Well it has been an interesting week for us. Rebecca has decided it is time to start flexing her teenage wings, unfortunately she flexed a little hard and i had to get the clippers out. It was hard to deal with it all really, she is normally a fairly easy kid to raise but i have issued a punishment this week that is aimed to reel her back in... no going out, no PC and chores as and when i demand request with no questions asked! She is hating every minute of it, as am i for making sure i stick to my guns. Still if it hits my point home, it's a job well done! Rae has now taken on learning another instrument - the guitar to go along with the flute, sax and singing lessons! She has a bit of a Midas touch when it comes to music and I cannot claim she inherited any of it from me or my husband! David is going to Swanage from the 7 - 11 June, with the school, so today we bought him some summer clothes and walking boots i had to get him age 12 / 13 clothes, he is only 10, he is so tall. I helped a friend T to buy some bits for her new house was nice to see the new pad and be able to offer her the help she needed.
Tomorrow i am booked to do a photo shoot of a friends little boy L so will post photos when i have taken them.
So i currently look around the house and cannot decide whether to ignore the housework and read a few blogs or get off my butt and do something!
I have a wonderful friend with whom i have a "deal" of sorts... I drive her to and from work and she allows the kids to stay at her house after school so i don't have to pay a taxi to take them home. It works for us. Becky collects David from school and they walk to my friends house where Rae meets them later after whichever music club she has attended. So it is Friday afternoon, I'm counting down the last couple of hours when my daughter rings..with a due sense of fear and dread i take the call and i have the following conversation: "Hi Mum, i have picked David up.. but well he is REALLY hyper, i think i should take him for a walk through town to calm him down!" (just a minor point to note: David is not a child we could ever describe as hyper...the word i would use is more like lethargic!!) "Oh really, and just what would you do in town honey?" I reply trying not to chuckle at my darling daring daughter. "Uh, you know Mum.... just, you know... walk, to wear him out.. after all i don't want him being hyper in B's house.. it might upset the goldfish!!!" Well you know what i caved in... I let them walk in town for a short while, giving them a time to be at the house. I just had to admire her style and tenacity on this one. We have talked about how David is NOT now, nor has he ever been, hyper, so i can't wait for the next request application to be filed.
Well I sit here trying to make sense of what has been going on with my twelve year old daughter. Where do I begin? How do I tell this story?
I guess from the beginning of her “sickness”.
It started in December 08 when I was called to collect her from the theatre in Guildford, where she was in a show.
She was not well; she suffered all over Christmas with stomach pains and lethargy.In January we went to the doctor who spoke to her about everything it transpired that she had not been pooing having bowel movements since December! Ok that explains it thinks me! So she is weighed and measured, 8 stone, perfect to her height. Given movicol to “help her go”. Back on an even keel.
She still suffered abdominal pains though and lethargy. She was eating well and keeping active. She lost a stone. So back to the doctor who arranges blood tests for her.They all come back clear. No IBS, Celiac, Thyroid issues, Leukaemia, Diabetes or other things that can be told through blood tests. So another blood test is done to rule out some other cancers (I am not told which because I did not want to know unless it happens she has one). A very long wait later and they are clear too. She is finally now referred to the hospital.
Meanwhile by March she has dropped another stone and is now weighing in at a tiny 6 stone. She is still very tired in the evenings after her school day.
She starts having dizzy and fainting spells in April, I put it down to the fact she has lost lots of weight and encourage her to rest in the evenings and take chocolate and coke at school during lunch (school nurse keeps them in her fridge for her!!).
Her dizzy spells have become more frequent over recent weeks and I have had to collect her from school early no less than 5 times between April and May.
On Monday 18 May I got a call from the school nurse who is worried about her. She was taken to the nurse having fainted. The nurse laid her on the bed to rest and encouraged her to eat some of her lunch. Becky was lain on the bed and talking to the nurse. She was tearful and cold. Then Becky’s’ eyes rolled back and “she was out of it”. The nurse said it was like when you give someone a general anaesthetic and just before they are asleep their eyes roll back and lose focus. It was similar to how a patient with epilepsy behaves. I collected her and took her to the doctor (as her hospital appointment is on Weds 20 May) i did not want to rush her to A & E as they would look at the latest incident and not take the past history into account. The Doctor tried to take her bloods for a blood sugar test but she would not give any. Her fingers would not bleed! She spent the day in and out of consciousness on the sofa yesterday. After a fairly good night sleep she woke only to fall over on the landing. She is now relaxing on the sofa and dozing.
