So much to do. . .

We went into the city yesterday. We saw: Ethiad Stadium, Rod Laver Arena, MCG, Old Melbourne Goal (Jail), Flinders Street Station, Melbourne Arts Centre, and lots more. We rode the train in from Bayswater Station and rode several trams around.

Australia

After a two hour delay on the plane in San Francisco, we made it to Melbourne with flight changes in Sydney. On our drive to Leanne's place we stopped by our old house in Mitcham which has completly changed. We stopped at the Fish and Chip shop at Rangeview and the Butcher to get some sausages. Once home we stayed awake until 5:30 pm (1:30 am MDT) and fell asleep until 3:00 am (11:00 am MDT). We chatted for a bit and finally made our way back to bed and awoke at 7:30 am (3:30 pm MDT) and made our way to Blackburn Ward for sacarement meeting. We then went to Safeway for some shopping. Grabbed some treats as well. It is now 3:00 pm (11:00 pm MDT) and we are lying around and relaxing. I am actually getting a bit tired.

Do I really have to be sick again.

Well, spring is finally here.

I leave for Australia in four days.

I just had surgery to remove another kidney stone. I have an infection from said stone.

It is 3:37 am and I can't sleep in this hospital bed again. You'd think it would be possible for the nurse to come check on me without making enough noise to wake me up. They should be in anytime again to draw my blood to check my vincomycin levels before I start my next dose of vinco.
THANK YOU NETFLIX FOR BEING MY ONLY SOURCE OF DECENT ENTERTAINMENT with the help of my sister's laptop.

I am not even packed for my trip. I was supposed to be pulling out my kitchen this weekend
in anticipation of my in-laws graciously putting in my new kitchen next weekend.

I was unable to attend the family BBQ. I was really looking forward to that. BOOOO.

The kids wrapped up school on Friday. Brendan is so excited that he gets to start full-time school in the fall by entering 1st grade. Mike will be entering the emotional and testing 7th grade. He and Afton will be going to a new Junior High School by the name of Willowcreek Middle School. Afton is entering her high school education be entering 9th grade.
Wayne has begun working with youth again at Heritage Youth Services in Lindon.
We now have our garden in and it is beginning to grow.

Is that Spring I hear knocking on the door?

Here are a few pictures of Brendan's first soccer game. He is the biggest boy on the team and really had a great time.

Brendan was the last to kick the ball through the cones and lucky for him the other kids had messed up the alignment of the cones so Brendan's kick went straight down the middle of all six!


Please note that this will be the only time that Brendan wears black shorts with his yellow shirt because Dad says it makes his stomach turn because it reminded him of Stevensville High School's colors!

Tired of the brown

I can't stand looking out the window to lifeless trees, brown grass and empty flower beds. I am soooo ready for Spring. I guess it is February, not long to go.

Family Time

Well, Leanne has come and gone and we had such a great time with her getting to know the kids. Afton and Brendan were very young, Mike 2 and Afton 3, when she visited last. Brendan did share something with Leanne that she hadn't had with him - a cold.

We were able to attend New Moon together as sisters and met up with Jamie for lunch at Texas Roadhouse on November 21st. We then all got together for Thanksgiving at Michele's house. Despite the odd contention, we all have a great and memorable time together.


Michael was recently ordained a Deacon in the Priesthood and is taking the roll very serious.

With two weeks left until Christmas we are preparing for a quiet Christmas at home. The kids are trying to convince us that we should be in Montana at Grandma's house, which we have done in years past.

Afton is wearing makeup and can't leave the house until perfected. She never even cared about her hair or clothes matching before. She really wants lots of clothes for Christmas. Mike has been moved into a new class at school and is doing better. He was in the same class as his best friends and accomplished very little. He is really getting into Arts, writing and reading. He spends most of his time on his DS w/ Guitar Hero game.

Wayne is still in the job search and is currently picking up shifts at the local gas station as a cashier to help subsidize the income.

Merry Christmas to all.

Getn' Caught Up.

