It seems like each week I get more and more behind at posting updates from all of us. Think of this as a Christmas card in March with my New's Resolution being to write more blogs :)
Kyle - As March winds down, so does his brackets :) Both of us became less interested in the basketball games as our picks had more losses than wins. He has been playing on a basketball team with some other guys from Conrad. It is an over 30 team...he didn't want to tell them that he wasn't 30 yet...he just wanted to play. He is staying busy with work and trying to stay positive as he keeps hearing all the economic jargon that consumes everything we do lately in his job too!!
Megan - I am staying busy with the girls! The past few weeks I wonder how I would have made it if I was still working. Between hospital stays, doctor visits and you name it I'm booked :) But today I was the patent! I had a follow up visit in Iowa City for some hearing problems that I have been struggling with for the past couple of years. My 28-year-old pride has really gotten in the way of getting my problems taken care of. About a year ago I was told that I needed to purchase hearing-aids to fix the problems I was having. What 28 year-old wants to hear this? What's worse...the price tag on these tiny devices. This is something that I hate talking about very few people know about...I think??? Today I had some good news. Friday I will be going in for surgery to help with part of my loss. The surgeon will remove a bone from my hear that is deteriorating and replace it with a prosthetic piece. This condition is common in mostly women my in their 20's - 30's. They told us that pregnancy may play a part of the bones deteriorating. Makes sense...3 pregnancies in 3 1/2 years!!!
Cameron - The birthday girl turned 4 last week! Very excited and so grown up now!! She is quite the story teller and now most of her stories start out something like this...."Remember when I was 2..." OR " When I was little...."
Morgan - Defiantly the handful of the bunch! She is talking SO much now and love to hear the new words that come from her mouth everyday (of course she is picking up some that she doesn't need to know :) She is our brave child. Nothing fears her. If she wants something, she will find a way to get it, even if it is on the top shelf of the cupboards. She has yet to have an ER visit but at this rate I see several in her future.
Parker - If there was ever the happiest baby on the block, it would be her. Very happy and content smiling and laughing all time. Probably laughing at her sisters!! A couple of weeks ago she was back to the ER! Pneumonia got her this time!! She started with a cold and began sounding like we had heard before with the RSV. This trip was just in Marshalltown and less than 48 hours. We'll take that any day!!!!! We are praying for warm weather and no more colds!! Her calendar if filled the most with all the doctor follow up and check-ups that are required after her short 7 month history.
More posts to come......
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Winter Fun
I have been very bad at updating the blog lately. Here are some pictures that I wanted to share. Maybe now that I'm posting winter pictures spring will come!! ???
Story Hour
I liked this picture. Kyle was watching TV (sports, I suppose) and it looked like Parker was copying his exact move with her legs up.
Story HourAlmost every morning when Cameron is at Preschool, Morgan gets a book and reads to Parker. Parker watches her so closely it seems as if she is caught in the middle of a great book.
This was taken one afternoon nice afternoon. We all bundled up (in our pink as you can see) and attempted to sled down your small snow pile made by the snow blower. We weren't too successful!!
Once Kyle got home Cameron, Morgan and I went to the school playground. The girls were playing on the tetter-totter.....
Apparently a little too rough!!
This was taken one afternoon nice afternoon. We all bundled up (in our pink as you can see) and attempted to sled down your small snow pile made by the snow blower. We weren't too successful!!Once Kyle got home Cameron, Morgan and I went to the school playground. The girls were playing on the tetter-totter.....
Apparently a little too rough!!The Madness
The month of March has a lot going on in the Bergman house. Cameron's 4th birthday is soon approaching. Spring is coming...hopefully soon! And the one thing in March that I cannot forget about...March Madness. Yes that's right, the time when I become a Basketball-Widow to the brackets and bets. Over the weekend I was watching TV. Nothing too exciting, but I was able to keep the channel far away from the Disney Channel or ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN 2, and the sorts for about 30 minutes. When I got up to leave the room, Kyle asked me for the remote. I said "Really, my turn is done?" His response "Yeah, I let you watch 30 minutes. It is March you know!" Oh how could I forget. He also declared that March is now his new favorite month!!
It always brings back memories of being in the delivery room with Cameron. We got there just in time to turn on the games. Kyle kept giving me updates that my team was about to loose. (Back then we could fill out brackets and I at least had a little clue as to what teams were good) Being kind to update me and trying to keep my mind off the painful 24 hours of labor I was enduring.
Oh well, as for all the seasons we have in this house (not spring, summer, fall or winter) this one is too my favorite!!
