Sunday, April 26, 2009

Back to the country...

4-26-09
I woke up to birds chirping, not men talking.
I woke up to the nice cool breeze, not the thick air since there is no breeze parked between close campers.
I woke up to a beautiful sunrise, not the neighbors slide out.
Oh, it feels so good to be in the country again. We moved yesterday from the campground we were at to our friend’s house out in the country. They have electric, sewer, and water hook ups. Glorious! They own about 25 acres and we are in the middle. It was so great to have two vehicles. Early in the morning, Shae towed our flatbed over with all the ATVs and bikes on. Then came back and towed the beast of a storage trailer over to our friend’s house for a year of storage. We followed along in the van. I was not going to ride in the truck while he hauled the monster! Thank goodness we weren’t going very far! That storage trailer is so huge! I don’t know how many times it almost scraped the pavement in the back. Hanna and I kept saying, “AAAHHHH” as we drove behind them and saw all the close calls! I followed Shae down into the cow pasture in the van. Ol’ Johnny the bull was there. He didn’t even look at us. Shae got it parked where it was for the last six months. They got it all ready for sitting there while Gabriel and I slowly walked towards the cows. We were being brave… We were being tough… We were going to get us a cow… Now, remember I am nine months pregnant, so what seemed close to the cows for him was not very far from the van for me. I knew I could run that far if a cow came at us. It was fun. We stared down Jonny the bull and told him we weren’t scared of him! Of course, he was across the field from us. That was close enough!
Well, we left there, got the camper ready to move, then Hanna, the younger ones, and I went to Walmart shopping while the guys pulled the camper over. I wasn’t having my best day health wise, feeling exceptionally pregnant, so Walmart was very slow. We finally got our shopping done and headed to our new home. I drove up and wondered, “Why on earth did they face the camper that way?” I knew better than to just blurt it out after I parked; when the guys had worked so hard to get it there, that comment would be very insensitive. So, I pulled up and with a smile, whispered to Cody, “Does it have to face that way?” Cody answered, “Mom, we have been working for two hours to try to get it level. We have faced it every direction and this is it. It has to reach the sewer, water, and electric and this is the only way it can go.” I decided to not let this little disappointment ruin my excitement to finally be where I had wanted to camp for the last three weeks. I have also learned to trust my husband. He is so smart and knows what he is doing. If this was it, I knew he had tried his hardest and this was it. Cody did mention that, “Hey mom, when you open the blinds in the living room dining room kitchen (it is all one room), you’ll have this beautiful view. Well, he was right. It is Sunday morning and I am sitting here looking at a beautiful sunrise while I type this blog. It is so beautiful here. I am going to close now, get dressed, and head out for a walk. There will be no cars, no noises, just the wonderful country. I am so thankful to be here. It is perfect.
Love Sheri

Ultrasound update

4-22-09
Talk about up and down. I cannot stand drama but it seems like there is a lot of it in my life right now. I went to the ultrasound Tuesday. The tech said that the paperwork looked like the radiologist had a typo and the baby does not have enlarged kidneys. She said she would go ahead and take a peek though. So, as she began to peak, her face got serious. She said she could not diagnose baby boy, but it was a good thing we came in. Well, that certainly doesn’t put us at ease. We left a little upset, but trusting that God has what is best in mind for us. Monday, my doctor said that if the baby had swelling in the kidney I couldn’t have the baby at her hospital and would have to go to a big one in a near by city. (I am trying to keep hospitals and doctors names private so strangers can’t find me.) So, Shae and I assumed that I will probably have to go to the hospital that I have absolutely wanted to avoid. To go from home birth to this huge hospital seemed like more than I could handle. But, thank goodness “I can do all things through Christ who give me the strength”.
I called my doctor’s office today to get the results and they said that the baby is fine. His kidneys are fine. They will just do an ultrasound of his kidneys after he is born. I CAN birth at their hospital and will not have to go to the big one! I was so thankful! This hospital is much nicer. I labor, birth, and recover in the same room. They do not take the baby away from mom. I can bathe him myself in my room in my Jacuzzi tub! I’m still not pleased with the scare tactics of my doctor, that she pulled out the day before, but I will forgive her, for well, being a normal doctor…. Ha Ha Ha. I know they have to say everything to protect themselves from lawsuit and sometimes they think they are doing what is best. We dealt with so many doctors over the years with Shae, we both are just plain sick of it.
But, thank the Lord, this one seems to be working out. I have another appointment soon, so hopefully things will be great. I realllllly don’t want more drama!
God bless you and thank you for your prayers!
Sheri

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Doctor has negative report...

