DAY 30: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 30 - Recap WHNBPM

Here we are. The end of the month.
:(
I always get sad when things end. But I am happy I made it through. And that I won't be obligated to post every single night if I don't feel like it. And that I can get back to self-guided posts. I feel like I haven't updated personal stuff in well.... two months?! Has it really been that long that I've posted everyday?! Huh....

Let's recap shall we....

• I discussed WHY I write about my health.
• And also why my health is so weird.
• I've told new doctors, nurses AND patients what to do.
• I've virtually emptied my bag. Now I have to actually do it. :P
• I wrote about how I inspire myself.
• And also my belief in Karma.
• I have designed the perfect doctor's office using Microsoft Paint. This is no easy task.
• AND also the human body in the same program.
• I sent a passive aggressive letter to my health.
• I recounted the time before my diagnosis.
• I made you laugh. (Hopefully :) )
• I whined about shaving my legs.
• I wrote a book review and the author published it here.... http://www.foulbowel.com/18912/35844.html
• I used my body parts to create a soap opera.
• I mentally packed for a potential trip to Orlando Florida.
• I taught you all how to make your very own DIY Upholstered Headboard.
• I have listed my strengths and weaknesses.
• I realised I would be totally broke and in debt if I lived in the US.
• I deeply contemplated both life and death and what would happen to my blog in the worst case scenario.
• I tried to change society's perceptions.
• I craved more spoons. (And Caesar Salad.)
• I learned what a "meme" was and tried to recreate a few.
• I revealed that I refuse to grow up.
• I have asked for feedback. Seriously! I love comments!
• And finally I regretted, ignored, absorbed and appreciated.

What a great month it has been! I am so thankful for my readers tonight and ask that if I take a few days to myself you don't get too upset. The health ramblings shall continue soon. I promise. Stay tuned....

DAY 29: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 29 - Write about the unexpected blessings of your health conditions....

When I was little I used to fear getting sick. Colds or a 24 hour bug, I hated getting sick. The first time I really realized that you could have an "illness that stuck" around longer than the average two week cold was when my Aunt got breast cancer. I watched her fight for months and months and that's when it really clicked that someone can get really really sick. Fast forward to today all I see are shots, pills, IVs, tests and doctors appointments. I truly understand now.
This is one blessing that having chronic illnesses has taught me. Not everyone gets to be healthy all of the time. You take what you get and you make the best of it. It's not fair but it's life.
I try to abide by the motto "absorb, ignore, appreciate".
Absorb the information you need to know.
Ignore the downers that will ruin your positive attitude.
Appreciate what you do have instead of wishing for what you can't have.
Oh ya, and smile. Always smile.
:)

DAY 28: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 28 - Write about how you deal with mean comments or bullies.

I don't have a problem with mean comments on my blog as I don't get too many and they are always positive. Thank you to everyone that comments. And if you haven't, go ahead. I love feedback and ideas. It gives me a chance to read your blogs and get to know you as well. Go! Comment now!
;)

As for bullies or meanies in real life all you can really do is try to ignore them. Even if it's hard.
There will always be someone who THINKS that they are better than you or have more than you do or are more popular than you are. The thing is if you are happy in your life with your family, your friends, and who you are as a person no one can bring you down. So what if you are different? So what if you are sick? It's nobodys business but yours and your doctor's. And if someone thinks it's their business you can tell them to shove off because they were never really your friend or ally.
Other than that just smile. You never know when a smile will knock them down a few notches on the karma ladder. (And it feels pretty good too!)
:D

DAY 27: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 27 - "I bet you didn't know...."

....that I never ever in a million billion trillion years want to grow up. When I think about adulty things my heart beats fast and I go into panic attack mode. These things include (but are not limited to) big responsibilities, big decisions, anything that I can majorly screw up, mortgage payments, car payments, anything that requires large sums of money, having to remember something very important, going to college/university and having adult conversations.
Why do you think I work with kids? Their problems are most often solved with either a timeout, an ice pack or a kiss. When's the last time you paid your cable bill with a kiss? Or your gas bill by giving the CEO of the company a timeout in the corner?
The point being that if I had the choice I would stay little forever. In a heartbeat.
:)

DAY 26: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 26 - Make a chart/meme/poster and write about it.

