Sunday, January 11, 2009
Do you remember being a kid?
Eva and Travis are riding in a train. They are buckled up with a scarf. "Play is a child's work." Do you remember the "work" you and your siblings did as kids?
Monday, January 5, 2009
Jan 2009 Eva update
Many have asked, thank you for your concern. Eva is doing great. We spent our Christmas vacation at the doctor: The Tuesday before Christmas, Luke had his 1 year appt and an ear infection, Eva had a neuro appt. The Friday after Christmas, Eva got her PICC out. We were sent all over Meritcare trying to get to the right place, nobody knew where we were going or that we were coming even though I had spent an hour on the phone on Tuesday setting it up..... I took all three kids to the hospital all so that Eva could get it out under nitrous because she was so nervous. Well, she wouldn't put the mask on and we ended up all sitting on her while she screamed like crazy and the boys sat and watched and they just pulled it out. We could've done that with her regular PICC nurse at the clinic any time that day. Then the next Tuesday, Travis had a fever for 4 days by that point so we were at the doctor. Wednesday (New Year's Eve), I left a box of nails on the floor and Eva says "mom, Lukey's got nails." I say, "Oh, it's fine." He eats them. I run over to him and he's spitting out nails. I scream and he gets scared and kind of coughs and swallows. Eva says "mom, I told you not to let him play with nails." So, that was an abdominal x-ray that actually found nothing. (THANK GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) While we were at that different doctor again because it's the holidays, she asks why Travis looks like a walking corpse. More blood testing.... Travis says "Mom, I looked what they were doing. They put a nail in my arm!!!!).....both doctors mention Kawasaki disease but decide that they don't think he has that...... John Travolta's son dies of complications with that on Saturday. Nice timing to make me more crazy. Travis finally gets better after 8 days of the plague (that's my own diagnosis I made :)
Eva is back at school with the wonderful protection of her carpool friends and classmates. No gym, no recess the rest of the year. A cat scan in 6 weeks to be sure the bone is healing. He says it heals slowly, but faster than in adults. If it's not healing, that's a surgical situation. Finally no more antibiotics. We just have to be careful to watch for any signs of infection. It should be mostly healed in 6 months, but not absolutely, completely healed for a full year. She looks great and feels great and thanks again to everyone for helping us get through that scary time. Looking at my family now and everyone is OK, I'll be an optimist and say that maybe we actually have GOOD luck...... in the end. When Lukey ate nails, I actually pinched myself and looked around the room, certain that it was a bad dream. I need to change the way I think about children and when I see them doing something like jumping on the bed when they are barely 2 or playing with a box of nails as a baby, I need to NOT think "oh, it's fine." Or I can change my address to the Meritcare clinic because it's never "just fine" with my kids.
Eva is back at school with the wonderful protection of her carpool friends and classmates. No gym, no recess the rest of the year. A cat scan in 6 weeks to be sure the bone is healing. He says it heals slowly, but faster than in adults. If it's not healing, that's a surgical situation. Finally no more antibiotics. We just have to be careful to watch for any signs of infection. It should be mostly healed in 6 months, but not absolutely, completely healed for a full year. She looks great and feels great and thanks again to everyone for helping us get through that scary time. Looking at my family now and everyone is OK, I'll be an optimist and say that maybe we actually have GOOD luck...... in the end. When Lukey ate nails, I actually pinched myself and looked around the room, certain that it was a bad dream. I need to change the way I think about children and when I see them doing something like jumping on the bed when they are barely 2 or playing with a box of nails as a baby, I need to NOT think "oh, it's fine." Or I can change my address to the Meritcare clinic because it's never "just fine" with my kids.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Luke turns 1
Using this blog as originally intended, for happy times and more annoying pictures of my kids! Poor Lukey. I have to send these pics to family and friends because the only people who got to come to the impromptu party were two of the neighbor girls and Emma Critelli (whom somehow has been at every first birthday party of my children?) We even wrapped up this old toy of Travis/Eva/Jack's and gave it to him for a present! Good thing Paige and Allison brought him a new toy. You can also see that we were having pajama day at our house, so he's in his jammies for his first birthday. I know Eva had a new outfit for sure for her big #1! I also started the "naked cake eating" tradition because Eva had such a cute outfit on. Luke really didn't need to take his jammies off, but it's tradition now.
