My very good friend Bonnie, who is a wonderful writer and blogs over at Learningtobeanewlywed, also is a regular contributor to Ignitum Today a website which posts articles on religion, family life, political issues, and relationships written by and for young Catholics: the JP2 and B16 generations. Recently, the editors at the website announced they were going to look for guest contributors and Bonnie mentioned me to the editors. She wanted me to write about our adoption story. And I did. It was neat to be writing for someone else to publish again. But, I will admit, especially now, I work much better when I have deadlines.
Click here to read my contribution.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
What a week
This last week and a half, starting on Monday 8/13, has been kind of a
rough one for just about every member of our little family, including
the four-legged variety.
Hyperion
On Saturday we noticed Hyperion wasn't feeling too well. He tried to go to the litter box, then came out and laid under the end table yowling loudly. He's done this before and it usually passes after an hour or so. This time, not so much. I looked up the name and information of an emergency vet in our area and then I had to go to work. Nathan felt that if we watched Hyperion on Saturday and he wasn't better the next day, we could take him to the vet.
I wasn't at work an hour when a co-worker told me Nathan was on the phone. He was at the e-vet in Aurora with Hyperion (having dropped Elijah off at his parents' house). He told me he had watched Hyperion try to use the litter box again, and the poor little guy fell over. We found out Hyperion had a blocked urinary system, which apparently is common in male cats. Unfortunately, the sure-fire fix cost much more than we were comfortable spending on the cat. Instead, they catheterized him and sent Nathan home with a bunch of medications for this week including an IV bag for subcutaneous fluid injections.
It's been kind of dicey on whether or not we thought he was going to make it through the week. On Monday night, Nathan even made the comment "If he makes it to tomorrow..." But today he seems much better. He's been walking around with his tail up and eating and even got into a little trouble.
Hecate
One of the only family members having a good week is Hecate. Hyperion's illness means we've been leaving canned food out for him to try to get some fluid into him. They have also been accessible to her. Also, we felt bad that we've been keeping them closed downstairs for the summer so we could keep the nursery door open. So on Saturday night, we closed the nursery door and opened the stair door. She has been enjoying the opportunity to sleep on our bed again.
Me
Last Monday Nathan and I woke up bright and early and drove down to Chicago. Unfortunately, we were not going there to enjoy ourselves. I was scheduled to have a cardiac catheterization. Basically, the doctors make small incisions in the femoral artery and slip a tube in and run it up to the heart so they can watch the blood flow around and measure pressures and things. I've had this procedure many, many times before and it is probably my least favorite.
To make it worse, everyone at the hospital seemed confused about what kind of cath I was having. They kept saying "right heart cath" but all my paperwork said "bilateral," meaning they were going in on both sides and not just the right. After the procedure I had to stay flat for six hours so I didn't rupture the closures over the incision sites.
We got home around 9 pm Monday night. Thankfully Tuesday my mother and in-laws were all free. I was so sick I had to spend the whole day in bed. And someone had to look after Elijah. Poor Elijah, I was not allowed to pick him up for three days after the procedure. It was fine on Tuesday, because the grandparents were there. Wednesday and Thursday were not so fun...
Elijah
Really, he was kind of a lucky little guy because he got to spend a lot of time with his grandparents. My dad and mom watched him while we were in Chicago, and then of course he had everyone's attention on Tuesday. Wednesday I took the day off work, and since wasn't allowed to carry him around we spent the whole day playing on the floor in the nursery. Eventually, he got very bored. Thursday he was having teething pain from his second tooth. All he wants when his gums hurt is for Mama to hold him and walk around, but of course, I couldn't do that. It was the most heart-breaking thing ever to stand up and have him reach up his little arms, screaming to be picked up and cuddled, and know I couldn't do it. Friday, and every day since then have been better.
Nathan
Probably the busiest of all of us has been Nathan. First he had to sit with me in that boring cath lab waiting/recovery room, then he had to take care of me. Then he was the one home when Hyperion got sick. On Monday he had to come home at lunch and help me give Hyperion his medications, because medicating a cat is not easy.
Hopefully this coming week will be easier/less stressful/healthier.
