There is a revolving door......

At the hospital for little ol' me.  You know it's sort of a mixed blessing when you get into ER and both the nurse and doctor recognize you.  The good side is that you don't have to go through your weird medical spiel all over again.  The bad side is that this means you've been there WAY. TOO. MANY. TIMES. 

I was admitted Saturday night for another attack of meningitis which is pretty scary considering it's only been less than two weeks since I was in there last time for the same thing.  Also, I was currently on 20mg of Prednisone which is supposed to keep the meningitis at bay.  Obviously not.  The only blessing of this trip is that they decided not to do a spinal tap so at least I'm not in a lot of pain now that I am home.  I was released this afternoon and it was so great to come back home.  I have a round of follow up appointments next week and hopefully that will get me closer to my referral as well as on some new meds that will do a better job of keeping the meningitis at bay.  

In the meantime, I am trying to be positive.  Some of you may know that due to this illness, I missed Christmas, New Years, my husband's birthday and my birthday with my family in the last 10 months.  We were supposed to carve pumpkins on Sunday and that hasn't been done yet. I highly doubt I will be up to doing it before Haloween itself.  I was also supposed to be the room mom for Ani's Halloween party tomorrow and I definitely won't be able to do that.  And finally, this will be the first time ever that I will not be able to take my kids trick or treating.  :(  

Recovery....and two weeks of projects

Several times over the last almost two weeks I've sat down to work on another blog post.  And several times I was distracted.  Brain fog or exhaustion from SJS, kids, a book, an email, oh look...a squirrel! (did I mention brain fog?), and various sundry other things like housework, laundry, etc.  It seems to take longer and longer to bounce back to normalcy after a hospitalization.  I am so blessed that I am able to stay home because I have no idea how I could function in a work environment when I'm being hospitalized randomly for a week at a time and then spending another two weeks at home recovering.  

My biggest news from the past two weeks is that my general practitioner has graciously agreed to refer me on to a medical research hospital.  My Rheumatologist, whom I originally asked for a referral, refused on the basis that my meningitis is caused by the SJS which has no cure.  Bollocks!  The meningitis is such a rare symptom that it should be, in my humble opinion, reviewed by the absolute experts in the field.  My GP originally offered to refer me to Mayo but I put a call in to her this past week asking for a referral to Johns Hopkins as they actually have a Sjogren's Center at their facility.  If I'm going to go to the time and expense of traveling for medical purposes, I might as well go to the best right?

Some of my recent projects include:

Breakfast burritos made with turkey bacon, eggs, peppers & cheese that I made and froze for my wonderful hubby.  He struggles getting up in the morning and these make breakfast nice and quick for him.

 My fall floral arrangement in a pumpkin.  This is the second year I've done this and I love the way it looks.  I need to pick up another pumpkin so that I can gut it and do this for our Thanksgiving centerpiece as well.

A blinged out pumpkin I made for my youngest stepdaughter to take home since they do not carve pumpkins with their mom.

My first attempt at a strawberry cheesecake

Witchy cupcakes.  These were a big hit with the kids at our football party

My first attempt at homemade pasta sauce.  I was shooting for Prego....I think I have the right combination down now.

Pumpkin roll bars for my pumpkin freak.  I would assume they've passed inspection because he inhaled them without a word last night.

Since this mama has been up since 2:45 am and there are still 5 pounds of potatoes to be diced for the crock pot before I head to church for a parenting seminar at 9, I should probably stop lollygagging around on the 'net eh?

Back to reality

It is so very odd to be able to say that I have to adjust to life outside of the hospital.  It's even odder to actually be used to this cycle of hospitalizations and returns to normalcy.  I told my husband today though that God has a purpose for this or else He would cure me so I need to see the bright side of things and to make the best of the situation.  Today's bright side is being back to MY life.  I was released from the hospital last Thursday but my mom was in town and that just doesn't mean normality here.  You know how it is when you have out of town guests....wanting to make sure they are always comfortable and don't need anything.  I understand my mom was here to help me out but you just can't break that learned habit.  My mom left for Illinois this morning and life is starting to settle down around me again, like the comfortable blanket it was before the latest meningitis disruption.  

It will be a relatively quiet week (due to the vociferous shouts to TAKE IT EASY from so many) but I am so glad to have some of my routine back.  This happened to be my monthly grocery shopping week so I will have to be wise and stretch out the shopping through next week so that I don't overdo it.  I do have some doctor appointments this week. Follow ups from the hospital and flu shots for the kids (due to the fact that I'm immunocompromised everyone here needs to have their flu shots in order to avoid bringing gunk home to me).  Other than that, it's just relaxing and preparing for our annual football party which will be this Saturday.  Since I have wonderful friends, everyone is going to be understanding and ignore the less than stellar cleaning.  :)  We have cheer tonight, youth group Wednesday night and Friday night is my church's monthly craft night where we can bring our individual crafts and get together for some fellowship.  

