Yard cleanup, Leprechaun Dash and My Lips

I was recently able to get some more yard work done on my own. It's nice to have Milo out there with me to keep me company. I did some deeper cleaning with getting rid of the leaves along the back fence as well as trimming branches from the grape vine. I also pulled a bunch of vines out the backyard neighbor's trees that are right by the fence. It bugged me last year when I discovered that the vines were growing up into the trees. Now was a good time to do it since there's no leaves or buds yet. I got a bunch but not all because I couldn't reach. I also started cleaning up another flowerbed but got too tired before I could finish.

The pine needles and small branches were bugging me in the yard but I didn't want to mow them up because I didn't want the branches and pine cones to damage the blades. I went around the yard and raked up little piles.

By the time I was done making piles, I counted 31! I was tired and decided I needed my two boys to come help. Curtis was working on another project. Jack's friend, Luke, was over and he helped also. It made such a difference to have them help.

After the boys left I went to another side of the yard and got a few more pine needles and cones raked up. I went ahead and scooped them up myself. I cleaned this flowerbed out pretty well.

This was done on the same day I trimmed and pulled branches out. I was pretty tired and didn't get to finish.

I got a full garbage can and I haven't even disposed of all of the vines I cut off yet, only some of them.

Our tree, which I learned is a Gardenia, is in full bloom now and so pretty. 

A close up shot of the blooms on the tree.

On Saturday, the 16th, the girls, Milo, Curtis and I participated in the Leprechaun Dash. It's a free 1 mile race that is meant to help encourage elementary students to exercise. Every school that had 100 kids participate would get some money from "the pot of gold" to go toward their PE department. The money was donated by sponsors. Our school had 109!

As for my lip infection, it was clearing up but wasn't 100% after I finished the week of ointment. I ended up applying it on all of my lips for 8 days and then a couple of small spots for the next couple of days. Two days without medication and Sunday the 17th I woke up with yellow crust on my bottom lip and in the corners again. Ugh! I had actually been a little suspicious before going to bed the night before because I started to see some red under my lips. I applied the ointment just in case but it was too late. Monday I called the dermatologist and they said to continue using the ointment and that they could get me in on Wednesday. When I went in my lips were looking a lot better again because at least it wasn't as bad as the first time. They said to continue the Mupirocin ointment on my lips for another week, applying twice a day, but also added an oral antibiotic called Cephalexin. I just had to take two pills a day. They also took a swab of both my nostrils to do a lab test because sometimes it can start in the nose. I wouldn't find out the results until Monday, after our trip. In the meantime, the pills and the ointment seemed to be doing what I needed. 

My lips look almost 100% better now. However, they did call me yesterday and told me that the lab results came back as a different bacteria than they originally thought and were prescribing a new antibiotic called Doxycycline Hyclate. I just started that one last night. This particular pill is a bit annoying just because I have to avoid eating any dairy or foods with calcium 4 hours before and 4 hours after taking the pill. The calcium causes some reaction that makes the medicine not work as well. I also need to take it with a snack or small meal at least and I can't be exposed to sun for long periods of time while taking this medication. I'm not sure what will happen if I do but that means I can't do a bunch of yard work in one day like I was, unless I'm in the shade. At least it's only twice a day for 10 days. I just hope I don't have to change it again and that this one finally gets ride of the infection!

This was taken Sunday the 17th after my infection returned. Like I said, it wasn't as bad as the first time around.

This was taken on Monday the 18th.

My eye has been doing something lately also where it gets red, a little puffy, and sometimes crusty. I thought maybe it could be related to the lip infection but the doctor said no, it was probably just allergies. I took allergy pills for a couple of days and it cleared up, so it must have been allergies.

This is what it looked like on Tuesday the 19th.