This year, Marriott Vacation Clubtries to sell us on their timeshare opportunity via Orlando, FL. We had been talking about taking the kids to Disney, but I never wanted to make the investment to do so. Having grown up when amusement park tickets were less than $60 a day, almost $300 for 3 days is a heavy pull to swallow. But, I knew if we didn't taken the trip now, by the time we got there, much of the magic would have been gone for our children.
We picked Thanksgiving week because it was off peak and everyone already had pre-approved vacation. I learned a lot about me, my husband and our kids while on the vacation. We also made so many memories that I'd like to keep recorded for when we take our grandkids at $200 a day tickets.
1. I am sentimental. I knew this this, but missing a holiday with family was tough, no matter how much fun we were having.
2. I am a traditionalist. Thanksgiving, to me, is a day of hanging out, cooking and eating. Black Friday is a day of shopping, of completing all of my Christmas shopping. Part of me feels strange for having missed this. I don't think I'd like to do another extended family free Thanksgiving again.
3. Disney is crowded as sin! Lines are a minimum of 30 minutes. Adults hate lines. Kids are okay, as long as we don't seem miserable. I taught my kids and the others in the line "down by the banks" and "bubble gum in a dish". We can't underestimate the fun these types of games can bring...both monetarily and electricity free.
4. I was taken aback at the number of times I would look over and see groups of teens, standing together, not communicating, but instead, on their phones. So sad. Even more sad were the parents and kids that were doing the same thing. We need to put these things away before they replace conversation and human interaction.
5. My L and J just love each other so much. They truly are best friends. P and I had to sit with C and Q for every ride either because of their ages or their heights. On the few times that we could switch up the riders, they rarely wanted to do so. They slept together, played together and walked hand in hand most times. So touching!
6. My C is a loving bird that wants to be a big girl and a baby, all at once. She wants to be heard and share, but is sensitive if she doesn't feel like she's being taken seriously or listened to fully. We let the kids pick out 1 souvenir each. C selected a necklace, showing her girly side and her movement away from little girl to big girl.
7. J is still a little girl, no matter how hard she wants to be seen as a tween. She selected a stuffed bear, Sallie Mae, as her souvenir. She has snuggled with it and her and Quinn have played with stuffed animals ever since. Her imagination is sharp. She is the child that wanted the pictures with the princesses.
8. Q is turning into a very sweet and respectful little girl. She showered her father and I with "please" and "thank you" all day, every day. She was scared on the dark and scary rides and occasionally cried as a result, but was proud of herself for being brave. On multiple occasions, like Big Thunder Mountain, she put both of her hands in the air to prove that she was tough, just like her siblings.
9. L is just my doll baby, growing into a young man every day. He is starting to really need his privacy, but is a great big brother...as long as the girls give him space when he needs it. He is still reserved and cautious. On at least one occasion, Harry Potter coasters, he declined the ride because J could not go. He said that if she could do it, he could, but he didn't need to prove himself.
10. Our oldest 3 decided to open a business while on vacation. They are selling 10 minute massages for $5 each. Each of them takes an even cut and is responsible for a different part of the body. They developed a frequent shopper card and even added to their offerings to ensure mom would continue to patronize their business. FYI: they offer a free trial.
11. My husband is a hard ass jerk and a softie teddy bear. This vacation, completely devoid of work, helped to remind him of where his focus should be. I am grateful for that. I am also grateful that we could refocus on family and leisure. It is too easy to get caught up in work. And though he was on his phone more than I would have liked, when I said something, he immediately put it away.
12. I really tried to be present for my kids and not try too hard to focus on nit picky little things. I think we were all happier as a result.
13. C about It's A Small World - this is freaky!
14. Universal Studios is awesome! The decor is spot on and just hard to beat. The rides are definitely more fun than Disney.
15. Disney is older and could use a refresh. The rides are fun, but I've been on better. What Disney has that cannot be replaced though, is the magic. It is distinctly Disney. The wonder, the childhood dreams and memories, that is what you are paying for, not the rides. The parades and shows were more memorable than any ride. The wonder on our kids' faces when they saw their favorite characters, the snow covered castle, fireworks, dance parties and the like cannot be substituted.
16. Child swap - Universal does a great job with this. They have child swap areas where parents can wait on their spouse and taller children, while keeping their smaller children safe and entertained. Disney is a joke. After parent 1 goes through the line, they come out and hand the other parent a fat pass ticket for him/her and 2 other people. Now the rest of the party has to wait 20 more minutes or more while they go on the ride. That means this ride takes over an hour and your poor little one(s) must sit and wait all that time. For this reason, I felt too guilty to go on Space Mountain after P and the other 3 had gone on.
17. Universal has an Express line. It costs about 2x the amount of a regular ticket. Who wants to pay that much?! We still got to ride every ride and paid half the amount. Disney has a fast pass option. Basically, you get 3 rides to skip lines on. This is more fair. Though we didn't sign up the 60+ days in advance, day 3 allowed us to use it on the highly desired rides.
18. Headed to Disney? I recommend 1-2 days in the Magic Kingdom. If you plan on doing Hollywood Studios because you have a Star Wars fan, get the park hopper that day. This will allow you to do 2 lesser parks that day because you don't need a whole day at any of the lesser spin off parks. Or...use the spin off park to recover from the full prior day at Magic Kingdom.
