Thursday morning...

...and we're still not to DHS. Sigh...keep praying.

It's Tuesday morning...

...and we have a medical certificate. I don't know when things will go to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) but will keep you posted as I hear any news. We did the birth parent interview in June of '07 and I've been in regular contact with DHS since then to ask for extensions (which they've always graciously given) and to keep them updated on our file but I don't know for sure if they will ask for any other paperwork or DNA testing. We'll see.

Nothing much

Hey, we're still here. Not much going on though. I worked today then came home, ate something, watched Funny Home Videos and fell asleep. I'm bushed for some reason. Could be that I didn't sleep well last night.

Both of the girls have been going to a theater arts day camp for the last couple weeks. R is working as an intern and A is attending. They have one more week to go. Then A has about a week and a half until school starts. Zoiks! R doesn't go back until the end of August.

T is gathering supplies and getting ready to build a carport of sorts for the camper. It's a "Sacajemama port". He also fixed someone's computer over the weekend. Busy guy.

We're praying for good adoption news for Monday and the rest of the week too.

Fibro= boo-hiss

Okay, remember that recent post where I said I hadn't had "fibro flu" in like 5 weeks. I had it last Monday but just chalked it up to working, leading music and getting ready for VBS. I had it today. Fibro kicked my butt today. I had given up the doxycycline earlier this week or maybe over last weekend, I can't remember for sure, as I had seen no further results other than the missing fibro flu and I was tired of the stomach stuff that goes along with antibiotics. I worked two days in a row (I usually only work two or three days a week) and we were really busy today besides some other stresses going on in life so maybe that's what it was. We'll see.

In other news, they did not get the medical certificate for J yet because he "has to do X-ray" and the results should be available on Monday and then on to Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS). Sigh...I'm assuming that the x-ray is a chest x-ray to check for TB as a lot of the kids are given a vaccination that makes them test positive for TB. I don't know for sure though. Keep praying.

J

Here is a pic of J talking to his daddy and telling him about the passport.

T got to see the actual passport when the O worker held it up for him. J was excited and said we could come get him now. T mentioned the paper and the visa that we had to get yet and J cried, which just about made T cry. But hopefully, prayerfully it will be soon. Please, Lord, let it be soon.

It's Friday afternoon...

...and we have one of these...

...with J's pic and name in it. Thank you God.

It's Wed. evening...

...and we still have no passport. But, the computer at the passport office says it's done, just not available for pick up. Our O director said that often times the passport office waits until it has several printed before they take them to the distribution center for pick up. The O worker will keep checking. So, Mr. C, if you are reading this you may just be right about the Thursday passport. We'll see.

Please check out the Livesay's blog and if you haven't already or if you'd like to again, please support her in her marathon run for Medika Mamba. Go to their blog ( www.livesayhaiti.blogspot.com ) and check out the pics of Renald and then look deep into your hearts and your wallets (or checkbooks, whatever) and help support the Medika Mamba program. Tara is running a marathon. A marathon, y'all. That's 26.2 miles. Zoiks! And she's training for it in 97+ degree heat with 97% humidity (uphill both ways). Please, check it out.

It's Wed. morning...

...and no word yet on a passport. Huge sigh...are you praying? I am.

No passport and trip pics

We still don't have a passport for J. It makes no sense to me. It would be depressing if I let it be. I've seen so many others who started the process way after we did who are close to bringing their kids home or are already home and I don't understand why we are still waiting. We are at 46 months now of waiting. I have to believe that God has a plan and that He has it in control. My job is not to understand the "why's" but to praise God anyway.

I was obviously sad and frustrated when we got the "no passport yet" email. But I decided to be thankful about the good stuff. So here's a thankful list. I'm thankful that we had a nice little camping trip. I'm thankful that T is so resourceful and smart about fixing things, specifically the camper. I'm thankful for the nice time we had to spend with family and friends. I'm thankful for the little bit of rain last night and this morning as we really need it. I'm thankful for the kids who played in the "mostly music" worship service this morning. They did a good job and blessed many people.

