Over the last several days I have found it next to impossible to keep up with writing and just about anything else that involves being social. We are so consumed with Tulo, Logan, Butte and our work schedules that finding time to make dinner is exhausting. Not to mention that I have not been healthy for almost 7 weeks now. I have a terrible lingering cough that is keeping up all night. All I want to do is sit on line and do nothing but I have a family and other priorities so...I'm taking a break from the internet (email exempt) for a month to regain some luster, health, and family management. I will be checking my email so if you'd like to keep in touch for the month that send me an email samama8 at gmail dot com.
Also, can anyone explain this new reader that wordpress has because it seems I cannot read any of the non-wordpress blogs I had previously subscribed to and while I like to think I have a good memory I cannot remember each and every one of your blog addys so if you could leave me a comment with a link that would be super!
I may get on line to read a blog or two to keep up with you all but as far as my writing, etc goes I need to relax and refuel. Peace and love to everyone.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tulo's Home
In many ways, Tulo is home. I am still surprised we were able to take him home the night of his accident and I am certain now that he knew this is exactly where he needed to be to heal and rest. Tulo has always been a creature of comfort, always trying to get up on the couch or the bed. His boney body has always sought out the most comfortable spot in the house be it in his kennel or in the living room. I knew his coming home meant that he would want to be out in the living room with us which is where we spend 95% of our time (not sleeping). We have a play yard gate from when Logan was younger that we use when we're somewhere with stairs. This has worked out perfectly as Tulo's secluded and safe yet right-there spot near us and he's resting so comfortably.
I have been washing towels twice a day to ensure that whatever he's laying on is nice and clean to help prevent any risk of infection. Those towels are spread out over his comfy bed, the one which he knows the smell of and is most happy with. I have a few other towels laid out to minimize any bloody drips on the carpet. He still has a drain in his leg until Friday and while it is not constantly dripping blood it is draining as it should, especially when he stands and gravity takes place.
Tulo has been eating and drinking so well! He takes all his meds (3 of them) with the help of a tasty pill pocket. Tonight we let him wander around the house for his sanity. He was SO HAPPY! He could not stop wagging his tail and giving kisses. Butte was so happy her brother was out of his area. She has no idea what to think about what is going on with Tulo but when we're outside she can smell his drain, blood and can see the fact he is not himself.
Only a few more days until the drain comes out and his dressings are changed again. I cannot wait until the staples come out of his leg. It's hard to look at and you can tell it's starting to itch. Should be next week sometime. Again, thank you for all the love and prayers you've been sending us! I have been so exhausted I'm sick again! AHH! Oh well...here's to health all around!
I have been washing towels twice a day to ensure that whatever he's laying on is nice and clean to help prevent any risk of infection. Those towels are spread out over his comfy bed, the one which he knows the smell of and is most happy with. I have a few other towels laid out to minimize any bloody drips on the carpet. He still has a drain in his leg until Friday and while it is not constantly dripping blood it is draining as it should, especially when he stands and gravity takes place.
Tulo has been eating and drinking so well! He takes all his meds (3 of them) with the help of a tasty pill pocket. Tonight we let him wander around the house for his sanity. He was SO HAPPY! He could not stop wagging his tail and giving kisses. Butte was so happy her brother was out of his area. She has no idea what to think about what is going on with Tulo but when we're outside she can smell his drain, blood and can see the fact he is not himself.
Only a few more days until the drain comes out and his dressings are changed again. I cannot wait until the staples come out of his leg. It's hard to look at and you can tell it's starting to itch. Should be next week sometime. Again, thank you for all the love and prayers you've been sending us! I have been so exhausted I'm sick again! AHH! Oh well...here's to health all around!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
i heart faces-pet week
In honor of my window-jumping greyhound I am featuring him in this weeks challenge. Check out all the other fur babies below:
The One in Which Tulo Jumps Through a Window
**Warning: there is one graphic image posted below of Tulo post-surgery.**
Our day started out just like any other working Sunday. My alarm went off three hours too early as the last few nights we've had a lovely house guest who has been taking me back to my late night college days. I readied myself. Logan was stirring in his room but was perfectly happy, allowing me time to fix my hair, brush my teeth and let the dogs outside to pee. B was also waking up and as soon as I was ready he hopped in the shower. I brought Logan his milk, changed his diaper and washed dishes.
