Welcome home Papa and Easter Fun

The kids are happy Aaron is home. Isabel was very gentle and sweet, and understanding of Aaron's condition.  One time she put her hand against my face, and said " Mom, we need to get medicine for Papa, because he is in a lot of pain. We need to help him feel better." She has the sweetest spirit. I love her dearly. Cade is such a joy in our lives. He makes everyone happy that is around him. He smiles at everyone, and at us all day long. He laughs and giggles over everything, even me trying to help him crawl, every move I help him with he lets out a giggle. He is the happiest baby I have ever known. Unless he is tired, or sick. He gets really tired after dinner time. He doesn't take his third nap anymore which use to be before dinner time, so he struggles a little, but he is adorable.  I am so grateful I have a son.

Aaron getting out of the house. It was jacket weather, and was good Aaron got some walking in the few days he was home from school.

Isabel and Cade first bath together. We have waited this long, since he always pees in the water plus Isabel likes to get everything wet, but we gave up on him stopping, so they bath together now.

I made Easter basket cookies. I made them so Isabel could bring them to Maridon's house. Everyone thanked her, and she thought it was pretty cool.

Isabel dying eggs on easter, we had fun. Aaron was dissapointed he only was able to dye 2 eggs. lol We will have to get more next time to dye. lol

Easter morning. Isabel did the Easter egg hunt with out us while we were sleeping. She found every egg. lol She gets up so early sometimes, especially this day since she knew the Easter bunny was coming. She asked about the Easter bunny every day for at least 2 weeks.

I would like to nibble on that treat in that basket right there!!

Aaron's previous professor (Patrick) cooked us a stuffed turkey, and 3 dishes. We thought he was only bringing us a turkey, so we had rolls, and cheesy potatoes too. So we had a feast at our house. It was an amazing Easter.

Russian Baby.

Cade has been sitting up so well. He has been sitting up stince 5 months old.

Aaron's incision without the sutures in.

Isabel loves Cade so much, it is so precious.

For Conference Sunday, I made Isabel 4 buys bags for he to do. They are home made activities that I made so Aaron and I could watch Conference in peace! lol  She liked them a lot. I want to make more, so we can bring them to restaurants, or church.

Aaron's Spinal Surgery

Aaron was having back pain over a year, when finally I went on Maternity leave, and was able to get on Medicaid.  Right away Aaron went into the doctor, and due to just having "simple back pain" he started physical therapy and chiropractic care.  That did not help, so he got a MRI.  The next few days the doctor was trying to get him into the office to tell him the surprising news that he had a tumor inside of his spinal column.  It's called Intradural-extramedullary tumor.  Isabel asked about her Papa every day. Mary came down the day before the surgery to help out with the kids.  The surgery went well, but there were complications.  He had spinal leakage, which causes horrible headaches the next day after surgery when he was trying to walk with the physical therapist   The therapist and the nurses didn't tell the Surgeon about the headaches, til the surgeon saw Aaron on Saturday. He was put on bed rest on Saturday til Monday.  He started to walk again, he actually walked a mile, 12x walking the halls on his floor. Then that afternoon he had really bad chest pain. They took an x-ray which sounded like he was being tortured because they had to move him. They found out that he had Pulmonary Embolism in his lungs. They took x-rays of his legs to see if they came from there, no evidence that they did. The Surgeon thinks they were coming from his pelvic area, which is too dense to see with the x-rays.  They put Aaron on blood thinners thinking that he didn't have any family history of blood clot issues.  The scary thing is that he did. I got there the next day after he was put on Cumidon, and told the physician that his dad has blood clot issues.  So they sent his blood to Mayo for tests.  2 days later he was up and walking again. It was 6 days in the hospital.  That night he started having excruciating pain around the right side of his incision , which continued to chest, and legs, He lost sensation mid chest down. He was paralyzed. The nurses contacted the surgeon and physician  3 hours later they did emergency surgeon, and reopened him back up.  He had a clot in the same area where the tumor was at.  The clot formed because he was on blood thinners, which he was on that because of the Pulmonary Embolism. They re opened him back up and flushed the clot out, and kept him open for a half an hour, with live nerves exposed to make sure there wasn't any more clotting.  They of course took him off the Cumidon. He was moved back into the ICU. He woke up not having any sensation from mid chest down. He could move both legs tho. He had horrible stomach issues due to the medication/pressure in the spine, and best rest for a week.  He was constantly throwing up.  He got a blessing, and did not throw up again. On the 2 day after the emergency surgery the surgeon came in and the surprising expression on his face knowing Aaron could still not feel anything put me in a panic.  The next day (day 9) he walked for the first time. The numbness started to go down to to thighs to toes. Which was great! He was moved to another floor. He recovered for additional 2-3 days and was able to come home. I had the kids in daycare at that time, so I was able to spend all day with him, and be with him at home also.  

