The Kids are Well, The Parents are falling apart...

Where to start?
Let’s see, Steff just turned the big 5 and she’ll be starting Kindergarten next fall. She’s gonna love school and we’re all looking forward to her having that opportunity. She had a great birthday: her gifts included a couple of swimsuits(always good, since she lives in the water during the summer), various devices and tools for creating art(again, very good…she’s a little artist), she got some clothes and money and her family sprang for a new bike and helmet…I hope no one feels left out if I forgot what they gave her…please forgive me, she does have a large family.
Kieran received his mid-term grades and for the most part, did pretty well. He pulled up most of his grades to passing or better at the last minute but it wasn’t quite enough to get him on the track team. He’s bummed but we had a pep talk about simply doing the work that is assigned each day, even without really trying-I put it much different than that-and I promised him he’d see himself pass his classes without so much stress at the end of the term and from his parents, not to mention the freedom he’d have because he wouldn’t always be stuck in the house doing his missing work. He went to school this morning with a very positive attitude.
Sadie has turned into quite the little talker. She’s really starting to talk but her enunciation needs work. She can carry on a conversation and sing songs but unless you are in the conversation and paying attention all she’s saying is lost. She is getting better by the day and trying hard. She’s not easily discouraged and she’s persistent enough to keep trying.
Ryan is nothing shy of stressed out with work this last couple of weeks. His two direct bosses are out of town and he’s been put in charge of an area that he’s not that familiar with, sheet metal. He knows that had this occurred in his last position he’d be more than up to par but he admits he just doesn’t know enough to be being the boss. He’s really stressed out and to top it off they’ve clearly stated that he’s to get things straightened out while his boss-the person who does know sheet metal-is on vacation. It wasn’t even as if they had said they had faith in him that he’d do a great job and put his best effort into it, they just told him “Get it done.” I don’t think I’ve ever seen him stressed out so much from work before…It’s just insane.
Another issue that has come to light is the results of his MRI: it’s shown that he has a cyst on his knee and hypertrophic facet disease (arthritis) in his C5 vertebrae. The MRI stops at that disc but his pain does not so we both believe the arthritis continues. He’ll be seeing our regular doctor about this on Thursday the 8th and we’ll go from there…More to come.
Things are as they always are for me…Medically nuts. It is now suspected that I may have had heart attack at some point in the paste and I may have a heart arrhythmia. I am having more excruciating back pain and thus I had my 3rd MRI this year-I’m working on an MRI wing dedicated to me at McKay Dee-I spoke to my surgeons PA Wednesday evening and he repetitively kept making the statement that I have lost a “significant amount of disc space” and we’re talking he said it so many times I was about to tell him that, “Yeah, you said that a few times now.” He must feel there is something amiss there because he scheduled the appointment for 8:15 in the morning. Ya know, the funny part is that from the previous Thursday I had been trying to tell them something wasn’t right and that I needed to be seen…I’ve had this back for a while and I’m very confident I’m in tune with when there’s a problem. We’ll see what happens. I may be going in for the fusion that I feel should have been done in February. But, I have to respect Dr. Welling’s professional opinion to not do it then, the prosthetic disc will not hold up the rest of my life and by the time it needs to be replaced I will be too old to make it through the surgery but it looks like that option may be running out. Praying for the best-as always, because that’s all I can do-the Lord holds each of my tears in his hand.

The Last Mohican

So…I decided I hated the comb-over haircut they gave Steffanie and went with a #2 guard with the clippers…it was at least even and I figured it couldn’t get any shorter and it’d also grow out even…boy was I wrong…You see, Ryan shaves his head because he figures his receding hairline is enough in itself and he’s not going to let it get him down. He had just shaved his head and walked away for less than two minutes; which is more than enough time for any child to cause severe mayhem and that is exactly what happened. Steff went into the bathroom-along with Sadie and discovered the still plugged-in clippers. From what I can deduce she attempted to shave Sadie’s head first and got the one little section when Sadie, being the timid child she is-bolted…She then resorted to her own hair…From the picture you can clearly see she looks like an actor from The Last of the Mohicans, we’ve left her hair this way and she’s been quite embarrassed by it and that is justice enough for Ryan and I. Not to mention it absolutely hilarious to walk away and come back to see her all over again with a reverse Mohawk.
Kieran is doing what Kieran does, preparing to drive his parent’s completely insane…I’m thinking it’s a teenage thing and I pray to our Dear Lord he grows out of it. He’s at least trying in school and his lying seems to have taken a curve for the better. I’m not sure if that’s because he’s sick of the discipline or that fact that I can tell when he’s lying and trick him into saying things that implicate himself? It looks like baseball for the Junior High team is out but maybe that will help him see the consequences we all face for our actions. He’s a great kid and super helpful so I pray I’m not painting him a bad light.
Ryan and I are doing much better. He’s been on days and we now have dinner as a family and time together. I can’t believe the improvement.
As for me personally…Well, I’m sure most of you have heard I have again herniated my L5-S1 disc and will be going in for another microdiscectomy. I had an appointment with Dr. Welling on the 8th and he wanted to do the surgery the 10th…I told him that would be great but my husband had to give some advanced notice of his absence. So he scheduled me for the 17th. I’m actually looking forward to this surgery because the nerve down the back of my leg that is being affected is so painful that I have a hard time taking care of myself, let alone my family. I can’t stand for more than a minute without feeling like my leg is going to give out and sitting and lying are not any better. I’m really looking forward to the relief. Welling showed me the MRI of my disc and compared it to the first one, the disc is half the size it was less than a year ago and anymore herniation and it will be bone on bone and I’ll need a fusion. He said he’d just do the fusion now but he really wants to avoid that and for the best since I’m still quite young. Lucky me….

