It is so great to be " doing something " again, whats even nicer is to be doing something for a company who helped you so much with your baby, and your needs and who loves you!
I work for Pediatrix Medical Group as a Newborn Hearing Screener - and I am in love!
Who wouldnt love handling new born babies day in and out?
But what I really love is knowing that with this test, that untill recentely wasnt availible is now such an invaluble resource for all parents and babies.
Its a labor of love, and I am doing it.
I know this job was sent by God because everything from how it came about to pay right down to how Madaya is handling things with mommy not being home FT is PERFECT ( I hope I dont curse myself )
If you want to read a little more about what I do please visit Pediatix Hearing Screens or email for more info.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
No feeding tube!
The latest Dr's appointment brought the news that we were hoping to hear.
With the nutritionist's help we will be using more planning and diet to try to bring Madaya's weight up and for now will avoid the " feeding tube ".
Her weight : 20.9 lbs.
Now many have said shes " not that small " its not an issue of her being small. Its an issue of when a child doesnt progress in growth or keep a constant curve the dr's start to worry of complex issues like kideny failure, brain growth, milestones not being met etc!
Its dangerous and their bodies are much like ours as adults in the fact they must have certain amounts of fat, fat stores, and lean muscle to make everything move right.
We pulled her off of her medication for allergies as she is ... get this.... ALLERGIC TO IT!!! and are now trying some other things to help her stay healthy.
Her dr has her feeding every 2 hours, were using only whole grains and fibers, adding reall butter into anything she can handle and still making sure to avoid most things with dies, high fructose corn syrups ( TRY THAT DURING THE HOLIDAYS! ) and bleached flours.
To help with the environmental allergies weve gone back to bleaching the hard wood floors weekly with non-chlorine bleach, asking shoes to be removed in the entry way along with coats, and outerwear and avoiding much contact with cats, trees etc!
So far... so good.
Re-weigh in 1 month, but for now all looks well!
With the nutritionist's help we will be using more planning and diet to try to bring Madaya's weight up and for now will avoid the " feeding tube ".
Her weight : 20.9 lbs.
Now many have said shes " not that small " its not an issue of her being small. Its an issue of when a child doesnt progress in growth or keep a constant curve the dr's start to worry of complex issues like kideny failure, brain growth, milestones not being met etc!
Its dangerous and their bodies are much like ours as adults in the fact they must have certain amounts of fat, fat stores, and lean muscle to make everything move right.
We pulled her off of her medication for allergies as she is ... get this.... ALLERGIC TO IT!!! and are now trying some other things to help her stay healthy.
Her dr has her feeding every 2 hours, were using only whole grains and fibers, adding reall butter into anything she can handle and still making sure to avoid most things with dies, high fructose corn syrups ( TRY THAT DURING THE HOLIDAYS! ) and bleached flours.
To help with the environmental allergies weve gone back to bleaching the hard wood floors weekly with non-chlorine bleach, asking shoes to be removed in the entry way along with coats, and outerwear and avoiding much contact with cats, trees etc!
So far... so good.
Re-weigh in 1 month, but for now all looks well!
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Schedule! Whats that?
I set my hours the other day with the Hospital and I think were on our way to a good Schedule....
if there is one!
I chose to work Everyother Monday, all Wednesdays, Everyother Fridays and every Saturday.
This would allow Daya's Schedule to look like this :
Mondays : Home with Daddy / Home with Mommy
Tuesdays : Home with Mommy ( Daddy works )
Wednesdays : Preschool - Full day
Thursdays : Home with Family Mommy and Daddy off ( unless one called in )
Friday : Preschool ( and mommy gets mommy day on the ones I don't work! )
Saturdays : Grammy Day
Sunday : Home with Family
:) Mike and I are so excited that this allow us to only need to place her in a school for 2 days a week and seems to allow us the ability to teach at home too.
