Siskels & Eberts

 



Here's this post for ya, Readers. Enjoy.

I love a hooked pillow that was really naughty and would not let me put it on here correctly.  I have NO idea why it is posting on top of my main page. I need to learn about computers.

The colors from the pillow seem to usher in Thanksgiving & Ultimately Christmas!

 (It is from a store called Sturbridge. )

The fall colors seem to lean towards the beginning of the holidays, which for us, is Thanksgiving- in 24 hours. Which means a lot of work for whoever is doing it.

However, here in Idaho it snowed.

 

 

Photo History- a time when it snowed in Idaho that was a stock photo of mine

(then the wind blew and it mostly melted making the lawns a dull, muddy brown color)

 

 

The pillow from above ultimately reminds me of going to my grandmother's on Christmas Eve. 

Which entailed a very scary bridge over the

It was a tradition to drive to Shelley, Idaho. Back then the snow piled high up on the sides of the roads and, if we were lucky, new fallen snow would be spread out over the open farm land and lights from people's homes would have a soft glow.

 

Grandma's Waffle Cookies were waiting for us

 

 

 (I wonder if I will make these this year? I should have started in August like everything else and froze them, then we could)

 

 

 

Where was I?

 

oh, a blog post and throwing out random photos cause it's hard to take new ones right now.

 

I will start the original post.... 

 

 (random stock photo of my little wheelbarrel and shovel with some fall berries. back when I could forage the yard and neighborhood for berries. sheesh.)

Due to technology we can get things easier, faster, and sometime cheaper, and not even know it.

Uuuntil ya get a letter in the email asking you to review it.

ME: "Who do they think I am? Siskel or Ebert?" I ask myself upon opening my email to find a million emails  from no one I know.

They (the companies that you may have purchased from or got your email address was given them from the company you worked with) actually don't care which one of the movie reviewer persons you most resemble, they just hope you will take a moment out of your stressful life and leave a positive review.
Padre thinks that it is heavily one sided as the only reviewers leave bad ones cause they are so mad.

ME: "I don't. I actually do the opposite. If they have good service, are kind and have a quality product that reaches me in a reasonable amount of time; I am letting the world know!"


Also I have the time but often, even if I am too ill to get on here, I  truly desire to give a company a good review, and APPRECIATE a good review when searching for the best quality and bang for my buck, I try to return the favor. For you Readers. And the non readers.

There are times when I delete the emails and go on with my life with my perfect new whatever and thank the company in my brain when it holds out, or up or whatever because I didn't have the strength to give the review.

Taking the time to write one is almost the equivalent to a hand written Thank You note from a wedding or baby shower.  It's that hard to get done. There are a lot of people. And it's hard to remember who is who.

(not a real bird. random shot taken by me some time ago for, yet again, random post moments.)



The moments when some item has let you down can send you rip roarin' to your computer to write the most detailed review possible! To save some unknowing person the hastle of buying something wonderful, which it was- in fact it was so soft and nice to sleep on the first time but then started to pill right after the first wash and then it had to be returned.

Glad I keep receipts.

Thank you, Padre for your example of keeping track of all things purchased. I don't live up to your level, which is almost akin to an art form,  but one day I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.

In today's tech world, it's sometimes harder to do a return than ya think. I keep my invoice numbers and so when I had a need to return an item, I called the company the immediately found the info. and I was excited to get it taken care of but then they said:

 "You will have to take it to our store."

ME thinking to myself: "I can barely walk to the mailbox because of a nice asthma attack after bronchitis and who a body that needs to  be taken to the recyclers. ?

If I could have boxed it up and got all the info. I could have asked a friend, family member, or passerby to take it to the post office. But usually they have you print something off and put it on there and when you see the UPS dude, you wave him down.

So basically upon hearing this information I was about getting the item BACK to the place of purchase. It  is a bit harder.

If you are me.

If you are you and it is hard too, well then you can relate.

 

(The only shot I got of J. and his friend skiing last year. Yeh, the moon- pretty, no?  As we were leaving Kelly Canyon the boys were tearing off wet socks in the car so instead of taking a shot of that stinky mess, I snapped this lovely shot of the moon .)





I have been astonished what has to be done within some companies to return an item purchased online.  *(are any one's feet cold? I am FREEZING. Double sock Day. Hate those. Make my shoes not fit. Especially with ankle braces. Sorry, back to my post...)

Once, I had a Nike customer service rep. tell me the back alley way to returning an item on their website and I was forever grateful to him. Living at home made that easier too. It was only easier cause I could print up something lickety split and get the UPS driver the package the next time I saw him. Which was the next day.

*(just stand outside your house and flag them down as they drive really fast down the road. Wear bright colors. )

So, before it is even Christmas I have had some returns. Heck, before Thanksgiving! However these were not Christmas purchases.

They were items that I had to return because they failed. That's right, failed. After all my research, debating, then "go aheading"- the item failed. ?

 

(This twig has fallen over more times than I can count and I STILL have not put heavy rocks in it.)

This is also cuter in person- the polar bear goes was bought to go along with the book:

 

 The Christmas Wish.

 

I found this ornament and a cardinal to go with each book Madre gave the kids/will give the grand kids this week so they can enjoy the magic all month! I love how

 

"Piggy & Dirt's"

 

 (a shop on etsy and his name is actually Kurtknudsen) 

 

star looks like the frozen, ice cave the little girl, Anja, has to walk through with the enormous, and quiet musk ox. The glass looks like the shards of long hanging ice sickles from the book. I am loving the clear glass stars more than I thought I would!

 And I kinda like the twig I chose for this year's Charlie Brown Twig Tree in my room.

With some dimmed lights on it, it doesn't look too bad.

