Friday, thank goodness

[littlesista06]

Work, home, dance, hospital.

Got some good news about sd yesterday afternoon. He is off the respirator. :tinysmile It happened an hour after I dropped mom off in his ICU area. I picked her up and she told me, you could tell how relieved she was about that tube being taken out of him and where he couldn't talk (his throat was still numb from it), he was very glad to have it gone.

I'm looking forward to more good news today - maybe him being put in a real room. :tinysmile

[Diane]

GREAT news, Jen. I'm glad he's doing better. I'll continue to say my prayer's for him.

Not a whole lot going on today. I'm not too sure if I'm going to be getting Sarah or not today, Dawn didn't know yet last night. It's cold outside, so I'm not planning on going too far away from home anyway.

Picking my mom up after dh gets home from work, out to eat and then to Wal Mart. Not much else on the agenda.

I hope you all have a great day!

[AnnW]

Great news Jen!!!!

DD and I have been planning her 13th birthday party. 'MOM..it's my 13th birthday! i want a boy girl party!!!' WHAT???!!! LOL we are going to have a Luau here. There will be 25 total (12 boys/12 girls plus dd). We are going to move out the furniture in the den so they can dance! We had great fun picking out decorations from Oriental Trading Co. I told her we could get her a cute outfit out Limited Too for her birthday (big treat!). She is looking at the catalog and says 'here is what i want to wear' and shows me a coconut bra! uh..that would be a no! look further down and they have a set of a flowered lei, lei bracelet, grass skirt and flowered lei bra..we compromised on that. with a t-shirt and shorts underneath!

housecleaning today. i also may not get out of my jammies all day! ds has a basketball game (he is on a church league team, but hasn't played much) tonite.

[vea29]

Morning!
Jen~ great news!


Going to doctors for this sinus/ear thing then probably to work. I stayed home yesterday and slept all day. wondering if the weather has something to do with it...slightly better last night and today.

Can't wait my friend is coming to visit for the weekend. It will be fun to have girl time. May go to a country dance club tonight. with a friend from work.

[littlesista06]

Great news Jen!!!!

DD and I have been planning her 13th birthday party. 'MOM..it's my 13th birthday! i want a boy girl party!!!' WHAT???!!! LOL we are going to have a Luau here. There will be 25 total (12 boys/12 girls plus dd). We are going to move out the furniture in the den so they can dance! We had great fun picking out decorations from Oriental Trading Co. I told her we could get her a cute outfit out Limited Too for her birthday (big treat!). She is looking at the catalog and says 'here is what i want to wear' and shows me a coconut bra! uh..that would be a no! look further down and they have a set of a flowered lei, lei bracelet, grass skirt and flowered lei bra..we compromised on that. with a t-shirt and shorts underneath!

housecleaning today. i also may not get out of my jammies all day! ds has a basketball game (he is on a church league team, but hasn't played much) tonite.

Well then you MUST do the giant lighted palm trees I did for dd's b'day last year! LOL
How fun.

Wish I could stay in my jammies all day. I am tired, the week has caught up with me. I haven't even showered yet and I need to leave here in 25 mins.

[AnnW]

Well then you MUST do the giant lighted palm trees I did for dd's b'day last year! LOL
How fun.

Wish I could stay in my jammies all day. I am tired, the week has caught up with me. I haven't even showered yet and I need to leave here in 25 mins.


did you make them? tell me more!!!!

hugs! hope you get some rest!

[PamE]

Oh, Jenn, that's wonderful news! :)

Ann, how funny that she wanted a coconut bra! :lol: The party sounds like so much fun!

Vea, good luck at the doc's. I hope you can find some relief. Sinus stuff is the pits!

Schoolwork today, then the girls are going to a friend's for a sleepover. Dh is bringing home another friend's little boy to stay the night with us. We'll take him back to his folks tomorrow. They're the friends that gave dd the mustang and we're taking them out to dinner and the gaslight as a thank you tomorrow night.

