Lamb 2 is scheduled for nose surgery on Monday. Today I went to the pharmacy to pick up his meds to be prepared for after surgery. The pharmacist was full of directions-how to mix the antibiotic since it is too early to mix it today, take antibiotic twice daily so he doesn't get an infection, take probiotic once daily because antibiotic is so strong, mix something like Neosporin with saline spray and spray that several times a day while he heals, etc.
We would appreciate your prayers for Lamb 2's surgery and recovery. I would especially appreciate your prayers that I get all his meds organized and given correctly! I'm sure once we begin it will become routine for 10 days. But right now it seems so important to get it right so he doesn't have complications or infection.
I must say that I was so thankful we have found a local pharmacy in this big city that still takes the time to explain everything to their customers. I thank God for them each time someone in our family needs a prescription. Plus they gave the Lambs candy canes today for waiting so patiently while the pharmacist talked to me. I was also thankful that insurance paid for the prescriptions and I only had to pay for the OTC stuff that went along with the prescriptions. I also thank God that medical advances have given us meds to help our children recover after surgery.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Monday, December 8, 2014
Day Off
Lamb 2 began vision therapy about this time last year. He went to a few sessions in December of 2013, had a Christmas break, and then began twice a week VT in January 2014.
His schedule was Mondays and Tuesdays during the school year, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the summer. There were a few Mondays where they were closed for holidays. He was sick for one week in the spring so he missed two sessions. But other than that he attended every single scheduled VT day. We even planned our vacation to WA around his VT-we left after VT on a Wednesday and were back before his therapy the next Tuesday. He had a sub a couple of times but therapy was never canceled other than the few holidays they were closed.
We have also alternated piano lessons between Mondays and Tuesdays based on what worked best for the piano teacher and with our schedule. Lessons are currently on Tuesdays. Lamb 2 had less piano lessons in the summer, but he still took lessons. So many of the days that he had VT, he also had piano lessons. This was really rough for him in the beginning of VT but it got better.
During the summer Lamb 1 and 3 usually slept in while I took Lamb 2 to his early morning VT one day of his therapy. During the school year they usually went to VT and did their school work in the break room during Lamb 2's VT. There were a few exceptions where Ram watched them while I took Lamb 2 to VT without them, but they went along to VT for the majority of Lamb 2's sessions. There were a few times where Ram had to coordinate his work schedule to take Lamb 1 to the orthodontist while Lamb 2 had VT and appointments like that.
So all 5 of us were thrilled to be done with VT last Monday! We only live a short distance from the doctor. I can't imagine the people that live far away from VT and have to add in traveling time. We all feel like we have a "day off" of therapy every Monday and Tuesday now!
I am looking forward to January and really settling into a school routine that we haven't had for the last year and a half with all this therapy. Lamb 3 especially is ready for more academic work and needs more time with the teacher than he has been given. Lamb 2 needs to continue with the progress he has made in reading. Lamb 1 needs to do some more challenging work as he is in 5th grade. It simply wasn't possible to do all this with all the time we were at therapy last year. I look back at the year and I am extremely proud of what we did accomplish while we also got Lamb 2 the help that he needed too.
His schedule was Mondays and Tuesdays during the school year, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the summer. There were a few Mondays where they were closed for holidays. He was sick for one week in the spring so he missed two sessions. But other than that he attended every single scheduled VT day. We even planned our vacation to WA around his VT-we left after VT on a Wednesday and were back before his therapy the next Tuesday. He had a sub a couple of times but therapy was never canceled other than the few holidays they were closed.
We have also alternated piano lessons between Mondays and Tuesdays based on what worked best for the piano teacher and with our schedule. Lessons are currently on Tuesdays. Lamb 2 had less piano lessons in the summer, but he still took lessons. So many of the days that he had VT, he also had piano lessons. This was really rough for him in the beginning of VT but it got better.
During the summer Lamb 1 and 3 usually slept in while I took Lamb 2 to his early morning VT one day of his therapy. During the school year they usually went to VT and did their school work in the break room during Lamb 2's VT. There were a few exceptions where Ram watched them while I took Lamb 2 to VT without them, but they went along to VT for the majority of Lamb 2's sessions. There were a few times where Ram had to coordinate his work schedule to take Lamb 1 to the orthodontist while Lamb 2 had VT and appointments like that.
So all 5 of us were thrilled to be done with VT last Monday! We only live a short distance from the doctor. I can't imagine the people that live far away from VT and have to add in traveling time. We all feel like we have a "day off" of therapy every Monday and Tuesday now!
