I woke-up at 3:30am, initially, but forced myself back to sleep and woke again at 4:15am (15 minutes before my alarm). Pretty proud of myself. I pushed myself to do 5 x 200. It wasn't pretty, but I did it. By the last 25 of each set, my arms felt like they weighed as much as an elephant.
I was asked yesterday when I am going to start weighing myself. I hate the scale, so I think I will wait to weigh until I start noticing a difference in my appearance.
Debating on going to swim tomorrow morning. Worried I'll lose momentum if I give myself a break, but I don't want to burn-out either.
Time for coffee with my honey. Good day, everyone.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Joshua's Appointment Yesterday
After dropping off the girls with my parents yesterday, we headed to Joshua's appointment in a rather sketchy part of town. We checked in and made our way to the "Behavioral Health" department. Behavioral Health... Those words are now part of our family vocabulary and it's a little difficult to swallow. Quite honestly, I always thought behavioral health was regarding people who are mentally insane. Yes, I know I am uneducated about some things (aren't we all), but my understanding of behavioral health is changing very quickly.
The first part of the appointment was meeting with Joshua's Autism Care Coordinator, Leah. She's super sweet; very encouraging and reassuring. She set-up referrals for Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Therapy. Unfortunately, she also explained that CHP+ only pays for up to 20 visit a year for each therapy. She has encouraged us to look into the exchanges once those come available so that Joshua can qualify for MUCH more autism benefits (in addition to the two therapies he will be receiving). Apparently, the new autism benefits (Health Insurance Mandated Autism Treatments, or HIMAT) that are federally regulated did not get extended to CHP+ or Medicaid...? Make sense to anyone else? Good grief. This link is what we need to get informed on. I can see why switching to one of the exchanges would be good for Joshua, but we also have to consider Jenna's needs and whether or not they would be good for her, or do we/can we switch one and not the other? It's all so overwhelming and confusing. Plus, the exchanges come at a cost and we are already stretched thin. Praying we find a good group of people to help us wade thru this mess of information. My circuits are fried and we aren't even in the thick of it yet.
Joshua's appointment lasted approximately 2 hours. The majority of the appointment was spent sitting with the specialist and discussing Joshua's milestones and family medical history. This was followed by a brief exam (which she observed that Joshua's head is in the 98th percentile...lots of brain in that noggin) and then lab draws. Lab draws. Some might wonder why in the world you would need to draw blood for autism. Well, apparently, sometimes (not all of the time and not very often) autism can be a result of an underlying illness or disorder. They felt that with Jenna's medical issues that it was a very good idea to check things out, so they are running for basic things like organ function, iron levels, etc. to a panel of genetic tests. Poor Joshua has never had blood drawn before and it was quite traumatizing for him. I am so thankful Nick was there to help. I stayed in the lab waiting area while Nick went in with him. You could Joshua hollering and crying. He was so scared to go in that his little body stiffened and tensed up.
We should have some results in a few days, but the genetic results will take several weeks. We're use to waiting for genetic lab results and half way anticipating what they will say, but not with our healthy baby. We're hoping nothing shows-up. Autism? Fine. Genetic disorder? Please no. Either way, we know that God will guide, uplift, encourage and provide. He already has and does in so many ways. I'm so thankful for the prayer support our family receives. PLEASE DON'T STOP anytime soon.
The first part of the appointment was meeting with Joshua's Autism Care Coordinator, Leah. She's super sweet; very encouraging and reassuring. She set-up referrals for Occupational Therapy and Social Skills Therapy. Unfortunately, she also explained that CHP+ only pays for up to 20 visit a year for each therapy. She has encouraged us to look into the exchanges once those come available so that Joshua can qualify for MUCH more autism benefits (in addition to the two therapies he will be receiving). Apparently, the new autism benefits (Health Insurance Mandated Autism Treatments, or HIMAT) that are federally regulated did not get extended to CHP+ or Medicaid...? Make sense to anyone else? Good grief. This link is what we need to get informed on. I can see why switching to one of the exchanges would be good for Joshua, but we also have to consider Jenna's needs and whether or not they would be good for her, or do we/can we switch one and not the other? It's all so overwhelming and confusing. Plus, the exchanges come at a cost and we are already stretched thin. Praying we find a good group of people to help us wade thru this mess of information. My circuits are fried and we aren't even in the thick of it yet.
Joshua's appointment lasted approximately 2 hours. The majority of the appointment was spent sitting with the specialist and discussing Joshua's milestones and family medical history. This was followed by a brief exam (which she observed that Joshua's head is in the 98th percentile...lots of brain in that noggin) and then lab draws. Lab draws. Some might wonder why in the world you would need to draw blood for autism. Well, apparently, sometimes (not all of the time and not very often) autism can be a result of an underlying illness or disorder. They felt that with Jenna's medical issues that it was a very good idea to check things out, so they are running for basic things like organ function, iron levels, etc. to a panel of genetic tests. Poor Joshua has never had blood drawn before and it was quite traumatizing for him. I am so thankful Nick was there to help. I stayed in the lab waiting area while Nick went in with him. You could Joshua hollering and crying. He was so scared to go in that his little body stiffened and tensed up.
