And we were off to D.C...

I have a lot of pictures I need to upload but for now I will simply tell you the story of our adventures in Washington D.C.  As we all know by now Keri has a heart condition and in order to figure out how severe the heart valve is Keri needed to have a cardiac MRI. It seemed like something simple however as it turns out nothing is simple with our family.  Apparently none of the major hospitals in North Carolina (like Duke, Wake, UNC) could do this cardiac MRI so we were told we were off to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington DC to get this done! Walter Reed is one of the major military hospitals. When soldiers get wounded while deployed they get sent there to help in their recovery. I was pretty excited to see it. It has some pretty great history but that is for another blog by someone with a lot more knowledge than me on the subject. 

As it turned out Keri and I had been wanting to take a trip to D.C. and now that he had to be sent to Walter Reed we thought it was perfect. We could mix a little business with pleasure.  The MRI was going to take two hours and Shannon said she would go with us so I could go to the hospital with Keri during the test. We left early on Monday Feb 11th and arrived around dinner time in Bethesda, Maryland.  The military was putting us up in a Mariott the first night and Keri found one a few miles away from the hospital.  We had some chinese take out and called it a night. The next day we were up bright and early for the MRI.  Let me just tell you Walter Reed is HUGE! We walked for days to find the right part of the hospital where they do the MRI'S. Luckily they had some candy out at the desk because I had worked up an appetite with all that walking! Keri was taken back after about an hour and I nestled into a comfortable seat to wait and of course to gawk at all the men in uniform walking by. Keri got done with his test and we headed back to the hotel. Since we were staying a few days we decided it would be cheaper to stay on Andrews AFB instead of staying in the Mariott. We arrived and man was I impressed with Andrews AFB. Andrew's claim to fame (in my mind) is that it houses Air Force One in one of their hangars. Pretty cool! We checked into TLF and headed back into D.C. Now for someone reason when I told Cambree we were going to Washington D.C. she kept talking about seeing a train.  I had NO IDEA what she was talking about until she said Chuggington.  Chuggington is a show on Disney JR about a train.  Now the train part made sense by I wasn't sure why she thought she would see Chuggington in D.C. She informed me Chuggington lived there. (Duh!) On the drive in she was so excited to see this train. Obviously I was feeling bad because I knew she wasn't going to see this train so as we came close to the city I happen to see a train go by. Thinking quick I told her "Cambree, it is Chuggington." She was SOOOOO excited. She was like it really IS Chuggington.  I was feeling very proud of myself when she asked "Where is Koko??" (Another train from that blasted show!) 

Well we parked the car and headed towards the Washington Monument. I had been to D.C. once when I was a kid.  I only have a few memories of it so I was glad to be back.  We walked around and saw everything in the National Mall. Buddy was soooo happy to run all the way from the monument to the Lincoln Memorial. Coincidentally we were at the Lincoln Memorial on Abraham Lincoln's birthday. After our looooooong afternoon of walking we retired to our TLF room. The next day we decided the white house and the capitol were top on our list of things to see.  We parked our car and walked foooooooooooorevvvvvvvvvver to the White House. On the way we passed a huge group of Asian tourists. They were all smiling at the twins and one stopped and actually took their picture.  Once we got to the white house it happened again. I turned around and an Asian couple TOOK TURNS taking pictures with Cambree.  I smile when I think about them going home to their families and my kids being a part of their vacation to America. We didn't stay long at the white house (Keri turned cranky for whatever reason) and we decided to hop back in the car for the capitol.  Keri dropped Shan and I off and we wandered around the capitol without the kids. After that we were all freezing and tired so we went back to Andrew's.  That night Shan and I drove in the SNOW to meet up with an old friend Michael Priem.  Our families were stationed together in West Point a thousand years ago.  We had a good dinner and had fun chatting! The next morning we got up, Shan and I went shopping at the BX (I think Cambree owns the entire Osh Kosh B'gosh line this year! It is SO cute!) and we headed home.  All in all it was a fun trip! I was glad to check one more thing off our list of places to go visit.  Next up, New York!!!  In the meantime we will wait for the results of the cardiac MRI!  

More sickness than holiday cheer!

