So for the second night in a row we were heading out of the house late at night with a bucket. Bud had only slept about 4 hours in the last 36 hours. The hospital was in an unfamiliar part of town for us, and the area wasn't well lit, we could see the ER doors but couldn't figure out how to drive up to them. I was calm but Bud was freaking out (a preview to drives to the hospital in labor) so he opted to 4 wheel through the empty lots rather than drive around anymore.
My doctor had called ahead so as soon as we walked in the intake people sat us down to sign papers. While I was filling out paperwork my doctor came in the door, gave me a hug and informed me the "team" was on the way. I had a team! It was very comforting, and the fastest I have ever been through the ER. The dr informed the front desk Bud could finish my paper work and he took me back to prep for surgery. I was immediately changed into a gown and given a (terrible) IV. ( I am a total wimp about IV's.) We took this opportunity to call my mom and brother to let them know what was going on. My dr said the surgery would probably take 20 minutes, so Bud told my mom it was up to her if she wanted to come. It was 1:00 am by this point and she doesn't like to drive.
I was wheeled off to the OR, the anesthesiologist took one look at my IV and asked "who the hell did this to her arm?". He patted me on the arm and said "don't worry honey, I will fix this for you." I don't normally enjoy people being all patty, and huggy and calling me terms of affection, but in this case it was really reassuring. Then they started the drugs and the nurse told me to count back from 100 and put the palms of her hands on my neck and pressed down. Just before passing out I thought, damn they are in some kind of hurry.
When I woke up I begged for some carmex for my super dry lips. That is my tip for anyone going to the hospital, take carmex. The nurses slapped a ton on me and I loved them. I saw Bud and mom on my way to the room, they each held my hand for a minute, but weren't allowed in my room because it was the middle of the night. I kept waking up the rest of the night and would see one of the two of them peeking in my door to check on me. I found out later that they avoided looking at a clock during the surgery, finally when they did look they realized I had been in surgery for 90 minutes. Shortly after that my dr came out and told them I had 13 spots in my throat that were bleeding. The would cauterize one spot and move on to another, then another would start up again. Finally, after an hour and a half they got all but one to stop. The decision was to wake me up, and keep me from having any food or liquid for 6 days. Ok, maybe it was just five hours. But I had been drinking 12-15 bottles of water each day. That was the longest thirstiest 5 hours of my life. They gave me some of those damp spongey things to suck on, but those were no relief. I was told I would go through a few tests the next day.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
In Sickness and Health Part 2 a
This should really be labeled Part 1/2 but whatever. For as long as I can remember I have had a lot of problems with my tonsils. When I was little they wanted to take them out, but my parents didn't have the money or insurance. (what it was the 70's). So I was just stuck with them. The summer of 2001 I had a really bad bout of tonsilitis and had a quick care doctor tell me I just had to live with chronic tosilitis because I was too old (screw you buddy) to do anything about it. But when I went to an ENT and he thought that was total crap.
So a few weeks after Bud and I got engaged I had my tonsils out during spring break. Which is surprisingly an out patient procedure. I remember being in so much pain and having a really long list of meds to take, pain medication, antibiotics, and nausea medicine. During the day my mom would stay with me while Bud was at work, at night Bud stayed with me. I was in a lot more pain than I expected. Most pain medication makes me sick, the doctor couldn't have me throwing up so, I got the only thing that works well for me, Demerol (wooot). Which really doesn't get rid of the pain, you just don't care about pain any more. I couldn't eat anything solid and the only thing that sounded good were banana popsicles. I would wake Bud up multiple times in the night to go downstairs and get me another popsicle, and he would do it.
Anyway, after ten days of recovery I still felt like ass. But I had a cheerleading banquet to go to, I was the head advisor (shut up, I know..it was a total joke. Cheerleaders didn't even talk to me when I was in school) and the dinner had been planned for a while. I still couldn't drive because of all the medicine I was on, so my SIL drove me and Bud picked me up. It was like being in middle school all over again.
After we got back to my house Bud ran to the store before going home to work on a paper. I was drinking 12-15 bottles of water each day so he figured he would run and grab me some, then head home. While he was gone I got really nauseous and threw up blood, lots and lots o'blood, all over the bathroom. When Bud got back I was crying so he went into the bathroom and kind of freaked out a bit. He started to clean up the bathroom, which I shit you not, I had manage to throw up on every wall, the sink, behind the toilet, the only surface I didn't hit was the ceiling. I can't really explain what happened, I was aiming for the toilet, it just didn't work out. I was barfing into a bucket at this point and Bud was really worried. He called the doctors emergency number and the two decided I needed to get in to the office immediately. So we headed off, me with my bucket, Bud driving.
