Ending of Week 3

This nose thing has been quite the experience!  Crazy, weird, uncomfortable, bothersome, annoying, you name it.
Nothing like finding out how much "packing" your doctor put up your nose during surgery 3 weeks later!!! More and more keeps blowing out!! Yuck!!
The numbness is slowly fading away into pain.  Nerves regenerating.  Even the top of my head aches.
I try to lay on my side and the pressure on the left side of my head is unbearable.  Feels like my titanium clamps ("you won't feel them") are going to pop.  Maybe it isn't the clamps, just more "packing" that needs to be blown out!!  I have to sleep on 3 pillows laying at an angle so my head doesn't go so low that I feel pressure.  Hopefully that will get better soon.  Never realize how nice it is to sleep on your stomach until you can't!!
Anyway, enough of the gross stuff!!  To put it lightly, this is a LONG process, and one that I didn't expect to take as long as it is.  But….think of people that have plastic surgery on the face…..they take MONTHS for swelling to go away!!  My doctor said months, but I really couldn't fathom that.  I guess I can now.  2 big surgeries in two days, trauma to the face, anesthesia, etc….  I guess that could be true.
The stitches that are in the inside corner of my eye have not fallen out yet.  I am going into the doctor on Wednesday for him to take them out!  How exciting! ugh!! Maybe then he can clue me in on how much "packing" there actually is up my nose!!
On a lighter note, school for kids is done tomorrow!  I am ready to have a break!  Teachers have make up days to do because of days taken off for the bad winter we had.  Inservice time.  It will go fast, and then we can regenerate during the summer.  I am looking forward to spending a great summer here at our new home on the lake.  It is so nice to look outside your window and see water!!  Tomorrow the patio furniture that I ordered will be delivered.  It is also forecasted to be the warmest day yet this year!  How fitting!

Easter

We were able to spend Easter out in Virginia with my brother Peter and his family.  It was a very special Easter because we have not been out to see Amelia since she was diagnosed with cancer.  Taya and I were the only ones able to go as Jonah had a short break and Dustin was home also and was splitting the time with us and Cassie.

We really had a good time with Amelia, and it was several good days for her with feeling well, so that made it even more special.

We were able to see her get back up on a horse for the first time since diagnosis!  Seeing that smile on her sweet face was awesome.  It truly was a perm-a-grin from the time she got on till the time she got off.

We baked an awesome Easter tie-dye cake, played cards (golf), watched TV, went to Georgetown on a gorgeous day, went to a movie, talked a lot, and just had great family time.  

When we first got there, Amelia was still in the hospital so Taya and I went there to visit her.  Taya's class had all written cards to Amelia and also raised money in her name for the childhood lymphoma society.  It was pretty special seeing Taya show Amelia the cards and tell her about the money they raised.

We loved every minute being there......... We are going back in June for Clara's graduation.  Can't wait.

Washington Nationals Game

Behind them is Georgetown Cupcakes.  Line goes up the road a full block!

Tye-Dye Cake

Happy Easter!

Never Saw it Coming

Boy!  Did I get hit with a fast one.  Nothing like waking up on a Saturday morning feeling fine and 10 hours later rolling over with a nosebleed.
Mind you, (I didn't know this at the time) not a "normal" nosebleed
I did all the things, pinch, lean forward, etc... NOTHING would stop it!!!  I haven't had a nose bleed for over 20 years!!
So, to the emergency room we go in Worthington.
They continue to try to stop it, then go to the extreme of sticking these 2 1/2 inch long gauze "Rhino Rockets" up up up into my nose to where they feel as if they are going to come out my eyes!  THEN, they pump AIR into them!!  YEAH.....
They have me sit there, feeling like I had probably lost a gallon of blood and send me home saying if it starts to leak/drain down my throat to come back in, ahhh, okay?
Go home
20 minutes later...bleeding 3am in the morning
call ER
go in again
can't do any more
need to go to Sioux Falls, SD to Sanford ER where they have an ENT on call
dad drives me a 4:30 am to Sioux Falls-Dana stays home with Taya because she had just fallen asleep from the 3 hours in ER in Worthington
Get to ER
Gal TRIES to put in IV and does miserably!!!  Almost pass out and throw up at the same time (try that with your nose plugged!! ) yeah....
Gal calls another guy in, gets the IV in
ENT comes in.  First man I feel knows what to do
Says the bleed is WAY up between the eyes even where rapid rocket can't reach!
Need surgery to clamp artery up in nose
9:30am (Sunday) in surgery
wake up like a train ran over me
admitted
ENT comes that evening to check
stopped considerably, but still bleeding
another surgery in the morning
stay in bed all night dripping and NOT sleeping-pulse, temp, high bloodpressure (med), DISCOMFORT (med) sleep (10 min) wake dry mouth, suck on a sponge BECAUSE I CAN'T DRINK A DARN THING BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO INTO SURGERY AGAIN!!!
9:30 am  wheeled into surgery.  This time they go through my left EYE into the sinus cavity and clamp another artery
into recovery....black, puffed eye, and of course no nose breathing
brought back to room...miserable
told they stopped bleeding and that I will stay one more day in the hospital.
"Looks Good"  he says and then says I can go home the next day AND "YOU CAN't BLOW OR SNIFF YOUR NOSE FOR 2 STINKIN WEEKS!!!!"
What??? Really????
Is This really happening?  I thought I woke up Saturday just fine?
So, go home, can not work Monday through Friday which is fine with me as I feel miserable and would scare the kids away if they looked at me.
I am on day 3 home (day 6 since it started)
So you ask?  "How's it going?"   THIS STINKS, SMELLS (no, not really BECAUSE I CAN'T SMELL!!), IS THE PITS, HORRIBLE...
I think you get the picture.
Yes, I am complaining.
I am able to do this because almost nobody reads this and it is for me to chronicle our lives so I am entitled to put any DARN thing I want in here.
My attitude is not good, but to tell you the truth, this rates right up there with kidney stones and having a baby as far as discomfort!
Dr. says I have to expect that.  "your nose has gone through major surgery, twice"  REALLY?!!!  oh!  I couldn't tell!!!
 YIPPEE!!
Please Lord, let this get better real soon.
9 days until I can blow my nose......
You know what, put this into perspective......There are MANY more people who are worse off than me.
Isn't this memorable??? I am jealous of all you nose breathers!!  Will I ever breathe again????

