I left off where my husband had a seizure and it was different than all of his previous ones. His theory was that it was not epileptic in nature but diabetic. A few years ago he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. He received a phone call from his doctor that he had diabetes and was told to start taking this prescritpion. They gave him no directions on what to eat no information or tools to check his blood sugar.
He felt ill-equipped and like it must not have been a big deal. So once his prescription ran out he stopped taking it. Besides a 13 day stint with the Whole30 last year we eat pretty terribly. I cook most nights but I made alot of casseroles. He is a pretty picky eater so it makes it difficult and I had just gotten lazy. Plus we eat our fair share of fast food.
His neurologist agreed that he did not thing it was epileptic. Thank goodness! But now he needs to get serious about his diet and fitness and getting his diabetes under control. All the doctors and nurses yelled at him and told him horror stories so he would know how important it is to take care of yourself. They gave him tools to check his blood sugar. We have an appointment with the diabetes clinic tomorrow where they will go over diet and all that stuff. We have dramatically changed how we are eating. Not totally clean or whole but a huge step from what we were doing before. I mean we are eating vegatables with dinner everynight and not bread. So thats a step up. We started getting vegetables from a local CSA and we ate everything in our share last week. I am the queen of throwing away produce so this felt so good not to have any waste.
What is in our future? Lots and lots of doctors appointments, finger prickings everyday, and learning what to eat to get this under control. Any tips for healthy eating for a very picky eater would be much appreciated!
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
The Big E
My husband has epilepsy. He was diagnosed when he was a little kid. He has generalized grand mal seizures.
A couple weeks after we started dating he had a seizure (I was not with him at the time). Over the course of the next few years he had some seizures. Maybe one every few months. I don't remember the details. But he had enough that it was scary. Our first year of marriage he finally found a good neurologist who didn't believe that having a seizure once every six month was considered managed. Technically in the state of Florida you cannot drive for six months if you have a seizure. Not being able to drive is not managed! For six months we did titration schedule after titration schedule. He would go a few weeks with no seizures then we'd be back to square one. It was a rough year. He couldn't drive for a whole year. We live in a small town outside of the town we work in and he works weekends and I don't. So it was rough, for both of us. Then finally they put him in depakote and we kept counting the months. First it was 6 months! Yay, he could drive now. I know I say it was rough for me. I cannot even begin to imagine how he felt. Having to be taken care of all the time and not being able to drive for a whole year. I would have gone crazy. I can't imagine how a man would feel. Then we counted the years. All the while I had in the back of my mind that he would have another seizure one day. It happens. Medicine can't stop everything. He will get sick or not get enough sleep or see one too many strobe lights. I just knew the day would come when he would have another seizure and it terrified me.
That day came a couple of weeks ago. And I immediately starting crying and shaking. My thoughts went back to how hard it was the first 6 months we were married and I did not want to go through that again. My husband was okay. I called my boss and went and picked him up from work and then started scheduling doctor appointments. Once I saw him, I wasn't as freaked out as I had been before. This one was different. It had been less than an hour since his last seizure and he was himself. He was alert and totally there. Normally after a seizure it's like he is in a fog all day, not really himself. But we both could tell this was different. That gave me hope that maybe wouldn't be back to square one. Maybe we wouldn't have to relive those first months of marriage, which would be even more difficult now as we have two year old.
Situations like this always remind me how glad I am that we go to church and have a community of people around us. Immediately we had people praying for him. We had a friend offer to drive into town to being his car home. Friends stopped by to check on him. I can't imagine what it's like to go through difficult times and not have this community.
For now, I am back to worrying about him more often than I have the past couple of years. But ultimately I know that God is in control. It sounds so cheesy, but it's true. Maybe he will never have another seizure again or maybe he will have alot more. I have to believe that there is a reason, even if I don't get it now.
