Its a New Day

While she may not have 'officially' celebrated her birthday (not for lack of trying) Julia turned 2 last Thursday. Julia is a real treasure! She is sweet and always has a ready smile. She loves to make people laugh and has a mischievious streak as well - all while being totally innocent :) She adores her big brother and loves nothing better than to rub the top of his head and just laugh. He is sweet enough to let her. She is a daddy's girl and loves to go to the farm with him, even when it is cold She loves her mommy as well and is always ready to give a smooch, well, after she says no of course. It is hard to believe that this little baby is now so big! and sooo vain (she loves to look at herself after a picture is taken) And so sweet! Happy birthday Julia-bear!

Last week flew by with a great flurry of sad, tender and happy moments. Tuesday evening I went to Alymer to visit with Hettie's mom and dad. It was a difficult visit to see him so close to death and so not himself. It was also sad to see mom a little lost and watching him. On our way home I wondered why people were flashing me (with their headlights) and we realized that I had no tail lights. None - pitch dark. So Het and I went to Canadian Tire and got a new bulb (after talking with Jeff of course to see if that could be the problem). When I asked the man at the counter if someone might be able to help he promptly said "no" and walked away. Then the announcement came over the loud speaker that the store was closing in 2 minutes (I didn't realize that it closed at 8pm in Alymer). So I asked a man putting some wiper fluid in his car if he could help. Of course, as usually happens when you need to do an outdoor repair or replace wiper blades, it was raining, windy and f...

Last week was treatment #15 & 16. It was pretty uneventful. It was my first time starting my 2 sessions in 1 day. At 6:30 Dr. B did the first treatment and 20 minutes later I was in the 'lounge' office tucked under a nice warm blanket and had just over an hour of a good sleep. I went back up at 8:45 for the second treatment. He used different needles this time (and I'm sure they were much thicker than normal) and they all hurt a bit going in (and I could still feel where they had been hours later) but it was fine. By 9:15 I was back on the road. Not really feeling any different than I have any other time, but time will tell with that too.

My treatments were pretty uneventful this week. Tuesday was a really not good day and Dr. B was teasing me about being able to take more pain (which I was so NOT able to laugh at) so I did what I always seem to do there - I cried. By the time he came back I was 'under control' and applogized and told him that I am usually quite cheerful. Thursday when I went he, he was teasing me again and I said I could take it this morning and he said he could tell. Not that it was a great day - I ended up going home right afterwards and back to bed - but I didn't cry. And that's a good thing :) Next week we're going to do 2 treatments on Thursday mornings (and not go at all on Tuesday mornings). This is simply to cut down driving time and cost of gas. I'll only have 1 morning to get up at the crack of dawn and drive out to Georgetown (and with winter coming this is also a good thing). I'll have my first appointment at 6:30 and then have to wait till 9 for my second so I c...

Friday didn't start off great and by 5pm I was laying on the couch with a pounding head thinking I would have to cancel my plans of spending the evening celebrating Kelley's birthday. I took some T3's and had a hot shower and got ready "just in case" it worked. Then headed out. We had a great time at Monty's a little place in Hespeler, that Jon had rented for the evening. It really fit 30 people (and we were about 28). We had different appetizers and lots of fun talking and laughing, eating and laughing... did I mention laughing? The best was Wilma's skiing story that she told without words (because she was laughing so hard). Oh yeah... lots of laughing. When I was driving home later that night, I realized that my head was feeling pretty good. Better than it had felt in a long time. I would say a 6 out of 10 (which is really good -for me - since most days/weeks have been a 8-9 out of 10). I was trying to remember when I last felt that good. July 27. Almost...

It is starting to feel like life is an old record skipping (yes... I remember what records are) and I'm just waiting for the needle to get it moving onto the rest of the song. After the dinners for work, I know that without a doubt I will be in bed a few days. They are long days filled with lots of work (and smiling) and even though I did get a rest both days, by the end of the day I was toast... burnt toast. Maybe I have the wrong mindset going in, but on Tuesday I didn't really expect anything. The needles all hurt, but I didn't expect that I would feel better, if anything just worse. It became a SUPER long day going to Toronto in the evening with the Oosterhof's to pick up Hettie from the airport and then needing to have a heart to heart with dear Rachel afterwards. By the time I got home I was beyond burnt toast. I had gone to see my family doc about something else that day as well. She called me in the office (which made me a bit concerened because the nurse called...

So last week was visit 7 & 8. Tuesday was pretty uneventful, but Thursday was a different story. I talked to Dr. B about where the needles are placed and that sometimes they really hurt and sometimes I felt nothing and how on Thursday's I've been pretty good till about 9pm and then I get whacked with a doozie of a migraine and spend most of the next 3 days in bed. Apparently, some times we are more sensative to things than others, but it shouldn't affect if the needles hurt or not or the outcome. He just said, "Don't have a headache this weekend"... why didn't I think of that... By the time I left on Thursday it was not good. I was really trying very hard not to cry in the office. I managed to hold on till I got into my car and then cried the whole way back to the office. My head was just pounding with pain and I just had to cry. I made it to the office and managed to stay for 45 minutes before I had to go home. I just couldn't handle the pounding ...

