Get Rid of Your Junk!

Well, garage sale season is upon us.  My neighborhood has a garage sale and I am joining in this year.  I've been planning on doing this for several months but since we learned Ben got accepted to the constraint-inducted therapy (CIT) program at Children's of Alabama, I decided we are going to use the money we make to help pay for the three week trip. 

I've had a couple people ask if or how they can help...and here's where getting rid of your junk comes in!  If you have anything you are planning to donate to Goodwill or The Salvation Army, consider donating it to...

Ben's Garage Sale Extravaganza!

Don't have any junk to get rid of?  No problem!  Come get some at the garage sale!  Here are the dates:

Thursday, June 5th: 8am - 8pm*

Friday, June 6th: 8am - 8pm*

Saturday, June 7th: 8am - 2pm

*The neighborhood garage sale hours are 5pm - 8pm Thursday and Friday but we'll be there ALL day.  Well Jeremy will be at least. ;)

Leave a comment, email, or text me if you have junk to get rid of!

reannayenger@gmail.com

 This little guy thanks you!

 

 

Birmingham or Bust

It's been four months since I blogged last!  Crazy!  Well, there are probably a million things I could share but I want to get right into some good news.

Ben was accepted into the contraint-induced therapy program at Children's of Alabama.  So we are going to Birmingham!

This is a nationally, and even internationally renowned program for kids with CP or pediatric stroke.  We are scheduled to go in January of 2015 - that's the soonest available.  It is a three week, intensive therapy program.  Ben will go to therapy four or five days a week for three or four hours.  I'm going to go down with him and stay two weeks and Jeremy will come down for the last week while I go home and then bring Ben home when he's done.

So we'll have to buy three round trip plane tickets, find a place to stay for three weeks and buy food, rent a car (maybe - I don't even know), entertain ourselves when we aren't at therapy, and probably twenty-seven other things I'm not even thinking of right now.  Luckily we have awhile to plan...and save...

So what's contraint-induced therapy you ask?  Well, they constrain the "good" hand/arm and force the patient to use the affected hand/arm.  In this program they do that with casting.  They will put a cast on his right arm and hand so he has to use his left arm and hand.  Sounds like torture you say?  Yep, I think so too.  However, it works.  It's proven to improve functionality of the affected hand.  Ben has very limited movement and use of his left hand.  He'll never use it like you and I do but we can only improve from where he's at.  Here's a couple clips I sent in as part of his application:

Let me tell you...he is NOT going to like this.  I anticipate this will be an emotional test as much as a physical one.  I'm kind of nervous about it but these people know what they are doing so I'm going to trust them.  And take wine.  For me...not for Ben. 

Happy New Year...and blood clots

We celebrated the New Year pretty low key.  I worked until 5pm and when I went to leave the rear passenger side tire on my car was frozen.  Like it wouldn't turn, it was just dragging.  I had (like a cotton-headed ninnymuggins) washed my car in the morning before work.  Yes, it was like zero degrees.  But I was trying to be a responsible adult and car owner and get all that salt off.  Plus I have a black car and it drives me crazy in the winter.  So I washed it and drove two blocks to work and parked and went inside.  I think if I had drove around a little more it would have been alright.  Ultimately I had to drive up over a curb to break the ice free.  My dad suggested that maneuver...can't take credit for it on my own.  So luckily there weren't many people around in the parking lot anymore since I was driving all around, dragging a tire and running up over curbs.  Crazy lady!

I made Jeremy come down and drive my car home and everything seemed to be working and is alright now.  We got home and headed over to our neighbors house for a little New Years Eve party...and I use the term party very loosely.  We played Card Against Humanity (hilarious!) and had snacks and watched the kids play.  We headed home about 9:30 and put the kids to bed and we went to bed too.

We had a relaxing morning New Years Day and hung around the house and watched movies with the kids.  My mom came up and we watched the Iowa game and got Olive Garden to go (because I don't take 2-2year olds to restaurants). 

Right about time to eat I wasn't feeling too hot and started having some shortness of breath.  I have had some "episodes" of shortness of breath the last few days but they only lasted a couple minutes.  This one was hanging on longer and I actually did one of the kid's albuterol nebulizer treatments.  It didn't help at all so I texted my friend Jonna who is an ER nurse.  She called me after a few texts back and forth and gave me an assessment over the phone.  She suggested I go to the emergency department and offered to call to see what the wait was like for me (best. friend. ever).

