The Lord Rejoices tonight...

Nana's heart stopped and she went to join the Lord in heaven tonight. We know this because Nana had accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour. She's attending a party in heaven and her body is no longer broken. She's finally healed.

Please pray for our family as we grieve our great loss.

:( Nana update by my mom :(

Johnny and I met with a number of doctors today regarding my mother's condition. After much discussion, it was decided that it was appropriate to honor her wishes to not be keep alive by artificial means.

She will be on the respirator and kept comfortable with a morphine drip, but they will not be giving her additional medications and will remove most of the other tubes, letting nature take its course.

We appreciate your continued prayers for her comfort and God's grace, and of course for Johnny and the rest of the family at this difficult time.
Ann

L updates, etc. ...Wednesday, 7/30/08

in the 100F car


"more" mama


L's best friends...her sippy cup and cheerios....L drank lots of water today... more than a sippy cup worth...

Well, L's decided that walking around on her knees is way more fun than trying to walk. She's really funny. Video of L walking on her knees.

Today L graduated to using toddler flatware (sporks & spoons) instead of infant spoons. She also ate real oatmeal (not the infant stuff) today for the first time. I mixed it w/no sugar added applesauce and she liked it.

This morning, L & I went to playgroup at Anne's house. Anne was in my women's Bible study at church last year but I hadn't been over to her house yet. Her sons are like 3 and 6 so I didn't have to watch them playing with her as carefully as I do with the cousins since they actually knew to be gentle with her, etc. It was actually nice that there was only a few of us there b/c we got to visit more than we normally would have been able to. I forfeited L's nap this morning so I could have more time there. We got home around noon and I fed her and put her down for a nap around 1pm. She woke up around 3pm and I didn't get her up until 4pm b/c I want her to get used to sleeping for a longer than two hours if she's only taking one nap. She got up from her nap today with SO much energy! She had dinner and has been contently playing while I talked with D's cousin for awhile and until this moment, she's been letting me update this blog. Right now, she's upset b/c she wants our phone off the wall. So L required more attention than I was giving her so it's now a couple hours later and she's quietly sleeping. She played with her daddy's belt (video).



It's SO hot here! So far, we've had 35 days above 90 degrees this summer and we're on day 18 of days in a row of higher than 90 degrees. yuck! It's supposed to be over 100F for the next four days! more yuck! Plus, humidity here was like a whole 8% today.

In other really SAD news, my mom met with the doctors today and they've decided to remove everything but the resperator and add a morphine drip for my Nana. I'm torn b/c obviously I LOVE my Nana and know that she didn't want to live like this (and has 3 different types of orders to that affect) but knowing that she can open her eyes and track you moving, it's just really hard knowing that and just letting her die. I know it was Nana's decision so they are just carrying out her orders and I know that her quality of life will never be good or return, but it's hard nonetheless. I think that even though I knew this day was coming, I didn't realize how difficult it would be for me to hear the news. The thing that compounds my grief is knowing that her husband seemingly has given up on her before this and although he visited her a few hours each day, he just sat next to her reading a book and didn't talk to her or tell her he was coming or going. He's already listed their house for sale and already bought a place in Kansas. To me, it just comes off a little harsh, although I know we all grieve in our own ways. It just seems like he could have at least waited another week or, knowing today's developments, waited until she passed away. Plus, b/c he obviously didn't get that she could hear, he talked about his new place in front of Nana today. :( Anyhow, I know all of this isn't imporant in the end but it's what I'm going through right now.

Also, I posted some videos from yesterday on this post Tuesday, 7/29/08 videos of L walking with toy

Tuesday 7/29/08 videos of L walking with toy

Video of L hanging her tongue out

Video of L walking with her airplane toy

Video of L walking with her airplane toy 2

Artificial Sweetners...

i like this little blurb from a blog that an acquaintance's company wrote...

Let's start with artificial sweeteners. There is a long history of health controversies related to artificial sweeteners, although with the exception of cyclamates they are all still approved by the FDA.

But if you read the National Cancer Institute's position on artificial sweeteners, you could summarize it like this: Almost every artificial sweetener out there is really, really bad for rats. But we haven't proven that it's bad for humans yet, so what the heck, pour it in.

I stopped consuming artificial sweeteners after reading an amazing article in The New Yorker magazine (summarized here). Unfortunately the full text of the article is not available online, but the author interviewed a chemist who invented one of the main artificial sweeteners. The author asked the chemist if he ever consumed the stuff, and the guy's response was like, "No way! Are you kidding me? Once you know what it's made of you'd never eat it!"

Aside from being made of nasty chemicals, artificial sweeteners have been conclusively proven to make people crave more sugar and gain weight.

So get off the pink packets. And the yellow ones and the blue ones, too. Remember: Friends don't let friends drink artificial sweeteners.Here's a nice summary of literature on artificial sweeteners.

Monday's Nana update by my mom...

