Blowhole in Maui, a set on Flickr.
Our trip to the Nakalele Blowhole in West Maui.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Trip to the Nakalele Blowhole
Kirk and I started the day at 7:00 AM with a nice mile and a half walk. It is SO nice to get up early and walk in shorts and short sleeves. We followed that with a yummy breakfast at the unit of ham and eggs.
We wanted to explore more of the island so we drove Highway 30 in West Maui today to reach the Nakalele Blowhole. We started on the Wailuku side and wound our way around. This drive was amazing and unnerving at the same time. Much of the trip is alongside the mountain with no shoulder and room for only one car. The views were extraordinary. We passed the Blowhole but doubled back after we realized it, and it was well worth it. We hiked in over the most interesting volcanic rock formations and were rewarded with crashing surf and water spouting 60 feet into the air. The weather was lovely, and the ocean spray cooled us off.
We were all quite hungry after the drive and hike and ended up at a pizza place that was ho-hum at best, so that was a bit disappointing... Upon our return to the Worldmark Jake and Martin took Katie down to the pool for some water time; they can't get enough of that!
We wanted to explore more of the island so we drove Highway 30 in West Maui today to reach the Nakalele Blowhole. We started on the Wailuku side and wound our way around. This drive was amazing and unnerving at the same time. Much of the trip is alongside the mountain with no shoulder and room for only one car. The views were extraordinary. We passed the Blowhole but doubled back after we realized it, and it was well worth it. We hiked in over the most interesting volcanic rock formations and were rewarded with crashing surf and water spouting 60 feet into the air. The weather was lovely, and the ocean spray cooled us off.
We were all quite hungry after the drive and hike and ended up at a pizza place that was ho-hum at best, so that was a bit disappointing... Upon our return to the Worldmark Jake and Martin took Katie down to the pool for some water time; they can't get enough of that!
Friday, March 09, 2012
Exploring the beach in Kihei
Kirk and I enjoyed exploring the beach near our resort. It was an incredibly windy day, but lovely and warm nonetheless!
Loving the Tropics...
After an insanely long trip, we arrived in a stormy and wet Maui on Wednesday night. It was pouring at the airport, but once we headed toward Kihei the weather dried up. We were tired but very happy to enjoy the warm air after frigid AK temperatures!
Our first day involved a trip to Costco. I thought the Anchorage Costco was busy, but holy cow this place was hopping. We loaded up on groceries because eating out is way too expensive! It was fun to shop Costco because of all the distinctly Hawaiian products: Hershey's Kisses with macadamia nuts; a totally yummy tray of poke and ahi sashimi; Hawaiian bread...
After Costco we hit the adjoining Krispy Kreme, which had the light on to show that fresh donuts were coming off the line. I indulged in a sweet, warm glazed donut. It was SO good... Katie had a ball watching the donuts go through their cooking process.
It was pouring rain again, so we headed back to Kihei. Jake's girlfriend's family (the Rusts) had arrived at the beach across from our resort, and he was anxious to meet up with them. After unloading the groceries we suited up and started the arduous 3 minute journey to the beach. :-)
Although it was windy as can be, the kids hopped into the water and encouraged Kirk and me to join them. The water was warm and salty and fun. The sand on the beach is incredibly fine and soft, and Kirk and I took a walk after swimming. The sun peeked out of the clouds several times, and we were feeling pretty darn happy...
Kiera, Jamison, and Logan stayed with us after our beach adventures and continued their swimming fun in the pool at our resort, giving their parents some nice "alone" time. Katie was tickled! We feasted on burgers and salmon and nachos and poke and veggies, and then we took an evening walk. The kids ended up spending the night afterward because there were flash flood warnings throughout Maui, and the Rusts' didn't want to risk the drive. We have plenty of room, so that was no big deal at all. Katie got to have a sleepover with Kiera; she was again quite pleased!
It's breakfast time now, so I am heading off to the table to eat. We are relaxed, warm, and happy as can be! I'll post an update soon!
Our first day involved a trip to Costco. I thought the Anchorage Costco was busy, but holy cow this place was hopping. We loaded up on groceries because eating out is way too expensive! It was fun to shop Costco because of all the distinctly Hawaiian products: Hershey's Kisses with macadamia nuts; a totally yummy tray of poke and ahi sashimi; Hawaiian bread...
After Costco we hit the adjoining Krispy Kreme, which had the light on to show that fresh donuts were coming off the line. I indulged in a sweet, warm glazed donut. It was SO good... Katie had a ball watching the donuts go through their cooking process.
