I'm still in the midst of a CFS and Fibro Crash but I am feeling better than I was. Today I have gone backwards a bit, but I pushed myself too hard yesterday and the weather has changed to being stormy and that always affects me. My sweet hubby brought me some ibuprofen and water to me in bed this morning because my head hurt so badly and my body was aching. That allowed me to go back to sleep for another 2 hours, which was desperately needed.
Speaking of CFS and Fibromyalgia, I have been doing more research and am adjusting my diet, trying to reduce stress in my life and I ordered some other supplements that have been shown to help some people with these two conditions. I'm back on good probiotics and am hoping that helps get the Chronic Yeast Overgrowth back under control again.
As for the stress level, the extended family drama reared it's ugly head yet again over the weekend and early this week. What surprised me was my reaction to it all though. Instead of getting majorly worked up about it since other family members had been hurt and one of the stunts was also designed to hurt us, I found myself feeling bad that the others had been hurt but as for me, I just didn't care anymore. I've only reached this point a few other times in my life where someone who used to mean so much to me has hurt me to the point where I just want nothing to do with them and write them off. It takes a lot to get me there since I am a person who gives you chance after chance. It's sad that it has come to this but it honestly came as a huge relief to know that I am finally to the point where I can walk away without feeling any "obligation" or guilt.
My March Grocery Challenge to myself went really well. 😊 I managed to keep us at about $170 for the month and that was with stocking up on coffee when we found it at a fantastic price. I'm trying again this month to keep things low if at all possible. Given that the salad greens have been really expensive and not of good quality at the stores for the past few weeks, we have cut that out of our budget for now saving us about $30. I can't wait to be growing salad greens here at home again. I am going to try and get some started here in a pot this weekend since if is too early to start them out in the garden which still needed to be weeded and turned over anyway. Jeff went through our pantry and we purged big time. Some things had to be tossed out and other things, that we will not eat are being given to friends and family that will or donated to a food bank. I now know where things are and it is better organized that it had been.
Our son Chris called me this morning and was excited to tell me that he got to scratch something off his "bucket list" early this morning. Chris is a police officer and is also a volunteer firefighter and EMT who is well trained. He has been able to help save lives multiple times and this morning, he got to help bring a new baby boy into the world. The mom was in active labor and he helped deliver the baby, catching him as he made his grand entrance into the world. I could hear the excitement and passion for this in my son's voice and I am so happy that he had this experience. Chris is a father of two sons who were delivered by c-section so this was a whole new experience for him. I am so proud of him! 😊
Yesterday I stopped by Jaysn and Rachel's after I left my work with the MOPS program. Rachel's sister Michelle came up on her Spring Break (she is a teacher) to help get the nursery ready for baby Steven. The girls were busy getting ready to paint the bedroom a really pretty sky blue color when I arrived. They had me "supervise" while they painted. 😉 They are so cute and protective of me and knew I was still "flaring". We had a great visit and got some things figured out for the baby shower in 1 1/2 weeks. My oldest son Jaysn got home from work and we had a short visit before I had to leave. He is putting in lots of overtime trying to get money socked away since Rachel will be home to get ready to have the baby and will be staying home after that until she can find a part time job where she and Jaysn will do what Jeff and I did working different hours so that someone can be home with the kids and not in daycare full time. I looked at my son who was clearly tired but determined and who was out changing the lightbulb in his car's headlight (something that his father has always done for him in the past) and was filled with such love and pride for this soon to be daddy.
We also have had some wonderful visits via phone and SKYPE with our son Josh who is quickly becoming the liaison between his new Air Force flight squad and the Army. building relationships there so they can do some joint exercises together. He did some exercises with the Army the other day learning more about what they are doing and their emergency tactics. He loved being able to fly over the Capitol in the Blackhawks again seeing the beauty of all the cherry trees in bloom at the National Plaza from a completely different view. I am so happy that he is getting those experiences and further building more connections with other people who have chosen to serve our country as he has. Proud Air Force mom here. 😊
Jeff and I have been looking at our calendar as it quickly fills up for the next few months. To be perfectly honest, most of our weekends are getting booked up and I think we need to sit down and decided what we can cut out. I know that I will be overwhelmed with so much activity and Jeff will not get enough rest. I want us to be able to enjoy life and our kids and grandkids and not be torn in too many directions, even by good things. Time to start saying "No" to good things as well as bad. That is not an easy thing for me to do but it is one that needs to be done for both our sakes. Yes, I am learning, albeit slowly.
