New PCM

Yesterday was my first visit with my new PCM (primary care manager).  The doctor was rude.

He came into the exam room and told me to give him my life history in two minutes because that was all the time he had for me.  Sheesh.

He asked how old my son is.  Mind you SHE was dressed in a camouflage dress and bib but she also had a pink headband on her head with a pink flower on it.  I corrected him.  He said, "well you never know with today's army".  Really?

He then says I don't have spinal stenosis according to the MRI he looked at.   Well it would be nice if he looked at the newest one taken a few years ago and read the report from the neurologist I went to at JBLM.  He didn't even know that I had been to see a neurologist.

So after explaining to him in the little time I had why I was there and asking for the lab results, of which, he said were normal, he put in the referrals that I requested.

I will be going to see a pulmonary specialist and getting the sleep study done.  He listened to my lungs and asked me how long I've had asthma.  Since 1997 and the hospital there noted that my O2 stats dropped into the 80's when I was sleeping.

I will be going to see the neurologist but will be needing a referral off post to get the MRI and EMG done.  Yes they could in theory do them at Winn but they don't allow the dependents to use the MRI and EMG testing facility now.  Why? I wondered.  It costs the government more to send us off post for testing.

I will be getting an ultrasound done on my thyroid to see if the cysts are shrinking.  It has been a good three years since the last one was done.

None of my questions were answered as to the blood work.  I wanted to know about the Large and Giant Platelets they had found and why it is so rare.  I wanted to know if the iron issue is back to normal. All he said about the iron was that it wasn't tested on the 2nd of September.  Really?  The internal med doctor specifically requested that test.  Oh I've booked an appointment with my internal med doctor for next week as the PCM told me I should follow up with that doctor instead even though my PCM had no idea why I was seeing him to begin with.  UGH!

The PCM did agree to prescribe me the lasix and the statin.  My cholesterol was high he said but he didn't tell me the numbers.  Hopefully I'll remember to ask next week.

As for the GYN visit I was supposed to have on this past Monday; GYN called late Friday last week to cancel it.  My doctor had to go on emergency leave.  He won't be back until early October.  I'm now rescheduled with another GYN, one I've seen before and liked, for next week to address the urinary incontinence issue that suddenly started after the pelvic exam in late August.

Little E is doing well.  My days are running together and I can't remember if I mentioned her weight and height from last visit.  She is 10 weeks old now and weighs 11 lbs 2 oz.  Length is 22.4 inches.

Here is a new photo of her from yesterday

Tomorrow is the oncology appointment in Savannah.  It is a two hour appointment.  Not sure what they are going to do but I can guess it won't be all medical history.  Hopefully this Savannah doctor will be on time because I have a dental appointment in Hinesville in the afternoon to have my new crown put in place.

Let's Add More Afflictions

There are days that I just know how Job must have felt.
This morning I woke up hoping to find that the split in the roof of my mouth had finally healed up. Nope.  Today I find that I have a red rash in addition.  No sores.  Not thrush.  No white spots.  Just the red rash on the soft palate.

Dr. Google suggests I could have mono.  LOL nope.  No fever.  Had mono when I was a kid while have a bad bout of bronchitis so bad that I never knew I had mono with it until I tested positive for having had it in the past.

I called up my dentist and she said to come in Monday if it is still there.  Until then to do the salt-water treatment.  Seems as though that with my Vit D3 low my mouth, the throat of which has been red and sore for almost two months now, is starting to get worse.  Now I have to be careful of what I eat and drink.  I know I didn't burn the roof of my mouth.  I did have some chips last weekend.  One would think that a cut would have healed in my mouth by now.

Fine and dandy.  I wanted Pizza, crackers, a bagel with a shmeer...heck a chew toy at this point.  I want to chew something other than the tapioca pudding I made last night, which really isn't chewing at all.

It never rains pain, it comes down in a deluge.

Whimpers.  Wants something crunchy, not sweet.  Something real to eat.  I'm not going to puree' a bagel with a schmeer of lox, though it has crossed my mind.
Love the ornament wishing I could eat the real thing!

CD 11

Well as some of you know I had hoped to go to San Juan for our  7th anniversary later this month.  I called to use my voucher that I had purchased on line and well no luck.  Seems as though some people have better planning skills than me.  That happens.  The soonest I can go on a vacation to this particular place in San Juan will be October.  Ugh!

