Oliver's MRI

Oh where to start? First, a big thank you to everyone who was praying for us. Your prayers were definitely felt. I was so worried about how Oliver would react to not being able to eat for so long. Well thanks to my mother-in-law, Oliver slept most of the morning in her arms and only woke up when we started the undressing process. So luckily we only had to endure 10 minutes of crying before they put him under sedation.

Before the MRI we were told that he would have a needle biopsy while he was under sedation. In my mind, I thought some technician would come stick a needle in his arm, take a sample...no biggie. Evidently, the orthopedist who ordered our MRI must have seen something funny in his xray and didn't tell us. She had consulted with her friend, the muscloskeletal oncologist, and had him on our case. We met with him while Oliver was having his MRI and he told us his intentions. While Oliver was under sedation, he was going to read the MRI and use it to take 4 plugs (samples) of the tumor. (This was the first time he mentioned the word tumor.) He said he would come out and talk to us after the test.

Honestly, I kind of dreaded his return. I was a little in shock...I didn't really expect anything like this. Because the lump on his arm was so hard, I thought it had something to do with his bone. I wasn't anticipating talking to an oncologist.

When he came back out, it basically told us he got what he needed. He took 4 plugs out of his arm and sent them to pathology. Pathology will do different stains tests to the tissues. It could be numerous things...it could be a fibrous, benign tumor and we would just watch it to see if it grows. It could also malignant. We just have to wait and see. It will probably be next week sometime before we know anything. The oncologist's office should call us to set up an appointment once they know something.

After the oncologist left, we were taken back to the recovery room where we got to be with Oliver. As always, it is hard for a mother to see her baby hooked up to all these wires. His nurse was super sweet though and it woke up pretty quickly. I had already started pumping because it had been so long since he had eaten. Once he woke up, I tried to feed him but he was still disoriented and had a hard time latching on. Jeremy attempted to feed him what I had already pumped. The nurse said if his vitals were good after he ate, we could go home. We were really surprised because we had been told all along we would have to stay the night. We weren't going to argue though. :) We made it home in time for dinner.

Many people have asked me how I'm holding up. Of course, yesterday was overwhelming. Just having the word cancer mentioned is super scary. He's only 10 weeks old..I just can't fathom it. I definitely cried many times last night, but the Lord has just given me so much peace today. We have prayed, you guys have prayed...so many people have prayed over Oliver and this situation. The Lord is hearing...and I have been given so much peace. The Lord is soverign.. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He formed Oliver perfectly and it is not like He is surprised that this tumor is there. He is going to use it for His glory and that gives me peace.

Please continue to pray for Oliver. Pray that the tumor is only fibrous and will not require any major procedure. Pray that we would continue to rest in the arms of the Lord. Thank you again for your support...it means so much to us!

Couples Who Pray

As Valentine's Day approaches, many people think about what can they do to improve their love life. The husband and wife team of Squire Rusnell and Louise DuArt take the approach that praying just five minutes a day for forty days can dramatically improve your relationship with your spouse. Their tagline states that prayer is the most intimate act between a husband and wife. In their book, they state that these five minutes a day can improve your communication, increase your satisfaction in lovemaking, and raise a greater respect for one another. Marketed as a how to, step by step book, I was excited to jump in and apply it my marriage.

Positive things about the book: It is an easy and quick read. The authors make the content interesting and engaging by mixing statistics with short antidotes from famous actors, athletes, and musicians. I also liked how they included a marriage satisfaction survey for each spouse in the appendix. These surveys are meant to be taken before and after the 40 day challenge for you to see how your marriage has changed. Overall though I was disappointed in the book as a whole. There was no real step by step guide; it was just a book of antidotes on how prayer changed all the stars' lives. While I love how to see the amazing ways the Lord works in people's lives, I didn't feel like it was showed you how to pray with your spouse. The pages were filled with great statistics on how people's satisfaction in their relationship increased after praying together, but lacked practical ways to implement the challenge. While prayer is simply talking to God, it's not always easy for everyone especially new believers. The authors should have included a more step by step process for those who needed it. I feel like the book was a great read but they should change their marketing angle.

Though I was disappointed in the book, I love the concept of it. Jeremy and I have committed to pray together every night before going to bed. We are purposefully taking the time before we close our eyes each night to sit at the feet of the Lord together. I'm excited to see what is going to do our marriage. :)

February= Medical Month

When it rains, it pours.. especially for us this month. All the boys in our family have some kind of medical issue going on.

