Health

Apparently this is something I have taken for granted.  Being a physical therapist, I don't take being injury free for granted.  But my health...I have always been fairly healthy.  A few colds here and there, bronchitis every couple of years but nothing major.  Until recently.  I feel my health has been fragile for weeks and it is wearing me down.  Not to mention the ear infections, colds and random hives I have been watching my kids go through.  My poor husband has been a saint dealing with me and my house that gets buried under stuff more and more each day b/c I just haven't had the energy to keep up with it.
But I am not here to whine.  I know others are having health issues.  (Update on my boss' wife: she made it home for Thanksgiving with an IV line in, I think she is doing better so that is good news.)
I know some of you are also sick as well as your kids and the weather is crummy and Christmas is coming with all it's craziness...so I think this week, my prayer focus is going to be health.  Health for all of us.  Hopefully those of us that are sick will get over it and be healthy for Christmas and those that aren't sick will stay that way.  When I finally start feeling better, I am going to be much more appreciative of being healthy, that's for sure.
If you have any specific prayer requests, for health or otherwise, please let me know. 

Safeway delivery

I have never had groceries delivered to me before but this was such a great deal I couldn't pass it up.  They were having a special code to get $20 off of a $50 order and free delivery.  Plus they were having a great buy one get one free sale and that comes off after you hitthe $50.  Way better deal than what I can get in the store.  Plus, Tillamook cheese was on sale for $3.99.  Since my hubby is a cheese snob so this is a great price and it lasts a long time.
Here's what I got:
     6 2pound bricks of cheddar cheese
     2 packages Jimmy Dean sausage (BOGO free)
     2 packages Hebrew National beef hot dogs (BOGO free)
     2 packages Thomas' English muffins (BOGO free)
Total before savings comes off $52.68.  After $18.41!!  Seriously, that is a great deal and I didn't have to worry about coupons.  Plus, since it's free delivery, I could pick a 1 hour delivery window and they deliver in the evening so I will get it tomorrow night.
The only thing that could have made this deal better is getting the .25c/pound turkey (when you spend $50).  Apparently they were out of the turkeys but I didn't need it for Thanksgiving anyway so it's fine.
I know, I get so excited about this stuff don't I?  I just love saving money.

Prayer Requests and Update

This has been a crazy week.  Recovering from shingles, getting a cold, getting geared up for this holiday season, it seems like it has flown by.  Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, I really appreciate it.  I know my shingles could have been a lot worse and I am grateful they weren't.
An update on my boss' wife: she is still in the hospital.  They are still trying to figure out where her infection is coming from but overall she is doing better.  She will probably be there until wednesday.  They could use continued prayer.  I am sure her 4 kids are missing her like crazy.
If you have any prayer requests, please let me know.  I hope everyone has a safe and good Thanksgiving.

Something I'm pondering

Today one of my patients was talking about her children and how when they were little she tried really hard to be happy around them.  As part of raising them, she felt this would give them the best environment and apparently they turned out pretty good.
It got me thinking though, about how I am around my kids.  Do I show them joy (which I think is more important than happiness) or do I show them stress?  Unfortunately, lately I think it has been more stress.  I feel I used to stop what I was doing and play with them, dance with them, sing with them...take time to be with them.  While I still am with them, I am often cleaning or cooking or working on the computer or clipping coupons or or or...  The list goes on and on.  How often do I actually sit on the floor with them and play or color or goof off?  I honestly don't know the answer.
I grew up with a single mom who was devastated by the loss of my dad leaving.  It has shaped me.  I am the one who takes care of people.  Rarely do I let someone comfort and care for me.  I think it is a gift to be a listener, a gift God gave me that has helped me in my work and life but sometimes you do need to lean on others.  So the question is, how much do you let your children see that.  Do you lean on them sometimes or should you always be strong and stoic? 
I don't necessarily feel I should shield my children from all of my emotions.  If I am upset about something, do I hide it?  Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.  Do they see me cry?  Yes.  Do they see me laugh?  I hope so.   But how much should I show them?  I don't want to hide my emotions so much that they think they have to grow up and not lean on people but I don't want them to grow up thinking they have to take care of me and my emotional issues or hide from me things that upset them b/c they think it might upset me (which I have done a lot with my mom).
Where is the balance?  I really don't know.  But I feel I can use some improvement in this area.

