Mom's update

It's been a whole month since my surgery. I can't believe we've been here a month already. I guess some days I feel the lengthiness of the stay and others it's just going by so fast. Faster the Better! Anyway, all my doctor visits are great. They are all still amazed at my progress and how well I'm doing. It's fun being called the "poster child" or the "Super star" of the trial! I hoping that means little Charlotte will blow them away like her mom is.

I did get diagnosed with gestational diabetes again. This time I have to take insulin instead of a pill like I did with Kathryn's pregnancy. I just learned how to do that today. It took me awhile to actually poke myself but did it and it didn't even hurt. I have to take a dose right before bed and then one right before breakfast. Because my morning fasting and after breakfast numbers are way to high!

We really haven't done anything fun since the Point Reye's thing but we hope to get out this weekend if the weather cooperates. We might try going down to the piers again or maybe the Zoo. not sure what.

I can't wait for Kathryn to come with my mom March 13. I'm just counting down the days. I can't wait to see my little girl. And Matthew hasn't seen her for 2 months now. We sure need some Kathryn love.

Oh another good thing. I have been really hating my bed lately and needing a chair/ recliner to sleep in and I asked today if there was one in the building and low and behold one of the guys in the office that actually lives here has one and let us take into our room. It's lovely. I'm sitting in it right now. The only comfortable place to sit in the whole place! Makes the room a little tight but we'll manage!

Sorry no pictures I need to update the food part of our journey. we've tried some new places and found a really good pizza place we like and a little cafe for breakfast. The other night on our way for pizza a couple of homeless guys asked us for some money and we didn't have any but at dinner Matthew ordered a large pizza to go to give to these guys. I'm sure they were grateful.

Well other then that not much else is happening. I had to up my dose of nifedapin at night cause I was starting to get contractions early in the morning before my next dose but this has seemed to stop the contractions at night! Hooray

I keep getting asked when the babies coming and well all I can say, I hope for no earlier then 35 weeks and for sure by 37 weeks. So I have 6 - 8 more weeks and then 2 weeks after she's born for sure! so 8-10 weeks and we should be able to come home!!!

Point Reyes National Park

My Uncle Wayne and Aunt Nancy came to visit their daughter this weekend that lives in Oakland. They invited us to go see a light house with them this past Saturday. Point Reye's national Park and Light house. It was the most beautiful ride there. Took longer then I expected but it was fun anyway. The tree's were so beautiful. It was like we were in the red wood forest and then the landscaped changed to rolling green hills which reminded us of what Scotland would look like. There was a marsh and pastures with cows as well. Along the road we saw a whole bunch of deer and cows. Seems funny to have them all in the same area. In one of the pastures we saw a wolf. That was cool. Down towards where the light house is Matthew and my cousin saw a bob cat. that was so cool! We went to Point Reyes North Beach that is where the video is from and then we went over to the Sea Lion look out is before we could drive up to the light house. This is where the Elephant seal was just laying out on the beach. Crazy.. I didn't think they would actually come up onto the beach like this. We even had to tell some poeple walking back from the water to watch where they were going cause they didn't look like they saw it. It did look kind of like a big rock.

Everything was just so beautiful. And thankfully I have a great camera now that captures the beauty almost better then the human eye. Actually in some cases it did to better. Somehow it captures the light better then my eye does.

We tried to go to Scoma's a Seafood restuarant that my Aunt and Uncle used to go to when my Aunt Donna lived over here. It is in Sausalito. The wait for 8 people was an hour and a half so we decided to come back to our dining row and got them all to try Vietnamese. I think they all liked it except my Uncle. He barely touched anything. We left around 2 in the afternoon and got back around 9:30. I should have taken one of my pills with me as the road was windy and bumpy at times. I felt a lot of those bumps.

Otherwise it was so nice to get out and see some of the beautiful country that is just down the road.

Now we'd like to go to the Muir Woods where Star Wars was filmed with the Ewoks. matthew wants to bring his video camera to that and get some good footage there. I'd expect that that is an amazing site as well.

Enjoy the pictures.

Food all Just around the Corner

So I should make a food blog of the places we've gotten to eat at. Our home is just a block away from all sorts of Asian food places. with a splattering of burger/pizza/sandwich places.

