Life goal: weight gain?

I believe one would be hard pressed to find something that has offended me more than this woman, and the people who support her. Her goal is to weigh 1000 pounds, and eats a 16,000 calorie a day diet. She broke the Guinness World Record in 2007 for the "world's fattest mother", giving birth at 532 pounds. She has a website where people are paying to watch her eat and walk / move about her house, and send her emails of encouragement, AND more food!!

New Jersey Woman Wants to Be World's Fattest Woman: MyFoxNY.com

Her birth required THIRTY PEOPLE to accomplish her high risk cesarean birth, yet she says she doesn't believe in the health risks associated with obesity? Do the doctors in this woman's life not see that she is not mentally healthy? How was social services not involved at the time of birth three years and 118 pounds ago? How could a MOTHER set such an example to her children? How can a FAMILY support a loved one in such a self destructive habit? How can PEOPLE actually support her behavior through paying to watch her eat, and sending her food? I'm all for capitalism, but what is wrong with these people? When she dies, and she will- from reasons directly attributed to her weight, these very people will have a moral responsibility for her death.

She seems fine, now. She won't be within the next hundred pounds. By the 700 mark, her weight is going to hinder their lives in ways that are now, SO predictable it is not funny. That's what I find so offensive. She seems to be walking around the house fine now, wait until she starts having increasing pain in her back, and in her joints, until her bones will not be able to hold her up.

Wait until:
*it takes her thirty minutes to be able to make it to the bathroom.
*she sweats so badly her children start hesitating to show physical affection- or people have a hard time being in the room with her because of body odor.

*her home becomes a deep freezer to accommodate her always feeling hot.

*rashes and skin infections pop up in all those fat rolls. (Does her husband think it will be so "sexy", then?)
*round the clock fatigue kicks in.

This is just a handful of physical things associated with morbid obesity, and yes, this woman is MORBIDLY obese. Has she made arrangements for her death, yet? She might want to consider that. Can her family afford her death? What about her life? Can we say "Medical coverage"? (Should she be covered?) What kind of insurance does she have? Is it fair that taxpayers might be paying for this self destructive lifestyle this woman is living in the public eye, profiting, no less, from it?

"Well who are you to judge, Wendy?".
I have watched the decline of a morbidly obese loved one's life, and was there with them at the time of death. They weren't trying to gain weight, they just lacked the tools and support they needed to become healthy. So to see someone have such disrespect for their own selves, and their own family, and their own family returning the favor, it disgusts me. It does take a mental disorder for someone to say "Christmas should give you carte blanche to do whatever you want.' (in regards to eating a 30,000 calorie "Christmas" dinner), if you ask me.

Have you ever been affected by extreme obesity? Either yourself or through a loved one?
________________________________________

See: How Obesity Harms A Child's Body

* http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1341683/Donna-Simpsons-feast-The-30-000-calorie-Christmas-feast-eaten-worlds-fattest-mum-ONE-hour-sitting.html

Food revelations

Last week I mentioned some of the changes Hannah has come upon in recent weeks. She is doing very well with food these days. She used to be very, very picky with food. Processed and junk foods are of the devil, I'm starting to believe. I've done a lot of reading over time about food, and what's best for the body and I'm starting to really appreciate the wisdom the Lord will give us especially as mothers when we ask for it, concerning how to raise our children, including what goes in their bellys. I'm not an average weight by far, and this has been a personal struggle for me in recent years. I am just not comfortable in my own skin. I have learned that one person in a family cannot combat their battles and trials alone- it takes the whole family to do it. Yes, everyone is responsible for their choices, but when it comes to strife in the home, if one's choices are not respected then not everyone is going to benefit in the situation.

My brother in law has been staying with us in the past few weeks. Monday a week ago, he treated the kids and I to Arby's. Since last Monday, we had not eaten fast food at all until Sunday night. I had cooked everything at home. I also tried some new recipes last week that worked well. One, which was something I come up with on my own- not so good. I got halfway through my Wendy's chicken sandwich when I realized, I truly was not enjoying that sandwich like I used to. Jay had even made sure the fries and sandwich were fresh, but it was different. My taste buds had already started changing. By the time I went to bed, my stomach was bothering me.

