Walk with me as I "Follow the Fish"...

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, lean NOT unto your OWN understanding...in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM and HE will direct your path!!!"
Proverbs 3:5,6

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Over Active Bladder...I'm cured!!! TMI ~ LOL

I really struggled about writing this post but figured if it helped me...it might help someone out there in bloggy land...

About a year ago, I began drinking 1/2 my body weight in ounces of water. This led to drinking 75 oz. of water a day...that's a LOT of water. I began going to the bathroom ALOT and any time I felt like it. Unfortunately, I messed up my bladder signals to my brain. It became so bad that I think I was going to the bathroom about every hour...it was ALWAYS on my mind.


I went and saw my doctor a couple months ago and told her about this. She sent me to a Urogynocologist and to Bladder Physical Therapy. Thanks to these two specialist...I now am back to "normal" in the potty area and I am SOOO thankful!!!


What did they do to get me "unchained" to the toilet?


The first thing I did was cut back my liquid intake, I was NOT allowed to drink more than 4-6 ounces in an hours time.
This lasted the ENTIRE 6 weeks of my Bladder Therapy.

The second thing I had to do was go to the bathroom at certain times - Here was my schedule all times are from waking:

Week 1 - go every hour

Week 2 - go every hour and 1/2

Week 3 - go every 2 hours

Week 4 - go every 2 1/2 hours

Week 5 - go every 3 hours

Week 6 - go every 3 hours

If this is followed and you are successful...you are CURED!!!

With each of these weeks, I also did Bladder Physical Therapy which included various exercises both internal and external to get the pelvic floor to relax. You are NOT allowed to go at night once you've gone to bed, if you find that you need to go and it's NOT time for you to be able to - you must occupy your mind with something else like saying your ABC's backwards or counting to 100 by 3's - I had several of these times and got pretty good at saying my ABC's backwards. I spent many a nights laying there praying that I wouldn't wet all over myself and the bed. I'm so GLAD this has worked...now I sleep right through the night...it's WONDERFUL!!!


To those not dealing with an Over Active Bladder - this may seem silly and really easy but let me tell you...there were MANY challenging times during all of that but you CAN retrain your body/brain and straighten yourself back out to hold an appropriate amount of liquid.

Now I just have to make sure I never go less than 3 hours at a time...most of the time, I can successfully hold it 4-6 hours. I am SO thankful!!!

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

This says it ALL!!!





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Monday, January 02, 2012

My ‘Unpaid’ Pajama Jean Review…As Seen On TV

My sweet husband heard me talk about the “Pajama Jeans” when we were in Walgreens one day. Guess what I got for Christmas?

Pajama Jeans

He knows I wear a size 10 so he got me a Medium…they fit fine but I wasn’t sure what they would be like after they were machine washed and dried…I didn’t want them to shrink up because I’m so tall, I took them back and got a Large. The Large fit just like I would want them to and they are the perfect length for me.

pajama jean sizing-chart

(image taken from the Pajama Jean website)

They sport the “look” of denim but the comfort and feel of sweatpants. While I wouldn’t normally go ‘out’ in sweatpants…I’ll go out in my Pajama Jeans!

Honestly, I would NEVER spend $40 on a pair of jeans for myself but I am really considering going and buying a couple more pair!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!!!

They were originally only made in “bootcut” (so I have the legs of them pinnedSmile until I can sew them) but I now see on their site that they have “skinny” leg too…not sure WHEN and IF Walgreen’s will carry them. Order online from the Pajama Jeans website and get a FREE Grey Crewneck Tee.

Disclaimer: This review is my own opinion, I received NO compensation or products for my opinion but Hey Pajama Jeans…if you read this…I sure would LOVE me another pair!!!

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Friday, December 30, 2011

Merry Christmas Momma!

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My Dad canceled out this year because my brother came to my house…it was the FIRST Christmas without mom & dad BOTH.

My dad’s health is getting bad…I pray he’s able to make it next year!!!

