UPDATE ON BLOG CONTEST: So it seems I won 2nd place out of the Top 10! I'm honored because many (if not all) of the moms featured have VERY intricate blogs that use advertisements, product endorsements, giveaways... I just have a beautiful boy and MANY faithful friends and family members willing to support my little blog! Hooray for us! I'm pretty sure Steps for Brady will be featured on the Momlogic site and I think I also may have won a blog makeover (again, clueless here, certainly I need a makeover more than my blog?) Anyway...thanks for your help! With love, Meg
Being the impatient parents that we are, Matt and I decided to pool our resources and get a scan date TODAY! Remember our two favorite nurses in the pediatric MRI/CT department? Well, Matt called them this morning, and by noon we had our scan date and time. We were both sick of sitting back and waiting!!! There were a few more hiccups in the insurance process, but I think we are on the right track. Brady's scans will be May 14th (next Thurs) at 12:30. He will have urine and blood tests done that morning at the clinic. Allie's 6 month check up is that same morning, so I'll be taking her, and Matt will take Brady. I'm expecting paperwork from the general surgeon soon to initiate getting a date for the Broviac surgery...hooray!
We are going with Grandma to see Thomas the Train tomorrow! We have a babysitter for Allie, so we will be one adult per triplet! I'm so excited to do something fun with my three amigos...pictures to follow!
They are announcing the winner of the blog contest at 10:30 tonight. I'll come back and share the results after that.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Come on Brady...walk, walk, walk!
I'm telling you, the boy can walk!!! I'm also telling you, the boy is smart, stubborn, and knows how bad we all want him to walk. That is all the motivation he needs to keep pushing his walking toy around the house! Brady continues to only walk when he is in his silly moods before nap and bedtime. He does a GREAT job too! I actually coerced him into taking a few steps on the grass today. Lately we are telling him a lot of things like "The rule outside is that you can only walk like a big boy on the grass!" Sometimes he falls for it, other times he knows full well what an idiotic rule that is and just crawls away!
My mom and I hung up the 4th and final (yes final) swing on the Williams family playground today. Allie know can proudly swing between Cara and Brady in her brand new pink swing! Check out this great pic of my funny foursome!
Another first for the kids tonight after dinner: E.L. Fudgestripe cookies! Yummy! Brady tried to close his eyes to escape this shot and notice the cookie perched on his finger; truly the only way to eat an E.L.Fudge!
Just by thinking about the past few months today, God smacked me right between the eyes with this thought. I was so quick to share scripture on this blog when things were going terribly in our life...I was so strongly trusting in God's promises when the going got tough. I notice that I have let that slip in the past weeks because things have settled down a bit. SO...I'm learning more and more that I have to be as passionate about faith even when the storms of life aren't raging. After all, God's love for me was the same on Jan 21(day of diagnosis) and April 6th (day of surgery) as it is today!! Don't I owe Him the same?
The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Lamentations 3:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just a reminder: Tonight is the last night to vote for my blog in the Mother of All Bloggers contest. As of last night, the administrators were assuring everyone that all votes are counting, even though a message tells some that they have already voted. Yes, I'm skeptical too, but we have come this far!! Voting ends at 11:59 tonight!
My mom and I hung up the 4th and final (yes final) swing on the Williams family playground today. Allie know can proudly swing between Cara and Brady in her brand new pink swing! Check out this great pic of my funny foursome!
Another first for the kids tonight after dinner: E.L. Fudgestripe cookies! Yummy! Brady tried to close his eyes to escape this shot and notice the cookie perched on his finger; truly the only way to eat an E.L.Fudge!
Just by thinking about the past few months today, God smacked me right between the eyes with this thought. I was so quick to share scripture on this blog when things were going terribly in our life...I was so strongly trusting in God's promises when the going got tough. I notice that I have let that slip in the past weeks because things have settled down a bit. SO...I'm learning more and more that I have to be as passionate about faith even when the storms of life aren't raging. After all, God's love for me was the same on Jan 21(day of diagnosis) and April 6th (day of surgery) as it is today!! Don't I owe Him the same?
The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! Lamentations 3:22
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just a reminder: Tonight is the last night to vote for my blog in the Mother of All Bloggers contest. As of last night, the administrators were assuring everyone that all votes are counting, even though a message tells some that they have already voted. Yes, I'm skeptical too, but we have come this far!! Voting ends at 11:59 tonight!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Frustration and Fun
The good stuff first: I had a fun night out with my triplet mommy group in Rochester. We are a group of all triplet moms who meet once a month for dinner (usually lasting 3+ hours)! Lots of fun to just get out and gab with a bunch of girls!
