So it has been six months since I have updated the blog, so what? I decided long ago not to apologize for things that are trivial, and that is one of them.
Next week we will celebrate two years of having moved out of the crazy hustle and bustle of life inside the DC Beltway and heading for the center of the country. So much has changed, and I am grateful for our leap of faith and the spirit of family that has gotten us through some of the craziness.
I am now doing the work that I have always longed for, working as a Youth Director at our church. We have an incredible group of youth and adults and I am really glad that my journey has brought me here. I have learned so much about myself in the 9 or so years since I was actively in youth ministry about my faith, my priorities and myself. That is not to say that when I was a younger Youth Director that I was not good at it.
Now I am so much better organized and more open to finding ways to honor tradition while embracing the ideas that flow from the minds of young people. It's genuinely refreshing and fills me, even when the hours are long. Hell, I have even started reading books on occasion!
Abby has just turned five a few weeks ago and she is loving every minute of it. She makes plans everyday for her future - who she is going to marry and where she is going to college and all that sort of stuff. She still loves pink more than anything else. She has just finished her swim lessons for the summer, but she still refuses to put her face in the water, so she does not get to move up next time around. I agree with the teachers, that is for sure.
Abby will be going to full-time Kindergarten starting in August and is already very excited to be entering her next challenge. I have written before about Abby's preschool and how completely awesome her teachers brilliance and wisdom. we are so blessed to have had them with us in the journey of her growth. Earlier this week Karen took Abby down water slides that I was sure would never happen, but she not only went down once, but then went down over and over again.
Anny is on spring break, which was much needed. She is loving her job and the people that she works with - they are a great group of people that we have started to get to know better over the last year. She has been really supportive over the last week or two of craziness at my office. This weekend she is at Mound Ridge for a weekend of summer camp with Abby! I am hopeful they do not kill each other as the heat is brutal and they will be outside. A lot.
That's my update for now. I am hopeful to get back into this now that I have gotten into a bit of routine again. I konw the routine will change once school begins, but that's okay, I'll cross that bridge in August!
Showing posts with label Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Update. Show all posts
June 29, 2012
October 17, 2011
A Good Visit - Kidney Update
Alternate Title: Better than a Punch in the Face!
Last month I was afraid - genuinely afraid - of what I had done to my body over the last year by going off of my kidney medicine. I had not seen a doctor in over a year, and my first trip back made me fearful that a professional would not only give me grief, but would also want to punch me in the face for such stupidity. The thing about a first-appointment, though, is that there is nothing to work with aside from height, weight and, in the case of kidney patients, swelling. I was relieved to not be punched in the face, but still nervous after the appointment at what actual lab results would show.
I will be honest that even a setback in my long term health might have been worth the year of being medication-free. Especially in a year of moving, new jobs, settling, et cetera. Not saying it was smart, but I am glad that I did it.
Today I went back to the nephrologist having done a 24 hour urine and 10 other tests three weeks ago, as well as a spot sample with only four test about a week ago. We were going to have real data to see how things are working in my system. This is what I put on Facebook:
"So, not nearly as nervous as a month ago, but headed back to the doc's office. Today should be about coming up with a plan of attack on my body. Sounds harsh, but that is the reality of living with disease."
This morning I was almost shocked at the conversation with the doctor. I began preparing myself about a week ago for steroids and all that goes with it - superhuman strength ability to sleep, gorging myself on crappy food and blaming the medicine and, of course, Moon Face that accompanies such. I also braced myself for something like the immunosuppresants that I have been taking for so many years that they were as much a part of me as my fingernails. (though they tasted much nastier – gross!)
The shock part of the appointment is that he does not want me to do any of that type of stuff right now – my levels are high but not bad for a kidney disease patient! (He actually said "High for a normal person, but really low for someone with your condition.")
My stats, since some folks care and know what they mean:
Creatinine – 1.2 (almost down to a "regular" person)
Protein – 4 grams (lowest in a long time for me)
Cholesterol – LDL is 127, total is 200 (good, not great)
Blood Pressure – 125/94 (oops – that's high!)
