So Much Better

Isaac is feeling so much better today.  I know that is due to the
prayers of many of you who lifted him up to our Heavenly Father.

He
actually woke us up about 4 a.m. this morning giggling and laughing
hysterically.  Of course, that was probably seizure activity, but it
was so much better than waking up to a barking cough.  And he has been
happy and smiling all day, praise the Lord.

Thank you again for praying for him…and for us.  God is so faithful to supply our needs over and over again.

I'm making split pea soup today…I'll let you know how it turns out.

Alesha

Just a Bad Cold

(one day last week when Isaac was feeling better.)

Isaac
didn't have fever today, but we still kept our appointment with the
doctor.  His cough sounds much worse today and he slept all day until
we got him ready for his appointment. 

But Praise the Lord,
his ear, sinuses and lungs are all clear!  He only has a bad cold.  So
we'll just keep doing our asthma treatments and giving him lots of TLC
and, Lord willing, he'll be feeling better soon.  

Here's a
new dish I tried last night.  It was very tasty, and I even enjoyed it
today for lunch with crackers.  It's super easy: 

Sweet Corn Salad
1 large ear of corn (raw)
1 large tomato
1/4 c. sweet onion
1/2 a red pepper
1 celery stalk
3T parsley
Cut the corn from the cob, and dice everything else.  Combine and chill.

I
served mine with a little Olive Oil and Vinegar Salad Dressing (Paul
Newman's).  It was really yummy.  I do think, however, I will leave out
the parsley next time.  I found that I really didn't care for the taste
of it.  Just my opinion, fwiw!

That's it for today…I need to start supper.

May the Lord bless you with a peaceful evening (or "morning" for Laura and Hammie ),
Alesha

Fever Is No Fun

Both Isaac and I caught Doug's cold.  We ran low-grade fevers last night.

This
morning, however, Isaac's fever spiked to 104.3*.  It came down
immediately with intervention and is now just over 100*.  He is
coughing and sneezing and just generally feels really crummy.  I'd
appreciate it if you would pray for my little man.

In case
you're wondering our interventions for Isaac's fevers follow the same
routine, most of which has been gleaned from the many nurses we have
had the privilege of knowing over the past years.

We do the following:

  • Uncover him
  • Strip him down to his diaper
  • Administer Motrin (ibuprofen) fever reducer
  • Start an asthma treatment
  • Check temp in 30 minutes.  If it has not come down, or continues to climb, administer Tylenol (acetaminophen) fever reducer.

This
formula has never failed to bring down his fever very quickly, praise
the Lord.  Remember when our parents used to pile on the blankets and
insist that we stay covered to "burn out" the fever?    I am so thankful for medical advances.

My back is feeling some better.  I was able to go to church yesterday, which was wonderful after missing 2 Sundays in a row.

We
just seem to be going through one of those "seasons" here.  It has
happened before, and I'm sure it won't be the last time, either. 
Whether it is a time of refining from the Father, or an attack from the
enemy, I know it is still in God's hands and under His control.  I am
trying to be diligent to still my heart before Him, and not lose my joy
during this time.

Thank you for taking the time to carry us to the throne of God.  I appreciate it so much, dear friends.
Alesha

Thursday, 16 April 2009

Well, we promised a happy, upbeat post today and here it is!!!

I know you haven't seen Isaac in a while, so I thought I'd catch a few shots of him.  He's the most happy thing I can think of.


He's growing up fast, isn't he?


He
likes to look out his window.  We have our tomato and pepper plants out
there, and my gardenia is right outside.  Lots for him to keep an eye
on during the day.


He
gets the giggles a lot these days!  He has been feeling really well on
this new medicine, and now that the old medicine is out of his system,
we are seeing some increased clarity.  We do still see some seizures,
but they are further apart and not as involved as before.  Not a
complete cure, but a much tighter control.
We are so grateful!


That's all we have time for today.  We really like all our friends here in Bloggyland!  Thanks for coming by!

Alesha and Isaac

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Peek-a-boo!!!  We seeeeeeee you!!!

Tuesday, 31 March 2009

I got so many things accomplished yesterday! 

I baked bread,
cooked a big pot of black-eyed peas, made 2 dessert cookies and cut up
veggies to store in the frig for this week's salads.  I find that I am
very motivated in the mornings these days; and I can get so much
accomplished if I just get right at it.

Today, I was just not craving a salad.  My doctor said that would occasionally happen.  
So I did what he suggested.  I made a nice fruit salad:  bananas,
pears, grapes and oranges from our tree.  I also put in chopped pecans
and a sprinkle of coconut.

It was delicious!

For my dessert, I included some Pecan Spice Delight Cookies
that I made yesterday.  These are raw, but so yummy.  My mom tasted
them and said, "It tastes like Christmas!"  What more could you ask for
from a raw cookie? 

(Please
keep in mind that when I link to these recipes, it doesn't mean that I
endorse everything on the website.  I have only read the recipes.  I
really have no idea what the "philosophy" may be on a particular site.)

My tummy is full and my appetite is satiated.  Mmmm…mmm…mmm!

Tonight we plan to eat leftover black eyed peas over brown rice, along with a nice salad.

