If You Want to Play With the Big Dogs....

At any given time, there are more than four children at my house.  I birthed four.  Three pregnancies resulting in four kids.  I am a proud G3, P4.  That little tidbit will only make sense to some one in the medical field.
I hadn't realized just how magnetic my home was until recently.  Steve and I have a soft spot for most creatures.  Steve is the ultimate kid magnet and is just as quick to rescue an animal in need as I am.
But, and it is a BIG but, there is apparently a cosmic sign over out house:
SOFT HEARTED WOMAN HERE!

In the past couple of months a large white dog named Seven has showed up.  She loves the kids.  She belongs to my neighbor, Joan.  Joan raises pigs and other livestock and keeps several Pyrenees dogs to protect them.  Seven really likes kids.  Joan has kids.  They are grown.  She has grandkids, they don't live with her.  Have I mentioned that Seven really likes kids?

She never stayed too long and then went home.  OR so we thought!
Now, she really wants to go to school with the kids.

 

And yes, she really loves to ride in the car.  And yes again, that is a line of drool.

The problems started when she decided she wanted to stay overnight.  At first I didn't have the heart to make her leave.

 

 But then, she started to invite other dogs.  While they were cute, and I felt very secure as all of them decided to be defensive about protecting the house, they all had jobs they were neglecting!  They were in dereliction of duty!

So, after consulting with Joan....I am now not nice when Seven comes over.  Or, at least, as not nice as I am capable of....I don't open the garage door when she taps on the window, I don't share my food and I use very strict words to remind her of her responsibilities waiting for her at home.
Yeah, she still visits.

And how was your day?

Never a dull moment

I know, I know....I am sooooo behind on posts.
My beloved twin boys turned ten and spent the day hacking at each other and friends with nerf swords and celebrated with a rocking Angry Birds cake.
My dear daughter turned 12, something over the summer, we feared might never happen!  She celebrated in style... VEGAS BABY!
Darling husband noticed a sale on air fares that, well, was irresistible.  We flew to Vegas and spen Christmas with my in-laws. We caught some fantastic light shows, ate some incredible food and then flew home.
This was the first time the boys had flown on a commercial jet.  Or gone through security.  TSA level security.
We explained why we had to do it and then explained to William why he COULDN'T talk about it the whole time at the air port.  Luckily, we had wonderful TSA agents and the process was painless. The kids loved flying and the attendants commented on what a mannerly family we had.  They should see us at home!
After ringing in the New Years, I took on painting the twins' room.  It had been on my to-do list, but the boys had conflict over how to decorate their room.  Thoughts ranged from Indiana Jones to a lego room.  I was exasperated. I talked them down to basic country and all is well.

So I will end this first post of the new year with some highlights from the last couple months that I missed!  Here's to better posting in the future!

And how was your day?

The Many Faces of Will

I like a challenge.  I admit it.  Lately, however, not so much.
This summer certainly challenged my faith, strength and endurance.  Today was the (hopefully) the last step in one of our challenges.

Let us go back in time to September.  William complains of a toothache all night long.  Monday morning, his face is swollen:

Bummer.  Take him to the dentist and learn that the tooth that was scheduled for a filling is now in need of a root canal.  A script for some antibiotics and the numbers of specialists that do root canals.
Tuesday I left Will with my parents and went to work.  I called and found out, still not good and the swelling was worse.  I called the dentist back and he wanted to see Will, now, please.  Trip to the dentist, Will is now feverish and the swelling grows.  He recommends an oral surgeon to insert a drain and a trip to the ER for IV antibiotics.  We drive to Roswell for the oral surgeon.
It is no shock that we get funny looks.  William's face is very swollen now.  The oral surgeon will NOT touch him.  He is no longer a dental case, but a medical one.  Go to ER, see pediatrician.  Well, we were just in Clovis!  So back we go.
William is making small moaning sounds and his eye is now swollen.  I call  Dr. Awesome.  He, his nurse and staff....all AWESOME!  Nurse says, skip ER, come to us, we'll do a direct admit.
I set a minor land speed record driving from Roswell to Clovis because Will is no longer speaking.  We get to Dr. Awesome and Nurse Unshakeable's jaw drops.  This is why:

So, after Dr. Awesome looks at him, he is on the phone and we go DIRECTLY to the peds ward.  No ER, no admit, straight to a bed.  We have another wonderful nurse who gets William's IV on the first stick and then shows him all of the equipment, because if Will is awake, Will wants to know.
Day two saw some relief:

Special dispensation was made for visiting twin...

A walk outside helped pick up his spirits....

Better everyday!
More meds, one C/T scan to make sure the eye orbital wasn't involved and we got the all clear to GO HOME!

Now, months later, we have come full circle.  Today we finally had the root canal:

It doesn't help that for a boy who talks constantly, he has an incredibly small mouth....alas, it is done.

One buckle abscess and bone loss that should come back, but that is now a memory.  

He powered down a burger after nearly three hours of dental work, went shopping for some zombie t-shirts and is watching TV, chilling.

And how was your day?

Horse Show

Another year of horse show...another year of fun  
we love our horses so much, we don't want it to be done...

But we are a wee bit tired.

And how was your day?

