Outside Temp: cold, and getting colder... ~30
What I cooked today:
I think I've forgotten how to cook. Allen made macaroni and cheese, from scratch, while I slept off the drive.
Update:
So, yesterday (Thursday), we had clinic in Seattle. We decided after clinic, around 5:30-6:00pm, we would drive as far as Spokane (about 4-5 hours) and stay the night there. That way, we would only have another 6-7 hours left on Friday morning. Things don't always work out the way you plan.
I drove us out of Seattle (because Patrick hates driving in traffic, and I soooo love it... not) and made it up the hill a few miles. We were using the cool 'map' feature on Grandpa's andriod phone, to check for road conditions. Once we started seeing white things falling from the sky and staying on the ground, we decided that it was time to switch drivers. I can drive in the snow, I just don't like it. My husband, on the other hand, thinks it's fun. Have I mentioned that he is nuts?
So, I took an exit off the freeway, hoping to just switch driver and get back on. But no, I had to pick the exit to the Casino, which doesn't have a ramp to get back on going east. So, we just kept going on the back roads and after about 10 minutes, we found our way back onto the freeway. We did drive through a cute little town, all lit up with Christmas lights, so that was kind of cool.
The rest of the pass through Snoqualamie (the Cascade range in Washington) wasn't too bad. There was snow and some ice, but I just held my breath while Patrick cruised right past the trucks. Our totally amazing magical snow tires work great and he said the car never even slipped.
As we came down the mountain and onto the plains near Ellensburg, we stopped for dinner. There is a steak place, which sounded really good. Ryan managed to eat his entire kids steak (4oz) which is amazing. As we were leaving, the waitress warned us that the storm over Idaho was pretty bad.
We were driving through the plains of Eastern Washington (which is my least favorite part of the trip... it's about 200 miles of nothing... so boring!) and we kept an eye on the storm. The reports claimed that there was about a 8-10 hour window between the storm we just drove through in the Cascades and the storm that just passed over Idaho. And it was suggested that the storm over the Cascades was much worse, and they might have to close the freeway through Idaho.
Oh crap. We didn't plan very well, and only had one night's worth of TPN for Ryan. We needed to be home by Friday night. So, we had a choice. We could stay the night in Spokane, as planned, and hope that the freeway was open in the daytime and get home late Friday. Or, we could be crazy and try to stay in that window of time between the storms. Fortunately, my husband has a habit of staying up late.
I drove until we hit Spokane and Couer d'Alane around midnight, and the gas station guy said the storm stopped about an hour before. Patrick took over, and I had to just sit there, and pray.
The roads weren't too bad, for the first half of Idaho (the road is only 80 miles across), but by mile marker 50, it was starting to snow. We actually thought that the roads were dry, since the car was driving so well. But, it was actually still wet from the rain. Once the snow started, it got a little more scary. But, being almost 1am, there were very few drivers on the road. Most of the trucks had stopped for the night, and no one in their right mind would be out in this weather.
There were a few moments where I had to keep reminding my husband to slow down, or watch out, or something, but overall, he did fine. The car had no problem going through the snow. About 5 miles from the summit, and the Montana border, the commercial trucks were starting to have problems. There were a few points where trucks would just be stopped, in the middle of their lane, trying to get up the hill. The last 'chain up' area was so filled with trucks that there was no room for additional trucks to get in, so they were just lined up in the normal lanes of traffic.
The Montana side of the mountain was a little better, in that the snow got dryer and didn't cause as much ice. But it was a little worse, because it was downhill, which means that you go too fast. At some point, I had to just close my eyes, and pray that it would all work out (which it obviously did). It's the hardest part about being a passenger in a car.
The snow tapered off about a hour outside of Missoula, and I managed to fall asleep (it was past 2am at this point). Patrick said that there were no problems, when we stopped for gas. I asked if he wanted to try to get a room for the night, and pick up the drive tomorrow. He said no, let's just finish it. Oh, okay.
So, we kept going, leaving Missoula around 3:30am, and heading into the mountains. Its about 180 miles from Missoula to Great Falls on MT-200, which is a 2 lane highway through the mountains. It's usually one of the most beautiful drives, but since it was pitch black outside, we didn't get to see anything.
I fell asleep again, and woke up about 1/2 way through the drive. There was a little snow but not much. Patrick had gotten his second wind, and said he was doing fine. The snow started back up again, and the roads were pretty snowy. But the little car did just fine. As we pulled out of the mountains, there was a moment where the weather just stopped and it was suddenly clear. We could see the stars and there was no snow on the ground. I'm assuming that we just drove through the storm and came out on the other side.
We pulled into our driveway about a minute before Grandma brought the kids down to catch the bus (7:25am). Exhausted, but safe, we woke Ryan up and put him into his bed. Then, we fell into bed ourselves. Of course, Ryan slept the entire drive, so about 8:15, he walked back into our room and asked if he could watch a movie. Ugh, sure kid, anything you want. Zzzzzzzzz....
I have told my husband to remind me next time, do not, under any circumstances, plan on driving back home the same day as clinic. It's not possible, and we just can't do it. In this case, it all worked out, and there is snow planned for most of the weekend. Boy, am I glad I'm home and not driving right now!
Showing posts with label Seattle Trip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seattle Trip. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2012
December 6, 2012
Outside Temp: who knows... cold.
What I cooked today:
No time to cook...and no kitchen...
Update:
Ryan had his 'hospital' day today!
We stated the morning with an ultrasound of his legs. He had a DVT (deep vein thrombosis, clot in his thigh) when he was about a year old. The body had a way of re-routing the blood flow and he's never had any lasting problems (other than his veins are very prominent in that leg), but the doctors wanted to check the rest of his legs, just to make sure. His legs all looked great and he had no other issues here.
From there, we headed over to MRI. A few years ago, we found out that Ryan had a narrowing of one of his veins in his chest, the one that goes through the liver and down into the rest of the body. They thought that his liver, which was enlarged from all the infections and other problems, was pushing on this vein, and restricting the blood flow. As a result, his blood pressure had increased and it was causing large veins in his intestines (one of which ruptured, causing GI bleeding, which is not fun). When we found the problem, the doctor went in and used a balloon to dialate his vein. If I remember correctly, she said that the flow was restricted by 90% before the balloon (meaning that only 10% of the blood could flow though the vein). When she finished dilating it, it looked to be only about 20% restricted (80% of the blood could go through), but she warned us that we would need to keep an eye on it. And, that we would probably have to do this balloon dilation thing every 2 years or so, until he gets big enough for a shunt or some other device to help keep the vein open.
So, this morning, our MRI was scheduled to push contrast into his veins and figure out how much the vein has narrowed. For this, they have to put him to sleep, which is always fun. The procedure lasted about an hour, and he came back very, very sleepy. But, of course, they can't tell me anything, until the doctor sends a report to the other doctor. Oh well, it was fun to wake him up and deal with the wobbling and 'out of it' hour or two before he finally got all the meds out of his system.
