How I am currently feeling......

Takin a small break...I have returned some phone calls and almost done with one plan.  Only one more to do!!    I am so glad I have a job I can work from home for.   I need to get the other plan done before we go to my office tonight.  I want to turn them both in!

I revamped my household/homemaking site a bit.  Just the lay-out I think the idea of departments as the Famiy Manager mentions in her book.  So I am using that.   I hope to add more to the site as life gets back to normal.  

I also added the books I have read in the last few month to my Books Read in 2004 page. 

The Family Manager's Creed

I oversee the most important organization in the world -
Where hundreds of decisions are made daily
Where property and resources are managed
Where health and nutritional needs are determined
Where finances and futures are discussed and debated
Where projects are planned and events are arranged
Where transportation and scheduling are critical
Where team-building is a priority
Where careers begin and end

I am a Family Manager

*The Family Manager Saves the Day - Kathy Peel

received this in email today....looks good...think I will try it later this week or next week..

Cheeseburger Soup

1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
6 cups chicken broth
2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and diced
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
3/4 lb. reduced fat American cheese, cubed (I used Velveeta)
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook ground beef in a Dutch oven over medium high heat until meat crumbles. Add onion and next four ingredients and sauté 4 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Drain well. Return beef mixture to Dutch oven.

Stir in chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 - 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Melt butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Gradually stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2-3 minutes or until flour is lightly browned. Whisk flour mixture into simmering beef mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 6 minutes or until thickened.

Whisk in cheese and next 3 ingredients just until cheese melts. Serve with Crusty bread for dipping.

Day #2 ....

I might be improving a bit, but still can't really talk much.   That is the most difficult since I have a number of clients to call, but I can't speak.  Today I am taking Tom to daycare this morning.   He is having his Christmas party there today.   Tonight hubby will take me to me office to drop off any work I manage to get done today.   I hope I can get some done! 

My cough is a bit less violent and my chest is burning less when I breathe..so that is all a good sign.   I am on the highest level of predisone again...60mg so I jsut hope that I continue to improve when I drop down to 50 mg etc.   I personally think the antibiotics are helping...but who knows.   Certainly no drastic improvement...but I will just stay the course and do my best.  

I will try and wrap the last of my Christmas presents today.   I have only two to wrap.  Since tonight I will leave the house for a bit, we will pick up the last two gift cards as well.   Then I am in the house again until next week.   I am not an easy person to make stay home, I am the type the never sits still and I don't watch TV and like to be very busy!  A bit of a workaholic/perfectionist all rolled into one.   I usually do work myself into being pretty sick every year.   I am not so good about taking care of myself always something else I need to be doing.   Not to mention I have a very demanding job!

Well off to start my day......which will include a nap I promise!

Day #1 of Recovery......

Well I didn't work much today.  I made a few phone calls and did my email.   I think that the cough syrup is helping to stop my coughing and the burning of my chest seems to be lessening.   I did sleep alot today since I was taking so much cough syrup.   But I suppose that isn't a bad thing.   I finished my book from book group last week.....and started my book for January.   My voice hasn't returned any, but hopefully tomorrow.  

I am off to bed to nebulize and read for a while. 

Well the results of seeing my asthma dr........he says I have to take a week off of work.   I laugh....and say we better come up with some compromise because I can't do that.   He now thinks I might have whopping cough, but it is been too long now and it can't be treated so I will need to wait for it to go away.  Usually lasts about 6 months.   I don't think I have whopping cough....his other guess is that I have airway damage due to the prolonged coughing.    The airways are so inflamed, etc.   I had chest and sinus x-rays taken today.   I still can't really talk much either.  

So the deal I made with him...was I would do all my errands for the week and go to the office and get work to do for the next two days.   I will stay home and work from home for the next two days, I will go out onlhy in the morning to take Tom to daycare, though he doesn't want me even doing that.   I have to take cough syrup with codiene every 4 hours around the clock and neb every 4 hours for two days.   He thinks if he can get my coughing stopped things will improve and my airways will improve.  Then I can go into work for an hour or so Wednesday night...then I have to be home again the rest of the week.    I am also on antibiotics, but he doesn't think they will help.  The cough syrup with codiene makes me drowsy I hope that stops and I get used  to it.  

Well I am off to neb and hopefully fall asleep for a little bit until I have to take more meds.   I hope I will be well enough to go to church on Christmas.   Hubby and I bought the one Santa present we needed tonight.   I have one more thing to get for Josh's stocking, but hubby will do that for me.   I am sure I will go stir crazy taking it easy for a week at home....but it is this or end up in the hospital.       

Dropped Tommy off at daycare a bit late today since I am feeling so poorly.  I then went to the library since I had a ton od reserves in!!   I plan on spending the evening in bed paging through my books.   The funniest thing is I didn't have my library card, but I go there enough they said "i know you, you don't need a card!" and they gave me all my books.  LOL!!  Unfortunately they do the same thing at our Health Partners clinic, I never have to show my insurance card, they know me.

So I read too much and am sick too much!!  I better get going I have to drive over to Mpls to the asthma Dr and it is very icy out today.   YUCK!  I wish I didn't have to go, but I really need him to change my meds and hopefully give me an antibiotic. 

Today a neighbor down the street passed away.   It was the saddest thing.....the hurst was pulling up to the house when hubby and I received the call.   What a sad memory for the holidays.  She had had such failing health, I had not seen her since the block party.  I pray the family will find comfort.

3:00 am and I am awake.   I was coughing up a storm trying to lay down and sleep so I figured it was only fair that I come to the lving room so hubby can sleep.   I am just so congested.   I have my rudoph nose for Christmas that is for sure.  I have a feeling I will need to call in tomorrow and not go to work.  I have a Dr appointment at 2:00 with my allergist so hopefully he will give me meds.  

I still have 2 more plans to write and really needed to work this week to finish things up for the end of the year.  Argh.....maybe I can work after my Dr appointment.  No one will want me at the office as sick and I am.  I can't talk on the phone since I have no voice.   I might jsut run by the office and get some paperwork to do at home.   I didn't bring any home since I worked until almost 11:00pm on Friday and I figured that was enough and I should bring things home or I will try and work over the weekend.   Well as sick as I am I am sure I would not have been too tempted.  

Well off to try and get a bit of sleep.....