John, John, and John

I love this photo taken about fifteen years ago. 

A few days ago, reader Sheila asked what John does for a living. I thought to myself, surely I've blogged about that in the past, haven't I? then realized that actually I haven't.

Well. Time to set the record straight.

My hubs has an MBA and undergrad degrees in business, computer science, and economics. He has worked in the computer/software/tech industry ever since 1980. We met when he was in his fifth year of college and I was working in my first job as an RN.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Ahhhh.

He's a keeper.

I suppose I should clarify that there are THREE Johns around here. One is my son-in-law. The other two Johns are a daddy/son duo with the same first and last name. This gets a bit confusing but we manage.

When I put up links to all of our Christmas light shows, they are actually the work of SON John; although the hubs has contributed a huge chunk of time and resources and the lights hang off of our house, Son is the creative and technical genius responsible for it all. Son has followed his dad's excellent example in education and work experience.

I guess you could say that our holiday light extravaganzas are an example of a darned good father/son hobby gone wild.

I'm one lucky gal.

Five! Four! Three! Two!.....

With New Year's Eve fast approaching, want to share your plans for the evening?

Me? Probably will NOT be awake when the clock strikes midnight. We might watch the Times Square celebration on TV since it happens waaaaayyy over in New York and thus three whole hours earlier for us west coast folks. I love seeing that sparkly ball drop.

Until I watched this Mental Floss video, I did not know that lots of things that aren't sparkly balls get dropped all around the United States.

That's The Way The Christmas Cookie Crumbles

.::munch munch munch::.

*sluuuuurrrrrrp*

I'm enjoying our coffee klatch over here.

I feel completely wiped out by the holidays and hearing about everyone else experiencing the same thing.....Well, instead of making me feel even more crabby, it makes me feel better. Strangely comforted. Not because others are in the same exhausted/foggy/cookie-bloated boat that I'm paddling away in.

No, when I sit with my elbows on the kitchen table drinking coffee and reading all of the comments from my posse of sjoggies; hearing about everyone's ongoing battle with their autoimmune bodies, I am oddly comforted in the knowledge that I'm not alone. I find myself nodding my head in agreement and understanding as the stories unfold.

Pass me another sugar cookie. The flamingo one with the pink frosting. Yeahhhh.....

Tell Me Everything

Let's use my Christmas cups before I pack them away till next year. 

I've been blabbing on and on and on about myself for ages. I think all of the chocolate that I've been snarfing has made me far too narcissistic. But I think I'm finally emerging from this sugar daze and I miss hearing from all of my sjoggie friends. Want to join me for a cup of coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? You do? Oh, good.

Well, then. C'mon in! Don't mind the clutter around here. Pull up a chair. Pour yourself a cuppa.

So. How are y'all? Did you survive the holidays? How are you feeling? And I don't want to hear you say, "I'm just fine." Guys. You can't fool me. Really. What's that sjoggie body of yours up to these days?

I want to hear everything, so pass me the coffee pot and start talking.  

It Ain't Over Till The Cookies Are Gone

Yes. Christmas is indeed now two days past. However, around our house, we stretch things out as long as possible. One event in particular that keeps on going is our light show. We'll run it through New Year's Eve, but once 2014 arrives, THEN it's over.

Except if there's still fudge around. Christmas is over once the fudge is gone.

Check out this video of two of this year's songs. My son made the recording on a very foggy night so the lights look kind of cool, I think.

2013 All I want for Christmas Is You from John Oleinik on Vimeo.

2013 - 12 Days of Christmas from John Oleinik on Vimeo.

Let's Play!

Christmas presents. Little boys. Toys. Family. Nothing better..

Everyone deserves a toy at Christmas.

Blessings

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Each and every one of you are a real gift to me. I can't thank you all enough for your generosity of spirit, experience, and empathy.

We are enjoying the season here at my house. The presents are wrapped, cookies frosted, and the infamous light show up and running. Here's a video of one of the songs in last year's show; I haven't had a chance to video this years', but this song is currently playing in our 2013 lineup.

Enjoy.

Curse of the Ice Queen - 2012 from John Oleinik on Vimeo.