Summer Stress

I am finally able to take a minute and blog our not so fun adventure in Arizona.  With the summer of sorrow, we had already planned our vacation and the timing couldn't have been better for us.  We were headed to the mountains of Arizona to heal.....or at least that was our intent.
Here is one of the last photos of Caitlyn before everything happened:

We were on the first part of the Bright Angel Trail at the Grand Canyon.  Caitlyn, by her nature is adventurous.  She rides all of the crazy, scary rides at the fair and is willing to ride the hottest horses.  So, it was a bit out of character when she said that the trail was making her dizzy.  She kept her hand to the inside wall and often had to stop.
I called off our hike after the first switch back, figuring the heat had gotten to her, or maybe mild dehydration.  Look in the picture by Caitlyn's hand...a water bottle.  We all had bottles and refilled them often.  In retro spec, it was the on coming menace that was making her dizzy.
Wednesday morning we slept late.  Cait had gotten up earlier, proclaimed a lousy stomach and went back to bed.  I made breakfast for the rest of the troops.  We packed, we enjoyed our last few hours at the lovely cabin.
Caitlyn woke up and said her stomach felt bad.  We only had flavored seltzer water but promised her a ginger ale once we hit the road.
I went up stairs to the loft with her to help her pack and change.  I am so glad I did.
She stood next to me in her bra and in leggings, talking and then her face was confused.  She said, "Wait a sec.." and then her body began an unnatural posture and she began to seize.  There was no other warning.  Her seizure involved full convulsions.  I lowered her to the floor and yelled for Steve to call for help.  Frances, my mother in law,  came up the stairs to help me and Steve had to go outside to get a signal.  Jerry, father in law, herded the boys outside to the backyard.
Frances and I kept Caitlyn from hitting her head and when the seizure stopped, we moved her into a rescue position.  For a full ten minutes, my girl did not wake up.  When she did, she was altered to time and place and was confused.  Her speech was slurred and her eyes rolled.
The paramedics arrived and began to check her sugar level, her blood pressure and other vitals.  They wanted to transport her, which Steve and I agreed with that.  In light of the fact we were in a loft, Steve carried her downstairs to the gurney.  The paramedic went in front of him, "to catch her if you fall.  You're on your own, I am grabbing her."  Steve didn't fall.
By the time we put her on the gurney, she was completely altered and fighting us.  My girl is strong.  I asked if we were going to the center in Williams...which was the closest town.
"No ma'am, Flagstaff".
It was the longest drive of my life.  Caitlyn pleaded with us, she didn't recognize me, to get her mama.  She asked for help.  She was convinced she would die.  I would calm her, remind her she had a seizure and was on the way to the hospital.  I reminded her at least a dozen times, and each time, it was new information to her.
At the hospital, the physician and nurses were waiting just for her.  A room was prepped and waiting, just for her.  The doctor was calm, the nurses reassuring and I felt some relief at landing in such a good place.  I hugged the paramedic when he left.  He had remained calm with Caitlyn during that loud and horrible ride.  He was never put off by her panic, he kept me calm as well.  Carl Goff, you are forever in my prayers.
A C/T scan to check for hemorrhage was ordered...she had hit her head the night before while playing.  I had checked it, but thought it was nothing.
Caitlyn was still fighting so permission was obtained to give her sedation.  A ventilator was brought in on stand by, but she never needed it.
The C/T was promptly performed and was cleared.  A lumbar puncture was ordered.  Through the prep, Caitlyn came to and her doctor wanted her sedated again because "I don't want her to experience or remember this".  About 40 minutes after the punch, results were in meningitis.  We would be admitted to Flagstaff Pediatrics.  She was started on two major anti-biotics, anti-viral and a steroid.  Infectious Disease was brought in.
While waiting for the bed to be prepped upstairs, Caitlyn woke up.  When I say, woke up, I mean my girl was back.  She was convinced it was a bad dream.  We told her it was real.  She then announced (loudly) that she wanted to go home.  She wanted her dog, she wanted her horse and she didn't want to be there.
But. She. Was. Back.
After 36 hours of strong meds, my girl smiled.  She was tired, she had headaches, but she was coming around.

We will never know the exact virus that found it's way to her spine.  We were able to rule out all of the truly serious bacteria and viruses.  Our doctor on the floor, a cheery and wonderful man, said that if he could figure out why some bugs became meningitis, he would win the Nobel prize.  He could say that it was likely the same virus that causes a stomach flu.
We had up moments,

And we had down right worrisome moments:

 But in the end, as the ID doc said, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Her body healed and on Saturday, we were released.  We made our way down the street to the Taylor House, which offers housing for parents and family with loved ones in the hospital.  There Caitlyn got what she had wanted for days....a bath.  I took her into the sunshine of the lovely garden and let her soak up the warmth and the fresh air.

She slept well that night, no IVs, no monitors, no beeping  and no noises.  In the morning, we woke early and began our trek home.  Dad and Steve met us in Santa Rosa to drive us the last leg, as I was wiped out.
The boys had made welcome banners, Grandma was there with hugs and the dogs were over joyed.

We kept Caitlyn under house arrest for roughly two weeks.  She had fatigue and headaches.  She rested and watched more TV than she ever had in her life. 

In the end, it was a challenging time for us, but we are here by the grace of God.  To everyone that prayed and provided, thank you so much.  Your support was essential to our getting through this so quickly. From meals, to picking up the boys in Gallup, to the prayers,,,,thank you.

We move on to the fall...hopeful for the rest summer didn't provide.

And how was your day?




  

My boy

So much has happened.  We went on a lovely vacation to the Grand Canyon, and I promise I will blog it, with pictures.  Caitlyn had a full seizure and meningitis which landed us in a hospital in Flagstaff for a while.  I don't want to dwell on the negatives...I want to celebrate.  After such a hard summer we need joy.  Luckily for us it comes in a convenient eight year old package.
Happy Birthday to my Conner Mac.....eight years ago at 1:45 am, he came into this world with loud cries and promptly peed on everyone within reach, and some who weren't.  He has a content and happy baby and was determined to never be left out.  I can sympathize.
I love you, Mac!