Jarika and Utah

Snow day #4

We are home again for another snow day. It's okay by me because my Friday schedule is pretty hectic and I don't mind missing it! The boys are beginning to get on each others' nerves which is making me nuts! Last night I took Jarika and her friend Lizzy to Rogersville for a basketball game. We played really well. We tied it at 61 and went into overtime, however, we ended up losing 69-67. That stunk. It was nice getting out of the house for a bit though! Lizzy spent the night and Jarika's boyfriend showed up at 6 am for the second time this week! His dad brings him over before he heads to work. Do you remember when you were a teenager and you thought you were so in love with someone that you couldn't possibly go a day without seeing them? He's an awesome kid and he's fun to have around and Jarika is happier than I have seen her in a long while! Addy has been screaming all morning. Not I'm upset screaming, just screaming to her herself scream! She has a new speech therapist coming this afternoon and she'll probably be as quiet as a mouse then! Well wish me luck, I am so unlike the majority of you reading this that get to spend all of their time at home with their kids! I get all out of kilter!! I'm fine during the summer because that's the plan, I'm always home in the summer, but having to stay inside because it's too cold to go out just makes me crazy!!

Addy's beginning to stand/OT Session

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Addy in the snow

After spending about 15 minutes layering Addy up I took her out into the snow for about 2 minutes. She like the snow, laughed when I threw and whatnot but HATED her coat, mittens and hat. I added pix of what she hated the most: TIGHTS! She instantly pulls socks right off of her feet and she was NOT happy that she couldn't get the tights off!

Here mom, take these off!

Updates

I haven't been blogging too much since I have been pretty much one armed but I thought I had enough to share about today. We are having a snow day!! Just like about 300+ schools in the area!!! It was horribly slick after school yesterday so I am so glad that we are all home. Well, Scott's at work (he did call to let me know he made it safely, I'm so proud of him, he's growing up!) but the kiddos and I are home.



My shoulder is doing really well. I got my stitches out, things look really good and the bruising is much better. If only I could get all of the pre-surgery writing and iodine off! I was supposed to have PT today but they called and canceled which is okay by me, I didn't want to have to drive to Springfield today. I am able to move my arm really well with just a little discomfort. I can tell that the surgery took care of all of the pain I was having before, it's gone! I am so thankful for that, I feel so much better!

Addy's diaper rash is much improved as well there is no more bleeding, thank goodness. Thank you to everyone that gave suggestions! I pretty much did all of them so I'm not sure what really worked. Her dr. office did give me the ok to give her a touch of Imodium too. We slathered on Nystatin, Desitin and Bag Balm every diaper change. I had forgotten about the Bag Balm which is wierd because that is what her surgeon had me put on her when he created her anus so it should have been a given! I have only given her a couple of baths with Aveeno in them but I think it may have helped a little as well. I also added rice cereal, bananas and applesauce to her formula through her g-tube. I knew I couldn't get enough in her if we tried by mouth. She is taking things by mouth, just not much. Her daycare teachers are awesome! They are working with her feeding everyday. They put her next to a couple of other babies during mealtime and it appears that she may just be figuring this whole thing out, and we aren't doing this feeding thing for pure torture reasons!Her hair is getting so long, I'm gonna have to break down and go have it cut again. I put it up all over today, not the best job, but I do only have one full working arm!



Cooper has started piano lessons and is loving it. He is already playing several songs, he is so awesome! Jarika was supposed to take him to lessons last night but the ice had already started so she made a wise choice and stayed home. Therefore, Cooper being the Aspie he is made sure that he played his songs during his scheduled 30 minute lesson time. Man I wish I was that disciplined sometimes!!! However, on a snow day he will probably be doing this as much as he can today:

Avery is Avery. What more can I say. These pix show the evidence of him. Soccer ball stuck in the basketball goal and chairs lined up under the tree he climbed the other night and got stuck. So here I was, one armed bandit trying to help my 75lb son out of a tree without putting any weight on my left side and trying desperately not to fall. We did it, sorta. Some weight went to my left side but I was okay but was really wishing that Scott was home from work and Jarika wasn't cheering at a ball game!! Today I am sure this is how I will see this little guy all day:


He and Cooper finally spent their Christmas money from Grandmama after church on Sunday. They each bought three new DS games and some new stylus' so they're going to be well entertained. I know, not very brain stimulating, but hey it's a snow day and they both have straight As okay???