**Side note: The real tipping point that made Jonna tell me to go to the ER and that made me decide I would was that a few weeks ago I received a letter in the mail about some genetic testing that Ben and I had done last summer.  It said I had THREE genetic mutations that make it more likely for my blood to clot.  I have two MTHFR gene mutations and a Prothrombin 20210 mutation.  Ben's Pediatric Stroke Specialist in Indiana had recommended I see a hematologist but I hadn't made time for it yet. 

****Side, side note: Why do we do this as mom's?  I was starting a new job.  The holidays were coming.  We were busy with the kids.  I didn't make time for myself.  If my kid's doctor said they needed to see another doctor, they would have an appointment the next day.  Why don't we take the same care of ourselves?  We're all guilty of it.  Let my story be your lesson - listen to your body and instincts and take care of yourself so you are ABLE to take care of your family.  End rant ;)
 

So my mom was already at our house and stayed with the kids.  Jeremy and I headed down to Mercy where Jonna works.  She wasn't on duty but had called and talked to a couple people about my situation.  I went straight through triage and got a room in the ER.  I had a FABULOUS nurse named Ann who started a (big) IV like a pro and got my testing started.  I had some blood tests and had to pee in a cup to make sure I wasn't pregnant for the CT scan they wanted to do (hilarious if you know us, right).  I waited awhile for all my labs to get done and then they took me down for the CT.  I will add that by this point my breathing had normalized and I was sure I was absolutely losing my mind and they were going to commit me to the psych ward.  So I head down, have my CT with contrast - that was weird - and get back to my room.  The doctor treating me came in pretty quickly and said "Well, there's a reason you've been having trouble breathing." I had multiple blood clots on both sides of my lungs.  I asked my internal medicine doctor today if he knew how many and he said something like not the most but not a few either.  Whatever that means - ha!

I was admitted to the Clinical Decision Unit and got started on Lovenox injections and got my first dose of warfarin - as well as a pantoprazole - is that standard for all patients hospital friends?  Jeremy went home and got me a few things and came back to sleep in the-most-uncomfortable-recliner-in-the history-of-the-world beside me.  Have I mentioned he's the best husband ever?  Yeah, he is.  We got about 4 hours of sleep and then I started having tests in the morning. 

I had a couple more blood draws and then went for a vascular ultrasound where they checked the blood flow in my legs and made sure there weren't any more clots.  Then I went for an echocardiogram which is an ultrasound of the heart.  They made sure there weren't any clots stuck in my heart and checked all the valves and probably a million other things I don't even know about. 

Everything checked out so the internal medicine doctor gave me the option of going home.  He said usually they make people stay while they get their INR (the level the check to see how thick/thin your blood is) stabilized and then they let you go home.  I basically had to pinky swear I would go to my doctor every day to get my blood checked and I would promise to do my injections.  Of course I will!  Let me out! 

So here's the low down: The clots are still in my lungs.  I'm taking two blood thinners to make sure they don't get any bigger.  I will have to take one blood thinner (warfarin) for the rest of my life.  The clots will eventually dissolve and I'll be good as new!  And hopefully I never have another one!

Christmas and My New Job

We had a wonderful Christmas!  I hope you all did too!  

Ben and Ainsley were spoiled by everyone and got so many cute gifts, toys and clothes.  Their "big" gifts from Santa were their "iPads" which are really Kindle Fires.  They just call them iPads because Mommy and Daddy have iPads.  They love to watch PBS kids on them.  Let me know what other apps your toddlers love.

They also got a Mega Block castle and an art easel with paper, chalkboard and whiteboard.  Santa left them a message on it but he must have been getting pretty tired from his busy night...

Jeremy and I weren't supposed to exchange gift because we pretty much get what we want anyway but I found this gem in my stocking...

It's the Naked 3 pallette and I'm in LOVE!

He also made me this thoughtful gift with the medal and my race bib from the Des Moines Half Marathon last October...

I absolutely love it and I'm going to display it at work in my cubicle...speaking of work...

I LOVE my new job.  Quick description: I review prior authorization requests for Iowa Medicaid.  So if a drug is not on Iowa Medicaid's formulary and a prescriber wants their patient to have it the have to send us a request for prior authorization.  I review the request as well as our criteria for the drug and the patient's history (ie what else have they tried to treat this condition) and determine if the therapy is appropriate.  While it was sometimes frustrating dealing with PAs in the retail pharmacy it's interesting to see it from this side.  Obviously it's also important to ensure we are appropriately managing the funds allocated to pay for prescriptions while also giving patients appropriate treatment.  It's a fine line and not always as black and white as I thought it would be. 

So here's me listening to my music while I work.  I love being able to listen to my music and it keeps me focused otherwise I start listening to other people's conversations...which are usually one-sided since they're on the phone.  

I happened to take this picture to share with Jeremy how much I was enjoying myself some One Direction. Ha!

I hope everyone is having a great week and have a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Back to Blogging

So I've been having trouble getting my iPhone to automatically (or manually for that matter) back up pictures to Google+ which is how I get them to this here blog.  Hence, no blog for awhile.

It has somehow miraculously started working.  No idea how.  So let have a blog post, shall we?

As many of you know we had some major sewage/plumbing/flooding of uour basement issues this past weekend.  Sunday it was nice to snuggle up with my loves.

This is a #ReasonsMyKidIsCrying picture, you just can't tell she's crying because she wouldn't look at me.  But she's crying because I wouldn't let her wipe her privates with Lysol wipes.  Seriously.

 A friend of ours wrote a children's book!  How cool is that?!  I feel like we know a celebrity!

This sweet boy took a little road trip with his daddy to Minneapolis to go see his doctor there to follow up about his Botox.  His doctor was pleased with his response and was impressed with how much he's pulling up to stand and walking with assistance!  Here's a video of him getting brave and letting go of the coffee table...

Jeremy found this stuck on a sweater (he clearly hadn't worn for a couple years).  What a memory.  We got these stickers every day when we went down to the NICU when the babies were there.  Seems so long ago but also like it just happened.  Weird how that is...

Well, I have lots more to share but I won't do it all at once!  Yay for blogging again!

Half Marathon

I ran my first half marathon!  This was a bucket list type thing for me and I decided I wasn't getting any younger so I signed up...last MARCH.  I knew I had to sign up early so that I would train for it.  Running is NOT something that comes easy to me.  I actually hate it.  Or at least I did.  I would literally cry when it was time to do the dreaded mile run in school.  I'm just not a natural born runner.  It's hard for me.

So anyway, I decided to do this and when I decide to do something it usually gets done.  I'm pretty stubborn.

I started with the Couch to 5k running program.  I had done that the previous year and I feel like it's a great way to ease into running.  I quickly abandoned it this time though because I was overwhelmed by the fact that I had to eventually run thirteen MILES and it was hard, starting out at least, to run thirteen MINUTES.  So I just kind of ran and did what I could and gradually increased the running and decreased the walking.  I honestly didn't stick to a rigid training schedule.  I only ran a max of three days a week.  This last couple months I usually only ran twice a week - one long run and a shorter run.  I do however like Hal Higdon's training plans and when I do the next one I'll try to follow his training schedule a little closer.

The most I ran before the race was 10 miles.  It was a good run too but the last couple miles were hard so I was pretty nervous coming up around 8 miles on race day.  I hadn't walked...at all...at that point though and so I decided that if I had made it that far I could make it the rest of the way.  Running is, for me at least, more of a mental game than a physical one.  It's about THINKING you can do something.

I started to wear out around mile eleven.  It was uphill back into downtown and it took me awhile to settle down my breathing.  Then about mile twelve we saw a runner passed out cold on the side of the road.  Emergency services hadn't even got there yet, it had just happened.  It was so scary.  You could tell she passed out while running and she fell and hit her head on the pavement.  I'm so praying she is alright.

That last mile was H.A.R.D.  I was out of energy and just trying to power through.  I had to focus everything I had on running and continuing forward momentum.  Jeremy was giving me so much encouragement and telling me I was doing a great job every couple minutes.  At one point I told him to stop because I couldn't reply since I was so out of energy and conserving every drop and was feeling bad that he was encouraging me but I couldn't say anything back.  I'd regret that later...

I seriously wish they had every 10th marked on the last mile.  I NEEDED to know where I was at and unfortunately I forgot to start my Garmin at the start line and didn't remember until about six tenths of a mile into the race.  This was probably due to the fact that I was having trouble with my music and spent the first half mile running and trying to figure out why my music wouldn't play.  Likely the result of a new phone AND headphones the week of the race.  But eventually all my "gear" was working and my panic attack ended - ha!