Since we eat out probably once or twice a day I thought I'd take pictures of the places that we've been to. Maybe write a little review of the meal it self. I'll see if I remember to start taking pictures of the food itself and not just the outside of the restaurant.

Crepevine was a recent find this weekend. I wanted crepes and Matthew thought he saw one somewhere so we just went out for a walk to find it. We've been twice in the past 3 days. So yummy and they were having a special for Valentines day from the 12-14 for every two entree's you get a free dessert crepe. This is the only one I took a picture of the meal it self. See below. It is amazing!

I think this was called the Milano. It tasted like a lasagna. But fresher!

One of the two burger joints around. Darla's. I like the other one Jenny's but I haven't gotten a picture of that one yet. Oh and see my mode of transportation. I am supposed to take that every where I go. Sometimes it is needed and others I think it just gets in the way.

Villa Romana~ Some really great Italian. Also the most expensive place we've been to yet. We got the family deal. Two appetizers, two Salads, two entree's, and two dessert cookie. All for like $80. This also looked like where the Italian mob would hang out.

Another favorite of course. Jamba Juice. I can't go as often anymore because of having Gestational Diabetes again but we'll go maybe once a week now. instead of 2 or 3.

This is a whole foods type place for just shakes and things. We went here to get a smoothie to help to get my bowels moving from the surgery. It tasted awful but I've been free and clear since then. Sorry gross I know.

Oh I do have a picture of Jenny's burger. This was by far the better burger. We'll have to come here again soon!

We've been to Little Bangkok twice now. The first one we just wanted a little snack before a real dinner later. We got the fried prawns and the deep fried Calamari. It was so yummy.

Ok so Perilla is one we've been to the most. It's just like the Vietnamese place we love at home in Mesa. They even have the black bean drink that We LOVE. They know us because we always get the bean drink no matter what.

Last of this weeks pictures for food. More to come as I didn't start taking pictures till later. This is one of the grocery store's we go to. They are like little convenience stores because of the high price with a grocery store type feel. Not as much stuff but it works as it's just down the street.

Home Sweet Home

I tried doing a puzzle that we got for Christmas from my Inlaws but we started it late and well the next morning someone had broken up all that I had finished in the 2-3 hours that I worked on it the night before. Needless to say I put it away and probably won't get a puzzle out to work on to keep me busy.

The Family house, It's got 3 floors with 8 rooms for families. We're on the third floor looking out the back. We share 3 bathrooms for the 8 families. We also share a big kitchen with two ovens/stoves, two microwaves and two dishwashers, as well as the laundry which has 2 washers and 2 dryers. We each get our own little mini frige to ourselves. and a bin in the freezer and one shelve for dry food.

This is the street where we will reside for the next 10 weeks. Not to shabby huh?

These next pictures are of the little garden that is in the front of the house. It's no pretty. I love all the flowers every where and I just know it's going to get better and better as spring comes.

These remind me of home. We have these hen and chicks at granny's house.

You can't really tell but there is a bird feeder and a humming bird feeder hanging in front of these windows. I haven't seen a humming bird yet but have seen a little bird eat out of the bird feeder.


So that is our residence. Sorry no pictures of the room itself. It seems to be always in a messy state and I'm not about to let you see the mess.

Pier's

Here we are right in front of where all the seals are laying out.
There's Alcatraz. We didn't take a tour but found out my camera is really good at long distance.

We ate lunch well late lunch at Bubba Gump's . I had Fish and Chips and Matthew had a hge Hamburger of some kind. Then the best part was the Key Lime pie So Yummy!
Pulling back and taking aim to hit...
Matthew!

We stopped at a magic shop down pier 39 and I was certainly amazed at what the magic shop guy was showing us. multiplying balls. money changing from $1's to $5's It was awesome. Magic tricks blow my mind. I can't even fathom how they do some of the stuff they do.

We had a great last day of fun before the not so fun stuff started. We even went to dinner at my new favorite eating place. It's a crepe place and they make the best crepes and french toast ever! We'll Definetly have to go back there before we leave San Fran. It's just a little to far for us to go just yet in my limited condition.

Beach

This is right before my feet get soaked!