Roll on tomorrow. I refuse to believe it is “hormonal” or “puberty”. I never suffered like this in my pre teens / teens. I would rather be told “it is one of those things, she will grow out of it”, than hear it is puberty!
Through all of this i have watched my happy, healthy, energetic child drop two stone, become really lethargic, faint and fit. I’ve seen her prodded and poked and have her bloods drawn. Not once has she whined, moaned, complained or questioned. I want her better. I want answers. I want her not to suffer any more.I’m not asking much am i?
Her hospital appt is next wednesday at 11.45, i will be twittering throughout the day! I am NOT expecting too much from this first meeting though..meet the docs..see whats been going on..tell the story..watch her..bring her back. If it becomes more than that i will be happy to deal with it immediately but don't want to get my hopes up! So that is where we are! At least the appt is here now!
Numerous people have been on touch asking how the little lady is getting on! Well the good news is the cancer(s) they were looking for are ruled out..what a load off my mind that is. She also does not have diabetes. So where does this leave us now? Still very much in the dark as to what is causing her weight loss and lethargy. Still waiting for her hospital to come through. Still plying her with chocolate and coke! She is rapidly going off chocolate though!! So all in all she is ok. She is plodding along, still being upbeat, still eating like a horse, still tired and worn out and still as funny as ever. She certainly has managed to keep her sense of humour through all of this. Even when her favourite clothes are falling off her. She has dropped from 8 stone to 5 stone 13 lbs since January.
I do promise to keep you all informed about when her appointment is and what any outcomes may be.
More blood tests were the order of the day for Rebecca yesterday. Results are back on Wednesday so i will be crossing everything till then! Again she was very good and didn't fuss or moan. I am so proud of her attitude through all this. She got a gift today from our lovely neighbours, a get well card and two huge bags of sweets, which she will share with Rachel and David. She is still getting tired very easily and is still lethargic. So test results aside i am waiting for her hospital appointment to arrive real soon.
I will be offline for a couple of days. I am finally having my operation tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully i will be online on Thursday to let you all know how it went :) And after that i can look to Becky's health or lack of. They will be doing tests next week. They want to rule OUT cancer. Please pray for us.
{Please excuse some of the blurry pics, i had my ISO settings up at 1600 as i was not allowed to use flash photography..just grateful in this day and age i was allowed to take photos!}
Becky singing the intro song. Becky the dancing girl!
Okay weird title?? Well it is, that was my day..weird! I had my pre op - the nurse liked me enough to give me her email address and direct phone number at the hospital, because we live fairly far away (i thought we lived close but apparently not!), and if i need her after the op Rich can email or call her direct for advice! WOW how cool is that? I am "normal" too..she must have seen some real whack jobs today if i am considered normal! haha. As far as the op goes it will all be a surprise! They may do..nothing..just look around, find not much and come out or they may do a full hysterectomy {other end of scale} or anything in between. I am okay with that if i am honest. I'd rather they find something than nothing to explain the pain but i'll go with the flow..not too much choice when i'm sedated is there really?? LOL
David did a speech at school today and scored 38 out of 40 which is fantastic for a boy who hates being in the spotlight. Go David.
Becky got told off at school, wait for it..because her socks are long. Yes you read it right! Apparently they are "extreme" and show a lack of conformity. Excuse me?? Apparently children should not stand out so much at school, they should conform so she has been banned from wearing her skirt. Now if her socks were rainbow coloured..i might agree. If she hadn't lost so much weight she looks downright awful in her school trousers i might agree..but when she looks quite sweet in her navy skirt and socks i am putting up a fight! Oh and if she had not been wearing the socks since September {not the same pair we do wash them!} then i might agree! But when my baby girl who has legs that make Bambi look chubby chooses these socks...
I am happy to let her wear them, and will fight her corner when she is told she is too extreme! I am meeting her head of year tomorrow after school to discuss this and other issues such as her health and tiredness. I am not cross about this..bewildered perhaps and even a little bemused..and if i am honest i am a lot amused!
