Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Vivian's Summer Story.

I apologize that I have been neglectful of my blog since my wild summer.

I feel like I have been suffering from some sort of post-traumatic stress disorder: I cannot hold a thought or complete a task; I have been unable to concentrate well enough to read (until I picked up The Hunger Games for my Book Club and read it in a day last week!); I just generally don't feel like I'm accomplishing much.

When I reflect on Vivian's stay in the ICU, much of it is a blur. Every now and then I will remember something thoughtful that someone did for us while Vivian was in the hospital, and I fear that I never thanked that person properly. (I apologize if that was you! Please know that we appreciated, indeed thrived on, each and every email, note, card, meal, gift and prayer.)

Now that we're on the other side of the whole ordeal and Vivian has miraculously returned to her old self (Praise Jesus!), sometimes I find myself thinking that perhaps I exaggerated how bad things were. I've only recently been able to revisit my posts from July, and then the worry and fear come flooding back as I read my accounts of those dark days and I remember, "Oh, yes, we thought our Vivian might be severely brain damaged and we wondered if we'd ever be able to bring her home again." {sigh}

I believe that I am emerging from my haze. I hope to be cooking, entertaining, having fun adventures and blogging about them soon!

In the meantime I thought I'd share this little photo journal that I made and sent to the wonderful staff who cared for Vivian in the PICU. When we visited there after Vivian's minor surgery last month, the nurses told me how much they'd enjoyed receiving it and that they'd taped the pages up in their break room.

I printed a copy for Vivian that she likes to look at, though she gets very disturbed by the tubes and wires (especially the feeding tube in her nose, which you may recall was not real popular with her in the hospital either). She'll tell me, "The nurse needs to take that yucky string out of my nose!" Given where Vivian was this summer, what a delight and privilege it is to hear her say that!

With thanks to our Heavenly Father and the wonderful doctors and nurses in the Pediatric ICU at Medical City Children's Hospital, I present:

Vivian's Story

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June 25, 2010. When I arrived at Medical City Children's Hospital, I was a very sick little girl. I had a fever of 107° and was having a lot of trouble breathing.

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The nice doctors and nurses in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit hooked me up to all sorts of machines to help me get better.

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For 12 days I slept while a machine helped me breathe.

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When the doctors were sure I could breathe by myself, they let me start to wake up. But I was very sleepy and grumpy.

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Not long after I woke up, my arm needed more surgery and I got a nice new pink cast.

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I wasn't very happy about the tubes and wires that were helping me get better. The nurses ordered a new bed for me to keep me from hurting myself when I kicked and fussed. I also got to wear a funny hat and lots of ribbons on my head while the doctors did a test on my brain.

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I was awake for more than a week before I said much. My first sentence was, "I don't like this place." The doctors and nurses did not take offense and instead thought that was a good sign.

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Gradually I got out of bed more and took rides around the PICU in my stroller. I was too weak and wobbly to walk.

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It took a while for me to get used to not being on a lot of medicine, but I became more alert each day.

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I even started to laugh again!

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I smiled more often.

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I enjoyed spending time in my stroller with my baby Sarah, a book and a banana milkshake. I wouldn't eat real food, though, so I had to be fed through a new button on my tummy.

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Finally, after 32 days in the PICU, I was well enough to go home! My mama and daddy were so grateful to all the nurses and doctors who cared for me. It was hard to say goodbye!

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But it was so nice to be home!

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At first I was happy just to be in my own bed with my beloved cat, Percy.

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It didn't take long for me to start enjoying some of my favorite activities like coloring again.

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My teacher, Mrs. Kemp, came over to work a puzzle with me. She was so impressed with how well I did!

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My dog, Tucker, was glad to see me!

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In no time at all I could walk by myself, though my big brother, Will, assisted me with carrying Percy.

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Some nice nurses helped my mommy and daddyman take care of me at home, but after two weeks I was doing so well that I didn't need them. I didn't have to wear a cast or take IV antibiotics anymore either!

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Now I eat regular food, so my family enjoys going to our favorite Mexican restaurant on Friday nights again.

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I like eating my old special foods like ice cream too.

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August 18, 2010. I am my happy, funny, (mostly) sweet self again!

"I prayed for this child and the Lord granted me what I asked of Him."
I Samuel 1:27

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Some of Vivian's nurses

Monday, October 18, 2010

Things I Like: Baseball.

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At a Braves game circa 1972 (I'm in the back - I think this might have been "Cap Night")

In spite of being perhaps the most unathletic person on the planet, I have been a lifelong lover of sports.

Baseball was my first passion. Growing up in Atlanta we went to a lot of Braves games and enjoyed great seats compliments of my dad's job at Coca-Cola (the Braves were terrible in the 70's and I don't think the tickets were in high demand!). I learned to be loyal even when my team wasn't winning, a habit that came in handy when I moved to Texas and eventually transitioned into a Rangers fan.

