EEG, Part I

One of the results of having a random siezure is the necessity of having multiple tests run on you.  The CAT scan - no biggie; the blood tests - no biggie.  The EEG.....

I remember when Richard was 6 years old and had one to determine that he had "petite mal" siezures, or "absence" siezures as they are called today.  They glued little nodes to his head and I got to watch the report print out right in front of my eyes and the technician pointed out right where the problem was and that it was random, and not a damaged spot in his brain. They even took a sweet little picture of Richard that I have in a photo album (not really, it's in a box somewhere). 

One thing I learned is that many, many children have these kinds of siezures.  Most of them stem from some sort of oxygen deprevation at birth or a difficult birth.  Most parents think their kids are just spacing off.  We would move our hands in front of Richard's face and try to get him to pay attention and finally, he would say, "What?", like he had no idea what was going on -- because he didn't.  Speculation is that many kids deaths and injuries have been because of this undiagnosed condition; kids in swimming pools, riding bikes, etc; 

I had read about it and had my suspicions but research showed kids had a hard time in school keeping focus and their grades suffered.  I checked with his teachers and they hadn't noticed anything.  His grades were great too.  Finally, one day we were at his baseball game; Rich was at first base and the pitcher scooped up the ball and threw it to him.  It hit him right in the chest and fell to the ground.  I "happened" to be sitting next to a nurse and she confirmed my fears and told me to get to the Dr. immediately.  The next day, we were there.  He pulled out a handkerchief and had Rich start blowing on it, like blowing out candles.  It was successful in inducing a siezure.  This led to the EEG, just that afternoon and then the medication, which controlled it.  The medication that was almost worse than his condition. He had to have blood tests every three months to make sure his liver was handling it and he had a host of other side effects that he bravely fought through.  Three years later when we were moving to Sandy, the Dr. suggested we take him off the medication, since most children outgrow these.  Sure enough, he had and we were home free. 

A few times in my life I have been grateful for medical technology and the ability Dr.'s have to treat us with positive results.  This was one of them.

Now that you know our first experience with an EEG, I will have to let you know about the second; my EEG last week.  But this post is long enough and so it must wait.  Until then, watch and pay attention to your children, especially if they seem a little spacey.  It could save their life.

I'm an anomoly

First, I'm normal!  Well....as normal as someone like me can be.  I'm also as healthy as a cow (as I mentioned to Laura this morning), but now it occurs to me that it's "healthy as a horse".  Oh well,  I never get those things right.

I am also an anomaly.  You may not know that two weeks ago I suffered a siezure; a big one, like grand mal.  It was not pleasant, not in any way, shape or form.  But worse, to me, is that Scott and Jessica had to see it.  (Gordon was gone up to Scout camp). But this was the blessing, too.  Because of that, they were there to care for me and to call the paramedics.  Can you imagine the stir it created to see the firetruck and ambulance go to our house?

The last thing I remember, I was sitting in the big chair watching "River Monsters" with Scott.  We had been anxiously awaiting the time when we could watch it together.  The next thing I know, some guy is in my face saying, "Juuu-lll-iii-eeee, youuu'vvve haddd aaaa sssiiieeezzzuuurrreee."  Every feature in his face seemed overly animated and huge.  He kept asking me questions, none of which I knew the answer to.  He asked me if I knew Scott or Jess or Ben or Laura (who had gotten there by now).  I knew that I should know them but I didn't know anything.  Finally Laura came and knealt down by me on the floor and I looked up and waived to her.  It was so good to see a friendly face. 

I was then informed that I would have to go to the hospital.  It still hadn't sunk in that something serious had happened here.  Apparently, I had not been a very good patient when coming out of things, like pulling out oxygen and slapping the paramedics hands away when they tried to take vital signs. I gave a surprised look at the paramedics and shook my head, like, "no way I need to go to the hospital".  But I was with it enough to know that my sons could drive me and I did NOT need to ride in the ambulance.

So now that you have the basic idea from my perspective on how things went down, let me explain some really great things that happened.  Ben and Laura were able to get here within 10 minutes of it happening.  They were a great support to Scott and Jessica. By the time we got to the emergency room, all of the kids were there with the exception of Jo, who had to be home with the kids.  Scott had called our home teacher, Kyle, who just retured home from the Spain Barcelona mission and asked him to bring some consecrated oil to the hospital. 

