Off to Delaware- I hope.

Well- I haven't written for awhile b/c I did not knock on wood enough. A few weeks ago both Devin & Kyle got sick with a viral pharyngitits.... trip to doctor. Negative for strep throat. I thought that's what they had...both had sore throats, fever and Kyle had sores all over his tonsils. Poor kids- poor Mom. Both Jack and I missed work and Kyle was sick for days. Devin only got it mildly for 1-2 days.

Then, last week, Kyle got sick again with cough, runny nose and high fever. I decided to sit it out ( with lots of tylenol and ibuprofen) for 1 1/2 days. Then, his fever spiked to 105 last Wednesday afternoon (even with ibuprofen in morning). Thus, a trip to Urgent Care. Diagnosed with a upper respiratory virus...blah blah blah. Devin got a little cold and cough.. but not too bad. Once again, I missed some work. Kids being sick is very inconvenient for working parents. Ugh.

Anyway, we seem to be on the mend.. Me, emotionally,from dealing with sick kids. What a nightmare.... all I can say is thank God for wine. Some nights after the grumpy kids finally got to sleep, a nice glass of wine and "The Bachelor". :) Yes, I like to watch cheesy shows to take my mind off of the stresses of life... kids, illnesses, not enough money, work being slow (thus- not enough money), my dad getting worse again.

Speaking of my dad, the kids and I are supposed to go visit my parents in Delaware in two days. My dad's tumor is growing back and they decided to discontinue the chemo. They are going to try the cyberknife radiation to see if this will stop the progression of the tumor and buy him more time. I wanted to take the kids to see my parents to spend as much time with them as possible. Plus, we wanted to see the snow. But, be careful what you wish for--- it snowed 2 feet there last weekend and is supposed to snow another foot tonight. The most snow Delaware has gotten since the 1800's. Crazy. So, I don't even know if the airport will be open on Thursday. I hope so. Knowing my luck lately... not likely. So, we shall see how this week goes...

Pants on the ground...

Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, looking like a fool with your pants on the ground.... can't get that out of my head. Now, Devin is singing it too. :) Yes, I'm an American Idol fan. I am also watching The Bachelor right now as I write this. Yes, I know - its cheesy... but I need cheesy to escape the downs of my job (had to euthanize a 1 day old foal this morning) and my crazy kids. We are all healthy again. BIG KNOCK ON WOOD. Kyle's appetite is back. All is great but Jack learned not to wrestle with him after a big dinner. He ate an entire Ramon noodle package last night... and then projectile vomited 1/2 of it after Jack threw him all around after dinner. Nice. Guess who had to clean it up?!

Devin sick too, ugh.

Devin is sick too. Ugh. Kyle was finally feeling better... I didn't work Monday or Tuesday. Then, Devin spikes a 102.4 fever last night. Poor peanut. All shaky and hot. Of course, she slept with me all night... but was very restless b/c of the fever. Still having a fever today- but not at high. Only 100.4 tonight. Fortunately, Jack was able to take work off today and watch the kids. Kyle's throat lesions seem to be healing & Devin's throat looks good so far (knock on wood). I have tomorrow off work. Hopefully, they will both be healthier by Friday and be able to go to daycare. I need to work. We need the money!!!

Sick, again.

OK- Kyle is sick again. Ugh. I really should have knocked on wood somewhere last time when I said he was getting healthier... Had him rechecked by doctor at end of December. He hadn't gained any weight but did not lose any either. His vomiting/diarrhea has almost 100% resolved once I switched him to almond milk. I had two more of his vaccines boostered at the end of December. So, now he is only behind in two vaccines.

Anyway, he spiked a high fever 2 days ago (102.6). Since then, he has had a high fever for last 3 days It was really high yesterday- spiking up to 103.5. Then, it would only drop to 102.2 on ibuprofen and then start climbing again. So, I gave him a warm washcloth bath last night too. Last night, he was drooling a little and sticking his hands in his mouth. So, I looked in his mouth with a flashlight and he had some white spots on the back of his throat/tonsil area and a ulcer on his tonsil. Poor guy. So, I stayed home from work today and took him to doctor this morning. His strep test (quick swab) came back negative. I asked for them to send in a culture too. Anway, they initially thought it was Hand,Foot & Mouth- but Kyle already had that last spring. So, they just called it a "viral pharyngitis". He seems to feel better this afternoon and this evening. His fever isn't as high, but his temp goes up and down all a day. It was 102.3 this morning, 100.1 this afternoon, 97.1 at dinner, and 101.1 at bedtime. So, I have been giving him a lot of ibuprofen these last few days. So, we shall see how tomorrow goes... I hope he gets better soon. I can't miss work on Wednesday too. Fortunately, I don't work tomorrow.

