Fibromyalgia/CFS

Many years ago I was told that the pain and fatique I was feeling was likely the start of CFS (chronic fatique syndrome) and Fibromyalgia. I had 10 of the 11 out of 18 tender points that are used to diagnose fibromyagia. This is a syndrome that is still very often misdiagnosed or misunderstood because people including doctors still don't consider it a problem or believe that it actually exists. This is not a disease it is a syndrome! I have an app't with my family doctor in November for my physical so I will be talking to her again about this and seeing what she says at that time!

People with fibromyalgia (men and women alike) are often referred to as lazy. That is usually far from the truth. With the pain that is involved with this syndrome it is not easy to get out of bed in the morning or continue the day without having to rest. This syndrome is real and is widespread!

I got a link today on Facebook from a friend of mine who also suffers from fibromyalgia and wanted to post it here as well for anyone who may stop by, to read it and try to understand more about this syndrome!

Women in Chronic Pain

After reading this I hope that you have more understanding on how a person with Fibromyalgia goes through everyday life!

Autumn is here as of...

11:09Pm!

Can you believe it? Where did the summer go? I have to admit I do love this time of year although summer is still my favourite season. The smell of fall makes me happy! Yesterday while up at the trailer with a friend from work we were mentioning that we could smell the fall air. It was hot, in fact very hot the last couple of days and while we were up at the trailer I got a sunburn. I do of course have another reason to be excited that fall is here too....our new grandson is due to make his arrival on Nov 2nd. Where did that time go? Seems like it was just yesterday we found out that Kandice was expecting again.

Kandi reminded me that I hadn't updated my blog in a very long time and so I thought I should get to it today! The problem is that I just don't have a lot going on in my life to be blogging about.

I'm working on a new knitting project for "baby brother" (grandson). It is a beautiful blanket that Kandice picked out but man am I having some issues with it. I have to admit I have never really attempted any project that had much of a pattern to it and really I have to say this doesn't have much but I seem to have some troubles with it. I haven't given up on it although I have taken it out almost as often as I have started it...lol! But, I think I have finally conquered it or at least conquered the first set of patterns. I was determined not to give up and walk away from it and so far so good!

I am a self taught knitter and never really worked on learning all there is to knitting, just always picked something out that looked like I could do it. This has been a challenge for me and I'm sure if others were to look at it they would laugh and ask me what my problem was...with that said I just never did patterns before!!!

Kandice has now started knitting as well and is very excited to be picking it up. She is working on a sweater for Hannah. I wonder, well we ever get Krystal interested in knitting or crotcheting? I hope so but Krystal is an avid reader and enjoys sitting reading a good book in her spare time. Krystal has her own blog where she reviews books and gives honest opinions and reviews so be sure to check out her blog.

This weekend we are celebrating Keira's 6th birthday with dinner at King's Buffet and coffee and cake back here at nana and grandpas house. Her birthday is actually on the 29th. I can't believe she is going to be 6 yrs old. My little sweetheart is growing up and getting to be such a big girl. Which means nana is getting older too...oh dear!

so sleepy yet so wide awake

I have just started to get this cold or whatever it may be so tonight Arend went out and got me some Drixorel which I have taken for a while now whenever I get a cold but lately, if I take it at bedtime I will only sleep for about 1-2 hours and then I am awake and my legs just won't hold still. So tonight I thought I had taken it early enough so that it wouldn't bother me at bedtime. WRONG!!!

I slept for just 1 1/2 hours and WHAM there I was laying in bed actually tossing and turning trying so hard to just fall back asleep but couldn't do it.

I'm so tired and trying to stay awake here but yet when I crawl back into bed I'm awake again. It is driving me nuts.

So that is it...no more Drixorel at or near bedtime!

On a better note I have started to knit a really cute sweater for "baby boy" otherwise known as "baby brother" to Hannah and Keira. (Can't wait until Kandi and Chris decide on his name, although I'm sure he will quite often be called "baby brother" by the girls and all of us being we have been calling him that since we found out he was a boy!) I've been having a really hard time finding cute baby boy sweaters and even some that say they could be unisex tend to look to fancy for a boy. It wasn't this hard finding stuff to make for the girls that is for sure, but this sweater is just the start I hope. I've actually never had to make for a boy I don't believe or at least not in the last 6 yrs. I hope this one turns out ok and fits "baby brother" like it should.

Of course I will post pictures of it when I finish.