We went back to the hotel to get checked out, had a great lunch and headed back for clinic at 1:45. For the record, Ryan is 59.5 lbs and 123 cm. Which means that in the last 3 months, he has gain about a pound and 3 centimeters, which is over an inch! Woo hoo! The doctors and nutritionist were ecstatic. As a result, we have decreased his TPN, again! About 6 months ago, we dropped the sugar from 22.5% to 20%, and we were watching him to see if he could handle it. Since he did so well, we are going to drop it again to 18%! If he does well on this, they will re-evaluate in another 6 months. All is going to plan and we are thrilled!
After the initial high over his weight and height, we got the results from the MRI. They were inconclusive. Ugh, I hate that word. The GI doctor was a little concerned, since they didn't say everything was fine, but it was late in the day and we had limited options. We decided to go back over to Radiology and get an ultrasound of the area we were concerned about. There is some debate over the usefulness of the MRI over the ultrasound, and perhaps the ultrasound could give more definite results. We haven't had a MRI in about 2 years, and our other doctor's warning kept going off in our head. So, the tech started the ultrasound of his veins in his belly.
We started a movie as we came into the room, and about an hour later, the tech asked another tech to come in. A few minutes later, the new tech asked us what exactly we were looking for. I explained his history and she kept looking around. Finally, she looked back at us and said, 'it all looks good to me. But let me go show the images to the doctor and he'll come in an talk to you.'
A few minutes later, the radiologist came in and said, "Looks great. No narrowing at all. I can't make it any better!". Oh my gosh. Patrick and I were stunned. The doctor also suggested that we just do the ultrasound next time, since he doesn't need to 'go to sleep' for it. Woo hoo! Another great result!
So, on that note, we started the trek home, but I'll write that one up in tomorrow's blog!
What I cooked today:
No time to cook...and no kitchen...
Update:
Ryan had his 'hospital' day today!
We stated the morning with an ultrasound of his legs. He had a DVT (deep vein thrombosis, clot in his thigh) when he was about a year old. The body had a way of re-routing the blood flow and he's never had any lasting problems (other than his veins are very prominent in that leg), but the doctors wanted to check the rest of his legs, just to make sure. His legs all looked great and he had no other issues here.
From there, we headed over to MRI. A few years ago, we found out that Ryan had a narrowing of one of his veins in his chest, the one that goes through the liver and down into the rest of the body. They thought that his liver, which was enlarged from all the infections and other problems, was pushing on this vein, and restricting the blood flow. As a result, his blood pressure had increased and it was causing large veins in his intestines (one of which ruptured, causing GI bleeding, which is not fun). When we found the problem, the doctor went in and used a balloon to dialate his vein. If I remember correctly, she said that the flow was restricted by 90% before the balloon (meaning that only 10% of the blood could flow though the vein). When she finished dilating it, it looked to be only about 20% restricted (80% of the blood could go through), but she warned us that we would need to keep an eye on it. And, that we would probably have to do this balloon dilation thing every 2 years or so, until he gets big enough for a shunt or some other device to help keep the vein open.
So, this morning, our MRI was scheduled to push contrast into his veins and figure out how much the vein has narrowed. For this, they have to put him to sleep, which is always fun. The procedure lasted about an hour, and he came back very, very sleepy. But, of course, they can't tell me anything, until the doctor sends a report to the other doctor. Oh well, it was fun to wake him up and deal with the wobbling and 'out of it' hour or two before he finally got all the meds out of his system.
We went back to the hotel to get checked out, had a great lunch and headed back for clinic at 1:45. For the record, Ryan is 59.5 lbs and 123 cm. Which means that in the last 3 months, he has gain about a pound and 3 centimeters, which is over an inch! Woo hoo! The doctors and nutritionist were ecstatic. As a result, we have decreased his TPN, again! About 6 months ago, we dropped the sugar from 22.5% to 20%, and we were watching him to see if he could handle it. Since he did so well, we are going to drop it again to 18%! If he does well on this, they will re-evaluate in another 6 months. All is going to plan and we are thrilled!
After the initial high over his weight and height, we got the results from the MRI. They were inconclusive. Ugh, I hate that word. The GI doctor was a little concerned, since they didn't say everything was fine, but it was late in the day and we had limited options. We decided to go back over to Radiology and get an ultrasound of the area we were concerned about. There is some debate over the usefulness of the MRI over the ultrasound, and perhaps the ultrasound could give more definite results. We haven't had a MRI in about 2 years, and our other doctor's warning kept going off in our head. So, the tech started the ultrasound of his veins in his belly.
We started a movie as we came into the room, and about an hour later, the tech asked another tech to come in. A few minutes later, the new tech asked us what exactly we were looking for. I explained his history and she kept looking around. Finally, she looked back at us and said, 'it all looks good to me. But let me go show the images to the doctor and he'll come in an talk to you.'
A few minutes later, the radiologist came in and said, "Looks great. No narrowing at all. I can't make it any better!". Oh my gosh. Patrick and I were stunned. The doctor also suggested that we just do the ultrasound next time, since he doesn't need to 'go to sleep' for it. Woo hoo! Another great result!
So, on that note, we started the trek home, but I'll write that one up in tomorrow's blog!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
December 5, 2012
Outside Temp: about 50? In Seattle...
What I cooked today:
Nothing... lots of junk food from convenience stores.
Update:
We made it safely into Seattle!
We got out of town later than we planned, which meant that when we got into Ellenburg, to get some fresh fruit, the stand was already closed. Oh well... we might make it on the way home.
The ~11 hour drive was uneventful. A little bit of snow flurries over the passes, but nothing significant. Ryan had the Surface, which means that he watched the same 8 minutes of Nightmare Before Christmas over and over and over for hours. This is what headphones were invented for!
Patrick had a call from his client in CA, with a problem, which is what mobile hotspots are invented for... I was driving, so he just opened up his laptop, connected to the Internet and worked for about 2-3 hours while we cruised through the middle of Washington. So amazing!
MRV (a contrast study of Ryan's veins, to make sure that nothing is narrow or blocked) is scheduled for first thing in the morning. Then clinic in the afternoon. Hopefully, all goes well!
What I cooked today:
Nothing... lots of junk food from convenience stores.
Update:
We made it safely into Seattle!
We got out of town later than we planned, which meant that when we got into Ellenburg, to get some fresh fruit, the stand was already closed. Oh well... we might make it on the way home.
The ~11 hour drive was uneventful. A little bit of snow flurries over the passes, but nothing significant. Ryan had the Surface, which means that he watched the same 8 minutes of Nightmare Before Christmas over and over and over for hours. This is what headphones were invented for!
Patrick had a call from his client in CA, with a problem, which is what mobile hotspots are invented for... I was driving, so he just opened up his laptop, connected to the Internet and worked for about 2-3 hours while we cruised through the middle of Washington. So amazing!
