Our Sweet Baby

I read erin's quick blog and thought I might tell a little more about our sick baby, Kinsey. Kinsey is Kelli's 19 mo. Many of you know the story of her terrible rashes and illness's Kinsey has had since she got her 1 year old vaccinations. She has been sick a lot. It seems like she gets every sickness that comes along. The specialists say that she had a severe reaction to her year old vaccinations that has sent her immune system into overdrive and she hasn't been really healthy since before the shots 7 mo. ago. She had been sick off and on the last couple of weeks and then on Thurs. when she finally sort of woke up at 1:30 in the afternoon, Kelli could not keep her awake and she had a dry diaper from the night before. Kelli took her to the emergency room and after she had been there a few hours she called and said Mom, they are treating me like they did when they thought Kinsey had leukemia {on one of the many visits Kinsey had to the emerg. room]. I told her that I would go get Shawn and we would be there soon. I also called Erin and Brenna and they came too. The hematologist really downplayed how serious the situation was and said they would admit her for observation. Kinsey had 3 blood transfusions. That poor baby couldn't walk and she didn't talk unless someone was trying to get blood from her or touch her. then she would say No Mama no or STOP. What we didn't know that she did not have enough oxygen in her blood for her to be able to talk or walk. they told Kelli on Sat. that her low red blood cells was putting too much stress on her heart and that she had to have a transfusion. She ended up with 3. They do not know what caused this and were not sure about sending her home. The Dr. told Kelli to be extra vigilant watching for any sign of change and to bring her back immediately. She is to go to the blood clinic on Friday for more tests. She is still very weak and a very sick baby, so keep her in your prayers.

catching up

I have been really busy lately. I try to study whenever I can, but it seems like it's never enough! Phlebotomy may be kicking my butt! If in 6 weeks, around the 1st week in April, if I'm not talking about Phlebotomy, just don't ever mention it, because it will mean that I couldn't do it! Now, I am not giving up,Oh, No!!I really do love the classes, and I don't plan to miss any, even tho I'm having oral surgery [to get the roots taken out from the tooth I lost] this week and will probably feel awful, I'm still going to class. I'm dreading the surgery because I can't have sedation because I had a bad reaction to Verset[the drug they give you before any surgery to relax you]. Verset is in all the sedation the surgeon uses. So I'm getting laughing gas and locals. Yuck, I really did not want to be awake for this. I have to remember that quote: that which doesn't kill me only makes me stronger! I'm not totally sure if that's true in this case!
I had my sweet Bella for 8 days while Erin and Joe were in Washington state. She's so easy to have around and so sweet. She is constantly telling me that she loves me and that I'm the best Nana in the whole world. I got to see Brady and Bowie for a little bit on Saturday. For the 1st time Bowie would not have anything to do with me. He is having separation anxiety and doesn't get too far away from his mom. Brady was not too interested in me either! When he is with Keelin, no one else is nearly as interesting as she is!! And I have to say Keelin is a pretty interesting 7 year old!! She knows lots and lots about animals! I haven't seen Kinsey in a while, she was sleeping when I was there. Poor Baby [poor Kelli!!]has been sick for a week and she now has the flu. Kinsey, Keelin and I had the flu last year this same week. Kinsey could not take Tamiflu last year because she was too little. Keelin and I took it and Keelin got well pretty quick. I think it just cut down the length for me.

My brother had good news with his tests. I am relieved!!

Down......

I'm a medium bit down about the big hole I still have in in my mouth. Long story about the oral surgeons! And I was right about wondering if my brain would work. It's not. I still don't feel good and I guess it's because of the nasty teeth problem. Only I,[or maybe Kelli!!] would have this blow up on me the same time I'm trying to go school. When I went to cosmetology school straight out of high school I had to have my tonsils out a few months into it and then I had to have all 4 wisdom teeth and 1 more pulled so I think I drug out cosmetology for about a year instead of the 9 mo. it was supposed to be. I was the very last one in my class of 20 to graduate. I think that the other 19 had jobs and had been working a couple of months by the time I got out of there. Oh, and by the way, my hair is lavender. Yes, I'm not exaggerating its a lovely soft shade of light purple. I used a new blond shade of Garnier and its purple all the way to the roots. It's weird because according to the rules of coloring it should have just gotten purple [If it was going to absorb the base color] on all the really light parts, not the roots. I think their new color is defective, for real. I'm also worried about my brother. He's a pint away from needing a blood transfusion and he's waiting to get tests done to see where the blood is going. I'm going to bed so that I can start all over tomorrow.