Hyperion
On Saturday we noticed Hyperion wasn't feeling too well. He tried to go to the litter box, then came out and laid under the end table yowling loudly. He's done this before and it usually passes after an hour or so. This time, not so much. I looked up the name and information of an emergency vet in our area and then I had to go to work. Nathan felt that if we watched Hyperion on Saturday and he wasn't better the next day, we could take him to the vet.
I wasn't at work an hour when a co-worker told me Nathan was on the phone. He was at the e-vet in Aurora with Hyperion (having dropped Elijah off at his parents' house). He told me he had watched Hyperion try to use the litter box again, and the poor little guy fell over. We found out Hyperion had a blocked urinary system, which apparently is common in male cats. Unfortunately, the sure-fire fix cost much more than we were comfortable spending on the cat. Instead, they catheterized him and sent Nathan home with a bunch of medications for this week including an IV bag for subcutaneous fluid injections.
It's been kind of dicey on whether or not we thought he was going to make it through the week. On Monday night, Nathan even made the comment "If he makes it to tomorrow..." But today he seems much better. He's been walking around with his tail up and eating and even got into a little trouble.
Hecate
One of the only family members having a good week is Hecate. Hyperion's illness means we've been leaving canned food out for him to try to get some fluid into him. They have also been accessible to her. Also, we felt bad that we've been keeping them closed downstairs for the summer so we could keep the nursery door open. So on Saturday night, we closed the nursery door and opened the stair door. She has been enjoying the opportunity to sleep on our bed again.
Me
Last Monday Nathan and I woke up bright and early and drove down to Chicago. Unfortunately, we were not going there to enjoy ourselves. I was scheduled to have a cardiac catheterization. Basically, the doctors make small incisions in the femoral artery and slip a tube in and run it up to the heart so they can watch the blood flow around and measure pressures and things. I've had this procedure many, many times before and it is probably my least favorite.
To make it worse, everyone at the hospital seemed confused about what kind of cath I was having. They kept saying "right heart cath" but all my paperwork said "bilateral," meaning they were going in on both sides and not just the right. After the procedure I had to stay flat for six hours so I didn't rupture the closures over the incision sites.
We got home around 9 pm Monday night. Thankfully Tuesday my mother and in-laws were all free. I was so sick I had to spend the whole day in bed. And someone had to look after Elijah. Poor Elijah, I was not allowed to pick him up for three days after the procedure. It was fine on Tuesday, because the grandparents were there. Wednesday and Thursday were not so fun...
Elijah
Really, he was kind of a lucky little guy because he got to spend a lot of time with his grandparents. My dad and mom watched him while we were in Chicago, and then of course he had everyone's attention on Tuesday. Wednesday I took the day off work, and since wasn't allowed to carry him around we spent the whole day playing on the floor in the nursery. Eventually, he got very bored. Thursday he was having teething pain from his second tooth. All he wants when his gums hurt is for Mama to hold him and walk around, but of course, I couldn't do that. It was the most heart-breaking thing ever to stand up and have him reach up his little arms, screaming to be picked up and cuddled, and know I couldn't do it. Friday, and every day since then have been better.
Nathan
Probably the busiest of all of us has been Nathan. First he had to sit with me in that boring cath lab waiting/recovery room, then he had to take care of me. Then he was the one home when Hyperion got sick. On Monday he had to come home at lunch and help me give Hyperion his medications, because medicating a cat is not easy.
Hopefully this coming week will be easier/less stressful/healthier.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Special Delivery
Yesterday, when I got home from work I checked the mail. One of the envelopes I pulled out of the mailbox contained an important packet of paper. The last line on the last page went something like this:
"It is ordered that the child's name be, and is hereby changed to 'Elijah Nathan Rice.'" The adoption is final!
(Before this we had to use Birthmother's last name for him.)
"It is ordered that the child's name be, and is hereby changed to 'Elijah Nathan Rice.'" The adoption is final!
(Before this we had to use Birthmother's last name for him.)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
New Exercise
This is all the rage around our house right now. Lay flat on your stomach, pull your knees up and stick your butt way up in the air. Now, rock your butt to one side and pull your opposite knee up to your stomach. Push off on that knee and slowly slide forward on your face.
