Henoch-Schonlein purpura

So, I'm sure you had to look up the name to find out what in the world it is that my son had been diagnosed with! haha...Believe me, so did we! I'm sure others have wondered how we discovered this so I thought I'd give a little back ground...

Wednesday night Jayden came home from church complaining that he didn't want to walk to his room to get ready for bed. He complained that he was tired and had to run at church for class and didn't feel like it. Now if you know my son, he is the king of pain. "Go clean your room", "I can't my arm hurts sooooo bad!". So when he started complaining I could tell he was really in pain but we thought it was growing pains. We had also noticed two red dots on his leg. Stephen said they didn't look like spider bites so we didn't think anything of it.

Thursday morning Jayden got up and went to school. He said he still felt a little yucky but once he got going he seemed fine. By 11:00 his teacher told me he was complaining that he didn't feel good, looked a little pale and was complaining that his legs hurt. So I brought him home and he took a good long nap.

We had already planned to go on a camping trip and when he got up he said I feel better so we took off. He slept a little in the car and still said his arms and legs were hurting. When we arrived up to the camp grounds he wanted to just sit. It was 9:30 so we basically went to bed still thinking that it was just growing pains.

It wasn't until Friday morning we started to wonder. We got up really early and when I tried to help him dress I stood him up and he fell and said he couldn't stand. He didn't want to move his arms at all. He sat by the fire for a few hours before he went to fishing but we took a chair for him to sit in. Stephen ran to the small store and got him some medicine to give him since it didn't seem to be going away. When it started to warm up I had him take his sweater off and it took him a good 3 minutes just to get it off, he didn't want you to touch him or help. When he got it off he turned white and said he didn't feel so good. He threw up from the pain of moving his arms.

We also discovered at that time his dots had multiplied as well. This photo is when he was going home from the hospital. Some have already healed...
It was Friday around 5pm that we took him into ER because after talking to the Dr.'s nurse, he thought Jayden might have the beginning of meningitis. The meds had kicked in so he wasn't in much pain, was more chatty so we thought he might be getting better. The crazy thing was we had 3 different people looking at him and they didn't know what it was...finally a Dr. came in and diagnosed Henoch-Schonlein pupurpa (allergic purpura). At this time we had no idea what we were dealing with but they did a urine test and his kidneys came back with 1 protein (normal is 1-9) so they said he would be fine, just use meds to help with the pain, otherwise it would run it's course.

We were released and went back to the camp grounds to go to bed. Saturday morning he woke up at 4:30am sick and was sick all morning. It wasn't until about noon that he popped his head out of the tent and wanted to walk around. He would limp and not use one arm and then sat to watch everyone play. (This photo is of him watching the kids play from our tent...poor guy). We packed up camp and left just after dinner. We noticed on the way home that his hand was swollen but he seemed to be better otherwise.

Sunday morning he woke up and took a bath, ate breakfast, seemed to be better. But around lunch time he complained again of stomach pain and by dinner was sick, his knee was swollen so he was having a hard time walking, his arms hurt and he didn't want to be touched all over again. We gave him some meds again since he had gotten so bad.

When we took him in on Monday morning for the pediatric appointment. He could walk but didn't want to. I was pushing him in a wheel chair. He said he was hurting still. We had to go to the bathroom and from walking so much he got sick in the office. Before the urine test even came back the Dr. had spoken with the kidney and intestine specialist and they decided to admit him into the hospital. There was trace blood in his urine, which I hadn't even noticed.

Only a few hours after being on the steroids and IV fluids he was able to eat, keep food down and the pain was gone. It's amazing how fast he has turned around. His urine was red when we got to the hospital but that was the only time. His protein was at 100 and we will find out today where he is at since he's been home.

We had thought it would be a 6-8 week recovery but he seems to be doing better than we expected.

It is so great to see him moving around since he had been laying around for so many days. He is eating and keeping food down after not eating for days as well. At this point we have to see a kidney specialist for awhile to keep an eye on his kidneys, probably for a few years. But otherwise Jayden is doing much better.

I thank all my friends and family that prayed for my little boy.
He has made such a great turn around.
Thank you God! :)

No More Ninnies!

My 3 year old daughter has finally given up her ninnie. Well, give up probably wouldn't be the best choice! If it was up to her she would not have chosen to give it up but without realizeing it she did! Now what's a ninnie you ask? I'm talking about the "P" word, also known as a paci, chupon, suckie, the Pacifier! lol

A few weekends ago I went away for our churches Woman's Advance. I left Friday after noon and came back Sunday afternoon. My kids stayed with grandpa for the weekend. (They had so much fun). When I left my sweet 3 year old had her ninnie hanging in her mouth, like she always does.

When she left with grandpa they took the ninnie with but she never asked for it, not once! So when I came home I decided to leave the ninnie with grandpa at his house so she wouldn't have one even if she asked.

Our first night she fell asleep but then woke up crying for her ninnie. She didn't just cry but threw a fit. One of those I'm so tired I don't know what to do with myself type of cries! This has happened a few other nights in the past week or so but I have stayed strong and not given it to her. It's amazing how big of a struggle a ninnie can be.

