A weekend away

So I've been told I need to update my blog more frequently....will work on that :) This past weekend I spent the weekend away in Floyd, VA in a mountain cabin with friends. It was wonderful and a much needed get away. We went to the Friday night jamboree (my first time) and it was a bit squishy and compact but well worth a few moments of claustrophobia. If you haven't been, it is something to go to! I'm sad to say it was my first time going and I have been in the area for 28 years now. It was great not having to worry about diapers, dosing meds, or battling food with Ian. I definitely hope that the road trip continues for a 3rd annual outing next year. If you want to see pictures of the weekend, you can check out http://themckinleyfamily.blogspot.com/ or http://turnerpharm.blogspot.com/ and read more about the trip. I have wonderful friends!!!!

As for Ian, his PELD is now a 12 up two points from last time but doesn't really do much for his position on the list. This last set of labs was much less traumatic due to nurse judy at the hospital--she was great! Ian is quick though and pulled out the first needle faster than I could even grab his arm. I'm not one for lots of bribery, but for labs, yeah I bribe him to sit and be good. Ian is so into trains--Thomas, Gordon, Percy! He cries every time we return the train books to the library even though we check out new books each time. Naps have been a bit of a battle since the time change but I am hoping that we have turned a corner here.

More on the next post.....

Elaine

Turning 30....

So I turn 30 in a day. Ahhhhh!!! I am dreading it really. I've always thought of myself as young but not when I am 30. I also thought life would be a bit different than it is for me. Doesn't hurt to dream though. Both my sisters are coming into town to help me celebrate so I'm excited. I get the most delicious birthday cake--oreo cake. It has real whipped cream as part of the frosting and is soooooo yummy and loaded with fat but so worth it!!!

Ian's PELD is a 10 again. He keeps hovering in a flip-flopping mode around these low numbers. Last lab experience was brutal--six lab techs had to hold a kicking, flailing, screaming child down on a cot. This has NEVER happened before. I was in tears myself at the end and called Brett to give him the heads up that he was on duty the next time for lab draws. Ian calmed down pretty quickly after the ordeal was over. He bruised again on his arm and got a Thomas the Train sticker out of it---except it is Gordon instead of Thomas to Ian--we go along with that to keep the peace. He is big on Gordon :)

Today, I told Ian that we were going some place special--Grandma's--and had him guess where. With complete child innocence and a huge grin, he looked at me and his first response was, special chicken which translated means McDonalds chicken nuggets....he has succombed to the marketing at such a young age already.

I am trying desparately to toilet train Ian without pressure. Any time I ask him if he wants to go he says no then proceeds to use his diaper clearly giving cues as to what he is doing. We had a good stretch at Christmas time where I thought we were making progress but alas, nope. My next idea is to have him help me train his Bob the Builder doll......who knows. We can't find any Bob underware though so Bob may have to Build or Fix some :)

Hearing all the political buzz out there right now makes me want to vote in November. I passed my naturalization test and am just waiting to be sworn in at this point. So exciting. Don't plan to register with a party, but am a republican supporter at heart. I tend to look at key issues and side with the person that lines up with where I fall on those issues. So for me, stem cell research and Iraq are a key issues. So are the economy, and abortion. I'm interested to see who makes the Democratic final ticket.

More on the next post.

Life

Ian is doing well still. His PELD is a 6. Theories of the chicken nugget and driving sunshine seem to be proving out. I track everything and plot it in excel using trendlines, etc. I'm a nut a know; just trying to be a good mom. Ian's tummy is swollen due to his liver hardening. He is in size 3T or 4T shirts and pants have to be elastic waist. Diapers are also a bit of a problem but we are trying to work with him on potty training so we can eleminate the diapers altogether.

I'm into LOST now. Trying to cram 3 seasons into 2 weeks prior to the start of Season 4. Don't think I'll finish before the premier.

I also take my naturalization interview this Tuesday so I'm hoping that goes well. I don't know if I'll be sworn in that day if I do pass or if I will have a different date.

So that is life right now. More on the next post.

eLaiNe :)

Goodbye to 2007

2007 is almost gone and we are on to 2008. Last night my husband and I set our 2008 goals and it is funny how some of the same things have been on our lists each year--even if we have reached them before. I have five for myself this year including donating blood four times and keeping a grateful journal.

