Pregnancy, Hiatal Hernias and Pesky Old Mold

Yep, that about sums it up, folks!

My gastro symptoms skyrocketed even more last night and I finally took a Pepcid Complete, which did help.  That was a relief, since I was beginning to wonder if I was reacting to something allergy-wise and inching towards anaphlactic shock or something. I've never had that experience(nor do I ever want to) so I am not exactly sure what it is like.  So, yes, a relief when the Pepcid did some good.

I went in to the chiro/BioVeda doc today and told her all my sorrows. ;)
She determined that I had a hiatal hernia causing a lot of my problems and adjusted me for that. I got some relief from that immediately(Praise God!). From my understanding, the stomach is attached to the uterus, (among other things) and as the uterus is moving with the progression of the pregnancy, it is pulling things all akimbo and that is why it was getting worse. Glad to have that figured out!

I also picked up some Multizyme digestive enzymes, so hopefully in a few days my guts and I will be happy. :)

My allergic reactions that are here and there are to Pesky Old Mold. I did not get treated for it today. Instead, I am going to set the bowls of water around the house again and get an idea of what room(s) are safe for me to camp out at after my next treatment(for the other rooms/areas).

Fall Allergies....They're Baaaack!

Yesterday was the first cool fallish day.  It was the first day that, according to Pollen.com, Ragweed, Grasses and Nettles are almost in full pollination mode. And it's only supposed to get worse the next few days. :(

Yesterday was the first day that my allergies were really beginning to bother me. This is good in view that yesterday the pollen count was at a 9.4 on a scale of 12. Before AAT and BioAllergenix/BioVeda, if it was even registering, I was reacting.  A few nights ago, I started taking one Benadryl before bed because I would wake up in the night with my throat itching. We have a box fan in the window and something must pollinate at night. If anyone has any ideas what it might be, please tell me!

Last night was the pits--I took 2 Benadryl because my sinuses were completely clogged and the Neilmed Sinus Rinse bottle couldn't break through. (I should have started earlier with the bottle...it usually works like a charm)  I woke up a lot with the itchy throat/runny nose. I find that if I can get a handle on it and not rub my throat with my tongue(how's that for a word picture?), it helps it not to get worse.  Sort of a mind over matter thing.   If I give in to the urge, it gets much worse and spreads to my ears itching and more copious drainage. Grrr.

I am going in tomorrow for some muscle testing/treatment. I had originally made the appt to see if there could be something done about this weird feeling in my throat that I think is due to reflux/acid from the pregnancy and possibly a response to my toothpaste or our water.... Guess we'll see what we can find out about the pollen, too, although I have no idea how I can successfully avoid it when the air is practically saturated with it.

I have a feeling that whatever the pollen is that I'm reacting to, is something I've had problems with my whole life. Something, like the tomato problems I still have(though they are now very minor), I will likely deal with my whole life to some degree.

In the meantime, I took a Claritin this morning to hopefully take the edge off.

How the Chickens are Doing....and an Announcement

Well, we have returned from the trip to Colorado for my grandmother's funeral.

The new chicken pen/tractor thing worked out ok for the attacking rooster problem, but I still prefer to have them out in the big pen/coop where they can run around more and eat more bugs/vegetation/scraps and they don't make a mess of their water.

We shall see what happens with it. So far, I have declared dh to be the chicken caretaker because....


I am pregnant! I decided that my stomach cannot handle concentrated chicken poo smell at this time.

I don't know whether this pregnancy will be any different than my other 3 pregnancies, what with the allergies being treated and all.  I have not gone to the doc yet, but plan to bring up my prior allergy experiences.  Although I have done well with most things for months now, I really hesitate to get pumped up full of corny junk from the IV's (all but the pure saline contain corn). The last birth I did naturally, so I (think) I am going to try going that route again.....(although the epidural is sooooo tempting!). The natural route will minimize exposure to corn, that is for sure.

And no, I really am not entertaining home birth as an option, and there are no birthing centers near enough to do me any good.

A Small Backyard Chicken Pen

We have a mean rooster. The kids named him, but I'm not sure I should post his name on here. The kids don't get why I don't want them to tell the people at church what the rooster's name is.....but awhile back some other kids from church were visiting with their families and THEIR kids came up with the same name! (At least it's not just MY kids....I find some comfort there).

The name....is what a mean rooster might do to one's finger if you were to stick it at him. Starts with a P. Ends with -er.  Got it? ;)

So anyway, if we are ever going to leave for a few days, we need to have someone come take care of our animals. No one wants to run away from the rooster(as my SIL did when dh told her a few years ago a different rooster wouldn't bother her--ornery!). No one on Craigslist wants the lovely heirloom breed Delaware rooster. We really don't want to kill him and eat him until we get another (nice) Delaware rooster. So we're stuck with him.

My husband gathered some scrap wood and fencing and such he had collected and got busy building. I got to do the honors of painting. :)

Here is what he came up with:

I am trying that water bottle to see if the rooster can figure it out. So far he is just pecking at it ever so often. It said it was for birds as well as rabbits and such.....I know there are nipple-type waterers available for poultry but haven't seen any IRL yet to see how much they cost. He also has that pan of water in the corner, but I'd like to take it out and give him a bit more room.

I've got a chick feeder in there that is serving the purpose...unless it rains.  I am certainly open to suggestions there too.  I would prefer to have something fairly waterproof that I can fill from the outside and that won't necessitate my opening the door of the pen every day to fill.


Here is a look at the inside, the best I could get. There are a few boards there for roosts, and a door on the far end to collect eggs. I have since put the hens in but they've yet to figure out to lay their eggs in the right place. (bummer)

Still hanging in there

I apologize, once again, for not posting more often.  In a way, that is a good thing since things have been going well for me allergy-wise. I rarely have a reaction now.  The last time I remember having any type of reaction was after my last post in the late spring when the farmers were fertilizing/using pesticides in the fields. I am not sure which it was, as I was exposed at my house(surrounded quite literally by corn and soy fields) and in town at and in Meijer(gotta love all the junk out in the main aisles in the springtime!

That reaction consisted of intense brain fog and inability to concentrate and some body aches and stiffness. I did take Benadryl when I realized what was going on, closed all my windows and doors and became a hermit for the day. By the next day, I was better. Whew!

I still have not gone back in to get tested/treated for pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers. I guess because it's not bothering me anymore and I've been too busy to schedule an appointment.


What has previously been my most horrible time of year is soon to come---Ragweed season in August. I wait, in trepidation, to see what is going to happen and how my body will respond this year.

I am under quite a bit of stress these last weeks as I am losing my grandmother to ovarian cancer quite soon.  So, this might effect how my body responds to previous allergens.  We shall see.....the Lord will carry me through, come what may. I pray He will have mercy on my grandma and draw her to His loving arms soon. <3