tummy ache

My tummy is not feeling so hot. I have been up since 3:30 with a terrible stomach ache. After 2 years of near constant stomach aches I have finally started to piece together what kinds of food to avoid. One is salads. A small one is ok, but when I eat a big one like one that would be an entire meal, I am in misery. One of the other culprits: onions. Well, I had a cheese and onion enchilada for dinner... And, this has to be one of the worst ones yet. I am just glad it's dreary today. I fully plan on sleeping this bad boy away. If it was sunny out, I would feel incredibly guilty for being so lazy. And, honestly I think I could handle the pain, if I only knew if I was gonna blow chunks or not. I really feel like sending my tummy a note-

Am I gonna throw up?
Circle
yes or no


P.S. I really wish I still had my appendix. Things were so much simpler then. Read all about it here.

Oh no!

Jon has some terrible illness (a cold). Basically he is on his death bed. He skipped work, so it must be really bad.... Pray for me- I mean him, so we can both get through this ASAP! Basically I am going to be doing the work of 2 people. I already do anyway, but you know what I mean. It's like having another child. I am off to run errands and will likely stay gone until the kids get home. I want him to be able to rest comfortably, and the moaning is a little much for my ears. Hope y'all have a pleasant Monday, if that's even possible...

P.S. Nyquil works wonders for snoring. Who knew? I suspect it's the large amount of alcohol.... If I didn't think he would become addicted I would suggest it every night!

I know, right?

Yes, I know- it's about time I posted. I am not gonna give you the same old song and dance of nothing going on to blog about, I am sure you got that memo. I mean really, if I had something bloggable going down I would have been on here 4 days ago. So, today you're getting an all for one. Um-kay? Can you keep up?

So far I have been spared the worst of the stomach bug (crossing fingers) but I have been plagued with one heck of a nasty cold. I actually dusted the other day, and shortly thereafter I started sneezing uncontrollably. Like, I almost wrecked after a sneeze attack. I am not exactly sure if it's a cold or from dusting. Nothing I am doing is providing relief, which has made life unpleasant. Sleep is out of the question. If I lay on my back my nose is plogged. If I lay on my tummy, I drip on my pillow. I have spent a fair amount of time with a kleenex jammed up my nose. What? It helps me breath. Plus, my nose is RAW- like hamburger meat.

I am sure those of you that have been reading for awhile are wondering about my weight loss. And, I have an explanation. No, I haven't gained my weight back. Around the holidays, I gave myself a break. I wanted to be able to enjoy all the yummy goodies that Christmas brings. Thankfully my scale hasn't budged, my clothes are still loose, etc. I am actively shopping for a treadmill (ok- internet shopping) and I ordered a few workout DVDs. I am getting back on the bandwagon, as soon as I can get all the snot (where does it all come from?) out of my system and off my face.

I am sure you've noticed the lack of pictures lately. You know I've got an explanation. My computer has been pretty wonky lately and I can't get my pictures to transfer from my camera to my computer. It takes about 5 trys and lots of curse words. And frankly, I am just too lazy to bother with it. Sorry, maybe someday I'll have it figured out...

I have seen lots and lots of movies lately. There are a couple that were good- Marley and Me and Bride Wars. There was one that was really good and really cute- Hotel for Dogs and then what has to be hands down one of the best movies I have ever seen- Gran Torino. If you can handle rough talk and some salty language, don't miss it. Really. It was soooo good. I laughed so hard and cried, big giant sobs. No, it isn't for everyone. But, I am seeing it again soon. I have this snot issue that's keeping me out of public unless food's involved.

And, speaking of watching things, 3 of my favorite shows all premiered in the last week. Big Love, American Idol, and LOST! All I have to say is, all 3 shows look like they are gonna be so good and I am just darn thankful there is something to watch. Literally there has been nothing to watch on TV, so I have been reading. Don't laugh but I have been reading the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. I have read 3 of them since Sunday and may be taking a little trip to Half Price Books to get 2 more. If I can find a big enough box of kleenex for the journey.

