(in)Courage

If you need a little lift in your day, check out (in)courage

It's a wonderful site full of encouragement and God. I signed up to have the feed sent to my email and I cannot tell you how great it is to get them. I usually end of receiving it when I am in the most need, and God uses these ladies to speak to my heart. Don't we all need a little of that everyday.

Thyroid and Antidepressants

I have been vindicated! I cannot tell you how happy I am to write this post (although some of you may think I'm crazy before it's over). I have been on a long journey and have finally come to the end. Let me slow down and start at the beginning...

About six years ago I moved to Little Rock, AR to begin grad school. At that time I started feeling funny - not quite myself. Gaining a little weight (even though I was still training for Miss LA and had never had this problem before), emotional, and fatigued. All normal reactions to grad school, so I just wrote it off. My third year I began my residency and moved to Monroe, LA. There the symptoms really started to kick in - terrible fatigue (the kind that you're so tired when you're driving home at 5pm after work you feel drunk), more weight gain, really emotional, and fast heartbeat. Again, I attributed all this to stress and beginning a new career. This is three years now. So I moved back to Shreveport and started dating Don. He and his family were just shocked at the fact that I was always tired. I would go to bed at like 8 pm every night. Poor Don started getting very worried. But I was putting on a brave face and pushing it hard to keep up. I'd already mentioned all my symptoms along the years to my doctors and they all said it was nothing. My Ob/Gyn in Monroe said it could be my thyroid, but instead of giving me a blood test she gave me a quiz. A QUIZ! Really? Can we say lazy?

Anyway, the wonderful day came when Don proposed. Soon after that he put his foot down and made me go to the doctor. I went to my family doctor, explained all my symptoms and told him I would not be leaving until he actually did something. He drew some blood and told me he'd call me with the results.

The results came back that I had hypothyroidism. What? Basically, he said my thyroid was a little underactive and I would need to take a synthetic hormone for the rest of my life. I could live with that. Anything to make me feel better and help me loose the 20 lbs I'd put on. But the annoying thing was he never did any follow-up. I learned later that I should have been getting blood work every 4-6 weeks to check my levels and ensure my dosage was correct.

So, of course, I started to feel like crap again about 3 months later. I found an endocrinologist, and thought this person would take care of me. He was nice and he listened - but he prescribed me an antidepressant. So instead of looking into my strange symptoms and finding out what was wrong with me, he decided I was a little high strung and depressed. Yeah, that makes sense.

I gave up at that point. I was tired of going to doctors and being made to feel I was crazy. I must be a hypochondriac because my symptoms in someone my age without children just didn't make sense.

Don would not have it. The breaking point was when my heart starting beating so fast and so hard I thought I was going to pass out. Literally started seeing stars. Well, I'd just started my new job in the clinic and so I made an appointment with our endocrinologist. Who just so happens to be a woman. She spent 5 minutes talking with me and knew exactly what was wrong with me. Of course, she took some actual blood to confirm (no quiz here). Turns out I do not have hypothyroidism, I have the complete opposite - Grave's Disease. Grave's disease is hyperactivity of the thyroid. So my other doctor basically prescribed me more of what was making me sick and made the problem worse. My current doctor said she's surprised I didn't show up in the ER with cardiac arrest.

So that was a happy day. I finally knew what was wrong with me. I was not imagining it or being a crazy hypochondriac or anything, I really was sick. The treatment is to basically kill my thyroid and then start me back on the synthetic hormone. We killed the thyroid by taking radiated iodine. Nice huh? I could not be around people for 2 whole days because I could have given them radiation poisoning. Don had to sleep in another bed room for 2 weeks.

It will all be worth it though. I will be well and feeling good. I go back to the doctor on the 3rd to follow up the killing of the thyroid and get my new hormone dosage. We did have to put off having children for a year, but this way my baby will be healthy as well.

Well, that's my long story. I felt some of you might benefit from my struggle. Do not ever let a doctor intimidate you or make you feel like you're crazy. You know your body better than anyone and you know when something is wrong. If your doctor won't listen to you, find another.

Ok that was long, so I'll stop now. Good bye.

Long Time No See

The coolest thing happened this week on Facebook. My best friend from when I was 6 found me on it. It was awesome. We were buds. Her name is Kelley too and she lived in the house behind mine. We'd climb our chain link fence about a dozen times a day to play. We spent a lot of time in our saaaweeet above ground pool. We'd listen to Bruce Springsteen and play with all her Care Bears. She had about a million of them and most of their little friends. Her mom made the most incredible Monkey Bread. Good times.

