Our Chinese Butterflies

Our Chinese Butterflies

Fristoe family

Fristoe family
Our family waiting on Prudence and ?????!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!!!

Wow, I can't believe 2013 is over.  It went by so fast.  I will give you a brief review of our year, some good, some bad.

In January: Hannah was admitted for Influenza B, pneumonia and bilat. ear infection, 5 days before Clara was scheduled for open heart.  While in the ER at a different Children's Mercy location, I begged they admit her at the downtown location, so I would be there when Clara had open heart and I wouldn't have to leave her alone.  They were kind and found her a bed on the 6th floor.  So for 3 days I had girls on the 2nd and 6th floor.  I was then told I had to decide which one to stay with, that I could no longer visit both, after Clara spiked a temperature.  Clara was coming off the vent and calling for her momma, so I kissed Hannah goodbye and told her I would see her soon.  I now had girls on the 4th and 6th floor.  Clara did amazingly well and was sent home 5 days after open heart.  Hannah on the other hand remained in the hospital another day, before getting to come home.  Clara had an ASD, VSD, and PDA repaired.  One of the complications was that anyone of the wholes repaired could reopen due to the high pulmonary pressure she had.  We were blessed again and the PDA was the one to rupture, but not as big an opening as was repaired.  She will now have a cardiac cath in the Summer of 2014 and have it repaired, no more open heart!!!!!!

 






 


 



In February:  My father got very sick and was admitted to the hospital.  We almost lost him.  Our Pastor came and visited him and he was saved that day.  This amazing peace that came over him and his home was unbelievable!!


March:  Hannah got her 5th set of ear tubes placed and a second round of gel foam inserted into her laryngeal cleft.

 

 



April:  Was quiet.

May:  Aaron finally agreed to let someone cut his hair.  He also got his second set of ear tubes placed.  


 
 

 
 
On the 17th our precious Feng, whom was waiting for us in China, went to live with Jesus, after complications from her open heart operation.
 


June:  Our second granddaughter and first grandson both had birthdays.  We made a trip to St. Louis to meet our new identical twin granddaughters!!!!  They were nice, healthy, full term girls!   Aaron got his first pet, a rabbit named Bun Bun.  Now he has had many names and I can't remember them all but this is the one the girls remember.  He is the sweetest bunny and so good with the girls, which is probably why he is still alive.  Clara likes to carry him by his neck and he will hold perfectly still.  I run to his rescue and try never to leave him alone with them. 



July:  Our second grandson had a birthday.  My husband and son went to Boy Scout Camp and the babies and I got the privilege of driving down there to visit.  Who would have thought that the one time they had to camp in  July, would also be the best weather EVER!!!!  


August:  Our first granddaughter had a birthday.  Hannah was diagnosed with MRSA in her EAR!!!!  We were so excited to get to start weekly appointments with the ENT, as well as treating everyone in the house with antibiotics, while Hannah got to take 3 different ones.  Trust me, Hannah LOVES her ENT, not!!!  Aaron started kindergarten.  This made this momma sad.
 




September:  Dewey and Daniel rode the train to St. Louis and helped Justin do some work around his house and play with all 3 of our granddaughters  Clara was scheduled to start kindergarten, but instead got a stomach bug and in no time was dehydrated and admitted.  After 3 days she was sent home and started school the following week.  We had a wonderful blessing; against all odds, Hannah's ear infection was cleared up without her losing her tube.  We also found out both Hannah and Clara have hyperthyroidism and were started on levothyroxine.  Abby turned 15!!!  Daniel lead his fellow Boy Scouts at his Eagle Project!!





October:  Hannah managed to get Para Influenza, which turned into pneumonia and she was hospitalized.  This is the first time I truly believe she was discharged to early and we spent the rest of the month fighting sickness.  By the end of the month she was feeling better.  We tried going to the Trunk and Treat at Aaron and Clara's school, but had to leave after the ADULTS kept running into Clara and Hannah and knocking them over.  I took them, by myself, to McDonalds and they seemed very happy with that.  We tried trick or treating, but that is not a favorite with them, so we headed over to ma and pa's house and Clara went and held hands with her grandpa!!




 


 


November:  Hannah once again was fighting pneumonia, again!!  This time I was able to manage it myself and was able to keep her at home.  By the end of the month she was finally well and back to preschool.  Abby preformed in the Nutcracker and gets more beautiful everyday.

 



 

 

December:  Went to the Down Syndrome Guilds wonderful Christmas party.  I waited in line for 90 minutes so they  could all be balloon art.  Hannah and Clara got reindeers and Aaron go a helicopter.  Clara managed to delete the only picture I had of the two girls with Santa.  Justin and his family came to visit us.  Everyone was well most of the month.  The week before Christmas everyone was getting sick and dropping like flies.  Christmas day was sad for this momma.  Aaron was so sick, he really didn't get excited at all about his presents.  All he wanted to do was sleep.  Two days later he was finally feeling better and was out driving his truck.  It was really fun watching him drive what he told me was, "the most perfect truck ever!!"  It really is the perfect truck, there is setting for 3 and everyone found their spot, without any fighting!!  The older kiddos and the girls were happy and excited about their gifts and so was Dewey.   I was sick the last few days of the year, but still managed to get Daniel to the Boy Scout Headquarters, before closing on New Year's Eve, to get the final signature he needed for his Eagle Scout application.  New Year's Eve was spent with our kiddos and some of their friends dancing,  laughing, eating, watching movies and playing games.  We watched some fireworks and headed off to bed.
                                                      
 
 

 
 
 








 

 


I pray everyone had a wonderful start to their New Year!!  I am excited to see what it brings for our family.  I am expecting there to be many changes this year.

Praying you have a wonderful year ahead.

Suzanne