Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

Wouldn't it be nice before the holidays kick into full gear, to take a few days away from home, in your own private room, with people waiting on your every need: meals, warm blankets, drink refills, slippers, sleep as  long as you want, watch tv, read a book.  No cleaning, errands, meals to prepare, kids to clean up after or practice with.  Just a little get away is all.  

Not as great as it may sound when it refers to emergency surgery and hospitalization for three days.  Maybe next time it'll be a fine hotel on her upcoming 40th.

(Grateful for visitors, but in small doses.  Yes, we see you Lucy)

Elizabeth was in severe pain, it was pretty clear she had appendicitis, and we took her to the ER.  I promised to let her be a patient and let everyone just do their job.   Prior to leaving, we prayed for a good outcome, comfort, health and patience.  I soon realized the patience was intended for me.  Being on the other side of an ER visit is a good reality check.  Healthcare can be a slow process, and the ER is an especially good exercise in waiting. 

After being told it was indeed appendicitis, Elizabeth felt quite legitimized and that she had a good reason for her pain.  As she drifted off into anesthesia for a thirty minute surgery, she had no idea that the surgeon would have a lot more than just an appendix to deal with.

She was also found to have a 4 cm dermoid cyst on her left ovary which needed to come out.  These are also known as teratoma.  You may not want to google image this.  They are a non cancerous mass of tissue containing  all variety of human cells and can most disturbingly be found to occasionally develop hair and teeth.  

(dermoid cyst through laparoscope-white)

After the appendix was easily removed, and the Ob/Gyn on call came in to remove the cyst, her surgeon reported to me that the most serious issue was that her small intestine was found to be completely attached to her abdominal wall in a hairpin turn, scarred to the permanent mesh from her old hernia surgery years ago.  After carefully prying these apart, her bowel was in bad enough shape that he decided to remove 3 inches entirely.  While a simple appendectomy is a straight forward procedure, this had become an extremely complex process.  

Miraculously all three surgeries were done consecutively and all laparoscopically.  I still cannot express my appreciation for these two surgeons did everything right and so willingly.  The first OB recommended that she wait for a later surgery to remove the cyst, and the general surgeon wasn't even the one on call.  He came in at the request of the ER doctor, after getting a baby-sitter for his kids.  He happens to be specialty trained in complex laparoscopy.  Under different circumstances the other issues could have easily been missed, postponed, or complicated.

We had a lot to be thankful for this thanksgiving after Elizabeth endured a 3 in 1 surprise surgery.  She is still recovering well and was able to be home from the hospital early and able to have a few bites of Thanksgiving dinner.  We felt like her appendicitis was a blessing in that it led to the discovery of two other more serious concerns that we had previously been unaware of.  

We all missed her and were glad to have her home.  We were very well taken care of by all of our parents and well fed by our good neighbors.  Elizabeth's mom took off two days off work to spend at our house and Emily dropped everything and babysat during surgery.  We count among our greatest blessings, our families nearby, the generosity of our neighbors and ward members, and prayers and concerns from so many loved ones. 

(this will most likely NOT be our christmas card photo)

On an Afternoon in Fall...

The other day the kids came home from school bound and determined to play in the leaves.  You know, make a big pile - jump in it - throw leaves in the air.  There was only one small problem with their plan.

As Isaac and Henry looked around the yard, they decided that we were lacking in the fallen leaves department, and realized that they would have to look elsewhere for the needed leaves.  "Great, " I thought.  "Go play in someone else's leaves."  Little did I realize what the kids had in mind.

A little while later, I looked out the window and saw my kids walking back and forth carrying shovels full of leaves.  Instead of playing in the neighbor's leaves like I had assumed, they were scooping up leaves from our neighbors yard and carrying them into our yard.

For nearly an hour this continued, until finally they had created a suitable, jump-able pile of leaves.

It was a beautiful afternoon - probably one of the last sunny warm days until spring.  It was a day for my kids to soak in the warmth of the sun and jump in the leaves and enjoy the fleeting fall weather.  And, it was a day for me to watch my kids work and play together - even if the end result was an unexpected yard full of leaves.

Halloween Edition 2011

This year's Halloween costumes included some old staples, some new costumes and some last minute additions.  

I got a little sad watching Abby in her school parade, realizing she only has one left.  Boo-hoo.

Abby made and adorable pirate this year.  I especially love the striped socks with Isaac's red converse.  What a cute girl.

Isaac had a hard time figuring out a costume this year.  We talked through several ideas, but nothing seemed to work.  Finally, ten minutes before our ward "Trunk or Treat" started, I told him to put on Abby's fairy costume and asked my sister if she could bring over the wig for Isaac to borrow.

It worked out well. Isaac's friends were going as a cheerleader, a princess and the tooth fairy, so Isaac blended right in with all the "dudes" his age.  (As a side note, Isaac's long dark eyelashes are enough to make any girl jealous.)

Henry sneaks a piece of candy before Trick-or-Treating even begins.

Henry found an old pair of boots and chaps in Grammy and Papa's costume bin.  The boots were several sizes too big, but it was enough to inspire a great cowboy costume.  And, if he wore his Converse inside his boots, they stayed on pretty well.

Peter at his preschool program.

Eat your heart out Edward.

Peter decided to be a vampire this year.  He looked so cute with slicked back hair and dark eyebrows.  

Peter hit the jackpot during trick-or-treating this year.  When we got home at the end of the night and the kids were sorting through all their candy, Peter came running out of his room and said,

"Do you want to see a dream come true?"

How could we resist that invitation.  We went into his room and there in his pile of candy was a package of gum - fifteen pieces of orange Swerve gum all for him.  I have never seen him so excited.  It really was a dream come true for my Peter.  He was so happy with the gum, that when I went to tuck him in that night, I found him asleep with his gum lying on the pillow next to his head.

All along, I had planned to have Lucy be a pumpkin for Halloween.  She wore our tried and true pumpkin costume to Disneyland and looked cute in it, so I figured we were good to go.  On the night of the Trunk-or-Treat, I tried to put it on her, and she freaked out.  She wouldn't let me within ten feet of her with that costume.  I tried again the next day, and again she freaked out.  (Now, she is TWO.  I don't know why she thinks she gets to have an opinion about a Halloween costume.)

Anyway, I figured we could skip a costume for Lucy this year, but on Halloween Day, she and I were at Costco when I saw a $12 lady bug costume that I loved.  I held it up and Lucy immediately fell in love with it too.  We bought the costume and she hasn't taken it off since.  

Lucy was so proud of her costume and even slightly cocky on Halloween night that she couldn't be bothered to let me get a picture of her.  There was a lot of attitude in that little lady bug.

Lucy perfecting her very grouchy ladybug face.

The nonchalant trick-or-treater.

 Lucky for her, she made and adorable lady bug and even with all that sassiness, we all thought she was darling.  And, oh yeah, those shoes didn't hurt either.  (I forgot we even had them.  It was Peter who remembered the shoes so Lucy could wear them.

Finally, a decent shot of my girl.  

Anyway,  it was a fun Halloween; great costumes, cute parades and programs, too much candy and lots of yummy homemade donuts.  All in all, a successful holiday.  Now I just have to get motivated to put all the decorations away  - at least before Thanksgiving.