Update on Ethan

Well officially Ethan is off Lamictal as of tonights dose. We will see if his drop seizures go away now. The doctor had concluded that the Lamictal was causing these new seizures and might I just add "scarey" seizures too. I talked to the nurse today and she said unfortunatley most all epileptic meds increase their appetites. I am suppose to monitor his weight every week to see if we need a diet consultant for him. He does have to wear his "cool as beans" helmet at recess and PE classes in school but right not during regular class time. I really pray that the kids will be as nice as last year and not make fun of his helmet.
His behavior has changed since they increased his Depakote. He does not listen and cannot keep attention AT ALL...this should be interesting in school..UGH! As of now he is on Depakote, Vimpat, Klonopin....its nice to see less than about 30 pills in his pill organizer.
Today he did really good at the dental clinic. He had his work done with no locals and did not complain...he is one strong cookie I tell ya :)

So blessed to have him as my son :) )

Make a Wish

Well yesterday was Ethans big day when he got to meet his 2 wishmakers...Bob and Ken. He was so excited!!!! Even mor excited when he found out Bob was an official on the field in the NFL...that made everybody amazed :) (now all football season we are gonna have to see if we can find him in his uniform on the field...LOL).

They came with gifts which were so nice and even gifts for his brothers....they have been playing with them!!! They asked Ethan alot of questions mainly about his favorites in every subject you can imagine. When it came to his big wish he wanted he......said DISNEY CRUISE!!!! He has been watching that dvd from disney cruiselines...now of course due to the economy we arent sure that wish will be granted but the next wish he said was Florida and swimming with dolphins or SeaWorld and swimming. He kept saying he wants to swim :).

Than it came down to grown up paperwork and information.....thats when the BIG question came up...do you want to drive or fly.....Sean spoke up right away and said well "im the only one in this whole family who has ever flown so prolly drive"....Bob than said ..are there anyone that is afraid and I raised my hand with a giggle. Im more than afraid im terrified!!!!!! Panic attacks happen when I just think about it.

But than this lil voice inside me said...."kelly this is for Ethan..its his BIG ALL TIME WISH, you have to think about all the time and stress it would be to drive down not to mention all the time away from his wish it would take ."

So I am coming to terms (not really but i keep telling myself that) that we must FLY...its so fast and all the kids voted to fly. Ive been told you can call your doctor and get some meds to calm you down (prolly will do that) and I will just keep praying about it. I ask that all of you pray for me too so that I can be calm and not panic.

We picked 3 dates....October...Thanksgiving week or March....so we will find out the answer in awhile. Ethan got very excited when he found out they will pick us up in a LIMO and drive us to Detroit to get on the plane.....he has always wanted to be in a LIMO :) :) :)

He's been on a "good" high since yesterday and I hope it stays that way til the big event....he SO SO SO SO DESERVES THIS!!!!!

Ians 1st Hip Hop Recital

Ian has his very first hip hop recital tomorrow evening. He has to be there at noon for rehearsal and such but @ 7pm he gets with his adult group and performs on stage for the first time their hip hop routine...i can tell he is very nervous as he does not have my personality of not being shy on stage...LOL.

I am so proud of him for sticking with this all year long. Every week going to practice and spending a half hour stretching and working out and than the rest of the time learning his dance. He went even when he has bronchitus and could harly breathe....he was determine..and that makes me so proud!!!

I just hope I do not start crying when I see him dance....you know tears of how proud I am of him.....he will be embarrassed....LOL!!!

Its not going how I planned it out in my head...

LOL years and years ago when my first child was born I told myself I would provide the fun house and be where all of my boys friends wanted to be...its NOT WORKING OUT THAT WAY :(

Ian wants to go to James house ALL THE TIME!!! Of coure James and Ian do not have best history but right now they are getting along. His parents do alot of fishing and such that we do not do and so Ian is enjoying it. Sean does not LIKE James so he can only come over when Sean is at work...so Im sure thats one reason Ian likes going over there. I just always thought I would be the house that all their friends wanted to hang out.....its kinda breaking my heart :( :(

I know get over it....but its buggin me , so why not blog about it so I dont keep thinking about it when I need to get some sleep after a few days of lack of......

