Wow, what a long week. It looks like we might actually have a full day without rain. It has been 5 rainy days with TS Fay beating down on us. The kids have been restless, the dog has been restless, and mom has been restless.
We finally decided to weather the rain and went to the movies on Friday and Saturday. My energy level is still high. I woke up Tuesday with a slight, sore throat. Drank orange juice and upped my chocolate a little (now there's a true punishment...must eat more chocolate to feel beter) Felt better by that evening. Yeah!!!!
I have been told that I look like I have lost weight. I have not gotten on a scale. My sister-in-law said that she could see it in my arms and face. I looked in the mirror and thought, maybe. It could just be wishful thinking. I will have to find a scale and force myself to get on it. I will update you when this happens. I keep hearing people say that they lost "body fat". I don't really understand the lingo. I think it's all body 'fat', right?
I have another guest that I am taking to a tasting on Tuesday. I am excited to share this opportunity with others. Everytime I hear someone complaining of an ailment I am trying to shove chocolate down their throats. I know they must think I am crazy, but the science is there. It is amazing how much more I find out everyday. I just can't stay off the net.
Post again soon...
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Meet Your Teacher
Last night was meet your teacher at school. I have three kids in the same elementary school this year with one more to add next year. I think that I mention before that I am on the board of the PTA this year. That meant total involvement of last night's festivities. I was in charge of pizza and drinks and I also had a table set up for "Family Fun Nights" (this is my actual position). We went through 480 slices of pizza, 27 cases of soda, and a countless number of water bottles. WOW! What an evening.
I am looking forward to a great year! I realized at a Xocai tasting last week, that my fatigue had really taken over my life. It had actually just become a 'fact' of life. My kids didn't know any different. It had pretty much always been a part of their lives. I can remember them asking me to come out and swing them. I would try. I would go out, maybe push them four or five times, and then have to go back in...out of breath. My children have actually said, "mommy doesn't play". They never meant anything nasty by it. It was just a fact. For all I know, they thought that ALL mommies don't play. Just like all mommies don't work outside the home. You know how that is when kids are young...their world is their reality.
At the tasting, the hostess stated that Xocai had changed my life. After she said that, everything that I had been missing because of my fatigue came flooding in on me. That was when I realized just how blessed I was to have found Xocai and to finally have the energy to do the things that I wanted to do... the things that I needed to do for my my children. I am looking forward to getting back to life.
I am looking forward to a great year! I realized at a Xocai tasting last week, that my fatigue had really taken over my life. It had actually just become a 'fact' of life. My kids didn't know any different. It had pretty much always been a part of their lives. I can remember them asking me to come out and swing them. I would try. I would go out, maybe push them four or five times, and then have to go back in...out of breath. My children have actually said, "mommy doesn't play". They never meant anything nasty by it. It was just a fact. For all I know, they thought that ALL mommies don't play. Just like all mommies don't work outside the home. You know how that is when kids are young...their world is their reality.
At the tasting, the hostess stated that Xocai had changed my life. After she said that, everything that I had been missing because of my fatigue came flooding in on me. That was when I realized just how blessed I was to have found Xocai and to finally have the energy to do the things that I wanted to do... the things that I needed to do for my my children. I am looking forward to getting back to life.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday Morning Thoughts
It's Sunday morning and there are no kids in the house. :) Aside from the sound of my husband snoring in the living room, it is soo very quiet. It has been a long weekend.
I don't know what got into me but I decided to have an unofficial PTA meeting at my house on Friday morning. I provided a brunch and babysitters for anyone who could come. We had about 15 moms in attendance and twice as many kids! I think that it went well though. Next Friday is Meet Your Teacher night and since I am new to the board (as are several other moms) I felt that it was necessary. My house is pretty welcoming and definately child-friendly. I think that we were able to get a few things accomplished. I at least feel better about Meet Your Teacher and exactly what my responsibilities are. I have to admit though, after 4-1/2 hours, I was glad to see everyone leave and by about 7:30 Friday night, I was kid-free. This is a big deal for me. No matter how many friends I have and how much they might love me, I'm just not getting weekly phone calls with offers to take them ALL off my hands. My sister-in-law will take one or two quite often (thanks, sis), but all of them? That is a rare treat! This weekend they are split up. Girls are at my girlfriends and boys are at my SIL's.
Saturday morning I had my Xocai 'grand opening'. That is officially my 1st tasting as they call it in the biz. It went pretty well. One of my guests was my oldest friend (not age, I've know her since I was 5) and she also brought a guest. They both bought chocolate and are hoping to see some weight loss. (Hopefully they will allow me to keep you updated.) Later that evening my husband and I went to dinner. Great company...lousy food! Today, very soon actually, I am off to get my hair cut and colored. EEEEKKKK. Haven't got a clue what I want. Just going for it!