I hope this post will tide you over til later. I will be back on after I have worked up the energy to scan some photos. Somebody in our house is having a birthday.... I won't say who, but I am sure you can guess when I say- it's a boy and he's officially making the big leap into the crazy world of being a TEENAGER!!! OMG, somebody help me!

Heaven help me!

I am not sure I can handle this again. Chloe threw up. I am PARANOID about vomit. Especially when it comes out of me. I feel terrible for my children when they throw up, but I feel more terrible for me. I have a MAJOR phobia of vomiting. So much so that I sleep with a bucket or tub next to my bed and even keep one in my car, just in case... I am still hoping and praying that my super mommy immune system will kick in and I will be saved from hurling. I was feeling pretty good about it being a minor episode and then she went and puked again. I have been nauseous since the first time at 7:30 and I made toast and soup for dinner, just in case... Basically I got the worst stomach bug (the Ethan virus) of my entire life when Chan was a baby. It literally took me one month to eat normal food and feel better. I have been traumatized ever since. The one we got last October came close to being just as bad as "the Ethan virus". My mom and I named it that because it was at my step Grandpa Ethan's funeral that we both started feeling sick. Man, it was bad. I don't ever want to feel that way again. So, pray for me. I am completely serious. Thank goodness Jon isn't squeamish about barf and has been helping Chloe. Man I love him.

Poor Chandler

So, just the other day I was thinking there was nothing to blog about... and then Chandler got sick. He came home from school Wednesday and he didn't look so hot. Pale, disoriented, thirsty, clammy, weak. He needed help carrying his backpack into the house. I grilled him like nobody's business, trying to figure out what was wrong. He told me he felt pretty bad and that he had collapsed at the end of his workout in athletics. Apparently, the coach is already pushing them hard for next year. He wants another National Championship in football. Anyway, Chan gets the shower going (it's his comfort zone when he's sick) and then I hear him barf at least 3 times, maybe more. At that point I was in a fit of hysterics, vomiting scares me and literally makes my skin crawl. I quickly pass out those sterile blue masks to the kids and start spraying Lysol, just in case. Chan gets out of the shower and into bed. I make dinner as usual and he wants to eat, so I let him. I had made homemade chicken noodle soup/stew stuff and it was bland. Plus, he has an iron stomach, normally. He had already kept down several LARGE glasses of water, so I didn't see any harm in it. And, he did manage to keep dinner down. I kept him home yesterday anyway, just to be on the safe side. Since then, he has been getting an occasional headache, body feels weak, and a scratchy throat, but otherwise seems better. Jon took him to CareNow for me last night (he slept all day) and after three hours he was diagnosed with: a sinus infection. So weird, I still don't know how a sinus infection could have caused him to react that way. Honestly, it's still a mystery to me. I don't know if his school lunch made him sick or if he was experiencing dehydration or heat exhaustion or what?? I am still scratching my head and waiting to see if anyone else gets THE MYSTERY VIRUS.

Just another crazy day...

So, if you read my blog on a regular basis you know we have had our fair share of weird illnesses, broken bones, etc. Well, today has been no exception. Chloe woke up with her eyes swollen shut! She had a few small bites near her right temple and on her shoulder. So, we went to the urgent care clinic since it's quicker and closer. And, they aren't sure what she's allergic to, but they are fairly certain that whatever bit her, her body didn't like it AT ALL! Not only did she get a big shot in her butt, she also barfed in their sink. Lovely... I have her home now, dosed up on Benadryl and hopefully she'll be all better soon. I, on the other hand am on a mission to rip apart, search, and scrub her room (especially her bed) to see what the culprit is. If it's spiders I am setting fire to her bed and then we're moving back to the 'burbs. I will keep everyone posted. Gee, I didn't think I would have anything to blog about today. I have included a picture of her today and one a month or so ago, just so you can see how dramatic the swelling is. Keep in mind that it has gone down considerably.

