DragonBlog

There's Hope For Me Yet...

Finally. An explanation for some of my problems. Possibly a reason for the constant fatigue, the problems falling asleep at bedtime, the headaches...

I'm allergic. Highly allergic.

In fact, the nurse was a bit surprised that I'd never had an allergy test before today. While the 106 little "scratches" on my back weren't pleasant, they weren't horrible. And damned well worth it.

The results? For one, I'm allergic to my cats.

Damnit. *sigh*

And, just about everything outside. And a few more things in the house... hang on - Brian is tabulating some percentages for me from the sheet they gave me...

*insert elevator music here*

Ahhh, okay. Here we go:

Of the 106 things I was tested for, I'm allergic to 35. This is 33% of them. All in all, doesn't sound bad to begin with. Until you break it down. The doctor said that, based on the level of allergic I am to the things in question and the amount of them, I'm a 9.5 on a 10-point scale of being Highly Allergic. Sooo...

Of things found outside, I'm allergic to 68% of 'em. That breaks down to 57% of the trees I was tested for, 83% of the weeds, and 63% of the grasses. On the weeds I averaged 3.4 as my allergic "number" on a 4-point scale (with 4 being the worst). Ow. Bad weeds. Baaaad!

Of the indoor stuff, I'm allergic to 31% of it. Of that, I'm 33% allergic to the dust, pets, and other randoms stuff like feathers (although they didn't test for down specifically, and I know I'm highly allergic to those feathers from past experiences with pillows, coats, and chairs), and 30% allergic to the molds found in basements and the like. Not so bad, except that I'm pretty highly allergic to the molds I'm allergic to, and scored a 3 out of 4 on average of the other stuff. And that other stuff is mainly dust, mites, and my cats! I scored a 4-pointer on the cat test. Argh!

Of foods, it was a mere 3% of them. Meaning 1. Meaning, of all things, MILK! To top it all off, I have a mild milk allergy. Not enough for me to really get overly concerned about, but enough that I'm going to bow out of being the example for my kids to drink milk. Brian can handle that role model function for now and it's also possible the kids could end up being allergic too - which meanls I'm going to want to get Jareth tested soon to be sure. I'd hate to be pumping milk into the kid only to make him feel lousy! Meanwhile, I'll just go back to my calcium supplements, which I'd been dosing down due to the milk.

But, despite all the allergies - I actually came away from this doctor's appointment with way more HOPE than I'd expected. Both Brian and I expected them to find allergies. Maybe not so many, but some. And then, I expected that they would go through the routine of trying to figure out which allergy meds I should be on to help compensate for the situation...

What I didn't expect was an offer of a potential cure!!!

In a few weeks' time, I will begin treatments. They will custom-make a coctail that will be administered in two shots per week for a while and then slowly taper them off. By six months I'll be at full strength in the coctail of all the things I'm allergic to. Thus (hopefully) eventually teaching my body to NOT be allergic to them anymore.

Awesome. That is SO freaking awesome.

After that, it might be as much as 2-3 years of getting shots once a month or so (but little shots like the insulin was, so I'm actually not freaking over the needle fear I have either) before I'm "cured" but it will be well worth it if it "fixes" the problem.

So, despite the fact that I feel yucky today from all the scratches of concentrated allergens that were put on my back, I'm feeling pretty optimistic. Because that's ONE of the medical problems with a potential solution on the way. It may take years, but for ONCE they didn't just say "tough deal - live with it" like they usually do when they find something wrong with me.

There may be hope for me yet.

I'll take it. If it means one day I don't have to feel like my skin doesn't fit because I feel so lousy all the time? Hell yeah. I'll take it.

Current Mood: optimistic

Of Seasons and Circles...

Spring has sprung. Rolled in on a wave of snot and phlem it seems. Ugh. The 21st was the Spring Equinox - one of our holidays. Brian even has "floating holidays" through work, so he took the day off. He made us a breakfast feast for the first half of the day - omlets and sausage for breakfast, and applesauce crepes for lunch. We also hard-boiled a dozen eggs and then showed Jareth the joys of dying them. That, at least, was a lot of fun. It seemed like not much else went as we had hoped that day, but then again nobody was quite well.

Seems that we've been fighting off this virus/cold/flu thing that's been floating around. The past few weeks have been a haze of antibiotics, decongestants, cough syrups, and anything else that might help. Jareth has had it longest, I got it hardest all at once, Brian managed to skim through it in just a couple of days, and even Kayla has been fighting it off. Jareth and I are the only ones who ended up with antibiotics though. My doctor just blanket prescribed them to be sure, whereas we took Jareth back for a second visit that showed he'd developed an ear infection on top of the virus thing. The poor kid has been down for the count for almost three weeks it seems. Finally, he's up and about again. Tomorrow I may risk exposure to other children even. Cross your fingers we don't just pick the damn thing up again from going out...

More pictures should be coming shortly in the Picasa Gallery. Probably today. I've got some cute shots of my very messy little daughter at her birthday party, where she got a little cake all to herself and destroyed it rather thoroughly. There's also a cute shot I have from our egg decorating bit that I'll throw up there too.

In other news, I'm letting go of one of the domains I was trying to do something with - www.paganparents.com. I put up a farewell notice a while back, when I started getting the renewal notices and realized that I just plain don't have time to do the things I wanted to do with it - primarily turn it into a resource to find other "pagan" groups and information. However, the farewell notice generated an interest from one person in it continuing, so I am transferring the domain to her and she's going to even keep me in the loop, from the sound of things. Spring has also brought about renewed discussions in this house on how we would like to represent our somewhat unorthodox beliefs to the kids and in our everyday lives, so it's nice to see that the domain will not just be snatched up by some domain leech, trying to make money off of it. Since I do still want to be involved with it, it will be nice having someone friendly in control of it too! She's got a few web sites, so I may drop a link or two to her in the near future, once I see how it all goes.

