A Pacific Northwest Mom with two boys on the journey of life
On Sunday April 17, 2016, I awoke to severe pain in my chest and my upper arms. I was in Chicago for my cousin’s wedding, without Jim and the boys. I was sharing a suite with my sister, Steffani, and her husband, Paul, and sleeping on a pullout sofa. At first, I thought I had …
With the passing of Robin Williams this week and the pronouncement that he was battling severe depression, many people have been talking out the stigma that is often associated with depression and anxiety. It is so sad that there is still a certain “perception” regarding cognitive and mental issues that causes people to withdraw instead …
Any parent knows that one of your biggest jobs is being your child’s advocate. You can advocate for them in medical situations, school issues and even with social disputes. One of the most important parts of advocating for your child is trusting your gut. You know your child best and usually your gut will tell …
I have a theory. During a child’s second full winter their immune system can’t handle what the world throws at it and as a result they get sick for months at a time. I know that sounds goofy, but hear me out. When both of my boys hit the fall season when they were two …
It has been months since I have written about our potty training journey, and that is what it has been — a journey. I wish I could report that we are completely free and clear and that Will is potty trained, but sadly I can’t. However, we have made some progress. Back in November after …
We all hear references to 20/20 vision, but what does that really means? I was talking with a friend and realized even I couldn’t accurately articulate it after all we have been through. So here is an explanation. Over time, eye doctors established what “normal” people should be able to see at a distance of …
Nystagmus is an involuntary swing-like movement of the eyes, causing the eyes to move rather than staying still to focus on a particular object. It usually is present in both eyes, but sometimes can only affect one. There are two main types of nystagmus, congenital/early onset and acquired. Will has congenital nystagmus. In congenital/early onset, …
Most of us have a very basic understanding of how our eyes work, often taking our vision for granted. You would think that I personally would have a better knowledge of the eye, since I had terrible vision (I was actually considered legally blind without my contacts) until I had Lasik surgery twelve years ago. …
I have been struggling again with my weight and my thyroid (wrote about it here). Even while I have been working with my doctor, I also thought that it might be good to try a naturopath. Our body systems are so interconnected that I am sure there are multiple things going on, plus she might …
Last summer I wrote about how I have been living with Hypothyroidism for the past ten years. Until last spring I was stable and living comfortably with this disease. Then it changed. Over the course of a few weeks last spring I gained twelve pounds and other symptoms returned — acne, decreased energy level, difficulty …