a medical update.

HI THERE ALL. I HAVE HAD A FEW NEW HEALTH THINGS. I USUALLY ENJOY WRITING ABOUT JUST MY DAILY LIVING, BUT SOME HEALTH THINGS ARE NEW, SO I'LL UPDATE THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T SEE ME REGULARLY.
LAST MONTH MY NEUROLOGISTS SCHEDULED AN OVERNIGHT SLEEP STUDY, TO BE DONE ON ME, TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHY I AM CONSTANTLY FATIGUED AND HAVE DAILY HEADACHES.
I PERSONALLY WANT TO KNOW ALSO. I JUST REALLY HATE HAVING TESTS DONE.
IT WAS FOR JULY 8TH, AND ALBERT WORKS OUT OF TOWN, SO I ARRANGED FOR PART OF MY "ANGEL CREW" TO HELP ME. AUNT MONICA DROVE ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEN KEPT THE GIRLS OVERNIGHT.
ONCE I GOT THERE, THEY TOOK ME TO A FAKE BEDROOM AND PROCEEDED TO PASTE ABOUT 50 WIRES, AND ELECTRODES TO MY HEAD. NOW I HAVE HAD THIS DONE BEFORE, BUT NEVER HAD THEM ON FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR OR SO.
ONCE MY HEAD WAS RIGGED UP, THEY PUT SOME MORE ON MY CHEST AND SHOULDERS, FOR HEART MONITORING, THEN ATTACHED IT ALL TO A HARNESS AROUND MY CHEST AND WAIST. ONCE THAT WAS DONE, THEY PUT SOME ON MY LEFT LEG AS WELL, STRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER IN A CONTRAPTION THAT WAS LITERALLY HEAD TO TOE. BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE, MY FACE LOOKED BARE, SO THEN I GOT 8 THINGS TAPED AND PASTED THERE, ONLY TO BE TOLD "JUST RELAX AND SLEEP NORMAL", SERIOUSLY THEY HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!!
SO I WATCHED A LITTLE TV, HOPING TO GET AS TIRED AS I COULD GET, AND POSSIBLY SLEEP A BIT. THERE IS A SPEAKER ABOVE MY HEAD SO THE NURSE CAN HEAR ME, IF I NEED HELP, OR BY CHANCE, HANG MYSELF IN THIS CONTRAPTION!!! I AM ALSO BEING RECORDED FROM THE CEILING , WEIRD!! " NOW SLEEP MY PRETTY".
AMAZINGLY, I DO FALL ASLEEP, AND WAKE TO PITCH BLACKNESS, NO CLOCK OR IDEA OF WHAT TO DO NEXT, SO I SPEAK TO THE WALL, AND ASK IF I MAY USE THE RESTROOM. THE NURSE COMES IN AND HANDS ME THE POWER BOX TO MY CORDS, WHICH I HAVE TO CARRY WITH ME TO THE RESTROOM. I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GO HOME! I GO BACK IN MY ROOM THINKING IT'S ALMOST OVER, THEN TO MY SURPRISE, SHE SAYS," OK GOODNIGHT". I WAS SERIOUSLY DISAPPOINTED. I WAS THINKING NOW WAIT, I SLEPT, I'M AWAKE, LET ME OUT! BUT I DID AS TOLD, AND GOT BACK IN BED ONLY TO LIE THERE, TRYING TO WISH MY WAY HOME. AFTER AN HOUR OF THAT, I SPOKE AT THE WALL AGAIN, AND ASKED IF I COULD GET UP NOW? FEELING LIKE A TODDLER IN TROUBLE WAITING FOR MOM, THE NURSE SPOKE BACK THROUGH THE WALL, AND SAID SHE WAS ON HER WAY. AFTER QUITE THE PROCEDURE OF UNHOOKING ME, I WAS ALLOWED TO GO SHOWER AND GET DRESSED. MY HAIR IS FULL OF GLUE AND PASTE. ONCE I WAS DONE, I CALLED OH SWEETEST MONICA AND SHE CAME TO RESCUE ME FROM THE TOWER.
IT WAS GOING TO TAKE 3 WEEKS TO GET THE RESULTS. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!

