Yesterday was a beautiful day. High of 52 degrees, sunshining. I sat out and sunned myself for about 20 minutes.
Friday, December 30, 2022
Information Friday
Yesterday was a beautiful day. High of 52 degrees, sunshining. I sat out and sunned myself for about 20 minutes.
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
My Visit To The Chiropractor
I had a lot of good comments yesterday about whether you had been to the chiropractor, so I thought I'd give you an report on my visit.
My problem area is the lumbar spinal region, especially L5 and L4. The space between them is thinning, especially between L5 and the sacrum. But most surprising to me was that there is a curvature to the spine in this area, too.
I have some degeneration in the hips also.
She said, "This is why you have pain." I had a STEM treatment then, she adjusted me.
I go back next week, and we'll talk about the x-rays in more detail and talk about a plan of treatment.
When I was talking about it with Kyle, I cried with relief. I actually have a real problem that can be fixed.
Several years ago I did some PT and while that helped temporarily, the root issue was never dealt with. I have hope now that with the chiropractic treatments, and my PT exercises, I can get my mobility back. Without pain.
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
Have You Ever Been To See A Chiropractor?
I'm having a consultation today with a chiropractor. It's all a part of my taking charge of my health.
I have an arthritic condition in my lower spine, and due to pain and discomfort, I sit a lot. Then I developed muscle tightness. All this has lead to difficulty with mobility.
Physical therapy has helped some, but I feel like the underlying issues must be dealt with as much as possible, as the PT hasn't helped completely.
I'm hoping for a plan to work on the underlying issues, then PT, then perhaps better mobility, which will also help with weight loss.
I've tried doing it on my own, but I can't. I need help.
I was talking to my daughter in Nashville last night. They see a chiropractor and it has really helped her back issues. They've even had one of their sons adjusted and now he has no ear infection problems. So interesting.
It makes sense though doesn't it? The body systems are all interdependent on each other. So many issues are dealt with isolated from the body as a whole. When we work on the body as a whole, I believe we can gain better health.
It's going to take some time. It won't be a quick fix, but I have hope.
Monday, December 26, 2022
Weekend
We had a fun, family filled weekend. We had terrible weather on Friday, and it brought in frigid weather. It was still cold on Saturday, but nothing kept us from our annual Birthday lunch out for Tim. This year we had 20 people at the restaurant. We go to a Fuddruckers about 30 minutes away. It has a big dining room and being Christmas Eve they are never busy. We take the back wall area and have a good meal and good fun together! My grandgirls love it because there are machines you put quarters in and get things out. Like bouncy balls.
I didn't take one photo.
I did get photos at home of our birthday boy and his gifts
and family interactions. We do our stockings on Christmas Eve.
I love the photo of Kennedy and my mom. The kids were playing Mario Kart until we opened stockings. Then Nate and Kay and kids left for Kay's work party at her boss's home.
Christmas morning we had church. My parents went with us to our church, and we always take all four girls now.
It was a good Lessons and Carols type service. Advent readings and the lighting of the candles, with Christmas Carols inbetween. It was very nice.
We dropped the girls off at home to open gifts with their parents and we put a ham in the oven and started potatoes cooking when we got home. While they were cooking we opened gifts. Lindsay and Joseph surprised us by dropping in, we weren't expecting them.
We draw names to exchange, so Tim had Kyle, I had my dad, Rachel had my mom, Kyle had Kay, my dad had Nate, Wes had Lindsay, Kay had me, Lindsay had Sarah, Sarah had Tim, my mom had Rachel, Nate had Wes, etc.
I received a cute cottage sign from Kay, a Barnes and Nobel gift card, and taco holders. I bought my dad Land's End dress shirts. Tim got Kyle a leather jacket (found on marketplace. Like new. $50 real leather). Rachel got a dress and gift card. Mom got photo books and a canvas photo from Wes and Rachel's wedding. Lindsay gave Sarah and volleyball set. Tim got tools and a book.
Tim and I still give all our kids, my parents and our friend Denny a gift. This year we gave mostly gift cards, but we did give camping lanterns to Emma and Vinnie and Wes and Rachel. They're the kind that use 20v batteries. Emma and Vinnie lost power the other day and already but theirs to good use!
Mom and I both took photos of Kyle, Sarah, and Rachel on the couch.
