Fussy Wimp-Whiny Crybaby!

That would be me! I mean is there anything lower than a fussy wimp-whiny crybaby? Because that is exactly what I am right now. My sinuses are blocked, I have bronchitis, it hurts to cough, and tonight my ear has started throbbing. I have not had an earache in years. I don't get sick often, but when I do, I am the biggest baby!

“If you treat a sick child like an adult and a sick adult like a child, everything usually works out pretty well” ~ Ruth Carlisle

Breathe In...Breathe Out

I tried so many times to quit...but the discomfort was more than I could bare. Waking up in the middle of the night, feeling as if I was suffocating became the nightly routine. Embarrassed, I would rush off to bathrooms... any place private where I could get just one more squirt and find a little relief. I’d go somewhere and if it wasn’t in my purse or pocket, I would panic. When I had my knee surgery last month...all I could think of was..."what if it wears off while I am asleep!"I felt trapped.

As embarrassing as it is for me to share, if I can prevent one person from getting hooked...then it is worth the embarrassment. I had a very big problem. I had a dependency. The official medical term for this condition is Rhinitis Medicamentosa...also known as Rebound Rhinitis . Simply put...I had become severely dependent to Over The Counter Nasal Spray. I started using it to relieve the symptoms of a cold and allergies....and I ended up chained to that little bottle and a lot of misery.

Last Wednesday I took the first step and saw an allergist. I was there for more than three hours. I was actually somewhat shocked when the Doctor asked right off the bat how long I had been using the nose spray. Especially since I had never even mentioned it. You see, those of us who are hooked on OTC nasal spray usually do not mention it at all. When asked about the medications...in general we leave that off the list...because after all..."you can get it Over The Counter" I said " well, a really long time" He told me to go ahead and tell him how long...and promised me that he would not be shocked at all. With a really stuffed up nose, and a lump in my throat I answered "18 years".

Today I am on day 5 of what my doctor calls the 4-7 day period of misery. I was tested for allergies, and found that I have many...mostly Cats and Molds. I was given a steroid shot, put on oral Prednisone and two steroid allergy sprays. Even with the medications, it has been a very uncomfortable process...it has taken every ounce of strength that I have to not just give in and grab that little $2.30 bottle of instant relief...especially at night. I haven't slept much in the last 5 days...my throat is dry from all the mouth breathing, my lips are cracked and I have even had a few panic attacks...there is nothing worse than waking up and feeling like you cannot breath. But, I haven't used the stuff and I am improving a little more each day.

Please be VERY careful about using over the counter decongestant-type nose sprays. They are effective (perhaps too effective) if you follow the directions. Please follow the directions! Do Not Use For More Than Three Days! The nasal membranes will acclimate, become obstructed by swelling to a point where you cannot breathe unless you use the spray...and use it often. If you have severe congestion, and it continues to be bothersome, don't spray more...consult a physician.

Temple Grandin-Different Not Less

This Saturday, February 6th, HBO will feature a Biopic film on life of Temple Grandin, a woman who has become one of the top scientists in humane livestock handling. She obtained her B.A. at Frankin Pierce College, her M.S. in Animal Science at Arizona State University, received her Ph.D in Animal Science from the University of Illinois in 1989. She teaches courses on livestock behavior and facility design at Colorado State University and consults with the livestock industry on facility design, livestock handling, and animal welfare.

Temple has authored over 400 articles in both scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare, and facility design. She has also written six books...two of which have been on the best seller list in both the United States and Canada.

Right about now you may be thinking, She really sounds like a very intelligent woman...but what is it that sets her apart from all the many other intelligent human beings in this world?

I could go on and on listing the accomplishments of Temple Grandin...but let me back up to 1947.

Temple Grandin was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father was a real estate agent, and her mother was a writer, singer, and actress. As a toddler she spoke very little, in fact...she did not speak at all until the age of three. She did not like to be held or touched, and when provoked, was prone to raging temper tantrums. She displayed the classic symptoms and was diagnosed with Autism.