Yesterday, (Monday) Hannah and I went out to eat with my parents. I got what I usually order at this particular restaurant, "real" chicken tenders fried greek style, and crispy french fries. Same thing. I did not have the same enjoyment I used to have eating that meal. Furthermore, I felt like a block of lead was sitting in my stomach. Last night at a church dinner I attended- same thing. "Normal"- non whole foods, and by the time I got home last night I was in cramps!

In my head I knew this was a likely occurance for someone who had been eating primarily whole foods (as in, foods closest to their natural state, not "from" Whole Foods.) I realized, last week, no one complained about what I fixed, and everyone ate what was fixed and liked it. Yes, there was one night Jay fixed fried potatoes and onions, but beyond that- chicken from the grill, salads, watermelon for dessert. Great stuff. Beyond Hannah, Jay is the greatest whole food critic in this house. The times he was "exposed" to the foods I fixed (which, actually weren't many), he did not complain. He has no idea how far that has went for me and how encouraged I am right now with this food revelation: It can be done, you do feel better, and you can keep doing it.

Because when you are not the overweight one, the food issues really shouldn't be about you. It should be about who needs the biggest benefit from the food being fixed. Because nothing tastes as good as being healthy / skinny / thin feels.

This post is shared at Heavenly Homemakers for Gratituesday. Now hop on over to Carrie and Amy Lynne's blog and see what they're thankful for this week :)

Please pray for us today- important

Update: Fri night 11pm
He's still very sick and now has a headache along with it. Please continue to pray for him! (Hannah's also complaining about her head hurting, too, totally unrelated to Jay though.)

Update: (Friday, 1:35 pm)
He come home very sick to his stomach. They first done a "swallowing" test where he took a swallow of some extremely nasty drink, and they took x rays of it going down his throat. They done this in a couple positions. He is VERY sick to his stomach now, and has been for a couple of hours, ever since he got home. Poor thing. Since he is so sick, they've moved up the other test until Monday because that test requires them numbing his throat and if he's currently vomiting they cannot do that for his safety. He just finished some wonton soup I went and got him 5 minutes ago and it's already .... uh hum.

So keep the prayers coming, now that this mixture runs a quick course and doesn't ruin his weekend!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jay is leaving shortly to have more tests done from his appointment with the dr yesterday. They believe it is a hiatal hernia that has grown to the point it is pressing down on two arties of his heart, and his lung. Apparently the sharp pains he's been having is the same pain one feels when they're having a heartattack :o(

If the tests turn out like his dr believes it will, they're going to do SURGERY- THIS MORNING!

Please pray for him, the drs, and everyone involved in this that things turn out well. Thanks!

Family Update- April 24th

It's about time for an update, isn't it?
I'm doing ok. It seems if it's not one thing it's another going on (with me). If I'm not hit with a migraine I'm just overall feeling ... "uhg". I'm sure a lot of it has to do with my weight, so I am going to be focusing a lot of attention on that in coming weeks. I really do need a lot, a LOT of prayer regarding my motivation and will power as it pertains to eating habits and exercise. The problem with exercise is hip pain due to arthritis and now my right knee has been hurting significantly. I know it has much to do with the pressure my weight is putting on it. I'm still working on habits and routines, we're better than we were, but have a long way to go ;o) I did apply to Gymboree, but never heard anything back, so I'm going to assume it was not the Lord's will for us right now. Thing is, I have no peace about anything else, other than keeping children at home during the summer.

