Accupuncture!!!!

Well, we are trying an unconventional method that I have done some research about to help pain...mostly they do it for headache pain (which Lauren always has even when it gets better). So, I found out that UNC has a Certified Accupuncturist on staff and they consulted him at my request to come see Lauren. He came today and put those little itty bitty needles in her head, on her shoulders, her feet and all over her stomach! He left them there for 30 minutes and had her rest quietly. After 30 minutes, he took them off and asked her how she felt. She told him that her head and shoulder pain were GONE!! Oh yay!! It didn't work with her stomach pain but he said he wants to bring her some kind of herbal supplement and mabye do another treatment on Wednesday!!! Anyway...it was worth at least trying so I was happy to have Dr. Chen take a poke at her! She was really good about it....he wants to see if it keeps her head pain away so we'll find out! At least we have one issue resolved this time around!!! I wonder if they have accupuncture for fat people...maybe it would make me not want to eat....oh wait, I think that is hypnosis or an even better idea would be to just stop eating..hahahahaha! Oh well, can you tell I am tired?????? Here is a picture below of Lauren getting her treatment...

TIRED!!!

The last few days have been very tiring for me. Although Lauren's head pain is much better, her stomach pain is fierce and unrelenting. The last several nights she has not been able to sleep thru the night because of the pain and so we both have had very restless nights. It has been a difficult several days. Yesterday, Brother Smith came up and extended me a calling from the stake as a seminary teacher. Although I am excited to teach, I am more than overwhelmed at the huge responsibility it is and wondering how I am ever going to get it all done with all that we have on our plate already. I am very overtired so it doesn't take much to push me over the top right now emotionally. In fact, Dr. Muenzer came in this morning with Dr. Muge and the other doctor (can't remember her name) that is following them and I burst into tears. I love them because they know how exhausting both physically and mentally it can be for us up here. Dr. Muge is taking over for Dr. Muenzer and she has some more ideas that she thinks may help Lauren in the long run. They have called in the "Pediatric Pain Team" and they have put her on a "pain pump" that she can push every 10 minutes and will give her a controlled amount of pain medication over the next 24 hours so they can see how much she needs. Tomorrow afternoon they will then take that information and transfer that to a "pain patch" which will give her a controlled dose throughout the day. Because Lauren has "chronic pain", they are going to work with her to find a way to control her pain and get her better at home as well! Her "attending" doctor this week is wonderful and I got a really good feeling talking to him. He is talking with Dr. Muge and together they will all work to come up with a good plan for Lauren. Dr. Meyer came up this afternoon to visit with her and we all feel like we are now on the same page. I am just really tired and want to get Lauren better! I am hoping that we won't be here for another month! Please pray for our family that other areas of our life will also be resolved as we press forward with faith! I feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders right now....I know we will get thru this time, it is just a lot right now!!! I continue to pray for more faith and trust in the Lord! Thanks everyone for your love and prayers! I love you all!!

Hospitalitis....

Sometimes I get what I like to call hospitalitis....it's a condition I always get when I have been in the hospital for more than 10 days and the end doesn't look close! I KNOW that Lauren will get better and things always improve but the waiting for her to take that corner is often wearing and frustrating. It hasn't helped this visit that I have had to come up against yet another "hospitalist" (doctor that works for the hospital) who thinks he knows more than Dr. Muenzer and can figure out how to "fix" her. When he realizes that she is more complicated that he believed, then he gets frustrated and tends to take that frustration out on her and then I HAVE to get involved and set him straight. I try so hard to be kind, patient, understanding, and flexible but when it comes to her healthcare I will not allow anyone to do anything I feel in my heart is wrong for her. I also don't let another doctor override anything Dr. Muenzer says. Sometimes I get tired of fighting this fight but in the end I am always grateful for the help I recieve when I pray and ask for guidance in making correct decisions in dealing with Lauren. She is making VERY SLOW progress ... her headaches have improved greatly and now we are dealing with her stomach pain which is always a huge issue! I worry about the medications that they are giving her to help her pain...I know they are helping but I don't want her to get dependent on them or them to cause more problems in the long run (there is always something for me to worry over....). Dr. Muenzer doesn't want me to worry about it and he wants her to be comfortable while trying to get over this cycle but I still worry about it. So, that is where we are...trying to get thru yet another long and difficult stay. I am always thankful for the wonderful nurses here who make our stays easier to deal with. They treat us like family and so for that I am always thankful!! Life is just pretty stressful now and unfortunately we are getting used to living with a certain amount of stress! I'm just ready to be home with my family and so is Lauren! In the end, it will all work out (or at least I keep telling myself that over and over and over again!!!)

Hospital.....again....

I hadn't decided whether or not I was going to write a post about yet another hospital visit but this is my blog where I get to speak out about things in my life so I'm gonna go ahead and update...first off, we came in last Tuesday because after a week of unrelenting pain in Lauren's head and stomach with her blood sugars all over the map, we called Dr. Muenzer and he insisted we come in and have Lauren admitted. I am always prepared for a longer stay than I hope and it is turning out that this stay isn't going to be any different than the last ones. I am trying not to get frustrated but it gets hard sometimes. Lauren's blood work is not terrible but there are some things in it that make the doctors notice...her liver enzymes were elevated when she came in so they redid them this morning and they are a little bit higher. Because of that, they are going to draw some blood and make sure she doesn't have some kind of viral hepatitis going on or something (I'm praying that it won't be yet another thing). They are also concerned since she hasn't eaten anything since last Tuesday. She drinks water but every time she eats, she says that it hurts her stomach and she feels nauseous. They have a different medication they are going to put her on every 6 hours that is supposed to quell nausea and increase appetite. So....we are going to try and get her to take small sips of Boost and they may (much to my trepidation) put an ng tube down and run some liquid food to her to see if her stomach can tolerate small amounts. Jeff and I are still really unsure about that and Dr. Muenzer told me that if I didn't (or Lauren couldn't) want to do it that way, then they would have to go with TPN (nutrition thru the IV....which comes with it's own set of side effects) so I am unclear about which way to go. Just the thought of an ng tube is unsettling to me but it would be in a controlled environment with the IV running to maintain her blood sugar levels. The dhe protocol that has worked at times in the past for Lauren's migraines doesn't seem to be working this time so they will stop that tomorrow and they may try her on magnesium and caffeine thru the IV...once again, don't know if it will work but they want to try it! All of this guessing and trial and error, although I understand at times is necessary to try and find a solution, is wearing and frustrating. I'm trying to remain positive and upbeat and remember President Hinckley's counsel that "it will all work out." I just keep having to say that over and over and over.......

Michael's Special Day

Sunday was a special day in our family as Michael turned 12! He was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood this past Sunday by his dad. I switched between two emotions this day..I was so happy to see Michael be worthy to receive the priesthood and to see his dad be able to bless him and ordain him which brought tears as I watched Jeff place his hands on Michael's head and saw both their faces...I also knew that Noah was surely present at the important step in Michael's life. My second emotion also brought tears as I thought that I would no longer have children in primary and how my kids were growing up way too fast! Overall it was a very happy day and I was grateful that Gramps and Grandma along with Aunt Libbi and her family could be there to witness Michael's advancement. I am grateful and humbled by my son's obedient nature and his prepardness to advance to the Aaronic Priesthood. I know how hard he has worked to complete his Faith in God and how he is worthy in every way! I am thankful for the gospel and I am especially grateful to now say that I have 2 priesthood holders in my home, both who carry their responsibilities with honor!