Confessions Of A Mom

One thing I forgot to mention last week. In addition to not gaining weight the last month, we also had low embryonic fluid. My OB kept a very close eye on us, and when he said that Lion would do better in the outside world rather than in, we were scheduled for an induction.

Once Lion slipped into the world, the nurse said, “Did you know your baby has a cleft lip and palate?” I shook my head, feeling very . . . I’m not sure of the word. Dazed comes to mind, but that doesn’t quite describe the feeling. (At this point, I had been awake for almost 24 hours. Not to mention labor and delivery.) I waited and waited to here Lion cry. My heart pounded as I worried. It took longer than I would have liked, but Lion finally cried. 

The nurses took him over to their little table to take his measurements. Then they left him there. His little arms and legs were moving. He was crying, and my heart was breaking. I wanted to tell Hubby to get over there, but I could tell he was feeling as confused or dazed or whatever the word is as I was. Later Hubby said he was extremely worried about Lion.

Finally, they wrapped Lion up and placed him in my arms. He turned his little head and looked right at me as if to say, “I’m here, Mom.” Those who know newborns know that that doesn’t happen. They don’t/can’t really focus on anything that young, but there was no question he was looking at me.

What a precious child I held in my arms. A child I didn’t know how to care for. So, while rubbing his forehead I began to ask questions of how to feed and take care of him. I honestly don’t remember the answer, but it didn’t take the nurses long to take him back and admitted him into the NICU. (I didn’t know that’s what they had done. Hubby was there when they admitted him for low blood sugar. I didn’t find out for a few more hours.)

Hubby and I then got a couple hours of sleep before they had me move from labor and delivery to recovery. Within another two hours, the doctors and specialists began coming in. We were told that in addition to the cleft lip and palate, Lion’s heart was on the wrong side and he was tachypnea or rapid breathing. We had a pediatric doctor come tell us what they thought was going on, meaning the possibility of trisomy 13 or 18 but they wouldn’t know for sure until blood work was done and that his heart was on the correct side, just way up in the corner making it seem like it was on the wrong side.

While waiting for the test results to come back, we met with a pediatric plastic surgeon to go over the process of repairing the cleft lip and palate, a speech pathologist to help us learn how to feed Lion in the interim, there was an ECHO of his heart taken, and a brain scan. Then once the results came back positive for trisomy 13, the doctors came for different reasons. What our options were for surgeries if Lion decided to stick around for a while. The do not resuscitate order. Life expectancy. Whether or not we’d like Hospice to become involved, etc. etc.

We made the decision to take Lion home. We stayed for in the hospital for four days—

1. birth & not knowing
2. knowing the results and making decisions
3. watching and learning how to care for Lion (changing a feeding tube, how to use a feeding machine, what to watch for in his breathing, i.e. what to do if he turns a grayish-blue which he did, monitoring oxygen levels, etc)
4. caring for him on our own with the NICU nurses across the hall

In that time, we gathered the family that was in town and gave Lion a name and a blessing in the hospital. What a sweet moment that was. Then we got ready to go home.

Confessions of a mom

Having internet difficulties. My post is ready to go but I can't copy it over because my IPad is picking up the internet & my computer isn't. Gotta love it! I'll have it up hopefully tomorrow evening or Sunday. Thanks for understanding. :)

EMMA: A LATTER-DAY TALE by Rebecca Jamison--book review

EMMA A LATTER-DAY TALE by Rebecca H Jamison. This book was a fun read. I thought I had things figured out, but it turned out a bit differently than expected. The characters were fun and easy to relate to. Emma made me laugh and roll my eyes. I loved seeing how she figured out her life. I would recommend this for anyone who loves a good, romantic read. Check out the first chapter here and my interview with Rebecca, here.

:) :) :) :

NOT Looking for Love: Single woman (23) seeks best friend to chat on the phone, shop the clearance racks, watch chick flicks, try out messy cooking projects, and eat Dove dark chocolates.