She fixated on and was stressed by spinning or rotating objects and as she matured she began having panic attacks. She fled to her aunts cattle ranch one summer and well...I'll stop here just in case you may want to watch the movie...I don't want to ruin it for you ...but I will tell you that summer is when her life took on a new direction.

"I can remember the frustration of not being able to talk. I knew what I wanted to say, but I could not get the words out, so I would just scream." ~Temple Grandin

View Dr. Temple Grandin's professional resume.

Autism affects 1 in 110 children...1 in 70 boys. Chances are...if you do not have an autistic child yourself...Someone close to you probably does or will in the near future. This is an urgent and growing public health crisis that affects most individuals across their lifespan and demands a commensurate level of action from both the public and private sectors. WE NEED ANSWERS!

AUTISM SPEAKS It's time to listen!

"You have got to keep autistic children engaged with the world. You cannot let them tune it out."
~Temple Grandin


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Feb. 6th, 10:00 pm
The movie was really good...Temple Grandin is an amazing woman!

Here We Go Again...

I am sorry that I have not written anything lately...but I am having trouble with my knee again. I am not sure if I have simply done too much too fast...or if it is due to the cold rainy weather. It is probably a little bit of both. I have been icing it since Saturday and have been taking Mobic for more than a week...but still have not managed to get the swelling down. I am going to call the doctor in the morning to see if perhaps I can get a steroid shot...or anything else that may be available.

Happy Monday!

I Feel Great! No more sore throat...and my knee is improving more and more each day! I had a wonderful weekend with my husband and children. Everyone pitched in and we got the housework done in no time at all...and we even got both dogs bathed.

My adorable Cockatiel Pete is not only enjoying a squeaky clean cage...but new toys! His mate died suddenly last month...and he has been..actually..we all have been quite saddened by the loss of Ollie. We were worried for awhile that his grieving heart might take him away too. It does my heart good to see him over there dancing on his perch..and tossing his little ball around.



Oh yes...hot digitty dog she made his day! When he see's someone turn on the hose...he goes crazy with excitement. Before she gives him a bath...they always play. He runs, leaps and barks at the stream of water. Sometimes she will put the hose up in the tree and he just plays all by himself. Unfortunately I missed playtime...but I did manage to get a few shots of his bath. He's not really very fond of that part...but he sure feels great after! He needed a bath so badly...I am glad it warmed up enough that we could bath him outside. He has a beautiful thick, shiny coat, but sheds worse than any dog I have ever had. The brush she is using is awesome! It is a Kong Zoom Groom and it can be used to scrub as well as everyday brushing. Very easy to clean and gets the loose hair off. It must feel really good because he relaxes and falls asleep while we are grooming him.

Since my family has taken such good care of me and I had not personally cooked in more than a week...I thought it would be nice to make something yummy for them. But it would have to be something easy. So, I had some leftover chicken in the refrigerator...and I remembered a recipe my friend Jan-Jan's Sushi Bar had shared right after Thanksgiving. Enchilada Casserole--A seriously simple and delicious way to use up leftover turkey...or in this case...chicken. As you can see even the finicky one's ate two plates! I also took advantage of Jan's Pimento Cheese recipe...which made my man very happy.


I thought my little dumplin would be back today. She stayed with her Great Granny (my mother) all last week while I recovered. But for some reason she is running a high temperature...so her mommy/my Niece is taking the day off and they will pay a visit to the pediatrician later this afternoon. Other than fever she has a bit of a stuffy nose...but no other symptoms so far. We know she isn't feeling good though because rather than being her active, busy self...she wants her mommy to hold her...and that is just not like our girl.
Hopefully the doctor will get her started on some antibiotics...and she will be back here tomorrow....and if by chance she still just wants to be held...I can think of nothing else I would rather do.

The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day here in Southeast,Texas. What ever your day looks like...I sure hope you are making the most of it.

Surgery Follow Up Appointment...

It has already been a week since the surgery...so today I went back to have the stitches removed. Whoever filled out the appointment card wrote today's date @ 4:45...however the appointment is not until Monday. Fortunately, the nurse went ahead and removed the stitches...so the trip wasn't a total bust. I am so glad she did because they were really beginning to itch! I have to wear the tape strips for another week. The knee is still a little swollen...but otherwise it looks pretty good. It amazes me how surgeons can do so much now with tiny incisions. Any surgery used to be an ordeal...and that was not really all that long ago.