Today though I tackled the Sam's Club portion of my shopping.  I was sad to see that the only yeast I could buy there was instant, which I just don't nearly use as much of as regular yeast.  A good find though were the 5 pound bags of shredded cheese.  We go through a lot of shredded cheese in a month so I bought one of cheddar and one of Mozzarella and then just separated them out into 2 cup portions to freeze.  

Here is today's haul of cheese.  Obviously, the fancy shredded cheddar gave me more baggies than then Mozzarella but this should still last us until next month.  

I'm baking English muffin bread this afternoon because I've been seriously craving English muffins.  I hope this turns out.  After a little lie-down I'll head to my doctor to be told yet again that I'm a medical oddity, and then after dinner tonight my baby girl and I will go visit with a friend who just got back from vacation before we go to cheer.  

Here's to hoping the rest of you have a happy, uncomplicated week!

Revenge of the Meninges.....

One thing I have learned with this disease....never assume.  Never get complacent while your symptoms are in remission because you never know when they are going to rear up and bite you in the tush.  This week for example.  I had many things to tick off my to do list.  By Monday afternoon, I had our bread baked (and somehow managed to break the glass plate in our microwave, go me!) but I started to feel quite blah.  By 2 I was on the couch, by 2:15 I was shaking with a headache and a fever and by 2:45 I called my husband home.  By 5 I was in the hospital getting my 8th spinal tap of the last 10 months.  My temp was at 103.  The nausea and vomiting began.  Sure enough, meningitis strikes back...AGAIN.  This was my 5th bout since mid December.  I was moved into an ICU room by 11 and there began the round of wake ups for neuro and vital checks.  The biggest blessing with this stint of meningitis was that it didn't seem to affect my brain as much.  What a blessing!  I always knew who I was and where I was at all times. 

I was in ICU until Wednesday and then moved to a "general population" room as I like to call it where they could stop wearing the gowns and masks.  The MRI was pretty unpleasant.  About half way through I was sure I was going to be ill so I made them stop.  I really dislike MRI's under the best of circumstances but when you are coping with nausea and headaches from meningitis as well as a headache from the spinal tap, it's no walk in the park.  

The two best things about being ill is all the prayers & love that pour out to us from family, friends and our church family, as well as the lovely visitors I get in the hospital and at home afterwards.  This time around an old old old (yep David, you are OLD!) friend came up to visit whom I haven't seen in years.  He came bearing chocolate ice cream!  :)

Tuesday had been miserable with headaches and pains.  By Wednesday night I was able to wean off all of the pain meds which is wonderful.  Thursday morning I was raring to go and the doctors were so surprised (this what happens when they give you intravenous steroids that would make a football player happy) but they released me!  

Now the recovery journey begins.  Building up my energy, getting back into sleeping at home without hospital wake ups but with other distractions like husbands and dogs, learning to take it easy (which, ask anyone who knows me, that does NOT come easy to me) and to just relax.  

I'm looking forward to a weekend of nothingness.  I'm knitting my boy a hat, and will work on some other projects that only require me to sit on my rear and relax.  I am hoping next week I can start to (SLOWLY...so don't yell yet Lea) get back into the swing of things.  Here's to hoping we can keep the meningitis at bay......

DIY Wednesday

Today I decided to tackle two projects....an organizer for our keys and a jewelry organizer for Annika.  She owns plenty of jewelry (that she either suckered me into buying or her Aunt Lea into making) but rarely wears it because it's all tangled up in a box on her bookcase.  I thought having it sorted and visual would help her when she's getting ready in the mornings.  

Now, to be perfectly frank, today was definitely not a good day to begin any DIY projects.  After my relapse last week, my rheumatologist has decided to keep me on steroids until further notice.  So, in addition to battling The-Cold-That-Won't-Leave, I also get to struggle with hunger and 'roid rage.  I spent the majority of my day today in a steroid-induced fog of extreme irritation.  The woman hogging the aisle at the grocery store irritated me.  The woman standing at the self-checkout whistling at the cashier to get her attention was enough to make me go nuclear.  So trying to create something today may not have been my best decision.  

The first frame I tried to use split on two corners.  I tried gluing it.  No go.  I tried to nail it together.  Again, zip.  So I moved on to a new frame:

 I added cup hooks and then spray painted the whole she-bang.  It took two coats and another one on the hooks before it was done.

Here's to hoping Annika actually makes use of it!

My next project was to create a key organizer to hang by our front door.  The main purpose for this organizer is actually for my son's lanyard.  He tends to forget his ID and it's a requirement to get on the bus, to wear in the school, etc.

In this case, I used an 8"x10" wider framed black frame and added cup hooks that I had already spray painted black.  I used some subway art that quotes one of my favorite hymns to put inside the frame.

Unfortunately the glow of a job well done was not enough to clear out that ugly 'roid fog.  Fortunately for my sake, my husband was able to do so by mimicking Dorie (from our favorite movie) and asking me "Who's Mr. Grumpy Gills?" 

