The NFC B-Day Chat Thread

[N F C]

Hope you all are having a good Saturday!

DMC, is the weather cooperating so you can get your sister moved?

Bob, hope you have an easy time of it at the lab!

Janie, thanks for the early worm. That was especially tasty with my coffee

Mark, sending you some sunshine


DH had to make an unexpected trip home late yesterday afternoon. At some point in this old house's history, an irrigation system was installed in the backyard. I heard running water and discovered a small geyser. DH could get her faster (and work cheaper) than a plumber so he came up and got it under control. Nothing like a golf course superintendent to solve an irrigation issue!

 

[Blooie]

I'm going to town this morning... one of my stops is to have labs drawn. Something to look forward to-NOT!

Hold very, very still!!

@janiedoe, yeah. I know. But I’m so decrepit at this point that I’d never notice another adverse effect!

No nap for me. Today we tackle (insert scary music here…) The Utility Room!! It’s absolutely awful in there!! There is a stack of boxes that need going through. Those are the “I-don’t-know-where-to-put-this-so-I’ll-throw-it-in-here-and-figure-it-out-later“ boxes. There could be anything in them, from stuff we need, to stuff we shouldn’t have bothered to pack. The floor is absolutely caked with mud, bits of gravel, and dirt because it was the only door we could use to get into the house until the ramp and porch deck was finished, and to get to the door we had to walk through mud and/or fine powdery Wyoming dirt. We have a chair in there with a boot tray beside it for changing from our shoes into our slippers so we don’t track too much through the house. And when the dogs come in super muddy, he grabs one and I grab the other and we haul them to the utility room until they dry off. Their food and water dishes are in there too, so there’s that to contend with. If I don’t report back in 4 hours, send help!!

 

[Cynthia12]

@Cynthia12, so happy your grandson is recovering well from his bout with Covid and that you’re not coming down with it!! I was scrolling back through looking to see who it was that asked me for pics of the porch and saw your question about Kendra. Don’t know how I missed it! Pull up a chair and grab a cup of coffee!

She’s had a rough couple of years. She had a massive infection in her MACE in June of 2020 and spent several days in the hospital in Billings. Her MACE had formed a false channel so part of the enema fluids we were using to flush her were just accumulating and her body couldn’t absorb them fast enough. Some was getting to the right place, enough to get a little waste out, but by the time the local doctors here were done dinking around trying to “fix it”, a CT scan in Billings showed that she was totally impacted with stool and infection from the exit all the way up. So into surgery she went.

I was livid. Jenny kept taking her in to our local clinic for almost 5 weeks and they kept giving her powerful antibiotic shots that hurt so bad they had to mix them with lidocaine to give them. They kept going after the skin portion of the infection with silver nitrate sticks and all they were really doing was causing scar tissue around the Chait button. So the last appointment I went with them, mask and accompanying persons restrictions or not. Kendra started crying as soon as we pulled into a parking space and never stopped the whole visit or the whole way up to Billings, poor thing! Before our local doctor could even look at it, I said, “As I see it, we have two choices here….ambulance to Billings or I take her. What’s your decision?” I love Jenny but I wish she was a little more assertive and aggressive. Ken, Jenny and me took her up, I checked into the hospital hotel, and by the time I walked over to the ER Kendra was already in CAT scan. Here she is in the car on the way up to Billings, then heading into surgery, then two days post op:
View attachment 2974975

View attachment 2974977
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Then at Spina Bifida Clinics, her Denver surgeons determined that she needed revision surgery on her Mitrofanoff. We’d been expecting that…kids grow. We hadn’t been able to get the catheters in through her belly button for weeks, so we were had to do it the old fashioned way. She hated it, the school hated it, and we hated it. Problem was they couldn’t seem to get their scheduling straight. So we couldn’t get that surgery scheduled until October of 2021. Then when she finally had it done, that got infected. <sigh> So the kids took her back to Denver, she spent a couple of days in the hospital on IV antibiotics, and they released her with another indwelling Foley. Well, you know Kendra….she’s not one to just sit in her chair even if that’s what she was supposed to do until they could remove the indwelling and the catheter bag. She managed to pull it out, despite it being stitched into place, twice! There at least our local clinic could get new catheters reinserted, but it was a long darned summer for Kendra and everyone around her! Finally almost 3 months after her initial revision surgery, she’s back to old self and we’re back to using the Mitrofanoff safely, and most important, comfortably for her. Here’s our girl in Denver:

View attachment 2975023

On the positive side, she has been 100% seizure free since November of 2019…none whatsoever! They have her completely changed over to just Depakote and Lamactil now and she’s doing amazingly better than she did on 4 seizure meds before! She’s becoming a little more verbal, too. She’s in 4th grade now and still keeping up with her class academically, even if they do have to administer all of her tests on “Kendra Time”. She’s loves school field trips to the Aquatic Center, sledding, but most of all roller skating. She can’t get enough of that activity!

I think that should about catch you up on the major stuff.

I'm just seeing this! That poor child. And, she's beautiful!! It really angers me .. I won't get into it..you know. I found that I had to be right there during hospital stays too. Primary Children's Hospital is a learning hospital, and many times they would send a student in to do something that would be seemingly easy to do. Well, more often than not, I'm taking over the catheterization, or showing them how to deflate the Foley. If it was something I shouldn't be doing I demanded a Dr or nurse. Clinics I have to say we're generally pretty good. Docs stayed up with things pretty well. Richard doesn't have the mace or other. Just wears briefs. He doesn't even catheter anymore. That's good, he still gets enough UTI's as it is. He can pretty much handle his bowels. He's blessed. Man, was she complaining of pain before she got taken care of..bowel that high up!! Anyway, she's a doll. Thank you for letting me know. Richard has put a lot of weight on little stinker. He got a new apt. and loves.. loves . .to cook. He makes some really good food. Sends photos. His apt is across the street from a real nice grocery. He gets out and about pretty good except after a snow storm. Here's a few photos of him lately. Christmas, and him out shooting with family, and Thanksgiving. My mountain man with that beard.

