CUT THEM OUT! My tonsillectomy story.

So back around probably February or March I started getting this feeling in my throat that something was stuck. As much as I tried to dislodge whatever what stuck and then ignore it when I couldn't get it down, it was so annoying!  It was effecting my everyday life and I was so over it! I went to my primary care dr. and had them check it out.  We thought maybe it was left over strep throat, but I tested negative. Then we thought maybe it was tonsil stones so I was referred to an ENT. After that appt. he said he didn't see anything but that I did have deep pockets in my tonsils. I was sent to the hospital for an ultrasound on my thyroid just to be safe, and scheduled an appt. 3 weeks later to go over those results.

In that time I got strep and tonsillitis again while in Salt Lake City for Young Living's convention. I was miserable and ended up missing part of the convention because of a high fever.  It's by far the most sick I've been in many many years! Even on antibiotics I was still sick 5 days later when it was time for me to go back to the ENT. He confirmed I had strep and tonsilitis and I informed him that this was my 3rd round since the beginning of the year. He immediately recommended getting rid of my tonsils. I was more than happy to agree.

On June 10th, 2 days before my scheduled tonsillectomy I felt like I was getting sick again. I found some old antibiotics and decided to take them in hopes that the strep wouldn't get worse and prevent me from having surgery. (I do not recommend this!!!)

Finally the day came and I was so nervous, but so ready!!!! My mom came with me. She was such a comfort to me. I loved the "I don't care" meds they gave me before they took me back. I only remember a few seconds once I got on the operating table.

I wasn't in any pain when they woke me up after surgery. I did feel very tired, but that's normal. The dr. told my mom that my tonsils were definitely infected again and very large. He also said I had innie tonsils and that they had to put me out twice so he could go back in and dig them out. He said because of that the recovery may be harder. Before heading home we stopped by Sonic and got a grape slushie.  It felt so good on my throat. Greg also stopped by there on his lunch hour to check on me. It was very comforting to see him too!

When I got home I had already set up my little island, as we call it, in the the living room.
I borrowed a humidifier that I kept running 24/7 for the next 10 days. It was about 2 feet from me the whole time! I also had ice packs ready (I put these on the outside of my throat and held them on with the help of my neck pillow), ice water and of course my essential oils! I immediately put a drop of lavender and frankincense essential oils in my water. If you don't know about them, just google what they are good for! I drank so much ice water with these oils in it. After the first day the slushies burned my throat, so I stuck with water for the next two weeks.

I set the alarm on my phone for every 4 hours so I wouldn't forget to take my meds. I was given hydrocodone. I was mostly comfortable the first couple of days. My mom stayed with me during the day so Greg could go to work and I did have her ask the dr. about the pain meds because I felt like I was needing more after about 3 hours instead of the standard 4 hours.  They told us I could take ibuprofen 2 hours after the hydrocodone. So I reset my alarm for every two hours with pain meds and ibuprofen. I was much better after that. I know this is gross, but for anyone who may need this advice in the future, make sure you are taking a stool softener or laxative (of course ask your dr.) because a side effect of the meds I was on is constipation and it was no joke!!!!

Day 3 is when everything changed. I was only sleeping about 45 minutes at a time if that. After one of my naps I woke up and had HORRIBLE ear pain. This was my first freak out moment of "oh my gosh, what have I done!!" Now, I've given birth with no meds twice, so I feel like I have a pretty high pain tolerence, but I was in tears. I had to keep telling myself to breathe and calm down because the more upset I got the worse the pain in my throat got. Thankfully I had listened to that still small voice that had told me 4 days earlier to put some olive oil, onion and garlic on the stove and make a little something for ear pain. We warmed that up and dropped it in and it gave me instant relief. Not pain free, but so much better!!!  Then I wrapped the heating pad around the back of my neck and over my ears and I could finally relax. The ear pain lasted for the next week, getting better every day. In reality, in my case at least, the ear pain was so much worse than the throat pain. I do credit my essential oils to this though. Seriously, go google lavender and frankincense essential oils and you'll see why! I also but several oils in a roller ball bottle with a little bit of grapeseed oil to put on the outside of my throat. I put panaway, lavender, frankincense and thieves in it. It was amazing!

I ate chicken noodle soup, broths, white bread lightly toasted with lots of butter to soften it, lots of baby food, applesauce, and I'm sure there is more, but that is mainly what my diet consisted of. I lost a total of 13lbs.

Today I am 23 days post op and I still have scabs on the back of my throat. My throat doesn't hurt anymore, but it does still feel weird. (It actually still does hurt to yawn and sneeze.) Even though my throat is better I have been so tired. Just doing a little bit wipes me out! My energy is coming back more and more though everyday. I was actually able to eat tacos at my parents house yesterday with the shell and chips and it didn't hurt. It tasted amazing!!! (Thanks for making them dad!)