 

 

 

Buy the book for anyone you know! It is so good! My sister read it last night,  texted me: "this is really cute," and she hadn't even read it to the kids yet cause they had to go to bed pronto after leaving grandma's house.

I swear I am going to be knitting Nordic attire anytime in the next decade!

 

Okay, back to my return story.

So yesterday started with just one simple return, help my grandma who is tougher than me , by hanging something, then be done. Two hours max. Right? Wrong. And that wasn't because it was a long line.

First of all I had to simply hang something for my grandma.

 (More random fall-ish stuff which was a project of keeping leaves soft and supple. They are in some book between wax paper somewhere)

 

Upon going to her home I found that the gift I had gotten her a few months ago, was actually broken a little bit. Well, a lot "a bit." It is a sun catcher. The one that is a mad blue bird. A little chain holds it up. Well the side of the circular glass has a small, soldered part that basically had the strength of cheap floss and it was broken. All this time she has had it and not been able to use it! Darn!

I felt so bad. And she didn't want to put anyone out by asking for help.

Good thing I owned one too, so I could exchange it and hang it using a 3M sticky hook.  Well, the window needed to be washed off first. Actually, it was really clean but she is meticulous and so she had my grandpa shine it up so I could put the sticky stuff on. Then I noticed the thing only held a small amount of weight and it wasn't the see through kind. Clear would be better.  I decided to go to a craft store and get a see through one and maybe some material. Real quick trip, right?

(Grandma's Swing in the Winter Courtesy of my cousin, Karen)



Wrong.
Long story sorta short, I drive to the craft store, grab a ticket so that the long line of people waiting to have fabric cut isn't longer when I decide to get some fabric, and it double the time it takes to get to me  and then I look for the 3M product.

On the scooter.

 



 I have to gauge my ability and cortisol levels for the day's activities and try to make it balance- kinda  like a check book at the end of the day. I make a lot of errors in this little calculation and come up short most days. Which is frustrating to a semi- wanna- be medcial accountant.

But determing what energy to spend and where is hard.  It's kinda like trying to guess what the weather will be like. Well, maybe for a meteorologist back in the olden days.

I am still new at trying to drive these things and there an be obstacles that make it hard.
The craft store, in an attempt to tempt customers to buy wrapping paper, have their displays on the side of almost every aisle. I don't know if they used a measuring tape when they did this but and I can tell you it is hard to do a 90 point turn in a Scooter around wrapping paper, people, and aisles.



(Grandmother's House- where we'd go every Christmas Eve. It waw a little cramped but we all managed to get inside and open a special gift grandma would have found for us at King's in Shelley, Idaho. The butterflies would build as we drew closer to her home; passing big snow drifts and periodic houses lit in the vast sea of darkness and drowned deep with snow. I hated the bridge we had to cross!)


Dear store,

Please know that by putting a bunch of wrapping paper on every aisle, nearly had me in tears by the time you called up #o7 to have some fabric cut. Yes, this gave me time to find more items to buy like a thing to make 'scherenschnitter'



(German for paper cutting. Or paper cuts. I'm sure it happens while paper cutting.  ) to keep J. busy over the break but still.. (They were at 80 on the fabric cutting out situation when I got there. Once it hits 100- they start over.)

Before I was a person who needed a scooter, I didn't think like one, so I didn't drive it down aisles and pretend to not be able to maneuver around things. I just lived my life oblivious to what people who can't do some things can't do. Like drive around wrapping paper displays. So I know that you don't realize how difficult it is for some people. Please move those darn boxes of wrapping paper! Or I won't be able to come shop there. Well, maybe it will be best if I just stay home.

Love,

Amanda



(A ramp outside of Grandma's house that we liked to climb and get in trouble for doing so! ha! Photo Courtesy of Karen,  Aunt Becky's Daughter!)
---

Out of the craft store, with my clear hanging hook and a bit of fabric, I came upon the car to find Jaden listless in fact he was dead! Cause of death: boredom. ! He quickly resurrected and told me:

J: "I was able to clean the whole car out while you were in there. But then the sun beat down so hard and I got hot  just got listless, hungry, then passed to other side."

ME: "Did you see a light? You should have put together the puzzle I brought for such emergency situations!"

J: "well, the light from the sun was blinding me from seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and I couldn't put the puzzle together because you don't have a card table in here. Just a sink."

ME: "Well, put that on the list!"

(more of Grandmother's house in black and white by Karen.)



After I revived him with water and some gummy fruit snacks, and revived myself with some almonds and gummies. Kidding. He actually was sprightly and told me he had cleaned out most of the car like I'd asked him to but the exploded pop can I had put in there for an emergency still needed some detail work. He must know Christmas is around the corner.

To keep him from dying of boredom, I  had him help me with the next return item.

Readers, I was REALLY worried about this one. Everyone is out for the holidays, it is almost Black out Friday.... I had my needed equipment to hold my decaying bones up, but would they have a chair if I needed to sit down? I said the return prayer and headed in with my trusty side kick; J.

*Can I just interject that it is REALLY hard to write a blog post when Padre keeps texting me? He's just upstairs.... and it's way too early to start texting right now.

His text- which spoils the end of my post- "You can't (shouldn't) drive very far on the donut spare, especially the front drive wheels, it's a different circumference."



(How would Santa fit down this chimney? I often wondered when we'd be at Grandma's for Christmas Eve
Me texting back: "Well, how do I get it back to the tire store to be changed." ha! that should stymie him for a bit.

So back to my original post.....

I got out of the car and thanked heaven that it was a sunny day and not slushy snow to drive around in and when I walked into the store I was so happy to see TWO  workers and ONE customer. My prayer was answered!