The Air is Thick

Ever have that time in your life where you just feel a dullness throughout your body?  Life still goes on.  We still have have our fun moments when we laugh and have a good time, but we still have that lurky feeling in the back of our mind all the time.  All.  The.  Time.

We are sad.  Sad that our niece/cousin/granddaughter/daughter/friend Amelia has cancer.  Sad that she has to go through these horrible treatments.  Sad to see her two wonderful parents be torn apart, feeling helpless, loving her so very much, and having to make life and death decisions and live through this nightmare.  Sad that her siblings have to go through this difficult time.  Sad that she has to endure all the debilitating side effects.  Sad that she has to see her siblings and know that right now she can just sit back and watch and not participate.  Sad. Sad. Sad.  Will this nightmare end?  Yes, WE can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us, but, oh!, Lord!  Please hold us up!

I have not been able to go out to Virginia to see Amelia.  This pains me.  Thankfully there has been a great amount of help.  I am glad that I can finally go out there and help over Easter.  Taya and I will be going out there for 5 days.  I want to see MeMe.  Taya misses her sooooo much and just wants to be with her. I love this girls so much my heart aches.  Please Lord, heal her completely!

Too Long!

It has been a long time since my last post, and, there has been some great news as well as sad.  But, this post is going to be happy as Dustin is now engaged!!  He got engaged about 3 weeks ago and we are just thrilled!  Cassie is a true gem, and we are so happy that she is going to be a part of our family!  The two of them are so in love, and, just so cute together!!  Here's to you my wonderful son!  Congratulations!!  Wedding September 2015!!

Love you both!

Strep!--another forgotten draft!

Poor Tay Tay!  She has been complaining for the past week on and off that her throat hurt, but it never seemed to slow her down, so we decided to just wait it out.  Well, today right as daddy was bringing her up to get dressed and I was about to go out the door, I gave her a hug and boy was she warm.  She definately had a very high temp, and you could tell she just wasn't her self.  So,  off i rush to school to get my plans in order quickly for a sub, I take her in to the doctor, and....... "boy...her throat is as red as red can be"  it was so very inflamed the doctor believes it could more than likely be strep (but he was going to treat it, so didn't swab it), or, worse case scenario if the antibiotic didn't work, MONO!!  PLease!!!  NO MONO!!  Both boys and myself have had it and it. is. not. fun!!!  We are praying that it is only strep (praying for strep!  Ha!) and that she will turn the corner fast.  I tell you what....she is ONE TOUGH COOKIE.  It takes a lot for her to get sick, and then when we do take her in, doctors are amazed at her pain tolerance.  Her best buddie Jaeleigh, also from China is just the same.  Must be in the Chinese genes!!  She is a trooper, and when she is dosed up on motrin, you would never know she was sick!  Please pray for a speedy recovery!

Jonah is having a good time in golf.  He had a try out for the JV team today and missed the team by one point.  He is just fine with it as he has only been at it for a week while the others have done 3.  He is a very talented boy, and I know it will just be time before he really takes off

Gymnastics--another post I forgot to post!