8/23/2007 Olivia's 2nd Tooth

Olivia's other front tooth was so loose that she was able to twist it sideways, so we decided to pull it out. We tied the dental floss on the tooth, and barely pulled it and it came out.
She was very happy that her two teeth came out, she likes to stick her tongue through the hole. We can already see both her permanent teeth. I can't wait to finally have some WHITE teeth in her mouth. Though I worry about the condition of her permanent teeth since her nutrition over the years has not been great. But I guess only time will tell.


Bennett also now keeps asking us to pull his teeth... LOL

8/16/2007 Olivia lost her first tooth

Olivia's front two teeth have been very loose for some time, and one (the right front tooth) was literally hanging on by a thread, I was beginning to worry that she might choke on it. She couldn't even bite with her front teeth as it was so loose. So I decided to pull it. So we wrapped a little dental floss on it and tied a small knot and just pulled it down, it came out really easy. So easy that Olivia laughed when the string came off, as she thought I missed her tooth. Little did she know that it was handing on the string... LAUGH
When I showed her the tooth was out she just said "HEY". She was thrilled to get a sucker and liked that it fit in the new hole.
For several hours she commented that her "Tooth...all gone".
Unfortunately our 3 year old twin son saw this event and immediately started sobbing. I think he thought we were just torturing Olivia. We had to explain that her tooth was loose an we just helped it come out for her new tooth. But I am not sure that he really understood.
Techincally this is Olivia's 3rd tooth. Her front bottom teeth came out at the orphanage between our 1st and 2nd visit. But her permanent teeth had come in behind her baby teeth, and were all the way in, so I am guessing that they pulled those two teeth.

8/11/2007 Potty Difficulties - Tips :)

The potty situation was difficult before her surgery, but now almost impossible. She pees weird, basically into one leg which sprays EVERYWHERE, even up her bum all the way up the back when she is sitting on the toilet.
So now I have to try and get it in a small bed pan with her in a almost laying position. After many different attempts and methods I think the best way is to put her "diaper" (I found I like the mens pads for men with bladder issues, the fit her cast opening the best) wrapped around the back of the bed pan, and I put wipes on her "Va Jay Jay", to help it go down and not all over.
Unfortunately trying to figure all this out she has got pee on her cast and it already smells like pee. I have tried to "clean" it as much as I can, but it is driving me nuts... 5 more weeks until her cast change...uggghhh
I also learned that most moms put duct tape around the cast edge to sort of seal it, then do the petals. I wish I had known that before we left the hospital and before she peed on her cast. I did go to Michaels Crafts to get the cute colored duct tape and have now duct taped the edge of her cast and re-petalled it. But a little late.

8/12/2007 "Oh Yucky"

Olivia seems much happier today and is making her typical funny faces and gestures. Daddy come in the kitchen where Olivia and I were and gave me a kiss and Olivia says "oh yucky".
I thought it was so funny that she already thinks it is yucky that her mommy and daddy are kissing.

8/10/2007 Finally Headed Home - Released from Shriners

We are happy to start to head home. As we get our discharge paper in order and start to pack up and prepare to leave, we realize that Olivia’s TB test is now showing positive. So the doctors come in look at her and order a chest x-ray to determine if Olivia has TB or is just showing positive due to exposure to TB.

So we have to wait for the order for the chest x-ray. Soon we head down and the x-ray is taken. The scan doesn’t seem to show anything. So a little relieved (still need the official reading) we head back to the room to wait and see what we do now. Shriners has to notify the Health Department since TB is contagious. But Olivia’s x-ray is cleared. We will now need to way a few more weeks and test our entire family. This also means that Olivia can no longer have TB tests, she will have to have chest x-rays in the future. Apparently each time you test someone with a positive TB test, their reaction gets worse and worse.

Daddy and the twins and Jordan come to the hospital to help bring Olivia home. We let them play a little while and then try to figure out how we can get Olivia in the car. We have one of the recommend car seats for the Spica Cast (Britax Marathon) but her cast is almost in a laying or standing position so we really can’t strap her in the car seat. We can get her in it and then or son had to sit on the floor and hold the bar in between her legs to make sure she didn’t slide out. We will have to drive slowly and carefully since two of our children can’t wear their seat belts. This also means that Olivia will basically be homebound until her cast change.

We get home and Olivia is just an emotional basket case. When we finally get her in bed she complains about everything and we have to keep switching her position. She finally falls asleep…

8/09/2007 4th day at Shriners - Epidural Removed

Last night was great, she didn’t ask once for pain meds. So this morning they stopped the epidural and we are trying to get her only on oral medication so that we can go home. She agreed to take the “blue” oral med. Since they gave her a sample, and the “blue” is basically the flavoring. So they mix that will valium, which looked bright blue, she took that no problem. The narcotic looked a little more purple, but she took it without much negotiating… finally.

They removed her epidural, which was quite the event. Olivia has little blonde hairs everywhere, and they had to rip the tape off all along her back, which she really sobbed about. She also sobbed as they removed the IV in her hand, for the same reasons.

She was thrilled to get out and about and go to the play room. They offered a bath and she was very happy about that. Then I realized that she thought that a “bath” meant getting naked. Which means the cast would come off. She was disappointed to learn that the bath was on a special bed and the cast stayed on. She loves her hair being washed, but it has to be done really gentle as her head is SUPER sensitive.

Though once there she was frustrated with the fact she really couldn’t do much. She wanted to ride the bikes and play with the games, but with her cast most things were impossible.

The oral medicines are somewhat of a challenge. She just doesn’t understand they control the pain, she will cry from the pain, yet refuse any medicine. I am not sure that she completely understands that it takes the pain away. Since you take the meds and it takes 15-45 minutes for it to really kick in.

It looks like we are all on track to go home tomorrow. I am excited to go home and spend time with our other children and catch up on all the projects that we have in the making. But I LOVE the Shriners staff, they are so sweet and helpful. I have never experienced medical care like I have at Shriners. Everything is about your child and what is the best plan and care for them. Since insurance is never an issue and doctors don’t have to worry about HMO’s or administration breathing down their neck.

Shiners is 100% supported by donations. So please consider helping this VERY WORTHY cause. You can mail small gifts or send cash. I can assure you that it is money that is well spent. They are great about giving the children things to do, and special treats so that there time there is as positive as possible.

Here is a link to learn more… http://www.shrinershq.org

8/08/2007 3rd day at Shriners Hospital

Last night was great compared to the night before. She only got up twice and seemed relatively happy. Overall we had a pretty good night. The nurses aid come in a “petal’d” her cast. Which means that they placed soft mole skin pieces around the edge to make it soft and comfortable for Olivia. I believe they call it petaling because it looks like flower petals. They then laid her on her stomach to be able to do the back of her cast. She didn’t like it, but they said it was important to keep rotating her so that she doesn’t get sores.

She still has slight fever, so we try and give her Tylenol. She freaks out on it… which is so odd since she drank the nasty valium without any issues, she also chewed the nasty perciced, yet she puts her foot down on the flavored Tylenol. It takes 3 doses before she will finally swallow it. By the third dose, I told her if she doesn’t swallow it we will have “more”. So she finally gives in and swallows it.

She asked for eggs for dinner so I rushed to the cafeteria before it closed and they made her two eggs, and gave me some raw onions, which she loves. Plus they gave her some toast. She ate really well.

They removed the IV they had in her hand since she still has one in her foot and the one in her hand was not flushing anyway.