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Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Actually, I'll say "sort of" or "I guess"!
Gandalf said it first..
"Do you wish me a good morning, or mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?"
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
After being late for my Cardiology appointment last month (I thought for sure that it was at 1:30, but when I arrived just before that time I learned that it was actually at 1 and I was considered a No Show. Oops. My bad.), I finally saw my cardiologist this morning. (that is, after he was an hour late. I thought he was getting me back or just forgot about me, but it turns out he has a 3rd year student doctor with him today and she didn't appear to be too bright) He said that my latest ECHO shows a
"normal" heart. The percentage was 65, which is perfect ("like an Olympic athlete.", were his words!)....not that I
know what that means when I relay it back to someone, but it made sense
in the office!
My Mitral Valve Prolapse is still considered "mild" and my regurgitation (where the blood falls back out past the valve) is "Mild to Moderate." He still can't hear the "click" when he listens to my heart, which is also good. (MVP is usually diagnosed by an Echocardiogram, as in my case, or by hearing it on a stethoscope. Your heart will sound like this: thump..click-thump. I thought that sounded musical!)
As for the fatigue, chest pain, lightheadedness, numb or tingly fingers or toes, or flip/floppy heart palps and breathlessness that I occasionally get, he just said that it is hard for me being a mom to 5 kids. Which is the excuse my own doctor gives me as well. Argh! It's so frustrating hearing that! Funny, how I never use that excuse!
My BP is a bit high, so he is putting me on a med called Coversyl (the box say it's Perindopril Erbumine if anyone knows what that means) and is going to get me a free BP machine. I see him in 6 months to see if there is any change!
So that was that! I ended up leaving feeling good, despite not getting any real answers on my other symptoms (which he asked me if I had). I am going to rest on the fact that this specialist says that my heart is doing well, is considered normal, that I had this since birth (it's in the family; my Opa has this as well) and that I will continue to have this. According to his tests and reports, I am doing well. So I guess that means I continue to keep my anxiety down with breathing exercises and Bible memory and prayer, which seems to help so far.
My Mitral Valve Prolapse is still considered "mild" and my regurgitation (where the blood falls back out past the valve) is "Mild to Moderate." He still can't hear the "click" when he listens to my heart, which is also good. (MVP is usually diagnosed by an Echocardiogram, as in my case, or by hearing it on a stethoscope. Your heart will sound like this: thump..click-thump. I thought that sounded musical!)
As for the fatigue, chest pain, lightheadedness, numb or tingly fingers or toes, or flip/floppy heart palps and breathlessness that I occasionally get, he just said that it is hard for me being a mom to 5 kids. Which is the excuse my own doctor gives me as well. Argh! It's so frustrating hearing that! Funny, how I never use that excuse!
My BP is a bit high, so he is putting me on a med called Coversyl (the box say it's Perindopril Erbumine if anyone knows what that means) and is going to get me a free BP machine. I see him in 6 months to see if there is any change!
So that was that! I ended up leaving feeling good, despite not getting any real answers on my other symptoms (which he asked me if I had). I am going to rest on the fact that this specialist says that my heart is doing well, is considered normal, that I had this since birth (it's in the family; my Opa has this as well) and that I will continue to have this. According to his tests and reports, I am doing well. So I guess that means I continue to keep my anxiety down with breathing exercises and Bible memory and prayer, which seems to help so far.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
It's not the lake, and it's not big, but it's just perfect in this heat!
We are thankful that Grandma Lynn bought a pool for her yard that the kids can jump around in!
We tried to look into picking up one ourselves (Hunny has actually been looking since May for ideas. Apparently having a pool is something he is serious about. We used to own one a few years ago, but we got rid of it for some reason that I can't recall.) however, there is not a pool in our price range to be found in the Lower Mainland anymore! He found one online at Canadian Tire, but when he looked again an hour later, it was sold!
And with our water restrictions going on, filling one will become difficult anyways. We'll have to find other ideas. (Hunny nixxed my idea of resurrecting the Boat Pool; said it wasn't good for the boat. Phooey.)
We tried to look into picking up one ourselves (Hunny has actually been looking since May for ideas. Apparently having a pool is something he is serious about. We used to own one a few years ago, but we got rid of it for some reason that I can't recall.) however, there is not a pool in our price range to be found in the Lower Mainland anymore! He found one online at Canadian Tire, but when he looked again an hour later, it was sold!