While the holiday's are officially over now the memories I have of them this year are sick kids! I find it completely crazy to think we were never sick in England. Like ever! Now all of a sudden my kids are sick all the time. I cannot keep them healthy! I don't know if it has something to do with the three of them being so little and so close in age. I truly can't figure out how to keep them healthy. 

We decided to have Thanksgiving with my sister at her house this year and on the drive up Ashley (who rarely gets sick) looked awful. I was pretty sure she had her first ever pink eye. Her nose wouldn't stop running. She kept whimpering softly in her seat on the drive up.  I told Keri once we got to Shannon's house we needed to drop Cam and Buddy off and go right to an Insta Care with Ashley so that is exactly what we did.  Turns out Ashley had pink eye and strep. Fabulous. The doctor said Ashy's tonsils looked awful! Well OF COURSE it didn't take long for Buddy to start to look awful... then of course Cam. This was all within a night.  Cambree had the WORST cough. She is prone to bronchitis so I knew that is what she had.  Buddy started to get the pink gross eyes and looked awful. I made the mistake of sleeping with Buddy and Cambree that night to keep an eye on them so of course I got sick.  That weekend of Thanksgiving Cambree had trouble breathing. We were minutes away from rushing her to the ER in the middle of the night because she couldn't get breaths in. She kept gasping for air. I tried to calm her down and finally got her to take some deep breaths. I was so scared to go to bed after that. Our anniversary was the day after Thanksgiving and my amazing sister babysat the sicklings so Keri and I could go out and celebrate our five loooooooooong years of marriage. Well by the time we got home from Thanksgiving Buddy looked like death. We actually had to take Cambree to the ER because she was had trouble breathing again. The ER docs said she had *surprise* bronchitis. It was Buddy I was worried about however. I have never EVER seen him that sick. Under his eyes were black and blue and his eyes were all pink. We got the kids into the doctor and the doctor took one look at Buddy and said this is one very sick kid.  She immediately gave him a shot of penecillian and an oral prescription for an antibotic. She said the infection is what was causing Buddy's eyes to buldge out and turn black and blue. It also turns out the ER doctors failed to mention Cambree's ear infection. She went home with a prescription for Prednisone to try and get rid of that pesky bronchitis and an antibotic. It took a good week for the kids to start to feel better. 

Next came Christmas. This year we were able to fly home to Utah for Christmas! We were all so excited! (Well most of us lol.) Cambree kept counting down the days til we got on the plane. At first she was scared and kept insisting she was driving in mommy's van to Grandma's house but as it got closer she decided she could fly.  Well a few days before we were due to fly Cambree started throwing up. OF COURSE. She had no other symptoms of the flu however.... she was just running high fever's and throwing up. Well I had no idea how we were suppose to take her on the plane throwing up. Luckily one of my friends had some children's phenegren she gave us! *Shew*  We made the plane ride okay.  Taking three kids that are 3 and under isn't fun! The twins weren't 2 yet so we were able to fly with them for free... the catch of course being they had to sit on our laps! Cambree had a small melt down on the plane but the twins were pretty great! Well we got to Grandma's house and Cambree started throwing up again so we had to take her to our favorite place..the ER. Turns out she had her first ever Urinary Tract Infection. Well a few days after that grandma got sick... then I got sick.... then *surprise* Ashley got sick.  She kept throwing up all day long. She refused to eat or drink and didn't have any wet diapers.... can you guess where we ended up? The ER. We actually had the same nurse as with Cambree. (I swear I saw more of this nurse than I did my actual friends!)  Ashy ended up having to be hooked up to an IV to get some fluids. Wouldn't you know once we got the IV in and the board under her arm to keep her arm still... she threw up all over.  It was a quick wardrobe change and the IV had to be redone.  We were probably there for 4 hours... we had this amazing guy that kept checking on us and even brought us drinks.  KK was the one who was with me so we kicked back and watched tv while Ashy got her fluids. It was actually pretty relaxing which is sad. The day after the ER trip Ashy started to do much better so I'm super glad we got her in!  Well the rest of the trip went pretty well. We had a great time. We took the kids to see Santa. KK and I took Cam Cam to see "The Rise of the Guardians" which I LOVED.  KK and I went into gateway to do some shopping and went to see "The Forgotten Carols"... when we got home around 11pm Mom had the idea to go to Macy's  for some late night shopping. We didn't get out of Macy's til around 1am.  That was a fun memory of Christmas. I got to see so many of my amazing friends that I miss my dearly as well as a few relatives! Shaun, Keri, and I got to go see Les Mes. Well by the time we were due to leave Kelly was sick as well as my day so the night before we were leaving guess who was sick again? Cambree!!! (I swear they have no immune system!)  The plane ride was downright awful. The worst trip home anyone could ever have.  The kids starting crying from the second we got the airport.  I don't think Ashley stopped screaming til we got home.  She stayed up the entire time screaming her little baby lungs off.  I have never been more frazzled in my whole life.  A few days after we got home Cambree ended back up in the ER.  We had been alternating tylonel with motrin all night and around 5am she was as hot as I have ever felt anyone.  We gave her motrin and Keri took her to the ER and when she got there her temperature was still 102.  They had a hard time getting her fever down.  Ashley got sick next with the horribly high fever.  The only one who didn't get sick... the one person who USUALLY gets sick..... didn't.  That is a small blessing. Through all of this Buddy was the only one who didn't get sick.  I'm holding my breath however.

