It takes a big event, or a big inspiration to get me to write. So here it is. It was ds1's turn for the ER. He had just run out to play on the swingset with his brother and neighbor friend. The neighbor friend was swinging on the one with the 2-bench seats (does everyone remember those?) Ds1 somehow got in front of it, and it clipped him right beside his right eye. I personally think that is a perfect little scar for a boy--it's cool, man. As ds1 is my more physically agile one, he has hardly had visits to the ER. He's so brave--he was only worried about getting a shot. Let me explain the dif in ER visits of the 80's vs. 2008. My son played a video game through the whole procedure. Now if that's not service! He even got a topical ointment that took 30 min. to set in. Don't remember that one from the 80's! I think I just remember being held down. Yep--that was the 80's procedure.
All-in-all, he will have a band-aid in all his birthday pics, but such as life for a boy!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Waking Up
Often, it's only my youngest son and I waking up "early," as my oldest sleeps in. Youngest Son says the darndest things, and I need to start writing them down. I'm not really sure what I said that facilitated this comment, but here it is:
him: "Mom, you crack me off."
me (as I almost spit out my tea): "I think you mean crack me up."
him: "Um, no."
him: "Mom, you crack me off."
me (as I almost spit out my tea): "I think you mean crack me up."
him: "Um, no."
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Desperate
No, this is not part 2 yet, but I thought I'd update you on things. First, we did not get missed by the strep throat epidemic going around. Monday, ds1 slept the latter half of the day, only to wake up talking like he had swallowed his tongue. Right away on Tues, I brought him in to the clinic to get the "pink medicine". I don't mess around with strep. That's only half our news.
Rewind to just before entering the clinic. I am exiting my van when all of a sudden, my wheelchair stops. It flashes at me--short in motor. Can't be good. Thankfully, dh is in the neighborhood. He comes to my rescue, jiggles a few wires, and yippee! He leaves, I roll a foot just to be stopped by the same message. Frustration sets in...but a little laughter as well. It is just so unbelievable. Thank God it was nice weather the last couple days. Just think about poor little ds1...he asks, are we going to go in now? Um, no, not yet honey. We are 3 feet from relief for you, but I just decided to hang out in the parking lot for a while. Poor guy. Dh comes back for the second time, puts me in manual and rolls me in to the clinic. It's funny. I had to joke about it to the nurses that we really were there for my son. The nurses had to push my 378 lb chair (and me) to all the necessary rooms. It was good times.
If you think that's all of the story, think again! After the doc visit is over, I drive myself up to the medical supply store and have our "guy" come wheel me into the store. After taking some parts off, messing with wires, it works. I mean really works--zoomed around the store, tried all the drives (I have 4 on my chair), said thanks and headed home. I was giddy, as we had a big fancy grocery store open up by our house, and I promised the Science Center to the boys today. There were things to do, darn it. Once home, I pulled out of the drivers seat and short in motor. Aaaaah! Unbelievable. To shorten this a bit, I am now sitting here, typing in my borrowed wheelchair. Unfortunately, I don't have the gadgets of recline, raising etc. So, I can't do dishes, cook, etc. I know--bummer, he he.
I will continue onto "today's outside excursion" soon--so don't worry. There's more to come!
Rewind to just before entering the clinic. I am exiting my van when all of a sudden, my wheelchair stops. It flashes at me--short in motor. Can't be good. Thankfully, dh is in the neighborhood. He comes to my rescue, jiggles a few wires, and yippee! He leaves, I roll a foot just to be stopped by the same message. Frustration sets in...but a little laughter as well. It is just so unbelievable. Thank God it was nice weather the last couple days. Just think about poor little ds1...he asks, are we going to go in now? Um, no, not yet honey. We are 3 feet from relief for you, but I just decided to hang out in the parking lot for a while. Poor guy. Dh comes back for the second time, puts me in manual and rolls me in to the clinic. It's funny. I had to joke about it to the nurses that we really were there for my son. The nurses had to push my 378 lb chair (and me) to all the necessary rooms. It was good times.
If you think that's all of the story, think again! After the doc visit is over, I drive myself up to the medical supply store and have our "guy" come wheel me into the store. After taking some parts off, messing with wires, it works. I mean really works--zoomed around the store, tried all the drives (I have 4 on my chair), said thanks and headed home. I was giddy, as we had a big fancy grocery store open up by our house, and I promised the Science Center to the boys today. There were things to do, darn it. Once home, I pulled out of the drivers seat and short in motor. Aaaaah! Unbelievable. To shorten this a bit, I am now sitting here, typing in my borrowed wheelchair. Unfortunately, I don't have the gadgets of recline, raising etc. So, I can't do dishes, cook, etc. I know--bummer, he he.