I'm hoping to sneak in a nap this afternoon after the girls leave and before ds1 gets home. :sleep: I'm soooo tired. Maybe I can convince ds2 to watch Ice Age or Nemo while I crash on the couch. :D Hope you all have a great day!

[AnnW]

Ann, how funny that she wanted a coconut bra! :lol: The party sounds like so much fun!

!

bless her heart, she is always drawn to the cheeziest/sleaziest things! LOL :rolleyes: she reminds me of Dolly Parton 'it takes alot of work to look this trashy'. LOL

[PamE]

bless her heart, she is always drawn to the cheeziest/sleaziest things! LOL :rolleyes: she reminds me of Dolly Parton 'it takes alot of work to look this trashy'. LOL

:lol: My oldest was a total glitter girl at that age (she's outgrown it somewhat, but not entirely!). If it sparkles... she wanted it!

[angie r]

Well then you MUST do the giant lighted palm trees I did for dd's b'day last year! LOL
How fun.

Wish I could stay in my jammies all day. I am tired, the week has caught up with me. I haven't even showered yet and I need to leave here in 25 mins.

I was thinking the same thing about the "trees!"

Hey Ann, she could borrow brichard's coconut bra and grass skirt. I found lei's at the dollar store when I did his party.

[JAK]

I'm so procrastinating it's not even funny. I worked and have been home for about 2 1/2 hours. Haven't done much since I've been home. I ate lunch and washed some dishes. I need to start preparing things for a party tomorrow. Our friend is having a surprise party for her dh so we are doing some of the leg work for her. I have food to start preparing, but I'm being lazy. Guess I'd better get my butt in gear. I'm so glad it's a 3 day weekend! :D

Jen- GREAT news!

Ann- :lol: I think you should get her a coconut bra as a gag gift. I think my dd just wants to have a sleep over for her b-day this year.

[RCT]

Jen-Great news about your SD. Here is hoping he gets into a regular room soon.

Ann-LOL about your DD and the coconut bra...:lol:

I am beat too...this week has caught up to me. Wish I could stay in bed too...I sit here in my comfy robe while dd is in the shower...ds is still :sleep: snoozing...looking forward to this weekend...bb practice, games on Sunday, but mostly puttering around...movies, we might actually go see one...and I have some plans to SLEEP :sleep: I am exhuasted, I hate to think I might be fighting something off...but I am like a ZOMBIE....

[Amy]

Jen-awesome news about SD!!
Ann-That is some party you have planned! I can't even imagine what a boy/girl party will be like when dd gets older. I don't even think she would invite boys over thinking I am going to embarrass the heck out of her. LOL
Rct-get some rest this weekend! Now that you have solved my musical problems, I give you permission to sleep. ;)

I know I should be getting my day started, but I got sidetracked on trying to find the song from Winger. It is not on Napster or Urge. I got it downloaded, but the site I signed up on doesn't float my boat and I already want to cancel my subscription.

Today I need to get the house straightened so I don't have to work on it this weekend.

[AnnW]

Ann-That is some party you have planned! I can't even imagine what a boy/girl party will be like when dd gets older. I don't even think she would invite boys over thinking I am going to embarrass the heck out of her. LOL
.


oh..she did ask 'will you and dad stay back in your bedroom?' uh, hon, that would be a no again! told her that i will not be hovering, but i will most definitely not be banished to the bedroom and i will be walking freely through my own home, but that i would not talk to anyone unless they spoke to me first ;) :rolleyes:

angie..Oriental Trading has great prices, even beats the dollar store!

[RCT]

I know I should be getting my day started, but I got sidetracked on trying to find the song from Winger. It is not on Napster or Urge. I got it downloaded, but the site I signed up on doesn't float my boat and I already want to cancel my subscription.


