Category: health

college, health

Thank you!

criscollrj

Several of you wrote posts tome lately – I really appreciate it! I may not answer for a few days. Chris has a topical skin infection so he’s home from school. Please pray for him – he’s had this several times (5-6 times since 2003) and 2 times he’s been hospitalized with it. It doesn’t look like it this time but we’re still nervous….

And Colleen has been sick with the same cold that caused Chris this cold and infection – she still doesn’t feel great, but doing okay. She also fell down off our office chair and fractured a small part in her wrist – she goes to the bone dr. tomorrow.

My mom is coming over any minute – she’s spending the night and helping me. I am so thankful for her, and my inlaws (my MIL helped me yesterday) and my husband!

but of course it’s times like these I wonder – how the HECK do I go to school?

I’ll update more soon…. dori

 

college, health

birth date (thanks,Angela!)

criscollrj
Your Birthdate: February 22
While sometimes employing unorthodox approaches, you are capable of handling large scale undertakings.You assume great responsibility and work long and hard toward completion.

Often, especially in the early part of life, there is rigidity or stubbornness, and a tendency to repress feelings.

Idealistic, you work for the greater good with a good deal of inner strength and charisma.

An extremely capable organizer, but likely to paint with broad strokes rather than detail.

You are very aware and intuitive.

You are subject to a good deal of nervous tension.

Cool. That’s pretty much me.

I did my financial aid form today. It looks initially like our income is too high for a full coverage. This is a problem! I’m going to wait and do a special conditions appeal once the college receives it (because last year, I was on unemployment, and had to put that on the form, but there was no space to say that I no longer receive it). Maybe that will be enough to qualify me. I can also apply for some scholarships.

I have a cold – we all do. Blach

dori

 

eloping, hamsters, health, life

A little runaway

criscollrj

2020 – March of 2005 – Ryan was just over 3.  I hadn’t remembered when this happened but remember often that it DID happen.  Ryan had elopement as a severe symptom of Autism/ADHD, or whatever caused it, for many years.  He did not outgrow it until about Age 11.  Thank God he did outgrow it.  It was very very scary.

Good morning! I hope you all had a good Easter if you celebrate. We had a wonderful dinner, then had some interesting moments in the evening! I’ll describe them in a minute.

We made a delicious glazed ham with pineapple and brown sugar, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, biscuits, and peach pie. Devilled eggs too. We also drank a whole bottle of sprite. And we ate plenty of candy!

We also had 3 fun easter egg hunts. Ryan even found an egg!

So we stayed home all day. About 6 I had Colleen go outside and play with Ryan for a while. He did have a cough still all day but seemed to be feeling all right. They were playing ball and stuff.

Next thing I knew, almost simultaneously, Rog said, look at that little kid running down the sidewalk – wait, it’s Ryan! And I heard Colleen shouting RYAN! So I went running out and down the street and as soon as he saw me he laughed and started running into the street! Luckily there were no cars coming and I got the little stinker. I went home and saw that the gate was open. Colleen swore she tied it after she put her bike away like 5 hours earlier. I also think it was locked because Chris had been outside walking around and I kept checking from the window. So my hypothesis is that she didn’t tie it tight enough, and he just pushed on it enough to loosen the rope and get out. But I’ll never know…. Thank God he wasn’t hit by a car – gives me chills.

Then I just held him and after a while he felt like he was running a fever again. He fell asleep on my lap at 7:30 and I put him to bed (tried to give him Motrin but he wouldn’t take it — his temp was 101.5 so not horrible). This morning at 5:15 he got up and seemed warm still – I didn’t take the temp but just gave him the Motrin and we got up and went in the living room 45 minutes later and the temp was about 101 or so. So obviously it was higher before but I don’t know how much. He’s still coughing a lot. I called the dr. and he’s going in at 10:20 today. No one else is sick at this point.

So the next interesting thing to happen is when we were playing with spice and I was attaching her old wheel back in the new cage (it’s bigger and more suited to a Syrian hamster) I noticed a loose wire from the cage at the bottom. So Colleen and I taped it and put toilet paper all along the tape on the inside, but I think we may have to replace it again or maybe if possible solder the wire back in place? I was so glad she didn’t escape last night – I think she was too excited about having her old big blue wheel back!

