Geez - I haven't updated in weeks. Oops.
First, a brief update of my back situation...
I've started rehab. Diagnosis is early degeneration (aka degenerative disc disease) in my L5-S1 disc (which looks like it's not even there on xrays), herniation in that disc and/or the L4-L5 or BOTH, and a pinched sciatic nerve. The herniation is hard to determine without an MRI, which none of my doctors want to do if we don't have to. But the spine doctor's evaluation of me shows a bit of both.
I have a new home - the rehab clinic. I'll be referring to it by its acronym, PDR. I had a one and a half hour doctor's evaluation. Then I had an hour evaluation with the occupational therapist (OT) and a couple days later an hour eval with the physical therapist (PT). I'll see the OT and PT on a rotating basis - two appointments a week - for awhile, and after 8 appointments I see the doc again. They all work together in the clinic and I LOVE it there. Great people, and spine and neck disorders are all they deal with. They keep telling me it'll be a long road, but I like a good challenge. =)
All of that aside, I was determined to go meet my newest (sort of) nephew, Oskar. It's our year to have Thanksgiving in StL, so we packed up and headed down there. I don't know if it was the fact that we had a baby in the house to play with, or that we had an entire week down there, or that our kids are a bit older and easier to manage, but this was a WONDERFUL trip. We had a blast. I got to see several of my friends, and to spend time with my family.
Oskar is ADORABLE. Just adorable. I loved getting to hold him and play with him and have my kids fawn all over him. Ryker was particularly enamored - wanting to hold him and kiss him every second. He dubbed him "Baby Oster". Kaya and Buster had to deal with the ever-present shadow called Jack. He LOVES them. Buster took his newfound role-model status very seriously and spent a good part of one dinner trying to convince Jack of the health benefits of salad. Kaya, being the oldest of the cousins, spent her time teaching us all about Columbia Slang and getting me addicted to new iPhone apps.
Being in the house with Charlie and BJ is like being in my second home (third, really, after my mom's, but that doesn't have the same ring). And getting to spend time with Christi and Beth is always amazing - they are my sisters is every way except the technicality of having the same mom and dad. Love you guys. Nik, of course, fits right in. We played many games of Bananagrams, my new favorite, and learned that Nik and Christi can make entire boards out of one theme.
And then there's my mom. I'm so, so, so thankful for her. She has always been an amazing mom, and now I get to watch her be an amazing "grandmommy" too. Love you Mommy!
It was a great trip. The return drive was less fun, but we're home. I love being in StL, but I also love my home up here. And now it's time to get back to work!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Chronicles of an Insomniac
I've felt pretty guilty for making my mom and Chuck do everything around the house. Then I got my new meds (another course of steroids and a new med for nerve-pain).
Now I'm able to get up easier and walk easier, AND the steroids keep me awake. Really, really awake. And if I am finally able to fall asleep, the 'roids allow me to wake up SUPER FAST! So I'm ready to go when duty calls. No matter WHEN it calls. When my mom got the kids out of the house yesterday and I knew a friend was bringing food over, I managed to clean the island off and sweep the floor. I couldn't get the dirt pile into the dustpan and therefor into the garbage, but at least it was all congregated in one spot instead of spread out all over the house. Improvement.
Last night I read and read and read. It was better than my insomnia-induced late-night-tv marathon on Friday night - I watched every minute of the 10pm news, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, and Carson Daly all in a row for the first time ever. Personal record and unremarkable all at once.
But back to last night. I decided to read instead of watch crappy tv. I finally fell asleep around 2am. At 2:45am Ryker was sad-moaning in his room. I was ready to help! Put me in, coach! I'm ready!! Apparently his "wip huwt wiwy wiwy bad." As all moms know, lip ailments are best cured by more sleep, and so I put him back to bed. His bed is really low to the ground so that's a little hard to manage but he didn't seem to mind me dropping the blankets on him from 5 feet up and I aimed well, so they covered him just fine.
Then at 4:50am Tugboat decided to get sick. My poor puppy. Only I forgot that I'm not 100% so when I was awoken from a dead-sleep by the sound of...well, you know...I attempted to JUMP out of bed. I froze, carefully folded myself back into my bed, and told Chuck he had to do it.
I guess I'm not completely independent yet. Getting better though.
Now I'm able to get up easier and walk easier, AND the steroids keep me awake. Really, really awake. And if I am finally able to fall asleep, the 'roids allow me to wake up SUPER FAST! So I'm ready to go when duty calls. No matter WHEN it calls. When my mom got the kids out of the house yesterday and I knew a friend was bringing food over, I managed to clean the island off and sweep the floor. I couldn't get the dirt pile into the dustpan and therefor into the garbage, but at least it was all congregated in one spot instead of spread out all over the house. Improvement.
Last night I read and read and read. It was better than my insomnia-induced late-night-tv marathon on Friday night - I watched every minute of the 10pm news, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, and Carson Daly all in a row for the first time ever. Personal record and unremarkable all at once.
But back to last night. I decided to read instead of watch crappy tv. I finally fell asleep around 2am. At 2:45am Ryker was sad-moaning in his room. I was ready to help! Put me in, coach! I'm ready!! Apparently his "wip huwt wiwy wiwy bad." As all moms know, lip ailments are best cured by more sleep, and so I put him back to bed. His bed is really low to the ground so that's a little hard to manage but he didn't seem to mind me dropping the blankets on him from 5 feet up and I aimed well, so they covered him just fine.
Then at 4:50am Tugboat decided to get sick. My poor puppy. Only I forgot that I'm not 100% so when I was awoken from a dead-sleep by the sound of...well, you know...I attempted to JUMP out of bed. I froze, carefully folded myself back into my bed, and told Chuck he had to do it.
I guess I'm not completely independent yet. Getting better though.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Banjostrand Updates
Presently, I'm sitting on the couch watching at home watching Ryker scream "I want to go back to my school!!!!" on the other couch, while messaging with my mom, who is sitting in the armchair. It's Thursday at 10:30.
I am here because my back is still hurt. I go in for blood work and X-rays tomorrow.
My mom is here because she's helping with the kids and rescuing us from certain insanity.
Ryker is here because we just faux-kicked him out of his daycare. He's been hitting the teachers, so we sent my mom to get him. We've been telling him that he's the first Van Nostrand to ever get kicked out of school.
Jack is at school. His update is that he stuck his tongue out at a 3rd grader. Why? Because the third grader said "hi Jackson" in the lunchroom. The nerve! Also, he tried to kiss a girl in his class. Izzy. My mom went to have lunch with him yesterday and sat with Izzy too and said that she is pretty and smart and talkative. After explaining that it's not okay for him to kiss someone at school, I told him that my mom said that Izzy was very pretty and nice. He goes "I KNOW! That's why I KISSED HER!"
Chuck is at work. And happily so.
I am here because my back is still hurt. I go in for blood work and X-rays tomorrow.
My mom is here because she's helping with the kids and rescuing us from certain insanity.
Ryker is here because we just faux-kicked him out of his daycare. He's been hitting the teachers, so we sent my mom to get him. We've been telling him that he's the first Van Nostrand to ever get kicked out of school.
Jack is at school. His update is that he stuck his tongue out at a 3rd grader. Why? Because the third grader said "hi Jackson" in the lunchroom. The nerve! Also, he tried to kiss a girl in his class. Izzy. My mom went to have lunch with him yesterday and sat with Izzy too and said that she is pretty and smart and talkative. After explaining that it's not okay for him to kiss someone at school, I told him that my mom said that Izzy was very pretty and nice. He goes "I KNOW! That's why I KISSED HER!"
Chuck is at work. And happily so.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Random Observations
1. One of the side-effects of being on Vicodin is that you cannot remember its name. You'll call it Valium repeatedly.
2. You should wear deodorant. It works.
3. Three year olds are hard to understand sometimes. And when he commands your mom to bring you your food, she might misunderstand, take him at his (misunderstood) word, and bring you a spoon instead.
4. Having a numb foot makes it hard to put pants on.
5. You will never be more grateful for your iPhone than when you are forced to lay in bed for several days straight. Angry Birds, Instagram, and Words With Friends will become your best friends.
