Still Snowing

As predicted it is still snowing today and the wind is blowing as well. My husband and I are cosy and warm having a very lazy day! I am feeling so much better today. The serious pain I had yesterday is gone. I must confess, however, I have done very little today!
Now off to watch a couple of Netflix episodes.

Barometric Pressure and Pain

The barometric pressure went down today. My chest wall confirmed it early as sharp and recurring pain occurred there.  I had a completely different day from yesterday! I spent the morning in the recliner and the afternoon in bed. Pain meds and muscle relaxers combined with an alternative med helped me stay somewhat ahead of the pain. I am thoroughly exhausted tonight.
The storm we are in, is expected to last through tomorrow evening dumping lots of snow. High winds are in the mix as well. We are having true Maine winter.
Watching the birds and staying quiet for the next two days is all right by me!

Sunshiny Day

It was a beautiful day today with temps nearing 30 and bright sunshine. I took a short walk when I went out to put letters in the mailbox. It was warm enough and I didn't go too far. I managed to get three loads of wash done, two put away. I had a supper plan but quickly punted when I realized that my husband had to be at the doctor's office at 6 tonight.  I had American chop suey sauce in the freezer so I defrosted in the microwave, cooked up some macaroni and he was good to go!
The next storm isn't supposed to arrive unto tomorrow night so it will be another day to be out and about.
My body is hurting tonight but its been good most of the day so there are no complaints here! 

Breathless

The blizzard came through and the snow finally stopped about noontime. Schools in the area were cancelled again today. There was a lot of deep snow  drifts.  My husband was home again today and he did the shoveling out.  Our front door was completely snowed in with a high drift.

I took it easy and tried not to be put off by the difficulty I was having breathing. My chest wall and back are really in pain today. I cannot seem to get enough air. I am sure that the severe ups and downs of this weather system are causing the problem but it hurts nonetheless.
We are in for another storm tomorrow night.

Snow Day...Blizzard!

My husband is home today because the wind is blowing all the snow sideways. This kind of snowing and blowing make for a white-out where you can't see ahead of you. I am thankful. He tend to the wood stove, the bird feeders and is good company.
I am feeling sluggish today and find I am having on and off sharp pain in my hands and arms.
So far we still have lights. The wind is brutal so that might not help keep the power on.
Kitty cat is snuggled beside me and enjoying the day. She has stuck close to me lately.

Saturday Flare...Not Fun!

Because the forecast was for several inches of snow starting in the afternoon, I headed to the nearest grocery store. I was able to get the things we needed and a bit of what we wanted (that would be on sale ice cream!) Then I made quesadilla's for lunch. I used corn flour and the dough flattener. Both were not very successful. They were tasty though.  I have made flour tortillas before and they came out fine. I guess there is a learning curve for the smaller corn ones.

After lunch I took a nap because I felt exhausted. I must have slept two hours or more. When I got up Amity offered to make the Orange soup so I did some computing. After a while I began to sense that I needed a muscle relaxer and a pain med. My chest was starting to hurt.  The meds needed time to kick in so I patiently waited. The pain got worse. I decided to lie down and alerted the husband that I was in trouble. Whammo! The pain hit with a vengeance. I could not get away from it. I took more meds and grit my teeth and tried to get through it. My husband and daughter sat in the bed with me and were very comforting. The pain finally let up.
My daughter had made the Orange soup and I had a cup of it. It was delicious!

Vegging

Today was one of those days. I moved slowly and did very little. The weather is ready to abruptly change with a nor'easter pasting through tomorrow. My body already know this! I had breathing issues this morning as well as a painful chest wall with lots of tightness.
My knee started to act up again! Its been fine for almost a week. Now it feels very sore and is not holding me up now and again.
I spent a lot of time in the recliner and took a slew of bird pictures. The one I liked best was the two bird taking off from the feeder. One is pushing off with one foot while the other one is in flight.

Saw My Doctor Today

And she laughed when I explained my dilemma about when exactly to take pain medication. She asked me why do you wait so long (sounds just like the hubby). She went on to explain the reason she gave the meds in the amount and doses she did was so I would have them and would take them earlier rather than later. Intellectually I get it, emotionally not so much. I will work at doing better at this, for sure. 

