Migraines in children..... never fun to deal with.

Having a husband with a traumatic brain injury I am very familiar with migraines, triggers, and how to get through the pain. But when it comes to your children it is a whole new ball game. Per the Migraine Research Foundation nearly 1 in 4 U.S. households includes someone with migraine. Amazingly, 12% of the population – including children – suffers from migraine. 18% of American women, 6% of men, and 10% of children experience migraines.

My fifteen-year-old son has been battling migraines on and off for the last six years. We've had MRI scans, blood work done, and more over the years. Everything comes back normal (and I am happy for that) and we are told he just suffers from migraines. I've NEVER liked that answer. I want a reason and a treatment plan, I don't want to be left hanging, wondering what I can do to help my son. We received a referral to a pediatric neurologist and had an appointment scheduled for the end of July but we were lucky and asked if we wanted to come in for a last-minute cancelation appointment. So, two week we went to see a new neurologist with the hope we can find relief from his almost daily migraines. His medications he takes at the onset have stopped working and he is just miserable.

We spoke with a resident and he was amazing. We found his migraines are classic migraines, sadly something he will probably have to deal with for some time. We then spoke with the Neurologist who decided to get an EKG to rule out any heart issue that could be raising his blood pressure (he also suffers from dizzy spells).  The office arranged for the test to be completed that day with the pediatric cardiologist across the hall. The EKG was a simple test and luckily showed no abnormalities. Before we went to that appointment we came up with a treatment plan to help relieve some of his almost daily migraines. He is now on a daily preventative as well as an as needed migraine medication. This is a different medication he was on before now, as well as a slightly higher dose.

I am so happy to say after being on his daily preventative meds for two weeks his migraines have lessened and his as needed meds have easily helped with whatever migraines that have popped up. He has not missed a day of school since starting his medication, before he was missing at least a day a week.  I hope one day he can live a life off medication, but until now I am sop happy and relieved he is able to have a relatively normal life, migraine free.

Chickens!!!!

I am so excited to finally announce we are adding chickens to our yard. I've wanted to have my own chickens for many years but it was never the right time. I finally figured if I keep waiting g for that "right time" it wouldn't happen. Because who am I kidding, life is CRAZY and probably always will be.

We are converting a garden shed that we don't use into a nice size chicken coop and run. I will make a post in that has it happens, I'm sure it will be awesome once it's finished. 

Here in the South, and maybe other places we have a store called Tractor Supply Company and each spring they have Chicken Days event that lasts a few months. It is all about the baby chicks and includes a large area of baby chicks and ducklings for sale. It's almost impossible to not want to take those cute little boogers home. I had every intention of getting eggs and hatching them (awesome project for the kids) and going from there. I even found a breeder in my area that had the breeds  wanted. But there I stood, looking at the cute chicks and I changed my plans. I decided to skip the egg stage and jump right in with 8 super cute chicks. Four are production Rhode Island Reds and the other four are White Leghorns. Shortly after a friend gave me seven more Leghorn chicks, bringing my total chick count to fifteen. 

You should NOT go to Tractor Supply at anytime during chick days unless you plan on bringing home chicks.  I needed an item for the brooder so I found myself staring at the cute baby chicks and notice these sweet black and white chicks. There isn't a sign with the breed on the pen and no one seems to know what they are, but I had to have them. Since you must purchase a minimum of six I got to take all six home, bringing my total to 21 chickens. 21 chickens!!!

I created a brooder from two plastic containers and chicken wire. It was very simple but has worked wonders for my chicks. 

I don't have the greatest pics of the chicks, but here are a few, aren't they cute? 

 There first time outside. Boy did they have fun. Sadly, we lost one chick. He/she got out of the fenced in area and as we chased it around the yard it disappeared into a bush, not to be seen again. I've been very sad since this happened and hope that the chick found a new home.

I have narrowed down the breed of the black chicks to either Barred Rocks or Black Asian chicks. 

So there you have it, our crazy life with a family of six, one dog and twenty-one twenty chicks. Don't worry, as we sex the chicks we will re-home the roosters, we only want one male.