me he hoped my daughter would get better quickly & ended with, "God bless you. Merry Christmas," as he took both of my carts & walked away.
The man who helped me was obviously mentally disabled. I've been told his name is Keith. I was very shaken up & very worried about my daughter & he was the only person to come to my aid. He should be commended for his kindness & his desire to help.
Yeah, it's pretty well self explanatory. I thought about adding that the rest of the staff could really use a lesson in kindness from Keith & probably some training in what to do in case a customer has an emergency, but I decided to leave well enough alone. I think I got my point across without being overly critical. There are some really great people that work at our local Walmart but for some reason, none of them were around when I needed them.
December 19, 2011
Email for the strong of stomach (Warning: TMI)
#1 Son threw up about an hour ago. Being the good mom I am, I emailed his dad to let him know what he has to look forward to in the morning: #1 Son just puked all over our bathroom...
My darling husband responds: He threw up on your side I hope and not my side of the room or bed:)
Being the loving wife I am, I emailed back a detailed response about the when & wheres of the icky-ness that I will leave entirely to your imagination. I ended it with: You're lucky you're not here.
He responded with: you could of just saved it for me to clean-up. I love doing jobs like that.
Now I'm wondering who hacked my husband's work email.
My darling husband responds: He threw up on your side I hope and not my side of the room or bed:)
Being the loving wife I am, I emailed back a detailed response about the when & wheres of the icky-ness that I will leave entirely to your imagination. I ended it with: You're lucky you're not here.
He responded with: you could of just saved it for me to clean-up. I love doing jobs like that.
Now I'm wondering who hacked my husband's work email.
November 14, 2011
You just keep me hangin' on...
Just forget the rest of the lyrics to that song. They're not really apropos to this situation. But I want to thank you all for sticking by when I'm moody & irrational & not up to spilling my guts all over the interwebs. Although my latest mini-sabbatical was due more to actual guts than the metaphorical kind.
I had an attack of some kind. It's pretty much going to be undetermined because it's over & the tests were inconclusive. Initially it was thought to be my appendix, then possibly gallbladder, and finally UTI. In truth, I don't care as long as the pain stays gone & I stay out of the hospital. Bactrim seems to be safely securing that end for me.
In the meantime, we've had a busy week on the farm (seriously, what week isn't busy around here?) with new bunnies, tunnels in the dirt, a Thanksgiving dinner, our first pair of horribly scratched glasses, the first head cold of the season, wind that could possibly pick Bitsy up & carry her across the road, new boots, shoe tying lessons & a birthday party.
The kids have decided to show rabbits at the fair for their 4-H projects this year so Husband tracked down a lady who raises Flemish Giants (if you've seen the viral email of the 20 pound rabbit the size of a medium sized dog, he's a F.B.) for show. We went to meet her & get 2 or 3 rabbits. We came home with 5.
One Flemish is nearly grown & will be ready to breed as soon as our buck is mature. The other 2 (a buck & a doe) are litter mates & recently weaned. As Husband was loading them up, the lady pulled out a blue & white Dutch named Blaze. The moment I laid eyes on him I knew BabyGirl would be head over heels. She was. When the rabbit lady saw our reaction to Blaze, she brought Sarah out. Sarah is a Netherland Dwarf. They are very small rabbits with flat faces, large eyes, and tiny ears making them look infantile even when fully mature. So, yeah, I squealed & when she offered Sarah for $10 I jumped on it. Turns out, Miss Sarah (who Bitsy immediately latched on to like a vice) is preggers.
We already had 10 rabbits from a pair Husband bought the FarmHands last Spring plus a yet to be determined number of bunnies that haven't emerged from under their pile of mom fur (Husband estimates at least 5). That puts our current bunny total around 20. That whole "Breeding like Rabbits" thing isn't a joke!
If we keep this up we'll be on Animal Hoarders in no time! Watch out Cable. Here we come!
