Possibly Going Home

Kyle is gradually improving. So we may be going home tonight or tomorrow. His liver enzymes are now around 4000, the normal is 40! So even though his numbers have dropped from the 7000's, they are still more than 100x higher than normal!! 800 would be a normal number for high liver enzymes, so Kyle's numbers have been way beyond high!

His doctor says that whatever this is it is caused by a virus (like a cold virus) that affected his liver adversely. Obviously, it's rare. They still do not know exactly what virus has caused it. I just hope it never happens again! He will have a slow recovery at home. The doctor said it will take a month or maybe more. But we are just so happy that it appears he will recover, because just a couple of days ago that was in question.

He will be out of school until his jaundice goes away. The doctor thinks it will take 2-3 weeks for that to happen. In the meantime, we are hoping his liver enzymes continue to drop, that his bilirubin quits climbing and starts to drop, and that his liver inflammation goes down. Presently, his liver is still just as swollen as it was when this all started.

Today he is pretty sapped of energy and has napped all afternoon, so far. I'm just very grateful I get to bring my boy back home with me!

Kyle Update

Thank you for your prayers. They are being felt! Kyle's liver enzymes are starting to fall. At last check they were around 5000, instead of 7000. So that is good they are dropping. If they dropped too low too quick that could signify another set of problems but so far so good.

In the meantime other bloodwork is coming back too. Kyle tested negative for the alpha I anti-trypson, which is a genetic liver disorder. Our nephew on Laren's side actually had this and had to have a liver transplant when he was 7. So this was a big concern of the doctors because of the genetics, but it appears to have been averted!

The ultrasound showed an enlarged liver (one doctor told me two times the size of what is normal!), and an especially thick gall bladder wall. They do not know why the gall bladder wall would be thick other than the fact that it is so close to the liver.

So far, Kyle has tested negative on all of the major problems (like liver cancer or a disease requiring a liver transplant). And I'm sighing a HUGE sigh of relief over that! (Can you hear my sighing?! LOL)

Still no answers on what has caused this. We are still getting results from blood work and will continue to for the next couple of days. Kyle's tummy has been upset and not feeling too great today. But to me, his coloring is looking a little better (even though his bilirubin count is actually higher).

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and thoughts! Kyle is playing Lego's and we are waiting for Laren and the rest of the kids to show up so we can celebrate Alyssa's birthday at the hospital!! I thought it was so sweet that with his dinner, Kyle ordered a "rainbow cupcake," aka cupcake with rainbow sprinkles so he could have something to give Alyssa for her birthday!

Very Sick; Prayers needed

Hospitalized

Kyle (8) is in the hospital and any prayers for him will be much appreciated. He is in Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake. I am staying here with him.

It all started on Friday of last week when Kyle came home from school the whites of his eyes were yellowing. I called Laren at work. We assessed Kyle as soon as Laren got home and decided Kyle would be fine for the night and we'd take him to Urgent Care in the morning.

First thing Saturday morning we took Kyle to Urgent Care. They ran bloodwork and the tests came back this morning. We kept Kyle home from Church yesterday. It was kind of hectic because I was getting sustained and set apart on my new calling, YW Secretary, and dealing with everything else. We had been having Kyle get lots of rest and trying to keep him well hydrated.

This morning I was waiting until the doctors office opened to call and get an appointment to get Kyle in. Before the doctors office even opened, the doctor that saw Kyle in the Urgent Care on Saturday called me and said that Kyle's bloodwork came back and it was awful! He said in all of his years of practice he's never seen numbers this high (for liver stuff). Kyle's numbers were over 7000 and a 'normal' high number would be around 800. And that numbers that high are an indication of liver failure.

He told me he had already called Primary Childrens Hospital and told me I needed to take Kyle in ASAP. He said the quickest way to get in was to take him to the Emergency Room. So that is what I did. They took a bunch of bloodwork and then admitted Kyle. At this point we don't know what is wrong with Kyle's liver. But something is. He is very jaundiced. Not just his eyes but his torso too. His energy level is low, he has diarrhea and is tired a lot and a little nauseated.

Kyle doesn't like the Hep Lock/IV but he's kind of excited to find out the Hospital has Playstation, so he might be able to play some video games. He does not want to be here, but he's being a good sport. Laren is trying to figure out a place for Tyler to stay and play for the next 5 days or so - either with one of our sisters or someone from our ward...we were told Kyle will likely be here at least 3 days or more, possibly even the week or more.

They are going to run a bunch of tests and see what is going on and then give him some treatments and see how he responds and they won't release him until after that. Tomorrow they are going to do a biopsy on Kyle's liver. So far, after retesting his liver numbers, his levels are still super high but maintaining in the over 7000 range.