This was a rough experience but I can already tell that it is going to be so worth it. The feeling of something caught in my throat is pretty much gone. Still a little there because I'm still healing, but nothing like it was before. I expect that to be gone too eventually. From what I've read it can take months for your throat to feel normal after a tonsillectomy as an adult. So thankful this is something I won't ever have to go through again!!

I'm such a dork!  I totally forgot how to login to this blog and just haven't taken the time to reset everything until now. So that only took me...5 1/2 years. Geez!!!

So needless to say much has changed. We are now living in Missouri.  We moved back in May of 2012. We love it here!! The kids have adjusted wonderfully.  They have their friends and their activites.  We live in a small town of 4500. I've always wanted to live in a small town. Some people hate that everyone knows you, but I don't mind it.

Nate turned 15 in June and just got his driver's permit today!!!  So crazy!!!!

Eli is 13. He's still obsessed with all things Harry Potter.
Sam is 10 and still the life of the party!
Ruthie is 7 and as sweet as can be with a side of sassy.

Greg is the Creative Media Designer at GNPI and leading worship at our church.
We found an amazing church where the people are family! I can't imagine being anywhere else.

I am a stay at home mom still, even though all the kiddos are in school. I am working with a network marketing company, Young Living. It's an amazing company and even though I'm not making a lot of money right now it's worth it because I'm getting my products for free!  I hope to build an active team over the next year and start moving up in the company.

A conversation with Sam.

This morning Sam and I got up early and headed to McDonalds for breakfast. As he chowed down on pancakes I started a conversation with him.
Me: What's your favorite color?
Sam: Purple
Me: That's a good color.
Sam: My second favorite color is green because that's the color of your phone.
Me: That's my favorite color.
Sam: What's your color in the color code?
Me: Blue
Sam: My 3rd favorite color is blue.
Me: What's your color in the color code?
Sam: Yellow
Me: What does it mean to be yellow?
Sam: It means I'm crazy. Yellows are crazy.
Me: Yes sometimes they are. What else does it mean?
Sam: I love. That's why everytime I see a girl I try not to love them.
Me: (After some laughing) What else does it mean? Does it mean you like to have fun?
Sam: Yes, that's why girls like me.


He's always been a ladies man. I just hope I can teach him how to use that wisely.

Ok, well I guess it's been 6 months since I posted last. Time flies. My last post was about the tornado in Joplin. Since then many businesses have rebuilt or are rebuilding. My parents have finished their house and have sold it. That is sad, but the right thing for them.

Ruthie has turned 2. Can't believe it! She is definitely our little princess and she knows it too! Her brothers are pretty good to her. They teach her lots of great things...and some not so great things. A couple of days ago I was giving her a bath. When it was time to get out she wanted to keep playing. I told her know and lifted her out of the bath. The looked at me and said, "Mommy Dummy". I looked back and her and said, "Excuse me. What did you say?". She looked up at the ceiling and half rolled her eyes and replied, "Um... Jesus?" She's too smart! I couldn't even punish her I was laughing so hard. I can't imagine my life without her.

Nathan has turned 9. Next year is double digits! He is growing up so fast. He is a great boy too! I couldn't ask for anything more!

I am still homeschooling. We are trying a new approach and doing a lot of reading and hands on activities. Very few worksheets or "sit down at a desk and write" work. The kids are learning a lot!!

I have a new addiction. www.pintrest.com Don't try it!! It's amazing!!

Home

What is home? Home is the place you can go and expect familiarity. Things will always be the same at home. At home you are comfortable. You are safe. You are loved. For me Joplin, Missouri was home. Even though I moved away 8 1/2 years ago, Joplin always provided for me the things I think about when I think of home. I was born there. I grew up there. I lived in the same house from birth until the day I got married. 3 1/2 weeks ago, the familiarity of Joplin was taken from me and thousands of others. Many people lost so much that tragic Sunday afternoon. In comparison to some, my losses are small. To me, they appear large at times and miniscule at others. Thank God all of my family survived the storm. In light of this, our losses are small. I lost the comforts of my childhood home. The walls are still standing, but it has a lot of damage. It will never again be the home I knew. It will be different, even after it's repaired. My parents built that house. They brought me and my three sisters home from the hospital to that house. So many wonderful memories were made there year after year. Even though it's just a house, it's our home. It's sad. It's hard to see the home you love torn apart like that, but again, it's a loss not as great as so many. Most of the contents on the inside of the house were saved. Our pictures, our baby books, our important papers are all still in our possession. What a blessing that is!!! My mom put it so well when she said, "My whole sphere of living is gone!". It's true. My parents business that sat on the corner of 20th and Duquesne was directly in the path of the tornado and is gone. It took them awhile to find the building because it had been ripped apart so badly. They did find a family picture though that was hanging on the wall of the office. Here is a picture of my Aunt Lori holding it. Just a couple of days ago another picture of my oldest 2 sons taken in 2004 was found. It also had been displayed in the office.