Yes, my blood pressure is high, which is not uncommon with people with kidney disease. Last month the doctor put me on 5 milligrams of Lisinopril, a very low dose. Due to my test results, and the desire to stay off some of the really bad drugs as long as everything else is stable, this is an opportunity to change things up. Looks like changing them up in a BIG way, too. Going from 5 milligrams once daily to 10 milligrams twice a day. Eek! This is an effort to lower blood pressure, so he warned me that I will likely feel dizzy for at least a week and to be careful with that. I think I will start by taking them at work instead of before leaving and driving around town on my way to work, just to start anyway.
My weight is also down a couple of pounds, I think. I will not publish that number here for fear that those close to me will hunt me down, but I really have been making efforts to eat better and get a lot more walking in at work than you would think! (I have done away with our mailroom and walk the mail to our co-workers on a daily basis. Our main level is about 250 cubicles and 50 or so offices, lots of walking to be done!) I think I have convinced myself to run in the local Turkey Trot which is about three miles. It's also only about a month away, so I guess I had best get started on training for that… eek!
Things are going well enough with the doctor that he ordered lab work for one month and I will not go back for a visit until December – just before my birthday actually. THAT could prove to be interesting!
December 23, 2010
Just Want to Sleep!
I have been waking up really early lately. I can blame it on many things ranging from Abby making noise in the other room to drinking WAY too much water after dinner and the call of nature. I don't know why my body will not let me go back to sleep, but it is annoying!
With that, you get a snipped blog post:
Work:
Love where I work. Love who I work with and work for. I have been given both responsibility and flexibility to go out and find others that need project work done and stuff like that. Today I will be doing my first flow chart from notes from the Chief of Human Resources! Insane, right?
Next week we have another Admin starting. I realized yesterday that this will be the first time since my days at Champs that someone has come in at the same level as I am at - someone with about the same role in the organization. I have had folks over me hired, but this will be new and (hopefully) kind of cool.
Apartment:
I keep meaning to post pictures of the apartment, but you will just have to trust me at this point that it's nice. We all have lots of space, and Abby is in a Full sized bed, so it's much more fun to read stories at the end of a day because I can go straight to cuddling. It is silly, I know, but really fun. This morning when she woke up I went in and we talked about Christmas and did silly stuff like hide from Anny when she got up.
I keep thinking I might go out and get some paint. Anny is a hang-pictures-to-break-the-white-walls person, and I am a paint-it person. I know she will win out this round, though, because I am too cheap to buy paint and we have TONS of hanging pictures.
Folks have asked if Abby is okay with the silly TriPod "Tree" for Christmas, and I assure you that she digs it. She admires real/artificial trees in other places, but she knows that ours is a little silly, but special nonetheless.
Abby:
Well, on Saturday night she twisted her foot strangely and limped for three days. Right as it was healing up she jumped out of her bed in not-tied shoes and that was a set back. Another advantage of the Full Sized bed, we found out, is that when she is whimpering through the night because of said foot injury, we don't have to sleep three to a bed. Anny just went in to Abby's bed for the night. (I take my turns, you can trust that.)
Because of the occasional bed sharing in her room, Abby is now requesting that one of us sleep with her each night. Yeah, going to have to break that habit and quick!
Abby is incredibly helpful around here, especially in the kitchen! This week alone she has helped with cookies, boxed muffins, made from scratch muffins (YUM!) and is now helping with pancakes. She is always eager to help, and is getting much better about keeping mixing in the bowls. She is often mad at us if we don't let her help in the kitchen at dinner time. Sorry, Abs, but I do not need help with the raw meat today... :o)
Hoping to knock out a post today or tomorrow about Abby and Santa. Fun stuff. But now I need to go - I hear blueberry pancakes in process and I want to be sure some are for me!
With that, you get a snipped blog post:
Work:
Love where I work. Love who I work with and work for. I have been given both responsibility and flexibility to go out and find others that need project work done and stuff like that. Today I will be doing my first flow chart from notes from the Chief of Human Resources! Insane, right?
Next week we have another Admin starting. I realized yesterday that this will be the first time since my days at Champs that someone has come in at the same level as I am at - someone with about the same role in the organization. I have had folks over me hired, but this will be new and (hopefully) kind of cool.
