Summer Fun

Weekend Getaway

After our last month, it was so nice to enjoy a wonderful weekend with our friends. LT and I really needed the outdoors, loving Uncles and a lots of play.

Honoring

Today I light a candle in honor of the 4th anniversary of my pop's passing.

In honor of LT's health

In honor of my regained spirit

In honor of the tremendous amount of support I felt from friends

and because I just noticed I've been on the wait list for baby boy for 3 months already

I am so blessed with my richly textured, surprising, challenging, abundant life and I hold my father very responsible for that ;)

I need a life float

I've come here tonight in an attempt to heal. During my hour long steaming bath, my gut said write.

I broke a bit today. I am not going to say I'm broken because that seems dramatic and absolute but I definitely reached my limit.

I would say that I have an enormous threshold for hard stuff. I sometimes think that it's maybe not healthy because feelings can trigger boundaries that can be healthy. The last two weeks though have not been about me, they've been about who I need to be so that LT can get through the stuff she needs to get through. This has included endless poking and prodding and pain and discomfort and restraint...and then triple that by intensity and no sleep x 10. And I'm not even kidding a little. It's been extremely hard.

I try to showcase my best energy. I go into an alter ego because if I actually acknowledged my babe's screams, I would crumble to the ground.

I thought we were out of the woods and then...

It started last night at the midnight med infusion. She complained of itching and I noticed bumps around the pic line. I called the 24 hour number and they told me they'd send a nurse today. I put some creme to help the itching, wrapped it in an ace bandage and then put on a long sleeve snug top on. I woke up this morning to the pic line hanging out her shirt. I called again and they said to go to the hospital.

So we arrived at the ER this morning. And since then I feel like I've lived a lifetime. It started with a man next to us passing away. His son arrived minutes after this happened. We sat for two hours watching him grieve. It was horrible. I cried most of the time too. It was just horrible. The social worker counseled him right outside of our bed. It was just so intense. Then another patient who's diarrhea made me dry heave over and over again. My sense were stunned and overloaded.

Then after waiting for three hours, we got ready for LT's pic line procedure. Pan to 6pm, four sedation shots later, another IV and nurses scratching their heads. LT would not give in. The doctors were concerned with the amount of sedation meds she had in her. She fought every step of the way and never ever ever let them near her.

The med staff said, we've never met a stronger 2 year old. She's such a fighter. She's so smart. This has been the common chant of the scrubs people. They all seem amazed OVER and OVER and OVER again.

Meanwhile, I've had to restrain my daughter too many times. I've had to keep her hungry and thirsty for too long (doctors orders). I've had to hold her for over 10 hours in my arms (multiple days). I've had to wipe her crocodile tears, control her thrashing, feel her fear, see her pain and share her exhaustion - all with a smile and assurance that it's ok. That's what 5 ER visits and 10 days in the hospital have done to us.

It's not ok. It's horrible and torture and I am hurting because the little babe has been through too much in her 2 year life. I'm hoping that this note is helping me purge some of my emotions because we have to go back tomorrow and do it all over again.

And before that I need to administer two more infusions through her foot IV. I just keep thinking...If she has the strength then I need to have twice that. Praying that I feel the strength. soon. Somehow I feel like writing this will help me heal so that I can be the best for my babe.

Rough Week Part II & Happy Mother's Day

You know I thought it was all over until I woke up last Sunday. We had to go to the ER again and spent the week in the hospital because LT had a serious infection that needed to be monitored. We are home now and I'm so thankful. I had many sleepless nights on the floor of the hospital room. My mind mostly led me to how amazed I am of my daughter. How she managed to turn the doctors and nurses into a bunch of groupies and how she spent 10 days in the hospital dancing and laughing and mimicking all the conversations. Here's a pic of us doing our afternoon stroll in the wagon.

She's my inspiration and this mother's day I want to honor LT's mother and aunt and special mother (her nanny in Ethiopia pictured below) and Tomoko (our nanny). These women are a huge part of Liv Tunsitu and are the perfect recipe of influence. These women love her tremendously and it shows through the light in her eyes and strength in her spirit.

This mother's day, I feel so lucky to be a part of this little girls journey. She reminds me that life will happen but it's up to you to stay on top.

To all the beautiful women, aunties, mothers in my life. Happy Blessed Day just for YOU!

Rough Week

My buttercup had a finger infection that lead to several visits to urgent care with the 3rd time leading to hospitalization of 3 nights. None of it was fun. Some of it was ugly. Most of it was exhausting. But All of it made me feel grateful. Grateful that LT is full of spunk & fight and grateful for my friends who are right beside us every step of the way. I'm glad last week is over.