This past week, my 3rd nephew was born! William James Parnell Lindsay. Isn't he the cutest?
I LOVE this picture. He's going to be an awesome dad someday.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Timing
It's amazing how things end up. I'm in school for full time and working part time; Mark is working full time and playing video games. :)
We've been married for almost a year and we've been talking/praying about some grown up decisions. Whether or not to buy a house, where Mark wants to go to get his masters, what I will end up doing after school, when to have kids, etc.
Of course we had a plan of how things were going to work out and lately, we've realized that our plan was not the Lord's plan for us. This next year will be different that we expected but it will be what is best for us. We trust the Lord and know that He will always be there for us. It's amazing how much comfort that brings when you're headed into the unknown.
Anywho, onto some pictures from the last little while
We've really enjoyed having season tickets to this season. But next year we will definitely buy game by game. GO JAZZ!!
Combined YM/YW activity at the Olympic oval. He's learning
Valentine's dinner at Tucano's on the 15th. One year we will be able to celebrate ON Valentine's day.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Celiac; no Silly Act
*Don't forget to click on the link at the bottom, or click HERE and like my post!
For those of you who don't know, Celiac disease is an intolerance to gluten. NOT just an allergy, an INTOLERANCE. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.
So.. in turn, a gluten intolerance means that my digestive system can't absorb the protein so it ends up damaging and scaring the lining of my intestines. It is an autoimmune disease which in turns makes my ability to fight off infection a lot harder.
Here is my story:
The end of my junior year in high school I started getting really sick. I was dancing about every morning from 6-9, and every night from 5-9. Meaning I needed to up my caloric intake so my body could keep up. It was then, I started to feel like everything I ate made me sick. I started taking naps every time I could and going to bed sooner and sooner. It seemed like I couldn't get enough sleep and I never had energy.
During the week before a dance concert we spent almost every waking hour on stage practicing which meant lots of time on my knees, rolling on the ground and throwing my body every which way. One night I got home and realized my shins were killing! I rolled up my pants and found HUGE red bumps. They looked like someone had taken a crow bar to my legs. You know when you get a good ache? I had 5-6 of those PER LEG. The slightest movement hurt. Even my pant legs rubbing against them hurt. That week, I felt like crying every time I did a dance.
I went to the doctor later that month to see what was wrong. The doctor came up with what seemed like a hundred different diagnoses (diagnosies..?) khrons, thyroid problems, cancer, anemia, and so on and so forth. Countless blood tests proved nothing, except that after your 20th poke in the same vein, you tend to not feel it so much.
My doctor decided to schedule me for a colonoscopy (aka, a camera shoved up your who-ha). The results of the test showed that I had what was called Collagenous Colitis. Here's the doctor's words when he read my me results "Are you sure you're 18? Because your intestines belong in an 80 year old's body."
Um... how do you respond to that. I laughed and said, ya.... He went on to explain that Collagenous Colitis is typical of the elderly because your intestines are so scared, they don't absorb the nutrients your body needs. With that diagnosis we were one step closer to finding out what the root of the problem was, but we were still in the dark.
Constant stomach aches and 18+ hours of sleep a day was definitely taking it's toll on me. I was in my freshman year of college as a dance major and found myself feeling even more tired CONSTANTLY. I would nap in between classes, after class, and my bed time was now 7 pm due to the lack of energy.
I started losing weight rapidly, along with my hair. In the shower, I would run my hand through my hair and pull out hand fulls. I don't know how many times I clogged the shower drain in a week, but my hair was constantly falling out. Within about a month or so, I realized that the once blue carpet I had on my floor was now a brown color. I vacuumed it to find that hair was COVERING my floor. I had to cut the hair out of the vacuum 4 times before I was done because my hair kept clogging it.
Being a girl and losing your hair in handfuls is not an easy thing. You're hair is your identity. I again went to my dermatologist (who I'm pretty close to now because of all the skin problems caused by celiac) who diagnosed me with Alopecia Areota. I had lost all the hair around my ears, and it was now starting to fall out on the top of my head.
In the last picture, you can see red spots. Those are where I had a steroid/cortisone cocktail injected into my scalp. Every time I would have my 'cocktail', I would get 2cc's of it which may not seem like a lot, but it led to 50-60 stabs with a needle into my scalp which is super tender, causing a headache that would take me out the rest of the day.
Patches of hair started to slowly grow back, but my hair got to the point where I had a 'Y' of hair. If you looked at the top of my head from an aerial view, you would see what looked like a Y. I decided to cut it which turned out to almost be a buzz cut. As I arrived home from the salon, I broke down to my mom telling her I looked like a boy. It may seem silly that hair can have such an effect on someone, but you don't realize it till it's gone.
