Sunday, August 29, 2010
Stress
I'm really stressed out. I love work, but it is stressful. And that doesn't help the fact that I'm having trouble finding time to pump at work, so my milk supply is nearly zilch, which makes me even more stressed, ahhh!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Emergency Room
I failed to mention in my last post that Azilyn had her first visit to the ER last week.
After having to call the ambulance for a soccer player in their first game on Tuesday of last week, I went to bed Thursday thinking, 'tomorrow is Friday the 13th; am I feeling superstitious? I wonder if anything crazy will happen tomorrow?"
Well, I had just gotten through the morning rush before FB practice on Friday. I was just thinking of taking a deep breath and sitting down for the first time all morning, when I get a call from home.
All I can hear is Azilyn screaming in the background and Danny trying to get a word in edgewise. All I got from Danny was, "...you...home".
Me, "What?"
Danny, "...need...come home."
Me, "What? Why?"
- Azilyn still screaming -
Danny, "We n...itch..."
Me, "What?"
Danny, "Azilyn...stiches."
Me, "WHAT!? Well, take her to the hospital!"
Well, to avoid more annoying dialog, I'll make a short phone call shorter. I had the car. We only have one. I told him to borrow the neighbor's car. I left in a hurry and headed home. Called Danny on the way to hear...nothing in the back ground. "Uh, where's Azilyn?" Already in the neighbor's car. So, apparently, Azilyn tripped and hit her face on the nightstand. She split her "lip, about and inch long," Danny said. I'm thinking her bottom lip is in two pieces, hanging off her face, right? So, who's with Azilyn, holding her face on? Nobody. I guess it wasn't bleeding so much. Weird for a head wound not to bleed much.
Well, we finally both got to the hospital, after trying the insta-care we'd never been to and found that it indeed is an after hours, well, and daytime hours, but not morning hours. Anyway, the first look I got of Azilyn was at the hospital, and I was a little embarrassed to be there. On the phone Danny said, "I can see her teeth right through her lip." So I thought it was really bad. Well, it was pretty well closed up when we got to the ER. I don't doubt that it looked bad when it first happened. I guess kids just have fast healing. Anyway, the ER doc did exactly what I would have done if I would have just gone straight home. Superglue (medical grade, of course). Good thing we have insurance! Here's a pic at the ER.
This is before it was cleaned up very well, so there is some residual blood residue.
Poor Azilyn just kept saying, "I wanna go home." Maybe she was embarrassed too? However, she did make friends with a self acclaimed 'great-grandma' while at the ER. Azilyn was sick of sitting around waiting for the ER doc, so she jumped off the bed, walked out of our little curtained room, went right up to this lady, hugged her and said, "hi!" I'm a little worried about how friendly Azilyn has become with strangers lately.
Here I am trying to comfort her when doc came to check it out. Oh, she got her tooth somehow too, but it was okay, just a little laceration on her gums above it.
Oh, while at the ER another toddler came in with a hugely swollen black eye and gouged cheek (BEWARE, GRAPHIC DETAILS TO FOLLOW, and let this be a lesson to those with small children)...
...Come to find out, the poor kid fell on a dishwasher prong. It went through his cheek into his eye! Hope it doesn't effect his vision.
After having to call the ambulance for a soccer player in their first game on Tuesday of last week, I went to bed Thursday thinking, 'tomorrow is Friday the 13th; am I feeling superstitious? I wonder if anything crazy will happen tomorrow?"
Well, I had just gotten through the morning rush before FB practice on Friday. I was just thinking of taking a deep breath and sitting down for the first time all morning, when I get a call from home.
All I can hear is Azilyn screaming in the background and Danny trying to get a word in edgewise. All I got from Danny was, "...you...home".
Me, "What?"
Danny, "...need...come home."
Me, "What? Why?"
- Azilyn still screaming -
Danny, "We n...itch..."
Me, "What?"
Danny, "Azilyn...stiches."
Me, "WHAT!? Well, take her to the hospital!"
Well, to avoid more annoying dialog, I'll make a short phone call shorter. I had the car. We only have one. I told him to borrow the neighbor's car. I left in a hurry and headed home. Called Danny on the way to hear...nothing in the back ground. "Uh, where's Azilyn?" Already in the neighbor's car. So, apparently, Azilyn tripped and hit her face on the nightstand. She split her "lip, about and inch long," Danny said. I'm thinking her bottom lip is in two pieces, hanging off her face, right? So, who's with Azilyn, holding her face on? Nobody. I guess it wasn't bleeding so much. Weird for a head wound not to bleed much.