When we got to the office the doctor was waiting for us. He checked me out and could see a spot that was bleeding. He needed to get some special gauze on the bleedy spot and also use a suction thing to suck out the blood or something, but when someone jams gauze down your throat your instinct is to fight them. So he has his forearm pressed against my chest while trying to shove stuff into my throat while I gagged. Poor Bud was just holding foot and leg since that was all he could reach. After an hour or so of us wrestling we finally got to go home. The dr told Bud he had to watch me all night to make sure I didn't choke on the gauze and bring me back in the morning. So Bud rented some movies and playstation games and watched me sleep the rest of the night.
In the morning we went back to the dr office and had the dressing taken out of my throat. We went back to my place and Bud slept for 4 hours. Then he went home to work on that paper. He came back later that evening ( I didn't have a computer) so we could hang out. I started feeling sick again when into the bathroom and more blood! I came out of the bathroom crying and Bud just sat me on the couch, got me clean jammies out of the dryer, found the bucket and called the doctor. He told the doctor we were heading to the hospital and we would me him there...............
(to be continued) I know longest story ever.
So a few weeks after Bud and I got engaged I had my tonsils out during spring break. Which is surprisingly an out patient procedure. I remember being in so much pain and having a really long list of meds to take, pain medication, antibiotics, and nausea medicine. During the day my mom would stay with me while Bud was at work, at night Bud stayed with me. I was in a lot more pain than I expected. Most pain medication makes me sick, the doctor couldn't have me throwing up so, I got the only thing that works well for me, Demerol (wooot). Which really doesn't get rid of the pain, you just don't care about pain any more. I couldn't eat anything solid and the only thing that sounded good were banana popsicles. I would wake Bud up multiple times in the night to go downstairs and get me another popsicle, and he would do it.
Anyway, after ten days of recovery I still felt like ass. But I had a cheerleading banquet to go to, I was the head advisor (shut up, I know..it was a total joke. Cheerleaders didn't even talk to me when I was in school) and the dinner had been planned for a while. I still couldn't drive because of all the medicine I was on, so my SIL drove me and Bud picked me up. It was like being in middle school all over again.
After we got back to my house Bud ran to the store before going home to work on a paper. I was drinking 12-15 bottles of water each day so he figured he would run and grab me some, then head home. While he was gone I got really nauseous and threw up blood, lots and lots o'blood, all over the bathroom. When Bud got back I was crying so he went into the bathroom and kind of freaked out a bit. He started to clean up the bathroom, which I shit you not, I had manage to throw up on every wall, the sink, behind the toilet, the only surface I didn't hit was the ceiling. I can't really explain what happened, I was aiming for the toilet, it just didn't work out. I was barfing into a bucket at this point and Bud was really worried. He called the doctors emergency number and the two decided I needed to get in to the office immediately. So we headed off, me with my bucket, Bud driving.
When we got to the office the doctor was waiting for us. He checked me out and could see a spot that was bleeding. He needed to get some special gauze on the bleedy spot and also use a suction thing to suck out the blood or something, but when someone jams gauze down your throat your instinct is to fight them. So he has his forearm pressed against my chest while trying to shove stuff into my throat while I gagged. Poor Bud was just holding foot and leg since that was all he could reach. After an hour or so of us wrestling we finally got to go home. The dr told Bud he had to watch me all night to make sure I didn't choke on the gauze and bring me back in the morning. So Bud rented some movies and playstation games and watched me sleep the rest of the night.
In the morning we went back to the dr office and had the dressing taken out of my throat. We went back to my place and Bud slept for 4 hours. Then he went home to work on that paper. He came back later that evening ( I didn't have a computer) so we could hang out. I started feeling sick again when into the bathroom and more blood! I came out of the bathroom crying and Bud just sat me on the couch, got me clean jammies out of the dryer, found the bucket and called the doctor. He told the doctor we were heading to the hospital and we would me him there...............
(to be continued) I know longest story ever.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Sunscreen, not just for children
We had such a great time on our trip! The kids were awesome in the car, Owen and Maddie watched movies, Ellie slept and I got to read a book!
We went to Sea World on the first day. As soon as we got out of the car Maddie saw the roller coaster and immediately said she wanted to ride on it, Owen was adamant that he didn't. Sadly, Maddie is a bit too short. We made sure the kids were all covered in sunscreen, but I got distracted and forgot to sunscreen myself. So 2 hours into the day I was burnt to a crisp. I put a ton on after that but it sucked. ( I started peeling and Bud can't leave it alone. He was peeling big chunks off today and offering me money to eat it. I don't know what is wrong with him. )
I had worried about the kids begging for stuff. So we told them as soon as we got to the park that the would get a souvenirs, but not until the end of the day. Maddie fell in love with a dolphin hand puppet with a squeaker. She waited patiently all day and we bought it just before we left. The next day she wanted to take it with us and we let her. She also had her kitty, it is the head of Marie from Aristocats attached to a little blanket. What are those things called anyway? we use to call it kitty head. Anyway as we were leaving the park we realized she didn't have the dolphin or kitty.
