Catch up

I don't really remember who is signed up to read this blog now that I've made it private.  In fact, I'm not sure if anyone still DOES read it.  Anyway, for those who may be out of touch with our family, here's a catch-up of what's been going on in our lives.  I'll do a bullet point list, and then those who wish to know more detail can read more below.

-- We bought a house!
-- Kate has a swollen lymph node that has been very difficult to diagnose.
-- Nicholas will be starting a new preschool (Little Hands Big Hearts)
-- Lauren and Kate will be starting preschool with Lyn Gangi (our wonderful neighbor)
-- All is going well with Armando and I.  Very little has changed :)

DETAILS (probably more than you want):

-- We bought a house in Woburn!  It's wonderful :)  It's a cute little colonial with 3 bedrooms, finished walk-up attic, and unfinished basement.  We love it.  It was built in 1954 so it has a bit of charm and sturdy construction (like retro tiled walls in both bathrooms and kitchen.... those tiles are IN THERE, no moving those babies).

The previous owners bought it from the people who built it.  They lived there for 15 years and did MANY updates, so it's a really well taken care of house.  We feel like we are buying a well-loved home.  It has a good energy to it (also, good Feng Shui energy).

We're still living in our rental until the end of September while we fix up the new house a little (painting, fixing some rain gutters, sanding and painting the inside of the kitchen cabinets-- I'm not a big fan of old floral contact paper).  We were able to get the house less than we had budgeted (sweet), so we are using that money to add on a master bathroom.  There was a little sunroom that the previous owners finished off of the living room.  Well, the master bedroom had a door leading to the rubber roof of this finished sunroom-- turns out it has a full foundation, and is able to take a second story.  Voila-- new bathroom.

-- Kate has a swollen lymph node on the right side of her neck.  All the kids got sick in June (3 days of fever and congestion/coughing) and then got better.  About a week after that, Kate got a low grade fever which we thought was an ear infection from the congestion she'd had earlier.  Three days of low grade fever and on the fourth day she woke up with a big lump on her neck.  I took her into the doctor's walk-in hours and she was prescribed an antibiotic for what seemed to be an infection (possibly an abscess) from an ear infection.  Well, after a few doses of the antibiotic the fever went away, but nothing really happened to the lump.  We finished the course of antibiotics and were waiting for the swelling to diminish ("it takes time for lymph tissue to drain") when we left for Cousin's Camp at grandma's house.

You can sort of see the lump on the exposed side of her neck here.

By the second week of Grandma's the lump had gotten bigger and harder, so I took her to the holistic doctor that I look forward to seeing every time I go home :)  We fondly call him "Mashed Potatoes"  I was sure that he would tell me that her spleen was malfunctioning or something and give me some magical elixir to set it right.  Because that's how things always go at his office--- you show up with some problem that nobody else seems to be able to do anything about and he fixes it.  It's pretty fantastic!  Well, bubble burst.  He did an ultrasound (yes, he's a real M.D.), and suggested that I go to the hospital in Boston when I returned.  oh great.

We returned home that weekend, and saw the pediatrician first thing to get a referral for the hospital.  She put Kate on another round of antibiotics while we waited for an opening with the Mass General Pediatric Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat guy.  We went in on the next Monday morning so the Ear and Throat doctor could take a look at her, and after one look he immediately referred us to his higher up, Dr. Hartnick, who was in the operating room that very day, so he could do a biopsy.

At this point, my cool and collected demeanor pretty much vanished.  I had been so chill up until this point because of all the blessings she'd had.  I just had this inner peace that it would all be fine-- she would be fine.  But everyone else was making such a hooplah, that I started freaking out a little. Everyone starts throwing around words like "Lymphoma," "probably benign," "more tumors," "fast growing," and it's amazing how quickly my peace shattered.  Maybe it is something more than just a lump.... what if it IS cancer... what if six months from now Kate is no longer in my life?!  I'm telling you.... I started falling apart.