19. Florida tap water tastes like swamp. Do not drink it!
20. Though I had a blast, as did the family, I do not believe that Disney will be a yearly voyage. For the money we spent on tickets, we can take a trip to another location and have a pretty nice time. I also want the kids to experience different cultures and develop a love of travel. There is so much to see in our own country and I really want to give the kids a chance to experience as much of it as possible while they live with us.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Aurora on my mind
Q and I went to a function today and witnessed a travesty: at the end of the event, the kitchen staff started throwing away loaf after loaf of untouched artisan bread. Shortly after the shock wore off, I inquired, "you are really throwing all of that in the garbage?"
"Yes."
"Um...can you not do that? I can take that to the Scranton Mission or a soup kitchen or something."
After disappearing for a while, she reappeared with plastic bags. Another guest helped me bag and carry over 13 shopping bags of food to my car, and then I was off. I first stopped at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen where I witnessed a man in a wheelchair, several other guys and one woman, shooting up and drinking in the parking lot. They were being absolutely obnoxious, screaming at each other, slurred speech at 4 in the afternoon. I didn't realize that Scranton had this problem, one I hadn't seen since I lived in San Francisco.
When I got home, I was thankful for all my family has, grateful that, for the most part, we are all healthy and safe from this despair I witnessed. I started to think about the pain that those people must be experiencing, the lack of self-esteem, self-love, if you will. Its as if they hate themselves, so they are punishing themselves. Those thoughts brought me back to the tragedy that just occurred in Aurora.
There, we unfortunately have another case of someone that lacks self-love. His hatred and despair for himself and others didn't cause him to act out like the people I saw today, but instead, caused him to leash out on hundreds of innocent people. Strange, huh? Some people turn that hatred inward, while others turn it outward, towards innocent people. I wonder what causes that? But, I am reminded by what I've heard from so many brilliant friends that remind me that you can not place the confines of logic on people and situations that do not have basis in reality.
We will never truly understand why what happened, well, happened. There really can be no explanation. We should, instead, place our focus in 2 directions. First, in honoring the memory of the victims and helping their families to move forward in the world without them, not to mention, helping the survivors to cope with their new normals.
Secondly, we really need to take a harsh look at our gun laws. Why do we allow such large magazines? Are they necessary? Let's say we don't try to change the Constitution and just work within its confines. One of our problems in this nation is the complete need for overindulgence. Is it not overindulging when we need multiple weapons, automatic weapons, large quantity clips, etc...? Let's ignore big business and the NRA. Let's ask ourselves why the US has more gun fatalities than our other 1st World allies. How do we allow something to purchase 4 handguns in just a few short months? How do is it that we have had multiple school shootings, and now, this? Something needs to change when it comes to the gun laws.
My heart goes out to all of those that are hurting across the nation. May loving and happy memories flood your mind and push the pain aside. May you find comfort in knowing that your loved ones lived full lives and are now at peace, never to feel pain or fear again.
To all of the victims, the images burned in your minds will eventually be replaced with images of hope and happiness. Stay strong and find comfort in knowing that it was simply not your time to leave this earth.
To those that lost their lives, my heart is with you. May you rest in peace as you join the others that have gone before you, including my brother.
None of this makes sense. Not a single bit. I fear for my children, that they must grow up in a world that sees this violence so frequently. I hope this is simply a strange anomaly that ends soon.
"Yes."
"Um...can you not do that? I can take that to the Scranton Mission or a soup kitchen or something."
After disappearing for a while, she reappeared with plastic bags. Another guest helped me bag and carry over 13 shopping bags of food to my car, and then I was off. I first stopped at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen where I witnessed a man in a wheelchair, several other guys and one woman, shooting up and drinking in the parking lot. They were being absolutely obnoxious, screaming at each other, slurred speech at 4 in the afternoon. I didn't realize that Scranton had this problem, one I hadn't seen since I lived in San Francisco.
When I got home, I was thankful for all my family has, grateful that, for the most part, we are all healthy and safe from this despair I witnessed. I started to think about the pain that those people must be experiencing, the lack of self-esteem, self-love, if you will. Its as if they hate themselves, so they are punishing themselves. Those thoughts brought me back to the tragedy that just occurred in Aurora.
There, we unfortunately have another case of someone that lacks self-love. His hatred and despair for himself and others didn't cause him to act out like the people I saw today, but instead, caused him to leash out on hundreds of innocent people. Strange, huh? Some people turn that hatred inward, while others turn it outward, towards innocent people. I wonder what causes that? But, I am reminded by what I've heard from so many brilliant friends that remind me that you can not place the confines of logic on people and situations that do not have basis in reality.
We will never truly understand why what happened, well, happened. There really can be no explanation. We should, instead, place our focus in 2 directions. First, in honoring the memory of the victims and helping their families to move forward in the world without them, not to mention, helping the survivors to cope with their new normals.
Secondly, we really need to take a harsh look at our gun laws. Why do we allow such large magazines? Are they necessary? Let's say we don't try to change the Constitution and just work within its confines. One of our problems in this nation is the complete need for overindulgence. Is it not overindulging when we need multiple weapons, automatic weapons, large quantity clips, etc...? Let's ignore big business and the NRA. Let's ask ourselves why the US has more gun fatalities than our other 1st World allies. How do we allow something to purchase 4 handguns in just a few short months? How do is it that we have had multiple school shootings, and now, this? Something needs to change when it comes to the gun laws.