Now obviously this will take a bit to fall in to and my sched. may need tweaked a little but for the most part this is how were looking.
I still have offers from friends and family for the days when things MAY come up!
We are very lucky to have this and know that Madaya will be well cared for always.
For making a decission we didn't think we would have to make, I think we came up with a pretty good one!
if there is one!
I chose to work Everyother Monday, all Wednesdays, Everyother Fridays and every Saturday.
This would allow Daya's Schedule to look like this :
Mondays : Home with Daddy / Home with Mommy
Tuesdays : Home with Mommy ( Daddy works )
Wednesdays : Preschool - Full day
Thursdays : Home with Family Mommy and Daddy off ( unless one called in )
Friday : Preschool ( and mommy gets mommy day on the ones I don't work! )
Saturdays : Grammy Day
Sunday : Home with Family
:) Mike and I are so excited that this allow us to only need to place her in a school for 2 days a week and seems to allow us the ability to teach at home too.
Now obviously this will take a bit to fall in to and my sched. may need tweaked a little but for the most part this is how were looking.
I still have offers from friends and family for the days when things MAY come up!
We are very lucky to have this and know that Madaya will be well cared for always.
For making a decission we didn't think we would have to make, I think we came up with a pretty good one!
Thankful for Thanksgiving
This Thanksgiving I think I was way to apprehensive about many things, now looking back I am so Thankful for what it is, and was and will be.
The Sunday before Thanksgiving at church pastor W gave his sermon on " Grace " and always being " Thankful "
Sounds easy right --- wrong. Slow down and think about this. How many times are you REALLY THANKFUL.
We as humans can and usually do find flaw in everything, and then turn around and put them down. I.e. when things are going bad, were not where we want to be, things arent our way....
In doing so we are not being truely thankful. We need to see the good in all things, and give thanks for that!
How many times has a bad thing led to a good thing? --- Ahh - see now your thinking! And you can see why it hit us hard too.
Mike and I agreed ( yes hes going to church too ;) ). We are guilty of playing the whoa is me, game and not always giving " grace ". We agreed that despite many things we feel ill about this Thanksgiving that there would be no time like the present to institute this new rule and we did.
You know what?!
Thanksgiving was SO easy, and honestly I have no complaints. Yes, I miss a few things and would have loved for it to be a bit different but I am truely giving Grace for what it was!
We had a wonderful day with many of our family and a few friends, and I learned some things that were very heart humbling.
We are thankful for so many things and even more so for being reminded of why!
Our family hopes you and your's had wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday's too and a very blessed Christmas season.
The Sunday before Thanksgiving at church pastor W gave his sermon on " Grace " and always being " Thankful "
Sounds easy right --- wrong. Slow down and think about this. How many times are you REALLY THANKFUL.
We as humans can and usually do find flaw in everything, and then turn around and put them down. I.e. when things are going bad, were not where we want to be, things arent our way....
In doing so we are not being truely thankful. We need to see the good in all things, and give thanks for that!
How many times has a bad thing led to a good thing? --- Ahh - see now your thinking! And you can see why it hit us hard too.
Mike and I agreed ( yes hes going to church too ;) ). We are guilty of playing the whoa is me, game and not always giving " grace ". We agreed that despite many things we feel ill about this Thanksgiving that there would be no time like the present to institute this new rule and we did.
You know what?!
Thanksgiving was SO easy, and honestly I have no complaints. Yes, I miss a few things and would have loved for it to be a bit different but I am truely giving Grace for what it was!
We had a wonderful day with many of our family and a few friends, and I learned some things that were very heart humbling.
We are thankful for so many things and even more so for being reminded of why!
Our family hopes you and your's had wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday's too and a very blessed Christmas season.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
WLS UPDATE : Post Nutrition
I know some of you have asked, and I do read the emails I promise, but some things I just haven't shared purely out of need to keep it in until I knew what end was up or down.
My health is not what I would have hoped it to be for the most part, and the Dr's have been very concerned. I am still loosing weight till this day, and am having a hard time retaining anything I do happen to gain through food etc.
So --- While they have been busy doing all these thyroid tests ( which are a mess ) they decided I needed to see the new nutritionist and see what we can do to help.
I weighed in the other day fully clothed at 129lbs. NOT GOOD. Remember they wanted be no lower than 135 before skin revision because they estimate 15-20lbs in dead tissue and skin. Gross, but the truth is its just too skinny for me. Im boney, there is NO fat, and lots of tissue.
So to be healthy your body has to be at a healthy Body Mass Index ( BMI ) and I simply am too thin. Who would have thought?
We came to this - I met with the new NUT. and she said she wants me to stop working out and being so active in hopes of slowing the metabolisum for now, and bumping up my calories to 1500 a day. HA - talk about a mind trip, its really hard to do.
She went over my labs and said my vitamin levels, and hormones except for the iron are perfect. I am extremely anemic and my blood cells are suffering and are small because of it so thats impeding alot too.
My thyroid is the other mess, its now extremely HIGH and they have agreed to check every 4 weeks now and just did another change. I am no on 125mcg of Levoxyl and .5mg of Cytomel.
I wouldnt have thought I would go from being HYPO to HYPER and the Dr's are just as perplexed. Were working hard on these three things :
1. Weight Gain/Maintain
2. Thryoid Uptake - Maintain ( its estimated this will take 5 more months )
3. Iron Levels ( they think this ties to thyroid and iodine uptake too )
So .... I am 8 months post op weighing around 130lb and doing good for the most part. I am hitting all my NUT goals, its just not staying with me. I am not TRYING to loose more, but scarely its happening!
I also have a big challenge ahead as I go back to work on a busy nursing floor this coming week. This will play into intake and output for sure and I will see the NUT ( who happens to be in the same office I work in ) mid week to see how I am doing.
I am blessed to have such a team behind me!
Please let me say that even though SOME things arent great compared to my health 1 year ago I am 97% better! Its amazing what this journey has done.
Pics to come soon!
Quick Stats :
Height : 5'3"
Weight: 126-130lbs
Hair : Not falling out anymore, infact coming back in curly!
Size : Pants 4, Shirts M, Bra 32B
weight lost : 96-100lbs
My health is not what I would have hoped it to be for the most part, and the Dr's have been very concerned. I am still loosing weight till this day, and am having a hard time retaining anything I do happen to gain through food etc.
So --- While they have been busy doing all these thyroid tests ( which are a mess ) they decided I needed to see the new nutritionist and see what we can do to help.
I weighed in the other day fully clothed at 129lbs. NOT GOOD. Remember they wanted be no lower than 135 before skin revision because they estimate 15-20lbs in dead tissue and skin. Gross, but the truth is its just too skinny for me. Im boney, there is NO fat, and lots of tissue.
So to be healthy your body has to be at a healthy Body Mass Index ( BMI ) and I simply am too thin. Who would have thought?
We came to this - I met with the new NUT. and she said she wants me to stop working out and being so active in hopes of slowing the metabolisum for now, and bumping up my calories to 1500 a day. HA - talk about a mind trip, its really hard to do.
She went over my labs and said my vitamin levels, and hormones except for the iron are perfect. I am extremely anemic and my blood cells are suffering and are small because of it so thats impeding alot too.
My thyroid is the other mess, its now extremely HIGH and they have agreed to check every 4 weeks now and just did another change. I am no on 125mcg of Levoxyl and .5mg of Cytomel.
I wouldnt have thought I would go from being HYPO to HYPER and the Dr's are just as perplexed. Were working hard on these three things :
1. Weight Gain/Maintain
2. Thryoid Uptake - Maintain ( its estimated this will take 5 more months )
3. Iron Levels ( they think this ties to thyroid and iodine uptake too )
So .... I am 8 months post op weighing around 130lb and doing good for the most part. I am hitting all my NUT goals, its just not staying with me. I am not TRYING to loose more, but scarely its happening!
