9.30.2008

30 hours and counting

30 hours and NO sign of 2 pennies!!!

18 hours until I PANIC!

9.29.2008

$700 Billion has nothing on us. I'm worried about 2 cents.

Today, my mom and I took all 4 kids to the geneticist. Long story short, it's looking like Carson has something called Saethre-Chotzen syndrome. She had a few key factor which the doctor was looking for. We will wait to see the final results before we have the other kids tested.

On to other funny (or not) topics.

After we got home from CHW, Keegan was laying in my bed and frantically came out screaming.
MY 5 YR OLD SWALLOWED 2 PENNIES!!!

Eff $700 billion, I am worried about 2 cents!!
I quickly called the the doctor and she told me if we don't see 2 pennies in 48 hours that we should think about a SURGEON!!!!

Then as my mom and I were laughing (actually crying) my mom looks outside and there is my GOOD shark vacuum sitting in the grass, by the way....it's raining!!!

I now KNOW, I have lost control of myself, my kids, and this house.......(please don't call social services!!)

9.25.2008

Things not getting any better

JUst a little update on Carson and Cooper.

Cooper had his test yesterday to see if he also has the bladder reflux. Good news....He doesn't. Bad news.....His pee pee hurts A LOT, and he has a fever......

Carson my dear has been the devil child lately. I can't help wondering if they slipped her somthing while she was under. LOL. Seriously....she hasn't been the same since she went into surgery. She is irritable, aggressive, not eating well, head banging the back of her head....so I talked to the NS and she will be having a MRI next Thursday. Yes, they will have to put her under, but we NEED to find out what is going on in her little head.

Will this saga ever end?

I attended a chat group last night with a plastic surgeon. He was alot of help and was a wealth of information. He actually showed interest in Carson's deal with high ICP, chiari and cranio. just from chit chat, he thought Carson may have a syndromic craniosynostosis. Which is not the best situation..... I have contacted him for more thoughts on treatment for Cars.

He did some training with our team and knows them well.

Here's hoping for some answers.

Monday, My mom and I are taking all 4 kids to a geneticist.
Hopefully we will get more answers there too.

9.20.2008

Our walk for CHW!


First of all, THANK you from the bottom of our hearts to all of you that donated!!

We had a GREAT TIME!!!

We raised a total of $1375.00. YAHOO!!!

Here are a few pictures-



2008 Team - Cole's cranio and chiari clan


My childhood girlfriends - our swim team relay


Us and about 20,000 other people


My friend Tracy, and her daughter Ashley, who also has craniosynostosis

2008 Children's CHAMPS

And a little face painting on the side!

9.18.2008

Re do of the hair do



Short and Sassy

Last night Riley and I went to get our hair cut. Our girl that we normally see called in sick, so we opted to see someone else........look at this new SASSY CHICA!!! She LOVES it. We went out last night and bought a few different products to try. She could not wait to go to school this morning to go show off her new look! (I will try to get a brighter picture when she gets home)

9.13.2008

Oh the places we'll go

Quarry Quest
2008
Cooper driving the crane

Diggin' for gems


The 3 amigos

(Carson spent the morning with nana. No need for sand in the stiches)


Dump truck rides!






Coop driving the "digger"


Keegan driving the crane

*****************************************

Lake pictures


Just hanging out in the grass all by myself


Here she comes - Pucker up puppy!

Do


Not


Follow

ME!

Here I come again!


Bump - before surgery

very little bump after surgery.





9.11.2008

Oh Crap? Holy S**T? You have got to effing kidding me?

Hi everyone.

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Things have been a whirl wind around here.

Carson has been recovering nicely from her cranial vault repair. Today we had her 2 week check up and got a GREAT report - even though she is still rocking.

SHEWWWW that was a big test for me. I wasn't real sure how things were going, and after our tough experience with her ICP surgery, I was a bit on edge. But she shocked us all and conquered it like a pro.

As many of you know from my blogging, Carson had a pretty bad urinary track infection (UTI) while we were on vacation in NJ. It lasted about 3 weeks. Before surgery, she had been on antibiotics and things cleared up just in time for surgery.

We had heard from our ped that it is routine to do an ultra sound of the bladder and kidneys and a voiding cystourethrogram to make sure all things are normal.

*Voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG):
A test that examines the urethra and bladder while the bladder fills and empties. A liquid that can be seen on x rays is placed in the bladder through a catheter. Pictures are taken when the bladder is filled and when the child urinates. This test can reveal abnormalities of the inside of the urethra and bladder. The test can also determine whether the flow of urine is normal when the bladder empties.

So, today we got the results. Carson has Vesicoureteral Reflux in the left ureter. She will be on an antibiotic for 1 yr. and at that time they will repeat both test to see if the VUR has gone away.

But that wasn't all. OH NO. It wouldn't be that simple. Annika had MORE great news to go with that - it's GENETIC. Imagine that.... our family with ANOTHER genetic issue!! So, the other 3 kids will need to be tested as well. LUCKILY - Since Riley and Keegan are over the age of 5, they will only need the ultra sound. Cooper pal, not so lucky. He will have both tests done. I will post when those will be.

SERIOUSLY!?!?!? Can't just one of my kids get something and not have to involve the other 3?

I think I am going to rename my blog to " If it's not Genetic, we don't want it".


By the way..... Where did all my readers go? 2 post, no comments. oh well.

9.06.2008

Updates....

First bit of business - CONGRATS to my dear friend Molly (and her family) who just delivered her 3rd child - Marin Ann! Way to go Moll! Hope everyone continues to do well! We love ya!

Second: Kindergarten is going GREAT! The kids love it! They have learned so much in just a very short time! Carson, Cooper and I have been keeping busy with arrons. Imagine - only with 2 kiddos!

Third: Carson is recovering VERY well. She is still rocking - which is concerning, but we are still figuring all of it out. Because she had a UTI in August, she will be having a ultra sound of her bladder and kidneys, and some "dye" test this coming Wed. Hopefully it will come back normal. We would love nothing more than to stay AWAY from CHW! Next Thursday we are back to CHW to see Dr. Jensen for her post op appointment. I am sure all will go well.

We are working with Dr. Frim in Chicago to find out when her next ICP test will be done. It's looking like it will be done in Oct or Nov. Hopefully, it will give us some answers to why she is still rocking.

So, that's all for now.
Hope all is well with you!

9.03.2008

1st day of Kindergarten!!!

OH. MY .GOSH !!! I can NOT believe my babies are in Kindergarten!
Where did the time go??
Things went pretty smoothly today. Riley was a bit nervous ONLY because Keegan knew people from his class last year, and Riley was NEW to it all. I thought forsure she was going to shed a few tears, but she didn't.

Here are a few pictures from our exciting day.
Walking to school

After school pick up

Their teacher in the black top - Mrs. Harbron