Eczema Getting Bad Again

Well, the eczema was going away but as the weather goes back to frigid and the air starts to dry out again, the eczema is coming back with a vengeance!  Oh how I itch. 

I'm sitting here trying to get caught up with the paperwork and other necessities and the itching is just outrageous!  How can I concentrate on looking at online life insurance when I can't sit still?

It's been a week since I saw my doctor and he advised me what to do for the eczema.  I need to call the doctor by Monday if it continues to get worse or stays as is.  The doctor thought it'd be better by now.  I hate having this ugly rash on my body.  I guess it could be worse.  It is just a rash but it's an annoying rash.

I just feel gross.  My husband bought this little lacy nightgown for me and who can feel pretty with crud on the skin?

Read more...

House Full of Germs

The eczema is starting to go away.  I just have to keep my nails away from it!  That's the hardest part. 

I have two out of four kids sick today with my four-year-old looking like she's going to succumb to the virus next if her rosy cheeks are any indication.  She looks like she's overheating and in need of air conditioning rather than it being the middle of winter here. No need for a AC filter here...it's 40 degrees right now. She's definitely overheating though - she's running around in a tank top and underwear. So far, it's just a flush. She seems ok otherwise; she's dancing to the DVD "Hairspray".  

I've managed not to get the germs as bad as my other kids so far.  Must be the extra Vitamin C and Vitamin D I'm taking.  My husband brought these cooties into the house to begin with.  He was miserable with it.  Of course, any illness he gets seems to be REALLY bad.  Men can be such babies! 

Read more...

I LOVE My New Doctor

The new doctor to handle my thyroid disease treatment is AWESOME!!  Finally a doctor who listens and thinks outside the little square box most family doctors and endocrinologists put themselves into when it comes to thyroid disease.  The things I practically begged my family doctor and endocrinologist for - that's all normal treatment options for him! 

I'll summarize:  He is raising my T3 and advised treatment for anemia and Vitamin D deficiency (the other doc wouldn't do a thing).  Instead of making me feel like I was asking for something detrimental to my health or like I needed drug rehab for wanting my T3 raised for my thyroid like the other doctor, I actually felt like crying a few times because I was so happy to have some hope that I may eventually feel good again!

Oh yeah, the rash I was complaining about - NOT hives.  It's eczema.  Hydrocortisone cream and raising my T3 should help my skin problem too.

I was gushing so much about how happy I was with this doctor, my husband asked me, "How old is this doctor?"  LOL.  Not within an age group you need to worry about, honey! 

Read more...

Two Weeks of Hives

I woke up this morning and my slowly spreading case of hives is worse, not better.  My eyes feel really funny.  I can't stick benadryl cream in my eye so there's not much I can do about it until I see my doctor tomorrow morning.  They're puffier with bags too because sleep hasn't been so good lately (I'm itchy!).  I will look at reviews at http://www.eyecream.org/ and see what eye creams may help. All the eye creams I've bought never help with under eye circles or puffiness anyway.  The best bet for me I think is going to be a short-term dose of steroids to tame the hives while we figure out what caused them to begin with.

My lips feel tight too, just like my face did before hives broke out.  I am going to look pretty awful by tomorrow morning to see my new doctor.  What a first impression that will make!

Read more...

Scott Brown First Republican Since 1972!

If that doesn't appear to be a big statement made to Barack Obama and the public's views on what Democrats have been doing this past year, I'm not sure what is.

A Republican, Scott Brown, was elected as Senator for Massachusetts.  Massachusetts has been Democratic territory since 1972 so the buzz is that by electing a Republican, the public is giving their opinion on what Barack Obama and the other Democrats have done in office to date, specifically on the health care reform.  I'd like to hear from some tea parties in Massachusetts to hear from the public if that is why they voted the way they did.  I wonder if this election has twisted the stomachs of some democrats and if the dems will think twice about their approval for health care reform.  If it were me, I know my stomach would definitely be twisted in anxiety at the moment...no need for colon cleansing foods for me. Anxiety over any future elections for myself would be in the front of my mind for sure.

Did you know that Senator Brown is a lawyer and used to be a model.  He was in Cosmopolitan magazine years ago!  That's an interesting fact I hadn't heard about.

Read more...

When to Stop Having Kids

My husband and I have decided that after six kids (our four and his two), that we are done having children.  We decided that after our youngest was born but we've said that before and then the urge hit.  With our youngest starting kindergarten in the next school year, I am mixed.  Part of me misses having a little baby but it's a very small part.  The bigger part of me is looking forward to not having anymore prenatal vitamins, pull-ups, bottles, and diaper bags to lug around.  I think once my little one gets into school all day, I will find that those extra hours of free time will squash that little urge for another baby. 

I can hope anyway.  My husband can hope as well because he's sure he's done having kids.  He said he doesn't want to be old and raising little ones.  When I see tiny babies out in public, the urge to hold and cuddle them is pretty strong.

Read more...

Figure 8 Fitness

My little sister told me she is doing something called Figure 8 Fitness.  They have competitions for it too I guess.  It's for an all-over healthy toning as opposed to the bulking that happens for those other competitions.  I can't stand watching those competitions honestly.  Seeing a woman with more bulky muscles than most men doesn't appeal to me. 

It sounds like Figure 8 is about fitness and healthy eating.  I don't know if it involves any type of diet supplements like protein powder. My brother used protein powder when he was younger to go from scrawny to muscular. I would think it'd be easier for men to bulk up since it doesn't seem like women are meant to be that bulky - a little looks good. 

Read more...

This Economy is Just Crazy!

