We busted out of quarantine a day early yesterday when the CDC announced that they were changing the number of days to 10 instead of 14. I could have kissed them all on the faces. I am not a good stay-at-home person in that if I don’t have a predictable structure to my day, my Enneagram 3 slowly loses the will to live and I come out HARD to my 9. I was beginning to feel like I felt in March: absolutely insane and unable to function. I wanted to share my Quarantine Hacks, for I believe, should you find yourself in my position, they could be helpful to you:
Gahhhhh I’m SO friggin late on chiming in, I had a sore throat Friday and figured I must have covid so I did what any sane person would do— call my RN sister crying and she talked me off the ledge 🙄 I had no other symptoms and felt fine, I just wake up everyday thinking I probably have it. It’s not even having it that I’m scared of, it’s the quarantining by myself and missing work (I contract to a state program doing developmental therapy with babies and toddlers and no therapy visits = zero income). I’m single and an Enneagram 7 and not being with my people gives me Big Feelings. But I definitely put my “you are a grown a#$ woman so GET UP” pants on and got on with life on Saturday.
I don’t technically have any turds to share, life is actually going well with the little things I’ve been working on! I started with a chiropractor last week and I feel like my back and sciatica are definitely healing— but speaking of turds, anyone have flu-like symptoms after starting chiro care? I love the appointments but afterwards I tend to be achy/have chills/stomach issues (I feel fine but it’s what my sister and I call “instarrhea” and it comes out of nowhere. Terrifying). My friend who’s had lots of chiropractic care says some people experience like a toxic release when they start but it’s a sign that your body is just adjusting to being manipulated that way. I have basically been Jabba the Hut-ing it in my house for the last 8 months (covid+ two surgeries) so I’m thinking my body is maybe just freaking out on me. I’ll take any info on chiropractic care that you have, this is my first real go round.
The one treasure I want to share is the song that my friend sent me, which I have been playing multiple times a day and it lifts my weary spirit up every. Single. Time. God bless you, Francesca Battistelli. 🏆 https://youtu.be/ulGqyckf-oI
I kept losing track of this yesterday but I needed to share a few videos with everyone as well as some turds and treasures.
Turds: The increases in cases is hard and I want to live somewhere else where there's a more centralized response. The weariness of extra decision making that I felt in the spring in summer is creeping back especially with holiday plans.
Treasures: I got to make cookies with my niece several times this week.
My literature review was turned in on Monday and I got good feedback from my prof.
The Irish Parliament took time out of their schedule to make sure children knew that Santa is considered an essential worker
idk friend but solidarity there with the 3 going to 9 energy (or lack thereof). Extroverted, isolated, and alternating between scheduling away the depression (all the social activities! online!) and being too exhausted to function due to the anxiety. yay
My advice is take your as-needed meds if you need them! Too often I think "I can do it! I do not need the extra meds. I will beat this." Just take the meds; it's what they are for.
I have been genuinely, truly looking forward to this all week. I thought The Swipe Up was great when I was just stalking and reading others' comments, but now that I participate?? Pure magic.
Turds first, to get them out of the way: Monday night I lost most of the function and sensation on the right side of my body, and it stayed "offline" (as my neurologist calls it) for the next 2.5 days. Definitely not my favorite, especially because any feeling I did have was reallly painful. We think I either stopped breathing in my sleep for a while, making my brain lose oxygen, or I had a small amount of internal bleeding within my brain. Good news is, some neurological therapy got my right side working again, and now I'm good to go!
Treasures: despite the above-mentioned not-my-favorite 2.5 days, I managed to work a little over 10 hours this week. That doesn't sound like much, but it's the first time I've worked a double-digit number of hours in a month! I was also able to sit in my desk chair for most of it as well, which is again huge progress because that means I wasn't in too much pain to sit up!
Also, I have been renovating my Animal Crossing island this week while watching the mindless TV that is Grey's Anatomy. If any of y'all play Animal Crossing, hit me up!! I am always looking for more friends who play... bonus points if you have one of the 4 flower breeds I'm missing! ;)
I got to participate in the Bible Binge book club Monday night, which is truly one of my favorite things to happen in 2020. I love it when Erin says my name, makes me feel special. <3
Lastly, a request: *takes deep breath* I have a #WeGotYouClub request... I need to get some labwork done so my doctors can figure out exactly what kind of chronic infection is wrecking my brain tissue. Their office has been trying to find a way to make it cheaper for me for weeks, because they're the best and they know I'm broke as hell. It could be another week or two before they figure it out, if they're even able to (which is looking increasingly unlikely), and in the meantime every day is just a delay to my treatment. Insurance doesn't cover the testing because it's so specialized. The test is $400, and I just don't have the money because I have other bills. I know this is a stressful time for everyone, so I hate to ask, but if anyone would want to help out, here's my Venmo: @Beverly-Horton-4. Any cent helps, and y'all will have my eternal gratitude for even just reading this!! <3
I love you all and I'm excited to read the comments and see how y'all are doing!
