Well, let me start by giving updates on each member of the household... beginning with my husband, James.
I believe at last posting, James was in Odessa for about 2 weeks, working out of the office there and visiting and helping his parents. Doctors told James' father, Tom that his cancer was growing despite chemo and radiation - especially some in his left lung. They predicted the cancer would likely be fatal within a few months time. So, James wanted to do all he could with his parents to help them around their house, spend time with them, etc.
James returned home Saturday, October 4th. He says his dad is getting around pretty well and it was hard to believe the doctors could be right about the cancer seeing his dad looking like he was feeling this well. It is hard to accept that someone you love is dying - but especially so when they don't appear to be terrible sick or hurting. And you don't wish them to be hurting or sick. We need to and want to go back for another visit soon, but finding the right time to do it is tricky. I am not sure if or when James will go back and work in Odessa like he did a couple of weeks ago, but that is certainly a possibility.
Meanwhile, James is working so much, we barely see much of him - which is pretty much the usual. We did go this past weekend to San Marcos and do so "window" shopping of big plasma tv's and fancy Bose stereo systems. Of course we do not have any hope of even coming up with the money to afford those things, but it was an escape to get to go experience them in the stores.
Steffany just got her braces off yesterday (Monday - Columbus Day). Well, she got the top set off. She goes back to the Orthodontist on Wednesday to have a retainer put into place. Steff says her teeth feel slimy where the braces had been for so long - even after she brushed her teeth 2 times before going to the ortho and they brushed them some more after removing the braces. She looks a bit like a new person with the braces off. I will add pictures to this post later to help show off her new look.
Steff is grounded and not taking it too well. After she forged her dad's name to papers she turned in to school so she could get off campus priveleges, her dad was quite upset. He ended up going to her school and informing them. They took the priveleges away. She has times where she seems like she is trying to accept her punishment, but when she is not immediately then ungrounded, she throws a tantrum. Then, she goes behind our backs and against our rules - sneaks onto the phone or computer to talk to her friends or boyfriend. It is exhausting trying to prevent her from further extending her grounding by doing these things. I tell her she would do better to prove we can trust her. It would make for a much shorter grounding and make us all proud at the same time. I would sure love to be able to trust her - maybe some day.
Meanwhile, her birthday is coming up (the same day as my mom's - October 21st). I am hoping by then, she can be ungrounded and we can let her do something fun - like go out to the movies or dinner or something. And her birthday gift - well, she already knows what it is - but I think it will actually arrive after her birthday has come and gone. She wants a class ring. I looked through several with her and we picked one that is quite nice. I ordered it and paid for it, but they take a while to be completed and shipped to you. At least she has pictures of it and knows it is coming.
Steff and Josh have both been sick lately and on antibiotics. We heard just yesterday (Monday) from her doctor's office about results of her culture from her throat (where she had puss postules - yuck!). The culture grew strep! We couldn't believe it. The doctor had done a rapid strep test first thing and said it came back negative. Then he checked for Mono and it was negative too. But they said that sometimes happens. At least Steffany was taking the right antibiotic that should kill the strep bacteria (amoxicillin). Steff took her last big antibiotic pill this morning, so I'm hoping that is the last we see or hear of it. Steff is feeling much better. I just hope she did not give that bacteria to her boyfriend who she has seen at church - and been kissing!
Josh had a culture taken from inside his trach when he seemed so sick. The results from that culture were negative - it didn't grow anything. So, I'm not sure what caused his illness. He seems to be doing better now, so we may never know.
We are scheduled to see his Endocrinologist this afternoon. That is the doctor that studies his growth and development and focuses on hormones and cortisol levels (and prescribes his DDAVP, Cortef and growth hormones). I am hoping Josh will be able to get his flu shot there today, too. He normally gets it at his Pulmonologist's office. But when we went to that clinic last week, they said they were not giving out the flu shot there this year. So, if he can't get it at today's visit, I will have to call his pediatrician and see if they can get him in there for one.
I probably need to get a flu shot too. I have been run down and had a nasty head cold about the time Josh was first sick. I am much better now. My main problem right this moment is my middle finger on my left hand. I was joking around with Steffany Saturday night - pretending I was going to sit on her on the couch, and she kicked her feet up and started fighting me. I think her foot must have caught my finger just so and either broke it or jammed it up pretty good. Either way, it is hurting like it has never hurt before. I've been wearing a splint on it most of the time. It makes doing my job at the Weavers a bit more complicated. I wear gloves when helping Mrs. Weaver use her bedpan. But the splint does not fit into the glove, so I have to cut that finger off the glove to get them on. And I can't use the strength in that hand the same without causing a flash of serious pain to shoot through my hand. I think my finger is getting a bit better, but I can surely sympathize with Cowboys' Quarterback Tony Romo this week as he just broke his finger.
Well, that didn't exactly update EVERYTHING going on in the Wooten house this week, but maybe it gives everyone a little taste of our goings on. I will try to update a bit more often and add some pictures, too. Until then, have a great day and may God bless you!!
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