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Aluminum Foil…in the Dryer???

Just ran out of Bounce Dryer sheets and had 1 load to go. Because I ’m too lazy broke my fibula, it’s hurting and I don’t feel like running to the store at 8:30pm…I took matters into my own hands by scouring the internet to see if I could find an alternative so our clothes wouldn’t be all full of static and such.

Low and behold there was a RAVING write up on using aluminum foil rolled up in a 2-3” tight ball in the place of a dryer sheet.

I was tickled pink since I had a roll of aluminum foil that had unfortunately gone haywire and was driving me crazy cause it would no longer tear off right…ugh.

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Double ugh that foil made me so blasted mad when it happened. It seemed I could never get it to straighten back out right either. I didn’t want to throw it away but it has been NO use to me for the better part of a year.

Now I had the PERFECT solution…even if it came off in small pieces…

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it would still work in my tight ball so I just started tearing and wadding…

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Good news is…it doesn’t have to be pretty, or perfect, or anything like that. And thankfully, the more I unrolled and tore…it FINALLY straightened itself back up..YIPPEE!!!

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I stopped at the point when I was able to get my roll back in the order it was suppose to be in…STRAIGHT that is. And was able to make (1) 2 inch ball and (1) 3 inch ball with what I had tore off. This is PERFECT since the reports online say you can use 2 aluminum balls if you have a large load like comforters and things. I’m super excited to see how this works and so looking forward to NOT buying dryer sheets again. I should be able to use the SAME ball for 6 months so the two that I have should last me ALL of next year…WOO HOO!

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My laundry just finished and while there was ‘some’ static sounds when I was taking things out of the dryer…it appears to be the same as what I had when I took the laundry out with the Bounce Dryer sheets so to me…I’ll keep using it and will post later if I return to back to my dryer sheets.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Easy, Yummy, Chewy Coconut Cookies

My husband LOVES coconut. I think it's one of those things that you either LOVE or hate...I happen to be a lover of it too so it works good for us.


He usually runs to the store for things we need through the week and sometimes even does our grocery shopping...especially since I fractured my fibula a month or so ago. I notice he's been buying sweetened coconut and eating the bag as a snack.


I had NEVER heard of coconut cookies but since cookies seem to be the theme before Christmas...I did a google search to see if there was any such cookie. To my surprise...there IS!!!


I found a recipe at allrecipes.com that looked easy enough for me to give it a try. For me, a recipe has to be pretty simple and not require alot of ingredients...I'm not a patient cook or baker. :)


Here's the Coconut cookie on one of my beautifully seasoned Pampered Chef stones. They are SUPER YUMMY! :)


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Thursday, December 08, 2011

Merry Christmas Bloggy Friends!!!

I've had my Christmas cards since the middle of November...I had to MAKE myself hold off sending them out until after Thanksgiving. Finally, it's close enough for me to wish you "my bloggy friends" a Merry Christmas!!!




I was pleased to not have to photoshop people in or out of our picture this year!!! I just had to photoshop Lulu a new face because she had devil eyes that I could not get out in the original one.


Keep Christ in Christmas...Jesus is the reason for this season!!!
God bless you and Merry Christmas!

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Tuesday, December 06, 2011

A Fractured Fibula...OUCH!!!

On Oct 15 I ran my 8.5 mile training for the half marathon I was going to be doing on Oct 23. When I finished running that day...I could barely walk. My left ankle did something and it swelled and H U R T!!! OUCH!!!


I went to the doctor that week to make sure it wasn't broken or fractured before I ran the half marathon. The doctor sent me for xrays but also let me know that a stress fracture of the fibula doesn't always show up until it's healing and if it got any worse, I should come back in within 2 weeks and have another xray. The xray at that time showed that I did not have a fractured fibula however, the pain and what the ankle has been doing since Oct 15 never really changed. It has been hurting and swelling this whole time.


