Last week I had the pleasure of seeing my fellow-exchange-student-to-England-friend Lynn (AFS/UK 1980-81) in Michigan. Lynn and I really connected 28 years ago and have continued a friendship that has gone through periods of closeness (camping our way through the midwest's Laura Ingalls Wilder sites and both of our weddings) as well as years of sparseness in communication. But last week, after not seeing one another for thirteen years, we just picked right up like a couple of teenagers and yacked into the wee hours of the morning. Despite the disparity between brown-eyed 'Big Cindy' and blue-eyed 'Little Lynn' (as we were known) we always found uncanny or off-the-wall similarities between us, and this meeting was no exception.
Although we knew some of the following quirky details we just hadn't put them together until our visit. Here was our kooky finding:
My third child is named Ellen.
Lynn has a sister named Ellen.
Her sister, Ellen, is the third child in her family.
Lynn's third child is named Thomas.
I have a brother named Thomas.
My brother, Thomas, is the third child in our family.
Isn't that cool?
If you just read that and thought, "So what", you do not join Lynn and I on the wacky page on which we keep finding ourselves.
Thanks, Lynn, for a wonderful reconnection. I look forward to doing it again over a Husky game this fall!!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Trauma Week
Poor Gabe had a rough week, hence my week was not too smooth, either. I mentioned earlier that he was sick--contributing to my behaving like "an old brat". After a week of intermittent fever he woke up Monday with a 101 degree temp and I knew something was just not right. I took him to the doctor where they did a chest x-ray, blood work, and urinalysis but nothing looked unusual. We were sent home to "keep a close eye on things".
Tuesday I called and told the nurse that Gabe's temp was staying over 102 even with Tylenol. I'd had a family doc who said a viral fever should drop below 101 with medication. If it doesn't drop it's a sign of bacteria. Hindsight--I wish he hadn't retired. I was told to switch to Motrin and "keep an eye on things". Two small reddish blue spots appeared on his neck on Tuesday and the nurse still said to "keep an eye on it".
Wednesday, I was awakened at 4:50 am by a very upset and irritable Gabe. His temp was under 100 but he was acting very strange. I gave him a bottle and some Motrin just so he could rest. When he got up at 9 the spots on his neck had spread so it looked like he had a bib mark on his chest and the entire left side of his neck, under his ear, was red. I called again and we were scheduled for 11:45. At 10:30 Gabe's temp was 105.4 and we were heading in so someone else could keep their eye on this thing! At 10:50 the doctor's thermometer read 106.6 (family record I have no desire to see broken).
For the next six hours we were in the ER for a lumbar puncture (spinal tap--which was quite uneventful by the way--and negative for anything bad) and an IV. The fever, the low muscle tone of Down syndrome, and the stressed-out-screams all made Gabe's little veins very unfriendly to IV needles. It took almost 5 hours, 4 different nurses/lab technicians/doctors, and FIFTEEN attempts to finally get the IV started. Attempt number 15 was the final try and if it had failed they were calling anesthesia to knock him out and put one in his neck. Many prayers were being offered and pleas and tears being poured out.
Gabe was exhausted and traumatized. We put braces on both arms to keep him from touching the IV and I spent the next 16 hours rocking him. The IV only lasted for 20 hours but it was enough to get all but one dose of the IV antibiotics in him. He was kept in the hospital until Friday to get antibiotic injections and do blood tests but the numbers finally moved in the right direction and we were able to make it to our own Fourth of July gathering.
Just to spice things up, as everyone was heading out the door to see the fireworks Friday night Lisa got showered with a shattered flourescent bulb. She walked into the kitchen absolutely covered in blood. Her forehead was all red, it was running down the sides of her face and pooling in her neck, dripping into her eyes, and soaking her shirt. And she had no idea she was hurt. Just remember, head injuries almost always look MUCH worse than they really are. Keith and I spent the next 25 minutes picking glass out of her hair and cleaning her up. The source of her blood river was a little cut about 5 mm long.
By the way, Gabe's condition was termed 'cellulitis' but we have no idea what kind of bacteria caused it (strep, staph, MRSA) or how he got it. He had three different antibiotics in the hospital and is taking two more now. And we are dealing with a physician who is very conservative when it comes to antibiotics.
Thank you, God, for a mending Gabe and a new week!!
