{my life}

It's been a while...

Things here have been going well here.  Eryn's infusions have been going well.  Her last hospitalization was back in May and she is now OFFICIALLY off the "benefit period" from her transplant!!  (Medicare requires patients to go 60 calendar days between inpatient visits.  After a certain number of visits, the patient starts using up "lifetime days".) 

BUT...  She is going back in on Wednesday.  Her creatinine levels have been rising over the past couple of weeks and they want to do a kidney biopsy to see if she is in rejection.  We will be going back to Florida Hospital...  We aren't too happy with that since we really don't like the hospital much.  We would prefer to go to Arnold Palmer, but the Doc doesn't seem to like APH much.  Unfortunately, we don't like Florida Hospital much.  They are really lacking in their care and I don't like the hospital or the area it's in.  But, we don't have a choice.

We are expecting to be there for about 4-5 days.  If she is in rejection, one of the treatments is Solumedrol over three days...  And it will take until Thursday to get the results back.

But I will have time to get some scrapping done and relax a little.  FUN.

WOW! Has it been that long!

Holy cow!  I didn't think it was that long since the last time I posted on my blog!  But, I guess it was!

Lots has happened...

Eryn received a kidney transplant on October 3rd, 2007.  She did very well.  We unfortunately had a reoccurance of the FSGS in the new kidney.  So the antibodies in her blood are trying to damage the new kidney.  They are trying to make it better by giving her ACE inhibitors (which somehow effect the way this disease progresses) and we will be starting a chemotherapy drug called Rituximab in a few weeks.

She had a biopsy last week that showed no form of rejection and no scarring.  She did have some inflammation which can turn into scarring and damage the kidney.  But that is why they will be trying to combat the disease with the meds.  She will be going into the hospital in a few weeks to have her dialysis catheter removed and have a port placed.  She gets weekly labs and weekly doctors appointments that really keep us busy!

Riley is getting ready to turn 1 in a few weeks!!  WOW!!

Thomas is still plugging away up in CID...  keeping himself busy!

I start classes tonight at BCC.  Only 4 more left until I get my degree!!  YIPPEE!

Here are a few of my recent digital scrap pages.  Thought I would share!!

digi scrapbooking

is my new fave thing!!!  i have done two layouts already and i'm working on my third...  it's still new to me, so my pages aren't "perfect" yet... plus i am still using lots of "free kits", so some of this stuff isn't on my fave list of supplies...

here's the first...

here's my second one...

not too bad for "beginner" pages!!!

riley had his 6-month check up on monday.  he now weighs 18lbs, 12 oz and is 27 inches long!!  big boy!  i knew he was getting big since it was getting really hard to carry him in the carseat/carrier...  time to buy a new carseat and smaller stroller!! 

eryn had her 7-year well check on monday, also.  she is doing very well.  all her tests were normal and she is just below the charts on her height and weight.  we expected her to be way off the charts since she hasn't been able to have her growth hormone shots for over a year now.  but not too bad!!  still patiently waiting for the new kidney...  hopefully soon!

thomas is very busy at work.  trying to solve lots of cases and get rid of the recent rash of car burglaries in the city.  not an easy task at all!

i am almost done with the summer semester at school.  i'm going to be getting ready for the fall semester, but will most likely not take more than half time again.  i can do one online and will do the other one at night....

well, i have a crying baby, so i gotta jet!

cku... here i come!!!

on wednesday, i registered for cku-orlando.  this year it's in october (unlike the previous years when it was in july).  i can't wait! 

i am taking an awesome class on willow traders.  it's an online scrapbook class with weekly assignments.  it is great!!  here is my layout from the first class (not my best, but scrappers block was all over my brain)...

that's my little boy!!

and i have some other pictures from a little while ago that i just downloaded today...

sister & brother... 

riley in his bumbo chair!

things here have been going well... 

my brother in law is on his way to iraq.  i got a phone call from him on thursday and he was in kuwait.  he should be in iraq this wednesday...  he will be there for 15 months...  poor guy!

thomas is very busy at work.  lots of stuff going on and lots of cases to solve. 

eryn is doing very well.  her weight is going up and all of her blood levels are fantastic!!  now all we need is the kidney, and we will be in perfect shape!!!

