Technically summer isn't over for a little while yet but with school starting back up tomorrow it sure feels like it is done. It is hard to believe that C is an 8th grader already. It seems like it was just a few years ago that she was M's age. What a beautiful young lady she has become too. Last year was a little rough for C and I. But after her dad and I took a certain matter in our hands things have been so much better. That decision was probably one of the hardest one I have had to make so far in my children's lives, but I now feel that it was a great decision. C's relationship with me has been so nice this summer. She has really stepped up as a big sister and helps me out so much, especially when I am down from these silly surgeries. Way to go C. I am hoping that she has a wonderful school year. This will be her last year at BCA, due to financial reasons. I wish we could afford to continue to send her there because it is a great school, but in 2 years she will be driving and we will have insurance to pay. So it is better to switch schools at the beginning of high school.
Little Miss Priss (better known as M) is ruling the roost these days. She has been really good with me while I am down. She continues to talk nonstop and I do mean nonstop. As I am writing here, I am listening to M and C playing in the front room. I love to hear her giggles and see how she follows C around. C went to Myrtle Beach for a couple of days with some friends and came home Sunday evening. M followed C to her room just to "hang". M repeats anything that we say. I have to keep reminding C that some of the things that come out of her mouth are not appropriate coming out of a 2 year old's mouth - ie "Stupid" and "darn" to name a few.
I continue to heal slowly. I didn't sleep much last night but I am hoping tonight will be better. I drove for the first time yesterday to get my monthly bloodwork done. Then the kids and I went out again today going to the dentist, grocery store, and C needed to go to Ulta to buy more makeup. It feels good to be able to start getting a little more normalcy (whatever that is) into my life. My kidney doctor's office called this afternoon to tell me that they are concerned because my potassium is really high. If they can't get it down and keep it down I could have a heart attack. I guess that explains why my heart seems to beat faster (but only in the mornings) and why I haven't been feeling great in the mornings. So tonight I had to drink 4 ounces of some nasty stuff that should bring it down. I see my doctor Thursday morning and they will draw blood again to check the potassium level. Please pray that we get this under control. I know I have been having 3 no-nos since my surgery - raisins, bran, and milk are all high in potassium just to name a few. I have had Raisin Bran cereal nearly every morning since my surgery. I don't think that is the only reason it is high but it certainly didn't help. On a good note my creatinine is 2.7 and that is stable for me. Glad to know that having the old left kidney removed didn't cause any damage to the transplanted kidney. I will take every blessing.
Well, I shall call it a night. Hopefully I will enter dreamland and stay there tonight.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
And the Week is Over
Hard to believe another week is gone. I am doing much better, although still really sore. I am sleeping better, not great, but at least I am getting some rest. So it is all good. Wednesday I finally got out of the house for awhile. C needed to get her haircut before going back to school. So we left a little early and went to Target to pick up a few things. We finished a little early so we stopped by Old Navy so C could look for a new swimsuit. LaDonna, M and I stayed in the car. I knew I couldn't stand long in the store while C shopped. It is so hard for her to find a decent 2 piece swimsuit. She doesn't like tankinis or one pieces and I refuse to see her in something so skimpy and indecent. She finally found something and we were off to her hair appointment. She mainly got it "cleaned up", no major changes. BEFORE we left I asked her if she was happy with her cut and she said she was. NEVER believe your teenager when they say that. She came home to wash her hair and try to restyle it and it didn't work and she was frustrated, which in turned made me frustrated (for the next 2 days). Good thing is she is gone to the beach with friends this weekend. Hopefully she will have figured out the hair thing by the time she comes home.
C went to a church camp in Tennessee with some friends (the same friends she is at the beach with) a few weeks ago. She came home so excited about camp and the camp's director - Billy Wayne Arrington. Well turns out he and a group of people were travelling on their way to NY for a mission trip and they stopped in to speak at our church's youth group. C really wanted Robby and I to go and hear him - to see why she loved the camp so much. So as tired as I was after my first day out, we went. And I am glad I did. He is a marvelous speaker and really gets down on the kids' level. He is so honest about his life and what he went through and he came out of his trials. Amazing!!!
Thursday, LaDonna took me (and M and C) over to Winston-Salem to see the doctor. I was sure I was going to get my stitches out. Imagine my disappointment when he tells me they are dissolving stitches and should be gone in 2 - 3 months. What??? Are you kidding me??? I did find out that pathology came back on the multiple tumors on the kidney and it was cancer. So it was a great thing that we had it removed. They said they got it all and I do not have to have chemo or radiation. Let's hope that this is the last thing that I have to have done for awhile ---- a long time. I did try on Friday to put on some "real" clothes - not just work-out shorts and t-shirts. Unfortunately, the longest scar is right along the waist line and it felt like needles were sticking into my skin. I will keep trying. It will have to get better eventually. I've lost 4 pounds since my surgery but it is probably all muscle because the clothes for sure don't fit any different.