Tuesday I called and told the nurse that Gabe's temp was staying over 102 even with Tylenol. I'd had a family doc who said a viral fever should drop below 101 with medication. If it doesn't drop it's a sign of bacteria. Hindsight--I wish he hadn't retired. I was told to switch to Motrin and "keep an eye on things". Two small reddish blue spots appeared on his neck on Tuesday and the nurse still said to "keep an eye on it".
Wednesday, I was awakened at 4:50 am by a very upset and irritable Gabe. His temp was under 100 but he was acting very strange. I gave him a bottle and some Motrin just so he could rest. When he got up at 9 the spots on his neck had spread so it looked like he had a bib mark on his chest and the entire left side of his neck, under his ear, was red. I called again and we were scheduled for 11:45. At 10:30 Gabe's temp was 105.4 and we were heading in so someone else could keep their eye on this thing! At 10:50 the doctor's thermometer read 106.6 (family record I have no desire to see broken).
For the next six hours we were in the ER for a lumbar puncture (spinal tap--which was quite uneventful by the way--and negative for anything bad) and an IV. The fever, the low muscle tone of Down syndrome, and the stressed-out-screams all made Gabe's little veins very unfriendly to IV needles. It took almost 5 hours, 4 different nurses/lab technicians/doctors, and FIFTEEN attempts to finally get the IV started. Attempt number 15 was the final try and if it had failed they were calling anesthesia to knock him out and put one in his neck. Many prayers were being offered and pleas and tears being poured out.
Gabe was exhausted and traumatized. We put braces on both arms to keep him from touching the IV and I spent the next 16 hours rocking him. The IV only lasted for 20 hours but it was enough to get all but one dose of the IV antibiotics in him. He was kept in the hospital until Friday to get antibiotic injections and do blood tests but the numbers finally moved in the right direction and we were able to make it to our own Fourth of July gathering.
Just to spice things up, as everyone was heading out the door to see the fireworks Friday night Lisa got showered with a shattered flourescent bulb. She walked into the kitchen absolutely covered in blood. Her forehead was all red, it was running down the sides of her face and pooling in her neck, dripping into her eyes, and soaking her shirt. And she had no idea she was hurt. Just remember, head injuries almost always look MUCH worse than they really are. Keith and I spent the next 25 minutes picking glass out of her hair and cleaning her up. The source of her blood river was a little cut about 5 mm long.
By the way, Gabe's condition was termed 'cellulitis' but we have no idea what kind of bacteria caused it (strep, staph, MRSA) or how he got it. He had three different antibiotics in the hospital and is taking two more now. And we are dealing with a physician who is very conservative when it comes to antibiotics.
Thank you, God, for a mending Gabe and a new week!!
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
I'm a What?
I admit it, I've been a little crabby the past few days. Gabe is sick and needy and I'm tired and concerned. Well, I guess "a little crabby" translates into much more when you're young. At the lunch table today I gave a rather short answer to a stupid question and Shane said,
"Man, you've been a grouch for about a week now!"
Lisa asked, "What's a grouch?"
I was trying to use adverbs like fussy and pouty so she would 'get it' when Shane chimed in,
"It's like an old brat."
"Man, you've been a grouch for about a week now!"
Lisa asked, "What's a grouch?"
I was trying to use adverbs like fussy and pouty so she would 'get it' when Shane chimed in,
"It's like an old brat."
Sunday, June 29, 2008
More Kid Comments
I think they were on a roll last week with funny sayings.
First, Owen was walking through the house singing a country song that should go, "I'm already taken, you spoke up too late."
His version was, "I'm already taken, you woke up too late." Maybe the theme for Rip Van Winkle.
Remember Bette Midler's song, "Give Me the Gift of Love"? Years ago Ellen altered the "Look me in the eye...." to "Poke me in the eye, say I'm the one you're dreaming of, that'd be the best surprise." Surprise indeed.
We were sitting down to supper on Friday when I heard an older boy comment, "The Pepsi looks, like, so peaceful when it's not fizzing." He'd be too embarrassed to be named publicly but we have records of him saying things like, "Mama, those dust pans look beautiful...... Um, Mama, it makes me embarrassed when I say 'beautiful'." And he once asked, "If Hawaii sunk would they take a star off the flag?"