 

health, Uncategorized, weight

My new journal!

criscollrj

2020 – so this was a diet page I made at I believe LiveJournal (https://weighdownagain.livejournal.com/) around 2006 while this blog also was still at LiveJournal.  I eventually merged them and just tagged the weight journals with the appropriate category, but this was the beginning of it… I also have an earlier weight journal at my old pre-blog site, here, that goes from around 1999-2005 – http://www.criscollrj.com/site%20files/Weight%20Journal.html

I finally have it set up the way I want with the background picture! Now I need to find some readers and blog my weight loss like I hope to!

Some of my history is at my home page on my diet page (the second link, above, as this link is no longer valid). I plan to journal more here and hopefully meet a lot of great people in the meantime. This site is also interesting, the one I kept back in the late nineties.  (2020 update — https://www.oocities.org/dorifam/food.html).  Happy there are still links viewable from the “oocities” Geocities archive!!!

I started dieting on and off at the age of 10. I am now 40, so a 30 year history!

but now I must go, 3 year old is crabby!

add me if you’d like!

dori

please check out my home page, https://criscollrj.com

health, reflections

st patty

criscollrj

I love St. Patrick’s day — it has a lot of meaning for me because 11 years ago we were stuck paying for 2 households, and on St. Patrick’s day 94 our trailer sold that day for cash and we got out of the hole right before my precious Colleen was born. (not fun, paying a trailer payment, lot rent, and a mortgage on another house!!!).

So we have a big bash every year for St. Patrick’s day – corned beef, cabbage, etc., and this year I’m making green jello jigglers and green cake —

party on, and no alcohol even involved 🙂

We are feeling MUCH BETTER, and I’ve never been so grateful for good health! One week ago my temp was climbing and I was sick on the couch. Ugh. Now my MIL has it – I feel so bad. We went to the birthday party Sunday she had, thinking we weren’t contagious anymore — not even knowing we’d had influenza. She just said, none of us knew, don’t worry about it, and it’s going around everywhere. I just feel so bad for her….

AMERICAN IDOL ANYONE? I’m loving it….

look for surveys soon — I’ve borrowed 3 now that I need to fill out S – O – O – N

love, d

 

health

blah

criscollrj

I have been under the weather since Tuesday night and it’s getting old… but I know it’s ALMOST OVER! Ryan tested positive for influenza virus yesterday at the drs. (he got sick Wednesday night) Chris had gotten sick last Sunday night and finally went back to school Monday. Ryan’s going back to preschool tomorrow. So we know what we had. Luckily (so far) neither Rog nor Colleen have gotten this.

I hadn’t been that sick in years though – 2-3 times my temp was almost 101 (for me that’s high) and the barking cough, headache on and off, and aches. I thought I was all better today (had been feeling better since Saturday) but for some reason the aches are back in my legs. Ugh!

Ryan’s temp was 104 on Thursday, and on and off 103, 102, etc., through until about Saturday. He’s doing better and finally ate breakfast this morning. Chris’s temp had been over 103 twice too.

I am overwhelmed now with housework but at the moment can’t get started. Yesterday I cleaned up the living room, made a dinner, and cleaned under the dining table, and ran dishwasher. I still have tons of dishes to wash, and laundry to do.

Would anyone like some cheese with my whine…..

dori

 

autism, medications, Pans/Pandas, sleep

Monday and much better!

criscollrj

I can’t write too much today but wanted to update any readers that Christopher is doing MUCH better!  We are so grateful. He was hospitalized in a child psychiatric center a month ago and they regulated him on meds that are causing him to be much mellower and to SLEEP!  He sleeps about 6-8 hours a night and even often naps 2 hours a day now.  Boy what a difference!  He still has some challenging behaviors, but with sleep it is doable!

I will update more later, thanks for prayers!

2020

this was the beginning of the difference for Chris that lasted quite a while.  Ryan also got better in 2019 with a significant med addition.  Whether the cause was Pans/Pandas or something else we don’t know. 

2024 

Ryan had issues causing meltdowns again in summer of 23 going into Fall, which were finally narrowed down to severe constipation.  Daily and weekly meds were started and changed and adjusted and he still will have bouts of trouble, but after 2-3 severe bouts lasting into Spring of 2024, he seems to be again stable.

dori

autism, Pans/Pandas, residency, writing

poem

criscollrj

2020 – it has been heartbreaking to re-read all this.  One of the hardest times of our lives — 2003-2004, as well as 93-94, 97-98, 2010, 2016-2019.  Autism, deafness, and this possible Pans/Pandas disorder…. so much heartbreak.  So grateful Chris (and Ryan) are doing better now.  Here Chris had to wear a helmet as he was hitting his head on all surfaces….  that lasted a few months.  