Nearly 3 hours after waking up, swelling is half what it was

 

What she's supposed to look like

 

P.S. Don't ask me why, but she is always saying she wishes she was Asian... now, she has changed her mind. I told her the swelling was from too much time on the computer, she halfway believed me.

I have strep throat

I am in a TON of pain. I am weepy.
The end.

In a nutshell

Lots to say and not alot of time, I have a softball game in an hour.

So, here's the deal:

My bad news was about church. They changed the boundaries in my ward. So, after finally getting to know a handful of people I am being sent to a new area. I had a really hard time fitting in and felt like I had started to belong a teeny bit. I guess the hardest part was Sunday. I honestly thought more people would care that I was going, but no. I had five whole people say they were gonna miss me. I shouldn't have been surprised. I kept to myself and almost always went alone. I kinda feel as if I had been a more important figure in my ward, Sunday wouldn't have been a huge disappointment. But, I am not sad or mad anymore. I am excited for yet another new adventure. And, just a little side note: only me and ONE other person are leaving...

Next order of business, sickness. This is the third week in a row that I have had a sick kid at home. First Hunter had fever and a mild sore throat 2 weeks ago, last week was Chan and the "rash debacle". Now, it's Hayden. He has been running fever since yesterday morning. It has never gone below 99.5, so today they were able to squeeze us in for an appointment. And, he has strep. My poor baby. He was right, this is the sicko time of year. So, he is home with me til Wednesday. He even asked me if I would take a nap with him today. He hasn't done that in 3 years. So we napped, and I must have been super groggy when we cuddled and he kissed me on the lips... Crossing my fingers that no germs jumped off his lips and onto mine!

And, last but not least. Weight. I am hovering at anywhere from 15.5 to 16 pounds lost. Which really annoys me. I can notice a slight difference, but I want more. I have zero motivation. Things have just been so busy lately. My eating is fine, I am just not exercising. I am really not sure what to do? I keep saying I am gonna go for a walk or bike ride with Jon each night. But, the DVR is always calling my name. Loudly. It also bugs me that even though I know I am doing better, to the "world" I am still the fat chick. I really shouldn't care what other people think, but I do. I wanna be the hot mom, not the fat mom with the big butt.

Fungalitis

So, Chandler has a condition. What started out as poison ivy has turned into one heck of an infection. A staph one to be exact. He hasn't been to school all week due to constant itching and weeping (oozing). Gross would be an understatement. I took him to the Dr. AGAIN today, and they were speechless. It really looks bad, and he's in alot of pain. He woke me up at 2:30 this morning asking for Vicodin. "Sure honey, just grab one out of my purse." Like I really have those on hand. They swabbed it and sent it to "the lab" for testing. If it doesn't clear up considerably by Monday he is gonna have to go see the infectious diseases specialist, stat. For now he is on antibiotics, oral and topical. Plus, lots of Advil. I am praying it will clear up fast. Obviously I don't want anything to be wrong with him and he doesn't need to miss anymore school. That child, I tell you what. In the last 18 months he has had: 2 ingrown toenails removed, surgery to remove a ping pong ball sized cyst from his neck, and a broken tibia and torn ligaments in his ankle, which equalled 2 surgeries. So, after this I am going to have him placed in a large protective bubble. And, I am including photos. They are really graphic. So, don't scroll down if you are squeamish.

