Well, a lot has happened in the last few weeks! We went to Missouri for 10 days to do our Christmas marathon of visiting family. The boys started the trip sick with colds and ended it sick with the flu. But we had a great time visiting with everyone and were able to see most of our family members and even some friends, which was great!
While we were gone, Megan (Chet's sister) helped me identify that the unusual symptoms I was having were likely related to gall bladder problems. So when I got home, I started researching in my Smart Medicine for Healthier Living book and found several natural remedies. Since I'm in the first trimester of pregnancy, the only one that my doctor wants me to try is the olive oil and lemon juice combo. The book recommended 3 tbsp. of olive oil mixed with the juice of one lemon, which is to be ingested right before bed and then again in the morning before breakfast. I did this for a couple of days...
and then I got the stomach bug that the boys had! Needless to say, I didn't attempt to drink olive oil and lemon juice at this point! In two days of having the flu I lost 4 or 5 pounds and was not in good shape. My gall bladder did feel better because I was eating absolutely no fat (or much of anything for that matter), but as soon as I ate a slice of cheese when I was better, the gall bladder problems came back.
I went to the doctor today for my first OB appointment, and we talked some about the gall bladder issues. She's ordered an ultrasound of my gall bladder, and we'll decide what to do from there. When I came home a friend had sent me directions for a different (more intense) version of the olive oil and lemon juice cleanse. So I'll run that by the doctor to see if I can try it before the ultrasound or if she'd rather I wait until after. I'm really hoping it works! I'm not exactly all that interested in having an unnecessary surgery, particularly if something like olive oil and lemon juice can take care of it.
On a more exciting note, there was a 5-day discrepancy between when the paper dating wheel they use in the doctor's office said I conceived and when my temperature changed (signifying ovulation if you don't know anything about the fertility awareness method of charting). The doctor likes to do c-sections one week early, and so the 5-day difference could be big one way or the other. In order to determine my exact due date, she had me have an early ultrasound during today's visit.
According to the ultrasound, I am exactly 10 weeks and 2 days pregnant, which means my due date is August 15, 2009. The baby was moving around like crazy. It has only one head with developing facial features and has two arms, two legs, tiny little fingers and tiny little toes. There is a very strong heartbeat racing along at 169 beats per minute. They say faster heartrates can indicate that it's a girl, but I'm not counting my chickens, because Ladan and Gabe both had fairly high heartrates as well.
As the ultrasound tech was trying to get around my uterus to see my ovaries, I was watching the baby jumping all around doing something like jumping jacks. I said, "Can you even believe that people throw these babies in the trash can like it's nothing?" She said, "I have never been an ultrasound tech who is pro-abortion. I just look at these tiny little bodies and how early their hearts beat and everything starts developing and have no idea how someone can discard them as nothing important." Seriously. This is why it is so great when crisis pregnancy centers can have ultrasound machines right in their offices.
I was bummed that Chet didn't get to see it (he's sitting in a philosophy class all week), but he'll for sure get to see the later one, which will be even more fun!
With regard to our move to Champaign, Chet's been working HARD to get things in order. Our good friends, Logan and Allison Preston, and their three children are making the move with us. There may be others who decide to go as well, which would be awesome! There are already 5 people in Champaign who are committed to the church, and there may be more before we even arrive... thanks to Jim Smith, our good friend there who is working from that end. Chet is applying for jobs, and we'll start talking with lenders to determine if we'll be able to buy a home at this point. We still have enough in savings, but since our future income sources seem a little bit all over the place, they may require that we get there and get established a bit before buying. We'll see how it shakes out. Anyway, once Chet gets a job and we find a place to live, we'll make the move. It's a bit of a whirlwind, that's for sure!
I'll end with a little story. The other night during small group, one of the high school girls was watching the kids. Apparently, Ladan had a very hard time obeying and was openly defiant several times. She explained the situation to me, so before I left to take her home, I told Chet that Ladan would have to have discipline when they got home. Chet took care of that, and I was putting Ladan to bed a while later. I talked to him for a few minutes about how it made me sad to hear that he had disobeyed Cali and had treated her and the other kids poorly. I reminded him that this is sin and that it is what separates us from God. I reminded him that this is why we need Jesus, to save us from our sins.
After that quick talk, we moved on to our story. We just happened to be on the story of Zaccheus in his Jesus Storybook Bible. The story talks about how Zaccheus didn't have any friends because he was stealing from people. This was disobeying God, and he was a sinner. Jesus came along and rescued Zaccheus from his sinning. He forgave Zaccheus and gave Zaccheus a new heart. Zaccheus wanted to obey God after that.
We prayed after the story. Ladan hasn't wanted to pray out loud for a little while for some reason. He likes to just close his eyes and listen to us pray. But this time, as I was thanking God for sending Jesus to save us, he interjected, "Thank you, God, for saving me from my sinning." We went on to pray that God would help Ladan understand what Jesus did for him when He died and rose again and that God would help Ladan believe and trust in Him and want to obey and love others well. I was so thankful that he was owning his sin and that he is able to verbalize that he needs to be rescued from it. The Lord is working in his little heart!
Oh, one more thing. You'll never believe it....
CHET HAS A FACEBOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctors. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Happy Faces and Homemade Goodness
What a day! This morning I was able to go to Panera for ALMOST TWO HOURS BY MYSELF! I ate a whole grain bagel and read my Bible the entire time. Well, I didn't eat the bagel the entire time, but I did read my Bible the entire time. I popped my earplugs in and was able to focus really well. I finished 1 Kings. I just joined up with a couple other moms for a Thursday morning kid swap, so I was able to take Ladan to a friend's house. Since Gabe was sick, Chet stayed home with him. Normally Chet comes home from his morning class and goes straight to bed, so this was a really big treat for me that I thought wasn't going to be possible because Gabe is sick. Yippee!!!!
When I got home, Ladan asked if he could have a piece of candy from our church Reformation Party. He picked a blue Starburst, and this is what it did to his mouth...