There doesn't seem to be any change in my mother's condition. They will get another EEG done on her tomorrow to compare it with the one done before she was put under the general anesthetic. We will meet with the doctors and social worker on Wednesday morning to discuss what happens next.

Please pray for everyone involved in this process.

Thank you!

Ann

Sunday, 7/27/08

Today we took a low key day and D had to write his paper for school. L's still throwing tantrums which is totally annoying. She also stayed in her crib for two hours today not sleeping but banging drawers, etc.

Sunday's Nana update by my mom...

My good friend Phyllis and I went to see my mother this afternoon. She can hear and blinked in recognition to family names- I mentioned many names. She is not tracking with her eyes and cannot make a fist, but she definitely heard me.

We told her a little about what was happening, but mostly we expressed everyone's love and concern for her and told her there were many people praying for her- for her peace, that she wouldn't be in pain, and for God's mercy and grace. I told her that I knew she didn't want to spend the rest of her life in bed- that we were ok, that Johnny was ok, and that she didn't need to worry about anything- everything was taken care of.

We prayed for her and said a blessing over her. Phyllis sang her the Lord's Prayer and we recited the 23rd Psalm over her. I told her that I couldn't have had a better mother- that she was always there for me, encouraging me in whatever I did. Before we left I told her that Johnny would be there in the morning.

Please continue to pray for God's mercy and grace, and His timing in all of this. They will probably remove her from the ventilator tomorrow, possibly Tuesday. We will have to see what happens from there.

Thank you so much for your love and support- you mean a lot to me!

Ann

D's surprise 30th bday party...Saturday 7/26/08

So yesterday (Saturday) was the big day. I was nervous to see if I could pull off the big surprise.

We started off the morning by going to L's swim lesson. She's really started to enjoy herself there. She smiles, laugh, kicks, and splashs (she now knows what the word "splash" means, but she hasn't figured out "kick" yet). We had a good time and I even took a solo ride down the water slide (which was a good thing since I totally went under at the end and my nose burned from the chlorine for awhile) and D took L down.





Then D's mom arrived around 1:45 so we could leave at 2 to catch the 2:30 showing of the Dark Knight. We enjoyed the movie (although it was 2.5hrs) and then it was time for the big reveal. D let me out of the car before pulling into the garage so I went to get the mail so that he would be the first one in the door. He walked in and everyone said "surprise." He was so stunned that he was practically speechless...hard to imagine, i know. Anyhow, he said later that he was a little suspicious b/c i put the pillows on the bed, had the counter cleared off, bought two tubs of the same type of ice cream, and put makeup on to go to a movie. Oh well...a girl's gotta look good and so's her house!

Anyhow, everyone was great and brought food. I took care of dessert...brownies & ice cream. It was also nice to finally meet one of D's coworkers (Susan) & her husband and one of D's gaming buddies (Kyle) & his gf (Jax).

When I get pics from others of the big surprise, I'll have to post them.




part of the group on the couch


L looking at daddy's bday cards


Wendy, Kyle, & Mario up to no good


Mya & L playing in the kitchen


Susan, her husband Aaron, & D


Wendy & Carey


Jenny's bf Kevin, Jenny & L


the family: me, D's sister Jenny, L, D & D's mom Karen


D & Mario playing games (Kyle was there earlier with them)

Friday, July 25th...tantrums

So I can't help but think L's a little funny when she doesn't get her way...she either flails her head back and arches her body (which i don't think is funny b/c i'm always afraid she's going to hurt herself) or she's on her knees and puts her hands flat on the ground with her head to the ground in between them and cries. It's quite funny...although i try not to laugh or be annoyed since she does it all day long at the littlest things.

She took a two hour morning nap but she lasted an hour of her afternoon nap before she started to cry and I know she didn't sleep at all because I could hear her the whole time. I knew I was in trouble when I started to hear drawers open and close. When I went in to get her, the wall hanging (a quilt my mom made for me as a baby) was only on one of its five nails and there were slippers in her crib and the floor and some shoes on the floor and one of the dresser drawers that's next to her crib was open. Something tells me this kid is going to give me a run for my money!

A couple days ago, I tried to introduce lima beans. She ate a few but since then has had no interest (I try every morning). This morning after she spit out the lima bean, I tried giving her squash. She ate two bites before she spit all the rest out as well. I just think that she's going to get really sick of corn, peas, sweet potatoes, and carrots really soon since she gets them almost every day.

Friday's Nana update by my mom...

My mother is still coming off of the general anesthetic- they will be monitoring her visually the next few days to see if she gets more responsive. Once they determine that the anesthetic is out of her system, they will remove the ventilation tube and see if she breathes on her own.
They are removing the monitor that has been tracking her brain waves- the sensors are irritating the scalp, and since they have no plans to put her back under a general anesthetic if she starts seizing again, the monitor is no longer necessary.

So it continues to be one day at a time. Both sides of the brain appear to have been damaged, so they do not expect much if she does wake up.

Johnny's daughter, Diane, has been here for two weeks. She will be returning home on Sunday but may return later in the week.

