The Pitfalls of Being a Teacher!

I love being a teacher. I have loved it for the last 17 years. The only problem is, I catch every thing that comes into my class.  Since I'm the reading teacher, I work with small guided reading groups throughout the day to help my students who just quite aren't where they need to be when it comes to reading and comprehension. 

Not my table, but it works for my post!

Now as you can see from the picture, I am no more than 2 or 3 feet away from my students.  I meet with 5 different groups during the day.  It never fails, at least 2 of them are sniffling, sneezing, or coughing.  It's quite disgusting. I keep tissues and hand sanitizer handy, but how do you control the germs when they don't cover their mouths.  You would think that by 5th grade they would know how to do this, but I still have to remind them everyday. I have to wipe down my table with chlorox wipes between every group. 

I had built up my immunities over the years, but since my fibro diagnoses my immune system seems to be shot.  So now I get to spend yet another weekend trying to recuperate enough to go back to my germy little monsters on Monday.  They're so lucky I love them all! Do you think they would be offended if I wore a surgical mask during group?

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

My Family!

My Grandfather with his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his great-great grandchildren!

My Silly Family!

These are the pictures my brother took on Thanksgiving of the 36 of us.  It took forever to get everyone organized and the little ones were getting restless.  After we took our family picture, we decided to do a silly picture of the kids.  I think we had more fun than the kids! Great memories!

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

Easily Bored!

I'm the type of person who gets easily bored with things.  I want my hair long, no I want it short, no I want it short with red highlights, no I want it layered with blond highlights, give me bangs (that was a mistake), wait I want it one length with purple highlights (what I currently have on my head).  I have had every one of those hair styles and then some. 

The same goes with my blog.  I want it purple (my favorite color), no I want it blue, wait the rain background is cool, no let's get the cool orange and pinkish splattery abstract background.  I like to change my blog around, and get ideas from other blogs.  The problem is dealing with the font.  I used to love playing with the different fonts and going all cutesy and fancy.  Then I realized that cutesy and fancy isn't always that easy to read for someone with fibro.

Back in September I posted about the fact that my vision is getting blurry.  This is becoming a daily problem, since I spend all day reading and writing with my 5th graders.  By the time I get home, my eyes are tired and my vision is super blurry.  I find that I am constantly hitting the zoom button on my computer in order to read some blogs (please do not be offended if you have cutesy fonts, this is not my intention).  It's made me more self conscious about my own blog. 

I was bored with my blog and decided to change to fall colors.  This took some doing.  I had to make sure the colors weren't too bright, the font was easily read, and that it wouldn't hurt the eyes.  This is not as easy as it sounds.  I miss my fancy fonts, but at least it doesn't bother my eyes.  I hope everyone finds it eye appealing, if not leave me a comment on how I can make it better.  Hurry before I get bored again and change the whole thing!

Gentle Hugs,
Easily Bored Bonnie

Snap! Crackle! Pop! Redux!

I've been going to the chiropractor for almost 4 weeks now (3 times a week).  Four weeks of getting deep tissue massages, physical therapy, electrical stimulation, and my favorite adjustments.  My lower back is actually starting to feel a little better. 

The massage therapist is determined to get rid of all the knots in my neck, shoulders, and glutes by torturing me with deep tissue massages.  She hasn't been able to make a dent in the knots yet, and let me tell you she's not giving up.  It's 15 minutes of pure torture, and I walk out of the room light headed and feeling like she took a bat to my back.

I definitely look like this after a massage and adjustment!

The physical therapy part isn't bad.  They have me doing several stretches and exercises to help my back.  I don't mind the adjustment on my back, but the neck freaks me out every time.  I keep expecting for my head to come flying right off my shoulders.  Every time they adjust my neck I swear I see stars! After a session, I'm pretty much finished for the rest of the night.  I come home and just collapse!

They did a scan of my feet, and now I'm getting orthotics because apparently when I walk I don't put any weight on my big toes.  I'm actually having to learn how to walk all over again.  Apparently this is also a cause of my balance issues.  I thought I was just super clumsy!  Thank goodness my insurance is covering this, because the orthotics are expensive.

After looking at my x-rays, the doctor was amazed that the only part of my body I don't complain about pain is the part that has arthritis (vertebrae T11 and T12).  I guess I'm just lucky that way!

Photo Courtesy of www.yogaback.com

So I will continue to go get tortured 3 times a week, and wait for that magical day when I don't walk out of there feeling like I was mugged.  They say it's going to happen! Fingers crossed!