I had an attack of some kind. It's pretty much going to be undetermined because it's over & the tests were inconclusive. Initially it was thought to be my appendix, then possibly gallbladder, and finally UTI. In truth, I don't care as long as the pain stays gone & I stay out of the hospital. Bactrim seems to be safely securing that end for me.
In the meantime, we've had a busy week on the farm (seriously, what week isn't busy around here?) with new bunnies, tunnels in the dirt, a Thanksgiving dinner, our first pair of horribly scratched glasses, the first head cold of the season, wind that could possibly pick Bitsy up & carry her across the road, new boots, shoe tying lessons & a birthday party.
The kids have decided to show rabbits at the fair for their 4-H projects this year so Husband tracked down a lady who raises Flemish Giants (if you've seen the viral email of the 20 pound rabbit the size of a medium sized dog, he's a F.B.) for show. We went to meet her & get 2 or 3 rabbits. We came home with 5.
One Flemish is nearly grown & will be ready to breed as soon as our buck is mature. The other 2 (a buck & a doe) are litter mates & recently weaned. As Husband was loading them up, the lady pulled out a blue & white Dutch named Blaze. The moment I laid eyes on him I knew BabyGirl would be head over heels. She was. When the rabbit lady saw our reaction to Blaze, she brought Sarah out. Sarah is a Netherland Dwarf. They are very small rabbits with flat faces, large eyes, and tiny ears making them look infantile even when fully mature. So, yeah, I squealed & when she offered Sarah for $10 I jumped on it. Turns out, Miss Sarah (who Bitsy immediately latched on to like a vice) is preggers.
We already had 10 rabbits from a pair Husband bought the FarmHands last Spring plus a yet to be determined number of bunnies that haven't emerged from under their pile of mom fur (Husband estimates at least 5). That puts our current bunny total around 20. That whole "Breeding like Rabbits" thing isn't a joke!
If we keep this up we'll be on Animal Hoarders in no time! Watch out Cable. Here we come!
June 7, 2011
Vacation in bullet points because I'm too tired for anything else
- drove 4 hours to Lexington to find out the hotel pool was closed & we had to entertain the FarmHands all evening in a 2 room suite. Thank the Lord for DVD players & Narnia movies.
- drove 3+ hours to Sieverville, TN to visit Knife Works with in-laws. Could have stayed another hour easily, but these folks see stuff fast.
- took FarmHands to Wonder Works in Pigeon Forge. LOVED it...all except for the glow-in-the-dark rotating entrance. Seriously messed with my head. FarmHands had a blast!
- checked into cabin & unloaded the boat load of junk it takes to shuttle this group anywhere.
- went to Dixie Stampede for dinner & show. LOVED it (especially watching the FarmHands' faces when the girl rode 2 horses at once standing up!).
- got horribly ill the last 5 minutes of the show (possible food poisoning from the night before) and spent the rest of the night wishing I could die.
- decided that when day light came, I was calling my daddy and making him come get me & take me back to Illinois (it was about 3 am at the time)
- woke up the next day & felt a tiny bit better. Decided to delay Dollywood one day & see the aquarium instead.
- drove a short distance (thank goodness) into Smokey Mt. National Park and saw the view from a lookout point then headed into Gatlinburg.
- went to see Christ of the Smokies ($5 all day parking if you're ever in the neighborhood) & found a painting I wanted for over our fireplace until I realized the price tag read $125 and not $25.
- Went to The Big Blue Aquelium (that's what HT calls it) and LOVED it (I'm really LOVING a lot of stuff today, aren't I?). My stomach wasn't so happy about all the wavy moving water, but I still really enjoyed it.
- Slept like a rock after a dose of Dramamine
- DOLLYWOOD!!!!! This was the FarmHands' first trip to an amusement park of any kind. I will leave it entirely to your imagination...but they LOVED it (see?).
