How does your engine run?

Ki's engine is running very slowly. It is looking like a bad Sensory Processing/Dyspraxia Day. I hate these 'limp noodle days', or 'watery jello'. That's how Ki acts, moves, thinks, process on these days. When Ki was in Occupational Therapy his O.T. went over a little tool to help us know how he was doing and what to do. It was "How is your Engine Running". His Engine either runs slowly (like he's in a fog, moves slowly,low muscle tone, can't think, focusing makes him sleepy, etc) or his engines run QUICKLY- when he is hyper, Impulsive, still can't focus- but because his brain is hopping from 1 thing to the next to the next, not because just 1 thing makes him sleepy.

Then she went through a few different exercises to try and see which ones made his engine speed up and which helped a too fast engine to slow down.

When Ki's engine is running slowly (which is the usual path he goes on bad SPD Days (SID-Sensory Integration Disorder. my definition of SPD- Sensory Processing & Dyspraxia), sleeping only makes it worse..BUT Sleeping seems like the easiest best answer to a 'tired, slow, sleepy brained' kid.

I asked him what he was having for protein with his breakfast. He repeats over and over:

"Methane. Methane-methane-methane"

AAARRRGGG!!!!!

without protein added to his diet there is no way we will get past this very slow running engine day.

I am glad I have some errands too run and maybe I'll just go knit at Cafe Noir.

Ki is 13, coming up on 14. He knows what he needs to do to make his engine speed up so he can get things done. He is too old for me to be making him do it. He can choose to do what he needs to do so he can get his work done today or he can choose to have a miserable day where nothing gets accomplished, which leads to him not liking what his tomorrow will bring.

Maybe Ki needs acupuncture, too

On Pins & Needles

I laid there with about 12 skinny spikes sticking out of my back, neck and head. I could see the loops in the lava colored carpet through the doughnut shaped head rest. I was a spiked dragon flying over the village. I flew in large, sweeping loops as I only had one wing coming out of the side of neck, the other didn't seem to stick out the other side. Some villagers ran away in fear, some just stared, too frozen in shock and curiosity to move. Some just enjoyed the tranquil music playing somewhere off in the distance. With the pikes in my ankles I would sometimes skewer cows for dinner. When I was feeling in a giving mood I would shoot liquid fire from the spikes in my back, erupting in a display of lights and sparks for the villagers to watch and enjoy.

I could not feel the needles in my neck and head, but the ones in my back had this sensation of slight pressure and burning. I had one in each angle that sort of tingled.

The appointment started with lots of questions and information gathering. Doctor Herb Kandel lived in Africa for a while and cam back with a few 'bugs'. He has a virus that lies dormant in him. So he has first hand experience with what it can be like to live with a retro virus, or latent virus. He also knows about Sensory Processing Disorders.

He took my pulse with 3 fingers, saying he was listening to 3 different aspects of my pulse. He felt the muscles in my neck. He was able to tell me a few things that made sense to how my body seems to work.

So far, it all seemed good. He even said he will help me with the Latent virus stuff. and would show me some acupressure things I can use and teach to Ki that will help with our Sensory Processing problems.

After my 25 minutes of lying face down in the doughnut hole table, with needles sticking out of me, I was bored. My mind was bored after the first 10 minutes of not being able to move or get up. Hence the DragonScape story. It gave my mind something to do.

I was a bit dizzy & headachey upon getting up,but also hungry. It was after 5 and I needed some food. And I had been a bit headachey all day anyway.

My friend came over for a quick dinner and to play Settlers of Catan. It was fun. My head ws better after dinner.

Also on Monday I started my Mystery Dishcloth. The lady sends us instructions for about 8 rows each day until it's done. So we don't know what it is we are knitting really. It should be fun.

I was very very tired this morning. I slept till around 10:3o. But NO HEADACHE. Not that I have them every day, but I have had them almost daily for quite a while, although very very small mild ones the past couple days. And considering the busyness of yesterday, a headache would be normal for today probably.

Was it the acupuncture? Was it the extra sleep? Is it just a fluke?

The doctor wants to do a 3 week course of acupuncture and then evaluate. That's twice a week, for 3 weeks. Six visits to the Needle Man.

I am hopeful. But My back still has a pressure/burning sensation down the middle whre my dragon spikes were.

After some food my head was

X-Men (written about my Wednesday)

Have you seen X-Men, or know about them? You know Cyclops? The dude who shots lasers out of his eyes. Even when they are barely open a slit, he fires a lit of laser out. He's OK if he keeps them tightly shut.

This was me this morning, but in reverse. Even is the somewhat dim morning hours with the shades drawn, I could not even open my eyes a tiny slip with out it feeling like lasers were shooting into my eyes and frying my brain. The pain was searing. But unlike, Cyclops, I wasn't fine with just scrunching my eyes closed. The dim light that penetrated my closed eyelids was enough to make my head reel in pain. So I had tightly closed eyes and a folded shirts pressed tightly over them, all in the darkened room.