These are the "memes" I came up with. Forgive my lack of writing. I have a lot on my plate tonight. If possible I will try to make up for it tomorrow.

DAY 25: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 25 - Write about what you want to happen to your blog/community when you die.

What a good question. What would I like to happen to my blog if something happened to me? I suppose it would sit in limbo until someone deleted it right? If I'm gone then there would be no one to write on it. There would be no one to moderate it.
My friend Aly's blog is still up. She hadn't written on it in some time because she had started another one that I recently found out about and am currently trying to read through. When you talk to someone they will almost always respond. They always have that option. There's just something about reading through someone's life when you know you are going to hit the end one day and that is all that they will ever write. You can't ask them any questions. you can't praise them on a beautifully written post. It fills you with dread.
But if I were gone I wouldn't want my reader to feel this way. I would want them to smile.

So I guess if I was to not wake up tomorrow morning I would like my blog to stay exactly like it is when I pass forever so that many people after me can share in my optimism and better their lives.

DAY 24: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 24 - "If I had more than 24 hours in a day...." (Or unlimited spoons or funds).

(and did not have to worry about health) I would....

• Go to England and perfect my accent.
• Go to Hawaii and lay in the sand.
• Go to California and see a taping of Ellen AND The Big Bang Theory.
• Go to Australia and swim with Nemo.
• Set up a charity for those less fortunate.
• Go back to school and become a doctor.
• Or go to acting school and become an actress.
• Write a book about optimism.

But the #1 thing that I would do?

• Eat salad everyday. (I miss caesar salad more than anything.)

DAY 23: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 23 - How to take time for myself.

Put simply, I knit.
A lot.
:)

DAY 22: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 22 - Write about change.

I'm going to cover all angles here...

a) "To cause to be different."
Crohn's has caused my life to become different. I have to plan now. My life can't be a whim. I don't like change; never have, never will. Why fix an already good thing. And when I'm forced to give into change that's usually when I end up sick. Pro-stayingthewayitis!

b) "To exchange or replace with another; usually of the same kind or category."
I would like to be able to change society's attitude towards chronic illnesses. Not just the ones about my illnesses but of all illnesses. I wish people who didn't understand didn't accuse. For some reason everyone who isn't schooled about your illness thinks it's your fault. "You must be eating the wrong thing", "Such and such I know has that and they started such and such a diet and now they're fine" or my favourite "If I can't see that you are sick then obviously you're not that sick".

c) "To give or receive the equivalent of (money) in lower denominations or in foreign currency."
I don't like the new Canadian $20, $50 and $100 bills. They stick together when counting, they melt in a hot car and they don't smell like maple syrup. I was promised currency that smells like my Saturday morning breakfast. I am thoroughly vexed.
>:\

DAY 21: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 21 - Advice for newly diagnosed patients....

Dearest new fellow Crohnie warrior,
I am going to give you a quick ten minute crash course on everything I wish a fellow Crohnie had told me when I was brand spankin' new to the CD game. In point form. Because who doesn't love point form when reading something quick?

• Don't underestimate what you were just told. Crohn's Disease can become very serious, very fast.
• Listen to your doctors. If you are very sick an this is why you have been lead to this diagnosis then they are just trying to keep you alive at this point.
• For goodness sake, take your meds.
• And take them when and how prescribed.
• Prednisone, while making you feel like Spider-Man AND The Hulk simultaneously and giving you emotions and cravings like a pregnant woman, will work wonders on your gastrointestinal symptoms.
• Coming down off of prednisone is horrible. The high fades; the symptoms return. You will most likely be put on a longer term drug by then. I promise it will suck in comparison.
• At this point you will hate your doctor.
• If/when this med doesn't work you may be put onto a biological drug like Remicade. Do it! It will change your life.
• Remicade will be a love/hate relationship.
• Go to the ER if you feel something is wrong. I went three times in a week and a half even after them insisting that I was fine. WRONG! I had an infection that would have been fatal if I didn't keep up on it.
• If it's not an emergency don't be afraid to "bug" or "annoy" your doctor. It's their job.
• Crohn's can happen anywhere from your gums to your bum. Other symptoms are likely. Tell your doc, it's probably related and fixable.
• Buy an iPod. Doctors offices are boring. And you're about to be visiting a lot of them. Or take up an easily portable hobby.
• You can choose to let CD define you, or you can say Hey! I have it. I have to deal with it everyday but it's just one aspect of me.
• Read "The Spoon Theory" ( http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory/ )
• Laugh. I promise this will do you good. I double pinky promise! :)

