I have just finished week one of the second six weeks of treatment. I must say, it was SOOOO nice to only go in two days this week! I don't mind the treatments and I like the office, but it does cut into the school schedule. On days when I have nowhere to go, we get everything done in the mornings and the day seems to go so much better.
This week, he started something new: aricular (sp??) therapy. Basically, it's acupuncture on my ears. And yes, it hurts. I was a little sore after Monday's treatment, but Thursday's let me very sore and with some nerve pain. He told me that's b/c I'm out of balance and as everything gets back into place, it will not hurt anymore. I also worked on a wobble board, which is supposed to help straighten out my brain. (No jokes, Dad!)
I've gotten more used to the diet and surprisingly don't feel as hungry as I used to. We have gone out to eat once this week and I was again able to find something. Last night I took the boys to turn in their Book-it coupons and grabbed supper for Anna and I from Culver's. I found a great salad that I just loved. And it's a good thing I don't mind eating my salads dry!
Because Rob is showing signs of gluten sensitivity, we've made the decision to take the entire family down the gluten-free route quicker than we anticipated. I made a huge list of meals the kids enjoy and went through my cookbook, marking down how to make things gluten-free and getting rid of recipes that show no hope of transition. I was amazed to discover how many of my favorites are already gf or lend themselves to simple changes. And our local butcher is starting to sell gluten-free pizzas! Rob and the kids went and got some yesterday and said they were great.
I also started baking for the family again. GF bread is very expensive and since Rob and I prefer to home make our food anyway, we invested in the myriad of ingredients needed to bake gf. I have made sandwich bread, chocolate cupcakes, and blueberry scones so far. We didn't get our brown rice ground up enough for the bread, so it tasted very "ricey" according to Matthew, but we think we've already fixed that problem. The cupcakes were AWESOME, although very light so the kids had to eat them with a fork. I make a big breakfast for the kids on Saturday mornings, so we tried out the scones today. The kids gobbled them right down! We'll see what Rob thinks when he wakes up. It feels so good to be baking again!
Oh, and how am I feeling? A little sore here and there, but better. I've had a head cold all week, so it's hard to tell what is the cold and what is the fibro. Otherwise things are going along well.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Fibro Treatment: Week Six
Six weeks of treatment down! This means I am done with three-day-a-week appointments. Now I will go two days a week. I have no real news to report on the treatment front. The nasty powder stuff tastes far better in a shake than it did alone and we have settled in to the diet once more. My resolve was shaken when my wonderful sister-in-law sent cake pops for the kids and gluten-free cookies for me, but I put them in the freezer and they will be the first thing I enjoy when the sugar ban is lifted.
I am feeling so much better overall. Here's a list of some things I've been able to do that I would NEVER have done a month ago:
1. Vacuumed the living room, including using the hose to get under the radiator.
2. Shopped for two hours with Rob
3. Cooked a large breakfast for the kids AND made my own at the same time
4. Took Anna to storytime and did not go crazy from the baby/mom noises
5. Stopped to talk to people in church on Wed nights and have been able to follow the conversation w/o feeling I need to escape b/c I can't focus
I still have a ways to go and there are still some mountains to climb, but I feel better overall and am slowly seeing my life returning to normal.
I am feeling so much better overall. Here's a list of some things I've been able to do that I would NEVER have done a month ago:
1. Vacuumed the living room, including using the hose to get under the radiator.
2. Shopped for two hours with Rob
3. Cooked a large breakfast for the kids AND made my own at the same time
4. Took Anna to storytime and did not go crazy from the baby/mom noises
5. Stopped to talk to people in church on Wed nights and have been able to follow the conversation w/o feeling I need to escape b/c I can't focus
I still have a ways to go and there are still some mountains to climb, but I feel better overall and am slowly seeing my life returning to normal.
