One of the hardest things

Understanding can be a concept that poses great difficulty for many different reasons.

For me, it's health

One of the hardest things is the "how"

How can I explain my health to others, so they can fully understand what I go through on a day-to-day basis.

This can be relatively difficult when things like definitions just provide them with medical words that are hard to understand and do not always portray an accurate picture.

One of the hardest things is explaining "why"...

WHY

:x: I frequently have to cancel my plans 

:x: I can't be out in the heat for very long

:x: I can't stand without getting sick

:x: You frequently have to come to my place, instead of me going to yours

:x: I can have a fairly good day yet completely exhausted the next

:x: I LOOK healthy on the outside, but am really suffering on the inside

:x: I am the way I am

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If you have been a follower for a little while, you know that I struggle with a condition known as POTS or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. This past Friday, I had my long awaited appointment with a geneticist to get "officially" diagnosed with another condition : /

 I finally have a reason for my POTS.
This "reason" is called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
...or EDS for short (yes, another acronym!)
**I will explain in a later post how these two are related**

**Click Pictures to Enlarge**

- These are just a couple things I can do -
This is not the Beighton Scale

I scored a 9 out of 9 on the Beighton Scale
*used to help diagnose EDS*

I have always been extremely flexible, but never though much of it when I was younger
I was the kid who had the really long arms, that could bend/contort themselves in odd positions that others just thought was fascinating. Little did I know, it wasn't a good thing. For me, this was normal. My mom possessed the same traits (while not as extreme as mine) but still in itself, I thought it was abnormal if you couldn't do what I could.

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.Anyways.
Back to my hardest things...explaining the "hows" and "whys"

The following video is known as "The Spoon Theory" written by Christine Miserandino

Christine has Lupus, but this explanation is a wonderful portrayal for any illness/disease, 

and in my case - EDS and POTS.

If you know anyone struggling with  a chronic illness, I really encourage you to walk this short clip. You will gain a deeper understanding of what they may go through...

If you would like to share "The Spoon Theory" with your friends, family, or anyone you know, click here to download it via text/pdf

I hope everyone is well

♥ erinj0

It's WEDNESDAY and you know what that means :)

caution: this post is rather long.

Today is the one day of the week that I am my grandmothers chauffeur :)

Since I had leftover cake-pops, I decided to baggie them up and give individuals out to her lovely lady friends :) Oh my, they just gushed over the things... I learned that dear old ladies just love when youngin's like myself go out of their way to do something for them. 

{Granted, I just put my leftover pops in individual baggies}

**two pops per bag**

 They LOVED them. 

I even promised to bake them another treat for next week :) 

...and since I had extra almond bark to use up, I made some sweet and salty snacks...

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The day started out interesting {as always}

I always get a good laughin' when my gram calls me on her little JitterBug cell... 

As you can see, it is a senior citizen friendly phone :)

 ♥ photo credit

 She calls me when they are almost done eating/talking

(her friends take her to the nearby restaurant after Organ class)

*Note: The phone is programed to call me automatically when she flips open the phone. All she has to do is press the YES button to confirm calling me! ...nifty, eh?!

The reason I chuckle every time she calls. 

Well, there is only ever THREE possible locations they dine at:

IHOP, Julio's, or Garden Cafe

...and every time she calls here is what it's like

Me: "Hi Gram, where you at today?"

Gram. "Erin. Hi. We are at ______. Do you know where that's at?"

Me: "Yes, Gr..." 

(she gives me NO time to answer and assumes I do not know where she is at, despite the fact that I have picked her up from each location at least 4-5 times this summer)

Gram: We are at _____. It is right off of x and q street. Do you know where that's at?

(I am thinking to myself....I have only lived in this city my whole life!)

When you pull up, enter the building and take a left. We are in a big brown booth and sitting in the far left hand corner next to some people that are all dressed up... 

(she continues to give me MAJOR descriptors) 

...the funny thing is, the restauraunts are so small that it's not like I won't see them RIGHT when I walk in the door! We don't live in NYC or anything?!

Oh Grandma.

