Category: LONG QT SYNDROME

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 13 of 2017

Did everyone have a good weekend?  Ours started out with a violent thunderstorm and tornado warnings, but we woke up Saturday to beautiful skies and warm temperatures.  I’ve been doing a lot of ebaying and organizing while I continue the minimizing and donating so wasn’t too bothered by the warm weather.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

After a beautiful, but warm weekend we are slated for more thunderstorms, warmer temperatures and high humidity as the week progresses – good thing I have a lot of inside activities this week.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE

I’m having blueberry yogurt with granola and coffee.

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE

The house is in good order despite the activities I have going on.

WEEKLY TO DO LIST & HOUSE PROJECTS

  • A couple doctor appointments – hoping to get a diagnosis and treatment plan.
  • EBAY pictures and descriptions
  • Trip to surprise a friend for her significant birthday.

CURRENTLY READING & TELEVISION / DVR

Still reading Jan Deleon novels trying to get caught up on all her series books.  This week is Book #3 of the Family Inheritance series.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK

MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
YOGURT & FRUIT
SCRAMBLED EGGS & CHEESE
FRUIT SMOOTHIE
YOGURT & FRUIT
MAPLE OATMEAL & RAISINS
TOASTED FRENCH TOAST
CREAMED CHICKEN ON TOAST
LUNCH
FRUIT & CHEESE
SOUP & CRACKERS
SANDWICH
OUT
MEAT & CHEESE
LEFTOVERS
SANDWICHES
DINNER
CREAMED CHICKEN ON TOAST  and SALAD
CAMPFIRE CHICKEN and POTATOES in foil and SALAD
GRILLED TAMARIND CHICKEN SKEWERS with MORITA CHILE SAUCE
C.O.R.N.
C.O.R.N.
GRILLED STEAKS and ASPARAGUS
TAVERN CHICKEN and NOODLES
DESSERT

SUCCESSFUL RECIPES and their links FROM LAST WEEK

RECIPE FINDS TO TRY LATER

  • ASIAN PEAR and GRAPE CABBAGE SALAD
  • RED, WHITE & BLEU MEATBALLS
  • PAN SEARED CHICKEN with HERBED WINE SAUCE
  • SESAME CHICKEN
  • LEMON CURD CHEESECAKE
  • CHICKEN BOG
  • CHICKEN and SAUSAGE JAMBALAYA
  • CREAMY CRAB DIP
  • NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN DIP
  • CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY and ALMOND RUGELACH
  • MOLTEN RED VELVET CAKES
  • BRAISED TOMATO MUSHROOM CHICKEN
  • TAVERN CHICKEN

HEALTH & BEAUTY TIPS

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

ON MY MIND

2017 has been a rough year so far.  My MIL passed away on the 7th and it has taken me a couple weeks to process this. Mom was 4 days shy of her 97th birthday.  Can you believe she was almost 90 in this picture taken at a family camp out several years ago? She lived a VERY FULL and mostly happy life leaving behind a long legacy of love and family.  While at that age you know it’s natural causes and inevitable, it never lessens the severity of the impact. She had been saying for years that she was ready to go, but I just never wanted it to happen. Just knowing I’ll never be able to hear her sweet voice again leaves me with a heavy heart.

Then on the 21st my favorite BIL, Ray,  entered hospice as his cancer continued to eat away at his body.  He passed quietly surrounded by family on the 25th.  Ray was one of the best men I have EVER known in my entire life. I LOVED talking to him for hours – we have so many beliefs and ideals in common, almost like we shared the same thought process despite the HUGE age difference (hubby is almost 20 years older than me and his sister is 7 years older than him and my BIL was 3 years older than her – you get the picture). He lived a VERY FULL and happy life also leaving behind a long legacy of love and family.

His death is hitting me the hardest I think as we were both diagnosed with reproductive cancers within weeks of each other. He did everything right, just a bit too late for when his was diagnosed. I have had to struggle with moving past the Survivor’s Guilt of a high mortality cancer for the past 6 years and 99% of the time I’m doing well with it, I just wish he was walking that same path with me!

I REALLY MISS THEM BOTH!

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

My violets are REALLY going to town in this window!