Holiday Treats

Ahhh. Such fun to bring out the cookie and candy recipes this time of year. I am always on the lookout for new and interesting confections to add to our Christmas repertoire.

Head over to Chronically Creative to find a tempting recipe for candy cane truffles, an intriguing combination of cream cheese and milk chocolate rolled in crushed peppermint candies. I haven't had a chance to try them yet but certainly will soon, especially after viewing her beautiful photograph:

What's your favorite holiday goodie? Want to share your pictures and recipes?

Do the Dizzy Dance

Last Thursday, as I was clutching my mattress for dear life certain that the world had gone spinning out of control, Terese was calmly sitting next to me trying to help me figure out what the heck was going on.

It didn't take long to find out. Thank goodness for cell phones sitting on bedside tables and advice nurses and friends who also have weirdo inner ear vestibules.

I related my adventures the next day to my friend Naomi, who was indignant that I didn't call her as well so she could have joined the party.

Oh, right. I said. Sure! It was a real hoot. I'm glad you guys think vertigo is so entertaining..

Naomi chuckled.

So yesterday while we were eating lunch at a restaurant, I shared the story with Daughter #1, who thought that the idea of me feeling like a spinning record on a turntable while my friends partied was a hilarious image. So she quickly sketched us on the paper placemat. Even added Lulu.

Party on, dudettes.

Here Comes Santa Claws

Gosh, it's been a couple years now since we've had a kitty cat around during the holidays. Awwww.

That's a Wrap!

Honey, did you get all of the gifts wrapped?

Sure did!

Brilliant! Let the Christmas festivities commence! 

Just Call Me Dizzy

*ring ring ring ring ring ring*

Hello?

Terese. You know how we were supposed to have lunch today?

Yes......what's up?

Well, I've been trying to get out of bed for two hours now and it's not working. I don't think I will be able to do lunch.

WHAT?

I....I'm so dizzy that I can't hardly even turn my head to the side much less get out of bed.

Let me drop something off at work and I will be right over.

Are you in the car?

Yep. Almost there. I'll text you when I get to the house.

*click*

This is how my day began yesterday.

Seriously.

I had gone to bed the night before feeling fine. I got up once during the night and was able to motor around without issues, but on awakening tried to roll over in bed and felt as though the world's axis had shifted. Whoa, Nellie! I did not know that the universe could spin in all different directions at once.

Is that just bizarre, or what? Turns out it's likely that I have this weirdo inner ear thing: benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Here's all the nauseatingly accurate details of this condition from the Mayo Clinic website:

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common causes of vertigo — the sudden sensation that you're spinning or that the inside of your head is spinning. 

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is characterized by brief episodes of mild to intense dizziness. Symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo are triggered by specific changes in the position of your head, such as tipping your head up or down, and by lying down, turning over or sitting up in bed. You may also feel out of balance when standing or walking.

Yep. That's it in a nutshell, all right. I had my suspicions that I was experiencing this and a call to the advice nurse at my clinic confirmed them. I blabbed away to the nurse with Terese perched on the edge of the bed, who had arrived in an amazingly quick period of time.

I have to commend Terese for not laughing at my predicament.

Well, not too much anyway. She would have had plenty to laugh at because I was not kidding: I had been trying to get upright for two hours and it wasn't pretty. Bed head. Jammies. I'll spare y'all the rest of the details.

Actually she was incredibly sympathetic since she knows firsthand how this all feels. Right, T? Remember the time on the plane and....oh, wait. Even thinking about it makes me feel barfy....

Lulu found the whole thing upsetting. She could sense that I wasn't acting normally and tried to get as close to me as she possibly could. She didn't want to let Terese come upstairs, either, and jumped off the bed to plant herself at the bottom of the stairs while barking madly.

Just like Gandalf. 

She's still keeping an eye on me. 

The timing on this escapade is not good, what with the holidays fast approaching, but there's not much I can do about it all except lay low, take my meclizine, and follow up with my doctor as advised.

D#2 has had this diagnosis for a couple of years now, poor baby. Girlfriend -- I felt badly for you when you went through it all but, dang. You were right when you said this stuff wasn't fun. 

