Sarahsmom (Jen's) Journal (feel free to comment)

[Tera]

Hey Jen - I'm sorry to hear about your DN and DF. I pray that both recover soon. Like everyone says, it's good that you've turned your stress into exercise and not food.

Don't forget to change your tracker

Keep up the great work and hang in there.

 

[geetey]

Oh Jen, I am so sorry to hear about your neice and your dad. I hope both of these specialists can quickly figure out how to handle things and get them healed. Any thoughts of what they think might be wrong with your Dad?

I LOVE the dance idea for class! Will you come and teach my kids how to dance? I bet the kids love you! I love all of the exercise you are getting in. Keep moving your body and I know the scale will keep moving.

Prayers & Pixie dust for you and your family!

 

[geetey]

Oh Jen, I am so sorry to hear about your neice and your dad. I hope both of these specialists can quickly figure out how to handle things and get them healed. Any thoughts of what they think might be wrong with your Dad?

I LOVE the dance idea for class! Will you come and teach my kids how to dance? I bet the kids love you! I love all of the exercise you are getting in. Keep moving your body and I know the scale will keep moving.

Prayers & Pixie dust for you and your family!

 

[sarahsmom73]

Well as of yesterday the fluid in my niece's lung had dropped so that is a good sign.. She is only 7 and is on morphine for pain... There are 4 other kids in Burlingotn with the same thing and unfortunately it is taking a long time...

As for my dad, his doc thinks it is a disc in his neck, but the Doc isn't sure about nerve damage... He isn't seeing the neurologist until April 7th and that seems so far away!


I have a snow day today! We are supposed to get clobbered today with around 16 inches! It was our 1st snowday this school year and boy do we need it! We have tomorrow off to celebrate winter carnival so a 4 day weekend sounds great to me!!

On the downside I ate some cheese curls last night... I craved salt in the worst way... Guess that means extra tredmill today for me!!! That's OK


Thankd for all of your concern! You are all keeping me sane!!!

 

[geetey]

Hi Jen! Have you been sneaking over to Tara's house to get cheese curls? Keep those things away from me! I don't know if I can be as strong and only have a 'couple'.

Your poor niece. I hope she continues to improve and they find some antibiotics to kick that bug's tail! It's so hard when our little ones are sick. to you and yours.

I hope your Dad starts improving as well. Maybe some anti-inflammatory meds will give him some relief before he gets to the specialist (which does seem FAR away!). DH has had 3 back surgeries but in the low back - all because of ruptured discs. Not fun, but can be fixed.

Have fun on the treadmill today while enjoying your snow day!

 

[phlufster]

That is really wierd about the cheese curls because I was laying in bed last night craving them!!! Oh well, that was yesterday, and now you have a fresh new day without cheese curls!!

Glad to hear your DN is doing better!!
April 7th. does seem far away, but that may mean that the doctor doesn't think it is a serious problem, which is good news! I hope your DF isn't in a lot of pain or discomfort!

Stick with the dancing and keep at that treadmill!! Do you use weights when you walk on the treadmill?? I was just reading today about the benefits of weight training combined with cardio! It builds your lean muscle wich in turn burns more fat!! The article was saying that adding 1lb. of lean muscle will burn 50 more calories a day!

Keep up the great work!! You can do this!!
Jocelyn

 

[sarahsmom73]

Well, they have decided to put a shunt in to drain my niece's lung... Now we wait... again....

 

[toystoryduo]

Oh Jen,

Please know that your niece is in our prayers. Please keep us updated, okay?

BTW... I had cheese curls last night too. You're not alone.

Take good care of you!

 

[Alysa]

A shunt? Oh the poor little bunny...
Sending prayers her way.

 

[plutosmyfav]

Hi Jen
I'm sorry to hear your niece is going through this. How scarey for her. I hope the shunt will work.

Cheese curls seem to be all over the journals... what's up this that?????

I hope you enjoyed your snow day. They got us all worked up for one and then nuthin' just a slushy mess.

Sunny

 

[sarahsmom73]

Thanks everyone!

The procedure went well... DN was to spend the night in ICU just as a procaution... Our house has been so sick lately we have yet to go visit her.. DH started with diarrea and now has a sore throat... I really don't want to bring anymore germs her way... It would be one thing if she were our child, then of course I wouldn't be as concerned..

It seems like everyday in the morning we get news that things are looking up and within a few hours things aren't looking so great... I am hoping that today will look a little brighter... I guess my BIL and SIL and DN have had so many visitors that DN has melted down again and again... I have a hard enough time doing hospitals and I would hate to be the one who made her melt down again (and she is out of it on morphine for pain)..


What would you do if you were me?! We haven't sent anything to the hospital yet as DN really has been out of it. We want to send or bring something when she is at least with it.... Do you think we are right by keeping our germs home? We are in contact with BIL and MIL many times daily to get updates... Unfortunately there is nothing we can do at this point... Sorry to go on and on... I just had to get some of this out.....