Well, the post surgery progress is taking leaps and miserableness. I have been getting kidney infections (I think from the Plavix) on and off and have had to be on a variety of antibiotics (which I am mostly allergic to). I sit here with sharp pains from my kidneys to ah, the exit. I have not had any headaches except for a couple in the weeks following surgery, which is very normal.
I have my three month post-surgery follow-up appointment on October 13 when they will do another Trans-Cranial Doppler (TCD) and I hope all will be safely closed off.
Kids are in school. Brendan thinks he is too big to be in Kindergarten. Michael is more dreading next year when he will be made fun of by his big sister for being in 7th grade than being too focused on being the big kid in school.
Wayne is the at-home dad as he has lost his employment, which has been great for the kids and nice to have tea made when I get home.
We are getting ready for birthday season and enjoying the cooler weather.

Official Diagnosis

After meeting with Dr. Sherman Sorensen yesterday I got the diagnosis of ASD (Atrial Septal Defects)
During fetal development, the upper chambers of the heart (atria) divide into right and left sides. In some, the closure is incomplete leaving a "hole in the heart". This hole or defect in the atrial divider (septum) is an Atrial Septal Defect or ASD. Since pressure in the right side of the heart is lower than the left side, blood can flow from the lungs directly through the ASD back to the right heart; re-circulation through the lungs again and again. This abnormal recycling of blood through the lungs is called "shunting". The amount of blood flowing (or shunting) through the lungs may be many times more than the blood flow to the rest of the body.

Shunting is an extra blood volume to the right side of the heart which can cause an overload of the heart. This overload can cause enlargement of the heart, abnormal heart rhythm, congestive heart failure, and injury to the arteries of the lungs. Increased pressure in the right side of the heart may reverse the direction of the shunt. Used blood without oxygen may dilute blood with oxygen levels in the body. Since the filtering function of the lungs is bypassed, stroke or brain abscess may occur if clots or bacteria cross the ASD into the left side of the heart.

Not all headaches are migraine headache and it is sometimes difficult to decide. A classic migraine headache is a primary headache (not due to stroke or tumor) which is usually one sided, throbbing, severe, and usually comes with nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or sound, or motion sensitivity.

I had this test done ~ Trans-Cranial Doppler (TCD) is a new test which measures brain artery blood flow by using safe ultrasound echo probes placed on the surface of both sides of the head. If microscopic bubbles injected through an IV shunt past the lungs to the left heart, TCD detects and counts each bubble as it appears in the brain arteries. TCD is not only the most sensitive way to diagnosis right-to-left shunt, it is the best way to quantify shunt.

For more information: http://sorensenmd.com/index.php

Here is more information about the procedure: http://www.amplatzer.com/products/asd_devices/tabid/179/default.aspx

So Slow

Afton went to Young Women's girls camp today. She is there through the week. How will we survive without our Affie? She was so excited to go.
All three kids will be going with Grandma to Montana on Sunday. They are going for their bi-summerly visit. Brendan is very excited.
My nephew Andrew is getting married next week. I'm glad it's not my child getting married. That's one thing I am not sure I will be ready for when it does happen.
Afton ended her 7th grade year with her first year book and some mediocre grades. She did well and tried hard, but it is sure an adjustment from Elementary School. She will be at Lehi Jr. High again for her 8th grade year. Michael will begin his last year at Elementary school with the excitement of Brendan being at the same school, but in Kindergarten. Big step, and he is more than ready for it.
I am working again, same field, but this time closer to home in Provo. It is a great small firm where I seem to be fitting in nicely.
Wayne is still working in Mona and dreads the drive every day.

It's Springtime. . .

I just love Spring. My daffodils are blooming and the buds on shrubs and trees are popping. Mike has been playing indoor soccer and has been having fun. Monte, the cat, has taken over and has warmed up to Oreo. Brendan still thinks he is a toy to carry around and tease in every way.

New family addition

Here is our new kitty, Monte. We adopted him from a family in Saratoga Springs that needed to find him a new home. He is not sure about being followed around the house by kids, but has found a safe warm home with Wayne.

Phew . . that's over with . . .