This whole (gestures wildly) thing is just the thing my world needed today! Reading through your posts makes this busy girl feel a little bit less alone. Though treasures abound, my focus has been (just for today) on the ick. I had to cancel the one Christmas thing I had on the calendar, which is something I've done for 20 years. We're moving it to Zoom (so, silver lining), but not to be together brought tears last night. And my third annual exam (I'm a heart transplant recipient) is next month, and it brings with it a surgical procedure that I've had multiple times, but it always brings a ton of anxiety with it as I typically have a terrible reaction to the anesthesia. Ugh. I've got a month and a half to deal with the anxiety, so there's that. On the positive side, our little nonprofit, Heartfelt Help Foundation, did really well for giving Tuesday! So grateful that helping other transplant recipients resonates so clearly with others. And our most recent client gets to go home tomorrow with his new heart! Miracles happen everyday! God is so, so good! Working on connections with companies who would like to be annual supporters. Off to bake dear internet friends, so grateful you are my safe space!
Hey swipers....sorry I'm late to the posting and commenting. *sighs*
I'm feeling deflated at the moment and I need to get the wind back in my sails.
Work is...a lot. I won't bore you with the details. It's just stupidstupidstupid Corporate America BS. Take that and add in the WFH vs Essential element and oooof -- I swear a lot under my mask.
But I'm happy I get to not be there very much this month. I have a lot of time off to use and I'm using it. Lots of half days.
Things helping me right now
1. I love using things to get me through a season I'm not really into -- this includes:
2. Knitting for the Swipers -- I have absolutely loved making every project for the We Got You club. If you are reading this and need a little something, I am caught up on my requests and want to do ore. Cowls, scarves, wraps and hats are my jam. Truly, this brings me more joy than you know.
3. The simple things - Using up candles, the feeling of brushing my hair, using Some Call me Crunchy's oil face wash and that feeling of draping a super warm washcloth on my face and taking that slow breaths in and out.
4. Making a list for gifts I'm giving and getting them done. I really love shipping things directly to people.
5. Reading physical books -- Loving Humans by Brandon Stanton
So, a T&P request......
Long story short, my nearly 8 year old (Linc will be 8 on Sunday, when asking him what he wants for his bday? Cake and Pho) was diagnosed with cataracts when he was 2. Yes. Cataracts. old person cataracts. Yeah, its rare. But they happen. We had corrective surgery in both eyes when he was 4. That was a month of alarms for 2 different kinds of drops and patches he had to wear. Last spring they noticed his vision was a little off in 1 eye so they made us do all this time patching. But that wasn't it -- it was discovered he had clouding come back on one eye called posterior capsule opacification. We had a laser procedure that was supposed to clarify this. Well its back again. We just found out this morning from our family eye dr and not his care team. So we are going back to his cataract team on the 15th to see if we can get the laser procedure again in early 2021. If that doesn't take, we will have to get another surgery. Which... yeah, its a lot. How many hands can be on my son's eyes in his short life thus far?
So that took some of the shine from me at the moment.
I'm trying to pull the weight off myself. I did the thing of making the appointment and being Linc's immediate advocate. I just hate knowing this is going on again. His reaction to anesthesia for both surgeries was NOT good -- i.e., it took 4 adults to hold down a 4 year old to take out an IV. I can't imagine how bad it could be if he's 8. I can't go there any more than I have.
So I need to put on some lipstick
And do some serious Meredith/Cristina dance it out.
Mel, I feel your pain. My ten year old has had four surgeries on his ear since he was three. It’s so hard to explain to them that we are just trying to make the best choices we can for them and for their health because we love them and want them to see/hear well. I will be praying for both Linc and you. Hugs to you.
"Dancing on My Own" by Robyn is a solid choice. I'm also all there with you on the joy that comes from using stuff up. Emptying containers out of the fridge makes me happier than it probably should.
I was about to suggest Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn 😊 Once upon a time (pre-kids) my husband and I tried to learn the choreography from the music video 😆
GIRL. same. Did I have to throw away any leftovers? ONLY a little bit of gravy!! WOOT! Granted my pants are all "okay girl, you need to eat some kale for awhile, stop adding french's fried onions to top everything this week" lol
You need some early 2000s jams. May I recommend Britney, *NYSYNC, Destiny's Child and JLo? Throw in some TLC, sprinkle in some Will Smith and a dash of Mariah Carey.
Hi I don't have anything to say. Every day feels like the same except new socks and underwear. I am just in a slump and have no real reason to be... we're healthy, employed, I'm sleeping more (thanks baby) and it's been sunny and somewhat warm here for our neck of the woods. And yes I am just BLEH. HELP. How do I un-BLEH? We are on big ol' lockdown again over here in our state so un-BLEH activities are very limited.