A Pretty Interesting but Relaxing weekend

Well Saturday morning I woke up @ 730am to give Ethan his seizure medication and just happen to look outside to see if it was ok to open up our garage sale again....OH NOOOOO! Our entire street and up 1/3 of our driveway was a complete lake. FLOODED!!!! We new the night before the basement had standing water , we had checked when Sean got home from work and we knew the pump was coming on every 30 seconds (its loud)....but outside it just looked normal. So our street was blocked off with barriers and we had to cancel our garage sale again!

I finally gave in many hours later when Sean came to me and said "if I was their age I would be playin in it all day" ....(im a mom and hate dirty) LOL so I said fine...after hours of them asking if they could run thru it (other kids were doin it off and on all day) i said...GO and MAN you would of thought I took them to a water park.....THEY HAD A BLAST!!!!!!

See even when our basement was flooded and we had to cancel our garage sale for the second day in a row......we still had something FUN to do and laugh about!!! WOOT

Check this out

It seems like a pretty good idea and website. I read about it on MOney saving mom....just click the link
http://smile.ly/14458.cfm

Some hard days in our family lately.....BUT

let me tell you ...when you see your kids (ages 12 goin on 16, age 6 and age 3) run to help our their brother Ethan when he has a seizure no matter what they are doin....it makes you realize...no matter how rough things can get, no matter how many times you may question your parenting skills.....you must of done a good job somewhere somehow because I have 3 wonderful sons who care more about their brother Ethan everyday than themselves. They help out in their own special ways....rather it be Ian who catches Ethan so he doesnt hit the ground hard, or Kayden who will just touch him while he is having a seizure saying...its ok Ethan Im here, or 3 yr old Liam who will come running from any room in the house yelling..."scissors scissors" which means seizures to alert us of one when we are not aware of it.....it just shows me how caring and loving ALL my boys are!!!! I love being a mom of 4 boys and 2 of them being special needs kids....well that is just "extra credit" as they would say in school :) :)

My "all I can handle" cup has been overflowing for awhile BUT

I know that I can still handle what is given to our family. I have that faith and it gets me through every day!!!

Am I perfect and never cry or get down about it....PULEEEZ!!! Of course I get down and cry or heck even just quickly scream....but than I get this feeling that its ok...I can handle this and I was chosen to be the person to handle this...so handle it with all my power and with a smile :) which I try to do.

This week we have seen an increase in Ethans seizure activity, he has been looking a bit puffy in the face (like water retention), Kayden has been having issues again with attitude and sleeping difficulties, Ian got jumped @ school last week by 3 boys (supposed friends) and now he has a concussion. Liam has been ok (so far) LOL!!! Sean had lack of work this week and I just want to say ....

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THIS because It allows me to know day to day how lucky I am...I know that sounds strange but it makes sense to me...thats all that matters!!!! LOL

Hope you have a great day and remember GOD ONLY GIVES YOU WHAT YOU CAN HANDLE!

I think we have an Invisable Pink Eye Monster lurking...

Lets see 2 weeks ago Liam and Kayden had Pink eye really really bad, Ethan might of had it but it never looked as bad as Liam's and Kayden's...than Last week I got it (i havent had it since i was young) and now Ethan woke up this morning with it......GO AWAY PINK EYE MONSTER!!!!!!

And dont you dare think you are gonna sneak in the middle of the night and attack my hubbys eyes or Ians eyes.....GO AWAY!!!!!