And with our water restrictions going on, filling one will become difficult anyways. We'll have to find other ideas. (Hunny nixxed my idea of resurrecting the Boat Pool; said it wasn't good for the boat. Phooey.)
Monday, July 6, 2015
We used to have mountains in BC. We used to be able to see them from our deck and on our drives around town. But now they are missing, and it's so sad.
Currently, BC is battling over 60 forest fires.
Chris Hadfield, our Famous (and awesome) Cdn Astronaut, posted this on Twitter today:
To put it into perspective, here is a comparison shot of Vancouver normally in summer (bottom), and Vancouver covered in a smokey haze. Wow.
Currently, two communities have issues States of Emergency due to wild fires: Port Hardy and Squamish Lillooet Regional District. Scary thought!
Metro Vancouver is also in a Stage 2 Water Restrictions, which means only watering once a week. A part of me thinks it seems counterintuitive; if it is so dry out there that fires are starting from absentminded people, then doesn't getting things wet make sense? But I also understand that we need to be consientious on our water useage due to it being so dry. What a summer this is starting out to be!
When we were traveling up for our camping trip at the end of June, we drove past the fires near Lytton. We could actually see some of the orange flames at the top fires! It was fascinating, yet also worrying and sad. I understand that wild fires can actually be good for us in the long run, but it's sad when you think of the forests being destroyed, the animals being displaced, the firefighters who put their lives at risk, and the air quality making it hard for others.
Last night, the smoke started to become more noticeable in our own neighbourhood. We could see it and smell it when we went out to visit family; it was disturbing. But it was also so hot out, that at bedtime we had to make a tough decision. Do we close the windows and heat up the house further to keep the smoke out? (it was starting to bother my breathing) Or do we bear with the smoke and keep the cool air coming in along with it? In the end, we closed the windows. Man, it was hot and hard to sleep!
It's so easy for me to get anxious and worried over things that may or may not happen. My mind starts to think "Worst Case Scenario Thoughts", such as what if the air gets so bad that we have trouble breathing and it triggers asthma attacks in the kids? what if the heat doesn't cool down and we are overcome by heat exhaustion? what if we need to evacuate? Thoughts that I don't need to worry about, things that aren't likely to occur, but thoughts that enter my mind anyways. (for some reason, I think of Pompeii and I wonder what it must have been like for them to see their skies cover in ash and smoke. I know wafting smoke from fires several thousand kilometres away and an erupting volcano above your town are different, but my mind doesn't always make sense!) I've been trying to focus my thinking by praying for His Peace and meditating on His Word.
I was reminded of these two verses last night:
I am so thankful that we have firefighters bravely fighting to contain the many fires raging right now (and am praying for the families involved of the tree feller who died while working on one of the fires last night. It is a hard and dangerous job.), and I am thankful that God is in control of all of this and I can find strength in Him when I feel weak or worried. When I look to Him, I find that the stress does fall away.
Please join me in praying for the safety of the firefighters and volunteers and those involved in keeping our province safe, and in praying for health for those who are vulnerable (the elderly, young children and those with heart disease and diabetes and asthma were told to keep indoors in Metro Vancouver).
Pray also for rain! (with no lightening)
Currently, BC is battling over 60 forest fires.
Chris Hadfield, our Famous (and awesome) Cdn Astronaut, posted this on Twitter today:
To put it into perspective, here is a comparison shot of Vancouver normally in summer (bottom), and Vancouver covered in a smokey haze. Wow.
{photo by Cheryl Smith}
Currently, two communities have issues States of Emergency due to wild fires: Port Hardy and Squamish Lillooet Regional District. Scary thought!
Metro Vancouver is also in a Stage 2 Water Restrictions, which means only watering once a week. A part of me thinks it seems counterintuitive; if it is so dry out there that fires are starting from absentminded people, then doesn't getting things wet make sense? But I also understand that we need to be consientious on our water useage due to it being so dry. What a summer this is starting out to be!
When we were traveling up for our camping trip at the end of June, we drove past the fires near Lytton. We could actually see some of the orange flames at the top fires! It was fascinating, yet also worrying and sad. I understand that wild fires can actually be good for us in the long run, but it's sad when you think of the forests being destroyed, the animals being displaced, the firefighters who put their lives at risk, and the air quality making it hard for others.
