Gracie has been sick. She had a most glorious 1 year old birthday party which I spoke of in my last post. I am still grinning at the memory of her sitting in her high chair, in a beautiful light pink dress and a white bow in her hair. Her mom gave her a cupcake with a candle in the shape of the number one on it. We all sang "Happy Birthday" to her. She was surrounded by family and friends. At least 50 people.
And many flies and bees. It was hot that day.
She looked quizzically at her cupcake and then proceeded to daintily wipe the frosting off with her pinkie finger. She tasted it and looked pleased.
She ate slowly and very dignified for a one year-old!
Surrounding her in a semi-circle were her admiring fans, cell phones in hand taking many pictures. She seemed amused. She was in a very pleasant mood.
Not so the next day. Very grumpy. Slept a lot. Thursday night, I heard the howling of what I first guessed was a wild animal in much pain. It was Gracie. She woke up every hour shrieking. My daughter told me her temp rose to 104.6. She gave her a dose of Tylenol and nursed her.
By the morning, her temp was 100. The advice nurse said if she was playing and eating normally and her temp kept going down, it was probably just a virus. No need to bring her in. My daughter and I breathed a sigh of relief. I would be gone until evening. My daughter had to go into work.
I babysat her in the morning. But in the afternoon I had my dentist appointment. Which revealed no cavities, to my relief.
However, it provided no answers. And it added to my frustration of the question : What is up with this head of mine? My right jaw is still sore. My top back molars are quite sensitive and there is some numbness in the gum. My head is stuffy. And that vice around my head is starting to tighten again.
However, ruling out a cavity is indeed a good thing.
After my dental appointment, I headed to the home of two boy students for a piano lesson. They are a wonderful family. The boys are gifts, but humble. And they have a new puppy!
We had a fabulous lesson. It felt good to work again. I have not done much actually teaching this summer. And I will be cutting out most of my home visits when fall term begins October 1st. So I cherished this time with them.
After their lesson, I was chatting with their parents about the upcoming school year. For some reason, I mentioned that I was having an MRI on Monday. Funny how I seem to fit my personal health information into most conversations!
The mom and dad looked concerned. I explained my symptoms, including my loss of smell and decreased taste.
"Polyps!" exclaimed the dad. "I'd bet money on nasal polyps! My sister had them."
His wife nodded. She had them too. Apparently they are easily removed by surgery.
I practically skipped out of their home, armed with new clues and eager to do research.
This is what I discovered:
Symptoms of nasal polyps include:
- A runny nose.
- Postnasal drip.
- Decreased or absent sense of smell.
- Loss of sense of taste.
- Facial pain and headache.
- Pain in your upper teeth.
- Pressure in forehead and face.
- Snoring.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nasal-polyps/symptoms-causes/syc-20351888
I can't wait for my MRI!
But before I could celebrate my new findings, Gracie fell ill, as I mentioned above before I got into my polyps.
She became exceedingly cranky throughout the day yesterday, although her fever never rose. We were thinking maybe teething and possibly another ear infection.
My daughter just called me a few minutes ago. It is just a virus. With possible teething complications. This little girl still has no teeth. Nor any sign of little white nubs.
Grace is rough and toothless!
And I am becoming tough and ruthless!
And I am trying something new with all the stress in my life. I am saying no to worry. I just imagine Jesus sitting beside me. Glowing radiant white light, smiling and me gently and holding out his hand. I am reading a psalm a day and reading the book of Matthew.
There is a lot said in the Bible about anxiety. In fact, the phrase "fear not" is found 80 times in the King James Version.
( http://musingsofaministerswife.com/ministry/so-how-many-times-is-fear-not-actually-in-the-bible/)
I think I will start memorizing those verses. Because fear and anxiety do tend to wield way too much power in my life.
Today's "fear not" verse is Genesis 15:1 (KJV): "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and they exceeding great reward".
Talk to you tomorrow!
Love,
Zita
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