What next???

Well as most of you already know, I just got out of the hospital for a ashma/panick attack. I woke up at 4:45 and couldn't breath. My heart was pounding, and my hands and legs were shaking. I felt like I was hyperventalating, and just couldn't calm down.


The docs were very good and treated me right away as if I was having a heart attack. Better to be safe than sorry. A chest Xray confirmed that my lungs were hyperextended and showed signs that I may have ashma, and that I most likely had an attack. Because of the symptions, I panicked and had an anxiouty attack, or so they think. Very scary.


By 7:00 a.m. they had me all settled down and I was breathing better. They kept me until after lunch just to monitor my heart, and lungs. I slept most of the day, and am feeling better now.

Kurt was hoping to take the kids to Devils Lake this weekend to visit his mom, but is uneasy of leaving me home alone. Just don't know if it could happen again. I have scheduled an apt in Williston for next week, so hopefully they can tell me more. I have never had ashma before, nor have I suffered from anxiouty attacks, so this has all been new to me, and is very frustrating. All I can say is WHAT NEXT??????

"Caben Feaver"

With Spring on its way, it is hard not to have "Caben Feaver." The snow has now melted, and the lake has unthawed, so I am ready!!!!!!!

Thyroid Nodules & Panniculectomy/Abdominalplasty Surgery

This is a picture of what a typical thyroid looks like with 1 nodule. Mine however has several nodules.

About a month ago at my annual Doctor's apt, Dr. Tong felt what she thought to be lumps in my thyroid. An ultrasound confirmed there to be multiple lumps or nodules, in my thyroid.Thyroid tests confirmed that everything was working just fine. Now, one would think that with a perfectly working thyroid, everything would be ok right? Wrong. It is the total opposite. If your thyroid functions are bad, this means that the nodules are from the thyroid being bad, and not from something such as cancer. If the functions are good, there is no real purpose of the nodules, so this makes the doctors worry.

Because they found several nodules, and some of them are larger than 1 cm, we must take action and have them biopsied. Unfortunitally a special ragiologist does this procedure, and I am not able to see him until May 21st. Sounds like an eternity to wait, when infact it has its purpose. They want to see if the nodules grow within that month's time.

After the biopsy, if cancer is detected they will simply remove my whole thyroid. If nothing is found, they will monitor the growth of the nodules, and check them every 6 months. Apparently nodule biopsies aren't 100 accurate, so they like to keep a close eye on them. If they continue to grow, cancer or not, I will have to have them removed.

My Endocrinologist says that 90 percent of nodules are not cancerious, but because mine are so big, we have to consider that an option. It is good to know however that of all cancers, this is the best one to have because it doesn't spread, and is easly removed by taking the whole thyroid.I guess for now, life just keeps plugging along, and we wait for the biopsy. If they continue to get bigger and bigger, and this keeps interfering with swallowing etc, measures to shrink them will be the next step.

I hope I was accurate in all of the information above. It really was a lot to grasp today.

I think it would also be a good time to inform everybody of my surgery comming in June. I will be going to Dr. Becker in Bismarck for a paniculectomy and abdominalplasty. This is surgery to remove the panis of skin that hangs overmy panty line, and tighten my stomach muscles. After my last c-section, my stomach muscles were sewn "crooked" so to speak. Basically my stomach is straight, and it has a dip. Now at 300lbs, I didn't care in the least that it was crooked, but now being at 170lbs, it is really bugging me. I will go in on June 2nd, and they will correct this defect, and tighten my whole abdomen 360 degress around my whole body. Close to 10lbs of skin will be removed, and tightened through abdominaplasty. A scary procedure, but something that I have really worked for after 3 years of losing weight. I bet you all can't wait to see those pictures. hahaha

Heading to Bismarck

Well today is the day we head to Bismarck for my Endocrinology apt. Talked to the nurse on Friday, and it turns out, this is nothing other than a consult. UGGGG I was so hoping to just have them biopsied, so I knew exactly what was going on. Anyhow, I am hoping all goes well with the consult, and things will be ok...

Yesterday, I took the kids to Williston to the street fair. Kurt had meetings in Minot, so this was a fun escape. After the fair, the kids and I got a bucket of chicken and headed to the caben for a picnik. The snow is all melted, and the lake looks beautiful. The water has really come up. Can't wait for summer. The kids were so disappointed when we left.

Here are a few pics of the kid and the new bikes they got last weekend.

