Well I guess now is as good a time as any to catch up a bit. Life has been pretty busy around here the past two weeks. We had some wonderful, surprise visitors show up on our doorstep a week ago Monday. Ryan, Megan, Torsten, Brysen, Brice, Aleena, Mom, Breon, and Grandma Waite!! WOW!! What a fabulous week we had together. It's been about a year since we've all been together and we enjoyed every minute we had. We packed A LOT into a short amount of time: playtime at the parks, Chuck E Cheese, Golf, Rockies Baseball game, "nature" visit to Colorado Springs to the Garden of the Gods and waterfalls, BBQ Birthday celebration for Mom, Denver Aquarium, and laughs, fun, games, and memories galore!! Brice, Megan, and Grandma Waite also took turns coming to the hospital with me for Claire's dialysis and seemed to enjoy seeing what our daily mornings were really like....and I DEFINITELY enjoyed the company there with me!! It was just all around an exhaustingly GREAT week! Wouldn't have traded it for anything! Benson was in heaven, playing with Torsten and Brysen each day. Whenever I referred to them as "friends" he reminded me that they were more than friends, they were cousins!! Right he is. That meant TWICE the fun!! One other cute thing about Benson....when we told Benson we were going to Garden of the Gods in CO Spgs, Benson asked..."Is that where Jesus lives?" Too Cute!
Alas, the fun came to an end as we said our good byes. But this week we've had a little switch up too. Jared and Benson went to Idaho for Jared's brother's graduation from High School this week. Congratz BEN! So Aleena stayed out here with me to help me out and give me some company while they're gone. What a fabulous, giving sister I have. She is amazing. Life is much quieter around here with the boys gone. Can't wait for them to get back, but glad they're able to spend some time with family. Wish we were there.
Still no change with our home. Showing it like crazy...nearing 50 showings now...but still no offers. All is good time.
Claire's infections are doing better. The one in her blood has been cleared...YEAH!! The other one in her PD catheter wasn't completely cleared by the end of last week, so they extended the antibiotics another week to see if it will go away. The infections site is 'looking' better, so we're hoping it will be gone when they test it again this week. She's still on antibiotics for both infections until Tuesday of next week. How nice it will be to come home after our regular 3 hr session instead of staying an extra hour after for antibiotics! I just can't be grateful enough for the miracle of modern medicine, though. It has literally saved Claire's life over and over again. And speaking of saving Claire's life, she did get another blood transfusion on Tuesday which also literally saves her life each time she receives blood. What a miracle.
So now I'm just trying to relax a little with the company gone and the boys in Idaho. It's been a nice week to wind down and enjoy some quiet time.
And just have to say what a sweet husband I have to write such a sweet Mother's day letter in behalf of Claire. Made me cry. He's my everything.
So since I'm supposed to be relaxing, I think I'll go read a book and fall asleep when my little heart desires! Well, not exactly...after I get the medicine ready for tomorrow, start Claire's nightly milk feeding, and make sure the house is clean for a showing tomorrow...then I'll go do my thing! Night.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mothers Day!!
Dear Mom,
Happy Mothers Day to you. Wow where do I start. How about here, your the most AMAZING mother I have ever seen in my short time here on earth. Every morning you wake up at 5:45 am to read your scriptures, pray and get ready to take me to the hospital for my daily dialysis. The great thing is you are always happy to see me when I wake up, you always put a smile on my face just seeing you.
At dialysis I always hear other mothers complaining about their issues with their kids and themselves. Its funny that your the happiest and most cheerful person in the hospital. I have never heard you say a negative thing about my health problems which always makes me feel good about myself. I am so grateful I get to spend 4 hours every day with just you and me, our together time. Thanks for teaching me so much during our time together at the hospital. No matter what happens to me at the hospital you are always there to make me feel safe and comfort me.
When we get home I love playing with you, Benson, and dad. You are always so happy no matter how long the day has been for us. After dinner I love getting ready for bed so you can read my favorite books, pray, and do sweet dreams. Sometimes I can't wait till the morning so I can spend another day with you. I am so grateful that you are my mom, I don't know what I would do without you. I hope you have the best mothers day ever.
P.S. Thank you mom for saving my life every single day. I really couldn't live without you.
Love Claire
Happy Mothers Day to you. Wow where do I start. How about here, your the most AMAZING mother I have ever seen in my short time here on earth. Every morning you wake up at 5:45 am to read your scriptures, pray and get ready to take me to the hospital for my daily dialysis. The great thing is you are always happy to see me when I wake up, you always put a smile on my face just seeing you.
