Last night, Chris looked at me and out of the blue said, "Sometimes, I can't believe that you're all mine."
*Swoon*, especially considering with this crazy lady he's married to, he should be saying, "Sometimes, I can't believe that I'm stuck with you!" He probably has no idea that little statement made my whole month.
He's a good one, I tell ya. Good one!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
10 Things I did last week
1. Drove a 12-person van down the Strip in Vegas.
2. Drank a half-liter of beer at the Hofbrauhaus (and ate a ginormous Wienerschnitzel!)
3. Dressed in both my scrubbiest garb and my finest work outfits - for the same event.
4. Watched two nearly-naked women slide down an inflatable slide into a pool inside the convention center. (Monster Energy Drink booth - those things are out of hand)
5. Ate 3 Hewbrew National Hotdogs, 3 Cheeseburgers, one of the best steaks of my life and some macaroni to die for.
6. Celebrated my boss' birthday at one of our favorite restaurants - Del Frisco's (see: latter part of #5).
7. Flew on a 4-hour plane ride with a 10 month old baby. Twice. And survived.
8. Became even further indebted to my mom, who made the trip with us to watch said 10 month old.
9. Took Hayden to her first trip to the Hofbrauhaus
10. Left Hayden's crib at the airport -once, but attempted the feat twice. (Thanks, Mom!)
2. Drank a half-liter of beer at the Hofbrauhaus (and ate a ginormous Wienerschnitzel!)
3. Dressed in both my scrubbiest garb and my finest work outfits - for the same event.
4. Watched two nearly-naked women slide down an inflatable slide into a pool inside the convention center. (Monster Energy Drink booth - those things are out of hand)
5. Ate 3 Hewbrew National Hotdogs, 3 Cheeseburgers, one of the best steaks of my life and some macaroni to die for.
6. Celebrated my boss' birthday at one of our favorite restaurants - Del Frisco's (see: latter part of #5).
7. Flew on a 4-hour plane ride with a 10 month old baby. Twice. And survived.
8. Became even further indebted to my mom, who made the trip with us to watch said 10 month old.
9. Took Hayden to her first trip to the Hofbrauhaus
10. Left Hayden's crib at the airport -once, but attempted the feat twice. (Thanks, Mom!)
Kidney Update
Today I took Hayden for her renal ultrasound (scan of her tummy and back to look at her kidneys and bladder), and the VCUG procedure to evaluate whether she has Kidney Reflux. After a torturous hour and a half for the both of us, we got the good word from the radiologist that everything looks "normal". An exceedingly short diagnosis, but a terrific one nonetheless. Her doctor should get the full report tomorrow and give us a complete rundown.
Yippie Kai Yai Yay! Thank God!
Please keep your fingers crossed that this is the last procedure we have to endure for some time. They are very traumatic for Hayden - she's figured out this whole doctor visit thing, and has very little trust of anyone in scrubs or other uniforms. In fact, last week in Vegas, she kept crying when the housekeeper came in to clean our room - I think her uniform reminded her of her nurses'. The visits are also pretty traumatizing to me as well. It truly is torture to have to help pin my daughter down as these strangers cause her anxiety, fear and pain, and the only thing that keeps me from fleeing the room is knowing that I have to be strong for her, and also knowing that these procedures are for the greater good, so while they are no fun, it's better than the alternatives. I just pray we don't have any more for a good long while, and if, heaven forbid we do, that they continue to come back negative for problems!
Over and out!
Yippie Kai Yai Yay! Thank God!
Please keep your fingers crossed that this is the last procedure we have to endure for some time. They are very traumatic for Hayden - she's figured out this whole doctor visit thing, and has very little trust of anyone in scrubs or other uniforms. In fact, last week in Vegas, she kept crying when the housekeeper came in to clean our room - I think her uniform reminded her of her nurses'. The visits are also pretty traumatizing to me as well. It truly is torture to have to help pin my daughter down as these strangers cause her anxiety, fear and pain, and the only thing that keeps me from fleeing the room is knowing that I have to be strong for her, and also knowing that these procedures are for the greater good, so while they are no fun, it's better than the alternatives. I just pray we don't have any more for a good long while, and if, heaven forbid we do, that they continue to come back negative for problems!
Over and out!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Pumpkin Patch Kids
Yesterday, my friend Jenni and I took our kids on their first trips to the Pumpkin Patch. We made the very wise decision of meeting early in the morning, when the faithful were all at church and we therefore beat the worst of the crowds.
