Mom Update

An update on my mom:

The doctors noticed Monday or Tuesday that she was developing fluid around her lungs. They decided the best option was surgery to remove it. It was too thick, they thought, to remove with a needle.

So Wednesday morning she had a little procedure done where they put a filter below her heart to try to filter out any more clots from moving into her lungs or heart. They needed to re-thicken her blood so that surgery would be possible with out her bleeding too much. After the filter procedure, she was transfered down to UVRMC. It was a long day for her and by the end of the day we were all wiped out.

Her surgery was originally scheduled for Thursday morning but was moved to Friday because of an open heart surgery that went long. So yesterday (friday) she had her surgery. The doctor told us it might last 1-5 hours. It took 4. He was also trying to do it with a scope but they ended up opening her up because, it wasn't just fluid around her lungs there was a big abscess on her right lung. The abscess was big and hard to remove. The picture the Dr. gave us measured it at about 2 inches. They only did the right side. The doctor thinks that the little fluid that is on her left side will clear up on it's own. But there is still a possibility they will need to go in in a few days and do it on the left. We are all praying that doesn't need to happen!

It is so hard to see her laying in that hospital bed with tubes and IV's coming out from everywhere. They were trying to get her up and sitting, maybe walking, soon after the surgery. Meaning hours...not days...I joked with her a little that she has so many tubes ect. coming out of her that she could be Frankenstein for Halloween. She laughed and said I think I'll just be a patient :-)

She is in ICU again after the surgery, but that could change today. They are hoping to move her to a regular room today. So much depends on how she is recovering. There are so many things that are making her so sick that it sounds like one layer after another will have to be peeled away in order to get her back to "normal". From what I understand, once they see that she is recovering from the surgery they will put her back on blood thinners and keep the blood clots away.

I think she has a LONG road ahead of her. I sometimes wonder if the new "normal" will be a mom that has to take things a little slower and not do as much as she is used to because she just can't keep up. But she surprises me so that might not be the case :-) I also miss her. Even though for most of my married life I have not lived so close, it was still a daily, if not couple of times daily, phone call to her just to check in. I just hope she makes a good recovery.

My deepest scariest thoughts come back at night and sometimes I have to stop my self from imagining the phone ringing to give me the news (we got the phone call at 2 am with Dad) and I worry beyond anything about my baby that has a little fever. Where a month ago I would have given him Tylenol and not worried about it until morning. I make sure I tell her I love her every time I walk out of the room...just incase and because I do. In all honesty I am scared. I worry and worry and worry until my stomach is sick. I love her and I am so blessed to her have her as my mom. She has taught me SO much and we have grown very close in the past 10 years. One of the doctors was reviewing her medical and somewhat personal history and stopped and one point and said "You are a great lady! Look how much you have accomplished in the past ten years!" And that she has and is. A Bachelor degree, a Masters degree, 5 grandsons that love her dearly, and much more...

She is a fighter! I have had so many prayers answered through this whole thing, big and small, that I know Heavenly Father will keep answering them!

Sweaters, Soup, and Snow

Todd promised that he would NEVER have a dog that he needed to put clothes on "That's just so silly!" But that was until we got Max...poor dog freezes here in the basement so we had to buy him a sweater yesterday. So welcome to the world of small dogs Todd :-)

We are supposed to get our first batch of snow today. I am excited! It will be short lived, I am sure, considering it is supposed to be 58 next monday, but welcome to Utah. I love it though, it gives me a chance to put on the slippers and sweaters and make yummy soup. But for the next few days I don't have to make dinner.

I would LOVE that idea under different circumstances, but unfortunately we are receiving dinners because my mom is in the hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, blood clots in both lungs and a current update shows fluid surrounding her lungs. She is one sick lady. But yesterday when I went to see her she seemed to be getting stronger. She even went for a short walk. It sure puts it in perspective when she goes for a walk down the hall and comes back so tired she could sleep for another 2 or 3 hours. (which she did)

I have shipped 3 older kids off to school, Tobyn and Tanner to Nicholes (thank you, thank you, thank you!!!) doing a quick blog update and will be off to go visit my mom shortly. It's been a little tough trying to go see her because no children under 14 are allowed in the hospital, unless they are a patient. So while the kids are gone I plan on taking a book and spending a couple of hours just keeping her company. The new ward has been very nice in checking up on us to see how we are doing and getting updates about Mom. I feel bad that we moved in and first on the list is dinners and babysitting, but the ward knows Mom so well and they want to help. I feel like letting them help us is letting me help my mom and so in a round about way they are serving my mom.

