My crazy busy life

Well World, it’s been awhile since I last posted anything…that’s because nothing was happening, but more along the lines of life was kicking my butt!!!

Since the last post we’ve all packed up and moved closer to where both Rob and I grew up in Virginia. In many ways it’s nice to be home and closer to family. However, packing up, moving across states, getting one house ready to sell while looking for a new home and having family divided between homes are exhausting. So that’s what’s been going on here, how have things been with you? Seriously though, we’re all here together now, so all I can do is smile, hug and roll with the changes!

Warning, that’s about all the pleasant that I can muster, I’m about to seriously gripe now, just thought I’d let you know in advance. The nice Amy will come back towards the end, so feel free to skip ahead if you'd rather not hear any more whining and griping today. Or just keep reading and join the gripe fest!

Unfortunately some things still haven’t changed, new state new doctors and still they don’t seem to know what the hell is wrong with me. The doctors back in Raleigh were certain that it was Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia even though my symptoms seemed to jump around and none of the suggested treatments ever really worked. These past few months have been absolutely horrible. To say that I have the energy level of the walking dead would be a slight over exaggeration. In addition to all the non-specific symptoms of fatigue, nausea and pain that I’ve dealt with for years, I started having heart palpitations, a very low pulse, panic attacks and major stomach issues. New doctor, new tests, she thinks it might be my thyroid causing all my problems. From what I’ve read about it, it seems to be a likely culprit. I’m starting to feel relieved that at least someone is pursuing some other direction than take these NSAIDS and call me when the ulcer it causes is bleeding…and then the test results come back. Thyroid would appear to be fine. So she’s sending me off to be a Guinea pig with a Gastroenterologist and a Cardiologist. I’m not holding out much hope, but at least she’s looking for an explanation other than it’s all in your head. I just want to know what it causing all the problems so that it can be fixed and I can be “normal” again.

Not having professionals “get it” is beyond frustrating, but I think the very worst thing for me is that my husband is clueless. To him I’m still the 300 mph whirling dervish he married and anything less than that is laziness. This is the man who lays on the sofa and acts like he's dying when he gets a cold, but I digress. I’d like to slap him silly if he says any of  these things to me one more time, 

• “Just take something so you’ll feel better!” (Ok, so what do you suggest dear, because Rite-Aid was out of feel all better pills.)
• “Well, have you done anything about it?” (Really???? where have you been the past 14 years?)
• “If you got more sleep you’d probably be fine!” (Cause I haven’t thought of that one at 3 AM when I’ve had 30 minutes sleep and you are snoring louder than the dog) 
• “So what have you done today"” (Do you really want to go there, because even though I feel like shit, I PROMISE YOU, I’VE DONE MORE TODAY THAN YOU DID AND WHAT I DID TOOK WAY MORE EFFORT THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE.

Have you heard any of these before? Can you add to the list?

So while not sleeping, waiting for the feel all better pills to kick in, unpacking boxes for the entire family, looking for full time work in my field, working part-time as a cook and all the while cooking for the family, cleaning up after and caring for the kids and the dog, doing endless mountains of laundry, juggling doctor’s appointments all around a new town that I don't really know how to navigate yet, being a chauffeur, seamstress and general do everything for everyone person, I managed to google a few of my symptoms and some possible causes. We’ve eaten clean for years now, so I don’t typically worry about the typical kinds of problems associated with the standard American diet. After all that I’ve read, I’m starting to think maybe a food allergy might be causing at least some of my problems. So I’ve been reading up on elimination diets and so far I’ve found lots of what NOT to eat, but what would really help me is a menu. Something like these 3, 5, 7 whatever meals are ok to eat. I’m still looking and thinking right now, but that’s where I am right now.

Happy Amy is returning, Grumpy Amy doesn't get out much, only on long rambling phone calls to her sister... so it's safe to start reading again :-)

I decided to come back to my blog right now for a couple of reasons. No, it wasn’t because I didn’t have enough going on right now, ha ha! I cook a lot and love to share my creations with family and friends but my bad photography skills have held me back from really posting many of them to share here. I figured that I’m never going to get better unless I practice – so just like the kiddo with training wheels I’m learning. That being said, if you read something that sounds fantastic, but the picture looks um, questionable, please just take a chance and go for it. Just know going in that I’m a much much much better cook than photo stager and photographer! Long time friends have been encouraging me for a while to write a cook book and I thought I might pursue it, but first I thought I’d throw a few recipes out into blog land. One of my other reasons for taking this up again is that I have learned so much from reading other’s blogs and as I am going through these crazy health issues and trying to figure out what’s going on I’d like to be connect with and possibly even be able to help someone else.

So the next few things I’m planning on writing about are meal planning to be able to have a freezer full of food and along the way I'd like to share some yummy recipes. I'm sure that I'll be consumed with the crazy adventures of painting and decorating this new to us house and will probably want to show off some of my redecorating treasures from time to time. I also really excited about putting in my veggie and herb gardens and would love to share that experience. All that great stuff and lots of random goodness. I’d love to hear from anyone who reads this, so please be in touch!

Much love,

Amy