Why don't they have school today?

Had a really good weekend with the kids.  We went for a bike ride, played at the park, then made invitations for the kids spring birthday bash.  The big kids have been totally begging for a birthday party this year.  Since their birthday falls five days after Christmas, I just think it is too difficult for families to fit another event in their busy holiday schedules.  Not to mention that I'm all worn out, the kids have too many new toys, and I really would rather through an outdoor party (not happening in December in Wisconsin...)  Even though it was a very mild winter.  So Taylor and Liv will have a big party with all their friends from school who can come on Saturday May 19th. They helped put together the invitations and were super excited.  

A bubbly day

It has been a really tough week with Wes.  He has been screaming and thrashing again during meals.  Nothing seems to calm him, there is no fall back food that just makes his day.  It is very trying.  

Today has been a little better than most of the week, lets hope its a trend...

Bubbles

This bubble machine was very short lived... very...

More of the same

More photo dump

Second day of Clinical, no time to blog :( 

Easter Bunny came!

I am aware that these are ridiculously late ;(

Easter pix

Kid @ Heart

Livs new style

Not your normal Saturday

Recovering...

Take two

So Ava had eye surgery on Tuesday, and Wes had his surgery this morning.  He was a trooper as they say.  Pretty happy, content and cooperative before surgery... big bear after surgery.  

Wes had tubes placed in both ears and had his adenoids removed.  The surgeon came to talk to us after surgery said his adenoids were "huge and thick and gunky".  So, here is hoping that this eventually solves some of his eating issues.  (not to mention his ear infection and URI issues)

Wes did not wake up pleasantly, not that I expected him to. He flailed and flopped and screamed for a good half hour.  Eventually he settled down on Jon's chest and took a very heavy nap.  About three hours after surgery we brought him home, tired and sore.  

At home we gave him some Tylenol, tried to get him to drink (to no avail) and eventually laid him down for a nap.  He is resting so comfortably right now, but he is going to need to eat and drink sooner or later. 

Simpler times

Today turned out to be one of those days when I long to stick my hands in a big puddle of finger paint and have at it....  

I went to the chiropractor this morning. She has some really good energy.  Every time I see her (this is my third visit...) she says, hopefully, "so how is the tingling?"  I get the distinct feeling that it should be gone based on the tone of her voice, but really it should be gone in just three visits?  It is not.  Sometimes I think it might be a little less intense, but really I have not noticed a considerable difference.  So she offered me another idea today, "electric stimulation".  Sounds a little like psych therapy... maybe the numbness and tingling isn't in my hand and fingers, but my head... hmm...  So she taped four electrodes to my arm and sent zaps through it for 15min.  Afterwards my arm felt a little like your foot feels when you "fall asleep" fuzzy and prickly.  My fingers are still going numb and tingling, but maybe this doesn't work immediately either.  

Then I took a pharmacology exam from hell.  Ok, it shouldn't have been from hell, but I really think the instructor should present on all information that is going to be covered on an exam.  I muscled through the stupid homeopathic therapy crap grumbling under by breath and the vitamin and minerals crap.  I would have read that material more carefully if I had thought it was going to show up at all.  Insert choice words here.  I won't even get into the "select all that apply" questions...  more choice words...

Then I went for an annual... ehm... lady's exam...  since I really don't have any of those parts, I figured it would be a piece of cake... no problem, right!?

WRONG

Apparently since December I've been growing some rather unwanted "granulation" tissue at the unmentionable incision site.  No one should do what my doctor did to anyone under any circumstance, let alone doing it without any warning.  Just about jumped off the table.  And he did it three times.  If that wasn't bad enough.  He wants me to come back in two weeks to see if he needs to do it again.  I think I need some serious Xanex right about now.  When and what did I do to piss off karma today?

Recovery

I spent a good part of today napping with my head on my heating pad.  Still feels good on a sore ear.  I can't wait to hear again, I can't wait for this pain to go away...

At noon I met with a student who wanted some extra help with GI.  Then at three I went off to do my two hours of community service for my skills class.  It felt ironic to be volunteering to do something that I was paying someone else a lot of money to do for my own children at another school...  I enjoyed the kids and learned a couple new games.  I played a really interesting game of Life with five other children, in some ways it might have been more like real life than any other game of Life I've ever played before.  

Now to study for Pharm...  

Eye Surg

Ava had eye surgery scheduled today in Milwaukee.  Luckily, we traveled to Milwaukee yesterday so that we would not have to travel today.  This turned out to be one of the best decisions since the child scheduled for surgery before Ava ate something, and therefore had their surgery postponed.  This meant that Ava got to take his/her spot.  The surgery center was super pleased when they found out that we were only 10 minutes away rather than 2 hours away.  

