Moving At A Snails Pace with Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome

Last night I threw some lettuce and carrots in for our snails and found myself staring at them for over an hour and a half. Either I really am that tired, there was nothing on television, or my little friends were helping me relax. I had no idea time was passing. I found myself saying things out loud like, "Oh...my...God! That is so weird." "What the hell is that?"

Just when I was starting to adjust to Maizie being out of the cyclical vomiting cycle it hit again. Last week she had one day where it hit. Yesterday it happened in the morning but she seemed fine by one in the afternoon. I had a meeting at church and Chloe was wanting to have Maizie over to play so I was happy to oblige. Susie is feeling a bit better after her surgery and was certain she was able to watch Maizie. About forty minutes after I left Susie called and told me Maizie was sweating, out of it and in a lot of pain. Big sigh. Two episodes in a day was not a good sign. I always leave Maizie with her Kytril and Zofran. Susie is great with Maizie. She gave her the medications and assured me it was okay to finish the meeting.
When I returned Maizie was perking up. Chloe was about at her witts end having to wait for so long to play with Maizie. Finally, the girls played. I enjoyed pizza and hanging out with Tim and Susie. With Joe off in California it was so nice to visit with friends. I was beyond surprised when I looked at the clock and saw it was almost eight at night when we left. When the CVS strikes everything slows down to a snails pace. This morning I was hopeful when we reached ten and there was no sign of the CVS monster. Within minutes of feeling this hope Maizie looked at me and said, "I am sorry to say this. My belly hurts." Sigh.

The pain Maizie had today was intense. I called the neurologist and she increased her Topamax by starting a morning dose. Yes, we are still trying the Topamax. It seems that we are having some success with it since she is not vomiting as much with the spells and they have been less frequent. I really don't know for sure if it is the medication helping.

By four o'clock today Maizie began feeling better and wanted to leave the house. We headed off to the dog park. It feels as if Maizie and me are moving in slow motion. We get a little bit ahead and make it to the surface...enjoy some deep and wonderful breaths and then fall back to the bottom again. It reminds me of the snails slowly making their way around the tank. At the top they take in air and without notice they quickly float to the bottom again. But, I will say they do so with beauty and grace. And so we try to do the same.

“In philosophy if you aren't moving at a snail's pace you aren't moving at all.”
Iris Murdoch (British Novelist and Philosopher, 1919-1999)

"Time sometimes flies like a bird, sometimes crawls like a snail; but a man is happiest when he does not even notice whether it passes swiftly or slowly."
Ivan Turgenev (Russian author, 1818-1883)

Maizie's Cute Sayings

Today I was cleaning and organizing like a mad woman. I don't know what has gotten into me. Anyway, I came across a book I wrote in for a while. It contains some of the cute things Maizie would say when she was little. Since I am lazy tonight after cleaning I am going to post some.

May 15, 2001
Mommy and Maizie were at Target shopping. An Amish woman walked next to us. She had on the black dress and black hat that are common in our area. Maizie points to the woman and very loudly says, "Look Mom! It's Halloween!"

I bolted down the other aisle as fast as I could. Hopefully she did not hear.

May 2001
Maizie was in preschool today. She apparently had to sit in a time out. The teacher had told Maizie to take her shoes off (Montessori school). Maizie looked her right in the eye and said, "No! No talk to me like that! Go away!"

Can't say I can blame her. If she wants to keep her shoes on what's the big deal. Oh, well. I guess she has to get used to it!


June 29, 2001
Today we were dropping off one of my art pieces at Art Link. We walked past a portrait of a man's torso. Maizie tried to touch the nipple and said, "What's that mom?! Oh...it's a nibble!"


July 16, 2001
We were at the ear nose and throat doctor today. Maizie was bored and digging through my purse while I was focusing on the doctor. She looked at Joe and said, "What's this?" as she held up and proceeded to unwrap a maxi pad.

The doctor, looking down at his papers said, "Hmmm..I don't know what is that?" He never even looked up.

Maizie smiled real big and yelled, "It goes on Momma's butt!"

The doctor looked up as Maizie proudly waved the maxi pad in the air.


January 30, 2002
Maizie said, "Oh! I gotta go poopy!" and ran to the toilet holding her butt. As soon as she sat on the potty she let out a big fart. Maizie looked shocked and said, "Daddy! My butt roared like a tiger!"


February 8, 2001
Today Maizie and I went to Pizza Hut. As we were leaving there were about twelve Amish men lined up in the hallway. Maizie stopped and looked at the men. In a happy playful voice she said, "Momma! Where did all the cowboys come from?"