4-21-09
I feel like things are spiraling out of control. This is why I don’t like to go to doctors, yet I have to listen to them for the sake of my baby.
I usually do home birth. I have a state certified midwife who has been wonderful in the delivery of three of my children. But, this pregnancy has not been normal. I had two really bad bouts of bronchitis this past winter. My lungs still aren’t totally clear. I am out of breath and don’t have a lot of energy. I felt like I needed to have baby in the hospital. I was thinking that if I was too tired to go through labor that an epidural would help me out. So, I went to see a doctor. She actually did a home birth for her own child. I hoped she would be more understanding ….well…. I don’t know if she is more natural thinking or not. I saw her last Tuesday. She ordered all sorts of tests because she was concerned about the health of the baby. I had an ultrasound and heart rate test, oxygen in my blood test, and chest x-rays. Baby was great and the chest x-rays were clear. She was concerned that maybe I had a fungal infection in my lungs, asthma, an enlarged heart, or left over gunk from bronchitis.
I went back yesterday to see the doctor. She was upset because I hadn’t used the inhaler she had prescribed. It was for asthma. I looked it up on line and the side effects are bad! I didn’t want to start using it unless we had ruled out the other problems first. Why expose myself and baby to potentially more harm if not necessary. Of course, then she pulled out the scare tactics. I don’t want to be in denial or naïve and I want to have a level of trust with her. So, I listen to her, but think for myself. Shae and I have had too many problems with doctors and hospitals to just blindly go to a doctor and do whatever they say. Well, doctors tend to not like it when the patient actually thinks for themselves and double checks the doctor’s orders. She said baby has a better chance of still birth since she thinks I have asthma. She wants to do weekly testing on baby as well as another ultrasound on his kidney’s today. Come to find out, the radiologist reviewed the ultrasound and put in his notes that “I” have enlarged kidneys. The doctor said that is normal for a pregnant woman. I told her that the ultrasound tech never checked my kidneys. So, the doctor thinks the radiologist made a typo and meant the baby has enlarged kidneys. I asked if she could verify with the radiologist. She said no. So, because some radiologist “may” have made a typo, I have to go to another hospital today to have a special ultrasound done to make sure baby is ok. I would love to say no. It seems like the radiologist who made the possible typo should have to clarify what he meant, me or baby. But, the doctor said that he can’t so I just have to go spend my money and time to have some special ultrasound done. This is why I hate going to doctors. It is so ridiculous. But, because I love this little baby, I am going. I care more about him than my time or money. I am sure he will be fine, even the doctor said she thinks it is nothing. She said that their ultrasound equipment is like a 4 on a scale of 1 to 10. This ultrasound place I’m going to is a 7 on that same scale.
The doctor does think it could be asthma. I have a really hard time believing that. I started the inhaler yesterday. I will do it for baby’s sake and then after I have him I will stop taking it. I think I will perk up after the birth and I get more exercise.
I will let you know!
Sheri

Friday, April 17, 2009

Working Hard and Grandad

4-17-09 It is amazing what can happen in a short time. I am sorry I haven’t written in the last 2 weeks. We are so busy trying to get things done. We couldn’t find another place to camp that was close and would let us keep our storage trailer there. Our storage trailer is 40’ long and has dry rotted tires. Shae just didn’t feel like it was wise to pull it far, and I trust his judgement, so I don’t get to sort through as much as I had hoped. I got about 5 feet from the front door and 6 feet in the back. I couldn’t find so many things we need. But, to be positive, I did find some things we do need. I am going shopping and will have to buy baby stuff that I couldn’t find. I am also missing some curriculum that I needed the older kids to start. I’ll have to buy that at the curriculum fair. We are hoping to find a 15 passenger van soon. It is hard to find them. We have to get a Chevy. They are safer. If you can believe it, our insurance company won’t cover a Ford! Their wheel base isn’t adjusted for safety issues, also, Chevy has many other safety features that the other don’t. We haven’t been able to find a Chevy we can afford, yet. We hate going back in debt over this thing. So, if some rich person is reading this and feels generous....well....that would be great! Ha Ha Ha! We also are trying to find a covered trailer, about 7’x14’. We found one, but they don’t have the title! Yikes! Baby will be here soon so we just don’t have time to mess around with this stuff!
Some really sad news, Grandad, Bill McClure, has gone on to be with Jesus. Oh how our hearts ache at his loss. We were just there a month and a half ago. He was just finishing up his cancer treatments. He was about 85. Our whole family was so close to him. It breaks our hearts to lose him, but so thankful that he had accepted Jesus into his heart and made Him Lord of his life. We are so blessed to have had him as long as we did.
Another update, I went to the doctor. She wanted to run lots of test on baby to make sure he is ok. She was concerned about the vitality of the placenta and his development since I have not had full lung capacity the whole pregnancy. Well, baby boy is perfect! I knew he was! The only thing we are waiting on is the results of my chest xrays. I find out Monday. I have felt better the last couple days thank the Lord.
I better run, I need to find my bible and do bible study this morning.
Much love,
Sheri

Friday, April 3, 2009

Cereal Cannon and Doctor in Missouri



4-3-09 It sure has been busy! The kids had a great time at my mom’s. They have a potato cannon that they put cereal and marshmallows in and shoot. They go above our heads and land on the ground. We joked that our kids eat their breakfast shot out of a gun, off the ground, when they visit grandma. I’ll get some pictures today. The weather here is horrible! Brrr.... It is so cold! We still haven’t found somewhere to stay for a couple months. I know the Lord has the right place. We haven’t found a van, yet. We are on a huge budget but need something that will get us around the country! I’m not sure if we’ll be able to get a trailer to pull behind it or not. I hope so, but I did give it all to the Lord. It is in His hands. I am hoping I don’t have to go sort our stuff in our neighbor’s cow pasture. Our storage trailer is down with Jonny the Bull! Can you see me running from a bull at 8 1/2 months pregnant! We might have to though. I’ll bring my gun, maybe we’ll have fresh beef! Just kidding. Anyways, I went to my midwife, Lori Link. She is just the best. She is so much more than a midwife, I feel like she is my closest friend (after Shae of course) and like a mother. She truly cares about me. I am going to go to the Dr. this time and not do home birth. I am still having issues breathing and am concerned if I will have the energy to have baby with out a little help, like an epidural. Most of you that know me know that I don’t like them and can’t stand hospitals. So, this is a big leap for me. I haven’t gone to the Dr. yet, but I have seen her before. She is very nice. I’ll let you know what happens. Off to do taxes today. I can’t find some of the information still, so hopefully my internet connection will start working and I can get it! We have to leave early, so Centurytel better get it’s hynie in gear! Have a great day! Sheri