Last Day of Spring Break

Jessica was a little tired this morning, but she said, with it being the last day of spring break, she should be able to do what she wanted - which, of course, was going to see Mia. So, she and I went to the stables. She played on the ground with her, played at liberty, and then got on and rode a little. Mia did well, Jessica was happy, and got in her Mia time. And she drove "her" car out there. When we got home the guys were outside playing ball, and they went to the park to the basketball courts. The last hoorah of spring break.

But it wasn't long after we got home, that Jessica said she had a headache. So tonight, she's tired and just not feeling well, with a headache.

Tomorrow's the start of a new school day, but at least it's a 4 day week - with Friday being a teacher / parent conference day to plan for next year. Something for us to be thinking about...

Pile of Pills

Here's Jessica's daily pile of pills. At 15 years old - to be taking so much! Sometimes we've wondered if she needs it all. But then again, she was doing worse before she was on anything at all.

A year ago, she couldn't swallow pills. Yesterday was the first day that we didn't have to cut the bigger pills.

Saturday

When Jessica asked me this morning what we were going to do today and I told her "nothing," she said "good." When I'd ask her how she was feeling today, she shrugged her shoulders. She was tired. Actually she said she felt like she was "a little worn out" all day.

She did clean out the inside of my old Grand Am - what's probably going to be her car when she turns 16 this summer. The rest of the day was spent watching tv or just hanging out at home. She played Playstation with Matthew today or kept him company while he was playing, and we all congregated in her room (with Jessica laying on the floor curled up with her rabbit) laughing and watching Matthew beat the socks off Steve in a Playstation game of Star Wars.

Spring Break

Spring break week has gone by too fast! The kids and I had a pretty good staycation. It's just never long enough.

Monday was fishing.

Tuesday both of the kids had orthodontist appointments, and then we went to see the movie Race to Witch Mountain.

Wednesday Jessica wanted to take advantage of the fact that the rain had stopped, so we went to the tack shop and then to spend some time with Mia. Matthew and I played ball at the stables while Jessica was riding around. Jessica was somewhat tired. She held up ok, but it did seem to me that she was just sitting still on top of Mia (without riding) sometimes, as if just to use her as a place to rest. She got in her Mia-time; Matthew and played ball, and then he helped the stable owner chop some wood. So, it was a good day.

Thursday we went to Playtime Pizza to play. Jessica and I did one of the dance arcade games (similar to Dance Dance Revolution), and it was more of a workout than I thought it would be. The kids played some other arcade games until Jessica asked to sit down because her legs were tired and sore. We rested until time for our laser tag game to start - Matthew came in 2nd place, Jessica came in 5th, and I came in 11th out of 18 players. Then Jessica was tired and ready and asking to leave. It was a fun outing.

Friday was our do-nothing day. It was planned that way. Jessica said she just wanted to sit on the couch and watch tv. She was tired. She did play Playstation with Matthew, or at least kept him company while he was playing. It was just a lazy day. We ended the evening relaxing at home while watching the dvd movie Bolt.

Fishing

The kids and I had planned on going fishing during spring break. Today seemed to be the best day for it, as it might rain the rest of the week. Steve's in the middle of his busy season - tax season - so it's just me and the kids. I invited my dad, and he came along too. But, can you believe it, I actually baited my own hook (with a worm even!) for the first time ever!

Anyway, we took a picnic lunch and headed to the river about noon.

Around our house, our usual question is asked of Jessica daily - "How do you feel?" And this morning when I asked her, she said she was ok. I know I asked her more than once, because she didn't seem too perky and I could hear it in her voice, but she still said she was ok. Until we got safely to the park - then she admitted that she was a little tired.

The four of us fished, with only my dad getting a bite here or there but no one catching anything. Jessica gave up quicker than anyone, and laid on the picnic blanket and took a nap. It was a beautiful day - probably upper 70's and windy - and we actually got a little sunburned.

The kids and I went out to a catfish restaurant for dinner with my parents. After dinner, Jessica was tired, but it's been a fun day.

The Weekend

It was a pretty good weekend. Saturday, my parents, my brother, Jessica, Matthew and I went to watch the horses run at the horse races. A fun outing. When I asked Jessica how she was holding up while we were there, she said she was ok because she was just sitting.

Sunday, we met Steve's family for lunch. Then Jessica hung out with Mia (no riding at all) for a short while. And then she made it to the evening youth church service. She had a headache coming on when she got there, but it seemed to go away. We ended the evening watching Meet The Robinsons.

To Finish The Week Off

This week hasn't been too bad. Jessica may have been a little tired here and there, but she made it to all her classes and held up ok.

