Sunday, August 31, 2008

The Surgery

It's been a very long 5 days! Here's a quick recap. Wednesday morning I went in for the partial hemilaminectomy & discectomy of the L4-5 disc. I checked in at 6:30am, went back to surgery a little after 8am. He was finished by 9:45am and I woke up shortly after. The most amazing thing is the sciatic pain that has been in my right leg constantly was already gone. Really amazing. Also, I was thankful because the surgeon had warned that 20% of his patients have some numbness along the line of their pain after surgery. Thankfully I'm in the 80%.

So, for now I have a different kind of pain. It's really not as bad, thankfully. Also, it's wonderful knowing that it will go away in time. I had quite a few boughts of nausea in the hospital because of some of the medicines.

After visiting with the physical therapists, I was able to find out what it is really going to take to heal my back. As for now, I can only sit in a chair for 20 minutes at a time. I'm supposed to walk around the house and then rest again, off and on throughout the day. Thanks to the pain and muscle spasm medicine I also take a few naps. The main thing is that I can't: lift, twist, bend, push, pull, etc. My surgeon had told me to not do these things for 2 weeks. The first physical therapist I saw after surgery said it was really 6 weeks and then the other PT said to really be careful for 4 weeks, then cautious for the remaining 2. Wow, this puts a bit of a damper on life. I'm not going to be able to do many day-to-day things. It's going to be a challenge to say the least, but completely worth it. Caring for Isaiah is going to be the main challenge - I won't be able to bend over to pick him up, change his diaper, put him in and get him out of his bed, etc.

I returned home on Friday evening. It's amazing what it does to you to just be home, sleep in your own bed, use your own shower, etc.

Putting the challenges aside, I am so thankful for being able to have the surgery. I am also grateful for all of the help I have had thusfar and all the help I know I will get in the future through the rest of the recovery. Dan has completely helped me here at home, which I am grateful. Thanks also to everyone who has brought us such yummy food! Thanks also to everyone who has and will be helping me with Colby, Abigail & Isaiah. I wouldn't be able to have the surgery without your help!

Dan's brother & family had the kids spend the night Friday evening and then took C0lby & Abigail to the ranch last night, and plan on returning home tomorrow some time. It's been really nice spending some time just with Isaiah. He's 20 months old right now and is becoming a little boy so quickly. More and more everyday he's imitating lots of new words. It's fun to see him growing up and changing, but it's sad he's not really a baby anymore!

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Colby's 1st Day

Here's a picture of Colby outside our house before leaving for his first day of Kindergarten! Here's Colby with one of his best friend, Zalen before they entered their class with Mrs. Scott!
When we got in the classroom Colby & I did a scavenger hunt around the room. I was doing just fine until I read the last instruction outloud to him: Now it's time to kiss and hug your mom or dad and say goodbye for the morning. It was very hard to say that sentence!... I had to take a deep breath so Colby wouldn't join me in a cry fest! He said he wanted me to stay, but thankfully I left without a big scene.

I'm excited for all the things he will learn this year. But, I'm sad he won't be here most of the day... It's quite an adjustment for sure!

On another note - my back surgery is in the morning. I'm ready, I think.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

We Have Survived!

Alright - I apologize to anyone who checks our blog! It has been a crazy past 3 weeks! In a nutshell, here's what's been going on in our lives:
The 1st weekend of August we went to Dallas for a Choristers Guild conference. I expanded the weekend so the kids could go and have a little fun! Brigid went along with us & it was an eventful trip! Dallas was very, very hot! After the 1st day at Six Flags dripping in sweat, we decided to stay indoors if at all possible. Here's a picture from the really neat park & spray ground in Allen. If you are ever in the area, you need to check it out! It's an amazing city park!
Colby & Isaiah decided to give Dance Revolution a try! It's kind of funny, because now if you ask Isaiah to dance, he stomps one foot & claps at the same time, with a very serious look on his face. I think it started with this experience!
Colby & Abigail's "scared faces" at the Dallas Museum of Science next to the tarantula.
Playing with the bubbles, I find it interested that Isaiah is in the bubble maker... (Brigid took the kids here while I was at the conference. So, the pictures certainly amuse me!)


Here's a picture taken by Colby while waiting to go to the museum. Brigid had a great story
from that day.... Be warned it's a little disgusting - but here goes: she needed to change Isaiah's dirty diaper when they first entered the museum. So, they go to the bathroom. Of course, Colby & Abigail decided that would be a great place to argue with each other. So, Brigid had them go to opposite corners of the bathroom. Isaiah did not want to have his diaper changed, so he decided to put his shoe in the dirty mess... then, to put his hand in it and smear it on the mirror!!!! As this is going on, a woman with a very well behaved child comes into the bathroom, probably very disturbed by the scene. To make the scenario better, Brigid is seen as the 19 year old who has a 1, 3, & 5 year old! After that situation, they left the building for a bit because Isaiah decided to throw a huge fit! But, thankfully St. Brigid survived her few days alone with the kids!!! (with lots of fun storys to tell!)