I will continue onto "today's outside excursion" soon--so don't worry. There's more to come!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
My life on wheels--part 1
It must have been around 1986-87 that my step-mom and mom noticed me "walking on my toes." I remember walking down the sidewalk with my step-mom "teaching" me to walk heel-toe, heel-toe. Fast forward to softball on the Scorpians team. This was the summer of 1988, or maybe 87?. It must have been almost halfway through the season when my mom decided to take me to Iowa City. Oh the first visit. Such joy. If you have ever had an electromyogram (sp?), it's where you get to have little needles put into the very top layer of your skin. Then, they send tiny electrical shocks through your muscles. Now before you go calling DHS, (too late now, by the way), they did have a purpose. Eventhough I screamed like something out of a Frankinstein movie, these electrical currents bouncing through muscle tissue told us about my muscle tone. Why does that matter, you ask? If there is too much reverberation, (I think in a normal muscle, it's 600-1200) we know there is a problem. I think my score was 6,000+ or 60,000--it's funny how things get jumbled in your memory.
It turns out that was not the end of my problems that summer. Getting back to softball. I really could hit that ball like nobody's business. I just wouldn't. I knew I couldn't run. It felt like a strong wind was pushing against my chest. I accidentally hit the ball once, and that was the end of it for me. That's when my mom KNEW there was something wrong. Hence the Iowa City visit. Shortly after my first of many visits, I was scheduled for a biopsy. A full-on going under the knife biopsy. I have to interject that my calf muscles were the ones that worked. That being said, do you know what muscle they cut into? That's right, the calf muscle. Commercial time: does anyone know my fear of IVs? Hate. Them. Knowing that I would have them if I had kids someday. I'm surprised I had kids! Just the thought of a needle staying in you. Eeeew.
OK, back to the story. Needless to say, I freaked out. Good thing they put me under right away. That whole summer, I couldn't walk. I would crawl, or try to use crutches, but I wasn't very good at those. After getting the surprising results back that my calf muscles were fine, I was scheduled for another biopsy. This time on my thigh. Duh. That's where the muscle weakness was. I refused an IV. They sedated me some other way. I remember throwing up twice through the surgery, but that was better than an IV. By the way, I got right up off the table and was walking after this surgery--only a little limp. Gee, I wonder what muscles I was using to walk? Just for my memory's sake, I remember either having my first biopsy in 87, and the second in 88, or both were in 88. Either way, I was diagnosed in the latter part of 1988.
More to come...
It turns out that was not the end of my problems that summer. Getting back to softball. I really could hit that ball like nobody's business. I just wouldn't. I knew I couldn't run. It felt like a strong wind was pushing against my chest. I accidentally hit the ball once, and that was the end of it for me. That's when my mom KNEW there was something wrong. Hence the Iowa City visit. Shortly after my first of many visits, I was scheduled for a biopsy. A full-on going under the knife biopsy. I have to interject that my calf muscles were the ones that worked. That being said, do you know what muscle they cut into? That's right, the calf muscle. Commercial time: does anyone know my fear of IVs? Hate. Them. Knowing that I would have them if I had kids someday. I'm surprised I had kids! Just the thought of a needle staying in you. Eeeew.
OK, back to the story. Needless to say, I freaked out. Good thing they put me under right away. That whole summer, I couldn't walk. I would crawl, or try to use crutches, but I wasn't very good at those. After getting the surprising results back that my calf muscles were fine, I was scheduled for another biopsy. This time on my thigh. Duh. That's where the muscle weakness was. I refused an IV. They sedated me some other way. I remember throwing up twice through the surgery, but that was better than an IV. By the way, I got right up off the table and was walking after this surgery--only a little limp. Gee, I wonder what muscles I was using to walk? Just for my memory's sake, I remember either having my first biopsy in 87, and the second in 88, or both were in 88. Either way, I was diagnosed in the latter part of 1988.
More to come...
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Update and stuff
Sorry again, for the long wait. Why oh why do I have writers angst? I'll start out by sharing a little quip from DS2. This young man likes his time in the bathroom. While on the toilet one morning, (he does this every morning), we like to have a daily chat. Sometimes we play I Spy--in case you ever wanted to know this. DS2 randomly interjects, "this day just keeps getting poopier and poopier." How fitting! I had a good laugh. Kids say the greatest things. I will update again today. I just had to share that.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Best Birthday Ever
I am 30 today. There, it's out. I did no cooking at home, and got 7 inches cut off my hair. I went all out today. Here was our day: God forgives me for sleeping in, I believe. (Also, half of E's throat has been swollen and hard for him to swallow, so we didn't want him in an enclosed classroom setting with other kids). For lunch we went to a restaurant with fireplaces. When it's 3 degrees out, is there really any question? I had bananas foster, yum. Then onto the movies to see the new Veggietales movie. Yes, I like them too. And to hear the kids say, you're the best, mom. That was nice, too. You see in our family, the birthday persons' day is actually their day. We make a big deal. So if that person decides to do something we all like, it also shows that we can be selfless, even on our day.