A few weeks ago I took Tristan and Hannah and Rebekah (a girl from church) to the Toronto Zoo. This was a first for all of them! Hard to believe since as kids we would go all the time, both with family and on school trips. It was a bit cold and rainy, but the kids were warm and snuggly with their sweaters and rain gear (too bad Rebekah and I weren't that prepared!). When we first arrived they kept ohhing and ahhing over the fallen trees and the river and I wondered if I'd made a huge mistake since they could see all that in grandpa's forest, but as time went on they loved it. If you notice, Tristan's finger is up the Gorilla's nose... there weren't many other people there, but at this particular spot there were 3 ladies who were just in front of us and they were sticking their fingers up his nose so Tristan followed suit. We tried to avoid those ladies the rest of the trip (which was thankfully easy to do). Every time they saw "the world" they wanted t...

Well, after treatment #4 - and a very long day, I went to Kelley's to play games (I didn't come in last... but I didn't win either :)), and by the time I did get home the lovely migraine that had been stopped earlier in the day came with a vengence. The nice thing was that I was able to get lots of work done during the day. Friday was also a bit of a right off, but thankfully Saturday was a good day (that will have it's own post). Sunday and most of Monday were also mostly spent in bed. So, Tuesday morning I woke up feeling - well, ok - it wasn't great but it wasn't terrible. By the time I got to Georgetown I was feeling pretty good. That didn't last long. I'm still not sure what caused it, but whether it was some anxiety over going to prison later on in the morning, or where the needles were placed (they all seemed to hurt), but shortly after the needles were put in my right arm started shaking. This is not an unusual phemomenon. Sometimes, when a reall...

Bright and early (well actually dark and early) this morning I headed off to Georgetown for my 4th appointment at the Migraine Clinic. The drive is nice with not too many people on the road yet and certainly no traffic my way there or back. Brandan is there and always cheerful (he MUST be a morning person) and Judy (his receptionist) is also there bright eyed and bushy tailed. After signing in I go into the room and Brandan starts sticking needles in my head and hands. After 20 minutes of breathing and waiting he comes back in to take them out. This morning he put one in my right hand (it is usually the left) and said 'This one is going to hurt a bit". Well... he wasn't kidding, but I figured I can deal with it for a few minutes. Then I started to get a migraine. When he came back in the room he asked me where it was and then proceeded to put a needle in my left hand, quite far down and wiggle it around while applying pressure to my pinky. That hurt. A lot. I've never ...

This past September has been one of the busiest I remember in a long time. Lots of wedding preparations (and of course the actual wedding). Every weekend was filled with family activties. First Ryan, Rachel and kids and I went to the Fire Hall Open House. There are always lots of firetrucks there to look at, some games for the kids, a police car that rolls over (to show what happens if you don't wear your seatbelt), firetruck rides and face painting. The kids get to do an obstacle course as well. Tristan and Hannah competed against each other (each with their own fireman taking them through) to fill buckets with water and spray flags with a hose. Then of course the end of September brought Chad and Amanda's wedding. I only took 1 picture the entire day (and it isn't great) but Julianna did a great job (at least of the one that we've seen). It was a busy but lovely day and we are so thrilled to have them living close to us. With that, the quilt I promised them for an eng...

This morning... very early, before the darkness of the night sky had lifted (that would be 4:30am) I woke up to the startling sound of the alarm. I had been dreaming that Michael Card would be coming as a speaker to Camp Tamarak, but some how it was going to be between him and Hulk Hogan. It was really one of those strange dreams that you don't mind waking up from... So why was I up so early? This morning I had my first appointment for 6:30 at The Migraine Clinic in Georgetown - just over an hour's drive away. After a few navigational snaffu's (I suppose the GPS didn't like being up so early either and it told me to take the HWY 6 North exit, then do a U-turn and get back on the 401 the way I came from) I managed to find 83 Mill Street. It was dark there. Very dark. There were 2 men jogging and 1 lone light on inside the building up on the 3rd floor. So I entered cautiously - not even sure if the doors would be open and went upstairs. Judy, the very sweet and way to per...

Saturday we had the Riverside Church Picnic. There was a great turnout of people (though I didn't get any pictures of them) and lots of fun had by all. The teens planned games for the children (which also kept them occupied so the adults could talk) and there was the tractor pull. We're still not sure how Tini 'The Ox' Oosterhof's team didn't win :). There was lots of food (is there ever a shortage) and then there was the dessert contest. There were only 3 brave enough to enter and we all made cheesecakes. In no particular order... Taramisu Cheese Cake (mady by yours truly) A Berry Cheesecake (by Kathryn) New York Style Cheesecake with a Strawberry reduction (by Jon) Jerry had the honour of being one of the judges... So did Simon. Rudy was also a judge. DW announcing the winner... apparently it was close (though not close enough...) Kathryn is still the Dessert Queen!

