Welcome back! Coffee's always on around here. Pull up your favorite chair and a grab a cup. Enjoy your visit today! And don't forget to stop back by again soon.

{Weather}

The weather here in the Seattle area has been just absolutely gorgeous lately! I’m really enjoying it. It’s still cold in the morning and at night – about 30-36?- and warms up to the mid 50’s by noon or so. Quite nice! Things that don’t normally bloom until Spring are starting to blossom already and there are a lot of birds as well.

{Shoulder}

I think I must have inadvertently slept on my shoulder last night because it and my arm are incredibly sore this morning. Not just sore, actually, but downright painful. I hope the referral for my MRI comes very soon. Kinda getting tired of waiting. I want to know what can be done about this pain before it gets any worse.

{Weight}

Now that it’s been almost a whole month since my doctor changed my blood pressure medication, I’m absolutely sure it was what causing the weight gain. Since I began taking the new medication, I’ve lost 10 pounds and I haven’t changed anything else – foods, exercise, etc – so I know for sure that’s what it is. This is very good news! I am so glad it was the answer.

Let me tell you – being “in touch” with your body and what’s going on with it is very important. If I hadn’t been, I’d still be taking the other medication and my weight would still be climbing. Many people don’t understand those subtle things about their bodies and aren’t really in tune with what’s going on. You owe it yourself – and your family – to understand your body and your health. Taking care of yourself is paramount.

{Cane}

My cane arrived last Thursday and I went grocery shopping with my mom Friday. Using the cane was so nice. I was able to take the pressure off my leg a lot and that really helped my endurance. My back didn’t start really complaining until we were nearly finished with our shopping. And I didn’t have that odd grinding feeling in my back every time I took step. I think this is going to turn out to be very helpful indeed! Glad I decided to go with it.

{Projects}

I’ve got two major projects going on right now. Both are for my cousin’s hair and nail salon. The first is designing a website for her home salon and make up line. It’s been fun and challenging! The second is a web-based application I’m building with Ruby on Rails for her to keep track of her client information. I’m having a good time learning RoR as I go along and I think the application is going to turn out well.

{Snow Leopard}

I finally took the plunge and upgraded my MacBook Pro to the latest OS X operating system – Snow Leopard. It’s running great and I like the updates. Lots of new features that I didn’t have in the Tiger edition of the OS. Some of the improvements are just little changes but those are good too. My system is now running faster (although it was never really all that slow) and I gained a few GB of space on my hard drive. That’s pretty cool! Before SL, I had 24gb of hdd space and now I’ve got 30gb, so that’s a bonus.

{The Husband}

My husband has been in college since last Spring, taking the AA degree program in welding. He’s almost finished! Yay! He gets to take a certification test next week and then he’ll actually be qualified to work in the industry in Washington State. Then, he has Spring quarter plus a couple more classes over Summer quarter to complete the full degree. Being that he’s never really finished anything in his entire life, this is a huge milestone for him. Now, hopefully, he will find a good job in the industry and stick with it.

{Miscellaneous}

I think I’ll do an “Around the Web” update this week and maybe even a few other things. Haven’t done those in a while and I know everybody always enjoys those. So look out for that, probably Wednesday or Thursday.

And have a great week!

Until next time -

Be blessed,

I don’t often talk about myself – well, not truly personal things – here on this blog. Mostly because I don’t really like to dwell on things that are going on in my life. But I’m going to break that silence today.

See, what you may not know is that I’m “disabled.” I don’t like to label myself as disabled, though, because when I think of someone truly disabled, I think of my dad who not only had an artificial leg, but was missing several fingers on both hands. Yet, he never thought of himself as disabled either.

It used to bug me to no end when people would stare at my dad when we went somewhere. I used to get so livid that people could be so rude! Sometimes I even told them so! LOL (Yes, I was a feisty kid!)

I always think of someone in a wheelchair or someone who uses a walker or mobility scooter as someone who is really disabled. I think I’m doing pretty good most days when I see people using those devices!

And so, even though my doctor says I now must begin using a cane, I am not going to think of myself as disabled. So there! LOL

Last week when I was in the doctors office for my back and shoulder, she said I really should use a cane. Apparently the arthritis in my low back is really causing some degeneration in the spine that she’s concerned about. Especially since I lose feeling my leg quite easily. And when she couldn’t even get my leg to reflex when she tapped my knee with the little hammer, she decided we needed an MRI.

Hopefully the referral for the MRI for both my back and my shoulder (which she also decided was necessary) will come this week and I get those done. The doctor also thinks it’s time to get started on social security paperwork and I suspect that also will mean paperwork for a disabled parking permit.

The worst part for me is realizing that in the last 6 months, I’ve lost A LOT of motion in my legs and low back. It seems like no matter what I do, everything is getting worse. I feared that one day this would come. In fact, when I first hurt my back in 1997, the doctors told me then that it likely would occur at some point. I just wasn’t planning on it happening until I’d at least reached my 50’s or so.

Anyway, I’m not going to dwell on it – I will do what I always do – what my dad taught me to do by his example and that is to do the best I can and to take it one day at a time.

