Home for a visit

So today my Dad came home for a day visit. It's good to see him, and he looks good. He seems to be in a pretty good mood, does not really want to go back to rehab and stay but he understand that that is for the best for him to keep improving. I will try and update later on about how the day went since he has only been here for a little over an hour.

Just a little update

Sorry I have not updated on my Dad for a little while, we have been busy to say the least around here. So I went and saw him the other day and he seemed to be in a pretty good mood. It is a night and day difference to how much better he is walking and using his left arm and hand. He still has a ways to go but he is getting there much faster than anyone would of though of.
For the last few days my Mom has gone to see him, and he is getting grumpy. He wants to come home, me misses the grand kids a lot. I understand that, but for right now rehab is the best place for him. He is getting PT about three times a day, if he were to come home now he would get it maybe three times a week. Plus we would most likely end up having to drive him into town three times a week for PT, and that gas will add up. So we want to put it off as long as possible. Someone is trying to get into town everyday or every other day to see him. Most of the time we have things we need to do anyways. Like next week Ross will start Pre-School again so I will be in town two times a week and can visit with him while Ross is as school.
He has also been starting to want to smoke again. I'm sure most of that is boredom and not really having anything to do or think about to occupy his mind right now. He is reading the book that Eric sent him but once that one is done I guess we will have to find him another one to read or something else to do. Makes me wish I still had my DS for him to play :)
I'm sure most of you are calling him from time to time to see how he is doing. But maybe the next time you chat with him, keep him on the phone a little longer somehow. I know easier said than done with my Dad. :)

Look'n good

So I went and saw my Dad today at rehab and he is looking so good. He seems to be in good spirits as well, and he seems to be having a up-beat attitude about pretty much everything. Which is odd for my Dad :)
He is walking so much better it's a night and day difference. He also seems to have a lot more movement and control in his hand as well. Right now he is using a walker, but if that is because he really needs it or they are making his use it I'm not sure. He seems to be going to PT a few times a day, and it sounds like he will be able to get PT to come to him at home when he comes home.
Of course when I was getting ready to leave, I had to run to the grocery store after visiting with him, he asked me if I could stop by Jack In The Box for him and grab him two burgers and bring them back to him. So of course I could not say no to him, it's not like he can just go down the road one block and get them himself. So after the grocery shopping I brought him his burgers.
This whole time he has been saying he does not want anyone to come and see him, but I'm sorry his grandson keeps asking about him so I will be bring Ross to go and see him here soon. Peyton would not understand what all is going on just yet, but Ross does. Ross also understands that BaBa (grandpa) is not feeling well and has a big boo boo. he also knows that BaBa can't play right now and we have to be careful with him. For a three year old he is way to smart for his own good.

Time to de-stress

So with everything that has been going on around here Pat and I are going up to Browns Camp this Saturday for the day to ride quads with some friends. I can't wait. We need some time to ourselves with out the kids, and not having to think about everything that is going on around here for just one afternoon. I can't wait to open my 700 Raptor up full throttle and just release everything from my mind for the day.
Now if I could just get the new puppy to stop chewing on everything she shouldn't then we will be good:) but that's a puppy for ya.
Also got some good news it looks like my brother-in-law will be able to buy our 67 Airstreem trailer from us. So with the money from that and Pats health and tool allowece that he is getting next month we will be able to knock out all our stupid little debts that we have, and pay off a big chunk on the motorcycle that we owe as well. From there we are hoping to have an easier time selling the motorcycle since we will owe less on it. Once that is gone then we will be in great shape as far as our debts go. Which is a good thing since we are hopping to buy a house some time in the next year. So the less debt we have going into buy a house the better off we will be.
It's not easy being a one income family but we make it work. I love staying at home with my kids and playing with them, even if they do make me want to pull my hair out most days, and watching them grow and learn. So for us to buy a house with one income will not be easy but we can make it work. With hard work, dedication to our debts and getting them paid off and not making anymore, and buying a house we know we can afford will helps us in the end. But the most important part of all of this is prayer. Prayer is what has gotten us to where we are today, prayer is what is bringing us through these hard and trying times right now. With out trust in God and prayer who knows where we would be at.
Some people think that God does not answer prayers but I know for a fact that he does. My daughter is proof that God hears and answers prayers. I can remember laying in bed every night before I fell asleep praying that God would bless me with a healthy baby girl, now for those of you who do not know, Peyton is the first girl in 63 years on Pat's side of the family. So we feel very blessed to have her, and that is also why her middle name is Faith, because we had faith in God that he would bless us with a little princess. Even though she is WAY more of a handful than her brother any day, we are still very blessed. We also know what God would never give us more than we can handle. If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
With God all things are possible, with out God nothing is possible.