Bud ran through the park looking for them and we went to the lost and found, but they hadn't been turned it. I was so sick over it, I started crying. She has had that kitty since she was 10 months. I got it at the Disney outlet for two dollars. When I realized how much she liked it I started looking for another, my sister-in-law found one. We have switched them out for washings, so I knew we would be able to replace it, but now we don't have a spare. I have googled looking for another, I would pay a lot for another one. The folks at lost and found said they would mail them if they were turned in. Can you believe someone found them and kept them? I can see with the dolphin because it was obviously new, but kitty was nasty. Maddie rubs it on her face and the fur is all matted up. It is clearly a lovey for a small kid. What kind of ass keeps it? Anyway she woke up a few times at the hotel asking for blanket kitty. Broke my heart.
We went to Sea World on the first day. As soon as we got out of the car Maddie saw the roller coaster and immediately said she wanted to ride on it, Owen was adamant that he didn't. Sadly, Maddie is a bit too short. We made sure the kids were all covered in sunscreen, but I got distracted and forgot to sunscreen myself. So 2 hours into the day I was burnt to a crisp. I put a ton on after that but it sucked. ( I started peeling and Bud can't leave it alone. He was peeling big chunks off today and offering me money to eat it. I don't know what is wrong with him. )
I had worried about the kids begging for stuff. So we told them as soon as we got to the park that the would get a souvenirs, but not until the end of the day. Maddie fell in love with a dolphin hand puppet with a squeaker. She waited patiently all day and we bought it just before we left. The next day she wanted to take it with us and we let her. She also had her kitty, it is the head of Marie from Aristocats attached to a little blanket. What are those things called anyway? we use to call it kitty head. Anyway as we were leaving the park we realized she didn't have the dolphin or kitty.
Bud ran through the park looking for them and we went to the lost and found, but they hadn't been turned it. I was so sick over it, I started crying. She has had that kitty since she was 10 months. I got it at the Disney outlet for two dollars. When I realized how much she liked it I started looking for another, my sister-in-law found one. We have switched them out for washings, so I knew we would be able to replace it, but now we don't have a spare. I have googled looking for another, I would pay a lot for another one. The folks at lost and found said they would mail them if they were turned in. Can you believe someone found them and kept them? I can see with the dolphin because it was obviously new, but kitty was nasty. Maddie rubs it on her face and the fur is all matted up. It is clearly a lovey for a small kid. What kind of ass keeps it? Anyway she woke up a few times at the hotel asking for blanket kitty. Broke my heart.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Conversations with a 6 year old Part 2
Owen was helping my mom organize some things in her classroom.
Grandma: blah blah blah curse curse
Owen: Grandma why do you say shit so much? Shit isn't a nice word you really shouldn't use it.
Grandma: blah blah blah curse curse
Owen: Grandma why do you say shit so much? Shit isn't a nice word you really shouldn't use it.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Vacation
As parents we are total wimps about taking our kids to the traditional family recreational spots. We had planned a family vacation to San Diego this week but at the last minute we changed our plans because of Bud's "procedure". (Don't go getting any ideas Internet, we will be home! With guns! Flamethrowers! And small children who will wear down your soul with requests for snacks! So don't think you can come rob our house). Anyway we will be going later in the summer. This will be our first real family vacation, that doesn't entail visiting people. We are traveling just for the "fun" of it.
Most summers we travel to PA to visit Bud's family. However, these are not really "vacations", maybe a vacation from sanity, a vacation from regularly scheduled meals, a vacation from privacy and a vacation from central air conditioning. I love our visits with his family, they are a lot of fun and I really feel like I am part of the family. BUT they never eat. I don't understand this, it will be a full two hours after a meal time and then they finally discuss what to eat. Then someone has to go to the store, then there is the actual preparation. This is not a concept I am familiar with, my family plans lunch while eating breakfast, and plans dinner during lunch. And there is much snacking in between, in addition to reminiscing about meals we have eaten in the past, you know with pictures of the food. I was always hungry in PA, but now we buy a bunch of food our first day, and we eat whenever we want.