- Thursday we drove 4 more hours to Cave City, KY to meet up with my parentals, Princess, Axl, and HT to do Dinosaur World (the greatest place in the entire universe) for Princess's birthday.
- Slept much less like a rock but still decently.
- Hit Mammoth Cave twice with a stop at Applebee's & Wal-Mart in between. Ate pot roast & chicken at the cabins thanks entirely to Mama & Daddy then set things on fire with my sister (in the fire ring...don't freak out).
- Drove home
Yes, I am still recovering. Yes, we had a great time. Yes, I was ready to be back in my bed.
Yesterday BabyGirl turned ten. That makes me feel old. I cannot believe I've been a mother for an entire decade. I still have no idea what I'm doing.
Husband is back to work today. The pool is up. It's hot. I can't quit sneezing. The cicadas are swarming. We're running out of Popsicles. I'm pretty sure it's summer (solstice or not).
April 30, 2011
Wanna' know something cool?
My husband has lost 33 pounds in just over 2 months. He started one of those Couch to 5K programs on the recommendation of a guy from work. He also started watching his diet more than he has in years. He's cut down his portion sizes and has been requesting more chicken and fish and rice instead of red meat and potatoes.
A few months ago he realized he'd gained more than 20 pounds in the months preceding. He wasn't happy about it and decided to take care of things. I, on the other hand, had no clue he'd gained anything. Guess I'm not that observant...at least not about people I see every day. If he'd have cut his hair differently or grown out a beard, I'd have noticed. 20+ pounds, not so much.
I'm so proud of him. I cannot begin to tell you how much I admire his will power as I lay on the couch napping & eating the FarmHands' leftover Easter candy while he runs 4 miles a day. Maybe one of these days I'll move past the admiring phase and move into the joining phase....but not with running. I detest running.
We've had a (thus far) small & short-lived outbreak of stomach bug around here. It started Sunday with #1 Son & ended (I hope & pray) yesterday with B.B. They're the only two who've been sick so far. B.B. had the wonderful fortune to throw up Thursday while we were an hour & a half away at the zoo with his class field trip. After a quite 30 minutes resting on the bus in the parking lot, he was ready to go back to see the tiger. He made it the rest of the way home without getting sick again, so that was a blessing.
Maybe if Husband gets the stomach bug, he'll drop a few more pounds. I'M KIDDING, I'M KIDDING!!! Please, Lord, do not let Husband get this stomach bug. We need him well & able bodied around here.
A few months ago he realized he'd gained more than 20 pounds in the months preceding. He wasn't happy about it and decided to take care of things. I, on the other hand, had no clue he'd gained anything. Guess I'm not that observant...at least not about people I see every day. If he'd have cut his hair differently or grown out a beard, I'd have noticed. 20+ pounds, not so much.
I'm so proud of him. I cannot begin to tell you how much I admire his will power as I lay on the couch napping & eating the FarmHands' leftover Easter candy while he runs 4 miles a day. Maybe one of these days I'll move past the admiring phase and move into the joining phase....but not with running. I detest running.
We've had a (thus far) small & short-lived outbreak of stomach bug around here. It started Sunday with #1 Son & ended (I hope & pray) yesterday with B.B. They're the only two who've been sick so far. B.B. had the wonderful fortune to throw up Thursday while we were an hour & a half away at the zoo with his class field trip. After a quite 30 minutes resting on the bus in the parking lot, he was ready to go back to see the tiger. He made it the rest of the way home without getting sick again, so that was a blessing.
Maybe if Husband gets the stomach bug, he'll drop a few more pounds. I'M KIDDING, I'M KIDDING!!! Please, Lord, do not let Husband get this stomach bug. We need him well & able bodied around here.
March 20, 2011
Achoo!
Ahhh, it is Spring. Officially. And I would have know even had it not been marked clearly on my calendar. I woke up sneezing. Time to change allergy meds again. Oh joy.
