Some encouraging words

Time for another Reid update! A big thanks, to begin, to everyone for the outpouring of love and prayers during this time. We love you all!
Reid had his second colonoscopy/endoscopy last week. It was rough this time around. Hard getting him under, hard getting him to wake up, he was sick all day. But, since he had just gone under anesthesia 2 months ago, this was normal.
It took a week for pathology reports to come back and we went for the follow up yesterday. And, for the first time in 7 months, I had the doctor look at me and say "I'm encouraged by the results." The cultures for the c-diff (the raging intestinal infection) were positive 2 weeks ago. The cultures from last week...NEGATIVE! The mastocytic colitis....practically UNDETECTABLE! So, now, we are dealing with Reid's body's inability to digest certain things. His body is playing a game of dominoes here. The parasite caused c-diff, which caused colitis, which has done so much damage now its causing him not to be able to digest sugars (which causes extreme stomach cramps and diarrhea). But, that is certainly treatable. He is on a strict diet of NO SUGAR. Only water to drink or a special formula that helps repair his digestive track. If it isn't better in 2 weeks, he will go on steroids for a short period of time to rebuild everything and allow his body to absorb the nutrients he needs to get better. So, we are on the mend. Finally. (pictures taken the day of the procedures. He didn't move much from that spot all day)

Our church held a special prayer/fast for Reid this past week. Thank you to all that were involved and set aside their time to pray for our little man. I know that those prayers were heard, and answered. I know that our prayers were heard 7 months ago. We just had a lesson to learn here. Heavenly Father teaches us so much in our trials. And, if it was easy, we wouldn't learn anything. I have learned extreme patience. 7 months ago, if you were to ask me to wait a week or 2 for test results, heck, even one day, I would freak. Today, 2 weeks? No biggie. Patience IS one of my virtues now. We have learned to count our blessings, big and small. I have learned to love like its your last day. I have learned that little things don't matter. Having a spotless house is NOTHING in comparison to time spent with children. I will have years ahead of me to pick up after everyone. But I wont have years to sit and play with cars and trucks on the floor with my little boy.

Since Reid has been sick, and also the fact that he is at the picky eater toddler stage, it is so hard to get any food in him. So, this picture is a joy to see!

Copper

...or, as Reid calls him...Bopper. This beast has got to be 10 times the weight of Reid, and he doesn't even flinch. The kids can not get enough of Copper now that he is past his puppy stage and settled down a bit. It only took a few years.

Uncle Cody

Bryan's brother Cody has been living in Hong Kong since last May. He just came back to Florida last week...but only for a little while before he gets married. Since its been a while, he came to surprise the kids. They were so excited to have him for the weekend. Reid couldn't get enough of him, as you can tell from these pictures. My apologies for the blurriness...I didn't realize that the camera was on the wrong setting until later.

Rodeo

Its become a tradition for us to go to the Silver Spurs Rodeo every February. The kids get off of school here for it, so we take the day to go to the fair and then to the rodeo. This year, it wasn't as exciting as precvious years, but the kids love the tradition and its fun going out with the family no matter what it is we are doing. This year we went with some friends of ours, which made it even better. And, Bryan's dad and brother came to town to surprise the kids, so they were with us as well!

A little behind...

There has been so much going on that I need to blog about. But for now, a quick Reider update.
We decided to go for a second opinion after not seeing any improvement and not being able to get a hold of the dr ever. After 4 weeks of being on a steady treatment, 2 with the previous and 2 with the current, we switched antibiotics, again, and added more medicine. (if you are counting, that is 5 things daily he is on now). Once again, this is the "last resort" antibiotic. He had lost 2 pounds since his last appt and then he had a relapse, like usual when switching meds, that almost landed him in the hospital, again. We got him through it, but he continued with the fever. After several tests and x rays, I got a phone call the other night that he now has a UTI. Poor kid is now on another medication to treat that. We have an appt next week to talk to the doctor. She said this medicine should show improvement and if not, who knows what is next. He acts great during the day. Nights, not so great. But his happiness during the day is what gets us through. I will continue to keep updates as usual. Thanks again for everything everyone has done. We are now considering going up to Shand's in Gainsville. If anyone has heard of it or has suggestions regarding it, we welcome them!
And, I promise...updates on the rest of the family soon!

