I am going to try and catch up from the last few weeks, but I am starting with the most serious first, then will end with something happy!
The Thursday before Katelyn's birthday she got sick at daycare, causing her to miss her Halloween/ birthday party at school. We thought she just was having tummy issues from too much dairy. She stayed home on Friday with Brandon, and seemed fine both Friday and Saturday to celebrate her birthday party. (Thank Goodness!)
On Sunday, Kate woke up and got ready for church and came into our bedroom to complain she had a tummy ache. We thought it was just from the "non-nutritious" food she ate at her birthday party. Nothing like a day of chips, bread, cake, and ice cream. After laying on our bed for a while she started to have some explosive bowl movements, causing us to clean her up and miss church.
The day continued the same way, but started to include vomit. As the day progressed, Katy go worse and Brandon fell under the weather to a migraine also. This caused me to think the flu had hit our house and I was juggling between Hayden's need for food, attention, and diaper changes to Kate's need for affection, vomit clean-up and pull-up changes. Halloween was official cancelled in our house. Before I knew how serious thing were about to get I was ticked. I gad never missed a Halloween in my 29 years of life. My favorite holiday.
Sunday night to Monday morning we all camped out in the living room. Brandon on the couch crippled to his migraine, Hayden in her swing where I was trying to keep her as far away from Kate as possible, and Kate and I on the floor covered with sheets and towels. Within 24 hours Kate had gone threw 44 pull-up, many of which started containing blood. Then I knew we had a bigger problem and was glad I had already taken Monday off for the girls and I. As soon as the doctor's office was open we were there. Dr. McDermott quickly warned us she would like us to go to St. Luke's and place Kate on fluids for dehydration. As hard as that was to hear, I knew it was the right thing to do. After a lot of testing we found out she had E-Coli (Shiga Toxin 1 and Shiga Toxin 2). After a week of hospitalization we were ready to go home and Kate was showing great signs of improvement.
On Thursday night we arrived home, everything seemed great. But within hours Katelyn was back to vomiting. We immediately called the doctor on call who said that was common of kids that get out of the hospital. Many times, they think they are all better, when they are not yet 100%. By Friday morning, Kate was now having bowel movements of pure blood. Again we didn't delay and rushed her to the doctor's office. This time to find out we were being admitted to The University of Iowa Children's Hospital. I was a wreck. I knew this was now incredibly serious.
When we got to the UICH, we were originally told we were admitted to general pediatrics for observations. Upon checking in, we were moved to a Nerphology specialist and in seclusion. The doctors rushed in and gave a list of possibilities were they were sure they were dealing with HUS, a disease that follows E-Coli mainly in children 8% of the time.
Throughout our week, we monitored Kate's potassium, creatinine, BUN, and hemogloben levels constantly. The poor child was poke more times then I can count. It got to the point any time someone came through the door she broke down and started to cry. We were estatic to find out we escaped dialysis by the skin of our teeth. We were told if dialysis was needed, Kate would be placed on life support as a stint would have to be placed in her neck. (70% of children who have HUS need dialysis). Katelyn did receive 2 blood transfusions to try and get rid of all of the broken and deformed red blood cells in her body. It was amazing the change in her personality and energy when she had clean blood in her. We were on numerous IV meds for dehydration, nutrients, fat (since Kate had lost over 15% of her body weight), and to make her kidneys work hard enough to produce urine and get it out of her body.
When we first went in, an ultrasound showed Kate's kidneys were the size of an adults and non functioning. When we left, we had an exhausted but happy Katelyn dying to set up our Christmas tree.
I have never felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do but try and be a rock, even though I was crumbling quickly. My baby was laying in a hospital bed, fairly lifeless, yellow, with sucken eyes, just crying and whimpering in pain, wanting me to hold her while being hooked up to all kinds of machines.
The strength of religion and the power of prayer are amazing things, this was a test of my faith. I am a believer that God will not give you more than you can handle, but I was feeling he had way too much trust in how strong I truly was. Kate had so many prayers being said for her health and recovery. She made quick gains that impressed all the hospital staff. I am a firm believer that without those prayers, we could still be awaiting our Katelyn's fate.
We were so happy to come home. Even if I had to go back to work on Monday after being gone for two weeks, and have report cards ready to go home by the end of the day. On top of that get prepared and hold 24 conferences. It was a very busy week, but I wouldn't of changed a thing. Kate's bruises are starting to fade, and we are hoping this journey will soon become a distant memory.
'Tis the season to be truly thankful for the health, love, and prayers of many around us. Have a great Thanksgiving. I know we will.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Last few weeks
The last few weeks have been a complete whorl wind for our house. October was a crazy month to begin with, filled with a wedding almost every weekend and a large list of birthdays and fall events.