On being sick

The last 4 days have been so blah. I never imagined a low grade fever on Thursday morning would drag on and turn into a sinus/ear infection/sore throat. And, that the meds I was prescribed would make it impossible to hold food down. The sinus pressure, dizziness, headaches, and dry heaves have been no picnic either. I have been on the couch or in bed forever. My only comfort has been from taking long baths or sleeping. Daydreaming I was at the Cure concert with my sister Kelli helped a little. Until I woke up and realized she was really there and I was not. It's funny how it seems as if the entire world is passing you by when you are ill. Not fun. I always swear to my sick self that as soon as I get better I'll never be lazy again. I imagine myself healed and once I am healed I cook amazing dinners every night, the house and laundry are never behind, I find time for exercise, my hair and makeup are always perfect. Alas, those things probably won't happen. But, anything is better than being sick. I am so thankful that aside from constant tummy problems, I am fairly healthy. I am not sure I could handle more than the occasional illness. I have slept so much the last several days. The thought of going to bed each night when my family does, drives me insane. Being in bed so much is not normal. Bedtime comes too soon. I have been able to watch some good movies from when I was a kid: What's Eating Gilbert Grape? and Stand by Me. I highly recommend both. And, who knew roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and Sprite from Boston Market could taste gourmet?

Take 2 of these and call me in the morning

I am not exactly sure what is wrong with me but it sucks. I have the worst headache ever and my fever keeps climbing. So weird how fevers rise at night. I am not as weak, thankfully. I have to tell you though I have a new best friend: Vicodin. It's amazing what 2 Vicodin, a warm bath, and a new magazine will do when you are sick. It's almost blissful... almost.

Summer Fever

Last night was probably one of the most unpleasant nights I have experienced in a long while. I couldn't get warm, I couldn't cool off. I kept thinking it was the goose down throw we have on our bed. Then I thought it was the fan on FULL BLAST, thanks Jon. I was so shivery. I got up at 5 to go potty and knew the minute I stood up that I had a fever. Yuck! My legs and arms are weak. I have one of those awful fever headaches. I don't really feel bad anywhere else. I just have no energy at all, and no pain killer can dull my headache. My fever was 101.6 and then went down to 100.3, thankfully now it's gone. But, the other ickiness remains. I had to miss Hayden's water day party, and we are supposed to meet Chan's half brother tonight. I really hope I can get well soon... What a great start to Summer Break!

Man Flu and other maladies

To say our house resembles an infirmary would be an understatement. I am the only person in the entire house who isn't ill or under the weather. Yesterday no one went to school, Jon skipped work sick, and Chandler had surgery. Hunter has a scratch on his eye so bad he can barely open it, Jon has Man Flu complete with a fever of 103, and Hayden and Chloe have a horrible cough, also accompanied by fever. So, yesterday started out lovely...I had gone to bed at 2:00 in the morning on Sunday (I watched all of my recorded shows, while pouting about my dreadful Mother's day and anniversary) and was awakened by Jon at 5:30 telling me he was too ill to take Chan to the hospital. So, I got ready and off we went. Jon and the kids slept in, waiting for me to call with the hopes of a doctor appointment. Luckily I was able to get them one, and Jon would have to do breakfast, clothes, driving to the doctor, etc. all the while suffering from Man Flu. Basically all the stuff I do regardless of my physical or mental state. So, while they awaited a wake up call from me, Chan and I just waited. We were told to be at the hospital at 7 for what would be a "30 minute procedure" to have his screws removed. That simple procedure turned into waiting our turn, lab work, meetings with 3 nurses, the surgeon, and an anesthesiologist. That was before surgery!!! He finally went under at 10 in the morning. I sat in the waiting room, answered THEIR phone, and ate Cheez-its, Sprite, and the Hershey bar I got at church for Mother's day. Yummy! They finally called me at 12 to tell me I could see him and that surgery went fine. But, he had to come out of the anesthesia and pee before we could leave. After being unable to produce any urine they let us leave at 2:15 with the promise that we would come back for a catheter if he hadn't gone by 7. We finally got home at 3, and I got busy. I got rx's filled, grocery shopped, cooked TV dinners, and dosed up my family. Chan is on Vicodin, Jon is on Ny-quil and Vicodin, Chloe and Hayden are on antibiotics and cough syrup, and Hunter needs eye drops. Of course being a man, Jon is suffering the worst of all. I don't know if it's in their biological make up or what, but men are wimps!! In his defense he does seem pretty ill if not a little melodramatic. And, I am proud to say that Chan finally went potty and the little kids are back at school! So, today I can finally do laundry, dishes, errands, etc- yay! Hopefully everyone is better soon and things can go back to normal. I am also putting in a formal request for an anniversary and Mother's day do-over since mine was pretty blah. We had Whataburger for dinner and I went to church alone while everyone laid around in misery. If all these yucky illnesses could go away that would be an awesome gift.