So I guess I'll be taking a break to go up there probably in Winter which does not please me one bit as I can bet most everything fun to do on the island will be closed down.  Or it will be bitter cold up there.  Has anyone been to San Juan in Winter?

Now I need to work my vacation around the crown I'm having put in place on the 27th.  Last night I had a tooth build up done on a molar.  Not too bad since I didn't need a root canal.  We were really hoping I wouldn't need one.  Next appointment will be the temporary placement of a cap and two weeks later a permanent crown.

With that appointment so noted I now need to find another destination.  Maybe J and I will just go out for dinner on our anniversary.  We haven't done that in a while.  Besides if I know AF she'll be here to wreck any plans I'd like to have.  If she doesn't show up then I'll be celebrating something else most likely.

Today is day CD 11 or 3 DPO.  With another approximately 13 days to go in my two week wait.  Most likely the anniversary will be a wait and see what's going on with my reproductive organs weekend.

Yesterday I started working on the preemie to newborn booties for my shop.  I'll list more baby items tomorrow.  Today, since I alternate, is jewelry listings.  The foot base on the booties is 2.75 inches.   I swear these things are near impossible to take photos of without them looking lumpy.  I guess that is because the yarn is so soft it's not stiff enough to stand upright without a foot in them.  Alas my foot is way too big to model these.  For some reason the lighting was different enough in the same place I take the other photos to put a slight yellowish cast to the photo.  I'll have to fix that before I post them to the shop.

I'll make more booties today.  I have nothing better to do than wait around for return phone calls for the next two days from my doctors and lawyers.  6 years I've been dealing with these lawyers.  I'm about to give up.

Dental Check Up

This is the very post card I received from my dentist reminding me to schedule my cleaning.  Today I'm off to see my dentist.  I swear its about the only thing I usually get a good check up in.  I'm hoping that none of my fillings are cracked.  I still have a couple of old ones that could possible have to get removed.

Not looking forward to the cleaning.  My teeth are sensitive and they always hurt after I get my check up.  Worse is that though its CD6 I'm still bleeding (its finally getting to flood gate stage) so my gums are sure to be really sensitive too.

Well I'll find out the damage in a few hours.  I do floss daily and brush twice daily and I use a mouthwash recommended by the dentist.  What more can I do?  Well I could eat less sugar I guess but we all have a vice or two.

So if I get a good check up should I expect a kitten as a reward from the dentist or a cheap toothbrush?  I'd rather get the kitten because I don't use their toothbrushes; I have a sonicare that I use.

Day 3 We'll See

Yesterday you might recall that I baked Wheat Bran Dinner Rolls.  Yummy though they were I was really glad to have on hand the herb of peppermint.  I needed that tea in the worst way.

Oh I ate three of the rolls yesterday for my meals and not much else.  My stomach expanded and it was hurting to get anything else in there with all the belching and acid reflux.  The tea did help as I had my dental cleaning to go to last night and I really didn't want the stench of vomit in my mouth when the dental hygienist had her face so close to mine.

My pelvis hurt more than my digestive tract yesterday.  I finally got a call back from the RE nurse in the late afternoon.  She said I can talk about it all with the doctor, as in you'll have to wait until the WTF appointment, and I was to expect this period to be so painful.  But that if I have a fever, I don't mind you, that they would see me right away.  As for pain relief she said if I have anything left from the egg retrieval to use it.  Thankfully I do have some left.

When sitting in the dental chair last night the pain was bad.  The dentist was tying to not make me laugh but I did and it hurt my pelvic region.  I knew sleeping was going to be interesting.  By the way, no cavities.

I waited until bed time last night, after a scalding hot bath to decide to use the narcotics.  I was hoping the tub would ease my pain.  It helped with the gas bubbles in my stomach and I did belch a lot more.  Why is it always the small intestine and stomach that hurt when I eat bread?  But I did end up taking two of the pills in the night.  I spaced them out.  I didn't sleep much because the pain broke through several times.  Poor J didn't get much sleep last night I think I kept him up with my groaning and complaining.

Today its a bit better.  The indigestion is still bad.  I had one dinner roll at 0500 hrs with J.  I just had another for a "real" breakfast with a glass of juice.   The icy fingers are already creeping up my throat to clamp down.  I swear its like a cold burning sensation if that makes any sense.  I really can't explain it any better than that.