Well, we finally both got to the hospital, after trying the insta-care we'd never been to and found that it indeed is an after hours, well, and daytime hours, but not morning hours. Anyway, the first look I got of Azilyn was at the hospital, and I was a little embarrassed to be there. On the phone Danny said, "I can see her teeth right through her lip." So I thought it was really bad. Well, it was pretty well closed up when we got to the ER. I don't doubt that it looked bad when it first happened. I guess kids just have fast healing. Anyway, the ER doc did exactly what I would have done if I would have just gone straight home. Superglue (medical grade, of course). Good thing we have insurance! Here's a pic at the ER.
This is before it was cleaned up very well, so there is some residual blood residue.
Poor Azilyn just kept saying, "I wanna go home." Maybe she was embarrassed too? However, she did make friends with a self acclaimed 'great-grandma' while at the ER. Azilyn was sick of sitting around waiting for the ER doc, so she jumped off the bed, walked out of our little curtained room, went right up to this lady, hugged her and said, "hi!" I'm a little worried about how friendly Azilyn has become with strangers lately.
Here I am trying to comfort her when doc came to check it out. Oh, she got her tooth somehow too, but it was okay, just a little laceration on her gums above it.
Oh, while at the ER another toddler came in with a hugely swollen black eye and gouged cheek (BEWARE, GRAPHIC DETAILS TO FOLLOW, and let this be a lesson to those with small children)...
...Come to find out, the poor kid fell on a dishwasher prong. It went through his cheek into his eye! Hope it doesn't effect his vision.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Week 1: Crazy!
Okay, so this week was my first "full-time" week at my new job. Even though my contract says I am paid to work 20-25 hours a week, it really is a full-time job. Not only do I have to get established and organized (which entails a lot in itself - cleaning the training room, inventory, ordering supplies, paperwork and computer entry, coaches meetings, educating coaches, parents and athletes on cuncussions, heat illness, etc.), nearly every sport has two-a-day practices and I have to take care of all of them! Can we say OVERWHELMING!? Oh, and some sports even started with games this week! It's crazy.
And that is just my job. Danny also got called into work this week, AND we have kids! I'm trying to keep nursing Tolson, so that threw in another curve ball with having to make sure I eat, drink and pump regularly in order to keep the milk in. Ahhhh! It's been non-stop.
Well, the good news is, I, or rather, we survived the week. Here's how it went down:
Last weekend, we went to So. Utah for our last hoorah before school and work consume our lives for the next 10 months. We left on Thursday. On Wednesday, I found out about a new rule on concussions that is going into effect this year and that I have to single-handedly educate EVERY coach, athlete, and parent about it. So, on the way down to So. UT, I'm frantically calling all my coaches trying to set up these meetings before sports really gets rolling. I got a hold of... ONE. Football. He very seriously responds, "oh, ya, that is really important, lets get together Monday right after practice."
So, reading this, you may be thinking, "ya, so, what's the big deal?" Well, practice on Monday is at 7AM. I barely found out about this thing and thus, dont even know what it is myself, I have no time to prepare, and I now have to present this to my entire football coaching staff first thing Monday! And I'm suppose to be leaving town and work behind to have a relaxing weekend with family!? Ha! STRESS!!
I had to work very, very hard that weekend to put it out of my mind enough to have some fun and yet still find some time to prepare. Ugg. So much for relaxing.
So, Monday:
I'm nervous. Tired. "Unprepared".
To be honest, I don't even remember all the details from day to day this past week because my schedule went something like this - FB practice, 7am. This means waking up at 5:30AM (after hitting snooze for 15 minutes cuz I just woke up with the baby sometime between 3:30 & 5), shower, get dressed in the dark, make-up & hair, quick breakfast, feed baby or pump, hope Azilyn doesn't wake up to cry on my leg, trying not to wake Danny, throw 4 different bags in the car, speed off to work 15 min away.
Rush to set up for practice, take care of injuries (for the next 3 hours straight), done by 10am. Rush back home to relieve Danny so he can go to work. Feed baby. Eat 2nd breakfast. Make lunch for Azilyn. Put Azilyn down for nap. Feed baby again. Take a nap myself, study about injuries, or other misc business such as set up physicals, order supplies, dr. appts & other personal errands.
Back to work for practice #2 or game (2:30-6). Clean up at work. Come home to kids and try to forget work. Danny goes back to work til dark. I make dinner, invite myself to dinner at neighbor's, or scourge fridge & feed kids. Bathe kids. Bedtime routine. Study some more. Go to bed exhausted about 10-11pm. Feed baby 1-2x/night. Wake up and start again! Great fun.
