"Speed Bump"

Doesn't it just figure.  Life seems to be going great. You are meeting goals you set for yourself. Everything just seems to be falling into place and WHAM something happens or comes up that throws a wrench into everything.  We seem to be at that point.  I've been dealing with some pain in my knees for about 6 weeks.  I inherited my mother's grace (or rather, lack of).  I assumed I had over-worked them doing chores in the deep snow...or somehow managed to sprain them.  Instead of getting better despite working through the pain or resting them, they continued to get worse.  Climbing the stairs to our bedrooms was excruciating.  I dreaded going to the bathroom because it hurt so bad to get back up.  Finally after a yearly doctor exam two weeks ago, Monday, I made time to go to the urgent care center to have my knees checked.  My left knee was extremely swollen, full of fluid, and warm to the touch.  The doctor asked me a few questions and said he felt it was some sort of infection in my knee rather than an injury.  He ordered a handful of blood labs and referred me to the rheumetologist. After I had 6 tubes of blood drawn I made my appointment for Wednesday afternoon.  Over the next 24 hours my left knee continued to swell. On Tuesday the urgent care doctor called with my lab results.  They indicated I may have Lyme Disease?  I was shocked.  I hadn't had a tick that I remembered being on for any length of time. Living in the country and being outside as much as we are we're very diligent about always checking the kids and ourselves everyday after being outside.  I had also never had the tell-tale bullseye rash that we are told to watch for.  After some research it seems only 50% of Lyme patients get such a rash and because the tick that carries Lyme is so tiny, most people never know they had a tick until they start showing Lyme Disease symptoms.

The first stage of Lyme Disease happens in the first 1 to 4 weeks.  This stage is the early localized reaction.  Symptoms may include: A circular bullseye looking rash that gets larger with time.  Lack of energy, which is the most common symptom. Headache and stiff neck. Fever and chills. Muscle and joint pain. Swollen lymph nodes.  Some people who get Lyme will not notice any of these first symptoms. Not everyone gets the rash and the other symptoms are brushed off as the flu.
After getting the call that Lyme Disease was indicated I started researching to see what other symptoms I had in the past that I missed. Sure enough after reading the first list of symptoms I could recall have joint pain in my hands, wrists, and shoulders during the summer even though at the time I couldn't remember an actual injury. I thought I just slept on them wrong or something to that extent. Eventually they got better and I forgot about them.
I read on to Stage 2.  Stage 2 is called the Early disseminated infection and happens around 1 to 4 months.  Symptoms at this stage may include: Being tired. Additional skin rashes in several places on your body that develop as the infection spreads. Pain, weakness, or numbness in the arms or legs. Inability to control the muscles of the face (paralysis of the facial nerves). Recurring headaches or fainting. Poor memory and reduced ability to concentrate. Conjunctivitis (pinkeye) or sometimes damage to deep tissue in the eyes. Occasional rapid heartbeats (palpitations) or, in rare cases, serious heart problems.
This stage I could recall specifics about.  In August I developed a horrible rash on my feet.  I COULD.NOT.STOP.ITCHING! I thought it was athletes foot and self treated with over the counter medications.  It did not get better and eventually developed into a large splotchy rash up my legs to my thighs.  My family doctor diagnosed me with eczema and prescribed a steroid cream.  It didn't help but the rash eventually got better on its own.  I started getting headaches on an almost daily basis.  I thought it was possibly a hormonal imbalance because I had also been diagnosed with post partum depression and an anxiety disorder.   I was also exhausted all the time but I have a baby who is still up frequently at night due to teething so I thought nothing of it even though it usually didn't matter whether I slept well or not.  I was always tired.
And finally this is where I'm at now.
The 3rd stage called Late Stage Lyme Infection. Symptoms at this stage may include: Swelling and pain (inflammation) in the joints, especially in the knees. Numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, or back. Severe fatigue. Partial facial nerve paralysis, which usually occurs within the first few months after the tick bite. Neurological changes, including problems with memory, mood, or sleep, and sometimes problems speaking. Chronic Lyme arthritis, which causes recurring episodes of swelling, redness, and fluid buildup in one or more joints that last up to 6 months at a time.
The knee pain and swelling being my biggest symptom.  I had also mentioned to Ryan a week or so ago that I felt like I had pregnancy brain again.  I was forgetting little things, misplacing things and just had a general mental fogginess.  I blamed it on my extra tiredness.