Then on Saturday morning Owen weighed himself. He came out of the bathroom and asked, "Do you think if I stayed 81 pounds all my life I'd be able to walk on water?"
It must be the relaxing summer vacation that is giving them extra time for philosophical thought.
First, Owen was walking through the house singing a country song that should go, "I'm already taken, you spoke up too late."
His version was, "I'm already taken, you woke up too late." Maybe the theme for Rip Van Winkle.
Remember Bette Midler's song, "Give Me the Gift of Love"? Years ago Ellen altered the "Look me in the eye...." to "Poke me in the eye, say I'm the one you're dreaming of, that'd be the best surprise." Surprise indeed.
We were sitting down to supper on Friday when I heard an older boy comment, "The Pepsi looks, like, so peaceful when it's not fizzing." He'd be too embarrassed to be named publicly but we have records of him saying things like, "Mama, those dust pans look beautiful...... Um, Mama, it makes me embarrassed when I say 'beautiful'." And he once asked, "If Hawaii sunk would they take a star off the flag?"
Then on Saturday morning Owen weighed himself. He came out of the bathroom and asked, "Do you think if I stayed 81 pounds all my life I'd be able to walk on water?"
It must be the relaxing summer vacation that is giving them extra time for philosophical thought.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Life with Owen
Owen is his own unintentional comedy routine. While preparing lunch he sat in one of three rooms within earshot and I listened to his random thoughts/conversations. I wrote them down, of course. Here are the day's musings from Owen.
"I hate it when I have a farting, diarrhea belly ache."
"I don't think skinny people have that many babies. I mean, ******* has the perfect size to have babies."
"Mom, if you die will you get married again." .(That would be no)
"I would hate to live in a work house where you couldn't ask for more food. (He recently watched 'Oliver Twist'.) I'm glad I have a mom and a dad AND eight older brothers and sisters." (Because without that sibling insurance he'd be sure to end up starving in a work house.)
"I hate it when I have a farting, diarrhea belly ache."
"I don't think skinny people have that many babies. I mean, ******* has the perfect size to have babies."
"Mom, if you die will you get married again." .(That would be no)
"I would hate to live in a work house where you couldn't ask for more food. (He recently watched 'Oliver Twist'.) I'm glad I have a mom and a dad AND eight older brothers and sisters." (Because without that sibling insurance he'd be sure to end up starving in a work house.)
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Adoration for sale
Garage sale season is in full swing and we've done a little hunting. For fractions of the retail price I've found a high chair, summer clothes for Gabe, clothes (including 3 dresses) for Lisa, shoes, a K'Nex ferris wheel set, 2 bikes, five pieces of Pampered Chef stoneware (just $6 apiece), and more.
The best part, however, is being able to say "Yes" when the children find treasures.
"Mom, can I get this car?"
"Yes."
"Mom, can I get this toy?"
"Yes."
"Mom, can I get these cowboy boots?"
"Yes."
"Mom, can I...."
"Yes, yes, yes!"
It feels so good not to say the N- word!
Lisa summed it all up, "This is the first best time I've had at garage sales. You haven't been this nice ever!"
The best part, however, is being able to say "Yes" when the children find treasures.
"Mom, can I get this car?"
"Yes."
"Mom, can I get this toy?"
"Yes."
"Mom, can I get these cowboy boots?"
"Yes."
"Mom, can I...."
"Yes, yes, yes!"
It feels so good not to say the N- word!
Lisa summed it all up, "This is the first best time I've had at garage sales. You haven't been this nice ever!"
Monday, June 23, 2008
Graduation
I've been spinning at the YMCA for the better part of four months now. I can be found on bike number 3 at 6:00 am every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I started out in terrible shape, unable to add any tension to the wheel, only able to stand for a 1/4 mile and very aware that my muscles had atrophied to almost nothing this past decade.
It took me two months to actually complete an "uphill mile climb" (even then, everyone else was sitting while I still had a 1/4 mile to go!). Well today, for the first time, I did not finish last! I switched my tassle and walked out of the room with my head held high.
It took me two months to actually complete an "uphill mile climb" (even then, everyone else was sitting while I still had a 1/4 mile to go!). Well today, for the first time, I did not finish last! I switched my tassle and walked out of the room with my head held high.
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