He cannot lift anything heavier than 5 pounds or twist for 6 weeks. He got a handicap sign for our cars, so he can drive to school, instead of walking and taking the bus.  He also has to have a roller briefcase/ backpack since he can't carry anything.  His school has been very accommodating  and I have realized he has  a few special friends in his life that have bent over backwards for him. I am so grateful for them.  He got the sutures out the week after he got out of his 12 day hospital stay. ( was suppose to be a 3 day stay.)  He started physical therapy, and will be able to hold Cade in 3 weeks.  I love my husband so much, and I am so grateful he is walking and healthy and on the way to recovery.

Aaron on Morpine.  He hallucinated.  It was pretty funny. We were eating in his room, and I reached over his bed to grab something off of his food tray, and he said

Aaron: " What are those? Are those pickles? Why do you have a bowl of pickles? I don't want pickles!"

Me: "What? I don't have pickles! If you hallucinate again I will have to tell the nurse."

Aaron: " Oh... Well you have horns on your head."

Me: " That's not a hallucination, those are always there."

                          

Aaron leaving the hospital, anxious to get home.

Cade 3 months

Cade's 3-4 month photos.  He is such a smiley baby, and so giggly. He is the happiest baby I have known.  Unless he is hungry, tired or sick, then that's another story.

Jan-Feb. Happenings

 My 27 Birthday! We opened presents, then ate dinner, and cheese cake.  Well me and Aaron ate, then Isabel  threw up afterwards by unexpectadly having the flu. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! lol

 Cade was really sick through January and mid February. He had Pneumonia. We had to do breathing treatments, and multiple rounds of antibiotics.

 Isabel loves her once a week play date with her best friend Dafney.  I look forward to it too, because I get to see my best friend during the week too, Dafney's mom, Talia.

 Isabel won't pass up a chance to jump on our bed, she would love a trampoline if we could afford one or have one in our backyard! lol

 We went up to WI, for Avery's baptism. Isabel had fun playing with her cousins.

 Of course we had amazing cupcakes, and cake made by Brooke.

 Cade recently started to eat rice cereal.  He doesn't like this bumbo that he sits in, the only thing he doesnt resist in sitting in is the jumperoo.  He has been really fussy baby lately.  All he does is cry and fuss, he wants to look around, and be active.  Not a good sign for me, when he gets mobile.  He doesn't like us to sit down and hold him, he wants us to be up moving around.

 Aaron loves to be a dad.  I don't have a picture of this, but Isabel got her first Valentine this year.  It was from her Dad. It was really sweet. I also got her a necklace, and a card. We had fun putting paper hearts up on the wall with accomplishments that she has done, or talents and good deeds.  I got a little crafty too, and made a valentine wreath, and garland.

5 Month

 Isabel and I made a snowman. She asked if we could use a carrot for a nose, and use a scarf, and put arms on it.  She is so smart.  We used MnM's for the eyes, and buttons.  We sneaked a couple for ourselves too.

 We went sledding as a family on the weekend.  We found a smaller hill, so Isabel could go down the hill by herself.  I had to be at the bottom, just in case something happened.  Every time she went down, I was hoping nothing would happen, so it wouldn't ruin the experience for her.  She never fell, she did great, and had plenty of snow sandwiches.

Cade was pooped from being outside from the sledding trip.  In the car Isabel laughed and said," Mamma, Papa  Cade looks like a chicken!! haahha"  She is so cute! I think he looks more like a banana.