Last night, the smoke started to become more noticeable in our own neighbourhood. We could see it and smell it when we went out to visit family; it was disturbing. But it was also so hot out, that at bedtime we had to make a tough decision. Do we close the windows and heat up the house further to keep the smoke out? (it was starting to bother my breathing) Or do we bear with the smoke and keep the cool air coming in along with it? In the end, we closed the windows. Man, it was hot and hard to sleep!
It's so easy for me to get anxious and worried over things that may or may not happen. My mind starts to think "Worst Case Scenario Thoughts", such as what if the air gets so bad that we have trouble breathing and it triggers asthma attacks in the kids? what if the heat doesn't cool down and we are overcome by heat exhaustion? what if we need to evacuate? Thoughts that I don't need to worry about, things that aren't likely to occur, but thoughts that enter my mind anyways. (for some reason, I think of Pompeii and I wonder what it must have been like for them to see their skies cover in ash and smoke. I know wafting smoke from fires several thousand kilometres away and an erupting volcano above your town are different, but my mind doesn't always make sense!) I've been trying to focus my thinking by praying for His Peace and meditating on His Word.
I was reminded of these two verses last night:
When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. ~Psalm 56:3
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior....since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you. ~Isaiah 43:2-4
I am so thankful that we have firefighters bravely fighting to contain the many fires raging right now (and am praying for the families involved of the tree feller who died while working on one of the fires last night. It is a hard and dangerous job.), and I am thankful that God is in control of all of this and I can find strength in Him when I feel weak or worried. When I look to Him, I find that the stress does fall away.
Please join me in praying for the safety of the firefighters and volunteers and those involved in keeping our province safe, and in praying for health for those who are vulnerable (the elderly, young children and those with heart disease and diabetes and asthma were told to keep indoors in Metro Vancouver).
Pray also for rain! (with no lightening)
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week and remember our blessings. It is so good to see all that has happened, especially if you have had a particularly tough week. Being grateful is good for the soul. Here are just a few things that I am thankful for...
1. trees to climb
2. dinner with friends
I am so thankful for the friends that we have and that we could go out and enjoy an evening together, and that our kids play well and that it is just like being among family.
3.new sunglasses
{I'm Batman}
4. swings that make you fly
4. texts that give you hope again
I received a message from a friend that I hadn't heard from in such a long time that I had just about given up on our relationship; she just wasn't responding to me and it hurt. I don't know what will happen in the end, but I am thankful that she sent something.
I am thankful that even though friendships change, He is always faithful.
5. sparklers
{yay. sparklers.}
{that's better. that's the spirit!}
6. music that makes us move
This is currently Rhys' favourite song: Build Your Kingdom by Rend Collective. (he also loves their song "Lighthouse") He will play it over and over and sing and dance, and it is so wonderful to see! I love his spirit! (and, seriously, how FUN is Rend Collective???)
7. front yard visits with neighbours
We live in a really good neighbourhood and have been blessed that the people who live on either side of us are great people. We have known eachother for 12 years and our kids have grown up together and we have shared in each others' lives! It's nice to be able to sit in our yards and just visit! I am thankful for the women I live by!
8. water to splash in
9. rest
I am so thankful that after several busy days, when my body is fatigued and I feel overwhelmed, that He gives me rest. I am given a day of quiet, where I can rest on the couch without the kids needing much. My body needs this every so often!
10. laughs at the dinner table
My Hunny was teasing Abi about something and told her to "suck it up, Princess!" Eden stood up on her chair and pointed her finger at Abi, hotly telling her father, "She's not a Princess! I'm a Princess!"
What a funny girl! Apparently there can not be two princesses!
So that's my week in a nutshell. How has your week been? I'd love to celebrate your Thankful list with you: share it in the comments!
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Happy birthday, Canada! Just 148 years young!!
I am so proud to be a Canadian! (heck, I'm so proud, it's in my user name!) It is an incredibly beautiful and diverse country. I love it here and couldn't think of any more perfect place to live!
Have fun celebrating! And be safe!!! We'll be by the lake with sparklers and hopefully s'mores!
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