I love getting questions about our kiddos! Here are some more recent pictures of our crazy brood #Tuckerzoo #clanof5 #Tucker5
I noticed that my last post was from back in February! I was getting ready to head back to Italy! What an amazing trip it was, from the weather being amazing to just being back in a country that one would be hard-pressed not to love! Italy captures beauty, history, amazing food (and wine), and so much more. We had a great trip, and I’m excited to go back in less than a year :).
Now I am getting ready for another journey! Yup, this time traveling to the opposite side of the globe! I’m excited to check off another country on my list, it is not a country I thought I would visit but it is a country that I am thrilled to see in my lifetime. I’m excited to take picture and share the experience with you all when I get home.
Updates on my health? The usual would be the answer to that, although Simponi is helping some…I still haven’t found “full relief.” I have added daily vitamins, especially for hair growth as that has been a tremendous side effect. But other than that, I have also added walking daily to my list (well most days). As I think I mentioned, in January I got an Apple Watch and it has certainly been a life changer. I have enjoyed “closing my circles” and getting a daily walk in. I originally tried to walk in the evenings after work but I soon learned better to wake up early during the work week and get my walk in. Now my day seems off if I don’t get that walk in! I even found the gym at the hotels when I have traveled over the summer (how cool is that!).
The journey is still just as hard though, I feel lonely. The pain is everpresent as is the fatigue. And I’ve felt more alone this year than ever before. I think there are a lot of contributing factors to that but it has been a challenge to say the least.
Our furry kids are growing oh so big! Michael is closing in on 100 pounds, and is adorable as ever. I just love his breed. Leia rules the place in tandem with Precious. Raven and Pepper have become close friends :). We have adopted the #Tuckerzoo hashtag since it does feel like we have a brood of our own. That said, we wouldn’t trade them for the world either.
I’m definitely looking forward to the next few weeks, as there will be many exciting things happening!
XO
DJT
It’s almost time!
The past few weeks have been crazy! But good crazy! I have always enjoyed staying busy, I certainly didn’t have a problem with that these past two weeks! It was nice to rest this weekend, I got to PACK!
Yup, its that time again! This time next week I’ll be on a transatlantic flight to Germany! I’m excited and hopeful that this trip to Italy will be amazing! I hope our students have an amazing experience and I pray that we all come back having had an amazing time.
I’m looking forward to the culture, the country, the food, and the sites! Can’t wait to see what has changed :-)!
So I packed and picked up last minute items! I’m praying my allergies get under control, and I pray that my body holds up and does good during the trip. I’m going to miss my kiddos!
Raven has done a fabulous job adjusting to our home. She is such an adorable kitty! Check my Facebook page for some recent pictures :-).
Hoping for a great week!
#almostime #italy2017 #packing #letsmaketheweightlimit
Crazy 2 weeks
It has been some insane two weeks! I’m crossing fingers that this week I’m not at the office as much as I have been! Not that I hate my job transitions, quite the opposite I love the changes! For those that know me, they know I love challenges and new things. It’s never a dull day and for that I am grateful!
I added my Simponi last week (a week ago today)! I’m amazed that it IS working (mind you I’ve failed two other biological and countless DMARDS)! So yes yah for something that works. Not yay for the side effects! 😦 but hey if I had to choose…..I’ve made the choice that affords me the opportunities I want in my life.
We also added to our family! While we are still praying for a two legged baby, we added a four legged baby! We went to one of the local animal shelters and this adorable baby (3 months) kitty just touched my heart. As soon as I walked in she meowed and wanted me to give her attention. And while we didn’t have a long time (we got there right before closing) I knew she needed to spend no more nights in a kennel. She has enjoyed some yummy food, a clean litter box and a nice warm bed to sleep on. We picked her name, Raven! She is going to grow into one adorable kitty. Granted at the moment she isn’t sure about the clan she joined….but in a week or two she probably will be happier about being the youngest of five. And hey one day she might be best buds with Pepper and Precious and even Leia and Michael! 🙂
Check out some of her pictures below 🙂
Furry babies and cooking
For many, our furry babies are our babies. Today our youngest, Michael (Great Pyrneees, a year old next month) woke us up crying. Backing up a bit, on Sunday we noticed he was licking a spot on his back leg. I went on Monday and got him some anti-itch spray and we thought it was working. However, Thursday despite the daily sprays, Michael was still poking at the spot. We decided perhaps a cone would help, Friday Michael did whatever he could be to get to that spot. This morning, I went to spray his spot and I noticed red,swollen skin on his back legs…and I went to touch it and he cried in pain. We called our vet immediately and they worked us in on their packed day. They had to put Michael to sleep (not full anesthesia but heavy sedation) so they could shave his fur and see what they were looking at. His poor leg is covered in broken skin, red, and scabed. He came home and he was so loopy and sick from the heavy sedation he peed alll over himself. After we cleaned him up he finally got settled. Off and on we have gotten him up to drink, and potty. We found some new sores just a little bit ago right where he his tail rubs so we used some gentamicin spray to help. Unfortunately he is going to be miserable the next few days :-(. It is so hard to watch your furry babies (and babies) be sick and in pain.
While we were watching Michael for the third week ina row (record) we meal planned!!!! We have used our slow cooker more this year than any year. We made some beef/bean burritos, some broccoli/beef/fried rice, and made some slow cooked beans/ham. Our goal this year is to better our food choices, better our health, and makes some financial goals happen.
We have been tracking our finances successfully for three weeks! Within a few more weeks I hope to say it is a habit! We have also been planning several big meals that we cook on Saturday afternoon and/or Sunday afternoon. We split up the portions into Tupperware dishes so it is easy to warm up after we get home from work! I’m very happy we are making progress on that goal.
Also personally, I’m making strides on walking on the treadmill (I.e., Toby)! One of the best aides to that is my Apple Watch! It becomes a goal to #closethecircles!!!! I am determined for some positive, and life changing (on so many levels) goals to be accomplished this year. I’m definitely excited about make better/healthier habits!
It will be a long night, hubby and I are alternating every two hours to take michale potty. Side effect of his major steroid shot, lots of panting/drinking/going potty. AND of course it has to be pouring outside!
#prayinghegetsbettersoon #greatpryenees #notevenayearoldyet
Goals
A purpose of goals is to create new and (usually) better habits! I am so excited for some of the new goals and steps taken this year. One of which is getting an Apple Watch and tracking my daily steps. There is something about getting off the couch and onto Toby (treadmill). What I have learned is it is hard to walk on a treadmill with an IPhone 6+. For the health app to track your steps, you have to hold your phone and that tends to smack the emergency stop bottom (more than once). Which that violently throws the treadmill into a stop which causes one to almost smack their new face of braces into the front of Toby. So I’m anxiously waiting for my Apple Watch to get here. I went to play with some today and I am anxiously stalking my order (please stop processing and send now!).
Financial tracking has been one of the best additions to our lives (thank you EC Finance Facebook group). It is not only tracking our paying down debt, but it is also tracking our daily expenses as well. We have always had a budget, although not always living to the budget. The medical expenses the past several months and the wishlist (what we want to do with our future) are just part of the desire to track and learn to balance the books! The wish list has things from trips to Europe, Canada, and many more fun locations in the United States!
Other than that, it’s been an awesome weekend trying to adjust to braces. Pain is a normal thing with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, it’s been interesting to see how much the pain of braces has affected the flares of the other issues. Maybe by next week chewing won’t be so difficult. Although maybe the soup will help with the weight loss goals #hearisdreaming
Let’s see what comes this week!
#newyearnewgoals #ra #lupus #fibro #sjogrens #asthma #resilience #braces #2017
First Week #crazyweek
It’s been a long first week back at the office! Had my contacts re-checked and braces put on! What a great first week right :-). Even with all of that, I’ve loved having the kids at home. Their antics never get boring that’s for sure!
I love the Christmas Break #toabetteryear2017
It’s been a great two weeks since “break” officially started from work. Not only getting to see my new favorite city (Chicago) and getting the opportunity to experience Seattle/Vancouver, but I also enjoyed just getting some time to rest and plan. I’ve got a list of better habits I want to work on this year and so far I’ve been doing decent at sticking to those habits.
Next week it is back to the usual – job and life. I’m excited though, we have many great things planned for this semester. I always enjoy starting a new semester especially the Spring. I guess maybe because that means summer is next :).
I hope this year doesn’t fly by like the last one did! It seemed like one second it was January, then July, then November and then New Year.
One thing is for sure, I hope to spend more time focusing on what I need, in addition to what others need from me. I’ve learned you cannot always be filling up others…you have to fill up yourself too!
#toabetter2017 #mymklife #passion #resilience #healing #betterhabits #iwillbepositive #thereisalwayshope #ra #lupus #fibro #sjogrens #fibroid
Happy 2017 #whatareyouthankfulfor
We have so loved being in a new city for the New Year! Celebrating the end of a year and beginning of the next year is probably one of my favorite parts of the year. It was fun to watch the various countries celebrate and then watch the celebrations in NYC and wait 3 hours to celebrate in Seattle #westcoastrocks. Canada was so fun! Stanley Park was probably my favorite spot! I’ve got a ton of pictures on my Facebook page!
While 2016 was winding down I spent some time planning my goals for 2017! I have invested in an Erin Condren Life Planner! I’m so exited to get started, I’ve loved connecting with so many people in the various Facebook groups I have found, I hope to develop some great goals this year that will help us have a better future.
I was scrolling through some posts yesterday and I saw one that caught my eye, it was writing down ten (10) things you were grateful for in 2016. My hubby and I spent some time today doing that and talking about, while 2016 was a tough year, there are things to be grateful for….might take some time but! I highly encourage it!
My 10 things I am grateful for in 2016
- Adding Michael (our adorable 10 month old, almost 100 pound Great Prynees). We brought him home shortly before we lost Bruce (our 4yr old Siberian passed from Crohn’s disease). We haven’t had a puppy in ages, so it was definitely a learning experience but we wouldn’t trade his fuzzy self for anything.
- Seven (7) years of marriage! As you can imagine being married is tough when you have major chronic health issues. This year alone we faced multiple battles with bronchial pneumonia, RA progressing to new joints, Sepsis, ICU stay, a whole new world of fibroids, and surgery (D&C and a Myomectomy). Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Sjogrens, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Severe Asthma, and many more issues will always but challenging but I do hope that 2017 will be better! And #nomoresurgery
- Mary Kay – I love my business, it is the perfect size and perfect hobby for me. I am constantly amazed at my customers, they are the reason behind the business. I am so grateful for the opportunity it to do something I never thought I would do and I enjoy learning about skincare/color cosmetics. I also treasure the relationships I get to build, the one thing missing when I go to a department store! I’ve continued to see the blessing and value of a family/small business/home based business.
- I love what I get to do at my job #suchadifferentplacethan2015! God truly has grown me and I love what I do!
- Better money management than 2015! #willdobetterin2017 #2020 #goals
- Tina’s friendship, I can’t wait to see what 2017 and the rest of our lives brings #travelingtheworld #goals #sherlockrocks
- I got to stand in Vatican City #lifelongdreamaccomplished #goingbackin3months #cantwaittoseeitagain
- New gadgets, mostly the treadmill #inamedmytreadmillToby
- Simponi – the struggle continues to find a biologic medicine that will manage my RA and Lupus. While I do believe it is working, we also have seen the downside of a monthly medication. Hopefully 2017 will continue positive results with treatment.
- We got to travel as a family this year! I love traveling with friends or for work but I really enjoy taking my hubby places. One of my biggest goals is to travel the globe, and I hope some of that will be with my hubby!
Stay tuned to the blog this year, I know I can’t wait to see what 2017 brings!
XO
#happynewyear #nyeSeattle #newyearsday
Healing
It’s been almost three weeks since surgery (Friday will be three weeks!). The second week of recovery and this week has been spent traveling! I know, not what you would think someone would be doing but thankfully I’ve done pretty decently with the travel. Wednesday of last week I flew to see my amazing friend, she lives just outside of Chicago proper and I loved it. Snow was on the ground, it was nice and cold, and she has the most adorable Basset Hound (named Sherlock)! We spent the days relaxing, talking, sleeping, and exploring. I also got to visit a winery/restaurant I’ve wanted to visit for a year. Coopers Hawk……open a branch in Texas please!
I got home on Christmas Eve night and spent Christmas Day on my couch, catching up on the West Wing. We headed the next day and landed in rainy (yet awesome) Seattle! We spent our first day exploring the blocks close to our hotel, I’m amazed there is little parking but it hasn’t been too bad because our hotel is right on Pike Street.
We are enjoying getting away and seeing new places. We talked about coming here last year, and I’m so glad it worked out. Thursday it is supposed to pour rain so I hope to spend my day working on planning 2017 goals. One thing I missed this year, I didn’t have a drive/a focus for anything in particular. I was just keeping my head above water and I don’t like that feeling. I miss (desperately miss) the goals of homework and class schedules. But I realize I can find organization in other things – finances, goal planning, working out, and my business. So that is one thing I hope to work on this coming year. Focusing more on consistency and goals, things can be achieved and when you are constantly working toward something I’m the first to say – you feel grounded.
Off to get some rest, pictures of our day are posted on my Faceboook page (see link to the side). Seattle is cerainly an amazing place!
WalkingThroughPain 