Joshua's Prom

Josh had his junior prom this past weekend. He looked so handsome and had a great time. Thought you'd enjoy some pics of my handsome boy....

With his beautiful friend and date, Eva... he was such a gentleman...

I can't believe he's going to graduate next year, my how time flies.

PDA ... Does Not Mean Public Display of Affection ...

Well, it looks like we're taking a trip to Gainesville, FL sometime in the very near future. Too bad it won't be for a sporting event!

Joshua's doctor called asked if we could bring him in.... TODAY. Since when do specialists call and want to see you, now?

We arrived, they did his O2 stats in all extremities. Then they gave us the results of the cardiac MRI. He has an added diagnosis of Patent Ductus Arteriosus, or PDA.

You can read about it here, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/350577-overview.

Basically, to keep it short and sweet, all infants are born with this. After 2-3 hours, it closes on it's own. It's a bypass in utero for the blood since the baby gets O2 from the placenta. Josh's didn't close on it's own and while at MU, they administered meds to make it close. Which it did.

Well, it's popped back open. Not sure how long it's been this way.

The defect connects the aorta with the pulmonary artery, allowing oxygen-rich blood from the aorta to mix with oxygen-poor blood in the pulmonary artery which means he does not have good oxygenated blood throughout his body.

Which explains a lot. Like why he has gray feet all the time, and his varicose veins, his attention span issues, and fatigue, and poor ability to exercise.

And most of all his pulmonary hypertension. Which the doc said today is "severe."

He also used words like "this is major" and "I have already sent his file overnight to UF" and "will definitely need a heart cath."

So... once again we wait and see what the next doctor is going to say. I'm thankful for our cardiologist here, Dr. J. He has his little quirks, but he is extremely thorough and was not going to stop until he had an answer. In fact, the radiologist missed the PDA. Dr. J asked for the pics from the MRI and he saw it himself. So... for that I'm thankful he has his quirks.

I ask you to please keep us all in your prayers. Josh has a great attitude about this. I know him though and in a couple days it will start to sink in.

I am going to trust in my God who already knew all this was going to happen. This is not a surprise to Him. He will lift me up when I am weak and walk beside us the whole way.

Diamond D Ranch Field Trip

Today we had a field trip with our homeschool group to Diamond D Ranch. It was a beautiful day to be outside and we had a great time.

Waiting for everyone to get there...

They got to ride ponies, feed goats, rams, and catfish, see wild pigs, pet horses, go on an educational nature walk and ride upside down on a drum.

The ponies...

Feeding the catfish... Alex was SOOO wanting a fishing pole!

Then they fed the goats...

Then it was the cow's turn...


They loved the cookies... Check out that tongue....




Then they rode the drum-roll... I didn't get to take Alex's picture doing this since he ran ahead to be first... go figure!

Micayla and one of her best friends, getting ready to roll...


Upside down...

It was a great day. Micayla wanted to come home with a pony... of course!

WHY????

Why do teenage boys do things that stress out their Momma's? Brandon bought this for himself a couple weeks ago and I'm just able to post about it ...

It stresses me out to no end. I'm worried about him hurting himself or worse. We have a couple in our church whose son was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident and is now in a wheelchair with a long road ahead of him and requiring his parents to care for him. Every time I see Brandon on his bike, I think of them. It makes me so nervous. Yes he wears a helmet but that doesn't guarantee anything.

I know he is so excited about the bike, but I'm not. I want to be happy for him but I'm not. I was a little happy for him watching him ride it, because he's wanted one forever, all the while jumping in my seat every time he turned. I drove behind him so other cars couldn't but I can't follow him all around town. I just pray he gets home safe every night.

I'm thankful he is in his own house now, or I'd never get any sleep!

Please keep both my big boys in your prayers, that they are safe and healthy.

Joshua's MRI's

I am having computer problems so I haven't been able to update. Hopefully they will be resolved soon.

Joshua had his MRI's done this week. Wednesday they did the run off's. Thursday they did the "main" cardiac MRI. When Josh came out after THREE hours, my never complaining son says "I don't ever want to do that again." He looked spent, worn out, exhausted and was freezing. He said he had a headache and was hungry. He wasn't allowed to eat lunch so he was ready to eat. I took him to Panera's and he had soup and a sandwich. He loves his soup.

The cardiologist returned my call late yesterday. I was really hoping to hear something before the weekend. He said the run off's looked fine, there seems to be no blockage in his lower extremeties from the vericosities to the heart, but that doesn't explain WHY he has them. It was good news I guess.

We are still waiting to get the results from the cardiac MRI. Hopefully we'll hear something Monday or Tuesday.

The doc also told me there was no change in the ECHO that was done a couple weeks ago from the first one he did. He was hoping to see lower pressures but that was not the case.

I'll update more when I know more.

Thank you for checking in on Josh and our little corner of the world.

He says to be still.... I'm struggling...

Today I got a phone call as I was driving home after picking Josh up from school. It was the radiology office. I know our cardiologist had a lengthy conversation with our radiologists office. He wanted to make sure they understood exactly what we are looking for. When the radiology office called last week to schedule appointments, they told me the radiologist was one of the best in the country. I was relieved.

Today, however, I'm nervous again. They said the radiologist was looking at the books for the week and wanted to know why Josh wasn't on them. (We are scheduled for next week.)

So, they called me and told me we could not wait until next week and they wanted him in this week. So, our appoinments have changed to this Wed and Thursday. Not the best timing since Josh has SAT testing this week, but we have to take it.

Please be praying for Josh to have peace during this week. The MRI's on Thursday will be two hours total. Pray he remains calm.

Pray I remain calm, and that my friends don't mind taking the other two during the testing. Did I ever tell you how much I hate scheduling things???

Also, please pray he does well on those SAT's!!!

God has been reminding me this evening to just BE STILL and know HE is in control. Not me. I didn't realize I had control issues.... hmmm......

Finally!!

So finally we have some appointments scheduled. Not all of them but more of them. Also, with the new insurance we have, we have to find a new dentist and new eye doctor. Fun times.

Here is what we have so far... next Friday we have an eye appointment at 1pm. Josh is having a hard time seeing just about anything that isn't right in front of his face. I am wondering if all this other stuff has anything to do with that.

Then the following week we have three appointments. Tuesday he's getting his two cavities filled. My kids do better at the dentist then I do. I hate going to the dentist. It hurts.

Wednesday and Thursday we go to get his MRI/MRA's done. Yes, two days. They said the first day is for something, I didn't even ask, I'll figure it out when we get there. Then Thursday is a two hour MRI. The lady was really nice on the phone and said these tests are very involved and take a while. I'll get more info when I'm there but I have learned it's best to save your questions until you're in front of the doctor instead of asking the front desk appointment lady. I usually get better answers that way!!!

SO... please pray the tests all come out great and are easily read and interpreted. Pray for Josh's nerves to be calm. Also, please pray the pulmonologist can get him in before July!

And please pray he does well on his SAT's next week!

Thanks!

Frustrated... but trying to be patient

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5

This seems to be my thought most of the time now. I'm growing impatient waiting on the insurance company, getting authorizations, the turn over in the insurance office so I don't get to speak to the same nurse care coordinator, and far out dates from the doctors office when I try to schedule them myself. UGH!

I know God has some good reason for all this, I'm just frustrated with it. I wish people who seem to be in positions of control with all of this felt the same urgency I did to get Joshua in to see these doctors faster. Hmmm... am I experiencing control issues??? Nah...

But I will lean on Him who will be able to calm me better than anything/one else.