December Newsletter

1. Kennedy's health has been dominating my November and December. Early November Kennedy had the entire family up at 3 am, we watched "Finding Nemo." The next morning I took her to the doctor and he confirmed that she indeed had an ear infection and that he had not seen one that bad in a long time. Who knew. She ran no fever, she was not any more grizzly than normal, my only clue was the fact that she was unable to sleep. I felt terrible. I was also very concerned because Brad and I were needing to leave in a few hours to go to Vegas for Brad's dad's wedding (see #2 below). The doctor assured me that she would be fine with my parents and that we should go. She did do fine with my parents, but her ear infection was so bad, it oozed the enitre time we were gone. I took her to the ENT specialist on Monday and they had to papoose her down and suction the lovely stuff out of her ear. (She had tubes put in her ears at the end of January. She falls in the lucky 10% that continues to have ear infections with tubes.) I had a feeling they would be doing this (because they have done it before) and I knew how tramatic is was so I made Brad come with me. Kennedy was screaming, we were all sweating, it was terrible. The only person not tramatized was Presley. Presley says she wants to be a doctor or an animal doctor when she grows up. I knew how tramatic the ear suction would be so I tried to take her outside. She did not want to go, she really wanted to see what they were going to do. So like a good mother, I let her stay. She did not like hearing Kennedy cry, so she covered her ears with her hands, but she was trying hard to get a good view. She even tried to walk around to stand by the doctor. She was very sweet to the sister, constantly telling her "I'm right here Kennedy." Presley was not tramatized, but fascinated by what they were doing. Perhaps she does have the makings of a doctor. About two weeks later, I picked Kennedy up from preschool and noticed her eye was a little pink and crusty. I was afraid she had pink eye. I started her on the left over medication from the last bout with pink eye, which is not an easy feat with a two year old. When I took her to the doctor the next morning, it was not pink eye, but a sinus infeciton. A bad sinus infection. If an adult would have had this infection, they would be in bed. Who knew. No fever, she had slept fine, no runny nose, nothing. Started her on an antibiotic, had to call back two days later to get a different antibiotic. Ten days later she finished and was fine. Four days later, Kennedy wakes me up at 3:30am. She tried to go back to sleep, but had a hard time. I was up with her until 5:15. The next morning she seemed fine, but since she did not sleep good I decided to take her in. I was hoping the doctor would tell me I just wasted $25 and that she was fine. She looked fine, she acted fine. My $25 was not a waste, her chest sounded "really bad." Who knew?? He put her on a z-pack for kids. She got worse as the day went on. The next day my sister in law was keeping my girls so I could go to the hospital (my cousin was having brain surgery, see #3 below). My wonderful sister in law kept them for me even though I had a puny one. Kennedy's cough got worse and her fever reached 102. So Friday (yesterday) I took her back to the doctor. She did not have pneumonia, yet, but she did sound worse. She had not slept well the two nights prior, (which meant I did not sleep well). She he gave her the shot, the one that hurts really bad and they make you sign that you will stay in the dr's office for 15 minutes afterwards to make sure she does not have any allergic reations. She was puny all day, but it did help. Her fever did break, she did sleep much better. We are hoping she is on the upswing. Since it is Saturday our only option would be going downtown to the children's hosiptal. Really want to avoid that if possible! One of my concerns about going to the doctor on Friday is that we would have to miss Kennedy's hair appointment. It was her first and because we are busy during the week, I had made it two weeks prior. Her hair is terrible. She would make the 80's proud. She has this terrible mullet with an impressive rat tail. I was dying to get rid of it. When I told Brad I needed to take her back to the doctor, one of his first questions was, "Do you think you will still be able to make her hair appointment?" It was that bad. But the doctor was able to get her in at 10 and her hair was at 11. We were able to do them both. Kennedy was a beast, I was not able to take a single picture, but I did not care. The rat tail is gone and she looks so much better! Now we are hoping that she will stay healthy! 2. Brad's dad got married in Las Vegas in November. Brad and I went. Emotionally it was very hard. I have been looking for the "Handbook for Dummies" on how to handle all the uncomfortable situations we find ourselves in these days. Then I realized I already had the handbook, The Bible. Dechipering and applying has had a learning curve, we are daily working on making the curve smaller. Difficulty aside, Brad and I had never been to Vegas together, we had a good time. Typically when Brad goes he golfs and gambles. I made sure he saw some of the Vegas sights. We walked the strip, did some Christmas shopping at Caeser's, had massages, saw a show at The Wynn (we missed Garth by a few weeks, would love to see him!), and I think we came home winners in the money category, (barely, but that counts right?) I am not a gambler, sitting next to Brad (who goes every year) makes me nervous. I know to win big you need to bet big. I just don't have it in me. Brad is not as conservative. Usually he plays craps or blackjack, I stick to the machines. I made him play the machines with me one day. I lost my money fairly quickly, Brad won $500. I immediately made him cash out, I wanted to hold the money. We went across the street to the M&M store to buy the girls some gifts. $100 later we came back to the hotel and Brad sat down at the blackjack table. Ten Minutes later, we got up from the table $400 poorer and headed back to the room. I was sad. In reality we did not lose any of our own money, but it sure felt that way! I enjoyed getting to spend some quality alone time with my husband, but I think we both wish it would have been under different circumstances. Since then things have been going well. Things come up, more often than I would have imagined. But since I found the right handbook, we are handling them as they come. God has been good. Since Kennedy had been sick before we left, and I was up the night before we left (watching Nemo, see above), when we arrived in Vegas I had been up for almost 24 hrs. The smoke in Vegas is inescapable. Even when we left the hotel and got fresh air I still could not get the smell out of my nose. I did not sleep well while we were there and I came home beat. A few days later when I could not keep from dragging, I finally went to the doctor who told me I had a sinus infection. I got a shot and a ZPack. Typically that works quickly. But five days later I felt worse, like need to lay in bed all day worse. It took almost a full week to start feeling better. I am hoping it was just a bad sinus infection and not a sign of how things will be since I am getting older! 