Out with the old, in with the space!

So this last weekend Pat and I spent the whole weekend cleaning out the downstairs garage. We got about half way through the whole thing. Still have a lot more to do this week and next weekend. So far we have loaded the explorer up two times packed as full as possible, I could not see out the back and barley out the side window, two times and it's loaded again right now to go to Goodwill. Plus I have at least another half a car load waiting to go as well.
It feels good to get rid of all that junk, crap, and stuff that has been sitting there for years not being used. Some of it was our stuff some was my parents and some was my Grandma's.
When Pat and I moved in here we were only planning on being here for about three months, well two and a half years later here we are. And now we are going to be living with my parents until the end, as in until they pass or can no longer be cared for at home. It's not the easiest thing in the world but we make it work. Thank goodness I have the most wonderful in laws anyone could ever ask for. They take the kid(s) for us all the time to help us out and give us all a little break. Like they are taking both kids this coming weekend so that Pat and I can finish the downstairs garage and then hopefully get started on the loft down in the trailer barn at the bottom of the driveway.
Since most of the items that we want to take to Goodwill are already gone, we now are left with trying to sell some of the bigger furniture that we have down there. I.E. two kitchen tables a few night stands, one end table, and two dressers. But once those are gone, man I can't wait to see how much room we will have in there. Yet we will just be filling up back up again with more furniture that is in the downstairs. Oh well, at least that furniture we will be keeping but it's just in the way right now.
Well I'm off to put the kids down for a nap and back out to the garage I go, can't stop now I'm on a roll and want to get it finished.

Rehab

So my Dad has been in rehab for a few days now, sadly I have not been able to make it into town to see him but hope to soon in the next few days. My Mom said that he is walking so much better it brought her to tears. And that was just in the hospital, so I'm sure he could be walking even better now than he was in the hospital. He was also able to pick up paper clips with his left hand and drop then into a cup.
They said he would probably be in rehab for about one to two weeks, then continue PT at home. We are hopping his insurance will pay for his PT to come to him at the house. It would just make things so much easier on everyone around here. But if not then we will work out a schedule to take him into PT as much as he is needing to go.
With my Dad being a very private person, if you want to know something very funny that he did you should call him. Ask him about speaking spanish he will know what you are talking about. And if he does not know, i.e. playing dumb, just give me or my Mom a call and we will be more than happy to fill you in.

short and fast

Just wanted to let everyone know that my Dad has been moved to rehab and will be there for about one to two weeks. I will update more tomorrow

A good sign

So yesterday my Mom went to see my Dad, and he said he feels like he has more movement in his left hand. He is not sure about his left leg yet since he has only been up and around a couple of times. So only time will tell but it's a good sign for his hand already. We should know today or tomorrow if he will be coming home or going to rehab for a little bit.
If things keep going the way that they are he will probably be able to just use a walker to help him get around. Though I'm sure if he were to go shopping or somewhere he would need to walk a lot he would need a cart or wheelchair of some sort.