Jay's traveling a lot more with his job. We're so thankful we have not been affected job-wise because of the recession. The thing is, with his line of work, they are always hiring (not for what he does, but ...)- but you have to be physically fit to qualify. Oh~ and drug free :p Please do not apply for a job and waste yours and the company's time if there's a remote possibility you're not going to be able to pass a drug test! And do not think companys don't do random drug testing, because people are getting fired there for that, too! (Hence additional openings.) Very shocking news the other day was his boss as fired, which is bad because he really liked him and respected him. If you think about it please keep that situation in prayer- that his replacement won't be a royal jerk (it's true, right?) and that his new boss won't have a problem moving on to bigger and better things.
We got to take a mini vacation over Spring break in Virginia Beach and .... another town (lol) where a friend of Jay's lives. It was very nice. More pics to come, but you can see quite a few here.

We're looking forward to getting a garden planned soon (we're late!) and having a HUGE yard sale. We have SO much stuff we can get rid of, we're going to have to have a few yard sales just to get rid of it all. There's just too much to be able to get everything out at one time.

The kids are both playing soccer, and enjoying it a lot. Last week was their first game, they've been practicing about a month now. There are only three teams in Jackson's age group, so every other week he will be playing two games back to back. He has been deemed the primary goalie for the team though he's going to have opportunities to play in every position throughout the season. As active as he is I find it funny he'd choose goalie as a preferred position ;o) Hannah's just excited to be there, which makes me glad.

Some may have been wondering the stories behind my Wordless Wednesday post this week, I'm gonna share that separately. One hint- nothing to do with soccer ;o)
Hannah is still dealing with some degree of bullying (previous post), but what's being reported now is more regular mean-self-centered kid-type bullying. Jackson is determined he is going to make straight A's this quarter, after bringing home his best grades this year for 3rd quarter- two As and 3 Cs. That sounds good but for a child that has made all As his whole life ... not very hot- and he knows it.

I've always said that I would never pay or reward my kids for their grades, because they should get good grades anyway. Considering how rough this year has been, knowing he needs more motivation than fear of failing 4th grade (no danger at all, but apparently his teacher has brought it up enough generally speaking to the class it's been a fear of his...). We've told him he would get $20 for every A he makes for 4th quarter. He wants a new, "good" skateboard so he has a goal in sight. So we'll see how that goes. I know it's excessive, but I wanted to do something that would not only "get" his attention, but KEEP it for ten weeks. Please continue to pray about them getting back in their old school for next school year, that the Lord will give Jay wisdom to make the right decisions for our family concerning the many factors that plays into their return. We'd greatly appreciate it!

Jackson and I went to the local TEA party on tax day 4-15. We had a good time and enjoyed the experience. I was so proud to be an American that day. I had never attended a protest before, but it was so peaceful, and respectful. For us to be a group of extremists, we sure were nice! I thought it was hilarious when I saw on TV the next day some guy from Vanity Fair was saying "oh they weren't mad at all, they just seemed a little miffed more than anything" (paraphrase). Apparently, the liberal left thinks that you have to scream, holler, vandalize, interrupt speeches, and otherwise act like 5 year olds having a hissy fit for it to be a "real" valid protest. Apparently peaceful protesters just don't know what they're doing. Hmmm ... I'd be willing to disagree and call them to the floor on that!


Our local reps are planning more TEA parties in the future, and definitely one on Independence Day. It meant a lot for me as a parent to take part in it, and include Jackson in it. A long time ago our old Pastor said (paraphrase) "...one day when this country has went completely downhill, my grandkids are going to ask me what I done to stop it- and I want to be able to tell them I done everything I could...". I'll never forget that, and hold the same opinion. When Jackson is an adult, after conservatism reclaims this country through conservatives getting involved and finding their voices, and using them- he will be able to say "My mom and I were there when it all started ...". Some people think it's a moot point to talk politics with their children, but for me, that's HISTORY. I know nothing of the Regan years from first hand experience, and I was the same age then Jackson is now. Hannah is too young to appreciate what's going on, but Jackson is genuinely interested. Saturday we're going to the first meeting of our local 912 project. It's more of a meet and greet than anything I believe, but it's going to be fun. We're meeting at a local park and having potluck, etc ...

