The Ganglion Cyst Update

Today I had to move the cyst from the “I’ll watch it and deal with it later list” to the “my wrist hurts so much I am tempted to desert my family at 5 am this morning because I can’t handle them anymore” list. When I can’t handle dealing with anyone in the family is usually my internal indicator that I need to see a doctor about whatever is making me a grump. Having your wrist throbbing and feeling like what things do in cartoons when they get hurt will make a person grumpy. The other thing that nudged me along was that I almost felt feverish this morning. I was kind of afraid it may have gotten infected since I did the whole home remedy thing. I broke down and called the doctor for fear my blood was turning septic as I sat at my desk.


His nurse agreed with me that it did look like a Ganglion Cyst. Then she said “did you know they are also called Bible cysts because some people would try to hit them with Bibles”. I just said “really???” like I was in complete shock someone would do that. The doctor came in and said the same thing – he thought it was one of those cysts. The bad news is the only way to get rid of them is by surgery. Since I’m not at all crazy with that option he gave me some steroids to try to calm it down and I’m supposed to try to not use that wrist the same way I have been. Yeah – with Camryn’s drama queen attitude right now that’s not going to be easy.

Camryn appears to be going through a separation anxiety phase but only worse. Last night she had her back to me when I walked in the door from work. Once she heard my voice she started having this screeching/screaming/sobbing cry that said “how in the world could you have left me with Dad and Cade for 30 whole minutes while you got your hair trimmed”. The rest of the night at the Fall Festival she would not remove herself from my hip – probably why my wrist was even more inflamed today. Jay tried taking her numerous times, but she would only give him dirty looks and start screaming if he touched her. Then she fell asleep and would not let me put her in the stroller. I had to carry her around even though she felt like her last bottle contained liquid cement.

By the time this weekend is over, if I’m not going to need Ganglion Cyst surgery or ruptured disc surgery I’ll be amazed. I’m really hoping it is Hurricane Isaac that has Camryn out of sorts. Maybe when it finally blows through it will take Camry’s bad mood with it.

Oh and by the time I got to the doctors office I wasn't feeling feverish anymore so I'm pretty sure I'm not septic.  But I overheard the doctor and nurse talking about someone who had shingles.  Great....is it just me or do there seem to be a lot shingles going around right now?  That is at least the 3rd person I've heard of in a couple of weeks. 

Tag Team Parenting and a Ganglion Cyst

Last night was one of those nights where I was so thankful Jay and I practice tag team parenting. You know-when one spouse recognizes the other one is at their breaking point with a particular child so they step in and take over. It gives the other parent a moment to decompress and in our case where this revolves a lot around homework – it helps Cade to have a change in homework help.

Last night was definitely one of those nights I was on the edge of losing my mind with Camryn. I really haven’t experienced this much with her yet. Normally I can take the fussing because I’ve learned to block it out, but yesterday was a just a series of things that led to me not being able to handle her constant crying. I’d say it started yesterday morning, but honestly she and I have spent a lot of time together the last month. Not that I haven’t enjoyed it, but with Jay being gone so many weekends to cattle shows it’s been me and her hanging out together. So I haven’t had much down time….then she woke up at 5:30 yesterday morning and I didn’t get to have my normal quiet time before work. Then she fussed all morning while I was getting ready for work. Then I got to work and had to go to a 4 hour (pointless) meeting in Springfield. That was a stressor in itself….my bra was irritating me, my dress was getting on my nerves, one section got drug out entirely too long (with no potty breaks), I had to take one of my earrings out because my ear puffed up and got really sore, I had a sweater over my sleeveless dress and I was so hot, I was also having (as if you couldn’t tell) some hormonal issues which was making my entire body hurt, I kept having to call my pharmacy to see if they had got the prescription request my doctor was supposed to have sent Monday, said doctor didn’t return my call so I had to call them 3 times before I got a response AND my left wrist really hurt. Really, really hurt.

