Update on the drama of life

I am anti-blog so sorry, life is throwing curve balls that I can't catch and I am not too excited about them. My moms cancer is back and has spread to her some of her bones. She is not doing very well so things have been a little hectic on that end. I am not doing any better with my blood sugar deal. I don't actually have a diagnosis yet and have been struggling to find and answer. I think a lot of it is stress with my moms illness but know that it started long before her diagnosis. I am constantly getting blood tests done and as far as right now all they know is that my potassium is low, my ana titer count is high which is a marker for autoimmune disease (when your body attacks its own cells) and my c-peptide levels are sometimes up and sometimes down, and my insulin is on the higher end. My endocrinologist is checking for lupus and type 2 diabetes and I have more blood tests that will be back in 10 days. So far I have had a Gastric Emptying study done, blood work, an ultrasound, 24 hour holter monitor, 4 hour fasting glucose test and next week will have a CT scan and the following week have an endoscopy and colonoscopy. They did give me nexium to try for the nausea so we will see if that helps. I am still on a strict low carb diet, no dairy, eggs and super low sugar. Bring on the veggies and cashews eh? On the happier end on things. We are going to Twin Lakes next week after my test for a few days and my sister Sherri is coming to visit my mom. It will be nice to get away from life. I am really sad that cancer and illness seems to be everywhere now days, it seems like everybody is sick! My good friends mom from massage school just found out she had a brain tumor and had it removed. It came back cancerous, one of the most common and most aggressive. They were able to remove most of it. Thank goodness for modern technology. Every time I catch myself complaining I think, you should be thinking this.... instead. With her, I think, that sucks that she went from having symptoms to getting a stage 4 diagnosis in 4 weeks! At least I have had almost a year to be with my mom. I feel so overwhelmed sometimes its hard to be positive and grateful but how else do you get through it right? GGGGRRRRRR. One day at a time right? I am going to keep on truckin

Well, I am feeling good and less overwhelmed these days. Chris and I are back on track. Today is his 26th Birthday (What an old man!) We have been getting up around 5:45-6:00 am and going to the gym together the last 2 days. He is done with school and is busy working on his other 3 jobs and has time to invest more into growing and expanding his "FLIP THAT TRAILER," deal. I swear would should make our own show! Everyone would be thinking where in Sam Hill is Pasco Washington? Ha! ---- I have been feeling pretty good and have been at the office a lot. My business is growing and changing all the time. I am trying to take more time for "me" so I don't get burned out. Between my young women's calling, being a wife, and work I get a little bent out of shape easy. I have been trying to take more time to say my prayers and read my scriptures and of course eating good to avoid burnout. The book writing is slowing down this week, more like research, I am putting about 40 hours in at the office so maybe next week. We still plan on trying to start getting pregnant about August so I have to get ripped. I have been putting pictures up around the house, one on my fridge and the other on my mirror in the bathroom. I do this a lot when I am trying to get pumped again. The one on my fridge is a girl with a perfect bum and it says, " You can't get to the top sitting on your bottom!" I love it. So I found this picture to pump anyone up who wants a hard rock tummy. Here ya go..... go get it!

Tagged by Kim 24 Things about Me

4 Places I Go Over and Over:: Work:: The Mud Hole:: Winco:: My Moms House
4 People Who Email Me:: Kim::Debbie:: My Clients:: Sherri
4 of my Favorite Foods:: Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry, Turkey Burger with Avocados, tomato, spinach, onion over toasted wheat bread, Fruit especially Mangoes and Strawberries, Dairy and Sugar that I can't eat anymore :(
Places I Would Rather Be Right Now:: On a massage table getting the most miraculous hot stone massage in the world, The Caribbean with sand in between my toes and a super sexy bronze tan, at my moms house snuggling with her.
4 People I Think Will Respond {This means I tag you}::Siera:: Shelli: Emily::Wendy::

4 Movies I Could Watch Over and Over:: The Notebook, Grease, Dirty Dancing, any Old Classic Disney Movie

My world

So... I am alive, that is what counts right? I have taken a break from blogging because I have been so busy lately. I have been spending a lot of time with my mom and Chris has his LAST DAY OF SCHOOL EVER TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!! Hopefully no more 10pm full course meals anymore. I can't wait and I am so proud of him for getting through it, it has been a long road for both of us. We took a trip to Portland a couple of weeks ago to visit some of Chris's friends who had an house warming party for their new house. While we were there, we went to the zoo and also stopped by Multnomah Falls on the way home for a little hike. I got some cute pictures and the best animal story ever.