Then, Kelley's family moved back to Georgia, where they were from and I was a very sad little Cajun. Shortly after they moved I was able to visit her in Georgia for about a week and then that was the last time I saw her. I've tried for years to find her and her family, but never could. But I have thought of her so many times over the years. Times like the prom and graduation and my wedding. I always felt she should have been at those events and I wondered what they were like for her. She was the funniest and the best. And now we found each other! WooHoo! Facebook you rule!

Anyone else found some long lost friend or relative on Facebook or other social networking site? What was it like?

Life Without the Cable

I was reading BooMama this morning and decided I needed to share my dilemma. I call it my HGTV-detox. Ummm, Hi my name is GrumpyPants, and I miss my HGTV. I know I'm being a baby about this, but I miss it, I really do. Here's the deal...My husband, Don, has not had cable since around his 3rd or 4th year in college. He and his roommates moved in and just never found the time to get cable. They weren't home much anyway and when they were they'd watch DVDs. Then, in his first job after graduation, he'd work 60+ hours a week. So there was no need for cable. Also, he joined the Blockbuster Club, which is just like NetFlix except it's Blockbuster. So there was never a shortage of entertainment. Don was great with me when we got married and we tried the cable. But, we really only watched it first thing in the morning when we were getting dressed and on Saturday mornings. And, let's face it, I need to be cleaning my house on Saturday morning instead of watching other people clean up their house. But, dang it, sometimes - say Saturday mornings - I want to watch a peppy designer transform a run down house into a mansion, all for $2,000. Can I hear an Amen!?

But, Don's right. We are so much more productive without cable and the $70 extra bucks a month is nice as well. Plus, we still watch a good deal of TV during the week. We get The Office, House, The X Files, and Lost in from Blockbuster and watch that quite a lot. We have even discussed cutting back on this. Because the couch potato body is just not attractive and the laundry should be done at some point.

Anyway, all this rambling to say, I miss HGTV. Can someone create a way that I can get my HGTV, FoodNetwork, TNT, USA, The History Channel, TLC, and Animal Planet only and leave everything else out. Because I really do not need all the sports, news, and hunting (really? do we really need to watch someone fish?) channels. Anyone else feel as I do, or am I just crazy? Anyone ever cut out TV cold turkey? What was it like?

I will end with saying that TV is fine in moderation, but when it gets out of hand - say more than 6 hours on average per week - it's time to cut it off. And we plan to limit TV severely with our children - we do not want overweight kids who have no idea how to play because they sit in front of the TV all day - no TV babysitter in the Echols' household. Thank You Very Much.

Followers

Hey guess what? Guess what? I now officially have 4 followers. Four! Woohoo! Thank you followers for being at all interested in my ramblings and life. And for reading my totally random posts. I completely appreciate it and tell your friends.

You like me, you really like me! (Ha!)

Opportunity

You know, I read a devotion today that really has me thinking. Where is my passion, my desire to represent Christ and draw others to him? Why am I so consumed with me and my life, yet never think of what God would have me do today? I mean, He's my entire reason for being. God created me to worship and praise him and to bring others to him. What have I done for him lately? Not much, I fear. Does anyone else struggle with this? I find myself battling time constantly. Trying to make time for a devotion or a quiet time or a simple prayer. Most times I fail and then I wonder why I do not hear the Spirit's leading, why I miss opportunity. I know there have been many times God has presented an opportunity to represent him to someone and I've missed it. What a frightening thought!

My pastor, Dr. Chuck, taught on "Reaping and Sowing" this past Sunday from Galatians 6:7-10. 7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do no give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

There is so much in those few verses, but one really got me. Dr. Chuck said that an opportunity is a limited time in which to fulfill a purpose. For us, as Christians, that purpose is to SOW and REAP - to sow the seeds God gives us and reap the rewards of that obedience (seeing others saved, seeing others healed from a hurt, feeling the joy of serving, etc). When was the last time I made time to serve a fellow believer? Or a non-believer for that matter? When I did, what was my hearts motivation?

