So much has happened in my life in the last 24 hours, it's hard to know where to begin. It gives me a headache to think about putting the events together in coherent sentences. But then again, headaches have been my nemesis for the last 24 hours so coherent is not natural. I know that didn't make sense - see what I mean???????
What I do know? I am a brilliant Mommy. Last night I made cupcakes for dinner. Yes, you read that right. I had planned to make meatloaf, which I did...and I scooped them into cupcake tins. After baking them with their red icing, I placed one into cupcake tinfoil and placed a snowman cupcake decoration right into the center.
Mr. Brian was over the cupcake shaped moon.
Know why I'm also brilliant? (Don't worry - my ego will automatically deflate about two paragraphs from now) I have been taking videos of Brian - videos asking him to do certain things. It's like a game...especially around mealtime. I ask him to take bites of his dinner or his lunch or drink his milk....and he does it. Why? Because he LOVES to watch the videos back of himself on my camera. And right after he watches the video, I delete it (unless it's a keeper, of course). Manipulative? Yes. But I just got my kid to believe that meatloaf was as delicious as his birthday cupcakes...and he asks for seconds. Wanna fight about it?
This morning our new helper had the day off...and Miss Katja came back to help us until lunchtime. Contractors were in our basement for the third day to fix the damage from Hurricane Irene. There was so much going on.
I also had to take Brian for his physical. The first stop was to get weighed. He weighs 33lbs...which puts him in the 50th to the 75th percentile. Then she measured his height. He is 37 1/4 inches high, putting him in the 25th to the 50th percentile.
They did a color blind test and a vision test - asking me to cover each eye...and asking him to identify objects. Not hard, except they had to believe my "Brian translations." I know what words like "star" and "heart" and "flag" sound like coming from him!
The nurse took his blood pressure (which was fine!) and he was so patient as she had to pump his arm three times.
Then Dr. Kienzle (sounds like Kinz-lee) came in. After we chatted about my crazy facial bruising (stay tuned for more on THAT drama....) he examined Brian. That's when it got a little...worrisome.
I'm not sure I've ever written about this, but Brian has always had a slight heart murmur. It was never anything serious - he was examined and we were told not to worry. But today the pediatrician noticed a change. He listened to his heart sitting up - and then laying down. Usually the murmur would get quieter when he laid down - but today it wasn't. This could mean a thousand things...or nothing. It was suggested by the doctor that he *might* have a hole in his heart, but we won't know for sure until he sees a cardiologist. So I'll be scheduling that as soon as possible.
When we got home, there was still plenty of time to spend with Miss Katja. She was so nice to get Christmas presents for the boys! They have such strong bonds with her. She got Gavin an amazing and thoughtful gift. The Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube. He can press any side to activate music and lights - but she also considered his teeth banging. This is a toy that is pretty rubbery all over. It's something we can leave in his crib and not worry that he'll hurt his teeth if he mouths it!! What a great present for Gavin. (Trust me - he's tough to buy for!!! She nailed it!!!!)
She got it right for Brian, too! Just the other day Miss Janna, Gavin's teacher, brought a bowling set for Gavin to try. Brian was VERY interested in it. Katja wasn't even there!! Yet, that was what she chose for Brian's birthday gift!!
A Buzz Lightyear mat to serve as the "lane". White circles that show the child where the pins should go - and a ball to bowl with. Brian was ecstatic!!!
After Miss Katja opened our presents (a crock pot, a cozy chenille blanket for her couch, a pair of pajamas and a microfiber hair towel because I know she wants to be just like me - BIG WINK) and we opened ours (two movie tickets with a night of free babysitting - at least I think it's free babysitting - ha ha) we said goodbye. Ed was home and we decided to head out behind her to go to the grocery store to knock out our Christmas food ingredient list. I had such a headache.
It was there...in the produce section that Ed's cell phone rang. It was the contractor that was working in our house. He had Gavin's teacher, Miss Janna, on the phone. She was wondering where we were...for our regularly scheduled Thursday at 1pm appointment. Ed handed me the phone and I wanted to cry. (And I did) And then I realized - we're 20 minutes away...and at 1:30 Miss Maggie is supposed to come. I screwed up both appointments. The last ones before Christmas. I suck.
On the way home I was telling Ed about my headaches - and a newly developed numbness and tingling over my eye where the light fixture fell on my face. He begged me to call our family doctor. When we got home - that's just what I did. When I explained my newly developed symptoms - that weren't there the first and second day - they said to go STRAIGHT to the E.R. - that they were very worried. Great.
So off to the E.R. I went - happy that Ed was home. What happened next threw me for a loop. My triage session was long - the male nurse didn't want to believe that I wasn't a victim of domestic violence. (I can assure you that I am not. I'm Irish - I could totally take him. Just kidding. Or am I? *Evil Wink*) He was only doing his job, but when I told him what I just wrote in between those parentheses? He laughed and finally walked me back to see a doctor.
I was quickly brought back for an MRI and CT scan. And just as quickly (E.R. time) I was told the results. I have a pretty decent concussion. And I also have...wait for it...a FOREIGN BODY STUCK IN MY HEAD!!!! I thought I was on a TV show. But sadly, I was not. They thought that maybe a shard from the light fixture (even though it didn't break) got under my skin. Or a piece of metal. Either way, they scheduled me immediately for a visit to the plastic surgeon tomorrow morning.
A WHAT??????????? Could my Christmas Miracle actually come true??????? A plastic surgeon??? I may actually become a "REAL" "Real Housewife" after all this!!!
I have no idea what it means - or what they will do tomorrow. All I know is - I want to go to sleep and wake up in 2012 happy and healthy and pregnant and maybe even with an eye lift and a boob job.
Come on. I deserve it.
Oh my. I'm having such a sad day and your post today, made me laugh out loud. Thank you for that. I really cannot believe how badly you are bruised, I'm so sorry that happened. I pray that 2012, is the year for wonderful things for you and your family. It is your turn for happier days. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteEven when you're having a craptastic day, you still bring out the positive and make the rest of us laugh (with you, not at you). It's really inspirational for those of us who, once negativity hits, it's really hard to get out of.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my brother was born with a hole in heart and they were very worried about it, but this was 27 years ago, so they didn't have all the fancy stuff they have now. Anyway, he's now 6'1" and very healthy, even with that lingering hole. Hopefully, it closes naturally for your baby boy, but if not, you seem to have a great support system and will know just what to do! I highly recommend CHOP's cardiac team, but I'm partial! ;o)
Oh my, what a mix of good and bad in this post! I love how you are so positive even when things aren't quite going your way. The meatloaf cupcakes is a fun idea, I want to do things like that with my niece when I get back home. I was thinking food coloring in the mashed potatoes. :) I hope that everything turns out okay for Brian, and also that your visit to the plastic surgeon goes well too. You're one tough lady to have a concussion and the foreign body and barely complain about it!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a rough day. Hopefully Brian's murmur is nothing. But, if it is from a hole in his heart, try not to worry too too much. If it was a significant hole, he would have had problems before now. If there is one, it's probably small and there is a chance it could still close on it's own. My cousin went 20 years with an undiagnosed hole before she had any problems from it. And they can't say for certain that it was the hole that caused her problem or something else and they just happened to find the hole. There are also a lot of innocent murmurs that are just "there" for some reason but don't mean anything.
ReplyDeleteI love the "meatloaf cupcakes"! Very creative. I'll have to remember that one. Might be useful in the future. And by the way, you do deserve it!