Elijah has started creeping in earnest, and this is his chosen method. I have become paranoid that he's going to scoot off the blanket and give himself rug burn on his little face. I'm hoping it won't be too long before he starts picking his head up and crawling. For some reason the sliding on his face has me really concerned.
I tried uploading a video of it, but the computer isn't letting me.
Elijah has started creeping in earnest, and this is his chosen method. I have become paranoid that he's going to scoot off the blanket and give himself rug burn on his little face. I'm hoping it won't be too long before he starts picking his head up and crawling. For some reason the sliding on his face has me really concerned.
I tried uploading a video of it, but the computer isn't letting me.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
We have...a tooth!
And I honestly didn't even know it. Mom and I were out with him today, and she put her finger in his mouth for him to chew on and she said, "He has a tooth!" I couldn't believe it. I felt around on his gum and felt a hard little ridge along the bottom. Definitely a tooth.
I even asked the pediatrician at his six-month appointment yesterday about teeth and he basically said when they come, they come.
He's been a little fussier lately, but not terrible. He didn't get bad diaper rash, he hasn't had a fever that I've noticed. He's just kind of been Elijah, but a little sleepier. Maybe that was the clue.
UPDATE: I spoke too soon. The last couple days have not been too fun. Poor little guy isn't feeling well and wants to be held all day. I've been trying to distract him with things like introducing juice and putting apple sauce in his cereal, but it's not working too well. He's just not feeling well.
I even asked the pediatrician at his six-month appointment yesterday about teeth and he basically said when they come, they come.
He's been a little fussier lately, but not terrible. He didn't get bad diaper rash, he hasn't had a fever that I've noticed. He's just kind of been Elijah, but a little sleepier. Maybe that was the clue.
UPDATE: I spoke too soon. The last couple days have not been too fun. Poor little guy isn't feeling well and wants to be held all day. I've been trying to distract him with things like introducing juice and putting apple sauce in his cereal, but it's not working too well. He's just not feeling well.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Separation Anxiety
No, not Elijah's...mine. So far, he still seems pretty okay with Mama and Daddy leaving him with one set of grandparents...but it tears me up inside. Even our regular 2 days a week for the three hours we are both at work at the same time. I hate leaving him with anyone. And I actually feel really badly about that because I know my parents and my in-laws take great care of him and have a lot of fun, too.
It's gotten to the point that I kind of want to take him everywhere with me. I had a doctor's appointment in downtown Chicago last Tuesday and wanted to bring him along. But my mom, who was driving, said it would be hard on him. So I left him with my in-laws and then was anxious the whole time. But somehow, leaving while Nathan is home is different, I don't get as nervous about that.
I'm naturally a little solitary and every couple months I do have to have some time to myself. Luckily, last week, Nathan and a friend of his who was visiting, stayed in on a night I had off. So, I got Elijah put to bed and then went up to DeKalb to see Disney's Brave. I didn't know if I'd like being at the movies by myself, but I had a great time. I bought my own box of mini chewy Sweettarts and sat at the back of the theater. The movie was cute, but I had the best time being there alone.
I don't know if all this anxiety is normal. And I can't tell if it's a good thing or not.
It's gotten to the point that I kind of want to take him everywhere with me. I had a doctor's appointment in downtown Chicago last Tuesday and wanted to bring him along. But my mom, who was driving, said it would be hard on him. So I left him with my in-laws and then was anxious the whole time. But somehow, leaving while Nathan is home is different, I don't get as nervous about that.
I'm naturally a little solitary and every couple months I do have to have some time to myself. Luckily, last week, Nathan and a friend of his who was visiting, stayed in on a night I had off. So, I got Elijah put to bed and then went up to DeKalb to see Disney's Brave. I didn't know if I'd like being at the movies by myself, but I had a great time. I bought my own box of mini chewy Sweettarts and sat at the back of the theater. The movie was cute, but I had the best time being there alone.
I don't know if all this anxiety is normal. And I can't tell if it's a good thing or not.
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