The Wednesday before my Surgery was a free day for us so we decided to see if we could get to the Pier's but we got on the train and it took us the opposite direction and we ended up at the Beach! It was fun until I got my feet all wet cause Matthew wanted to get a picture of we trying to eat the foam/snow looking fluffs. We were just a little to close to the waves coming in and didn't notice till it was too Late. I did find half a sand dollar at this beach so it wasn't a total waste besides getting my feet wet. Goes to show you really should walk barefoot on the beach even if it's 60 degrees of less out side!

Kathryn with Joanna and Jared

Joanna and Jared have a huge Love sac and this is where Kathryn slept. They said she'd wake up in the night and ask for Lunch, I think she must be going through some huge growth spurt.

This is at the Lobster tank and Red Lobster. Joanna and Jared took her to Texas roadhouse and Red Lobster. She got spoiled with them.

Just playing in the sand and the park. Isn't she growing up so big!

I love this smile and her hair looks so LONG!

Doesn't this just make you have to give her a big hug! I sure do!

proposal

Hello all my friends.

I have a proposal for each of you. We are really missing Kathryn more then I would like to so we're searching for someone to be able to come out and stay with us for a while so that Kathryn can come out as well. She has to have her own 'support' person. Just in case of emergency, She has to have someone to watch her while Matthew and I go to the hospital.

We'd be happy to pay for all food and you'd get to share a room with the three of us. Not luxury by any means. All we'd ask that you get yourself here. If that is the only thing holding you back we could probable help out in that area as well.

San francisco is a great place! and by the time anyone can get here I'd be full out ready to explore the city with you.

Thanks for your consideration.

Let me know so I can put in a request for a bigger room.

We'd be happy for even just a week or two with our little girl.

Week 2 of San Fran

So being on limited bed rest is the pits. I know I need to take it easy but come on who can lay in bed all the time. Especially a bed that isn't yours and is actually kind of hard. I guess I shouldn't complain to much as all our accommodations are free including food and transportation to and from the hospital.

I'm feeling much better. I only take the pain meds when I go to sleep at night cause rolling from side to side is still awful sometimes. It's getting better and better every day. Matthew's been making me laugh the last two nights and well it doesn't hurt as bad as it would have the first few nights after surgery.

I'm sorry about no pictures. I've been kind of couped up in this little room we live in. I guess I should take pictures of that and show you all what living is like in a hospital family house. next post to have pictures. I promise.

Kathryn is doing much better. She just likes to get sick I think. She got RSV last weekend and has been on some breathing treatments and antibiotics for the last week but each day I see her on Skype she's talking more and more and looks to be her same enthusiastic self. She's growing up so fast. It's only been 2 weeks and I can tell she's talking way more and just learning so much without me. I feel really sad sometimes that I don't get to be there with her but am filled with love and mostly the spirit telling me it's going to be alright. She's in good hands. which she is. She turns 2 tomorrow. I'm really bummed about missing her birthday but I know my parents and sisters will do her birthday justice. They are having a family party tomorrow night and then hopefully if she's better and no more coughing they'll have one over at our house in Mesa for Kathryn's friends in the ward. Wish I could be there too.

Anyway, I have my first regular visit tomorrow and they should remove some of my limitations. Some of the people in the ward have said we should call anytime we want to do anything and we may get to go to the Temple in Oakland this Saturday depending on the limitations. We may even venture to the Zoo this week. I'll wait till I'm feeling even better so we can spend lots of time at the science center and exploritorium. I've been told the science center is amazing!

Well I'll let you know how my visit goes tomorrow and post some pictures I've taken so far. Not to many I'm afraid. but it will be better then just text for 3 times in a row.

take care and we'll talk soon!

Some more after math

I actually have my own shirt and bra on today. I feel almost normal! except for the iv in my hand and the baby monitors that are constantly falling off or the baby is moving so they have to keep readjusting the monitors. The Nurses all say they have the hardest time with me cause being up in Labor and delivary they normally have women that are like 37 weeks or more not my 25 week baby who still has lots of room to move around.

I'm going to get a shower again today and I'll feel even more like normal. Oh side note. I got a cute hair cut from my friend Jill before I left and it is awesome. I haven't 'done' it since being in the hospital and it still looks cute. I love hair cuts that look good even if you just let them dry.