Anyway... I'm sitting here typing this with the windows to the house open, airing things out in the nice spring air. I'm hoping it will rejuvinate me on some levels. Meanwhile, I'm also scheduling lots of appointments to doctors to try and get some issues resolved - like my allergies. Tomorrow I go for an allergy test. Maybe I'll finally find out which pollens and such have been giving me near-constant headaches all these years...

It's the colonoscopy I'm not looking forward to though. Looks like I'm finally going to end up having to get myself a gastro guy and schedule one. But I don't feel like getting into the literal shitty end of things today. Let's just think spring and bask in the fresh (pollen-filled) air!

*sigh*

It will get better, damnit. I could go on and on with a rant on the various problems I feel like I need to plow through right now. But I'm just trying to hang on to the whole "it will get better" bit right now instead.

Later!

Current Mood: optimistic (or at least trying to be)

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today, Kayla Evina Howard was born. My goodness she has grown!

Pictures are being uploaded to this gallery. I won't get all the good ones up today so check back to see the rest.

Hopefully, her actual party will happen next weekend. Today we gave her our gifts to her - a fuzzy leopard snuggly and a Little People palace, complete with dragon. She also got a bunch of clothes, but I wasn't going to bother wrapping those. She'll wear one of the outfits tonight though, and has a pretty new dress for her party too! Sometime next week I'm going to take both of them in for haircuts... I'm at a loss on what to do with those fine little golden locks of hers since they simply refuse to stay in barrettes! I guess it's finally time for an official trim. I did snip a little off myself a few weeks back, but she needs evening out everywhere now. And Jareth has been getting a little shaggy around the edges too.

More later. Lots to do now!

Current Mood: enthralled

Screw Diamonds, I want Real Estate!

Recently, on one of my moms' boards, the question was posed..

"So if you were to win a huge lottery, what are some of the things u would do with the money?"

I had fun running through all the possibilities in my head, so I figured I'd drop it here too:

Where to begin... oh, I'd need bundles and bundles of money...

First, sock away enough to cover the kids' education up to and including a bachelor's degree at any school they might want.

Second - three houses - one here in Illinois for visiting the family, one out in the desert somewhere on acres and acres of mountainous land, and one on the east coast (literally) somewhere between Maryland and Florida in a sleepy little area that's not overcrowded. Meh. Scratch that last one - I'll just buy a damn island. That'll work. Then I won't have to worry over the occasional nudity on the beach. *evil grin*

Then there's the cutom-built diesel motorhome with all the bells and whistles and the little car to tow behind it. Each house also needs to be equipped with a garage for said motorhome as well as it's own SUV and sports car...

And, when I'm not traveling about in the motorhome or stopped off for a rest at one of my houses... I'd be jet-setting about the globe. I'd like to see lots of it. I mean LOTS.

Work? Well each house will need to have a fully-equipped jewelry lab at the ready for me to work in. With all the high-end tools, gizmos and gadgets. I'll also want high-end computer equipment in the houses and the motorhome. And I'll want a personal assistant to help keep track of my schedule and to keep me organized. And a top-notch nanny to help me out with the kids.

And a chef. And a maid. And a masseuse. And a trustworthy accountant. And a cabana boy. (well Brian and I once agreed that if he ever gets a french maid, then I get a cabana boy...) *grin*

With all that travel I may just need to hire a Waldorf teacher to privately educate my kids while we travel...

Oooh... and a boob job. I want these suckers reduced down to "perky" damnit!

Oops - I almost forgot about donations. See what a greedy lady I am! I'd totally support the arts - especially programs that help encourage children in art and music. I'd probably buy a little local theatre and support it. I'd also probably donate to cancer research, again, especially those funds for children. And that one that gives dying kids a last wish/dream come true thing. I think that one is totally great. And one that takes underprivileged kids camping too...

Hmm. I might be better off buying a darn orphanage, putting it on my island and equipping it with a high-end medical research center and arts center. Might be cheaper in the end!

How many hundreds of billions are we talking here anyway? *wink*

Current Mood: creative

Banging MY Drum!

I did not own a drum.

This normally would not have been an issue for most people. But, since I occasionally go to drum circles, it posed something of a small, personal frustration to me. As I sat, banging one of many borrowed drums or percussion instruments, some of which I'd even swipe from my kid.

Yes, my son had a drum before I did. Why? Because I bought him one. Brian had a couple, one of which I bought him too, mind you...

But I'd never got around to justifying the money to buy myself a drum. Until now. I guess I was waiting for the chance to do it right.

So, last Saturday, we went to a drum-making class. Hosted by a very wonderful couple (thanks Jack & Judy!) at a dreamy little spot in Illinois called Small Waters. I'm totally jealous of their place. I want them to adopt me so I can live there. They have put so much work into making it beautiful and it shows...

The class was taught by this great guy, Michael Suess. I say he's great as he's somehow able to teach and remain totally unphased when people like me come along and ask "why can't I do it THIS way instead???" despite the fact that he's been doing this for a while and probably has a clue of how it's supposed to be done by now. Yep. He steered me clear of trouble.

And thus, I am now the proud owner of my very own buffalo hide octagonal drum. That I made myself. Okay, Michael made the frame, and all that, but I put it together. And tonight, I painted it too.

And I love it. *Purrrrzz*

Yes, dragons can purr when they're happy. Especially ones who keep cats. Nyah.

Pictures can be found here. Brian's drum is the big round one.

Enjoy!

Current Mood: accomplished