Try this
https://order.real.com/pt/order.html?country=US&language=EN&mppi=15540&mppos_list=sppass:gmpass:dlpack&mpst=M14D1MAIN&ppath=cpmprhp042605a&pcode=cj&rsrc=14dFTOp&ocode=affiliate&cpath=aff&src=cj

or

[angie r]

oh..she did ask 'will you and dad stay back in your bedroom?' uh, hon, that would be a no again! told her that i will not be hovering, but i will most definitely not be banished to the bedroom and i will be walking freely through my own home, but that i would not talk to anyone unless they spoke to me first ;) :rolleyes:

angie..Oriental Trading has great prices, even beats the dollar store!

I liked how the dollar store packaged together a lei for around the neck with a small lei that went in your hair like a crown. I gave the men the lei's and the women the crowns. I love the whole luau theme! I also got these... http://www.centurynovelty.com/detail_38_014-50840.html

[Mickey]

Jenn, that's great news about SD!
LOL! I like that Ann--you won't speak unless spoken to!

Anthropology field trip today to the college.
First "Tweens" meeting tonight for ds.
School, laundry, and more sorting other than that. I have tons of stuff to go to charity and it's liberating! (And I've only saved a couple of things, so that was good!)

[littlesista06]

did you make them? tell me more!!!!

hugs! hope you get some rest!

i sure did.
i went to the carpet stores and got the heavy cardboard rolls that carpet and linoleum came on and hauled 'em home.
i wrapped the 'trunks' in white lights then brown crepe paper streamers
the palms were made from green construction paper and i had some heavy duty wire that i duct taped to the back of the construction paper - to hold it's shape.
then i poked holes in the palm part and stuck green xmas lights in the holes - taping the wires of the lights to the back of the construction paper. that was definitely the most time consuming part.
BUT very worth it in the end. the kids loved it, the neighbors thought it was great. you could add brown latex balloons to it to look like coconuts
i got shorter rolls and did them the same way for inside - just left off all the lights.

i used baby grass skirts over my lampshades - that was cute.
dh made a surfboard and we painted it and had all the girls sign it with sharpies....

if i remember anything else i'll pass it on
luau's are so fun. we did tye dye tshirts and photos in front of a beachy shower curtain backdrop

[littlesista06]

I was thinking the same thing about the "trees!"

Hey Ann, she could borrow brichard's coconut bra and grass skirt. I found lei's at the dollar store when I did his party.

lol my dh has one too!

[littlesista06]

:lol: My oldest was a total glitter girl at that age (she's outgrown it somewhat, but not entirely!). If it sparkles... she wanted it!

hey, i still do!

[littlesista06]

Jen-awesome news about SD!!
Ann-That is some party you have planned! I can't even imagine what a boy/girl party will be like when dd gets older. I don't even think she would invite boys over thinking I am going to embarrass the heck out of her. LOL
Rct-get some rest this weekend! Now that you have solved my musical problems, I give you permission to sleep. ;)

I know I should be getting my day started, but I got sidetracked on trying to find the song from Winger. It is not on Napster or Urge. I got it downloaded, but the site I signed up on doesn't float my boat and I already want to cancel my subscription.

Today I need to get the house straightened so I don't have to work on it this weekend.

someone told me about a sight called Rhapsody.com

[AnnW]

good lord sista, you have past my capabilities! LOL i am very impressed.

[Melody]

So glad to hear the great news about SD Sista!
Ann, too funny about the coconut bra. I love all the ideas for the decor Sista has! Sounds like a fun party.
Amy, glad you found your song. Renee, great job! :)

Went to the OB this am. Everything looks hunky dory and I go back in 3 weeks and then every 2 weeks after that. I was concerned about coming home from hospital (still am a little honestly) because I always end up losing so much and get real low on iron. She said 3 weeks before due date to start taking an additional iron pill each day and that will help. I was weak for over a week after the last one, but mil was here to help. This time dh and I have to rely on him being able to take a full week off work and do everything here. Didn't know I could take extra iron so that's good. And I was worried there may be more side effects after already having 3 epidurals and not being able to have another (not sure why I was thinking that) but I'm good to go for another as long as time permits when I get there. :)
No big plans this afternoon, should be upstairs getting some stuff done and maybe I will go do that soon. lol
Hope you all have a good day :)

