Four months since my last post? Sorry!!!
This will be a quick one with quick thoughts (HA! Quick turned into another book). I promise to update soon with lots of pictures.
We thought this year would be a quiet one since there were no big plans... you know since we bought a house and adopted Micah last year :) While I can't really complain too much, there have been A LOT of unexpected events... big unexpected events. This has definitely been a year of tests for our family. I'll just post the last few weeks since they are fresh in my mind. Notice the "WHAT?!" comments in each section.
Friday, May 4th, my friend Christina and I set off for a girl's weekend away at Time Out For Women. We were so very excited for the break. We had a great drive to Long Beach, enjoyed lunch at Bubba Gump's, then walked around the pier a while. We checked in the hotel, went to the first night of conference, then back to our rooms to chat the night away :) Well, that was until I got a call around 10:00pm that Barry was in the ER. WHAT?! (Yes, let me insert here that we got a horse the week before... oh and that we hadn't started our lessons yet and didn't really know how to properly saddle him). So you can guess what happened. The saddle slipped and Barry fell off, hurting his back. He assured me I didn't need to return, that he'd be fine. I called Fischer to confirm that all was well and he said, "NO MOM! Don't come home. You're there for a reason." Sweet boy!
Saturday, May 5th. Christina and I headed home after conference was over and took our time getting home :) It was such a nice weekend away. Then I walked in the front door, lol. My children had decided they were human cyclones and had completely DESTROYED the entire house. There was no floor to be seen in any room. I'm pretty sure the bathroom was flooded from Micah's enjoyment in the water more than once. Dishes... piles... oh.my.head. Can I go back to Long Beach? Barry was hurting badly, but the ER doc only gave him a muscle relaxer and Ibuprofen for pain. He refused to do X-rays because "If you have a broken rib, there's nothing we can do about it." How about knowledge to take it easier and real pain meds? WHAT?! If I had been there...
Saturday, May 12th. The family went to Nick's (Fischer best friend) graduation party, then to a Maverick's game (local baseball team). Before the game, we went to Denny's. We walked in, took the girls to the bathroom, and as I was walking to sit at our assigned table, my phone rang. It was my brother, Adam. Now let me tell you that my brother only calls when there's big news (not that he doesn't want to, but we're all so very busy and Facebook seems to be the easiest way to keep in touch. Other than making plans for Easter the month before, I honestly think the last time he called me (without returning a call) was to tell me Amanda was pregnant with Emily (she's 3) :) So I thought, "Oh, Amanda must be pregnant again, lol..." HAHAHA, really... I answered the phone and his voice was grim, "Mom wanted me to call and tell you Dad's in the hospital. They think he had a stroke. I'm on my way there now and will call you as soon as we know what's going on."
WHAT?!!!!!!!!! I lost all feeling. My dad is a powerhouse. He's 54, in relatively decent health (aside from controllable diabetes and slightly high blood pressure). He owns his own business and is on call 24/7. Thoughts flooded my mind and worse-case-scenarios kept creeping in. MY DAD?! Not possible. So I prepared to make the 6 hour drive ASAP if needed. Adam told me not to come yet. So I tried to eat a bowl of soup and tried to keep my mind from racing. We went to the game, had some issues with the children there, left early and went home. I was stressed. Fischer was stressed. I want to leave right then! But I waited. Adam kept me informed via text, and it seems the tests were all coming back normal and with good results. I went to bed.
At 11:00pm, Adam called and updated me. His voice was still grim, which wasn't what I expected based on the texts. Even though the tests showed no bleeding in the brain, he still might've had a stroke from a blood clot. Dad was being transported to a bay area hospital with a neurologist, because stupid Emanuel in Turlock doesn't have their crap together (after 6 hours of waiting). Mom is crying and beside herself. Dad doesn't look bad, but not good either. Adam is taking Mom to see him in the morning (2 hours away). So I called my mom and left a message, then called her again at midnight. She had been alone for the first time all evening, and she had been crying hard. She was so worried. I woke Fischer up, and we drove to Turlock at 1am on Mother's Day while Barry stayed home with the Littles. We met up with Adam and my mom and we drove to Castro Valley. 9am--- got to elevator and Dad happened to be being wheeled in for his MRI. The left side of his face was droopy. Not good.
