We survived the summer, school has started for the younger adults, and Skye turned two yesterday. I had my surgery on my right eye on Wednesday of last week (8/22) and am now in the healing phase of recovery. It's slow going as I cannot comfortably wear my glasses, even with the right lens removed, so seeing clearly is still in-process, although better each day. I feel good though and am glad to have done it. Just need to restrain my impatience to be "doing things" until I am able to do so comfortably. I have surgery scheduled for the left eye on Sept. 19th and cannot wait. It's wonderful to see some things clearly now, and I am sure that what is to come will be amazing!
I loved having Justin and Alexis here, and was sad that Tony and Andrea only stayed overnight when they came to get the kids. As Liisa said, those kids were never still: active minds, bodies, and mouths! It seems almost too quiet now that they are gone, and although Skye is relishing being the center of the universe again, even she misses them. Skye is blowing me away with her language skills--new words and sentences appear daily, and she is such a happy little girl. Today she decided to take herself for a walk (we were all outside with her) and she didn't turn around until she reached the "kitty mailbox", Justin's landmark for turning around when pushing her in the stroller or pulling her in the wagon. Glad she recognizes the boundary, however, being two is far different from being 7, and even Alexis kept herself to one house on either side of ours when she was in charge of the wheeled conveyances. Skye has a mind of her own!
I see the surgeon again tomorrow and hopefully he'll give me the all clear to resume normal activities. I feel great, and have no pain or irritation; just the occasional headache from eyestrain when I try to do too much too soon.
I think that's all I can manage for today. I will try to get around to posting wedding pics from Liisa's wedding later!
Monday, August 27, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Update on Skye
They got home from the ER around one this morning and Skye has the start of bacterial pneumonia. The xray showed her lungs were starting to look cloudy and the persistence of her fever suggested she was getting pretty sick relatively quickly. Not sure how she got it, but she looks like a pin cushion, with needlesticks for blood draws on both hands, arms, and one foot, along with antibiotic shots in both thighs. Poor baby looks like she's been through the wringer! Her mood is good though, and she is lethargically cuddly, spending much of her time awake this morning on my lap with a few stuffed animals and a couple of books. Her fever is down slightly (almost 101) and Brie picked up her prescription this morning, so we have started her on her meds for the next 5 days, and she'll need to see her own doctor after that.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Middle of August countdown...
We are coming to the end of our summer and things continue to move at a hectic pace. I have really enjoyed having Justin and Alexis here with us and they have kept things lively and active for me, although I admit to being somewhat tired out. Andrea is driving down next week (either Tuesday or Wednesday) to come get them and they (I think) are starting to miss home, although Justin will definitely miss the xbox 360 (he has become a major Lego Starwar's fan) and Alexis is a bit bummed I have done no sewing with her. I would have, but I just can't see clearly at this point to make things.
Eric is on the homeward stretch for two of his three classes (he dropped the third one and will need to retake it next term), with two weeks to go, and Reimond starts school Friday. Brie and Aurora both start in the next week/week and a half for their semesters, and I am no closer to an internship now than I have been all along. I am frustrated, mostly with myself on that score, because I have not devoted the time or energy necessary to follow up on the leads I find, or on emails I have sent, although in my defence, life has had a tendency of late to run away with my free time. Eric is back working overnights, and adjusting to that schedule has been brutal!
Brie and Aurora have taken Skye to the ER tonight. Skye got shots the end of last week, had a bad reaction at one injection site, was sorta fussy off and on (trouble sleeping at night especially) and limited appetite, then had the runs really bad on Monday into Tuesday. She ate better today and seemed better this morning, only to wake up from a nap with a fever of 102.2 and cry/complain of pain in a couple of random places. Because she really cannot tell us, and this has been going on for a few days (and she is so small), it just makes sense to bring her in and see. Could be something in her ears or nose again; could be a virus; could be an ear infection or a bladder infection... Brie just called and her temp isn't going down, despite motrin, so they are testing her for strep among other things. I couldn't hear Brie clearly as the signal she had sucked, but it sounds like they will be at the ER for a while yet.
