Laughing Warrior

Arthritis

2012-01-06T10:57:00.000-08:00

I was thinking today about Isaac's arthritis and how I rarely or never talk about it on his blog. Isaac had a lot of arthritis last night, some in his back and a lot in his leg. He had a bad sleep because of the arthritis. I wonder how many kids with heart issues go through the same thing. Sometimes he has chest pain, right in the middle of his chest; my first thought is heart failure, but I really think it is arthritis again, because of his rib cage being broken open with a saw during heart surgery and then being closed again with wires. I am not looking for pity,I just wonder if other kids like Isaac go through this in the winter and other times when the barometer changes so much.

Isaac's Followup appointment today

2011-12-29T18:33:00.000-08:00

I have been a bit of an emotional wreck today. I took Isaac to his followup visit today. While we were there I worked on filming my short documentary. I was doing pretty good until his wounds started to get uncovered. First the doctor took off the bandage from his chest and it was swollen like a huge bubble on his chest, the doctor said it was full of fluid. Next the doctor removed the bandage from his ear; the ear was swollen as I expected and looked very painful. Soon it was time to numb the incision on his chest and drain the fluid. Isaac was crying from the pain of having the bandages removed and started to cry about the procedure being done on his chest. I tried keeping Isaac calm, but it was difficult because at the same time I am smelling alcohol from the numbing shot and watching it as it slowly enters his chest as I hear him cry. At that moment I started to feel nausea and weakness, I was overcome with all of the stress of thinking my poor boy was suffering with pain and fear and I could barely keep it together. I let the doctor and his assistant know I was going to pass out, then we hurried me to the floor and I immediately passed out. I woke up a little confused and remembered where I was. the doctor checked my blood pressure and it was very low, then my pulse and it was a little high. I was given a coke and some rest and I recovered. While I was recovering me the doctor told me Isaac had a Hematoma, a complication from surgery. I was shown the hematoma, it kind of scared me to think of what could have happened with that blood clot. Isaac remained calm the whole time I was on the floor and didn't cry, he was aware of what was happening, but was brave and helped me stay calm. On the way home I talked to him, he let me know that he was mostly scared and that is why he cried during the numbing shot. I knew he was crying from pain when the bandages were removed, but I didn't know when the cry changed from pain to fear. I am relieved that the shot didn't hurt, but feel kind of bad that I got so stressed over it now that I know how he felt. I don't like my kids to see me in situations like that, but he handled it well. To top it off, I seem to have PMS making it worse.

2011-12-27T13:23:00.000-08:00

Isaac's surgery went well. The surgery lasted almost 4 hours. The surgeon made a few incisions on his left ear to smooth out any of the creases and curves, and he opened up a pocket that was made on his chest to save some cartilege for later. Isac took several hours recovering in Post-op and went home about 10PM vomitting half of the way home and then some more at home. The first 24 hours after surgery are always the worst. His main source of pain was the incision on his chest. Now his ear is starting to hurt more, although he refuses Tylenol to help it accept at bedtime. Isaac will have his followup visit on Thursday. It is had to believe almost a week has gone by, it went really fast. Isaac was still able to enjoy Christmas, and was happy with each and every present.

December Update

2011-12-12T10:43:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I have updated. I just wanted to let any of Isaac's friends be aware that he will be going through the final stage of his ear reconstruction on December 22nd. Isaac has been excited about his new ear. He is a bit nervous about the surgery although he is quite calm at the same time. Isaac loves Dr. Fairbanks and has complete trust in him. Isaac still tells me that he can remember spending time with Jesus, which comforts me to know that Jesus loves him, and has a special relationship with him. Isaac has stayed fairly healthy lately, despite his fragile heart. I will post more after his surgery. Until then pray that Isaac has a positive experience with this upcoming surgery. Thanks for caring enough to check on Isaac.

New Ear Pic

2011-07-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

Here is what his new ear looks like today. His ear will improve as it heals. As you might be able to see, it is still a little swollen and bruised, but it is healing well. If you would like to see how his ear looked in the beginning, go to older posts link at the bottom of this page and keep clicking older posts until you get to September 2008.

Big Bandage is gone

2011-07-14T18:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Isaac and Dr. Grant A. Fairbanks (the Famous Plastic Surgeon/sculptor) who has been building Isaac's ear since July 2010. Isaac is very pleased with Dr. Fairbanks and his work. Isaac absoluely loves his new ear and couldn't be happier. The previous surgeon was an Ear Nose and Throat doctor, who messed it up during the first reconstructive surgery. Isaac had his big bandage removed this morning, and I was able to see his new ear for the first time. The ear looks a liitle swollen, but it looks pink and healthy. Isaac is feeling great and is excited that his ear is progressing well. Now Isaac will wear the "Glasscock Ear Protector" for a few weeks until the doctor says for him to take it off.

Recovering Well

2011-07-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

Isaac had his 3rd Stage ear reconstruction last Wednesday, and is doing well. The surgery took 4 hours. He had skin grafts taken from the pelvic area in two places, much like hernia surgery. The skin grafts were cut into almond shapes and placed on the back of his ear. Isaac complained about pain from his ear first and then the pelvic area 2nd, the numbing cream probably lasted on the pelvic area longer than any pain medicine he recieved during surgery. The first few hours after surgery were the worst as they usually are; he was vomitting constantly for several hours. After the Narcotics wore off he was much better and went home on just Tylenol and ice packs. For several days Isaac had to have Tylenol every 4-5 hours, however today he has said that he doesn't have enough pain to need Tylenol. He has missed having baths, but enjoyed a sponge bath the other night. Isaac especially enjoyed the part where I forgot I had a bucket of water on my bed and sat in it by mistake and soaked my pj's, the bed and the floor. He was laughing for a while, and so was I. Isaac has been out of the house a few times, and really gets the looks at his bandage. He is thankful nobody has laughed at him, and is confident enough to go in public now. On Thursday he will have the large bandage removed and have a plastic cup to wear on his ear called a "Glasscock Ear Protector". We are anxious to see how well his ear surgery turned out. Thanks for all of the prayers in Isaac's behalf, they truly have helped.

New Ear Surgery Date & Time

2011-07-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

On June 21st Isaac was supposed to have his Stage 3 Ear reconstruction at Primary Children's Medical Center, however, an emergency surgery came in an bumped Isaac's reconstructive ear surgery since it was elective. Tomorrow, Wednesday July 6th at 9:45 AM Isaac will be having his surgery at PCMC, by Dr. Fairbanks. Anyone is welcome to visit me in the waiting room, I'll be there for at least a few hours.

Re-Constructive Ear Surgery Postponed

2011-06-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Isaac was scheduled to have stage III Microtia ear surgery tommorrow. We have had some delays getting it approved by his insurance. For now we will tenatively schedule it for June 21st and hope for the best. Isaac is a bit disappointed that it was re-scheduled, but happy that he will get to enjoy a few summer activities before surgery. Isaac loves how his ear is looking and is anxious to seeing it match his right ear. Dr. Fairbanks is Isaac's favorite doctor right now because he does such a wonderful job and is so nice. I am sure if he truly understood and remembered what Dr. Hawkins did for him, he would feel the same way about him.

Isaac's Baptism Day

2011-06-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

Isaac had a very special and beautilful Baptism. He was a bit scared, but was brave and went through it well. Everything about the baptism was beautiful, the building was newly remodeled, the meeting was peaceful, had loved ones around ( in body and spirit) and it was very spiritual. It was interesting that Paul Cardall's nephew was also getting baptized at the same church a few minutes before Isaac. It was nice to have a brief visit with the Cardall Family. After the baptism we had a nice lunch with family and friends. What a beautiful sun-shiney day it has been, we hope the weather stays beautiful for a while. We have missed the sun.

Happy Update

2011-05-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Monday Isaac had an Echocardiogram and a visit with Dr. Puchalski, his Cardiologist. Isaacs heart function is doing well, it hasn't got any worse. He still has only half a heart and a leaky tricuspid valve along with some other smaller heart issues, but he is doing well. He is still getting between 85-91% oxygen saturation which is normal for him and really great. Dr. Puchalski says he shouldn't need another visit for a year. I couldn't be happier with this report, Isaac is a living miracle. Isaacs recent virus scared us, and gave us lots of stress, however it is normal to see in heart kids. We are thankful we have had the last eight years with him. Isaac has helped us realize how blessed we truly are. We look forward to many more years with Isaac and are excited to see him grow and develop. We have learned to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, and don't regret this journey in the least.

March Update 2011

2011-03-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

Currently Isaac is doing well other than having the stomach flu off and on for over a week. I will double check with the Pediatrician to see if there is any concern with having this flu for so long. Isaac still has two more stages of ear surgery, next one will be done probably in May 2011. Isaac will be getting Baptized soon, if you are interested in coming, please contact me. We are currently still making arrangements for a date. Thanks for caring about Isaac & checking in on him.

Brief Update

2010-11-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

I've been too busy to update lately. However, I just wanted to update on Isaac's health. On October 5th, Isaac had stage 2 of his ear surgery. It went really well & healed extremely fast this time. Also he was blessed to have many people pray for him, which I believed help Isaac be almost completely free of pain. There was discomfort, but not pain medication needed after surgery. Isaac is really happy with his ear. Isaac loves Doctor Fairbanks, the plastic surgeon. This is another blessing, to have a wonderful doctor who genuinely cares for his patients. I've noticed his patients are passionate about doctor Faibanks, he is one of a kind.
Isaac saw his Cardiologist on October 21st (his Dad's birthday also). THe report was good. He said that Isaac's heart was still leaking, however not any worse than before. It's too risky to fix at this point. I hope we find a way for it to heal on it's own without surgical intervention. Even Heart Catherizations make me nervous, I've heard stories about Cath nightmares. Anyway, I am thankful Isaac is stable. I try not to worry about when things might change. I am always thinking about how to not take our time together for granted, as well as my other children. I have a perspective that is weird to some, and too real to others. I try to live my life with no regrets.
Isaac won an Award of Merit today for a Reflections project he entered at his school. He is real happy that he won, even though it was not a medal. His sister Brianna won five medals today in the same competition.
Thanks, to all of you who stop by to check on Isaac, I appreciate your concern.

