January Passed By Quickly!

Chemical Formula for Clarithromycin
Photo Credit: Wikipedia.org

I had my Anniversary on Jan 1st.  John and I celebrated 16 years of marriage.  It has been rough over the last several years.  It is nice that we seem to be more on the same page now than we have been in years.  After the week of my anniversay I got sick with a cold John brought home.  Thankfully the children did not get more than a cold but I got EXTREMELY sick.  In the end I had pneumonia. I was given the antibiotic Clarithromycin but on day 3 I think I developed an allergic reaction. My eyes became itchy suddenly. After about an hour my eyes were itching so bad I went to to look in a mirror. My eyes had turned red, the surface of my eyes appeared ulcerated and swollen.  It took 36 hours for my eyes to become "normal" enough for me to drive. I went to see my doctor and she thought it was an allergic reaction also.  I had to switch antibiotics. In the meantime my eyes still do not feel right and I need to get into a doctor. The itching of my eyes is horrible!  So for the other three weeks in January I was fighting to feel better. Not the way I wanted to spend January but hopefully we will not have any other illnesses this winter!

Sick, sick and more sick...

Photo Credit: thriftyninja.net

Sorry it has been so long since I had posted. It was a LONG weekend last weekend. On Friday I got a call from Bailey. She had gone to the hospital a few days before because she had not been feeling well. It seemed like she was having an allergic reaction to something in the house (cat maybe) and went to the hospital. She also told them about the pain she had been having in her kidneys. They did not even treat her and accused her of faking seizures (keep in mind she is epileptic). On Friday the hospital calls her and at least gives her the impression that if she did not come in immediately and get treated with antibiotics she was going to die. Bailey, not quite yet 20, was scared out of her mind. She called me at 1:00pm and said she was going to call an ambulance and head to the hospital. The ambulance arrived and took Bailey. The Fire Department arrived also and stayed with the children until the police arrived. The fire department put one of my car seats in their truck while the police car had two built-in seats and put Margaret and James in those. Everyone rode to the hospital and went into the ER. Bailey did pretty well with keeping the children calm and with her. A volunteer fire fighter called me at work. He said he wanted to check up on me and make sure I knew where my children were. I said I did know and that I had talked to Bailey. He said he was worried about the children and I needed to come and get them. I told him I had just started a new job and I could not leave to go and get them. It was the end of the pay period and I had submitted my timesheet so there was NO wiggle room to make that happen. I told him I was going to be off at 3:30pm (It was only in another half hour) and he said ok. I finally got off the phone with him and started to get my things together so when 3:30pm came I could leave.

I left work at 3:30pm. Spent an hour and half in traffic to get home. Once there I lug in and install the two car seats. Each one of these things weigh 40 pounds. When I bought then years ago I was thinking about safety and not having to lug them around. I get the two seats installed and then drive to the hospital. I have to find the ER and then find Bailey and the children. For three four –year-olds they were behaving really well! I sat for a bit with Bailey. When the hospital was ready to admit her I left. There was no one to help us out. So I was pushing Joseph in a stroller (thankfully I had brought one in), lugged his car seat over my should/back (hand is too weak and messed up from the carpel tunnel surgery to carry it), trying to herd Margaret in the parking lot (she walked out in front of a car but I knew they were watching her thankfully) and listen to James cry and whine as I made him pull/drag a bag of toys that Bailey had pack for them weighing 15 pounds. As I made it out to the parking lot a woman and her daughter saw us and heard James crying. She offered to help. I told her THANK YOU! We made it to the car. I installed the last car seat. The kind woman stayed with the children while I did that. The lady and her daughter left and I loaded the children into the car. By the time I got home it was 8:30pm. I was exhausted! I had left the house at 5am and was FINALLY back home for the day!