Once the boys were in bed for their naps, I did a few things around the house. For dinner, I made a chicken pot pie... with a happy face cut out of the top (forget the boring scalloped circle recommended in the recipe)! It only takes about an hour to make this, and it's really good. It's also huge, so it lends itself well to leftovers. And apparently you can assemble it, wrap it well, and freeze it for future baking. I'll post the recipe in another entry just in case you're interested in trying it out.
As if all that wasn't enough homemade goodness for the day, I decided to attempt to make the ear infection drops suggested in a FABULOUS book I reference all the time--Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Natural and Conventional Treatments for Infants & Children. (I just realized that there is actually an adult version of this book when I went to copy the link. I'm going to add it to my Amazon wish list immediately! I've been using the kid version even for myself, and it's been great, but this will most certainly be even better for we old folks.)
Anyway, back to the ear infection and drops. I can't be sure if Gabe has an ear infection. I haven't taken him to the doctor, because even if I take him, all they'll do is give him an antibiotic. All I know is that he sure has been crabby for almost a week, has hardly eaten, and today he started pulling on his ears. He's got a pretty wet cough, so I wouldn't be surprised at all by an ear infection.
I know there are varying opinions on antibiotics for this type of thing, but in short, I don't like them much and will avoid them if at all possible. I talked to a nurse who works at Children's Hospital in St. Louis once, and she told me that they don't even administer antibiotics there unless there is danger of death. She was shocked when I told her that so many of our friends' kids are continually put on antibiotics for ear infections. Sure, ear infections are painful and irritating, but there has to be a better way in most of these cases to help kids get through it that doesn't diminish their resistance to future infection. Well, I think I found at least one helpful solution today!
In Smart Medicine, they suggest making some simple ear drops. You put about 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a small pot on the stove. Then peel a fresh garlic clove and cut it into about three or four pieces (the book doesn't say you have to cut it, but I did so the garlic would get out into the oil faster). I heated the oil and garlic on medium for about 5 minutes, removed it from the heat, and let it cool until it was still a bit warmer than body temperature but not too hot. You then suck up a bit of the oil in a medicine dropper, lay your kid on his/her side, and drop one or two drops into their ear canal.
We did this in both of Gabe's ears, and while he absolutely hated the process of being held down, after about 10 or 15 minutes, he was up and running around like himself and had a great time until he went to bed an hour and a half later! Apparently, garlic has antibacterial properties and works to heal ear (and other) infections. And the warm oil mixed with the garlic helps to relieve pressure and pain. It was awesome! We'll definitely be doing this once or twice a day until this thing is gone completely.
So I sent him to bed with a bit of Olbas Oil on his shirt, the humidifier on normal setting, and a HAPPY FACE on the front of his head for the first time in almost a week! Praise the Lord!
Chet even had a happy face before he left for work. He was able to write half a paper in the chunk of time after dinner until he left. Great work! He's still got a TON to do between now and next Monday, but he's on a roll!
Oh, and I made some hummus from scratch earlier this week, which turned out to be 1/4 of the cost of buying it in the store. I'm on fire! Too bad I don't have a photo of my happy face tonight!
When I got home, Ladan asked if he could have a piece of candy from our church Reformation Party. He picked a blue Starburst, and this is what it did to his mouth...
Once the boys were in bed for their naps, I did a few things around the house. For dinner, I made a chicken pot pie... with a happy face cut out of the top (forget the boring scalloped circle recommended in the recipe)! It only takes about an hour to make this, and it's really good. It's also huge, so it lends itself well to leftovers. And apparently you can assemble it, wrap it well, and freeze it for future baking. I'll post the recipe in another entry just in case you're interested in trying it out.
As if all that wasn't enough homemade goodness for the day, I decided to attempt to make the ear infection drops suggested in a FABULOUS book I reference all the time--Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Natural and Conventional Treatments for Infants & Children. (I just realized that there is actually an adult version of this book when I went to copy the link. I'm going to add it to my Amazon wish list immediately! I've been using the kid version even for myself, and it's been great, but this will most certainly be even better for we old folks.)
Anyway, back to the ear infection and drops. I can't be sure if Gabe has an ear infection. I haven't taken him to the doctor, because even if I take him, all they'll do is give him an antibiotic. All I know is that he sure has been crabby for almost a week, has hardly eaten, and today he started pulling on his ears. He's got a pretty wet cough, so I wouldn't be surprised at all by an ear infection.
I know there are varying opinions on antibiotics for this type of thing, but in short, I don't like them much and will avoid them if at all possible. I talked to a nurse who works at Children's Hospital in St. Louis once, and she told me that they don't even administer antibiotics there unless there is danger of death. She was shocked when I told her that so many of our friends' kids are continually put on antibiotics for ear infections. Sure, ear infections are painful and irritating, but there has to be a better way in most of these cases to help kids get through it that doesn't diminish their resistance to future infection. Well, I think I found at least one helpful solution today!
In Smart Medicine, they suggest making some simple ear drops. You put about 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a small pot on the stove. Then peel a fresh garlic clove and cut it into about three or four pieces (the book doesn't say you have to cut it, but I did so the garlic would get out into the oil faster). I heated the oil and garlic on medium for about 5 minutes, removed it from the heat, and let it cool until it was still a bit warmer than body temperature but not too hot. You then suck up a bit of the oil in a medicine dropper, lay your kid on his/her side, and drop one or two drops into their ear canal.
We did this in both of Gabe's ears, and while he absolutely hated the process of being held down, after about 10 or 15 minutes, he was up and running around like himself and had a great time until he went to bed an hour and a half later! Apparently, garlic has antibacterial properties and works to heal ear (and other) infections. And the warm oil mixed with the garlic helps to relieve pressure and pain. It was awesome! We'll definitely be doing this once or twice a day until this thing is gone completely.
So I sent him to bed with a bit of Olbas Oil on his shirt, the humidifier on normal setting, and a HAPPY FACE on the front of his head for the first time in almost a week! Praise the Lord!
Chet even had a happy face before he left for work. He was able to write half a paper in the chunk of time after dinner until he left. Great work! He's still got a TON to do between now and next Monday, but he's on a roll!