This will get you started. But I'll keep you updated as I experience them as well. Stay tuned!
:D

P.S. Oh ya! When your mouth swells up and your gums are inflamed eat freezies!

DAY 20: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 20 - "A health moment I regret is...."

Before I tell you I need to let you know about the events leading up to my one event that started the downward spiral that is my non-existent health.

I've always been sick. I had tubes in my ears at 10 months old because I was one solid ear infection from birth. I had strep throat more times than I can remember including 6 times in the winter of '99. It was my own personal Y2K. I always got stomach bugs. Always got colds. My immune system seems to have left in utero never to return. Until a mid-September day in 2002. I had got home from school and spent my usual 30 minutes in the bathroom. But when I was done I was greeted by something rather alarming in the toilet (here comes the gross bit). And there staring back at me was a whole lot of blood. I panicked and the very next day I made a doctor's appointment. When there he hummed and hawed about what to do. I had been complaining to him for years and years about some very vague symptoms; diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fatigue. But this was the last straw. He ordered a butt load(pun totally intended) of blood tests and decided to send me onto a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy. Well being 12 years old the sound of a person putting a tube up your arse sounded horribly painful and incredibly embarrassing. So I did the blood tests (rather begrudgingly as most 12 year olds hate needles. If only I had known the pokes to come!) and when the doctor never called to say that they contained anything terrible or life threatening I let the colonoscopy go unperformed.
This is my biggest health regret to date.
I wish I had followed up with a specialist appointment and a colonoscopy when I was 12. I'm sure I wouldn't be as sick or have suffered as much since then if I had. I would have felt better. I would have had a better quality of life. I would have done better in school. I wish this most of all. But that was then and this is now. And I am thankful for every breath I get to take as of being diagnosed two years ago.
:)

DAY 19: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 19 - Write about life and death.

"Death is for the dying...."
Unfortunately I have had too much experience with this concept recently. My best friend Aly committed suicide very suddenly on June 22nd. And I can't believe in three days it will be five months ago already. It seems like this morning that I was cheerily Facebooking her about camping and her upcoming birthday. The littlest thing can set off a memory of her. I think about her everyday.
Her death has also brought me closer to the realization that life is short. Delicate. Sometimes unlived. And with a chronic, potentially fatal if not taken care of disease (or two) you really appreciate everyday. I saw what her family had to go through and it nearly ripped me apart inside. It raised more questions than I can answer.
What would happen if I died tomorrow? I don't know. What would happen to my belongings? My car? I don't know. How would people remember me? As a good person? As a tragic, hopeless case of health disarray? I don't know. How would my family cope? I don't know. And what would happen to me?
This scares me most of all....

"Life is for the living...."
Life is beautiful. Life is amazing. Life is fragile. If you get a chance to live it. And I mean not just walking through the everyday like a mindless drone going to work, coming home from work, going to bed to work all day again tomorrow. But if you TRUELY live everyday to the fullest then you are making your life count for something. It can be the smallest things. Pick up a pinch of sand. How many grains are you holding? 100? 1,000? 1,000,000? And each of those little specks came from a bigger rock that has eroded hundreds and thousands of years ago. This sand could be older than your mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother's mother. If this doesn't blow your mind then you are not a full life liver.
Or a 1 year old baby taking his first steps. 365 days ago he wasn't even part of this world outside of his squishy little waterbed. And now he is just one step closer to having his own life, kids, career. It's all in the circle of life. Nants ingonyama bagithi baba! Sithi uhhmm ingonyama! Nants ingonyama bagithi baba! Ingonyama nengw' enamabala! Sorry, Lion King Circle of Life tangent....