My lovely Jarika is a little under the weather but is doing well. She has a new boyfriend that we just adore. His name is Utah. Yes like the state :) He is a freshman and starts on the Varsity bball team. He's six one and wears a size 14 shoe!! He pretty much spent all weekend over here and Scott decided that since we will eventually have two huge teenage boys to cook for he ought to practice. Scott loves to grill so even though it was 20 some odd degrees outside he did this:

and man was it yummy!!!!! And yes we did have some leftover! This is how I will see Jarika for most of the day. Which is an okay thing since she is fighting a cold!

She cracks me up

Man I love this kid! She didn't want to go to sleep for Daddy. But apparently she really was tired :)

HELP!!!!

Addy has been on Augmentin since Sunday for her sinus infection and she has had the adverse side effect of diarrhea. She now has a major diaper rash and is bleeding in several areas and is miserable. Anyone know of a sure fire way to help her heal??? We have used vaseline, Butt Paste and Desitin. Also does anyone know if it is okay to give her some Immodium to help or will that be a no no?? She has had to have Immodium before so I know it's okay for her to have but not sure if it will help since it is a side effect to a med. I may also add some Rice Cereal to her milk that usually stops them up to right???

Happy Birthday Jarika!

Well my sweet firstborn is 17. How in the world did that happen? Jarika is such a beautiful and wonderful daughter I am proud to be her mom. She has definitely had a rough year but within the last couple of weeks things are turning around for her and I am once again seeing my bubbly, happy girl who cracks me up. She had to cheer tonight so I took some cupcakes up for her. She is crazy about The Little Mermaid so that's what she got and she was thrilled. It just so happens that one of her best friends, Tasha is also celebrating her 17th birthday today too! I got a quick shot of them before the game started, aren't they cute?? Well, I worked for half a day today and I am completely wiped out. LOTS of pain, I thought it would be easing up, but since I was actually pretty mobile today I guess it stressed it a little. So off to bed for me! Happy Birthday JARIKA!! I LOVE YOU!!!

I have no idea why this pic is turned this way, it's not when I preview it!!!

Addy is sick

Miss Addy Boo is sick. :( We took her to Urgent Care this morning because she woke up with her eyes all crusty and green gunk all over her poor little face! She's been fighting a cold for a couple of days but I could tell that it had moved on to something more significant. They checked her out and decided that she has a pretty good sinus infection and her ears may be infected too. She had so much wax in them that when one was cleaned out it bled a little. Poor little thing, she can't even have her mama pick her up! SO frustrating! She's handling it pretty well and her daddy is awesome so we are getting through. She started some Augmentin so hopefully she will be a much happier baby by tomorrow.
I am feeling quite a bit better today. I am hoping that I am over the worst of the post surgery pain. I go back to the surgeon tomorrow. I am hoping that he will take my stitches out so I can soak in the jacuzzi tub, that helps everything feel better in my opinion! I also have a very itchy rash/irritation from the tape that is making me nuts. I've tried cortisone cream but it hasn't helped so maybe he will have something better.
Thanks for all of the prayers during my recovery! I am feeling good so let's pray that it continues!

Details

Okay details relating to my surgery. I am really bruised around my incisions, but it's hard to see in the pix, we couldn't get the lighting right. This was supposed to be a 30 minute minor outpatient procedure. The anesthesiologist was placing a "block" in my shoulder so it would be numb for the first 24-36 hours after surgery. The surgery itself took longer than expected because there was a pretty large bone spur under my AC joint on my clavicle that was causing a lot of the problems. There was also so extra fluid and "floaters" in there that were also removed. When the anesthesiologist was trying to get me to wake up it was apparent that I was unable to breathe on my own. She went in too deep when placing the shoulder block and it ended up "paralyzing" me from the neck down. Therefore, I had to be placed on a ventilator. I was on it for a little over 3 1/2 hours. When I did start to wake up I could only see shadows and I couldn't hear at all. I was scared to death! Once I could hear they explained what had happened and why I still had a tube down my throat. They told me I wasn't breathing on my own so I just closed my eyes again and said "Okay God, I'm giving this to you. Please help me relax and let them take care of me so I'll be okay." I don't really remember anything after that except some gagging when I am guessing they were taking me off of the vent. They were going to have to keep me in the hospital if I couldn't get off of the vent, but fortunately I was okay and they did let me go home, several hours later than expected of course! I was in a ton of pain and the shoulder block that was supposed to be so great, ended up coming apart a couple of hours after we got home. So I pretty much had had no pain medication so that was why I was having so much trouble. Fortunately a good friend of mine was at church and she brought over a friend of hers (that I had never met) and she is an Orthopedic nurse! Bless her heart, she came right over and was able to removed the pump in my shoulder and get it all dressed for me. What a blessing, she really helped out. I am having a really hard time sleeping and the pain meds aren't really helping at all, but I am taking them. I had to go to PT yesterday! It was horrible, I just cried. My PT fortunately was one I worked with before and she was so gentle so I made it through but it really hurt! Today is a much better day but now poor Miss Addy has a horrible cold and she cannot figure out why Daddy keeps picking her up and not giving her to mommy! I have been able to sit and hold her some, but I am nowhere near ready to be lifting. My great friends have been keeping us well fed which has been a huge blessing. I go to the doctor on Monday and he will let me know when I can return to work. My big Friday plan obviously didn't work out at all! I'm hoping by the middle or end of next week, but I'm not going to rush anything I don't want to have to go through this again!

