Praying this will work and help her relax and hopefully allow whatever is out of place in her back/neck to go back.
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| Just found this image in my library...she was none too happy with us. |
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Abbie update
We started steroids yesterday in hopes that will help reduce inflammation and further discomfort. She can still be on muscle relaxers but must refrain from any pain relievers while taking the steroids.
Praying this will work and help her relax and hopefully allow whatever is out of place in her back/neck to go back.
Praying this will work and help her relax and hopefully allow whatever is out of place in her back/neck to go back.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
A terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
That about sums it up. I had to take Abbie back to the vet this morning for a follow-up and to inevitably hear bad news. For those that don't know she has had some problems with her back knees and went to the vet about two weeks ago for shots and follow-up diagnostics. From that appointment, we actually had pretty decent news, she wasn't limping and surgery did not seem eminent.
That next weekend we traveled to Atlanta where she quickly went from sad to screaming. No eating, barely moving...etc. After returning home, we called the vet to give an update and he thought maybe she strained her neck from the stress of the appt, travel and anxiety. So we started some muscle relaxers (this coupled with a daily pain pill, fish oil and glucosamine for her joints). Well, it just hasn't helped and both John and I knew something else must be wrong.
That brings us to this morning. Back to the vet we go, after an examination he suspects a slipped or herniated disk in her neck. We are wisked over to a vet Neurologist (I didn't even know this existed!) at another practice for a consultation. Dr. House was very sweet and basically gave us three possibilites and outcomes.
1. Herniated disk. Most likely after reviewing her symptoms. This is a VERY expensive surgery with about a 4-6 week recovery time in a crate. :(
2. Tumor. Probably worst case as it would more than likely end her life very quickly.
3. Spiral Meningitis. This is the least likely problem but the easiest to fix. Dr. House said it would be very rare for a bulldog her age to contract this but steroids would completely cure her.
The diagnostic testing alone will be about $2,000 plus the expensive (VERY expensive) surgery on top of that.
As hard as it is to figure out what we need to do since that really isn't in our budget right now, it is even harder listening to her cry every time she moves. We did get some better pain medication to help her over the next couple days.
For those that know us, you know our dogs hold a very special place in our heart. For me, I want to do anything and everything I can...if only money trees existed. It truly is breaking my heart to know she is suffering right now.
Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts. I know this isn't going to be easy.
That next weekend we traveled to Atlanta where she quickly went from sad to screaming. No eating, barely moving...etc. After returning home, we called the vet to give an update and he thought maybe she strained her neck from the stress of the appt, travel and anxiety. So we started some muscle relaxers (this coupled with a daily pain pill, fish oil and glucosamine for her joints). Well, it just hasn't helped and both John and I knew something else must be wrong.
That brings us to this morning. Back to the vet we go, after an examination he suspects a slipped or herniated disk in her neck. We are wisked over to a vet Neurologist (I didn't even know this existed!) at another practice for a consultation. Dr. House was very sweet and basically gave us three possibilites and outcomes.
1. Herniated disk. Most likely after reviewing her symptoms. This is a VERY expensive surgery with about a 4-6 week recovery time in a crate. :(
2. Tumor. Probably worst case as it would more than likely end her life very quickly.
3. Spiral Meningitis. This is the least likely problem but the easiest to fix. Dr. House said it would be very rare for a bulldog her age to contract this but steroids would completely cure her.
The diagnostic testing alone will be about $2,000 plus the expensive (VERY expensive) surgery on top of that.
As hard as it is to figure out what we need to do since that really isn't in our budget right now, it is even harder listening to her cry every time she moves. We did get some better pain medication to help her over the next couple days.
For those that know us, you know our dogs hold a very special place in our heart. For me, I want to do anything and everything I can...if only money trees existed. It truly is breaking my heart to know she is suffering right now.
Please keep us in your prayers and thoughts. I know this isn't going to be easy.
Monday, April 4, 2011
my love
Last Friday was our 5 year anniversary and I actually started this post weeks ago...just now making it relative after the fact.
I heard this quote the other day and I believe it is from a movie..
I heard this quote the other day and I believe it is from a movie..
Love is a temporary madness.
It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides.
And when it subsides you have to make a decision.
You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being in love which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.
Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.
For some reason, this really struck a cord with me and sat with me for awhile. What a wonderful way of expressing how love changes and grows and soon your lives become one together. Living, working, loving...everything you will share.
John, I hope you find that our tree roots intertwining like I do. We truly have been through so much and yet our roots remain strong. We now have a beautiful daughter and a little boy on the way, every day bringing a surprise and a comfort that only the lives we have built can provide.
I love you beyond comprehension.
Here is to 5 and hopefully many more.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Holy belly, batman
I actually think I am ready now for this little guy to get here. Not because the nursery is ready (because it really isn't) or we have all the baby things we need but because I KNOW. I know what the newborn stage is like, I am not scared or anxious, I am just ready to start the love. And sleepless nights. And the little coos. Bring it on.
Also, I must confess, I am a bit uncomfortable. I have to sit in a quite un-ladylike position to allow the belly to fall to where it wants to go thus allowing me to breathe a little easier. I feel so grateful to be carrying a new life, something that we created, but darn it all, let's do this!