Okay, here are the trip pics. We camped in NE Georgia, near a Swiss Alps inspired town called Helen. Nice area. It is close to a state park and national park and also to Dahlonega, which was a very interesting place and had a cute town square. This first pic is of me and Wilbur. Isn't he cute?

My parents in one of "those" things. Aren't they cute? BTW, they also had an old timey picture taken. It was their first and they enjoyed having that done.

Ahh, 22 years and still looking at the love in each other's eyes. Oh wait, we're wearing sunglasses.

The youngsters, R and her bf (his name starts with J too so I refer to him as R's bf so as not to confuse with our son, J).

Helen, GA.

We did a lot of driving one day hoping to find a place to picnic and hike to a waterfall. It turned out that we did a lot of driving and very little hiking but we did find a nice little picnic spot. Then we started our 1/2 mile hike and came to this river.

Here are the teens in a clump of trees.

Oh yes, the waterfall was beautiful and worth all the driving and the little hike.


R's bf is going into the army and he found a great army store that he liked. Several of the stores had airsoft guns. He bought a few of them. (T bought one too) Here is R and bf posing with the guns.



Another little falls on the side of the road.

The campground had a stocked fishing pond and everyone did a little fishing. There were a lot of little fish. T caught one and couldn't get it off the hook so he stuck it back in the water while I got a pliers. When I came back with the tool he was trying to reel the little guy back in and said it was giving much more fight than before. Then he said he thought he'd caught another one. I was like, yeah right. But the pole was bent over quite a bit and he was struggling a bit. This is why.

Yeah, a large mouth bass swallowed the first fish and T caught a nice one. Here is the little one in the mouth of the big one. How weird is that?

Well, that's our trip in pics. Please keep praying for a passport for J. Tomorrow would be a good day to get a passport. I'd be just fine with that.

Still nothing

We still haven't heard anything about a passport. We're still having a pretty good time though.

Nothing yet

We have no passport yet that we know of. Huge sigh...

We are having a nice time anyway. The camper pulled well and Big Momma did great. Oh, we decided to call the camper "Sacajamama". T did not vote.

Happy 4th

Update; we still have no passport. The passport office requested another paper and the O worker turned it in to them and they said to check next week. So discouraging.

Happy 4th of July, happy Independence day, whichever you prefer. We had a party last night and we are going camping next week so today will mostly consist of preparing the camper, though we may go to the drive-in this evening. We'll see. Speaking of the camper here she is in her finished glory. Didn't T do a good job?

You know how we name our vehicles? When we were driving home with the camper I was thinking about names. I thought of "Tawanda" first but T said we were not naming it that. Hmmm. Then I thought of "Miss Daisy" because we were "Driving Miss Daisy" (hey, I don't know. That's just how my mind works). Then I thought about the feather on the logo and thought of Native American names. I guy I used to work with referred to Sacajawea as Sacajemima and I thought it would be fun to call it that. T said he would never remember that. Then we were riding down the road and I said, "Let's call it Ruth! 'Whither thou goest, I goest.'" I thought that was brilliant. None of the names has really stuck yet though. What do you think we should call it?

No picture post would be complete without pet pics. Here is R trimming Choji's nails.

Misty loves to sleep half in the window and half on the entertainment center. Her belly jells down between the two.

She also loves to lay on the steps. She has one in particular that she likes the most.

She wants to know why we are pointing that thing in her face and making flashy lights in her eyes. Oh the things she has to put up with.
Here is Choji again but this time he's winking at us.