Anywho....this weekend was fun and relaxful!!! Loved doing yard work with hubby yesterday and than going grocery shopping with Mom and running into an old friend Darlene and talking with her for a good 45 mins since just last week was 2 yrs since her daughter died of cancer...very young i her teens. She had mentioned she didnt want to really deal with Mothers day so we laughed and told great stories and memories of Julia.....Darlene is one of those people in your life you are SO VERY blessed to have even if you only see a couple times a year in passing :)

Anita Renfroe | William Tell Momisms | Official Version

Shopping Fun and Learning Fun

The boys got walmart gift cards from their Grandpa and Deb this weekend....so yesterday I took 3 of them to Walmart (the other was helping at a track meet).
It was so much fun watching Ethan and Kayden put items in the cart and add up how much they spent and than figure out how much they had left. Kayden was so serious about it he probably put back like 3 snack items because he didnt want to spend that much. Ethans goal was to have enough snacks for all month and than to get a game for his PS2 and still have money left over....ACCOMPLISHED and he was so happy :) They really enjoyed swipping their own gift card in the machine and telling the cashier THANK YOU :) Liam he even picked something to buy mom......it was a slim jim....i thought that was cute too :) Than the rain came pouring down and we had to rush home to get Ian......all together fun and learning day :)

What do you get when you combine HUBBY and his DAD?

ALOT DONE!!!!!!! WOW!!!!

Lets see....we got all the junk out to the curb for BIG ITEM GARBAGE DAY TOMORROW (i did that). We go the front law completely raked of all its straw to see how the grass grew (not so much grass tho), mowed yard, fixed lawnmower, fix interior hallway light, removed HUGE and I mean HUGE birds next in our back room siding (RIP 3 lil baby birds), nailed the siding up so no NEW nest can be formed, Cleaned out gutters, found a small flourescent light to replace broken HUGE one (still not installed but we found it) and all with a SMILE :) I love when that can happen :)

Kids got to hike in the woods again, eat yummy ice cream twice, go out to a chinese buffet place and swim at the hotel....all in all good times :) Oh yea we got another BIG Boy in the family...Kayden demanded his training wheels come off and he took off like it was NO BIG DEAL :) :) :) so proud!!!!

Sean joked at the end of the day....."I think Im gonna have Heath Reunions at Our House so I can get all my house repairs done" LMBOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Mama Cant be sick

the boys do not allow Mama to be sick most times....but today I must say they were very good and allowed Liam and I to take a nap and even when they heard me coughing up a lung...Ethan came running to ask me if I was ok and even brought me the throat spray. They are growing up to be such care givers (like their mom Sean says).

I APPRECIATE MY BOYS!!!

Family

Well what a last couple of days. Sunday afternoon we get a call that Seans brother had a heart attack and that it was serious enough that they were transferring him to Nashville. We decided quickly that we needed to be there for him since we were the only "heath family members" able to make it there. Plus its his brother..enough said!

I learned this weekend HOW IMPORTANT AND HOW MUCH I LOVE FAMILY!!!!! Family come together to help each other out in a time of hardship and sadness VERY WELL!!!! My mother abruptly stopped her Sunday plans and came over to watch my kids for a unspecified amount of days (we didnt know if he was goin to have bypass or not)....we had a Family member help us in a way that we could never EVER express how much it meant to us (wink), and we realized that family can be here one day and gone the next so call, write and always say I LOVE YOU, no matter how busy life gets.

I am glad to save his brother is recovering at home and as of right now , no other surgery needed after the cath procedure. St THomas hospital in Nashville was so wonderful , even to family members visiting...they had a hotel attached to the hospital that family members could stay at so that doctors and such could get a hold of you right away. The nurses were very polite and so was the 1 doctor i met :) Even the night we arrived there we were walking the halls @ 430 am trying to find the hotel...when 2 nurses stopped us in the hall and the 1 nurse (who looked like she just got out of surgery) said how can I help you two? I said we are trying to find the INN cuz my husbands brother is here after having a heart attack and we just drove 8 hrs from Ohio. She immediatly put her hand on Sean and said ...are you doing ok? Do you think you can sleep right now ? I know it will be hard because you are worried but if you would like I can show you the family waiting area where there are chairs that turn into beds and I can get you blanket until the front desk lady comes back from lunch at the INN....we told her thank you ! :) :) She kept saying to Sean that they will take care of his brother and that it was great that he was here for him and try not to worry too much (with a sincere smile) It was one of the moments ....you know where someone you DONT KNOW crosses your path and does a sincere thing or says something that effects you greatly...that was that ONE nurse in the HALLWAY @ ST THOMAS @ 430 in the morning....THANK YOU!