It always brings back memories of being in the delivery room with Cameron. We got there just in time to turn on the games. Kyle kept giving me updates that my team was about to loose. (Back then we could fill out brackets and I at least had a little clue as to what teams were good) Being kind to update me and trying to keep my mind off the painful 24 hours of labor I was enduring.
Oh well, as for all the seasons we have in this house (not spring, summer, fall or winter) this one is too my favorite!!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Parker's Home...
Parker is finally home from her hospital stay. Actually we got home on the 15th...sorry for the BIG time lapse!! But now I can say that I think she is back to her happy, smiley-self. Here is a quick recap...
I took her to the ER in Marshalltown on Feb. 1st with the diagnosis of RSV-Pneumonia, where she stayed for 2 days. Then on Feb. 3rd she was life-flighted to Blank in DSM and put in a ventilator. She stayed on the vent for 9 days with heavy sedation medications. Each day the doctors and nurses would tell me that she sounded a little better. The first Saturday we were there the doctors attempted to take her off the ventilator and with no luck, had to reinsert the straw-sized tube back into her throat. So after a day or two they decided that they would try again on Thursday. They didn't want to have to get her on the vent 3 times, so they gave her time to get better and heal from the failed attempt.
Wednesday night (day 10) Parker was coming off her sedations and threw up 3 times in about a 2 hour span. The doctor decided it would be a long night if she continued like this. Around 9 PM the staff came in and removed her tube. She responded very well this time. About an hour after the procedure I finally got to see her smiling, laughing and playing with the nurses, who were all shocked by her happiness. Right after the procedure, they said most babies are very unhappy. The doctor was very pleased so far.
The last 5 days of her stay was to continue weaning her from her medications and help with the withdrawal symptoms. This might have been the toughest part for me. She was basically over the RSV, but her personality was a complete 180 from her normal self. Very difficult to she her like this and left me wondering if she would ever return to her normal self.
After being home for a week now, I can say she is doing very, very well. Her personality has returned and she is smiling, playing and acting just like before. Thank goodness!!!!
I took her to the ER in Marshalltown on Feb. 1st with the diagnosis of RSV-Pneumonia, where she stayed for 2 days. Then on Feb. 3rd she was life-flighted to Blank in DSM and put in a ventilator. She stayed on the vent for 9 days with heavy sedation medications. Each day the doctors and nurses would tell me that she sounded a little better. The first Saturday we were there the doctors attempted to take her off the ventilator and with no luck, had to reinsert the straw-sized tube back into her throat. So after a day or two they decided that they would try again on Thursday. They didn't want to have to get her on the vent 3 times, so they gave her time to get better and heal from the failed attempt.
Wednesday night (day 10) Parker was coming off her sedations and threw up 3 times in about a 2 hour span. The doctor decided it would be a long night if she continued like this. Around 9 PM the staff came in and removed her tube. She responded very well this time. About an hour after the procedure I finally got to see her smiling, laughing and playing with the nurses, who were all shocked by her happiness. Right after the procedure, they said most babies are very unhappy. The doctor was very pleased so far.
The last 5 days of her stay was to continue weaning her from her medications and help with the withdrawal symptoms. This might have been the toughest part for me. She was basically over the RSV, but her personality was a complete 180 from her normal self. Very difficult to she her like this and left me wondering if she would ever return to her normal self.
After being home for a week now, I can say she is doing very, very well. Her personality has returned and she is smiling, playing and acting just like before. Thank goodness!!!!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Getting better
I am writing this from the play room at Blank. Parker is still here and improving. RSV gets into kids and takes such a long time to leave! Kids get so much thick, sticky junk (this is how the doctors describe it) in their lungs it is so hard to get it out. She is still on a ventilator and sedation. I wish I had more information to write about today, but we are still waiting for enough progress to get off the vent.
Saturday the doctor thought she was showing the signs that she could be taken off the vent. After about 2 hours of Parker breathing with minimal help the doctor decided to take it out. She had a spasm once the tube was removed and couldn't keep up the breaths on her own. They had to start again and reinsert the ventilator. The rest of Saturday and now Sunday became resting days. They lowered the vent some today (Monday). Also gave her a steroid to help with any inflammation she may have or may develop when they try again. Possibly late tomorrow night or Wednesday is my guess for another try. After no-such-luck the first time, they are going to be very certain that it works the 2nd time.
This weekend Kyle and I were able to spend sometime with the big girls. They came down both Saturday and Sunday for a couple of hours. Our parents have been taking turns watching them so I can stay with Parker and Kyle can finish up is basketball referring season. Definitely hard being all split up! Days at hospital get lonely since there is nothing that I can really do to help. Lots of waiting. I did get to hold Parker today for a couple minutes while the nurses changed her bed. That was probably the highlight of my day since I haven't got to hold her since last Tuesday. The next couple of days should hopefully bring new news!!
