"Resting"

I had a regular OB check-up yesterday and she informed me that I need to be off of work for the duration of the pregnancy. We had discussed this 2 weeks ago at an appointment but at that point she was giving me the option and now she wasn't. Unfortunately, I have been having a lot of pain/contractions and tend to be uncomfortable and not able to move well at all by noon each day. By the end of the week the contractions tend to be very strong. Then I worry, of course. Last Friday evening, there was an hour and half that I could time them, every 7 minutes. I asked her if I could finish out the week or go a couple more days at school but she said that wasn't an option. So...we're taking no chances for the next 7 weeks (God-willing) and I will be taking it easy and "resting". Just another hurdle during this pregnancy. Again, a reminder that I am not the ONE in control! Although this is not what I wanted by being off of work this early but we have to do what is best for this little "ornry" one. Another hard decision we are having to make with this transition to me being at home is that if I am to rest it is about impossible to have Olivia here with me all day. She wants and needs someone to run and play with her and well...I just can not do that right now. So, we're trying to figure out a schedule for her to still go to Beth's house (sitter) part of the day or some days. Please continue to pray for the 4 of us!

Happy 32nd Birthday Terry!

Today is Terry's 32nd birthday and he gets to spend the entire afternoon at school (on a Sunday!) for the dedication and open house of his new school building. He wasn't thrilled about it. Olivia gave him a card before lunch today and told him to "open" (as she was opening it) and didn't even let him read it before saying "color". She had to go get her crayons and color some more on the card before he could have it. We practiced saying "Happy Birthday love you" and she did a very good job. We were suppose to go out to eat the 3 of us on Friday night but my "issues" landed us at the hospital instead getting a non-stress test, blood work, and another ultrasound of baby, gall bladder, and kidneys/liver. Nothing definite was determined. I go back to the doctor tomorrow. So...I'm feeling bad that I have come in the way of something again. Hopefully, things will begin to calm down here and become a little less stressful for all of us.

Happy Birthday Terry/Daddy!

We love you,

Carissa & Olivia

'Tis the season...to be SICK!

We were infected with sickness in our household over break. It feels like if it's not one thing it was something else. Terry is the healthy one of the 3 of us! Christmas morning I ended up getting up and beginning to feel light-headed and sick to my stomach. So I went back to bed and sent Terry and Oliva off for Christmas dinner at the Beck's. After I slept a couple hours I had begun to feel somewhat better and joined the family for the afternoon/evening. Christmas evening Olivia had hives begin to appear. They would show up thick in certain places for about 20 minutes and disappear and reappear somewhere else. These continued through the weekend but they didn't really seem to bother her except when they were on her neck. Olivia and I also had been working on congestion and that only worsened over the weekend with coughing, stuffy/runny nose, and being tired. I had a regular OB check-up with my doctor on Monday, Dec. 28 and took Olivia along to get looked at for her hives. It was determined that she ingested something that she's obviously allergic to but we couldn't pinpoint what that might be. We were just told to give her Zyrtec for 10 days. At the time of this appointment the doctor looked at her throat and said it was clear. On Tuesday, Dec. 29 my coughing had gotten much worse and I was put on an antibiotic. On Wednesday, Dec. 30 Olivia's coughing was HORRIBLE so she was put on a Z-pack. So, we spend New Year's Eve and day at home. Olivia was done with her antibiotic on Sunday, January 3 and still was not better and was up from 2:45 a.m. on that night. That made a long first day back to school on the 4th for me! I have trouble sleeping anyways, and 3 hours of sleep was definitely not sufficient for the day on Monday. On Monday, January 4 Olivia developed a rash (not sure where this came from but it wasn't hives). By January 5 I was feeling much better but Olivia now had liquid wax literally running out of her right ear. So...we went to the doctor AGAIN! Poor girl has "issues" like her mom. It obviously was determined she has an ear infection and she was put on a different antibiotic. Thankfully, she is not irritable, but still coughing A LOT, and is not running a temp. This is different from how she reacted to ear infections last winter. Hopefully, this antibiotic does the trick. It frustrating knowing that her tubes in her ears have come out after 6 months. We do not want to go through that again of having to have more put in. Please keep her in your prayers!

Update: January 7 Olivia started to show an allergic reaction to her antibiotic (Omincef). By bedtime it was pretty bad. Doctor's office was closed (of course) so I called the pharmacy. We stopped taking the medicine and he gave us the name of one more alternative medicine to try so I will be calling the doctor tomorrow morning right away to see what needs to be done. Olivia had even been on Omnicef last February and March with ear infections and didn't have an adverse reaction to the medication then. Frustrating!

January 9 we took Olivia back to the doctor for her HORRIBLE skin reaction to Omincef. She is now on some ear drops that she will get twice a day. Above are a few pictures of her poor "rash".

Another Update: Olivia needs to go in for an allergy test on January 22. She also will be going back to see an ENT on February 2. We are going to try a new ENT. Our doctor said she is looking at most likely getting tubes again.