Two regular links to check out!!!

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/fma/fibromyalgiaaware_2009winter_v2

www.heathmattersshow.com

I seem to spend more time on the weekends sleeping than I do anything else. By the time the weekend comes around, I am exhausted and ready for a sleepathon. Yesterday was a great day, long, but a great day so I knew that today I would spend most of the time sleeping. We got up about noon, not that that is unusual. We often get up between 11 to 12 everyday depending on the physical therapy, nurse visit, or teaching schedule. We went to Tim Horton's for lunch. Mom wasn't very hungry so she didn't eat very much. This is not always surprising when it happens. Then we came home, I read for a bit while Mom was in the living room. I checked Face book and then went in the living room with her. I sat down and a few minutes later, out like a light. I slept for about 2 1/2 hours. Not the longest one I have taken in the last few weeks, but definitely a long one. Mom was awake when I woke up, just sitting quietly in her seat on the couch. I sit in the comfy chair and she sits in the couch. I need to have the arms on both sides of me for balance and comfort.

Mom ate a good dinner, she had a chicken breast that she is still working on. I left it on the table for her because she only ate 1/2, in case she wanted more. So far she has eaten a bit more of it. She so far, has drank 2 ensures in a row, so I know she was hungry even if she didn't want any food. She has started on her 3rd ensure now.

Not much happening today, as I slept most of it away. Mom is doing pretty well today. We were going to do our hair but, oops, I slept instead. We will do it tomorrow after lessons. This coming weekend is competition so I hope Frank is ready. Tomorrow is his last lesson before competition. I hope he does well, when he is on, he is very on. He is a very gifted performer.

Mom is playing with the table cloth again. Fortunately, I have the ensure bottle closed with the cap so there is no mess this time. I can't wait until the fiddle toys arrived. They should arrive this week and I hope she likes them. She can fiddle with them all she wants and no mess will be made.

It is really nice out today. We didn't get the rain that I know of, but nearby did. Not to hot, not to humid, in other words, a nice day. It is supposed to get hot again later this week. Ugh. I am glad we are staying in a hotel with an inside pool. I am not looking forward to a hot, humid day.

We had a really good day today. Really good. We were at my Uncle's house with his family. Tillie and her great grandson, Warren, were there. It was so cute to watch Jayson and Warren play together. Sometimes they would play together and other times they would play side by side or separately. No matter how, it was nice to see two very young people get along. Jayson has the cutest way of calling Mom Aunt Vivi. It was adorable. He called her that at the end of the day. Michelle sent us home with great left overs again. I just love her cooking. I think when we go back in a couple of weeks I am going to bring a treat. No, I am not going to make it, I will go to a bakery and get something summery for us to eat.

Mom did really well on the trip there and back. She does very well on the car trips so I am no longer worried about the trip to Kalamazoo next week. I am very excited about that trip. I hope to see some friends and have some nice chatting and watching the kids time. I anticipate spending a lot of time by the pool that weekend, at least Saturday day and Sunday morning and early afternoon. It should be a blast.

The bad thing about this afternoon is that I didn't bring extra disposables for Mom, bad move on my part. Tomorrow we are going to get her a cute back pack to put her disposables, fresh pants, and a fresh top in it to carry whenever we go away for the day. I will put it in my car for her. I should have known that eventually this would happen and of course, it had to happen when we weren't home. I didn't think about going to the store to get her some since it is such a small town, the selection wouldn't have been very good. I will be prepared from now on. Poor Mom, once again I failed her. A small fail, but a fail. I won't do this again that is for sure.

I hope your day was as good as ours was. It was really really good!

It is so much cooler today! Thank goodness for that! It is about 80 degrees outside with low humidity. Thank goodness for small favors. We are waiting for Mom's physical therapist to arrive. We will go to the usual after for lunch. Tomorrow we are going to my uncle's! Apparently, Tillie will be there too so that will be fun. I have to remember to bring the mail to her. Maia will pick up her mail on Monday when she is here to clean. We are watching "Who's the Boss". I haven't seen this in years. We are just hanging out today. I might go and get a Christmas craft out ready to do. I have to get started since I have a lot I want to do. I also need to take pictures of my violins and violas for the swap and to sell. I do have things I want to do, I just end up either putting them off or I don't feel well and they don't get done. My head is almost back to its normal pain today. It is still really sore from all the beautiful (yeah, right) weather and humidity. I can't really concentrate today so I just want to get out the crafts, not start them. I don't like to redo stuff because I messed up. I have some sewing this week I want to do too. I have to finish Natalie's skirt and Sarah's skirt. They are almost done and won't take much to finish. I am hoping that on Sunday I will be feeling much better, tomorrow too. Nothing is worse than visiting with family and having a bad headache, not a recommended thing to do, so it better be much better.