Crazy Making

Pain rears its ugly head at the most inconvenient times.
Because I have a high tolerance for pain and don't remember or recognize that what I am dealing with can be alleviated. My husband often reads my face and says, "You are in pain. What have you done about it? Take some pain meds."

" I know I am in pain"
but always question whether it is hurting bad enough to go after some relief.  It's a crazy way to think about pain especially since taking the pain meds works. I become pain free . Once I feel good I question myself. "Did I really need a pain med?"
"Am I entitled to get relief? How bad is really bad?"
"What if I really need these meds later?"
So I get physical relief but don't always get emotional relief!
I feel like this constant inner dialog is making me crazy!

Crash and Burn

I woke up yesterday feeling like I'd been in a bad train wreck. Every part of my body that could hurt, did hurt! I stayed in the recliner all morning with the help of pain meds every four hours. I slept on and off on the couch all afternoon, pain meds included. By evening I was distracted by a couple of Netflix episodes in bed and then slept all night!
I am moving slowly this morning but I just taken a muscle relaxer for the ongoing chest wall pain. I am moving slowly today but really want to celebrate my husband's birthday with him. I'm not sure if a cake is forthcoming because our youngest daughter is coming next week end. We will have cake with her.

The birds are still flocking to the feeders keeping me reclined and entertained.
This is a common redpoll.

Change is in the Air

We have done a lot of talking these last few days. Soon it will be time to make some changes. I am excited and apprehensive. Its comforting to have everything stay the same but that never happens so I am more comfortable with choosing to make a change rather that having it just happen.
Although I have been tired today I am still feeling pretty good and managed to fix two more aprons with buttons on the side so my neck doesn't get pulled.
I worked on a tincture this afternoon and made a yummy beef stew for supper. I watched a huge snow squall come in and make everything white for about a half hour and then the sun came out. Its supposed to be very cold tonight, cold tomorrow and then in the 40s on Sunday. These fluctuations in weather really affect my body. I am glad I got some things done that I wanted to do today while everything was feeling okay!

Sewing Again

I pulled my sewing machine out of the back room (too cold) and put it on the dining room table. Yesterday I repaired my husband's long johns. The waist elastic had given out. With such cold temps he needs any extra warmth he can get. Today I worked on changing an apron from around the neck to buttons on each side. I cannot stand to have anything tied around my neck but I still need the bib part to keep messes away from my clothes.

When I cook I make big messes!
I am pleased to have found the energy to do this.
I didn't need pain meds last night but I was so exhausted I fell asleep before the netflix show ended. This morning was slow and steady.
All our tax forms are in so I was able to figure out our return. We will be getting a refund...yippee!
I will fill it out and put it in the mail on Monday. That will feel so good.

Flip Flop

Yesterday afternoon into the evening I had a great deal of pain in my ribcage and in one knee. My husband put Penetrex on the knee area and encouraged me to take a pain med. It helped me get to sleep. This morning I had to take my friend to pick up her car that was ready to go. I drove to the repair shop and then on to Calais and back without any pain issues either in my knee or my ribcage. This afternoon I put an elastic waistband on a pair of long johns.
 I made a good supper tonight as well. I am tired but I have had a good day. What a surprise after yesterday!

Sun Diamonds on the Snow

The temps have gone from 6 above to 0 this morning. We are in for a very cold night hovering around -16 degrees. However this morning the sun is shining brightly and there looks like there are diamonds in the snow. The birds are flitting in and out to the feeders and the suet.

I feel good this morning. My husband is better and back to work. My regular routine is in place and I am moving toward getting the kitchen clean and some wash done and folded.
I've had a lot of pain high in my chest wall/ribcage making it hard to bend over without severe pain. This morning I put a lidocaine patch on that area and it is feeling better! I was able clear the clutter out of a small bureau because the pain had lessened.  I have the music on this morning and it really lifts the spirit.

God is truly good:
snow diamonds,
healthy husband,
sweet birds,
less pain, 
energy.
music.

