Saturday, September 29, 2012

Changed Blog Design

I changed my my blog a bit.  I thought it would be nice to have a fall background.  This is all new with us and I'm having issues getting the pink background to change to another color.  We've tried everything so if anyone has any suggestions please leave me a comment or email me so I can get it changed.  Thank you!!

Friday, September 28, 2012

Home and recoperating

On Thursday, we woke up bright and early at 4:30 in the morning to get ready.  We were out the door by 5 am and arrived by 6 at the outpatient unit.  Everyone was wonderful in the Outpatient Unit and in Surgery.

They took me back to start the surgery and whatever the anesthesiologist put into my IV made me fall asleep quickly.  I  do remember thinking, man I sure hope I can make it from the cart to the OR table without falling asleep.  I did make it there awake, but was out after that.  They had a hard time getting me to a deep sleep though due to my allergies.

Then the programmer for the gastric pacemaker was not working properly for them.  After that things kept snowballing for them.  I think I was in there close to 2 1/2  hours.  My poor doctor and the OR Staff.   Unfortunately, I have a record for things not going smooth for me in surgery.  Thankfully, the Lord has His wonderful Hand upon me and I am recovering.

In a lot of pain, but to be expected for a while with all that I went through.   I have an In Home Care nurse coming sometime today to change the bandages and then I have a follow up on Thursday just to make sure all is well before going to Cleveland.

Thank you for all your prayers!  Thank you Lord for bringing me through another surgery and guiding the doctor's hands!:)

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Surgery Date

I am scheduled for surgery on Thursday at 8 am.  I need to be there at 6 am so I 'm heading to bed.  Thank you for all your prayers!  Love-Jamie

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Thankful for the protecting hand of God!!!

I have been fighting a lovely sinus headache since last Friday,due to the change in weather.  Well...needless to say with not much sleep and feeling exhausted, I had my TPN go off Sunday at 6:30ish AM.  I felt like I was just getting into sleep, so I just disconnected the line with out flushing-knowing I've gone in he past in emergency situations without flushing 2-3 hours.  Knowing I was getting up at 8 with the alarm, I laid back down.

Well.....in the rush I forgot to clamp off and when I disconnected  I took my antibacterial end cap off too.  Two things I normally do not do.   I had felt something wet about 10 minutes after laying down.  Remembered that maybe I need to clamp.  Good thing I did.  When I woke up at 8 to get ready, I had blood all over my chest!  Talk about a scare!  It wasn't a little TPN that had come out of the Hickman line , but blood.  I did make a call to the nurse-which she advised calling the on call surgical DR.  I got the On call Surgical DR. which asked for me to call my DR. Monday. I thankfully have a double line so I can still use 1 to access my TPN.  But I did clot off the other line.  Not good, because now that means I have to get a new Hickman line put in either Thursday or Friday. :(  That will require me to be put out and be surgically placed.  THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I AM STILL ALIVE!!!:)   Thankfully the Lord protected me with the line being completely opened that allowed air in and the blood to come out.  I could have gone to sleep and bled to death.

So grateful to know HE watches over us, even when we don't realize it!!:) THANK YOU LORD.
I'll keep you updated on when it is.  Just pray all goes well and smooth.  Thank you.  So thankful to the Lord things were not worse than they are.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Better yet, got in a bit sooner:)

There is no doubt of God being with me through all of this.  I called Wednesday to Cleveland and talked with a lady who recommended a certain doctor for me to see.  Long story short-the Lord worked it out to
where I am going to be seeing the doctor that was recommended and I am going on October 8th instead!   He continues to lead and guide me.  Thank You Lord for loving me!:)

I had an appointment in Chicago with the Rheumotologist today.  He is not sure why all the bone pain and severe muscle cramps, but feels along with my other doctors that it is all autoimmune related.  He did 6 vials of blood and is wanting me to suggest some tests to Cleveland Clinic doctors when I go.  He said the test would be better to have done there while at Cleveland.  The blood results take about 3 days to get done.  He was a very good and thorough Dr.

I am getting some calls from some people saying that they are having issues with leaving comments underneath the post.  If you are one of them and wanting to leave a comment, you can do so by email.  My address is j-pennington@live.com, it is under my profile on the right hand side also. Thank you again for all the prayers, love, and support you show!

