Changes

I've been too busy and tired to write much lately.  Health, my job, and just the daily race to keep up with three teenage boys and their activities have consumed most of my limited energy.  So I decided to post about the changes to basically bookmark where I'm at.

1. I make my third trip down to the Mayo Clinic next week.  I'm very excited because this time my GI doctor will give me the results from my first round of tests.  I'll either have some answers and a plan or I will start on round two of testing.  Either way, I feel hopeful that progress is being made. 

2.  I now wear these huge black military glasses with purple lenses that help correct my peripheral vision problems.  For as long as I can remember, driving through flickering sunshine has put me to sleep suddenly... almost like a narcoleptic.  It didn't bother me too much when the boys were little, and I rarely left the house without Clancy driving the car.  Now, though, I have to drive almost every day.  I've had some near accidents because I couldn't stay awake.  I've had to pull over at rest stops to sleep on trips as short as 1 hour.  For the past several years I've staggered into bed the minute I get home and slept for three hours.  And I haven't had to do that once since I got these funky glasses.  Whatever works!  I can hardly believe that part of my life has changed.  My doctor said my brain was spending an enormous amount of energy just reconciling my place in space- to the point that it would spontaneously knock me out.  Now I can drive to town and back and actually function the rest of the day.  It is liberating beyond my wildest dreams!  :)

3.  Even with all the gains I have made in my health, I have decided to stop breeding Shetlands for a couple of years.  As anyone can imagine, I've had to rely on Clancy's help for chores more and more as my health has failed.  He has done almost everything for the flock the last six months... and that really is not fair since it is my hobby, not his.  I contemplated selling the whole flock, but it really broke my heart to think of it.  I am so close to some of my goals.  And I just love these Shetlands.  So the compromise is to sell the rams and not breed for a couple of years.  Not having to keep two separate pens, or go through all the work of setting up breeding groups, and tearing them down again, not having to feed and water up to four separate pens every winter... that should go a long way toward making chores more manageable for us all.  This may seem like a sad decision... but I'm a lot happier since I thought of it than I was when I thought I would have to sell out.  So if anyone is interested in either of my two rams, LRO Ash or S'more Courante, please let me know!

4.  My employment is another thing that is changing in my life.  Because of poor health, I have cut back to three days a week... as apposed to the six or seven days I used to work during the winter.  The hard part for me has been learning how to respect my own created boundary.  The ski hill has been my life for 13 years and I pretty much lived and breathed it from October to April every year.  Luckily, my two new co-workers are doing a fantastic job of learning the ropes, and my old duties are in good hands when I'm not there.  This has allowed me to get a lot of much needed rest and to focus on cooking and eating the limited diet that is keeping me going.  As Clancy says... my new job is to EAT!

5.  Last, but not least, I am trying very hard to adjust to the fact that my three sons are active young men.  Not my little boys anymore!  They are driving, practicing soccer before school three days a week, taking music lessons, spending time with "girlfriends", and in general... growing up too fast.  But I must say, though it is hard to keep up with their fast-paced schedules, they are becoming truly wonderful young adults.  They surprise me everyday with their capacity to juggle schoolwork, organized sports, leisure sports, friendships, relationships, chores, and attitude.  They have been a tremendous help to me while I've been frail.  And they make me laugh every day.  :)

So as fellow Shetland blogger Bill likes to say: 

"Life is Good"