MRV (a contrast study of Ryan's veins, to make sure that nothing is narrow or blocked) is scheduled for first thing in the morning. Then clinic in the afternoon. Hopefully, all goes well!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
September 12, 2012
Outside Temp: 39 F (ahh, to be home in our nice cool state... Apparently, it was a high of 66 at home today. It's beginning to look a lot like... )
What I cooked today:
Nothing... we got home too late to make dinner. I'll have to think of something special tomorrow!
Update:
We are home!! Woo hoo!
We headed out of Seattle around 7am this morning, and with the time change, we rolled into the house around 7:30 this evening (we had to stop in town for milk, since we were totally out!)
The drive was totally non eventful (especially since I DIDN'T hit either of the two deer that jumped in front of the car... I was being very aware!) Ryan chatted the entire drive, while Patrick and I talked about new projects for the business, new technologies coming out, plans for the future and stuff like that. After 12 hours in the car (with no Internet!), what else do you do?
We had to laugh when, at one moment we were listening to the radio, and I realized not only what the musician was saying, but what he actually meant. Which then lead into the discussion of how on earth I could explain such inappropriate innuendo to my son, if he happened to hear the song, and start to sing along. Oh goodness, I was flabbergasted. I know that there were plenty of songs during my generation that pushed the 'innuendo' button a little too much, but as a mom, it's really hard.
I'm not big into the 'banning' of music (or pretty much anything) in our house, so I'm not about to say the kids can't listen to the radio. So, I usually tend to be up front and honest about exactly what the artist is saying. This has lead to a few really red faces (one particular song used the phrase 'menage a tois', and so I explained what this was... oh boy, that was fun!). But, I would much rather have the kids know what they are saying, than to sing along happily ignorant (while other people are laughing).
Anyway, we arrived home without a solution, but I'm sure at some point (in the probably near future, since the song was quite popular on the radio), I'll be explaining yet another inappropriate innuendo to my (almost) 14 year old son. Hopefully, I'll have a few days to come up with an explanation... other than 'go ask your father.'
What I cooked today:
Nothing... we got home too late to make dinner. I'll have to think of something special tomorrow!
Update:
We are home!! Woo hoo!
We headed out of Seattle around 7am this morning, and with the time change, we rolled into the house around 7:30 this evening (we had to stop in town for milk, since we were totally out!)
The drive was totally non eventful (especially since I DIDN'T hit either of the two deer that jumped in front of the car... I was being very aware!) Ryan chatted the entire drive, while Patrick and I talked about new projects for the business, new technologies coming out, plans for the future and stuff like that. After 12 hours in the car (with no Internet!), what else do you do?
We had to laugh when, at one moment we were listening to the radio, and I realized not only what the musician was saying, but what he actually meant. Which then lead into the discussion of how on earth I could explain such inappropriate innuendo to my son, if he happened to hear the song, and start to sing along. Oh goodness, I was flabbergasted. I know that there were plenty of songs during my generation that pushed the 'innuendo' button a little too much, but as a mom, it's really hard.
I'm not big into the 'banning' of music (or pretty much anything) in our house, so I'm not about to say the kids can't listen to the radio. So, I usually tend to be up front and honest about exactly what the artist is saying. This has lead to a few really red faces (one particular song used the phrase 'menage a tois', and so I explained what this was... oh boy, that was fun!). But, I would much rather have the kids know what they are saying, than to sing along happily ignorant (while other people are laughing).
Anyway, we arrived home without a solution, but I'm sure at some point (in the probably near future, since the song was quite popular on the radio), I'll be explaining yet another inappropriate innuendo to my (almost) 14 year old son. Hopefully, I'll have a few days to come up with an explanation... other than 'go ask your father.'
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
September 11, 2012
Outside Temp: who knows.
What I cooked today:
Nothing. Again.
Update:
Clinic in Seattle today.
Ryan woke up at 7:30 this morning, even though we didn't need to be at the clinic until 12:30. So, he spent the morning in bed, watching cartoons (I didn't mind the Tom and Jerry or Micky Mouse, but some of those cartoons are just plain annoying.) I debated between getting up and going back to sleep, but the annoyance of cartoons kept me awake.
Patrick was able to work for the first few hours, and then we headed over to clinic. We got labs drawn, then ate at the cafeteria, then waited for our turn (which always seems to take forever.)
We met with the GI (intestine) and Transplant team first. He is stable on the meds we have now, and he's not loosing weight (which would be a problem.) They would like to see him gain a little bit, especially since he's eating much more now than ever before. Our plan is to discuss decreasing his TPN in December, if he has gained anything between now and then. (the long, long term plan would be to decrease his TPN each year, until either becomes mal-nourished, which would indicate that his intestine can't absorb enough to sustain him, or he gets off the TPN entirely. But, this is a decade long plan, and we all know how plans go with Ryan)
After GI and Transplant, we met with his Hematologist (blood) about his blood issues. He has a random clotting disorder, which we blame for his loss of intestine in the first place. She is pleased with his current levels and thinks we are doing just fine. She will see us again in 6 months, but until then, she'll just get labs drawn and check them out, but we don't need to see her in clinic, which is convenient.
And then we were done. We had a nice dinner out, and then headed back to the hotel, where Ryan has run around like a banshee for the last few hours. He is ready to get back home to the wide open spaces. And I'm looking forward to being able to open my back door and let him run in the backyard, without me having to run around with him.
Tomorrow will be another long drive home, but at least we know that Montana is at the end of the drive, and that always makes it a little easier!
What I cooked today:
Nothing. Again.
Update:
Clinic in Seattle today.
Ryan woke up at 7:30 this morning, even though we didn't need to be at the clinic until 12:30. So, he spent the morning in bed, watching cartoons (I didn't mind the Tom and Jerry or Micky Mouse, but some of those cartoons are just plain annoying.) I debated between getting up and going back to sleep, but the annoyance of cartoons kept me awake.
Patrick was able to work for the first few hours, and then we headed over to clinic. We got labs drawn, then ate at the cafeteria, then waited for our turn (which always seems to take forever.)
We met with the GI (intestine) and Transplant team first. He is stable on the meds we have now, and he's not loosing weight (which would be a problem.) They would like to see him gain a little bit, especially since he's eating much more now than ever before. Our plan is to discuss decreasing his TPN in December, if he has gained anything between now and then. (the long, long term plan would be to decrease his TPN each year, until either becomes mal-nourished, which would indicate that his intestine can't absorb enough to sustain him, or he gets off the TPN entirely. But, this is a decade long plan, and we all know how plans go with Ryan)
After GI and Transplant, we met with his Hematologist (blood) about his blood issues. He has a random clotting disorder, which we blame for his loss of intestine in the first place. She is pleased with his current levels and thinks we are doing just fine. She will see us again in 6 months, but until then, she'll just get labs drawn and check them out, but we don't need to see her in clinic, which is convenient.