I had a frustrating day today of running from pharmacy to pharmacy: I need to get my pre-op/post-op eye drops filled as I am supposed to start them on Monday, but my normal pharmacy on base didn't have 2 of them and refused to fill the third (because it is in a family of meds I have had an allergic reaction to--although the doctor was adamant that shouldn't be an issue with the drops); So 2 hours at the pharmacy on base, only to have to go to plan B, the WalMart pharmacy. After being there for an hour it turns out two of the three were out of stock, so need to be ordered, and should be there tomorrow after 3. So nice of them to let me know up front instead of making me wait and check back twice with the counter! Justin and Alexis were very good at all of these places for the most part (they got restless and owly with each other a few times), but our plans were shot to heck for the day. Better luck tomorrow I hope! I did let them stay up a bit later tonight playing because it was only them and me home tonight, and now they are chatting like magpies in their bed in the loft...
Eric and I have been debating about upgrading the lens they place in my eye from the basic one to a more complete one (minimizing my need for glasses). We need to make a decision fairly soon as the surgery is Wednesday. The cost is a drawback in some regards, and I will be satisfied just being able to see clearly again, glasses or not. I am just so ready to have it done with!
Tony had his surgery on his knee and it has resulted in a lot of pain as things heal. His tendons were affected by the chunks of calcium that broke off and floated around in there, and this healing process is not what he expected (one individual--not medical--suggested he'd be back on his feet and working within 48 hours of surgery!) My poor boy is a hurting unit, and he HATES taking meds for anything, so he is trying to tough it out and manage. Andrea will be driving down on her own because he cannot sit for 10+ hours in the car without his knee/leg being elevated so he is staying home this trip. The kids and I had a wonderful evening last evening looking at all my pictures of previous trips they have made here, and of my trip to visit them in El Paso. We laughed at how tiny they were, at some of their antics in the pictures, and how much they have changed over the course of 5 years. It was a lovely trip down memory lane!
Reimond is home from Alaska (got home Sunday) and has "visited" home daily, but has been staying at his buddy Ryan's house. I am hoping this changes come school starting, but after a summer of travelling, Rei and Ryan have lots to catch up on and they have used this week to do so. He keeps me appraised of his doings and has not been driving all over the place, despite having his own vehicle now, because he knows he needs to cover his own gas etc. and has learned the value of money over this summer. I continue to be pleased with the way he is maturing! He and Maddie really miss each other and they talk/skype/text daily. They seem to be good for each other and for that I am very pleased as well.
Patrick hasn't been in touch at any length of late, but we have been exchanging text messages with him. He seems to be doing ok and his living arrangements are working out for the nonce. He did say he didn't think he'd be back in September after all because he doesn't think he'll have the money to travel, and to a certain degree, I think he likes being self-sufficient. We all made sure to wish him a happy birthday, and he was pleased by all the comments.
Hey, my peanut gallery is finally quiet, so I guess that means I can relax some too now. Time to find my Nook and settle in with a new book!
Eric is on the homeward stretch for two of his three classes (he dropped the third one and will need to retake it next term), with two weeks to go, and Reimond starts school Friday. Brie and Aurora both start in the next week/week and a half for their semesters, and I am no closer to an internship now than I have been all along. I am frustrated, mostly with myself on that score, because I have not devoted the time or energy necessary to follow up on the leads I find, or on emails I have sent, although in my defence, life has had a tendency of late to run away with my free time. Eric is back working overnights, and adjusting to that schedule has been brutal!
Brie and Aurora have taken Skye to the ER tonight. Skye got shots the end of last week, had a bad reaction at one injection site, was sorta fussy off and on (trouble sleeping at night especially) and limited appetite, then had the runs really bad on Monday into Tuesday. She ate better today and seemed better this morning, only to wake up from a nap with a fever of 102.2 and cry/complain of pain in a couple of random places. Because she really cannot tell us, and this has been going on for a few days (and she is so small), it just makes sense to bring her in and see. Could be something in her ears or nose again; could be a virus; could be an ear infection or a bladder infection... Brie just called and her temp isn't going down, despite motrin, so they are testing her for strep among other things. I couldn't hear Brie clearly as the signal she had sucked, but it sounds like they will be at the ER for a while yet.