We
were blessed by our state again this spring, just like last year, and
they are sending Isaac some diapers, wipes and washable pads.  That is
such a HUGE blessing to us!  We are very grateful!

Today we were able to get a dehydrator.  I am excited to see what kinds of new treats I can make with it. 

<<<More experimenting in my la-bor-a-tory!!!  Mwha-ha-ha-ha!!!>>>

We also picked up these cute little Ball jars (remember I ran out of jars when I was organizing?)  That baby holds a whole pint!

Well, I guess that's it for today.  I pray you have a great evening (or morning, Laura!).

Blessings to you,
Alesha

Sunday, 25 March 2007

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed
today.  We've had 2 odd days with Isaac.  I told Doug when things are
going like this, I start watching for some new insight from the Lord. 
You know, when you are "done" – physically, emotionally exhausted,
spiritually looking for God to move or act or speak – when you have no
way of offering anything to the situation -  God often shows up in a
very real way.  I don't know – maybe we're just paying better
attention at those moments.
 

Isaac had something happen Friday night, after we put him to
bed.  We didn't hear anything.  Doug just went in to check on him, like
we so often do at night.  He was laying there – eyes wide open, tracking
from side to side, sweating, snoring and as limp as a dish rag.

Now you have to understand.  Isaac has CP and
very high tone.  He is very stiff most of the time.  He can bend and
relax occasionally.  However, even in his sleep, he is never limp.  His
hips especially along with his knees never relax, never lay flat.  He
sleeps with them bent up or we put a pillow under his knees.

But Friday night, I changed his diaper and his
legs were laying completely FLAT.  When I picked up his legs to change
his diaper and then let go, they just flopped.  It made my stomach lurch
and I thought I might throw up – it was THAT weird.

So, we surmised he'd had a seizure that we
didn't hear.  That freaks us out and we're definitely looking into a
video baby monitor so it doesn't happen again.

He finally closed his eyes and slept.  Then
Sat. morning he was weepy, then had extended staring seizures all
morning.  He fell asleep around noon and slept until about 5 PM.  The
staring seizures continued, so we administered the big meds.  They did
not stop the staring.  He fell asleep around 10 PM and woke up this
morning at 6:30 and was STILL staring.

So we took him to the ER.  As soon as we got
him in a room and there were 3 nurses standing around his bed – he WOKE
up!  Started his normal flicking his hands, kicking, vocalizing, etc. 
It was amazing and EXTREMELY irritating!!!!!  I couldn't believe how mad
it made me that he was acting normal!  Isn't that awful??? 

(Doug says, though, that we're reaping what he
sowed as a child – when his mom took him to the doctor, she would tell
the dr. about the ear ache, sore throat, etc., and Doug would say, "no,
that doesn't hurt.  I'm not sick."  He said he was so afraid to get a
shot, and thought if he said he was fine, the doctor wouldn't poke him
with the needle!!!!)

Anyway,
they contacted our neurologist, who upped one of Isaac's seizure meds. 
The ER dr. gave us a script for eye drops (Isaac had stared open-eyed
for nearly 24 hours, except when asleep, and his eyes looked awful,
blood shot and dry.) Then they sent us home.

I'm so tired.  Two nights of barely sleeping,
then early to the ER.  We're trying to get everything ready for our trip
to Miami next week.  Doug and I are both weepy and a little grumpy –
just feeling very stressed.

I
am amazed at God's goodness to us.  I was thinking today of those old
country western songs.  The verses are sometimes long and sad and
enumerate all the awful things that are going on.  But then the chorus
eventually has an upswing in tempo, some decision is made and the singer
decides that life will continue. 

My life is like that.  Sometimes the verses of my life are
sweet and happy, and other times they might be sad.  But my life cannot
be one verse after another.  I must have a refrain, a chorus that brings
a culmination to my story song. 

I get to choose my chorus.  It can "gloom, despair and agony"
or "he stopped loving her today" or "the next time he cheats, it won't
be on me" or "you picked a fine time to leave me" or all about "friends
in low places".

BUT as for
me and my house, we have to choose another chorus.  Our refrain is
filled with "how great is our God" and "holy, holy, holy".  "God is so
good", "when we all get to heaven", "what a day that will be", "the
blood's still there" or "Hallelujah!  Praise ye the Lord!" – my chorus
has to praise my Father and testify of His goodness to me.

Does your "refrain" praise Him?  What is the
"chorus", the soundtrack so to speak, of your life?

Alesha

Saturday, 24 March 2007

Good morning,

It was a bad night for Isaac –
we're not sure if what we witnessed was seizure or not, but it was so
odd for him that we put him in the bed with us to keep at eye one him. 
We've only done that 2 other times that I can remember.

We are going to see my folks
for the day today.  It's a little drive and Isaac is really not up to
it, but we need to go before we head to Miami.  My daddy has been not
feeling well for a little while and we need to see him.  My brother and
sister-in-love just moved into a new house and I want to see it!  AND
Grammy NEEDS to see the boy before he goes into the hospital on the 3rd.
of April.  You all understand that, I know!

We'll try to update again
tomorrow after church.  I've been SO enjoying everyone's "spring"
blogs!  Seems like everyone has "spring fever".  It sure does produce
wonderful pictures and blogs!

Alesha