Fab Family - They are FAB-U-LOUS!!

17 More days and counting!

Angie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:23:50 +0000

17 More days and counting! Todd and I will be leaving the kids with Grandpa(ma) and Grandpa and J and making our way to Jamaica we will be staying at the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort http://www.caribbeanhi.com/jamaica/ . We will be going for 5 nights and 6 days. We went to Jamaica about 5 years ago and had a great time then as well. This time we will be going with about 12 or 13 people. I am so ready for a vacation I think I am ready to count down the minutes. We have decided that about every 3 years we will be doing a adults only vacation and the other years we will be doing a family vacation.

We got a really good deal on this vacation and the nice part is its all inclusive. I love the all inclusive ones because you know what to expect as far as spending money. This hotel is on the coast of Jamaica white sandy beaches and its own private island. Well I will try and post some pictures when we get back but I not I will have them with me over the holidays. So I hope everyone has a nice and Happy Thanksgiving!

GAETANO IS ONE YEAR OLD!

Regina — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 13:49:53 +0000

Happy First Birthday, Gaetano! The year flew by s-o-o-o fast! Hope you have a very special day!

I’m back to normal, well as normal as I can be…

Jodi — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:05:54 +0000

16 days in the head pain clinic in Michigan and the cure is a diaretic and blood pressure medication. Low and behold. I had begged the GA docs for the blood pressure meds, but they just refused. Apparently, I have high spinal fluid pressure, which is like high blood pressure of the spine. All this pain and suffering for 12 weeks and a water pill is my saving grace. Additionally, they think I may have had a small stroke. On the 31st, my local doc will do a lumbar puncture to check my pressure. The 2 taps I had, they had not recorded my pressures.
I did have steriods injected into my epidural space, twice, to help “coat” my spine and neck. I don’t know if this has helped my pain or not.

Each week of the head pain, I went to a new doctor or tried a new procedure of some kind. I was not sitting back waiting for the doctors. I essentially managed my own care. I’m glad I did, because if not, I still would not be well.

The place I went to in MI was incredible. Yeah, it’s a hospital and I think it’s incredible. They focus on head pain and the goal is to make you well again. I have my life back thanks to them. Literally, I have my life back. No more nasty, horrible head pains that left me lying on the couch, rarely even leaving my house. I can finally enjoy my kids, husband and our new house.

I “think” I will be returning to work on Monday. They terminated my employment due to being sick and off on maternity, so now it’s a matter of them telling me what job I have now. So, we will see. I’m just happy to not be in pain any more.

Happy Birthday Jodi!

Regina — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 14:35:04 +0000

It has been a really rough year for you, but I’m hoping things will finally turn around. With your head pain under control, and returning to Georgia tomorrow, maybe life will start to fall back into place. Hope you have a great day today!!

We are Home And Gone Again

Len — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:18:43 +0000

We got home from our trip out West on Tuesday, the day before Mary’s birthday. It is a trip everyone should take there has not been a photograph taken that can do justice to the Grand Canyon you look at and say nothing because there are no words to describe it. I did hike down into the canyon on the Bright Angle trail 1.5 miles with a vertical drop of 1100 ft. 40 min down and 90 min back up. All of thew things we saw were amazing. If any one is interested I can forward you the photos we took.
We were home 3 days then off again. Sarah and Dave were in Traverse City for a wedding so we went to visit with them Saturday thru Monday. I think we are home now for a few weeks until Thanksgiving which we will be spending in DC with Sarah and Dave

Happy Birthday John!

Regina — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:19:32 +0000

Hey, John. Hope you had a great birthday! Almost missed this one. There are just too many things going on this time of year!!

Happy Birthday Mary!

Regina — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:53:29 +0000

Despite today’s weather, hope your birthday is sunny and bright! Can’t wait to see pictures from your trip!

It’s Jodi and Brian’s Eighth Anniversary!

Regina — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:57:57 +0000

I wish this could be a much happier time for you guys, than what you are experiencing. And being hundreds of miles apart certainly doesn’t help. I’m hoping and praying that this will all be resolved in just a few more days. Once the doctors find the right combination of meds to get the head pain under control, your lives will begin to get back to normal. It will be wonderful to be home together again with your two beautiful sons.

No idea what day it is, but it’s a good day!

Jodi — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:32:10 +0000

I have no real clue how long I’ve been here, I think it’s 9 days, but I have made progress. Today is a ZERO head pain day. YIPPEEEE. I had a cervical epidural block yesterday and outside of the horrible back pain, which was resolved with some good muscle relaxers, my head pain is a zero today. I had a zero for a few hours once during the week, but today it was all day long. I feel like my old self. I took over an hour walk outside, chatted with fellow patients and watched a movie. Tomorrow during the doctors rounds I am going to ask about when I can get this procedure done again and if we could start to transition me onto what my home medications would be. I am hopefull that by mid next week, I will be pain free and back to my kids,…. I miss them terribly! And I miss Brian of course.

I have a scheduled MRI for Tuesday, again, to check the status of my brain. Apparently there is a legion on the right frontal lobe that no GA neurologist told me about, I found out the day before I came here. Well, they are speculating that with my blood clotting disorder that I passed a clot in my brain and thats the way it leaves it’s mark. I don’t know for sure though, who really does.

Ironically, I met a girl named Gabbie here that is from a town just next to where we live in GA. She actually was from MI too, but 12 years ago moved to GA. All her family are here as well. Well, her kids go to a private school about 2 miles from our old rental house in Dunwoody. Her headaches started bad after her last child, 5 years ago. She has seen some of the same head doctors like I have down in GA and she has sought her care here in MI the last few years because no one down in GA could help. I don’t feel so alone as that is exactly what I experienced with the GA docs. Lucky for me, I am getting treatment early.

Some folks here are all better, some are really suffering from withdrawls as they have a no narcotics policy so they have to be weaned off, and some are on the road to recovery. Each day is a new challenge, but it’s so nice to be in the company of so many that know exactly what this is all about. I will miss some of the great people and nurses when I leave, but I will look forward to being the “old mommy” as Braylen says it.

Disney on Ice

Angie — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:31:44 +0000

Last night Jordan, Braylen, My mom, and I all headed to the Palace for Disney on Ice. It took us and hour and a half to get there which sucked but we got there and as we were getting into our seat the show was starting. Jordan spent most of the time standing in front of her seat dancing and Braylen was glued to his seat and mesmerized by the show. It was such a good show we all truly enjoyed it. The ride home was great it only took us about 30 minutes to get home the only bad part was it was raining pretty had and steady. We cant wait to go see another show like it i think we may try the Circus next.