I've tried to muster big CHRISTMAS ENERGY this week but it still feels lackluster. I've taken a bath every night. And a shower. Going to go for a Stupid Walk now.
The one treasure is my little people who are hilarious. The 7-month-old squawks and actually sounds like Scuttle from The Little Mermaid. My two-year-old is obsessed with our tree and the ornaments but her FAVORITE ones are a little suspect: A bottle of beer ornament and the RV from Christmas Vacation and carries both around. Maybe what's suspect is our ornaments...
Music and stupid walks have been helping me un-blah, but it is a daily commitment. Also making my bed (although I never do it) and spending 20 minutes straightening up the house at night even though it will be immediately ruined by children also does help some.
Someone once told me that we rarely try to analyze our happy feelings, but spend a lot of energy analyzing sad/grumpy/blah feelings. Sometimes we need to, but sometimes we can just let them be, and believe they won't last forever. I hope you feel more like yourself soon though, but a slightly blah version of yourself is ok too
Happy Friday, Swipettes! This week was a bit of a rollercoaster but we are ending on a high note because of today's treasure!
It's CANDLE DAY(weekend) at Bath and Body Works!!! I love candles and they are on sale all weekend for $9.95. I had some really good coupons and a gift card so I treated myself.
No turds to report because they are not worthy to be included in this lovely, warm, and welcoming space.
Lastly, my fam keeps asking what I want for Christmas, and I just have no clue this year. What are y'all asking for? What should I ask for?
My friend posted a pic of the candle day line at our barely functioning mall and it made me laugh so much. And also feel a little jealous I was not there.
Are there any fun kits you can ask for to get you through a winter of staying home? Wine making, beer making, cheese making, etc. My husband and I made cheese not long ago and it was pretty fun. We've got a wine kit lined up for January.
What.the.hell. I am sitting on the side of the road involved in a fender bender because of course. (+&$-#-$+!!!*) It is not my fault, I don't think anyone is hurt, and I can drive my car but I do not need this ish. And I need the police to come take a report because I also do not have time to sit on the side of the road for hours.
Sigh. No response to this needed, I just needed to blow some steam.
Double ugh. Upon further examination of all vehicles and situations, it may be a little my fault, as in it was the kind of situation where everyone is a little at fault. Well. No one was hurt. I will hang my hat on that.
After 3 weeks of stupid quarantine we get sprung tomorrow! My kids’ school makes them quarantine for 14 from the date of the positive test in the household. So, while my 14 days was up last weekend, my husband’s positive test extended us another week. I legit thought we could go back to a hop today and that was harsh slap of reality to the face. Looking forward to going to my office on Monday!
To top off quarantine, our new pup has a UTI, peed all over my bed this morning (that was fun to wake up to) which was the eleventy bajillionth time she’s done that.
Oh the treasures!
Rewatching Schitt’s Creek as I have not watched the final season yet!
The Undoing on HBO is so good!
Tsh Oxenrider’s Shadow & Light is a balm to my weary soul and is helping prepare my heart this advent season.
We've had 2 exposures through school but no Covid so I'm feeling like a quarantine expert. We splurged and bought some new games. Current favorites are Qwirkle, Rummikub, and Sequence for Kids (good for the under 5 set). For Christmas presents, I've found a few games they can PLAY ON THEIR OWN:
My other tip is to take a real rest on Sundays because virtual schooling is trying to kill me. Last Sunday I watched Birds of Prey (Margot Robbie good, plot bad) and the new Emma adaptation (plot good, Mr. Knightly too short). Bombshell is queued up for this weekend to keep the Margot Robbie streak going.
We love Qwirkle, we play a modified version that is less stress for our family, but it is fun to play. I need to put sequence on our list because I remember playing that as a kid and loving it.
We are some of those people you mentioned (who have quarantined/only seen people outside our household outdoors or masked and at a distance for a short while). I have no tips or tricks to make it easier for outgoing/neurotypical people, but for me simply being home all the time without much structure to follow has been a complete joy and relief. I’ve been under-weight my whole life, and I finally gained 20lbs. My hands sweat when I talk to people, and I used to leave gatherings with a headache. I didn’t even realize the connection till I had a break. This time has been healing. I’ve even gotten back into art after abandoning it once becoming an integrated adult out in the world (and being a parent too - it took up my mental/energetic “bandwidth”). But I am sorry for the difficulty this has been on all my extroverted friends out there. I second the bread gorging, but if you can get it homemade it doesn’t have that odd acidic flavor/aroma that comes with store-bought.
I LOVE Geoffrey and Pauline!! Her handmade items and his garden walks are the highlight of Instagram.
Thank you for the Stephen Colbert interview link. Loving that.