Oh, and I made some hummus from scratch earlier this week, which turned out to be 1/4 of the cost of buying it in the store. I'm on fire! Too bad I don't have a photo of my happy face tonight!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
The Doctor
I'm keeping my promise to write about my doctor appointment, but I've got something else to write about, so I'm going to move quickly! Here are the details:
For years, I've struggled with being quite tired (even though I push myself to get a lot done). Additionally, my cycles are somewhat strange. They're a relatively normal length, but within the cycle are some strange things going on. If you read the family planning posts before, you'll remember that I mentioned that I think charting is so helpful, even if you think your cycles are normal. My experience is the perfect example. It used to be the case that even the length and frequency of my cycles was abnormal, but now they're more reasonable. If I wasn't charting, I might think everything was fine. However, I know it's not.
As a result of these issues mainly, I have wanted to find a doctor who would know enough about my body to help me figure things out and possibly find remedies without just jumping to hormonal treatments. I was looking for someone who would be able to help me look at my lifestyle, diet and possible nutritional deficiencies and include modifications to these things as part of my overall wellness plan... if at all possible, anyway. One of my friends here described that she had just this type of doctor!
When I got the appointment, the office staff sent me my new patient packet to fill out. It was about 12-15 pages of questioning about my medical history. AMAZING!!!!! Included in the questioning were ALL of my symptoms along with many that I don't struggle with.
So, I went to that first appointment. The doctor read through my new patient packet in his office and made notes before he came in to talk to me. Then we basically went through the whole packet together. He did a little bit of basic examination. He found that my spine is out of whack and recommended that I visit a chiropractor. He said that my thyroid is a little bit bumpy and ordered a blood test to check this out. His suspicions are that I'm possibly dealing with a low adrenal function, irregular thyroid function, iodine deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency.
He asked what our insurance is like and whether or not he could run with the testing or if he should rank them in order of priority. Also AMAZING! So, he told me that the adrenal testing and the thyroid testing is the most important and gave me the option to do the iodine and vitamin D testing if it was cost-effective. I called the lab on my way there and determined that I'd skip the optional tests for now. The iodine test was about $450, and the vitamin D test was about $225... yikes! Our insurance covers 90% of lab testing charges, but this would still be an extra $75 for something optional. I figure it would probably be better to go ahead and add a supplement for these things anyway, so I'll just do it that way.
One interesting thing that the doctor pointed out is that the adrenal glands and the ovaries work the same way. So, if the adrenal glands are lacking what they need to function, then they strip it from the ovaries. The adrenals are necessary for life, whereas the ovaries are only necessary for reproduction. Isn't it cool to learn yet another example of how the Lord created our bodies to work so intricately?!? I knew that thyroid function impacted the function of reproductive organs, but I didn't realize that the adrenal glands are so directly tied to it as well. So he's ordered some very thorough testing of both the adrenals and thyroid to see if we can find what's going on. In the meantime, he gave me the name of an adrenal supplement that I can start if I want to.
As we talked through my family history, he described that MANY of the health issues my family has dealt with are often the result of insulin resistance. That made total sense to me as I look at the dietary choices and other problems many of my family deal with. So, while he doesn't suspect that I'm dealing with much insulin resistance, he recommended that I stick closer to a diet that supports insulin sensitivity. I don't need to freak out and quit eating all whole grains and fruit or anything, but it's definitely a good thing to keep in mind.
So I've started going to the chiropractor. Because chiropractic care can also often help heal many of the problems I'm dealing with, I decided (with the support of the chiropractor) to wait a couple of months before starting the adrenal supplement. Then I'll know if it's the chiropractic care that's helping or if I really do need something else.
I go back to the doctor the first week of August. We'll review my test results then and talk through a plan. He said it may take up to 2 years to get things really going well (which is what the chiropractor said in his office too). That's okay with me, especially if those two years are characterized by a gradual improvement throughout.
For years, I've struggled with being quite tired (even though I push myself to get a lot done). Additionally, my cycles are somewhat strange. They're a relatively normal length, but within the cycle are some strange things going on. If you read the family planning posts before, you'll remember that I mentioned that I think charting is so helpful, even if you think your cycles are normal. My experience is the perfect example. It used to be the case that even the length and frequency of my cycles was abnormal, but now they're more reasonable. If I wasn't charting, I might think everything was fine. However, I know it's not.
As a result of these issues mainly, I have wanted to find a doctor who would know enough about my body to help me figure things out and possibly find remedies without just jumping to hormonal treatments. I was looking for someone who would be able to help me look at my lifestyle, diet and possible nutritional deficiencies and include modifications to these things as part of my overall wellness plan... if at all possible, anyway. One of my friends here described that she had just this type of doctor!
When I got the appointment, the office staff sent me my new patient packet to fill out. It was about 12-15 pages of questioning about my medical history. AMAZING!!!!! Included in the questioning were ALL of my symptoms along with many that I don't struggle with.
So, I went to that first appointment. The doctor read through my new patient packet in his office and made notes before he came in to talk to me. Then we basically went through the whole packet together. He did a little bit of basic examination. He found that my spine is out of whack and recommended that I visit a chiropractor. He said that my thyroid is a little bit bumpy and ordered a blood test to check this out. His suspicions are that I'm possibly dealing with a low adrenal function, irregular thyroid function, iodine deficiency, and vitamin D deficiency.
He asked what our insurance is like and whether or not he could run with the testing or if he should rank them in order of priority. Also AMAZING! So, he told me that the adrenal testing and the thyroid testing is the most important and gave me the option to do the iodine and vitamin D testing if it was cost-effective. I called the lab on my way there and determined that I'd skip the optional tests for now. The iodine test was about $450, and the vitamin D test was about $225... yikes! Our insurance covers 90% of lab testing charges, but this would still be an extra $75 for something optional. I figure it would probably be better to go ahead and add a supplement for these things anyway, so I'll just do it that way.
One interesting thing that the doctor pointed out is that the adrenal glands and the ovaries work the same way. So, if the adrenal glands are lacking what they need to function, then they strip it from the ovaries. The adrenals are necessary for life, whereas the ovaries are only necessary for reproduction. Isn't it cool to learn yet another example of how the Lord created our bodies to work so intricately?!? I knew that thyroid function impacted the function of reproductive organs, but I didn't realize that the adrenal glands are so directly tied to it as well. So he's ordered some very thorough testing of both the adrenals and thyroid to see if we can find what's going on. In the meantime, he gave me the name of an adrenal supplement that I can start if I want to.