The weather was absolutely perfect - sun shining, the cool, crisp morning giving way to a toasty fall day, leaves changing to searing colors in their final hurrah before succumbing to winter. We took a short hayride to the patch, after gazing for a few moments at the farm animals (all of which had huge signs proclaiming that the animals BITE!, which to me made little sense to include them at such a kiddie-fueled attraction, but hey, whatever works, right?). Although the patches were getting a bit sparse, there were still enough of the oversized orange gourds to entertain our wee ones. There were also some teeny specimens perfect for little hands, although our little hands were more entertained by grass and decaying chunks of pumpkin flesh than the pretty, intact, non-rancid pumpkins scattered about them. (For the record, Tilden was the grass gobbler, Hayden was most interested in the rotten rinds. As Jenni put it, only my daughter! The first of many proud moments, no doubt, I will have in my life.)
After playing in the warm field for a few hours, our hunger got the best of us, so we fled the descending hordes of church-goers who were taking their turns with their fall-frocked youngsters in the patch and went in search of food. We enjoyed a delightful lunch in which there was no screaming, no food throwing, minimal food-dropping, and impeccable manners (at least on Hayden and Tilden's parts).
I am so looking forward to Halloween next week, especially after this wonderful initiation into fall! Tell me, did any of you brave a visit to a pumpkin patch this year? Was it the picture-perfect day ours was?
Happy Halloween!
Tilden stands up on his own for the first time, using this great pumpkin for support! Big milestone, and you can tell how pleased he is with himself for reaching it!
Hayden loves on a pumpkin while giving me a "what the heck are you doing, Mom" look that I'm sure I'll become all too familiar with over the years. In the meantime, this is my favorite picture from the day. Love that classic Padgett half-grin.
Hayden and Tilden having a blast rolling around the patch.
Apparently, I snapped this during a very serious discussion.
Tilden loved hanging out on his tummy like this. It made the grass-chomping so much easier.
Jenni and Tilden playing in the patch. LOVE this picture!
This is a happy boy, here. Of course, who wouldn't be, surrounded by such lovely pumpkins?! I just wish you could see those amazing dimples. I swear, they're each a mile deep and make you want to just gobble those sweet little cheeks up in a single bite!
Hayden and Tilden inspecting the baby pumpkins for ripeness and quality. They are our number one inspectors - very thorough. Hayden squeezes each one to ensure it's just the right firmness and Tilden carefully wipes each one clean (and is happy to dispose of any grass that may be clinging to it).
Hayden quickly showed her affection for Tilden by jumping up and hugging him several times around the neck. I'm afraid she's already a little boy crazy. Although he doesn't appear to pay much attention here, he confirmed his fond feelings for her later by snatching a handful of her hair and tugging it in the classic style of a smitten lad. Hayden, unfortunately, didn't take the news well, and responded with a rebuking wail. Moments later, all was forgiven, and she was back to her clingy ways. Again, I'm sure, previews of coming attractions!
The weather was absolutely perfect - sun shining, the cool, crisp morning giving way to a toasty fall day, leaves changing to searing colors in their final hurrah before succumbing to winter. We took a short hayride to the patch, after gazing for a few moments at the farm animals (all of which had huge signs proclaiming that the animals BITE!, which to me made little sense to include them at such a kiddie-fueled attraction, but hey, whatever works, right?). Although the patches were getting a bit sparse, there were still enough of the oversized orange gourds to entertain our wee ones. There were also some teeny specimens perfect for little hands, although our little hands were more entertained by grass and decaying chunks of pumpkin flesh than the pretty, intact, non-rancid pumpkins scattered about them. (For the record, Tilden was the grass gobbler, Hayden was most interested in the rotten rinds. As Jenni put it, only my daughter! The first of many proud moments, no doubt, I will have in my life.)
After playing in the warm field for a few hours, our hunger got the best of us, so we fled the descending hordes of church-goers who were taking their turns with their fall-frocked youngsters in the patch and went in search of food. We enjoyed a delightful lunch in which there was no screaming, no food throwing, minimal food-dropping, and impeccable manners (at least on Hayden and Tilden's parts).
I am so looking forward to Halloween next week, especially after this wonderful initiation into fall! Tell me, did any of you brave a visit to a pumpkin patch this year? Was it the picture-perfect day ours was?
Happy Halloween!
Tilden stands up on his own for the first time, using this great pumpkin for support! Big milestone, and you can tell how pleased he is with himself for reaching it!
Hayden loves on a pumpkin while giving me a "what the heck are you doing, Mom" look that I'm sure I'll become all too familiar with over the years. In the meantime, this is my favorite picture from the day. Love that classic Padgett half-grin.
Hayden and Tilden having a blast rolling around the patch.
Apparently, I snapped this during a very serious discussion.
