September 19, 2008 5:32 PM
My life - a lot going on behind the scenes
Okay, in the aftermath of Hurricane Sarah - which stimulated a lot of ideas/opportunities for me to write about some things dear to my heart - I am trying to get back on track.
The only problem is there are so many tracks to get back on.
So just to catch you up on what's going on in my life:
A few weeks after Jonny's foot surgery August 5, he ended up in the hospital with a truly horrible infection/cellulitis which meant he had to have IV antibiotics for five days. He came home in time to rest for a few days before starting school, but we have been battling the infection ever since - taking days off here and there when it flares up. But basically we seemed to be making progress.
Last night, Tripp came home early because Maddy and I were going to the Kennedy Center to see La Traviata. But when Jonny came home, his foot was swollen and so tender we couldn't touch it, and draining. Aaaaarrrggghhh. Tripp said he would call the orthopedic surgeon and handle it and we left, but I must admit I was definitely mentally multitasking through the opera - noting the production, stagecraft and music, but all the while trying to figure out what today would hold. I knew the doctor would want me to haul Jonny all the way back to Fairfax (we'd just been there Tuesday) and that he would probably put him in the hospital again. Sure enough, when I called home, that's what the doctor had told Tripp - bring him in at 11 and be ready for the hospital.
I really thought my plate was already full. I mean, Ben, Zach and Sophia were supposed to be coming home for the weekend tonight - their first visit home since they left in early August - and bringing two friends.
We are still desperately trying to finish The Move That Never Ends. Tripp packs up boxes at our old house and brings them home and I unpack them. I get in a good mood because my house looks nice and then he brings home more boxes full of stuff I forgot about. I try not to get mad at him because it's not his faulty :)
We are definitely scaling back - which became a conscious goal 18 months ago, and which the subsequent loss of our homeowner status has definitely provided an unexpected but still wonderful opportunity to do. We sell stuff on Craig's List and I'm storing stuff to list on Ebay when they have one of those free listing days they have once in a while. And I have piles of stuff for the Salvation Army (I love the Salvation Army - what an unblemished organization!).
But we do have a deadline of sorts as Tripp is scheduled for knee replacement surgery next Tuesday. That's right - a major, major, major operation in which they will cut out his whole knee including parts of the bones above and below and replace it with a manmade titanium one.
I guess it's an advantage that we are too busy and distracted to have much time to dwell on it in advance.
Tripp has needed this surgery for years but has been unable to get it because we could not afford to take off work for the lengthy recovery it requires. Losing our house has had the wonderful silver lining of being able to take care of this kind of thing - like Jesse's long-delayed 6000+ oral surgery of which only 1000. was covered by our dental insurance, which we were ale to accomplish in July.
Now it's Tripp's turn and as the day approaches, we are definitely sobered by the seriousness of it and not knowing exactly what will be involved in recovery.
One thing I didn't want was for Tripp to be in Loudoun Hospital and Jonny to end up in Fairfax. Just too crazy.
So I got up at 530 this morning and decided that I would turn to Jonny's pediatrician (The Most Wonderful Doctor in the World) to manage the care of his wound. You know, as a mom, I have to tell you that I believe the Holy Spirit really does guide us in decisions like these. I had felt so stuck and helpless because the doctor who operated on Jonny is way too busy and not a good communicator. Not to mention that he is 90 minutes away.
So we went to Dr. Groeber today and though we don't know yet what is going on, I feel like we are in good hands. She is so thorough. She took cultures, sent us to the lab, scheduled an MRI for Jonny's foot, and consulted with an infectious disease specialist we will see next week. We need to find out if the infection is in the bone, because if it is he will have to have an IV for a month to fight it and home nursing care.
So we stopped at the grocery store and I brought him home.
Did I ever tell you that one of the funny things about Jonny is that in the hospital when they show him the strip of faces from happy to very upset to indicate his pain level
he always points to the happy face and says "Happy!" He doesn't get it at all. Even if he's hurting, he's happy.
I love that guy!
Josh has been refinishing our oak kitchen table for us as it had gotten pretty yucky - you know, the kind of deterioration where everything from magazine covers to your arms sticks to the table. Ewww. I thought it would be finished for everyone to be here Saturday to celebrate Tripp's (Sept 15), daughter Samantha's (Sept. 17), and granddaughter Trinity's (September 8) birthdays, but it wasn't. So he came this afternoon to bring it back in from the garage in its almost finished state until everyone goes home. Next week he will finish.