I had a frustrating day today of running from pharmacy to pharmacy: I need to get my pre-op/post-op eye drops filled as I am supposed to start them on Monday, but my normal pharmacy on base didn't have 2 of them and refused to fill the third (because it is in a family of meds I have had an allergic reaction to--although the doctor was adamant that shouldn't be an issue with the drops); So 2 hours at the pharmacy on base, only to have to go to plan B, the WalMart pharmacy. After being there for an hour it turns out two of the three were out of stock, so need to be ordered, and should be there tomorrow after 3. So nice of them to let me know up front instead of making me wait and check back twice with the counter! Justin and Alexis were very good at all of these places for the most part (they got restless and owly with each other a few times), but our plans were shot to heck for the day. Better luck tomorrow I hope! I did let them stay up a bit later tonight playing because it was only them and me home tonight, and now they are chatting like magpies in their bed in the loft...
Eric and I have been debating about upgrading the lens they place in my eye from the basic one to a more complete one (minimizing my need for glasses). We need to make a decision fairly soon as the surgery is Wednesday. The cost is a drawback in some regards, and I will be satisfied just being able to see clearly again, glasses or not. I am just so ready to have it done with!
Tony had his surgery on his knee and it has resulted in a lot of pain as things heal. His tendons were affected by the chunks of calcium that broke off and floated around in there, and this healing process is not what he expected (one individual--not medical--suggested he'd be back on his feet and working within 48 hours of surgery!) My poor boy is a hurting unit, and he HATES taking meds for anything, so he is trying to tough it out and manage. Andrea will be driving down on her own because he cannot sit for 10+ hours in the car without his knee/leg being elevated so he is staying home this trip. The kids and I had a wonderful evening last evening looking at all my pictures of previous trips they have made here, and of my trip to visit them in El Paso. We laughed at how tiny they were, at some of their antics in the pictures, and how much they have changed over the course of 5 years. It was a lovely trip down memory lane!
Reimond is home from Alaska (got home Sunday) and has "visited" home daily, but has been staying at his buddy Ryan's house. I am hoping this changes come school starting, but after a summer of travelling, Rei and Ryan have lots to catch up on and they have used this week to do so. He keeps me appraised of his doings and has not been driving all over the place, despite having his own vehicle now, because he knows he needs to cover his own gas etc. and has learned the value of money over this summer. I continue to be pleased with the way he is maturing! He and Maddie really miss each other and they talk/skype/text daily. They seem to be good for each other and for that I am very pleased as well.
Patrick hasn't been in touch at any length of late, but we have been exchanging text messages with him. He seems to be doing ok and his living arrangements are working out for the nonce. He did say he didn't think he'd be back in September after all because he doesn't think he'll have the money to travel, and to a certain degree, I think he likes being self-sufficient. We all made sure to wish him a happy birthday, and he was pleased by all the comments.
Hey, my peanut gallery is finally quiet, so I guess that means I can relax some too now. Time to find my Nook and settle in with a new book!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
It's already August 8th?????
Where has the summer gone to? I got Rei registered for school today for his senior year and realized his classes start in 9 days! It is going to be a wonderful year for him, I hope, after a summer he will never forget.
So let me recap the end of July:
Our trip to MN was fabulous, with the initial days spent preparing for the wedding, which was held on the front lawn of Liisa and Zack's house, followed by a reception in the back yard and main floor of the house. Then we had a few days to relax and just "be" and I was so grateful for the time I got to spend with the extended family too--my sibs and their spouses, the nieces and nephews, and of course, the grandkids!