I'll start by saying that I forgot to take my camera with us to Montana, so no Christmas pictures. . I'll have to see if Grandma has some pictures to share.
We drove up to Idaho Falls on Tuesday afternoon, staying the night at a hotel. We took Oreo with us and he was so good. It was odd though, being trapped in room all together with no where to go. It was actually great family time. I took refuge in the hotel hot tub, which I had to myself. . Loved it.
We made it to Montana in the early afternoon of Christmas Eve. In the Mohn household Christmas Eve is the big family gathering event where everyone gathers for the opening of gifts to eachother. We are blessed to receive an abundance of gifts from Grandma and Grandpa (Wayne's folks), which this year was the main gifts we received as a family as with our situation of my unemployment. We stayed in Montana until Sunday morning. The kids went sledding on Saturday up Skalkaho and had tons of fun. Wayne and I did not go as I was still dealing with a great amount of pain from my latest surgery (Fissure repair).
We are getting together with friends for New Year's Eve. We have never really done anything before, usually sit around until about 10pm watching the broadcasts from across the country and call it an early night.
Brendan is really loving his new Pre-School and starts Basketball on Monday at the Legacy Center. It is really hard at this point to think of putting him back into daycare and going back to work. We have both really enjoyed this time off together. Oh well, things will work out how they should.
I have not had very many more headaches lately - yeah medication and rest. I still have very little energy but trying to be more active.
May your New Years be as great as I hope for mine to be! I am hoping mine will be full of great health, employment and great family memories!

Real Quick

It's been a while, Yes, I know. Kids are all doing well. We are heading to Montana for Christmas on Tuesday for a few days.
I think this is the most sparse that our Christmas tree has ever been, but gratefully, the kids don't care! They are just estatic that we are going to Grandma's house!

Birthdays

Both Wayne and Michael celebrated their birthdays on November 11. Michael received some money in place of presents and decided to purchase a Nintendo DS and a Mario Game. He just loves it! Wayne got a hat and t-shirt and his painted house.
My mom, Laurel White, had her birthday yesterday. She was recovering from a tooth removal and spent the "drooling on her pillow." Brendan has started PreSchool at the Lehi Legacy Center and just loves it. He is going twice a week for 2 hours a day.
The weather is getting cooler and just about all the leaves are off the trees. As I was not feeling well on Saturday the neighbors came and raked the whole yard and made a huge pile of leaves (which I have resisted jumping in for 4 days now).
I went to the doctor yesterday and we are changing my medication again. It seems as if my last medication was causing the headaches so that I was having one a day. I will be on straight steroids for the next week then on some new meds. I will also be having an MRI on Tues (11/18) to check for small clots in my brain. They believe I may have a condition that is allowing unpurified blood to pass into my head from my heart. UPDATE . . NOTHING WAS SEEN ON MY MRI TO INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS. IT DID SHOW A BAD SINUS INFECTION, WHICH WAS THE SOURCE OF MY THREE-DAY HEAD PRESSURE/HEADACHE. STEROIDS CLEARED THAT UP.
Only two weeks until Thanksgiving!

Longer than before . . . .

Wayne's mom (Glenda Mohn) and sister (Kila Breault) came down last week and helped us paint the house for Wayne's and my birthday presents. It went from Pink and chipping to a great brown.

House prior to new windows and painting.

Pictures of house now -

Since purchasing the house we have put in a new railing, new door, new windows, and of course painted.



We also celebrated Brendan's 5th birthday. He went to Chuck-E-Cheese. He got lots of great toys.


It has been a while since I last blogged. I have been having a few more migraines and trying to rest.

New favorite time of year . . .

Spring had always been my favorite time of year - but now, I think I like Fall better. A few cool days, a few warm days, still some flowers blooming but now to the background of coloring hills.
As you can see from the photos, Brendan is loving his football classes. He thinks he is such hot stuff - of course he is and I encourage that I am sure. He is learning to kick off the little tee-thingie, throw the ball into the air to get points, catching, learning the terms of the game and getting two laffy taffy candies at the end.



In this one he is the quarterback, after coming up with the ball you can see the coach has to give him a shove in the correct position. Even after being shoved, he still turned around the other way and ran behind his team. Just goes to show that he has Aussie Rules in his blood - so much for those yankee rules!
My health - I can tell a diference now with my new medications. I am not near as tired and do not have near the headaches. I have had one headache in the last two weeks! I actually have a little bit of energy, which I overuse and burn off fast leaving me tired again but I am learning my new limits.