But the FarmHands spent the past 2 days out of doors & that's been truly lovely. The fighting & bickering isn't quite as overwhelming when they have 10 acres on which to do it as opposed to trapped in a 1,600 square foot house.
Another thing that is making me giddy is the total emptiness of this week on my calender. With the exception of Mama & Daddy's 37th wedding anniversary, there is not a mark on this week. After the past 3 weeks, that is absolutely wonderful. I need some time off. And by time off, I mean time when the FarmHands are at school, Bitsy is napping, and my dishes are washed.
Maybe I'll get a chance to actually watch Howard's End instead of scrolling past it on my DVR on a daily basis.
But the FarmHands spent the past 2 days out of doors & that's been truly lovely. The fighting & bickering isn't quite as overwhelming when they have 10 acres on which to do it as opposed to trapped in a 1,600 square foot house.
Another thing that is making me giddy is the total emptiness of this week on my calender. With the exception of Mama & Daddy's 37th wedding anniversary, there is not a mark on this week. After the past 3 weeks, that is absolutely wonderful. I need some time off. And by time off, I mean time when the FarmHands are at school, Bitsy is napping, and my dishes are washed.
Maybe I'll get a chance to actually watch Howard's End instead of scrolling past it on my DVR on a daily basis.
February 27, 2011
Somethings you don't want to have to learn.
Yesterday morning, Busha called me to tell me they'd taken Grandma B to the hospital. They suspected she'd had a stroke. Long story, short: It's not a stroke but a UTI. Apparently in geriatric patients, UTI's can mimic a stroke or dementia.
Uncle Gick & I sat with her most of the day yesterday so Grandma B & Unkie Di could get some rest (they'd been up with her all night). We spent the first few hours trying to keep her in bed & make her leave her IV in. Eventually she settled down & fell asleep.
Last night, when Unkie Di & Grandpa B were with her, she got upset & restless again. Uncle Gick told me she'd had a really bad night. Please pray she gets some rest tonight & the antibiotics will clear this infection up quickly so she can come home.
I did learn a few things yesterday.
Uncle Gick & I sat with her most of the day yesterday so Grandma B & Unkie Di could get some rest (they'd been up with her all night). We spent the first few hours trying to keep her in bed & make her leave her IV in. Eventually she settled down & fell asleep.
Last night, when Unkie Di & Grandpa B were with her, she got upset & restless again. Uncle Gick told me she'd had a really bad night. Please pray she gets some rest tonight & the antibiotics will clear this infection up quickly so she can come home.
I did learn a few things yesterday.
- Sitting with a sick loved one can be scary, but in the end, you'll be glad you did.
- UTI's not only cause dementia symptoms in older people, they will also cause people to want to disrobe. (Yup, getting naked is an actual symptom.)
- Dealing with someone who's suffering from dementia is much like dealing with a stubborn toddler. There's no use arguing, just try and re-direct them. And the kindest, calmest, sweetest of people can get surprisingly rowdy when they're out of it.
- Good nurses who work in nursing homes do not get paid enough.
- Grandma B is not impressed with the hospital's mashed potatoes.
February 16, 2011
Moan. Groan. Gripe.
I have a cold. It's not a horrible one, just yet, but I fear it's well on it's way to "someone please kill me" levels. Oddly enough, I think this is the first time I've really been sick this winter. I've had days when I've felt lousy, but I haven't truly been sick. For that I am extraordinarily thankful.
At midnight last night I decided I should take something so I could breath a bit and sleep a lot. So, I did what any red blooded American would do & I grabbed the Nyquil from my medicine cabinet. Why I did is beyond me because earlier that afternoon I read the following on a friend's FB page: This post brought to you by Nyquil, the nighttime sniffling sneezing oh god there are purple spiders on the wall medicine. That should have been warning/reminder enough.