Thank you for your continued prayers and concern.
Ann

Our 13-month-old: Week 2‏

At this point you're still your toddler's favorite playmate. But as he gets better at expressing himself through words and gestures, he'll enjoy being around other children. If you take him on playdates or to the park, you may notice that he plays near other children but not really with them. Experts call this "parallel play," and it's perfectly normal for a 13-month-old who still thinks the world revolves around him.

New this month: Me first!

Do you feel as if your whole world still revolves around your baby? So does he! In fact, for much of his second year, your toddler will be self-absorbed. Sharing toys, snacks, and especially your attention may be very difficult. Watch him playing alongside another child, and you'll probably notice that he isn't very interested in actually interacting with her.

You're still the most important person in your 13-month-old's life, and he's likely to demand a lot of your attention. But you'll start to see glimpses of his growing independence and confidence. As long as he can keep an eye on you, he may entertain himself in the family room for several minutes while you prepare dinner, interrupt you for a quick reassuring cuddle, and then venture out on his own again.

At 13 months, children start to recognize that they have power, and they're learning how to use it. Your toddler may demand that you read to him, push him on a swing, take him for a walk. Even if he doesn't use words, he can make clear, by tugging on you and pointing, exactly what he wants. What you can do

Whether he's already a social butterfly or a little on the shy side, you can help your child develop social skills with these fun activities:

Hide and seek. Chasing you and hiding from you are probably among your 13-month-old's favorite activities. He'll be happy hiding behind a chair, a book, or even a dishtowel, and giggling endlessly as you pretend you can't find him.

Fetch. Your 13-month-old will adore this one, though you may find it less than entertaining. Throwing toys out of his crib or playpen or food off his highchair and watching you retrieve the objects and hand them back to him is big-time fun. He may also enjoy handing you toys, books, and other objects, expecting that you will hand them back. This kind of give, take, and give again is actually a social game, a way of keeping your attention. You may also notice that he loves an audience, and will repeat any "performance" that elicits a positive response, especially applause.

The "face-naming" game. Point to your eyes, nose, etc., and name them, and he'll soon get the hang of it. Ask him where your mouth is and soon enough he'll put his fingers right in it. Psychologists think this may be a precursor to the separation process (when your toddler figures out that you and he are separate people) that begins during the second year. Other developments: Stranger anxiety and more fears

At around 13 months, many toddlers develop stranger anxiety. Yours may become upset when you leave him, even with friends or family members he sees often. A toddler who cries or whimpers, trembles, hides, or tries to run away from "strangers" is simply demonstrating that he can distinguish the difference between people he knows well — his parents and caregivers — and those he doesn't.

Even toddlers who are at ease with unfamiliar people will encounter situations that overwhelm them. A 13-month-old has a budding imagination, and things that never seemed to bother him before, such as the vacuum cleaner, bathtime, or a neighbor's pet, may suddenly be very scary.

What you can do
Remember that trust cannot be forced, so if your child is especially anxious around new faces, be patient and let him keep his distance until he's ready to interact. He'll look to you for guidance, so if you seem at ease around a new babysitter, for instance, he'll take that cue. It may help him become more comfortable around new people if you include him on excursions to the grocery store, or other places where he can watch how you behave around people you don't know.

Here are a few ways to soothe him when he's frightened of other things:

Loud noises. If the sound of the vacuum cleaner or lawn mower sends your child into a frenzy, let him touch the object (when it's not plugged in or turned on, of course). If sirens bother him, take a walk past your local firehouse so he can see the trucks and ambulances parked quietly. If he's curious about certain objects, let him explore them (if it's safe) and that will help calm his fears. Never force him into an encounter, though, since that will only feed his uneasiness.

The bathtub. Going down the drain, soap in the eyes, slipping — there's plenty for a toddler to fear at bathtime. If your toddler starts to resist getting into the tub, even if he used to enjoy the ritual, try giving him a sponge bath for a few days. Allow him to sit in the tub with no water, and use a washcloth rather than a cup of water to rinse his hair. You might even skip the shampoo for a few days until his anxiety eases. After a few days you can leave the water running and the drain open so the water doesn't accumulate too much, and then gradually ease up to a full-fledged bath again. If he fears the drain, demonstrate how his bath toys can't fit down the drain and so neither can he.

Animals. Even children who have pets at home are often frightened by other animals. Imagine how you'd feel if you came face-to-face with a 7-foot-tall bear; the neighbor's golden retriever seems just as menacing to your 13-month-old. Never force your child to pet an animal. Instead, do some role-playing with stuffed animals, or read books that feature animals like the ones he's afraid of. And it's very important to teach children to never pet any animal unless they ask the pet's owner first. Even the friendliest dog or cat can bite or scratch when provoked.

updated blog

i'll be updating my blog over the next few days with stuff from my CA trip (and maybe from before) but I'll be backdating it to keep it in order. Check this post to see which posts I've added.

