Life Lately...

I keep telling myself I'm going to set a time aside in my schedule specifically for blogging, and then it never happens. With preschool two days a week, dance two days a week, and countless doctor/ physical therapy appointments, any time I have on the computer is spent doing online work for my mom's friend- and now my mom too. Whoo-hoo for money!

My health has been up and down lately. My stomach hasn't been troubling me as much as it was earlier this year but it's a constant struggle. My mental health peaked for the few weeks after I started Prozac and has been deteriorating ever since. I've been struggling with anxiety, depression, and a total lack of motivation (which also explains why I haven't been around here as much.) I've also been having really severe tension headaches that aren't helped by Tylenol/ Advil and I realized they are tied to my TMJ issues. So I just started physical therapy for my jaw (and my pelvic floor too, so fun) in hopes that will eliminate the headaches. I had a jaw massage (outside and inside my mouth) last week and it was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. It was worse than childbirth- I almost passed out.

We also got some bad news regarding N's health. He was in an ATV accident about 5 years ago where he flipped an ATV and his lower back landed on a rock. He developed a MASSIVE hematoma and it went away but then came back when he was wrestling with his brother. His brother and sister drug him kicking and screaming to the ER (they were in Montana for his step-grandpa's funeral) but all they did was an x-ray which didn't show any damage. He's had lower back pain ever since and at times it's gotten so bad he can't walk. One night after hockey he literally crawled into the house on his hands and knees because he had hurt it so bad while doing a twisting motion. I drug him (again, kicking and screaming) to the Urgent Care clinic the next day and the doctor just wrote him a script for pain pills and sent us on our way.

The pain has been getting worse and more frequent so I made him go to my general practitioner. Within minutes of talking to my husband, the doctor set him up to get an MRI, and he had it done a few days later. We got a call just hours after the MRI saying that N has two slipped and one torn disk in his spine. He'll be seeing a specialist next week. We're really hoping that his issues can be healed without surgery. If he had to take time off work for surgery (and then be on light duty for however long after that) it would be financially catastrophic for us. He is guaranteed 40 hours of pay every week, but mechanics rely on their hours flagged (commission) so he makes at least 3 times what his guaranteed pay is every week. We wouldn't be able to live on that 40 hours, especially with the added healthcare costs.

But in better news R has been rocking it at school and dance. Although she's had some emotional hiccups at each she's really doing a great job. She LOVES preschool and I LOVE my 2 1/2 hours of free time twice a week. I've been really worried about her picking up school germs- especially with that super scary respiratory virus going around Colorado- but I'm trying to keep calm. She has to be around other kids at some point or another, right? Right?!

Hank has been doing well too! The orthopedic specialist vet we took him to only noticed some abnormal bone density around his shoulder but nothing to be super worried about. He's still limping a little bit but the activity restrictions are off and we've been able to start taking him to the dog park again- which rocks his world. I've also been able to take him on a few walks recently after purchasing a gentle leader head collar. He was so hard for me to walk before because he's so big, and I'm so weak. He isn't particularly naughty on a leash but any slight pull from him would yank my arm practically out of the socket. He hates the head collar but he's getting used to it and when he isn't freaking out when it's on he walks like a dream!

September is upon us which means my birthday is coming up (next Sunday!) which means that my indoor Halloween decorations are going up right after that. I am totally shameless. N hates I keep them up for so long but he's just a debbie downer. I LOVE Halloween and R has informed me she "wants to be a ghost like ooOOoohhHHhh" so I'll be trying to come up with a cute costume for her. I'm also looking forward to two different zombie crawls this year! Halloween is the only thing that perks me up about summer leaving. I get a special pain in my heart when the leaves start to change that doesn't feel better until the trees are fully leafed and green again.

Ah well. It's been a good summer even if I didn't get to do much of my bucket list. Until next summer!