And when my cane arrives next week, I’ll post a picture of it for you! It shipped yesterday so hopefully it arrives by Wednesday or Thursday. I really hope Wednesday, though, because that’s usually when I go grocery shopping and it would make it so much easier! Even though my mom usually goes shopping with me to help push the cart and carry the bags in, I would like to be able to walk around the store without so much pain.

I also found a really cool walking stick last weekend but decided against buying as it was a little pricey. If it had been about $30, I probably would have gotten it. My mom thought it was a little high for me, though. Oh well!

I think maybe I’ll get a couple of other canes too. Maybe some fancy ones. I figure, if you’ve gotta use one, you may as well go all out, right? Be a little crazy, a little goofy. Have some fun!

Canes are the new shoes. I’ll have one for every occasion!

Be blessed,

You may remember that I’ve been having trouble with weight gain. I was convinced it was due to the prescription I’ve been on since late last spring for high blood pressure. And you may remember that on my last update about this, I finally got the doctor to agree that it was probable.

In fact, the doctor and I determined I’d gained almost 25 pounds since I began taking it! So, he changed the medication on my last visit. I’ve been on the new prescription for about 3 weeks now and I am happy to report . . .

I’ve lost 10 pounds!!! (Note: I have not changed a single thing besides the prescription!)

And it was confirmed at the doctors office this afternoon. I’m so happy about that. I feel better too, of course. Though I am a bit more tired lately. He did say that this particular med could cause some fatigue. I would much rather deal with a little fatigue than a whole lotta weight gain.

I’m also happy to report that my blood pressure was even lower today!! Even on the previous medication, it had still been slightly higher than my normal range. But today it was right in line with what it’s always been. I’m so, so happy about that!

AND . . . I’m also VERY HAPPY TO SAY that my 11 year old DOES NOT HAVE DIABETES!! Yay! He had the testing today and it all came back normal. WooHoo!

The only thing that’s not good news is that xrays on my back confirmed that I have arthritis in my lower spine. So, the doctor ordered an MRI for both my back and my shoulder.

In any case, this is shaping up to be a good month! I am just over the top that my son isn’t diabetic. My dad and sister were both diabetic and I remember all they went through. I didn’t want that for my son. I know diabetes isn’t the end of the world, but remember — he’s the one with autism. So, adding another thing to the mix . . . well, lets just say, it was a very stressful thought.

Hope your week is good one!

Until next time . . .

Be blessed,

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I thought the blood pressure medicine I take was causing me to gain weight. Since we don’t have a scale at home, I had no idea really how much. But I knew that my clothes just didn’t fit right and I felt different.

Well, last week was my doctors appointment to check how the blood pressure is doing on the meds and see if anything needs to be adjusted. I told the doctor about my suspicions (that the meds were causing weight gain) and at first, he thought I was just being overly sensitive. That is, until he actually went back through my records and realized I was right!

Between May when I began taking the prescription and August, I gained 11 pounds. And between August and now, I gained 13! And the meds were the only change I had made. Everything else is the same – food, exercise, etc didn’t change. Just the stupid medications!

So, he changed the medication and hopefully it will be better. I do feel a little different on these but I’ve only been taking them for 3 days so it’ll be a while before I notice any major changes. With any luck, the weight gain will reverse itself!

Let me just take a moment – again – to implore you to keep on top of your health. You owe your health to your family, especially if you have little kids. Health is not something to be taken lightly. Do your best to keep healthy. I generally don’t condone going to the doctor and using medications – I don’t think they are the “cure” – just a stepping stone, maybe, to get well enough to get off them if possible.

Obviously, there are some things that need constant medication like some forms of diabetes and what-not and I’m certainly not saying to never use prescription drugs. Just do your homework, ask questions, be informed and use your best judgment. And of course, I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on the internet, either. I’m just a mom, a writer and a graphic designer who has a few health issues. Take it or leave it but don’t substitute it for real advice.

Hope you had a great weekend! And thanks for all the birthday wishes! You all are awesome.

Be blessed,

Way back in the Spring of 2009, I found out I have high blood pressure. Not something I’d ever had problems with – even throughout 4 pregnancies (I’ve also never had heartburn) – and it came on pretty suddenly. My doctor still isn’t very sure why. I did have high cholesterol at one time (not anymore) several years ago but he doesn’t think that was a contributing factor.

In any case, I began taking some prescription medications for it and although they work quite well, they’ve caused me to gain weight. Weight that I had been LOSING up to that point. This does not make me very happy. In fact, I’m quite peeved about it – especially since 1) the doctor knew I had been losing weight pretty steadily and 2) he knew full well that weight GAIN was a side effect of this particular medication.

At the time I began the medications, I only had about 20 pounds to go until I was at a weight that is within the normal range for my height and body type. Now, I’ve gained enough back that not only is it frustrating but it’s also causing additional blood pressure issues and it’s quite possible he’ll want to raise the dosage.