As we talked through my family history, he described that MANY of the health issues my family has dealt with are often the result of insulin resistance. That made total sense to me as I look at the dietary choices and other problems many of my family deal with. So, while he doesn't suspect that I'm dealing with much insulin resistance, he recommended that I stick closer to a diet that supports insulin sensitivity. I don't need to freak out and quit eating all whole grains and fruit or anything, but it's definitely a good thing to keep in mind.
So I've started going to the chiropractor. Because chiropractic care can also often help heal many of the problems I'm dealing with, I decided (with the support of the chiropractor) to wait a couple of months before starting the adrenal supplement. Then I'll know if it's the chiropractic care that's helping or if I really do need something else.
I go back to the doctor the first week of August. We'll review my test results then and talk through a plan. He said it may take up to 2 years to get things really going well (which is what the chiropractor said in his office too). That's okay with me, especially if those two years are characterized by a gradual improvement throughout.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Gone In an Instant!
I have had a really great two days! Yesterday I took the boys to the park to meet up with some friends who are moving back to Columbia. Then Chet sent me off for a day to do whatever I needed/wanted to do. I ran a bunch of errands that are easier without kids in tow. One of them was a trip to Barnes and Noble to get new journals for the boys. I write journal entries for them every once in a while to describe what's happening (starting with the story of their birth). After a few other errands, I went to Panera, ordered some dinner, sat down to eat, put my earplugs in, read my Bible, read a couple chapters of Great Expectations, and then wrote in the boys' journals. Then I had to fit in some grocery shopping at the end of the day. So I pretty much ran around for about 5 hours of my time and was able to chill out for 3 hours. That three hours in the middle sure was awesome though!
Today I went to my second chiropractic appointment. Wednesday was my first visit, at which time they did some initial evaluation, x-rays, and hooked me up to an electrotherapy massage machine for a bit. Today I met with the doctor to review my x-rays, talk through my treatment plan, and have my first adjustment. I've been considering going to the chiropractor for years, but I didn't know enough about how to choose a good one and didn't feel like it was urgent enough to take the time. However, it just seems to be getting worse and worse as time goes by. My mid-back and neck constantly are letting me know they're there, and many times they just hurt. I also tend to have some pretty massive knots in my back and neck muscles that cause some issues. Generally, Chet can help me some by popping my back, but it's not usually enough to take care of it. And ever since I was pregnant with Gabe, my lower back has refused to pop the way it used to, which has led to a pretty intense build-up of pressure that never goes away and drives me crazy!
When I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago (further explanation of that visit is coming in the next post), he confirmed that I have some vertebrae out of place and marveled at the fact that I function with such large knots in my back. He suggested a chiropractor down the street from our home. That chiropractor isn't covered by our insurance, but I looked into it further, and there is a Christian chiropractor I've heard good things about who IS covered by my insurance. His office is also right down the street in another direction. I called on Monday, and they had me scheduled for Wednesday. GREAT! I went into the office and ended up knowing two of the staff. Even better.
The chiropractor reviewed my issues. My back is indeed a bit out of line. My neck is worse at this point. It doesn't have the natural curve it's supposed to, and it leans a bit to the right side. He talked me through the treatment plan and described how he plans to help me correct these issues. As it turns out, many of my other issues (exhaustion, thyroid issues, cycle irregularities) are directly connected to the nerves in the exact areas of my spine where I have the worst misalignment problems. The hope is that, if my spine is realigned, then many of these issues may be corrected... all without medication.
One of my major concerns is paying for these treatments. When I explained this to the doctor, he helped me figure out how I can do as much of it at home as possible and only come to him for the adjustments. I basically have to do some neck stretching and 20 minutes of pilates every day. Then the office manager worked things out with the doctor so that things will be VERY reasonable and totally within our means. What a blessing!
Anyway, he did the first adjustment and popped my mid-back into place. Then I flipped on my side, he twisted me up in a knot, and used his body weight to crunch me down a bit. In an instant, all that pressure in my lower back that's been there for 2 years was GONE! Then he did the other side. I literally exclaimed, "That's what I've been waiting for for two years!" At the end, I flipped onto my back, and he popped my neck into place. I walked away feeling AMAZING!
There has been a bit of tenderness along my spine throughout the evening, but it's that kind of feeling that lets me know things are good (kind of like sore muscles after a really great workout, which is something I experienced earlier in the week after I ran a pretty good distance in the rain). I've also had that after-massage feeling all evening. If you've ever had a good massage, you know what I mean--it produces just a different feeling in your head and behind your eyes. In total, I'll have approximately 20-22 adjustments between now and mid-September. I'm excited to see how things pan out over the next couple of months.
After the chiropractor, I came back and got ready for a lingerie shower for a friend. Those are always super-fun! It's been a busy but fun week! I'm SO THANKFUL that Chet made it a point to let me take some time to myself yesterday and that he's been so great about keeping the boys while I do things like go to the chiropractor and do other things! Beginning with my refreshing run in the rain, jam-packed with working on a bunch of projects, and ending with an evening of girl fun, this week has been really nice.
As I mentioned above, the next post will be a more detailed description of my other recent doctor appointment.
Today I went to my second chiropractic appointment. Wednesday was my first visit, at which time they did some initial evaluation, x-rays, and hooked me up to an electrotherapy massage machine for a bit. Today I met with the doctor to review my x-rays, talk through my treatment plan, and have my first adjustment. I've been considering going to the chiropractor for years, but I didn't know enough about how to choose a good one and didn't feel like it was urgent enough to take the time. However, it just seems to be getting worse and worse as time goes by. My mid-back and neck constantly are letting me know they're there, and many times they just hurt. I also tend to have some pretty massive knots in my back and neck muscles that cause some issues. Generally, Chet can help me some by popping my back, but it's not usually enough to take care of it. And ever since I was pregnant with Gabe, my lower back has refused to pop the way it used to, which has led to a pretty intense build-up of pressure that never goes away and drives me crazy!