Kate asleep in Mando's arms right before entering the operating room.

They immediately admitted us to the hospital next door, put us in a room, got everything arranged, and she was in the operating room a few hours later.  They wanted to get it done as quickly as possible because she hadn't eaten since breakfast at 6:30.  The soonest they can operate is 8 hours after eating.  So at 2:30, almost on the dot, she was on the operating table.  She fell asleep in my arms about 30 minutes before they were going to start, so I'm not sure if she even knows what happened.  Because this type of lymphoma (if that's what it is) tends to cause tumors in other places, and because she'd been having problems breathing at night, they wanted to do a chest x-ray to make sure there was nothing in the chest to cause problems with the anesthesia.  Which they arranged to do while she was sleeping, right there on the operating table.  It was all a very smooth operation-- no pun intended.

Everything went well with the operation and Dr. Hartnick came to see us afterward to let us know his opinion--- that it looked like an infection, not cancer.  whew.  The frozen cells showed very few lymph cells and a whole lot of granulomas.  So the cells would be sent for cultures which, unfortunately, take a long time to grow.  Kate and I spent the night in the hospital for observations.  It was kind of awesome, actually.  I got more sleep than I probably would have otherwise :)

Kate wore this get up all around the different doctor's offices and hospital wings we visited.   Everyone got a real kick out of her teetering down the halls on her little ruby, high-heeled shoes, carrying her purple purse (one of my old ones) which contains her little white dog.  

When we went in a few days later to have Dr. Hartnick look at the wound, he referred us to the infectious disease specialist, Dr. Pasternack.  Why infectious disease you ask?  Well, let me enlighten you.  The fact that only ONE lymph node is swollen says that it's not a "common" infection.  The "uncommon" infections are caused by mycobacterium.  There is an a-typical mycobacterium that they call MAI (Mycobacterium Avium Intracellulare) which travels through soil/animals/water.  The human form of mycobacterium is actually tuberculosis.  So according to the doctors, she either has a weird soil infection or TB.  

Dr. Pasternack tells me that both cases are actually more common than you might believe.  Kate seems to be in good spirits, nothing has grown or changed much since before the biopsy.  The cultures that they are growing take at least six weeks to show anything (maybe 8), and they've been growing for about 2-3 weeks at this point.  There is a blood test to show if she has TB, but it's not recommended for children under age 10.  So he gives her a TB skin test.  They put a little something just under the skin and see if she reacts in 48 hours.  Dr. Pasternack is heading out of town on vacation for two weeks, and said I'd be fine to wait and talk to him when he gets back about treatments, etc.  

Well, we took Kate into our normal pediatrician to have the test read.  It's...inconclusive.  It's probably positive, but might be just a false reaction.  sigh.  Meanwhile, the Dr. covering for Pasternack decides to treat it as positive and asks that our whole family get a TB test.  So I take all three kids back into the doctor for another TB test and I get one too.  (All negative, by the way).

About two days later, the Dr. covering for Pasternack calls and says he's read through the file and wants to set up a few more tests to pin down a diagnosis.  So I take Kate into the hospital (AGAIN-- keep in mind, I have to find childcare for the other two, drive all the way into Boston, park, walk to the hospital, etc. etc. etc. every time I go to these appointments).  They do another chest x-ray, two blood tests, an EKG (I still don't know WHY), and a urine culture... oh and a skin culture, I think.  Loooong. Day.

The next day he calls again and asks me to come back in for a CT scan.  Apparently the chest x-ray was...inconclusive.  It may be nothing, but they saw something that might be something.  ?!  We said no.  They have done SO many tests, surely one of them might tell us something more.  No more tests.  

I had an appointment with Dr. Pasternack that Friday, and he concurred.  He looked at the x-ray, called the head of pediatric radiology to look at it, and both said that a CT scan probably wouldn't tell them anything more.  THANK YOU!  

