As you may know, Jeffrey has a lump in his right arm that has been there for a while. At his well-child check this month, the doctor felt it and said it was most likely a "fatty tumor", and nothing to worry about. To be on the safe side, though, she referred us to the pediatric surgeon upstairs.
At our visit with the surgeon, she asked a bunch of questions, felt the mass, and ordered an ultrasound for his arm. We had the ultrasound last week on Thursday.
Yesterday, I received a call from the surgeon, Dr. Taylor, with the results, which are inconclusive at this time. She said it does not feel like a fatty tumor to her, but the US indicated it could be. It is not calcified, it is solid with perhaps a little liquid in it, and it is not vascular. It is not a hemangioma or a lymphoma. It could be benign, or not. Beyond that, she really couldn't (or wouldn't) say.
She did strongly recommend surgery to remove the tumor, however. I know, I know, she's a surgeon so she will want to cut. I did ask about doing a biopsy first, but they would have to put Jeffrey under general anesthesia for that due to his age, so they really may as well remove the entire tumor anyway. He is scheduled for surgery (outpatient) on October 10 at 8:15 AM. We won't have pathology reports until Wednesday, the 12th.
As any sane person does these days, I spent time yesterday googling tumors in the arm. Much of the things I read are a bit worrisome to me. For instance, calcification in a tumor is usually good, because they are mostly benign when calcification is present. Jeff does not have calcification. I am scared to death that he has a malignant tumor and will have to have further medical procedures. I am not sure how this momma can handle those words.
All of that to say this:
Please, if you are a firm believer in our God, or have even an inkling of suspicion that there might be one, please please please offer your prayers for Jeffrey. I am praying for a positive outcome for him with all my heart and soul. I know God is listening, and hope he grants my petition. Please add yours to mine, and ask your friends to do the same if you are so inclined.
In the mean time, I will be holding my boy ever tighter, because I love him so much. I hate that he has to go though this, and wish I could do it for him. Thanks in advance for your prayers. I will feel better knowing we are not the only ones praying for my baby. Love to you all.
Jess
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Worst Internet Ever
I really hate my internet provider. You see, I live out in the middle of nowhere. As a result, I can't get DSL through the phone company, or cable internet either. Nope. We are stuck.
We are stuck with Hughes Net. Yeah, that's right. The only way I can get internet is through satellite. And it is ridiculously expensive - like $90 a month. Furthermore, I have a download limit each day, which means that you can forget about streaming music or videos because they use too much data. Oh, yeah. I can't do the work I was doing from home, either.
Someday, they say, the internet will reach these here parts. Until then, I'll just have to deal with this crazy satellite connection I have. I think internet will be a priority next time we move, and it will make us consider a move much sooner than we otherwise would have.
P.S.
This isn't a new problem. It has been an issue since we moved here. We were told internet would not be a problem. Well, they lied. And I am finally fed up!
We are stuck with Hughes Net. Yeah, that's right. The only way I can get internet is through satellite. And it is ridiculously expensive - like $90 a month. Furthermore, I have a download limit each day, which means that you can forget about streaming music or videos because they use too much data. Oh, yeah. I can't do the work I was doing from home, either.
Someday, they say, the internet will reach these here parts. Until then, I'll just have to deal with this crazy satellite connection I have. I think internet will be a priority next time we move, and it will make us consider a move much sooner than we otherwise would have.
P.S.
This isn't a new problem. It has been an issue since we moved here. We were told internet would not be a problem. Well, they lied. And I am finally fed up!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
On Cloth Diapers...
I really love using cloth diapers. No stinky diapers in my trash, no diaper rash on cute little bums, and no money flying out of my wallet every couple of weeks. Rather, we have two loads of laundry, 2 to 3 times a week, bums adorned with cute little covers, and a one time expense.
So, what do I use? I actually have two different diapering systems, but they work well together, too. First, I have prefolds that I currently use on Peter's little butt. I got them when Jeff was a baby, and they are now on baby #2! The difference now is that I use Snappi's with Peter, while I used pins with Jeff. I'll tell you, Snappi's make cloth diapering so much easier. I don't know why I didn't get them with Jeff. I have Bummy Whisper covers, too.
With Jeffrey, I use BumGenius one-size pocket diapers. We have 18 of them, and they are the most awesome diapering system ever. Just throw an absorbent layer in the middle, and your diaper is ready to go! I can even use the large prefolds I have in the pockets for overnight, when he tends to get a little wetter than normal.
I'll have to post some pictures of their cute little butts in these cloth diapers. Peter in particular looks cute because he is so small and the diapers look so big on him.
Cleaning them is no problem, either. I just toss the diapers into separate pails as we change them. On wash day, I dump a pail into cold water with some detergent in the washer. They soak for about a half hour. Then, I empty the water and fill the washer with hot water and detergent. I pour plain white vinegar in the softener dispenser, set the washer for an extra rinse, and let it run! If the weather is nice, I hang the diapers to dry on the clothes line. If not, into the dryer they go! It's as easy as that.
