We're still here...just been fighting off illnesses that have been passed around the house. The kids all seem to be doing so much better now. Just a few upset tummy's every once and a while. Whatever this illness was it got to me earlier this week and I'm getting over it now. Whew! Glad that's over!! D is off on his first business trip since the new job. We are hanging out, enjoying the nice weather while he is away.
Today, I met with Logan's current Pre-K teacher for his Parent Teacher conference. Overall he got a wonderful report and is doing very well in school and has showed tremendous progress during the year. As in the words of his teacher, "Logan continues to do an awesome job during phonics and reading groups." This was something new that they started during this semester. His spoken language skills are performed most the time. He has mastered all the reading and phonics skills, except reading a complete sentence. He is writing very well, although he has been able to write his full name since day one. So he was already ahead of the game on that one. What can I say, my kid is a genius! Hehe! That's what all parents say, right?! What I can't believe is that his mathematics skills are almost all mastered. Now I have to say he does not get his mathematics skills from his mother, nor his father. All the credit there goes to good ole G-Pa! He's always teaching him counting skills etc. when they are together. Way to go G-Pa!!
For those of you that may have have been keeping up with us on Twitter, or Facebook, know that today was a rough day. For all those that have not heard. I took Candice to the doctor first thing this morning, her ENT said her lungs did not sound good at all, she had some stridor and was dehydrated. She spent all morning throwing up. More like day..cause it totaled up to 16 times. The doctor sent her down to the Emergency Room for a work up. She got fluids, electrolytes, blood work, breathing treatments, nausea meds and steroids. Turns out they think the respiratory infection she was diagnosed with about 2-3 weeks ago, caused some narrowing in her airway. You just never know with our little Candi-cane. Even though she has had reconstructive airway surgery, due to the subglottic stenosis that she got after the prolonged intubation while she was in the NICU for five months, her airway does have a more likely chance of becoming compromised when she is sick. So an illness that our other kids get, can affect her in a more serious way. Thankfully, we have been really lucky up to this point and she has done really well. But we still have so much to be thankful for, because Candice was released from the hospital and is home tonight in her own bed. Hopefully she will have a good night, and can keep from throwing up. Soon as we left the hospital she threw up all over the car. But, hopefully tomorrow will be a much better day. Great news though, her ears look great, tubes are functioning perfectly and her hearing test today was completely normal. Yeah! She will be with me for the day tomorrow, while the other kiddos go to school. Mommy's gotta take care of her baby!
Update: Candice had a good night at home. She threw up first thing this morning, but has been fine since, Been able to eat small amounts and actually using the restroom today. So great sign that she is back to being hydrated and feeling better. :) She stayed home from school today, which I think she was way to excited about. She sounds way better, not perfect and still has the cough but breathing fine and that's what counts. Hehe!
Our first born is growing up!! Logan has been loving every minute of his pre-K program this year, and all the teachers just love him. How could you not love Logan anyway. Hehe! Although he has more energy than the energizer bunny, and is taking after his fathers people skills way too well, in his quiet moments, he is one of the most sweetest, loving and caring kids and person for that matter. You should see him caring for his brother and sisters. Nothing can top the special bond he has with Hudson though. It is just perfect. He really does seem to watch over his little brother and, loves on him, and keeps him safe. It's all the little moments of seeing them hug or laying together, or Logan whispering something to Hud, that I live for. That is what LIFE is all about!
Today, I registered Logan for Kindergarten! Ahhh! I can't believe it. He is so excited he is going to get to go to the "BIG SCHOOL". Where we live now, the elementary school is literally just across the street. I know we still have several months left in this school year, but it will be here before ya know it. :) Our boy is getting big!!
The Quads have and continue to enjoy there three hours of school Monday-Friday. They have come so far. It is amazing! The other day we got progress reports/evaluations of them in regards to there speech therapy. They all were said to of mastered 70% of almost every goal and step stone that was tested. Except for one, that they all received 80% on, in regards to recognizing names of things, people, etc.
Hudson is the only one receiving physical therapy now, and he scored 50% on each goal. Although, he continues to do well and plays well with the others and can keep his own, he does continue to have a consistent difficulty physically because he is not able to use his left arm/hand normally, and though his leg is much better since his heal toe cord surgery, it is still not normal. Not that it needs to be or ever will be, but of course as his parents, we want to do whatever we can for all of our kids to have the best possible life they can have. So we are looking into other options and seeking other opinions of what is the best plan of action to help him along, as much as we can.
