Down

This picture has nothing to do with this post but wanted to post it because this was about a month before all of this brain drama when I was feeling good and had hair. And I miss my hair.

I am so down. Seriously, why can't I seem to get better. My immune system is not so good right now. I have to be careful not to be around sick people. I ended up getting sick a few days ago. I got a really bad head cold. My head is killing me! I am not supposed to put much pressure on my head. I have tried not to blow my nose too hard but what do you do. So the last few days I have had a hard time even moving my head. So I've spent lots of time in bed. I have had really bad leg cramps in the middle of the night and every morning. I'm thinking it's my seizure medication causing that but the doctor has already changed that once so who knows. When am I going to get better? I just want to feel normal again. The pain is like a throbbing pain in my brain. Like know other headache I have ever had. It Kills! Sorry my posts are so depressing but this time of my life things are a bit that way. I am not very cute these days either. But thats OK I'm just grateful that I'm alive but just wanting to be better. I already missed valentines day with my kids, I better not be sick for Easter. Hopefully my next post will be a happier one.

I hate hospitals!

Can I just say that I hate hospitals! The last stay was a whopping 10 days of no fun. Meningitis sucks!
I had to be on heavy antibiotics for 14 days. They made me so sick. I lost 10 pounds while in the hospital.

Then I was able to come home and still had to be on the stupid antibiotics. I broke into a horrible rash all over my body. I'm controlling it with steroids.

But the best was my face. I am so cute huh? Brad thinks I was unrecognizable. I'm off the drugs and feeling alot better now. And I have already gained 8 pounds back but hey that means I'm feeling better right?

And isn't my hair growing in nicely?

Oh Crap...

Brad here - it is officially the longest I've ever gone without sleep - yes, I am Grumpy.
Last night was winding down when Sara informed me that she was running a fever of 102 - that led us to call her Dr's office in Vegas - which led to a trip to the emergency room in St. George - then a 2 am drive to Vegas - which is where we currently are - back in Sunrise Hospital...
Brain surgery and recovery is unveiling itself as a bigger pain than expected (for Sara, the most).
Sara has felt awful since Monday night - major head-banging - The Dr's are running tests here - including another CT scan, spinal puncture (sounds pleasant, huh), and MRI scan #3 this month.
She may have spinal meningitis, brain fluid leaking out of her eye, and other possibilities. All I know is Sara is in terrible pain - non-stop. Her face is really puffy and swollen.
I hope we can get her fixed up this time.
Thanks to Andrus,' and everyone for helping with the kids. Joel makes a great 3 am treat shopper for our road trip. Thanks a bunch. We owe a lot of people favors - we hope to make up for it soon.

Welcome Home Mom and Dad!

Jill here....just wanted to post a few fun pictures I had on my camera of the kids making preparations for their parents to come home.

Brad here again -

Get me the heck out of this hospital !!!

On a good note: I have a recliner chair now, but it cost me a whole pack of oreo's (nurse bribe.)

I am so tired of sitting on my butt watching Sara check herself out in the mirror.

Ok - no more of my complaining.

(42 stitches and 3 staples, 10 finger pricks, 1 head drain tube, 1 chest IV, 1 wrist IV, 1 hand IV, 1 breathing tube, 1 whiny hubby who eats my food, 1 catheter, 8 insulin shots, 1 sexy skullet (hair style named by Rog) plus whatever torturous stuff goes on in surgery!)

It has been a rough day. I was hoping to be released so we could go home, but Sara hasn't felt well. Her head is swelling and she is really dizzy. All the drugs are making her shaky. She complains of gurgling around in her head when she bends down - so I smartly tell her "Don't bend down." We are getting a better realization of how serious this surgery / recovery is.

We miss home and the kids - apparently we are coming home tomorrow. Normal release time is between lunch and dinner.

The sterroids are making Sara in to "Angry woman." (My kids may remember the last time she took them a year ago.) They reduce swelling in her head, but also mess with her sugar levels. She gets shot with that little annoying finger pricker before every meal and bedtime to test sugar, then usually gets an insulin shot to try to keep her in balance. They reduced the amount of sterroids this afternoon, but they also put her on "special diet" - which means no more "yummy." (Diabetic diet)

We also tackled her hair today. It hadn't been dealt with since before her surgery Tuesday morning. She had a bad case of bed-head with a dose of surgery-goo. I washed her up the best I could and spent over an hour trying to pick through it. (yes, I am a very loving and compassionate husband.) I only had to cut out one little piece of hair that was beyond repair. I've seen Aunt Brenda do it so I am qualified. I couldn't find scissors, but Sara's nail clippers did the trick.

I get a kick out of this chart on the wall.

I would have circled a much happier goal than #5. I've seen people today that got happy #1 drugs.

Bring Back My Mommy to ME! DAD TOO!

Jill the hacker here. Back at the BS-Baker homefront we've been super busy and having lots of fun. Hopefully we can get things back to ship shape before Brad and Sara Make it back tomorrow. I don't know that their house has ever had so much fun... ha ha!

The kids wrote a song for their parents that I deemed worthy of the blog. Hope you enjoy! Here is the text...

"My mommy went down to Las Vegas,

To Have Brain Surgery!

My Daddy took her down there.

Aunt Jill came to take care of me. (Kyle adds "AND ME!")

Bring Back, Bring Back,

Oh, Bring back my Mommy to me, DAD TOO!

Bring Back, Bring Back,

Bring back my Mommy to me, DAD TOO!"

Needless to say the kids are VERY excited to see their parents tomorrow! They have done very well and have been 'superkids' during the whole week! Needless to say, "I LOVE THESE KIDS!"

Thursday morning

Good Morning - Brad here again - 8:30 am utah time.
Still here in hospital paradise. I stayed in Sara's room last night. We were hoping the nurses could find me a recliner but they said they were all gone. I had a very nice "semi-cushioned" chair and a stool. I figured out that I could lean my chair back on 2 legs against the wall and use the stool as a foot rest - I got in a few hours of sleep between nurse visits. They came every 2 hours to give Sara her drugs - Pain, seizure, sterroids, and insulin shots. We did have a really nice nurse, but I think the crazies are coming back this morning.
Sara is doing well. The Dr. came by for a few minutes at 6 am. He ripped off the yellow tape covering the stitches so the wound can dry - It looked like it would have hurt, but Sara is still numb on top of her head.
He said if Sara feels good enough we can go home today. Sara is still dizzy, but walks to the bathroom every 2 minutes (it seems) unassisted. Right now I am planning on getting out of here tomorrow, but we'll see how it goes.
Thanks to you all...