Mermaid and Minnie

When it comes time for Halloween, I always have high expectations for my kids costumes. This year, originally, they were going to be Cindy Lou Who and Baby Grinch......it's a long story! Anyway, when I failed to get the costumes made and we couldn't find any, I let them pick their own for the first year. It was a difficult decision for them both, at first they wanted to be cows.......yes, those annoying mooing things that live across the street. When I mentioned princesses, they were excited about that prospect also. Jaedyn decided she wanted to be the mouse, which in her language means Minnie Mouse, so I found her the sweetest Minnie Mouse costume from the Disney Store, complete with little yellow high heels. Then Rylee wanted to be Cinnerella........well, I'm sure you realize that's Cinderella, but all of the costumes in her size were gone, so we decided on Tinkerbelle...............at least we had. The costumes went to a friends house because we had ordered a Little Mermaid one for her daughter, so when she brought them over, Rylee was devestated that Halle got to be Ariel and she didn't. I explained that she was Tink and she had these cool light-up wings and sparkle shoes, but it was to no avail. She was NOT going to be Tinkerbelle, at least not willingly! We went to the Disney store yesterday and as long as they would let me return her Tink stuff, I told her she could pick something else........she picked the Little Mermaid. I kept telling her no, she couldn't copy Halle, so then she decided on Pluto. Yep, Pluto, if you remember, is Mickey and Minnie's dog..........

THANKFULLY, the Pluto costume didn't fit because it was VERY dorky! Finally, I broke down and she is also the Little Mermaid, and she'd better be a happy one! So now I have a Tink costume that I have to take back, BUT Emery gets to be someone from Cars, which is by far his all-time favorite movie!

(They wouldn't stay still long enough for me to get a picture, so I'll post them later!)

My New Drugs

I went to the neurologist yesterday.........it was a new intern, not the one I saw in the past, but at least I could pronounce this guys' name and I didn't have to concentrate so hard on what he was saying! After a brief run-through of my past seizure history, we talked about more current things. After all was said and done, they decided they aren't exactly sure why I am on Phenobarbital and Keppra in the first place, and when it didn't work, why it wasn't changed, so they are changing it now. It will be a 9 week process to build up the Topamax, starting with a measly 25 mg at night. At week 8, as long as everything seems to be going okay, I can start to decrease my Keppra. I go back to see them in February, and if everything is going well on the Topamax, without my Keppra, they will start to take me off the Phenobarbital. In the meantime, I have to have a new EEG done and start eating things with potassium in them because this new medicine can cause kidney stones! OUCH! I've done that already, so they slowed the process down a little so maybe my chances will be lower. I also have to drink lots of liquid.......I do anyway............and really watch what I eat because this medicine causes rapid weight loss, and I don't need that! So I have to really monitor my diet! Other than that, they seemed to have high hopes for this, so we'll see!

The Strongest Muscle

The tongue is most often described as the strongest muscle in the body........I would also have to take the side of it being one of the most used muscles. I can say this because every time I have a seizure, I bite mine, and I had 3 seizures last week.......biting it every single time. It is all gross and swollen and there is no skin left on the left side of it. This has made it difficult to talk (I know people are counting their blessings!), drink, eat and even things people take for granted, like spitting out your toothpaste after you brush your teeth. It has been sore for days and I've dealt with it and tried not to complain, but yesterday I had had it! I was done, I was starving to death because I had been eating the bare minimum since it was so painful, but I made a huge batch of salsa and had chicken quesadillas with it. Probably not the smartest thing to eat, but I was SO hungry, I didn't care. I ate and ate and ate until I couldn't eat anymore..............then my tongue began to bleed, so I believe I learned my lesson. I washed my mouth out with Perioxyl and I think I am near starting over again. GGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! But at least my belly was full for the first time in days!

A Magical Apple

I'm beginning to think that in the saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" they must be referring to a magical apple, because no matter how much fruit I eat, the time has still come.....I have a neurology appointment on Wednesday, the 15th, and I'm really wanting that magical apple because I don't want to go!
They will be taking me off of my current medications and replacing it with Topamax. It's not a new medication, but it's one of 2 AEDs (anti-epileptic drugs) that I haven't tried, so here we go! I've asked dozens of people that are currently on it and/or have previously been on it, what it's like, and no one has had any complaints, but nonetheless, I am still scared to death! I've been on Phenobarbital and Keppra for 8 years and even though it doesn't work 100%, it still works better than nothing, so it's still a comfort.........being taken off of it is something that is a HUGE worry to me! I am confident in my doctor's decision and although I have read terrible things about being weaned off my current meds, I'm trying not to be overly concerned! Pretty much, my body is so addicted to my medicine that coming off of it can be compared to a heroin addiction. Now, I know nothing about street drugs, but both of my medications are narcotics, so I'm sure they aren't too far off the mark when they compare it to that.
I also want to discuss the option of surgery. I'm not sure if I would be a canidate for it, but I would like to check into it in the event this new medicine doesn't do the trick! Please keep me in your prayers as I begin this VERY LONG process! And if anyone happens upon a magical apple that keeps the doctors away, let me know!