Well, that's the update for now. Spending a lot of time at home watching the movie, Cars, for the millionth time and Thomas the Train. I wish he liked to watch something else when I'm holding him.

Can I have some personal space, please?

Ok- I'm serious. I would really like some personal space. If it's not the kids, it's the cat. I can't even write this blog b/c my cat is trying to lay on my right arm. I keep pushing him away- but he is very persistant, and fat. So, it's not only a cat, but a very fat cat who is weighing my arm down. So, Jack is putting the kids to bed b/c my last nerve is gone. They are pushing my buttons today. As I write this, I am having a Bailey's on the rocks to calm my nerves. As Jack & I always say when people ask us what our parenting secret is... cocktails. :) I just shoved the cat off my arm for the 6th time... he is finally lying next to me rather than on me. Jack says I repeat, "What did I just say?!" about a thousand times a day to the kids. I say it, they ignore it....

"Kyle, stop hitting your sister"... he does it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"
"Kyle, stop throwing your food"... he does it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"
"Kyle, dont' jump on me, that hursts"... he does it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"
"Devin & Kyle, stop spitting water out of the bathtub"... they do it again, I say, "What did I just say?!"

Seriously. This is just a taste of what today was like. And, I would really like to pee in peace. Kids can't stand it when I close the bathroom door... and stand on the other side, knocking, asking me what I'm doing (What do you think I'm doing?!), can they come in, when will I be done, can they flush the toilet...

On a good note, Kyle is finally letting me drop him off at daycare at the gym for the last few weeks and is no longer crying. YEA! I finallly get to work out on a consistent basis. Of course, I am in sad shape and the last 3 weeks have sucked. After the first week, my fitness instructor asked me how I was doing... I said, "Well, it sucked". My second week working out, she asked me again how I was doing (obviously I look pathetic in class), I say, "It sucked less than last week." This week, she hasn't asked me yet, but I can say, I am feeling a little better but still have a hard time doing all the exercises in the classes. It kicks my ass! But, there is hope for me yet and I really want to get back into good shape. Since Kyle, I have not exercised consistently b/c of his neediness and I look like it too. I hate being in my 40's, looking in the mirror, and LOOK like I'm in my 40's. My age is showing. Ugh.

Kyle Medical update

Well, Kyle has finally kicked his vomiting habit. Thank the Lord. Course, I had to "figure" out his GI issues by trial and error on my own. He had been vomiting frequently all summer and early fall. It was a nightmare. Shoulda bought stock in carpet & fabric cleaner. Finally, we switched him to almond milk (off soy formula) in early to mid November. Well, he has hardly vomited at all for the last month. We went for his regular 2 year check up at the beginning of December. He weighed 24 lbs at that visit (10%) and 33.5" tall (15%-20%). At that time, the doctor recommended to send him to GI specialist and have him scoped. But, since he was finally doing better, we decided not to put him through that. I had him vaccinated against the seasonal & swine flu and varicella (late on that one).

He had to go into the dentist for the 3rd time to have his filling replaced in his front tooth. What a nightmare. He screams bloody murder! They have to strap him down on a board do keep him from flailing (I call it the kiddie taco) and the nitrous oxide gas (laughing gas) does not help ... he definitely doesn't laugh. The 2nd time we had it filled in was in November (6 months after the first time)... he got so hysterical it was really upsetting me and I started to sweat while he was being worked on. Being a doctor myself, I know this is one of the first signs before someone passes out... I hope it wasn't going to be me! After all that, it came out about 3 days later.... I couldn't believe it. So, we had to take him in again and do it all over again. Fortunately, they were much quicker this time and I didn't almost pass out. Knock on wood, it is still in...

