Mood:
d'ohNow Playing: Day 799-The Final Road To Survival
Wow! we had been having some great weather and same with last night in the mid 70's "however" once I woke up this afternoon and let the dogs outside I just knew this was going to be a crazy day.
Maybe we can blame it on the full moon tomorrow night but today we can actually blame it on the extreme heat and humidity because people were acting all LOCO today. YIKES!!
I am so confused on which day we are on that it seems like Thursday but really its Monday. I also got another touch of reality when I went to fill the bird bath and got smacked in the face with the sun and heat. This isn't going to be a very nice summer for my GP or head issues/seizures. After being up for only three hours I was ready to take a nap. The heat-cold, heat-cold is exhausting so I will need to start spending more time indoors to keep my body moving so the GI pain doesn't get any worse. I do know of patients who end up spending most of the time laying around or sleeping due to sheer exhaustion and pain however with my unique Idiopathic Gastroparesis if I sit for too long at a time I only feel worse. Heaven forbid if I lay down flat because I might as well make my bed at the local ER. Its such a strange condition-Gastroparesis and even more strange the way patients must live their life on a daily basis.
Speaking of strange....
Once I let the fur kids in from the backyard five minutes later I heard Eric whisper, "Hey, come here real quietly!" As I came into the dining room I saw what appeared to be a large mountain lion or goat standing on top of the glass dining room table. What I quickly realized after taking a double look was Littleblue standing on top of the dining room table eating the rest of the cats can food. SAYYYYYYYYYY WHAT?!!!!!! Yes. It took me 10 second after picking up my jaw off the floor to ask her what the heck she was doing or more like thinking. WOW! This is a priceless photo and for those who ask, "Is she part Wolf?" I tend to think maybe "Yes" because its far from a small jump to get onto the table. I honestly didn't believe Eric the other day when he put the trash outside then came back into the house only to be greeted by Littleblue standing on top of the dining room table.
Blame it on the extreme temperature changes or maybe even the upcoming full moon since she really might be part Wolf-Werewolf that is! Hahahahaha...
I am used to summertime and dealing with the crazies out in the public. I worked for almost 15 years as a Division Team Leader being around cranky summer folks. One gets used to it and also learning how to use the ignore button. Eric on the other hand isn't quite so used to dealing with cranky summer folks. We ventured out to do some errands today and found ourselves dealing with people blaring horns at each other, mad drivers on the road and worse a cashier who literally bit our heads off because we had 24 items instead of the 20 at the register.
OH YES. It gets better...
Once we got up to the line and placed our items down I told Eric, "We might be a little over 20 items but there isn't anyone else in line at the other registers so we should be ok." What I didn't expect was one cranky person behind the register who must had a bad day due to the heat coming into the front doors because she quickly said, "Is this two separate orders?" Eric said, "No, its all one." She then said, "Well, this is a 20 item maximum check out." We both were shocked seeing she didn't say it nicely nor was there anyone else in line so I assume maybe lifting an additional 4-5 items wouldn't be too much work. Hmmmm?....I just said, "I noticed once we got up in line but there is no one else here so I thought it would still be ok." I got a few words mumbled back from her then a nasty look. Instead of reacting and getting mad which most people in this city during the hot/humid months of summer want you to do I instead replied by saying, "I guess the 20 item max police should arrest me then we can call it a day." Hee,hee,hee,hee...You sometimes have to make light of bad situations and this was clearly one of those moments. I began to think about a show I watched on TV last night where the couple said living in Las Vegas was very different from where they used to live because people were more laid back, didn't start trouble and kept to themselves. I told Eric out loud about it then said, "Surely I am in the wrong state because people are mean here."
Let's just say the rest of our check out experience was sugar, spice and everything nice!
Once we finished up our errands we came back home only to see one of our neighbors must had some crazy people of their own they dealt with today as they were patching their front lawn. It must had been the heat that caused the individual to "OOPSIE" miss the road and instead drive into their grass. Even Mr. Groundhog must had been in a heat daze as I went outside in the backyard to turn off the hose only to be greeted by him walking right up to me, stopped, looked, then slowly walked his way under the wood boards where the gutters are being replaced. WOW! I sure wish I had enough time to take a photo because that is a first coming that close to a Groundhog and especially during the day.
If today is any inkling how the rest of the week and the beginning of summer will be starting then maybe I will be safer staying indoors. Hahahaha! Eric said, "Ditto for him too!"
"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or the others crazy?" -Albert Einstein
happy
Eric got gifts from the fur kids and a new Cincinnati Reds #1 Dad shirt along with a few cards. He was happy as well to be able to sleep in today. The rain moved in early this morning so at least we won't have to do any outdoor watering to the flower beds. This is a day for the Dads to relax and take it easy. We had family over later this afternoon for a very nice visit then it was off for me to get some walking in before the sun started to set.