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Next. She tells me, (not asks like she usually does) that she will be needing to make TWO pit stops on the way home... The Credit Union and Walgreens.

In a round about way, I asked her what she needs at Walgreens, because I have a lot of coupons at home that she could use. 

**Keep in mind that my Grandma feels the need to give cash away like candy at Walgreens. 

Why? I have absolutely no idea, but she has no care in the world for the price of things 

(only at Walgreens) - and it's not like she is made of money or anything!**

 She tells me that she only needs a prescription cough syrup (which actually turned out to be Clariton allergy medicine once I called my mom to confirm) and "Dove" face soap. 

Hm. I made one mistake.

I asked her if it had to be "dove" face soap.

"YES!" 

How else do I stay looking so young?! she responded quite abruptly. I have been using it all my life. It even helps with wrinkles says my dear 90year old Gram.

...we go into Walgreens.

look EVERYWHERE.

Down all the beauty isles and even candy isles that Walgreens has to offer.

NO DOVE BAR face SOAP. 

Oh dear. oh my.

I decide to ask the beauty clerk. Excuse me miss, do you sell "Dove Face Soap"

her response: "Dove Face Soap? ughhh, no. Not face soap"

My Gram is in disbelief and cannot even fathom the idea that some place would not carry Dove "bar" face soap. 

{Haven't most people converted to the liquid FACE wash by now?!}

Here's the best part.

FINE. She mutters under her breath. I will go to Bag N' Save (it's just as bad as it sounds) 

I know they will carry the "nice" soap I am looking for! 

Bahahahaha. Bag N' Save!?

NICE? now that's a hoot.

I cannot for the life of me find "Bar Dove Face Soap" that is made specifically for your face. She keeps assuring me that it is out there, but I have tried all the stores in Omaha and cannot find it anywhere. I have found many different types of Dove bar soap, but not SPECIFICALLY for your face alone.

 

♥ photo credit

(this is the closest thing I found - but it's not made specifically for your face?)

I think she has been using body soap for her face this whole time. 

She refuses to use ANYTHING except Dove Bar Face Soap. 

HELP. Is there such a thing!? 

I don't know how I will please her in regards to this one!

Sorry for such the long post. 

Hope everyone is well :)

xoxo

-erinj0

Happy Fourth :)

♥Happy Fourth of July
...the 10 minutes that's left of it that is.

Today was a wonderful day filled with family, food, and fun.

First, I started the day by finishing dessert, cake pops! So many people/fellow-bloggers have been talking about these little fattening, calorie filled chocolate goodness pops and so I had to to give in. I spent hours in the kitchen making these babies completely from scratch (mad props to me). You guys need to understand that I am usually an awful cook/baker/all the above. I called my mom over to come do a taste taste mid way through to assure that they were edible. Luckily, I was approved with flying colors and continued on.
Here is my first completed batch of cake pops :)
I am so proud of myself!

For the recipe I used, click here!

Next, my mom came over for a little wine and scrabble. 

It is our favorite game and perfect for some competitive family love :)

Later, I stuffed my face with loads of sugar and unhealthy yummy-ness all while watching the spectacular fireworks show that my (extended) family puts on. They buy extreme amounts of fireworks, make handmade ply-boards that are remote controlled and have loads of glued fireworks to them. It is quite the sight...even neighbors gather friends over to watch the show. I have no idea how much they truly spend on fireworks all-together, but it sure is one pretty penny!

Here is how we got the neighborhood dark(er)...
A member of my extended family built this contraption that sits on top of a street light. This "contraption" has a built in light that deceives that light pole to think it's daylight - He then assembled this long pole to allow him to set this thingy-mageeger up there...pure genius if you ask me!

(I totally understand that is an exceptionally bad picture, but you get the idea!!!)

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Finally, here is a short 52second clip of the tail-end of our fireworks show.
In all, the grand entertainment was approximately 23minutes long.

I hope you enjoy :)

Fireworks can be extremely dangerous, so I hope everyone stayed safe :)
Also, thank you to anyone who is/was serving our country.
YOU are what this day is actually about ♥

"...And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave their life for me...andI gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land...

God bless the USA"

xoxo
-erinj0