riley has learned to roll over from his back to his tummy.  he also now knows how to blow raspberries...  fun...  especially during his dinner time!!!  i usually end up wearing half of it!

mom is heading to my aunts in tampa for the week... a mini-vacation for her and us.

other than that, things are just hummin' along!!

great day out...

we went to the spray park yesterday for the first time.  we had so much fun!  but i stupidly forgot the memory card to go with the camera, so i have no pics to show...  wah!

i did take the cutest pic yesterday of eryn and riley in bed...

so cute to see eryn and just how much she loves her little brother...  she even gave him a new nickname...   baby sir toots-a-lot...  too cute!

thomas is taking a few days off of work (thurs, fri, and mon- including the weekend)...  our little "mini-vacation"...  definitely will be going to see transformers...  i know we will be swimming in the pool, too...  eryn can only go in so far since she has her dialysis tubing, but riley loves it!

fireworks on the fourth!  fun, all except that thomas has to work them...  we will be going to spend the time with him, while he is on duty...  i thought we might get a reprieve this year since he is in detectives, but with the recent problems with officers and injuries on the force, they are a little short handed...  so he will be working them.  but we will still enjoy them all the same!

if i don't post before the fourth, have a happy fourth of july!  enjoy the cookouts, pool parties, fireworks and all the fun!!

okay... so i didn't wait long...

only a day...

until this...

yes... i got one!!!

this is mine (with it's temporary cover)...

and a big "shout out" to my WT-Willow Trader friends!  this is what WT looks like on my iPhone!!!!

brings a WHOLE new meaning to "being reachable" when it comes time for the next round of "desperate traders"!!!! 

guess i will have no excuses!

not a good day...

have you ever had one of those days where you don't think anything is going to go right?  well, i think that day is today for me.  don't know why, it just feels that way...

today is june 29th...  aka iphone release day...  and i'm not waiting in line to get one...  this will be the closest to an iphone as i will get today...

here's some happy pictures...

eryn and riley in mommy's room

riley and his new favorite thing...  eating his entire hand!

riley and his smile to melt your heart!

those are just some of the recent ones...  i still have some "camping out" on the memory card in the camera....

Shuttle launch and some photos!

last night was a shuttle launch!  i took some pics with my digi rebel.  i wish i had a better lens for it, but i only have the one that came with it in the kit.  i have a great lens, but it only fits my nikon 35mm...

here's one right after liftoff, as seen from my second story game room...

i had taken some pics of riley and eryn last week and this week...  here are a couple of those!


and a last one of my hubby and riley after the shuttle launch tonight...

lots of new stuff...

i wish!

not much has been happening. 

i am working hard at my classes.  they require a lot of work, so it is hard for me to keep up on it all.  with riley and eryn during the day and lots of stuff to do on the weekends, it's been tough!

thomas got word last week that his job in CID (detectives) is now permanent!  he will be up there for a minimum of 4 years.  he is the head detective for the domestic violence cases.  we are excited.

eryn is doing well.  she is gaining weight every day.  whenever she has dialysis, we stop at wendy's to get lunch.  she is eating 3 chicken breasts from chicken sandwiches at each sitting!  piggy, piggy!

riley has gotten huge.  at his 4 month checkup, he weighed 15 pounds, 10 ounces!!  he is 24 1/2 inches long!  big boy!!

here are some pics...

riley's first time eating solids (sweet potatoes) and eryn with her wendy's chicken sandwiches!!!

yum-o!

another day...

things here have been going along fine.  eryn is doing well, riley is getting bigger, thomas is enjoying his time at work.  i am getting ready to start some college courses in about 4 days...

look at my little cutie!  i know, i know...  he looks like a girl surrounded by all that pink...  but i took it in eryn's room, and her comforter is pink.  and it is such a good pic of him!

i have to have a "mini photo shoot" with riley and eryn this weekend.  i need to get some pics to send out to all the relatives!  i usually get some of riley, but none of eryn.  she seems to be sleeping every time i can get a good pic of him!  this weekend will have to be it!

i wanted to wish all the mommies out there a happy mom's day...  hope you have a good one!