I am looking forward to January and really settling into a school routine that we haven't had for the last year and a half with all this therapy. Lamb 3 especially is ready for more academic work and needs more time with the teacher than he has been given. Lamb 2 needs to continue with the progress he has made in reading. Lamb 1 needs to do some more challenging work as he is in 5th grade. It simply wasn't possible to do all this with all the time we were at therapy last year. I look back at the year and I am extremely proud of what we did accomplish while we also got Lamb 2 the help that he needed too.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
This morning at our house
Friday, December 5, 2014
A married couple buying a car
In MN we bought a new car for Ram. We traveled 4 hours to get the best price which meant a very long day of traveling to, buying the car, and driving two cars home with three little Lambs. There were tons of papers for both Ram and I to sign in order to purchase the car.
When we bought the minivan a month ago, I was prepared for the process to take awhile even though we knew which minivan we wanted. I sent Ram to talk to the car salesman and told him to call me when it was time to sign papers and I would bring the Lambs over. We live about 1/2 hour away from the car dealer. That is what we did, Ram ended up being there about an hour before he called me. When we went in to talk to the finance man, he asked to see my driver's license. Then he asked Ram to sign everything and I didn't have to sign one single paper.
Both cars were brand new, both cars were financed the same way, and both cars are titled in both of our names. The only difference was they were purchased in different states.
I was a little disgusted that I drug the Lambs over there and made them wait for us to sign all the papers when all they needed was my driver's license. I was complaining to Ram and the Lambs overheard and started asking questions. Ram explained to the Lambs that ID actually still has it right, that the husband should be trusted to make financial decisions for the family. Looking at it that way makes me glad to live in ID!
When we bought the minivan a month ago, I was prepared for the process to take awhile even though we knew which minivan we wanted. I sent Ram to talk to the car salesman and told him to call me when it was time to sign papers and I would bring the Lambs over. We live about 1/2 hour away from the car dealer. That is what we did, Ram ended up being there about an hour before he called me. When we went in to talk to the finance man, he asked to see my driver's license. Then he asked Ram to sign everything and I didn't have to sign one single paper.
Both cars were brand new, both cars were financed the same way, and both cars are titled in both of our names. The only difference was they were purchased in different states.
I was a little disgusted that I drug the Lambs over there and made them wait for us to sign all the papers when all they needed was my driver's license. I was complaining to Ram and the Lambs overheard and started asking questions. Ram explained to the Lambs that ID actually still has it right, that the husband should be trusted to make financial decisions for the family. Looking at it that way makes me glad to live in ID!
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Time
Ram has had a busy week with meetings at church on Monday and Tuesday nights and Advent service and another meeting last night. We knew that the beginning of the month would be busy and it does get better with almost nothing at church at the end of December. Last night he commented that a lot of good things have happened at all those meetings, but they are really cutting into his reading time in the evening. By the time he gets home it almost time for the evening news and then it is bedtime.
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Laugh or Cry? Laugh.
I have mentioned before that after all my miscarriages it is difficult for me to go to any kind of doctors now. Even routine doctor visits need to bring this up. For example my eye doctor has to continue to keep me on eye drops for my allergies that are safe for pregnancy. Ram allows me to get a Starbucks after every doctor visit because of this. :)
I also have mentioned that we are trying to fit in all our doctor visits before the end of the year since we met our deductible. I recently had to see a male doctor because my female doctor wasn't available the day of my appointment. He had never met me before and he was having trouble getting my record to come up on the computer. So we began a short conversation while he waited on the computer. I tried to briefly tell my history.
Dr.:"Frankly, that's AMAZING that you got pregnant naturally so often in your late thirties and even at age 40!"
(These were the first words he spoke to me after hearing my history. The expression on his face was priceless. I could tell he would love to take me to a conference to show off an "old" woman that was still getting pregnant naturally so often.)
Dr. continues:"You must have a lot of eggs in there. We just don't see this often in our practice."
(This got me to an interesting thought-all the months that I haven't menstruated because I was breastfeeding, pregnant with the Lambs, or pregnant with miscarriages have added up. It may be years before menopause for me!)
I briefly described how I was doing emotionally with the help of going to the He Remembers the Barren Retreat last summer. The doctor was very interested in the He Remembers the Barren book and I plan to give one to him next time I go to that doctor. He was especially interested that I have a "network" of people to talk to that also have infertility problems. I mentioned that I had never met another woman that had as many miscarriages as I have had.
Dr.: "I've never seen anyone that has had as many miscarriages as you have had."