Of course on another note I have come to the conclusion that when Mama leaves the 4 boys...and for more than a few hours.....THEY GET STRESSED AND SICK!!!! lol...we came home to 3 sick kids and 1 kid who had 6 seizures in that day :( but as soon as mama and dada was home....kids started feeling better and Ethan had no seizures today...hmmmmm :) I LOVE MY BOYS!!!

Need some suggestions

I have found out in the last year that there is nothing in our COUNTY for Epilepsy: support groups, charities or etc.

Everything is mainly in Toledo which is a drive.

I really want to start something in our county but Im not sure what to start or how to even go about starting something. I just know I would love to be in contact with peeps in our county that deal with this everyday also with a child or themselvse or a spouse or family member what ever......any ideas?? or just some input would be so NICE :)

I wish I knew if I could help

Well today Ian came home from school and broke my heart...he started crying and Ethan came to me and said Why is Ian crying? I said Ian come here, what is wrong? He said my bestfriend may have to leave the area and school because he has to get adopted...He meant that him and his 2 siblings had to go into Foster Care...they have no mom....(she abandon them) and the guy they live with who they treat as a dad got busted for drugs and is goin to jail.

Oh man it just broke my heart!!!! I wish I could take them in....this just makes me more and more want to be a foster parent. How sad is that? Its never really hit so close to home before....I was for a lost of words and just told him to wait and see what happens....but Ian is so sad :(

This boy is so well behaved over here and I just hope whatever foster home he goes to treats him well !

Seriously!!!???

I have 4 boys!! DUH!! Peeps reading my blog know this. My oldest is almost 13...So I have been dealing with children and sickness for 13 years....but the nurse calls me back this morning and tells me that I have to bring in 1 child out of the 3 before they can give me eye drops for pink eye......PINK EYE!!!!! They have had it in the past before!!!! WHY WHY WHY cant they just call the eye drops in...instead of making me drive an hour with 3 kids and ONLY 1 can be seen cuz they are booked she says....for them to tell me YUP PINK EYE...all they do is look at their eye just like I DO...pink,,,crusty,,,,,,and junk coming out of eye.....if you call for the flu they will call you back and BELIEVE YOU and tell you to keep them home and give them fluids and so on cuz they dont want it in the office and they trust with 4 kids you know what you are talking about....BUT SERIOUSLY????!!!!! 3 kids woke up with Pink eye...its going around in the schools in our COUNTY....WHY CANT YOU CALL ME IN EYE DROPS so I dont have to waste 2.90 a gallon gas and get 3 kids ready to go for 1 kid to be seen.....for 2 mins!!!!

Not happy with physicians office right now!

Not the words you want your doctor to say...

Well today I went to see the doc.....he said I had 2 options now.....a different HIGH dose of a hormone he has not ever used but should work....or hysterectomy. YIKES!!!! He than took a look at my up and down incision from my 3 previous csections...and said lets go to my office. That usually does not mean good news.....

He proceeded to tell me I was EXTREME HIGH RISK if I had to have a hysterectomy....that my surgery would not be easy in anyway and the risks are great!!! NOT WORDS YOU WANT TO HEAR FROM YOUR DOCTOR!!!!!!!! There are two reasons....my uterus is small and my WEIGHT!!!!! It finally caught up with me.....he said because of my weight Im EXTREMELY likely to get blod clots in my legs or lungs and other complications .....hmmm SO of course I chose this medicine he was looking up in his texts at high dosages. I get one month on this medicine...and if it does not work.....surgery is my ONLY option. Of course I got home saw Sean and started to cry......its one of my biggest fears.....dying during surgery or in the previous years during c sections. Yea I thought the worse BUT thats me and I make no excuses....

So tomorrow I start the medication which is scarey in itself considering the usage for this medicine is for cancer patients....On the pamphlet but it can help periods too apparently....so prayers are needed and we will see in 30 days :)

I finally asked....

