Summer update

Where does time go? I can't believe I haven't blogged for weeks.... work is slow and so is Jack's job. Money is tight. Ugh. Thank God we adopted Kyle last year when we had more money.

My Dad is doing ok... finished his first round of chemo/radiation... it pretty much kicked his butt. He is doing a bit better now. My brothers and sisters have been rotating to go see them and help out my parents. As posted before, I did a lot of yardwork in my parent's backyard. Katherine did the front yard work. Michael is doing all the finances. Katherine & Susan have cleaned out the garage and a couple closets.... Speaking of, my mom has saved every bridesmaid dress, prom dress, etc... that any of us has ever worn... just in case we need an 70's or 80's prom dress in our near future! :) We safety-proofed the house as much as possible... new toilet seats, handles on doorways, moved my Dad to downstairs study, hospital bed, etc... Eric & Krista are there now. We hired a lawn care guy, housekeeper for 1-2x per month and got them a handicapped parking sticker.

I am dog sitting for Eric's dog, Galaxy. He is a sweet dog... kids are sitting on him, playing with him. But, boy oh boy does he not like to go outside. He wants to sit in air conditioning all day. I don't really blame him... its hot and we live in Phoenix... but, I have to convince him to go just to pee! We swim with my dog, Bear, my yellow lab... but Galaxy wants nothing to do with water.

Speaking of swimming.. Kyle is an absolute maniac with no fear of water... he will literally jump off the side of the pool into the water for me to catch him. He can hold his breath under water and if water gets in his mouth.. he just spits it out. He is only 18 months! That's crazy. The boy is a little stunt man with no fear. He moves the furniture around the kitchen and climbs up on the counters and kitchen table when I'm not watching him like a hawk. Today, during Devin's swimming lesson, I wasn't paying attention to him when I was talking to Devin's instructor and he got mad and bit me on the thumb. Little stinker.... I yelped loudly and flicked him on the mouth!

I tried to go to gym again this morning (haven't with Kyle for a few months).... a no go. He did ok at the childcare for a few minutes... but then was crying a lot and they came to get me after 20 minutes. He was quite distraught. Poor guy. He does not like unfamiliar places and people and I have not been able to go to church or gym since we adopted him. I can work out at gym only when Jack is home and not working to take care of him. That makes it tough. So, I'm flabbier than I want to be! Ugh. Can't workout outside.. its too hot. Besides, I can't leave him to go running or riding anyway.

So, the world news is Michael Jackson and Farrah Faccett died this week. Two of our celebrity icons from the 70's & 80's. Jack used to have a poster of Farrah back in his "horn dog days" as he would say it... Who didn't?! I used to have a poster of Michael Jackson on my wall in high school... back when he was a black man. I really liked his music back then... had his Off the Wall and Thriller ALBUMS.. yes, albums. I can remember doing all the dances to his music videos on MTV (back when they actually played music videos round the clock and the Thriller video every hour) with my friend Virginia in my living room. Ahh... memories. But, then, MJ got weirder and weirder over the years and started changing his skin color (and no... vitiligo does not make you turn uniformly white!), looking like a transvestite, paying off child molestation charges, numerous plastic surgeries.... he doesn't even remotely resemble who he was in the 80's! People excuse his behavior b/c he is rich and famous and had an abusive father... but I think it is beyond that... I think he had a serious mental disorder. They have not gotten full results back yet on his cause of death... But, I'm sure they will say it was an "accidental overdose of prescription drugs that started with some incident from the 80's". No one ever says suicide... but that's what I think. Obviously, the guy (word used lightly) had issues with his race, gender, age and sexual preferences... he was one unhappy dude. So, we will see...

Urgent Care & Suturing a filly

Well- I finally broke down and went to Urgent Care on Saturday after work. I was DYING... my skin was so swollen, red , pruritic... I couldn't sleep or think or take it for one more minute. Initially the doctor thought it might be shingles...but since it was bilateral... I was diagnosed with a severe allergic dermatitis. Anyway, he gave me prescriptions for 4 medications. I went to pharmacy immediately.. and, yes, I will wait... I will be the person scratching herself like crazy in the corner! The next day , I felt about 20% better. Now, I feel about 50% better... but still itchy in new places every day. My rash looks better.. but not 100%. So, we will see if I have to go back to the doctor later this week...

