Waking up to terrible cold symptoms this morning, Brad moans that he's not going into work, and I need to take the kids to school, because he's in the hurt bag. Like a typical man, he wants extra attention and the good ol wifey to feel sorry for him when he's sick. So I give my empathy, encourage him to take some medicine, drink plenty of fluids and rest the day away as I head off to work. Around 11:00 I get a call on my cell phone from his office manager who's worried that she hasn't seen nor head from Brad. So I explain he's home sick, but its not like him to at least call in or ignore her calls (maybe mine, but..). Here he was sleeping so soundly he just didn't hear the phone. I took my lunch break to head home, check on him, and drive him into the urgent care clinic. Now that he was dizzy, weak, and had an extremely sore throat it was justifiable (in his mind) to see a doctor. In addition I told him to mention all fleeting chest pains and numbness in his hands/arms, since he was there and get it taken care of right. Well he was diagnosed with strep throat, but with his other cluster of symptoms they wheeled him off to the Emergency Room for a cardiac work-up. Whoa!
One minute he was in for cold symptoms, next minute he is sitting in the ER all hooked up, poked, and examined. It happened so fast it was kind of scary…especially because he looked so terrible because of the strep and cold stuff that was going on. Not to the mention seeing the attentive, lightening speed the ER moves when patients come in with cardiac complaints. After a couple long hours in the ER all the blood work, x-rays, and a normal EKG he was sent home to have a comprehensive stress test a week later. Since then they've ruled everything out and we are left with good news, of a healthy heart, but no real answer as to what could be causing this numbness and occasional pain. At first we tossed around the idea of it being stressed induced… but really the past month has been the LEAST stressful (in every fashion) compared to all the others this past year. So for now he ignores it… and I get on him for making un-healthy choices! Lose the chips buddy!!
March 18, 2009
March 14, 2009
St. Pattys Day 2009
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!
To celebrate St. Patrick's day my Fargo home girls and I head out West to Jamestown, ND for the 31st Annual "Running O' the Green". It’s a pub crawl that begins around 2:00pm at the Frontier Fort Bar (up at the big Buffalo) and ends where ever and whenever you cross the finish line. (Thankfully the finish line is next to our hotel) That’s wondering from one end of town to the other making a stop for a drink at 9 different bars along the way. I was first introduced to this craziness back in 2001 when we lived in Jamestown, and have since brought along others to join in the fun, making this my 5th "run". Now don't be fooled… I'm not running this thing, and very few do. Although it is a test of your endurance…you must try to pace yourself if you want to be standing at the end of the day.
In recent years my totally cool auntie Denice has invited all us over to her house for Brunch with her gang… and few shooters to get the party started ;-) She has quiet the spread and much needed nourishment to start off the day. Not to mention my uncle Al who puts up with all us loud ladies in his house, and then drives us to the starting line. We have a blast at brunch… what a great way to start the festivities.
Everyone gets into the spirit and most people group together dressing in themes or matching outfits. This year our group took a spin back to 1984 and went as Flash dancers… "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!" Crimped hair, neon colors, oversized sweatshirt cut off the shoulder, leg warmers, bangle bracelets, fanny paks, jean skirts and fingerless gloves. As you can see we were one hot group of girls out to have some fun. No kids, No husbands, No Curfew!!
The race starts off with 1500 people heading down a Huge snowy hill… here is where you hope that those before you made good tracks otherwise you may end up taking the quick way down... on your ass. (We all made it on foot this year!) The jaunt to Bar #2 is the furthest distance, so we had to make a pit stop at the Tractor & Fleet Supply store for a bathroom break, but after that we were good to go and made it through 9 pit stops in only 4.5 hours… I think? You kind of lose track of time after a while. 10:00pm feels like 4:00am. Thanks to a great band we made it until 1:30am this year!! Whoo Hoo!
Of course we have many jokes, stories and do not tells from our St. Patty's Day runs, and this year was no different... Other than it meant even more me! Since moving away I've been missing them and just don't have the opportunity to get together with the girls as much as I'd like to (need to). Thanks for a great time ladies...
March 13, 2009
Happy Birthday Brady!