I was already running late and after kisses and hugs I was out the door. Clocked in at 0659, logged on, turned Adele on Pandora and waited. And waited and waited and waited for SOMEONE to come into the hospital. Three mamas in labor and a few clinicals later I glance up and there's B motioning for me to step out of my office. His face is drained of color, his shoulders are hunched forward and I instantly get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Logan. I ask him what's wrong and he says, "Tulo had an accident". While relief flooded over me that my dear Logan was safe and sound I was instantly confused. "What kind of accident?"
And then B explained. We had a close friend Amy babysitting (and my friend C from out of town still sleeping) at our home. She was in the living room on the floor playing with Logan. Tulo was nearby and suddenly bolted down the hallway and out the window. No joke. Honestly, we don't even know if that was the real reason he jumped through a solid-panned window. Something may have scared him, although Amy says there was nothing strange going on outside. We'll never know the real reason.
Amy quickly went into fight or flight mode, handing Logan off to C while she loaded Tulo into her car and dashed him to the emergency vet. B met her there. They've both said how calm Tulo was acting. He wasn't crying, rather he was giving kisses and wagging his tail, a sign of shock and adrenalin heavily running through his system.
The staff at the emergency vet quickly went into action, taking Tulo into the back and giving him some pain meds as they began to clean him up. At first look the most sever injury was to his right hind hip, a laceration nearly 9 inches long from his hip down to his knee and nearly 4 inches deep into the muscle. Upon further investigation once he was under general anesthesia the surgeon discovered Tulo had also severed his tendon. Only as I've read through what kind of injury this is today have I learned that healing a tendon is a very long, painful process. Thankfully it was a very clean cut and they were able to repair it. This means Tulo has to wear a cast, as if the tendon is a broken bone. The length of time is unknown but at least 6 weeks with 2-4 dressing changes in that time frame. Once the cast is off he will have to do some physical therapy. I have no idea if it will be therapy we can do at home of if we'll have to see a professional.
But as I sit here and listen to Tulo whine I am full of thanks. Thanks that it was not worse. He could have lost his leg or even died. Had Amy been totally alone it would have taken twice as long for Tulo to get to the vet so I'm thankful for our friend C for being there to watch Logan, which was a spontaneous, unplanned visit to begin with. I am thankful that Tulo was strong enough to come home with us tonight and that his doctor trusted us to take care of him as his pain comes and goes. I am so thankful for all our family and friends who instantly began to pray, send happy thoughts, and condolences to us via facebook, text, and voice mails. I love you all. You've held us up as our spirits sank. I'll update in a few days.
Our day started out just like any other working Sunday. My alarm went off three hours too early as the last few nights we've had a lovely house guest who has been taking me back to my late night college days. I readied myself. Logan was stirring in his room but was perfectly happy, allowing me time to fix my hair, brush my teeth and let the dogs outside to pee. B was also waking up and as soon as I was ready he hopped in the shower. I brought Logan his milk, changed his diaper and washed dishes.
I was already running late and after kisses and hugs I was out the door. Clocked in at 0659, logged on, turned Adele on Pandora and waited. And waited and waited and waited for SOMEONE to come into the hospital. Three mamas in labor and a few clinicals later I glance up and there's B motioning for me to step out of my office. His face is drained of color, his shoulders are hunched forward and I instantly get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Logan. I ask him what's wrong and he says, "Tulo had an accident". While relief flooded over me that my dear Logan was safe and sound I was instantly confused. "What kind of accident?"
And then B explained. We had a close friend Amy babysitting (and my friend C from out of town still sleeping) at our home. She was in the living room on the floor playing with Logan. Tulo was nearby and suddenly bolted down the hallway and out the window. No joke. Honestly, we don't even know if that was the real reason he jumped through a solid-panned window. Something may have scared him, although Amy says there was nothing strange going on outside. We'll never know the real reason.
Amy quickly went into fight or flight mode, handing Logan off to C while she loaded Tulo into her car and dashed him to the emergency vet. B met her there. They've both said how calm Tulo was acting. He wasn't crying, rather he was giving kisses and wagging his tail, a sign of shock and adrenalin heavily running through his system.
The staff at the emergency vet quickly went into action, taking Tulo into the back and giving him some pain meds as they began to clean him up. At first look the most sever injury was to his right hind hip, a laceration nearly 9 inches long from his hip down to his knee and nearly 4 inches deep into the muscle. Upon further investigation once he was under general anesthesia the surgeon discovered Tulo had also severed his tendon. Only as I've read through what kind of injury this is today have I learned that healing a tendon is a very long, painful process. Thankfully it was a very clean cut and they were able to repair it. This means Tulo has to wear a cast, as if the tendon is a broken bone. The length of time is unknown but at least 6 weeks with 2-4 dressing changes in that time frame. Once the cast is off he will have to do some physical therapy. I have no idea if it will be therapy we can do at home of if we'll have to see a professional.