Hi Debbie! I'm glad to see that things are getting better! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd with a new baby comming, more love and joy for you and all of your family to enjoy!
You were "talking" about salad greens. We live in an apartment building and I grew lettuces in a clay pot, last year. They are easy to take care of. Just lots of sun and water. An the taste of home grown lettuces...
You have lots of things to be thankful for. A home, a loving husband, your beautiful pets, yours sons, grandsons, parents...
And if those people that unfortunatelly don't agree with that are miserable, well, thats their problem. Jesus talks about that in Mathews 7:6.
I know that it's hard to see other people suffer, people that you love, but all you can do is pray. For them and for the people that are hurting you.
You were "talking" about your son Josh. We have an american air force base here in Portugal, in Azores. It's the Lajes base, in Terceira island.
I think they are going to close it, but in the meantime, it's still working.
Oh, I don't know if you saw, but I responded your comment about the translator button not working.
I have a new Google translator on the blog, right bellow the profile. I don't know about the accuracy of the english translation, but I think you'll get the picture!
:)
Hi Paula, I just clicked on the translate button on your blog and it works! Yay! I will be heading back over to read your posts after I finish responding to comments here. :)
DeleteI do have so much to be thankful for and I treasure my family and friends so very much. :) I'm so glad you were able to grow food at your apartment. Fresh greens really are so good! I have actually heard of that base you are talking about...it was on the list of ones that some of my son's friends put in for. I think one of them actually got stationed there for awhile but he is now back in the Washington DC area with my son. Small world! :)
I am sorry you are still hurting. Please take it easy.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you have gotten to the point that the 'mean' ones no longer bother you. Sometimes we just have to give it to God, and He helps us remove the bad from our lives.
Yes, often we all need to learn to say NO to so many activities. We all need our own time to just meditate and heal.
God bless.
Hello my sweet friend. :) Jeff and I went through our calendar today and took some activities off it for the next few months. It was just getting to be too much and was stressing me out. We also put in for vacation time in September so we can escape to the lake to see my parents and brother when all the "tourists" and "Summer people" have gone home so it is once again peaceful and I can kayak without fear of being run over by a ski boat. ;)
DeleteSorry to hear that you're in the midst of a crash. It sounds like you have some great support to help you get through it. And, yes, saying No to activities is very hard.
ReplyDeleteAs for the salad greens - I've given up buying them in the store right now. Can't wait until my garden starts producing, like you. I've substituted good old fashioned frozen veggies (cooked) as well as pickled beets and even pickles. Hey that's a veg in my book.
I'm sorry too for the break down with your family members. Sounds like you need the break from them but it still is hard to let those relationships go. I've had to walk away from my relationship with a step-sister. Twenty years ago I just referred to her as my sister. Then the relationship devolved. I realized that for my own sanity I had to break ties. Hard to do but needed. Ending the contact with her also ended the relationships I had with my four nephews. Again, not something I sought out but something I had to do. I hope it gets better for you - and from your writing it sounds like you are.
Cheers - just so you know, I'm also in crash mode from my last two days' activity. Hopefully by coming to a full stop today, I'll be better tomorrow or Friday. SJ
((((HUGS)))) SJ, I am sorry to hear about the breakdown in the relationship with your step-sister and the subsequent loss of your relationship with your nephews. Praying for you to feel better too and I do hope you are out of your crash by the time you read this. I'm still in mine. Be blessed!