I asked about all the other tests they did, and apparently ALL of them were inconclusive.  The blood test (which is the one not recommended for small kids) was contaminated and couldn't get results.  The urine and skin cultures are still growing (just like the cells), the EKG I still have no idea what that was for and what it told them, and the x-ray showed no signs of active TB (except for the 1/18th of an inch spot that might have been a deflated baggie thing--can't remember the name).  

So ALL of that and still no answers.  Dr. Pasternack recommended starting treatment for BOTH and then reassessing when the cultures come back.  Sigh.  So she's now on two drugs for MAI, and two for TB.  We still don't know which it is (or if it's either).  

It took almost a week to get the prescriptions filled because they had to be called in to a special compounding pharmacy or ordered.  Then the power went out in Arlington and the pharmacy couldn't fill the order.  It's been weird.  It feels like just one thing after another.  You know how sometimes things happen and you say, "It just all fell into place!"  Well, this is the exact opposite.  Nothing is falling into place.  

We are following this treatment plan because we can't think of anything else to do.  We're doing Rife treatments at home, but haven't been as diligent as we could have been because we keep falling asleep before we can get it set up.

Anyway.  That's that.

--- Nicholas is starting at a preschool called Little Hands Big Hearts in Woburn.  It's quite literally just down the road from our new house, and it's been highly recommended for years by friends.  I was actually thinking of sending him there these past two years, but other things came up.  Apparently the girls can go there too even though they are younger than the 2.9 years required age.  With parental consent, they accept younger siblings and give a 10% discount :)  Sweet!  

However, we already committed the girls to one day a week at our neighbor's house, Lyn.  She's WONDERFUL. the girls already know and love her.  She taught Nicholas when he was still 2 and the girls were born.  She's about five houses down from our rental house (the one we're moving out of).  I'm excited for the girls to go with her, but have to admit it won't be quite as convenient as it was with Nicholas now that we're moving.  

Also, because Kate might have TB, Lyn asked that she not come until the cultures come back (out of courtesy to the other kids/families she teaches).  I understand, even though I've been assured that she's not contagious even if she DOES have TB.  So the girls won't be starting preschool until October at the earliest, I think.

--- Armando is still working at ThermoFisher, and he still enjoys it.  All is going well.
I am still teaching yoga once a week (alternating weeks in Tewksbury and Belmont) and "assisting" an acroyoga class once a week in Woburn.  All is going well.  I'm only a few hours away from completing my certification.  On that note, my yoga blog (required for my certification) is "Secrets of a Yogi Mama."  If anyone wants to check it out (don't expect too much excitement) 

That's all.  done :)

K&L turn 2!

It's been a while, hasn't it?  The girls are now officially two years old!  I can hardly believe it's been two years since they were born.  Here's a short list of things I think are funny about each of them and some cute pics.

Kate:
-- takes after aunt Katie in almost every way.  She grooms me-- Katie used to sit and pick earwax out of Mom's ears. yuck.  Kate likes to peel dead skin from my feet or brush my hair.  She likes to pick things off my face and wipe my chin with a napkin.

She's also the showman.  After completing a somersault or showing us a work of art, she'll throw her hands in the air and say, "Ta-daaaaah!"

Lauren:
-- is the "mom child."  Every family has one.  Whenever we say, "Prayer time!" Lauren is the first one to fold her arms, but then she goes around and taps everyone else on the shoulders and says, "hey... peeyer. shhh.... arms.." and shows them how to fold their arms.  EVERY. TIME.  Kate no longer listens to us, she only puts her food down and folds her arms when Lauren says, "Kay! Preeyer!" :)  The other day I was waiting for the girls to come inside, and Lauren sees me calling her from the front door and immediately comes right over.  When she heard me continue to call for Kate, she looked at me, furrowed her brows together, held up her little hand to me, and said, "No... wait."  Then she turned back toward Kate and said, "Kate!  m'here! Look!  We home!"  :)  She's quite the little boss.  It always makes me laugh when she gives me this look that says, "Mom, I'll handle this...."  and then goes over to  Kate or Nicholas and tells them to stop doing whatever they're doing.