And then we were done. We had a nice dinner out, and then headed back to the hotel, where Ryan has run around like a banshee for the last few hours. He is ready to get back home to the wide open spaces. And I'm looking forward to being able to open my back door and let him run in the backyard, without me having to run around with him.
Tomorrow will be another long drive home, but at least we know that Montana is at the end of the drive, and that always makes it a little easier!
September 10, 2012
Outside Temp: don't know... it was humid here, with a few little drops. But not as much rain as I expected.
What I cooked today:
Nothing... eating out is expensive. Eating out in Seattle? Really, really expensive. I think I'm looking for a Subway or McDonald's, just because it will be cheaper than eating at the places we have been eating. Or better yet, go with real food from the grocery store..
Update:
We woke up early this morning (6:00, which is really early for me!) and drove over to the hospital. We were checked in and in Pre-Op by 7:00. The surgeon and anesthesiologist came by and got history and consents and we discussed what was going on.
By 8:00, he was back in the OR and I was in the cafeteria getting breakfast.
I got paged a few minutes after 9:00, and the surgeon said he was all done, with no problems! With a central line placement, they go from a location on either the right or left side of the chest. The catheter is tunneled up into the neck, and then drops down a vein on either side of the neck into the heart. The surgeon said that he ultrasounded both sides, and the left side was very narrow and thin, but the right side looked good (the line we just pulled out was on the left side). The right side is actually much easier.
I was called back to recovery around 10:30ish. He was a little groggy, but very happily took a Popsicle and wanted to watch cartoons. By 11:30, we were done and they were signing our discharge paperwork, and by noon, we were back in our hotel room!
We weren't sure if they would discharge us after the procedure, so we were prepared either way. Patrick had some work to do, so while I was at the hospital, he arranged for us to have the room at the hotel for two more nights. That way, if we had to stay at the hospital, he could stay in the hotel and work. We were lucky in that we were prepared either way.
Ryan (and I) took a few hours once we got back to 'rest'. That means that I slept, while he watched tv. Then the 3 of us went out for dinner. We walked around the University Village (which is just a shopping center right next to our hotel), had a good (albeit expensive) dinner and then played at the Microsoft store. They had about 6 XBox 360's set up, so Ryan just ran over to one, loaded up a game, and was happy as a clam. Patrick spent about an hour (perhaps 2) talking with one of the sales guys about something technical. And I pulled up a chair and waited. And waited. And waited.
We finally came back to the hotel, where Ryan enjoyed having access to Cartoon Network (which I absolutely hate, by the way). I'm totally grateful that we don't have to stay in the hospital. It's a little weird, thinking that he just had minor surgery. But I'm grateful.
Tomorrow, we have a clinic appointment in the afternoon. We probably won't be done with clinic until about 5ish, so, we'll stay tomorrow night as well.
To top off our awesome day, I heard that not only did Allen's Junior High Football team won their game against Geraldine/Highwood. But, I heard that Allen scored a touchdown!! Woo hoo! I hate that I missed it, but I'm so proud of him. He was flying high when I talked to him on the phone and the only downside is that he had homework to do once he got home. Oh well, even football players have to do their homework.
What I cooked today:
Nothing... eating out is expensive. Eating out in Seattle? Really, really expensive. I think I'm looking for a Subway or McDonald's, just because it will be cheaper than eating at the places we have been eating. Or better yet, go with real food from the grocery store..
Update:
We have a new central line!!
We woke up early this morning (6:00, which is really early for me!) and drove over to the hospital. We were checked in and in Pre-Op by 7:00. The surgeon and anesthesiologist came by and got history and consents and we discussed what was going on.
By 8:00, he was back in the OR and I was in the cafeteria getting breakfast.
I got paged a few minutes after 9:00, and the surgeon said he was all done, with no problems! With a central line placement, they go from a location on either the right or left side of the chest. The catheter is tunneled up into the neck, and then drops down a vein on either side of the neck into the heart. The surgeon said that he ultrasounded both sides, and the left side was very narrow and thin, but the right side looked good (the line we just pulled out was on the left side). The right side is actually much easier.
I was called back to recovery around 10:30ish. He was a little groggy, but very happily took a Popsicle and wanted to watch cartoons. By 11:30, we were done and they were signing our discharge paperwork, and by noon, we were back in our hotel room!
We weren't sure if they would discharge us after the procedure, so we were prepared either way. Patrick had some work to do, so while I was at the hospital, he arranged for us to have the room at the hotel for two more nights. That way, if we had to stay at the hospital, he could stay in the hotel and work. We were lucky in that we were prepared either way.
Ryan (and I) took a few hours once we got back to 'rest'. That means that I slept, while he watched tv. Then the 3 of us went out for dinner. We walked around the University Village (which is just a shopping center right next to our hotel), had a good (albeit expensive) dinner and then played at the Microsoft store. They had about 6 XBox 360's set up, so Ryan just ran over to one, loaded up a game, and was happy as a clam. Patrick spent about an hour (perhaps 2) talking with one of the sales guys about something technical. And I pulled up a chair and waited. And waited. And waited.
We finally came back to the hotel, where Ryan enjoyed having access to Cartoon Network (which I absolutely hate, by the way). I'm totally grateful that we don't have to stay in the hospital. It's a little weird, thinking that he just had minor surgery. But I'm grateful.
Tomorrow, we have a clinic appointment in the afternoon. We probably won't be done with clinic until about 5ish, so, we'll stay tomorrow night as well.
To top off our awesome day, I heard that not only did Allen's Junior High Football team won their game against Geraldine/Highwood. But, I heard that Allen scored a touchdown!! Woo hoo! I hate that I missed it, but I'm so proud of him. He was flying high when I talked to him on the phone and the only downside is that he had homework to do once he got home. Oh well, even football players have to do their homework.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
September 9, 2012
Outside Temp: no clue... humid here in Seattle...
What I cooked today:
Nothing... lots of fast food and junk food!
Update:
We survived the drive out here to Seattle, without any incident. Patrick and I chatted the whole drive, and Ryan just sat in the back, playing with his IPad and reading books and chatting away with himself. He is really, really good on these drives!
He's already asleep for the night, which is good since we are scheduled to check in to pre-op around 6:45... in the morning! At least we're on Pacific time, so it's actually 7:45 for my body... I get to sleep in!
I'm a little bummed that I'll be missing Allen's game against Geraldine tomorrow afternoon., but Grandma and Grandpa said they would cheer for us.
What I cooked today:
Nothing... lots of fast food and junk food!
Update:
We survived the drive out here to Seattle, without any incident. Patrick and I chatted the whole drive, and Ryan just sat in the back, playing with his IPad and reading books and chatting away with himself. He is really, really good on these drives!
He's already asleep for the night, which is good since we are scheduled to check in to pre-op around 6:45... in the morning! At least we're on Pacific time, so it's actually 7:45 for my body... I get to sleep in!
