TMJ, IBS and Zzzzz's

Lots of letters?  Lots of problems.  But, problems that have been resolved.  It's been over a year and half since I quit my job in the corporate world.  It was miserable.  Not all jobs are miserable, but CST was.  In all ways possible.  I was completely stressed out, all the time.  Upper management was missing his head, which lead to many unfair and ridiculous situations.  My boss was worthless, but no one would admit it.  Instead, let's just give him a raise!  Dumb asses.  Long story short, the absurd amount of stress led to my jaw  getting massively inflamed all the time, to the point where I couldn't close my mouth.  I went to the doctor and the dentist and decided it was stress induced TMJ.  And I was so tense all the time that I randomly got a permanent "click" in my neck.  Still have it.  Won't go away.  My doctor put me on some kind of anxiety medication, that actually helped, but I decided not to refill it.  I was constantly at the chiropractor trying to relieve all the tension and pain in my neck and back.  Every morning, Monday through Friday, I would have diarrhea 4-6 times before noon.  Saturday and Sunday, perfectly normal.  I cried just about every day - not only at home in the evenings, but I'd actually have to step outside and call my husband bawling just to take a breather!  That's not right people!!  And, sleep?  Yeah, well, I didn't.  These things are not healthy, and certainly aged me!  Since quitting my job, my jaw is yet to swell, I don't have diarrhea, and I sleep.  Still have the weird click in my neck, but oh well!  I've been thinking about how happy and less stressed I am.  And I made the best decision, in my mind, to stay at home with my kids.  We are expecting a large snow storm here tomorrow, and last night I couldn't stop thinking how stressful it would have been if I were still working at Hell.  Obviously, schools and daycares will be closed.  Why?  Because it's not safe to be out driving on the roads.  But, don't you dare miss showing up at CST!  Find someone to watch your kids and get your butt there, even if you are putting your own life at risk.  And if you don't, be prepared to be called out.  Why?  Because the CFO with his head up his butt will send his little secretary around the building to do an attendance check.  I do not, in one little bit, miss those miserable days.  But daily I thank God for getting me out and where I am today.

Bodey's World

Bodey:  "Mom, why isn't it one-dee-one?"
Me:  "Why is what not one-dee-one?"
Bodey:  "Well, it's twenty-one and thirty-one, why not one-dee-one?"
HAHAHAHAHAAAAA.... Eleven!

At last weekend's wrestling tournament, in front of several other parents, Bodey told me I have a big junk in the trunk.  Thanks for pointing out the obvious, you little __________!

Even better though, is I told Bodey's teachers and the older lady that owns the preschool that he told me I have a big junk in the trunk and his two teachers and I laughed.  Then the older owner lady said, "Don't let him ever look in my car!"  BWAHAHAHAHAAAA!

Bodey has been using the word "literally" in context.  A lot.  This kid cracks me up!

Walking Boots and Snow Boots

Today we got good news from the doc!  Booker got his boot off!  He was really slow walking at first.  Like really slow.  But I sent him to school because he said it didn't hurt and I thought he might stop thinking so much and be himself at school.  By tonight, he was walking pretty normally.  We are taking it easy for a week.  The doctor just said to ease in to activities this week at his pace.  Which could be fast!  We all practically forgot he even had a boot or a broken foot there at the end.  He was running all over the place and playing football and basketball with the neighbors!  Judge me if you want, but if he's fine this week, he'll go to wrestling practice next Thursday and possibly a tournament next Sunday.  ONLY if he isn't having any problems.

Here is the scene we all got used to seeing... the boot.

And here he is with his foot back!  Looks weird now!

He still has his bruise on the bottom of his foot.  The doc said that's right where the break was.

Meanwhile, Bodey is still going strong!  We got enough snow to cover the ground yesterday and it was all I could do to keep him inside.  Even though it was sooooo cold outside, I had to remind myself not to make the kids' decisions based on my love for being nice and warm and cozy.  When I was a kid, I didn't even notice if it was cold outside if I was having fun.  He played outside by himself for quite a while and never complained of being cold.

Silver!

Bodey is a stout, strong, tough little man.  He just has no idea.  I might be bragging a little bit, but this is my blog, so I can, but he honestly could probably beat any opponent he was up against.  IF, he would believe in himself.  Before and after every wrestling match, he tells us how much bigger/tougher/older/taller (the list goes on) the other kids in his bracket are.  Even though we explain the reason for weighing in is so all the kids in the bracket are THE SAME, he honestly thinks we are feeding him a line of crap.  Doesn't believe a word we say.  But today, he had it in his mind he wanted to get that gold medal.  And the DQ ice cream AJ promised him (hey, he is my child).  I told him he just needed to attack right away and then the other kid would see how tough he is and be scared of him.  I think it helped.  His first kid he attacked and pinned in 30 seconds.  Kid #2 he pinned in 1:26.  Now it was the gold medal match.  And, man, did he wrestle his heart out!  He ended up losing 8-7, but was trying so hard!!!  We were all on Cloud 9 that he took home his first ever silver 2ND PLACE medal!

Healing

This morning we went to Booker's follow-up appointment with the orthopedic doctor.  He said everything looks normal, but after examining the x-rays, not only is the 3rd metatarsal broken, but the 4th is and possibly the 2nd too.  But, that doesn't seem to slow the healing process at all.  We go back for another x-ray in two weeks, and possibly get the boot off then.  If not then, most likely it will come off the week following that.  He said kids will basically restrict themselves and that if something hurts he'll back off.  Sounds like a plan of action for the next two weeks!

Broken Little Boy

Yesterday, late afternoon, the boys were downstairs being boys.  Then I heard Booker screaming and Bodey ran up to tell me I needed to help him now!  I ran downstairs and Booker was holding his foot, yelling, "It's broken!  I broke it!  It's broken!"  I tried icing it and examining it.  He just kept crying all evening.  It didn't look bruised or swollen.  He wouldn't put any weight on it AT ALL.  But then when I was putting him to bed I noticed it was swelling. So we headed down to Children's Mercy this morning to get to the bottom of this.  Turns out he broke his 3rd metatarsal.  They put him in a boot, that he hates, and sent us on our way.  We are going to see an orthopedic doctor in a week.  So, bye-bye wrestling season.  Just when he was really starting to pay attention learning new moves to pin his next opponent.  Grrrr!  But, I think I'm more upset about wrestling season than he is.  Next hurdle, getting him to try to stand and put weight on it and getting him to walk.  Easier said than done.  The kid needs to go to school, but not so sure tomorrow will be the day.

Can I Get an Amen?!?!

Why have I hesitated to let the kids help me around the house?  Besides my control to do it my way and the fact that I could do it 10x faster.  But that is all behind me now.  Now that Bodey begs to help me do laundry, dishes and clean bathrooms.  He scrubs pans, rinses them, dries them, and PUTS THEM AWAY!  And once I have laundry sorted, he loves to carry them to the laundry room, fill the washer, start it and even helps me match socks and fold towels.  This is just a huge blessing.  I hope the fun doesn't wear off too quickly.  Last night when I was tucking him in he asked, "Mom, what do we have to do tomorrow?"  I told him we had to take Booker to the doctor (next post).  His response killed me.  "No, I mean, do we have more laundry or dishes?"  Duh, like every day.  :)  But now I have help!