My OB said I will probably go early like with Anna (she was 8 days early) and that labor will actually go by quicker (about 10 hours with Anna). So in a couple weeks, that bag will be packed, car seat installed and soon...very soon, we will be a family of four.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Hug your babies
One of John's clients is fighting for their little girls' life right now. She is only 5 years old.
They spoke to John about a week and a half ago having to cancel a meeting saying they were concerned about their daughter because all of a sudden she was having difficulty walking. John strongly encouraged them to immediately take her to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and even called a neurologist friend to meet them for evaluation.
The diagnosis couldn't have been worse. She has a brain tumor. So, they operated this past Monday and even worse news. Stage 4 neuroblastoma. They were able to remove a portion of the mass but still give a 3 month to 2 year survival rate. Insult to injury, she has developed spinal meningitis so they will have to wait 10 days to start radiation and chemotherapy.
They have 4 other children, one who turned 3 yesterday and a new grandbaby who arrived yesterday as well but couldn't really celebrate either event.
I can't imagine what they are going through. My southern instinct is to start cooking, send flowers and deliver all the Disney Princess items this little girl could ever hope for. Has anyone helped anyone through this? What can we do??
So over the past couple days, we hug Anna tighter, tell this little guy how much we love him even more and hope and pray that our family or anyone else we know never has to go through this.
When your baby looks at you like this...you know you would go to the ends of the earth to fix anything.
They spoke to John about a week and a half ago having to cancel a meeting saying they were concerned about their daughter because all of a sudden she was having difficulty walking. John strongly encouraged them to immediately take her to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and even called a neurologist friend to meet them for evaluation.
The diagnosis couldn't have been worse. She has a brain tumor. So, they operated this past Monday and even worse news. Stage 4 neuroblastoma. They were able to remove a portion of the mass but still give a 3 month to 2 year survival rate. Insult to injury, she has developed spinal meningitis so they will have to wait 10 days to start radiation and chemotherapy.
They have 4 other children, one who turned 3 yesterday and a new grandbaby who arrived yesterday as well but couldn't really celebrate either event.
I can't imagine what they are going through. My southern instinct is to start cooking, send flowers and deliver all the Disney Princess items this little girl could ever hope for. Has anyone helped anyone through this? What can we do??
So over the past couple days, we hug Anna tighter, tell this little guy how much we love him even more and hope and pray that our family or anyone else we know never has to go through this.
When your baby looks at you like this...you know you would go to the ends of the earth to fix anything.
Friday, March 18, 2011
My 17 month old
Surely all mom's are obsessed with picture taking and telling everyone all about their children, right? Here's hoping because I don't feel I am going to stop anytime soon. This month has flown by and Anna has continued to grow, learn and explore all around her.
Some highlights:
New favorite book: Owl Babies...we can read this at least 5 times in a row. And she will say, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!" and rock back and forth every time I get to that part. Hence, why I can read it 5 times in a row.
Dancing/Singing machine: Seriously, the girl sings ALL the time and will dance at the slightest sound of music. I LOVE this. A girl after her mother. Let's just hope she inherits her dad's singing voice and not mine.
Pictures are from our trip to the park. She LOVES the slide and has NO fear. She will climb up and just push her way down...weeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
Some highlights:
New favorite book: Owl Babies...we can read this at least 5 times in a row. And she will say, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!" and rock back and forth every time I get to that part. Hence, why I can read it 5 times in a row.
Dancing/Singing machine: Seriously, the girl sings ALL the time and will dance at the slightest sound of music. I LOVE this. A girl after her mother. Let's just hope she inherits her dad's singing voice and not mine.
Pictures are from our trip to the park. She LOVES the slide and has NO fear. She will climb up and just push her way down...weeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!
Friday, March 11, 2011
My role.
Yesterday I celebrated my art class business, Art by the Glass, being open for one year. I still can't even really wrap my head around this. It seems like I just had the conversation with John and BOOM, the first class was scheduled and people ACTUALLY signed up! It feels really good to know that my business, that I started, is actually succeeding. Or at least, still up and running.
While celebrating this, I got to thinking about the roles that I play in my life.
I sometimes feel like I don't do any of these well enough to even have them be a role in my life and other days I find harmony with all of them. It makes me wonder how these roles will change.
Come May, I get to focus on only one of these. Mom. And you know, I am really looking forward to that. I get to focus all my attention, love, sweat, tears, ambition, drive and more love to a sweet little boy and a growing little girl. How will my other roles fair during this time? Hopefully they will sustain and if not, I will build them back when I am ready.
I am lucky. I am lucky that I get to concentrate on just one thing for a couple months.
While celebrating this, I got to thinking about the roles that I play in my life.
Art Teacher
Business owner
Graphic Designer
Wife
Mom
Business owner
Graphic Designer
Wife
Mom
I sometimes feel like I don't do any of these well enough to even have them be a role in my life and other days I find harmony with all of them. It makes me wonder how these roles will change.
Come May, I get to focus on only one of these. Mom. And you know, I am really looking forward to that. I get to focus all my attention, love, sweat, tears, ambition, drive and more love to a sweet little boy and a growing little girl. How will my other roles fair during this time? Hopefully they will sustain and if not, I will build them back when I am ready.
I am lucky. I am lucky that I get to concentrate on just one thing for a couple months.
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