Thank God for Firefighters, EMTs and RNs

I will start out by stating that Sydney is fine and back to normal.  She just stopped our hearts for a while there.

As some of you know and for those of you who don't, Sydney was rushed to the Emergency Room yesterday morning after having suffered an extremely rare and serious side effect from the Beta Blocker she is on as a preventative for her migraines.  We went in to wake her up for school and she was unresponsive, very cold and clammy and drenched in sweat.  Scott called 911 while I tried to get her to open her eyes and respond to me.

After what seemed like hours (although it was only a couple of minutes) we had a fire truck, 2 ambulances, and a police car in  front of our house.  They quickly got to work on her.  It was amazing to me how calm these people could be...how could they with our baby limp and unresponsive on the floor?

They immediately found out that her blood sugar had dropped to a dangerous 20.  All the lead EMT had to say to his fellow responders was "You know what to do." and in a split second 2 of them were out the door and back in a flash with cases of medical equipment and the stretcher was ready to go.  It's amazing how fast they got the IV into her arm and just like that we were heading out the door and on our way to the hospital.

Apparently they don't normally let anyone not a first responder into the ambulance, but bless them for making an exception for this worried Mom.  The thing is, Sydney would have loved all the attention and the fact that she got to ride in an ambulance with the lights and sirens a blaze. But bless her heart she doesn't remember any of it.  We asked her later in the emergency room if she remembered the fire fighters being in our house and she said "Our house was on fire this morning?"

We will never know the names of all the men and women, fire fighters, EMTs and RNs that helped save Sydney on Thursday.  They were all so good and sweet to her and to us.  I'm sure if anyone asked them, they would just say it's their job, it's what they are trained to do, they do it everyday.  But, they don't do it everyday to our baby girl.

So, to all those unknown heros, Thank You! Thank You! Thank God for You all!

Thoughts on Inauguration Day

For some reason I felt compelled to write something on this historic day.  I suppose something profound should be said about how far we have come as a country and yet how much further we still have to go.  But words escape me.  Everyone has different emotions that they are feeling today, some are feeling pride, or caution, joy, or fear.  Scott, the kids and I all feel excitement and hope.

No matter how you personally feel about who is in elected office, I think everyone hopes that that person will do the job to the best of their ability and that the choices they make will be for the good of all.

This all makes you wonder, what's next?  What other barriers will be broken?  What advancements will be made?  And, What will my part be in all of this?  What more will change in my lifetime?

Migraines Suck

I was thinking about what to title this post.  Another thought was "I'm just pooped".  That one fits today too.  Last night I had another migraine.  The bad thing about when I get them in the middle of the night, is that it's not just me that stays awake and suffers with them.  Poor Scott has trouble sleeping with all the tossing and turning I do.

So, last night when I got one, Scott wound up moving to the couch and spending the rest of the night there.  I feel bad.  I don't intend to keep him awake, and I try really hard to stay as still as I can.  Sometimes it's just not possible.

The other thing that sucks about migraines is that I'm now not the only one in the house that suffers from them.  Sydney is now having a lot of problems with them too.  I wish there was something I could do to make hers go away forever.  Having suffered myself for over 30 years with them, and considering our long family history of migraines, I fear that is not possible.

Part of me feels responsible for the fact that she gets them.  I know that it's just the roll of the genetic dice that determines these things, but I still feel guilty.  Hopefully there will be a medical breakthrough soon and she won't have to suffer for the rest of her life.

Her doctor has started her on a preventative to see if that will reduce the frequency and severity of them.  It's only been a week now, so only time will tell.  Although, yesterday when I picked Sydney up from school she had a mild headache and she said to me..."I thought the medicine wouldn't let me have anymore headaches."  It's hard to explain to a 6 year old how it all is suppose to work, if the medication does it's job.

Hopefully someday the medical community will figure something out and people won't have to suffer, especially 6 year old little girls who just can't understand why migraines suck.

Children In The Grocery Store

We have all seen this scene in the grocery store.  A couple of kids being troublesome and an exasperated mother following with the cart saying things like..."don't touch that", "no we are not getting that, put it back", "watch where you are going, you almost ran into that person".

The kids run all over the store causing a ruckus where ever they go and by the time they reach the check out line the poor mothers eye is twitching and she is a breath away from completely snapping.

Then it happens.  The kids start fighting over a used candy wrapper found on the floor.  One wants to keep it and make a lovely piece of jewelry not seen since the days of King Tut.  The other wants to throw it in the trash where it belongs.  You see the creative side of one child whos imagination is limitless and the other who wants to protect Mother Earth and do the right thing.

The altercation escalates into near fisticuffs.  Thats when you see Mom snap.  She yells at the children at the top of her lungs, scaring the poor check out girl, the children and stunning the rest of the patrons of the store.  You, along with everyone else just stare at this woman in disbelief.  One of several thoughts run through you mind...1)I'm glad that's not me.  2)Been there, done that. 3)Those children are awful, my children would never act like that in public. 4)She is the worst Mother ever, she should have better control over her children.  Or, you are like me and you think 5)Why God must my children act like this in public?  Are you testing me? Please give me the strength to keep from beating these children in front of You and everybody. Amen.

Yes, cabin fever has set into the Zumbiel household and 2 and 1/2 weeks is far too long for us to be cooped up together before we revert back to caveman like behavior.

But, Alas, the children are back at school today and the house is once again quiet.  Almost too quiet.  They sure can drive me crazy at times, but I do miss them when they are gone.

Ringing In The New Year

Happy New Years!

If you are like the Zumbiel Family, then you are just lazing around the house watching the Rose Parade.  This is the way New Years Day should be spent.  Doing nothing.

The kids tried very hard to stay up last night, but lost all steam at about 10:30.  I went to bed with a migraine at about 9:30 and Scott fell asleep on the couch watching CNN.  Scott was suppose to wake everyone up just before the New Year came.  So much for having the person who falls asleep the earliest in the house be in charge of that detail.

I was not disappointed to have missed the ringing in of the New Year.  I enjoy my sleep.  The kids on the other hand were a little let down.  Somehow I think that they will get over it.

I would like to say that we have lofty goals to reach this coming year, but we don't.  I think that like alot of people we are just wanting to get through each day as it comes.  Our only hope so far for the New Year is to sell our house in Reedsport.  After that everything else will be good.

This is the time of year that people should be saying wise and profound things, but for those of you who know me, I'm not really capable of that.  So, I will just leave you with the hope that you all have a wonderful and blessed New Year.