Apartment:
I keep meaning to post pictures of the apartment, but you will just have to trust me at this point that it's nice. We all have lots of space, and Abby is in a Full sized bed, so it's much more fun to read stories at the end of a day because I can go straight to cuddling. It is silly, I know, but really fun. This morning when she woke up I went in and we talked about Christmas and did silly stuff like hide from Anny when she got up.
I keep thinking I might go out and get some paint. Anny is a hang-pictures-to-break-the-white-walls person, and I am a paint-it person. I know she will win out this round, though, because I am too cheap to buy paint and we have TONS of hanging pictures.
Folks have asked if Abby is okay with the silly TriPod "Tree" for Christmas, and I assure you that she digs it. She admires real/artificial trees in other places, but she knows that ours is a little silly, but special nonetheless.
Abby:
Well, on Saturday night she twisted her foot strangely and limped for three days. Right as it was healing up she jumped out of her bed in not-tied shoes and that was a set back. Another advantage of the Full Sized bed, we found out, is that when she is whimpering through the night because of said foot injury, we don't have to sleep three to a bed. Anny just went in to Abby's bed for the night. (I take my turns, you can trust that.)
Because of the occasional bed sharing in her room, Abby is now requesting that one of us sleep with her each night. Yeah, going to have to break that habit and quick!
Abby is incredibly helpful around here, especially in the kitchen! This week alone she has helped with cookies, boxed muffins, made from scratch muffins (YUM!) and is now helping with pancakes. She is always eager to help, and is getting much better about keeping mixing in the bowls. She is often mad at us if we don't let her help in the kitchen at dinner time. Sorry, Abs, but I do not need help with the raw meat today... :o)
Hoping to knock out a post today or tomorrow about Abby and Santa. Fun stuff. But now I need to go - I hear blueberry pancakes in process and I want to be sure some are for me!
September 10, 2010
Update
Long update in quick snippets –
Abby –
Has had a cough for a week, but only when she is sleeping or laying down. She does this about three times a year when the seasons change drastically, as it has done here over the last ten days. I’ve slept on the couch with her a lot so that she is more upright.
Loves her school. Raves about it every day. She is getting into “projects” and brings stuff home at an alarming rate. The sorting is easy for me – has to be really special to her and she has to talk to me about it a few days later to be considered. We are really happy with the creativity and fun they are having together.
I don’t know if I have mentioned here, but she is the only girl there. BIG change from last year! She is getting to be braver, which is good for my little scaredy cat, especially on playground equipment and such. We have seen a difference when we are playing together outside of daycare, too. Abby was scarred by big kids toppling her over like two years ago on playground equipment, so this is a big development for us and one that we are welcoming!
Anny –
School is in full swing and it seems that she is really enjoying herself. I am proud of her for trying to be better at this school about participating in things that Abby and I can be invited to, like football games. That being said, we have not gotten to any just yet. Oy! We’ll get there, I am sure. Hockey season is just around the corner, and her school has a team, so we will likely go to some of those. (Wanted to go tonight, but I will only stand in the rain to watch someone that shares my last name!)
It’s a strange thing for us to not be cooking every night, every week. For those who have not read, we developed a calendar called “Operation Dinner In” on our Google Calendar. It is where we keep track of what we are going to be eating for about three weeks into the future. This helps us plan for groceries (buy a bigger tub of feta and spread it across several meals) which helps us save money. Since we are still living with the very gracious Paul and Sarahlynn (never enough THANKS! for this!), we have taken to alternating weeks. It’s fun beyond my imagination as we get to try some of their favorites and get to share ours, as well as journey to new foods together.
Anny has also taken up running! She is a very dedicated runner, she gets up early to go out for a run before work, then does a long one before the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings. I think she has a goal of running a 5K on Halloween weekend, but I have not heard details as of yet. I’m disappointed a bit though. Anny has not asked for new running shoes yet, and I LOVE shoe shopping and want to convince myself into a new pair!
Me –
I’m doing well. I am not used to working so late in the evenings, which is one reason that blogging is suffering. I’m trying to figure out times that can work while still hanging out with everyone.
