Rachelle update

I just thought I'd let you know that I am improving. It is slow but I am and I am encouraged. The pain is much more under control with the pain meds, before it was bearable but there. I can go longer between doses instead counting down the last hour and waiting another hour for them to kick in. My back is not in pain it is my leg that feels like a charlie horse cramp in my bum, hamstring and calf muscles in my left leg. Standing is very hard on my leg, it doesn't take much standing to hurt. Walking is fine, sitting is okay it is all getting easier except standing seems to be the same. Thank you for all your prayers and fasting. I know that they have helped me. I also know that I wouldn't be able to rest like I have without help from my family Louws & Pews (esp. Tim & my mom) and my ward/neighborhood. I am amazed when I think about how bad I was. I have heard from people who have had similar injuries and they have all recovered, some with surgery another with physical therapy. I am optimistic I will also recover with time and hopefully without surgery.

Hoof to the Hills

The Thursday before all my pain got unbearable our elementary school had a fundraiser were we paid to walk and then had pizza and snowcones after. Here is a photo with the Cedar Ridge cougar before we started! The kids loved hugging him.

Girls and their stuff!

 
 

I couldn't resist when I saw these hats at boutique! My girls are so cute!

Gwen and her ball

 
Gwen loves balls and Granny gave her a new ball while mommy is recovering--see older blog if you don't know why! She's so cute we can't resist posting her photo!

Cute cousins!

 
Erika had Grandma Pew make this pretty homecoming dress, her guy friend helped her pick out the material but asked someone else! I say that's pretty cheeky! Anyway, not to let it go to waste we offered Taran's services. Taran and Erika are the closest cousins each other has. I used to babysit Erika when she was 3 and he was 1-1/2 so she and Taran are like siblings. Taran didn't seem to mind even though he is very shy in new and different situations. He may not always show it but he cares about his family! Tim and I hope they have fun, they are still gone but Provo is 30 minutes away! Cute cousins!

On the UPSIDE!

One of the blessings of laying around is that I finished my book club book--Three Cups of Tea. It's a definite MUST READ! I loved it. I didn't particularly care for the writer's style of writing but I love this amazing story of compassion and courage! If you haven't read it you are missing out!

Ohhh My Sacariliac!