Tulo coming out of anesthesia, very drunk looking here.
Made it home! Resting in a comfy area we made for him. He also sustained lacerations on his left paw and lower leg which is seen wrapped in this photo.
The laceration covered with lidocaine patches and cast covering the severed tendon. On his front leg seen here is another patch covering a laceration and his nurses drew hearts on the tape. LOVE THEM!
But as I sit here and listen to Tulo whine I am full of thanks. Thanks that it was not worse. He could have lost his leg or even died. Had Amy been totally alone it would have taken twice as long for Tulo to get to the vet so I'm thankful for our friend C for being there to watch Logan, which was a spontaneous, unplanned visit to begin with. I am thankful that Tulo was strong enough to come home with us tonight and that his doctor trusted us to take care of him as his pain comes and goes. I am so thankful for all our family and friends who instantly began to pray, send happy thoughts, and condolences to us via facebook, text, and voice mails. I love you all. You've held us up as our spirits sank. I'll update in a few days.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Superfast Jellyfish
I'm in LOVE with The Gorillaz Planet Beach album and as the title suggests, this is just a superfast update in bullets.
- Logan is sick again. Make that FIVE times since May.
- He weighs 22.6 pounds (10th%) and is 34" (80%) tall!
- I love my job. It's wonderful and only when Logan has been up all night and I've been visiting with an old college friend do I have a hard time coming in.
- I have been updating my Midwife 101 blog 2-3 times a week now. I just posted a book review. Check it out.
- I'm bummed that the photo I entered last week was not even a honerable mention. THOSE EYES. Wow...bummed.
- My bestie bought me The Help for my kindle and so far I am loving it.
- I am looking forward to: having all of next weekend off, labor day weekend (sun,mon) off, the Hanson concert on Sept 17th, and fallish weather.
Monday, August 15, 2011
i heart faces-beautiful eyes
This is one of my most favorite photos I've ever taken of Logan. He LOVES his bath time. His eyes in this photo say so much, not to mention they're so striking. He gets more compliments on his blue/green eyes than anything else. While the photo is in black and white (originally-not edited to be), color does not matter here. The long eyelashes, almond-shaped beautiful eyes melt my heart.
Check out all the other beautiful eyes entries:
Friday, August 12, 2011
18 months old-lotsa pictures!
oh.my.stars.
(playing with Butte-kid has an arm on him)
Logan turned 18 months old on Monday. Is this for real?? My squishy little newborn baby is now a toddling, tail-pulling, tantrum-throwing, hug-giving, self-feeding, nearly-talking little boy who just so happens to have the most heart-melting smile in the world.
Notice anything different? Why yes, Logan got a hair cut by none other than yours truly. I just buzzed it and he did great! Didn't cry and was very patient with me. Shorter hair makes him look even OLDER and more like a toddler. What a little ham, though. His eyes just pop and OMG he has the longest eyelashes. Yes, I am totally bragging about my kid.
(lovies with mama)
Life with a toddler only gets better, really. I know that it *may*get worse (hear the optimism in my voice here people) and that's okay. He's learning how to be a person and that is such an amazing thing to witness, even if it means thrashing and hitting and constantly pulling him off the TV stand. He'll get it.
(water color painting-very artistic just like daddy!)
The last month has been a little chaiotic but we are settling into our new home nicely and we know Logan loves his back yard. He takes chalk and marks it all over himself, the dogs, the chairs, the siding of the house, and of course the sidewalk. He throws sticks at the dogs and thinks squirting Butte in the face with a squirt gun is the funniest thing known to man. His belly laugh just about kills me. I love it.
(monkey shots)
Daycare is going great. He rarely ever cries when we drop him off. A few things we've noticed that help this transition is to let him walk into the classroom holding our hand. He feels like he has more control of the situation and welcomes it more easily. Also if the kids are sitting down for breakfast I'm pretty much forgotten. He immediatly sits in his chair and waits patiently for the teachers to bring him his food. When we pick him up he RUNS to us, giggling the whole way into our arms. The excitement makes our hearts burst. We missed him just as much as he missed us. Logan has been going 3 days a week which has worked out well for us financially and we LOVE the social, creative, and developmental things he is learning as well.
Sleep has been wonderful. He sleeps 10-12 hours a night and even in the mix of cutting his very last 1 year molar he has only cried out once or twice and soothes himself back to sleep quickly.
