Back to the grind

Spring forward when you go to bed tonight! I do not like Daylight Savings time. But I do like the fact that spring is almost here. This cardinal has been attacking our picture window for the last two weeks.

I am back to work full time, FINALLY! I feel great! My back aches a little here and there, but otherwise I am feeling wonderful.

It was a long road and quite a journey. A journey that I am glad to see the end of. Although, I learned a lot about myself during it. I learned a lot about other people. I guess if I didn't learn anything it would have been wasted time. So it was a valuable journey. I just don't want to repeat it!

I am back in classes and have been working on homework the last couple of weeks. I have a class that I have to finish from when I was sick. I am trying to get the final paper for it finished by the 19th. I am working on homework that is due by Wednesday and then I go to my face to face meeting.

The boys have signed up for baseball. We have signed Tyler up for his FRESHMEN classes. He turns fifteen this summer (ugh!) Caleb turns twelve next month and starts middle school in the fall. I am not ready for all these life changes.

Racing practice starts the end of this month with races starting next month.

It looks like life is getting back to normal. I am glad. I hope it stays this way!

Latest Health Update

I have not updated my blog in ages, well, because I haven't felt like it. Between my surgery in October and getting very ill, I just haven't felt like it.

I figured it was time to give a quick update to anyone who might actually read this to let them know what is going on.

I feel good about my back. Just a little aching, but overall of pretty good.

But, I have been very, very sick lately. So sick that I have lost a total of 25 pounds since my surgery. So here is the latest news and why I finally can update this blog.

I had an appointment with my family doctor this morning to check on my results from my CT scan (they were clear) and to go over my new medication from last week. The timing of the visit was appropriate after feeling so ill again yesterday. As I explained to my doctor, I had finally felt like I was turning a corner beginning last Friday night/Saturday morning, because I was getting an appetite back and then I found myself so sick again this week. I was back to being nauseous and lightheaded (among other symptoms.) My thoughts to him were that the side effects of the new medication were making me ill (side effects of it were symptoms that I was experiencing.) I asked him to remove me from all of my medications except from the one I take for my migraines (and this one was reduced.)

I feel VERY strongly about this. I feel that I need to get healthy using vitamins and nutrition and not medication. I feel that my immune system is weakened and the medication is keeping me sick. I am very low on vitamin D, so he did give me a prescription for it. I also will be taking plenty of vitamin C and calcium.

The other thing is, I am SERIOUSLY dehydrated. We talked about it this morning and because of being so nauseous I haven't been able to eat or even drink the fluids I need (not even water without vomiting.) I have been so sick for so long that it has really caused a problem. As I have tried to explained to several people, when I stand up and move I have a feeling or sensation of "pins/needles" or every nerve in my body hurting but it starts at my head and I almost pass out. I looked up the signs and symptoms of dehydration today and I have every one of them, including one called "head rush" and I am almost at the dehydration level of 5%.

So, to make a long story short, if you see me help make sure I am drinking plenty of fluids and getting my nutrition in a healthy way. I feel very confident that once I am back to being hydrated and non-medicated I will be back to ME :)

Also, I have a follow up with the spine surgeon Monday and I feel that it will go well.

I think that once I get back to normal I will begin updating my blog again and have new pictures and things to talk about. I am really tired of talking about my health!

Chris

Amazing Mckmama Giveaway

Many of you have heard of baby Stellan (who is completely FREE of SVT!!! Praise the Lord). Anyway, his mama (Mckmama) is having an amazing giveaway.

Check out her blog www.mckmama.com and see how you can enter some wonderful photography related materials!!!!!

There are four ways to be enter...go now!!!!

Chris

What are you thankful for?

Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for?

So much to be thankful for and I do not know where to begin. Each and every day I am blessed with something new to add to my growing list that I keep. This is a list that I am sure to “talk over” with God each night. God has been so good to me, but I have struggled with keeping my faith.

After my surgery I figured that after a few weeks, I would be walking pretty normal, off my pain medications, and limited somewhat. What I did not figure was that was not God’s plan for me. Recovery is difficult and long. It will continue to take its toll on me and I will continue to remind myself that it is not my plan. I am along for the ride! I will trust Him, He has my best interest at heart and know what I need, not what I want.