I was going to make oatmeal cookies today but laundry prevails.  I have a load to finish up still and put away.  Plus from the photo above you can see I still need to plow through the rest of the home baked goods, with J's help of course, before they get stale.  Maybe in a few days I'll make something with oatmeal in it.  Cookies are a bit high in sodium so I'll try to find a lower sodium recipe before I conclude that would be the best use of my oatmeal.

Oh and I've lost 0.2 lbs now.  Not much.  Not exercising.  My clothes are getting tighter too.  I want my stomach swelling to go now.

Dental Work Continues

This morning I went to my dentist off post to get fitted for my night guard.  Would you believe it didn't fit.

It was more than just getting it trimmed down.  No matter what the dentist tried the thing wouldn't fit.  It was warped.

So my dentist decided to work on the high spots on my teeth where it hurts when I bite and chew.  I had many fillings put in over the last few months and she explained that when dental work is done the bite changes.  Hopefully chewing on the right side won't be so painful now.

New impressions were made of the upper and lower teeth and the tech promised the dentist she'd make the molds directly so as to prevent the impressions from being damaged.  I have no clue as to who's fault it was that the night guard was so warped.  It could have been the fact that the first impressions weren't done right, the first molds weren't done right or quite possibly the place they sent them off to didn't do the acrylic night guard in the proper environment and it warped while cooling.

I just hope that in two weeks when I have to go in yet again that it fits properly this time.  I don't think my teeth changed that much in two weeks from the last set of impressions.

I need to get this out of the way before I delve deeper into the IVF.

Oh and though my husband still hasn't  called me he was able to send me an email at 0300hrs.  I'm guessing his shift doesn't correspond to mine and he is afraid to wake me.  Thoughtful of him but I'd still love to hear his voice and it doesn't matter what time of day or night he calls as long as I hear his voice.  A middle of the night call from anyone else, of course, is always unwanted, especially the butt dialing and crank callers.

Dental Health

My dental visit last week went well.  I was told that I have only one more tooth that they want to watch.  Its not a cavity but it is the last of the old silver fillings in my mouth.  My gums are good too.  Almost perfect check up this time with the exception of the the old filling they are watching.

In June I was diagnosed with Bruxism.  This is most likely the cause of my fillings not lasting as long as they should.  Well that and the fact that I have GERD and a stressful life.

So while I was at my appointment last week I was fitted for my night guards.  I've had various night guards in the past.  I've had the cheap rubber ones.  I've had the expensive acrylic and metal night guards that I paid out of pocket over $400.00 for 10 years ago.  The expensive one never fit properly and I ended up chucking them, all because when I'd put the guard in place at night it couldn't easily be removed without crying, screaming and having a fit in the morning.  It was painful to try to remove that particular guard.

My new night guard will be ready later this month.  I have hope.  Yes, it was still expensive but I have good dental insurance.  I had to only pay half for the night guard this time.  My dental staff assured me that they would give me a good fit and not let me leave there until it did fit properly.  I had told them about the problem I had with my old one.

Now what I don't understand is why I have dental insurance and a good portion of my friends do not.  Their spouses are in the military.  The insurance for just one person is only about $12 a month.  Family plan is a bit more.  But really why not get the insurance?  It covers twice yearly cleanings, xrays and the fluoride treatments at the cleanings.  It covers 50% of the cost of the night guard and reduced rates depending on the rank of the active duty member for all other services. 

Take a look:

A key part of making wise dental health decisions is understanding how the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) works and knowing how to make it work for you and your family. One of the best ways to manage your dental health care while keeping your out-of-pocket costs down is to plan ahead for preventive and restorative care. Here are some tips for planning your dental care. Know What's Covered The TDP offers all enrollees coverage for a wide array of dental services, including, but not limited to: Diagnostic and preventive services (exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants and X-rays) Restorative services (fillings) Endodontics (root canals) Periodontics (gum and bone dental services) Oral surgery (extractions, biopsies and other surgeries) Prosthodontics (crowns, bridges and dentures) Orthodontics (braces) The TDP does not cover every dental treatment. For some services, e.g., cosmetic procedures, you pay the whole cost of the treatment. Refer to your TRICARE Dental Program Benefit Booklet for a complete list of covered services. Know Your Cost-Shares Your out-of-pocket costs vary depending on the service and your sponsor's pay grade. Cost-shares range from zero percent to 50 percent. For example, there is no cost-share for most diagnostic and preventive services, but for more complex services (e.g., implants), there is a 50-percent cost-share. The following enrollees have a 30-percent cost-share for endodontic, periodontal and oral surgery services performed stateside: National Guard and Reserve sponsors in pay grades E-1 to E-4 Family members whose sponsor is in pay grades E-1 to E-4 All other stateside enrollees have a 40-percent cost-share for these services. http://www.tricaredentalprogram.com/tdptws/home.jsp So why aren't more of my friends covered when it costs so little?  Don't they realize how important it is to have good dental health?  If you don't take care of your teeth you are at risk for a higher incident of heart attack, brain infections, and other systemic infections.