Here are the updated posts: (I'll add to this list as I go)

Fourth of July Friday
Saturday 7/5/08 Visit to Nana's
Thursday 7/3/08 Arrived Safe in OC
Tuesday 7/8/08...visit old home and sister's

Thursday 7/24/08...video of L walking on her knees

I caught a couple seconds of L walking on her knees on video today. Here it is.

She bit me quite a bit today so I think she might be teething but can't figure out which teeth since i didn't see any evidence in her mouth. She also didn't sleep very long this morning so I put her down again for a late afternoon nap and she slept for 1.5hrs. Here's some pics of her today.

having fun pulling the pillows off the couch. dress compliments of mimi.


having fun with daddy and her new bath toy


more fun with bath toys

Thursday's Nana update by my mom...

Johnny just called from the hospital. The head neurologist came by and read the monitors. They have been gradually taking my mother off of the general anesthetic, and are now taking her off of it completely- she is still on her other meds. They will see how she's doing in the morning. If she is ok, they will decrease the seizure meds. If she does end up seizing again, they do not plan on putting her under general anesthetic again.

We'll have to wait and see what happens, one day at a time. The doctor does not think she will be coming home again in any case.

Please continue to pray for God's grace and timing in all of this- and for wisdom for the doctors.
Thank you.
Ann

stupid obsessive media coverage of obama

I like the following quote from a CNN article titled, "Media's profitable pump for Obama"

"Obama, meanwhile, is like the rock star who's realized that he can just scream unintelligible words into the microphone between songs, and the entire stadium will still scream. When your fans already love you, there's no reason to risk it by offering anything that might be controversial.

As candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain are ironically a lot like the way the media treats them: Obama is the glitzy magazine cover that screams for people to buy the issue, and McCain is the fact-filled article buried inside that makes you glad you did."

Wednesday, 7/23/08

For the most part, my darling daughter was a total pain today. I've captured the few exceptions below. :)


wearing her cousin C's skirt


with her new toy helicopter from auntie candy and uncle dale


playing with the magnets on the fridge


standing at the gate (i'm on the other side at the dining table with my laptop!)


i don't know why, but her latest thing is laying totally flat on the floor

updated blog

just updated the blog with a post for monday 7/21. Scroll down or here's the link.

updated the blog with a post for wednesday, 7/2. Here's the link.

Tuesday 7/22/08

L was cranky today and required a lot of holding and attention. I think it must be her cold (she sounded a little stuffy on saturday and had a runny nose on sunday...i'm thinking she caught it on friday either from her cousin S who was sick or from the airplane).

Anyhow, today she mastered getting onto and off of her mini-couch by herself. It's too cute. On...off...on...off...on...off...you get the picture.

I also noticed that she's walking on her knees if she has something in her hand and it's only for a very short distance. My mom said I walked on my knees for 2 months.

Her other latest development started right before we left CA...so about a week ago...she's started babbling like she's talking...quite often. It's too funny.

Tonight we made a trip out to BRU to pick up a few items we needed that the closer stores didn't have. We got a faucet protector for the bath tub, some toys for the tub, and a cup to rinse her with. After we got home from CA, she's been taking baths in her little bath tub in the big bath tub since she's too clever for the kitchen sink now. She figured out how to turn the water on and off right before we left for CA and let's just say that got real annoying real fast. In CA, she liked baths in the kiddie bath in the big bath tub. We also switched from giving her baths in the morning to giving her baths at night. She was coming home really dirty from crawling around other people's homes so I was giving her a bath anyhow so it seemed pointless to duplicate it in the morning too. Besides that cleared the way for more playtime in the AM. Plus, D was always better at letting her play during bath time so now she's clearly having more fun. I was more about getting the job done quickly and efficiently. :)

L also likes putting cheerios different places...in the sand castle molds, in her choo-choo train, in the trunk of her airplane...

Tuesday's Nana update by my mom...

The doctors began to lower the amount of anesthetic they are giving my mother today- it will take a week to get it all out of her system. If the brain begins seizing, they will put her back on the anesthetic.

They do not expect her brain to function normally when she does come out of it. We are taking it one day at a time.

Thank you for your continued interest and care.
Ann

Love, Love, Love this Picture!

I think this pic of my niece S turned out great!

Monday 7/21/08

D stayed home from work to help with L since she was sick. Figures, she turned out to be ok. But D was able to put together the BBQ he bought yesterday and he was here when his aunt and uncle decided to drop by on their way to the airport (they were out house hunting since he just accepted a job in Denver and are going to move in September).

Here's pics of L sitting watching her daddy put together the bbq. She sat there for quite some time on her little couch and would pound on the window to get D's attention. She's wearing a new outfit from uncle Dale & aunt Candy.

Monday's Nana update by my mom...

It looks like we will not have any new information from the doctors until tomorrow. I waited along with Johnny and Diane this morning for the neurologist- we finally had to send for her.

Basically she said that she is reviewing all of her cases (they are on rotation so she has a new set of patients, including my mom) then she will go over the information with the other two neurologists and hopefully, will have a report in the morning.