Ava was initially scheduled to go in at 10:45, instead she got in at 8:45.  The surgery was all complete by 9:30.  She was super good for the whole thing.  She woke up tired and hungry and sore.  All the things you expect for a child who has just had surgery.  In this picture she has these braces on her arms so that she could not rub her eye. They sent them home with us, but when she laid down for her nap, she cleverly and easily removed them.  So...  that really wasn't that effective.  

One surgery down, one more to go this week.  

Ouch

Last night I laid on Jon's lap to watch some programs as we do nearly every night after the kids are tucked in, and ... well pain...

Shooting pain from deep in my head up towards my ear.  Oh I do recognize that pain.  I thought I left that pain back in my childhood.  Apparently, not so.

I took some of the kids drops in order to sleep, they didn't help much.  This morning I went to class, feel pretty crappy.  By 10 I really couldn't hear much anymore.  And by the time the class ended around 1, I was desperate to get some drugs.  It was the fastest FastCare visit I have ever had.  Double ear infection, sigh.

Hoping these antibiotics start to make a difference soon.

Bubbles

Sleep Deprivation is worth it

This is the reason why I decided to kill myself by working pms again instead of weekends...  Today we woke to the sound of the boys escaping their room.  Westli was never the best partner for Taylor and the prison break effort.  After getting everyone dressed and fed, Jon went to deal with my flat tires... pin holes in both... ugh.  At least a patch worked and we didn't have to buy new tires again.  

In the meantime, the kids played really nice with each other while I worked on some homework.  Ava and Wes spun one on each of our sit and spins. It was truly one of those moments.  They giggled with joy and were just so happy.  After a while, I wrapped up my work and we headed out doors for some fun with bubbles.  

Before we knew it, the noon on Saturday tornado sirens sounded, and we made some lunch.  When the little kids were done, they went upstair for a nap, and Taylor and Livi got to play some Kirby on the Wii... Liv's latest obsession.  Jon went off to get some provisions for the week, and I cleaned out the garage and blew up bike tires... lots of them.  

When the groceries were put away, we all donned our helmets and took a bike ride to East High School, where the Key club put on a "Spring festival".  For $5, our kids got to play little games, get face painting, decorate cookies, find eggs filled with candy, bounce around in the gym on big exercise balls, and generally burn energy that wasn't totally dependent upon us.  (Which is always welcomed) When we were all totally wore out, we got back on the bikes and rode home.  Made brats and baked beans for dinner and played some more outside.  Wes was a little overstimulated by the busy day's events.  This we knew by how much he screamed and cried in the three hours before bed.  But overall it was a fun excursion.  Taylor and Liv rode their own bikes along side of us.  It is amazing to me that they are big enough to do this.  They did really well and only whined a little :) 

Now time for peace and quiet. 

Balance

Balance, what better to symbolize it than a teeter-totter? 

This is my life, a teeter-totter.  

Going to lay down before my day starts, may I can swing the balance back into my favor... Probably not, but ...  

Chiropractor

I went to a chiropractor today.  

I don't know how much I buy into the chiropractic theory, but I'm desperate to do something about what I have assumed to be carpal tunnel (though the chiropractor suggested that it might be a pinched nerve... maybe both...)  Its was just about as I expected it to be.  I will give it some time to see if it helps, as so many people have said it helped them.  

Since I have to go there anyway, I am also having Taylor and Wes seen.  I just don't think it can do any harm.  We shall see.. 

Loves that bird... "Tweet-E"

Health Care Rant... sorry

I have started and deleted a post like this so many times... maybe I even published a few... can't really remember, but I have spent nearly two hundred dollars in medical expenses in the past week and a half.  And its frustratingly no closer to a resolution than the very first expense.  

Remember Alivya and the action plan?  Ok, so Saturday April 1st, Liv starts to cough.  At the first sign of any sort of illness; cough, wheeze, fever, etc; we are supposed to move into the "yellow" action on the plan.  In yellow, we stop giving her the 110 concentration of Flovent and give her instead the 220 dose.  We also use albuterol two puffs every three to four hours as needed for symptoms.  This is to be continued until the symptoms have disappeared for two days.  If after five days, the symptoms have not disappeared, we are supposed to move to red.  In red, we are to call the pulmonary clinic for a prescription of prednisone for five days. 

So on Thursday, I called the clinic and the script was called in.  The nurse also instructed me to give her two puffs of albuterol every three hours around the clock regardless.  She told me to stop using the higher concentration Flovent on Saturday (so as not to use it more than seven days...) and she instructed me to call on Sunday if symptoms had not improved.  Well Sunday the symptoms were still present, but seemed a little better.  We decided to wait until Monday.  On Monday I called the clinic and was told to bring Alivya in.  So I spent $40 for a new albuterol for home and one for school, $50 on the "yellow zone" inhaler, $10 on the prednisone, $35 to be seen by the "on call" doc.  ($135 so far)

The on call doc was frustrated that Liv was put on a dose of prednisone that didn't really correspond to her weight... so she extended her course to eight days and doubled the dose.  Informed me that I should have been giving her four puffs of albuterol every three hours, and added a course of Zithromax for "fluid behind her ear".  

