Adam and I discovered last week that our family room flooded a little while back when I went to pull Abby's First Year album off our bookshelf. Apparently we've got "seepage" at the foundation - at least that's our assumption at this point - because the floor, baseboard and lower part of the wall all show damage. The bookshelf and cd towers (Ikea system, that I happened to *really* like) are completely ruined as they are pressed wood and they wicked the water up and molded. The carpet showed signs of being wet about 3-4 feet out from the wall. It also damaged an end table and a desk that Adam uses for his Xbox, and you can also tell that the bottom corners of the couches got wet.
Back to the First Year album... I pulled it off the bottom shelf and found it to be completely damp and molded at the bottom, which was how I discovered there was a problem. We proceeded to empty the bookshelf - Jacob's First Year album and one of my India trip albums were also ruined. Not a good day/week for me.
Good news? The pictures, including some of their Joyce's portraits, can pretty much be replaced as I have located most of the negatives, and Joyce's keeps EVERYTHING!!
Bad news? Insurance doesn't cover "seepage."
Sounds like we get to pull up some carpet, bleach stuff, replace some padding, baseboard, drywall, furniture, and albums. $$$ Ouch.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
My New Favorite Quote...
"A good marriage is a bit like a pet boa constrictor: either you feed it every day or bad things happen."
Another nightmare/sleepwalking event tonight. Wondering if I'm way off on my estimated average... Is it happening even more often than I realize?? Tonight was a little different because she came downstairs and actually talked. She said, "I love you mommy" as she climbed into my lap, and then said it again, "I love you mommy." That's it. Watching her closely tonight I also realized that there are also other things that she regularly does during these episodes - there's a lot of twitching and other movements. Her eyes flutter, she yawns (mentioned that before), she scratches her skin all over... Very strange.
Remember the picture frame Abby carried downstairs on Friday night? She found it in the kitchen on Saturday morning (where I left it after taking her back up to bed) and was all offended that someone had taken it out of her room! She says, "HEY! What is my picture frame doing in the kitchen??" I told her that she brought it downstairs with her the night before and she thought I was messing with her. She had NO memory of it whatsoever.
Remember the picture frame Abby carried downstairs on Friday night? She found it in the kitchen on Saturday morning (where I left it after taking her back up to bed) and was all offended that someone had taken it out of her room! She says, "HEY! What is my picture frame doing in the kitchen??" I told her that she brought it downstairs with her the night before and she thought I was messing with her. She had NO memory of it whatsoever.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Thoughts?
Ok, I'm looking for input here. For a few years now, Abby has been experiencing what I can only describe as sleepwalking and/or nightmares. I would say they happen, on average, about once every week or two. This is how things typically go:
Adam and I can hear the floor creak upstairs and we know right away that Abby is on her way downstairs. She comes downstairs to the family and she usually has a distraught/terrified/upset look on her face. She doesn't speak, or cry really. Her eyes are open, at least until one of us gets her into our arms. She'll usually hold on and lay her head on my chest and her eyes will usually flutter or close and she appears to go right back to sleep. She's always cold and clammy. Many times I've tried to talk to her and ask her what's wrong, if she had a bad dream or whatever. She sometimes acts like she's trying to speak - she'll even move her mouth like she's trying to talk, but nothing comes out, or she'll make sounds but they're complete nonsense. She also yawns a lot - like constantly, one right after the other, until she's asleep or settled down again. Anymore it only takes a minute or two (if that) to appear completely passed out and we carry her upstairs.
There have been a few rare exceptions to the above routine. The very first time it happened, I jumped up and scooped her up in my arms (she looked SO upset it broke my heart!) and I sat right down to hold her and she wet her pants in my lap. I still don't know if she just had to go or if she was so scared that she wet herself.
Another time it happened, Adam wasn't home and I was already in bed reading. Abby found me in there (though I think she made it to the stairs or all the way downstairs before she found me) and climbed up on the bed. She acted like she normally does after one of her dreams, and I was saying soothing things to try to calm her down. Then she suddenly appeared to wake up, even though her eyes had been half open before, and when I asked her a question she actually answered me. I asked her if she had a bad dream and she said she did, and I asked her what it was about. She said that the McMullens (our best friends - hers, too) fell in a hole and there was fire and they burned up. That was what finally confirmed that she was experiencing horrible dreams before wandering to find us.
