I've always wanted an iv drip of espresso...

And on Tuesday, I got one.

Thursday, after the kids left, I had a mini breakdown. I called my nephrologist's PA to let her know how I was doing on the new meds he prescribed. When she asked how I was doing, my response was, "Well. My bp seems much better, and I need to have my labs drawn to see how my kidney function, but..." cue hysterical breakdown!

Let me just say that crying to a cop might not always get you out of a ticket, but weeping uncontrollably? "The doctor can see you at 3 today!"

Although the meds are doing their job preserving my kidney function, they are making me crazy. I'm exhausted. I have no energy or desire to do anything. I'm at the end of my rope with the kids before I can even perk my coffee, and we have a Keurig, so that's about 50 seconds into my day. Although I could fully admit that I wasn't depressed, I could also fully admit that the meds were making me nuts, and if I needed to take another drug to counteract the insanity? So be it.

Carol talked me off my ledge and told me to come in that afternoon and we'd see what was going on. I gathered my meds (ace inhibitor, multivitamin and iron supplement) and made my way over to the office.

After a quick vital check and chat with the nurse, Doc T came in with my chart and explained my emotional breakdown.

Doc T: Well, I can see that your iron was low the last time we drew your labs.

Me: Yes! So I did what you said and I started taking a multi AND an iron supplement. When I was buying them, the pharm chick even said I probably didn't need both, but I figured my tummy would let me know if I was taking too much.

I pulled out my goodie bag of drugs and proudly presented my meds like a good patient. Doc T looks at the numbers, whips out his phone and crunches some numbers. He then laughs and hands me back my bag.

Doc T: Yeah. Looking at your chart, you'd need to take this multi AND that entire bottle of iron daily to even try to get you back up to where you need to be. You're not crazy. YOu have no iron. So, we can up your intake and if that doesn't work, we'll try iv supplements.

Yay.

Armed with a script for iron and instructions on what to take, I headed home. Day one? Killer on my tummy. I decided to give it a week before I called to complain. Three days in, I figured part of the problem was taking 4 iron capsules, 1 multi and 1 vit D all in a day. That's a lot for a tummy to take. So I traded in my 4 over the counter for the 2 prescription to see if that made a difference.

It did. Even worse. So, on to iv therapy we went!

They were able to get me in on Tuesday. I frantically began googling iv iron therapy, only to find medical journals littered with the phrase, "Most common side effect is anaphylaxis and death." Yay! I did find ONE random blog where someone outlined their experience and since that helped ease my anxiety, I'll share my version incase anyone else is googling.

Because I had just had my labs drawn, they were able to determine the amount I needed with no extra pricks or tests. I showed up at the bone marrow center, gave them my name and they lead me back. I was thinking I would have to be admitted and sit in a little lonely room for three hours, but not the case. I got to chill in a large room of recliners and tv. It was like getting a mani/pedi only instead of nail polish, there were needles.

I cozied up in my chair with my book and the nurse came over to verify who I was. We got my iv in (only took 2 stabs!) and they brought over the iron. I asked about the whole death as a side effect and they confirmed that "Yeah, that can happen." I verified that the reaction would be to the iron itself, not to an additive, and that the reaction would be immediate, then it was time to plug me in. They watched as the drip started, and I was breathing easy! Time to kick back and relax!

The iv pushes through straight iron, so it's a slow drip. The iron itself took about 1.5 hours, then they flushed with saline for about 30 minutes just to make sure I got everything. The nurse joked that it looked like Pepsi. After watching the dark, brown liquid drip down, I responded that it looked more like espresso, which was fitting since it was supposed to make me feel energized!

The iv pole dinged that I was done and they pulled out the iv, validated my parking and gave me orders to have labs drawn in 2 weeks. I guess that's when they'll know if it worked and see if I'm able to keep my number up or if this will be a new bi-weekly/monthly thing.

The worst part? Hanging out in the room. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to meet new people, but spending 3 hours with a room full of cancer fighters, post-trasplant patients and bone marrow recipients kinda makes you feel crappy for being there because "I'm tired."

The nurse said it would take until today to start to feel a difference. Yesterday, I didn't have to sit down when I was drying my hair or putting on make-up, so that's a step in the right direction. Now I'm hoping to get a few more nights of good sleep and relaxing with good books. Keeping fingers and toes crossed that all I needed was this little jump start!

Divide and Conquer

We're Nugget and Strip-less!

Strip was headed to PaPa's and Ma's for the week, and Hub's dad's wife decided to fly up and snag Nugget for the week as an early surprise Father's day present for "Andaddy."

Both kids hit the road/sky Thursday morning and Hubs got back in town Thursday night.

It is ALL too quiet around her with just Zoe.

Strip had know about her road trip for a while, and was wavering between excited and sad. She told me the night before they left that she didn't want to go and would miss me too much. I told her she was going to have so much fun at Ma's she'd forget to miss me. I then opened my big mouth and told her about the 34 million Barbie's, Ken's, Skipper's and accessories I had, AND that borderline-hoarder Ma probably still had all 34 million dolls and accessories in my attic (which was thrilling in and of itself because Strip had been watching the Velveteen Rabbit and the little boy discovers his world of imagination in his Grandma's attic , so that was a double thrill).

Nugget's trip was a little more spontaneous, so when I was telling him about going to Andaddy's house, he said, "You goin' with me?" I told him no, that he was a big boy and how fun and exciting that he got to go all by himself. He thought about it for a second and looked at me with his giant eyes and said, "I don't know the way!" Ahh! Melt my heart! I assured him that he didn't have to walk or drive, but that L was coming up to get him on the plane.

