(**I have two weeks to catch up on so this is long, rather than doing a bunch of short posts**)
I have mastitis. At first I thought my body was just making more milk to keep up with the baby and the thought actually occurred to me "it's far from your heart, you're not going to die from it". (I'd heard that a time or two growing up!) So I went to bed and endured. Then I woke up yesterday morning and thought "wait a minute, it is right in front of my heart and I think I will die from it!" In 17 years the only time I have ever called LeRoy to come home from work was when I was in labor, so when I called him yesterday morning he immediately came home.
The last time I felt pain like this over my entire body was 13 years ago when I was in a car accident and felt like my body had literally been thrown against the vehicle. I had no idea that this little 'breast inflammation/infection' actually spreads inflammation throughout the entire body. If you could see on my body the pain that I feel I would appear completely black and blue. My wrists, ankles, elbows, neck, and entire back ache to the point that I have no strength. Yesterday I nearly dropped the baby because my shoulders and arms suddenly gave out on me, thank goodness I was just lifting him out of his bed and he didn't fall hard. My heart is pounding in my head and it takes robust mental effort just to hold my head up. I ache in so many places that I can't pick what hurts the most. OK, I can, it is the breast. But, I won't even describe that, it just makes me cry more! I feel like my whole body had gone on strike after being taken advantage of during the last few weeks. I really should have been taking better care of my body and maybe my body would take better care of me.
The midwife has me on a strict regimen of oil packs, heat packs, baths, vitamins C, B-complex, Calcium and adrenal support. I really want to avoid going to the Dr. because their prescription for this is an antibiotic and that will dry my milk up. So I am doing exactly what the midwife has told me to. Today I am feeling better. Certainly not 'over it' but I think we caught it in time and hopefully the worst of it is over. The midwife also prescribed bedrest. I chuckled, she told me she wasn't kidding and I cried again. How does a woman with 6 kids just stay in bed? Well, I have made it 1 day in bed and the family is doing ok. (I'm cheating right now while they are all gone and doing this post, don't tell :D) It is not all up to my standard of 'running things' but it will all bounce back. I have to just let alot go, like cleaning the old house, fixing meals, laundry, going anywhere, finishing the unpacking and all that little stuff that a mother does throughout the day.
Now if I can only get up the strength to go to 1 hour of church tomorrow for the baby blessing.
On to the best of times . . .
What's In a Name?
There is alot in this name! LeRoy and I have never had this much difficulty trying to name a baby and always had the name picked before the baby was born. It took us almost 2 weeks to name this little one. We both wanted to use Grandpa Hawkins' name for the middle name but with it starting with an 'O' and our last name starting with an 'E' we were having trouble with initials. We didn't want to give any additional teasing ammunition to 4th graders by giving him initials like "Toe, Joe, Moe, Soe, Hoe, Foe". Yea, you can see that eliminates alot of names!
We finally had to quit thinking about a middle name and just focus on what his first name was supposed to be. There were only 3 names that both of us really liked for this little boy, all of which created an tease-worthy acronym. As I was rocking the baby one afternoon I said one of the names out loud and it seemed so fitting. Then I couldn't remember why we couldn't use it because I knew LeRoy like it as well, it was actually one that he brought up and was his favorite. Then I remembered the middle name and suddenly felt that Grandpa was there to give comfort. He was honored that we wanted to use his name, in honor of him, but he was fine to have us not use it. (This all seems strange to type!).
So the short, long of it is . . . his name is Hyrum Jesse. LeRoy also came up with Jesse, which I wanted to use with Justin, and it surprised me because he didn't seem to like the name 9 years ago, but we both love Grandpa Jesse. He was raised in Rexburg, raised his family here, and through his family history leaves a wonderful testimony and legacy of love. Much like Grandpa Hawkins.