Last Saturday I went to a Blue Jay game with Simon, Tini, Jessica, Eric, Jonny, Rebekah, Hugo, Opa and Marilyn. I don't think I had been to the Rogers Centre (or the Sky Dome as I know it) in about 17 maybe 18 years! There were lots of strange people walking around for Fan Fest - sadly we had some 'strange' people with us too... I have no idea of any player names anymore - I still remembered Roberto Alamar and that's really about it. Though they lost 6-5 against Tampa Bay, it was a fun game -and intense till the very end last out of the 9th inning. We had a great time at having dinner at the Pickel Barrel afterwards and of course the subway ride to Yorkdale. Thankfully not too many strange people were seen.... except with us...

I often get looks of great disbelief when I say that I always have a headache. I have had a headache every day since May of 1990. It is hard to fathom that sometimes - and often I feel it must just be in my head (ha ha). Today someone sent me a link to the Ontario Migraine Clinic and I found that I am not 'crazy' that there is really such a thing as what I have been experiencing and other do too! I do hope to go to a seminar at the clinic in September and see if I can get any help there. It looks like their treatment plan involves mostly Acupuncture (which I have done with no results) but maybe this will be different. This is a bit long, but hopefully will give a better understanding. Occipital Neuralgia (this really sums up what I feel every day.) Symptoms: Headache that is localized or following a 'ram's horn' patter on the side of the head, often starting in the upper neck or base of the skull; scalp is tender to the touch, often hypersensative; pain at t...

Last weekend was Chad & Amanda's buck & doe. We had great fun with pony rides and "Shoot the Couple" (with paint balls). There was lots and lots of laughing and excitement! The bride-to-be and her flower girl A friend of Chad's brought a pony for the kids to ride. Hannah told me that the grown ups couldn't ride him because they would 'break his leg off' so only the kids could ride him. The ring bearer - or Ring Security - as his shirt says. At first he wasn't too sure about this job but when he was told that he had to carry the rings for Uncle Chad and walk down with Hannah, he thought that was a cool idea. It started to rain, but we all fit into the shop where we played more games and ate more cupcakes. (I think that mom and Amanda made about 100 cupcakes for the evening). It was great fun and we enjoyed being able to sit and talk with folks that we don't often get to see.

For the last few months, things have been pretty good. Not great - but much better than they had been. At a follow up visit with my family doctor, she commented "The meds must be working - your eyes aren't black and you aren't crying". It was a good few months. Instead of days to weeks long migraines, they would only last a day or two and the everyday headache was much less. Instead of saying that I was at a 8 or 9 (1 being low and 10 being unbearable pain) I was at a 5-7. That was huge! From Christmas till end of June I was on the verge of unbearable everyday. A combination of a beta-blocker and muscle relaxant along with weekly physiotherapy really seemed to be working. Until 4 weeks ago.... I had just had a great night's sleep in my own bed (and wasn't awakened by children screaming in the night). But as I slowing woke up the familiar pounding was back. With a vengence. Three weeks later I was starting to feel a bit 'normal'...

Happy 31st Birthday to Derek! He really is a Super Man (get it... in a telephone booth... hee hee). He is dedicated to Kimberly and their daughter Meaghan (and soon to be new little one!!!), very involved in the church and a much sought after employee for his work. We are all very thankful for Derek and pray that the Lord will bless him with many more years.

In July I was talking with Rachel and Ryan and together we decided that I would move back in with them. The truth is, that as much as I enjoyed having my own place I really miss living with the family and the feeling is mutual. A few weeks later, they were putting the kids to bed and told me (very seriously) that they had to talk to me about moving in. Rachel came downstairs and handed me something wrapped in purple tissue paper. Without opening it I knew she was expecting and due the end of February! We joked about Kimberly announcing at the same time (we weren't sure but suspected). A few days later, Kimberly called me to tell me that she was also pregnant and due in the beginning of February. Too funny!!! Both due around the same time (last time they were pregnant together as well). Last night Rachel came home and showed me the pictures from her ultrasound. There was a very sweet looking baby sucking it's thumb. As I looked at the pictures I couldn't help ...

On Friday evening I went to Fergus, Ont with the Oosterhofs (and later met the Patersons) to the Fergus Scottish Festival. We have a great time watching all the different piping and regular bands as they share their music (some better than others). With great disappointment they did not play Highland Cathedral again this year. Jessica and I are going to write to them and ask someone to play it for next year. Before the bands come out, there are some demonstrations of some of the events that will take place on Saturday. This year they did the pole toss. This was the youngest of the pole tossers. The man who tossed the biggest pole (I believe they said 25 feet long) was a dutchman by the name of Hans van something. We cheered very loudly for him! As the sun goes down the pipers start to come out. They come through the 'castle' gates through a cloud of smoke. We always seem to be sitting on the wrong side and see them before the smoke... not quite the same. In fact I...