The urgent care doctor started me on Amoxicillian 500mg every 6 hours. Doxycycline

Friday morning, while I was getting ready upstairs Sawyer jumped over the gate we use between the living room and kitchen so Danica can't get near the wood stove.  What I didn't hear was the gate actually fell.  Sawyer came up to talk to me and as he turned around to go back down he started talking to Danica who had managed to make it up the stairs.  Before I could get to her I heard her fall.  I picked her up to find blood dripping from her mouth.  She nursed and stopped crying.  She caught the inside of her lip with her teeth and had a fat lip but didn't need stitches thank goodness.  It was a very rough morning.



Shortly after a friend from church picked up me and the kids.  We dropped of Sawyer at "Grandpa" Victor's house.  Then we headed down to Marshfield for my appointment.  She took Danica shopping with her while I was seen by the doctor.  The doctor tried to remove some of the fluid from my knee but because of the inflammation and infection I could feel every time she pulled back on the syringe.  She got enough fluid to send to the lab so they could confirm the Lyme.  She said the antibiotics should start helping soon.  I scheduled a follow up appointment for 3 weeks later.

Friday night during the night I had to get up with Danica only to find I could barely walk.  My other knee was also swollen and painful.  By morning I was in tears.  I called my mom and asked her to come and get me in the kids.  There was no way I could take care of them.

Both the boys were so helpful.  Sawyer got me clothes and diapers for Danica so I could get her changed while I laid on the couch.  They both picked up all their toys.  Landon vacuumed the living room and made him and Sawyer peanut butter sandwiches for lunch.  My mom and step dad got here shortly after.  They did chores for me and helped pack up some clothes and we left for their house.



Of course, not to be outdone by Danica, Sawyer fell outside at Grandma's shortly after we got there. Thankfully, even though there was much blood and tears, no stitches.



By Sunday the pain and swelling was even worse.  I called the on call doctor who prescribed me Prednisone which helps with inflammation and suggested I wean Danica so I could go on the stronger antibiotic I mentioned before, Doxycyclene.  Within 24 hours of starting the Prednisone the knee pain was much better.  I was still sore by the afternoon but not in the excruciating pain I was before.  On Tuesday the swelling and pressure still hadn't gotten better and Danica was down to just one nursing at night occasionally.  ( I had been working on weaning her down with all the pain medications I was on already)  I called my doctor and she called in the prescription for Doxycycline.  She told me she had a lady with Lyme Arthritis as bad as me earlier in the winter.  Once she started the Doxycycline the fluid and pain got better within 3 days.



Wednesday I came home with Sawyer and Danica and was pretty sore, swollen, and stiff.  We went to bed early.  Danica slept in the playpen and Sawyer and I slept on the spare bed in the playroom.  Thursday we had a very lazy day in our jammies.  Someone from church brought over lasagna, homemade spaghetti sauce and noodles, and two loaves of bread and Ryan's mom came over to do chores again.  Friday we had another lazy day.  I was really having terrible headaches on top of my knee problems.  I spoke to my doctor and she prescribed a new pain medicine and mailed it out to me. Ryan got home about supper time and I was able to rest the entire evening on the couch with my knee up.  He made supper and took care of the kids.  Yesterday morning I woke up with much less swelling and fluid which of course I took advantage of.  Today I'm sore and stiff again but not nearly as bad as it has been.  I'm confident I'm on the upswing now.  Ryan will be home for the week to make sure I have help while I keep recuperating.  Hopefully by the time he leaves I will be mostly back to myself. 

My pill regimen...yuck!

Getting ready...

We're getting ready for our "busy season".  When the weather gets warmer and the snow starts to melt, we go into overdrive around here.  There are fences to be checked and fixed because the beefers start to wander further from the round bale.  (Ryan got the 4-wheeler stuck in the snow on the back fenceline and had to pull it out with the pick-up. But don't tell him I told you)  

We like to get firewood cut early before it gets too hot (like last year). 

And thanks to Price County Electric Cooperative we can now see to the neighbors house.

  Not too happy about that. 

The chickens and other various poultry get to come out of the coop and free range again.

And of course the yard is a big, soupy, sloppy, muddy, mess. Which inevitably leads to this...

And then this...

And finally..

Before that, he did help Daddy unload the two round bales from the back of the truck.

(Ryan says I'm supposed to let you know this is why you buy a Chevy, but I was raised a Ford girl so I'm not going to make it a big deal.)

The beefers were right on that.

Sawyer and Daddy had some fun.

Danica and I enjoyed the fresh air too.

Re-purposed Dress Shirts

I love being crafty and thrifty all at the same time!  Our local thrift store was having a 75% off sale on long sleeve (winter) shirts.  I kept the boys out from under the clothes racks enlisted the boys to help me find some girly colored button shirts to convert into summer dresses for Danica.  The were both very excited so see me put a shirt that they each picked out into the cart. Total - $2.68 for 4 shirts.