The monitoring machine apparently went off (as in wasn't working) from sometime on Saturday until Sunday morning, so there's no way of knowing whether she had any seizures during that time. They want a 48 hour period of no seizure activity before slowly taking her out of the induced state, so we'll see what they say tomorrow.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

Ann

Home safe!

L and I made it home safe last night. L was as good as could be expected on the flight although it takes a TON of my energy to keep her that way. :)

Today, L woke up early so D entertained her for awhile before I fed her. D fed her breakfast before taking her to swim so I could get a rest after 2 weeks of being full time mom. L slept from 10:30-2:15, which is like amazing since she was only sleeping like 2-2.5hrs. in CA. We had sorta tried moving her naps back and trying to get her down to one before I left but it didn't really work that well. Then in CA, L wasn't getting afternoon naps b/c of one thing or another, but basically I knew we had to do something later so I'd let her sleep as long as she wanted for her morning nap but put her down a little later...mainly b/c she wasn't tired at 10...so I'd put her down at 10:30 or 11, based on when she looked like she was tired. So we'll see if she does it again tomorrow.

Anyhow, after her nap and lunch, we ran errands b/c we needed to get stuff for tonight and for L's future meals. Then we got home and needed to leave 15 minutes later to get to my playgroup's dinner. It was at the Grooter's in an older neighborhood in Boulder but they have a huge backyard and a view of the Flatirons. I thought it was SO hot but my friend Liane claimed it was "nice" outside. I guess I just got spoiled with all that beautiful coastal so. cal. weather!! But it was like 95 today and my car said it was 90 when we left at 7:30pm. Despite the heat, it was nice to see everyone again. :) Then when we got home, after we put L to bed, we watched a movie and I was able to multitask b/c I got to use my new laptop!! Yes, I finally got my Christmas gift b/c I finally decided what I wanted and okayed D to spend the money. Anyhow, I could actually do 2 things at once! ...put my pics on my computer and watch the movie at the same time! :D :D :D

totally blurry but still really cute!

Saturday's Nana update by my mom...

The twins and I went to see my mother today. Katie and Amanda spent sometime with her telling her stories while I held baby Camdyn- then Katie took over so I could go in with Amanda.
They upped the general anesthetic again today, since she had two seizures last night (they seem to be using the words seizure and spasm interchangeably). We should have a better idea of her prognosis by Monday.

L's 13 months old!!

Our 13-month-old: Week 1‏
Whether your toddler's been walking for months or is still happy just cruising, one thing's for sure: She's not about to slow down. With great delight, she'll soon learn that walking frees her hands to unroll reams of toilet paper, knock glasses off coffee tables, and empty your bedside drawers. What to do? Spend lots of time at the park, and notch up your childproofing efforts so your toddler has plenty of space to explore without getting hurt.

How your toddler's growing: Has your soon-to-be toddler taken her first unsteady steps yet? If not, she probably will soon, so keep your camera close by. (Don't worry if your baby seems perfectly content with cruising for now — some children don't walk until 17 or 18 months or even later.) As your baby takes charge of her own mobility, she'll be better able to satisfy her curiosity about the world around her. So don't be too surprised if she ends up decorating the wall with that crayon she found on the floor; now that she's getting better at using her hands, works of art will soon start popping up all over the place...

How your life is changing: Communication with your 13-month-old is getting more sophisticated all the time. She's probably got the hang of "Dada," "Mama," and a few other recognizable words, though she's still quite good at making her desires known without much vocabulary. When she wants down, she'll point down; when she wants your attention, she'll tug your shirt. She's also understanding a good percentage of the simple language you use around her every day, so be sure to talk to her and read to her as much as possible.

Friday Nana update by my mom

Things are not looking so good for my mother- there has been a lot of brain damage with the continuing seizures. The medication they were using was not working, so they changed it to another one this morning- they should know Sunday whether it's working. The neurologist said that even if works and the seizures stop, and she comes out of the induced state, he is afraid the damage to the brain has been too much.

John and Paula and the boys were there for the doctor's report- they are driving home in the morning. The twins and I will be going in tomorrow to see her and talk to her.

Please pray for God's timing and grace in all of this- I know my mother would not want her body to continue to live on indefinitely w/o her. It would have been difficult enough after the surgery and strokes to have recovered, since it didn't seem likely that she would ever be able to go home again.

Please also pray for Johnny and the rest of the family. It's fortunate that Johnny's family was here this week and that his daughter Diane has been able to extend her stay for another week- we really appreciate her being here.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Ann

Wednesday's Nana Update...

Mom went to visit Nana today (I stayed home w/Elodie while she took a nap). She was able to see Nana open her eyes for the internist when he asked. She waited around b/c the neurologist was supposed to come by but he came after she left. Johnnyʼs family was there when the neurologist came and he said the doctor talked to them for awhile but that it was information overload.