We had a visitor pop into our yard last Wednesday and couldn’t convince him he wasn’t ours. He had a collar, but no tags.  I tried calling rescues and local shelters and walking him through the neighborhood asking everyone I saw if they knew him.  As for the shelters they were NO help at all, at least by phone. Everyone said I was not in their jurisdiction and were actually quite rude! The last woman told me to just let him go, someone else would take care of him.  Can you believe that? So, we took him to our vet to see if maybe he was microchipped (he wasn’t) or they had any info on him.  They sent us to the nicest no kill shelter where he was immediately welcomed and seemed happy to be there. Bye Jake (that’s what we called him).  I pray you are adopted by a really nice family with 2 little boys and a HUGE yard.

INSPIRATION

Be sure to link up with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom for Happy homemaker Monday and with Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

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ALWAYS WEAR CLEAN UNDERWEAR

cleanunderwearDid your mom always tell you to wear clean underwear? You know in case you were in an accident or had to go to the hospital. Well, I’m hear to tell you she was wrong.  It’s clean socks you need to wear!

I wasn’t ready to talk about this when it happened, but now thinking about the clean underwear makes me laugh, so it’s time to talk about it.

I was feeling quite warm while we were out to dinner with my brother and his girlfriend one evening early last month. I excused myself and stepped outside for a breath of fresh air. Next thing I know I’m in my husband’s arms with an EMT standing over me. As it is told to me I was out with no pulse and not breathing and my brother’s girlfriend, quick thinker she is called 911.

This event was laced with good AND bad. We ate at our favorite tavern and I had an ice tea and tuna sandwich, they are famous for their sandwiches. Now picture this, I’m laying on the sidewalk just outside the back door of this tavern and the EMT keeps trying to get me to sign off on the event so he can leave me on the curb. I’m so out of it and beginning to violently toss my cookies and here’s this EMT who has already made up his mind that I’m drunk or a drug user. Every other sentence was “come on, tell me how much you had to drink?” I DON’T DRINK! Hubs has already told the other EMT that we are going to the hospital and this guy keeps working on me to sign this form and say I drank too much.

We take the 20 minute trip to the hospital with hubby riding up front and this same EMT in the back peppering me with questions about having too much to drink, illegal drugs, etc… He keeps trying to put an IV in me, misses 4 times and there’s blood everywhere. Long story short on the EMT is that I did file a formal complaint when I was out of the hospital. I knew that degree in health education/patient advocacy would pay off some day. Thank god I was handed off to Nurse Gus and his team! Though, his phlebotomist was a bit none too gentle and in a super sour mood!  Why don’t these people listen to the patients that know there own bodies?  After 150 blood draws the past few years with the cancer and all, I can tell you exactly which vein is best.

Gus though made my night. Once I was stabilized, I was asked to change into a hospital gown and take off everything except my socks to keep my feet warm. Oh no, herein lies the problem. When I got out of the shower that morning I put on clean underwear and clean socks, but I noticed a small hole in my big toe of my favorite socks with wild stripes. I had just gotten a pedicure and my polish matched the socks so I thought no big deal and the socks were the perfect “weight” for the shoes I was wearing. I just figured I would toss them when I took them off that night. Fortunately for me Gus had a sense of humor and said I could stay in his ER because he liked my socks.

Turns out I now have Long QT Syndrome brought on by one of these drugs prescribed for my Fibromyalgia that interacted with a diuretic I was on from the cancer. Check this list! I was surprised to find many “common” medications on this list. The SADS FOUNDATION has more information if you’re interested. Scary thing is that my doctor was well aware of all my medications as was the pharmacy and NO ONE (doctor or pharmacist) ever said that this combination could create a perfect storm that would drain me of potassium to a critical level that prevented my heart from beating.  And by the way, if you ever have to have a potassium IV, WATCH OUT – they hurt SOOOOOOO bad!  And if they ever pescribe a diuretic, make sure to ask for a corresponding potassium prescription!

One of the scariest things in today’s world – a medication for everything!  I, for one, am trying to get off as many medications as humanly possible.  I plan on liviing with the pain these days, and I refuse to go back on anything I can avoid!