Hey, this is an update. Most of my family knows I was admitted to the hospital last Saturday for extreme sciatic pain. It started Thursday morning with a sore leg--I had spent Wednesday making peach bread and peach syrup to get rid of all the ripe peaches we had from my parents' tree. I digress, anyway by evening I could tell it was worse so I did some yoga and found I did not have full range of motion without extreme pain. So I had Tim give me a blessing and went to bed after taking some ibuprofen. Friday I was still a bit sore but managing. I called a physical therapist to see if I could get in they set me up for Monday morning and told me I needed a referral. I called my primary care doctor and got an appointment for 3 PM. I was able to get things done I needed to but noticed I was popping ibuprofen every 4 hours. By the time I got to the doctor I was uncomfortable constantly--when I left I could barely walk. I did get the referral and a prescription for a muscle relaxant. By the time Tim got home with the meds I was writhing in pain, sobbing and unable to move. When the meds didn't work after 2 hours I told Tim he needed to take me to the hospital. He called my doctor they suggested the Instacare, meanwhile Emily rubbed my leg which helped a lot. Since I felt I could handle things a little better we went to Instacare. I refused to go in until they would see me--I was actually comfortable reclining in the car seat. Tim helped me hop in. They gave me a shot of Demerol and 2 prescriptions for a nerve pain killer and an anti-inflammatory steroid. I was able to sleep. But in the morning I knew I needed to go to the hospital (I had to crawl or slide on my other leg to get around for minimal pain) so I told Tim to take me after all the soccer games were over. We had everyone helping us with the soccer games Tim's dad, my mom and friends. Nate (my brother-in-law) took Timo and Izak to the BYU football game. My mom and Taran watched the kids while Tim took me in her car. Again I would not get out until they were ready for me, Tim convinced me to use a wheelchair. They gave me a shot of Demerol with something else and within 15 minutes the pain was going away. The ER doctor said that I probably had a ruptured disk but that they were going to do an MRI. They returned saying how unlucky I was since an ICU patient just went into the MRI and they said it would take about 4 hours until I could get in. I said that I was fine since the Demerol was working--I wasn't going anywhere! They took me where I could watch the BYU game and Tim ran home before the game traffic got out and took my mom her car. He got things settled and came back just before I got wheeled up to the MRI which ended up being only a 3 hour wait--I had them give me a shot to relax me since I am claustrophobic. It was very noisy even with ear plugs! I was fine and that was only for 25 minutes. They admitted me but said that I didn't need emergency surgery but that I had a herniated disk with a small piece of bone loose pushing on the nerve. They gave me morphine and food--I had not eaten since breakfast and they wouldn't let me eat until they knew for sure I didn't need surgery. It was around 8 o'clock. I slept okay needing morphine very so often. Sunday Tim came back with a bunch of my friends after sacrament meeting. It was great to see them, they had all been so worried about me. After church the Relief Society president and her counselor who are my friends came too. Later Tim brought the kids and my mom and sister came. Tim's parents brought dinner over so we were well taken care of--Saturday we got 2 meals from friends! By Monday morning I had my last Morphine shot at 3 AM and they told me once the pain was manageable (w/out morphine) and I could walk I could go home. So I started trying to walk on my leg with the walker that I had been using to go to the bathroom. By noon I felt I would be fine and they said that I could go home after the doctor visited me. Tim's parents visited that afternoon which was nice and I got some phone calls so I wasn't lonely. Tim picked me up on the way home from work--he had been with me in the morning then went to work later. My mom was here holding the fort down with Teresa's help, and our neighbors brought in a meal. I am doing fine, I still have some pain and I am numb in my toes and calf muscle. So Tim got me hooked up with a neurologist whom I saw today. He suggested a different pain killer. They will test me for nerve damage next week. He also suggested I follow the no lifting and minimal sitting and standing the hospital doctor suggested. Then I will start physical therapy next week--after my brother's wedding. If I don't think I am progressing enough over time--a few weeks I will need to consider surgery. He said that it is possible that it isn't a bone but a piece of the disk and that many people with this problem have had it resolve without surgery. So we will see. I am hopeful I won't need surgery. I am not worried about this situation. I have had so many offers of help from friends and family that I know we will be taken care of! I am glad I can go to my brother's wedding, that was my biggest concern!

Temple Visits

This month Tim's sister Amy and I have started traded babysitting while the other attends the temple. It has been such a great blessing to me. I am so grateful to live close to the temple and go more often. My days are less busy than afternoons--I won't bore you with details but with 5 in soccer and 5 in piano you get the picture! The temple reminds me of Heavenly Father's love of me and all his children. The news can be so discouraging but when I leave there I feel close to him and his son Jesus Christ and I know they will help me and my family. I am rambling but I just thought I should share how grateful I am--maybe I'll add a photo of the temple later!

Gwen the fashionista learns to pray!

Gwen has started choosing what she will wear--one day she wore 3 different outfits. I know I should be happy she is wearing clothes! I am trying to be accommodating but it gets tiring changing clothes and putting them away or doing more laundry. She knows how to take off her clothes now so it's tricky if she doesn't want to wear her outfit anymore! She seems to want to wear dresses and skirts the most so we'll see if she ever wears pants again! I did get her to wear leggings with a dress on a colder day (we had a cold front with a storm this week)so maybe that will be our compromise. I'll try to get a photo of her clothes of choice. She actually repeated the words Tim said in her ear to pray for her own prayers tonight! She usually just opens and then stops and says Amen when we are done saying the words. She is a funny bug!