The frustrating stuff: Still didn't hear back from Strong today, so I called them...again. The whole story is too long, but the short story is that our oncologist heard from Sloan a week ago after they discussed Brady at tumor board. No one from Sloan called me after tumor board, as they told me they would. My oncology team didn't call me either. I was frustrated and but at the same time I need to keep everyone on our side. Basically the tumor board recommended that Brady be followed with scans every three months. So, that is not anything we didn't already know. The frustrating part is that I've been waiting for someone to return my two phone calls in order to get the ball rolling to schedule his scans. We are hoping to have them done as close to the 18th as possible (6 weeks post op). My oncologist said she would start working on getting it scheduled. So we have been home for 4 weeks and really haven't gotten ANYWHERE!! It has become painfully obvious that Matt and I need to stay on top of EVERY aspect of Brady's care. No one else knows his whole treatment and surgical history, therefore things are constantly missed or not considered when making decisions. It is a sad reality, but more often than not we have to initiate the next step in his care.
So, I should be hearing soon from Strong regarding a scan date. We are going to do a CT of his chest and MRI of his thoracic spine. His urine and blood will also be collected. If anything looks suspicious, further tests will be done. I brought up the issue of getting his Broviac taken out. I think I mentioned that at this point it seems useless to keep it in any longer because he is no longer receiving chemotherapy or needing blood draws. Our doctor told us that once we get a scan date, we will also schedule a surgery date for Broviac removal soon after! Hooray! We are already finding things like sand from the sand box in his dressing and I can just imagine what else will find its way in there this summer!!!
Please keep us in your prayers as we continue the agonizing waiting game. Please pray for Brady's complete healing!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday is the last day to vote in the Mother of All Bloggers Contest! Click on the link to the right to vote for Steps for Brady! More people have been able to successfully vote and I appreciate your help so much!
The frustrating stuff: Still didn't hear back from Strong today, so I called them...again. The whole story is too long, but the short story is that our oncologist heard from Sloan a week ago after they discussed Brady at tumor board. No one from Sloan called me after tumor board, as they told me they would. My oncology team didn't call me either. I was frustrated and but at the same time I need to keep everyone on our side. Basically the tumor board recommended that Brady be followed with scans every three months. So, that is not anything we didn't already know. The frustrating part is that I've been waiting for someone to return my two phone calls in order to get the ball rolling to schedule his scans. We are hoping to have them done as close to the 18th as possible (6 weeks post op). My oncologist said she would start working on getting it scheduled. So we have been home for 4 weeks and really haven't gotten ANYWHERE!! It has become painfully obvious that Matt and I need to stay on top of EVERY aspect of Brady's care. No one else knows his whole treatment and surgical history, therefore things are constantly missed or not considered when making decisions. It is a sad reality, but more often than not we have to initiate the next step in his care.
So, I should be hearing soon from Strong regarding a scan date. We are going to do a CT of his chest and MRI of his thoracic spine. His urine and blood will also be collected. If anything looks suspicious, further tests will be done. I brought up the issue of getting his Broviac taken out. I think I mentioned that at this point it seems useless to keep it in any longer because he is no longer receiving chemotherapy or needing blood draws. Our doctor told us that once we get a scan date, we will also schedule a surgery date for Broviac removal soon after! Hooray! We are already finding things like sand from the sand box in his dressing and I can just imagine what else will find its way in there this summer!!!
Please keep us in your prayers as we continue the agonizing waiting game. Please pray for Brady's complete healing!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday is the last day to vote in the Mother of All Bloggers Contest! Click on the link to the right to vote for Steps for Brady! More people have been able to successfully vote and I appreciate your help so much!
Monday, May 4, 2009
His Shirt Says it All
Despite the red eyes, I love this picture of Brady. And the T shirt truly says it all!!!
I'm still waiting to hear back from Strong regarding scanning dates. I'm growing anxious by the day...I just need to know what's going on in there. I hear every day of other children with NB earning their "angel wings" and my heart continues to break for the many families who no longer have their precious children with them. Please join me in praying for the many sweet boys and girls who are suffering with Neuroblastoma. I consider us to be blessed to be where we are in this fight, even though it is still incredibly difficult.
Thank you to all who continue to support us with cards, phone calls, and prayers!!!