They helped her then a THIRD worker showed up. She started talking to the worker # 2. I waited. My glasses started to fog.
(Wearing those Ebola suits is so hot!)

*Op! Nope! here is another text from Padre: "That will be ok, just can't over do it or wait a long time. With the holiday and Black Friday, it would be wise to deal with it today and I will help. "

Me: "They don't open til 9. And it's six something."

Padre: "Ya can't be too early."

ME: "I guess I could make some hot cocoa and wait outside til they open."



(Aww- there she is, Readers; my Grandma. The one who put on those waffled cookie Christmas Eves. Thanks, Grandma. Also pictured is the photographer's mom and my aunt, Becky.
***********************************

back to my post.....

So there we were, Readers! No one in front of us, three workers to help us return the sheets that started pilled and looking awful after three washes!

Since I didn't snap a picture, I will try to paint one.

I was standing there with a floral cane. I wore teal with jeans. Jaden had on clothes too. And we stood there. The teen made eye contact then looked around.  I almost stepped forward into the

"You are Now Being Helped Zone"

but I quickly stepped back as no one had yet invited me because the two other workers were talking still about something non-store related.

I looked at J. He looked at me. I made him hold the sheets. Finally, I got the courage and just asked: "Can you help us?"

(This is what Santy Claus had to shimmy through to come to Grandma's house. Lots of memories made round this fire thanks to Grandpa Ed! He'd sit in his recliner and scare us as we ran passed him through the living room, into an adjoining hallway that led into a bathroom and opened up into the kitchen. Where we started the lap again. Much to Grandma's dismay)

Them: startled. They looked at each other and it seemed the teen lost the

 

"who has to help the next customer" war

by virtue of me being closer or possibly tenure with the company.
 I was helped and once I showed the proper identification that I bought the sheets and why I was returning them-
which I told the teen and the teen then read back some options from the computer and we tried to see which option matched .

*******************************************************

Need to rest. So I will just tell ya that we got the hook to grandma's, my Uncle saw that one of my tires was low, I went into a tire shop and found out the good news; one is completely shot and all three need to be replaced. I thought I could get by til spring. Nope. Threw a donut on, and will have Michelin's put on it shortly. I can't wait. Better drive good in snow. Time to put salt back in the back of the car now.

(The door that opened from the bathroom to the kitchen which made the full crazy loop to run and aggravate grandma's nerves (Grandpa just turned the hearing aid down,)



In light of Thanksgiving, I am glad we got it checked out and there wasn't a big blow out somewhere in the middle of nowhere and me and J. weren't hitch hiking along 17th street.



***********************************************************************
Hopefully this will be my last post that I have to lean on other people's photos! I am regaining some strength in areas but we had a set back. The other day while reading I felt heat radiating from Jaden. Wonderful! The next day was Turkey day and that morning he was saying he couldn't make it!

But Readers he rallied back to make it and I followed. That night we read again, a story from the little magazine called: The Friend.  We had quelched his fever with ibuprofen and that Tylenol but there it was again; his body was like a little stove radiating . He was reaching 102 and that was when we wrapped up our reading, got the fluids going and trying to bring it down.

(a dresser we would pass in our track meets around Grandma's house.)



Don't you love sick days over the holidays? Makes it that much more fun!!! All the plans to play with cousins or do something fun, nope. This morning I took him some orange juice and allergy meds and he chirped:

 

"I slept really good! And I don't feel hot!"

I didn't take his temperature and just went about the morning and after
a few hours later he got up for real which was on teenager Saturday morning time and we clocked him in  temperature over 100. No going out to play today! I had gotten him some things do to over the break so I figured we were set.

However,   I have to admit that it was a struggle getting the sheets and bathroom cleaned when I was sporting a low grade fever right myself and getting that woozy feeling. But the mom has to push through! Towels cleaned, windows opened to air out, and disinfecting to be done. Why? So the domino effect doesn't happen!

To be honest, I was almost looking forward to a day where we just chilled. No places to go. Only some down time at home. Why would you want to go anywhere on Black Friday? It seemed like just what the doctor ordered! Except when ya feel REALLY bad.

And then it came..... the much wished for, anticipated event of his whole nephew career; "Do ya wanna go plinkin? " His Uncle asked and his younger cousins were ready to go.

The sick begged and pleaded. prodded. Readers, I hate having to make that call. But I told him no. Later tonight he admitted that I had been right to keep him home and that he had felt he should stay home but he couldn't resist the temptation to go. Wish he couldv;ve felt that earlier when my head was pounding and he was begging and pleading to go.

It's hard stickin' to your guns.

On the plus side I got my sheets changed and read and even written some reviews!!

Christmas Break better not go this way......

Turkey Day

(photo courtesy of Bestmadeco.com)

 

There is nothing like kids getting fevers the night before the holidays!

Bring on the germ family gatherings!

 

More hilarity later!

Answering Crohns Q's/Hawke's Survival, And Pics!

I miss me having a jawline...


Readers,

I am waiting for my body to work so I am doing some R&R (Readin' n Ritin')
So I go to some of the different forums that apply to me and help me not feel sorry for myself. The photo is from a Christmas Past. And I have an amazing sweater on for the occassion. I need a new Christmas sweater. Something about being on prednisone makes appliqued sweatshirts seem cute. It should be included on the side effect list.

 

(sometime after all the prednisone/cushingness set in swaddling my jawline and before the hair had to be cut......)

Okay, switching gears here....

I have touched on the topic of fecal transplant in a post before and I am sorry I have to touch on it again during my relay of different topics some people put out there on forums. I can't believe this one... it used up at least half my cortisol for the day as I shot up in bed in disbelief!