My massive Nyquil hangover this morning was a pretty strong reminder of why I try to avoid the stuff. The fact that I'm nearly 20 hours away from the only dose I took & I'm still fighting medicine head should be enough incentive to keep me off the stuff for the next year or so...but I know in the end, my sinuses will get the better of me & I'll take it again. Just not anytime soon.
Right now I'd like to sleep soundly, breath without battling, and find a way to hold up the weight of my own head without pain being involved. Lord, please don't let this be early stages of the flu. Someone may have to put me out of my misery.
At midnight last night I decided I should take something so I could breath a bit and sleep a lot. So, I did what any red blooded American would do & I grabbed the Nyquil from my medicine cabinet. Why I did is beyond me because earlier that afternoon I read the following on a friend's FB page: This post brought to you by Nyquil, the nighttime sniffling sneezing oh god there are purple spiders on the wall medicine. That should have been warning/reminder enough.
My massive Nyquil hangover this morning was a pretty strong reminder of why I try to avoid the stuff. The fact that I'm nearly 20 hours away from the only dose I took & I'm still fighting medicine head should be enough incentive to keep me off the stuff for the next year or so...but I know in the end, my sinuses will get the better of me & I'll take it again. Just not anytime soon.
Right now I'd like to sleep soundly, breath without battling, and find a way to hold up the weight of my own head without pain being involved. Lord, please don't let this be early stages of the flu. Someone may have to put me out of my misery.
January 20, 2011
Pondering & Praying.
I'm trying not to worry, but I think that may go against human nature.
Grandma M&M couldn't get out of bed on Saturday morning. She was very dizzy and ended up in the hospital. She has a history of strokes, so we tend to get concerned over things like this. The doctors said she has an inner ear ear "problem." She's on new medicine and back at the apartment now.
While she was in the hospital, Grandpa fell in the bathroom & broke his ankle. Uncle Greenteeth was with him and called the medics. He was also dehydrated (something he is prone to) and has a bladder infection. He was being moved to the rehab/nursing facility of the center where their apartment is for 2 weeks.
Bucka is having a tough winter. He's had shingles and he & Busha have both been ill with various viruses.
Grandma B (Unkie Di's mother) is not doing well. Her pacemaker is keeping her heart beating but she is so weak she can't really leave the house. I doubt Grandpa B will be able to bring her to church any more.
I am bracing myself for the inevitable. It's a horrible thought, but I know I cannot live the rest of my life with all my grandparents. The fact that they've all lived as long as they have and in the health they've enjoyed thus far is nothing short of a miracle. I even have a few "collected" grandparents left living. I am beyond blessed in this measure. I know that. I am trying to keep in mind that when the time comes I know that my grands all love the Lord. They are all going to be with Him in heaven. I will see them all again some day.
But I'm just not ready to stop seeing them here.
Would you please pray?
Grandma M&M couldn't get out of bed on Saturday morning. She was very dizzy and ended up in the hospital. She has a history of strokes, so we tend to get concerned over things like this. The doctors said she has an inner ear ear "problem." She's on new medicine and back at the apartment now.
While she was in the hospital, Grandpa fell in the bathroom & broke his ankle. Uncle Greenteeth was with him and called the medics. He was also dehydrated (something he is prone to) and has a bladder infection. He was being moved to the rehab/nursing facility of the center where their apartment is for 2 weeks.
Bucka is having a tough winter. He's had shingles and he & Busha have both been ill with various viruses.
Grandma B (Unkie Di's mother) is not doing well. Her pacemaker is keeping her heart beating but she is so weak she can't really leave the house. I doubt Grandpa B will be able to bring her to church any more.
I am bracing myself for the inevitable. It's a horrible thought, but I know I cannot live the rest of my life with all my grandparents. The fact that they've all lived as long as they have and in the health they've enjoyed thus far is nothing short of a miracle. I even have a few "collected" grandparents left living. I am beyond blessed in this measure. I know that. I am trying to keep in mind that when the time comes I know that my grands all love the Lord. They are all going to be with Him in heaven. I will see them all again some day.