Emma isn’t so good at the whole life-coaching thing. Her first client ended up with a broken heart and is threatening to relapse in her bad habits. Now Emma has problems of her own to deal with, and all those problems start with one name: Justin.

Justin is her best friend, so it’s hard for Emma not to feel betrayed when she suspects he is falling for her childhood rival. And she knows she’s losing him despite her best efforts. No matter how much she tries, she keeps running up against obstacles. How is she supposed to help other people when she’s drowning in her own failures?

Fans of Jane Austen’s Emma will love this modern retelling of the classic romance novel. Fall in love with Emma’s latter-day tale of redemption, forgiveness, and the quest for true love.

A BARGAINED FOR BRIDE by Marcia --book buzzin'

A Bargained-For Bride by Marcia Lynn McClure (Novella) Excerpt “You’re the sweetest girl in Mourning Dove Creek, you know?” Jack mumbled as he paused in kissing Jilly a moment. Jilly smiled. “And you’re the handsomest man in Mourning Dove Creek, you know,” she flirted in return. Jack smiled. “I do know,” he said. Jilly giggled. Jack Taylor was so predictable—and a little conceited. He really did think he was the handsomest man in Mourning Dove—and he was, for the most part. Secretly, however, if Jilly ever allowed herself to be completely honest about it (which she tried to avoid), there was one other man in Mourning Dove who always crossed her mind when the subject of the handsomest man in town arose. Yet there was no lingering on thinking of that man—no sirree! Not for a moment! Not for any reason—ever. And so Jilly just kept telling Jack that he was the handsomest man in Mourning Dove Creek. Besides, it was almost true—being that the other man lived outside of town and not right in town the way Jack did

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Author Marcia Lynn McClure Marcia Lynn McClure’s intoxicating succession of novels, novellas, and e-books, has established her as one of the most favored and engaging authors of true romance. Her unprecedented forte in weaving captivating stories of western, medieval, regency, and contemporary amour void of brusque intimacy has earned her the title “The Queen of Kissing.” Marcia, who was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has spent her life intrigued with people, history, love, and romance. A wife, mother, grandmother, family historian, poet, and author, Marcia Lynn McClure spins her tales of splendor for the sake of offering respite through the beauty, mirth, and delight of a worthwhile and wonderful story.  




BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/8/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Confession Of A Mom

The last couple of weeks, I’ve been reliving the few days we had Lion at home with us and his return home. Not that I would or could change anything but I think it’s normal to ask questions. Is there something I missed? Could I have done things differently? Did I do the best that I could? What if . . . Although, that’s a very dangerous question.

So, to truly understand where and how my brain has made some conclusions, it’s time to write Lion’s whole story. I’m not going to be able to tell it all in one shot. It would be too long of a post, but over the next few weeks his story will come out as well as some of the other things running through my head in relation to Tigger and Lion and life.

Lion was born with trisomy 13 also known as Patau Syndrome. Once people hear that, it seems the next question is, “Did you know?” In our case, we did not which I’m learning is rare. Most babies with trisomy 13 or 18 are diagnosed in utero. If they make it to birth, the mortality rate is very high within the first few hours or so. The more I learn the more I know what a miracle it was that we were able to take Lion home. 

Now, I’m not a researcher. That’s not how I deal with things. There is still a lot I don’t know about trisomy 13 other than it’s a chromosomal disorder. Hubby on the other hand is. He would be able to give a lot more details than I can, but that’s not really important right now. At the moment I feel I need to address the question that’s usually asked. “You didn’t know?” meaning, in my opinion, how could you not know. 

I had a very normal pregnancy with Lion. There was really no indication that anything was wrong. Apparently there’s a test that was offered and we turned it down. That’s supposed to happen with every pregnancy but I honestly don’t remember being offered the test.

We never saw his cleft lip or palate because after we found out we were having a boy, we never saw his face again. Lion preferred to keep his face tucked away. Funny thing is, the last time we did see his face, I remember my OB saying Lion didn’t appear to be Downs (which is another form of trisomy). 