Lauren (blue jammies) reaching out to make sure Kate (green jammies) is still there. Sister love :)

Kate:
-- is the most affectionate child of the family.  She loves to give me hugs and kisses and pat my cheeks. It's quite nice to have random affection from at least one of my kids :)  She always makes her way to our bed in the middle of the night too, and she can't fall back asleep until she's leaned over and given both me and Armando a hug.  Then she settles in, right between us, with her arm around one of our heads.  This is really cute, and I don't mind having a child in bed with us....until it's two children.  The drawback of twins--- everything comes in twos.

Lauren left, Kate right

Lauren:
-- has become quite the little adventurer.  Lauren is always the first to go willingly to new people.  At church, most of the 8-11 year old girls think the twins are the best. thing. ever.  There's usually a crowd of little girls waiting outside the nursery for the girls to get picked up.  Then they whisk them away into the empty primary room and play and laugh until we say it's time to go.  Lauren is always the first to go to them, and the last to leave.  She's also usually the first one to be comfortable in new environments.  We go to a new park, and Lauren is the first one climbing the ladder to a slide.

Kate:
-- talks with a lisp like Cindy Brady.  I think it's adorable.  She's signed up for Early Intervention for speech therapy, but the red tape takes weeks to process and I'm in no rush to have her lose the lisp.

Lauren:
-- lines things up.  She a bit of a neatnik.  I can always tell whether it was Kate or Lauren to get into something by the things strewn about.  If my sewing box is opened and things are scattered helter-skelter, things somehow ending up in every room of the house....it was Kate.  If my sewing box is open and I find all of my presser feet lined up on the edge of my desk, my thread unrolled and piled in a neat row spool by spool, or my pins have been removed from the pincushion and placed in a line upon my floor.... it was Lauren.  You know, hypothetically speaking....

Kate:
-- Kate LOVES dogs.  I'm talking crazy love here.  Twice she has climbed over the gate, run across the street, and taken the little dog statue from our neighbor's garden.  I found her, both times, lovingly stroking it's back saying, "goo dah, goo dah!" (good dog, good dog).  I remember one time having to rely on Lauren's innate "adult-ness" and leave her on the sidewalk unattended while I sprinted after Kate because she took off after a passing dog.  I lost her at a playground once because she disappeared in pursuit of a dog when I turned to help Lauren off a ladder (turns out she had crawled after the dog...UNDER THE FENCE!)

For Christmas we gave her a little white dog that walks and barks when you plug the leash in.  She quickly discarded the leash and carries it around under her arm like this:

Kate: Can climb anywhere.  And I mean anywhere.  She's a little monkey.  Think something is out of her reach?  ha! Think again.  Climbing is one of her favorite things to do.  She's very adept at it too.  Parents on the playground are often aghast to see a little 2 year old climbing up and down the big jungle  gyms and rock walls unassisted.  They often point it out to me and wait for me to get up from the bench and get her down, but I always say, "Aw, she's fine.  Thanks."  One mother insisted on following her around for 20 minutes with her arms outstretched, ready to catch her.  Finally, even she had to admit that Kate knew what she was doing.

When we haven't been able to get out to a suitable climbing area for a few days, I will lay on the floor and put my leg straight up in the air.  Immediately she runs over and starts climbing my leg like a pole.  Scaling all the way to my ankle, hand over hand.  It's pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.

Both Kate and Lauren love to dress up.  Any time they see a dress lying around (or a necklace, bracelet, purse, sunglasses, etc)  they run over to me and ask me to help them put it on.  Their preferred dresses are the princess dresses that Grandma gave them for christmas.  

Lauren

Kate

Wearing the high-heel shoes Grandma bought them from Walmart.  They insist on wearing them everywhere---

even in the bathroom.

I could write so much more about these two, but I'm out of time.  They are loving and warm, entertaining and cheerful.  They fill our lives with happiness---  and a lot of running.