Survived

Obviously, I survived last week and all that I had to get done to be prepared for Emma's school and birthday parties.  Really and truly, everything went off without a hitch.  And the only real snafus weren't major ones.

After Emma's school party, I tried to make it out the door and to the car in one trip... Not very smart.  Especially since Emma was having a melt down and demanding to be carried.  After a bit of trial and error, I finally sound a way to load myself like a pack mule and head to the car.  Yes, I am twenty-two weeks pregnant, yes, Emma does weigh 30 pounds, yes, I did have my camera bag loaded down with camera, flash, lenses, etc..., and yes, I also had Emma's school bag with all of her crafts, her Christmas present from her teacher, Christmas present from her party AND the container of sausage balls.  Oh, and did I mention that I had on heels?

Anyway, out the door and across the street I head to the car.  The entire way Emma was screaming, "I hold, Mama!" Which translates to "You're dropping me!"  I made it to the car without actually dropping anything, though, Emma would beg to differ, and I began loading all of our stuff.  However, I had to start somewhere, so I started by putting the sausage balls on the top off the car.  Yes, you know where this is going.

I loaded everything and myself, sat for a minute to catch my breath and take of my shoes, then I pulled out of the parking spot.  I turned at the intersection to head home and I heard it, this loud clunk, followed by a thump and a thud.  I really didn't have a clue what it was at first.  I actually thought that someone threw something at my car or that I had hit a animal.  I slowed down and checked my mirrors to see if there was anything to see.  And, there it was... In my rear view mirror I could see my large container filled with still warm sausage balls sitting in the middle of the intersection.  My first thought was forget it!  I was not going back for them.  But, that only lasted a fraction of a second.  I really wanted those sausage balls!  I couldn't find a place to stop, so I had to make the block to get back to them.

As, I was pulling up, it happened... Some kids, who I think should have been in school, came barreling through the intersection and AIMED for my container of still warm sausage balls!  I saw it in slow motion... they were laughing, and then the driver jerked the steering wheel, eyes wide with mischief, and then the front tire hit the container, sliding a little like it was trying to scoot out of the way, then succumbing to the tire and being sucked under and crushed.  Little pieces of plastic and sausage balls scattered all over the intersection.  It was only a matter of seconds, but it seemed to happen over the span of several minutes.

I was quite upset because I wanted to eat some of those things so bad!  I had slaved over them the night before and with the exception of the one little one I ate... to be sure it was done... I hadn't had any.  I was quite bummed out, but I had to remind myself that at least it happened AFTER the party, so the kids were able to enjoy them.

As for Emma's birthday party, the only thing that 'went wrong' was that I forgot to get balloons until 15 minutes before the party started.  I sent Chuck out for those and he returned just in time with a handful of pink balloons!  Emma had a blast at her party and got lots of great presents.  She had so much fun playing with her friends and eating cake and ice cream.  We are so thankful for all the love!

Today's an absolutely fantastic day

Today's an absolutely fantastic day.  I mean, seriously, why wouldn't it be?  It's not like I have massive sinus infection that I've had for months that has gotten so bad that my face is swollen.  It's not like said swollen face was head-butted by my two year old and brought me to tears for at least ten minutes...at 5:30 this morning.  It's not like I was up all night due to said sinus infection.  Oh, and it's not like I projectile vomited grape juice all down my hall way, all over myself and the bathroom while my two year old followed along mimicking me as I vomited.  It's not like my house is a disaster and there are only a few squares of toilet paper left in it, which will require a trip to Wal-Mart sooner rather than later.  It's not like I have to cook and prep for Emma's school party on Friday and her birthday party on Saturday... which I have done nothing to prepare for, meaning said trip to Wal-Mart will be ridiculously long.  It's not like I have to actually take care of Emma, too, while dealing with all of this.

Like I said... today's an absolutely fantastic day.


Happy Thursday!

Adenoid Surgery Update

Emma had her adenoids successfully removed yesterday!  She did great through the entire process and  is doing even better now that it is over.

While we were getting checked in and the nurse was checking her weight, blood pressure, oxygen levels... etc., she was very patient.  She whimpered once or twice, but other than that, she didn't cry.  This is a huge improvement from when she had tubes!  She screamed when the nurse came in the room!

While we were talking with her doctor and anesthesiologist, she was a trooper, too.  She talked to them and answered their questions.  Her doctor actually went on and on about how well she speaks for a not-quite-two-year-old.  She gave them high-fives and fist bumps.  And, she was actually trying to jump on the bed... obviously, she had no clue what was about to happen.

I was concerned about them taking her back because she had not been given any medicine to relax her... they didn't think it was something she needed, any they were right.  Chuck and I kissed her good-bye and told her we loved her, and then handed her off to her medical team.  She protested a little, but didn't cry.  I was proud of her for being brave, but at the same time sad to realize just how much she has grown up since getting tubes in May.