SSF The Moisture Seekers: Thirteen Types of Fatigue

The latest issue of The Moisture Seekers newsletter's cover is graced with what probably is the best article I've read in a very, very long time. It's entitled "Thirteen Types of Fatigue", and was written by Terri Rumph, PhD.

It is a revision of an essay written by Dr. Rumph ten years ago. Here's an excerpt but by all means, head over to the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation website to read the article in it's entirety. I don't believe that I have ever read a better definition of this, the most life-changing aspect of our disease: fatigue.

"How are you?"I asked a friend who has Sjogren's. "Tired," she said, "how are you?" "Tired," I replied, knowing we understood each other. We were talking about a special brand of fatigue. Later that day, a friend who did not have Sjogren's asked me the same question. "How are you?' she said. "Fine," I responded, thinking it was the simpler way to answer a basically rhetorical question. 

She goes on to identify thirteen different flavors of fatigue:

• Basic fatigue
• Rebound fatigue
• Sudden fatigue
• Weather related fatigue
• Molten lead phenomenon 
• Tired-wired
• Flare-related fatigue
• Fatigue induced by other physical conditions
• Fatigue that impairs concentration
• Stress, distress, anxiety or depression
• Fatigue that comes from not sleeping well
• Fatigue that comes with normal aging
• Chronic illness fatigue

Dr. Rumph is the co-author of The Sjogren's Syndrome Survival Guide with Katherine Moreland Hammitt, which can be purchased from the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation's website, here.

A Christmas Computer Miracle

Oh, brother. Ever since I've begun writing Reasonably Well, I've been using a MacBook pro. It's been a trusty old guy and I had that thing loaded up with all sorts of really great software like Photoshop and Illustrator. John has been pretty good about backing up all of the photos that I have crammed into iPhoto on there but hasn't for the past few months. Including Thanksgiving.

So why should anyone care about my hardware?

Because......

This is the offending glass. Refilled to demonstrate the ridiculous amount of water. 

Um. Last night, I dumped an enormous glass-ful of ice water directly onto the poor laptop's keyboard. Yeah.

Excuse me while I go facepalm myself and thud my head against the nearest wall.

*whap whap whap*

OK. I'm back.

Funny how the whole mea culpa exercise really didn't make me feel all that much better, especially as I looked over at the poor thing sitting in a bag of rice (my techno-savvy son told me to do that until I could race down to the Apple store as soon as it opened in the morning). It looked so pathetic. And rice-y. It looked more like a side dish than a useful electronic gadget. Dang. We've been through so much, this lappy and I.

I was hoping that if I kept talking to it, it would find the courage to survive this drippy tragedy: C'mon Mac. Hang in there, big guy. Julia will get you to a computer doctor ASAP.

UPDATE:

Guys! I can scarcely believe this having seen and heard this computer go *poof* as half a gallon of water was splashed onto it -- but the Apple wizards tell me that this laptop is just fine. All they had to do was to re-boot it manually (whatever the heck that means). Apple Wizard Guy told me that the overnight rice maneuver saved good old Mac's bacon.

Presto. Good as new. It's a MIRACLE!

No, it's a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!

NO! IT'S A COMPUTER CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!

.::sniff::. I just love happy endings.

It lives!!!

Analyze My Ornaments

As I was looking at my Christmas tree today while I sipped my morning coffee, something occurred to me.

I noticed a high ratio of pink birds to traditional red and white ornaments on my tree. Well, now.

And one poorly behaved Schnauzer.

I also noted that said ornaments were all gifted to me by various individuals.

Hm. What does it all MEAN?

Sjoggie Survival During the Holidays

Don't stress, Frodo. Christmas is fun. 

Thanks to Sjogren's Forum for tweeting this timely link to the Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation's Holidays Survival Patient Education Sheet Collection.

Included in the collection are:

Airline Travel Tips
Sjögren's Identification and Information Card
Anti-Inflammatory Diet
Brain Fog
Brittle Nails Tips
Chronic Pain Tips
Dry Nose and Sinuses
Dry Skin
Fatigue Fighters
Sex and Sjögren's
Sleep Tips

Head over there learn more about caring for yourself during the holidays!