Both kids made it safely to their stops. Nugget told me all about driving tractors and swimming and watching Toy Story for a "lil bit" before bed. Strip is in Barbie dream world right now and has spent the past two days sorting and organizing every barbie I owned. I talked to her this morning and PaPa got her HDN (that would be Hot Doughnuts Now) for breakfast and she and Ma were about to play dolls. She excitedly exclaimed, "You have GOT to come play with us, Mommy!!" I told her I'd love to, but maybe she could pick out a few of her favorite things of mine this week and she could bring them to the beach, then back home with us. I then told Ma the same thing, emphasizing the word "few."

So it's just me and Hubs. Yesterday we went to the new YMCA-type place that we joined and worked out together. I think the last time I worked out in a gym was when I was pregnant with Strip, so I might not be able to was my hair today because my arms are so tired. We then headed to the pool/water park and had just made it to the top of the tube slide line when Jim Cantore Hubs started tracking a storm. As he pessimistically pointed out where the rain was already falling and predicting where we would be in line when the storm hit, I looked over and noticed the large black cloud he was referring to.

Jim was totally right. I felt like we were in the Wizard of Oz as everyone scrambled for their stuff. Chairs (we're talking large lounge chairs) were flying around and people were going nuts. We got to the car just as the first rain drop hit.

Because we were kidless, we forced ourselves to go out. Hubs took me to one of our favorite restaurants for a doctor-ordered steak (my iron is freakishly low and we're doing everything we can to boost it. Wonder if we can pay for steak dinners with our HSA....) then to a movie. We got home and watched another movie in the basement then Hubs headed to bed while I returned emails. I tip toed upstairs and peeked into the kids' rooms out of habit.

It's going to be a long, quiet week!

Five Words

So today was a little crazy.

Trying to pre-pack kids for the beach, realizing that Nugget has two pairs of summer pjs and 2 bathing suites, and neither child has a suitcase (thanks a lot, sump pump).

After resolving the pj, bathing suite and luggage problem, I went in to work a shift tonight. I left the house at 5:00 PM, loudly telling the children their evening instructions (AFTER YOU EAT DINNER, GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE YOU PLAY IN THE PLAYPLACE BECAUSE CHICK-FIL-A WILL BE CRAZY AND YOU NEED TO STAY WITH MA). Then, the most important instructions, "When you get home, you need to go straight to bed!" Mainly because Strip was up until 11:30 PM last night with me watching Alice. I blame the sun for this. If it would set here in God's country a little earlier than 9:48, then I might remember to put my kids in bed at their normal bedtime).

I glanced at the clock at 8:15 and told my co-worker, "Ugh. I so hope my kids are in bed right now."

When I called thirty minutes later, they were squealing in the background.

Awesome.

So, when I get home, not only are both kids WIDE awake, they are both still fully dressed and have FULL face paint. Thank you Chick-fil-a. Thank you. Strip is some kind of fairy glittery something, and Nugget? Full on batman face mask.

Which worked well, considering he already requested to wear his batman pjs tonight. AND, they both refused to remove the face paint because "Ma said we could keep it on!"

I reminded them that it was WAY past their bedtime and mommy gave instructions that they were to go to bed as SOON as they went to bed, to which Ma piped in with, "Well, yeah, but we literally walked in the door about 10 minutes ago."

Grrr-eat.

So, five words.

Two Buck Chuck and Glee.

Matthew 7:1

One of my favorite Bible verses (and musical lines from rent!). For those not up in the New Testament (or on their broadway show tunes), the scripture reads, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged," (or if you want Rent, "let he among us without sin be the first to condemn, La vie Boheme!). Note to self: find that cd tomorrow! Love that show.

Anyway, the cul de sac was hanging out this evening and we began discussing a neighborhood kid. He is Strip's age, but is allowed to wander for HOURS on end. One day, he was playing with our cul de sac kiddos for a good six hours straight. Mom, Dad, family NEVER once came to check on him. So we teeter back and forth whether to call DFACS or just continue to be his surrogate family and at least we know he's semi-cared for.

So tonight was a story comparison night to see what we all thought. As we are chatting about the well-being of the neighborhood kids, Neighbor Chick and I sip on the dregs of our chardonnay. Well dregs for me, top of the glass for Neighbor Chick.

Nugget then looks at me and says he has to go to the bathroom. I tell him to go grab his new cars and we'd go in. N.C. and I start swapping stories about little boys peeing in yards. Ha, ha, ha. Three seconds later, Neighbor Hubs is pulling out of the driveway, so I call Nugget over next to me. He pulls down his pants and starts peeing in their grass.

Awesome.

We then look up and realize that the other 4 of our kids have wandered to the back of N.C.'s house, where there is no fence. I'm gathering the Little Whizzer and his toys when I spot Strip. N.C. and I ask where the other 3 kids are and she doesn't know (which makes sense as they are playing hide-and-go-seek). N.C. and I begin to lap the house until we find them only to start giggling at the sight of N.C. with a full glass of wine looking around the yard for three of her kids, of course, right after my kid peed in public.

Yeah. I got it God. None of us are perfect.

And if you'll excuse me, it's 9:30 pm and Strip and I are going to watch Alice in Wonderland. What? 5 year-olds should have bed times and not watch creepy movies past said bedtime? Opps!

No time for Blogging!

And I really need to catch up. Get it? Catch up...ketchup?

I need coffee.

Any way, Strip has her big ballet recital today, Ma is in town with Heidi the yippy dog and since the sun doesn't set up here in God's country until 10:00, the kids have been staying up way later than usual, leaving me no time to type.

I did, however, join Twitter, mainly because there is a twitter-er that's nothing but quotes from Arrested Development, so if you want to peek into our lives between blog posts, you can follow me.

Here's a little taste of our week on Twitter: