The Bloodiest Update Ever

Heya.

Here's a little update on what's been happening for us this month:

I'm doing much better, generally.  In good spirits and kind of just plugging my way along.  I quit my job, because it was a 45 minute drive away once we moved, and it just wasn't worth it - the gas $$ was too expensive - and while I miss the girls I worked with, I'm actually really glad to just be at home, chillin with my kids.  No more having to drive to SLC during rush hour - yucko to the max.  I think one of the reasons I don't blog much anymore is because I really and truly don't have much to say anymore.  When I used to blog daily, I had a job, and I had treatment, and I just had all this...stuff...to talk about and relate to you all with.  But now, no treatment, no job.  I have my kids and my family and they are the center of my world, but outside that, I honestly don't do much else.  I mean, do you really want to hear every day about how I did the dishes and watched a couple episodes of "Criminal Minds?"  I don't go anywhere anymore, usually.  I take Cade to school and pick him up, and occasionally an errand or two will be thrown in there, but for the most part, I just stay home.  Because I have so much extra time, I am reading a TON of books.  If you want any recommendations, let me know!  (Or see the GoodReads sidebar on my blog.)

Anyway, I am kind of turning a bit into a recluse.  I don't know if that's good or bad - just the way it is right now.  I am sllloooowwwwwllllly making a few friends and connections in my new neighborhood and ward, but stuff like that takes time, especially with an introvert like me - it's hard to inject myself into someone's life and become their friend.  I do feel a bit lonely sometimes, but not often.  I have my kids and I have my husband and kitties and I have my books and I am mostly just fine.

My eyes suck.  On top of Keratoconus it is likely that I also have Glaucoma.  Major eye surgeries on my horizon, I am just waiting until we have better insurance coverage to deal with all this crap.  Kind of putting it off because it scares me and when I don't deal with it I can pretend it isn't a big deal

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Brandon is good - happier than I've ever seen him.  And, great news - he just got a new job.  I know, right, ANOTHER new job?  But this one was different; it kind of just fell into his lap, and he wasn't even really looking for a new job!  It is still in Lehi, but at a different software company, but this time he'll be managing an entire department, so I'm super proud of him.  It is a pay raise, which is awesome, but what's even better - a change in insurance!  The current insurance we have is MUCHO EXPENSIVO and also MUCHO SUCKY.  They fight us on EVERYTHING and never want to pay anything.  This new insurance we'll be getting with the new job is one we've had before - it is excellent coverage, and in our experience, they were great about paying for things and not putting up a fit about it.  So, I'm waiting for the change in insurance to deal with my eyes, because ultimately it'll be much cheaper for me to do so.  Anyway, I am proud of my babe.  He is a hard worker and a good man and on top of that he's super handsome and NOT a serial killer!  How did I get so lucky??

Cade is doing great in Kindergarten this year and thriving.  He seems so much more relaxed and happy about going to school than he did last year.  He seems to be keeping up with the work just fine and actually enjoys going to school.  This is a huge relief for me.  Next step: getting him to dare to ride the bus.  This is super scary for him, but I'm hoping that we can work our way up to that.

Mila is 15 months and one hell of a kid.  I love her so much and I can't believe how sweet and silly she is.  She has one tooth (finally!) but it has only just barely popped through her gums, and hasn't come in all the way yet.  Her gums are swollen, so I think the others will be coming in soon, but so far, she is still (mostly) toothless.  I find this baffling.  I can't believe a 15 monther can go so long with out teeth.  I'm half convinced that's why she's so skinny - because she can't eat as much as she wants, with no freakin teeth!  I bet when they come in she'll gain 5 pounds, and I will be one happy mama and delight in her chunky thighs!!  :)

Wanna hear a gross story?  It actually happened today, and is kind of blog-worthy, just because it's so insane and nastified:

So, Cade and Mila and I are in the car today, driving to Brandon's work to meet him for lunch.  When we were about a mile from his work, Cade yelled from the backseat that he had a bloody nose.  I barely glanced to look in my rearview mirror; I mean I was driving, but also, how much harm can a little bloody nose be, anyway, right?  So I reach into the glove compartment and hand him a couple napkins, and I tell him to hold them tight to his nose and keep driving.  About a minute later, Cade starts screaming.  I look back and there is blood everywhere...all on his hands and face and dripping down him and the napkins I gave him are completely soaked through.  So I swerve to the side of the road and pull over, grab some more napkins, and jump in the backseat with Cade.  I look at his nose, and blood is POURING out of it.  Like, GUSHING.  I have never ever in my entire life witnessed a bloody nose like this.  It was freaking me out, but I was trying to stay calm so that I didn't freak Cade out even more - he was already hysterical, but I was frantically mopping up blood while trying to keep him calm.  I had blood all over me.  It was insane.  I finally thought the blood flow was slowing a little bit, so I got back in my car and got to Brandon's work as fast as I could.  When we got close, Cade started screaming again and there was blood everywhere again.  I called Brandon, told him to get out here, and then got back in the backseat and tried to help him.  Blood was coming out of his mouth and his teeth were completely red and he was choking on the blood.  It sounds insane, but I was honestly worried about blood loss - that is how much blood was coming out.  Huge 3 and 4 inch clots we coming out of his nose and mouth and I started to really panic.  Brandon came running out and saw what was happening, then ran back into the building into the bathroom and grabbed an entire roll of toilet paper, then came running back out.  He got into the backseat, while I simultaneously started to drive to an instacare and also called the triage nurse at our pediatrician's office.  She told us that it was probably nothing to worry about (WHAT???!!!) and that he needed to get all the clots out.  So Brandon is in the backseat holding a bag over his nose while blood gushes out of him, and he's choking on blood and spitting it out, and finally he just puked blood everywhere, and all these clots he had swallowed came out.  And Brandon was pulling huge clots from his nose.  But after the pukage and all the clots seemed to come out, the bleeding stopped almost immediately.  Meanwhile, we're parked at the instacare, covered in blood, and we're like, WTF just happened??  The instacare was nice enough to let us use their bathroom to clean up; poor Cade was covered in blood.  But now he seems fine.  I made him drink a Boost and am making him drink lots of fluid and am having him keep eating to make sure he doesn't get low blood sugar etc.  The nurse said 9 times out of 10 something like this is okay and normal, and not to worry...but...seriously?  I've never seen anything like that in my life.  I've had plenty of bloody noses in my life, and I have never puked up blood and clots and literally been choking on my own blood because it was gushing out so fast.  I mean, right?  Geez.

Just glad he is okay, I guess.  We'll keep an eye on it.  If it happens again, I'll take him to the doc immediately.

Okay, gross story over with!

Hope everyone has a great and safe Halloween.  We are taking the kids trick-or-treating, then heading to a friend's house in SLC for a little par-tay.  Should be fun!!

Be well, friends.  And please, don't get a bloody nose.  :)