Sinead and the Grades

Where to start…? Well, it has been absolutely wonderful having Ryan on day shift. He has been getting out of bed easier and over-all he seems happier. I personally couldn’t be more thrilled-unless he where to get his truck registered so I could have my van back…but all in good time and if that is the only thing I have to sacrifice to have him home in the evenings it’s well worth it.

Kieran has really made progress in school. He’s pulled most of his F’s to C’s. My brother, Travis has been staying with us and he’s given Kieran great direction on the right way to get his assignments done. I know that raising his grades has really helped raise his self-confidence to heights it hasn’t been since his dad passed away 3 years ago. I’m really proud of him and more pleased to see him be proud of himself.

Steff pulled one of the more devastating stunts of her near 5 years on this planet. You see, she found or hid some scissors and decided she wanted to be a hair stylist and who needs to go to school -right? She not only butchered her hair but she also did a number on Sadie’s as well. I seriously just wanted to cry, instead I called Ryan and informed him I needed to take the girls to Great Clips in hopes that they could salvage anything or at the very least even it all out. Thus, Sadie has a boy haircut and it’s been discovered she looks like her brother. Steff’s didn’t turn out so well. The lady that cut it did a horrible job and I’m so completely dissatisfied that I will be taking her back in for it to be fixed-let’s put it this way…she has a mullet with a bald spot on the right side of her head. I’ve tried styling it but her bald spot is so obvious she probably looked more ridiculous than she would have if I hadn’t done anything. Sadie looked very much like a little boy until I put a cute headband in her hair.

9-1-1 Good or Bad?

So, yesterday I have a doctors appointment and decided to shower, who doesn't want to be clean for a visit to the doctor? So I jumped in the shower with my brother Travis and my son Kieran to hold down the fort-or better yet keep the house standing. Steff and Sadie discovered Kieran's cell phone and thought they'd call the only number they know know(read Steffanie)...Yep, 9-1-1! While I'm in the shower Steff's being extremely persistent about getting my attention( I lock the door so I don't have to worry what they are in to). She does this a good 5 times. Once I shut the water off I hear her telling me someone is on the phone. Thinking they dialed a wrong number or possibly out of the US I come flying out dripping wet...
Just as Steff informs it's 9-1-1 my heart sinks and I want to crawl in a hole. I got on with the dispatcher and she informed me that Steff was banging on the door so much at her direction and that Steff has informed her there is a fire. None of which is true but I have to appologize in saucy amounts to this lady and advise her that she had plenty of supervision available although they had fallen back to sleep. She was nice and shortly let me go but that was an experiencd I'll never forget.
I've always wondered if Steff knew how to dial for emergency services. I have to say that I'm proud of her but admitt the timing was less than ideal.

Excitement with a Challenge

Ryan has left us...He's taken a flight to Hartford CT and we dearly miss him. It's only been one day but everyone feels the impact. We can't wait til the week is over so that we can see him again. Did I get ya there fo a second?
Ryan went to Hartford to train to be a programer at JD Machine. Something he's really excited about. We all are actually ecstatic because this means he'll be home in the evenings to help with the kids and spend more time with them, not mention it's a step up in the company.
Exciting things...
As for the challenging stuff, it's just a little more work without him home...But, short term pain for long term gain.
He said his first day went well. It was over before he knew it and he was eshausted as well. I'm praying the whole week flies by the same way. If you'd like to talk to him you can still reach him by his phone and I'm sure he'd love to hear from anyone.