Bell’s Palsy, Day 10 Brain Beat

I was hoping to do a video blog, but havent had time today!!! I had intended to do one, but I went into cleaning mode.  I know, right, whip me, the one thing I am not supposed to go crazy on, and I do it.

I am just going to have to throw my hands up in the air and admit I am a control freak, I like order in the home.

BUT! I have learnt, since being diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy I need to take stock of what is important in my life, and cleaning like a mad woman is not one of them!!!

I made up a new list of rules for my family.  Since last week,  the week of doing absolutely nothing, I came to the realisation that I do way to much for them.  And, they take it for granted that I will just do it.

So, I decided that downstairs I will keep going with keeping it spotlessly clean, but upstairs, my kids will be taking responsibility for their own rooms now.  Usually, on a Monday, I can be cleaning constantly for 6/7hrs  Sometimes it’s so bad that I just don’t have time for lunch.  Then the inevitable happens.  I pick up the kids from school, and within, oh, 30 mins, the house looks like I havent done a thing to it!

So new rules, no toys downstairs!  Upstairs I will take charge of the bathrooms and vacuuming, if they (the kids, or even hubby) has stuff lying on the floor, it will stay there.  I wont pick up after them anymore.  Also, the big bug bearer of mine, laundry!!

For some unknown reason, my family, don’t seem to know how to open the lid of the laundry bin.  The dirty washing will usually sit on top of the laundry bin, or, around it.  I mean….WTF!! Do they think it will make life easier for me if its just laying as a pile on the floor!?

Therefore, my kids have received their warning, oh and the husbando….if they have no clean washing…TOUGH!  They can’t be bothered putting it into the wash bin, then, I can’t be bothered washing it!

I just figured, life is way to short for worrying about how spotless my house is, and why should it be left all to me.

As envisaged, my family think its a joke, but, who will be laughing when they have no clean socks to wear!!

 

Things on the Bells side have improved greatly.  I am not cured, still have a bit to go, my eye has some movement in it, although it feels, as I can only describe as ‘tight’  I am going to try tonight to sleep without a patch.  I didn’t get a great deal of sleep last night, I felt uncomfortable with the patch.

When I woke this morning, I felt my lower lip seemed ‘normal’ still numb along the top lip though.  Also, my cheek bone ‘tingles’  I don’t seem to have the numbness so much there.   My eye pulsates occasionally, so I am hopefully that these are all excellent signs.

I have always been a great believer in meditation.  Even if it’s just 5 mins of closing my eyes and taking deep breaths, I always feel my battery gets a boost.  I also am a huge believer in binaural beats and on my iPhone/iPod and iPad I have various binaural beats applications.  My favourite is Brain Beats Vol 1.

I use three of the beats, one being Ocular Health and Focus, and in the blurb it says,

The set of frequencies is intended to assist in strengthening ocular tissues.

The set runs for 5 mins, the other set I listen to is Stress Relief the set has two frequencies at 20hz-10hz staying mostly at 10hz, this set runs for 10 mins.    After that set is finished, I will then switch to Sleep induction which runs for 30 mins very low-frequency with the sound of the ocean washing over in the background.  I will often fall asleep with that on.

I don’t know, whether it’s a coincidence or not, but I think listening to these beats every night has helped.  My face has healed pretty quickly, I don’t know whether I have been ‘lucky’ (if you can call it that) not to have severe paralysis, or, has the beats been helping.  For me, I like to think so.

Kindle on the iPhone

I recently posted my experience on buying a 2nd kindle, which is a ‘surprise’ Christmas gift for my mum, you can read the post here.  I was disgruntled at the fact that Amazon don’t allow sharing or gifting books.  Well, apparently, they are going to change this at the end of the year.  Reading here Amazon maybe allowing book sharing for 14 days on a book, ONCE.  Maybe ok for some readers, but I have been reading my book since October!  You do the math.

Anyway, I am not here to be disgruntled.  I noticed a lot of hits on my post coming though varies searches, my favourite search being ‘Where to buy Amazon Kindle’ *herm* I think the clue is in the search

I know at this time of year, its possible that Kindles are becoming the in thing for book readers.  To purchase as a gift, unless you understand the buying and sharing of books for your recipient then I think it’s a fabulous thing.  I know my mum is going to love her Kindle when she opens up on Christmas day, dang she has been drooling over mine for months now! But I would have loved to put a book on it for her.  But alas, right now, it’s not really possible.

However, as a Kindle user, I LOVE IT I DO! It so so simple to use, the font is clear, and you can also change the size of the font if you so wish.  Flicking pages is smooth too.

I also love the dictionary feature, the book I am reading right now ‘Never Look Back – Lesley Pearse’ focuses around a London Lass in early 1800′s who emigrates to America with her employees.  A lot of the book, especially at the beginning uses a lot of old English slang, you’d think I’d get it huh? I mean, I am on the same continent.  But two things, I am Scottish, its hard enough getting my head around Scottish slang, and secondly, I was not actually around physically in the 1800′s.

So, where am I going with this???

Oh yes, the dictionary, yes, if I am struggling with the various unrecognisable words, then I highlight it, and voila,a meaning!

