It's been a while since I have blogged. I don't normally take extended breaks but lately blogging has needed to take a back seat.
Our family has dealt with a month of sickness. That always seems a little embarrassing to admit when we try to lead a healthy life style, we try to eat right and get plenty of sleep. But life happens and sickness does come. And you know what... we learn from it, it can help us grow closer to God and lean on Him a little more. I realize a little more how I can't really do things on my own and His strength is needed.
First the kids got sick (Ken and I fought little cold germs but nothing substantial) with fevers and coughing and the like. We had to slow down a little but life went on. But then a couple of weeks ago it was my turn to truly get sick, I was the one running the high fevers and then the one coughing and coughing and experiencing many a sleepless (well not completely, thankfully, but nearly) night.
I don't care for going to a doctor because I know that generally sicknesses are viral, there isn't much they can do and I would prefer to use natural methods anyway. So we drank gallons of herbal tea, we had raw garlic, tonic made with apple cider vinegar, horseradish, garlic, hot pepper, onion and ginger, chicken soup, cayenne pepper and lots of rub downs with garlic salve or essential oils and I even tried an onion poultice one night. I am sure everything did help but the sickness just kept hanging on.
I did get over my fevers (after a couple of weeks) and thought I was getting better though my chest did still feel very heavy and if I wanted any sleep I had to be majorly propped up but then on Tuesday my hands and feet started doing weird things. They would feel itchy and tingly and then they swelled up and my hands turned a purple/grey color. What now?
This picture kind of shows what has been happening. Sometimes the whole hand is affected and at other times the thumb and sometimes another finger don't have a problem. Anyway at this point Ken says, "Please go to the doctor". I hoped I could possibly get in at the Naturopathic Doctor here but I couldn't get in that quickly so off to urgent care I went.
Concerning my hands the doctor says "I think it is an allergic reaction having nothing to do with being sick". Allergy to what - we have no idea. I have my doubts about it not being related. Concerning my sickness she decided that I did have a bacterial pneumonia which probably piggy backed on to a case of viral bronchitis. So an antibiotic I did get after all. Hopefully it works okay.
As far as the hands... I am not sure what to do, the purple finger saga continues. It isn't all the time (thankfully, as it is quite painful) and each time only lasts from 15 minutes to an hour but today it happened 4 different times which was up from the previous days. Could it be because my oxygen levels are low, maybe I am low on iron, do any of you have any ideas? The MD wasn't interested but if this continues over the weekend I think I will make an appointment with the naturopathic doctor after all.
But on to more interesting and exciting subjects!
It has been a regular play around here lately. Pirates, cowboys... you never know quite who you are going to run into. :-)
Also... Do you see what they are standing on???? Wood floors!!!
The long unappreciated carpet is gone. (From all but the girls room - that might happen this weekend). That carpet that was good for me for practicing contentment but I certainly am excited to be rid of it! This project happened while I was sick and that was a little interesting and overwhelming to have the chaos of moving things out of one room and getting things pulled up and what have you. I would lay on the couch and watch and whenever I could stir up a little energy I would paint a wall (since the trim was off and the floors were out it really seemed like the practical time to paint even though I felt nasty). Ken and Jonathan did the majority of the floor, it is made in a new way which makes it really easy to lay. It was a great learning experience for Jonathan.
That was a sneak peak of what things look like. I hope to give a full tour soon.
Thanks for joining my on my journey. How has your life been going lately?
Our family has dealt with a month of sickness. That always seems a little embarrassing to admit when we try to lead a healthy life style, we try to eat right and get plenty of sleep. But life happens and sickness does come. And you know what... we learn from it, it can help us grow closer to God and lean on Him a little more. I realize a little more how I can't really do things on my own and His strength is needed.
First the kids got sick (Ken and I fought little cold germs but nothing substantial) with fevers and coughing and the like. We had to slow down a little but life went on. But then a couple of weeks ago it was my turn to truly get sick, I was the one running the high fevers and then the one coughing and coughing and experiencing many a sleepless (well not completely, thankfully, but nearly) night.
I don't care for going to a doctor because I know that generally sicknesses are viral, there isn't much they can do and I would prefer to use natural methods anyway. So we drank gallons of herbal tea, we had raw garlic, tonic made with apple cider vinegar, horseradish, garlic, hot pepper, onion and ginger, chicken soup, cayenne pepper and lots of rub downs with garlic salve or essential oils and I even tried an onion poultice one night. I am sure everything did help but the sickness just kept hanging on.