Took Kyle in for recheck today... no weight gain, but hasn't lost any either. He is still doing well and seems fairly healthy except another cold. I hate colds. Never ending snotty noses, coughing and boogie-rags. Anyway, he got 2 more vaccines today since he is so far behind on all his vaccines. He got the Hib and DPT vaccines today. A little grumpy tonight, but seems to be handling it ok. I got way far behind on vaccines b/c he had such a bad reaction to vaccines when we first got him. Both times he was initially vaccinated... he was sick for a week. So, then, we only did one vaccine at a time. I was trying to catch him up, but everytime we went to the doctors.. he was sick. So, I had to get 3 vaccines a month ago, 2 vaccines today, and still has 2 more to go in another month. He seems to handle 2 vaccines at a time now. The only reason I had 3 done last month was b/c one was a intranasal vaccine and not a shot.

Knock on wood, we hope 2010 will be a healthier year for Kyle with less vomiting, diarrhea, colds, doctor and dentist visits... can that be his New Year's Resolution?

Christmas Newsletter 2009

Merry Christmas 2009!


Well, 2009 has been a year of ups and downs for us. Most importantly, our family is blessed to be together for over a year now with Kyle making our family complete. Overall, we are basically healthy. Kyle has had issues with food intolerances and allergic reactions, a SUPER-sensitive gag reflex when he coughs (not fun in public), never- ending colds, and two front teeth with cavities (which the fillings keep falling out of). But, who’s complaining?! The dentist wants to know… What is he doing that his filling has fallen out for the 3rd time? ”Uh, he is a hyper-active 2 year old boy, do I need to say more?” His idea of fun is jumping off of furniture and running around at mock speed. The only time he is still is when he’s sleeping and strapped down in a car seat (and then he talks, talks, talks). Wonder where he gets that from?! Kyle is a joy, but definitely all boy and loves, loves, loves cars. If it’s a vehicle, he loves it. He loves Cars the Movie (of course), matchbox cars, Chuck the truck, tractors, planes, clothes with cars on them, and Mac trucks (“Mac!”). And, he loves to push things and ride on the tractor with Dad. He has no fear and is doing gymnastics and loves to swim (he thinks he can- SCARY). If you are near a pool, you have to be on your toes or he will do a cannon ball jump in at mock speed. He makes the lifeguards nervous (exact quote).
Devin is doing well. She wasn’t ready for kindergarten this year being the youngest person in her class- and is going to preschool instead. That was a hard decision, but ultimately the right one for her. She goes to Bel Esprit and is building up her self confidence. She takes “Ellie the Bear” everywhere with her. She took swimming lessons all summer and loves it. She can now swim by herself - at least one less kid I have to worry about drowning! She loves to play pretend with her stuffed animals (truly a mini-me) and draw and write. She has been healthy (Thank God) and has a good sense of humor. She can also be a blabber mouth once she gets over her shyness and is comfortable with you. The kids still go to Miss Julie’s daycare while Mom is working.
Some of the struggles we have been through this year started with Jack losing his position at Hubbell last February. It was a shock and we have learned to live on less. Arizona has the highest unemployment and housing foreclosure rate in the country. Since our state is built on the housing market, it is in the pits. We are fortunate that I have a secure position at my veterinary clinic and we had “emergency” funds set aside. That has been a saving grace during these bad economic times. God must have been listening because Jack starts to work on December 15th at CCS Presentations Systems doing corporate sales.
My Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 Glioblastoma (brain cancer) last April. I flew out to the East Coast for his emergency surgery to remove a tumor. It was quite a shock since he was playing golf and tennis the week before. He then had to go through aggressive radiation and chemotherapy. Our family flew out again in May to spend time with my parents and help them at home. Then, in July, he suffered a massive pulmonary embolism. I flew out again on emergency to be with him at the hospital. Miraculously, he survived and was finally able to go home again in August. Since then, he has been doing well but is still going through chemo. We are thankful he is doing well and is home with my Mom. Jack’s parents are also dealing with some medical issues (as we like to say… “Getting old isn’t for sissies”). But, we are thankful they are still able to live at home in their comfort zone and live close-by.
No big vacations this year and we are still trying to balance family and work. We are thankful for our family’s health and that we are able to get through these financial hard times. We are blessed to have our home, our friends, our animals, and our children.