ENJOY

Anjelika

6lb loss

About a month ago, while at my regualar yearly pap, my doctor found some lumps in my thyroid. An ultrasound confirmed several lumps on the right portion of the thyroid, and 3 lumps on the middle portion of they thyroid. I felt absolutely nothing before going to the doctor, and now I am pretty much on the soup diet. Things just don't want to pass down my throat. I have gone from 177 to 171. That is a 6 lb loss this month eating soup. Perhaps the soup diet is the way to go. lol

Anyhow, I am scheduled to see the endocrinologist this Monday, so I am hoping they will just biopsy them right then and there, and not keep me hanging. I have tried being optomistic as the web says 90% of all thyroid nodules are benign. Please say a prayer that they are. :)

Anjelika

Weekend Escape

This past weekend, Kurt, the kids & I all ventured to Bismarck for a bit of an escape. We really had no plans for the capital city, but needed some time away to destress after tax season.

We didn't really do anything that was overly exciting while in Bismarck, but the thrill of getting away was all that mattered. The kids swam their little hearts out at the pool, mom shopped until she dropped, and dad just enjoyed being with the family. :)

The kids were pretty excited to get to go to Walmart and pick out any bike that they wanted. Grant opted for the orange twister bike, Micaela got none other than Hannah Montana, and Little Bethany picked Barbie. Thanks DADDY!!!!!!

Today is now Monday, and it is back to reality. I am hoping for a nice sunny day so we can start some much needed yard work...

Have a good week everybody!!!

Tax Deadline Nightmare!!!!

Yesterday was by far the longest day of my husband's life!!!!! After 25 years of doing taxes, never has he stayed past 10:30 at night to wrap things up. People were still comming to sign out at 11:00 last night. Did I mention that he didn't come home the night of the 13th or the night of the 14th..... UGGGG

I went into help from 1:00 until 10:00 last night, but felt helpless. I would like to pride myself in being a "smart" person, but man I tell you what, I felt like a "dumb" blond that had no clue. Taxes, and numbers aren't my things. I can imput the info, but ask me a question, and I am lost. Good thing they keep me behind the sceens. lol

Long story short, Kurt, Michelle and Shelby worked their rumps off until 3:00 a.m. Kurt came home and slept from 3:00-8:00.. 5hrs of sleep in three days isn't much, but it was a start. I told him, he had to be in bed tonight by 8:00. lol

I scheduled Kurt a hair cut and a message this evening, so I am hoping the stress is lifting. Last thing he said to me this morning, was "Pack a bag, we are leaving tomorrow. " I asked where, and he said, "doesn't matter, just away from here. " Guess we are going on a road trip with the kids tomorrow after school. :)


Hope everybody got their taxes done for the year!!!!!

Anjelika

This & That

Well, I wasn't moving very quickly this morning after being on my feet all day yesterday, but I did manage to do a few house hold chores before the kids & I set out for some fun.

With the temp reaching 60, this was a perfect day to investigate the park. The kids have been begging me for 3 weeks to go to the park. Unfortunitally the snow, and mud hasn't made it possible. I was plesently surprised just how dry things were. Still lots of snow piles surrounding the park that need to melt, but the park itself was great. The kids enjoyed the sun, and I enjoyed the nice fresh air.

After the park, we went to JCo to check out the after Easter Clearance. I got a few things for next year, so I was happy. The rest of the day, the kids played outside, and I just took it easy. Everybody was bathed, read too, and in bed by 8:00, so all is good. Kurt however, called to inform me that he probably wasn't going to be comming home tonight. In the 14 years that we have been together, last year was the first time he had to work an all nighter a couple days before deadline. Apparently things are tough again this year.. ugggg.... Wednesday won't come soon enough.

Tomorrow the preschool kids and I go to Estevan for our Spring Fun day. This is a fun day to celebrate spring. We go to McDonad's and swimming at the leisure center. The kids have a lot of fun, and it gets us out of the preschool for a day! :)

Well that wraps things up for today...

TTFN :)

Happy Easter

So I awoke this morning to three very very excited children, whom were more than ready to go hunt for the baskets. Not only that, but yes my husband was here too. That just made the morning even more special.

Before we could start our hunt, the kids had to sit and stare at the carrot cake that we made for the Easter Bunny. We decided that this year we would start a family tradition of making a carrot cake for the Big Bunny himself. We figured that if he could smell such a wonderful carrot cake, that maybe, just maybe we might get a little something extra. :) Sure enough, the Bunny had taken a piece of cake and left only crumbs. He also scarfed down the carrot cookies that were left hanging on the door. We are so good to that Bunny, and he in return was good to us all. :)

Hunt, hunt hunt. The kids found their baskets within minutes and then it was open this, open that. They have to do and try everything right away you know. I am usually so anal about Easter Candy. I am always trying to get them to eat it in moderation, but this year, I just let them go Hog wild. I told them that for one day, and one day only they could eat whatever they wanted. Needless to say, they had eaten one too many chocoate eggs by supper, so weren't the hungriest, but they had fun, and that was all that mattered.