______________________________________________________________________________
Only two more days to vote for me in the Mother of All Bloggers contest! The site continues to have problems with people getting a message saying they already have voted. If you have a minute, please click on the icon to the right and try to vote!
I'm still waiting to hear back from Strong regarding scanning dates. I'm growing anxious by the day...I just need to know what's going on in there. I hear every day of other children with NB earning their "angel wings" and my heart continues to break for the many families who no longer have their precious children with them. Please join me in praying for the many sweet boys and girls who are suffering with Neuroblastoma. I consider us to be blessed to be where we are in this fight, even though it is still incredibly difficult.
Thank you to all who continue to support us with cards, phone calls, and prayers!!!
______________________________________________________________________________
Only two more days to vote for me in the Mother of All Bloggers contest! The site continues to have problems with people getting a message saying they already have voted. If you have a minute, please click on the icon to the right and try to vote!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Eating Out...Always a Good Time
So we survived our eating out adventure. I truly think this may be the first time we have gone out with the whole family since Allie has been born (6 months ago). After church we went to Kaboodles Cafe in Elba. I suggested to my mom that she call ahead and make a reservation for as many high chairs as they had. Our gang of six, as well as my mom, and my brother's fam of four descended on the place to celebrate Auntie Kristen's birthday. All together there were 6 kids and 5 adults. The kids did a really great job and I'm sure the staff at Kaboodles is more than thankful to my family for reorganizing their jelly containers, creamers, and sugar packets. It's no fun to have them sorted by color and flavor anyway!!!
They heard it was Kristen's birthday and made her wear a big birthday hat! Then, this group of four women offered to sing her "Happy Birthday." They were wearing matching jackets and all of a sudden they broke out into four part harmony! Come to find out they are a professional group called Mach Four who were in town for a competition! They were terrific...what a treat!
Some Brady news: Today Brady took 8 or so steps on the hardwood floor. I've come to the conclusion that he is totally capable, he just is STUBBORN! I love his stubbornness though, but I wish he would just stand up and take off! As I put them to bed tonight, we just walked back and forth from one end to the other in his crib. If he can maintain balance while walking on a mattress, then I know he can walk anywhere!!! Come on Brady...you have a whole world to explore!
Monday means phone calls, and I'm planning on starting off the week right! I need to bug Strong about getting a scan date again. We are only 2 weeks away from when he is supposed to be scanned (6 weeks post-op). Matt and I don't want to wait a day longer than we have to. We are more than anxious to get his Broviac out...his skin is so sensitive under the dressing and I want him to be able to swim and play like everyone else this summer.
They heard it was Kristen's birthday and made her wear a big birthday hat! Then, this group of four women offered to sing her "Happy Birthday." They were wearing matching jackets and all of a sudden they broke out into four part harmony! Come to find out they are a professional group called Mach Four who were in town for a competition! They were terrific...what a treat!
Some Brady news: Today Brady took 8 or so steps on the hardwood floor. I've come to the conclusion that he is totally capable, he just is STUBBORN! I love his stubbornness though, but I wish he would just stand up and take off! As I put them to bed tonight, we just walked back and forth from one end to the other in his crib. If he can maintain balance while walking on a mattress, then I know he can walk anywhere!!! Come on Brady...you have a whole world to explore!
Monday means phone calls, and I'm planning on starting off the week right! I need to bug Strong about getting a scan date again. We are only 2 weeks away from when he is supposed to be scanned (6 weeks post-op). Matt and I don't want to wait a day longer than we have to. We are more than anxious to get his Broviac out...his skin is so sensitive under the dressing and I want him to be able to swim and play like everyone else this summer.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
The Great Cookie Experiment
A great day in our house today! Cara and I went to church this morning for the Ladies' Luncheon with Grandma Sandy and my mom. My mom gave her testimony and life story and it was a BIG blessing! At the end she showed pictures of each grandchild up on the screen. When Cara's picture came up, Cara just shouted "Tara (how she says her name)" and then just giggled SO LOUD! It was a cute moment for sure.
Eli, Cara, and Brady each took a 2 1/2 hour nap. Those of you with children are rejoicing right along with me on this one!! I did a few odds and ends, then just took a snooze on my couch. Allie woke up about an hour before they did, but I plopped her in the swing and she fell back to sleep. Ahhh...it was wonderful!