At dialysis I always hear other mothers complaining about their issues with their kids and themselves. Its funny that your the happiest and most cheerful person in the hospital. I have never heard you say a negative thing about my health problems which always makes me feel good about myself. I am so grateful I get to spend 4 hours every day with just you and me, our together time. Thanks for teaching me so much during our time together at the hospital. No matter what happens to me at the hospital you are always there to make me feel safe and comfort me.
When we get home I love playing with you, Benson, and dad. You are always so happy no matter how long the day has been for us. After dinner I love getting ready for bed so you can read my favorite books, pray, and do sweet dreams. Sometimes I can't wait till the morning so I can spend another day with you. I am so grateful that you are my mom, I don't know what I would do without you. I hope you have the best mothers day ever.
P.S. Thank you mom for saving my life every single day. I really couldn't live without you.
Love Claire
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Home, Health & Faith
It's definitely not a fun thing to have your house on the market. I'm sure any of you who have been there-done that understand. Keeping it clean actually isn't the worst part. It's having to leave every time someone wants to come see it. Of course, it's usually during nap time or dinner time...and they give you a 2 hour window to be in your home for 10 minutes!! Not the ideal set-up if you ask me. On a good note, though, we have had a lot of showings since we've had it listed. 30 plus in a little over 3 weeks. Just gotta keep waiting till that one person comes and falls in love with it! Still waiting. Patiently waiting. Any day now!!
On a not-so-good note, Claire just can't seem to get a break. She now has an infection in BOTH her dialysis catheters--PD and Hemo. NOT GOOD!! I just feel so bad for the little one. Her PD catheter has been infected for about a week now and so far the antibiotics haven't gotten rid of it. The doctors and nurses keep telling us that Pseudomonious (the name of her particular infection) is such a HARD infection to get rid of. She on an IV antibiotic, an oral antibiotic, and topical cream antibiotic applied to the site. If between these three it's not gone by the end of this coming week, she will have to have the catheter removed and have another one placed on the other side of her tummy.
We just found out today (Saturday) that she now has an infection (different from the PD one) in her hemo catheter. ((YES, this is the new catheter she just had placed a few weeks ago that is now infected)) She spiked a fever while on dialysis on Friday (a good indication that an infection is possible) and sure enough the blood cultures proved positive. So she started yet another IV antibiotic on Friday to try to get rid of this particular infection. The IV antibiotics are given through her catheter line and have to be administered after dialysis....meaning an extra hour and a half after her 3 hour regular dialysis. They'll give her hemo infection two weeks from Friday to be treated with antibiotics and if it's not gone by the 22nd, they'll have to pull that line and put another one in...somewhere...I'm afraid she's going to run out of room on that little abdomen of hers! SO NOT FUN. And to top it all off, she got a yeast infection from all the antibocis killing off the good bacteria in her body that usually keep yeast infections away! So changing the diaper now is NOT a fun experience. Poor thing...I just feel like she's getting worked-over in every way possible.
I've been learning a lot about FAITH lately and it must be for a good reason. We've put our faith in God as we've put our home on the market and have complete faith and trust in Him that things will work out according to His will and timing. We're not worried about it. We don't doubt. I now need to apply faith to Claire's infections. I am worried. I don't want to see her have to go through one, maybe two more surgeries and new catheters. Faith must replace my fear. I will have faith and trust that this too will work out according to His will and timing.
On a not-so-good note, Claire just can't seem to get a break. She now has an infection in BOTH her dialysis catheters--PD and Hemo. NOT GOOD!! I just feel so bad for the little one. Her PD catheter has been infected for about a week now and so far the antibiotics haven't gotten rid of it. The doctors and nurses keep telling us that Pseudomonious (the name of her particular infection) is such a HARD infection to get rid of. She on an IV antibiotic, an oral antibiotic, and topical cream antibiotic applied to the site. If between these three it's not gone by the end of this coming week, she will have to have the catheter removed and have another one placed on the other side of her tummy.
We just found out today (Saturday) that she now has an infection (different from the PD one) in her hemo catheter. ((YES, this is the new catheter she just had placed a few weeks ago that is now infected)) She spiked a fever while on dialysis on Friday (a good indication that an infection is possible) and sure enough the blood cultures proved positive. So she started yet another IV antibiotic on Friday to try to get rid of this particular infection. The IV antibiotics are given through her catheter line and have to be administered after dialysis....meaning an extra hour and a half after her 3 hour regular dialysis. They'll give her hemo infection two weeks from Friday to be treated with antibiotics and if it's not gone by the 22nd, they'll have to pull that line and put another one in...somewhere...I'm afraid she's going to run out of room on that little abdomen of hers! SO NOT FUN. And to top it all off, she got a yeast infection from all the antibocis killing off the good bacteria in her body that usually keep yeast infections away! So changing the diaper now is NOT a fun experience. Poor thing...I just feel like she's getting worked-over in every way possible.
