Heat

We've had a busy week with the Saddle Horse and Rodeo Parade yesterday and Kids Rule Theatre Camp finale tonight, both in nearly 100 degree heat. 

Samantha had to wear a very heavy satin costume for Little Bo Peep and sit on a float for two hours in the hot sun. Al tried to keep her hydrated, but she's a stubborn kid and refused to drink.

I managed to keep Alyssa hydrated and cool. I ended up with a migraine, which was likely due to dehydration. And when we went to the theatre to get Samantha from Shrek rehearsal she was sobbing. She felt like vomiting, her head hurt . . . classic heat stroke symptoms. Actually a lot of the kids weren't feeling so well and one of the cast even end up in the hospital for heat exhaustion.

I brought Samantha home, gave her a cool shower, and the lone bottle of Gatorade. She was so beat up, but felt much better this morning. 

So today I bought stacks of Gatorade (not a big fan of the stuff, but I can't find salt tablets) and sent her off to camp with two bottles. 

I'm not looking forward to being locked in the house this weekend, but I'm so thankful for our air conditioner and glad we don't live in the desert. 

Thoughts of gun violence

Today I was in Mass with my two girls when everyone noticed an older man sitting in his walker, talking loudly on his cell phone. No one could hear the readings over his conversation. So a gentleman near me got up to talk to the man. He asked quietly and politely if he would please take it outside or hang up.

The older man became belligerent. And I was terrified. Thoughts of gun violence entered my mind. I even thought about how fast it would take me to shove my girls off the edge of the pew and cover them with my body. I was so anxious. I wanted to take their hands and get out to my car, but I stayed.

Thankfully an usher helped the gentleman get the older man out of the church and Mass continued per usual.

It sure rattled me, but the kids seemed unaffected by it. Samantha asked if there was a cell phone policy. Al and I told her it was called common decency or manners and left it at that.

Surprise!

Today Al and I surprised the kiddos with a trip to Happy Hollow 

On the Frogger

Park and Zoo in San Jose. They thought they were going to have to go shopping all over San Jose.

Singing to the sleeping goat

Happy Hollow was around when I was a kid, but it's changed so much since then. With the times, you could say. The rides are are their speed. And there is the zoo and petting zoo when Mom and Dad are tired of the rides.

We spent three and a half hours there until the 90+ degree heat started to get to all of us.

Evils

When I woke this morning I thought someone had kicked me in the head:
pounding, couldn't see straight, throbbing--migraine.

The culprit is the darn medicine the neurologist gave me for the swelling in my hands. It's a heavy-duty, anti-inflammatory. It hasn't done a thing for the swelling, but it has helped with the pain.

This week, however, I started to notice a pattern: if I didn't take the medicine the same time each day then a headache started. This morning it finally caught up with me.

I would rather deal with the pain and swelling than with a migraine.

I've been down this road before and I had one month of withdrawal symptoms before I kicked the culprit prescription. Fun stuff.

So it's holistic for me: Ice, braces, and acupuncture until they can figure out what this really is.

Finding time

One to four nights a week Al and Samantha go off to Shrek rehearsals at 6. I finish work at 4:30 and need to have dinner on the table by 5:30 when Al gets home, otherwise they don't get to eat until 9 or 10 at night. Eight-year-old children don't process well without food, I've found.

It feels crazy. And I have some guilt about what I can manage to put on the table--fish sticks are getting a little tired.

But I'm finding time to relish the quiet, alone time I get with Alyssa before she's off to bed. She loves to help me clean up, fold laundry, water the plants. Simple and lovely all at the same time. We can sit and cuddle and get all that one on one time that a second child doesn't always get.

I love how she just wants me to kiss her freckly moles until she giggles. My sweet-pea.

Bend

Tonight I'm trying compression gloves meant for arthritic hands. I can't seem to get the swelling under control. And I feel like it's going to my left hand now, although I don't think it's visible. Could my left hand feel sorry for my right?

The neurologist put me on an anti-inflammatory drug, which keeps the pain under control but does nothing for the swelling. So tomorrow I get to have a whole slew of blood tests to rule out hypothyroidism and rheumatoid arthritis.

I hope I bleed quickly.

NieNie

For Mother's Day I asked Al for a book titled "Heaven is Here." He thought it an odd request since he knew very little about the author, only that she was burned in a plan crash.

I found it fitting for my life. I've been reading the Nienie Dialogues on and off for a couple of years. But lately I've found so much inspiration in Stephanie's words. I look forward to reading her blog every day. What an amazing soul!

~~ * ~~

Lately I've been having a pity party some days and other's just downright blue. I've got what appears to be tendinitis in both of my wrists and hands. It's affecting just about every aspect of my life. And for those who know me, they know I love my job as an Editor and to paint, garden, and sew in my spare time.

For too long I worked through the pain or ignored it until the swelling didn't go away. (I ignored this for 6 months!) Suddenly I couldn't pin a piece of fabric or put a fork to my own mouth without wincing. And lately, as it's become worse, I'll stand at the kitchen sink after Al and Samantha have gone off to rehearsal and Alyssa is playing and I'll silently cry. Everyday tasks have become so challenging. Making dinner that includes cut up vegetables, gardening, and vacuuming have become impossible.

This weekend, I asked Al if he would mind trimming the tree with some direction from me. I'm usually the determined, get-it-done-now gal, but I've had to walk away from the things I enjoy and let them be. Can I just tell you how hard that is!

I'm learning, both at home and in my job, how to let go. It's difficult for me and sometimes I feel inadequate. But it's also humbling to realize how important and significant hands, feet, etc. are to our lives. Right now I'm leaning on Al and, thankfully, he's not resentful. After all, I've taken care of him too.

At some point every day lately I find myself on the brink of tears whether it's the pain or simply that I'd like to sweep the kitchen floor. My kids are learning to fold the laundry, clean the bathroom, and generally be helpful without complaint. And for them and Al, I am grateful.