What do I do with this?
He shoveled it in so fast and so completely that not one crumb fell on the floor.
It was like he was a cartoon character just pushing the food through. He ate more cake than anyone there.... well, except for Eva.
Still shoveling......
This is cute little Travis on his first. He and Eva both pretty much just played with their cake and smeared it around on their faces and threw it on the floor. I've never seen a kid actually INHALE their cake.
Cute little Eva on her first.
Travis being nice and cautios about the flame on the candle.
Eva and Travis just watched the candle. Luke wanted to grab it.
So, I was holding him out of the flame because we've had enough ER trips for awhile and he got mad.
Luke.
Travis -always the "silly boy."
Eva.
Luke is definitely the most aggressive of the children so far. Here he is attacking Travis while they are wearing their matching outfits I got them. Lame, I know. But, I hate shopping so it's just easier to buy two of one thing.
It's like we have a little puppy at our house that attacks you because you can't even safely sit on the floor at our house or Luke will get you!
Not lovin' Santa.
Travis wasn't really lovin' Santa either, but this Santa is awesome!
Eva with Santa, now that we can leave the house a bit with her easier medicine.
What do I do with this?
He shoveled it in so fast and so completely that not one crumb fell on the floor.
It was like he was a cartoon character just pushing the food through. He ate more cake than anyone there.... well, except for Eva.
Still shoveling......
This is cute little Travis on his first. He and Eva both pretty much just played with their cake and smeared it around on their faces and threw it on the floor. I've never seen a kid actually INHALE their cake.
Cute little Eva on her first.
Travis being nice and cautios about the flame on the candle.
Eva and Travis just watched the candle. Luke wanted to grab it.
So, I was holding him out of the flame because we've had enough ER trips for awhile and he got mad.
Luke.
Travis -always the "silly boy."
Eva.
Luke is definitely the most aggressive of the children so far. Here he is attacking Travis while they are wearing their matching outfits I got them. Lame, I know. But, I hate shopping so it's just easier to buy two of one thing.
It's like we have a little puppy at our house that attacks you because you can't even safely sit on the floor at our house or Luke will get you!
Not lovin' Santa.
Travis wasn't really lovin' Santa either, but this Santa is awesome!
Eva with Santa, now that we can leave the house a bit with her easier medicine. 
Monday, December 15, 2008
Merry Christmas to us!
Above: Move over Napolean, here comes Travis. The beginning 30 seconds shows his best moves. He is dancing to a song we call "Ben's favorite song" because it was played to them by my friend Jess' son.
Pics for the kindergartners!!!
This is how weird Eva's sickness was. This was Friday morning in this short window of time when she felt absolutely perfect and played outside and watched the garbage truck with Travis. I didn't get any pictures of how bad she looked. She was bright red and puffy all over and hotter than hot and just miserable.
Still playing horsies and watching her garden grow.
Eva looked like an ADD kid when we got home... just bouncing off the walls. She had set up a running track of blankets on the tile floor that she was going to run on and then jump on the bed and bounce onto Travis' bed (a matress on the floor so he can be close to Eva.) I had been at the hospital enough for a weekend, so we created her this "gym" instead to get some of her energy out. Every time I leave a kid in a room I think "am I going to have to go to the hospital or the ER again? Please no!"
The lady who owned the horse, Gloria, feels just so bad for Eva. I want her to know that Eva is doing terrific now that we switched medicines and LOVES the ice cream playdough maker that she sent her.