On top of that, Katelyn turned 3! We were so excited! Early in the summer, once costumes started appearing in catalogs, Katy decided she wanted to be a doctor. I took the theme and ran. We had a full blown doctor party. (I will try and make a separate post just for that.)
However, I thought I would make a few posts while I am actually home and both girls are sleeping to catch up on some of my posts. I know I have missed a lot, but it will just have to be that way this year. Sorry Brady, I know you seem to check this so often. I will give you updates, even though you always know the details anyway! :) Ok, yes I am being a smart a**.
On top of that, Katelyn turned 3! We were so excited! Early in the summer, once costumes started appearing in catalogs, Katy decided she wanted to be a doctor. I took the theme and ran. We had a full blown doctor party. (I will try and make a separate post just for that.)
However, I thought I would make a few posts while I am actually home and both girls are sleeping to catch up on some of my posts. I know I have missed a lot, but it will just have to be that way this year. Sorry Brady, I know you seem to check this so often. I will give you updates, even though you always know the details anyway! :) Ok, yes I am being a smart a**.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The hectic life of a working mom
Sorry for the delay in posts, things have been a little hectic trying to get everything up and rolling in my classroom along with getting the entire family back into some sort of routine. In addition to our new schedules football season has begun which means numerous Saturday and evenings Brandon will be off, a long with a double header every Friday night. It always seems like a pain at the time, but he loves it.
I love my children dearly but forgot just how long it takes me to get Kate and I ready, plus now getting Hayden ready and fed.
Beyond that everything is off to a great start. Katy is enjoying going back to school and each day drop off gets a little easier. Hayden seems happy at daycare as well, she is just always so tired from watching all the other babies all day that she sleeps A LOT once she gets home.
Once everything gets settled, I hope to be feeling more calm and able to keep track of things.
I love my children dearly but forgot just how long it takes me to get Kate and I ready, plus now getting Hayden ready and fed.
Beyond that everything is off to a great start. Katy is enjoying going back to school and each day drop off gets a little easier. Hayden seems happy at daycare as well, she is just always so tired from watching all the other babies all day that she sleeps A LOT once she gets home.
Once everything gets settled, I hope to be feeling more calm and able to keep track of things.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Hayden gave me a scare
Sunday posed to be a very nerve racking day in our household. Little Hayden fell asleep on her daddy's chest while he was laying in bed with Katelyn and I trying to get Kate to take a nap. I had fallen asleep after being awake most of previous two nights. Brandon had dozed off and Katelyn was just about to sleep when all the sudden I heard a thud, a gasp, then the shrill shriek of panic. Hayden had rolled off Brandon's chest and fell to the floor. I would have been terrified if it had even been off the couch but our bed stands about 3 feet off the floor, you ad Brandon to the mix and my seven week old baby took a fall about two and a half times the size of her body. She was screaming uncontrollably, Brandon was in tears, I was trying to calm her down, and Katelyn was now wide awake and trying to be in the center of the rushing around. After checking her all out, I could not see any bumps or bruises, she was moving her arms and legs. She would grip on to your fingers with her hands, and was still tracking your face. After she calmed down she was able to talk and smile again. However, none of us slept. Yes, a lesson was learned. More importantly we now know Hayden has a remarkable guardian angel. This could have ended very badly, but instead we still have our precious perfect baby girl intact. Below are some pictures of Hayden the day after the traumatic event.
Hayden after her bath.
Hayden after her bath. 
My content "Chunky Monkey" showing off her ABC shirt.
Katelyn's phrase of the day: "I love my sister.. but she boom booms out of her bottom a lot."
Friday, July 23, 2010
Planning a party for a "doctor"
For Halloween, Katelyn has decided she wants to be a doctor. After looking at numerous costumes of princesses and fairies, she surprised Brandon and I by insisting to be a doctor. We even let it go for a couple days and asked her again, thinking she probably changed her mind and wanted to be one of the Disney princesses or something more well... Katy.
Later she came up to me and said "Mommy, for my Halloween birthday, I want a doctor party for my Halloween birthday." I was surprised by the idea, but the wheels in my head quickly started turning and I thought of how much fun this could be. The more I thought about it the more it started to relate to a lot of the Halloween theme, but would allow her to have something a little bit different. I started looking (and buying things) right away. Here is what I have planned so far, and some of the plans I am thinking about.
The first purchase I made was these cute little doctor kits I found in the dollar aisle at Target.