We were having so much fun that we scorched the potatoes and had to peel more and start over! No one cared! We don't do a formal meal on Christmas Day. We eat breakfast casserole, and then when the ham and sides are done we eat when we feel like it.
Nate and Kay came down for a few hours to exchange gifts and eat, then they headed home with their Little Women.
We don't take the gift of being together for granted. We had four generations together yesterday. That is a GIFT!
I'm thankful that we have always worked to give thoughtful gifts to the receiver. I've always said that it a gift is best when it is something special to the one being gifted. Sarah's favorite gift ever came from a yard sale and cost less than $2.00! Kyle's leather jacket came from marketplace and is a bomber style. That never goes out of style, but because it was owned by someone who said it has hung in the closet for years, it was sold for $50! Kyle's response to the gift showed me that he was really wanting a leather jacket!
I got Tim a new belt for working in. It's a nice one. He also has a tool coming from me.
We give gifts to each other because we were given the ultimate gift! Jesus!
I hope your Christmas was good. For me the sweetest things this year were time together with family and friends. We video chatted with Emma and Family on Christmas Eve, and that was almost like being together! Tim and I are thankful we saw all of our kids this Christmas.
Friday, December 23, 2022
Information Friday - Christmas Edition
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life,a and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own,b and his own peoplec did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Sond from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration whena Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,b who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.c
The Shepherds and the Angels
8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”d
15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
21And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
God had promised a redeemer back in the garden when Eve and Adam gave in to temptation and sinned. He promised that one would come who would crush the head of the serpent. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. He fulfilled all the prophecies given regarding the messiah. However, the people had ideas of what the messiah would be like, and Jesus didn't fit those ideas.
They liked that he healed people. They liked that he called out the religious leaders. But they had expected a leader who would kick Rome out of Israel. Jesus was teaching about the kingdom of God which would one day be over all the earth, and that even the earth would be made new. It was not about overthrowing Rome.
Christmas for Christians is not about santa, which is based on St. Nicholas. It's not about the tree (though I love Christmas trees). It's not about anything but Jesus. We celebrate his coming.
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
First Day Of Winter
Happy winter! Our temperatures have really been feeling like winter. This morning it is 25 degrees outside. We are cozy inside with our wood stove burning downstairs (helps heat the house). We are listening to Sarah's Christmas playlist. Tim made us all scrambled eggs for breakfast. We like to add fried flour tortilla in the eggs, and Tim adds onion and cheese. It's really good.
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Integrative And Functional Medicine
All my adult life I've been interested in health, and had thought to go into nursing, but my math skills weren't that great. However, my interest in understanding illness and how to treat it was still there.
When Tim and I were in missions training, I took a field medicine course. This was taught by a doctor and we had a giant notebook that had a guide to symptoms and illness. We learned to follow the guide, by asking questions and then getting to a solution. We knew that living in a remote area with some people groups would mean no doctors available.
I learned to give shots, use an otoscope, dose medicines. Did you know in many countries, you can buy antibiotics over the counter?
I've had confidence to know when my kids or Tim and I needed to go see a doctor and when we could just treat colds or fevers at home, etc.
As the years have gone by, I have become concerned by the 'big medicine' mindset. Wellness visits, lots of jabs, lots of routine testing. As my parents got older, they were having wellness visits with their doctor four times a year in addition to any appointments dealing with illness.
The small family practice, we've been at for 28 years, that was owned by the doctors was sold by them to a big medicine conglomerate. The doctors are now employees of the conglomerate.
This has really changed the level of care. They now demand routine tests, a yearly annual check up. I've always gone in for my yearly lab work. I take two prescriptions that require that. But last year, my doctor said if I didn't come in for a wellness visit as well, she would not continue to prescribe my medications! That was kind of the last straw for me. My meds do not require a visit, and if she felt the need to discuss a change in medication then a phone call could be had. As a self pay family this alone would save us over a hundred dollars.
This year, even though I had my lab work, and a physical before my eye surgery, my doctor wanted me to come in for a wellness visit. I said no, and because the wellness visit only includes a few other things than the physical, she didn't fight me on it.
I've had back issues for years, having developed an arthritic condition in my lower spine. This has led to me being sedentary and tightness has become an issue with my muscles. This causes a lot of pain. Some days are worse than others.