Hannah had her first field trip for the year. I know! They had one planned earlier in the year but it was cancelled. It was to this Health Center that was SO neat! I wish I could testify to how informational it was, but the models of internal organs freaked Hannah's little friend out, and we had to stay in the break room the WHOLE time we were there (2 1/2 hrs!). We had a nice time together though, it wasn't boring or anything. Time went by fast. Since her friend got NOTHING out of the field trip its self, I took the girls by the Krispy Kreme we passed on the way in (we were out of town). We had two of her buddies riding with us, and one her never been there before, so that was really exciting, especially since they were making the doughnuts when we got there!



Church is going great as always. I've been going out on Monday night visitation for a few weeks now, and it has been a great blessing. I've been wanting to start going for a good while now. I hope our family routine allows me to continue to do that :o) Jackson went out with some guys this week and he really enjoyed that. I learned Hannah has the option of staying at the church while I go out if needed, so that was a relief. Some weeks she's ok, others she's fickle about it. So we'll see.

Hope you all are doing well, and please link me to your own family updates by commenting! Don't forget about the giveaway!

A Cheesy Imposter

I'm for some reason attracted to gluten free recipes. Caesin free, the better. However, I've not had much experience with cooking this way, but the concept is very interesting for me. I love Carrie's blog Ginger Lemon Girl. She is very inventive with her recipes and has lots of good looking things on there.

If you are interested in this way of cooking, this is definitely a good place to "jump off", from. I'm very interested in trying this recipe she's posted about:

Ginger Lemon Girl: A Cheesy Imposter (Gluten Free, Casein Free, and Soy Free "Cheese" Sauce)

I asked what garlic granules were because I had never heard of them. Jay likes to cook with garlic salt, for the garlic flavor without dealing with actual garlic. I am SO going to order some of these granules- at $2.49 a container that's a steal! The fact that Carrie cares enough about her readers to go back and insert links into her articles is very telling of her generosity and willingness to help people through her blog, I believe. (Thank you Carrie!)

Speaking of new recipes, I recently bought the book Deceptively Delicious, and it's so great! A friend of mine posted about her recent brownie experience, and it made me think of this brownie recipe I want to try. Jackson thinks the concept is awesome and that we shouldn't tell Hannah until she's been eating some of the recipes :p

What do you think? Is that a concept that interests you? Would you try something like that?

added:
Speaking of food, I just went by Tara's and she has a yummy looking broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole recipe posted. Check it out!

Life

Categories pertaining to the "Life of CalvaryGirl"

New year is killing me

Well, not really, but still. I got a rather interesting revelation last week. When I had went to the doctor for the strep, when they handed me my printout thingy I just folded it and put it in my jacket pocket. When Jay and I were headed out the other night, I pulled it out and happened to glance at it and got "the suprise". I've said for years, to family and friends, yes, I am overweight. I feel awful. and YES, there are reasons why I cannot just simply "eat better". I want to, I desperately WANT to, but am not afforded this luxury. It has been a struggle in my house for quite some time and frankly, I've just been doing the best I could with what I have been given to work with. I look at the paper, and you know how in the corner it says your "diagnosis for the day"? #1- strep throat ... #2- obesity. Well no, they didn't say anything about my weight at that visit (I figure they assumed I'd get the hint from the sheet?).

So there you have it. There's the reality. This is what happens when you refuse to support your loved ones with their burdens because it would cause you to get out of your own comfort zones. Great, my life insurance premiums will probably go up, as well as health insurance when we reapply this month or next :o/

HOWEVER~ now I'm not "crazy"! It's on paper! I really AM as big as I have been saying I was for quite some time now! So it can finally make sense to people that when I say my feet hurt, they are hurting from the arthitis that has formed in them and the fact they are bearing the brunt of an obese woman. No wonder I can't stand on my feet for long amounts of time any more!! No wonder my back and hips flare up not along after my feet start tingling! It's on paper now, can we PLEASE start eating healthy now? Naysayers- NO- you CANNOT lose weight by exercising alone! You make things worse in some cases :o/

