Category: health

health, residency, transcription, work

Almost August and I haven’t even been swimming yet!

criscollrj


DSC00709

Originally uploaded by criscollrj

We took this back in June when we did take Colleen & her friend to the beach for a while. We haven’t been back. I didn’t go in that day and neither did Ryan — Ryan has been afraid of the “different” lake water and this is the closest he’s ever been to it! It was the first time he ever played in the sand.

So we’re hoping to possibly go Saturday — it’s supposed to be 83 and sunny so I think it sounds like a good day for a picnic lunch! We’re also taking Ryan to the free screening of Veggie Tales in our area.

After working 4-5 weeks at the office and most of the time blending that with transcription fairly seamlessly, this week got fairly rough! I decided in the future I will either work at one job or the other and not try and combine them. Of course that will involve having plenty of notice for the out-of-the home job — I imagine it will be a few months now before they call me in again. I love working there though — it’s like family (worked there before 88-94 & again 02-03).

I FINALLY got some sleep last night and have one more day of work today– if I have time at work I’ll start some of my transcription due next week but at least it’s thankfully not something due today! I also am working on sorting all the papers that have stacked up the last 6 weeks or so.

Got Chris’s guardianship and trust papers all done and am in the middle of filing them. These are papers we had to do with his becoming an adult. He may be coming home soon — we’ll find out for sure on Tuesday. I am very nervous about this but have to have faith, and know that 99% sure he will now get 24-hour care with his being discharged. Our eventual family goal with Rog’s parents is to have our own small group home for him and some other individuals.

Please stay in prayer for Rog’s dad who has been very ill, and doctors are still doing tests to see what is wrong.

 

autism, children, Christmas, health, life, organizing, Weather

I never posted my 08 goals–

criscollrj

So thought I’d post here. I will then look over them over the next week and make up my 09 goals. I don’t even expect to reach some of these, it’s just good to have them all written down to have an awareness of them.

2008 GOALS (the year that will be over TOMORROW! wow)

HOMEWORK
• Every few weeks check Colleen’s progress on web site and follow through with teachers on items needed to be made up.
• Boys – try and get them to write their names, and spell extra, 1-2 times a week. Find computer games for them to play. Try and help Chris focus on academics a few times a week and show Doreen how to do it too.
CHORES
• Colleen to continue picking up her room and to start doing her dishes (soap squeegie!) and laundry.
• Get icon board up and done for boys’ chores.
• Try and get us in position where dishes and laundry and daily pickup gets done every day and figure out as a family HOW!
HEALTH
• Me – Weigh Down. Lose at least 20 pounds. no dieting at this stressful time.
Continue reading “I never posted my 08 goals–” →

children, health, sleep

Kiddo-update

criscollrj

CHRIS:

Chris has slept like 4/5 nights now and we’re so pleased! Dad took him to Home Depo the other day and he had a lot of fun with that, and he also took two walks around our neighborhood. He seems to be doing better after his med adjustment (Abilify went from 10mg to 15mg.)

But we are still pursuing applying for the National Deaf Academy for him. I will be doing that soon.

He is also going to be starting vocational training at a local school for half the day – I think he’ll like that a lot!! It will make his day more interesting – he’ll go to his regular school half day and the other half a day. He may start this year, yet.

His weight was going up but now seems to be stabilized at 200 pounds. I hope he doesn’t gain any more.

COLLEEN:

I filled out app. papers for www.ecotohio.org homeschooling today and plan to fedex to Columbus tonight. I’m pulling Colleen out of school.

The particular homeschool is a public school, not a traditional home school. I could not do a regular home school where it was all up to me. Even this is going to be hard for me, but I trust it will save Colleen. I hope. She’s currently failing 4 classes. She missed 40 days of school this year from illness. If she’s going to continue to be ill often, and continue to be as anxious and sickly (often caused by nerves, I believe) as she is now, I think she’ll thrive in this.

I hope.

“ECOT educates over six thousand students between the ages of five and twenty-one from every county in the state of Ohio.

Running an online school requires as many resources as a traditional public school. In addition to our teachers, a staff of counselors, school administrators, customer service specialists, computer programmers, database managers, school-funding experts, shipping handlers and consultants enable ECOT to work.

ECOT is a public school that relies solely on a fixed per-student state tax allocation, without the addition of property taxes, private funds or donations from special interests. ECOT, as a public school, charges no tuition.

ECOT provides a valuable service for all Ohio students and families seeking an alternative to traditional public education.”

