Out with the old, in with the new!

I guess that it's fair to say that 2011 went out with a bang for our family!  I don't know why I am surprised, because all of 2011 was challenging.  The year began wonderfully.  I had just began a new job, one where I walked back into a place that I left 7 years before.  The minute I walked back in, it seemed that I had never left.  I felt very much at home, and I instantly knew this is FINALLY where I belong.  Things were going smoothly, when all of a sudden on April 3rd, I literally felt like I had been hit by a train.  After a 4 day stay in the hospital, I couldn't go back to work for 4 weeks.  The average person would think...no big deal, sounds like a nice break.  Not really.  It just happened to be the busiest 3 weeks of my year, at work, and here I was going to miss it.  But I eventually recovered and believe it or not, I still had a job!  Again, another reason that I knew I was where I belonged. 

The summer went by without too much chaos.  Our family enjoyed a nice vacation in New York over Labor Day.  We were just entering the fall season and BAM, that stupid train hit me again!!!  This train that I am talking about is an evil thing that is medically referred to as chronic migraines!  I had been suffering from a non-stop, 24 hour, 7 day a week migraine headache since February.  I had been living with it, without disturbing those around me, until October 30th.  Fortunately, I have a wonderful team of doctors that stepped it up and decided that they were going to fix me.  After a week at home, I began to return to the living and things were slowly getting better.  By the beginning of December, I was ready to receive a round of Botox that had been approved by my health insurance company!  Praise the Lord!!!  And wouldn't you know it, my luck quickly began to change.  Within 2 hours of my first round of Botox, I was headache free for the first time since February!!!!  Things were great. 

I was returning to my old self again, and it was wonderful!  We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas.  We were able to celebrate with all of our family and it was (for once) a relaxing holiday.  As Terry was winding down from his busy season, I was gearing up for mine.  Brady began running a fever Christmas Day, and ended up in the doctor's office on Tuesday after Christmas.  Of course, they said that he obviously had a viral infection because all of the tests (strep & flu) were negative.  He seemed to be on the mend after another day or so.  Then on Friday, December 30th, I had an allergic reaction to something that I ate and my co-workers had to call 911.  So, here I am again heading to the hospital!  Does it ever end????  Nope, not yet!  I was fine with 20 minutes after arriving at the hospital.  That didn't mean that they would send me home after 20 minutes.  4 hours later, we are heading home, only to return in less than 12 hours!  This time it was Brady.  He began getting sick again on Friday, and by 2am he was terribly sick.  So we take him to the ER, based on the suggestion of the on-call nurse at our pediatrician's office.  After waiting for 3 hours, just to be called back to a room, they decide that he may need to be tested for meningitis!  REALLY?????  After bloodwork and what he enjoyed most (peeing in a cup, LOL) they determined that it was most likely a severe UTI and dehydration.  He was treated with an antibotic and IV fluids. 

At 12:45pm on Saturday, December 31st, we arrive back at home.  I thought to myself, "please let's just make it til 2012, and it HAS to be better!"  Terry, Brady & I rang in the New Year together.  And believe it or not, we woke up and Brady was much better, I still have NO headache and I think we all have new attitudes.  Now Lexie has been at her dad's all weekend, so I can only hope that when I pick her up tomorrow afternoon, she has the same positive attitude that we have.  2012 is going to be a great year, I can feel it!  This year is going to bring a lot of things into my family and no matter what they are, we are going to embrace them! 

Happy New Years!