I should also mention that Ryan has decided to name the elephant in the picture below "Addy" - yep, short for adenoids since he got her on his surgery day!  Love this kid!

Farewell cooties!

Well today has been exiting! Have you ever told Ryan that he wasn't allowed to eat first thing in the morning? Well, we didn't have to be at the hospital til 10, and they didn't take him back til almost noon ... So he was one hungry boy! He got out of surgery about 35 minutes later and he was in his room by 2 - he became the very hungry caterpillar! One popsicle, one cup of sherbet, water, a cup of strawberries, a cup of canteloupe, chocolate pudding, a peanut butter sandwich and a sprite. Then about 1.5 hours later, another cup of strawberries, cup of canteloupe, green beans and another peanut butter sandwich! Now that we're home, he's eaten a fazoli's breadstick, a clif bar, strawberries & blackberries out of our garden and is working on a lemon ice drink! I promise you- I could not make this up! I am not sure if he will ever get full today!

He has done great today - he's been so brave! He's having good pain control too! The doctor said his left tonsil was full of infection and likely where the cooties were hiding in between times of him getting sick each month.

So - here's hoping & praying this is the end and beginning all in a day's time! And please pray that the rest of Ryan's recovery goes as smoothly has today has gone. I kinda hope he was so sick with rotten tonsils & huge adenoids that recovery from removing them is a walk in the park!

Please tell us too ... How can we pray for you today?

Goodnight! ~ M

Summer Update

Hello friends and family!

Chad and I made it safely to, through and from Jamaica.  The boys survived the week without us and we are all happy to be back together again!  I never really knew how much I would be affected by a trip like this.  I have struggled since being back with what God's plan for myself and our family looks like.  I really did love Jamaica, and have felt a pull or tug for sometime now that where we live and what we do isn't our "forever place."  Chad and I are praying that we can discern the messages and feelings we have both been feeling in that regard.

The boys are loving summer!  They have had so much fun travelling, going to Boy Scout camp, swimming and going to VBS.  Matthew has filled up his reading chart for the summer and will get to go pick out a free book at Barnes & Noble!  He got his first filling in a baby molar last week and got his vision checked.  He did great - apparently he has a tongue that needs lasso-ing and does not need glasses!!  Ryan was finally able to see the Ear, Nose & Throat doc and he's looking forward to "all the ice cream and popsicles I want" in just 4 weeks.  :)  He'll have his tonsils and adenoids out on August 1, so hopefully the start to school won't be too rough on him.

I think that's about it for now.  It won't be too long til they are down in Kentucky again!!

Love,
M

Happy St. Patty's Day!

In the spirit of St. Patty's day, I decided to get a little crafty in the kitchen - no corned beef or cabbage for us, more like freaking out and entertaining the kids!  So, I made green pancakes and green scrambled eggs, I also made cinnamon rolls and dyed the icing green in case they couldn't handle the green pancakes!

Well, they were sure surprised!   Honestly, Matthew was the hardest to sell on eating this green food!  Once he saw the other three of us eat it, he began to try it all - very slowly.  But, like the good eaters they are, they all ended up with sunshine plates!

Well, it's cold and cold here.  Chad's in the garage, hopefully putting the finishing touches on the first set of shelves to go in our front room.  The boys are running around - shirtless & sockless.  I am on the computer for now, but am hoping working on a cute skirt for warmer weather can actually change the temp outside!

Matthew has spring break coming up soon - trips to an orthodontist and eye doctor are the highlights thus far.  Ryan had his kindergarten assessment this past week - he said it was fun and "knew how to play all her games."  :)

Well, here's wishing everyone a happy St. Patty's day and nicer weather wherever you are!  

Love, M

MD needs to go get her MD

I just thought I'd send out an update ...

The ID (infectious disease) doc believes Ryan indeed has PFAPA.

So, we are waiting for the next round to strike, and when we notice the first sign, we'll give him a 20 mg dose of prednisone and then again 12 hours later.  He should turn on a dime and not get sick at all.  If it works, it is indeed PFAPA.  If it doesn't, sounds like a lot more testing will take place, but he seemed pretty confident that the 'roids would do the trick.  There is still the option to, at some point, to have his tonsils and adenoids removed - which should "cure" him.  Oh - and he's almost back to fighting weight - he's gained back 2 (of the 3) pounds he lost!