It was pouring rain again, so we headed back to Kihei. Jake's girlfriend's family (the Rusts) had arrived at the beach across from our resort, and he was anxious to meet up with them. After unloading the groceries we suited up and started the arduous 3 minute journey to the beach. :-)
Although it was windy as can be, the kids hopped into the water and encouraged Kirk and me to join them. The water was warm and salty and fun. The sand on the beach is incredibly fine and soft, and Kirk and I took a walk after swimming. The sun peeked out of the clouds several times, and we were feeling pretty darn happy...
Kiera, Jamison, and Logan stayed with us after our beach adventures and continued their swimming fun in the pool at our resort, giving their parents some nice "alone" time. Katie was tickled! We feasted on burgers and salmon and nachos and poke and veggies, and then we took an evening walk. The kids ended up spending the night afterward because there were flash flood warnings throughout Maui, and the Rusts' didn't want to risk the drive. We have plenty of room, so that was no big deal at all. Katie got to have a sleepover with Kiera; she was again quite pleased!
It's breakfast time now, so I am heading off to the table to eat. We are relaxed, warm, and happy as can be! I'll post an update soon!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
In the Chair!
The nurse tells me that Ingrid spent some time in her chair yesterday. That's great news! (She wasn't reading yet, and many of you know that this is the true indicator that she's feeling better..) But moving to the chair is a good sign. If you are trying to call, call the main Providence number, ask for the Renal Care Unit, and ask the nurse to help you talk to her. She doesn't hear the phone.
If you come by to visit, and she is asleep, go ahead and wake her, unless the nurse tells you not to. She sleeps A LOT. She will want to see you, so try awakening her, even if you only can speak with her for a short time.
Other Henke Happenings? School began today! Katie is in her 4th grade class, and Jake had his final first day of school; he's psyched to be a senior. Wow! Where did the time go?
Late night edit:
I spent some time with mom this evening. She was alert and talkative (relatively) and seemed to be feeling stronger. She said her leg was feeling better, and, in fact, the surgeon came by while I was there, and he looked at the wound and said she is healing quite well. Half the staples should come out next week.
If you come by to visit, and she is asleep, go ahead and wake her, unless the nurse tells you not to. She sleeps A LOT. She will want to see you, so try awakening her, even if you only can speak with her for a short time.
Other Henke Happenings? School began today! Katie is in her 4th grade class, and Jake had his final first day of school; he's psyched to be a senior. Wow! Where did the time go?
Late night edit:
I spent some time with mom this evening. She was alert and talkative (relatively) and seemed to be feeling stronger. She said her leg was feeling better, and, in fact, the surgeon came by while I was there, and he looked at the wound and said she is healing quite well. Half the staples should come out next week.
Monday, August 08, 2011
Sleeping, sleeping...
I'm sitting with mom right now and thought I'd take moment to post a quick update. Mom is hooked to a pain medication pump as the leg pain is severe right now. In addition, she is being dialyzed pretty aggressively. Both of those conditions cause her to be loopy and really tired. If you have tried to call her, there's a good chance she did not know, as she is sleeping a lot. For those of you who have asked what you can pray for, please pray for the pain to ease and that the dialysis helps her calciphylaxis. And pray for doctors and for us all to have the wisdom to know what's best at each decision point. I've told mom about each of your messages and thoughts, and she appreciates you all so much, as do Kirk and I.
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Surgery on a Rainy Day...
The doctors decided to do mom's leg surgery today rather than Monday. She went into surgery around 1:00 PM and was finished at 3:30 PM. The surgeon said it went very well and she tolerated it surprisingly well. He said that surgery confirmed that this was the best decision; she had very little circulation in her lower leg anymore.
Mom is awake now and eating some crackers and her oh-so-yummy hospital dinner so she can take her pain pills; she is in quite a bit of pain. She is experiencing the weird sensation of feeling an itch on her foot...even though the foot isn't there anymore. Her vitals are good and her dressing is dry.
As always, we thank all of you for your comments, phone calls, and, most of all, your prayers.
Mom is awake now and eating some crackers and her oh-so-yummy hospital dinner so she can take her pain pills; she is in quite a bit of pain. She is experiencing the weird sensation of feeling an itch on her foot...even though the foot isn't there anymore. Her vitals are good and her dressing is dry.
As always, we thank all of you for your comments, phone calls, and, most of all, your prayers.
Thursday, August 04, 2011
Ingrid Update
First, thank you to ALL of you for your kind words, thoughts, wishes, and prayers. Mom appreciates them so much, as do Kirk and I. We are truly blessed by our wonderful family and friends.
