Thursday, September 3, 2009

On my soapbox about schools and ADHD

I had a meeting with my son's teacher last week and she said some really nice things about him. It's a total change from what I am used to hearing. Sad but true.

The first thing that came out of her mouth was, "Your son is very quiet." My jaw dropped. I have never heard my son's name and the word "quiet" in the same sentence before. I thought at first she was just trying to be pleasant but as we continued to talk I realized that she was being honest about both the good and the bad. It was just so refreshing to have a meeting with a teacher that seemed vibrant and happy to be teaching. She is a new teacher and has only been teaching for a few years and I think that's exactly what he needs. He needs a teacher that is excited to come to work. A teacher that still believes she can make a difference. The past few teachers he has had have been very grumpy and each time I spoke with them they seemed exasperated and overwhelmed. I think they were burned out. I can't say I blame them. I know teaching has got to be a thankless job, but they chose it and I feel if they are not up to the challenge anymore they should move on or retire.

These children our are future and they deserve teachers that want to make a difference, not teachers that behave like they are serving a life sentence! Just my opinion anyway. Take it or leave it.

I heard the same complaints from his teacher that I have heard from all previous teachers. Can't focus. Won't pay attention. Doesn't follow directions. And all I have to say to that is...typical ADHD. The problem I encounter however is the desire to change these behaviors. If this were possible he wouldn't have ADHD. ADHD isn't something you cure, it's something you have to work around. It's my opinion that the schools are not willing to accept the responsibility. It's an invisible disorder and it isn't taken seriously. If they encountered a child in a wheelchair they wouldn't say, "We want him to walk. It's just not fair to the other kids." Everyone is ALWAYS looking out for the nuerotypical kid. When are they going to start looking out for the children that actually need the help?

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Baby Elephant


I finally got something actually sewn and not just cut out and halfway finished! Yay! Now, if I could just finish the other projects I have started, including that short story I started. Ah well...tomorrow is another day.


*Pattern from the 'Sew Everything Workshop' book by Diana Rupp

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Do you sometimes feel you are wearing a mask?

Do you ever feel like you're wearing a mask?

Saturday, August 22, 2009

A Sewing Superhero

I managed to find time the other night to sew. I have two machines and I had one ready to go but I needed to wind a bobbin. No problem, right? Wrong. For whatever reason the thread kept flying off the machine! I tried the spool cap but it wasn't holding the thread on. I finally gave up and decided to get my kenmore machine out. I ended up having a stuck handwheel and the needle wouldn't budge. I threw my hands up in frustration after trying to fix it for an hour.

The next day I asked my grandma to take a look at my Kenmore. I also told her what was wrong with the Singer. She said she'd take a look at both my machines if I wanted her to. The woman is a sewing superhero because she had them both fixed in an afternoon! Can we say HAPPY! I was thinking I was going to have to start saving for a new machine.

I began sewing on the Kenmore last night and it is sewing like a dream!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Chicken soup for the lazy soul

Gah! It's been a long exhausting week. It's been a good week though, just tiring. I'm happy to see the weekend. All play and no work, tis good.


I have a birthday to prepare for and I just need to catch up on sleep and I can't stress that enough... Too much going to bed late and getting up early.


I promised myself I would make more time for creative endeavors, but I havevn't made good on my promise. I'm hoping once I get transitioned from lazy summer to not lazy school schedule I will be back to normal. Me, normal? Nah..

Thursday, August 13, 2009

How to make dolls

Well, first thought would be to find time...

I decided to blow the dust off my sewing machine. My mind is always filled with projects I want to sew. Doll clothes, dolls and plushies, but I keep telling myself I don't have the energy for one more thing at the end of the day. That's when I veg out in front of the TV while watching Gilmore Girls. But, I thought since the boys are in school. I'm up at the ass crack of dawn. It looks something like this:

Up early + Boys gone = Time to sew!


Right?

So here's what I've been working on - Minus that whole sewing bit, yet...

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Juggling life

Just trying to take my mind off of everything that has been bothering me as of late and that includes food. No one should have to spend so much time thinking about food. People laugh at me because I tell them that eating is a serious inconveinence to me. Maybe it's because I don't obtain a great deal of joy from cooking and the idea of doing it 3 times a day is a bit much.

I do love to bake though.

The boys are back to school as of last Monday. On one hand it's nice because now I can get back to my daily ritual of yoga and meditation. On the other hand I am used to lazy summer mornings where I don't have to get up to the screeching buzzing sound of an alarm. I don't think there is a noise I despise more than am alarm going off. I even cringe when I hear them go off in movies or sitcoms. There is just something unatural about waking up when it's still dark outside, but then again maybe it's just me since I'm a nightowl.

