Dietary Changes, Homeschooling (Or lack thereof), and Kicking People, preferably in the head.

My ability to write lately has waned due to my incessant busy schedule. I so want to write daily, but honestly, when I do have time, all I really want to do is rest. Between health issues, homeschooling, Taekwondo, and preparing for my spring garden, I don't have time to think about much else. I've been sharing most of my issues with my favorite ladies in a support group which has been there for about 10 years now. They are a huge source of friendship and helpful advice.

I have been suffering, in various degrees, since late July with severe IBS symptoms and for 3 years with severe migraines. I was diagnosed with IBS when I was pregnant with my last child, though I am sure I had it well before then. I've had digestion issues all my life. Since July, it has gotten a whole lot worse. There have been nights where I am up all night with stomach cramps and can't move far from the toilet let alone leaving the bathroom. It has hindered my ability to go to my normal activities, slowed my weight loss progress, and really just put me in an all around grumpy mood. I have both stomach pains and lower abdominal pains that are just horrific. I oscillate between... well... let me just say that I can either go for days without visiting a bathroom or I bring a book and stay a while when I do go.

In November, after Taekwondo camp, I decided to try to cure myself by eliminating Dairy. The food journal I was keeping saw a pattern where I would have IBS symptoms after consuming milk, soft cheese, or regular yogurt. Greek Yogurt and Harder cheeses didn't seem to bother me too much but I went cold turkey. Let me just say - giving up dairy (especially Reese's Cups and Starbucks Doublshots with Energy) was probably the hardest thing I have ever done. I felt like such an addict. I had withdrawal symptoms and I still get occasional cravings for specific foods. Sometimes the smell of cheddar cheese or just seeing the bright orange packaging of a Reese's Cup makes my mouth water. Just call me Pavlov's Pooch...

So after kicking Dairy for about 3 weeks, my migraine headaches, which I'd been experiencing for 3 years several times a month, disappeared. I don't mean they lessened or just got mildly better... They went away completely. I've had only a few migraines since, but only when I've eaten out someplace questionable. I slipped up and ate a Reese's Cup this month in a fit of PMS induced craziness and suffered for 2 days after. The only problem - I eliminated dairy to solve my IBS issues. It didn't solve those issues in the slightest. I am still suffering daily stomach pain and cramping.

I scheduled appointments with the Gastroenterologist and had an Upper Endoscopy. They ruled out H-Pylori, mostly, and ruled out gallstones. It showed Gastritis, the lining of my stomach was very red, but I've not received the test results back. Since I've had the blood work, the biopsies, and all the other testing done, I decided to take matters into my own hands this week and have eliminated gluten as well as the dairy. So far so good. This transition has been much easier than the transition from dairy. I've found a couple of alternatives that I like, that aren't too expensive. So we will see if it helps after a few months of eliminating gluten.

With all the health issues and the holidays, our school schedule has been annoyingly sparse. I keep reminding myself that we homeschool for a reason and that I am not trying to get my kids "caught up" we have until they are 18 to get them through High School or later if necessary. But not having a schedule means we all suffer from feeling very disjointed. I'm hoping that next week we can get back to our regularly scheduled three weeks on one week off program. That schedule was working quite well for us in the fall.

I am struggling with Isaac and reading, but I figure he will eventually catch up when Oz starts catching on to it. He is just one of those kids who learns differently and I have to work with his strengths. Isaac is mostly working in 1st and 2nd grade, except for reading - he is finishing up the Kindergarten curriculum. Oz is working on Kindergarten on Time4Learning.com.

Evie has discovered a passion for reading anything she can find. She loves Science, especially, and is really working hard this year in it. She moves a little more slowly in Math, but is using Saxon 6/5 which combines 5/6 grades together. If she takes a little longer on it, I am okay with that!

Asher lacks just a few more assignments to complete 9th grade and has already begun some of his 10th grade stuff. He is focusing this semester on completing the 9th grade English and History and 10th grade Geometry. In June/July he will begin his 10th grade in full swing. I have focused this year on improving his writing skills and he has come such a long way from where he was just a few months ago. I am developing templates that he (and the other kids) can use throughout their lifetimes for certain kinds of assignments. It seems to be working out rather well and I am trying to develop it into something other homeschoolers can use.

The other busy thing in our lives is Taekwondo. We are getting ready for rank testing. Our current ranks are: Asher - 1st Senior, Evie - 1st Decided, Isaac - Senior Blue, Oz - Dragon Orange, Josh - Senior Brown, and I am a Red Belt. We participated in the National Tournament in Kissimmee, FL last weekend. Josh took double 3rd for forms and Sparring, Evie and I each took 2nd in Sparring in our divisions, Isaac got a spirit medal, Oz got a Dragon Gold Medal. Asher was injured the day before the tournament and unfortunately did not get to participate. He is still recovering and will not be testing this time around. Poor guy. Josh was Student of The Year for 2012 at Taekwondo. He worked really hard and has lost around 60 pounds since starting Taekwondo. It is great exercise.

I've lost several inches and about 15 pounds since I began and several inches in my legs and hips. But the way men can drop weight sometimes perplexes me. It is frustrating to be working very hard and not seeing the results I want. After watching my form video from the tournament, I determined 2 things: 1. I need to learn how to jump. 2. To learn how to jump, I *have* to lose probably 25 pounds.

I am going to push myself to do Weight Watchers again and really stick with it. It is so hard, when I have this weird love affair with food. I eat when I'm lonely, when I'm happy, or when I'm socializing. I tend to snack when I drive long distances if it is available. At home, I snack in the evenings. I really just *love* eating. Having stomach pains constantly, has also meant that I *hate* eating as well. I know it will hurt if I don't eat. But it also hurts if I do. I am trying to find a happy middle ground. Hopefully, removing gluten will settle my pains and I can get my portions under control as well with Weight Watchers.

I've had this great support structure for homeschooling, Taekwondo, and raising my children. I wish I had the same support structure for weight loss. I guess weight loss is something so internal that you have to do it on your own. I am not finding a community for it like I've found with other things.

I have started several plants indoors this winter and it is helping my seasonal depression issues a great deal. I have lettuce, cilantro, basil, and even potatoes growing indoors. It's a great feeling to know that I have this early start on my garden. I'll start my tomatoes and other plants in the coming weeks. I can't wait to have my garden again this season. It's going to be so neat to have it so much closer to my house. I hope it does well where I've moved it!

I wish I had all the time in the world to blog more regularly. Putting my thought from my head to my fingers, and onto a screen really does help me focus my energy and organize my thoughts. Perhaps I will make some time, perhaps I won't. But I won't feel guilty either way! :D