So my blood sucks again....

I totally forgot that I never did do a post about my last blood level check. 

Know how I remembered - because I go back this Friday for another test to see if I'm still bottomed out.  Which I totally expect. 

For a reminder... this is the picture I posted on my last blood check....

Yep - you're seeing exactly what happened.  Tanked.  Bottomed out.

OK - so I guess its not ALL horrible - maybe?  Kinda? ... so my hermoglobin is up. Actually the HIGHEST its ever been.  A 12.  Which is still at the bottom of the scale for hemoglobin - but for me, let's shoot some fireworks & have a parade. That's awesome for me.  That's where all the infusions helped.

But......

That picture you see above is for ferritin.  ... what's the difference?  Here's a little snippet from the Mayo Clinic.

Ferritin is a blood cell protein that contains iron. A ferritin test helps your doctor understand how much iron your body is storing. If a ferritin test reveals that your blood ferritin level is lower than normal, it indicates your body's iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency

So basically, what my hematologist told me was this time around - I actually have blood (hemoglobin up)... BUT, its basically worthless blood.  Greaaatttt.  My blood doesnt have any protein in it - no iron.

Again - here's all the symptoms of a low ferritin.

• unexplained fatigue.
• dizziness.
• chronic headaches.
• unexplained weakness.
• ringing in your ears.
• irritability.
• leg pains.
• shortness of breath.

The big ones for me are the shortness of breath & ringing in the ears.

OK - let's add on the fatigue & dizziness... & I do always get leg pains.

& yeah, we know Ricky is going to say the irritability is totally high on the list.

At least I'm not back to chomping ice - that's a good thing, right?  Thank you hemoglobin for not tanking on me too & causing that craving all over again.

So what's next?
The doctor said she wanted to give it 6 more weeks to see exactly how my blood was doing after the infusions I had before.  If its dropped any bit at all more - looks like I'm back to infusions on the weekends.

Y'all - I cried. CRIED - hard, big, crocodile tears.  Ask my coworkers. I was at my desk & I just felt so overwhelmed at the idea of having to do that all over again.

& the idea that this could be a normal part of the rest of my life.

Apparently, for some reason, my body jsut doesnt produce iron & it doesnt hold on to it either.

Frustrating thing
For me, I think what is most aggravating is that I feel really bad on most days.  & no one really sees it. It's like most people that have an autoimmune disorder feels. 

Simple things are a struggle & there's not really anything "wrong" with me that people see so when I get out of breath doing anything - or even just talking - its like I'm lazy.  Or when I'm so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open, or raise my arms & legs to do something, its because I'm just not getting enough sleep, or I'm not trying hard enough.

That's what's aggravating.  & this could be my life. Forever.

Saying all that - I KNOW that I KNOW there are so many more terrible & horrible & awful things to deal with.  In the grand scheme of things - this is a little blip in the radar.  I truly know this.   God KNOWS I know this.   I dont want to come off as a whiny cry-baby...

.. I just tend to cry at anything & everything. Y'all know that about me now, right?

So that's where we stand now.

I get more blood drawn on Friday ... I'll find out the results more than likely, next week... & yeah... we just keep Pressing On.

The weekend I watched so much tennis... {Hello Monday}

OH my goodness... ALL THE TENNIS!  I can't even begin to say how much I loved this weekend watching ESPN.

Yes.  Let's sit a second & appreciate this thought. Me. Rebecca Jo.  Sitting in front of ESPN all weekend.   It only happens twice a year.  July & September.  Wimbledon & US Open time.  Give me all the tennis.

It's funny because the other day I told someone that I dont really have many thoughts or idea for a Bucket List in my life.  I'm not that creative with goals.  After this weekend, I thought about my first (or 2nd) goal on my Bucket list.... to see a Wimbledon final or US Open final in person. Wouldnt that be the best??? I'd love it.

Before all the finals, on Friday I took my momma to the grocery to pick up some things & then we ran over to Walgreens just to pick up an extension cord.  Nothing is ever a fast trip with us... we ended up spending oer an hour shopping in Walgreeens.  We're wild & crazy chicks like that.

Actually, it was really nice because the pharmacy was closing so they were pretty empty so me & mom got to look around & find some goodies.  I walked out $50.00 poorer from hair products, because thank you Walgreens for trying to give me hope for these frizzy hair humid days.

I got back to mom's & we just waited until the sun went down before I let Baby back into her stall so she could get some more time out.  While its super hot, we've kept her in her stall so Cochese can stay in the barn out of the sun.  That barn is in the perfect spot so there's a constant breeze going through there.  But they both can't be out in the barn together.  No fear - Baby's stall has a wire fence on it so she can feel the breeze & she has an outside door on her stall as well so she can get air from the other side & see out.  Plus, Cochese & her touch noses all day long through her fence. She's never alone in there.

