I'm not well. No, really.
I have the worst case of IBS I have had in nearly five years. Nowadays my IBS causes only mild cramps, the almost immediate need of the loo after eating (sorry for TMI ) and bloating. Pretty minor to live with my all accounts, if a little awkward when you are on a daytrip. But the weekend saw a return to the crippling symptoms I used to live with. I should have realised as I headed towards the constant heartburn and the lessening need for the loo (again, sorry for TMI ) but I didnt and it continued to get worse. Next were the cramps, so painful that all up my food pipe (know its name, cant spell it, didnt bother trying) was doing it and it got to the point it was forcing food out of my system and I was upchucking. I have indigestion and heartburn, aforementioned toilet issues, upchucking and THE most severe pain and cramping.
Because I didnt get it quick enough to sort out, this will probably last 3-5 days. It started sunday so usually, wednesday or thursday should see the end of it. All the drugs the doctors have prescribed me are, well, c**p really. I have tried them all. The store bought tablets - buscopan- are workable but only if used before meals and as reccomended and are no good at this point.
SO its back to old fashioned remedies to fix:-
1. peppermint and eucalyptus tea - its gopping, horrid stuff..... but it works.
2. prunes to activate bowels ( TMI again), but not too many!!!
3. 1-2 days of fasting, I fasted today and may tomorrow. It just means you arent stuffing unnecessary stuff in already blocked pipes.
4. No tea, coffee, or juice. Ice cold water is great and only drink milk for heartburn, can bung up blocked bowels further. (prepare for caffiene withdrawl headaches with icepack and paracetamol)
5 exercise gently
6 sleep propped up on pillows.
afterwards1. avoid wheat(breads cakes and pasta), potatoes, meat and caffeine for about a week,
2. light meals only and re-introduce trigger foods slowly
3 keep up exercise.
4 begin taking buscopan, take for at least a month.
Obviously I will head to the Dr if things dont get better but as the pain has eased and toileting has resumed (TMI again, really, this is the last time - promise.) so this is all positive. In another 'falling-apart' related thing. I have a lump in my groin. I am not worried and know its a cyst type thing because it randomly burst a bit which was gross. But it hurts and I will need antibiotics if it doesnt heal itself.
Anyone else thinking I should have been shot at birth?!?
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I did something today that I shouldnt have done. In fact. Dont anyone do it. Ever. What did I do?......I looked at my blog archives for this time last year. Then I cried. A lot. (but I am ill so it could have been that)
Last year we were working brilliantly, I even said so. Everything was moving along, the girls were happily working and all was well with the world. Our homeschool experience was almost too full and we were busy. This year by contrast is like a barren land. Take today for example.
I had the aformentioned pain and discomfort which affected me all night so I didnt sleep great. I woke up before Seb stirred and could have got up and got started. But I didnt. I waited til Seb woke, then laid there waiting for DH to get up. Then finally got out of bed, threw on random loose clothing and plodded downstairs. Once down I had the opportunity to do stuff. But I didnt. I sat on the couch drinking peppermint tea under a blanket. I stayed there feeling tired and blah until S arrived. I had forgotten she was coming but exercise is good so Abi and I wrapped up and went with her in to town (Graham took Seb and Em to the soft play center). I spent a little money on choclate coins for the kids for Christmas, bought a cheap CD from Woolies for Abi and then came home. At that point I could have done something with Abi. But I didnt. I rang a friend and chatted for an hour then spent the afternoon asleep whilst DH took the kids to the homeschool gym club. Then there was trouble with Nathan at school(after me singing his praises only 2 hours earlier) so I took several phone calls from them, spoke to Nathan and sorted. Then I slept some more. Then it was tea and then I read Inkdeath. And then it was bedtimes and now here I am.
It is my fault. I dont have even the slightest interest in homeschooling. Em makes homeschooling hard. teaching two curriculums makes homeschooling hard. Winter makes homeschooling hard. Lack of cash makes homeschooling hard. I make homeschooling hard. Homeschool just isnt happening for us and I do have some inklings why but none of which I can do anything at all about.