I also have a big challenge ahead as I go back to work on a busy nursing floor this coming week. This will play into intake and output for sure and I will see the NUT ( who happens to be in the same office I work in ) mid week to see how I am doing.
I am blessed to have such a team behind me!
Please let me say that even though SOME things arent great compared to my health 1 year ago I am 97% better! Its amazing what this journey has done.
Pics to come soon!
Quick Stats :
Height : 5'3"
Weight: 126-130lbs
Hair : Not falling out anymore, infact coming back in curly!
Size : Pants 4, Shirts M, Bra 32B
weight lost : 96-100lbs
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
As the Allergist Digest turns...
Mike took Madaya to her Allergist yesterday and had the next set of allergy testing done along with the follow up and visit for her recent actions.
Madaya has been sneezing, complaining of a sore throught and mouth, itching her eyes, snoring, being moody, distended belly, and wheezing most days lately for the past 2 months ( it started the week before her birthday party ). We had her to the pedi 2 times and both times she repeated that it appears to be brought on my allergies and her system in general the fevers spike, the nose gets clear and runny yet we never find anything - so we waited for this appointment.
The Dr that saw her was new to us, because her Dr. is out on maternity leave, so he was on the cautious side and wanted to know exactly who and what with Madaya which lead to an all over exam again and going back to the basics.
We started with things in our home. I.e. Dog, Rabbit, Fruit, Veggies etc... and then went on with other things we have noticed I.e. Cat, Trees, Grass, Mold ....
All of those two panels were negative except : Cat ( all 3 markers ) Dog ( 1 marker - Long Hair ) and the other environmental were all 1's. They think because she is in a " Histimine Reactive " state right now so some will have to be repeated.
The cat allergy was severe at a 9+ of 8 @ 15 minutes. And the Dog 1:8 @ 20 min.
The route for now it to bring her into check and to get her regular again. She is out of it, moody, bouncing off the walls, and a truely uncomfortable state most of the day.
We will treat with allergy meds 2 times a day, and using her new ProAir Inhaler 4 times a day or as needed to control the asthma that is coming along with these reactions.
We have to keep a record of reactions, places weve been etc for 3 months and see if we can find a pattern.
The allergist and Immunologist says that these things sometimes just get worse with age, instead of better and maybe thats the case with Roo. Last time the cat was a mild reaction of 2:8. and Dog 0:8.
Here is hoping to some quick releif though and finally some answers.
Let the momma guilt begin. I should have known better. She hasn't been herself in a while.
Madaya has been sneezing, complaining of a sore throught and mouth, itching her eyes, snoring, being moody, distended belly, and wheezing most days lately for the past 2 months ( it started the week before her birthday party ). We had her to the pedi 2 times and both times she repeated that it appears to be brought on my allergies and her system in general the fevers spike, the nose gets clear and runny yet we never find anything - so we waited for this appointment.
The Dr that saw her was new to us, because her Dr. is out on maternity leave, so he was on the cautious side and wanted to know exactly who and what with Madaya which lead to an all over exam again and going back to the basics.
We started with things in our home. I.e. Dog, Rabbit, Fruit, Veggies etc... and then went on with other things we have noticed I.e. Cat, Trees, Grass, Mold ....
All of those two panels were negative except : Cat ( all 3 markers ) Dog ( 1 marker - Long Hair ) and the other environmental were all 1's. They think because she is in a " Histimine Reactive " state right now so some will have to be repeated.
The cat allergy was severe at a 9+ of 8 @ 15 minutes. And the Dog 1:8 @ 20 min.
The route for now it to bring her into check and to get her regular again. She is out of it, moody, bouncing off the walls, and a truely uncomfortable state most of the day.