By the time I got home yesterday I was worn out. And again my wrist hurt. It is right on the part of it where I have to bend it when I’m holding Camryn and rubs against her constantly. After being home about 10 minutes with me Jay volunteered to take Camryn with him to football practice. I didn’t put up much of a fight and let him take her. I needed the time to decompress a little. As they were pulling out of the driveway I was yelling at him to take them to McDonald’s after practice. I wasn’t up to cooking while they were gone.

After I had some deep breaths and some veg out time on the couch I felt much better. I got up and picked up the house and the term Ganglion Cyst popped in my head. I googled it and I think that may be what is making my wrist so sore. It is exactly in the same spot where they are most common and I can feel a bump there. It also says they can be very sore when they first appear. And repeated use of the area can make it sorer. I’m used to my hands, arms, neck, shoulders hurting due to their constant use right now, but this was a different hurt. Did you also know those are called Bible Cysts?

So here is a deep dark confession….Do you know why they are also called Bible Cysts? That is because sometimes if you hit them with something heavy (like a Bible) they will burst. I was home alone, my wrist was really hurting….I decided what the heck….it wasn’t like it was going to hurt any worse than it already did. Totally wrong thinking on my part. I logically got what I thought was our heaviest Bible out and tried it. It was too awkward to do much good. Then I grabbed my latest Mary Higgins Clark library book and realized it was the perfect size. I wacked my really sore wrist really hard with the book. It is a wonder Jay didn’t come home to me passed out on the floor. I seriously saw stars from it. Apparently my wrist could hurt worse than it already did. But once the initial pain subsided and I started breathing normally again – it actually didn’t hurt as bad as it did earlier in the day.

It is still sore this morning, but not like it was yesterday. I can still feel a bit of a bump there but Jay thinks it is smaller than it was pre-book bashing. So since it doesn’t seem to be bothering me nearly as much I’m moving it to my “something to keep my eye on and call the doctor if it doesn’t get better in X number of weeks” list. I think maybe I might have made my great-great grandparents really proud with my home remedy….except they probably would have suggested a hammer….

By the time Jay got home with already fed kids I was in much better spirits. My wrist didn’t hurt as bad and no one had needed anything from me for 2 hours. I was even up to helping Jay out by taking Camryn to our room so he could watch the Republican Convention that I had lovingly recorded for him while he was at practice. Thank goodness I had that down time earlier – otherwise I wouldn’t have handled Camryn spinning around and getting dizzy then puking up curdled milk on our bed nearly as well as I did last night.

Football

I know I mentioned it a few posts ago, but Cade decided to play football this fall.  Yuck and double yuck.  I think that since I came from a school that had no football I don't get the hype with it.  Yes, it is fun to go to the games in the fall and talk to people.  But other than that it pretty much is not my idea of a good time.  Anytime a player doesn't get up immediately my heart starts to pound.  In the few instances where I've seen them bring a stretcher on to the field it quite literally makes me sick to my stomach.  I always wonder how the mother of the hurt boy can handle watching that from the stands. 

So I have zero interest in Cade ever playing football.  Zero.  But being a boy, from a school that has a football program, of course he wants to play.  I knew my luck from him not wanting to play last year wouldn't hold much longer. 

We discovered that football sign ups were the Saturday I was bringing him back from Oklahoma.  Jay called Cade that week to make sure that he really did want to play and to make sure he understood the consequences if he did play....getting home late from practices, not getting to go to Fayetteville for the home games, a totally crazy mom, etc.  Actually I don't think Jay actually included the last consequence.  Jay was just trying to lay it all out so Cade understood the commitment.  And in all honesty I think Jay was trying to make it sound bad enough that Cade wouldn't want to play.  Cade is sharp enough that he picked up on Jay's hesitation and they had the following conversation...

Cade:  Yes, I want to play.  What is the problem? (getting agitated)
Jay:  Well....your mom doesn't want you to play
Cade: (Clearly mad) Well what are we going to do about that?

So of course we let him play.  I guess he was pretty upset with me and wasn't too happy when I picked him up in Oklahoma because he thought I wasn't going to let him play.  He was a lot happier once he figured out I wasn't going to stop him. 