As for me I shovled 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes in the afternoon and did 4 miles in 52 minutes on the treadmill! More for stress relief than exercize, but hey, it fits both circumstances!!!!

I hope to get more tredmill time in today... I am shooting for 60 minutes... At this rate I wll meet my 1000 minute goal and maybe surpass it.... Then all the fat will melt away!

 

[DisneyEnthusiastic]

Jen...I know you don't want to take your germs to the hospital...but, in my opinion..I would make that trip to the hospital. If you were so sick and couldn't get out of bed...that would be one thing, but showing up is support for the parents. You could show up at the hospital and let them make the decision whether to let you see her. There are just as many germs floating around the hospital..unless she is in some quarentine. Don't worry about DN having a meltdown...and yes...bring flowers, a balloon, a stuffed animal..something that when she is with it...they will tell her that you and your husband gave that to her. I'm sure it would mean a lot to your SIL & BIL if you guys go. That's my opinion.

On the exercise trail...WOW you are doing awesome!! It sounds like you will pass up your 1000 minutes in no time!! Keep it up! The fat is saying..."I'm melting"

Take care! Good luck and for you & your family.

Gail

 

[Strings]

Hi Jen,

I am a ccu nurse, so I am biased. Stay away until you are healthy. The last thing your neice needs is to get the flu on top of the pneumnia. Her immune system is already working overtime to fight this infection,. She doen't need a virus to boot. Send her a bouqet of flowers and a CD, so she can listen to music, or a book on tape. There is nothing to do in a hospital. She is sick, tired, weak, and cranky. It is expected that she would have some meltdowns.

You are doing the right thing.

Take care,
Beth

 

[Alysa]

Stay home - send goodies - you are a good auntie, don't worry!
You can go when she is more aware and you are all healthy. You could also send some food to your Bil & Sil to show your support.
Hugs!

 

[sarahsmom73]

Thanks guys!!! DD and I did 1800 flowers.com and sent a teddy and 6 valentines mylars!!!

I spoke my MIL this am and DN had a good night.... No fever.... This is the 1st time in almost 2 weeks with no fever and after another ultrasound on the lung there is no fluid... So she has the drain and she also has a feeding tube. Before she got sick at 7 years old she weighed 42 lbs. (my DD at 3 1/2 weighs 4Olbs) This am she woke up and wanted a donut! She is being moved back off of ICU this afternoon . I guess the drain will have to stay for a couple of days. I am an emotional wreck.. I have kept it together decently until today and now that it seems to have turned the corner for the good all I want to do is cry! Please continue to pray that we are over the hump! I truluy appreciate all of your kindness and encouragement for me , and that I am doing the right thing!

Thanks !

 

[Alysa]

Wanting a doughnut is a GREAT sign! She must be better!
Hugs and prayers for you and your family...

 

[keenercam]

Jen -- I am so glad to hear that DN is feeling better, and I definitely think the teddy bear and mylars are a fabulous idea. I am sure your BIL and SIL are so grateful that you are being considerate in not sharing your germs.
I can't imagine how emotionally exhausting this whole ordeal has been for you and your family. I will keep your niece in my prayers. I hope the weekend brings more good news for all of you.

 

[DoeWDW]

Jen, I'm sending more prayers and good wishes for your DN. Wonderful news that she's well enough to be moved off ICU!! I'm sure the teddy bear and balloons will brighten up her room and make her smile.

Staying away from the hospital is the kindest thing you can do. Your DN doesn't need the germs and your BIL & SIL DEFINITELY don't need the germs - they need to stay healthy to take care of their daughter.

If you really want to help, send a healthy snack basket so your BIL & SIL can have some food and keep up their strength. Also, you may want to send a chapter book that they can read to your DN. Those hospital hours can be long and boring, for kids & parents alike.

Congrats on breaking your plateau!! Keep up the great work - just reading about all that exercise makes me tired!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

 

[sarahsmom73]

Thanks again... I don't know what I would do without all of you! This has been emotional , difficult week.. At first I tried the tough guy attitude to keep the emotion down so I could go to work and do my job...As the week wore on and and my neice got worse instead of better the emotions ran higher.. So this has been my safe haven.. the place I can come to to get out what I need to.. And it really does help.


In one aspect it has made me step up the exercize... I just finished 60 minutes on the tredmill.. I ran 3 miles and walked 1.5.... I burned 700 calories and burned off more stress and emotion than that... This whole situation has been an eye opener for any parent... and for someone like me who is an emotional eater it really has helped to have the journals and the exercize.. I now know that the exercize high really does make me fell better than the food high...

 

[wilderness01]

Stay home - send goodies - you are a good auntie, don't worry!
You can go when she is more aware and you are all healthy. You could also send some food to your Bil & Sil to show your support.
Hugs!

ITA.

Take care of yourself and I will continue to think good thoughts for your family.