A part-time lady at work today asked me how Jessica's been doing, and when I told her that she was better, she asked if this was a temporary better or a permanent better. She said she asked because it seemed that she'd been "better" before, and then.... Right now, we're going to enjoy the fact that she's better.

Wednesday, she was tired that morning, but when I picked her up from school she was ready to go see her horse. It was a beautiful sunny 82 degree afternoon with no homework, so I took her. She played with her on the ground and then rode just a little. We weren't there long. She was tired that evening, but it was a happy tired.

Yesterday and today she's felt pretty good. After school today, she again asked to go see Mia. While I was cooking dinner, I drove her out to the stables. She said she just wanted to "chill" with her today - so nothing strenuous. Jessica just enjoyed being out there.

Today was the last day of school before spring break. I've been making a "fun" list for the kids and I for next week. On our list of possibilities are - pizza & arcades, movies, bonfire to roast hot dogs, picnic, fishing... Enjoy your spring break!

Happy Saint Patty's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Did you wear green? I actually forgot that it was even St. Patrick's Day until later in the morning.

The morning started off slow for Jessica this morning. She started out the morning saying she felt the same as yesterday - tired!

But she was better, and did ok through the day. She made it to school to both classes. She was having trouble focusing all day, so to make it through her homework, she dictated and I typed her vocabulary words. It made it easier to get through them. It was a beautiful afternoon, so we sat on the trampoline with her History book and the laptop.

We finished homework in time to end the evening relaxing in the living room in front of the tv and The Biggest Loser. Jessica's in a good mood tonight and seems to be feeling better.

Starting The Week Off

Jessica's not feeling too well today - really tired and a sore throat. But, she pushed on and made it to school. Maybe she's improved since a few months ago, but she still can't do too much, and this weekend's shopping trip was evidently too much.

She came home with a headache and not feeling well, and homework in both classes - Julius Caesar study questions (yuck!) and 50 History vocabulary words (that he again expects an essay on each word). So, here we are (again) with lots of homework and not feeling up to it.

I finally heard back on her 3rd class (Health) that should have started last Friday. They're working on getting the homebound teacher set up and we should hear something and start getting the work for that class by tomorrow.

The Weekend

Jessica and my mom went shopping Saturday for swimsuits and summer clothes. They were gone from 11:00 till dinner, when we met them with the rest of the family to celebrate my grandmother's 94th birthday. Jessica did pretty good all week and has seemed to have improved, so this will be a test to see how she fares after an afternoon of shopping. My mom told her that she better not miss any school or they wouldn't get to go together again. I don't really like shopping, but the two of them do, so I'm happy for my mom to take her if Jessica can hold up ok.

Sunday, Steve & Jessica went for a quick visit and short ride in the arena at the stables. (Mia did well.) And then we went to Steve's mom's for a late lunch. The rest of the day was spent at home. Jessica and Matthew spent most of it playing video games together.

Jessica's been in a good mood and feeling good. We'll see how she is tomorrow.

A Decent Week

So far it's been a decent week. Not normal, but decent. A little tired here and there, but so far, Jessica's made it through her whole school week.

She was sore and achey Monday. She's been somewhat tired Wednesday and Thursday, but made it to class and through both of her classes.

And just when I was thinking that I hadn't heard from her in the middle of the night in a while... Monday night and Wednesday night, she texted me at 11:30p.m. saying she couldn't sleep, so we broke back out the Tylenol PM. Then she slept in till 9:30 or so.

She isn't able to get up earlier, and she has another class (Health) to add to the mix starting tomorrow. (I just realized that the 4th 9 weeks starts tomorrow!-How did that get here so fast?!) Since she can't make it to a 9:40a.m. class, this one will need to be homebound. I had kind of hoped that she'd be up for a 3rd class at school this 9 weeks and then a 4th class starting in the fall.

Tonight Jessica's working on a sewing project - finally getting around to sewing her rug - a (homebound) project that we got her last summer - something fun to do without much exertion from the comfort of our home. The simple things are good!

Playing Catch Up

I haven't updated the blog, so it's time for me to play catch up...

This past weekend was a decent weekend... a quiet weekend. Friday night, I dropped Jessica off at Chili's for dinner with a friend - an easy quiet way to get in some friend time, which is much-needed and does good.

Saturday the kids went to Wal-Mart with me. While I was grocery shopping, they were looking through the garden center and the video department (so it wasn't as much walking around). Jessica then got to go see her horse. It turned out that Mia didn't cooperate, and Jessica came home stressed and frustrated. We finished the evening on the couch watching Prince Caspian.

