Kudzu Jelly: May 2006

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

We don't know how to thank you all enough, so we're asking God to.

Libby came home last Thursday afternoon, and since then we've been focusing on getting her to eat normally (it seems we may have overshot that goal, as of the last 24 hours, she's eating us out of house and home), tending to a rash left over on her head from where her IV was taped, and calling friends and family with updates. We're sorry, dear Internets, that we have not updated you sooner.

Libby is doing very well. The IV Immunoglobulin treatment went well, and her Aspirin therapy will be continuing for at least another five weeks. Her fever has been under control since early last Tuesday morning, and her rash was gone not long after. The echocardiogram she had when she was admitted showed some pericardial effusion (fluid in the sac around her heart) and she'll be having another echo on the 20th of June to see how that's improved. They saw no coronary artery aneurysms, and hopefully because her treatment began so soon, there won't be any at the followup scan.

To our extended family, our church, our real-life friends, and our friends in the computer: Thank you. We had no idea how much you all cared about our little girl.

In the last week we have heard from so many of you, telling us how worried you were, asking what you could do, letting us know you were praying for and thinking about Libby, gushing about how wonderful she is, how precious.

You visited her in the hospital and tried to make her smile. You've called us and told us how you Googled "Kawaski's Disease," and how serious it is, what 8 different sites said caused it, what they said the best treatments were, and made sure we were doing the same. You've consulted with friends whose child has had the disease, you've talked to nurses who've treated children with it, you've offered support at every turn.

You've sent cards, stuffed animals, a bendy flower for her crib in the hospital, well wishes, and offers of whatever help we might need.

We have been overwhelmed by your love and support, your prayers and your kind thoughts. We are without the words or means to express our gratitude, for what you all have done and given, a simple "Thank You" feels so inadequate.

We thank you, and we will be forever thankful that you are in our lives, and we pray that you will be blessed as you have blessed us.

Ben & Tarah

posted by Tarah @ 6:35 PM 1 comments

Monday, May 22, 2006

Libby Update

Just a quick update since last time. Libby is in the hospital. Her fever never went away and Saturday night she developed a rash. We took her back to Dr. Turtle this morning and he put her in the hospital. They believe that Libby has Kawasaki disease. That's right, she's don't want a pickle, she just wants to ride on a motorcickle.(brownie points for those of you who get the song reference) I'm not the computer whiz that Tarah is so I won't be giving you any link to a page about the disease. I can tell you that they have started her on treatment and we will know something in 24 hours and Libby now has her own cardiologist. I know this post is choppy but I haven't slept much since Thursday and I was sent home to get some sleep so I can go to work tomorrow. Tarah's mom is with her at the hospital. Any prayers, well wishes, and general good thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

posted by Ben @ 10:56 PM 1 comments

Friday, May 19, 2006

104.6 FM, The Fever

All Wednesday afternoon Libby ran a low-grade fever. I attributed this to teething, dosed her appropriately with ibuprofen, and went about business as usual.

(If I had been posting as promised, you would know that Libby got a pair of lower incisors for Mother's Day, but I haven't, so, ha, first you've heard.)

Around 9 that night, the low-grade fever inched just out of the low grade range, around 100.8 or so, too high to attribute to teething, so we called a member of Libby's Pediatric Dream Team, Dr. Emmaus.

(Dr. Emmaus was the reason we chose the practice we use. He was the first doctor that Libby saw in the hospital, and he fussed over her like a mother hen, and told everyone how perfect she was. I adore him. At our first office visit, he said never hesitate to call for ANY question, better to do so than to sit and worry, and by golly, he means it. No matter what time you call, be it 6 in the evening or 4 in the morning, he's the same cheerful, helpful guy.)

Dr. Emmaus said that it was most likely a virus, and that if it was, her fever would likely reach 102 during the night. Tylenol, cool liquids, and a morning office visit were suggested, and we were admonished to call back if we had any questions.

I banished Ben to the sofa, and put Libby in our bed so that I could keep an eye on her during the night, knowing that she would have to have another dose of Tylenol at 2.

I am a light sleeper, so I didn't set the alarm. Libby was restless, and I didn't think either of us would sleep deeply enough to miss her next dose.

At 3, I woke up and flipped on the light.

Libby looked like a lobster. She was bright red, and when I touched her she immediately began screaming her head off.

Her temp: 104.6

While Ben dialed the doc, I gave her as much Tylenol as I dared, and tried to keep her calm.

