Updates...

I wanted to share some amazing news before I update about Karson.

A Seattle based shoe company called See Kai Run will name a shoe after Kenzi in their 2011 Spring/Summer collection. As I learn more information, I will pass it on. This is an amazing way to honor Kenzi!

Karson saw Dr. Barrios today for a GI follow up. He is happy with how Karson is growing but still wants to keep him on Neocate formula and might until he is 1. He isn't sure about Karson having surgery but thinks we should talk to the surgeon and go from there. He also spoke with Dr. Tucker and Dr. Guarin this week and says that from a GI standpoint no surgery is needed but from a lung standpoint, he might need it.

So we were referred to Dr. Rothenberg for a consult and we see him next Thursday. This is only to ask questions and get answers, however I am thinking I want to wait a few more months to see if Karson grows out of his reflux and when he walks if the whole issue is better. However since all three of Karson's drs think it might be a good idea to see the surgeon, we will do that but that is it.

Karson crawling... He is so cute!

Great News for Jess

I just recieved the email that I have been chosen as a 2010 Outstanding Young Coloradoan honoree by the Colorado Jaycees. I will be honored at the event May 15, 2010 and will give a short (5) minute speech about Dolls for Daughters, my work, what it means to me and what the award means to me. This is so amazing! All because of my baby girl Kenzi! How blessed I am to be her mother and keep her memory alive.

Karson Crawls

Karson crawled for the first time yesterday and since then has done it a few more times. He gets up on all fours and moves forward a little, usually to get something. However he is not interested in doing this all the time. Another change in our life. I welcome the change. Since Karson has had his health issues it really makes me realize it could be much worse. He could not be gaining weight, he could be on oxygen all the time. I am so happy to see him reach a new stage in his little life.

Karson follows up with Dr. Barrios on Thursday in the morning. I will be interested to see what he says. I have also spoken to Dr. Tucker to see what he thinks about everything. He  is a little out of the loop and I wnat him in the loop so he was going to call the other doctors and then follow up with me this week. We shall see.

We just finished a great weekend with my Uncle Lane and Aunt Christy here with their girls. The kids had such a fun time! The noise of little feet running and kids laughing was great. Family bbq at our house last night added more kids. I sure love family times!

Karson Update

Karson was seen by Dr. Guairn today who is very happy that his lungs sound so great. She is also happy that he has not had to use some of his meds. She reduced his Alvesco to 1 puff two times a day rather than 2 puffs twice a day. She also has been speaking to Dr. Barrios about Karson's reflux and it getting into his lungs. She thinks we need to see the surgeon but knew he had an upper endoscopy today.

The upper endoscopy today showed that Karson's pyloris is the way it should be now. It might have been inflamed the last time and that is why Dr. Stathos could not get past it. Today all was fine. Dr. Barrios now wants to have a discussion with Dr. Guarin about surgery for his reflux and suggests we might consider meeting with a surgeon to discuss the options and see what they have to say. Dr. Guarin has said that Dr. Rothenberg is the guy to do it and that he does a great job and doesn't make it so Karson could never vomit again.

So we have to figure some things out. I have to follow up with Dr. Barrios next week with Karson and then talk to Dr. Guarin and find a time to fit seeing a new dr into Kyle's schedule if needed and have a second opinion if needed as well.

Keep Karson in your thoughts. He is a wonderful child!

Karson's Upper Endoscopy

Tomorrow at 1pm Karson has another upper endoscopy. I am less than thrilled this is taking place but what can I do? It has to be done to try to figure out what is wrong with Karson and his GI issues. I hope Dr. Barrios comes out with some answers. We have to be at PS/L at 11 and then he goes in @ 1. I hope it is short and takes 15 minutes so I can be with him. I am worried because he is my baby!

Tomorrow he also have a follow up with Dr. Guairn. I am sure she will be happy that he is off the oxygen and has been.

Please think of Karson tomorrow around 1 pm Denver time. Thanks!

Dolls for Daughters

Yesterday Dolls for Daughters had its 2nd Annual Dolls for Daughter's Tea Party. It was a wonderful event despite the colder weather and the rain. We collected 42 new dolls at this one event! This is huge. It is a great start to our collection of 3000 new toys this holiday season. It was also a wonderful way to honor Kenzi. I look forward to more Dolls for Daughter's events in 2010.