Tilden loved hanging out on his tummy like this. It made the grass-chomping so much easier. 
Jenni and Tilden playing in the patch. LOVE this picture!
This is a happy boy, here. Of course, who wouldn't be, surrounded by such lovely pumpkins?! I just wish you could see those amazing dimples. I swear, they're each a mile deep and make you want to just gobble those sweet little cheeks up in a single bite!
Hayden and Tilden inspecting the baby pumpkins for ripeness and quality. They are our number one inspectors - very thorough. Hayden squeezes each one to ensure it's just the right firmness and Tilden carefully wipes each one clean (and is happy to dispose of any grass that may be clinging to it). 
Hayden quickly showed her affection for Tilden by jumping up and hugging him several times around the neck. I'm afraid she's already a little boy crazy. Although he doesn't appear to pay much attention here, he confirmed his fond feelings for her later by snatching a handful of her hair and tugging it in the classic style of a smitten lad. Hayden, unfortunately, didn't take the news well, and responded with a rebuking wail. Moments later, all was forgiven, and she was back to her clingy ways. Again, I'm sure, previews of coming attractions! Thursday, October 15, 2009
We've got mail.......box
After 6 months of concerted (read: totally disorganized) effort, we finally have a mailbox up at our new place. We moved in to our new home over Easter weekend, and now on the eve of Halloween and the other fall holidays, we have a new home for our mail to go.
It has taken 6... no, wait, 7 trips to Home Depot, 2 trips to Lowes, several hours of online searches, and many, many trips to the end of our driveway to complete this surprisingly complicated project. First we got the box. Then we had to go back to try to find the right post for the box. And go back again to try to find a post. And look somewhere else for it, then go back to the first place to see if we could settle on one of theirs. Then go back to the second, before finally determining the first one we saw would do the job just fine. Then there was the contemplation of house numbers. Oh, the agony. Finally, we found the right numbers but decided we'd need to stain the post for them to show up properly. Another trip - first for the stain, then back for a brush because we realized we couldn't find out paintbrushes from the move. And so on, and so forth.
We have had the post in the ground for about 5 months now, and have just been waiting on the right opportunity to stain it. Finally, I began working on the project in baby steps over my lunch hour a few weeks ago, and go us to the point of needing just the box.
After much ado (I'll spare the oh-so-exciting and gory details) (By the way, have I mentioned how well Chris and I work together? It's amazing we're both still alive after building this house, I tell ya.), we finally were getting the box set in place last night, just as a couple of the builder's guys drove by. They, of course, had to stop and congratulate us on completing this massive task, which they could have completed in under an hour if we hadn't been so damn cheap to want to save the $20 we'd have had to pay in contractor's fees. I seriously can't remember why we chose not to do that, and I'm electing to not remember that that was an option from here on out.
Hey, when you've got a 10 month old, a new house, 13 acres in dire need of maintanance, and you both work full time, you celebrate the small victories.
Who wants to bet the first piece of correspondence we get after all this effort is junk mail?
It has taken 6... no, wait, 7 trips to Home Depot, 2 trips to Lowes, several hours of online searches, and many, many trips to the end of our driveway to complete this surprisingly complicated project. First we got the box. Then we had to go back to try to find the right post for the box. And go back again to try to find a post. And look somewhere else for it, then go back to the first place to see if we could settle on one of theirs. Then go back to the second, before finally determining the first one we saw would do the job just fine. Then there was the contemplation of house numbers. Oh, the agony. Finally, we found the right numbers but decided we'd need to stain the post for them to show up properly. Another trip - first for the stain, then back for a brush because we realized we couldn't find out paintbrushes from the move. And so on, and so forth.
We have had the post in the ground for about 5 months now, and have just been waiting on the right opportunity to stain it. Finally, I began working on the project in baby steps over my lunch hour a few weeks ago, and go us to the point of needing just the box.
After much ado (I'll spare the oh-so-exciting and gory details) (By the way, have I mentioned how well Chris and I work together? It's amazing we're both still alive after building this house, I tell ya.), we finally were getting the box set in place last night, just as a couple of the builder's guys drove by. They, of course, had to stop and congratulate us on completing this massive task, which they could have completed in under an hour if we hadn't been so damn cheap to want to save the $20 we'd have had to pay in contractor's fees. I seriously can't remember why we chose not to do that, and I'm electing to not remember that that was an option from here on out.
Hey, when you've got a 10 month old, a new house, 13 acres in dire need of maintanance, and you both work full time, you celebrate the small victories.
Who wants to bet the first piece of correspondence we get after all this effort is junk mail?