Saturday the doctor thought she was showing the signs that she could be taken off the vent. After about 2 hours of Parker breathing with minimal help the doctor decided to take it out. She had a spasm once the tube was removed and couldn't keep up the breaths on her own. They had to start again and reinsert the ventilator. The rest of Saturday and now Sunday became resting days. They lowered the vent some today (Monday). Also gave her a steroid to help with any inflammation she may have or may develop when they try again. Possibly late tomorrow night or Wednesday is my guess for another try. After no-such-luck the first time, they are going to be very certain that it works the 2nd time.
This weekend Kyle and I were able to spend sometime with the big girls. They came down both Saturday and Sunday for a couple of hours. Our parents have been taking turns watching them so I can stay with Parker and Kyle can finish up is basketball referring season. Definitely hard being all split up! Days at hospital get lonely since there is nothing that I can really do to help. Lots of waiting. I did get to hold Parker today for a couple minutes while the nurses changed her bed. That was probably the highlight of my day since I haven't got to hold her since last Tuesday. The next couple of days should hopefully bring new news!!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Just a visitor...
Today Parker is improving from what the doctors can see. Her lungs are sounding less like a growling bear, as one nurse told us. She is still sedated heavily and breathing with the help of a ventilator. Today they have reduced her sedation and lowered the vent for about 2 hours to test her tolerance with out breathing help. The doctors and nurses were pleased with how she did and will try it for longer periods of time tomorrow and hopefully get off it on Sunday!
My days at the hospital are, well, uneventful. Today I did find some humor in my trip to the cafeteria. (now remember, things are pretty slow for me these days and the small things are quite funny)
During our 28 day hospital stay in September with Parker I got to know one of the housekeeping ladies named May. May was usually cleaning the bathroom upstairs when I went to shower most every day. There is a washing machine up there too that I'd use. I ran into her quite often and she would offer to change my laundry for me when it was done. There was another face that I got to know in the cafeteria. One day last September this cook begins to ask me a question when I was waiting for my quesdilla to finish cooking. She asked me if my shift ended at 11:00. Confused at why she would think I was employed by the Iowa Health Systems, I nodded and acted like I knew what she was saying. Then she rambles on how she wishes her shifts were like the nurses and blah, blab, blah. All that I am thinking is 'what makes me look like I work here'? I have no name badge like the other workers. Maybe it is because I have had more meals through your serving line than anywhere else lately??? Or maybe my sweatpants and tennis shoes appear that I'm in my medical scrubs. Either way I'm just visiting.
Today I'm waiting for this familiar cook to get my eggs and toast ready for me and who else but May walks up wanting some breakfast too! Of course I recognize both May and the cook, don't think they know who I am. The two actual employees are joking and having a good time. The cook tells May that she is only going to serve her 'real' customers. May jokes back to the cook, throws her arm around me and says "what do you mean, real customers, this is one of my co-workers". Really...do you see my name badge or my scrubs???????
Yes that's right....I have been mistaken for an actual employees, not once but twice! If this isn't a sign that I have been here just too long I don't know what is!!
My days at the hospital are, well, uneventful. Today I did find some humor in my trip to the cafeteria. (now remember, things are pretty slow for me these days and the small things are quite funny)
During our 28 day hospital stay in September with Parker I got to know one of the housekeeping ladies named May. May was usually cleaning the bathroom upstairs when I went to shower most every day. There is a washing machine up there too that I'd use. I ran into her quite often and she would offer to change my laundry for me when it was done. There was another face that I got to know in the cafeteria. One day last September this cook begins to ask me a question when I was waiting for my quesdilla to finish cooking. She asked me if my shift ended at 11:00. Confused at why she would think I was employed by the Iowa Health Systems, I nodded and acted like I knew what she was saying. Then she rambles on how she wishes her shifts were like the nurses and blah, blab, blah. All that I am thinking is 'what makes me look like I work here'? I have no name badge like the other workers. Maybe it is because I have had more meals through your serving line than anywhere else lately??? Or maybe my sweatpants and tennis shoes appear that I'm in my medical scrubs. Either way I'm just visiting.
Today I'm waiting for this familiar cook to get my eggs and toast ready for me and who else but May walks up wanting some breakfast too! Of course I recognize both May and the cook, don't think they know who I am. The two actual employees are joking and having a good time. The cook tells May that she is only going to serve her 'real' customers. May jokes back to the cook, throws her arm around me and says "what do you mean, real customers, this is one of my co-workers". Really...do you see my name badge or my scrubs???????
Yes that's right....I have been mistaken for an actual employees, not once but twice! If this isn't a sign that I have been here just too long I don't know what is!!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
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