Snowy Day

Ezra Jack Keats could have done the illustrations outside our window.  We got 7" of snow yesterday and it is just beautiful.  Today we are looking for a high temperature of 23, so that snow will not be going anywhere.  Everything is cancelled, so no place we have to be.  A nice feeling.

Yesterday Karissa played outside in the snow all day.  I don't really have the stamina for playing outside in the cold at this point.  Also keeping warm burns a lot of extra calories I don't have.  I contented myself by watching through the window and puttering around the house.  I did have to make a couple of treks outside to thaw the chicken water and give them extra corn.  Since tonight's low is supposed to be around 5, they will be needing extra straw tonight as well.  I could not entice them out of their house yesterday, but they did lay two eggs despite the fact that we don't have a light in the coop.

I wonder if the liquid in the feeding tube would freeze?  Probably not that close to my body.  I"m guessing if I'm that cold I have bigger problems than a frozen feeding tube.

Speaking of the feeding tube, it has decided to be cranky.  It hurts.  To be more specific, where it enters my body hurts.  I can't pinpoint what is causing the pain, though.  Ugh.  Also, I very clearly had some of last night's dinner outside the stoma this morning.  Hmmm....

I did find an excellent group on Facebook for adult tube feeders.  They have given me a lot of excellent advice.  The food for tubies page is good, but it is largely for people with children who are tube fed.  There is also a group for people with Ebstein's Anomaly, which has been amazingly helpful.  I know social media is a time suck, but it can also be an incredible resource.

The company that supplies my tube feeding supplies seems to be having a bit of a glitch.  When they were sending me formula, they were Johnny on the spot, as evidenced by the three cases of the stuff I still have stacked up that I'm not using.  However, now that all I need a syringes and gauze, not as helpful.  I've been recycling the same four syringes for weeks now and some of them are getting pretty iffy.  Salad is the worst to clean out, I've found.  I need to get a baby bottle brush. A pipe cleaner does well on the tips, but the body of the syringe is too big around.

Sleep is getting better.  Somethings are a mixed blessing.  My jaw has loosened up enough that I have returned to my habit of sleeping with my mouth open.  This cuts down on the saliva which means less suctioning during the night, but it also leaves me with my mouth feeling like the Sahara Desert.  I can't really swish water, so I put water in my mouth and shake my head around.  I'm guessing it looks like a seizure. Then I have to spit out as much as I can or suction.  The last few attempts at swallowing have resulted in water up my nose, so I am taking a break from that attempt.

Swelling seems to be at a standstill.  The right side is almost back to normal, but the left is still swollen, tight and the jaw stiff.  I'm not sure what else to do to get these fluids moving.  It doesn't hurt, so that is a blessing.
Karina wanted to come home yesterday, but weather conditions would not permit.  It is also a mixed blessing.  We love seeing her and she is a big help when she is at home, but we also want her to find an on campus life which is hard to do if you are home every weekend.  We did discover that she can take the train home for only $14.  With the gas mileage her jeep gets, that is probably cheaper than driving home.

There is a prescription to pick up at Fred Meyer.  If I was my "usual" self, that would be a beautiful walk in the snow as it is just over a mile away.  However, a two mile walk in the bitter cold is more than my body is up for right now.  I'd probably have to put lard in the feeding tube to get enough calories for that journey.  I'd love to get a Christmas tree, too, but perhaps better just to wait until Karina gets home after finals this week.
It looks like many of you are getting the same weather we are having.  Stay warm, enjoy the snow, and take care.