The past few days have been a lot of waiting time. Mom has been seen by several different doctors for her various medical issues. Here's an update:
1. The issue that landed us in the hospital, the stomach pain, is currently being considered to be calcium deposits. This is apparently very hard to treat; the current treatment is to give mom an IV of sodium thiosulfate.
2. We still do not know why the peritoneal catheter is not working; the surgeon who placed it still has not come by to see her.
3. The podiatrist, nephrologist, and orthopedic surgeon have discussed mom's foot problem. Although there has been some healing, she has a lot of pain, and they say that the usual progression of things is that they would remove the partial toe as planned. Then, because she has so little circulation in her feet and lower leg, they would end up continuing to remove portions, trying to reach a place where tissue and circulation are healthy enough to heal. So they recommend removing her lower leg now. They asked mom to think about it and talk with family to make a decision. Mom told me tonight that she told the orthopedic surgeon that she agrees to have her lower leg removed. We are looking at probable surgery on Monday.
4. The discharge planner has started the process of applying for mom to transition to Providence Extended Care Center (PECC) when she finally is able to leave the hospital. She will certainly need rehab and physical therapy for her leg. In addition, if they are correct about their diagnosis of the calcium issue, it looks like this is a pretty serious disease that is difficult to treat.
I was asked today if mom is up to receiving visitors. The answer is "yes." Mom feels well and is up to visitors, she is just needing to stay in the hospital. She'd love to hear from and see friends.
Again, thanks so much for all your prayers.
The past few days have been a lot of waiting time. Mom has been seen by several different doctors for her various medical issues. Here's an update:
1. The issue that landed us in the hospital, the stomach pain, is currently being considered to be calcium deposits. This is apparently very hard to treat; the current treatment is to give mom an IV of sodium thiosulfate.
2. We still do not know why the peritoneal catheter is not working; the surgeon who placed it still has not come by to see her.
3. The podiatrist, nephrologist, and orthopedic surgeon have discussed mom's foot problem. Although there has been some healing, she has a lot of pain, and they say that the usual progression of things is that they would remove the partial toe as planned. Then, because she has so little circulation in her feet and lower leg, they would end up continuing to remove portions, trying to reach a place where tissue and circulation are healthy enough to heal. So they recommend removing her lower leg now. They asked mom to think about it and talk with family to make a decision. Mom told me tonight that she told the orthopedic surgeon that she agrees to have her lower leg removed. We are looking at probable surgery on Monday.
4. The discharge planner has started the process of applying for mom to transition to Providence Extended Care Center (PECC) when she finally is able to leave the hospital. She will certainly need rehab and physical therapy for her leg. In addition, if they are correct about their diagnosis of the calcium issue, it looks like this is a pretty serious disease that is difficult to treat.
I was asked today if mom is up to receiving visitors. The answer is "yes." Mom feels well and is up to visitors, she is just needing to stay in the hospital. She'd love to hear from and see friends.
Again, thanks so much for all your prayers.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Ingrid... A Medical Update
As many know, my mom's medical condition has been fragile at best the past couple of years, and especially so the past 10 months or so. We have been doing in home peritoneal dialysis since February, and overall it has gone well, although mom has had intermittent issues with low blood pressures and the symptoms that accompany that, and low appetite and decreasing leg strength. She had started using a walker at all times, and mobility was limited, but she was still able to get into the car, take care of herself at home, etc. The dialysis was going pretty well overall.
This summer she developed some sores on her left foot due to diabetic neuropathy. One of her toes was in pretty bad shape, and her heel developed a sore that was and is very slow to heal. We were looking at future surgery to remove part of her toe, and if the heel did not get better, perhaps her foot or lower leg.
About 10 days ago we ran in to further issues. Mom's peritoneal dialysis stopped working. An x-ray and CT scan did not reveal what the problem might be, and the surgeon who could do some exploratory surgery was out of town, as were her podiatrist and her nephrologist. So mom went in to place the catheter that would allow for hemodialysis while we waited. She started hemodialysis last Monday.
You may recall that the whole reason we started peritoneal dialysis was because hemo is not a good option for her. It lowers her blood pressure to the point that she is ill, and as a result they cannot be as aggressive with treatment as they need to be. She leaves hemo weak and ill, sleeping almost exclusively for the following 24 hours to recover. Her legs weaken, and she gets mentally confused.
Needless to say, last week was not good. From Wednesday on, she was unable to take the two steps it takes to get into our home; she was unable to walk to the restroom or to make herself food, and she had a hard time speaking, finding words, etc. We anxiously awaited the opportunity to find out why peritoneal is n't working, and whether we can get it working again, as we started using a wheelchair to get her around the house,installed a wheelchair ramp to be able to get her to dialysis, etc.
On Sunday morning mom woke up with severe pain in her lower abdomen, and a hard, red mass below her navel. The doctor told us to bring her to the hospital, where she was given an ultrasound and immediately placed on IV antibiotics and admitted to the Renal Care Unit, Room 258.
Her nephrologist is now back and saw her this morning. She is staying in the hospital for now to try and sort out the various issues that are going on, and to give her occupational and physical therapy to assist with her self-care issues.
It's believed that the mass in her stomach is an infection, and possibly calcium deposits. I do not know what the course of treatment for that is, yet.
The surgeon is supposed to have a consult with her this afternoon regarding the peritoneal catheter and finding out what is going wrong there.
The podiatrist needs to be consulted regarding how much of her toe/foot/leg needs to be amputated. The heel is getting better but is not completely better. I am very anxious about this particular item, and am hoping the podiatrist will be willing to continue to see if the heeling can complete. Amputation is scary and we are trying to avoid it at all costs...
I haven't been by to see mom yet this morning, but will be swinging by later today after work. We are relieved that she is receiving skilled care for the many issues that are plaguing her, and we are praying like crazy that the doctors make good informed choices and that mom can heal. We do think that we are looking at a stay at an extended care nursing facility once the urgent issues have been dealt with...
Your prayers are appreciated, and I know she'll love hearing from any and all who giver her a call. The number at Providence Hospital is 907-562-2211, Room 258.
I will post updates to this blog as I receive them, so that friends and relatives will know what is happening...
-Martina
This summer she developed some sores on her left foot due to diabetic neuropathy. One of her toes was in pretty bad shape, and her heel developed a sore that was and is very slow to heal. We were looking at future surgery to remove part of her toe, and if the heel did not get better, perhaps her foot or lower leg.
About 10 days ago we ran in to further issues. Mom's peritoneal dialysis stopped working. An x-ray and CT scan did not reveal what the problem might be, and the surgeon who could do some exploratory surgery was out of town, as were her podiatrist and her nephrologist. So mom went in to place the catheter that would allow for hemodialysis while we waited. She started hemodialysis last Monday.
You may recall that the whole reason we started peritoneal dialysis was because hemo is not a good option for her. It lowers her blood pressure to the point that she is ill, and as a result they cannot be as aggressive with treatment as they need to be. She leaves hemo weak and ill, sleeping almost exclusively for the following 24 hours to recover. Her legs weaken, and she gets mentally confused.
Needless to say, last week was not good. From Wednesday on, she was unable to take the two steps it takes to get into our home; she was unable to walk to the restroom or to make herself food, and she had a hard time speaking, finding words, etc. We anxiously awaited the opportunity to find out why peritoneal is n't working, and whether we can get it working again, as we started using a wheelchair to get her around the house,installed a wheelchair ramp to be able to get her to dialysis, etc.
On Sunday morning mom woke up with severe pain in her lower abdomen, and a hard, red mass below her navel. The doctor told us to bring her to the hospital, where she was given an ultrasound and immediately placed on IV antibiotics and admitted to the Renal Care Unit, Room 258.
Her nephrologist is now back and saw her this morning. She is staying in the hospital for now to try and sort out the various issues that are going on, and to give her occupational and physical therapy to assist with her self-care issues.
It's believed that the mass in her stomach is an infection, and possibly calcium deposits. I do not know what the course of treatment for that is, yet.
The surgeon is supposed to have a consult with her this afternoon regarding the peritoneal catheter and finding out what is going wrong there.
The podiatrist needs to be consulted regarding how much of her toe/foot/leg needs to be amputated. The heel is getting better but is not completely better. I am very anxious about this particular item, and am hoping the podiatrist will be willing to continue to see if the heeling can complete. Amputation is scary and we are trying to avoid it at all costs...
I haven't been by to see mom yet this morning, but will be swinging by later today after work. We are relieved that she is receiving skilled care for the many issues that are plaguing her, and we are praying like crazy that the doctors make good informed choices and that mom can heal. We do think that we are looking at a stay at an extended care nursing facility once the urgent issues have been dealt with...
Your prayers are appreciated, and I know she'll love hearing from any and all who giver her a call. The number at Providence Hospital is 907-562-2211, Room 258.
I will post updates to this blog as I receive them, so that friends and relatives will know what is happening...
-Martina
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Lazy Day of Web Browsing...
Kirk took Corry, Volker, Jake, Katie, and Brice up on a fishing day to Crescent and Cater Lakes. Although I had big plans to get a lot of laundry and other important work done, I have found myself enjoying quite time and reading at Ravelry and cleaning up my Gmail box. I am considering getting to work on the TKGA Master's 1 program, which I have been intending to do for a long time, because I certainly don't have enough to do!
Our visit with Anne and her lovely family was fun and far too short. My nephew Sam is just as adorable as can be, and I loved spending time with him. I do love babies so much. He is loaded with personality and curiosity. We did several fun things, and I hope Anne, Nick, and Sam enjoyed their visit. We hope to see them again soon (maybe at Christmas?)
Our visit with Anne and her lovely family was fun and far too short. My nephew Sam is just as adorable as can be, and I loved spending time with him. I do love babies so much. He is loaded with personality and curiosity. We did several fun things, and I hope Anne, Nick, and Sam enjoyed their visit. We hope to see them again soon (maybe at Christmas?)
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Rainy AK Day...
It was a rainy day today and everything is as green as can be. Seems like there was less wind, which was nice. Katie had a great soccer practice; she improves daily. Her confidence has really soared; it's a pleasure to watch her. What's more, she really enjoys herself out there: she has teammates who are her friends, and she is getting into being athletic.
Mom is doing fairly well; dialysis seems to be going fine. We are concerned about how much of her toe she is going to lose. Another trip to the podiatrist is scheduled for Thursday. She is at least getting blood to her feet again after last week's angioplasty.
I am on Day 11 of an iteration of South Beach Diet. I've had no sugar in that time, and a total of two pieces of bread. All other carbs have been veggies. Lots of protein. Although this is supposed to keep cravings at bay, for me it seems to not quite have that effect. I don't really think I have cravings, and not eating these things kind of makes me think of them...a lot. It seems that moderation might be a better approach, which is why I am pleased that I am close to the end of this "start-up" phase. I cannot imagine how people choose to do Phase 1 for longer. It is so hard to find food to eat.
I crave variety and some simplicity in making food. Hard to do when my palette is limited.(No, not palate. Palette.)
Kirk and I wanted to jump start our healthier eating plan this way, but do not intend to eat this way for long. I will say that Kirk craves the carbs way more than I do, and he really feels the effects of eating sugar. I am pleased to know that I have had the will power I've needed, and it makes me feel that I can use that will power when I move to a more relaxed approach.
What do I miss the most right now? Whole grain bread, rice, just having a more balanced plate. I love proteins, but they need a counterpart on the plate. And, surprisingly, I feel hungry when I don't have the carbs to balance the protein. Weird.
Most of all, I really, truly miss chocolate. Sugar fudgesicles and hot cocoa just don't do it for me.
I. Want. Chocolate.
Mom is doing fairly well; dialysis seems to be going fine. We are concerned about how much of her toe she is going to lose. Another trip to the podiatrist is scheduled for Thursday. She is at least getting blood to her feet again after last week's angioplasty.
I am on Day 11 of an iteration of South Beach Diet. I've had no sugar in that time, and a total of two pieces of bread. All other carbs have been veggies. Lots of protein. Although this is supposed to keep cravings at bay, for me it seems to not quite have that effect. I don't really think I have cravings, and not eating these things kind of makes me think of them...a lot. It seems that moderation might be a better approach, which is why I am pleased that I am close to the end of this "start-up" phase. I cannot imagine how people choose to do Phase 1 for longer. It is so hard to find food to eat.
I crave variety and some simplicity in making food. Hard to do when my palette is limited.(No, not palate. Palette.)
Kirk and I wanted to jump start our healthier eating plan this way, but do not intend to eat this way for long. I will say that Kirk craves the carbs way more than I do, and he really feels the effects of eating sugar. I am pleased to know that I have had the will power I've needed, and it makes me feel that I can use that will power when I move to a more relaxed approach.
What do I miss the most right now? Whole grain bread, rice, just having a more balanced plate. I love proteins, but they need a counterpart on the plate. And, surprisingly, I feel hungry when I don't have the carbs to balance the protein. Weird.
Most of all, I really, truly miss chocolate. Sugar fudgesicles and hot cocoa just don't do it for me.
I. Want. Chocolate.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Home In Time for the New Year!
After much waiting around and miscommunication with various members of the health care profession, we finally got mom home yesterday evening. She is using a walker for stability, and she is very easily tired, but she is home in her own bed and feeling very pleased about it! We will be in close communication with the dialysis clinic over the next few weeks, as we need to avoid a repeat of this episode and we need to make sure that peritoneal dialysis will actually work for her. We sincerely hope the changes that were made to her cycle plan will be enough to make it effective, as we are very reluctant to have to return to hemodialysis.