Hattie is doing better. They went to see a nutritionist who gave her an understanding of which foods are cancer friendly and which would help her fend off more tumors. There was a fifth surgery looming which they thought they might be able to use a cyberknife on - less invasive - but since it is at the original site, where a few inches of her spine have been replaced by titanium, they can't get a good read on it. So it will go to committee for review. That's the kind of case she has - one where lots of doctors sit around and discuss each new problem and how it can best be handled. Please keep Hattie in your prayers. Remember that she and Josh have only been married two years and one year has been spent battling this cancer which has been very aggressive and has taken part of her spine, her thyroid gland, and one lobe from her lung. While the doctors have said it is not terminal, it certainly has changed the quality of their life together.
If it sounds like we have a lot of clouds on the horizon, maybe it's just because it's a big family. There is a lot of happiness too.
Samantha and Kip will be getting the call any day to drop everything and catch a flight to Guatemala to bring home their sweet new baby girl, in time to celebrate her first birthday with her new family October 6. Oh, happy day! It has been a long time and a bumpy ride for them.
Also, Justin's parents are coming from Taiwan the first week of October to visit. This will be their third visit since we moved here in 2002 from California and they returned to Taiwan (you can read Justin's adoption story at A Tale of Four Adoptions).
I am getting some requests for speaking engagements - one in St. Louis and one in Denver. Just in case anyone in those two places is interested in piggybacking and sharing the cost of bringing me there so I can speak to your group too.
Usually when I'm doing a lot of political or resource posts it's because I'm plowing my way through my email and sharing stuff readers have sent. That's easier because I can post something quickly between loads of laundry or cooking or driving kids here and there.
Sometimes I have a lot to say but it's tough to find an hour to say it. Tonight I settled Jonny with a documentary about the Beatles, got out the roaster pan to heat up a huge batch of spaghetti sauce, then asked Maddy to straighten up the house so I could sit still for an hour and catch you up on what's going on in my life. The college kids will get here at 9 or 10. I hope I can stay awake :) It's been a long day.
I am so indebted to all of my readers - those who leave comments and those who email me with links and news tips and questions. I would so appreciate your prayers for Tripp on Tuesday. And for Jonny and Hattie as well.
Life is full, but I can't imagine it any other way.
In fact, I'm thinking that in some ways, Jonny's reaction to the pain assessment scale is a good way for me to keep looking at my life. There's just too much joy to define how I feel by what's going on around me.
I'll take that smiley face any day - but wonder how much of that is because I've had Jonny's help in learning that lesson?
Posted in Family, My life | Permalink
Comments
Who thinks a mom can't be a V.P.? It looks like you are taking on the world....that's good news for the world!
Good luck navigating all of your responsibilities. God likes to toughen us up for good reasons....like running for office, or taking care of so many in our families.
Prayers for Jonny, Hattie, Tripp.
Posted by: Kelly | September 19, 2008 7:42 PM
Barbara,
It sounds like Johnny might have MRSA. If that is the case, then he will need specific antibiotics. I took ZYVOX for my case. The ID doctor should be of great help!
Posted by: Mandi | September 19, 2008 9:55 PM
Johnny's rating on the FACES scale makes me smile. i remember when my daughter zoë was in the peds icu after she was hit by a 6 ton truck. when she was awake it was so obvious to me that she was in pain so i asked the nurse if she could have something. the nurse agreed and then showed the FACES scale to zoë. my daughter pointed at the smiley face. i looked at the nurse and said i still was pretty certain she was in pain. the nurse agreed and went to get the drugs. while she was gone i asked zoë if she was hurting. she nods her head yes. i then asked her why would she point at the happy face if her body hurt. she smiled weakly and said it was because she was happy that i was there with her.
oh yes, i cried!
btw, zoë is obviously okay and today she was a guest blogger at my blog
http://adventuresinjuggling.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/deep-impact/
Posted by: laura | September 20, 2008 2:16 AM
I'm not for advocating a you-first approach in life as a mother, but make sure you take some time to breathe and rest and do a little tiny something to take care of you in the midst of all this!!