Eva doing homework. I even made her hot chocolate to drink while she did homework and she still said that Miss Geiselhart is a much better teacher than I am.
UPDATE:
Pics for the kindergartners!!!
This is how weird Eva's sickness was. This was Friday morning in this short window of time when she felt absolutely perfect and played outside and watched the garbage truck with Travis. I didn't get any pictures of how bad she looked. She was bright red and puffy all over and hotter than hot and just miserable.
Still playing horsies and watching her garden grow.
Eva looked like an ADD kid when we got home... just bouncing off the walls. She had set up a running track of blankets on the tile floor that she was going to run on and then jump on the bed and bounce onto Travis' bed (a matress on the floor so he can be close to Eva.) I had been at the hospital enough for a weekend, so we created her this "gym" instead to get some of her energy out. Every time I leave a kid in a room I think "am I going to have to go to the hospital or the ER again? Please no!"
The lady who owned the horse, Gloria, feels just so bad for Eva. I want her to know that Eva is doing terrific now that we switched medicines and LOVES the ice cream playdough maker that she sent her.
Eva doing homework. I even made her hot chocolate to drink while she did homework and she still said that Miss Geiselhart is a much better teacher than I am.
UPDATE:
Eva is doing much better. Looks completely normal. And, the one good thing to come out of all this is that we had to switch meds and only have to do ONE medicine 2x/day!!!!! It's just so easy!!!! 5pm and 5am and it only takes 30 minutes and there's no pump and priming tubes and pushing every 30 seconds. Love it! 2 more weeks to go. I think I'll survive! We also just realize how lucky we are after hanging out at a children's hospital. I just couldn't wait to leave because I felt so bad for the other parents as my kid is skipping in the halls. There was a set of grandparents that slept in the family room the entire time we were there until their 2 month old grandson died on Monday morning. Very sad stuff. Eva and I said lots of prayers for all those crying babies we heard.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Staying until Monday
Well, we will be in the hospital until Monday. The cultures to see if the PICC line is infected take 48 hours to get back, plus there is a major blizzard here. She looks terrific. I'm sick of "working" because she keeps making me do therapy on her. Boredom is what we're trying to avoid now. It sure is nice to have someone else do her meds. And, Chris can't get back here because of the blizzard so he is home cleaning the house and getting projects done that he NEVER has time for. Don't call or text him unless it's words of encouragement to keep working!
Officially, they think that Eva had a kind of "serum sickness." Rare, of course. She was just fine until she got probably a virus, but possibly and infection popped up. Then the combination of those two things caused this "serum sickness." It wasn't an allergy because she never would have made it 2 weeks on the medicine if it was an allergy. So, she'd have been fine with the virus alone or fine with the meds alone, but not the combination. She just looks so much better though. I taught her what "cut the cheese" means and she thinks that is just hilarious. I don't remember ever just sitting and watch an entire movie with Eva because we all know I can't sit still at home. However, I've now watched High School Muscial 1 (AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!) and Enchanted (2.5 stars.)
Thanks for your words or encouragement and prayers for Eva.
Officially, they think that Eva had a kind of "serum sickness." Rare, of course. She was just fine until she got probably a virus, but possibly and infection popped up. Then the combination of those two things caused this "serum sickness." It wasn't an allergy because she never would have made it 2 weeks on the medicine if it was an allergy. So, she'd have been fine with the virus alone or fine with the meds alone, but not the combination. She just looks so much better though. I taught her what "cut the cheese" means and she thinks that is just hilarious. I don't remember ever just sitting and watch an entire movie with Eva because we all know I can't sit still at home. However, I've now watched High School Muscial 1 (AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!) and Enchanted (2.5 stars.)
Thanks for your words or encouragement and prayers for Eva.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Eva in the hospital again
Well, I was going to write and update about how horrible our luck is and that Eva is just doing horrible and that this is just horrible. However, I am sitting in a family room at the hospital using a computer and there is a family in here whose baby was born in October and will not make it. Very, very, very sad. I guess this is not SO horrible comparatively.