So anyways - we let her out of the stall when the sun is going down so there's lot of shade for Cochese to run around in & then Baby can go to her grassy area.

I may have waited too long on Friday because it was PITCH BLACK in the barn when I went to put her in. I had to take a latern to see - & praying I wasn't walking near any snakes.

Saturday, I woke up to find Ricky was already out working on the fence.

I took my breakfast outside to cheer him on & then he took a break to come up with me & the dogs.

How about that loving'....

I always will support my love - but the support was cut short when I saw the clock & knew the Women's Finals was on.  Get my cup of coffee ready, get in my sport - & let the fun begin.

I was excited for Serena to be playing - but man, she just never got on a streak... & I really thought the woman who won played incredibly.  So that was fast game....

Still enjoyable!

I cleaned up a little after that went off & actually got in a workout (go me!) & then Ricky asked if I wanted to go out to grab some lunch.

But lunch got pushed back by the time we left & then took care of the horses & then had to stop at Home Depot - so we were like, "Let's go out for dinner"

Chili's was the hubby's pick....

The rest of Saturday night was just lazy.  We played a game. I watched some more Gossip Girl.  Showers & dog snuggles.  A good night.

Sunday, I knew I wasn't going to church. Wimbledon Sunday.  Can't miss it.

& MAN OH MAN am I so glad I stayed.  I probably could have actually went to church & came home because the game would have STILL BEEN ON!

I got on my couch with my knitting at 8:30 - Watching Breafkast at Wimbeldon - & the game started at 9.... & HOWWW was I still on my couch watching it at 2:15pm.

That was the craziest game I have ever seen in my life. That they got to 12-12 in the 5th set & it came to a tie breaker.  Y'ALL.... THE BEST GAME EVER.

Look at that score in the corner!!!
7-6 / 1-6 / 7-6 / 4-6 / 12-12
12 - 12 Y'ALL!!!!!

& my guy won too!  I was all for Novak Djokovic..... mainly because the whole crowd was for Federer.  I actually didnt have a favorite going in. Ricky even asked me, "Who do you want to win?" - I told him, "i'll be happy with either" - I really do like them both. But I felt SOOO bad for Novak because the crowd in the stadium was obviously for Federer - so I felt like I had to root for the underdog.

Plus, can I be honest? I really like Djokovic even more because he was on the new documentary from Food Matters talking about good nutrition & how it changed his game  & endurance & stamina.  It made me appreciate his game knowing the struggles he had & that he takes nutrition seriously - with the idea of "food is thy medicine" - I know most athletes do this - but I just watched this documentary last week so it was fresh in my head & made me give an extra "umph" for him in cheering him on.

(FYI - here's the link to that documentary if you like that sort of thing.... link.fmtv.com/transcendence)

In the end, I think we can all agree they are BOTH winners with a match of nearly 5 hours.  & didnt even seem breathless or sweaty either.  #GOALS

I ran down to the grocery to pick up my order & got home in time to see that ABC was replaying the game.  Do you know I sat down & watched most of it again????.... I will confess - it's so much easier to watch when you know who is going to win....

Here's actual pics from me watching the game when I didn't know who would win....

& after watching for 5 hours & not knowing when the end would come!!!

This is me watching it the 2nd time around....

Ended the weekend with usual horse duties & Big Brother & one more (maybe 2) of Gossip Girl before I dozed off....

So how was your weekend????

Do you watch Wimbledon?

If you did, please tell me how much you loved this game too!!!

Enough Tennis talk - tell me what is your favorite Walgreen's purchase you get?

Linking up with Tanya - Click pic to join in!

Friday Favorites

(Click the pic for links to item)

Favorite Crafty Item

This lady takes ultrasounds & makes them in embroidery.

What a gorgeous idea!!!!

Favorite Desk Accessory

Because who doesnt need some Office Magic 8 Ball guidance?

Favorite Organizer

OK - just the calendar alone is blowing my mind that it actually works year round.

Isnt' that cool?

Favorite Hand Lettering Tool

I have a holder but all the pens fall over.

This is genius!!!

Favorite Cleaning Item

This is perfect to hang off a drawer for when you're cooking & you can slide some of your chopped up leftovers in to take to the garbage can outside!

Favorite DIY

Favorite Beauty & the Beast

Favorite Funnies

... when I have big goals of working out 

... the second a bulb blows in the high living room lights

... when I see a new Beauty & the Beast piece of clothing on Instagram

... me at 4:30 pm today

Happy weekend y'all!!!

Pie, wider gates & people that get my weirdness {Thankful Thursday #229}

This week I am Thankful for:

Eating outside for lunch
Loved when my coworkers suggested eating outside. Even on a hot day, this wasn't bad because this restaurant keeps their doors open where you could feel the cold wind. I cant even begin to imagine how much that electricity costs!!! But it was lovely sitting outside watching downtown traffic.

