Its a New Day

Last Friday we opened gifts at R&R's with the kids. It was fun to see how excited they were about their new clothes and toys and books. Me with Tristan, Hannah and Julia Julia and her daddy - where she is happiest. Saturday afternoon we all went to Mike & Karen's. It was pretty busy but lots of fun. The (present) grandkids and opa When we were growing up and we would get together with my dad's family, there was always a picture taken with all the grandkids. It is fun to look back at those pictures and see the family grow and change. We thought we'd try this year... the funny thing is that we often had the same expressions as kids (crying, sad, happy, bored).

Sunday morning it was just one of those days that only lead to trouble... There really wasn't anything terribly funny about our conversation - truthfully I don't remember what we were even talking about - but suddenly Betty Ann had to sit down and Kelley and I had tears running down our faces. The three of us were standing (or at least trying to keep on our feet) laughing and crying and struggling to catch our breath. It was the kind of laughter that you feel like you could go for a good long nap afterwards. I am so glad to have friends that I can laugh like with.

Yesterday I had another 2 treatments. I was actually feeling pretty good when I started out (about a 7) and had the first treatment with no crying (amazing!!!). I went downstairs for my 'sleep' and then came back up for my second session. Dr. B asked if I'd had a good rest and I said "I didn't think I really slept, but when I looked at the clock it was already 8:30 so I guess I did sleep". He just smiled as he put in the needles for the 2nd treatment and said (very straight faced) "I could tell... you still have pillow marks on your face". Usually by the time I get back to the office after my second treatment I'm pretty worn out. I usually work with the lights off and just quietly go about my work (as if I ever make much noise in the office). Rudy and the little girls came by for a visit and I was being 'teased' about something when Hans said very gently, 'Rudy, take it easy on Jennifer - she had her treatments today and she doesn...

This morning I had my re-assessment at The Migraine Clinic. Basically Dr. B. took my pulse in a few different places before the treatment. Because I was having 2 in 1 day, he waited until after the 2nd treatment to finish the re-assessment. This week has been a particularily difficult one. It could be the ups and downs of the weather and/or the anxiety of getting calendars and envelopes and enrollment packs put together and out in the mail (the calendars came in this morning but I still don't have envelopes so I'm at a bit of in impass) so that they get to the prisons by christmas, or that I don't have my tongue sticking in my cheek at the right angle... whatever the reason it has been bad. So when Dr. B. asked me how bad I was this morning, it was all I could do to keep the tears at bay. (what is it about him that makes me cry?!?). I went in with a migraine. It was about a 8.5 (so I can still function) but it was getting worse. I was climbing to a 9.5 by the time my treatm...

Tomorrow is my Opa's 85th birthday, but on Saturday we got together as a family at the Mary Hill Inn (in Mary Hill) where my oma rented the place for the evening, and we had a surprise party for my opa. He walked in and was very surprised. He didn't really want to come out that evening because they had a seniors thing at the church, but since my Aunt Heather and Uncle Kevin were 'taking him out for his birthday' he decided to go. It was a really lovely evening. Heather arranged for each family to make up 2 scrapbook pages so that when friends came over they could 'show off' their family. During the meal mom, Aunt Heather, Uncle Michael, dad and most of the grandchildren went up and shared a memory of opa. It went from him working in his work shop to chasing after Uncle Michael with a homemade paddle while they were camping, to just sitting and watching a hockey game. There was also some time of singing and touching moments of remembering God's grace. I reali...

This morning I asked if Dr. B would do a re-assessment - just for my peace of mind to see if there was any change from his point of view. I'm not sure if I should be concerned or not but he said that as he was driving in this morning he was thinking about me and how I must be feeling like we're just going in circles with no real results. Well, we have to wait till after next week's first appointment and then he can do a re-assessment (something about having to wait a certain amount of treatment times) so we'll see next week what happens. The only strange dream I had this time was that people were sitting in the room where I was resting and complaining that if they went to Princess Margaret they get coffee & snacks and other free stuff while they have to wait and nicer chairs. I defended Judy (the secretary) and said it wasn't her job to provide coffee or anything else and that the chairs were comfy. Weird.

Why am I writing about my trips to the Migraine Clinic? As I get ready to report again that I went had the needles in, did my breathing, had the needles out, had a short nap, had the needles put back in, breathed again and had them out, and checked for drops of blood before leaving the office, and then about how I'm feeling after, I really hope that is doesn't sound like complaining. It would be untrue of me to say that things are getting easier as the weeks go by. Some days, well, honestly most days, they feel worse. Just when I think that it is as bad as it has ever been it gets worse. I still feel frustrated that after a treatment session I can be in bed for days at a time and feel that my head might explode any second. There are lots of tears. Lots and lots of them. I've missed going more to church in the last 3 months then I have in my entire life and even when I do make it I often have to leave early because though I was 'ok' 30 minutes ago, it has suddenly be...