He's acing his classes!

As you may know Michael has had some difficulties in his classes with getting work done and being motivated to make it through the day. This year is his first year with a male teacher, Mr. B. We reviewed his grades last night and he was so proud. As were we.
We made the decision for me to stay home and focus on my health. I pretty much sit in a stuper daze with the effects of the medications. I saw a new neurologist for a second opinion. Dr. Pamela Vincent in Provo. She has a great new plan for me. I am stopping the medication I have been taking since my hemiplegic migraine and I am on a new regime of medications for four weeks. I am starting to feel a difference in the way I feel. Still have no energy and bloated. One of the side effects of the old medicine was weight gain - - lovely.
I enrolled Brendan in Itty Bitty Football that starts next week. He is really excited and carries around a football.
Afton is doing well in school but a bit frustrated that Michael's grades are better than hers.
Wayne is taking on a little more to make up for my loss of income. Another shift or two and tracking another boy who will be released from the boy's home. Which means that the boy will be living on his own and will have to call Wayne to check in several times a day.

Been a while. . .

Well, I went back to work on September 11th. I am working for Farmers Insurance Litigation division in Salt Lake. First few days were great, getting to know everyone and my job . . . then the migraines kicked in again. I have never felt so absolutely horrible in my life. I couldn't call in sick . . how could I? I think the best way to explain how I looked is a drug addict that was coming off a high and in need of a boost. (I only know addiction from what I see on "Intervention" so that's to what I refer.) I ended the week without a headache, but taking it easy and not doing much to avoid getting another migraine.
The kids are doing great in school. We have always provided lunch money for the kids to eat a hot lunch at school, but dang, that crap is expensive! Ok, not if you think that they get a hot meal for $1.50, but that adds up and I think that PB&J will become the lunch of choice for a while.
I am glad the weather is cooling down. The leaves are starting to change on the sides of the mountains, which is great. We will be having our house painted this next week which will change our house from pink to tan/brown.
Brendan is looking forward to his birthday next month and is eagerly deciding on a final decision for his present.

Pictures

These are a few updated pictures of us . . well, some of us.



Still no medical word. I have had a background check cleared from Farmer's Insurance. I have applied for a position of a legal secretary within their in-house legal department. I have yet to receive an offer from their head office, but Debbie, my would-be co-worker said that she would like me to start on Wednesday and get rolling. So, I think that means that she wants me.

I usually don't speak of politics, but I have to say that the Republican VP, Palin? seems quite nice and seems to have her head on straight. I guess I will have to start paying attention now.

Peaceful week

Well, as you may or not know - I was laid off last week for 'medical reasons.' It has come to be a blessing as I was quite sick most of the week. I have had neurological problems, speach delays and totally spaciness.
The kids are adjusting in school well. I had a followup appointment with my neurologist before my insurance runs out and she has increased my medication and is happy that I haven't had any numbness on either side of my body. I'm glad she's so happy! We are freaked out by the latest delays. I have had some blood taken to check my liver. The medication I am on, Depakote, is known to have adverse effects on the kidneys and liver which would cause neuro problems like speach . . etc. Of course she is out of the office on Fridays and Monday is a holiday . . . ggrr. I hope I find out soon what's going on.
We went to Lehi High School's first football game of the season. Let's just say the kids were bored and I was none too happy to let my kids out of my sight. Brendan needed to go to the bathroom so Michael and Afton took him and I gave them a few dollars to stop by the 'snack bar' to get some goodies. It seemed like they were gone forever! They were out of eye shot and I got more and more fearful with each passing minute that my tiny little babies (10 1/2 and 12) were being harrassed by the big school bullies. Well, it turns out I have a few phobias, but my kids are growing and I need to give them space - - next time I'll take walkie talkies or something so I don't get scared. Now, don't get me wrong - nothing happened to them, but crap they could have gotten pinched, pushed or even turned in circles with a blindfold on. I just can't let them go at such a young age. Now I know why Mum used to not get to sleep until I was home at night as a teen!!
The final score was 0-2. We all got into it when the coach decided with 6 seconds left to go for a field goal (3pts). It ended dismally, but we will go again tonight to support our Lehi Pioneers!!