Two night stay at Kosair Children's Hospital

The day after my bday, the Skees family wasn't feeling so hot. I had been dragging all weekend - which I thought was because Ricky and I enjoyed a rare night out with some friends that Friday. But it must have been a virus that we all had...Ethan and Aiden had both been feeling rotten. Noses running like hoses, coughing, and itchy, red, watery eyes. We thought it was allergies for the most part and just continued to do Aiden's breathing treatments, giving him a little Tylenol here and there for his discomfort.

But on Monday, after I begged Ricky to stay home from work because I was feeling so crummy that I couldn't even pull myself out of bed (and trust me, this is rare), I heard Aiden's developmental therapist arrive for his 11 o'clock session. They were talking and I heard Ricky say "Yes, I'm going to call the doctor". I sprang from bed and ran downstairs to find out what was going on. Poor Aiden was hacking up a storm, crying, and sweaty from head to toe. He seemed to be having a hard time breathing normally. The therapist looked very concerned which in turn had us very worried.

Long story short, Aiden went to the pediatrician and they found that he had a fever and ear infections. They wanted his breathing and oxygen levels to be checked, so they sent us to Kosair. There, they diagnosed him with Bronchiolitis (click the link to see exactly what it is). His oxygen levels were a little low and dipped lower every time he fell asleep - this can be common, but the normal level is supposed to be between 94-98 and his hovered right at 90, dipping to 86-88 when sleeping.

They eventually decided to give him extra O2 through a nasal canula and gradually weaned him off to see if he could keep his levels up. After 3 days and 2 nights of monitoring, they felt that he was improving enough to go home.

We will continue to do the breathing treatments that we had been doing at home using the nebulizer and they put him on an allergy/asthma medicine as well. I'm happy to report that he is sounding MUCH better and it seems he is finally kicking this bug. Funny thing is he never really fussed much during his hospital stay (except when they were suctioning out his nose/mouth or adjusting the nasal canula). The nurses all fell in love with him...but really, how could they not...

PS - There's something about hospital food that I can't quite stomach. Luckily, my brother-in-law Justin brought me dinner one night since he works near Kosair and my Aunt Mary was kind enough to bring me lunch one day. The food was much appreciated but even more, chatting with them helped to keep my spirits up! Thank you!!!

My little ladies man

Busy with a capital "B"

Well, I know I've been slacking lately, but in between hospital stays, power outages, trips out of town and kids with ear infections, we've been running like crazy. I have a lot to catch everyone up on and I promise to do it later tonight when the kids go to bed. So check back tomorrow for a full update (and don't forget to check the boys links too - if it has to do with just one of them, I add the post to their page).

Precious Little Package

I came across this beautiful poem and wanted to share it with you all. Sometimes I read things that capture what I feel or would say if I could find the words. This is one of those things :)

This Precious little package just arrived for us today,
The Lord said to take good care of it and love it everyday.

He said the package is not perfect, it has a few small breaks,
A little love and tenderness is all it really takes.

Most would look at this small package and ask why must I bear this weight?
They would claim the care this package needs and the stress is just too great.

Just nurture it and help it become all that it can be,
Protect it with all of your heart and soon you too will see.

Soon the days will turn to years - Oh how the time will soar,
Despite it's imperfections you will love it more and more.

That Precious little gift that God did give to us that day,
Is sleeping soundly in his bed, We thank God for him each day!

~Author Unknown

Please sign the Petition!

The below link is a site to sign the petition to support the HR2820 Reconstructive Surgery Act.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/294448576

This legislation will help to ensure that insurance providers cover the cost of reconstructive surgery for craniofacial patients. Often times, the surgeries, although necessary, are considered by insurance companies as "cosmetic" and are not covered. Signing this petition will help bring a voice to those of us that are affected by or know someone affected by a craniofacial condition.

Do it for Aiden!

Writing a "Mom"oir

I don't claim to be Shakespeare, but my whole life, I've loved to write. I do better with real-life, non-fiction, type stuff. I love to write about my kids. I like telling stories about my day-to-day "Mom"ents. Stuff that people can relate to.

So...after much urging, I've decided to take a step in the direction of doing something for myself. I've signed up for a writing course that I hope will both inspire me and provide some positive critiques of my writing - because the last time I've had someone "proofread" anything was in college. And I can't quite believe that has already been 5 years ago.

It is an online course and it is focused on writing what the instructor is calling a "momoir". As soon as Aiden was born, amidst all of the questions, doubt, shock and confusion, deep in my heart I knew that he was going to be an inspiration in my life. At the time, I didn't quite know how - I was still dealing with (and continue to deal with) more emotions than I expected to as a mother - but I now realize that maybe writing about those emotions and my experience with having a child with Apert Syndrome is the perfect outlet for me to connect with other moms, especially those who have a child with special needs.

Anyone with children knows what a life-changing experience it is to become a parent. It’s working 24 hour shifts, no breaks, no excuses. As scary as it is, nobody can do it for you. And as much as you might doubt it at times, nobody can do it better. I'm hoping that I am able to capture my unique and unexpected path into motherhood in a way that both of my boys will appreciate and understand when they are older. My ultimate goal is to have my very own "momoir" published somewhere down the road. We'll see how it goes...I'll keep you posted!