I just got back from suturing up a filly (2 months old) who tore her shoulder open. Well, my friend is terribly sick with a high fever...so she sent her husband out to help.... Course, he is terribly afraid of needles and almost passes out when he sees them... so let's just say it was interesting. Plus, I had my 4 yr old daughter with me... Mini Me. She was eating a popsicle watching the surgery. :) Doesn't even phase her. Kinda reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Kramer was eating Junior Mints while watching surgery.

So, I've gotten hooked on the new season of The Bachorolette.... cheesy fun. So, what's up with Tanner's foot fetish??? Weird... would freak me out a little. And, how about Dave, can anyone say steroid injections overload?! Gosh, the men have more drama than the women! I think they all just want to win..like its a contest/game. Kinda is really.

Well, Kyle has another cold. Can you say the boy has a very sensitive gag reflex? Everytime he gets too much phlegm in his throat he coughs till he barfs. Lovely. Gotta love it.

That's all for now...

I'm allergic to humidity

We just flew back East for 8 days to visit my parents. The plane ride was a NIGHTMARE. Kyle does not want to sit still and has a temper. Terrible two's hit at 14 mos old. The boy is smart and has got some serious opinions... I want to do it or have it now and don't stop me. :) Devin doesn't really have a temper (dramatic but not temper tantrums).... and is a peacemaker. Also, Kyle has no fear and a high pain threshold which means nothing is a deterent. It has been a challenge. By the time I got back from vacation (10 days straight with him 24/7... I couldn't wait to get back to work for some rest!) He was already put in time out this morning for throwing a shoe at Devin (purposely for no reason other than just to be bad). I love him but he definitely challenges my patience and temper. I thought I was more easy going... but I guess I'm not. Ok- I'm done venting. Thanks for listening. :)

My Dad is doing ok.... very tired and fatigued from chemo/radiation. I helped my parents with a lot of yardwork... got some terrible rash now from eczema flare-up or poison ivy or both. Ugh. I think I'm allergic to the humidity. I got a heat rash (in the 70's with humidity!!!). It felt like a 105. Anyway, Jack & I filled 80 large garbage cans of stuff from my parent's yard and he took to recycle place (10 trips) in his rental car. Haha. I hired them a yard guy to start this week.

Back to work and trying not to scratch my skin off....

Recent Photos

I'm a lame blogger

OK- I know I have not blogged in over a month. Let's just say it's been a rough 2 months. In late February, my husband got laid off from his job. So, that was a shocker. He just took a new job 2 weeks ago... in a totally different field. So far, he likes it, but time will tell if it's the right job for him.... Meanwhile, one of the vets at my practice went on maternity leave at the beginning of March. So, I have basically been covering almost all her work these last 2 1/2 months. So,I have been working full time since February.

And, on top of it all, my Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor suddenly about 5 weeks ago while my parents were on vacation in Florida. My brothers and sisters and I rushed down to Florida for the emergency surgery to remove the tumor. It was very scary and very stressful. Jack stayed home and took care of the kids for 5 days while I was in Florida with my parents and siblings. The surgery went well and he was finally able to travel back to their home in Delaware 2 weeks ago. Unfortunatly, the biopsy results came back as a stage 4 glioblastoma. Basically, the worst and most aggressive brain cancer you can have. Very disappointing and upsetting. So, I am planning on going back East next weekend for 8 days to help them and give the kids more time with my Dad. He has only met Kyle once over Christmas. Jack will come for 1/2 the week. I am a bit nervous about the plane ride for 6 hours with the kids by myself. Kyle is a wild man and can't sit still... Benadryl anyone?!!

Also during the last 2 months, Kyle got Hand Foot and Mouth disease and the flu. I had to fly back to NJ to read in one of my college roomate's wedding. Kyle had 2 fillings done on 2 cavities in his front center incisors. That was a nightmare... had to wrap him up like a kiddie taco and he screamed and cried hysterically the whole time. And, we just had to find new health insurance.

Otherwise, things are going well... relatively speaking. Kyle is growing and saying about a dozen words now... ball, car, plane, pee, pea, bee, bye, mama, dada, more, ba (for bottle), pa (for pasta). He uses sign language for please, thank you and more. He has officially been a part of our family now longer than he was at the orphanage. Yea. Devin is writing well... very psyched to go to kindergarten in August. I signed her up for swimming lessons this summer.