I got out of bed optimistic yesterday. After Jay left with the kids I done a one mile walk, stayed on the low impact end because I needed to do other things around the house. After that I got ready, even put on makeup. Cleaned out the fridge down to condiments- spent over an hour between the fridge and washing dishes, rinsing jars, etc for the recycling bin, and making trips out to the woods to throw everything out.
I completed four or five loads of laundry- though mainly blankets except for two loads of clothes. So count the back and forth to the laundry room, standing to fold, walking around the house putting everything up. I was able to rest for a little bit before mom and dad brought the kids home, and they stayed the evening with us for dinner. Before I started dinner my cousin came by to give Jackson a belated bday present, and while she was visiting with mom and dad I cooked dinner (spaghetti with deer meat in the sauce, YUM!). That was about another hour on my feet moving about. (I love cooking though! don't get me wrong!)

It was a good, accomplished day. Sidenote, the blessing of the day was my cousin had a HUGE bag of daffodils she brought home from work (with permission, lol) and she gave me about five pounds of bulbs before she left. I'm so excited! I want to build a "cut garden" right out of the back door, that will be so nice!
I hurt SO bad by the time nine o'clock come, I could not stand it!
I'm so tired of this! I don't want to be a 33 year old disabled person!
Please pray the Lord would work out the hinderances to my health, I'd really appreciate it.

Oh! and speaking of health- my migraines. I was back to having them on a regular, somewhat frequent basis. You know over Christmas break I started back drinking coffee at home (instead of having a cup a day from McD's and that was it) ... and the migraines are not NEAR as frequent as they were? I can't win for losing ;o)

the headache is here ...

I took tonight off of work so I could go to revival, and I am sitting here with what wants to be a massive headache. It's just sitting here, on the verge of migraine-ville. I've had that eye pressure on my right side (I call it 'droopy eye') all afternoon. Jay again wont make it home in time, and the kids are crying cause they want to go to church. I'm rather upset with J- simply because I feel like he's bailed on church all week :( I'd made plans for my parents to take the kids tomorrow night, but now they still won't have perfect attendance. Not that that's most important, but still, kwim? I'm just frustrated. and this crud isn't going away, either. Just going down to my chest. bleh

Sick, Revival

Revival Update- none of my visitors have come so far. Revival is going GREAT. The Evangelist doing it was raised Roman Catholic, and he gave his (hilarious) testimony last night. I've never laughed so hard in church, LOL!!! He's very animated. The Lord is working, you can just tell it. and what's so awesome is we're all having such a GOOD time, too! PTL, he's so good. I have notes I want to type up.

But here's the quote for the week so far:

"Perhaps the reason we see so less of answered prayer is because the average Christian has the average faith of the average athiest"

WOW!!! I mean really! Sit on that a second, how much faith do we REALLY have when we pray for things? I mean, we know God can, but do we pray like he WILL? Whoa~~

I'm still sick. Achey. I don't believe it's strep, maybe more sinus than anything. With that being said, I'm going to bed ...

Update on Hannah (and an OT joke)

I got Hannah to lay down on the couch with me about 5:30 this morning. My plan was to doze a few minutes, til around 6:15 when I'd get up, get myself and the kids ready and take Jackson to school early then Hannah to the dr. Our dr office is 1 mile from the school, which is 11 miles from home. I fell asleep and woke to Jay about 7:10. So he zipped and got Jackson ready and left me still out of it sorta after Hannah and I crawled in bed.

He come home and made an appointment for Hannah, they should be there now (11:30). I'm posting this from school- he's supposed to leave me a voice mail when they get done. I have one more class today at 12pm. He said her fever went back up after I left, at 7 it as actualy 4/10 from being normal. She's never run a fever like this. She also started up with some diarreah, too. Poor baby. But she's so cheerful, it's amazing.

Okay so a little joke for the day. B (our neice) sent it to me, guess she knew I'd appreciate the candor in it since I teach preschoolers at church. Kids can say the oddest things, but this would definitely be a "bus kid" moment in my class (not meant to be derrogatory to bus kids now!!)