(This doctor's specialty is infertility. That got me to another thought-most women would try to prevent pregnancy after this many miscarriages or at my age. They would either have a medical need for an hysterectomy, do some form of birth control, or try IVF or other fertility procedures. To do nothing to either prevent pregnancy or try to conceive is so different from most women my age.
Also, this is not a new thought for me, but I think that previous generations probably had a lot more miscarriages than they were aware of before home pregnancy tests. My generation is both blessed and cursed with home pregnancy tests.)
My morals and values just aren't typical at this practice, but I don't know without traveling outside of ID whom else to see. I have been blessed with three boys. I don't want to do anything extraordinary to have another baby. My problem is not getting pregnant, it is staying pregnant. I originally went to this practice with the hope that they could save some of my babies that became miscarriages. Doctors don't know everything and they tell me after each miscarriage that I can't do anything else unless it is controlled under conditions like IVF. They don't know what to do with me because I get pregnant under conditions they can't control.
I left his office after my appointment just bursting to tell Ram what had happened. I have shed so many tears that at this point I love to see the humorous side of this. In the doctor's words-It is AMAZING that I was pregnant at age 40 and I have a lot of eggs in there! It was a blessing that my regular doctor wasn't available that day so I had a humorous doctor visit.
*Note: I am not currently pregnant. This was discussing my previous history.
I also have mentioned that we are trying to fit in all our doctor visits before the end of the year since we met our deductible. I recently had to see a male doctor because my female doctor wasn't available the day of my appointment. He had never met me before and he was having trouble getting my record to come up on the computer. So we began a short conversation while he waited on the computer. I tried to briefly tell my history.
Dr.:"Frankly, that's AMAZING that you got pregnant naturally so often in your late thirties and even at age 40!"
(These were the first words he spoke to me after hearing my history. The expression on his face was priceless. I could tell he would love to take me to a conference to show off an "old" woman that was still getting pregnant naturally so often.)
Dr. continues:"You must have a lot of eggs in there. We just don't see this often in our practice."
(This got me to an interesting thought-all the months that I haven't menstruated because I was breastfeeding, pregnant with the Lambs, or pregnant with miscarriages have added up. It may be years before menopause for me!)
I briefly described how I was doing emotionally with the help of going to the He Remembers the Barren Retreat last summer. The doctor was very interested in the He Remembers the Barren book and I plan to give one to him next time I go to that doctor. He was especially interested that I have a "network" of people to talk to that also have infertility problems. I mentioned that I had never met another woman that had as many miscarriages as I have had.
Dr.: "I've never seen anyone that has had as many miscarriages as you have had."
(This doctor's specialty is infertility. That got me to another thought-most women would try to prevent pregnancy after this many miscarriages or at my age. They would either have a medical need for an hysterectomy, do some form of birth control, or try IVF or other fertility procedures. To do nothing to either prevent pregnancy or try to conceive is so different from most women my age.
Also, this is not a new thought for me, but I think that previous generations probably had a lot more miscarriages than they were aware of before home pregnancy tests. My generation is both blessed and cursed with home pregnancy tests.)
My morals and values just aren't typical at this practice, but I don't know without traveling outside of ID whom else to see. I have been blessed with three boys. I don't want to do anything extraordinary to have another baby. My problem is not getting pregnant, it is staying pregnant. I originally went to this practice with the hope that they could save some of my babies that became miscarriages. Doctors don't know everything and they tell me after each miscarriage that I can't do anything else unless it is controlled under conditions like IVF. They don't know what to do with me because I get pregnant under conditions they can't control.
I left his office after my appointment just bursting to tell Ram what had happened. I have shed so many tears that at this point I love to see the humorous side of this. In the doctor's words-It is AMAZING that I was pregnant at age 40 and I have a lot of eggs in there! It was a blessing that my regular doctor wasn't available that day so I had a humorous doctor visit.
*Note: I am not currently pregnant. This was discussing my previous history.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Our Thanksgiving Weekend
Ram's parents joined us for church on Thanksgiving Eve. We had pretty good church attendance that night. During the day I prepped the mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes so most of my cooking was done. I also finished cleaning the bathrooms and tidying the house.
For Thanksgiving we were very laid back, we ate when the turkey was done, no schedule or hurry. The Lambs played on the iPad while the adults talked and Ram cooked. I made Paleo pumpkin muffins to go with our dinner. Ram made the turkey, gravy, and maple glazed brussel sprouts. I made both dairy and coconut milk whipped cream to go on top of our pumpkin and pecan pie from Costco. Ram's dad ate pecan pie without eating the crust.
