Hi, Family and Friends,
Just wanted to drop a quick note about Caleb's umbilical hernia surgery. We are going to postpone it until June. We didn't really want to do that, but with Christmas coming, we got on the phone with the insurance and found out how much we were going to need to pay upfront and right now isn't a great time for us to pay that much. We talked with the doctor and he felt it was okay to wait. The good news is, after the baby comes we will have met our out-of-pocket maximum and Caleb's surgery should be covered 100%. Additionally, he has a ruptured eardrum right now and is on antibiotics, which probably wouldn't affect the surgery too much, I just want him to be a lot better before he goes under the knife. Don't want him getting any sicker than he was and let his immune system time to recover from the onslaught it has received the last 9 days. We are blessed that no one else has gotten sick and everyone is doing well.
We hope you are all enjoying your Christmas season! We look forward to seeing a lot of you soon.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Silly Dog
This picture is evidence of the silliness of our ultra friendly meek golden retriever, Chewbacca. When he is given a chewbone he will walk around the house whimpering looking for a place to hide it, then waits by the door to be let out. If I don't let him outside to bury it, he puts his paw on my leg and sits there looking at me with this pitiful look, waiting. And waiting. This goes on for about 20 minutes until he gives up by either putting the chew bone behind a piece of furniture or laying on it. Eventually, within a few hours, he will start to gingerly chew on it. And once it is soft, then he devours it in a few minutes. Any animal behaviorist out there want to explain? :)
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Surgery
Umbilical hernia. You learn a lot of medical terms being a mom to three little ones. This is what Caleb has. A small one that just appeared about a year ago. Usually a child is born with it and outgrows it by 4 years of age. Caleb had two inguinal hernia type occurrences as a toddler--both were repaired. I don't think it's coincidence that he is the one to develop an umbilical hernia.
We have met with his pediatrician and a general surgeon. Both said it would be wise to get it fixed sooner than later. Since baby Emily should be here in about 10 weeks, and life will become chaotic with a newborn, two boys in soccer and the regular craziness of a household of six, we decided now was as good a time as any. December 21st is the date. And Caleb is worried. We meet with a life specialist, at least I think that is what she is called, next week. She will answer his questions, show him around the recovery room, describe what will happen to him and how long he can expect to recover. I think it's really great that they offer this. The more information Caleb has, the better he seems to do. Now, if this were happening to Jake, I don't know if Jake would care. When Jake was transported in an ambulance after his first seizure, for example, I kept holding his hand and looking into his face to see if he was worried. Nope. Just looked around at all the stuff in the ambulance. "Do you want me to sing you a song, Jake?" "Uh, sure." As if to say, "Uh, sure, Mommy, if it makes you feel better."
And Jake also told me today, "If the doctor told me he was going to cut me open like Caleb, I would be really really mad at him." And furrowed his brow and clenched his fists. That's his way to solve most of his dilemmas, just show 'em who is boss and then he feels better.
But Caleb is much more sensitive and anxious. I wouldn't change him for anything and love that he is so aware of life, people and emotions, but it makes for several discussions and several reassuring incidences. At times I feel inadequate at being able to help soothe him. Almost like when he was a colicky baby. But I have found that when I just listen to my mommy instinct and hold him, we can get to a happier place a lot quicker. One thing that does not work is, "Try not to worry about it. It will be alright." Who really wants to hear that anyway?
I will try to post an update on operation day to let you know how it goes. It's a very minor surgery and he should be able to resume most activities the next day. Mike has the day off so it works out great scheduling wise.
We have met with his pediatrician and a general surgeon. Both said it would be wise to get it fixed sooner than later. Since baby Emily should be here in about 10 weeks, and life will become chaotic with a newborn, two boys in soccer and the regular craziness of a household of six, we decided now was as good a time as any. December 21st is the date. And Caleb is worried. We meet with a life specialist, at least I think that is what she is called, next week. She will answer his questions, show him around the recovery room, describe what will happen to him and how long he can expect to recover. I think it's really great that they offer this. The more information Caleb has, the better he seems to do. Now, if this were happening to Jake, I don't know if Jake would care. When Jake was transported in an ambulance after his first seizure, for example, I kept holding his hand and looking into his face to see if he was worried. Nope. Just looked around at all the stuff in the ambulance. "Do you want me to sing you a song, Jake?" "Uh, sure." As if to say, "Uh, sure, Mommy, if it makes you feel better."
And Jake also told me today, "If the doctor told me he was going to cut me open like Caleb, I would be really really mad at him." And furrowed his brow and clenched his fists. That's his way to solve most of his dilemmas, just show 'em who is boss and then he feels better.