I've been trying to balance my life a little more lately...boyfriend, family, kids, creative outlet, housework, but it seems like I can't keep up in all areas. Something has to give in area in order for me to make time for another area of my life. How do people make it work I wonder. I think the inabilty to manage all aspects of my life must have something to do with my ADHD or perhaps it's the perfectionist in me. I dunno...Either way I'm spending my morning playing with dolls like any normal mother should be doing when the kids are off to a grueling day of school. Jay is going to school sans medication for his ADHD. I'm just waiting for the phone to ring. It inevitably will...

Saturday, August 1, 2009

They are so sweet when they are sleeping

The boys go back to school on MONDAY! I can't believe the summer has gone by so quickly. They aren't looking forward to going back. I can't say that I blame them. School Sucks. :)

Look at a pretty picture


Hi there internet people!


Thursday, July 30, 2009

The Elimination Diet Day 1000

Okay so I haven't been on the diet that many days but it sure feels like it. My diet consists of the same foods daily as I am not creative enough to come up with a varied diet and the recipe books I have checked out always include some ingredient I can't eat and even though I've cheated daily it's been mostly dairy like milk shakes or ice cream. I seem to have a constant craving for dairy. It states in the book that people are most likely allergic to the foods they desperately crave. However, the only changes I notice when I eat dairy is a constant need to clear my throat. I get very mucousy, but otherwise I don't seem to be having any other reactions from dairy alone.

I'm feeling 90% better. I am not as tired. I have a renewed energy that I haven't felt in years, but if I stray from the diet I feel very sluggish, almost like I've been drugged. I ate a whole bunch of bread and the reaction was extreme fatigue. I didn't recover for two solid days. It's amazing thinking that before I started this diet I was eating bread daily and fighting an almost constant need to rest. I even realized that when I was running on empty and feeling sluggish eating would only make me feel worse. I felt better on an empty stomach and I just couldn't understand how at one point in my life eating had actually energized me and now it had the opposite effect. I am unsure at this point how to come off of this diet, but it is clear that I will have to cut out wheat.

I am thinking I will transition from this diet to a gluten free diet and continue to keep sugar to a minimum as sugar also gives me an immediete sugar rush that actually makes me feel comatose. Since my diet has always consisted of extreme sugar abuse eliminating it from my diet and using it sparingly I can actually see the negative effects it has on me. I'm unsure why they say sugar energizes you, and I've often heard this about children too, that it makes them hyper, but I find the opposite is what actually occurs.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Day 7 of The Elimination Diet

Yesterday, fresh from the shower I got the blow dryer out and started to dry my hair as I usually do. Nothing big, right? But, wait! As I was drying my hair there was this crazy fizzy popping sound coming from my ear. It actually felt like gurgling - IN MY EAR! I shook my head a bit and all of a sudden - POP! - I could HEAR! I could actually hear with both ears. In stereo. :)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Why I'm Doing The Elimination Diet?

It's working! It's working!

Okay, so to make a long story short I have been suffering from chronic sinus infections, asthma, and allergies for the whole of my 32 years. The asthma and allergies were under some control, but even then I was suffering from a sinus infection that just wouldn't go away. Sure, I'd see the doctor, he'd give me a prescription for an antibiotic, Zyrtec D and Nasonex and send me on my way.

The infection would clear up. I'd stop using the Nasonex, because HELLO, without any health coverage that stuff is $80.00 for a 30 day supply and I just can't afford that! And before you know it I was back at square one with a terrible sinus infection and since I live on a very meager income I'd put off seeing the doctor for a couple of months just trying to fight the symptoms. Then, I'd go back and we'd go another round of antibiotics. He'd fuss at me for smoking even though I quit THREE YEARS AGO and then he'd send me on my un-merry way.

He finally sent me to an allergist and guess what...The allergist did the same damn thing as my primary doctor!

This last time I went to see my doctor was because my sinus infection had gotten so bad I was literally deaf in one ear. I'm serious, it was so clogged that I couldn't hear out of it. And what was worse was the oozy goo that would seep from my ear. It was like liquid ear wax and it would drain my ear and dry into this terrible crust while I slept. I went back to the doctor and we did the same ole same ole. Antibiotics, Nasonex and Zyrtec D.

Folks, all I got from this round of antibiotics was a severe vaginal yeast infection and a month long bout of diarrhea! And I still couldn't hear. My doctor said if this didn't do the trick he wanted to see back in his office and he would refer me to an ENT, Ear Nose and Throat doctor. I have cried so many times because I couldn't even afford the follow up visit. My car broke down, my washing machine broke, even my DOG broke down. The dog alone ended up costing me $400 for emergency surgery to correct an umbilical hernia that was threatening to rupture without treatment.