We should have some results in a few days, but the genetic results will take several weeks. We're use to waiting for genetic lab results and half way anticipating what they will say, but not with our healthy baby. We're hoping nothing shows-up. Autism? Fine. Genetic disorder? Please no. Either way, we know that God will guide, uplift, encourage and provide. He already has and does in so many ways. I'm so thankful for the prayer support our family receives. PLEASE DON'T STOP anytime soon.
Week 1, Day 4
Today, my body woke itself up before the alarm again, but this time it was 4:00am instead of 3:00am. One hour can make a HUGE difference, but this morning, I did not want to get up. Yesterday was draining. I'll explain why in another post. I managed to do 6 sets of 150 and a 100 cool down again, but it was much harder today than in days past. Still, I pushed myself more in some of the sets than in others. It felt good to push myself and it also felt good to be the best swimmer in the pool. I won't lie... It felt awesome to zoom past the guys in the lanes on either side of me. Both of them thinking they're hot shots and then the fat girl in the middle (me) smoked 'em! Okay... Time to lay the ego aside. The other day, there was a girl much better than me, but I was 2nd. Okay... Stop it! I get a little too competitive at times. Time to chill.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Week 1, Day 3
3:00am. That's a normal time to be up, right? I didn't do this on purpose. My alarm was set for 5:00am. I tried my best to roll over and go back asleep, but my body wasn't going to have any part in that. So what to do? Hop on Facebook and find some of your girlfriends also awake to chat with and then just go ahead and get up. I was at the rec center before opening (5:00am) and in the pool at 5:05am. Honestly, it felt great. My body is having some major adrenaline and my stamina was once again on the rise. I managed to do 6 set of 150 and a 100 cool down (as opposed to 10 sets of 100, previously). Still keeping the yardage at 1,000 yards for now, but I plan on possibly upping that next week. I don't want to throw my body into shock. I want to keep it fun while also getting the exercise I need. When it's no longer fun, I throw in the towel. MUST. KEEP. IT. FUN.
So, I am just really appreciating the staff at the rec center. The lifeguards are so engaging, kind, and encouraging. So impressed! I have not felt this comfortable in a bathing suit since I was 12% body fat (yes, that was me at one time). But seriously, fat girls do not like being in bathing suits in public. Maybe I am just speaking for myself. If you're fat like me and you don't have this problem, I envy you!
I contemplated making a separate blog for my weight loss endeavors, but I am part of my family, so I decided to keep it here. If you'd rather read past these posts, I will make it easy for you... The title post will always be where I am at in terms of the length/date/etc.
P.S. Big day for Joshua today. Prayers appreciated!
So, I am just really appreciating the staff at the rec center. The lifeguards are so engaging, kind, and encouraging. So impressed! I have not felt this comfortable in a bathing suit since I was 12% body fat (yes, that was me at one time). But seriously, fat girls do not like being in bathing suits in public. Maybe I am just speaking for myself. If you're fat like me and you don't have this problem, I envy you!
I contemplated making a separate blog for my weight loss endeavors, but I am part of my family, so I decided to keep it here. If you'd rather read past these posts, I will make it easy for you... The title post will always be where I am at in terms of the length/date/etc.
P.S. Big day for Joshua today. Prayers appreciated!
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Can I Cry?
I just got off the phone with Jenna's pediatric chronic care coordinator. You need one of those when you have a chronic kiddo. It's the one and only thing I love about Kaiser. So, Mary Kay (she's super cute and from the North, so super thick accent) is getting Jenna hooked-up again with specialists we have had on the back burner due to various things like...having another baby. You know, little things like that.
So, specialists Jenna will be seeing in the next couple of months:
I'm weary, tired, worn, and ragged. I know the Lord is protecting and providing; we have much to be thankful for. I wish I could get away for a break before this all starts up. I'm blessed by the life God has given me, truly blessed. But, even Jesus escaped to the garden to pray.
And I can't get Mary Kay's voice out of my head. I typed this whole post with her voice in my head. Haha! She's adorable and I am so thankful for her.
So, specialists Jenna will be seeing in the next couple of months:
- Orthopedist (for her poor little caving ankles)
- Cleft Team (includes dental, oral surgery, etc.)
- Opthalmology
- Speech
- Endocrinology
- GI
- Neurology (her seizures aren't flaring, but her floppiness on her left side is a concern)
I'm weary, tired, worn, and ragged. I know the Lord is protecting and providing; we have much to be thankful for. I wish I could get away for a break before this all starts up. I'm blessed by the life God has given me, truly blessed. But, even Jesus escaped to the garden to pray.
