"Because I'm tough Mama"

Mama: "Will, why aren't you smiling?" Will: "Because I'm tough Mama"

Sweet Daddy is in this pic, one of the coaches this year!

Will's School Project

Will is supposed to bring in some pictures or postcards frm his summer vacation fun. Our printer is acting up and will not print on photo paper so I decided to make a blog entry. I will hopefully be able to print this to plain paper.

Point Park, Lookout Mtn, Chattanooga, TN

Rock City, Lookout Mtn, GA

St. Andrews State Park, Panama City Beach, FL

Cypress Spring, Vernon, FL

Cypress Spring, Vernon, FL

Broken

Sunday evening I watched as my little toddler was getting down from this very chair while holding this very pencil and paper. She has maneuvered in and out of these chairs hundreds of times carefully and without incident. This time holding on to her writing materials was a little too much for her. It looked as though she had fell flat on her back. I scooped her up and she didn't stop crying as she normally does after falling down. She cried unconsolably for 15 minutes. I did an assessment on her and found a little bit of bruising and the slightest bit of tightness in the skin of her left forearm. The swelling wasn't even visible at that time. I put her princess cold pack on her arm gave her some Motrin and started brainstorming. Meanwhile the swelling became noticeable. Bill and I were hoping for a sprain or deep bruise. The swelling made me concerned that we might be dealing with a fracture. We called the Ped after hours clinic, they don't do XRays. Meanwhile Laura Ann has stopped crying but is holding her arm and saying OOWWW, BOO-BOO. She is left handed and would not use that arm.

I called the Pediatrician on call ( I thought). They now filter their calls through the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Phone nurse. Frustrated, I answered her questions and listened as she told me not to give any more Motrin but to use Tylenol. I told her that I indeed wanted to speak with the Pediatrician on call. I received a call from one of the docs that I used to work with at both the clinic and on the Peds unit. She helped me brainstorm and reminded me that an ER would only splint a fracture and wait on the orthopedic surgeon to see her on Monday. I remember working nights and evaluating children with their splints waiting for the cast the next day. This wait also helps with swelling issues. Casts that are put on when there is increasing swelling end up having to be cut off and reapplied.

After talking to the doc, I applied Mama's homemade splint ( An ice peri pad left over from Laura Ann's delivery) and wrapped with an Ace type bandage. We kept ice on it as long as possible (of course no longer than 20 minutes at the time) and elevated it as much as we could. I gave her some Tylenol and a dose of Benadryl and put her to bed. I did the same thing for her that I did for my patients in the hospital. I did round the clock checks on those fingers and made sure that the arm above the sling wasn't swelling too much. I did skip waking her to ask her about sensation (Do you feel that?) She is a little young for that. It is not like I could sleep any way! Praise God she slept through the night.

I took her in the next morning to see our wonderful Pediatrician Dr. Jackson. I could get an earlier appt with him than the Pediatric Orthopedist. I made an appt with ortho for 2pm just in case I would need it. Laura Ann was such a sweet compliant patient. She sat for her Xrays without wiggling. Dr. Jackson looked at the images and found that her radius and ulna ( the two bones of the forearm) were both fractured. The growth plate was not involved and it would not need to be manipulated or "set". Dr. Jackson said to keep my splint on and to see the Ped Ortho that I already had an appt with. Meanwhile a sweet friend Erica had Mr. Will. He was picked up before we ever ventured out for our day of Dr. Appts. He had a blast.

Laura Ann fell asleep in the car after seeing Dr. Jackson. He gave us an RX for some Pain meds. We had a little time before the other appt. We met a couple of sweet friends for lunch and then met Daddy at the next doctor appt. The doc sent us for a cast and told us to come back in 4 to 4 1/2 weeks to get it removed. He also said that Motrin would be the best thing for pain relief. I told him about my advice from the nurse.... He said use Motrin.

Laura Ann was a sweetheart during the cast application as well. It was hard for me not to help.

We have had a challenging time trying to keep the cast clean (especially during meals) and dry (imagine bath time). It takes two of us to bathe her now. She is more fussy than usual and I am having to do her coloring for her so far. She sits and shows me what color she wants... I am working on getting her to use her well-non dominant hand. She wants me a lot closer right now and needs more help. Well it seems that my attempt to put her to bed early was ineffective. I am being summoned.

Please pray that God knits the fracture up and that it will be completely healed. Please pray for pain control for Laura Ann and patience for Bill, Will (who starts school tomorrow) and I.

Jesus Thank You

Jesus, Thank You
Words and music by Pat Sczebel
The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend The agonies of Calvary You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son Who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin Jesus, thank You The Father’s wrath completely satisfied Jesus, thank You Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near Your enemy You’ve made Your friendPouring out the riches of Your glorious grace Your mercy and Your kindness know no end
Lover of my soul I want to live for You
© 2003 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Worship (ASCAP).

Happy 8th Birthday Mr. Will!

Laura Ann's First Time in a Pool!

Today was day two of Will's swimming lessons (level 3). Will still says schwimming instead of swimming quite often. It was Laura Ann's very first time in any pool! They have a 1ft baby pool with a fountain at the pool that Mr. Will is taking lessons at.

Brother jumped in after his lesson was over. He sure loves lil sis.

I love the ruffles!
Whew I'm Tired!!

I didn't take one picture

Our computer died. It was ressurrected by our church's resident teenaged computer genius. I haven't checked email or blogs for two weeks. It was actually freeing. I most missed mapquest (we don't have a car GPS unless you count my awesome husband) and I have all of my nursing books in storage so I missed looking up info on the internet. I found that I have replaced textbooks with trustworthy medical sites for the most part. Oh and Biblegateway. I so missed it!!! Where is that scripture?? Is that even in the Word? A search of Biblegateway will help you out. Sorry no link. I'm still learning here.
I also didn't take a picture, not one. No VBS pics, no Basketball Camp pics, no pics of the playdate with Dallas C. No pics of Pa doing a front flip in the livingroom. He is in his upper 70's I might add. I love to document our lives in pictures but sometimes it interferes with life to do so! I am not done with pics for sure and I have some to post from the busy period just before the demise of our computer but for now, words are it.
Now to get to the things that I was doing while my computer was dead....