When I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago (further explanation of that visit is coming in the next post), he confirmed that I have some vertebrae out of place and marveled at the fact that I function with such large knots in my back. He suggested a chiropractor down the street from our home. That chiropractor isn't covered by our insurance, but I looked into it further, and there is a Christian chiropractor I've heard good things about who IS covered by my insurance. His office is also right down the street in another direction. I called on Monday, and they had me scheduled for Wednesday. GREAT! I went into the office and ended up knowing two of the staff. Even better.
The chiropractor reviewed my issues. My back is indeed a bit out of line. My neck is worse at this point. It doesn't have the natural curve it's supposed to, and it leans a bit to the right side. He talked me through the treatment plan and described how he plans to help me correct these issues. As it turns out, many of my other issues (exhaustion, thyroid issues, cycle irregularities) are directly connected to the nerves in the exact areas of my spine where I have the worst misalignment problems. The hope is that, if my spine is realigned, then many of these issues may be corrected... all without medication.
One of my major concerns is paying for these treatments. When I explained this to the doctor, he helped me figure out how I can do as much of it at home as possible and only come to him for the adjustments. I basically have to do some neck stretching and 20 minutes of pilates every day. Then the office manager worked things out with the doctor so that things will be VERY reasonable and totally within our means. What a blessing!
Anyway, he did the first adjustment and popped my mid-back into place. Then I flipped on my side, he twisted me up in a knot, and used his body weight to crunch me down a bit. In an instant, all that pressure in my lower back that's been there for 2 years was GONE! Then he did the other side. I literally exclaimed, "That's what I've been waiting for for two years!" At the end, I flipped onto my back, and he popped my neck into place. I walked away feeling AMAZING!
There has been a bit of tenderness along my spine throughout the evening, but it's that kind of feeling that lets me know things are good (kind of like sore muscles after a really great workout, which is something I experienced earlier in the week after I ran a pretty good distance in the rain). I've also had that after-massage feeling all evening. If you've ever had a good massage, you know what I mean--it produces just a different feeling in your head and behind your eyes. In total, I'll have approximately 20-22 adjustments between now and mid-September. I'm excited to see how things pan out over the next couple of months.
After the chiropractor, I came back and got ready for a lingerie shower for a friend. Those are always super-fun! It's been a busy but fun week! I'm SO THANKFUL that Chet made it a point to let me take some time to myself yesterday and that he's been so great about keeping the boys while I do things like go to the chiropractor and do other things! Beginning with my refreshing run in the rain, jam-packed with working on a bunch of projects, and ending with an evening of girl fun, this week has been really nice.
As I mentioned above, the next post will be a more detailed description of my other recent doctor appointment.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Skinny Boys Rule!
We took Ladan to his 4-year doctor's appointment yesterday. He measured in at 42 inches and weighed 33.6 pounds. Well, they said 41.75 inches, but he was afraid of the thing coming down on his head, so he scrunched down a bit. If he straightened up, he'd be at least 42 inches, so we'll go with that. That puts him somewhere just under or at the 90th percentile for his height, and just under the 50th percentile for his weight. Not bad! At least until you look at the height to weight ratio chart where he shows up as being so skinny for his height that he's not even on the chart. When I look at him, I don't see him as that skinny. So I decided to play it forward a bit. If he's on exactly the same curve when he's 20 years old, he'll be about 6 foot 3 inches and about 152-155 pounds! Okay, well, that is one skinny man indeed! In any case, he's healthy, and there are no concerns at this point about his size and stature.
We also did a quick weight check on Gabe, and he gained about a pound and a half, bringing him up to the 3rd percentile for his weight. All right, little man! Again, he's much taller proportionally, so he's way off the chart (as in, way below the low end of the chart) for height-to-weight ratio... but he's healthy, and that's all I care about.
The doctor surprised me and told me that they generally do all the 5-year immunizations at the 4-year appointment. Hmmm. I had just told Ladan that he wasn't getting any shots at this appointment. They schedule the MMR, polio, chicken pox, and DTaP shots all at the same time. As a quick intro to the post I'll write later about my vaccine research, I'll say we declined the vaccines at this appointment. In short, here's why.... We know for sure that there are certain vaccines that we're not going to do, and the ones we might do will not be done all on the same visit. I need to review my research, and we need to make some decisions about whether and when we're going to get started on each of them.
We do know that we're not planning to do the chicken pox vaccine right now. It's made with some pretty gross stuff, and we'd actually rather our boys get chicken pox as children and get it over with. The childhood vaccine doesn't necessarily give them immunity into their teen and adult years anyway, and it's MUCH more dangerous for them to get chicken pox as teens or adults. I did read that the 5-year booster is supposed to make it more likely that immunity will last into adulthood, but it's obviously new, so the jury is still out on that one. So, our plan at this point is to hope that they can get the pox sometime when they're young and get it over with. If they don't actually get chicken pox, then we'll have them tested as preteens to see if they've got immunity (sometimes you can build up enough immunity even if you've never had chicken pox). If they're not immune at that point, and if the manufacturers use different stuff to make the shot by then, there's a 2-shot series we can get them to give them immunity through adulthood. Basically, if we can avoid the nasty ingredients AND give them lifelong immunity just by letting them get the pox during childhood, then that's a lot better than the alternatives in our minds. Or, better yet, if they can develop immunity during childhood from little bits of exposure without ever getting the full-blown disease, then they're in even better shape... and we will have avoided putting nasty stuff in their bodies.
There are two manufacturers of the DTaP vaccine (diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis). One manufacturer uses ingredients and a procedure that does not make use of nasty (i.e. possibly morally compromising) ingredients, so we'll just ask if we can get that one at our pediatrician's office and go for it. Both the DTaP varieties do include seemingly excessive amounts of aluminum, so this is something to consider. However, it seems like it's the case that coming down with the diseases would likely be a lot worse than the side effects of the aluminum. Hard to tell since there have been no real studies done on the way the body processes high doses of aluminum in certain immunizations. In any case, we'll probably go ahead and do this one if we can choose the one made without gross stuff.
