Praying for Poop

Sorry if this post is a bit TMI, but this is my reality as a Mom. I talk about poop now. Clarification: Drew's poop, not my own. What it looks like, how long it's been since it's happened, the volume of it, and the frequency throughout the day and week. I have had lengthy discussions with fellow Moms about this very subject on more than one occasion. My Ped asks about it and wants details at every appointment. It's just part of my regular conversations these days it seems.

Ever since Drew was born, the boy has had problems pooping. My husband is as regular as they come. Me? Not so much. So, when Drew has trouble passing even meconium, it was a little disheartening. I knew the pain of a distended belly and feeling like you've gained 10lbs in the course of a weekend when you've barely ate a thing. The frustration when you've tried everything to help your system function properly and nothing works. We had to use suppositories once on him and I swore I would never do it again. I might have to eat those words.

Why? Because today is Day 3 of "Poop Watch 09." This is the worst it's been in some time. The poor kid could not even sleep last night for a very long time before exhaustion finally took over. Today, we tried some prune juice...and he drank it all...and strained. No poop. If there is still no poop by tonight, it will have to be suppositories. The poor kid needs to go! My staple this summer has been blueberries and ironically enough, our blueberries were finished a couple of days ago and I haven't gotten to the market yet to buy more. At this point, however, it's going to take some cleansing first, then blueberries for maintenance.

So, pray with me. Pray for poop and for relief to come to Drew. Sure, God has bigger things to worry about, but I'm sure he'll take the time to listen to these prayers. ;)

15 Month Appt

Yesterday, I took Drew in for his 15 Month Appointmet at the Pediatrician's Office. He's doing great overall, his stats at a glance:


Weight = 28lbs 3oz (90%)

Height = 30 1/4 in (25%)


You got it...he's short and stout. hee hee Clothes are a nightmare though and are only going to get worse when he has to wear pants. Who has ever heard of hemming a toddler's pants?! Well, I am going to have to! It's the only way he'll be properly dressed from late fall - winter. Unless Bill's height genes kick in...


Poor guy got 3 shots yesterday: DTaP, Flu (because of H1N1 not being available and his compromised cardiac system) and the "dreaded" MMR. Yes, I chose to put Drew on the vaccination schedule recommended by the AAP. Not because I like torturing my child, in fact I hate it, but because I believe in vaccinating him against all these potentially fatal diseases that had been all but eradicated. I was hoping to stave off the MMR until 18 months, but I trust our Pediatrician. She's younger and has two small boys, both of whom are regularly vaccinated. Plus, with Drew's CHDs, I really want him to be kept up to date.

Anyway, he's anticipating shots now, so the Nurse started washing her hands..and he inched closer to me. She came over to him and started rubbing his leg with alcohol, he started screaming and clinging to me. I felt awful. She had forgotten the flu shot, because our Pediatrician put it in a different spot, so she had to come back with that. He had calmed down shortly after the MMR was given, well, when she came back in and approached him again, he started climbing up my body and screaming again. *sigh* And I feel bad for the Nurses too since they're the ones who get the screaming all day long.

So, that's the latest from here. Still waiting on word back from the insurance company regarding the microarray. In the meantime, we're enjoying the last bit of summer...taking walks, going out with friends, and getting ready for vacation!

Donation Site is Up!

Hello Faithful Followers, Family and Friends!

IMH - Metro Detroit's online donation site is up and taking donations for our fundraiser with UofM, The Big House Big Heart Race! Please visit the site and check out our cute kiddos...and if you're able to, please put in a donation either in support of me or in general for the group!

Thanks so much!

http://imhwalkforchd.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=323747

Gone Forever...

Here is a picture of me approximately 2 months after I got married. I am going to say the thing no one dares say...that body is gone forever. And now the part no one REALLY dares say ... pregnancy is why.

It's my own fault really. I enjoyed all the "perks" of pregnancy...once I could eat again without dry heaving, vomiting and crying because of how lousy I felt, then thanking God the baby was OK and feeling guilty for feeling crappy, repeat...daily. I had always had the type of physique that took very little to get back in shape. And I knew it. I knew all I had to do was stick to something for a month, maybe two, and I would be good to go for the rest of the year. Now, I was good about food choices and was at least somewhat active, so I figured that by doing my normal routine after pregnancy, that I was free to indulge in the "9 Month Buffet," as my friend calls it. What I didn't count on was the physical change pregnancy would leave on my body that went FAR beyond the weight gain. I didn't count on all the water retention I would have, the swelling was horrendous, this further stretched my skin out. Now, 14.5 months after giving birth, I am 2 lbs shy of my pre-pregnancy weight, but my body is not the same as it was two summers ago.