We will treat with allergy meds 2 times a day, and using her new ProAir Inhaler 4 times a day or as needed to control the asthma that is coming along with these reactions.
We have to keep a record of reactions, places weve been etc for 3 months and see if we can find a pattern.
The allergist and Immunologist says that these things sometimes just get worse with age, instead of better and maybe thats the case with Roo. Last time the cat was a mild reaction of 2:8. and Dog 0:8.
Here is hoping to some quick releif though and finally some answers.
Let the momma guilt begin. I should have known better. She hasn't been herself in a while.
Thyroid Scan results
The results of Friday's thyroid scan were just as we suspected but not as bad :).
It's a tricky situation and will take alot to figure out.
My thyroid is really inlarged and shows much sign of being over active or over stimulated. The meds they have me on are not bringing it within range yet and we will be working harder to obtain those results.
I am starting to feel many of the effects of it being too high. I am hungry ALL THE TIME, eating way more, still loosing weight way to quickly, racing heart esp when up and moving, headaches and blurred vission. I am also still having troubles sleeping and with my emotions and feeling anxious. They assure me that all it is, is that its out of control.
I am thankful they don't think its cancer at this point and that the enlargement of the glad can be fixed, but that doesn't mean I am healthy or that we know what next.
I guess I have to put my big girl panties on and wait it out but damn, this sucks!
My daughter would love to have her calm, collected momma back and my husband could use his wife with her hormones in check and emotions to follow.
It's a good thing they love me - I have been a mess!
It's a tricky situation and will take alot to figure out.
My thyroid is really inlarged and shows much sign of being over active or over stimulated. The meds they have me on are not bringing it within range yet and we will be working harder to obtain those results.
I am starting to feel many of the effects of it being too high. I am hungry ALL THE TIME, eating way more, still loosing weight way to quickly, racing heart esp when up and moving, headaches and blurred vission. I am also still having troubles sleeping and with my emotions and feeling anxious. They assure me that all it is, is that its out of control.
I am thankful they don't think its cancer at this point and that the enlargement of the glad can be fixed, but that doesn't mean I am healthy or that we know what next.
I guess I have to put my big girl panties on and wait it out but damn, this sucks!
My daughter would love to have her calm, collected momma back and my husband could use his wife with her hormones in check and emotions to follow.
It's a good thing they love me - I have been a mess!
Daycare Vs. Preschool = We have a headache
I was offered and accepted the PT position as a Newborn Hearing Screener and Mike and I decided we better line up child care now.
My job won't start really until DEC 7th with only 1 day a week for training for this week and next then 2 weeks FULL TIME then stepping into my normal routine/schedule so its been hard to see where, and when we need care.
I have a close family friend who said she would be willing to keep Daya and that's still a close running but we have to figure travel time, gas and cost of food etc.
With that we decided maybe we would try Pre-School as I know at must she will only need 3 days a week just about 4-5 hours those days tops.
Ha - We have been to every place in the city trying to find a place for our lil roo and only 4 are in our relm of consideration.
Here is our headache :
Do we put her in a scheduled pre-school where she could learn most of the day and have some playtime or do we put her in a " daycare " where she plays most of the day and learns minimally other than through interaction?!
All are about cost wise the same, some just offer more of a structure which we do beleive Daya thrives on.
However is doing that to her all the time healthy?
Weve been trying to weigh this option too.... what about preschool 2 days a week and family care/sitting 1 day a week. Happy medium?!
Oy....
It will really help next week when I know about what the schedule MAY be. There is a chance I won't need to put her anywhere more than 4-5 hours total a week?! We will see ...
Until then we are open to ideas!
( please note that my wages arent much to pay a ton in childcare )
My job won't start really until DEC 7th with only 1 day a week for training for this week and next then 2 weeks FULL TIME then stepping into my normal routine/schedule so its been hard to see where, and when we need care.
I have a close family friend who said she would be willing to keep Daya and that's still a close running but we have to figure travel time, gas and cost of food etc.