Over the next few days/week, my parents were told several different things. 1) Neurologist at hospital said it wasn't a mini-stroke, just the diabetes going out of control and causing all the problems. 2) His family doctor said it wasn't the diabetes; he was his doctor's best diabetes patient. Something attacked his nervous system and there was a list of possibilities, but nothing for sure. He was referred to a different neurologist. 3) 2nd neurologist said it was a mini-stroke from a pin-size clot and it couldn't be seen on the MRI (happens once in a while). Why didn't the first doctor think of that? Because it doesn't happen very often and you can't see them. HMMMM.... WHAT?!!!!
So basically, Dad feels no pain, hot, or cold on the entire right side of his body (from head to toes). He can feel touch and pressure, but nothing else. The left side of his face is looking better and he can actually whistle again (try whistling with a crooked mouth). He has been working as much as he can, but tires really easily, and Adam has been helping him after his work hours. The men in my family are exhausted and they need your prayers! Fischer is getting ready to go up for a few weeks and help out where he can.
Wednesday, May 16th. Barry's employer (USMC) informed him that his job is being moved to Albany, GA. They offered him a job transfer with a paid move. He had 7 days to decide whether or not to go. WHAT?!!!!! Please stop the insanity! We seriously considered all our options of staying or going, and in the end we decided to stay here. I'll elaborate on that another post. It's all good now, but talk about days of prayer and stress! (Side note: Barry went to the chiropractor and although his X-ray machine isn't the same as hospital's ... I guess it's not meant to check for bone breaks... he thought Barry had a cracked rib in two places. STUPID ER DOCS!) So that's why the muscle relaxers weren't working... it's a bone, not a muscle!
Wednesday, May 23rd. Micah's IEP (Individualized Education Plan). This is a process that children go through when they need special services in school or accommodations for their learning. It's done at least annually, but can be done more often at a parent or teacher request. When Micah started in the school system last Fall, we had an initial IEP in October with the school district, but it was so basic and quick. He was referred to the county program and for SLP (Speech, Language, Pathology), and he started preschool without another one. We just signed papers, added addendums for all his therapies (OT, PT, APE) --all of which were recommended by the teacher before I could ever ask (that's great!), signed more papers, etc. So I asked for a new IEP before the end of the year. Each person went through their list of data and goals for Micah and it went great! He has made HUGE strides in 6 months of school, only 3 months of those with OT, PT, and APE. The therapists were wonderful! (We had never met them!) They told us things we can do at home to help improve areas of weakness, and it was so encouraging to hear their information and enthusiasm. We also accomplished our hopes of making sure Micah could attend summer school. After having our first "real" IEP, I'm not unsure of the process anymore. It went much better than I thought it would, and I'll be even more organized next year :)
Later in the day... Barry had gone to our family doctor in the morning because his back was still killing him; he took a bunch of X-rays, and the doctor was calling back with the results. Compressed fracture of the T12 vertebrae. WHAT???!!!! Oh.my.word. He's being referred to a spinal surgeon. WHAT?! I'm flipping out! We're trying not to think the worst, but how can you not? We're going to try and just sit tight until we know more. But get this, even with Barry telling him he had a cracked rib... he only gave him Ibuprofen and a muscle relaxer. What is with these doctors?
So that's our May in a nutshell.
When I got up this morning, I was cuddling with Micah and I thought, wow, this day was such a sad day four years ago. His parents anticipated that day for 9 months, and were saddened to see something different about him. Something they couldn't accept. Something that must've turned their world completely upside down, to say goodbye and leave the baby they wanted and loved so much, just because he had an extra chromosome. And for "Alosha"... to be abandoned at birth and taken to an orphanage to be cared for for three years by strangers. By people who rotated in and out every day, and to live the monotonous life of routine that never changed each day. To never know what true love was. 
