Monday, April 30, 2012

What A Ride

I went from going straight down the tubes to feeling much better quickly.  Amazing what a little hydration and nutrition does to a body.  I will stay on TPN and not try that again until my intestines can take it.  Trial and error - mostly error.  Not a 100% - but getting better.

I am having another outpatient procedure.  It was supposed to be on 4/30 but has been moved to 5/15.  Insurance issues - doc office won't or doesn't have the time to get precertified.  Gotta make calls to get it straightened out.

Kids are good.  Got haircuts and clothes for the summer.  Shopping with 3 ten year olds is tough.  They are excited to get new things - but once you get home they don't want to put it away.  Go figure.  But  I have 4 bags of clothes for Medina children's home.  One of my sons wanted to give their underwear too - had to explain that was a no go.  Gotta love it.

Hope you have a good week.

More later-


post signature

Friday, April 27, 2012

Doing So Much Better


I went back on TPN on Tuesday.  I am feeling so much better.  I was so severely dehydrated.  The diarrhea went away.  I can walk across a room and not feel like passing out.  Hard lesson learned -  going off TPN ain't worth a shower.  I am always thinking I am so much stronger than I really am - FRUSTRATING!  Thanks for the prayers.

More later -

post signature

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Sick, Sick, Sick

Nurse just left.  I have been down since Saturday night.  Mom to the rescue with the kids.  Constant diarrhea - don't know why - there is nothing in my system at all.  Can't wait to feel better.

post signature

Friday, April 20, 2012

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

Hi All -

Yep - I am stupid and made a really bad decision - TPN vacay has turned into a hot mess.  Not able to retain food, not able to eat much etc.  Calling Doc on Monday to get back on asap.

Just got back from a "quick" trip to HEB with the kiddos.  Had to take breaks and put my head down on the cart.  Someone asked if I was okay and I told them yes.  They obviously did not believe me because shortly there after a HEB manager appeared quickly.  They asked if I needed help, a drink of water, could they call someone etc.  As soon as she asked if I was ok, I just cried.  Made it home and the kids reluctantly brought in the groceries.

Although showering has been nice, it wears me out too.  See - stupid, stupid, stupid.  I just wanted to feel "normal" for a bit.  It is so frustrating.

Just going to lay low and not doing anything that takes much strength - which means laid up on the couch.  I am pretty good at that :)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

More later -
post signature

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Ten Year Old Triplets - Take 2

Hi All,

Still working with the new insurance to make sure everything is covered.  The doc wants to do it at an ambulatory center (that he has a financial interest in).  This center does not take my insurance.  I called and they said they would take the difference between the outpatient copays for a network facility vs. a non-network facility.  I have until the 29th to get this straightened out.  Go figure.

Now on to the last 18 hours with the triplets:

1.  My sensitive redhead got upset that he did not get $50 in his checkbook for behaving nicely for the sub as he was on the computer taking an AR test.  He was pouting, crying etc.  I told him to get his act together and calmly explain to his regular teacher and ask for the $50.  He said she would not give it to him.  This all started after school yesterday.  When they went to bed, the crying started all over again.  When he was leaving for school, the crying started again.  I told him there was nothing I could do.  I again told him to get his act together, wipe away the tears and calmly speak to his teacher.  Of course he won't.  I can't take the whining and crying over spilt milk.  Makes me crazy.

2.  Same redhead who is also in GT was working on his autobiography for school last night (so is the Diva but we will get to that later).  The first part was when they were babies so I helped alot since they would not remember it.  The second part was something that happened when they were 1-4.  Redhead said his was done.  I didn't check it because he likes to write.

Last night, they had to write about their families and pets.  He did not want to do it and didn't know where to start.  I told him it was about his life now and it should be easy.  It took me an hour and a half to push him to do it.  He did not know where to start.  He did not know what the next sentence should be.  On and on - pouting all the way through something that should have taken 20-30 minutes.  I wanted to beat my head against the wall (recurring theme around here).

3a.  Diva's turn:  same project.  As with redhead, I helped alot with the baby bit.  With the 1-4 piece, I gave them general ideas so they could write them into sentences.  She threw a fit - saying she wasn't a good writer, that I didn't care etc.  Another hour and a half wasted.  However, she did not have a problem with the here and now piece.

3b.  Ten o'clock last night, I was in a deep sleep.  Diva came down the stairs saying she couldn't sleep.  So she woke me up to tell me that.  At this point in the past, I would tell her to just get in my bed - miraculously she is able to sleep there.  Last night though I told her to go back to bed and sometimes it is harder than others to get to sleep.  She did not like that answer and likes to argue her point - so I heard how much I don't care and then her stomping up the stairs and slamming her door.

