Quick Update

He went ALL day with no pain meds!!

Sunday Already

I am amazed at Rick's progress today- not sure if he is over doing it, used to the pain, or trying to "convince" me he is feeling better but today is the most he has been able to do since this nightmare started (including catching a frog to show the kids). I pray that his recovery continues to improve with no Neuropathy!!! His rash isn't as profound; now he just looks like a meth user. He hasn't started the anti-depressants- we did research and I think we both aren't comfortable with what we read.
As a random side note- I LOVE our panini maker. Everyone should have one.
So yesterday I had my usual multigrain cheerios with fresh blueberries. I already put milk on it- went to pour some OJ in a cup to take my vitamins and instead for whatever reason poured it on my cereal. I ate it anyway- and let me tell you- it was strangely good. Had a little bit of a tang, but kinda orange-y like those orange/vanilla sherbet cups you used to eat as a kid. We should market some sort of orange flavored milk thing.
Here's to a new week...

Checking out the new patio

Her nose is looking better!!

He was sitting here by himself watching football

Where there is dirt- he will find it

It's Latte Sunday

WOO HOOO. Can you tell I am excited... the problem is we are off to church and I hope I can contain my excitement. Let's hope Rick doesn't fall asleep through the sermon with the pain meds he's on. He's still the same... pain. Rash continues to improve.
More later.

Backyard-Almost Done

Update Number 254

They've moved Rick to a pain patch and want to start him on an anti-depressant to help with the Neuropathy- nerve pain. Needless to say we both aren't thrilled about this and have a lot of questions. I'll keep you posted.

Thursday Update

Well one of us is back at work :-) Rick worked a half day yesterday. He leaves the house at 5:20am- much to my surprise he stayed longer than I expected and was home at 2pm. This morning- not so lucky. He called me at 7:30am and said he was coming home. Not a good day- says the whole side of his head feels swollen inside. aghhhhhhhhhhh... I wish this stuff would go away and not leave lasting effects. I think with me being at work today and the kids at school he will get some peaceful rest. Yesterday the kids were screaming, fighting, laughing, banging on stuff.
Grandma Rene came over and brought us canned goodies. The kids gobbled up green beans last night!! Her beans are the only veggies they will eat willingly aside from Aidan's new love of corn on the cob.
Aidan has his first girlfriend at 21 months. Stella is 19 months and hugs on him like you wouldn't believe. When we got there this morning she was on the changing table all bare bottomed and held out her arms saying "Adi Adi" and he was so excited to see her he ran over to her without even a look back to his mom. I'll post more pics this evening of the backyard.

Beautiful Tuesday

I thoroughly enjoyed the comments and emails on the lawn mowing!! Hilarious. Today's update- much of the same- his eye was still swollen this morning but this afternoon it's open more. He slept until 5:30 this morning- that's progress!! He tells me the headache isn't like it was- just the nerve pain where the lesions are and the eye pain. Apparently he has decided to go into work the next 4 days starting with half days. He looks like he has been either in a fight or a car accident. They worked on the patio today- lucky us- good weather today. I'm still going without my daily starbucks- week 3. Still crabby about it but I'm saving money and saving calories. It's a good thing. I've been running twice a day since he's been home...making up for a lazy week last week.

My Very First Time Mowing A Lawn

Should I even be admitting this??? Rick says, "How did you go this long without ever mowing a lawn?" I say "I don't know- my dad always did it. You do it." Then he says "Spoiled... and if I'd only known." Funny boy if you weren't sick you'd be out there doing it in neat little rows/angles or whatever. Watch out or you'll get egg salad whenever you are able to go back to work.

2nd Update- or 3rd???

He went back again this morning-saw the eye dr. Still NOT in the eye. Whew. Please continue to pray for him to recover with no long term Neuropathy that often happens with this- months to years of pain... he was up again at 4:30am.
Abby's nose 4 days later. It went from black to green and she says "I like green better." Took the kids to swim class today while he was at the dr. They are still working on the backyard- I think this is week 4. It's looking great. Hopefully I can get some pics tonight. I have a feeling I am going to be mowing the lawn for my first time EVER. Yeah... how does one go this long in life without ever learning to mow a lawn? That would be me- I skated by. Anyway we are holed up at home waiting for Rick to turn the corner. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Race for the Cure

We signed up to run the 5K this year with Ash and Nick but had to pull out because of what happened to Rick. They still ran and we are so proud of them!!!!

