Wow 2012 was a fun one....what??? Lots of good times, but probably more bad times. Somehow we survived and we are on to a new year. Too bad that means my kids are growing up too fast. I'm so sad. Here are some highlights...
January
Elwyn had hernia repair surgery at Primary Children's Hospital. Initially she only had 1 hernia, but once they got in there, they found a second one. She recovered quickly and was able to enjoy several slushies after the surgery:) I didn't pass the 'glucose' test, so i had to go back and have the 3 hour glucose test taken. It SUCKED! Instead of just pricking my finger for blood once, i had blood drawn from my arm 4 times in a 3 hour time frame. I also couldn't eat or drink anything. Worst test ever...
February
Rich spent a week in Vegas and left me alone with 2 kids while pregnant and fat...we survived:) I also got put on bedrest at the end of the month. At my 34 week appt I was only measuring 31 weeks...and had lost centimeters. My dr confirmed it was Intra Uterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) with an ultrasound and put me on bedrest (I guess it just means that there was something wrong with the placenta, or that it didn't connect to my uterus correctly. So the baby wasn't getting the nutrients he needed to grow). LAME!
March
Still on bedrest, and my dr wanted to induce me at 37 weeks. I was very nervous and thought my baby would not be ready to come out (I had to be induced with both girls because they were too busy over cooking themselves inside me). There were so many 'what ifs'...I was worried about having to have a c-section, or the babies lungs not being developed. Anyway, the dr said everything should be ok. 37 weeks is technically fully developed. Whatever...long story short, Rowan was born March 15, delivery went great, he cried, then was rushed to the nursery where he was put on a ventilator and then taken by ambulance to a level III NICU 20 miles away. I spent 2 days all by myself in one hospital while Rich spent most of his time with Rowan. After i was discharged we spent a good part of the day at the NICU. We were allowed to hold Rowan for the first time for about 10 minutes. I was so nervous to hold him, i even cried. After driving back and forth, sometimes twice a day we were able to bring him home, on oxygen and a pulse oximeter on March 25th.
April
I have just about killed myself several times tripping over Rowan's cords and falling flat on my face. One day we will figure this out! First visit after leaving the NICU with Rowan's Cardiologist. He had an EKG and ECHO performed to see how his heart murmur was progressing. The dr was also able to tell us that his pulmonary hypertension (which was the reason he came home on oxygen) had resolved itself. Sadly, Rowan was still not able to keep his saturation levels up where they needed to be, so we continued on oxygen. And the medical bills have started coming...oh joy! On a lighter note, we celebrated my moms' 60th birthday. My older sister, who was very pregnant, drove up from Arizona and completely surprised her. It was great!
May
Elwyn graduated from preschool, school ended and we finished up with dance. Rowan had torticollis and plagiocephally...which means he was developing a flat head, so we got to see a physical therapist. Still on oxygen, but getting cuter by the day:) Rowan's pediatrician ordered an overnight oximetry study to see how Rowan did without the assistance of oxygen and he didn't pass. Rowan was also blessed the end of this month. I would have liked to wait a little while longer, but apparently I don't get to make all the decisions in this family. RUDE!
June
Willow started tumbling and she also took an art class at the elementary school. She loved it and i HATED taking her every morning at 9 am. Try getting a new baby, 20 lb oxygen tank (which i had to switch him onto, since that was his 'travel' tank) and his monitor...and a diaper bag in the car every morning. Along with 2 other kids. At least it was the summer...
July
We celebrated our 11th anniversary, Rich's birthday and Willow's birthday. Swimming lessons were this month and Rich dragged us to Montana. I was really hoping the dr's would back me up and tell me Rowan couldn't travel that far on oxygen, but no one had my back. I hate traveling in the car. The girls had fun and somehow we made it home in one piece. What a miracle! After a 2 month wait, we FINALLY saw a pulmonologist at Primary Children's Hospital. He thought Rowan looked great and was convinced he was ready to come off the oxygen. He ordered another overnight oximetry study and Rowan didn't pass. I wasn't surprised...
August
Back to school (BOOOO!), and apparently Willow is nearly blind! She had her well check and had 20/30 vision in one eye and 20/80 in the other...WITH her glasses on. NICE! So much for skipping a year seeing the eye dr! Sadly we DON'T have vision insurance:( Rowan came off oxygen while awake. That sure made a world of difference in the things we could do! So much easier to carry around a tankless baby:)
September
Rowan had another overnight oximetry study done. The dr felt really confident about it, but i shared some of my concerns with him and we decided to continue him on oxygen. He had his 6 month well check. I had been doing alot of reading trying to find out EXACTLY what is wrong with this little guy, which led me to ask his pediatrician if his red blood cells were healthy. The dr was sure they were healthy but decided we could check them, since it was an easy, poke the finger, test. Anywho...the results came back, and his hematocrit levels were way low. We were sent to the hospital for more lab work, which turned into Rowan being on an iron supplement for 12 weeks because he was low in iron. That stuff is NASTY!!! Elwyn saw an ENT and we scheduled surgery.
October
Elwyn turned 6!!! And had her tonsils and adenoids out. Leading up to surgery, she was very mad at me because she didn't want to go under the knife again. I can't even remember everything she did, but some of the highlights are, stealing lipstick from the store, cutting her hair...again, pouring nail polish on my floor and scratching and biting her brother. Oh the joys. We followed up with the cardiologist and Rowan's heart murmur had closed! This was the first of some great news to follow, because on Halloween Rowan came off the oxygen!!! I was SO nervous. We keep him on the monitor when asleep, and he still drops below where he should be, but otherwise he is doing great. And it is SO NICE to have a wireless baby!!! I can't believe the difference it makes. I also LOVE sucking on his sweet tiny little cheeks. I couldn't do that when he had 'tender grips' holding the oxygen cannula to his face. Oh and we saw an allergist this month and Rowan is allergic to rice...
November
Still monitoring Rowan when asleep. Rowan also saw a gastroenterologist this month to try to figure out why he spits up ALL THE TIME!!! He ended up having blood work done to test more for allergies and celiac, an Upper GI and Esophogram Xray and a Swallow Study. He passed all of those tests. I am feeding him less which has made a world of difference and i think we have finally figured out what he can and cannot eat. Obviously no rice, which means I can't eat rice. He also can't have anything orange...carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. What a weird baby!!!
December
What, it's December already!!! This year has flown by. I celebrated my 25th birthday. Gosh i'm getting old! We had a wonderful Christmas and New Years, although we spent a couple days of our Christmas break at the dr, and then at the pharmacy with 2 sick kids. Rich worked basically everyday in December, so we didn't get to enjoy him being home.
We will follow up with the pulmonologist once again this week to see where Rowan is at with his oxygen. We will also follow up with the gastroenterologist. We are looking forward to a new year, although this means we are all getting older and my sweet baby boy with be turning one...how did that happen!!! I'm hoping for alot less dr appts, dr bills and drama:) We'll see.