4th of July
God bless America for a day off work!

Pie
... because is it REALLY the 4th of July without a pie?  I think not.

This was a Red/White & Blue pie
(Cherries, applies & blueberries)

Trail Mix Friend
So having to work on Friday was a little bit miserable when everyone else in the world seemed off.  But work tried to make it a little bit easier on us by giving us a "make your own trail mix" afternoon.  We all went down to get some yummies & I go to walk in & ...... GASP..... STOP!!!.... CANT GO IN!!!! The C-word (cereal) was in boxes everywhere.  I instantly could smell it & started to gag & had to run out.  I was like, someone hates me!!!!! .... but thank goodness for friends that get your weirdness because Liz was like, "I'll get some for you" - & she loaded me up on some pretzel, peanuts & M&M's ... all you need for a good trail mix. Keep that C-stuff out of it please.

Pizza Night
I always love when Ricky picks up pizza for dinner so I dont have to worry about cooking & we typically have leftovers for lunch the next day.

Tight Squeeze
So all the time we've lived  in this house (18 years) we have not been able to get our riding lawn mover in the back yard because our gate was installed a wonky way & we couldnt get it open the full way.  We've been push cutting it ever since & that's a chore with the hills & trees  all around the yard.  So while Ricky has been redoing our fence, he rebuilt out gate & made it open INSIDE of the fence instead of opening outward.  So now, the riding lawn mower fits through!! What normally takes 30 minutes (on a good day), he had it cut within 10 minutes. & less sweat too!!!

Tell me something good about your week!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Show Us Your Books {July 2019 Edition}

I just got in one measly book in June...

too embarrassing to join in with the link up last month - 

so jumping back in for July & only have 3 books . My reading mojo has just been on a slump!  But a readathon is just around the corner & those are usually the UMPH I need to get back in the game.  At least I can join in this month with all the awesome book link ups!
Thanks Jana & Steph for hosting!
(Click the pic at the bottom of page to join in!)

More Than Words

** / Just OK

Quick Summary:  Nina inherits her father's incredibly known hotel businesses & she discovers secrets he's been hiding after he passed away.

This book put me in a rut. I just couldnt get through it. I dont know why I just didn't give up on it - I have no problem doing a DNF but I just kept thinking, "its gotta get better"... it just didn't for me.

I gave it 2 stars because I did connect with Nina when her father passed away. I felt the pain & was moved in that part - because yeah, that's close to my heart right now... but the rest of the story? Was just so bland to me. Nothing really was exciting or shocking or really grabbed my attention.  I was just bored through it all.  Even the love story in it was just so blah to me, I didnt even care.

I hate that I wasn't super excited about it because I really did enjoy The Light We Lost so much... & I love the style of this author's writing, but man, just did not care for this one.

In the end, I'm glad I got this one from the library because I almost bought it & I would have been a little upset if that was the case.

"All decision were affected by the time in which they were made"

______________________

Nine Perfect Strangers

DNF

Quick Summary: 9 people go to a health resort that offers a different sort of experience

I was really enjoying this book & all the characters. I love how this author always breaks up her chapters to different POV ... but my time ran out for it to be returned to the library.  I tried to renew but someone must have had it on hold, which wont let you renew.

I've got it on hold on my Kindle from the library - so hopefully I'll pick it up one day & see how it all ends.

In the end... I'm bummed that I didnt get to finish it.  I was really enjoying everyone's story.

__________________________

The Booish Life of Nina Hill

Abbi Waxman

**** / Really Liked it

Quick Summary: A book loving Nina discovers a family she never knew existed & learns to deal with finding a new side of herself.

I won this book on a Goodreads giveaway & so glad I did because I had seen other people get it for a preview & loved it.

Put me on that train - I loved it too.

How can I not love a red head gal that loves books, works in a book store, lives  her life by her planner, loves trivia & random facts & is awkward in so many ways. Whose been watching me????

It's a very predictable book - not a lot of shock & awe here.  Nina got on my nerves at time with the way she handled her relationship with Tom.  It's not the most gripping story - but its easy & cute.
A totally perfect weekend or beach read.

In the end:  Nina is my book & planning soul sister, for sure.

"Thursday night was reading night, the best night. She had a routine: She left work, she picked up dinner, she got home, she ate, she showered, she put on pajamas & special fluffy socks that she preheated in the microwave, & then she curled up in her enormous chair & read until her eyes crossed"

______________________________________

What's been your favorite Summer reading so far?

The weekend Netflix held all my attention. Thanks Stranger Things.

Happy Monday!!!

Did everyone enjoy their 4th of July weekend?  I know a lot of people got a 4 day weekend... & to all of you that did get that, I say,  I'm so jealous!!!