But I'm just not ready to stop seeing them here.
Would you please pray?
January 19, 2011
Amazing little buggers, aren't they?
Some how my children have avoided the multiple rounds of stomach bug, strep, and flu that have ravaged their school since the beginning of the school year. I do not understand how this has been accomplished in a house hold of 6, but it has & I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. I am one to feed it apples and ask it if it would like to live in the kitchen.
Today that all changed. B.B. woke up winy & irritated. He only at 4 bites of breakfast, cried that he was tired, and ended up laying in the hall way when he was supposed to be brushing his teeth. A quick check showed a low grade fever and he complained of a head ache. He spent the day laying on the couch watching TV and playing Wii.
#1 Son called me from his bus driver's cell phone as they were boarding the bus to ask if I could come pick him up. He said his stomach hurt & he was sure he had a fever since B.B. had one. The bus driver told me he looked OK (not pale or flushed) and that she thought he'd be alright riding the bus home. When he got home he decided he was just hungry and not really sick.
Currently the boys are battling for the safety of the Republic on Lego Star Wars while we all wait...and wait...and wait for BabyGirl to finish her home work. I am amazed that my children have been able to unlock levels on this video game. I'm pretty sure it has happened almost entirely by accident...all 4 times. If you watch them play, they haven't the foggiest idea what they're doing but some how they accomplish things anyway. Kind of like our government.
Bitsy, on the other hand, has lost her little mind. She has decided that she is in charge of everything, including (and especially) her siblings. They don't take too well to being bossed by someone so...short. She's also attempting to starve herself. Every time someone or something gets within 5 feet of her food, it is suddenly inedible. Lilly May & Buddy Joe were under the kitchen table today while she was eating lunch. That made her steak "yucky" and she couldn't possibly eat it. 2 days ago, #1 Son breathed near her bowl & she couldn't bear to touch one more bite. I may have to build her a plastic bubble to eat in. It's got to be cheaper than buying all this food.
Today that all changed. B.B. woke up winy & irritated. He only at 4 bites of breakfast, cried that he was tired, and ended up laying in the hall way when he was supposed to be brushing his teeth. A quick check showed a low grade fever and he complained of a head ache. He spent the day laying on the couch watching TV and playing Wii.
#1 Son called me from his bus driver's cell phone as they were boarding the bus to ask if I could come pick him up. He said his stomach hurt & he was sure he had a fever since B.B. had one. The bus driver told me he looked OK (not pale or flushed) and that she thought he'd be alright riding the bus home. When he got home he decided he was just hungry and not really sick.
Currently the boys are battling for the safety of the Republic on Lego Star Wars while we all wait...and wait...and wait for BabyGirl to finish her home work. I am amazed that my children have been able to unlock levels on this video game. I'm pretty sure it has happened almost entirely by accident...all 4 times. If you watch them play, they haven't the foggiest idea what they're doing but some how they accomplish things anyway. Kind of like our government.
Bitsy, on the other hand, has lost her little mind. She has decided that she is in charge of everything, including (and especially) her siblings. They don't take too well to being bossed by someone so...short. She's also attempting to starve herself. Every time someone or something gets within 5 feet of her food, it is suddenly inedible. Lilly May & Buddy Joe were under the kitchen table today while she was eating lunch. That made her steak "yucky" and she couldn't possibly eat it. 2 days ago, #1 Son breathed near her bowl & she couldn't bear to touch one more bite. I may have to build her a plastic bubble to eat in. It's got to be cheaper than buying all this food.
October 18, 2010
Pbth.
I'm angry.
I'm tired.
I'm getting sick.
The ugly beast has reared it's head yet again......in a big way.
I think I may need to take an extended break from blogging until I get a handle on myself & my emotions. There are certain things I don't feel like sharing on line.
I doubt I'll be "gone" long. Please bear with me.
I'm tired.
I'm getting sick.
