Daydreaming while waiting impatiently!

[Mini Horses]

My sleep is all messed, up, been very low functioning.

Well even without all the other medical issues you have, no sleep is a huge factor in being non-functional. Many don't even realize just how much it affects them, they just think they are "sleepy".... lot more to it!

I, too, hope the new doc can help. Possibly some testing for levels of various vitamin &/or chemical issues will shed some light on helping, along with the specialized meds & dietary considerations.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

no sleep is a huge factor in being non-functional.

True statement! Really hoping you can get some relief.

 

[tortoise]

I have a big thing rolling around in my head. I was venting about my health in a support group, and a friend pointed out that my symptoms fit another common comorbid condition, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. I'd heard of it but didn't think much about it. She sent me some information including a diagnostic symptom survey. Pretty sure that's one of my problems. I've been taking antihistamine for a couple days and feel much better. So now I'm tracking symptoms, experimenting on myself, and looking for a doctor who is aware (it's a newly recognized condition.)

Our ram got in with the ladies again. 3rd time. And this is when we'd normally be breeding. He was only supposed to get 3 of them, and the rest in with our other ram. Well... okay, everybody will have the same daddy this year. We will end up with a couple line-bred lambs, I'll just make sure none of those stay in our flock. (unless line breeding yields fabulous results, then... I'll think about it)

I believe I had mentioned in the past I have hobbyist houseplants - African Violets and holiday cacti. I love to propagate and hope they will pay for themselves through selling cuttings and baby plants. I've had quite a few setbacks with the holiday cacti, but things are looking up! I feel confident enough with their survival to add a couple (cheap, unnamed variety) parent plants. It's almost the season to find them in stores.

I've been sewing, knitting, weaving. Lots of gifts. I bought local handmade soap for xmas gifts, and am weaving washcloths to go with. It's so much faster than crochet and easier on my hands. I've been sewing hats for gifts, just a few left of those to go. I'm a selfish knitter - all for me! I learned how to knit cables and how to thrum mittens. I haven't finished a project with those techniques yet.

I finally finished washing wool from shearing this past spring! I've had a heck of a time getting the wool as clean as I want and most or all will need to be re-washed. Now I need to process it. It's not great quality because it has so much plant matter in it. But I can use it to make dryer balls. I made a couple sets of those for gifts too, might be able to make more before xmas.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sounds like you've been busy despite all your challenges. That's great. I'm off to google Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Hope you feel better!

 

[sumi]

you can get answers and medical support you need and continue feeling better! Your hobbies and projects sound wonderful and we'd love to see what you're making, please?

 

[tortoise]

Taking antihistamines seems to do the trick for me! I'm back to my usual level of functioning in the last two days.

Cleaning everything! I'm deep cleaning especially in the bedroom because I suspect I am reacting to something in the bed / bedding. All the bedding is washed, everything that can be bleached is bleached. Vacuumed the mattress and the carpet (several times). The rest of my house is a mess, but I'll get through it one room at a time.

DS11 is a little ball of behavior disaster. His behavior problems get INTENSE whenever I'm sick. His issues are all about trying to control things, so this is … uhm, interesting and "fun" to convince him to relinquish control (which he never really had anyway...). fun times! :/

I've been cooking pumpkins. Instant Pot is much more efficient than baking in the oven and they turn out nicer - less caramelized - too.

MIL was cleaning out cabin fridge and brought us all the leftovers. She also went grocery shopping for us on Friday while I was still sick.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Glad to hear you're feeling better! Who woulda thunk an antihistamine would work so well!

DS11 - smh...

 

[baymule]

So you find a diagnosis and a treatment, are feeling better, that is good news.

I used to raise African Violets many years ago. I had lots of them, under 4' fluorescent lights. They got huge, some measuring almost 2 feet across. I also had the Christmas Cactus in pink, white and yellow. They were beautiful when in bloom. I hope that you can do well selling yours!

Dryer balls, almost makes me wish I had wool sheep...….almost. LOL I guess I'll just stick with my hair sheep, they are so easy.

 

[tortoise]

Wow, @baymule you had huge AV! I like the mini size. I can fit more of them on a shelf. Almost everything I have are young plants, leaves, clades/cuttings in 3 oz cups. Some will stay in that size when full grown. The holiday cacti should outgrow them. I have easter cactus in orange and white. thanksgiving cactus in pale pink, maybe magenta and fuschia. DS3 pulled out all my plant ID sticks last year so I will have to wait for them to bloom. They're just NOIDs. My AV are named varieties, so more marketable.

My house is acceptably clean. a load of laundry to put away an clean/dry dishes to put away. Leftovers for supper will be good enough. Feels so good to see my house be "normal" again. It had been months.

I still need to catch up on errands - return library books, a shopping trip. Vote tomorrow.

and pick up spiderplant babies somebody has saved for me. FB Freecycle groups are so handy!

 

[baymule]

The really big AV's were older plants that I kept up-potting.