Growing Pains Of Change

Yes, its another posting about Fibromyalgia.  I'm beginning to think that its ruling my life.

Due to total exhaustion I didn't get out of bed until 1033hrs.  I'm such a sloth.  Most likely its because of the very full schedule yesterday. 

Yesterday I got up with my spouse and stayed up.  There was just no room for a nap or down time in my schedule.

I had 4.5 dozen cookies baked by about 0730 hrs.  The guys at the COF are now enjoying them and it pleases me.  By 1130 hrs my power was being shut off.  But the time in between 0730 hrs and 1130 hrs was spent gardening and wrestling with a neighbor's dog that escaped their fenced in back yard. 

Oh I admit I loved playing with the Pointer named Bella but I didn't enjoy her jumping on me and getting me muddy thus creating a wardrobe change before half the day was gone.  I put her in my backyard and played fetch with her while I was waiting for Animal Control to come and get her.  They scanned her chip, found that she lived just down the street and called the owner at his work place to come and get his dog.  All is well with Bella.  I do hope to see her being walked on the street by her owners.   The most I could do for her was to provide her with a safe environment away from the cars, me to play with and a bowl of water.  I'm thinking that I should keep dog food or dog biscuits around for when she escapes again.  The Animal Control officer told me that the owner said she escapes a lot.  I cried when I had to say good bye to her.  I really miss having a pet and she is very affectionate too.

By 1340 hours my power was being turned back on.  So that meant I had to go about the house plugging the appliances back into the sockets and resetting the clocks.  Yes, in case of a power surge we were instructed to unplug all electrical devices.

We still have an open trench in the back yard.  I wonder when that will get filled back in.  I'm really annoyed with how high our grass is getting and no access to one part of the yard so that it could be mowed.

1530 hrs and I was back home after an appointment at the FLC (family life center).  I come home to find two workmen in my house.  There was no written notice stating that the workmen, other than to shut off and turn back on the power and check serial number on appliances, would be in my house.  One guy had his head and part of his body in my fridge.  I was livid.  WTH!  Seriously you don't need to be groping my food to check for the serial number on my fridge which is located just barely inside the appliance.  I asked what he is doing in there and he said routine maintenance check.  Sure.  Rounding the corner to go use the bathroom I find another man in my hallway.  WTF!  He was installing two more smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide one.  Leaving a mess of white paint and walling on the floor and not wearing the shoe covers thus tracking dirt through my house.

I called Equity about this blatant violation of my rights as a tenant.  I was given the number for their manager.  I let into him and he said he had no idea why they were there.  He knew that the only written notices I was given were for the routine check with the power being turned off, not one for installing a single item.  He apologized as he also knew we had on notice in our records that they were not to enter in to my house without my permission due to the fact that we own firearms.  I was pissed.  He promised to speak to the person managing this workman team and call me back first thing in the morning.  He never called today.

I couldn't hang around.  I felt violated.  My house had basically been broken into with a spare set of keys.  I left and went with my husband to his work place.  I had yet another appointment to go to in two hours so I might as well go clear my head elsewhere.

1700 hrs I'm at the dentist office.  I have a cavity that is two surfaces and needs to be drilled.  Okay big deal.  Its the last one of the bunch of broken and cracked fillings to get fixed. Only a little pain was felt.  More today because most of my teeth have fractures in them due to Bruxism.  I need an occlusal guard, night guard if you will.  It might just be covered because if I don't have one I'm going to lose my teeth.  My dentist is going to get back to me to find out if it is covered.  When I got home I looked up my dental plan and from what I found out, "Occlusal guards are covered by report for patients 13 years of age or older when the purpose of the occlusal guard is for the treatment of bruxism or diagnoses other than TMD.  Occlusal guards are limited to one per consecutive 12 month period.".  So I should be allowed to have one.  We'll see. 

