Wall Pour Video

The building continues

The house and the blog progress suffered during my illness.

Prior to, we did pour the porches, order windows, and get our cement grinder in and begin grinding.

THE FLOOR: The grinder/polisher was a pretty big purchase , but it will be worth it in the long run-- To hire it out would be about $18,000. Our machine was $7000 and we intend to sell it (we thought to hire me out, but after only 1/2 of one out of 8 grinds in, I will NOT do this professionally)

The first grind is to 'roughen and smooth' both. Heavy metal grinding wheels grind off the top layer of concete to expose aggregate. It worked well on the area of the house that

was poured first during our 'rainy' pour. That was about 1/4 of the house. The rest of the slab, our guys were able to 'burn' the surface, a good thing with the iffy pour we had, a bad thing when grinding. So I have to use water grind to get that 'burn' off' . Making the grinding a bit slower. After I get through this, the rest should go 2x as fast.

THE PORCHES: They look great!! Our cement guys came and poured the porches and the drive in a couple of days. Actually showed up a day early, because they had finished up another job, we were not ready. But they helped me clean up around house while we waited for dirt-- They are great!

WINDOWS: We ordered them about 4 weeks ago- pretty good price. They came in last week. We wanted to wait and put them in after roof-- But....(explain later). So they put them in Monday.-- They look great!! we have windows, no doors and no roof- 1/3 dried in?

ROOF: Steel trusses with Young NOT happening. They low balled us on the estimate, turns out this is their 'way'. Our $18000 trusses turned into $28000. We got the cal

l just after leaving the Neurologist in Round Rock. -- We have been searching since. Getting bids, probably should have done this before. It looks like a Littlefield wood truss company will be our roof.-40 something trusses around $8000 delivered. A crew that used to do Betenbough Homes (old childhood next door neighbor) may put them up. Still praying for the 'right' people for this. Hope it is not us.-- IF this is our set up, then we should have a roof by early Dec.

DOORS: Do you know how much money doors cost? Right now 1 exterior doors will cost more than our air conditioner/heat pump.-- Keith is thinking of building them himself-- does anyone have a table saw/planer/joiner? cheep?

All is well-now- with my soul...

I have not posted in weeks, because I have been sick for weeks, then still recovering for weeks. 

What was wrong?? No real diagnosis as of yet. 

What were the symptoms? They were immense, in more than one way.  

Began with a headache, dull and in the temples.  This was the Sunday after we had experienced the Wurstfest for the first time.  So I deduced that dark beer (with wheat which is a no-no) and lots of polka dancing and amazing homemade sauerkraut and being packed like German sardines in the something-named-German- building, was the culprit and popped two Aleve and proceeded to church and such with the family.

Well it became much worse from there.  The headache never left, my neck was killing me, all my joints were screaming at me.  Monday once home, I just curled up on my couch and had chicken broth and old movies and children's Motrin. Tuesday, all pain a bit more intense- definitely not the flu, no other 'sick' feeling.  Called M.D's, I have two I can try to get into.  Nope-- two weeks away appointments. I thought 'well maybe?this will go away'.  It did not.

With a 'secret' mobile # we finally did get into one of the MD's (turns out wrong one)

He 'guessed' maybe flu-- I was sure not, but he said if not , then we would try again.  I truly can not figure out why I can not convey how very sick I am. 

I will condense the rest if I can:

Wed: RX given makes me ill (er) neck, eyes, temples HURT.

Thurs: pain med called in-- this makes me ILL (ER) pain more intense also.

Fri: Keith takes me to Odessa ER( he wanted to take me to Dallas, but I could not go that far)

I have intense pain, photophobia, neck pain, vomiting, my blood vessels have collapsed, my blood pressure is low. - I tell them I usually have great veins, and I have been throwing up and eating and drinking little, I suggest my being dehydrated...  I pee very little in a cup and I get cat scan, a 'concoction of pain meds via IV and a bag of fluids.  I do truly begin to feel some better.  The diagnosis, maybe a histamine headache.   I am pretty good the rest of the day, pain subsided, and I can eat and drink.