Well i spoke with our family Dr yesterday about Becky and what we do next with her and he is referring her to the local hospital, paediatricians department for further investigations. I am pleased with this as i would love for her to be less lethargic and more able to do the things she really wants to do!
I spent yesterday afternoon taking photos of my friends baby girl...isn't she scrummy..
ok ok i know i'm pushing my luck here because so many folk run these, but i love the following photo of my two youngest {see below}. They were messing about when we went to Petersfield Heath last Sunday after Bex took her drama exam.
So what do you think is happening???
{I may offer a small prize for the one that makes me laugh the most!}
**Update to below... Becky got a DISTINCTION in her drama exam - 89%*** Very proud :D
Cheap shot title i know but I'm going to be posting about the 3 kids in one post!! So where to begin really, Rae and Becky are doing well at school, rehearsing for Bugsy Malone (school show) most evenings! Rae just had her braces colour changed again this time a lovely jade green colour that i L♥ve!
Becky is full of flu, but is maintaining her weight at last! Back to the Doctor soon to see where we go with her next as coeliac has been ruled OUT! Much to my relief! She took her graded drama exam at the weekend, we should get the results this evening.(will post when i have them!!)
And David has been doing well in school too. He continues to just trundle through life at his own pace with his own agenda! Here he was this morning ready for school, they were having Roman Day so you guessed it he dressed as a Roman Soldier!!And that as they say is that!!
Yes today i was the new girl at work. Yipee! I started my new job and i LOVE it, T, who i work with, is just great, i honestly think we will have a laugh together as well as a great working relationship. Good vibes bouncing round the room!
Went to Bex parent teacher meetings..WOW I am seriously impressed with the girl :) She is above average for everything..needs to slow down a bit with writing in foreign languages..wonderful at Drama and well above average in Music! haha! Science and Religious Education she is starting her GCSE's a year early, so i am a very proud Mum right now. Keep it up kid.
I'm participating in what I think is a really great weekly challenge hosted by Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans. It seems like us Mums spend an awful lot of time behind the camera. The idea of this challenge is forMum's to get on the other side of the camera in at least one photo a week.
Since i have spent most of this week in hospital being ill i was unable to get a pic of myself with one/two or all of the kids so i am using my absolute favourite one from when they were younger..I know it's a cheat but i have a valid excuse....and i am sure you will like it as much as i do:
I also got a parcel in the post today. I wasn't expecting anything, no birthdays or anniversaries coming up. So i was really curious as to what it could be.... Oh my I was so surprised and excited when i got it....Yes indeed it was my "pay it forward" surprise from Shauna over at Trying to Stay Calm. She sent all these goodies to me just for being first to reply to pay it forward post on her blog and running my own on my blog! Isn't she a sweety? Oh and Ron over at Troubled Ramblings has been at it again too, here is Rae (he says he isn't too keen on this one..but i l♥ve it!): So while it wasn't my best week health wise...I am so so grateful for the lovely friends i have...especially my blogging ones who made me feel so special at a time when i have been feeling so poorly. Thank you everyone. I have also been tagged by Leah at A Silly Little Sparrow and am promising to take part probably tomorrow. Speaking of tomorrow i will be getting Becky's Coeliac results tomorrow too. It's all fun here you know!
I sat and played with my photoshop programme, using a digital scrapbooking kit called Funky Love designed by "stolen moments". I managed to create two pages, one of each of the girls. It was a pleasant way to spend some time and i am happy with the results :)
Are you a mom? Are you missing from the pictures? Most moms I know are and now there is a great new meme that brings us moms out from behind the lens to in front of the camera! It's a lot of fun! Carin over at Forever in Blue Jeans set up this wonderful year long challenge that does just that! Brings us out from behind and puts us in the spotlight! And the best part is, is that you can start whenever you jump in.
Well is it really a week already? It has flown! However here it is for you all to see, week 2.
Myself and my youngest daughter Becky...
This was taken as we were messing around..i was trying to convince her that it was a good idea to do her homework! I can never get cross with her, she really makes me laugh, a lot!
