Friday 1/30/09

Lots better today! Jessica made it through a past due orthodontist appointment and both of her classes!

And she seems ready to jump into the weekend. While she's being a teenager and weighing her weekend options (helping decorate with the youth group, going shopping with a friend, riding Mia, at least riding Mia...), I'm thinking this weekend would be a good weekend to lay low. Less weekend would mean more school week next week. There's got to be a balance somewhere to setting the much needed limits without interfering in too much of her fun. (I know it doesn't seem fair.) We're still figuring that one out - how to pace. I'm sure we'll go see Mia this weekend, but a shorter visit. And we have tickets to see a horse show (requested by Jessica of course) that should be very entertaining for all.

In the meantime... She's so much better today, and we're so glad for that!

Thursday 1/29/09

Jessica was tired today. She woke me up in the middle of the night saying she couldn't sleep and had a sore throat.

But she still tried to get ready for school, not wanting to miss another day, but not knowing if she would be able to make it or not. She made it to her first class. And then, as soon as the next one was starting, she texted me - "Come get me." She missed her second and last class of the day, and came home to nap the rest of the afternoon.

But tonight, she seems to be feeling better. I think we're getting through this virus/crash!

Wednesday 1/28/09

Jessica was still coughing today, but she's mainly really tired - and exhausted. Today was another day of spending all day in bed, and having all her meals brought up to her to eat in bed. She took a nice log nap this afternoon. While Steve is working late tonight, Matthew and I are piled up on her bed to keep her company.

Here's hoping that she's up to going back to school tomorrow.

Tuesday 1/27/09

Jessica stayed in bed all day - tired, coughing, etc. She missed her second day of school this week. She did manage to get her homework done, and has seemed perkier than yesterday. Hopefully, tomorrow will be even better.

Our ice/snow day that we were looking for last night, turned into mostly rain today. We're waiting to see what tonight brings, and the kids are hoping for a snow day tomorrow.

Monday 1/26/09

Jessica wasn't feeling good at all today. Her throat hurt "really really bad" and she couldn't stop coughing. She laid in bed all morning until her doctor's appointment. The doctor said, listening to her, she sounded like pnuemonia, but he took x-rays and didn't see any, so he's treating her for bronchitis. She took a 2-1/2 hour nap this afternoon, and is now doing some reading homework.

And we're waiting to see if we get ice tonight.

Sunday 1/25/09

Jessica hasn't felt very good at all today - sore throat, headache, really tired, still coughing, and just not feeling well. She's napped and laid around all day. She hasn't felt like getting her reading homework done - can't think and just too tired. She's gone to bed early.

The Week in Review

Jessica had a decent week. By Wednesday, she was tired, but still made it through her school day. But Thursday, she was really tired, didn't feel well, and felt like she was catching a cold. She missed school that day and stayed in bed or on the couch for most of the day. But Friday was ok to go to school and then a movie after school with a friend.

Today, Saturday, we went to the stables to work with and ride Mia. My niece went with us to give us some training tips (to try to avoid another fall). We were there for a couple of hours. She had a good ride, and Mia did well.

Tonight Jessica doesn't feel too good - tired, and has a cough that hurts in her chest. It seems that every now and then she gets cold symptoms that may not pan out to be a real cold. Why is that? Is it part of CFS? EBV? Or does it have anything to do with the micoplasma pneumoniae that she tested positive for in her last lab tests?

We're being couch potatoes tonight, watching the Miss America contest and rooting for Miss Arkansas.

Monday 1/19/09

Jessica seems to have made it through her big weekend with the youth group really well, and she's still wanting to go see Mia (our horse) today. There seems to be some good hope there in the fact that she handled all of that so well.

She did rest for most of the day today, and then we went for a very short visit at the stables.

The Weekend

The youth group at church was having a full weekend event where they were spending the night at different people's houses and having group time, worship, a carnival, a bonfire, pizza/arcade/lazer tag/etc., etc. We let Jessica go. She was supposed to call when she'd had enough to come home to rest, but she made it through the whole weekend! During the carnival, she and a friend sat it out inside the church, so she did take it easy when she needed to. She thought about calling several times, but didn't. While out for pizza, a friend asked her if she was ok, saying she looked like she was going to pass out. And, when tired, her lifegroup leader encouraged her to hold out till the end. She did call to say she wanted to stay, and had an awesome time. I'm glad - glad she held out. She needed the fun and the time with the girls.