I'm a little bummed that I'll be missing Allen's game against Geraldine tomorrow afternoon., but Grandma and Grandpa said they would cheer for us.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
September 8, 2012
Outside Temp: 55 F (a little warmer today, up to 88, but no complaints... I'd really like some rain.)
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Green Beans: We had a lot going on, so I didn't get started on dinner until about 9pm. Once we get back from Seattle, I'm totally going back to having a schedule, so I won't be wondering at 7pm what on earth we are having for dinner.
Canned Peaches: We got 24 lbs of peaches from Bountiful Baskets last week. I let them ripen on my kitchen table for the first two days, and they were perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do anything with them, so they've been in my fridge (hopefully not bruising) for the last few days. Today, I finally had time to can them. (of course, I HAD to get them done today, since they may not have lasted until we got back). I ended up with 9 quarts of canned peaches. I think I might open up one can next week, just to confirm that they taste good. I figure we'll have them with dinner or lunch or over cottage cheese... yum!
Update:
We spent most of the day relaxing, since tomorrow will be spent in the car for a thousand hours (okay, not really).
I had some things to take care of, such as my canning of my peaches, but otherwise, it was kind of relaxing.
I made sure all the kids had their homework done, and we have schedules for next week all set. I hope that there are no problems while we are gone.
Wish us luck!!
What I cooked today:
Burgers and Green Beans: We had a lot going on, so I didn't get started on dinner until about 9pm. Once we get back from Seattle, I'm totally going back to having a schedule, so I won't be wondering at 7pm what on earth we are having for dinner.
Canned Peaches: We got 24 lbs of peaches from Bountiful Baskets last week. I let them ripen on my kitchen table for the first two days, and they were perfect. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to do anything with them, so they've been in my fridge (hopefully not bruising) for the last few days. Today, I finally had time to can them. (of course, I HAD to get them done today, since they may not have lasted until we got back). I ended up with 9 quarts of canned peaches. I think I might open up one can next week, just to confirm that they taste good. I figure we'll have them with dinner or lunch or over cottage cheese... yum!
Update:
We spent most of the day relaxing, since tomorrow will be spent in the car for a thousand hours (okay, not really).
I had some things to take care of, such as my canning of my peaches, but otherwise, it was kind of relaxing.
I made sure all the kids had their homework done, and we have schedules for next week all set. I hope that there are no problems while we are gone.
Wish us luck!!
Friday, June 22, 2012
June 22, 2012
Outside Temp: 63 F (it was overcast when we came in, but I heard it will get hot by Monday)
What I cooked today:
Still nothing... we got home around 10pm, and I really, really didn't want to cook at that point. Breakfast in the morning...
Update:
We survived the drive home today. Another 11 hours in the car with Ryan. Ahh, the good times.
The kids got home from California today, so my entire family is home and happy and healthy. Woo Hoo! I think Allen missed his computer, since the first thing he did when he got home was run to the computer and start playing his game. Oh well, a week without it, what can I expect.
The kids said they had a great time in California. They loved Sea World and even went on the really tall roller coaster in Primm, Nevada on the way home. I love the first few minutes, when they were all so excited to see us, that they couldn't shut up. Now, an hour later, they are all in their respective corners, quiet and back to normal.
I'm exhausted typing this, so I'm going to bed. But I didn't miss a day, and that's all that matters!
What I cooked today:
Still nothing... we got home around 10pm, and I really, really didn't want to cook at that point. Breakfast in the morning...
Update:
We survived the drive home today. Another 11 hours in the car with Ryan. Ahh, the good times.
The kids got home from California today, so my entire family is home and happy and healthy. Woo Hoo! I think Allen missed his computer, since the first thing he did when he got home was run to the computer and start playing his game. Oh well, a week without it, what can I expect.
The kids said they had a great time in California. They loved Sea World and even went on the really tall roller coaster in Primm, Nevada on the way home. I love the first few minutes, when they were all so excited to see us, that they couldn't shut up. Now, an hour later, they are all in their respective corners, quiet and back to normal.
I'm exhausted typing this, so I'm going to bed. But I didn't miss a day, and that's all that matters!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
June 21, 2012
Outside Temp: Not sure.. it was warm and humid in Seattle, probably in the 70's.
What I cooked today:
Nothing, again. I can't wait to get home tomorrow and cook something. I did enjoy dinner at Johnny Rockets though!
Update:
Ryan had a great clinic visit! The docs in Seattle think he looks great and we have a plan for our next visit in September. We met with the GI docs, Nutrition, Transplant and Hematology. Ryan has some issues with clotting and it's good to have a chance to talk with Hematology.
In our wisdom, we forgot the IPad, so Ryan had to entertain himself for the 5 hours of clinic, which was challenging. Really challenging. By 5:15, as we were finishing up with Hematology, he entertained himself by making a ball out of gloves, and using the stirrups to catapult it across the room. Lovely.
After clinic, we had a great dinner at Johnny Rockets and then stopped at the Microsoft store. Patrick really wanted to see the new Surface (the Microsoft table), but they didn't have one (very disappointed).
This morning, and then again when we got back to the hotel, I spent hours working on this project that we have for a client out of state. Amazingly, I was able to accomplish what I needed to get done, even though we're in Seattle and not home. I love being able to work anywhere!
I finally got the pictures upload from yesterday. Aren't these beautiful?
What I cooked today:
Nothing, again. I can't wait to get home tomorrow and cook something. I did enjoy dinner at Johnny Rockets though!
Update:
Ryan had a great clinic visit! The docs in Seattle think he looks great and we have a plan for our next visit in September. We met with the GI docs, Nutrition, Transplant and Hematology. Ryan has some issues with clotting and it's good to have a chance to talk with Hematology.
In our wisdom, we forgot the IPad, so Ryan had to entertain himself for the 5 hours of clinic, which was challenging. Really challenging. By 5:15, as we were finishing up with Hematology, he entertained himself by making a ball out of gloves, and using the stirrups to catapult it across the room. Lovely.
After clinic, we had a great dinner at Johnny Rockets and then stopped at the Microsoft store. Patrick really wanted to see the new Surface (the Microsoft table), but they didn't have one (very disappointed).
This morning, and then again when we got back to the hotel, I spent hours working on this project that we have for a client out of state. Amazingly, I was able to accomplish what I needed to get done, even though we're in Seattle and not home. I love being able to work anywhere!
I finally got the pictures upload from yesterday. Aren't these beautiful?
June 20, 2012
Outside Temp: mid 50's? In Seattle... (It was raining when we left Raynesford, but Grandpa said it cleared and then warmed up... which it would have to do unless it wanted to start snowing... )
What I cooked today:
Nothing... driving, all day... We really miss home cooked food..
Update:
We drove over to Seattle today. It's about a 10 hour drive, but when you take into account stops, we settled into the room about 11 1/2 hours after we left Montana.
The drive was great. I know, it sounds funny, but I really enjoy the long drives. Okay, honestly, about 7 1/2 hour into it, we were both ready to get here. But the first few hours were great.