With that we decided maybe we would try Pre-School as I know at must she will only need 3 days a week just about 4-5 hours those days tops.
Ha - We have been to every place in the city trying to find a place for our lil roo and only 4 are in our relm of consideration.
Here is our headache :
Do we put her in a scheduled pre-school where she could learn most of the day and have some playtime or do we put her in a " daycare " where she plays most of the day and learns minimally other than through interaction?!
All are about cost wise the same, some just offer more of a structure which we do beleive Daya thrives on.
However is doing that to her all the time healthy?
Weve been trying to weigh this option too.... what about preschool 2 days a week and family care/sitting 1 day a week. Happy medium?!
Oy....
It will really help next week when I know about what the schedule MAY be. There is a chance I won't need to put her anywhere more than 4-5 hours total a week?! We will see ...
Until then we are open to ideas!
( please note that my wages arent much to pay a ton in childcare )
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Disney On Ice : Worlds Of Fantasy
Mike and I got tickets to go to Disney on Ice : Worlds Of Fantasy with Madaya this year. We wanted to take her but thought tickets were a little pricey. Upon googling late at night one night however I found a great deal on seats 2 rows back from the ice! The next morning I called SIL and asked if she wanted to take Toria too - Of course who wouldn't right?!
We went tonight and it was fabulous. Madaya loved every minute of it and our seats were great. We really were able to see alot.
Madaya was much of a character as she started to get mad because Tinkerbell wasn't coming out when the other shows were. She did not want to wait to see her - but when she came it was well worth the wait ...
Here is the down fall. First of all I didn't bring my " baby" ( camera ) and only had my point and shoot ( they took it away last time I tried ) and selina armed with only her Iphone and PNS camera as well.... we werent able to get much as to pics, and BOTH OUR BATTERIES DIED and we couldn't get shots of the best at the end. Grrrr...
All in all though so worth it and so fun, and the look on the girl's face when the show was going alone is worth way more than we paid in time and dollars :)
We went tonight and it was fabulous. Madaya loved every minute of it and our seats were great. We really were able to see alot.
Madaya was much of a character as she started to get mad because Tinkerbell wasn't coming out when the other shows were. She did not want to wait to see her - but when she came it was well worth the wait ...
Here is the down fall. First of all I didn't bring my " baby" ( camera ) and only had my point and shoot ( they took it away last time I tried ) and selina armed with only her Iphone and PNS camera as well.... we werent able to get much as to pics, and BOTH OUR BATTERIES DIED and we couldn't get shots of the best at the end. Grrrr...
All in all though so worth it and so fun, and the look on the girl's face when the show was going alone is worth way more than we paid in time and dollars :)
( I will post pics when the battery is strong enough to load them! )
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Back to work I go
Despite the issue of my health as of lately I have decided to go to work PT. 2 main reasons 1.) To make me feel more usefull ( cause being super mom doesnt always cut it! ) and 2.) To pay for daya to go to preschool and get her some routine other than momma.
I took my time and did not really apply too many places mainly because its not a MUST. But 2 weeks ago I applied for my dream job ( ok close to ).
And today ...
I GOT IT!
I will be the Newborn hearing screener for Sacred Heart Hospital/Pediatrix Med corp. and will start 11/23!!!!!!
More details to come but they are working on getting my office and supplies ready for me and I am so excited!
We will now have to mad hunt for preschool/child care for roo....
Fingers Crossed!
I took my time and did not really apply too many places mainly because its not a MUST. But 2 weeks ago I applied for my dream job ( ok close to ).
And today ...
I GOT IT!
I will be the Newborn hearing screener for Sacred Heart Hospital/Pediatrix Med corp. and will start 11/23!!!!!!
More details to come but they are working on getting my office and supplies ready for me and I am so excited!
We will now have to mad hunt for preschool/child care for roo....
Fingers Crossed!
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