Things we're working on:
(exactly 1 year ago)
Most recently we have started to let Logan feed the dogs in the morning and evening. He LOVES having a job. The kid practly jumps out of his skin he is so excited to help mama out. I fill the cup and he carries it over to the bowl. If he spills a little he picks them up and puts the pieces in the bowl, rather than eating it (which he was doing). Then he puts the cup away and claps for a job well done. I love it.
(1 year old with monkey)
I've decided that after this month I will no longer refer to his age in months. I will say "he's a year and a half" or "almost two". Saying in this manner makes him seem so much older, as if referring to months actually makes it still seem like he's a baby. It's a growing process for both of us. I cannot believe that he is more than half way to two now.
This age is so fun. SO FUN!
(playing with Butte-kid has an arm on him)
Logan turned 18 months old on Monday. Is this for real?? My squishy little newborn baby is now a toddling, tail-pulling, tantrum-throwing, hug-giving, self-feeding, nearly-talking little boy who just so happens to have the most heart-melting smile in the world.
Notice anything different? Why yes, Logan got a hair cut by none other than yours truly. I just buzzed it and he did great! Didn't cry and was very patient with me. Shorter hair makes him look even OLDER and more like a toddler. What a little ham, though. His eyes just pop and OMG he has the longest eyelashes. Yes, I am totally bragging about my kid.
(lovies with mama)Life with a toddler only gets better, really. I know that it *may*get worse (hear the optimism in my voice here people) and that's okay. He's learning how to be a person and that is such an amazing thing to witness, even if it means thrashing and hitting and constantly pulling him off the TV stand. He'll get it.
(water color painting-very artistic just like daddy!)The last month has been a little chaiotic but we are settling into our new home nicely and we know Logan loves his back yard. He takes chalk and marks it all over himself, the dogs, the chairs, the siding of the house, and of course the sidewalk. He throws sticks at the dogs and thinks squirting Butte in the face with a squirt gun is the funniest thing known to man. His belly laugh just about kills me. I love it.
(monkey shots)
Daycare is going great. He rarely ever cries when we drop him off. A few things we've noticed that help this transition is to let him walk into the classroom holding our hand. He feels like he has more control of the situation and welcomes it more easily. Also if the kids are sitting down for breakfast I'm pretty much forgotten. He immediatly sits in his chair and waits patiently for the teachers to bring him his food. When we pick him up he RUNS to us, giggling the whole way into our arms. The excitement makes our hearts burst. We missed him just as much as he missed us. Logan has been going 3 days a week which has worked out well for us financially and we LOVE the social, creative, and developmental things he is learning as well.
Sleep has been wonderful. He sleeps 10-12 hours a night and even in the mix of cutting his very last 1 year molar he has only cried out once or twice and soothes himself back to sleep quickly.
Things we're working on:
- The Paci: We had been doing really well there for awhile and then I got sick and it just wiggled it's way out of the drawer. Dang it.
- The Bottle: We have not been very pushy about this with Logan. He only gets it for his am and pm milk and uses a sippy for the rest of the day. However, I noticed that at night he is still picky about having his milk in a bottle, not the sippy.
- The Potty: Ever so slowly am I starting to introduce the idea to Logan. I have been sitting him on the toilet for a minute, or as long as he will sit there, before and after his bath. It does not seem to scare him which is great and all I am trying to do is get him used to the idea. We don't expect anything yet and know it's going to be a long process.
- Talking: Logan has really started to say more, even through signing. He can sign more than he can say but new words this month were "duck" and "out" for outside. Go figure.
(exactly 1 year ago)
Most recently we have started to let Logan feed the dogs in the morning and evening. He LOVES having a job. The kid practly jumps out of his skin he is so excited to help mama out. I fill the cup and he carries it over to the bowl. If he spills a little he picks them up and puts the pieces in the bowl, rather than eating it (which he was doing). Then he puts the cup away and claps for a job well done. I love it.
(1 year old with monkey)
I've decided that after this month I will no longer refer to his age in months. I will say "he's a year and a half" or "almost two". Saying in this manner makes him seem so much older, as if referring to months actually makes it still seem like he's a baby. It's a growing process for both of us. I cannot believe that he is more than half way to two now.
This age is so fun. SO FUN!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Go take a peek
I have another side project blog, Midwife 101, and wrote up a post on WHY I want to become a midwife. If you're interested, take a peek. It's rather long and I love you for reading the entire thing. :)
WHY? <<<click here
WHY? <<<click here
One of THOSE Weeks
I won't lie: this week was rough. We had so much going on and a few job-related issues that even writing about it now is difficult. However, everything has seemed to resolve itself so no real reason to worry about it any more.
