Licorice All sorts

Well guys and gals, it has been forever, and so I thought I would finally put finger to keyboard, and give you all the Reader's Digest version of what is going on. Grab a chai tea, big coffee, or glass of wine and enjoy the read.....

Things are nutty! We are finally not having to go to the burn unit every day for Quinn. The wound has healed over about 80% and we are now into the second stage of healing, which is pressure bandage. She has a sleeve of tight neoprene that she has to wear 23 1/2 hours a day which will (hopefully) enable the scar to heal flat instead of all lumpy bumpy. She pulls on it and says "tight tight" but it is not that bad. Aside from all the looks and sideways glances we receive, it is ALL GOOD. Thanking our lucky stars on that one.

Hayley has begun skating, and so off to the rink two times a week again. She has so much more confidence than last year, and continues to have fun. I am glad that we opted to go again. The rink is the brand new Save On Foods Memorial, and so it is warm as well. No more Quesnel Twin Arena, cold as all get out, warming up under the six stratigically placed heaters with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. Although I have to admit when my friend the Queen and I were rink rats we were not at all concerned about being cold, in our mini skirts, and "spiked slurpees" - if we even remotely looked chilly, a big hockey player would gladly give us their Millionaire jacket! Oh the thought of leather sleeved jackets - four sizes too big - with the name stiched on the arm...haven't had that thought in a while! But again, I digress.....

Roger is busy disecting another room to renovate....now it is the downstairs bathroom. In my humble opinion, that room needs to be bombed and started all over again. It is the size of some woman's shoe closet with about as much appeal as a bologne sandwich. Nothing is going to make that room better. But all the power to him, men and their power tools.

Me. Me. What can I say about me??? I have managed to program my MP3 player and am walk/running every day. My a$$ is so sore that I am discovering muscles that I haven't heard from in years. That will be my luck - I will develop a ghetto booty. I am blaming the sore bottom on the fact that I am having to push the stroller, single or double one, everywhere that I go. Not to mention that Hayley's school is straight uphill, taunting me with a cold beer and wine store, a pub, a hairsalon, an antique store, and a corner store that I could quite easily purchase a chocolate bar in. All things that I would rather do than get into shape. But my hard work is paying off, yesterday I bought a pair of yoga capri pants in a size small, and my last pair of pants were a size 6!!! The baby belly - now that is a different story. Roger had the nerve yesterday to tell me that I was TOO small. Is that not an oxymoron? Kinda like jumbo shrimp? My goal is not to be small, but to be strong. Then I can really kick his butt!!!

The most glorious sound in the world was yesterday - according to my friend the Queen. The thump. Although mine is a little different, but the outcome is the same. The day that the mailman brings me the latest copy of Scrapbook ETC. YAHOO! Love this mag, still leafing through the past issues, but it is enough to get my creative juices flowing. Finished a mini album, about 20 pages of our trip to Tofino wayyyyyyy back in May. Love it. Going to an all day scrappin' workshop and crop on the 22nd of October. Believe it or not, a regular that comes into Moxies invited me to come with her, and it turns out that she is very fun to be with! Strange how life deals out the cards sometimes.

Well, there it is in a nut shell. My licorice allsorts of a life. Miss everyone and love everyone.

Some good news........finally

Well, the verdict is that Quinners will probably NOT need a skin graft. We are very relieved. We do know, however, that she will require some surgery from the Plastic Surgeon though. We found out an interesting piece of gossip though....Dr. Taylor is the leading Plastic Surgeon for burn patients in all of North America, he is very conservative, and feels that it is invasive and un-nescissary in most circumstances to do skin grafts on children under two. Their skin is very resilient and full of elastic and in MOST cases will heal on it's own. That being said, we will probably go and see him to have the scar tissue removed so that it does not hamper her movement and mobility. Seeing the wound today was encouraging, the outer edges are healing well, going back to the "normal pink", while the inner, most damaged part, has lost its thick white escar. That is a good thing. The middle part has never bled, which is not so encouraging though, that means that nerve damage and blood vessel damage has happened, but we will wait out the two weeks (which will be Wednesday) and we will see how it looks then.