The kids have a three day weekend this weekend (Martin Luther King Day on Monday), so she can rest up tomorrow.

Thursday 1/15/09

Jessica didn't feel well this morning. She was really tired, and her whole body aches, especially her back. I know her back is from being bucked off the horse yesterday, but I don't know if all of the body aches are to be attributed to the fall or CFS.

She made it to her first class, English, and while they were listening to the recorded reading of the book 1984, Jessica said she fell asleep with her head in her hands. I doubt that it was for long, and she doesn't think the teacher noticed. I had already planned to pick her up after English. So, she missed her 2nd class, and came home and slept for an hour and a half. After yesterday, she needed that nap to recuperate.

Wednesday 1/14/09

After Jessica turned her alarm off this morning and I turned it back on and tried to wake her again, then Steve went up for his turn to try to get her up and found her sitting up on the side of the bed. Success! She made it up at 6:30a.m. or so, and to her 8:00 standardized Algebra 2 test.

As it turned out, they put all four or five of the 504 Plan students in a room together. The test was a 3 hour test lasting until 11:00, but when she came out at 11:20, she said she still had 8 problems and they were all told to come back after lunch to finish. That is one of her provisions in the 504 Plan - that she's allowed double time on tests if needed. I was glad they remembered and allowed the extra time.

She then went to her other two classes, and made it through the day. A full school day! The first one since last spring. Her last class of the day, History, did have a substitute that said they weren't going to do anything, so Jessica finished her other homework and took a nap in class. I'm sure that little nap helped her make it through her big day too. Thanks to the subsitute!

So, that horseback ride that was put off on Monday became her victory ride today. In celebration of finishing Algebra 2 and the standardized End of Course test, I took her to the stables. She was still feeling good enough. Unfortunately that victory ride turned into a tumble, as Mia (our horse) bucked Jessica off and flat on her back. I don't know enough about horses, but the stable owner suggested that it's because she doesn't get enough playtime with us or worked enough. So, Jessica and Mia ended up getting about a 45 minute lesson out of the deal, which ended in a calm ride around the arena.

It was a full day, and we were so thankful that Jessica was feeling well enough to handle it all. It's a relief to have it behind her.

Tuesday 1/13/09

Jessica went to her 2 afternoon classes today, and sent me a text message between classes saying "I'm tired." Unfortunately I saw the message too late, so she made it through the rest of the school day.

Tonight, she took her online Algebra 2 semester exam, making a 94%! She's finished the course! It started on 10/9/08 with a couple of weeks off during her tonsillectomy, so it's been a crash course. And it's finally over!

Tomorrow is the standardized 3 hour End of Course test that starts at 8:00a.m. It's a required test, and the school didn't accept our request for provisions for later in the day. It will be a full day for her, but she will be happy to have it behind her. We're hoping we can even wake her up that early. So, it's early to bed...

Monday 1/12/09

Jessica woke up slow, hitting the snooze alarm over and over, but then did ok through the day. Through both classes at school, finishing her homework before she got home. It would've been nice to have gone horseback riding after school, but we have to pace. At home she studied some more Algebra - for her upcoming semester exam and standardized 3 hour test - all this week. It's a hard week; it's been a rough course with a lot of hours put into it to get it done, but it's almost over. She's tired of Algebra.

It would be nice to be a normal healthy teenager. Today was an emotional day...

Thursday 1/8/08

Jessica went to school at 11:00a.m. to go to an Algebra End of Course review. When I picked her up 30 minutes later for lunch and to drive her across campus to her first class of the day, she asked to be picked up after that class. She was tired today. She missed her first class of the semester, but luckily it's U.S. History and one that she could stand to miss. She came home (with her legs hurting), went to bed, and slept soundly for 2 hours. She's dragging still, but has English homework - a short story to write.