It's really "warm" here in AK right now, as snow drips from the eaves. Hoping to find time for a workout at Body Renew today, as we have switched over to this health club. I'm not sure if we will be able to, but we are going to try...
Katie is busy making Sculpey clay creations to sell. She has decided that proceeds are going to the animal shelter, and she has raised almost $20. :-)
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Mom Feeling Better!
Couldn't think of a better post title than this; creative juices are not flowing! ;-)
Mom is sounding much more like herself, and is expecting to come home tomorrow afternoon. We are buying a walker for her and a physical therapist will be visiting two or three times a week to help her regain leg strength.
I'm just relieved that she sounds like Ingrid again, and the tremors and feeling of misery is gone. She is complaining bitterly about the food, feeding herself, and scolding the nurse and the doctor. It's safe to say that my mom is back to herself.
Kirk, Katie and I had a lovely time at Stacy and Rees Miller's home last night. Rees, a science teacher who is also a chef, cooked us the most incredible four course meal. We laughed and ate and the kids played happily. It was a lovely small crowd of guests and we can't wait to do it again!
Mom is sounding much more like herself, and is expecting to come home tomorrow afternoon. We are buying a walker for her and a physical therapist will be visiting two or three times a week to help her regain leg strength.
I'm just relieved that she sounds like Ingrid again, and the tremors and feeling of misery is gone. She is complaining bitterly about the food, feeding herself, and scolding the nurse and the doctor. It's safe to say that my mom is back to herself.
Kirk, Katie and I had a lovely time at Stacy and Rees Miller's home last night. Rees, a science teacher who is also a chef, cooked us the most incredible four course meal. We laughed and ate and the kids played happily. It was a lovely small crowd of guests and we can't wait to do it again!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Post Christmas Update...
It's been hectic around here during the Christmas season.
Mom's tremors and leg weakness got worse and worse, and by the afternoon of the 23rd, we decided to hit the Emergency Room. After not being taken very seriously for quite a while, blood tests revealed that her potassium levels were through the roof (critical levels) and she was uremic. This means that the home dialysis was not working, and toxins had been building in her blood. She was immediately hospitalized. For the past 4 days the doctors have tried to celan her blood with the peritoneal dialysis, but it just isn't doing the trick. SO this morning they put the heart catheter back into place that was removed just over a week ago...and they did hemodialysis. We are praying this cleans her blood faster and more efficiently. Once she is stable again, we will see what happens next. OVerall she is feeling really crummy. Being uremic causes your muscles to jerk around, and makes your brain fuzzy and makes it very difficult to form words and speak.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we had a lovely toned down Christmas with our three lovely kids. We ate our traditional monkey bread for breakfast and opened presents together. We had a lazy day at home. My big Christmas gift had not arrives, but I am blogging on it right this minute. Kirk got me my dream technology wish: a Macbook Air! I LOVE it, but have not got it set up completely yet. SO no pictures in this post. Soon.
One gift I got Kirk was HIS dream fitness wish: switching to Body Renew from the Alaska Club. A lot less expensive. He is eager to try it out...
I will post more later, including a little picture of mom.
Mom's tremors and leg weakness got worse and worse, and by the afternoon of the 23rd, we decided to hit the Emergency Room. After not being taken very seriously for quite a while, blood tests revealed that her potassium levels were through the roof (critical levels) and she was uremic. This means that the home dialysis was not working, and toxins had been building in her blood. She was immediately hospitalized. For the past 4 days the doctors have tried to celan her blood with the peritoneal dialysis, but it just isn't doing the trick. SO this morning they put the heart catheter back into place that was removed just over a week ago...and they did hemodialysis. We are praying this cleans her blood faster and more efficiently. Once she is stable again, we will see what happens next. OVerall she is feeling really crummy. Being uremic causes your muscles to jerk around, and makes your brain fuzzy and makes it very difficult to form words and speak.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we had a lovely toned down Christmas with our three lovely kids. We ate our traditional monkey bread for breakfast and opened presents together. We had a lazy day at home. My big Christmas gift had not arrives, but I am blogging on it right this minute. Kirk got me my dream technology wish: a Macbook Air! I LOVE it, but have not got it set up completely yet. SO no pictures in this post. Soon.
One gift I got Kirk was HIS dream fitness wish: switching to Body Renew from the Alaska Club. A lot less expensive. He is eager to try it out...
I will post more later, including a little picture of mom.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Mom Update...and Katie Too!