Practice started last week.  Again, I'm not one to hold back my feelings (at least not on my blog) but when I found out who one of the coaches was it took every ounce of strength to not call the head of the youth sports program.  How many times does a person need to make a butt out of himself at a kids sporting event before someone figures out he doesn't need to be around children?  Apparently 2 times in the 2 years these kids have been old enough to play is still not enough to be banned from coaching.  But I'm trying to remain calm.

I'm really hoping part of why it was so miserable the last time was because I was so miserable.  Two years ago I was in a pretty bad mood.  We had already had one failed transfer and I was coming down off of all the hormones and gearing up for another round.  Anyone who's been on fertility treatments knows what I'm talking about.  Everyone is pretty lucky I didn't march onto the practice field and knock some of those men's heads together.  I'm visualizing about 3 right now that I could've easily done it to just because they irritated me.  Then Cade's 3rd grade teacher sending home 30 some addition/subtraction problems with carrying involved didn't help.  I pretty much was angry at the world during that time.  Looking back I don't know how I survived - it was definitely one of the most unhappy times I've ever been through.  I guess massive doses of Lupron, Estrogen, and Progesterone can do that to a person.  Oh, it was awful.

 I'm trying to not let it get to me this year.  So far Jay has been able to take Cade to all the practices, which works out the best for all of us.  And Cade is loving it so far, so that does make it worth it.  Last night was their first tackling practice and he came home pretty fired up about it.  I am glad that he is enjoying it.  That will make it easier to go to the games (which are on Saturday afternoon's...talk about a weekend killer!).  I just hope the above mentioned coach plays all the kids.  Otherwise my Lupron induced personality may come out.  He seems to think it's more important to win then to let all the 10 year olds have a chance to play.  I'm fine with that mentality in Jr High and HS, but when I pay $50 and hold dinner until 8:30 pm several nights a week then by golly my child had better play. 

Yes, sports is one of my biggest soapbox issues.  And yes, I'm probably slightly selfish, but the time commitment for football for the parents is too much.  I enjoy being able to go to Fayetteville.  Now Jay will be at the Razorback games and I'll be praying Camryn doesn't fall off the bleachers.  With her record I'm almost sure that will happen at least once.  Fun Times!

I am hoping Cade will forget about Jay telling him I didn't want him to play.  I'm really hoping that isn't something he remembers and then will tell everyone the rest of his life about how I was so mean about football...but I doubt it.  A few nights ago Cade was starting up NCAA 13 on the xbox so he and Jay could play a round.  Camryn gets very excited when they start up these football games.  I think it is the loud music on them - she loves music.  Cade thinks she likes football.  Somewhat talking to himself Cade says...

I wonder what will happen if Camryn likes football.....mom probably won't let her like it.

What a brat!!!

Well the summer is officially over and 5th Grade starts today.  Even though I'm not ready to give up our more relaxed summer schedule I guess I don't have a  choice.  This morning we got up and around very early.  We had breakfast together, took the back to school pics and measured both kids on the door frame.  All of that was done before 7 am.  Jay made the comment that it was actually possible for us to get around before 7.  Hopefully he won't think we can live up to that every day.  I predict that by Monday I'll be yelling from the bathroom to the kitchen "just get some cereal, it's 7:30 and I still need to fix my hair!"  I think I've read every article ever published on how to make your mornings smoother and not one of them has actually helped.  Probably because if I did everything the night before that they suggest I'd never get to actually go to bed.  But my new organization system in our laundry room is going to change the 2012-2013 school year.....yeah right!! 

Last year I didn't participate in the Back to School pictures.  I was still on leave with Camryn and Cade wasn't interested in having me walk him in to school so I was still in my pajamas.  This year it was nice taking the picture and having Camryn in them.  I can't believe Cade is in the 5th Grade and Camryn looks really long in the picture where Cade is holding here.  Kids grow up too fast!!

 

 

We had both Back to School nights on Tuesday.  We took Cade stuff to his classroom and them went to the high school for Jay's.  I'm really encouraged about this year.  The last few years, at least for Jay, have been pretty rough.  I'm not going to sugarcoat it - I did not care for the last Superintendent. And I'd like to wish the new school where he is at the best of luck....they are going to need it.