Work is going exceptionally well. I’m feeling like this place is a good fit for me. I am comfortable here, and people seem to like me, even without having brought brownies to the office yet! I hope to do that on Monday, if I can find time this weekend to bake some. I guess I could store buy, and I just might, but it’s a fun project to do with Abby as well.
I am still quite fat. While Anny runs I sleep. I have been partnering with her to do bedtime more, but that is when I should be out running the streets and am not. I would start tonight, but it’s raining. (I’ll say that again tomorrow!) I am genuinely eating better, in part because my desk is front and center as you walk into our office – I can’t sneak food all day long. I’m sure that if I put a little effort in sometime it would be different, so maybe I will. Maybe.
And that is my update. Hope that your world finds you well!
Abby –
Has had a cough for a week, but only when she is sleeping or laying down. She does this about three times a year when the seasons change drastically, as it has done here over the last ten days. I’ve slept on the couch with her a lot so that she is more upright.
Loves her school. Raves about it every day. She is getting into “projects” and brings stuff home at an alarming rate. The sorting is easy for me – has to be really special to her and she has to talk to me about it a few days later to be considered. We are really happy with the creativity and fun they are having together.
I don’t know if I have mentioned here, but she is the only girl there. BIG change from last year! She is getting to be braver, which is good for my little scaredy cat, especially on playground equipment and such. We have seen a difference when we are playing together outside of daycare, too. Abby was scarred by big kids toppling her over like two years ago on playground equipment, so this is a big development for us and one that we are welcoming!
Anny –
School is in full swing and it seems that she is really enjoying herself. I am proud of her for trying to be better at this school about participating in things that Abby and I can be invited to, like football games. That being said, we have not gotten to any just yet. Oy! We’ll get there, I am sure. Hockey season is just around the corner, and her school has a team, so we will likely go to some of those. (Wanted to go tonight, but I will only stand in the rain to watch someone that shares my last name!)
It’s a strange thing for us to not be cooking every night, every week. For those who have not read, we developed a calendar called “Operation Dinner In” on our Google Calendar. It is where we keep track of what we are going to be eating for about three weeks into the future. This helps us plan for groceries (buy a bigger tub of feta and spread it across several meals) which helps us save money. Since we are still living with the very gracious Paul and Sarahlynn (never enough THANKS! for this!), we have taken to alternating weeks. It’s fun beyond my imagination as we get to try some of their favorites and get to share ours, as well as journey to new foods together.
Anny has also taken up running! She is a very dedicated runner, she gets up early to go out for a run before work, then does a long one before the Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings. I think she has a goal of running a 5K on Halloween weekend, but I have not heard details as of yet. I’m disappointed a bit though. Anny has not asked for new running shoes yet, and I LOVE shoe shopping and want to convince myself into a new pair!
Me –
I’m doing well. I am not used to working so late in the evenings, which is one reason that blogging is suffering. I’m trying to figure out times that can work while still hanging out with everyone.
Work is going exceptionally well. I’m feeling like this place is a good fit for me. I am comfortable here, and people seem to like me, even without having brought brownies to the office yet! I hope to do that on Monday, if I can find time this weekend to bake some. I guess I could store buy, and I just might, but it’s a fun project to do with Abby as well.
I am still quite fat. While Anny runs I sleep. I have been partnering with her to do bedtime more, but that is when I should be out running the streets and am not. I would start tonight, but it’s raining. (I’ll say that again tomorrow!) I am genuinely eating better, in part because my desk is front and center as you walk into our office – I can’t sneak food all day long. I’m sure that if I put a little effort in sometime it would be different, so maybe I will. Maybe.
And that is my update. Hope that your world finds you well!
August 17, 2010
Another Post About Routine
Phew. Summer really is over in our family, starting today. Anny got her new students for the first *real* day of school, Abby went to daycare and I went to work. Now we can let things really settle into place.
But I will miss summer this year more than most. I got to spend a lot more time at home with Abby and Anny than usual, and probably more than I will again in the foreseeable future in such a chunk. We did some fun stuff together and got a bit better acquainted with our new town. Good times.