Update on Rick

The vicodin wasn't even working so I told him to take my Oxycontin (I have a stash from my csections and my recent surgery). He's been up early the past two days- like 4am and 5am- he woke me up at 6am this morning and I thought he was telling me to get up to take the kids to church but he told me his eye was swollen. I sent him to St. Vincent. They say once it gets in your eye it's VERY serious- you could lose your vision, get glaucoma, cataracts... so while pacing the house and cleaning to keep busy he finally called after 9am. The dr said his eye so far looks ok. An opthamologist is supposed to call tomorrow. He is supposed to rest and he got a prescription for more oxycotin. What a long road for him. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. He's in pain, uncomfortable and looks rather miserable.
Here is a latest of picture of Abby's nose.

Prayers Please

Rick was diagnosed with Shingles this morning. Any prayers you can send his/our way is much appreciated. For a quick recovery, no complications, no vision problems (it's on his head), for his pain to subside and also that the kids do not contract chicken pox from this- and maybe a little bit for mom who has to be a single parent for awhile until he recovers. In all seriousness though, please pray for him!! He's on an anti viral med, vicodin for the pain and a steriod- prednisone.

Here is an updated photo of Abby's nose "The Day After"

This is what happens...

when you trip and fall face first into some stairs. Her nose is swollen and bruised.

Baby Elephant

Monday Monday

Aidan absolutely loved swim class today. Yippee!! Despite having a horrible headache I picked up sandwiches on my way home from work and told the family we were headed to Memorial Park in Wilsonville for some play/picnic. It was a great way to get over the Monday Blahs. Oh and did I mention I am on week 2 of giving up Starbucks? I'm not in the best of moods.

Pics of our backyard as well- the pond, and the gravel part is where the patio will be and the lower section will be all grass. The waterfall is supposed to start running tomorrow. It will look really cool once the plants are in. Happy Monday to all...

Sunday

Today I hosted a baby shower brunch with girlfriends I've had for over twenty years. We are also reluctantly driving to the Woodburn outlet mall to exhange 2 pairs of shoes we bought Aidan for the fall. We bought them big so he would grow into them... well he's already outgrown them. Hopefully they will exhange them.
New Hats from Grandma

Reading the Paper with Daddy


Picking out a Truck

9/11/01

We Remember.

Wednesday

I LOVE fall. My favorite time of year. Abby enjoyed another session of ballet today. Yesterday on the way to school she says to me, "Mom, when Aidan and I are all growed up can we drive the car without you and you stay at home and take a nap and then make us breakfast." Aye yi yi.
Aidan is pretty excited to see yet another tractor/excavator in his backyard. They moved boulders today. I've been remiss about blogging our dinner menu. This week is my lazy week- we had lasagna yesterday, french dips tonight, spaghetti tomorrow and friday I don't remember- meatballs maybe. Next week I decided is freezer week. I have so many frozen meals in there not to mention a turkey. I think we might just have a mini Thanksgiving meal next week and eat the bird. Ok so speaking of lazy, the past two weeks I have really fallen off the wagon with running. Just doing it here and there. We did go on a family run last night for 3 miles. Rick pushed the jogger- both kids in that thing it must weigh 60 lbs? more?? I'm running tonight. I feel motivated.
Our family pictures for this Saturday are cancelled yet again :-(

Are you ready for some football...

The cyst in my wrist is back- it's like it never left and it hurts this time. I can't get in with my dr until the middle of October. Sheesh. The backyard is coming- they dug the hole for the waterfall/pond. It's HUGE- much bigger than I expected. The kids started back in swimming today. Aidan's FIRST time. Needless to say he wasn't to thrilled and kept saying "All Done." They use a lot of sign language at their school so he signs with his hands, all done. He does this as soon as we go to the Dr. All Done. He does this when he wakes up from his nap. All Done. He does it when I am shooting saline up his nose. All Done. Anyway, we got Abby in the pool at 6 months. He's 21 months. Whoops sorry buddy. I am hopeful he starts to like it. Abby was a little rusty after missing the summer session but she was smiling the entire time.