Good Results To Report

We took Ava for the big test (VCUG) yesterday. It went pretty well (not going to count my parking nightmare), but most important is that she does not have any reflux or leaks going on, so yay and praise God! I was prayin' the whole trip down, and praisin' the whole way back.

I say pretty well because we ended up doing it without any sedation. So, I'm glad they let you stay right there with them through the procedure. The people/person that gives the medication goes to conference at a certain time everyday and they didn't end up getting us back until too late. But, as it turns out, what they use is just something to calm them down, no sleep. I mean, I knew they wouldn't be using general anesthesia or anything, but I thought it would be a bit more. So, it wouldn't have been all that much help during the procedure. Plus, the patient has to peepee during part of the test, so they have to be somewhat awake. I had wondered about that, but just thought they had a different way to do that part.

Anyway, needless to say, she got pretty upset through parts of it. Mainly the start (I don't think I'd be too happy about that part either) and the end, when she refused to peepee on the table for them. She finally released a tiny bit, but the dr. said, being a girl (apparently with boys it's more critical to check) and that he didn't see any reflux, it wasn't as big a deal. She was pretty calm through the middle, watching the screen as they filled her bladder to a small balloon. The nurses and dr. were very good with her the whole time. My promise/bribe to go play at Chick Fil A afterwards didn't work out quite so well. Unfortunately, the play area was closed, so we took her to Toys R Us where she got a nice toy. Oh, and no more antibiotic every night!

Thank you for your prayers! We're just glad it's finally over and done with.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 7th anniversary, can't believe it! It seems like just yesterday I was running around trying to get everything done for our wedding. I only had a few months. We were engaged on Jan. 18th and married on April 6th. Don't ask me now why we were in such a hurry. I know one small reason was I didn't want it to get too hot as in June and didn't want to wait til fall I guess. And apparently absolutely couldn't wait the usual full year. We were in luuuuuve (still very much today). And I could not wait to move out, I was 24!

Of course, I also remember the few things that didn't turn out perfect (like my flowers, the grooms cake, and the bodice on my dress), but overall it was one of the best days of my life. I married a really great guy, might even say my "soul-mate".

Kevin crying, awwwwh

What's Been Goin' On

First, this computer is about to get the best of me, but I aint gonna let it! Maybe one great day I'll get a new one.
Next, Kevin's CT came back pretty much normal. He just has fatty liver, which we pretty much already figured, even back a few years ago when he had weird liver levels. He just needs to lose weight to help that. He's, of course, not doing everything he's supposed to with the diabetes, but we're working on it.
Ava has her test next week. We had to reschedule it once because they scheduled it for a day Kevin couldn't go. Please pray for no reflux, or at least not enough to worry about. She's still taking the antibiotic everyday for now. I've been letting her eat tons of yogurt to combat any yeast problems.

We were in Collierville last week for several days to take my little brother to work while my parents were out of town. It turned into a little vacation for Ava. We went to some places we don't get to down here. Played at Chick fil A for a while, saw Monsters vs Aliens at the movies (which surprisingly she kept the 3-d glasses on and was never squirmy), and went to Chuck E Cheese. We also, of course, made the Target trip I always have to squeeze in while up there.

It's been storming off and on here all day today. But yesterday we did manage to out to the McDonalds play place. I would much rather take her to the park, but it rained the day before so it was too muddy. It takes forever for the parks to dry out around here. I met a couple of interesting ladies while there. One gave me her card with email address (and etsy site addresses). I may just keep in touch with her. She lives in Tupelo, but comes here every few months. Hey, I take whatever friends I can make around here.

Speaking of Etsy, I may just start my own little place on there. I've been making hair clippies for a while now, but just figured there was too much competition out there. I have a little different thing I do with mine. So we'll see. But isn't that one of the greatest sites ever? It seems to have really grown so quickly.

Ok I'm off to make supper, chicken pot pie. Yum, I hope.

Now An Update On Sweet BooBoo

And that's our nickname for Ava (not that she was a boo boo, not really sure how that started). We found out today she did indeed have an actual kidney infection, not just bladder. So, she will have to have the tests I mentioned before. We will soon be going to the pediatric urologist because there's no way I'm making her go through the VCUG without sedation. Of course, we will be praying it shows no reflux, but if it does, she may have to have surgery to correct it later on. But I'm not gonna worry about that right now.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
She did great for the pee-pee cup today. She was actually excited to do it. I had been pumping her up about it for a few days so she wouldn't be hesitant. After the appointment, she got a little "toy surprise" as she calls it (mainly because she doesn't consider any food items a surprise). That was also because she did so well during the very long diabetic teaching appointment for Kevin yesterday.
Wow, so much at one time! But we'll make it, one day/appointment at a time.
But also, like I've read/heard before and agree, God does give us more than we can handle sometimes. He just never gives us more than He can handle. When we feel too weak to bare it all, it is His strength that gets us through when we seek Him at those toughest times.
"...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2Corinthians 12:9

