Ficken Chicken

We've had our dog now 6 months.  I have to admit I am just as attached (if not more) than the kids.  It's just mild mannered (most of the time he is a puppy).  I have on occasion let him in the house to hang out with me.  However he has this habit of wandering.  Our goal is to get an under ground fence in, but my husband has never "found the time."  (he likes to procrastinate :) 
This morning after the kids and Steve were gone, I let the dog out of his cage to go to the bathroom.  I went inside and checked on him periodically.  Usually if you yell his name, he comes a running.  Well, it had been an hour and still no Jack.  I kept thinking, "if Ashley comes home and there is no dog, I am dead!"  So I call the neighbors, I go to the neighbors houses, I look around, I drive around, NO DOG!  I called my mom (not that she could fix anything being 20 minutes away, it's just something I do :), I called Steve (again he couldn't fix it :)  We had some errands to run, so we left the back door open to the garage and we left.  I prayed numerous times he'd come back but I was prepared that he wouldn't. 
When we got home, guess who came trotting out the garage.  JACK!!!! Oh so happy we all were!!We instantly tied him up.  Macy asked him, "where did you go?"  Brooke said, "don't leave again unless you tell us where you are going?"  hehe
So with everyone where they needed to be I called the neighbors to tell them I found the dog.  I put out the flags for the underground fence and my neighbor lady told me how to start training him.  When the girls got home from school we watched the video that came with the fence and we started training.  As the night goes on, Ash comes running into the house, "MOM THERE'S A CHICKEN UNDER OUR BUSH! JACK WAS MESSING WITH HIM."  Sure enough there is a wounded chicken under our bush.  So I call our neighbors that have chickens, their son comes over and retrieves his wounded chicken.  He said, "it has bite marks in it."  Broke my heart!!!  His mom was so kind saying, "maybe the chicken walked across the field."   Or MAYBE my DOG went and STOLE a CHICKEN!!!
It appears the chicken is going to be ok.  We apologized to the neighbors and pray they still like us.  And the dog shall remain under close watch until the fence is in (hopefully Saturday) and he is properly trained. 

                                        The Jail Bird :)  Good thing he's cute!!   He looks so sad!  He's a springer spaniel (bird dog) and lab retriever (he retrieved his bird)  I am making excuses for his actions :)

 

Oh for the sake of the chickens!!

Feeding joy :)

I was talking to a friend a week or so ago and we were discussing the feeding guru's.  She said, "you want me to go with, I will!"  I thought about it and laughed and said we would be good, but it would be fun if she came with :)
Today we trudged to GR.  First stop was feeding clinic with Miss Nora.  I brought our 6 pages of Brooke's feeding diary.  Everything she had eaten in 6 days.  It was pretty impressive. She's been eating so well that we have been doing 2 tube feedings a day instead of 4. Her therapist was so proud of her!! We've gone from crying and tantrums to progress!! Today she ate fruit cocktail.  (something new again)
On to the see the NP at neuro-developmental. They did her ht, wt, head circumference.  Then I gave the NP her food diary (the diary Brooke and I are very proud of).  Her response was "she needs to eat more fruits and vegetables. This is a start but there's a long way to go."  I thought of my friend at this point.  I should've brought her, she'd tell her what I'm thinking!!!  That thought made me smile and I decided Brooke and I are not going to lose our joy over this amazing accomplishment.  I tried a few times to interject my opinion, but she really wants Brooke to have 5 meals a day, no more than 20 minutes at a feeding, more fruits and veggies, more pediasure.  She then asked if we were going to proceed with the intensive feeding clinic on Dec 17.  I told her no.  She said we would be taken off the list, they could not hold her a place and they would no longer see Brooke at the neuro-developmental center.  So I'd have to have her PCP order her tube feeding things.  She then said they could see Brooke 1 more time to see how she progresses.  I smiled and nodded my head.  Her exact words were, "I strongly feel if you don't do this her feeding will falter."

Falter:

a. To move ineptly or haltingly; stumble.

b. To operate or perform unsteadily or with a loss of effectiveness

I was hung up for a short while on the word "falter."  I initially was thinking "fail."  But it partly means to stumble.  I will be the first to admit we will and have stumbled.  It's ok, the good Lord picks us up every time.  The other part, loss of effectiveness.  I disagree.  Effectiveness is in the eye of the beholder.  We will be effective.  I can fatten up anyone :)  We will not lose joy or hope!!! 