Microtia Surgery Stage 1 (re-Do)

2010-07-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

For some of you, you might remember Isaac having reconstructive surgery almost two years ago on his left ear. I just didn't feel good about the first surgery, almost every aspect of it. I feel bad I put Isaac through a painful surgery again, especially when it turned out to be a mistake. This time I feel bad he has to go through so much pain, however, I feel that the surgeon is perfect for the job. After much thought I went to doctor Siddiqui (a very skilled plastic surgeon I met at Primary Children's Medical Center in 2003), to see if he could do Isaac's second stage of Microtia Surgery. Dr. Siddiqui looked at it and said it was not done right and needed to be redone. He reffered Isaac to Dr Grant R. Fairbanks (a plastic surgeon/sculptor) who does re-do's as they call it. Doctor Fairbanks glady took Isaac as his patient, and carefully planned out the reconstruction of Isaac's ear. Doctor Fairbanks is one who takes great pride in his work and thinks out the best scenario for his patients best interest. He takes the time to do everything extremely well and considers the patients future like no other. I have been very impressed by his caring hands in giving the best for Isaac. He is truly a doctor who cares about the welfare of each patient, going well beyond the call of duty. I am thankful Isaac was lead to such a skilled and caring surgeon and I feel he will be the best to complete the next two steps of Isaac's ear reconstruction.
Isaac's surgery went as well as planned. After surgery, recovery was a long process. Isaac retained a lot of fluid, which gave him some setbacks for a few days. Also, Isaac has had a lot of chest pain, due to rib grafts and removal of one rib. Isaac came home after about five days in the hospital. His ear and chest are healing well with no signs of infection. I expect his chest will continue to be very sore for a while.
At the end of July Isaac will be attending second Grade at CopperHills Elementary. We are excited to work with Mrs. Wright (his new teacher). We look forward to a sucessful school year.

Why am I a Bad Mom today?

2010-05-05T17:39:00.000-07:00

Why do I feel like the worst Mom ever? Because of strict attendance policies at school, I sent Isaac to school with a stomachache. Knowing that I just am getting over a flu that lasted for a little over three days, and he probably caught it. Also knowing for a fact that Isaac had a croup episode early Monday morning. I also am bugged because the steroids he had to take for his croup have their side effects, which include lower anti-bodies, crankiness, insomnia, anxiety and increased heart risk. All of this leaving me to feel like I am not a very good Mom, just before Mother's day. I really hate making judgement calls like that. Especially when it REALLY BUGS me when other parents send their children to school sick. I wish we could re-write some of these policies. I feel that as long as children that have missed exessive days from school, can do well enough on their testing at the end of the year to show that they are not a truant that the test should show enough to say that the student is not trying to be a truant. Especially for a first grader, come on now, let's get real. Sorry, if this is a bit annoying, but I had to vent today. I am seriously feeling rotten & guilty.

Catching Up

2010-04-06T10:20:00.000-07:00

Isaac is doing well in school and finally catching up in his developmental delays enough that he is transitioning to a regular 1st grade class for half a day now and back to the Special Ed class in the afternoons. He will probably be in a regular class all day very soon. He is very smart and reads better than any first grader I have ever met. Isaac is reading Chapter books such as "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and loves it. Isaac will still need a little help with his social interaction skills, but not much more than that. Isaac, much like other heart kids, spent a lot of time in a position where he couldn't do much physically for so long, he learned from everything going on around him. It is amazing to watch how his brain works, I like to pretend with him that I steal his brain through his ear so that I can be smart like him and he loves to yell at me to spit it out. Isaac is such a character, and so much fun to tease in a fun way, I am thankful I have this time with him to play. I feel bad that some of my heart friends had such a short time with their loved ones to play like I have been able to enjoy. I guess each one of us has a different mission in life and we all will get a chance to be with our loved ones again someday. I am so thankful for Heavenly Father's Plan for us & the chance to be with our loved ones again & for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us all especially at this Easter season as well as throughout the year.

Strept Throat

2010-03-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

I kept Isaac home from church yesterday & school today due to a bad cough and mild sore throat. Today I took him to the doctor just to make sure it did not turn into something more serious. The pediatrician looked at his throat and decided to swab it. A few minutes later the medical assistant came in and told us the Strept test was positive. This is the first time I can remember Isaac having Strept, which is a real blessing after seven years of other health issues. I am thankful I can still find plenty of blessings to count. I think I have just learned to see the blessings around me better. I feel so blessed that he is not as sick as many kids are when they have strept. I sometimes feel better about bacterial infections since they usually can be treated easily with anti-biotics. Viruses scare me a lot worse.

Late January Update

2010-02-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy couple of months. Isaac had his 7th birthday on Thursday January 14th. He was fortunate to get out of school early that day. He chose to celebrate his birthday with his Mom, & sisters Lauren & Brianna at Chuck E Cheese's pizza. He had lots of fun there and came home later to blow out the candles on his cake. Isaac's sister Brianna celebrated her birthday the following Friday, and he had fun with her and Lauren at the Discovery Gateway Children's museum. he also had fun for several weeks buying various toys with his birthday and Christmas money.
On the morning of January 27th, Isaac woke up with a bad case of croup. He was blessed most of the winter and didn't have to suffer with it as much as in previous winters. He stayed home from school for a few days and finally felt better by Friday. All through December & January, Isaac frequently had pain with his first loose tooth on the bottom. On the evening of January 31st, Isaac finally lost his first tooth. He was really quite surprised that it didn't even hurt when it came out. That night when he went to bed, he put his tooth under his pillow for the tooth fairy. He had bad insomnia during the night possibly due to the tooth fairy. I didn't think he would wake easily in the morning after a bad night of sleep, however, he woke up bright eyed and rich from the tooth fairy visit. The tooth Fairy left him an entire dollar and he was smiling from ear to ear. He was in the best mood that morning that he'd been in since Christmas.
Isaac is progressing well through life, although he still struggles with his ongoing heart issues. We still worry in the back of our minds about Isaac's future and what it will bring, however we have so much hope for a bright future. Isaac has been blessed with some great talents as well as caring family and friends. We look forward to see where his talents and abilities will lead him as well as his two older sisters.

Christmas Came Early

2009-12-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early this year for the Yancey Family. Yesterday Isaac and his sisters met some of Santa's helpers and they presented them with gifts. They didn't find gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, however they found some really Awesome things inside the packages. Isaac was really excited when he opened the Lego's as the first gift, and his excitement continued as he opened each gift. Santa's helpers were very friendly and were very warmly received. Isaac woke up in a good mood this morning, ready to play with all of his wonderful toys. His sisters also woke up ready to play some more with all of their fun & cool gifts.

More on this story can be read on TheYanceyFamilyof5 blog.

H1N1

2009-11-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

I took Issac to the pediatrician today about his cough. The Pediatrician decided to check Isaac for H1N1 since he showed symptoms. I had a feeling the test would show a positive result, and it did. The medical assistant came in and had a sad face, telling us it was positive. Then we talked to the pediatrician about using Tamiflu. It has been decided it is too late for Tamiflu, since it has to be taken within the first 48 hours. Isaac received the H1N1 vaccine, but it was only a little over a week ago and it's too late. Isaacs symptoms are mild, compared to what I hear in the news with people who have lost their battle with H1N1, so I am hopeful. Please pray that his body stays strong and fights this virus. I hope that our family can stay strong through this trial. I believe we have all had the virus going around our family for a while, but didn't know it was H1N1.

Cardiologist Visit

2009-11-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Isaac had an Echocardiogram & a visit with Dr. Puchalski. Everything looks stable, he still has a leaky tricuspid valve, and the fenestration in his Fontan has not closed yet. Dr Puchalski says that closing the hole will only increase his oxygen intake by 5%. Therefore he says we can hold off doing a Cardiac Catherization for now and just keep an eye on him. Isaac's saturations were around 87% which is excellent for him. Isaac's sats are occasionally around the low 80's which has made the different pediatricians nervous at times. Currently Isaac is sick with a horrible cough which has came with occasional fevers and croup. Isaac is home today resting as much as possible. Isaac's oldest sister Lauren is sick with a bad head cold today and is staying home also. I hope we can all be strong enough to fight the bugs that come our way this season. It is scary what I hear in the news.

The Flu has arrived

2009-10-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

I was really hoping Isaac could avoid the flu, however, Isaac got sick with the stomache flu at school today. This is the first time any of my kids have got so sick at school that they lost their stomache contents all over their clothing. Poor Isaac, I felt so bad when I heard he was so sick at school. I hope he never has to go through that kind of humiliation and pain again. He seems to have a mild case of the flu, but it's not over yet, he said his stomache still hurts tonight. I hope the flu shot makes it as mild as possible. It really scares me when Isaac gets sick like this, because he gets more pale blue than anything I have ever had to experience. I am sure it really scared his teacher when she saw it. I hope none of the kids in Isaacs class get sick with the flu he might have spread.

The Dentist

2009-10-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Isaac went to the dentist for his regular cleaning and exam. Isaac usually doesn't cooperate well with the dentist; he prefers doctors. Today was different, he opened his mouth and let the dentist clean his teeth more than ever before. He was especially happy because he got to watch Disney channel & watch Playhouse Disney and Handy Manny. He only had one tiny cavity, which he will get filled on his next visit.