Friday we went to our local science museum to see the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit. The Lambs weren't old enough to be totally interested, but they did find parts to enjoy. We went ahead and purchased a membership which will get us in discounted to other science museums around the country for one year. Lamb 3 got excited when he saw a picture of the Mona Lisa and joked that Jan Van Eyck painted it. I tried to get the Lambs to notice the pictures on the wall along with the hands on exhibits.
Saturday we went to a used bookstore that we had never been to before. There were actually two bookstores next to each other. Ram's dad enjoyed looking at records in one and the Lambs begged for Grandma to buy them books at the other one. Typical for our family she had to limit each Lamb to only 4 books. Of course Ram bought a few books. We happened to be next to the city Christmas Tree lighting so we received a support small business tote bag. We didn't stay for the lighting, we headed to dinner.
We chose to go to a build your own burger restaurant. You fill out a form how you want your burger with what toppings, what kind of meat, what kind of bun, etc. The adults chose gluten free buns. It was good food but they messed up Ram's dad's order. I don't know how you can mess it up when you follow what people fill out on the form. I don't know if we will be returning there after that experience.
The temperature dropped about 30 degrees between Thursday and Saturday so we didn't walk around the outdoor mall very long after dinner. Ram's parents came back to our house to warm up in front of the fireplace and drink tea before they left.
We had a great visit with Ram's parents-probably the longest visit at our house since we moved here. The Lambs watched every minute of football that they were allowed to have the TV on. They played outside in our backyard lots. We ate lots of leftovers and snacks and dessert. I was able to keep up with dishes all weekend so I was able to relax too. The Lambs made lots of art store pictures to sell to the grandparents. The Lambs played lots of card games and board games with each other too.
Sunday was church and then Sunday School was busy preparing for the children's Christmas service-children assigned their parts and practicing the whole service, moms getting costumes ready. That afternoon I headed out to two stores-one grocery store and one trip to World Market so I could get a free Downton Abbey tote bag. They had tons of tote bags so I think Black Friday shopping was not very good this year. Then I came home and we ordered from Amazon so we could get 30% off one book. Today I ordered from our church preschool book order. That was the extent of my Black Friday weekend shopping.
For Thanksgiving we were very laid back, we ate when the turkey was done, no schedule or hurry. The Lambs played on the iPad while the adults talked and Ram cooked. I made Paleo pumpkin muffins to go with our dinner. Ram made the turkey, gravy, and maple glazed brussel sprouts. I made both dairy and coconut milk whipped cream to go on top of our pumpkin and pecan pie from Costco. Ram's dad ate pecan pie without eating the crust.
Friday we went to our local science museum to see the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit. The Lambs weren't old enough to be totally interested, but they did find parts to enjoy. We went ahead and purchased a membership which will get us in discounted to other science museums around the country for one year. Lamb 3 got excited when he saw a picture of the Mona Lisa and joked that Jan Van Eyck painted it. I tried to get the Lambs to notice the pictures on the wall along with the hands on exhibits.
Saturday we went to a used bookstore that we had never been to before. There were actually two bookstores next to each other. Ram's dad enjoyed looking at records in one and the Lambs begged for Grandma to buy them books at the other one. Typical for our family she had to limit each Lamb to only 4 books. Of course Ram bought a few books. We happened to be next to the city Christmas Tree lighting so we received a support small business tote bag. We didn't stay for the lighting, we headed to dinner.
We chose to go to a build your own burger restaurant. You fill out a form how you want your burger with what toppings, what kind of meat, what kind of bun, etc. The adults chose gluten free buns. It was good food but they messed up Ram's dad's order. I don't know how you can mess it up when you follow what people fill out on the form. I don't know if we will be returning there after that experience.
The temperature dropped about 30 degrees between Thursday and Saturday so we didn't walk around the outdoor mall very long after dinner. Ram's parents came back to our house to warm up in front of the fireplace and drink tea before they left.
We had a great visit with Ram's parents-probably the longest visit at our house since we moved here. The Lambs watched every minute of football that they were allowed to have the TV on. They played outside in our backyard lots. We ate lots of leftovers and snacks and dessert. I was able to keep up with dishes all weekend so I was able to relax too. The Lambs made lots of art store pictures to sell to the grandparents. The Lambs played lots of card games and board games with each other too.
Sunday was church and then Sunday School was busy preparing for the children's Christmas service-children assigned their parts and practicing the whole service, moms getting costumes ready. That afternoon I headed out to two stores-one grocery store and one trip to World Market so I could get a free Downton Abbey tote bag. They had tons of tote bags so I think Black Friday shopping was not very good this year. Then I came home and we ordered from Amazon so we could get 30% off one book. Today I ordered from our church preschool book order. That was the extent of my Black Friday weekend shopping.
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