Nine Lives!

Cats are known to have 9 lives, but I strongly believe that Suzi, has part cat in her and is slowly exhausting all of her nine lives. She has 2 remaining, and is becoming a multi-thousand dollar dog with each live she exhausts.

My dad went in for a THR, and I was left caring for their two dogs as well as mine. 4 springer spaniels, 2 kids, and Mike and I in a small house isn't an easy task. I left for school first thing in the morning took my exam, ran to the hospital to check on things, came back to Moultonboro to let ALL the dogs out, and then went to get my munchkins from the babysitters, all to go back to Concord to see Ahpe!

Upon arriving home, we were NOT greeted by Suzi, a huge concern to me. I searched the house and thought, "my gosh, I left Suzi outside accidentally". When I went back up stairs to search, I heard a scratch at our unfinished master bathroom door. I opened it up and out ran Suzi, crazy as ever. I began our nightly routine, after all it was 7:30. Feed the dogs, got kids dressed and ready for bed, sat down to relax for a few (after all I was up at 4:25 to study), only to hear the kids scream, "yuck, one of the dogs threw up." Not thinking anything at all I picked it up and sat down again, only to have to get up again b/c the dogs wanted to go outside. Walking into the kitchen was a large pile of throw up with candy wrappers of all kinds in it. Instantly everything clicked. Suzi had eaten the Easter baskets filled with candy from last year that I hid on the kids and clearly forgot about! I ran upstairs and sure enough that is what happened. Of course, Mike wasn't home and had ski team, so I texted him letting him know we may have a problem. He encouraged me that she would be fine until he got home and then we would make a decision about taking her to get seen.

At 9:00 I was getting ready to finally put the kids down (later than usual) when I noticed Suzi's hind legs tremoring! It was so scary. I didn't know what to do so I just sat and acted like things were fine. Suzi would jump up and down of the couch, until finally she vomited ALL over the floor, again chocolate covered with TONS and TONS of candy wrappers. There was so much vomit I had no clue how to clean it up! Figuring it out, I called my parents and they told me I had to call the hospital immediately as chocolate was TOXIC to dogs.

At 9:15, my lovely neighbor Pat came to sit with the kids, while I ran Suzi to the Vet Hospital in Meredith. Four hundred dollars later, Suzi was forced to vomit, had IV injections, Charcoal, x-rays, and a VERY strict diet of 2 tablespoons of rice, and lean hamburger 6 times a day for 24-36 hours with close monitoring for toxicity. Signs including, hyperactivity, anxiousness, vomiting, diaherra, and tremors! She has since survived the 24 hour watch! I'm telling you this dog has nine lives.

Suzi's Nine lives:
.1. Eating my pantyhose (during my banking career. HA HA HA).
.2. Eating 9 whole tooth picks that were in Filet Mignon and passing all 9 of them.
.3. A porcupine fight (of course she lost)
.4. getting shot by our neighbor
.5. eating beer grinds from Mikes home brewing.
.6. eating well beyond 16 oz. of chocolate
.7. eating di-con!

May she keep staying strong, but seriously ease up on making our finances suffer! God love this dog!!!

Pajama Day!!!

Pajama day is always a favorite, but going to your school in pajamas in a VERY special surprise!

A day full of questions!!!

Mary-Ann's question of the day:
"Mommy, why do sisters and mommy's have two butts, but daddy's and brothers have a pee-pee and a butt?"
Mommy's Response:
"It is just the way god made us."
Mary-Ann's Response:
"hmmmm...."

Michael's question of the day:
After getting up from resting on the couch, Michael said he had to go to the bathroom really badly and was moving rather quickly. He then said, "mommy why is my pee-pee pointing out like this?" and he held his hand up to show me. Some questions I just don't know how to answer and perhaps, pretend maybe i didn't hear him well.

What a day of questions! What kids will say...

Stress!