A good friend, a kind friend, sent me some fabulous ab workouts. And I am doing them...faithfully...praying that God will show mercy and somehow, magically, my stomach won't have stretched out skin anymore and fat deposited where I NEVER carried fat prior to being pregnant. That somehow the unsightly stretch marks that came in my 38th week will disappear, that my newly formed love handles will go away, that my hips will return to their previous location and my body won't look like a pear on steroids. Sadly, I know that, no matter what I do now...the damage is done. And I have a beautiful little boy to show for my battle wounds...and I love him more than life...but I miss my old body.

SO, there, I've said it...and I will continue to work on it...so that the next pregnancy can shape my body even more and I can go back to working on my new body again after that is done. But, then, I will have two beautiful children to show for it. And a heck of a lot of work to do to chisel my body back to anything close to resembling me in this picture. How much is plastic surgery....???

On to the next phase...

We finally have the results in from Drew's ultrasound and his chromosome analysis...both are normal. The u/s showed his right kidney's intrarenal collecting chamber is more "full" than they would normally see, a result that has a fellow heart mom (and a kidney mom) concerned that it might lead to infection in the future based on her experience, so we will definitely be following up on that result. The chromosome analysis showed a normal male "diploid(?)", but advised that we get a microarray analysis (which the Geneticist recommended too) because this type of test doesn't diagnose single gene disorders...which we knew going into it, but to satisfy insurance, you have to start there.

So, what next? We contact our insurance company with the codes we've been given. If they need more information, we give them whatever they need. A preapproval is a MUST for this because this is a new procedure and it costs $1530. We would like to avoid paying this, if at all possible. So, after that, I think we wait about 2 months and then, go from there.

Seriously, I just want answers. Whether it's Noonan, something else, or nothing that caused Drew's CHD, I just want to know.

Article from The Wall Street Journal

Here is an article that discusses the disparity between pediatric care and adult care when it comes to cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. Cardiology is a relatively young field, only having come about in the early 1900s, with Pediatric Cardiology being even younger, the first procedures taking place in the 1940s. There is more money in treating adults, which is part of the reason why pediatrics is way behind, in all things, not just Cardiology. It's a disgrace. There are approximately 40,000 children born every year with CHD, and only 36,000 live to see their first birthday. That's 4,000 too few. We need to make children's health a priority in this country!!! Of course, I am especially concerned with Pediatric Cardiology and the information in this article is part of the reason I started our Chapter of It's My Heart - to bring awareness to issues such as these.

Please read!!!!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203674704574336671475911680.html

Happy 70th Birthday Dad!

Dad, the daughters (in-law), and Drew at his 70th birthday party.

What a Cutie!

This is Sammy. Isn't he gorgeous?? Sammy is a very special boy and today, I donated blood in his memory. I've blogged about him before, in June, when he passed away 8 days before his 1st birthday. I had the great fortune to meet Sammy's Mom, Christina, on my support board for heart families. She lives in Southwest Michigan. I had contacted her about putting Sammy's name on our shirt (he'll be Sam on the shirt) and we got to talking and I found out she was putting together a blood drive in his honor. So, I called up my friend, Andrea, and she and I went down to Kalamazoo to donate! It was time for me to donate again and I was happy to be able to support Christina, her husband and two older boys. Talk about some CUTE kiddos! It was nice to be able to meet her in person and speak with her, however briefly, about Sam, Drew and Amelia. It's a connection we have, that I can't explain to parents not in our situation. I couldn't help but feel a bit guilty, I must admit, because I still have my beautiful Drew and her precious Sammy is home with God now. I know that's a normal feeling to have, and I also know it's completely irrational to feel that way, so it is what it is.

Hugs your kids extra tight tonight and pray for Sammy's family. Think of his gorgeous eyes (seriously, they make me swoon) and perfect smile, and be thankful for the gift of your children. He was such a gift to his family and he will be forever remembered and loved...by all of us.

The Faces of CHD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uEOymqt96g&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbabyporta%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded