Long Time No Post!

Sisterly Love

     Wow!  Where do I start?  October was my last post. Since then Rachel has had her second admission at Tripler & home on iv's, the baby had to have a head CT, Rach had a bronchoscopy, we had Rachel's uncle visit, surfing with Mauli Ola, breakfast with Santa, busy Christmas time, Auntie and GG visit, & Nana and Gramps visit.  I'm tired!  Loved having the visitors but I'm a little tired of crap stuff happening.
     Rachel's Tripler admission was by far much better than the first.  I eliminated the huge problem I had the last time.  I requested to do Rachel's breathing treatments and chest therapy, so respiratory therapy was out of the picture. I also had another request which was.....- no new or inexperienced nurses.  As far as dietary or shall I say the "kitchen/cafeteria", I figured I'd surrender and bring in a gallon of whole milk for Rachel.  And yes.....it was really an issue.  Rach spent 6 days in the slammer and came home on iv's the night before Thanksgiving.  Can I just tell you how "Thankful"  I was (I'm sure Rachel too) to just be home with my family on Thanksgiving?!  It puts it all into perspective.  We ended up with a warm welcoming invitation to our friends house for Thanksgiving.  One of my dear friends and Rach is good friends with her daughter.
     Amelia had to have a head CT because the doctor suspected her head was prematurely fusing.  Of course I was a little worried about that.  She had to go in through the pediatric sedation center.  She's just a baby and can't be still so she had to be sedated.  Always scary to me.  I always worry about my precious kiddos getting too much sedation medication.  It turns out she's fine.
     Rachel had her bronchoscopy and picc line taken out about a week or so before Christmas.  A good day because Rachel got her picc out and the doctor said her lungs look good.  Or course as I mentioned,  I worry because she had to be sedated.  I've got to tell you......Rachel is a hoot when she's coming out of sedation.  She's funny to begin with but...oh man...is she funny waking up.
     Rachel's uncle visited for the first time.  We've been here 6 years and he finally made it.  We all had fun showing him around the island.
     Rachel went surfing again with Mauli Ola.  She's always enjoyed everyone she been surfing with but she does have her fav's.  She got to surf with Kala. He's one of her first surfing experiences.  He's always been so nice to Rachel and she just loves him.
     Breakfast with Santa was fun.  I wasn't thrilled that it had to be breakfast but I got over it.  Friends of ours were there too.  It was at Dave and Busters, so after meeting with Santa and breakfast we all had fun playing games and hanging out with friends.
    In the middle of everything happening, I had to finish up on some continuing education for my Occupational Therapy license.  Thank God for online classes!
     Aunt Chris and GG & Nana and Gramps came to visit.  They are always so fun to be around. Like with uncle we had fun taking them places and hanging out around the house.
     So now, all the busy and chaos has settled.  Rach is back in school full force. We are back to snorkeling and biking.....Amelia goes with us (in her baby seat on my bike, cute helmet, sunglasses and pacifier).  Parks and Rec classes have started again.  This time Tahitian and volleyball. Rachel is still going to AWANA & will be finishing her book early.
    I'm hoping things will be quiet for a while.
   Anyway, that's what's been going on around here.  Now maybe I can keep up with this blog and my food blog.  I've got lots of catching up to do with housework and with my friends.

Rach and Amelia with Kala