Tomorrow is Alyssa's 11th Birthday, so I feel bad I'm not going to be there to celebrate that with her. And we were supposed to attend the Draper Temple Open House today, and a bunch of other stuff going on this week, but all of that pales in comparison to getting Kyle well.

More than anything, I'm just praying and hoping Kyle will get better soon - that whatever is making his liver not function properly that he can be healed of it. I want my Boy back! My brother in law was able to come to the hospital and help Laren give Kyle a Priesthood blessing.

I am so grateful for the Power of the Priesthood!

Courage Persistance and Perserverance

The Value of Courage, Persistance and Perserverance:

It has rarely been illustrated more convincingly than in the life story of this man, his age is in the ( ).

-Failed in business (22)
-Ran for Legislature - defeated (23)
-Again failed in business (24)
-Elected to Legislature (25)
-Sweetheart died (26)
-Had a nervous breakdown (27)
-Defeated for Speaker (29)
-Defeated for Elector (31)
-Defeated for Congress (34)
-Elected to Congress (37)
-Defeated for Congress (39)
-Defeated for Senate (46)
-Defeated for Vice President (47)
-Defeated for Senate (49)
-Elected President of the United States (51)

That's the record of Abraham Linclon - one of the greatest Presidents of the United States.

Thomas Edison spent 50 years and had thousands of failures before he revolutionized the world by inventing and patenting the incandescent light bulb. Because of his desire to created the incandescent light bulb, he was one of the most persistent people in history.

The invention, in which Edison had the most failures, was one of his most famous. His persistence also led to many other great inventions. Edison had thousands of attempts and thousands of failures. He once said, "Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless." Edison did amazing things simply by persevering.

I love this message, especially in honor of the upcoming President's Day. And as a Mom, I feel like I have way more failures than successes, but this tells me to just keep at it, there is hope! :)

Five

Five for Friday

1.) We are finding lots of things we like about Utah. Far more than I imagined I would. I love Laren's short commute. I love being near more family than we were in Colorado. I love having the mountains so close. I love having so many family oriented activities to do here. I love having the temple and church building close, [and the schools].

2.) We recently discovered the Dinosaur Museum and my kids love it. We have been there several times already and plan on going often!

3.) We were able to go to a BYU Basketball game recently and it was a lot of fun to go and be in the Marriott Center (with decent seats, even) with my husband and kids. I also should add, I enjoy living closer to the BYU Bookstore, I recently hit a great sale there (70% off) - but even if there is no sale I love to go and look...and I love BYU rice crispy treats! Very tasty!! :)

4.) Yesterday I finally went to a Shop that I've been dying to go into for a year now! It was Hapari, a swimwear store. I actually live fairly close to it and my daughter and I had a good time looking at and trying on swimsuits - made us more hungry for summer though! And speaking of shops, American Fork and Lehi have some great little Boutiques, that I've been discovering! You never see things like this (boutiques) in Colorado!

5. This morning Tyler and I ventured out to Shade's sale at the Warehouse in Pleasant Grove. They had tons of Shade shirts, jackets, etc... for $3, $5, $7, and $9!!! I got some stuff for my girls and I. But I totally thought of you Jenny (and Angie) and wished I had thought to ask your size, etc... so I could have gotten you something! And not only were the prices great at this sale, but everyone there (there were hoardes of shoppers!) seemed to be very polite, not too grabby! :)

Tagged

Tagged

I was tagged by Donna to find the 6th picture from my 6th folder, post it, and describe it.

This a picture of my cute Girly Girl Alyssa, taken a couple of years ago. I can't remember why we were taking this picture, but it was probably because she did her hair and then wanted a photo shoot. Anyone else have Girls like this? Gotta love it!!

Anyway, it's appropriate the 6th picture was of Alyssa because her birthday is coming right up and I've recently been pondering my pregnancy, delivery and her birth. What a blessing she has been in our lives. Quite literally she saved me in so many ways, ways that are too private to post. But suffice it to say, she was born a ray of sunshine with a gorgeous dimple on her right cheek and she was the most beautiful pink coloring I have ever seen on a baby!

She was the perfect antidote to my life's difficulties at the time she came. And she is still that same bright personality today. She is happy, talkative and fun!

Now I'm tagging anyone who reads this to go and find the 6th picture from your 6th folder and blog it! :)

Things are looking up

Looking Up

On the job front, things are starting to look up. Some good news came about yesterday in regards to Laren's work project. Nothing is definite, yet. But things are definitely moving in the right direction! Yay!!

Now we just need our house to sell. We have had a lot more interest in it recently. Even though I go through times where I have wondered, I know that the Lord has not forgotten us and that at some point our house will sell. In the meantime, we will keep trying to be patient.