Cancer free!

Now that everything is over and results are good, I feel I am ready to share my story.

On October 7th Nick and I found out we were pregnant with our second child. I had my first doctor's appointment on October 22nd. It was just an intake appointment consisting of some blood work and a Pap smear, very routine. As far as I knew it was all good and normal. Nick left a few days later to participate in Top Gun training in Nevada for 6 weeks.

I had my second appointment on November 5th for a dating ultrasound. The nurses set me up in the ultrasound room and I waited, much to my surprise two doctors came in. I was instructed to lay back to begin the ultrasound. The monitor intended for my viewing was tilted at an odd angle towards the wall, but I was able to crane my neck to see the screen. The moment the image came into view I knew something was wrong. The doctor was quiet for a few moments then explained I appeared to have a blighted ovum, because at 9 weeks a baby should be visible and it clearly was not. She quickly finished the ultrasound examination, getting the measurements she needed for my medical file.

I was allowed to sit up, both the doctors gave me hugs and cried with me. The doctor who performed the ultrasound explained what a blighted ovum is: a fertilized egg that attaches itself to the uterine wall, but an embryo does not develop. She also explained that I had a very thick and irregular uterine wall, and the presence of endometriosis. She allowed me to compose myself then sent me across the hall to have a blood draw to check my HCG hormone levels.

I received a call a few days later explaining that my levels were appropriate for being 9 weeks later. I was instructed to come in on November 12th for another ultrasound to ensure that I hadn't miscalculated my period and was fewer weeks along than I thought. I arrived for that appointment and was quickly taken back for another ultrasound. The doctor confirmed that my body had started to absorb the pregnancy and it could cause blood toxicity issues. She also informed me that my PAP smear had shown precancerous cells. I was allowed the option of taking a pill that would help me pass the remains of the pregnancy but I would need to have blood drawn every other day to ensure my HCG levels were decreasing, or have surgery. She also recommended that I also have a LEEP procedure to remove the precancerous cells. She said it was my choice to wait on the LEEP or get it all done in one clean sweep. I opted for the surgery, and I think the doctor was relieved as it was scheduled for that very next morning, on the surgeon's day off.

I arrived for surgery the next morning, and everything went smoothly. The recovery wasn't horrible. I returned to the doctor for a post-surgery check up and was assured that all had went well and she was confident she had gotten all the precancerous cells, but that she wanted me to come back in 6 months for another PAP smear and physical and to hold off on trying to conceive. I was put on a estrogen suppressing birth control for the endometriosis and told to come back if I was having any other issues in the meantime.

As the months passed by my periods were irregular to say the least, but never painful and never showed worrisome signs of infections so I just kept thinking that the next month will be better. I had my 6 month post surgical check up and passed the physical and ultrasound with no worries. The PAP came back a couple of days ago and it was normal as well! I am clear to get pregnant again if that is what Nick and I decide. I am required to have PAP smears every 6 months for the next 2 years to monitor things, but other than that all is well that ends well.

I am very thankful to have one healthy, beautiful baby boy and I believe we will have another child at some point; this past pregnancy just wasn't in the cards for us. My due date was this Friday June 13th, so that is odd to think about, but whenever I get melancholy I just look at Tucker and realize Nick and I have already hit the baby jackpot and are very blessed. My Mama had cervical cancer and her issues started much like mine have. I am hopeful that this was an isolated incident, but in the case that it was not I am thankful it was diagnosed quickly and is being treated aggressively.

Thank you for all the support and help I had from the few friends and family that knew of my struggles. I appreciate you all more than I can say. Now how about a picture of my beautiful baby boy, Tucker?

The for sale sign in the yard

Nick and I moved to our home in Franklin in small truckloads in the middle of the night back in December of 2008. This house has been a wonderful starter home for us, but alas it will soon be time for us to pack up and move to our next duty station. 

Nick will pick orders this September while deployed. He will report to his next duty station almost immediately after returning home from deployment during the summer of 2015. We have made the decision to put the house on the market earlier rather than later in hopes that it sells, allowing Tucker and me the freedom to move with Nick wherever the Navy may send him.

Depending on when the house sells, Tucker and I will move to Las Vegas temporarily to live with my mom until Nick returns home. If by some lucky chance the house sells before Nick deploys, we will rent a small apartment locally until his deployment begins. Regardless of either situation we will remain in the area until mid-late August. 

This is quite overwhelming for me as I feel I have made this area my home. I will refrain from getting too weepy, but this area truly has been my home for the past 5+ years and I know I will miss it. 

Anyone want to place bets on how fast my "Gossip Girl" neighbor starts talking?

1 week dry!

I know a lot of people don't appreciate "mommy brags" in their Facebook newsfeed, thus I come here to share. Tucker has been dry with no accidents for one week! I think it is more than safe to say that he is day trained at the age of 19 1/2 months!! I am so happy we started him young and stuck with it. The process was never stressful and always realistic.

Dry All Day! Tucker's Adventures in Potty Training

I never wanted to be one of those moms that talked incessantly about how her kid went pee-pee on the potty, but after Tucker had his first full day of staying completely dry during the waking hours including a trip to the park...I get it and am ready to shout from the rooftops.

Tucker had a major breakthrough this week and it was simply like potty training just clicked for him. Since his first birthday we have been sitting him on his little potty and he was doing outstanding until he was prescribed feeding therapy followed by oral surgery. It was a major setback and quite disheartening, but after a fluke of having him stand at the regular toilet in our bathroom he suddenly got it and isn't even overly impressed with himself. Another sure sign he understands.

Tucker is now in post-surgery speech therapy to strengthen his tongue; he has successfully pottied before and after his sessions with no accidents in between.

Since starting his potty training nearly 7 months ago we have given him Reese's Pieces as his potty treat, but today I felt he needed something more exciting if he performed his other business. My Mama suggested a little box of raisins, the irony is thick, I know...but low and behold it was like Tucker knew. Such a successful day and such a proud mommy moment.

Now to end on a comical note. Two days ago Tucker had been drawing with a pen, he has never drawn on anything but paper so when he disappeared down the hallway I didn't think much of it. After a few minutes I called his name which he responded to with "Eh!!!" I found him standing on his stool at the toilet with pen marks all over his legs. The poor baby refused to put the pen down while attempting to lift the lid to pee. Much to his credit he did hold his pee until I was able to assist him. Quite amusing.

Lastly, my husband deserves major props. He has been so amazing and has been so patient with Tucker during this adventure. Surely another reason for Tucker's great success.