My husband says he sees installation hardware in the monolith photos 🤷♀️ (his credentials: he’s an artist and builder)
Turd: painful fight with my husband. On ye olde topics, which always feels like “are we still here?? This is STILL not resolved??”. BUT! Learning more about being neurodiverse and WHY I have a hard time communicating and expressing/reading emotion, and having the words for it finally, have given us a breakthrough! He finally gets a LOT of it. So that’s my first Treasure ❤️
Additional Treasures: I found a combo of natural things to help my neck a bit after last week’s flare-up (bonus: that don’t destroy stomach lining or liver function! Because I’ve done enough of that). This is a very precious treasure indeed. Pain is down from average 7-8 to 2-3. 🙌 Thank you for your kind comments wishing me this.
I finished a 4’x5’ commissioned painting I was struggling with, and shipped it ($$$!) this morning. (The announcement of the shipping price required my best acting because tantrums in public are not The Way.) Feels good to be back in art, and my work appreciated.
I’ve been chatting with a new Lil’ Swipe friend, and it’s been glorious to share research on a favored topic in depth with her, as well as shared commonalities. I’m so glad Danielle M shared this community with me.
My eldest turns 12 today. Unsure of feelings/thoughts there.
We got a light dusting of snow earlier this week, which was magical anyway.
Tonight is Mando night. And so we shall have RV family over for feasting and shushing adorable kids for the duration of the new episode.
Happy Mando night! I'm sorry for the hard conversation with your husband, but glad that maybe in the long run it will be worth it. And super happy for less pain and more art. A treasure indeed! I have such awe for visual artists. It is not my gift, but I love it so.
I do too, and keep reasoning to myself that somehow it’s possible to resist. My hands hadn’t sweat in so long, then I had to meet someone to pick up something, and BOOM 😂 slimy hands, back again.
I stress worked last night, so I have very little to do today. I did half a unit of Geometry (six days work), half a unit of French (two days work), a unit of Music (supposed to take a week), and about three days worth of Chemistry homework. I just have a wee bit more Geometry and an American Lit quiz before I’m done. I may have slept in until 11:30 and I had cookies for breakfast. It’s a great day so far and I’m about to go make myself some warm tea! This week, I have to practice maneuverability for my drivers test next Thursday. I’m totally freaked out about it, but also GUYS I MIGHT HAVE MY LICENSE NEXT TIME YOU HEAR FROM ME!!! So many feelings! Especially for my momma. Golly, she’s not cool with the fact that I’m almost an official adult. I said how long it is until I move to college and she lost her mind. This next couple years are going to be intense. But, I’m excited! That counts for something! We’ve made plans to spend time with some family that we haven’t seen since May later today. I’m cautiously excited! They’re very, very high risk. We’ve been being careful. They don’t want us to wear masks, so please pray that we can all be safe while visiting!! At this point, I’m not worried about catching it from them. I’m worried about giving it to them, if I were to have it. Weirdly enough, I’m not feeling the anxiety like I would normally. There’s been a constant undercurrent of anxiety for the last year and at this point, I don’t think I have the energy for a panic attack. If anyone else is feeling the undertow today, I’m sorry. Eat a meal of cookies, take a Stupid Walk™️ or a Holy Shower (patent pending), drink some water, rage clean, whatever makes you feel better. Treat yo self. We got this!
Look at you go! That's a ton of work to get done--but I totally get the stress work concept. I was like that when I was in school and still am like that today with whatever projects I'm up to. Good luck on your driver's test! You've got this!
Also. Forgot to mention. I discovered Hard Candy Christmas this week. It’s everything I never knew I needed!! It feels like a warm hug. (Side note- my family has decided that the phrase “hard candy Christmas” is just a nicer way of saying “this Christmas is going to suck”, because that’s what you do with hard candy. For this reason, I believe it’s the 2020 Christmas anthem.)
Hey Erin - I am here to ask: Could Guy Fieri be the topic of a Faith Adjacent episode? Asking for myself. Thx.
Gahhhhh I’m SO friggin late on chiming in, I had a sore throat Friday and figured I must have covid so I did what any sane person would do— call my RN sister crying and she talked me off the ledge 🙄 I had no other symptoms and felt fine, I just wake up everyday thinking I probably have it. It’s not even having it that I’m scared of, it’s the quarantining by myself and missing work (I contract to a state program doing developmental therapy with babies and toddlers and no therapy visits = zero income). I’m single and an Enneagram 7 and not being with my people gives me Big Feelings. But I definitely put my “you are a grown a#$ woman so GET UP” pants on and got on with life on Saturday.
I don’t technically have any turds to share, life is actually going well with the little things I’ve been working on! I started with a chiropractor last week and I feel like my back and sciatica are definitely healing— but speaking of turds, anyone have flu-like symptoms after starting chiro care? I love the appointments but afterwards I tend to be achy/have chills/stomach issues (I feel fine but it’s what my sister and I call “instarrhea” and it comes out of nowhere. Terrifying). My friend who’s had lots of chiropractic care says some people experience like a toxic release when they start but it’s a sign that your body is just adjusting to being manipulated that way. I have basically been Jabba the Hut-ing it in my house for the last 8 months (covid+ two surgeries) so I’m thinking my body is maybe just freaking out on me. I’ll take any info on chiropractic care that you have, this is my first real go round.