A Sunday school teacher of pre-schoolers was concerned that his students might be a little confused about Jesus Christ. He wanted to make sure they understood that the birth of Jesus occurred a long time ago, that he grew up, etc. So he asked his class, "Where is Jesus today?"Steven raised his hand and said, "He's in heaven!"Mary was called on and answered, "He's in my heart!"Little Johnny, waving his hand furiously, blurted out, "I know! I know! He's in our bathroom!"The whole class got very quiet, looked at the teacher, and waited for a response. The teacher was completely at a loss for a few very long seconds. He finally gathered his wits and asked Little Johnny how he knew this.Little Johnny replied, "Well, every morning my father gets up, bangs on the bathroom door, and yells: 'Jesus Christ, are you still in there?'"

Titled: "Jesus in the bathroom"

5am, Tuesday (re: Hannah)

She's up, fever's back up (103.5), along with the contents from her belly :( I'm gonna take her into the walkin clinic in a couple of hours. For now she's watching Spongebob in the dark. Jackson has now picke dup her cough :(

Update on Hannah

Well, she woke up this morning, fever back, along with vomiting. She spent the day at moms, this afternoon fever was broken. By 8pm, the fever and comiting was back, and she had complained with her throat hurting all day. It got up to 104 since 8, she just got out of the bath and it's down again. Jay is gonna take her to the dr tomorrow.
Please keep praying

I am in awe

Hannah and Jackson spent the night with MIL last night. When they got home this afternoon, as J was taking Hannah's shirt off changing clothes for her nap, I noticed a few marks on her back. They had been playing with MILs cat / kitten, and had just moved onto playing with bubbles. Hannah had jerked her bubble wand back like she did the little stick-with-the-feather on the end thingy, and Miss Kitty jumped for it. Miss Kitty has claws. Yep.

So Hannah gets up from her nap, and as I'm in here on the computer and she's in the bathroom I hear "the breathing". I knew it was plain as day, she was running a fever. When she come in here, she was burning up, and talking her head off. I mean that kid was rambling oonnn and oonnn ... she was running a 103.7 fever! OMGoodness the first thing I thought was she'd gotten cat scratch fever from Miss Kitty (BIL has had it before, not from that cat, it was about 12-14 years ago...). So I jumped on iVillage and looked it up, and the timing and symptoms weren't matching.

So as I am getting ready to shlep to the hospital, J calls one of the other sound guys at church to tell him we won't be there. Our friend says to stick her in a tub of lukewarm water (we'd heard of that) and pour half a bottle of rubbing alcohol in it (had not heard of that). So J did, and I'll have you know within an hour she was down to 100.5 and holding! :-O God is so good! She has never weathered a fever this good! Yes we missed church but PTL no trip to the hospital tonight!

Our lesson in sunday school this morning was on thankfulness- I have a lot to be thankful for, that's for sure!!

So I'm sitting here in class ....

The woman who sits across from me ... she's struggled in Basic PC Literacy all semester. She's at least bi lingual, if not English being her second language. We're halfway through as of today- ending our chapter and projects in Excel. As we have twenty minutes left in class- I hear a big sigh from her end. She looks like she's about to cry. She whispers over to me- she had just accidentally deleted her TEST- without printing it. She had been working on that thing an hour. I'm so sad for her!

My eye is itching a bit this morning. I have a good idea why. Hannah was rubbing at her eye last night and it looked red (to me). This morning it was all goopy, puffy, and red. I told Jay she needed to be seen by a doctor today so she could get "on the drops" or whatever med needed to treat her 'conjunctivitis'. He had better do it, too! If he doesn't, she will not be able to go to church tomorrow night! And see, he won't be the one who has to tell BOTH kids, we won't be going to church- because daddy didn't take Hannah to the dr today! He won't have to hear the wailing and knashing of teeth- *I* will- because he most likely won't be home in time for church. uhg! and that's so not fair to Jackson.

Jackson's in a spiritual stronghold as of recently, I'm not sure what it is, that's between him and God but I have been praying for him. I know all too well how important it is to be at every service when you're under spiritual pressure. and he's so young, of course physically but spiritually, too. His understandng, or should I say, comprehension is wiser than his physical years- that can be good OR bad, kwim?