3. My cousin, who is 37 and the one I was closest to growing up and now, had brain surgery this week. She was diagnosed with mulitple sclerosis (MS) about 10 years ago. in 2005 she began to experience so pain behind her ear. She went to the dentist who charged her for (and performed) two root canals (that she did not need). She later found out it was a nerve behind her ear in the brain that was causing the severe pain. Medication worked for awhile, but it came to the point where her only option was surgery. She lives in Oklahoma, so she came to Zale LIpshy for the procedure. NIce hospital. She has done amazingly well. She has a ten inch scar behind her ear, they cut a quarter size hole in her skull and put a buffer between a blood vessel and the nerve. She had the surgery on Thursday and most likely will be going home on Monday. Crazy! They do not know yet if it has solved her pain problem and will not know until they begin to wean her off the current medication she is taking. Pray for healing and relief from her pain. 4. The girls have been so much fun this Christmas season. Presley will be 5 in March and she cannot wait. The older day she found a headband and put it on her head. She asked her dad if it made her look as old as Kylee ( a friend from church who is in first grade). Brad said it made her look at least 6 or 7 yrs old. Presley's reply "I am really liking this headband!" Kennedy loves the "Kissmas lights and decorations!" We have an "Elf on the Shelf" (see below) that they have named "Elvis." It has helped tremendously with their behavior and getting them to do things they normally complain about. Both girls "believe" this year and it has been a joy to experience. Note: "Elf on a Shelf" A Christmas tradition. The elf goes back and forth to the North Pole each night to report on who is being naughty or nice. When he returns he is in a new location in our house and the girls have to search for him. 5. Amy is hosting the Scrapbook Weekend the first weekend in Feb. I think we are still calling it that. I am not sure how much of that will be going on, but I know it is a good excuse to come and hang out with old friends and have a great time of fellowship. Even if you have nothing crafty to do, come. If you can only swing by for an hour, come. The more the merrier. Friendship is such a blessing. Hoping many of you can make it!!! I think Amy said we could go for bra fittings for any of you who are interested! 6. New Year's resolutions.... last year Brad and I made a few.One, was to lose weight. Brad did so much better than me, but we both made progress. Brad lost 40 lbs. (And has kept it off) He wants to lose about 20 more. I am so proud of him. He is two pants sizes smaller and a shirt size smaller, though how he looks in his mind has not caught up. When we go shopping, he still goes to his old size, only to realize they are way too big! He has had a neuroma problem (see below) since July and has not been able to exercise at all. Note: Neuroma: an enlarged nerve in the foot. Causes a great deal of pain. He has been getting shots inbetween his toes (ughh) in hopes of deading the nerve and relieving the pain. So far there has been small progress. He has about 4 more shots to go. If that does not work, he will have to have surgery to remove it.
I have lost about 4 lbs and kept it off. (Typically I lose and gain the same 5 pounds, but now I am finally onto the second 5 pounds!!! That is an accomplishment!) I would love to lose 10 more, but realistically 5 is my goal. I have not dropped any sizes, but the clothes I have fit a little nicer now! And that feels good. One of our other goals was to go on a budget diet. Really I wanted to do a better job of knowing where I was spending money and to spend less frivolously. I would not say I totally failed on this goal, but I think my grade would be a "D" at best. I think I have spent less money this year. I know I do not go to Sonic nearly as often and when I do I really try to make Happy Hour. (The sonic by my house extended their happy hour to 4:30 which has helped!) But I have not done a good job at keeping any sort of record so the spending less really could be in my mind only! This year I am going to make it my mission to be a good steward of the money God has blessed us with and have to records (for myself) so I can see it with my own eyes! Besides losing a few more pounds and keeping better records I want to add exercise to my New Year's resolutions. I have done terrible this year. I could give valid excuses for why exercise has fallen by the wayside, but in reality they are not too valid. I need to get off my hiney and do something. Would love to have time for the gym or fun classes, but I think I am going to have to stick to running. It is fast, can do it anytime (the treadmill is now in my bedroom) and it is thereputic. But I have learned I do not do well without a goal. I am going to look for a few 5K races around time to enter, but really I would like to do a half marathon, (not next week but down the road). But I cannot do that alone. Is anyone interested in joining me????? I know what some of you are thinking.. I hate running, I am not a runner, I can't run that far. But if you have ever watched the Biggest Loser, those people are morbidly overweight and have not lifted their little pinky, much less run in years and in a short amount of time they are running a full marathon. So if they can do, you can too! So again, any takers????? Brad is using the neuroma excuse, so I really need a friend to train with me, even if it is from afar!!!! I must end the marathon letter (ha ha) and go make waffles for Presley, pancakes for Brad and then clean it all up!Look forward to hearing from many of you!!!!! DeAnne