My heart goes out to all of those that are hurting across the nation. May loving and happy memories flood your mind and push the pain aside. May you find comfort in knowing that your loved ones lived full lives and are now at peace, never to feel pain or fear again.
To all of the victims, the images burned in your minds will eventually be replaced with images of hope and happiness. Stay strong and find comfort in knowing that it was simply not your time to leave this earth.
To those that lost their lives, my heart is with you. May you rest in peace as you join the others that have gone before you, including my brother.
None of this makes sense. Not a single bit. I fear for my children, that they must grow up in a world that sees this violence so frequently. I hope this is simply a strange anomaly that ends soon.
It has been a while!
WOW! It has been quite some time since I last posted on here. Turns out, though, that I happen to have a little time on my hands tonight, as P and the 3 big kids are visiting his parents for a little mini vacation. I thought I'd be loving this, having time to myself. I will say that I love having one on one time with Q, but I am missing the rest of my family.
So much has happened that I want to capture for posterity's sake. Here's a mini recap (pictures to follow another day):
1. C had her surgery. It was supposed to be a 2 1/2 day stay at the hospital that turned into 7 days because she was having problems voiding her bladder. At one point, she had over 400 cc's of urine in her bladder, which, might I add, has a capacity of 200 cc's. She is doing well today. She has had one UTI since her surgery, but it did not lead to a fever spike and kidney infection, we believe. That points to the surgery being successful, so I am very comforted by that.
2. I got a job. Did I write that yet? I won't share too much because I know that there are all too often, people that end up loosing their jobs because they bad mouth the employer online. Not going to get me there. What I will say is that
3. With the job, came a new member of our family: Jang. Jang is our nanny, and we LOVE her. She truly has become part of our family. Without her, we would not be successful. She helps take the kids to their activities, helps with household chores, and even bathes the kids. More importantly, the kids LOVE her. She does crafts with them, plays outside with them, and pretty much does a better job at being mom than I do. She is truly an amazing partner.
4. Let's talk mommy guilt. I have it. I have tons of it. There are no play dates. No family vacations. I missed Q's first steps. All 3 of the kids have asked me to quit so that we can "go back to the way it was" when I used to be a SAHM. And let's take L's eye appointment. He missed his last scheduled one because the office wrote down July, but it was in June. This never would have happened if I didn't work. P has been amazing when it comes to stepping up and running errands, especially for the kids, during the business day. I feel like I don't see the kids much, anymore. Lately, I leave before they wake and come home around dinner time. We've been trying to let them stay up until 9 so that we can spend time as a family. They love it and do well with it because they can sleep in. Me? Not so much so. After they go to bed and I have tons of household items to take care of...not to mention, I have some vegging to do! The kids have called me Jang on several occasions. Please her heart, but when I told Jang this, she was quick to tell me that, "That's okay. Sometimes they call me 'MOM'!" Talk about yanking my heart out and stomping on it, chewing it up and then putting it back in my chest. Ugh! The important thing to remember, though? I am one happy mommy! I'm grateful that my kids love their nanny as much as they do, and I am grateful that P and I love and trust her, too. So, if that means that I feel a little replaced sometimes, that's actually a good thing, and not a bad one.
5. All that being said, I now have the answer to the age old question of: Who has it harder: stay at home or working mom? I know you are eagerly awaiting my response so that you can shoot back, so here you go: neither! That's right. Its not whether or not you work, its whether or not you have a support network behind you. Stay at home moms do not get any relief from their responsibilities, meaning that they are always solely responsible for the safety, well-being and happiness of their, often times, demanding children. BUT, stay at home moms that have a good support network can spend time bonding with friends, get to workout and enjoy the milestones in their childrens' lives while still having their own. Working moms may only get relief from their responsibilities when they are driving to and from work (though I often use that time to make phone calls to take care of family responsibilities). Now, its not just the stress from the kids that is on their shoulders, but also the stresses from work. There truly are not enough hours in the day. Now, I've had the "pleasure" to have experienced both roles, and both with little/no support (when P is out of town) and with strong support. I can tell you that being a stay at home mom with no partner (spouse, reliable caretaker, grandparents, etc...) is HARD. I imagine that being a working mom with no support is hard, as well. Its having P and Jang...and my family, especially my mom, around that makes being working mom, well, work. We are a team. I think that's easier than being an unsupported SAHM. So, the answer makes sense, now...right?
6. Did I mention that I love Jang?! :-) Because I do! We are so very blessed to have her in our lives, to help us raise our children.
7. J celebrated her 5th birthday. She had a fantastic party; small, but amazing. We had her party at Arts Youniverse in Wilkes-Barre. They danced, did an obstacle course, got their faces painted and then made flags. The girls made flower flags and the boys, pirate flags. The flags were made with wax and dye on canvas. Really cool!