It's surprising I actually want to go back and do it again next week!
Injury Report for week one:
3 concussions,
1 sprained thumb,
3 groin strains,
1 shoulder impingement
4 various knee issues (minor)
1 spastic back
5+ ankle sprains
2 shin splints
dehydration muscle cramps, and
a call to 911 - for asthma
(could we put this to a song? 12 Days of Christmas maybe?)
Needless to say, it was a long week!
Do it again, do it again, one more time!
School starts in two weeks, but first, another long week of 2-a-days, games and more!!!
I love my job.
And that is just my job. Danny also got called into work this week, AND we have kids! I'm trying to keep nursing Tolson, so that threw in another curve ball with having to make sure I eat, drink and pump regularly in order to keep the milk in. Ahhhh! It's been non-stop.
Well, the good news is, I, or rather, we survived the week. Here's how it went down:
Last weekend, we went to So. Utah for our last hoorah before school and work consume our lives for the next 10 months. We left on Thursday. On Wednesday, I found out about a new rule on concussions that is going into effect this year and that I have to single-handedly educate EVERY coach, athlete, and parent about it. So, on the way down to So. UT, I'm frantically calling all my coaches trying to set up these meetings before sports really gets rolling. I got a hold of... ONE. Football. He very seriously responds, "oh, ya, that is really important, lets get together Monday right after practice."
So, reading this, you may be thinking, "ya, so, what's the big deal?" Well, practice on Monday is at 7AM. I barely found out about this thing and thus, dont even know what it is myself, I have no time to prepare, and I now have to present this to my entire football coaching staff first thing Monday! And I'm suppose to be leaving town and work behind to have a relaxing weekend with family!? Ha! STRESS!!
I had to work very, very hard that weekend to put it out of my mind enough to have some fun and yet still find some time to prepare. Ugg. So much for relaxing.
So, Monday:
I'm nervous. Tired. "Unprepared".
To be honest, I don't even remember all the details from day to day this past week because my schedule went something like this - FB practice, 7am. This means waking up at 5:30AM (after hitting snooze for 15 minutes cuz I just woke up with the baby sometime between 3:30 & 5), shower, get dressed in the dark, make-up & hair, quick breakfast, feed baby or pump, hope Azilyn doesn't wake up to cry on my leg, trying not to wake Danny, throw 4 different bags in the car, speed off to work 15 min away.
Rush to set up for practice, take care of injuries (for the next 3 hours straight), done by 10am. Rush back home to relieve Danny so he can go to work. Feed baby. Eat 2nd breakfast. Make lunch for Azilyn. Put Azilyn down for nap. Feed baby again. Take a nap myself, study about injuries, or other misc business such as set up physicals, order supplies, dr. appts & other personal errands.
Back to work for practice #2 or game (2:30-6). Clean up at work. Come home to kids and try to forget work. Danny goes back to work til dark. I make dinner, invite myself to dinner at neighbor's, or scourge fridge & feed kids. Bathe kids. Bedtime routine. Study some more. Go to bed exhausted about 10-11pm. Feed baby 1-2x/night. Wake up and start again! Great fun.
It's surprising I actually want to go back and do it again next week!
Injury Report for week one:
3 concussions,
1 sprained thumb,
3 groin strains,
1 shoulder impingement
4 various knee issues (minor)
1 spastic back
5+ ankle sprains
2 shin splints
dehydration muscle cramps, and
a call to 911 - for asthma
(could we put this to a song? 12 Days of Christmas maybe?)
Needless to say, it was a long week!
Do it again, do it again, one more time!
School starts in two weeks, but first, another long week of 2-a-days, games and more!!!
I love my job.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Sweet Little Spirits
Today I am grateful for a healthy, beautiful family. I am not so grateful, however, for an apartment that consistently creeps to 80 degrees everyday. I'm sweating like a pig! (do pigs really sweat??)
First, to be grateful.
Preface: We have lived in the same ward, a married student ward, for almost 5 years now. It is uncommon for a family to stay as long as we have, and I'm almost certain that by the time we 'graduate' to the regular family ward, we will have made a new record in our current ward for the family with the longest stay. In fact, each semester, half our ward is new, due to the incredulous turnover by reason of it's natural makeup. Anyway, it doesn't seem like we would see much "life action" in a ward such as this, but we've seen our share. By life action, I mean all the issues and problems life might bring us as we become more "seasoned" in life - serious illness, worries with children, divorce, death, etc. In this ward, it seems like we have seen it all.