Classic Melanie moment - the doc says, "So, you know what he has?" and I say, "PFAPA?"  His confidence in my answer was obvious with a head shake 'yes'.  My ego may not fit in my house too much longer!  :)

We have had a hectic week with getting back into the swing of things, but are relishing in a Dumbris-style Friday night - awesome.  Good night!

Ahhhh, sweet reprieve!

I know that every morning we wake up is a blessing - but to wake up this morning with Ryan having minimal, if any, fever is more wonderful than words could explain!!!  He is running around with Matthew, playing and pretending - being almost his regular self!!

Matthew has made his first Facebook film debut - check it out on my page if you haven't seen it yet!  He is auditioning for a spot to represent his school in a speech meet later this month.  He could choose to memorize a Bible passage or a poem, and he chose this poem!  Totally cute!!

I am piecing together plans for another all-day cooking day to freeze food.  I told Chad this morning to look at the calendar and pick a Saturday he and the boys had to disappear.  Silly mom, why did I mention that in front of them?!  The boys spent about a half hour trying to figure out what they should do today (or tomorrow) while "Mommy is home making us something so delicious for dinner."  Ha ha!!  :)

Wonderful, lazy, around the house kind of Saturday mornings - love, Love, LOVE them!!

this blogging is kind of cool!

The doctor appointment went well - Ryan had no fever (thank you, Tylenol)!  Our pediatrician is great - this is just a little out of his league.  He has his thoughts and opinions  but is having us see an infectious disease doctor next week.  Please keep praying ...

In regards to Matthew - I really can't get used to his silly smile with this big hole on the top of his mouth!  I think losing that top front tooth has aged him greatly!  Hopefully I can get some pics on here soon!

The weekend Chad and Ryan came down for Aunt Julie's baby shower, Matthew and I got a wild hair!  We found bathroom decor sets at Wal-Mart for kids.  Matthew asked if we could get one and I not only said yes, but I said, "Let's paint the boys' bathroom!'  I totally got the cool mom award for the day (maybe the weekend)!!  We went home and painted the bathroom upstairs a semi-tropical blue color and hung an Angry Birds shower curtain, put down Angry Birds rugs and put Angry-Bird wall stickies (from their bedroom) up.  While the mirror was off the wall, I sanded the frame, painted it white, then distressed it a bit.  I thought I could surprise everyone and hang a light fixture all on my own, but wound up calling in reinforcements - Poppy!  Needless to say, we were so excited for Chad and Ry to come home and see our very own version of "While You Were Out:"!  It was a very awesome day!

What a first blog!!

So, this is my first attempt at blogging.  I have been quite anti-blogging, as I don't think I'd ever have enough time to keep up with it.  Until now.  I am home with a sick boy.  I know this too shall pass, so I won't make any promises as to how long I can keep up with it!

Ryan has been sick since Sunday night.  It started with a headache, again.  Then a 105 degree fever, again.  This has been happening for at least 9 months that Chad and I can remember.  I have not routinely taken him to the doctor for this - the couple times I did they said he had the flu and sent us home.  It wasn't worth all the trouble and money going to the doctor just for them to tell you he's fine and go home.

I hit my limit Monday.  I took him to the doctor after the fever was 105 and he possibly had a febrile seizure from the fever.  After a urine test and 3 tubes of blood, the best guess the doctor has is, "It's not leukemia."  Well, that's definitely awesome, but what is it?

The best guess at this time is Periodic Fever Syndrome or PFAPA for a longer, more official name.  This link has a lot of good info: Learn About PFAPA

Now that I am certain this is what he has, though the docs haven't officially diagnosed it, I am struggling with the thought of scheduling him for surgery for a tonsillectomy in the hopes he's one of the 80-90% of kids that this helps.  Of course, though, he is one of only 20% of people who have a different-than-normal-shaped epiglottis; this lends me to believe he could be one of only 10-20% of people who have PFAPA that a tonsillectomy won't help.

Ugh.  Another doctor appointment this afternoon.  Fingers crossed, prayers lifted.

Family - Chad and I have not called you to tell you because this has been a lot to think about, and process, all while working, taking care of the little guy, and making sure Matthew is staying up with school and all.  Plus, we really don't know for sure what is wrong.  I will keep you posted as we know more - please do not be upset if I don't answer your calls very timely - I will be better at email for now.  Love, M