I've done physical therapy, and massage therapy and while they have helped some, it was time to take a big step and get some help.
We have a Integrative and Functional Medicine practice very near to us, and so yesterday I had my first visit with the nurse practitioner. We talked extensively about my health, goals that I have for my health, and lifestyle. We did lab work, and next week I will meet with a chiropractor for the first time in my life.
Our first goal is to heal my back as much as possible, making my mobility better and allowing me to be active again. I would not be surprised to find that things are out of whack just due to the muscle tightness alone. We'll see.
My appointment with my nurse practitioner was an hour yesterday, and I was able to do my labs at the same location. I felt I had the time to really be heard, and to discuss concerns. I also had a basic exam - blood pressure, listening to heart, lungs, gut function. We discussed my meds, what supplements I take, and what I eat daily. Also I've lost almost 10 pounds since the spring.
The main thing I am happy about is that this practice wants to help me heal, not just prescribe medication to deal with symptoms.
So overall, I am happy about the appointment, and the direction we are headed.
Have you heard of integrative and functional medicine?
Here is a summary about functional medicine.
"Functional medicine determines how and why illness occurs through advanced diagnostic testing. Having a clear understanding of the genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors that contribute to your health, allows patient and practitioner alike to understand the complexity behind certain symptoms and illnesses. After identifying the underlying causes of disease, the patient and the practitioner are empowered to collaborate and create a personalized treatment plan.
You may find that one condition has many different causes and, likewise, one cause may result in many different conditions. For instance, you may have an imbalanced gut microbiome that is triggering inflammation throughout your body, giving you digestive issues but also shoulder and back pain. By identifying the root cause, the patient is empowered to heal and reach optimal, pain-free health."
And here is a summary about integrative medicine.
"Integrative Medicine combines the best of conventional allopathic medicine with knowledge from other disciplines to create a more natural style of health care. Whether you are acutely sick or just looking to improve your wellness, our Integrative Medicine providers offer individualized care."
Monday, December 19, 2022
Weekend
We had a fun weekend.
Saturday late afternoon Tim and I headed out with my parents to "see the lights!" We saw two light shows, both by donation for Charities, and we took them to Herr's as well.
First up was Messick's in Mt. Joy. {here}
In the evening Tim and I watched the first episode and most of the second episode of The Chosen. It's so good. We would have finished the second episode except the app kept having issues. We're going to try it on their YT channel.
Friday, December 16, 2022
Information Friday
I went to tea yesterday morning with my sweet friend Katie. We had the room to ourselves for about a half an hour. It was a lovely time to catch up. She has recently remarried after being widowed (she's in her early 40's).
Twitter has been fun. Elon Musk is a fighter for free speech, and while I think he's not conservative, I can applaud his efforts to restore free speech on Twitter. Turns out the left only stands for their own free speech. They were in a frenzy yesterday, about his suspension of 'journalists.' However the journalists had doxxed his private plane and put him and his family at risk. He warned people months ago that he would suspend people for doxxing other people.
He has information coming soon about Twitter's censorship of Cov*d information. Fauci only wanted one narrative. His! As a reminder, Elon was a proponent of the jab in early to mid 2021.
One notable example is the National Archives’ decision to post a “Harmful Language Alert” banner above documents in its digital archives, including the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. According to the Archives’ warning, its documents include many “outdated, biased, offensive, and possibly violent views and opinions,” as well as documents that “reflect racist, sexist, ableist, misogynistic/misogynoir, and xenophobic opinions and attitudes.”
Since the National Archives contains more than 100 million records, there are bound to be some that are offensive. But rather than identify prominent documents that are indeed offensive as such, the Archives chose to issue a “Harmful Language” warning across the board, knowing full well the documents read most often on its website and in its halls are founding-era materials like the Constitution."
Read more {here}.
Information Friday
We saw the beautiful northern lights tonight! It was incredible! So thankful to experience this amazing act of nature! I'm having some...
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A few weeks ago, Rachel and I went to Ross looking for dresses, shoes, and handbags. We had a successful trip. She found shoes, I found a...
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Friends, Kyle suffered a work accident on Wednesday, and lost most of his thumb, and the ring finger and pinky are gone. The pointer finge...