The one treasure I want to share is the song that my friend sent me, which I have been playing multiple times a day and it lifts my weary spirit up every. Single. Time. God bless you, Francesca Battistelli. 🏆 https://youtu.be/ulGqyckf-oI
Found an IG account that has managed to put the holiday hysteria to music.
https://instagram.com/adventcarolndar?igshid=vv8l23nuuq0t
I kept losing track of this yesterday but I needed to share a few videos with everyone as well as some turds and treasures.
Turds: The increases in cases is hard and I want to live somewhere else where there's a more centralized response. The weariness of extra decision making that I felt in the spring in summer is creeping back especially with holiday plans.
Treasures: I got to make cookies with my niece several times this week.
My literature review was turned in on Monday and I got good feedback from my prof.
The Irish Parliament took time out of their schedule to make sure children knew that Santa is considered an essential worker
https://youtu.be/ZTa4m0AMcEY
This women is living her best life and I want to be friends with her.
https://www.tiktok.com/@dearsocietys/video/6901451639710928129?source=h5_m
idk friend but solidarity there with the 3 going to 9 energy (or lack thereof). Extroverted, isolated, and alternating between scheduling away the depression (all the social activities! online!) and being too exhausted to function due to the anxiety. yay
My advice is take your as-needed meds if you need them! Too often I think "I can do it! I do not need the extra meds. I will beat this." Just take the meds; it's what they are for.
Hello friends,
I have been genuinely, truly looking forward to this all week. I thought The Swipe Up was great when I was just stalking and reading others' comments, but now that I participate?? Pure magic.
Turds first, to get them out of the way: Monday night I lost most of the function and sensation on the right side of my body, and it stayed "offline" (as my neurologist calls it) for the next 2.5 days. Definitely not my favorite, especially because any feeling I did have was reallly painful. We think I either stopped breathing in my sleep for a while, making my brain lose oxygen, or I had a small amount of internal bleeding within my brain. Good news is, some neurological therapy got my right side working again, and now I'm good to go!
Treasures: despite the above-mentioned not-my-favorite 2.5 days, I managed to work a little over 10 hours this week. That doesn't sound like much, but it's the first time I've worked a double-digit number of hours in a month! I was also able to sit in my desk chair for most of it as well, which is again huge progress because that means I wasn't in too much pain to sit up!
Also, I have been renovating my Animal Crossing island this week while watching the mindless TV that is Grey's Anatomy. If any of y'all play Animal Crossing, hit me up!! I am always looking for more friends who play... bonus points if you have one of the 4 flower breeds I'm missing! ;)
I got to participate in the Bible Binge book club Monday night, which is truly one of my favorite things to happen in 2020. I love it when Erin says my name, makes me feel special. <3
Lastly, a request: *takes deep breath* I have a #WeGotYouClub request... I need to get some labwork done so my doctors can figure out exactly what kind of chronic infection is wrecking my brain tissue. Their office has been trying to find a way to make it cheaper for me for weeks, because they're the best and they know I'm broke as hell. It could be another week or two before they figure it out, if they're even able to (which is looking increasingly unlikely), and in the meantime every day is just a delay to my treatment. Insurance doesn't cover the testing because it's so specialized. The test is $400, and I just don't have the money because I have other bills. I know this is a stressful time for everyone, so I hate to ask, but if anyone would want to help out, here's my Venmo: @Beverly-Horton-4. Any cent helps, and y'all will have my eternal gratitude for even just reading this!! <3
I love you all and I'm excited to read the comments and see how y'all are doing!
Aaack!! Erin!!
The Selena series dropped!!!
Aaaackk!
This whole (gestures wildly) thing is just the thing my world needed today! Reading through your posts makes this busy girl feel a little bit less alone. Though treasures abound, my focus has been (just for today) on the ick. I had to cancel the one Christmas thing I had on the calendar, which is something I've done for 20 years. We're moving it to Zoom (so, silver lining), but not to be together brought tears last night. And my third annual exam (I'm a heart transplant recipient) is next month, and it brings with it a surgical procedure that I've had multiple times, but it always brings a ton of anxiety with it as I typically have a terrible reaction to the anesthesia. Ugh. I've got a month and a half to deal with the anxiety, so there's that. On the positive side, our little nonprofit, Heartfelt Help Foundation, did really well for giving Tuesday! So grateful that helping other transplant recipients resonates so clearly with others. And our most recent client gets to go home tomorrow with his new heart! Miracles happen everyday! God is so, so good! Working on connections with companies who would like to be annual supporters. Off to bake dear internet friends, so grateful you are my safe space!