Next it was off to the mall for a grown up hair cut. I actually spent money and had someone wash my hair and cut it. Not skipping myself as usually all the man-boys in the family get dibs on the money for haircuts. We then went to the movie, then on to Ohanas. Anyone who has been there can attest: it's just plain cool. It is a Japanese restaurant where they cook the food in front of you and do cool things with knives. A boy's dream...oh and I guess I liked it too! I got a polaroid of our chef pointing knives at my head. It was great times.
I am now approaching the time of night that I was actually born, 9.9 lbs by c-section, into this wonderful world. I am so thankful for these 30 years. I plan on living to be very old, so I'll be seeing a lot of those birthdays ending in zero.
I had a new commenter, http://atomiccity.blogspot.com, wonder why the wheelchair. I got to thinking, have I ever actually talked about it, and how many of you actually wonder about that? So fear not, I will be posting about that more in detail in the next 1-2 blogs. So hold onto your hats for a glorious medical journey.
Next it was off to the mall for a grown up hair cut. I actually spent money and had someone wash my hair and cut it. Not skipping myself as usually all the man-boys in the family get dibs on the money for haircuts. We then went to the movie, then on to Ohanas. Anyone who has been there can attest: it's just plain cool. It is a Japanese restaurant where they cook the food in front of you and do cool things with knives. A boy's dream...oh and I guess I liked it too! I got a polaroid of our chef pointing knives at my head. It was great times.
I am now approaching the time of night that I was actually born, 9.9 lbs by c-section, into this wonderful world. I am so thankful for these 30 years. I plan on living to be very old, so I'll be seeing a lot of those birthdays ending in zero.
I had a new commenter, http://atomiccity.blogspot.com, wonder why the wheelchair. I got to thinking, have I ever actually talked about it, and how many of you actually wonder about that? So fear not, I will be posting about that more in detail in the next 1-2 blogs. So hold onto your hats for a glorious medical journey.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Snow Day!
Technically, our school district had a snow day. We got about a foot of snow, so that cancelled church as well. Basically, I've been in this house for 3 days straight now. I'm actually not going crazy. As stated in last post, I am blessed to not have to BE anywhere in this weather. All vehicles are finally fixed, $480 later. That's OK. God takes care of all things, so what do I have to worry about?
In March, we hope to get our house refinanced. That will also take care of residing our house and hopefully another down payment on other property. Owner ship is 9/10 of the law or something like that. We don't want to be in this winter crap, I mean weather all our lives. We homeschool for goodness sake, we should be able to do that anywhere and have our main residence in Iowa.
I have to admit, I let the kids play too many video games and watch too much TV today. Our internet was sketchy, so our online schoolwork was not happenin'. We did play board games, puzzles, and listen to Adventures in Odyssy (thank you minimemoirs). I made some rockin banana muffins. Yes sir, from scratch. I am getting culinary in my old age. But, Mama Podkayne needs to tell me how to make her butter.
DH is currently going through our filing cabinet. Bless his heart. I am an organizational disaster. I figure once I have a system, I'll actually use it. That's the plan. With 400 extra square feet, I will have to change my habits and not just pile up junk (aka papers). Does anyone else cringe when the mail comes? I am half excited at the prospect of getting good mail (not bills or ads). But for the other 98% I get flustered. I am a hoarder at heart.
Hope all is well with all you blogsters out there. Sweet dreams.
In March, we hope to get our house refinanced. That will also take care of residing our house and hopefully another down payment on other property. Owner ship is 9/10 of the law or something like that. We don't want to be in this winter crap, I mean weather all our lives. We homeschool for goodness sake, we should be able to do that anywhere and have our main residence in Iowa.
I have to admit, I let the kids play too many video games and watch too much TV today. Our internet was sketchy, so our online schoolwork was not happenin'. We did play board games, puzzles, and listen to Adventures in Odyssy (thank you minimemoirs). I made some rockin banana muffins. Yes sir, from scratch. I am getting culinary in my old age. But, Mama Podkayne needs to tell me how to make her butter.
DH is currently going through our filing cabinet. Bless his heart. I am an organizational disaster. I figure once I have a system, I'll actually use it. That's the plan. With 400 extra square feet, I will have to change my habits and not just pile up junk (aka papers). Does anyone else cringe when the mail comes? I am half excited at the prospect of getting good mail (not bills or ads). But for the other 98% I get flustered. I am a hoarder at heart.
Hope all is well with all you blogsters out there. Sweet dreams.
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