P.S. Chloe ended up having a sinus infection, Hayden has an ear infection, Hunter has an abrasion on his eye, and Jon has Man Flu, which is apparently so bad you never want to catch it. Here's a funny clip as proof.

Mono?

Back at the beginning of April Hayden had a pretty bad sore throat. He tested negative for strep throat, but his Dr. treated him with Amoxil anyway. She told me if it didn't go away that we would test him for mono. At the time I was scratching my head thinking that kids his age don't get mono. He did feel better for about a week and then never mentioned throat pain or anything. Well, the other day I went to grab his face (near his chin) to turn it up to mine for a kiss and he burst into tears. He said his neck hurt really bad. His glands were huge and hard as rocks. I took him back to the Dr. yesterday and she prescribed Augmentin and ordered blood work to check for mono. Let me tell you, seeing your kids get a shot is small potatoes compared to seeing them get blood drawn. He was terrified! I felt so bad for him. I sat him on my lap and whispered in his ear and hugged him tight. I kissed his little ears and promised him ice cream and stickers. He cried so hard, huge tears that landed on my foot and ran down between my toes. I had to bite my lip to keep from crying myself. I didn't want him to see me upset as well. Thankfully it was over quick. He was pretty bummed until we got to Braums and then he was all better. Now, we are waiting for his test results. I am convinced that we have both been suffering from it. All the yuckiness I have been feeling are classic mono symptoms. Evidentally it hits people differently and takes as long as 2 months to feel 100%. There were days about a week and a half after his sore throat first showed up that I was sure I was gonna have to go to the hospital. Thankfully I am feeling better, and Hayden seems fine except his neck is a little sore. I am very anxious to get his test results. I will keep everyone updated.

The latest...

So, I have been feeling a little under the weather and have really not felt like blogging. Maybe you've noticed? There hasn't been alot to blog about. I am headed to court in the morning to haggle over paternity and child support with Chandler's real dad. Should be a slammin' good time. Especially since I haven't seen him in 17 years or spoken to him in 9 years. As a matter of fact he's never given me a single penny. So, I have been a little stressed about that. Add that to the mystery illness I have been suffering from and blogging is the last thing on my mind. But, I'll be back to to it in no time. Spring is well under way and I am so excited. Plus, the masterpiece that is currently being created in Hunter and Hayden's room is surely worthy of a future blog post. Have a groovy Tuesday!

Ashley's crazy evening

All day today I have had that "blah" feeling. You know the feeling where you are nauseous, tired, shaky, headachy... Just plain blah and you don't quite know why. Well, I have a major phobia of vomiting and steered clear of food most of the day since I wasn't sure what was going on. I went about my day as normal but by 1:30 was pretty hungry, so I ate lunch (chicken). I got the kiddos home from school and began to get ready for tonight's BMX race to be held in Desoto. We were not down the street from our house when I started to feel the inevitable blow chunks, toss your cookies, pull over now feeling. I managed to stay calm and was able to make it all the way to Grand Prairie, which is a good 30 minutes from my house. At approximately Great Southwest Parkway I started to get super panicky and was sure I was gonna die. I immediately called my parents and arranged for them to pick me up not far from their house so that Jon and the boys could head to the race track. My mommy picked me and Chloe (and her icedream with chocolate syrup) up at Chick Fil A. We made it to their house with my stomach contents in place and Chloe's ice dream down her leg and on my parent's floor mats. So, instead of going to the races, Chloe and I hung at the parent's casa for 4 hours while the guys raced. It was just so weird and out of character. I love my parents dearly, but rarely go hang out without my hubby and kids. We watched TV, made grilled cheese sandwiches, talked, and the ultimate highlight: a search and rescue operation for 1 calico kitty named Patches. She was nowhere to be found and we were starting to get worried. We eventually found her burrowed inside a box spring in the spare bedroom. While we did have a good time, I wish it had been under better circumstances. I still feel HORRIBLE and am not sure what is wrong with me??? Some weird virus or something. More than anything I am very weak and tired. Very odd... I was able to eat some honey toast and a few sips of Sprite, but you can guarantee that I will be sleeping with a bucket for the next 3 weeks. Totally normal for someone with emetophobia.

Movie Watching Spree

I have had a headache since yesterday afternoon, and now bodyaches. I sat up until 4:00 this morning with a bucket, afraid I was gonna barf. So, I am not sure if I have the flu or not. No chills, no fever. Needing something to distract me, I got onto my DVR list and to my surprise all 7 of the movies in the Love Comes Softly series had either recorded or were scheduled to record on the Hallmark channel. At 7:00, Hayden and I started the first one and he lasted all the way until the middle of the second one. I myself watched 6 of them, and I am gonna finish the last and most recent one after the kids go to bed. I really enjoyed them immensely. I am not embarrassed to admit that I am a Little House and Anne of Green Gables fan. As a matter of fact, I think I would gladly leave all this behind and take my family back in time to the Old West or out on the wagon trail. Yes, I know life was hard back then. But, it was simple, and beautiful, and innocent. Not, the hustle and bustle crap we live in today. No power lines, no pollution, no global warming, no cars, or stores everywhere, or fast food. Just simple people trying to make their way in the world. Now, if I did get to go back in time. I wanna be like the movies I saw: pretty dresses and a smidge of make-up. I'm still a girly girl. I could try and plow the fields or make bread, I would just need an extra lacey bonnet or some ribbons on my boots or something.
P.S. if anyone is curious about a birthday gift for me, I'll take the Little House or Anne of Green Gables series (books) please. I never owned many of the Anne books, but I did have almost all of the Little House books. I don't remember what happened to them.

*B*L*A*H*

Ok, so I feel like such a loser today. Hunter's fever is back up, which totally sucks. So far he doesn't seem as sick as Hayden was. His fever is hovering at 100.9 and he has a pile of dirty kleenex next to his bed that could fill an entire pillow case. Hayden is doing much better. He has been singing, running around, and wrestling with Chloe. He still isn't his old self though, as he lays down to rest on his air mattress every so often. Chloe and I are both feeling yucky, but so far no fever. Just sneezy, coughy, exhaustion, and tummy aches. It just isn't cool that they got sick to begin with. As a mom, of course I want to protect them from everything. I know I can't totally stop the flu. I am feeling bad because I chose to skip the flu shot this year, because of money. Having no health insurance is not a fun place to be, I feel as if I am failing my children. I hate the fact that it is beautiful today and we are oblivious to it, we are all laying around trying to stay comfortable. You should see it here. Chloe has her little cocoon on the couch, Hayden has his blankets on an air mattress on the living room floor, and me and Hunter haven't really left our beds. I ventured out once to get a giant Coke from Chicken Express. I kid you not, I was halfway home when I decided to take a sip and it was freaking sweet tea! Yuck! I was so pissed, but too tired to go back. So, now I am just playing on my laptop and I have eaten a million watermelon Jolly Ranchers. I even got so bored I created a playlist for my MySpace page. That has been the highlight of my day, listening to old music. If I can get my tummy to feel better soon, we are gonna try and take a walk. The sunshine will probably do us a world of good.

Myersville Medicine Shoppe

Just thought you'd like to see a photo of our kitchen counter. Wow!

Grreeeaaattt...

Hunter has a fever of 101.7!