Tag: sick

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View: Five Minute Friday

The Ameri Brit Mom7 Comments

I made it to the end of my first week of school! It’s been exhausting, but so rewarding. I can already tell this year’s students are going to be a lot of fun. So far, 100% of them have participated and that type of engagement is hard to come by in a high school classroom. I’m counting that as a win!

This week, I am joining the Five Minute Friday link-up and our prompt is View.

A sunset view out of a window. The colors are vibrant and beautiful.

I have a dear friend who is suffering. Watching her wrestle with ailments and health issues at such a young age is breaking my heart. My view of the impact this is having on her reveals only a fraction of what it is like to live with these symptoms. She is living with the cloud of a diagnosis weighing on every thought and decision. I cannot imagine how that kind of weight feels.

But for me…

Fear is a very tangible feeling right now. It is heavy. It is thick. It is in my mind constantly no matter how much I try to ignore it. I try to change my point of view, but the shadow of fear is still there.

This week is crucial. And as we wait for a diagnosis and we pray for the best, I have faith that whatever is ahead can be conquered. I’m choosing to have hope despite all odds. That doesn’t mean that fear is absent, but it does mean that I choose to view this journey as just a detour.

The road is still in view ahead and there is much to still be traveled.

*Please join me this week in sending thoughts and prayers to my amazing friend!

The Ameri Brit Mom

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Covid In The House…

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For nearly two years we have avoided bringing Covid-19 into our house. Thanks in part to hand washing and vaccines, we kept the virus out of our bodies. But Omicron found its way into my nine year-old this week and entered our home as a most uninvited guest.

So far, symptoms are mild. Some cold chills and coughs are all that marked the arrival of Covid-19.

Since Thursday we have quarantined as a family and it has reminded us of those months in 2020 when we were housebound and nervous about contracting the novel Covid-19. We are keeping ourselves busy, but the hardest part of this quarantine is keeping sisters apart. Luckily our nine year-old was fully vaccinated, but our three year-old did not have that option.

We’ve been filling our days with a healthy mix between productivity and fun. I’ve used this time to get ahead on some projects for The Ameri Brit Mom and I’ve been reading a lot as well. Our oldest has been sequestered to her bedroom, but she is getting plenty of snacks and attention. I know she is bored, but we are getting creative. We even Facetimed her to read books together 🙂

We still have four days left of this family quarantine. This has been a great “slow down” for us to remember what is important in life and to focus on our physical and mental health as both individuals and as a family.

If you have had Covid-19 or found yourself in quarantine what are some things you have done to pass the time?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Health · Uncategorized

Five Minute Friday: Cheer

The Ameri Brit Mom2 Comments

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is Cheer. What is a link-up? Essentially a link-up is when you join other bloggers and write on a similar topic. You share your blog posts with one another and begin conversations via a host site. You can head over to Kate Motaung’s page to check out other entries from inspired bloggers. Here’s my five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited writing on this week’s topic:

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Over the past week and a half I have suffered from a major allergy flare up. Three years ago I began to develop seasonal allergies, but it remained relatively mild until recently. As the weather switched from hot-and-muggy to cool-and-wet and back to hot-and-muggy my sinuses decided to rebel. With the abrupt change of weather my allergies caused me to cough and sneeze uncontrollably. Before long I finally decided to visit the doctor.

A student of mine had been diagnosed with pertussis and after googling symptoms of the nasty disease I convinced myself that the whooping cough was my own prognosis as well. (Curse you, Web MD!)

Last Thursday I was prescribed two medications to keep my allergies at bay, but they were too far gone. As my conditions worsened it became clear to me that not only did I have an allergy flare up but that infections had developed as a result. A few days later I found myself in the urgent care with an ear infection as well as an infection that had developed in my chest. I never knew that allergies could lead to infections, but we will call this a lesson learned.

I’m now on five medications and an albuterol inhaler that I must use every four hours. I had a strep test and a breathing treatment on Tuesday. I’ve been exhausted for over a week partially due to the infections and partially due to the amount of medication I’ve been taking.

But I’m choosing to be cheerful throughout this bout of sickness.

I am cheerful because I began my summer vacation today. I am cheerful because after three pretty rough days I’m starting to clear up and feel a bit better. I am cheerful because I can tell that much of my energy is returning. And I am cheerful because God is still good even when I can’t take a deep breath on my own.

What do you have to be cheerful about today?

The Ameri Brit Mom

Health · Uncategorized

Under the Weather/There’s an Oil for That!

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After a long weekend I was feeling refreshed and ready to take on the new week. Even if the outdoor thermostat was reading subzero temperatures this morning. I put on my new puffer vest and thick coat and braved the cold for a day of teaching. Things were going smoothly until lunch time. At a quarter til twelve my sister (AKA the babysitter) called my phone. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Not because I’m a doomsday prepper, but rather because she never calls me if she needs anything. Texting is our mode of communication during the day since I’m usually unreachable in front of the classroom.

So I answer the phone and find out Arianna is sick.

She was puking and running a fever. Quickly, I switched from teacher-mode to mom-mode. I started to prep to take the afternoon off when my husband volunteered to take the half-day instead. We are lucky being teachers because not many professions give employees the ability to leave at a moment’s notice. Sam’s old school wasn’t as easy to take off from so one thing we have found that we love about working in our district is that they are extremely family-friendly and allow us to take time off to be there for our sick child.