Surviving Evil...my story

Last night I watched Investigation Discovery's new show, Surviving Evil. It is a show about women who have come face-to-face with evil and somehow survived. The show's host, Charisma Carpenter, told her story last night. She and her friends were attacked by a serial rapist who turned out to be a local policeman. Aside from the fact that it was just harrowing story, it reminded me of my experience with a good cop gone bad.

It was Halloween night 2009. It was a unique day because Halloween actually fell on a Saturday and that night it was also "fall back" Daylight Savings Time. I had worked that morning at Food Lion as a cashier. While at work a fellow cashier collapsed during her shift. I was a fairly new employee at the time so when the manager told me I would be covering the girl's shift for the next day I just accepted, even though I had other plans. I was going to be celebrating Halloween with my friends in Virginia Beach, about an hour and a half from my house. The original plan was for me to stay the night there and come home the next day. With the change in my work schedule I made a decision to drive home that same night. With the extra hour of time on my side I figured it would work out fine.

The drive over was uneventful. Upon arriving to the house party I had two Mike's Hard Lemonades and stopped drinking at 8pm. I had a fun night. I left to head home at 3am (really 4am, so 6 hours after I had stopped drinking) to drive home. I was a new driver at the time. Only having had my license for a few months. I got confused and turned around in the dark in the downtown Norfolk area. I was looking for the tunnel that would put me on the right road home.

I was vaguely aware there was another car on the road. I honestly couldn't tell you if I noticed anything about the car just that I occasionally looked in my rear view mirror and saw headlights. It was Halloween, it was nothing unusual for other cars to be on the road at that time of night on any given day. After some searching I was able to find the tunnel and felt confident that the remainder of the drive would be smooth sailing. Again, there were headlights following me, but at the time I had no idea what that would mean for me. I wasn't being followed closely and I was on a main interstate.

I had my music turned up and driving about 5 miles over the speed limit. Having driven that stretch of highway multiple times since then I know that I did nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, most people would probably attest that I was driving slower than the norm. The only thing I did wrong that night was be a single woman in the wrong place at the wrong time. I took a curve in the road wider than necessary and crossed the center line. I was cognitive of this, but the only other car on the road was behind me a decent distance so I wasn't endangering anyone. About two miles further down the road I saw red and blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror.

I pulled to the side of the road and waited for the policeman to appear at my door. A million different things were going through my mind: I had been speeding, but barely. I had been drinking, but had stopped hours ago. But the main thing on my mind was how incredibly unobservant I had been. How had I not realized the car that had been following me for the better part of 15-20 miles had been a police car?

I had my license and registration in hand when the officer arrived at my passenger door. Perhaps I hadn't watched enough police television shows or it was my lack of experience as this was my first traffic offense in my short driving life. The next thing that surprised me was that this "officer" was not in uniform. He was dressed in civilian clothes. The first thing he said was "You should always ask to see a badge when you get pulled over." He proceeded to show me a shiny badge. Again, lack of experience but I had no idea what I was looking at. I nodded my head to acknowledge the badge and passed my license and registration. He asked if I had been drinking that night, I admitted that I had but had stopped hours ago. He walked back to his car to run my license and plates.

The biggest concern on my mind at that time was my mom. I had sent her a text to tell her I was headed home and would talk to her in about an hour. She was 3,000 miles away in another state, but we always kept one another abreast of our plans. Still do. I was so worried that she was sitting home panicking...which as it turned out, she was. I wanted to send her a text to tell her I had been pulled over but figured that would only cause her to worry more.

The "officer" returned to my vehicle, this time on the driver's side...again taking me completely by surprise. He still had my license and registration, but had yet to hand them over to me. He had been gone for a decent amount of time. I would guess 7-10 minutes. Again, lack of experience but I was certain that was a very long time to run a check. Especially on a truck that was nearly new and a driver who had only been licensed for a few months. He proceeded to tell me that he had called highway patrol and they would not tow my car, but he couldn't in "good faith" allow me to continue driving home, another 40 miles down the road. I asked for a breathalyzer knowing I would pass, but he made an excuse about it being a busy night and he wasn't able to call another officer.

Before I go on, I feel the need to defend my actions. You never know how you will react when you feel threatened. It is easy to judge and say "oh you should have done ___" but the fact of the matter is that, you have no idea. Your brain is trying to process the situation while a million thoughts are screaming to be heard, your heart is racing, your hands are shaking, and you just go through the motions. I don't remember consciously making a decision one way or another. I went into auto pilot and tried to be as compliant as possible. Also, my grandpa was a retired state policeman. I was raised to believe that policemen were good and helpful.

The "officer" told me to move my vehicle further onto the shoulder, which is something that really struck me later on. Clearly if I was intoxicated as he indicated, he couldn't possibly think putting me back behind the wheel of my vehicle was a good idea. I did as I was told. He then told me to get into his vehicle and he would drive me to a location where a friend could come pick me up. He already knew that my husband was out to sea with the Navy as the vehicle was registered in his name, he also knew I had just left a party where I had been with friends. I think he was counting on the fact that I didn't have anyone to call.

I collected my purse and keys, then it hit me. I was not dressed to be out. That night I had been dressed as a Go-Go Girl. I had worn yellow booty shorts underneath. For the drive home I was only wearing those shorts and a University of Idaho sweatshirt, again indicating I was very likely far from my family. As I climbed out of my vehicle he made a comment that it was a chilly night for such an outfit. I remember saying over and over "I understand" to most anything he said. At one point he got mad and said "I don't need you to understand!"

As I climbed into his vehicle I was very aware of the non-police cruiser. The red and blue lights I had seen in my rear view mirror were that of a dash light. There was a small handheld radio, but nothing wired in the vehicle. The vehicle was an older maroon sedan. That was when it really struck me, I was in a very dangerous situation...one that I may not survive.

He drove us to a gas station on Highway 58 and backed into the spot facing away from the building. He instructed that I call a friend to come pick me up. By the grace of God I was able to get in contact with my husband's coworker's pregnant wife. She said she would come pick me up. I knew I was in trouble because we were on a different highway than the one that we drove to our houses. We both lived outside the city limits and accessed our houses via a parallel highway. I was afraid to tell her this on the phone because I didn't want the "officer" to have any more information on my habits.

My friend had a 45-60 minute drive ahead of her. At this point I went into survival mode. I remember watching a daytime talk show about a girl who had been abducted who constantly talked about herself and her family to her abductor, making herself a real person in his mind not just another girl on the street. I did the same. I talked about everything! My family, various jobs, my dog...anything I could think of to help pass the time and keep him focused on the conversation and not whatever he had had in mind when he started following my vehicle earlier that evening.

