Crazy!!!

Last night while we were eating, Sam wasn't really eating anything. His appetite has been kind of poor for the last week or so. But last night he really wasn't eating at all. I asked him what was wrong and his response was that something was blocking the food from going down! It definitely scared me when he said that. I knew he could breathe fine but I wasn't sure what was going on. He seemed to be drinking with no difficulty. So I just sent an email to his GI doctor last night. I got a call first thing this morning that they wanted to see him right away. So I got the kids dressed and dropped Sophia off at Mom's, and Sam and I drove in to MassGeneral. And BONUS: I didn't get lost getting in this time!!!
So we met with a nurse practitioner who I have never seen before. She was wonderful. We kind of went over everything that has happened the last several months with the episode of him turning blue on Matt and gasping, the apnea monitor stuff, the low heart rates, the HUGE tonsils, and red inflammed throat (which by the way was still red, and it has been a month since we tested him for strep). She seems to think that ALL OF THIS could be related to reflux of all things!!! Not that I want him to have reflux, but that would be a great easy thing to deal with and if all this other stuff got better it would be fabulous. So we have him on quite a large dose of prevacid, and will follow up after the weekend...

Apnea monitor, blessings, and playing

My handsome little Sammy


Beautiful Sophia

These two pictures are the perfect examples of the polar opposite personalities of my amazing kiddos

My wild child Sophia, not holding on and going as fast and furious as she possibly can, and sometimes not even looking where she is going


Cautious Sammy, white knuckling the handles on his bike, occaisionally biting his tongue in concentration to make sure he is doing all things the right way/

First, oh my goodness the apnea monitor for Sam is driving me NUTS!!! I actually called the doctors office yesterday to see if I could get the parameters changed because it is alarming about 8-15 times an hour!!! It is horrible, startling and extremely frustrating. We know that Sam has really low heart rates at times, and the apnea monitor is proving it, but since the monitor isn't also monitoring his oxygen levels, it is almost pointless to know how low it is going unless it is a dangerous low. Praying that tomorrow we will get the parameters changed...
Today I had the idea to go and help a dear friend of mine who is 38+ weeks pregnant with baby number 3. She had mentioned last week how she was feeling stressed and overwhelmed with all she had to do to get ready. So I got another wonderful friend today and totally went over there aiming to go and bless Carol. And you know what happened? God totally blessed me! I had such a wonderful refreshing visit with my friends. It is so wonderful to talk with people who are in the same stage of life with me, who are also working outside of the home as nurses and having all kinds of other similar things going on. I am just so thankful to have been able to spend the morning with them.
In other WONDERFUL news Matt has been working his butt off the last several weeks building a beautiful fence for our yard. It is DONE!!! Not to his specifications, but it is perfect, the goal is to keep the kids safe, namely my wild child Sophia and it does. The kids now can go up and down the drive way without the concern of the road because they are fenced in:-)

Salisbury Beach

Sophia's first bike ride with Daddy

She was thrilled to pieces:-)





Yogurt pops anyone?!?!

I just laughed and laughed while she ate this yogurt






The kids had so much fun playing in the sand! Savannah's granfather dug these huge holes for them to pkay in.






Matt and I


Sophia and Savannah


Lets go fly a kite












We went to the beach on saturday and met our friends who are camping there over the weekend. The kids had so much fun. We went to the beach for the day, then came back to the campsite to have dinner, play at the playground and watch fire works. We didn't get home until after one in the morning. It was just a really great day as a family, something we unfortunately don't get to do that often.

Cardiology

Well I hate to sound whiny and complainy but let me tell you that cardiology appointment was a complete waste off time. The nurse was fabulous and seemed very concerned when telling her what had been going on with Sam in the past several months. The cardiologist on the other hand, wasn't in the room for five minutes, didn't listen to the whole story, just quickly placed his stethescope on Sam's chest and declared that none of this is cardiology related. That's all fine and good, but how do you know??? Mom has significant heart problems and you can't HEAR it with a stethescope!!! Anyways good I hope he is right but it doens't seem as though he did a good job to rule out the issue.
I am finally starting to feel better. Went to an acupuncturist and that made a huge difference in my lower back. A lot of people are afraid of acupuncture but this is my second time and both times I have gotten really great results. I just wish it wasn't so expensive, or that insurance covered it or something. Oh well, at least it is better.
I haven't taken any good pics in the last few days but hopefully today can get some good ones of my little munchkins. Sammy went to the campground yesterday with Matt's parents, but unfortunately the weather was terrible and he was bored and Matt had to go get him. Better luck next time I guess....