Then, in a private room, all of my sons, Kyle and Gordon annointed and blessed me.  This is the only time in this whole experience that I felt warm and secure and safe and that all would be well.  The other great thing that happened is that Gordon happened to walk to his truck to check his phone and call Scott to see if he got the MTC job.  There is only patchy coverage up in the mountains and Scott had been unable to get through.  As soon as he dialed, Scott answered and told him what had happened.    After they hung up, Gordon had more questions and, without moving, called Scott back.  He couldn't get through.  No coverage.

So that is how, within the hour, Gordon was with me at the hospital.  When he got there, he said, "you should have told me you didn't want me to go to Scout camp and I would've stayed home."  Apparently, I laughed.

Some amount of time later, I finally got back to see the Dr. and had a CT scan and some blood tests.  Everything turned up great on these and they ordered me to get some further testing; an EEG and an MRI and then see a neurologist to rule out anything else.  This all seemed to go really fast for me, but for my family, I'm sure it seemed like an eternity as it was 2:30 a.m. before we got home.

The past two weeks have been a roller coaster.  I couldn't remember things that happened a couple of days before or sometimes a day before. They have described having a siezure of this magnitude as if your brain were a computer re-booting.  It takes a while to come back and each program loads on it's own time.  I finally feel, after two weeks, that I am totally re-booted. 

Today I went to the neurologist.  You can imagine everything I had convinced myself I have after two weeks.  I feel like I have been walking around with two 50 lb. potato sacks on my back.  He doesn't know what caused the siezure and that is a good thing.  My brain is actually quite healthy and we know for sure that I have one.  If he knew what caused them, then that would mean there is something really wrong with my brain.  As it is, I am an anomoly; a statistic of  the random, one time siezure.

I left the two bags of potatoes in the Dr.'s office and walked out to a sunshiny day full of all the hope of the future and appreciation for my blessings.  And they are many.

Last of Lucky Peak

I skied and wasn't even very sore later in the week!!!

One of my favorite boat drivers.  Scott has left for the summer; back down to Provo to teach Laotian at the MTC.

Scott and Jess while they were still on the tubes.  they spent a great deal of time in the water.

Rich cliff jumping.

The brothers commented how "cool" Jessica was for being brave enough to jump.

All good things must come to an end.  This is one of many loads that took all of our camping gear out.
I can't wait until next year.

Battle of Lucky Peak

Calm before the battle

Jaws music

And the battle is on!

The aftermath.
Who won?  If measured in fun, then they all did..  I was stationed
in the boat managing the tunes and enjoying the battle.

Boat Camping

We spent two days and nights boat camping at Lucky Peak Reservoir last week.  For those of you who don't know, boat camping is where you have to haul everything in & out by boat.  It is quite a feat and took us multiple trips to get everything in for the whole crew.  Everyone made it up there, which is criteria for success in my book.  There were no cell phones (no service) or electronics of any kind.  The only music was from the stereo in the boat and we were very generous with that.  It was nice to be away from the distractions of the world and just focus on having fun together.  These pictures give you an idea of the beautiful spot we got.  There was even a bathroom up the little hill behind our site.  It had it's own cove and dock and we had our own private paradise. 

Coming:  Battle of Lucky Peak, Boating and Cliff Jumping

Cameron approved of the spot.

Eli had to be sure to wear his sunglasses.  Cool Dude.

Gordon fixing us breakfast.  Rich fixed us a scrumptious dutch oven dinner the night before.

Scott bonding with Miriam.   Talk about a trooper - she gets the Happy Camper Award

Boat pictures can't be complete without pictures of  Scott.  Because he is home this summer, we have been able to go up to the lake in the early afternoon a lot.  Here he is with his friend Matt. 

They are always good for a laugh and a really good time.

He's also a pretty good teacher.  Here he is giving Tori, Jessica's friend,

some pointers on getting up on a slalom ski.

Lucky Peak

James & Suzanne were tubing maniacs at the lake.  This is one sport that eludes me as far as enjoyment goes.  I have done it once and my neck and head have never been the same, so I admire anyone who can and wants to get out there and do it.

