Ouch!

Gout is such an ugly word. I suggest that it be called "inflamed hammered toe". That would be a more accurate way to label the type of ailment I have - again. This is only the second time I have experienced the excruciating pain that comes from having gout - which feels sort of like my toe joint has been hit by a hammer and has swollen up until it is stiff and painful to touch. The sheets on the bed hurt, let alone shoes. At least this time around I knew what it was and went to the doctor before it got that bad.

The doctor told me I should cut down on eating large amounts of red meat and drinking alcohol - the two most common causes of gout. Then he grinned, knowing that I never drink alcohol and I told him I don't afford red meat other than hamburger and then not in large quantities. So evidently my body doesn't flush the uric acid it produces. Why? Who knows.

At least it is fairly easy to treat with medication. But now I find that once I've had a bout, I will likely have another within 2 years (yep, right on schedule), and then more and more frequently. Nice, huh? Oh well. Thank heaven for medication!

Happy Pioneer Day!

Being the decendant of many pioneer ancestors makes me feel proud when we celebrate the Day's of '47 Pioneer Day. I am truly grateful for their sacrifice and dedication and determination to come west with the saints to this valley. These are just some of those ancestors--

My Dad's pioneer ancestors:

---James McFarlane & Martha Ann Smuin

My Mom's pioneer ancestors:

---Mary Richards & James James

More Braces!

Jeremy has a tooth that is tipping over sideways. We didn't worry about it too much since his teeth seem so straight and nice otherwise. But I just kept feeling like all wasn't well. Now this bottom front tooth is pushing his top tooth out of place. So this time when I took Jessica and Melissa to the Orthodontist for their regular appointment, I brought Jeremy along.

The dontist looked him over and told us it was good we brought him in - his front bite is so straight and flat his top teeth completely close over his bottom teeth so you can't see his bottom teeth at all - and they are not so slowly grinding each other down. Eventually his teeth will be so thin that they will crack and break off until all he has left are stubs!

So, yes, I now have to have my third child in braces, and he has to have a bite plate to correct his bite and prevent his teeth from further damage until they start to move to where they belong. Nice?

I don't know about you, but money just seems to be flying out of my bank and into my kids mouths . . . and house. Ugh!

Old house woes :(

We moved into this house in the summer of 1996. Jeremy was 2 years old and Jessica was 5 and the house was 14. Jessica is now 18, Jeremy is now 6'3" tall, and we have Melissa now (she's 9). A lot has changed in our world since 1996, and very little has changed in our house.

We were going to try to move several years ago, so we painted and got new carpet in the front room and stairs. But that's it. Now my house is 27 years old. I think in human years that is more like 70. No offense to 70 year olds, but the body starts to fall apart as we age, and boy is my house falling apart!

It started the day we moved in - my mom was helping me clean the kitchen and put down contact paper on the shelves before I put all my dishes in them (for anyone who knows mom you'll be nodding with understanding). Well, she noticed bits of sawdust in the corners and along the edges of the shelves under the drawers. Dad checked it out and said our drawers above the shelves were "rubbing themselves raw" slowly shaving bits off the bottom of the drawers. We didn't do anything at the time and now they are shaved just about to the drawer bottoms (cheap drawers). So we've been thinking it's about time to get new cupboards.

Oh, yeah - we did get a new faucet for the kitchen sink when our old one started to disintegrate - yep the metal actually started to flake and break off and get holes all in it. That's when I noticed some black flecks coming out of the seal between the sink and the counter top. When the kitchen sink got blocked up and we started working under the sink, I saw that the black flecks were the seal of the sink disintegrating and now the particle board under the formica counter is also disintegrating from getting wet steadily for who knows how long! I can just see my sink falling through the opening some day. So we know we need a new counter.

And---my linoleum floor (original with the house by the way) is breaking and coming up in pieces, especially where we sit in front of the computer. So we definitely need new flooring.

So I guess I've held off as long as I can and now we have to re-do our kitchen. I didn't want to spend money on this place - I wanted to move. I wanted a house (not a twin) with a family room and a laundry room and more than ONE bathroom! I'll never move out of this itsy thing. I know I'll be stuck here forever. I just have to bide my time until the children leave and then I'll be old enough to be glad I only have one bathroom to clean and a tiny yard.

Anyone have any suggestions on a good plumber, cabinet guy or contractor? HELP!

Happy Independence Day!

I love the 4th of July! Unfortunately Anthony and I are still recovering from our illness and don't quite feel up to celebrating too much. I do love the fireworks and plan on seeing them, even if it's just from the side of the road.

Anyway, happy 4th of July to everyone!

Swine Flu

It got me! Yep, after being sick for two days, I went to the doctor on Tuesday (6/30) and tested positive for Type A Influenza. Anthony tested negative, but since he had all the same symptoms as I did, the doctor treated us both, prescribing Tamiflu. The test was quick and painful. The nurse took the swab that looks like the one they use to test for strep and stuck it so far up my nose I thought she hit my eye! Man was that painful. Anthony kept backing away from it, that may be part of the reason he tested negative - maybe she didn't get a good test.

The doctor said this is a flu that acts more like a really bad cold - it's mostly in the head and chest, complete with head and body aches, fever, congestion and a really bad cough. I was flat in bed for about 4 days and felt like I had been run over by a truck with alternating chills and fever. I tried not to breathe too deeply so I wouldn't cough too much. After a couple of days on medication, I started feeling much better. Anthony is still not feeling well (but he didn't take his medicine for a couple of days because it made him throw up).