One woman, who said she was, "freed from her prison of digestive issues", caught my eye. Then she went on to say that it was through the fecal transplant. Uh. Not that again. " I thought but kept reading. (This scared me when done in a lab, with a Dr. down in Australia. And I vowed heck no!)

 

(More of Kurt's stars, Lion brand yarn that resembles a Birch tree to me. It hangs on the door but I threw it in here to get the pic taken.  The blue bird was a gift from my sweet grandma when I came home from my mission. Mini mission.  I love to see the sun hit the glass at different times of the day. Now I know why older people like sun catchers. And the sun, for that matter. It's warmer and helps arthritis! All of these you have seen are gifts! So shhh.... I don't think my family reads my blog. Well, the turquoise one is mine. And I have a couple of others. Too, too cute.)

 

(see... how adorable is this?? The matte colors are really growing on me. )



This woman went on to not say that she didn't get on a plane and fly to Australia, but did it herself! And her donor husband donored the transplant material and she broke out of prison!

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 READERS! I know you didn't want to hear that but Oh. my word. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
whew. Okay, I think I can answer some questions now. I hate to see people ask for help and it was years ago. So I am going to through out things to see if they help anyone now.

One young girl, only 24, lives 600 miles from home and is newly diagnosed. She is looking for any advice. I can only feel so sad for her. I don't even know what to tell her.



(This is a blast from the past! Here with friends from HS. I was so sorry to miss the reunion this summer.... I am front to the left and then on the back row are my childhood friends. From 2 on up!
Maren Petersen, McCloud, Cindy Olsen Wheatley Becca Rogers Brown, and Chelsea McClelallan. The Torment dubbed us The Celestial Five. For those who have Cushings- my tears go clear to the middle of my calves. Inner thigh and calves. I never knew how painful it could be. It's hard to see my legs at the height of their abilities and to compare myself to what I can not do now. I am using trekking poles to walk. Or a cane. I just never knew..... My eyes really have been opened to what can happen to the body, what it can endure, and have a gratitude for my belief in a Savior that will one day heal all of these wounds and I will be in my prime. I hope I can be worthy of it. )



I think of myself working in SLC to be closer to the top doctors, living with family friends and still struggling so hard because I had no idea what was going on. It was horrible. Many times I had to take my break in an empty cubicle somewhere, lay my head on the gray desk, and just fall asleep. Freeze and fall asleep. I was always SO cold. My throat hurt with strep or thrush. I never knew to call the Dr. about thrush. I didn't know what the signs of dehydration were. I couldn't keep enough fluids going.....

 

(the first wreath- I believe. All I had was an Amazon box and a burning desire to buy soft yarn from a quaint shop downtown that will teach me to knit when I feel better. That was a few months ago and I wasn't well then either. Eager to do something productive despite setbacks- but not up to learning how to make a sweater yet.)



I also didn't google like today's sick kids can. So being informed is a huge thing. And that can help you out. Remicade saved the day for me after a 3 year flare. And a week in the hospital with a lung infection. But my advice:

Move home? Yes, move home. That is my answer. If you don't live or have a network of family and friends within a two foot radius, you are in trouble and need to get where you have that support net.
So you can get a bit better or be sick and still do this.... coach little league or something.
Before you get worse.

(ME! Coaching! Before I got worse... But I coached and these kids did great! I hope they will always remember it! I recalled my first year of machine pitch! whoa! SCARY! And I recall having a couple surgeries this summer... oh, so painful. And that's when I went for worse to worser. )


Back to answering forum quesitons....

Aww- there is an 80 year old lady, named Peggy who just got diagnosed. She was able to walk three times a week and was an instructor of water aerobics.

(this birch tree slice is really pretty, I think. I am liking the earthy tones this season combined with *******************my yarn obsession and of course the stars!!!! ********



Dear Peggy,

Wow. I haven't been able to do what you are doing for some time now. To have made it to 80..... I can only say that you have done a lot, are in good shape and, therefore, able to tackle this flare of Crohns with a healthy body. You have that going for you. Continue to take care of your bones by taking calcium and remember to get enough protein.

You may have to take up some different hobbies. This may be hard if you have been used to an active life style. Do you like to play card games or read? The public library became my best friend when I developed these problems. Do you knit or crochet? I worked on a bunch of Cross Stitch projects that I thought would end up in my home but they ended up being given away as gifts. They were all stitched with a tremendous amount of arthritis. It kept me moving and setting goals.

 

 

Photo history:  photo of a cute doily that Michele from online Etsy store called: FiberArtCrochet. I glued one of the slices of birch wood from Grandpa's back yard onto it and boom! I love them! Just have to turn them into ornaments to go next to the snowflakes.

(It's a good thing I am only in charge of the humble birch branches and this decorative pine. along with a garland over the stove downstairs! Or I would have had to start making things LAST January.)

 

She only made five white ones. They can be used as coasters too. Hmmm.... maybe I should have her make some more so I can have the coasters as well? She makes other things such as soap holders, body and dish rags- how divine does that sound? A nice bath with a crocheted wash rag?? She is a great salesperson; sends them promptly along with a nice note and how to take care of them, and has a great personality that shines through her impeccable service. She takes special orders as well.

BACk to Peggy's letter...



Now that it is harder to read, I like to listen to music. Sometimes I can read a bit. And, as you can see, I started a blog. I like to journal. It hurts to write now but I need to. I also have to get those Christmas cards going. Do you enjoy writing? If so you could join a writer's group. Too sick? Join one online.

 

 

(So the idea here was to spray paint the darker parts white and wrap them in soft white lights. For our Nordic style Christmas which can only take place on one side of the room! I came into the room after grandkids had been in there and lo and behold- A gift wrapped in gray and red was in the tree branches. I gotta kid proof the basement now. I dont' know if that is possible.