Oliver...As I wrote about previously, he is scheduled for his MRI tomorrow at 1. Unfortunately, his older brother has shared his cold with him and now he is stuffy and has a cough like a seal. We went to the pediatrician this morning to get it checked out and luckily it is just congestion and nothing else. As long as he doesn't have a fever, he is cleared to have the MRI tomorrow.

Jeremy..2 Fridays ago, Jeremy had this weird dizzy spell that lasted hours and was accompanied by nausea/vomiting. Because he had just worked out, we thought it had to do with that and dismissed it. Well the following Monday, he had another one, this time just after getting up. A third episode occurred on Thursday night, this time being the worst. I finally made him make an appointment with the doctor and he will go in the morning before Oliver's MRI. Vertigo runs in his family and we are thinking this may be the diagnosis but we will wait on the doctor.

Owen..yesterday Owen's physical therapist shared some medical articles with me; she believes she may have found a name for Owen's issues. She believes that he may have gravitational insecurity, which is a sensory processing disorder. You can read about it here and here. I feel like it was one of those lightbulb moments where you are wow. It totally describes Owen and explains his fear of swings, inability to walk up stairs, and his caution when changing to different surfaces. Normally this is something an occupational therapist would work with, not a PT. Therefore after talking with his service coordinator, we are having an OT evaluation on Feb. 21. After reading the articles, it looks like this is caused by a small organ in the ear and it's ability to process changes in gravity. We wonder if it is related to vertigo because that could explain a lot. Poor little guy has also a cold for over a week and it's now turned into a sinus infection. We were prescribed an antibiotic this morning for him this morning at the doctor too.

Surprisingly, I have a peace about it all. I've been studying Isaiah on Tuesday mornings and I have just been reminded of the Lord's soverignity and provision. The Lord is in control of all things and nothing is a surprise to Him. He made my boys exactly as they should be and He gave them to me. They belong to Him and He has given me the job to take care of them while on this Earth. He will give me everything I need to take care of them.

So that's the run down of the boys...we're not going to talk about the pain in my right knee (similar to the one I had in my left knee before surgery)..we have enough going on right now. :)

He Got It Honest

Sometimes I wonder if the food choices of an expecting mother influences the child's food preferences. If it is the case, Owen came by some of his favorites honestly. Two things I craved while pregnant with him were Mexican food and french fries (really healthy I know!). OK let's be honest...I crave those foods all the time..I just got away with it more when I was pregnant.

Last week Owen had a really bad cold and wasn't really digging what I had prepared for dinner. It was a southwest type dish that used a part of a jar of salsa. While waiting on dinner to bake, I was snacking on some chips and salsa. Owen decided that was a better dinner choice.

As you can see, he was excited about having some salsa!
He started with chips..
Then moved to scooping it with his fingers...
Then thought the spoon would be more efficient...notice he's wearing it all over his face now too.

What? You don't eat your salsa with a spoon?
The end result...a messy snotty full little boy.
At least it was veggies. :)

2 Months Old

Happy 2 Month Birthday Oliver! We visited the pediatrician this morning and here are his newest stats:
Weight: 12 lbs. 1 oz (up 3 lbs in a month!) 61 &tile
Height: 22 in, 35 %tile
Head: 15 1/4, 23 %tile

His appointment went well and pretty insignificant except for 2 shots and an oral vaccine. We talked about his upcoming MRI and his continued battle with acid reflux. She has prescribed yet another medicine to help neutralize the acid. He also rolled over during his exam so we may be close to hitting that milestone soon. :)

What he is up to:

• This last week he started smiling and cooing at us. I know I'm partial but I think he has the sweetest smile. :)
• He has a really strong neck and can already hold it up. He also likes to head butt you in the jaw at times. Ouch!
• He doesn't mind tummy time for the most part and will stay there for about 5 or 10 mins at a time.
• He is a great eater and continues to nurse every 3 hours. I think he is eating somewhere between 4 to 5 oz a feeding (judging by what I pump).
• Sleeping wise: he is inconsistent. Some days he is a great napper then others, you will get him to sleep and he'll wake up every time you put him down. As for night sleeping, we finally got a 5 hour stretch last night and I'm hoping this pattern will continue! He does like to be swaddled when he sleeps and normally the swaddle will calm him down when he's wound up.
• Inconsistent is the name of the game for him. Sometimes he likes the pacifier and sometimes he has nothing to do with it. Same goes for the swing and the baby carrier. He's just doesn't know what he wants.
• His poor little face is covered in baby acne. I have to constantly remind myself not to pop the little white bumps. Hopefully it will clear up soon.
• The knob on his right arm continues to stay the same size and doesn't seem to bother him. His MRI and ultrasound are scheduled for February 9th at 1 pm. Sadly I can't feed him after 8 am that day, so I'm a little worried how I am going to keep him pacified when he can't eat for 5 hours. We will have to stay in the hospital that night. :( Thankfully, my mother in law is coming to take care of Owen. Pray that everything will go smoothly and they will be able to see what is in this knob. Pray that is something simple and will not require any major intervention.
  

