Meniere's Syndrome...What The?

About 18 months ago I started to notice that whenever I was stressed out (like trying to figure out where we were going to end up for law school, sell a house in a really bad market, find an elementary school where there wasn't a medal detector and so forth and so forth) I would loose my hearing in my left ear...huh, what did you say? Sorry just had to throw that one in. I would get a high pitched ringing in my ear and the little hearing I did have would sound horrible. Imagine, if you will, standing in a tunnel, I am thinking Lincoln Tunnel in New York, just for an example, trying to have a conversation...ya, it was that bad. But again, imagine for a moment, that in my right ear, everything was fine...Needless to say talking and listening was excruciating. But then imagine, if you will, one more time, how horrendous being in a large room, with lots of background noise and trying to carry on a conversation that consisted more of me saying "I'm sorry can you repeat that, I can't HEAR you...literally." Most people gave up and I stopped talking...ya, I know every bodies wish.

I went to an ENT the first time it happened and all he told me was "Well, not really sure what to tell you...oh, by the way, your $1500 bill is in the mail." Thanks, great...nice knowing YA. I gave up.

Jump to a month ago. My hearing went out again (usually it would last anywhere from 2-5 days) but this time it lasted 3 weeks...yes, I said 3 WEEKS. I was panicked as I thought that I would loose my hearing forever. I finally decided I was going to demand an answer and not except "sorry...but your bill is in the mail" and a shrug. These people go to school for 8 freaking years I couldn't believe that I was the only one that this happened too. So one thing lead to another and after a CT scan (normal), an MRI (it's not a TUMOR), and a visit to an audiologist (left ear, I have the hearing of a 50 year old, right ear, I have the hearing of a 20 year old...see I really am supposed to be 30...okay 32) I finally have a diagnosis...Meniere's Syndrome.

Meneire's Syndrome... (go to Wikipedia if you want to find out more about it from a scientific view point) well basically it means that people's hearing comes and goes and it can depend on diet and stress. I do take medication for it...a low dosage of a diaretic (it keeps the ears liquid free and other such parts liquid free) and I am on a diet call CATS: I can only eat DOG, just kidding! It stands for: (and these are things to avoid) Caffeine...goodbye Coke, I really do love you, Alcohol...check, Tobacco...check, check, Salt...ya, I am not so sure I can leave you. I should have a diet that consists of 1500 mg of salt a day. I am pretty sure that a large fry from McDonald's has about 4500 mg of salt so I am in for a big change.

I am looking at the positive, this will help me get healthy and stay healthy. Well, I just wanted you all to know that after 18 months of wondering if I am a freak show, and you know who you are, I am! Here is to happy hearing!

Hmm... chilly? no... frosty? Not quite there. Bitter frosty? Wintry arcticness? Frozen iciness? How about Wintfroschillarcbitteezingness cold? I'm trying to find the right words that describes Omaha right now and they are all failing miserably. Weather.com says that Omaha is 2°F (-17° C) right now. But it also says that right now in Omaha, that it "Feels Like -21°F"!!!! That is -30° Celsius!! My-tongue-is-frozen-to-the-top-of-my-mouth cold! My-teeth's-teeth-are-chattering cold! I-have-marrowcicles-for-bone-marrow cold! Get the picture?

The Quintessential Potter Christmas Pic

Jim captured Noah when he was about 22 months old checking out this little Christmas tree we had set up in the kitchen. Noah, at the time, had no idea that Jim was taking pictures of him and was totally lost and transfixed by this little tree. Still to this day, many years later, I will look at this picture and think about the spirit of Christmas, from a child's perspective.

Noah and Elijah's Holiday Program

Elijah after the show...pulling his rock star look.

Singing his little heart out.

Smiling for the camera before the singing.

Noah singing his little heart out as well.

Noah before the show.