Well by New Years Eve everyone was FINALLY feeling better!!!!!!!!! *Hallelujia*  My only New Years resolution this year is to try to find a way to keep my kids healthy!!!!! I have no idea how to do it but I'm going to try. This mommy can't keep having sick kids.  Buddy actually goes back to the ENT in a few weeks and he already told us we had to take the "next steps" with Buddy which is getting his tonsils out.  I will do anything to keep Buddy healthy.  He was sick the entire year of 2012.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 2013 is a fun HEALTHY year!!!!! (Cross your fingers with me!)

The other shoe dropped..

Since I'm fairly certain no one actually reads this I am keeping this more as a journal to remember events, celebrations, and of course bad news that can change your life. We seem to be getting a lot of bad news lately and then we got some more.  About three weeks ago Keri was told my his cardiologist that upon review of his CT scan that the radiologist found something. His lymph nodes down in his chest by his ribs was abnormal. Typically when something like this shows up it is either just a benign mass or it is cancer. This is definitely not the kind additional news you want to hear after you've already found out you have a heart condition.  Well the next struggle for him has been trying to get an appointment with the Pulmonologist so we can confirm if this is nothing to worry about or if this is cancerous. Now I'm not the type to think doom and gloom. When I hear news I automatically assume it will be fine.  My dad actually had a scare a few years ago. They thought he had lymphoma. They did a biopsy right away and it was fine. Not cancer.  Now the problem we were running into was the doctors office wasn't being too helpful in scheduling this appointment so Keri could see the Pulmonologist. They were telling him they needed HIM to send over the CT scan and the reports.  He emailed them over and they said they couldn't open the format he sent it in. It has just been super frustrating to deal with. Now two weeks after trying to make an appointment he FINALLY got one but not until Dec 4th. I don't know how you tell someone you have possible cancer but then make them wait so long to find out.  The medical world can definitely be very frustrating to deal with. In this case it seems negligent as we could be potentially dealing with something deadly. It's not the sort of thing you take two weeks on to just make an appointment. 

Now we just have to wait to find out. The waiting is the worst. Luckily we have Thanksgiving at my sisters in a few days to look forward to and of course the trip to Utah for Christmas! Although thinking of taking Buddy on a plane for six hours strikes fear into my heart. He lives to run and being coped up in a seat in a plnne thousands of feet in the air is going to be torture for him and the rest of us.  In other news, due to Keri's medical problems we will definitely be getting medically retired from the military.  I have such mixed feelings about this. I truly thought we would be in the military the full 20 years. Keri already has 8 years in. I thought we'd be back overseas in a few years hating life. (Okay not hating per say..) I truly have found an amazing place in North Carolina. It isn't so much the actual location but the people. I have found and developed some amazing friendships. Cambree has some amazing friends to include a best friend who is more like a sister. This will be very sad to walk away from. The humidity on the other hand will not. It is crazy how quick the course you thought you were walking can change. The only thing that is comforting is that no matter where we go in life I have three of the most incredible children and a fabulous husband. In the end I guess that is all that truly matters. 

The WORST decision I've ever made...

