OK, I finally have details that I can share.  The good news is that Evie's condition is improved today.  She is still very, very ill.  But compared to yesterday, there's improvement!

It seems that her small intestine has decided it doesn't want to play nice.  So she has a considerable bowel blockage. 

Currently, they are using her tummy tube to drain out her bowels as well as an NG tube (a tube running in through her nose and down into her bowels) to help drain her bowels out.  It could all be drained in 24 hours or it could be 2 weeks. 

They HOPE this will sufficiently drain everything and that her small intestine will decide to play nice once the pressure of all the blockage is off.  If it does not, they will have to re-evaluate what to do from here. 

I didn't get to talk to Evie herself, but she was talking in the background and actually cracking some funnies while Ms. Jan was giving me the update.  So even though her condition is still extremely serious, her spirits are up right now. 

Please continue to keep her in your prayers.  Even though her condition is much improved from this time yesterday, she is still very, very ill.  Please continue to lift up her family as they have to watch their mom, wife, and daughter go through this. 

Thank you all for your continued prayers for our Ev!  I told Ms. Jan to assure her that all our love, support and prayers were with her! 

When I hear more, I will share!

Amy again.............

I just got off the phone with Evie's mom.  Evie's condition has stabilized.  She will still spend the night in ICU to be monitored.  When I spoke with Ms. Jan, Evie had just drifted off to sleep so she's getting some very much needed rest.  Ms. Jan is staying with her tonight.  She said she will give me an update tomorrow when they know more. 

Hi all!  Amy here!

Evie's mom called me a bit ago and asked me to let everyone that Evie is back in the hospital.  I don't have a lot of details other than Evie asked her mom to take her to the hospital after having some not-great days this week.  I don't have a lot of details other than that Evie's condition is such that she is in ICU at this time.  They can have NO visitors.  Her mom and dad were at the hospital and a pastor from their church.  But they weren't IN with her because she's in ICU at this time.  So please pray!  I will update as I can!

I'm so sorry to not have checked in for a while.  I don't think about it, and I have to remember that you guys might start panicking.

The weekend was fun.  Or was it?  What did we do?  Hmmm... Saturday, I slept in.  Mama and Daddy came down for a while.  Daddy brought his gifts from his recent trip to Australia.  Ciera spent a second weekend sick. But she went to the doc yesterday, and she has a sinus infection.  He also gave her cough medicine which isn't so much working.  Last night, Meleia came to the couch about 11:30.  Said she couldn't sleep

I'm in a pain crisis again.  My bag emptied early on Monday Morning (5:35), and I didn't have a backup.  So we got behind, and I haven't quite caught up.  Other bodily functions are having trouble catching up as well.  So, today, on a day that should be a "good day," I'm not having so much of a good day.

But I've definitely had worse days.

OK, out of here to move into the bathroom...

Sorry... I didn't mean to not check in for this long.

Meleia did not have to quit the musical.  It's over, no changing of minds, she's in the play, she has her part.  She has to work her tail off, but she's in it. Ciera committed to going to Meleia's rehearsals that Meleia can't go to and learning and teaching Meleia's part.

I've had a decent week pain and energy wise.  Went to the office yesterday.  Walking is getting worse and worse.  I have a walker coming today.  I have been using a cane, but it still puts a lot of weight on the bad leg, and right now, I can't put anything on that bad leg.  No weight at all.  So I become an old woman and get a walker.  Actually, I can't wait.  I want to be able to get around better at home.

Pain doc came today and said that I was flyin'.  He was very pleased with my progress. He's going to make certain that I have all of the meds that I need for our trip including some extra to help with my energy level.

It is a beautiful Colorado Fall day.  My friend, Tracy, is here.  She took the kids to school and is now out getting lunch and running an errand or two for me.  She's a good friend.  I'm very blessed with good friends.  It's nice to have someone just sitting here when I'm working.  I can talk and visit if I want, or work if I want.

ONE MONTH TO DISNEY!!!  I'm getting very excited.  I have to make some phone calls for my "special needs" on the airplane and we'll be good to go!

Happy Thursday!  And I'll talk to you later!

So, remember the cootie that Ciera has?  She's still running a fever, has deep, dark bags under her eyes, and can't stop coughing.

But I'm a mean mother because I wouldn't let her go to a friend's house today.  Evidently the friend has the same cootie, so they can't get each other sick, right? UGH!  We rarely tell her "no."  But I said no today, and I am SO NOT FAIR.  Oh well...