Gordon's busy getting the ropes even.  This is one of my favorite times on the boat, getting things set to go, laughing & talking and just kicking back.  See the tents in the background?  This is one of the spots that we may be camping in this weekend. 

James finished the tube ride and got right back out there for a super ski. 

Walaah!  A pose only a dancer could strike. 
We love the lake, aka Lucky Peak.  It is the center of so many good times for our family.

H2O Report

I know I have been remiss in my blogging efforts of late.  I'm not sure where the will to blog goes when it does, but I am resolving to change it, starting with this post.

 Jessica gives the "Lady Siren" a workout at Lucky Peak.  In this picture, she is wearing "Tortuga", her fancy orange and black wet suit.  It was so warm one time that we were up there that she went in just her swim suit.

We have had some great times on the boat this season, once we could finally start going.  The weather was so unpredictable that we couldn't go until the beginning of July. We've been lucky enough to have all of the kids up at the lake on & off. 
Next, I'll post some of James and Suzanne.

Just When I Thought....

Just when I thought I had lost all faith in M-M's they go and redeem themselves. 

The result is this:

M-n-M's with pretzel inside.  And they are fantastic.

They first came out earlier in the year in the little individual packs.  Every time I saw them, I would grab a bunch.  But I know that many of the specialty M-n-M's  never make it to the big time, or big bag I should say.

So imagine my surprise when I saw them in the store.  They are divine, a sweet mix of salty, chocolate and carbohydrate. 

There are only two problems with them:

1)  The big bag is only 9.90 oz. and therefore, the ability to go through a whole bag is very real and possible.

2)  The 9.90 bag is the same price as the 11-13 oz. M-n-M's.

Oh well, a small price to pay to enjoy one of the best snacks you will eat.  Just watch yourself, or they will be gone before you know it. 

P.S.  Gordon does not like them and so it is possible that these are not for every taste bud.  Can I imagine that?  Not really.

Oh, Summertime!

I couldn't resist pilfering this picture off Jo's blog.  It captures so many things; the beauty of a hot, summer day with a blue sky, and no wind or rain.  Then it captures each of my grandchildren's personalities perfectly.  Eli, on the left, is always playing and it always includes funny faces and sound effects.  Cameron, right, is the big brother, the protector.  But don't take him too serious; there is a whoppin' sense of humor there that I just love.  And look at Lady Miriam.  I don't believe I've ever seen this particular smile on her face.  It has to be the smile of experiencing something totally new. That, and she loves her brothers.  She reserves 98% of her giggles for them.

Or, she could be smiling because she's finally the one holding the orange dinosaur!  Do they have pink dinosaurs?

Pretty Little Princess

Miriam is going to be our blue-eyed blond grandchild.  Her hair boarders on strawberry blond.  I know I am bragging to say she's adorable, so make your own judgments.

High on a Mountain Top

I love the dump - or I should say, I love going to the dump.  I was going to grab my camera and shoot some action pictures from up there but I left it home.  Ben, Gordon and I went up there today to take some old railroad ties and our old, old, ancient and huge former artificial lighted Chistmas tree. (Which had currently been smack in the middle of my downstairs storage room, inhibiting my food storage efforts). 

We drove up and mused about the differences between our dump here in Boise and the dump in Idaho Falls.  Gordon tells me Idaho Falls is free, that they have some sort of tax dollars at work there. 
We must not have tax dollars at work in Boise, because today's visit cost $16.  Probably an interesting story there...

I am always facinated when they tell you to go to this area or that and today they told us to go right to the top.  I am facinated too at how many people need to work at the dump.  Three of them were there just to tell us to back up to where they pointed, each after the other had done so.  Then they get on their walkie talkie and probably tell the front loader to head over our way.

In Island Park, where the Bird cabin is located, there is a dump.  It has crudely made signs with images on them, so that Pakinstanis and Iranians and Dutch people can tell where to take their old refrigerator too.  But the funniest one is a sign that says, "Dead Animals" with a hand pointing a finger (pointer) where to go.

