17.1

Readers.

Wild Kratts Live

Nana's Visit

 

Nana came to help this week while I was in and out of the doctors while they ran more tests.  Brielle sobbed into my arms the day she left. 

Health Update.

 

My heart is sad as I write this tonight.  As I sit here in bed with my space heater, b/c I never seem to feel warm these days, sipping green veggie juice as a dessert to my bone broth dinner, b/c it's all that my stomach can tolerate, I try to figure out where it all went wrong.  

I have always prided myself on living a healthy lifestyle.  I've never been extremely overweight, hospitalized, or consistently ill.  I've always exercised when I am able and eaten veggies b/c I honestly think they are delicious.  I have few vices as far as foods go and can remove/eliminate any item without desperate feelings of longing.  And yet, ironically enough I am ill.  I have been sick for quite a while.  This unknown ailment festering and waiting in secret until it decided to completely wipe me out.

When people ask, "how long have you been sick?"  I always answer dating back to the day I can remember feeling the acute and intense pain.  But in truth, I have probably been sick for a lot longer and I just didn't realize.  Small nagging symptoms passed off as tweaks or sort-of nags, etc.  But looking back, those were probably small glitches waving their nasty little hands in the air like, hey there- you're sick inside here!  

The frustrating this is that the doctors and all of their fancy- expensive- tests have found very little in the form of a diagnosis.  It's more or less a high stakes game of roulette and my livelihood bounces around the wheel with every agonizing roll.  

Gastritis- try this pill.  Oh, it sets your insides on fire? Don't take that then.  An ulcer- you're too stressed.  It's a hernia b/c you lift too much weight.  It could be a trapped gallstone- let's get a CT scan.  Negative test.  Sometimes that doesn't work- an ultrasound will be ordered.  No eating or drinking water all day, but you can still take care of your three kids and educate them, right?!  Your 4th round of blood work came back and your white blood cells are high- we need to test for allergies with another blood test.  Wait a week and get another negative test.  Time to see a specialist.  So, you're still in pain, this whole time?!  Weird.  We've already cut out animal proteins and fats and dairy.  You have only been eating broth soups, veggies and some rice.  Stomach still hurts.  No identified triggers.  

Specialist has now order a radioactive Xray.  They will basically pump me full of radioactive tracer while taking pictures of my insides and then pump more meds into me to produce and mimic my pain while they watch.  I will be conscious so I can provide "feedback".  A few days later I will get put under for an endoscopy so they can take more pictures of my insides by shoving a tube down my throat.

In the meantime, I am eating to reduce inflammation and cleansing in natural ways.

I am pretty sure I have rambled on long enough, I just needed to dump and vent a bit.  I'm tired and going to bed early now.

Throwback

 

Above:  Our first blind date to the melting pot on August 13 2005.

Below was at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater.  I am unsure of the date but we look to be newly engaged. 

Cozy Valentines

 

The kids were all up between 3am-5am this morning excited to celebrate Vday.  They all had new cozy robes and a box of chocolates that were gone before breakfast was over.  Hopefully now, the undie parade in the morning will be covered with their new get-ups.

 

But it was a "regular" day complete with our usual Tuesday piano lessons. 

Eric brought home green lemonade, soft pink and white flowers and steamed veggies and rice.  We rocked sweat pants to the book store, saw a movie and it was a perfect evening.

MCBL

Brielle date

 

Daddy took our little (per her request) to get some pink sparkly nails, pizza, cupcakes and even did her makeup for her.  Their one on one time was super sweet and the kids are all asking when we can do it again! 

4th tooth

Little learner

 

She woke up early from her nap so she could read her virtues book. 

 

And today she finished her first full math book!  Onto book B. 

Allie Date

'

Our very sensitive child has been clamoring for some one on one time.  So, I took her on a date to dinner, dessert and the makeup store.  It was lovely and seemed to really fill up her love tank. 

Konmarie clean out

 

We have still been cleaning out everything.  Recently, we de-cluttered the toys and our closet.  Holy moly, how do we have so much stuff?!  Now all of the toys and kid's books are in Mathias' walk-in closet and we set up a sort of library system where they are allowed to "check-out" items as long as they bring back what they were playing with.  Now, we no longer have messy rooms or house b/c of piles of stuff everywhere and it keeps them accountable for cleaning up their messes.  It's been about 1 week since we implemented this new system and I have actually had more free time and the kids have played better together with less fighting, more creativity and they hardly even ask for all of their toys anymore.  It's been mostly outside, baby dolls and blocks.  We LOVE it.   

 

I alone donated 12!!! bags of clothing/shoes to Goodwill.  We are learning to live with less, buy less and in return we have more time, freedom, money and peace in our home lately.