I don't really have any pictures to tell the stories of the next two weeks...
But, anyway, we returned home on the 11th, and had to go back to Dallas on the 15th! Thankfully my amazing grandparents offered to take care of Isaiah so he didn't have to make the trip again! Dan & I sang at his cousins wedding there the following day. Thankfully the weather cooperated and it wasn't scorching hot, as the weekend before. We had a very nice time visiting lots of family there!
After returning home again, we began preparing for Colby to begin Kindergarten! This past Thursday he started and thankfully really enjoyed his day! Unfortunately, my dear Colby broke my less than a year old camera last week, so I had to use my mom's camera to capture the event. I will post pictures as soon as I receive them from her!
My body hasn't been agreeing with my need to get lots of things done this past week. I have been in quite a lot of pain, but thankfully that validates my reasoning to have surgery. So, 3 days to go and then recovery will begin! It's going to be a very busy 2 days trying to finish up things at work and at home. I am really looking forward to not hurting... it will be wonderful. I appreciate all the prayers for a successful surgery, and quick recovery.
Have a wonderful week!!!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Abigail's Ballet Watch Day

Here's some pictures of Abigail at ballet!
My computer is kind of freaking out when I try to put more than 1 video on a post. So, here's a little bit of Abigail getting started at ballet. I think it's pretty amazing for a 3 year old to really get focused with the teacher began & follow what she was supposed to do! I was very proud of her!

I'll try later to post another video, as some of them really show her personality!

Potty Training, etc.

The past week at our house has gone by quite fast. Dan took Colby to get the staples removed Thursday evening, which went very well, thankfully. The places where the staples went into his head left little red dots. So, when he was going to bed he asked if he should put a towel on his pillow, in case it bleeds. Kind of precious, thoughtful, but also maybe seeking a little more sympathy.

I went to buy Colby's uniforms to start Kindergarten & had him try them on - wow, he looks so grown up and handsome.

Isaiah has decided that he likes to go to the bathroom in the potty! This is wonderful and a bit scary at 19 months old. So, I'm in a bit of a dilemma... Do I try to potty train him in the next 3 and a half weeks, being out of town for a little over a week of it, or do I wait until way later after I'm recovered from the back surgery?... I welcome and ask for any advice on this subject. It's wonderful that he knows what to do when he's on the potty, but he has a challenge that he can't even pull his own pants down! Yesterday afternoon Dan, Colby & Todd (Dan's best friend) were swimming in the back yard. We joined them outside & eventually Isaiah was naked playing in the water on the sidewalk around the pool. He just squatted down & did his business (1 & 2) on the sidewalk! Thankfully it wasn't messy, if you know what I mean. He's happy to perform on the toilet, even up to 4 times a day so far! But, I don't know if he's really ready to be able to tell me when he needs to & make it there in time... So, please let me know your thoughts!

One more challenge with Isaiah. He is going through what I hope is a phase of hitting people whenever he doesn't get his way, or just for the fun of it. The teachers at mother's day out are not too happy about it! We are really working on trying to stop the behavior at home, but it sure is a challenge! It's interesting and amazing that each child poses a different challenge. Thankfully my others weren't bitters or hitters, but my sweet Isaiah is both! He's stopped biting, but is now hitting quite often. I'm trying to stick to the Love and Logic approach and put him in "bedroom time" using empathy whenever it happens, but I don't know if that's really working. I don't think spanking is a solution because then when he hits, and me "hitting" him back with a spanking shouldn't resolve the problem! I would also appreciate any grand ideas on this subject too!

I can't believe it's already August... time has completely flown by this summer!

Abigail attended a very short ballet class this summer. I went to her last class where they performed what they had learned. It was quite impressive, since she attended only 3 classes! I'm going to try and figure out how to post a video soon so you can see her. She is getting so grown up and has many moments of being very precious. We just came back from a baby shower that we attended together. She had so much fun handing the presents to the mother. Thankfully she was very patient and kind in front of everyone! I am so thankful for those moments of preciousness from her! It's hard to do, but it is wonderful to be able to have special time with each child alone.

Unfortunately, when we came home I noticed she felt pretty hot. I took her temperature & it's 102.8! She went down for a nap, going to sleep in only a few minutes, which is very abnormal for her. So, she's for sure sick! I really hope it is a very short-lived sickness, as we have many plans for the coming few weeks!

I hope everyone has a wonderful couple of weeks left of summer! Enjoy it!