Good Manners

Brenna Updates

Brenna turned 15 months yesterday and got to visit the doctor and get three shots in celebration! At her 12 months visit she weighed 18 lbs 11 oz. Yesterday she weighed in at 19 lbs 3 oz. A gain of 8 oz over 3 months is not so good. Her weight was up in the 50th percentile until the 12 month visit, when it had dropped to the 20th. Now it's down in the 5-10% range. The pediatrician was ready to send her to a GI specialist, until I mentioned that Brenna has been sick almost constantly for the past month. So, we'll hold off on too much worry for now. She'll be adding one can of PediaSure to her daily diet for the next three months, at which point we'll re-evaluate where she's at.

Last week we picked up Brenna's very first pair of braces. They are called DAFOs, which stands for Dynamic Ankle Foot Orthosis. The point of the braces is to stabilize her ankles when she's standing and walking (which only happens with adult support at this point) and to make sure she's positioned correctly. She usually puts up a fuss when I'm strapping them on, but doesn't seem to mind once they're in place.

When I took her in to get cast for the braces we got to choose the padding color, the velcro color, and the strap pattern.

Brenna has recently begun folding her arms for prayers (and at various other times throughout the day as well). It's basically the cutest thing you've ever seen.

Easter Weekend

We had a fabulous Easter weekend here in Delaware!

Saturday morning the girls found all the goodies the Easter bunny had left for them.

Brenna got some tasty Froot Loops in her eggs.

New outfits!

After the Easter basket fun we drove to DC so Mom & Dad could go to the temple (on their anniversary). The girls had fun playing with cousins Kelly and Ashley.

Brenna had fun smearing a partially eaten M&M all over her face on the way home.

The girls looked lovely on Sunday morning (though Brenna, who was getting over a cold, wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures.)

But Kaylee and Ashlyn cooperated nicely. :)

Two Weeks of Fun

Day 1 Brenna: throws up 4 times during the night

Day 3 Kaylee: feels sick, stays home from church

Day 4 Kaylee: wakes up coughing hoarsely, high fever, visits the doctor

Day 5 Kaylee: coughs constantly, stays home from school

Day 6 Kaylee: coughs constantly, stays home from school

Day 9 Brenna: feverish, fussy, won't eat, won't sleep

Day 10 Brenna: feverish, fussy, won't eat, won't sleep, visits the walk-in clinic = ear infection

Day 11 Brenna: feverish, fussy, won't eat, won't sleep, hates amoxicillin

Ashlyn: falls asleep on floor, head aches, throws up (during Pres. Monson's talk)

Day 12 Ashlyn: head aches, mouth hurts, throws up

Day 13 Brenna: teething, fussy, won't sleep

Ashlyn: diarrhea

Day 14 Brenna: teething, fussy, won't sleep, runny nose, congestion, coughing

Ashlyn: runny nose, congestion, coughing

Someone PLEASE tell me they'll all be healthy and normal again soon!

Kaylee LOVES to draw and color and write.

Here is a paper she did while she was home sick this week.

Front: Mom & Dad getting married

Back: "Dear Mom and Dad I LOVE you and Ashlyn and Brenna and God and JjCc (Jesus Christ) and I LOVE Me"

shingles update

For your viewing pleasure...
  this was how it looked last Wednesday.


and on Friday...


and today...


The cellphone photos don't make it look nearly as gross as it has been, but the blisters are healing over now. I've still got headaches, and blahs, but am able to keep normal food down, and am finally sleeping through most of the night. There's no way to know how this condition will proceed, since it seems to vary for everyone. I have to believe that since we caught it early, I will get ovet this sooner.

I appreciate the prayers you have offered in my behalf.
Love, Dad

all these things shall give thee experience...

I had a wonderful birthday celebration, and noticed a bit of a sore throat and aches in my neck and head towards the end of the day. We went to an all-day seminar on Monday, served in the temple Tuesday morning, and worked in the office that afternoon. All the while, I felt yucky, but I didn't know what else to do. So I plodded along, working in the office on Wednesday. My skin became tender, and my teeth became very sensitive on the right side, both signs of a sinus infection. I attended a board meeting Thursday night, but other than that, I was pretty worthless through Sunday. It was Ward Conference, and the choir was supposed to sing, so I endured through that, and went home right afterwards. Sunday afternoon, the blotches started forming. I did not want to endure another night without good rest, so we went into emergency. The doctor asked lots of questions, and then admitted she was concerned about the possibility of shingles.

Monday morning, I read up on shingles and found a definite match:

"The earliest symptoms of herpes zoster, which include headache, fever, and malaise, are nonspecific, and may result in an incorrect diagnosis. These symptoms are commonly followed by sensations of burning pain, itching, hyperesthesia (oversensitivity), or paresthesia ("pins and needles": tingling, pricking, or numbness). The pain may be mild to extreme in the affected dermatome, with sensations that are often described as stinging, tingling, aching, numbing or throbbing, and can be interspersed with quick stabs of agonizing pain."

"Eye involvement - trigeminal nerve involvement (as seen in herpes ophthalmicus) should be treated early and aggressively as it may lead to blindness. Involvement of the tip of the nose in the zoster rash is a strong predictor of herpes ophthalmicus"

Since by now, the rash had spread to from my right eye to the tip of my nose, I was convinced I needed to act quickly. (My nose, as you know, was already large enough without the added swelling  ;-)  We saw a doctor Monday afternoon, she prescribed acyclovir, and warned me to watch carefully for eye pain, light sensitivity, or blurred vision. If that develops, I will need an IV immediately.

Poor Susan -- about all she has done for a week is tend to my needs. What a blessing it is to have such a wonderful helpmeet for almost 34 years.

Sorry for the long diatribe, but I thought it would enhance your understanding of my situation. I humbly request your prayers in my behalf.