Whenever I whine

about my life I am reminded of how truly blessed my life is and how incredibly lucky I am.  I kind of had a lousy weekend...well, that's not entirely true.  I had a feeling lousy weekend.  Parts of it were nice, parts not so nice.  Basically I felt crummy and just didn't know how long it was going to last.
Last night my fever broke and I started feeling better which was a huge relief. 
But here's the thing, I get to work this morning and my boss' wife has been in the hospital all weekend.  She went in friday with an infection in her leg, it turned into her needing her gallbladder out and then by this afternoon she was having surgery on her leg b/c she was turning septic.  She is my age and has 4 children.  They don't really know what is causing the infection. 
My bout with shingles was never life threatening no matter how miserable I was. 
I am asking for prayer for my boss' wife, her name is Kim. 
And if you have a prayer request for this week, please put it in the comments or prayer requests page.
And a big thank you to all my friends who prayed for me.  It was greatly appreciated and I know it helped.  My pain wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been nor did the rash spread as far as it could have and for that I am truly grateful.

Thanks for listening...

to me whine yesterday.  Boy I was feeling sorry for myself.  But my pity party is over.  There are so many people worse off than me and I am very grateful for my overall health.
Thank you to everyone who has prayed for me and this shingles thing.  I am optimistic today that I have passed the worst of it.  My head is still hurting but not like yesterday and I think the medication has helped a ton already.
Having my husband home today for Veteran's Day was a big help.  We got to have family time and he was so great taking over the kids and cleaning up the kitchen and generally just helping me out without making me feel guilty for it.
Plus the kids are in bed early and I get to have a relaxing evening ahead of me.
Life is good.

A funny feeling

It started on one side of my head.  When I brushed my hair, it felt like I had a sunburn. By nighttime, I had a small rash developing on my forehead and I knew.  I just knew I had shingles.  I had to work today so couldn't go to the doctor but as the day progressed and I started having pain on the side of my head and a headache and weird burning/tingling/sensitivity I knew I had to go tonight.  The doctor may have been skeptical when I said I thought I had shingles but it took him about a second of looking at the rash to agree.
Maybe the fact that I am younger than most people will mean I will get over it quickly but I am sort of dreading the next few days as I am feeling it will get worse.  I think it would be better had I not seen and worked with people over the years who have had shingles.  They always say how painful it is, how long it can last and how it can come back at any time. 
Plus, I have the added benefit of it being on my head.  On my head! How crazy is that.  The MA said she has only seen it 2x before on the head.  Oh and if it goes into my eye, I can become blind.  But the doctor seemed to think that was only a remote possibility. 
Thanks for indulging me in my moping session.
I think I will take some Advil and go to bed.
(all prayers are appreciated)

Sunday School

I have been helping out in Sunday School once a month for the past couple of months.  Yesterday, the lady I normally help with was sick so our pastor's wife filled in for her.  She sort of had to throw things together (I am just the helper, just show up and try to corral kids which is not always easy!).  Yesterday she hadn't had time to prepare a Bible verse for the kids to learn.  My princess has been learning verses at school, they do it by the alphabet.  I asked her if there was a verse she knew that we could memorize as a class (she remembers them better than I).  We came up with B, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" was fitting for the lesson and easy for the kids to memorize.  I think she was so proud of herself for being able to contribute and to actually say it in front of the class.  She is my shy one so whenever I see her reaching out past her comfortable boundaries, it makes me feel happy.
Just thought I would share.  It is fun to watch my kids grow up and see the people they are becoming in this world.  Oh and listening to her sing the worship songs as she cuddled next to me brought tears to my eyes.  I love the fact that they are singing praise songs and putting the Bible into their hearts!
And please, feel free to add your prayer requests to the comments section.  I really do love praying for my friends!

Just a Reminder

If you have anything you would like prayer for, please enter it into the comments section of the prayer request page.  I do check it and I would love to pray for my friends.  I do already actually but sometimes there is a need for specific prayers.
This has not been a good day for me but I was reminded yesterday of how incredibly blessed I am.  Incredibly blessed to live in this country, to have a home, plenty of food, 3 beautiful healthy children.  Sometimes all you need is some perspective.  I see patients come to me in pain.  Sometimes it is physical pain but sometimes it is emotional pain.  I have a patient who I started seeing a couple of months ago for a fractured shoulder/joint replacement, and at the time whose husband was just diagnosed with a tumor in his leg.  I have watched this very stoic woman go from being optimistic, encouraged, supportive to being distraught and burdened by her husbands' pain.  He had radiation for 5 weeks every day then had to stop to get it out of his system before surgery next week.  She says she can see the tumor grow almost daily and her husband is really in agony while being on the strongest dose of morphine he can have.  Last week, her PCP told her he would probably have his leg amputated.  What a burden for this woman who couldn't even comb her own hair a few weeks ago. 
Why am I saying all this?  I just need to be reminded sometimes that my life is good.  And that there are people out there whose life is not so good.  And even if my life is not as good or perfect as I would like, I know God is by my side every step of the way. 
Thankfully this woman is a believer.  If you have a moment, please pray for her and her husband and the doctors who will be doing the surgery.