Taking Care of Me

My husband is still working on giving up the nasty, smelly, expensive smoking habit.  He’s been taking Chantix for a month to help him quit.  It’s working well for him.  Other than some wild dreams and mood swings, he has not had any bad side effects.  He said he could tell immediately that it helped reduce his cravings.  He’s gradually been reducing the amount of cigarettes he smokes.  Now, he’s on what he hopes is his final pack.

I know this is not easy for him.  He’s smoked since he was 14, so he’s developed quite an addiction.  Still, he knows that if he wants to improve his changes of living a long, healthy life he needs to give up the smokes.  He’s doing real good, and I’m very proud of him.

Hey!  Yeah, it’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted on this site.  I think trying to keep up with three blogs, work full-time, and take care of my family started to overwhelm me.  I’ve got some ideas on how I can change and rearrange things to work better, but it will take a little time to work it all out.

While blogging has been a very positive outlet for me, it has also been somewhat of an escape.  I think it’s okay to escape the problems and trials of life from time to time, but there comes a time when we have to face up to our responsibilities.  So, please bear with me while I try to sort it all out and find a way to fit it all in.  I have a perfectionism issue where I think if I can’t do something completely and perfectly then I can’t do it all.  I think it’s time to throw that notion out the window and just do the best I can!

Last week, I went for a physical at my general care doctor.  When I called to set up my appointment, it had been so long since I had been there that they didn’t even have me in their system!

I have been fortunate that I have not been seriously ill or had any major health problems in the past several years.  The few times I have needed medical care (strep throat, pink eye), I just went to the Immediate Care center because they had convenient hours.

I made the appointment for a physical to make sure everything was okay with my health.  I was especially interested to have some blood work to check my blood sugar and cholesterol.  My mom has had problems with high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.  They were untreated for many years which could have contributed to her dementia.

Since it had been so long (at least eight years), I had to fill out all kinds of paperwork about my medical history and my family medical history.  When I was called back, they had to get my weight (yikes, are those doctor’s scales right?) and basic vitals.  The nurse then handed me a gown.  She told me to dress down to my undergarments and don the gown.  Really???  I thought the “exam” would mainly be getting my blood pressure and maybe testing my reflexes with the little hammer.  Note to self - remember to shave legs and wear decent underwear when getting a physical!

The doctor came in and he started out with simple questions about how I was feeling and some of my family medical history.  The exam wasn’t awkward or invasive.  I think the reason for wearing the gown was so he could easily listen with his stethoscope and feel around my abdominal area.

At the end of the appointment, he said I looked to be in good health.  He told me to keep an eye on my blood pressure.  It was 120 over 85, and he told me to watch the bottom number and to use the blood pressure monitors in the stores to get readings.  He ordered the blood work, and he told me he would call if there are any problems and they would send me the results.

The visit went very well.  He told me that as long as I am not having any health problems, I should come back for a physical every three to four years.  He said I should have blood work done every one to three years.  It was reassuring to know that I didn’t have any obvious problems, and that I would be having a simple test to check for not so obvious ones.

A few weeks ago, I posted that I was going to try to start a good habit for the month of April.  My good habit was to get up earlier each day.  I haven’t gotten up QUITE as early as I wanted (5:00 a.m. on work days and 7:00 a.m. when I’m not working), but I have made some improvements.

I really do enjoy getting up earlier because I have the house to myself.  It gives me some much needed quiet time to think and plan my day.  I used to get some “me time” in the evenings after the kids went to bed.  Now that they are older, they are up later.  Also, Mom will often stay up in the evenings until I go to bed.

There are a lot of things on the Fly Lady website that I try to follow.  Part of the routine that she recommends is to get up and “get dressed to the shoes.”  That was always the part of her plan I had the most trouble with.  I’m the kind of person who likes to gradually start my day, not jump in headfirst.

So, I’ll keep plugging away and keep trying to get a little jump on my day by getting up earlier.  Of course, it would be easier for me to get up if I’m not up late on the computer…

In my last post, I wrote about a little gardening project that my husband and I are working on.  A couple of readers were brave enough venture a guess of the plant we are growing based on my pictures and clues.  I’m happy to announce that the winner of Name That Plant is Roz from Life in Australia!  Roz was correct that the plant in question is hops!  Roz and her family moved from the United Kingdom to Australia in November of 2007.  Her posts paint a clear and interesting picture of what life is like in the land down under.  If you haven’t already checked out her site, you really should!

