I'm looking . . .

Hey all! Can't post a whole lot right now since I'm still getting Jenni ready for school, but I have time for a few quick things.

First, a quick update- I (finally) got the cortisone shot for my tailbone! I was super scared cause everyone I talked to said it hurt super bad, but I guess they didn't get the lidocane shot first, cause it really wasn't that bad. (And I'm a wimp, so it REALLY must have not been that bad!) My back was really sore for the next day but apparently thats normal. It has really been a liesaver. It takes a few days for the cortisone to start working, but it has really helped. I'm hopeul that my life will get back to normal! What a blessing modern medicine is!

Jenni is loving 2nd grade, and seems to have a really good teacher this year. Joe-joe is still so very ready to go to school, and tells pretty much everyone he meets that he'll be going next year! (ACK!) He's also determined that this baby is a boy, not a girl. He told me the other day that he wouldn't love her if it was a girl! Silly kid! Steve's doing good. He's currently taking a math class that is going SO much better than the last math class he took at UVU. I think the lowest score he's got on a test is like 96%. So thats awesome!

Other than that things are going great. We're just plugging along! I've been looking for a crib (ours got destroyed one of the times we moved) so if anyone has a crib they don't need, or knows someone who has a crib they don't need, we'll be glad to help give them more storage space! We're also looking for a car seat, but I'm super picky on this point. I won't use one thats over 5 years old, and I won't use one thats been in an accident. But if you know of a carseat that isn't old and hasn't been in an accident that the owner doesn't need, let me know!!

Also, since my job hunt isn't going well . . . or rather isn't going at all pretty much, I've decided it's time to start teaching piano lessons again. So if you're interested, you can see my ad on craigslist at by clicking HERE. It's got all the info you may need. Alas, since my family is so big, I cannot offer free lessons to my Nieces and Nephews. I would love to be able to, and maybe someday I will, however since I'm doing this to support Steve's income I just can't give free lessons. I hope everyone understands!

Anyway, I've got to get Jenni out the door. Have a wonderful day all!!

K thats all!

chelle

Elective Epidural?!?! ELECTIVE?????

(disclaimer- if you're male, you might not want to read this! I'm just saying!)

So, I'm kind of a newspaper junkie, and since I can't do a whole lot right now (due to a broken coccyx) I read a lot! This morning I'm reading the paper and I notice the headline "To save on Medicaid, cut elective childbirth procedures." My interest was piqued since I have worked closely with many many childbirths. So I'm reading the article and it's basically saying that because there are so many college students in Utah having babies who are on medicaid, we should cut elective childbirth procedures such as 'elective epidurals and elective c-sections.' I was dumbfounded! I had to read it again to make sure I read it right. I was sure it was a misprint until I read further. I was not at all surprised to see that all the people in support of this bill were men. I mean, I get cutting elective c-sections because they are twice as expensive as vaginal births, besides most ob's won't do 'elective' c-sections. (I know. I asked when I was pregnant with Jenni because, really, the idea of something that big going through a hole that small just never really appealed to me!) Some ob's consider a vbac elective (vaginal birth after c-section) but luckily for me, my most wonderful ob did not consider a second c-section 'elective' for me since I have a dysfunctional cervix.

Anyway, I was talking to Steve about this beyond stupid idea that epidurals should be considered 'elective.' It reminded me of my first (and only really) labor experience. Jenni was 10 days late. I was at my brother's house playing games when I noticed a little trickle 'down there'. But it was so small I didn't think anything of it because everyone I had talked to had said 'Oh if your water breaks, you'll know! It's like a huge gush!' My brilliant beyond brilliant sis-in-law (props to Janelle) told me that it really isn't always like that and maybe I should call labor and delivery just to see what they thought. I did so and was told to come in and be checked out. Turns out it was my water breaking, and they started me on pitocin. I told the nurse I wanted an epidural, but she told me I had to wait until I was dilated to a five before they would do an epidural. Me, not knowing any better, figured that was just the way it was. I started contracting at midnight, and by 8 am I was only dilated to a 2, and that was only because the nurse came in and stripped my membranes, basically making me dilate. (dumb old dysfunctional cervix) anyway, around this time I was bawling because it hurt so bad, and I was throwing up from the pain. This is what my wonderful ob walked in on. He asked me why I hadn't asked for an epidural, and I told him what the nurse had said. He got SO upset with that nurse, basically saying "how dare you try and push your own belief's on my patient. This is absurd!" Needless to say, about 5 mins later, the anesthesiologist came in and gave me an epidural. What an amazing blessing modern medicine is!!! Seriously!!! It was good that I did finally get an epidural since we ended up doing an emergency c-section (still wasn't dilated to a 5 btw.) If i had waited until I was dilated to a 5 Jenni probably would have suffocated. From what I have read, the idea that you should wait until you're dilated to a 5 is a really old practice, and my nurse was fairly old. Note to self: you are in control of your health care, and if you don't like what is happening, SAY SOMETHING!!! Almost every nurse I've ever had (and I've had a lot of them!) has been more than willing to work with me when something isn't going like I want it to. As much as I love my doctors, the nurses are really what make a health care experience good or bad. I've been blessed to have had (mostly) great nurses!