Over the years we have perfected our travel technique. We always rent a car, buy our own snacks to stave off starvation and we stay with Bud's aunt and uncle. They work during the day so when we wake up they are leaving for work. We always get a few hours of privacy before the chaos of the day begins. Also, MIL's house has been in the process of a remodel for 20 years. The bathroom is missing, missing, a wall. Instead there is a shower curtain, instead, of a wall. Seriously, I can't use the bathroom under those conditions. You just shouldn't be walking around the house and see someone's feet while they are on the toilet. Just......no.
So what's crazy about your family vacations? No food? Food obsession? Public pooping?
Most summers we travel to PA to visit Bud's family. However, these are not really "vacations", maybe a vacation from sanity, a vacation from regularly scheduled meals, a vacation from privacy and a vacation from central air conditioning. I love our visits with his family, they are a lot of fun and I really feel like I am part of the family. BUT they never eat. I don't understand this, it will be a full two hours after a meal time and then they finally discuss what to eat. Then someone has to go to the store, then there is the actual preparation. This is not a concept I am familiar with, my family plans lunch while eating breakfast, and plans dinner during lunch. And there is much snacking in between, in addition to reminiscing about meals we have eaten in the past, you know with pictures of the food. I was always hungry in PA, but now we buy a bunch of food our first day, and we eat whenever we want.
Over the years we have perfected our travel technique. We always rent a car, buy our own snacks to stave off starvation and we stay with Bud's aunt and uncle. They work during the day so when we wake up they are leaving for work. We always get a few hours of privacy before the chaos of the day begins. Also, MIL's house has been in the process of a remodel for 20 years. The bathroom is missing, missing, a wall. Instead there is a shower curtain, instead, of a wall. Seriously, I can't use the bathroom under those conditions. You just shouldn't be walking around the house and see someone's feet while they are on the toilet. Just......no.
So what's crazy about your family vacations? No food? Food obsession? Public pooping?
Nine Weeks!
This was taken on Monday, when she was officially nine weeks. Later she went to the doctor and had her shots. Then she spent about 2 hours crying that night. Thanks vaccines!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
In Sickness and in Health
Wow this has been a big weekend. Bud had a vasectomy on Friday. Crazy. I haven't mentioned it because I know that with my age, and our income bracket we can't just keep having kids. With the complications and difficulties I don't know if I could deal with the stress. (Recap- twins! lost one twin! maybe brain damage! chemical test positive for spina bifida but ultrasound good so who can tell?) It is still sad, but even if we had ten there would still be a last baby. And she feels like such a miracle, I am afraid we would be tempting fate.
So back to the big V, I think men are treated a bit differently in these circumstances. The doctor told him to "shave his sack" the morning of the procedure. Nothing more specific. I think women would have been given better directions, maybe even a diagram. He had the same concerns I would have either a) not shaving enough and getting yelled at or b) shaving too much and having them think you are a freak. Anyway everyone told him "no big deal". All the men coming out were gimping a bit, but nothing too bad. When Bud came out he was white as a sheet. He had almost passed out while checking out, he was in a lot of pain the rest of the night and has been much more sore than we anticipated. Luckily my mom had the kids Friday night, and when we could see he was still struggling they stayed Saturday night as well.
It has been tough keeping him off his feet, he doesn't take well to just laying on the couch. I keep reminding him of all the times he has taken care of me, tonsillectomy, gallbladder removed, childbirth. But he doesn't listen, I am a bit pissed at him because he isn't suppose to lift anything heavy for another 4 days, and he carried Maddie up to bed. I know he is trying to be helpful, but if he hurts himself and ends up with complications he will be laid up much longer. Some men don't help out when they're healthy, some can't stop helping. Isn't there a happy medium?
So back to the big V, I think men are treated a bit differently in these circumstances. The doctor told him to "shave his sack" the morning of the procedure. Nothing more specific. I think women would have been given better directions, maybe even a diagram. He had the same concerns I would have either a) not shaving enough and getting yelled at or b) shaving too much and having them think you are a freak. Anyway everyone told him "no big deal". All the men coming out were gimping a bit, but nothing too bad. When Bud came out he was white as a sheet. He had almost passed out while checking out, he was in a lot of pain the rest of the night and has been much more sore than we anticipated. Luckily my mom had the kids Friday night, and when we could see he was still struggling they stayed Saturday night as well.
It has been tough keeping him off his feet, he doesn't take well to just laying on the couch. I keep reminding him of all the times he has taken care of me, tonsillectomy, gallbladder removed, childbirth. But he doesn't listen, I am a bit pissed at him because he isn't suppose to lift anything heavy for another 4 days, and he carried Maddie up to bed. I know he is trying to be helpful, but if he hurts himself and ends up with complications he will be laid up much longer. Some men don't help out when they're healthy, some can't stop helping. Isn't there a happy medium?
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