Natasha did a wonderful Job

lydia1, originally uploaded by natashahance.

Natasha Hance of NHance Photography, did a wonderful job taking some maternity shots of me so I could capture this pregnancy. They came out just stunning. You should be able to click on this photo to see a few more.

Ice cream for daddy's birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBERT!

10 years ago today I met this wonderful guy celebrating his birthday at a bar and it changed my life. I'm so glad you introduced yourself to me and asked me to dance. You changed my life permanently for the better. Happy Birthday I love you! I'm so glad to have you as my dance partner through this dance called life. Sorry sometimes I try to lead. You are a much better lead that me, and I've always had two left feet.

Baby 4

Daddy entertainment at the mavericks game.

William happy to be driving the car while parked in the drive way.

Baby #4

Where to even begin. This pregnancy has flow by, I've been so wrapped up in dealing with William and Micah's health issues I haven't had much chance to focus on this baby, but the stronger and stronger contractions that I keep getting as delivery draws nearer and nearer and reminding me that this baby will be here soon. The pregnancy has been a breeze, the time has flown by, my blood pressure had been normal, all tests have been normal, and visits with the midwife a breeze too, and movement has been often, and often visible from across the room. I wish I'd have has some sort of baby shower to celebrate this baby, but I'm thinking maybe it was better to save that opportunity for when baby is here and everyone can celebrate his or her safe arrival. I'm 35 weeks now and that gives me roughly 2-8 more weeks to go.

I'm still wondering how things will play out for the birth, will we have the right person to take care of William when it's time. Or also the right person for Micah and Tommy?

Will I be able to get Pictures done before baby arrives.

Then I recently got my baby blankets, and clothes down from the attic to realize that I have one bin that is 0-12 months clothes left, back at the beginning of 2010 I cleaned house had a garage sale and donated almost all of my baby clothes. I have one coming home outfit for a boy and one for a girl, and then we will see how it goes.

I'm nervous and excited, excited to hold a small tiny creature again, my boys are all so big, and nervous to learn where this new baby will fit in our family. I'm sure our hearts will grow, and there will be new room created. I'm hoping this transition will be smoother than the last one, when Micah and William joined. I'm praying for peace, and comfort, and a healthy baby.

I've found myself craving some of the things I enjoyed at the end of my last pregnancy, a Whole Foods Vitamin C water I remember fondly drinking it during my labor slightly frozen. I'm also praying my husband is able to get his business trip safely completed while baby stays tucked inside.

Neurology, Sickness

Willam's neurologist called to update us on the re-read of the MRI that was done at Children's Dallas. The Neurological damage that was seen after his birth is still there, and it's still significant, both sides of his brain, and also his cerebellum.

From Wikipedia:
The cerebellum (Latin for little brain) is a region of the brain that plays an important role in motor control. It is also involved in some cognitive functions such as attention and language, and probably in some emotional functions such as regulating fear and pleasure responses.[1] Its movement-related functions are the most clearly understood, however. The cerebellum does not initiate movement, but it contributes to coordination, precision, and accurate timing. It receives input from sensory systems and from other parts of the brain and spinal cord, and integrates these inputs to fine tune motor activity.[2] Because of this fine-tuning function, damage to the cerebellum does not cause paralysis, but instead produces disorders in fine movement, equilibrium, posture, and motor learning.[2]

She also continued to mention how she couldn't support us not starting him on seizure medication and suggested that we find a new neurologist that would support us in this regard.

I called our pediatrician about this and she also suggested another neurologist that could possibly support us in pursuing our options regarding seizure treatment. We are working with our pediatrician, on improving his nutrition to raise the seizure threshold. We seem to have some success so far, we've gone from seizures once a week in November, and beginning of December to spreading out in December to once every two weeks at the end of December and hopefully back to once a month in January.

I have to admit it's hard looking at him at this point at 2 almost 3 and seeing exactly what he can't do, how he can't participate like his brothers, like his twin. With the constant reminder every day that Micah talks to us, and tells us stories, but William is only able to grunt and smile. But at the same time it's encouraging to see his likes and dislikes and how he communicates those to us. He still tries so hard, you can tell when he wants up by how he hold his hands and tries to lift his head, or if his unhappy with his brothers for how they were too rough, or how he smiles at them when they talk so sweet to him.