[JADET]

Well, I hope everyone has a good day or rather a good week. The luau party sounds like fun, and I am so glad to read that your SD is out of the woods Jenn. To the question asking if there were any other sites where you can download music, you should try limewire.com, it's free unless you get the Pro, but it's worth it and you will not get viruses on your computer.

Today, was a somewhat busy day for me. Busy week actually! Looking forward to the 3-day weekend.

I went to go drop off the layout of our school newspaper to the printing press (I'm the editor), then I had to rush to class @ 10, had an interview for a radio internship @ 1, and then headed to work with the kiddies @ 2. I swear, the kids I work with are soo much fun. They have such vivid imaginations! Granted they are 3 years old, but still when we went outside to play this afternoon, they wanted to do everything from going to the grocery store to going to the computer store. It was soo cute. And then they would tell me to make sure my seatbelt was buckled...haha.

I'm in for a weekend of reading a play for my playwriting class to studying some questions for my Race and Ethnicity class. It should be a good weekend being that it is MLK weekend and there are a lot of activities, I would like to go see. But school comes first, of course. One More Year To Go! Hallelujah!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

[littlesista06]

... and I am so glad to read that your SD is out of the woods Jenn.

he's not anywhere near being out of the woods.
i realized tonight where yesterday was a milestone (removing the ventilator) there is a lonnng road ahead. he was unresponsive tonight and didn't focus on anyone in his "room".
where he had been nodding or shaking his head, he was not doing that tonight. i thought he looked so tired - for laying in the bed and sleeping so much, he still looked worn out.
mom said the dr. ordered OT and PT so even a 5 min. session could whip him at this point.
i'm concerned b/c he has a good bit of swelling in his right arm and shaking in his left. maybe it's the feeling coming back, since they paralyzed him for the gall bladder surgery.
he's not speaking since his throat is sore and probably still numb from the tubes. he's on a liquid diet but what he had on his tray was unopened....

we're not anywhere near being back to normal or looking at going home...

[Diane]

he's not anywhere near being out of the woods.
i realized tonight where yesterday was a milestone (removing the ventilator) there is a lonnng road ahead. he was unresponsive tonight and didn't focus on anyone in his "room".
where he had been nodding or shaking his head, he was not doing that tonight. i thought he looked so tired - for laying in the bed and sleeping so much, he still looked worn out.
mom said the dr. ordered OT and PT so even a 5 min. session could whip him at this point.
i'm concerned b/c he has a good bit of swelling in his right arm and shaking in his left. maybe it's the feeling coming back, since they paralyzed him for the gall bladder surgery.
he's not speaking since his throat is sore and probably still numb from the tubes. he's on a liquid diet but what he had on his tray was unopened....

we're not anywhere near being back to normal or looking at going home...

I'm so sorry Jen... I'll continue to keep him in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us updated as to how he is doing. (((HUGS)))

[MaryL]

Oh Jen...such a mixed feeling of emotions. I'm glad that he's off of the ventilator...and so sorry that he's still struggling. Hoping for a better day today for him. Maybe what he needs most is more time for his body to recuperate. {{{Jen}}} and continued prayers for your mom and sd.

[littlesista06]

thanks ya'll. :tinysmile

[SpeechMom]

he's not anywhere near being out of the woods.
i realized tonight where yesterday was a milestone (removing the ventilator) there is a lonnng road ahead. he was unresponsive tonight and didn't focus on anyone in his "room".
where he had been nodding or shaking his head, he was not doing that tonight. i thought he looked so tired - for laying in the bed and sleeping so much, he still looked worn out.
mom said the dr. ordered OT and PT so even a 5 min. session could whip him at this point.
i'm concerned b/c he has a good bit of swelling in his right arm and shaking in his left. maybe it's the feeling coming back, since they paralyzed him for the gall bladder surgery.
he's not speaking since his throat is sore and probably still numb from the tubes. he's on a liquid diet but what he had on his tray was unopened....

we're not anywhere near being back to normal or looking at going home...

