Jesus Heals!

About a month ago I posted this request for our friends who were told they had a very sick baby.

Here is a portion of an e-mail from Mommy directly:

.....Well my friends, prayer is real. Miracles happen and God is so good!

We had an appointment with the doctor for another ultrasound yesterday. I was hoping for the best, but trying to be prepared for more of the same bad news for our little baby boy. I have to tell you again faith is real and prayers are answered. As he looked at the ultrasound screen the specialist said that the change in our boy was remarkable, that if he hadn't seen us a month ago he wouldn't have known this baby ever had faced the problems he had. The umbilical cord is exactly as it should be. His brain is normal and growing. The problem in his intestine is almost completely healed. His heart appears to be slightly further to the left than it should be, but apparently this can be a common problem that usually fixes itself or is easily corrected. We do need to keep that in our thoughts and prayers, but we are so far from where we were a month ago....

When she received the diagnosis that her baby was so sick her brother said, "I don't know what those Mormons believe but you tell her that JESUS HEALS!" For whatever reason it lightened the situation and brought some comic relief. We have giggled about it and carried on the motto that, JESUS HEALS! Whether you believe in God or not this is an amazing miracle, one to be celebrated!

We love you baby boy, here's to a Happy and Healthy 4 more months!

Cutest Witch Ever

Halloween was a blast. Noelle loved every minute of it and so did we! Wednesday night we went to our ward's Trunk or Treat. Noelle's green face was traumatizing, but she soon got over it. Friday night she could not wait for the 'green and sparkles.' Auntie and Unc came with us while she skipped from house to house saying, "Let's get some candy!" In barely over an hour her bucket was filled twice, our neighborhood is perfect for trick or treaters. The streets were flooded with little ones (and not so little ones). We went home finished the night off with some pizza, a bath, then crashed in bed. It was perfect.

Washing and Terrified

What am I doing this morning you ask? Washing all kinds of teeny, tiny, socks, sweater sets, receiving blankets and the like. How on earth was it that she was ever so small?

I saw Cooper yesterday morning. They've begun... He did the Group B Strep test and then when feeling my belly realized her head was no longer up where he could feel it. So, he checked me and she sure is 'engaged.' He's lucky we're still friends after that whole scene. I told him that you don't need to be a doctor to figure that one out, I could have told him her head was coming down. He said given everything I've got going on he would "be willing to do anything he could to help me get delivered by the 24th or 25th." That's exactly three weeks away. I'm officially terrified.

He told me to be happy that it's almost over. And that I looked 'all sexy with my new hair cut and ready to have a baby.' No, I have not had my haircut but thanks for the compliment? Sexy and I certainly do not belong in the same sentence, period. Especially coming from you. Especially when you are sitting there with the rattiest baseball cap, three pairs of reading glasses on your head, a scrub shirt, cargo shorts, no socks, penny loafers, and some weird 2 sizes too big fleece jacket with moose all over it. Luckily, he took off the baby blue scarf already. He says he feels bad because patients always give him all kinds of gifts and he never gets a chance to use them so some days he just puts on random stuff.

I see Tabsh tomorrow and Tamagna on Monday so we'll see how those two appointments go.

Election Day

As election day looms ahead everyone is all over the board...there is a palpable energy everywhere we go.

I have started this post over many, many times. Putting my feelings into a few sentences is not possible so I will say this:

Please don't automatically think those who support Proposition 8 are discriminators, haters, intolerant, ignorant, or have no compassion. There are so very many reasons that have nothing to do with sexual orientation or religious convictions including social changes, civil rights, fiscal ramifications, personal values, moral values, and so on.

I support Proposition 8 in order to preserve the definition of marriage that has been on this earth since the beginning of the human race. One man and one woman is the only union that can create a child...this should be the TRADITIONAL definition of marriage.

If you want to enter into a union with someone of the same sex you should be able to do that. You should have your own seperate definition.

In 2000 California voted on Proposition 22 to define marriage as between a man and a woman and it passed. The way the Supreme Court overturned this was WRONG......it should worry you that 4 judges would decide "that the peoples feelings or perceptions have changed." This is not how our judicial system was set up to work and it could lead us to dangerous places.

Seperation of Church and State

I believe in a higher power, in a creator, in God, a Father in Heaven who created a divine plan for those of us on earth. His plan includes a Mother, a Father, and children. This is not always possible or ideal, but it's what we should strive for.

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I am beyond BLESSED and GRATEFUL to live in this free country. We can complain all we want about this government (I have done my fair share) but truth be told it is the best government this world has to offer. I would rather live here than any other country.

May our Heavenly Father bless you, those you love, and your wonderful families with all you want and stand in need of. May this election bring great things to pass for us. May we find renewed faith and hope in the common man, for that is what we all are, common. May we learn to love, respect and understand each other better. May we learn to be more forgiving and less contentious.

Our Little Ecolab Associate

In case you did not know Aaron works for a company called, "Ecolab." He sells cleaning supplies, chemicals, laundry, etc. to hotels and restaurants. Obviously, since we get most stuff for free I use that at home (even though the glass cleaner leaves streaks.)

Please forgive me for tooting my Mommy horn right now. Noelle loves reading and has started to recognize words and spells some everyday words.