Monday, October 12, 2009
Love Letter, 10 months
Hayden Elizabeth, my darling daughter, I find it hard to believe you are 10 months old already! Where has the time gone? I savor every day with you these days. It seems you are always learning something new, showing your personality and intellect. You are such a wonderful happy baby to be around, and you dazzle all who meet you.
We often have to stop several times around the grocery store, or on errands just to let people ooh and ahh over you. It makes me so proud to be your Mama, the mother of the most beautiful baby ever, the mother of the sweetest baby ever, the mother of the most loving baby ever. You are often compared to a porcelain doll, with your tiny nose and rosebud mouth, your beautiful long lashes, those rosy cheeks and the glowing blue eyes as deep as the ocean. And of course, the hair! All that lovely, dark, curling swirling mass of hair that halos your sweet face. People are constantly amazed at you, and I am constantly amazed at the blessing it is to be your mother, to call you my own wee daughter. You make me so proud, my wee one. My pooky-looky bear. My little petunia pickle bumble bottom. My little bit. My (and your daddy's!) tater bug. My stinker-binker-winker. My Haydie-pie. My sweet potato queen. My angel baby. My lovely little dovey. My turkey little lurky.
You are on the go these days, my little spit-fire. You have mastered that crawling deal (although you still love to prop one foot up to propel you along at a startlingly fast rate instead of crawling 'normally') (which, by the way, I like just fine. If I can teach you one thing, (no, strike that, I can't pick just one thing, but do please listen to this), it would be to know that we're all different, everyone of us. That's by God's design, and it's something to celebrate and embrace, not to shy away from or be ashamed of. It's a beautiful miracle that we're each in His image, yet never has their been two people identically created. Think about that.) You are always on the go, and are happy to chase us, or be chased, around the house. You love pulling up, and are so much better at lowering yourself down these days - much fewer of those 'unintentional' landings that upset you so badly, although I fear we'll see more of those as you get closer to walking. You have stood up several times and let go of your props, but this does more to mystify you than encourage you at this point. You are quick to crouch down to a safe 'drop zone' to ensure a soft landing. You are very unsure of what to do with this newfound skill and aren't ready to attack it with purpose yet - you only end up in that position unintentionally so far, like when you reach for a toy with both hands before realizing there is nothing holding you up.
You love to laugh these days, and will belt out the most hilarious squeals, especially when being tickled or playing 'getcha' with me. You LOVE peek-a-boo, and often go straight for your daddy's hat when he gets home, so you can pull it over your face while he calls, "where's Hayden?", and then with great flourish you sweep the hat away to reveal your hiding place! You two are so cute playing that game.
You also love giving kisses. You don't yet 'blow' kisses, but you will lean toward me and daddy (and anyone else lucky enough) and bestow the sweetest, gentlest, often open-mouthed kisses on our lips. It's something I love more than words can describe, and oh baby, if you were old enough to ask me for money or the car keys, I'd be in big trouble, because that just melts me into a big pile of goo when you, for no reason at all, suddenly lean over and search out my face with your gentle little kisses.
You are a master growler when you're playing. We're not sure where you picked it up, but you can growl just like a hungry dog protecting his food dish. It's not at all like a baby sound and parents of children in your class have often been startled by your unusual antics.
You love music, especially bluegrass. Anything fast with a good beat and tempo, you love. The other day, your Grandma and Papa turned the TV to some bluegrass and when that bango sounded, we were sure you were about to take your first steps (as your daddy likes to recount) getting to that TV. You reached up and boogied that booty in time with the music as you clapped and squealed your delight.
You have taken a break from waving and saying 'bye bye'. Just like all your new skills, once you've demonstrated them enough to show us you can do them, you no longer feel the need to prove your capabilities, and will then refuse to perform them again until it suits you. Oh well. I know you can do it. You know you can do it. God only knows when you'll decide to do it again, though.
You have become a master pointer. You know what you want to look at or touch or grab, and you have no problem showing us with that commanding little digit of yours. You point at the pictures of the birds at Grandma and Papa's, and they are happy to oblige you by toting you over to see the birds. You point at the bottle you want, the cheerios (still one of your favorite snacks), the toys, the phone, my keys, whatever you want, you know how to tell us.
