Doctor. Doctor, give me the news...

Took Munchkin to the doctor today. Just as I suspected - just allergies. So we've started him on some children's allergy medicine. The doctor said he should take the grape flavored chewables fine. I thought "um, probably not" so when I went to the store today I bought the chewables and the liquid.

Much to my surprise (or not) he gagged, cried, spit and clung to me for dear life.

I think we'll try to liquid tomorrow.

On a different note, here are some pics from a couple weeks ago when we went to Deanna Rose. You'll notice there are no animals. That's because last year Munchkin had to play on the smaller playground. But this year he was big enough and confident enough to play on the big kid playground. We were there the majority of time.

A nose, a race and volcano ash

We're still struggling with allergies/asthma. We're doing breathing treatments every four hours, staying inside a lot, trying to keep up with a runny nose and praying for the pollen count to go down. I may take him to the doctor tomorrow because yesterday he woke up from his nap crying (this never happens) and said his nose hurt like there was an owie in it. Hmm...we'll have the doctor take a look.

I'm still running. Three weeks from today is the race. I am currently doing 3.25 miles in 38 minutes; a personal best for me. I am also continuing my weights but much prefer running outside. I like running outside so much better than on the elliptical so I'm avoiding that at all costs.

Hubby leaves for Germany and Sweden soon - as long as the airports aren't shut down on account of ash from the volcano. We'll miss him terribly. I'm praying Munchkin is feeling much better while daddy is out of town.

Well it's time for another breathing treatment so I'd better go. Sorry for not posting lately but we haven't had that much going on.

Allergies...Ugh!

Well, we didn't make it to Deanna Rose this morning. Last night Munchkin had trouble sleeping because of allergies. He has a stuffy, runny nose and when he breathes he snorts and whistles. It drove him crazy during the night. So instead of going outside and having those little allergies flare up even more, we're staying inside today. Hopefully a day of air conditioning will help.

He's been a real trooper, as usual. We've postponed the trip to Deanna Rose with Mason for next Wednesday. Instead of playing outside this morning he played in his room while I went through his closet and dresser. I totally cleaned everything out and reorganized. Ahhhh...relief! His closet has been a mess lately, so has his dresser drawers. I have two boxes of clothes ready to go in the basement, a few garage sale items, and clothes for spring/summer put away and ready to wear. Everything is neat and organized! Just the way I like it. I think he had fun too. I found some old books shoved in between things in his closet, so he had fun reading those while I worked.

Tonight Hubby has some work he needs to do in the yard. I think that will be the hardest for Munchkin. I know he'll want to be out there helping daddy. Wish me luck keeping this outsider inside all day! :)

Getting back to it

I'm officially back to my workout schedule. I ran outside Wednesday, did weights yesterday (I'm going to have to buy some heavier ones) and ran on the elliptical tonight. I would have loved to run outside again (using the term "loved" loosely here!) but it was rainy and cold here today. I don't get it, I ran 3.25 miles in just under 45 minutes outside and tonight it took me 40 minutes to go just 2.61 miles on the elliptical. Hmm.....

Munchkin is getting better. He has slept through the night the last few nights. He even slept until 7:3o this morning! We are still doing his breathing treatments a couple of times a day, but not as often as we were at the beginning of the week. He only coughs when he is overly active. Thankfully, so far the cherry juice is still working to get his antibiotic down.

We were both itching to get out of the house today, but I still didn't want to go out to a public place with him, so he and I headed to my sister's house to meet her for lunch. Munchkin played the whole time. He ate lunch once he got home. He was just so excited to be at Auntie D's house! And it was just what he and I needed to get through the day.

Tomorrow evening I hope to get together with my teacher friends. I miss them so much! What a blessing!!!

Steroids and Running! Ha!

First, Munchkin is doing better. We didn't get the shot. He is now taking his antibiotic disguised in a glass of cherry juice. (Now that I've typed that he probably won't take it tonight! Ha!)

We've still been struggling with the steroid. My mom came down today to help me get it down him and to give me a little break. I certainly took advantage of her being here. We did get the steroid down and I also got to get out of the house. I went to Target and bought some spring clothes. I also stopped by Sonic Happy Hour and got a diet vanilla coke.