Some answers

Today was the big day. Met with the doctor about Reid and find out exactly what was wrong and try to find the right treatment. Earlier in the week, his pediatrician called and told me his test for c diff (the intestinal infection we have been fighting all along) was still positive. So, I knew going into the appt that we were dealing with that. This whole time, i have not been worried about what was wrong. I have felt fine about whatever was about to be thrown at us. We have been dealing with this for 6 months. I am just at the point of finding out what it is, and treating it the best way. The biopsy results came back normal. Everything they tested for was negative, which I expected after seeing the pictures last week and talking to the doctor after the procedure. He said the only thing that is wrong is colitis, which is inflammation of the colon. That results from an infection....the c diff. The reason the c diff never cleared up is because the colitis was working against it. We have figured all along that there was something else going on it was just a matter of finding what it was. So, these two are just feeding off of each other and preventing the other one from clearing up. So, what now? Treat the two together. We will treat the infection with a strong antibiotic and treat the colitis with a medicine that will help in bringing down the inflammation and soothing the colon. Our hopes are that in tackling these two together, they will all together clear up. It will be a long process, several months, but we are hoping for some reaction within a few weeks. I am glad we finally know what it is we are dealing with exactly, instead of guessing and wondering if we are treating the right thing. Reid, still, is un-phased by all of this. He just played with his "neigh"s and "tuuuucks" while the doctor looked at him. Laughed when he was feeling his belly and tried to tell me he was being tickled. I know I have said this before, but we are so blessed that he really is an angel when it comes to all of this. And, with having to take medicine for the next several months, it is a good thing he is good at it! This boy is such a trooper and will grow up to be such a warrior!

While we wait....

We find out Friday the results of the biopsy. Until then, Reid has done a good job at keeping me busy and my mind off of the unknown. You would never know just by looking at him that he was sick. This was taken on Sunday in the hallway outside of church. He had just run down the isle laughing and screaming as I chased him in my high heels. He attempted this several times.

Last night he was sick with the stomach flu. So was I. Only difference, I had it for over 36 hours before I even felt like getting up off of the couch. He was playing with his trucks and running around the house 3 minutes after he threw up. It never even phased him.

 Today I heard "MUNNY" coming from the kitchen when I was picking up the playroom. I went in and found this...

I had to fish him out of there 4 times today.
Along with that, today alone I....
found 2 cars shoved in his diaper
picked 2 trains and 3 cars out of the garbage can
had a box of cereal dumped in the sink while I was doing dishes
did a load of dishes with a baseball
fished Chloe's necklace out of the toilet
picked a bunch of clothes out of the water filled tub
had the horse feed dumped out all over the stall and the hay spread all around
folded 6 loads of laundry only to go put away the towels and come back to find the rest on the floor
found 4 acorns in the dryer
put my boots on only to find a motorcycle
(and to those of you that ask, YES I have a constant eye on him. He likes to sneak when he KNOWS I have turned around for a minute. That is why our doors are constantly locked or else I would find him in the barn.)
and that is just what I remember. Not to mention the countless trucks, cars, trains, and balls scattered all over my floor that I am about to go pick up for the 86th time today only to do it all over again in the morning.
And, I wouldn't trade it for anything because all of this mischief that is going on means he is home with us and not in the hospital.

quickly

Just wanted to fill in on how Reid did yesterday. He had a colonoscopy scheduled, but they ended up doing an endoscopy as well. The prep for it was rough on him. He had to be on a liquid diet the day before and then the day of, he could not eat or drink anything. He did however have to take a bunch of laxatives and stuff to clear out his system. Poor thing did not understand what was going on and why I wouldnt let him eat. Since his appt wasnt until 2pm, we spent the day running errands, shopping at the mall, playing around in Ikea, anything to keep his mind off of the fact that he was starving. When we finally got to the surgery center, an hour ahead of time as told, they told me his appt wasn't until 3pm! They wrote it down wrong for me. UGH! So, we just waited. They took him back for prep and in the mean time, he fell asleep. So, we curled up with blankets on the gurney and waited for the doctor to show up. Luckily, he was still asleep when it was time for him to go back. I was not worried about the procedure, or results for that matter. What I worried most about was handing him over screaming and imagining him having a mask put on his face crying. Not so. They said he cried a little but just hung on to the nurse as they put him to sleep! When they brought him out he was curled up on the gurney wrapped in his blankie and woke up happy. Drank a whole glass of juice, talked and laughed with the nurse and we went home!
I did get a chance to talk to the doctor. We even got pictures of everything he looked at. He pointed out 3 main areas of concern and told me what it should look like and pointed out what was wrong. So they did 3 biopsies at those sites and that will tell us more about what is happening. He didnt say what they could be, so not to keep us worried. He had told me before what they were looking for so we have an idea. Pathology reports won't be in until next week, so by next friday we will have more answers. Thank you to everyone who has helped through this. We are past the point of being worried, there is no point in it and it just makes things worse. We are just ready to get this boy healthy again!
Maddison and I were talking last week and she asked why all of these bad things keep happening. So, as we talked, we pointed out a few things that were going wrong, but then decided to list all of the GOOD blessings that have come from all of this. And let me tell you, we had a long list of good things. Since that conversation, I have looked at things in a whole new light. I think all of us have. We no longer sit around feeling sad that Reid is sick and wont get better. Instead, we all are happy and point out how happy he is! We count our blessings daily and are so thankful for everything. Worry just drives you nuts and puts you in a bad mood and covers the home with gloom. We are a home full of blessings and we need to remember that!

