Tuesday, May 22, 2007

BABIES AND GRANDBABIES

A short update on Meemaw's three grand babies and her youngest child. We have surely been busy with all this activity, and a lot more to come, I'm sure.

Austin, the 13 year old, went back to have his sutures removed from his SECOND surgery the other day and after taking only a couple out, fluid start gushing again (not as yellow) and the entire wound laid itself back open. It hadn't healed a bit. The Doctor said he doesn't know what is going on, so Austin gets to go to a specialist (again) on Thursday. He was so looking forward to getting those sutures out for swimming, and all the other things a thirteen year old would want to do.

Collin, my six year old grandson, is recovering nicely from his tethered spinal cord surgery. He has finally regained control of his bladder; but still suffers from migraines every once in a while and his legs still bother him. The Doctors say the migraines are originating from where the spinal cord had his cerebellum pulled back and it's gradually moving back into place. His legs may always have symptoms of hurting. Poor little fellow. Gee. It could always be worse though, couldn't it. I'm thankful.

Aiden, Meemaw's Angel, is totally recovered now from his tonsillectomy. What a tough little fellow at three years of age. He got stung at our family reunion in the corner of his eye by a yellow jacket last year. Most kids would have had a meltdown right there (he was two at the time), but not Aiden. He simply shook his head a couple of times, smacked the corner of his eye, and off he went. A Boyd County police officer related to me told me "now, that is one tough little boy". Amen.

Crystal has gotten more bad news about this "Graves Disease" she has been diagnosed with. Evidently, her left eye has now swollen and she has already suffered loss of vision. We had three options in the beginning -- trying experimental drugs; using some type of radiation to kill the thyroid; or take the thyroid out. She started the medication a month ago; now it looks like we have to make an "immediate" decision as to which of the other two opportunities she HAS to explore. This child just doesn't seem to be able to catch a break.

Anyways, I write all of this in order to thank and let know those who have sent me or phoned me with inquiring questions, and their prayers. It also will explain why I will be extremely busy in the days and months to come, because of my family obligations and not updating my blog as regularly as I try to.

Peace, New Albany.

13 comments:

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

BTW, you do know Paul Wheatley, our Economic Development Director WE PAID to have certified has left our fair City to go to work for Southern Indiana One, (I think that's where he went) -- anyways, another person (remember a past building inspector, Paul Roberts, whom we paid for his certification and he left).

Having had the budget of the CDBG monies almost ready to be publilshed, as they didn't appear in time in the paper for citizens to know where the monies are going, will probably appear soon. Not much budgeted for slum properties and some of the resolutions we were all looking for. I think you'll be surprised at the low amounts targeted and what they're targeted at, rather than what we were hoping they would be targeted at.

Okay, enough carrrrrrryyyiinng on...

shirley baird said...

Yvonne,

I am glad that Aiden and Collin are doing better. That little Aiden sounds like a cutie.

Poor Austin, with summer vacation here and all the things he wants to do.

I don't remember if Crystal is the mother of any of the boys but the poor girl has her share too, doesn't she? Graves Disease must be treatable, Barbara Bush has had it for years and she seems to be doing OK.

I will put you and your family on my church's prayer list.

Hang in there.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Thank you for that, Shirley. Yes, Crystal is the mother of Austin and Collin -- that's why she let herself go without medical treatment because she had her hands full with the two boys, and her job, etc.

She is going to be 31 this year, but she's still my baby. Isn't it funny no matter how old they get (or us), they're still our babies?

Am waiting now for her to call me from her "specialist's" office to decide which way we're going to proceed. Austin goes to his "specialist" tomorrow.

Thank you for thinking of me and mine and putting us on the prayer list.

And, I understand she will just have to take medicine the rest of her life, but she'll be okay. The only thing we are working on is if they are going to "kill" her thyroid with radiation, why not just take the thing out?

As I know this is her and her husband's decision, boy, it's tough for Mom to sit back and wait on that decision. A lot of house cleaning has been going on on my part (sorely needed as I was down myself for a week), just to keep my mind occupied...

Thanks, again Shirley.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Daggone it! Crystal sat in the "specialist's office" for an hour today and then they told her the Doctor was tied up in surgery and they pushed her appointment out until June 7th. Her momma isn't dealing well with this latest news!

Tomorrow Austin.

Nothing a body can do, I guess. Keep on truckin'.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Grrrrr....how does that go? "I am woman, hear me roar?"

Austin went to the "specialist" today. Come to find out, the other Doctor who did the other surgery, rechecked and resutured his ankle, did not cover the "sheath" bone in his ankle and now he requires further surgery to repair that; AND; because of Austin being so flatfooted, he will require more surgery to repair a ligament that has been damaged during all of this.

Come to find out, the other Doctor shouldn't have touched him in the first place because he did not now what he was doing. The only thing I can say is at least he referred him to one who could figure it out.

Austin's new surgery is now scheduled for Tuesday morn at Jewish Hospital.

Can you hear me roaring from here with frustration? The thought, and it may be coming from my Cherokee ancestry, keeps telling my head "you need to check into a more holistic type of medicine, especially for me". If it's good enough for the English "royalty", and has been good enough for the Native Americans (of which I am part), it has got to be good enough for me.

My thoughts also wonder to what I heard about another country and I'm not sure if it is true or not, but what a thought. Supposedly, in this society somewhere, you only pay the Doctor when you are well. You do not pay the Doctor when you are sick. Talk about preventive medicine...gee. We'd all be healthy as horses and can you imagine how much longer SOME OF US might live?

Probably the best thing for me to do right now is to go back to cleaning and taking some more frustrations out on the inside of this house. Neighbors, if you hear me going off every now and then -- know that a psychiatrist told me once it is so healthy, every now and then, if you have to, just go out in the back yard and yell as loud as you can. Whatever you have to do to get the frustration and anger out of you, without hurting yourself. That Doctor must not have cared about my neighbors...just kidding (a light note, you know).

Peace, NA Have a great holiday weekend.

Anonymous said...

sorry to hear of this turn of news. Dealing with the medical field is always frustrating.

What's important to remember is that YOU GUYS must be your children's advocates. The drs simply don't have the time (or care sometimes).

If you think somethings wrong, don't hesitate to question the dr.

(this thinking saved my son's life)

good luck, and prayers coming from here too.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Thanks, Ceece. Of course we questioned this Dr. He misdiagnosed him in the first place by not recognizing that Austin had an extra bone in his ankle that had broken and gone undetected for awhile.

Then he operated and took that bone out.

Then it became ungodly infected and burst loose at my house and he went in again and cleaned it out, etc.

This last time he admitted he hadn't seen anything like this, and sent him on to a specialist.

My daughter HAS TO use the Doctors within her family's insurance group, and you pretty much get what you get, ya know?

Thanks for your thoughts, and prayers. Muchly appreciated.

You and yours take care, too.

shirley baird said...

I HATE HMO'S. I work in the billing dept of a Drs' office so I know what you are talking about.

People get stuck with a doctor who is incompetent just becuase their employer chooses the cheapest ins. plan and the ins. plan chooses the cheapest dr.

Prayers still going out for Austin.
Please excuse my ranting.

Try to have a good day.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

That is it in a nutshell, Shirley. I'm now wondering if the insurance is through her husband's work or her own.

Thanks for understanding.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Today is Tuesday, and Austin spent a lot of time in recovery today. We now have a copy of the MRI showing the former Doctor who performed the prior two surgeries on his ankle DID NOT COVER THE SHEATH up in his ankle.

Grrrr. Now, we'll be able to take care of Crystal Dawn, my baby, and hopefully all will go well with that.

Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. We have such wonderful ceremonies down at the VFW and on Market and I am sorry I had to miss them this year. One of our neighbors always lays the wreath for the fallen nurses. It kind of does something to you!

Peace, NA

Anonymous said...

Hope Austin is making progress and is on a speedy course to full recovery. Not being able to swim will be hard and an unfair punishment for him, but I hope he can go fishing. A teenage boy needs a sport to enjoy during the summer. But I guess everything is on hold until his Mom can see the specialist next week. We know Meemaw is holding everything (and everyone) together. I bet Collin is wanting lots of attention, also.
Hope Meemaw takes care of herself, gets some rest and knows that lots of prayers go out to all. Take care. Susan

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Thank you, dear friend. He's already called me twice this evening out of boredom.

Crystal's appointment will be June 6 and I guess I will just have to wait with abated breath for that news.

MeeMaw rested this weekend...getting ready.

You take care, 2. Know you haven't been well, either.

Heard you got a job as a paralegal for someone in New Albany. That's great -- we didn't lose you. You'll still be here for us. Yeeeaaaaa......

Thanks again for the prayers. God bless.

A Democrat in Floyd County said...

Well, Austin's momma (Crystal) is now back at work and Austin and Collin are spending time with their grandfather. He is recuperating nicely and the ligament damage may heal by itself.

We are all still waiting on June 6 when Crystal Dawn goes to her specialist.

Thanks to all...