As for the others, I need to revisit my research, and we need to think more about them. If you're interested, one book I've read recently is The Vaccine Book by Robert W. Sears, M.D. It was very well-written, easy to read, and lists all his resources in the back of the book if you want to do further research. I will say that it's fairly important to read the entire book just so you can get his full perspective on things, but it's such an easy read that I completed almost the entire book on one flight to Texas.
We also did a quick weight check on Gabe, and he gained about a pound and a half, bringing him up to the 3rd percentile for his weight. All right, little man! Again, he's much taller proportionally, so he's way off the chart (as in, way below the low end of the chart) for height-to-weight ratio... but he's healthy, and that's all I care about.
The doctor surprised me and told me that they generally do all the 5-year immunizations at the 4-year appointment. Hmmm. I had just told Ladan that he wasn't getting any shots at this appointment. They schedule the MMR, polio, chicken pox, and DTaP shots all at the same time. As a quick intro to the post I'll write later about my vaccine research, I'll say we declined the vaccines at this appointment. In short, here's why.... We know for sure that there are certain vaccines that we're not going to do, and the ones we might do will not be done all on the same visit. I need to review my research, and we need to make some decisions about whether and when we're going to get started on each of them.
We do know that we're not planning to do the chicken pox vaccine right now. It's made with some pretty gross stuff, and we'd actually rather our boys get chicken pox as children and get it over with. The childhood vaccine doesn't necessarily give them immunity into their teen and adult years anyway, and it's MUCH more dangerous for them to get chicken pox as teens or adults. I did read that the 5-year booster is supposed to make it more likely that immunity will last into adulthood, but it's obviously new, so the jury is still out on that one. So, our plan at this point is to hope that they can get the pox sometime when they're young and get it over with. If they don't actually get chicken pox, then we'll have them tested as preteens to see if they've got immunity (sometimes you can build up enough immunity even if you've never had chicken pox). If they're not immune at that point, and if the manufacturers use different stuff to make the shot by then, there's a 2-shot series we can get them to give them immunity through adulthood. Basically, if we can avoid the nasty ingredients AND give them lifelong immunity just by letting them get the pox during childhood, then that's a lot better than the alternatives in our minds. Or, better yet, if they can develop immunity during childhood from little bits of exposure without ever getting the full-blown disease, then they're in even better shape... and we will have avoided putting nasty stuff in their bodies.
There are two manufacturers of the DTaP vaccine (diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis). One manufacturer uses ingredients and a procedure that does not make use of nasty (i.e. possibly morally compromising) ingredients, so we'll just ask if we can get that one at our pediatrician's office and go for it. Both the DTaP varieties do include seemingly excessive amounts of aluminum, so this is something to consider. However, it seems like it's the case that coming down with the diseases would likely be a lot worse than the side effects of the aluminum. Hard to tell since there have been no real studies done on the way the body processes high doses of aluminum in certain immunizations. In any case, we'll probably go ahead and do this one if we can choose the one made without gross stuff.
As for the others, I need to revisit my research, and we need to think more about them. If you're interested, one book I've read recently is The Vaccine Book by Robert W. Sears, M.D. It was very well-written, easy to read, and lists all his resources in the back of the book if you want to do further research. I will say that it's fairly important to read the entire book just so you can get his full perspective on things, but it's such an easy read that I completed almost the entire book on one flight to Texas.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Check-ups and Fun In the Sun
This is why I haven't been able to post many photos or send out many Snapfish highlight albums lately...
We went to a splash park near our home after the boys' check-ups this morning. We had Gabe's 9-month check-up (He's 9 months today) and Ladan's 3 year check-up. First of all, can I just say that I LOVE NURSE PRACTITIONERS!!!! I have always found them to be a bit more thorough, ask more well-rounded questions, and offer more helpful advice. Back to the details...
Ladan was 39.5 inches tall and weighed 29 pounds. Can you even imagine only weighing about 3/4 of a pound for every inch of your body???? He was in the 90th percentile for his height and the 25th for his weight. Still a skinny guy, but he's so much farther up on the weight chart that we're really excited!
Gabe was 28 inches tall and weighed 17 pounds. My little peanut. He's at about the 50th percentile for his height. The NP told me that he was in the 25th percentile for his weight, but when I looked at the chart I have at home, he wasn't quite that high (actually, only 5th percentile on my chart). Either way, he's a skinny little man. She was pleased with his developmental achievements and did a quick blood test just to check his hemoglobin and white blood cell count. Both were good. We just have to work on getting him to eat lots of solids, which should be no problem. He now eats small chopped pears, toast, mac and cheese, Rice Krispies, and other such things. He seems to want food from my plate regularly, which is a total shift from Ladan at this age. Pretty exciting, actually!
I'll end with a few more photos from today. Have a wonderful weekend!
This is actually from Tuesday, but it's at the same park. These are two of Ladan's friends from church.
It appears as though Ladan is no longer afraid of the water! He's had two successful baths in a row during which there was no screaming when Chet poured water on his head to rinse the shampoo out. And he can also have loads more fun at the park because he isn't afraid to get wet!
You might remember our neighbor, Hannah, from the March photos. In those photos, Ladan was tackling her. Well, now she can walk, and it's clear that she's ready to get him back! Actually, I think she's waving at someone here, but it sure looks like she's going after him!
And this his my personal favorite from the day's photo log.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
What Did You Do Today?
As a mom, there are many days when you can look back and say that you did many things... and then there are the days when you feel like you did only one thing. Today was just one of these days. So, what is it that I did all day? Can you hear the drum roll in the background? ...
I tried to get Ladan to pee.
That's right, I spent 12 hours trying to get my child to go potty. Kind of funny that I've been spending the last four weeks training him to hold it (at least long enough to get to the potty), and then I needed him to go today, and he held it... for 12 hours!
For the last couple of days, he's been displaying signs of infection (fever, loss of appetite, general crankiness, darker urine, etc.). And for the last few weeks, he's been going in the potty really well. Basically, he says he needs to go, he sits on the potty, and then he immediately goes. Well, today, he kept trying and complaining that he couldn't go. I called the doctor's office to determine if these things could point to something fairly normal, but they wanted me to bring him in.