Yes, I know..It's been a while since I last posted and I'm sure I left some of you hanging wondering about how my surgery went and all. Well, I'm back in business now. The overnight stay I was suppose to have after the surgery, turned into a six day stay instead. The surgery itself went very well, they did everything just as they needed to do, and from what they tell me anyway..it was about 5 hrs. Much easier being the one on the other side of it I know, not having a clue to time or anything for that matter. The doctors were wonderful and were so nice to call Donny to give him updates and let him know how everything went, since he had to be on the job (it was his second day at the new job, little to early to ask off..haha). The next day when I was suppose to be released, instead of the doctor coming in to send me off, she was ordering tests and scans to determine what was going on with me. My blood pressure shot up way high, and I had significant pressure and heaviness and pain in my chest. They were very worried that I had a pulmonary embolism, similar to three years ago. Turns out there was no PE, thankfully. But there was fluid in my lungs, which from what I was later told is common with the procedure I had done. My blood pressure remained very high for a few days, and then one day it just finally went down. I really don't remember much of the time I was in the hospital. So much that, I know I talked to my husband on the phone and I know I saw him in person, but the details are not there. But I think that's a good thing. Cause I do know that after the surgery I was in a lot of pain and the simplest of things was almost impossible. After a few days of being at home, and virtually doing nothing, I began to come around. And here I am now, doing very well. The major surgical pains, numbness and tingling that were due to the surgery, finally went away a couple days ago, and I've gone the last three days with no pain meds. Only at night to sleep, cause by the end of the day I'm pretty sore from doing normal activities. Sleeping is really the hardest thing right now, because it's hard to get comfortable and I don't have many options how I can lay. But hey, I can deal with that! I'm feeling really good at this point about the surgery. Hopefully the relief I am feeling from my symptoms before surgery will continue to stay away or be very minimal. For those who are wondering..I have no further surgeries on the agenda. Haha!
Tomorrow morning, I will be undergoing the surgery I spoke of recently. It is called thoracic outlet surgery.
"Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is a complex condition involving compression,
irritation or direct injury of major structures within the thoracic outlet such
as the subclavian vein, subclavian artery and the Brachial Plexus. TOS can be
very painful, debilitating and sometimes life and limb threatening."
President Obama is not the only one who started a new job today. So did Donny D. Today is Donny's first day at his new job. I'm so proud of you Donny! We are so thankful for all the prayers, encouragement, support and gifts that we have received during this time. We are so blessed! Thank you all!
Check out our new blog design! All the thanks goes to my sweet friend Hollie for putting this together. You rock Hollie! :)
When I was a little girl, I played make believe. I pretended to cook and clean and to be a Mommy to my baby dolls. (I did not role play walking around Super Target with screaming kids, because there are some things that you must experience to truly appreciate). But in my naive mind, I imagined a man, a husband. He was brave, strong, tall and very handsome. And he loved me. It was a dream. And some might call this a silly fairy tale or the immature longings of a girl who loved romance. But I call it my life. Because you are the man of my dreams. You are the first to hold me when I am afraid. You are my encourager when I doubt myself. You are the one who made me a Mother of five. You are also the one who still leaves his clothes on the floor. Ok so this is getting a bit better...just moved from the floor to the chair. (Just keeping it real).
I am not a little girl anymore. I am a woman and you are a man. But I can't help but think of the things I didn't dream about....I didn't dream that I would hear my husband praying over me as I laid in a hospital bed in ICU fighting for my life. . I didn't dream that my man would be a Chicken Fried Steak fairy, delivering me my favorite food while I lay in bed rest pregnant with quadruplets. I didn't dream that my husband would be the kind of father that blow dries his girls’ hair at night. I didn't dream that my man would face sudden job loss and show me what true confidence in God to provide looks like.
Today you turn 30 years old. And more than anything, I want you to know that I love you more than I ever dreamed. You are a man among men. You stand out as you lead our family. You are my heart, my life, my best friend, and my soul mate. Happy Birthday, Donny! I am so proud of you. Thank you for making my dreams come true.
I love you, I’m in love with you, and I choose to LOVE you forever!
I know it has been a while. First of all, thank you for praying us through this last unexpected surgery. (If you did not hear through the grapevine, I had another ovarian surgery) Thankfully, this time they were able to do it laparoscopically. It could not have been any smoother or easier. And with my experience that is very hard to come by. I'm doing very well in recovery, and should be cleared to drive again tomorrow at my post-op visit. Whohoo!
Before all this unexpected surgery came about I had been seeing a thoracic specialist. The last year I have been going through physical therapy and had multiple tests and injections to treat my thoracic problems. Now the time has come and It looks like I will be having thoracic surgery next week. I'll be seeing the two different surgeons this week who will both be involved in my surgery. All the blood work will be done the next day. And the following day, Thursday the 22nd I will have the surgery. Please be in prayer for a safe and successful surgery. If the surgery is successful it will change my life. (Chronic issues, pains and numbness I deal with daily would go away). The surgery involves dividing a muscle in the neck and removing a portion of the first rib. It is a 5 hr surgery. Pray for D, at this point, he will be at work at his new job that day. :) (Yes that's right D got a new job! Well, actually he has been offered two positions, he accepted one...and if the background check comes back good he is in and starts next week. But we will see cause he has also had several interviews since for other companies and is one of the top candidates for another position with another company and will be meeting with them again Monday. So if he gets a job offer from them, that may change the direction he will go. Only God knows, and we will find out. But D hit the ground running looking for a job and has kept busy at it, and it is paying off. Yeah for Donny!!) As of today my blood levels were right where they need to be and I started on Lovinox shots. This is the last big medical issue I have been dealing with as a result from complications after the quads. So hopefully...after this I will be sitting pretty!
We appreciate your prayers!
