Yesterday was a crazy day…really, really crazy. So today, I was looking back through some photos and remembered a trip I took with my boys to the zoo.
It wasn’t that long ago, and we took some of my nephews with. It was so much fun…and on days like today (when I feel lousy and exhausted), it’s a great chance to relive those moments.
So here we go:
I saw this on Facebook tonight…and couldn’t get it out of my head.
A Mother's Love
This was the caption under the photo:
This is a true story of Mother’s Sacrifice during the Japan Earthquake.
After the Earthquake had subsided, when the rescuers reached the ruins of a young woman’s house, they saw her dead body through the cracks. But her pose was somehow strange that she knelt on her knees like a person was worshiping; her body was leaning forward, and her two hands were supporting by an object. The collapsed house had crashed her back and her head.With so many difficulties, the leader of the rescuer team put his hand through a narrow gap on the wall to reach the woman’s body. He was hoping that this woman could be still alive. However, the cold and stiff body told him that she had passed away for sure.
He and the rest of the team left this house and were going to search the next collapsed building. For some reasons, the team leader was driven by a compelling force to go back to the ruin house of the dead woman. Again, he knelt down and used his had through the narrow cracks to search the little space under the dead body. Suddenly, he screamed with excitement,” A child! There is a child! “
The whole team worked together; carefully they removed the piles of ruined objects around the dead woman. There was a 3 months old little boy wrapped in a flowery blanket under his mother’s dead body. Obviously, the woman had made an ultimate sacrifice for saving her son. When her house was falling, she used her body to make a cover to protect her son. The little boy was still sleeping peacefully when the team leader picked him up.
The medical doctor came quickly to exam the little boy. After he opened the blanket, he saw a cell phone inside the blanket. There was a text message on the screen. It said,” If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.” This cell phone was passing around from one hand to another. Every body that read the message wept. ” If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.” Such is the mother’s love for her child!!
Why did this strike a chord? Aside from just being a mother? (By the way, snopes clarifies that the picture and the story don’t go together…I’m fine with that, but whether or not the two go together, they both hit my heart.)
Well, to put it simply, I’m somewhat in the same position.
After researching and researching and researching some more…I’ve learned quite a bit about George’s OTC. And if he truly has OTC (which has been pretty well proven through testing and improvement with the diet), then we’re dealing with a disease that does a lot of taking.
For example…in OTC, males are hit harder than females. In fact, 50% of males born with OTC do not live 72 hours. And of the 50% surviving, another 50% will die by the age of 5.
Those are the facts.
So, on Sunday we head back to Rochester. And this time, the questions will be a little more pointed and a little more clear. I need to know exactly what the doctor is thinking, and what we need to do. I’ve read on some new research showing hopeful uses of gene therapy…something we may look into.
Whatever it is, we will do…I will stand over my son and let the roof crash on me, so that some day he can stand tall and read, “If you can survive, you must remember that I love you.”
Just thought I would throw out a quick blog update, so that you didn’t think that I had fallen off the face of the planet. Actually, harvest is upon us and things are getting busy around here. This week we:
Sounds simple, right?
But this little story had me giggling this morning, so let me share with you…
EJ (4), asked if he could eat some oatmeal for lunch. I didn’t have a problem with that at all, I mean, a simple, fast meal that dirties one dish and can be made in a minute? Sure, count me in! I had picked up some special instant oatmeal packages the last time we were in Aberdeen, so he grabbed one of those and away we went.
EJ’s job was to open the package and put it in a bowl. I add the water, we push the buttons on the microwave together and voila! A meal is served. But he had a bit of a problem when he opened the package.
Dinosaur eggs in your oatmeal? Why not?
“Mom, what are those?”
“Hmmm….well, it says that those are dinosaur eggs.”
“Mom, I don’t think I’m hungry any more.”
“Don’t you want dinosaur eggs in your belly?”
“No, they might eat me.”
Well, being the nice mom that I am, I only tormented him for a little bit, then explained that they were actually just like little jelly beans. I would’ve kept the ruse going longer, but I didn’t want to have to make something else for lunch! 😉
This weekend will mark 10 years since our country was changed, security was tightened, and everyone became a little more cautious. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years…I can remember it as if it were yesterday.
Boss Man and I had just been married that year, and he was on his way to attend Big Iron in Fargo. (Big Iron is kinda like the world’s largest craft fair and fashion show for women…except with tractors and grease.) At the time I worked in a government office. I was checking the morning CNN report, but for some reason, the site kept crashing. My co-worker called in from the field and said that the radio was talking about a plane crash.
And then the phones rang. We were informed about the security risks and vague details of what was going on. All employees were offered the chance to go home, if they felt unsafe in a government building. It was chaos. And it was shocking.
I remember leaving work that day (we all stayed the whole day…because we live in rural North Dakota, and figured we were probably off the terrorists radar) and going to my mom and dad’s and watching the news with her. We sat there, in disbelief, and cried. How could you make sense of it?
The next few weeks are a blur…it seemed as if everyone was just going through the motions. We traveled on a delayed honeymoon in November of that year, and I remember being nervous at the airport. And I know I wasn’t the only one.