 

 But Miller has a new Superintendent and from what Jay said the atmosphere was completely different in the back to school meetings.  I really think it is going to be a whole new environment for the teachers this year.  I spent a lot of time praying for a good change the past year so I'm hoping this is it.  But I'll keep praying!  Even with the best of administrations schools are facing a lot of challenges right now.

 

I'm also very pleased with Cade's class.  He has most of his good friends in his room.  His 4th grade teacher was so good that it's going to be hard to live up to her - hopefully Ms. G is up to the challenge!  Mrs D was the first teacher since Kindergarten who "got" Cade - I think their personalities were a lot alike.  She seemed to get his struggles and knew how to address our concerns with them.  We sent her a boy who could not get math.  At all.  And she sent back a boy who can do it all - he just needed some confidence.  This year he will go back to the Everyday Math program (which is not a good fit for him).  But I think with the confidence he gained last year it will make it a lot easier.  Hopefully we Jay will survive his homework. 

 

 

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Wal-Mart's evil plan and other back to school musings

We are less than a week away from school starting.  The fact that the summer seemed to fly by was very apparent Tuesday night when I broke down and bought Cade's school supply.  I could see the shock on the other parent's face while we kept passing each other trying to find the items on our lists.  It's kind of a numb, can this really be happening sort of look.  I don't know what other parents think about while they are gathering supplies but here are some of my thoughts......

• Quart size baggies??? I've bought these every year for 6 years.  What in the heck do they use these things for?  I've never seen Cade bring one home.  Good grief, I'll have to go over to the food aisle to see if they have any left.  The supply here is wiped out.
• Dry Eraser.....what happens to 20+ dry erasers throughout the year.  Why does every kid need to bring an eraser?
• Pencils....why are the cheap pencils gone?  I am not buying the package of 10 that are presharpened.  They cost almost $2 and I have to buy 4 of them.  That's going to have to wait until I can go to another store. I can't believe there are no pencils at Wal-Mart!
• What the heck are Post-It flags and where do I find them
• Finally, I found the dry eraser....but I don't want the cleaner and the colored markers.  Why can't I just buy a plain eraser?
• Where are the scissors????  Where the heck are the scissors?????
• 2 red pens????  I have to get a package of pens so I can send two red pens with Cade?
• Crap....I forgot the pink pearl eraser.  Was that over by the sparkly folders or the calculators? I'll have to circle all the aisles again.  My feet hurt, I should've wore different sandals.
• I wish this family letting their kindergarten student decide on the colors of his 4 folders would move over a little.....If they don't move so I can grab the last thing of highlighters I'm going to pick the 4 folders for the kid....
• Why do teachers hate Trapper Keepers?  Every class list has in bold writing NO TRAPPER KEEPERS...even the other schools have the same thing.  Why all the hate for trapper keepers....I think I had one with kitties on it...or was it puppies...no, it was definitely kitties.  Was I in the 3rd grade that year.....
• Will anyone notice if I take two pencils out of one of the boxes I'm supplying for the classroom and put them with the required art supplies? Oh wait...WAL-MART DOESN'T HAVE ANY PENCILS

After going to 2 different stores and finding nary a package of $0.98 pencils and only 1 dry eraser/cleaner/multi-colored marker package I've decided that is Wal-Mart's evil plan.  They purposely under buy those items so that we parents have to make multiple trips to look for them.  Apparently they know every student in this area needs a dry eraser.  So they purposely under bought by 1 just to drive me crazy.  But they knew my feet hurt and I was in a school supply stupor so I bought the whole package of things we don't need just so I could mark eraser off my list.  But I will not fall for their tricks on the $2 pencils.  At least not yet.....

Since most of the school supplies are now purcahsed I've turned by attention on how to make this year smoother.  Last year was pretty bad in the organization department.  Actually, I was pretty non-present with Cade and his homework.  It seriously almost gave me a panic attack every night.  Thanks goodness Mrs. D was pretty easy with it because Jay was around to handle it most nights.  I doubt I'll be so lucky this year. 

