Well how did your week go?

Lets see, my week started with me having my appendix removed bright and early Monday morning. Yea. Really, it was a joy. I do have to say though, I figured out what it was in about 30 minutes, with the last 25 of it bent over the counter googling "how do you know when you have an appendicitis?" or "what the f#$% is this pain in my right side?"

But lets back track, Sunday we had a lovely day that ended with us making breakfast for dinner. I encouraged Greg to make some Gluten Free waffles with our eggs and potatoes. I am not a waffle/pancake person so I had just a little bit of it- not bad just needed a lot of syrup. So about an hour later I just had a wave of pain come over me and not really let up. I honestly thought I was allergic to Gluten Free WAFFLES! Seriously, I did. After another 30 minutes it just was on one side and I was literally rolling around on the bed in agony. Greg came in and was like, "so what, you have a tummy ache or something, maybe you should try and poop." I then kindly asked him to go google appendix and where it is located. He just stood there, while I am withering in pain. I think I screamed a not very nice word and told him I needed to know now, not in an hour. When we figured it out, I said, "Greg call your Mom, have her get over here to watch Gavin." Once again he just kinda looked at me and then proceeded to call and CHIT CHAT for a few minutes and then ask her if she could come over. I think my husband thought I was full of shit until I started yelling and waving my arms around. Because man, that got him jumping.

After getting to the ER, explaining about 30 times what the problem was, I had the Doc tell me, he was just POSITIVE it was kidney stones. I just sat there and told him, well, that would be GREAT, because hopefully then I would not have to have surgery (maybe) and even if I did, it is an outpatient procedure. I have had kidney stones and I kept telling the doctor, well, it just does not feel the same way. But, hey, what do I know? Finally after 2 hours of being there, a new doctor came in to tell me, "yes, you have an appendicitis." I think my first question was, "well, if it hasn't burst, then just give me some pills and send me on my way." Santa Claus (seriously he looked just like him and had the jolly laugh) said, "well, that isn't going to happen, you are having surgery tonight or in the morning. HO ho ho to you." Well not that last part, but who knows, I was on drugs by then.

So long story short, they cut me open Monday morning and we were hoping to get out of there that afternoon/evening. We realized, oh maybe Tuesday afternoon when I WAS STILL THERE that maybe we pushed it a little too much. Because they just won't let you out if you are puking up everything. I did just love all the different nurses who would tell us one thing one minute and something way off the mark the next. Where they finally told me I needed to be breathing into this lung checker thingy and then just left it, didn't tell me how to check, what to do, how to measure. So that thing sat there for a full day and I still wasn't blowing what I should have been when I finally persuaded them that I was leaving. I REALLY LOVED that none of them could tell me why I was opened up on my left side when my appendix is on the right. One nurse actually went and checked a book to see where my appendix is, she wouldn't take my word for it. And she thought the doctor might have taken out the wrong one. Just wait on that a moment. It will come to you..........

So I am free, back at home, since Wednesday late afternoon. Yes, home sweet home. Oh wait, I forgot I live with the child that does not want to sleep anymore. Because everyone wants to be up for 2 hours in the middle of the night. Right? And naps? What are those? I want to be awake all day just to terrorize my parents at 6 - because you can't lay me down then... I swear, maybe I faked this whole thing just to have a few days of quiet in a bustling hospital that thinks people have 2 appendixes and love to wake you up every 2 hours to remind me that my oxygen was low. I will say, I got the most attention on my last day there by a nurse in training. Granted she came in about 10 minutes after another nurse left to recheck all my vitals, she then proceeded to do a VERY THOROUGH exam. Hello, she lifted UP MY BOOBS to listen to my lungs. Then took off my socks to check my circulation and a few other things. She did more than any of the docs and nurses put together. She was the best though- I must have been "her" patient for the day, because when I needed something she got it, it was like having a doting grandma with you. Yet she was about my age, Chinese and English is not her first language. She was the one that tried to rat me out to the doctor about the breathing tube, but I forgive her. And for her feeling me up. It goes with the territory.

And yes, this was at "Death Valley" I think we have definitely ruled out having another child there.

Cousins...

This post is dedicated to Gavin and his wonderful cousins, Pyper, Frankie and Jackson. My sister has 3 adorable kids that we get to see a lot! This summer we had all 3 stay the night a few times, and then each one had a night over to do what they wanted. It was a ton of fun and Gavin loves playing with them. Here is our summer in pics......

Pyper's 5th Birthday -May 31st

(The boys were outnumbered here, it was a princess/tea party, but lovely nonetheless.)

Slumber Parties at our House!

(We did a lot of pool time and of course snuggling in my bed with my boas! And yes, we are naked in the backyard, that is how we roll.)

Trip to the Zoo!

(They loved holding hands, it was too cute!)

Frankie and Jack's 3rd Birthday- Aug. 21st!

(Their party was held at a farm, which all the kids loved, a lot of animals!)

(We also had a dinner at the Alexander's for them. We danced, Jack sang on a rock, they tried on the new chef hat and of course Gavin doled out some smooches!)

Slacking...

I know I have been a huge slacker with regards to posting about Gavin the past few weeks. Sorry! Here is a pic just to tide you over and I promise to write a more in depth one soon. (Like how my son slept through the Hazel Miller concert in Lake Dillon Saturday night)!

Confirmed

After months of tests, Doctor appointments, a Colonoscopy, an upper GI, a Cat Scan, meeting with a Hematologist, etc, etc. Greg has finally been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. So yes, that means our whole world is being thrown into a loop. On one hand, we are very lucky that this is THE ONLY THING wrong, but then on the other hand....... Well, we are definitely a carb family, so to learn that you cannot eat any more gluten. It is somewhat of a shock.

Greg & I met with one of the 3 docs he has been seeing yesterday just to get confirmation and some insight into this. Not that helpful, I read more on websites, but Greg was still in denial until the doctor sat him down and said, "yes, that is what you have." We then headed over to the bookstore to pick up some cookbooks, etc on this disease. We are putting my cooking skills to the test!

Luckily we live next to the BIGGEST LIQUOR STORE IN AMERICA, and they just happen to have a few varieties of Gluten Free beer. One is made by Anheuser Busch, so they will no longer be going out of business because Greg can't drink! :) He had a few of them yesterday and said they were ok. I actually tasted them and for me I thought they were fine, but I don't really like beer to begin with.

I ventured to Whole Foods today to get some food, staples, pretty much anything I could find that is Gluten Free. I was impressed with their variety and have to say, the cookies and chips aren't half bad. We will be trying pizza this weekend, so hopefully it won't taste like crap! :)

Thanks to all the calls, concerns about this. It has been a crazy couple of months, but we are glad that we have finally figured it out!

I will publish a Gavin post later this week!