It also helps my stomach and intestinal pain due to my Idiopathic Gastroparesis. Its one crazy GP life that involves trying to do my best to keep moving and allowing gravity to help along the way. Some days I am so beat I have to literally push myself to walk but if I don't there is no sleeping. Hopefully I can make it two days in a row catching up on rest because my body can surely use it. 
bright
This is what happens doing two treatments in a row. One Hell-In-A-Jug is enough to make your hair fall out but doing back to back treatments was bound to cause additional hair loss. GEES! I'm not sure how I still have any hair left on my head but the hair fairy must had blessed me when I was born. AMEN!
It was crowded and that would be an understatement but at least they remodeled since my last visit so there was plenty of booths to sit. The food didn't change much however like it really mattered to me anyway being on liquids. What I did notice was the menu now has a calorie and fat content grid next to each item so parents can actually see what their children are eating. We ordered a large half cheese and half pepperoni pizza in which little Erik only had one slice due to being too excited with all the games. Hahahaha! At least Hubby has plenty of left overs for work since I won't allow any left over pizza at the house because I can't eat it and its too darn tempting for this gal. At least my GP allowed for some play time with Erik and trying a few games. Hey, adults can still be kids at heart! We all had a nice time but after two hours of kids screaming and crying I was more than ready to head back home to some peace and quiet. Little Erik had a really nice time seeing it was his first trip to Chuck E. Cheese but I have a hunch it won't be the last. 
Hee,hee,hee,hee....
WHEW! That was a mouth full all in one sentence wasn't it?) I can now say, "Shame" on anyone who uses their children as a pawn during any petty argument. "Shame" on those who use the word 'adoption' lightly because what people don't realize is the toll it takes on the individual standing on the receiving end. Looks like I have another battle on my hands. Realizing I am worthy of being a Mom after all but now having to get over the fear due to the ignorance of others.
lazy
After spending lots of time resting my insides are now screaming so its time to walk, walk and walk! I sure hope gravity is on my side over the next few days in order to work this gosh awful treatment out of my system so I don't end up back at the hospital. 
Since this is the first Father's Day weekend with little Erik we decided to do something as a family. I have a fun activity planned but of course with Gastroparesis its best not to plan too far ahead because you never know one day from the next. Hopefully this weekend will bring me a few GP-free days. 
The weather is going to be in the mid 90's starting tomorrow so looks like we might have to hold off a bit before spending the evenings relaxing on the porch. Between my Idiopathic Gastroparesis/seizures and Eric's horrible allergies it appears we will likely be spending most of the summer months indoors. We sure do have a lot in common just like two peas in a pod. Hahahahaha!
down
Nothing quite like having Drano stuck and it making your electrolytes all out of whack then becoming severely dehydrated. How I drove myself up to the hospital was even a question the doctors and ER staff were wondering but let's just say as I told them, "It was one quick ride!" OK. Once again maybe a bad decision but when you are going downhill fast rhyme and reason is the last thing on your mind. The emergency room and getting there fast is the first and only thing on your mind. Calling someone to meet you up there isn't either but that of course comes into play later when you realize you can't drive yourself nor your own car home. Hahahaha!
So after a huge bag of IV fluids, blood work and waiting for my delayed kidneys to start working I was then finally released to go home and continue the Drano treatment waiting game. At least they got me fully re-hydrated and the tremors have calmed back down but I am still not thinking clearly due to all this fluid retention in my intestines.
The fur gang never likes seeing us leave but are always waiting for our arrival back home with tails wagging. They always put a smile on my face even on the worst GP days. Once I let my body rest it was around 1pm before I woke up to the sound of my cell phone ringing. I spoke to my doctor about what was happening with treatment only to be told once again, "Your intestines really need to come out. We can't keep having things like this happening because it is dangerous." Not that this is a no brainer but when you are on the receiving end with any surgery its not that easy. Let's just hope this new surgeon and her surgical team doesn't also scream like hell and run for the hills like the last group from two years ago. Hahahahaha! I am taking it one day at a time. Drano time that is...
don't ask
Drano and me just aren't working this time around. Treatment is now consisting of days playing the waiting game. Not like drinking tons of sodium and chlorine isn't bad enough but when it gets stuck in your stomach and intestines it takes things to an entirely different level. I feel for my fellow GP clean out friends who have to endure weekly treatments of mag-citrate only to sometimes also find out things don't always go as planned and it too gets stuck. Instead of laying around "thinking" about it I decided to once again play landscaping Supervisor as my Husband finished up the new flower beds so we could plant the rest of the wildflower and sunflower seeds. Hopefully the squirrel gang won't find this new flowerbed. Hahahaha! Wishful thinking! At least the weather was perfect. Not too hot and not too humid so if we are going to get all this last minute planting out of the way we better do it now before the nasty summer heat is here.