On March 13th my little wild child turned one ! Given that title, its only fitting that I through him a wild "Jungle Party" for his big birthday. So we invited our USA family over to my parents for dinner (on his actual birthday) and as you can see he had lots of messy fun. Grandma's Lasagna was his favorite, but he was not to sure about cake at first. He wasn't fond of the whipped icing's texture, and kind of gagged on it, so freaked out a bit. But then when I helped him find the cake part, he was all over it
Since there are a bunch of little cousins running around these days we broke out a game of good ol' "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" for the kids. They had a good time laughing at the big kid (30 yr old cousin Jay) taking his turn. Brady certainly enjoyed the company of all his cousins, Aunts and Uncle's. And fortunately he's not a shy kid so warmed right up to them even though we don't get the opportunity to see them all that often.
So what is this little one year old up to? He's still cautiously walking along furniture and dares to take only a few steps without support. Back and forth from the chair - couch - coffee table is a fun little adventure. We just watch and hold our breath hoping that he'll stay on foot and not crash into the edge of the table too hard. Slowly but surely he's letting go and taking a few steps out into the openness of the living room…pauses…looks around… and says ah heck with it I'm faster crawling.
A few of his "tricks" include; clapping, signing milk & more, da da da da (just for the fun of it) and Mum Mumm Mum Mumm (when he needs something)~ gee he's already got this figured out. He likes to give kisses… if you say "give me kiss" and then pucker up, he opens wide and puts his mouth over yours. Some pretty wet kisses~ so hopefully he cleans that up before he goes after the ladies. He can answer a phone pretty good, "Ha" is how he answers, but he picks up the phone, holds it to his ear and even does the head tilt. The cutest one though is when you ask him "what does a lizard say" he pops his tongue in and out, in and out.
Some Favorites: Bathtime, carbs of all kinds, turning the pages of a book before you are ready, shaking and banging things, laughing with his big brothers, fishing around in the toilet bowl, chewing on shoes, riding his car, playing with the garbage can, opening kitchen cupboards, and standing up to the the big windows ~ just checking things out.
Some Dislikes: Being told No-No, having the bathroom door closed when someone is in there, being at ground level when the action is at counter height, and peas. No kidding… I'll sneak some peas in with a bite of corn or mashed potatoes and he spits out just the peas!
Since there are a bunch of little cousins running around these days we broke out a game of good ol' "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" for the kids. They had a good time laughing at the big kid (30 yr old cousin Jay) taking his turn. Brady certainly enjoyed the company of all his cousins, Aunts and Uncle's. And fortunately he's not a shy kid so warmed right up to them even though we don't get the opportunity to see them all that often.
So what is this little one year old up to? He's still cautiously walking along furniture and dares to take only a few steps without support. Back and forth from the chair - couch - coffee table is a fun little adventure. We just watch and hold our breath hoping that he'll stay on foot and not crash into the edge of the table too hard. Slowly but surely he's letting go and taking a few steps out into the openness of the living room…pauses…looks around… and says ah heck with it I'm faster crawling.
A few of his "tricks" include; clapping, signing milk & more, da da da da (just for the fun of it) and Mum Mumm Mum Mumm (when he needs something)~ gee he's already got this figured out. He likes to give kisses… if you say "give me kiss" and then pucker up, he opens wide and puts his mouth over yours. Some pretty wet kisses~ so hopefully he cleans that up before he goes after the ladies. He can answer a phone pretty good, "Ha" is how he answers, but he picks up the phone, holds it to his ear and even does the head tilt. The cutest one though is when you ask him "what does a lizard say" he pops his tongue in and out, in and out.
Some Favorites: Bathtime, carbs of all kinds, turning the pages of a book before you are ready, shaking and banging things, laughing with his big brothers, fishing around in the toilet bowl, chewing on shoes, riding his car, playing with the garbage can, opening kitchen cupboards, and standing up to the the big windows ~ just checking things out.
Some Dislikes: Being told No-No, having the bathroom door closed when someone is in there, being at ground level when the action is at counter height, and peas. No kidding… I'll sneak some peas in with a bite of corn or mashed potatoes and he spits out just the peas!