I miss using my camera. I don't have any good reason. Don't know if it's lack of motivation, or just time or what. Have an 8 to 5, which means I'm home just in time to either help with dinner or change clothes and eat. It was too hot for several weeks, so that is my excuse for that time. Tonight, though? Nothing better than a sore back from running around all day at work.
Speaking of which, things at work are going really well. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from all sorts of people. Better than that, my boss has gotten that feedback too, which is important in the (non-profit) corporate world. I am getting a lot out of meeting everyone because I am at the reception desk, but boredom in a new job is bad. I have begged onto a couple of tasks, and hope to expand that later this week, to. I finished a project today that was supposed to take the whole week. I started yesterday at 4 and finished before 2 today. I am looking forward to new challenges with open arms!
I need to be better about taking my meds, and that's all I'm going to say about that.
Anny and I have decided to join the church that Paul and Sarahlynn go to. It is bigger than all of the churches I have ever joined. Combined, probably. I have done some church studying for a while now and know that the reality is that a huge church is made up of a bunch of smaller communities, so it is not nearly as intimidating. Part of the perk for me is that in a church this big, it will be easier to "hide" from responsibility for longer. I have loved every day of serving as an Elder, Deacon and even as staff, but to go to worship and not worry about why one of the fans is not spinning, or how many people were in Sunday school or how many will show up for an event in the evening is kind of nice. I will get back into it some day, but it's kind of nice for now.
That being said, I really miss our church family back in Maryland. REALLY great people who have loved us like family since the day we visited. Really.
Time to get the girl-child into the shower. She is swimming every day at her new day care. We went with in-home for many reasons, but one of the biggest is the focus on being outside and doing a HUGE variety of different things from day to day. Yesterday they went to a museum and today they went to the park. Tomorrow is the library. She might not have a huge class of kids to hang out with (seven instead of 18) she is getting a pretty awesome experience in this deal!
Seriously, enough typing. I hope to get back to regular blogging soon. No promises, but soon.
But I will miss summer this year more than most. I got to spend a lot more time at home with Abby and Anny than usual, and probably more than I will again in the foreseeable future in such a chunk. We did some fun stuff together and got a bit better acquainted with our new town. Good times.
I miss using my camera. I don't have any good reason. Don't know if it's lack of motivation, or just time or what. Have an 8 to 5, which means I'm home just in time to either help with dinner or change clothes and eat. It was too hot for several weeks, so that is my excuse for that time. Tonight, though? Nothing better than a sore back from running around all day at work.
Speaking of which, things at work are going really well. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from all sorts of people. Better than that, my boss has gotten that feedback too, which is important in the (non-profit) corporate world. I am getting a lot out of meeting everyone because I am at the reception desk, but boredom in a new job is bad. I have begged onto a couple of tasks, and hope to expand that later this week, to. I finished a project today that was supposed to take the whole week. I started yesterday at 4 and finished before 2 today. I am looking forward to new challenges with open arms!
I need to be better about taking my meds, and that's all I'm going to say about that.
Anny and I have decided to join the church that Paul and Sarahlynn go to. It is bigger than all of the churches I have ever joined. Combined, probably. I have done some church studying for a while now and know that the reality is that a huge church is made up of a bunch of smaller communities, so it is not nearly as intimidating. Part of the perk for me is that in a church this big, it will be easier to "hide" from responsibility for longer. I have loved every day of serving as an Elder, Deacon and even as staff, but to go to worship and not worry about why one of the fans is not spinning, or how many people were in Sunday school or how many will show up for an event in the evening is kind of nice. I will get back into it some day, but it's kind of nice for now.
That being said, I really miss our church family back in Maryland. REALLY great people who have loved us like family since the day we visited. Really.
Time to get the girl-child into the shower. She is swimming every day at her new day care. We went with in-home for many reasons, but one of the biggest is the focus on being outside and doing a HUGE variety of different things from day to day. Yesterday they went to a museum and today they went to the park. Tomorrow is the library. She might not have a huge class of kids to hang out with (seven instead of 18) she is getting a pretty awesome experience in this deal!
Seriously, enough typing. I hope to get back to regular blogging soon. No promises, but soon.
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