Speaking of, you've also become adept at telling me what you don't want. You shake that head no with a ferocious decisiveness if I try to offer you a food you don't want, a medicine you aren't interest in, or if you disagree with something I've said. "Time to take a ride, Hayden", *shake, shake, shake!* "Time to get in your carseat," *shake, shake, shake!* Of course, sometimes you just enjoy telling me no, even when you really do want something. "Here's Bunny Bear, Hayden" *shake, shake, GRAB!*
Bunny Bear has become your best little buddy this past month. You love that soft, floppy beany bear of a toy, and you take him with you everywhere. Bunny Bear can soothe almost any irritation, dry your tears, and cuddle you to sleep. You love to hug him to you and smother him with kisses, and you stroke his soft ears over your eyes as you doze off to dreamland. At the same time, I thank heaven for Bunny Bear and his magical powers, I also fear the day we lose him or misplace him, and the effect that will have on your state of mind. For that reason, we try to rotate him out with Mister Corn, your 'sweet' unicorn, Pooh bear, and a number of other fluffy friends. So far, Bunny Bear remains unmatched for your affections, but not the sole source of comfort, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
For now, good night, sleep tight, and hold tight to your Bunny Bear my sweet darling, for we have big adventures that lie ahead of us. Namely, Las Vegas in a week for your first NACS adventure!
All my love, Mama
We often have to stop several times around the grocery store, or on errands just to let people ooh and ahh over you. It makes me so proud to be your Mama, the mother of the most beautiful baby ever, the mother of the sweetest baby ever, the mother of the most loving baby ever. You are often compared to a porcelain doll, with your tiny nose and rosebud mouth, your beautiful long lashes, those rosy cheeks and the glowing blue eyes as deep as the ocean. And of course, the hair! All that lovely, dark, curling swirling mass of hair that halos your sweet face. People are constantly amazed at you, and I am constantly amazed at the blessing it is to be your mother, to call you my own wee daughter. You make me so proud, my wee one. My pooky-looky bear. My little petunia pickle bumble bottom. My little bit. My (and your daddy's!) tater bug. My stinker-binker-winker. My Haydie-pie. My sweet potato queen. My angel baby. My lovely little dovey. My turkey little lurky.
You are on the go these days, my little spit-fire. You have mastered that crawling deal (although you still love to prop one foot up to propel you along at a startlingly fast rate instead of crawling 'normally') (which, by the way, I like just fine. If I can teach you one thing, (no, strike that, I can't pick just one thing, but do please listen to this), it would be to know that we're all different, everyone of us. That's by God's design, and it's something to celebrate and embrace, not to shy away from or be ashamed of. It's a beautiful miracle that we're each in His image, yet never has their been two people identically created. Think about that.) You are always on the go, and are happy to chase us, or be chased, around the house. You love pulling up, and are so much better at lowering yourself down these days - much fewer of those 'unintentional' landings that upset you so badly, although I fear we'll see more of those as you get closer to walking. You have stood up several times and let go of your props, but this does more to mystify you than encourage you at this point. You are quick to crouch down to a safe 'drop zone' to ensure a soft landing. You are very unsure of what to do with this newfound skill and aren't ready to attack it with purpose yet - you only end up in that position unintentionally so far, like when you reach for a toy with both hands before realizing there is nothing holding you up.
You love to laugh these days, and will belt out the most hilarious squeals, especially when being tickled or playing 'getcha' with me. You LOVE peek-a-boo, and often go straight for your daddy's hat when he gets home, so you can pull it over your face while he calls, "where's Hayden?", and then with great flourish you sweep the hat away to reveal your hiding place! You two are so cute playing that game.
You also love giving kisses. You don't yet 'blow' kisses, but you will lean toward me and daddy (and anyone else lucky enough) and bestow the sweetest, gentlest, often open-mouthed kisses on our lips. It's something I love more than words can describe, and oh baby, if you were old enough to ask me for money or the car keys, I'd be in big trouble, because that just melts me into a big pile of goo when you, for no reason at all, suddenly lean over and search out my face with your gentle little kisses.
You are a master growler when you're playing. We're not sure where you picked it up, but you can growl just like a hungry dog protecting his food dish. It's not at all like a baby sound and parents of children in your class have often been startled by your unusual antics.
You love music, especially bluegrass. Anything fast with a good beat and tempo, you love. The other day, your Grandma and Papa turned the TV to some bluegrass and when that bango sounded, we were sure you were about to take your first steps (as your daddy likes to recount) getting to that TV. You reached up and boogied that booty in time with the music as you clapped and squealed your delight.
You have taken a break from waving and saying 'bye bye'. Just like all your new skills, once you've demonstrated them enough to show us you can do them, you no longer feel the need to prove your capabilities, and will then refuse to perform them again until it suits you. Oh well. I know you can do it. You know you can do it. God only knows when you'll decide to do it again, though.
