The new central line has been placed…the surgery went very well. Gus is trying to rest but he still has the pesky IV being held in place with an arm board and this bothers him. We will be going home as soon as we can get the IV pulled and all the discharge papers taken care of.

Praise the Lord for a successful surgery! Thanks for your prayers!!

Gus is in surgery right now…he had a rough night because he was so hungry and he could not eat. I’m looking forward to feeding him this afternoon! One of the residents said we would probably be going home this evening. I hope that’s true! I’ve been taking a lot of pictures…I think I’ve embarassed Pete a few times! I took a picture of a box of fresh frozen plasma that was traveling with Gus to the OR…an IV…Gus’ cute little gown…etc. I hope they turn out ok…my little camera does a good job…but I would really like one that does a GREAT job! lol!!

I am going back to our room now…I just needed to release some nervous energy!!

Gus has been admitted into the hospital. He will have his central line replaced Saturday morning at 9:00. Please pray for him and the surgeon. Hopefully, this is just part of God’s preparation for Yellow’s upcoming transplant. It will be better to have a “fresh” line. You have to look at the cup half full!!!We would really appreciate everyone’s prayers.

you pesky normal saline flush! I am having a terrible “medical day” with Gus…his central line is acting sluggish. For those of you who aren’t familiar with central lines go here: www.vh.org/pediatric/patient/pediatrics/bonemarrowtransplant/centrallines.html He has had this line since February which is a long time. We are having to work with a new surgeon and I’m not a happy camper!! I’m sure she is fine but she is NOT our Dr. Kennedy!! We can stay here in town or go two hours and be admitted into the hospital….we’ll just stick with this local doc even though it may be the end of me! lol!! We have to take Gus back in tomorrow to have another med flushed through his line…please pray that this will work. If it doesn’t, his line will have to be replaced right here at Christmas….which is not when I want to spend time in the hospital! lol!!

On with other things….

Bounce and Spinner are making altered books too! They are not as excited as Belle and I are but that’s ok. I think the whole idea will grow on them! Bounce wrote a story about a giraffe and a kangaroo that I think will be great to add to his altered book. I have Spinner writing quotes in cursive and I think those should go in his book. I think these books are going to be neat when finished. I think I’m going to make one for Gus….and one for me….and one for a friend…..

I googled “altered books” and I found this site (of many) www.suite101.com/article.cfm/illustration_and_illumination/91378/1 It’s a quick over-view of the “art”. I was impressed with “The Humument”…I find myself feeling inspired and then I realize that really what I’m feeling is tired! lol!! Anyway…I think it’s a neat way to recycle old books.

Even Gus was being a little artist…notice his little Bumbo seat?? He’s really not a snob…I was standing on a chair looking down at him….of course then he started looking up at me! lol!!

A very BIG mess….but ohhh it was so fun and we’ll probably make another one tomorrow!! We have been working on my new/old drafting table that I got for FREE through FreeCycle!! I love it!!

Little Altered Book Artist diligently at work.

Here’s a picture of an ASL lesson. Belle is teaching Gus how to say “Mommy”…..I just know this is going to be his first sign!

And this is…well….just an eye! A Gus eye!

This is Gus sitting on my lap looking back at me begging for a cheese puff…he did get one because he is so cute!!

Well, folks…my laundry is back. The “hamster” is over-flowing and I found some jeans draped over the kitchen chair…at least I didn’t have to crawl under the table to get them! lol!! I really don’t mind to do laundry except that you have to go outside the house to get to the laundry room. Not really sure why I didn’t think about that when we bought the house….I guess because I didn’t have that much laundry to do at that time. In the summer it’s fine…but the winter with the snow, even a dusting, is terrible. And then there was that time that we had a possum… but we won’t go there tonight! lol!!

We have had a busy day today. Yellow Dumpling Boy had a lot of visitors…physical therapist, language tutor, a nutritionist, home-helath care, and a family friend. He is beat! Needless to say, we didn’t get much “formal” school done today.

It was a big day for Spinner…he opened up a savings account!! WooHooo!! I’m so proud of him for wanting to do this. He usually wants to spend his money immediately but this time he was able to save enough to open up his account. I just know he’s saving for Mother’s Day! lol!!

Belle has started making what we will call an “altered book”. We are using an old science textbook and covering the pages with cardstock/scrapbooking paper. I figure we’ll have to tear out some pages or we’ll have a huge book that will not even begin to close!! We’re going to cover the book with fabric…she picked out a red snowman print. This book will be for her stories, favorite poems, pictures she has cut out, etc. She told me that she was going to keep it and show it to her children…all 7 of them! lol!!

Jake is working on pronouns this week. I found a site that had a pronoun poster that I cut apart for Jake to color and put back together. I decided to make “cards” instead. I’ll have him label them…he, she ,it, etc. I made a nifty holder envelope out of a 12×12 piece of scrapbook paper. I also found www.harcourtschool.com/activity/pronoun_clubhouse/index_pre.html which was fun. I probably spent way too much time there building clubhouses!!

Pete took his final this past Tuesday….no word on his grade yet. He checks the site often! I’m sure he did great because he is so smart. He also passed his CNA test so he is officially a Certified Nursing Assistant. He has taken a job in the stroke unit at our local hospital. Next step is becoming a Phlebotomist. He has two more classes to take before going to nursing school…he’ll take those two this next semester and hopefully start nursing school in the fall.