Reiderman

Just a quick update on our little dude since everyone has been calling, texting, emailing, wondering what is happening.

He had a relapse a few weeks ago and had to spend a couple days in the hospital for dehydration. He was such a great trooper, letting everyone poke him all the time. He really has been a tough cookie through all of this which has been such a blessing. He has become a pro at taking medicine. Since August, when he first got sick, he has been pricked so many times and seen more drs and taken more medicine than I can keep track of.

This is my man after a long day, finally getting some sleep.

 We got a little bored after a while and had to come up with a way to stay entertained. He made his wash bin into a boat and played in it with his animals.

So, where do we stand now? Well, still testing positive for the intestinal infection. He has been treated with four different kinds of antibiotics, all which are the strongest you can find. And, all of them he seems to be resistant to. Not only is that bad that he is resisting the antibiotics, but that also means this bacteria is taking over his little body. He was put on a final, last resort medicine this past week. Our final option. And, since it is only supposed to be used in adults, his little body could not handle it and rejected it. Being the holidays, and not wanting to spend Christmas in the hospital, we have opted to keep him home, back on some medication that worked enough to keep a fever down, until next week. We have more appointments scheduled with 3 different specialist to figure out what to do now. He has had more love and more prayers than ever before, and we appreciate all the support from family and friends. And, with this busy weekend, it is helping us keep preoccupied with other things so we are not dwelling on it. We will keep everyone posted as soon as we find anything out. We are currently considering going out of town to find help outside of our area. I am open to suggestions from anyone at this point if anyone has any advice or knows of any good doctors they would reccommend!
We love you all, and like I said, can feel the love and prayers. I hope everyone has a blessed Christmas!

The Lovelies...and little dude

I know I may be partial because I'm their mom, but really, we have some beautiful chidren!

on the first day of Christmas...

I wished for....
just a few things I have had my eye on this holiday season as I have been doing my Christmas shopping. Its been so hard not to press "add to cart" while shopping online for others. (I do have to confess, that "add to cart" only happened once)

How adorable is this Anthro apron? Actually, wishing I had a dress like this. So cute, I could wear it to the store!

 And, honestly, who couldn't use more latte bowls? Every time I am in Anthro, I check out what new colors they have. We have white dishes from Pottery Barn, so adding some color to our collection is always fun. I especially love when they are on sale. One time, I actually scored several of them for less than $1. Why I didn't buy more, I will never know.

 And this is my new obsession. The Nook color. If I actually had this, I am almost POSITIVE I would never get anything done around the house. Reading to the kids, catching up on my gossip mags, and so much more...all right here.

 Etsy has been my "go-to" for those people who are hard to buy for. I could spend hours just looking around at the amazing work people do. Such creativity. Such amazing artwork. The jewelry over at tyrahandmadejewelry is amazing.

So, whats on your list?

Under Construction

I'm starting a new recipe blog. It is under construction right now, but feel free to visit! I'm just taking my old one and making it better! More pictures, more recipes, more guest cooks! In the next few weeks I will be working on bringing in a lot of the old favorites from my old blog, so you can still find them when you need them at the new one. And, while I am working on it...is there anything specific you want to see more of? Send me your suggestions!


linneafaith(at)gmail(dot)com
Come visit and start following now! I have a few oldies and favorites up!
linneaskitchen.blogspot.com

Don't blink...you might miss it

That is how I feel lately. If I blink, my children will be teenagers. Every time I turn around, another tooth is lost, milestones have been met, children are being baptized...they are growing too fast and I am afraid of it passing and me missing something.

                                          

Hana just turned 9. What? How? She has become such a sweet little girl. She is so concious of how she treats people (except her sisters). She is doing amazing in school. She loves to help out with Reid. She loves to read her books. A little bookworm, we have here!

Maddison is 5 months away from being 8...which means another little girl being baptized. This year school has gotten so much better for her. She no longer screams and cries when its time to leave. She comes home happy, for the most part. And, as far as it goes with Reid...they truely are the epitomy of kindred spirits. Everything from little things like them having the same skull problems as a child and both being hospitalized twice, to the way they act around each other and even their personalities. They have this special little bond and it is one of the neatest things I have ever seen. If Reid gets hurt, only Maddison can fix it. If he is tired, only Maddison's lap is the right one. I dont know what it is, but they connect like no other. And I love watching them!

