One Step Closer

Last night I tucked myself into bed and watched several you tube videos on managing fibro. I fell asleep. Today the only thing I remember from what I watched is the glaring point that I need to clean up my diet. And something about the benefits of bone broth.  Earlier this week I had an amazing soup from Carrot Tree. Brunswick Stew. Today in effort to use what is in the pantry and freezer (and avoid leaving the comfort of my home) I made a batch of Brunswick Stew with bone broth that Ara had made and stocked in the freezer at Thanksgiving time. If anything it made me feel good inside to actually accomplish something in the kitchen.  And gets me one step closer to cleaning up the diet.

Behind Us Ahead of Us

Raising teenagers is behind us. Lessons learned on all fronts. Lesson 1) you can't really blog about raising teens without spilling the beans and that means broadcasting the good bad and ugly. BUT I didn't want to break confidences and spotlight their struggle to get through those years. So my blog on parenting teens was a bust. My kids turned out better than OK. And I am very proud of them. They each had their own problems and courage to work through those problems. It was hard, but also an honor to watch them grow into incredible adults. I know this journey is not over. They are still growing. Today I became a grandma. Tears fill my eyes. I have no words to describe it. I wish I could be with my son and his wife today, but I was very blessed to have a video chat. And I am beyond lucky that I have a daughter in law that is comfortable to call and share with me.

Curveball

Life has thrown me a curveball.  Since I last left off I was suffering from a sinus infection. The only relief came from surgery. And life rolled along. for most anyway. My life has been consumed with finding answers. I haven't felt like I bounced back from surgery. and test after test has shown nothing. Med after med has offered no relief.  My primary care physician has uttered the word fibromyalgia at two visits. yet hasn't put the actual diagnoses on my problem list. lord only knows what is written in her notes. Its taken two years to get here. At times I felt like no progress was made. Currently I feel like a milestone has been reached. Not that I want to have Fibro, but I am sick of searching (testing and monthly dr visits). I just want  to get to the point of managing  my exhaustion and pain. But most importantly, living and learning how to be the best me through all of this.

wrapped around her little finger

Ara spent $225 on a prom dress.  $225! 
We went to a consignment shop and the very first dress she tried on was drop dead gorgeous with a drop dead price tag.  Unfortunately none of the other dresses even stood a chance.  And Ara said, "let's get it".  What!  If I went out by myself and dropped that kind of cash on a dress I would have caught hell for it. 
And then we headed to the shoe store and the man picked out a pair of sandals FOR HIMSELF.
I almost started crying. 
It's like he's been abducted and some alien altered his personality. 

Third time is a charm

My new favorite ENT stuck a scope up my nose today.  I have a deviated septum, which another dr. told me long ago.  This makes me more susceptible to sinusitis.  He said he saw signs of a lingering infection so I get to be on another round of anitbiotics.  This will be the third round.  I go back in two weeks and if I am still having problems, I get a CAT scan.  And then allergy testing. And then worst case scenario, surgery. 

And not only does prednisone make you fat & grumpy, it also makes the most lovely mysterious bruises. I can't wait to be off this med.

Everything Gluten Free Slow Cooker cookbook

   Meet my new cookbook.  I am trying the Chicken Corn Chowder recipe today.  And came up with 4 more with ingredients that are already in the pantry.  Most of my other favorite slow cooker recipes have the dreaded cream of soup - which is not gluten free. 

Relief in sight

I had an appointment with another Dr., got different meds, a new vaporizer, and a referral to an ENT.  Already feeling better.  Just needed something for the inflammation that advil wasn't touching.