I'm thinking that Cristin is the only one reading my attempts at blogging! So thank you very much Cristin!!! I started something new yesterday! I went back to school!!!!Yes, ME!!OLD ME!!! I had been thinking about doing this for a few years. When I mentioned it to a friend a couple of years ago, she laughed and said YUCK, why would anybody ever want to do that? Well, I probably would have continued to just think about it but, Kelli said one day to me that she had heard about a program that she had felt that someone in our family is supposed to do. She told me that out of the blue that info bout this program had come to her 3 different ways over about a period of a week and she felt that she was being told that someone in her family should do this but she didn't know which one of of us this message was meant for!![ I think that she was thinking Brenna or Erin was the one!] When she told me that, I said that I had been thinking about this for a few years!!!! She gave me the info and then when the open house came around she reminded me about it and I said sign me up! I don't think she thought that I would even go to the open open house but I did and I registered and paid for the class that night much to every ones shock!!! SO.....last night I had my first class in phlebotomy!!!!! I am going to learn how to take blood for lab work!I hope that I can do it!! It's a little overwhelming with the amount of information that you are expected to learn in a short time. My first test is this Saturday. I'm a little scared and really hoping that I can kick my brain into learning mode again!! I've taken a few hundred workshops and c.e. courses over the years for teaching preschool but i haven't taken a test in a University in nearly 26 years! I'm excited, though!!! Cristin, wish me luck!!!

Christmas and then UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've not blogged in so long, I wasn't sure that I could even remember how to log in but I made it on the 2nd try! I had a wonderful Christmas! I love having my family all here together, even though it's pretty crazy with all the little ones here. I wouldn't have it any other way! I love experiencing Christmas with my grandchildren. They are all so cute with their excitement over Christmas! One of my best Christmas memories was the year Bella was 3 and Keelin was 4, I think and Kelli, Erin, the 2 little girls and I went to christmas Eve service together. Keelin drew me the most adorable picture of the nativity on a prayer card during the service. it's a little picture of Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. I still have it! During the candlelight part and the singing of Silent Night, 3 year old Bella touched my hand to get my attention and then Bella whispered to me "tankyou Nanna for bringing me to Jesus birthday party" Aren't those the sweetest things? Rob and I went to Kansas the day after Christmas and arrived after being delayed several hours to find my sister's house in fullblown party mode! Now, that has never happened before! I'm always happy to see my sisters. And all the rest, too. It was so nice to see most of the family in one place. A few days later I was also so happy to see Rob's 90 year old aunt in good spirits. She always acts like it's a party when we see her! And this year was extra special because Gail and Fred and their granddaughter in-law and great granddaughter were there. We haven't gotten to spend anytime with them for years and it was just great. Also Jerry was there and Dixie and leslie's 2 boys.[Where were you, Leslie, painting your utility room?] Rob and Dixie had their regular concert . We just had a great day! We also got to experience a chinese buffet in Oklahoma. Birdell's favorite I think! I also got to see my 90 year old aunt, the last of my dad's original family. She had just entered a nursing home and was trying to make the best of it. I just love getting to spend time with my family and Rob's family. These times spent with our families are so precious to me. We are lucky to have them. It was good to see Sharon and Robert and to be with Rob's Mom. I love going to my brothers farm and seeing he and Sallie and eating those awesome homegrown steaks!! Rob thinks it's really funny that he grills the steaks outside and see cows right there! He calls it "Dead cows walking"!!
Now, the UGH part. I have been sick since the day after we got home-really sick. I had a terrible sinus infection and bronchitis. I think I'm finally over that for a few days and then last Sunday a molar broke off at the gum line. One of the weirdest things I've ever felt and by Monday, I felt awful-sick again. I finally saw my dentist Tuesday, and not only do I have to have oral surgery to get the roots out, I also have another one that is at the point of abscessing. And another one that needs a partial crown. I've been on antibiotics since Tues. but I still don't feel so good! I am tired of being sick and tired of pain. Of course I always keep in mind that whatever is wrong with me could be worse. I can always think of someone else that has more pain or worse prognosis than I do. I just get tired of back pain and shoulder pain and leg pain which I have on a daily basis, and now I get a big mouthful of pain! At least I'm here!! And the whining stops now, except for the terror of oral surgery. I think I've got some whining left on that one!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENNA!!!!!!