Meleia had volleyball practice today.  And she worked out the whole practice.  I thought she might participate in a drill or two, but she decided that if she was going to be on the team, she was going to push through the pain and really practice.  And she evidently did great.  They played a scrimmage and the coach put her in.  She also had several drills that had to do with aim, and she said she did better than ever before.  She may actually get to play tomorrow.  Coach may want to see one more practice first, but I forsee her getting to play sometime this week.

Which is good, because she's probably going to have to quit the musical.  The director decided to make a "manditory rehearsal weekend" the ONE weekend that she can't be there in October due to volleyball.  I'm ticked, because the adults in this have really screwed Meleia over.  They told her that she could try to do both, we got the buy-in from the volleyball coaches, and NOW they're telling her that she can't do both.  Two weeks into practicing.  Two weeks into her getting excited about accomplishing this.

I'm a bit ticked.  But it's not worth picking a fight with the director.

However, we have to have the talk with Meleia still.  She's going to cry.  She's probably going to scream.  She's going to be more ticked off than we are.

What she doesn't know is that she's already missing 2 games for the fall break surprise, so we just don't feel like we can ask the coach to let her out of two more games for the play.  Ugh, I hate this.

Well, today was a good day.  I had the energy to get up, shower, get dressed and go to church.  Once there, a donut from the welcome table sounded good.  The service was wonderful, and it was so good to see folks.  Mike is starting a series on The Sermon on the Mount, and today, we went through the beattitudes.  Because of that, we sang some really neat songs, and 3 old hymns that had been modernized.

The hardest for me to get through was "It is Well With My Soul."  I have to continuously remind myself that no matter what is going on, it is truly well with my soul.

After church, Arby's sounded good to me.  So that's where we went.  I ate half of a Beef and Cheddar sandwich!  I also snagged 3 french fries, and about 2 ounces of Ciera's strawberry banana milkshake.  Can you believe I ate all that??!?!?!

We came home and this afternoon, I also ate a small bag of Dorito's.  I had a pudding snack, and one small piece of pepperoni pizza for lunch.

What is going on with this appetite???  I mean, it's a good thing, but no wonder they can't get my Coumadin levels evened out.

Then, tonight, I went on an ebay book buying spree.  I knew that I wanted to buy The Kingdom of the Cults because Meleia has been asking some questions about Scientology (thanks Entertainment Tonight), and I don't remember enough.  I also needed a shower chair so that I don't have to stand in the shower. But then, I bought 4 different "Mom's Memories" books.  One for each kid.  And of course, then I had to buy a pretty blouse I saw.  You should always stop me from doing a "Coldwater Creek" search.

I know I've talked about my "Dream Hallucinations" before.  But today, I'm having a real problem with them.  It's like I'll remember something that didn't happen, but in my mind, it's clear enough for me to talk about it.  I've actually cried over it twice today, because it's so wierd.  How do I give you an example?  OK, the last one.  I was sitting in my chair, and was drifting a bit to sleep.  The Honda or Mazda "Mr. Opportunity" ad came on.  I hate that ad. In my drifting, Mr. Opportunity was shown with a cow selling him milk.  NOW, that is NOT what happens in that ad.  Meleia asked me why I hated that ad so much (because I usually complain when it comes on), and I said, "Well, for starters, why does he buy milk from a talking cow?"  She and Ciera just stared at me for about 3 seconds and then started laughing and said, WHAT?  And I said, "wait, what commercial were we just watching?"  When they told me, I got really upset.  Because as plain as day, there was a cow in that stinkin' commercial in my head.  I am having to filter everything that comes out of my mouth because 1/3 of it doesn't make sense.  Ugh.  I know I'm on a bunch of drugs, and the combination is enough to cause me to have wierd dreams and such.  But it's so aggravating!!!

And Ciera has her first cootie of the school year!  She called a few friends tonight, and it looks like everyone who was at play practice yesterday morning has the same cootie bug. She aches from head to toe and is running a low grade fever.  We wouldn't let her go to church this morning.

Does anyone know how to "care for" fresh peas?  Our garden is giving an abundance of peas, and Paul wants them to stay "fresh."  I know that before freezing them we need to blanch them, but neither of us knows exactly what that means.  Help?

Have a wonderful Labor Day, all!