The Rest of the Family
News about my fibro treatments have taken up much of my blog time, so I figured I'd give everyone else a fair shot :)
Rob: The greatest husband ever is doing well these days. He's working 12 hour days 5-6 days a week, so he's tired much of the time, but he's doing well. He kicked his caffeine habit and is more awake now than when he was downing coffee and Coke all day long. Rob has opted to eat with me on my diet and is losing weight as well. He has discovered that he has a gluten sensitivity. Since eating with me, he has noticed whenever he has certain products (namely white flour) his throat constricts and he feels sick. We have decided to take the family to a gluten-free diet sooner than anticipated. And he celebrated his 34th birthday on Friday by taking a vacation day. We went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch and then had a fun family day. He tried making a gluten-free pizza crust for supper but it did not work out....good thing we live next door to a pizza place! He and I went on a date Saturday and had a wonderful time, especially since we both bought a new pair of jeans. I have dropped one size and he dropped two!
Matthew: Little Man is doing well. He is still enjoying school for the most part and excelling. As I have been feeling better, we've been adding a few things back here and there and I am able to keep on top of his readers better. He has the tenderest heart of all three of the kids and has been very helpful to me. He's also my little food evangelist. We have been teaching the kids more and more about how harmful fast food is to our bodies and Matthew said, "What? Is that legal for McDonalds to sell food like that?" And then he proceeded to rant and rave about McDonalds for a long time :) I think my work is done....
Benjamin: Oh, little Ben, my most confusing guy right now. He's an angel 80% of the time and so very helpful, but then that little Ben-with-the-horns starts whispering in his ear and he can be a total terror. We're doing our best to help him out, but there are days that I'd like to string him up by his toes. He did have a little accident last week when taking out the trash. Some broken glass inside the bag poked through and sliced his knee, resulting in seven stitches. He's a tough little guy, though, and after the initial cut never cried once! He gets the stitches out tomorrow. He's also doing well in school and his reading, while progressing slower than Matt's at that age, is still coming along nicely.
Anna: She's still my little sunshine, but she has cloudy days for sure. She copies big brother Ben and gets herself into trouble more often than I'd like to admit. But, she is such a fun little thing to watch! And her sense of style is just hilarious: I never knew so many sparkly things in pink and purple matched! She looked at herself in the mirror on Wednesday night and declared that her Tiny Trackers shirt was ugly. I told her to add an accessory to the ensemble and that perked her right up. And then today she told me my church outfit didn't match. Her favorite movies right now are the Spy Kids movies and she runs around catching spies all over the house...all while holding her baby doll :)
Rob: The greatest husband ever is doing well these days. He's working 12 hour days 5-6 days a week, so he's tired much of the time, but he's doing well. He kicked his caffeine habit and is more awake now than when he was downing coffee and Coke all day long. Rob has opted to eat with me on my diet and is losing weight as well. He has discovered that he has a gluten sensitivity. Since eating with me, he has noticed whenever he has certain products (namely white flour) his throat constricts and he feels sick. We have decided to take the family to a gluten-free diet sooner than anticipated. And he celebrated his 34th birthday on Friday by taking a vacation day. We went to a Mexican restaurant for lunch and then had a fun family day. He tried making a gluten-free pizza crust for supper but it did not work out....good thing we live next door to a pizza place! He and I went on a date Saturday and had a wonderful time, especially since we both bought a new pair of jeans. I have dropped one size and he dropped two!
Matthew: Little Man is doing well. He is still enjoying school for the most part and excelling. As I have been feeling better, we've been adding a few things back here and there and I am able to keep on top of his readers better. He has the tenderest heart of all three of the kids and has been very helpful to me. He's also my little food evangelist. We have been teaching the kids more and more about how harmful fast food is to our bodies and Matthew said, "What? Is that legal for McDonalds to sell food like that?" And then he proceeded to rant and rave about McDonalds for a long time :) I think my work is done....
