THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2008 12:23 AM, EST
Happy Birthday Baby Jesus and Merry Christmas to everyone.
This morning was an important day for us because Brianna had an appointment for an ultrasound of her abdomen. Babies with Trisomy 18 are at high risk of cancer, tumors, and abnormalities of internal organs. Therefore it is advised to have ultrasounds every six months of their abdomens. Yet today was the first one that we had because I only recently came upon the information that we should have her checked every six months. Guess that is what happens when we are 'pioneers' in this field. One can only imagine the anxiety we felt taking her in for this exam this morning...what will the outcome be? Well, to say the least we received the best Christmas present ever....Brianna's kidneys, liver and bladder were free of any abnormalities....yehhhhhhhh. What an extra celebration we will have this Christmas day.
Blessings to everyone.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Dear Old Santa Claus
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008 11:02 PM, EST
Well here I am visiting with that dear old man Santa Claus and I wasn't scared not one tiny bit. I will be celebrating 20 months of life in a couple of days. Amazing.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Christmas Cookies
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 06, 2008 10:19 PM, EST
Oh, what a wonderful time we had making candy and cookies today with friends and family. I'm sure Bri must miss her daddy. He's away for seven days on a business trip. I know I miss him! Anyway, we're tired and headed to bed. Good night all.
Bri with her Reindeer Cookie
and my best friend Veronica and her daughter Miranda with their reindeer cookies
Oh, what a wonderful time we had making candy and cookies today with friends and family. I'm sure Bri must miss her daddy. He's away for seven days on a business trip. I know I miss him! Anyway, we're tired and headed to bed. Good night all.
Bri with her Reindeer Cookie
and my best friend Veronica and her daughter Miranda with their reindeer cookies
Thursday, December 4, 2008
19 Months Old
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2008 10:07 PM, EST
Back to the doctor today for Bri's 18 month checkup (she is 19 months). Dr. Chaban made me feel really good. He told me what a fantastic mother I am to Brianna. That Jerry and I should be proud of ourselves for the care we give her. Something I don't quite understand...doesn't every parent give their child this type of love and care? Don't answer that. I already know. Anyway. Bri's lungs are clear (Yeahhhhh!!!) and she looks fantastic. Still weighs only 20 lbs which concerns me a little. She hasn't gained any weight (not has she lost any) in the last month. I spoke to her dietician yesterday and we are upping her caloric intake to see if that will add some weight to her. She is just so darn cute. She is like this little person. No longer a 'baby' although since she is petite, she is often mistaken for a 'baby'. And talk about a personality....I can't tell you how excited I am about this holiday season. Last year it was bittersweet. At that time in my mind I thought it was going to be the only Christmas with Bri and honestly, it was a very difficult time and now the only way to describe it is that I feel like I won the lottery....another year, another holiday season with both of our girls. I am on top of the world!!! God is so good.
Blessings to you and your family.
Please be sure to read the next four or five postings. It took that many to get current.
Back to the doctor today for Bri's 18 month checkup (she is 19 months). Dr. Chaban made me feel really good. He told me what a fantastic mother I am to Brianna. That Jerry and I should be proud of ourselves for the care we give her. Something I don't quite understand...doesn't every parent give their child this type of love and care? Don't answer that. I already know. Anyway. Bri's lungs are clear (Yeahhhhh!!!) and she looks fantastic. Still weighs only 20 lbs which concerns me a little. She hasn't gained any weight (not has she lost any) in the last month. I spoke to her dietician yesterday and we are upping her caloric intake to see if that will add some weight to her. She is just so darn cute. She is like this little person. No longer a 'baby' although since she is petite, she is often mistaken for a 'baby'. And talk about a personality....I can't tell you how excited I am about this holiday season. Last year it was bittersweet. At that time in my mind I thought it was going to be the only Christmas with Bri and honestly, it was a very difficult time and now the only way to describe it is that I feel like I won the lottery....another year, another holiday season with both of our girls. I am on top of the world!!! God is so good.
Blessings to you and your family.
Please be sure to read the next four or five postings. It took that many to get current.
So Much to Be Thankful For
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2008 09:17 PM, EST
Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much we have to be thankful for. Ashley has turned into a remarkable young lady. She went to Eagle Rock, TN for a 4 day retreat with the youth group (but was back in time for Thanksgiving). My mother, sister and her husband, nephew and fiance (and her mother), in-laws, and our 4 enjoyed Thanksgiving at our house. It was a wonderful time. The only thing is that Brianna was not well. A couple of days prior to Thanksgiving she started coughing and was congested. We were hopeful that she could fight it off by herself but Friday after Thanksgiving off to the doctor we went and she was put on an antibiotic and breathing treatments, 4 times a day. That's all it took. By Saturday afternoon, what a change. Whew. The toll it takes on Jerry and I when Brianna is not well is so stressful. You see when she shows the slightest illness we go into combat mode....and I know that I can't help but think....is this it? Is this the illness that is going to be fatal? Don't misunderstand and think that I am a negative person, it's just that anything, we don't know what thing, could be fatal to Brianna. The things that other children brush off (and parent's too) could be what takes her life. Life on the edge. That's what we live. Every day.