So I ran out of music about mile 12.  I decided not to bother restarting and just focus on the crowd and my surroundings.  Let's talk for a second about the signs people had.  People are so creative!

Run like you stole something!

Run now.  Poop later.  Never trust a fart.

Smile if you're not wearing underwear.

This parade sucks!  Where's the candy?  

Where are you all going?

The person who finishes this race is not
the same person who started it.  

I don't know you but I'm proud of you.  

(This one seriously made me tear up)

I loved all the signs.  I loved all the people with cow bells - love me some cow bell!  I loved all the kids (and adults) who gave me high fives.  Seriously, high fives are the best.  I loved seeing my friends as we were going into Waterworks park and they were coming out.  I loved talking with strangers around us as we ran.  I loved that there was freaking Red Bull...while we were running.  I loved all the music and bands along the way.  I loved running along side my husband and spending two and a half hours of time together, just the two of us.  I loved how he kept telling me he was having so much fun.  I loved that I *didn't* throw up...it was touch and go for awhile before I started.  I loved that there were so many older runners around us.  I'm slow so we were definitely with the older crowd but one lady was celebrating her 53rd birthday...running a freaking half MARATHON!  I want to be her.  

So basically, I loved this race and I think I'll do it again.  I can't believe I'm saying that.  Six weeks ago I said, out loud, that after this race I was never running again in my life.  Then my long runs clicked.  And eight miles felt good!  And now I'm a runner I guess.  A runner that runs like a herd of turtles through peanut butter...but a runner nonetheless.  

As we crossed the finish line (at a 6:22 pace - what?!) the lady who finished right behind us had to tell Jeremy thank you for encouraging me.  She knew he was talking to me and helping me through the last mile but it really helped her keep going too.  And then I felt like a tool.  Seriously, that Jeremy's a keeper.  I don't deserve him but I'll hang on tooth and nail and hope he doesn't find that out.

My goal was truly to finish but I was sort of hoping for a 2:30 finish time.  I finished in 2:38:49.  I was dissapointed for about 3 seconds until I remember I just ran THIRTEEN POINT FREAKING ONE miles and I NEVER walked.  Now I have something to work towards!

A huge congratulations to my BFF Kelly and her husband Steve who PR'd and finished in 1:58:57.  Also to my friend Matt who ran the FULL marathon and beat his goal time be a freaking half HOUR!  Who does that?!  Props to Audrey, Greg (who was one of those crazy pacers - how the heck to they hold those signs the whole time?!), and Dena who are all amazing, inspirational runners.  And congratulations to EVERYONE who finished!

Sunday Funday

What an AWESOME Sunday!

We slept in...until 7am for me - ha!  Ben slept until about 7:30am and Ainsley until 8am.  Though when I went in to check on her because she NEVER sleeps that late she was laying in her crib reading a book she had taken to bed with her Saturday night.  They were TIRED from all the birthday festivities!

We got up and drove to The Machine Shed to get cinnamon rolls to take home...since 3 out of 4 of us were still in our pajamas.  Their cinnamon rolls are DELICIOUS!

Then we put together the wagon Ben and Ainsley got for their birthday then we got cleaned up (and dressed) and headed to Ledges State Park with a picnic lunch.  

 

After lunch we walked around the park for awhile.  It was a BEAUTIFUL day!

 

Before we left we had to have a potty break...I'm thinking this will be PERFECT for graduation in 16 years.  There was no way I was taking a two year old in the port-a-potty.  It drives me nuts when they can't keep their hands off OUR toilet...if she touched that toilet I would have thrown up. 

Then we had to stop again....

We hung out with the neighbors this afternoon and drove our new Escalade.  They haven't quite figured out how to drive it yet but I'm sure they'll be cruising soon!  We're so thankful for this awesome gift we got from my former boss since his boys had outgrown it - I know A & B are going to get tons of use out of it!

We snuggled in with some popcorn for a viewing of The Little Mermaid, which they got for their birthday from Grandma Barb.  It's Mommy's favorite movie and I enthralled them with my captivating voice by singing along to all the songs...I'm sure they loved it. 

So thankful for this beautiful day and the beautiful people I got to spend it with!