You have become a master pointer. You know what you want to look at or touch or grab, and you have no problem showing us with that commanding little digit of yours. You point at the pictures of the birds at Grandma and Papa's, and they are happy to oblige you by toting you over to see the birds. You point at the bottle you want, the cheerios (still one of your favorite snacks), the toys, the phone, my keys, whatever you want, you know how to tell us.
Speaking of, you've also become adept at telling me what you don't want. You shake that head no with a ferocious decisiveness if I try to offer you a food you don't want, a medicine you aren't interest in, or if you disagree with something I've said. "Time to take a ride, Hayden", *shake, shake, shake!* "Time to get in your carseat," *shake, shake, shake!* Of course, sometimes you just enjoy telling me no, even when you really do want something. "Here's Bunny Bear, Hayden" *shake, shake, GRAB!*
Bunny Bear has become your best little buddy this past month. You love that soft, floppy beany bear of a toy, and you take him with you everywhere. Bunny Bear can soothe almost any irritation, dry your tears, and cuddle you to sleep. You love to hug him to you and smother him with kisses, and you stroke his soft ears over your eyes as you doze off to dreamland. At the same time, I thank heaven for Bunny Bear and his magical powers, I also fear the day we lose him or misplace him, and the effect that will have on your state of mind. For that reason, we try to rotate him out with Mister Corn, your 'sweet' unicorn, Pooh bear, and a number of other fluffy friends. So far, Bunny Bear remains unmatched for your affections, but not the sole source of comfort, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
For now, good night, sleep tight, and hold tight to your Bunny Bear my sweet darling, for we have big adventures that lie ahead of us. Namely, Las Vegas in a week for your first NACS adventure!
All my love, Mama
Friday, October 9, 2009
Which way did it go?
Apparently, that's the question with Hayden, whose poor little body can't seem to figure out which way to send fluids. Instead of going down, down, down as they are supposed to, her body wants to send things back up. Up is not supposed to be an option. Up is not cool.
In addition to gastrointestinal reflux, which she was diagnosed with at several months old, she now potentially has vesicoureteral reflux, also known as kidney reflux. Many people are familiar with GERD, where fluids from the stomach travel back up the esophagus, causing pain, inflammation and damage. We've been treating her GERD for months now, and with a recent adjustment in medications, seem to finally have that under control and she seems to be sleeping and feeling much better.
That is, until this past week when she began spiking very high fevers - 104, 103 range fevers - with no other apparent symptoms except not acting very spunky and wanting to cuddle more than normal. After several days with no change, we went back to trusty ol' Dr. V, who ordered the usual round of checks - strep, urinalysis, flu, eye, ear, sinus - and all came back negative. Hmmm... That's different. So, off we trotted to the hospital for a SUPER FUN blood draw. And when I say SUPER FUN, I mean holding-the-baby-down, tying-a-tourniquet-on-her-arm, letting-her-scream-bloody-murder, watching-a-nurse-jab-her-while-repeatedly-failing-to-find-a-vein kind of fun. You know, that sort of lovely family moment every new mom envisions sharing with her sweet babe. Got the results that night, which were that her white blood count and inflammation levels were elevated, so they wanted to start her on antibiotics ASAP and talk to us the next day to review the more detailed urine culture results and make plans.
So the next day, with indications pointing toward a urinary tract infection (UTI), still some fever, although much better, got the news that Dr. V wanted us to go back to the hospital AGAIN to have some more FUN with the bloodsuckers to see if the white counts or inflammation had improved. More baby-tackling, holy-hell-screaming, sweet-baby-flesh-piercing fun. GAH.
All the while, I'm still not exactly sure what we're getting at. Not sure why I'm torturing my child so, or why we're on antibiotics really, since we weren't really sure about the UTI. She hadn't yet mentioned the kidney reflux, so I was getting increasingly worried and frustrated.
Fast forward to today. I got a call just before lunch that explained a lot, and opened up many new questions and concerns. First of all, Hayden has a kidney, bladder and UT infection. That's the cause of the fever, white counts and inflammation. The antibiotics we're using are treating it, and she appears to be responding. We'll touch base Monday to follow up, and go back Wednesday for another urinalysis to be sure. Learned that they want to check her to see about this kidney reflux deal, so we'll be headed to Scottish Rite later this month to do some invasive, and at the very least, extremely irritating (to Hayden anyway) tests to see if she does have it, and if so, how severe.
I am trying not to be overly concerned. It's apparently not totally uncommon, and is treatable, and hopefully in Hayden's case, caught quickly. The concerning part is that even small amounts of kidney damage at this age can cause lifelong problems, and I am hoping that we have gotten her help soon enough to prevent most of that.
So, for now, it's more hurry up and wait, and while Chris is busy teaching Hayden her ABC's, I'm going to try to figure out if I can't teach her body North from South...
