Do I beat my kid?

You certainly might think so by looking at Madeline's face. The poor thing, her head has found almost every hard object possible. When Mary and Jason were so kind to take care of the girls when I had all of my tests on Friday, Jason was put to the test when Madeline's forehead met with the metal stair at the park. Poor Jason was probably more traumatized then Madz! Yesterday, as the three dogs were running top speed to be the first canine out the door to go potty, Madeline was thrown to the ground, with her mouth making full contact with the deck - fat lip. Then today, when she was in "sibling care" while Emma and I were in school, the magnet in Madeline's lip again met with the little slide in her classroom. So much for looking like a petite young thing. I am pretty sure that Madeline is a little boy in a girls body.

After school, we packed into the car to head to another doctores appointment. This time it was actually just my "girlie" exam. I really do look forward to these. No, it is not just a fondness for the stirrups, I really do love my doctor! He is terrific! So, I look forward to chatting with him. Today, was a day to fill him in on all of the new things going on in our life. Dr. Nadeau said that he has several patients that have MS and many of them have been pregnant or are currently pregnant and there are not any complications. So if that is in our cards, there are no problems from his end. He also mirrored what my neurologist said, that there is no reason that you cannot conduct your life the same way that I have been, I will not die and that medicine has so many options that are coming out all the time. It is so nice to have all of the people that are educated in this stuff giving me positive feedback.


We couldn't pass up the beautiful weather after naps. I tested the child labor laws and put the girls to work. We raked up a pile of leaves to play in. Lots of laughs.




After dinner, we found that the pumpkin fairy had visited our backyard. The girls went hunting and found their perfect canvasses for carving. Oh, the joy of kids! Such a reward.

Back into the land of the living! Realizing that I had not been out of the house since Friday - beside my trip to the hospital on Monday - I was anxious to get the swing of things.

A trip to Big Lots with my girlfriend, Jane and her granddaughter Mia, proved to be successful for a Sleeping Beauty Tiara and new sippy cups - everything that I do not need, but was certain to go home with. I don't think that Madeline has yet to realize that the baby stroller that she filled with a key chain, a bag of chips, two oversized Crunch bars and some cinnamon gum did not come home with us and was mearly a diversion to keep her happy on our shopping trip.

Everyone was happy when we made it to our usual Wednesday lunch stop of McDonalds. It is funny how a contained play area for the kids and a table for the moms is enough to make things perfect. I know that Emma, Mia and Lydia had a great time. Liz, Jane and I always have a good time, and Madz is still plotting her escape from the play area.

Nap time is always a part of the day that I so look forward to. I love those little beans more then anything in the world, but to have an hour during the day to rest (or, perhaps, have an uninterrupted phone conversation) is totaly rejuvination. On this day, I reluctantly turned down a visit from Ashley to rest on the couch. My back was anxious to get back to what it had been used to the past several days. Knowing that Oprah wasn't on the tv when I first layed down, I realized that my body must have needed sleep.

Fall weather like today is something to take advantage of. Took the girls to Lake Momma Park - the swingset in the backyard. Oh, the fresh air is great! The dogs ran, the kids played and laughed. What could be better!!

10-29-08 Wed.

Another good day. Drea's feeling good (other than some back pain and a mild lower headache but I'm sure she'll let you all know whats up). Made even better by Grandpa Jim(heard from him for about the 6th day in a row, is he felling OK?). Day started as every "normal" day does, up and at it, off to work. It was a tough day at work, one of those when nothing seems to go as planned(jobs are twice as hard as they need to be), But got one done and a good start on the next. Came home to the girls and momma playing in the backyard, with the dogs and Barry & Karen & Layla, smiles on everyone. Momma made a great dinner and I found myself evermore obcessed with "facebook", who's there, who wants to be my "friend"(what a train wreck that site is). Read a couple of books to the girls and now we can relax for a few minutes untill bedtime for us.

Goodnight,

J

TODAY..

Just dropping in. It was a great day. I got to take Emma to class for the first time. Andrea started to feel better. What a great day. I know from now on normal is a state of mind. I got some work done and getting back at it felt really good. Sitting in the surgery dept. yesterday, and all the waiting rooms the last couple of weeks, I really get a feeling of how lucky we are. I now know just how bad the cards have been dealt to other people. I'm just thankful for today. All I do is keep my chin up....

J

What a difference a day . . .

. . . and a little blood in your spinal column make! Wow, woke today feeling like a million bucks, or at least a few hundred bucks - or however much that ghastly procedure will cost us!