Finally I received a call from my friend. She couldn't find us. Just as I expected. The "officer" was getting irritable and had me tell her to take a nearby exit and some further instructions on where she could meet us. I realized the directions I had passed along to her were not directions to the gas station where we were presently parked, but rather an industrial park that was certainly empty at that time of night on a weekend.

As he put the car in drive he made a comment about me not being intoxicated at all, which I wasn't. But then went on to say that no good deed goes unpunished. I was unsure then, and still am now, about who had done or was to do the deed. He stayed off the highway and took side roads to the industrial park, about 13 miles down the road. He wouldn't speak to me and I was running out of things to say. I kept my eyes forward and thought about all I had to lose, and whether or not I was ever going to get away from him.

At last, I saw headlights coming towards us. When I recognized my friend I all but threw myself out of his vehicle. As I was rounding his vehicle, he called my name. I reluctantly turned back towards him. He was holding a business card out the window, and said "If you think I did anything wrong tonight. Feel free to contact my supervisor."

I ran to my friend's car and climbed in as fast as I could. I thanked her profusely, knowing she had likely saved my life. I immediately called my mom to tell her what had occurred. God bless my friend, she exited the highway and flipped around to go back and get my truck. She instructed me to tailgate her home just to be certain he wasn't on the lookout for me.

I made it home unscathed, but that night could have ended so much worse. I could feel the "officer's" evil intentions. He was not looking to do a 'good faith' deed. That night I didn't sleep at all. Nor was I very efficient at my job the next morning. The "officer" knew where I worked. I looked up at every white male that walked through the doors just knowing it was going to be him. I told my boss what had occurred if ever he did come into the store. I remember crying whenever I was alone and feeling completely unsafe no matter where I was.

I will forever be in debt to my friend. I say by the grace of God I was able to contact her because just days after she came to my rescue she changed all their phone numbers.

With help and support my from step-dad in Connecticut, I did contact the "officer's" supervisor. The "officer" had told his supervisor that I had crossed or touched the center line some twenty times. If that was the case he should have pulled me over long before he did. As it turns out he was not a police officer at all, rather a drug and alcohol counselor for teens. His supervisor was very apologetic and said he would support me if I wanted to take the case to court. Since I was unharmed I chose not to face him, but rather to have a letter put in his file in the case that he ever tried to detain another solo woman again.

That stretch of highway is pretty desolate, with just some junkyards, industrial parks, a swamp, and a private airport. I absolutely believe he knew what he was doing and targeted me. I am all too aware of what could have happened. I am so thankful it didn't. There are days I forget it ever happened, then there are times when it hits me like a sack of bricks.

Take it from me, if you are ever pulled over you have the right to call 911 and verify that the officer pulling you over truly is an officer. You always have the right to stay in your car with the doors locked until another officer arrives. And you should absolutely turn on your flashers and drive to a well lit area before engaging with the officer. Protect yourselves because you truly just never know.

Here's to therapy, surgery, and surving it all!

If you follow my blog you know that Tucker was tongue tied at birth and had an anterior revision. As time went on I began to develop suspicions that he was also suffered from a posterior tongue tie. Last week he saw a pediatric ENT who confirmed my suspicions. He ordered a feeding evaluation to determine which parts of Tucker's tongue/mouth/throat were working properly and those which were not. Yesterday we went to visit the SLP who discovered additional issues, including a weak jaw (possibly related to his brachycephaly,) weak bite, lack of lateral tongue movements, lack of tongue muscle definition, raw throat (from swallowing food whole,) and possible aspiration of food. She has ordered 6 months of feeding/swallowing therapy to develop the muscles in his tongue 3 times a week. At 2 months into the therapy Tucker will be reevaluated by the ENT to schedule a posterior tongue tie revision. Then continue the remaining 4 months of therapy to learn how to use his freed tongue.

This was very overwhelming news to process. No one wants their child to have something wrong. The therapist assured me that I had done everything right by what I was feeding him, how I was feeding him, and recognizing there was a problem. Of course, that was nice to hear, but at the same time hearing something is wrong with your child is a tough blow. She encouraged me to continue offering him a wide variety of foods and textures, as I have been, but to change the way in which it is presented to him. From now on he is only allowed to have pieces of food that are safe to be swallowed whole. So while he can continue to eat peaches, pineapple, okra, carrots, lima beans, etc they need to be diced to about the size of a grain of rice. His food needs to be presented in different locations on his tongue. He is no longer allowed to spoon feed himself as he slurps rather than eats, so now I need to spoon feed him putting direct downward and backward pressure on to his tongue. My biggest obstacle is going to be getting past my fear of gagging him. The therapist assured me that gagging is good and choking is bad, unfortunately I have a fear of doing either.

<Warning a slight bit of negativity>
Last night I really struggled with the "why me?" and "why my baby?" questions. Between his helmet therapy and this new therapy, I will be traveling 300-400 miles a week. Even though I was told that none of these problems could be avoided and it was nothing I have done wrong, it felt like a sucker punch to the gut.
<End negativity>

I will tackle these new issues head on and I vow to do all the at-home exercises as directed. I know that there is nothing better than early intervention so I will tackle this with the same positive attitude I did when he began his helmet therapy.

Thankfully there are positives in all of this, Nick and I have the insurance and resources to address and resolve the issues. Due to the postponing of surgery there is a better chance that Nick will be home to endure it all with me. Also, because of the therapy his tongue will be stronger and he will learn to speak properly the first time around rather than having to relearn things later on.

<Here comes the bragging>
Tucker was such a good boy at the therapist yesterday. I was so proud. He had already had a screwy day because we had gotten up early to drop my Mama off at the airport and he only had one nap. The therapist told me to just allow Tucker to get familiar with the room. I set him down and he walked right over to the high chair like he knew exactly what he was supposed to do. He allowed her to put different tools and foods in his mouth and was a perfect gentleman the whole time. When he was finished eating and it was time for her and I to discuss things he played quietly with the toys in her office. I was one proud mama! This morning he did very well with the exercises during breakfast.

<More bragging, change of subject>
Tucker's potty training is going fantastic. He is the smartest little boy I know. Last week after we had been to the zoo and he had been tortured (twice!) at the ENT's office, when we arrived home he walked right back to his potty and sat down. Then the next morning he peed, as he usually does in the morning, but then he continued to sit there and did all of his business. Diapers are quickly becoming a thing of the past. On a few occasions I have taken him on errands and he has remained dry. He definitely understands the process and has taken to it so well. I am very proud! Since we started potty training less than 2 months ago he has peed successfully in the potty 88 times and pooped 21 times.