I hope your day is going well.

It is really hot and humid out again today. Although, the humidity isn't as bad as anticipated. It has been worse. Mom and I are hiding inside mostly today. I did have to go out to get her some ensure with high protein since we were out, but other than that we are staying in. Mainly we are staying in because I have a really bad headache. It started yesterday, went down to normal, then popped up again this morning. Ugh, I really hate this weather. I am a spring and fall girl. Those are my favorite seasons. Summer and Winter are not good for me, too much pain at times, and too hot or too cold at other times. Mom is doing pretty well today despite the heat. She did alright when we went to the store. She held my hand as I scooted along as usual. We ended up with a few more things than what was on my list. We had to get a new colander for the kitchen as ours has disappeared along with the two strainers for pots. I have no idea where they went and they don't make them anymore, so that just sucks badly. They were tools I used all the time, so easy to strain vegetables, noodles, and stuff like that and now they are gone. I have been looking for them for about a month now and can't find them anywhere. I really need them so I had to buy a strainer type thing that will sort of do the job, not as good as my other tools, but they will kind of work. I bought the biggest one they had so it will help.

Mom just lost my place in my book. Fortunately, I found it again. I forgot how she plays with them. I usually memorize the page number because she pulls out the bookmark all the time. She just fiddles with stuff and I don't know how to keep her hands busy with something productive because she can't concentrate on much anymore. She can't knit, I tried that. She really can't sew anymore or cross stitch, tried those too. It is difficult to find ways to keep her hands busy. Sometimes it bothers me, other times it doesn't. Since she can't really help it, I have been working on it not bothering me. She also plays with the table cloth a lot and the Kleenex box. Those things don't bother me unless she is ripping the Kleenex box, then that bothers me because I need the box in one piece not several. I have tried to get her to fold washcloths and put them in a basket but that doesn't work with her so I gave up and just let her fiddle with stuff. I keep magazines on the table just for that purpose now. I put them in a small pile in the middle of the table so she can fiddle all she wants now.

It is going to rain today, supposedly. I certainly hope so, that will hopefully cut down on the heat. Tomorrow is supposed to be really nice out. Only 82 degrees with low humidity and low heat index. Saturday we are going to my Uncle's and it is supposed to be nice out then too. He is going on vacation on Sunday for a week. That should be a lot of fun. We are going on vacation in a few too, can't wait for that!

I was planning on going into the family room and dig out some Christmas crafts the other night. I haven't done it yet. I need to get started because I want to hand make all the Christmas presents next year. I love making ornaments. They are so much fun. I want to make a set for my niece and nephew and Mom. Mom loves homemade presents best. Or at least she used too, don't know if she still does because she doesn't know anymore. I got some really cute kits last summer to make and I haven't finished them yet. Yes, I need to get my butt moving on them.

This week I also plan to take pictures of the painted violins and viola. In August I am going to have a give away of one of them. I have about 20 left that I painted when we had the music store. They do work and everything. Fresh strings and well, at the time they were done, they were in tune, although I highly doubt they are in tune now. Anyways, this fall my plan is to sell the rest of them so that they are out of my family room and into (hopefully) some nice persons' home that will enjoy them. They can be played or just for decoration. I plan to send one to my friend in Ohio, but I keep forgetting to have her measure her daughter's arm so I can send the right size, if I have it. There is one in particular my other friend's son likes to play. It is so cute to watch him, although I don't get a big chance because it keeps him busy while I am having a lesson with his sister. Both are very musically inclined children, extremely talented. Not that I am biased or anything, they really are. I have had the opportunity to work with many talented children over the years, and they are really gifted. The young gentleman will start lessons this fall too, so that will be even more fun for us here in this household. Mom really likes listening to the students during their lessons. She always had. I am glad she still finds some things enjoyable. Just because a person has Alzheimer's or Vascular Dementia (her official diagnose) doesn't mean they don't like or dislike things. And music is one thing she has always enjoyed.

I hope you are having a good day, despite the bad headache, it hasn't been too bad except I had to cancel knitting today. My head is just too bad for that. :( I hope the weather improves where you are too as so much of us are having major heat waves. It looks like it is about to storm outside for us right now. Have a great afternoon!

It is extremely hot for Michigan today. With the heat index it is over 100 degrees. I know that the east coast is getting nailed too. I have kept Mom in the house today, think I will keep her possibly tomorrow too, we aren't even going to our usual as it is just too hot and she could get dehydrated so quickly. The nurse said to really watch Mom. When Lori, the physical therapist, was here, she checked Mom's blood pressure and it was lower than normal, she said because she needs more liquids. Well, I have been giving them all day to the little lady. She has had 2 ensures already and I have more waiting for her. Gotta keep her hydrated!!! I have also made sure that I am drinking enough too.

