What a Difference A Year Can Make

November 29, 2009 at 11:35 pm | In All Things Doodle, Caityisms, Family Ties, Miscellaneous Crap, Sisters | 1 Comment
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The first year that Caity saw Santa, she hated him.  She was afraid of him and was not ashamed to let anyone within 100 metres know.

I actually felt sorry for Santa

Last December at our Staff Children’s Christmas Party, Caity was less than thrilled at the prospect of sitting on Santa’s lap.  To say the least.

No Ho-Ho Mommy!

This year however, Caity not only sat on Santa’s lap, but when she even told him she wanted a Princess for Christmas.  I presume she means a Princess Barbie, not a real Princess.

Caity's new best friend

Looking back at these pictures, I can’t believe how much she’s grown.

Lexy had a good time too.  This year we brought my nephew Logan however, he was too scared to go near Santa.  That was pretty much our day.  Santa and a bunch of jumpy castles.  They’re sleeping real well right now.

Ain’t Love a Kick in the Head?

November 23, 2009 at 9:56 pm | In CKD, Daddy-O, Family Ties, Kidney Disease, The Crap that Men Do | 2 Comments
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We cleared the final pre-transplant hurdle today.  During the Summer, Alex had a Thallium Isotope test to check out his heart and it came back with an indication that there was some damage.  The test “revealed” that part of his heart was not receiving oxygen.  This could have been a major setback.  However, the Doctors felt that the test was “inaccurate” due to a number of things:

a) They had to use Thallium instead of Molybdenum (thank you AECL!)
b) he had just come out of ICU
c) his body was going a little nutso trying to heal itself

His Cardiologist also said that if the test had been correct and that his heart was as damaged as it “appeared” to be, he would have had to have been treated for it already or would have been dead.  So, we had a strong indication that the test was incorrect.

He was sent to St. Mike’s today to undergo a Cardio Chemical Stress Test.  Basically this means that they fill him full of drugs to make his heart think he’s running on a treadmill when he’s really not.  They said there might be some complications.  Here’s how his day went:

  • We got there at 1:00.
  • His test was booked for 2:00.
  • They took him in close to 2:30.
  • Around 3:30 the Doctor came to tell me they couldn’t get the IV in.  (Lately Alex has had problems with his veins, the needles tend to go right through instead of into.  They are very fragile.  Four different Doctors jabbed him trying to find a vein.  They had to page the Phlebotomist and ten seconds after she appeared, she had the IV hooked up.)
  • They finally pumped him full of drugs, the first to get his heart rate up and the second to get it “excited”.
  • His blood pressure shot up to 240/170.  Normal is 120/80. 
  • He got a splitting headache, which he equated to the pain I had when I had the “stroke” (Eclampsia) after Lexy was born and the blood vessels in my brain ruptured.  If that’s the case, I’m so sorry honey that must really hurt.
  • He said as soon as the drugs went into his body and he could feel the rapid beat of his heart, it felt like someone was banging a drum with a sledgehammer inside his head to the same rhythm as his heart.
  • It took him twice as long as normal to recover from this test.
  • We finally left after 5:00 (this was only supposed to take an hour, it took four).  Thank goodness I had my iPod with me (I watched “Coraline“, played countless games of Gin and Euchre while listening to a lot of music!).
  • I thought he was going to pass out on the train platform.  At one point, his eyes rolled upward and his eyelids closed, he was pale, in excruciating pain and just wanted to be in bed.  I so wish he didn’t have to go through this.

The good news is that the Cardiologist said that he is going to recommend that they proceed with the Transplant.  They just want to get his blood pressure stable first, as it’s still high but normal for him (150/90 range constantly).  The test today was our last hurdle.  His Dad has been cleared as a donor.  Alex is being cleared as we speak.

Maybe Christmas is really coming.

I have been reading a blog that I found when trying to find some more information on Kidney Transplants.  It is called My New (Transplanted) Kidney.  It is written by a man named Allan who lives in British Columbia.  He found out he had Polycystic Kidney Disease and was about a year away from Dialysis.  His Brother-in-law donated his kidney in a kidney swap and this in turn gave Allan a new kidney this past July.  It’s a pretty scary (as in learning the real truth) blog site, but it has been an eye opener.  The thing I really like about it is that he holds nothing (and I really do mean nothing) back.  He writes what is “numbers” are at each blood test.  He showed a picture of his incision site.  It is really informative and helpful.  It helps to see what we will and could be facing.  Thanks Al for your blog, please keep it up if you are able.  I wish you the best in your recovery.

Kudos to Al’s Brother-in-Law for his altruistic, selfless act.

Kudos to Alex’s Dad for the same reason.

Kudos to everyone who has (or will) donated an organ.  Organ donations save lives.  Please support the green ribbon campaign.  Please sign your donor card.