Saturday Bailey had to stay in the hospital. She was getting an IV full of antibiotics. The infection in her kidneys was a strain of bacteria that was resistant to several “common” antibiotics that you would pick up at the local pharmacy. This left her in the hospital for both Saturday and most of Sunday. I got to enjoy the house mostly alone (her grandfather (Bill) was working) with the children. We had a nice time. Sunday I went to the hospital to pick up Bailey. I put $80 in my gas tank and it only filled my van up half way. The gas is killing me commuting back and forth to work. I think I may change my schedule and start to take the bus. I can’t continue to commute 60 miles a day in my 1992 Ford E-350 15 passenger van…lol. I am using about a tank of gas a week which equals around $150 per week! Bailey came home Sunday night and basically went right to sleep. She was still pretty heavily medicated from being in the hospital. Monday I saw her and we all had a nice day. She was still tired and groggy so I sent her to sleep as much as she could. I knew I would have to work the next day. Monday night I started to feel sick. By late Monday night I was REALLY feeling sick. I was sick enough I took some Nyquil to sleep. I woke up early because I was so stuff and my throat was dry from snoring. Tuesday at work was HORRIBLE. I could barely function but I had to be here anyways. I have no sick time to take off and I had things I had to do here. Last night I took a double dose of Nyquil. I woke up this morning having had one of the best night sleep in a while. Since November 4th, when I moved into the house, I have been sleeping in the floor. I have a thin memory foam mattress topper with two comforters on it as my bed. Bailey and her grandfather were kind enough to supply the bedding. Otherwise I would have been sleeping on the carpet. This is my second week of sleeping on the floor. It has been tough. I am not sure if it is me getting used to sleeping in the floor or the Nyquil but I was grateful for a sound night’s sleep!

My storage cubes are supposed to be delivered this Friday. I am hoping to have my mattress at least. Everyone in the house has at least a mattress except me…lol. I would like my mattress up off the floor but just having a mattress would be a MAJOR improvement! Bit by bit things are getting done. I can’t wait for life to settle down. John is still sticking to paying me what he has to in child support versus the amount we had agreed upon. He knows that I have to apply that money to Bailey and any other sitter I might hire. I love Bailey to death but I worry about her physically taking care of the children full-time. I am afraid her body might not be able to handle it.  Plus I know she needs some time to take care of herself.  I would love to find someone who could drive in an emergency. The last nanny I was trying to find quit. So I need to get back to searching. It is hard to get motivated though. There is SO much that needs to be done but I only have so much time and money.

Now I Know Why I Have Been Losing My Hair...

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It is due to STRESS, STRESS and MORE STRESS!!!  I hope it is anyways.  Then maybe my hair will grow back one day. Sigh!  Ok, so lets start with Monday.  It was my first day back to work in almost five years. The night before I get a message from my husband, the man who left, on Facebook.  Yet again he does not seem to understand, or worse yet, he does not care how much I resent leaving my children and returning to work.

Hey,

I just wanted to tell you good luck tomorrow. I know you have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I have been praying every day for you. I know it will be tough to be away from the children, but it will also be good to get out there are do something you have been planning for and educating yourself for. I will be thinking about you tomorrow and trying to send you good vibes. I assume you found a babysitter. I hope she works out well and you like her. I know she will love the kids...everyone does.

Does the hotel have a phone number I can call? I'd still like to call the kids after school tomorrow, and I know you will have your phone.

I will talk to you soon.

John

Here is my reply....

John,

I have NOT been waiting for this moment for a long time. I had this moment FORCED upon me when you decided to leave us without sufficient means of support in July. I have been planning our move since I have been offered the job. In six weeks time, with very little help from you, I have had to pack, move and try not to be homeless.

You KNOW I have no desire for this job. Yes, it is what I went to school for and this position is perfect for me career-wise but YOU KNOW I did not want to work until next year. That the children, in particular Joseph, still need me. It is not a matter of just "being tough being away from the children" but they need me to take care of all their emotional, medical and school needs. It has been very tough for our autistic children to make the transition and the stress and lack of routine has all ready begun to show in behavioral issues. I see it as SOLELY YOUR responsibility for the emotional and behavioral problems you have caused the children by having me leave them.

Don't wish me luck or send me good vibes. You have not been a part of this in ANY way except CAUSING all of this to happen! You have done the bare minimum for me and the children. As you said you ASSUME I got a babysitter. You have NO idea what I had to do , who I got to watch the children and how it was done. I have found someone adequate but she will not be able to serve long-term because she cannot drive. So she cannot care for the children after we get out of the hotel. She cannot take the kids to any doctor,therapy or school appointments. I have to continue my search for a sitter. Even paying someone ALL of the child support you send apparently is not enough to hire a quality sitter so I am not sure what I am going to do since I need my income to pay rent, food and other bills.

As for calling the hotel you can try but the room phone is unplugged because the children will not leave it alone and had randomly called a few people in the hotel. I suggest you call in the evening at 8:00pm. Then they will get a chance to speak with you before bed.