He's having academic testing this week. His teacher told the kids they needed to eat breakfast and have a healthy snack each day to do better on the tests. He requested his "healthy, low fat snacks" this weekend. The low fat part was his insert :p I'm so proud of him. If he could count points he would. So I got apples and bananas. He comes home yesterday saying he didn't eat the apple because he has a loose tooth- and everytime he has a loose tooth and eats an apple the tooth falls out. Gotta love the reasoning *g*

School has been CANCELLED tomorrow (Friday)

I just got a call from Jackson's teacher. Our principal has cancelled school tomorrow because of a growing epidemic of BIRD FLU ("Type A") in the school. Apparently the number of cases reported this week is getting higher and higher. A family doctor of one student apparently said that each family should call their dr and inform them that they'd been exposed and let their dr's decide whether to treat the whole family or not, whether symptoms were present or not. (wow)

Big question is- do I need to go to school tomorrow? I mean, I have already contaminated everyone in my classes if I have it (and looking at the symptoms, uhmm, yep, I'd say I fit the pattern!!). I'd love a day at home in bed but not at the expense of my GPA! Last time I was out I ended up with two zeros! :(

So anyways, if you feel led please pray for the school, and especially the health of our teachers. She said they still had to go in tomorrow to bleach down all the classrooms to get the germs out, etc.. But specifically, there's a boy in Jackson's class, who's brother has a rare heart condition that has left his immune system compromised. Anything, a sniffle, could send him to the hospital. He's 9 years old now I believe. Please pray for extra protection for this fella! He's homeschooled but his brother of course is not, and our class is extra cautious about not sending the kids if they have the least of a fever, etc ...

Thanks

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood ....

It's currently 76o here in Western Piedmont North Carolina. Has to be the most beautiful day we've had this far. Both of the kids are dying to get outside to ride their bikes and skate. (Being sick all I wanna do is crawl in bed...)

It's going to be like this tomorrow, too- then mother nature is going to shift yet again and leave us with a high of 56-56o from Friday thru Sunday, then it will drop to 50 on Monday. We all know what this means- with the flu index being "extreme" as it is now, in the next coming days we can probably expect illnesses to escalate. Yep, having a low grade fever for going on 24 hours is turning me into Eeyore ;-)

So what's the forecast for your neck of the woods?

I am really sick ...

Tuesday I woke up with CTS acting up in my left wrsit / arm. So I was wearing my wrist splint to keep it 'still', all Tuesday andyesterday. Earlier this week I had noticed my throat being scratchy, hurting to a degree, but different than if my sinus were draining, etc .. you know how moms are, I shrugged it off ... until Wednesday talking to some ladies at school. I made the comment- "You know my left arm has not hurt like this since I had strep throat two years ago..." then it hit me.

The dr said that strep can aggrivate existing conditions (don't remember the reason) but that was why they gave me the splint to keep the last time I had strep. I told myself day before yesterday I'd better be careful, but what can ya do? uhg

Yesterday my arthritis in my hips were radiating, my were are all 'stopped up' feeling, I was sneezing my head off, throat hurting, and viola- I started running a fever and acheing all over. The CTS wasn't as bad as it was though, PTL

Today I am not any better. Still sick and feverish. My sore throat isn't as sore as I thought it was compared to the rest of my acheing :( I made it through school today though and made a 100 on my computer test PTL

Moral being, PLEASE pray for me! I so cannot miss any more school! If I do I can't go to our ladies prayer advance in a few weeks! :...o(

Chicken Pox?

When I picked Jackson up this afternoon he immediately started saying how his head was hurting. He was quiet all the way home, with our car pool friends in the car. Usually I can't get him to settle down on the 11 mile ride back from school. Then after we dropped the boys off, and run back to mom's to pick up some stuff, I looked back at him and his color was completely drained. Being a orange haired, fair skinned, blue eyed-child as it is, it doesn't take much, ya know. I felt him when we got to moms and no doubt there was a fever. He was allll quiiieeettt. Not like him at all.