Well, It Worked…

November 22, 2009 at 9:24 am | In Caityisms, Family Ties, Miscellaneous Crap | Leave a Comment
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Both girls were playing upstairs yesterday, each in their own room – tragedy usually ensues when they play together in one room for some reason.  I went upstairs to get Cait so we could go out shopping.  Her light was on and her door was closed and I could hear her playing in her room.

I opened the door, “Hi, Mommy!”.  I said “Hi Cait”.

“Um Cait?  What’s this doing in here?” I said pointing to her Potty which is now in her room.

“I stand on it, turn on light Mommy!” she said happily.

Her Potty is normally kept in the downstairs Powder Room as we spend 97% of our awake time on the lower level of the house.

Somehow, without me hearing her, Caity dragged this Potty from the lower level, all the way up to her room.  She knew enough that it would give her the extra height she needed to reach the light switch.

Now if I can just get her to Pee in her Potty, that would be something!

Zhu Cost Me Too Much Kid!

November 21, 2009 at 1:39 pm | In All Things Doodle, Family Ties, Miscellaneous Crap | Leave a Comment
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Have you seen these yet?

awwww so cute!

That is “Pipsqueak” the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamster.  They are too cute.  Toys R Us apparently had them for sale online today but were online 1 second and “available” to put in the basket, but between the time of clicking to add to the basket and actually getting to the basket, it was “unavailable”.  They were on sale for $12.99 which is probably why they went so fast.

I however, bought not one, but two on eBay.  I won’t say how much because I am so embarrassed at the things I do for my kids and my credit card got a workout.  I will, however mention that they’re coming from the U.S.  I got Pipsqueak and Mr. Squiggles.

Pipsqueak is described as:  “She may be sweet and small, but this petite powerhouse isn’t afraid of anything.”  They have two modes, a “Loving Mode” where they squeak and chatter when you pet them and an “Explore Mode” where they ‘learn’ about their environment.  Each has its own personality and act like real hamsters.  I’m sure they’ll drive me and the cats crazy in no time…

This is how a hamster works

I know.  I know.  I can’t believe I fell for it either, but I think I’ll have a happy little kid at Christmas.  Now we just need the accessories for it … sheesh.

If you find any of these in the stores, grab them and sell them on eBay.  You’ll make a fortune.  Merry Christmas!

P.S. … don’t tell my Husband please!

Scrooge Lives Here

November 14, 2009 at 9:55 pm | In All Things Doodle, Caityisms, Family Ties | Leave a Comment
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*Update*

We raised some money, everyone attending will pay $10 per child to attend and the rest we’re hiding in the expense report system as “office supplies”.

At least the kids will see Santa this year :)

———————

My work cancelled our Kids’ Christmas party.  We had 23 kids signed up at a local bouncy castle place.  Santa was coming.  There was going to be pizza, pop and a small gift for each child.  The kids could have had their pictures taken with Santa.  It would have cost us a grand total of $600.  A $77 Billion company has to cancel a Kids party over $600 measly bucks.  That’s really sad.  Morale around the office is pretty bad right now, but this makes it worse.  They had cancelled our adult party and everyone was ok with that because no one wanted to go.  The boss wanted a sit down dinner dance.  There’s maybe 90 of us.  In previous years, we’ve always had a cocktail party where you could wander around to talk to different people, snarf down delicious appetizers and get snackered.  Sit down dinner dances, which are only good if you have numbers in the hundreds, went out in the 90’s – but then our boss still refers to us women as Secretaries, so go figure.  He’s stuck in a time warp.

I told Lexy yesterday that the party had been cancelled.   She immediately began to cry.  “No Santa??” she tearfully asked me.  I felt like Scrooge. 

IMG_1430

Ok Mr. Boss man.  You tell this little face she won’t get to see “Ho-Ho” this year.  The above picture was Caity at Hallowe’en by the way, dressed up as a Faerie, she was so cute hugging her Magic Wand.

The kids had a great time last year, except Caity was terrified of Santa.  “Noooooo Ho-Ho Momma!” she kept yelling at me, trying to crawl up my shoulder.  Lexy, however, being the more materialistic of the two, tried to become his best friend.

_DSC1882

Nooooo Ho-Ho Mommy

 Well I suppose there’s always next year.  They’ll still be little, right?

You Want Some Coffee With That?

November 6, 2009 at 9:24 pm | In Caityisms, Family Ties | 2 Comments
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Caity has very fine hair.  Any time she lies down for a nap/bed time/cuddle on the couch/whatever, her hair sticks out in one big matted mess at the back of her head.  Every. Single. Time. 

Without fail.

It looks like she’s never seen a hair brush in her life.

