This morning when I woke up and discovered that my skin was still looking godawful and I looked terrible, I thought that maybe I’d just hide in a bed somewhere warm for the day. Of course, life with kids never works out quite that way and while I did manage 30 minutes in bed before lunch with a book, I had Isaac snuggled under my chin and Amy curled up in the small of my back, eating an orange and dripping juice everywhere.
I think part of my roller coaster of manic energy/total exhaustion has been due to my new tablets. The cymbalta have been fantastic for my anxiety since I got over the hurdle of the first week – in which I spent the days feeling stoned out of my mind, not sleeping and hurting all over – however, they do have some drawbacks.
My appetite has been killed dead. Now that wouldn’t be so bad, if I didn’t get sick so fast. Without eating, my body forgets all the things it’s meant to be doing, like healing and not producing giant bruises and spectacular pimples. Cups of tea, sadly, while I could keep them down, weren’t doing anything for my health, because it’s all I was ingesting. I’m making a giant effort to at least drink milk and eat lots of fruit and while I’m still taking anti-nausea pills like they’re going out of fashion, I’ve not retched today and I have managed to eat. Not a lot, but I ate.
The cymbalta also make me incredibly restless. I was hoping they’d make me a little drowsy, so I could take them before bed, but a few nights of not sleeping convinced me that that’s not how they were going to work. I’m having trouble sitting still to do anything, finding myself wandering away mid sentence in a book, or drifting towards the fire a few lines into a blog post. The children think this is great and follow me around the house, hoping that I’ll dole out chocolate instead of setting out to make a proper lunch. I’ve not done it yet, but they’re forever hopeful.
On the upside, like I mentioned above, they’ve been fantastic for my panic attacks and so so good for the neuropathic pain episodes and despite the first week of insomnia, I am sleeping well enough at night, once I can finally switch off. Surely 6 good heavy hours of sleep is better than 8 broken hours. Right?
In other news, Isaac is teething, with 3 molars making their way through at the moment. While he’s not waking at night – he’s a better sleeper than Amy, still! (who is waking at night, regularly) – he is completely miserable during the day, clinging and whining a lot. It’s draining on me, as I’m falling apart a little and he wants to to snuggle on my chest, while I stand up and rock him. Sitting down = unacceptable. He will allow me to sit on the fit ball, but my proprioception is so terrible that I am certain it’s only sheer luck we haven’t fallen off it yet. At this point, with him clingy and completely napless, I would KILL for a rocking chair. It’s on my wish list of things I’ll never have. Like a dishwasher, a maid and spare time.
He was happy today to see my mother and even happier to wander around outside with us for a while, although he had a tantrum of epic proportions when we came back inside because I couldn’t stand any longer. He can do a brilliant tantrum, with the face down screaming and kicking. I’m sure it will be amusing until the first time he does it in public.
Amy was also thrilled to be wandering around outside with her grandmother and her mother, even happier when Mum found two duck eggs, laid early this morning. (They definitely weren’t there yesterday evening when I did the rounds) At this point, we’ve got 5 ducks and a drake, 6 chooks and a rooster and we’re getting two hens eggs a day. I’m going to steal some of the ducks eggs, just long enough to get us into spring, so that I won’t be worrying about the ducks (and hens) raising babies in the bitter cold. When they start to sit, I’ll keep you updated.
I’m hanging on Spring and the warmer weather, dying to get things growing properly in my garden and to be eating something (other than eggs) that I’ve had a hand in producing. Not to mention how much better my EDS feels when I’m not frozen solid and I’m able to sit in the sunshine, without the wind stripping the flesh from my bones. Come on warmth.
Amy looks really happy! She’s going make a really good happy partner for someone. Never mind the wheat flour… why does she like it so much, anyway. Does she miss gluten or something?
How do you reckon youll deal with Amys’ issuse once she gets older and she wants to get a dominos gluten free pizza. how on earth are you going to respond to that…… VERONICA???
Issac, the wheat she played in the other day wasn’t flour (thank goodness!) it was the wheat for the chooks and ducks, whole grains, uncracked. We are careful to wash her hands afterwards though.
When Amy is old enough to want to eat a dominos gluten free pizza and argue with me about it, then she’s old enough to deal with any side effects it may cause her. That’s her decision then, not mine and I’m not the one dealing with her tummy ache and assorted other issues.
And considering this is your 5th comment in a few minutes, anything else?
Here’s hoping you get an early spring sweety, and that Isaac’s molars come through asap for you! xx
Um, before I tell you I hope for Spring soon too for you all, I just have to tell you those kids of yours are delicious and I could drown in your little guy’s eyes.
Now, I eally do hope that you start to feel a little better soon and that the warmer weather brings good things.
I wish I could send you some warm weather….and a rocking chair. I’m with Tiff – those eyes! He’s so yummy, and Amy’s spirit is so delicious, even if it is wearing you down. Bad is kind of like that, though I do find he’s getting easier with age….
Feel better love, you’ve got lots of people sending you happy vibes – it’s just that Australia’s so far away, they might be taking awhile to get there.
Is Isaac climbing out of a cupboard or something in that top picture of Amy??
Sorry things are not wonderful for you, love, but I’m glad the Cymbalta is helping your anxiety.
