Happy Holidays

By Stephanie
    We have been so super blessed this season.  Thank you to all of you who made us feel so loved. 
   As we look forward to this coming year, I think I am going to do something I did a few years ago.  My good friend (and brilliant photographer), Melissa Jacks gave me the idea.  She picks a word for the year (instead of a resolution).  I have picked FAITH and ENDURE.  But this year I want more of an action word. I am thinking of “Engage”. 
   So here is hoping for a great New Year to you all!!

Just Relax…

By Stephanie

   So my nephew Spencer Charles Curtin gets home from his two year mission with our church.  He has been up in Alaska.  Welcome home!  We missed you and I can’t wait to see you!!

   And just went I thought I could relax, since Avery had her two week break from chemo…..NOPE!

    Sunday she woke up with “fuzzy vision.”  For those that don’t remember….”fuzzy vision” has always meant something BAD.  So of course I panicked.  Called her oncologists office.  The doc on call didn’t seem as upset as I was.  He said to just watch her.  Okay…..

   Then later that day she was complaining of light headedness and her arm was feeling weird again.  Again I panicked.  Again the doctor didn’t seem as upset as I was.  He had me give her some steroids and plan to be in their office when her doc came in. 

   I didn’t sleep all that night.  I kept wondering if I should just stick her and I on a plane to Seattle.  First thing I called her ophthalmologist (I really like her btw).  Their office opened at 7am (who knew!).  So I took her right over. 

   She did a full exam.  Turns out her eyesight is getting BETTER!  WHAT??  Just slightly widening her field of vision.  But we will take it!!  So then I took her over to the oncologist office.  He did a CBC (blood count check), everything looked okay.  WHAT??? 

   Here is what they think.  Since she has her slight improved, the brain is not sure what to do with this new information.  Thus it comes out a bit muddled….fuzzy vision. 

   Her weight dropped again.  He said if she goes down TWO OZ., she gets an NG tube.  But he did give us off until Dec. 26th.  I think some (or most) of her issues are her eating and drinking.  He agrees.  But he is a softy and she cries when he mentions NG tube.  But he put the line down.  If she goes down at all….NG tube.  I actually wouldn’t mind getting it back in.  Then at least when something happens I know that is isn’t dehydration or lack of nutrition.  That it is something we can’t fix on our own and she needs to go to the hospital.  Right now, it’s hard to make that call. 

    Hope your holiday season is peaceful and relaxing…..

Tis the Season

By Stephanie
   
   So we knew that this cold and flu season we might end up in the hospital.  But so far we have been pretty lucky.  That was until I got a call on Friday.  Avery called from school.  But when she was talking to me her speech was slurred and she said she had a headache and stomach ache.  The head ache really concerned me.  So I picked her up and took her right to her dr's office.
  On the way she told me her left arm had been going numb.  OKAY...now I was in a complete panic.  All I could think of was stroke!  Her teacher called while I was on the road, she was also very concerned.  She doesn't have kids of her own and had never seen a seizure.  I was pretty sure it wasn't seizure, but I mentioned "stroke" and I think she just about had a heart attack herself.
    We got Avery's blood drawn and her red blood was low.  He sent us right to the ER for a head CT scan. Which luckily they did right away and......everything was clear.  They sent us up to peds to get her blood and some fluids.  We actually got to come home that night!  YAY.  After a bit of delay.....
   When she gets blood they usually give benedryl but because of her issues, he didn't premeditate  just in case.  Half way through the bag of blood, she broke out in hives.  They gave her hydrocortizone (her body is super low on that right now) and benedryl.  In 30 minutes, she looked better, so they gave the rest of the blood.  We got home about 11:30pm.  Not too shabby.  Especially since I thought we would be there at least one night.  
   So far no more numbness.  A bit of a headache, but that might be that she is a bit dehydrated.  We will see what the doc says tomorrow.
   

And to all a good night.......
      Hope you all have your shopping done.....I have a ways to go.

Christmas ideas…

By Stephanie

  So we have had a rough week with Avery.  Since she got her NG tube out, she has lost 6 lbs.  She is the lightest she has been! SUPER NOT GOOD!  If you didn’t already know that.  It would be great for me….not for her.  Her doc almost put in the tube right there.  She cried.  So he gave her until today to drink two instant breakfasts a day and eat.  So far, so good.  So no NG tube…yet.  We will see if she keeps it up. 

And how is your holiday shopping coming?  Mine is pretty good since Avery got to do Shop with a Cop on Wednesday morning.  It is an amazing event put on by the North Las Vegas Police dept.  We showed up to Target (one of my favs) and Santa came in style.  In a cop car with lights and sirens blaring.  Then she got assigned an officer.  Hers was Officer Steve.  A super nice guy with three young boys.  Then they gave her $250 and an hour to spend it. 

   So the first 30 minutes I hung out at the front of the store.   Then I checked on them.  She needed to use the rest room, and her cart had four items.  While we were in the bathroom Officer Steve totaled her up.  She was at $30.  Okay, time for mom to step in and help.  We got sometime for everyone on her list, plus quite a hall for her.  She was thrilled. 

 

  If you are able to participate in Shop with a Cop, I have a tip for you.  To help with holiday shopping try Abe books.  Just so you know, I don’t get paid to tell you about stuff.  My blog isn’t a money making machine.  I think I made $.32 in the last three months….Seriously.

   Anywho……

   Abe books is a place for mostly used books.  IT”S AWESOME.  But just a note, watch the shipping.  There have been a few that the book was $1 but shipping was $9.  Just pay attention.  I was always been super happy with the books I have ordered.  

 

I had checked it out from the library and LOVED it…so I bought it.  And yes, I am working on making my own patterns.  I have enough of a grasp of patterns, but sometimes, they just don’t make what I am looking for…so I am making my own.  I made Hallie and outfit this week.  I forgot to take a pic.  Maybe next post.  But it turned out super cute. 

   For the reader on your list…try Abe books.