We're back from our trip to Seattle and Olympia.   We had an appointment for Rainee at pulmonology, and then the kids baton.  We had a fun trip there, more relaxing then we suspected.  And had a AWESOME motel only four  blocks from the space needle.


That was the view from our room.    After a bit of a down time we walked over to the space needle, and looked around.

Though you can't tell it in this picture the space needle is just behind them.  The kids were properly impressed with the height of it, and if we were rich we would have gone up.  We weren't LOL, so instead we just looked.


Sitting/Standing at the base of it.

Looking up the base of it.

We also wondered over to the very cool water fountain.

The kids had a blast at it.  We stayed there for almost an hour.  It performs to music, and was quite entertaining.  You can also get very close to it, and play russian rullette over getting wet.


I kinda like this picture blurry it shows the kids in action.  They got a bit close.  LOL

Samuel also loved the water fall, probably the most.  And its not actually a blurry picture, he's IN the water.  LOL

After the nice adventure we headed back to the motel and settled in for the night. 

I however spent the night VERY sick.  *ugh*  My flu bug came back that I'd had a day and a half earlier, and I ran to the toilet every 15 minutes all night long.  In the morning I got some keopectate, and was fine.  We actually do not think it was a flu bug, as NOBODY has gotten it.  I think its an allergy to corn oil.  But not sure and certain yet.

The next morning after everyone praying over mommy, we headed very early to Childrens Hospital for Rainee's pulmo visit.  It was a hard visit.  Rainee's asthma hasn't been great for awhile.  The test in early September rather woke us up.  We had thought it was her reflux acting up, but I'd missed valuable cues, and for the last year and a half its NOT been her tummy but her lungs.

While I filled the nurse practitioner in on what had been going on since September, they did her lung study test.

It what NOT a good test.  IT more then confirmed what I told the doctor.  The irony is in Rainee's mind she was having a VERY good day.  She did NOT have asthma.  Her small airways are functioning at 40%.  Her large airways under 60%.

The doctors kept saying.  "When Rainee has a good day, you can do this and that."  And I'd say.  This is a good day.  And they'd say, well when she's better.  And I'd say she *is* better.   They never did actually hear that part.    So when my child is the "healthiest" they believe she is in severe distress.  Great no?

The intresting news is Rainee finally responds to albuterol.  She absolutely did NOT when she was a baby.  So their switching her med to advair which has longacting albuterol and flovent (she's currently on flovent).  There hoping this will maintain her better.

We will take the long expensive trip back in 3 months and see if that helps.  There's also talk about revisiting a bronchostopy, and a sleep study.  But those will be discussed with our regular doctor who we were unable to see on such short notice.  We will find out in about a week if that is necessary.

Rainee was a major trooper at the visit.  And they were able to see how clearly she does NOT communicate about her asthma.  But also how talented she is.



She drew that on the white board while we were waiting for prescriptions, and results.    theres a dragon, and a lion in a cage, and a knight with a bow, and a knight on a horse.  Well study it, she's got lots of stuff in it.  ROFL.   Not bad for a white board and a very dead blue pen.  (no tip left lol)

The rest of the adventure was mundane.  Olympia, our normal motel which we love.  And Rob and I reeling from the news, and quite frankly too numb to worry.  About half way through baton the next day we finally started grasping the realities, and making game plans.  Not that there's a lot of game plan.

Also Rainee in talking with the doctors made her own wee break through and began informing us more often that she "can't breathe."  This is a VERY good thing.

The very sad thing is how very often she said it.  And we just can't give her meds that often.

Her baton coach is very aware of how bad she is, and was extra solitictous about giving her the time she needs when she got tired.  So we'll continue on with that.  All prayers are appreciated.

We will now travel with a epi pen.  And have a prescription of liquid steroids at home.  These are last resorts.  I don't know.  I'm too numb to really think through it all.  Living in denial will do that.

I've been putting off a venting blog for too long the time has come.

We had our loverly adventure.  It was fun.  I didn't however have the luxury of blogging about the fly in the ointment.  My dad came out and fell our last danger tree for us while we were at church.  He's not allowed on our property when the kids are her.  He can't currently go to church, because no church will allow him to.  So it was a good "safe" time to come do it.

After church we visited in the driveway (he and I) for a few minutes.  He said he was probably  maybe headed up to Ellis mountain, or maybe Snyder peak.  I mentioned we were planning on going to Snyder. .  He was headed there immediately.   And we didn't go for quite awhile.  I just *knew* that would be more then enough time for him to be long long gone.  I tried to call him on his cell phone to find out which he decided to do, so I could avoid him.  But he was out of range.

He's not allowed within 250 feet of his grandchildren.