Can't Seem to Escape From Croup

2009-09-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

Isaac Can not seem to escape from getting croup. Last week on Thursday I took him to the doctor for a cough he had had for about a week, his Oxygen saturations were down to 83% which worried me and the doctor a bit. Isaac acted pretty normal but looked pale most of the weekend. Early Monday morning the virus turned into the croup. It was very scary due to the fact that he hadn't had croup for a few months and I had trouble finding tubes to hook up to the Nebulizer, he was in a terrible panic struggling to breathe and I was running out of time quickly. With direction from above I finally found what I needed under a mess in my room. I felt like an emotional wreck. I gave him the Dexamethazone shortly after and finally felt some relief. Isaac and I had a little nap & went to the Pediatrician around noon. Isaacs Pediatrician looked at him and noticed his oxygen saturations made it back up to 86% which helped me breathe a little easier. I was thankful he was doing much better. Isaac received his Flu shot, but has been upset about having to get it. He is still sore today. Isaac finally went back to school after missing five days due to the cough & croup. His friends and teacher were happy to see him & he seemed happy too. I just worry that after having steroids so much, his immune system will have a hard time fighting off the different germs around. I pray that he can be strong and avoid getting sick.

Isaac Is Still Motivated

2009-08-17T21:33:00.000-07:00

Motivated to keep on sleeping in his bed. Isaac has been harder to motivate than his sisters or anyone else I have ever met. However, Isaac finally is excited about getting stickers on a chart to go to Chuckie Cheeses. He even pooped in the potty for an additional sticker on his chart. Progress is moving so fast, we will have to go to Chuckie Cheeses next week. I tease Isaac how broke I am going to get letting him grow up.

Big Leap in The Right Direction

2009-08-13T10:03:00.000-07:00

Isaac has had difficulty trying so sleep in his own bed since his crib was taken away. We have tried everything we could come up with to get him to sleep in it, other than tying him to it. This week his Dad has had the flu, coughing sneezing and so on, we told him if he slept next to Dad, he might catch it and get sick. He tried sleeping in his bed the first couple of nights, but couldn't stay more than five minutes. Finally last night before bed, we were talking about it and he decided if he could get a sticker on his Chucky Cheeses chart he would do it. He did it and he said he wasn't even scared, and stayed there the whole night. We are all so excited, but nobody is more excited than Daddy. Daddy has struggled with this for a very long time and lost lots of sleep, especially after being kicked and pushed.

Kindergarten Graduate

2009-05-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Isaac graduated from Kindergarten today. I asked him if he is sad, and he said "NO, I'm Happy". I thought he would be sad about missing his teachers, and although he will miss them, he is really happy about the transition to 1st grade. He really had great teachers this year, Isaac progressed more this year than he did in any of the preschool years.

Isaac's Self Portrait

2009-05-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

Isaac drew this picture of himself, yesterday in Kindergarten. Isaac told me the picture on his shirt means "No phones allowed" (funny). Also the bump on one of his arms is muscles. It's the best self portrait he has done so far. I Love It, Kindergarten art is the best!

Finally away from the Croup Group again

2009-05-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

Last week Isaac woke up with croup on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; he went to the doctor on Wednesday and she took a look at him. She said it was possibly Para-influenza, however I believe it was just allergies. He finally got over the terrible cough from it. Today he finally went back to school, he said he enjoyed P.E. class. Isaac said they played "Steal the Flag" (I think it was a version of flag football). ANyway, I am out of time, I have to go pick up kids from school.

May Update

2009-05-02T20:27:00.000-07:00

Isaac has been staying fairly healthy since my last post. He went to the Cardiologist a few weeks ago and had his scheduled Echocardiogram. Dr. Puchalski met with us after and said his tricuspid valve still leaks the same, and his fenestration in his "Fontan" had not closed like we previously thought. Isaac's SAT's were in the low 80's when he was checked that day, and the doctor said they were a little lower than what he was comfortable with, but he said he would leave it alone for now. However, if his SAT's don't improve he will have Isaac go in for a Heart Catherization and have the hole closed. Isaac's insurance isn't really very good right now, so I hope we can wait for better Insurance after Mike changes jobs.

Currently Isaac spends a lot of his spare time playing video games and watching his favorite shows. He is finally enjoying Kindergarten a lot more, although he still enjoys staying home more than anything. I am nervous about him going to first grade all day soon, but I'll get over it. It's hard watching my baby grow up and leave the nest all-day.

The Flu Finally Flew

2009-04-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

Sunday night Isaac started out having severe ear pain. Nothing I did would relieve the pain. Around 10:30PM I headed for the E.R. at PCMC. On the way there Isaac got really sick and vomitted al over himself. I figured he must have the flu and took him home to clean him up. All night and the following day Isaac was throwing up, and had fevers until yesterday afternoon. Last night he finally ate a little bit and kept it down. This morning he was doing much better and is doing pretty well. In the first 24 hours we got pretty scared, Isaac's skin color was pale and a bit dusky at times. Often his lips were very dark. We were really worried. Mike was so worried at school he could not do his school work. We hope that this kind of sickness is gone for a long time.

Congenital Heart Awareness Week 2009

2009-02-10T10:15:00.000-08:00

According to the American Heart Association, at least eight out of every 1,000 infants born each year have a heart defect. There are about 1 million Americans with cardiovascular defects that are alive today. Though research is ongoing, at least 35 defects have now been identified. Isaac "The Laughing Warrior" is amoung those statistics. In honor of CHD week, please say a prayer for these kids and families struggling with heart issues. If you have the funds and would like to donate to local non-profit support for families struggling with childrens heart health issues, please visit http://www.intermountainhealinghearts.org/ to make your donation, all donations are tax-deductible.

Isaac Enjoyed his Birthday

2009-01-16T19:27:00.000-08:00

Isaac woke up on his Birthday in a good mood knowing it was his Birthday. I was shocked he didn't bother me about opening presents until I mentioned it late in the afternoon. He was more concerned I make his Birthday cake that he had no intention of eating. He just wanted to blow out the candles on the cake. When it came time to blow the candles out he couldn't blow them out, he really tried a couple of times and gave up and cried. He said he didn't have enough breath. He really enjoyed his presents, especially the Littlest Pet Shop electronic game, he played it for hours and hours and has wanted to take it everywhere with him. Isaac went to bed that night saying he had a fun birthday.

6 Amazing Years

2009-01-13T09:40:00.000-08:00

Isaac will be SIX years old tomorrow. I can hardly believe it. He is growing up so fast. Isaac is really excited. He said he wants Pizza for dinner and a Cheesecake for a Birthday Cake. We still need to go shopping and buy him a present today.
He is finally starting to feel a little better everyday, we hope he is completely free of this winter virus soon. He went to school today for the first time in almost a month.

Still fighting the Croup Battle

2009-01-07T21:45:00.000-08:00

After over eight weeks of fighting the winter virus, Isaac is still fighting it. Today he woke up with a severe case of croup, it was harder than usual to help him breathe normal again. This past week I had the worst respiraratory virus I had had since Pneumonia back in 2003. I am finally getting my voice back, but I am still hoarse. I am really worried that Isaac might get as sick as I was, because he doesn't know how to get rid of phlegm. I hope and pray his immune system will be strong and resist the virus. Isaac's sixth birthday is next week and I really want him to have a good and healthy birthday.

Aproaching the New Year

2008-12-26T22:21:00.000-08:00

We are now aproaching 2009 with hope for a healthier New Year. We have had a virus hanging onto our family for several weeks now. Isaac has had croup twice in the last six weeks. We hope that all of our friends and family will be able to count their blessings throughout the years to follow. We see miracles happen often and Earthly Angels everywhere although it is hard to miss the opposing side all around us. This Christmas we have had several Earthly Angels send Annonymous gifts and money, and we are quite suprised at how generous people still are although the economy is in trouble. We feel very loved with this outpouring of love towards our family. We never even applied for any gifts through a Charity, the gifts and money came as a total surprise. I thank the Lord everyday for the friendships I have made through the local CHD support group, I also pray for these families daily and their struggles. I hope those who read this blog will find some plateaus at the top of their roller coaster throughout the coming year. We are so blessed to have your support, just knowing there is someone who understands our struggles means a lot.

December is Here

2008-12-05T09:31:00.000-08:00

Winter is beautiful in many ways, but not always with health issues. Overall we're doing good in our family when you think noone has been hospitalized in months. We have had a long month of viruses. Daddy usually doesn't get sick, but wasn't so lucky this time, he lost his voice a few days after Lauren lost hers. The Barometric pressure has been given several of us pain in our joints including Isaac. Isaac had pain so bad in his foot for several hours and had to stay home from school. Isaac and his sisters are really excited for Christmas to come, tonight they will have dinner at the church and see Santa. Brianna is exited about leaving Santa some Barbeque chips (Brianna's favorite flavor) on Christmas Eve (since she heard through the grapevine that it was his favorite flavor of Chips) Lol.

Croup Group

2008-11-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

Looks like Isaac has joined the Croup Group again. We've lost count how many times Isaac has had it. Isaac's pediatrician says I'm just another doctor, when she talked to me yesterday. I said "I'm just the croup expert". I don't ever want to be a doctor or nurse, I take care of my kids when they are sick, just because it is what I have to do (Not because I enjoy Nursing). Anyway, we have been out of touch with the Internet for a while, our computer had the croup and was "Vomiting me off of the Internet every-time I tryed to touch it. We took it to the computer doctor and it definately had a virus. The computer doctor bills were extremely expensive, because we don't have health insurance for our PC.