The ugly beast has reared it's head yet again......in a big way.
I think I may need to take an extended break from blogging until I get a handle on myself & my emotions. There are certain things I don't feel like sharing on line.
I doubt I'll be "gone" long. Please bear with me.
March 25, 2010
Can you hear me now?
Last Thursday I took the FarmHands to the playground near their school after signing #1 Son up for summer T-ball (this will be a first for us....team sports). After more than an hour of hollering around to answer questions, warn away from dangers, and remind B.B. to be cautious of his jumping, my throat got a bit raw.
On the way home, we had to stop at Uncle E's because Bitsy saw A Starry Night's car parked in the driveway. Bitsy is fascinated by Starry Night. She likes Disney Princesses & is going to marry NM later this summer. But those two facts alone don't make Starry Night safe to talk to. It's really much better to sit & stare at her while she attempts to chat you up. Just ask Bitsy, she'll tell you.
By the time we got back to the Farm, I was pretty raspy. By the next morning, much to the FarmHands' delight, I had no voice to speak of, or with. Since then I've been fighting an uphill battle. It's not an easy thing to mother 4 wild children when you can hardly speak above a whisper.
Friday night I got in the shower long enough to get to the heavy conditioning portion of the event when #1 Son began screaming, "MOMMY!! MOMMY!!" and pounding on my bed room door with his fists. I tried in vain to ask him what was wrong, but it quickly became obvious he could not hear me. I jumped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around me & ran to the door, dripping all over the carpet. When I threw the door open, I fully expected to find him bleeding profusely, the kitchen aflame, his sister unconscious, and the dogs suddenly turned into rabid zombie hounds of hell.
In reality, the episode of Super Hero Squad they were watching on the DVR had ended & he wanted me to start another.
I'm pretty sure flames shot out my ears. I know my head made at least one full 360 degree rotation. He knew he'd made a grave error in judgement. I finished my shower & let the 110 degree water cool me off a bit.
That's when I decided I needed to take a different approach. When you cannot gain their attention with volume, you need to inspire them to behave in other ways. In quieter ways. In more nefarious ways. In Meryl Streep ways.
I fear that by the time I have her ice cold, deadly quiet disposition down pat, my voice will have returned with a vengeance.
On the way home, we had to stop at Uncle E's because Bitsy saw A Starry Night's car parked in the driveway. Bitsy is fascinated by Starry Night. She likes Disney Princesses & is going to marry NM later this summer. But those two facts alone don't make Starry Night safe to talk to. It's really much better to sit & stare at her while she attempts to chat you up. Just ask Bitsy, she'll tell you.
By the time we got back to the Farm, I was pretty raspy. By the next morning, much to the FarmHands' delight, I had no voice to speak of, or with. Since then I've been fighting an uphill battle. It's not an easy thing to mother 4 wild children when you can hardly speak above a whisper.
Friday night I got in the shower long enough to get to the heavy conditioning portion of the event when #1 Son began screaming, "MOMMY!! MOMMY!!" and pounding on my bed room door with his fists. I tried in vain to ask him what was wrong, but it quickly became obvious he could not hear me. I jumped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around me & ran to the door, dripping all over the carpet. When I threw the door open, I fully expected to find him bleeding profusely, the kitchen aflame, his sister unconscious, and the dogs suddenly turned into rabid zombie hounds of hell.
In reality, the episode of Super Hero Squad they were watching on the DVR had ended & he wanted me to start another.
I'm pretty sure flames shot out my ears. I know my head made at least one full 360 degree rotation. He knew he'd made a grave error in judgement. I finished my shower & let the 110 degree water cool me off a bit.
That's when I decided I needed to take a different approach. When you cannot gain their attention with volume, you need to inspire them to behave in other ways. In quieter ways. In more nefarious ways. In Meryl Streep ways.
I fear that by the time I have her ice cold, deadly quiet disposition down pat, my voice will have returned with a vengeance.
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