I had an occlusal guard years ago that I had to pay for out of pocket.  I'm not sure what hurt more, wearing it and it not wanting to release and me trying to claw it off my upper teeth, or the fact that I had to pay $425.00 US for the dang thing and not have it fit properly.  I ended up throwing it out.

With any luck the one that I should get will fit me better and be easier to remove.  Thus with a proper fitting occlusal guard I'll have less headaches and mouth pain.  My jaw may no longer be growing new teeth but teeth can shift about over the years with bruxism, not just having them grind down to nubs.  I'll just have to get used to the pain and pressure of wearing one. 

The Respite Care Provider list finally showed up in today's email.  Its such a pain breaking in a new provider and somehow they always fail me.  I'm a push over.  My husband will do the interviewing this time.  Hopefully I'll find someone willing to help me out with the daily chores that I try to do.  Its a real blow to my ego admitting that I need help when I look so normal.

Today I'm breaking in a new occupational therapy worker.  I'll have to be so honest that its going to hurt.  I'll have to work hard if I'm going to break through the first levels of pain so that I start to heal.  I don't like wearing my wrist splints.  I don't like being poked and prodded either.  But I have to grow up and admit that I need to make a change in my lifestyle so that I can do more with less pain.

Living With FMS and CMP

Recently my husband was away for training which gave me the opportunity to try my wings.  I did good while he was away.  I lost some weight and still got the house work done.  But it took me a while to get it done even though there was less to do with him away.

Now that he is back home I'm falling back into the old habits.  I'm wearing myself out.  With my husband home there is twice the work to do.  Twice the laundry.  Twice the amount to cook.  I feel guilty if I can't do it all like a "normal" unemployed with no children Army Wife would do.  I have to get over that guilt and realize that it does me no good to force myself to do for everyone around me and put myself last.  If I get sicker who is going to take care of me?  Just me.

So my husband I had a long talk over the weekend. We decided that he would give me at least an hour each night during the work week to take care of his own laundry, his own messes, and food preparation.  I figure that if we can possibly cook up some casseroles and freeze them for the bad flare days we'll be good.

J is going to be leaving again soon and I'll be left to my own devices.  Just now Align Staffing called me.  I had totally forgotten who they were.  Its not a great memory day for me.  As a matter of fact had I not written myself a note over the weekend I would have forgotten to call Tricare this morning to schedule my physical therapy.  So having Align Staffing call me today was a blessing.  I need a new Respite Care Worker.  They are going to send me a list of people available so that my husband and I can interview them with the hope that someone will be living close enough and is able to help out when I need them.

I need time for me.  I need to take care of me.  Having Fibromyaglia means that I am high maintenance.  I need time to myself so that I can exercise, meditate, figure out what I'm able to do and able to eat each day.  I need time with people most days as socializing can help fight off depression.  I need love and understanding from my family and friends so that when I say, "NO" they'll not keep badgering me into a "yes".

Friday we went to Barnes and Noble in town and I browsed through the medical self-help books finally selecting one on Fibromyalgia.  I read aloud some of it to J while in the store.  I laughed, I wanted to cry at times, and it was just nice to have the authors, who also suffer with the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain, understand what I go through each day.  So I purchased the book Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain A Survival Manual, however I ended up paying full price at the book store rather than the deeply discounted price on line.  Oh well, it happens.  Often I don't remember that I can find books for less online but buying it in the store means that I can see it there, read from it there and truly know what I'm purchasing too.

For the next few days I'm going to be extremely busy.  Tomorrow is not only a dentist appointment, but I'm going to have Equity in here doing their routine yearly inspection,  along with the construction workers in the back yard attaching the new wiring and filling in the trench.  They will shutting off all the power to my house for up to four hours.  So I might not get the chance to post a blog tomorrow.  Thursday I have an appointment at occupational therapy for my tendonitis.

I wore myself out over the weekend and now I'm paying for it.  I have fibro fog today.  I have so many aches and pains I'd lose count if I tried to list them.    I really wish I had a better support system in place.  I'm trying to build one as of today.  I need to have one in place before J deploys again.  I need to have one in place soon.

Friends, I need to know that I can depend on you if I need to call you.  Even if its just a late night talk.  I'm going to need your support.

Dental Visit

I have to say that I'm pleased with the work that the doctors Tran have been doing in my mouth.   Two visits have been with the female and now one with the male.  Today was three old fillings removed and white ones put into place.  Yes its expensive but it could be a lot more pricey if I didn't have dental insurance through the military.