We got a new philosophy/political science book from our priest (I know, funny, but if you knew the guy, you'd understand), so I read aloud so that we could discuss. It was a pretty hard read, but we managed okay. It would have been a lot easier if I knew Greek and Latin.
Of course, with Patrick and I, we had to stop every 2-3 sentences to discuss what I just read. The 'Forward' was about 5 pages, and it took us about 2 hours to get though that. It was really interesting, and I really enjoyed it, but man, does it take a long time.
We got about 4 pages into the 'Introduction' before we decided to give it a rest. It's really intense, and you really need to think about what you are reading.
When we came out to Seattle last time, it was snowing and winter. Now, it's Spring, and everything is green and beautiful. We got some beautiful pictures of the Cascade Mountain Range and Mount Rainier. Unfortunately, our Internet connection at the hotel will not allow me to upload them. Not sure why, but I'll make sure I do it soon!
Clinic will be tomorrow, so hopefully, all will go well. The kids and Grandma are on their way home (they are somewhere in the middle of Utah right now, I think).
What I cooked today:
Nothing... driving, all day... We really miss home cooked food..
Update:
We drove over to Seattle today. It's about a 10 hour drive, but when you take into account stops, we settled into the room about 11 1/2 hours after we left Montana.
The drive was great. I know, it sounds funny, but I really enjoy the long drives. Okay, honestly, about 7 1/2 hour into it, we were both ready to get here. But the first few hours were great.
We got a new philosophy/political science book from our priest (I know, funny, but if you knew the guy, you'd understand), so I read aloud so that we could discuss. It was a pretty hard read, but we managed okay. It would have been a lot easier if I knew Greek and Latin.
Of course, with Patrick and I, we had to stop every 2-3 sentences to discuss what I just read. The 'Forward' was about 5 pages, and it took us about 2 hours to get though that. It was really interesting, and I really enjoyed it, but man, does it take a long time.
We got about 4 pages into the 'Introduction' before we decided to give it a rest. It's really intense, and you really need to think about what you are reading.
When we came out to Seattle last time, it was snowing and winter. Now, it's Spring, and everything is green and beautiful. We got some beautiful pictures of the Cascade Mountain Range and Mount Rainier. Unfortunately, our Internet connection at the hotel will not allow me to upload them. Not sure why, but I'll make sure I do it soon!
Clinic will be tomorrow, so hopefully, all will go well. The kids and Grandma are on their way home (they are somewhere in the middle of Utah right now, I think).
Monday, June 18, 2012
June 18, 2012
Outside Temp: 51 F (a little cooler today, and breezy. A few scattered showers this evening. Oh gosh, I sound like a weatherman.)
What I cooked today:
Scrambled Eggs with green chilies: I wanted to make breakfast, but scrambled eggs are getting a little boring, so I decided to liven it up a little. Patrick loved it, saying it reminded him of my Mexican quiche, but didn't take 50 minutes to cook! Always a good thing.
Chicken Soup: It was a little chilly tonight, so we decided on soup. With no kids to complain, it was a really good choice. I added some Greek seasoning, lemon juice and Orzo. Yummy!
Update:
Ryan had speech therapy in Stanford today, so at 10am, he and I jumped in the car and headed over to the Library. It's really convenient, since then I can chat with the librarian or just pick out new books. I've already gone through two of the books she recommended, and I'm half way through a third. It's awesome, since she seems to have some great suggestions!
Afterwards, both Patrick and I spent the day working on our respective projects. And Ryan took a little nap, since he was up so early.
We are starting to plan our trip out to Seattle on Wednesday. We'll be gone Wednesday through Friday for a clinic visit at Seattle Children's. It's only a 10 hour drive, so we should be fine. Hopefully, we'll both be done enough with our projects to be able to go, without stressing out.
The kids should be back by the time we get home on Friday. It will be so good to see them. It's amazing how boring it is around here without them!
What I cooked today:
Scrambled Eggs with green chilies: I wanted to make breakfast, but scrambled eggs are getting a little boring, so I decided to liven it up a little. Patrick loved it, saying it reminded him of my Mexican quiche, but didn't take 50 minutes to cook! Always a good thing.
Chicken Soup: It was a little chilly tonight, so we decided on soup. With no kids to complain, it was a really good choice. I added some Greek seasoning, lemon juice and Orzo. Yummy!
Update:
Ryan had speech therapy in Stanford today, so at 10am, he and I jumped in the car and headed over to the Library. It's really convenient, since then I can chat with the librarian or just pick out new books. I've already gone through two of the books she recommended, and I'm half way through a third. It's awesome, since she seems to have some great suggestions!
Afterwards, both Patrick and I spent the day working on our respective projects. And Ryan took a little nap, since he was up so early.
We are starting to plan our trip out to Seattle on Wednesday. We'll be gone Wednesday through Friday for a clinic visit at Seattle Children's. It's only a 10 hour drive, so we should be fine. Hopefully, we'll both be done enough with our projects to be able to go, without stressing out.
The kids should be back by the time we get home on Friday. It will be so good to see them. It's amazing how boring it is around here without them!
Friday, March 2, 2012
March 2, 2012
Outside Temp: 30 F (really windy, so it feels colder)
What I cooked today:
I miss cooking...
Update:
Woo Hoo! We're home!
The clinic was able to get us in for a 7:30am appointment for an ultrasound, so we were able to get out of Seattle by 9 (PST). So awesome!
The drive was long, but we had a lot to talk about. In fact, it wasn't until we were about 30 minutes from home that I had to start coming up with new topics to discuss. We made it home by a little after 10 (MST), which included both a sitdown breakfast AND dinner! Just a quick hop, skip and jump across 3 states and over 3 passes (chains were required for trucks over 10,000lbs, traction tires recommended). All 3 passes had snow, and it was really beautiful.
We have been talking about starting a hydroponic greenhouse for a few weeks, and I think we might have come up with some great ideas on this trip. I think we'll start with strawberries and maybe tomatoes. I can can the tomatoes and make jelly out of the strawberries (assuming we don't just eat everything), and it will be a fun project!
Mostly, we are just so glad to be home, in our own beds. The trip to Seattle was productive, but short. I'm hoping that next time we can spend more time. I think the city has a lot to offer, and we could have some fun there! As long as we get to come home to our wide open spaces when we're all done!
What I cooked today:
I miss cooking...
Update:
Woo Hoo! We're home!
The clinic was able to get us in for a 7:30am appointment for an ultrasound, so we were able to get out of Seattle by 9 (PST). So awesome!
The drive was long, but we had a lot to talk about. In fact, it wasn't until we were about 30 minutes from home that I had to start coming up with new topics to discuss. We made it home by a little after 10 (MST), which included both a sitdown breakfast AND dinner! Just a quick hop, skip and jump across 3 states and over 3 passes (chains were required for trucks over 10,000lbs, traction tires recommended). All 3 passes had snow, and it was really beautiful.
