The Science Fair 2010

Maxwell and Jensen both wanted to do an experiment for the Science Fair this year. Maxwell tested to see which battery would last the longest in a flashlight. Jensen tested to see which liquid would grow the best roots on a spider plant, between water, mountain dew, and salt water. I typed up the information for them and they cut it all out and put it on their boards. The judges were very impressed. Everyone that entered got a participation award and some candy. They had a great time!

The results..... the Energizer battery lasted the longest. And the water was the only liquid that grew roots. The Mountain Dew plant stayed alive but didn't grow roots and the salt water killed the plant. Way to go boys!

Firbromaylgia Study - Week 11

We'll I learned something this week that didn't make me the happiest. I really wish it wasn't true, but it is, and even though I may get better in this study, this thing will never heal. Turns out that torn ligaments don't heal. Once you've torn it, its torn for good. So I have two torn ligaments in my neck that will always be torn and weak. The exercises will strengthen the muscles around them, which should help. But having torn ligaments means that my neck will always be susceptible to getting out of place, even by simple things like hitting a bump while riding in a car. So this all means that I have to keep my neck muscles strengthened and be careful of bumps. Now there is a medical reason for Kaleb to avoid the potholes on the roads! lol!

WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

It's official!!! I got my USU dipolma in the mail today!! I am officially a graduate with a BA degree in Liberal Arts and I graduated Cum Laude.....hey wait where is my minor? great I guess I will be calling the university on Monday to see why my minor isn't showing up on my diploma! I didn't do all that work for it not to be there!

Fibromyalgia Study - Week 10

Another week has gone by. This week we added another spinal molding block to lay on at night, at the same time I am laying on the other one. Also, I have to drink 2 oz. of Himalayan salt water, followed by 12 oz. of water, every morning. How does it taste? Just like salt water. Not too bad if you just hurry and drink it. The Himalayan salts are supposed to provide all of the minerals that my body needs. They also are supposed to act completely opposite from regular salt and instead of dehydrating you they are supposed to hydrate you. I've had some bowel problems like week and I'm not sure if it is from the salts or from a bug. I just hope it gets better soon! Found out that I am supposed to be doing traction and wobble 3 times a day now and not just 2. Some days I feel overwhelmed with it all. I just want to go back to bed and go to sleep. I keep trying to tell myself that I need to do the exercises if I want to get better, but it sure is hard when you feel so tired and feel so completely unmotivated. I think if the weather would warm up it would help me out a lot! I am so tired of the cold and the snow...and the weather man said we have a chance of snow this weekend. Wish I could get out of this depression and stay out!

Fibromyalgia Study - Week 9

Week 9 of the study brings doing y-traction for 4 days. 2 down and 2 to go. The y-traction is where the dr puts a strap around the back of my head and then pulls on it. He pulls for 15 seconds two times and then for 45 seconds once and at the end gives a tug. Doesn't feel very good at all! Makes my neck hurt and I have to ice it off and on for 20 minutes all night long. The dr did it yesterday and this morning I felt better, hopefully I will feel better tomorrow morning too!!! The bonus of the y-traction is a funky hickie looking thing on my neck. Since he has done it 2 days in a row so far I have two of these. By the end of the week I may have four. Here's a picture:

Fibromyalgia Study - Week 8

It's the end of week 8 for the Fibromyalgia Study that I am in and boy has my brain fog been bad this week! Tonight I can hardly type! Drives me crazy when I can't remember things that I've known for years! The other night I couldn't remember my friends name and she was sitting right next to me. I've been so very tired lately too! I've been making some hats, 4 for my friend and her kids, and then as many as I have yarn for for the humanitarian basket at church. I will be working on the hat and fall asleep and it's only 11 o'clock in the morning. I can't seem to get rid of this cold that I've had for a month either. On a good note, my joints have felt a smidgen better.

I thought I would share with you all what I have to do everyday for the study.

Twice a Day:
traction - 60 pulls
wobble chair - 4 warm-ups with 10 reps of each, 1 warm-up with 25 reps, 100 front to back, 100 side to side, 75 right side first figure eights, and 75 left side first figure eights

Once a Day:
thoracic roll - 20 reps
praying mantis exercise - 3 reps of 45 seconds each
turtle exercise - 3 reps of 45 seconds each
6 way stretch - 45 seconds in 6 directions
neck molding block - 20 minutes, right before bed

Any day that I go to the Dr I also do an extra set of traction and wobble chair. Right now I have to go in three days a week. The dr also adjusts me almost every time I am in. There is more to come, when my muscles and spine are ready for it. It may not look like much in the list, but you should see how tired and how much it takes out of me to do all of that. I had Kaleb try the praying mantis exercise and he was done after just one rep! And now....I have to go do traction, wobble and the molding block so I can go to sleep.

34 Things

I turned 34 a couple of days ago and decided I would make a list of 34 things that have happened in my life since my last birthday.

1. Went back to school at USU.

2. Fell asleep while studying for classes.

3. Got new neighbors.

4. Called to be a Cub Scout Bear Den leader with Kaleb and went to our first Cub Scout Day Camp with Maxwell.

5. Joined a new card exchange group.

6. Passed my ASL 4 class, after a break of almost 9 years since my ASL 3 class.

7. Burned fabrics on campus and enjoyed a textile science class.

8. Watched a family loose their little boy in a car accident and missed him in our primary class.

9. Best friend and her family moved to Wyoming. :(

10. Four day camping trip with in-laws.

11. Maxwell had his tonsils out.

12. Jensen had feet surgery.

13. Made a fish cupcake birthday cake and a Lego guy birthday cake.

14. Visited best friend and her family in Wyoming. :)

15. Met some new friends.

16. Tried to teach Jensen to ride a bike.

17. Finally took a pottery class and made some cool stuff.

18. Learned that a stress management class can cause a lot of stress!

19. Maxwell started learning the cello and played awesome at the Christmas concert.

20. Made a bat costume and a Phantom of the Opera costume.

21. Went on a tour of Aggie Ice Cream with Jensen and his class.

22. Started paperwork for adoption.

23. Went to Hardware Ranch to see the elk.

24. Round two for feet surgery for Jensen.

25. Grew a garden and then canned salsa, tomato soup, and chicken.

26. Froze the rest of the onions from our garden. We cried a lot that day!

27. Went to Antelope Island and played in the Great Salt Lake with my sister and her family.

28. Saw a man walking a camel in my in-laws backyard. The boys touched the camel.

29. Created the most yummy Garlic Shrimp Pasta. A new family favorite!

30. Started the fibromyalgia study.

31. Went home to New Mexico for a week for Christmas.

32. Went to my grandma's 80th birthday party.

33. Graduated from USU with my BA in Liberal Arts and a minor in Art.

34. Loved spending another year with my wonderful husband and two awesome boys!