I spent Tuesday in Greenfield trying to think through how to make things better.  I met Jay for lunch and told him I'd been trying to think through how to handle the backpack mess.  Jay said "you mean how you NEVER looked in his backpack?"  Yeah, that is what I'm trying to fix.  Along with just our whole distribution of crap every time we walk in the door.  Since we walk into our kitchen everything tends to get dumped on the kitchen table....backpack, mail, Jay's odds and ends from his pockets, my bag of stuff I carry around every day and just other things from the day.  It creates a mess in the kitchen then I'm trying to do dinner but I feel claustrophobic.  Then everything gets moved around and the backpack is out of sight, out of mind.  I also need a better system for remembering to send Cade's lunch money check each month and all the other papers I need to sign and send back.  Did I mention Cade is playing football this year....so we'll have to add practices 10 nights a week and a helmet to the mess in the kitchen.  AHHHHH.

This week I got the monthly newsletter from the FCS Credit Union that had a story about what I'm feeling right now.  There is seriously a name for this....something like Post Vacation Depression I think....Interesting.  I had a name for this problem about 3rd grade...Backpack Fatigue. 

I do have some systems worked out.  I think we will be doing good if they stay in place through Labor Day.  Then I'm sure it will be back to utter chaos.  But the school has help for people like me.  I love the new automated call system that lets me know Cade's lunch account is negative and he will be eating a cheese sandwich if I don't send in a check.  So helpful!!! Seriously it was helpful last year...otherwise I would've never remembered. 

2012-2013 school year here we come....kicking and screaming every step of the way.

My least favorite time is....

Any time I try to get Camryn to eat. It is becoming quite old and extremely frustrating. I think she is one heck of a picky eater. It makes me want to pull my hair out. Actually I feel like the Beast from Beauty and the Beast. You know the part where Belle refuses to eat with him so he screams in a terrible voice if she doesn't eat with me she doesn't eat at all. Almost nightly I scream in that voice inside my head...Fine then don't eat!!!

This picture is what it is like 9 out of 10 nights...don't want it, won't eat it, gonna toss it over the side of my chair...And yet again I heard Beasts voice....or maybe its driving me so crazy I'm starting to hear voices.

Tonight is a prime example of nights where I really don't know what to do. Jay and Cade are at the State Fair. There is no reason for me to cook. Sometimes I wonder if I should even bother trying to get her to eat. I open up something only to have her not even put it in her mouth. It frustrates me.   I do think she has an issue with textures.  She will eat chips and fries (things that scare me that she will choke).  I think she prefers things she can pick up and bite off herself rather than softer more baby friendly foods.  I'm really hoping once she gets old enough where we can balance out what she likes with what she can eat it will be better???  But that's also what I told myself a year ago when I had to scrape cereal out of her mouth because she was screaming and wouldn't close it.  Yeah, it will get better....

So yes, she still is on full feed bottles. She refuses milk out of a sippy. I tried it again last week and she promptly handed it back and said bottle. I get the feeling this is only the beginning of many more battles....

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Lake Superior

One of the requirements of this trip was to visit a Great Lake.  I was going to say that none of us had ever been to a Great Lake, but after some googling on my part just now I realized I had been to Lake Huron a few years ago.  Since that was one of the worst trips of my life I must have put it out of my mind until this moment.  Anyway....I'm going to say this was the first time that I actually enjoyed (or cared) I was seeing a Great Lake.  It was actually my favorite part of the trip.  We ended up about 100 miles from Canada so I was wishing we really had pursued passports for me and the kids.  It was so pretty! It was also so green.  It was nice walking through grass that was green and not crunchy.

Minnesota was having a heat wave while we were there (95 degrees) but everyone was sweating like crazy.  We thought it was funny because we were thinking it was pretty nice after our 100 degree days.

I think we were trying to get a picture fo the Lake, but we ended up with one of the van.  I thought we had forgot to take a picture of it until later.  The only thing missing in this picture is a stream of light shining down from heaven on the van.  Yes, the van really was that exciting.