The only indication that anything was amiss was the last month, Lion stopped gaining weight. The last couple of weeks, I remember him not moving as much either. It worried me, but the doctor didn’t seem overly concerned so I put it aside, only I knew it was time for him to come soon. We were then scheduled for an induction in the early part of February.

Those who have had inductions know that there is a possibility that you won’t get in at the time you’re scheduled because the hospital didn’t have room. That turned out to be our case that day. We were scheduled for 9 a.m. and didn’t get in until almost 6 p.m. The longer we waited the more anxious I became because I knew Lion needed to get here. He wasn’t moving like he had and that scared me. Thankfully, we got in that day. If we hadn’t, I would have lied. Hubby would have taken me to the hospital and I would have told them I stopped feeling the baby move.

It took awhile for things to get started, but once they did, my labor was short in comparison to Tigger (pushing hard for over two hours compared to pushing twice). That’s when all the fun and learning began.

EVERTASTER by Adam Glendon Sidwell--Book Review

EVERTASTER by Adam Glendon Sidwell. This delicious book had my mouth drooling from the very beginning. I loved the descriptions of all the different food involved. Guster was a great character that had my stomach aching for a taste of something good. The family was wonderful, the places even more tastey. This book is for anyone who eats any type of fun. It's a great, fun read for all ages. Just beware, after you read it, you'll be very hungry! I can't wait for the next installment. :)

:) :) :) :) :)

When eleven year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother's casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city, they meet a dying pastry maker who tells them of a legendary recipe called the Gastronomy of Peace -- a recipe created hundreds of years ago, shrouded in secrecy, sought after by connoisseurs everywhere and rumored to be so delicious that whoever tastes it will never want to eat anything else again.

Guster thinks this might be just what he needs -- until the ruthless Gastronimatii, a cult of armed and sinister chefs -- attack the Johnsonvilles. Guster, his sister Mariah, his mother Mabel, and his two brothers are forced to flee for their lives and set out across the world in search of the One Recipe’s ingredients. On an adventure that will take them to ancient ruins, magical beasts, faraway jungles and forgotten caves, the Johnsonvilles must unravel the mystery behind the One Recipe and discover that it will do so much more than satisfy Guster's cravings forever -- it is destined to change humanity.

*Cover taken from author's website. Back cover blurb taken from barnesandnoble.com. Purchased the book from the author. It did not effect my review.

ROCKY ROAD by Josi S Kilpack--Book Review

ROCKY ROAD by Josi S Kilpack. I love Sadie. The trouble she gets herself into is so much fun and she always ends up with the best food. ROCKY ROAD is no different. The setting of Southern Utah is beautiful. The mystery sucks you in, and the food sounds great. I can't wait to try out the recipes. This book is a wonderful read that I can recommend to any and everyone.

:) :) :) :) :)

Rocky Road It was supposed to be a girls’ weekend in scenic St. George, Utah that would include shopping, trying out the local cuisine, and participating in a breast cancer fundraiser. The fact that one of the organizers of the fundraising event, a local doctor, disappeared two months ago was not supposed to be Sadie’s problem. In fact, she refuses to participate in the grassroots investigation her friend Caro, and Caro’s cousin, Tess, have put together prior to her arrival. But then she meets the ex-wife of the missing doctor. How could she not ask a few questions . . . that lead to a few more questions . . . that lead to a small town and yet even more questions. Before she knows it, Sadie is in the middle of yet another murder investigation and trying to piece together a convoluted trail of good intentions, hidden motivations, and philanthropy turned big business.

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Author Josi S. Kilpack Born and raised in Salt Lake City Utah, I met my husband in high-school--well, he wasn't my husband then, just the cute guy in weight training with the permed mullet--and we married in 1993. I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child and have gone on to publish 20 novels, the most recent being part of The Sadie Hoffmiller Culinary Mystery Series. I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, children, and cat.  

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Culinary Mysteries by Josi Kilpack

Blog Tour Giveaway $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/6/13   Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

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*A review copy was provided, but did not effect my review.