I just realized that the hives I've been fighting for two weeks, thinking I was allergic to something in the house, might just be hives from stress.  We thought overtime for my husband would kick in by now (they keep telling him that at work) but then it gets postponed.  The mortgage company wants us caught up by Feb. 6 or else they are going to "accelerate" the mortgage.  Yeah, good luck with that.  I can't stand Bank of America.  If I could find a house to rent that was big enough for all of our kids, and take dogs too, I'd tell them to take the house. I don't like it anyway.

How are people refinancing mortgages in this economy?  I hear about it but I don't know how they're able to do it with past due mortgage payments. 

All this stress is getting to me.  On top of a whacked out thyroid and hives, maybe the stress will give me adult acne too. Wouldn't that be a joy?

So, I sat down today to get some work done (every little bit helps), look at online colleges (we don't qualify for federal aid because of income but we don't make enough to pay for college - or our mortgage apparently right now), and look up refinancing information.  I think the kids are going to have to brown bag it for lunch for the next few months.  Buying a hot lunch costs more (and we don't qualify for reduced lunch).  Go figure. 

Read more...

What's Been Happening

I've been fighting hives for about two weeks now.  They've been slow-moving and are now on my face.  Oh the joy!  I have no idea what is causing them (otherwise, obviously, I'd get rid of whatever it is).  I see a doctor on Thursday.  He's a new doctor for me.  I hope I'm not completely covered in them by Thursday.  I'm going there for my thyroid but they're going to get a surprise when I walk into their office with hives too. 

On top of this, my just turned teenager is worried about breast cancer.  In health class, they talked about breast cancer and even though the teacher told her it's rare at her age (more common past age 35), she had some bumps on her chest and was worried about cancer already.  She is such a worrier. What she needs is acne home remedies and not an ultrasound for cancer.

The kids have school off today so everybody is sleeping in.  It's almost 9:00 a.m. and there isn't a kid awake up here yet.  It's quiet!!  That doesn't happen often.

Read more...

Husband Wants a Brad Pitt Beard?

My husband has threatened to grow a Brad Pitt beard.  Have you seen that long, messy-looking, awful beard he's been sporting lately?  No way, no how.  I told him I'd shave him while he slept if he tried.  So, he gave his growing beard a good trim.  Thankfully!

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt seem to be staying out of the spotlight lately.  I've seen some trash talk in the rags a little bit ago.  I never believe everything those things say but sometimes, they carry a little bit of truth and a lot of fluff. Who knows.  Maybe they're just laying low in their New Orleans home (no hotel new orleans for them), or one of their other homes, so fluff is being made up about them.  Other than seeing that awful beard Brad has been growing, it's been kind of quiet. 

Read more...

Was it a mullet?

I was looking for photos today of what my husband looked like (somebody wanted to know if he had a mullet and I had to show he didn't have a mullet) when I met him and because they're scattered on 3-1/2" disks, I couldn't find them.  I have too many little square disks to look through and I don't think we have a computer in this house that will read them!  I don't have them in photo albums because at the time, I thought they'd be ok on the disks.  As technology changes, I'm beginning to see what a mistake that was. 

Billy Ray Cyrus' Mullet

How do most people store their memories so they will always be easily accessible?  I've stored all my photos since 2001 with online backup but from the time I met my husband until 2001 (which includes our marriage and two kids before that point), I'm not sure how to get my pictures since they're on 3-1/2" disks. 

I think I need to buy about 50 photo albums and go back to the "old-fashioned" way.  Maybe I should learn to scrapbook!

Read more...

Our troubles aren't that bad when compared to Haiti

This economy is just burying us financially.  If it goes on any longer, we're not going to be able to hang on.  We're hanging by our nails right now. 

My four-year-old asked me today when we could go to Disneyland like her friend did (we've never been there).  I just thought to myself how I'm hoping we'll be able to hang onto our house through the next month though I didn't tell her that obviously. 

I sure wish I was born into a family where I grew up feeling entitled and privileged without a worry about money.  Why couldn't I be a trust fund baby?

There are certainly people worse off than us so I can quit griping now.  The people in Haiti have lost so much in the earthquake and the total devastation isn't even known yet.  It's unbelieveable.

Read more...

SPAM Comments

For the spammers out there ~

Please stop trying to spam my blog with your inappropriate spam comments.  I LOVE real comments, on topic, that have something real to say about the post being commented on.  Real comments are always welcome!  I have no interest in spammy comments about viagra, russian brides, or anything else like that.  They will NOT be approved so you might as well stop wasting your time!!

Read more...

Turn around and they all grow up!

My stepdaughter turned 17 over the holidays.  It is hard to believe that in one year, we will be thinking about graduation invitations and then college! She was just a little thing when I married her dad and now she's almost an adult with a long-term boyfriend and career plans. 

Next week, my oldest turns 13.  I have no idea what to do for her birthday in terms of a party.  It's 13.  It's a big deal.  We have to do something a little different than the norm for her but what?  I have no idea and not much time to figure it out. We're getting her another guitar for her birthday.  I do know that much.  We've had it in lay-away for awhile and she has no idea.  That'll be a good surprise for her. 

Read more...

Back to the Daily Grind

The kids went back to school today after 2-1/2 weeks off.  I really dreaded that alarm this morning.  It was no nice not to have to set it at night...not that I was able to sleep in much but that blaring noise every morning really isn't a nice way to get up.  Why do they make alarms sound so awful?

So it was back to the daily grind for me - scheduling doctor appointments, writing, laundry, getting an auto insurance quote, and now I have to see about refinancing our mortgage for lower interest rates once I get off of here. 

I'd love to hire a maid too while I'm at it.  Boy wouldn't that be nice?  It's a dream...only a dream.  I can't afford a Starbucks, let alone a maid!

I hope y'all had safe and happy holidays! 

Read more...