Do you have any additional tips and strategies for surviving this busy season? Share!

Don't Be Looking For My Dyson

You won't find it in my coat closet anymore..

Since today is Sunday, what with it being a day of spiritual reflection and all, I've decided that I should probably come clean about something. So to speak.....

Over the last six weeks or so, I've done a fair amount of blabbing about how far I've come in my ability to ask for and accept help. I've put up blog posts and pictures of my friends helping me to clean and organize around the house, and I sat on my big old duff while others dusted around me (Seriously. I did.) and scrubbed my floors and made beds. And as a result of all that activity by others and in spite of my IN-activity, we've had several impressive and delightful Thanksgiving and holiday parties at my house.

I am sincerely grateful to everyone for this, really I am.

But I have to be honest. I am never going to celebrate the holidays this way ever again. Because if I have to ask my friends and family to provide slave labor just so that I can have a good time......I've decided that the price is just too high to justify.

I know. I know. I SAID that I was learning to accept the fact that I need help and that unless something changes drastically with my health, that in order to throw holiday bashes with tons of food and the house filled to overflowing with family and friends, I just simply can't do everything anymore.

I did say that repeatedly. And at the first pantry-cleaning incident, I really truly was OK with accepting help. But as the weeks went by and the help began to include things like scrubbing my floors and cleaning my bathrooms......I began to get pretty uncomfortable with the whole concept.

I think somewhere around the time that my friend's husband spend a couple hours vacuuming was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Let me say here that my friends and family really did not mind doing all these chores and told me so repeatedly. The tasks were completed with lots of good natured laughing and joshing around.

But I minded more than I would ever have thought and I resolved that even though I was incredibly grateful for everyone's efforts.......that this just simply couldn't be an ongoing event here at my house, "this" meaning cracking the whip over my loved ones in order that some of my pre-conceived notions of holiday celebrations could come to reality. At least not to this extent. Sigh. I'm a ridiculously stubborn person sometimes. Something just has to give.

We're going to kick back and just relax for Christmas. We'll still have fun and family, but gee. We're going to be using paper plates. And I'm going to actually BUY some of the treats that I usually make, or even forgo some of them altogether. I'm going to become re-acquinted with the housecleaning company that I used to employ.

And I'm hiding the vacuum cleaner from my guests.

I'm Sketchy

I think that all of the gingerbread, sugar cookies, and general holiday stuff swirling around my house constantly has addled my brain. Even more than it usually is.

Which makes it difficult for me to concentrate on anything except how many presents I have to wrap and how long I can hold out before making my favorite fudge recipe.

 Fudge...........Mmmmmmmm.......

.::blink::.

OK. I'm back.

What I'm trying very ineffectually to say here is that it just isn't possible for me to write a serious Sjogren's post today.

Not going to happen, people.

Instead, I've decided that it's high time that I updated that squiggly sketch of myself on the sidebar.

 I did this for two reasons: one -- I no longer have glasses (thank you cataract surgeon!), and two: my hair is finally changing from a bristly grey curly mop to a LONGER bristly grey kind-of-curly mop.

It was pretty easy to do. Here it is:

Yeah. I drew myself with cookie-chubby cheeks and looking pretty smug, because those cookies were dang good.

What Does The Spleen Do?

It appears that those smarty-pants Harvard med students are talented in more areas than just the medical field. Check out this video created for the Harvard Medical School 107th Annual second year show, a parody of "The Fox" by Norwegian comedy duo, Ylvis.



What DOES the spleen do? Personally, I like the 'storage for your extra teeth' option.

Appreciation and Communication

Lulu is grateful for her snowflake blankie. 

Reader Julie recently made this eloquent comment that addresses gratitude. I thought it deserved it's own post, so here it is:

Despite some of our more difficulties with our complicated health and life, there are some really kind and empathetic people, as well. They stick out in my mind, and I hope I can remember to thank them.