No Routine Today

Husband got sick yesterday afternoon and stayed home today. It looks like he has the 24 stomach bug. He seems to be feeling better this afternoon. My friend who has helped me get where ever I needed to be, called early, about 8 o'clock. She rarely gets up before 9 or 10 so it was early. She needed me to pick her up and take me to her car so she could get her mail keys before it got towed to be fixed. It died on her way home from Bingo across the river (Canada).  She's a single gal, my age living out on a dirt road with no neighbors. Since she comes by to visit and check on me every weekday I brought her home to have tea and visit. We laughed almost the whole time she was here since husband was regaling us with his dry sense of humor.  It was nice to have him and and feeling a little better.
We also watched the birds. I especially enjoy the nuthatches. They are such a pretty bird.

By the time I took her home and returned I needed to get going on my Monday morning routine. With my husband working full time I usually do a lot of washing, cleaning and straightening up on Mondays.  He leaves at 6AM and I work/rest through the morning and manage to get quite a bit done. Afternoons are usually lost to doing a lot of work as my energy dwindles.
So today very little got done. However I have learned not to push and to remember tomorrow is another day.

Orange Soup

I have been the energizer bunny this morning, so different from yesterday! Fibromyalgia is full of surprises!
 I finished the chicken broth that I have been cooking down for two days and have set in the mudroom (unheated) to cool down it made almost three quarts and I have a large bowl of cooked white meat to use this week. It was easy to do and I am sure it will be just as tasty as the last broth I made this way.
Then after finding the squash in the back room (also unheated) all spoiled by being frozen, I thought I would check the bin under our bed. That squash was just fine. That's when I decide to make orange soup. Orange because it contains one butternut squash, two large carrots and two sweet potatoes in addition to onions, garlic and chicken broth. We just had a bowl each for lunch.  Yum.  I season it with curry and that makes it delicious.
My husband has found something for us to watch on Netfix this afternoon so I will get some rest. I know I am needing it but am full of smiles with what I was able to manage this morning.

Celebrate the good days!

Sleepy Morning

Last night was rough and I couldn't settle enough to get decent sleep. Consequently after coffee, breakfast and meds I fell asleep on the couch. I am finally starting to wake up. Meanwhile the husband has done a lot of work around here.
Yesterday pain in my shoulders, back and both sides of my rib cage sucked the energy right out of me. I made a priority list and was able to get those things done.
One of the things on my list was making molasses ginger cookies. The recipe was both easy and delicious. I will definitely make those cookies again. The recipe offered you a choice of cooking times for soft or crisp. I chose the shorter time for the soft cookies. They were perfect for these old teeth to chew!

Snow

We are seeing more snow today and the temps are moderating. It's already 15 degrees.  The house is cozy and the music is on.

I find music to be very soothing. Yesterday's extreme fatigue slowed me down. Hopefully today will be a better day and I can catch up a bit.

God tells me that "His strength is made perfect in weakness". I have to trust Him in this.
New pain meds seem to working. Paying attention to what my body needs is also helping.
Laughing and giggling with my husband also helps. I need laughter in my life!

Fatigue and Bitter Cold Here

16 below zero is really cold. The temps are rising and we might hit 0 today. I am fatigued, not sure why. I think it is probably still leftover from my strenuous day on Tuesday. I think the cold must stress my body as well.
The doctor gave me so new pain meds and I am pleased with how well they are working. Now to locate some energy meds!
She called with my blood test results last night. I was most surprised to find out that the test for thyroid issues was high. Although she said she could call in some meds right away we both agreed to have another blood test in two weeks. I have had my thyroid tested on and off over the years and never had a problem so this was unexpected.
I am getting ready to make a baby quilt for my doctor because she is expecting her first baby (a girl) in mid February. She will be leaving February 6 so I have about 4 weeks to complete it.  I expect that will be enough time. I fond four quilting books in the upstairs bookcase and brought them down to look through.
Now if the fatigue would lift I could get started!