Katie had a lovely holiday concert the week before Christmas Break. She loves singing in the school choir. Her teacher captured a wonderful picture ofher during the afternoon concert. I just love it:
Mom had an interesting day today. The arm and hand tremors she developed recently were really, really pronounced and bothering her a lot, from the moment she woke up. She also felt that her legs were very weak and shaking. We got to go to Costco and do the final fitting of her new hearing aids, and she was quite pleased to be able to hear everything going on around her again!
Unfortunately, her leg weakness was really pronounced by evening, and she as unable to walk into the house when we returned home. Very frustrating and scary for her... We need to talk with her doc about these symptoms.
I still have lots of Christmas shopping to do... as usual!
Mom had an interesting day today. The arm and hand tremors she developed recently were really, really pronounced and bothering her a lot, from the moment she woke up. She also felt that her legs were very weak and shaking. We got to go to Costco and do the final fitting of her new hearing aids, and she was quite pleased to be able to hear everything going on around her again!
Unfortunately, her leg weakness was really pronounced by evening, and she as unable to walk into the house when we returned home. Very frustrating and scary for her... We need to talk with her doc about these symptoms.
I still have lots of Christmas shopping to do... as usual!
Testing Blogger...
Since it's been a while since I used Blogger, I need to re-familiarize myself a bit with how things work around here.
So, I need to post a picture to see what I can do, and how the theme I chose works...
Here's a pic from Jake's recent soccer tournament:
So, I need to post a picture to see what I can do, and how the theme I chose works...
Here's a pic from Jake's recent soccer tournament:
Back on the horse...
I'd like to use this blog a bit more. Although Facebook is nice for quick updates, I would like to spend a bit more time getting news to family that lives away, especially news about mom. She lurks at Facebook, but I can't get her to post much there, and family always is looking to know more about what's going on. I think this might also be a good way for me to gather thoughts about my other endeavors: crafting, reading, etc.
So, although I know there's no one out there reading, I am going to give this a shot. At the very least I'll have a journal of sorts that I can look back upon. (I found it interesting to look back at some of my past posts...)
December has been hectic and muddled for me. One reason for that is that I was out of state for the last two weeks of November for a professional conference and a soccer tournament. Then I came back to work for a little over a week, and suddenly I needed to go to training for at-home dialysis. We originally had thought that mom could do the training and I would just come in for a day or so as back-up, but mom felt very uncomfortable with how the training was going. The nurse needed someone else to do the dialysis at home, so I quickly rearranged my schedule and headed over for 7 days of training at the dialysis unit.
I'm glad I did. the process is pretty complex, and mom's increasing hand/arm tremors make her very shaky. Although it was and is time intensive, I am glad that she's not trying to handle it.
We have now been doing at home dialysis for about 10 days or so. Mom is feeling a lot better as a result, as the hemodialysis was really making her feel terrible. Of course, now she has all kinds of free time on her hands, so she will need to come up with something to fill her time. I set up her computer with Stumble Upon; this seems to give her some web browsing options. She also loves to lurk on Facebook. Unfortunately she's not in great condition to drive right now, for several reasons. This severely cramps her style, understandably so!
Katie is semi-enjoying the Christmas break. She's a little isolated here and gets pretty bored. It's not like when the boys were little and they had each other to play with. Poor Katie!
Martin finished his first semester at UAA with a 3.6 GPA! He is feeling mighty proud of himself. He is majoring in Psychology, and greatly enjoys his use of the little apartment downtown. A million thanks to his grandparents for that perk!
Well, I guess that's enough for now... Hopefully this won't be a one time event....
So, although I know there's no one out there reading, I am going to give this a shot. At the very least I'll have a journal of sorts that I can look back upon. (I found it interesting to look back at some of my past posts...)
December has been hectic and muddled for me. One reason for that is that I was out of state for the last two weeks of November for a professional conference and a soccer tournament. Then I came back to work for a little over a week, and suddenly I needed to go to training for at-home dialysis. We originally had thought that mom could do the training and I would just come in for a day or so as back-up, but mom felt very uncomfortable with how the training was going. The nurse needed someone else to do the dialysis at home, so I quickly rearranged my schedule and headed over for 7 days of training at the dialysis unit.
I'm glad I did. the process is pretty complex, and mom's increasing hand/arm tremors make her very shaky. Although it was and is time intensive, I am glad that she's not trying to handle it.
