Sunday, July 02, 2006

Feeling Spina Bifida....And Other Odds & Ends

We went to the movies again yesterday, with much better results than the last time. We saw Over The Hedge. It was very funny and, at only 90 minutes long, a great length for Sweetie. Although she still couldn't be stopped from visiting the restrooms three separate times - twice with me and once with daddy.

But, while Sweetie behaved decently during and immediately following the movie, she ended up having an awful evening. Very whiney, very stubborn, very cranky. So much so, in fact, that, for the first time ever, I couldn't deal with giving her a bath. Hubby had to take over and get her washed up. She just wouldn't cooperate, listen to or help me out. So I brought in the reinforcements and removed myself from the situation to do some laundry. Clothes, I can wash. Unruly little girls, I cannot.

On other fronts, I got my latest assignment from ClubMom. Instead of writing two essays for them for July and August, they've given me (and all the other Go-To Moms) a list of 10 or more questions to answer. We each have to pick 5 of our questions to answer for July and 5 more for August. This is all fine and good, but some of these questions are crazy! These questions are causing me to ask questions.

Should I incorporate into each of my answers some aspect of my being a disabled mom (that's what they wanted me to do for my essays)? Or if I can answer some without broaching that topic, is that okay?

Some of the questions seem like they might take a bit of research on my part to answer. Is this what's expected from me, or should I just answer from my own, decidedly narrow field of experience?

And, most ironically, a few of the questions are ones that I'd love for someone to answer for me. Like, I have no right whatsoever answering such and such, cuz I'm dealing with said issue myself - and not very well, at that. Yet, they want me to tell the readers what to do? I think not.

Sorry I can't get too much more detailed about this quite yet. I'm still mulling over the questions, trying to figure out which ones I want to tackle. Wish me luck. As for all my concerns about this - I have an editor I can email. I'll ask her what's up and it will all be fine, I'm sure.

Then there's my continuing yuckiness. Actually, all in all I'm feeling better. But I still have this lingering (and possibly worsening????) abdominal pain. Mostly I think it's on my right side - just were I know my shunt tube empties into my abdomen. But sometimes I think I feel a twinge on the left side too. So I don't know. And my shoulder/neck soreness continues as well. But now I'm sometimes noticing some pains in my neck along the path of my shunt tube.

But I'm not having migraines. I'm not vomiting. And everything I do have is so just "there". Just mildly annoying. Just noticable enough, when I'm not concentrating on other issues, to make me wonder what's going on.

This morning, in the 1:00 A.M. hour, Sweetie woke up and came into our room a couple times. Then I had trouble fallling asleep again because I could feel my pains and sorenesses and I guess it worried me a bit. It got me all concerned that something really was wrong and that I'd have to see a doctor, have surgery, miss work, and leave Hubby to take care of Sweetie all by himself. But I don't have everything at work in order enough for someone to just take over my job on such short notice. Especially during the summer time when so many coworkers have vacations planned. And......

Stop. Had Sweetie not woken us up, I would have slept right on through and not even noticed my pains. Not worked myself up about all the doom and gloom. And, sure enough, when I work up in the morning I felt fine. No worries.

Wouldn't any shunt malfunctioning result in some absolutely unbearable, non-ignorable symptoms? Like,

Warning, Warning! This is not right, lady! See a doctor NOW, you fool!,

type of symptoms?

On one had, I'd certainly think so. But then again, 10 years ago when my shunt tubing had to be replaced, it was found because I happened to mention off hand to my doctors about some uncomfortable feelings in my abdomen.

And when I was diagnosed with being allergic to latex, it was because I happened to tell my doctors that the Koosh ball I liked to play with at the time made my eyes itchy and watering.

And when I had my tethered spinal cord release surgery, it was because I happened to notice I seemed clumsier than usual and I tired more easily when walking short distances. Oh, and I had some back pain, by the way.

So, I have my follow up with my neurologist in a week or two. I'll definitely talk to him about all this. Sooner, if my concerns continue to mount. I'll keep you all posted.

So, that's it for today. Lots of mish/mosh topics. Sorry about that. But that's life - lots of things being thrown at you all at once while you're just trying to make it through the day.

Hope you're all having a good one, wherever you are.

P.S. Oh, and by the way.... I'm still looking for people to sign my Meet and Greet post. Thanks to all of you who already have - I loved hearing from you! Also, if you're a New England area Mom Blogger, I'd especially love to hear from you. I'm hoping to set up a real life meet in greet in the near future. If you'd be interested, just let me know. Let's see what we can plan! :)

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