WELL, I JUST GOT THE RESULTS A FEW DAYS AGO, AND I SLEEP NORMAL, EVEN IN A WEIRD CONTRAPTION, SO NO EASY ANSWERS.
BUT THE DOCTOR DID SAY THERE WAS ONE DISCOVERY,
WHEN I WAS AWAKE, AND THE LIGHTS WERE ON, MY BRAIN WAS HAVING MULTIPLE MILD SEIZURES, BUT THEY STOPPED AS SOON AS LIGHTS WENT OFF. BUT IN THE MORNING, AS SOON AS THE LIGHTS WENT ON, THE SEIZURES CONTINUED. NOW I ALSO THOUGHT A SEIZURE WAS SOMETHING YOU KNEW WAS HAPPENING, BUT I WAS WRONG. SO ANYWAY, THE DOCTOR SAID IT WAS BEING CAUSED BY LIGHT THAT THE SEIZURES WERE HAPPENING, AND THAT WE MUST NOT HAVE MY MEDICINE DOSAGE RIGHT. SO WE NEED TO CORRECT THAT, AND THAT I SHOULD BE WEARING SUN GLASSES, WHICH I DO OUTSIDE, BUT DIDN'T KNOW INDOORS TOO. SO HE SUGGESTS I TRY DIFFERENT TINTS AND SEE IF IT HELPS. BECAUSE I'M EXHAUSTED ALL THE TIME, FROM MY BRAIN HAVING THESE ISSUES, WHICH COULD ALSO PLAY A FACTOR IN THE ENDLESS HEADACHES.
FASCINATING INFO, BUT I KNEW IT MADE PERFECT SENSE, SINCE WHENEVER I AM IN BRIGHT LIGHT I WOULD GET INSTANTLY IRRITATED, AND/OR MEAN, AND I NATURALLY TRY TO STAY IN THE DARKER PART OF MY HOUSE.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS: LIKE MOST OF ME, AFTER SOME TWEAKING AROUND I CAN BE MAINTAINED.

MY NEXT NEWS ISN'T AS LONG, AND MUCH MORE FUN FOR ME.
THIS WEEK AT MY BIO-FEEDBACK APPOINTMENT, MY TINIEST OF LITTLE BICEP MUSCLE WAS ACTUALLY GETTING IN THE WAY OF THE ELECTRODE. THIS WAS FABULOUS NEWS TO ME, SINCE IT IS MY FIRST DEFINABLE MUSCLE IN MY LEFT ARM! HAPPY DAY! I'M ONE STEP FARTHER IN THAT ARM, OF COARSE I WANT IT ALL! BECAUSE I'M GREEDY. BUT TODAY I WENT BACK TO THE START OF THIS BLOG, AND I CAN REALLY SEE MY PROGRESS. I GET LOST IN MY "NOW", AND FORGET THE PROGRESS OF THE PAST. I GO BACK, AND READ THE OLD STUFF, WHICH ALWAYS MAKES ME CRY, IT DOESN'T SEEM POSSIBLE, AND AT THE SAME MOMENT, FAR TO REAL TO ABSORB.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL;
HE SURE BLESSED ME,
LOVE TAMI.

SECOND TRIP TO VERNAL

WELL AFTER THE WEDDING, BECKY MEINROD AND I WORKED OUT A PLAN FOR THE GIRLS AND I TO VISIT.
SO WE WORKED IT OUT FOR WHEN ALBERT WOULD BE WORKING IN PRICE, AND WHEN BECKY COULD DRIVE TO PRICE AND GET US.
I WAS QUITE EXCITED TO HAVE THE GIRLS ON VACATION WITH ME AND SPEND TIME WITH THE VERNAL FAMILY. THEY HAVE BEEN TO THE RANCH AND OF COURSE MET THE FAMILY, BUT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TO YOUNG TO REMEMBER EVERYONE. THEY REMEMBER VIRT MOST, BECAUSE HE GAVE THEM THEIR FIRST CANDY BAR EVER.