So then, in Sunday school, we were in the book of Acts - Acts 1:1-11. It is so awesome how God's Word applies just as much today as it did on 1 AD. God's disciples and apostles were just as distracted and human as we are. They wanted to know when Israel would be restored. "When will we see you, Jesus, come back and kick some Pharisee and Roman butt? (paraphrased)" I always seem to be like them - focused on what I think is best and wondering why God does not listen to me. I mean, I know what I'm talking about, right? How arrogant and disobedient can you get? Then he tells me, It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:7-8). God trying to tell me to stop struggling in making my own way and follow his. Take the opportunity he's given me - it's only for a limited time - and reap the blessing. I hope you find time for the blessing as well, for that is all He wants to give.

My determined purpose is that I may know Him - that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, percieving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of his person more strongly and more clearly.Philippians 3:10, AMP

Show Us Your Life - Wedding Reception and Honeymoon

This week Kelly's Korner is hosting "Show Us Your Life - Wedding Receptions and Honeymoons." Well, I am very happy about this, because we had a rocking reception and a beautiful honeymoon.

Here's the Big D and I in our First Dance. We went to dance lessons to learn the Fox Trot and dance to "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm." It's not "our song", it just fit with theme of the wedding and honeymoon. Well, as you can tell from this pic, the dancing lessons flew out the door as soon as we hit the dance floor. Mostly my fault, I completely forgot everything. But, hey, the dress swung beautifully - Thanks Low's Bridal!

A good spin

And the dip

Here's our cake. I loved it! And so did our guests, because it was gone, gone, gone. It was a vanilla but each layer had a different filling. Yummy!

Of course Don had his Groom's Cake. It was marvelous, everyone got a kick out of this. Can you guess what this is?









Our decor was unbelievable. Our florist turned the Barksdale Air Force Base Officer's Club into a sophisticated winter-themed club.





Then we danced the night away:

Yeah, I'm biting my lower lip, what about it?



My feet never hurt once all night because I came prepared with my bedazzled Sketchers





Here's my mom, sis, and I dancing to "Shout" and Don





Yeah, he did, I don't want to talk about it.





Can ya tell we had an awesome time?




So we were off to the Honeymoon Suite at the brand new Hilton in our town. We got there around 12 am and had to be at the airport for 7am to make the flight to Vancouver. That's right, we continued the winter theme into the honeymoon and went to Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.


I don't really know what I was thinking because I don't ski. But I thought I'd try it. Well, after 4 hours of falling down the mountain and going all of 100 yards from the lift, the mountain patrol told me to give it up. They made me walk back up to the lift. It was so embarrassing. But I got a spa day out of it, so it was totally worth it.

Here's a small bit of the beauty we saw.

Here we are as we arrived at the airport in Vancouver

This was the view from our seeewwweeet condo, which had a hot tub on the balcony. I thought at first, "Who would want to get in a hot tub outside when it's -2?" Well let me tell you, after you've fallen down a mountain and have bruises from head to toe , that hot tub is your best friend.


Day One, we went dog sledding. It was so much fun! This little guy liked me a lot.


Here we are! My man had the time of his life. You can see me, having fun, but wrapped up tight cause it was cooooooold ya'll.


And this is what happens when you get ice sickles on your eye lashes.


Here's one of the little guys. Cute!



Day Two, Ski Day, the worst day of my life. It was also a day that cemented for me that I married the best man for me. Each time I fell down the mountain I would get more and more upset and started crying. But my man instead of getting mad and frustrated with me because I was ruining his trip, he just kept encouraging me. He was awesome! So here I am thinking, "How the heck do I walk in these?" And then, "WHAT AM I DOING?!"

That's the end of Day 2. Period.

Day 3 - Touring. To make up for the bad day before Don took me on a tour of our beautiful Whistler. We took the lift to the top of the mountain and had lunch at the beautiful 5 star restaurant at the lodge.

Here I am at the top! Oh Canada!

Since Whistler will be the host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, they had all kinds of cool things on the mountain.

Here we are at the the lodge restaurant. Cool view.


Day 4 - SPA DAY! And the angels were singing...not really, but it was awesome. Don went back up the dang mountain and skiied and had the best time. He was like a little kid.



Awwww, did I say the spa was great?! Then we ate the most wonderful fondu.


Day 5 - A One Horse Open Sleigh

Yeah, he took me on the most romantic, rustic one horse open sleigh ride. He's the best





Aren't we sweet?



Hey, and guess what? We ate some more.



Whew! Ok, so I know that was a monster post, but the reception and the honeymoon in one is a lot.

I hope you enjoyed your tour of the Echols' Winter Wonderland Wedding and Honeymoon!