Nash Family Blog

Update on Life

I apologize to people who check in regularly since I've not been posting.  As of late we've been battling a cold type virus that has made it's way through the house.  Leah appears to be coming down with a touch of it now although she remains fever free.  The house has been without fevers for a good 48 hours so I feel like that concern is gone, but I worry that her counts will take a hit because of this little cold and thus make us shut - ins for Christmas.  We shall see.  I was thinking that I was beating it, but today I find myself extremely run down with a persistent runny nose.  I'd love nothing more than a nap, but my nearly 15 month old has other plans.  My dear husband has taken what I believe to be the worst of it and is really feeling quite bad right now.  

I was due a MNO tonight with the girls, but since Adam is so sick I don't know if that is going to happen.  To be honest, I'm slightly disappointed that I might not be able to go and yet glad that I might not have to at the same time.  Crazy huh?  I'm sure if I end up going that it will be fun :-)

School is back in swing after our steroid week.  She handled them pretty well this last week and I'm glad they are done.  Mae is asking to start school.  "Mom", she says, "4 year olds can go to school!"  I suppose we'll need to start her here at home soon.  She's so eager to grow up and yet I want to keep her this little pony tailed cutie pie forever.  

Ok, I'd say more, but my mind is a fog.  I'm tired and cold and feel yucky.  Maybe when Aaron goes down here for his afternoon nap I can put the kids down with a short show and get in a hot bath with some hot tea.  

The Germs Are Everywhere!

At least that is how it feels.  Isaac came down with a cold a few days ago and graciously passed it on to Mae who also had a fever and graciously passed it on to Aaron with the fever.  Now Adam and I are starting to feel under the weather.  I envision myself wearing a tool belt with tissues up front, Oust in one pocket and hand sanitizer in the other pocket.  I've spent the last 3 days disinfecting, hand washing and laundering in an effort to keep Leah healthy.  The cold isn't as much of a concern as the fever is.  This morning she complained of feeling achy - AAAAH!  No, it will be ok, I reassure myself.  So I clean, I pray and I ask you to pray as well that she can remain healthy and fever free.  

Songs of Love...

....is an amazing organization supporting children who are critically ill.  We were put in contact with them when Leah was diagnosed with Leukemia and after filling out a short questionnaire they wrote and recorded an original song for her.  Leah loves her song - which so captures her personality - and we listen to it almost daily.  One small gesture on their part has brought hours of laughter and dancing into our household.  When you have a child with cancer laughing and dancing become the moments you hold on to and cherish because they don't happen as often as they used to.  

They are a charity and currently Chase Community Giving is giving away $25,000 to 100 charities but the charities are chosen through a voting system running through December 11th.  If you are a facebook user, you can go to http://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving?v=app_162065369655&src=ad2_43006944_220213025  and search for Songs of Love and vote.  If you don't use Facebook then you can take a quick moment to register and vote.

Help us support this organization that has helped put smiles on the faces of so many sick children.  If you'd like to check them out, then go to http://www.songsoflove.org/.  Thanks!

Thanksgiving Day Family Photo

 

A Thanksgiving to Remember

Break out the nice linens, the fine dinner ware and the table decorations....we are going to have a time of celebration and thanks.  Lots of good food, family and laughs.  Well we got the laugh part right.  What a week.  It's that so many things went wrong that makes it funny.  There's a point where you just have to sit back and laugh at yourself.  Well we got there this week.  

Start on Monday when Isaac fell down the entire flight of stairs at home.  Now I know you're thinking "good grief this woman is mad!  That is not funny!"  You're right it wasn't.  It was downright terrifying.  After close examination we determined he was only scared with a little bump on his head.  There's something to be thankful for.  After watching him for awhile to ensure that he was in fact fine I headed to our storage unit (40 minutes away) to drop off some things and pick up our Christmas items.  After coaxing my brother into helping his poor sister move heavy items and changing the meeting time with him and running late and pulling into the storage facility with him behind me did I realize that I left the key to the lock at home.  I was livid, he was very calm and we met the next morning at 7:30 to take care of it.  I did remember the key, but forgot one important tub.  I'll have to go back....again.

Fill Tuesday with my father in law and I building a play house in the garage.

Fast forward to late Tuesday night when I awake with a horrid pain in my big toe.  My husband comes home from work at 1:30 am to find me sitting on the sink in the bathroom soaking it in Epsom salt and reading Southern Living.  If you know me then you know I AM NOT up at that hour so needless to say it left him scratching his head in bewilderment.  Wednesday morning we determined it to be an ingrown toenail (I know, too much info).  This particular toe has been prone to recurring problems and I was DONE with it.  Picture me limping around the house - cooking needing to be done, a playhouse to finish assembling and unable to walk.  Yeah.  Now find me in the urgent treatment center getting half my toenail cut out.  The cooking got done, more assembly of the playhouse was completed and I got a great night out with Karen & Jody thanks to Loritab!  So on Wednesday I was thankful for my in laws who watched the kids so that I could enjoy having my toe cut on and for pain meds that helped me enjoy all the things I wanted to do that day.  And of course for my girls who limped through the mall with me, made fun of me, drank margaritas with me and made me laugh (not necessarily in that order)!

Thanksgiving day went off without a hitch.  Friday was smooth too until I received a call from my sister in law.  My brother Mark and his wife (the before mentioned sister in law) had taken their boys to my mom's on Thanksgiving day for some time with Granna and Paw.  Well apparently things didn't go so smoothly there.  Their oldest boy (Gavin, 4 years) coughed until he threw up all over Granna's floor (no, not funny - and we now know he has bronchitis) and his younger brother (Garrett, 3 yrs) came running but Mark tried to stop him and he managed to accidentally clothesline him causing him to slip and slide through the vomit (very funny).  Ahh yes.  A great family moment.  Ashley was mortified, Mark was sick at his stomach looking at the mess and I'm laughing hysterically on the phone at them.  Aren't I a great sister?  I'm thankful that Gavin got sick because it got him to the doctor where they found the bronchitis and he is now on treatment.  

We were supposed to head to my mom's today for Thanksgiving feast at her house but since Gavin had been sick all over Granna's we couldn't go and risk getting Leah sick.  So we stayed home, Mark's family stayed home and Thanksgiving dinner at Granna's was ruined.  Oh yeah, mom also had a water main break outside her house this morning making it even harder to cook a meal there.  Half of us were a no show and she had a boil water advisory. 

Assuming that we can get through tomorrow without major incident I am praying for a normal quiet week next week!  This is one Thanksgiving we'll be talking about for a long time to come.

Comforts

The house is filled with a breeze from outside, warm and tasty smells in the kitchen, and laughter from the kids.  I love it.

Aaron

My little ham...

New Mercies

Praise God for His grace and mercy to Leah and our family!  Her counts at clinic were up over 2000 and so we didn't have to have the bone marrow procedure.  It was a simple and quick day and we are back home now.  Thank you to everyone who is continually lifting her in prayer.  

Aaron continues to run a fever so we'll be watching him and deciding about taking him in to the doctor.

Off to eat lunch!

Prayers

Please be praying for Leah today as we head to clinic this morning.  If her counts are still low then she will need to undergo a bone marrow procedure.  We have prayed and are trusting Him.  We know that all things are in His care and He will protect Leah.  

In addition, Aaron woke with a high fever this morning.  Another good reason for Leah to need higher counts.  Pray that whatever he has will not spread throughout our household and particularly to Leah.  

Thank you for your support of our family and for praying for our sweet girl.  

Plagued

My mind is my own worst enemy.