Thanksgiving. Words cannot describe how much we have to be thankful for. Ashley has turned into a remarkable young lady. She went to Eagle Rock, TN for a 4 day retreat with the youth group (but was back in time for Thanksgiving). My mother, sister and her husband, nephew and fiance (and her mother), in-laws, and our 4 enjoyed Thanksgiving at our house. It was a wonderful time. The only thing is that Brianna was not well. A couple of days prior to Thanksgiving she started coughing and was congested. We were hopeful that she could fight it off by herself but Friday after Thanksgiving off to the doctor we went and she was put on an antibiotic and breathing treatments, 4 times a day. That's all it took. By Saturday afternoon, what a change. Whew. The toll it takes on Jerry and I when Brianna is not well is so stressful. You see when she shows the slightest illness we go into combat mode....and I know that I can't help but think....is this it? Is this the illness that is going to be fatal? Don't misunderstand and think that I am a negative person, it's just that anything, we don't know what thing, could be fatal to Brianna. The things that other children brush off (and parent's too) could be what takes her life. Life on the edge. That's what we live. Every day.
Chicago, Here we Come!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2008 09:00 PM, EST
At last posting we were headed to Chicago for our first family trip out of town
and Bri was such a trooper. Check out this airport picture...
At the time we were concerned about her ears hurting (more on that later) and her screaming in the airplane, people complaining, blah, blah, blah and heck if she didn't come out smelling like a rose. In true Brianna form, once we hit Chicago, that child didn't sleep except at night when all of us went to sleep. She has never been one to miss a thing. All day long, awake and happy. Just amazing. To make a long story short, all of us had a fantastic time. Ashley and Bri had a 'sleepover'...what an excellent babysitter, yeah?
while Jerry and I attended the wedding reception. The worse of the trip was all of the stuff we had to pack and take....but well worth the memories.
Here's Jerry and his great friend Sal and another picture of Ashley. I love these pictures.
At last posting we were headed to Chicago for our first family trip out of town
and Bri was such a trooper. Check out this airport picture...
At the time we were concerned about her ears hurting (more on that later) and her screaming in the airplane, people complaining, blah, blah, blah and heck if she didn't come out smelling like a rose. In true Brianna form, once we hit Chicago, that child didn't sleep except at night when all of us went to sleep. She has never been one to miss a thing. All day long, awake and happy. Just amazing. To make a long story short, all of us had a fantastic time. Ashley and Bri had a 'sleepover'...what an excellent babysitter, yeah?
while Jerry and I attended the wedding reception. The worse of the trip was all of the stuff we had to pack and take....but well worth the memories.
Here's Jerry and his great friend Sal and another picture of Ashley. I love these pictures.
I can hear, I can hear
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 04, 2008 09:09 PM, EST
Bri has been having such problems with her ears. When she was in the hospital in June, it took 4 days to figure out that the problem was fluid in her ears. Problem is that her ears are so tiny that the doctor can't see inside of them. Looking back, we believe she has had a chronic ear infection since April. One that antibiotics couldn't clear up 100%. So off to the Ear Nose and Throat Doc. Thank goodness for experienced doctors here in Orlando. We decided to attempt to have tubes placed in her ears for drainage. I say attempt because even the highly experienced doc wasn't sure if he would be able to place the tubes in her ears. The procedure day came and Praise be to God that yes, he was able to place the tubes in her ears. (That was about 6 weeks ago). The doctor said that she could probably hear 30 decibels higher. We noticed a change in her immediately. Interesting thing is that she used to be startled easily, now she's not. Hmmm.
Bri has been having such problems with her ears. When she was in the hospital in June, it took 4 days to figure out that the problem was fluid in her ears. Problem is that her ears are so tiny that the doctor can't see inside of them. Looking back, we believe she has had a chronic ear infection since April. One that antibiotics couldn't clear up 100%. So off to the Ear Nose and Throat Doc. Thank goodness for experienced doctors here in Orlando. We decided to attempt to have tubes placed in her ears for drainage. I say attempt because even the highly experienced doc wasn't sure if he would be able to place the tubes in her ears. The procedure day came and Praise be to God that yes, he was able to place the tubes in her ears. (That was about 6 weeks ago). The doctor said that she could probably hear 30 decibels higher. We noticed a change in her immediately. Interesting thing is that she used to be startled easily, now she's not. Hmmm.
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