She’s now almost three, which is something I both love and hate at the same time.  She is my baby and my last baby, yet she’s quickly becoming a big girl (potty training notwithstanding).

She’s usually the most easy-going person I’ve ever met.  The house could be burning down and Cait would simply shrug her shoulders.  Must be the Aquarian in her.

One thing I absolutely love about her is when she gets into a groove, she never gets out.  For example, the other morning I was brushing the rat’s nest formerly known as her hair, or trying to anyway.  She had something sticky in her hair, presumably from daycare (or last night’s dinner). 

Caity:  “Owwww Mummy!”

Me:  “Sorry Caity, but you’re the one who got the knots in your hair.”

Tugging, trying to untangle, getting stuck on something in her hair….

Me:  “Cait.”  I stop brushing and look at her.  “What did you get in your hair?”

Caity:  “Donuts.”

She says that straight-faced.  Every. Single. Morning.

No matter how many days in a row, I ask her what she got in her hair, she says the same thing … “Donuts”.

Doesn’t matter that she hasn’t had a donut in ages.  Somehow, magically, donuts keep winding up in her tangled, matted hair.

I’m sure tomorrow morning, when I attempt to detangle her hair again, if I ask her what’s in her hair, she’ll simply say “Donuts”.

You’re cute kid.  You make me laugh.  Thank you.

Crazy Week

November 3, 2009 at 12:06 pm | In All Things Doodle, CKD, Caityisms, Daddy-O, Family Ties, Kidney Disease, Miscellaneous Crap, Sisters | Leave a Comment
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We’re off to the hospital in a few minutes.  Alex is having his PD Catheter removed because the silly thing never worked and it got infected.  They want him healed before he has the transplant.

Tomorrow I’m taking the kids to the Doctor’s office to get their H1N1 shots.  My doctor is holding a ‘clinic’ for his patients only on Wednesday (for high risk) and Saturday for the rest of us.  I’ll go on Saturday.  I’ll likely have to bring the kids too because Alex has Dialysis on Saturdays and Lord knows how long we’ll be at the office.

My Sitter’s daughter is really sick, fever, sore neck – don’t think it’s H1N1 but I’m kind of worried about her being there with the wee ones running around … She even has one of the babies sleeping in the sick girl’s room … eek.

Other than that it’s been three days I think since I’ve last visited Facebook.  Apparently that’s the right amount of time to get over an addiction.  I no longer think about having to check it all the time.  Finally some peace.

Caity’s sleeping in her big girl bed now, has been for the past two nights.  On Sunday night, we couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, she was so proud and happy to be in the bed.  It was very cute, seeing her all snuggled, clutching her blankets to her face, smiling.  She looked so little in the single bed, like a little baby in a crib.  My baby’s growing up – she’ll be three in February.  Eeek!

Lexy has decided that since Caity has a new bed, she wants one too.  She tried to tell me that she’s nearly outgrown her current single bed (not likely).  She said “look Mommy, my feet almost touch the bottom” … yeah almost touch the bottom in another two feet … nice try kid.  You’re keeping that bed for a bit.  At least until we get enough money to buy you a proper bedroom set.

Enough is Enough

October 31, 2009 at 11:53 am | In CKD, Family Ties, Kidney Disease | 4 Comments
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***UPDATE***

Before reading my rant below, it should be said that this isn’t directed at the circle of friends infamously known as “da boys”.  It’s targetted at a different group of people I know and everything I’ve heard from people all around me.  As I’ve said to a few people already, maybe I’ve finally lost my mind.  I apologize to that circle of friends for the misunderstanding, your friendship and opinions are valued and I hope I haven’t hurt anyone because of it.

——————

I’ve deactivated my Facebook account. I don’t understand why people feel the need to post the fact that they’re in the bathroom having their daily constitutional via Facebook Mobile.  I’m getting so sick and tired of that silly site and everyone’s soapbox.  The only thing worse than Facebook is Twitter and all those Twitheads who care about this crap.  Really, who cares about what super expensive and ugly shoes Kim Kardashian “tweeted” about buying five seconds ago?  I’m more concerned about being able to pay the bills and keeping a roof over my kids’ head when my husband will be off work for three months, post surgery.  What really annoys me the most is all the alarmists out there who have heard the latest scare about H1N1 and continue to listen to, and spread the propoganda.  The reliable sources (i.e., mainstream media) have said there’s no truth to the neurological problems created by the H1N1 vaccine, yet even my MIL has been harping about it, frightened that she will be “the one” that it happens to.  Give me the proverbial break, you’re not that lucky. Play the lottery if you believe in odds like that.  Read this:  http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/swineflu/article/718829–vaccine-phobia-runs-deep.  Yes, it’s not the New England Journal of Medicine, but mainstream nonetheless.