We haven't done a whole lot today, Bob had his lesson. He just got back from a cruise and Venice, Italy. I can't wait to see the pictures next week. He said he and Maggie, his wife, had a great time! I am so glad. I really wanted them to have a good time. Maggie is a good friend of mine. She is in our book club too. I have to get the book club book, I haven't done that yet. I was going to do that tonight, but I will wait until Friday for that. Too hot to take the little Mom out right now.

I finished the Anne of Green Gables series again. I am now working on the Emily trilogy. I just love all of LM Montgomery books. She was such a great writer. I just love those books.

I am aching more today than usual due to the weather. I expected it though, so I am as prepared as much as I can. I took a wee nap after Bob's lesson for about an hour. I am rather tired to because of the heat. I felt so bad for Lori because she had to go into the heat. Mom is doing pretty well since she has been inside all day. She doesn't seem to mind that we didn't go for our usual this morning and doesn't mind we will miss tomorrow's too. I do need to get her some ensure with high protein, but I can't do that until Friday because of the weather. Fortunately, we have the regular stuff, but the high protein is really helping her sore. It is healing very nicely. I am pleased with its progress.

I hope this finds you doing well and hope you are staying cool!!!

It is really hot out today. Not as humid as yesterday, but just as hot. Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter. Yuck. I don't do well in this weather. We may be skipping our usual tomorrow, depending on how early it gets hot. Mom simply melts in this type weather too. It is difficult for her, either the weather is too hot or too cold for her. I keep her in hoodies for the most time and don't take her outside too much in this weather. She doesn't understand why she is hot or cold most of the time.

The baby birds are almost ready to fly!!! Yup! The three little baby birds are popping their heads out of the nest above our light on the front porch. They are so cute. Mom has even been able to lift her head up enough to see them. I can't wait to see them fly, as long as they don't fly inside the house.

Mom had a manicure and a pedicure today. I didn't get her any polish on her nails because she never really has and I didn't think she could hold her hands steady enough for them to polish them. She had a bit of trouble with the pedicure. At first the water was too hot, then she didn't want to keep her feet in it, but eventually she calmed down enough to get her feet done. Her hands were better for her. I plan to do this monthly because I just can't cut her nails, she jumps too much for me to try. I have tried and it has just not worked.

She is doing well with this increased protein stuff. She has been drinking about 2 ensures with high protein everyday. She eats at least 1 chicken breast for dinner. I don't worry about the vegetables too much because she drinks the ensures. I just need her to keep up the good work with the protein. Her sore looks so much better. It is finally healing. She is doing better with standing up every so often to get the pressure off of her bottom. I am happy with how she is doing these days. She is calm and doesn't cry as much as she used too. She did have a bit of a cry before her pedicure started but the technician kept calm and soothed her. He was really nice to her and didn't get upset when she cried a bit. Naturally, in the middle of the manicure, she had to use the restroom. Perfect timing as usual.

I am aching a bit more than usual because of the humidity and heat. I just ache so much in this weather. I am definitely a spring and fall girl, unless it is raining, then I am not. I hate that weather plays such a part in pain. It is 91 degrees right now, with not a lot of humidity, but tomorrow is supposed to be more humid and more heat. I don't ache as much as I did yesterday, but I anticipate more pain tomorrow. The weatherman says tomorrow will be high humidity tomorrow. Thursday will be bad too, then Friday! Relief! It cools off just in time for us to go to my Uncle's on Saturday. Speaking of which, need to switch a lesson to an earlier time and reschedule the next weeks since we will be out of town. I am looking forward to our little jaunt to Kalamazoo. It shall be fun. I think Mom will really enjoy it. We are also hoping to see our friend, Laurie while we are there. I think it will be a blast. I am going to also see if April will want to come and visit with us. Maybe Alesia too.

I hope you are having a great day!!!!!!!!!! Despite the pain, it has been a fun day. I did take a brief (only 1 1/2 hours) nap this afternoon when we got back from the mani and pedi's.

It is very hot today. Thank goodness for air conditioning! I get heat sickness very easy. If I am out for as little as 5 minutes directly under the sun without a hat, I can be sick for days. It is an annoying problem. However, I have learned how to deal with it. My biggest concern now is making sure Mom is not in the heat very long and that she is hydrated. So far she is cooperating. We both were wiped out again today, don't really know why as we didn't go out in the heat very long, just in and out of the car to Tim Horton's. We get priority parking as I have a handicap sticker so it isn't like we are parked far away from the door. I slept for 3 hours this afternoon, this was after I got up at noon. I am a lot more sore than usual because of the heat and humidity. It is very humid out today. Ugh, for me. I don't really like summer very much. I never really have as when you get sick from the sun and heat, how can you enjoy it? Fortunately, I don't have the sweating problem my older brother has. He sweats very easy and that has to be hard for him as he loves the outdoors and sun. I am still unsure of when he is coming to visit.