So sorry he's struggling so much, Jen. I know you probably don't need one more thing to worry about, but be very careful with that liquid diet. Thin liquids are the most difficult thing to manage in terms of swallowing. They just travel so fast, that a medically fragile person's body doesn't have time to physically react in time to protect the airway. He could aspirate and end up with pneumonia. Try to have him sitting at a 90 degree angle as much as possible when drinking. Avoid straws (it takes a lot of coordination to drink from a straw). Listen for a wet voice quality which is a sign/symptom of penetration (anything at the level of the vocal folds). Coughing/choaking after drinking is a sign of aspiration (matter into the lungs). To be safe until he's stronger, try to give him thickened liquids like Buttermilk
Eggnog
Drinkable yogurts
Fruit nectars
Cream soups
Tomato juice

You do need to be careful about dehydration, though. There is a school of thought that the body can handle a certain amount of plain water in the lungs. The Frazier Water Protocol is based on it. If you use it, your SD can have as much water as he wants up to 30 minutes prior to a meal, and 30 minutes after a meal. The time frame is to keep any residue from his meal from bring swept into his lungs with the water.

You may want the Dr. to just order a screening by an SLP to be safe.

[littlesista06]

So sorry he's struggling so much, Jen. I know you probably don't need one more thing to worry about, but be very careful with that liquid diet. Thin liquids are the most difficult thing to manage in terms of swallowing. They just travel so fast, that a medically fragile person's body doesn't have time to physically react in time to protect the airway. He could aspirate and end up with pneumonia. Try to have him sitting at a 90 degree angle as much as possible when drinking. Avoid straws (it takes a lot of coordination to drink from a straw). Listen for a wet voice quality which is a sign/symptom of penetration (anything at the level of the vocal folds). Coughing/choaking after drinking is a sign of aspiration (matter into the lungs). To be safe until he's stronger, try to give him thickened liquids like Buttermilk
Eggnog
Drinkable yogurts
Fruit nectars
Cream soups
Tomato juice

You do need to be careful about dehydration, though. There is a school of thought that the body can handle a certain amount of plain water in the lungs. The Frazier Water Protocol is based on it. If you use it, your SD can have as much water as he wants up to 30 minutes prior to a meal, and 30 minutes after a meal. The time frame is to keep any residue from his meal from bring swept into his lungs with the water.

You may want the Dr. to just order a screening by an SLP to be safe.

Thank you Donna. :)
I really appreciate the information.

He's off the liquids and the NG tube is back in. :( He also had a CT scan last night that showed he's had a small stroke, probably explains the non-movement in the right hand last night (the stroke was on the left side of his brain in the area that controls movement).
The nurse said he wouldn't take his meds this a.m. (wouldn't or COULDN'T is what i wonder) and he could not suck water thru the straw last night, so the he's getting them thru the NG tube. I'm sure he's not thrilled about that being back in.

A neurologist came through this a.m. while mom was there and did a few tests which he passed. However, he could not stick his tounge out of his mouth... no further than his teeth. I wondered last night if his speech could have been affected b/c he sounded so gurgly last night when he made noise (which was not much).

Ok, I'm sure ya'll are sick of my hospital updates. :)
I'm not allowed to tell anyone of the stroke so it helped a little to get it off my chest here. :)

[AnnW]

(((jen)))) not sick of them at all!

[Diane]

Thank you Donna. :)
I really appreciate the information.