The family as depicted above includes (from left to right) my brother Erik, my Mom Sylvia, Aurora, my husband Eric, Me holding Skye, Reimond standing behind me, Liisa, Zack, Anthony, and Andrea, with the kids in front of the adults, including Bailey (almost 9), Kajsa (just turned 7), Justin (also 7), Alexis (5), and Kodie (almost 3) on the trike. When Eric and I married 4 years ago I doubled the number of children I had; when Liisa and Zack married I doubled the number of grandkids I have, from 3 to 6! Wow! So much love and joy though. The wedding was beautiful, performed by Rev. Heidi Wallace, our former pastor from down here in Mascoutah, and she did a lovely job. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for us, and even the little rain that fell in the late evening didn't put a damper on things. The food was delicious and catered by Zack's work, and we had all the traditional things: cake, a first dance, dancing, and fun. Liisa has most of the photos already up on facebook so send her a friend request to see them. I too will post some of them on fb soon. Just haven't had much time to myself!
We took Skye with us up to MN as Brie couldn't get more time off from work, and she was a lot of fun. She really enjoyed the beach and collecting rocks along the waters edge, along with the dogs to pet and the ducks that swam by. She isn't so good at building sandcastles yet, although she has dumping water into the moat down to a T. We brought Justin and Alexis back to IL with us, and the drive was Loooooonnnnggg! The kids were all excellant travelers, and we had no issues with them, but the pickup truck Rei got for his summer of babysitting wasn't too fond of a ten hour drive and we had a few pit stops to let it cool down and rest. We did get it home in one piece, and it's now parked out front. It isn't lovely to look at, and in fact, looks like a country boy's first truck.
Eric returned to working overnights at the completion of our vacation, and is slowly readjusting to his new hours. He and Aurora have been running most mornings to prepare her for cross country this fall, and they both miss the lakes of Minneapolis, as they enjoyed their morning runs and scenery there immensely. Aurora starts classes on the 24th. I am not sure when exactly Brie starts.
We talked to Patrick today and all wished him a happy 21st birthday, mostly by text message. He had to work this morning and he promised not to be stupid around celebrating being legal age to drink (and he has to work in the morning again too). He says things are going ok and he's maintaining status quo right now.
My son Anthony had surgery on his knee this morning to repair the damage from his PT injury in July; he had chunks of calcium deposits floating in his knee of various sizes that were sticking out and causing problems. He has a recheck the same day as my eye surgery, so my guess is he won't be coming down with Andrea to get the kids, unless they wait til that weekend. Not sure when he can return to work either, as he was pretty medicated when he called me.
If I am honest with myself, taking on three grandkids at one time has been a bit of a challenge for me, and I am weary. They are all fairly high energy kids, and while the older two are good at entertaining themselves, limits are being tested by all, and Skye and they vie for attention from the rest of us. I have been trying to do at least one outing a day to get them moving/out of the house, including trips to the library, attending all three days of Mascoutah's homecoming (along with rides, the parade on Saturday, and seeing the 4H animals on Friday), along with going to the playground after dinner for an hour or so, followed by baths, teeth, and bed. A loose routine, but one that seems to be working. I tend to put my nightgown on after tucking them in and settling on my bed with my book for some peace and quiet.Skye hasn't gone on the after dinner playground trips because her mom has been home with her, which works out well because I sit, knit, and monitor the older two, who have found same-aged peers to engage with: Justin has been playing tag and other games of chase with a group of boys, while Alexis has found some girls to play with, and tonight she was thrilled to be asked to "play princesses" with the playground equipment as their castles and kingdoms.
Tomorrow I need to run and get my labs drawn prior to my appointment for my pre-op on Monday. Blech. My mother got a good report from the cardiologist with the new med regime she is on, so now all we are concerned about is the stent and being sure all the "gravel" is gone from her kidney. I am still anxious about my surgery, but am also looking forward to it's results, so I am trying to remain confident and all of that. I know it's not a big deal and from what I have heard most are thrilled with the results. I just don't like the idea of someone messing around inside my eyes.
Anyhow, that brings everyone up to date about our lives. We are healthy, busy, and as chaotic as always!