My headache is gone and now I move around like I am 80 years old woman or like I have a giant stick up my ass. I have a fear that if I do too much with my back, I will move the man-made blood clot off of the magical spot.

Spent the morning on the couch. Jay, again being the wonderfully dutiful father, got the girlies dressed and Emma off to school this morning. I took in a little bit of "Ellen" - that Chris Rock is darn funny - and waited for Jay and Madz to get back home.

For a while, I watched Jay flutter around the house trying to pick up toys and organize things. I wonder if he is thinking about how amazing I am for doing this everyday?? humm. I sat on the couch watching Madeline play and interacting as much as possible. All that was needed would be a Pall Mall cigarette, some bon-bons and Jerry Springer - mother of the year!

At almost exactly 1pm - not less then 24 hours after my procedure - the dictator let me off the couch to move around. My head felt great, the back, not so much. With that news, Jay got dressed and went to work. It doesn't take much for the Viera Empire to collapse, therefore the master has to be off to make some shillings.

My babes off to dreamland after much negotiation with the almost 3 1/2 year old - whoever said the twos were terrible, never experienced a three year old. Those of you with kids out there will most certainly agree - I was able to carefully get somethings done.

Wow, I feel like almost a normal human being. Having realized that I haven't been out of my home since the day of tests on Friday, I can't wait for tomorrow. A playdate with a couple of my favorite gal pals!!

And to top off a nice day, Jay grilled a fantastic pork tenderloin. Yum.

Worthless day #2

The day truly started out with so much potential! I had rested all day yesterday with hopes that God and Mother Nature would have been hard at work fixing the hole in my back. After a few minutes with Matt Lauer this morning, I found that the aforementioned were probably busy with larger problems and my headaches were back.

I watched as Jay readied himself for work and left, knowing that I would not be bothering anyone today with my head issues and I would be off to class with Madeline and Em. Us girls played and read books, all the while thinking that I just had to make it to nap time so that I could rest.

I put a precautionary call into my neurologists' nurse, Peggy, just to make sure that there was not something debilitating that could happen to me with these headaches. She immediatly said that she was calling in a "blood patch" for me. Ugh. Don't people know that I have plans for a busy day. I have kids to raise, a house to clean, etc. - Eh, who am I kidding, just kids to raise - The pleasant thoughts of getting rid of these headaches overtook my stubborness and I called Jay. He came home, we swung the girls by my good friend Mary's house - she is just great! Jay and I are so lucky to have our families here for us and some really great friends willing to help out on a whim - and we were off to Methodist again.

The only other experience I have had in hospitals were when I had the girls and that was great. Perfect days in every way! I am starting to find that it is not all that exciting all the time in the hospitals.

I was prepped by a great anisthesiologist (sp?) and his nurse. The procedure did not take that long, but they made me sit around for quite a while. By the sounds of it, there were several other people in the surgery area who would have traded places with me in a minute.

Back home, Jay the wonder husband - I always knew he was wonderful, but at times when you need him to step up in other areas, he really shines - set me up in bed and there I spent the remainder of the day. Watching all the fun go on around me.

As I sit here, I can breifly tell that my headaches have lessened, but my back hurts like something else! Whatever. I am just very lucky. Things are good.

For anyone that may be reading this and finding out about my MS diagnosis, I just ask that you don't feel sorry for me or think the worst. As my family and I find out more and more, it is a disease that comes in many forms and for most, you feel just fine most of the time with only periodic episodes. You can learn more about MS by visiting the link above. Lots and lots of people have it, probably people that you run into everyday. You just don't know it.

Now that I am done with these pain in the ass tests and will be resting until about mid-day tomorrow (Jay is very strict with making sure that I adhere to the 24 hour wait), I will be back to 100%. Hoping to not have to take Jay away from work again for quite sometime - he really does love his job - and get the girls back on their schedule. . . Until tomorrow.

ANOTHER NORMAL DAY?