Well I finally asked Grandma if she would type up the stories she always told us grandkids about her growing up and dating stories. I have been thinking about this for awhile now and wasnt sure how to present it to her. I just knew I always enjoyed those stories and wanted to be able to share them accurately with my 4 boys. Hopefully she will do it for me....as I did kinda beg!!!! LOL

Well we had another family get together last night, minus Cory, and it was fun...I had made so much food for my MK party that got cancelled that I didnt know what to do with it all....so I asked mom...hey why dont we have a early Aprils Bday celebration and she was like SURE!!! So that was fun!!! So us girls went shopping for mexican food and than came home and got it all prepared while the guys snoozed and watch tv....LOL!!!! Enjoy these moments alot!!!!

Well tomorrow is my Dr appt and Im a lil worried about what he is going to recommend...but I know he is a good Dr....so he will figure out the right path to take....all I know is I want this to go away!!!! Wish me luck!

Why do I feel anxieties today?

Well this morning at 6am i dropped Ian off at school to go on his Chicago trip. I sat there for a few minutes watching him from the van as he waited to load the buses and than I saw all the other parents pulling away so I decided to leave as not to embarrass him....LOL.

Yet all morning I have been having anxiety about the whole thing because I wanted Ian to have a cell phone in case he needed to call me for any emergency but it didnt happen. I know I know....Mom said last night..."we use to not have cell phones kelly, they are with teachers and chaperones He will be ok."

Its the first time my first born has traveled far away without me...LOL! He has never been to Chicago or even rode a train before. Sure its 6th grade teachers going along with a few helpers BUT I dont even know their first names ...I call them Mr J or Mrs Fry...and so on....oh my head is playing with me because Im tired....he will be fine!! I KNOW !!! LOL I did buy him mini book bag and a disposable camera and some snacks for the trip. Kayden let him use his gameboy too.

btw...YES IM OVERPROTECTIVE OF MY BOYS!!!!!!! lol

well I should get off here so that I can attempt to make my first batch of Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies all by myself :) for MK party today.....wish me good luck!!!!!

A Glimmer of Hope

Well today is 3 days seizure free for Ethan!!!!!

He has stopped puking, sleeping all the time and eating all the time too. I actually told Sean today that he is even acting like the old Ethan....not like the "ADHA version"....so I have a glimmer of hope that this new medication Lamictal is going to work , along with Depakote being removed.

He had a field trip today to COSI in Toledo....he was very excited to tell me all the cool things there. He did mention his lunchable was not the best tho...LOL!!!

Ian has a new girlfriend.....I think this is girlfriend #2......ahhhh hes not even 13 til July!!! HELP ME!!!!!!! (did i mention the phone wont stop ringing)

I did called the doc today again...as the hormones they have put me on are making the condition im dealing with WORSE ...so I go back in on Monday....im getting a feeling surgery AGAIN is in my near future....hey last surgery lasted a year and half....WOOT!!!! :

Kaydens behavior has improved greatly in the last couple of weeks at school. Not sure if its the counseling or they are doing things that are interesting to him. The case manager still wants his IQ tested because she feels he is very bored......we are kinda interested in the results of it too.

Well thats about all today....feel a lil BLAH and gonna start supper.

Oh yea and um.....totally love me some Crystal Bowersox on IDOL....LOVE HER VOICE!!!! lol

My first blog......WOOT WOOT!

Well after reading my Aunt Dona's blog for awhile now and my cousin Nicholes...I decided to take a chance and start my own....who knows where this will go.

I plan on telling you of my daily KRAZIES and anything else that makes my fingers type on here...LOL! Some will be boring, some funny and some serious....but stay with me as I try to find my inner writer.....

Thanks to all who has decided to read this and follow my blog....HUGZ!!!!

Well, today is Monday and we have a few dr appts today. Sean had a dentist appt bright and early this morning and Liam Frank decided he wanted to dress himself so he could go with daddy....so let me try to explain what he put on....a long sleeve shirt, jean shorts, 2 of Kaydens white soxs pulled all the way up to his knees, kaydens old tennis shoes and his winter jacket.....YUP!!! GOT THE IMAGE? for some reason Daddy started laughin when he turned around and heard Liam Frank say..I wanna go with you dada......all I could think was Kayden Jr in the making :) all he needed to be Kayden was a clip on tie :)

xx