Ladonna is now gone. We took her over to Jarred and Crystal's last night after taking her out to eat, thanking her for taking such good care of us. She was so good to us, cleaning, washing and ironing; and she took such good care of M and had some great bonding time with C. If you read this, LaDonna, thank you so much. We love you very much!!! M loved her "Donna". She pretty much had her wrapped around her little finger. M woke up around 6 this morning and Robby went in to check on her and lay with her. She wouldn't go to sleep so he came down and around 7 I came down also. M thought she heard something upstairs and she said "Donna?". I reminded her that Donna was with B & G (her grandsons). I am sure she will be asking for "Donna" for quite awhile.
Well, I need to get off now. Need to get ready to go to Lenscrafters and see if I can get something done to these new glasses. I can see far away but I can't read the computer or anything else for that matter with them. Ta-ta for now!!
C went to a church camp in Tennessee with some friends (the same friends she is at the beach with) a few weeks ago. She came home so excited about camp and the camp's director - Billy Wayne Arrington. Well turns out he and a group of people were travelling on their way to NY for a mission trip and they stopped in to speak at our church's youth group. C really wanted Robby and I to go and hear him - to see why she loved the camp so much. So as tired as I was after my first day out, we went. And I am glad I did. He is a marvelous speaker and really gets down on the kids' level. He is so honest about his life and what he went through and he came out of his trials. Amazing!!!
Thursday, LaDonna took me (and M and C) over to Winston-Salem to see the doctor. I was sure I was going to get my stitches out. Imagine my disappointment when he tells me they are dissolving stitches and should be gone in 2 - 3 months. What??? Are you kidding me??? I did find out that pathology came back on the multiple tumors on the kidney and it was cancer. So it was a great thing that we had it removed. They said they got it all and I do not have to have chemo or radiation. Let's hope that this is the last thing that I have to have done for awhile ---- a long time. I did try on Friday to put on some "real" clothes - not just work-out shorts and t-shirts. Unfortunately, the longest scar is right along the waist line and it felt like needles were sticking into my skin. I will keep trying. It will have to get better eventually. I've lost 4 pounds since my surgery but it is probably all muscle because the clothes for sure don't fit any different.
Ladonna is now gone. We took her over to Jarred and Crystal's last night after taking her out to eat, thanking her for taking such good care of us. She was so good to us, cleaning, washing and ironing; and she took such good care of M and had some great bonding time with C. If you read this, LaDonna, thank you so much. We love you very much!!! M loved her "Donna". She pretty much had her wrapped around her little finger. M woke up around 6 this morning and Robby went in to check on her and lay with her. She wouldn't go to sleep so he came down and around 7 I came down also. M thought she heard something upstairs and she said "Donna?". I reminded her that Donna was with B & G (her grandsons). I am sure she will be asking for "Donna" for quite awhile.
Well, I need to get off now. Need to get ready to go to Lenscrafters and see if I can get something done to these new glasses. I can see far away but I can't read the computer or anything else for that matter with them. Ta-ta for now!!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Quick Update
I am sorry I have been MIA all weekend. I am running on just a little sleep. I will be so glad when I can get more than 2 hours of sleep in one sitting. I was so tired last night. I went to sleep around 11 pm and was wide awake (hurting) at midnight. I just knew I would sleep until at least 1. I ended up coming downstairs for a little while and drank some water and had a couple of cookies. Laid down and went back to sleep at 2 and slept until 3ish. Took 2 tylenol and decided I would try benadryl around 3:30. Four o'clock asleep and awake at 6 am when Robby's alarm when off. Only 2 hours with Benadryl.... Really??? My stomach and back hurt so bad - not from the incisions - more like the inside and I just can't get comfortable. Oh well. tonight is another night.
Saturday was Robby's birthday. I was so sad that I couldn't do anything for him - even buy him a birthday card. Caitlin wanted to cook him lunch and she wanted to cook for more than JUST us. So I let her invite our friend, the McKinneys, over. She had an appetizer of tomatoes and basel and a bowl of black olives that could be dipped in balamic vinagrette. Not my cup of tea, but Robby loves black olives. Then she made homemade ravioli (chicken and spinach), a salad, and bread. Finally we had an apple crisp for dessert with ice cream. Yum! She did a great job and did most of the cooking by herself. My SIL (LaDonna) was her sous-chef and did most of the cleaning (the house before the party and the kitchen afterwards). Robby was surprised that the McKinneys came and we had a wonderful time. I am so proud of my big princess.
