Email Issues, ER Visit, Ear Tubes... OH MY!!!!

Wednesday of last week, we had a crazy day. I went to Kiddie Kandids and had professional photos done of Ping. They came out great. We then headed to Target and then an appointment with Bill. After that we dashed off to playgroup. It went great. We had a crazy day, so we went a little late, but it was fun. The singing is okay. I am getting used to it. No perfume this time. Yay. Everyone is very friendly there.

On Thursday I took a WeeHands class. For those not familiar, it's learning to sign with your child. I thought it might help aid Ping and I. It was an interesting class. We go in 3 weeks for a longer one. It can't hurt, right?

Then Thursday night came.......I found out we had to bring Shayla in for 6:30 am to have tubes put in her ears. 6:30 am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WTH? Who willingly works at 6:30 am? Who willingly wakes a sleeping PING at 5:30 am to get her ready? They go by age, so the youngest goes first. Thanks Ping for being a mere near 3!!!! So I was going to head to bed at a reasonable time. For those that know me, reasonable is midnight:) That would give me 5 or so hours, right? Well at 11:30 or so, my stomach started acting up. I have been having this issue on and off for 6-8 months? Every other morning or so I start to gag to the point that I have to sit and just breathe deeply. It passes within 5-10 minutes. I also have "attacks." They last for 1-1.5 hours. I sweat like crazy and I have a terrible burning in my stomach that radiates right through my back. The last time I had one was at the airport in San Francisco 2 months ago when we were bringing Ping home. So it's been awhile since I have had an attack. Well I thought it was going to be one of those attacks and it would pass. It's incredibly painful because I can't walk, sit or lay down. I literally sometimes have to throw myself over a couch. I also do a lot of exercises trying to get things to move along. Well nothing was working. This went on for nearly 6 hours. So Bill and I packed up Ping and took her to the hospital for her appt. Instead of going with my girl, I went to the ER. I couldn't make it no matter how much I wanted to. Even Bill was shocked I didn't go upstairs with them. I just could not take it. The pain was taking my breath away.

Well they got me in, tried many drugs and gave me an ultrasound. I told them what I thought it was, but they needed to do a urine test and a full stomach ultrasound anyway! I do have a few small gallstones, but they think it's an ulcer. It's brought on by taking too many Advils or Midols, etc. So I am to avoid taking Advil daily. I take them because I have suffered from daily headaches for several years. There is a certain name for these headaches, but I can't remember what it is. Daily Tension Headaches or something like that. It's when the "sufferer" has 15 or 20 a month. It's not a big deal. I just am one of those people who suffer from them. So I have learned to make a cocktail out of 2 Advils every day. Well, I guess not anymore. The attacks have never been brought on by eating anything in particular, it's always after I have taken too much medicine. Well I guess it finally did me in:( So on to taking Tylenol occasionally and healing up this issue.

In the hospital, they gave me Nexium, Pepcid, a GI cocktail, Valium and Morphine. None of them relieved the pain. However, they made me nauseous, tired, dizzy and lastly, they made me throw up. Which I did over and over. I finally left there in the early afternoon and I was grateful. I didn't think they could punish me anymore and my stomach was no different then when I went in. So we came home and I tried to nap. I finally passed out even though my stomach was still a mess. I was just so tired, I think I was able to push past it with the help of the Valium. When I woke up, I felt awful, but my stomach had calmed down. I ate a lot of Saltines that night:)

Ping's surgery went great. I so wish I was there. They said she may be sleepy the rest of the day. Yeah, sure. The anesthesia and her got along wonderfully. She took to it like a Mexican Jumping Bean. So there is Bill who is tired from getting up early, me who is 1/2 dead due to my stomach and drug issues and then there is Ping who is bouncing off the walls. We just laid on the couch and tried to watch her. We kept falling asleep. We didn't care. As long as the cats were still alive and she didn't set the house on fire, it was all good:) We were invited to go out that night, but I couldn't move. I was so mad at myself. I asked Bill to take the day off so that we could do a few things around the house and here I am on the damn couch. If I could move, I would have, I really would have.

We got up late on Saturday. I had tons of things I wanted to get done. Barely a thing got done. We could not move out of our own way. I was still reeling from the drugs. I never thought they would still be bothering me. It was so irritating. We did a few things, but not much! I finally gave up and took a late nap and then we went to our friends house so they could visit with Ping and Bill could see their beautiful home.

Today we got up at a decent hour. Our friend Audra came over and brought her two beautiful girls and some presents for Ping. She was ill the day of the shower, so she was unable to give Ping her gifts. Ping now has some crayons, Playdoh toys, a beautiful book that I can't wait to look at better and an awesome baby stroller that she is digging very, very much!!!!! Thanks Audra!!!!!! We then headed off to do a few errands and then our friends Meri and Joe and Lucas came over. Joe was trying to fix my computer!!!! I can not access Outlook Email and it's very upsetting. Ping's entire adoption is on there. All my contacts are on there. I send out my Tastefully Simple emails from there. I feel like my right arm has been cut off. I have been beside myself all week with this. No matter how hard Joe tried, it's still not working though:( It will be figured out, I know it will!!!!! I so appreciate Joe giving it a great try over and over. Damn email!!!!!

So Ping has been great. She really is such a wonder. I sometimes just look at her and wonder when they are going to come and take her. Then I remember that she is ours to keep forever and ever. She gives me a run for my money daily. However, she is so bright. She really is. She understands things so well now. It's only been 2 months. It amazes me how far she has come. Not only is she bright, but she is so very loving. She was kissing Audra's two girls today. I could truly cry when I think of how wonderful she is. She is so special. I know I am biased. However, there is truly something special about her. She is so caring. She is so engaging. She loves to play with people. She loves her daddy. She loves to boss us around. She tells us to "go" when we are driving. It's so cute. She tells us to sit at her table and play with her. "Baba sit." She hands me my Mama Juicey and tells me while pointing to "sit at the table." She will point and me and say "mama chew" when we are eating! She holds her hand under her spoon or fork, so that food doesn't spill when she is trying to feed us. It's incredible. When I shut off the shower, she hands me a towel. While I am in the shower, she gets out my basket with my comb and such and she plugs in my hairdryer!!!! I just think she is brilliant!!!!!

I have shared so many stories of disaster. There will be more to come, I can promise you that. However, I have to also tell you because I don't say it enough, that this little being from China is the most magnificent creature in my life. My parents would have flipped over her. They would have been beside themselves with awe. She is just so beautiful inside and out. Now I know why it took so long to get through the process. She was made for us and we were made for her. We could not have asked for this perfection, we truly could not have. I am so grateful she is here. We adore her. The best thing is that she is ours, truly ours and she is here to stay forever!!!!

Mama

XO