Went to see my Dad yesterday

So I went in to see how my Dad was doing yesterday after his surgery. He looked good, all doped up on some good pain killers and being a smart ass as usual. The doctor said everything went great, so now we just have to wait and see what all he gets back.
The doctor said he will know more in about two days as far as him coming home or going to rehab for a little while. When my Mom first said rehab she made it seem like he would be there for a while, like a few weeks maybe, but now I guess they are just thinking a few days, enough time for him to get back up and moving around better on his own.
Well stubborn man that he is does not want to go to rehab and thinks he will be home by this weekend. Ya right Dad keep dreaming.
Of course only after being there for just a little while to see him, he was already kicking me and my Mom out. So we gave kisses and hugs and told him not to harass the nurses to bad while he is there. My Mom will be going back today to see him, I might be able to get up there this evening.
So for now we are just on a nice long waiting game to see what all will happen and what he gets back, keep him in your prayers and thoughts. This will not be easy on anyone in the house.

Sugery

I just talked to my Mom and she said everything went fine. They were able to do what they could, they did stop it from progressing any further and as far as how much mobility he will get back only time will tell. The doctor said that it will take from six months to one year to know how much he will get back, if any.
They are going to wait a few days with my Dad in the hospital but he will most likely be going to a rehab facility. Which I feel is for the best, that will ease the burden of what my Mom would have to do for him. Now I'm not saying that my Dad is a burden but with my Mom's health not being the greatest right now it will just be easier on her with him somewhere that they are trained and equipped to take care of someone who can't dress and bathe themselves right now. Plus I'm sure they will be able to manage his pain better than we could at home.
I do know is I know my Dad and I feel bad for who ever has to take care of him :) He can be kind of a grouch sometimes.
As of right now he is not on a ventilator but they are watching for swelling to see if he will need to be ventilated at some point.

Waiting

Right now I'm sitting at home and my Mom is on her way to the hospital to wait for the doctor to let her know how everything went. I really want to go and be there with her but I can't seem to find anyone right now to watch the kids. I don't want to ask someone that does not live close since I have no idea how long I will be up there, this is when living out in the middle of no where does not help :)
So as soon as I know anything I will try and update as soon as possible

My dad

So it started a little over a month ago, maybe two months at the longest I can't remember for sure. It started as just some back pain, and that back pain got worse and worse. Finally he went to the doctor and was told he has arthritis in his back. He then went to another doctor to get his shoulder checked out, he has had surgery before on his shoulder years ago. That doctor said he would do surgery on his shoulder in July after they figured out what was really going on with his back, and after they fixed his back if his shoulder was still bugging him.
About three weeks ago things just went from bad to worse. Over time my dad has been able to walk less and less. He had just started a new job as a school bus driver. A job he thought he would be able to do with a bad back and shoulder. Last week he came home and said he had taken a leave of absence because he did not feel safe driving the bus anymore.
He then went back to his doctors office and another doctor saw him because his normal doctor was out of the office at the time. This new doctor suggested an MRI of his neck. We all found this very odd since all the pain seemed to be in his back and he was having problems with his left leg and being able to use it at all, by this point he pretty much was just dragging his left leg behind him now.
Last Wednesday he went in for his MRI. The MRI tech called his doctor right away and told him he needed to see this now. We then got a call from his doctors office that he will be coming in Friday to talk with the doctor about the MRI. From there he was referred to a nuro doctor and was squeezed in as an emergency appointment.
Today was his apt with the nuro doctor and was admitted to the hospital right away. The doctor told him and my mom that his neck is fused in place and that it is cutting off his spinal cord. If they were to let this go and continue the way that it is now it would make it's way to the nerves that control his lungs and he would be put on a respirator.
So tomorrow first thing in the morning the doctor is going to take my dad into surgery, they will try but do not think that they will be able to repair any of the damage that has already been done. What they are mostly going in for is to stop it where it is at now. It will take between six months and one year to know how much my dad will regain as far as walking and being able to use his left side anymore.
There is also a chance that he will be on a respirator after surgery due to the area that they are operating on. If his neck and spinal cord swell they will have to put him on a respirator for sure.
He has not had the surgery and they are already talking that he will most likely be in a wheelchair, for a while at least. As of right now he can't bathe himself anymore, he can barley get around the house by himself, he has to stop and take breaks just going from his bedroom to the kitchen. All the while dragging his left leg behind him.
After surgery he will be in the hospital for about three to four days and then most likely will be moved to a rehab facility to live for a while.
As of right now we are just waiting for tomorrow for the doctor to come out from the surgery and let us know what is going on. From there we will start to know more day by day. I will try and update this blog with any progress that he is making.
Please keep him in your prayers and thoughts through all of this. This is very hard for him, he is not the type of person that will let others do things for him. He wants to do everything by himself. And for him going into this surgery knowing that he may never get any better than he is right now is very hard and devastating for him.