8. Our little Q is now walking and Scarlett has re-emerged. If she doesn't get her way, well, you better watch out. The temper tantrums this little girl throws are out of this world. And what sets her off? Anything. When I come home from work, I have to sneak into the house to use the restroom. If Q figures out that I'm in there, she will insist that I hold her, and then wails when I put her down to finish up and wash my hands. Crazy girl. Crazy, I tell you ;) Gosh, I love that girl. Can't believe she just turned 1!
9. I've gained weight. UGH! That's right. Working is hazardous to your health. This past week, I've really buckled down and stopped eating the constant flux of desserts, candies and chips that come flowing around my desk on a daily basis. I started working out at 6 am, which is a 5 am wake time. Its been 3 weeks since I've gone to the gym though, since P has been out of town a lot the past few weeks, and I've been in training. I am excited to get back to the routine though, as I am more motivated then ever to get this excess Q weight off of me.
10. We tried planting a garden and all my plants died :( I guess next year we will try buying the plants and NOT the seeds.
11. J completed her first year of tee ball, and L, his first year of coach pitch. They both improved so much over the season. I can't even tell you how proud I am of them for sticking it out and growing. L can't wait for next year, despite being hit in the mouth with a bat. Boy, oh boy is he growing!
12. I am missing my friends. I am missing hanging out with my mommy friends and sharing chuckles and stories about our hubbies and kids. I take it back...being a working mom is SO much harder ;)
13. I am still struggling with getting properly organized so that dinner flows properly. I think that is truly the key to success: organization. Now, to find this guy, as he is alluding me. I will find you. Don't you worry.
Wow. Is this a pity party or what?! hahaha....
In a nutshell, life has thrown us some curve balls, but they have given us great rewards. Sure, we haven't figured out how to hit all of them, yet, but we will get there...eventually.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
New Beginnings
Life has been crazy and hectic since my last post. Here's some of the great things happening in Casa de W.
1. My sister gave birth to a healthy as can be expected, baby girl, Samantha Leann at 30 weeks gestation while visiting PA from NC. Sammi was 17 inches long, 4 lbs. 2 oz., is breathing on her own, pooping, and sucking ever so lightly on a pacifier. She'll be in the NICU until she at least reaches 34 weeks gestational age, so Pat will be hanging in PA with the baby for the next month.
2. C had her appointment with her nephrologist, who has cleared her for surgery. We are currently looking for an automatic blood pressure machine with a child sized cuff so that we can monitor her blood pressure. This will help to determine if her high readings were stress related or indicative of kidney scarring. The Nephrologist noted that the right kidney is smaller than the left and may be scarred. This could cause high blood pressure and protein in her urine. Little to no risk of this turning into something that would cause the need for a transplant or dialysis. WooHoo!
3. We registered our big girl for Kindergarten. She is so thrilled and doesn't quite understand that she will have to wait for September for school. This month, she will play tee-ball for the first time, and next month, she'll have her dance recital for ballet and tap.
4. Baseball season has started for L (not for J, yet). This will be his first year in coach pitch, and he is finally excited. Originally, he was fearful of having to hit a moving ball, but he seems to be more excited as practices progress.
5. I got a "real" job. By real, I mean a full time, out of the office, job. I am working for a local healthcare BPO, as a process analyst. Boy, oh boy. There is a lot to do. I just hope I am as good as I sold myself to be. The people are all really nice and seem dedicated to doing the right thing, though, there is a mix of those that are looking for a free ride. Here's hoping this career is worth missing my babies.
6. As a result of getting a job, we also got a nanny. The kids love her, well, I think. J seems to be giving her some problems if she's told to do things she doesn't want to do. It pretty much sums her up, as she behaves the same way with me (until I lay the smack down ;-) ), so I will have to assume she feels comfortable around her. The thing that makes going to work easier is that Q just loves the nanny. She waves to her constantly and smiles in her presence. Though I don't want to be replaced, I am glad she feels safe and loved.
7. P and I are having a bit of a difficult adjustment to both of us working. The other day, we woke up and realized that there was no bread, no fresh fruit and not much in the house that the kids could or would eat. That night, we went grocery shopping and didn't get home until 9 pm. Don't worry. We won't be having that problem again. We spent a month's budget in one night. Here's hoping I can figure out a good schedule. If you've got one, please share.
I'm also having a hard time trying to figure dinner out. By the time I get home, I nurse the baby, then its 6 pm. The kids need to be in bed before 8, and 3 nights out of the week, we have "stuff" to do. We'll figure it out, but I'm guessing it'll take time.
8. Weight loss has been a challenge for me, to say the least. I am having a hard time making it to the gym or downstairs to the treadmill because Q has, again, decided she needs mommy by 6 am every morning. So, exercise has been pretty much non-existent. Again, ideas are appreciated. And, don't get me started on food. My new coworkers seem to have an addiction to sugar that is contagious. HELP!
9. Let me not forgot my baby Q's milestones. After soldier crawling for 2+ months, she has finally decided to crawl on all 4's, just yesterday. She doesn't do it if she's in a hurry, but she will if she's going somewhere ever so slowly. Oh, and now she's decided that she should climb the stairs, too. She loves to wave, even though I was trying to teach her the sign for "milk", and she turned it into a wave. She's just an amazing little girl, like all my kidswere are. I can't believe she's growing so fast.