The Walmart where my parents did their grocery shopping is gone. The Home Depot that my parents had been in 3 times just the week before, is gone. The Sonic where my mom and I would go to enjoy our sweet teas with extra ice is gone.
The salon where my mom has gotten her haircut for 20+ years is gone. The gas station where my dad would gas up all his cars and where he would make his late night snack runs is gone. This same gas station is where I drove to get Dortios for tacos as my first time driving alone the day I got my drivers license. The farm where my parents would buy a whole cow and freeze it is gone. All the cows are dead. The tire and lube express where my parents would get oil changes and some work done on their cars is gone.
CiCi's pizza was a favorite date place for me and Greg in highschool and it's gone. So many places that were depended upon are gone! Just gone! I and so many others no longer have the security and comfort that being home brought. But with the loss of the security and comfort of home, one thing about home still remains. LOVE! Never in my life have I seen Joplin so united. Never before so compassionate. Joplin has always been a wonderful place. In this tragedy, the wonderful things about this place I call home are even more evident. People who lost everything helping people who lost everything. The outpouring from the local people, who have all been affected, has been awesome to see. God has brought this "little big town" together like never before.

Even though so much was lost on May 22nd, so much has also been gained. Family has always been the most important thing to me. This has just been reinforced because of that storm. The few minutes from the time I got the text from my sister asking if I'd heard from mom and dad to the time I received the text from my dad that said "Werok" was excruciating! I will never take my family for granted!!

I have been reminded to make the most of every opportunity. Every opportunity to say "I love you". Every opportunity to squeeze the ones you love. Every opportunity to make sure your loved ones know how you feel about them. Every opportunity to be with those who matter most.

I have learned that home is where your family is. As much as I love my home at 4029 Belle-Lock Pl. in Joplin, after we moved my parents into their rental house in Mt.Vernon, it felt like home. Not because I had grown up there. Not because I had any special connection to that house. Not because I had made special memories there, but because my family was there. No building made of bricks and wood and drywall could ever be home without my family.
I have learned that there is no greater thing on earth than to serve others. We hadn't been in Joplin 20 minutes when a guy and his wife on a 4 wheeler came by 20th and Duquesne, where we were surveying the damage, with bottled water and Gatorade. These people were from Webb City, the next town over. From what I have seen of Joplin since the tornado hit, the tornado does not define who Joplin is. It's not defined by the destruction that covers 1/3 of the city. It's not defined by the homeless or the hurt. It is not defined by what we've lost. What defines Joplin is the service. It's the caring and compassion. It's the love and the helping. It's the hope and the confidence that one day our town will be better than it was before. It's Joplin! No matter how long I live away from Joplin, it is and always will be my home sweet home!




*Not all of the pictures in this blog are mine. I just found them various places.*

The hand of God!

8 weeks ago, while admiring Ruthie, a girl at church noticed a small bump on above her nose. After a little research I decided to leave it alone and see if it went away. Last week while at the dr. office checking Ruthie's ears I asked the Dr. to look at the bump. She decided to send us to the hospital for an ultrasound. So on Oct. 20th we went in. On Monday the 25th we went into our Dr. to find out the results of the ultrasound. Our Dr. wasn't sure of the diagnosis so she wanted to refer us to an ENT. Ruthie had an ear infection the week before so I asked her to please check her ears to see if they had cleared up. She said that one ear was still red even after antibiotics so that was another reason to go to the ENT. I called twice on Tuesday to get the referral information. Finally it was ready. I had decided I would go pick up the paperwork after I picked up the boys at school. I decided to meet Greg for lunch, go do early voting, go look at a loveseat someone wanted to sell us and then go home to give the kids naps before picking up the boys at school. On our way home with the loveseat we realized Greg's van was at the church, so I had to take him back. When he got out of the car he said, "You need to go pick up the referral at ABC (the name of our Dr.'s office)." I decided he was right (and I was anxious to see when our appt with the ENT was). I arrived at the dr. office around 1:30pm. I asked for the referral and was handed a white envelope. I turned to walk out and glanced down at the envelope to see what was written on it. It said APPT: 11/19/10 5:25PM I immediately turned around and walked back to the desk.

Me: "I can't wait for this appt. My daughter has an ear infection now and the dr. doesn't want to give her medicine until she sees the ENT."

Nurse: Takes the envelope from me and calls the ENT's office and explains the situation to them. Then says to me, "The soonest they can get you in the 8th."