I have mastitis. At first I thought my body was just making more milk to keep up with the baby and the thought actually occurred to me "it's far from your heart, you're not going to die from it". (I'd heard that a time or two growing up!) So I went to bed and endured. Then I woke up yesterday morning and thought "wait a minute, it is right in front of my heart and I think I will die from it!" In 17 years the only time I have ever called LeRoy to come home from work was when I was in labor, so when I called him yesterday morning he immediately came home.
The last time I felt pain like this over my entire body was 13 years ago when I was in a car accident and felt like my body had literally been thrown against the vehicle. I had no idea that this little 'breast inflammation/infection' actually spreads inflammation throughout the entire body. If you could see on my body the pain that I feel I would appear completely black and blue. My wrists, ankles, elbows, neck, and entire back ache to the point that I have no strength. Yesterday I nearly dropped the baby because my shoulders and arms suddenly gave out on me, thank goodness I was just lifting him out of his bed and he didn't fall hard. My heart is pounding in my head and it takes robust mental effort just to hold my head up. I ache in so many places that I can't pick what hurts the most. OK, I can, it is the breast. But, I won't even describe that, it just makes me cry more! I feel like my whole body had gone on strike after being taken advantage of during the last few weeks. I really should have been taking better care of my body and maybe my body would take better care of me.
The midwife has me on a strict regimen of oil packs, heat packs, baths, vitamins C, B-complex, Calcium and adrenal support. I really want to avoid going to the Dr. because their prescription for this is an antibiotic and that will dry my milk up. So I am doing exactly what the midwife has told me to. Today I am feeling better. Certainly not 'over it' but I think we caught it in time and hopefully the worst of it is over. The midwife also prescribed bedrest. I chuckled, she told me she wasn't kidding and I cried again. How does a woman with 6 kids just stay in bed? Well, I have made it 1 day in bed and the family is doing ok. (I'm cheating right now while they are all gone and doing this post, don't tell :D) It is not all up to my standard of 'running things' but it will all bounce back. I have to just let alot go, like cleaning the old house, fixing meals, laundry, going anywhere, finishing the unpacking and all that little stuff that a mother does throughout the day.
Now if I can only get up the strength to go to 1 hour of church tomorrow for the baby blessing.
On to the best of times . . .
What's In a Name?
There is alot in this name! LeRoy and I have never had this much difficulty trying to name a baby and always had the name picked before the baby was born. It took us almost 2 weeks to name this little one. We both wanted to use Grandpa Hawkins' name for the middle name but with it starting with an 'O' and our last name starting with an 'E' we were having trouble with initials. We didn't want to give any additional teasing ammunition to 4th graders by giving him initials like "Toe, Joe, Moe, Soe, Hoe, Foe". Yea, you can see that eliminates alot of names!
We finally had to quit thinking about a middle name and just focus on what his first name was supposed to be. There were only 3 names that both of us really liked for this little boy, all of which created an tease-worthy acronym. As I was rocking the baby one afternoon I said one of the names out loud and it seemed so fitting. Then I couldn't remember why we couldn't use it because I knew LeRoy like it as well, it was actually one that he brought up and was his favorite. Then I remembered the middle name and suddenly felt that Grandpa was there to give comfort. He was honored that we wanted to use his name, in honor of him, but he was fine to have us not use it. (This all seems strange to type!).
So the short, long of it is . . . his name is Hyrum Jesse. LeRoy also came up with Jesse, which I wanted to use with Justin, and it surprised me because he didn't seem to like the name 9 years ago, but we both love Grandpa Jesse. He was raised in Rexburg, raised his family here, and through his family history leaves a wonderful testimony and legacy of love. Much like Grandpa Hawkins.
Happy Birthday Nathan!
I can't believe this little man it 2! He has grown up so fast, especially in the last few months. He was excited to get a battery operated power drill like his dad's and even more excited about his Curious George monkey, book and video. (I would not have survived the last 3 weeks without the Curious George Movie!). We had his cake the next night because it was so late when we started the birthday celebrations but that didn't stop him from enjoying it - after all, it had strawberries on it!!
