Reflections....

Well well....looks who has made it back from the brink of death! ME!

OK, that was dramatic, perhaps not death but trust me, I felt like I wasn't far off the last few weeks! Being sick for 19 days is NOT my idea of a fun time.

So, 'they' say that everything happens for a reason, well, actually it's kind of a biblical concept but even lots of 'non-believers' believe that...so, let's delve into my gross eye sickness.....what reason....what reason......what reason?????

1. I'm too vain. I have a make-up fetish and in fact rarely go out with out at least a little bit of make up. Hey...you know what fixes that problem? Eyes that looks so blistered and gross that you couldn't get an eyeliner pencil safely within 3 feet of them.

2. I go on the computer and watch TV too much. Not a problem when you're eyes feel like they are BLEEDING when you open them. Problem solved.

3. I'm not empathetic. Let's just say that I will NEVER again use trite words like 'just pray more' or 'give it to God' to anyone ever again. I feel like (on a very small scale) I can really empathize with people who are chronically ill. Remember now, I was banished to my room for about 10 days while being house bound for 15. My eyes hurt so unbelievably, I felt like I couldn't cope. I can see why people who are chronically ill get depressed!

4. I'm too anal about exercising. Interesting hey? Well, you'd never know it since I'm still like 60 pounds overweight but I get so panicky about not getting my cardio in that I beat myself up for days! Not being able to run, bike or even walk made me realize that I can relax a bit. I didn't blow up like a balloon, even after not running for three weeks BUT this week I did start running again and I realized how good I feel after I'm done. I actually hate exercising but I love how I feel when I'm done.

5. I need to hold my kids more. I missed not being able to comfort them and hug them....I craved human contact! 10 days without touching anyone is a weird thing!

6. My husband is beyond amazing. Again, while I was bedroom bound, Calvin ended up getting really sick too (and missing three days of work which is UNHEARD of for him) and because I was so sick, he had to do EVERYTHING. Breakfast, make lunches for school, pick up and drop off to school, spelling after school, homework, piano, supper, bed...everything! Now, normally I do most of these things (which makes sense since he works all day and I stay home...it's the stuff I like to do!) but the thing he NEVER, and I mean NEVER does is grocery shop. He literally has no idea what stuff to get or how much stuff costs. I had to make him a list of stuff to get and put prices on the list so he wouldn't over pay for stuff! Oh, and also, the poor guy had to care for and pray for a very sick and very whiny wife. This man is my soul mate for so many reasons....in sickness and in health.

7. Health is a gift. I really mean that. Now that I'm about 95%, I can say that I've never felt better. Sure, I'm still chubby...and getting grey hair....and not perfect but I FEEL great. I feel happy that I can walk around town and see stuff pain free. I'm happy I can go for coffee, run, ride my bike, get a Starbucks, hug my kids, kiss my husband and enjoy life again.

Here's to GOOD HEALTH!!!

Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis...say WHAAAAT?

When life gives you lemons, made lemonade.....
Hey......life.......TAKE BACK THE DARN LEMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I woke up friday morning ready for the weekend.....friday is my favorite day, well....payday friday is, but still, it was friday.....sigh....the weekend was almost here....

We went to Faith Fehr's birthday party friday night at Tyhee Lake....the sun was shining, the ice was gone from the lake and the weekend was off to a great start......then we got home.

My eyes felt funny, sore, like they were tired. I didn't think much of it until I woke up the next morning with ALOT of sleep in my eyelashes. I went to the bathroom to wash my face, looked in the mirror and actually GASPED. My eyes were all puffy! I didn't think it was pink-eye but went to the hospital just to make sure. The dr. there told me he thought it was allergies.

SO NOT ALLERGIES.

Sunday now........wake up and now my eyelids are puffy but again, b/c I'm vain, I put make-up on and go to church, then to some friends for lunch.

Eyes hurting.

Eyes running.

Eyes looking REALLY bad by Sunday afternoon.

I text my 'pod' to tell them I think I DO have pink-eye so no coffee Monday morning. My lovely friend Tanya goes on line, looks up a 'natural' remedy and brings over a sprig of an aloe vera plant for me to rub on my now ogre like eyelids.

So? I do.

It's gross but whatever works....I mean, it's NATURAL right?

I wake up Monday morning and try to open my eyes...but I can't. They have been glued together by an aloe vera-eye booger combo....and it's bad.

Commence crying.

The pain is bad, and it looks even worse. I am now officially part of 'Shrek's' family.
I pry my eyes open, hoping my eyelashes stay in tact, and reach for the phone. Time to go to the eye doctor. STAT.

Rush to eye doctor, they get me in right away.....I take off my glasses and Dr. Lester says to me 'WOW, that is the worst case of Epidemic Keratoconjunctivitis I have seen in a while'
It is NOT pink-eye. It is some evil cousin of pink-eye that makes your eye sockets hurt like crazy and makes your eyes run with some gross combo of green tears and yellow guck. It is viral and there is NO treatment. It has to run it's course. OH...I forgot the best part....in order to make SURE it was EKC, the Dr. had to peel my swollen, painful eyelids UP and look underneath them. I've pushed three babies out, and trust me, this pain was right up there. Dr. Lester tells me I'm quarantined. No teaching piano, no going to the school and in fact they had to disinfect the office I was in. I'm contagious for 7 - 9 days. I'm a prisoner in my own home.

And that's not the worst part.

I'm out of chocolate.

NO JOKE.