I got little treat boxes for the kids that look like little purse/ brief cases almost and make a large red cross on them. They are different colors though. I was hoping to get white or black but they were not available. Then Katy picked out some candy to place in the goodie bags. There is a "Bag O' Blood," which looks like a donation bag, but is like the squeeze tubes I would slurp down when I was little. Plus, the are watermelon flavored. Sticky but yummy. Next, Katy picked out gummy organs. They are in the shapes of a brain, intestines, lungs, and a heart. I am all about novelty candy, but these even grossed me out a bit looking at them. Of course Katelyn tried one of each to make sure she approved and said, "All my innards are yummy mommy!" The last thing I bought are red pens at look like syringes. I think these were more for me then her. She later told me she would have been just as happy with markers. I don't think she understood, I was trying to keep everything with the theme! :)
That is what I have planned for now, but here are some of my other ideas. Let me know what you think.
Goodie bags : add fun band-aids, and maybe anything else I can find fun and small :)
Activities: create a patient sticker pages, create fun dr. name badges, play Operation, and who know what else I will think of...
Food: themed cake (maybe a ambulance, first aid cross, or large band-aid), cake balls or candy calls to look like eyeballs, spare ribs? I am trying to think of things that would either look like a body party or are kind of a body part as gross as that sounds. This is the area I will have to continue to think about and play with.
Invitations: Get a picture of Katy in her costume and say
Katelyn is having a heart stomping Birthday party, so come on over STAT!
Hospital: Brandon & Jodie's House
Visiting date: Either October 23rd or 30th (I haven't decided yet)
Visiting hours: 1100 to 1500 (11:00 am to 3:00 pm)
These are my ideas. Let me know if you have any others or have a preference with the date or time. :) THANKS! I am getting really excited about this, if you can't already tell.
The Katy statement of the day: "My daddy go to work to make the MONNNNEY!"
Later she came up to me and said "Mommy, for my Halloween birthday, I want a doctor party for my Halloween birthday." I was surprised by the idea, but the wheels in my head quickly started turning and I thought of how much fun this could be. The more I thought about it the more it started to relate to a lot of the Halloween theme, but would allow her to have something a little bit different. I started looking (and buying things) right away. Here is what I have planned so far, and some of the plans I am thinking about.
The first purchase I made was these cute little doctor kits I found in the dollar aisle at Target.
I got little treat boxes for the kids that look like little purse/ brief cases almost and make a large red cross on them. They are different colors though. I was hoping to get white or black but they were not available. Then Katy picked out some candy to place in the goodie bags. There is a "Bag O' Blood," which looks like a donation bag, but is like the squeeze tubes I would slurp down when I was little. Plus, the are watermelon flavored. Sticky but yummy. Next, Katy picked out gummy organs. They are in the shapes of a brain, intestines, lungs, and a heart. I am all about novelty candy, but these even grossed me out a bit looking at them. Of course Katelyn tried one of each to make sure she approved and said, "All my innards are yummy mommy!" The last thing I bought are red pens at look like syringes. I think these were more for me then her. She later told me she would have been just as happy with markers. I don't think she understood, I was trying to keep everything with the theme! :)
That is what I have planned for now, but here are some of my other ideas. Let me know what you think.
Goodie bags : add fun band-aids, and maybe anything else I can find fun and small :)
Activities: create a patient sticker pages, create fun dr. name badges, play Operation, and who know what else I will think of...
Food: themed cake (maybe a ambulance, first aid cross, or large band-aid), cake balls or candy calls to look like eyeballs, spare ribs? I am trying to think of things that would either look like a body party or are kind of a body part as gross as that sounds. This is the area I will have to continue to think about and play with.
Invitations: Get a picture of Katy in her costume and say
Katelyn is having a heart stomping Birthday party, so come on over STAT!
Hospital: Brandon & Jodie's House
Visiting date: Either October 23rd or 30th (I haven't decided yet)
Visiting hours: 1100 to 1500 (11:00 am to 3:00 pm)
These are my ideas. Let me know if you have any others or have a preference with the date or time. :) THANKS! I am getting really excited about this, if you can't already tell.
The Katy statement of the day: "My daddy go to work to make the MONNNNEY!"
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Our new addition (an introduction to Hayden)
Hayden Lea Yuska joined our family on June 4, 2010.
Hayden is almost 7 weeks old, yet I can't imagine what our lives would be like without her, or how much time I would have without being hooked up to machinery (if you catch my drift). She is one of the most laid back, easy going personalities and so far is very calming to her sister.
Hayden (or as I like to call her my "Chunky Monkey," sorry Brandon, I will do my best just to call her "monkey") is changing everyday. She is now cooing (a lot!), full of smiles when she sees you, and almost sleeping through the night. We are up to around a 5 1/2 to 6 hour stretch. :) Plus, I swear she turns her head to give you a slobbery open mouth kiss and will hug you by flexing her arm that is around you and rubbing her fingers on your shoulder. It might be my imagination, but I love it!
As for now we believe Hayden might be our athlete. When she is fussy (which is not very often), she almost instantly calms down when she is able to watch sports on the t.v. I told Brandon I was sure it was because of the movement, but golf even seems to work so it beats me. Poppa Bean will be happy though, Hayden's present in the hospital was a full sized basketball. This was before he even saw the size of her hands and feet!
Hayden is almost 7 weeks old, yet I can't imagine what our lives would be like without her, or how much time I would have without being hooked up to machinery (if you catch my drift). She is one of the most laid back, easy going personalities and so far is very calming to her sister.
Hayden (or as I like to call her my "Chunky Monkey," sorry Brandon, I will do my best just to call her "monkey") is changing everyday. She is now cooing (a lot!), full of smiles when she sees you, and almost sleeping through the night. We are up to around a 5 1/2 to 6 hour stretch. :) Plus, I swear she turns her head to give you a slobbery open mouth kiss and will hug you by flexing her arm that is around you and rubbing her fingers on your shoulder. It might be my imagination, but I love it!
As for now we believe Hayden might be our athlete. When she is fussy (which is not very often), she almost instantly calms down when she is able to watch sports on the t.v. I told Brandon I was sure it was because of the movement, but golf even seems to work so it beats me. Poppa Bean will be happy though, Hayden's present in the hospital was a full sized basketball. This was before he even saw the size of her hands and feet!
A day in the life of Katelyn (an introduction)
For those who know Katelyn (Katy for short), none of this will be a surprise to you. For everyone else, just meeting my Beaners (one of her many nicknames, but she will tell you it is her favorite) will light up your life. She is an adorable little girl, who is filled with energy, love, and DRAMA! :) She knows what she wants and will work very hard to get it. This is an aspect of her life that I am very much hoping will be to her benefit then a hinder.
Spending the days with Katelyn are an adventure. Everyday brings something new and she is now at the age (2 1/2) when you never know what she will come up with to play, make believe, or even say. We are currently obsessed with trying to give Hayden way too much love. I feel like I am constantly nagging her to stop smothering her sister, to stop laying on top of her, or grabbing her. She is also felling the need to start lying. This is one of the lovely joys of raising a child. For some reason she likes to make up that someone hurt her, she even blames Hayden for pushing her or biting her. I find myself sitting down, looking her in the eyes and saying "Katy honey, I know Hayden did not bite you because she does not have any teeth." Then it turns into 800 questions of why Hayden does not have teeth, who took her teeth? how does she eat? did it hurt when her teeth fell out? ect. and ends with, "Ok, maybe she just spit up on me then. That sound ok?"
Overall, Katelyn is a hoot. She loves to make up stories and songs, which usually includes some sort of interpretive dance. She will more than likely become my actress. One of my favorite things about Katy is how much she bares her heart on her sleeve, she may be drama at times, but overall she is one of the most loving and affectionate children I have ever met.
The Katy statement of the day: "You put me on your 'puter... AWhooo HOO!"
Spending the days with Katelyn are an adventure. Everyday brings something new and she is now at the age (2 1/2) when you never know what she will come up with to play, make believe, or even say. We are currently obsessed with trying to give Hayden way too much love. I feel like I am constantly nagging her to stop smothering her sister, to stop laying on top of her, or grabbing her. She is also felling the need to start lying. This is one of the lovely joys of raising a child. For some reason she likes to make up that someone hurt her, she even blames Hayden for pushing her or biting her. I find myself sitting down, looking her in the eyes and saying "Katy honey, I know Hayden did not bite you because she does not have any teeth." Then it turns into 800 questions of why Hayden does not have teeth, who took her teeth? how does she eat? did it hurt when her teeth fell out? ect. and ends with, "Ok, maybe she just spit up on me then. That sound ok?"
Overall, Katelyn is a hoot. She loves to make up stories and songs, which usually includes some sort of interpretive dance. She will more than likely become my actress. One of my favorite things about Katy is how much she bares her heart on her sleeve, she may be drama at times, but overall she is one of the most loving and affectionate children I have ever met.
The Katy statement of the day: "You put me on your 'puter... AWhooo HOO!"
Time to post?
After following everyone on their blog and creating one for my classroom. I am attempting to make one for the family as well. I am just hoping this is not like a lot of my good intentions that I start then discontinue. I will try my best to stay up to date with all the new adventures of our lives.
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