For example, during Nurses' Week, I sent my rheum's nurse, a card. I have known her and my doc, for a lot of years. In it, I tried to explain how important her communication is, with me, or any of the patients. That I may be struggling so badly, and she is the lifeline, to give me encouragement, by the words she says, the tone of voice, the empathy that can be felt, while communicating what the doctor has said. At my next office visit, she told me she cried when she read it, and gave it to my rheum to read, as well.

I used to work as an office R.N. If I was able to go back to it, I think I would really remember how important of a role, that I could play in a patient's life. I may be the only one they talk to , as they struggle... I hope I was an empathetic nurse before, but what I have gone through, in my complex medical history has given me much more insight into how it is, for chronic disease sufferers. Day in, day out.  

What an excellent reminder not only to take time to appreciate others' empathy and kindness, but more importantly to communicate it as well. 

Betcha you were definitely an empathetic nurse, Julie. 

Nice. Twice.

Two delightful things happened yesterday:

One: I found out once again (I try to do this yearly) that a Goodwill 99 cent basket and two four dollar poinsettias make for a lovely Christmas arrangement.

Two: A Walgreens multi-tasking pharmacist saw me struggling to extract my purse zipper from my brand spankin' new sweater; continued her conversation with an employee as she came out from around the counter and deftly separated metal from thread without leaving a hole. Bless her heart.

It's been a good day.

Sjogren's and Chronic Urticaria

Image found here. 

I've been just itching to share this literature review with y'all. It examines the relationship of chronic urticaria (hives) and autoimmunity. I was surprised to learn that up to 50% of all chronic urticaria is accompanied by an autoimmune disease: autoimmune thyroid disease being the most common but also including Sjogren's syndrome. I was particularly interested since it seems that many sjoggies have bothersome and mysterious skin issues, myself included. *scratch scratch scratch*

The review is entitled "Chronic Urticaria and Autoimmunity" and can be found here. Here's an excerpt:

ABSTRACT     Chronic urticaria is defined as hives, typically occurring daily, for greater than 6 weeks duration. Chronic idiopathic urticaria, which has no discernable external cause, comprises the majority of cases of chronic urticaria. Over half of all cases of chronic idiopathic urticaria are thought to occur by an autoimmune mechanism, primarily autoantibodies against the high affinity immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor (FcεRI). Chronic urticaria is hypothesized to occur because of a predilection in the patient to develop reactions to self. Supporting this hypothesis, a strong association has been found between chronic urticaria and additional autoimmune diseases, such as thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, celiac disease and type 1 diabetes, among others. Herein, we review the associations between chronic urticaria, thyroid disease, and other autoimmune disorders, as well as the implications that these correlations hold for therapeutic intervention in chronic urticaria.
CONCLUSION     CU is defined as hives lasting longer than 6 weeks. Currently, it is thought that up to 50% of CU is caused by autoimmune mechanisms. Autoantibodies to the high affinity IgE receptor are the most commonly identified offender, activating mast cells, basophils, and the complement system, resulting in the wheal and flare reaction. CU is hypothesized to occur because of a predisposition in the patient to develop autoimmune diseases. In concordance with this hypothesis, additional autoimmune diseases are observed in patients with CU. Thyroid disease, particularly hypothyroidism, is the most common additional autoimmune disease diagnosed. Furthermore, thyroid disease may directly exacerbate CU severity by activating the complement system. Other autoimmune diseases that occur more frequently in patients with CU include RA, SLE, vitiligo, pernicious anemia, celiac disease, and Sjögren's syndrome.

With a Lot of Help From My Friends

As I mentioned yesterday, the neighborhood cookie decorating party was a roaring success on Saturday. I loved every minute.

But I would not have been nearly as rested and happy had my friends and family not shouldered the majority of the heavy lifting to make this party a reality.

I am so blessed. The house was sparkling clean and festively decorated with only minimal effort on my part, my guests provided ingredients, extra baking pans and supplies, delicious snacks, and fabulous cookie decor, while I perched in my recliner sipping coffee and snapping pictures like crazy with Canon.

Ahhh. Such fun. Guys. You have amazed and humbled me by willing to work so hard to make special times like these happen.

Thank you.

 EGGNOG MARTINIS. My goodness. 

Cookies! Bork Bork Bork!