On the way to Portland, we stopped at the rest area for the girl with the smallest bladder in the world, (that would be me) and on the way to the bathroom, this little gray squirrel ran right up to me. At first I was actually scared it was going to attack me or something. We had some almonds in the car we had been snacking on on the way up so I grabbed a few from the car to give to the little guy. I just threw them up on the sidewalk but he kept coming closer to me so I decided to be brave and try to feed him from my hand. By this time Chris was out of the car with the camera and our new little friend was filling is mouth with our gourmet meal. I couldn't believe how many he took and so fast too! Chris and I were discussing whether or not he was eating them or saving them and sure enough, with a close up picture, there is proof the little rascal had all those almonds stuffed in his fat little cheeks. He even tried to reach in my zip lock baggy for more and was scratching on my hands. It was the funniest thing ever, we laughed about it all the way to Portland. The pictures are unforgettable.
The latest and greatest in my world! I am crazy. Yes, it is true. I always have crazy business ideas growing in my head and big plans but I never really have done much with them. This last few months I have been trying to decide what I would really like to do. Since massage is so hard on your body and with kids, will be pretty hard physically to keep up I have always wanted a back up plan. Sooooooo...... this month I have decided to WRITE A BOOK! I know, I know, I am crazier than you thought! I have been doing a lot of research and studying. I am going to write an instruction manual for Massage Therapist. It is going to be a comprehensive guide to medical billing and practice management for massage therapists. I am then going to try and get the course approved through WA State and the National Certification Board of Massage Therapy & Bodywork to teach continuing educational classes for therapists in Washington. My goal is to get it done by the end of the year and teach at least one class in the Tri-Cities. You have to have 2 documented classes before the board with approve it for CEUs. You have to have your curriculum reviewed by a board and approved. I am been having a lot of fun researching and reading and I am getting smarter too. I have learned a lot that will help my business even if this all turns out to be a flop or I get burned out.
As for the food stuff., I am so glad that we have a health food store locally, that recipes can be accessed in seconds via the Internet and that my garden is going to decrease my grocery budget this summer. I have some new interesting foods in my house, tofu, soy milk, veggie and turkey burgers, so much avocado I think I am turning green, tabouli, couscous, fiber cereal, flax seed, goat whey protein, and artichokes. I had to get out the food dictionary to go shopping this last month literally. In my spare time, I read about massage stuff, women's health magazine, dairy, egg and sugar free recipes. Fun huh? This was my salmon dinner I was so proud of. Chris made fun of me for taking a picture. It was fresh wild sockeye salmon, zucchini with mushrooms, and peppers, sauteed in olive oil with tomato, basil, garlic seasoning, fresh lemon and parsley and couscous. It was absolutely grubbin.

Food Allergies

WOW! So.... I found out today what the REAL culprit of the headache/mood swing/crazy Melanie is. I am allergic to eggs and dairy products.... oh and cranberries odd enough. Not that I really eat cranberries but yep! This is good news as well as bad news. I am glad and happy to weed out the bad stuff but sad that sour cream and cream cheese are not okay. I like cheese and milk but they seem to be in all the things that effect my blood sugar like scalloped potatoes and ice cream to name a few of the faves. Anyhow, now that I have cut out the sugar for almost 2 months, we will see what month 3 brings. Hopefully less headaches, tummy aches, backaches and wife-aches!!!! Wish me luck.... I am turning into a Rabbit!

Family History

I have been doing my personal history for the last week of so. At the church book store there is a book called Share Your Stories MOTHER. I got it from my mom and I have been writing in it. It has been really fun. I love to talk about old memories and remember stupid things I did has a kid. The book starts out with your birth and asks 196 questions about your childhood up to your adult life. 3/4 of the book you can do up to your 20's. I can't imagine waiting until I am 40 to do it. I can't remember stuff now, what would I remember in 20 years from now? I bought the same book for my sister Sherri for Christmas and before I gave it to her, I took it out to my moms house. We snuggled up in her bed with my laptop and I typed as she talked and we got through the childhood section of the book. It is fun to hear stories about her childhood and have her help me remember my own. When I am done, I am going to take pictures of things I don't have like one of the house I grew up in and my elementary school and do a Heritage Makers Storybook. I am so excited. My goal is to be done with my history before I have a baby.