And here we are, 10 years later. It’s hard to believe that so much time has gone by, and yet the emotions and feeling of helplessness are still so fresh in my mind. My heart aches, just thinking about it.
This weekend is a time of reflection, a time of remembrance and a time of healing. We will continue on, because we are Americans and that’s what we do. We pick ourselves up, brush ourselves off and continue feeding, protecting and healing the world. And so, on Sunday (as I do most days) I will pray for our leaders, pray for our soldiers and pray for our citizens…will you join me?
My country...
Today’s Thankful Thursday post wasn’t a planned post. Like most of life, we deal with the curveballs thrown us and work from there. Yesterday threw me a BIG curveball.
A local farmer, good friend, father of three young children and husband to an amazing woman was killed yesterday in a farm-related accident. I don’t know the details, but even if I did, it wouldn’t matter…the outcome would remain the same. There is a family hurting today…and the details won’t change that.
But what that accident has provided me, is an opportunity to appreciate my loved ones, just a little more. Hug my kids a little tighter. See my husband in a new light.
So today’s Thankful Thursday is dedicated to him…Mark. Most of you know him as Boss Man on Twitter, and occasionally on this blog. I don’t write about him a lot, because it was MY decision to start this blog, not his. I try to avoid involving him when I can, but anytime I do, I have him read the post and approve it first…except this one.
I would like to start off, by saying how thankful I am that he’s a wonderful husband, a caring father and an amazing farmer.
Mark...farmer, father, friend...mine.
He makes me laugh, he drives me nuts and he ticks me off…all at the same time. It’s amazing, but he’s talented like that. I think he took a class or something.
Whatever it is that he is…he’s mine. And tonight I will hug him a little tighter, hold him a little longer and try not to let him see my tears.
I would go on, but suddenly I have found that I can’t…
That’s right…I’ve been blogging for a whole year. I started this, after some encouragement from a dear friend, thinking that it would be a good way to let off steam, show my farm and talk about my boys. Ha! That didn’t quite work the way I planned, but oh well.
EJ already knows he has big shoes to fill!
Boy, what a year it’s been! Last year, I talked about harvest, I talked about deer, I talked about school. I was frustrated that we didn’t know what was wrong with George, we traveled a LOT for his medical issues and we spent quite a bit of time in the hospital. And now, here we are…
We finally have a name, our days in the hospital will hopefully be fewer, but at least we now know what we’re dealing with and where to go from here. Our farm is still here, even when Mother Nature threw us some curveballs, and we have not be regulated out of existence…yet.
Life, as I know it, is pretty good. Even with as crazy as it gets. Plus, teaming up with my friends at The Real Farmwives of America and Friends has also been an AMAZING experience!
I never dreamed in a year’s time, that my blog would end up with almost 20,000 hits. That’s amazing to me. And I thank each and every one of you, for coming along for the ride.
I don’t know where the next year will take us, but we’re on our way!
And to celebrate the past year…I have a bit of a quiz and a giveaway for you! So here it goes:
Answer this question in the comment section below to enter: What is your favorite post on my blog? (Hint: There is no right answer!) Or why do you come back?
Want more entries? “Like” Wag’n Tales on Facebook. All Wag’n Tales friends on Facebook will be automatically entered!
Wondering what you’re winning? Well, it’ll be a really cool prize pack! Including a Fullerton Cookbook, an Ag Book of the Day or three, a Farmers Feed Families button down shirt and more! Winner will be drawn on September 9…so be sure to enter right away! (And pass it on to your friends!)
School starts here tomorrow. And as bad as I feel for saying it…I can’t wait. I need some routine, some down time, some “regular” stuff. You know?
Just when I thought a week of plane crashes, hospital stays and sick little boys was looking up, fate stepped in. Big Bro was bit by a dog at the local park. Said dog had no vaccinations. It all adds up to Big Bro having to be on a round of antibiotics for the sore, and the dog being quarantined for 10 days to watch for signs of rabies. Even indoor pets need vaccinations. (Let’s not even get to why an “indoor” pet was at the park.)
For those that don’t know…let me explain to you what rabies all entails.
Well, enough of that, I think you get the point. Rabies is serious, rabies is deadly, and it’s simple to prevent. This is all a situation that didn’t need to occur. So please, have your pets properly vaccinated and cared for by veterinarians. If you can’t afford to do that, then do your animal a favor, and find them a new home.
I will know within 10 days if we have to go through the rabies series with Big Bro. Sooner if the animal dies between now and then. Is it likely that the dog has rabies? No, but even “indoor” pets can have contact with disease-carrying animals. Is it likely that the animal will get sick? No, but with a 100% fatality record, it’s not worth the risk.
What a way to start the week…and the school year!
Dr. T told me to try every trick in the book to get George to drink…and I truly believe I have. We have:
Where did it get us? A maximum of 2 ounces in one whole day. (And that was yesterday, thanks to Grandma W!)