I guess for my chocolate update I would just like to say that a weekend like I have just described would have never been possible in the past. Usually when friends offer to take the kids, I spend the weekend cleaning and sleeping. In fact, two years ago my husband and I took our first cruise and I slept probably 75% of the time. One of my girlfriends told me that I never looked better after I got back. Sad, but true.
I don't know what got into me but I decided to have an unofficial PTA meeting at my house on Friday morning. I provided a brunch and babysitters for anyone who could come. We had about 15 moms in attendance and twice as many kids! I think that it went well though. Next Friday is Meet Your Teacher night and since I am new to the board (as are several other moms) I felt that it was necessary. My house is pretty welcoming and definately child-friendly. I think that we were able to get a few things accomplished. I at least feel better about Meet Your Teacher and exactly what my responsibilities are. I have to admit though, after 4-1/2 hours, I was glad to see everyone leave and by about 7:30 Friday night, I was kid-free. This is a big deal for me. No matter how many friends I have and how much they might love me, I'm just not getting weekly phone calls with offers to take them ALL off my hands. My sister-in-law will take one or two quite often (thanks, sis), but all of them? That is a rare treat! This weekend they are split up. Girls are at my girlfriends and boys are at my SIL's.
Saturday morning I had my Xocai 'grand opening'. That is officially my 1st tasting as they call it in the biz. It went pretty well. One of my guests was my oldest friend (not age, I've know her since I was 5) and she also brought a guest. They both bought chocolate and are hoping to see some weight loss. (Hopefully they will allow me to keep you updated.) Later that evening my husband and I went to dinner. Great company...lousy food! Today, very soon actually, I am off to get my hair cut and colored. EEEEKKKK. Haven't got a clue what I want. Just going for it!
I guess for my chocolate update I would just like to say that a weekend like I have just described would have never been possible in the past. Usually when friends offer to take the kids, I spend the weekend cleaning and sleeping. In fact, two years ago my husband and I took our first cruise and I slept probably 75% of the time. One of my girlfriends told me that I never looked better after I got back. Sad, but true.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Today's Update
I had a few thoughts after I posted my first blog... I only spoke of my energy level. I have seen other changes. My sweet tooth has all but subsided. This is big for me. The great thing is that I am a chocoholic and when I do need a little something, I just eat my Xocai. I haven't noticed any weight lose. But I also don't own a scale. Never really knew why someone would keep one of those horrible things in their house! I did weigh myself at a friend's house one day after starting my chocolate, so I know where I was. I had talked about actually taking measurements so that I could log how many 'inches' I have lost, but I am a procrastinater and that hasn't happened. I really think that if I can drop a few dress sizes, I'll fully be able to show that I have lost weight. I guess for full disclosure I should mention that I am a size 16. I have been that size since my 3rd child. I occasionally like to try on a size 14. I don't know why I do it. Just wishful thinking, I guess. Before my 1st child I was a size 9/10 on my worst days. I have pretty much written those days off. Who knows? Maybe with all this energy I'll start exercising. I have certainly given it a shot a time or two. Joined the Y a few times. I would start going and then find that it was just sapping too much energy from me. I know the logic...you have to exercise to feel better. Well, that one hasn't worked yet. There have been days that just getting the laundry out of the dryer leaves me breathless. (a good reason to not do laundry, right?)
I also have found that my breathing seems to be stronger...deeper. I really don't know how to explain it. In fact, I was hesitant to even mention it at first. It seemed pretty rediculous. But one day at lunch I mentioned it to a couple of the girls that are on my "chocolate team" and found out that cacoa has a substance called theobromine in it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine) that helps to relax the muscles of the bronchus and is actually used in cough medicines. (Note, I had to look this up before posting. I am not a scientific person. I don't need to know how or why something works, I just need it to work.)
So, so far these are my updates: Increased energy, reduction in sweets, better breathing.
I also have found that my breathing seems to be stronger...deeper. I really don't know how to explain it. In fact, I was hesitant to even mention it at first. It seemed pretty rediculous. But one day at lunch I mentioned it to a couple of the girls that are on my "chocolate team" and found out that cacoa has a substance called theobromine in it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobromine) that helps to relax the muscles of the bronchus and is actually used in cough medicines. (Note, I had to look this up before posting. I am not a scientific person. I don't need to know how or why something works, I just need it to work.)