March 12, 2009
Fitting in, yet again.
My first 2 weeks of work at the new job come to conclusion tomorrow. I'm feeling much better about this job change, as the staff are friendly and despite their longevity with the system, they still have fun and are open to change (me). The core crew of staff is only 6 deep and they all have 12+ yrs in the program or with SMDC health system. Being the newbie was a bit intimidating, but I'm always up for something new.
Its been almost 2 years since I facilitated groups, so I've been busy putting together a bunch of patient ed groups this past week. Really hoping I'd trigger some of my memory from those groups I once did or wanted to do. I'll be leading 8+ groups a week so I need a bit of an inventory. A little anxiety management, assertiveness, rational thinking, and self-esteem should be a good start. I'm not the hugest fan of facilitating groups, but they've got a more laid back philosophy and flexible nature that should give me some room to use my creativity and interest to its fullest. There's always room for growth and change.
Of course there are pitfalls to being the new man on board, and that happens to be my office~ or should I call it a closet. Unfortunately, the good views are earned by time put in. But hey… at least I have my own office, and don't have to share with anyone. I've had a good run of office mates and cubicle sharing over my SW career. Nothing pisses me more, than not being able to have a private conversation… Good bye to all those nosy colleagues listening and/or butting in, as if they were part of your conversation. I've got a door that can be shut.
Secondly there is the mental health left overs… In the health care system it is always a cat fight over space. Priority tends to fall in favor of the money makers (cardiology, oncology, clinics) leaving depts like mental health with the scraps. This means our intensive outpatient program is cleverly tucked away in a satellite building across the street from the other main buildings (all others happen to be conveniently connected by skywalk). Its loaned from the foundation, so of course they don't want to put any money into the aesthetics of the place. After all, we should just be grateful we have our own private space right. Sure there are positives with being segregated, but don't forget about us over here.
These severely depressed patients should be welcomed into a space that provides a sense of fresh ambition, healing, life and color. Not mis matched worn out, left over furniture, halls that flood when it thaws, treacherous intersection to cross at lunch and small group rooms. Funny thing is this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement (Gee flashbacks to MeritCare), but its going on 4 yrs now. Hopefully we'll be moving up to the top level this summer, which will provide a much better space and some views of Lake Superior. My fingers are crossed and if I'm lucky I may even get an office with a window :-)
Its been almost 2 years since I facilitated groups, so I've been busy putting together a bunch of patient ed groups this past week. Really hoping I'd trigger some of my memory from those groups I once did or wanted to do. I'll be leading 8+ groups a week so I need a bit of an inventory. A little anxiety management, assertiveness, rational thinking, and self-esteem should be a good start. I'm not the hugest fan of facilitating groups, but they've got a more laid back philosophy and flexible nature that should give me some room to use my creativity and interest to its fullest. There's always room for growth and change.
Of course there are pitfalls to being the new man on board, and that happens to be my office~ or should I call it a closet. Unfortunately, the good views are earned by time put in. But hey… at least I have my own office, and don't have to share with anyone. I've had a good run of office mates and cubicle sharing over my SW career. Nothing pisses me more, than not being able to have a private conversation… Good bye to all those nosy colleagues listening and/or butting in, as if they were part of your conversation. I've got a door that can be shut.
Secondly there is the mental health left overs… In the health care system it is always a cat fight over space. Priority tends to fall in favor of the money makers (cardiology, oncology, clinics) leaving depts like mental health with the scraps. This means our intensive outpatient program is cleverly tucked away in a satellite building across the street from the other main buildings (all others happen to be conveniently connected by skywalk). Its loaned from the foundation, so of course they don't want to put any money into the aesthetics of the place. After all, we should just be grateful we have our own private space right. Sure there are positives with being segregated, but don't forget about us over here.