We have been talking about starting a hydroponic greenhouse for a few weeks, and I think we might have come up with some great ideas on this trip. I think we'll start with strawberries and maybe tomatoes. I can can the tomatoes and make jelly out of the strawberries (assuming we don't just eat everything), and it will be a fun project!
Mostly, we are just so glad to be home, in our own beds. The trip to Seattle was productive, but short. I'm hoping that next time we can spend more time. I think the city has a lot to offer, and we could have some fun there! As long as we get to come home to our wide open spaces when we're all done!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
March 1, 2012
Outside Temp: 40's (I think...)
What I cooked today:
Nothing. again.
Update:
(We're in Seattle today)
We got up early and got our labs from the clinic. Then we headed over to the Seattle Aquarium. We probably picked the aquarium because Patrick wanted to go, but we really enjoyed ourselves. Ryan really loved watching the sea otters!
After the aquarium, we walked around downtown Seattle for lunch, and found a great deli. The soups were homemade and I had a great sandwich.
Then we headed over to the hospital for clinic. We met our new GI doctor and a Transplant Surgeon (although the Surgeon didn't really understand why we needed a transplant surgeon, since we probably won't be having a new transplant!). We also met with the dietitian and nurse practitioner.
The team is great and I think we'll work well together. We will probably be coming back here every 3 months, or so (and any time we need a more advanced hospital). They wanted an ultrasound of his chest, so that if we need another line, they have a study to see where available access will be. They were able to get us in tomorrow morning, at 7:30am (yea, like in the morning... ugh), but that will allow us to head back home afterwards tomorrow morning.
After clinic, we headed out to dinner and found a Johnny Rockets (it's like a 50's diner... we had them in Southern California), which was a little nostalgic. And after that, Patrick found a Microsoft store... You know we had to go in there. Apparently, that was the highlight of the trip!
By the way, I've realized that I really, really don't like cities. I decided that Seattle totally reminds me of San Francisco. The roads are on a grid, with some one way and some two way and some are one way for a few blocks, then two way. It's a lot of up and down roads, and we managed to figure out the roads, but it was a little challenging.
Then, of course, was the freeway. We haven't really been on a freeway in months. Ugh, 4-6 lanes of bumper to bumper cars. Who wants that? I guess there is some physical reasons for the people to be packed together like sardines, and some of the architecture is beautiful. But I can't want to get home to my wide open spaces!
What I cooked today:
Nothing. again.
Update:
(We're in Seattle today)
We got up early and got our labs from the clinic. Then we headed over to the Seattle Aquarium. We probably picked the aquarium because Patrick wanted to go, but we really enjoyed ourselves. Ryan really loved watching the sea otters!
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After the aquarium, we walked around downtown Seattle for lunch, and found a great deli. The soups were homemade and I had a great sandwich.
Then we headed over to the hospital for clinic. We met our new GI doctor and a Transplant Surgeon (although the Surgeon didn't really understand why we needed a transplant surgeon, since we probably won't be having a new transplant!). We also met with the dietitian and nurse practitioner.
The team is great and I think we'll work well together. We will probably be coming back here every 3 months, or so (and any time we need a more advanced hospital). They wanted an ultrasound of his chest, so that if we need another line, they have a study to see where available access will be. They were able to get us in tomorrow morning, at 7:30am (yea, like in the morning... ugh), but that will allow us to head back home afterwards tomorrow morning.
After clinic, we headed out to dinner and found a Johnny Rockets (it's like a 50's diner... we had them in Southern California), which was a little nostalgic. And after that, Patrick found a Microsoft store... You know we had to go in there. Apparently, that was the highlight of the trip!
By the way, I've realized that I really, really don't like cities. I decided that Seattle totally reminds me of San Francisco. The roads are on a grid, with some one way and some two way and some are one way for a few blocks, then two way. It's a lot of up and down roads, and we managed to figure out the roads, but it was a little challenging.
Then, of course, was the freeway. We haven't really been on a freeway in months. Ugh, 4-6 lanes of bumper to bumper cars. Who wants that? I guess there is some physical reasons for the people to be packed together like sardines, and some of the architecture is beautiful. But I can't want to get home to my wide open spaces!
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
February 29, 2012
Outside Temp: (in Seattle) around 30-40... not really sure, but it was clear and pretty.
What I cooked today:
Oh yea, like I cooked today... hahahahahaha
Update:
We survived the drive out here! Woo Hoo!
We are in Seattle for a clinic appointment for Ryan. I know, just a clinic visit. But it's worth it to meet our new Transplant team and let them meet Ryan. And it's much better to meet a new team when things are going well, instead of when things are going, uh, not well.
So, we headed out around 8:45am this morning from the house. We stopped in Great Falls to fill up the gas tank and spend about $50 on junk food, soda, chips, and extra candy bars (just in case we crashed the car in the snow, and needed the extra calories...)
The drive was absolutely beautiful! I don't think I can explain how pretty it was, and since I totally forgot to take any pictures, you'll have to believe me.
It took about 3 hours to get to Missoula, MT. We went over a snow pass on the way there, but it didn't snow much and we had no problems.
From Missoula, we headed through the rest of Montana, and into Idaho. Apparently, Idaho is only about 60 miles across (at least this part of it), but there was another pass. We, again, made it through with no problems. A little snowy at times, but the roads were clear. We stopped outside of Spokane for gas, and started across the plains of eastern Washington.
By around 6ish tonight, we made it to the Cascade mountain range. This time, there were traffic advisory warnings, etc. "Traction Tires Advised. Chains on trucks over 10,000lbs." The snow was coming down pretty hard, and the roads were filled with slush and snow. By the time we hit the top of the pass, the "advised" for traction tires was upgraded to "required". We saw 2-3 cars that slid off the road. A U-haul truck, towing a car, slid off the road, and ended up straddling the snow pack on the side of the road. No one seemed hurt, just slipping and sliding on the road.
Of course, we have 'magical' tires. Our totally awesome snow tires, with studs, are amazing! We were not only able to skip the 'chains' thing, but we could stay on the road the entire time, and were even able to pass other cars and drive at reasonable speeds! For a while, we stayed behind the sheriff's car, since we figured if he could go 45 MPH, then we could go that fast as well.
As we got closer to the top of the mountain, they lowered the max speed to 35 MPH, which was fine since the sun had gone down, and it was dark and we had no problems slowing down.
We made it down the mountain by 8ish PM, and headed into Seattle. Not bad timing!
Of course, about a hour outside of Great Falls, we realized we had forgotten one of Ryan's medications. So, we stopped at a local pharmacy and got a few pills to tide us over until we get home. Really nice pharmacist who had no problem checking out prescription and getting us the meds we needed.