He's off the liquids and the NG tube is back in. :( He also had a CT scan last night that showed he's had a small stroke, probably explains the non-movement in the right hand last night (the stroke was on the left side of his brain in the area that controls movement).
The nurse said he wouldn't take his meds this a.m. (wouldn't or COULDN'T is what i wonder) and he could not suck water thru the straw last night, so the he's getting them thru the NG tube. I'm sure he's not thrilled about that being back in.

A neurologist came through this a.m. while mom was there and did a few tests which he passed. However, he could not stick his tounge out of his mouth... no further than his teeth. I wondered last night if his speech could have been affected b/c he sounded so gurgly last night when he made noise (which was not much).

Ok, I'm sure ya'll are sick of my hospital updates. :)
I'm not allowed to tell anyone of the stroke so it helped a little to get it off my chest here. :)

Not sick of your updates at all, Jen... As a matter of fact I'm constantly checking back in hoping for an update from you. Keep them coming. :)

Oops... edited because I forgot to give you a hug. (((JEN))) :)

[littlesista06]

Ya'll are so sweet.
I hope I'm even half as good a friend to ya'll are you are to me.
It's easy for me hop on here and say hey, guess what awful thing is going on.
I don't feel like I call any girlfriends and do that. I feel like it's asking for sympathy but I don't feel that way here. Why is that? And do I have the wrong 'real' friends?

[AnnW]

I hope I'm even half as good a friend to ya'll are you are to me.
well, since you asked...........................;)
of course you are




It's easy for me hop on here and say hey, guess what awful thing is going on.
I don't feel like I call any girlfriends and do that. I feel like it's asking for sympathy but I don't feel that way here. Why is that? And do I have the wrong 'real' friends?

i know what you mean. i don't think it's the friends as much as not wanting them to look at you funny or worry about you. i know after mom died, i told ya'll more cause i just couldn't face the looks.

[angie r]

Ok, I'm sure ya'll are sick of my hospital updates. :)
I'm not allowed to tell anyone of the stroke so it helped a little to get it off my chest here. :)

We are definitely not sick of the updates. ((((Jenn)))) Keep them coming.

[Mickey]

I'm sorry he's having a rough time, Jenn.

And I know what you mean about being able to tell your "pretend" friends things you don't tell your RL ones. Some of the things I have talked about here and not in RL are things that would likely be brought up down the road when I'd rather they weren't. Or they're things I'm upset/frustrated about in the moment--I come here, vent, get it off my chest, get advice, encouragement, and sympathy, and then we move on. It doesn't linger here like it seems to linger in RL.

It's weird. But a good weird! ;) LOL!

Continued thoughts and prayers for your SD and family.

[Diane]

Ya'll are so sweet.
I hope I'm even half as good a friend to ya'll are you are to me.
It's easy for me hop on here and say hey, guess what awful thing is going on.
I don't feel like I call any girlfriends and do that. I feel like it's asking for sympathy but I don't feel that way here. Why is that? And do I have the wrong 'real' friends?

You've all been through so many things here with/for me... it's just natural that we'd all want to be here for you too, Jen. :)

I have some wonderful friends I wouldn't even consider opening up to as much as I do you guy's. At least here I know it's not going to get spread around to all my relatives. LOL :biglaugh:

[JADET]

Jenn, no need to worry about updating us about your SDs hopital stay. If talking about is helping you cope with what you're going through then by all means share share. I'd rather you vent about your troubles here then keep all of your feelings bottled up and then you end up in the hospital yourself for an ulcer.

It's good to share good news/bad news, and we will always be here for those in need.

[RCT]

Ya'll are so sweet.
I hope I'm even half as good a friend to ya'll are you are to me.
It's easy for me hop on here and say hey, guess what awful thing is going on.
I don't feel like I call any girlfriends and do that. I feel like it's asking for sympathy but I don't feel that way here. Why is that? And do I have the wrong 'real' friends?

Never doubt that Jen, your always here for us, and we are for you.
((((((((JEN)))))))))