A couple weeks after we started dating he had a seizure (I was not with him at the time). Over the course of the next few years he had some seizures. Maybe one every few months. I don't remember the details. But he had enough that it was scary. Our first year of marriage he finally found a good neurologist who didn't believe that having a seizure once every six month was considered managed. Technically in the state of Florida you cannot drive for six months if you have a seizure. Not being able to drive is not managed! For six months we did titration schedule after titration schedule. He would go a few weeks with no seizures then we'd be back to square one. It was a rough year. He couldn't drive for a whole year. We live in a small town outside of the town we work in and he works weekends and I don't. So it was rough, for both of us. Then finally they put him in depakote and we kept counting the months. First it was 6 months! Yay, he could drive now. I know I say it was rough for me. I cannot even begin to imagine how he felt. Having to be taken care of all the time and not being able to drive for a whole year. I would have gone crazy. I can't imagine how a man would feel. Then we counted the years. All the while I had in the back of my mind that he would have another seizure one day. It happens. Medicine can't stop everything. He will get sick or not get enough sleep or see one too many strobe lights. I just knew the day would come when he would have another seizure and it terrified me.
That day came a couple of weeks ago. And I immediately starting crying and shaking. My thoughts went back to how hard it was the first 6 months we were married and I did not want to go through that again. My husband was okay. I called my boss and went and picked him up from work and then started scheduling doctor appointments. Once I saw him, I wasn't as freaked out as I had been before. This one was different. It had been less than an hour since his last seizure and he was himself. He was alert and totally there. Normally after a seizure it's like he is in a fog all day, not really himself. But we both could tell this was different. That gave me hope that maybe wouldn't be back to square one. Maybe we wouldn't have to relive those first months of marriage, which would be even more difficult now as we have two year old.
Situations like this always remind me how glad I am that we go to church and have a community of people around us. Immediately we had people praying for him. We had a friend offer to drive into town to being his car home. Friends stopped by to check on him. I can't imagine what it's like to go through difficult times and not have this community.
For now, I am back to worrying about him more often than I have the past couple of years. But ultimately I know that God is in control. It sounds so cheesy, but it's true. Maybe he will never have another seizure again or maybe he will have alot more. I have to believe that there is a reason, even if I don't get it now.
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Almost Christmas
It is two days before Christmas and we have yet to watch one Christmas movie, or bake Christmas cookies, or go look at lights. But we did take Oliver to see three different Santa's this year and not one of them cost us a penny! Ha! My husband is the only one who baked anything. He made bark for the first time. He was so proud of himself.
I bought an advent devotion and I maybe have done half of it. I am just so disappointed in myself. I feel like I haven't had time to enjoy the season or reflect on the year. This happens every year. I start out with the best intentions and then I get lazy and tired and caught up in all the holiday craziness.
The season isn't over yet though. Tonight we'll watch a Christmas movie and I won't worry about the house being clean or perfect. I will just enjoy my family.
Oliver on the other hand has really enjoyed the season. Especially the tree, even more so now that there are presents under it. I've only had to rewrap one for Nonna, so far!
I bought an advent devotion and I maybe have done half of it. I am just so disappointed in myself. I feel like I haven't had time to enjoy the season or reflect on the year. This happens every year. I start out with the best intentions and then I get lazy and tired and caught up in all the holiday craziness.
The season isn't over yet though. Tonight we'll watch a Christmas movie and I won't worry about the house being clean or perfect. I will just enjoy my family.
Oliver on the other hand has really enjoyed the season. Especially the tree, even more so now that there are presents under it. I've only had to rewrap one for Nonna, so far!
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| Being mischievous by the tree! |
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Christmas Traditions
We only had one Christmas tradition growing up. It was that we could open one present on Christmas Eve. There could have been more, but honestly I don't remember any. I definitely want to have traditions with my kids. Here is a list of some traditions I would like to start.
1. Go to Appalachicola and see Santa come in on a shrimp boat. One of the best things about where we live is all the small towns nearby. Appalachicola is a must visit town if you're in the area. They are known for their oysters. They have an adorable downtown right on the water. We took Oliver this year for Santa's arrival. Everyone stands on the dock and watches him come in on a shrimp boat! On Santa's walk over to his seat he even stops and talks to kids and takes pictures. It is adorable.
2. Reading a Christmas book before bed every night. This one might be more difficult because whenever we trying reading to him he just hops off our lap and runs around. But maybe as he gets older.
3. Looking at Christmas lights in Christmas pajamas.
4. Making at least one craft during the season. This year he made his first Christmas ornaments for all the grandparents. It's a "handprint" in snow paint on a round ornament. Maybe next year it will look like a real handprint. This would be a cute idea to everyyear so you can see how much they have grown.