Then what makes it even harder is to see him sick, laying down no desire to move, like the spark is gone from his eyes. Struggling for a cough, struggling to breath, struggling to move a single muscle in his body. What's a simple cold for you or I (medina) virus in this case, similar to the flu, or RSV, has wiped him out for 2-3+ weeks. Oxygen Saturation low, coughing fits at night, breathing treatments, sleep schedule all messed up, sleeping till noon every day, unable to eat anything, trouble with liquids even via feeding tube, too much and he's vomiting mucous, too little and he's feverish and dehydrated. A big reminder of why we have to be careful of exposure to sick people. He very easily could have been in the hospital with this one, if it wasn't for the wonderful night nurses giving him fluids, keeping him hydrated, and giving breathing treatments, suctioning, and CPT. For the last two weeks every 3-4 hours at night. We caught it early enough and started the breathing treatments. Also at the beginning the nurses were faithful to show up. So he didn't miss breathing treatments at night.

Just to log for my records

We had another seizure on Dec 26 as we were heading home from Rob's parents house, it lasted about 6-8 minutes. Between 6:30 and 7pm (don't have exact time), we had everything loaded in the car to come home, I noticed he was seizing in dad's arms (had this going the sleep look, but his eyes were off to the left instead of his usual right stare), so I grabbed the pulse ox (130s heart rate, and 100o2), and o2 and other emergency equipment, gave him a little time to come out on his own, and then gave 1mg Valium/diazepam rectally, with in 2 min after the dose he was awake, but very scared tightly clenching mom, and disoriented. I gave aconite for fear homeopathic, and Ruta because of some high tone after the seizure. The aconite calmed him down, and after the Ruta he started vocalizing some. He stayed awake till we got home and fell asleep right before 10pm.

Christmas

We had a great Christmas, the Kids enjoyed tons of toys, and having both grandparents over to watch opening them. The highlights were Tommy got a new bike and some transformers, Micah got a new tricycle as well as tons of Cars from the Movie Cars, and William got lots of table toys, and a Mavericks jersey. Dad got some new underware, and light fixtures, and Mom got some ornaments, a rosary blessed by the pope in Italy, from Rob and Candy's trip to Italy this October, and a St Dymphna medal (St of mentally afflicted/epilepsy). We had christmas morning at home, naps and then headed to my parents house in Plano, then we headed south to Mansfield and Jason and Jenny's house, and finally to Nana's and Papa's for the night. Of course I forgot the Night feeding at home and had to make a "quick" trip to Plano so William could have his night feeding, and I could play night nurse.

2010 christmas card

Leave me a comment with your email/mailing address if you want to receive our christmas card this year :).

Merry Montage Christmas

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Our Weekend

We enjoyed a weekend out without kids, or seizures or anything. it was a wonderful weekend, and Rob and I enjoyed our time together, and just played what we did by ear. We had a great friend to Watch William, Wendy a nurse took her wonderful time to give us a break, and Nana and Papa enjoyed the time keeping Tommy and Micah busy.

We took the time and headed south with no particular destination. We left around 9pm and stopped in Waco for the night, had breakfast the next morning and headed on to San Antonio, we ended up staying on the River-walk and had a great time just enjoying the city. This was our one last get away before our new baby will join our family in February.

PS: This is the first time I've mentioned our new baby we're expecting in February. It's one baby this time, but we're waiting to find out boy or girl till he or she makes an appearance. We're excited to add a new sibling for our boys, and expect that William, Micah and Tommy will all dearly love the newest baby. Everyone is very excited. Tommy even has a name picked out and declares that it will be a Girl named Siena, no matter how hard I've tried to convince him otherwise. Micah used to say he had a baby in his belly too. We love reading books about new babies arriving, like "Welcome with Love" and "Angel in the Waters".

More seizures

Dec 9th 30+ min Seizure during our 24 hour EEG lead to EEG being called off, and transport to the hospital, started with a big jerk to the right and then spaced out to the left. Stopped seizure with 1mg Valium, and gave o2 during seizure as a precaution.

Dec 11th 90+ min Seizure, Jerking hand and head tonic clonic in motion, was given 3 mg Valium each mg separated by 30 min before seizure stopped. Breathing stable, and Valium given orally because still able to swallow.

William's Seizures

William has been having seizures about once a month, with an increase in frequency around some adjustments we've made in William's medicine. Currently we're using his Valium to treat the seizures till we get into see a new neurologist.