Oh, I also use cloth wipes, and my own homemade spray to keep them clean. The cloth wipes are great, and you don't feel bad when you use multiples on one diaper because you just wash them! Our spray consists of water, a little baby wash, about 8 drops of tea tree oil, and some lavender oil for a nice fragrance. All of that goes in a spray bottle I got at the Dollar Tree. The essential oils last a really long time, too. My two small bottles lasted 2 years!
For this truly minimal effort, I have happy baby bottoms, a happy wallet, and laundry that I actually don't mind "folding" because it really involves no folding at all.
So, what do I use? I actually have two different diapering systems, but they work well together, too. First, I have prefolds that I currently use on Peter's little butt. I got them when Jeff was a baby, and they are now on baby #2! The difference now is that I use Snappi's with Peter, while I used pins with Jeff. I'll tell you, Snappi's make cloth diapering so much easier. I don't know why I didn't get them with Jeff. I have Bummy Whisper covers, too.
With Jeffrey, I use BumGenius one-size pocket diapers. We have 18 of them, and they are the most awesome diapering system ever. Just throw an absorbent layer in the middle, and your diaper is ready to go! I can even use the large prefolds I have in the pockets for overnight, when he tends to get a little wetter than normal.
I'll have to post some pictures of their cute little butts in these cloth diapers. Peter in particular looks cute because he is so small and the diapers look so big on him.
Cleaning them is no problem, either. I just toss the diapers into separate pails as we change them. On wash day, I dump a pail into cold water with some detergent in the washer. They soak for about a half hour. Then, I empty the water and fill the washer with hot water and detergent. I pour plain white vinegar in the softener dispenser, set the washer for an extra rinse, and let it run! If the weather is nice, I hang the diapers to dry on the clothes line. If not, into the dryer they go! It's as easy as that.
Oh, I also use cloth wipes, and my own homemade spray to keep them clean. The cloth wipes are great, and you don't feel bad when you use multiples on one diaper because you just wash them! Our spray consists of water, a little baby wash, about 8 drops of tea tree oil, and some lavender oil for a nice fragrance. All of that goes in a spray bottle I got at the Dollar Tree. The essential oils last a really long time, too. My two small bottles lasted 2 years!
For this truly minimal effort, I have happy baby bottoms, a happy wallet, and laundry that I actually don't mind "folding" because it really involves no folding at all.
Friday, September 9, 2011
I Really Need to Stop Blinking
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| Andrew back in 2008 - Notice the nice little boy face. |
Yes, Andrew is growing up. He came home from school two weeks ago today, telling me stories of how the kids in his class were naming the darkening fuzz above his lip. Strange, yes. They called it a "squirrel". He didn't quite know what to think of this, but decided that he really needed to shave. So I told him to talk to Daddy.
 | |
| See his face here? Notice the mustache? The longer, thinner face? |
Andrew received his lesson on how to shave his face the next day. And out of the bathroom came my now clean faced boy, who is suddenly no longer a boy because he needs to shave. My baby, my first born, is shaving. Not that he's needed to since then, but the mere fact that he needed to in the first place is proof that my baby is no more.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
As Good as the Real Deal
There are few things in this world that only the name brand will do...Grape Nuts, Bounty paper towels, and Windex are 3 favorites of mine. I have never found a suitable replacement for any of these. Until yesterday, that is.
No more Windex purchases in this house! I am making my own. Wanna know the "recipe"?
1/8 cup ammonia
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1 quick squirt dish soap
enough water to fill up the old Windex bottle
Let me tell you, this stuff works great! I tested it out on a few of the many windows in this house, and they sparkle! My mix would have even been blue if I had used regular ammonia. However, my blue dish soap mixed with my yellow lemon ammonia, and made green glass cleaner. Works for me though!
Now, if you could help me out with the other to things on my list, that'd be great. And no, Nutty Nuggets are not suitable replacement for Grape Nuts.
No more Windex purchases in this house! I am making my own. Wanna know the "recipe"?
1/8 cup ammonia
1/2 cup rubbing alcohol
1 quick squirt dish soap
enough water to fill up the old Windex bottle
Let me tell you, this stuff works great! I tested it out on a few of the many windows in this house, and they sparkle! My mix would have even been blue if I had used regular ammonia. However, my blue dish soap mixed with my yellow lemon ammonia, and made green glass cleaner. Works for me though!
Now, if you could help me out with the other to things on my list, that'd be great. And no, Nutty Nuggets are not suitable replacement for Grape Nuts.
Accident Prone
My beautiful 2 year old, Jeff, seems to be my "accident prone" child. If someone is going to get hurt, it's gonna be Jeff. I don't know why that is, but it is.
Consider this:
Earlier in the year, I took Mandy and Jeff to Chuck E Cheese with my neighbor and her two darlings. On the way out, while I was holding leftovers and Jeff's hand, he decided he didn't want to walk anymore and sat on the ground in the middle of the parking lot. Not a great place to stop. I dislocated his wrist trying to get him up to safety. ER visit #1.
