News From the Deckard Tribe

My Shabbat dishes are waiting to be washed (we used them last night) but I wanted to show my makeshift china cabinet. I wanted to keep my special things in one place. Now our items (Seder plate, challah cover, challah board and knife, shabbat candles, havdalah candles, Zee's Torah scroll...)  are easily accessed and it makes the room look nice. I will post another picture on Facebook with my beautiful blue dishes once they are all washed. *(you can see the bowls in the corner on the second shelf.)


I've had a chance to enjoy some of Rabbi Lazer's teaching. His You Tube channel is awesome. If you look below, you'll see the link to my favorite Niggun (spiritual melody) right now. Even though Lazer is incredibly talented with song writing and playing music, his friend Shlomo Katz wrote this beautiful song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF2DFsgqNSs


Azariah is prepping for his TAKS test. Such a bunch of hooey if you ask me. But don't get me started.  Zee is having a play date right now and he's having a blast.

Tzipporah is growing so fast. She is so good at numbers and she loves to write all her family's names down. She made her own "heart day" cards for school, she decorated them and wrote everyone's names in them AND signed all of them (17 in all). 

 This may not be very exciting, but I am so proud of this! My spice cabinet is completely organized. I bought new lining as well. I have to do one small project at a time.

Now an update on my health.

Dr. Stewart took me off birth control. He put me on progesterone. I'm still on the Anti-Viral meds, B-12, cellular repair supplement, liquid vitamins, super foods and this nasty spray that boosts the immune system. I am slightly freaked out about not being on birth control. But it's not helping the viral neuropathy issues I'm having.

I had a weird relapse a few weeks ago. My left side was weakened again. So with the ice and snow, I went back to using my cane.

I'm starting to feel a bit stronger, but my spine is really causing me problems. I went in for a Thoracic MRI last week and I go see my neurosurgeon, Dr. Gentry. I am trying really hard not to take pain meds, but I'm at a constant pain level 7 without it. Then if I do anything like laundry, cleaning, sitting doing scrapbooking or sewing, I shoot up to a pain level 9. It's quite the challenge and I'm not sure what to do. Surgery doesn't always solve the problem. Dr. Stewart says that the progesterone will strengthen me and act as a natural steroid. So if I can strengthen my core, I think it might help deal with the pain issues. I will post an update of what Dr. Gentry says.

I only got the progesterone from Austin (made at a compound pharmacy, to Dr. Stewart's specifications) and I have only been on it for a week.

I really want to try and eat better. I eat way too much junk at work. I could do better. I miss the days when we were vegan. I did so much research to keep us healthy, complex carbohydrates and protein and iron and all that good stuff. I need to make the time to do this, but Avi is the cook, so I keep things simple. Simple and healthy? Not so much. He is always willing to do new things, so I am going to see what we can do.

 I splurged and bought myself this magazine. I haven't read it yet, but I'm so excited to.

And last but not least... We went from a timing belt replacement to needing a new engine. We decided to put more into the Escort since it's paid off and it's the type of car that can be quickly and "cheaply" maintained. Unlike our Taurus that is mainly computerized. So we paid our mechanic in order to replace the engine and he says he will be finished with it on Friday. So we will have 2 cars again! Praise God! YAY!