Let me back up and say that he didn't go to sleep until about 1:30 am last night (this morning) because he was trying to go to the bathroom, and he woke up again at about 7:30am. In between there, Gabe woke up twice to eat in the night (a lot for him at this point). So I started out the day completely exhausted.
On our way to the doctor's office, I was trying to explain to Ladan that we were going to go see the doctor and that we were going to get to do some fun things, like play with the trains in the office, stand on the black square (the scale), and speak kindly to the nurses and doctors. He was excited about standing on the black square... until we pulled into the parking lot and he recognized where he was. Immediately, he started saying, "Mommy, I can't stand on the black square. I can't stand on the black square."
We made it in, and the drama began. We had to sit in the exam room for quite a while before the doctor came in. Ladan was refusing to pee in the cup (not surprising). So I suggested we put one of those urine collection bags on his little body. We did this, and they let me leave for a while, which was great, because by this time, Gabe was starving and screaming bloody murder. This horrific sound doesn't come out of him very often, so added to Ladan's very angry screams at the doctor and nurse, it did not make for a pleasant listening experience. The doctor was sure to comment on their shrill voices. I was sure to respond with a smile and a nod.
So we loaded into the car again and headed across the street to sit and watch the construction crew building a new structure. It was pretty cool, and Ladan really enjoyed it. Still no pee, so we went on to Target for a while. Still no pee, so we went home to try to take naps.
By this time, Ladan had gone #2 just a bit in his pull-up, so I went to change it. There were probably about 2ml of urine in the bag, which is all they would have needed (for those of you who are unfamiliar with liquid measurements, this is about 1/5 of a teaspoon--not too much). The problem was that the bag wasn't sticking to him all that well anymore, so the stool had contaminated the opening to the bag, and I had to throw it away.
So I stuck him on the potty chair with the sterile cup inside the well of the potty. Didn't work. We moved the potty seat into the shower so the warm water on his feet and the sound of the shower might prompt him to go. Didn't work. I called the doctor's office to find out if we could work more on this tomorrow so I could put my exhausted child down for a nap. They wanted the "specimen" today.
Chet was gracious to come home right after class instead of staying for a regular meeting he has. I was SO GRATEFUL! I was able to leave Gabe sleeping while I packed Ladan back into the car and went back to the doctor's office. This time I took his potty chair with us hoping that it might prompt him to go.
We went into an examination room and settled in. I positioned the sterile cup in the well of the potty again and sat Ladan on it. Then I sanitized the seat of one of the chairs for use as a table and busted out his Goldfish (to make him thirsty) and full glass of water. He'd already had 3 glasses of water by that point, but I thought it was worth a shot. So we sat there for another hour and 15 minutes. Still no pee. They put another bag on him, and we went home with instructions for how to take his "specimen" (I keep putting this word in quotations because I think it's a strange word, and I'm not sure how I feel about using it) to the hospital lab after office hours.
All the way home, Ladan was saying, "Mommy, I'm not going to pee in this bag." Whatever. We got home, and he ate a little bit of a snack. It was about 5pm, and he was starving but didn't want to eat. He needed to go to the bathroom, but he "couldn't" go. And he was so exhausted that he couldn't fall asleep. So he basically just screamed a lot for about an hour and a half. Chet took him to his room and laid down with him. It was 6:30 at this point, and we still had no pee.
At 8:30, Ladan woke up. We thought that surely he'd have something by now, given the amount of water he'd consumed throughout the day. WRONG! He kept saying, "Mommy, I'm not going to pee in this bag."
So I took it off. I got out a third sterile cup, positioned it in the well of his potty seat so that there was no way he'd miss it, and sat him on it. We told him he could have an airplane if we went peepee in the potty.
At 9:20pm, he looked and said, "Mommy, I'm going weebee (his new word--he's had many along the way) in the potty." I could hear it, and it sounded like there would be plenty. He stood up, and you'll never believe it! There was a ton of pee in the potty, but not a single drop had fallen in the cup!!!! Chet said, "Just dump it in and be done with it." So I did.
At 10:00, I was heading out the door to drop off my little boy's pee at the hospital. I couldn't find the entrance to the emergency room (not exactly great signage in my opinion), and the parking lot was totally full (also not ideal when people are experiencing crises). I decided to park across the street and walk. I entered a very busy emergency room where a little boy (probably about 18 months old) was vomiting profusely, and I had to try to figure out what to do with this cup of pee. All I could think about was how I wanted to help the seemingly desperate man with his little boy. I heard something about another guy having chest pains, and sensed an underlying feeling of panic in the emergency room (probably due to the impossibility of getting these people all checked quickly enough that they could be treated in a timely fashion). I was reminded of how grateful I was at that moment to only be in the ER because I was dropping off a cup of pee.
I approached the security desk where there were about 10 men in uniform checking in for their shift. I had to tell them what I had and where I was going. I said, "I have my little boy's pee, and I'm taking it to the lab." They all tried to hide their sly grins, and they kindly directed me to the right, up the elevator to the second floor, to the right, to the left, and down the hall.
I reached the lab at 10:20 to register my kid's pee. Kind of funny. They asked me all the questions they would ask if I were checking him in for a procedure. By 10:50, I was back home again.
When I walked in the door, Chet informed me that Ladan had gone #2 in the potty and had peed quite a bit more. In the next hour and a half, Ladan peed about four more times. All in his own time. I had to laugh as I was trying to get Ladan to go to bed. He kept insisting that he had to go potty some more. He looked up at me from his potty and asked, "Mommy, I'm going to go potty some more. Okay, Phyllis?" This is the first time he's ever said my first name in my presence. He went potty one last time, and went to sleep with his new airplane.
I have no idea what the results of this test will be tomorrow, but at this point, I'm just excited to say that I did accomplish something today... even if it was just getting my kid to pee.
I tried to get Ladan to pee.
That's right, I spent 12 hours trying to get my child to go potty. Kind of funny that I've been spending the last four weeks training him to hold it (at least long enough to get to the potty), and then I needed him to go today, and he held it... for 12 hours!
