DVC Jen
Wigs out even the biggest circus freaks.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2004
- Messages
- 6,091
I apologize for this not being photography related. I just feel closer to many here on this board than I do on any other - so that is why I am posting it here.
I would rather have it removed than moved - so if it is an issue - please just remove the post instead of moving it to another board. Thanks.
......
I am not sure how much sense I am going to make - if I start babbling or talking in circles please forgive me.
We got back from Disney very very early Saturday morning. Everything was fine with us - everyone was tired - but that was normal.
Emily left to spend the night with her best friend - they were having withdrawls. LOL Ian, Kylie and I did laundry and went to the grocery Sat evening.
Sunday morning came and I made breakfast - Ian went to tell Kylie it was ready - she was still sleeping. He had a kind of hard time getting her awake but eventually she stumbled out. She ate breakfast, said she had a bit of a headache above her eyes (forehead area). I thought it was probably sinus releated. She took some tylenol sinus and then just went back to bed. She pretty much slept all day Sunday - only getting up for breakfast and then again dinner. After dinner we started noticing she was getting very grumpy and irritable. She was stumbling around a bit. When we questioned her about it she got very beligerent (forgive my spelling) and said it was just because she was so tired.
Well my Mom radar was screaming at me. Something was not right and I just had this terrifying gut feeling it had to do with her hydrocephalus and shunt. It just all came on so suddenly and after 11 years of her being fine - it just seemed really strange. So Ian called his sister whom is a nurse and she talked to Kylie - said she seemed grumpy but fine and was more than likely just off her sleep schedule and not to worry about it.
So we all went to bed.
Monday morning I went to check on her and I could NOT get her out of bed for anything. She was screaming at me to let her alone. She was cursing me - calling me names - very aggressive verbally and 100% NOT herself. She got up to go to the bathroom and literally walked right into the wall.
No doubts - something was wrong. I called Ian at work - he immediately made a doc appt with our family doc and headed home. I tried like crazy to get her up and showered or at least dressed - she cussed and yelled at me the entire time and refused to move out of her bed.
Ian got home and we finally got her dressed. Took her to the doc - he immediately called neurosurgeons for children at Medical City, Dallas and they wanted us over there NOW. We showed up at the emergency room there - they ran so many tests, ct scans, xrays - and by 5pm - Kylie was having emergency brain surgery to have her blocked shunt replaced.
Surgery couldn't have gone better. Improvement was noticed immediately and she recovered better than expected. They released her yesterday morning and we have all been home - resting and trying to make some kind of sense out of all of this.
My head is swimming. I am exhausted. Emotionally I am finally starting to feel it all hit me. I cried a bit at the hospital but I wouldn't allow myself to feel much - I had to be strong for her and keep my head together to make the right decisions for her.
We knew there was always a chance her shunt could get blocked again but we were told the longer she went without any issues the less chance their was of a problem. It was 11 years ago this past April when she had that shunt inserted - honestly we thought we were out of the water. This hit us hard.
We are doing OK - we have been there and done this before so we know the routine with it.
There have been offers of help from several people - but we really don't need anything more than prayers and time. Prayers to help her and us get through it. Prayers that she doesn't develop an infection in the shunt which is basically a brain infection. Prayers for another 11 years blockage free (a lifetime would be awesome - but not likely - this will happen again I am certain of that). And we need time to make sense of it all. I need to cry - which I am just now starting to do - a little.
We were gone on vacation for 2 weeks - LOTS of family time - family bonding time. However the morning after Kylie's surgery (yesterday) while all four of us were sitting her in room, talking, joking, laughing - trying to get her to smile - meant more to me than any trip to Disney - or any vacation ever could. My whole life and world became so clear to me when there was a small lull in our conversation and Kylie said, "Guys, I love you. Thank you for always being here for me. I don't know what I would do without you."
Kylie is gonna be fine. We will make darn sure of that. She doesn't remember anything from Sunday or Monday and very little of Saturday. I am glad - she wasn't herself and I think she would be really upset if she remembered how not herself she was.
I am sorry this is so long - just wanted to share with my photo board friends.
Some people will wonder why I would share something so deeply personal and painful - and to that all I can say is - it helps me sort it out - make sense of it - verbalize it so I can heal - which I have to do so I can continue to be there for her - when she needs me.
Today - take a moment to hug your family and remember - family - those you love - that is what it is all about - NOTHING else matters.