Today has started like most do in our house. Andrea wakes up in the anticipation of kids and chaos. I wake up needing at least 4 more hours of sleep. Off to work I go. Knowing Andrea isn't feeling well, with spinal headaches I worry as I hit morning traffic. I get to my first job at about 8am, still half thinking about Andrea and half thinking about the task at hand. Knowing that I need to keep working and stay focused, I dive right in. At 9:30 Andrea calls and tells me her neurologist told her to get to the hospital for a blood patch(a pocket of blood injected in her back to stop spinal fluid from leaking internally). Naturally she is more concerned about the kids and my work to stop and think about her health. So we enlist the help of "Super Mary"(I swear to god the women actually has a big S on her chest) without question "Super Mary" says drop the kids here. I rush home to get Andrea and off to Methodist we go, again. I think I could drive there in my sleep. Into the surgery dept. we go for the blood patch. She says it went well, they wouldn't let me in the room. I know the White Castle on the way home really helped. Now my only trouble is how do I keep such an active mother of two laying down and relaxing for 24 hours. Got Andrea in bed, picked the kids up from "Super Marys" house and got them down for a nap. Now I don't know what to do with myself, I feel like I should be at work or doing something productive.

TATA for now,

J

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J

My totally worthless day

I am certain that, pearticullarly in the past 3 1/2 years since I have had Emma, this has been my most worthless lazy day.

Friday was a day full of tests ending with a spinal puncture (nice name huh?). The test itself went fine with very little discomfort. Jay was so good about making sure that I did not much of anything else the rest of the day. Emma was secured safely with Grandma Kim and Grandpa Don, and Madeline was brought home just in time for me to give kisses and put her to bed.

Saturday was beautiful. I had rested the mandatory 12 hours after a spinal puncture, so I was up and at-em on Saturday. Got the garden cleaned up and planted some flowers. Having only a minor headaches throughtout the day.

Sundays weather had much left to be desired. The girls and I got up at the usual time and did a little playing and read a ton of books. By that time, I had a terrible headache. Jay awoke from his beauty sleep with the typical weekend morning look of "You guys are already up playing and making so much noise?" - I am not sure that he remembers how lucky he is that I have never once made him wake up with the girls. Knowing it was Sunday morning and we were to get dressed to visit church, I got the girlies dressed. I dragged myself to the shower with a headache that was increasingly getting worse.

We made it through about 10 minutes at church before I threw in the towel. I was bummed, but there is no way that I would have been able to make it. Jay drove me home and I fell into bed with my shoes and everything still on.

I interrupted Dr. Freking - my neurologist (I hate the thought of having MY neurologist) - during what was probably a nice Sunday of relaxation wondering what he wanted me to do with my headace. He said to just lay around and do nothing. Period. Yeah, right.

Thankfully Jay has been great. He let me do exactly that. He took the girls to McD's and palyed with them, got dinner ready and cleaned up. All with me getting up minimally. As I sit here typing, I feel the headache coming back again. Ugh. I hope that it is going by tomorrow or taking care of my two prescious babes will be kind of difficult. Oh well, we will make it through.

And to make matters worse, it was my dads birthday today. And I just now remembered that. Nice daughter huh? My brain just wasn't thinking about much today. I felt badly. But, at least I did call!

HI

After a pretty much horseshit day, Maddie comes up to me doing dishes and she has Emmas swimming goggles on looking like something out of the depths. Can't help but laugh and smile when you look at those kids.

J

The lowdown...

Just to get everyone on the same page and up to date. About a month ago Andrea started to have some feeling in the right side of her body like it had fallen a sleep. She saw a doctor, and Andrea said "you know, it feels like a pinched nerve" the "doctor" said " no it's not a nerve it's in your brain. Well that's a relief, wait a minute what the hell did she say? So she was scheduled for an MRI and then a follow up a week later. Well in the mean time of waiting and wondering, her vision in her right eye had started to get blurry. Then on Sat. October 4th she was having trouble breathing. I enlisted the power of her Mother Kim and Step Father Don to take her to the hospital so I could stay home with the sleeping beauties. Then Andrea called me and said they were going to do an MRI right away. Soooo I got the kids over to a neighbors house(Kim and Ray, across the street) and of course Maddie was having nothing to do with it. So I took her with me. The results of the MRI came back and it was great news, well as good as it can be when they scan your brain. The found no tumors and no blood clots, but they did see signs of MS. So we waited and worried. Then we met with a great doctor and talked for a while. To shorten this whole story a little bit on Friday the 24th of October we went and Andrea went through a battery of tests. Next step will be meeting with the good doctor on November 5th to see whats next.



That's the looooonnnnggg and the short of whats happening here.



This blog is not going to be all doom and gloom, but I thought some people would like to have the update.









The girlies are doing great, we have already had two Halloween parties. They are looking forward to Friday.



Bye for now.



J

Welcome to our life

Hello everyone we will try to keep you up to date with the ins and outs, the ups and the downs in the Viera household.

Jay