Isaac’s Song of Love

2008-09-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Isaac received his "Song of Love" in the mail. He really enjoys his new song, the music and lyrics were written so well for him. We are touched that someone with so much talent would care enough to take so much time to write a song especially for him. Songs of Love is a charitable organization devoted to providing personalized songs to children and young adults facing difficult medical challenges. Each song is one- of- a- kind and is Never duplicated. This song is truly a gift of inspiration and love. I am posting the lyrics below. If you are interested in hearing Isaac's Love Song you can either ask me to play it for you in my car or home or go directly to www.songsoflove.org and click on the Family and Friends Song & Ringtone Download link. Simply type in the Name "Yancey" in the child's last Name field and the number "16587" in the child's record number field. (Beware, the song has rythym and lyrics that are catchy and might make you sing and dance)

Isaac Yancey’s Song of Love

Okay lets go, gotta job to do.
Love to play Computer Games, Lego Racers too.
Watchin Nickelodeon, gotta see Spongebob.
Disney is a classic, makes me turn into a mob, C’mon.
(Chorus)
I’m Isaac Yancey, My feet are getting antsy.
Feel like Dancin’ to the Rock & Roll Music.
Let’s get fancy, hooo.

C’mon here we go
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Dancin’
Gonna eat some Pizza and some Salad on the Side. (with Ranch Dressing)
Nacho Cheese Doritos Chips ("Fire Chips")
Might have a Lolllipop, then read a good book,
Back it with a video, then take a good look, C’mon.
(Chorus twice)
I’m Isaac Yancey, My feet are getting antsy.
Feel like Dancin’ to the Rock & Roll Music.
Let’s get fancy, hooo
I’m Isaac Yancey, My feet are getting antsy.
Feel like Dancin’ to the Rock & Roll Music.
Let’s get fancy, hooo
Mommy and Daddy, sisters Lauren and Brianna
Grandpa Yancey is the Pop Pop that I honor.
Grandma Southworth and Grandma Reenie
I feel so good inside, when they come to see me.
(Chorus twice)
I’m Isaac Yancey, My feet are getting antsy.
Feel like Dancin’ to the Rock & Roll Music.
Let’s get fancy, hooo
I’m Isaac Yancey, My feet are getting antsy.
Feel like Dancin’ to the Rock & Roll Music.
Let’s get fancy, hooo

Autumn Day

2008-09-22T09:49:00.001-07:00

Welcome First Day of Fall!

We Love the Beautiful Colors!
I hope you find beautiful colors around you!

We are excited to watch the colors all around us.

Utah is a Beautiful Place to live, these photos are taken in Zions National Park, one of the most beautiful places on earth. Have a beautiful Fall Day!

Isaac's Microtia Before & After

2008-09-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

Isaac as born with several congenital birth defects, one of them is Microtia. Microtia is an ear deformity that occurs once in every 6,000 to 12,000 births.Children with microtia and atresia usually have severe hearing loss on the affected ear.Although there is a hearing loss in children with microtia, the inner ears on both sides are usually normal. However, Isaac's left ear had no hearing when he was born and it improved to hearing a little less than normal range. He also was missing the Pinea on his left ear and his ear canal is extremely narrow. Dr. Muntz reconstructed a new pinea with all of the curves. Sorry if this last photo is so graphic, it is important to see the beginning stages, so the miracle of plastic surgery can be better understood later.

We are Home!

2008-09-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Isaac and I are home from the hospital now. He is feeling much better. He had a very diffucult time his first day, the anesthesia made him extremely sick, enough for me to seriously think of never doing it again. He is really sore in a couple of places. hopefully, I will do a good enough job taking care of him that it will heal well. Plastic surgery wound care is completely something new to me. Isaac mentioned today how he feels embarrased about his ear cover/bandage. He feels like people are making fun of him, and I never heard anyone at the hospital say anything rude. He will be in a lot of isolation for a while so it can heal well and he won't have to face the public shock of looking at it. He really looked concerned when he saw himself in the mirror for the first time. Sorry if I didn't post much until now, I was real busy taking care of Isaac, and when I slipped out for a minute to update the computers at Primary Children's didn't work out well enough for me.

GoodBye Little Ear, We'll Miss You!

2008-09-16T10:12:00.000-07:00

Our hearts are heavy as we say good bye to Isaac's little ear. We really will miss this cute little ear, it is one of the things that makes Isaac unique. We honestly think it is such a cute little ear, but not everyone in Isaac's future will think it is so cute, therefore the doctors insist it is best to build him a new one. I feel so guilty as a mom putting him through another surgery, especially one that seems non-essential. Hopefully the new ear will help him wear sunglasses more easily and give him the self esteem he will need later. I know this isn't as serious as heart surgery, but it does worry me about the pain I am putting him through. When they do each stage of this surgery, they will harvest cartiledge from his ribs which sounds really painful. Please say a little prayer for Isaac that his surgery and recovery will go smoothly without a glitch. His sisters and Dad will miss seeing Isaac for a few days, hopefully we can make the time pass quickly. If you have time to visit on Thursday, Friday or maybe Saturday, please stop by his room for a visit. His surgery will probably be scheduled tomorrow morning and might last about two hours.

Tomatoes!

2008-09-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

These are our first few Beautiful tomatoes we picked from our garden yesterday. It's a great accomplisment for our family. We are finally finding some delicious tomatoes to harvest. We haven't been sucessful for several years. Maybe there is hope for us in the future. We definately were not born with green thumbs. We all agreed last night that we had to blog about our tomatoes, so here it is.

Isaac's First Day of Kindergarten

2008-09-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Isaac went to his first day of Kindergarten at Hunter Elementary today, he is Mrs. Henderson's Class also known as "Miss Heidi's Class". Isaac enjoys his new Kindergarten and they enjoy him as well.

In Loving Memory of Isaac's Wonderful Grandpa Southworth

2008-08-20T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sixteen years ago today, around this time of day, My dad (Isaac's Grandpa Southworth) passed away due to complications of Lymphoma Cancer. You would think after sixteen years I would be done with the grieving process. However, I never will until I see him again. I miss him so much and the emptiness is still there, nothing will fill that void. When I see others who are still enjoying spending time with their dad I often think "Do they really know how blessed they are to have their Dad or do they take it for granted?" I feel bad that my kids had to miss out on growing up with their Grandpa, he was a terrific grandpa to all of his grandkids while he was here and I am sure he his watching over them still. I often tell my kids, stories about their Grandpa, so that they know him better (however it brings them to tears knowing that they missed spending time with him on earth). This is my favorite picture of me and my Dad, it show's some of his personality and how much fun I had with my Dad. I have a lot of wonderful memories of my Dad. My Dad is such a role model to me, I could hardly ever find anything negative about my Dad. My Mom has let me know he made mistakes, but that just makes him human. He is the kind of Character I look up to in every way, he taught me so much and I will do my best to please him. I look forward to the day when we will meet again. I know his spirit is still alive and well, I feel his presence at times as well as his influence.

All in A Day

2008-08-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

Shortly after midnight, early Monday morning we felt an Earthquake here in Magna. It was a bit scary, but no damage. Lauren had just nodded off to sleep when she awoke to me yelling Earthquake. Then I had to lie to convince her it was just Hercules or ATK testing their rocket boosters so that she would calm down and go back to sleep.

Monday was an average Monday, uneventful throughout the day. At a few minutes before midnight Mike called me to inform me that he was in an automobile accident on the way home from work just a few blocks from our house. The truck was "totaled" completely down the driver side of the truck. Mike wasn’t injured other than his body a little sore and his ears ringing from the loud bang. The girl that hit him was 16 and driving with only a learners permit, and had the confidence enough to text message as she was driving. Anyway, noone was badly injured because everyone wore their seatbelts. Because the truck was about twelve years old we probably won’t be able to afford to replace it, due to the low value. It will be difficult for a while, trying to walk places when Mike is at work, however it will probably get us in better physical shape. Isaac is not even upset about the truck. I asked Isaac if he is sad that he can’t ride in Daddy’s truck and he answered "No, cause we can walk". Isaac loves it when Daddy takes him for an occasional walk (usually he rides on Daddy’s shoulders or in his Stroller/wheelchair).

Isaac's PCMC Visit Yesterday

2008-08-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

Isaac had his swallow study yesterday and everything was normal. After, we saw Dr. Muntz and discussed his ear issues. Dr. Muntz is going to do a three step surgery to rebuild Isaac's outer ear. He will have to cut away cartilege from Isaacs ribs in his chest each time to use for building his ear. The first of three surgeries will start in about a month and will be every six weeks until it is done. I am nervous and already getting presurgery jitters. I know some of you might be thinking this is a small surgery compared to heart surgery, and it is. However, It is still risky to do any surgery on anyone, especially a kid with heart issues. He is expected to be in the hospital approximately four days after surgery, however I understand things can not always go as expected but I will hope and pray for the best. After his outer ear is fixed, he will be getting his inner ear fixed, due to his hearing loss. but I think I will need more than a six week recess.

Isaac's Room Reveal

2008-08-06T08:08:00.000-07:00

Nestled in a comfortable quiet neighborhood of South Jordan is the beautiful country cottage built by Peterson homes. Yesterday we were warmly greeted by many familiar friendly faces as we entered this home for Isaac's room reveal. Barrett Peterson gave a a tour of many of the rooms while we waited for all of the guests to arrive. Danyelle decorated the home quite beautifully in style. The moment arrived when Isaac entered the bedroom decorated in his honor. There on two walls, was was a large mural of beautiful sea life as weremembered from Isaac's Sea World wish. Isaac enjoyed every part of the room down to the last detail. In the room was also a fun table for art and play. This room as well as the rest of the home is a "must see". There are only a couple weeks left to see this in the Parade of Homes, if you haven't seen it yet, set a date and mark it on your calendar. We Thank All who contributed to this special room honoring Isaac, it means so much to our whole family. Here is Isaac along with Barrett Peterson and Danyelle Layton in the room. Behind them you can see the mural and some bubbles with live fish in them. On the bed are some sea life pillows as well as the sheets.