Benjamin: Oh, little Ben, my most confusing guy right now. He's an angel 80% of the time and so very helpful, but then that little Ben-with-the-horns starts whispering in his ear and he can be a total terror. We're doing our best to help him out, but there are days that I'd like to string him up by his toes. He did have a little accident last week when taking out the trash. Some broken glass inside the bag poked through and sliced his knee, resulting in seven stitches. He's a tough little guy, though, and after the initial cut never cried once! He gets the stitches out tomorrow. He's also doing well in school and his reading, while progressing slower than Matt's at that age, is still coming along nicely.
Anna: She's still my little sunshine, but she has cloudy days for sure. She copies big brother Ben and gets herself into trouble more often than I'd like to admit. But, she is such a fun little thing to watch! And her sense of style is just hilarious: I never knew so many sparkly things in pink and purple matched! She looked at herself in the mirror on Wednesday night and declared that her Tiny Trackers shirt was ugly. I told her to add an accessory to the ensemble and that perked her right up. And then today she told me my church outfit didn't match. Her favorite movies right now are the Spy Kids movies and she runs around catching spies all over the house...all while holding her baby doll :)
Monday, January 16, 2012
Fibro Treatment Week 5: Indian Giver Week
Yes, I realize the term "Indian Giver" is both insensitive to Native Americans AND inaccurate both historically and culturally, but it still means someone who gives things then takes them away. And that's the best description of what happened during my fifth week of treatment. Let me take you through the emotion and details involved.
On Monday, I was told that the results of the rest of my tests would be back that week and I would find out where my food sensitivities were. Fabulous! This is the news I was waiting for so I could get some other foods back and be able to start on a new normal way of eating. Wednesday was that day, and I was told I am sensitive to dairy (but might not be forever), still have to watch the eggs and beans right now, and gluten, of course. BUT--I could have dark chocolate and a whole list of alternate grains. I'm also fine with corn and potato, which was a big relief. (Coffee is also fine, but he'd rather I lay of it for now.)
So after my appointment, we hit the grocery store and I found myself some treats to make up for my miserable, treatless Christmas. I bought dark chocolate (70% or higher), gluten-free egg-free dairy-free cookies, and some grains to start making my own baked goods. (By the way, those kinds of cookies taste WAY better!!) To celebrate, we made up some cookies that fit the bill and I had plans to try out some bread on my own, hoping to make it cheaper than you can buy in the store. Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows how much I LOVE to bake! I had two glorious days of thinking I could settle into my new way of life.
Yeah. So then I went in on Friday and was told that I am now starting a cleanse. I was given the world's foulest mix to drink in place of my yummy greens drink and some more vitamins to take. The purpose of these things is to get out the bacteria in my gut and heal my slightly leaky gut. I only have two types of parasites, one known and one unknown, so I'm doing better than most of his patients. These could have been in my system even from childhood, so it's hard to tell what caused them. Let's just say the children have been reinstructed on handwashing techniques.
And the diet that goes along with the draught of living death (really, the stuff tastes like bad coffee gone bad) eliminates some of the things I HAD been eating! No potatoes, tomatoes (nightshade veggies), mangoes, bananas, mushrooms, nuts, corn and a few other things. No sugar (bye-bye dark chocolate) or alternate grains. PHOOEY!!
So I started the stuff on Saturday morning and felt like I was going to die. Not only did I have that wretched taste in my mouth all morning long, I felt like I had stomach flu w/o the pleasure of getting sick to make me feel better. And I have a really bad head cold on top of it all. Seriously, could this whole thing get much worse?? It's the first time I've wondered if I shouldn't just find a prescription med for all this nonsense.
And what really didn't make sense is why I couldn't have things that are not on my sensitivity list. I get the sugar--it feeds bacteria. But the rest just didn't make sense. So we muddled through the weekend, Rob fixing what he could (including a form of french onion soup that can only be described as an epic fail) but we were just chomping at the bit to get to my Monday appointment.
As nicely as I could (or maybe not) I kind of attacked my doc, the man who up to this point I did not question in the slightest. Apparently, I should have asked more questions on Friday as I could have avoided a weekend of misery. I can mix the Repairvite (a.k.a. sludge) with a smoothie for breakfast. Now that's better! And I only have to avoid certain foods in the mornings, maybe lunchtime. So my beloved potatoes are back. I just can't overdo the other foods so they don't interfere with the powder.