I have spent most of the time in the recliner. LaDonna went to Durham to see her son, DIL, and grandsons after the party and stayed until Sunday evening. Marissa has been really good with not making/wanting me to do everything. She understands that Mommy isn't feeling good. She is talking so much these days. Yesterday afternoon after LaDonna got here, we decided to go out to eat. I was ready to get some fresh air. LaDonna was going to fix Marissa's hair in pigtails and was looking for some barrettes. She didn't like the colors of the ones I had downstairs, so she went up to Marissa's room to look for something different. Marissa started upstairs saying something about her hair. I told her Aunt LaDonna was looking for DIFFERENT ones for her hair. She looked through the railing at me and said "Different, Mommy?" I love hearing her trying new words. Communication is definitely getting a little easier with her.
I am going to try to download some pictures today and see if I can figure out how to get more than one uploaded here. Wish me luck!
Saturday was Robby's birthday. I was so sad that I couldn't do anything for him - even buy him a birthday card. Caitlin wanted to cook him lunch and she wanted to cook for more than JUST us. So I let her invite our friend, the McKinneys, over. She had an appetizer of tomatoes and basel and a bowl of black olives that could be dipped in balamic vinagrette. Not my cup of tea, but Robby loves black olives. Then she made homemade ravioli (chicken and spinach), a salad, and bread. Finally we had an apple crisp for dessert with ice cream. Yum! She did a great job and did most of the cooking by herself. My SIL (LaDonna) was her sous-chef and did most of the cleaning (the house before the party and the kitchen afterwards). Robby was surprised that the McKinneys came and we had a wonderful time. I am so proud of my big princess.
I have spent most of the time in the recliner. LaDonna went to Durham to see her son, DIL, and grandsons after the party and stayed until Sunday evening. Marissa has been really good with not making/wanting me to do everything. She understands that Mommy isn't feeling good. She is talking so much these days. Yesterday afternoon after LaDonna got here, we decided to go out to eat. I was ready to get some fresh air. LaDonna was going to fix Marissa's hair in pigtails and was looking for some barrettes. She didn't like the colors of the ones I had downstairs, so she went up to Marissa's room to look for something different. Marissa started upstairs saying something about her hair. I told her Aunt LaDonna was looking for DIFFERENT ones for her hair. She looked through the railing at me and said "Different, Mommy?" I love hearing her trying new words. Communication is definitely getting a little easier with her.
I am going to try to download some pictures today and see if I can figure out how to get more than one uploaded here. Wish me luck!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Looking Forward to the Weekend!
No we are not doing anything exciting. I couldn't do anything if I wanted to. But it will be nice to have my hubby at home with him. Tomorrow is his birthday. Too bad I am sick and can't take him out to eat. He will have to take a rain check. I am sure that he won't mind.
Marissa has been a pickle today. I fell asleep while LaDonna and Caitlin were upstairs getting ready for the day. When I woke up, Marissa had a plastic drink glass (small one) and had filled it to the top with Cheerios. How that child did that without spilling them all over the floor I will never know. Of course she could have spilled some and picked them up. I was asleep so who knows!! HA! LaDonna came down and fixed me a sandwich for lunch and Marissa asked for some ham. LaDonna gave her some and Marissa put it on her plate and proceeded to sit down on the floor. She poured all her Cheerios on the plate also. With McGregor around, food is never safe for long. Sure enough he took her ham and she had a melt down.. LaDonna brought her some more ham and I told M that she would have to keep the plate on the coffee table or McGregor would steal her ham again. I kind of dozed again and I woke up to LaDonna telling Marissa that she couldn't keep her plate sitting on the arm of her small rocker. She was going to spill it. Again, melt down. So I gave her a choice. She could sit on the end of the recliner with me and eat it or she could sit in her high chair at the table and eat it. She chose to sit with me. But every time LaDonna even looked at her, M said "no no Donna!"
Naptime wasn't easy either. Poor kid is so ready for her routine to return to normal. Not sure whether I am on track with my recovery or not. I am still weak as water and very sore. Seems like I was up and walking more when I had my ovaries out in March and it was all abdominal surgery. I wonder if this time seems harder because the one big incision comes from the left side around to the back. I don't know. I am just ready to be "normal" whatever that is.
