little bit of this...

I have become the biggest blogging slacker, but I really just don't have much to say and certainly, not that much is going on that is blog worthy. But I did have my Usborne Book Show last night and had a blast. I was so nervous - why, I'm not sure. Everyone that came was a friend of mine and I just enjoyed talking to everyone and especially, seeing their faces as they discovered what Usborne has to offer. I just think it's such an easy product to work with - they are totally eye candy for book lovers.

I need to acknowledge what a total ROCK STAR my husband was yesterday. He came home from a very busy day, took the kids for dinner, brought them back home, entertained all the little ones upstairs, jammied and put to bed our munchkins, cleaned up, carried books to the car, and even snuggled while we watched a bit of TV before bed. All this was done with no complaining. I just appreciate that he recognized how important this was for me and totally stepped up. Way to go babe!

While progress in the pudge department is slow, I am happy to report that I have taken some major steps towards my weight and fitness goals. I've already lost four pounds and feel great. My medications seem to be working as they should and I feel energized and hopeful that things will continue. While I'm really only working toward about a 17lb-loss goal (I admit I'm a bit of a drama queen and still totally have a high school complex) the road seems long and arduous. All that party food in my kitchen has been tempting me...

Many of you are aware of my jaw/headache/tmj issues. I've suffered with chronic headaches almost as long as I can remember, but most definitely since my later high school days and particularly the first few years that Philip and I were married. It seems to be aggravated by stress but the chronic pain continues all these years later. I finally got to see an oral surgeon who has been very kind and very conscious of my efforts to use the proper channels (massage & physical therapy, chiropractic, etc.) He finally ordered up an MRI, which I had about 10 days ago. The results were as I suspected and in a weird way, I feel a lot of relief. He says the joints are both severely inflamed and my discs are, if not worn, very thin. Both joints are dislocated and I show early signs of arthritis. Without treatment I am well on my way to osteoarthritis in both joints. He is referring me to a very well respected surgeon who specializes in TMJ disorders. In the mean time, I will have a splint made.

My mom and I had an interesting conversation today. She was reading through the file of a student she works with who suffers from Cerebral Palsy. As a treatment, this child had been injected with non-cosmetic Botox in his muscles to relive the chronic spasm that the disease inflicts on it's sufferers. She wondered aloud to me if TMJ sufferers might benefit from the same. I did some research online and there are many sources of evidence that TMJ patients have benefited from treatment this same way, though the procedure is not endorsed yet by the FDA. I have contacted the manufacturer to see if they have begun to take the necessary steps to get FDA approval. The thought of a spasm free day is like a dream where I'm dancing on a cloud, free and light. I sometimes imagine how it would feel to be THAT relaxed some day. Even when I try to relax my aching muscles, it seems like my body screams to keep them knotted up tight.

Right now the recommended treatment is the splint and a laporoscopic procedure to "clean things up" around the joints and attempt to reposition the discs. I'm fearful of surgery. It will be interesting to see what the other specialist says. The possibility for light at the end of the tunnel is SO appealing to me.

Summer is my favorite time of year, but after the heat we experienced the last few months, fall has been so welcome. North Carolina is a beautiful place to live ANY time of the year but to see the trees 'crispen' up and to smell the earth as it withdraws, preparing for another rebirth; I just love it. Our family has never had a 'fall' picture taken so I've already scheduled the photographer for that and I look forward to getting it accomplished early this year. The cooler temperatures and the new irrigation system have brought new life to our yard. The grass is growing as if it were spring! The plants in the flowerbeds seem to be rejuvinated as well. I think I'll plant some bulbs and wait patiently for the early spring delight.

9:30 is about an hour past my bedtime so off I go. Hopefully I can get some updated photos of the kids to post this weekend.