Because I am trying to conceive a child it is imperative that I keep my mouth in top form.  I know to some of you that sounds a bit odd but its true.  A healthy mouth will help prevent a lot of viruses and toxins from filtering into the systems.  I'd rather get all my teeth repaired now while I'm on a hiatus from trying to conceive then try to take care of an abscess after I do get pregnant.  Next month should start my next round of clomiphene citrate.

Today I'm hoping that I won't be too cranky after the septocaine wares off.  I'm waiting for my respite care worker to arrive to help me with a task that I can't do myself.  There is no way in heck I can pin a dress to myself and have it fit correctly.  Its a minor task and shouldn't take too long to be taken in.  I have need of the dress for two upcoming events.  Both events are fairly close set so I shouldn't need further alterations done on the dress between the events.  I've lost only 5 pounds in the past 10 days but that isn't all that bad too me.  Its a start on better health.

Its almost noon and I was hoping to get my day well started before now.  But there are times when events are just out of my hands and I can only sit and wait when plans start to crumble.  At least I got done with the dentist in the allotted amount of time since they knew I had another appointment today at 1100 hrs.

Its almost noon and my patience is wearing thin.  I've got a long list of things that need to be done before tomorrow's event.  I'm really hoping that they get done.  A person with fibromyalgia only has so much energy and I'm wearing mine out just sitting here waiting.

If I'd only known there would be this much delay I would have started on my long list of things that need to be done.  However, I can't mop the floors nor vacuum if I know that I'm still going to have someone here at any time.  How would it look when I tell that person, "Sorry but the floors are wet so you can't come in the house."?  Especially when that person has another place to get to today too.  Its really my fault for not planning better.

Its now noon.  I have a lot to get done.  Only I can get it done.  So here I sit and wait. I'm fidgeting.  I want to get up and get stuff done while I still have the energy.

Patience is a virtue and mine is running thin right now.

Dental Appointment Today and other BS

Call me a glutton for punishment.  I have a dental appointment scheduled for this evening.  The bite wing xrays will be the easy part.  The hard part is going to be the removal of three cracked fillings, drilling, and preventing me from wanting to bite my dentist.  I hate dental work.

See I have really sensitive teeth and it doesn't help that I have fibromyalgia either.  With the two combined I'm just one big baby.  I'd say that the Vicodin I'm taking for the ovarian cyst rupture will help but that would mean that I'm lying through my teeth.  Maybe if I'm lucky they'll put me under.  I am bringing a driver with me.  Somehow I doubt that they'll put me under just for three teeth.

On to the construction zone.  I hear a chain saw going right now but off hand I can't see where the heck it is only that its got to be on one side of the house where there isn't a window.  I just walked into my kitchen for a glass of filtered water only to see that the excavator is back in my back yard.  Nice thing to see with a big open type claw near the window.  I opened up my back door and asked if they were going to fill in the trench finally.  They dug it out two weeks ago.  Not yet I was informed.  Around 20 May they will be adding in new wiring and possibly that week finish filling in the trench.  They were just there to dig it out again since with the rains it caused a bit of a mud slide.

I so can't wait for July.  July is when this is promised to be completed.  Earlier this week I watched a dump truck slip and slide with trying to back up over my right side lawn.  Or should I say what is left of it.  It's more mud than grass now. 

My neighbors that are moving out still haven't finished moving out.  I'd rather in some ways he didn't have to.  Yes these are the ones I've had problems with.  Seems as though his wife is divorcing him.  She is due to deliver their baby later this month but still she is divorcing him.  He is a sweet guy.  A bit whipped but being whipped doesn't mean he should have bad things happen to him.  He spoke with my husband over the weekend and told him that he is heading to Korea and that she has left him.  Their divorce should be final soon.  Really I think he is better off without her.  She has never been a nice person.

Mercury is finally out of retrograde.  As of 2 May it left.  Already I've seen the effects of it leaving.  Yesterday I received some back pay from an old employer as part of a settlement.  Not much but still it was nice to have.  The cyst rupturing on Tuesday showed that one part of my misery was coming to an end.  Maybe soon I'll be allowed to start back on the fertility drugs.  After being stalled for well over a month, communications with my lawyer over the workers' compensation case have now resumed.  Progress is finally being made on the construction in my neighborhood.  Things are getting back to a more normal pace in my life.  Thank Goddess!