Can you speak to a doctor about something to help your appetite? I know it an tke as little as two or three days of me not eating properly to strike me down with something icky.
The nausea may go with time. My fingers are crossed for you. I’ve never had a duck egg. Can you tell the difference once they are cracked?
Just a thought… You might be able to get a rocking chair from Craigslist for free, or for trade.. Just a thought! I think you deserve one! If I lived near you and had one, I’d definitely share!
Good Luck!
Tonja
i cant wait for sping its my favourite season..
i hope Amy starts sleeping better soon and Issac’s teeth come thru soon too..
Cai has 4 molars making there way thru atm.. and he isnt sleeping thru.. poor boy..
Oh. I have a spare rocker that I’d be glad to donate, except that I suspect the freight from Vic to Tas would make it unfeasible 🙁
Glad the pills are helping in some areas, and yes I agree that 6 hrs solid sleep is better than 8 hrs broken. Hope things look up generally soon.
Glad SOMETHING is at least sorta working… I was worried for a while there. Isaac sure looks rosy-cheeked and has GROWN a ton. Amy seems to have always been a mini-adult lol. She’s going to be reading way before kindergarten, I can just tell. 🙂
How grown up are your kids?! My goodness! But boo to the side effects on the drugs. I hate that. Sometimes the side effects can be as bad as the symptoms the drugs are treating. Maybe some of them will ease off in time.
Oh Veronica!
There is this gorgeous rocking chair you can get, with a footrest my SIL bought one it was $120 new so secondhand would be a lot cheaper and she used it for breastfeeding. I searched everywhere for one cause I really wanted one, seriously the most comfortable thing’ve ever sat in but she got it from Melbourne. Remind me about it and I’ll try to search it for you. I’m pretty sure she said it came from a toy shop or something like that? It had built in cushioning….ahhhh. AND it was flatpacked. I’ll ask her about it.
On facebook check out Tassie/Buy/Sell/Swap Online, they have photos and things and over 3000 members, you could post a wanted ad for a rocking chair? I sold heaps of our stuff on there when we moved and have bought things too.
I’m glad the medication is starting to show some positive, but I think it would take a bit for the body to get used to as well. It sounds like 6 of one, half a dozen of the other in some cases.
This was a lovely post by the way, even with the keyboard warrior commenting.
We discovered that the anti-histamine medicine we were prescribed for our younger son many years ago not only stopped his seasonal wheezing but also dramatically improved his appetite and knocked him out at night. Sounds as though some hybrid of that might be useful for you too. Amy may well improve on all fronts once she starts school as that will tire her out more.
But, yes, roll on Spring!
Doesn’t Amy look so cute and grown up too with her hair in plaits. Almost ready for school. And Isaac’s eyes!! Years from now, some girl will drown in those, for sure!
Yes, 6 hours of solid sleep is way better than 8 hours of broken sleep.
Winter sucks! If it’s any consolation my skin is doing a similar collapse to yours, it must be in sympathy cos it’s summer here! I’ve seens suggestions about high doses of Vitamin C being helpful for healing in EDS’ers but never really tried it for more than short periods-might be worth a go as can’t do any harm?
The kids look gorgeous, fab photos as ever! BG Xx
Hi
found your blog this morning. your kids are too cute.
The name of your blog caught my eye with the cymbalta in it. lol
I’ve been on it for a year now. The nausea does go away, once I got used to it, I liked it.
Although i believe that it makes me sweat more. hope you are feeling better soon.
Sherri
Lovely photos, beautiful kiddies : 0 )
Totally understand re the shite skin.
Hope it all sorts itself out xxxx
Hello you, if it helps I’m cold too except its warm here and everyone else is hot. My other half thinks I am going through the menopause and I keep saying its not my bleep bleep hormones it IS cold!
I have great admiration for Isaac’s tantrums and wish I wasn’t so old these days otherwise I would still have them and in public. Oh yes – I had them too and held my breath and went blue and caused many adults great distress. Tantrum’s are cathartic I think for the very young enabling them to express so much they are simply unable to in words. The sign of a happy child indeedy.
Amy is looking so grown up – the very depth of colour in her eyes speaks volumes with no need for words. They are beautiful.
Good luck with the med – in our EDSey family we find ourselves very very susceptible to side effects of new meds and our gp now starts on insy winsy doses and gradually increases to help abate galloping side effects. Its good to see the beginning of efficacy with them and I have a good friend with similar symptoms who is feeling better gradually but is having the benefit of counselling in conjuction with meds as her gp feels one with the other is helpful. Keeping my fingers doubly triply wiggly crossed for you.
Teething – ow ow. Poor Isaac.
Snuggle up warm Veronica and soak up all the collective happy vibes winging their way across the wibbly wobbly web.
xoxoxo
I can relate to the bad skin and the nausea. (I’m not on Cymbalta but am on Topamax.) I’ll have to try the vitamin C. Otherwise ginger tea can sometimes help. My poor hubby frets and works so hard to get food I”ll eat.
Your kids are cute. I’m kinda amazed that Amy sat still for you to do her pigtails.
Good luck on staying warm.
@Isaac – Amy will have her own blog by then to whinge about her mother and her diet :p
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