Tag: Shecklet #3

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A Busy St. Patrick’s Day

Shecklet #3 learned about leprechauns last year in kindergarten. Her teacher’s room was apparently colored green while everyone was out of the room and little footprints led to the bathroom where the toilet water was colored green. This St. Patrick’s Day, #3 decided to set a trap to catch a leprechaun. 🍀 I should have taken a picture of her elaborate trap, but I did capture the letter she wrote.

Shecklet #2 decided he wanted a fedora (after a friend of his wore one to school on Thursday.). We found that one was available at Old Navy, so we stopped to check it out today while running errands. Not only did he find the fedora, but also a skateboarding bulldog shirt to complete the outfit. This kid is so much fun! I hope he always keeps his confident sense of style.

The Shecklets all wanted to look dressed up with ties for Grandma Patti’s birthday celebration this evening.

We gathered at Grandma Lois and Papa Dale’s house to have grasshopper pie for Grandma Patti’s birthday.

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Sunday fun in the garage

One of the teachers at the kids’ school saw Shecklet #2’s invention and told him she’d like to have one for her house. Jake took the four kids to Menards to buy PVC pipe so #2 could make her one. The other Shecklets took advantage of the empty garage and rode their scooters and balance bike.

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Note from #3

I found this next to my nightstand today (it had fallen off accidentally.) Shecklet #3’s words were just what my heart needed today.

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Snow play

We finally received a decent amount of snow and the temps stayed mild enough for the Shecklets to go out and play in it. More may come tomorrow, so hopefully more outside time is on the agenda.

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Color changing unicorn

Shecklets 3 and 4 received a package while Jake and I were in California and inside were two unicorn mugs. Their Uncle Jason and Aunt Bri thought they’d enjoy the fun surprise that takes place when you add hot liquid to the mug. It’s so much fun being a girl!

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Three Weeks

We have tried to have a normal week as a family.  It went pretty well aside from #4 and #2’s medical care needs.   A while back I had a conversation with one of Veronica’s cousins about what kinds of things people post.  Somewhere he had heard or decided that opening a bottle of ketchup is something that is post worthy, otherwise posting about normal life can get boring.  I feel like I am at that point.  We didn’t open any bottles of ketchup this week, but a number of normal things happened.

We have asked #1 and #2 to use their alarm clock rather than relying on us to get them up which has resulted in a much more orderly morning routine.  #3 felt a little left out of the 6 am alarm, so #1 and #2 now wake her up when they are awoken.  #2 is a little reluctant to rely on a machine to make sure he gets up on time.  It was interesting to see him think about the risks of this change.  We didn’t tell him that we would get him up if the alarm clock didn’t work.  I am hoping he figures that out on his own.   I have been happy with how both #1 and #2 have taken ownership of this.  On Saturday #2 had a basketball tournament, and the rest of us went to a birthday party.  It was good to be out and see friends.  #3 went to another birthday party in the evening.

Somewhere along the way, I caught a nasty bug.  So I have quarantined myself in the basement bedroom, and my Mom came back to the house to help with the kids.  She has continued to help Veronica by taking her places for exercise and therapy and encouraging her.  It has been a good change of pace for Veronica to have someone to talk to other than me.

Veronica told me this morning that she can tell a difference in her energy this week as compared to previous weeks.  I am glad she is starting to recognize these improvements.  It has been disheartening to not be able to share the joy with her of all of the progress that I have seen because she has been in the thick of it.

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Two Weeks

Two weeks and counting. Veronica has avoided using any pain medication for 48 hours.  That’s not to say she has no pain, but when she isn’t laying down the pressure in her head is minimal.  Today we went to Northtown Mall for some walking.  Veronica made two loops around the mall, then at home she took a well-deserved nap.  She is working on the balance and dizziness and she is diligent with her therapy.  One of Veronica’s vestibular exercises requires this complicated medical device.  She has to try to keep her eyes trained on the ‘X’ while moving her head and neck.

Medical Equipment
Vestibular training ‘X’.

While we were in California, my mom had to take both #3 and #4 to the doctor because of different symptoms.  Shecklet #4 was put on an antibiotic for an ear infection.  Tonight at dinner Veronica and I noticed what we thought was wintery, dry, irritated skin on her hands getting worse and some other signs showing up on her torso, face, neck, arms, and legs.  Veronica had an anaphylactic reaction to this same medicine a few years ago which brought back memories and stresses.  I briskly but calmly took #4 from the dinner table and went directly to urgent care.  She didn’t have any breathing complications and the doctor confirmed that she should not have that medicine ever again.

