Top Ten Anti-crazy list
How are we surviving the 5 days until Ev and Keith undergo major surgery?
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| "I'm excited transplant is soon, Momma." |
10) Pull frozen meals out of the freezer or thank friends when they bring the warm kind. Hot dogs also a winner.
9) Blog feelings; don't vomit them onto strangers to explain spontaneous tears.
8) Avoid public places. No illnesses allowed. Don't apologize for total germ phobia. Even if it looks like crazy, it isn't. I think.
7) Don't clean the house. Gratefully accept generous family members gifting housecleaning for a couple months.
6) Walk to the grocery store and let kids walk at their own pace. Twice as long, twice as peaceful.
5) Ask for an in-home hair stylist referral. Thank friend who brings stylist to home (first trim I've had in 9 months).
4) Listen to a 5 year old's silly stories. Be sure to catch the cute smile of satisfaction at the end.
3) Sing "Where is Thumpkin?" with one's 2 year old in the hospital cafeteria because she wants to. Loudly if necessary. Even "tall man", just don't look at who's looking.
2) Plan a date night for Sunday afternoon/evening. Select the best babysitter (I have her number if you need it) and the best date in the world (he's my hero).
1) Don't finish lists.
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| Just plain crazy |
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| Happy crazy |
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| Administrator of beauty |
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| Chief Silly Officer |
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| Always playing it cool |
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| The best man I know. |
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Fellow Mom of a transplant child
Hi Julianne!
I'm hoping that Evelyn is now one day post transplant?? I learned about your wonderful family via the National Kidney Foundation's Facebook message today. I just loved your list of how to stay sane while waiting for the transplant. In particular, I could relate to the germophobic habits and the need to not cry/blurt out my child's impending transplant to near strangers. I can laugh about it now.
We have two children. Kathryn is 6 and Andrew is 4. Andrew had a kidney transplant (I was the donor) at two years old, approximately 19 months ago at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston. If you go to their Web site home page, there is a photo of Andrew and his nephrologist. You can click through to Andrew's story: http://www.massgeneral.org/children/
I was so elated the day of the surgery! I felt badly for my husband, Kevin, who had two people to worry about that day. I got to, blissfully, go to sleep knowing that Andrew was finally getting a working kidney.
I want to let you know that Andrew fared beautifully after the surgery. They kept him sedated for 24 hours and he had a couple of blood transfusions but he really recovered beautifully. He was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks (very cautious nephrologist). First in the PICU and then up on the regular pediatric floor. They removed his peritoneal dialysis catheter during the transplant. He did have his NG tube for a little while post transplant. What a wonderful day when that was removed! I remember pre transplant--so many meds, twice per day peritoneal dialysis, twice per day NG tube feeds (one in the afternoon and one overnight for both interventions), nightly human growth hormone shots. There is such a Bright Light at the end of the tunnel!! I can't imagine how difficult it must be with 3 beautiful children to care for. I hope you have a lot of support! Andrew is now 4 and is in preschool, takes a learn to skate class, swim lessons... Our best guess is that he will need his second transplant around his teen years but we can't really know for sure. His body took to the kidney immediately. He had a kidney infection this past spring at about one year post transplant. This was Immediately cleared up via IV antibiotics Very Quickly (within 24 hours!). :-)
If you have any questions or just want to vent, feel free to contact me at taratjohnson7@yahoo.com or 978/314-0134 Thank God for supportive husbands, family, and friends!
Tara Johnson, Gloucester, Massachusetts :-)
P.S. The Boston Herald did a series of articles about Andrew. You can read one of the articles here: http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2011_0403moms_kidney_saves_ailing_toddler_recovery_going_smoothly_boy_active_gaining_weight
I love this list. I also love
I love this list. I also love imagining your peaceful walks to the store with your girls. That makes me smile.
r m
Love you guys
It's my favorite cousins in Seattle!!! I know everything will go well. Love you and miss you all. Please be sure to call after everything is all said and done.
Robert S