Major Surprise is turning 3!

I know the last several posts have been to get everything off my chest about Michael, BUT there are a few other men in my life!

Major will turn 3 this Saturday. It seems like yesterday when I put on my fat jeans and they were tight, picked up a pregnancy test, and cried my eyes out in my boss' office because I was pregnant. And now, I can not, and would not, want to imagine my life without that fantastic little man. He fills my days with joy and laughter. He fills my nights with kicks and bulging diapers. He makes us all happy, and has given Mark and I another chance to appreciate this gift from God. He is the most amazing surprise of my entire life! Thank you God for giving me what I didn't know I needed!

The story continues...

So, picking up where I left off in the last post, the ER doctor made us an appointment with a Pediatric Rheumatologist at Children's in Southlake. We went last Friday, the 8th. She confirmed Juvenile Arthritis. Michael has been prescribed a once a week injection that we will do at home. We will start it this Friday.

Everyday, we try to make him go to school, at least for a short time. I take him to the office, usually between 10 and 11. He gets into the school's wheelchair and wheels himself down the the hall to class. The first day he went back he was pretty nervous. Who could blame him? One of the office staff took him back that day, and said that the whole classed applauded when he came in. I cried when she told me that. I usually cry every morning when I drop him off. He is just so amazing. He is so brave and strong. He doesn't complain or ask why did this happen to me. He is amazing!

Yesterday, we had to take him for a blood draw. Apparently his veins are small and deep. The nurse stuck him once with no luck. Another one stuck him again with no luck. Finally, one of the Dr.'s got a sonogram machine and found a vein and they stuck him there and it worked. Another time he had to have blood drawn they had to stick him three times. He just wants someone to hold on to when they stick him.

Yesterday, I also went and got him a handicap tag for the car. Yes, I stood there in the Denton County Tax Office, crying at the counter. It just seems like the whole world is changing - again. Like everything is moving forward and I am standing there watching it pass by. You never imagine standing in line to get your child a handicap parking tag. You never imagine watching your child wheel himself down the hall. I admire him so much. I think I love him now more then I ever have. He amazes me!

Getting to the bottom of it - kind of

Michael had been complaining about his legs hurting for a few weeks before we went on Spring Break. At first, Mark told him that his body was not built to be carrying the weight that it was and the he needed less food and more exercise. Then we thought maybe his shoes were not giving him enough support, so we got him new shoes. Then we went on Spring Break, and when we got home his ankles were swollen. I took him to the Dr. the week after we got home. The Dr. sent us for blood work, and then sent us to an orthopedic. The orthopedic said that Michael had severely flat feet and to purchase some good insoles to give him support. So, we did, and the next day I took him to join his class at camp.

This was THE camp that the 5th grade looks forward to all year. He missed the first day, so I drove him down on Thursday, he spent the night and then they came home on Friday. As soon as I found him, the first thing out of his mouth was "Mom, I shouldn't have gone! My feet and legs hurt so bad!" Come to find out, one of the father's had pushed him around in a wheel chair for most of his stay. He was pretty much miserable. It was disappointing for him, but I think he matured a lot during that time.

So, he stayed off his feet for the entire weekend trying to recover. He still was not ok to walk on his own very long, and by Tuesday, we had to find some answers. That was when I took him to Children's Hospital in Allen. The ER doctor, Kelly Phillips, was amazing. She said that our pediatrician had wanted her to try to rule out Juvenile Arthritis, but because of the symptoms, the presentation, and some blood test, she was not able to rule it out at all. Dr. Phillip was amazing and immediately took the bull by the horns. She found us a pediatric rheumatologist and made us an appointment. As a side bar, apparently there is a HUGE shortage of this specialty and to be able to get us in anywhere in 8 business days was no less than a miracle! She also completed and submitted all the paperwork to have him be "put on the list" at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. In the waiting time, she prescribed an anti-inflammatory. We left with a fairly certain diagnosis of Juvenile Arthritis

February and March

Ok, I have been away. And as usual, my head is so full of stuff that I don't even know where to begin. So, forgive me if I ramble! The last time I posted was the end of January, right after Mav's accident and Mark's accident.

