Regardless, the fact that I am still broke is probably not news to anyone. I was doing better financially for awhile, then Rick (23) lost his job and Jennie (26) went on maternity leave. In case you have forgotten why this is applicable to me, it's because both of my children have been aiding me financially for the past couple years. I have the best kids in the world!
There is some light at the end of this tunnel... Jennie started back to work and Rick has the promise of another temp job. Rick has jury duty starting Monday and then his job starts in two weeks. Unfortunately there is a minor downside to this temp job, it's only for three weeks. Once that assignment is completed Rick will go back to being just like all the other 'Unemployed Americans' and will continue his job search until someone say's “You've got the job”.
Meanwhile, back at home the cupboards and refrigerator had dwindled down to bare bones... one of my 'angels' (Jeralynn) had contacted some friends at church who work for an organization called Children's Hunger Fund. They have blessed me multiple times with incredible deliveries; it seems as though every time I am down to almost no food CHF shows up with an abundance of food.
I was so excited when this delivery arrived... as always, it's more then I could have ever wished for. So, thank you to my Lord, thank you Pat & Barbara, thank you Jeralynn, and finally a great big thanks to all the great folks at CHF.
If you are looking for a place to make a year end donation or if you are looking for a place that helps the less fortunate year round as well as at Thanksgiving and / or Christmas, please consider donating to CHF. If nothing else please take a moment to visit their site to see what they are all about. http://www.chfus.org/
These pictures are only about half of what this delivery contained, look at all the fruits and veggies... what a treat!
My home is full of eBay stuff... (do any of you remember the 1970's television show Sanford & Son?)
I have been and continue to be blessed with all kinds of donations over the last couple years. This is the time of the year when I try to remain focused with getting things listed on eBay. Most of my time and energy over the next three months will be spent listing and selling as much as possible... I'm hoping to make enough to once again start repaying my debtors.
That said, please keep me in your prayers now thru the first of the year... that God will allow me the health and strength to get this done. It was last year at this time that my health began to reach a new low... my personal preference is that this year has a different ending then last year did.
Before you read on I need you to keep in mind that my house if full of eBay stuff...
Jennie recently informed me that her and Alex want to have a birthday party for Nicholas on October 3rd. Although Nicholas won't be turning 7 until December 10th, Jen has determined that it's easier to have a party now instead of then.
My contribution for this party... to provide a clean house... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
Okay, I had to get up off the floor and stop laughing... but there is hope, as Nicholas put it “Grandma, I know you can get the house cleaned up, you've done it before, you've even made it sparkle before. You can do it grandma, just try really hard and do the best job you can”.
The cleaning (or shall I say, the attempt at cleaning) has begun... pictures will follow next week! (As a side note... about two hours ago my air conditioner went down in a big way... ouch!!! It will be a day or two before anyone can even come to look at it. The party is still on but I'm not sure how clean the house will be. Right now it's over 100 degrees outside and hoovering around 85 inside)
Now, for a health update...
As of just a couple hours ago I began to feel the effects of this heat on my health, coughing more and it's getting harder to breath. I'm putting the oxygen on even as I write this... boo, hoo, hoo... Oh well, this too shall pass, but meanwhile can you hear me lathering on the self pity?... hehehehe
The last three months or so have been getting more and more uncomfortable for me. I thought it might have something to do with being on and off my medications (according to when I could afford them).
My thoughts were that before running into the doctor I would be faithful with taking my medications, this meant making them a priority with my finances. This was accomplished and I've been faithful with all 27 (give or take) medications for about three months now, but the problem has only gotten worse.
I am in constant abdominal discomfort... about an hour after eating anything I start getting really sick, the stomach pain is almost more then I can tolerate at times. Sometimes it will go thru me within a couple hours, sometimes not at all... then the pain travels to around my back and up into my chest, sometimes I will turn white as a sheet and usually break out in cold sweats. After another couple hours pass I'm back to the regular abdominal discomfort.
Some of you might remember seeing me at church several weeks ago when I had to get up and walk out... this was one of those episodes.
A little over a year ago I had been diagnosed with IBS issues... I thought maybe I was getting worse because of the irregularity in taking the meds... but that turned out not to be the case.
I called the doctor on Monday and she told me to go to Urgent Care... and who do I get when I'm there but the doctor who I don't particularly care for (you will see why as you read on).
After sitting there with him for quite a while he states that he knows what the problem is... “You have IBS”, “Yes, I'm aware of that” I told him. I continued on telling him that I was diagnosed with that some time ago.
Keep in mind that my medical group has electronic records, no matter where I go within that group they can see my records (it's very nice).
This doctor went on to tell me that the IBS diagnoses that was I given before was incorrect and that he is correctly diagnosing me now, he is officially telling me that I have IBS. I asked him why it is that I've been prescribed IBS medications for the past year if it was a wrong diagnosis. Why had those IBS medications helped me until now when things appear to be getting worse?
He wasn't sure, but he did know that if I was to pick up the prescription he was writing me and take it every 4 – 6 hours, I would feel much better. He did say that there was one side-effect, this prescription for IBS would knock me out and I would have to go to bed.
Hmm... let me get this straight... I repeated his instructions to him and informed him that if I did what he suggested that I would be in bed 24 / 7. He agreed, but reminded me of how much better I would feel.
Okay, at this point all I wanted was to be out of pain... Jeralynn took me back home and I waited for the pharmacy to call for pick up. They called, but it wasn't to tell me the prescription was ready for pick up... it was to tell me that pharmaceutical companies stopped making this medication years ago. UGH......
The next day I was given a new prescription and have been taking it faithfully ever since. There really hasn't been much of a difference, I'm eating less but only because the consequences of eating are too painful. I really wanted to give this medication a chance before calling the doctor again, if there isn't a noticeable improvement by Monday I will give her a call to see if there is another medication I can try.
God and I have already discussed this new problem... I've informed Him that this is not a good time for me to develop a new physical ailment. I've also told Him that if He would be so kind as to let me get thru the holidays feeling better than I do right now that I would greatly appreciate it.
I then reminded Him that I wasn't exactly thrilled with how I spent Christmas last year. I was very sick and eventually spent eleven days in the hospital.
God gently reminded me that He will remain in control whether that means permanently adding a prescription or two, being diagnosed with something new, or facing whatever else it is that's waiting for me around the corner.
I can honestly say that the life I have lead over the last 4 ½ years have been the best years of my life and I can't wait to see what He has planned for this next chapter in my life.
And finally...
In loving memory ~ Larry Garnand... a wonderful man who left this earth too early in life. Candy, I can't begin to try and understand what you are going thru, please know that my thoughts and prayers remain with you as well as Danielle, Jarrod, Nathan, and the rest of the family.
Diana