Chloe. Well, what can I say. She is one of a kind. Still cries about 5 times a day. Still sucks her thumb. Still knows she was the baby for 4 years and tries to use that to her advantage. My high maintenance child. But, she is doing great in school. She loves it and has made a lot of friends, which I was a little worried about, to be honest. She still loves to cuddle anytime. And, as she has done since the day she could talk, still comes up to you out of the clear blue just to tell you she loves you. I can be on one side of the house and hear her scream at me just to tell me. Or, I'll be outside with Copper only to find her running out in the driveway just to say "I love you". There have been times she has even woken me up in the middle of the night!

And Reid. Can't sit still. Dont bother going to a store with him. Hates sitting in shopping carts. Thinks running through the isle and hiding from me is funny. OBSESSED with trucks. Completely. Daddy's, in particular. And, a daddy's boy he is. He talks more and more every day. Things keep popping out of his mouth that surprise me every day. And, lately, if he needs something, he screams for me "Munny!" I love this kid to peices and 18 months is truely the perfect age. Learning, exploring, showing off, playing with his sisters. I could go on and on!

So, now that I have written down a little bit, maybe I wont completely forget! I am just cherishing these moments. These truely are the best days.

Boy oh Boy

I have a lot of blogging to catch up on. But for now....Reid. My BOY. What a boy he is.
A little bit about him before the update...
He loves his bed. He will wake from a nap and just lay there forever talking to himself. He has to sleep with his blankie, but dont you dare take it from his crib, he will yell!
He LOVES his sisters. I love waiting for the bus and seeing his face when they get off...as he runs to them with open arms.
He loves baseballs, soccer balls, bouncy balls...any ball. If its round, "ee ah ball" (its a ball).
He loves animals. Any animal really. But turtles and horses in particular. If we are out driving, he can spot a horse like no ones buisnes. And, he will tell you "ee ah neigh! ee ah neigh!" and get so amazingly excited.
He LOVES music and LOVES to dance. And boy, can he put on a show for you. He has got some fancy moves that make us laugh and bring us to tears.
Reid is a boy and not big on affection, but when it happens, you know it is special. From his little loves he gives by laying his head on your lap to walking up behind you and gently rubbing your back. I love his touch.
He loves our night time routine and has it down pat. We all kneel around Hana's bed, he folds his arms and puts his head down, says a few words...waits while someone else says the real prayer...gets a little impatient and ends up yelling "Amen!" in the middle. He also knows as soon as we all say the real "amen" that he needs to go around and give all of the girls hugs and kisses...sometimes more than once.
Reid loves trucks, motorcycles, race cars...anything with wheels and that is loud. He calls all of them "vroom vroom" 's.  And, he can spot Bryans truck a mile away. He can hear it, he can see it, and I have never seen a child more excited when it happens.
Which brings me to my favorite part...Reid absolutely adores his daddy. He is magical in his eyes. The minute he walks in the door from work, he can not get enough of him. If Bryan is at work and something great happens, the first words out of his mouth that I can understand, is "dada".

Now, to update....as some of you know, he has been sick. Quick rundown...in the begining of August, he got sick, was diagnosed in September with a parasite and treated for it. Never got better. Doctor told me he was fine...dont worry. Month later...still sick. After many tests and specialists, turns out he had C-diff, an intestinal infection. Treated for it, did not get better. Did another round of treatment which we finished tonight! He is a little better. Gained back 3 of the 7 lbs lost, but not fully himself yet. We go back next week for the follow up.
In the meantime...this BOY has not skipped a beat. In fact, the other day, he was playing and turned around, tripped and fell right into the corner of the brick doorway..again. Same brick. Same spot on his head. He didnt cry at all. It wasnt that big of a cut, but after 8 hours of it bleeding and not stopping, I decided it may be time to take him in. He was great. Just sat and talked to the doctor while she "glued" his head. I know...its just the begining.

I love this kid...blood and all...

The Madsen bike...once again

This beauty was on my Christmas wish list last year. And it will be on it again this year...and each year after until it is fulfilled.

FHE- Skateboarding

Family Home Evening....
Bryan had to work late, and it was so beautiful outside...so we took our FHE outdoors...skateboarding!
My fingertips are raw from scooting up and down the driveway with Reid all day.

 Chloe and her fancy moves

 Reid trying his hardest to take off his shoe

 Cheese!!