What did February bring us?
Mark's wonderful Grandmother passed away in February. She had been sick on and off for several years. She was 94, and had been married to Mark's Granddad for 77 years! I know she is in Heaven with a crown of jewels. And even though she always seemed to ask me if I had gained weight, I thought she was precious! I can only hope and pray to live such a long and beautiful, blessed life.

February also brought us a planned weekend for Mark and I to get away. I booked a hotel in Dallas, had the kids going to mom's, etc... and Major got major sick! The whole nine yards - vomit, fever, nasty poo! It was bad. So, Michael and Mavrick went to mom's and Mark and I spend the weekend taking care of Major.

How about March you ask?
Let's see, March 1st was mom's birthday - her first one without daddy. March 3rd was the 21st anniversary of my brother's death. March 6th was my dad's birthday. The boys had spring break and I turned 40 in the same week also.

The first week of March Mavrick spent two nights in the hospital with pneumonia and breathing issues. Funny, that sounds really bad, but our insurance is refusing to pay for the stay because it "wasn't necessary."

For Spring Break, Mom and I took the boys to Memphis and Nashville, TN. It was really a nice trip. We drove to Memphis the first night and spent two nights there. We saw Graceland, ate some Memphis Bar-B-Q, and walked Beale Street. Then we drove to Nashville. Mom and I both agreed that we could live in Nashville. It was a very nice city. Mavrick and I took a ghost tour one night. We all went to the Country Music Hall of Fame - which was amazing! We walked around downtown and just really enjoyed the city. Michael had been having some issues with his ankles and feet and used Mom's walking stick a lot of the trip.

Finally setteling down

Well, in my previous post talked about Mavrick and his accident the first week of the new year. The following Wednesday, Mark slipped getting out of the shower and nearly ripped his little toe off. We spent that morning back at the ER getting x-rays on his foot and stitches. He finally got them out today, but is still limping around. His foot wasn't broke, but still hurts a lot.

Needless to say, when last week came and went with out any ER visits, I was very happy. Of course we are having our share of colds and viscous allergies, but that kind of goes with the territory. Today, everyone is good!

The boys are amazing me everyday. Michael is growing so fast. I was looking at a picture of us from New Years Eve and realized that next year he will be taller than me! My first baby isn't even a little boy anymore! :( It is amazing to me how quickly they grow and change. And how everyday is a new adventure. He keeps seeming to put on 10 pounds and then will shoot up 3 inches. I am afraid that he will have the same battles with food and weight that I always have. He is also built like a Johnston. Enough said!

Mavrick's had is finally feeling better, but his nose is still sore. I am just not sure what to do about it, so we will probably end up seeing an ENT if it goes on much longer. Poor kid. It seems like he is always seeing a Dr. but he takes it in such stride and with such a good attitude. Mark and I took Michael and Mav to see a dirt bike show on Saturday that was very cool. Mavrick wants to do that kind of stuff - jumps, flips, etc... and he has the guts to do it, but I did watch thinking "I don't know if I could watch my own kids do this stuff!" They both got new dirt bikes for Christmas, and it has just been too cold and/or wet to be on them much. They are a lot bigger than what they had, so we will see how they do. Praying for now more ER visits this year!

Then there is Major. He is talking like he is Oprah. His vocabulary and pronunciation is getting very good, and it is very seldom that I don't know what he is talking about. The best is when he says "momma, I yuv you." And then he will pucker up and kiss me with some big ol' lips that remind me of daddy's. Daddy had a big pucker. Major is also wanting a dirt bike. He talks about his dirt bike and where is it and that he wants to ride. We are kind of tossing around getting one for his birthday. They have training wheels...we shall see.