Trying to figure out how to download pictures to my blog. Here are my beauties taking in a little sun at our neighborhood pool. Remember this is a work in progress.
Well, better stop for now. We are getting ready to watch a movie - "Clash of the Titans". Wonder if it will be as good the old one?????
Marissa has been a pickle today. I fell asleep while LaDonna and Caitlin were upstairs getting ready for the day. When I woke up, Marissa had a plastic drink glass (small one) and had filled it to the top with Cheerios. How that child did that without spilling them all over the floor I will never know. Of course she could have spilled some and picked them up. I was asleep so who knows!! HA! LaDonna came down and fixed me a sandwich for lunch and Marissa asked for some ham. LaDonna gave her some and Marissa put it on her plate and proceeded to sit down on the floor. She poured all her Cheerios on the plate also. With McGregor around, food is never safe for long. Sure enough he took her ham and she had a melt down.. LaDonna brought her some more ham and I told M that she would have to keep the plate on the coffee table or McGregor would steal her ham again. I kind of dozed again and I woke up to LaDonna telling Marissa that she couldn't keep her plate sitting on the arm of her small rocker. She was going to spill it. Again, melt down. So I gave her a choice. She could sit on the end of the recliner with me and eat it or she could sit in her high chair at the table and eat it. She chose to sit with me. But every time LaDonna even looked at her, M said "no no Donna!"
Naptime wasn't easy either. Poor kid is so ready for her routine to return to normal. Not sure whether I am on track with my recovery or not. I am still weak as water and very sore. Seems like I was up and walking more when I had my ovaries out in March and it was all abdominal surgery. I wonder if this time seems harder because the one big incision comes from the left side around to the back. I don't know. I am just ready to be "normal" whatever that is.
Trying to figure out how to download pictures to my blog. Here are my beauties taking in a little sun at our neighborhood pool. Remember this is a work in progress.
Well, better stop for now. We are getting ready to watch a movie - "Clash of the Titans". Wonder if it will be as good the old one?????Thursday, August 12, 2010
Two surgeries -- No More Please
As I write this blog, I am sitting here in the recliner with a pillow on my lap. I realize just how blessed that I am in so many friendships and family members. A few Sundays ago, my pastor and some deacons and other ladies in our church annointed my head with oil,laid their hands on me and prayed for me. What a wonderful feeling that was. I went the following week to have a CT scan done on my lungs to determine what the nodule was on the right upper lung and to meet with the doctor who would do my surgery on August 9 to remove the native left kidney. I waited nearly 2 weeks and never got a call from the doctor with the result from the CT scan. We could only think that had to be good news. Right? No news is good news? Well, during the surgery on Monday, they did another chest xray and didn't see anything at all there. "Must have been something causing a shadow on my lung" they told Robby. I choose to see it as God's healing grace and will praise Him for all that He is and all that He does in our lives.
My FB page was full of all my friends and family who were praying for me during my surgery and even the days that followed. Tears filled my eyes as I realized just what great friends I have and how much I am loved. Then, my wonderful SIL is here from Arkansas staying 2 weeks. She flew out here and has been a wonderful aunt to my girls helping out with the big and small things and even more help now that I am home. God blessed me with a great sister, when he brought LaDonna into my brother's life. Robby took 3 days off of work and stayed at the hospital ALL day helping me get up to go to the bathroom and to walk the halls. Most of the time it seemed like he would just get sat down and I would ask him to do something for me He would always do it with a grateful heart. Even last night, I would have to wake him up to help me up out of the bed to go to the bathroom. Poor guys has to be exhausted. What a man God gave me!!! On top of all of that, I have a beautiful 13 year old daughter who has really stepped up to the plate doing stuff to help out. She is quick to jump up and help me lower the recliner and lean it forward to help me get out and up by myself and then she runs back over here to help lift the recliner stool back up. She made me lunch today. She cooked supper Monday and Tuesday night for LaDonna and Marissa and herself. Then yesterday she made a cake for me - 3 layers with each layer a different color - with icing and decorations and even a few blueberries. I will try to get a picture posted of that soon. What a great daughter God blessed me with. So see..... I am one blessed lady today.