 

 

Peggy's letter cont'd.......

 



Technology is a huge blessing. Text messaging is hard to do when you are arthritic. Apple has ipads that you can text from and not have to deal with the tiny letters. Get your friends to learn how and then you can have someone to talk to when you are not doing well.

Letters are the best. Especially when you don't feel well. So sending them to friends- who I imagine you have some that are young and old by your activity level, would brighten their day.

If you happen to get on some medication that makes your throat sore- remember to take probiotics, tell your doctor, and get the magic mouth wash. I also would order some throat losenges from this place in Italy:


Amazon actually sends them. Yay! But this is where the magic starts. I wish you the best, Peggy. It's hard to see older folks go through difficult health problems. I would find the best doctors, put them on speed dial or next to each phone in the house, stay hydrated!! Pedialyte for children has less sugar and seems to help the best.

Do you like to do any research? Just now, Peggy, I was looking for clear or copper colored mesh to hold my faux fruit onto my garland and I ended up on a site for making your own produce mesh bags. It made me feel guilty. If you feel guilty easily, don't look into blogs about how much waste you produce. (get it? waste/ produce?)

(This one has one of Piggy and Dirt's stars incorporated into it. I had NO idea that thousands of people had the same ideas as me. I thought wrapping yarn around something like a wreath or cardboard was a prednisone thing. Pinterest showed me that I am not unique. With my yarn idea.)

Finally, if you have to go on certain meds do a lot of research and then write everyone who knows you so they will be prepared if you should start blogging or something.

Best,

Amanda

Bundled & Marguarita was Its Name

(Me in years ago during the summertime. Not winter. And not with a Moon Face. I am missing one of my chins here.... Right now my comfy scarf is helping me to get cozy. )

Well, I am finally able to crawl on here and write something about something.

Hmm... I had something on the tip of my fingertips but can't recall it. Let's just say it is a good thing I started to get ready for Christmas, in August. It will take until Christmas for me to be ready for Christmas. It takes me forever to do things anymore. Getting ready. Slow. Making a decision. Slow.
Walking- slow. Unless I slip and then you see some action.

And the camera shots....  it's the usual sob story. I am not feeling awesome enough to pull it out. I know this sounds crazy. But the ocular pressure.... okay, okay. NO more excuses. Well, I will have to be the camera for you, Readers. For now. Just hold on. We are lucky to post tonight.

 

YAY! 11-23 is the day I took some pictures and uploaded rather than take pics from previous posts or from friends and their adventures!

(one of the wreaths I made in this prednisone hoopla sometime back... Yeh, yeh, Someday it will probably be on a shelf at the DI. But I can't tell you how grateful I am to be able to MAKE something- to create

Good thing I started getting ready for the holidays back in July because I knew these months would be hard. Well, they have all been hard. But tapering would be on the table. )



Oh, I grabbed my typewriter earlier to type out my Christmas message and the ribbon is dry. The ribbon needs to be replaced. Guess that's what happens when you own a really old typewriter.
 I will have to find someone who can take care of that ribbon or leave the typewriter for looks.
I sorta liked that it could type out something a few years ago. Has it been THAT long since I wrote upon it?

hmm...
I think I am hitting the pinnacle of this infection. HOwever, my ears are still hurting but it is only day two of the second anti-biotic. VERY CHILLY here in Idaho today. I ended up in flannel jammies, double by socks, and put on a favorite scarf. And waited. Until the chills stopped.

 

(yet another wreath! I had to do something with my hands- notice the birch wood slice? Thanks to padre I was able to try to draw on them with a wood burner. Don't recommend it to people with thin, prednisone skin. We need a new door- Or at least Padre should let us paint it! It would look so much better and be fun. But it would be a lot of work. And he's got lots to do as it is. )

 



I'd told a friend that I loved that point when the Theraflu actually has kicked in, the honey is drizzling down your sore throat and your head, despite wanting to pop, feels that comforted, respite place.
Sure you are wearing outdoor clothing; scarf, knit hat, and your Sorels; but all is well. Right?

Oh, and let's not forget those congested orafices called sinuses in your face. Those are pulsing but at least you aren't in the ER getting fluids, right? Which leaves you plenty of time to read reviews.
Such as some for socks. One lady, whose handle was "sock lover" owned a pair of Smart Wool socks for 7 years, Readers. The name of the sock: Margarita.

 

(Yes, I added an embellishment I had found that remided me of the clipboards J. and I use for homework. I figured my sister-in-law could take it off or maybe just attach some mistletoe?

Look at my felt rosettes! They required the hot glue gun. And I recall some major pain. Can you believe just wrapping yarn around a wreath would blow veins in my arm and wrist? )



Well, I googled them for her and they still make them.... just not on that site. If I can get 7 years out of a sock- heck, that's worth it to me! But I think after all my research, while bundled up in a lot of winter gear and sitting in my chair, Buck, I am going to buy the ' Darn Tough Vermont. See if it holds up to the reviews.

Why?

 

I have to stay warm.

I think that is why I subconciously have wanted to just work with yarn.

My feet need wicking and I need to wear dumb braces. Not on my teeth but my feet. The wind has pretty much melted the snow down, made it so J. couldn't vacuum my car out, and made it seem dreary. Only dreary cause I was so looking forward to him cleaning out the car!

With the snow that fell on us, it felt festive and fun. Sorta. As festive as one can get when you are unable to participate in festive activities. That is why I had the time to take in a review or two.  I need to have J. read to me shortly. He's been great to have around lately. Well, he's been hiring out his services and that means he is wanting to earn money for something.

