Thinking, Playing, Reading
Thinking:
Little Janey had surgery to correct her kidney reflux and this picture makes my heart hurt because oh boy, I didn’t know how hard the whole deal would be for all of us, especially her and especially her mom, because what mom’s heart doesn’t split in a thousand pieces when she has to comfort a child in pain? We spent a night at the hospital-enough for me. She woke up the next morning and said, “Mommy, get me out of here.” She has been on the mend slowly and surely, but it has been more painful and longer than I expected-I guess I didn’t know what to expect because none of my children have had surgery. She has a pretty nice “Madeline” scar to show for it all but has been such a little trooper.
I am so grateful for her very experienced physician who I trusted completely, and also I kept telling myself while in the hospital that it one thing to be in the hospital for a good reason-to fix something so it works better-than for a reason like the little boy next door to us in the hospital receiving chemo treatments. Talk about worry and heartbreak and stress on part of the parents. I can’t even imagine.
I am so grateful for wonderful family and friends that helped us out this last week.
In addition, I am so thankful to all of you moms who gave me advice and shared their experience a year ago when I found that Janey had kidney reflux and asked on this blog for help-I received so many emails and it helped me so much decide what different courses of treatment we might be in for. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Playing:
I was given this awesome play dough recipe that our preschool uses and we have had already made two batches. It’s fun and easy and cheap to make, smells delicious and stays soft and mushy if you keep it in a tupperware container between uses. We split this recipe before mixing in the Koolaid so that we get two “flavors”. (That usually get mixed together nevertheless.)
Kool Aid Play Dough
3 1/2 cups of flour
1 cup salt
4 tsp cream of tartar
2 pkgs unsweetened Kool Aid
3 TBS cooking oil
2 cups water
Mix together with blender. You can mix two Kool Aids of the same flavor with this one batch, or divide the dough and mix one packet with each half for two colors.
Reading:
I am in the middle of this book, recommended by my cousin, and love it. It is SO motivating when it comes to eating right and exercising.
It explains the science behind aging-which to me is the really motivating part. I have really been thinking about this all since I started eating better and exercising this year, and what a difference it has made in everything from my fitness capabilities to my skin.
I would highly recommend this book for anyone over the age of 40 (so maybe some of you might want to buy it for your parents :). It turned me from sort of majorly panicking about the process of aging (something about approaching 50 does that to you!), to thinking, “Heck I can totally take control of this process and keep right up there with my kids for a long long time.”
This book has taught me that SO much of what we witness when it comes to aging does NOT have to happen that way-so much of it is about pushing our body to “remake” itself through exercise and feeding it right.
Oh, I am so glad Janey is healing and the worst is behind you!
I'm super interested in the aging book and I love health science. What is your biggest tip or take-away so far?
That so much of anti-aging is about exercising-50 mins/6 days a week, good hard exercise-strength training and aerobic, for the rest of your life…it is almost like tricking your body into thinking it needs that flight/fight still of the younger years and is sending the message to your body to stay young. There are chapters and chapters on this-I'm not sure my summary makes any sense but it is really interesting.
God bless your little Janey and thank you for the play dough recipe. This is why I love your blog. REAL LIFE and true love. I never would've known about waxing leaves in fall if it weren't for you 🙂 Thanks, Lisa Diller
Just put the book in my amazon cart. Continued prayers for Janey. I've read your blog for years now, and each time I see a post from you, I am encouraged by something you write. Thank you!
Sue
I am sorry that Janey needed to have surgery to correct her issue, but soon this will be a story to tell over time like we share broken bone stories! Have a great day!
So glad you are on the other end of surgery. My nine year old is in the hospital for an endoscopy every. single. 8 weeks. (since 22 months old) We are so used to IV's and waking up in recovery by now, it's just part of our life. But no matter how many times we go I always get weary from the pure exhaustion of emotions.
Tara I really thought so much about the moms who have to do this sort of think constantly-it really does take so much time and effort and emotional energy that is above and beyond just day to day life.
I could not believe it when I saw this post. My son is only a couple months younger than Janey and he had the same surgery Tuesday. We just came home yesterday. He had an extra tube on his kidney that re-routed the urine back up, so his kidney didn't drain completely. They also had to remove the lower half of his kidney as it had atrophied. I hope she is doing better soon!
I went back and read your earlier posts about the relax, I couldn't figure out how I had missed them. Henry only started having infections in February, no idea why he hadn't had them before. He was a stage 4. Did Janey have any trouble with her legs hurting after surgery?
No but I rubbed her a lot the next couple nights, only because she was having bladder spasms and it helped relax her. We eventually were prescribed something for the bladder spasms but we only used it the night in the hospital and then the night after.
Just in case you check;) we went back to the Dr Tuesday and found out his leg pain is due to a pinched nerve. Apparently this happens because of the way they have to position them in order to reach the kidney. It is very, very slowly getting better but he still wakes up frequently during the night screaming in pain. He has trouble controlling his leg so he walks like he has polio. Glad Janey didn't have these complications!
Oh poor guy-on top of all the surgery pain, that is the last thing he needs-I hope he gets well soon!
I am buying this book after I write this comment! I'm 45, mom to 9, and am feeling older than I should be feeling. So thank you for the rec! Before I was a stay at home mom – I was a pediatric oncology nurse. Kids are so resilient! It's terrible to have to go through anything health related- happy to hear you have a great doctor! Prayers for a speedy and uncomplicated recovery!
Poor sweet Janey! I'm so sorry to hear of her surgery! Like most things in the life of a mom, it's always harder on us!!! I'll keep you all in my prayers!
Prayers for Janey!!
Poor Janey! Thinking and praying for your fast recovery.