I had a good Mother's day. I got to ride my horse Moon for 2 hours this morning with my friend Lynne. Then, we went to the movies and I saw the movie "State of Play" and ate lots of popcorn with lots of butter. Yum. Good movie, by the way. Then, I took the kids swimming. They are water crazy. Got a giftcard for a massage from Jack, and a handmade card from Devin. Plus, she cleaned her room for me... truly a miracle. :)

Busy, busy, busy

Well, it's been awhile since I posted. Life has been challenging in the last month and I just have not had much time to post. First, my husband lost his job about a month ago... so the recession has hit home for us. He has had a few interviews and a few jobs are promising, but no offers yet.

As for Kyle, he had about 2 months of colds... So, I finally took him to the doctor who said he was fine. On the positive note, he gained almost 3 lbs in the last few months... Well, anyway, he then proceeded to get a bad case of Hand,Foot and Mouth Disease. He was very sick for a few days and had fevers, drooling and not eating. He then recovered.... took him to his first dentist appointment this week. He has 2 cavities to be filled on his central upper incisors. I am not surprised, they have been etched and slighlty discolored since we got him. Well, they are cavities and I need to take him back next month. Should be a lot of fun... NOT. Then, this weekend, he started coughing again and just threw up and has another low grade fever. I just can't win. Ugh.

As for Devin, she has no cavaties... Yea. I recently switched her back to gymnastics from Dance class. She just wasn't into it. She does not thrive there and I don't think I will sign her up again. I think we will go back to swimming this summer which she loves. I did sign her up for kindgergarten and am waiting to hear if it's full or half day next year.

As for me, I have been working a lot lately. The other main vet is on maternity leave and I am very busy at work. Work has been stressful... more emergency work and over- booked days. Plus, I have had some conflicts with another vet we are rotating emergencies with and have a meeting set up with them tomorrow. Not looking forward to it. Don't really like conflict. I have a dentist appt and mammogram tomorrow too... so it should be a really fun day. NOT.

Well, gotta go. Even though Kyle is not feeling well... he is still up to mischief and hitting his sister for fun.

Vietnamese New Year Party

Just wanted to share a couple photos from Tet party we attended in Phoenix 2 weekends ago. Kelley, who adopted Henry, also from the Que Son orphanage, invited me. I just found out about this group a couple weeks ago... it’s a group of parents who adopted children from Vietnam. We went at last second... I brought me 2 kids, Devin & Kyle. I wanted them to wear their Vietnamese kimonos- but couldn't find them. Oh well. We had a good time and it was nice to connect to other local adoptive parents. They were from many different orphanages and agencies. Very interesting... I did not get a chance to have too many in depth conversations from other people (running after 2 kids). One parent just recently adopted in November. Her agency closed down before her adoption was final and she went by herself, without an agency or facilitator, to Vietnam. She had a terrible experience and said how corrupt the whole country is... she brought several thousand dollars cash with her and had to pay off many people to bring her daughter home. Hmm.... I wish I had a chance to talk to her more. She said she cried every day there. I can't imagine going to Vietnam without a facilitator/ translator or agency. Anyway, food for thought....

Kyle was sick for 4 days last week... running high fevers. He is better now. It is not easy when a kid is sick and both parents work. You can't take them to day care b/c you don't want to infect all the other kids. And, no other parents want them at their house, and all your friends are working. So, we juggled schedules and my friend Lynne helped us out one day. We made it work.

This past weekend we went to 2 gatherings. On Sat, I went to Alana's baby shower (the other vet in my clinic)at her parents house. Afterwards, she had BBQ and I brought the kids. It is exhausting to bring Kyle to parties where it is not kid friendly. I am constantly playing defense and trying to keep him from... falling into the pool with no fence, not stick his face in their old doberman's face, or stick his hand in their ash trays, or play in their dog bowl, etc... After 2 hours, we all were exhausted and had to leave before dinner. Oh well. The next day we went to dinner with Jack's relatives. Again, after a few hours, had to leave b/c Kyle was too tired and having a mental breakdown. The boy needs his sleep. If he doesn't get 14-15 hours per day he is GRUMPY!!! Well, it sounds like he is waking from his nap...