A Dream is coming true

So today I had to go to the doctor for a infection not fun. But I did find out that once this infection is cleared up in about two weeks my doctor will give me a referral to the plastic surgeon for a breast reduction.
Most who know me know this is something that I have wanted since high school. It will be so nice to be able to buy cute bras, not have to go to a special store to even hope I can find a bra that fits. I will be able to wear button up shirts again. I will no longer have back and neck pain. Heck maybe I can have a conversation with some guys and they will look at me and not my chest. Yes I know there are a lot of women out there who wish they were more blessed in the chest, but for me I'm way to blessed.
I was really hoping that after I was done nursing my daughter that I would get a little smaller than I was before, well if anything I think I'm a little bigger than I was before. I know that they will probably want me to lose at least 10% of my body weight which is fine with me since I'm already trying to lose weight. This will just help motivate me even more to lose the weight and then keep it off afterwords so that they don't grow again.
This could all take awhile to complete, since I will have to be approved by my insurance. Please pray that they will approve me for this. If I do not get approval from Kaiser then I have no clue when I will be able to have this done. I know that this surgery is not cheap. I also do not go into this lightly. But for me the benefits out way the risks by a lot for me.
My husband, well he is standing me hind me. Does he wish I would stay the same size I am now, sure but what man wouldn't. He does understand why I want this so much and because of that he is supporting me 100%. Though I did tell him just the other day that he needs to be prepared to take time off of work to help me afterwords. He looked at me and said why. Ugh sometimes I just want to smack him.
Um hello hunny your wife will be having major surgery and not be able to do very much for a while that's why. He has had surgery in the past and should remember how much I had to do for him afterwords. You would think that since what I'm having done is way more invasive that he ever had that he would get it, but oh well I guess not.
So please pray that Kaiser will approve me for this so that they will pay for the surgery for me. If not then please pray that I will come up with a way to pay for it myself someday in the near future.

Evil Scale

So this month I have decided it's time to lose the extra pounds that I'm carrying around. I'm tired of the way that I look and how my clothes fit on me. I'm not really following any program, but combining Weight Watchers and calorie counting. I'm only consuming 1,500 calories a day and exercising at least 20 minuets a day.
The reason I say the scale is evil is because every time I have ever tried to lose weight the scale always goes up on me. My clothes always fit the same but the scale goes up. Yes I know that muscle weighs more than fat and that I'm probably building muscle. But that is really a downer when you are trying to lose weight to see that. The last time I did this was before I got pregnant with my son. I was going to the gym 5 to 6 days a week and trying very hard to eat right and the scale just kept on going up up up. Very depressing. Then I got pregnant and did not really worry about losing weight, after I had my son 8 months later I was pregnant with my daughter.
Well my daughter just turned two yesterday. I nursed her for 16 months, so during that time I did not really worry about losing weight. I was only trying to eat enough to make enough milk for her. But now that is all done and over with it's time to shed these extra pounds.
I also have to be careful on how I work out. I have bad hips and bad knees. I'm going to the Doctor on Friday to get them looked at and see what I can do about all the pain. Once I can get that under control I can start running again and hopefully really start dropping the pounds off.
I used to love to run, I played sports a lot in school, softball mostly, and I miss running. I was always pretty much the fastest one on my teams, raced people and pretty much won all the time.
So I have, right now, one pair of jeans that I can get into but can't move when I put them on. So those are my goal jeans, my goal to get them on and be able to move in them.
So wish me luck on my new journey to fit back into an old pair of jeans.