rain on tulips

Got the teens cell phones. Good idea or bad, haven’t decided yet. Lots of texting and ringtone generating going on around here. (Who me? Play around with ringtones??? LOL)

We’re supposed to be on our way driving boys out to WashJam. But we aren’t. I got hit with some mean (though short-lived) food-poisoning something last night, and this morning I feel as though I’ve been run over, then they backed up and ran over me again, by a very large truck. Fuul stayed up with me (yes, I’m very thankful!), but then he stayed up the rest of the night playing XBox.

I need a shower. We really ought to be moving. I want to lay in bed and play with my new phone (I did figure out how to email/text myself the mp3 I wanted to use as a ringtone yesterday, but there’s so many more things to do with it!) and knit Fuul’s second sock (that’s been on hold forever) so I’ll be ready to knit my new hoodie when the yarn arrives today or Monday.

And I need to buy diapers today. That one is an absolute must. And I guess getting boys out to WashJam, too. Maybe I should see about hitting the shower and see where things go from there.

waiting for a little girl to wake up from sedation from her latest mri… this one is supposed to be just a followup, but i’ve learned not to hold my breath. followups never seem to be just followups. we ought to know more today, tho, as we are scheduled to see the referring dr later this afternoon.

Update: This was the worst wake-up EK has ever had from anesthesia; I think it was a combination of the anesthesia and just not wanting to be at the hospital, but she was grumpy for a good hour and a half, right up until we were walking out to the car, then she was all smiles!

As far as the follow-up goes: the syrinx on her spine is holding steady, which is good news (it’s not relocating or expanding). The cysts that were seen in her brain when she was younger are no longer visible, also good news. She does not have Agenesis of the Corpus Colossum (a common occurrance in 1p36 kids where a central piece of the brain fails to develop), which is fantastic news. She may have a slight Chiari Malformation (where part of the brain matter extends down into the spinal canal), which is definitely blocking some spinal fluid flow, but not totally impeding it, and needs to be watched/monitored, which is not so good news, but not horrible news. If it becomes worse in the future, it is surgically repairable, which is good news.

In the meantime, we take her home (with a detour to Burger King and a hamburger and a strawberry milkshake) and bring her back for a followup in a year!

I swear it ought to be midmorning now, but its after four.

I’ve gotten up and showered and cleaned the kitchen (mostly) and helped clean up the family room and run two loads of laundry (wet scouting 50-mile-hike ooginess — *shudder*).

I’ve sent one kid off to an all-day playdate with a friend and walked to the grocery store with the others for milk and tomato sauce and soda and corn chips.

I’ve put chicken chili in the crockpot and cajoled kids to do their jobs before they play xbox.

I’ve worked on cleaning my bedroom in 5-minute stints — so as not to get overwhelmed — and changed diapers and swept floors.

I’ve signed up to be a contributing writer to a newsletter for parents of kids with 1p36 Deletion Syndrome and thought some about what I should work on for my first article, then I signed up for a knit-a-long to work on a sweater that I’ve had the pattern and yarn for for more than a year.

Yet I feel like the day should be just starting. I feel like there should be hours and hours ahead of me.

I feel like I need a nap!

After driving across Washington, Idaho, a night in Montana, driving into Wyoming, a night in Idaho, a night in Wyoming, and driving back across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, I’m home again. The kids seem happy to see me. Fuul seems relieved (and tired?).

Heading off to bed. Took lots of pictures from the funeral and the trip home (should have taken more from the trip out) that I will try to get posted in the next few days as time allows.

Meantime *yawn* goodnight!

Got an early-ish start this morning. Will head over to Wyoming to pick up my aunt before we finally arrive at the funeral location at another point in Idaho later today. Trip is going well. (Glad for free wifi hotspots!)

Not where we are ultimately headed, but its a good stopover point. Will continue on tomorrow. So far its been a decent trip: a stop at Walmart, a stop at a railroad museum, candy at a gas station, dinner at Denny’s. Did some knitting: finished the first sock of a new pair I’m doing for Fuul, but for Kitchenering the toe, and started a new pair for me. I figure if I get them finished/started while we are stopped for the night, they will be easier to work on while we drive tomorrow.

Off to check up on the email (can’t do that on the road) and see what people have to say about day one of Sock Summit (wish I were there!), then I’ll head off to bed!

Miss all my kids, and especially my Fuul!

The heat wave has broken.

And I ought to be up and packing to go to a funeral.

I’m a little scared. I’m going away for four days with my parents to my great-grandma’s funeral, and I’m leaving Fuul at home with all the kids. I know the kids will be ok, but the makeup work on my job when I get home may just do me in!

Hoping to use the knitting time to make up for the chaos that will await my return.