Photo courtesy of google images


I went to a foot and ankle specialist yesterday for my bruised toenails and to have him look at my ankle and tell me what he thought. He couldn't believe I had 6 bruised toenails of which ALL of them should have come off shortly after the run. Needless to say, we've been so busy around here and this was the first days that both the doctor and our schedules lined up. He took xrays of my ankle and it was as he suspected...a fractured fibula. Since we believe it happened on my Oct 15 run...I am 6 weeks into healing so we're not going to do anything at this point except for me to "baby" it as much as possible no real weight on it for 2 more weeks. He said if I would have come in 2 weeks ago, he would have walked me back to the OR to have them break and set my ankle. He was surprised as could be that it is healing in almost perfect alignment and said it's "nothing short of a miracle" for it to be in line like that after being walked on continually for the last 6 weeks.


Needless to say, I ran a half marathon with a fractured fibula...WOW!!!


My pastors wife said it best, "now you have proof...even when we're broken, God carries us"


Thank you God for carrying me!!! You are amazing!!!
Photo courtesy of google images


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Monday, November 28, 2011

Shaking is coming…

***Going into 2012 there is going to be a testing of your faith & your Lordship walk***

He's coming back for a Holy bride and in order for Him to come back there has to be a shaking of the church where all the grey areas of our walk are challenged and we only see black and white. There is going to be a shaking...our priorities will be changed. He is coming back for a Holy church.


The main 2 areas people fail in walking in Lordship is Not think you are adequate and not willing to change.

 
Matthew 1:18 Mary & Joseph are real people just like us. Josephs plans are radically changed.

 
Luke 1:29-35 how will this happen? I am a virgin.


*Anytime God speaks a plan into your life into action...there is always a shaking.

 
More people fail in the shaking because we don't feel like we are good enough, strong enough to do what He called us to do. We don't think we are enough to do what He's called us to do. The beauty of Him calling you into something is not for your glory. Run from the one's that act like they deserve to be called. Humbling is coming. I'm not strong enough, wise enough, smart enough.

Joseph has a plan of his own. Found a pretty girl in the church and God shook up the plans and blindsides us and the plan changes.


The plan can change because finances fail, sickness takes a loved one, jobs are loss, marriages end and one partner didn't want the marriage to end. The changes are NOT always good...you don't know what to do or where to turn and you will need to depend on God.


Life & change happen but the hand of God is there.
Change happens and we don't like change or when God changes our plan.
Don't let your faith be based on the outcome of what you are walking through.
We cannot be those people to create a way to be prepared...be prepared ahead of time. Be ready constantly in the word and prayer. Desire to look like HIM in the end. Be concerned with our personal walk.


Shaking is coming.


Recognize when you've dismissed Him because things in your life aren't turning out like you planned.


I'm your servant, let it happen as you desire...let your Word be so.


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Saturday, November 26, 2011

Lone Elk Park in Jeopardy of Being Closed



I just read an article* that one of St. Louis' greatest parks, Lone Elk Park, is on the top of the counties list of parks to be closed. The article lists that there are 20 parks that will possibly close in the St. Louis County area...another big one on the list is the famous waterway...George Winter Park.




This news has me bummed out. I've gone to Lone Elk Park since I was a kid and have fond memories of great times there. Currently we live close enough to get to there within about 8 minutes.




Lone Elk Park is a wildlife management area, with bison, wild turkey, waterfowl, elk and deer. When I was a kid we used to go on guided hiking tours there and now my daughter enjoys Geocaching there.




If you live in Missouri and have been to Lone Elk Park, hopefully you have grown an appreciation for the park as my family and I have. If so, please take a moment and flood the phone lines of St. Louis County requesting that they remove "Lone Elk Park" from their proposed parks closing list. Contact Charlie Dooley at 314.615.7016 or email him at cdooley@stlouisco.com.




Photo taken from the St. Louis County Parks webpage



*Article information taken from The Big River Current News Magazine.


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