Seizure Dates (so I have them for my record):
July HEAT Related (unknown sunday) about 1pm gave valium and H2O 1mg 8oz
August (26th) HEAT Related gave valium and H2O 1mg ER Ambulance visit CT Scan
September (19th) HEAT Related
October (16th) HEAT Related ER Visit 1.5 mg valium followed by vommiting
November (6th) Right after feeding at home sat morning resolved with homeopathic remedies/on it's own.
November (14th) (daily valium lowered one week prior) Diastat valium 5mg followed by coma for 7 hrs
November (18th) Medication discontinued after Diastat Twitching on the right side hand and face, medication restarted
December (5th) missed valium dose previous day, and pulled off of suppliments due to urine catch, short seizures multiple 2 am several in the evening space out type, resolved without treatment, followed by tiredness and sucking

Our Pedi is doing a urine test to test for the cause of the seizures, we see a new neuro on the 16th of December, we have MRI scheduled for Tuesday the 7th, and 24 hr EEG for Thursday the 9th. Our Pedi's chiro is treating for parasites he's found in the gut with nutrition analysis.

Tommys hit

> The funny thing is Tommy was on 2nd when the batter hit it to the pitcher. He ran to 3rd and the pitcher ran home. Tommy then without anyone saying anything ran home. The pitcher never saw him until Tommy slid under him as he stood on home base. Antlers Up!
>

William's Gardian Angel

We had an experience with William's Angel recently, he's been having heat related seizures, and needs medicine for them to stop. Also, needs O2/breathing treatments with them. We were at brother's Baseball game, and the alarm went off at the house, and I get a call from the police, I try to tell them to just leave it alone and let it go I'm sure it's nothing, but they were already headed out to check on it, he says he'll call me back when he gets to the house, so then Rob get's another call about the front door going off again, and then 5 min later another call about the back door going off. I tell him just ignore it it's the police searching the house, and I'm sure all it fine, he's about to leave to go tend to it. Then he makes another snide comment to me about it, so I grab William and head home to take care of nothing. Police man calls to say everything is fine at the house and it's nothing he could find. On the way home I realize that William's eyes look like he might be headed into a seizure (we've had 3 or 4 before). So I get home, house is fine, and he's in seizure mode so I put him on the couch and try to take care of him, hook up his pulse ox and o2 etc (which I have BECAUSE I"M HOME ALL BECAUSE of the ALARM), give him medicine. Anyway seizure lasts he drops o2 while on oxygen (but only for a second, and quickly recovers as long as he's on o2), so I call 911, and we go to hosp (only get o2 and suction at the hospital). And spend the next 6 hrs in the ER sleeping and recovering, and watching the Rangers Win :).

But the angel part is the alarm that started the whole thing was a HALLWAY alarm, the whole reason I was home around the medicine, O2, and pulse ox is because of the HALLWAY alarm. Nothing was in the HALLWAY that could have set it off, and it's pointed level with the ground to not pick up the dog, and the dog never sets it off. I'm convinced the more I think about it, William's Guardian Angel was playing with the alarm that day.

We now have O2, Pulse Ox (finger kind), O2 mask, Meds, NG Tube, Breathing Treatment, Neb kit, etc all packed on the wheelchair.

Tommys first hit out of the air!

Tommy did a great job at his baseball game and hit it out of the air while the coach was pitching the ball instead of off the tee. I'm so proud of him.

Unfortunately I was home/ER With William, he had another episode brought on by heat today. We've had these about once a month, for the past 3 months. They seem to last from 30-45 min before he comes out of it. During these times he needs o2 and breath very shallow. Luckily we have O2 at home now, and 2 of the times we've been able to deal with it at home. This one we probably could have dealt with at home also, as all the ER did was give O2 for the first 30 min, and suction him; both of which could have been done at home.

Sleeping with pumpkins 2

Tommy took one too.

Sleeping with pumpkins

Lydia bought gourds and pumpkins to decorate the tables at our house. Micah played with one most of the night and decided that he wanted to take the pumpkin to bed with him too.

Made it to Church on Time by myself

Made it to Church on time by myself with all 3 kids, and even made a stop before getting to church.

What was even better Micah was pushing the Walker, Tommy pushing the wheelchair with William in it, and I had my hands free where I could have had the new baby in them post arrival in Feb!  They were great big helpers!