Archive for August, 2008

Happy 1 Year Kidney-versary

August 26, 2008 · Filed under Celebrations, Education/School, Family, Friends, Fun Times, Health, Holidays, Normal Stuff, Transplants

  One year ago today, we were packing up the pick-up, dropping Monet off at my parents’ house and tearfully chugging down the road to Los Angeles. I emotionally had to turn myself off, otherwise I could have lost all rationale.

Can you believe it has been 1 year since Derek’s transplant? Well it will be August 30, that is this Saturday!!!! Boy have Derek has ridden out a lot of medical stuff in the last year, besides JUST A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT; a blocked colon, surgery, deafness, more surgery and  bump on the head. Yet we rejoice in knowing Derek has a pretty normal life for a 4 year old, aside from monthly blood work and medication 2x a day. He is in preschool and doing really great!!! This week he decided to talk to his teachers and classmates. He happily teases his sister, the dogs and even his parents (or any other unwilling “victim.”) On Saturday night our dinner will included pizza and chocolate milk. If you don’t remember that was Derek’s first wish after he got “his new battery.”  A feast of food that was off limits for over a year. I really think that we need another celebration like that, just to remind us how fortunate we are to have Derek with us still, and share it with Monet. Thanks to Kate, last year’s pizza party saw no boundaries and people from around the world celebrated Derek’s new life with all of us (of course you are welcome to join us again, this & every year.) 

I also want to tell Steve how proud I am of him. How thankful I am he is not a selfish man and chose to put our family first, he is a real man in my eyes. Steve has had to overcome a lot, deciding to put Derek ahead of things, like his career, just to mention one, and that takes a special person. Steve always dreamed of becoming a peace officer and last August he was willing to give up his dreams in order to save Derek. Both are doing well. Steve’s remaining kidney has really picked up paced and is doing a great job keeping him healthy.

I have to honestly say people who choose to be organ donors or allow their deceased family members to be organ donors are truly unsung heros who deserve to commended for giving life to so many. Thanks to all of you who have registered to be a donor, thanks to the grieving families who chose to save another’s life and finally “hang in there” to those of you still waiting - your gift is out there.

We took the whole family to California for Derek’s 1 year follow-up a UCLA. We opted to not do the biopsy again, which am I sure they were not happy about. If something was wrong we would be more than willing to do he biopsy HOWEVER why should we agree to poke a hole in a perfectly good kidney transplant and add additional risks to Derek’s health? We don’t see the necessity so we won’t be doing that any time soon. The entire staff was amazed at how much Derek has grown and how great he is doing. He was SUPER ACTIVE which always makes them happy to see. Derek got to see Dr. Singer too, she was Derek’s transplant Surgeon/Urologist. Funny, he talks about her all the time at home, but when he was there with her he quieted right up and just stared at her.

There were several reasons we chose to have Derek’s surgery in LA one of them was to make his follow-ups a mini vacation for the entire family, believe it or not it affects everyone.  So while we were in California we took the kids to the Aquarium of the Pacific, with a friend of Steve’s who just relocated from NYC to LA, “Hi Trish.” What a GREAT place to go and spend a day. They had lots of hands on places for you to touch and learn and educators were around to answer questions. We would HIGHLY recommend a visit there any time you are in the LA area. You can even purchase a trip on a boat to go see whales or dolphins!! Or stay indoorsand watch 3-D movies, we didn’t get to either of those things the kids were tired and hungry so we just called it a day. We also spent a couple hours at the beach by Santa Monica Pier…I could not believe all of the people there, it was CRAZY! Monet and Derek grew to love jumping the waves and playng in the infinite amount of sand. Poor Derekhs shorts got wet and then fell off, he refused to put aswim suit on, so Monet refused too.

CONGRATULATIONS DEREK – WE ALL LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

Comments (6) »

3 Little Tykes, 2 Jimmy Buffet, Abstract Art, A Wonderful Dinner & Monsters

August 20, 2008 · Filed under Family, Fun Times, Normal Stuff

So typically on the weekend we visit Grammy and Papa and destroy their house, eat their food and what not; but this Saturday was different. Grammy & Papa went for a drive and we stayed home, left to our own devices. It has been really hot outside so I wanted to keep Derek & Monet inside as much as possible so we DANCED and DANCED. Derek & Monet wear tutus and spin and sing all aroundthe house to 3 Cd’s worth of Little Tykes music. As the did their thing I thought it would be fun to do some art. I spent nearly 2 hours (what was I thinking) cutting out little  shapes in construction paper for them to glue onto another piece of construction paper…little did I know it was well worththe effort. As they glued paper and themselves I made lunch and switched the Cd’s out to Jimmy Buffet-something to calm my nerves for the previous playlist. After lunch it was the beloved nap time and it lasted over 2 hours!!! I picked up a little more and prepared dinner.

