Happy New Years

It has started off with a first around here.  I can officially say that Avery has made his first New Years at home.  This is something to certainly celebrate.  When I look back at the last year, it has been filled with lots of ups and some tough downs. 

We did ring in 2010 with a quick hospitalization but then Avery gave us the longest hiatus ever, three long glorious months at home.  This was long enough to enjoy my husband's second State Basketball Championship.  I do have to say that I am so very proud of him.  He is truely living his dream both at his day job and his night job.  Rick has been one of the only coaches around this area to have won two State titles in Four yrs.  It gives me such pleasure to see him in his element and watch Janessa route on her dad and his players and of course be right in the middle of everything.  It is also a welcome break from all the medical stuff and caios in our daily lives. 

Just right after the celebration from Rick's big win, Avery decided it was time to have the spot light back.  This was certainly the down that I don't want to relive again.  He spent 6 long weeks inpatient and we thought we would lose him.  Here is a picture that I have never shared of him just after he was intubated.  I hated to see my little boy this way. No parent should have to see and experience what we did this summer.

This is just soon after he was intubated and was bleeding out.  I am just so grateful that God gave us another chance with our beautiful boy.  He was graced with the fight and spirit of both his parents, thankfully.  I am sure you all know that we are both bulldogs :)  The ICP/ICU staff at Children's Hospital Boston was tremdenous in bring him back to us. It taught Rick and I to take a stance in what we want for him and what we knew his potential to be.  I am proud of the parents we are to our kids and in the tough decisions we have to make.  These are never easy decisions but I feel we put Avery first and it shows.  As you can see he made a full recovery :)  here he is just days before his release with his favorite nurse Sarah who worked with him on both the ICU and ICP.

Look at that!!!!A true blessing, as if nothing happened. 

Obviously, this hospital stay will be with me forever and it made me really see that his time is limited.  We take everyday with him as a blessing and that is for sure.  Our little Hurricane Avery :) 

Isaiah, over the last year has become our "complicated kid".  My heart aches for him.  I mean, he is the happiest, craziest, lilttle stinker who suffers so much and we just cannot get it figured out.  While he enjoys so many good days and this dog has become his little best friend, his bad days are baaad.  We have tried everything over the past 5 yrs and it's just not working.  It is by far the most frustrating thing with this disease.  Could you imagine having a migrane for 12 days a month that cause your blood sugars to skyrocket and affects you whole system so much so that you cannot function.  I cannot imagine for one minute.  Yet this is what my handsome boy suffers from :(   I can honestly say the while Avery is so severely sick, Isaiah is getting slowly progressively worse.  It just scares me.  I just pray this year he finds some relief with it.

Janessa, my girl who seems to have grown into a woman this year.  She sure got us with this dog though!!!!!She is one smart cookie.  I know I always say it but I really do mean it, we were soo blessed to have had her first. Although she can drive me crazy at times with typical kid stuff, I am glad to be able to experience it with her.  I am just sad she is growing up so fast and I can surely see it this yr.  :)

If I can sum it up, 2010 has been a yr of many hard decisions but certainly more blessings. and many firsts (1st healthy Christmas)