Me: "That is not acceptable. I need an appt. this week or I need medicine for my daughter."

Nurse: "I can try Dr. Nguyen's office."

Me: "That would be great. Thank you."

After talking to Dr. Nguyen's office the nurse asks me if I can be there by 2:30. Of course I can! It's now 1:50. I thank the nurse again for making the phone calls for me. Then I start making phone calls. First to Racheal to let her know I can't join her for lunch at my house, then to Greg to let him know we have an appt and I'm on my way to pick him up, then to Stacy to see if she can pick up the boys from school, then to family to let them know what is going on. It was kind of a crazy afternoon.

We arrive at the office at 2:20 and fill out all the paperwork. At 3:00 we go in to meet with the dr. I guess the reports from the radiologist gave a diagnosis of "possible glioma". That is when the bones in the head didn't fuse like they should have and some brain matter has squeezed through the hole left between the bones. The first question the Dr. asked us was who gave us that diagnosis. He thought it was odd to give that diagnosis after just an ultrasound. He said he was not convinced of that at all. He asked us some questions and then said he would like to watch the bump and see what happens. He started to go on about Ruthie's ears when I asked, "So we are just going to watch it and not do a CT scan or anything?" He thought for a minute and then said we should go ahead and do the CT scan. That makes me think he is just trying to cover himself and give me peace of mind. I would rather know for sure than to wait and see. Ruthie is scheduled for a CT scan at 9am on Friday morning the 29th.

The Dr. was very encouraging with what he told us. I am anxious to get the results of the scan so we can get on with our lives.

I was in awe as I saw God work today. Is it coincidence that I decided to go pick up the referral when I did instead of waiting? If I had waited I would not have gotten into Dr. Nguyen today and probably would have had to settle for the Nov.8th appt. Is it a coincidence that even after antibiotics her ear was still red but today when the ENT looked at her ears they looked fine? Had it not been red the day before I don't think we would have been able to get into the ENT early. Is it a coincidence that these events lead us to the better Dr. in town? I think not! All of these things are the hand of God in my life and the life of my precious daughter. What a wonderful, caring God we serve!!

I forgot...Happy 1st Birthday Ruthie!!!

I didn't forget her birthday, I just forgot to blog about it. We had a really simple party. Just a few friends, pizza, and cake. She won't remember anyway. I can't believe it's been a year. I feel like she should be 3 weeks old. Time has really flown by. I have known that she was my last baby so I have made every effort to cherish each moment of her infancy. It's just gone too fast. She took her first steps the day before her birthday. That was fun! Now she is walking everywhere! She still crawls every once in awhile, but she is definitely doing more walking than crawling. She has weaned herself too. We did make it to our breastfeeding goal of one year. Even almost made it to 13 months, but she is finished. I'm ok with that too, because she did it on her own.

Ruthie has been such a blessing to our lives. I love the connection we have as the only girls in the family. She really loves her momma! Before she was born I didn't really know how badly I wanted a daughter. She is such a joy!!! I am so looking forward to watching her grow and learn. I love you Ruthie Ann!!

Tired?...maybe a little.

It's been a rough last year sleep wise for me. Ruthie rarely sleeps through the night. I thought I was doing ok until this morning around 5am when Ruthie woke up. I went to change her diaper and found she had 2 diapers on. I vaguely remember doing this around 2:30am, but I don't remember what my reasoning was. Maybe I should take a nap today.

life and funny

Life is crazy!! Summer is over. The kids are back in school. Nate is a 3rd grader. Not sure how that happened. I feel like just yesterday I was holding him in the NICU at Freeman Hospital. His teacher is Ms.Diaz. She seems nice and he seems to like school this year. So far anyway. He is such a smart kid!! Eli is a 1st grader. He says he doesn't like school, but I think deep down he really does. His best friend Nolan is in his class. He was so excited about that. Sammy started preschool. With his personality he really needs the structure and interaction with the other kids. He is loving it. Our babysitter, Jaimie, works there too and he adores her. Ruthie and I are having fun enjoying the quietness in the house and the calmness of trips out. I love it! Ruthie is growing so fast. She'll be 1 in 2 weeks. So hard to believe.

I'm still enjoying photography. We just bought a new camera and lens. Greg and I are both able to use it for FishXpressions so it's wonderful!



Eli lost his first tooth lastnight and the tooth fairy brought him $5. This morning on our way to church I decided to get a latte from McDonalds. Eli told me he wanted pancakes. I told him that we were going to church to eat donuts. He said he didn't want donuts. I then told him I didn't have enought money for the pancakes. He said to me very serious, "Mom, why do we keep running out of money? We should stop spending and wait until all our teeth fall out." Too funny!!