We lover our little guy so much and can't wait to see what the next month will bring!

Thursday Thirteen

I haven't done Thursday Thirteen in a while but I thought today was a good time to bring it back. Today's installment is 13 things that I love right now.

1. My Camelbak water bottle: It's essential to keep hydrated when you are nursing. I love this bottle for it's size and that you don't have to unscrew a top. I love that it's spill-proof and leak-proof.
2. Miracle blanket: Oliver loves to be swaddled and this is the only blanket where he can't get his arms out. It always seems to calm him down
3. Brest friend nursing pillow: With Owen, I used the Boppy pillow when I nursed him. A friend of a friend suggested this pillow and said it was so much better. Oh my goodness, it is so much better! It gives more support to Oliver and to my back. I had a friend lend me hers so now I have one upstairs and downstairs.
4. ERGO carrier with infant insert: This has been a lifesaver when Oliver just wants to be held. I can use my hands and play with Owen while keeping Oliver happy.
5. My Baby Jogger City Select stroller: This stroller is awesome. You can arrange it 16 different ways but what I love about is that it is easy to push and it's not too long or too wide. Without this stroller, I wouldn't be able to get out anywhere. Thanks Mom and Emma for your help in buying this stroller..it's so worth it!
6. Fireside Coffee mix: This drink mix recipe was given to me by mother-in-law. It's basically instant coffee, nesquick, creamer, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. I made a batch for Owen's teachers/therapists and us before Christmas. We drank it up so fast that I made us another huge batch. I love a huge mug of this every afternoon.
   
7. Green chile chicken and lime soup: I found this recipe last week and we made it the other night when my brother and sister in law came over. It was so yummy! It made tons so I have been eating it for days.
   
8. My new laminator: I got this with some birthday money. I made cute luggage tags for the boys' bags and have all kinds of ideas for future projects.
9. My HOME club ladies: This is my mom's group that meets on Friday mornings at church. They are an awesome group of Godly women who have been so encouraging and supportive since we moved here to Charlotte.
   
10. Sleep: I need more of this right now and I love what little I am getting. :)
11. Insurance: So thankful that we have insurance after seeing what it would have cost me to deliver Oliver.
12. Our 365 project: I love that we are conscientiously taking pictures every day. While some days have been a struggle, it has given us some fun laughs.
    
13. Last but most important, My 3 guys

Trial and Error

FYI: This post is about breastfeeding so if that makes you uncomfortable you can stop reading here. This is for documentation purposes as well as to help other moms who may struggle with this. Come back later for cute pictures of the boys! :)


Last week I wrote about Oliver's all day long, extreme fussiness and how we kind of perplexed as to what was wrong with him. My friend Dora had had a similar situation with her youngest son and she found out she was having an overproduction of milk. Because of this her son was filling up on the foremilk and never getting the hindmilk. The foremilk is thin and full of lactose, which can make the baby's stomach hurt if they don't get the hindmilk to help them process it. She offered up the suggestion of just trying to nurse him on one side so that he was sure to get the hindmilk. It made perfect sense to me so we tried it. Hey, I was up for anything at this point!

The first 2 days of this it seemed to be like the miracle solution. He was so pleasant, even smiling and cooing! Dora was my new hero. Then Thursday rolled around and he was back to his old self. I finally called the doctor to see what her opinions were; of course, it was her day off. I finally get a call back from her on Friday and tell her my thoughts. She thinks it could be the foremilk issue as well and offers up another suggestion. She tells me to pump off an ounce or so before letting him nurse so that he was sure to get the hindmilk. Of course this easier said then done b/c who has time to do this with a screaming kid and a toddler. I waited until Jeremy got home and pumped. I realized my milk had kind of leveled out so I started putting him back on both sides on Friday night.

I am happy to report that I think it is finally working. He was pleasant all weekend unless he was sleepy. We may have turned the corner...keeping my fingers crossed!

(Update: We still don't know the date of the MRI. I found out on Friday that we have been approved by our insurance company for it and are now waiting on the hospital to schedule it. )