The usual holiday craziness.

Hello friends,Sorry it's taken me so very long to update,but things have been absolutely crazy at our house.I mean they usually are,but this holiday season was worse than usual.It started with my husband having to have yet another surgery on his foot.The same as last year.Which was rather frustrating.It would have been nice if it would have been done right in the first place.Neither of us was too happy he would have to go through the same recovery process all over again.He had it done six days before Thanksgiving.It was supposed to be a two hour surgery that turned into a five hour surgery.He even ended up staying overnight at the hospital.We decided the week before to go ahead and put up our decorations and Christmas lights and while he was still able to help.

 It took me a good three days to decorate,but it was done.Then we went to the hospital and he had the surgery done.Like I said it took much longer than was anticipated

 Then it was home to prep for Thanksgiving.It was very mellow this year with all that was going on with his foot.I hardly even took any pictures.

                                   Daniel prepping the turkey.

 We had the usual turkey dinner with all the trimmings and several pies,pumpkin,apple,cheesecake and a gluten free chocolate mousse pie and we watched the parades on t.v.Then we got ready to prepare for the T-birds holiday party which is always fun.                                 

There was so much food at this party and just fun times.Unfortunately after this party I got this horrible respiratory bug.Because I'm asthmatic anything like this really hits me hard and I have to keep a careful eye on my lungs.This bug lasted for six long weeks.It was quite the drag.We ended up having to cancel several outings,which was a real bummer.Daniel and I seemed to be the ones hit the hardest by this.My hubby had a touch of it,but recovered pretty quickly thankfully.

Ariel had also been plagued with a lot of health issues.We did manage to make it to The Port Gamble Country Christmas.I was determined to go sickness or not.Daniel and Michael and I went and really enjoyed it.We always get hot chocolate make mine peppermint and walk around looking at the little shops and then watching the fireworks.

 Then it was time to pick up Nicholas.We picked him up at the airport in the evening and went to church the next morning.

I was still pretty sick at this point and just worn down doing all the holiday stuff,care taking and just trying to get over the awful bug I had.

 We did the usual shopping and going out for some lunches at places Nicholas wanted to go to.Which included Round Table Pizza,The Old Spaghetti Factory and The Golden Grill for Chinese.

  

Deer in the yard makes it feel more Christmassy.

Then the guys and I made a bunch of cookies.Too many we had so many leftovers,but I love spoiling our son when he's home from The Army.

Ariel wasn't feeling well when we did cookies,so when she was feeling better we made a gingerbread house.

We mostly watched a lot of Christmas movies and went shopping a lot.Then Christmas morning We had our usual breakfast Belgian waffles with strawberries and Eggs Benedict.
 Ariel unfortunately wasn't feeling well at all Christmas morning.We waited until she was a bit more herself before opening gifts,but unfortunately that didn't last long.

 Daniel so wanted this shirt when we saw it at Kohl's.Unfortunately they didn't have his size,but amazon had it.Anyone who has ever played The Oregon Trail will know what this shirt is all about,lol!

Even though Ariel wasn't feeling well she absolutely loved this Penguins quilt.
It was a nice day.We listened to the Christmas message on t.v., had a big turkey dinner with all the trimmings and watched some concerts and called all the relatives to wish them Merry Christmas.The rest of the week we just hung out and went to a few more restaurants.On New Years Eve I had plans to let Ariel pick everything to eat and do,but once again she started not feeling well poor thing.She did manage to do some sparklers and have a root beer float.The guys mainly played video games and we watched a few movies.

I'm always hopeful the new year will be better to the kiddo's health wise unfortunately that never seems to be the case,but we're hoping and praying 2020 will be better for them.
God bless,Linn

Our life dealing with Epilepsy.

Our journey started in July of 2002 our car had broken down and we went to go get it.We left all the boys at home.We got home and were told our almost 11 yr old son Daniel had a seizure and was at the E.R. at Mary Bridge.We raced over there and were totally freaked out.We knew nothing about seizures and Epilepsy.We saw the doctor who assured us he probably would never have another that it was probably a fluke.I later found out he was watching his brother play a car racing game on the computer,so I asked if I should keep him away from the computer and was told it probably wasn't related.We were given the basic instructions and sent home.