Dr. Emmaus advised us to give the Tylenol 45 minutes to work, if she got hotter, or couldn't calm down, head for the ER, but if we could bring it down at home we'd be better off because of the time constraints (drive to University City ER + wait = roughly 5 hours, OR Tylenol + cool washcloth bath + baby nakedness = slow but steady cooling). The main thing, he stressed, was calming her down, suggesting popsicles, or letting her drive the car(???), anything she wanted. Whatever it took was fine by him, period.

We waited, half expecting febrile seizures, but within an hour, her temperature had dropped a little over 2 degrees, and another half hour after that she was almost normal. Still feverish, of course, but at least not screaming her head off. Cuddled up with her daddy, she was content to watch Adult Swim, and eventually drift off to sleep.

(Yes, we let her watch tv in this instance, see above comments regarding "anything she wanted.")

(What's that? Your objection was to Adult Swim? Get over it, she's six months old, all she knows is bright colors and flashes. And besides, InuYasha rocks.)

Thursday morning we were at the pediatrician's office first thing for an appointment with Dr. Turtle (who is less chipper and cuddly than Dr. Emmaus, but is the best doc at the practice by far. I love him, Libby hates him.). Libby has not been eating well since she started teething, and has either lost weight recently, or hasn't gained at her usual rate. This is of little concern, since she's a tubby baby, and she'll most likely make it up as soon as she's feeling well again. This was the only substantial finding. No throat inflammation, no otitis, lung xrays clear, urinalysis negative, heart and lung sounds normal, bloodwork okay, nothin.

The diagnosis: Probably just a virus.

My response: Well duh.

So home again, home again, jiggety-jig, to watch and wait it out.

Libby's temperature stayed stable until dark, at which point it shot right back up to 104.6 again.

posted by Tarah @ 12:40 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Meme It Like You Stole It

I AM: way too mentally taxed to write an actual blog post.

I SAID: that I would update Sunday when we got home. It appears that I lied.

I WANT: a real vacation, that involves a sandy beach and a fellow named Miguel bringing me Margaritas and exotic tropical fruits.

I WISH: I could figure it all out. Or at least think that I have.

I HATE: reality television.

I MISS: Italian Beef sandwiches from Marge's (a restaurant I used to frequent when I lived in the Chicagoland area).

I FEAR: spiders. I was bitten by a brown recluse as a child, 'twas not pretty, and it left me a serious arachnophobe.

I HEAR: Billie crunching her food and Ben watching Food Network while Libby sleeps.

I WONDER: how we were ever happy before we had Libby.

I REGRET: not keeping in touch with more people that I have known in other places.

I AM NOT: satisfied with the status quo.

I DANCE: with Libby in the living room, to Otis Redding, Bobby Darin, and Mama Cass.

I SING: to Libby when she's fussy.

I AM NOT ALWAYS: able to be objective.

I MADE: brownies for dessert tonight.

I WRITE: senseless drivel.

I CONFUSE: Howard Dean and John McCain by sight. Please don't ask me why. For some reason they look alike to me.

I NEED: to do some laundry so I don't have to wrap Libby in a dishtowel tomorrow.

I SHOULD: get off my butt and do some housework.

I START: craft projects that I never have time to finish.

I FINISH: my taxes by the middle of February every year.

I BELIEVE: that there are some problems that can never be solved, never be talked through, conflicts that can never be resolved, and that knowledge makes it hard for me to breathe sometimes when I think of the issues in our own family.

I KNOW: the secrets of making good yeast breads (and no, I do NOT use a bread machine).

I CAN: learn anything if I can find an internet tutorial on the subject. If I could find a "how to" for neurosurgery, I'd be the best darn brain doctor this side of the Mississippi.

I CAN'T: find a medical school that will give me an M.D. based on an online course (fascists).

I SEE: trees of green, red roses too. I see them bloom, for me and you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world...

I BLOG: about my family, and our lives, when we're not busy living them.

I READ: not nearly as much as I'd like to.

I AM EXCITED BY: Deal or No Deal. Oh, how I scream at the TV with ill regard to others in the house. It's a disease, I swear.

IT PISSES ME OFF: when I am limited by the folks here in Podunk.

I FIND: that the older I get, the more tragically unhip I become.

I LIKE: pina coladas, and gettin' caught in the rain.