ER Visit

So Major and I ran a lot of errands today, and he didn't fall asleep in the car. About 4:00 he had finally settled down and was about to fall into la la land and the phone rang. It was Michael saying "get over here now! Mavrick fell off his bike and his nose is bleeding everywhere!" I grabbed Major up in his diaper, put him in the front seat of the car and drove as fast as I could (in a neighborhood setting) to their friend's house. I stopped and jumped out of the car and stated to run up to where Mav and a group of friends and a parent were standing. As I got closer, there was blood all over the sidewalk. I could see Mav standing there, tissue stuck in each nostril, blood on his shirt, jeans, shoes, hands and face. All he said was "mom, can you take me to the emergency room?" Well of course! After we go back to the house and get my shoes, and purse, and Major some pants, and shoes! Luckily, my neighbor and a mutual friend were out and helped get everyone dressed and in their correct seats. I just needed a Xanax!

We got to the ER and they saw him really very quickly. They examined him, did an x-ray of his wrist, that he fell on, and his face. They found no fractures, but did put a splint on his wrist saying that there could be smaller bones in the area that was in pain that could be fractured that the x-ray didn't pick up on.

The day ended with that good news, but has found us all exhausted! Even Mark said that when he hung up with me after my initial "I'm taking Mav to the ER" call that he had to take an anxiety pill!

Happy New Year!

Dear 2010,
You have by far been the worst year of my life. You have been brutal and hateful. You have almost killed me, and you have made me wish I was dead. So with all sincerity, 2010, I say Kiss My @$$ on your way out!
mkp

In case you missed it, that was my December 31st, 2010 FB post. And as one last kick in the butt, my hard drive crashed right after that. Nice. Anyway, we ended the year with a version of our annual NYE Party. It was fun, however did have a few unusual moments - but that is kind of normal. LOL!

Since I have been away, a lot has happened, but nothing earth shattering. I have been seeing a therapist, and we have figured out that I am codependent, which is ok because I can work on it. If you are not sure of the definition of codependent you really should look it up! I also took a trip to the coast, which really did me a lot of good, physically, mentally and emotionally. Thanksgiving came and went, and I have to say, we really just went through the motions. It sucked and Daddy was really missed! The week before Christmas, me and the kids went to Gulf Shores, AL., with mom and Christy and her family. It was an amazing trip, amazing accommodations, and the only thing that could have made it any better would have been to have Mark and Daddy with us.

We drove home on Christmas eve and got home in time to shower and jump in bed so Santa could come! Santa was good to all of us this year! Michael and Mavrick both got new dirt bikes, and Major just loved everything about the holiday! We had a steak lunch at Christy's in an effort to keep away from the old routine. Oddly, being out of town and having a different day took some of the edge off and emotionally, Christmas didn't suck as bad as Thanksgiving.

So, that brings us through to New Years, and here we are! The boys go back to school tomorrow, and I can tell it is going to be a BIG adjustment for Major, who has become very comfortable with having "Juh" (Michael) and "Mike" (Mavrick) home to play with ever day. Michael and Mavrick have both adjusted really well to going to public school. Michael is doing great and making all A's. Mavrick is struggling a little with the gaps between what Public School, Home School and Private School didn't overlap in. He still has a great attitude and is still very much a charmer!

Mark and I are doing a lot better. We have been working on converting the front sitting room into a dining room, which with him working about 80 hours a week is a challenge. And while the transformation has been slow, it has been nice to see things move along. We would both like to move, a little closer to his job, but the market just doesn't benefit us right now and we would lose a butt load of equity. So, we are trying to make it a house that we are happy with for a while longer. I have been saying, since we put down the wood floors, that we will get it exactly what we want, and then sell it.

Many of you have asked how my mom is doing. I guess she is as well as she possibly could be. The love of her life is gone, and she is having to learn how to live all over again. She told me on the way home from Gulf Shores that she prays that Christy and I would know a love so great that if we were in the same situation we would feel the same way. I know that sounds odd, but thought and reasoning behind it was very sweet. So, I guess that we could say, we all still need prayer and we are all still pretty messed up. But we know that God will bring us through to to the other side.

I guess that pretty much catches me up. I promise not be take another 3 month break this time.