Valentines Brunch

This year we had a surprise brunch with strawberry waffles or just whip cream waffles as some preferred. We even had a few extra's show up for the meal which made it all the more fun. I am so lucky to have such great sweethearts! It is hard to believe Dave and I are going on 18 years of marriage and mostly loving every minute of it! Dave and I got to spend Valentine's Eve doing sealings at the temple (some in Spanish and some in English). I am grateful he is mine for all eternity!

Surprise!

Ty is starting to chub out and grow into his big eyes!

Goodbye Rm #4632

Ty after second surgery

A very sleep deprived, worried mom

With the help of so many, Ty (we) have survived a 9 day, 8 night hospital stay! After staying in Boise 2 more days for a post-op visit we finally got to come home! How sweet it is to be home!

As I have had time to ponder this event, I wondered what I was supposed to learn from it. Some things that have happened have strengthened my testimony and other things I am still working on. I do know for sure that:

1) Life is fragile. One of the most important things to me is the relationships I have with family, friends, and loved ones.

2) Someone has always got it worse than you. One day I was so discouraged because I thought we were going to be discharged but we weren't and I had to send my sick little Valerie away without the comfort of her mom. I came walking back to Ty's room and realized the child next to me was dying and family members were being let in 2 at a time. That was enough to make myself stop feeling sorry for me.

3) They power of the priesthood is real. What calmness a blessing can bring even if we felt like it was going to be a long road ahead.

4) My prayers are heard and answered. What a helpless feeling sending your little one off with strangers to surgery 3 times. There was nothing for me to do while in surgery but pray. One of the surgeries Ty was gone for a LONG 4 hours but I know I was able to feel a strength and calmness because of the prayers being offered from others in our behalf. Many of you were also the answer to my prayers with your willingness to help out in anyway possible.

5) The Holy Ghost does bring comfort. How different it is to be on the other end of the health care spectrum. To hear, "we will take care of him like he is our own" as he is carried off to surgery. Haven't I said that to family members as I have taken away one of their loved ones? It was difficult for me to relenquish control and have to rely on Dr.'s and others to help out with my family at home but I know I was comforted and uplifted through the holy ghost.

6) There are Angels among us. After leaving the Dr.'s office I had 10 minutes to gather what I needed and head to St. Lukes Boise. I couldn't think. I had no idea how long we would be gone or what was wrong. By the time I got home from the Dr.'s office in our town, our friend Lance was already at our house ready to help give Ty a blessing. We left without even getting a hold of our kids. Friends, family, ward members stepped into immediate action. They were helping with my kids, dog, washing clothes for the opening night of the play I would miss, fixing food, playing taxi, cleaning house, and offering suppport. We can't thank you all enough. I have no biological sisters but I have sister-in-laws and friends that I gladly call my sisters! And what would I do without my MOM! She was wonderful and anywhere I needed her to be.

7) Dave was my rock - always strong, prayerful, and optomistic.

Patience is one thing I will forever be working on. It was hard for me when plans got changed. I wanted things to go my way and on my time and it didn't happen like that. I do know that I am so not perfect and have a long ways to go. That is one reason I am so grateful for my Savior. I know that through his sacrifice for us that he has helped take away my pain and eased my burdens.

My mom was able to stay with Ty in the hospital so I could come and see my 3 girls in the play, "Joseph and the technicolor coat." They had been rehearsing for the play for the last 3 months and I had not been able to attend any of their weeks performances. I made it just in time to the last performance. I was so anxious to see my 3 girls after the play. I was walking down the hall looking for them and couldn't see them. All of the sudden I saw all three of them running toward me and I started running toward them. What a happy moment. I imagine that must be what entering heaven must be like - being surrounded in the arms of loved ones.

Ty's second IV

My not so comfy bed

Run down of events: (This is mostly for me to remember since this is my journal)

January 21 - Thursday evening (11pm) I went to change Ty's diaper and felt and small hard lump in his right groin area. Called Dr. thought it may be hernia, plan to come in office in am.

January 22 - Friday - met with Dr. and surgeon. Ultrasounds and x-rays done. Not sure what the problem was. Had 10 minutes to gather stuff and get to St. Lukes Boise. Ty taken to surgery by Dr. Curnow. Inguinal hernia with appendix and bowel stuck which ended up causing infection and eventually his appendix to be removed. He reduced the hernia and plan was to wait the weekend on IV antibiotics and do surgery to fix hernia on Monday. That evening when I was changing his diaper (11pm was not a good time for me), I noticed the lump was back and soooooo red. Plan was to go back to surgery in am. What a hard, scary night. He was so sick with high fever and heart rate. He was so lethargic he wouldn't eat.

January 23 - Sat. surgery to remove appendix, still couldn't fix hernia, left incision open.

January 24-25 Mon. Tues. - dressing changes every six hours, lab work, procrit shots, 3 IV antibiotics= misery.

January 26 - Wednesday - back to surgery for incision close up.

January 27 - January 30 - Thursday - Saturday - more of the same, looking better and starting to smile. Saturday discharged to home thanks to Ty's help of pulling out his IV and no one wanting to restart it for one more day of use. I was at play and Grandma Keller brought him home to her house.

We stayed in Boise until Monday, Feb 1, then he got his stiches out and got the OK to go HOME! We don't have to come back until fall and then hopefully they can repair the hernia then.

Ty still a little jaundiced but has killer long eye lashes.

Color looking better. Being treated with procrit and iron for anemia.

So happy because he pulled out his second IV which allowed us to go home a day early!
The last few days in the hospital Ty started smiling when he was talked too. Love it!

Random January Events

Ty 5 weeks

Hailey had her just for fun meet. She has taught herself how to do back walkovers. She loves tumbling and is constantly doing it all over the house.

Reece, Hailey, Averie

Go Go Go Joe!

3 months of practicing and performing for a week is now over! Ashley, Mikayla, & Hailey were all able to be in the play "Joseph and the Technicolor Coat." They all did an amazing job and were so fun to watch. They were part of the 40 member childrens choir. They learned 17 songs and sounded like angels. It was quite the production for a small town! It had me teary eyed the whole way through hearing them sing.

Girls and Joseph

We missed the first performance and all other performances until the final show because we had to rush Ty to the hospital. Instead we sent them each a rose wishing them good luck.

Girls and Narrator

Hailey & Benjamin

Hailey, Kierra, Mikayla, & Ashley

Although Valerie was not in the play, she knew every single song. We had listened and watched this play for a solid 3 months. Every night Hailey would listen to the songs on her ipod while falling asleep. Valerie couldn't hear the music but that didn't stop her from singing along. Too bad she was sick by the time she got to finally see the performance.