I am to return on Monday so that the doctor can go over the Arthroscope pictures, what he did during surgery and discuss anything else that needs to be done. I am still having quite a bit of pain...but it is not the same kind of pain. I only have one real concern and that is the fact that my knee will lock up and feel like it is going to give way just out of the blue when walking. Hopefully that is just a temporary problem due to something like scar tissue or perhaps even a little scar tissue.

I am also nursing a sore throat...well it is not actually my throat...it seems to be more of a bronchial issue as I feel like I need to cough...but don't dare because it hurts. It also hurts when I swallow. It started hurting shortly after surgery and sort of feels like there is a scratch or a cut or something. I am assuming that it was caused by the breathing tube I had during the procedure. I have had surgery before and a breathing tube and I do recall having some soreness after...but I am not so sure it should still be bothering me. The nurse explained that if it continues I will have to contact the anesthesiologist....figures!

Other than those minor issues... I feel all in all I am healing very well. It also felt good to get out of the house. I was getting a bit stir crazy so hubby took me out for Cajun food. The weather has been very beautiful and I have every intention of spending time outside tomorrow.

It's Done And I'm Recovering

Well, I had arthroscopic surgery yesterday. It went really well and fast! Surgery at 11:45 and I left the surgical center by 1:30. I was able to bear weight on the leg...however I spent a little too much time walking around once I got home. I was just still a little numb from the anesthesia and so I was feeling no pain. I didn't even bother taking the pain pills all day and by last night it was throbbing and pretty uncomfortable. So from now on I am staying off it as much as possible, taking the pain pills, leg elevated with ice bags. I plan to spend the next week sitting on my booty, reading the classics, blogging, and letting my family take care of me. I am so glad it's done!

Arthroscopic Surgery

I really don't feel very good tonight, so I will make this one short. I went to see the Orthopedic Doctor for the MRI results of my right knee, and to discuss the treatment plan. The MRI revealed a couple of things. First I have a grade 3 tear of the Medial Meniscus as we suspected, and I have grade 3 arthritis (they grade it between 1 being not too serious to 4 which is the worst case) in spots, which basically means, in spots the meniscus, cartilage has worn down (probably just normal wear and tear) and is close to being bone on bone. Not the greatest thing...but certainly not the worst. I am scheduled for surgery this Thursday. In the past they removed the meniscus...but now they do their best to just repair it. To remove all of can accelerate osteoarthritis. He has explained to me that I will continue to have some discomfort after surgery due to arthritis...but he feels we should be able to manage it well. He is going to file the bone just a bit so that it doesn't continue to grind and wear down. I am told the surgery will take about 45 minutes, that it is fairly simple procedure and the results are usually successful. I forgot to ask about recovery time. But my Nephew is a Physical Therapist and he said I will probably need a week or so of sitting with my leg elevated...and then we can begin some light therapy OR I may not need any therapy at all. of course I am just a tiny bit nervous...I wish I didn't have to have surgery at all. Mostly I am relieved that it can be fixed, and ready to get it over with so I can move on.

OUCH! What Have I Done To My Knee?

I have been having some pretty rotten pain in my right knee. I am not certain what I did to injure it but when I walk it catches , locks and hurts something awful! If it pops (which I avoid as also hurts) it releases and then feels somewhat better. All night long the pain wakes me and all I can do is get up and sit in a hot bath and then hold ice on it. I went to the doctor yesterday and had an x-ray and fortunately nothing is broken. He was able to see some arthritic changes and some narrowing (nothing major). As I described to the doctor what I have been experiencing...he was shaking his head yes as though he knew exactly what may be the problem. He thinks I may have torn some cartilage/Meniscus....which is fairly simple to fix...but if that is the case... it will require surgery (I believe it is day surgery) and a little physical therapy. So today I had a MRI of the right knee. The results will not be ready for 3-4 business days...so all I can do for now is limp and wait.