Wednesday 1/7/09

Jessica is still working on her online Algebra 2 course in the mornings with my dad. Since she sleeps in later, my dad gets there at 9:30 or 10:00, so that doesn't give them long to work. They're on the last chapter, but being the online course that it is, it takes longer to get through it. Without pushing too hard, it could probably take them another week and a half to finish. But we came across a stumbling block today (or 2 or 3). While talking with Jessica's school counselor, she said Jessica had to finish her class before she can take the national standardized End of Course (EOC) test next week on the 15th. If she hasn't finished, she'll have to take the next one in May. We, of course, would prefer it now while it's fresher on her mind. So, morning-evening-Saturday-Sunday-every chance there is, she'll be doing Algebra 2. And, she will finish it and take the EOC next Thursday.

The EOC test is during first and second block next Thursday, which means it starts at 8:00a.m. and lasts during 2 90 minute sessions. That's going to be tough! Jessica usually cannot be woken up at all that early in the morning. And also, that's going to be a long day.

I got an email from Jessica's English teacher today. Steve and I made the decision earlier in the school year to take Jessica out of pre-ap (advanced placement) classes to lighten her workload and help her get through this. Her English teacher emailed saying she understood that decision, but was afraid Jessica will be bored in her class. I contacted her school counselor who advised to leave it as is this semester, and couldn't find a pre-ap class open in the afternoon anyway. These decisions are so hard!

Jessica was somewhat tired today, but worked on Algebra 2 in the morning and then again in the evening (via phone call) with my dad, getting through 2 more quizzes.

Tuesday 1/6/09

One year ago today is when Jessica got sick. That was on the last Sunday of the Christmas holidays before school started back. She just didn't feel good. Later that week we found out she had mono. A few weeks later we found out it was EBV. And a few months later we got the diagnosis of CFS. It's been a year - a long year. But we give thanks to friends who gave support, encouragement, information and advice or a shoulder to cry on, thanks to parents that helped more than anything and were always there, and thanks to doctors doing what they can to guide us and help build up her health. We've learned and grown, and most importantly we've seen a lot of improvement since last spring. And Jessica has been a trooper through it all! We look forward to more improvement and better health.

Today was day two at school. Jessica was a little tired and her back was hurting when I picked her up from school. We started her B-12 shots this afternoon and hoping that will help some. No homework yet, so she could relax for the rest of the evening.

First Day Back

Today was Jessica's first day (in months) back to school, and it didn't go as well as we'd hoped for. She woke up sick at her stomach, and we didn't know if she'd make it to class or not. We left for class right before noon (with icicles hanging from the trees). When I picked her up at 3:00, after both of her classes, she asked to be taken home before I picked up the boys, because she still wasn't feeling well, and with a headache too. She also said she felt like she was about to pass out while walking across campus to her second class - with very little time to get there. Hopefully if it had been a day when she feeling better, that walk wouldn't be as bad. She's a little tired tonight, but holding up ok.

School Starts Tomorrow!

Jessica starts back to school tomorrow - going just to the afternoon classes. Her 2 classes are across campus from one another, so she will have a ways to walk.

We're hoping for the best and praying it goes much better this semester.

The Weekend

Jessica was feeling "much better" from her cold symptoms by Saturday evening. She worked on Algebra 2 most all weekend.

Friday 1/2/09

Jessica has a full blown cold and didn't feel well at all today, with ears and throat hurting, so I took her to the doctor. We saw the nurse practitioner who said there was fluid on her ears but not infected yet and that her throat looked bad. We're relaxing in front of the tv tonight, and hoping she'll feel better quickly.

She and my dad did a little Algebra today, but not as much, since she wasn't feeling well. They probably have a week and a half's worth left, and school starts Monday.

A New Year

Jessica wanted to go riding today. I knew that she wouldn't have another chance soon since she's planning to have her nose to the grindstone working diligently on Algebra for the next 3 days trying to get through with as much as possible before the new semester starts on Monday. So, she and Steve went out to the stables. She worked on what her instructor had gone over with her earlier in the week, and she rode around in the pasture across the road. She rode until she was tired and told Steve that she had had enough and was ready to go.

Steve suggested dinner out again tonight to my favorite restuarant, but the timing wasn't good. We had a quiet evening at home eating our ham and black-eyed peas and then finished playing our game of Electronic Monopoly.

Jessica seems to be coming down with a cold, and by evening she was "feeling horrible." She's gone to bed early.

It's the first day of 2009. A clean slate. A fresh start. We're looking ahead instead of looking behind. It's a new year with new possibilites and new hope. May 2009 be a good year! Happy New Year!