And a couple of pics from last night's party. This didn't turn out very well but I liked the way my mom's red, white and blue lights showed up in the dark. It's better on the big pic.Not the best pic but T and R's boyfriend set off a nice little fireworks show.
No passport yet that we know of. It's been 46 months since beginning the paper chase. Keep praying.

fibromyalgia

Update; Dominie's website has been invaluable to me for fibromyalgia info. She also has info on Chronic Fatigue and a few other things. If you have fibro or suspect fibro, check it out. http://www.fms-help.com/homepage.htm

I've been doing an experiment of sorts with my fibro. I was dx'd about 5 years ago and it took about 5 1/2 years to get dx'd. My general symptoms are tired; sleep disturbances; tight, weak muscles; a bruised feeling in several places in my body; hips, shoulders and knees are often achy, my hips being the worst; I have heart palpitations and chest pain, particularly in the heat; not being able to come up with the right word, particularly nouns (known as fibro fog); along with several other things but the ones I listed are the worse for me. On top of that I got what I call "fibro flu" where I feel achy all over, have a sore throat and sometimes a low grade fever and just feel like I'm coming down with the flu, sometimes multiple times in a week. That seems like it is triggered by too much activity and stress but once I sleep through the night I'm okay the next day.

After reading this; The data suggest that many infections may trigger CFIDS/FMS or that CFIDS and FMS may cause immune suppression--which then sets you up to catch a whole bunch of different infections which the body has trouble clearing. This is why it is important to treat all of the underlying processes simultaneously.
Testing for These Infections
Do not even bother checking IgG or IgM testing for these. PCR testing can be helpful, but be aware that even with the best laboratories, it is not uncommon to have a false-negative report--where you have the infection but it does not show up on the test. There are good arguments for not doing the tests and simply going ahead and treating the patients empirically if they have fevers, lung congestion or pustular scalp lesions. If they feel better after 2-4 months on the treatment, then you know you are hitting an infection and you can always intermittently stop the treatment to see how long they will need it. Also, there are many infections that are not tested for with these tests that would be effectively treated with the regimens that we are discussing. Many of these are likely to be infections that we don't even know exist. Because of this, if resources are limit* Doxycycline or minocycline, usually at dosages of 100 milligrams 2 times a day. These two antibiotics are in the tetracycline family. They are very effective against a number of unusual organisms (including, at times, Lyme disease). They should not be given to children under eight years old because they can cause permanent staining of the teeth.
Although all of these antibiotics can be effective, it is not uncommon for infections that are sensitive to the erythromycin antibiotics (Zithromax or Biaxin) to be resistant to tetracycline antibiotics (doxycycline, minocycline) and Cipro, and vice-versa. Therefore, it is best to try either doxycycline or Cipro first. If they are not effective, then try the Zithromax or Biaxin. The antibiotic should be taken for at least six months. If there is no improvement in ~2-4 months, switch to or add the other antibiotic or simply stop the treatment. It is helpful to check for low-grade fevers. As mentioned earlier, I am more likely to use antibiotics for CFIDS patients who have temperatures over 98.6[degrees]F, even if it is only 98.8[degrees]F (I consider 98.8[degrees]F a fever because CFIDS/FMS patients usually have low body temperatures). If the fever decreases with the antibiotic, it suggests that the patient does have one of these nonviral infections and that the antibiotic is helping. This would encourage me to continue the antibiotic trial--even if it takes up to 18 months to see an improvement in their symptoms.

And this; Fibromyalgia means that a previously healthy person develops unexplained exhaustion, fatigue and muscle aches and pains that last for more that six months; all blood tests are normal and doctors can’t find a cause. One recent report shows that a large number of people who were diagnosed with having fibromyalgia really had polymyalgia rheumatica, which does have abnormal blood tests. A recent report shows that many sufferers have low spinal fluid levels of vitamin B12 can be treated with 1000mcg of B12 each day. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia should be made only after all other causes have been ruled out. Many infections can cause fatigue and muscle pain. The evaluation should include tests for infectious diseases; such as Lyme disease and Hepatitis B or C, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis or the helicobacter that causes stomach ulcers; autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis; hidden cancers such as those of the breast and prostate; hormonal diseases such as low thyroid; or side effects from a medication or illicit drug. Around 20 percent will be depressed. Most people miss work and complain of illness long before their diagnosis, but the majority will not have a known cause. Chronic fatigue means that the primary symptom is exhaustion, but most also have constipation and diarrhea. Fibromyalgia usually means that muscle and joint pains are major symptoms, but muscle biopsies are normal, pressure points are not reproducible and ultra sound is normal. Multiple chemical sensitivities mean that patients think that their symptoms are caused by factors in their environment or they consult doctors who think the same thing. Untreated, the symptoms that that lead to any of these diagnoses will usually continue in adults for the rest of their lives. I have prescribed doxycycline 100-mg twice a day for several months, and sometimes azithromycin 500-mg twice a week, and some of my patients get better. However, this treatment is not accepted by most doctors. Please check with your doctor.