Five minutes later as I was blissfully falling back to sleep, here she comes again.  This time she was raising her voice and telling me again how much I didn't care.  I told her there was nothing I could do - no magical pill.  She went on and on and on and on.  I finally told her she was on restriction.  I wake up and there is an apology note that went like this:

Dear Mommy,

I'm appologizing for what happened last night.  Please let me have one more chance!

Yes ______
No_______
Maybe_______

Your daughter,
Sarah
Creager
(please
forgive
me,  I was very frustrated)!

Love ya!

Yes, this is word for word and all the spelling is how she wrote it.  This morning I told her apology accepted but restriction still on.  Guess what - she didn't like that answer either.

I am trying to say what I mean and mean what I say.  They know I am a push over - but rules are changing around here.  Lord, please give me the strength.  Otherwise, I will need to be taken to the hospital with a concussion.

More later -

post signature

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

TPN Vacay!

The nurse from the doc office that runs my TPN called a couple of weeks ago and asked if I wanted to try to get off TPN.  I said no because I still can't retain food.  But it put the thought in my head and I contemplated it for a couple of weeks.  How nice would it be to not be tied to a feedback daily and be able to take a shower.

So I called the nurse back yesterday and asked if I could try it for a week or two and see how it goes.  She said it would be ok.  I started to get a little nervous this morning.  When the nurse came to take my blood, I talked to her about it.  She made me feel better about it.  She called it a major drug vacay and told me many people do it.  Made me feel better.  So for a short time - I get a little freedom and get to take showers.  May not sound like much - but it is the small things.

I have to watch my weight daily and try to force myself to eat.   I am going to try very small meals - ie 4 triscuits - if I go over that I lose it.  I have tried it before.  So for a little while, I get to feel a little normal.  Yay.  But I don't foresee it as a forever thing but who knows.

Happy Tuesday!

More later  -



post signature

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Ten Year Old Triplets - Take 1

Hey all -

All quiet on the cancer front - bladder is behaving badly - you would think with the amount of morphine and valuim I take to control it would wipe it out. But some days it has a mind of it's own. So on to my kids - they get the starring role today and probably more days to come.

In the last week or two, the school was doing spring pictures. One of my sons has been pushing the limits of getting ready to make it to the school bus. I keep yelling up the stairs for him to get ready. Finally he says he is putting on his shoes - which took forever. So I finally go up there. He is tying his shoes - he has on pj bottoms, a button down shirt (not buttoned of course). His jeans were right there beside him! Oh Vey! He got redressed while supervised and made it to the bus stop. They really want me to have a heart attack I think - just have to keep one step ahead of them - when in reality I am 5 steps behind.

A little upfront knowledge: In 2008, I had major foot surgery. I was in a cast and couldn't use it at all. So my angel, my wonderful Mom, was helping out a lot. Taking me to work everyday, helping with the kids etc. During this time, she taught one of my sons how to use the washer and dryer which was a huge help to her. So on to what the same son did this week.

I told them to gather the dirty towels from upstairs and downstairs and start the load. Sarah (who now shares a bathroom with me) took the downstairs towels up and the boys gathered the upstairs towels. So, I go up this evening while they are getting ready for bed. The clean towels are on the couch and there is a ton more than there should be. Same son was standing there, I asked him why all those towels were there. He said I told them to get "all" the towels - which I had but I said dirty towels. So he went into the linen closet and got all the clean towels too. Just let me bang my head against the wall!

Life in the fast lane with triplets!

More later -


post signature

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Finally

Hey there -

Sorry it has been awhile.  Just found out that I will have out-patient surgery on 4/30.  So much fun.

On a heavier note, I found out that one of my cousins, Shelly, has been diagnosed with cervical cancer and will be having surgery tomorrow.  Please say a prayer for her as she begins her journey through this cancer.

I hate cancer - it sucks.

What's been happening - trying to parent 10 year old triplets and stay sane.  Learned a very hard lesson over the weekend.  My children received Ipod touches for Christmas.  I had not put any restrictions on them.  They had internet access, texting capabilities and an app that allowed them to get phone minutes.  It is a powerful "toy" to give to kids.  One of my children accidentally clicked on a commerical that they have to watch to earn phone minutes and got to a place they should never should have been.  It makes me sad that it happened and taught me a huge lesson.  I learned how to lock it down.  Please if you have children and they have these "toys" - lock it down and set the restrictions on the IPod.  Do not allow them to have texting or phone capabilities.  Please, Please, Please.

Other than that had a wonderful Easter and hope you did too. 

I will try to keep the blog more up to date - there is always the mundane crap happening to me due to the side effects of the radiaton.  May bore you to death but may be a service to others.

More later -
post signature