I then called his teacher to let her know and she said at lunch he was complaining with his head hurting which she thought was odd, but there have been a ouple different viruses that has been making their rounds around school the past few weeks. I called her because we have a sibling of a classmate who has a rare heart condition and is immune-compromised. Our teacher stays in contact with the boys' parents with what is going on health-wise in the class so they'll be "extra-informed". Not to mention I wanted to get an idea of what work he could do at home while he was out.

It got to be bedtime and he started winding down after playing with Hannah and his new friend LousMarina (sp?) at the laundromat, and the body aches started. Well, I say body aches, he weathers fevers like I do, and it feels like death to me! There's nothing that is right when I run a fever, he's the same way.

Then I thought about my cousin's dd who just returned to school from having chicken pox. They go to the same school, and are in children's choir together. To say the least they're around each other enough for me to conclude it would be safe to say he was exposed to her when she was contaigous. Uhg. I guess better now than ever, huh?

Does anyone have any good tips on how to help him get through this as painless as possible? poor little guy. I always feel bad when he runs a fever because he is so polite, kind, obedient, loving, and I enjoy it ... and then I feel bad like I'm enjoying him being sick or something!

Quiz results, kids conversation, chugging along

Well, I missed two on my Public Speaking quiz from Friday, that left me with an 85. I have two more, no, three? more tests this week in other classes. I'm also doing my first presentation in my public speaking class on friday, too! Our group is presenting the third chapter in the book. You know what's funny is that there's a girl in my group I already had thought about offering a MK facial to. When she complimented me on my purse (MK hostess gift), I asked if she wanted one- she's a consultant! LOL!! She just signed up in late November under a National Sales Director our in Missouri, so I've invited her to join our unit meetings ("adopt" her in). How cool! and her director is awesome, I got to hear her speak last summer and she really spoke to my heart big time.

So here's a conversation that happened at our table tonight:

Hannah: "Look Jackson, I found my ring! Now you can marry me!"
Jackson: "Hannah, I am not marrying you. It's against the rules."
Me (to Jay): "He's been trying to get out of marrying her for a week now"
Jay: lol
Jackson: "Hannah I am going to pick the woman I am going to marry, I'm not marrying you"
Hannah: "But I'm your siiisstterrrr" (because that qualifies as a woman, right? LOL!!)
Jackson: "That's right! and you don't marry your sister. It's against the rules. If you marry your sister, baaaaadddd things happen .... right mom?"
Me: "Jackson, where did you hear this from?"
Jackson: "I just know. Noone told me. You just don't marry your sister."

WELL, I guess THAT settles it!! :p

Jackson gets his report card tomorrow. I'm really excited!!

I'll tell you what. Mucinex WORKS!! While I still feel sluggish to a degree, I know I could be feeling a LOT worse had I not started taking that last night. My throat still feels constricted, and my chest is still tight when I breathe deeply, but it's keeing me well enough to function, and for that I thank my Lord above!! I had to walk to class in 44o light rain, I was really worried this morning. But a few of my prayer warriors got busy and by the end of my second (of four) class the sky was clearing up :o) PTL!!!

Jackson passed his cooties

He still has a nagging cough, but it's just nagging not as deep as it was a few days ago, and went bacl to school on Thursday. Jay and I have picked up the cough, and mine is getting deeeepp. It's turning into that barking sound. I'm going to take some musinex soon- I just feel my bronchial tubes tightening up. The kids spent the night with MIL last night and Jay went down there for the afternoon. I spoke with him a little while ago and he said Hannah was running a fever now. Now we know what that means. That drama queen never runs a fever and leave sit at that. So we have another dr's visit coming up soon, except it will have to be mom who takes her, because I'll be in school!!! Well, I guess I can make an appointment for later in the afternoon, that would work I guess. Who knows. All I know is I'm SICK and I only have 5 hours for each class I can miss. uhg!!! I told my algebra teacher early last week that I didn't care if I was running a fever- I was coming to class if it killed me, lol