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This would have been around 1974. I had offered this player some of my popcorn and he came over and spoke to me. He told me to stick around after the game, and then he brought me a ball that some of the players had signed. I imagine my dad still has that ball

Sadly, the first time in my experience as a fan that the Braves had any success was in 1982 when I went off to college. I can remember calling in to some recorded hotline at the Atlanta Constitution late at night in my dorm room to find out a game score - this was obviously eons before the advent of the Internet!

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This weekend Robert was offered tickets to Game Two of the American League Championship Series between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees. He happily accepted and kindly took me with him. It was my first time to attend a post-season baseball game, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Best of all, the Rangers won!

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Our hosts from the game on Saturday have invited us back should the Rangers make it to the World Series. I sure hope that works out.

Go, Rangers!

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Vivian shares her Cranberry Pumpkin Bread.

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This weekend Vivian and I made Cranberry Pumpkin Bread for her to take to school. Her teacher sent me an email with these pictures this morning.

Thank you so much for the pumpkin bread. Vivian sliced, then toasted it for everyone. All of the kids and adults had to taste a small bite; three students found out they like pumpkin bread! Johnny, Matthew and Ann Maris, our peer tutor, all discovered they aren't as picky as they thought. Johnny had two slices! Vivian put the oven mitt on her right hand thus wanting to use the left to serve. It was a good exercise for her left arm. I did help her maneuver the spatula under the bread but after that she independently place it on each napkin. It was a great activity for the class.

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I've posted about my Cranberry Pumpkin Bread here previously, but here is the recipe again:

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Cranberry-Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs
2 c sugar
½ c vegetable oil
1 c pumpkin
2¼ c flour
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
1 c fresh cranberries, roughly chopped

Combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin and mix well. Sift together flour, spice, soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in pumpkin mixture. Stir just until ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans (2 large or 4 small). Bake at 350° for an hour (large pans) or 40-45 minutes (small pans). Turn out onto wire rack and allow to cool.

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Vivian shares her Cranberry Pumpkin Bread.

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This weekend Vivian and I made Cranberry Pumpkin Bread for her to take to school. Her teacher sent me an email with these pictures this morning.

Thank you so much for the pumpkin bread. Vivian sliced, then toasted it for everyone. All of the kids and adults had to taste a small bite; three students found out they like pumpkin bread! Johnny, Matthew and Ann Maris, our peer tutor, all discovered they aren't as picky as they thought. Johnny had two slices! Vivian put the oven mitt on her right hand thus wanting to use the left to serve. It was a good exercise for her left arm. I did help her maneuver the spatula under the bread but after that she independently place it on each napkin. It was a great activity for the class.

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I've posted about my Cranberry Pumpkin Bread here previously, but here is the recipe again:

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Cranberry-Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs
2 c sugar
½ c vegetable oil
1 c pumpkin
2¼ c flour
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
1 c fresh cranberries, roughly chopped

Combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin and mix well. Sift together flour, spice, soda and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in pumpkin mixture. Stir just until ingredients are moistened. Stir in cranberries. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans (2 large or 4 small). Bake at 350° for an hour (large pans) or 40-45 minutes (small pans). Turn out onto wire rack and allow to cool.

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Friday, October 1, 2010

Blog friends.

I had the privilege this summer to meet two blog friends in real life! Both had occasion to visit Dallas and contacted me about getting together.

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The wonderful Tami from The Lady in the Stone House and I have corresponded since the early days of both our blogs. Tami unwisely decided to leave beautiful cool Washington state in July for hot hot hot, not so scenic, and did I mention hot, Texas, but I'm so glad she did! Tami was every bit as nice and gracious in person as she comes across on her blog. She kindly brought me a copy of a new cookbook from the school she and her children attended, and I have enjoyed perusing its recipes. I look forward to trying many of them!

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Gigi from 2 Little Bugs and I have corresponded by email for quite some time but had never met. I knew that she and her daughter were going to be passing through Dallas on their way to Colorado and we had talked of getting together but had made no definite plans. My friend Cynthia was visiting from Mississippi, and Dots and I took her to our favorite soufflé restaurant. We were enjoying our meal on the patio when a mother and daughter walked in and were seated at the table next to ours. I don't think I'd ever seen a picture of Gigi, but I kept thinking the daughter looked familiar. After I stared at the pair of them a while, the mother looked up and asked, "Are you Eloise?" What are the chances that we would end up at the same restaurant for lunch? In another small world incident, it turns out that Gigi is a longtime friend of my across the street neighbor. Gigi stopped by to visit him and his family and looked across the street and saw Vivian's 'Welcome Home' banner. Gigi told me she was afraid to tell me for fear I was going to think she was stalking me! We were able to meet for dinner before Gigi and her daughter continued on to Colorado, and we had a lovely visit.

My blog friends are such a blessing in my life!