Tonight something totally new happened. She carried something downstairs with her. She's never done that before. She brought a picture frame that she keeps on the side of her bed and handed it to me when I picked her up to hold her. Still no talking.
So, that's what I know for now. I don't know of any family history of any such behavior. The closest thing I know of is some cousins that liked to sleepwalk... I remember having pretty bad dreams as a kid, but no wandering that I know of. I'd love to hear advice or thoughts from anyone who has heard of or seen anything similar. Not sure that there's anything more that we can really do (other than pray for and over her like I do now), but who knows?
Adam and I can hear the floor creak upstairs and we know right away that Abby is on her way downstairs. She comes downstairs to the family and she usually has a distraught/terrified/upset look on her face. She doesn't speak, or cry really. Her eyes are open, at least until one of us gets her into our arms. She'll usually hold on and lay her head on my chest and her eyes will usually flutter or close and she appears to go right back to sleep. She's always cold and clammy. Many times I've tried to talk to her and ask her what's wrong, if she had a bad dream or whatever. She sometimes acts like she's trying to speak - she'll even move her mouth like she's trying to talk, but nothing comes out, or she'll make sounds but they're complete nonsense. She also yawns a lot - like constantly, one right after the other, until she's asleep or settled down again. Anymore it only takes a minute or two (if that) to appear completely passed out and we carry her upstairs.
There have been a few rare exceptions to the above routine. The very first time it happened, I jumped up and scooped her up in my arms (she looked SO upset it broke my heart!) and I sat right down to hold her and she wet her pants in my lap. I still don't know if she just had to go or if she was so scared that she wet herself.
Another time it happened, Adam wasn't home and I was already in bed reading. Abby found me in there (though I think she made it to the stairs or all the way downstairs before she found me) and climbed up on the bed. She acted like she normally does after one of her dreams, and I was saying soothing things to try to calm her down. Then she suddenly appeared to wake up, even though her eyes had been half open before, and when I asked her a question she actually answered me. I asked her if she had a bad dream and she said she did, and I asked her what it was about. She said that the McMullens (our best friends - hers, too) fell in a hole and there was fire and they burned up. That was what finally confirmed that she was experiencing horrible dreams before wandering to find us.
Tonight something totally new happened. She carried something downstairs with her. She's never done that before. She brought a picture frame that she keeps on the side of her bed and handed it to me when I picked her up to hold her. Still no talking.
So, that's what I know for now. I don't know of any family history of any such behavior. The closest thing I know of is some cousins that liked to sleepwalk... I remember having pretty bad dreams as a kid, but no wandering that I know of. I'd love to hear advice or thoughts from anyone who has heard of or seen anything similar. Not sure that there's anything more that we can really do (other than pray for and over her like I do now), but who knows?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Mad Science
Jacob has been sick AGAIN this week. He and Abby each missed a few days of school a couple of weeks ago, and now Jacob's back home again - 3 days this week. He had a fever of 103.7 at one point. I think, though, that he's going back to school tomorrow. Of course then they have the day off on Friday, so Jacob will be in school ONE day this week. Nice.
Abby's first grade class just started their Science unit and she couldn't be more excited. There has, however, been an immediately noticeable side effect to her newfound interest. She likes to call them experiments. They typically involve liquid soap, lotions, bowls, cups and other measuring devices, large amounts of water, stirring tools, and pretty much anything else she can get her hands on. Nothing is safe. It's a pretty entertaining thing to watch, as long as you don't value your personal belongings too highly, or mind cleaning up slimy, bubbly messes...
Abby's first grade class just started their Science unit and she couldn't be more excited. There has, however, been an immediately noticeable side effect to her newfound interest. She likes to call them experiments. They typically involve liquid soap, lotions, bowls, cups and other measuring devices, large amounts of water, stirring tools, and pretty much anything else she can get her hands on. Nothing is safe. It's a pretty entertaining thing to watch, as long as you don't value your personal belongings too highly, or mind cleaning up slimy, bubbly messes...
Thursday, March 13, 2008
One week later...
Went for my 1 week check-up today. Still seeing 20/15 (you do know that's better than 20/20, right??) and reading 20/20. Everything looks good. Literally. I get to stop using one of the 3 kinds of eye drops, and I'm done using the eye-shields for sleeping - yeehaw! I can also start wearing eye makeup again.
I've caught myself a handful of times reaching for my glasses on my nightstand, and it still really freaks me out when I can read my alarm clock in the middle of the night. I get to go back for another check-up in 3 weeks, the Thursday before I leave for CABO!!
In other news, Steve's girls are here for THREE weeks, starting this week. Jacob and Abby are thrilled and couldn't wait to get to grandma's to see them. Uncle Steve even took them all in the hot tub to celebrate!
Steve needed a little liquid courage to handle the challenge. Unfortunately all they had was "Katie's" wine coolers. I'm not allowed in a pool or hot tub yet (eyes) and Katie wussed out, so Steve was on his own. Good news is that they all made it out alive.
Finally, happy birthday to Mom on Sunday and Katie today! Steve's is also coming up later in March, so we'll all get it over with by the end of the month. The plan is to do Das Essenhaus and "Horton Hears a Who" sometime this weekend to celebrate all of our birthdays. Fun, fun!
I've caught myself a handful of times reaching for my glasses on my nightstand, and it still really freaks me out when I can read my alarm clock in the middle of the night. I get to go back for another check-up in 3 weeks, the Thursday before I leave for CABO!!
In other news, Steve's girls are here for THREE weeks, starting this week. Jacob and Abby are thrilled and couldn't wait to get to grandma's to see them. Uncle Steve even took them all in the hot tub to celebrate!
Steve needed a little liquid courage to handle the challenge. Unfortunately all they had was "Katie's" wine coolers. I'm not allowed in a pool or hot tub yet (eyes) and Katie wussed out, so Steve was on his own. Good news is that they all made it out alive.Finally, happy birthday to Mom on Sunday and Katie today! Steve's is also coming up later in March, so we'll all get it over with by the end of the month. The plan is to do Das Essenhaus and "Horton Hears a Who" sometime this weekend to celebrate all of our birthdays. Fun, fun!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
24 hours later...
By this time yesterday I was at home and in bed - out like a light. Let's just say that the Valium and the sleeping pill really did the trick. :)
So, here's how things went down:
Adam and I arrived at Boling Vision Center at 8:40am and I was nervous.
They immediately took me back to a room and gave me the Valium. Thank you very much. Asked me some questions, gave me more eye drops, and then took me to another room where I got to watch Regis and Kelly for a few minutes. Put on one of those cool blue medical-type hair net things - sweet. From there they took me to another room that was dimly lit and I was told to sit in a chair in the corner. There was a man sitting in the exam chair in the middle of the room who had just finished his procedure. He was still alive and seemed unharmed - good sign. More eye drops (for me), including the ones to numb my eyes (very important!). Dr. Boling came in and examined the man, then asked us to switch chairs. I had to look into a bright light and he wrote (with a permanent marker?) on the surface of my eye to "mark the angle of treatment." Weird, but ok. Can't feel it anyway. Another minute later the nurse was walking me into the laser treatment room (me: "are you sure the Valium is working yet - maybe I need another few minutes...?") At this point I'm without my glasses, so I can't really see much, except for large pieces of equipment and a couple of random guys...
