Houston:

We have a tooth!! <3

Work in Progress

First photo is Jan 4
Second March 23

Cannot get enough

Love. Him. So. Much.

Leprechauns

The leprechauns came to our house and made a couple little messes. They left Parker and Carter donuts! They were actually powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, and chocolate and sprinkled topped. The boys were thrilled!!

My little loves.

<3 these boys

Parker O'Steffen

Parker is wondering if the leprechauns are going to come to out house. Hmm

A Mommy Adventure

This journey started weeks ago. In December I decided to go semi-vegetarian and was doing great. Brian and I have a date night once a week and we usually hang out and get take out after the kiddos are in bed. Brian went through a spurt of loving Pizza Hut pizzas. We got a veggie lovers one week and it was delish. The next week we were going to get pizza again and Brian accidentally ordered Veggie instead of Veggie Lovers. There was more cheese than Veggies... That night my stomach was a MESS. It hurt so bad, I could barely breathe. I sat up in bed all night-- literally. And got no sleep. I vowed to go vegan. It kept coming and going after I would eat (even vegan ) and it would stay for varying times. On Weds, Feb 29th after dinner. I was in SO much pain -- had the same sleepless night. The next day I was still feeling blah, I didn't eat breakfast and had a friend over for lunch. She brought pizza. I had a couple slices and was in pain. For dinner I had a tiny bowl of spaghetti and it hurt again. Brian wanted a Whopper Jr so bad and so I went and got him one- I got me a small fry. Bad idea. I thought I was going to die. I debated going to the ER but was worried I would have no one for the kids. I suffered it out til the next morning and called the Dr to get in. I didn't eat all day Friday (afraid the pain would come back) and went to the Dr. I told her all my symptoms and she thought it was a stomach issue. (I thought so too) She gave me some Rx antacids and said that should help. Brian's parents offered to watch the kids that night so we could have a date. I reluctantly agreed. On the way to Rochester I thought I had better eat a tiny something. I hate some crackers in the car. The pain came back and was intense. I took some more antacids (okayed by Dr). It didn't help. Brian went to do a session at the temple ( I was in too much pain to go so I was gonna meet him at his parents house and rest until he was done and then we were gonna go out)... I took a bath, I tried to lay down, nothing helped and it was getting worse. I started to get frantic. Brian's mom took me to the ER at Strong. Brian met us there.

This picture was when I finally was seen at Strong. We waited about 5 hours in the waiting room. They take trauma (think: ambulance) first and then everyone else in the order they show up. I was #22 when we arrived. They gave me morphine. (AMAZING) They did a sonogram of my organs. Found: Gallstones. They said it wasn't an emergency that I be operated on right away so they sent me on my way with some Vicodin and told me to call my Dr the next day.

When I called on Sat, they said they could get me into the office by Tuesday afternoon and then the surgery would probably be for Friday. I don't think they understood how much pain I was in. I couldn't even drink water without being in pain. There was no way I was gonna last that long but I was going to tough it out.

We went and visited my parents from Sat- Sun-- I had a surprise baby shower I was throwing. My friend Emily had started to cloth diaper and I wanted to be able to help somehow. She wasn't surprised but at least she got a bunch of new free cloth diapers. I ate as little as possible. At the shower I ate a tiny bit of fruit and like two potato chips. I was still on my vicodin and it was kind of helping. I went grocery shopping with my mom. We ate dinner and went to bed. I slept amazingly. Sun, I was feeling alright and hadn't ate. We drove home. On the way home I really started to feel awful again.

We were home about an hr and I suddenly got incredibly nauseous. My face and lips were white. I threw up dark green- bile. I told Brian to call the Dr. The Dr wasn't worried and called in a Rx for zofran. He assured I would be seen on Tuesday. He said if it got worse to go to the ER. I tried to calm down and think positively. But with each passing minute I was feeling worse. Brian called someone to watch the kids and we went up to Crouse. In the bathroom, I noticed my eyes were REALLY yellow. We weren't waiting in the waiting room too long-- maybe like an hr. I had bloodwork, sono, and CT scan. Before I knew it, a PA was telling me what was going on. I had a stone stuck in my common bile duct.

(Pic: my view in the ER room)

I was going to need two surgeries. One to remove a stone and then get my gallbladder out. The stone was putting bile in my stomach and making me jaundice (levels were twice normal). It was also causing my pancreas to get inflammed (pancreatitis). They needed the lipase levels (from pancreas) to go down before they could operate. Normal is about 100-200 and mine was over 9,000. After much prayer, the stone in the duct passed alleviating the need for surgery to remove the stone. They kept watching the levels to get lower so they could remove the gallbladder (the pancreas settles down when it can rest- so nothing by mouth was allowed). Last tues- around 8pm, I went under general anthesia (Scariest part of it all) and had my gallbladder removed laproscopically

(Pic: My room at Crouse. 5011W)

(Pic: A balloon from my BFF Shelby to brighten my room and my spirits.)

My friend Beverly had a planned surgery for Tuesday morning. (The same day I had surgery but her's was 8am and mine was about 8pm) She was getting a breast reduction. I went to visit her after her surgery and before mine. She hobbled down to my room later that day. We were on the same floor but different ends. It was nice to see a familiar face at the hospital. <3 She is such a trooper!! :) Happy for her.


My friend Mindy came to visit me. I couldn't eat any of my goodies-- but Brian enjoyed them! :)

Warning: Icky picture....

(Pic: phew, I'm glad that's OVER)

I left the hospital Weds afternoon.

Who has

abdominal surgery 8pm Tues and travels for 2 hours to get to an all day seminar for dental hygiene 8am on Friday??

This girl.