Our Family, from left to right, Mike, Isaac, Brianna, Me (Djinni), and Lauren

Isaac's Upper GI today

2008-08-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

Isaac went to Primary Children's (PCMC) today for an Upper GI. I was real worried about him crying about hunger pains because the last time he ate was last night at dinner. He was so excited to go to Primary Children's, that he didn't even mention eating or drinking (an absolute miracle). He was a very good patient and completely cooperated, doing everything he was asked to do. I was amazed because he is such a picky eater and hates milk shakes, and even said the barium milk shake was horrible and he drank it anyway. After the Upper GI, I took him to The Park Station Cafe and he ate his favorite Lunch "Nacho Cheese Doritos" and three small bites of my turkey sandwich. Before we left we visited with Hollie for a few minutes in the PICU waiting room. On our way home we enjoyed a visit with Grandma Southworth at her Nursing Home. Isaac was exhausted when we headed home and took a short nap in the car. Thursday he has to go in for a "Modified Barium Swallow Study" and a visit to Dr. Muntz after.

Vote 4 my Girls Art

2008-07-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Please vote for Lauren &/or Brianna's artwork featured on KSL website. Here is the URL: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=495&sid=3554662
Three winners from each age category will receive a family membership to the UMFA, an art class with local artist Brian Kershisnik and a chance for their artwork to be featured on KSL's Studio 5. My girls dream of Sucess in the Arts, please help them suceed. Brianna watercolored some penguins and Lauren drew a Cheerleading Troll.

Also today is Lauren's 10th Birthday please stop by her blog to wish her a Happy Bitrthday. Thanks it will mean so-o much.

Salt Lake Parade of Homes

2008-07-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Salt Lake Parade of Homes will be featuring fully decorated homes with ten of them having a room featuring a childs wish. Isaac's wish will be featured in one of the Petersen Homes model's. Advance tickets are sold for a discount online for $10.00 each, one of those dollars will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah. Isaac's room won't be available to see until after the 5th of August. Please support this good cause if you can. We are very excited to see the "room reveal" in August. Here is the link to buy tickets: https://www.utahparade.com/bf/ut/slhba/mem/tickets.jsp

Isaac's Trip to The Orthodontist

2008-07-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

Isaac and I went to see Dr. Yamashiro (The Orthodontist) yesterday, at Primary Children's Medical Center. The doctor took a look at Isaac and said that since his bones are still soft, if we straighten his jaw soon, we probably won't have to break it. His bones in his jaw are also small. The doctor told me we need to fix his ear first, then he can work on Isaac's jaw. Anyway, his next visit with Dr. Muntz is on August 7th, I'll know more then.
I was really enjoying this "normal" period; I guess it's back to surgeries once again.

July Is Here!

2008-07-01T12:52:00.001-07:00

July is full of Memories...... The Family picnics, vacations, parades, family reunions, Lauren's Birth, Isaac surviving his second Heart surgery (the Glen), and many more. Here's hoping we have a July with plenty of good memories again.

Wall-E

2008-06-27T23:47:00.001-07:00

As a Family we went to see Wall-E today. We are fortunate to have Five Star Cinema within walking distance of our house, we saw the Matinee for only $4.25 each. Where can you see a first rate movie for such a great price? Anyway, we all enjoyed the movie and it was nice to go out as a family. Isaac has been pretending he is Wall-E all day.

Hollywood Fun and More

2008-06-24T21:39:00.000-07:00

We went to Hollywood Connection for their Tuesday Special "One Dollar Skate". We skated for a LITTLE while, my kids and their friend Maci actually wore out before me! I finally found something that I can endure longer than my kids. Don't mind my gloating, but is exciting when you are over 40 and kids under the age of Ten wear out before you. I had to show off a little for my kids, they never saw me skate in their lifetime and it is my only real talent sportswise.

I pushed Isaac around in his wheelchair on the skate floor a few times around and he was ready to go back to the carpet to watch me after only a few times around. Maybe I was going too fast, Isaac tells me now, I was going too fast.

After we were done skating we rode a couple of rides, Isaac says he loved this bus ride the most, it was his first time riding it.

Next the kids rode the carousel

After we went upstairs to play a couple of games and headed for home, we stopped at Winder Dairy for Milk, Bread and some Ice Cream. The Ice Cream was a real treat.

Bird Watching

2008-06-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

Today is a Beautiful Day and Isaac just whispered "There is a Robin". Isaac loves watching the birds out our back sliding glass door. We also have some stray cats that show up sometimes (a Mommy cat and two new kittens). Not always the perfect mix of animals in our backyard, sometimes we see feathers scattered across the yard from a small bird predator. A few months ago we saw a hawk in one of our trees, plucking the feathers out of a smaller bird (it was sad for us to see) although we do understand the food chain.
I also can't help to think of one of our little heart friends today "Rhett", he is recovering from heart surgery and is still in a lot of pain. He is another "Bird" I'm watching from the "Bird Flock", I hope he returns to his "Bird House" soon feeling much better.

Austin H. Needs Prayers

2008-06-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

Austin called me today, it was so neat to talk to him again. He sounded like he was doing better than he was a week ago, when I last talked to him. He said he was having surgery tommorrow (Monday) but he didn't know the details of what the surgery was called, his Mom tried to tell me in the background but I could'nt hear her well enough. He sounded like he could use a friend, it sounds like he is getting real tired of being stuck in the hospital. I can only imagine how boring it could be for someone his age. His Mom told me he was hit by a car recently and also had a couple of brain surgeries. He has Hydrocephalus, a heart defect, and hearing issues (like Isaac). He has a lot in common with Isaac, however he has been through much more, especially because he is seven years older than Isaac. This picture above is Austin in August of 2005. I tried to get to know him better in the past, but I always seemed to have bad timing when I wanted to talk to him and his mom. I have ran into him several times in the past five years, mostly just in passing, but I was very impressed with his outgoing personality. The first time I saw him I was attending a sign language class at DDI and he was helping the instructor a little with sign language. He was so cute and enthusiastic. The second time was very brief at our HOHU picnic in 2005. Other times, I passed him or his mom at PCMC Cardiology. When he gets better he will have an amazing impact on the members of our new IHH support group (being 12 years old, he could give us a lot of great input). Please keep Austin in your prayers, he can make a huge difference in our world, we need more people like him.

Isaac at Wheeler Farm Again

2008-06-13T17:53:00.000-07:00

Isaac went to Wheeler Farm again today for The Utah Kids Club Summer Stampede. He enjoyed the magic Show and seeing the farm animals again. We were a bit disappointed there were'nt many free activities for the kids like we had been told. We spent four hours there and we were ready to go home after that. Isaac is wearing his new shirt from Wal-Mart, it is one of his New favorites.

What Have I been Doing In Isaac's Dreams?

2008-06-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

Isaac has been wondering lately, why we (his family) keep showing up in his dreams. I have to pretend to get mad at his sisters when they get into his dreams, I tell them to stay in their own bed. It's quite funny he thinks we get into his dreams on purpose, and like we are the cause of his bad dreams.

Tonight looks like it might be one of those croup nights, he's been complaining about a sore throat today. I hope it's just the seasonal allergies, ragweed is blooming all over the place.

A Person Is A Person No Matter How Small

2008-06-04T15:30:00.001-07:00

Monday we went to the Movie "Horton Hears A Who" at the Dollar Movie for only fifty cents each (Monday discount). We all enjoyed the movie, especially Isaac. He found a Pop-Up version of the story at the library yesterday and has been carrying it around for the last 24 hours. Also Isaac's Dad (Mike) picked up the DVD (the book version) at Wal-Mart lastnight. Therefore the thought for the week is the famous qoute from Horton "A Person Is A Person No Matter How Small." I Love that quote, it makes me think of how important children are and the Unborn children as well. There are a lot of ways you can think of that statement and come up with some great things. I have always had a great love for many Dr. Seuss books although a few of the less popular ones can be too political.

Anyway the latest health issue we are dealing with Isaac is his nose-bleeds again and headaches. Last-night he had a severe headache, so I gave him an Asprin and applejuice, then put him to bed. I went to check on him later that night and his face and hands were covered in dry blood (the most I have ever seen on him). It took a lot to clean him up, which woke him up. Then I had to stay up very late with him (until 2AM) to help stop the bleeding that started when I cleaned him up. I will have to reduce his dose of Asprin to half a tablet per day or less. Everytime I give what the doctor recommends, he bleeds too much. His cough has almost disappeared, so he is pretty much over the Para-influenza virus.

June is Busting Out All Over With Excitement

2008-06-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

Isaac learned in Preschool about the calander and what month we are currently in. For about a week he has been asking when will June be here. Last night just before he went to sleep he found out June would be here within minutes. At just about three minutes before midnight he began watching each minute change on the digital clock by the bed. Every minute he would come running out of the room to tell Daddy and Mommy what time it was. It seemed like we were bringing in the New Year again. He was so excited at midnight when it became June, he continued to get excited as each minute passed even after midnight, this went on for over forty minutes. We could hardly calm him down, it was so cute. He usually isn't up that late, and he even was having a hard time keeping his eyes open until his second wind hit with the excitement.

Butterfly Miracle and So Forth

2008-05-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while we were at the graveyard visiting Isaac's Grandpa's grave, we saw a transparent mylar butterfly balloon float up to the sky with a small flag attached to the bottom. We watched as it floated away, then the wind shifted, bringing the balloon back down to a boy that had lost it from his loved ones grave. What a Memorial Day Miracle it was to see. I have NEVER seen a balloon float away outside towards the sky so high in the air come back down. I am sure the boy will never forget that experience for a long time.

Isaac also was disappointed at first to think there wasn't a gravestone marker with his name on it. We all gasped and my heart sank and explained to Isaac how sad we would all be if he died and the only way he could have a gravestone was to die. He finally understood and didn't stay dissappointed. I hope I will never see the day with any of my children's name on a gravestone of their own. How painful it must be to experience such a loss. I feel bad for the parents I have known and heard of who have had to endure such a trial. My heart goes out to them.

