Hot Tub Swimming

I think Jake and Zoe are going to turn into fish soon. All they want to do is play in water lately. My mom and dad turned the temperature down on the hot tub and let them play in it this weekend as well. They took a bunch of little yellow duck and had fun floating them into the waterfall. They really had fun when you turned the jets on as well.

The pictures are a little dark because the hot tub is under a covered patio.

Water Park at Hillfield

My parents had the kids this last weekend on Fri & Sat. We took them up to the base to the new splash park. They love it. It was pretty early so not many people were around and they had it mostly to themselves. I just might have to join them next time.

Trying to dry off a bit before getting into the car.

Highland Games at Hillfield

While we were letting the kids play at the splash park up at the base, we saw a bunch of people participating in some old fashioned highland games. It was kind of interesting to see all the different kilts and the games.

In this game the guys would swing a big weight with a handle up over their heads trying to clear the bar. It was surprising to me the way they would throw it and then just slowly turn around to watch. Personally I would be moving quickly out of the way of a falling weight.
I never really figured this game out. They seemed to be throwing big rocks.

Reminded me a bit of the shot put event in track.

Sorry - didn't get a closer picture. The camera I was using didn't zoom that far.

Feeding the Birds

Today I had to babysit Jake and Zoe for a little while. We decided to go to Layton park to feed the ducks. We didn't see too many ducks but found a whole flock of seagulls. The kids seemed to have fun with it. They fed the birds then played in the park for awhile. After, we went for pizza and had a picnic in grandma's back yard. Abby loved being out in the sun.

Abby - enjoying the sun

Jake - working hard to dig a hole at the playground

Jake got hold of the camera

Zoe wanted a turn with the camera

Feeding the seagulls and ducks

They felt a little safer behind the fense. The birds started creeping up closer and closer to them.

We found a few baby ducks along the river.

Jake threw a big piece of bread to them and all the babies attacked it.

Saturday with Zoe

I needed to do some shopping for father's day today and Zoe came along to keep me company. We managed to get our father's day shopping done fairly fast. We headed over to Kohl's and I let Zoe pick out a new outfit which seemed to be fun for her.

After the shopping we went to Cherry Hill to go miniature golfing. Zoe had never been miniature golfing before. I think she is hooked. She is already asking to go again.

Showing off the pink ball she picked out

Checking out the hole to determine where to aim her shot.

Checking out the best hole to aim for

Zoe holding up her new outfit that she picked out herself

My Overactive Imagination

I don't usually bring up things like this because I don't like to admit that I have an overactive imagination, but I do. For those that didn't know, I went into the doctor 2 weeks ago just to get some refills on my allergy meds etc. I was almost out of there when the doctor said. "wait a minute, it's been a while since we've done any blood work." I did make it almost 3 years without a blood test so I suppose my luck couldn't hold out forever.

Everything seemed fine to me until the next week. I got a call from the doctor's nurse saying that I had a high blood platelet count and that they wanted to refer me to a Hemotologist. That's were my imagination kicked in. What could cause a high blood platelet count? What is it anyway? The nurse called me back with an appointment to go to a hemotologist 3 days later. That's when I found out that his office is in a cancer center. That kicked my imagination into high gear. What was it that the nurse didn't want to tell me?

Over the next 3 days I made the mistake of surfing the web. I found out that there were multiple causes for a high count. Many had other symptoms that I didn't have (until I starting thinking about them of course) It doesn't take long for me to come up with a symptom once I think about it. I had everything from headaches to stomach pains depending on my current research topic. Angie helped with my research. She actually managed to talk me out of a few of the worse options. (Thanks again) By the time my doctor's appointment came around I was fairly convinced that I didn't have Lukemia or Hodgkin's disease, but everything else was still a possibility.

It really didn't help me to go to a hemotologist that is also an oncologist. That cancer center was scary. They made me fill out all sorts of forms and meet with an insurance specialist before I even went to an exam room. The nurses didn't help either. One said "you seem nervous...don't worry that this is a cancer center. This doctor also deals with blood diseases and disorders" Not something I needed to hear. By the time the PA came in to fill out a patient history I was convinced that I had some blood disease that I hadn't seen on the web yet and started to wonder about things like beneficiary forms.

To make this long story a little shorter, the doctor came in and basically narrowed down the options to 3 based on his review of my previous tests. 1. an actual blood disease Thrombocytosis, 2. chronic inflamation due to my allergies and tonsils or 3. iron deficiency. Not exactly any choices to make me too excited.
For a change I actually convinced myself that choice #2 was it. (Multiple doctors have suggested that I get my tonsils out but I keep saying no.)
They did more blood tests and told me they would be in touch when the results came back to decide what to do next. Iron pills? Allergist? Ear Nose & Throat specialist? Yuck! Tests would take a week to get back.

Surprise! Surprise! by the end of this week I was convinced that I needed a tonsilectomy and allergy tests. Some days I really wish I could keep my imagination under control.
At least the doctor called me before I started doing too much research into allergy testing and tonsilectomies.
Turns out I have an iron deficiency. Real easy fix. Iron pills and come back in 4 months. Wish I had known that 2 weeks ago. It would have saved me alot of stress that's for sure.