He was Supposed to stay up all night later that week for a sleep deprived EEG.He asked if he could use the computer and I told him to go ahead after all the doctor said it was okay.Five minutes later he had another Generalized Tonic Clonic (Grand Mal) we were so freaked out.We were told it was a fluke it probably wouldn't happen again.They were wrong and it happened over and over and over.

It's continued happening for 17 very long years.We met the Neurologist who I didn't care for at all and did the whole myriad of medications.A lot of them had horrific side effects.We tried the Ketogenic Diet,The VNS and even looked into brain surgery.Our son was having seizures so often more than I could even count.He also was having a lot of injuries and countless ambulance rides and hospital visits. 

People we were once close to didn't want to come around anymore including relatives,because they couldn't "deal" with it. It was so disheartening and lonely.

We also started noticing cognitive changes in Daniel.His sister Ariel started having issues as well in her case it started with cognitive decline at 9 it was very significant and seizures started at 12.

 His brother Michael started having cognitive issues as well and also started having seizures.His started at age 14.

 

Our lives since then have been filled with doctors,hospitals,ambulance rides,surgeries,medications,EEG's and a whole lot of injuries.More than I could ever share in a brief post.

 Epilepsy to me is so misunderstood and under reported People don't understand the significant danger seizures can cause.Both Daniel and Ariel were given Make A Wish trips meaning the doctor had to write that their seizures are life threatening.

It has been a very rough road that I wouldn't wish on anyone.There have also been rainbows following the storm clouds.One is seeing how my kids (now all adult age,but impaired) rally around each other when one is fallen and grab the rescue meds,the oxygen, the pulse ox, a pillow or a wet rag to wipe a bloody mouth from a bit tongue.I see the empathy and compassion they have for others,especially those with disabilities.

I see their eagerness to lend a helping hand if needed.I'm so proud of the people they've become despite all their difficulties.

Autumn days.

Hello friends, Sorry it always seems to take me so long to post.
We've been very into the swing of fall/autumn.It is my most favorite time of year.
The start of fall is very significant to anyone who is involved in hockey.We have season tickets to The Seattle Thunderbirds and Daniel plays hockey as well. So fall is the kick off to that season.

 

I took a friend with me who had never been to a hockey game before and introduced her to that and all the goodness that is poutine.Which she also really liked.We had so much fun.

Ariel and I worked on centerpieces for the party.We had candy galore everywhere.I made what they call eye candy jars. I also made boxes. Using Peeps, licorice ,black, orange & yellow jellybeans, orange and black taffy and many other kinds of candy like gummy worms and even threw in some plastic eyeballs. Ariel and I thought they turned out pretty cute. Normally you use much bigger jars for these,but since I had to make so many I decided to just use dollar store vases and candy boxes from Walmart.

 Wish my photos were clearer oh well just quick shots with my phone.

             I also got all my fall decorations up.

           Daniel and Michael with goalie Roddy Ross.

               The Seattle Thunderbirds Team 2019

 After the party Ariel started getting her nerve blocks again.So far she's had two and gets her third tomorrow morning . She loved the Finding Nemo room. These are always followed by Physical therapy.She had to go in her wheelchair due to having  a lot of seizures before and after the blocks .Always fun to see Miss Shelly. She makes P.T. fun.

The guys and I also got some zoo work in.We've volunteered for Point Defiance Zoo And Aquarium for seven years,but haven't been able to do much in the last few due to Ariel's health being so poor.We carved pumpkins and worked Zoo Boo.We did a spider game with the kids.

The guys had a lot of fun playing games with the kids and handing out candy.

 Although Ariel wasn't able to work at the zoo she had fun decorating her pumpkin and house.

 

We also went to the movies a few times.

 My cousin and I also went to The Holiday Food and Gift Fair st The Tacoma Dome.
It was so much fun looking at all the pretty decorations and trying all the yummy samples. I was good though and only bought a piece of fudge. It was good,but so far the very best fudge I've had is sold at Cabela's.They have this old fashioned shop and make tons of flavors my favorite so far was the pumpkin pie.I didn't think it would be that good,but it was delicious.

Well I need to run and get Ariel off to her appointment.I'm hoping to take her to trunk or treat tomorrow or some other fun event.If we do I'll post more pictures.