Christmas 2008

Merry Christmas! It wasn't our traditional Christmas this year...having my Dad in the hospital was a frightening thing. But we had a GREAT morning with Ben's family. We really needed it - it brought our spirits up and kept us from worrying about my Dad for a while. We haven't had our Christmas with my family yet...we want to wait until Dad is recovered and back home. It just wouldn't be the same without him.

Madelyn is still pretty scared of Santa, she'll point when she sees him and sing songs about him - but if he's real and coming her way - the tears start!! Santa made a stop at our house Christmas morning, it was a quick visit as he had to see the other girls and boys, and Madelyn was quick to say "bye bye Sana Caus" as he made his way out the door! She's a little dramatic as you can see....

This year, she understood the idea of opening presents...and she was so patient! Opening one and looking at it a while, then she'd pass it on and say "i put it away." She's a lucky girl and she got so many fun things this year...lots of clothes, books, art supplies, a grocery buggy and lots food, a motorized car to drive from Grammy and Grandpa and a kitchen from her Nana.

She had a great day - it was exhausting for her (and US) but she loved it! We wish we could've spent more time with The Joneses, it was a quick one unfortunatly. We packed up and drove to Stafford to spend some time with my Dad in the hosptial. The day after Christmas, she opened a few presents at Nana's house - books, her new kitchen and dishes to go along with it. We brought the kitchen back to our house and she is quite the chef! She loves to make coffee and eggs, and loves the microwave. She's got more food than we do!

We're so thankful for our families and the special times we spend with them...THANK YOU Mom, Dad, Amanda and Haylie! You made our Christmas this year so special!

A New Year...a Fresh Start

Today is New Years Eve, it's so hard to believe 2008 will soon be in our past. It was an eventful year for us, full of new adventures with Madelyn, trips, vacations, sorrow, new friends, and a new baby coming into our lives in 2009....so many things we're thankful for - so many wonderful memories.


We are ending our year on a rough note - a "not so welcome" surprise that no one was expecting. My Father became deathly ill the week before Christmas. It just came out of nowhere - he is a healthy man who continues to run 5 miles a day and PT during his lunch breaks at work. My whole family is shocked and stunned by this...and so are the MANY doctors involved in his case!


It all started with what his primary doctor diagnosed as a stomach virus, Dad just didn't feel good - the aches and grogginess, slight fever. He missed work a whole week - NOT like him at all - and stayed in bed. Only getting up every few hours for a drink of water or tea. A week later - my brother noticed Dad was just not with it...slurring words, couldn't walk, dillusional. So he ended up in the ER that afternoon. That evening he was admitted to the ICU where he has been for 10 days now.


The doctors were first alarmed by his calcium level - it was at a deadly high. Normal is 6-7, they consider 10 to be high, my Dad's calcium level was at 19! The first thing that came out of the ER doctors mouth was - cancer. A level that high is most associated with someone who has cancer. The first few days, Dad was shaking uncontrollably, moaning and reaching out -- even trying to pull out all the tubes that were keeping him alive. He was in an "altered subconscious state." Seeing him like that was probably the most scary thing I've seen in my life.


During the last 10 days, there have been tests drawn for diseases we've never heard of...even things these doctors have never heard of. Some of the conditions include lyme disease (which came back negative), legioneers disease, multiple myeloma, leukemia...just to name a few that I've heard of. There are hematologists involved, infectious disease, oncologists, nephrologists...at least a dozen doctors. We still do not know the cause of the calcium spike -- although, HAPPILY the latest count I received was 10.7. GREAT NEWS!


Also great news is that Monday, Dec 29th - my Dad opened his eyes and is now communicating with us! Well...I'll say he's TRYING to communicate with us. He has a vent tube in keeping him from talking, which should be removed soon. He has little patience and is easily frustrated...he gets upset when we can't read his lips I know. He can't write yet or point to letters so we can spell...it's just hard right now. When I showed him a picture of Madelyn and asked if he knew who she was, I think he would've hit me on the forehead if he could have! He rolled his eyes as if to say "Of course I know who that is!" That thrilled me even though I was holding back my tears.


On top of the high calcium, his low platelets are a major concern. He's had spontaneous bleeding in his nose that was affecting his breathing...which is why they started him on the ventilator. He's received several transfusions of platelets to help with that.


We're doing our best to be patient and understand the doctors are doing all they can right now. They have nothing to go off of - he wasn't sick before or had a heart attack or fell or was bit by a spider....it's just flabbergasting to everyone.


Hopefully soon we'll be able to look back at this scary event and be thankful that Dad survived through it all. He's a tough Marine that WILL overcome this illness and be with his family again. We're looking forward to our Johnson Christmas with Dad there...hopefully very soon!

Monday...

We headed to Stony Point after dinner tonight -- went to see the lights and let Madelyn RUN FREE!! It was about 70 here today so we had to get out and enjoy the weather. We played outside most of the day...

Yesterday was the Chester Christmas Parade here in town. We went last year with my Dad and this year Madelyn's Grandpa, Grammy and Aunt Haylie came along. LAST year the weather was like today - we didn't wear coats, but THIS year - burr...it was cold! There were horses to see, cars, firetrucks, dancing girls, clowns and Santa Claus of course! We had a good time.

Last night, Ben and I looked at the pictures from a year ago when we took Madelyn at 9 months old...she was so little! Thats the day she decided she'd start to crawl, and we're lucky we have it on video! So just for fun, I added pictures from LAST year at the parade...and THIS year at the parade!

LAST YEAR....

And THIS YEAR....

Friday night at Romp n' Roll

We look forward to Friday nights at Romp n' Roll - it's open gym time which means the kids can just run and play, and wear themselves out!! We went lastnight and Madelyn had a fun time - there were just a few other kids there...not sure what the deal was with the tongue this night, but it was hangin' out there in most of the pictures!

Starting fresh...

Haven't posted anything in a while, guess we'll start fresh with Christmas approaching. Here's a funny video of Madelyn from this morning. While I was getting dressed, she decided to put on all my bathing suits and "underwear" -- so she had about 10 different things piled over her head, and she did it all herself! She looks kinda like a poor old bag lady! It ended quick, now all she wants to do when she sees the camera is look at the pictures of herself on it!