I did get over my fevers (after a couple of weeks) and thought I was getting better though my chest did still feel very heavy and if I wanted any sleep I had to be majorly propped up but then on Tuesday my hands and feet started doing weird things. They would feel itchy and tingly and then they swelled up and my hands turned a purple/grey color. What now?
Concerning my hands the doctor says "I think it is an allergic reaction having nothing to do with being sick". Allergy to what - we have no idea. I have my doubts about it not being related. Concerning my sickness she decided that I did have a bacterial pneumonia which probably piggy backed on to a case of viral bronchitis. So an antibiotic I did get after all. Hopefully it works okay.
As far as the hands... I am not sure what to do, the purple finger saga continues. It isn't all the time (thankfully, as it is quite painful) and each time only lasts from 15 minutes to an hour but today it happened 4 different times which was up from the previous days. Could it be because my oxygen levels are low, maybe I am low on iron, do any of you have any ideas? The MD wasn't interested but if this continues over the weekend I think I will make an appointment with the naturopathic doctor after all.
But on to more interesting and exciting subjects!
Also... Do you see what they are standing on???? Wood floors!!!
The long unappreciated carpet is gone. (From all but the girls room - that might happen this weekend). That carpet that was good for me for practicing contentment but I certainly am excited to be rid of it! This project happened while I was sick and that was a little interesting and overwhelming to have the chaos of moving things out of one room and getting things pulled up and what have you. I would lay on the couch and watch and whenever I could stir up a little energy I would paint a wall (since the trim was off and the floors were out it really seemed like the practical time to paint even though I felt nasty). Ken and Jonathan did the majority of the floor, it is made in a new way which makes it really easy to lay. It was a great learning experience for Jonathan.
That was a sneak peak of what things look like. I hope to give a full tour soon.
Thanks for joining my on my journey. How has your life been going lately?
8 comments:
Oh, I am so sorry to hear you've been so sick.
A couple of thoughts
on your hands/fingers situation: Raynaud's syndrome, or
could there be an allergic reaction to breathing in
fumes from carpet removal
and/or any chemicals
(glue, polyurethane, etc.)
used when installing your
wood floors. I hope you get
some relief soon.
Jo Ann in VA
So sorry to hear about the sickness that has invaded your hm this past month. Hope you are completely over it soon!!!
Get well soon! We missed you last week.
I have never seen those purple hands or fingers before. I hope someone comes by and can give you a good answer!
God Bless!
Thanks to all of you for your kind words! I truly appreciate you.
I am starting to feel quite a bit better. I no longer have to sleep sitting up and I can breath a little easier. The purple fingers have continued but it was only once today (this morning) and I have hopes it will go away soon. I do think from research that some have been doing that it probably is from low oxygen levels and I think that is improving now.
I am so sorry you have been so sick. I am glad to hear you are getting better. I am praying you find answers to your purple fingers/hands. I haven't seen that one before. Take care.
I just discovered your blog today and was skimming through your entries when I saw the photo of your purple fingers. I then read the above entry. After my daughter received her final Dtap shot in Jr High, she one day discovered her toe was completely white, like all the blood had been drawn from it and it hurt, like frostbite. We plunged it warm water and very gently rubbed on it until it decided to come back to life. She was soon having more and more episodes with mostly her toes, but sometimes her fingers. It seemed to be triggered when she caught even the slightest of chills. Upon talking with a neighbor and the school nurse, we decided she had Raynauds. My neighbor said her fingers would turn blue or black even if she as much as reached through her car window to use the atm on a chilly day. She told me it was an immunological disorder and that often when you have one, you will have another immuno disorder too. She had several. So far my daughter only has the Raynauds. Neighbor said there isn't much they can do unless it gets really bad and even then... So, we've never had my daughter officially diagnosed, but we are certain this is what she has. Evidently it attacks your extremities: fingers, toes, ears, nose. She has to keep warm socks on and try to stay out of the cold. School nurse said some get an episode after simply reaching in their freezer to retrieve something. Remembered reading not to rub hard because it could destroy tissue. Best of luck to you. Hope it's not Raynauds, but from first appearances, that would be my guess.
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