Time Warp

Forgive me blogosphere, for I have sinned. It has been 32 days since my last post.

We've been busy! At the end of June Sugarplum had her second post-operative check-up with her cardiologist. He gave her a clean bill of health and said she was all clear to go on a family vacation/reunion we had tentatively planned.

The last weekend in June brought us to Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim. She had SOOOO much fun. She went on a good number of kiddie rides and even a couple big kid rides and did really well. She even got through the 6 hour car ride remarkably well with no potty accidents. WOO HOO!!

The following week was spent in San Diego with my husband's family culminating in a family reunion at Gramma's house for the 4th of July. It was a great vacation and we all can't wait to go again.

We came home to a pool which turned green again in that first week we were home but at least there were no conspicuous business cards from the code enforcement officer in our front gate so I guess the neighbor took a break from her chore-tracking activities.

I took water samples to the pool supply store and my husband and I *almost converted to a salt system. Through a couple tests and adjustments in chemical levels, our pool is no longer green and we've managed to get rid of the algae. Unfortunately, playing mad scientist with pool chemicals is not always the best strategy for fighting algae. Who knew?

*I actually bought a salt system but had to return it because our washer decided to die last weekend, so I needed a couple new appliances instead. I'd rather be able to do laundry than swim in saline so I am now the proud owner of a Kenmore Elite Oasis washer and dryer set. No, it's not front loading because I don't want to have to keep the door open in order for it to not mold.

I'm now back at work and back to real life. It's a bummer because I felt like I was just starting to get into a stay-home-mom groove but alas, I'd like to keep paying my mortgage bill.

Thanks to everyone who has sent their warm wishes and good thoughts for Sugarplum's speedy and healthy recovery.

The Road to Recovery

Well, we are firmly on the road to recovery. Sugarplum's heart surgery went very well and the surgeon does not expect that she will have any further complications or need any further operations on her Mitral valve. She was sedated the first night while she had the breathing tube in and on Saturday morning they took it out at about 11:30. She had to wait another 4 hours before she could swallow anything making it about 30 hours total without food or water by mouth. She was receiving IV nutrition but that does nothing to help the empty tummy. She was very happy to get some apple juice Saturday afternoon and milk later that evening.

Sunday she got the chest tube out and got a lot more comfortable. Monday she was awake all day and she even got to go to the play room upstairs and was happy to be able to move better.

Yesterday we got to come home! She's playing and moving around the house without any problems and is pretty well back to her normal self. We just have to be careful about how we pick her up but she's dancing and walking just fine and even climbing up on our bed and the couch all by herself.

We are so happy to have our Sugarplum back home!

Two Weeks

In two weeks time, I will have to work through the longest day of my life. I will have to hand my Sugarplum over to a stranger to be fixed.

At three months old, we found out she has an ASD that we were told would eventually require surgery. When we found out we cried, we fretted, we researched, and we accepted that someday, this day would come. Now, as each day brings us closer to the final moment, when "eventually" becomes the past, my anxiety builds steadily.

In two weeks time, I will put my heart and soul into this man's hands. For him this is routine. For him, this is common practice. We met him today. He was warm and kind even though he was pressed for time and couldn't sit with us for very long. He explained that her procedure is not complicated for his skilled staff. He explained that within just a few weeks, our Sugarplum would be back to her normal self but with a new badge of honor. A battle scar to prove she's one tough cookie.

I've never had to put so much faith and trust into one person. I've never contemplated what it means to hand over my most precious gift to be cared for and kept safe. In two weeks time, that is what I will do.

First Trip to the Dentist

Sugarplum had her first check-up with the Dentist this morning. She's pretty good about brushing her teeth even if she takes her time and fiddles around (I always help her finish her back teeth) she even gets upset if we forget to brush in the morning before leaving or before going to bed.

Aside from having to hold her down in the chair while they brushed and scaped her teeth, the promise of Dora stickers and a toy made for a very cooperative little girl. That and Mommy letting the dentist look in her mouth first.

She has 20 teeth so far, her back molars aren't up all the way, but they are all broken through. They're spaced well but a little closer on the left side so now we get to start flossing. YAY! I'm terrible at flossing..

But, her teeth look great so she has the dental green light to go ahead with her heart surgery and we don't have to re-schedule due to dental issues. YAY! One more step in the prep process out of the way.

The Reality of Lies

Human beings have an amazing capacity to lie to themselves. Or rather, tell themselves all sorts of things to make themselves feel better.

When Sugarplum was born, her pediatrician heard a slight heart murmur. No big deal. Most babies are born with heart murmurs that close on their own within a couple weeks. At her 6 week check-up, it was still there. So, just to make sure it was nothing, and catch it early if it was something, she referred us to a pediatric cardiologist.

So we went... and our lives changed.

Her cardiologist is great and took a pretty thorough echo-cardiogram. He told us we were lucky - we'd get to come back.

Turns out, Sugarplum has an ASD which is a small hole between the upper chambers of her heart that a small amount of blood flows through rather than circulating through the entire heart. She also has a small kink in the valve that passes blood from the lungs to the heart that causes is it to not close completely tight and some blood leaks through. Not a huge problem, but one that requires open heart surgery.

Open. Heart. Surgery. On my baby. We both burst into tears in the parking lot. As parents, we never wanted to hear that there was something wrong with our baby.

So when we went home we turned to the great and powerful Google to answer all our questions. We found that of all the possible congenital heart defects she could have, this is probably the best. It's relatively common and operated on all the time.

We are also blessed to have some of the best pediatric medical professionals close by at Lucile-Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

For nearly three years, we have taken her for check-ups every few months. Her weight gain has been steady, she's hit all the right developmental milestones at all the right times, and has been an absolute joy and the light of our lives. Her heart hasn't slowed her down one bit and you'd never suspect a medical issue looking at her.

Now the time has come to actually have her surgery. She's scheduled for mid-May and hubby and I will be spending our 4th wedding anniversary in the hospital with our precious baby girl. Even though we've known this was coming. Even though we've been preparing for it for the last couple years, it still came as a shock to find that she is actually on the calendar for surgery. It's really going to happen.

Somehow, as long as it was in the undefined future, and something that "would have to happen eventually" it was never quite the same as it is now. It's certainly no surprise, but in some way, the reality is just now beginning to set in.

Bigger Butt Cells

I watched a show not too long ago called "The Science of Obesity". They said in this show that people are born with a set number of fat cells and that when you gain weight, you don't gain fat cells, your fat cells just get bigger. So why are the fat cells on my butt bigger than the fat cells on my feet? I don't want bigger butt cells.
So, I've taken the next step in my quest to become a domestic goddess - I've rejoined my water aerobics class. My mom is my workout buddy and we just re-joined last week. We were really successful with this particular venture, three years ago before I was pregnant with Sugarplum and when I was able to make the time to go to 6 classes a week. I had no problem jumping right in and keeping up.
Our class tonight though was was pretty intense and we gave up half way through to go sit in the hot-tub. The last two classes we've survived, but they were taught by other instructors. I felt really limited tonight. That is until mom spotted a great quote on the way out the door. I have no idea who said it, I'll have to check next time. What are today's words of workout inspiration?

"Don't let the sky be the limit when there are footprints on the moon"