<End bragging>

PS Sometimes I wonder if I am becoming too salty, perhaps maybe I am on my way to being cured like a country ham? LOL :)

My baby is a sponge!

**WARNING**

This blog post is basically a big old brag post about my baby. If you aren't interested in reading that sort of thing please close this window now.

 

Tucker is 13 1/2 months old and is just an absolute sponge. He has learned so much in his little life. I started potty training him on accident as you can read earlier in my blog, he has taken to it like wildfire. Since June 9th he has peed on the potty 40 times and pooped 9 times. He often wakes up dry or mostly dry from his naps. Today I had to run to the grocery store, he wanted to come and was only in underwear. I decided if he had an accident it would just be an opportune time to wash his carseat cover. Much to my surprise he stayed dry the whole time! I was so proud. If you say "Tucker it's time to go potty" he runs over and lifts the lid to his potty. He isn't quite tall enough to sit down by himself and he needs assistance pulling down his underwear, but he is definitely getting the idea. He understands the "urge" feeling and he has started pointing it out to alert us. During the day he only wears underwear while we are at home. He is still in diapers during naps and nighttime. This in no way means I am avoiding cleaning up the puddles or that it isn't damn hard work. I realize early potty training is often more about training the parents rather than the child, but I don't foresee it being any easier down the road and Tucker is no worse for the wear as far as I can tell. 

I have also started teaching him sign language now that he is more aware of what he wants. He responds to the sign for "potty"and signs "more", "eat", and "all done" on his own. He is such a little parrot/copycat I am taking advantage of this time to feed his little brain.

Sometimes I am just overcome with pride looking at the little boy he is growing up to be. I am so proud of be his "Ma!" I look forward to more of our adventures as time goes on.

**End brag**

PS A big thank you goes out to my Mama for all her help, guidance, and encouragement.

Tucker's Tongue Tie Tongue Twister

Tucker was born severely tongue tied, it was the first thing the nurse said while assessing him at birth. At 2 1/2 weeks of age I took him to see a pediatric ENT who confirmed the tie and clipped his frenulum. Tucker did have better suction with his pacifier, but we still struggled with breastfeeding. He would also collapse bottle nipples of all flow speeds and varieties. He also always been a drooly baby, but that is hardly an indication of anything as he is a baby and drooling is normal.

In the last 6-8 months I have seen the limits of Tucker's tongue. He is unable to stick out his tongue to any degree, in fact I have never seen his tongue come past his bottom teeth. He tries to imitate me sticking out my tongue, but all he can do is curl the sides of his tongue. He has no elevation in the front or center. When he cries his tongue becomes rippled and again does not rise in the least. His tongue is not capable of reaching the roof of his mouth which will affect his ability to make the l, r, t, d, n, th, sh, and z correctly.

I called and scheduled a consultation with the pediatric ENT who clipped his original tie. My current suspicion is that he was born with both an anterior (front) and a posterior (back) tongue tied. The anterior tongue tie is easily seen and diagnosed whereas the posterior is harder to diagnose. If Tucker does indeed have a posterior tongue tie it is corrected by laser surgery, usually outpatient provided there are no complications. Then after a few days of recovery, some tongue stretching exercises, and possible speech therapy he should have all the lingual movements of a "normal" child.

I am not opposed to more conservative treatment such as speech therapy without surgery, but I do want an answer as I am certain something isn't correct where his tongue is concerned. I have waited, watched, and compared his tongue to other children for a year and he is definitely restricted. I think I am doing the right thing in having another consultation. I want to give him the best chance available in all aspects of life.

His appointment is Monday July 8th at 2pm. I could have been seen sooner, but my Mama will be here during that time and I will certainly need and want her support especially if Tucker does require surgery. She supported me during Tucker's first tongue clipping. Tucker slept through it and I cried, go figure.

Accidental Potty Training...Success!

Tucker has recently started to walk and is pretty steady on his feet. I decided I would buy a potty chair and get him accustomed to it, even if that just meant sitting him on it during diaper changes and before his bath. That is exactly what I did and low and behold he has taken to the idea like wildfire. The first day he peed right after his nap, the second day he peed 3 times and pooped twice, today he has peed and pooped twice each. He isn't alerting me with words that he needs to go because he isn't talking yet, but he is showing me physical signs. He is wearing big boy underwear (not even trainers) during the day when we are home.



I have no great expectations for Tucker. We are taking it day by day. He will happily sit on the potty for a few minutes at a time; if he goes potty we cheer, if not no big deal. I have read all the studies about how training too early can be detrimental or make the process last longer, that may be true...I don't know. What I do know is that aside from his nighttime diaper I have nothing in his diaper bin. So if nothing else, I am saving myself from dirty diapers. Tucker is showing no signs of stress or resistance, so assuming everything continues in a positive manner we will keep potty training.


My mama had me trained before I could talk using much the same method I am using now. I know it can be done and she has been great with supportive words and tips. Nick is completely on board with the process. He will sit on the floor with Tucker reading him stories and handing him toys to play with. Here is to our continued success!

As Tucker turns one

Tucker turns one year old tomorrow. It has been quite the journey, but I am not sad. I would much rather have the years fly by than experience the alternative of never getting to celebrate his birthdays and milestones.

 It has been a very busy year. Tucker began teething at 15 weeks and subsequently has 14 teeth cut 1 day shy of his first birthday. Tucker has not been the healthiest child. He contracted RSV which then developed into pneumonia. After a couple weeks of 3-hour interval breathing treatments and a round of antibiotics he was finally starting to feel better; then came dual ear infections. He recovered then spiked a 105 fever upon returning from a trip home to visit my Mama. After an Easter Sunday trip to the emergency room and a half dozen tests we were sent home with "inconclusive results" about a week later he broke out in a rash and it was confirmed that he had Roseola. He kept the pattern going by developing another set of ear infections. We had a week or two of no sickness only to break out in a rash again. I took him to the doctor and was told he had symptoms of both Fifth Disease and Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Nearly 4 weeks later he still has the cheek rash. The poor kid can't catch a break and is currently suffering from hay fever. Additionally, he is still undergoing helmet therapy. His soft spot has stopped closing. There are potential issues associated with this, but as long as we continue to get positive head growth I am okay  with the prolonged therapy and frequent appointments.