The best thing about Buddy was definitely his killer hair. He had the most fabulous locks. Whenever we would go out he was always attracting attention. Ladies were always stopping us to comment on his hair. It was to die for. These perfectly curled locks. I would just have to bath him and let it dry and it would spring into these perfect curls. The last I bathed him his wet hair came way past his shoulders. I knew I it was time for his first hair cut but I REALLY didn't want to do it.  Like really didn't want to.  Well today after the twins doctor appointment we bravely stepped into the barber shop on Base. The lady who took us to the chair was pretty hideous. Buddy had initially been crying prior to sitting in the chair so she seemed worried about cutting his hair but once we sat down he was fine.  This lady did a HORRIBLE job. It was uneven. It was a sad mess. I was almost in tears. It was awful. I knew immediately I had made a bad decision. His delicious curls were gone possibly forever. In my grief (yes grief) I took a picture of his curls on the floor. He had so much hair and now it was gone into a bad hack job! I was hoping once I got him home and tried to style it it would be better. It wasn't. I frantically texted my friend Heidi and told her I needed her help. Luckily she told me to come right over and she fixed it. It looked so much better but I just felt sad. I know this is silly to be this upset about it but I am. He had the best hair of anyone in the family. It was so sad after we got home he was doing his signature high step where his curls bounce and there were no curls to bounce. I have been doing double takes all day at him because he doesn't look like my Buddy anymore. My sister joked that we will have to call him Austin now cause Buddy is gone. Here is to hoping his hair grows back fast and curly again someday SOON!!!                              
                                                                     Before

and after

And I thought he was faking!!!

Well life is certainly never dull. I'm happy to report Buddy is doing really good since his surgery but of course another issue has popped up.  We just found out Keri has a pretty serious heart problem. Let's start from the beginning when he started complaining of chest pains. Now granted I didn't know what to think but I wasn't thinking it was anything serious. If we are being honest Keri can be a bit dramatic at times. Well he took a few trips to the ER over the course of a month for these chest pains and finally and Keri was telling me all these things the doctors said it could be.  Of COURSE I was thinking it was probably nothing and wasn't paying too much attention to it. (I know, pretty awful.) Well they ran some tests including a "tee" which is a scope that looks at your heart and they informed him he had bicuspid aortic valve.  Boy were we ALL shocked. Here is a quick summary of what bicuspid aortic valve is according to the internet:

The aortic valve is a one-way valve between the heart and the aorta, the main artery from the heart that distributes oxygen-rich blood to the body. Normally, the aortic valve has three small flaps or leaflets that open widely and close securely to regulate blood flow, allowing blood to flow from the heart to the aorta and preventing blood from flowing backwards into the heart.

. The bicuspid aortic valve may not be completely effective at stopping blood from leaking back into the heart. This is called aortic regurgitation. The aortic valve may also become stiff and not open up as well, causing the heart to have to pump harder than usual to get blood past the valve. The heart then must pump that same blood out again, causing strain on the heart’s lower left chamber, the left ventricle. Over time, the ventricle will dilate, or over-expand. The main symptom of aortic valve regurgitation is shortness of breath during exertion, like walking up stairs.

Okay, so there are 2 scary things about him having this condition. #1- He could be fine one minute and literally have a problem and die.  An athlete that has this condition could drop dead on the court. Keri says one of his favorite wrestlers that had this was driving a car and died. So the doctor told us if Keri has any chest pains small or big.. get into the ER as soon as possible. #2- The condition is hereditary so now we have to have all of our kids checked. The doctor had heard a heart murmur in Ashley when she was little so we are mostly concerned about her. Keri's sister has to get checked as well. Luckily today we had to take the twins in for their check ups so the pediatrician put in for referrals for all the kids to get checked. How they check is they do an ultrasound basically so now I'm thinking ahead to a technician trying to do an ultrasound on Buddy. Yeah that is so NOT going to go over well. 

So the next steps for Keri now is to go to UNC to get an cardiac MRI and a cardiac cauterization to determine how severe his bicuspid aortic valve is.  If it is severe he is looking at open heart surgery immediately to replace the valve. If it is moderate he can put off the surgery for about 5 years. This also means Keri will be getting medically retired from the military. 

So that is the big news right now in our family.  The silver lining in all of this is that if one of the kids does have this as well.. it will be discovered and fixed early on. And that is truly a blessing.