I just wanted to say thanks to my dad for this wonderful book holder (I have no idea what this is actually called!). I love it!!

It’s true!! There’s no old dirty socks or boxers littering my hallway…no t-shirts draped over the couch….no pjs at the bathroom door….no jeans under the kitchen table! And yes…we do have hampers! lol!! It just seems like no one knows how to use them. My dd calls them “hamsters”! lol!!

I read this in Splashes of Joy in the Cesspools of Life by Barbara Johnson.

WashDay 1916

Years ago, a Kentucky grandmother gave a new bride the following “receipt” for washing clothes. It appears below just as it was written, and despite the spelling, has a bit of philosphy.

1. Bilt fire in backyard to heet kettle of rain water
2. Set tubs so smoke won’t blow in eyes if wind is pert.
3. Shave one hold cake lie soap in bilin water
4. Sort things, make three piles, 1 pile white, 1 pilecollered, 1 pile work britches and rags.
5. Stir flour in cold water to smooth, then thin downwith bilin’water.
6. Rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, then bile,Rub collered don’t bile, just rinch in starch.
7. Take white things out of the kettle withbroomstick handle then rinch, and startch.
8. Hang old rags on fince.
9. Spread tee towels on grass.
10. pore rinch water in flower bed.
11. Scrub porch with hot soapy water.
12. Turn tubs upside down.
13. Go put on house dress, smooth hair with sidecombs. Brew cup of tee, sit and rest and rock a spelland count your blessings.

Barbara Johnson suggests that this be hung over the washing machine…good idea!

I think my little Yellow Dumpling Boy is about to sign “Mommy”! I’m not sure if I’ve shared this but he is profoundly deaf due to the huge amount of ( and duration of) antibiotics he had to take to fight his sepsis. He has his own hearing aids now and he seems to be “hearing” sound but it’s unlikely that he is acquiring language. Hopefully, after his transplant, he’ll still be a candidate for a Cochlear Implant. There are two other kiddos who have been transplanted and then have gone on to be implanted. Until then, we are using American Sign Language and Signed Exact English. I really pray that we are able to give him a huge base vocabulary.

I use these sites a lot for signing…

www.lifeprint.com
www.aslpro.com check out “awful” in the dictionary. I love this sign! lol!!

Oh geez….my 9 yo son just asked me if Benjamin Franklin had a last name!! I’m so pleased that all of our HS efforts are really working! lol!!!

Have you seen these??

It’s a Bumbo seat! Gus’ Aunt Liz got him one for Christmas…and he got to open it early! WooHoo!! It’s really neat. Here’s a website with cute pictures of the Bumbo in use… www.bumbo.co.za/product_showroom.htm

I’ve been working on my quilt today. It’s been a long time since I’ve sewn which is too bad because it’s so therapeutic! I’m working on an applique quilt….a new technique for me. I’m pretty happy with it so far. I think I’ll go take a picture of it….ok, I’m back…so I’m not very good at taking pictures! I’m going to post these anyway…hopefully my skills will get better!

The bottom border looks like the top border! lol!!

Here’s the center.

And here’s the corner.

I still have quite a few flowers to add. And I can’t forget the little spider and ladybug! Speaking of little “bugs”….here’s one of mine!

We are awaiting a liver/bowel transplant for this little guy. I am “collecting” guestbook entries for his scrapbook…so please come visit (and sign the guestbook!!!) www.caringbridge.org/visit/gusdoriot

This afternoon we started making a metamorphic rock. We used little clay balls and they are currently being squished by a huge Anatomy college textbook! We also made igneous rocks using marshmallows, rice crispies and chocolate chips…ok, ok, I know, it’s “Rice Crispies Treats” but today it was “igneous rock”! Here’s a picture of our metamorphic rock before pressure was applied.

Visit Rocks are Cool for entire instructions. We are planning on making sedimentary rock tomorrow. We need sand and I’m too chicken to go out back and get it! It’s really dark out there! lol!!

Isn’t it cute!! It’s a humidifier…I’m sure I really need it…right??

It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged! Things have been very busy around here…busy but good. Our youngest son, Gus, has Short Bowel Syndrome which means he has a malabsorption problem…basically he can’t absorb enough nutrients to live so he has to get his nutrients from an intravenous fluid (TPN) through a central line. Central lines are prone to infections which can lead to sepsis. We are very quick to get Gus to a hospital when he spikes a fever…and that’s where I’ve been!! Gus and I have had two little “vacations” at East Tn Children’s Hospital in Knoxville, TN. Gus is doing much better now and he continues to be “stable”. Also while I’ve been away from blogging, we traveled to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh for Gus to undergo an evaluation for a small bowel transplant. He was accepted into the program and was listed for small bowel transplant. Later in the week, we found out that he would also be listed for a liver. So, as of November 9th, Gus is listed for a liver/bowel transplant. You can read more about Gus and read (almost) daily updates about him at www.caringbridge.org/visit/gusdoriot . We are really excited about this…a little nervous too!

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh http://www.chp.edu/

East Tennessee Children’s Hospital www.etch.com