The latest is they were putting Nana on a ventilator this afternoon and then start the general anesthetic drip. She should be out of it for 48 hrs. They want the spasms to stop and not come back before they back off on the drip and let her come out of it. (The spasms were getting more frequent and longer.) Iʼm sure this is a risky procedure for anyone, probably more so for her. I’m not sure all the risks but my guess is that it seems like the big one is the risk of her not being able to breath on her own afterwards, even though she’s breathing on her own just fine now. Oh, the neurologist also said that the damage to her brain is something that has been going on for a long time, probably due to sustained high blood pressure and small strokes.

We’ll keep you updated as we get more information.

updated Sunday's blog entries...

I added a post on Sunday's festivities... Link to the post on C&C's baby dedications.

Barbara Mead's visit...

Barbara, L & my mom at dinner tonight

Today I stayed home with L during her nap while mom went to help out A since she was home today with both kids since her hubby had to go back to work. Mom got home when L woke up from her nap. I fed L and then we were supposed to leave to go see Nana but mom bailed b/c her ankles were really bothering her. She stayed home so she'd be recovered enough by dinner time, plus she watched L. I drove out to Anaheim to see Nana. I stayed for about an hour and an half. Barbara Mead drove up from Carlsbad to meet me there towards the end. Then I headed home to nurse L and Barbara followed me about 15 minutes later so that I was done nursing L by the time Barbara got to mom's house. We had dinner at Claim Jumper (I'm always trying to think of places that I like that we don't have back in CO and I like their clam chowder in a bread bowl...yum!). Anyhow, I fed L while we waited for our food. She did well for most of the meal and we all had fun talking and catching up. Then I came home and gave L a bath before nursing her and putting her to bed.

Tuesday's Nana update...

I went to visit Nana again today. I got to stay longer today but most of the time I was watching the staff put all the electrodes and leads back on her head b/c they had to take them all off for her MRI. I don't have the results of the MRI yet...should get those tomorrow. I know the doctor thought she was still having irritations and that she's now maxed out on her new medication (the one they put her on yesterday). They're waiting until tomorrow to make a decision about putting her under for a couple days to let her brain rest. So basically I don't have anything new to report...she's still unresponsive although I did see her open her eyes for like a millisecond when they moved her head. Oh, I brought her an iPod and speakers so that she could listen to some Christian & classical music while no one was there to keep her company. Barbara Mead met me there for the last 20 minutes or so. Barbara has known Nana forever and they are like best friends. Barbara just lost her wonderful Don this year after a four year struggle after Don had a stroke so she knows what we're all going through.

Dancing...

I know I've posted about L's love of dancing to music (although this week I discovered she doesn't need any music to dance) but I've noticed within the last few days that she now knows that her movements are what we call "dancing." If I say "dancing," she'll dance. It's really cute...although she definitely likes the white man's overbite.

Peanut allergy??

This morning I noticed that L had a couple blotchy red spots around her mouth. I didn't think much of it until my mom pointed the same thing out a couple minutes later and it seemed like there was more of them than when i had noticed it. I gave her some Benedryl thinking that it was probably an allergy to something even though she'd had the same things for breakfast that she normally did. Then a little while later, L burped and my mom said it smelled like peanuts. Her gg had chopped peanuts in her dinner the night before and it's entirely possible that one fell on the floor and that L found it and ate it since she had been crawling around that area earlier. So, when we go into the doctor in 2 more months, we'll have to talk to her ped about it and see if that warrants any allergy testing. Until then, they've said to be vigilant about making sure she's not exposed again (like i wasn't before??!! hello??!! with my nut allergies, i wasn't planning on letting L have any nuts until she was 4 yrs old (that's the recommended age) and only then, when she was medically supervised...but accidents happen.).

Greatgrandparents...

Today I went to visit Nana in the hospital. She's still unresponsive but I stood by her bed for awhile and just talked. I got to have In&Out on the way home. Candice was waiting for me when I got here b/c she was early. We got to hang out for a little before she had to go. I wanted to quiz her on how her photography business is going. When she left, I put L down for a nap. We attempted a morning nap but she never fell asleep and then cried. She slept from 2-4 and then Dave's grandma & grandpa came over. I fed L and then they got to play with her before my mom went to pick us up some food so that they'd get more time with L.


playing with the lego-type things.




checking out grandpa


a closer look


such the ham


playing ball with gg & grandpa noah. she'd roll the ball to gg...gg to L...L to grandpa...grandpa to L...etc., etc.


playing with grandpa


group shot

Monday's Nana Update...

I went to see Nana again today. Was able to stay for about an hour...mom was watching L and I had to get back to meet a friend.

Anyhow, she's still unresponsive and having "irritations." The neurologist maxed out her dosage on the antiseizure meds this morning. This afternoon he said he's going to try switching her medications to see if that would work. If it doesn't, they want to put her under general anesthesia for a few days to give her brain a rest. It's a very risky procedure for someone in her condition. I was able to talk to Nana and visit with Johnny a little.

Babies C & C are dedicated to the Lord...

Today was the dedications for A&A's daughters C (age 19 mos.) & C (age 13 days).

