me

last Monday morning (April 26th) Jason took me to the ER because i woke him up at 4:00am with a horrible pain in my right arm. it was so bad i couldnt do anything without feeling faint or feeling like i may get sick. the ER went ok.... they gave me a shot and some meds and sent me on my way. after about an hour of being home the pain was back. i took the pain meds and tried to get through it but by morning i was a mess again.Tuesday (April 27th) Jason called our doctor and made an appointment. by the time we left i could not even sit in the car without being in horrible pain. i couldnt even sit in the waiting room. i had to lay down wherever i could find a place to lay. i also had to walk with my arm straight up in the air. it was the only way i could get some kind of relief from the pain. (and i was on pain pills at the time! i have a pretty high tolerance for pain, so i knew this had to be bad). our doctor (who is great by the way) sent us straight over to have an MRI, and with a few more prescriptions.... pain pills, valium, and steroids.Wednesday (April 28th) i was sent back to the same MRI office to have another one. (this time in the closed MRI machine.... the one they did yesterday was open and the dr did not seem happy with the results, so the only option we had was to go back and do it again). both of my parents went with me to the second MRI since Jason had to work. once again, i could not sit in a chair.... i laid in the backseat of my Dad's car on the way there and when we got to the dr's office i laid across two chairs in the lobby. (Paw-Paw babysat the boys for us). Thank you Paw-Paw!

Tuesday (May4th) my sister Brook flew in from Colorado to help. she brought her one year old Tatum, and her oldest daughter Liddy. it was REALLY good to see them.... but the first evening Tatum started throwing up all over the house. we had no idea what was going on. it was a mess. we were hoping it would be gone by morning but around midnight Peyton came into our room and was sick as well.... then when i checked Jayden around 1:00am he had thrown up in his crib as well. Jason and I were up all night with both of them in the playroom. we had trash cans ready for them to get sick in and just pretty much watched them as they slept, and every once in awhile when the woke up, they would get sick again.it was so sad and horrible to see.meanwhile i was on my pain meds so i was in and out of it as well. in the four years of having children, Jason and i had never dealt with throw up like this before. i mean yes Jayden has gotten carsick, but OH MY GOODNESS throw up from a sick child is something we have NEVER seen before.

Wednesday (May 5th) (Happy Birthday to my little sister Meagan!) i had my appointment with the neurologist today, (the boys seemed ok. they stayed home and took it easy with their Aunt Brook and cousins). after talking with our doctor and going over my MRI scans i will be having surgery on May 19th. i will be in the hospital for one night.... but there is a chance I could come home the same day. it just depends on how things go and how I am feeling after surgery. the surgery itself will be about an hour and a half, but he told Jason to him it will be about 4 hours because of prep time and recovery. im just hoping once i am out, i stay out, and dont remember anything. from what i understand they will be putting a crown on my head (it has thorn like spikes on it) to help to keep my head still. they will roll me over and work on the back of my neck/spine. (between c4 and c6).

Thursday (May 6th) Jason came home from work early today.... sick as could be!

Friday (May 7th) Brook thought it was best for her and the kids to go. she felt horrible for bringing her 'plague' from Colorado and wanted to get home before it got worse for anyone else. I know she was worried about me, because 'she didnt want me to hurt my neck even worse if i had to throw up'. UGH what a mess! so we had to say by to her and the kids.

Saturday (May 8th) apparently it was my turn! i was very sick, i stayed in bed all day and couldnt even take pain pills because i knew they would just make me feel worse, since i couldnt eat anything. i was a mess and my arm hurt horribly. i have lost weight since this whole thing has started. (i usually weigh about 117).... i am down to 112, maybe even 110 by now. i love my sister Brook. she told me she wanted to go on the 'crick your neck diet'. it was fun laughing with her when she was here. even through cleaning the loads of vomit and countless loads of laundry we did, we still laughed about it. thank you Brook!

So here we are TODAY (May 11th) i was fitted for a neck brace this morning .... yes i am going to be SOO pretty after this is all said and done. my parents, family, and Jason's dad have all been so great through all of this. the boys are in good hands. although even when i am home NOT supposed to be doing anything, i still want to be in the middle of it all. i think that is the hardest part for me. i miss my boys, playing with them, and of course taking pictures of them. i miss it like crazy. i did take a minute to take a picture of my wonderful line up of pain medicine, valium, and steroids. basically my breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Jason talked to my doctor again today and apparently i am not supposed to be doing ANYTHING. i thought i was ok to do little things.... like laundry, making lunch, putting the boys down for their naps, and simple things like that, but the doctor told him it is possible i could make things worse. So starting today, i have done NOTHING, and it was so hard not to. Jason took the day off of work and basically had mommy/daddy duty all day and will have it for at least another month. i feel horrible for him. i want to help, but know i cant. i dont want to make it worse. it makes me sad and i cry a lot more than i have in a long while. i take a lot of naps, and when i am not sleeping i am trying hard to keep my eyes open. i will try to update my blog when i can, and of course try to share pictures of the boys.
Mandy