Often times I wonder why Tucker has so many issues and is frequently sick, but then I remind myself that Nick and I are able to care for him and deal with the emotional toll where others may not. I know the situation could be much worse, so I tend to just feel very blessed and enjoy each new days as it arrives.

Tucker's birthday party was supposed to be held yesterday, however due to my Great-Great's passing Tucker and I traveled to Idaho to attend the funeral, and are presently spending time with some family in Nevada before returning home. I have rescheduled Tucker's birthday party for the end of June. It's okay to have a 13 month birthday party, right? Of course it is!

 Motherhood has been filled with challenges and rewards. I don't think it is something you can prepare yourself for, it is a learn as you go process. Tucker is such a wonderful baby. He is extremely well behaved and very social. He has started walking (quite unsteadily) and is trying to talk. Each day I am amazed at all he has learned. I feel so honored to be his "Ma!"

I am looking forward to all his birthdays yet to come and all the milestones in between.

From the tap, to the keg, to the bottle: my experience with b...

...breastfeeding! What did you think I was going to say? Beer?

I am sad to say that my breastfeeding experience has come to an end with Tucker. From the instant Tucker was born we had issues, we had incompatible blood types which caused his blood sugar levels to plummet after the umbilical cord was cut. On top of that, he was severely tongue-tied. The nurses tried to get him to latch, but they were unsuccessful. They checked his blood sugar levels and said they would have to give him some nutrients. Initially he received formula from a syringe only, but after more unsuccessful attempts at getting Tucker to latch he was supplemented formula via a bottle throughout our duration at the hospital. One the last day the lactation consultant was back at work after the holiday weekend. She helped me get Tucker to latch, but recommended that I get his tongue clipped to aid the process and his life down the road. She also recommended a nipple shield, what a lifesaver!

On the second day home my milk came in, then breastfeeding became easier in the sense that Tucker didn't have to work so hard to get my milk to flow, but more difficult in the fact that I had anxiety every time he needed to nurse. I would get restless legs and would want to do doing anything besides nurse him. If he stopped to swallow or take a breath I would lay him down. This was detrimental, of course, because he would be hungry and want to nurse again 10 minutes later.

I had been pumping so Nick could help with feedings and to have milk available to give to Tucker when he wasn't latching well. My Mama suggested I just pump instead of getting frustrated with nursing. I decided to give it a shot. It was horribly painful at first and I saw a major decrease in my milk supply. I did some techniques including power pumping (10 minutes of pumping, 10 minutes of not pumping for an hour, every other hour) I took handfuls of vitamin supplements, I ate the milk-producing foods, and I drank the tea. This allowed me to make enough milk to bottle feed breastmilk...then we went on a weekend vacation in triple digit summer heat.

My milk supply dropped again, upon returning home I gave in and fed Tucker some formula to supplement the pumped breastmilk. Much to my surprise he didn't die or have any adverse reaction. I realize how crazy that sounds, but breastfeeding his heavily promoted and I knew that I was just going to be the perfect (haha) breastfeeding mama, turns out I wasn't. I'm certain I had postpartum depression which was centered around feeding Tucker.

After my Mama left and Tucker's tongue had been clipped I decided to give nursing another chance, much to my surprise Tucker did great with it! Then he cut 2 teeth at a time every 3-4 weeks. After his 4th set came in he was in too much pain and self-weened. I was, and still am, devastated. Everything had been going so well. I tried to pump to keep up but never produced enough. I continued pumping and supplementing formula. Then came the day when I wasn't producing anything during my pumping sessions. At just shy of 7 months our breastfeeding journey had come to an end.

I know I gave it my very best effort and did all I could to breastfeed successfully. It was a very big learning experience for me and I feel confident that I will be even more successful the next go around. If nothing else Tucker can brag that he had milk straight from the tap, pumped from the keg, and out of a bottle.

A different type of Christmas photo

I have always tried very hard to make the best out of any situation I was faced with, this situation is Tucker's skull and cross bones helmet. Yes, it is going to be adorable, but how was it going to translate into our very first family Christmas photo? After some perusing on Cafe Press I had my answer. Skull Santas, of course! Here is a sneak peek at our shirts.

(Tucker's onesie, Nick's shirt and my shirt)

We plan to take the pictures in the Norfolk Harbor in hopes of getting some sailboats, or even better tall ships in the background. "Yo Ho Ho"

Fixing Tucker's Flat

On September 4th Tucker was diagnosed with positional plagiocephaly, specifically brachycephaly.

Positional plagiocephaly (flat head syndrome) is defined as a condition most commonly found in infants and is characterized by a flat spot on the back or one side of the head caused by remaining in one position for too long. Brachycephaly is the flatness of the back of the head. Tucker has a sinking occipital bone. It can be caused by various things, but I suspect Tucker's was caused by him sleeping through the night at such an early age. I also believe some babies are more susceptible to the flattening of skull, and I think in 10-15 years pediatricians and doctors will have a better understanding of this issue.

(The picture on the left is the "model" baby for brachycephaly from the Cranial Tech website, Tucker is pictured on the right with the same condition.)

I noticed Tucker's head was less round, but thought it was just me being paranoid. My mom saw Tucker at 8 weeks old, then again at 14 weeks without me saying anything she made a comment about his flatness. I was convinced and scheduled an appointment his pediatrician. He was quickly diagnosed and we began a 2 month regiment of aggressive repositioning. Unfortunately if anything, I felt his condition worsened.

I was referred to a cranial facial pediatric doctor at the local children's hospital. The doctor initially thought Tucker had craniosynostosis, an early fusion of the skull bones. We were sent to get emergency x-rays. I was informed that if his bones had fused early he would require major surgery requiring a 4 inch incision across the back of his head during an 8 hour surgery, 24 hours in the ICU, followed by 4-5 days in the hospital recovering. Needless to say I was sick thinking something that severe was wrong and I had "let it go" for 2 months messing around with repositioning. The nurse assured me that she would call first thing in the morning with the results, by the time 2pm rolled around I called the office myself! I was greeted with the fabulous news that his sutures were open and normal. She then mentioned that I was first on her list to call. Looking back on that day it is comical, in the moment I could have strangled her through the phone.