Labor Day 2008

So I made a little picture show of Labor Day plus a few extra photos from other events where similar families were involved. We went to Tim's sister, Amy's house for an early afternoon BBQ. It was nice and relaxing even though the weather was cold. The kids stayed downstairs most of the time and the adults visited upstairs. Tim and the brother-in-laws got the antennae hooked up to the converter for the TV. It looks good! Taran and Timo did not join the family party since they were still fighting a nasty cold we all got. Tim and I went out to breakfast that morning in the rain. We are really hoping it was a fluke and that winter isn't coming already!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Mom's birthday!

We celebrated my mom's birthday on her birthday Sunday August 31st. We had a Mexican dinner we all helped make--but mom. We gave her gifts and she gave us gifts! They are always funny things. It was fun!

Stake Conference

I wanted to write about Stake Conference before I forgot. Saturday night our ward choir sang--Tim is the choir director and they did fabulous. I was planning on singing until I got this nasty cold I've been battling all week. They spoke about the spiritual nature of finances and showed some great tools on providentliving.org. I actually did one of the "lessons" today, it didn't take too long. Even though we try hard to be careful it's nice to have a good shot in the arm about it and to try harder. Then Sunday we had a satellite broadcast Pres. Packer and Pres. Uchtdorf were in the Marriott Center at BYU--most of Utah County had this same broadcast. Elder Jensen spoke first and it was very good about not judging others whatever their circumstances--he had brother born with brain damage so his experiences with him was his introduction. Then Sis. Dibb, Pres. Monson's daughter, spoke about being real, it was cute. She is her father's daughter! Pres. Packer spoke quite awhile about the history of Utah County and sort of the background of what we have been blessed with which was earned by those who came before us. Then Elder Uchtdorf spoke about 2 questions "What am I doing to strengthen my faith and testimony in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father?" and "What am I doing to strengthen marriage and family?" He gave 3 suggestions 1. be a current temple recommend holder 2. speak with Heavenly Father often daily 3. study the words of the prophets daily. This last talk was the subject of our discussion at dinner last night and we challenged the kids to think of one thing they could improve on. It was a great opportunity to hear the apostles speak. Even though I was feeling lousy because of my cold I did not want to miss the chance to hear them speak, it is a great privilege and blessing.

My new ring!

Tim gave me a new wedding ring--it was a surprise. I am so practical I would have put it off longer. My diamond fell out of my original ring about 4 years ago. Tim bought a diamond from my parents who bought some in South Africa when they went there in November (2007). He designed the ring and had my old ring made into this ring--they had to add some material to this but I love it! The ring is being fitted right now since it was made too small. I hope to have it back soon! But here is a photo of it now.

Soccer, soccer, soccer!

We are back in the soccer mode. We have 5 kids in soccer again only Timo is not playing and Zane is. I will put the video of Zane's first goal on here. All our kids have scored so far, not that it matters but it makes them feel good. Hopefully I get a photo of Taran in his cute blue and white uniform!

First day of school!

Taran started High School this year, he's in 10th grade and so far he is enjoying it. He has some hard honors classes but we think they will be great experience for him--he enjoys the teachers so we hope that's a good sign. Timo is in 8th grade in Jr. High and it's pretty mellow so far. Emily is in 5th grade and in A.L.L. the accelerated learning lab. She loves the kids in her class and her teacher so it's good and she's learning to be more responsible--we hope anyway! Izak is in 3rd grade and likes his class since most of his friends are in it--poor teacher! Micah is in 1st grade and he has adjusted to all day just fine. His teacher adores him and wishes all her students were like him--I wish he was that way at home all the time! Zane is in preschool and loves it! He can't wait for it! Gwen and I muddle around without him and she is very glad when he comes home!

Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance!

Taran and his friends frequent the dances, church and school. I guess the music is not that great at the church dances since they have moved to Highland. Owell, he keeps going even though he says he won't go again because the music stinks--no Muse or Talking Heads.

Summer's over! BAH!