So, so far these are my updates: Increased energy, reduction in sweets, better breathing.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
A New Beginning
Wow! This is exciting. I have never had my own personal blog but I wanted a way to keep up with how my health is improving while eating Xocai "healthy chocolate" and this seemed to be the new age way of doing things.
There was a time when I never thought that I would be "old". I can still remember that day? Everyone else was older than me. I was invincible. Then something happened. Yes, I remember that day to... I was at my obstetricians. I was pregnant with my 5th child and I noticed on my chart the great, big, circled letters, AMA. They were even in RED. I asked the nurse, the same one that had been logging my chart for over 4 years with my 3 previous pregnancies, what it meant. In an embarrassed and hushed tone she said, "advanced maternal age" and then she apologized.
OK, so I was going to be 40 when I delivered this child. No big deal! I felt the same as I had in all of my previous pregnancies. But then one day, early in my 2nd trimester, things started to change. I was more tired than usual and my body was starting to ache. I kept writing it off to age and the fact that I had 4 other children at home; three under the age of four. Then one evening while reading bedtime stories my words started to slur. This frightened me, but I still wasn't ready to let on to my fears. The next day I had a well-baby appointment with my 1 year old and while I was explaining to my pediatrician how I was feeling, I started to slur again. (Now I was frightened.) I called my husband on the way home and he called his sister who is a RN. I also called my OB and spoke with his nurse. It was unanimous, they all felt I should go to the ER. I spent 7 days in the hospital. I had various levels of slurred speach and respiratory distress and I found that certain facial muscles were unresponsive. What was funny was that with sleep, the symptoms seemed to recede. Well, we all know when the doctors come in to visit and check your symptoms, right? Yep, in the early AM. Everytime the doctors were in, I was able to speak clearly. Thank goodness that the nurses were able to log my inability to speak, eat and even spit my toothpaste out. Now there's a sight: a grown woman with a mouthful of toothpaste and no ability to spit. It was really quite funny, at least to me. I learned to throw water into my mouth in order to rinse.
The night I first entered the ER, the doctor's had given me three possible options of what I was experiencing. They were MS, myasthenia gravis (MG), and something else that I couldn't pronounce. They ruled out MS first. That left the other two and since I didn't have any idea what they were, I wasn't feeling very relieved. Well, the bottom line when I was finally released from the hospital (after a week of much needed rest) was that I probably, most likely, had MG and it appeared to be a mild case. It was treatable but there were no real stats on the effects that it would have on my unborn child. Probably (optimal word here) nothing noteworthy. I spent the rest of my pregnancy getting as much rest as possible. If the kids were asleep, I was asleep.
It's been 3-1/2 years. I've gone through various levels of fatigue. I still suffer occasional respiratory distress and when I'm tired, I have a heavy lisp. In the beginning we had to put the children in daycare. There were days when I just wasn't able to truly care for them and my husband would have to stay home from work. I have learned that sleep needs to take priority in my life. Again, if the kids are asleep, I need to be asleep. I did start taking the meds to help control the symptoms of MG. At one point a year ago, I had to go off the meds for three days in order to take some muscle response test. At that time, under the observation of my neurologist, I decided to stay off of them. He agreed that there had never been a real diagnosis. The meds that I take only treat MG, so my logic was that if I could stay off of them and not have my symptoms return with full force, maybe I was misdiagnosed. My neurologist agreed that it was possible. It only took me 10 days without my meds and I was unable to speak without sounding drunk and my repiratory distress way pretty extreme. There it was, my diagnosis. I got back on my meds, spent 10 days in bed and got back to what seemed to be the future of my health if I was lucky, there is always the possibility that it could get worse.
Enter, Xocai...
On July 12, I hosted a "chocolate tasting" for my best friend. She had been trying to get me into it for months and I wasn't paying too much attention. I mean, really, eat chocolate and get healthy? Who's going to believe that? Well, I listened to her presentation and I tasted the chocolate. After all, that's what you do at a chocolate tasting, right? You eat your girlfriend's chocolate. Something that you'll never catch me turning down. lol The testimonies were unbelievable. People were seeing improvements with all sorts of things: diabetes, lupus, their eyesight, weight control, energy levels...you name it, there was a testimony. Needless to say, I signed on that day. I placed my order and I waited for my chocolate. On July 17 I started my first full day (3 servings) of Xocai. I had ordered the nuggets and the omega squares and I would alternate between the two, always before a meal. After the first day, I was already starting to feel more energetic. Now, mind you, I am a skeptic. Was it the chocolate or just the hope of feeling better and the adrenaline rush of it all?
It's early August, the 6th to be exact, and I'm still feeling better. Most days my energy level is thru the roof. It seems too good to be true. I won't lie, there have been a few days when I was tired. Those days have been few and since they came with other "symptoms", I'm adding them up to being "hormonal".
