we're here...

I know it's been awhile but we've had a lot go on lately... big post coming to a screen near you on Monday!

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Random Thoughts

I said in this post that I would share my insight as to what happened... so briefly, here we go:

• I've never felt as poorly as I did prior to that first transfusion. I've never thrown up and dry-heaved as hard as I did that night. It hurt. A lot. I remember at one point clearly begging my mom for her help in making it stop. It was horrible.
  
• I felt pretty incoherent after surgery through Friday morning; I knew people (doctors, nurses, family) were talking to me and I knew I was responding, but I couldn't tell you 90% of what transpired during those conversations.
• I don't remember the ride into the OR - I do remember them putting the mask on my face - I don't remember recovery (at all) - I remember waking up in my room - that's about it. According to my mom, she handed me my phone to call Daddy - I never made the call.
• Blood transfusions hurt like a son-of-a-gun. I forced myself to sleep during them because I felt less pain that way. 6-8" away from the IV site was hurting on my arm. Blood is cold and thick. And it hurts going in. Especially when your IV site is over a bone.
  
• Speaking of blood transfusions... I know it was obviously necessary for me to have both transfusions, but I don't think I can find an adequate number of words to describe how absolutely creepy, disgusting, etc it is knowing that I have other people's blood coursing through my veins. I'm a bit of a germophobe and for 27 years I was 100% Mommy and well now, I'm not.
• I had 6 IVs inside of 5 days - not to mention 10+ blood draws... can we say pin cushion? [it's a good thing that needles don't bother me!]
  
• From Tuesday night - Saturday night, all I consumed was 2 turkey sandwiches... I went home weighing 11lbs more than I did before surgery! [thankfully I'm back down that 11lbs + 5 additional lbs]
• While I was in the hospital, my older sister, A, visited and for some reason we ordered these - I will spare your eyes from the instructional video they send you.
  
• Did I mention that blood transfusions hurt?
• I was scared. Beyond scared. Scared doesn't even begin to cover the way I felt when I started bleeding heavily on Sunday. I was crying. A lot. Praying, even more. I kept praying to God that nothing bad would happen to me. I want nothing more to see my boys grow up. And yes, that thought crossed my mind.
• I am beyond thrilled to have all of that behind me.
• Most importantly, I am feeling MUCH better these days!
• I am so, so blessed to have had Daddy, my mom, MIL and FIL, taking care of me, the boys, and our home. My sisters and aunts were amazing, too! Family is so important and we are so lucky to have such awesome families!

Other randomness floating around in my brain...

• Tomorrow, P goes to see his GI doctor. We're going to discuss his issues with solids and the potential for re-introducing solids... [side-note: I guess I forgot to mention that on here! In early June, P was taken off of solids because he was having serious reflux flareups. His GI doctor thinks he may/may not have allergies to certain foods and he most probably has food sensitivities] If we're given the go-ahead, last I was informed, we will have to wait two weeks between each food that we introduce.
• Tuesday, we have a meeting with Early Intervention for P. This is the first meeting to see if we qualify for an evaluation. If so, they will evaluate him completely but more or less in regards to potential oral and food aversions that could arise in the future from the delay with introducing solids. I spoke with B's speech therapist at length on Friday about P. She said once aversions occur they can be really difficult to reverse and she completely agreed with me in regards to heading it off at the pass. We're also concerned with his pure hatred for being on his stomach and/or back. Hopefully he qualifies! If he does for aversions, B's therapist will handle P's case as well (for aversions).
  
• Wednesday, B starts speech therapy! We're very excited to finally see this ball rolling. We've seen progress with B and we've noticed other speech issues as well. We can't wait for our little man to start talking up a storm!
• We're loving our new home. It's so nice to be around friends again. It's tough being farther away from our parents, but at the same time, we're closer to other family members.
• I am knee-deep in planning B's 2nd birthday party! I can't believe my big boy is almost TWO.

In closing, I ask you to pray for both Cohen's parents and Luke's parents - both of these sweet couples lost their firstborn's to CHDs. My heart breaks for them. And please keep praying for my sweet friend Jenni and her daughter Mia [such a little fighter!] who's battling HLHS.

caught green-handed...

Once upon a time
a little boy
by the name
of B

was CAUGHT...

... caught green-handed, that is.

At first B's mommy thought that only
Buzz Lightyear took the brunt of it...



until she walked into the nursery and noticed
the chair facing the wall...



She spun it around and
saw THIS...


She jailed the culprit...


While she used these and scrubbed... scrubbed... scrubbed...

Now we wait to see what it looks like after it dries...


THE END.

Wordless Wednesday - My Boys

This is my FIRST ever Wordless Wednesday post!

[these pics were taken 07.06.10 downtown NOLA]

Remembering

[I would have posted this on the 25th but seeing as how I was in the hospital with complications, I was unable to]

1 week ago today... June 25th...
that marks the due date for my first pregnancy
June 25, 2008

I still vividly remember the day we found out
God was blessing us with you.
I still remember the day I found out
that He was asking us to send you back.
Although it broke my heart and
temporarily weakened my spirit
I knew there was a reason.

My Sweet Angel Baby
I may have never held you in my arms...
I may have never smelled your sweet skin...
I may have never kissed your sweet toes...
I may have never felt your eyelashes on my neck...
but I think about you all the time.

I have a tiny pink heart tattoo
on the inside of my left wrist
as a reminder
of you.

I know that you watched over your
brother's pregnancies.
I know that you watch over us daily.
I know that you've been there
through some very tough times for us...
showing us the light, guiding us through the darkness
Thank you.

You are our guardian angel.
And I can't thank God enough
for giving us our own
guardian angel.

You have a very special place in my heart.
You always will.
I love you.

In Memory of Cohen

Blogging silence in memory of Sweet Baby Cohen...