So I am finally writing a summery of the last of summer. Sundays were filled with family visits which are fun but don't leave much time for writing. We enjoyed Tim's brother Hans and his son Griffin who came out to Utah for a week. We went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point--it's actually the Museum of Ancient Life which also happens to be the largest dinosaur museum in North America. The kids always love it and Amy one of Tim's sisters and her family also came as well as Tim's parents. I did a slide show of that. The next day we went to Lagoon for Novell's Lagoon Day. It was fun since Hans and Griffin joined in the fun. The kids really liked Griffin. Hans is pretty cool too. Anyway, after our free dinner we were ready to leave. I think us adults were more tired than the kids. We made it back just in time for Taran to go to a scout activity--they hiked around Bridal Veil Falls up Provo canyon. That was good timing because later in the week a fire started up there and it took until school started for it to be open again. We usually go there at least once but not this year due to the fire! At the end of the week we had our Cedar Hills Family Festival so Tim took the kids to the activities at the park while I got the house ready for guests that night. The teenagers hung out with their friends at the Festival. That evening we had invited family and friends for the big fireworks show. We had a dessert buffet while we waited. We had a wind and rain storm come through just in time for the guests to arrive and it didn't leave until they left so no fireworks UNTIL Monday. Owell, we enjoyed visiting and the kids had fun with all the friends and cousins! The next day we had a family dinner with Hans and Griffin at Tim's parents which was fun. They went home the next day to Boston. Monday we finally had the fireworks and it was really fun. Shellie's gang is the only group that made it back to see them. Tim took Izak, Micah and Emily to Seven Peaks our local waterslide Park. They earned a free pass by reading a certain amount of minutes. Taran and Timo were not interested in going—go figure! Tim took the kids miniature golfing with their free passes and I hung with Gwen. I got to visit with my friend Sherisse which I had included a photo already on my blog. It was very fun to meet her son Sammy and catch up on how things are going for her. She said that my kids were mellow, I tried to explain they are spazes like every kid. My mom, sister, Emily and I went to Park City school shopping so it was a fun trip. We got home later than I thought we would but it was still fun. Tim and I played tennis and went out for snowcones on a date and he gave me a new wedding ring! About 4 years ago I had lost the diamond when I went walking so I took it off. I have been wearing a pretty silver ring my sister got me in Wales. It was a surprise and I will post the photo of it soon. Emily had friends over for a lateover a couple of times before summer was over, they played games and had fun. Her cousin Maddie joined in one night. Cousins Maddie and Jeremy spent the night one night and they seemed to have lots of fun. We went to the Thanksgiving Point garden for family night one night and we saw our friends the Bernards (they live across the street) there. They were seeing the garden in a golf cart—it is a large area.
They told us there were golden eagles down at the bottom from where we were. We hurried there and saw 2 impressive golden eagles and learned quite a bit about them. Tim thought it was best! Our friends left their golf cart for us to use and walked back so we had fun driving around in the golf cart—Taran and Timo tried driving a bit. Our other favorite of the night was the huge man made waterfalls. There are the largest man made waterfalls in North America. We went to the Dinosaur Museum and the Children's garden later.
We took a couple of friends to the children's garden & Amy met us there. Another day Tim took the kids to the farm at Thanksgiving Point. We bought a family pass for a year so we are getting our money's worth! It really has been a wonderful thing! We also went one last time to the zoo before school started. The elephant show was awesome and we watched the gorillas for awhile and they were very active. We took the kids swimming at my moms a few more times and we had a family reunion at my parents' for my dad's relatives since many were in town for priesthood ordinations and weddings. It was a fun time. I was able to go to my cousin Gwen's wedding in the Salt Lake Temple, she was a beautiful bride and the sealing ceremony was one of the best I've ever heard! Their reception was a great party, we loved dancing and watching Gwen dance with her salsa partner—she was amazing!!! We also had gone to a reception for a girl from our ward just before so we had a busy night. Emily and I went to a shower for Amber my brother Keith's fiancee just before school. It was a fun and busy summer but I am sad it's over!!!