There was a time when I never thought that I would be "old". I can still remember that day? Everyone else was older than me. I was invincible. Then something happened. Yes, I remember that day to... I was at my obstetricians. I was pregnant with my 5th child and I noticed on my chart the great, big, circled letters, AMA. They were even in RED. I asked the nurse, the same one that had been logging my chart for over 4 years with my 3 previous pregnancies, what it meant. In an embarrassed and hushed tone she said, "advanced maternal age" and then she apologized.
OK, so I was going to be 40 when I delivered this child. No big deal! I felt the same as I had in all of my previous pregnancies. But then one day, early in my 2nd trimester, things started to change. I was more tired than usual and my body was starting to ache. I kept writing it off to age and the fact that I had 4 other children at home; three under the age of four. Then one evening while reading bedtime stories my words started to slur. This frightened me, but I still wasn't ready to let on to my fears. The next day I had a well-baby appointment with my 1 year old and while I was explaining to my pediatrician how I was feeling, I started to slur again. (Now I was frightened.) I called my husband on the way home and he called his sister who is a RN. I also called my OB and spoke with his nurse. It was unanimous, they all felt I should go to the ER. I spent 7 days in the hospital. I had various levels of slurred speach and respiratory distress and I found that certain facial muscles were unresponsive. What was funny was that with sleep, the symptoms seemed to recede. Well, we all know when the doctors come in to visit and check your symptoms, right? Yep, in the early AM. Everytime the doctors were in, I was able to speak clearly. Thank goodness that the nurses were able to log my inability to speak, eat and even spit my toothpaste out. Now there's a sight: a grown woman with a mouthful of toothpaste and no ability to spit. It was really quite funny, at least to me. I learned to throw water into my mouth in order to rinse.
The night I first entered the ER, the doctor's had given me three possible options of what I was experiencing. They were MS, myasthenia gravis (MG), and something else that I couldn't pronounce. They ruled out MS first. That left the other two and since I didn't have any idea what they were, I wasn't feeling very relieved. Well, the bottom line when I was finally released from the hospital (after a week of much needed rest) was that I probably, most likely, had MG and it appeared to be a mild case. It was treatable but there were no real stats on the effects that it would have on my unborn child. Probably (optimal word here) nothing noteworthy. I spent the rest of my pregnancy getting as much rest as possible. If the kids were asleep, I was asleep.
It's been 3-1/2 years. I've gone through various levels of fatigue. I still suffer occasional respiratory distress and when I'm tired, I have a heavy lisp. In the beginning we had to put the children in daycare. There were days when I just wasn't able to truly care for them and my husband would have to stay home from work. I have learned that sleep needs to take priority in my life. Again, if the kids are asleep, I need to be asleep. I did start taking the meds to help control the symptoms of MG. At one point a year ago, I had to go off the meds for three days in order to take some muscle response test. At that time, under the observation of my neurologist, I decided to stay off of them. He agreed that there had never been a real diagnosis. The meds that I take only treat MG, so my logic was that if I could stay off of them and not have my symptoms return with full force, maybe I was misdiagnosed. My neurologist agreed that it was possible. It only took me 10 days without my meds and I was unable to speak without sounding drunk and my repiratory distress way pretty extreme. There it was, my diagnosis. I got back on my meds, spent 10 days in bed and got back to what seemed to be the future of my health if I was lucky, there is always the possibility that it could get worse.
Enter, Xocai...
On July 12, I hosted a "chocolate tasting" for my best friend. She had been trying to get me into it for months and I wasn't paying too much attention. I mean, really, eat chocolate and get healthy? Who's going to believe that? Well, I listened to her presentation and I tasted the chocolate. After all, that's what you do at a chocolate tasting, right? You eat your girlfriend's chocolate. Something that you'll never catch me turning down. lol The testimonies were unbelievable. People were seeing improvements with all sorts of things: diabetes, lupus, their eyesight, weight control, energy levels...you name it, there was a testimony. Needless to say, I signed on that day. I placed my order and I waited for my chocolate. On July 17 I started my first full day (3 servings) of Xocai. I had ordered the nuggets and the omega squares and I would alternate between the two, always before a meal. After the first day, I was already starting to feel more energetic. Now, mind you, I am a skeptic. Was it the chocolate or just the hope of feeling better and the adrenaline rush of it all?
It's early August, the 6th to be exact, and I'm still feeling better. Most days my energy level is thru the roof. It seems too good to be true. I won't lie, there have been a few days when I was tired. Those days have been few and since they came with other "symptoms", I'm adding them up to being "hormonal".
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