I can kind of relate to the parents who send their sons and daughters to war. It is much like the experience of putting your child through heart surgery and wondering if they will make it out of the hospital. The battle he fights with his heart each day is like some battlefronts, some days go without and event and others are like an ambush attack.

Isaac and his sisters Lauren & Brianna are still sick with Para-influenza today, Isaac is improving although he till has a bad cough. I am hoping they all get better soon & noone else catches it from us. We are avoiding close contact with anyone, however we can't stay in a plastic bubble for too long.

Today's ENT visit

2008-05-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today Isaac had a visit with Dr. Muntz (the Ear, Nose & Throat specialist) at P.C.M.C. He said that Isaac needs to be seen by an Orthodontist to determine weather his jaw placement needs to be moved before he can do surgery on his middle ear. He also recommended Isaac having plastic surgery on his outer ear, in about a year (between Kindergarten & first Grade). He said that they have to harvest cartilage from his ribs to use to build the ear. I talked to him about Isaac’s reoccurring croup including the current virus he’s suffering with today and he said the virus can last up to six weeks and he also recommended he have a Modified Barium Swallow Study & an Upper GI to find out if his Esophagus has narrowing and rule out reflux. I will just have to wait and see on all of this possible surgery, I have to be completely convinced all of this will be in Isaac's best interest. I will listen to what the doctors reccommend and My husband and I will make the final decision. My husband and I are not ready to put him through surgery again, unless we are convinced it is worth risking his life for it (as all surgery has it's risks). For sure we understand that feeding issues are vital, however cosmetic surgery for aesthetic reasons are lower on our list although can be thought provoking. His hearing is just a little below normal range on the left side, therefore we will possibly fix it if it is simple and very low risk.

The Laughing Warrior Lost His Laugh!

2008-05-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Laughter is priceless.

Last Night Isaac informed me that he had lost his laugh. I asked Isaac how he lost his laugh and he told me that everytime he trys to laugh, all he can do is cough. I had to hold back my laugh and try to be serious as well as everyone else in the family cause it was so cute. A little while ago, Isaac laughed while watching TV and was excited his laugh came back, however, he just told me it is lost again.
If you ever loose your voice, know that Isaac understands because he lost his laugh. Although Isaac still has croup, I am thankful at least that I haven't lost my laugh.

Here We Go Round' The Croup Cycle Again

2008-05-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

POP! goes the steroid pills .....
I'm sorry for the sarcasm, but I'm a little frustrated with the Croup again for the third round since May first. On top of that, I have been in bad shape with my dizzy spells caused from my extreme mold allergies. So I'm moody. I have been so busy with poor health for the last few days that my home is going to pot and it gets me frustrated looking at it and not feeling good enough to deal with it. I am finally improving with the dizziness, I am hoping that it continues to get better. I hope my mood improves soon, I am very short tempered.
One thing good that happened today was Isaac's Cardiology visit. Dr. Puchalski said Isaac's tricuspid valve is leaking the same as it was last time he checked, therefore it is not getting any worse. We will see the Cardiologist in a year for his next scheduled visit. I hope everything with Isaac's heart runs smoothly for the next year.
Tomorrow is Isaac's last day of preschool, Hooray! However, at the rate he's coughing tonight he might not even attend. Brianna is also suffering with the croup & Asthma Attacks today. I will probably be up around three in the morning again tonight.

Croup still here

2008-05-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Isaac woke up struggling to breathe, Immediately we did a cold saline breathing treatment which helped. I spent a couple of hours at the doctor getting a prescription for him. He still is coughing today troubled with Flem. It is a chilly and rainy day, we hope for sun tomorrow. Isaac's preschool class is scheduled for a field trip to Wheeler Farm tomorrow.

1 fruit+1 fruit = 2 Fruit

2008-05-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

Isaac just came home from preschool today and he told me "I ate grapes today and they were yummy!" WOW!! Until now, the only fruit Isaac would eat was a Banana. Now Isaac eats 2 fruits. I was so excited I told him I would put it on his blog.

Isaac's Sea World Wish was Chose by Salt Lake Parade of Homes, Peterson Homes for theme of a child's Bedroom

2008-05-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Make-A-Wish called on April 1st to tell us that Isaac was chosen by one of the Salt Lake Parade of Homes builders (Peterson Homes). On May 1st we met with the builder for dinner at Make-A-Wish. KSL channel five was there and we played a game and got to know each other better. It was a fun filled evening. Everyday since that Isaac begs to go to Make-A-Wish, they totally spoil him. He came home with so much loot that night it seemed like he had another birthday. The room reveal will be on July 27th.

Also on Thursday afternoon, Isaac had a mild case of Croup that lasted for a couple of days. I hope this means his Croup episodes will get milder as time goes by.

"Now All The Monkeys Aren't In The Zoo

2008-04-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

Everyday YOU Meet Quite A Few"

Isaac went to the Zoo with his Preschool Class Today. The weather was pretty nice, and I got in some great exercise (The zoo has a lot of hills everywhere). Isaac enjoyed the ride most of the time in his wheelchair/stroller. We had a short visit at the zoo and had to move quickly to see most of it.

If you have time check out Lauren's blog linked from here, she worked VERY hard on the science fair and did a wonderful project. Her LAME teacher (the nicest words I could find). Said it was BAD because she thought it didn't have anything to do with weather and thought it was all about Space (4th grade curriculum is required) Anyway read it and judge for yourself. We are mad as heck because she worked so hard and did a beautiful job and her teacher didn't have one nice thing to say. If you have time leave Lauren a comment, she hardly gets any visits. We are anxious to finish the school year and move on to the next, I know her Teacher next year will be much better (we already met her and love her).

Isaac & Zippy

2008-04-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

Isaac loves his Teddy Bear named "Zippy" and Zippy loves Isaac. They both have hearts on the "Right" side and zipper scars on their chests. They are both also cuddly, soft, and full of love. Isaac's letter of the week was "Z" so he took Zippy to school for show and tell. However, the other kids in school don't really know Isaac is much different than they are on the inside (which is kind of good for now, although it is not a secret).

Close Call, Too Close for Comfort

2008-04-15T13:20:00.000-07:00

Late last night as I went to check on the laundry in my basement, I experienced walking right through a Black Widow web. I immediately went quickly to the other side of the web, turned around and there she was ready to bite me. As Lauren calls it "I rang her dinner bell". I screamed for Mike to help me and he came down and almost ran into her himself. He took off his shoes and smashed her between the two of them since she was hanging. This is the closest I have come to getting bit by a black widow, that I am aware of. I am blessed to have not been bitten and to my amazement, I didn't wake the sleeping kids upstairs. Anyway, I stayed up late until I could get it more off of my mind. I still had dreams about spiders, but not as bad as could be expected.

April Flowers

2008-04-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Spring has arrived!

Our daffodils have finally bloomed and we are enjoying some warmer temperatures. The girls were excited to wear shorts to school today. Isaac got so thirsty yesterday that when he finished drinking a drink he didn't remember drinking it and accused everybody for drinking it (he did this twice). We kept laughing because he was so serious when he thought someone drank his drinks and he was sure someone kept drinking all of his drinks, finally I told them they must have evaporated due to the hot weather. Isaac's health is much better today, than a week ago. We'll hope and pray that Isaac and the rest of our family stays healthy and that we can enjoy lots of beautiful weather in the days and weeks to come.

Croup Again

2008-04-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

As I have previously mentioned Isaac gets croup often. Early Monday morning Isaac started with the dry croupy cough and a sore throat. The sore throat bothered him the most especially when it was restricted. We went to the pediatrician to get the steroids and he suffered for about three days with the sore throat. Isaac still has the congested nose with post nasal drip, however he is much happier. Isaac's oldest sister Lauren caught the sore throat and was miserable for almost two days, she is improved but still has the nasal congestion also. Allergies are part of this time of year too, it's sometimes hard to tell the difference. We look forward to the warm temperatures although they bring the allergies.

I hurt my foot on Monday and thought that I had broke a bone, so I was at the doctor Tuesday getting X-Rayed. I just got a bone bruise thankfully, however all of the things lately with our health has put me behind with my daily chores which makes me feel overwhelmed especially when PMS hits at the same time. So I can't seem to trad water even right now and losing Medicade is making it difficult to handle the stress some days. I requested a hearing and will fight it to the end, I will WIN. I am so sick of the games they play.

Baby Steps in Toilet Training

2008-04-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

How Dare You Take My Picture on the Potty!

Don't mind the partially nude photo. Isaac is taking some baby steps in potty training. It feels like it will take forever, but were happy he's taking a few tiny steps forward. He actually sits on the toilet for his teachers at preschool now, and claims to actually get some fluid in the pot. This is more than he has ever done. Isaac is actually pulling a silly face for me, he is quite the comedian.

An Invitation to a play

2008-03-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

Join My kids and I for an evening of fun next Monday March 31st at the Empress Theatre in Magna. The doors open at 6:30 PM and the play begins at 7:00 PM. The cost of a ticket is $7.50 on Monday Nights and we can get as many coupons for two dollars off as we need. When have you EVER seen a wonderful play for only five dollars. We are celebrating my 44th April Fool Birthday, however absolutely no presents please. I thought it would be fun to have some of my good friends and family join us (kids are welcome at any age).
The Theatre is in downtown Magna located at 9104 W 2700 S and the phone number is: 801-347-7373. If you want to reserve a seat near our family, let me know and I will make arrangements, my phone number is: 801-252-1358. It is a small theatre much like the old Hale Theatre. We love this theatre it is a wonderful place to see a play.