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

I Tweaked My Sign!

I decided to tweak my drawing (still not an artist) and am really considering printing it out and making it a sign to put in my window! Let me know what you think!

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

To Park or Not to Park! Now that is truly the question!

 

Living with a chronic illness is bad enough, but living with an invisible chronic illness is horrible beyond words.  

I recently got my permanent disabled parking plates for my vehicle.  I often feel guilty using them because of the looks people give me when I get out of my truck.  You know the look?  The "how dare you park there when you are obviously healthy" look.   The look that makes you want to start limping and dragging your leg as you walk.  The look that makes you want to explain why you dare to park in that sacred space. The look that makes you want to scream "I dare to park here because I hurt all over, my feet feel like they're on fire and I'm walking on glass, my lower back and neck feel like someone is stabbing me constantly, and my head feels like it's about to explode!"  

Yes I look normal! I don't look like I fall under the permanently disabled category! In fact there are days when I don't use the spaces provided, but I'm so happy they are there when I need them.  Please quit looking at me as if I'm doing something wrong.  

I think that the fact that the signs have a wheelchair on them doesn't help those of us with an invisible illness.  Most people see those signs and think only those in a wheelchair should be allowed to park there.  Even my plates have the wheelchair symbol on them.  I think if they changed the signs to something like this:

Warning! Pain All Over!

people might be more compassionate to those of us with an invisible illness.  I'm just saying! So for now I will try not to feel guilty when I use that space.  Maybe I'll print my drawing (I never claimed to be an artist), turn it into a magnetic sign, an put it on the back of my truck!  Think people will get the hint?

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

Rude Awakenings!

photo courtesy of: http://ic.steadyhealth.com/leg_cramps_and_potassium.html

muchphoto courtesy of : http://diabetes.webmd.com/ss/slideshow-what-your-feet-say

There is nothing worse than being woken up in the middle of the night with a Charley Horse Leg Cramp.  I'm sure everyone has had a couple of these in their lifetimes right?  Well early this morning I was not woken up by a Charley Horse in my calf, I was woken up with Charley Horses in both calves and the toes of both feet.  Talk about rude awakenings!

For about 2 minutes (though it seemed like a lot longer) I tried to relax my muscles and not tense up.  I have learned from the past that stretching out my muscles only makes the cramps worse, and that the best thing I can do is to try breathing through the pain until the cramp subsides.  This is not always the easiest thing to do, but I always manage.

I have never had both legs cramp up at the same time, and I never in my life had my toes cramp up.  My toes were bent in some very weird positions.  If it hadn't hurt so much I might have found it amusing.  My legs and my toes are sore today, but at least they don't look funny anymore!  I'm guessing that I'm dehydrated and low on potassium, so lots of water and bananas for me today.  Only problem is, I can't eat bananas by themselves (the scent of the banana is too strong for me and makes me gag), so I guess I will have to sacrifice and have a banana split! Oh Darn!

Photo Courtesy of: http://www.baskinrobbinsmea.com/

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

Get the Fire Extinguisher!

photo courtesy of http://www.hallmark.com/online/maxine/crabby-road/

I need to make an appointment to see my ob/gyn.  I haven't seen him in 8 years (but I do have an annual exam with my GP every year so I'm not neglecting my body) since he performed my partial hysterectomy after Shane was born.  I've been getting hot flashes for about a year now, but they are happening more frequently.   This morning I woke up with severe pain in my right ovary.  I'm afraid it may be time to remove the ovaries and start the hormones (my poor guys). 

I live in a house full of men who don't seem to understand why I would possibly want the air conditioning going when they are freezing.  The 9 year old doesn't protest too much, he's very hot blooded, so it really doesn't bother him, but the 18 year old and my hubby act like I've set the temperature to North Pole Settings!

I had a hot flash yesterday morning at work that actually had my colleagues concerned.  I started sweating profusely and apparently my face became really red.  One of my colleagues did the mommy touch to see if I had a fever, but she said I was cool and clammy (ewwww).  It lasted about an hour, and then it left just as quickly as it arrived.  I had a couple more episodes throughout the day, but they only lasted 10 to 15 minutes. 

I'm in the middle of a serious hot flash as I type this, and wish the air would kick on again.  I'd get up and mess with the thermostat, but it hurts when I walk (darn ovary). Oh wait, it just kicked on again (yay me).   So for now my men must freeze.  I told them it was easier for them to layer, than for me to strip down (wouldn't want to traumatize my boys).  Thank goodness they all love me very much!