DeleteHope you are feeling better, Debbie, and I hope the supplements help, too. How exciting that your grandson will soon be here! Glad you are getting to a place where the hurtful family members aren't bothering as much. Sometimes you have to say no even to good things. Just got to remember to stay focused on what you truly want and need. Hope you start to feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Jane
Hi Jane, I'm hoping that they do too. I'm still in crash mode, but I am seeing some progress and am cancelling out on things that I cannot handle at the moment. ;) Yes, I am practicing saying no, even to good things. Be blessed my friend!
DeleteHello! I'm also sending good thoughts your way and hope you're feeling better soon! 😊. Have you ever tried "living lettuce"? It's butter lettuce that is still attached to the roots and can be replanted. (Initial cost is about $2.50 here in CA) It doesn't take long for it to come up. I've got four started in containers on my patio. Just a thought for your greens dilemma. I couldn't imagine not having my daily salad! Take care.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of that kind of lettuce before but it sure sounds cool! I used to plant the stem ends of head lettuce in some dirt after keeping it in some water for a few days to sprout roots so I would guess that would be similar. My dilema is that my cat eats anything that is green including live and fake plants, shoelaces, etc. I have to keep all plants outside now or he will feast on them. LOL!
DeleteYou sound much happier this week. This is so good to hear. I understand how it is to be a proud airforce Mumma. My son let us know that he has finally been given his promotion. He was a Leading Airman and will now get his Corporal stripes.
ReplyDeleteChildren delivering babies, children having babies and everyone looking after you. Your family sounds wonderful.
Thanks Jane and I am. Congratulations to your son! That is great! You are right, I think my family is pretty wonderful too. :) Be blessed!
DeleteYou definitely need to know when to back out of things or say no, especially for your health! Same with writing people off - if they are toxic to your life, you need to be able to step away. Hope you feel better soon - and great job on the grocery budget, mine is wayyyyyyy too high for sure! It's all the fresh produce, it kills my budget but has done wonders for my waist-line, oh well!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying Debbie, I'm trying. ;) I loved your comment about the cost of produce being so high but your waistline sure appreciating it. :) Come on nice sunny Spring weather so we can get into the gardens and start growing our own! ;) Be blessed my friend.
DeleteI'm so glad your grocery challenge came out so well. That's great.
ReplyDeleteIt also sounds like you got to visit with lots of your kids (I'm not sure it that's all of them, or not, but you got to a lot of them!) That's so meaningful.
Saying "no" is the hardest thing in the world for me. I hope you can do better with it than I do:) The older I get, the more I need to do it, though. Your health challenges probably make you rest! I'm glad you can.
As for all the drama....Oh, My, Goodness. I'm sure you are sick and tired of it by now. I would be. Drama is something some people seem to thrive on. I'm not one of them. I've noticed that sometimes the extreme mood swings, lying, hurtful things, creating chaos, etc., etc., etc. have their base in mental illness. Sadly, we have some of that in our families. Although we are extremely close to many members of my immediate family, there are other people who we have had to limit or reduce time with, or even not see at all. At all. It's hard. I'm glad you can put it aside.
((((HUGS)))) Becky. I am finally learning to say no and it is very hard to do so sometimes. As for the drama, I really do not like it at all. You are right about the mental illness, some of the family drama definitely is a result of that. Like you, I'm thankful that we do still have other family that we are extremely close to though. As for my kids, we have 3 by birth, 2 by marriage and many more that have been "adopted by love" into our family that we also consider our sons and daughters and refer to them as such. :)
DeleteI'm sorry you are in the middle of a crash and yet still have to deal with family drama. I agree with other commentators, some people just seem to thrive on drama. My husband's sister and her husband are people that thrive on drama and I just get so sick of it. I try to spend as little time with them as possible, but a lot of the time, that's just not feasible. I'll never understand why anyone would enjoy or thrive on drama as I think it's hideous.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to feeling better Debbie, have a good weekend! :-)
Jessica, I totally get the whole thriving on drama thing with your relatives. We have the same deal going on here with some people in my husband's family. At this point we don't interact with them directly at all but the continue to pull stunts on other relatives around us. I'm not a drama person either. I like everyone getting along and being kind to one another. ;) I hope you have a great weekend!
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