Thursday, June 19, 2014

Relieve Sore, Tired, Achy Feet Overnight

Do you have SORE, TIRED, ACHY feet? 

Do you indulge in these?

legs
High heels look amazing but boy do they hurt the toes. I can't even wear them with the feet I was blessed with.  I do, however, notice the pain on the faces of women carrying their high heels in their hands walking barefoot. Ouch, Ouch, Ouch! Are you guilty? 

Do you work in these?

lineman
At the end of a long grueling day all you want to do is take off your boots and put your feet up. What's that you say? You want your wife to massage your feet? Alrighty then!

Are you an accident waiting to happen like my daughter who recently stumped her toe on a pallet in our local grocery store? 

I have found the answer for sore, tired, achy feet. My prosthetics are comfy, made from silicone rubber but I suffer from the occasional sore foot.  Finally, a subject where I'm an expert!

Last summer I was so thankful to find this foot soothing ingredient in the gift store at Westminster Abbey nonetheless. I wouldn't have been able to walk the rest of our vacation in London and Paris without it!

WHAT IS IT? I'm glad you asked.

foot cure
A simple bottle of Lavender oil!

See Sloane's pinkie toe. She complained about her toe hurting every minute of every day until I advised her to douse her toe in lavender. Remember to apply at night and sleep while the lavender magic is working. The next day we shopped for six hours without one "my toe is killing me"! I asked her on the way home about her toe. She said "Wow! I've walked all day and it hasn't hurt. I forgot about it!"

Massage or rub in lavender oil all over your feet. Don't be afraid to turn the bottle over on your feet. I use several generous drops to cover my entire foot/feet when they hurt. Rub it in last thing before you go to bed. In the morning, no more sore, tired, achy feet! You can let them enjoy this ointment every night if your feet need it. I find that once I get my feet healed up I can stop using it until the next time I walk too much, wear uncomfortable shoes or stump a toe. 

Any brand will work wonders. I buy this one.
NOW Foods Lavender Oil, 2 ounce  

Have you ever tried lavender for sore, tired, achy feet? Leave me a comment and let me know how it works for you. By the way, I have to tell you I'm not a doctor. I'm not diagnosing or prescribing a cure. If your feet hurt too bad, call the pod doc.

Pain free,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap

Monday, June 16, 2014

Mom-ism Monday #7



HAPPY MOMISM MONDAY!

Today is Mother-in-law Momism Monday. My MIL Elizabeth or Lizzie was a character. She passed 17 years ago but I can still hear her saying some of the funniest and sometimes PG13 rated momisms. Her sense of humor was blunt yet contagious. You couldn't help but laugh with her. Her laugh started with a yodel and ended with a sigh. This post is in honor of what would have been her 91st birthday.

We placed this picture in memory of my in-laws at my daughters wedding:
She's beautiful and he's so handsome. Just a couple of good looking people. My father-in-law Claude lived to be 86 years young. He gave good advice.  I miss them.

Do you get hungry? Lizzie did! She had a ferocious appetite. When she got hungry, she would say...

I'm SO Hungry...

north end of a mule

 I'm so hungry I could eat the north end of a southbound mule!

That is hilariously hungry! Have you ever been THAT hungry? Leave me a comment and let me know. Have you ever heard this momism?

Feeling full (not hungry at all),
Tammy
The Happy Handicap

Saturday, June 14, 2014

10 Tips for Living with Misophonia

The struggle is real especially for folks battling misophonia. I live with two misophonians! I learned how to thrive not just survive with my husband (of 28 years) and my daughter. Both have misophonia. Check out my previous post to learn more about our happy household by reading Fast and Easy Ways to Annoy People with Misophonia.

Below are 10 Tips for Living with Misophonia. These are our top 10. Yours may be different:

  • Accept the disorder is real. Quit thinking your loved one(s) are just being rude, spoiled or obnoxious.
  • Write down a list of triggers together. If you are just getting acquainted with the fact your loved one(s) has misophonia, knowing the triggers are very IMPORTANT!
  • Avoid known triggers at all costs. Memorize them if necessary.
  • Don't pressure your loved one(s) to attend social functions. Social interaction is especially annoying with all kinds of sounds and noises.
  • Be aware that your misophone is hearing repeated noises that you may hear but ignore. They cannot ignore the noise!
  • If you notice someone triggering your loved one, ask them "Have you met Miso?" You can introduce people to the disorder without embarrassing anyone using this lead-in. Most people are interested in knowing more about misophonia.
  • You are not a failure if you commit a trigger sending your misophone into orbit. Over time, you will learn to never trigger them. Their disorder will become secondhand to you, almost like you have the disorder yourself.
  • Consider misophonia while grocery shopping. Leave the crunchy, slurpy, noisy food on the shelf.
  • Hang in there. I have noticed my husband's miso has gotten better with age. He can control it better. He also gives us a hint if we are triggering him. He simply says "miso, miso, miso". We know to stop, inventory what we're doing related to repetitive sound and quit doing it.
  • Keep calm and remember "It's not you, it's them!". Living with someone with misophonia can be hurtful at times for either or both parties. True compassion is your best weapon against the noise monsters.
Leave me a comment with tips you've learned living with misophonia. Let's help each other.

Quietly,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A Membership with Perks



I LOVE DISNEY! 

Disney World is said to be "The Most Magical Place on Earth!" I agree. There's just something special about going to Disney World.

Do you dream of going to a place where dreams come true? A place that makes you feel like a child as soon as you walk through the gate. A place where you can see your favorite characters and shake their hands. You can sit by the water in the cool of a shade tree if you like and soak in the wonder. A place where even the plainest food seems like a gourmet meal. Finally, a place where you can experience the thrill ride over and over again. Does this describe Disney?

It's also a description of your local church! Church is a place where prayers come true. A place that makes you feel like you're a child of God. A place where you can see all kinds of characters and shake their hands. You can sit on a cushioned pew enjoying the coolness of the air conditioner while soaking in the wonder. You can eat on the spiritual food served here for days. Finally, church is a place where you can experience the ride of your life from earth to glory. Does this describe your church?

Disney Vacation Club has a slogan "Membership is magical." Membership is pricey too! I think the church should have a slogan that says "Membership is supernatural." Do you think that would make people want to buy in? Probably. I hope they're not disappointed when they find out church membership is free.

How many times have you been to Disney? Leave me a comment and let me know. Also, share with me if you have a church membership and where it is!

Member:  First Baptist Chatsworth,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Diaper Rash & Thrush: 2 Fast-working Natural Remedies


DIAPER RASH
I may be a new Grandmom but I feel older and wiser. I used a few home remedies with my kids. Glad I have a second chance to use more with my granddaughter. Diaper rash creams most often contain zinc oxide. Zinc oxide is a harmless water insoluble powder that works well on baby's rash. But I've found a mixture of Tea Tree Oil and Coconut Oil works better. The recipe is so easy. Mix equal parts of Tea Tree Oil and Coconut Oil. Apply like any other diaper rash cream. Conveniently buy the ingredients now to help your little one be happy and healthy.

 
 My daughter and I used this recipe and it works! A few other things we did to promote fast healing are:
  • apply cream at bedtime and remove baby's diaper for the night. place a puppy pee pad underneath baby's bottom to soak up baby's water
  • make sure you let baby wear an absorbent, properly sized diaper. moving to a larger size diaper that is too big allows urine to stand on baby's skin which promotes diaper rash
  • be vigilant about changing baby as soon as he/she wets
  • clean baby's bottom with a regular washcloth instead of a chemically treated wipe
  • make sure baby's bottom is completely dry before applying mixture. this insures that no moisture is held on baby's delicate skin
 THRUSH
Be sure to check your baby's mouth for thrush whenever diaper rash is present. Your baby can get thrush at any time but they usually go hand-in-hand. What is thrush? According to WebMD, thrush is a yeast infection that causes white patches in the mouth and on the tongue. Your doctor may prescribe an anti-fungal such as Nystatin. A good natural home remedy for thrush is Grapefruit Seed Extract. Mix 10 drops Grapefruit Seed Extract with 1 oz. distilled water. Moisten cotton swab with mixture and apply to inside of baby's mouth 3 to 4 times daily where thrush is visible. I have provided a link to buy Grapefruit Seed Extract if you don't have it in your cabinet. I didn't.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This blog is for informational purposes only and not meant to diagnosis or imply cure. If your baby has diaper rash or thrush, please consult your pediatrician.

Let me know how these recipes work for you and your baby. Leave me a comment.

Never too old to learn,
Tammy
The Happy Handicap