In addition to gastrointestinal reflux, which she was diagnosed with at several months old, she now potentially has vesicoureteral reflux, also known as kidney reflux. Many people are familiar with GERD, where fluids from the stomach travel back up the esophagus, causing pain, inflammation and damage. We've been treating her GERD for months now, and with a recent adjustment in medications, seem to finally have that under control and she seems to be sleeping and feeling much better.
That is, until this past week when she began spiking very high fevers - 104, 103 range fevers - with no other apparent symptoms except not acting very spunky and wanting to cuddle more than normal. After several days with no change, we went back to trusty ol' Dr. V, who ordered the usual round of checks - strep, urinalysis, flu, eye, ear, sinus - and all came back negative. Hmmm... That's different. So, off we trotted to the hospital for a SUPER FUN blood draw. And when I say SUPER FUN, I mean holding-the-baby-down, tying-a-tourniquet-on-her-arm, letting-her-scream-bloody-murder, watching-a-nurse-jab-her-while-repeatedly-failing-to-find-a-vein kind of fun. You know, that sort of lovely family moment every new mom envisions sharing with her sweet babe. Got the results that night, which were that her white blood count and inflammation levels were elevated, so they wanted to start her on antibiotics ASAP and talk to us the next day to review the more detailed urine culture results and make plans.
So the next day, with indications pointing toward a urinary tract infection (UTI), still some fever, although much better, got the news that Dr. V wanted us to go back to the hospital AGAIN to have some more FUN with the bloodsuckers to see if the white counts or inflammation had improved. More baby-tackling, holy-hell-screaming, sweet-baby-flesh-piercing fun. GAH.
All the while, I'm still not exactly sure what we're getting at. Not sure why I'm torturing my child so, or why we're on antibiotics really, since we weren't really sure about the UTI. She hadn't yet mentioned the kidney reflux, so I was getting increasingly worried and frustrated.
Fast forward to today. I got a call just before lunch that explained a lot, and opened up many new questions and concerns. First of all, Hayden has a kidney, bladder and UT infection. That's the cause of the fever, white counts and inflammation. The antibiotics we're using are treating it, and she appears to be responding. We'll touch base Monday to follow up, and go back Wednesday for another urinalysis to be sure. Learned that they want to check her to see about this kidney reflux deal, so we'll be headed to Scottish Rite later this month to do some invasive, and at the very least, extremely irritating (to Hayden anyway) tests to see if she does have it, and if so, how severe.
I am trying not to be overly concerned. It's apparently not totally uncommon, and is treatable, and hopefully in Hayden's case, caught quickly. The concerning part is that even small amounts of kidney damage at this age can cause lifelong problems, and I am hoping that we have gotten her help soon enough to prevent most of that.
So, for now, it's more hurry up and wait, and while Chris is busy teaching Hayden her ABC's, I'm going to try to figure out if I can't teach her body North from South...
Thursday, October 8, 2009
On a lighter note...
I think McDonald's has undertaken a rather misguided approach to cost cutting. Not that I frequent the restaurant that often, but in the past several months there have been several occasions that lack of time, relative proximity to the 'restaurant', and intense hunger pains have dictated I stop there for a hot (usually) meal.
In those instances, I have, without fail, been given a meal without any of the following:
In those instances, I have, without fail, been given a meal without any of the following:
- Napkins. Not a one. Ever.
- Straws. Apparently, I should just turn the cup up and suck my drink through the cross-hatched lid. That should be easy enough in a moving vehicle.
- Condiments. This especially irks me when they take the time to ask me while I'm at the menu board if I'd like sauce, and I don't discover the lack thereof until I have pulled away from the window.
Rather than saving money, they are in my opinion, ostracising customers and ensuring they will return only under duress or extreme circumstances. Of course, since my daughter is still young enough to not recognize and demand the golden arches, perhaps I'm underestimating the will of a 3 year old with a McNugget craving. Perhaps this is how McDonald's knows that I will return, despite the miserable service, terrible food, and lack of proper eating utensils. Only time will tell.
I'll tell you one thing, though. They don't skimp on the toys. As I found out recently, you MUST take a toy with a Happy Meal. Even though I asked politely that I get a Happy Meal without one, as my baby can't yet play with them, and I'd rather them save the wretched piece of Chinese Molded Crap for the next eager youngster instead of being forced to find a place to dispose of it, they refused. You must take this meal - which we will give without utensils, napkins or sauces - and the stupid toy, because, as the 'young gentleman' at the window so keenly pointed out, "everyone needs a little joy. Don't you want some joy?" I am not sure how Chris and I both managed to keep our act together enough through this taunting of our joy-less lives to keep us from telling the multi-pierced, dangling-earlobed, misspelled-tattooed kid where he could stick our joy, because while he was so insistent about the damn toy, he managed to get the entirety of the FOOD portion of our order wrong, cold and without napkins.