Last night was probably the worst night of all cause I think ALL of my pain meds wore off right around 1 in the morning. It was aweful!!! lucky for all patients a nurse is just s button away. two Viactin did the trick. But I think the 6 hour wait is a bit to long. The pain starts to come back a couple hours before that. Other then that I'm doing good. I sent Matthew to the family house to do some laundry. He's all out of clothes! Now I'm just bidding time till my next Ultra sound. Should be anytime now. Just checking on the babies fluid levels. I really hope to get out of here tomorrow but we'll see. I don't know yet.

I drink my fluids all right and I'm peeing like I should. And breathing fine. Now I just need to get my pain under control and I'm home free. Well and taking the pills the keep my uterus calm for the next month or so.

We have a great view from the hospital window. Golden Gate bridge is in my view and golden gate park. . The bay is viewable when the fog isn't so present, which it is most of the time.

I haven't thrown up yesterday or today. Friday everything I ate came right up. I think it was the magnesium I was taking. Hospital food isn't that bad. Matthew ordered a pizza and gave half of it to the night nurses last night.

I have a super cute picture of kathryn in the window ceil and all the docs and nurses that come in all think she's the cutest thing ever.

MOMs Surgery Details

Ok, so Heather has asked me to put up a post of the details of the operation today.

We woke up about 8am after a relatively restless night. Heather got one IV in her right hand, and two blood draws, and a T.B. test. About 10:30am she got the epideral(spelling), which took two tries (we think a newb was trying out for the anesthesiology team :0P). I stepped out of the room for that part.

About 11:00 she got a G.I. Cocktail (for heartburn, etc) and an antibiotic injection.

About 11:30 Heather was carted away to the O.R. prep room where we waited until 12:00 or so. Right when they were about to take her to the O.R. the anesthesia team stated the people upstairs were a little pre-emptive in their G.I. Cocktail and antibiotics and gave her those again.

I got to give her a nice kiss and then she went into surgery.

Meanwhile... elsewhere... I made it back through the maze of hospital corridors with only one wrong turn and focused on the computer for a few hours until about 2:20 the Dr. who operated on baby Charlotte came back and said everything was great and that he had finished his part of the proceedure. He said that Charlotte was exactly in the right position and they didn't have to move her at all, and also that the damage hole in her back wasn't that big. He said it was a piece of cake. Additionally he stated that Charlotte's skin wasn't as fragile as he normally sees, because she was being operated on 2 weeks later than the usual baby, which means he was able to do the repair quite easily without the use of a "patch". Lastly he stated that the surgery had about 30 minutes to go until Heather was all sewed up.

Well that was good news and I let her parents know. Then came the pacing, up and down the hallway waiting for her to arrive. I had just dialed my parents to let them know when I saw Heather being wheeled into the door. Needless to say, I said I'd call my parents back.

It was quite a hassle and took 4 people to get Heather, tubes and all, back into her hospital bed. There was hussle and bussle for the next hour or so. Heather slowly started to become more concious, but every time she spoke it sounded like she was very sleepy and had recently been to a dentist :)

She slept for a good long time, off and on.

We just finished Skyping with her parents and Kathryn and now Heather is falling asleep again.

So far so good :) I'll try to keep her blog up to date for all of you who are almost as anxious about her well being as I am.

Thanks for all your support!!

Long Two Days at an END... yet to continue

We started evaluations Monday morning, with an Ultrasound, meeting lots of the doctors and then a very long MRI. Which wasn't so bad for the first half but the second half was almost unbearable. Anyway all the meetings that day were mostly stuff we already new. Research pays off. Then today we met with some more interesting people. The coordinator for the Spina Bifida clinic, the Neurosurgeon and the Urologist. Lots of new things for after care. Which I found way more interesting then learning about all the risks involved. We had a fetal ECHO which took forever and 4 different people trying to find one last part but Charlotte just wouldn't budge. So after all that we went in and signed the papers and they put us in their magic computer. Matthew and I flipped a coin ten times while they were gone to the computer. Our random outcome said we'd be coming home. But we were wrong. Finally I have something to plan on and get ready for. I have surgery on Thursday afternoon about 1:00. Matthew and I get to do some site seeing tomorrow all day and to be ready to be admitted to the hospital Tomorrow night around 8. I'll be in the hospital for recovery for about 5 days. Then we get moved to the family house for the next while until we have her.

