It seems like the crud is

going around again.  The baby started sneezing last week and now she has a runny nose and is coughing.  If it gets me, I can at least say I put up a good fight.

I started feeling a little something coming on last week.  You know that feeling when you can tell you're trying to fight something off?  I talked to Lauren and mentioned to her how I was feeling.  She told me to take lots of vitamin C.  I took one in the morning but around lunchtime, I took olive leaf extract.  I've been doing that every day, in addition to using peppermint oil and Thieves in the diffuser.

I'd only heard about olive leaf extract about a month or so ago.  I read a comment on someone's post so I googled it.  "Research shows oleuropein, the main component in olive leaf extract, has antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immune stimulating properties.  Historically, olive leaf extract has been used for the prevention or treatment of inflammation, infections (e.g., the common cold, influenza, candidiasis, urinary tract infections, shingles), diarrhea, allergies, and diseases such as Alzheimer's, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis."  I read that one person started taking that during flu season since bad stuff has been linked to flu shots.  It's not good to take if you have low blood pressure.  My blood pressure's always been on the lower side but I don't consider that technically low.  Like one nurse told me, after taking my BP and making a startled sound and retaking it, I asked if everything was okay.  Her reply while flipping through my file, "it looks like for you it is".  That said, I'm diagnosing myself as not having low BP, but having normal BP for me.  So I'm taking the olive leaf extract and fighting a good fight against seasonal crud.

Now, let's get back to Lauren, the one who told me to take lots of vitamin C.  She's got the crud now.  I asked her today if she's been taking vitamin C.  Nope.  John's had the crud so that was even more reason to remember to take it.

Oh well, I need to start winding down.  Getting plenty of rest should help me fight the crud too.  Also, the baby will be here early tomorrow and I've got to get a roast cut up for carne guisada before she gets here.  In other words, I have to get up early and TCB.

Time to get that diffuser going.

before the shower on Saturday

I was looking for hostess gifts.  I went to the farmers' market to see if there was anything there.  I didn't find hostess gifts but I did find a booth with natural remedies.  I've been hearing a lot about elderberry syrup fighting off colds and flu and this booth had some.  I went ahead and picked up a bottle.

Yesterday when I woke up feeling less than awesome, I started off with the usual sinus solutions.  Nothing was really working.  I remembered that syrup and as much as I didn't want to try it (scared of how bad it would taste), I did.  I kind of like it.  Along with elderberry, it's got honey, cinnamon, ginger and other stuff.  I don't think it's a miracle quick fix but at 1 TBS twice a day, I wasn't expecting that.  I'm going to keep with it and see if it helps keep this junk from turning into anything worse.  I already have the diffuser going with lavender, peppermint and today, a little orange for some oomph.  Oh, I also took a nasal decongestant.  I'm all for trying the natural stuff but if you've got the good stuff, take it. 

Today is starting off better though.  My throat isn't sore but my head's still draining.  I guess I'll just keep taking everything I get my hands on.

it was a late night

last night.  I'm not a big baseball fan like a lot of people but in the weeks before the hometown team is headed to the World Series, it comes out a little... maybe not so much the baseball fan but the Houston fan.  You can't grow up in Houston and not cheer on the Astros or Rockets (football is another story).  I never pay much attention to baseball.  The games are so long and there are so many of them but when the Astros were battling it out with the Yankees, I had to watch.  I asked Cosme when I realized it, "Wait.  You mean that the Astros will be going to the World Series if they beat the Yankees?"  That was my hook.  When they beat the Yankees and were playing the Dodgers in the end, definitely watching.  Cosme was dozing off last night and I'd wake him up with updates.  We were both up to watch them win.  It was pretty exciting and I was glad to watch the Astros beat the Dodgers.  I don't know much about baseball but I'm aware of how popular the Dodgers are and to watch Houston take them down, that was pretty cool.

I told Cosme we HAVE to go to the parade.  We got in the car at 11:30 and headed to Academy for shirts.  That place was PACKED.  11:30 at night and Academy's parking lot was full.  That side of the mall's parking lot was full.  People and cars were everywhere.  The line from Academy went out to the mall parking lot and curved around.  It was totally crazy.  I was ready to get in line but Cosme said there was no way he was doing it.  We headed home and he ordered us shirts online on the drive back.  The shirts probably won't be here in time for the parade but oh well.

When we got home, it was hard to wind down.  I put some lavender in the diffuser and hoped for the best.  I guess it worked because I don't remember passing out.  I do remember the first time the alarm went off.  It hurt.  I've been out of bed for a while and it still hurts.  Luckily, I turned on the news.  Part of 288 is down to one lane so we knew ahead of time that Cosme needed to find an alternate route.  It's going to be a rough morning and long day.  Thinking about it hurts as much as that alarm did.  I think I'll go add some peppermint to the diffuser and let it work its magic.

i gave in and called

the vet for a new prescription for Strat.  He had to go back last Monday to get retested after his first round of antibiotic.  There was a tiny bit of infection left in his system, small enough to where after another round of antibiotic, he won't need to get tested again.  Either that or he's just a jerk and they're tired of putting up with him.  Anyway, after his appointment last Monday, they called on Wednesday and gave me the results.  Knowing how difficult it is to give him pills, they offered to order a gel antibiotic that can just be rubbed into the tips of his ears.  That gave me the option of either picking up pills on Thursday (without having a dose since Sunday) or I could order the gel on Thursday and have it shipped.  Since I didn't want him to go any longer than necessary without medication, I went for the pills.  Fast forward to Sunday.  He bit me pretty bad.

Once the bleeding slowed down, I grabbed my Thieves instead of peroxide and Neosporin.  I've been using it daily and trying to keep a band aid on just to keep it covered.  I've also been wearing gloves quite a bit just to keep from washing the oil off.