They had me lay down on the bed thing and that's when I came face-to-face with Howard, the guy who did my 3 hour battery of exams on Monday. Nice to see a friendly face. After that I didn't see a whole lot except for some flashing lights, bright white lights, or nothing at all. The best part of it was that it was incredibly fast. I was probably out of that room in 5-10 minutes. For the Intralase (cutting laser), they actually pushed some type of ring down onto my eyeball (at lease that's what it felt like) and then I couldn't see anything at all. Didn't feel anything either - they had to actually tell me that the laser was working! When the first eye was done, I could close it while they did the other eye - only about 30 seconds for each one. It really helped that one of the faceless men actually counted down so I knew exactly how long it was going to take. After they finished that part on both eyes, the spun the bed about 30 degrees to the side and got me lined up with the treatment laser. They propped one eye open (which actually didn't bother me near as much as I thought it would) and the used something to pull the corneal flap up, but I couldn't feel it because my eyes were completely numb (not tingly, just can't feel anything). Through that whole part I just had to work to focus on a red flashing light. Then the laser went to work - it makes a loud clicking noise, and I won't lie - there's a smell. The laser was obviously burning something. Ick. But again, the faceless man was counting and it was less than 30 seconds before it was done. Then they rinsed my eye with a bunch of liquid (saline, I'm assuming) and brushed it a few times with something soft and cold, like a paintbrush - I think to get the flap back in place where it belonged. Then they repeated the whole thing with the other eye and I was done! They did put some contact lenses on my eyes to help with light-sensitivity since I'm "fair-skinned and light-eyed," but they weren't any prescription. When I sat up from the bed I could read the clock on the opposite wall!! Cloudy, yes, but I could read it!
They led me to a very dark room where I sat with my eyes closed for 15 minutes or so (almost fell asleep). Then I got to go back to the exam room for Dr. Boling to check things out. He said things looked perfect and that he'd see me in 24 hours for my check-up. The nurse taped my protective goggles (or giant bug-eye lenses, as I like to call them) to my face and led me out to the waiting area to find Adam. My eyes were REALLY light sensitive at first, so she also put a pair of sunglasses over the giant goggles, which I found hysterical (I think the Valium was finally kicking in at this point).
Adam took me down to the car, I took my sleeping pill, and I was OUT about halfway home. Or maybe sooner. I don't remember much - except that I could read - clearly - the carwash sign on Main Street! Adam woke me up when we got home, I walked straight upstairs and fell into bed and got up again around 6pm. Nice.
I had to wear the goggles for the rest of the day, and I'll have to wear them to sleep for a week, to keep any pressure off my eyes. I also can't rub or touch my eyes at all. Don't want that flap falling back out of place! With my near-constant regimen of eye drops, I'm good to go. The reading ban was lifted this morning, so here I am!
So, here's how things went down:
Adam and I arrived at Boling Vision Center at 8:40am and I was nervous.
They immediately took me back to a room and gave me the Valium. Thank you very much. Asked me some questions, gave me more eye drops, and then took me to another room where I got to watch Regis and Kelly for a few minutes. Put on one of those cool blue medical-type hair net things - sweet. From there they took me to another room that was dimly lit and I was told to sit in a chair in the corner. There was a man sitting in the exam chair in the middle of the room who had just finished his procedure. He was still alive and seemed unharmed - good sign. More eye drops (for me), including the ones to numb my eyes (very important!). Dr. Boling came in and examined the man, then asked us to switch chairs. I had to look into a bright light and he wrote (with a permanent marker?) on the surface of my eye to "mark the angle of treatment." Weird, but ok. Can't feel it anyway. Another minute later the nurse was walking me into the laser treatment room (me: "are you sure the Valium is working yet - maybe I need another few minutes...?") At this point I'm without my glasses, so I can't really see much, except for large pieces of equipment and a couple of random guys...They had me lay down on the bed thing and that's when I came face-to-face with Howard, the guy who did my 3 hour battery of exams on Monday. Nice to see a friendly face. After that I didn't see a whole lot except for some flashing lights, bright white lights, or nothing at all. The best part of it was that it was incredibly fast. I was probably out of that room in 5-10 minutes. For the Intralase (cutting laser), they actually pushed some type of ring down onto my eyeball (at lease that's what it felt like) and then I couldn't see anything at all. Didn't feel anything either - they had to actually tell me that the laser was working! When the first eye was done, I could close it while they did the other eye - only about 30 seconds for each one. It really helped that one of the faceless men actually counted down so I knew exactly how long it was going to take. After they finished that part on both eyes, the spun the bed about 30 degrees to the side and got me lined up with the treatment laser. They propped one eye open (which actually didn't bother me near as much as I thought it would) and the used something to pull the corneal flap up, but I couldn't feel it because my eyes were completely numb (not tingly, just can't feel anything). Through that whole part I just had to work to focus on a red flashing light. Then the laser went to work - it makes a loud clicking noise, and I won't lie - there's a smell. The laser was obviously burning something. Ick. But again, the faceless man was counting and it was less than 30 seconds before it was done. Then they rinsed my eye with a bunch of liquid (saline, I'm assuming) and brushed it a few times with something soft and cold, like a paintbrush - I think to get the flap back in place where it belonged. Then they repeated the whole thing with the other eye and I was done! They did put some contact lenses on my eyes to help with light-sensitivity since I'm "fair-skinned and light-eyed," but they weren't any prescription. When I sat up from the bed I could read the clock on the opposite wall!! Cloudy, yes, but I could read it!