On Friday, the 12th, both Noah and Elijah performed their Holiday Program at their elementary school, Bancroft Elementary. It was really cute...each class sang two songs and then the next class would march out and sing their two songs. Noah and Elijah had a lot of fun learning their songs. In fact, Elijah has been singing his Christmas songs to me for the last two months so I sang along with his class. Noah on the other hand was TOP SECRET...he would not tell me what songs his class would be singing nor would he sing them for me. Great job, my budding Rock Stars!

Just My Boys

Who is mister grumpy pants?

I love this one of these two...they weren't fighting! Notice the eyes, they have the same eyes.

Our little man.

Since I had the camera out last night, I was loading the pictures from Spencer's show, I decided to take some more pictures of the boys. I am still trying to figure the camera-contraption out, since it is more complicated than raising children. Anyway here are a few.

Spencer the Sheep

We just got back from Spencer's Christmas Program...and yes, it was actually called a Christmas program as opposed to a 'Holiday' Program and the kids acted out the story of Jesus' birth. I know, shocking, but that is what you get when you send your child to a private, Catholic, pre-school...they can actually be religious without offending, I love it! Spencer played the part of the sheep and did a great job, watch out Hollywood here comes Spencer!

For The Record

First of all, I do know how to spell Elijah's name...see I just spelt it right, however I failed to spell it right on our Christmas Card as some of you may have noticed...okay like the 6...okay scratch that, the 3 people who read this may have noticed. So let me clear the air. I wasn't planning on sending out Christmas Cards this year but then I realized that some of you may not see us for a while and may want to gawk at how much weight I have gained or gawk at the fact that my boys are becoming little men. Whatever the reason, I decided to print them up at the last minute. So I hurried off to Costco, which is not like Utah...there isn't a Costco at every street corner, there is only 1 and it is about 10 miles away. I had exactly an hour to put my order in and get Spencer back home to make his carpool. So in my haste, I spelt Elijah's name wrong...The original card read "Elian" feel free to use that name in the naming of children in the future, just give me the credit. When I saw the finished product, I started to get choked up because I couldn't believe what had happened. The kind gentlemen, and I am pretty sure this would NOT have happened in Utah, told me he would reprint them even though it was my fault, at no extra charge. He printed them out again, in 10 minutes time, and when he handed them to me I couldn't believe that it had happened AGAIN...Elijan...who the heck is Elijan and why is he on my Christmas Card. I couldn't say anything about it as the man was so nice and it was clearly my fault again, so I put on my best 'Oscar worthy face' and said they looked great and walked out. So that is it, the worst mother EVER as I can't even spell my own child's name however Spencer did make it to pre-school on time...he just didn't have the right shoes on nor his backpack.

Santa At The Gardens

Elijah and Spencer in their antler hats...Noah was to cool for school to make some.
Noah looking at the fish instead of Santa...so if you don't get anything from Santa...well?
Elijah and Spencer after Santa

I took the boys to see Santa Claus at The Botanical Gardens yesterday and wanted to share some pictures. Notice Noah is not in the Santa pictures, he wanted to see the fish instead...big surprise!

Mom and Baby

When we were getting ready to head back East this summer, Jim purchased a nice camera for all those 'Kodak moments' After freaking out about the cost, he then told me that the camera was mine...right, does your husband ever do that...buy him something that he wants then justifies the cost by 'giving' it to you. Anyway, since this is my camera, I thought I better start using it and so here are a few pictures I took with a camera that Jim bought for himself but was a gift for me. This is of my sister and her baby.

Oh My Frigged Cold

Okay, I just have to complain for a moment...anybody who knows me well, knows that I hate cold weather...I really hate it...with a passion. And anybody who has lived in the great state of Nebraska will tell you that it is cold here...really cold...cold with a passion cold. But how does one dress to kill the chill? Well, maybe this will help guide you in the face of coldness. Elijah is wearing two shirts, a sweatshirt and a coat that re-defines 'puffy', a hat with two layers, and gloves. Noah is wearing three shirts, a hoody and a coat that re-defines 'puffy', his Jazz hat as well as his hoody hat and gloves. Now tell me again why global warming is a bad thing?