These severely depressed patients should be welcomed into a space that provides a sense of fresh ambition, healing, life and color. Not mis matched worn out, left over furniture, halls that flood when it thaws, treacherous intersection to cross at lunch and small group rooms. Funny thing is this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement (Gee flashbacks to MeritCare), but its going on 4 yrs now. Hopefully we'll be moving up to the top level this summer, which will provide a much better space and some views of Lake Superior. My fingers are crossed and if I'm lucky I may even get an office with a window :-)
March 09, 2009
Giggles galore
With 3 boys the sillyness never ends at our house. I caught this particular giggle session during the big boys bath time. All it took to get Brady going was for Dylan to bang a toy against the side of the tub. Like usual, Brady always has to be where the action is, and so he pushes his way right to the tub's edge to play too. The problem is, he dips his arm in the tub, and since Dylan and Riley aren't very careful with the splashes, so he gets soaked.
Sorry I couldn't get the video to rotate, so you'll have to tilt your head.
Sorry I couldn't get the video to rotate, so you'll have to tilt your head.
March 05, 2009
The bumpy road to being one...
Brady boy continues to explore his world and with it has come some "growing pains"...
Although those few steps from couch to coffee table are becoming more and more comfortable and happening hands free, the feet still aren't keeping up. So he's got himself a couple bruises on the cheek and chin from these attempts. Despite the falls, he's got pretty good balance and stands alone for a good chunk of time. He'll grab a toy, get to his feet and then stand there shaking his toy like a hot shot. I'm guessing in 2 weeks this fella will be off like a race horse. (Oh boy!)
In just one week Brady turns the big Numero Uno, so we've been busy getting rid of some of those "baby" things to truly give him big boy status. All this past week he's been bottle free~ well minus a fit that earned him a bottle at school when he saw all his other friends getting one. But otherwise he's taking his cup of milk great! And yes its milk... he's loving the cow's milk, and I'm loving passing over the formula aisle. Win - Win for us all.
From a young age we've learned that Brady likes to let you know what he wants. Although lacking the vocabulary to tell us, he certainly makes up for it by excersing his vocalization abilities. He's so good he's got Dylan and Riley (on their own free will) singing goofy songs or offering up their toys to the kid when he complains. And NEVER at the age of one would I have given Dylan and Riley Cheetos for snack... but when this guy sees what we've got and what he doesn't he carries on until he gets some too. He's got us all wrapped around his finger...when he screams we aim to please. (I think we've gotta stops this monster, before we're real sorry.)
Although those few steps from couch to coffee table are becoming more and more comfortable and happening hands free, the feet still aren't keeping up. So he's got himself a couple bruises on the cheek and chin from these attempts. Despite the falls, he's got pretty good balance and stands alone for a good chunk of time. He'll grab a toy, get to his feet and then stand there shaking his toy like a hot shot. I'm guessing in 2 weeks this fella will be off like a race horse. (Oh boy!)
In just one week Brady turns the big Numero Uno, so we've been busy getting rid of some of those "baby" things to truly give him big boy status. All this past week he's been bottle free~ well minus a fit that earned him a bottle at school when he saw all his other friends getting one. But otherwise he's taking his cup of milk great! And yes its milk... he's loving the cow's milk, and I'm loving passing over the formula aisle. Win - Win for us all.
From a young age we've learned that Brady likes to let you know what he wants. Although lacking the vocabulary to tell us, he certainly makes up for it by excersing his vocalization abilities. He's so good he's got Dylan and Riley (on their own free will) singing goofy songs or offering up their toys to the kid when he complains. And NEVER at the age of one would I have given Dylan and Riley Cheetos for snack... but when this guy sees what we've got and what he doesn't he carries on until he gets some too. He's got us all wrapped around his finger...when he screams we aim to please. (I think we've gotta stops this monster, before we're real sorry.)
March 01, 2009
Rooooarrrrrr
The closer and closer we get to Birthday numero uno~ we've noticed Brady becomming more and more fun. His latest thing is to Roar like a Lion... now keep in mind this isn't a full chested loud roar, but a soft little "RAH" sound. So cute though, as he lifts an arm to mimic the action of a paw clawing at you. It started with a lion mask that Dylan and Riley were playing with one day, and now any time he sees this mask he lets out a "RAHHH". I'm hoping to catch a video of this little Lion, so be sure to check back to this post, in the coming week.
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