And this; Multiple mycoplasmal infections detected in blood of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia syndrome.Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 1999 Dec;18(12):859-65"The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of different mycoplasmal species in blood samples from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and/or fibromyalgia syndrome. Previously, more than 60% of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia syndrome were found to have mycoplasmal blood infections, such as Mycoplasma fermentans infection. In this study, patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia syndrome were examined for multiple mycoplasmal infections in their blood. A total of 91 patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome/fibromyalgia syndrome and with a positive test for any mycoplasmal infection were investigated for the presence of Mycoplasma fermentans, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma hominis and Mycoplasma penetrans in blood using forensic polymerase chain reaction. Among these mycoplasma-positive patients, infections were detected with Mycoplasma pneumoniae (54/91), Mycoplasma fermentans (44/91), Mycoplasma hominis (28/91) and Mycoplasma penetrans (18/91). Multiple mycoplasmal infections were found in 48 of 91 patients, with double infections being detected in 30.8% and triple infections in 22%, but only when one of the species was Mycoplasma pneumoniae or Mycoplasma fermentans. Patients infected with more than one mycoplasmal species generally had a longer history of illness, suggesting that they may have contracted additional mycoplasmal infections with time."
Mycoplasma blood infection in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia syndromes.Rheumatol Int. 2003 Sep; 23(5): 211-5. Epub 2003 Jul 16."Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are characterised by a lack of consistent laboratory and clinical abnormalities. Although they are distinguishable as separate syndromes based on established criteria, a great number of patients are diagnosed with both. In studies using polymerase chain reaction methods, mycoplasma blood infection has been detected in about 50% of patients with CFS and/or FMS, including patients with Gulf War illnesses and symptoms that overlap with one or both syndromes. Such infection is detected in only about 10% of healthy individuals, significantly less than in patients. Most patients with CFS/FMS who have mycoplasma infection appear to recover and reach their pre-illness state after long-term antibiotic therapy with doxycycline, and the infection can not be detected after recovery. By means of causation and therapy, mycoplasma blood infection may permit a further subclassification of CFS and FMS. It is not clear whether mycoplasmas are associated with CFS/FMS as causal agents, cofactors, or opportunistic infections in patients with immune disturbances. Whether mycoplasma infection can be detected in about 50% of all patient populations with CFS and/or FMS is yet to be determined

I asked my GP to read these and a few more similar articles and he did. Together we made the decision to try the doxycycline. I'm taking 200mg once a day. He's letting me try it for 3 months and see what happens and then we'll go from there. I've been on it for almost 2 months and now and the thing that's different is I haven't had "fibro flu" in almost 5 weeks. I've not had any low grade fevers either. I don't expect it to cure my fibro but I wouldn't have guessed that it would do something to the fibro flu and unexplained fevers. I'm not saying this would help everyone with fibromyalgia and I'm certainly not saying all those with fibro should try it, I'm just telling my experience with doxy so far. Thankfully I have an understanding doc who is willing to think outside the box with me. Like I said, I never would have guessed that it would affect the fibro flu and fevers but after about 3 weeks or so of being on doxy I was thinking, hey, I haven't had fibro flu this week and I've had plenty of activity and stress to trigger it. Then I started paying attention and I didn't have it any more after that either. Weird. You take the doxy on an empty stomach and it makes me feel a little puny or have stomach pain until I eat something. I'm also taking acidophilis to help put "good bacteria" back where it belongs. And that's my fibromyalgia and doxycycline story so far.

Still nothing

As of this morning we still don't have a passport that we know of. Please pray.