Split Rock lighthouse...well worth the extra drive from Duluth



Vacation Pics

Finally I've had a spare moment without little fingers reaching for the keyboard on my computer.  Camryn makes computer work hard.  She will reach up and start pressing buttons while repeating No over and over.  I've started trying to post about vacation, but I give up after awhile.  I woke up at 4 this morning so I decided it was the perfect time to do some posting.

We left for Minnesota on Saturday June 14th.  Like I had mentioned previously we rented a van for the trip.  Best decision ever.  We just can't all fit in the G6....or at least we can't if we want to take suitcases.  Jay said we might fit if we loaded everything without bags.  Taking the truck probably would've cost us about the same in the long run as renting we just didn't put the extra 3,000 miles on the truck this way.  I've always been very adamant that I did not want a van.  After driving  a 2012 Chrysler Town and Country I've changed my mind.  It was great to sit in the front seat and not feel like Jay and I were on top of each other.  I think Jay also appreciated the fact that his head was more than 3 inches from the roof of the van.  The only thing that is keeping us from going out and buying this same style of van this very second is a car payment.  The only balm on my aching heart after turning the van in was knowing I didn't have to make a payment on a vehicle at the end of the month. 

Camryn did really well on the trip.  She had a few moments where things got a little dicey, but all in all she was good.  She did develop an annoying habit though.  She's always been a tosser.  When she is done with something (bottle, food, toy, etc) she chucks it will all her might.  I think for 13 months she has a pretty good arm on her.  We'd be riding along and hear her bounce bottles and toys off of her van door.  Of course she didn't throw them into the middle where Cade could pick them up, she threw them on the opposite side.  Every time we opened the van door to get her out various things would roll out and we had to chase them down.  I think she knew what she was doing and enjoyed watching us scramble for bottles before the rolled under the van. 

The first night of our trip we made it to Mason City, IA which is right beside Clear Lake, IA.  I think this stop qualifies for the biggest surprise of the trip.  In the middle of Iowa is  this town surrounding a lake that looks like a beach town.  The houses surrounding the lake were unbelieveable. Just by looking at the number of newly built/remodled homes and new homes under construction I wouldn't think they'd been hit by the recession.  It was a pretty neat place.  Clear Lake is also the same place where Buddy Holly's plane went down.  I learned that after seeing all the Buddy Holly refrences so I googled it.  How did we vacation prior to iPhones and instant internet access????

Sunday morning we headed out bring and early for Mall of America.  I should mention this here - Mall of America/Minneapolis was totally Jay's idea.  Yes, I was completely surprised when he mentioned Mall of America.  We decided a beach vacation with Camryn would not be any fun so this was the perfect time to pick up some of these northern states.

The first day at Mall of America we went to the Lego store and the American Girl Store.  By the time American Girl's came out I was too old for them, but I've always loved them.  I always said if I had a daughter I'd get her a Bitty Baby.  Since we were there I decided to go ahead and get Camryn the Bitty Baby.  I also thought about also getting the cutest stroller she was pushing but after seeing the price tag the ones at Toys R Us are just as cute.  By the time we made it to the AG store Camryn was starting to get tired.  And you know how a 1 year old gets when they are overstimulated and start to get tired.  Yes, instead of just going to sleep they rev up and act like wild monsters because if they stop for a second they know they will pass out.  I was trying to decide if our Bitty Baby needed an outfit while Camryn was destroying the displays.  Jay finally told me we had to leave because Camryn threw some Bitty Baby food under a woman's feet and Jay and Cade got dirty looks.  As we were walking out of the store I looked at Camryn and she had a look on her face that seemed to say she was very pleased with herself.  Like I came, I saw, I destroyed.  I'm probably raising the person who will terrorize all the girls with their dolls on the school playground. 

That day for lunch we ate at Bubba Gump's.  We've never ate at one before and we enjoyed it.  Forrest Gump was one of my favorite movies in HS/College but I haven't seen it in years.  Ironcially the Monday after we got home it was on TV. 

This first day at the Mall was also when I "borrowed" the book from Barnes and Noble.  It was quite the eventful day.  With Camryn's tired overstimulated crying episode we were the family everyone we met was glad they weren't.