The last straw wasn't the bite though.  The last straw was yesterday when I went to refill the water dish and saw a full pill on the floor.  I picked it up and planned to give it to him as soon as I finished with the water.  When I turned around and was walking to put the water back, I saw another full pill.  That did it.  I can't handle a cat with a bladder infection who can't get better because he won't swallow his pills.  In the meantime, he's locked in the bedroom because I don't want any symptoms or retaliation showing up in other parts of the house... if you know what I mean.

I called the gel in, which is actually cheaper than the pills per dose.  Well, the vet calls the gel in and I call the pet pharmacy to pay and have it shipped. Where the gel gets you is the shipping.  The gel is about $14 while the shipping is $15 for it to be here on Thursday.  I called the pharmacy's phone number, with their Houston area code.  I asked if this was something I could pick up, they said yes and that's what I'm doing this afternoon.  I'm saving $15 and getting it a day early and I won't have to sit around the house waiting to sign for it.  Oh, I'll also stop at a store or two when passing through Pearland.  See how it all works out?

I was catching up on some dvr this morning and this scene from The Middle had me laughing.  The easiest way for me to get it here was record it on my phone and then get it from YouTube, trust me, it was the easiest way.  So, it's not like it's a top quality video but it's the content.

This has been Strat and me for the last few weeks.

The pharmacy said his prescription would be ready at 12:00.  I can't wait.

so like i was saying

cats are jerks.  I gave both of the cats baths on Tuesday.  Lucille hates every second of it.  It honestly sounds like she's saying "NO" the whole time.  Yes, that's all caps and bold for a reason...  Strat doesn't like it but once he takes his position in the sink, he looks like he's at the spa.  He's pretty chill for his bath.  Then there was Tuesday.  I did Lucille first because she's sometimes hard to catch.  That went fine.  Then I got Strat into the water.  He wasn't having it and bit me!  He BIT me!  Yes, the arse hole bit me and I'm not talking about the little nips he's done in the past.  I immediately told him he can bite or do whatever but I would win.  So he got a bath.  The bite was a first.  I ran it under the water.  There was a little blood but it stung more than anything.

I took a picture of it right after and sent it to Eric, just to show him what a jerk his cat can be.

Tuesday afternoon

I figured the bruise would fade out.  And it did.  I noticed while I was up at the church how hot and sore it was.  It faded out, swelled up, got really hot and formed a bump underneath.    None of that sounded like the wound was heading in the right direction.

Wednesday afternoon

Thursday it was still red and sore and that lump wasn't helping.  I thought about what I could do and remembered all the Young Living oils I have.  Thieves.  That's it.  I've read how Thieves kills germs and infections so I put some on.

It was about the same on Thursday.  Still sore but maybe not as red, maybe.

Thursday afternoon

That's when I started researching cat bites and how dangerous they are.  This really didn't sound like what I wanted to hear.  I told Cosme about the danger of cat bites and described all the symptoms of infection.  Yeah, yeah, this was far from looking infected but my plan was to nip this issue in the bud.  I came home and put more Thieves on.

Cosme and I were convinced to call a doctor this morning but I was determined to try extra oils just to see.  Here is the latest picture after Thursday's dose of Thieves and then another this morning.

Friday morning

I woke up this morning and it is barely noticeable.  The redness is almost gone, it hardly hurts and the lump is almost down to nothing.

I'm not saying I just cured a horribly infected cat bite, I'm just saying I could tell this was not going to end well if it kept going the way it was.  The bite itself didn't look gross (yet) but the skin around it was way too red, puffy and hot for my liking.  So I guess this can go down in history as the week I used Thieves oil to prevent Cat Scratch Fever.  (Which, fever is one of the infection symptoms and while I didn't have fever, I woke up yesterday not feeling 100% and it lasted all day... just saying)

 Now, any cats need bathing?

let me fill you in

on the backstory here.  Years ago I was a miserable county employee.  After working there for several years, I got a dry patch of skin on the top of my foot that itched like crazy.  I tried every ointment I came across.  I went to a dermatologist and that was a waste of time money.  (I can't call it a waste of time because it got me out of several hours of work.)  Everyone I talked to said it resembled psoriasis.  I researched it and that's definitely what it sounded like.  During this time I also started having stomach issues.  I won't go into to too much detail but it sounded a lot like IBS.  I went to a few doctors and started taking acidophilus.  That helped some of the issues but there were still others I couldn't fix.  Along with these two ailments, I would also get a TON of canker sores.  That wasn't too uncommon because I've always gotten those.  But, those few years, I got them ALL THE TIME.  At one point I had seven in my mouth at once.  I also tried everything for those, from gels to old wives tale remedies.  I even went so far as to collect cigarette ashes from my friend and pack those on them.  It didn't work.  A few years after it all started, and a couple of years after I quit my job, everything went away.  I'd still get the occasional canker sore and stomach issue but for the most part, everything was good.  Although I usually joke and say it's all because I'm allergic to work, I'm pretty sure it was triggered by stress and anxiety. 

Lately, it seems like little symptoms have started coming back here and there.  This time though, I'm taking a different route.  Young Living Essential Oils are my weapon of choice. 

On Sunday I woke up with a canker sore and another one coming along.  By the end of the day, that second one hurt like a big dog.  After doing some researching and putting all my past symptoms together and reading that those all happen to be symptoms of certain things dealing with immune system issues, I first though of Thieves oil.  I brushed my teeth before bed with my Thieves toothpaste and guess what.  Where canker sores usually stick around for a week or so, mine were practically gone.  Seriously.  They lasted one day.  One day!  I also remembered some capsules I bought but never took.  So yesterday morning I started on the Inner Defense supplement.

I'm excited to see how all this plays out.  I'm also feeling pretty optimistic.