Friday, March 18, 2011

Haus of Drama


The past week or so have been hectic, filled with drama and exhausting.
I feel bad complaining when there are so many other more important, sad, terrifying things going on in the world. 
My broken washing machine means nothing in the grand scheme of things and I really don’t like to use this blog as a place to gripe.

However, I also feel like I’d like to document the Debbie Downer moments, just as much as all the happy things we have to share and celebrate.
I think of it as, keeping it real.
Because we all know, life is not always sunshine and daffodils. 
That would be too easy.

Something that truly has not been easy for our family for the past year or so and that is actually very real and serious to us, is our oldest daughter Mia’s health.

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Last January through May, when she was in Kindergarten, she was constantly sick. 
It went something like this.
Ear infection… sinus infection… strep throat.
Then sinus infection…strep throat…ear infection.  

{Watching Aunt Maggie play at Purdue University last Spring.}

All while we were road tripping the country watching my youngest sister Maggie play softball for the University of Michigan several times a month.   
I think back and feel awful for what she must have been going through. Not feeling 100%, but being such a trooper.  She rarely even said her ears or throat hurt, but when she went in to see if her previous infection was better, it usually turned out that she already had another infection.

We finally had her blood tested, since the only time she was infection free was when she was on an antibiotic, to see if there was something going on with her immune system. 
Sure enough there was.

She had very low levels of one of the five antibodies that all of us have to help us stay healthy by fighting off foreign things, such as bacteria or viruses. 
The one she was low on, is the IgG class of antibodies, which just so happens to be the most predominant one we have.  Most of the antibodies in the blood and the fluid that bathes the tissues and cells of the body are of the IgG class.

{Last summer at her first appointment with the immunologist. On her 6th birthday.}

She saw an immunologist in July and was given another vaccination (one that all babies get) to see if her immune system would respond and produce the antibodies she was low on to defend itself.  Thankfully, it did just that!  This means her immune system is functioning.   
We were so happy that her levels were back to normal and she has been healthy up until recent weeks.
She had strep and then a double ear infection and another sinus infection.
Once again, no fevers, no complaining.  Just a bit of a headache.

I am so glad we took her in because we have learned that her levels have dropped again and unfortunately she must be on antibiotics for the next few months to keep her healthy. 
30 days on. 10 days off.  30 days on.  10 days off. 
A journey we are still unsure of and praying that everything will work out in the end.  Praying her little immune system will grow strong and overcome this.  

After reading this blog written by a mom of a little boy who suffers from the exact immune deficiency as Mia, I found myself discouraged and in a fog.  What this little boy has been through is so upsetting.  A life with such trials and tribulations.  I can’t begin to imagine.   

However, my hopes were heightened after talking with a mom at the girls’ dance studio whose daughter suffered with the exact thing as Mia since she was one year old.  She is now seventeen and is perfectly healthy!  She did have to have infusions, through a port near the heart, of the IgG antibodies from age one to ten, but by ten her immune system was strong enough to not need the infusions!

So we continue to pray and hope for the best for our sweet Mia taking it one day at a time.  Sometimes feeling so in the dark, and others feeling extremely positive and thankful that we are happy to know what her situation is and that’s it’s a manageable issue, even if it means that she must endure infusions at some point. 

As if Mia’s health is not enough, we have had many other drama filled adventures the past few weeks.  What you ask?

For example, I came home from preschool to a flooded laundry room.
Our ten year old washing machine was a goner.

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And after a week with no washing machine, I can finally do laundry in my own home again.  Thank you to all who allowed us to lug our dirty clothes over to do a few loads. You saved this mom’s sanity for sure.

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And the list goes on…

-Sophie’s brand new birthday Barbie’s wing broke. 
Drama.

-I have been caring for some sick children this week, while trying to also take care of five healthy ones.
Drama.
Snot sucks.  Pity party.  Bring on summer.

-If you recall this post, I chose to have a vein lasered in my leg and I am unfortunately still limping around like a weirdo.
Drama.

-Our trampoline was picked up in a recent storm/tornado and ended up on our roof.  We flipped it over to see if was still functional, and it’s definitely not.  The girls are sad.
Drama.

-It snowed on Monday.
Then Thursday is was 83 degrees and sunny.
My sinuses want to explode.
Drama.

-I watched my cat barf on the top of my Suburban yesterday.
Awesome Drama.

-I drove off Wednesday night in a tizzy to get my three girls to dance on time, along with our neighbor’s little girl, with my iPhone on my bumper.
Drama.

*Luckily I have so many awesome and generous people in my life, and thanks to one of them, my friend Kristy Bradley, I now have a new iPhone! She gave me her old one and I am so thankful to be back in the cell phone loop.  How did I ever survive without an iPhone?

-And finally, the finale…we woke up this morning, the start of Steve and the girls’ Spring Break, to find and smell about 15 piles of dog poop upstairs. 
Green none the less, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.
We now have a sick Gussie dog.  I am wondering if she ate something last night in the back yard as they were outside for about five hours celebrating the nice 80 degree weather.  
Drama.   