So let me recap the end of July:
 |
| Liisa and Zack Bakke's wedding, 28 July 2012 |
The family as depicted above includes (from left to right) my brother Erik, my Mom Sylvia, Aurora, my husband Eric, Me holding Skye, Reimond standing behind me, Liisa, Zack, Anthony, and Andrea, with the kids in front of the adults, including Bailey (almost 9), Kajsa (just turned 7), Justin (also 7), Alexis (5), and Kodie (almost 3) on the trike. When Eric and I married 4 years ago I doubled the number of children I had; when Liisa and Zack married I doubled the number of grandkids I have, from 3 to 6! Wow! So much love and joy though. The wedding was beautiful, performed by Rev. Heidi Wallace, our former pastor from down here in Mascoutah, and she did a lovely job. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for us, and even the little rain that fell in the late evening didn't put a damper on things. The food was delicious and catered by Zack's work, and we had all the traditional things: cake, a first dance, dancing, and fun. Liisa has most of the photos already up on facebook so send her a friend request to see them. I too will post some of them on fb soon. Just haven't had much time to myself!
We took Skye with us up to MN as Brie couldn't get more time off from work, and she was a lot of fun. She really enjoyed the beach and collecting rocks along the waters edge, along with the dogs to pet and the ducks that swam by. She isn't so good at building sandcastles yet, although she has dumping water into the moat down to a T. We brought Justin and Alexis back to IL with us, and the drive was Loooooonnnnggg! The kids were all excellant travelers, and we had no issues with them, but the pickup truck Rei got for his summer of babysitting wasn't too fond of a ten hour drive and we had a few pit stops to let it cool down and rest. We did get it home in one piece, and it's now parked out front. It isn't lovely to look at, and in fact, looks like a country boy's first truck.
Eric returned to working overnights at the completion of our vacation, and is slowly readjusting to his new hours. He and Aurora have been running most mornings to prepare her for cross country this fall, and they both miss the lakes of Minneapolis, as they enjoyed their morning runs and scenery there immensely. Aurora starts classes on the 24th. I am not sure when exactly Brie starts.
We talked to Patrick today and all wished him a happy 21st birthday, mostly by text message. He had to work this morning and he promised not to be stupid around celebrating being legal age to drink (and he has to work in the morning again too). He says things are going ok and he's maintaining status quo right now.
My son Anthony had surgery on his knee this morning to repair the damage from his PT injury in July; he had chunks of calcium deposits floating in his knee of various sizes that were sticking out and causing problems. He has a recheck the same day as my eye surgery, so my guess is he won't be coming down with Andrea to get the kids, unless they wait til that weekend. Not sure when he can return to work either, as he was pretty medicated when he called me.
If I am honest with myself, taking on three grandkids at one time has been a bit of a challenge for me, and I am weary. They are all fairly high energy kids, and while the older two are good at entertaining themselves, limits are being tested by all, and Skye and they vie for attention from the rest of us. I have been trying to do at least one outing a day to get them moving/out of the house, including trips to the library, attending all three days of Mascoutah's homecoming (along with rides, the parade on Saturday, and seeing the 4H animals on Friday), along with going to the playground after dinner for an hour or so, followed by baths, teeth, and bed. A loose routine, but one that seems to be working. I tend to put my nightgown on after tucking them in and settling on my bed with my book for some peace and quiet.Skye hasn't gone on the after dinner playground trips because her mom has been home with her, which works out well because I sit, knit, and monitor the older two, who have found same-aged peers to engage with: Justin has been playing tag and other games of chase with a group of boys, while Alexis has found some girls to play with, and tonight she was thrilled to be asked to "play princesses" with the playground equipment as their castles and kingdoms.
Tomorrow I need to run and get my labs drawn prior to my appointment for my pre-op on Monday. Blech. My mother got a good report from the cardiologist with the new med regime she is on, so now all we are concerned about is the stent and being sure all the "gravel" is gone from her kidney. I am still anxious about my surgery, but am also looking forward to it's results, so I am trying to remain confident and all of that. I know it's not a big deal and from what I have heard most are thrilled with the results. I just don't like the idea of someone messing around inside my eyes.
Anyhow, that brings everyone up to date about our lives. We are healthy, busy, and as chaotic as always!
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