He left our house at 12:15.  We didn't get to Snyder Peak until almost 3:30.  Pull into it, and there's his car.  *sigh*  He immediately heads down the road (to protect himself he's walking).  I hop out of the car.  "I thought you'd be gone."  "I would be, but my dog disappeared."

*GROWL*

So he continues to head down the road looking for his dog, and says he'll just stay down there.  His "friend" shows up about 20 minutes later to pick up the car so dad doesn't have to compromise himself.  I'm not going to apologize for visiting the same place he is.  He's the IDJIOT who made it so he has these wretched rules.

Zeria was cranky while we were up there, but her and Rob had spatted about ten minutes earlier, so I just figured that was it.  I tuned her out, cause I refused to let it irritate my outing.  When I was done enjoying the view, and before we went into the car I asked her what was wrong.  She just started sobbing.  It had broken her heart not to be able to see, talk, hug grandpa. 

She cried for about forty minutes of our drive home.  Eventually Rainee joined her in the tears.  Rainee was still crying when she got home. 

Its amazing how many people one "little" sin can hurt.  (sarcasm about the little).  Its days like this I could gladly shoot my dad.  (Not really, but gah* what a irritant)

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On another wee small rant.  I'm sick and tired of feeling like I have to justify the fact that I get Rainee the flu shot and the H1N1 shot.  If your child had 71% lung function, and averaged pneumonia 6 or so times a year, you'd be getting it too.

Yeah sometimes vacc's go wrong.  But vacc's have ALSO eliminated small pox, and almost eliminated polio.

As my pediatrition said.  "I've never seen a whooping cough vaccine cause a bad effect, I have however had two patients on ventilators, with serious life time consequences because there parents chose not to vaccinate."

You have the right to choose not to vaccinate.  Please don't cram it down my throat, and force me to do the same.

And Kate this is NOT aimed at you in anyway shape or form.  You and I agreed a long time ago to disagree on this, and it has never affected our friendship.  It never will.

It is aimed at quite a few others (as far as I can remember none of them at xanga) who keep venting about how they will "never" get that vac.  More power to you.  But if it protects Rainee from one bout of pneumonia this summer, it was worth the 30 seconds of pain in the arm.

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If you want to sympathize with me on the first rant go ahead.  If you want to discuss the second rant.  Please don't.  I value your friendship too much to get into it with whoever you are. 

So today was Halloween...and Christmas?

Rob ordered me to replace my camera...and call it Christmas.  I'm okay with that...though irritated I had to replace a basically new camera.  Note to self...kids are careless.

Note to self again...always place camera in camera case.

On that note, here's my trick and treaters.

This year we had a Knight (zeria) Captain Rex the Star Wars Clone (Samuel) Baton twirler (Kaylin) Robin HOod (Jamari) and Lightning McQueen (Jeremiah.)  The costumes were made by them (Zeria) by mommy (Jamari) or bought at Goodwill.



The lighting is a bit wonky in the picture.  But it was like the third ever picture I took with it, so hopefully I'll get things figured out soon.  I bought a different brand this time, for many reasons.  Its a Nikkon Coolpix.  It has a 24 optical zoom.  And is 12 mega pixels.

Zeria worked very hard on her costume.  Unfortunately the facemask started breaking.  It was very cool.



The Lady Knight

Samuel very much wanted a clone mask, but we couldn't find any for a price I was remotely willing to pay.  So I did this way super duper cool make up on him.  Which he rubbed off before I could get pictures, due to not having a camera until we got to town.  *growl*  It was super cool.


And yeah that's the best shot of him...he's ornrey about the camera to say the leat   The rifle he's carrying is actually his twirling rifle.  He will be learning to do that this year, and compete in it.


I'm not thrilled with the white-out on the faces, but I know that there's always an adjustment period with new cameras, so it'll get figured out eventually.  KK loves this costume that I bought for her to twirl in last year, but her coach did not.  So Halloween was a good option for it.  The coach didn't like it, because she LOVES sequins, and sparkles.  Which is fine.   I only paid $1.99 for it anyhow.  LOL


I found this loverly sparkly polar fleece at Goodwill in May or so, knowing I would find a use for it.  It was perfect for Robin Hood.



Rainee found this goofy witches hat at the Unique Junque store in Clallam Bay.  It was 25 cents.  She decided as a result she wanted to be a witch.  So the next week at the Unique Junque store, I found a black costume for another twenty-five cents LOL.


And my very cute Lightning McQueen.  Jeremiah LOVES cars and trucks, and things that go.  I mean really really loves them.  He's always got one in his hand, pushing it somewhere.  So when mommy saw this at Goodwill in early September it HAD to come home with her.  Its just so perfect, and you can see how much he loves it.