Dental Check Up

Okay in just a few hours I have to go to the dentist.  This is not a doctor that I like to see at all.  Usually the dentist makes me cry with the pain they inflict.  As a child my mother would not let us get Novocain or any other anesthetic when we had our teeth drilled and filled.  My mom still does not get Novocain when she has dental work done.  Sick person!

I've been to a dentist in the local area here once.  I had a good review from my dentist who said I had several cracked fillings but that it were old and would hold for a while.  I figured that I'd call back, I had seen them in June, to get it done before my husband came home this past July.  But I never did call them back because I'm a big chicken when it comes to dental pain.

Time has passed and I got a notice in the mail that I need to have my next check up.  This time my husband will be with me when I go to the appointment.

My teeth are fine thank you very much.  I brush two times daily, I floss and use a mouthwash.  I also use the Sonicare toothbrush so that I know my teeth are getting cleaned properly.  Oh and besides using the manual floss I also have a Waterpik flosser.  I take care of my teeth because there are so very many diseases related to poor dental hygiene.

In my mind I'm a little child cringing in fear, curled up in the corner with my head down afraid of what is to come.  How do I get out of this one?  Its too late to cancel now as I'd get charged as a no-show.  Oh well, I just hope that they aren't brutal.

Tis Season To Pack On Ten Pounds, Fa La La La La

This holiday season, carpal tunnel permitting, I'd like to try my hand at making Schneeballen.  I have a few recipes for the delicious treat I fell in love with while abroad.  If anyone has made it at home and has some advice for me feel free to help me out.

This week my spouse and I are going to build our first ever gingerbread house.  I've never made one before, and if he has it will still be our first as a couple.  My mother always figured they were a waste of food.  Well I still plan on eating this house that I helped to build.

The weekly treats for work will be made tomorrow.  I've made rice crispy treats a few times before, but not for his unit, this time I'm going to use fruity pebbles.  I think it will be a bit more festive than the rather plain yellowish ones.  Last week I made them gingerbread cake with lemon icing.

I can already feel the strain on my jeans waistline.  I'm on day two of my second round of clomid, the fertility drug.  I need a warning label attached someplace visible to my person, "warning hormonal female".  My ultrasound is scheduled for the 14th.  I have no idea when they will do the first of the IUI's.  I'd like the doctors to start on that this cycle but with the ob/gyn clinic still being under construction the fertility clinic is still on the third floor which means that they can't do the IUI's on site right now.  Ugh.

So I'm trying to keep calm about everything crazy in my life right now.  I'm taking an hour long soak at night with a book in hand.  Its the me time that I need so bad.

My husband passed his PFT this morning with 65 PU, 61 SU, and a 15:04 run time.  He was a little disappointed on his run and thought he could do better on the SU. (SU is situps and PU is push ups).  I think its great.  I mean I couldn't do that many in two minutes!  He has gained a bit back.  We'll have to watch his weight over the holidays.  He is now at 163 and prefers to stay in the 150's.  I won't mention how much I weigh except to say that I've put on about ten pounds since he got home almost five months ago.  Some of its from the fertility drugs two cycles ago which is unavoidable.

I keep reaching for my mouse on the right side of my computer today.  I switched it to the left.  Years ago while in college I put it on the left side so that I could type, click and take notes since I write with the right hand.  Today I switched it back because I had to put my right brace back on my right wrist.  Darn carpal tunnel.  I just hope my left one doesn't start acting up, I do have a brace for the left wrist too.  Crafting, cooking, baking, and typing tend to cause my flare ups.  I'm not giving up any of it so I'll just wear the braces as needed.  The swelling will go down again.

Two days left to this second round of antibiotics.  Hopefully soon my sinus infection will go away.  I'm not contagious, well maybe my crankiness is contagious but I get such horrid headaches I can't help but be cranky.  If anyone has ever had a sinus infection that is antibiotic resistant they'll understand the crankiness.  My teeth ache from the pressure.  On that note I have my six month check up at the dentist on the 29th.  So I'll be making sure its just the sinuses and not a cavity or cracked filling.  I'm taking care of me.  No one else is offering up the job of nurse and I have to get stuff done around here so its slow but steady until I'm back to normal, whatever normal might be.

Back to the baking ideas.  If any of you have suggestions for holiday dishes, including the main meal, I'd love to hear them.  If you have recipes and are willing to share, even better.