I also took advantage of my mom being here by running outside. I ran 3.25 miles in 45 minutes. I guess I should rephrase that. I walked and periodically jogged rather than ran. I thought it would take me at least an hour. I knew that running outside would be completely different than running inside on an elliptical. And I have never run the full 3.1 miles yet. And I haven't run at all or done any weights since one week ago today! With all the sickness going around our house and my schedule, I just haven't done anything. What a way to get back to it!

It was so much worse than I thought it would be! Ha! Yes, I did a lot better than I thought I would but the impact on my feet and knees wasn't fun. I did enjoy the scenery and the fact that I could run outside without a coat. Side note: two trees in our yard are starting to get blooms on them! But the whole time I was out there I was thinking about how my training so far was clearly not what it should have been. But then once I got back home, I was totally surprised that it only took me 45 minutes! It is just a totally different feel being outside.

I just heard thunder! Woohoo! I love thunderstorms.

One last note before I go. We're sending our love and prayers to Great Gpa V. He had a hip replacement today. We love you grandpa and are praying for a speedy recovery!

Again?!

I took Munchkin to the doctor today. We had x-rays and he has pneumonia. Again. In his mid and lower right lung. To make matters worse, he throws up his meds. He has two - prednisone (which always makes him throw up - we have now tried three different kinds and he can't keep any of them down) and now he can't keep his antibiotic down. Not good. Not good at all. I called the nurse help-line tonight and then talked to the on-call pediatrician. It looks like we'll be going back to the doctor tomorrow. The on-call doctor said Munchkin should probably be given rocephin shots. It is days like these when I hate being a grown-up. Anyone else want to take over for me? Ha!

I'll keep you all updated. Thanks in advance for praying.

Praying for Wendy

Last year in MOPS I had a secret sister, her name is Wendy. As secret sister you find out all the little details about that person's life - likes, dislikes, hobbies, family, etc. and shower that person with gifts throughout the year. Among some of the things I learned about her that year is that she is a mother of three girls. The oldest is now 15 and the youngest is in preschool.

About this time last year, Wendy discovered she had breast cancer. She found it when she fell and hurt her arm. She was told it was a very aggressive cancer, and if she hadn't have found it when she did, she probably wouldn't have survived it.

So last spring she started a very courageous journey fighting the cancer. She endured mastectomy surgery, radiation and chemo. Things started looking positive - although Wendy never lost her positive attitude.

Then she started some dizzy spells. This led to the more recent discovery that the cancer was now in her brain. Inoperable because of its location. To the outside world, this appeared to be horrible news but Wendy continued to exhibit incredible faith and hope. She was standing firm on the Rock.

Even more recently Wendy has been experiencing severe back pain. Because of medications she was on, she had been restricted on the amount of driving she could do. I took her to get a full body CAT Scan on Feb. 11th. She spoke of the back pain then. I heard little details about what the CAT Scan showed. Then, she went to the ER a couple of weeks ago because the pain had gotten so severe. She was admitted and we learned the cancer is now in her spine. The pain was from extra fluid. She was to have brain surgery last week to put a port in from which they would give her chemo treatments. Due to an infection she's had, she's been unable to have the surgery. They have done two other chemo treatments in her time at the hospital. Today she found out they are not working. She is moving to the Hospice House in about an hour and a half.

To read her full story and journal entries from her entire battle, go here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wendyschwarz/mystory

I am coveting your prayers for her and her family during this time. My heart aches for her three girls and her husband, who has been juggling taking care of the girls, spending time with Wendy and working full time.

It has been an honor to watch Wendy go through this battle with cancer. She has clung to her Jesus every step of the way, and continues to do so. According to her husband, she is still praying for a miracle. Will you pray too? For a miracle...I'll leave that up to you. Praying for miracles is something I've always struggled with. Do I believe that God can perform this miracle? Absolutely. But just because He can, doesn't mean I think He will. Thankfully, I don't have to decide. I trust that God knows best. I'll be honest with Him and tell Him what I want for Him to do, but will end my prayer with the words of Jesus, "yet not my will, but yours be done."

On the mend

I didn't post on Friday because my MIL* came and took care of Munchkin that night. She even got me and Hubby a hotel room for the night so we could get out of the house and get a full night's sleep. It was wonderful! I can't even begin to tell you how much I needed that.

*mother-in-law

Munchkin ended up sleeping through the night for her (of course). And didn't run a fever the whole time we were away and didn't miss us one bit!

He still has a cough, but is breathing much easier. He still can't get too active, or he starts uncontrollably coughing (possibly asthma attack?) His fever is completely gone. He slept through the night again last night. His ears don't seem to be bothering him either.