I am so grateful to be apart of the gospel where first thing people say is "We will be praying for her" and you know that is true. I also know that the blessings she has been given will help comfort her and help her through it. I also know that I am being watched out for and have so many friends and family that are willing to take the kids and offer their support, through physical help or phone calls to make sure I'm hanging in there.

Hair

This kids got some hair...confession: I didn't comb it that day!

The other boys heads have usually been shaved by this age but Tanner's is just too cute and I can't do it!

Journal Time...

I'm feeling a bit homesick. Besides the fact that we are just getting over ANOTHER round of sickness...but that is not the point right now. I miss my friends and old neighborhood. I miss that, if I wanted to, I could just walk down the street and more than likely there was someone to talk to, or wave at, or someone that would say "Hi, how ya doing?" and really mean it!

Don't get me wrong. I don't mind being here with my mom. The kids love that grandma is never far away and Tobyn is her little buddy. Where she goes, he goes. It's kind of cute until I think she wants alone time :-) But I did have a friend drop me a text today and ask how I was holding up so that made me feel a little better. It's hard know we'll be here only temperaraly but nice because there will be a time (soon) when we put down permant roots and our kids can have a place "to go up" in.

Todd went to church yesterday and when I asked how it was his response was "It's gonna be a hard adjustment after our old ward" We have made friends a lot of places we have lived, Grandview Ward, 15th Ward, "growing up ward" and a few others. We will continue to make friends where ever we go, but it just catches up to me once and a while that even though I can talk to those friends on Facebook or send an email I can't just walk out the door and see them (a bonus to houses all connected or 15 feet from each other). I know those friendships are not "lost" and hopefully never will be. But just so you all know... Thanks for being my friends!

So enough with this pity party. I am going to make a delicious dinner found on a very good friends blog.

Update? 'bout time...

The past couple of weeks have been SUPER busy. We have had a move, a baptism, a birthday, cleaning and the stomach flu... so it's about time I update!

First up is Titus's baptism. It was such a special (and memorable day). We got to the church a half hour early and got a good, but typical, picture of Titus and Dad. The talks were wonderful and the spirit was felt. Titus's, and our, good friend Jake was able to be baptized on the same day. They were excited and comforted to know someone there that day. Jake's mom gave one of the talks and did a wonderful job! (In case you read this Natalie, my whole family commented that you did such a good job talking at the kids level so they could understand that special day)

We did have a couple of things that made the day a little MORE memorable...1st, mom forgot the towel and clean underwear...oops. Sorry boys, for the soggy bottoms for the last 20 min. But luckily it didn't detract too much for the wonderful reason we were there! Mom and Dad are so proud of you Titus for your choice to get baptized.

The whole fam together for the good day. Thanks everyone for coming!

Cute Titus and Dad!

2nd thing that made that day a little different...we moved. Yup we did it. We moved that same day. It was crazy busy and a little chaotic, not to mention very emotional for mom. But things went very smoothly. We had a lot of help thanks to family and friends. Both from the ward and not. We are busy getting settled and the kids are making new friends in the new neighborhood. We appreciate SO much that my mom and Grandpa made a little room for us so we can get that house in 6 months!

The next day, Sunday, was our cute Tobyn's birthday! The cute kid turned 4. With all that was going on I forgot to take pictures. But we kept it simple. A little family party at Grandma C's and we ate no-bake cookies for his "cake". Like I said it was simple, but I think he had fun...until that night when he got sick :-( poor kid. Next year we'll make it up some how!

So there's the update. Sorry it was so long thanks for stickin' with it.