Take It Easy

I would love to be writing about a beautiful 6 mile run I was supposed to take today, but instead all I have to write about is an exciting day of bed rest. Yes, my body failed me again! Apparently,  no one informed it that I had plans. Running plans, baking plans, shopping plans, laundry plans...well I can always pass on laundry plans, but I really planned on my body keeping up with my to do list this weekend.

My body attacks itself. Fatigue is not new to me. I am a mom to 5 busy kids. I'm familiar with joint pain, usually from physical activity. Random swelling, otherwise known as edema of my ankles was a new experience.  That's the Hashimoto's main weapon, random attacks on my joints. Sometimes it's my hands, sometimes my hips, sometimes my knees and maybe if I've been particularly bad my digestive system. I take four different vitamins to assist my body with fighting the urge to attack itself. I follow sleep guidelines, and the laundry list of things I should not eat is longer than the list of things I can eat.  I try to play by the rules so my body will do what I need it to do when I need it to do it. This weekend my body had other plans.

My feet hurt Friday so I went to bed early. 5 am wake up Saturday for Josie's volleyball tournament went fine until I couldn't comfortably fit my feet into my sneakers. Flip flops it was for the tournament.  JROTC Military ball that evening and by 430 my right foot and ankle were three times their normal size. I  put my rather large cankles in some heels and stood in the receiving line, unable to feel my foot any longer. Really thought I was heading to the emergency room, but I made it home where my darling husband demand I sleep with my feet above my head and take it easy all day Sunday.

For the most part I followed husband's orders. I took a nap and then reviewed paperwork on the couch under the direct supervision of the dog. Knowing how much I hate taking it easy, my husband ran me a bath and cooked supper. My ankles and feet are still swollen,  but looking more like feet than marshmallows.  I'm sleeping in compression sleeves in hopes of wearing dress shoes tomorrow to work. There's only so much take it easy this girl can take without a beach to lay on!

He's A Keeper

Elijah in the goal.

Almost three years ago one of the most athletic little boys in the world fell off the bus and broke his arm.  Thus began our journey with epilepsy.  The fall off the bus was a blessing, as it led us to find Elijah's epilepsy before it could do major damage to his brain, or he had a more severe accident.  At the beginning of the process there were lots of tests and lots of questions.  The forced watching of Elijah did not sit well with his independent nature.  Can you imagine being told that you can no longer take a bath or swim by yourself because you could have a seizure and drown?  How about not climbing trees and playground equipment because you could have a seizure and get hurt?  How about being told no soccer, no baseball, no wrestling, no nothing where you can take a head shot?  Oh, and your an 8 year old little boy who loves to do all those things, unassisted and with full abandon. 

That was Elijah when the epilepsy diagnosis was handed down.  While I was busy researching causes, and treatments, Elijah was busy trying to find a way to live a less independent life with a condition that he could not control.  Did I forget to tell you he's wired like his mother and independence just runs in our genes?  While I was creating his 504 and seizure  plans for school, Elijah was getting used the side effects of seizure meds, medical alerts and questions.  Lots of questions on why he couldn't do all the things he use to be able to do.  Knowing that Elijah needed control, he learned to take and manage his seizure meds.  He knows as much about the type of the seizures he has as I do.  While he couldn't play all the sports that he use to, or be left alone, Elijah helped organize the family to form Team Lili to raise money for the Georgia Epilepsy Foundation.  Paired up with his older brother, Elijah has completed several 5k's, but running is a poor substitute for a kid who use to thrive with team sports and contact.

Chasing the ball and giving directions to the defense in his 2nd game

This fall, Elijah was given medical clearance to return to team sports as long as it was not one where his head was in danger.  This eliminated diving, football, wrestling, baseball and pole vaulting.  Soccer was given approval as long as Elijah does not head the ball.  Before his seizures were diagnosed, Elijah had played soccer and was a keeper.  He was pretty good for a little kid.  Aggressive, good hands, not afraid to get in front of a ball, or a kick, or just plan plow a kid over to get a ball was how he played before the seizures.  The kids in his age group were bigger, the goal was bigger and Elijah, well he's a small kid who still has seizures from time to time.  That independent nature of his and his natural tendency to study problems until he finds a solution that works, aid him well in managing his epilepsy and those skills did not fail him when he went back to soccer this spring.