As they each woke Monet first then Derek they had a snack and each made another piece of art. We then headed to the grocery store. It was the easiest trip shopping I have ever had and before we knew it was time to get home and start dinner. I made steak, pasta and green beans. Surprisingly they both ate wonderfully and cleared their plates, this almost never happens. After dinner I let them both go outside for a little while to play and I cleaned up the kitchen. They took a shower with no protesting and got their PJs on..was this too good to be true? I prepared a surprise while they were outside and so they each climbed on a chair at the counter and assisted in making Monster Cookies (minus the raisins.) Steve came home and he got to eat his dinner and help me put them to bed. Honestly, there was little fighting, no time-outs just minor redirection. Saturday, August 16, 2008 was a nearly perfect day.

Comments (1) »

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

August 4, 2008 · Filed under Family, Fun Times, Health, Making Mom Crazy, Normal Stuff, Outings

The Good

1st Day of Preschool Breakfast

1st Day of Preschool Breakfast

Derek started preschool today. He seemed to enjoy it, even bringing home a small art projected and we proudly displayed it on the frig…though it has already been relocated to “somewhere else.” He was fie this morning until we pulled into the parking lot of the school, where upon opening the car door he F-R-E-A-K-E-D!!! His teacher had to hold him as I pulled his little fingers

Derek in Watercolor and Crayon Art Project

"Derek" in Watercolor and Crayon Art Project

from my pants and I quickly walked out the door with Monet. She said he was quiet the whole day and during the first hour you could tell he wanted to cry but he was strong and held it back. We celebrated with a Jr. Bacon Cheese Burger at Wendy’s. Update-We either got food poisoning from our lunch or a REALLY BAD stomach bug all at the same time.

The Bad

Derek may have some permanent hearing damage. We are requesting a new type of hearing test which will test his brain’s ability to process sound too. He is still being tested by

Fixing a bike

Fixing a bike

the school district for their special needs program an hopefully be able to receive some additional services and maybe free preschool. Unfortunately, it is a waiting game which is hard for any parent when it comes to their success as a student. Derek has great coping skills or the hearing loss and the speech therapist we are seeing through insurance has really helped him rely on those skills he taught himself. Update-He got into the School District’s Program and will be attendig classes 2 days a week which includes speech therapy.

The Ugly

Last week Monet opened a child-proof lid to my thyroid medication and spent 24 hours in the hospital. It will be 5-11 days after the medication is ingested before we see any further reaction (or w could see nothing.) For now we are updating her doctor daily via phone calls and email and we will be following up every 3-4 days and she has to have lab work done as well. Derek came to tell me Monet had peed on the

Eating in Bed at the Hospital

Eating in Bed at the Hospital

 floor and in one of my shoes (we are potty training.) I came in with a rag and cleaner when I noticed a couple pills on the floor, then another and another pretty soon I had just over a dozen back in the bottle which should of had about 40. Monet was so proud when I asked who opened these and how. “I did with my hands.” I felt my heart jump into my head.

“Did you take any of mommy’s medicine?” directed to both kids.

Derek quickly shook his head no “I only take my medicine.”

Monet says “Yep I took two.” Now “two” to a two year old can mean several things not to mention there are still A LOT OF PILLS MISSING.

I loaded both kids into the car and head off to the new Mercy Gilbert Medical Center ER, 5 miles down the road. Thankfully she had none of the 24-48 hours “MAJOR” symptoms, so we will most likely be dealing with irritability, hyperactivity, and a few other side effects similar to speed. Oh Yeah, great fun (as my eyes roll and roll.) She seems to be doing well, though Tuesday is day 5 so we aren’t anywhere near the end of this “ride.” Update-I found pills in my lingerie drawer stuffed deep in bra I seldom wear, looks like she may have taken only 1 or 2 after all.

Comments (1) »