6. Showering is a privilege. But don't forget deodorant. See #2.
7. If your son feels badly enough for you, he'll actually give you money.
8. If your husband feels badly enough for you, he'll actually buy you a DVD player that streams Netflix so you can watch movies from the bed.
9. If your mom feels badly enough for you, she'll actually put up with both of your sons waking her up at 2:30am and not get in her car and drive back to StL.
That's it. Just 9 today. Time to lay down.
2. You should wear deodorant. It works.
3. Three year olds are hard to understand sometimes. And when he commands your mom to bring you your food, she might misunderstand, take him at his (misunderstood) word, and bring you a spoon instead.
4. Having a numb foot makes it hard to put pants on.
5. You will never be more grateful for your iPhone than when you are forced to lay in bed for several days straight. Angry Birds, Instagram, and Words With Friends will become your best friends.
6. Showering is a privilege. But don't forget deodorant. See #2.
7. If your son feels badly enough for you, he'll actually give you money.
8. If your husband feels badly enough for you, he'll actually buy you a DVD player that streams Netflix so you can watch movies from the bed.
9. If your mom feels badly enough for you, she'll actually put up with both of your sons waking her up at 2:30am and not get in her car and drive back to StL.
That's it. Just 9 today. Time to lay down.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Reason #835 That My Mom Rules
Grandmommy is up here again, unplanned trip this time. She's here to help with the kids and the house because of my hobbled-ness. Chuck has a cold and I have a badly pinched sciatic nerve. The kids have nothing physically wrong with them, but are crazy-in-the-head and acting like trolls. Yes, I just called my kids trolls. Maybe it's the meds talking.
We should talk about the meds. They are, to borrow a phrase from a dear friend, "cray cray." At first I was on two muscle relaxers. The night-time one made me sleepy and I have taken that almost every night for the last 2-3 weeks. The daytime one I took only once, and it made me giggle a lot and twiddle my fingers in the air all the time. I stopped taking that one.
I also was prescribed Vicodin, which I swore I would not take. That was until Wednesday, when the pain got so bad I couldn't walk. Then Vicodin sounded downright fantastic. It afforded me a whole 90 minutes of sleep. Hooray!
Thursday I was prescribed steroids. I didn't get the pack until 7pm, so I had to take all 6 of the 1st day doses in a 3 hour period. I also took a Vicodin, and slept until 4:45am, when I woke up and was READY to GO. Only I hurt too much to do anything, so I sat there playing games on my phone, writing emails, watching tv, and listening to my kids wander around the house. Apparently they get up at 5 but whisper and tiptoe around until 6, when Jack declares "Ryker - we can wake up now!"
My mom came up yesterday to help, which is the best idea ever. Smart woman. Now I can rest and recover more quickly and the kids don't have to deal with my boredom- and pain-induced crankiness.
Now I must get back to my Lord of the Rings trilogy movie marathon.
We should talk about the meds. They are, to borrow a phrase from a dear friend, "cray cray." At first I was on two muscle relaxers. The night-time one made me sleepy and I have taken that almost every night for the last 2-3 weeks. The daytime one I took only once, and it made me giggle a lot and twiddle my fingers in the air all the time. I stopped taking that one.
I also was prescribed Vicodin, which I swore I would not take. That was until Wednesday, when the pain got so bad I couldn't walk. Then Vicodin sounded downright fantastic. It afforded me a whole 90 minutes of sleep. Hooray!
Thursday I was prescribed steroids. I didn't get the pack until 7pm, so I had to take all 6 of the 1st day doses in a 3 hour period. I also took a Vicodin, and slept until 4:45am, when I woke up and was READY to GO. Only I hurt too much to do anything, so I sat there playing games on my phone, writing emails, watching tv, and listening to my kids wander around the house. Apparently they get up at 5 but whisper and tiptoe around until 6, when Jack declares "Ryker - we can wake up now!"
My mom came up yesterday to help, which is the best idea ever. Smart woman. Now I can rest and recover more quickly and the kids don't have to deal with my boredom- and pain-induced crankiness.
Now I must get back to my Lord of the Rings trilogy movie marathon.
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