snow and exhaustion

On Monday night, Marcus and I returned from a really fun adventure to Holden Village. Holden is a retreat center in the middle of nowhere, kind of by Chelan. It was beautiful, and we really enjoyed ourselves. Marcus' parents invited us along, and we had a great time with them too. It being a really remote location, Marcus and I had been praying fervently that nothing would happen to me medically while we were away. Thankfully, God answered those prayers.



However, immediately upon our return.... (literally we were pulling into the driveway), I jumped out to run to the bathroom and throw up. This is pretty standard for me, so I wasn't too worried about it. This is when something went very wrong... Mid-vomit, I gasped for air, and somehow inhaled a chunk of something, which promptly made me start choking. So, I was still vomiting, and now choking. (NOT awesome.) I ran outside to get Marcus' attention so that I didn't die alone on the bathroom floor, and he asked, "Are you ok?" I shook my head "no." He asked, "Are you choking?" I nodded, "yes." He helped me into the kitchen, where I continued coughing and retching on the floor. Eventually, small amounts of blood starting coming up, because these actions were so violent... Marcus said to me, "I'm taking you to the ER." I gasped, "I don't want to go." He replied, "I don't care. I'm calling 9-1-1 if you can't make it to the car." He carried me out, and drove quickly to the ER. I arrived, still vomiting and gagging, choking, and gasping for air. They got me in promptly--I'd say it was my most dramatic entrance into the ER yet. :)

I'm still sputtering and vomiting, and they're trying to start my IV. Normally, no one can get an IV started, but this guy in the ER was a miracle worker. He got it on the second try, despite all my violent movements. They pushed vicodin and heavy anti-nausea drugs immediately, hoping to relax my system. Eventually, my coughing slowed down (this is about 30 minutes later.) My chest xray looked okay, and my lungs sounded pretty clear, so they think I must've coughed up whatever it was. The docs put me on antibiotics just in case, so that I don't develop pneumonia. ugh.

I've been feeling a bit better the last couple of days. I'm still really tired from the trip, and from my ER adventure, but I'm LOVING the sunshine that God's blessed us with the past couple of days. I'm hoping that this week will prove restful and fun!

Marcus and I are doing our best to trust that God's timing is perfect in all things.... And we're praying that healing is just around the corner. :)

Hugs, brelin

what i've been up to.

I feel like I've been really busy lately. I'm not sure what I'm doing, but I'm awfully tired from doing it. :)

Marcus and I started the month of February snowshoeing. I got snowshoes for Christmas and was excited to try them out. Marcus, naturally, led us across a creek in snowshoes, where I had to bound from rock to rock in order to avoid falling in the water. This might seem like no big deal to YOU, but I have really poor balance, and get dizzy easily--so navigating the stream in snowshoes was quite a feat. I made it through our adventure alive, and didn't fall into any bodies of water, so I consider the trip a success. We had lots of fun, and I fell down a few times laughing hysterically in the snow. It was awesome.

I've also been baking a lot lately. Cupcakes, cookies, breadstickes, cinnamon chip scones... and they're all delicious. Oh, and I also made really yummy minestrone soup. This recipe redeemed me in Marcus' eyes, as the night before I had made Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese. It wasn't awful, but wasn't good either. I know this because Marcus did not have seconds. The Minestrone soup, however, was a winner. He's had seconds, and even ate the leftovers yesterday. phew. :)

I went to watch some Eastlake HS girls do gymnastics this past weekend. It was awesome, and I'm pretty amazed at flipping. I mean, it's one thing to see kids on tv busting a move on the floor and the vault, but a whole other thing to see it live. I'm completely in awe of their talent, and am certain that I would never run as fast as I can to hurl my body at a vault. I'm fairly certain it would end very poorly.

I'm about to embark on my first solo sewing project. I hope it turns out well. If it does, I promise to post pictures. If it goes poorly, it might find a place in the trash with the mac and cheese. :)

As for a health update, there is not much new to report. I'm still vomiting, but I seem to be keeping fluids down, and some food is staying in occassionally too. I think I've been eating a lot more lately, in hopes of keeping more down. I'm not sure if this new approach is working, and Im about to give up from being so tired from puking all day long. I think soon I'll return to just drinking tea all day. :)

Hugs,
brelin