Sunday was a quiet day at home with the initial adjustment to the time change. The kids worked on homework together. (They get along so well!) And then they had gotten this idea that they wanted to plant a garden this spring. I reminded Jessica that this would end up being one of her spoons, but it's what she wanted to do. So they started planning their spot in the yard and getting it ready by digging up a small square of dirt. Matthew did most of the work, but Jessica did do a little dirt moving. She went to bed sore.

School Days

I've been concerned about Jessica's credits at school and how this will pan out with the timing for graduation with her class. I emailed her counselor who has told me that they do not allow students to attend any summer school to take any class unless they have failed the class, and Virtual High School is not an option. As far as her credits go:

7.5 credits from 9th grade
1.0 credit for Algebra 2 last semester
2.5 credits for English, History, and Health this semester

It takes 12 credits to be classified as a Junior, but under these circumstances, her counselor will go ahead and classify her as a Junior.

If she gets 8 credits next year, that will make 19. It takes 17 credits to be classified as a Senior.
If she gets 8 credits her senior year, that will make 27... She just needs 26 to graduate.

We'll just take this one semester at a time....

Mid-Week

To catch up -
Wednesday - Jessica was in a good mood and doing fairly well, besides the fact that she she was having trouble focusing or concentrating. And that fact doesn't go along with a history test and homework very well, but she did ok on the history test. Part of the homework had to save for the next day.

Thursday - Jessica had a decent day up until the evening. She came home with quite a bit of homework, and when she was just starting it, she got one of those all-of-a-sudden one-sided headaches. She was a little tired too, and after dinner I could see that she really wasn't feeling well, so she laid down and slept for two hours.

The homework that had to be finished was finished, and she's ready for another day.

Doctor's Appointment

We met with Jessica's doctor over the phone tonight. I'll try to give the shortened version.

Regarding her B-12 shots, Jessica said she didn't think they were helping, so he said she didn't have to get the shot, but to find another form of B-12. There is a non-prescription B-12 patch or a form that dissolves under your tongue.

We went over her labwork that was done a few weeks ago:

• She’s not anemic. Her kidney function is normal. Salts, proteins, and liver are all normal.
• Her Pregnenolone was up and was good.
• It looks like her thyroid is on the right track now.
• Her CBC white count was still a little low but better.
• Her Cortisol was low, and something he wanted to work on, so he's increasing her Cortisol to 3 a day instead of 2 a day. Cortisol helps stress management, the immune system, allergies, pain & stiffness, and helps stabilize blood sugars. Blood sugar is still low and Cortisol levels are still low. Increasing her Cortisol should help the blood sugar issue, as well as the appetite.
• Her cholesterol is still low, which most people would think is good, but it can be too low. Things to consider - Are you absorbing your food or are you eating enough? If you don’t eat enough then you don’t get enough nutrition. Jessica says she’s not eating much because she gets full too early. The doctor encouraged her to eat more. She may not be getting enough nutrients to make all the chemicals her body needs to run on. All your hormones are made from cholesterol, so if you have low cholesterol then you may not have enough to make your hormones with. The body can get in trouble if it doesn’t have enough stuff to run on.
• Her DHEA was a little on the low side but at her age, he doesn't want to mess with it. It's raised since the June labwork, so we are making progress.
• Aldosterone (re: OI) was just a tiny bit better, but her dizziness is better, so he's leaving that alone.

He said we could back down on her anti-viral dosage, which I'm taking as a good sign!

Regarding her headaches on the right side of her head, he is going to send a prescription for something to take for the pain. He mentioned that headaches can be caused by a hormone fluctuation. If the headaches end up being a long-term problem, then we can look at a preventative.

He also said it appears that we're doing the right things. Depending on how she’s doing, the next appointment will be in 2-3 months.

So, we keep on keeping on, and keep hoping for further improvement.

Weekend Recovery

Jessica was really tired today with a sore throat. She made it out of bed to grab breakfast and for a couple of trips to the bathroom. Otherwise, her meals have been brought up to her and she's stayed in bed all day, obviously missing both of her classes. She went back to sleep this morning and slept till 1:00, and was tired this afternoon and wanted to sleep more but couldn't. Matthew and I have been camped out in her room with her keeping her company tonight. As she perked up some, she wanted to play Playstation with him but "didn't want to move" so he brought the console in her room, and they're playing from the comfort of her bed now.

Evidently the weekend (slumber party) was too much, but she said it was worth it. There are some that believe she needs to prioritize and not do as much, so that she wouldn't have missed a day of school. Knowing that she doesn't get much "fun" time, I believe the occasional fun times, even if it's a little too much, are ok. Aren't they?

We got her lab work in the mail today, and I'll save my thoughts on that until after tomorrow's doctor's (telephone) appointment.