I would rather have it removed than moved - so if it is an issue - please just remove the post instead of moving it to another board. Thanks.
......
I am not sure how much sense I am going to make - if I start babbling or talking in circles please forgive me.
We got back from Disney very very early Saturday morning. Everything was fine with us - everyone was tired - but that was normal.
Emily left to spend the night with her best friend - they were having withdrawls. LOL Ian, Kylie and I did laundry and went to the grocery Sat evening.
Sunday morning came and I made breakfast - Ian went to tell Kylie it was ready - she was still sleeping. He had a kind of hard time getting her awake but eventually she stumbled out. She ate breakfast, said she had a bit of a headache above her eyes (forehead area). I thought it was probably sinus releated. She took some tylenol sinus and then just went back to bed. She pretty much slept all day Sunday - only getting up for breakfast and then again dinner. After dinner we started noticing she was getting very grumpy and irritable. She was stumbling around a bit. When we questioned her about it she got very beligerent (forgive my spelling) and said it was just because she was so tired.
Well my Mom radar was screaming at me. Something was not right and I just had this terrifying gut feeling it had to do with her hydrocephalus and shunt. It just all came on so suddenly and after 11 years of her being fine - it just seemed really strange. So Ian called his sister whom is a nurse and she talked to Kylie - said she seemed grumpy but fine and was more than likely just off her sleep schedule and not to worry about it.
So we all went to bed.
Monday morning I went to check on her and I could NOT get her out of bed for anything. She was screaming at me to let her alone. She was cursing me - calling me names - very aggressive verbally and 100% NOT herself. She got up to go to the bathroom and literally walked right into the wall.
No doubts - something was wrong. I called Ian at work - he immediately made a doc appt with our family doc and headed home. I tried like crazy to get her up and showered or at least dressed - she cussed and yelled at me the entire time and refused to move out of her bed.
Ian got home and we finally got her dressed. Took her to the doc - he immediately called neurosurgeons for children at Medical City, Dallas and they wanted us over there NOW. We showed up at the emergency room there - they ran so many tests, ct scans, xrays - and by 5pm - Kylie was having emergency brain surgery to have her blocked shunt replaced.
Surgery couldn't have gone better. Improvement was noticed immediately and she recovered better than expected. They released her yesterday morning and we have all been home - resting and trying to make some kind of sense out of all of this.
My head is swimming. I am exhausted. Emotionally I am finally starting to feel it all hit me. I cried a bit at the hospital but I wouldn't allow myself to feel much - I had to be strong for her and keep my head together to make the right decisions for her.
We knew there was always a chance her shunt could get blocked again but we were told the longer she went without any issues the less chance their was of a problem. It was 11 years ago this past April when she had that shunt inserted - honestly we thought we were out of the water. This hit us hard.
We are doing OK - we have been there and done this before so we know the routine with it.
There have been offers of help from several people - but we really don't need anything more than prayers and time. Prayers to help her and us get through it. Prayers that she doesn't develop an infection in the shunt which is basically a brain infection. Prayers for another 11 years blockage free (a lifetime would be awesome - but not likely - this will happen again I am certain of that). And we need time to make sense of it all. I need to cry - which I am just now starting to do - a little.
We were gone on vacation for 2 weeks - LOTS of family time - family bonding time. However the morning after Kylie's surgery (yesterday) while all four of us were sitting her in room, talking, joking, laughing - trying to get her to smile - meant more to me than any trip to Disney - or any vacation ever could. My whole life and world became so clear to me when there was a small lull in our conversation and Kylie said, "Guys, I love you. Thank you for always being here for me. I don't know what I would do without you."
Kylie is gonna be fine. We will make darn sure of that. She doesn't remember anything from Sunday or Monday and very little of Saturday. I am glad - she wasn't herself and I think she would be really upset if she remembered how not herself she was.
I am sorry this is so long - just wanted to share with my photo board friends.
Some people will wonder why I would share something so deeply personal and painful - and to that all I can say is - it helps me sort it out - make sense of it - verbalize it so I can heal - which I have to do so I can continue to be there for her - when she needs me.
Today - take a moment to hug your family and remember - family - those you love - that is what it is all about - NOTHING else matters.
Prayers help - I have no doubt. Right now it gives me strength, helps me make sense - if possible - and makes me realize exactly how lucky we really are.
) 