Today is my first baby's birthday! Her Dad and I were 20 years old when I decided that we wanted to have a baby! It never occurred to either of us that maybe we were a little too young because after all Rob was born when his mom was 18 and at 20 we had been married 2 years!! Ignorance is bliss[Ha]! The first pregnancy test was negative and I was disappointed! I had a friend that worked in a free clinic so she offered to take a sample for me and get a free pregnancy test-no running to the store to get a pregnancy test in the 70's! She called me while she was there and told me that it was positive and since Roe vs. Wade was pretty new she had to ask the question[ a DR. was standing beside her] " Was I going to continue the pregnancy?" I was shocked and so I think I stuttered "yes"! They were doing abortions in the free clinic and I had never even considered that I might be asked that question. I told Rob the pregnancy test was positive after I got off the phone, but he was watching some western on tv and I think He said OK without taking his eyes off the tv!!! It was a week or 2 before I could get into the Dr. and I don't remember talking about it until after I had been to the DR. and had it confirmed that I really was pregnant that he finally said "Are you sure? Ok lets not get too excited you've got along time to go!!" It wasn't until I finally started showing at about 5 months was it ok to talk about the possibility of having a baby!! It was strange to me that I when I went home to Kansas that my Mom and Rob's mom thought it was awful of me to mention that I felt the baby kicking or to even mention that I had a fetus on board! When My Mother was pregnant with me she stayed in the house and did not ever talk about being pregnant because that subject was taboo in those ancient times! I had the very first pregnancy sonogram in the city of Denver. Another friend was a radiologist and the hospital had just gotten the first sonogram machine in the state and she wanted to practice on a pregnant person . It was very exciting to see a picture of the baby. They were not advanced enough to be able to tell the sex of the baby. The day I was in labor was no different than any days that I had had for the 3 weeks before, except that I was so miserably more tired. I did laundry that day climbing 2 floors with every load and I was so dumb, that I Just did it,never considering that my husband who was sitting on the sofa watching football could've gotten up and helped me!! The woman's movement hadn't caught up with me yet!!! It didn't occur to him either! I had been having contractions for 3 weeks some of them getting to five minutes apart after a few hours but then stopping. I called my Dr. about 6 pm and left a message about how miserable I was and how the contractions would come and go. We were having an ice storm that had started maybe an hour before I called. The after hours operator called the Dr. on call [not from my Dr.s practice] and told him that I had been in labor all day and that my contractions were 2 min. apart-not what I had said at all! The Dr. on call's wife called me and said that her husband had already left for the hospital and that I should go immediately. I asked her why? And she told me what the operator had told him. I told her that I called but not because I had regular labor but because I was so tired and hadn't been able to sleep and I felt miserable! Her reply was "Oh." and she said well, go to the hospital anyway because her husband had gone and he could check me anyway. No cell phones! So I told Rob and he was furious with me because he just knew that I wasn't in labor and that they would just send us back home and besides there was an ice storm going on and he didn't want to drive the 2 1/2 blocks to the hospital. Well, it turned out that I was in labor and was already dilated. [So there, Mr. Grouch!!] 17 hours later and no fetal monitor and no drugs of any kind until I went to the OR, Brenna was born by emergency c-section. I was muttering every curse word I had ever heard [women didn't use those words or at least my family and my Mormon friends didn't!] and one of the nurses heard me and said oh, Honey you don't mean that. HA, I Did Too!!! I Brenna h for a second before they took her to the nursery or maybe NICU, I can't remember and I did'nt see her again until evening! OH and Rob just reminded me that when I first got to the hospital. the nurse told me that they were sending someone from the lab to draw blood. I said I hope it's not the guy I had here at the hospital when I was first pregnant, he was awful-it had been his first week and he had been very nervous and had to stick me 12 times before he could draw blood. He also was crazy looking ,dressed like a hippy with really long hair with feathers in it and some kind of funky leather vest with low cut hippy pants and he also had severe physical deformities. He and I both were sweaty and exhausted by the time he finished! Well, guess who showed up on Sunday evening to draw blood? Hippy Dude! and there was no one else to do it when I told the nurse that I wanted someone else. I only had to endure about 7 sticks before he got it. My Mormon friend Susan had a c-section a few days before and so she was still there. Rob had n0 money with him because he just knew we were going to be sent back home and had left it in our apt. He was afraid to go home because they telling us that the baby would be here anytime. Kent, my friends husband bought him a piece of pie before he left for the night. So. Brenna you were born on Monday morning! We stayed in the hospital only 5 days[the norm for a c-section was at least a week] because our insurance hadn't started when I got pregnant. My mom came for 5 days to drive me a little crazy, because every time I tried to lay down she would say,Are you going to sleep your life away? I had only heard that about a million times as a teenager because farm people don't ever sleep in and never, ever, lay on the bed during daylight hours! Only, maybe, when you were so sick that you might die standing up! But she did cook and clean!! We thought you were the cutest little thing we had ever seen!!!About 2 days before my mom left you woke up with a blister on the inside of your arm. I called the Dr. every day for about 3 days with the nurse acting like I was crazy and neurotic,about the first blister and then you got the second blister and the 4th day the Dr. answered the phone and told me to bring you in immediately. He treated you for 5 weeks and never told us what it was. We had to take you to the pediatricians off ice every day including Thanksgiving Day for 5 whole weeks with him dodging whenever we tried to find out what was wrong. After you were completely well [and looking like an Ethopian starved infant] he finally admitted that you had staph infection from the hospital. WOW,we knew something was wrong! But you know in spite of you being so sick and your parents being young and ignorant,we took good care of you and were thrilled to have you!! The one thing that saved you was that I did every single thing the pediatrician told me and did not question him.!!!! We thought you were the most beautiful and brilliant child ever born!! Other children were ugly and not smart at all compared to the Beautiful and smart Brenna!! You were a fun child that spent all the time with her mother and endured many moves with a salesman father. I thoroughly enjoyed you as a teenager[I know we were strict] and I have really liked you as an a adult and I love you now! Happy Birthday! I"ve always loved you!! I have always been proud of you!