Thank goodness I have so many fun and positive things to lighten my spirits as life gets dramatic….

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Like these two bucket heads….

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who may or may not be princesses as well…

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a sleep-talking ducky-on-the-head-wearing crazy kid…

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bowling beauties…

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a Sophie Cat in the Hat….

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and sisters who go line dancing with me.

Life doesn’t get any better than that.

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PS I need some hair help.
Here it is now.  Long.  Too witch like?

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This is what I would love to do. 
My sister Haley sent me this picture and I stole it to use as an idea for my hair. 
Thank God for sisters.

What do you all think?
To cut or not to cut?

Have a great weekend!

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Hang in there honey :( I try to remind myself that its only temporary, it's only temporary, it's only temporary!!

Janna said...

I have to number my comment cause I have so much to say :)

1. Your hair is awesome long and not at all witch like and I'm partial to long hair so I was totally going to tell you to keep it long, until I saw the pic of Jennifer. AWESOME hair style and it would look fantastic on you, so do it!!

2. That sucks (all of it - the dryer, the dog poop, the illness, the leg surgery, etc...) I hate when all crap goes wrong at once - very ovewhelming!

3. Will continue praying for Mia. SO sorry that she (and all of you) are dealing with this.

4. Love all the pics in this post - your girls are gorgeous!

Jason said...

I love this cut , go for it!

Carrie said...

So, so sorry to hear about your daughters health. I too, am going through some challenges in my life right now. Hang in there. BTW, I have curly hair, but I am planning on cutting mine, too! I love the photo, I think it would look really cute and stylish with your blonde straight hair!

Mariah said...

that is one horrific week! sometimes it feels great to just lay it all out there... and get it out. that's what I love about blogging! keepin it real - that's what has always kept me coming back to your blog. keep it comin - the good, the bad, the funny... it's real life! So sorry to hear about Mia - that must be so frightening... no matter how big or how small it is never easy to see your child suffer. will pray that the antibiotics work and give her the boost she needs.
oh and definately cut! perfect time for spring... plus it looks like you could still pull it back, which is always a bonus on those hectic days.
hoping you get some sunshine and fun this weekend!

Kelly said...

First and foremost, I am so sorry to hear about Mia's health. I saw a twitter post that had me praying for your family in an unknown way, I'm happy to keep that going in a direction. You do sound optimistic throughout your post, but she is still your baby and you don't want big or scary things to happen to her! On a lighter note, I think I could nearly copy and paste the rest of your post to my blog. Hysterical and real life. I love it!!! :) Keep it real. You and your hair are beautiful and I LOVE Jennifer so I bet it would be a great mix! Can't wait to see if you do it.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry you have so much to deal with. I'm glad you have such a great attitude and can see the funny things to. The cat line cracked me up. I think you are absolutely stunning with long hair or short. I think a bob cut would be a fun new look for you. My husband needs to have that same surgery, but a lot more veins done (he is 37). After your pictures he is a bit freaked out.
Hopefully everythg will slow down and a solution to Mia's health can be quickly found.

Anonymous said...

Love your long hair- I want mine to look like that. However, the short do would look great and it's a very spring/summer look.

Also, can you share how you made the Cat in the Hat hat? Too cute!

Emily said...

If you do cut your hair, may I suggest that you donate to Locks of Love? I've been growing my hair out and think that it will finally be long enough to donate this summer!

ragamuffinbeauties said...

Drama, ugh so sorry! Good with bad fo sho, but you have an amazing way of staying positive...love it! I love all your sweet pics of the girls, your sisters, and your everyday life! XO

Heather @ Glitter and Gloss said...

Praying for Mia all the time! That sweet girl, and her sweet mama are always in my prayers!

hate drama, love you!

PS - your hair is totally not witch-like at all, but I think you'd look like even more of a supermodel with a sleek, shorter cut. It'll always grow back, ya know!? XO!

Amy said...

Bless Mia's heart....at that appointment with a smile on that sweet face! She is positive about the situation because of you! ;-) Praying that her body responds well to the antibiotics and her little immune system becomes stronger real quick!

Love the new LG! ;-)

I hear ya with the barfy animal situation.....was up at 4am with a vomiting wiener dog! Gave him some brown rice and well, that came up, too!

Here's to a better week! XOXO

Tanya said...

I think your hair looks fab as is, BUT I think you could definitely rock the Anistion too ;)
I am SOOO sorry to hear about Mia's struggles. It actually made me feel really emotional.
You ARE a really positive, upbeat person and I always smile when I stop by. Having said that, I'll say a prayer for your brave girl. God knows a mother's heart for her kiddos. Hugs.

forever folding laundry said...

:(
I'm sorry. Sending a prayer up for Mia, and you.

Um, and you will be gorgeous with long hair or the Jennifer A. cut. Go for it!

~Keri

 

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