Making a save!

Clearing the ball!

Elijah's coach was a little skeptical that one of the smallest kids on the team could be the keeper.  He was made a believer the first game!  Elijah was rusty, but aggressive against even the big kids,  which are pretty big since 10-14 year olds are playing in his age group.  Few of the kids on his team have played soccer before, and even though it had been three soccer seasons since Elijah played, he was the highlight of the first game.  Very few of the people who watched him that day knew this was his first game back since falling off the bus.  Few of them know that a head shot from a ball, or a high kick probably will mean a week of seizures.  What they saw was pure happiness!  A little boy happy to be on a field, doing what little boys are supposed to do.  The crowd, or the referee, or the other team, or the other team's coaches did not see a boy with epilepsy, but a keeper!  A really good keeper who got lots of congratulations for a job well done (despite losing). Wish I got a picture of those dimples and smile from ear to ear when the high school referee stopped Elijah and told him "Good game Keeper!" but I didn't because I was trying to not cry at how far our little keeper has come!

Throwing the ball out

Learning New Things

This is my first year as an Assistant Principal.  I spent 16 years in the classroom teaching students with disabilities.  Occasionally, I have conversations with people from my teaching past that ask me questions about how life is on the admin side of education.  I do get lots of questions about how I feel about my new job.  Many days I just don't know how I feel about being an Assistant Principal.  More days then not I wonder if I'm doing anything right and every day I learn something new.  Here are a few of the things that I have learned since becoming an Assistant Principal.

1. Don't plan on getting paper and pencil tasks done while teachers, or students are present in the building.

2. Cell phones, dress codes and candy are just as much as a headache as they were when you were a teacher, only now your the person dishing out the consequences.

3. No one like consequences for their actions if they are negative, but if someone else needs negative consequences they better get them.

4. There is always too much work to do and too little time to get it done.

5. Food is the greatest motivator!

6. I know that teachers have better things to do then go to another meeting, but I still have to have one.

7.  When in doubt, smile and nod.

8. There's never enough supplies or money to get the things done that you want to.

9. Sometimes there is not a right answer.

10. Smiling, saying "hello, I'm glad you're here" and really meaning it can make all the difference. (Even if you say it to the new Assistant Principal)

The new AP demonstrating appropriate dress code.  Yes I wore the suspenders all day to prove a point!

First Half Marathon of the Season

Home post race

Last weekend about this time I arrived home from my 6th half marathon. The Snickers- Albany half marathon in my new home town.  It was a beautiful day and a flat course.  Two things that should make for a wonderful half marathon.  Of course nothing goes as planned around here, which is what I guess makes things so entertaining.

Where a lot of the money goes!

I had been sick for about a month.  I missed two of my long runs due to a sinus infection and busted ear drums from double ear infections.  Ever try to run with busted ear drums?  Not only can you not hear your awesome play list, but that balance thing actually turns out to be very important to staying upright.  Anyways, the carefully Jeff Galloway constructed training plan didn't go as planned.  When I woke up that morning, I really didn't feel up to the race, but as my darling husband pointed out before he went to work, I did pay money to run. Lots of money to run.

A selfie after the race

I finished the race in 3:13:20. It was also my first solo race.  My husband had to work so I finished with no support at the end of the race.  It was odd to be one of the few people there without family to congratulate you (or carry you back to the car).  Since there wasn't any husband or children to take pictures of me running I managed to take on of myself overlooking the river at the finish. I have spent the rest of the week recovering. I didn't get the regular 11 mile cramps and the ladies in my running group kept me motivated throughout the run.  I have already made plans for the next half marathon in May.  I'm hoping to stay healthy through training this cycle, even if it is one of the busiest times of the year.  Wish me luck! (Oh and the next race my husband will be there with me to carry me back to the car)

Being Sick With A Chronic Illness

I'm use to not feeling 100%. I manage chronic migraine and Hashimoto's daily. I follow a pretty strict sleep schedule, I take my vitamins, I track any weather changes, I follow my migraine diet (most days). I have become a pro at managing these two conditions as best I can, but they still flair up from time to time.  Due to the fatigue and pain that both of my chronic conditions cause, I can be a little slow in identifying when a virus or infection is attacking. That's what happened yesterday with my sinus infection and double ear infections.