The idea that an epidural should be 'elective' is ludicrous. Seriously. So I say to you Sen. Dan Liljenquist R-Bountiful, you are OUT OF YOUR MIND!! Steve called me a while after we talked about it to say that Doug Wright was talking about this on his show, basically saying the same thing I am saying. He said something along the lines of "Husbands, don't even try and mention being able to save money by going naturally. You'll probably get kicked in the face."

Seriously. Elective Epidural??? ELECTIVE????? crazy.....

well, ALAS!!! this post is long enough. I've had my fill of venting. I'm going to go see if I can fix the backgrounds on my blog and my mom's blog.

k, thats all!

later cyber-sisters!

chelle

Memorial Day

If tomorrow all the things were gone I'd worked for all my life

And I had to start again with just my children and my wife

I'd thank my luck stars to be livin' here today

'Cause the flag still stands for Freedom, and they can't take that away

And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free

And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me

And I'll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land

God Bless the USA

From the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee

Across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea

From Detroit down to Houston, and New York to L.A.

Well there's pride in every American heart, and its time we stand and say

That I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free

And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me

And I'll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land . . .

God Bless The USA

amazing!

The picture isn't super clear, there are other videos on youtube with a clearer picture, but they don't have the audio commentary. Just one more example of ordinary people doing extraordinary things!

11 down . . . 29 to go!

Ok, I think I'm pretty much past the miscarriage point now, so I figure we can tell everyone now. I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are SO VERY excited. We've been trying for over 2 years, and had a miscarriage just over a year ago, so this is really so special for us! We were worried about miscarriage since I've had 2 of them, which is why we decided to wait until we were past that point before we told everyone. With my first miscarriage we told everyone pretty much the day we found out, and I miscarried a week later. You'd be surprised how fast some news travels, and how long it takes to get other news out! It was really hard the next few weeks telling people that I wasn't pregnant anymore.

I have been SO sick. I mean, I was sick with my other two pregnancies, but I didn't throw up much. I can hardly keep anything down now. I've lost 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks alone. It's crazy! My abs have been getting a serious workout from all the dry-heaving! It's so worth it though! I mean, being sick like this is so much easier to deal with because I know its for a good reason! I was actually pregnant when I went in for surgery in March. We didn't know it at the time of course, but I was about 3 weeks then. When I think back about that it makes me realize just how very blessed we are. A lot can go wrong in any pregnancy, but surgery, especially in the abdominal area is not recommended when you're pregnant. The fact that I didn't miscarry this one just amazes me!

Things have changed alot. I'm not working at the hospital anymore, my leave of absence ended before my dr cleared me to go back to work, and my supervisor couldn't hold the position. I was supremely bummed. I really loved my job. But maybe it was a blessing in disguise. I have been so sick that I wouldn't have been able to work anyway. (Patients don't really like it when you throw up on them. It tends to get negative feedback!) I was approved for unemployment benefits, so that has helped. I'm looking for another job, but I'd really like to go back to a hospital. I really feel like I'm in my element there.

Steve's job is the same. He doesn't really like it, but he's a trooper! He's (hopefully) enrolling at the University of Phoenix soon. We really need to get his degree. We can't live in this apartment forever! We talked to a counselor who walked us through the requirements and stuff, and it looks like all of Steve's credits from UVU will transfer over, and he already has 48 credits there. Also, he'll be going for his bachelors instead of his associates like he was at UVU. It feels right, but a lot of things have to happen before its final. (Like the counselor calling us back for one! we've left 2 messages and she hasn't replied.)

Jenni and Joe-joe are great, as usual! Jenni likes her new school, but really misses her old one. She asked me the other day why we couldn't just move back in with grandma and grandpa again. She liked that. Try explaining self-sufficiency to a 7 year old. Kinda difficult. But she's still doing really well in school. She is an AMAZING reader! And she likes to read, which really helps! Joe-joe is so excited to be a big brother. Every time its his turn to pray, he always blesses mommy and the baby in her tummy. (He also always prays that no one will "get in a crash and die". We're not really sure where that came from! He just started saying it.)

Anyway, I'll end my novel now. I'll try to post a little more frequently! I know it's been a while! :)

ok thats all.

later~

chelle