But what I am getting at is if you are lucky enough to be given a life, as horrible or wonderful as it might be, it's still yours. Your loved ones that have passed will never get the chance. Aly will never get the chance. Somehow, in time, i have to try to be OK and make peace with that. So I will take the chance for her.
Today I choose to live!
:D

DAY 18: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 18 - "I want to change this about healthcare..."

After extensive thought both last night and all day today I've come to the realization that there's nothing I would change about the healthcare system in Canada.
I know a lot of people complain about wait times and doctor shortages but what they don't realize is that we have one of the best healthcare systems in the world.
For example, after a very quick google search I found that the average cost of a doctor's office visit can be anywhere from $50-$250 depending on where you live and the doctors rates. That's a lot of money! If you live in Canada, how much did you pay the last time you had to visit the family doctor? Nothing.
To put this in even more perspective here is an idea of what I would owe if I lived in the USA(and this is only the last 18 months)....

4 CT Scans: $4,971
2 MRIs: $5,516
3 Day Hospital Stay: $34,488

That's $44,975 before regular doctors visits, specialist visits, blood work tests which can cost up to $1,000 for specialized tests, drug costs....

This blows my mind! I can't even add all of the numbers up because it makes me physically ill to see what other people, some even sicker than me, have to go through just to see a doctor or just to get emergency care or medication or anything to help their bodies. It makes me sad.
It also makes me so happy and so thankful that I was born on Canadian soil and can reap the benefits of our free healthcare. As many problems as the Canadian government has I believe that free healthcare is one of the best things they have ever done.

And for that I am so proud, happy, exuberant, appreciative, glad, patriotic, excited, thankful.

DAY 17 - WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 17 - My strengths and weaknesses post.

My weaknesses....

• I procrastinate. Not on everything and never on important things. Just some things.
• I whine. I try not to. And I really try not to on this blog but somehow I still manage to do it.
• I hate to clean. But who does really?
• I'm addicted to Netflix. $8 a month people! Who can pass that up?
• I eat too much junk food. When eating fruits and veggies hurt it's easy to get caught up in the sugary carb goodness.
• I don't check the iron levels on food.
• Sometimes I do check the iron and eat it anyway.
• I have absolutely HORRID veins. IVs are a nightmare.
• I worry. Too much. And usually about the wrong things.
• I am bad under pressure to try and write lists.


My strengths....

• I have the ability to see the good in people when others can't.
• I'm really good at crafts.
• I can laugh. At everything. You have no idea how proud of this I am.
• I can eat pop tarts, mini Ritz crackers and muffins like a champ.
• I can eat blanched carrots, broccoli and cauliflower like a champ too.
• I love my family whole heartedly. I would do anything for them.
• I have a strong stomach. Always a plus.
• I am really good at making lists.

DAY 16: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 16 - Use a picture or video to inspire a post.


It may be a bit unorthodox to post a tutorial on a health post month but I don't care. It says a picture that inspires me and there is nothing more inspiring than Pinterest. And, actually, it does relate to my health in the fact that I felt so good one weekend that I had enough strength to build it.
Here is my inspirational picture....




http://www.trianglehoneymoon.com/2010/11/01/how-to-make-an-upholstered-headboard/
 

So I decided to make it for myself.

Materials:

• 50' x 40' 1/4 inch ply wood. (I was worried about getting the right size because I don't have a saw to cut it but the nice men at Home Hardware cut it for me. I had to buy a big piece but they cut it to the dimensions I wanted. I even got to keep the extra pieces which will come in handy later ;)  )
• 1.5 metres of fabric. (I sprung for upholstery fabric to make it look better.)
• 5 metres of batting. (You can do it with 3 but I wanted a more fuller look so I put an extra layer on. It was also on sale at Fabricland for only $3 a metre so that was a plus.)
• Staple gun.
• Staples.
• A few large buttons. (I used 5 that I had laying around in my button box. And it doesn't matter the colour because you are going to cover them later.)
• Needle.
• Thread.
• Hot glue gun.
• Glue.
• Scissors.
• Two Flush Mount Brackets. (I didn't end up using them because of the way the studs are in my wall but you may want to use them.)
• A few nails. (If you are going to stand it up like I did.)