The only reason to not get the shot is if you have an allergy to eggs or metal.  Zip.  That’s it.

You have a greater risk of dying in an airplane crash than from receiving the H1N1 Flu shot, yet people still fly … funny isn’t it?

And thank you to all of you assholes who refuse to get the shot because of some propoganda you read in the Enquirer for putting the rest of us who haven’t received it yet at risk.  Just because a story is in print, doesn’t make it the truth.  Elvis does NOT live in your neighbour’s refrigerator!

I’m so fucking sick of all the drama.

There are enough real problems in the world that we have to deal with that we don’t need this bullshit on top of it.

I’m sick of “if you get the shot you’ll die/become paralysed/have your head fall off (insert flavour of the day here)”.

I’m sick of “if you get the shot, you’ll harm your kids”.

I’m sick of “if you don’t get the shot, you’ll harm your kids”.

I may not be university educated but I certainly don’t need a lecture on how to live properly from those who are or who think they are.

Can’t wait to hear the outcome of this one…

It’s Been a While…

October 21, 2009 at 8:16 pm | In CKD, Daddy-O, Family Ties, Kidney Disease, Miscellaneous Crap, The Crap that Men Do, Toeses and Noses | 2 Comments
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Sorry I haven’t written in a bit, been a lot going on lately.  Last Thursday was my husband’s 30th birthday.  I don’t think he was particularly looking forward to the great event.  I tried to surprise him by taking him to Dave and Busters with our friends Candace, Greg and Sib, but he claims he “knew”.  I think he knew something was up, I mean how could I forget his big birthday?  Why on earth would I want to go to the Bass Pro Shop (that’s the line of bull I fed him)?  I can’t imagine this is what he thought it was though.  Our other friends (Scott & Jessi, Brian & Sophie and Paul & Kelly) were waiting for us when we got there and it was so nice to see everyone.  Some of our group couldn’t be there because they were working, but they were thought of nonetheless.  We hadn’t been together in a long time, too long I think.  It was a wonderful night, good conversation, lots of games and too much to eat and drink!  By the way Paul, where is my Stella glass?? ;-)

On Saturday, Alex and I will have been together for ten years.  A huge milestone, especially when you consider that the longest relationship I had prior to meeting Alex lasted a total of 8 months …

In those ten years:

  • We’ve had two beautiful babies.
  • We’ve bought a house together.
  • We got married.
  • We’ve loved.
  • We’ve cried.
  • We’ve laughed.
  • Most of our friends have careers.
  • Most of our friends had either gotten married or engaged.
  • Most of our friends now have children.
  • Most of our friends have homes of their own.
  • Most of our friends have just turned/will soon turn 30.  1979 was a popular year!

In other words, we’ve grown up.

In those ten years, I finally learned what our friends’ real names were (having being introduced and only ever referred to by a nickname:  Bear, Sib, Shrigs, Suddes, Whopper, Fox).

The best part of the last ten years is that no matter what happens, no matter how long it’s been since we’ve seen each other last – if you really need them, they will be there for you.  They truly are friends and they’ve never shown it more than over these past few months that we’ve been dealing with Alex’s illness.  Thanks again everyone!

I have a good husband.  He is an amazing father.  Our children adore him, as do I – even when he’s bad ;-)

*I let Alex read this post and his only comment:  “I’m never bad” … my reaction:  pfffttt!*

A Milestone

October 9, 2009 at 7:28 pm | In Family Ties | Leave a Comment

Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary Mom & Dad.  You have reached a significant milestone that I only hope to reach one day.  I know you won’t be reading this, because, well you wouldn’t know the first thing about turning on a computer, let alone how to find this blog.  Mom, I know the journey you and Dad started back in the mid-50’s has taken you down many roads and you have weathered many storms.  You always made us feel loved and valued in our home.  We didn’t have much when we were growing up, but we always had delicious food and warm hugs.  Dad, you always made us feel safe.  You have always been my Superman.  You were always willing to teach us something new, help us with homework or play with us in the snow.

I am so glad that my children haven had the chance to get to know you, love you and learn from you.

I think the story goes that when Mom and Dad went on their first date, when the night was over, my Dad asked my Mom if he could see her again.  She said “No”.  He asked, “Why not?”.

She couldn’t think of an answer, so they went out again and now they’ve been married for 50 years.

They have received a certificate of congratulations from Prime Minister Harper, and Queen Elizabeth.  There’s a third one too but I can’t remember who it’s from.  They are hand signed, framed and I’m sure they’ll have a place of honour in their home very soon.  A sure conversation piece.

We’re looking forward to our dinner on Sunday with our friends and family.  Another night to create more memories.  Memories for the next generation.

May you have fifty more wonderful years together.  We love you.

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