Abundance

In 12 hours my house will match my cupboards...filled! It is now crunch time as Mom and I prepare for 22 people to stay a few days with us. Before the pace of this day overwhelms my mind I am choosing to remember how very blessed we are this year? Hope your preparations go smoothly and you find a moment to reflect as well.

Strep and other common annoyances

On yet another crazy Thursday I find myself with an extra five minutes. As a quick update we are still waiting for test result although we will be adding one more tomorrow night with a schuduled MRI by moonlight! :). I find it amazing that it is scheduled for 8:45 pm. I hope our girl falls asleep. She has had to miss another 3 days of school this week due to a strep infection.

Waiting for another piece to the puzzle

I love this picture I found because it sums up how I feel in regards to a reoccurance of a seizure diagnosis. There is so much known about the brain yet not all.nnthis to me is encouraging and maddening! We do not anticipate having any new information for another week or so in this regard.
We are tuning our attention here at the Lodge for the upcoming Thanksgiving festivities!! We will be hosting outpr family's gathering and having 22 people coming here. This is so exciting to us! I just have 4 more work days, a paper, and 5 chapters to focus on first.

Another Thursday

Whew!! That is about all I can say after these days when my professional and Mom role collide with the student role and make for a very full day.
As you look forward towards your weekend may it be a chance for all of us to catch our breath.
:)

A plan

My day that began 15 hours ago is finally coming to an end. I am at a loss for words tonight as my brain has reached the supersaturated point.
We met with the neurologist today. He seems like a good fit and had some valuable insights for us-specifically lettting us know the differnces between a toddler brain and a second-grade brain. He helped us see the forest and back away from the trees that seemed to cloud our vision right now and that was very helpful for us all. Instead of jumping to medicine, we are going to do a bit more testing and gather some more data to treat most effectively.
After a 2.5 hour doctor visit I got to attend a conference an hour away. I missed the morning session due to the appointment but I loved the real life exposure of observing the role I am studying now.
Now I am home and so grateful to read something fictional-even if I can only stay awake for a few minutes!
Thank you for your prayers for us all today.

MD visits

At a conference....will update soon. We had Avery good visit and have more testing coming up.

The Beauty in Spikes

When are spikes beautiful?  When seen at Bryce Canyon, Utah.  I was able to tour this area as a freshman in high school and vividly remember this unique spot.  In an area of canyons and rock formations the hike that my sisters and I took at this location made you feel like a little child near a Christmas tree.  You just had to touch these rocks and see if they were real!  At the museum in the visitor center we saw a quote by a former farmer in this area that described it as a "helluva place to loose a cow". 
More then just the unusual, this place was beautiful to me by the stunning difference in its geography.  You can almost sense this in this wonderful picture taken by my friend Ryan Bowen above.  The distinct colors of sandstone are usually exhibited in cliff formations in other parts and this particular National Park had spikes in a "ditch" instead. In the backdrop of the normal trees, sandstone, and sun this place summons a sense of wonder.
As I described in yesterday's post, spike formations can be odd and potentially harmful.  I am deliberately choosing today to see spikes from the lens that captures the creative hand of my Creator.  I continue to pray that this place in our family's journey will be a unique location and not become the overall landscape.  I am hopeful as I consider that we have visited this scary place before and now have a 2nd grader at the top of her class.  Friday may hold additional answers for us as we meet with a neurologist.  In the meantime I am going to examine the periphery of the above photo and picture myself on a hike with my sisters in the heat of July wondering why a a farmer would ever pick a spot like this to raise cattle!

spikes

Reflecting today on spikes...
-a rapid deviation and return to baseline
-a sharp spot that can have potential for injury
-a disruption of normal that can have mild to moderate consequences
These are my quick definitions. They are significant to me today as I just received THE call today re: the sleep-deprived EEG from last week. "Spikes were seen on the right occipital lobe and could indicate an increased risk for focal and a secondary risk for generalized seizures". It is odd that although I knew this would most likely be the result I feel as though our family life just spiked. I do not know what this will all entail other then the appointment with the neurologist can now be justifiably moved up from it's original 11/23 schedule. I anticipate a few more of these family spikes as we wait, formulate a treatment plan, and strive to keep our daughter safe and "normal". Thank you for your continued prayers.


- Aunty M.