10. Today, we went geocaching for the first time ever. Basically, its a scavenger hunt. You are provided GPS coordinates to an item which you then seek. When you find it, you sign the sheet and celebrate your success. The kids LOVED it. It was great to do something outdoors as a family, and even better to do something that made us work together. If you've never done it, I recommend you give it a try. Visit www.geocaching.com and let me know what you think. This was recommended to me by a friend, so I am paying it forward by telling you about it.
To all my friends reading this: I love you and miss you, all! I wish we could chit chat more, and get together. Don't become strangers!
1. My sister gave birth to a healthy as can be expected, baby girl, Samantha Leann at 30 weeks gestation while visiting PA from NC. Sammi was 17 inches long, 4 lbs. 2 oz., is breathing on her own, pooping, and sucking ever so lightly on a pacifier. She'll be in the NICU until she at least reaches 34 weeks gestational age, so Pat will be hanging in PA with the baby for the next month.
2. C had her appointment with her nephrologist, who has cleared her for surgery. We are currently looking for an automatic blood pressure machine with a child sized cuff so that we can monitor her blood pressure. This will help to determine if her high readings were stress related or indicative of kidney scarring. The Nephrologist noted that the right kidney is smaller than the left and may be scarred. This could cause high blood pressure and protein in her urine. Little to no risk of this turning into something that would cause the need for a transplant or dialysis. WooHoo!
3. We registered our big girl for Kindergarten. She is so thrilled and doesn't quite understand that she will have to wait for September for school. This month, she will play tee-ball for the first time, and next month, she'll have her dance recital for ballet and tap.
4. Baseball season has started for L (not for J, yet). This will be his first year in coach pitch, and he is finally excited. Originally, he was fearful of having to hit a moving ball, but he seems to be more excited as practices progress.
5. I got a "real" job. By real, I mean a full time, out of the office, job. I am working for a local healthcare BPO, as a process analyst. Boy, oh boy. There is a lot to do. I just hope I am as good as I sold myself to be. The people are all really nice and seem dedicated to doing the right thing, though, there is a mix of those that are looking for a free ride. Here's hoping this career is worth missing my babies.
6. As a result of getting a job, we also got a nanny. The kids love her, well, I think. J seems to be giving her some problems if she's told to do things she doesn't want to do. It pretty much sums her up, as she behaves the same way with me (until I lay the smack down ;-) ), so I will have to assume she feels comfortable around her. The thing that makes going to work easier is that Q just loves the nanny. She waves to her constantly and smiles in her presence. Though I don't want to be replaced, I am glad she feels safe and loved.
7. P and I are having a bit of a difficult adjustment to both of us working. The other day, we woke up and realized that there was no bread, no fresh fruit and not much in the house that the kids could or would eat. That night, we went grocery shopping and didn't get home until 9 pm. Don't worry. We won't be having that problem again. We spent a month's budget in one night. Here's hoping I can figure out a good schedule. If you've got one, please share.
I'm also having a hard time trying to figure dinner out. By the time I get home, I nurse the baby, then its 6 pm. The kids need to be in bed before 8, and 3 nights out of the week, we have "stuff" to do. We'll figure it out, but I'm guessing it'll take time.
8. Weight loss has been a challenge for me, to say the least. I am having a hard time making it to the gym or downstairs to the treadmill because Q has, again, decided she needs mommy by 6 am every morning. So, exercise has been pretty much non-existent. Again, ideas are appreciated. And, don't get me started on food. My new coworkers seem to have an addiction to sugar that is contagious. HELP!
9. Let me not forgot my baby Q's milestones. After soldier crawling for 2+ months, she has finally decided to crawl on all 4's, just yesterday. She doesn't do it if she's in a hurry, but she will if she's going somewhere ever so slowly. Oh, and now she's decided that she should climb the stairs, too. She loves to wave, even though I was trying to teach her the sign for "milk", and she turned it into a wave. She's just an amazing little girl, like all my kids
10. Today, we went geocaching for the first time ever. Basically, its a scavenger hunt. You are provided GPS coordinates to an item which you then seek. When you find it, you sign the sheet and celebrate your success. The kids LOVED it. It was great to do something outdoors as a family, and even better to do something that made us work together. If you've never done it, I recommend you give it a try. Visit www.geocaching.com and let me know what you think. This was recommended to me by a friend, so I am paying it forward by telling you about it.
To all my friends reading this: I love you and miss you, all! I wish we could chit chat more, and get together. Don't become strangers!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Step by step guide to scheduling surgery
There is nothing more sobering than seeing a child, your child, afraid and in pain. Yesterday, I got that experience, again. C had her DMSA renal scan (that may be redundant, perhaps its just a DMSA scan) in Philadelphia.
We left bright and dark around 4:30 for her 7 am check-in. Okay jerk-offs! There wasn't even a receptionist when we arrived. Instead, we wandered around the hospital until I found a custodian to ask for assistance. I get it, you need to check in for the 7:30 appointment, but come on! Ugh! I was am tired. Forgive me for this satirical post. Anyway, when she finally got back there, the nurse (a fabulous man with the most lovely, sweet and soft voice) noticed that Cameron had a gunky cough. He warned against potential complications should she be sedated (important to know), but had her checked, and subsequently cleared by the ICU doctor.