Prednisone Analogy I hadn't thought of







I read a comment that,  "a",  gave about how prednisone withdrawal and how it felt to him/he

(Prednisone gives one a moon face. This could make ya want to pull your face back like Senatro Kelly in X-Men)

"I felt like I was coming apart on a molecular level. Like Senator Kelly in X-Men when he imploded into a liquid."

Good analogy, "a". Mine was really long with the Everest dealio.

One good thing the Senator could do was squezze through prison walls- which would come in handy if the bars were prednisone and you could escape them that way!

One Way in Which I Feel on Prednisone









Well, I didn't duct tape my hands together, like I mentioned I would do in the previous post, so I was able to try and make a wreath involving a hot glue gun the other day. The day I promised to NOT do anything in order to save valuable energy. (no worries, it wasn't this one I made)

 (Also see past post on my glue gun experiences while being on prednisone. I have paper thin skin due to prednisone- not a good combo. And I haven't had any desire to use a glue gun until my skin was really thin. So the worst time ever to choose this. )

However, having  my hands free meant I could make it more easily to the bathroom the other morning after about three hours of waking up (after just barely falling asleep), taking my prednisone and needing to go but had to wait until my body could get there! Say that three times really fast!

(That is what a prednisone taper can do to you:  Keep you unable to move until you "unthaw". And making run on sentences. )

Once I was moving I knew I had to keep moving. So what did I do?

( I wish I could show you! Can't because taking pictures right now is too much.)\

(11/24 post of Piggy and Dirt Polka Dot Star! Love! And, Yes, I hung all the things you see on my wall. Did I mention I want a drill for Christmas? A light one.)



Besides throw in some laundry, which wasn't smart cause it is heavy and hurts/blows veins but I was desperate; I crafted. Which is another prednisone side effect to those new Readers/Patients, etc.

I took the sliced Birch tree circles (from my Grandpa's tree and the neighbor's next door when they chopped theirs down) and made a small wreath out of it.

How?

Cardboard and the glue gun. Yup, I pulled 'er out. Again. I had to see if it was true about this one wreath a blogger said would be taking a looong time to create a million rosettes and she promised it causing over 200k glue gun burns. Which was the part that sold me; the glue gun burns. Because only doing acts of stupidity can you really achieve the full gammit of Prednisone-ness Bliss. So I tried to make a rosette. I pulled a book from the shelf. Don't worry, it was an old one about Business Law; tore three pages from the index and drew a cyclone on it . Then I cut along the lines, started from the outside in and wrapped it tightly.

This was the part where the firing, scalding, lava hot glue gun came in handy. Guess what! She [the blogger]was right! I burned myself three times and it took about five minutes for me to get it how I wanted it. Which was perfect. So I had and am in the process of making a critical choice. Do I make a zillion of these or just 3? (to go on a gift for cuteness sake)



 I guess I am going to have to expect to finish it by next year's Christmas if I go with the zillion and all the burns. Oh! And now my return button won't work on my computer!That's right, Readers! This laptop has done its best. And is now apparently done. I was even going to share with you what the Survival book said in the first part of his book... (Mike Hawkes) But now I'm too discouraged.

Ah! I fixed it! (this was a few minutes/afternoon later, Readers. That's why I went back and added some stuff up above and I have the return button working.  But now I am too tired to write what he said.  It is evening and I am sure i used up my allotted cortisol just talking to Padre about technology, Nick at Best Made Co. about how axes are made from Appalacian Wood and other cool things, and making sure to drink a ton of water. From a mug. That I spill no less than five times a week in my bed. Because I cradle it to me sometimes and keep trying to push fluids..... I know I should just get my camelbak out but that is annoying to clean when ya don't feel well. ugh.....

If you are tapering from prednisone after a "short burst" be ready for some pain. I know I have told you all this and those of you who are here to see the wreath I made are sick of hearing it.

 Apparently ibuprofen helps. I can't take it cause of Crohns disease; makes ya go into a flare. Which, if you are a Crohns Diseased Reader you also share in this lament. And if you are dealing with asthma/asthma flare it sure would be nice to have the relief to those muscles involved.


**********************************************************************************
It's a different day than above. It's early morning. One of those wake up and feel I made it and find out it is only 2:30, mornings. I have the racing heart. Not the one where you are nervous to run in your relay track event in junior high, but the one where you are just minding your own business and prednisone decides you need your heart to start racing like you were getting ready to get into the blocks for your track and field event.

It makes no sense. Whatsoever. And it hurts. Sure it is handy to have this response before running your race. It may actually help! But it doesn't help when you are given this random trial at least 50 times a day. It makes you have to settle it down. With meditation. Or possibly some yoga. Breathing slowly.

Readers, right now I feel like my legs have been beaten with a bat. I think I need to eat a banana. That bone pain is excruciating. And my feet. And it is sub zero outside. And inside my feet! Why? Prednisone.

Another horrible feeling is while one tries to ignore all this and go about all that, you have this feeling of being pushed forward. Going on fast forward in your brain because of the prednisone. But also this odd feeling of someone kind of pushing you in line and you can't move more than where you are so you are trying to stand your ground with someone trying to push you off balance.

As if you were top heavy and coming down a mountain way too quickly wearing a pack that is way too heavy and being chased by a Grizzly Bear. Along with this predicament prednisone places you in, there is this rushing feeling of what you would like to do. Or craft. Or just set some minor goals like attend Notre Dame. Or fill out scholarship apps when you are already done with college. For now.

(a cute idea from years ago. during the fall)



Once off of prednisone you will look at some of the goals and wonder what you were thinking. Heck, you can still be ON prednisone and trying to eat your dinner from a semi- sitting up and sideways position and wonder: "How did I think I was going to make Thanksgiving dinner when I can't even eat sideways?"