We have now been doing at home dialysis for about 10 days or so. Mom is feeling a lot better as a result, as the hemodialysis was really making her feel terrible. Of course, now she has all kinds of free time on her hands, so she will need to come up with something to fill her time. I set up her computer with Stumble Upon; this seems to give her some web browsing options. She also loves to lurk on Facebook. Unfortunately she's not in great condition to drive right now, for several reasons. This severely cramps her style, understandably so!
Katie is semi-enjoying the Christmas break. She's a little isolated here and gets pretty bored. It's not like when the boys were little and they had each other to play with. Poor Katie!
Martin finished his first semester at UAA with a 3.6 GPA! He is feeling mighty proud of himself. He is majoring in Psychology, and greatly enjoys his use of the little apartment downtown. A million thanks to his grandparents for that perk!
Well, I guess that's enough for now... Hopefully this won't be a one time event....
Monday, April 26, 2010
Oma back at Providence...
As many of you know by now, mom has been admitted to Providence again. She's been here since the middle of last week. She had a terrible cold and when she went to her check-up at the Heart Institute, they were very concerned about her breathing. They thought she might have pneumonia. So she was taken to the emergency room. But they said her lungs were clear, and started using diuretics to try and release some fluid that was obviously building up and causing congestive heart failure. Labs did not seem to indicate that her heart was blocked, so they decided it was kidney related. Her lab results for kidney function have been steadily declining bit by bit. They admitted her to get the fluid down, and after three days of heavy duty diuretics, they decided on dialysis to get the job done. They put a catheter in her carotid artery and she is currently in her third round of dialysis. The first two rounds released 6 pounds of water weight. Dr. Finley, her cardiologist, says that once they get the fluid off, they can better evaluate what is causing the fluid to build up in the first place: her heart or her kidney.
If her kideny is the culprit, this may mean that the kidney that we had transplanted 8 years ago this summer is in failure, and she may be looking at regular dialysis again. This is disheartening, but we think that heart issues would be more serious and scary. Either way, mom can use your prayers and happy thoughts. She is in room 261 in the Renal Care Unit at Providence Hospital, if anyone would like to call or visit. She is getting a lot of reading and crocheting done, to be sure!
If her kideny is the culprit, this may mean that the kidney that we had transplanted 8 years ago this summer is in failure, and she may be looking at regular dialysis again. This is disheartening, but we think that heart issues would be more serious and scary. Either way, mom can use your prayers and happy thoughts. She is in room 261 in the Renal Care Unit at Providence Hospital, if anyone would like to call or visit. She is getting a lot of reading and crocheting done, to be sure!
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Elvis Has Left the Building...
...she's flown the coop...taken a hike...she's OUT!
at 1:30 PM today the nurse wheeled mom out and we screeched out of there as fast as we could! :-) She is comfortably resting in her favorite chair, happy to be home. We will need to get some new prescriptions filled on Monday, and soon she will begin some rehab at the hospital, but we are so happy to have her home again.
Your prayers, visits, cards, and good wishes have been so helpful and so appreciated...
Friday, December 05, 2008
Another Possible "Coming Home" Date
Mom is feeling a bit better today. The pain she was experiencing due to the urinary tract infection is gone, because they have removed the catheter. She was told that if no other "incidents" occur in the next 24 hours, then she can come home to continue her recuperation. So we are hoping for no incidents!
Katie performed in her holiday concert yesterday and did not forget any of her lines. She did a super job, and the kids were adorable. Katie's class sang the Twelve Hawaiian Days of Christmas, and as the song built, so did a couple of the little boys' voices, until at the end they were pretty much shouting. The audience (especially the kindergarten students seated nearby) was laughing so hard the tears were coming. It was priceless. Our family was seated almost at the very back of the multi-purpose room, but I took a bit of video and some really bad pictures anyway. I will try to post them here later. Not sure how good they will be, but what the heck!
Mom says hello to all and many thanks for all the love and support that has been coming her way. I echo her sentiments!
I wonder if we will be able to get our tree up this weekend? Is yours up?
Katie performed in her holiday concert yesterday and did not forget any of her lines. She did a super job, and the kids were adorable. Katie's class sang the Twelve Hawaiian Days of Christmas, and as the song built, so did a couple of the little boys' voices, until at the end they were pretty much shouting. The audience (especially the kindergarten students seated nearby) was laughing so hard the tears were coming. It was priceless. Our family was seated almost at the very back of the multi-purpose room, but I took a bit of video and some really bad pictures anyway. I will try to post them here later. Not sure how good they will be, but what the heck!
Mom says hello to all and many thanks for all the love and support that has been coming her way. I echo her sentiments!
I wonder if we will be able to get our tree up this weekend? Is yours up?
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