Little Update On My Sweet Babah

That's my nickname for Kevin (long story). He was feeling better over the weekend, so thank you to those that prayed for him. The doubling up on medicine must have kicked in too. I hate that he has to do that right now, and I hope they don't put him on shots today at the diabetic clinic. I hope once he feels even better he can start exercising more and watch his diet to get it down to where he won't even have to take anything. And, of course, I'm still hoping getting that gallbladder out will help bring down that glucose too (and get rid of his pain).
For now, we'll take it one day at a time and trust God to get us back to normal soon.

Rollercoaster Week

That's what it has felt like this past week. We have been in and out of dr.'s offices all week. We still don't know everything that could be going on with Kevin. They do know part of the problem has been his glucose levels are suddenly way too high. Which when they sent him to the ophthalmologist about his eyes is what they attributed the blurriness and pain to (the internist's office actually called to have him rush back over while we at the eye center when they discovered how high his sugar was). It seemed inevitable he could eventually have to face diabetes since both parents have/had it. We were hoping to keep it at bay several more years. So, they put him on medication for it. It's just weird since it has always been at a good number til now. He had to have an ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder, which showed he has gallstones. They couldn't get a good picture of the liver they said, so he may have to have a CT.
He is still feeling pretty bad most of the time, including his eyes are not any better. We have more appointments next week, so hopefully we'll get it all figured out and treated. So, please continue the prayers for him.

I had to reschedule Ava's follow-up twice last week, and it's now Tuesday. She's still doing fine, but I guess we'll find out then if she has to have more tests. I may ask them to go ahead and do her shots to get them over with.

Today Ava and I got outside for a while for her to ride her scooter. What a difference in the weather from last Saturday. Looks like we're gonna have to go shorts shopping.
And I promise to try not to complain about the heat too much this year.

Prayer S.O.S.!

Ava had a really good birthday, I'll try to post pictures soon (I did manage a backyardigans cake, barely). But then the week took a bad turn for her while we were in Collierville to see mimi and pops, and go to Chuck E Cheese.
On Tuesday she started burning every time she went pee-pee. So, of course, I immediately thought UTI (even though she actually had no other symptoms). She already had an appointment for Wednesday for her 4yr check up, so we had to trade shots for a pee pee cup and blood work. It did show she has an infection, and apparently they take them a little more serious when the child is under 8. So, she may actually have to have some further testing. For now, they will do a culture on the urine and there's more to come back on the blood, then they'll let us know about other tests when she goes back this Wednesday.
Those may include a renal ultrasound just to make sure the kidneys look normal, and then a VCUG-the one I really am not looking forward to. That involves a cath (basically looks for kidney reflux), so we'll have the option of going to a ped. urologist and having it done with sedation. They do it at the office here, but no sedation. Uhm, I don't think so. She remembers things too well now (not to mention having to watch her go through it), there's no way I'm putting her through that kind of trauma awake. They're done pretty commonly, though, because getting infections this young and if they reoccur often can cause scarring in the kidneys later on.

Please pray for us everything comes back okay, and no further tests are needed. As of right now, the antibiotic they put her on seems to be helping because she has had no more burning since Friday. That along with all the cranberry juice I've been giving her (I think she may start looking like the cranberry version of the blueberry girl on Willy Wonka soon).

Aaaand, Kevin, my sweet hubby, needs your prayers too. We're not sure what's going on exactly, but he's had some weird symptoms since Thursday. I really think his thyroid is out of whack and his medicine he just started a few months ago might need adjusting. At least I hope that's all it is. He's just very lethargic, very blurred vision, thirsty, and a little lack in appetite. I'm concerned it could be his glucose levels too, although he's not diabetic as of now. He thinks the blurry vision could be optic nerve inflammation because they hurt at times and feel tired. I'm going to call early in the morning and see if they'll work him in at his internist.

So, it looks like I will be clinging to one of my favorites this week, Psalm 46, that starts with "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble". I actually have that first line on a fortune cookie-size piece of paper in my car's ashtray that I got attached to a flower pen at a women's conference a few years ago. I remember I wanted to hold onto it, so to keep up with it at the time I put in there. I like that I can pull it out every now and then when I'm sitting in the car. I may just have to put it in my pocket for the next few weeks.