Here is a link to the DfD blog about a special doll that was donate. http://www.dollsfordaughters.com/thank-you-angels/

Karson's Upper GI

Karson had another upper GI today because Dr. Barrios is not ready to send us to a surgeon based on Karson's reflux/aspiration issues. His upper GI didn't give us all the results he was looking for. It did confirm that he still has severe reflux! =( It also showed him aspirate into his airway. Not good.

After we were finished and while we were waiting to make sure they didn't want to do anything else, they called Dr. Barrios to talk to him about the results and then had me talk to Dr. Barrios. It looks like his pyloris is better than when he had his upper endoscopy which was of concern when he had the upper endoscopy. Dr. Barrios does not like that Karson is aspirating into his airway but he also does not like the fact that he has emptying issues. So the next step is a repeat of his upper endoscopy. That is next Wednesday @ 1pm. Hoping for more answers to all of this and to make it easier on Karson.

They did say that his stomach seemed to empty which should indicate that the medicine for that is working. Karson still struggles when he eats stage 2 baby food but loves to eat stage 1 as long as it is not peas.

I hope next week I have some good news. On a great note, tomorrow is the 2nd annual Dolls for Daughters Tea Party. Cannot wait for that event!

Karson

Karson is so close to crawling I am worried I might miss it. I try to get him to do it when I am around. He is so cute and I know he is so ready to crawl. However once he does, my life will never be the same. I am working with Bailey and Kam to keep their things off the floor like money. Kam loves money and plays with coins all the time.

Finally got Dr. Barrios' assitant to listen to what I have been saying and she realized after three conversations and two days that Karson needs another upper GI. She thought she needed to remind me about his one before and when he has had other stuff done. Does she not know that I already know all that? I am not the mother who has no clue.. So his upper GI is set for Friday at 1 pm and Dr. Barrios wants the results ASAP and then she said he would call me with the results. I don't care who calls me as long as it isn't her. The PA or Dr. Barrios is fine. I do wonder what it will show and what he will suggest. I still feel like give it all more time is the best choice. Summer is coming and Karson should be able to battle back from a cold just like he is now.

The side yard is coming along slowly! I knew it would be ready by next week like we were told two weeks ago. I had to give the supervisor a hard time yesterday about it. He said it would be done by the end of the month if the weather was good. We have rain coming on Friday. They are working on only the brick right now, I wish they could have the brick guys and the lawn guys there at the same time and just get this done. My kids want to play in the yard and I want them to be free to roam! I am not sure who wants the yard done more - me or the kids! Sooner or later it will be done and I am sure we will have more playdates then I know what to do with. Oh well! I will be out there with some tea and a good boook or two.

Doctor Updates for Karson

Karson has a pretty bad cough so I took him to Dr. Tucker's office today just to make sure his lungs were clear and they are. His oxygen when he is awake is good and about 90 while he sleeps. I just hope it stays there because he can stay off the oxygen.

I talked to Dr. Guarin today who talked to Dr. Barrios and Dr. Guarin wanted to send us to a surgeon to get an opinion on surgery for Karson's reflux because it goes into his lungs. The final reports from the bronch show that he has stomach contents in his lungs. Now I don't remember the technical term but this is the summary of it. =) However Dr. Barrios does not want to rush into anything considering Karson is having problems on the other end with his stomach not emptying fast enough and the pyloris issue. Dr. Gurain told me to call Dr. Barrios' office to get an upper GI done again because that is what he wants done before any other steps are taken. Dr. Guarin feels that Karson's asthma can never 100% be controlled with medicine if he aspirates into his lungs.

When I called Dr. Barrios' office today, I had to leave a message for the upper GI and then talk to his assistant - who is not that great with dealing with the information and helping parents- about getting in before the first week of May. He is on call this week and then booked until the first week of May. I told her that I want to see another doctor if he does not have an opening until the first week of May because I am not going to wait three weeks for him to be seen for his stomach emptying issues and the upper GI results. She old me that she has to talk to the PA tomorrow and then get back to me. However before she would even let me speak, she wanted to tell me that Karson had something done on Friday and she got the results. I told her to check the information again because he didn't have anything done on Friday. I also told her that I know Karson's lung dr will not be okay with waiting an additional three weeks for Dr. Barrios to talk to us about his thoughts on what to do with Karson.

With all this being said, Kyle and I are not interested in putting Karson through a surgery for his reflux. We are hoping that with time and Karson getting bigger that all of it will take care of itself.