Well nearly! We have been doing some work around the house today and this evening Dad told the kids they had been such a help that they could have a MacDonald's (not had one for months and months!). So they were really pleased! So after eating their meals they were offered a pudding! Both girls wanted an apple pie. But oh no there was only 1 (yep ONE) left. Who should have it, would on of them give in to the other? No way! They resolved it with 3 rounds of rock, paper, scissors! The girl at the counter thought this was great! So did i until they proudly told me that they both have the same crush at school! So on Sunday nights they r,p,s to see who gets to fancy him for the week!! If only every dispute could be solved like this!! They just made me smile.
Becky went to the Dr. again today. We are waiting on the coeliac results still, next is diabetes tests and then onto the paediatricians.
So results day is in...I knew the doctor would be busy first thing so we set to tidying a little in the living room and not going near the phone. At 10am I phoned for her results to be told by the machine that results are given out from 2pm! Honestly do these people NOT understand that i am not a patient lady, that i want to know NOW, that i tossed and turned a lot the past few nights and am tired and irritable, but mostly i want to help my baby and can't because i do not know what's wrong with her and wont be able to find out till this afternoon? So i have had patience thrust upon me! I am aware that patience is a virtue but i have plenty other virtues and patience was never top on my list of priorities. Especially when it comes to my children. Richards Mum and step Dad are coming for a visit today too. They are taking us out to lunch, which right now is probably the best thing for all of us, but mostly me! I hope Becky will be able to eat at least some of her meal, I also hope i do not seem too pre-occupied. But mostly i hope that when i call at 2pm on the dot we get the answers we really wish for, even if i have no idea what a good answer will be. I am sure its not BAD bad news because if it was they would have phoned up before now. Wouldn't they?
Is there anything you aren't good at? Patience? Forgiveness? anything at all? Can anyone out there relate to this?
Yes indeed it is Rich's **th birthday today!! (Even i am not daft enough to post his age which is a bit different from mine!). Hope you have a great day off with the kids and I. We have opened presents and will be cake baking shortly!
But before our day even began Becky and I were at the doctors getting her bloods taken. She was so good! She laughed and smiled all the way through, was fascinated by the vials filling up! And bless her heart even managed to thank the nurse on the way out!! haha yup "Thanks for stabbing me in the arm and drawing my blood before i have even had breakfast!" Gotta love a pre teen with a sense of humour! And guess what? Yep i was allowed to take my camera! So being the caring loving Mum i am i took the mickey out of her, laughed at and with her and kept her laughing while i took pics of this special moment we were sharing. And since we are sharing here you all go...(I'd hate to think you were left out in all this!)...
Going in..
Drawing the bloods (she found this amazing and funny!!)All over!
Results should be back for Thursday so i will be sure to keep you all posted.
Some of you are aware that Becky (the middley one) hasn't been too well since pre Christmas. I found out part of the cause and posted about it here. She hasn't really made any health improvements of late though. When on the medication she was "going" but was losing weight f.a.s.t so the doctor stopped her meds to "as required". She has had it twice since then but still gets terrible stomach pains, loss of appetite even though she is really hungry ( like when you are pregnant and you really want to eat because it smells so good while it is cooking, but when it is in front of you, you just aren't hungry anymore!), going to the toilet, not going to the toilet. She has confided in me that she is frightened. Frightened of being like this, of what it might be that is causing her to be like this. She is really scared she may need to go into hospital, she doesn't know why she is scared, she just is. Since coming off the meds she has lost another stone in weight so now weighs 6.6 stone. Even my un-medically trained mind knows that not good. So this evening we are back to the doctor to see if there is anything more he can do. I will keep you posted as to how we get on.
On a brighter note, when the postman came today he bought a postcard from the school. Seems Rachel is not the only one trying her hardest :) Becky's science teacher was so pleased with her homework she wanted to share it with us :) Becky is delighted to have recieved a postcard and i am just so very proud of her :) In case you are wondering the homework was to create a leaflet about an animal and how to look after it. She created her's as a leaflet on how to look after "her good self" titled... "What to do with your Becky when you get it home!" Apparently it was original, witty, informative and very well thought out! ****Update on Becky****
She has lost 2 stone in two weeks, she is a lot underweight and we are doing a fasting blood test in the morning. The doctor is checking for e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g he can in a blood test. Results should be back by the end of the week.