Let me say, I am, by no means a great seamstress.  I know enough to get me by and that is about it.  Hopefully these dress make it through the first washing, hehe.

I am also not a professional photographer so the lighting, angle, and focus of these pictures leaves much to be desired. You get the idea though.














These are the tutorials I used if you're interested in trying them yourself. Jumper Dress, Sundress, and the Shirt Dress

For my sister...How to Cook a Roast

This is the way I cook my roasts.  It may not be the "right" way but I've never messed one up yet.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Take your roast out to thaw the night before...


In the morning put your roast in the crock pot...


Season how ever you like. I use seasoning salt, pepper, and garlic powder and throw in a couple beef bullion cubes for good measure.


Throw in your raw veges. I usually use potatoes, onions, and carrots.


I add water until the crock pot is about 3/4 full. I don't like a dry roast and putting very little water in (as I know some people swear by) runs the risk of drying out or scorching if I'm gone and don't get home in time.


Cook on LOW for at least 6 hours or until easily pulled apart with a fork... (you can do high for 4 hours but I don't unless I know I'm home to shut it off when its done)


*Tip* If your roast is still tough let it cook longer. Its not done yet. I made this mistake the first few times I cooked a roast. I thought I ruined it. Turns out I just needed to give it a little more time.


I put my roast in at 10am. It was done at 5:30pm


Yum!!


Gravy...because I know people who buy cans of it...or packets of it. You just can't do that to a roast...

Put some of the broth left in the crock pot in a saucepan..heat to simmering.


Mix flour and water...make it a little thick but thin enough you can pour it without it "plopping"..whisk while pouring into broth so you don't get clumps.




Dinner!!

Yes, I'm STILL Breastfeeding

 "No one can make you feel inferior 

without your consent" - Eleanor Roosevelt

Disclaimer -*Any "you" mentioned in this post is not directed at you the reader personally...it is a general "you".  If this blog makes you feel guilty or inadequate or like I am accusing you of not taking good enough care of your child, that's on you.  It is simply an informative post to let you know why I am making the decision to continue breastfeeding past one year.  If you don't think you can handle it don't read on*

Recently I've gotten some negative remarks about my decision to continue to breastfeed Danica past one year.  I breastfed Sawyer to 16 months so I don't know why this hasn't been discussed but I'm going to "discuss" it now simply to clear up some misinformation, myths, and ignorance.  Make no mistake.  Ryan and I are secure in our decision for me to continue breastfeeding for as long as Danica and I are comfortable.

Turning one, being able to talk, having teeth, walking, lifting a mother's shirt, and other such common reasons for suggested weaning do not magically turn breast milk into water.  It is still the same life sustaining substance it was at 1 week old, or 6 months old, or even 11 months and 30 days and in some circumstances is even more beneficial than at earlier breastfeeding times.  It is still custom made for each individual child. Can the same be said for cow's milk? No.  It is made for baby cows.  From 12 months to 24 months 15 ounces of breast milk contains: 29% of energy requirements, 43% of protein requirements, 36% of calcium requirements, 75% of vitamin A requirements, 76% of folate requirements, 94% of vitamin B₁₂ requirements, and 60% of vitamin C requirements.  (per kellymom.com) 

Just because you may not be comfortable with breastfeeding past a certain milestone or age does not make it wrong or inappropriate for everyone else and it certainly does not make it any less beneficial to a child.

According to Dr Sears, a well respected pediatrician and breastfeeding advocate, "The most fascinating studies show that the longer and more frequently a mom nurses her baby, the smarter her child is likely to become. The brain grows more during the first two years of life than any other time, nearly tripling in size from birth to two years of age. It's clearly a crucial time for brain development, and the intellectual advantage breastfed babies enjoy is attributed to the "smart fats" unique to mom's breast milk (namely, omega-3 fatty acid, also known as DHA). From head to toe, babies who breastfeed for extended periods of time are healthier overall. They tend to have leaner bodies with less risk of obesity. They also have improved vision, since the eye is similar to the brain in regards to nervous tissue. They have better hearing due to a lower incidence of ear infections. Their dental health is generally good, since the natural sucking action of the breastfed infant helps incoming teeth align properly. Intestinal health is also much better than those of non-breastfed babies, as breast milk is easier to digest, reducing spit-up, reflux, and constipation. A toddler's immune system functions much better since breastmilk contains an immunoglobulin (IGA) which coats the lining of the intestines, which helps prevent germs from penetrating through. Even the skin of these babies is smoother and more supple."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least one year and then for however long is mutually okay with the mother and the child. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding beyond infancy. Specifically it advocates breastfeeding exclusively (without any substitute) for the first 6 months and then in combination with nutritionally
adequate and safe complimentary foods for two years and beyond.