I had to trip my way to the bathroom with closed eyes.

In the stillness of early morning, everything was way too loud even the morning air and the quietness .

Yet, being a mom, I was telling Brian to write a few things on the board for the boys and remind them that Soksey can't go out today.

After Brian left I suddenly thought that if my nausea gets worse, I would have trouble finding my way to the bathroom [since I had to have my eyes closed and covered). I called Ki up to my room and asked him to move the trashcan to the side of my bed, but at the end. I sat up to find it, reaching out and Ki tells me; "I put a Throw-Up Proof book on the edge of the bed next to the trash can, so you can feel for it."

The Throw Up Proof book was my plastic coated spiral notebook for taking minutes at the homeschool meeting.

I then slumped into my Barbiturate Slumber. for about 3 hours.

Ki woke me to tell my that my friend had called to invite us to the fair today (It's Dollar Day). Ki told her I was in bed with a bad migraine and she offered to come take the boys! (I never ever had friends like this in Ohio. I have such great friends out here!)

And, I could open my eyes. It still was very very uncomfortable and BRIGHT, but not the same inward firing lasers as before. But my Throw-Up Proof book had fallen off the bed and into the trash can.

I gave the boys money for the fair and had Connor make toast and tea. He asked if I wanted any seasoning on my toast. I assume he meant Jam or Cinnamon. I declined, but requested honey for the tea.

I still could barely lift my hear or move my limbs, but I think that may have been from the 2 Firoicets I took at 6AM. I thought I was much better with the light thing until I tried to leave my darkened room to go tell the boys something and the intense brightness of the kitchen area about floored me..... or stepped me, as I was walking down steps and that is where I about landed when withdrawing from the sunlight. I felt like a vampire, but not that kind that have diamond for skins when the sun hits them, the kind that sizzle and burn away when in the sunlight.

The boys left. I napped till around 1 - in complete (almost) silence and darkness- then I decided I needed more food and was feeling well enough to venture into the light to get it. I guess that is a way to kill the vampired; starve them so they are so hungry they will risk sunlight to get a little food.

well, I did not become and pile of burnt ash. I was actually feeling better. The boys came home full of stories. Stories about bananas and deadly cookware. I ate and went back to bed to rest until 3.

I then had to go to the bank and grocery store. This did not go over as well as I had hoped. It brought the intense brain stabbing pains back and my heart was all fluttery which made me very short of breath & dizzy.

But I survived. Came home, took Excedrin, made tacos (with the help of the boys) then Brian came home, we ate and all went to the fair.

And though this morning was a bit worse than most migraines, this is pretty close to par for when I have migraines, which has been for over a week this time. I told Ki that when I have migraines it makes me feel guilty and feel like I am a bad mom, which is why I was very happy they could go to the fair and I was glad to be able to give some money.

Ki seemed very surprised and asked "But why would you feel like a bad mom??"

I told him because when I have these migraines, I can't do fun things with them or even take them to fun things. I can't get all my housework done and have to ask them to help me do it.

I hate when I have to miss fun things with them, like taking them to the fair or not being able to take them Amtgard or Karate. (Though Brian can usually take them to Amtgard if I can't).

When I just have 1 or 2 a month, they are just an annoyance. When I have them for a whole week, a couple times a month, they seem almost like a disability. They are definitely 'disabilitating' at that amount. SO, it time, again. to go back to my doctor. Maybe I should try acupuncture.

I am glad we all got to go to the fair. My head didn't bother me much, but I was still feeling sick to my stomach....

but ate Funnel Cake Anyway. It has been a long time since the last funnel cake.

THURSDAY UPDATE- still feeling better, still have a headache, but it's nothing compared to yesterday (and Monday....and Tuesday)

JUICE

I did a Juicer Fast today. I had been feeling, not good, from all of the eating out/fast-food type eating on the 2 weeks of vacation. I decided to do a Juicer Fast. So today all I had was stuff made in the juicer.

Except breakfast was a fruit protein smoothie. I have to keep in mind my hypoglycemia and my need for protein.

Boy, that Store bought bakery french bread smells SOOOOO GOOOOOOD. I told the boys to save some for me for tomorrow.

I love being in a some-what small town. I love that I can walk or bike most places in town. The grocery store is about 4 blocks from our house. I usually ride my bike. Trader Joe's is thrice that distance- which is still very very close.

Today I sent Gavin and Ki to the grocery store while I walked Connor to his orthodontist appointment. Connor's orthodontists is only half the distance that the grocery store is.

I should have a few more tomatoes in a couple days. and a couple more strawberries and sugar snap peas. I have some lettuce, too. I think I'll make a salad for myself.

Knit1 - Detox, too.

I like my new fingerless gloves. I like to wear them while I knit another pair of fingerless gloves for my mom. These gloves will be her belated Mother's Day gift. I also gave her 'homemade soap' I bought at the Avila Beach Farmers Market. The soap was dipped in sand from the beach. It looks neat.