I turned 27 on Thursday. I worked at 6am and spent the afternoon hanging out with Logan. We were heading to the park and got rained on. B came home from work and made the most wonderful spaghetti I've had in a long time! We had a friend over to watch TRON. Not my fav and Disney still has a way of sneaking in really bad sexual innuendos that we mostly made fun of it the entire time. Overall I had a nice time, but it was just like any other day and I'm okay with that.
On Friday I rode my new bike to work and back. It felt great!! Just under a 4 mile ride one way. My legs still feel like jelly! I am so out of shape and really hope that this helps me tone things up. I am nearly 11 pounds under my prepreg weight and not by accident. It's just happened so I'm really hoping to build up some more muscle mass by riding as often as I can. All we need is a trailer for Logan to sit in and then the entire fam can ride around town.
In the mix of all this I have been dealing with crippling stomach and abdominal pains. No sooner did I get over the Hand Foot and Mouth disease did the stomach issues begin. I'm a veteran to stomach pain, unfortunately, and over the last 10+ years I've gone back and forth to the doctor to try and figure out what's going on. In college I was diagnosed with IBS and other than that I've not had any other real diagnosis as to what ails me. So I'm taking things into my own hands. My blood work this week came back perfect. I'm trying a new stomach-relaxing medication that does not hold off the cramping more than a few hours. Several family and friends have suggested it could be dietary and while I have felt they may certainly be right, I've not wanted to admit the truth I am now seeing. The problem is what the heck in my diet is causing such pains?! The most obvious seems milk and milk products (whey, lactose, etc) but can I just say how OBSESSED I am with anything cream? I mean, this is going to be a very hard breakup for me. I just in the research stage and figuring out where to shop and what to buy. I can't go until Wednesday and even then I'm not sure I'll be ready. Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be slowly transitioning into a dairy-free lifestyle. I'm going to do a 10 day challenge without it and try to reintroduce a few things on the 11th-14th days to see how they affect me. I'll be journaling about the entire experience here.
Today? Well today I have the day off with my one and only so we're going to head downtown with the wee one and play at the splash pad. Our THREE YEAR anniversary is on Monday--wow!
I turned 27 on Thursday. I worked at 6am and spent the afternoon hanging out with Logan. We were heading to the park and got rained on. B came home from work and made the most wonderful spaghetti I've had in a long time! We had a friend over to watch TRON. Not my fav and Disney still has a way of sneaking in really bad sexual innuendos that we mostly made fun of it the entire time. Overall I had a nice time, but it was just like any other day and I'm okay with that.
On Friday I rode my new bike to work and back. It felt great!! Just under a 4 mile ride one way. My legs still feel like jelly! I am so out of shape and really hope that this helps me tone things up. I am nearly 11 pounds under my prepreg weight and not by accident. It's just happened so I'm really hoping to build up some more muscle mass by riding as often as I can. All we need is a trailer for Logan to sit in and then the entire fam can ride around town.
In the mix of all this I have been dealing with crippling stomach and abdominal pains. No sooner did I get over the Hand Foot and Mouth disease did the stomach issues begin. I'm a veteran to stomach pain, unfortunately, and over the last 10+ years I've gone back and forth to the doctor to try and figure out what's going on. In college I was diagnosed with IBS and other than that I've not had any other real diagnosis as to what ails me. So I'm taking things into my own hands. My blood work this week came back perfect. I'm trying a new stomach-relaxing medication that does not hold off the cramping more than a few hours. Several family and friends have suggested it could be dietary and while I have felt they may certainly be right, I've not wanted to admit the truth I am now seeing. The problem is what the heck in my diet is causing such pains?! The most obvious seems milk and milk products (whey, lactose, etc) but can I just say how OBSESSED I am with anything cream? I mean, this is going to be a very hard breakup for me. I just in the research stage and figuring out where to shop and what to buy. I can't go until Wednesday and even then I'm not sure I'll be ready. Hopefully over the next few weeks I will be slowly transitioning into a dairy-free lifestyle. I'm going to do a 10 day challenge without it and try to reintroduce a few things on the 11th-14th days to see how they affect me. I'll be journaling about the entire experience here.
Today? Well today I have the day off with my one and only so we're going to head downtown with the wee one and play at the splash pad. Our THREE YEAR anniversary is on Monday--wow!
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