But Caleb is much more sensitive and anxious. I wouldn't change him for anything and love that he is so aware of life, people and emotions, but it makes for several discussions and several reassuring incidences. At times I feel inadequate at being able to help soothe him. Almost like when he was a colicky baby. But I have found that when I just listen to my mommy instinct and hold him, we can get to a happier place a lot quicker. One thing that does not work is, "Try not to worry about it. It will be alright." Who really wants to hear that anyway?
I will try to post an update on operation day to let you know how it goes. It's a very minor surgery and he should be able to resume most activities the next day. Mike has the day off so it works out great scheduling wise.
Naughty List
Caleb: Mom, am I on the naughty list?
Mommy: Of course not.
Caleb: How do you know?
Mommy: 'Cause I know. Santa would have told me.
Jake: Mommy, is Uncle Brandon on the naughty list?
Mommy: No.
Caleb: Is Daddy?
Mommy: Nope.
Caleb: Mom, are you on the naughty the list?
Mommy: Um....I hope not.
Michaela: Uncle Phil?
Jake: Uncle Joey?
Mommy: Nope, nope, nope.
Caleb: Roman? [a friend in his school class who is a little bit of a trouble maker, but still a good kid]
Mommy: Nope
Caleb: But he gets in trouble all the time.
Mommy: Yea, but he tries to be good, right?
Caleb: Well, yeah, sorta.
Michaela: Kenna? [meaning is, "McKenna on the naughty list?" Her little friend down the street.] Boyd's mommy?
Mommy: Of course not!
Editor's note: Do my kids hope that one of their loved ones is on the naughty list? I almost sensed a little disappointment when they discovered that they didn't know anyone who was on "the list."
Mommy: Of course not.
Caleb: How do you know?
Mommy: 'Cause I know. Santa would have told me.
Jake: Mommy, is Uncle Brandon on the naughty list?
Mommy: No.
Caleb: Is Daddy?
Mommy: Nope.
Caleb: Mom, are you on the naughty the list?
Mommy: Um....I hope not.
Michaela: Uncle Phil?
Jake: Uncle Joey?
Mommy: Nope, nope, nope.
Caleb: Roman? [a friend in his school class who is a little bit of a trouble maker, but still a good kid]
Mommy: Nope
Caleb: But he gets in trouble all the time.
Mommy: Yea, but he tries to be good, right?
Caleb: Well, yeah, sorta.
Michaela: Kenna? [meaning is, "McKenna on the naughty list?" Her little friend down the street.] Boyd's mommy?
Mommy: Of course not!
Editor's note: Do my kids hope that one of their loved ones is on the naughty list? I almost sensed a little disappointment when they discovered that they didn't know anyone who was on "the list."
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Gratitude
Since Thanksgiving has come and gone, naturally my thoughts have been about the blessings I see in my life. In the last few weeks, I have been mostly grateful for medical doctors. I felt like writing this post because I think that the medical community can get a bad rap at times. I hear people grumble about how their doctor overlooked something and their child got really sick, or that doctors are just out to get our money, etc. And all of these stories are probably true. But I think our family has been especially fortunate to find good, conscientious doctors. It started with our OB doctor I decided on when we found out we were expecting Caleb. Today, almost seven years later our little group of medical professional support now includes a neurologist, pediatrician and orthopedist. It's experiences like the OB catching a potentially life threatening condition I developed when I was 38 weeks pregnant, to a doctor who was observant enough in his questioning me about Jake's seizures. Through his questioning we realized that one side of Jake's body seemed to be more affected than the other and that it just wasn't a sickness-related seizure--this helped in leading us to get certain tests that perhaps we might have thought were unnecessary.
And these past few weeks, I have been reminded again why I am grateful for good doctors. I had asked my OB (the same one since Caleb's birth) about my pelvis, back and hip pain that I have been experiencing and she immediately referred me to a good orthopedist who got me in that day. This orthopedist has helped me cope with my pain, helped me learn what activities I can and can't do and has helped me with exercises that have even helped improve my condition. A condition I read would only be resolved postpartum and for the meantime I thought I was just going to have to put up with it. I'm grateful she was insistent that I not be put on bedrest because she felt it was better to work around the problem and strengthen my body so that I would have a better recovery. And my OB has been helping with the condition suggesting certain things I should try that I was probably a little too stubborn to try without her encouragement because I thought it wouldn't work, but in the end it did.
I know this may seem like a funny post, it doesn't seem to be related to our family much, but really it is. It is because of good doctors that Jake has been seizure free for over seven months, that I am now not on bedrest and can get through most days without too much pain and discomfort and help take care of the kids. It is because of a good doctor that Caleb and I may be alive today since most doctors wouldn't have run the type of tests she ran. She determined my blood platelets were dropping and I could have bled to death during Caleb's delivery if she didn't act soon.
