The Bellwether Life

Author: The Bellwether Life

  • My 5 Must Have Flare-Up Essentials

    My 5 Must Have Flare-Up Essentials

    As mom’s we have a lot on our plates, weather it’s work, kids, spouses, house work, cooking etc. It’s never helps when your chronic illness decides to flare up. I don’t have this all figured out, and some days it is total chaos. However, here’s 5 things that help me and I hope they can help you too. Oh and if you have any secret tips you use I’d love to hear them!

    1.) Easy foods and snacks for the kids to grab without needing my help. They are old enough now to use the microwave and make themselves sandwiches. Besides going crazy from hearing “I’m Hungry” 4 million times a day, this is a big relief.

    Pre-washed fruits pictured with a few drops of Lemon Essential oil. Each child has their own bowl. Easy to grab snacks and each child has a separate bowl so they won’t fight, over that at least.

    2.) Having all my medications in a designated spot, and pre-filling my pill box makes my life easier daily, but it’s a relief knowing they are ready to go on my bad days.

    3.) Deep Blue Rub is a staple in our house, there is always an extra on hand. Deep Blue was designed to help soothe tired muscles and joints, and use essential oils with cooling and warming properties to help naturally comfort problem areas.

    Deep Blue Rub.

    4.) Heating Pad/Heated Blanket. When I’m feeling bad its nice to have these handy to help soothe all that ails me.

    5.) Grace. This one I think is most important of all, even though I don’t give myself nearly enough of it.

  • Facebook Memories Got Me In The Feels

    Facebook Memories Got Me In The Feels

    I love Facebook memories, some days it’s like pulling out an old album and reminiscing about the past. Other times like today, it made my heart ache.

    Last week during a telehealth appointment with my geneticist, She brought up again the stance she and my other specialists have agreed on which is me not having anymore children and thinking about permanent options.

    I already knew it wasn’t recommended but I had told myself that maybe it’d be an option as I healed further from my open heart surgery. However, hearing the doctor confirm other diagnosis kinda put the nail in the coffin so to speak, < sorry I’m a morbid freak but sarcasm and jokes help keep me sane.

    Now as I look back on memories of my daughters growing I wish I would have savored holding my youngest longer, now I can’t even pick her up anymore. I have so many different emotions and it’s so hard to find the right words to describe my feelings- I’m so lucky to be alive and to be here for my kids, but I’m still sad that I can’t be the same mom I was before I got sick.

    July beach trip last summer, 2 weeks before my open heart surgery. This is one of the last times I got to pick up Brooklyn.

    Memories have reminded me how I was one of those Pinterest moms who went all out for birthday parties and taught myself to sew all the cute boutique outfits. Finding a balance between what my mind wants to do and what my body will allow is a daily battle now and to be honest it sucks some days.

    Josh and I had always planned to try for another baby, hopefully a boy to complete our family. Life doesn’t always work out the way we plan for it to, Ive been through enough in my life that I already know this but, having this decision taken from me even though I know it’s for the best hurts.

    Writing down your thoughts can be so therapeutic and a way to process so many emotions. I hope sharing my feeling will help you not feel alone. Battling a chronic illness doesn’t have a manual for everyday life so we’ll have to figure it out together.

    With love, Amy

  • 5 Ways To Stay Healthy

    5 Ways To Stay Healthy

    I know it’s not always easy to just stay at home when you don’t feel good but, what may be a little cold to you could be severe in other people. Stay home and rest, especially now, we don’t have anywhere to go.

    We know this, so, lets just wash em’ more often. Try doTERRA’s Foaming Hand Soap, it’s our fave!

    Coughing and sneezing into your elbow helps to keep germs from flying out onto people or things. Having doTERRA Hand Sanitizing Mist is great to use while on the go germ fighter.

    This is such a hard habit to break, most people (me included) don’t even realize they are doing it.

    I’m going to pretend all y’all are little boys with cooties on the playground, no joke.

    You’ve heard these or similar other tips a lot lately, but they are good ways to stay healthy and strong no matter the season or pandemic. Along with the above tips I also diffuse On Guard regularly to help keep our immune systems strong (learn more about On Guard here) I also take doTERRA’s number 1 selling product: Lifelong Vitality Pack. These supplements are number one because they work- and they come with a 30 day money back guarantee. I’ll be making a post soon with more details on what makes LLV so special.

    With love, Amy

  • 10 Life Hacks For Chronically Ill Moms

    10 Life Hacks For Chronically Ill Moms

    My husband always says “work smarter, not harder” and even though I’m rolling my eyes at all of his dad jokes this one means more to me now. When I have limited amount of spoons I have to get creative with my methods- as long as the end goal is accomplished it doesn’t matter how it gets done, right!? So here’s 10 little things that help make my life just a little bit easier, I hope it helps you too.

    1. Most grocery stores offer curbside pickup and grocery delivery (Hello Kroger and Instacart). Being able to sit on the couch or lay in bed to grocery shop not only saves time, money and sanity for any mom but for the chronically ill mom it can mean saving valuable “spoons”.

    Not sure what I mean by spoons? Check out this graphic.

    • Lists! Brain fog isn’t fun, neither is forgetting to refill the medicines or pay the water bill. As part of my nightly routine I write down a quick list of things I need and WANT to do, I can then prioritize my tasks based on that day’s activities or errands.
    • Cooking and cleaning generally take up a lot of my spoons, but I have found ways to make it easier for myself. I quickly jot down in my notebook meal ideas for the week, these vary based on sales etc. Once I have a general idea of our meals, I can then order our groceries online. Having a plan makes my weeks so much easier!
    • I have a Pinterest board FULL of slow cooker recipes and they get even more use now, it doesn’t get any easier than throwing everything in one pot and 4-8 hours later dinners done.
    • Having healthy snacks options is a must, especially with kids, they are always hungry. Batch cooking is where its at. I can spend a day or so whipping up things, chopping veggies, etc. then I have pre-prepped for easy to grab snacks and ingredients for dinners.
    • I’ve been slowly organizing and decluttering our house as I feel like it. When we don’t have as much clutter and “stuff” taking up our space, the less cleaning I need to do. Its already hard enough to keep our house clean with a husband, 2 kids and a 60-pound dog.
    • We can’t do it all anymore, and its OK. My kids have shocked me on how well they can wash dishes, sweep and fold laundry. Having help allows me to spend more time playing Xbox or board games with them later.
    • Before my health took this unexpected turn, I was a sewing fanatic, my kids had matching outfits for every occasion. I was extra, I know. I can’t sew like I used to now but it’s still an important part of my life. Blocking out time to print patterns and cut fabric on one day, so I can have projects ready to sew on other days. Find ways to keep doing what you love, even if you must find new ways to do them.
    • Just because your body wont physically keep up doesn’t mean you have to sit idle in front of the TV on those bad days. Distractions can be a huge help during flare ups, reading or learning a new skill like painting, knitting, embroidery, writing or blogging can offer you something else to focus on.
    •  Give yourself grace. This is hard, life is hard, parenting is hard, marriage is hard. There’s no handbook for any of it, then you throw in chronic illness on top of it. Ask for help, say no more often, you’ve got this momma.

    Do you have any life hacks/tricks you wish someone would have shared sooner? Drop them in the comments!

    With love, Amy