It just felt all sorts of messed up going into work for a Friday after a Thursday off.  Let's look at the bright side.  I stopped at McDonalds for an Egg McMuffin (no canadian bacon) & iced coffee & there was zero, zippo wait.  I even got to work 20 minutes early.  & got a parking spot on the second floor.  There was also no one out at lunch & the drive home was equally as empty.  & to add onto it all, I was so super busy, the day flew by.  While all the good, I still wish it were a 4 day weekend.

Oh well... life just hands you weird holiday days some years.  What can you do?

Friday when I got home, we ended up having left overs & Ricky & I some how got  stuck on the couch watching that show on Netflix called Awake.

It's where people go 24 hours with no sleep. & the whole time, they're in a room counting quarters.  The goal is to be accurate & to count a LOT of quarters. Like people are counting like $20,000 - $40,000 in QUARTERS.  Can you even imagine??? But then they have to do these different tasks to narrow it down to one person who has to risk it all on their counting. It's pretty interesting actually.  They have to do things like thread needles, balance things, do fine motor skills... all of this, again, with 24 hours of no sleep.

I love the people that are a little slap happy - that would be me. 100%

Poor Ricky had to tap out though around 9pm to get to bed... he had to work on Saturday.

I usually get up when he leaves on Saturday & get my house spic & Span clean when he works.  God bless the eye mask blocking out all the light & I guess I was really out because I didnt even hear Ricky leave & I slept in till 8:30. YAHOO!  NICE!  Harvey loved it too - he's my weekend cuddler.  Ernie? Not so much - he wants to play all the time.

I then laid in bed & watched some more Gossip Girl, got caught up on the latest Handmaids Tale (all the rage!!!!!!!) & then I got up & did clean ... some.... a little.

Ricky got home & got working on some things, & I had one mission ... get started on Stranger Things 3.

I went into it thinking I was going to watch 1 - MAYBE 2 - episodes so I could try & drag it out for a few days.  But DANG IT - every episode ended with an ending that I was like, "Nope - got to watch the next one"...

I did take a break to go over to my mom's & we sat on the front porch & talked for a few hours & then I took care of the horses & then headed back home to finish up the whole season.

 It was nearly 1am but I couldnt stop watching it.  SO GOOD!  I'm holding back all my thoughts on it so I dont spoil anything... but 2 things that don't spoil anything & if you are going to watch it -

1. you'll love Dustin & Steve back together again!  They are the best duo!  THE BEST!!! I still say they need their own show together.

& 2. Erica is the best new member of the gang. She made me cackle laugh.  Her sassy pants was just a great new addition to the show for some relief of tension

That's what this show does so well too - make you CRACK up laughing & then the next minute, grip your fist in anticipation & then rip your heart out the next.

& now, we have to wait another, what? YEAR? for season 4... there BETTER be a season 4.

Backing up... it was so funny when I was over at mom's taking care of the horses.  Dad's big thing was rainbows just for no reason - hence the one picture I have of him with the horse with a huge rainbow over them.  So when I was leaving my mom's to head home, it had just started sprinkling. Not even sprinkling... just like a misty sort of thing in the air - for about 5 minutes.  ... when I drove home, I looked over the corn field down the road & look what I saw - a full rainbow.  I just had to laugh.  I truly felt like dad sent that for me.  Sure - there's weather reasons for it & I know rainbows are a Biblical sign from Jesus - but nope, this rainbow was from my daddy.  I have no doubt.

Sunday, I slept in again with being up so late with Netflix so I just stayed home from church.  I spent the morning in bed watching more Gossip Girl & finishing a hat I'd started a few days ago.

I also found another project I was working on - a shawl - & I'm just wondering what to do with all my knitted stuff.  I'm thinking about maybe trying to look into our little local fall craft show & maybe getting a table in it?... I'm going to ponder on that & see how much inventory I have. Could be fun.

I also was shocked waking up to hear the news about the Cameron Boyce passing away.  Ricky had been on the computer & said, 'A 20 year old Disney star died" - he told me the name & I couldnt think who that was. I went to Instagram & gasped. CRUELLA'S SON! ... I may be in my 40's but I love the concept of the Descendants & always love the movies.  I remember him as well as being Adam Sandler's son on Grown Ups. Just so sad. 20 years old & gone.  That's just heart breaking to think of such a young soul gone & all the life he wont get to experience.  His poor family.... just another reminder that tomorrow is not promised to anyone.

I did spent some time with Jesus even though I stayed home - did my Bible study....

& then went over to my mom's & took her to the store.  & then, more horse time.

Before you know it, the weekend is all over with... & I have no more Stranger Things to watch. Sigh.

Here's to a new week though. Full of bigger & better things - right?

Did you get a 4 day weekend?

How do you think you'd do on that game show with no sleep for 24 hours?

Did you watch Stranger Things? (Email me & let's chat!!!)