“What sets ECOT apart from other public schools is its home-based online learning environment. ECOT’s ability to provide a statewide K-12 educational environment through its own secure Web-based network, or intranet, is unique. The intranet restricts access to non ECOT-approved Web sites while providing a wide range of teaching tools and educational sites that are appropriate for students of all ages.

Just like other public school students, ECOT students have teachers, counselors, class discussions, report cards and out-of-class trips. Unlike other public school students, however, ECOT students are required to use computer and Internet technology to access their lessons, may never meet their classmates face to face, and are not subject to a dress code!

ECOT parents do not need to educate their children alone: ECOT’s teachers provide quality instruction online and actively engage each student to offer assistance and guidance. Parents have the freedom to directly support their children’s education, while letting ECOT teachers do what they do best: teach.”

RYAN:

His IEP is today, in 2 1/2 hours. I think he’s done pretty well this year. I expect he’ll be at the same school next year for first grade. Can’t believe he’s almost done with kindergarten. He’s writing 3-letter words and is talking much better!

Both boys are getting new hearing aides soon.

That reminds me, Ryan’s lost the battery case off his hearing aide. I need to take it in to Jane to get it fixed…

health, weight

Thin within

criscollrj


me 86

Originally uploaded by

criscollrj

.

I am planning to start this today: http://www.thinwithin.org/  (NOTE it is Christian-based, so you are warned before you click…)

I may order some of the materials when I can, but I know I can do this for a while even without that.

I followed the “Weigh Down” principles from 1999-2002 and managed to lose and pretty much keep off about 25-30 pounds and was pregnant with Ryan after and delivered him and then went back to my pre-pregnancy weight. The problems started when I abandoned the principles in late 2002 when I got bored with it and stressed out when I went back to work.

Then I discovered Weigh Down’s fundamental “religious” principles were flawed and the leader pretty much was put down in shame by all the churches and her program is now rare to find in a church.

But I had found this Thin Within program which I see has been around since the 70’s, that is very similar, but seems to have a much more sound Biblical based foundation that is not laid into a cult.

Anyway, I hope to have similar success to what I did in the late 90’s and am starting today — waiting for hunger and stopping before full!

(Brushing my teeth and drinking water between meals always helped me…)

(my old weigh down, etc. diary): http://weighdownagain.livejournal.com/

2020 these blog entries are now incorporated into this blog, but that blog is still viewable.

children, health, sleep, work at home

Spring and smoke are in the air!

criscollrj


0406200804360

Originally uploaded by

criscollrj

.

Our first bonfire of ’08. We and the boys enjoyed the some hot dogs and a beautiful 60 degree day – Colleen and her friend came over later and had fun by the fire. Damp though – we didn’t keep the fire going as long as we will later in the summer, but got some papers burned and just did something different than run errands or sit inside the house.

Work is going slow – not because I don’t have it — I have A LOT — but kids have been sick and life is just so crazy. Probably by the time school’s out they’ll all be healthy and ready to all attend school – heh.

 

children, health, life, transcription, work at home

My latest —

criscollrj

 

Okay, time to do a real goal sheet. Today was my day for planning and uploading audio. I am excited about this work list – it’s probably the most I’ve ever had at once!! May I manage it well —

AUDIO DUE

Hopefully by tomorrow:
36.24

(shouldn’t be a problem if I quit doing admin stuff and get my fingers going…

by Monday:
3.25
14.56
11.05
14.52
23.15
14:28

And these are two a week until they’re done — so —
63
56.27
54.38
57.20
62.10
68.33
56.44
61.07
58.16
56.26
4 1/2 weeks – March 25 or so.

And these are by March 4:
3 hours 43 minutes hearing 😉

And here’s my appts!

* Tomorrow, my boobie ultrasound
* Ryan’s birthday
* Turn in Colleen’s school schedule
* Monday – NO school for Colleen or Ryan
* Their physicals at 8:40 a.m.
* Wed. – vocation program viewing for Chris – I think
* March 7 – audiology appt for Chris at 9
* March 10 – Chris’ physical
* March 12 – Colleen’s dentist
* March 14th – Chris’s psychiatry appt.
* March 17th – Chris’s IEP
* March 18th – Ryan’s sedated ABR, blood tests, dental cleaning
* April 1st – Chris’s sedated ABR, blood tests, dental cleaning, vision screening
* April 2nd – Chris & Ryan’s follow up audiology appt.

And I know Ryan’s IEP will be coming up. We are also meeting soon with MRDD for Ryan to get him on waivers, etc., as an elementary school student. We’re also going to be meeting with more people on other waivers for both boys, as well as new nursing/aides coming in for the boys (yes, most likely both boys, yay!).