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

I Have an APPOINTMENT

I received a phone call this afternoon from Cleveland Clinic!!! :)  The appointment is scheduled for October 11th.  YEA!  The doctor that I was wanting to get into would take quite a while, so they offered me another doctor who is familiar with the Gastroparesis.  I am absolutely  fine with seeing him.  I am so thankful that the Lord has allowed for it to happen so soon.  I'm still claiming a miracle.  Nothing is too big or too small for God.  He's still God no matter what, and my love for HIM will not change.   Thank you for all your love, support and, most of all, prayers!!

A Few Pics From Benefit


 Here are some pictures from the benefit.  I'll let you know when the slide show is up and going on the benefit site.  GOD IS SO GOOD!!!



Friday, September 14, 2012

I am in at Cleveland Clinic! ;)

I got some exciting news from a doctor's nurse today!:)  She called to tell me that the doctor called and got me into Cleveland Clinic!  I had called them earlier this week to see if this doctor had any suggestions of who I could go to there.  My plan was to have Chicago get me in with an appointment once I had a doctor in mind, but...sometimes our ways are not God's ways.:)

After getting off the phone with the nurse, the clinic in Ohio called to get me registered.  She got to  the point of setting up the appointment and she said that right now they are booking into December and she was going to email the GI department to see if they could get me in sooner.  They said that I should know by the end of Wednesday of the date and time.:) I am praying for it to be sooner just with the way travel can be in winter.  Regardless, God is so good to me and I am so blessed!  What a way to end a rough day:)  Thank you, Lord!

Also thankful for that doctor and his staff.  God has blessed my life with some awesome doctors, nurses and staff that truly care and are supportive.  Some feel like family and I am so grateful for their love and support.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, TOO!  I wouldn't be here without your prayers!!!  Thank you for your love and support you show to myself and my family whether it has been through a phone call, note, email, or comment left on the blog!

TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY!!!!!!!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

A little bit of everything

I am here, hanging in there with the help of the Lord although I am having some new issues arise. I have an appointment at Loyola in October to see some doctors there that may be able to help.

I am sorry for the lack of updating.  I have had some rough days and I do tire out easily.  It seems as though I have to make a lot more of an effort to do even something small or simple. I think that is attributed to my Vitamin B 12 and D being low. I do not want to complain though-I have so much to be grateful for!! God is so good to me!

The kids are all getting into the swing of school now.  The schedules are becoming more routine for them.  It has been nice the past few weeks when they have had early dismissals, half days, and holidays. I know it's too early to be starting that, but it was a nice way to break in the school year (at least for this Mama).  We are doing our homework and a few household chores and still able to find some time to get to play outside. They try to once in a while ask me if I need a back rub just to be able to stay up a bit later ;) Sure -why not!!:)   Kelsey is doing her best and trying to maximize her time by staying ahead of schedule.  She is doing a wonderful job and I'm very proud of her.

 I am so thankful for Matthew and Kailey's teachers.  They are so wonderful, caring, and supportive. It helps put me at ease knowing they are in  good hands!  I am very thankful for both of them.

It seems like fall is in the air.  Ahh~yes, one of my favorite seasons!!:)  I love the colors, the warmer clothes (sweaters), making carmel apples, sitting on the front porch, curled in a blanket, talking with my Honey, sipping on tea,watching the kids jump in leaves.....and the list can go on.:) I did put up my fall decor and enjoying it being out.  I was going to wait till next week, but I got the itch a bit sooner.:)  So much to be thankful for!!  Take time to enjoy the simple things in life.  I have realized how important those little things mean.  I AM BLESSED!!!!

I do enjoy getting comments from all of you.  I have a counter and it shows where people are viewing the blog from and I have a few that are checking my blog out that are not in the United States. Wow!  I thought that was pretty neat!:)  If you ever would like to comment or leave me a message you can either click at the bottom of the post on 'comment'.  Although it will not show on the blog, I do receive them. Another way is by email -which is on the side of my blog. I do appreciate the encouragement and prayers!!  Thinking it time I see if I can change the template to a fall one.  Or should I say...see if my wonderful, bestest husband can.  ;)

Matthew was so cute yesterday.  When the kids came home from school, I was watching from my bedroom window-them getting out of the car.  Right by the window was a butterfly fluttering on a bush.  I watched as he oh so carefully and cautiously tried to inch his way to the butterfly.  Once he got up to it, he went to catch it and it fluttered around him.  Over and over he tried and tried. It took me back to my childhood days as a little girl going around the yard trying to catch butterflies.  Oh to be a kid again.:)