After naps I put Eli, Cara, and Brady in their highchairs for snack time. I gave them each 6 little graham cookies and decided to do a little personality test. After a few minutes I asked them, "Who will give mommy a cookie?" I kind of figured I knew what would happen next, but I love to put them on the spot like this once in a while just to see their different personalities in action. I started with Eli. That little sweetie picked up a cookie so fast and said "Mommy eat one!" and put it right in my mouth. What a doll! Then it was Cara's turn. I asked her for cookie. She promptly picked one up, said, "Mommy?" and started to put the cookie in my mouth. Just as soon as it was about to touch my lips, she pulled it back, shoved it in her mouth and said, "Tara's." Huh, figures! I turned to Brady, who of course had been watching this whole thing. Before I could even ask him for a cookie, he just took both hands and covered them up and said "no!" There you have it...my three cherubs! Don't let this experiment fool you though. They each have their moments of pure sweetness, and other moments where I wish the circus was in town so that I could sign them up!!!
Tomorrow we are attempting going out to lunch with my brother's family. It will be 5 adults and 6 kids 2 and under. I won't mention the restaurant for fear that they might lose business if people find out we will all be there!
Eli, Cara, and Brady each took a 2 1/2 hour nap. Those of you with children are rejoicing right along with me on this one!! I did a few odds and ends, then just took a snooze on my couch. Allie woke up about an hour before they did, but I plopped her in the swing and she fell back to sleep. Ahhh...it was wonderful!
After naps I put Eli, Cara, and Brady in their highchairs for snack time. I gave them each 6 little graham cookies and decided to do a little personality test. After a few minutes I asked them, "Who will give mommy a cookie?" I kind of figured I knew what would happen next, but I love to put them on the spot like this once in a while just to see their different personalities in action. I started with Eli. That little sweetie picked up a cookie so fast and said "Mommy eat one!" and put it right in my mouth. What a doll! Then it was Cara's turn. I asked her for cookie. She promptly picked one up, said, "Mommy?" and started to put the cookie in my mouth. Just as soon as it was about to touch my lips, she pulled it back, shoved it in her mouth and said, "Tara's." Huh, figures! I turned to Brady, who of course had been watching this whole thing. Before I could even ask him for a cookie, he just took both hands and covered them up and said "no!" There you have it...my three cherubs! Don't let this experiment fool you though. They each have their moments of pure sweetness, and other moments where I wish the circus was in town so that I could sign them up!!!
Tomorrow we are attempting going out to lunch with my brother's family. It will be 5 adults and 6 kids 2 and under. I won't mention the restaurant for fear that they might lose business if people find out we will all be there!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Slacking on my Phone Calls!
As this week comes to a close, I'm feeling a like I slacked a little bit too much with keeping on top of things this week. First was the whole "misplacing the PT paperwork incident" (the paperwork, by the way, is still missing. I'm beginning to think it is somewhere in a garbage can in NYC!) This afternoon I realized that I hadn't heard back from Strong yet as to a date for scans. I called on Monday and they didn't get back to me. I'm sure they are working on it, but it is so not like me not to be bugging them every day. I also haven't called Sloan since Monday to see if the remaining results are back. I'm not sure why I haven't been more diligent this week. Honestly, I think I'm just tired and was focused more on Brady's PT appointment. So, I'm going to enjoy the weekend and then get back on top of things Monday. Here's to being a slacker once in a while!
Brady isn't napping as well as usual lately. Of course, I'm worried that the slightest change in his routine means something is wrong. Very brief naps=very grouchy Brady by about 5pm. He made it through the day and is sleeping soundly now! He didn't do much walking today...maybe he was joining me in my slacking off:)
Please continue to cast your votes for the Mother of All Bloggers Contest. Voting ends May 6th. There are a few kinks that the site is trying to work out. I guess some people have been trying to vote and it is telling them they have already voted. I'll find out more details tonight I hope. You can click on the icon to the right, or cut and paste the link below:
http://community.momlogic.com/group/motherofallbloggers
Thanks for your support and your votes!!!
Brady isn't napping as well as usual lately. Of course, I'm worried that the slightest change in his routine means something is wrong. Very brief naps=very grouchy Brady by about 5pm. He made it through the day and is sleeping soundly now! He didn't do much walking today...maybe he was joining me in my slacking off:)
Please continue to cast your votes for the Mother of All Bloggers Contest. Voting ends May 6th. There are a few kinks that the site is trying to work out. I guess some people have been trying to vote and it is telling them they have already voted. I'll find out more details tonight I hope. You can click on the icon to the right, or cut and paste the link below:
http://community.momlogic.com/group/motherofallbloggers
Thanks for your support and your votes!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)