I have a lot of calls to make but I think right now I need to just start typing for a few hours – and —

DO MY STINKIN’ DISHES AND LAUNDRY! (literally)

Put on some chicken to stew for dinner.

—
dori

health, life, transcription, work

Lest you think I forgot you —

criscollrj

I’m alive!

Kids have all been sick again. Ryan is home sick with the intestinal garbage (I think he fell asleep). Colleen missed 3 1/2 days this week, Chris missed one. Mom was here this week and now she doesn’t feel well. My days may be numbered. Rog was sick earlier this week while he was out of town.

I still have so much work!!! It just keeps coming. Legal interviews, hearings, a focus group, and even working on a web site for someone! Rog just got more work approved too – YAY!!

Some pics — and then back to work!
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First, the brand new sink we got in our bathroom last weekend! Rog and his dad worked about 8 hours on this! The old one had quit working and only leaked drips of water and nothing else.
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Ryan just a little while ago – I thought he was sleeping —
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Then he turned over and looked at me and said “cheese” —

 

 

 

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What he’s watching – or sleeping through, by now! He even loves the teen shows like Hannah Montana and Zach and Cody…

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What I’ve been eating. Too. many. of.
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How I type – for the non-seasoned to transcription world readers – though the ORANGE is an extra item that I didn’t know was there – suppose I may eat it with my lunch? This is my money maker and occasionally cramp-in-the-foot maker!! I switch feet, often. It’s sitting on my scanner so I have some height so my foot doesn’t get too sore… I download audio into Express Scribe or For the Record and type away.
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Today’s ice/snow storm. I don’t think we got it as bad as south –

and I just realized I completely missed the news that would have told me (12:30 p.m. now)

Back to work!

 

Christmas, health

Would like to slow down and enjoy it—

criscollrj

The season is upon us. I am in a whirlwind of stuff and a lot of the stuff is not getting done. But we have our beautiful tree up, and the shopping is done (much lower in quantity this year, but high in quality and as always in love given…)

My to-do list:

  • Finish 70 minutes of audio of 120 due Saturday.
  • Schedule kids’ abr’s
  • Start wrapping gifts
  • Finish Christmas cards (very short list of mail cards – only to immediate out of town family pretty much.)
  • Do email Christmas letters
  • Plan for Christmas party – menu, cookies, etc.
  • Clean house, do laundry
  • Try and enjoy the little things.

And immediate goal – get rid of headache I have tonight.

Christmas, health, life

My day – November out with a bang–

criscollrj

My to-do list today: from 6  a.m. to 3 p.m.
* Get rid of headache from h*** (already laid down quite a bit and took 2 Excedrin Migraine pills) — Well it’s better but I still feel goofy. I had to nap for like 60 minutes as I felt so off and getting nauseous.
* Get two more kids on the bus
* Take bath/shower
* Order Avon today
* Finish reading over hearings due today (I’m way ahead on this and QUITE HAPPY about that! — I have read 4 3/4’s of 6 hearings and will finish reading them shortly when I get back home.
* Start job today that I was going to start Monday (headache permitting) — Not going to happen, I don’t think
* Call lady I’m doing speech trans for as she never called me back yesterday. Explain that I probably won’t get sizeably through this until week of the 10th (finish by 15th or so???) — Didn’t yet but will try from car
* Unpack remaining Christmas stuff and get boxes up to attic (I KNEW it would take all week this week – not bad, “bite-size” portions– didn’t happen.
* Mail in printer ink rebate — I’ll just do this tomorrow
* Make a decent dinner in crockpot — just going to put up something quick at store
* Go to grocery store — Going to run in very quickly now, get a few things, and get gas, AND THEN have to pick up sick kid at school (again) which is pretty well going to throw off all the above plans because of the length of time involved to do so involved in distance driving, etc., before other kids come home…. They don’t want to put him on the bus because he’s on there for an hour while they pick up kids for another school, etc.
* Buy Christmas stamps — Will try and remember this at the store! DIDN’T REMEMBER.
* Do A TON of dishes (they’re piling up badly)
* Laundry (unspoken amount still remaining and WET)
* Start cleaning up basement (this weekend probably) again for basement treating people coming next Thursday.

I realized that I’ll actually be off work next Wed., Thurs., and Fri (mammogram, basement people coming, and my Christmas plans with my friend) so I need to make full use of today, Monday and Tuesday!!!

headache be GONE!

later – GOT Chris picked up. GOT ahold of new client (yay, she’s happy with my doing job by 15th!). Still sick and nauseous with migraine…