My life the last month...

This is not giong to be a fun post. I was looking and I can't believe it has been almost a year since my last post.

A lot has happened to me personally over the last month that it is kinda hard to tell.

4/4: woke up freezing at around 1 am, by 6 am (when I am getting up to get ready for work), I had a fever of 103.2. Took some Tylenol, stayed home from work, went to Dr., could not do anything for me but tell me to take Advil to opposite the Tylenol since only symptom was the fever.

4/5: Still had fever so stayed home from work. fever broke late this evening

4/6: went to work (felt I had to since we were going on vacation the following week - leaving Thursday 4/14). By end of day was achy all over - felt as though I was about 80 years old. Fever came back later in the evening.

4/7: now that I had fever & aches, Dr called in script for a z-pac, thinking that I had the flu.

4/8: same

4/9: not feeling any better - still feverish and achy. Went to Urgent care. When Jeff say me in the sun - he said I was yellow (like a banana). They could not help me so sent me to ER (went to Dublin since they have the fastest ER around). Winthin 2-3 hours I was admitted as they thought I had Pnemonia. Found that my liver was impaired or inflamed most likely due to a gall stone (which I have more of and will have my gall bladder removed later this year). Next they found a "growth" in my heart. Turned out to be a Staph infection (not the really bad kind).

4/10: did some tests today but not many.

4/11: Put me NPO and I did not do well with that. Woke me up around 7a for an ultrasound of my liver, around 11a, took me for the TEE test that I was put NPO for, then they started wheeling me around to various other areas for tests - MRIs, X-rays, CT scans - still no food or water. My mouth was really dry and I could not handle it anymore. Finally someone took pitty on me and gave those stupid cotton swabs to wet your mouth - I ended up actually sucking them dry most of the time. After all these tests, I got transferred to Riverside Methodist since Dublin is not rated yet for cardiac care. At some point in the ambulance ride - I passed out and I do not remember anything really concrete for the next week.

4/12-4/18: I remember nothing of this week. I do remember that my Mom came up from Florida to be with me. I remember Dad & Deb, Ellen, Uncle Kenny and Val stopping by to see me but nothing else. According to Jeff, I almost had open heart surgery that week to get rid of the staph infection that was in my heart but Jeff and Dr G (the infection specialist) convinced them not to do it.
Spent the next week in ICU and in step down = got to come home on Friday 4/23 (Good Friday).

We (meaning myself, Jeff and the Dr's) have no idea where this infection came from. We will never know. It grew on the outside wall of my heart opposite the hole that I have always had. Right now, it is mostly dead but I am on a 6 week antibiotic treatment that is being given to my through a pump that I must carry with me everywhere. This treatment is expected to end 5/20. After that I will be meeting with the cardiologist to determine how we are going to fix the hole in my heart. Ideally, he will go up through the groin and just stitch it closed. I will know more later.

I am glad to be alive. Although we missed our first family vacation in ever, I would much rather be here and be able to see my kids grow up than the alternative.

Kurtis' 1st Lost tooth

June 13, 2010




Kurtis turned 7 May 16th. On that day, he also got his 1st loose tooth. Well it has finally come out. Jeff was allowed, by Kurtis, to put a string around it to pull it out.





It was hanging very loosely in the gum so it was not difficult to get out. Kurtis' adult tooth is all the way thru the gum as well.





Here is a picture:

Right there in the bottom.

Kurtis was so excited & ready to put his tooth under his pillow. We convinced him that Daddy & Mommy would put the tooth under his pillow once he was asleep since he would most likely play with it & lose it. We did (of course) and the tooth fairy left $5 for that 1st tooth.

Isn't she very generous??? I don't think the tooth fairy will be quite so generous on the next one.

Anyway, the next morning Kurtis found the money taped to his bed - again so that the money did not get lost. He placed the money in his piggy bank to save for another day.

Another year older

Yesterday, I turned another year older. 36. As my brother so wonderfully put it in a voicemail yesterday: "I'm closer to 40 than 30".

Do I feel that old? No. Although I did wake-up with a stiff back that had bothered me all night long.

Am I happy with my life? Yes. I have a husband you loves me and puts up with me (which as my family can say - is no easy task). I have two wonderful boys who make me laugh almost everyday. I have a job that I feel like I was finally meant to do (just wish it was full-time...maybe soon).

What would I change? Really the only thing I would change would be my undergrad degree choice. I don't regret going to college to get a bachelor's degree - I just wish I had chosen a different major - Chemical Engineering really had not worked out for me.

What are my hopes? I hope that my family remains healthy. I hope that all my friends are still here next year. I hope that things become more financially stable for my family and friends. I hope someday to travel to Europe and Australia but first I would like to be able to take a family vacation.

What are my plans for the next year? I want to learn to quilt (something Jeff's mom did and I wanted her to teach me but never got the chance). I want to make my kids happy and teach them that life is special - enjoy the day.

We will see how I do next year.

My New Job

Well, it has finally happened. After a year & a half, I have a new job. It is just part-time for right now but I am happy with that. The possibility exist for it to quickly become full-time as the company continues to grow.

The company is STi. We work with hopitals, mostly Labor & Delivery departments to make sure that their computer information is correctly sent to their reporting system and that the information is saved as it needs to be. I am the Project Manager, working with/in charge of 3 programmers.

Being a Project Manager is what I want to do so this is a step in the right direction for me and my family. I am excited by the opportunity.

Pinewood Derby

January 23, 2010

I know I am late in putting this together but, better late than never, right? I did intend on doing this on Saturday or Sunday but just never got around to it.

Kurtis had is first Pinewood Derby race for the cub scouts this past weekend. Here is a picture of the some of the cars that were entered in the race from the various dens (1-5th graders).

This picture below is of Kurtis' car. Kurtis picked out the design, Jeff cut it out and Kurtis helped sand it. Kurtis picked out the paint and the wheels.

Kurtis' den, the Tigers, where first on the racing schedule, since they are the youngest. They had their preliminary heat which Kurtis won! Everyone else went into the secondary heat to see who would face Kurtis in the finals. That ended up being Case. We do have video of the race but I can't find it right now - I may add it later. Kurtis won the race against Case and took 1st place for the Tigers.After all dens had determined their winners, the four champs raced to see who would be the pack champion. Kurtis' car did well but he ended up in the secondary side. He got all the way to the final race to determine who would be facing the first heat winner and lost by a nose. Kurtis ended up 3rd overall in the den. Not too bad for the first year doing this.

Here is a picture of Kurtis with all his trophies and holding his car which earned him "Best in Show" for his den as well.

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Joey also had a car too - he picked the shape out from a kit at the store. Jeff painted it the same colors as Kurtis'. Joey's car did well too. He got 4th in the sibling category. Here is a picture of Joey's car.