We planted our hops last year.  They are a pereinnial plant that grows up in a vine.  When they mature, they produce little cones that are used to flavor beer.  One of my coworkers brews his own beer, and he thought it would be a fun venture for us to try growing hops on our property.  We had some crazy weather last year, and less than half of the hops we planted survived.  This year, we are hoping for a hardier crop that will produce enough to make a little home brew and maybe to sell to other home brewers.

It’s a fun project that my husband and I enjoy working on.  I think it’s important to find time to work on hobbies and spend time with family.

Today, my husband and I were outside working on a gardening project we started last year.  Even though it was work, it was a lot of fun to get outside and do something together.  What we’re growing isn’t your standard, garden-variety plant.  I thought I’d post some pictures and some clues to see if you can figure it out.  So, let’s play… Name That Plant!

Clues:

1.  After I am harvested, I can be found at lots of parties and sporting events.

2.  I am perfectly legal, but I can get you in trouble with the law.

3.  Some people blame me for their thicker waistlines.

4.  I have something in common with the Easter Bunny.

Now, for bragging rights and some link love, NAME THAT PLANT!!!

Yesterday, I posted about my recent visit to the dentist.  Many of us have learned the hard way that if you don’t keep up on your dental care, you can have big problems.  Growing up, our dentist used to give us a toothbrush after our visit that said, “Brush every day, or it’s me you’ll pay.”

So, what exactly are we supposed to do to properly care for our teeth?  Here are some recommendations from the American Dental Association (ADA):

• Brush twice a day with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste.
• Replace your toothbrush every three or four months (sooner if the bristles are frayed).
• Floss daily.
• Eat a balanced diet and limit snacks between meals.
• Visit your dentist regularly for cleanings and exams.

source

I thought it was interesting that the ADA did not make a recommendation on how often a person should visit their dentist.  I found a good article on Colgate’s website.  It said that visiting the dentist every six months is a good practice for most people.  It said some people with a low risk for problems may be able to get by with one visit a year, and people with a higher risk should be seen more often (source).

Basically, the best dental care plan is to PREVENT problems.  I for one hate to floss, but if flossing every day helps me avoid the sound of the dentist’s drill, then it’s worth the hassle!

Yesterday I went to the dentist for my six-month cleaning.  Keeping up with my dental check-ups is something I have done a good job with in the past few years.

It wasn’t always that way.  I remember after I have the kids, I went about seven years without going to the dentist.  I knew I needed to go, and I had dental insurance.  I think I was just embarrassed because it had been awhile and I knew my teeth were probably in bad shape.  Of course, the longer I waited the worse things got and the more difficult it was to go.

Finally, I HAD to go because I had a tooth that was in a great deal of pain.  I ending up going through the most unpleasant experience of getting a crown.  I also had a couple of cavities so they had to drill put in fillings.  I finally learned that even though it’s no fun and it can be an inconvenience, it’s so much better to go every six months for cleanings and check-ups than to wait until there’s a big problem.

Now, every time I go I make my next appointment before I leave.  I used to tell them that I would call and set it up later, but of course “later” would never come.  Even though I’ve been going every six months for the past few years, I still need to work on flossing and brushing twice every day.

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This weekend the kids and I took a much needed break from caregiving.  My Mom has Alzheimer’s disease, so sometimes it’s not easy for the kids to be around her.  My husband wasn’t able to go this weekend, but I will be planning a date night in the near future.  I think a very important part of taking care of ourselves is to take an occasional break from our responsibilities to have some fun.

Saturday, Tyler and I picked up Angel from the cheerleading tryouts and headed out for the long drive to her soccer game.  It was a nice sunny day, but the field was wet from rain the day before.  Her team didn’t win, but they had a lot of fun and Angel actually enjoyed getting muddy!

After the game we went to our hotel.  While we were getting settled, Angel got calls from her friends to let her know she made the junior high cheerleading squad!  All the kids went to the Holidome area to play.  Tyler and I played a game of pool, and he won (I scratched on the eight-ball).  As I was watching all the kids playing and having fun, I wondered what my Mom would have thought if she had came!

The next day, we went to the outlet mall to find some good deals.  Even Tyler (who hates to shop) was happy to find a video game and some T-shirts.  Angel got some clothes, and I even splurged and got myself a new pair of tennis shoes and sandals.   The most important thing we got was some much needed time to relax and be ourselves without worrying about Mom.

We got back last night, and we went back to our responsibilities of work, school, and taking care of Mom.  Having a break was just what we needed!