At this point, they took her BP and it was like 128 over 82, or some ghastly number like that. He took it again, just to double check. This time, it came in at 111 over 59. That'd be great if she were an adult, but is too high at age 3. Grrr! How much of this is her being anxious? Not sure.
Step 1: They put some numbing lotion on her hands to prep them for the IV. This was the easy part. She screamed hysterically. No problem too big for Lemonade Mouth, or so I thought.
Step 2: They came back in the room and took a now calm C to the study room. This is the room full of equipment, like MRI and CT scan machines. When that door opened, she flipped out again. I don't know if its because she remembers the room, or if its simply that she knows that she's typically catheterized when she's around that type of equipment. We all reassured her that she got to keep her clothes on, but it didn't help because she'd already seen it. The needle, that is. She started screaming about the shot. Broke my heart.
She was so upset and really fighting them (boy, oh boy, she is one strong cookie), so they had to restrain her. They did this by velcro'ing her to the bed, with her arm strapped to her side. They have these sand rolls (baby blankets with sand inside) that they placed on both sides of her to keep her in place. Those, along with the huge velcro strap kept her secure...for the most part. Then, they were able to insert and secure an IV to her left hand, to which they injected the radioactive isotopes for the study.
Step 3: After hanging out, watching the fish and buying a little frog toy at the gift shop, we were able to return to begin the procedure. C was not happy about this. She clung tightly to me, just like a baby monkey clings to its momma, she held on for dear life. While grasping my neck tightly, she sat on the edge of the table and they injected the propofol into the IV. It was pretty immediate. One second, she was hysterical and screaming, "No wanna shot. Wanna go home. No mommy," and the very next, she was going limp in my arms.
I'd say the tears were pretty immediate. To have your child go limp in your arms, well, let's just say that's a feeling no one should ever have to experience...no matter what the reason may be. What an amazing thing the practice of medicine is. They proceeded to strap her to the table, insert the nose tubing and began the procedure.
Complications: Remember that sweet, sweet murse? Well, he mentioned that the cough could cause complications, and he was right. Several minutes into the scan, C's body started shaking and there was a very faint sound of coughing. Let's just say that momma bear was ready to attack the doctors and nurses. The coughing got worse and then it went away. This repeated several times. Then, the oxygen saturation of her blood dropped over 10 points, the lowest being 85. The doctor was notably alarmed. They suctioned her mouth and put oxygen on her. The doctor, noticing that I was distraught, assured me that this was no big deal. "The medical term for this is boogers. When she wakes up, she'll be fine. She just needs a good cough to clear it out." Okay. Thanks for that touch of humor there, doc!
Her pulse ox recovered nicely each time until there was 2 minutes 34 seconds left in the scan. They just couldn't get it over 90, so they were about to call the scan and reschedule for a later date. I was so torn. I didn't want her to have to go through this again (the drive, the trauma of needles, sedation, etc...), but I didn't want something horrible to happen to my baby. The stood right next to her, with the suction tube and were able to keep her at or above 90 for the remainder of the scan.
Step 4: My sleeping beauty spent 20 minutes in the recovery room so that she could awaken from her slumber and regain her bearings. That part was sweet. Her, laying so peacefully, done (or so I thought) with being poked and prodded.
Step 5: We went upstairs for C's appointment with her Urologist, and guess what? He was out to lunch! No kidding! Even though I had them call upstairs and tell them that we were there, but still in the study. His nurse, Miss Paula Jackson, tried to help us, but I wanted to see him to discuss next steps. So, we went to lunch instead.
Step 6: C noshed on fresh fruit and hummus while Q and I enjoyed some chicken marsala with brown rice and steamed veggies. Aunt H, who came along to help with Q (so grateful), looked like she was going to collapse from exhaustion since she works the night shift and had been up for a long, long time.
Step 7: We finally saw the Dr. and discussed the surgical options: 1. Incision 96% success rate, 2 1/2 days in hospital OR 2. No incision, inject foreign matter, 67% success rate, go home same day. Besides when I thought our daughter might be choking to death on her phlegm, this was when I really wished P could have been there (he's away on business) because I didn't want to make the wrong decision. Ultimately, I (or I should say we, since he agrees) decided to move forward with option 1 so as to decrease the need for further potential trauma.
Before the surgery can take place though, C has to have the issue of her high blood pressure resolved by a Nephrologist. She has an appointment scheduled in 2 weeks. Her Urologist said that they either need to put her on medication to regulate her blood pressure or he needs the Nephrologist to submit written sign off for the surgery. Okay. That sounds scary, right?! I don't know if she's just terrified of the doctors and that's why she's registering high, or if she really has high blood pressure. Eeek!
Step 8: To help figure out whether or not the high bp is caused by scarring of the kidneys, the doctor sent her to have blood drawn. This will determine if a certain protein is in her blood which points to poor kidney performance. Currently, her kidneys are operating at 43 and 57, instead of 50 / 50, so I guess it is possible that we will see this protein present in her blood, though I pray to God that it is not. Really, what more does my poor little girl need to endure?! Come on, already! My big girl was crying the whole time they drew blood. "Her hurt me!" She just kept repeating it. And Nurse Carla was so sweet too, apologizing the whole time. It was hard for me to not want to kick her for hurting my baby.