Michelle

Now that was how I was greeting on Sunday night.  I went to work Monday.  My nanny showed up on time but I was late leaving the door.  It was hard to leave.  Off to work I went.  I used the GPS on my phone and after a wrong turn (my fault) I made it to the right area but I could not find the building.  I was SO glad I left the house at 7:15am and told my work I would be in by 8:30am.  My work was on jackson Street and I could seen the number jump in a HUGE way so I knew I was missing something. I pulled into the parking lot and I got out of my car.  The VERY first person I saw with a badge on I asked where I needed to go.  I was lucky because they knew. Thank goodness!!!  By the time I got in it was 8:20am.  I got there 10 minutes early! Yea!  

I was there for a bit and I get my first call from the nanny.  She was just checking in.  Good.  I keep busy at work reading material and getting all the newbie stuff done.  I get a second call after lunch.  This call was not good.  Bailey, the nanny,  says James was playing the Kindle. That is good in a way because it keeps him busy and out of trouble.  While he was playing Margaret goes over and tries to watch.  When she does James hits her.  Now, when I am there, I make James apologize to Margaret and say he is sorry for hitting her.  That is the end of the discipline.  Bailey on the other hand him in time out.  James has not been doing well with time out.  She tells me that he is crying hysterically and had been hanging his head on the wall.  That was when she decided to call me.  She put James on the phone and he was crying so hysterically that I could hardly understand anything he had to say.  

I spoke to him and said he needed to calm down.  I got him telling me he was in trouble and he was sorry.  It  broke my heart.  I said it was ok and he could not hit his sister.  He had to go and tell her he was sorry and give her a hug.  He got off the phone and I had a talk with Bailey reminding her that is he is getting hysterical like that then the form of discipline she is using is not working.  She said she did not want him to get away with the behavior and I said I agreed but that is why I make him apologize and say he is sorry and then give a hug.  I hoped she understood why I did not really want him in time out any more if he is getting hysterical.  

When I hung up the phone I could think of little else until I got home.  I cried at work.  I wanted to be home with James.  He is NOT taking this transition well!  The behavior I have been seeing is something that I have NEVER seen before.  I had NEVER seen him bang his head on the wall when upset.  :(

When I got off work and got home all was quiet at least.  Or so I thought.  I was trying to get the children ready for bed when Bailey called again.  She told me she was approached by the hotel manager and told that SHE was going to get kicked out if the children were so loud that someone complained again.  She was concerned about coming over to watch the children today because she is afraid of someone complaining again.  Baily, God love her, is a VERY nice lady but I am not entirely certain she got the details right on that. I would think WE would be kicked out of the hotel if we were loud again.  I hope not!  This just emphasizes the need to move into a home of some sort.  With my credit being trashed now I am not sure if I can make that happen.  We HAVE to get out of here though.  The children are bouncing off the walls here because the hotel room is so small.  Bailey is doing a good job in trying to take them out.  She walks them over the convenience store and swimming but they just need more space to run and play.  To spread out and not be on top of each other like they are in the hotel room.  Plus they REALLY need an enclosed yard to run around in.

Ok, so today.  Bailey comes to work.  I tell her let James play the Kindle all day if needed. I HATE that because I don't want him dependent on it but on the other hand I do not want ANY of us thrown out of the hotel!  I left for work.  It seems it takes me 45 minutes to get there.  I made it to work and my day was going ok.  I was calling to check in on James an hour after I left.  Everything was fine.  I got a call at 11:35am and it was Bailey.  She was saying she was not feeling good.  She said the kids were fine and she had to get after James once while they were out at the pool but that was it.  More of my day passes.  My boss comes by and says there is a conference meeting with the EPA representative at 2pm today and I needed to be there and so will HIS boss.  At 1:00pm I get another call from Bailey.  She says she is feeling really sick and her grandfather got her an appointment to the doctor at 3pm.  She wanted to know if I could come home.  Since it takes me 45 minutes to drive to work I figure I have to leave by 2pm.  Of course this is RIGHT at the time of the conference!  Sigh!  I can't catch an effin' break!  So on my second day on the job I have to go to my boss and say I am sorry but I have to leave.  I am going to have to make up the lost work hours since have have no time accrued anywhere.   

