A New Start

After almost two years I will attempt a blogging comeback.

Robert, my husband, has been traveling back and forth to So.Cali. For the last year on a trial. About one and a half weeks ago they finally settled the case. No thanks to the California court system.

While Robert was gone I held down the fort, until he would get home for the weekend.
Sarah, my seven year old, has had many health issues, that are yet to be diagnosed. For four months she has complained of year pain. We have been to many doctors ( to make a long story short). Our new rheumatologist, Dr. Bohnsack, does not think the pain is related to Sarah's autoimmune disease and also not her ears. He thinks it is something near her ears, in her head, and wants to see us through this because the pain has gone on for so long. Last Thursday Sarah was sedated and had an MRI on her head. Still waiting to hear from the docs.

I will attempt to keep all posted on what is happening in this household, whatever it may be. ( crafts, cooking, health, happiness, hunting, etc...)

Sarah's fracture

It's not like I don't have enough to worry about with this girl. Sarah decides to trip over her own foot a fracture a bone by her wrist. The cast is off now, we got it off on May 19th, the same day as her latest IVIG treatment.

Great Nephews

Left to right: Elijah (Nephew Brandon's son, my great-nephew), Chad (Nephew), my Emily, Toby (nephew), Lily (Brandon's daughter, my great-niece), my Tanner, Niece Sophia holding her son Max (my great-nephew), my Sarah, nephew Dax in blue, great-nephew Cole (Luke's son), and my Nephew Luke holding Cade (my new great- nephew. Missing is my nephew Chris' daughter Maylee. And that makes 6, and #7 will make Maylee a big sister.

Max and Cade, born three days apart. Both look just like their dads.

I am a great-aunt six times with #7 on the way. Here are the latest two.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis

Since August Sarah has had bumps on her fingers, elbow, knees and toes. And occasionally bright red cheeks that make her look like she has a fever. Today we have mapped out a plan on how to treat her. Sarah has a rare auto-immune disease called Juvenile Dermatomyositis. We will start weekly injection, done by Robert and bi-monthly IVIG (going monthly after three sessions). She does not have any evidence of muscle weakening, right now, so we (parent and doctors) hope to kick JDM butt and put Sarah into remission before she gets worse.

She will always need to have major sunscreen on when she goes outside, or we risk a flare up. Yes, with this disease she is sun sensitive. The bumps (gottron papules) first showed up after spending the day at Crystal Cove State Park in California. By the time we returned to my sisters house in Irvine, the bumps had shown up.

Sarah is a trooper. She is okay with the idea of weekly shots and a monthly I.V. I just hope that making a preemptive strike on JDM works.

Ballet

Today is the first day of ballet for Sarah. She is not excited in the least bit. I have bribed her with a toy if she goes four times without crying. This is sorta working. The closer we get to the time the more edgy she gets.

Back to School

Sarah is very excited about being in the newspaper.

Some guy took this picture as we were walking Emily into her first day of school. I thought the guy was taking a picture of his kids, 'cause it was a cheap point and shoot camera.

Back to school excitement

What you find when you really deep clean

In college I would tear out these funny tampon ads out of magazines, that were mine. Here is one that I found in a box of old papers today.

You can't think. You're retaining

so much water you feel like a baby beluga.

You call home and ask your mom for a little sympathy.

You get it. You ask for a little cash. You don't.

On top of it all, your pad is somewhere

between your belly button and your tailbone.

Womenhood. What a concept.