I made reservations for a hotel in Kalamazoo to see Kathy and kids. I can't wait. We are staying at a hotel that has a pool inside. There were other hotels near by that have pools too, but they were outside and with the heat problem I have, not a good idea. Also, if it is poor weather the kids can't swim, this way, no matter what they can swim. I hope to remember to bring my camera so I can take pictures of the Kathy's family. I just love her kids, they are so adorable and great, even the toddlers! Okay, I probably have as much patience at times as Kathy as I deal with similar problems. Alzheimer's and toddlers often behave the same. Mom's understanding level at times is about at a 3 year old. As long as I keep that in mind, I do fine, when I forget, oh my, I start yelling. I haven't really yelled in a while since she came home. Even though it was awful when she was gone, it did help a bit to recharge my batteries. I am much calmer and less easy to anger now that she is home so maybe some good came out of her being in a home. Other than that, I can't think of any good that came from her being there.

I have a couple of lessons tomorrow, but other than that, we will be hiding inside this week. I may even buy extra stuff at Tim Horton's this week if the heat index gets higher. I don't want either one of us to get heat sickness. It really is awful and to add it to the extra pain, ugh, is all I can say.

I hope you are staying cool as the heat wave continues!

Two regular links to check out!!!

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/fma/fibromyalgiaaware_2009winter_v2

www.heathmattersshow.com

It's Independence Day! July the 4th! 4th of July! How ever you want to post it! It is an awesome day in our history. I sure was lucky that out of all the countries in the world my parents moved too, it was here. I was born in Canada, but that was actually an accident. We lived in Michigan, but they were visiting my Grandparents when I was born and since Mom was Canadian and Dad was British, the immigration papers didn't include the all important choose at 18 which citizenship I wanted. We found that out later when I was about 8 or 9. Boy was Mom ticked at that! Although, I think our family is living the American Dream because we come from another country to this one for a better life, and it has been overall. My niece and nephew are the first Americans in the family, just as my children would have been if I could have had any. That was my dream, that our children be the first Americans. Although, I definitely feel American, having been raised here all my life. Both my older brother and I haven't become official citizens because we wanted our children to be the first Americans, like the forefathers. Kind of weird, I know, but what can I say? We are living the Dream, our way. My parents worked very hard to come to this country and the only complaint my brothers and I had was, couldn't they have picked a warmer state???? Michigan gets really cold in the winter!!! He he he! Seriously, I am proud to live in such a great country. It really is the best country in the world and I love it so much. I am so thankful for all the men and women who serve in the armed forces and protect and give us our freedoms. We have such great people who are serving, both past and present. It really shows what people are willing to sacrifice to give strangers they don't know a better life! I am thankful everyday that I live here in the United States of America, not just on Flag Day or the 4th of July, but everyday. Thanks to all who give us our freedoms!

Outside of it being a great day just because what day it is, my head is a bit worse than usual and my tummy isn't much better. I think it is just going to be a lazy day because I don't really feel well enough to go to a movie. Mom is doing alright today, not as much hallucinating as yesterday, although it is now normal for her to see 2 small boys and 1 small girl. That would be Richard, Andrew, and I as small children. She doesn't see them all the time, just some times. I have to tell her they went home and then she says okay and doesn't seem to see them anymore. Just all apart of Stage 6 Alzheimer's. I hope this stage lasts for a very long time, because Stage 7 is the end and she will have no way to communicate and will be bedridden. We have enough trouble with her pressure sore now, I can't even think about what will happen then. Though I do know, she will be here with me. There is room in her room for a hospital bed and we will have help coming in to see her daily, so I know she will be taken good care of.

Have a happy 4th! Be safe and enjoy the time with family and friends!

I almost forgot something really cool happened yesterday. My uncle's girlfriend, Michelle, brought us 3 to 4 days of homemade dinners! Yup! She drove 1 1/2 hours to our house and brought us dinner. How cool is that? Rather cool if you ask me. We are going over again next Saturday, which I am rather excited about. Mom enjoys the visits so much. I don't know if Andrew will be there or not. I think Tillie is planning to bring her great grandson, Warren there. She is babysitting him that day because his grandparents are going to an adult only BBQ. How unfair for the little guy, but what can he do about? Not much. I would like to have a family BBQ this year, but I just don't see how we can afford that. I looked into plane fares to Richard's, but it is almost $1000 for us to go. No specials right now, so no plane ride for us. i don't think Mom could handle the 5 hour trip either, and the way home was split in 2 so that would be even worse.

Anyways, wasn't that just too cool of Michelle to do that? She is a really good cook. She is going to give me a couple of easy recipes that I can do and not have to stand for a long time.