Thanks for all your prayers. Apparently they're working.

Go Saints!!!

Day 6

Well it is day 6 of the little guy being sick. Thankfully he was only up for one hour during the night last night - so we're making progress. (Knock on wood.)

He isn't coughing as much but when he does it sounds horrible. This morning his temperature was 103! I called the doctor and they said that it wasn't surprising. (Helpful, I know!) With the virus he has his fever may last a week and now that he has an ear infection, it is just complicating matters. So basically, we're just going to have to deal with the fever. I've given him tylenol and the lowest his temperature gets is around 100.

You know Munchkin is sick when he is the one telling me he wants to nap! This morning I was folding laundry, he looked up at me, held up his arms and said, "Mommy carry you." (meaning, hold me mommy) When I picked him up he instantly put his head on my shoulder. I asked him if he wanted to go to bed and he said, "Yeah." Then, this afternoon we were playing and out of nowhere he said, "Naptime!"

Munchkin and I have literally been in our pj's all day. I just took a shower and put clean pj's on. Hubby has a meeting with China tonight, so I'm trying to make the most of my time with him here to help.

My teacher friends want to get together this weekend. I'm really hoping to be able to. I need some time out of the house! Here's hoping the snow holds off!

Update....ugh!

Munchkin went back to the doctor today. He was supposed to go today for his 2 year well visit, and since he was sick on Monday we decided to make this visit a follow-up.

We were up a couple of hours in the wee hours of the morning again this morning, but before he appointment, he actually ate some breakfast (only a little, but still) and wanted to play.

I was still glad we were going to the doctor though because yesterday he started sounding like he was going to lose his voice, his nose was a waterfall, and he still had his cough. Thankfully the doctor said that his breathing treatments have been helping and she said that we no longer had to give him the medicine that was making him throw up! Yea!!! However, much to my dismay, today she discovered that Munchkin now has an ear infection. What?! Great (sigh).

So now we are on antibiotics for the ear infection and are continuing his breathing treatments until his cough is gone. His cough is better this afternoon, however there is still a lot of gunk in his nose and late this afternoon his temperature went up to 101.5 (Mom, please don't call me. If he still has a fever in the morning, I will call the doctor. If it gets too bad in the night I will call the nurse help line.)

So your prayers are still much appreciated. We're not out of the woods yet. Also please pray that Hubby and I stay healthy. Having my sleep interrupted four nights in a row is starting to take its toll. We're trying to take care of ourselves, but it is hard for me to take care of myself when my little one is sick.

Tonight I got out for a bit to run to Target, and it felt soooo goood to be out of the house and have some quiet time.

I'll update again sometime tomorrow.

Sleepy and Sick

Before bed last night, Munchkin's fever was 101. We were up from 1:00 to 3:30 (at that time he didn't have a fever and hasn't had one since!!!) and then up again briefly at 5:00.

I got his medicine mostly down this morning although we had another throw up episode immediately after. Now I can't get him to drink or eat anything. Again.

I am now heating up some chicken noodle soup on the stove. My guess is that I'll be the one that ends up eating it.

I feel like I'm taking care of a newborn again. I'm sleepy, didn't shower this morning and am wearing sweats. That was the story of my life for at least the first three months of Munchkin's life.

I have a feeling Hubby is going to have to bring something home with him for supper. Not so sure I'll get around to cooking anything today.

Thanks for your prayers!

Sesame Street

The night before Munchkin's birthday, my sister took him and I to see Sesame Street Live! Before the show, we ate at Crayola Cafe. Here we are at dinner.

Getting ready for the show to begin.

Munchkin liked the show. Thanks for the birthday present Auntie D.!

On a different note, we went up to my parents' house on Saturday to celebrate with the grandparents and great grandparents. Well, Munchkin started running a fever on Saturday (which I'm learning is becoming par for the course when we go up north). He still has a fever today, a bad runny nose, a horrible cough, and no appetite. I took him to the doctor this morning. He has a virus. He has to do breathing treatments again and is on steroids, again. I feel like a broken record.

While at the doctor he threw up after they gave him some medicine. Then he threw up twice in the car before we ever left the parking lot. All over him, me, and the car seat. We came home and took a bath and he threw up right after we got out of the bath. Then he took a nap and threw up when he woke up. It has been quite the day to say the least. I'm pooped and ready for a break.

Any prayers for the little guy are much appreciated.