It’s amazing what all can happen in a short amount of time. Just two days I shared my last blog post in October, my beautiful Mitsubishi Outlander, that has been with me since college, officially bit the dust.
While Chris and I were driving on the freeway.
We like to live on the edge.
Needless to say, we opted for a new car since my Outlander would need a completely new engine, and we couldn’t justify putting that kind of money into an older vehicle. 12 years, 175,000 miles, numerous road trips, endless car dance parties and karaoke sessions, some tough times and tears, an insane amount of laughter, and surprisingly, it required very little maintenance. It’s time to move on, but I’ll never forget you, little red. Now, let’s make some memories, Chevy Equinox!
(2007 & 2019)
Health Update
Once we got over the shock of having to spend money on a car payment each month, less than a month later I ended up in the hospital.
Again, we like to live life on the edge.
At the beginning of November, I became extremely dizzy and nauseous, barely able to stand, and I couldn’t keep any food or drink down. Chalking it up to food poisoning and/or vertigo (or, gasp… Pregnancy…) I grabbed some over-the-counter motion sickness medicine, and called it a day. My headache and dizziness only got worse, and so did the nausea (think: The Exorcist… projectile… every 5 minutes) I couldn’t move my head or any part of my body without getting sick and I could barely walk. I went to CareNow, where they prescribed me a higher dosage of the anti-dizzy meds… which did not help at ALL. The following Saturday, Chris took me to the ER because I had just gotten worse, and I stayed in the hospital for a few nights, and went through hours of MRIs and tests. (Spoiler alert, I’m not pregnant.)
Back in early 2018, you might remember that I had a scare where I went numb on my right side, and it stretched from my back to my toes, prompting several MRIs and tests. But because I’ve had no previous health concerns or problems, the doctors had nothing to compare my MRIs to, so they wanted to keep an eye on everything going forward, stop working an exorbitant amount of hours, and insisted that find a less stressful job (buh-bye waterpark!) and maintain a calm lifestyle. (Is there such thing?) Well, here we are now with a new MRI and a new “episode/attack.”
There were things on the most recent MRI that the neurologist wants to keep an eye on, but nothing so dire that they wanted to keep me in the hospital for more days/nights.
After all of this, and a very informative visit with my neurologist, I was told I have all the signs and symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (aka MS).
The diagnosis hit me like a ton of bricks.
Currently, I have no limitations or restrictions to my lifestyle, diet, or daily activities, although I need to avoid high stress situations, and really hot showers… This is an extremely common auto-immune disease, and some people live their entire life with very few or no symptoms at all. For some, it’s completely debilitating. Currently, I have periodic migraines, but I have medicine to help with that. But with how quickly medicine is progressing and improving, I have no doubt that we can treat my symptoms and I can continue living a joyful, active, “normal” life. So, here’s to more follow-ups and more MRIs in 2020! (If you’re like I was, and have NO idea what MS is, check out this one of MANY helpful and informative sites: https://mymsaa.org/ms-information/overview/)
Thank you for all of the kind words & prayers through all of these shenanigans. This started out as absolute hell, and it was the sickest I’ve ever been, so everyone’s encouragement and prayers got me through this, as well as my personal conversations with Jesus, and trying to stay optimistic and positive, I got through the initial sickness and I’ll just keep going! I will NOT let this define me. I’m still the same girl… just a little clumsier 😉
If anything I’ve learned from this… people can appear “normal” on the outside, but hurting deeply on the inside, whether it be physical, mental, or psychological. Be kind, patient, and understanding to everyone you meet. We’re all fighting SOME kind of battle.
A Few of My Favorite Things
StitchFix
I got back into the swing of getting my “fixes,” and I’m currently scheduled to receive a box every other month. Best part is I can make the schedule and I’m not obligated; I order as I go! If you haven’t tried it, you’re missing out. Use my referral link if you want to try it out – You’ll get $25 off! stitchfix.com/invite/chelseylamar?sod=i&som=s
NEW: You can actually shop on the StitchFix app now! You can purchase your previously purchased items in different colors or patterns, based on what’s available, of course. AND you can purchase items to pair with previously purchased items, as well! Like in the photo below, I purchased the purple shirt, and I have the option to purchase the cardigan, pants, shoes, and earrings! Score!
