2013 has started out pretty busy and hectic-so I decided to take 90 minutes to my self today and enjoy a much needed massage. It was so nice and relaxing I'm sure I left a puddle of drool under the table. I asked for 'firm' pressure, because while I was on chemo, I couldn't have it-and this girl knew what she was doing. I'm only hoping I can avoid getting sick in the next couple of days. It seemed over the last year after every massage, as all the toxins are leaving my body, I would get a little under the weather for some reason. I really push the water, and have had NO SWEETS today at all-even when my husband tempted me with Haribo Gummy Bears. Be strong. I told myself. and I was!
We are beginning a healthier regimen around the Rawley household this month-and this one's going to last. I was shocked last weekend when I realized the little junk food I had bought for stocking stuffers and the soda we had in the house for holiday gatherings was all gone! In 4 days time my kids ate 4 boxes of pop tarts, 18 choco-granola bars, a 3lb bag of gummy bears, a pack of twizzlers, and drank 14 sodas. Seriously. Parker is the bigger culprit, as I found most of the soda cans in his room. So instead of locking up the food, now that it's all gone, it's not coming back in the house. My last grocery trip brought home spinach, carrots, apples, celery, broccoli, cauliflower and NO SUGAR CEREAL. I was being lazy-cause that's really the only reason-and buying the kids the big bags of Malt-o-Meal cereal because I wanted them to have breakfast food. Well, that crap is not food, and my grocery bill is much cheaper when I don't buy it at all! I made some spinach/egg cups the kids just have to microwave, organic oatmeal, and some pumpkin muffins-without the oil. That's breakfast food. We've eaten at home every night since New Years, and it's amazing how much healthier we eat when we take a few hours each week to plan out a menu and thaw out food. And how much money we save. New concept, I know, right? Brian is making carnitas street tacos for dinner tomorrow night, and my mouth is watering just thinking about it! I've pre-made a meatloaf for Wednesday, then it's chicken Thursday and guiltless burrito Friday. I'm down 7 lbs since NYE, and plan to be down a lot more this year. As long as my knee cooperates.
Brian is still working PM's at Shoal Creek, he likes it well enough, it is nice for him to come home for dinner during the evening. Even with me working nights, we can still almost always eat dinner together. He has been asked to take a couple of other positions within the PD at other stations, but can't be let go right now because of how short they are at his station. It's frustrating, as this most recent one is #4 he's requested, and been turned down. On a positive note, one reason his command staff isn't letting him go is because of how well he does his job, and they don't just want a 'warm body' to replace him. It's nice to be needed. Frustrating, but nice.
Hailey's club VB season starts very soon, and her team is pretty awesome looking this year. I really like her coach and her assistant coach has worked with Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor (of the US Olympic Women's Beach VB Team, yep!) and is really focusing on conditioning these girls. One thing that lacked on her team last year. The girls were pooped by bracket play and fell apart from fatigue. That and healthy meals-some of the girls were popping 5 hour energy drinks at tourneys last year, and I don't go for that. Brian and I are not energy drink people, and we definitely aren't going to let the kids be. Protein shakes, yes, Red Bull, no.
Parker is, well, Parker. We are having some struggles with him. Though I'm hearing no different from any 13 year old boy. Just very frustrating. I am constantly having to ask him to do his homework, practice his saxophone, shower, brush his teeth, change his clothes, only to find out he hadn't been. He's very withdrawn, and not extremely social, and that concerns us. We can't seem to find that one thing that he loves, though not without lack of offering him sports and extracurricular activities, etc. Brian is putting his new golf mat down in the basement this week on his days off and they are going to work on his swing and get him ready for spring. He did tell me tonight he wants to go out for track this spring at school, and I'm really excited to hear him express interest in something! He said he's not going to try to run the fast races, but the distance ones-yeah!! He asked if he could go to the gym with Brian and I this week and run on the treadmill-definitely buddy! We will go tomorrow- Another reason to make myself go do cardio!
Ethan is doing well! I say that very guarded, as I sure thought we were headed to the ER the Sunday before NYE. He woke up coughing, with a fever, and was very lethargic all day. I was sure he had aspirated some of his own drool, as the drooling is out of control. We are weaning his Robinul-for drooling-and I'm not sure it's a good idea. He loves to put his right hand, and I mean whole hand, in his mouth, and I swear he touches his tonsils. With that comes all the drool. We don't necessarily want to stop him from putting his hand in his mouth-as he's never been interested in doing that before, but he ends up a complete wet mess, and getting choked up on his own secretions. Thanks to a nurse friend and a very nice produce guy-a peeled white onion in his room has kept all his symptoms from getting any worse-and he's even gotten better. Crazy, I know, but with him we will try anything. We are currently researching getting him some type of high chair, feeding chair for him this year while we still have a durable medical equipment budget allowance on our insurance. His wheelchair doesn't come in the house, his stroller isn't tall enough for him to sit with us at the table, and I'm not sure we can find a typical high chair to fit him. He's long and skinny, but really needs either a five-point harness, or a chair that slightly leans back as he still has issues with trunk control and can't really sit unassisted. I'm afraid a little lap strap won't hold him. Any suggestions from my toddler and special needs parents??? He's 38lbs and 3 1/2 feet long.
I have had to reschedule my expander reconstruction surgery that I had set for the 25th of this month. I won't have enough FMLA time to be off the needed 3 weeks, and I can't afford to not be guaranteed my job when I come back. It is now scheduled for April 12th, that will give me 2 weeks of last year's FMLA, and the 28th of April my new year, and new 12 weeks starts over. Plus, it gives me time to save some paid time off! I hated to have to do it, but it's ok. I will live 3 more months without boobs, I've done it for 9 so far. Kind of re-thinking the DIEP I posted about previously. Just simply may not have enough time to take off for it, and if so, some nice, big, perky silicone implants will do just fine. On this new time table, it puts me trading out expanders for implants anytime between October and December, depending on how well the fills go. Looks like I'm in for at least 2 more surgeries this year.
There are some other issues going on, nothing major, but hoping not to have to have a third surgery on the schedule this year. It's looking like they may want to take out my remaining left ovary, there are arguments on both sides of this debate.
Looking forward to donating some time to local charitable organizations this year, as we did less than we would have liked to last year. Hailey and Parker want to go back to Harvester's, so we will be setting up a date for that and looking for other willing volunteers!
Loving having the kids back in school and the holidays over-though not that it looks like Christmas is over at our house. Guess I need to take down the deco this weekend-any volunteers????
I resolve this year to do quicker, less wordy updates more often.
And figure out how to post pics from my ipad.
Promise.
No comments:
Post a Comment