Health Update

Several of you have asked about my health and mentioned that you are still praying for me. THANK YOU! I so appreciate your prayers. For now, I am better, but not 100%. What that means is I am back to being able to do most of the things I used to do, with a few bads days here and there that I have no energy and get a bit dizzy again. My jaw has also started acting up again, so I am back in physical therapy too.

There are still some tests coming up this month to explore what is going on inside of me. One is coming up this week for a specialized test to see if there is any low level infection in my jawbone. A low level, ongoing infection can certainly drain the body and harm the immune system. We will be traveling to the state north of us, about 4.5 hours, from home for this appt.

The following week I will be having an upper and lower endoscopy to see if there is anything amiss since I had several bacterial infections in my gut. Though I will be sedated for this, the day before it you have to do a serious cleanse that is sure to be less than fun. =)

My doctor also tested me for heavy metals and I came back off the chart for, of all things, aluminum. Chelation therapy, which we already started, will help with this. I also have to try to remove as much environmental exposure as possible. Okay, so maybe I'm the last person on the planet to stop using anti-persperent (it has aluminum in it)? You know, for women, there aren't many choice of just "deodorant" on the market. I found one by Tom's of Maine. Next, most of my pots and pans are aluminum. **groan** So, now I am trying to figure out what to replace them with. Stainless steel? Cast iron? If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them! I'm leaning toward cast iron, at least for skillets,(though I am apprehensive over their weight, as I have weak muscles with this "illness"), but what am I going to replace my 8 qt. pot that I cook nearly every day in?

So, this is where I am right now. Some days I get discouraged. The Lord is so good to see that on those days someone sends me an email or a blog comment or a note in the mail that encourages me!

I so appreciate your prayers for me, my family and for my doctors to have wisdom.

Life Has Been Busy!

I'm sure it goes without saying that the life of a mother of twelve is busy. So, I guess the title for this post should really be "Life Is Busier Than Usual"!

My two oldest sons were home for nine days! It was wonderful! It was crazy! It was too short! It was so fun and heartwarming to see these grown up sons and hear of their lives at Gleanings. We miss them so much when they are gone! The children still at home just loved having their biggest brothers home! I am so blessed that my children love each other so much and that the older ones always have an open lap, time to play and plenty of hugs for the younger ones.

So, all this awesome family time has kept me happily busy. I have tried to keep up with the new comments left, but haven't replied to all. I do hope to get the next topic going soon. I will be posting about chores for little people. I have the chores post and a few others swirling around in my head and I need to get them typed up before my head explodes! LOL! Don't expect to see it this week, but maybe near the end of next week. I am having surgery on the 28th (lower jaw and TMJ repair) and will be out of commission for 2 weeks. Since all I can do is lay around and heal I am hoping to get the chores posts started.

Also want to thank those of you who have left such encouraging comments about this new blog. When I am having a not so wonderful day it always lifts my heart to read the comments here. I would like to be able to spend more time posting here, but if I did I would be neglecting my primary mission, which is helping my husband and raising my children. When I get a few minutes you'll know it because you'll see a new post from me! LOL!

For now, I am just focusing on getting ready for my surgery (preparing for 6 weeks of not being able to chew food, etc.) which means I need go now and work on lesson plans and such.

Blessings,
jerri

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and couragous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9