2012 In Review

We are wrapping another fantastic year and we cannot wait to see what's in store for 2013!  I love my little yearly wrap up posts because it gives me reason to go back on all my previous blog posts for the year and reminisce.  That is the whole reason I blog.. to journal.. to preserve these memories for my kids. So fun!! 

January

Kam celebrated her 12th birthday and Owen turned 4!!

We celebrated with a weekend in the snow at the cabin, the first time my kids have seen snow.
Kam got an entire bedroom makeover!


We all caught a nasty respiratory bug that forced us to reschedule Owen's cath.

 

February

February was a quiet month around here.

Owen was staying indoors getting healthy for his March cath.

 Kam danced at the Globetrotters game with Gi Monster.

It was an overall relaxing month, which was needed seeing as March was jam packed!!

 

March

Kam kicked off the month with a new hairdo and a lesson in make-up 101.

We traveled to Palo Alto for Owen's cath, where it was determined we needed to start looking at Transplant options.

Kam traveled to Oceanside with family and we met up to spend the week on the beach in Oceanside with both our families.  Spring Break Fun!!

April

Kam and Gi performed at the Suns game.

Kam got the rest of her baby teeth pulled out.. TWELVE teeth in total!

We had several Easter celebrations!

We had many conversations with Stanford about transplant evaluations.

 

May

Kam wrapped up her Elementary school years!

Daddy, Owen and I made a trip to Stanford for heart transplant evaluations.

The desert heat came fast and harsh... we lived in the pool!

 

 

June

The girls ended their dance year with a weekend full of dance recitals.

We spent a super fun day at the water park celebrating!

Owen had his cardiac CT scans to prepare for transplant listing.

Carson and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary!

I celebrated by 33rd birthday!

Oh.. we discovered and killed our first {and last} scorpion.

 

 

July

We spent the 4th of July in Carlsbad, CA

Took a free trip to Legoland and then up the coast to Stanford

Spent time in San Fransisco with Uncle Rustyn and Janesa

Owen had his GI consult and the final transplant evaluation testing

Owen lost his 1st tooth!

We visited several water parks and had way too much fun in the sun.

Kam fell down the stairs and broke her ankle... yikes.

 

 

August

Kam started Junior High!!!

Owen was listed for his heart on the 23rd!!

Owen also started his first two rounds of IVIG.

Then lost his 2nd tooth.

It was a busy, busy month around here.

 

 

September

Kam and Gi kick started the new dance year with a Dbacks performance.

Owen continued with IVIG treatments and we got word that his antibodies were dropping!

Owen and I attempted our first one day trip to Stanford.. there and back in twelve hours. Ugh.

Owen potty trained himself.. YAY.. then regressed... oh well.

 

October

Kam had her first orchestra concert for Jr High

She also wrapped up her first quarter with perfect grades!!  Go Kam!

We had way too much enjoying pumpkin patches and Halloween festivals.

 

 

November

Owen had his 5th round of IVIG.

We voted!

We had the best Thanksgiving ever and counted our blessings.

Baby Bridgit wrapped up the month with her arrival. ;)

 

 

December

We started the month with the girl performing in the Chandler light parade.

Kam wrapped up her first semester in Jr High with finals.. she did fantastic!

Owen, Daddy and I traveled to Stanford for his cardiac catherization and IVIG.

We had a ton of fun Holiday parties and loved the Christmas season!

We finally had updated family pictures taken.. thanks Jeanette!

We ended up the year with Owen falling down the stairs :(

 

I am sad to be wrapping up yet another year... 2012 has been a great one.  We are looking forward to 2013!  I don't like to make resolutions, I will just say we have many hopes for this year.  A new heart for Owen tops our list!  I hope you all have a safe and fun evening bringing in the New Year.  HAPPY 2013!!!

A Quick Update

Well.. Owen's elbow has significantly less swelling today.  It's the magic healing of youth!!  He hasn't complained of pain at all today, but he also won't move it from the bent 'L' position.  I gave him a long bath, we cleaned the wound and put a fresh bandage on.  The old band aid was clean with no leakage, so I'm not worried about infection.  I am concerned about it, so I will get him in first thing tomorrow (Monday) for an xray.  He's also complaining of his ankle hurting and won't walk on it, so I think I'll have them xray that as well, just to be safe. 

Owen found a parking spot on the couch today and hasn't moved yet.  Usually 8 hours in front of the TV/Wii/Laptop would concern me greatly, but today has been an exception. 

As I was switching over my December calendar for my January one today, I realized that in just four days, my baby girl will be an official teenager. I can tell you that time has just flown by!  We are so blessed to have such a sweet girl who acts nothing like a "typical" teenager.  She is just sweet, helpful and so fun!   We are still trying to decide the perfect gift for her.. she is tough to shop for. 

Owen is already planning his party for the end of the month as well, can't believe my boy will be 5!  He has defeated the odds over and over again... we can't wait to celebrate this big milestone of a birthday!

But first.. we will enjoy the last day of 2012.  We have bottles of Martinelli's sparkling apple cider and champagne glasses from the dollar store.  I am planning candle light dinner and movie night for four.  The most perfect way to ring in the New Year! 

An Elbow Disaster

Owen took a spill down a few stairs tonight.  I immedietly cleaned it, bandaged it, iced it and gave him some tylenol.  He laid on the couch a little cranky for the next hour while I iced it off and on.  Then I took the bandage off to check out the wound and this is what I saw.  Like a baseball under his skin on his elbow. :( 

I called PCH Urgent Care and asked if I should bring him in, but my other concern is that it's an Urgent care and full of nasty germs!  The receptionist transferred me to a nurse, who transferred me to a doctor and said they are slammed and in overflow, so they don't have any isolation rooms.  He would be in the waiting room for a while.  The risk of getting sick, does not outweigh the benefits in this case.  It was the exact same scenario at the PCH ER.  Ugh.  The most disturbing was when all three doctors I spoke with asked me "so when is he scheduled to get his heart transplant?"  Seriously?  As if it's something scheduled.  I guess not eveyone 'gets it'.. even those in the medical field.  I just replied with 'he's listed for a heart, no idea when he'll get an offer.'  Oy.

I am so grateful to have such fantastic friends in the medical field.  I talked to his pediatrician, Dr Jean (also a pediatrician) and Dr Danny (an orthopedic surgeon) and they gave me some great, knowledgeable advice.  I am so thankful for them!! :)  I am going to continue to ice it, keep it immobile with an ace wrap/sling and stay on top of the Tylenol as needed.

 I called PCH Urgent care to see if I showed up before they open tomorrow, if they can get him right back to xray and out of there.  No sitting in the waiting area, no sitting in a germy exam room.  Surprise.. no can do.  They said they have to follow protocol, but if I show up an hour early, there is a good chance they can get him back quickly.  But then again, I'd have to wait outside in the cold line with people coughing and sick.  I'm going to call the transplant team to see if they have a better idea.

Wish us luck. :)  Hopefully Owen willl wake up feeling like a million bucks and the swelling will be gone!!  He doesn't seem like he's in pain and he can move it as much as he can with it swollen.  He's sound asleep now, and I just keep icing it off and on. 

Poor guy.

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