A lot of women may ask themselves that question whether on prednisone or not. In fact, I am sure many women are already developing shingles through out the United States as they try to get ready for Thanksgiving,.

So I am up dealing with things on fast forward. I have looked at several wreaths online and thought how neat it would be to make some along with finish a pillow case along with start a gift for J. out of all his old shirts that he loves and won't let me give to D.I. or those in need because they have sentimental value.

And I hurt in my chest. This asthma thing along with the racing heart is uncomfortable and I can't find a comfortable spot. So I have read some. Looked at the Verizon bill Padre left on my dresser. and tried to start some Christmas cards. I am at a loss of words. Which is why I found that one quote to include in all my cards some posts back because I knew I would be at a loss around this time of tapering prednisone.

The one way I feel on prednsione that I can't get across to you due to the ADD induced side effect, is that it makes me feel mentally s-l-o-w-ed down. Yes, I said I felt like I was on fast forward. But the weird thing is it makes you feel really slow too. Almost as if you have been struck dumb like in ancient scripture or something.



I will do something that someone will say: "Hey! why don't ya do it like such and such!?" And I will sit there like Forrest Gump and blink and wonder the same thing. ESPECIALLY when it is something so obvious and logical. I feel dumb in those moments. Really dumb. Not embarrassed. At least not all the time, but literally dumbfounded. My brain reaches into all its stored memory, grasping for either a word or a phrase or an ability and it. isn't. found.

Talking with people I will come to a word that I can see in my head, but can't say. This really frustrates Jaden. I have to point at it or describe it like a game of charades. Or use this, that, and thing a lot. Which frustrates me. And I am forgetful. I will flip a time of an appt. in my head. Or the spelling of a word. Over and over. Phone numbers or addresses I once knew; gone. Off by the last couple digits. This happened to me when i worked as a broker years ago.

I started to notice I would have a form of dyslexia but with numbers and flip them. Usually in the last four. Is that not weird?

The feeling that I hate the worst is knowing that I won't be able to do what I have been doing. Soon. I will go back from being able to walk, write, read, or whatever and be in my state of inflammation before I was put on the prednisone. I won't be able to accomplish the goals I wrote down for myself when things were chipper on prednisone. Or the ones I wrote before this disease took its hold.

Which brings me to the fact that Time is important. And I realize that I actually have all the time I need to get done what needs to get done. The universe just works that way. After a few years on this trial I have come to see that there is a greater picture than the one I have painted for you.

 



Yeh, I may have to give up some things that would have been nice to do or have, but eventually, in the end, I will be compensated for it. Already seen it happen in my life over things I thought for sure would not resolve themselves and then they did. Many years later on some of that. But they did.

I know that my legs have felt this horrible before. That I have been very weak and unable to walk but slowly over time I regained this ability. Usually it isn't on my time table but I did. Heck, I was able to shovel a side walk a few years ago! (wait- I was on prednisone when that happened so technically it was with the help of prednisone. But still!) I guess I didn't realize the prednisone would stop "working." That the adrenals could handle that sort of thing on and off for only so long.

Which is hard to think about right now. There are just some things I want to do..... like go sledding. Or skiing with J. Not just ride in a car up to the lodge and sit and knit (can't even do that right now)
But really SKI! Really get out there and sled down a hill and climb back up it.

(J. is way taller now and doesn't even need help hardly! How did this happen so fast?? Wow. )

So the irony of this evil drug is that despite feeling ancy and my heart racing and ready to go- I can't go. Anywhere. Except here. I can make things and create a feeling and atmosphere for the house and yard and for my son. I can help him with his homework and read. But I can't volunteer. Or sub teach. Or even finish some projects cause I got too many going and left them for Padre to inherit.

Wish he'd inherit this post cause I'm done. bluh. I've got that feeling like you have when you need to sweat out a fever. Maybe next time I will get around to writing from that survival book.

Stayin' Alive

Well, the Survival book I bought J. and I to read has already helped us.

I mentioned in the last couple of posts something about what he said about attitude and not wasting your energy on negativity cause you are gonna need it.

(Picture courtesy of Dan Gregory- say this in your best Irish/Scottish accent then it's fun like the color and look of these buildings.... thanks Dan. When I am sick, art helps me work through it all.)

Now I will just quote it word for word cause his words are better than mine. As are Dan Gregory's pictures. Why? Well, for one he has already taken them and I can just copy past from his facebook page. And 2. They are amazing and I can't hike to those places unless a heli takes me.

(this is really cool, Dan, ......... good thing I can just put his photos in for now. whew. I am tired already cause typing hurts the chest cavity that holds together everything underneath that is not holding together. weird.  I know.)

 

So three or four birds with one stone- you, Readers, get a visual.  Dan's photos area amazing,

 

And that makes it so I can focus on

 

surviving

 

 

and not taking pictures for right now.

 

 Why? It' s D day. Drop day. Yup. That asthma attack and flare I am having we are seeing if I can go from HIGH to the original at the beginning of this week. In two hours I could be unable to lift my head up.

 

So let's get copy pasting shall we?

 

 

(this reminds me of when I threw shot put. I was so embarrased to throw. My bones were giving me havoc back in Jr. High and so I had to stop running the 400. I could throw pretty far so I did that and actually went to state. I weighed 127. One other gal from school, who is not a vet and looks to be leading a very active life style, was strong too and she threw. Thank heavens. I didnt' get how some of the BIG girls could throw so dang far. It's all in the wrist. shh. don't tell.)

 

 

(Dan's shot put at the Highland Games is a rock it looks like. But he has the form. Good job, Dan. If I had never gotten sick, I wonder if I'd have done this..... hmm. dunno.)

 

Oh, and writing Hawke's (the Green Beret who wrote the survival book) words.

 

I would have J. do the typing but he is shoveling off the tramp. Actually sweeping it off, a shovel would ruin it. AndThat's right, we still have the tramp  up cause I thought we had more

 

TIME

 

 before

it snowed. !!!!!!!!

 

 We got DUMPED on in IF this week. Which is fine except when you have a ton of errands across town and everyone forgot to slow down a bit on the first snow fall of the year and some either drive off the road or rear end you. Lots of that happening.

It just takes that first snow fall.......It doesn't look like it will melt any time soon- it's frigid here. Minus something. I put two extra blankets over me this morning cause I ate and that makes my body cold.

And Targhee opens in 5 days J. tells me.
I am getting shaky, Like I drank way too much coffee. Great. I don't even drink coffee.



(cool enamel ware from Bestmadeco.com)

We gotta hurry this post up.

Cause it isn't "mind over matter" in the case of prednisone. You just use up your daily allotment if you do too much. you should have minded matters.

 So ya gotta really pace yourself.

 

Where is that survival book?

* Okay, I found it as I come back to add to the post at 9 pm. I have made it through the drop day. Tomorrow is when it will REALLY be bad. My feet are burning. I can feel the fasciitis pain in a big way. I am grabbing the ice packs. See bottom for page 31 of Hawkes book under the section called:
'Preparation at Fort Living Room.'


 
(gonna need some courage in the next little while. Photo courtesy BestMadeco.com)

 

Welp, J. took it to read somewhere and it is lost in the vortex which is our lives. I just got an email from CEO, Peter, at Best Made Co. (don't worry it is just the computer generated one)

But he said he'd send an email each week to help encourage us peeps to get outside and around a campfire; he'll keep his end of the bargain by making the best products and then he wants to know how we use them. Or use our time.

 

Time is an interesting thing.

 

I recall a time when I had never been on prednisone. Did you know the withdrawal effects are compared to heroin? I remember a time when I learned about drugs and not to do them. So I didn't. Readers, if you are anywhere within the sound of my raspy, Doc Holliday coughing, eroded gastro tract voice: DO NOT DO HEROIN.

 

 

If it is true that the withdrawal is like the withdrawal of that..... you will only find the most painful experience in your life. Prednisone saved mine. The price I get to pay is going through something I was taught to stay the heck away from. It seems cruel, eh? But not really. I owe my life to the small little tablets that some have called:

 

Satan's Tic Tacs.

I laughed so hard when I saw that poster on pinterest for auto-immune disorders. Then I gave it some time to sink in and that just seems dead serious.

 

Tic Tacs are so good. One isn't enough. But if they whatcha- mah- who's--- yikes. That would be- THAT IS

one nasty tasting Tic-Tac. No thanks. But wait! I HAVE to freshen my breath with these babies from now til a loooongg time! Why? Cause my adrenal glands have been on them too long.

 (love this journal)
 

I know none of you young Readers will listen to me say:

 

Stay Away from Heroin! Or Stay Away from Drugs!

You'd say I was a hypocrite or something. Readers, I honestly know that prednisone withdrawal is so painful- it actually causes pain before you withdraw. Bone pain. It eats at the muscles. It does something to the hippocampus.....

 

It hurts. But it helped me stay alive...... how can I hate something that gave and gives me a life?

How can I hate being able to watch my son?

 

Neal A. Maxwell said our last relationship with adversity will be gratitude. Yes, one day I will be grateful for what I go through today. And tomorrow. And yesterday. And the last twenty years of known Crohns Disease.


*Thanks Best Made Co.
 

 

P.S. if you or someone you know or your dog has Crohns- it is different for everyone. And I have been on immuno-suppressing meds that are relatively new for twenty years and am suffering from the ramifications of that.

 

And the rams of disease prorgression, where it is at. I am on a new med now. It was made in Japan.

No one on the net is able to tell you or I yet what it does. Kinda like on the new Spiderman when the guy doesn't know how his body will take blood type of Peter's lineage.

 

Which makes me think of the Cushingoid Syndrome and how my body looks these days. I wish I had a swimming pool of my own so I could go swim. Not cause I am embarrassed of my striaed body. I am proud of those bruises and marks- those were hard earned, Readers!

&&&&

okay, that was earlier this morning too. Before the shock my system took at only getting the dosage I was at 5 days ago. It is so hard to go from something to nothing. It is painful. I am trying to take it a moment at a time.


(Thanks Bestmadeco.com)

Fast prednisone bursts are great at first. I could finally breathe through the horrible lung problem. I was so grateful to have those breathing treatments. I think of all the things that I have suffered and then quickly recoved from was the gift of good Oxygen. It was almost wet to my palette..... I cried tears of gratitude. So glad I went into the ER for help cause I was struggling.

I am praying that I don't run into any problems in the the next 24 hours that send me back as far as the asthma goes.

I have the prednisone headache. I feel a lot of the places that I injured in the last few weeks.
I need to upload some funny pics of the skeleton that we took so I could recall where all I was hurt.
I feel confident in many of the nurses, doctors, P.A.s that work for my good.


(let's give a good shout out to all those back east on White Street who are making things us Idahoans love for the outdoors. When ya can get out and around a campfire. )

One nurse had a son going through being on prednisone and tapering and she just "got it."
I have been blessed to read a bit from other's experiences. No two are alike but we are all human and our suffering hurts no matter where it comes from.

Too tired to write what Hawkes said. I am just going to use that duct tape trick I was planning on using on J. to keep him from snooping out gifts and  use it on myself. So I can't make any more wreaths, ornaments, or write. I just have to lay here and let my adrenal glands remember what to do.