The only thing I dont use it the talking reader, I was expecting a gorgeous, sexy, sultery male voice, reading me off to sleep, but no, its one of those computer voices, real turn off, which I do turn off!

Amazon, are throwing the Kindle ads just now, you know, that thing, Christmas! Not only are the advertising the e-book reader, they have been advertising the apps for Iphone and Ipad.

For me, I never thought I would need the app, since I usually take my kindle with me.

But, reader, I am an app whore! simple as that.

I downloaded the app.  I just logged in with my Amazon details, and all my books were archived.  I just downloaded the book that I am reading right now.  And magically, it went straight to the page I bookmarked.  Clever!

So tonight, my hubby is on his Christmas works night out…..pfft

You know how it is, wives and mothers of the world, we are busy all year round, but this time of year, its manic! Santa has no freeking clue!!! Not only are we running the home, cleaning, grocery shopping, tending the young lawyers and doctors of tomorrow, we are now being left with stressing over what to buy for Christmas presents, who we are buying for and then finding time to wrap up the presents, oh, then make dinner.

I was close to exploding this evening, I am at the point where I am seriously considering ebaying off one used, now faulty husband, maybe someone can take him to bits and piece him up with other used faulty husbands. Then make a Stepford Husband.

I decided, that this evening I am not cooking.  I bundled the kids into the car and took them to a child friendly restaurant.

The kids were ecstatic! I was ecstatic, thanks to the crappy weather, every other decent family decided to stay put, we are on high weather alert….’only travel if necessary’ this was necessary, I would likely do a certain husband serious damage!  This was health and safety necessary.

But DANG! I forgot my Kindle, but hey, clever me downloaded Iphone app a few days ago, I hadn’t really used it, didn’t know how reliable it was (have read some pretty negative reviews).  So I opened it up.  If it wasn’t to par, I could always play Angry Birds

To my delight, the book was at my bookmark, and I enjoyed reading on my iPhone, the smaller screen size didn’t seem to bother me.  Because I was out of wi-fi networks, I couldn’t sync my kindle to my iPhone until I got home, ie, for bookmarking, after I had read nearly 2 chapters.

I synced at home and it took less than 30 secs.  I have to say, I am pretty impressed with the app and glad I downloaded it.

The app will never be a replacement for my Kindle, but it works for quick reading, I don’t think I will take my kindle back out, like I usually do, various appointments, kids swimming lessons etc, I can purely rely on my iPhone for that.  My kindle will be my bed time device (that sounds wrong!) and also my going away device .  But for little outings the iPhone really does what it needs to do.

Thumbs up for the Kindle iPhone app!

Angry Birds is turning me into a monster!

Darn you angry birds!

If you have an iPhone, you will know what I am talking about, unless of course you have been wise to resist these freaking annoying critters, then give yourself a pat on the back….but hey, don’t walk away just yet, just keep reading and this post will give you a gentle reminder as to why not to download the annoying, yet addictive app.

I need a twelve step program to deal with the addiction of angry birds.  I am actually having nightmares of round little pigs in helmets sneering at me in their freakishly annoying grunting laugh,  in their little huts of stone that my egg bomb fat chunky white bird couldnt destroy.

My sister-in-law introduced me to this ‘super cute application’ back in October.  The first few levels where a piece of cake.  I was content with  flinging little birds at pigs, in huts, whilst ‘watching’ my daughter at cheerleading training. Then the levels got a bit harder, the vocal ‘grr’ would unvoluntary emerge from my mouth.  My precious iPhone was being slammed dunked on tables while I tutted at the super fast yellow bird’s stupidity of flying too high.  I curse my sister-in-law!

After a few days of trying to accomplish one level, the unvoluntary vocal tutting progressed to actual cursing.

I was in the city yesterday afternoon, doing some last bits of Christmas shopping, after I had a few items, I decided to go to Starbucks and get myself a yummy, scrummy, lushious Gingerbread Latte *mmmmm*  Oh, and a blueberry muffin…you know it’s the law to have a blueberry muffin with a Gingerbread Latte, right?!?

Reader, one app, I do have which I love is iDelux Christmas Shopping List, I store all my family and friends in there, set a budget, when I purchase something I add it their list, or, if I am super dooper organised, I would already have ideas in their list.  Once bought, stroke it off….its also password protected to stop prying eyes, I digress.

I was enjoying my scrumptious Latte, working on my Christmas shopping list app, and it happened, across from the Starbucks Cafe was the O2 store, who specialise in iPhone, and a big angry bird on the store window, they sell Angry Bird iPhone covers.

‘These pigs must dieeeeee’ I thought, still holding my iPhone I hit the app, and I did it, I *grrrrrred* loudly in Starbucks.  I wasnt noticing it at first, by the 4th attempt, I threw the phone into my bag, sat back and sighed.  Images of laughing pigs getting me steadily angry.  I looked to the right of me and saw an elderly couple looking very scared, very scared indeed.

It has now dawned on me that I need to wean myself off the angry birds app.

But I can’t get rid of it, those pigs must dieeeee.

Dont get me started on ‘cut the rope’ I curse my sister-in-law!