I was then referred to Coastal Orthotics for a Starscan. I took Tucker in on Friday afternoon. The doctor noticed his flatness right away. After he discussed the process with me, he put a sock on Tucker's head to hold down his hair, and then stuck two arrow stickers to the sides of his head as reference points. I handed Tucker to the doctor who laid him in the Star Scanner, in three seconds the machine had scanned his head and transferred it to computer images. (As a side note, he smiled during the scan so the pictures of his skull show a big old smile. I was a proud mama) The doctor then did a few measurements and made his recommendation of a Starband helmet. He said Tucker's scan results were not a good indication of his need for the helmet because he is incredibly symmetrical in every way except the back of his head. On the traditional scale he is a 1.25/5 for severity, but the back of his head alone is a 4/5. He said the symmetry of the rest of his skull gives him good contact points to fit the helmet which will encourage positive growth.

I took the numbers and scans home to discuss with Nick and make our decision. I was sold on the need for the cranial remolding, if untreated it can cause undue pressure on the jaw and teeth causing an overbite and eyesight issues. Not to mention bicycle helmets, hats, and glasses may not fit properly. Nick agreed. Next was the issue of our insurance and finding the money to cover the outrageous cost of $3,000 of which has to be paid up front or in three installments over three months. Our insurance has cranial remolding helmets on the no-pay list and deems the treatment process cosmetic. Nick has been saving to pave our driveway...that dream will now be on hold for awhile longer. I am thankful he is good with money and we have this bit of wiggle room. 

Tucker will be fitted with his helmet within a week's time, we ordered it today and it is currently being custom made in Florida. Nick picked the design of skull and cross bones. Just wait for our Christmas photos!

It has been quite the journey and it has just begun. Look for weekly/bi-weekly updates as Tucker gets fitted and receives more scans.

Summer Wrap-Up and mid-fall update (super late)

I suppose since the calendar is telling me it is already the second week of November I need to blog about my summer. Obviously the biggest and most wonderful event that happened was Tucker's birth. I was so blessed that my Grandma was able to come out for the first few days, then my Mama came out for 5 weeks. Lastly, I was able to introduce Tucker to most of my extended family at my cousin's wedding in North Carolina over Labor Day. I have been very blessed this summer.

My Grandma arrived two days after Tucker's grand arrival. The timing worked out wonderfully as that was the day we were being discharged from the hospital. Nick went to go check-out from work that morning and swung past the airport on his way back to pick up Tucker and me. Silly me, I had waived my lunch from the hospital cafeteria because I was told I would be discharged early morning. Never again! I was starving! Of course, the hospital had gotten busy and other patients needed the nurses' attention more immediately than I did. Finally we were discharged and on our way home, with a short stop at the Burger King drive-thru for a chicken sandwich a smoothie. I scarfed it down.

My Grandma was a wonderful house guest, although I think she probably felt more like the maid. She kept my house clean, cooked all the meals, gave Haley love and attention, and even walked the floor with Tucker a few nights. I felt horrible as our "on demand" water heater chose to be anything but that week. She had to boil water to do dishes and we had to coax it to cooperate for showers. It was miserable, but she never complained. We joked about living like Laura from "Little House on the Prairie" It was sad to see her visit come to an end, but knowing that I would see her in a little over two months at my cousin's wedding made it bearable.

A little less than a week after my Grandma left, my Mama arrived. I hurried over to her and handed her Tucker, her first and currently only, grand-baby. I don't even think we hugged until later. I figured Tucker deserved some "Nana love" as we have now coined it. Having my Mama around was such a blessing. Motherhood is such an uncertain thing, everyday is a new adventure. Since she had raised us three kids with ease, she fell right back into her old habits and gave me a bounty of knowledge. Tucker adores her. Aside from seeing her and getting to spend so much time with her, I was so incredibly thankful to have her by my side as Tucker got his tongue clipped. As it turned out he was almost too relaxed, the doctor mentioned it is an easier procedure when the babies cry and open their mouths wide. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that Tucker would not have been so calm if I hadn't had my Mama's strength to depend on.

Ever, the teacher and student, my Mama wanted to immerse herself in the history of Virginia. She was able to meet up with a friend from high school who now resides in Fredericksburg, VA. We went on a historic walk through town, toured an old fashioned apothecary, had lunch at a tavern, went to a distillery, then enjoyed some wonderful conversation and dinner at their house. It was a wonderful introduction to the first of two historic weekends. From Fredericksburg we headed north to DC (yes I realize locals just call it Washington, but being from the true Washington, state that is, I cannot fully conform to the southern ways.)We took in most of the monuments, went to the Natural History Museum and Air and Space museum, and wrapped up the visit touring the Holocaust Museum.

While we were in the Natural History Museum we ran into one of my Mama's former coworkers from Moscow, Idaho. It was quite a surprise. The following weekend we took a quick ferry ride to Historic Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg. For a quick visit, I think we gave my Mama a great taste of the local history. She loved every minute of it. I'm not sure how her suitcases passed the weigh-in because she purchased at least one book at every gift shop. I come by my love of reading honestly.

Over Labor Day weekend I was blessed with the opportunity to see my family again so soon, at my cousin's wedding in Asheville, NC. My Grandma flew into Norfolk and we drove down to Greensboro, NC and met up with my Mama and my older brother Nathan. Then we continued on down the road to the wedding site. It was a beautiful weekend and felt like a family reunion as we spent much of our time gathered around the kitchen table just chatting and enjoying each others' company.

With the onset of fall we ventured out to a local pumpkin patch and gathered three pumpkins. It was a fun experience. I hope it becomes a fall tradition so someday my son can be the kid who sits on the rotten pumpkin and falls in. LOL Joking, mostly. I hope Tucker loves the outdoors and doesn't mind being dirty. Nick and I spent most of our childhoods outside regardless of the season or weather.

After carving our pumpkins I decided to pull an Anne Geddes and put Tucker in a pumpkin. He was less than pleased. He may or may not have gotten stuck in the pumpkin and had to be cut out. Oh the joys of being a helpless little baby.

Tucker and I handed out candy downtown on Halloween. He was a spider and I was a web. I'm pretty sure he was the most adorable spider, ever.

 

Now we are looking forward to Thanksgiving and the holiday season. I am thrilled to be starting family traditions of our own. I so loved the holiday season in our house growing up. That's all for now. I will try and update more often, as it is hard to condense 5 months of excitement into one blog post. Happy holidays one and all!