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

P.S. Darn air conditioning turned off again! :-(

Spondo What?

Photo courtesy of the Mayo Clinic

I finally got the x-ray results for my back, and the chiropractor tells me I have spondylosis.  I know I was diagnosed with scoliosis as a child, but had no clue what spondylosis was and I wasn't sure I wanted to know.  So the doctor shows me the x-ray and starts to explain what is happening with my back.

Needless to say I was a little freaked out by all his doctor talk, so I asked him to explain it to me in normal person talk.  He laughed at me and basically said my vertebrae are degenerating and I have bone spurs on the ends of them, my tail bone is at a funky angle, and my left hip is higher than my right hip.   I also have arthritis of the spine! Yay me!  So he wants to see me 3 times a week for the next 4 weeks to work on my back (more snap! crackle! and pop!).  He says they should be able to get me walking with minimal pain in no time.

I went to my rheumy yesterday and told him about the diagnoses, and he wants me to be careful with the chiropractor because he's afraid they're going to mess me up even more.  He then proceeded to give me 2 cortisone shots (one in each hip) to help with my myofascial pain.  My hubby was with me and I could see the look on his face.  I had seen the needle (about 5 inches in length) and asked hubby if the doctor had pushed the whole needle in my hip (the doctor gives a numbing shot first so I couldn't feel the big needle), and my hubby could only nod his head up and down.  The shots have actually helped with the tenderness in my legs.  Hopefully it lasts a while before wearing off.

So tomorrow I go back to the chiropractor and tell him about my rheumy's concerns. My rheumy also gave me a note for the chiropractor explaining what he would like accomplished during physical therapy.  He said to let him know if the chiropractor couldn't accommodate me and he would send me to a new physical therapist.

I just want the pain to go away!

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

Snap! Crackle! Pop!

No, I'm not talking about the cereal! 

What a day! First hubby and I went to my family doctor (who I absolutely love and wouldn't trade in for the world because he believes me when I tell him I'm hurting) who gave me a shot of something, a pain pill, a prescription for some pain patches, and a prescription for a muscle relaxer. Then he called his brother the chiropractor and told him he needed to see me today. 

So off we went to the chiropractor who said my back was really jacked up (though he used his doctor words) and worked out a temporary plan of treatment. First a massage (I was thinking awesome until they went all deep tissue on me and pissed off my fibro and made me seriously light headed), then some stretches (painful but manageable), time with the industrial strength tens unit , and finally I was back with the doctor. 

 He stretched me out (ouch), and then told me he was going to do an adjustment (oh-oh). I have never been to a chiropractor before, but I relaxed and let him do his thing. He popped every bone in my back (quick relief, then "Dude, I'm going to hurt you if you do that again" pain). Monday I have to get some x-rays and lab work done, and he wants to see me again. Apparently it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Right now I feel like I've been beaten with a bat, plus my back is still killing me. I did take a long nap today due to the work out my body got plus the meds they gave me. So for now I'm supposed to keep resting, and then we'll see what Monday brings. So looking forward to it!

A little humor courtesy of http://www.digitalham.co.uk/misc/chiropractor/

Gentle hugs,
Bonnie

Hurting!

I thought I was doing okay yesterday after setting up my classroom, and was going to get away with just a headache.  As the night progressed though, other parts of my body started hurting.  By bedtime I could hardly walk because my feet were very tender.  It feels like I'm walking on shards of hot glass!  My arms and legs are sensitive to touch, actually I will throw something at you if you even come close to my arms and legs! My pain scale number has definitely gone up from the 5 I was at yesterday.  I would say today I'm at about a 9.  Needless to say I didn't get much sleep last night and look like something from "The Walking Dead!"

I can handle the pain in my arms and legs (remember don't come to close to my throwing arm), but the feet are another thing!  Just the thought of getting up to go to the restroom gives me nightmares! So today is going to be a lazy, stay in bed kind of day. Thank goodness my hubby is off today and taking good care of me. 

Gentle Hugs,
Bonnie

Bad Day!

Woke up this morning in really bad pain.  I have a massive headache, my neck, shoulders, back, and hips are killing me.  Thank goodness I have a very capable student teacher to take over my class when the pain gets to be too much.  I have no idea what is causing this flare up, but I hope it goes away soon.  My medication doesn't seem to be doing any good today! I found this funny pain scale and thought it expressed my feelings of pain exactly! I am hanging between an 8 and a 9!