This morning sister J, L and I went on a walk to Starbucks for J's coffee. Then I put L down for a nap while we got ready. We left at 2 so I could grab a bite to eat on the way. We still got to A's by 2:25 b/c the dedication was at 3.

Here are pics from the happy day :)


L discovered a new hat :D


Addy (2 yrs. old), C (19 mos. old), & C's cousin Avery (5 yrs. old)


S (18 mos.) & me :)


baby C, 13 days old, wearing A's baptism gown


the happy family ARx2 + CRx2


new mommy & baby


I know this is a HORRIBLE pic of me, but L was so cute making her scrunchy smiley face


S hugging L right before S hugged a little too hard and knocked L to the ground


big S and K


cutie pie S

Sunday's Nana update...

Nana’s brother Leon and sister-in-law Ida visited Nana today. We’re sure she appreciated it and we’re glad they were able to make the trip.

My mom talked to the nurse at 8:15pm tonight. There has been no change in Nana’s condition…she is still unresponsive. He said that other than the change in meds the neurologist made this morning, there had been no change in her condition. The neurologist said that her brain was still being irritated so they upped one of her meds and lowered the other one (my mom couldn’t remember the names of the meds).

Mama...& 6th tooth...

my mom said that while i was gone today that L clearly said "mama."

I also noticed that you can feel the sharpness of her 6th tooth, the upper left one (next to her top front tooth).

Update on Nana...

I went to see Nana this afternoon. Not much new news. She appears the same as yesterday…nonresponsive. The Ativan should have worn off by now so, even though she’s still unresponsive, it isn’t b/c of the Ativan. She’s still on Dilantin to prevent seizures, Heparin (blood thinner), nutrition through the nose into the stomach, antibiotics for possible infection in the lungs (she has fluid in the lungs that they don’t want to turn into pneumonia…if I heard right, they discovered the fluid in her lungs on Monday when she fell), and maybe one more…I feel like I’m forgetting something. They had given her sodium chloride (?) to get her bp up after the medications yesterday. It looks like she had brain surgery b/c they wrapped gauze around her head and chin to keep all the leads in place when they move her. She’s still on continuous monitoring for vitals and for seizures. Today she’s having involuntary movements in her left leg and foot. They also have pressure stuff on her legs to keep the circulation up. They move her every 2 hours to prevent bedsores. She’s been in the DOU since Thursday evening…it’s right next to the Criticial Care Unit but has a nurse patient ratio of 3:1 instead of 2:1. The nurse she has for today and tomorrow is very nice and he seems to have her needs down well. Johnny’s family (daughter, son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter) arrived in town for a preplanned trip. I was able to see them for a little bit as they came by the hospital while I was there for a short visit. Basically, I think we’re just waiting to see when she becomes responsive again. I was able to talk to her…tell her what’s going on…I think that’s important. I told her that the nurse was going to give her medication…then when she was going to get food…and then that they were going to move her. I told her to keep fighting and that I loved her.

Today's update on Nana...

Johnny called this morning and said Nana had a seizure this morning and that she wasn’t responsive, etc. I decided that I needed to go see for myself what was going on and hopefully talk to the doctor so I wasn’t getting secondhand information. When I got there they were reapplying the electrodes for long term monitoring. They are going to monitor her over the weekend to make sure she doesn’t have more seizures. I was able to talk with the neurologist. They gave her Ativan to stop the seizures. From what I gathered, a nurse somehow saw she was having a seizure. They did some testing to verify and she was continuing to seize even though there weren’t outside physical signs. The increased dosage was able to stop the seizures and they gave her Dilantin (I think) to prevent future seizures. She’s still on the blood thinner (heparin I think). The neurologist said that she had the stroke around the time of the surgery and that’s probably why she wasn’t responding after surgery the way she should have. They think that she might have had a watershed stroke but that it’s not a classic case of that. Watershed strokes aren’t caused by clots but by lack of blood pressure to the brain so the very ends of the capillaries don’t get enough blood. They said her blood pressure got a little low during the surgery (I think 95) but that that wasn’t terribly low b/c that’s what the doctor’s normal bp is. They might never know why she had the stroke. They don’t know why she’s having the seizures. She’s unresponsive except to pain stimuli; however, the doctor said the amount of Ativan they gave her would knock anyone out and that it would take at least a day for it to wear off. The doctor said there is hope and that Nana will tell us how she’s doing. So for now I think it’s a wait and see what happens when the Ativan wears off to see if there was damage from the seizures. I'm planning on going to see her again tomorrow.

L walks along couch...walks with toy...

The day before I left, L took a step along the couch. Today, L walked along the couch! Here's video of that. She also walked with the little push toy. Here's video of that occasion.

Her latest sign today is "baby."

A brought baby C over tonight and L was all about the baby. She kept signing baby over and over. She stood at the couch trying to see the baby and touch the baby. She wanted to be on the couch with the baby. We kept having to tell her, gentle! It was really cute!

I'll try to post pics later.