Shopping in the States

The girls and I left friday morning at 10:30 and eventually got to the hotel at 5pm friday evening.  The drive should have only taken about 4.5 hours but the border was very busy and we were there about 1 1/2 hours or so.  The drive overall was good, we listened and watched Cat in the Hat, The Wiggles, and Toopy and Binoo and when the little girls fell asleep for a bit the radio came on.  At the border we played lots of "eye spy".  Lots of fun!

We stayed in Saginaw and the Fairfield Inn by Marriot.  The room was great.  Clean and very comfy.  The last trip we took to the states for shopping was to Buffalo and the room and hotel we stayed in was the worst, but we did get ALL our money back after a lot of fighting with the hotel and head office.  Anyways, this was really nice.  We went for dinner at Denny's on friday night then came back to the room and got ready to go swimming.  That was lots of fun.  Hannah and Keira love the water and played lots until it was time to head back and get ready for bed.

Hannah was so excited to be going "shop, shop, shopping" on saturday and Keira was very excited to be going "back to school" shopping.  And boy did we do lots of shopping for the kiddos.  All 3 (even "baby brother" as he is known as at this time) got lots of new things.  I think they are all set for a while now.

Birch Run Outlet Mall in Michigan is very nice but not so suitable for kids in strollers and tired kids.  It is a lot of walking and it is all outdoors.  The sections are spread out over a lot of space and we found we had to get in and out of the car a lot with the kids.  I really think i like indoor malls better.  There were restaurants near but again you needed to walk quite a ways or get in and drive.  We choose to walk to Bob Evans but then it looked like it was going to storm really bad so I headed back to the car to get it so we didn't all have to walk in the rain.  Turns out though it didn't rain after all...just got really dark and looked like rain.

Overall we had a great time and would do it again but maybe without the kids next time?  Mind you the kiddos make it lots of fun too.  Especially when they are supposed to be going to sleep but would rather sing, laugh and giggle instead.  Eventually though they went to sleep and we got to watch the funniest show about the 80's. 

Can you believe someone can go shopping in the states at an outlet mall and still come home with absolutely nothing for herself?  Well that is me!  Kandi called me a "lameo"...LOL!  She bought herself a beautiful diaperbag from...COACH!  woohoo Kandi and Krystal bought herself a cute little clutch or whatever you calll it from....COACH!  woohoo Krystal.  I just carried the big bag for Kandi as we headed back to the car looking like I bought something from Coach....LOL!!! 

Thank you Kandi, Hannah, Krystal and Keira for a great weekend.  Lets do it again sometime!

Pictures from Driftwood Beach Park

this is looking onto the lake where we can go out in the paddleboat.  Not sure who this is, Kandi and I were out taking pictures.  She is helping me learn to take better pics.

Arend and I had headed out to go fishing and I thought this was a nice pic to take.  Way off in the background you can see the lighthouse.

Where we go fishing.  As you can see from the clouds a storm was moving in.

Looking at the storm clouds in the water.  A beautiful reflection!

Sun Aug 15th...storm moving in!  Just as we got back from fishing the skies opened up and it rained for quite some time.

As Promised here are some pictures of our Summer Get together. 

Girls weekend away!

Well, it really will depend on how Kandi and the girls are all feeling in the morning. We have a weekend planned in Birch Run Michigan for Kandi, Krystal, Hannah, Keira and nana (me)! Back to school shopping and baby shopping. I'm just going alond for the ride! LOL! I'm hoping to get each of the kids a new outfit or something that they might need. Yes, including my precious little grandson that is due in Nov.

I'm excited to go but on the same hand worried about Kandi. She has put in a terrible month with kidney stones and urinary tract infections. It has been a rough time for her. The pain has been horrible and she has even ended up in the hospital a couple times due to this. Finally, the family doctor ordered an ultrasound yesterday to see if there are stones. Don't ask me why no one ordered one a long time ago, but anyways she is now waiting for results from that that were supposed to have been sent to the doctor ASAP. I guess next day (hopefully) is ASAP to some people. I know that they are busy and I had the same thing happen when waiting for results from my mammogram. So I'm hoping and praying that if we do decide to go that all is well with her. The girlies have a bit of a cold each too. Keira just found out her adnoids have grown back in again and therefore she needs to see the specialist again this week too. Not sure yet what they will do but most likely remove them again.

We had a great family get together up at the trailers last weekend. Lots of fun! There was 25 of us. Lots of yummy food, fun and great times were had by all by the sound of it. I'll try to post some pics here tomorrow before we go or when we get back.

For now my McFlurry is melting away. My wonderful hubby just went and picked them up for us. YUMMY!