We barely got to the waiting room and sat down before they called to let us know that they surgery was underway.  Then after getting off the phone with her nurse, I hardly got settled back in my seat before her doctor came out to tell us how surgery went.  She did great, he said, and told us that she should have some immediate relief.  Then he proceeded to tell us what a sweet daughter we have.  He couldn't say enough about how sweet she was with them.  I teared up... I know she's sweet, but I'm a little biased.

I got to see her a few minutes after speaking with the doctor and she was asking for my.  She did cry some when she came out from the anesthesia, but that is to be expected.  Between scratching her nose and drinking her juice, she asked to watch a 'moonie', a movie.  She was so funny.  Once I got her in my arms, she opened her eyes and looked around and said "I wanna watch a moonie."  She didn't quite understand why there wasn't a TV there.

Once or twice I thought she might get sick, but she held her own as she was waking up.  She was most unimpressed with the blood pressure cuff that kept squeezing her leg!  She told the nurse several times, "I want it off."

When we finally got back to her room and the nurse started unhooking her, she relaxed more.  I turned on her DVD player and she watched Tigger while we waited to go home.  She asked a few times to go bye-bye and to get in the car, but ultimately she was pretty patient.  Just before we left, the nurse took her iv out and put a band-aid on.  Not cool with her.  She didn't want a 'sticker'!

She watched movies all the way home, even though she had been up since 4:00 am, and waited to get home before falling asleep.  She did take a long nap once we got home, and I had to wake her up so that we could go to Granna and Pop's.  Shortly after getting there I put her to bed and she slept until 4:30.

At that point, I began to see the difference in her.  She called out to me from her bed, so I went to check on her.  She was talking to me and was wide awake.  So, we got up to play... at 4:30.  She literally RAN all over the house, bouncing from one piece of furniture to another.  She would say "Run Fast" and run circles around the couch.  She played that hard until about 10:30 and I convinced her to take a nap.

That lasted about an hour, maybe an hour and a half.  Then she was a hundred miles an hour again.  And stayed that way until 8:00 tonight!  The crazy part is that she is running a fever!  It has been 100-101 most of the day, but around 4:30 it went up to 102.5.  Even with this temp she still was running around playing.  I could tell though that she was fevery because her cheeks were bright red.  We put her in the tub to cool her down and then gave her a dose of Motrin.  Other than me catching and holding her, she never slowed down!

I am hoping that tonight isn't a long one... she has cried out a few times already, but went back to sleep on her own all but once.  If she could sleep through the night, I think she will be a totally different child tomorrow.

The idea of that scares me, though!  If she felt this much better today, with a fever, I can't imagine how amazing she is going to feel once the fever is down!  I don't know what I will do if she is this energetic all the time!  I mean, literally, she was bouncing off of the furniture, she broke one of Granna's Christmas decorations (thank goodness Granna said it wasn't an important one!), oh, and she colored on the carpet!  Seriously, SHE COLORED ON THE CARPET!!!  I could have died!

Even though it was at my parents' house, which is the best case scenario if there has to be one, I still could have died!  I felt terrible.  Oh, and after that, we were at Laila, my niece's house playing... that's where her fever spiked and we put her in the tub... she went back to to bathroom and found a bath toy.  A bath toy that squirts water.  Emma walked up and down the hallway squirting water everywhere... They have only been in their beautiful new house a few months!

So, as much as I am thankful that she feels so much better, I am also overwhelmed with just how much better she feels!  She has always been curious, but now she feels like acting on that curiosity!  Really, though, I am so thankful that she is showing such a remarkable improvement.  I just hate that she has been miserable for so long.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers during this time.  We felt all your love and support through the peace we experienced during her surgery.  Chuck and I knew she was in all-knowing, loving, capable hands... not to mention the hands of a pretty great medical team!

Adenoids

Well, after several months or runny noses and coughing, and no answers, I finally have some.  I took Emma to our ENT last week and explained to him our problems... Runny nose and cough constantly since August, not resting at night because she coughs constantly, no help from our pediatrician, etc...

After hearing me out and checking Emma out thoroughly, he suggested that we take her adenoids out.  He said that they were extremely large and what was giving her trouble.  He seems to think that we will see an almost immediate improvement from this surgery... Thank goodness!

We continued talking about the persistent cough and he concluded that she has asthma.  I was a little taken aback because I have asked our pediatrician this many, many times and she dismissed my concerns.  She told me that Emma would get better on her own and didn't need any type of medication.

Since her appointment, and being placed on Singulair and Nasonex, Emma has made huge improvements!  It is amazing the difference!  So much so that my husband actually asked if I felt she still needed surgery to remove her adenoids.  And, while I hate to put her through surgery, I still feel that it is in her best interest to go ahead with the surgery.

So, please say a prayer for Emma on Friday that her surgery goes well... and that she will finally be completely WELL for a change!