Somewhere along the way, that place lost the magic. Or maybe I just lost my joy...
Trial by Fire
Yesterday, I got a phone call from one of my very best friends that her house had just burned down. Entirely down. Thankfully, they were not home when it happened, so she, her husband and her infant son are all safe and sound, but I know the loss is just devastating nonetheless.
In a moment, their entire lives were turned upside down. So many of the things they hold near and dear are now a soggy pile of ashes and rubble. They have such a great perspective on it. While I know they will grieve for memories and keepsakes lost, they are so very thankful that they still have one another and that they have friends and family to help them through this time.
They are the latest in a series of updates I have gotten on friends and family this week, all of whom are struggling with their own trials and tribulations.
A dear friend is facing divorce, again, and this time has a baby who will walk this road with her. I know it is an added source of anxiety and sorrow for her that her child will endure this, but I pray that her son will bring her joy and hope and peace as well.
Another family is losing their home and farm. The result of people not keeping their word and bond, of a sour economy and a lack of work, this couple who should be enjoying their retirement and their grandchildren are now figuring out how to start over. They're watching the fruits of their labors evaporate before them. It's a heartbreaking scene, to say the least.
And yet another friend, who did his best to keep afloat during this economic storm, and help others to tread water, made some unfortunate choices that is going to cost him so very dearly. In this era of intolerance for bending the rules, I'm afraid it is a heavy book indeed that will be thrown at him. And while he is owning up entirely to the situation, it is so saddening to watch his family and friends suffer the consequences as well; innocent bystanders all.
For me, watching those I love and care for suffer so it intolerable. It wrenches my sleep from me and tears at my heartstrings. I selfishly am so thankful for the blessings that I have, for the road that I am walking which is so unfettered by obstacles, for God's grace in my life. At the same time, I believe in my heart of hearts that God's grace is with each of them as well. Whenever I witness someone enduring one of these challenges of life, I think back to the poem "Footprints", and I can see the way God is carrying them through the valley. I know it is hard in the midst of tragedy to see the miracles that are worked in our lives, but I truly believe He is with us all. While we cannot live a life devoid of sorrow or strife, He can find ways to lift us up and bless us through the grief. He can bring us hope, and love, and happiness, and help us continue on in faith.
Please, when you pray, pray for my friends and family in need. And I, when I pray, will pray for each of you.
In a moment, their entire lives were turned upside down. So many of the things they hold near and dear are now a soggy pile of ashes and rubble. They have such a great perspective on it. While I know they will grieve for memories and keepsakes lost, they are so very thankful that they still have one another and that they have friends and family to help them through this time.
They are the latest in a series of updates I have gotten on friends and family this week, all of whom are struggling with their own trials and tribulations.
A dear friend is facing divorce, again, and this time has a baby who will walk this road with her. I know it is an added source of anxiety and sorrow for her that her child will endure this, but I pray that her son will bring her joy and hope and peace as well.
Another family is losing their home and farm. The result of people not keeping their word and bond, of a sour economy and a lack of work, this couple who should be enjoying their retirement and their grandchildren are now figuring out how to start over. They're watching the fruits of their labors evaporate before them. It's a heartbreaking scene, to say the least.
And yet another friend, who did his best to keep afloat during this economic storm, and help others to tread water, made some unfortunate choices that is going to cost him so very dearly. In this era of intolerance for bending the rules, I'm afraid it is a heavy book indeed that will be thrown at him. And while he is owning up entirely to the situation, it is so saddening to watch his family and friends suffer the consequences as well; innocent bystanders all.
For me, watching those I love and care for suffer so it intolerable. It wrenches my sleep from me and tears at my heartstrings. I selfishly am so thankful for the blessings that I have, for the road that I am walking which is so unfettered by obstacles, for God's grace in my life. At the same time, I believe in my heart of hearts that God's grace is with each of them as well. Whenever I witness someone enduring one of these challenges of life, I think back to the poem "Footprints", and I can see the way God is carrying them through the valley. I know it is hard in the midst of tragedy to see the miracles that are worked in our lives, but I truly believe He is with us all. While we cannot live a life devoid of sorrow or strife, He can find ways to lift us up and bless us through the grief. He can bring us hope, and love, and happiness, and help us continue on in faith.
Please, when you pray, pray for my friends and family in need. And I, when I pray, will pray for each of you.
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