The Move
Mom deserves a medal! She really made the overwhelming task of moving a family of 8 seem almost easy. Throughout Friday, the kids being home for spring break, we made trip after trip after trip just moving the little stuff - which is a ton of stuff! Levi and Chad did the driving of 2 different vehicles, mom organized the kids and kept the whole show running and I unpacked as it was all brought in. By about 6:00 we had most of it moved over, with the exception of the big stuff. We didn't really intend for it to go that fast but my visiting teacher showed up and while we were gone she completely packed up the kitchen, washed down all the cupboards and had it all in the driveway ready to go. When LeRoy got home from work he decided that the big stuff could still be done that night so until 11pm we had men from the ward helping us move. They were all wonderful! My only regret during the move was that I didn't take pictures. The kids were such troopers, so cheerful and willing to help and it was actually fun to watch their excitement. I will try to take pictures of the house now and update them. Just not today :D
Now I wake up in the mornings with feelings of awe and inadequacy. Awe that I have such a beautiful home and at how quickly my life has changed during the last 5 months. Inadequacy because we are blessed so far beyond what LeRoy and I feel we 'earn'.
My Office
I love it!! It took us almost a full week just to get it running (and the fax machine still doesn't work right) but it is finally usable. In the mixup of getting a mailbox we didn't get mail for a week so that really threw things off and when we finally did get our mail we realized it had actually been a slow week. Now Hyrum and I are setting up a new schedule including work. I really should take naps while Nathan is asleep but last week I just needed to catch up. Now - thanks to the strict orders of my midwife - I am to take a nap every day! The office will be ok. If it can go a week without a computer and mail it can wait for my nap. Unfortunately, it waits until I get to it.
5 comments:
Love his name! So cute! Good luck tomorrow! I hate breast infections. They wipe me out fast! Take a nap, or two! It'll all still be there when you wake up. I'm glad the move went good. That's alot to do in such a short amount of time. I found that after my 6th, I was often frustrated because I didn't bounce back like I had before. I couldn't do everything. My body didn't get the messages that my brain kept sending. Hang in there. You're awesome!
Wow, she said exactly what I wanted to say. I love his name, he is such a cute baby. Ammon took us a week to name and I am sure glad we waited, because it fits him. With the mastitis- my sister in law had it so bad that she was taken to the hospital for a week, and had a uteral infection along with it. I am glad to hear that you are doing better. Congrats on the move and picking a name. Tell everyone hi for us. Love you guys.
Wow. I don't think I can ever complain about anything. I don't think I have ever had that tough of a week. Lots of blessings too, but a lot of suffering to get there. Sorry about the mastitis, it sounds awful.
I like the name. I understand the middle name crisis and the difficulty finding the perfect name. Luckily we have had one at least by the time we left the hospital.
You look really good, your baby is a doll, and what I can see of your house looks really nice....can't wait to see more pics.
He is a doll! Love the name. We always have a hard time with middle names. My number two daughter has the initials SAG. I wish we would have thought that out better. Luckily she will get married and it will change.
My mom was always dissapointed that we did not use family names. I had a hard time choosing just one. I didn't want any jealousy between the two families, because obviously I am partial to one side! :0)
I am glad you are feeling better. I had Mastitis with my first baby. I do not think I ever had such a high fever. Everytime it was time for her to eat, I would cry. Hopefully next week is much, much better.
Kimberly, you look fabulous. What a good picture. And the pictures of Hyrum are great.
I've cried reading this and I'm so sorry for all you've been going through. You endure so much.
I feel bad that mom was here with me instead of there to help you.
It's really difficult to not be able to help when I hear of the things you are going through. Like a lousy sister almost. I guess I just have to look at it this way. I am helping other sisters here in Virginia and I know there are sisters in Rexburg to help you. So it's getting done, just not by me directly.
Love you, KJB
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