And I can't get Mary Kay's voice out of my head. I typed this whole post with her voice in my head. Haha! She's adorable and I am so thankful for her.
Joshua's Appointment Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Joshua meets with a pediatrician who specializes in Autism. I thought this was a silly appointment until it was explained to me that sometimes ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) can be a result of an underlying illness. I am really nervous at this possibility and praying that it is just ASD or if there is an underlying illness that it would be a simple fix. The appointment is suppose to last an hour and there is the possibility of a lab draw to check for possible genetic abnormalities. I sincerely hope the doctor will decide the lab draw is unnecessary. In times past, Joshua has not done well at all with needles. The last time Joshua was around needles, Jenna was having an adrenal crisis at the doctor's office and she was getting an IV. Poor Joshua has never witnessed Jenna in an emergency situation and it really threw him. He vomited several times out of sheer panic and concern for his sister. That boy loves his sister so deeply. This was the first emergency situation where it has just been me and with the kids; all other emergency situations, either Nick or another adult has been able to whisk Joshua away to another room. All that being said, I am thankful Nick will be going with us so he can be a support to Joshua and me!
We will receive recommendations and suggestions of all sorts to help Joshua function in the best possible way as he grows into a young man. I want to follow the absolute best path for him. The panel of doctors who performed the evaluation and gave the ASD diagnosis have strongly urged public education. Nick and I have considered it, but the cons outweigh the pros in our opinion. Bullying is a big issue for kids in general, but from what I have read, even more so for kids with ASD. I couldn't handle that and Joshua has been bullied in the past without a clue! Another issue with sending Joshua to a public school is the germs he could/would bring back to Jenna. I realize germs can be picked-up at any of the places we go (church, restaurants, friend's houses, etc.), but germs at school are much more prevalent from what I have been told, have read and understand. Jenna has been doing very well and we have been encouraged to expose her to more (and we have), but there is a difference between exposure and forced exposure. We cannot let our guard down and should still be somewhat cautious.
I'm so proud of Joshua. He is so engaging, smart and charismatic. He loves to read and uses his imagination. Some days are extremely tough on me and I am trying to figure out ways to help cope with the stress of having two special needs kids, but I can't imagine my life any different. Joshua is uniquely Joshua and I am proud to be his momma.
We will receive recommendations and suggestions of all sorts to help Joshua function in the best possible way as he grows into a young man. I want to follow the absolute best path for him. The panel of doctors who performed the evaluation and gave the ASD diagnosis have strongly urged public education. Nick and I have considered it, but the cons outweigh the pros in our opinion. Bullying is a big issue for kids in general, but from what I have read, even more so for kids with ASD. I couldn't handle that and Joshua has been bullied in the past without a clue! Another issue with sending Joshua to a public school is the germs he could/would bring back to Jenna. I realize germs can be picked-up at any of the places we go (church, restaurants, friend's houses, etc.), but germs at school are much more prevalent from what I have been told, have read and understand. Jenna has been doing very well and we have been encouraged to expose her to more (and we have), but there is a difference between exposure and forced exposure. We cannot let our guard down and should still be somewhat cautious.
I'm so proud of Joshua. He is so engaging, smart and charismatic. He loves to read and uses his imagination. Some days are extremely tough on me and I am trying to figure out ways to help cope with the stress of having two special needs kids, but I can't imagine my life any different. Joshua is uniquely Joshua and I am proud to be his momma.
Week 1, Day 2
Up at 5:00am again this morning to go swimming. Not sure how I managed to since I woke-up FIVE times during the night. I really fought the urge to hit the snooze button! I could wake-up an hour later and go swim, but the pool starts to fill-up with swimmers at 6:30 and I don't like sharing my lane unless I have to. In times past, sharing a lane has meant the other swimmer forgetting we weren't circle swimming and me getting plowed into. No thanks! I'll continue to get up early.
I swam another 1,000yds. It was a bit easier than yesterday. My stamina was much improved and I didn't need as many breaks. I hope this keeps up. My muscles are so fatigued right now that I am not sure when I will be able to make it up the stairs to the second floor in our house. That's a good thing though. I'm burning fat and building lean muscle.
Setting my alarm now to be up again tomorrow. I was going to start of with doing just a few days a week, but when it comes to working-out, I am all or nothing. If I skip a day, I might not go back! Gotta keep my eyes on the prize.
Funny story... As I was leaving, I noticed the female lifeguard rearranging the kickboards so they lined-up perfectly. It made me giggle to see a fellow "type a" at work. I complimented her on her skill and explained I would have done the exact same thing. We shared a good laugh together.
Funny story... As I was leaving, I noticed the female lifeguard rearranging the kickboards so they lined-up perfectly. It made me giggle to see a fellow "type a" at work. I complimented her on her skill and explained I would have done the exact same thing. We shared a good laugh together.
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