An old family recipe

Some of my fondest early memories include being in my great grandma Eklund's kitchen baking chocolate chip cookies.  My paternal great grandmother was like a fairy tale grandma with rosy cheeks, sparkling blue eyes and a wide smile that was always ready to shine.  I am so blessed to have had her in my life and one of my favorite ways to keep her memory alive is to make her famous Swedish pancakes.  In addition to her great chocolate chip cookies, great grandma made the most amazing Swedish pancakes.  My parents still have an index card with the recipe written in her spidery script and someday I plan on framing that for my kitchen.

Now both sides of my family are Swedish (and quite proud of it) and so I grew up on food like Swedish pancakes and fleckspancakka (a pancake-like breakfast casserole with bacon in it) and praying a Swedish prayer with every big family meal.  I assumed everyone else in the world knew the delight of eating the paper thin, buttery Swedish pancakes.  I also took for granted the level of work involved in creating that buttery perfection.  My great grandma passed her knowledge down to my dad and so even after she went home to be with Jesus, my dad would spend hours at the stove making Swedish pancakes for me.  Once I became an adult and attempted to make them myself, I realized just how much work they were.  It took me years to perfect the thinness and to avoid tearing each one as I flipped it.  Twelve years into my pancake making journey and I finally have it down pat.  I've also passed my love of Swedish pancakes on to my children.

 Eklund Swedish Pancakes

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 stick of butter, melted

First add the flour, sugar, eggs & milk.  Whisk them to make sure they are well mixed before you add the butter.  Heat your skillet.  I use 1n 8" pan and I usually spray it with cooking spray.  Once you add the first pancake, you won't need to worry about that anymore because they are so buttery.  Add the butter right before you are ready to start cooking the pancakes and whisk well.   Finding the right amount of batter to add is going to be trial and error.  I use a large ladle and fill it about halfway.  Once I add the batter to the pan, I swirl the pan to coat the entire bottom.  You want a thin covering of batter in the pan.  Once the edges start to brown, carefully slide the spatula under the pancake and flip it.  

The finished product should look something like this.  

I hope you enjoy these as much as our family does! Skål!

A weekend in retrospect

I suppose that some could argue that since I stay home, every day is a weekend day for me (ask any SAHM and she'll tell you the truth!) but in reality, the weekend to me is the time I get to spend with my family.  I do enjoy some of the quiet time I get during the weekdays but I much prefer having my brood home.

Friday night is pizza night in our family.  I make my pizza dough from scratch (I make enough for four pizzas so I only have to make it every other week) and we nosh on cheese (for the girls & I) and pepperoni (for the boys).  Sometimes we do movies on Friday nights, others it's game night.  This past Friday night was girls night in for my baby girl and I.  We did manicures, pedicures and wallowed in girlie emotion while watching Sweet Home Alabama.  I love the fact that Annika is getting old enough to enjoy non-animated movies with me.  We've watched Diary of a Mad Black Woman (and she learned what sort of treatment one should NEVER put up with from a man), The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (where we sobbed together and she learned of the hatred some humans can harbor for others), and The Help (where she learned that it wasn't too long ago in our American history where humans were treated less than human solely based on the color of their skin).  I love how she asks questions and really thinks about my answers.  It's amazing to me to see the young woman she is growing into.  

Saturday was a pretty quiet day.  Hubby had a big Honey-Do list and Ani and I had shopping to do for Halloween costumes and craft items to stock up on.  Of course, in the fall, Saturdays are also college football days but we managed to fit in a viewing of The Avengers in between two key games.  I almost regret not seeing that in the theater!  I  had been pretty unimpressed with Thor, Captain America & the second Iron Man so I stayed back from the theater viewing back in May.  

As always, church was uplifting and refreshing on Sunday morning.  I love our church.  Even though it could be termed a "mega" church, I love the familiarity there, the friendliness and the diversity.  We have an amazing church family.  After church on Sunday, Annika & I headed downtown for our first viewing of ArtPrize 2012.  In the years since I've moved to Grand Rapids, it truly has grown into a city I am proud to call home.  When I first moved here, I was appalled at the lack of a big city, the unimpressive food choices and lack of museums and big zoos.  The restaurant selection in town now is wonderful and our city outdoes itself with ArtPrize, which just happens to be the world's largest art competition.  There are art pieces on display on the city streets and in several of our downtown buildings.  Here are just a few pictures of the exhibits we saw this weekend.

And our very favorite piece, Song of Lift

It spun around, with the little mechanical "birds" lifting their translucent wings with a wonderful light and musical show included.  This piece is one of the top 10 and will hopefully win after voting is completed.

I finished off my Sunday with an awesome fried chicken dinner, football on the couch with my hubs and way too much time on Pinterest plotting out my next few projects.  I hope everyone else had a weekend as wonderful as mine!