On my end, I have aquired a new day care girl. She is wonderful, three years old, in pre-school and will come and be with us on Monday all day, and then on Tuesday and Thurday mornings. She goes to the neighbourhood preschool and her older sister and Hayley are in the same grade. She is a fun loving, full of energy little girl, and will be a great addition to have here. Especially for my little boy that comes, who will be three in January, to have someone to play with. It also means that I can give up one more shift at Moxies, which leaves me with just two now. Slowly but surely I will be able to leave.

House renos are doing fine. Roger has been so great doing things while I worked. The painting is complete, and the closet doors are done. The moulding (trim) is 3/4 cut and put up. The heaters are all updated and installed. He is so wonderful and handy - I am lucky. That and he is working 6 days a week right now!!!!!!!!! Kudos to the man I love!

My big brave girl

Well here she is, all bundled up. The prognosis is that she will need a graft, how big will be determined on Friday with the consultation with the pediatrician plastic surgeon. Dr. Taylor is a burn specialist, and so I feel confident that we will reach a educated decision on what is best for Quinn.

On a positive note, my mom is here. She came on Sunday night and is leaving tomorrow, but we have had an awesome visit. She has spent a great amount of time with the girls, and Hayley has loved having her here. They have such a special bond. It has been a huge help with going back and forth to the burn unit everyday as well.

Don't have much to report, but know that you tune in for updates. Hope to let you know more on Friday. Thank you for your well wishes, thoughts and prayers. Quinners and the family loves you for it!

Something unexpected happened...

Well on Wednesday night as I was talking to my sister on the phone, a HUGE accident happened to Quinn. She tugged on the end table drawer and it had just enough force behind it to knock over my tea on her. We rushed her into the bathroom and took off her jammies and saw a big burn on the inside of her right elbow, 6" by 6". I took her into emergency right away and the Doctor treated it and wrapped it and sent us home, only to be recommended to the Burn Unit of the Jubilee Hospital for a series of appointments. Yesterday we went back and Quinn had her arm looked at by a burn specialist, as well as a Plastic Surgeon, and a Dermatologist. The end result is that it is 2nd degree burns throughout with superficial (surface) 3rd degree. In layman talk that is through the dermis and epidermis layer of skin and into the subcutanious fatty tissue where blood vessel and tissue is damaged. That layer cannot repair itself on its own and needs graphs to reattach it together. We are going day to day, with the hope that her young, baby skin will heal a lot on it's own - but we are also aware of many painful proceedures in the future.

Quinn is a real mystery though. She goes about her day, happy as a lark, never even knowing that she suffered this major burn. She insists on wearing long sleeved shirts and the only time that she really puts up a fight is when we have to walk into the hospital room. I know she knows it is going to be painful. She never cries, never complains, never whines. I need to take a lesson on strength from my little wonder.

Think of us, and next time the phone rings and it is the Firefighter Burn Unit looking for a donation, think of all the great work that they do - and how baby Quinn needs them right now.

Wanting the best....

As a parent, of course you want to protect your kids. Without hesitation. Yesterday made me want to take Hayley in my heart, protect her, and keep her safe. My heart just broke when her dad brought her back to the house last night. He told her that his job was going to take him to Vancouver - which for those of you that are unfamiliar with - is a ferry ride away. In the grand scheme of things it is not that far - but unbeknownst to Hayley, he will eventually be farther. She ADORES her dad, he is her shining light, her knight, her "does no wrong". For her to understand that he is moving is not easy. Both her dad and I have spoke in great lengths about this new job, and he would be foolish to not take it, the worst thing is that he leaves Hayley behind because of it. I also know that time will make it easier for her to understand. Just think, she can go on the plane and see him by HERSELF when she is seven. It was the tears and the sad, sad, sad, face when they said goodbye. Had a cry myself. After we sat and talked she was much better, but it still breaks my heart to see her cry.

Lots to look forward to today, it is the first day of school today. She has her new backpack all ready, with her new indoor shoes and granola bar already inside. I hope that it is stress free and she gets the teacher that she will learn the most from. Cheers to a new school year!

Everyone, meet Eva.

My friend Jen had her baby in July, here she is Eva Rose. She was 10lbs, 9 ozs, and so incredibly cute. I want to hold her all the time. This is #4 for Jen and Nick, with Lily being their oldest - she is Hayley's friend from Kindergarten. Makes me want to have one. Really bad. It really helps that she melts your heart when you see her! I am so proud of Jen - she is one incredible mum!

On a vain note - not a bad photo of me either!