I am simply shocked at the challenges that have been faced by those so young. Here are some examples;
*Serious illness, including diabetes and related complications, heart problems, seizures, autoimmune diseases, mental illness, and cancer.
*Baby-related issues - tons of infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, stillborns, loss of a child.
*Financial woes - serious debt, unemployment, layoffs, home foreclosures.
*Family and other - loss of parent, loss of spouse, physical abuse, divorce.
All of these things have happened to people we know, of college age, and within the last 5 years! It seems tragic and so unfair. Fortunately, we have gained strength as a ward, and as individuals. We have had the opportunity to serve, support and uplift. We have been turned to the Lord, given thanks, and had cause for introspection.
Most recently, a couple in our ward gave birth to their first child. After much effort in getting pregnant, they were ecstatic to be having a baby. At 36 weeks, they found out that the baby had a brain tumor and "water-on-the-brain" due to the blockage. The baby was born, but unfortunately, lived less than 48 hours. You can imagine the devastation. On their blog the mother recalled the simple joys she had with her newborn son during his short life - hearing his first cry, holding him, touching his perfect little features, changing his diaper, having him receive a name and blessing. The little things, that I often take for granted. I cannot imagine this ordeal and my heart and tears pour out to them.
For this and much more, I am grateful for healthy babies, for late Saturday nights with a new baby and a teething two year old, 8:30am church the next morning, dirty diapers every two hours, potty train messes, endless baby laundry, screaming in the house, fingerprints on the tv, an always dirty house, kissing every boo-boo, tripping over toys, sand from the sandbox in the house, phones in the toilet, and the list goes on. For all the little, and big annoyances and inconveniences of having children, I am grateful to have opportunity to have such wonderful little spirits in my care. They are definitely more of a blessing than we will probably ever really know.
I love my little family and thank the Lord for them daily, and even more so when I am reminded that I need to be more than just grateful. I am blessed and in debted to God for all his tender mercies.
First, to be grateful.
Preface: We have lived in the same ward, a married student ward, for almost 5 years now. It is uncommon for a family to stay as long as we have, and I'm almost certain that by the time we 'graduate' to the regular family ward, we will have made a new record in our current ward for the family with the longest stay. In fact, each semester, half our ward is new, due to the incredulous turnover by reason of it's natural makeup. Anyway, it doesn't seem like we would see much "life action" in a ward such as this, but we've seen our share. By life action, I mean all the issues and problems life might bring us as we become more "seasoned" in life - serious illness, worries with children, divorce, death, etc. In this ward, it seems like we have seen it all.
I am simply shocked at the challenges that have been faced by those so young. Here are some examples;
*Serious illness, including diabetes and related complications, heart problems, seizures, autoimmune diseases, mental illness, and cancer.
*Baby-related issues - tons of infertility, miscarriages, birth defects, stillborns, loss of a child.
*Financial woes - serious debt, unemployment, layoffs, home foreclosures.
*Family and other - loss of parent, loss of spouse, physical abuse, divorce.
All of these things have happened to people we know, of college age, and within the last 5 years! It seems tragic and so unfair. Fortunately, we have gained strength as a ward, and as individuals. We have had the opportunity to serve, support and uplift. We have been turned to the Lord, given thanks, and had cause for introspection.
Most recently, a couple in our ward gave birth to their first child. After much effort in getting pregnant, they were ecstatic to be having a baby. At 36 weeks, they found out that the baby had a brain tumor and "water-on-the-brain" due to the blockage. The baby was born, but unfortunately, lived less than 48 hours. You can imagine the devastation. On their blog the mother recalled the simple joys she had with her newborn son during his short life - hearing his first cry, holding him, touching his perfect little features, changing his diaper, having him receive a name and blessing. The little things, that I often take for granted. I cannot imagine this ordeal and my heart and tears pour out to them.
For this and much more, I am grateful for healthy babies, for late Saturday nights with a new baby and a teething two year old, 8:30am church the next morning, dirty diapers every two hours, potty train messes, endless baby laundry, screaming in the house, fingerprints on the tv, an always dirty house, kissing every boo-boo, tripping over toys, sand from the sandbox in the house, phones in the toilet, and the list goes on. For all the little, and big annoyances and inconveniences of having children, I am grateful to have opportunity to have such wonderful little spirits in my care. They are definitely more of a blessing than we will probably ever really know.
I love my little family and thank the Lord for them daily, and even more so when I am reminded that I need to be more than just grateful. I am blessed and in debted to God for all his tender mercies.
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