Then we picked a hotel. Since we weren't sure if we would make it into Seattle tonight (if the pass was closed or if we had any problems), so we didn't reserve a hotel room. We picked one in downtown Seattle, so we headed over there. By the way, for those who have never been to Seattle, it totally reminds me of San Francisco, mixed with downtown LA. Lots of tall buildings, but also hilly. Of course, it's dark, so I'm not sure if I'll stick to that assessment tomorrow.
The hotel was even kind enough to give us a discount since we are going to the hospital! We decided to walk down to a pizza place in town for dinner. Ryan realized he likes mushrooms. Who knew?
Clinic is tomorrow afternoon (2:45pm), so we have the morning to check out Seattle. We might go to the aquarium or maybe the Space Needle. I'm not sure what to do, since we can only play for half the day (or maybe only a few hours, if we sleep in).
Ryan is already knocked out, and Patrick is catching up on some work he didn't get to do today (obviously!). Hopefully, everything will got great tomorrow!
What I cooked today:
Oh yea, like I cooked today... hahahahahaha
Update:
We survived the drive out here! Woo Hoo!
We are in Seattle for a clinic appointment for Ryan. I know, just a clinic visit. But it's worth it to meet our new Transplant team and let them meet Ryan. And it's much better to meet a new team when things are going well, instead of when things are going, uh, not well.
So, we headed out around 8:45am this morning from the house. We stopped in Great Falls to fill up the gas tank and spend about $50 on junk food, soda, chips, and extra candy bars (just in case we crashed the car in the snow, and needed the extra calories...)
The drive was absolutely beautiful! I don't think I can explain how pretty it was, and since I totally forgot to take any pictures, you'll have to believe me.
It took about 3 hours to get to Missoula, MT. We went over a snow pass on the way there, but it didn't snow much and we had no problems.
From Missoula, we headed through the rest of Montana, and into Idaho. Apparently, Idaho is only about 60 miles across (at least this part of it), but there was another pass. We, again, made it through with no problems. A little snowy at times, but the roads were clear. We stopped outside of Spokane for gas, and started across the plains of eastern Washington.
By around 6ish tonight, we made it to the Cascade mountain range. This time, there were traffic advisory warnings, etc. "Traction Tires Advised. Chains on trucks over 10,000lbs." The snow was coming down pretty hard, and the roads were filled with slush and snow. By the time we hit the top of the pass, the "advised" for traction tires was upgraded to "required". We saw 2-3 cars that slid off the road. A U-haul truck, towing a car, slid off the road, and ended up straddling the snow pack on the side of the road. No one seemed hurt, just slipping and sliding on the road.
Of course, we have 'magical' tires. Our totally awesome snow tires, with studs, are amazing! We were not only able to skip the 'chains' thing, but we could stay on the road the entire time, and were even able to pass other cars and drive at reasonable speeds! For a while, we stayed behind the sheriff's car, since we figured if he could go 45 MPH, then we could go that fast as well.
As we got closer to the top of the mountain, they lowered the max speed to 35 MPH, which was fine since the sun had gone down, and it was dark and we had no problems slowing down.
We made it down the mountain by 8ish PM, and headed into Seattle. Not bad timing!
Of course, about a hour outside of Great Falls, we realized we had forgotten one of Ryan's medications. So, we stopped at a local pharmacy and got a few pills to tide us over until we get home. Really nice pharmacist who had no problem checking out prescription and getting us the meds we needed.
Then we picked a hotel. Since we weren't sure if we would make it into Seattle tonight (if the pass was closed or if we had any problems), so we didn't reserve a hotel room. We picked one in downtown Seattle, so we headed over there. By the way, for those who have never been to Seattle, it totally reminds me of San Francisco, mixed with downtown LA. Lots of tall buildings, but also hilly. Of course, it's dark, so I'm not sure if I'll stick to that assessment tomorrow.
The hotel was even kind enough to give us a discount since we are going to the hospital! We decided to walk down to a pizza place in town for dinner. Ryan realized he likes mushrooms. Who knew?
Clinic is tomorrow afternoon (2:45pm), so we have the morning to check out Seattle. We might go to the aquarium or maybe the Space Needle. I'm not sure what to do, since we can only play for half the day (or maybe only a few hours, if we sleep in).
Ryan is already knocked out, and Patrick is catching up on some work he didn't get to do today (obviously!). Hopefully, everything will got great tomorrow!
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
February 28, 2012
Outside Temp: 29 F (although it's probably hitting single digits tonight)
What I cooked today:
Burger and Pasta: Woo Hoo! No more food out for me! (until tomorrow)
Update:
We're Home!!!
The docs said that since Ryan was totally NOT sick, he couldn't stay anymore. Okay, that's not how the phrased it, but it's good that we got to go home!
I was even able to make it to the school for the spelling bee. Neither of my kids did well, but I was there to be supportive. After all, I can't spell.
I got Katie's poem and her check for $50 today. They took her picture to put it in the paper, so hopefully, I can get a copy! The certificate says, "1st place in the 4th Grade Division of the National Pet Week Essay Contest". I've included her poem here:
I still laugh, since she has not only not ever had a dog who had puppies, but she has never had a dog. She doesn't even own a pet! My girl has a great imagination
We are heading to Seattle tomorrow, with Ryan. We finally get to meet the transplant team over there, assuming we survive the drive. I'm praying that the weather behaves, although we are preparing with lots of extra water, granola bars, blankets, etc. We're also stopping to get chains for the car, even though it has studs on the snow tires... just in case.
If all goes well, I'll get a chance to blog about our trip tomorrow night... assuming I'm not stuck in a snow bank!
What I cooked today:
Burger and Pasta: Woo Hoo! No more food out for me! (until tomorrow)
Update:
We're Home!!!
The docs said that since Ryan was totally NOT sick, he couldn't stay anymore. Okay, that's not how the phrased it, but it's good that we got to go home!
I was even able to make it to the school for the spelling bee. Neither of my kids did well, but I was there to be supportive. After all, I can't spell.
I got Katie's poem and her check for $50 today. They took her picture to put it in the paper, so hopefully, I can get a copy! The certificate says, "1st place in the 4th Grade Division of the National Pet Week Essay Contest". I've included her poem here:
I have a dog
Who couldn't get up
She tried and tried
But she couldn't get up
I knew that something was wrong
So I took her to the vet
So I could know
What's wrong with my pet
But when I got there
I found what was up
My dog that I have
Was going to have pups
So in the end
We had six pups
Now I know
Why she couldn't get up.
I still laugh, since she has not only not ever had a dog who had puppies, but she has never had a dog. She doesn't even own a pet! My girl has a great imagination
We are heading to Seattle tomorrow, with Ryan. We finally get to meet the transplant team over there, assuming we survive the drive. I'm praying that the weather behaves, although we are preparing with lots of extra water, granola bars, blankets, etc. We're also stopping to get chains for the car, even though it has studs on the snow tires... just in case.
If all goes well, I'll get a chance to blog about our trip tomorrow night... assuming I'm not stuck in a snow bank!
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