 

 

 

 

Step 1: Lay the batting out on the floor in as many layers as you choose. I did three because the batting wasn't very thick. If yours is thicker you may need only one or two. And make sure you smooth them out very well so that your finished headboard doesn't have any bumps or lumps.

 

 

 

 

Step 2: Lay the plywood on top of the batting making sure you pull the batting taught underneath the wood and that you can see the batting around the edges of the wood.

 

 

 

 

Step 3: Trim the batting so that there is about three inches hanging out all around the plywood. Use the staple gun to staple the batting to the back of the ply wood. I cannot stress this enough, you need to pull tight before you staple and hold it tight while stapling to avoid buckles. I did the top, then bottom, then left, then right. It helps to keep it taught.

 

 

 

 

Step 4: Iron your fabric thoroughly.

 

 

Then employ steps 1-3 the same way to attach the fabric to the headboard. And you will be left with this....

And the front will look like this....

 

 

 

If you choose not to attach buttons then you can add the flush mount brackets or legs now. If not continue....

 

 

Step 5: Covering and attaching buttons. Get your button.

 

 

 

 

Step 6: Cut a circle of fabric about an inch bigger than the button.

 

 

 

 

Step 7: Thread needle around the outside of the fabric circle, place button in the middle, draw up edges around button and secure.

 

 

 

 

 



 







 



Voila! Finished button! Make 4 (or however many you are making) more....

 

 

 

 



Step 8: Measure out where you are going to put the buttons and place staples into the board under where your buttons are going to be placed.

 

 

 

 

Step 9: Use your hot glue gun to glue the covered buttons on top of the staples you just put in. And you're done! Just attach the flush mount brackets to the headboard and the wall according to the instructions and hang. Or nail your headboard to two pieces of wood and stand behind your bed frame. Once your bed is pushed up against it you can't even tell that it's on posts.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 10: If you have enough fabric left over make yourself a fancy matching pillow. Thank you again Pinterest!

 

 

 

 

Try it out for yourself!

:)





 

DAY 15 - WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 15 - Write what it's like for someone to travel with your condition.

When I think of this question I become verklempt with emotion. Let alone when I'm actually forced to actually pack. It makes me want to stay home. But here we go. What goes through my mind when packing to travel....

• Before I can even think of going I need to consider my Remicade schedule. If the trip is a long one will it be on a Remicade day/week? If so, no go. Will I need to take an airplane within one week after getting Remicade? If yes, then no. It's not worth the risk of getting stuck in a metal tube with meningitis, malaria or measles just waiting to infect my body when my system is on reboot.

• Am I already sick and am I leaving the country? If both are yes then I can't go. I just can't risk getting sicker in a different country where they a)Don't know or have access to my medical records, b)May have less than appropriate medical facilities capable of taking care of me if something is wrong or c)Not have a free healthcare system. I can't afford a $40,000 hospital bill.

•If everything appears to be OK with these things then I move onto the actual logistics of the trip. How am I traveling? Car? Train? Airplane? Boat? Hovercraft? Believe me, it matters. Do I need to go to the doctors and get any prescriptions refilled or any new ones made? Any "just in case" prescriptions? Any vaccinations?

•Packing for an airplane. I need to put all of my meds in my carry on so I know I have them in case of luggage delay or missing luggage. I need to check the airline's regulations for liquids, pills and powders as I have meds in all of these forms and getting through security is a potential nightmare. Also, I bring three times the amount of meds I'm going to need. You never know when a storm will blow in and you will be stranded.

•Packing for the car. All of the above rules apply except I can pack my meds in my suitcase. Less chance of losing your luggage when it's sitting in the backseat or trunk.