Then, in May (or was it April?), he was running around the house here in TN, fell over a toy truck in the living room, and hurt his foot. My boy never cries, and he screamed bloody murder. After his crying induced nap, he still wouldn't stand on his foot. Turns out he broke the bone just above his toe, and was in a cast for 3 weeks. ER visit #2.
In July, shortly before Peter was born, he tripped in my room while playing with Mandy and Andrew. He fell face first into the corner of Paul's dresser and hit his lip. There was blood everywhere, along with my poor screaming baby. He ended up needing a stitch in his lip to close up the wound, and now has a scar where it was. ER visit #3.
A few days ago, Andrew dropped a glass bowl on the floor in the kitchen. I did my best to make sure the entire area was clean of glass. I must have missed a piece, though. Whose little foot found it? Yeah. Jeff. He has a nice slice across the bottom of his right foot, making him walk funny. No ER visit for this one, thank God, but still.
Why is it always one child who just seems to attract injury? Could it be his full-speed-ahead approach to everything? Is it just the nature of boys? I don't know for sure, but I sure hope things calm down for my precious baby.
 |
| Please excuse my messy face! I had to get in on the picture-taking fun! |
Consider this:
Earlier in the year, I took Mandy and Jeff to Chuck E Cheese with my neighbor and her two darlings. On the way out, while I was holding leftovers and Jeff's hand, he decided he didn't want to walk anymore and sat on the ground in the middle of the parking lot. Not a great place to stop. I dislocated his wrist trying to get him up to safety. ER visit #1.
Then, in May (or was it April?), he was running around the house here in TN, fell over a toy truck in the living room, and hurt his foot. My boy never cries, and he screamed bloody murder. After his crying induced nap, he still wouldn't stand on his foot. Turns out he broke the bone just above his toe, and was in a cast for 3 weeks. ER visit #2.
In July, shortly before Peter was born, he tripped in my room while playing with Mandy and Andrew. He fell face first into the corner of Paul's dresser and hit his lip. There was blood everywhere, along with my poor screaming baby. He ended up needing a stitch in his lip to close up the wound, and now has a scar where it was. ER visit #3.
A few days ago, Andrew dropped a glass bowl on the floor in the kitchen. I did my best to make sure the entire area was clean of glass. I must have missed a piece, though. Whose little foot found it? Yeah. Jeff. He has a nice slice across the bottom of his right foot, making him walk funny. No ER visit for this one, thank God, but still.
Why is it always one child who just seems to attract injury? Could it be his full-speed-ahead approach to everything? Is it just the nature of boys? I don't know for sure, but I sure hope things calm down for my precious baby.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
My Struggle With Weight
No, not my own weight, which is down quite nicely after this last pregnancy! I actually weight less after baby than I did when I started, believe it or not. And I haven't tried to lose weight, either. I only had a net gain of 6 lbs.
Nope, this is about my struggle to help Peter gain weight. And quite a struggle it has been.
When he was born, Pete weighted 6lb15oz. When we left the hospital the next day, he was a respectable 6lb10oz. However, he soon dropped to 6lb4oz. After being labeled "failure to thrive" by nearly 3 weeks old, we had to begin supplementing our nursing with formula. I didn't mind, as it was what was best for Peter at this time. However, I tried very hard to increase my milk supply to eliminate formula all together.
Alas, it was not to work. He was barely on the weight chart at his last appointment at 5 weeks old. He weighed 7lbs4oz. Supplement more please, the doctor said. And so I have been. It seems to be working, as well. He is finally starting to put some meat on those little bones of his!
I thought I would feel worse about not being able to exclusively breast feed my little boy, but every bit he gets is helpful. I still nurse him first, but we follow that with a bottle of formula, which he usually finishes. I really feel badly that he was still hungry those first weeks, when he wasn't gaining. Hopefully, our doctor's visits will normalize after his next checkup at 7 weeks, though he will surely need to go back again for a 2 month check. I am pretty sure he will be on the charts at his next visit, and above the 2nd percentile, as well.
Nope, this is about my struggle to help Peter gain weight. And quite a struggle it has been.
When he was born, Pete weighted 6lb15oz. When we left the hospital the next day, he was a respectable 6lb10oz. However, he soon dropped to 6lb4oz. After being labeled "failure to thrive" by nearly 3 weeks old, we had to begin supplementing our nursing with formula. I didn't mind, as it was what was best for Peter at this time. However, I tried very hard to increase my milk supply to eliminate formula all together.
Alas, it was not to work. He was barely on the weight chart at his last appointment at 5 weeks old. He weighed 7lbs4oz. Supplement more please, the doctor said. And so I have been. It seems to be working, as well. He is finally starting to put some meat on those little bones of his!
I thought I would feel worse about not being able to exclusively breast feed my little boy, but every bit he gets is helpful. I still nurse him first, but we follow that with a bottle of formula, which he usually finishes. I really feel badly that he was still hungry those first weeks, when he wasn't gaining. Hopefully, our doctor's visits will normalize after his next checkup at 7 weeks, though he will surely need to go back again for a 2 month check. I am pretty sure he will be on the charts at his next visit, and above the 2nd percentile, as well.
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