Finally, after no direction from my doctors, only treatment of SYMPTOMS, not the root problem, my mom researched and researched and researched. I had been testes for Celiac disease numerous times through blood tests, but all came back negative. I also had biopsies done during my colonoscopy but still, negative. (blood tests never work I've found out, and only the effected parts of your intestines will show a positive result. This was 3 years ago so hopefully testing has advanced!) As my mom and I talked and researched, Celiac disease kept coming up so I decided that I'll try to go on a gluten free diet for a couple weeks because it never hurts to try.
Within a week, I had energy like I never knew I could have. My color came back and I no longer looked anemic. Plus, I didn't have to sleep 18 hours a day! I could go a whole day without taking a nap, which was HUGE. My body didn't ache or hurt anymore.
We immediately went back to my doctor with the good news. He explained that if I had let my symptoms progress as quickly as they had been, cancer would have been the next one. SCARY.
The last 3 years haven't been easy and I'll admit, I've caved into temptation because you don't realize that gluten is in EVERYTHING until you can't eat it anymore. If I did cave though, I was instantly reminded why I don't eat gluten. I get bloated, tired, SUPER agitated and angry.
My hair still falls out in certain areas sometimes, but it grows back so I'm not complaining. :)
I would love to be able to help those who are struggling with this disease which can lead to infertility, alzheimers's, and even cancer.
Please go to this link and like my post so I can help the Utah Jazz on the 30th of March spread awareness!
CLICK HERE TO HELP ME HELP THE UTAH JAZZ!
For those of you who don't know, Celiac disease is an intolerance to gluten. NOT just an allergy, an INTOLERANCE. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.
So.. in turn, a gluten intolerance means that my digestive system can't absorb the protein so it ends up damaging and scaring the lining of my intestines. It is an autoimmune disease which in turns makes my ability to fight off infection a lot harder.
Here is my story:
The end of my junior year in high school I started getting really sick. I was dancing about every morning from 6-9, and every night from 5-9. Meaning I needed to up my caloric intake so my body could keep up. It was then, I started to feel like everything I ate made me sick. I started taking naps every time I could and going to bed sooner and sooner. It seemed like I couldn't get enough sleep and I never had energy.
During the week before a dance concert we spent almost every waking hour on stage practicing which meant lots of time on my knees, rolling on the ground and throwing my body every which way. One night I got home and realized my shins were killing! I rolled up my pants and found HUGE red bumps. They looked like someone had taken a crow bar to my legs. You know when you get a good ache? I had 5-6 of those PER LEG. The slightest movement hurt. Even my pant legs rubbing against them hurt. That week, I felt like crying every time I did a dance.
I went to the doctor later that month to see what was wrong. The doctor came up with what seemed like a hundred different diagnoses (diagnosies..?) khrons, thyroid problems, cancer, anemia, and so on and so forth. Countless blood tests proved nothing, except that after your 20th poke in the same vein, you tend to not feel it so much.
My doctor decided to schedule me for a colonoscopy (aka, a camera shoved up your who-ha). The results of the test showed that I had what was called Collagenous Colitis. Here's the doctor's words when he read my me results "Are you sure you're 18? Because your intestines belong in an 80 year old's body."
Um... how do you respond to that. I laughed and said, ya.... He went on to explain that Collagenous Colitis is typical of the elderly because your intestines are so scared, they don't absorb the nutrients your body needs. With that diagnosis we were one step closer to finding out what the root of the problem was, but we were still in the dark.
Constant stomach aches and 18+ hours of sleep a day was definitely taking it's toll on me. I was in my freshman year of college as a dance major and found myself feeling even more tired CONSTANTLY. I would nap in between classes, after class, and my bed time was now 7 pm due to the lack of energy.
I started losing weight rapidly, along with my hair. In the shower, I would run my hand through my hair and pull out hand fulls. I don't know how many times I clogged the shower drain in a week, but my hair was constantly falling out. Within about a month or so, I realized that the once blue carpet I had on my floor was now a brown color. I vacuumed it to find that hair was COVERING my floor. I had to cut the hair out of the vacuum 4 times before I was done because my hair kept clogging it.
Being a girl and losing your hair in handfuls is not an easy thing. You're hair is your identity. I again went to my dermatologist (who I'm pretty close to now because of all the skin problems caused by celiac) who diagnosed me with Alopecia Areota. I had lost all the hair around my ears, and it was now starting to fall out on the top of my head.
Patches of hair started to slowly grow back, but my hair got to the point where I had a 'Y' of hair. If you looked at the top of my head from an aerial view, you would see what looked like a Y. I decided to cut it which turned out to almost be a buzz cut. As I arrived home from the salon, I broke down to my mom telling her I looked like a boy. It may seem silly that hair can have such an effect on someone, but you don't realize it till it's gone.