Introducing Tucker Ronald-Bruce Burgess

Tucker Ronald-Bruce Burgess
Born Sunday May 27^th, 2012 2:38pm
8.9lbs, 21.5 inches long

On Saturday May 26^th my husband and I headed out to the strawberry festival. I hadn’t had any labor symptoms, but joked that I was going to walk my baby out. We walked around the festival in the heat for about 4 hours, and then went to lunch at a Mexican grill. We got home around 6pm, rested, and then I fixed dinner. I took a nice long bath then got up and was walking around the house looking for batteries for the remote. It was 9:33pm when I walked back to the bedroom to put the batteries in the remote when I felt a trickle down my leg. Then more trickles. I knew it wasn’t pee, but I wasn’t sure it was my water breaking either. It was nothing like I had heard people describe. I wondered if it wasn’t just bath water that had somehow stayed inside of me and was now leaking out.

I walked around a little bit more and the trickles continued. I walked out to the living room and calmly told Nick “I think my water just broke.” He had a moment where he panicked. He was playing video games, so I told him he might as well finish the round. No reason to lose just because my water broke. He did finish, because apparently his team was winning, then he got my bags and took them out to the car. At some point he also put down towels in the passenger seat. He had joked earlier that if I went into labor while he was deployed to drive the truck to the hospital and if I had to drive the car to at least put down some newspaper.  I called my mom to get verification that it was my water. Talking to her, as it often does, made me cry. She agreed that it definitely could be my water and we should go to the hospital to be sure.

Nick and I headed out to the car and our dog, Haley, rushed out with us. The poor thing didn’t understand why we weren’t heading to bed. After all, it was past our 10pm bedtime. I called my only friend that was still in town due to the Memorial Day weekend. As luck would have it, she didn’t answer and I got nervous thinking she was also gone. I left her a message and told her my water had most likely broken and that it would great if she could swing by in the morning and take care of Haley. She called back a couple minutes later and said they had been in a movie that just let out. She was thrilled. 

After hanging up I realized we had left the house without my purse which contained my ID. Thankfully we were only a few miles down the road. Nick turned the car around and we headed back home. I went to grab my purse and Haley didn’t meet me at the door. I worried that she didn’t actually go back inside when we left the first time and was somewhere outside in the dark. I kept calling her name and eventually she came out of the bedroom. I hugged on her and told her to be good; she gave me a kiss and we got back on the road again.

We got to the hospital around 11pm. I’ve never been to the hospital that late so I was unaware I needed to enter through the emergency room doors. I really didn’t want to be there, but you are required to go in that door to check in with security then you are buzzed through to the other side of the hospital. As we were walking down the hall I started to feel silly because I was having no labor symptoms and was no longer leaking fluid. I was sure they were going to send me home and tell me to relax. We arrived at labor and delivery and I told them I thought my water had broken. A very bubbly nurse was assigned to me and said she would get that checked out. I filled out the necessary paperwork and was given a room. I changed into the gown and gave a urine sample. I had the foresight to put my wet panties in a Ziplock bag and bring them; I was concerned that once I changed panties and put on the pad I had stopped leaking. The nurse came in to check my pad, it said negative for amniotic fluid, but my panties said positive. She did an internal check which came out positive, I was officially admitted. She said I was unchanged from my Wednesday appointment, still 1cm/50% effaced/-1 station.

She called my doctor who advised her to give me an Ambien to sleep, and then he would assess the situation in the morning. 5am came quickly; before I knew it the nurse was back taking blood and checking my progress. I was still unchanged. She called the doctor again who suggested Pitocin. I was induced shortly thereafter. 

I had been on Pitocin for about 4 hours and had progressed to 4cm and 60% when I asked for a dose of IV pain medication. As soon as the medication hit my IV I felt like I was three sheets to the wind. I was very loopy, but able to rest between contractions. I would sleep and then wake up to breathe through the contraction and hold Nick’s hand. Nick was entertaining himself by watching the History Channel for most of the day. I was hooked up to a baby heartbeat monitor and a monitor that was intended to track my contractions, but that monitor kept slipping off. The nurse would come in and say “You aren’t getting any credit for your contractions.” 

Aside from getting up to go to the bathroom I wasn’t allowed to walk around because my membranes had been ruptured for over 12 hours. Nick was very sweet and would change the bed pad every time I would get up. Sometime around 1pm I asked for another dose of pain meds because the contractions were coming on top of each other. I had been told I wouldn’t be able to have pain meds once I reached 8cm. The nurse checked me I was 6cm and 70%. She came back in a few minutes later to tell me that the pharmacy was bringing more Nubain and it would be a feel minutes. I’m not exactly sure how much time passed, but the nurse did not check me again before administering the medication. She offered me a popsicle at that time, according to Nick I would fall asleep and nearly drop the popsicle between contractions so he had to keep taking it from me.

A short 15 minutes later I was paging the nurse saying I needed to have a bowel movement. Clearly this is code for “baby is on its way!” I had progressed from 6cm and 70% to fully dilated and ready to push in 15 minutes. The room immediately filled with nurses. The doctor came in and talked to me for a minute then went to go to do something else. The nurse was doing an internal check and told him not to go far. The doctor asked what my guess was on the baby’s weight, I told him I had no idea but had always measured a few days behind with my fundal height. He guessed 7lbs 5oz. 

Nick had originally said, over and over, that he didn’t want to see the birth and wanted to stand up near my head. A nurse was holding my right leg but the other nurse was still running around, so they told Nick to grab my left leg. He did so without complaint but did say “I hope I don’t pass out” The doctor came in and so the process began.

My nurse told me to push when I felt a contraction, but all I was feeling was pressure so I would just push until I couldn’t anymore. The baby kept slipping backwards due to my tipped uterus. I did 2 sets of pushes when the doctor told me to do a half push and hold it. He performed an episiotomy at that time. I finished that push, pushed once more, and at 2:38pm Tucker was born weighing 8lbs 10oz, 21.5 inches, 13.5 inch head circumference. The doctor was shocked.

The doctor waited until the cord stopped pulsing to make the cut. Then I was allowed to hold Tucker skin to skin for a short moment. The doctor and nurses didn’t alert me to any issues at the time, just took Tucker over to the warming table and began the assessment. Meanwhile I was being stitched up. The doctor’s phone kept ringing and ringing, apparently there was a lady in labor with twins and he was supposed to be the doctor. He didn’t rush at all, just allowed his phone to ring as he took his time sewing me up. Nick took the opportunity to text some family to make the big announcement.

The nurses wrapped Tucker up and gave him to me to attempt to breastfeed. They told me he was tongue-tied so they positioned him in the football hold. He would kick his feet against the bed and pull himself off my breast. It was very frustrating for the both of us. I attempted to calm him by stroking his back when a nurse scolded me and said breastfeeding should be all business. 