2024 – we had more heartbreak in 2024 with Ryan.  Haven’t even written in here yet, but things are a lot better now, but it seems the pendulum just has to swing around every so often… how strong are we supposed to be?

Comments: a poem about Chris, it’s been a while.

Felt good to write something. I think I got a lot out this way.

to say goodbye to you would be so sad
the child of my youth
all my life I dreamt of your arrival
it made my heart so glad

we waited years for you
you were born and we clung to you so tight
checked you in the night, looking for your breath
we were so careful to do everything just right

our firstborn son, you began to slip away
we didn’t notice at first, just thought you were shy
or quiet or the deep intelligent type
when you ceased your speech at 2 I thought I’d die.

to see you hurt yourself, the precious skin and self
that formed inside of me, then was born
is catastrophic and deadening, the greatest tragedy
of our lives, the event we always mourn

more than autism itself, the pain, the violence
that you would be in such pain,
the sound of fear is perhaps worse than just the silence
that we would hear if you were just happy but quiet, playing in the rain

like you used to do out in the pool, when you were five
the rain beat down but you were happy with your symphony
of bubbles that rose above you like a crown.
you always loved the pool, the bath, the river, more than any pony

that any other boy would like
we were sad at your difference at times but loved to watch you smile
and now to hear your laugh instead of your cry
would answer our prayers, at least for a while.

The whole family needs to be kept safe and strong
whatever it takes to help you all grow
and to also keep the girl and little boy growing up in health
I pray an answer comes soon, that we will know.

It wouldn’t really be goodbye, if it comes to a new home
it would be a place that could help you thrive
in your own way, in your own time
if that is the decision that is to arrive.

We would still see you often and love you so much
though of course we hope the answer is that you stay
whatever happens I know that the Lord is with us
And will give us strength to face each day.

@dh 7/5/04

autism, college, medications, music, Pans/Pandas, residency, sleep, waiver placement lists, waivers, weight

another old copied post…. things are not good :(

criscollrj

 

User: dori

Comments: feel like the straw that broke the camel’s back just happened – my aide just called and asked if I thought Chris would hit her today how do i know… – I said I didn’t know, he’s mostly hitting himself, but that he had hit me some especially on Saturday. She said she’s not coming today and that she’s going to call her office and explain how much he’s hitting her (he did hit her a lot on Thursday – she had a sore arm from it) and whether they still want her to come back – what do you think will happen?

2020 – yet another pans/pandas note… is that what this aggression was from??

I told Rog if I don’t have an aide I think we will have to have him go live somewhere else. We may do it this week. I’m so depressed. I can’t do this with no help. My mom did help me yesterday but he was hitting her and pushing her and she’s only 5’4″ and about 105 pounds so she can’t take too much -she’s also 61. My MIL isn’t even coming around to watch him anymore really – she’s pretty sick right now.

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autism, college, deafness, medications, organizing, Pans/Pandas, relocation, relocation North Carolina, residency, sleep, weight, work

a little update finally —

criscollrj

speak and spell
You’re a Speak & Spell!! You nerd, you. Just
because you were disguised as a toy doesn’t
mean you weren’t educational, you sneaky
bastard.

What childhood toy from the 80s are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

it is a lazy Sunday and I have SO much cleaning to do.

Last I wrote Chris was having a VERY VERY VERY bad time. We had an awful 4 months – February – sinus infections, ear infections with ear injury from hitting; March, 2 ear surgeries, missed most of the whole month off of school, plus drug reaction to Seroquel/Risperdol and withdrawal; April, entire month, I believe, from school, just about (he may have gone a week or so), had 1-2 more sinus infections; May, Tonsillectomy/Adenoidectomy, and finally had to start more meds as he was still being aggressive, self-injurious, and very very upset and not sleeping at all hardly (like 3-4 hours every few days is all); and June started horribly as well but FINALLY last 3-4 days his new meds (Tenex) is kicking in and he’s sleeping a little more and is seeming happier. FINALLY.

(2020 pans/pandas)

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