I know I sound like a bad country song. But things just started breaking left and right. I thought the universe had it out for me. I've had a really tough year and battled some very personal issues some of which I am still battling, but that's a story for another time.

I know I said I'd make this long story short, but I guess what I meant to say is I can make a long story even longer.

So to get to the point! I was reading ome of my favorite forums when a girl on there mentioned curing her asthma and another girl piped in saying she had done the same. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.I decided I would ask the girl how she "cured" her asthma. She was very vague in her response, but did offer that she had searched the internet and purchased some books and it came down to taking some daily supplements. I was amazed. I decided since I had little money of my own that I would do my researching at the local library. That is where I happened upon the Sinus Relief Now book.

Stay tuned...

Friday, July 10, 2009

Day Two on The Elimination Diet

I started The Elimination Diet yesterday and hooo boy does it suck! I am a vegetarian so I am used to a limited amount of foods, but soy free gluten free and dairy free is HARD. It's the reason I never went vegan.

I love my eggs and my cheese and I just haven't found anything that can rightfully replace them. I love food, but I wouldn't call myself a foodie because I don't care for cooking. I do love to bake however. But I am not creative enough for this diet. I eat a lot of one dish sort of meals with pasta or rice. I eat quite a lot of sandwiches. I buy the faux ham slices and right now the brand escapes me, but it's delicious and so I eat a lot of faux ham sandwiches. I can't have my faux ham. Sob.

I decided the easiest way to go about this elimination diet was to replace as many of the food items I currently eat with something I could eat. Bread, I thought. If I can make sandwiches and toast in the morning then maybe this diet wouldn't be so bad. Was I ever wrong!

I purchased a loaf of Ener G's yeast free gluten free dairy free soy free completely without flavor free bread. It was awful. It's comparable to eating sand. I opened the package and I thought it smelled like regular bread. I was happy. I popped it into the toaster, but it didn't seem to actually toast. I shrugged, grabbed it out of the toaster and smothered it with with wild blackberry jam. It looked so promising. I took a bite and I thought this isn't so bad. Then I took another bite and another and realized I was in hell.

Sandy bread.

Does anyone actually buy this bread more than once because I tried another piece tonight and I give. I will do without bread if I have to but I am NOT eating that crap again.

I figure I will have to look around the internet for recipes. I'm hoping that I am not allergic to food of any kind. I can't imagine having to live without yummy bread or delicious cupcakes.

I did find a recipe for bread here on the internet. I may give it a try one day this week.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

The Elimination Diet

I've lived with asthma, allergies and sinus troubles for as long as I can remember. As a young child my mother took me to the doctor nearly every month. Whether it was chronic coughing or weezing my mother would wrap me up like a cacoon ad rush me to the doctor.

Every visit was the same. "So, tell me what ails you today?"

"I have a stuffy, runny nose. My head hurts and I can't stop coughing."

*Cough, cough, cough, cough...*

Ahhh-Chooooooooooooooooooooo!

The doctor would then take the toungue depressor to my mouth examining every inch. Her head tilted in just a way that her breath would exit her nose and enter into my mouth. Then she would start tapping at my face. "Does this hurt?" "Ouch. Yes, it hurts" "Uh huh and does this hurt?" I don't know about you, but someone poking and prodding at my face hurts, sinus pain or not...

Not much would be said by way of diagnosis. I would be given a prescription for albuterol and an anti-biotic and sent on my way. I would feel better and then get worse thus repeating this treatment for the whole of my childhood. Wash, rinse, repeat.

When I reached my teens my mother decided it was time to look into allergy testing. I found out I was allergic to a lot of things. Cats, grass, dust, mold...

I started immunology but grew tired of making trips to the doctor's office, waiting to be seen and then sitting there for the prescribed 20 minutes after the shot to assure there would be no allergic reaction. So I quit. What can I say? I was a stupid teen.

Now I am in my very early 30's and I am still suffering with asthma, allergies, and chronic sinus infections. Currently, I am being treated for a severe sinus blockage. The worst is the hearing loss.

I'm going to be starting The Elimination Diet I found in the book 'Sinus Relief Now'.

Stay Tuned...

Lonesome Morning

Lonesome Morning is brought to you by the letter C.

C as in Caffeine.

Oh, in case you were wondering. The title comes from a Johnny Cash song entitled 'Cold Lonesome Morning'