As I was reading about Josh and Hattie, while my heart breaks for them, I thought about something my husband and I talked about last night. We've been married 4.5 years and have experienced a number of extremely stressful circumstances and we believe it's only served to bring us closer during a time when we could have had plenty of moments to focus on ourselves and find petty things to disagree about. It's made life seem so fragile and every moment together very special. I pray the same is true for Josh and Hattie as they walk through this time together. In some ways, while it's not an ideal way to spend life or your first years of marriage, it's an amazing way to bond two people together in a way that seems unbreakable. Like what fire and heat does when something metal is welded together. Obviously what they're going through isn't fun or even our definition of "good" but I pray that the fire or the heat they feel from the fanning of flames welds their hearts together in a wonderful way so in the midst of their situation, they are found standing together, with God lifting them up.
Posted by: Laura | September 20, 2008 6:37 AM
God bless you and your family, Barbara. I will pray for all of you.
My birthday is this weekend and my mom asked me what I would like. I said I have been wanting Mommy, Teach Me! for so long. She ordered it for me and I am so excited!
Posted by: Elissa | September 20, 2008 9:00 AM
Praying for all of you....my boss had BOTH knees replaced July 24 and he is doing great. He also has needed it for years. Just wanted to encourage you... I said after watching him go through the replacements, I would not be afraid to have it done, if need be. The doctor told him his outcome is dependent on how he does what they tell him.
May God bless you!
Posted by: Alicia | September 20, 2008 9:27 AM
Prayers for you and your family, Barbara. I know you will laugh at this - but I admire your ability to move from one thing to another without melting down or falling to pieces - definitely evidence of grace there!
Posted by: Monica | September 20, 2008 9:48 AM
Barbara, bless you!
First, thank you for taking the time to share this with us. I now know how to specifically pray for you. And, thank you for shaing this.....my life just got even more complicated yesterday (lots of planning and tears to come) and here you are being an wonderful example for me.
Secondly, let me encourage you and Tripp concerning the knee surgery. My dad, long before he passed away 9 yrs. ago, had a knee replaced. I remember standing in the hospital room the day after his surgery as they started his physical therapy (which I'm sure is new and improved 20 years later :-), and watching the pain on his face. But, that was one day! The difference in this man before and after surgery was "like night and day". The quality of his life was so dramatically improved. I think he would say it was worth all of the pain and effort. He never had any problems with his knee after the surgery.
Prayers for Josh & Hattie from me!!!
Posted by: von | September 20, 2008 5:43 PM
Prayers for your whole family, Barbara!
My father-in-law had both his knees replaced, and my mother-in-law also had one knee replaced. They are doing excellent, and both say it was definitely worth it! But you are right, it is a major operation, and I will pray for a speedy recovery!
Posted by: angela | September 20, 2008 8:54 PM
Praying for you all, dear Barbara. My dad also had a knee replacement as per von's dad above and did really well. His goal was to walk to the top of our mountain within a year and he did it!
I am so appreciating all of your posts about Palin. But also am touched by you sharing your concerns about your family. Thanks for being ~real~.
I have three children still coughing a lot at night, so am not getting much sleep. When I can't get back to sleep, I pray. Have been praying a lot for Hattie.
Lots of love,
Kathy
Posted by: Kathy | September 20, 2008 9:13 PM
Thanks for the update Barbara, I always look forward to news of you & your family. I admire your plucky attitude and will be hoping for healing for Hattie, Tripp and Jonny. Such a sweet story about Jonny and the pain faces.
It just so happens that I had printed one of those scales at home for use with my preschooler and his reflux and it is one without smiles or tears, I guess to try to separate emotions and physical sensation. So if you think that would be useful here's the link, http://painsourcebook.ca/docs/pps92.html
go to the bottom of the page and select to download the pdf.
Thinking of you, Alison
P.S. I got the books I ordered during the special sale and am so glad I splurged! My husband is jobhunting so this will be my Christmas gift but wonderfully it will serve us all.
Posted by: Alison | September 21, 2008 1:01 AM
I am sorry you all had to move, I missed those posts, however I am glad that you have been blessed with a wonderful new house for you all. I am sure you will be happy when your done moving, I can relate we have moved 3 times in the last 2 years with 6 kids, not to mention pets, it's not fun. I will continue to pray for you family. I hope everything evens out soon, although like you said maybe it is because of having a big family, I can relate to that again, LOL.
Hugs
Amy
Posted by: Amy | September 21, 2008 7:03 PM