Step 9: GO the F home! Sorry, but we were there from 6:30 to 2:20. We were all climbing at the walls to get out of there. Thank goodness that the medical staff is so wonderful and caring or else this day wouldn't have been as lovely as it was, wouldn't have gone as smoothly as it did.
Step 10: Get everyone to bed at 7, with mom and Q falling asleep at 7:30. That's how I'm able to be awake right now...a power nap!
I really was selective about these pictures, not to mention that I'm too lazy to get up and get my phone. I have so many of a crying baby girl, but I think this day should be about moving forward, not being upset. C is scheduled for bilateral ureteral reimplantation for May 25. It turns out its Memorial Day weekend, so I guess it will be an emotional one at that. Let's just hope my sister doesn't give birth that weekend, too because I don't want to miss it!
Oh, since my last post, C celebrated her 3rd birthday. I'll have to post pics later!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Revelations from Living
We've had a very interesting last week.
1. We took a family vacation to Harrisburg. Okay, its not Disney, but it was a lovely time. We went to celebrate the 1st birthday of my cousin's daughter, Lily, and decided to stay for a mini vacation.
The kids think that hotels are just about the coolest things ever. We went swimming, ate Vietnamese food and then hit the State Museum and the Capitol building.
During the tour of the Capitol, Logan asked, "why is there so much gold in this room?" What a great question! It was hard for him to understand that the reason was simply that we had tons of money, so that's how they decided to spend it.
It really was a great couple of days.
2. Since focusing on our nutrition, I've noticed a couple of things:
a. The baby is constipated. Well, I think that all the kids are.
b. The W's are gassier than normal. Stinky! This is despite our bean sprouting because, let's face it, you can't sprout every bean you eat. Sometimes, you just don't plan appropriately.
c. When meat is near my children, they become a pack of hungry wolves. J never really was a meat-lover, but you wouldn't know that lately.
d. It is too difficult to eat out being a vegan, especially when the only "non-meat" option is tofu. Hello, endocrine system. Want some mutations? That can't be the only option.
This got me interested in reading more about veganism, which is essentially was a plant-strong diet is. I read about an 11 month old breastfed baby that died because of a lack of nutrients...her mother was vegan. I read about how to ensure that vegans get the proper nutrition. At the State Museum, I read about the diets of man, from the earliest man until now. I read a lot! And, I could read more, if I wanted. Then, a friend sent me a more in-depth review of the Forks Over Knives movie, with several rebuttal points. Intriguing.
What I've realized is that I am happy to cut the meat in our diets. It makes financial sense. It makes sense our strain on the environment. It makes sense to be kinder to animals. BUT, meat is not evil. The way we treat our foods is evil, i.e. hormones, pesticides, added sugar, overly processing, tons of added fats.
I am still going to continue this focus on nutrition. I will continue to ensure that we eat as few processed food items as possible. I will continue to sprout our legumes. I will continue to offer days with no animal products. I will, however, make meals with meats (fish is key) and eggs. The portions aren't going to be crazy large, though, like they are in many homes. A deck of cards each. That's it! I'm thinking, pesca-tarian with occasional other meats. My hubby will be thrilled, if he ever reads this.
3. C is a KLUTZ. That's right! Several days ago, J was jumping over her (a game) and then fell on her arm. Fast forward 2 days later and while trying to get a doll from the floor, she fell off of my bed and re-injured her arm. She has a huge black bruise from her wrist, about 3 inches up her arm. She continues to hit it and cry. She falls all the time and bumps into people all the time. She's a wreck, but we love her.
4. Never use your children in a lie. Okay, this one is obvious, or so you'd think. On Valentine's Day, I went to lunch at Wegman's and I really wanted to put C in the babysitting room. She'll be 3 in less than a month and she's been potty trained for nearly a year. So, I put her in the room and filled out the card with a fictitious birthday (come on, you know you've done the same, so don't judge me!). J was all, "mom, C is 3 now?!" I said, "C can go in the babysitting room with you." On and on go C and J about how C is 3. That afternoon, they told L that C can go in the babysitting room at Wegman's, to which he corrected them. Three days, I had to listen to C talk about how she is 3. Eeek! Seriously, this girl can talk for an hour, non-stop. I told the girls that I made a mistake. Now, C keeps talking to me about her birthday. Better get on that!
1. We took a family vacation to Harrisburg. Okay, its not Disney, but it was a lovely time. We went to celebrate the 1st birthday of my cousin's daughter, Lily, and decided to stay for a mini vacation.
 |
| P and J on the big pig |
 |
| Q, our little Cabbage Patch Doll |
 |
| My boy, L, humoring his father by riding on a snail |
2. Since focusing on our nutrition, I've noticed a couple of things:
a. The baby is constipated. Well, I think that all the kids are.
b. The W's are gassier than normal. Stinky! This is despite our bean sprouting because, let's face it, you can't sprout every bean you eat. Sometimes, you just don't plan appropriately.
c. When meat is near my children, they become a pack of hungry wolves. J never really was a meat-lover, but you wouldn't know that lately.
d. It is too difficult to eat out being a vegan, especially when the only "non-meat" option is tofu. Hello, endocrine system. Want some mutations? That can't be the only option.
