I'm Going Back to School, Y'all!!!

I started my courses online today with Ashford University. Yup, this momma is majorly excited and looking forward to graduation with a BA in Complementary & Alternative Health. It should be under two years before I graduate since I am a transfer student who already has an Associates degree, so all my general ed stuff is out of the way.

So far, so good. I really like the classroom format and how user-friendly it is. I am not the most computer literate or internet savvy person, but I feel very comfortable with it. This gives me the confidence that I will be able to see my degree through until it is complete!

That being said, it does change my routine a little bit. I will have to streamline my homemaking tasks to ensure that I have the time to study and get my assignments done on time. I have the support of my family and the blessing of my Husband which is essential to my success.

The past week we have been Spring Cleaning our home and getting rid of clutter and things we no longer need or use. It has been very liberating to see the clutter disappearing. I plan on listing a few items for sale on Craigslist and local Facebook groups to try and make a little profit. Other things have been given away/donated. Anything to have the clutter all gone! Less clutter means less for me to worry about and less for me to clean.

Now, I don't have the most organized home in the world, but I am working on getting it to where it works out for us more efficiently. I don't enjoy spending time searching for things when they could be in their proper places and save me time.

Time management is everything. Being a wife, momma to a child with Autism, homemaker, and now a student pretty much will take up all of my time. Here's to getting into a good routine and looking forward to the journey ahead!

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Hello, My name is Holly... Did I mention I am 29 and have Arthritis?

My heart is heavy right now. I am 29 years old and just found out that I have arthritis in my back.

Total SHOCK.

I had NO idea.

I never really had any back pain, but my lower and middle back area started to hurt a few days ago and then the pain flanked both sides all the way around. I thought it was kidney pain, so I made an appointment to see my Doctor (in this case a Nurse Practitioner) ASAP.

I had some tests done which revealed it was not bladder or kidney related. The NP ordered me some x-rays (I had six done, total) which revealed that I have arthritis in my back. Go freaking figure!

So, here I am the next day still in shock. I admit I am also feeling a little blue. It's kind of a blow to my entire lifestyle. I will get over it.

In the meantime, there are some changes I am making in my life to make my situation better:

1. I am changing to an entire Paleo diet/lifestyle. Which means for me: No grains (I was already gluten-free, but now this ups the ante), no legumes, no dairy (already dairy-free), no soy (already soy-free), and no refined sugars. This change in diet will eliminate more possible inflammation triggers, 
2. I will make sure to take breaks as needed throughout the day and to sit down and rest. I need to let my body rest so I don't trigger a flare-up.
3. I will begin a very low-impact exercise regimen. I was planning on joining a gym in a few months, but this is no longer plausible. I need low-impact exercises like walking, yoga, and modified pilates. 
4. Get acupuncture treatments done once a month or as needed.
5. Get chiropractic treatments done once a month or as needed.
6. Seek God daily and be grateful to be alive!

There we go. I have somewhat of a plan in place to deal with this and it feels good knowing that there are things I can do in order to improve my situation.

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