But. And this is a really big but....I am doing this for two months. Yup, two months of no sugar or alternate grains. No treat on Rob's birthday, no Valentine's, no nuthin'. And if I cheat, it only sets me back further. Seeing as I NEVER want to go through this again, I'll be good. I sent all the dark chocolate to work with Rob, gave the kids the remainder of my gluten-free treats, and I'm planning a big reward for myself when I come out on the other side, hopefully a much healthier more energized me.
Oh, and total weight lost to this point is 14 pounds. So that's something.
On Monday, I was told that the results of the rest of my tests would be back that week and I would find out where my food sensitivities were. Fabulous! This is the news I was waiting for so I could get some other foods back and be able to start on a new normal way of eating. Wednesday was that day, and I was told I am sensitive to dairy (but might not be forever), still have to watch the eggs and beans right now, and gluten, of course. BUT--I could have dark chocolate and a whole list of alternate grains. I'm also fine with corn and potato, which was a big relief. (Coffee is also fine, but he'd rather I lay of it for now.)
So after my appointment, we hit the grocery store and I found myself some treats to make up for my miserable, treatless Christmas. I bought dark chocolate (70% or higher), gluten-free egg-free dairy-free cookies, and some grains to start making my own baked goods. (By the way, those kinds of cookies taste WAY better!!) To celebrate, we made up some cookies that fit the bill and I had plans to try out some bread on my own, hoping to make it cheaper than you can buy in the store. Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows how much I LOVE to bake! I had two glorious days of thinking I could settle into my new way of life.
Yeah. So then I went in on Friday and was told that I am now starting a cleanse. I was given the world's foulest mix to drink in place of my yummy greens drink and some more vitamins to take. The purpose of these things is to get out the bacteria in my gut and heal my slightly leaky gut. I only have two types of parasites, one known and one unknown, so I'm doing better than most of his patients. These could have been in my system even from childhood, so it's hard to tell what caused them. Let's just say the children have been reinstructed on handwashing techniques.
And the diet that goes along with the draught of living death (really, the stuff tastes like bad coffee gone bad) eliminates some of the things I HAD been eating! No potatoes, tomatoes (nightshade veggies), mangoes, bananas, mushrooms, nuts, corn and a few other things. No sugar (bye-bye dark chocolate) or alternate grains. PHOOEY!!
So I started the stuff on Saturday morning and felt like I was going to die. Not only did I have that wretched taste in my mouth all morning long, I felt like I had stomach flu w/o the pleasure of getting sick to make me feel better. And I have a really bad head cold on top of it all. Seriously, could this whole thing get much worse?? It's the first time I've wondered if I shouldn't just find a prescription med for all this nonsense.
And what really didn't make sense is why I couldn't have things that are not on my sensitivity list. I get the sugar--it feeds bacteria. But the rest just didn't make sense. So we muddled through the weekend, Rob fixing what he could (including a form of french onion soup that can only be described as an epic fail) but we were just chomping at the bit to get to my Monday appointment.
As nicely as I could (or maybe not) I kind of attacked my doc, the man who up to this point I did not question in the slightest. Apparently, I should have asked more questions on Friday as I could have avoided a weekend of misery. I can mix the Repairvite (a.k.a. sludge) with a smoothie for breakfast. Now that's better! And I only have to avoid certain foods in the mornings, maybe lunchtime. So my beloved potatoes are back. I just can't overdo the other foods so they don't interfere with the powder.
But. And this is a really big but....I am doing this for two months. Yup, two months of no sugar or alternate grains. No treat on Rob's birthday, no Valentine's, no nuthin'. And if I cheat, it only sets me back further. Seeing as I NEVER want to go through this again, I'll be good. I sent all the dark chocolate to work with Rob, gave the kids the remainder of my gluten-free treats, and I'm planning a big reward for myself when I come out on the other side, hopefully a much healthier more energized me.