So I went to the pharmacy, spent another $20 on drugs.  ($155, if you are keeping track) She also instructed us to make an appointment to see her primary the next day to "make sure the symptoms are improving."

Well, we had a horrible evening.  Liv coughed non stop for nearly six hours last night.  We tried positioning, Vicks, Honey, Warm liquids, Tylenol, everything I could think of.  She finally fell asleep around 3am.  Needless to say, she did not go back to school today with all of the other kids. 

Her primary, who frustrated me by making me wait over 50 minutes in his exam room and then sent in a student PA to evaluate her...  decided that we should continue to wait and see.  My poor child cried after every third hack last night, and he wants to wait it out.  He did give me a script for Augmentin, which I am supposed to fill if she is not significantly improved by tomorrow.  Yes another $10...  so the grand total thus far is $185, and she is just as bad off as she was ten days ago.  I feel so bad that I can't fix her, that I can't even make some of more comfortable for her.  

I can't believe how inconsiderate this healthcare system is. I also had to bring Ava in today (Yes, another $35).  Ava had roaming eyes that I noticed prior to her well child check.  I pointed it out at her visit ($35) and Doc said, "oh yes, I see it. She will need to see an Opthalmologist." So I made an appointment ($70) where the doc told me that she needed surgery.  He would need to see her again before surgery ($70).  At this appointment he tells me that she still needs surgery.  His scheduler calls me and informs me that she needs to have  physical by her primary within a month of surgery... yep, $35 (today)...  and God knows how much her surgery will cost plus two follow up $70 visits...  its just insane, the run around and the copays.  I don't mind sharing cost, but I think if it the system's requirement, then the system should pay for it, not me.  She had a full physical two months ago... Eye doc saw her twice...  he's a doctor, not to mention I paid enough to see him... sigh...  

I warned you it was a rant... 

Today I....

Today I

Totally rocked an exam, even though it totally felt like failing...

Started my first ever IV (Thanks Alicia, you rock!!!)...

Ate entirely too much candy (Mom, I blame you)...

Called the Dr to report Alivya's failure to stop coughing despite twice her maintenance dose of Flovent, Albuterol every 3 hours around the clock, and five days of prednisone...

Took Alivya to see the doctor, three more days of prednisone, double the dose of albuterol around the clock, and come back tomorrow (yippee)...

Spent $55 on copays and prescriptions...

Did not prepare dinner...

Prepped for Pharmacology (hehe, respiratory meds... karma right?!)

And spent (did someone say pizza?)

Hoppy Easter

Yes, I did just make that pun...

No, I haven't gone postal...

Ok, well maybe I have...

This morning, as is usually the case, Taylor was the first one up.  He ran down the stairs and quickly discovered the eggs.  I was surprised to see that he left them in place. He also found several baskets before decovering his own.  It was funny because he realized I was watching him, so he ran over to me, and said, "Mom, I hope that one over there with the yarn in it is for me!"  Little stinker!  I told him to go look at the name on it.  He was so very excited.  This comes in great contrast to last year when he found everyone elses baskets, and decided that he wanted what was in their baskets and not his own and ended up crying.

Next he got Alivya to come downstairs.  Liv had a little more trouble finding her basket, and I dare say she started to worry that there wasn't one for her.  She was very excited to see that along with her basket was a great big bottle of bubbles from Aunt Amy.  Next to Taylor's was the coolest bubble toy I have ever seen, curtisy of Aunt Amy.  It was one of these :

super cool.  Jon and I filled it up and tipped it upside down... no spill! 

Wes got a buble machine and a small no spill bubble keeper, and Ava, Taylor and Liv all got a little candy and kites. 

Then we searched high and low for the eggs that the tricky bunny hid.  Wes wasn't too into this, so he ate.  He did find two eggs that he promptly chucked to the floor... good thing the Easter Bunny didn't leave raw eggs right!

After spoiling our breakfast with a sweet treat, we got the kids dressed and headed over to Grandma K's for brunch. Then I went to work, for a long day with no patients :(

Spring cleaning

The kids spent the day with Grandma M and Gerry, so Jon got to spend the morning and early evening getting things done around the house. I was scheduled to work 8am to 8:30pm, but as it turned out no one really wanted to have their baby today, so I got to come home early. When I got home, Jon was busy cutting our foot long grass… early spring also means early grass cutting :0p So I got to work doing the spring cleaning that I have been dying to get done… the garage! He was done mowing pretty soon after I got there and helped me clean out and organize some things. After a couple hours we cleaned up, changed, and treated ourselves to dinner. Oh it was so nice! I had heard from a classmate that the new Thai & Japanese place nearby was good. So we gave it a go. It was SOOOOO very good. Since neither of us are very well versed in Thai food, we decided to go Hibachi. It was a good decision. The chef was entertaining; I can’t imagine doing that all day. The food was super delicious, best fried rice I have ever had! And the mignon was to die for! I had a nibble of Jon’s N.Y. Strip, a steak that I don’t usually care for since it is typically fatty and not very tender… not bad at all. It definitely had a different flavoring than mine, but both were very tender and juicy! I will definitely being going back.