update

just to let everyone know that surgery was horrible I am in a ton of pain. i will post more later, I am alive and breathing on my own, which is good because I wasn't after surgery. Long story,will tell more when I'm up to it.

Surgery Tomorrow

Well I am going to have a distal claviculectomy and subacromial decompression done to my left shoulder at 6:30 tomorrow morning. Sounds like fun huh? I am really praying that this takes away the pain and constant discomfort in my shoulder, it's about to drive me nuts. I am very hopeful that things will go well and recovery won't be too bad. I am going to have to get pretty creative when it comes to taking care of Addy one handed! I know there are people in this world that function with no hands so surely I will be able to adapt for a few weeks. Please pray for my family as they deal with the Boss being out of commission for a little bit!

First week of Daycare

Well Miss Addysen did GREAT her first week of daycare! I was so thrilled! She has already learned something new from being around the other kids too. She now waves "Bye Bye"! We have worked and worked on this but she could have cared less. I guess it just took some cute little babies to show her it's not so hard! I couldn't find the video camera last night, surprise surprise, but I did get the digital so I sorta got pix of her waving to her reflection in the window. I am so thankful that she is there and is getting exposed to other little ones, I know it's going to be great for her overall development!

Eating/Drinking

I had Addy's six month IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan) meeting on Monday. Basically things are changing. I'm okay with the changes, I think. Addy's biggest concerns are obviously her feeding and motor skills. Don't get me wrong she is way delayed in communication, but I feel it is pretty commensurate with her developmental age. Anyway, her current speech therapist feels that Addy's feeding issues are behavioral so she won't be seeing her anymore. She is having a new SLP see her to increase communication. That is okay by me, I do think she needs the communication to be addressed. Her developmental therapist will now be working with Addy's new daycare to teach them how to deal with Addy's "behaviors" when it comes to feedings and playing appropriately with toys. This is what is bothering me. I do think Addy has swallowing problems. It is obvious that Addy has extreme feeding aversion, it's pretty much a no brainer there. So I was talking to her OT about it, Delene, who is also a good friend of mine. She wanted to see Addy eat so yesterday during OT we did feeding. Needless to say, Addy showed her true feeding aversion. She clamps her mouth shut, turns her head, cries and pushes you away. We did get a couple of good swallows of applesauce, very audible swallows, but they were swallows. Addy was doing really well with a certain sippy cup, but she is on a sippy cup strike. (as a speech pathologist I will be the first to tell you to forget sippy cups and go straight to a straw, but this is a case of trying anything that works, we are also trying her Honey Bear with a straw, so far same aversion) So I am hopeful that going to daycare will help with so much of this. She is going to be in the baby room and there are babies in there that take bottles, sippy cups and baby food so she will be included in mealtime. We include her at mealtime everyday, but we know kids learn from their peers. This morning Avery came downstairs and said Jarika needed me. I told him just a minute and I'll be up. This is what I found when I got upstairs:

This last pic is a little deceiving, it looks like complete aversion, but actually an ice cube hit her lips and she was shaking because it was cold, she immediately turned to me and smiled!

This is obviously something that Addy was "choosing" to participate in. Now the bad mommy is going to confess that Jarika was giving her Dr. Pepper, but hey she took it willingly and that is progress!