Yesterday, our annual neighborhood Christmas Cookie Party was held at my house. My friend Susan whips up a ginormous batch of her family's special holiday cookie dough: these cookies are rolled out, baked and decorated like a regular sugar cookie, but are sweet and spicy and delicious. Everyone gathers here to roll, cut out, bake, frost, and decorate all morning.

It's one of my favorite Christmas parties of the year.

Of course I had Canon the camera whipped out and was very busy taking photos, but didn't have time to post them here. I'll share some tomorrow. Instead, here's a video of me trying to roll out the first batch of dough. Like my hat? Think I'd better get some ice on my noggin.....that dough really has a mind of it's own....ouch....



My hero - Swedish Chef - found here.

Honey, the Maple Bars are Here!

My goodness. It's amazing the stuff I can find while on self-imposed house arrest. I saw this on the intriguing Explore site the other day:



Drone delivery, eh? Well, now. Amazon's got a very good idea there but actually I think that Krispy Kreme donuts should take this and run with it. Just imagine: yummy, fresh, made-to-order donuts delivered to. my. door.

Yowsa.

How is it that my dumb stupid brain takes a story about flying delivery drones and turns it into cravings for fatty/sugary/not-good-for-me pastries?

Are There More Mice in My Future?

My ongoing issues with this dumb stupid rash were one of the items on my list. And yes, I am balancing my forearm on Lulu's rear. Because she simply wouldn't get off of my lap. 

I made good on my deal with Bratty Inner Child Julia yesterday. The agreement when I allowed her to play hooky reschedule my most recent visit with Dr. Young Guy.

So I dutifully showed up promptly at ten a.m. And realized with horror that I had completely forgotten to bring treats! Christmas treats! Hanukah treats! Winter treats!

My goodness. I'll have to whip something up and take it over there before Christmas.

Anyway, as always, it was a good experience. Even when I bring in a laundry list of wah wah wah stuff, and even while I realize that many things on my list just can't be successfully addressed at this point, still I always leave his office feeling reassured that I will get through this. That we're a team.

And THAT in and of itself is therapeutic beyond measure.

We did have an interesting conversation, however, that I thought I would share with y'all. I had sent Dr. YG a link to Dr. Sarah Schafer's excellent article recently published in The Rheumatologist. During the course of our discussion of the article, I queried him regarding the lack of clinical practice guidelines in the treatment of Sjogren's Syndrome. Here's what Dr. Schafer had to say regarding a wish list for clinical practice:

Clinical Practice Guidelines

• Create practical guidelines for management, not limited to sicca complex. The Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation is currently engaged in this initiative.
• Implement a meaningful disease activity index that includes an assessment of fatigue, pain, and quality of life at every visit.
• Routinely assess common systemic manifestations, including gastrointestinal, respiratory, cognitive, and neurologic manifestations.

So, I said, What's up with that? Why aren't there some basic guidelines -- like a best practice standard -- in the treatment of Sjogren's? Do you agree that they don't exist?

Dr. YG: Oh, I agree completely. And do you want to know why?

Yep.

Dr. YG: Because Sjogren's really is an orphan disease. There haven't been enough studies to set those standards for optimal care.

What about B-cell depletion therapy? Hasn't there been more studies proving that efficacy recently?

Dr. YG: That's true. And speaking of rituximab, I've been thinking about your reaction to it (meaning my severe neutropenia after my infusion last spring). If we get brave -- meaning you AND I -- maybe we should revisit the decision we made not to administer it again for you. What happened to you is extremely rare and in most instances, when the drug is administered again, the neutropenia didn't re-occur.

Whoa!

(I should note here that this conversation took place as I had my right bun exposed and Dr. YG was injecting my cranky bursa. Says something about my comfort levels with this guy, I think).

We both agreed that more research is desperately needed.

I left promising to ice and rest my right bun, and mulling over the possibility of re-starting rituximab. It appears that my journey with mouse-created drugs may not be completely over. Food for thought.

Stay tuned.

Driven to Acceptance

Well, guys.... I caved.

I've been holding out for ten years now, but the time has come. This is hanging from Goldie's rear view mirror:

Yep. A handicapped parking permit. What can I say? I'm a slow learner. It only took me a decade to decide that I may need one.