•The food at the destination. What will I be eating there? Will it upset my stomach? Should I bring my own food? Or at least my own snacks? All things to consider....

This is just what I can think of off the top of my head. It kind of makes me want to reconsider the trip me and my friend are going to take in April.

Naw....

DAY 14: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 14 - My life as a reality show.

So when planning my post it actually turned into more of a soap opera but anyway, here goes....


The rich head honcho of the town is played by my brain. Like the man who has so much money he runs the town my brain has full control over everything I do.
The rich head honcho's bratty son is played by Lil' Crohnsie Bit. Having a drug problem and throwing random temper tantrums are common problems between both.
The roles of the two beautiful women that the head honcho's son are currently both dating are played by none other than my eyes and mouth. One day Lil' Crohnsie Bit messes with one one day, and the other the next.

The part of the mysterious gangster that comes to town one day and throws the whole town on its head is played by my Hemachromatosis. It kind of just showed up out of nowhere and gave my brain a run for it's money.
The part of the other, younger stranger that shows up to town shortly after the first gangster and he turns out to be that gangster's son is played by my heart palpitations. There had to be a reason for them to be there all along! *GASP!*
And last but not least the random person that gets hit and killed by a stray gang fight bullet is my liver. With all of the iron in my body that sucker never had a chance....

Now on to the resident hunk that never seems to want to put on his shirt. This is played by my hip arthritis. And the girl that falls for the hunk is my knee arthritis. And of course their illegitimate love child is played by my ankle arthritis. But when the hunk has an affair with the town's other beauty this is like when the arthritis moves into my arms and hands.

The "futile at best" police force is the Remicade I receive every 6 weeks. It tries it's hardest to rein in the residents but with so many storylines going on at any given time they get lost as well.

Other citizens sometimes get pulled into the action (AKA iron levels, platelet levels).

What will happen next on "Days with My Body"? Tune in next week(or never because it's absolutely ridiculous) for the exciting conclusion!

Did anybody follow this?
XD

DAY 13: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 13 - Book report. What is your favourite book and how does it tie into your life?

For today's post I've decided to review my favourite Crohn's book.
I've been putting off writing a review for some time now. It's not because I don't like the book. In fact it's because I'm afraid I'm not going to do it justice. But I promised the author I'd write a review so here we go.
This book is called The Foul Bowel: 101 Ways to Survive and Thrive with Crohn's Disease and it is written by John Bradley.
I have read this book three times now since January and every time I read it I feel more like I'm reading my life story. Mr. Bradley also has Crohn's Disease and has had a rough go of it. From surgery to surgery you dive deeper into the life of a strong CD warrior. While he is regaling the reader with his story he is writing with an English wit and humour that could potentially wake up your mother AND your sister when you have a laughing fit at 1am so readers beware. He also gives 101 tips from hospital ward etiquette to everyday mental attitude enhancement to talking to doctors to get better health results. In amongst the ridiculously awesome writing there are some very creative drawings done by Rose Hutchings. These add to the majesticness of this book. And all of this from a (somewhat) local author. What could be better?
Here is one if my favourite quotes from The Foul Bowel....

"Firstly, it's most likely going to be for the rest of your life so, by definition, you cannot beat it - it will always be there. This then means that you should not try to live your life exactly as it was before you were ill. That life is gone now. But that doesn't mean you just give up and become a victim, because then you will lose control of the direction of your new life to the vagaries of your illness. It's about give and take. Sometimes you can live as you would have done before, but there are other times where you must give precedence to your illness." (Page 116).

This paragraph is very true. When you get diagnosed with a chronic illness it's hard to realize that you will never be able to make a life choice without considering everything that could go wrong with your health on any given day. And then there are days in which you feel so good you momentarily forget that you are different. Spot on!

My favourite tip has to be #78: You Have to Laugh. While sharing this tip Mr. Bradley isn't speaking of Crohn's per say (it's actually a hilarious little tangent about a fertility clinic parking lot incident. Very funny!) but I apply this tip in my everyday. Somehow if you find something to laugh at it makes the day easier to get through. Wether it be an Internet picture of a funny cat or laughing at a witty television comedy everyone needs to laugh.