I've been learning a lot about FAITH lately and it must be for a good reason. We've put our faith in God as we've put our home on the market and have complete faith and trust in Him that things will work out according to His will and timing. We're not worried about it. We don't doubt. I now need to apply faith to Claire's infections. I am worried. I don't want to see her have to go through one, maybe two more surgeries and new catheters. Faith must replace my fear. I will have faith and trust that this too will work out according to His will and timing.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Benson's prayer
Benson said the prayer in primary today for the first time. He was laying on his bed this morning, practicing by himself while Claire was getting a bath. He wanted to do it all by himself, of course. Here's what he said: "Heavenly Father, thank you for this day. Bless this food. Thankful that we can come to church today. Bless that we can go to church tomorrow. Bless that we can all be healthy. Bless that we can go with our teachers today. Bless....Pres. Monson. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." Amen.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Just like the day before
Sometimes it's okay for today to be just like yesterday. Not exactly the same. Every day is at least a little bit different with it's own surprises, treats, and challenges...but similar is okay.
When one day is not just like the last, that either means good news or bad. Take the good when it comes. Enjoy the difference. Wish your day was just like the last when it's the bad turn. But learn something, none the less.
Yesterday and today were unfortunately NOT just like the days before.
The very end of Claire's hemo catheter was cracked Monday morning when we took her in for dialysis. Not good. Not usable. Not fixable.
Claire was excited to go home early from the hospital after NO dialysis...but little did she know what would come just a few hours later during surgery.
It wasn't a fun surgery experience. Are they ever? She is way to smart, strong, and intuitive to let anyone fool her. She clung to us like a monkey as the 'people in the blue scrubs' take her vital signs. She knew something was coming and she knew she wasn't going to like it.
For the first time, we got to go with her into the surgery room and watch/help them give her the gas to put her to sleep for the surgery. I don't know if I'll do that again. She was screaming and fighting all of us to get away as the anesthetist held the mask to her face. It was not a fun sight to see your little one struggling and then softly go to sleep. At least she did get to sleep though it. Medicine miracle. They successfully took out the old catheter and placed a new one on the other side of her body.
Waking up for Claire was not a happy thing either. She woke up really fast from the anesthesia and just was not herself as she tried to figure out where she was and what just happened. She was in obvious pain. We got to hold her but she struggled to get out of the room and off to somewhere safe. Inconsolable. She finally settled down after we were able to take her for a walk and get away from the blue scrubs. Then she slept peacefully, safe in daddy's arms.
What a night. Too bad it wasn't just like the night before.
Today she had her dukes up. Very cautious about dialysis and those touching her (for good reason). When Dr. Ford came to look at her catheter she would have nothing to do with it. She cried so hard.....held her breath.....and fainted. She cried. Came back. I cried. She slept the remained of the time on dialysis.
Hopefully tomorrow will be just like LAST wednesday. Happier. Easier. Less Painful.
When one day is not just like the last, that either means good news or bad. Take the good when it comes. Enjoy the difference. Wish your day was just like the last when it's the bad turn. But learn something, none the less.
Yesterday and today were unfortunately NOT just like the days before.
The very end of Claire's hemo catheter was cracked Monday morning when we took her in for dialysis. Not good. Not usable. Not fixable.
Claire was excited to go home early from the hospital after NO dialysis...but little did she know what would come just a few hours later during surgery.
It wasn't a fun surgery experience. Are they ever? She is way to smart, strong, and intuitive to let anyone fool her. She clung to us like a monkey as the 'people in the blue scrubs' take her vital signs. She knew something was coming and she knew she wasn't going to like it.
For the first time, we got to go with her into the surgery room and watch/help them give her the gas to put her to sleep for the surgery. I don't know if I'll do that again. She was screaming and fighting all of us to get away as the anesthetist held the mask to her face. It was not a fun sight to see your little one struggling and then softly go to sleep. At least she did get to sleep though it. Medicine miracle. They successfully took out the old catheter and placed a new one on the other side of her body.
Waking up for Claire was not a happy thing either. She woke up really fast from the anesthesia and just was not herself as she tried to figure out where she was and what just happened. She was in obvious pain. We got to hold her but she struggled to get out of the room and off to somewhere safe. Inconsolable. She finally settled down after we were able to take her for a walk and get away from the blue scrubs. Then she slept peacefully, safe in daddy's arms.
What a night. Too bad it wasn't just like the night before.
Today she had her dukes up. Very cautious about dialysis and those touching her (for good reason). When Dr. Ford came to look at her catheter she would have nothing to do with it. She cried so hard.....held her breath.....and fainted. She cried. Came back. I cried. She slept the remained of the time on dialysis.
Hopefully tomorrow will be just like LAST wednesday. Happier. Easier. Less Painful.
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