Each day I realize what a wonderful family I have been blessed with. I have a husband that is honestly my dream “guy”. I love him more and more each day and do not know what I would do without him. Now, that is not to say he doesn’t get on my nerves. Ask him, he’ll tell ya, he does. Especially of late. This is when I remind myself how thankful and blessed I am to have a husband that loves me and would do anything for me. He makes me smile, he makes me laugh, he hugs me when I need it, and leaves me along when I need that. He knows me better than anyone else. He is an amazing husband, father, lover, and friend. I know how truly lucky, blessed and thankful I am to have him!


I am blessed with beautiful, wonderful, brat-like “teen-agers”. My two boys are awesome and amazing. They make me proud each and every day. I still have a hard time with the fact that they are mine…I created them. They are half me and some days you can really tell it. I am also blessed with two awesome step-sons. I love them and love to give them a hard time. They are like their father in many ways and in other ways like their mother. They are great boys, good looking, kind, and rotten. I couldn’t be more blessed.

I am thankful for my friends. I have many who would do anything for me. Those that know me know what a difficult time I have had recently and they are patient with me. They understand that when I ask for help it is a very humbling experience for me. I have found a great friend in the most unexpected of places. Each day I am more and more thankful for her and our friendship. God truly is amazing and some days I think he has worked miracles in my life.


For those that spend time with me daily or occasionally, please know that I will one day be happy, smiling, laughing and joyful again. Please know that this is just a difficult time, but I do know I will make it through it. I have put all my trust in the Lord and I know He will not steer me wrong. Please be patient, please know I mean no harm when I get stressed and yell, and please know that I love each and every one of you.

This year is a year of thanksgiving. I am so very thankful for my life and so very blessed. I give thanks for these things and so many more.


Enjoy your day because I plan to enjoy mine!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Photo of the day

Need I say more?

True love at it's best!!!

Cameron

I can't take credit for taking this picture but I edited it last night. I wanted to share the before and after. I learned how to do the side by side layout from Mckmama (www.mckmama.com) - so excited to share it to. Most of what I did in the editing I learned from reading her blog!


Enjoy (hopefully you can click on the pictures to view it larger) - cause it looks pretty cool bigger :)

Blessings to all,
Chris

Quiet time

I have been a little quiet since finding out that I finally got my surgery approved for the end of this month. It's not because things have been quiet, trust me, not my house. It's actually for a few different reasons.

We have been quite busy in our neck of the woods. There has been classes to attend, homework to be done, food to be made, dishes to be cleaned, laundry to be washed, folded, and put away, counters to wipe, tables to dust, kids to clean, races to attend, games to play, meds to take...you get the picture.

Tyler and Caleb have both received clean bills of health. Caleb has one more doctor's appointment in November to be sure his wrist is continuing to heal the way it should. He is cast free and able to do as he chooses.

My husband finally finished roofing our barn. It wasn't his most pleasant task but he did it anyway. It is typically of our life, as soon as he pulled the roof off, it began to rain. It rained for several days before he could get back up there. While roofing the barn, my step-father-in-law fell and shot himself in the leg with the nail gun.

I have finished two classes and another one finishes tonight. That leaves me with just two classes left for the semester! In January, I am going to start our degree completion program for my bachelor's degree. Nursing has been put on hold momentarily!

My surgery is schedule for October 27. I have been trying to not get to excited about it after the disappointing news in September. I am terrified that I am going to get a cold, the flu, or something worse before then and have to have it postponed once again. With all the flu going around it is completely possible. I need to stay healthy for one more week!

We had a great weekend. Fall break for AU was Friday and I enjoyed my extra day off. Spent time sleeping, visiting the eye doctor, and generally not doing anything. Saturday we raced and Sunday we cleaned. The boys played flag-football in our side yard and then decided to play some kind of dodge ball (with a busted ball) and our dog.

It's going to be a busy week, getting things ready before my sick leave starts! Lots to do and lots to learn! Enjoy your week!

Tyler taking a break from "dodge" ball

Tristan eyeing a "victim"

Caleb thinking "seriously!"


Logan laughing!

Caleb and Tristan playing tug with Tasha!

Glen and Tristan checking out the new iPod

Ricky "Booby" better watch out - Tristan's coming for him!

Check out Ricky Bobby...loser sign for someone!

Ricky chasing Cal!

We are stupid (or die hard fans)...standing in the cold for racing!