The Foul Bowel is an incredibly well written book and it is easy to tell that a great deal of time has been spent on making it the best it could be. Thank you John Bradley for giving Crohn's patients and their families an excellent resource for advice, tips and even humour.
If you have any qualms about ordering this book let me just wipe them from your mind right now and tell you to order it. Right now! The link to the website is below. You can read the first three chapters there as well. And if you're lucky he might just send you a signed copy.
:)

www.foulbowel.com

DAY 12: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 12 - Call BS on something. What is something that is just ridiculous?


I thought long and hard about what I wanted to call BS on. And I came up with a few winners. But I just didn't feel the need to vent about any of those things. And if I don't feel I need to vent then I find I don't get a well written post that makes me happy when I read it back.
So my topic for today shall be "it's BS for women to shave their legs in the winter". I mean who are we kidding? Who really enjoys shaving their legs? Is it not one of the only things that suck about the summer time? Do we really want to have to deal with that all winter as well? And I don't know about y'all but it gets cold here in Canada and any extra layer of warmth helps in my opinion.
And while I'm on the topic of legs and warmth I want to call BS on not wearing socks in the winter. I don't care if you're warm blooded, have warm boots or are acclimatized to the cold weather. If you refuse to wear socks then your kid(s) do too. And then I end up looking in the playroom for half an hour for the very expensive socks he/she refuses to wear and you want back.
And while I'm on the topic of kids refusing to to wear articles of clothing; hats and mitts. Teach. Your. Children. To. Keep. Their. Hat. And. Mitts. On. From. The. Day. They. Are. Born! It makes my job a hell of a lot easier. Replacing articles of outdoor wear in the middle of -30 degrees Celsius weather a bunch of times causes me a great deal of grief. And if "you tried them on and it took you 10 minutes and a lot of wiggling to get them on him" then it's a fair bet that it's not good daycare wear.
The same goes for those fancy snow suits that they can't get on themselves or get dirty. Now that's BS.
Where are our fancy snow suits? Adult snow suits I mean. We have all of these cool snow suits for kids and they can't get them on while adults have crappy, boring snow suits that even a 2 year old could do. Oh, and I forgot to mention that they cost an appendage if you do manage to find something decent. BS. The only nice things women can get in winter are boots.
Which brings me to my next point. I was shopping with my little sister this weekend for new boots and I saw some clearance sandals. But (besides the fact that there was none in my size) I never would have tried a pair on anyway. And do you know why? Because I didn't shave my legs! I guess everything comes around full circle. I am hereby christening it the "Circle of BS".
I may revisit this topic at a later date. But for now, happy Monday!
:)

DAY 11: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 11 - Anatomy post. Re-label an anatomy picture with new names/descriptions for your body parts.

*YOU MAY NEED TO CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO MAKE IT BIGGER*

Worry Center: Otherwise known as "The Brain". This is where one's fears about what is happening or what could happen resides. Also a great source of memory loss.

Itchuli: Otherwise known as "The Oculi" or "eyes". These two little sources of worry cause me so much grief. They itch, they swell and they burn. More in the sun. Don't forget your sunglasses.

Ulcerated Cavity: Otherwise known as "The Oral Cavity" or "Mouth". A source of great pain for Crohn's Disease sufferers that get ulcers and sores in their mouths.

Weeze-in-airy: Otherwise known as "Pulmonary" or "Lungs". Where oxygen goes in and where oxygen goes out. When steroid puffers are involved. When not, good luck Asthma sufferers!

Palpitation Muscle: Otherwise known as "The Cardiac Muscle" or "Heart". Palpitations are one of the scariest things you can go through. It feels like your heart isn't beating for 10 seconds, then you get 3 hard beats. Repeat. For hours at a time. Usually at 2 or 3 am. Yay for Hemachromatosis!

Hepaironic: Otherwise known as "Hepatic" or "Liver". Another place for my body to store iron. Think of it as a hoarder's closet....