Also, on the knitting scene is Green Bamboo Yarn. This new goody will become a Travel Neck Pillow for Connor. I still have that DNA scarf to do. I want to do it, but I need TIME and SILENCE and SOLITUDE. Then there is a project I have planned for my niece's baby girl. I think I will order yarn from Knit Picks for the baby project. I want to make more T.A.R.D.I.S. cloths, too. And I want to make dome DALEK cloths to go with it. They will be trivets, I think. Now I need to prioritize these projects and make them in the most efficient order.

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DETOX TOPIC ~

After 2 weeks of vacationing, my digestive system is not happy with me. So I am going to do some Detoxing. I bought lots of fruits from Trader Joe's and I'll dig out the Juicer. Juicer Menu Plan for the weekend:

FRIDAY- (fruit/protein smoothie for Breakfast) JUICER for Lunch. Snack- Yogurt Smoothie. Dinner will be JUICER. And there will be a small snack in the evening to ensure I don't have a Big Glucose Drop in the morning and wake up dizzy.

SATURDAY- Juicer for Breakfast. (light lunch and dinner of mainly fruits & veggies)

SUNDAY- Fruit/Protein Smoothie for Breakfast. "regular supper/lunch" with the family. Dinner will be a Juicer Concoction.

Monday I will start with some Detox Supplements. I bought some from Trader Joe's. They are called Total Body Cleanse. There are 3 different pill types (Digestive, Fiber, Liver). It's a 14 day Program. I think I'll have my fruit/protein shake for breakfast all week and juicer for Lunch or Dinner all week. My tummy has felt icky since mid vacation. Hopefully this should help.

Juicer Stuff I bought: carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, peaches, nectarines, grapes, blueberries, cherries, apples..... and I have spinach in the garden. Tomorrow(Fri) will be apples, blueberries, carrots, cherries, and cukes.

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GARDEN FRONT- I planted LOTS of things! Pumpkins, cucumbers, sunflowers, onions, radishes, and bell peppers. The Bell Peppers are 3 small plants I bought from O.S.H. I just can't seem to get them to grow from seeds here.

I want to have enough sunflowers to make my own sunflower butter! YUM!

Plane & Misery... and tomatoes

The plane flight was miserable. I started feeling pretty dizzy after Take-Off. The Gs that pull me into my seat always make me feel like passing out. Once up in the air, I was still very dizzy and light headed.(sometimes I think I do faint for a couple seconds) Every time the plane changed altitude it got worse. It wasn't nausea , just feeling dizzy, light-headed, faint. My limbs and head felt weak and my heart felt numb somehow.

Brian was a bit upset out layover wad delayed. I was happy. We would of had to run from getting off the 1st to getting on the 2nd. Just walking off the plane made my heart race and made it hard to breath. So I welcomed the chance to sit and rest for an hour.

I often get dizzy and often get heart palpitation. At home I just drink some O.J. & take nap. Then take it easy the rest of the day. If not, if I over-do after my initial warning, I'll ennd up sick for a few days and sometimes I even pass out a few minutes.

So, the Main flight was worse. Brian took my heart rate. Sitting, right after walking the aisle (after take off and we had plenty of altitude), my rate was 75. This may not be a super low sitting rate for most, but my normal 'sitting at rest' rate is about 100. So that's kind of a drop. I was so light headed I couldn't even hold my head or lift it up (I was leaning against Brian). I couldn't raise my arms for mot than a split second either. I finally fell asleep and slept most the flight and felt better when I woke up. I bet the altitude isn't good for my "Lower Blood Pressure"

I could talk to my Doctor, but he might tell me not to fly. So I figured I'd go with the "Don't ask then you won't be told 'no' " philosophy. As long as no medical intervention is needed, all is fine.

After being back on Terra Firma a bit, the dizziness dissipated. But just walking to get baggage and to the shuttle had my heart racing and my vision blurred and good ol' SOB (Shortness of Breath).

I slept or knitted on the drive home. I am very very tired, but happy to be home.

The poor kitty is hoarse. He barely has a voice. He cries non-stoop for more and more attention. He probably cried most the 2 weeks we were gone to have lost his voice.

^ ^ ^ part of the harvest that welcomed me home ^ ^ ^ - along with a handful of Sugar Snap Peas, about 8 Strawberries, and some HAPPY Sunflowers!

^ ^ ^ ^ Ki enjoyed wearing my knit fingerless gloves. ^ ^ ^ ^

^ ^ ^ Flying atop a blanket of clouds. ^ ^ ^ ^ Brian has a better picture.

Moutains sticking up out of the Cloud Blanket.

^ ^ ^ ^ My Dad's Bearded Dragon ^ ^ ^ ^

^ ^ my mom's fingerless Glove got started on the short flight from Dayton to D.C. ^ ^