This got me interested in reading more about veganism, which is essentially was a plant-strong diet is. I read about an 11 month old breastfed baby that died because of a lack of nutrients...her mother was vegan. I read about how to ensure that vegans get the proper nutrition. At the State Museum, I read about the diets of man, from the earliest man until now. I read a lot! And, I could read more, if I wanted. Then, a friend sent me a more in-depth review of the Forks Over Knives movie, with several rebuttal points. Intriguing.
What I've realized is that I am happy to cut the meat in our diets. It makes financial sense. It makes sense our strain on the environment. It makes sense to be kinder to animals. BUT, meat is not evil. The way we treat our foods is evil, i.e. hormones, pesticides, added sugar, overly processing, tons of added fats.
I am still going to continue this focus on nutrition. I will continue to ensure that we eat as few processed food items as possible. I will continue to sprout our legumes. I will continue to offer days with no animal products. I will, however, make meals with meats (fish is key) and eggs. The portions aren't going to be crazy large, though, like they are in many homes. A deck of cards each. That's it! I'm thinking, pesca-tarian with occasional other meats. My hubby will be thrilled, if he ever reads this.
3. C is a KLUTZ. That's right! Several days ago, J was jumping over her (a game) and then fell on her arm. Fast forward 2 days later and while trying to get a doll from the floor, she fell off of my bed and re-injured her arm. She has a huge black bruise from her wrist, about 3 inches up her arm. She continues to hit it and cry. She falls all the time and bumps into people all the time. She's a wreck, but we love her.
 |
| My stylin' girl, C. She is so much fun! |
Lentils
Lentils are a legume that is fairly new to me. I've eaten them only a few times before, in Indian food. They are known as daal, and in the dishes I've tried, they were extremely tasty. A few weeks ago, I tried to make lentils a meat replacement in shepards' pie. Not good! Not because they weren't good, but because the recipe I tried stunk. I actually didn't even attempt to serve it to P because I knew he would hate it.
This weekend, I decided to sprout the remaining bag of lentils, which really took less than 24 hours. Its so super easy to do, really. You should give it a try! Briefly, soak the lentils overnight, drain and let sit, moist for 12 hours. If not sprouted yet, rinse and let sit for another 12 hours. Anyway, I found a great site about lentils that had a few recipes that I decided to give a try.
Tonight's dinner: Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups of sprouted lentils
1 onion, diced
1 box (4 cups) veggie broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
scant 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
I didn't have time to mess around with doing it the prescribed way, so this is what I did: In a pot, saute one diced onion in some water. After the onion is transparent, add the spices and saute for a minute. Add broth, bell pepper and lentils, cover and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer for 20 minutes or less, until the lentils are soft. Add the lemon juice, parsley and yogurt. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, if desired.
P and L had 2 bowls. And the girls? Well, they ate it...even though all my kids despise red bell peppers. Oh, and I mean despise! This recipe is another keeper, but I will have to double the recipe because I only had a small bowl, since there wasn't enough.
With the rest of the lentils, I made the lentils and rice.
Ingredients:
2 cups of brown rice, soaked and drained
7 cups water
2 onions, diced
3 cups sprouted lentils
2 tsp pink salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp oregano
4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
4 bay leaves
Directions:
Saute the onion in a little water until transparent, then add the spices and saute for about a minute. Add water, rice and lentils, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer until rice cooks, about an hour.
The recipe, as recorded, has too much salt and garlic, so I reduced the amounts in the above ingredient list.
The kids aren't loving the texture of the lentils, but they are nutritious and a quite easy legume to cook up (read: it takes 20 minute to cook, not 2 hours). And, more importantly, they ate them :-)
This weekend, I decided to sprout the remaining bag of lentils, which really took less than 24 hours. Its so super easy to do, really. You should give it a try! Briefly, soak the lentils overnight, drain and let sit, moist for 12 hours. If not sprouted yet, rinse and let sit for another 12 hours. Anyway, I found a great site about lentils that had a few recipes that I decided to give a try.
Tonight's dinner: Middle Eastern Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
2 cups of sprouted lentils
1 onion, diced
1 box (4 cups) veggie broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
scant 1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Directions:
I didn't have time to mess around with doing it the prescribed way, so this is what I did: In a pot, saute one diced onion in some water. After the onion is transparent, add the spices and saute for a minute. Add broth, bell pepper and lentils, cover and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer for 20 minutes or less, until the lentils are soft. Add the lemon juice, parsley and yogurt. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, if desired.
P and L had 2 bowls. And the girls? Well, they ate it...even though all my kids despise red bell peppers. Oh, and I mean despise! This recipe is another keeper, but I will have to double the recipe because I only had a small bowl, since there wasn't enough.
With the rest of the lentils, I made the lentils and rice.
Ingredients:
2 cups of brown rice, soaked and drained
7 cups water
2 onions, diced
3 cups sprouted lentils
2 tsp pink salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp garam masala
2 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp oregano
4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
4 bay leaves
Directions:
Saute the onion in a little water until transparent, then add the spices and saute for about a minute. Add water, rice and lentils, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer until rice cooks, about an hour.
The recipe, as recorded, has too much salt and garlic, so I reduced the amounts in the above ingredient list.
The kids aren't loving the texture of the lentils, but they are nutritious and a quite easy legume to cook up (read: it takes 20 minute to cook, not 2 hours). And, more importantly, they ate them :-)
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