Christmas fun!

We discovered the best way to position the girls at Grandma and Grandpa Allen's, is to use the recliner.  It fits both girls and they look so cute sitting together.  Ashley slept a lot this Christmas and when she was awake, she coughed a lot and was kind of lethargic.  But that  meant we didn't have any crying or moaning or screaming...yippee!

We hosted my family for Christmas this year.  The energy level was high with all the  little cuties running around.  Check out the cute little girls with Grandpa...

Mira has started grabbing her toys and pulling them into her mouth.  Very exciting indeed!

Merry Christmas!

It's Christmas Eve and the house feels a little more peaceful today.  Ashley is sleeping right now, still sounding a little congested but she's resting comfortably.  Hope is more alert and has a stronger cough, so she seems to be coming along.  Mira and Brodie are doing great and I'm feeling better.  Alex didn't get sick, lucky him.  I hope everyone is enjoying some memorable family moments this Christmas.

Make a photo album

The Flu!

Well, Hope is managing fairly well.  She's still coughing up yellow stuff, but she's managing to get it up and her breathing is not laboured.

Ashley surprised us by throwing up on Friday night.  Just after we arrived at the hotel in Brandon for my Grandma's Christmas gathering.  She must have had the flu because she threw up again the next morning and was sick the whole weekend.  Yesterday, her breathing was so laboured that I called Dr. Harlos to take a look at her.  She's looking a bit better this morning, but still struggling to cough up the secretions.

To top it all off, I was sick with the flu yesteray and have never been so sick in my life.  Today I am sitting her typing and realizing that I better go lie down reall quick...I still don't feel so great!

Hope

The girls are back from the 'out-of-home respite'.  Ashley did very well.  She only needed two doses of morphine.  When we got her home yesterday, she was content and smiling.  It was lovely.  Perhaps the laser therapy helped...who knows!

Hope stopped vomitting and eventually started peeing again.  She had perked up when she was there, but yesterday morning she was drowsy again.  When I got her home, she started coughing up thick yellow/green stuff...lots of it!  Her chest doesn't sound too good this morning, but she's breathing comfortably and sleeping right now.  The Palliative Care Team stopped by yesterday to check in and take a look at Hope.  It's always helpful to have a second opinion when listening to a child's chest.  I can't say that I'm an expert. 

So, I'm not sure where this will lead, but we'll continue on as always.

Mira is giving us lots of smiles (except when the camera comes out!) and Brodie is a fantastic older brother.  He loves to read to her.

Respite

It appears that Hope is perking up a bit.  She had a bit of vomitting yesterday in the morning.  Today she has started opening her eyes a bit more and she had a little pee.  So, it sounds good.

We took the girls to their "sleep-over" yesterday.  It is their scheduled 'out-of'home' respite.  I've never called so much when they've been gone, as I have this time.  I don't need to worry, because Lonnie & Nathan do a great job with their care and with decision making, but I still need to be in the loop.  Thankfully, they don't mind me calling.  It will be nice to have a break from Ashley's "upset" and Hope's vomitting, though.

Time to recharge!

Hope is sick

This pic was taken in November, when we went out for Cousin Ian's birthday party.  Hope isn't looking quite as good today.  She started vomitting on Thursday, and has been on the couch ever since.  This morning she is keeping some water and meds down, so it looks like she's on the uphill swing.

Ashley had a bad day on Thursday despite the laser therapy on Wednesday evening.  The Palliative Care/Symptom Management team came over to discuss options.  So, the plan is to start morphine.  Unfortunately, the pharmacy did not get the meds out to us last night.  So, we'll suffer through the weekend, and get them on Monday.  This included Hope's Granisitron which she really needs to stop the vomitting.  Hopefully we can manage without it.

Laser Therapy

Ashley is still crying every day, some days worse than others.  We've started taking her to the chiropracter at 5pm in the evenings, three times a week, because she will then sleep well at night.  On Monday we started Laser Therapy for Ashley. 

We go to the Chiropracter office for this, and it is a cold laser, which means it does not burn.  Positive effects of this therapy include; anti-inflammatory action, increased metabolic activity, increased vascular activity and stimulated nerve function.  For Ashley, I am at my "wits end" and am willing to try anything!

She was completely relaxed and even smiling during the 10 minutes of Laser Therapy.  That night, she slept very well and did great at school the next day.  We're going to take her three times per week, for about 6 weeks and see if the results are worth the effort of taking her out that often.

Thought I would share this pic.  It was pretty cute to see the girls all lined up, watching me get supper ready, and then Brodie jumped in there to join the photo.