His sweat test came back negative today for CF which is what we thought would happen. Great news.

Life..

Well things have sure been busy today! Kyle and I returned home late last night from our trip to Vegas. It was great for us to get away and have fun with family and friends. While I was gone I spoke with both Karson's GI doctor's office and his lung dr, Dr. Guairn. All gave me not so great news.


Karson's stomach emptying study came back and his stomach empties very slowly - after 77 minutes he still had over half of his 5 ounce bottle in there. So he is on meds - very low dose- three times a day to help this. They hope this will also help with his reflux. We follow up with Dr. Barrios in a few weeks. I am glad they called and didn't make us wait to come in.

I also spoke with Dr. Guarin on Friday. She got the final results back from the bronch - Karson does aspirate into his lungs. She seemed displeased by this news. She had already spoken to Dr. Sathos - who did the GI stuff when she did the bronch- and wanted to talk to Dr. Barrios about his thoughts. Not sure what all this means and what they are thinking but depending on their recommendation will depend if we get a second opinion. So that was not the best news to get while I was gone. I just feel so sorry for my little man.

Today Karson had his sweat test, the results should be back tomorrow on that. So we shall see what we find out. He is sick with a cough and I hope it doesn't go into his lungs.


Kyle is back at work, working hard! He travels the next three weeks for work and before I know it, the older kids and I will be in Japan. I am working on Dolls for Daughters events. We have two major events in the next two months and want them to be a huge success.

Double Ear Infection

 We were at the doctor today and Karson has a double ear infection - his 3rd in his right ear- and an eye infection. He is on meds for 10 days and lets hope he feels better soon. The great thing is his lungs are clear! So that is some good news.

The blog will be taking a break while Kyle and I take some much needed time away in Vegas. The kids will be with Suay and my Mom. Bailey has her first soccer game of the season this week and I am sad to miss it but she will do great. She got new shoes - pink- and new socks - pink and white - so she is ready to go. Kam wants "soccer shoes" so he is wearing Bailey's ones from last year that are pink and black and about 4 sizes too big. However it makes him happy.

Easter

This is a day late but oh well. I love holidays and I always have. I am sure it goes back to my childhood and how we would always spend holidays with family. We spent a lot more time at my Mom's parents' home with her side of the family for holidays but we did spend a lot of my with my Dad's parents as well. My Mom's family was closer growing up and we still are. However I do have fond memories of my Grandpa Mac and Grandma Cleo.

Being with family at the holidays and creating those memories is important for me to pass on to my children. Since we have both sides of our families in CO, we usually host holidays at our home. For the past several years we have had an annual Easter Egg hunt and this year was no different. As the kids get older we have fewer kids participate but those who do (5 this year) have fun and make it fun for all of us to watch.

I love hearing the sound of the kids laughter as they play - outside though. I am not fond of them running in my house - how Bailey broke her arm. I also love seeing everyone get together and catch up. We always seem to have a wonderful meal as well.

My children had a good Easter and Bailey was so excited when she woke up and wondered if the Easter bunny arrived. We let her wake Kam so she could come and find her Easter basket. She found Karson's basket and her own. She was a little upset that her basket was the hardest to find but oh well. Bailey wanted to find my Easter basket since everyone got one, including Daddy, but I told her that the Easter bunny doesn't always remember the Mommy. She seemed okay with this!

Here are some pictures from our day.

Kam's new Diego hat and glasses - birthday gift from GG.

Catching Up

This week was pretty busy with Bailey being on Spring Break and Kam being in school two days. However we had fun at the zoo. Bailey, my Mom and I went to the American Girl store yesterday and Bailey was super excited. I think she would have had more fun if her ear wasn't bothering her. However she did get an outfit for her doll and one that matches in her size.

Bailey does not complain much but in a matter of a few hours it went from "my ear hurts" to crying about the pain. A visit to the doctor's office showed a bad ear infection. We couldn't go one week without a visit to a doctor!

Last night Grandma came over with her gifts for the kiddos. Bailey how has her big wheel and the boys have their toys.




After sleeping poorly for a few nights and not feeling that great, I went to Urgent Care today. I have a sinus infection. Hope I feel better soon. Karson has been off the oxygen for a few days and I just hope that continues.

Looking forward to our trip to Vegas this week. A nice trip to get away will do all of us good. Easter is tomorrow and I hope everyone has a great day.