Basket Case Today Hope 4 Better Tomorrow

2008-03-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

I am having one of those stressed days again. Isaac's Medicade coverage was terminated because I didn't jump through their hoops good enough. I am really frusterated, especially because I gave the Medicade office the documents they needed as soon as I found out they needed them and they still decided to terminate his coverage. They seem to be so ruthless. I fortunately just got him new primary insurance, however I am worried that they will call a lot of his issues "Pre-existing". I am so stressed I have been having anxiety attacks and I hope I can calm down soon.
Isaac wen to the dentist today and didn't cooperate well, however it improved from the last time. He is getting close to losing one of his bottom front teeth because the permanent one is barely underneath it. Isaac has been crying off and on for two days from the pain from his teething. Isaac's teeth are very tight and crooked where it is trying to come in, I hope I can help him deal with the pain without having to use too much ibuprofen. Right now he is Okay because I gave him some ibuprofen to deal with the pain. He is really cranky today, and so am I. I think I'll go upstairs and take a nap and see if he will take one too.

Another Heavy Snow Storm

2008-03-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

The snow finally stopped for a while. Look at how deep it is now, it was coming down for a few hours. Earlier today we had strong winds, keeping me from getting in my car too quickly. Isaac was scared listening to the wind and watching it move the trees in our back yard. I hope the sun comes out again soon and melts the snow, we bought some seeds to plant last Thursday. We are really anxious for spring to arrive. Isaac is waiting for Easter, Brianna is excited for Spring. I am anxious for cold and flu season to end. I worry daily about someone in the family catching a bad flu and then Isaac getting it.

Future Librarian

2008-02-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

Last night we visited the library. The first place Isaac runs to is the software. Last night it was no different, he went to find some computer software then went to the childrens area to look at the books. In the childrens area he found a software program in with some books and brought it to me and said "who did this?" I told him I didn't know but he could check it out if he wanted to. I got busy looking at books and when I got ready to check out, I asked him where the program was and he showed me (He had put it away where it was supposed to be). I thought it was so cute that he was so concerned about something out of place in the Library. As a side note the Library was the last place I worked before Isaac was born and it is Isaac's favorite place to go. It's kind of funny because I never pushed him in that direction, he just loves the library and I do too.

Word of the Day

2008-02-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

Anomaly

Anomaly: A deviation from the usual, something different, peculiar, or abnormal.
A congenital anomaly is something that is unusual and different at birth. A minor anomaly in this context is defined as an unusual anatomic feature that is of no serious medical or cosmetic consequence to the patient. A minor anomaly of the feet might, for example, be curvature of the second toe so it overlaps the third toe a little. By contrast, a major anomaly might be a cleft lip and palate, a birth defect of serious medical and cosmetic consequence to the patient.
"Anomaly" comes from the Greek word "anomalos," which means "uneven" or "irregular." "Anomalos" comes from the prefix "a-" (meaning "not") and the word "homalos" (meaning "even").
I have heard this word before, but never really used it in my vocabulary. I think it is a good word to replace birth defect. Isaac was born with what doctors would call multiple congenital anomalies. Isaac has congenital anomalies with his heart, brain, ears, eyes, mouth, and airway. I am pleased that although he was born with multiple congenital anomalies, he is still enjoys life. Isaac has brought so much positive into our lives, we will never be the same again. Each one of us in our family have grown tremendously from our experiences. I think it will be interesting to see what kind of things Lauren, Brianna & Isaac will do when they "Grow Up". Lauren wrote a I have a dream speech a few weeks ago that brought me to tears, it mentioned things that would change our world for the better such as becoming a scientist and inventing a cure for the common cold and cancer. Cancer research is so dear to my heart, I have seen and heard so many wonderful people I love suffer from this terrible disease. When I get her I have a dream speech back from the school I will post it on her blog. Brianna is so full of Love and Life, she is amazing at the things she can draw and she is so graceful. Isaac is so incredible with the brain he has, he comes up with the most thought provoking things and is so good at figuring out on his own how to read big words. I am so fulfilled with my kids and their wonderful qualities, where before I had kids there was such a large void in my life. Now I know why my heart ached for so many years to have these kids. In the back of my mind I remembered what extraordinary spirits they were in the pre-existence.

Calm Before the Storm

2008-02-15T10:22:00.000-08:00

The previous pictures were the calm before the biggest snow storm in years. I haven't seen such a big snow storm in ages. We probably got 18 inches or more on the evening of February 13th. We had a safe and healthy Valentine's Day.

The Beautiful Blue Sky & Warm Sun

2008-02-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

For the last two days we finally saw some blue sky and some warm sunshine. All of the kids had to go out and play which they haven't enjoyed for a long time. We even saw neighbors coming out to enjoy the beautiful day. Brianna just lost her third tooth and it's the same one Isaac is missing, however Isaac didn't show it enough in this picture.

Another Dream for Isaac's Blog

2008-02-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

Isaac asked me this morning if I could post another dream on his blog. So here it goes: "The Train was leaving without me and I was sad." Isaac said.

Valentine Box Idea

2008-02-06T13:07:00.000-08:00

I have been helping my kids make their Valentine Boxes and I thought of my Mom who is in the Nursing home, so I made her this one out of a butter cookie tin. First I cut a piece of red paper for the top, then I cut three strips of paper joined them together with tape and went around the edge. The tin looked plain so I thought of putting something lacey on the top, I made a paper fan and cut it like a snowflake with a heart theme. The tin still needed something else and the song "Paper Roses" came into my head, then I took paper and cut it into petal shapes and taped them together. When I finished the tin "I thought it looked like something my mother would like" as well as other so I thought I would share it on this blog.

Cute Dream

2008-02-04T08:51:00.001-08:00

Sunday Morning, Isaac told us he had a dream

about a lion.

The lion ROARED at Isaac, Then Isaac copied the lion

and ROARED back at him, then the Lion cried.

"Why Are Their Heads Chopped Off?"

2008-01-26T13:49:00.000-08:00

As we walked through Kohls department store admiring the different mannequins last night, we came to some that had no heads or arms, suddenly Isaac said in a suprised tone " Why are their heads chopped off, and their arms?" I replyed saying "Maybe they were bad." Isaac didn't take it as a joke at first, he had a real concerned look on his face. Now he knows I was just being funny. I will never look at mannequis the same again. I never thought of it before that their heads were chopped off, I always just looked at it as fashion.

Isaac's other funny perspective is, when he sees a handicapped/disabled sign he says "look a man on the potty." The first time he came up with that one we were in the dollar store at the checkout (he made some of the people in line laugh).

The Box Is More Fun Than The Toy

2008-01-24T13:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard that the box is more fun than the toy? Well, here is proof. Isaac calls this his rocket. Isaac bought the toy a couple of days ago and is now enjoying the box.

Today Isaac went to the Museum of Natural History at University of Utah with his Preschool class for a field trip. Isaac saw lots of dinosaur bones as well as other animals native to Utah. Isaac also enjoyed the cool rocks he saw. On the way back he enjoyed a nap on the bus. Daddy was jealous he couldn't go on the field trip because he had to attend his college math class.

Isaac says he's COLD!

2008-01-23T18:33:00.000-08:00

Isaac's nose is running and he is frusterated. He says "I am COLD" which means he is frusterated with having a cold and he needs his nose wiped again. I am worried that this will mean croup tonight. Tommorrow he has a field trip to the Museum of Natural History with his preschool class. I am hoping he is doing better by then, but I know colds are never over in a day. I wonder if I should have let Isaac's friend come over to get babysat when she was having symptoms of a cold. I really need the money and I don't want to seem too overprotective, but at the same time I wonder if it will cost me in doctor bills & mileage to the hospital, not to mention the stress. Anyway for now Isaac has a cold, I hope and pray that it doesn't get worse. For now we will just sing & dance to the "Jailhouse Rock" doing Karaoke to forget about our troubles.

Double Birthday Bash

2008-01-21T14:38:00.000-08:00

About a week before Brianna's second Birthday, Isaac was born. It was a crazy and stressfull time that year, I remember having Brianna's 2nd Birthday celebration in the Hospital Cafeteria. Brianna had her first Birthday Party with friends when she turned five. This year Isaac turned five and had his first Birthday Party with friends and we combined it with Brianna's Birthday Party. We had a total of ten kids show up for a grand total of thirteen including our three. We had an interesting party. We had planned to have a Karaoke Dance Party, however only a few kids wanted to stay downstairs for the planned activities, the rest ran upstairs to play with toys. Therefore we played Hulabaloo, The Animal Game, Squeek Piggy Squeek, and Wackamole. We enjoyed Strawberry Cheesecake instead of the traditional birthday cake. Isaac didn't eat anything he is too picky and was too anxious to open the presents. We later went to Wal-Mart and Isaac spent some of his Birthday money on another Pixel Chix toy. Isaac is crazy about pixel chix. Pixel Chix is a video game witha 2D girl or pet living in a 3D world. Brianna also used some of her Birthday money to buy a "Roomies" Pixel Chix toy. For more info on Brianna go to her blog which is: www.wished4child.blogspot.com
We were all staying pretty healthy until yesterday Lauren came down with the Flu. I also felt a little run down and not feeling to well, but not as bad as a usual flu. Hopefully we will all be healthy and feeling great tommorrow.

Ah-h-h-h...

2008-01-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

Yes! Massages are the best healthy form of stress relief. I had a wonderful relaxing massage today, given by Sharon. The massage has helped me release some of the tension and stress in my muscles. I have been under a lot of physical stress lately. Especially with all of the deep cleaning I have been doing around the house. Some people might say massages are expensive, I say they are worth every penny and I'm worth it. I have learned in the past few years I cant live without at least a few massages a year minimum. It is even worth it to share my punch card with my husband. Can you imagine how much it can help a relationship? It helps my relationship with my husband and I. I can't say our marriage is perfect, however massages release a lot of tension. Massages have saved me from pain & spending more time, & money at the doctors office. I personally would rather hand over my money to a massage therapist to help my sore muscles and relieve my headaches than to a docotrs office. It's not that I am against doctors at all, it's just that when my muscles hurt and are tight I get a massage. I know that some people with their health situation need to consult a doctor before getting a massage and I completely understand that (especially heart issues). Sharon at Magna Therapeutic Massage is a Great Massage Therapist and I would recommend her to anyone needing a massage.