I LOVE: my husband and my daughter, more than they will ever know.

posted by Tarah @ 7:43 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Gone Crazy, Back Later

'Sup homie?

We here at Casa Kudzu and Chez Cozmo are preparing for a weekend getaway to Gatlinburg, TN. We (me, Libby, my mom) will be heading down this morning for quality shopping time, with the guys (Ben and Dad) to follow Friday afternoon.

I bought Libby's first swimsuit for the occasion, and we're staying at a hotel with an indoor pool so that bad weather won't spoil our little swimmer's time.

Wish us good weather, good shopping, and good swimming, and we'll see you on Sunday.

posted by Tarah @ 5:50 AM 0 comments

WHY?!?!?

Britney Spears is pregnant. Again.

Presumably by Kevin Federline, since she was nice enough to confirm that it wasn't David Letterman's.

I generally try not to make judgments about people, but this time I can't stop myself.

It's like she woke up one morning and said, "I think I'll find the most physically and morally repugnant man alive, marry him and have his children."

Howard Stern was busy that day, but lucky for her, K-Fed was handy.

posted by Tarah @ 5:29 AM 1 comments

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Mother's Day Muddle

I'd like to post about the wonderful present Libby and I picked out for Mother's Day, but we haven't been shopping yet. I've done the typical man thing and let it slip up on me, and the next four days are going to be so busy that if we don't go tonight, I don't know when we'll have time to shop.

I'm looking forward to taking Libby for our first outing, just the two of us. It may be a bit rough as Libby is teething, but I still think it'll be fun. Now if we can just figure out what to get for Tarah. Libby still doesn't grasp this whole money concept. She wants to get things like a new car, a maid, or a week long trip to the beach (which I secretly think is for Libby, she is quite fond of playing in the water). I was thinking of a nice card and some flowers.

I'd like to get Tarah something she can have as a keepsake of her first Mother's Day but money is limited and I don't really know what to get. Hopefully we will come up with something but any suggestions or memories of first Mother's Day are welcome.

posted by Ben @ 6:15 AM 0 comments

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Y'all Weird.

Internets, we must talk.

Site Meter has been telling me things about you. The things you search for, how you got here.

Internets, I am disturbed.

I have grown accustomed to hits from searches for escorts (my car, but obviously not what YOU were looking for), inner losers (oh, how metaphysical you aren't), and "cutting IT all off" (IT??? I was talking about my hair, what are you thinking?). And then there's the folks that get here by searching for our address (if you know it, why not just come directly here?).

This morning, we had a hit based on the search "rectal thermometer site:blogspot.com."

Um, okay. Sometimes I wish I could ask people why, but it's probably best that I can't.

But you might want to avoid Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Someone there is awfully curious about rectal thermometers.

posted by Tarah @ 6:35 PM 1 comments

Thursday, May 04, 2006

'Round Here, We Refer to This as "Trouble"

Taken yesterday morning, about 6 seconds before the carnage began.

Oh, the horror.

posted by Tarah @ 8:01 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

The Post of Laughter and Forgetting (Pt. 2)

Too little prune juice, cranky baby. Too much prune juice, not a clean stitch of clothes in the house.

After a certain number of blowouts, you learn to think of onesies as "baby Gladware"; clean it if you can, toss it if you can't.

When calling the pediatrician for a semi-emergent appointment, if you are still in your pajamas with your hair in a mess, they want you there in 20 minutes. If you're showered and dressed with the baby halfway into the carseat already, they can't work you in till noon.

Nothing smells worse than baby vomit in a hot car.

Your child's fear of a particular stranger is proportional to just how much they want to hold her.

Whoever determines sizing for infants clothing has obviously never had one.

The cuter the outfit, the more quickly it is outgrown or ruined.

The more special the occasion, the more likely that the pictures will be bad (we're doing a mock re-shoot of Libby's baptism, someone forgot to use the flash).

The difficulty of assembly of a particular item is inversely proportional to the age of the child it is for.

posted by Tarah @ 4:42 PM 0 comments

Monday, May 01, 2006

Monday Mommaku

Libby's napping now
Ben is washing the dishes
Momma writes garbage

Therapy went well
far better than expected
and we are joyous

posted by Tarah @ 8:31 PM 1 comments

Therapy Schmerapy

Libby has a follow-up appointment with her physical therapist this afternoon at 2:30.

Think non-torticollissy thoughts. Think this:

Okay, so maybe not this exactly.