Tornados, thunderstoms, and rain

Goodness what a crazy week of weather we have had. We have had two tornado warnings, multiple thunderstorms and lots of rain! I can't imagine if we lived like this all the time. God bless those people in the midwest who have to deal with the tornados so often!
We are doing fairly well. I can't help but think there is something going on with Sam, but it hasn't quite declared itself yet. He is so irritable and has been complaining of random things that hurt. Low grade fever, a cough that started last night, a tummy ache...We shall see
I am trying to work up the courage to potty train Sophia. She is probably ready, but I just don't know if I am, for the accidents part. But I am just praying to get the courage to just go with it, and see where it takes us.
I am still battling these crazy back spasms but this morning praise God they seem to be getting better. I go back to the doctor today to see when they are going to let me go back to work...
We have the much anticipated cardiologist appointment tomorrow at Children's. I am certainly not sure what to expect tomorrow. I am not completely sure what the concern is here. I am praying for lots of answers tomorrow. I am starting to really wonder if we should see a geneticist with Sam. It just seems that there are so many random issues with him, that maybe there is a genetic condition that ties them all together? I don'tknow just a thought.
Have a blessed day!!!

Cardiology

Well after seeing the ENT last week and him saying we needed to see a cardiologist, I am happy to announce that we have an appointment this week!!! I am just so thankful to God for opening the door and allowing us to get this appointment so quickly! I am not at all sure what will come of this whole cardilogy thing but we are praying for good reports for Sam. It seems like the older he gets the more specialists we are acquiring, which brings me to my next point: I am just so thankful for good insurance and good hospitals and doctors that can take care of my special boy, but more than that I am praising God for all of His provision for us and for Sam.
I am still struggling with the back/neck pain and muscle spasms. Went back in today and the doctor has me out of work through friday, he prescribed another muscle relaxant, and really reprimanded me for not taking the other one as frequently as prescribed. But I hate taking medication so that is why I hadn't taken it, but now I will. I also went to a new chiropractor who was wonderful, she said my back was a mess, which I already knew but she seems to think she should be able to get me back in alignment with frequent visits over the next three weeks.

Random

It has been kind of a crazy few days around here. We are having lots of fun, well the kids and Matt are. I am still having a lot of pain in my back, shoulder, and neck. I am not sure what the next course of action will be. I need to call the employee health nurse in the AM, to see what I need to do next in terms of the workman's comp and actually getting this treated. The ER gave me a shot and some medication, but it doesn't seem to be working. I am hoping to be referred to get a deep tissue massage or chiropractor or something, I really don't want to be taking all this medication. Please continue to pray that these spasms go away. Thanks so much!
Matt has been working so hard this summer (well actually since we moved in) to get this fence up. He cut all the pickets and made the design himself. I am so blessed to be married to such a hard working and talented man! Thank you so much Honey I love you!!!





Matt's cousin Traci has come up for a visit with her dog Deely. My kids had such a blast with this dog. She was so sweet and well behaved. I was kind of nervous to have a dog in the house, but if they were all this good we could have a dog all the time:-) It was wonderful to spend time with you Traci:-)


Sam got this bike last year for his birthday and he is having a blast with it. We have had such fabulous weather (kind of hot) lately. The kids have gotten to be outside the majority of each day.

Johanna's briday shower

This is my wonderful baby brother Dennis, who has served in Iraq twice, and has been to Korea, Colorado and a few other places. I am so proud of him and so thankful for the men and women out there who risks their lives for us on a daily basis. And this is Johanna, my beautiful future sister. They have decided to walk this path of life hand in hand as best friends. I can't wait to see the future that God has in store for them. And I can't believe their wedding is less than two months away!!! WE love you two so much!!!


All I can say about this cake is YUM!!!







The two mom's


Shauna made Johanna this BEAUTIFUL bonnet to wear:-)

Johanna and Shauna



Dennis and Mom


The bridal party