Friday, December 7, 2007

25 Reasons for stress:

1. Our basement flooded Tuesday afternoon. I had to call a restoration company and I have had big fans going ever since. (In additon to a huge dehumidifier.) It has made the house unbearably hot and muggy.

2. Because of the flood, everything in the family room had to be moved and I have it all somewhere else. Nothing is where it should be.

3. I got out all the Christmas decorations and put up the tree, but no one has had a night at home this week except me so I decorated the tree myself. (A first in over 30 years). I don't know if I even want to put any other decorations up.

4. Major stress..... Before she left for school, Abby told me she needed a black suit, black flats, and a red shirt with a collar, for the speech and debate tournament that is happening this Friday and Saturday. That was stressful, but the worst part was spending 3 hours at the mall tonight, and $100 in order to get it all done.

5. After we got home and I got ready for bed, she told me she needs cash so she can buy food on the trip for two days. Is there some reason she couldn't tell me while we were out? I had $100 cash that Caleb gave me when I wrote the check for his deposit. If I had known she needed money, I would have written checks or used my debit card instead of using all the cash. Maybe there really is some truth to those blonde jokes. (Apology to all you blondes, I couldn't resist.

6. I lost my planner and my cell phone. (When the Lord was passing out brains I thought he said "trains" and I said I'd take the slow scenic one). It's very difficult to function without these two items.

7. I agreed to cook the chicken for the ward Christmas party that is happening tonight, and make a dessert, and sing a musical number. (This was one of my good days where I thought I was super woman. I must have been in a manic phase.)

8. I still haven't found a pianist for my musical number. I think I should just skip it and not sing.

9. I agreed to babysit Anthony and Drew Friday night and keep them through Saturday while Jared and Amanda move into their first new house. (New to them anyway.) Oh my heck! I does this mean I have to take them to the ward party? I forgot it was happening.

10. I have been helping Caleb find an apartment, sign the lease etc. Sounds simple, but it has taken two 1/2 days of my time. He is totally excited though. (And we are excited for him. He found a very nice place.

11. Caleb is totally excited about his new apartment. (Just picture him telling you about it himself). I enjoy having Caleb come over but he follows me around and talks non-stop. Is it possible for there to be too many words for your ears to hear?

12. I told Caleb I would help him paint his apartment. We are doing that so they will take $200 off the deposit. The apartment needs it. I didn't compute that we would have to paint Friday because I will have grandchildren Saturday. Then I realized I have to cook the meat and make dessert for the ward party on Friday. I think I have blonde roots.

13. I missed my chiropractor appointment today. I have so much going on I forgot. My jaw is misaligned and they are trying to put it back in place and get it to stay there. (I told you I was all out of whack.)

14. I am having surgery on my foot Monday the 10th because I have bone spurs all around the joint of my big toe and it has been very painful. I have to get certain things done before then because I won't be running marathons after that.

15. I went to the ear, nose, and throat specialist today because I have had chronic, thick post nasal drip and it makes my throat tickle and I can't get it to stop with water. I also needed to see him about my sleep apnea problem. I used to be on a bi-pap machine but it was no longer beneficial. I stopped breathing so long it thought I wasn't there and would turn itself off.

16. The doctor said: I have very large tonsils, my tongue is very large in the very back, and theses things cause me to have a very small airway. When I sleep and it all relaxes... there goes the airway. Also, instead of my nasal passage being straight, it is zig zagged and this doesn't allow the mucous to drain properly, so it develops chronic thick post nasal drip and fills my sinus cavities with pus. Antibiotics will not make it go away.

17. I have to have my tonsils and adnoids out, my tongue shrunk, and my sinuses straightened. I am scheduled for surgery Dec. 19th in the afternoon.

18. I will need to have everything done for Christmas before the 19th. ( This requires me to be Patty Perfect which I am no longer.)

19. Something is wrong with the implant in my left breast. (The one where I had the masectomy.) It has been 7 years since they put it in. They told me when they did it, that it would only last 10 years and then I would have to have it replaced. It hasn't been ten years, but it burns all the time around the implant now and I can feel the implant above where it should be. Do you think I could maybe fit in ANOTHER doctor appointment?

20. I have gained more weight. I am very tired of the struggle I have with this. (Aren't we all?)

21. I am very tired of having this body that doesn't want to work right. Most of my problems are related to eating. I am very tired of having to figure out what to eat. I have kidney disease so I shouldn't eat much protein, I have heart disease so forget the fat, I have diabetes so there goes all the carbs- and I have high blood pressure so I have had to cut out salt. What's left? Water? (Wait, I can't drink the water because we use a water softener and it adds salt to the water!)

22. Noah still doesn't have his SSI or Medicaid benefits back. This is a huge stress to me because I am the one jumping through the hoops to get all the paperwork and interviews done. It also means we don't get paid for being a certified family home.

23. Could my stress be because we are now making $3500 a month less than we were up through Sept. 30?

24. I would put all the medical off until after Christmas, but I have had so many medical bills this year, I have met my stop loss and the insurance will pay 100% for any medical expenses I have before Dec. 31. I can't pass that savings up.

25. Advance notice: I didn't get my pictures to Rachel by Dec. 6th so I won't be sending out Christmas cards this year. Please don't think you got forgotten. (At least I didn't get them and NOT get them sent out like I have done for many years in the past.)

You probably think all I do is complain. Not so. I did my visiting teaching today, went to the doctor, took care of all the lease "stuff" with Caleb, exercised, shopped for Abby's required things for Debate, finished making two Christmas floral centerpieces, and I now have to hem up the suit pants and sleeves for Abby so she can leave on the debate trip in the morning.

I'm tired.

May this Christmas season be filled with peace and joy. :-)

3 comments:

Rachel Holloway said...

WOW---lots on your plate! About cards, if you still want me to do them, email me the pic TODAY. :) Am happy to give it a go if you still want to try--although, at this point it probably would add one more thing that you don't want to deal with.

You never said anything about your basement when I talked to you! I hope everything is okay!!!

Wish there was something I could do to help things be better...the one thing I CAN do is pray...will be thinking of you!!!

Melinda said...

We will also be keeping you in our prayers. At least it sounds like you've regained your sense of humor, or at least irony. I hope all the surgeries go well and that you really start feeling better VERY soon. We love and miss you and hope thing's'll look up!

Sarah said...

Count your trials, name them one by one. Count your... wait that's not how it goes! :)
Lots of trial means lots of blessings on the horizon.
We sure love you guys and keep you in our prayers. We are excited to come and see you next weekend.