 

[Blooie]

I'm just seeing this! That poor child. And, she's beautiful!! It really angers me .. I won't get into it..you know. I found that I had to be right there during hospital stays too. Primary Children's Hospital is a learning hospital, and many times they would send a student in to do something that would be seemingly easy to do. Well, more often than not, I'm taking over the catheterization, or showing them how to deflate the Foley. If it was something I shouldn't be doing I demanded a Dr or nurse. Clinics I have to say we're generally pretty good. Docs stayed up with things pretty well. Richard doesn't have the mace or other. Just wears briefs. He doesn't even catheter anymore. That's good, he still gets enough UTI's as it is. He can pretty much handle his bowels. He's blessed. Man, was she complaining of pain before she got taken care of..bowel that high up!! Anyway, she's a doll. Thank you for letting me know. Richard has put a lot of weight on little stinker. He got a new apt. and loves.. loves . .to cook. He makes some really good food. Sends photos. His apt is across the street from a real nice grocery. He gets out and about pretty good except after a snow storm. Here's a few photos of him lately. Christmas, and him out shooting with family, and Thanksgiving. My mountain man with that beard. View attachment 2984320View attachment 2984321View attachment 2984322

He’s looking fantastic!! It must be such a joy to know that he’s so self-sufficient, something, sadly, that Kendra will never be. She’s finally learning to do some things for herself. She has a special 3 sided toothbrush so she can brush her own teeth. Jen has to go over them afterward, but Kendra is getting to where she’s doing a pretty good job. Therapists are now working with teaching her to dress herself. That ain’t going so well but she’ll get it eventually.

 

[DigMyChicks]

Hope you all are having a good Saturday!

DMC, is the weather cooperating so you can get your sister moved?

Bob, hope you have an easy time of it at the lab!

Janie, thanks for the early worm. That was especially tasty with my coffee

Mark, sending you some sunshine


DH had to make an unexpected trip home late yesterday afternoon. At some point in this old house's history, an irrigation system was installed in the backyard. I heard running water and discovered a small geyser. DH could get her faster (and work cheaper) than a plumber so he came up and got it under control. Nothing like a golf course superintendent to solve an irrigation issue!

We are just heading home. It was really blustery on the way but roads were good. Everything went smoothly. Lots of trips up 15 steps. Thank goodness her apartment was right at the top!
Glad your hubby could fix the water problem. Good thing he is so handy!

 

[N F C]

I'm just seeing this! That poor child. And, she's beautiful!! It really angers me .. I won't get into it..you know. I found that I had to be right there during hospital stays too. Primary Children's Hospital is a learning hospital, and many times they would send a student in to do something that would be seemingly easy to do. Well, more often than not, I'm taking over the catheterization, or showing them how to deflate the Foley. If it was something I shouldn't be doing I demanded a Dr or nurse. Clinics I have to say we're generally pretty good. Docs stayed up with things pretty well. Richard doesn't have the mace or other. Just wears briefs. He doesn't even catheter anymore. That's good, he still gets enough UTI's as it is. He can pretty much handle his bowels. He's blessed. Man, was she complaining of pain before she got taken care of..bowel that high up!! Anyway, she's a doll. Thank you for letting me know. Richard has put a lot of weight on little stinker. He got a new apt. and loves.. loves . .to cook. He makes some really good food. Sends photos. His apt is across the street from a real nice grocery. He gets out and about pretty good except after a snow storm. Here's a few photos of him lately. Christmas, and him out shooting with family, and Thanksgiving. My mountain man with that beard. View attachment 2984320View attachment 2984321View attachment 2984322

Hi Cynthia, nice to hear from you! Terrific pictures

 

[N F C]

We are just heading home. It was really blustery on the way but roads were good. Everything went smoothly. Lots of trips up 15 steps. Thank goodness her apartment was right at the top!
Glad your hubby could fix the water problem. Good thing he is so handy!

Glad the moving went well DMC, that's such a big job. Hope your sis enjoys her new place.

 

[DigMyChicks]

Glad the moving went well DMC, that's such a big job. Hope your sis enjoys her new place.

It wasn’t too bad. She moved quite a few boxes last weekend. We moved the big stuff and odds and ends. Her soon to be ex helped too. I think she will like it. She has a view out her windows of trees and a field…better then houses. It’s only a 2 bedroom apartment so she will sleep on the couch. Her 12 year old daughter won’t share a room. She’s a little diva. I told my sister it’ll be baby steps for awhile. My sister’s mental health is not the greatest so I hope she can handle it.

 

[N F C]

It wasn’t too bad. She moved quite a few boxes last weekend. We moved the big stuff and odds and ends. Her soon to be ex helped too. I think she will like it. She has a view out her windows of trees and a field…better then houses. It’s only a 2 bedroom apartment so she will sleep on the couch. Her 12 year old daughter won’t share a room. She’s a little diva. I told my sister it’ll be baby steps for awhile. My sister’s mental health is not the greatest so I hope she can handle it.

Baby steps for sure. It's good she has you around

 

[igorsMistress]

Good afternoon everyone. It has been an eventful week that culminated in my dad going into the hospital with pneumonia. He has been fighting with my mom for a while about going, but she got sick of him yesterday and called 911. He was cooperative and went though so at least he’s getting some necessary care and she’s getting a break. I went to hang out with her a bit yesterday and we ordered dinner delivered and just chatted about whatever. I think the stress was really getting to her, she called me yesterday crying. Anyway, the battery on my tablet is going to die. Have a great weekend all,