WE SPENT TIME AT BECKY'S AND VISITED THE OTHER HOUSES. THEY WERE IN HEAVEN AT GRANDMA RITA'S BECAUSE OF HUNDREDS OF YARD SALE TOYS, AND GETTING TO MAKE A MESS OF THEM.
WE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME OUTSIDE, SINCE IT'S MUCH COOLER THERE THAN IN ST. GEORGE. WE PLAYED IN SPRINKLERS AT A COUSINS, WENT SWIMMING AT SAMI'S POOL, AND WENT EXPLORING THE LIBRARY WITH BECKY. THE GIRLS PLAYED LINCOLN LOGS WITH VIRT.
ALL IN ALL IT WAS A JOY!
NOW ON THE WAY HOME, WE HAD TO SPEND ONE NIGHT IN A HOTEL UNTILL ALBERT FINISHED A JOB.
THAT WAS AN ADVENTURE IN ITSELF FOR THE GIRLS, SINCE WE DON'T EVER DO THAT. IT WAS THEIR FIRST TIME IN A HOTEL , AND MY FIRST TIME POST-STROKE TO TAKE A SHOWER IN A TUB. I ONLY DO WALK-IN SHOWERS, SO THE FLOOR IS FLAT AND I WONT SLIP. SO THAT WAS A BIG DEAL TO ME. I EVEN TEXT TERESA TO TELL HER I ACCOMPLISHED A NEW TASK. ALL THE LITTLE STUFF ADDS UP TO RECOVERY.
BY THE TIME WE GOT HOME, I WAS BEAT AFTER 10 DAYS OF 24 HOUR SINGLE PARENTING. I WAS DESPERATE FOR SOME ALONE TIME.
MY GIRLS MEAN THE WORLD TO ME AND THEY CAN DRAIN ALL OF MY ENERGY.
GOD BLESS,
LOVE TAMI

VERNAL TRIP.

SO LILLI WENT TO CALIFORNIA FOR 10 DAYS WITH AUNT MONICA, SO IT WAS JUST ELLA AND MOM. ALBERT GOT WORK OFF AND I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE ELLA WITH PAPA. I CAUGHT A RIDE WITH ANDY AND CHRISSY TO VERNAL THURSDAY. I WAS GOING TO STAY AT BECKY MEINROD'S AND GET 3 DAYS OF NO RESPONSIBILITY. I SLEPT IN TWO MORNINGS, WHICH I HAVEN'T DONE SINCE TERESA MOVED OUT. WE HAD PHILLIP'S WEDDING SATURDAY. OUT OF TERESA'S 11 SIBLINGS, 10 WERE THERE. IT WAS FUN TO SEE EVERYONE, BUT TOO BUSY TO SPEND INDIVIDUAL TIME WITH ANY.
IT'S REWARDING TO ME, WHEN I SEE PEOPLE THAT AREN'T WITH ME ALL THE TIME, SINCE THEY NOTICE MY RECOVERY BETTER. I TEND TO FORGET THAT I'M STILL IMPROVING. I GET SO FRUSTRATED, AND FEEL STUCK. I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF THAT I STILL DO WELL. I JUST WANT BETTER! I LOSE TRACK OF HOW FAR I'VE COME IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF.

SUNDAY MORNING I CAUGHT A RIDE HOME WITH MATT AND HIS 3 KIDS. I WAS SO EXCITED TO SEE MY GIRLS, EVEN IF I DID HAVE A RELAXING TIME AWAY. IT FELT GOOD TO BE HOME!
WHILE IN VERNAL, BECKY AND I HAD DISCUSSED HAVING THE GIRLS AND I VISIT WHILE ALBERT IS WORKING OUT OF TOWN.
GOD BLESS,
LOVE TO ALL, FROM TAMI