Oh, and total weight lost to this point is 14 pounds. So that's something.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Fibro Treatment, Week Four
Well, I have now gone four weeks under the fibro treatment I can honestly say that I'm starting to feel better. I'm not going to be running a marathon anytime soon (or ever, if I'm honest) but I am noticing subtle differences. The biggest change has been mentally. I can focus for longer periods of time and actually paid attention during the entire sermon this morning. I have always had a hard time concentrating on lengthy classes and sermons, so I was quite surprised when the service ended and I had paid attention to every word! I am also able to focus more on conversations with others, so I don't feel like avoiding people in church or getting out of a conversation quickly.
I am still in pain, but I'm better able to manage it. I've also been doing some thinking about how I've pulled myself away from so many activities, so I am adding a few to my schedule, but they are things that will help me therapy-wise: specifically, I'm going to another SU demo's card night for more art therapy :) Right now I feel most like myself when I'm focusing on stamping or when I'm homeschooling the kids, so those activities will get the most attention.
I am also trying to work on my sleep habits. That's a hard one to do, seeing as my body is all messed up in that regards. Right now I'm trying to get to bed at the same time each night and then get up around the same time each morning, no matter how I feel at bedtime or in the morning.
I'm still on the same diet, but it sounds like the test I did to find my food sensitivities is done. My doc is just waiting for the results. So, I should know this week!
Thanks to all of you who have been such wonderful cheerleaders. I really appreciate all of the support I've received, especially in regards to my choice to use a chiropractor over a conventional medical doctor. It means so much to know that I have people praying for me and cheering me on.
I am still in pain, but I'm better able to manage it. I've also been doing some thinking about how I've pulled myself away from so many activities, so I am adding a few to my schedule, but they are things that will help me therapy-wise: specifically, I'm going to another SU demo's card night for more art therapy :) Right now I feel most like myself when I'm focusing on stamping or when I'm homeschooling the kids, so those activities will get the most attention.
I am also trying to work on my sleep habits. That's a hard one to do, seeing as my body is all messed up in that regards. Right now I'm trying to get to bed at the same time each night and then get up around the same time each morning, no matter how I feel at bedtime or in the morning.
I'm still on the same diet, but it sounds like the test I did to find my food sensitivities is done. My doc is just waiting for the results. So, I should know this week!
Thanks to all of you who have been such wonderful cheerleaders. I really appreciate all of the support I've received, especially in regards to my choice to use a chiropractor over a conventional medical doctor. It means so much to know that I have people praying for me and cheering me on.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The Pepper Incident
Tonight I made some Annie's Mac and Cheese for supper and as usual, Matthew headed for the pepper. He just likes a little seasoning on his food :) Since he's careful, I let him pepper his own food. But not Ben. Well, I wasn't paying attention and the next think I know, Ben has the pepper right next to him and he's chugging water. I looked at his bowl and there were pepper flakes everywhere! He took another bite or two, then refilled his water cup. And then asked if he had to finish supper.
Well. This momma is not about to let good food go to waste (especially semi-expensive mac and cheese) so I told him yes and he could drink as much water as he needed to. He was at the table for an incredibly long amount of time and drank five cups of water, but he finished it.
And you guessed it....there were five trips to the bathroom prior to his bedtime! On the last trip, I told him, "This is what happens when you do the pepper yourself!" He decided that he'll let Mom season his food next time :) And I'm REALLY thankful that he's never wet the bed and gets up at night if he has to use the bathroom....but we'll see what morning brings....
Well. This momma is not about to let good food go to waste (especially semi-expensive mac and cheese) so I told him yes and he could drink as much water as he needed to. He was at the table for an incredibly long amount of time and drank five cups of water, but he finished it.