Kurt hurried to work, and I began preparing the feast. Mom called and said that she had the flu, and Heidi and Jacob had made other plans, so really I had tons of food planned, and only uncle Steve and Step dad les comming. I quickely decided that it didn't matter, and that I was going to make it just as special as if the whole family was comming. We had ham, potatoes, beans, salad, and rolls. I also made a Lemon Mirange pie, chocoate truffles, and of course there was still carrot cake. :) YUMMOOOOOO

Early in the afternoon, Kurt came home and hid some eggs around the yard. The kids had fun hunting for them. They were amazed at the fact that the Easter Bunny had put quarters in the eggs. So fun...

Supper was at 5:00, company was gone by 6:15, and kids were in bed by 8:00. All in all, it was a rather nice Easter. Wish more of my family could have been here, and that Kurt could have been here the whole day, but it is tax season, and we do the best that we can.

I sure hope you all had a wonderful Easter. Visit my facebook page to see many great pictures.

Love,
Anjelika

Awsome Spring Day!!!

Well, I can honestly say SPRING IS HERE!!!! With temps near 60, it was an overall awsome day.

The kids and I made a morning of it by dying Easter Eggs. My hands are still stained, but nothing as bad as Little Bethany. She may just have green and orange hands until she is 20. hehe

Kurt snuck away from work at noon to take the kids to lunch, and I used that precious hour to clean up the Easter Egg mess. He snuck away once again at 2:00 so we could all go and see the Easter Bunny at the Moose. Unfortunitally there was no hunt because the park was too muddy, but the kids each got a treat, so they were happy.

We then headed toward Williston for the Hannah Montana Movie. We stopped at the cabin along the way to check out the melting situation. All I can say is that the lake is going to be up this year. Already the water/snow is over our dock and last fall there was a good four foot drop from the dock to the water. Crazy...

The Hannah Montana movie was very good. So good infact that we had to go and buy the soundtrack. I can honestly say there is some awsome music in the movie. Go Billy Ray!!! That man sure has come along way since Achy Breaky Heart.

We wrapped up the night with supper at Apple Bees and a milk shake at McDonalds. The kids were so tierd, I had to carry them to bed. Kurt unfortunitally is still at work, and has informed me that he is going to work until 2:00 a.m. so that he can be here in the morning when the kids wake up. Wouldn't want to miss the Easter Hunt for baskets...

With that, I think I am going to head to bed.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!!!!

Spring Cleaning...

Well today was a day of cleaning, cleaning cleaning. Took me a while to get motivated, but once I did, man did I take off. Not only was I in cleaning mode, so were the kids. They were such good helpers. We even managed to squeeze in baking Easter cookies. It's amazing how much flight those candy sprinkes can get. :)

Tomorrow we are doing to die Easter eggs, go on the town Easter hunt, and head to Williston for Hannah Montana the movie. Should be exciting!!!!

Last weekend, we went to Williston for their Easter Hunt. I took the kids' picture with the Easter Bunny, and didn't think anything more of it. It wasn't until Monday when I got a call saying how cute my kids were in the Williston Herald. Apparently I wasn't the only one that snapped a picture of the kids with the bunny, the newspaper did too. The kids made the front cover of the Sunday paper.. So cool. :)

That wraps it up for today!!!!

Until later,

Anjelika

April Showers Bring......

Hello Everybody,
I have rather enjoyed reading the blogs posted by my fellow classmates & their families, so thought it might be fun to create my own. Our family is busy & always on the go, so this might help people keep up.....

For starters, things have been very hectic with tax season comming to an end. Kurt has been working triple time. Up and out the door by 3:30 a.m. and home around midnight. I will say that the kids are all at very independent ages now, so it has been a lot easier and less stressfull for mom. Being a single mother from Jan-April 15th isn't fun, but I can honestly say, I kept my cool this year. :)

I have kept busy this month with our EGGciting preschool unit that focused entirely on eggs. Perfect time to study eggs with Easter right around the corner. Today's field trip was to a chicken farm. The kids were able to gather their own eggs from the chicken coop and take them home. I don't know who had more fun, me or the kids. lol

This month ended gymnastics and skating, so our main focus now is dance. Both Micaela and Grant are active in dance, and May 30ths recital is right around the corner. This year's theme is Las Vegas, so I can't wait to see what they have in store for us.

The weather has been beautiful and nearing 45 each day, so I can honestly say, I think Spring is here!!! I still can't see any grass in my yard yet, but I know its there. lol

I want to end by wishing everybody a Happy Easter!!!!!

Love, the Kochers :)