The Weekend in Review

There isn't too much to share from the weekend. Friday and Saturday we stayed hunkered down as Kelton tried to fight off his bug. He was much, much better today and will be heading back to school tomorrow even though he tried to convince us a few times that he wouldn't be able to go because he "could have diarrhea at any minute!" Nice try guy, but you seem to be in the clear now. Thankfully!

The rest of us, knock on wood (seriously - please knock on wood) have managed to stay healthy.

I went in to the dentist yesterday afternoon to have my filling re-done. That sucked and I'm not entirely thrilled with it right now. I'm trying to figure out how much is residual pain from the injection, pressure, messing around, etc and how much is it just isn't right. I know the filling is a little high because my bite isn't quite right so I'll have to go back in to have that handled. Joy. Have I mentioned how much I really can't stand going to the dentist? Cleanings are tolerable but the rest? Ugh. Not that many people enjoy the dentist, I'm sure.

After dinner last night (still a bit numb (5 hours later)) I headed over to Target to buy Kaylen's birthday gift. It suddenly hit me how much I have to do this week to get ready for her party on Saturday (it's a family party but still - there is a ton to get done! We did the math today - there will be 19 people (that's including us) in our house!) so it made sense to get over to Target to get her gift just to make sure we had it.

Today we ran out to pick up a few things and we managed to find all the things for the goody bags for the cousins. I am *not* a fan of the goody bag. I think it's ridiculous to make sure you have a bag of things to send home with party guests but for some reason, I still do it. Who came up with this tradition and why don't we, as parents, stop the insanity? I try really hard to have things in there that have value to them and that are age appropriate. For example, our 8 month of nephew doesn't really need bubbles or a plastic bead necklace so I bought a Sandra Boynton board book for him. I bought all the kids a Dora easy reader book (Dora theme party, don'tcha know), Dora stickers, and a bottle of bubbles. Kaylen and Kelton picked out tiny toy cameras, stretchy lizards and plastic bead necklaces (cheap crap; but they insisted). At least there is some stuff that won't go directly in the trash or to the bottom of the toy box. Still - I resent needing to do goody bags and I resent the expectation of goody bags. And my kids are no exception. When they are invited to a party it's the first thing about which they ask. *insert a big eye roll here*

After running our errands we came back home and went to work on house stuff. Dakota started cleaning the carpets and I pulled everything out of the china hutch and dusted it. The inside of the hutch hasn't been dusted since we moved here (so....almost 6 years) and while it certainly wasn't bad, I've noticed recently that it wasn't all that great either. The carpets were last cleaned at the end of the summer. They are usually done during winter break but we didn't get around to it so it just made sense to do it before the party.

Once we were done, Dakota sat with the kids and played games for a while and I continued doing various cleaning type things. Then it was dinner time, bath and bedtime.

Tomorrow is my big MRI appointment. It's going to be long - two hours - and I am hoping that I don't flip out like last time. The doc gave me anti-anxiety pills to take but I have to say; those suckers are really little. I hope they do the trick. The thought of being completely still for two hours feels like...well...torture. I'm completely dreading it and wish I could fast forward to it being done. An all clear would be more than great, too. So think good thoughts for me, please. We could use really good results. Two hours. That is absolutely insane. I'm just saying. I'm so glad that Dakota will be there waiting for me.

I won't have results for a couple days. The doc said to email him 24 hours after the test and he would start tracking things down. I have to say, I am impressed with my neurologist. I've sent a few emails over the past week asking various questions and getting clarifications and he has, without fail, gotten back to me within a couple hours. I love that and it really makes me feel like I'm in good hands. Which is good since this is completely uncharted territory for us.

OH! But the best news is it's been four days since I've had constant tingling and numbness. Yesterday I went the entire day without any at all and today it was only a couple of times but resolved within an hour or so. I cannot even begin to tell you what a relief it is to not have my nerves (and entire nervous system) on hyper-drive. My back is still really hurting me (almost constantly) but considering everything, this is a walk in the park. I'm used to back pain (granted not usually this intense)so while it isn't fun and it is exhausting it ISN'T nerve pain, numbness and tingling and therefore, it's easier to handle.

Odd. I find it so weird that I say that I find it is "easier" to handle bad pain. When did my life become this? "Well yes, that knife through my thigh is painful but at least I don't also have that pesky dagger in my eye anymore so really - life is goooooood." Warped, don't you think?

:)