And I have to admit that while I have taken the enormous step of filling out the paperwork, and picking up the tag...I have yet to actually use it. I hung the tag simply for this picture. Goldie was parked in a non-handicapped spot at the time.

What kind of weirdo takes the time to jump through the state DOT hoops for a special permit, drives TO THE DOT to pick up said permit, and then doesn't use it?

Me.

But I will -- eventually. I can't be rushed with all of this stuff. I need to ease into things. Gee. Maybe I should drive around with the tag in my glove compartment for the next month or two...

Blink Blink...

.....Well. I think I have one eye open......

Ahhh. There we are. Two functioning peepers.

I am guessing that I will survive. It's amazing what a couple days of complete rest -- not to mention fully functioning internet access and phone lines -- will do to boost my spirits and begin to replenish my energy stores.

Think I will keep my feet up and do the hard work of resting. Because in all seriousness, forcing myself to just vegetate is hard when the Christmas season is here. I have things to do, cookies to frost, people to see. Like everyone else does.

Ah, but none of that will happen if I don't behave myself. So I will. C'mon, Lulu buddy old pal. Time to hit the hay.

Lulu is a champion napper. 

With a Bang

Funny how things happen all at once.

On December first, I was congratulating myself on another nicely orchestrated Thanksgiving dinner on the books. D#1 and DIL had the Christmas tree set up and decorated in a flash. The Christmas light show was up and running. All of our house guests had traveled home with smiles and full bellies. Then.

Bam.

I woke up yesterday literally unable to operate. My energy was simply all gone. Coincidentally, so was our phone service and internet connection. Weirdly, our power was uninterrupted. It appeared that the only thing running smoothly around here was the blinking lights and Christmas music outside.

So today, I'm just remaining horizontal. I managed to be upright long enough to welcome the telephone repairman and thank him profusely when he left.

Reasonably Well is definitely back on line. I'll let y'all know when Julia is as well.

Drat

Technical difficulties over here. See y'all soon. I hope. 

Christine Molloy: Tales From the Dry Side

Christine Molloy, author of the blog Thoughts and Ramblings on Life, Love, and Health has just published her book 'Tales from the Dry Side'.

This from her Amazon site: Her hope is that this collection of essays will be a source of hope, inspiration, and education for people living with this challenging illness, as well as for their families, friends, and medical providers.

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy soon. You can get your copy on Amazon, here.

Calvin and I

He's also a turkey-throwing champ. 

I have had a delightful little visitor at my house for the past few days. Two year old Calvin and his family came to visit over Thanksgiving. He had a grand old time running around with my great nephews, ages two and four, and thoroughly made himself at home in general.

I have never met anyone that enjoys frozen pancakes. Out of the box. And still frozen. But Calvin does. He trotted around with one in each hand for most of the afternoon yesterday, happy as a little clam.

Calvin's mom and dad and my kids decided to take in a movie yesterday afternoon, leaving Calvin and I to fend for ourselves. He was teary-eyed when his mom left. I scooped him up and hugged him.

Do you want to read a book?

NO.

Do you want to go outside?

NO.

Do you want your sippy cup?

NO. .::sniffle::.

Do you want to pet Lulu?

NO!

Awww. Do you want a nap?

YES.

I blinked in astonishment. Calvin? Do you really want a nap?

YES.

So we went upstairs and I put him down in his portable crib. He immediately put his little head down on his blanket and within seconds was asleep.

Amazing. I sat there on the carpet just watching that perfect little face, certain that he would pop up again and demand to go play. But he didn't.

Actually, he looked pretty comfy. I stretched out on the carpet and yawned. I thought it must be nice to be able to just drop off to sleep that easily......ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz......

.......And then it was three hours later. I jolted awake with carpet imprinted on my face and looked over at Calvin, who was laying quietly with bright blue eyes wide open. We both sat up and looked at each other.

Dinosaur! he said.

Sure enough. There was a dinosaur in his bed.

Hey, Calvin. Want to go downstairs?

YES! he said, and stretched out his little arms towards me.

Ahhhhh. Little kids. Such a gift.