Amazon Fresh
Some days I’d rather eat dirt than have to go to the grocery store. That’s where Amazon Fresh comes in! I tried it out for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and I was very impressed. The order came exactly when it said it would, and all of the food was fresh and in good condition! I was also pleasantly surprised by the prices – All of the items were lower in price than those at a grocery store… so that was another big plus.
Netflix Movies
I’ve always loved apocalyptic/world disaster movies (sorry not sorry), and Chris and I have watched a couple, with a couple more in our queue:
“The Silence” – It’s “Bird Box” meets “A Quiet Place.” It’s a good one, and anyone who loves Stanley Tucci will enjoy this movie.
“How it Ends” – Don’t waste your time. A lot of lead-up to a dramatically disappointing (and open-ended) ending. Just don’t. SO many unanswered questions.
The following is not an apocalyptic/world disaster movie, but it’s worth mentioning because we LOVED it:
“Fortune Feimster: Sweet and Salty” – STOP EVERYTHING YOU’RE DOING AND WATCH IT NOW. This comedy special is EVERYTHING – Fortune is southern, sassy, relatable, and absolutely hilarious. Our stomachs hurt from laughing so much.
Maybelline Super Stay Matte Lipstick
By far my favorite drugstore matte lipstick. It truly lives up to its promise, and will stay on ALL night. You can find a wide selection of colors at Target, Walmart, and Ulta. (I think I have 8 different colors so far…)
Pro Tip: Purchase the Maybelline Super Stay Lipstick Remover stick to take the lipstick off at night before it can dry your lips out while you sleep! I also use this to remove any and all lipsticks, not just the Maybelline brand! It’s a game-changer.
FOOOOODS & Recent Recipes
I’m longing for warmer weather AND for the Daylight Saving Time to kick-in because I’m allll about longer days. In the meantime, though, Chris and I have truly enjoyed making all kinds of warm recipes in our InstantPot. Below are some of our favorites that we’ve made:
InstantPot Creamy Tomato Soup
Low-Carb Taco Soup
(I just adjusted this recipe to be prepared in the InstantPot)
Low-Carb Chicken Soup
Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken
(From the Keto in an Instant Cookbook)
Because I’m “so domestic” now, I’ve been experimenting with new recipes and ingredients, and coming up with meals on the fly. Just the other night I made SUPER easy…
Mini Zucchini Pizzas:
2 zucchini squash, cut into rounds
Olive oil
Butter, melted
Rao’s marina sauce
Mini pepperonis (or regular size, cut in quarters)
Oregano
Basil
Your choice of cheese (I used Italian mix and mild cheddar)
Grab a cookie sheet, and place a wire rack on the cookie sheet – This part is important because the rack elevates the zucchini, allowing them to crisp. Place all of the cut zucchinis on the rack, and coat each one with a little olive oil, and then butter. Sprinkle on whatever seasonings you’d like. Place a dollop of marinara on each, then add cheese, followed by as many pepperonis as you would like. Bake at 350 for about 7-10 minutes – Watch for the cheese to bubble on top.
YUM!
Lastly… Our Wedding Video
If you find yourself wanting to watch a beautifully created cinematic masterpiece, that just so happens to feature Chris and I…. watch our wedding video below:
Life is crazy, beautiful, ya know? Chris and I are doing as well as ever, Ellie girl is officially ONE, and full of insane amounts of energy. This year, we’re planning on purchasing our first house together, so I’m sure there will be an update to come on that soon. So far. this year has consisted of drinking copious amounts of wine, planning our next vacation, and living day-to-day in married bliss.
Until next time,
Chels