Ear pain can be part of migraine so I ignored it for three weeks. My thyroid swells up and makes my throat hurt so, I blamed my sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes on the Hashimoto's.  The increased fatigue?  I blamed that on the wacky weather, busy schedule at home and work, and my thyroid acting up. When I started to deteriorate quickly Monday,  I finally took some cold meds, blamed my husband and kids for giving me a cold,and went to bed at 7pm. Tuesday,  I felt worse than I had in years. Over the counter cold meds were no longer working, and I got sent home from work with specific orders to go to the doctor.

I've taken three doses of antibiotics, a ton of anti inflammatory meds, and three doses of decongestant cough medicine. My right ear leaked a bunch of fluid over the night and feels better. My left ear on the other hand is still killing me. While I'm pretty good at managing my chronic conditions, I have to admit these ear infections have put me down for the count. I'm not sure about looking like I have two black eyes right now either, but at least they don't hurt.

So, I guess the moral of the story is to not get too comfortable with successful management of a chronic condition because a little ear infection can bring you to the fetal position.

A Little Warm

When your normal temperature runs at about 96.7 it's hard to explain to a doctor that your running a fever at 98.7.  That was my temperature at the urgent care this morning, 98.7 and technically it's one of the few times I've been normal. I told the nurse I had Hashimoto's but she did not record it on my chart. She also didn't know what a pfo was. Neither did the doctor so, I was glad to get some antibiotics and decongestant and get the hell out of that scary place.

I'm amazed that this is how warm most people feel every day. I'm wearing shorts and it's only 71 degrees outside. My hands and feet are warm too. Unless I'm running, I'm never this warm above 80 degrees.  This might be a blessing because if I ran a normal temperature then I'd have to retire my sweater collection and shave my legs more frequently!

Don't Know

I am currently sitting in bed, in the only position that isn't causing extreme pain down my entire left side, with the heating pad on high. I don't know what the hell I did to myself today to cause such pain, but I hope it was gracefully done. Since I sent my wonderful husband out to get me a cup cake, and I'm kinda stuck in my current position, I've started to think about all the other things I don't know. I thought it might help pass the time if I shared a list so, here goes.

1. Bruises- where do they come from? I currently have six bruises on my legs and only know where one came from. If I whacked myself hard enough to get a bruise, surely it should of registered somewhere in my brain.

2. Socks- I started with a pair and now there is only one? Don't know where socks go, but sure would like to match them on occasion.

3. Mathematics as the language of the universe- math makes my head hurt. I don't know when numbers and computational skills became a language that can explain the existence of all things, but I've attempted to read some literature on this subject and still know nothing.

4. Parenting- I don't know why some people attempt parenting. I don't know how you qualify as a good parent. I don't know why when you're being a good parent your kids hate you. I don't know why studies are showing parents are less happy than non parents. They must not have met my kids because I'm pretty happy I've kept them happy, alive and productive this long!

5. Brownie points- I don't know where this term came from, how to keep up with them, or why my husband and children think they can trade them in for when they do something stupid!

6. Dieting- I don't know why there are so many. I don't know why there isn't a chocolate, pizza, coke and cupcake diet that makes you thin.  If we can put a man on the moon, surely we can figure out how to make food taste good, without harmful chemicals, and lots of calories.

7. Professional athlete pay- I don't know why we pay these people more than teachers, members of the military, police or fire fighters. I don't know why we act surprised when professional athletes get caught doing stupid things with all that money. Its not like we're paying them to solve math problems, or cure cancer. You pay professional athletes lots of money to run and do something athletic with a ball, not be rocket scientist.

8. Undergarments at Wal-Mart- I don't know why bras are optional. I don't know why your underwear has to be visible. I don't know why someone thinks its okay to go a store in their undergarments and then be mad when people look at them

9. Bed time- I don't know why kids fight bed time. I don't know why grown ups should feel guilty for going to bed early. I say let all people sleep until they're rested and not cranky.

10. I'm sure there's a million more things I don't know... but my cupcake and pain meds have arrived. I don't know if they will help but, its not the first thing I don't know.