Prayer has brought us this far.  We asked a year ago for prayers that Brooke didn't have to go to this intensive feeding clinic.  She went from not eating to eating meals, trying new things.  Does she fulfill every food group.  Nope, not sure I know anyone that does.  My grandparents were telling us about soaking up bacon grease with bread and eating it.  They are in their 80's :)  I don't think that is on the food pyramid and it has served them well. 

I don't want you to think bad of this NP. I honestly believe we just have different ways of getting from point A to point B. And I assume we have the same personality that thinks our own way is right :) I don't know if my way is right. I know we are making progress, and I like that, so we are going to continue. God has given us peace that this is the right direction. 

I did get the pleasure of seeing a NP we know and LOVED when we were inpatient.  When Brooke came out of surgery with her feeding tube, I officially lost it.  Seeing her little body with all her other issues and then a feeding tube, was more than I could take emotionally.  This kind NP told us, "she won't go to school with a feeding tube.  She will eat."  I have uttered those words to Brooke many times.   She came to see us numerous times while we were inpatient. She was so kind and practical.   It was so fun to see her smiling face.  There is always a positive.

So, our plan, as in Steve and I, is that we are going to continue to feed her and have patience. We will go to out patient therapy once a week.  We will encourage her and love her (as well as the rest of the girls) and we will continue to let the Lord lead us on this amazing journey. 

A couple hours at the Koeman's (minus the soccer and volleyball)

6:00p start eating supper.  6:35 convince Brooke to take her 1st bite. 7:00p Brooke is done eating.  PRAISE THE LORD!

7:00p Ash gets a bedtime snack.  7:30 Ash is complaining she doesn't want to go to bed, because she HATES getting up in the morning, so if she stays up all night, then she won't have to get up in the morning (rational thinking).
Every 10 minutes since 5pm Macy is asking to eat, supper, snacks, candy. Even while she is eating she is asking for something different. (something she does when she's tired)

FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD FOOD!!!  GRRRRRRRRRR!  You have to understand this whole food/feeding thing didn't happen to a health nut who eats 3 meals a day, and incorporates all her fruits and veggies.  This happened to me, who, if I had my way, would survive off coffee and candy.  But, I know this happened for a reason.  Woman cannot live off coffee and candy alone (but I'd like to try).  I must change my ways.

In all seriousness, Brooke ate a partial supper in an hour.  That is great!!!  She is doing well!  I got a call from the Intensive feeding therapy last week.  They said her admission date is December 17.  They were planning to call and verify with insurance.  I said, "yeah about that?!?!"  So the twins and I trudge to the combine to speak to Steve in his office.  We came to the same conclusion.   1 year ago, when Brooke was evaluated for this feeding clinic, she was eating NOTHING and very angry about it.  Now she is making progress.  She has a pretty wide range of food she will eat.  Sometimes it takes more coaching than others.  So we have to go talk to the feeding therapy guru on October 23. 
I also talked to our outpatient feeding therapist that we see weekly.  She agreed to wait on the intensive clinic.  She said, if by summer we have made no progress or are going backwards we can discuss it then, but Brooke is making so much progress now.  Let's keep doing what works!

We are also hopeful that Brooke will get off her last medication (yes I said last) the end of October.  I have weaned her off all her meds, with the exception of 1 (which, I must confess I did take her off, but then felt guilty and emailed the MD to tell him.  My actions were strongly frowned upon and she's back on the med.  Can't blame me for trying :)  When she was off all meds she ate well.  She is still tube fed, because at the rate she is growing on the growth hormone, she can't keep up with the caloric need.  But we are making progress. 
                                          FALL FUN, PICKING GRANDPA'S PUMPKINS

I have been reading a book on Grace.  It's been fitting. I must be honest, I didn't think I would get so much out of it. God's grace is constant and aggressive.  It comes over us wave after wave.  It protects us.  It surrounds us. It loves us.  We just need God's Grace.

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Because of His constant Grace and love I want to get up every morning and do this again.  You never know what wonderful surprises the day has to offer.