Hey swipers....sorry I'm late to the posting and commenting. *sighs*
I'm feeling deflated at the moment and I need to get the wind back in my sails.
Work is...a lot. I won't bore you with the details. It's just stupidstupidstupid Corporate America BS. Take that and add in the WFH vs Essential element and oooof -- I swear a lot under my mask.
But I'm happy I get to not be there very much this month. I have a lot of time off to use and I'm using it. Lots of half days.
Things helping me right now
1. I love using things to get me through a season I'm not really into -- this includes:
(a) Shadows and Light;
(b) Kate Bowler's "The Season of Almost" -- free advent guide: https://katebowler.com/advent/
(c) Emily P. Freeman "The Quiet Collection" - https://www.theschoolforcreativedirection.com/christmas
2. Knitting for the Swipers -- I have absolutely loved making every project for the We Got You club. If you are reading this and need a little something, I am caught up on my requests and want to do ore. Cowls, scarves, wraps and hats are my jam. Truly, this brings me more joy than you know.
3. The simple things - Using up candles, the feeling of brushing my hair, using Some Call me Crunchy's oil face wash and that feeling of draping a super warm washcloth on my face and taking that slow breaths in and out.
4. Making a list for gifts I'm giving and getting them done. I really love shipping things directly to people.
5. Reading physical books -- Loving Humans by Brandon Stanton
So, a T&P request......
Long story short, my nearly 8 year old (Linc will be 8 on Sunday, when asking him what he wants for his bday? Cake and Pho) was diagnosed with cataracts when he was 2. Yes. Cataracts. old person cataracts. Yeah, its rare. But they happen. We had corrective surgery in both eyes when he was 4. That was a month of alarms for 2 different kinds of drops and patches he had to wear. Last spring they noticed his vision was a little off in 1 eye so they made us do all this time patching. But that wasn't it -- it was discovered he had clouding come back on one eye called posterior capsule opacification. We had a laser procedure that was supposed to clarify this. Well its back again. We just found out this morning from our family eye dr and not his care team. So we are going back to his cataract team on the 15th to see if we can get the laser procedure again in early 2021. If that doesn't take, we will have to get another surgery. Which... yeah, its a lot. How many hands can be on my son's eyes in his short life thus far?
So that took some of the shine from me at the moment.
I'm trying to pull the weight off myself. I did the thing of making the appointment and being Linc's immediate advocate. I just hate knowing this is going on again. His reaction to anesthesia for both surgeries was NOT good -- i.e., it took 4 adults to hold down a 4 year old to take out an IV. I can't imagine how bad it could be if he's 8. I can't go there any more than I have.
So I need to put on some lipstick
And do some serious Meredith/Cristina dance it out.
Please send music ideas for this
Love you all,
Mel
Mel, I feel your pain. My ten year old has had four surgeries on his ear since he was three. It’s so hard to explain to them that we are just trying to make the best choices we can for them and for their health because we love them and want them to see/hear well. I will be praying for both Linc and you. Hugs to you.
Oh man. Praying right now. Poor guy. Poor mom. I'm so sorry
I'm so sorry about Linc; I can't imagine how much that hurts to watch as a mom. Sending good vibes and prayers your way <3
"Dancing on My Own" by Robyn is a solid choice. I'm also all there with you on the joy that comes from using stuff up. Emptying containers out of the fridge makes me happier than it probably should.
I was going to suggest this and Call Your Girlfriend! The best dance it out songs!
I was about to suggest Call Your Girlfriend by Robyn 😊 Once upon a time (pre-kids) my husband and I tried to learn the choreography from the music video 😆
GIRL. same. Did I have to throw away any leftovers? ONLY a little bit of gravy!! WOOT! Granted my pants are all "okay girl, you need to eat some kale for awhile, stop adding french's fried onions to top everything this week" lol
You need some early 2000s jams. May I recommend Britney, *NYSYNC, Destiny's Child and JLo? Throw in some TLC, sprinkle in some Will Smith and a dash of Mariah Carey.
Never sit on JLo for dancing LOL "Ain't it Funny" is still a favorite of mine
Hi I don't have anything to say. Every day feels like the same except new socks and underwear. I am just in a slump and have no real reason to be... we're healthy, employed, I'm sleeping more (thanks baby) and it's been sunny and somewhat warm here for our neck of the woods. And yes I am just BLEH. HELP. How do I un-BLEH? We are on big ol' lockdown again over here in our state so un-BLEH activities are very limited.
I've tried to muster big CHRISTMAS ENERGY this week but it still feels lackluster. I've taken a bath every night. And a shower. Going to go for a Stupid Walk now.