5. Doing something to give back to the community. A friend of ours has two elves who love to give back intead of having elf on the shelf. A couple times a week the elves come up with some ideas such as taping microwave popcorn to redboxes around town and making cookies for the postman.
6. I would like to go to church on Christmas Eve and open one present then too. But I just don't think that one will work for us anytime soon, unless we move away from family. We usually go to my father in law's on Christmas Eve and my mother in law's on Christmas Day.
7. Go see Santa at Bass Pro. Mainly because its free! And they have very cute set up and a great Santa.
8. Visit my parents in early December and go to a fun Christmas event. This year we went to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens. The whole park was decorated for Christmas even with a nativity scene. It was beautiful. And they had the best Santa set up I have ever seen. We went to the park earlier in the day and rode roller coasters. Oliver even got to ride his first ride all alone like a big boy! Then we strolled around once the sun went down. The next day my Grandma, my aunt, and my cousins came over and we all had lunch before we had to head home. We got some great pictures of Oliver with his cousin Noah in their Chrismas pajamas.
We'll see how many of these we will check off the list. I think as he gets older we will get to really enjoy these more and maybe add some new traditions.
1. Go to Appalachicola and see Santa come in on a shrimp boat. One of the best things about where we live is all the small towns nearby. Appalachicola is a must visit town if you're in the area. They are known for their oysters. They have an adorable downtown right on the water. We took Oliver this year for Santa's arrival. Everyone stands on the dock and watches him come in on a shrimp boat! On Santa's walk over to his seat he even stops and talks to kids and takes pictures. It is adorable.
2. Reading a Christmas book before bed every night. This one might be more difficult because whenever we trying reading to him he just hops off our lap and runs around. But maybe as he gets older.
3. Looking at Christmas lights in Christmas pajamas.
4. Making at least one craft during the season. This year he made his first Christmas ornaments for all the grandparents. It's a "handprint" in snow paint on a round ornament. Maybe next year it will look like a real handprint. This would be a cute idea to everyyear so you can see how much they have grown.
5. Doing something to give back to the community. A friend of ours has two elves who love to give back intead of having elf on the shelf. A couple times a week the elves come up with some ideas such as taping microwave popcorn to redboxes around town and making cookies for the postman.
6. I would like to go to church on Christmas Eve and open one present then too. But I just don't think that one will work for us anytime soon, unless we move away from family. We usually go to my father in law's on Christmas Eve and my mother in law's on Christmas Day.
7. Go see Santa at Bass Pro. Mainly because its free! And they have very cute set up and a great Santa.
8. Visit my parents in early December and go to a fun Christmas event. This year we went to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens. The whole park was decorated for Christmas even with a nativity scene. It was beautiful. And they had the best Santa set up I have ever seen. We went to the park earlier in the day and rode roller coasters. Oliver even got to ride his first ride all alone like a big boy! Then we strolled around once the sun went down. The next day my Grandma, my aunt, and my cousins came over and we all had lunch before we had to head home. We got some great pictures of Oliver with his cousin Noah in their Chrismas pajamas.
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| His first ride all by himself! |
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| Oliver in his Santa pjs and Noah in his Elf pjs |
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| We thought the train might help them look at the camera instead of the tree. Wrong! |
We'll see how many of these we will check off the list. I think as he gets older we will get to really enjoy these more and maybe add some new traditions.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
The Boy who Inspired the Blog
This is Oliver. He was born in April 2013. I love him more than I ever could have imagined. I wish I had started this blog when he was born and used it to document his milestones and such. But the adjustment to motherhood was incredibly harder than I thought it would be. I could barely keep my head above water much less write a blog.
We are here now though. He is 19 months old and I work full time in property management. Right now we are working on paying off our debt so one day I can stay home with him and his future siblings.
He is such a joy. He loves people and makes friends wherever we go! He loves playing outside in the dirt. He is such a boy! He loves to dance; he gets his smooth moves from his mama. He gives hugs and kisses and says bye-bye like a champ. For the most part he is a pretty easy going kid, which is a far cry from how he was a new born.
This is my favorite age so far. It is just so much fun. He is super cuddly and we just love him to death!
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| Looking handsome waiting for Santa at the Docks |
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| Playing around in the grass while Grandma waits in line to see Santa |
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