After dinner we collected our offspring and headed home for the night. The kids had a great time, got plenty of sweets, and toys, and were so ready for bed. I think they were all out before they hit the pillows! Which was good since the Easter Bunny did not want to get spotted as he hid their baskets and eggs!



Sick, who?

We have the sickies again. I know, peel your shocked bodies off the floor!


It all started last Saturday with Alivya. She had a little cough, that quickly became a bigger cough. We immediately bumped her up to her yellow status on her action plan, but it seems to me that the damage was done on all fronts. Soon after all the noses began to run, slow at first, and now we are literally elbow deep in snot. Yum.

Wednesday I noticed that the usual crusty sleep that Wes wakes up with was not his usual. It was wet and white and copious. I got a warm washcloth and cleaned them both up, but within an hour he was already producing more purulent drainage… haha, my skills instructor said that if used the word “pus” instead of purulent, she would make us write it… his eyes were “Pusey” haha, you know what I mean.

So I took Ava to daycare, but kept Wes at home. Thursday, I took them both to daycare after determining that Wes’ drainage was more or less allergies. His little eyes had no redness and it seemed better with Benadryl… Well when I picked them up, I was informed that Ava was developing the pus, great.

Today I decided to keep them both home since they are still draining out their eyes, and Ava was complaining that her ear hurt. Off to the doctor we go. Ready to fall off your chairs again?

Three ear infections, two upper respiratory infections, and four eyes with conjunctivitis (two viral two bacterial)… all equals two crabby toddlers!

Add to this wonderful mix, a Mommy with red, itchy, sore eyes?



Yeah we have a happy house today!

Six years ago

Six years ago today we brought home our first tiny little peanut, Alivya.  She was around five pounds, drank two ounces of formula in a feeding, wore preemie sized clothes and diapers and had so little control that her tiny eyeballs rolled around asymetrically.  I remmber tucking her into the cutest (and probably ichyest) little Easter dress I could find.  I can't believe that she has grown so much and learned so much.  How time really does fly. 

Mommy loves you too Alivya!

Three down

Final exam in skills today.  I'm happy to say its done.  I still have some other assignments that count toward skills, so I can't say yet how satisfied I am with myself.  Time will tell.
Off to work again, hoping to get some time to study for Pharm test tomorrow. I haven't even looked at this material since we first got it last week, yikes...

Second day? Same as the first

Started today with another fine exam. At least it wasn't another final... yeah I'll take that tomorrow.

Ok, sorry, I am a little whinny.  I think it is cruel and unusual punishment to schedule four exams in one week...  Anyway, this one went better than yesterdays. 

After our exam, I got to practice IVs.  I missed :/  So did everyone in my class, except one.  Laura rocked it! 

Fundimentals

I took Nursing Fundimentals at Marquette eight years ago... never thought I would take it again... and after taking my final exam in Nursing Fundimentals today... not interested in ever taking it again...

Fond Farewell Fundi!

Feeding Frustration

It amazes me that I can see so much progress in Wes, yet it is still one of the most frustrating tasks of my day.  What Wes will eat today, he will not eat tomorrow.  What he struggles to eat today, he will eat with ease tomorrow.  Yesterday he ate very small chunks of chicken, today he will scream and beat his head violently on the table.  Last week he could not eat enough smashed meatballs with rice, today he sticks his  fingers in his mouth and pulls the contents out whipping them to the floor.  Yesterday he ate two bowls of oatmeal, today he whips his head in the other direction and covers his mouth while screaming at the top of his lungs.  Today he copies my demonstration, "Say NO OATMEAL."  Wes: "NO MEAL" Tomorrow he will scream and cry and cover his eyes, kick the table, flail about until he nearly flops right out of his chair.  

When feeding goes well, and he eats well, he is one adorable happy little boy.  When feeding goes poorly, he is crabby and fussy and lays on the floor crying and having a fit (all day).  The worse part is that whether or not a feeding goes well, has very little to do with us.  We have learned over time that his reactions to food are inconsistent, sometimes irrelevant to the food being offered, and completely unpredictable.  Imagine for a minute what it is like for us to plan anything.  We never have any concept of where Wes' mental state will be.  Since he has little means of communicating this information to us, we can't just ask him, and our non verbal assessments are at best, unreliable.