Sat: early AM-- It is back.  no nausea this time.  Pain intense-- Keith takes me back to Odessa.

New MD-- Get his concoction which contains morphine and no fluids.  The veins are not there still.  The meds, cover the pain but I can tell still there, not feel too well.  I tell him I really do not feel that much result except 'muffled' pain.  Sent home, with diagnosis - some kind of headache. DUH.  This treatment lasted about 3 hours.

Sunday: Keith has talked to 2 people during week that suggest Scott and White.  He finds they have a 'branch' in Round Rock--We are on the road to Round Rock by 8AM- I try to eat a Popsicle in Sterling City-- it was good till San Angelo. -- We arrive in Round Rock about noon-Now my blood pressure is the highest it has ever been in my life. They hook me up to IV after much problem with finding veins. Give a 'concoction' again, then fluids, once the fluids start flowing I feel much better.  I explain to nurses and MD all the vein issues and how much better I feel with fluids, I think I have dehydration. Not listening.  I am talking to Lee about it on the mobile, Keith is hearing this too, so he goes out and suggests to MD that I may need another bag of fluids, since mine is almost out.  She asks if I have peed yet, nope-- So she says- Great deduction- and adds a bag- 1/2 way through second bag I am great!! Starving too.--We get out I get a pizza around the corner( wheat, but food!) I shop at Ikea and go to Jamie's(niece that lives very near) I bend over to pet Sadie(dog) and BAM, lightening bolts of pain shoot to head and ears roar-- CRAP-- it is back, I almost cry.  But then 4 min later it goes away-- Not cured obviously, but I just wont bend my head quick... The rest of evening perfect.

Mon: Appt with Neurologist with S.W. clinic-- follow up suggested by S.W. ER.-- He is DWEEB.

he suggests cluster migraine, or something like-- Pituitary tumor not an issue, it is small (but it is there so...?)He has a concoction it is the 'best' (NOT) --2 weeks of Prednisone-upper- (steroid)(start with 8 a day, work down to 1) Valium-downer- and compazine - to 'keep it all in'.

Prognosis: Christy=Zombie.--- I asked him what this was for, he said "Your headache" . I told him it was gone yesterday- so I asked "do I have a headache?" He said I did.-- I did not take his concoction.

Later Monday I went about 30 minutes w/o a drink and the headache began again.  So I started drinking drinking drinking-- The head ache went away.

I am learning the tricks-- hydrate constantly, keep proteins high.  (I know, looks diabetic)

The Friday following I did get into my Dr. finally-- he was most distressed that we had not gotten to him sooner-- told us to be insistent and barge into office--- Good to know-too late.

--After the long description of above: He had some theories: Definite dehydration-severe. Why still a problem, will figure out.  Toxicity from something: maybe the cement I have been working with, Cement Poisoning. Maybe a accumulation of much, cement poisening, some herbals I was taking reacting with the smoked/salted/fermented German food I ate, and my pituitary tumor reacting to being 'used' too much. 

My first blood work did have a high blood sugar, as well as a low prolactin.  The blood sugar again diabetes suggesting BUT, also pituitary as well as the prolactin.  My second, 'starved' blood take, brought on no symptoms, and we are all expecting normal blood sugar now.  MD is still in the mind of a toxic reaction to ...   ?

So now? I seem better-- but since not knowing the cause of the problem-- I am being cautious.  Somewhat.  I must get back to work, with cement grinding.  I now wear a mask, gloves and my rubber boots. I hydrate. I eat 3meals with protein. I pray.

Speaking of prayers, my prayers changed a great deal during this ordeal.  From get me over this, to heal me, to just take me, NOW. In the midst of all though was my total thankfulness and awe over my dear sweet caring husband.   I know most of the time Keith acts as if he has little concern of anyone or anything.  He allows you to 'come along' as long as you do it right.   This is NOT always, Keith saw to all my needs, left his work, got a hotel room for my comfort, held my head, rubbed my back, made me drink, listened to me wail-- thought too I might die.  And did not want it. 

As always, God gives us opportunity in midst of a trial. Mine was to see my husbands love.