Yesterday, I am cleaning the bathroom mirror and I hear Noelle say something. I turn around and she says it again. I just had to get it on video.

It's official....she's a reading genius. :)

Just A Joke...Kinda...

I want to keep politics off my blog, but this made me laugh!

I honestly CANNOT WAIT until this election is over and done with!

Baby Shower

I have the best friends ever! We got together Saturday for a little baby shower and it was so much fun. The food was yummy, the gifts were amazing, and the conversation was even better.

Thanks to everyone who came and those who pitched in to get us a co-sleeper.

With Noelle we had a hand-me-down bassinet that went into the garbage afterwards, it had seen better days. I always wanted to be as close to baby as possible but do not sleep well at all when she is right next to me, so this should be the perfect solution.

Kelsi made me this really special book Madeleine: The First Year that includes calendar pages and notes so that we can quickly jot down what happens each day, such a great way to journal her fist year!

All of the gifts were really special, I cannot list them all. The outfits are just precious, it will be really nice for her to have some of her own new clothes. Thanks everyone for coming, I felt so loved!

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Noelle had a special day, also. She went to her friend's Princess Birthday Party. It was my kind of party, too, because I got to drop her off and come back when it was over. An hour and a half goes by so fast!

After the party this princess was just plain pooped...

Later she had more fun with the party favors than any little girl ever!

Dr. Tamagna & Other Things

Check me out! I'm quite impressed with all of my recent posts, aren't you?

Doctor Updates: I saw the 'Thyroid Nazi' Dr. Tamagna today and there was such a HUGE difference between her and Dr. Mach. First of all she was way more thorough. Actually used instruments to measure my eyes and my goiter (my thyroid is 4 times the size of a normal one but feels soft with no nodules), among other things. Second, there are several ways to measure thyroid function. Dr. Mach said that the only way to truly monitor thyroid function during pregnancy is to use the Free T3 & T4 and my Free T3 is still really, really high. Dr. Tamagna said that latest research indicates you go by the Total (free & uptake) because during pregnancy proteins bind differently than normal so the amount of Free T3 & T4 is not truly accurate. Have I lost you all? Obviously, a huge difference between the two doctors. My Total T3 is still higher than it needs to be but not drastically. Which is good news! She will keep me on the high dose of PTU for the next 3 weeks and then see where we are.

Lesson for all of you: GET A SECOND OPINION even if you think you are getting sufficient care.

I saw Cooper today and what an visit it was! Since I did not have Noelle we were able to talk politics and all kinds of other good stuff. He never ceases to surprise me. As I was walking out he grabbed both sides of my face and told me how great I looked "not all buggy eyed and weird" and then puckered his lips all big and kissed me! Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaa ha ha ha ha!

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Belly Shot 33 Weeks

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Noelle sleeping on the floor with all of her blankets on top...then in her bed where she should be. What an angel...

You Want Me To Do What?

So, I got see Dr. Tabsh yesterday. He's doing the ultrasound and talking to me about my lab work and stuff. I can tell he doesn't like the way Dr. Mach has been handling things. My T3 is still high....has only tested my Antibodies once (these are what make me sick and can pass through the placenta giving the baby a goiter and causing her to be born with a hyper thyroid), etc. I hear him mumbling to himself, things like, "Hmm well if your T4 is converting...and the PTU...then you shouldn't...yadda...yadda." Then he says, "I've been telling you to go see Tamagna, why don't you listen to me?" Well she's been in Italy, but I have an appointment on Friday. "OK, do you have a car with you because I want you to go to UCLA right now and have labs drawn." It's almost 5 O'clock and you want me to get on the 405 and drive to UCLA? You must be stoned! He draws me a very detailed map, writes turn by turn directions so I can find the exact location, writes up with lab sheet and I'm on my way.

Traffic is surprisingly light even though I am going the opposite direction of traffic and I'm enjoying my music. When I get off the freeway my troubles begin. I must have missed something because I am now in Bel-Air and I know UCLA is the other direction. I use my GPS to get me back to where I need to be. I don't know where to park because I am no longer able to use his map. I just pick a place and start walking (I seriously could not have picked a better meter in the world, I was guided there!) I see to my right "Main Hospital" I see to my left a brand new building "UCLA Medical Plaza." I think the plaza must be doctors offices and the right is the actual hospital where I need to find the lab, right? I cross the street and my mission continues. My time working at the U and the cancer institute has really come in handy because I am familiar with navigating the dark labyrinth halls of a medical/research facility all rolled into one. I find an information desk, the guy does not know where the lab is, someone else says it has moved over to the new Ronald Reagan Hospital across the street (does not click for me). They give me specific instructions to find the 'H' elevators and to make make several right and left turns, then out the doors and the hospital is across the street (still does not click). I not so easily find my way out of there and out the door. There is the UCLA Medical Plaza which is the new hospital! DUH! I look down at the map Tabsh drew and now I realize what he was saying. I find the lab and it takes me about 10 minutes from the time I enter to the time I am out, even having a student phlebotomist draw the labs.

I was terrified of the traffic on the way home. It was really heavy but to my utter amazement was moving. I made it home about 8:00. What an adventure!

See Any Resemblance?