Well, it ain’t gonna happen! In fact, on my next appointment to check the dosage levels and what-not, I’m going to talk his ear off about the weight gain issue and let him know that I’m not happy about it. Hopefully, there is another medication that can help just as well without the side effects this one causes.

And this is what loathe about modern medicine – it never really addresses any underlying issues and only treats what’s on the surface. Sometimes to the detriment of other things. Instead of doing that, they just want to add another medicine to the list or up the dosage of the current one. It’s a catch-22.

Really, I would prefer a more homeopathic or naturopathic solution to the blood pressure problem but unfortunately, our insurance doesn’t cover that type of treatment. So, I’m stuck on that point. I’ll tell you what, though – if the doctor doesn’t address my concerns, I will fire him as my doctor and find one who WILL!

I don’t have time to play games with my health. Neither does my family. Especially not with a health issue that could – quite literally – kill me if not taken seriously. That just isn’t worth it.

In the meantime, though – I’m going to begin an experiment to help lose the weight the stupid medicine has made me pack on. We already eat a pretty decent diet around here since we have so many allergies to things like eggs, milk and the like. We also eat many meals that are vegetarian or vegan so it’s not going to take much doing on my part. The biggest factor is that I’m going to cut out everything but vegetables and fruits for the next 3 months. I’ve already stopped eating bread, rice and stuff like that. Now I’m just going to stop eating meat and and cheese.

My only concern is protein, though. My metabolism and such is that my body needs protein. I can always tell when I haven’t had enough. There are alternatives, of course, like protein powders. In fact, I actually do use a vegan brown rice powder quite often. The problem is that it’s like eating bread. So I’m not sure it’ll have the effect I’m hoping for.

We’ll see what happens, I guess. Maybe I can lower my weight AND my blood pressure by making that one change. That’s my plan, anyway.

If you have any experience with this sort of stuff, do you have any tips, thoughts or ideas you can share? I’d love to hear them! You can always email me privately if you don’t want to leave a comment. Just go here to send me a message.

Be blessed,

First – the links. I said earlier this week I’d post some links to stuff around the web that I found and enjoyed lately and I have yet to do that. So . . .

Jeff Fisher Logo Motives – The Practice: What’s Wrong With Spec Work?

Steve Pavlina – Money and The Law of Attraction

Freelance Folder – Massive List of Killer Freelancing Tips By and For Our Readers

Zen Habits – 32 Ways to Make Someone Happy Today

There were a couple of others and for the life of me, I cannot remember what I was thinking! But I have a good reason . . .

The Short Dude fell this afternoon and smacked his head – H A R D – on the corner of my desk. He and G-Man were running around being wild munchkins and ran into my office where The Short Dude miscalculated his distance as he climbed up on my chair’s arm and fell off. When he fell, his head hit the edge of my desk.

He cried for a moment as I picked him up and rushed to the kitchen for an ice pack. When I set him down in the chair at the table to grab the ice, he stopped crying and tilted to one side, nearly falling asleep. I knew then it wasn’t just a little bump. He was pretty lethargic and his pupils were dilated.

I grabbed the ice pack, scooped him up, called my husband at work (because he had taken the car today (we only have one car) for an appointment after work) and told him to bring it home immediately. I then called my mom, who luckily, was just on her way home from work and asked her to come help me get him to the doctor. While we waited for everybody, I called the doctors office and they cleared space for him to see the urgent care doctor. Fortunately my husband only works 3 miles down the road so he was able to get home pretty fast.

My husband’s boss followed him home so he could take him back to work (since it’s only the 2 of them there and my husband had deliveries to make this afternoon). But it did irritate me a bit that he couldn’t just come home and help me. If my mom had not been able to come help me, I’d have been more irritated. But . . . anyway. That’s a whole ‘nother story.

When the doctor was checking his face and head, pressing here and there around his check bones and eyes, she asked him if it hurt here or here or here and he kept saying no. But when she got to just above his right eye where the bump and bruise are, he grimaced and wrinkled up his nose but he said it didn’t hurt. She said “I think it hurts there.”

The good news is that the ice pack did wonders and probably saved him from worse trauma. It took a long time before it actually bruised. The bad news is he has a concussion, a huge bump, an ugly bruise and he’s pretty nauseous. His head hurts like hell, too.

His speech is still a little bit slurred and he’s got the hiccups from his tummy being upset but otherwise, he’s acting pretty normal right now, though he’s pretty tired. It’s been about 7 hours since he hit his head and there doesn’t seem to be any new symptoms or anything going on so I will feel better about putting him down to bed.

Ok . . . well, that’s about all the drama I can handle for a day so I’m off to get some things done, like finishing up the laundry and dishes.

In the arena or the laundry,

Make $10k in a weekend – “Too good to be true.” That’s the first thing I said when
I heard of http://tinyurl.com/5lq2g4. You can’t REALLY make $10K in a weekend. But I quickly bit my tongue once I saw the content. . .

Annie Anderson is a freelance copywriter and graphic designer specializing in the small business and real estate markets. Her tagline “Making your business, my business” means that she’ll take the utmost care when creating words and images for your business – just as if it were her own.