And you guessed it....there were five trips to the bathroom prior to his bedtime! On the last trip, I told him, "This is what happens when you do the pepper yourself!" He decided that he'll let Mom season his food next time :) And I'm REALLY thankful that he's never wet the bed and gets up at night if he has to use the bathroom....but we'll see what morning brings....
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Drain Monster
Anna has been petrified of drains since toddler-hood. She never likes hearing the bathtub drain out and absolutely hates drains in public bathrooms. She'll cling to the wall and skirt around them to get to the toilet and keeps a watchful eye on them at all times! I've tried explaining to her that the drain is not going to hurt her, but she just doesn't believe me. So I made up the drain monster.
At our old place, whenever I pulled the plug and we heard the drain monster gurgling, she would furiously get all of her toys out of the tub. I told her the drain monster doens't like to eat little girls, but he'll eat her toys. And he ALWAYS attacks Daddy when he takes a shower after work. (Daddy confirmed the report.) Then I told her a few times that the drain monster WAS hungry for little girl, but he couldn't get through the drain and she couldn't slip down. It seemed to work for awhile, then she got scared again.
So then I told her that the drain monster doctor told the drain monster that he was too fat and had to go on a diet. He was no longer allowed to eat little girls because they are too fatty. That finally got her over her fears of the drain and then we moved and our new tub didn't make any noise when draining. Until tonight. Rob and Ben cleaned it out better and it began to drain more efficiently, so once again we have a drain monster. I told her he missed drinking her bath water because she tastes so sweet and she reminded me that he's on a diet and can't eat her.
Sometimes getting a child over a silly-to-us fear takes an equally silly story :)
At our old place, whenever I pulled the plug and we heard the drain monster gurgling, she would furiously get all of her toys out of the tub. I told her the drain monster doens't like to eat little girls, but he'll eat her toys. And he ALWAYS attacks Daddy when he takes a shower after work. (Daddy confirmed the report.) Then I told her a few times that the drain monster WAS hungry for little girl, but he couldn't get through the drain and she couldn't slip down. It seemed to work for awhile, then she got scared again.
So then I told her that the drain monster doctor told the drain monster that he was too fat and had to go on a diet. He was no longer allowed to eat little girls because they are too fatty. That finally got her over her fears of the drain and then we moved and our new tub didn't make any noise when draining. Until tonight. Rob and Ben cleaned it out better and it began to drain more efficiently, so once again we have a drain monster. I told her he missed drinking her bath water because she tastes so sweet and she reminded me that he's on a diet and can't eat her.
Sometimes getting a child over a silly-to-us fear takes an equally silly story :)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Cutting Anna's Hair
I decided to trim Anna's hair the other night. It grows so slowly that it has only been trimmed once in her short little life. Some of it is growing uneven, so after her bath I told her I was going to cut her hair, but just a bit. Right before I started, she asked, "Will it hurt?" I told her that she wouldn't feel a thing. Then she got real quiet and after a few snips said, "Makaila had her hair cut and she looks like a boy." (A friend of hers had a hair cut and the lady cut it much shorter than her mother wanted it to be.) I explained that she'd still look like a girl :)
When we were all done, I showed Anna how little of her hair was trimmed off. She glanced at it, then immediately got on the step stool and looked at herself in the mirror, turning her head both directions multiple times. Because I had moussed her hair and scrunched it, it did look a little short. She started to panic and said, "It's too short!!" I explained that it would look a little longer in the morning when it was dry. Poor little thing--I didn't realize how traumatic a haircut can be when you're only three!
And yes, she was fine in the morning. Her new obsession is headbands and she still looks like a girl in them :)
When we were all done, I showed Anna how little of her hair was trimmed off. She glanced at it, then immediately got on the step stool and looked at herself in the mirror, turning her head both directions multiple times. Because I had moussed her hair and scrunched it, it did look a little short. She started to panic and said, "It's too short!!" I explained that it would look a little longer in the morning when it was dry. Poor little thing--I didn't realize how traumatic a haircut can be when you're only three!
And yes, she was fine in the morning. Her new obsession is headbands and she still looks like a girl in them :)
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