So today, my mom and dad returned from a trip to see family in Wisconsin. They came down after loading up a cooler full of George’s favorites from their house. Which included: Hug fruit barrel juices, his sippy cup from their house, freezees from their house, pudding, etc. They brought a cooler with straws, spoons, you name it. (Apparently a hospital may not have such utensils??? Ha!) 🙂
Well, it worked pretty well, because George drank two ounces while they were here…he had only had one ounce all day! So, they doubled his drinking total! Woohoo! (I know, I’m easily pleased, eh?)
As I type, he is laying in the chair…with his sippy cup!
It all starts with baby steps!
We might get out of here before he turns 18! I was afraid they were going to make us switch units soon! 🙂
Thank you so very much for the continued prayers and support. I make light of it now, but we were in a pretty serious situation. I’m so grateful to have friends and neighbors like you to share with our joys and tribulations! We are so blessed!
P.S. And little Brayton has had some promising reports himself! How exciting! The power of God is so amazing!
Well, George has had a bad week. Yesterday (Friday) we came in for IV fluids. Unfortunately, George was making his Mama nervous. He kept falling asleep. By noon, he had taken three naps, and by the time we were in Aberdeen getting fluids, he was on nap number seven.
Now, I know that after the week he’s had (tonsils and adenoids out, tubes in ears, staying in the hospital for three days, etc.), he deserved some rest…but for a 2-year-old, well, we were dwelling in a dangerous area.
George’s OTC has “episodes,” which are periods of seizures, brain swelling, high ammonia levels, etc. These are medical emergencies and need to be treated with IV therapy ASAP. In fact, I carry a letter from Mayo and a letter from his pediatrician, instructing any ER we may end up visiting that if George comes in with fever, lethargy, or other unexplainable symptoms, he needs to be treated immediately. No waiting for triage, no waiting for doctors orders, blood draw and IV first, questions second.
So, my question when we came in Friday afternoon was, “Is his lethargy caused from regular post-op blahs? Or are we dealing with something else?” Doc couldn’t answer that, so we drew some blood. And quickly received our answer. George was dehydrated.
Now, I received a thorough grilling from our pediatrician. You see, he was behind in information. He knew that George had surgery on Tuesday, but he didn’t realize that he wasn’t taking anything orally and had only been released the night before with the saline-lock in his hand, with orders to come back each day for fluids until he was drinking 20-30 ounces per day. So we had gone a little over 12 hours without fluid, and George’s stats weren’t good.
The doc explained it to me like this: George’s body thought it was starving. So, it started the process of breaking down it’s own tissue to get enough protein, etc. that it needed. He called it acidosis.
So, we are back in the hospital. We have learned a valuable lesson. George can’t go very long without fluids. He dehydrates in RECORD time…and I mean fast! And although he was producing tears, had a runny nose, moist mouth (all signs that he’s hydrated enough), the blood work showed a way different story.
And now we know.
It is Sunday…and I will give thanks to God for allowing us to have the technology and the means to be able to figure these things out, and correct the deficiencies that are there. I will thank Him for the wisdom of the doctors, the compassion of the nurses and the love and care of all our friends and family. I will thank Him for mother’s intuition.
But most of all, I will thank Him for George.
Just for myself to read in the future (far, far off in the future), let me recap how my Thursday went. It was a doozy.
Let’s start off with another day of George not opening his mouth, not even to speak. That’s right, my 2-year-old decided to boycott all things having to do with his mouth, including speaking. Which means we get to pry his mouth open every 4-6 hours and force pain medicine down his throat. Sound like fun yet?
Then, let’s top it off with the fact that George’s IV is in his foot. Which means that he can’t leave the hospital bed, unless it’s to take a ride in the hospital wagon. Three days of not leaving a bed. Sound like fun yet?
Then, let’s add an attempt at moving said IV site from foot to hand. All for the benefit of the child, minus the teamwork of the veins. Attempt one, failure. Attempt two, success…with a few hiccups. But success none-the-less.
Then, late decision to discharge (very grateful, don’t get me wrong), late call to husband, quick round up of children to retrieve us. (Hospital is an hour from our home. But I get to go back everyday for fluids, until George decides to drink.)
And this is what we had:
Big Bro – completely disheveled, dirty, hair uncombed. Scooter – similar to Big Bro, but bigger mess on clothes. EJ – Head-to-toe dirt, wearing same clothes last seen in on Monday, John Deere shirt (Will Trade Brother for Tractor), brown shorts and knee-high camo rubby boots (rubber boots to the rest of the world, rubbies to EJ). Hubby – fresh-off-the-farm, filthy-from-the-field, greasy-grimy shirt and pants, complete with work boots, work belt and pliers pocket.
Now, add in George – Purple hospital gown, tied in back. Black shorts. Maroon fuzzy hospital no-slip socks. Blue sandals. And his IV in his right hand, with a mint green fuzzy hospital no-slip sock on his hand, taped at the top. (Had to wear hospital gown home, shirt wouldn’t fit over IV easily.)
And hubby asked if I wanted the whole family to go in the store to get George’s script, or if I just wanted him to run in. Guess what I decided?
I figured had we all gone in, the People of Walmart website would probably have received multiple emails with our photo…and rightfully so. I’d share a picture, but for the sake of my children’s future, I won’t. 😉 What can I say, Dad was in charge!
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