Eva has been having a fever/rash on and of since Wed. We went to the ER Thursday morning, they thought it was just a virus. It was very up and down, one minute she'd look horrible and scary, bright red, swollen cheeks/face/ears/skin. Then, she'd look perfect with no rash and no fever and running around. This morning, it would just not switch back to the "good" side, so we were admitted. They think it is a drug reaction at this point. We are at Meritcare children's hospital this time (should've come here in the first place, but when you're flying in an ambulance, ten more minutes seems like an eternity.) They are switching her meds, hopefully going home on something LESS often. They changed her PICC dressing yesterday and a layer of skin pretty much came off with the dressing. Eva was very calm, agreeable, sweet, etc when we were at Innovis. She's no longer "buying what we're selling" and is very aggressive and argumentative with anything we are going to do. Meritcare is at least a children's hospital, so they are much better at using lidocaine for pokes and bubbles and games to help her. The pediatrician has been great and the neurosurgeon has been involved with all of this and infectious disease is involved. The nuerosurgeon is really the one who knows what she needs to be getting because he was the one that saw what this would looked like initially. THe pediatrician and myself more than anyone were ready to just quit everything and call it good. The neuro guy is very concerned, not about menigitis anymore, but about a bug that gets in there and hangs out and infects the bone of the scalp in cases like this. Infectious disease people agreed. Our friend, Jeff Braaflat, is the pharmacist getting her meds for her here at the hospital, so that makes me feel safe also.
Keep the prayers coming! Don't plan on getting any Christmas presents from me because this morning was my planned shopping day. Nope. Looks like we wil be staying until Sunday or Monday while they watch what this drug does.
Travis says "we need to go on a long vacation. One in a long car ride. I think we should go on a vacation to Chuck and Sue's" (friends who live in the cities.) I agree, but maybe drop the kids off at Chuck and Sue's and go to Mexico???? Ha!
Eva has been having a fever/rash on and of since Wed. We went to the ER Thursday morning, they thought it was just a virus. It was very up and down, one minute she'd look horrible and scary, bright red, swollen cheeks/face/ears/skin. Then, she'd look perfect with no rash and no fever and running around. This morning, it would just not switch back to the "good" side, so we were admitted. They think it is a drug reaction at this point. We are at Meritcare children's hospital this time (should've come here in the first place, but when you're flying in an ambulance, ten more minutes seems like an eternity.) They are switching her meds, hopefully going home on something LESS often. They changed her PICC dressing yesterday and a layer of skin pretty much came off with the dressing. Eva was very calm, agreeable, sweet, etc when we were at Innovis. She's no longer "buying what we're selling" and is very aggressive and argumentative with anything we are going to do. Meritcare is at least a children's hospital, so they are much better at using lidocaine for pokes and bubbles and games to help her. The pediatrician has been great and the neurosurgeon has been involved with all of this and infectious disease is involved. The nuerosurgeon is really the one who knows what she needs to be getting because he was the one that saw what this would looked like initially. THe pediatrician and myself more than anyone were ready to just quit everything and call it good. The neuro guy is very concerned, not about menigitis anymore, but about a bug that gets in there and hangs out and infects the bone of the scalp in cases like this. Infectious disease people agreed. Our friend, Jeff Braaflat, is the pharmacist getting her meds for her here at the hospital, so that makes me feel safe also.
Keep the prayers coming! Don't plan on getting any Christmas presents from me because this morning was my planned shopping day. Nope. Looks like we wil be staying until Sunday or Monday while they watch what this drug does.
Travis says "we need to go on a long vacation. One in a long car ride. I think we should go on a vacation to Chuck and Sue's" (friends who live in the cities.) I agree, but maybe drop the kids off at Chuck and Sue's and go to Mexico???? Ha!
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