Concussion

Evelyn still doesn't remember what happened, but she probably hit her head while jumping across the basement stairs under our low deck.  She came in very disoriented and unable to speak in complete sentences. She was very worried but couldn't express it, which prompted a priesthood blessing and a visit to the ER. She had concussion, verified by the MRI, and was on "brain rest" for a couple of weeks: no reading, watching tv, practicing piano or sports, or deep conversations. She had a difficult time with this, but the kids and our cat, Oliver, were attentive and caring as they engaged her in silly and restful activities. 

This is my kid's dentist office...

All the kids had dentist appointments this week.  Most of them play in the huge Chuck E. Cheese-like arcade.  Some watch the movie in the theater room.  But these two love playing on the train and the carousel!  Far cry from when I would be dragged to a dentist office.  These kids want to go to the dentist/kid-heaven every day!

Sick Week, nope, make that a MONTH!

Since Mother's Day my kids have been sick, one or two at a time.  Gideon started it (probably from nursery) with a low fever and vomiting.  Eww.  It lasted a week, and then he stopped.  Three days later he was throwing up again.  And of course it was always in the middle of the night.  Micah and Owen also got sick and were even so dehydrated that we needed to take them to the clinic for IV fluids and medicine.  It was getting scary, not to mention exhausting.  Laundry, clorox wipes, and Germ-X became our best friends and worst enemies!  Gideon had a mini-bout with it this week again along with Micah and Owen's illness.  Troy was couch-bound as well, but never actually threw up.  I think, fingers crossed, that this might be over.  IT BETTER BE!

What should I call This blog post?

Strangulated blog post?

Incarcerated blog post?

Stupid painful hernia blog post?

What to do if you feel like you're going to die from pain...

Oh I know! "How to lose 12 inches in one hour!"

This was my Tuesday experience: an ER visit and emergency surgery to correct the strangulated hernia and cut out twelve inches of dead small intestine. Ouch. Now I am recovering from a second and more invasive abdominal surgery. Two in 5 weeks! Lucky me.

Thank goodness my dad and Jeanene were here to help me get to the ER and to take care of all the kids including five week old Gideon. They've gone home, Gideon is finally and after a lot of hassle rooming in with me. The kids are being cared for by ward members.

I guess the April half marathon is out for me...

Want to see a gross nose tube picture? Here I am, post-surgery glory!

I think I'm supposed to learn patience and how to be still this year. Previa, csection, hernia... Do I sound old or pathetic?!? Both?

I am blessed. I really am. I am trying to be grateful so I can find joy in this journey.

Come what may and love it.