Ian has only one goal for 2008--become potty trained! We are so ready for that to happen. He is only 2.5 years old so we still have some time. Just tired of buying the over priced items that get filled with well crap and then tossed into a landfill.

Ian is doing well on all accounts. We are going to a transplant clinic visit in about a week so we'll have more current info on his status then. He is going through a bad "two's" phase and wants to do everything and anything his way or throws a fit! He is still into books, music, diggers, and school buses and has already started to ask when he can ride one. Today he recited our phone number to me--such a smart boy!

My naturalization interview is slotted for the end of January. Brett and I are taking a trip to cheer the Hokies on in the Orange Bowl in Miami--without Ian accompanying us. We are very excited. Hopefully we won't come back with a sunburn.

Hard to believe that this is the last post for 2007. On to 2008 with more on the next post!

eLaiNe :)

Ian's PELD is a 4

Well Ian's PELD is a 4....yep a 4. The doctors calculated it three times just to be sure it was right and it is. It is truly amazing. This is the best he has ever been--even when he was first diagnosed and after his surgery. We are thrilled and yet also in a bit of shock that our wait will continue. He is truly a miracle. He continues to be on several medications which are obviously helping him. Because he is doing so well, we are not pursuing a living donor search at present. The doctors are pleased with his growth (50% for weight and height which is amazing for kids with BA). He is eating well...yogurt is the favorite by far although chocolate milk is climbing the ladder pretty quickly. I check food lables for protein content like nobody's business! It is cute because when I ask him what animals eat it is always yogurt no matter what the animal--cows, fish, birds--all eat yogurt.

It is hard to believe that Christmas is around the corner. I did the usual black Friday shopping. What a great site it is to see all these people rushing to get to the same item on sale. I'm pretty much done shopping now and will begin to wrap things slowly. Ian is very aware of Santa and I'm interested to see if he will sit on Santa's lap this year.

Ian is back on the nebulizer for breathing treatments again. He struggles this time of year. We don't have to do them around the clock this time which is good for everyone. Brett also has a cold--given to him by none other than Ian. I'm managing so far.

All things considered, we have so much to be grateful for and try to count our blessings each day. I'll write more on the next post.

The Wait Continues

Ian is now an 11 for his PELD score which means he is further down the waiting list. When we started this whole process two years ago, he was listed at a 12 so we gained a net of -1 in two years. The doctors all call Ian a miracle and have no medical explaination as to what is going on. We believe that God's hand is in Ian's life and ours.

Preschool is great for Ian. I never knew how quickly 2 hours would go by when I didn't have a little shadow following me :) I am the teacher for tomorrow and we are learning about the letter C and orange.

I've been trying to do a lot of reading lately and finished Cold Mountain--so not like the movie and am on the third Twilight series book, Eclipse. The books are wonderful although I thought there were only 3 and there is a 4th due out next year--not sure how I will handle the wait for that.

I'm into Survivor this year on TV, Criminal Minds, and Without a Trace. I am pulling for Todd to win it all. I catch bits of Dancing with the Stars too. Love to see the outfits--some are quite outrageous.

As always.....more on the next post.

eLaiNe :)

More of the wait

So I've slacked recently in posting. Little has changed for Ian in his wait for liver transplant. He is doing very well and continues to defy the odds. We have a clinic visit in October and will be speaking with the child life specialist to know how to talk to Ian about his transplant, etc. as we want to be prepared to talk to him.
Summer seems to have gone by so quickly. The leaves are starting to change color a little bit. It has rained a few days even.
Ian is in the copy cat phase of repeating things I say. Very funny. He also likes to have the same book read to him a million times. I have actually stashed a few for now because I don't think I could read them one more time. I can recite several childrens books by heart now and wonder what knowledge was replaced by the words to "Panda Cake" or "Cars and Trucks".
I have been an offical stay at home mom since the end of August resigning from my position at Tele-Works. It was rough but it has been good for everyone in our family thus far.
I am knee deep in genelogy stuff and getting things together for an at home preschool I am doing with two other moms. Ian has also been sick with respitory problems again so I had to bust out the nebulizer and humidifer for him again. He is a champ at holding the mask over his face at this point for the breathing treatments.
As always, I will write more on the next post.