I will never be able to enjoy summertime anymore. Not with Gastroparesis and connected seizures. I am slowly getting my body to sleep and rotate with the change of season but even just a little bit of outdoor sun and heat tends to quickly zap my energy. This seems to be the typical norm with GP'ers who have been writing me saying they too would rather just skip summer all together because they can never enjoy the outdoor activities. 
CHEERS TO THAT! 
So....I finished up another Hell-In-A-Jug treatment by early this evening then decided to play landscaping Supervisor while my Hubby got the flowerbeds de-weeded and ready to plant more wildflower seeds. The sunflower seeds we planted last week became a quick snack for the squirrels so I decided to just plant some additional wildflower seeds that way I know at least they won't become an appetizer for the wildlife gang. Hahahaha! Wildflower seeds are great because you get such a wide variety of flowers that come in a rainbow of colors. They are also low maintenance and love the sun and summer heat. 
The tiger lillie's and roses are doing really good and so are the butterflies bushes however we have only seen a few butterflies so far this year. Hopefully once the first round of wildflowers start blooming that were planted last month we will start seeing more butterflies and hummingbirds since they attract both. 
After a long Drano day for me and a productive day outside for Eric we decided to get the lounge chairs out to relax. Seems Oreo and Littleblue had the same idea so we each shared part of our chairs. Looks like the next thing on our list to buy for this summer and fall will be a few more chairs!
hungry
Maybe my intestines need their own social security number because clearly they are starting to have their own identity. Everything lately has literally been evolving around my GI organs. NO LIE.
Between the every other day feeling of not being able to breath due to the intestinal inflammation pushing on my lower lungs and daily energy that quickly gets zapped its been a one thing GI event after another. For those who have asked, "Is that a new hair style in your wedding photo?" and other questions I have honest answers for you but for those who are fellow GP friends you already knew the answers.
I guess my point is, life is clearly what you make of it. Good or bad. While people might spend their time and money buying into vanity and what others believe they should look like I am too busy putting my time and money into saving vital organs in order to just survive. Kinda strange how being sick puts life into perspective isn't it? Wisdom isn't gained by age. Wisdom is gained by survival and learning life sustaining lessons along the way.
Now I know how Pumpkin kitty feels eating the same ole food day after day so its no wonder now I have to change it up a bit and mix a different variety with his normal food. It has also been keeping him from meowing all hours of the night due to being bored with his food. Yes! The fur gang are one word, "spoiled" but they are well behaved fur kids and worth it!!
At least Cuddles kitty is getting some use out of it today. Hahahaha! She looks too funny! Poor Oreo has been having one heck of a time with his hearing. Its scaring him so much that I am now literally tripping over him as he stays close near my feet. We have to take him back to the Veterinarian next week to see how much hearing he has left or if maybe one ear is better than the other. Its tough on poor Oreo but I am so glad someone is always home with him.
One of my dear fellow GP friends Darlene recently got the Gastroparesis Awareness Campaign motto I started eight years ago tattooed around her ankle. It looks so neat and its such an honor to have others sharing the saying, "KEEP ON! KEEPING ON!"
With Gastroparesis it is indeed a struggle with the wide range of symptoms we all suffer on a daily basis. Support is very important and such a critical key to our over all care! Its been truly amazing watching our GP family grow through out the years and no matter how hard the journey may become we will never walk alone because we will always have each other. AMEN!
"Just" when the honeysuckle trees and bushes were finally full and providing plenty of shade near the back patio area POOF! they disappeared!! Remember, we built a small sandbox on the patio last fall so this spring and summer once the honeysuckle trees and bushes grew back I could enjoy sitting out there since they provide lots of shade. What I didn't know was while I was sleeping the shade was slowly starting to disappear. Mind you, if I do any yard work that might go into either neighbors side of their yard I always made sure to ask them before cutting. I would assume everyone has some common courtesy to do the same but I was wrong. Instead now having a quiet shaded place to rest and put my feet in the cool sand after treatment days I might as well instead head down south to the ocean because its gone. Yes. That started my day waking up to realize my new neighbors butchered all the beautiful honeysuckle trees and bushes so they could plant grass seed?!! Say what? Another thing was I just planted grass seed for shaded areas where the bushes were and the grass was growing nice and thick. Now it just defeated the whole purpose. So did having somewhere in the backyard I could rest and enjoy after enduring Drano. I guess its that half-moon day or something because I would had thought like the prior neighbors who lived there they would had said, "Hey, since the bushes and trees are hanging over a bit I am going to just trim them back but we wanted you to see it first so we don't cut too much or everything back." Instead there is no shade anymore and if it ever grows back it will take years. Needless to say I was shocked once I walked outside to see the shade had disappeared.After the fact I was then told by one of the neighbors they decided to cut everything back this morning however shouldn't they had said something prior?. 
So I might be rambling on a bit but I don't expect anyone to understand the little things those who are sick with a terminal condition enjoy because they don't walk in our shoes. They only walk in their own. 
Thank goodness for a new day! AMEN.