And one last thing, of course it isn't just good doctors that helped us through all these medical related trying times. It's family and community/church support that have also helped pull us through. Family and friends have helped with childcare and emotional support when we needed it. It would be terribly lonely to try and face all of this alone, but fortunately, we don't have to.
And these past few weeks, I have been reminded again why I am grateful for good doctors. I had asked my OB (the same one since Caleb's birth) about my pelvis, back and hip pain that I have been experiencing and she immediately referred me to a good orthopedist who got me in that day. This orthopedist has helped me cope with my pain, helped me learn what activities I can and can't do and has helped me with exercises that have even helped improve my condition. A condition I read would only be resolved postpartum and for the meantime I thought I was just going to have to put up with it. I'm grateful she was insistent that I not be put on bedrest because she felt it was better to work around the problem and strengthen my body so that I would have a better recovery. And my OB has been helping with the condition suggesting certain things I should try that I was probably a little too stubborn to try without her encouragement because I thought it wouldn't work, but in the end it did.
I know this may seem like a funny post, it doesn't seem to be related to our family much, but really it is. It is because of good doctors that Jake has been seizure free for over seven months, that I am now not on bedrest and can get through most days without too much pain and discomfort and help take care of the kids. It is because of a good doctor that Caleb and I may be alive today since most doctors wouldn't have run the type of tests she ran. She determined my blood platelets were dropping and I could have bled to death during Caleb's delivery if she didn't act soon.
And one last thing, of course it isn't just good doctors that helped us through all these medical related trying times. It's family and community/church support that have also helped pull us through. Family and friends have helped with childcare and emotional support when we needed it. It would be terribly lonely to try and face all of this alone, but fortunately, we don't have to.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
First Day of School
Obviously, I am out of order on my posts here, but oh well! I thought by quitting my job with BYU-Idaho I was going to have oodles of time on my hands, but nope! Mike started his AirMed training and then was gone for two weeks to D.C., so no oodles of time, not even really any spare time lately, but that's okay. It does make me wonder how I ever worked and took care of the kids, but then Mike was home more, that's probably how I did it.
Let me start with Jake and Caleb's first days of school. Caleb is in first grade this year and has Miss Eliason. She is very sweet and kind and Caleb seems to like her. He is getting bored at times and seems to catch on to things rather swiftly. He gets a little frustrated that everything they are going over right now is stuff he has already learned. And for most students, I am sure they need the review--but Caleb seems to have this uncanny gift for remembering everything he sees, hears or reads and has just taken off with reading. I am continually amazed, humbled, grateful and in awe of his ability to recognize words that I don't think he should know like "veterinarian." He also has a knack for math. My challenge as his parent is to make sure he stays stimulated and interested in school so that he doesn't become lazy. As a former teacher I completely understand having to teach to the middle level of the class. And when you have over 26 students, how do you meet each child's needs? I've been pondering over this dilemma lately and am not sure what we will do for him, but for now, even though he gets a little frustrated that he knows most of what is being taught, he seems to thrive on the social aspect of school. He loves being with his friends and just being in the whole school environment.
Now, let's move on to Jake. He started preschool this year and seems to be doing well. He is beginning to recognize letters and numbers and enjoys going two days a week. Lately, he is absorbing the sign language the teacher is using. I think what is best about preschool is that Jake feels a little more grown-up and has his "own" thing that is not Caleb's or Michaela's. It's just for him. He is making friends outside of his family and that makes him feel more independent and important, too.
On to Michaela, you may laugh at this, but the single biggest accomplishment for her (and for me!) is that she is finally potty-trained. I know she isn't even three yet, and for those readers that are wondering why I say, "finally" it is because she initiated potty training well over a year ago and has stopped and started and made more messes on our carpet than Caleb, Jake and the dog combined! That is not exaggerating. I was happy to wait until she was past her third birthday, but she has gone through spurts of insisting on wearing underwear and then not wanting, to taking off her diaper, peeing on the floor, sometimes using the toilet sometimes just going in her diaper, then wanting underwear back on and so it has gone. And to those of you older women that told me that girls are supposed to be so much easier just flat out lied to me! I am a little bitter at you, ya know. My boys were sooooooooooooo much easier. And trying how to teach her not to get urine all over the seat and on the floor while she sits, yea, that has also thrown out the theory that boys make the toilet more messy, too.
Well, in spite of our struggle to potty train, it has probably made the victory that much more sweet because it has been a long road to travel.