Trials of having a Buddy!

Let me start by saying I have a million pictures I need to post but that will come.  I was just sitting here amongst the chaos... you know Cambree demanding another cup AND a blanket because she is soooo cold.. Ashley standing on top of the kids picnic table talking a mile a minute in her Ashley babble... and sweet little Buddy.. who is quietly watching tv while sucking on a pacifier and clutching another one in his hands... and I thought now is the perfect time to update my blog,

My focus on this blog will mostly be Buddy. Curly, browned eyed, everybody-stops-and-comment- on-how -cute-he-is Buddy. Since the second week in July Buddy has been sick. One double ear infection after another. He has been in and out of the doctor and has had at least five double ear infections and scarlet fever (which is strep throat with a horrible "scarlet" rash) twice all since July. The worst part is we had been dealing with a pediatric doctor at Pope Health Clinic that twice told us his ear infection had cleared up and twice we had to take him into an Insta Care and ER to find out it was indeed not cleared up.  This lady kept telling us she was going to put in a referal to ENT and then never did.  It was just a mess. At Buddy's worse he was completely lethargic. He would literally lay on the bed all day not moving. For a toddler that is the most abnormal and saddest thing to watch in the world. The last ear infection he had happened to be when we were vacationing in Florida for Labor Day. Buddy was back to acting sick. Laying down with his ear to the floor to play. Not eating. Not sleeping. No energy. It was hard to watch. We took him into the Insta Care and surprise... double ear infection and strep throat.  That was our final straw.  We had just seen this pediatric doctor the day we left for Florida and she had said everything was cleared up.  Keri got on the phone and the best they could do for a referral was Oct 9th which was over a month away. The whole process was just so frustrating. We took Buddy in to a different clinic on Base and we got the doctor to help us be able to take Buddy off base somewhere since they clearly were too busy on base to worry about a 20 month old with chronic ear infections.

Yesterday we took the 50 minute drive to the city of Cary and finally saw the ENT.  It was decided in a hurry that not only did Buddy need tubes in his ears but he needed to have his adenoids out in order to help him finally start to feel better.  I was so relieved we were finally on the path to help Buddy feel like a normal person again.  We were able to schedule the surgery for Friday so we had to come up with a plan really quick.  The hospital is 50 minutes away from our house and we have to be there with Buddy at 5:45 am.  Naturally the issue would be what to do with Cams and Ashley during the surgery. The thought of having to take Buddy by myself was sad. My sister lives an hour and 40 minutes away but she had her sons birthday party that day. She offered to have us drop the kids off at her house but with all the driving it really wasn't the best solution. Luckily things came together fast and Keri's mother Dana booked her plane ticket to come out and help us.  What an amazing mother in law I have! We are so lucky she was able and more than willing to help us out!!  This took so much stress off of all of us! The next few days are going to be jammed packed as we get ready for the surgery.  I have to take Buddy back up for a pre op on Wednesday and Dana will be flying in on Thursday.  Keri and I thought it would be easiest if we get a hotel close to the hospital Thursday night so we aren't having to head out at like 3:30am to get there Friday morning.  Really I feel so blessed things have worked out and Buddy doesn't have to wait long to get the tubes in.  His tonsils were already red and swollen again at the visit so I'm sure getting his tonsils out will be coming in the next few years.  It kills me that you always have that one person in your family with the medical problems.  Lucky for me Cams & Ashley may be my little diva's but they are typically pretty healthy. As I write this Cambree has been battling bronchitis however.  How we get things like scarlet fever and bronchitis while we are home 95% of the time is beyond me however!

I will update everyone after the surgery on Buddy's progress. I look forward to the day I don't have to watch Buddy lay on the floor to play with his cars anymore!!

Beauty is pain!!

So there I was....blow drying Cambree's long hair... plugging in the pink straightener and straightening Cambree's long hair.... putting her on the counter and pulling out the pink nail polish. Painting her toes and then adding glitter. Sometimes I think I spend more time making my 3 year old pretty than I do making myself look pretty.  I put her in her new cute halloween pajama's and she slips on her cute pink butterfly wings. I have got to say she might just be the cutest 3 year old on the block but boy is it work!! One day she better look back at her cute pictures and appreciate everything :)