Kitchen Makeover

Okay, so I am aware that my master bathroom reveal is long overdue (trust me, it will be good when it finally comes!), but in the meantime, I have started another project: our kitchen!  At long last!  We are not doing the major overhaul that I had originally wanted to do, but what we did decide on is painting the cabinets to brighten up the space and get rid of that builder-grade look, as well as new countertops, sink and backsplash!  

The cabinets are not completely finished, but here is a little sneak peek anyway...

The Art of Meeting Your Own Needs

Okay, so I started a 12-day cycle of medication last week to help ease my aching joints, and one thing my rheumatologist said has stuck in my head ever since: one side effect is that you will likely be crazy when you are on it. like crazy, crazy.  Um, okay.  Not the worst side effect I can think of, but certainly a mysterious and somewhat creepy one, if I'm honest.  But okay, I can handle this.  It's only 12 days.  Right?

Well, as far as I can tell, I haven't become crazy yet (or not any crazier than usual, ha!) and I am 7 days in, so that must be a positive sign.  What it has led me to do is get all up in my head in a different way.  A way that is related to my needs, or how to go about meeting them, to be more exact.

Over the years I have really honed in on exactly what it is that I need to be happy.  Body, mind, and spirit.  And though they are relatively easy-ish things to accomplish and incorporate into my daily life, they don't always happen.  Far less often than I care to admit actually. (anyone else?)

Mini Life Update

I realized after a few questions I received that I hadn't updated everyone on the latest with my knee, hips, etc. so for those asking, here is what we know.  For those that aren't asking, feel free to stop reading here. I won't be offended!

Last week I was finally diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, though which one still remains a mystery.  My rheumatologist's best guess?  Rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis.  I also have achilles tendinitis, which explains the painful situation going on in my right heel for the past 4 or 5 months.

My knee has been suffering quite badly with more cysts, so I have been put on a brief stint of medicine to kick that back into shape, and hopefully help my hip pain in the process.  Over the next several months we will try a few different medicines (that will only target RA for instance) to see if my body responds.  The hope is this will help us get a full, proper diagnosis.  Once I have that, I intend to try any (and all!) natural solutions I can find to keep things feeling good.  I have heard that these medications can be quite harsh on your body, and for someone who prefers to not take medicine in general, my hope is that I can find a natural solution that works for me!  Although all of our questions haven't been answered, we have ruled out the potential of any sort of mechanical problems, and just knowing that it is an autoimmune disorder is huge progress!