I can't remember a time that I didn't cry when I was stressed out or upset about something. As I have gotten older and my hormones have changed post children, crying occurs more often. I cry watching Oprah, I cry when I see a said story, I cry when I worry, I cry when my kids are sick. Crying should have been my middle name. Since I have started this DPT program, I am a basket case. Before every test I always ask Mike "do you think I will be ok?" To which, lately he replies, "no Jenn, I don't", hoping of course he is being sarcastic. Every morning before every test I feel the need to get up at the crack of dawn, which on okay nights leaves me with 5 hours a sleep, however, there are those nights the kids have bad dreams, or I toss or turn, or like last night I don't feel well and have tons of fluid in my ear.
Today, my day started with 4 1/2 hours of sleep, waking up to attempt to study for a bit. During my studying I decided to check the news to find that EVERY school is delayed or closed due to ice accumulation during the night, but of course Franklin Pierce University was not! This meant it was going to be an awful commute, one that normally takes 45-50 minutes on a good day. So, instead of studying too much, I chatted with a girl from school on Facebook (obviously that is a priority) and ran around like a luna bin trying to find my blood pressure cuff, my goniometer, my tape measure, and my reflex hammer, all of which are of course toys to two curious kids that claim they want to be doctors.
So, I head off to school, in the truck, driving like a Nanny, and worrying. I got half way there stopped to get a soda so I could take my anxiety medicine before this dreaded test and continued my journey. When I got to Concord, an hour and a half later, I of course had a nervous poop. Instead of going at school, I went to Target. Rushing back to school, I parked the truck, grabbed my backpack that literally weighed 50 pounds, only to step on the ground and have my feet fall out from beneath me, leaving me hitting my head on the truck, falling on a FOOSH, cutting my hand, and continuing to bump my head on the ice. I of course had to act strong and laugh it off because people were in the parking lot, but deep down inside I wanted to CRY!!! I ran in the building with 5 minutes to spare, cleaned my hand wound, put my bags down, only to notice my cut was still bleeding pretty badly, and lord knows my patient wouldn't want bloody hands on him. IT was bad enough he had a snotty nosed, herpes bump on lip, and congested therapist in the first place. Needless to say, I ran around trying to find bandaids. As soon as I was done cleaning up I got called in to "the holding cell" to read my case.
Thankfully it was a shoulder! Yeah, one thing right. I had a pretty good guess at what I thought the diagnosis was. I got called in brought all my papers to which we got told we were allowed to use and began my evaluation. I was on a ball. I never looked at my evaluation and was cruising until....special tests. I came up with a couple right off the bat, and then my teacher asked me what other test could you do to test this? I thought and thought about it...I could see the test in one of my charts on my evaluation but couldn't put a name to it. I asked if I could grab my eval on the table next to me and he said, "No, you have this, just problem solve, you are doing great." Of course, I instantly broke down into tears. First because he said I was doing well, and second because we were allowed to use our evaluations and he isn't letting me." After a few minutes I gained composure, passed my exam, and now I can laugh to an extent!

Frustration!

I am feeling frustrated! More than frustrated, irritated, mad, and very anxious. I have been working as a physical therapist assistant at a skilled nursing facility for 3 years. I work EVERY Saturday and when they call if my schedule allows. Never once, have I ever been called off from work regardless of census and/or the flu or flu-like symptoms going around. New Years Day I drove to work to only have 2 1/2 hours of work...not too happy about that! Maybe I would be able to get a tank of gas after my 401K deduction and taxes. I never complained, never said anything, just thought hmmm....maybe they are being nice b/c it is a holiday. So, last week comes and Friday night at around 6:00 my boss texts me that she doesn't need me on Saturday because the census was low and there were "flu-like" symptoms. I believed her to some degree, but thought it was odd. After all, I've been there 3 years and haven't been told not to come in. Well...last night, my lab partner text me to see if I wanted to study and practice, on Saturday, for our lab practical on Wednesday. I in turn text my boss to see if I was going to be needed. If I wasn't going to work I wanted more than 12 hours notice, and to be productive in other ways. Two hours after my text she responded that I wasn't needed on Saturday, but I could come in Friday (today) for a little bit. Really? Why? I hesitated to respond, and then told her no, for today and asked "why not Saturday". My text in return...."Erin is going to work, because census has been low and they had made cuts during the week." Erin is the new PTA they hired full time. She is on a high horse, horrible bed side manor, and to top it off has on her facebook page she is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. I totally understand, that they need to keep her happy because she is full time, but really? Why lie to me or not tell me with out me confronting the problem. I am very frustrated. I need that money for babysitting and gas. It infuriates me to no extreme as I have turned down other hours in previous months and weeks for 4 stinken hours of work. Now, I am losing hours to this girl who is claiming to the facebook world she is a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Upon graduation I wouldn't expect people to call me Doctor, I am Jenn, and everyone is to call me Jenn, but....to falsify something like that makes me mad. I am struggling, I have been miserable, unhealthy, depressed, sleep deprived, missed out on seeing my kids daily, have been in and out of the doctors for chest pain, gained 20 pounds since this program started, and NOW on ANXIETY medication for this degree, and she happily announces that she is a Doctor...I DON'T THINK SO!! I think it is time for me to start searching for other alternatives, but I am sad to have to leave a place I have been for so long and a place I am so comfortable only to start something new and add more stress to my plate. There are no more tears to cry...just a very unhappy mommy until I see my beautiful children smiling up at me and my wonderful, handsome husband, and very best friend.

Winter Fun!!!

I told Michael he wouldn't have school because we were going to get a foot of snow. His reply, "I think I am in heaven!" Winter is here and Michael is in heaven...Mary-Ann is learning too enjoy the snow.

Movie Star, Really?

The big joke (or I assume it is a joke) is when my husband has facial hair he claims he looks like a movie star. I CAN'T stand facial hair. The month of November and December he grew a beard. A really ugly, unattractive, untrimmed beard. It did NOTHING for him, however, he claimed he was a movie star. I beg to differ. In order for him to shave it off, I had to take out my earring in my cartilage. I loved that earring, not sure why but I did. Needless to say I took it out to get him to shave, so I could see that handsome face of his!

Where have I been???

It has been forever since I have written. My life has gotten out of control. A few months ago, I said I may have to much on my plate and in fact I have come to the realization that I do. We are all healthy and well, besides minor colds. We had a great holiday season and the kids are loving school, there new sitter, and life. Michael is reading early readers. He came home last week with a book called Go, Go, Go and reads it to Mary-Ann almost nightly. His teacher as assured me taht he is more than ready for Kindergarten and it is very rare that she can actually start reading with her preschool children. Mary-Ann knows the alphabet, some of the sounds, can count backwards from 5 and up to 20 at least. She continues to amazing me with what comes out of her mouth but...apparently I was the same way!!! One incident that I didn't report here but put on facebook was when she wore her cherry leggings and cherry dress. When we got to school she was in the corner with a little boy and proceeded to lift up her dress and put her butt in the poor boys face to show him the cherry on it. She then turned to him and said, "it's not real, you can't eat it!" Of course my daughter would do that.
So here is what we have done: We had fun trick or treating.
We had a great holiday season:
Ahpee showing them the book "Night Before Christmas." He recorded his voice of him reading the story. It has been a yearly tradition since I was a baby, and now is read since Michael was born.
Christmas morning was so much fun waking up to lots of presents and Santa's arrival.
The biggest gift of the year was his/her ATV's.
The holiday was wonderful! It was so nice to spend every waking minute with the kids. They had a great time with there cousins, going to Rhode Island to see Nanny, Uncle Rick, Aunt Sandra, Lisa, and Jay "that guy". Now it is back to reality and crazy schedule.