Overall a productive day, we now know one more way to better care of #4, and Veronica continued her recovery efforts.

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Thirteen

Veronica was able to sleep for 12 hours last night.  I wasn’t able to sleep very well after the Eagles pulled off that win, but I was able to get all 4 of the Shecklets off to school on time.  We found a good PT option for Veronica and we have made requests for the correct approvals.  Veronica and I picked up Shecklet #4 after school and the three of us went to Target to get in some walking.  Half of the way around Target Veronica ran out of steam.  We grabbed a few quick groceries and went home.  I left Veronica and Shecklet #4 at the house while I picked up #1 and #3 from the bus stop.  When I got back to the house a great friend of ours was over to spend time with Veronica; it was good to see her.  I picked up #2 from basketball practice and we had Chipotle for dinner.  Veronica has fought a good fight against the exhaustion today. She has rested a little but she didn’t take any naps. Hopefully, she is able to sleep well again tonight.

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Faith, Hope, and Love

Shckelet#3 and Shecklet#4 have had a worry of Mommy not feeling well, and not knowing when she is coming back after she leaves. I have had a few bedtimes with them when one or both of the little ones were sad about Mommy’s surgery. I know that some of this behavior was them stalling or feeling extra tired. I also know some of this fear came from them because they truly love their mother and don’t want to be away from her for any amount of time. They both kept talking, thinking, and worrying about the day when Mommy was to leave. Shecklet#3 didn’t want Mommy to have to endure pain. Over the weeks Veronica and I worked to try to help them think about and talk about when Mommy is going to come home. They really responded well to this and have found hope in anticipating that day.

Before we left for California I had a number of conversations with Shecklet#2 because I was worried that he had unrealistic expectations. He kept insisting that his mom would come home and there would be nothing wrong. I thought that I needed to help him understand that there are dangers to the procedure and that the expected side effects would be hard. I was frustrated that he wasn’t hearing what I thought he needed to hear. He was probably frustrated that I kept trying to talk to him about it. He was persistent in telling me that he wasn’t worried and that Mommy would be OK. I eventually started to realize then and I am more confident of it now that he doesn’t care about the side effects he isn’t worried about the burden of helping with extra care for his mother. He has faith that the woman he loves will always be with him and he will love her the same and she will love him the same. He is right in more ways than I first realized.

After we told the kids about Veronica’s diagnosis we carefully watched how the Shecklets responded. We wanted to be available for them as they worked through the thoughts and emotions that they felt. I wasn’t sure how Shecklet#1 felt, and he didn’t indicate having any sort of strong emotion. It made me anxious not knowing what he was thinking, or how to help him. He has this slightly awkward pre-adolescent thing where he stands near Veronica and waits for her attention then asks if he can give her a hug. When he was younger he would just run to her and hug her, but as he has gotten lankier it is hard for him to give her affection unannounced without bumping into her or knocking into her glasses. I have noticed that over the last few months he has patiently waited and kindly asked Veronica for hugs much more often. I am proud of him for realizing that he wants to be close to his mom and advocating for their relationship and expressing his love for her. When I encouraged him about this he told me that he knew that Mom needed more hugs and he likes to give her hugs.

As for me, at my core, I have a very small faith. It doesn’t come out in song, or scripture quotes. It doesn’t leak on the floor leaving a trail. It is small but unwavering and solid. When all else fails, it is there. This is one of the many gifts that my parents have given me. This week I am so glad that they have.

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Progress

This afternoon Veronica was brought out of the ICU to a regular hospital room.  When she arrived at the new room, she got out of the wheelchair and walked with help from the nurse to a chair about 12 feet away.  She was given the choice of laying down or trying to sit.  She chose to sit.  A short while later she walked with me to the bathroom which was about 15 feet away.  After that, we walked back to the bed.  She was exhausted but stayed sitting up on the side of the bed.  The more time she spends sitting up, and moving the faster she will recover.  The OT came a little while later.  Veronica at first walked with the OT and me helping.  She then took a walker all the way out of the room.  She turned around in the hallway and made it all the way back to the bed.  When the OT asked Veronica if she could speed up, she did.  She is exhausted now.  The doctors and nurses are working diligently to manage the pain.  Vestibular therapy is really hard, but whenever the shecklets are mentioned or asked about she fights through.  During what I hope is the hardest day of her life she is still a mommy first.