We backed in and Gordon and Ben began emptying out the trailer.  As I looked around, I saw the front loader coming (I am so enamored of big machines like these).  It came up right next to us and pushed garbage, mostly trees, grass, wood & stuff, all the way back so far that I thought the front loader was going to go over frontward and down the hill.  I'm sure the driver thought that I couldn't take my eyes off him; actually I couldn't take my eyes off the frontloader.  It would be so cool to drive one of those!  Not only that, but to dig and push stuff with it.  I'm sure that being raised with brothers and having only boys for so long had a big impact on me.

Before I knew it, we were done and heading back down the road for home.  We passed the asbestos section, the battery, paint and appliance section, the household garbage section, but not once have I ever seen the "Dead Animals" section at the Boise dump.

I pondered this and the $16 fee vs. your tax dollars at work all the way down.  With the windows rolled up, of course.

Blog Interview

I have an interview on a blogger website featuring "regular" blogs like mine.  Go to the website and read it and be sure to VOTE for this one!
http://bloginterviewer.com/family/the-birdhouse-julie-bird

Baby Sister Graduates

              Jessica Bonnie Bird graduated last Saturday.  Unbelieveable!  Where does the time go?

              Soon the summer months will be over and she will be off to BYU-I for the Fall/Winter

              track.  (I hope to be as composed then.   Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha:) 

She was lucky enough to have all of this group there to support her on her big day.

Jessica and Meaghan; inseparable all through high school.  But Meghan is going away to that "school up North".  We wish her lots of luck and will miss her.  (Even though she will be a Vandal:)

Jessica and Suzy.  They became great friends this year and we love Suzy.  She is planning on attending BYU-I starting in the winter.

I love being right - but I'm not very often

I have watched "Lost" from the very beginning and have been a devoted viewer. 

I have to say that in the first season, I had a theory that they had all died in the plane crash and that they were in Hades, or something like it.  Then, this season, one of the episodes confirmed it for me.  Yes, I figured it out early on, which is something that doesn't usually happen.  People were so shocked at the ending, when it is revealed that they are all dead and have been in a state of limbo (I call it purgatory, or a "holding pattern", or spirit prision).  At the end, they gathered at a church - together and were ready to move on toward the light.  Their experiences together in this place were the most important of their existence. 

I know - many people hoped it would end with the crew partying on the island, playing limbo and drinking fruity frozen drinks and tanning at their newly constructed resort - all alive and happy.  Oh well. 

And what about the "island"?  Turns out it wasn't about that - it was about the people.

Follows a familiar pattern, I would say. 

Did you watch LOST?  What are your thoughts?

Techology Duped Me

A couple of weeks ago, I created a blog for Scott and his friend Ben for their summer business of painting addresses on curbs.  So far it is going really well for them.  Anyway, I somehow posted my latest, meant for this blog - on that blog.  So go here to see it.  And...if you are interested in getting your curb painted with your address for only $20 and helping out some poor college students, let us know in the comment box.
http://www.scottnben.blogspot.com/

One of a kind from "La Garment District"

The pictures posted from Jessica's prom didn't fully highlight her one of a kind dress.  This one shows the beautiful beading that is on the top, or bodice of the dress.  Also, the beginning of the sweeping fabric. 

This one shows the bottom and how the cut of the dress fit perfectly.  The good looking date helps too:)

Of course, it helps to have the right skin tone to pull off the yellow.  She looked radiantly beautiful; I know that I am somewhat biased.  Somewhat. 

I love how this one shows  off the whole dress and the way it moves when she walks. 

So there you have it - a full report on the dress.  I wish I had more from LGD to report on but that is a goal for a future time.  It's definitely an experience worth repeating.

Same or Different?

Just a couple more pics of Jessica and myself. 
Coming...close up pictures of the yellow dress from "la garment district".

Look alikes?

                                                                                 

Just posting a series of pictures to see who thinks Jessica and I look alike.                                  (Hint:  mine are the black and whites:)

Heartwarming

Two of my precious grandchildren.

My oldest son, Richard with his two sons, white shirts & ties taking a Sunday breather.  I love him.  He is such a good dad and I continue to be amazed that I raised this man.

Thanks Jo for letting me pilfer these pics off your blog.  I need to get one of Eli - SOON!