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However, there have been some good things happening that I wanted to mention and some plans/notes.
There are four very exciting things happening in our homeschool.
Firstly is french which the girls began a few weeks ago but there are good reports from. It is run from the home of a H.E. family who we met when our girls did ballet together. ITs on a saturday for 45 minutes but we spend far longer there and there are other H.E. mums and schooly mums to talk too. We were there over 2 hours on Saturday. This is set to continue and I am pleased they are getting good reports.
The second is the homeschool gym club on a Monday 2-4 which is very new and in early stages. We have mentioned it to loads of local families so it is just a waiting game to see if it builds up.
The third and forth are due to begin after Christmas and are not set in stone yet but if they come off it will make me feel very content. The family who host the french are interested in doing Art and Music. So if things go to plan, on a Monday after gym they will come over and do an hour of Art at our house organised by me (eek!!) and on a Wednesday we would go to them and she would teach singing, piano and recorder.
This is a very exciting prospect and I have a good feeling about this. Not to mention that this way would cover
PE ,
Art,
Music and
Modern Foreign Languages so I wouldnt have too. I could then stick to Math, English, Science and Social Sciences..... suits me down to the ground.
With regard to those subjects I have a plan:
My
British History curriculum
will be functioning by then and I have some fascinating books to read. Usborne book of British history and Our Island Story will be the spines and I will be 'embellishing' with many of the books I have and will include Usborne England sticker books. I also have an A to Z of Britian to use, once a week. This will also include
Geography of the UK.
I plan to use
Along The Alphabet Path for, erm, well it is kind of has multi-curricular usage.
The most obvious one is teaching the
Alphabet and Language- maybe Seb will even take to it (Hmmm, thats a funny one Carol!!!). There will be copywork and assignments.
The second obvious one is
Botany - the naming of and learning about the flowers, this includes the colouring of said flowers in accompanying colouring book and the listening-to of a CD which accompanies it all.
This leads itself to
Nature Study which I aim to deliver via several CLP Nature Readers and a hoard of books about Nature and British wild life.
Then there is
Art Appreciation, different to Art using Museum ABC, M is for Masterpiece, Story of Painting and Great Artists.
Next is
RE using, to begin with Letters From Heaven to help understand Christian Faith, but to include religious festivals all year and to talk about other religions.
There is
Domestic Science (cooking) thanks to recipes based on the letter of the week/fornight.
There are lists of read alouds and independant readers to cover
Reading.As well as R is for Rhyme to read for
Poetry which teaches types and technicalities, I have several other poetry books to use with it.
Then there is M is for Melody which works towards
Music Appreciation and the technicalities. I will use it along with Inside the Orchestra, Music of the Masters CDs and Classics For Kids, probably other stuff too.
General Science will be covered using Considering Gods Creation. Its Christian based but is highly scientifically accurate and most people would only quabble about the creation teaching in lesson one which can be left out.
Math will continue with Singapore Math. The girls love it and so do I so thats what we'll do. We will use Hands on once a week too.
Grammer will be taught to Emma and Abi using Simply Grammer, I before E except after C and Montessori Grammer strips and symbols.
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Seb needs a little considering but I think I have a couple ideas. I will probably do Letter of the week, Buy some Usborne Sticker books, Leave him at his nursery as long as possible and begin some letter/number matching. For Seb the rest will be play play play - VERY IMPORTANT.
It is full and busy and sounds great and even if i dont do it, I can still say. "I have a dream...." (too much Mamma Mia)
)
), and also my friend Rob and I had a bit of a natter too. The next morning Seb came into bed with me and we had a lovely relaxing morning cuddling, watching TV and chatting together. 
Yesterday evening it was my mums turn to feel slightly off and so she was in bed by 7.15. S and I went to the cinema at 8 to watch Inkheart. This was a huge deal for me this time though as S asked me to pick her up. I dont drive and I especially dont drive in the dark, ever and never on my own. 
But you know, I did it!!!!
The film was brilliant but of course was NOTHING like the book.
I could have done without that conversation at this stage!!! Sometimes it can be hard to explain things and we are now in a difficult position.