Unfortunately, in the United States, it takes a lot of continued support and much encouragement to be successful because it goes against cultural norms.

"What is popular is not always right and what is right is not always popular."

Breastfeeding beyond one year continues to protect the child from illnesses by passing antibodies from the mother to the child just as in infancy.  In fact according to some studies immune factors become more concentrated after the first year of breastfeeding.  The AAP also states that children weaned before two years of age are at an increased risk for illness.

Contrary to the opinion of many who push weaning at one year, there is no evidence that extended breastfeeding is harmful to mother or child, physically or psychologically.  On the contrary toddlers who are breastfed often are better socially adjusted and are more secure and independent than those who are weaned at one year or earlier.

Elizabeth N Baldwin was a La Leche League Leader, a member of the LLLI's Professional Advisory Board, Legal Advisory Council, and an atttorney and family mediator who's law practice focused on young, securely attached and breastfed babies in divorce cases.  She said , "Breastfeeding is a warm and loving way to meet the needs of toddlers and young children. It not only perks them up and energizes them; it also soothes the frustrations, bumps and bruises, and daily stresses of early childhood. In addition, nursing past infancy helps little ones make a gradual transition to childhood." "Meeting a child's dependency needs is the key to helping that child achieve independence. And children outgrow these needs according to their own unique timetable."

Children who are allowed to become independent at their own pace are often more secure in their independence and less clingy than their earlier weaned counterparts.

Breastfeeding past one year not only is beneficial to the child but also to the mother.

It Reduces the Risk of Cancers -  The more exposure a woman has to estrogen the higher her risk for breast, ovarian, uterine, and endometrial cancers.  Because breastfeeding lowers estrogen levels for significant periods of time it consequently lowers a woman's risk for those cancers.  So it can be said the longer a woman breastfeeds the lower her risk becomes.  According to one study of Chinese women who breastfed for at least 6 years their risk for breast cancer was lowered by 63%. 
(Chinese women breastfeed their kids til 6?!  
Hmm...China has some of the smartest kids in the world..coincidence? I think not... )

It Reduces Osteoperosis - bone density has a rebound affect after weaning.  Even though breastfeeding uses the mother's calcium stores, when the mother stops lactating her body actually INCREASES prior bone density therefore lessening bone loss later.

It Reduces Rheumatoid Arthritis - According to a Swedish study breastfeeding for more than 12 months can reduce a woman's risk for rheumatoid arthritis by 50%. Info from this Medical News Today Article 

It Continues to Help with Weight loss - The longer a mother breastfeeds the longer she burns the extra calories needed to produce milk therefore losing weight easier and faster and keeping it off longer.

It Reduces Coronary Disease - A 2009 study at the University of Pittsburgh showed that breastfeeding at least two years lowers the risk of coronary heart disease by 23 percent.

So as you can see there are many very good reasons to continue breastfeeding beyond one year not only for Danica but for me too.  I respect any mother's decision to wean at one year or earlier, or to not breastfeed at all.   I just ask that you offer me the same respect of my decision to breastfeed for longer than one year, past those first few steps, first teeth, signs for milk, words, or sentences, etc, etc...

 

Have you ever had that feeling someone was watching you?

I walked outside to do chores tonight and I felt like someone or something was watching me.  I walked halfway to the calf barn when I heard something to my left.  Scared the crap out of me. Up here you never know what you'll encounter in your backyard. I turned to see two deer standing right behind our camper headed for the garden.  I finished carrying my bucket of water out to the calf and went back in the house to fill it up again.  I grabbed my camera fully expecting the deer to be gone by the time I got back out to take pictures.  I walked around the front of the garage and through the pig pen.  As I got to the tree in the pen I looked up to see the deer watching me not even 20 yards away.  I was able to get a few pictures before they stomped at me and ran off, flags waving.

Pillowcase Dresses

Pillowcase dresses have been made for years.  Its a very easy sewing project even for beginners and, even better, really cheap.  Yesterday I stopped a thrift shop and bought 4 pillowcases for $1.39 each.  I also picked up some lacy edging there too...enough to go around the bottoms of two of the pillowcases that were plain.  The edging was only $0.85 total.  Hancock Fabrics was having a March Madness 50% off sale on  notions.  I bought matching thread and extra wide double biased tape for the arm holes. That's all you need.  Last night after I put the kids to bed I got busy sewing.  It took me about 3 hours to make all 4 pillowcase dress. Because the drawstring makes them very adjustable Danica will be able to wear them as dresses this summer and shirts next summer for sure, if not the next 2 summers.  This is how they turned out.