For the last couple of days, he's been displaying signs of infection (fever, loss of appetite, general crankiness, darker urine, etc.). And for the last few weeks, he's been going in the potty really well. Basically, he says he needs to go, he sits on the potty, and then he immediately goes. Well, today, he kept trying and complaining that he couldn't go. I called the doctor's office to determine if these things could point to something fairly normal, but they wanted me to bring him in.
Let me back up and say that he didn't go to sleep until about 1:30 am last night (this morning) because he was trying to go to the bathroom, and he woke up again at about 7:30am. In between there, Gabe woke up twice to eat in the night (a lot for him at this point). So I started out the day completely exhausted.
On our way to the doctor's office, I was trying to explain to Ladan that we were going to go see the doctor and that we were going to get to do some fun things, like play with the trains in the office, stand on the black square (the scale), and speak kindly to the nurses and doctors. He was excited about standing on the black square... until we pulled into the parking lot and he recognized where he was. Immediately, he started saying, "Mommy, I can't stand on the black square. I can't stand on the black square."
We made it in, and the drama began. We had to sit in the exam room for quite a while before the doctor came in. Ladan was refusing to pee in the cup (not surprising). So I suggested we put one of those urine collection bags on his little body. We did this, and they let me leave for a while, which was great, because by this time, Gabe was starving and screaming bloody murder. This horrific sound doesn't come out of him very often, so added to Ladan's very angry screams at the doctor and nurse, it did not make for a pleasant listening experience. The doctor was sure to comment on their shrill voices. I was sure to respond with a smile and a nod.
So we loaded into the car again and headed across the street to sit and watch the construction crew building a new structure. It was pretty cool, and Ladan really enjoyed it. Still no pee, so we went on to Target for a while. Still no pee, so we went home to try to take naps.
By this time, Ladan had gone #2 just a bit in his pull-up, so I went to change it. There were probably about 2ml of urine in the bag, which is all they would have needed (for those of you who are unfamiliar with liquid measurements, this is about 1/5 of a teaspoon--not too much). The problem was that the bag wasn't sticking to him all that well anymore, so the stool had contaminated the opening to the bag, and I had to throw it away.
So I stuck him on the potty chair with the sterile cup inside the well of the potty. Didn't work. We moved the potty seat into the shower so the warm water on his feet and the sound of the shower might prompt him to go. Didn't work. I called the doctor's office to find out if we could work more on this tomorrow so I could put my exhausted child down for a nap. They wanted the "specimen" today.
Chet was gracious to come home right after class instead of staying for a regular meeting he has. I was SO GRATEFUL! I was able to leave Gabe sleeping while I packed Ladan back into the car and went back to the doctor's office. This time I took his potty chair with us hoping that it might prompt him to go.
We went into an examination room and settled in. I positioned the sterile cup in the well of the potty again and sat Ladan on it. Then I sanitized the seat of one of the chairs for use as a table and busted out his Goldfish (to make him thirsty) and full glass of water. He'd already had 3 glasses of water by that point, but I thought it was worth a shot. So we sat there for another hour and 15 minutes. Still no pee. They put another bag on him, and we went home with instructions for how to take his "specimen" (I keep putting this word in quotations because I think it's a strange word, and I'm not sure how I feel about using it) to the hospital lab after office hours.
All the way home, Ladan was saying, "Mommy, I'm not going to pee in this bag." Whatever. We got home, and he ate a little bit of a snack. It was about 5pm, and he was starving but didn't want to eat. He needed to go to the bathroom, but he "couldn't" go. And he was so exhausted that he couldn't fall asleep. So he basically just screamed a lot for about an hour and a half. Chet took him to his room and laid down with him. It was 6:30 at this point, and we still had no pee.
At 8:30, Ladan woke up. We thought that surely he'd have something by now, given the amount of water he'd consumed throughout the day. WRONG! He kept saying, "Mommy, I'm not going to pee in this bag."
So I took it off. I got out a third sterile cup, positioned it in the well of his potty seat so that there was no way he'd miss it, and sat him on it. We told him he could have an airplane if we went peepee in the potty.
At 9:20pm, he looked and said, "Mommy, I'm going weebee (his new word--he's had many along the way) in the potty." I could hear it, and it sounded like there would be plenty. He stood up, and you'll never believe it! There was a ton of pee in the potty, but not a single drop had fallen in the cup!!!! Chet said, "Just dump it in and be done with it." So I did.
At 10:00, I was heading out the door to drop off my little boy's pee at the hospital. I couldn't find the entrance to the emergency room (not exactly great signage in my opinion), and the parking lot was totally full (also not ideal when people are experiencing crises). I decided to park across the street and walk. I entered a very busy emergency room where a little boy (probably about 18 months old) was vomiting profusely, and I had to try to figure out what to do with this cup of pee. All I could think about was how I wanted to help the seemingly desperate man with his little boy. I heard something about another guy having chest pains, and sensed an underlying feeling of panic in the emergency room (probably due to the impossibility of getting these people all checked quickly enough that they could be treated in a timely fashion). I was reminded of how grateful I was at that moment to only be in the ER because I was dropping off a cup of pee.
I approached the security desk where there were about 10 men in uniform checking in for their shift. I had to tell them what I had and where I was going. I said, "I have my little boy's pee, and I'm taking it to the lab." They all tried to hide their sly grins, and they kindly directed me to the right, up the elevator to the second floor, to the right, to the left, and down the hall.
I reached the lab at 10:20 to register my kid's pee. Kind of funny. They asked me all the questions they would ask if I were checking him in for a procedure. By 10:50, I was back home again.
When I walked in the door, Chet informed me that Ladan had gone #2 in the potty and had peed quite a bit more. In the next hour and a half, Ladan peed about four more times. All in his own time. I had to laugh as I was trying to get Ladan to go to bed. He kept insisting that he had to go potty some more. He looked up at me from his potty and asked, "Mommy, I'm going to go potty some more. Okay, Phyllis?" This is the first time he's ever said my first name in my presence. He went potty one last time, and went to sleep with his new airplane.
I have no idea what the results of this test will be tomorrow, but at this point, I'm just excited to say that I did accomplish something today... even if it was just getting my kid to pee.
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