Okay, what next, we have covered all the kids, perhaps you would like to hear how Mike is doing? He is loving AirMed, no surprise there. He got a little behind passing off training stuff when he went to D.C. for a two week HazMat course at the National Fire Academy, but he is about to pass everything off this next week and I know he will be very relieved when that gets done. I am very grateful that he is very motivated with his career and takes it very seriously and works extremely hard at what he does. I think he is fantastic at what he does. Sandy City Fire has also had some changes in the department and a few engineer slots have opened up. Hopefully, Mike will be able to promote in the next few months. We are not holding our breath--I am trying to say this politically correct here, let's just say the department seems to change their promotion policies and procedures more times than my daughter changes clothes in a day. Okay, that wasn't politically correct, but they haven't exactly been consistent over the time that Mike has been with them. Mike is very patient, however, and continues to work hard, and it will happen.
And last, we found out our fourth child will be a girl. Mike came up with the name "Emily Kathryn." It seems to fit, and that will probably be her name when she comes. She is growing well and so far we haven't had any complications. My pelvis began to separate during the last four weeks of Michaela's pregnancy and I was told this might be a problem again. It seems to have started in the last few weeks. I hope to continue doing core strengthening exercises that may help. It does make things a little challenging and can be painful. But luckily it usually resolves postpartum.
Let me start with Jake and Caleb's first days of school. Caleb is in first grade this year and has Miss Eliason. She is very sweet and kind and Caleb seems to like her. He is getting bored at times and seems to catch on to things rather swiftly. He gets a little frustrated that everything they are going over right now is stuff he has already learned. And for most students, I am sure they need the review--but Caleb seems to have this uncanny gift for remembering everything he sees, hears or reads and has just taken off with reading. I am continually amazed, humbled, grateful and in awe of his ability to recognize words that I don't think he should know like "veterinarian." He also has a knack for math. My challenge as his parent is to make sure he stays stimulated and interested in school so that he doesn't become lazy. As a former teacher I completely understand having to teach to the middle level of the class. And when you have over 26 students, how do you meet each child's needs? I've been pondering over this dilemma lately and am not sure what we will do for him, but for now, even though he gets a little frustrated that he knows most of what is being taught, he seems to thrive on the social aspect of school. He loves being with his friends and just being in the whole school environment.
Now, let's move on to Jake. He started preschool this year and seems to be doing well. He is beginning to recognize letters and numbers and enjoys going two days a week. Lately, he is absorbing the sign language the teacher is using. I think what is best about preschool is that Jake feels a little more grown-up and has his "own" thing that is not Caleb's or Michaela's. It's just for him. He is making friends outside of his family and that makes him feel more independent and important, too.
On to Michaela, you may laugh at this, but the single biggest accomplishment for her (and for me!) is that she is finally potty-trained. I know she isn't even three yet, and for those readers that are wondering why I say, "finally" it is because she initiated potty training well over a year ago and has stopped and started and made more messes on our carpet than Caleb, Jake and the dog combined! That is not exaggerating. I was happy to wait until she was past her third birthday, but she has gone through spurts of insisting on wearing underwear and then not wanting, to taking off her diaper, peeing on the floor, sometimes using the toilet sometimes just going in her diaper, then wanting underwear back on and so it has gone. And to those of you older women that told me that girls are supposed to be so much easier just flat out lied to me! I am a little bitter at you, ya know. My boys were sooooooooooooo much easier. And trying how to teach her not to get urine all over the seat and on the floor while she sits, yea, that has also thrown out the theory that boys make the toilet more messy, too.
Well, in spite of our struggle to potty train, it has probably made the victory that much more sweet because it has been a long road to travel.
Okay, what next, we have covered all the kids, perhaps you would like to hear how Mike is doing? He is loving AirMed, no surprise there. He got a little behind passing off training stuff when he went to D.C. for a two week HazMat course at the National Fire Academy, but he is about to pass everything off this next week and I know he will be very relieved when that gets done. I am very grateful that he is very motivated with his career and takes it very seriously and works extremely hard at what he does. I think he is fantastic at what he does. Sandy City Fire has also had some changes in the department and a few engineer slots have opened up. Hopefully, Mike will be able to promote in the next few months. We are not holding our breath--I am trying to say this politically correct here, let's just say the department seems to change their promotion policies and procedures more times than my daughter changes clothes in a day. Okay, that wasn't politically correct, but they haven't exactly been consistent over the time that Mike has been with them. Mike is very patient, however, and continues to work hard, and it will happen.
And last, we found out our fourth child will be a girl. Mike came up with the name "Emily Kathryn." It seems to fit, and that will probably be her name when she comes. She is growing well and so far we haven't had any complications. My pelvis began to separate during the last four weeks of Michaela's pregnancy and I was told this might be a problem again. It seems to have started in the last few weeks. I hope to continue doing core strengthening exercises that may help. It does make things a little challenging and can be painful. But luckily it usually resolves postpartum.
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