Birthday Week

2008-01-16T23:48:00.000-08:00

Isaac had a great Birthday, although it was quieter (less eventful) than some birthdays. Quiet is good, I've learned to appreciate less eventful days. Isaac started the day opening his most wanted present (another Pixel Chix). Isaac can't seem to get enough Pixel Chix. At Isaac's Preschool Class we passed out some of his favorite snacks (Chicken Nuggets and Chocolate milk). Isaac is quite unique when it comes to eating, that is why it is such an unusual birthday treat (Isaac doesn't eat Birthday Cake). After school he opened his last two presents ( a book and a Hullabaloo game). After dinner Isaac blew out his candles on his mini Birthday cake. We enjoyed eating his piece for him. After cake & Ice Cream we played Hulabaloo (sort of like Twister but not as difficult). Isaac cried when the day was over because he didn't want his birthday to end. Daddy had to miss out on most of Isaac's Birthday due to college & work ( that is why we didn't have anybody come over and join us).
On Friday Isaac & Brianna will have a combined party with some of their friends (we couldn't invite all of their friends due to the size of our house and having to keep the party inside). I have been deep cleaning all week trying to dejunk our home. The Party gave me a good excuse to get some work done. I am so worn out, I scheduled a massage tommorrow with my favorite massage therapist. If anybody needs a great massage I can refer them, she is great. I will be out of massages on my punch card after tommorrow, so I will purchase one after I get my taxes back. Anyway, Brianna's 7th birthday is on Tuesday. Looking back it's hard to believe she was the same girl I gave birth to. Brianna has changed so much, she used to be so cute and chubby, now she is so thin and pretty. Brianna is amazing, just like Lauren and Isaac, though very unique in her special ways.

Birthday Cards for Isaac

2008-01-11T12:19:00.000-08:00

The Birthday cards have already started arriving for Isaac. The first one he opened was from Rosalyn (his friend that lives in SanDiego), it was a hotwheel card with cool sounds of a car revving it up. His second card was from his Grandma "Reenie" and it was a cute monster truck card. He loves the cards they are all great. Isaac is so excited for his birthday, I hope it is all he expects it to be and more. This is such a miracle he is able to reach this milestone, especially when the doctors looked at us with so little hope before he was born. What a blessing it is to see him grow and develop. Isaac has some amazing qualities and we all love him so much. Isaac will be Five Years Old on Monday. I think I'll give him a break from the well child visit with shots for a couple of weeks, No need to make him feel miserable with sore legs on his birthday. We have a party planned with some of his friends next Friday, we are combining it with his sister Brianna's Birthday Party.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T22:28:00.000-08:00

We are waiting patiently to ring in the New Year in about 20 minutes. We are gradually feeling better. Lauren is going crazy with chest congestion. Isaac is really tired and ready to go to sleep. Brianna is ready to go outside and make noise. Brianna is really bugged that we are not in San Diego this year where it is warmer and has fireworks to see from our hotel balcony. We had the most wonderful New Years weekend last year in San Diego, thanks to Make-A-Wish.

Looking forward to a Happy New Year

2007-12-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

Today I think we will all stay home. My voice is fading in and out. I think it is my version of "The Croup". We have all been having flu symptoms on and off for days now. Isaac's health seems to be improving. I hope this doesn't set the pace for the New Year. We will just have our own little New Years Party at home where we snack on fattening empty calorie foods and yell Happy New Year out the front door. I hope I can Yell, "Happy New Year". Just Incase I can't yell Happy New Year tommorrow, here it goes..."HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Isaac understands that Christmas is over and won't be bugging us saying "Is Santa going to come down the chimney?" The New phrase for the next two weeks is "Is it my Birthday?" and we all answer "No, not yet." He does this several times a day and gets upset when we say No. I might have to keep it a secret from him that we will have a party with his friends a few days later. Unless we want to hear something like "Is my party today?" over and over.
Don't get me wrong, I am glad Isaac is going through this stage it is cute and it will be a funny memory later. I still have the perspective knowing that I could be completely missing these stages if he weren't here. I am so thankful I get to enjoy the time I have with my kids, they grow up so fast.

Yesterday's Croup Todays Head Cold

2007-12-28T13:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Isaac went to the doctor & got another dose of Decadron (Dexamethazone is the generic form). Isaac is breathing better, however he still has the head cold that brought on the croup. He has been enjoying his new toys.
The girls are back to their usual argueing while they try to clean up their room. I have to go settle their battle. So the update is short today.

Croup 4 Christmas!

2007-12-26T10:54:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve Isaac woke up about 3:30 with croup. I did the usual stuff for croup, first was cold saline in the Nebulizer, second I gave him Dexamethazone (a steroid) to open his airway. We got so little sleep the last two days are kind of a blur and blend together. Christmas Eve he went to bed earlier than usual but still very late for a kid, only to wake up again at 1:30 AM with croup problems again, repeating the croup treatment (saline and steroids). He figured out Santa had just come and had to start ripping open presents, He would open one and then say "Where is my name, Where is my name?" Meaning "Where is another present with my name on it?" Isaac opened everything he could find saving only three he couldn't find to open later that morning. Then everyone but me stayed up to watch "Rattatouie" (because I was up until almost One AM doing Santa business). Isaac woke up again at 8:30 in the morning with more croup and a Saline treatment. After, he had everyone wake up again to open presents. During all of this I was having extreme arthitis pain in my back due to the huge snowstorm that hit us on Christmas Eve. I did my best to let the kids enjoy their day, I let them play and be noisy, make messes etc. I went to bed last night late and very exhausted. I slept soundly most of the night only to have bad dreams about croup issues. Isaac has learned more about croup than anyone his age. I couldn't even count all the times Isaac has had croup on my fingers and toes if I wanted, I would run out. If you can't tell I'm worn out and frusterated. However, I still know that it could always be worse. I am thankful that it hasn't been as bad as it could be. I have learned well from the past and don't even want to go there with the possibilities. I feel my body fighting, I have swollen glands in my neck and minor headaches. I am hoping my body wins before I am down in bed.

Another Flu Bug!

2007-12-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

Anybody have some good Flu Bug Repellent? Isaac had the flu shot but got one that it probably missed. At around 6:30 this morning he woke me up crying because his heart was "Beeping" (that is what he calls it when his heart races or pounds too hard). I got him his heart medicine to see if that would help and tried to go back to sleep. He kept waking up lethargically and complaining about his heart. Around 7:45AM he started coughing like he was going to vomit. A few minutes after 8AM he threw up. It was scary because he was so pale and sick. He went back to sleep and threw up a couple more times throughout the morning. Late morning he started to feel better and act more normal. He really had me worried, I thought it would turn into a hospital visit. I was fortunate my neighbor was willing to take them to school, especially when we had a big snow storm hit us in the middle of the night. If anybody notices, our family seems to get sick a lot and that is why I get so nervous about normal everyday things like school during flu season. We are extra cautious and do a lot of hand washing, hand sanitizer, not touching common surfaces when we can avoid it, etc. I was thinking last night "I am so thankful we are healthy right now". Not a healthy day ever goes by without me remembering to be thankful for it. If you are feeling good today, don't take it for granted. When you feel good, take time to give service, even if it is just a quick call or dropping off something special for someone. It doesn't always take money, just a minute of your time.

Polar Express

2007-12-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

We had a Wonderful time on the Polar Express yesterday with many Make-A-Wish Families. The trip was sponsored by KBER radio, Trailways bus, Heber Valley Railroad, Cricket and Subway provided Lunch. This photo is from last year when we went, I didn't have good batteries for my camera yesterday. It was exciting to run into an old friend of ours from about ten years ago, although it was bittersweet. Her son is a "Wish Child" due to cancer, it breaks my heart to see them in their situation. All of the kids there were so cute. A few of the kids got up and sang Christmas carols solo something like Karaoke without any background music. The kids were amazing! On the train they handed out bells to the Believers they were all engraved with the words "Believe 2007" It was one trip we will remember for a long time.

If there's Sunshine in Your Heart

2007-12-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

You can send a shining ray that will turn the night today and your cares will all depart, if there's sunshine in your heart today.
Although it is over cast and gloomy weather today there is sunshine in my heart. I am happy that things are looking up for a little while for our family. I love this time of year when we hear from friends near and far all to wish us Merry Christmas. It's nice to get something besides Junk mail and Bills in the mail for a change.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Kyler and his family today, they are having a storm today. Kyler is having Heart Surgery. I pray for a beautiful Rainbow over him and his family. May they see pink in Kyler after seeing so much blue.

Miracles in reading

2007-12-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

Last Night Isaac realized for the first time he could read Hop on Pop. It was so exciting to see him read the book with very little help. This was the first time he even tried reading the book. Last time we read the book it was several months ago when he had not put words together yet. Isaac is not even in Kindergarten yet and he can read and spell words so well, it is amazing. He is reading words younger than either of his sisters did at his age. Isaac loves the Library, it is his favorite place. It is interesting that Isaac loves the place I worked while I was expecting him as much as I do, maybe even more. Honestly I believe he was watching me from Heaven before he was born and grew to love it there. The Library is part of Heaven on Earth. I am sure my friends at the Library agree with that statement much of the time. Although I know there are people who occasionally come in the library making it an unpleasant experience. Some of what is so amazing about Isaac reading is that doctors predicted that before he was born he would have brain damage due to his Hydrocephalus. The doctor that first talked to us tried to convince us that Isaac had too many problems and might want to consider abortion. NEVER would I even consider it even if it meant I would die. I do not believe in taking away anyones chance at survival away. I am so thankful for the Many Miracles I've been able to experience as a mother. Many people would laugh at the things I see as miracles, the simplest things can be a miracle. It is all in your perspective. Once you get that perspective you see everything in a different light and you realize how blessed you really are.