And Here We Are

Bone chilling cold. Yesterday started at 8 below. Today at 2 below. Tomorrow even colder. This is winter here in Maine.
Yesterday was very hard on my on my body. Between the wind chill and the doctors appointment and the food shopping and the picking up of a new prescription as well as going to the hospital for chest x-rays I was beat. I had to have a fasting blood draw and didn't get to eat or have coffee before 10 o'clock. That meant no meds as well. Although it wasn't fun I realized that the morning regimen of meds were actually working as my body was achy and everything hurt before I was able to take the meds.
Our pharmacy and food shopping are 40 minutes from home and I don't go more than twice a month. I hadn't been in to shop for over a month. Needless to say our food stocks were getting low. I did a lot of walking around two different stores and then went to the hospital for my x-ray. We had planned to go to a couple of other stores but I was so tired I asked my friend if she minded skipping those and heading home.
When go home the car had to be unloaded in the bitter cold and frozen and refrigerator stuff had to be put away.  I was exhausted and in a lot of pain.
By bedtime the pain had escalated and even watching a very interesting movie didn't distract me. My Dr changed my pain med and I was a little nervous about taking it . My body doesn't always function as expected with new meds. I can't complain. This med worked better than the other one and I got a decent night's sleep.
Rest is on my plate today as well as keeping warm. I will try and get the dishes done and plan supper at the most. Other than that R&R is what's required.

Twitchy Pain

How else can you describe it? Twitchy pain shows up here and there and hurts. It hurts only for a few minutes but it hurts none the less. It could be halfway down my leg. It could be in my arm. It could be in my chest wall.  I've had it near my elbow and on the side of my knee. I've been having a lot of it on and off today. In addition the Osteoarthritis at the base of each thumb is throbbing today. What an interesting existence to be having in this season of my life (I'm 71 1/2). I was always so active when we were farming, had foster kids and when I was doing my Waldorf doll business and keeping my small goat herd. I thought I would be able to make dolls into my eighties but no. Now my activities revolve around keeping the house up and making sure my sweet husband has good meals. He's a bit younger than I am and still working full time with 3 and 4 year olds. Feeding him well and keeping his clothes clean and ready is the least I can do.
He is over the top wonderful on the week-ends when in addition to taking care of the wood and all the little honey-do chores he lets me off the hook for many meals and spoils me rotten.
I really wish that a magic pill could make the "old" body perform better but I know that doesn't exist so I am content with what I have.
My two doctors have been very helpful and understanding. That has made a difference. Their has been to give me the tools to deal with the pain and not hold back.
God has been my strength and has walked with me. What more can I ask?
Here is a Waldorf doll I made last year.

Pain

I've been feeling well and suddenly the severe pain in my fingers, thumb and wrist decides to rear its ugly head. The knee joined the group adding additional pain. I am sure it is the weather change we are having. It is snowing and the humidity is at 94%.  Humidity bothers my body whether in summer or in winter. I have thumb splits to use when it gets this bad and good meds to help as well. The insidious nature of fibromyalgia leaves you always wondering what you will be able to do at any given time!
Distraction also helps and I have found a site where I can get daily free reads. I have read a book a day from that site on my ipad. It is a good distraction!
We also have netflix and I love to watch interesting episodes in the evening with my husband.
Music is another good distraction and I am trying to remember to turn it on every morning. Being warm enough is another great help. Yesterday in the afternoon I suddenly got chilled and it took a while to get warm again. I also became very sensitive to smell. I should have known that was a precursor to the severe pain that showed up later.
This season of my life has a learning curve that I am getting to know and learning what to do.

Frigid Weather

It is cold here this morning. The temps have finally made it up to 5 degrees. however the house it toasty warm. I love wood heat!
I have had quite a bit of energy this morning and I am very thankful. Getting through the daily chores is easy with some energy to use.
I slept well last night and that makes a big difference. I am also trying to slow down during the day and not be concerned about getting it all done. Having the music on also has helped a whole lot. Today I have some relaxation music playing.

2015 A New Year

It's a new year and an opportunity to look ahead and work on changes to your life. I try to live day by day as the promise of today is really all we have. Hoping for the best, preparing for the worst feature prominently in my life.
Although it feels like we've already had a lot of winter with snow in early November there is surely more to come. I need to settle in and find ways to enjoy the down time winter brings.  I am up and down on my sleeping again and need to get that straightened out. Not getting a good night's sleep affects everything else.

Today has been an easy day with lots of relaxing time for me. Husband has pushed to get in the heater and ceiling light. It has taken up a lot of his time but he is almost there. His stick-to-it attitude is amazing.
Our cat, Suki, loved to be in my lap when I'm computing. She really loves the sun rays.