A Hospital Visitor

The big news from this past week: my sister Anne, who is about 29 weeks pregnant with twins, was admitted to the hospital last Thursday evening with what could be intrahepatic cholestasis. That means that her liver might not be processing the mucous in her body the way it should, and there could be a build-up of bile. The main symptom is itchiness. Anne's liver levels were going up every day, and that was worrisome to her obstetrician, so she was admitted so they could keep an eye on the levels - it's also much quicker to get test results when you're in the hospital.

Initially, the doctors were worried that if her liver numbers were too high, the babies would have to be taken out early (like sometime in the next week or so!). But after speaking with a specialist from McMaster Hospital, there was no reason to believe that Anne cannot carry these babies to term, even with the high liver numbers. If there was something else, there would be cause for concern; but there isn't anything else, thankfully.

There is a higher chance that she may develop preeclampsia, which is pretty scary, but now that they know, everyone is keeping an eye out for the symptoms, and it seems that they will be able to stay on top of it. I was able to visit with Anne for about an hour on Sunday afternoon while Jeffery watched the kids. It was nice to be able to sit and have a chat with her. Anne was discharged from the hospital on Monday, I believe.

On Saturday, Tracey came over and watched our kids for us, while Jeffery and I went out to dinner. We have gift certificates from Zum Linzer, a German and Austrian restaurant in Hamilton. HUGE portions! I didn't need to order an appetizer, even though the breaded mushrooms were really delicious. Jeffery's starter was goulash - I think it's his new favourite word.

I think Isabel needs a helmet. She is so determined to stand up and get back down, and stand up and get back down, even though she falls so often and bangs her head on the floor. She cries, I soothe her, she crawls to another part of the living room or dining room where she can get up to stand and do it all over again!

Alexander is getting better at keeping certain things away from her. For example, she loves getting at his Cheerios, and at first, he would watch her grab the container they are in, then whine to me that she has them. But I've been trying to get it across to him that he has to keep them away from her where she can't reach them.

I do believe that Isabel is finally beginning to teethe. There is the beginning of two little bumps on her lower gums, and she's drooling a lot more now, if that were even possible! It also takes a bit more to get her to settle down to sleep for the night. It would be easier if I was still breast-feeding her - and I am, but I'm weaning her off the boob. It's so much easier to just whip it out than get a bottle ready, warm it up, then give it to her (especially in the middle of the night). I don't breast-feed her before bed, and today I added baby food for lunch to her diet. So she's getting less and less breast milk. I've been a bit worried about a return of the constipation, but everything is okay with that so far.

Speaking of poop, I've been trying to get Alexander more aware of when he poops, since I would like to start him on toilet training before he gets to high school. So I had been telling him that when he has a poop in his diaper, he has to say, "Mommy, poop!", then I will change his diaper. And he's been telling me every time he poops for the last few days! - even when it's in the middle of the night! On Monday and Tuesday nights (well, technically morning), he's come up the stairs to tell me he had a poop in his diaper. It's awesome! I love progress!

That's all for this week, folks!

-Shirley

"Who is there a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy." Micah 7:18