The one treasure is my little people who are hilarious. The 7-month-old squawks and actually sounds like Scuttle from The Little Mermaid. My two-year-old is obsessed with our tree and the ornaments but her FAVORITE ones are a little suspect: A bottle of beer ornament and the RV from Christmas Vacation and carries both around. Maybe what's suspect is our ornaments...
Anyway sorry this wasn't uplifting. Bah Humbug.
Music and stupid walks have been helping me un-blah, but it is a daily commitment. Also making my bed (although I never do it) and spending 20 minutes straightening up the house at night even though it will be immediately ruined by children also does help some.
Ughhhh I’m feeling this way, too! Just new socks and undies that’s it. If you figure out how to un-bleh please let me know!
Someone once told me that we rarely try to analyze our happy feelings, but spend a lot of energy analyzing sad/grumpy/blah feelings. Sometimes we need to, but sometimes we can just let them be, and believe they won't last forever. I hope you feel more like yourself soon though, but a slightly blah version of yourself is ok too
P.S. Sometimes same socks. If they're wool I feel like they can be reworn...shhh.
They’re like jeans! Totally can be reworn
Happy Friday, Swipettes! This week was a bit of a rollercoaster but we are ending on a high note because of today's treasure!
It's CANDLE DAY(weekend) at Bath and Body Works!!! I love candles and they are on sale all weekend for $9.95. I had some really good coupons and a gift card so I treated myself.
No turds to report because they are not worthy to be included in this lovely, warm, and welcoming space.
Lastly, my fam keeps asking what I want for Christmas, and I just have no clue this year. What are y'all asking for? What should I ask for?
I hope everyone has the best weekend!!!
My friend posted a pic of the candle day line at our barely functioning mall and it made me laugh so much. And also feel a little jealous I was not there.
I always go for things I can never bring myself to buy ... a bath tray, expensive leggings, face care stuff, nice loungewear/pajamas.
This is good! Nice pjs and skin stuff sound perfect!
Are there any fun kits you can ask for to get you through a winter of staying home? Wine making, beer making, cheese making, etc. My husband and I made cheese not long ago and it was pretty fun. We've got a wine kit lined up for January.
Cheese making sounds interesting. What a good idea!
What.the.hell. I am sitting on the side of the road involved in a fender bender because of course. (+&$-#-$+!!!*) It is not my fault, I don't think anyone is hurt, and I can drive my car but I do not need this ish. And I need the police to come take a report because I also do not have time to sit on the side of the road for hours.
Sigh. No response to this needed, I just needed to blow some steam.
Oh no! I am so sorry. I was in a car accident on a friday once too, worst day for it.
Double ugh. Upon further examination of all vehicles and situations, it may be a little my fault, as in it was the kind of situation where everyone is a little at fault. Well. No one was hurt. I will hang my hat on that.
Bahhhhh this is the worst.
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Amanda, no!
Hello my lovely internet friends!
After 3 weeks of stupid quarantine we get sprung tomorrow! My kids’ school makes them quarantine for 14 from the date of the positive test in the household. So, while my 14 days was up last weekend, my husband’s positive test extended us another week. I legit thought we could go back to a hop today and that was harsh slap of reality to the face. Looking forward to going to my office on Monday!
To top off quarantine, our new pup has a UTI, peed all over my bed this morning (that was fun to wake up to) which was the eleventy bajillionth time she’s done that.
Oh the treasures!
Rewatching Schitt’s Creek as I have not watched the final season yet!
The Undoing on HBO is so good!
Tsh Oxenrider’s Shadow & Light is a balm to my weary soul and is helping prepare my heart this advent season.
Happy weekend!
We've had 2 exposures through school but no Covid so I'm feeling like a quarantine expert. We splurged and bought some new games. Current favorites are Qwirkle, Rummikub, and Sequence for Kids (good for the under 5 set). For Christmas presents, I've found a few games they can PLAY ON THEIR OWN:
https://www.amazon.com/ThinkFun-Gravity-Marble-Logic-Girls/dp/B00IUAAK2A/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=gravity+maze&qid=1607099448&sr=8-3
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082QC2P2L/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1.
My other tip is to take a real rest on Sundays because virtual schooling is trying to kill me. Last Sunday I watched Birds of Prey (Margot Robbie good, plot bad) and the new Emma adaptation (plot good, Mr. Knightly too short). Bombshell is queued up for this weekend to keep the Margot Robbie streak going.
Be careful out there kids!
We love Qwirkle, we play a modified version that is less stress for our family, but it is fun to play. I need to put sequence on our list because I remember playing that as a kid and loving it.