My FB page was full of all my friends and family who were praying for me during my surgery and even the days that followed. Tears filled my eyes as I realized just what great friends I have and how much I am loved. Then, my wonderful SIL is here from Arkansas staying 2 weeks. She flew out here and has been a wonderful aunt to my girls helping out with the big and small things and even more help now that I am home. God blessed me with a great sister, when he brought LaDonna into my brother's life. Robby took 3 days off of work and stayed at the hospital ALL day helping me get up to go to the bathroom and to walk the halls. Most of the time it seemed like he would just get sat down and I would ask him to do something for me He would always do it with a grateful heart. Even last night, I would have to wake him up to help me up out of the bed to go to the bathroom. Poor guys has to be exhausted. What a man God gave me!!! On top of all of that, I have a beautiful 13 year old daughter who has really stepped up to the plate doing stuff to help out. She is quick to jump up and help me lower the recliner and lean it forward to help me get out and up by myself and then she runs back over here to help lift the recliner stool back up. She made me lunch today. She cooked supper Monday and Tuesday night for LaDonna and Marissa and herself. Then yesterday she made a cake for me - 3 layers with each layer a different color - with icing and decorations and even a few blueberries. I will try to get a picture posted of that soon. What a great daughter God blessed me with. So see..... I am one blessed lady today.
The Start of a New Blog
After nearly two years of having a babyjellybeans site, I decided to come back to blogspot and post here. I wasn't very good at blogging on babyjellybeans. I think I just got too busy with life with a baby and a teenager to find the time to write. But with so many family and friends living far away from us, I thought I should try to do this again and do it better. So bare with me as I fumble along.
Marissa Mei Grace is now 2 -- and all that entails. Of our three kids, she can throw the "best" tantrum. She literally shakes when she doesn't get her way and she gets mad. It is almost comical to watch. Most of the tantrums come from power struggles. She wants everything her way or not at all. Mommy has decided that these are battles that Marissa is not going to win and she will just have to get over it. If we are out and about, I have no problem removing her from the situation until the tantrum stops. At home, it is actually easier because we don't have an audience for her to perform for. One thing I know for sure is that this two shall pass.
She is talking more and more everyday. I am loving that she is adding more words to her sentences when she is trying to tell us stuff. Simple things like "thank you, Mommy" or "Momma juice now" or she can distinguish between what color pacie she wants - "purple pacie please. "
The oldest child - Caitlin Faith - has turned into a beautiful young lady and really is a big helper to Mommy. In March I had a to have a surgery to remove my ovaires. She really stepped up and helped out with Marissa. It kind of surprised me since she always tells us that she doesn't like kids. But Marissa wanted no one except Caitlin or Shanhui during that time and Caitlin ended up taking a day off school to take care of Marissa. It didn't help that Nana Jean got sick and Papa had to take care of her also. Quite the circus around here as usual.
Now I had surgery again this week on Monday to remove my left kidney and was in the hospital 2 days. My SIL - LaDonna - said that Marissa once again just wanted Caitlin to help her whenever she was around. My big girl showed that she was up for the task. I am so proud of the young lady that she has become.
Well, that is all for now. Marissa is needing some Mommy time and it is too hard to type this one handed. So I will write again when we something to add. Hopefully it won't be too long.
Marissa Mei Grace is now 2 -- and all that entails. Of our three kids, she can throw the "best" tantrum. She literally shakes when she doesn't get her way and she gets mad. It is almost comical to watch. Most of the tantrums come from power struggles. She wants everything her way or not at all. Mommy has decided that these are battles that Marissa is not going to win and she will just have to get over it. If we are out and about, I have no problem removing her from the situation until the tantrum stops. At home, it is actually easier because we don't have an audience for her to perform for. One thing I know for sure is that this two shall pass.
She is talking more and more everyday. I am loving that she is adding more words to her sentences when she is trying to tell us stuff. Simple things like "thank you, Mommy" or "Momma juice now" or she can distinguish between what color pacie she wants - "purple pacie please. "
The oldest child - Caitlin Faith - has turned into a beautiful young lady and really is a big helper to Mommy. In March I had a to have a surgery to remove my ovaires. She really stepped up and helped out with Marissa. It kind of surprised me since she always tells us that she doesn't like kids. But Marissa wanted no one except Caitlin or Shanhui during that time and Caitlin ended up taking a day off school to take care of Marissa. It didn't help that Nana Jean got sick and Papa had to take care of her also. Quite the circus around here as usual.
Now I had surgery again this week on Monday to remove my left kidney and was in the hospital 2 days. My SIL - LaDonna - said that Marissa once again just wanted Caitlin to help her whenever she was around. My big girl showed that she was up for the task. I am so proud of the young lady that she has become.
Well, that is all for now. Marissa is needing some Mommy time and it is too hard to type this one handed. So I will write again when we something to add. Hopefully it won't be too long.
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