Lil Crohnsie Bit: Otherwise known as "The Terminal Ileum" or "The End of the Small Intestine". You all know this little guy and all the grief he causes me.

Pain in the Anus: Otherwise known as "The Anus". This one is self explanatory.... ;P

Sandtella: Otherwise known as "Patella" or "Knee". The feeling of having sand in your joints. Mostly in my knees. If I want a beach, I'll take a trip!

Swankle: Otherwise known as an "Ankle". A swollen ankle to be exact. Sometimes two. *SIGH*.........



DAY 10: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 10: LOL post. Write something funny or share something you found funny.

I took so long to type last night's post on my iPod that I actually had to go into my laptop and change the date on the post because it had moved over into today's date. So in leu of that happening again I'm just going to share a bunch of funny pictures that Pinterest has lead me to. They made me LOL, I hope they make you laugh too!

DAY 9: WEGO Health's National Blog Post Month

DAY 9 - Tell a descriptive story about a memory.


Saturday May 8th 2010....

I had just sat in the bathroom for another 20 minutes. It was the 12th time that day. How was there anything left in me? I hadn't eaten anything solid in almost a week. I was down 16 pounds from two weeks prior. I made my way the ten feet to my bed and collapsed in a heap beside my bed. I only had the sense of mind to grab my yellow plastic garbage bucket so I didn't vomit on the floor. It didn't matter anyway. Nothing had been coming out for two days.
When I could reopen my eyes I made my way to the stairs where I immediately had to sit down to avoid the spinning precipice that is the 14 steps to the floor below. I have no idea how long I sat there. I slowly inched my way down the stairs toddler style on my bottom with my head on my knees. As I reached the bottom my mother looked startled.
"You scared me. I didn't hear you coming down. Did you go down on your bum?" She asked as I made my way, now daring to walk to my chair.
I blacked out.
The next thing I knew my mom was shaking me but I was soon out again.
"What's her name?" Said a strange voice.
"Kylee." Said my mother.
"Hi Kylee." Said the strange voice again. "Kylee. I'm just going to attach some stickers to your chest and your legs. OK?" The voice pulled me up out of the fetal position while another set of hands attached the electrodes.
I have no idea what happened next as I was being walked(more like being carried) out my front door and down the concrete steps to a stretcher. I remember the air being cold but they wrapped me in blankets. They put me backwards in the ambulance. Could you be a little gentler people? I thought. The paramedic asked me if I needed a puke bag. I was very white and shaking. My heart rate was also through the roof. She informed me that it was right there if I needed it. I was asleep but awake. It's the strangest feeling.
I wondered if this was dying. I knew I wasn't dying, the sirens weren't on. I do vaguely remember seeing the trees pass quite quickly out of the back window. Faster than they do at 50 kms. per hour anyway.
We arrived and they took me into the ER. My mom followed 5 minutes later. She had to drop my little sister off at my grandparents house which was en route.
The nurse took my temperature, symptoms, all that jazz and I was in a bed within minutes. Maybe I was closer to my maker than I thought? Maybe not. On subsequent ER trips I have learned that if your heart rate is over that of a three hundred pound man eating a plate of french fries after pouring an entire shaker of salt of them, they rush you to the front of the line.
As it turns out I also had a slight fever. So I had to take three Tylenol. This was a feat. It took me an hour but I didn't throw any of them back up. And that's not easy when you're 3/4 of the way to dead. As it turns out will power trumps the grim reaper every time.
They took blood, stool and basically any other bodily fluids they could get me to excrete(which is harder than you think after being dehydrated for so long). And I had to keep drinking water and Pedialyte freezies(ick). I believe it was one cup of water and one or two freezies every 30 minutes or in the IV would go. You have to remember that this was pre-IV days and will power can trump needle wielding nurses as well.
Every test came back negative and they decided it had come down to a case of mildly severe dehydration from diarrhea. But what had caused the diarrhea in the first place they could not say. There was no infection or other obvious source of my symptoms. And so I was discharged as one of those unsolved but resolved cases.
Until August. That was a whole other ball game....