I really don't know how I'm feeling. I'm happy to be able to help out little Charlotte but scared to have to have such an invasive surgery. All the doctors sounded confident but that the risks are all so very there.

I'm happy that Matthew gets to stay with me and am very grateful to his new employment for letting him come and telecommute.

We'll take some fun pictures tomorrow. I'm hoping to make it over to Fishermans Wharf and maybe the Observatorium. Any one know of some fun places to go visit tomorrow and a great restaurant for my 'last meal' for a while, make a quick post so we can get it tomorrow morning and plan our day!

We are excited at the possibilities and the care we are going to get here.

I know Kathryn is in good hands. I am going to miss her terribly but I know we are doing the right thing for our family. If anyone wants to come visit they are more then welcome.

We'll keep you all updated! We love you and thank you for all of your love and concern for us and our sweet, wiggly, baby Charlotte.

Televise the Paralympic Games Petition

Televise the Paralympic Games Petition

I got this from one of the Mom's in my Yahoo group that has a Spina Bifida child. I think this is a very worthy cause. So if you feel inclined please feel free to sign the petition and pass it along!

Fun day with Kathryn

Kathryn got up around 7:30 this morning and saw the Lincoln Logs in the closet and wanted to play with blocks. I got them out and we built houses for the little people. That was a great start of the day. Plus eating waffles, our all time favorite breakfast. As we were playing blocks my mom comes in and asks if I want to go to the temple with her and I said yeah that's a good idea and as soon as I said that Kathryn put her hand on my knee and said "stay mommy, Stay." I couldn't handle that at all. It finally hit me hard that I was about to leave my little girl for what could be potentially 3 months. I decided against the temple and just did some fun things with Kathryn.

We first went over to my friend DaNelle's to see their new baby goats. They are only a week old and can run faster then I can for sure. They were so cute and Kathryn had a lot of fun chasing and petting them. These are way better then the goats at the Zoo. DaNelle's husband Kevin even let Kathryn ride on the mommy goat.

Isn't that just the greatest face. But poor little goat.

Then here is Lydia and Kathryn holding these little cuties. This almost made me want to have cute little goats as well. Maybe if we can get the kind of yard they have we might consider it!

We then went off to McDonald's for lunch. Kathryn ate most of her frie's and even took a few bites of her hamburger before she was interested in going to play in the playground. She loves climbing up in these play things. She was squealing the whole time, just having the time of her life. She must have played to hard cause she fell asleep in the car before we got to the next destination. I picked up her potty chair from the house to take to my mom's. Kathryn has been taking off her diaper and wanting to go pee pee in the potty. She's gone a few times the last two days. It's a bad thing when she brought me her diaper that she already had pooped in though. I guess it's time to get some panties.

My parents have a dog named Charlie. Kathryn just loves this dog. Wants to do everything the dog does. This dog is funny in that it likes to sleep on the back of the couch. So of course that is where Kathryn likes to lay down when she has a chance. It scares me to have her up there. This dog keeps Kathryn so entertained sometimes. I think it's a good thing he's here cause I'm sure she won't miss me that much with Charlie to keep her company.

I'm going to miss my little, I mean big girl. I know and feel we are doing the right thing for baby Charlotte. Giving her the best care we can, so I know Kathryn will be taken care of if we're gone for 3 months, but it doesn't make it any easier to leave. I leave tomorrow evening and could be gone for quite a long time. I'll have to miss her birthday if that is the case. Thank goodness for things like Skype Video and email for some good pictures that I'm going to demand from my family. She's already so grown up from when Matthew left and that was just 3 weeks. She's saying prayers now, which is so Cute! I love it. Makes me so proud every time I hear her say them. She's learning to obey and do what I ask her. She still gets her way a lot of the time. I'm sure a softy but she's learning and so am I. I'm going to miss her so much but I know she's going to be in good hands. Thanks in advance to Rachel, my parents and Matthew's parents, and Jessica for helping take care of our little sunshine.

I LOVE YOU, KATHRYN OLIVIA