Tucker was taken to the nursery shortly thereafter. I was brought a meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes, veggies and banana cream pie. It was definitely the best cafeteria food I had ever tasted. After eating the nurses helped me out of bed and into the shower. They offered me a chair, but I felt fine at that time and declined it. When in the shower I began to get very lightheaded, so much that I needed to crouch down and focus on breathing. I hurried the rest of my shower then called for the nurse. They immediately sat me down and helped get me dressed. They insisted on pushing me in a wheelchair to my recovery room.

Nick helped me get settled in then decided he would go home for a few hours to check on Haley, take a shower, and get something to eat. The nurses brought Tucker back to my room. He began to cry so I attempted to nurse him again. One of the nursery nurses came in and told me he had severe blood sugar issues and would need to be tested before and after every feeding. She stuck his heel and took the blood sugar reading, then allowed me to continue nursing. His levels were very low, and then he crashed and became lethargic. The nurse took him back to the nursery and said he would need to be given formula to get his levels up to a normal level.

As if worrying about my baby wasn’t enough, then my nurse came in and explained that Tucker and I did have an incompatible rH factor. I lost a lot of blood during the delivery due to how fast he came down the birthing canal. My temperature dropped to 95.1 and my blood pressure was higher than I had seen it my entire pregnancy. I was immediately put on iron to assist in getting my levels back up.

The doctor came in to check on me. He told me I had an incredible placenta which had been filtering my blood to keep Tucker healthy. He was born larger than expected also because of our blood incompatibility issues, his system required extra sugar. He suspected that my tipped uterus contributed to my fundal height consistently measuring a few days behind. He said even though first babies usually are unaffected by the rH factor, he was shocked that one of us hadn’t ended up with rH disease. I was advised to be very vocal about the issue should I plan to get pregnant again. He did not say that I couldn’t get pregnant again, but that the baby and I would need to be monitored frequently.

The nursery brought Tucker back to me and instructed me to page them before feeding him so they could come take a heel stick, then try him at the breast before supplementing with formula. Afterwards I was to page them again so they could do another heel stick and recording his eating habits. I was advised to call the nursery immediately if I noticed Tucker acting lethargic in anyway. After Nick returned and I shared with him everything I had been told, neither of us did much sleeping that night.

The following morning Tucker was scheduled to be circumcised. However, due to his blood sugar issues he hadn’t had a wet diaper since being born so the procedure had to be put off until the next day. Nick and I spent that day feeding Tucker, watching him get stuck in the heel, and relaxing. My friend Liz stopped by and met Tucker. Shortly after, Nick went home again to check on Haley and shower. He refused to shower at the hospital, claiming it was too weird. While Nick was gone my friends CW and Ashley came by. Everyone who met Tucker was instantly enamored. I was having some serious hormone surges while talking about his birth; I would shake uncontrollably and cry.

Sometime that morning Tucker had his first wet diaper. My doctor said he would perform the circumcision first thing the following morning. He said I was healthy enough to be discharged, but he wouldn’t separate us. Later that afternoon Tucker’s levels regulated enough that he only needed to have his levels checked after eating. Awhile later two nurses came into my room and asked if Tucker could be the baby model during a demonstration on how to bathe a newborn for a mommy-to-be class. I agreed and was told he did an excellent job and everyone thought he was adorable.

Tucker spent most of that night with us. The nursery nurse came to take him at 2:30am for his 36 hour hearing test. The next morning Tucker had his circumcision. I was administered my Rhogam shot for our rH incompatibility. As well I needed some booster shots. The nurse said my body metabolizes the mumps shot far too quickly, which made sense to me since less than 4 years ago I was diagnosed with the mumps and received a booster shot at that time.

The lactation consultant came to talk to me while Tucker was recovering in the nursery. I talked to her about his tongue issue, latch issue, and the position issues. She said I sounded like I knew what I was talking about. I told her I took her class and her response was “Oh that’s why” It was comical. She gave me the name of an ENT that she uses whenever a baby needs his frenula clipped. She also asked that I page her when Tucker returned from the nursery.

Nick had left earlier that morning to go check out on leave at the naval base and pick up my Grandma from the airport. She had taken a red-eye flight into town. She was hungry upon arrival so Nick took her down to the cafeteria to eat. Meanwhile Tucker had been brought back to my room, so I paged the lactation consultant. She helped me with the holds and said that I had a good position, but that he was definitely tongue tied and it was affecting his latch. We also discussed my options for Tucker’s pediatrician. She made some comments and a suggestion about a doctor in Franklin who had interned with her. (Side note, I did take her advice and chose the pediatrician she recommended. I am very pleased!) Tucker was very sleepy from his circumcision and didn’t nurse well. 

The doctor came in once more and requested that I make a follow up appointment with him at the office for two weeks. He asked how I was feeling and talked about my blood count. He said Tucker was very strong and kept breaking out of the Velcro holds during the circumcision. He seemed very amused. He said that Tucker and I had both recovered well from the ordeal, but to call if anything out of the ordinary came up. He discharged me and said the nurse would be in to have me sign paperwork and go over any special instructions. The pediatrician came in and discharged Tucker. Both the nursery nurse and my nurse came and talked about discharge instructions. 

Then we waited and waited. Lunchtime came and went and I seriously regretted telling the cafeteria that I wouldn’t need lunch because I was being discharged. Labor and delivery became very busy and I think my nurse forgot about me. She had already advised Nick to go pull the car around and get the air conditioning running. Nearly 40 minutes later I paged the front desk and asked if I could have a Motrin since I hadn’t been allowed to leave yet. They came to give me the pain medication and said it wouldn’t be much longer. I was concerned that Tucker would soon be getting hungry as he had been strapped into his car seat for nearly an hour. 

My Grandma wasn’t going to wait around anymore. She walked out to the front desk and asked if I could be taken down. A nurse I had never seen came to the room and apologized, she said she would take us down. We had to stop at the front desk to have Tucker’s security device removed. Another nurse asked the nurse that was wheeling me down to do something. They had a little spat, but my nurse was firm that whatever needed to be done could wait until she returned from taking me downstairs. As she was wheeling us down everyone was smiling at Tucker and me.

Finally we arrived at the main entrance and got settled into the car. I was starving so I had Nick stop at Burger King to get me a sandwich and a smoothie. I must say it tasted fabulous for being such a late lunch. Tucker slept the entire way home, as did my Grandma for part of the way. Finally we arrived home around 3pm. Haley barked at Tucker, but wasn’t aggressive just slightly jealous.

Now nearly 2 weeks since delivery things are going great. We all seem to have adjusted without any real complications.