Finally, after no direction from my doctors, only treatment of SYMPTOMS, not the root problem, my mom researched and researched and researched. I had been testes for Celiac disease numerous times through blood tests, but all came back negative. I also had biopsies done during my colonoscopy but still, negative. (blood tests never work I've found out, and only the effected parts of your intestines will show a positive result. This was 3 years ago so hopefully testing has advanced!) As my mom and I talked and researched, Celiac disease kept coming up so I decided that I'll try to go on a gluten free diet for a couple weeks because it never hurts to try.
Within a week, I had energy like I never knew I could have. My color came back and I no longer looked anemic. Plus, I didn't have to sleep 18 hours a day! I could go a whole day without taking a nap, which was HUGE. My body didn't ache or hurt anymore.
We immediately went back to my doctor with the good news. He explained that if I had let my symptoms progress as quickly as they had been, cancer would have been the next one. SCARY.
The last 3 years haven't been easy and I'll admit, I've caved into temptation because you don't realize that gluten is in EVERYTHING until you can't eat it anymore. If I did cave though, I was instantly reminded why I don't eat gluten. I get bloated, tired, SUPER agitated and angry.
My hair still falls out in certain areas sometimes, but it grows back so I'm not complaining. :)
I would love to be able to help those who are struggling with this disease which can lead to infertility, alzheimers's, and even cancer.
Please go to this link and like my post so I can help the Utah Jazz on the 30th of March spread awareness!
CLICK HERE TO HELP ME HELP THE UTAH JAZZ!
I cried the first time I could put my hair in pig tails for the first time since it fell out (about a year)
GO JAZZ!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Some Gems
We had a ladies night for my sister's b-day and ended up at Target where we found these gems.
Also, I figured out that I don't know how to rearrange pictures on blogger...
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel
Lots of good things have happened to us lately. I don't say this to gloat, but only to share my gratitude for my Heavenly Father. When you do the things that you're supposed to do, it's amazing how blessed you truly are.
Mark is doing great at his job. He's loved working for RBS so far and expects it to continue that way.
I interviewed to be a personal trainer at 24 hour fitness and the manager offered to help my study for me test. He sounded really interested in hiring me, and I meet with the regional manager today to see if he likes me haha. The manager loved the fact that I have taught dance for over 5 years.
I have amazing friends who are willing to let me test my skills of personal training on them.
My family has been a huge support while Mark has been gone. They are the best family ever. (this includes me new family!)
I finally bought an iPad. I've been wanting one for awhile but I've never had the guts to buy one. So far, I'm in love with it. It seems like it'll be great for school.
Lastly, Mark comes home Friday!!!!!!
I know that this may not sound super great to all of you out in blogger land but to our little family these are tender mercies from the Lord. I'm so grateful for this Gospel and the blessings we receive because of it!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Feel the Burn
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Long Time, No Blog.
I figured that since I'm a loner for another couple weeks that I should be updating about our life, so here we go!
1: Mark is officially working for the Royal Bank of Scotland and loving it! He left June 8th for a 6 week training program in Connecticut. Luckily he gets to come home for 3 days at the end of the month, just in time for his birthday.
2: I'm still working at the apartment complex that Mark and I live at. It's a good job. Not what I want to do for the rest of my life but for right now it pretty much rocks. We get awesome benefits, I get paid, and I don't have to use gas to drive to work. It takes less than a minute for me to walk across the parking lot to my office.
3: I'm also working at Groove the Academy again. I love teaching there! I'll be there Thursdays and Saturdays to teach Zumba! (So if any of you want to come shake your boot-ay with me, feel free to come to Groove Saturday mornings at 8am starting in September)
4: My plan to start back up at the U is proving to be harder than I thought, but we're working it out. I had to reapply so I'm just waiting to hear back if I'll be able to take classes this semester or if I'll have to wait until spring. So, here's to hoping.
5: Cassie Lindsay Mueller. That is officially my new name. After a month and a half, one trip to the social security office, and 2 to the DMV, I am officially Cassie Mueller. Mark and I opened a bank account together but they wouldn't let me put Cassie Mueller as my name on the account because I hadn't changed my drivers license yet. I had changed it on my social security card but they wouldn't accept that... weirdos.
6: Mark and I are fat. Yup, we've gained the 'happy fat'. gag. So, while he's away we are both on the track to lose weight. I started drinking my green smoothies in the morning again, and we've both started working out again.
7: Guess who's going to be a personal trainer??!! This girl! I went at joined 24 Hour Fitness and while I was there I talked to some personal trainers and the assistant manager about becoming a personal trainer. They all gave me good tips and talked to me about which certifications to get. They were all very helpful, and the best part of it was that the assistant manager told me they were in need of a female trainer. He told me to apply online for a PT position at that gym and to call him as soon as I did. He would set me up with interviews and see if he could get me hired so I had a job lined up before I got certified!
Well, that's about it...
We aren't super interesting people, but we sure do love our lives and are sooooooooo incredibly blessed!
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