This morning during L's nap, I ran over to A's to see her and baby C. I also got to see C and A's nieces Avery and Brylie for a little bit. Then I came home to get L up and nurse her before we left. I fed her in the car on the way to the hospital. We got to visit with Nana for awhile before stopping at the District for food & gas on the way home. Then A came over with baby C for dinner and I got to hold baby C for awhile. She's SO light compared to L! I also got to help A give baby C her first bath. It went fairly well although the baby cried the whole time. Their cries are so quiet when they're that age. :)

Update on Nana...

Well I feel a little encouraged after seeing Nana today. The doctors say it is possible for her to recover from this series of strokes. She's back on the blood thinners now. I think it's good she's still in the Critical Care Unit b/c then she gets more care.

She seemed a little more aware today. They don't allow children in the unit so I had to stay outside with L while my mom went in and mom had to stay with L while I went in. Mom was able to explain to Nana what all happened to her and everything and Nana said, "thank you." I just talked with Nana like I normally do, telling her what I had been up to and what plans I had. I also asked if she was comfortable, was able to hold her hand the whole time...tell her how soft her skin is...and I got a nurse to come in and straighten her out since her foot was hanging off the side of the bed. When I asked if that was better, she said "better." and she was able to semi-nod for "yes." She half-smiled several times and when I asked for one big smile before I left, she was able to do it on command. I'm sure it must be so frustrating for her to be trapped by her body. I was able to tell her that she would get through this b/c she's a fighter...that she's the toughest lady I know. :) I know I need to be strong in her presence but it's tough and I broke down several times. It's just so hard seeing her like that. I don't think I'll be able to go see her tomorrow but I'm planning on going on Saturday. Her husband Johnny will go see her tomorrow and hopefully can get a better update from her doctors.

Please keep praying for her recovery. Yesterday I felt very discouraged, like there was no hope, and, even though I know it could change in an instant, today I feel more encouraged. God is much bigger than all this and He's the ultimate physician. He has the power to heal her!

Heartbreaking News...

This afternoon my Nana's husband Johnny called to say that Nana is not recognizing him and can’t squeeze her hand. He said they did a CAT scan, but can’t see anything and they’re going to do an MRI. He also said the neurologist was in the hospital, so she would be seeing her as well. He said that they thought she may have had a stroke. After hearing all this, I told my mom that I wanted to go to see her right then so my mom, Elodie and I met Katie, Sara, Amanda & Camdyn (she left Cadence at home) at the hospital in Anaheim this afternoon. We stayed for over an hour, which was as long as the little ones would let us. It was pretty obvious to us that she had had a stroke. It was good, though, to bring the babies- she definitely brightened at the sight of them. She smiled but her left side of her face didn’t finish the smile. She did recognize us. She tried to talk, but can’t get it out…she opened and closed her mouth but there were no words. She did say at least one word while we were there. Each of the girls got to go in with our girls and spend time with Nana. She drifted in and out of sleep between conversations.

She had an MRI after we left. Johnny called to say that although they hadn’t gotten an official reading of the MRI, the floor doctor said that there was damage to the right side of the brain, but that with the swelling it was hard to see the extent of it. We’ll have to wait to see what the other doctors say.

Johnny just called again to say that they moved her up to the ICU to a continuous monitoring room. He did say that they had to take her off the blood thinners for the surgery and that could have contributed to the stoke. A nurse told him that she’s continuing to have strokes.

Please continue to pray for both Nana and Johnny as this is obviously very hard on both of them.

Our 12-month-old's development: Week 3

Look who's talking now! Your 1-year-old is working hard on being able to tell you what's going on in his busy brain. Try these strategies to help his vocabulary grow: When you change his diaper or dress him, talk about the parts of his body. Look at picture books together and ask him to point to or name familiar objects. Teach him about textures by letting him touch an apple ("smooth"), avocado ("bumpy"), or kiwifruit ("fuzzy").

It's hard to say goodbye
Your toddler probably has been wrestling with bouts of separation anxiety during the past several months. This is natural: He loves and depends on you, so he's distressed when you leave.

To ease departures, ask your sitter to arrive early so your toddler has time to adjust. Be matter-of-fact when you leave, and don't prolong the agony with extended goodbyes. Make it quick, with just one goodnight kiss. Your toddler's tears will subside soon after you're out of sight.

You can help your child feel more independent by not hovering over him all of the time. Of course, he still needs to know you're around and dependable. So if he toddles to another room, wait a couple of minutes before following.

What's for dinner?
There are a lot of foods you can consider feeding your toddler now that he's 1 and his immune system and digestive system have grown strong and hardy.

If allergies run in your family or you're particularly concerned, however, it's best to consult with your child's doctor and consider holding off on certain foods, including some of those listed below, until age 2 or 3.

Among the things you can consider introducing to your toddler's taste buds:
Cow's milk
Corn
Wheat
Citrus fruits
Berries
Honey

Pics of niece C by Lovejoy Photography

you can see more pics on Candice's blog (her blog is under our links on the left hand side).