Compulsive hoarding is a mental disorder that is just beginning to be understood. As a hoarder, I have acquired things over the years with a specific purpose in mind at the time of the acquisition, used some of those items for their intended purposes, forgotten the goal for different objects, but now that I find that they have outlived their purpose in my life I am struggling to rid myself of those same things.

You can read the start of my journey here.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Ugh. I did it again.

I forgot that I wasn't signed in with my blog account and hit 'Publish Post' which of course erased the entire thing for me. So, I'll start again...

Last night I felt fine one second and the next second I felt the cold that our youngest daughter had come on me very suddenly. Thankfully, it doesn't seem quite as bad as some of the respiratory things we've had this year, but it is a bit on the bronchitis side of things. I'll stay on top of it. I'd rather we not need yet another set of antibiotics or steroids this season!

Several years ago, my husband hurt something. I can't remember for sure, but I think he had tendinitis. He was told to use heat and cold packs to help it heal, and he was sent home with this awesome cold pack. It worked wonders, and we wore that thing out! Eventually, there was blue powder leaking from the seams, and no amount of tape would keep it sealed.

It was too large to fit in a gallon-sized freezer bag, so we'd try to wrap it in other types of plastic bags, but it would still leak. We eventually threw it out after I had to keep cleaning blue powder out of the freezer. And off the clothes. And off the furniture. After all, we had no idea what the blue powder was, and if it could be harmful.

I hadn't thought of that blue ice pack in years. At least not until yesterday. I'd been using one of those blue gel ice packs. You know. The kind that you use in your cooler to keep your picnic supplies cold? The kind that freeze into a hard glob that has no give whatsoever. The kind that make it impossible to get your entire injury cooled, because you're freezing yourself in one spot while the other spot cries for attention. Yeah. That kind.

It made me think of the soft blue powder that so comfortingly filled every nook and cranny of the injured area to bring sweet, cool relief. So I called my darling husband and asked him to pick up some powdered sugar on the way home from work. As soon as he got home, we tossed them into the freezer after putting them in gallon freezer bags. And I've used my powdered sugar ice packs off and on all day today. They're a lot cheaper than the expensive blue powdered medical ice packs. I don't have to worry about frostbite, but they cool the area completely just fine. And how handy is it to have powdered sugar in the freezer and ready to go when I decide to make homemade fondant like my friend Portia did.

And saving the very best for last...

Our youngest daughter's dermatologist called today with the results of the Mickey Mole. Remember how there were four ways it could have turned out? It could have been totally normal, abnormal, severely abnormal, or malignant. Well, her mole was normal. Meaning she's going to be fine. Meaning we can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Meaning we'll sleep well tonight!

Praise be to God!

8 comments:

  1. Oh so good to hear!! I hope you have a speedy recovery!

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  2. Great idea about the powdered sugar and great news about the mole!!!

    Lucy

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  3. You didn't tell me you made up the powdered sugar idea! That's very clever and I am sure better than frozen peas. We do not eat the peas after several years of using them for injuries! :)

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  4. Love the powdered shugar idea, and good news on the mole

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  5. That's great news about the mole. And (if I ever remember), I'll be trying your powdered sugar trick.

    And I've lost entire posts before, too. Not fun.

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  6. So glad to hear the mole is no problem! Slick idea about the powdered sugar I will have to remember that one

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  7. Woohoo, I'm so very happy the mole is no problem. You take care and get to feelin' better. I've put my back out movin' my mountain of mulch and caught the crud in the meantime. What's up with that???

    God bless ya and have a marvelous day!!!

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  8. I always keep my powdered sugar in the freezer but only because of the ant problem we have. Now you've discovered a whole other use for it!

    Great new about Mickey!

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