They led me to a very dark room where I sat with my eyes closed for 15 minutes or so (almost fell asleep). Then I got to go back to the exam room for Dr. Boling to check things out. He said things looked perfect and that he'd see me in 24 hours for my check-up. The nurse taped my protective goggles (or giant bug-eye lenses, as I like to call them) to my face and led me out to the waiting area to find Adam. My eyes were REALLY light sensitive at first, so she also put a pair of sunglasses over the giant goggles, which I found hysterical (I think the Valium was finally kicking in at this point).
Adam took me down to the car, I took my sleeping pill, and I was OUT about halfway home. Or maybe sooner. I don't remember much - except that I could read - clearly - the carwash sign on Main Street! Adam woke me up when we got home, I walked straight upstairs and fell into bed and got up again around 6pm. Nice.I had to wear the goggles for the rest of the day, and I'll have to wear them to sleep for a week, to keep any pressure off my eyes. I also can't rub or touch my eyes at all. Don't want that flap falling back out of place! With my near-constant regimen of eye drops, I'm good to go. The reading ban was lifted this morning, so here I am!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
12 Hours and counting...
Things running through my head as I get ready for the big day...
- I am SO excited - both to have the procedure, and to get it OVER WITH.
- Still not crazy about having my eyelids stuck open...
- What is their idea of "pressure" (what they say I'll be feeling as the first laser cuts my eye) vs. pain?
- What exactly will I be able to see when I leave?
- How long will it take before my eyes feel somewhat normal?
- Will I really be able to make it a MONTH without rubbing my eyes?? I've become acutely aware of the fact that I actually do that A LOT!
- By this time tomorrow I will be glasses and contacts FREE!!!
- Sleeping with fly-lens goggles on should be interesting...
- I really hope this works. I mean REALLY. Not just that I will see better when it's done, but that I won't see worse. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen...
- I really hope the Valium does the trick!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
It Begins
Today I started my eyedrops and vitamin C today in preparation for Friday. My appointment arrival time is 8:40am, and I think I'm supposed to be there about 2 hours total. That means that 48 hours from now, it'll be over and I'll be snoozing the afternoon away!
Monday, March 3, 2008
Things I learned at my pre-lasik appointment today...
- I'm going to have to wear goggles when I sleep for a whole WEEK!
- Getting my eyes dilated makes me woozy.
- Boling is very thorough. I must have had every type of eye exam known to man! (which is good, since they'll be laser-ing my eyes in a few days!)
- Jacob's teacher, Mrs. Jonik, and I are having the procedure done on the same day.
- I'll only have to have my eyelids stuck open for a few minutes. Good news.
- I have to use 3 different types of eye drops concurrently for the next week or so. I'm going to look like an eye drop junkie.
- I'll be able to see (not perfectly, but SEE nonetheless) when I leave the procedure room!
- They're going to give me Valium before the procedure to mellow me out, and then a sleeping pill afterward to make me take a nap when I get home. Bonus!
- It's difficult to read/write emails while your eyes are still dilated. Hope the spell-check is working well.
- I may be light-sensitive for a while after the procedure. Sounds like I'm going to need some nice, new sunglasses!
- I'm really looking forward to this all being over and being able to SEE!
Sunday, March 2, 2008
My pre-lasik appointment is at 10:10 tomorrow morning! That's when they examine my eyes, walk me through the procedure (no thanks!), and basically tell me everything I need to know to be ready for the big day - FRIDAY!! That's right - the countdown is officially to 5 days and counting. I am SO excited and nervous, but SO glad it's going to be over and done with in less than a week.
Have I mentioned that I'm tired of my glasses???
Have I mentioned that I'm tired of my glasses???
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