Dog crimes! hahaha
I know. 🤣
We are some of those people you mentioned (who have quarantined/only seen people outside our household outdoors or masked and at a distance for a short while). I have no tips or tricks to make it easier for outgoing/neurotypical people, but for me simply being home all the time without much structure to follow has been a complete joy and relief. I’ve been under-weight my whole life, and I finally gained 20lbs. My hands sweat when I talk to people, and I used to leave gatherings with a headache. I didn’t even realize the connection till I had a break. This time has been healing. I’ve even gotten back into art after abandoning it once becoming an integrated adult out in the world (and being a parent too - it took up my mental/energetic “bandwidth”). But I am sorry for the difficulty this has been on all my extroverted friends out there. I second the bread gorging, but if you can get it homemade it doesn’t have that odd acidic flavor/aroma that comes with store-bought.
I LOVE Geoffrey and Pauline!! Her handmade items and his garden walks are the highlight of Instagram.
Thank you for the Stephen Colbert interview link. Loving that.
My husband says he sees installation hardware in the monolith photos 🤷♀️ (his credentials: he’s an artist and builder)
Turd: painful fight with my husband. On ye olde topics, which always feels like “are we still here?? This is STILL not resolved??”. BUT! Learning more about being neurodiverse and WHY I have a hard time communicating and expressing/reading emotion, and having the words for it finally, have given us a breakthrough! He finally gets a LOT of it. So that’s my first Treasure ❤️
Additional Treasures: I found a combo of natural things to help my neck a bit after last week’s flare-up (bonus: that don’t destroy stomach lining or liver function! Because I’ve done enough of that). This is a very precious treasure indeed. Pain is down from average 7-8 to 2-3. 🙌 Thank you for your kind comments wishing me this.
I finished a 4’x5’ commissioned painting I was struggling with, and shipped it ($$$!) this morning. (The announcement of the shipping price required my best acting because tantrums in public are not The Way.) Feels good to be back in art, and my work appreciated.
I’ve been chatting with a new Lil’ Swipe friend, and it’s been glorious to share research on a favored topic in depth with her, as well as shared commonalities. I’m so glad Danielle M shared this community with me.
My eldest turns 12 today. Unsure of feelings/thoughts there.
We got a light dusting of snow earlier this week, which was magical anyway.
Tonight is Mando night. And so we shall have RV family over for feasting and shushing adorable kids for the duration of the new episode.
Happy Mando night! I'm sorry for the hard conversation with your husband, but glad that maybe in the long run it will be worth it. And super happy for less pain and more art. A treasure indeed! I have such awe for visual artists. It is not my gift, but I love it so.
I do too, and keep reasoning to myself that somehow it’s possible to resist. My hands hadn’t sweat in so long, then I had to meet someone to pick up something, and BOOM 😂 slimy hands, back again.
I stress worked last night, so I have very little to do today. I did half a unit of Geometry (six days work), half a unit of French (two days work), a unit of Music (supposed to take a week), and about three days worth of Chemistry homework. I just have a wee bit more Geometry and an American Lit quiz before I’m done. I may have slept in until 11:30 and I had cookies for breakfast. It’s a great day so far and I’m about to go make myself some warm tea! This week, I have to practice maneuverability for my drivers test next Thursday. I’m totally freaked out about it, but also GUYS I MIGHT HAVE MY LICENSE NEXT TIME YOU HEAR FROM ME!!! So many feelings! Especially for my momma. Golly, she’s not cool with the fact that I’m almost an official adult. I said how long it is until I move to college and she lost her mind. This next couple years are going to be intense. But, I’m excited! That counts for something! We’ve made plans to spend time with some family that we haven’t seen since May later today. I’m cautiously excited! They’re very, very high risk. We’ve been being careful. They don’t want us to wear masks, so please pray that we can all be safe while visiting!! At this point, I’m not worried about catching it from them. I’m worried about giving it to them, if I were to have it. Weirdly enough, I’m not feeling the anxiety like I would normally. There’s been a constant undercurrent of anxiety for the last year and at this point, I don’t think I have the energy for a panic attack. If anyone else is feeling the undertow today, I’m sorry. Eat a meal of cookies, take a Stupid Walk™️ or a Holy Shower (patent pending), drink some water, rage clean, whatever makes you feel better. Treat yo self. We got this!
I remember taking my driving test! That was such a fun time and I hope you enjoy it 😊
You're killing it, Riley! Best of luck on the drivers test! I think you and I are two of the younger Swipers so I feel a sense of kinship with you :)
Awe! I love that! Nice to have another Junior Swiper around!💕
*junior Swipers ;)
Look at you go! That's a ton of work to get done--but I totally get the stress work concept. I was like that when I was in school and still am like that today with whatever projects I'm up to. Good luck on your driver's test! You've got this!
i am pro cookies for breakfast and wishing you the best of luck on your driver's test!
Also. Forgot to mention. I discovered Hard Candy Christmas this week. It’s everything I never knew I needed!! It feels like a warm hug. (Side note- my family has decided that the phrase “hard candy Christmas” is just a nicer way of saying “this Christmas is going to suck”, because that’s what you do with hard candy. For this reason, I believe it’s the 2020 Christmas anthem.)