Since she was running a high fever I decided to take my turn and call off for tomorrow. I stayed a little later today to run off substitute plans. It can get annoying to make plans for someone else, but nothing trumps staying home with a cuddly, sick girl.

I arrived home today to Arianna buried in the covers and Sam doing a fantastic job caring for her. He’s a great dad who always does his very best. We are lucky girls!

So the rest of the evening and tomorrow will be spent in the oils cabinet. I realize its been awhile since I last spoke about using essential oils. I’m constantly adding to my collection and even gifted some oils to people on my Christmas list. I’ve been using essential oils in place of over-the-counter medications for about a year now and I’ve found some great remedies through the process. A disclaimer before I discuss how I use oils, ALWAYS RESEARCH THE OILS BEFORE USE. SOME REQUIRE HEAVY DILUTION OR HAVE SPECIAL USE INSTRUCTIONS. MANY OILS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR DIRECT USE ON CHILDREN OR WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT EACH PERSON RESPONDS DIFFERENTLY TO OILS, SO RESULTS MAY VARY.

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First of all, over the Christmas season I received my first essential oil diffuser. I am absolutely in love with this product. All you have to do is fill the base with water to the fill line and add 4-6 drops of the desired oil. My diffuser can be in use for up to four hours. I also love the changing light colors. There is something therapeutic about the changing colors and cool mist. I love to sit in the bedroom with a good book while the diffuser is on. Since using the diffuser requires heavy dilution almost every oil is safe to use, but there are a few oils that children should not be exposed to aromatically, so again, do your research before using.

Some of my favorite oils to put in the diffuser are peppermint (for energy, upset stomach, headaches, and allergies), lemon (for anxiety, disinfectant, and stress), wild orange (for digestion, anxiety, and aroma), and lavender (for allergies, calming, skin, and sleep.)

Also, the last time I wrote about essential oils my husband was still a bit unsure about them. However, his mind has been changed. Instead of heading straight to the medicine cabinet when he doesn’t feel well he asks me for oils at the first sign of a headache or a sore muscle. Just a few moments ago he approached me for Deep Blue to rub on his muscles after a weight lifting circuit. He’s sold on the results and even trying to learn which oils to use when.

I’m still building my collection, but I am pleased with all of the oils I currently own.

Do you use essential oils? If so, which ones do you prefer?

 

The Ameri Brit Mom

 

 

Family

Rise and Shine

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Welcome to my very own Creative Writing Month where each day of the month I am focusing on a topic and spending fifteen minutes reflecting and writing as inspired by the topic. For more information about why and how check out my post, Writing Down the Bones.

*This weekend I spent some time away at the annual FCA Fall Retreat which I organize along with other local FCA Leaders and volunteers. Due to my lack of wifi I will be posting twice today to get caught up. 

Today’s topic: Write about your morning routine. Create a story surrounding these ideas.

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At eight o’clock this morning I awoke to mumbles and groans. My three year old daughter was groggy and shouting, “Mommy, my belly hurts.”

I rushed to her aid, swept her into my arms, and quickly carried her to the bathroom where she could get sick without ruining bed sheets or carpet. I absolutely hate when my daughter is sick. She loses all of her energy and personality and is overcome by a zombie-like coma.

After a dramatic beginning to the morning she took up residence on the couch. I granted her request to watch some of her favorite cartoons on Netflix and after providing her with some light foods and water I began my usual morning routine beside her on the couch.

It’s funny to say routine, because I don’t get the luxury of starting my day the same way twice. However, if I did have control over how each day started there would be a couple of things I would be sure to do each day. For one, I’d start each day with a pot of coffee. Not a cup, but a pot. And in a perfect  world no one would speak to me and I’d have no responsibilities until the entire pot was gone. However, this world is not perfect and that has happened twice in my life. I do have coffee at some point just about every morning.

Next, I have some quiet Bible Study and prayer time. The best days include some type of Bible Study even if it is only five minutes. I like to go through studies from apps like First5 and SheReadsTruth. Neither of these take too long, but are really well-written, relate-able, and life-changing.

After my Bible Study time I login to my AmeriBritMom site and check all emails. I reply to emails, send some out, and then check out my WordPress feed where I am able to communicate with my fellow writers and find inspiration. After catching up with those people I follow regularly I begin working on whatever post I plan to release for the day. That could be one I started a few days ago which just needs edited or on some days when I am less organized I have about thirty minutes to write, edit, and produce my post.

Once my coffee, Bible Study, and blogging are done I am free to live my day. I find that when my mornings contain all three of these activities that I am more energized and I find purpose in each day more clearly. When I don’t get those first few minutes to myself in the way I described I can be off my game and tend to be more emotional those days. Being a mom has taught me that every morning may not look exactly the same, but if I can try to fit each of these items into the first hours of my day I can be successful and OWN the day.

So as I sit on the couch beside my ill daughter I am able to work my way through these aspects of my morning routine today all while rubbing her back and passing her a water bottle every few minutes when she requests it. Fluids have been helping to return my daughter to her natural state. She’s keeping her eyes open again instead of just sleeping the day away. So I will check this last item off of my morning routine list and enjoy my day with my beautiful baby girl whose health is getting better by the minute.