During the day she has only asked for it a few times but for the most part she has forgotten about it. My little girl is making another step to being a big girl. Though this is a happy step. I love seeing her and hearing her talk without that ninnie in her mouth! :)

It takes a village...

Here we go again, yes another clip from The View! I already posted this clip about what mom's lie about...the 2nd half of this video is about taking a village to raise children. Here is the clip again if you want to watch it to see what they have to say about; taking a village...(it is the 2nd 1/2 of the clip, if you want to fast forward).

Hot Topics: What Do Moms Lie About?

When I went to The View website to find this clip I read this comment under this video...

It does not take a village to raise a child...

I have three children 6,8, and 17 (my kids do chores but are not responsible for each other, that is our job as the parents), full time job, part time home based business,coach two soccer teams with my husband (used to be three but too many game conflicts), a dog, a bearded dragon, my regular house chores, grad committees, dance classes, judo classes, and to top it off, I do not own a DISHWASHER....imagine having to do some hard work.

These new moms can't handle one child..they constantly whine until help comes.
People have to learn to become self sufficient and not rely on others to get them through life. This next generation is helpless...

Do you agree? I have to say when I read this, it made me mad! Growing up my mom was a single working parent raising 2 daughters (only 10 months 3 weeks apart). She had to work to support us, of course. She lived in Arizona and our entire family was in Iowa (where we from). My mom had no help of any kind. I never remember a babysitter from my childhood. We were left alone when we had to be. (Back then things were much different than now!)

When I grew up, had kids of my own I, in my own mind I have a hard time asking for help. I have always thought; these are my children and I have to do it myself. Even when I am in need of time off or have somewhere I need to be I feel guilty asking. One day I mentioned this to my mom. She laughed and said "Man, I would have LOVED help when you were little." It never crossed my mind that she may have wanted help (either from a spouse or family). I just knew she did it on her own, so I should too.

Thank goodness for my mother-in-law, who loves her grandchildren. I did not grow up with my grandparents around, so I was not used to family dynamics. I didn't have sleep overs with cousins or get to be picked up by grandparents. Though they would have loved to do those things we were states apart.

Over the years have learned to love the relationship that children can have with the grandparents, family, cousins, siblings. I have learned to ask for help (a little more). Though my mother-in-law has learned to ask to take the kids as well, since she know that I won't always do it! I can't imagine my in-laws not being around, God Blessed me with them when I had no family here with me! And has taught me so much through their relationships.

I think that a community goes beyond a family as well. Churches, schools and teachers all help our children grow. Our children are being shaped, molded and they growing into adults that go out into a larger village (outside the home) to help the next generation. How can't a village be involved!?

What are your thoughts? Do you think it takes a village to raise children?

What Do Moms Lie About?

Have you ever lied about your children to other moms? I got this topic again from The View. On the same day they had quite a few interesting topics! The link below is a video of the list of things that they say mom's have lied about, take a look...(It's 2mins 15sec...about 1min 45 sec is the clip I'm talking about.)

The View | Video | Hot Topics: What Do Moms Lie About?

I have to say that I have never lied about what my kids do, I really haven't. I've never tried to act like my kids were something they weren't. Whether good or bad. When they were a baby or even now. But I have compared my kids to other children and often bragged about them to others. Haven't all moms? From our labor stories to the development of your children for the first year; sitting, walking, talking. We compare as if it has a bearing on our parenting skills.

Well, here is my children in a nut shell; My first labor was almost 24 hour long! My kids never slept through the night as babies, in fact many of them still get up to come in my room in the middle of the night! My kids took until 2 years old to get all their teeth, my last one was 3 years old before she got her last two "I" teeth! They waited until they were 1 year old and one was 14 months before he walked. They all take their time but eventually all get there.

Things to feel guilty about??? I have left my kid in a dirty diaper, let them cry themselves to sleep, thought my kids were better behaved, yelled at them when I shouldn't have and have made sandwiches for dinner because I didn't want to cook...Nope, I'm not super mom!

But One thing I confess I was the queen of is... "My kids will never":

Mine will never... take off their shoes when we are out of the house (in the car or at church) so that we have to wait for them to get them back on before we can go in to the store...well, they do.

Mine will never...look dirty...well, we have many times looked like we just rolled out of bed!
Mine will never...throw a fit in the store...I remember a time when I walked through the store shopping while my child wailed (I had to shop, it was the only time I had) and they wanted to throw a fit, I just ignored them! Much to the stares of others! lol

Mine will never...sleep with me...HAHA...they still do! I don't care!

Mine will never...have a pacifier past a certain age...My 3 year old still has hers!


We all have been there...if our kids are loved and know it, who cares!!! Don't you agree!!!??? :)

Do you want to be a mom?

I sat down to watch The View the other day. It happened to be the day that a mom was on talking about how she didn't want to be a mom. It was an interesting topic and quite controversial. The link below is her interview on The View, it's about 7 minutes long.

http://www.feministpress.org/news-events/rahna-reiko-rizzuto-today-show

I remember about 12 years ago I realized I just wanted to be a wife, mom and have lots of kids. Now being a mother of five, it is very hard for me to imagine leaving my children. I can barely ask for help to have someone watch them so I can go out and do something on my own. I miss them and want the with me.

This particular mom said at one point in her interview that she loved her kids but not in the middle of the night when they were sick. For me those are the times I love. Not the kids being sick or having to clean it up but the part of taking care of them. Of course you hate the lack of sleep but the moment when your child needs you and wants you to take care of them is the part that fills my heart with the joy of motherhood, the bonding with your child at times that others don't get.

Listening to her, I do logically understand. I know woman deserve lives of their own. We have ambitions, goals, dreams. I recently read a book by Joyce Meyer called; Any Minute. (You can see my full blog on my coffee corner page about the book - it is a fiction story). The mother in this book was working her way up the corporate ladder and in the mean time loosing her family because she invested more time at work that with her husband and children. It took a horrific accident for her to slow down. She didn't quit working, didn't become a full time mom but in the end she learned to balance her work life with her family and the way she treated people changed.

They mention in this interview how; if it was a man it wouldn't be an issue but because it was a woman it's controversial. What are your thoughts?

I think I come back to these questions; At what cost are things worth it? When you get to the top of the ladder and your alone is it worth it? I really do think that what works for one doesn't work for all but relationships are part of the Christian life...where is the balance?

Am I the only mom?

I was talking to a friend, a mom, the other night and she asked me if I ever get a break! Well, yes and no. I mean I get my moments through out the day, I sit and veg and make the kids play in their rooms, I'm sitting at the computer writing this blog (with only one kids home). I even left my oldest daughter to watch her siblings while I went to coffee with a friend that came in town with her new baby. Oh, don't forget, I also have after they go to bed...but I'm usually tired by then! There isn't many true "breaks". And the coffee breaks happen far and few between.

When my mom came to visit for 7 days she said she didn't know how I get anything done. My school schedule is way more tame this year (so happy about that). But she said you don't get time alone and your so busy. I remember she had just mopped the front entry while I ran to get my son from school. We came in the door, he kicked off his shoes and sand flew all over the freshly mopped floor. I just busted out laughing and said; "That's why I don't clean!"

Woman are not like men, at least it is this way for me. I don't get to call up a girlfriend and say "Hey, you wanna get together, right now?" As a mom, I can't just drop what I'm doing and run out the door. I have so many things to consider, is my husband going to be home? Is there any other activity happening already? How long will I be gone? What time of day is it; nap time, time to pick up kids or bed time? I'm a planner, I have to schedule coffee dates, scrapbook nights, time to go to the store! It makes it a lot harder to invest in friendships with five others at home to consider.

When I was talking to my friend the other night I told her that I don't mind. I am being honest when I say that, I really don't mind. My dream was to be a mommy, to have lots of kids. I wouldn't have it any other way. I love motherhood...

BUT, I would be lying if I said I don't want a break every now and then or sometimes more than that! I am looking forward to our Women's Advance coming up in September, which I have not gone to in 2 years! I will be gone for 2 days!!! I get lonely as a mom since the only conversation I have on a daily basis is with children and would love an adult conversation! Am I the only mom? I don't think so...

Only a short while after talking to my one friend about motherhood I talked to another friend, also a mom, who is feeling the loneliness of friendship, just like me. I realized that my friend who lives near me and another friend states apart from me both feel the same. We, as moms, miss friendships.

Is it something we have to give up as moms? I see other mom's that have BFF's and hang out but maybe it's not my season right now. This is the time in my life when I invest in my kids. But I don't want to loose me in the process.

I think there needs to be a balance. Knowing I'm not alone helps but making sure I plan getting away when I can helps a lot. Tell me, Am I the only mom???

Chore Charts

My mother say's she called our chore chart growing up, "The Musty Dusty Cleaning". I don't remember it, though I do remember having chores. I can't tell you what they were but it's a part of growing up, whether you like it or not. And here I am, all grown up still having chores and now trying to teach my kids!

With 5 children my house is not company worthy 99% of the time! I love that feeling when that 1% arrives but it is always so short lived. My kids are pretty good about putting things away but they are kids and have to be reminded. Everyone complains or has excuses, so...

One day I was tired of the messes, tired of repeating myself on what to do every day. It's amazing how you can do the same thing every day yet no one remembers what it was! So I sat down on the computer looked up chore charts and created my own. When I was done I printed it out, put it on the fridge and showed all the kids. They each have their name, color and chore lists. I was pretty excited. Here is just two of the kids chore lists. They all look the same but the chores vary.It's been a few weeks of using our lists and I am in love with our chore charts. I wonder why I never had them before now! I don't have to follow them around. All I have to say is, "Go read your list" and they do. They can see what they need to do and when. I even made a Saturday chore list. Each of them has a chore list based on their age and what they are capable of doing. This past week I was gone on Saturday morning. I didn't get home until lunch time and they all surprised me by having their chores done before I got home! Had the list not been there that would never have happened!
Things run so much smoother now. Next project, How to get boys to clean together and not play!!! LOL. It's always something!