I come home and Bailey leaves.  I am thankful I hear later that it was a very large stomach ulcer that was giving her a problem.  She is now back on medication for it but she tells me that the medication makes her sleep so she is worried that she cannot continue working for me full-time.  She wants to work part-time and find someone else to fill in the rest of the time.  She said she could work for now but I need to look for someone.  Back to nanny hunting for me.  Sigh!  

I am tired.  SO VERY TIRED!!!

Should I mention STRESSED too?

Yummy Recipes, Vaccines and Other Things

Today I went to the doctor and have him look at my hand.  The scar from the carpal tunnel surgery is VERY sensitive and there is a lot of scar tissue forming under the scar.  It hurts!  :(    In talking to the docotor he said he thought I was healing ok still but I find that debatable.  He recommended therapy to help  decrease the sensitivity of the scar and to break up the scar tissue.  I thought this was a great idea and make an appointment.  I just realized this evening that I could not pay for the therapy because each therapy session I to pay my $20 co-pay.  This SUCKS!  So I will just have to do what I can to increase the flexibility and strength in my hand.

Joseph's Medical Summary Letter

I went to the pediatrician today.  I had worked on a medical summary letter for each of the children as a rough draft for the doctor.  Took me about 2 hours for all three children. I think a medical summary letter is fantastic when you have a child with a long and complex medical history. You can pull the letter out and just hand it to another doctor to give them a quick run down on all the medical issues of your child.  Here is an example of Joseph's letter.  (if the type is too small hit CTRL and the + sign 3 or 4 times to enlarge the font).  When I got to the doctor's office I figured out I was an idiot and FORGOT to burn a disk with the letters to give the doctor's office.  Ugh!!!  I did remember to take the WIC forms to get Margaret and Joseph their Pedisure AND I got the right form filled out to get a handicap plate for my car.  It will make taking the kids out MUCH easier in some places.  The doctor was funny.  He said which child is this for since all of them could qualify.  LOL  That was both a funny and sad statement!  I got the permit for Joseph though.  I also got the information I needed sent off to to the medical supply company to get Joseph's wheelchair.  That will be SUPER helpful!  So I did pretty did pretty good today.

Just as a quick note to people in Nevada applying for a handicap plate or placard for their minor child here are the instructions on what to do.  I called the Nevada DMV twice and waited over 30 mintues on the phone for this information because I could not find it online...lol.  IF you call talk to the Special Plates Department.  Their number for the Las Vegas area is 702-486-4368 and them wait for the options and press 2, 1, and then 5.  That should get you to Special Plates.

Online you go to the Nevada DMV page for handicap plates.  Download form SP27 Applications for Disabled Persons License Plates/Placards. Once have the form you fill it out for the child you want the plate for by putting their name and address on the form. The Nevada Driver's License or Identification Number you leave blank.  For Signature of the Applicant the parent signs the form and puts in parentheses minor child.  This lets the DMV know the child will not be on the registration of the car nor have a driver's license number.   Just have the doctor fill out the medical portion and you are all done!  I just saved you at least 10 minutes on the phone.  : )

While I was at the doctor's office the doctor mentioned getting the kids vaccinated for the flu. I just brushed it off.  He is right though in one thing.  I LOVE the kids pediatrician and he is a VERY cool doctor but he is in a VERY busy practice and he mentioned that over the winter he sees a lot of super sick children.  Just taking them to the doctor's office  during the winter would be putting them at risk of catching something. It makes me worried.  I worry EVERY winter about the children and in particular Joseph.

Speaking of vaccines there is a great article by Marcella Piper-Terry saying vaccines do not cause autism.  At first I thought, "What?!?!" Then I read the article and it all made sense.  Basically the article states that vaccines do not cause autism but a host of other illnesses and conditions that are the underlying conditions of autism.  Really great read!  Then another great article by Moises Velasquez-Manoff was published in the New York Times Opinion Section called An Immune Disorder at the Root of Autism.  The article has some sad information talking about the immune system of the mother attacks the child in the womb.  Autoimmune disorders significantly increase the chances of having a child diagnosed with autism.

Blog to mention is the Naked Kitchen.  Like Jamie Oliver's Food Network show Naked Chef the blog is about keeping food whole and simple.  It is a great blog with LOTS of good and healthy recipes!  Speaking of recipes I came across a great little recipe for making pizza dough.  SUPER simple and I am looking forward to trying this!

Two Ingredient Pizza Dough

• 1 cup Self Rising Flour
• 1 cup of Greek or natural yogurt

In a bowl combine flour and yogurt.  Stir until it forms a ball (might be a good job for a heavy duty mixer). Remove dough and turn out onto FLOURED board.  Knead dough for at least 5 to 8 minutes until the dough is nice and pliable and stretchy.

Dying from the flu (?)

Sorry I have not posted on here in awhile. Last week was the big children's consignment sale. The week before that I had school and I was working like a mad woman trying to get my clothing ready for consignment. In the process of that my carpal tunnel has acted up. I mean like the worst it has EVER been! I think it is due to fastening safety pins to everything. Then the week of the consignment sale I was finishing getting my things together. Trying to take care of the stuff for the school district so the children can begin services and working on school stuff.

Finally my carpel tunnel has subsided enough I can at least type again. I bought a lot of clothes for Margaret at the sale, I got only a few things for James and Joseph (that was all they needed, shoes for everyone, books, toys and Halloween costumes. The costumes are super cute! It had been a busy time. I wrapped up this past weekend shopping the sale and then promptly came down with what seems like the flu. Even right now I could take a nap if James would go to sleep. I am exhausted! I am sure I caught the flu from someone at the consignment sale and now I am doing all I can to limit my contact with the children so they do not get it.

I am tired and not even sure if this post is making sense...lol. I will be back later when I am feeling better. Stay tuned!!! :D

PS. Please don't forget to click on the ads on the left side of the page if you find anything interesting! It helps to raise money for Joseph's fundraiser.

And people wonder why I cannot get anything done...

I am not sure if any of you realize, in a moment of infinite wisdom, I decided to attend graduate school. This decision came out of the need for money along with the desire to complete the master's degree I started in 2003 but did not finish. So Monday I started by reading the class material. My new class started October 3rd, Landscape Ecology and Planning, sounds like fun huh?

On Monday I also made several phone calls trying to follow up with things. Heck, I just remembered I still need to work on getting Joseph a wheelchair and fight Medicaid trying to convince them I need help with the children since Margaret and Joseph seem to have NO safety awareness skills. I am also been pulling out clothes to try and consign them.

There is a major consignment sale in Las Vegas called As They Grow (http://astheygrowlv.com/) and for the last two sales I have spent a lot of money but was able to buy entire winter wardrobes of clothes for the three children and toys. For the past week my house has looked like a clothes bomb went off in my kitchen and living room. The only good news from all that is I have realized that Joseph has SOOOO many clothes he does not need a thing but shoes. James has a lot of clothes too. Just a few size 4T shirts and pants. He fits snug in 3T now and I would hate for him to grow on me over the winter and then I would not be able to find him warm clothes. Margaret is really the only one in DIRE need of clothes. When the weather turned cool here I had to dress her in boy's clothes because she did not have any warm clothes to wear.

Then I have been dealing with the school district. I COMPLETELY spaced out on the fact I would have to have the shot records for the children to enroll into school even though they are in a homebound education program.

I have been working SO hard on the consignment sale (did my volunteer shift today from 9am to 1pm) to tag clothes that my carpel tunnel is acting up and KILLING me. Got to get home and work on it more though. John was suppose to tag stuff for me today and I was suppose to get the day out but that is not how things are going to work out.

Oh, and my cool new phone died. My LG phone that was my birthday present died. The touch screen is acting up and of course it is 10 days after the warranty date so the $200 John was kind enough to spend getting me my cool birthday present is no good. :( I am SO sad because I LOVED the phone.

I also cannot get into my online school right now to do my forum posts. I had set the time aside but the school's computer system is acting up and I cannot get in. John, I just noticed messaged me on FB saying he has a massive headache and is throwing up. Now I get to go home, deal with John, take care of the children, finish getting my consignment stuff on hangers and input into the computer tonight before 10pm when the computer system closes and keep trying my school to see if I can get in and post my four forum post responses. Wait, I forgot about cleaning the house especially the kitchen! I doubt the cleaning fairy has come over since John is sick. What is worse is I know I am forgetting at least two other things. Sigh! I am just tired thinking about it.

One final thing while I am remembering...please click on the ad box to the left (AdSense) if you see anything of interest. This is how I am trying to raise more money for Joseph's Cause. If you can please donate to his cause and feel free to share his story. There is more to tell on that one but in another post. :)